second is begotten alike as the Ordinances propose the object and then the Spirit of God by enlightning the minde and a touch upon the will brings the heart to imbrace that object which object is shewed forth in the Sacrament as in the word and it is a mistake to thinke that the second grace though it be within the promise which is sealed is exhibited by way of obsignation for there is onely a fight to it this way conveyed but it is wrought I say through the Spirit of God by the way of moral operation onely as the first and second grace both are begotten in reading and hearing c. Ergo. 10 The sad consequence of this Tenent that the Sacrament belongs onely to the effectually converted is sorely against it and that both for the giver and receiver For the Receiver this will cut off every poor doubtful Christian from the Sacrament For 1. If I am bound to receive when I am regenerate and bound to forbear if I am unregenerate then must I be perswaded in my conscience that I am regenerate or else I cannot eate in faith and he that eateth and doubteth is damned if he eat I desire this may be tenderly weighed 2 Upon this account every one that comes professes himselfe converted and if any man be but doubtfull that he is not yet converted he cannot come but he acts a lie and is a publick hypocrite which is a thing so hatefull to him that rather then he would professe of himselfe what he does not know he would confesse his unworthinesse and never come there and thus shall every humble tender Christian only keep away and the selfe-justiciary-harden to death For the giver first The case will be near the same for the Sacrament cannot be administred according to rule nor he act in faith unlesse both the receiver is regenerate and he assured of it which he cannot be if regeneration were a qualification commanded as necessary to receiving Secondly Men will be ready to think themselves converted when they are admitted and the formal Christian rest in his estate when he should come hither to repent of it Thirdly The best Minister must fal infinitely short in the discharge of his tryall were any at all required upon this ground The Lord Bacon observes of Philosophy the first and lighter tastes thereof inclines the mind towards Atheism but a more fixed and deeper contemplation brings it about again unto Religion So doe I judge here the first touches of Conscience in the pious have inclined them to a trial of others fitnes and unfitness to the Sacrament but a more serious and digested consideration of the issues of it wil bring them about to the Apostle Let a man examine himselfe and the Minister onely doe his best for their Instruction 11. The confirming of a Christians Faith in generall or his assent unto the truth of the Covenant in Jesus Christ to him in particular is a means of bringing up his heart to a speciall Faith for I am perswaded here lies often the root of unregeneracy that men doe not firmely beleeve the Gospell and where the holy Spirit works beleeving impressions he ordinarily brings in the soul to him But the Sacrament is a means of confirming Faith and that directly in this act of assent which is common in its degree to the unregenerate with the regenerate that if I will beleeve repent or accept of Christ I shall be saved Ergo. Unto this purpose Mr. Calvin hath a clear passage Primum verbo suo nos docet Deus instituit Dominus deinde Sacramentis confirmat postremo sancti sui spirit us lumine mentibus nostris illucet aditum in sorda nostra verbo Sacramentis aperit So that whereas Calvin with others ordinarily cals the Sacraments confirming Ordinances I shall take their meaning only thus that they are not appointed to convert the Heathen to the Church but to incorporate the members thereof Who being instructed by the word and confirmed by the Sacraments the Spirit of God in the use of both both Words and Sacraments so he speaks opens a passage into their hearts to wit for their effectuall conversion Calv. Inst lib. 4. cap. 14. sect 8. 12. The solemne application of the Covenant to a mans selfe according to his estate to wit of salvation through Christ if he will beleeve and repent and of judgement from Christ if he continues in his sins and does not turn effectually unto him is the very onely way whereby the Spirit usually worketh conviction and sincere conversion but actual receiving of the Sacrament is a solemn means of such an application Ergo. The Apostle Ro. 10.4 tels us Christ is the end of the Law in this Law Gal. 3.10 it is written Cursed be every one that continueth not in all things which are written therein to doe them Unto this curse Deut. 27.26 All the people were to say Amen It is nor possible all the people should be guiltlesse yet this Amen is a particular application so that the malediction it selfe as well as the precept is to be particularly applyed for a Schoolmaster to Christ who is in that respect said to be the end thereof Now then must a Christian that does not as he should unfainedly repent but harbour his sins in his heart apply the Covenant in the right part to wit that judgement which is due for them and is both denounced and sealed to make him turne sincerely from them unto the mercy that is together offered him if he does And while his heart melts and hee humbles himselfe before Christ as worthy thereof he lies under the very strokes of Gods Spirit to drive him in effectually to him When the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. bids us examine our selves least we eate unworthily and drink our damnation he sweetly addes for if we would judge our selves we should not be judged There are Scriptures I find that will support a Christian in his duty yet happily will not hold the disputes of men that go to take the comfort of them from us In this case the pious soule is not to hearken to them but to strengthen it selfe in attendance upon God There is a sweet promise therefore comes often in my mind with this Text I will not say a promise to dispute withal but to rest upon for our encouragement It is in Zach. 10.12 I will poure out the spirit of grace and supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne Poor soules you have in the Sacrament as in the Word Jesus Christ represented to you as pierced you are to apply it and say Here Lord thou hast promised to pour out the Spirit of grace on those that look on thee for to mourn over the wounds which they have made in thee by their sins Let the sight of thy broken body break my hard heart Let the sight of thy pierced sides pierce mine eyes and of thy bleeding heart make my heart
A REJOYNDER TO Mr. DRAKE OR A REPLY Unto his Book Entituled A Boundary to the holy Mount Which being approach'd is found so dreadfull that the people do exceedingly quake and fear lest they be consumed By John Humfrey Master of Arts and Minister of Froome in Somerset-shire The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God JAMES 1.20 LONDON Printed by F. L. for E. Blackmore and are to be sold at the Sign of the Angel in St. Pauls Church-yard 1654. The Author to the Reader IT is mans nature or his fortune in the turn of Opinions to run commonly toward extreams for while he struggles to get out of the clutches of an error on one hand the very force of his own striving with a little trip of Sathan letting him loose upon the sudden throws him quite down upon the other We have very sad experience hereof in our times which makes the day of Reformation between the animosities and excesses of two parties and the mouth of Separation to be as if a man did fly from a Lion and a Bear met him then going into a house and leaning against a wall a Serpent bites him The great unhappinesse of our dawning Government next to the laying the ground of our divisions in her own bowels has been the entrusting her pious designs to the managemen of over-eager spirits who finding no other hold-fast on the hearts of Godly men havr pressed too hard on a Tryal to the Sacramen as if they built alone on this foundation whereas the divine right of Church-Government stands firm on its own basis as disciplin is distinct from worship Indeed it is a pious office of those the Holy Ghost has made overseers to look into the state of their flocks according to prudence and conveniency and if they take occasion at this Sacrament to do part of that office if they have opportunity upon these grounds who can gainsay them And indeed had men held forth in this tryal only a christian prudence and pastoral duty the people would be willing to lay burthen enough on us but when a power must be estahlish'd cloathed with a divine right and that urged with the terror and danger of censure and damnation No wonder if tender Christians fearing a bondage bringing upon them rise up for their precious Liberty for Christian conscience which is the seat and tributary only of the infinite God abhors to become a servant of men and while it trembles at every word of holy Scripture as ready to be turned with a twined thread will never be brought to bow stoop or abate a jot to all the powers in the World A certain Governour of the Jews having set up Trophees covered with Armour and such Ornaments in honour to Caesar the people were all in a mutiny as at an indignity to their Religion upon this he calling the chief of them together points to the Trophees asking what they thought they were they began to exclaim Images He seeing their zeal causes their coverings to be taken off and underneath they were stocks of wood The Jews seeing that were presently turned and all their fury husht into a submission I humbly judge thus of our Reformation if she will set up her Examination under such Ornaments as pretend Divinity we shall be afraid of it as an Idol but if she would take off the Armour and dreadfulnesse of it and let it appear but an humane Ordinance for instruction there are few happily but might bear with or submit to it If thou be kind to this people and speak good words to them and but please them in this Free Admission they will be thy Servants for ever I do acknowledge the spirits of many the most holy Christians have their faces set against a mixt communion and I do humbly reverence the many pantings-and breathings of their hearts after a fellowship of the Saints on Earth as neer as may be to the Church in Heaven which will ever cause it to be no otherwise with us so long as any zeal in mens affections shall prevail over their judgements Yet do I tenderly believe that Christs example enclines not their way Indeed there is no argument sinks so deep in my heart as to see the winding of such inclinations against which I have Christs own life alone as satisfactory My Saviour Christ was holier than them all he was the godliest man and the sweetest and humblest man that ever breath'd He never sayes to any of us Depart from me I am holier than thou unlesse at Judgement He never spake such a word I warrant you in all his life The most holy and the most lowly the most separate from sinners and yet a friend of sinners Truly methinks the consideration of this gracious temper of Christ in that meeknesse of his and accessablenesse to poor sinners enters most nearly into the embraces of my soul and claspings about him when I acknowledge my self most undeserving all his benefits Nay if I may confesse my very heart for such an untoward thing it is I do more sensibly according to those poor small wretched affections I have love him more for his sweetness of disposition amidst the doubts of my condition than in my best assurances they are so fainting for his dying in particular for my salvation We never read of any he turned away but if they will come quite home to him in spirit they shall be welcom to all his entertainments If they will come but to a profession he has even some love for them also Mar. 10.21 they shall not be grudged the benefits of that profession Whosoever comes unto me I will in no wise cast out Now that doctrine that has so fair a countenance from the holy Jesus that goes the way of humility and tends to peace which if it may be Religiously embrac'd would have kept us from and might end our divisions and yet do no more harm unto the main than to forward it is not unworthy more willing contemplations There are some have thought the World was made by a concurse of Atomes I think if ever the multiform opinions of men which like those Atomes fly up and down about Church Government do concurre in one they must have their confluence and coagulation at this Ordinance It is observed of some diseases that the fear of having them does bring them we may observe it here in pious men the fear of Church-levelling has leveld us their own Tenents have served to do it the frights of our Mother brings her travel upon her There are four principles amongst us Episcopacy Presbytery Independency Erastianism Some are for Martin and some are for Luther But is Christ divided Might not one Jesus serve all parties We know the perfect temperament of natural bodies is of the four Elements and it may be in our Government if the prime qualities of either of these were well disputed and allayed they might unite and educe a form of the richest extract for our mixt
their damnation though their account would be yet greater we must conceive if they should not do these duties at all But for this particular Eating damnation which is the effect of the unworthinesse of this place incurring a more peculiar or deeper guilt upon a person may not be charged I think upon any but upon those that come so irreverently without respect to this holy institution that they sin in the very fact in using it as common thing which ought not to be done An unregenerate man may come Christianly though but in an outward conformity to this Ordinance it is our duty but he may not come presumptuously as to a common Table and prophane it The other distinction I must commend to tender spirits is between Eating damnation and Sealing damnation The one is the effect of irreverent unworthinesse provoking God The other is only a confirming and attestation of the truth of the Covenant to every man according to his condition which is much for the honour and owning of God Methinks my heart is enlarged and I must tell you these two things must be separated as far as Heaven and Hell I wish there were some further distance that the plague of the one might never trouble you under the notiō of the other which has eat unto our very hearts that I am afraid men won't receive this manifest truth It is a most precious sweet mercy of God when he denounces judgment upon an impenitent sinner to awaken his soul and bring him to repentance It is the very like or same gracious act of his in sealing to his word to set home that conviction as it were using all means as Christ did with Judas to work upon him Now it is likewise every mans duty while God shews us the way it must be so that lives impenitently to apply these threatnings to assure and seal them upon himself and so to take that part of the Covenant as I expresse it that belongs to him So that this thing which has appeared so terrible to drive men from the Sacrament that they do but seal or apply damnation to themselves is the only thing of concernment for them to do in this estate as they ever look to be converted and saved O that every sinful Christian would but do this with due reverence and a serious conscience and I would assure him this sealing his damnation is the only way to eat his salvation in the use hereof If you ask here But how then is Christ offer'd to such a man I answer Very well as truly as he is preached in his threatnings Christ is never offer'd to any but as wrapt up under the tenour of the Covenant which contains both wrath and life In the Word and Sacrament there is necessarily shewn forth to the hypocrite what he shall lose unlesse he will become sincere as to the sound believer what he shall have in the partaking of them There is something sealed actually and something potentially to every man Actually the regenerate hath life sealed to him but Potentially damnation if he fall away from his faith which though we beleeve he never shall in respect of Gods grace yet as on his own part he is frail this is a means to make him stand An unregenerate man hath wrath actually sealed to him but potentially all Christs benefits which is as it were a voice behind him that though he be in this present fearful estate yet if he will but repent and believe he may get out of it and be saved Thus do Judgement and Mercy interweave their forces to bring in a sinner unto Christ And here may be removed that dreadfull scruple of some poor Christians who apprehend they have been unworthy and there damnation has then been sealed now the seal being sure how can what is sealed ever be reversed I answer The alteration is made only in us the Seal is the same and what is sealed is the same A man walks in one place and is in the shade he turns into another and is in the shine yet the Sun is the same The Sacrament seals the Covenant Man seals to his condition while he walks not accordingly his damnation is sealed when he repents and does his salvation Actually and potentially both are sealed and according to his walking he hath the influence thereof whether of the light of life or shadow of death There is one Iron only enter'd my soul and it was this If the Sacrament be a Seal it does exhibit and convey something to the Receiver and that to the unregenerate must be dangerous Here then let us know and arm our selves that Sacraments being only Moral Instruments cannot convey any thing that is Real unto the soul by way of Obsignation but only that which is Relative making no change but as to our Estates and relations to God the very end or proper effect being chiefly to assure us thereof I mean make us more believe consider and lay them to heart if good for our comfort if bad for our conviction Now this very assurance as farther degrees of faith and love in the worthy Receiver and hardnesse in the unworthy which are Real things are not externally exhibited I say by this sealing but internally wrought or effected according to the acts and exercises of our Souls on those objects that may be said thereby to have an influence on us Now then let an unregenerate man so come to the seal that he lays close to heart his damnable condition being the more humble and sensible of it it has its very right effect upon him and is a help towards his conversion while it does not Physically conveigh Gods wrath for that it cannot but Morally work only the sense of it on his Spirit which if he le ts wear off again without amendment his sin of hardning will lie therein and not in his coming And now for my part if I have fallen on the truth yet am I nothing for it has been my fears and doubtings have even brought me to it who must sadly confesse my self to be such a truant to the proficiency of grace that I am justly turn'd down unto the lowermost form of such poor sinners that are jealous and do even question the sincerity of it Amongst these I have thought it safest in coming to this Ordinance to condemn my condition and while I do so methinks the Apostle speaks comfortably to me If we judge our selves we shall not be judged Poor souls Is not this sweet to you Let it enter into your hearts when you come in your tears as it were weltring hither the very same place that has made you tremble in speaking so dreadfully of unworthinesse does yet assure you but if you condemn your selves as unworthy you shall not be condemned I would not for any thing that passage were left out The meek Iesus will never spurn at thee when thou liest down before him O my soul whiles others are even embrac'd in Christs arms
for his expressions Of their seeming to submit yet carrying Daggers and Poyson about them to murder their Prince and therefore they must be searched c. Besides the vanity of the words I must tell him 1. There is no Scripture that warrants his pretended tryal of Church Members about their coming to the Sacrament that is flat 2 Much lesse that he may take a power of search as to the truth of grace which is an entring on Gods Throne and the Spirits work 3 This is clean contrary to Christs example who set up no Sacramental tryal for Iudas at least for any thing we can find of it But alas that is nothing to Mr. Drake he has found out a way to turn this off with a wet finger p. 9. 90. Which if you confer with this passage he tels us That they who are the Servants by all means must needs try examine and keep men away for fear of some secret Treason unto Christ in coming hither but Jesus Christ the Lord himself must not have power to make tryal of or suspend Iudas that really intends to murder him because the Presbytery was not setled To p. 44. I answer Godly Parents and Maesters instruction of their Children and Servants unto the Lords Supper may be good as the Ministers Catechizing them without this ill language he heer gives me I would willingly allow a man some Salt in his discourse but his is brinish there are some ingredients to be in ones Inck besides Gall. To that question what Christ sealed to Iudas p. 46 47 48. without regard to the rest which is amisse I judge he speaks well herein The word and the seal both go together and assure particular mercy or judgment to the Receivers as they are worthy and unworthy that is according to the Covenant-tenour and their own condition This is good though his comparison of the bitter water following this and that the Sacrament can never do good to any but such as are good already seems to me such a slander of that precious Ordinance I would not be guilty of for all Mr. Drake is worth But I pray consider this really whatsoever Christ does in his Ministry must be a gracious act and be capable of gracious ends so that this action must be in its own nature a means to have done him good if he had made a good use of it and t is accidental to the thing he did it not Yet did Christ in this actual estate of his Mr. Drake says truly seal to him judgement you must conceive it as to his own part in Receiving for the Minister seals no interest but conditionally Now the truth is as the Word is a sweet savour to God and a means of salvation in his threatnings as well as its promises because it does but still declare the Covenant whereof they are parts of it so is the Sacrament while it seals judgement or while it seals life seeing it does but seal the Covenant equally in both Here then I humbly conceive still submitting my self unto mercy lies the main upon the Receivers to examine their hearts and so to come in their addresses to Christ that they rightly apply the Covenant unto themselves according to their condition Always carrying in mind these two things First That thou put far enough asunder the blessed work of sealing the Covenant though it denounces thy judgement unlesse thou repentest for it does it no otherwise and that cursed sin of thy abuse hereof if thou dost not lay it to heart in eating damnation Secondly That what the Word denounces and Sacrament seals they conveigh not Really but only Relatively for they are not Physical but Moral instruments which Mr. Drake did not think of in his bitter comparison so that while they assure thee of damnation they do thee no hurt if thou make a good use of them for thy conviction but if otherwise as all means else they serve but to encrease it You may happily say this notion is strange but is it not true and as for the ingredients what every one yield who will deny the Sacrament is a visible word Does not the word say he that believes not and repents is damned that is is in a present state of death Must not every one lay this estate of his to heart Does not the seal assure the same thing only with the Word Is not our Receiving the application of what is sealed And is not the application or setting home the right part of the Covenant on a mans soul the very businesse by the grace of God of his conviction and conversion What then remains but that man have the information and God the glory He repeats often Where the word is not applicable neither the Sacrament This is his strength and I cloze with him and urge But if every man is to apply the Word and while he is impenitent he is to lay to heart the threatnings and wrath of God as the only way to mollifie and work him to repentance then it is clear the seal may be applyed so likewise The Seal and the Word he speaks fully must go together If you offer to say it seals not this part of the Covenant but only the promise and grace then you take away all danger as it is sealing to the most unworthy and make our admission more free though if any dare say it seals not the whole Covenant you may as well believe it is no seal at all P. 51. He has Infants up again which is now five times but for his words Shall the Supper be free for Blaspemers Murderers c. which who doubts but may be excommunicated if not put to death and his undertaking to prove his rule of visibility to the Sacrament to be as orderly as Baptism it is like himself to say all day and prove at night For his answers to my 4 Considerations I reply as briefly To the first An historical faith suffices unto Baptism Acts 8.13 To the second Acceptance is either in sincerity which we cannot search or outward only and visible and that for Church-members is their receiving As for any other the Scriptures he pleads as abundant enough are none at all but if ill words will do it he has authority enough To the third where are many things I say 1. Though conviction is not enough to convert without grace what then Is it not a means therefore with it 2. His implicated errors are his own for conviction of the truth of the Covenant does come directly by sealing it and conviction of the general offer by the applying it to every single person I think some nicety between offering and applying which as to the Minister is the same troubles the man But3 Conviction that Christ is mine in particular as to a faith of particular evidence as he expresses it comes not at all by the Sacrament Because 1. The Sacrament seals nothing but the Word which speaks not particularly I believe,2 What is common
businesse of Excommunication is placed by him in actual receiving from which he suspends all that refuse to submit unto his way it follows that this man before he does so much as go to gain some by words at all he presently knocks them on the head and yet would be thought very favourable that he doth no more to them than he can possible As for the commendation of his own way as a means to purity instruction of the ignorant good conversation of the Members c. I answer These are indeed commendable things to be pursued without these terrors and burdens upon the Conscience in reference to this Ordinance Pag. 58. He tells us My support from Christs Parable of the Tares and Wheat Mat. 13. is feeble Ans But is is strong I hope to maintain our mixt Churches against separation when the Net is drawn then shall the fishes be separated and when the Harvest comes then shall be gathered out all things that offend v. 41. And if herein it be invincible it would serve me had Mr. Drake let me alone But seeing he begins with me let us try him the ground on which he stands is visibility if any man be visibly unworthy he must not admit him upon any tearms Now see how directly this is against the words of the Parable v. 26 27. The Servants come and tell the Lord of the Tares they discern them they are apparent they are visible Tares yet the Lord commands to let them alone I think Mr. Drake must shut his eys upon this Text if he will yet persist in making visible unworthinesse the rule of excommunication But now what has he to say unto this 1. He says It s apparent the Tares were sown when men slept v. 25. Ans But what is this question how they were sown to their growing together I remember Erasmus brings in two men as very conceited to have others think they could hear well enough when they were both stark deaf and thereupon discoursing together methinks Mr. Drake while he speaks so notably to the purpose might serve ingenuously to make a third between them 2. He says He forbids them on this Proviso lest it should hurt the Wheat but he can do it he thinks so curiously it shall be much advantage to it Ans I pray mark it The Lord judges the plucking up the Tares will hurt the Wheat shake unroot grieve the tender Mr. Drake says it will do the Wheat much good The Servants take their Lords proviso to forbear Mr. Drakes takes it to do the contrary you must think Mr. Drake a little wiser than these Servants As for his tearms of Negative and positive suspension we may approve if he will under their own notions of admonition and Excommunication but whereas he objects If the Lord will have the Tares let alone untill the day of Iudgment what will become of this Excommunication I answer there is no doubt of Christs reconciling his own Ordinances P. 59. Christs converse with sinners makes for us who publickly professe their repentance but not Pharisees c. Ans 1. Sir Publick Confession will hardly down and Auricular we do not approve 2 Christ sometimes conversed too with the Pharises I hope to do good upon them 3 I had thought Christ had often companyed with sinners to bring them to repentance and not with such only as were penitent already and that I think applyed here makes little for you P. 60 He brings in some expressions of mine with amazement the sense whereof as harmlesse as the words is but this I judge Christs act of admitting Iudas hath been generally prevalent with the Church for Free-admission and that it might yet be sufficient but that men are not now so willing to receive it For my part I do but declare herein according to our former Church with the practice of Mr. Perkins and such godly men that have gone before us And as for such that are now otherwise minded I reverence them I have no evil thoughts of them the Lord knows it Mr. Drake need not so unjustly and so direfully first accuse me then condemn me for what he forges as if I deserved to be more than suspended which in his sense makes me tremble it should enter into his heart Ah Lord Is this the temper of holy men Judge me try me though I am vile otherwise and most unworthy if herein there be any iniquity in me why I should be thus devoted to the pit of Hell even irrecoverably if thy mercy did not exceed this mans infirmity Thou seest these censures are things too sharp to be put into the hands of such Children of thine who have so little discretion for to use them and it may be the effect of thy Fatherly wisdom to keep their knives away from them when they are ready to do such shrewd turns with them It may be the Lord will look on my affliction and require me good for his cursing this day Sect. 8 MY third Reason was from Church-fellowship which ought to be in charity humility without judging every one esteeming others better than themselves c. Now if men will go to set up a discriminating Ordinance they cannot keep themselves from intrenching on these duties and occasioning divisions Our sad experience has made this argument too weighty for Mr. Drakes particulars which are not worth the naming unlesse he could first prove it the Ministers duty to discern between the worthy and unworthy as the rule of admission When Moses saw two Israelites fighting he parted them and made them friends but when he saw an Egyptian striving with an Israelite he saved the Israelite without any regard to the life of the Egyptian If this rule of visibility had any foundation in the Scriptures we should certainly endeavour to reconcile these texts to it but when it has not any at all and yet is striving against our peace and unity humility and charity we must save the Israelite these duties must be preserved whatsoever becomes of this opposite thing that contends with it Not that I hold all judging unlawfull for I doubt not but there may be both a Publick and private judging Publick judgement is either in Civil causes or Church-censures both which are sufficiently warranted in the word upon due conviction Private judgement is either upon ones self or upon others I think sometimes the one may be sinfull as the other without sin and that not only in case of outward actions which are apparent transgression but in some charitable suspitions upon occasion as Iob over his Sons tending to admonition This I do speak that I may not abate from the zeal and piety of any over their relations though we allow a free-communion For his 9 things p. 62 63 64. I return briefly 1. A judging ones self as worthy and unworthy unto the Sacrament is private but sound judgement A judging others as to the truth and sincerity of grace though publick is not I think a warranted
it that is by way of moral action per modum objecti as grace is still both begotten and confirmed in other Ordinances It is manifest there is no danger here of advancing this Ordinance above its nature or condition but there is very much danger of being injurious to poore Christians of dis-valuing this means of Grace the sweet Jesus has appointed us of bringing in question how it can beget any degrees of grace at all if it cannot the first and especially of being very presumptuous with the Spirit of God to goe to limit him in the very same way he ordinarily works the same effect in his other Ordinances To come now to Mr. Drakes opposition p. 154. He first tels us Some Divines indeed do hold Baptism to be a means of Regeneration but they should not and he does not Answ I agree with him as for Infants But for the Intelligent Johns Baptism may convince him whom we find admitting all to it and then exhorting them to amendment as the use or end of it and therfore it is not said they repented unto baptisme but they were baptised unto repentance The end cannot precede what is in order to it and the effect in esse be before the cause in operari And as for his instances in the Acts That faith was presupposed It is answered That is an historicall faith onely accepting the doctrine of Christ and profession thereof as is beyond dispute to me in Simon Magus P. Ibid. In regeneration the Word is writ in our hearts and can any man make the seal a cause of the writing Answ He may as well aske can any writing be a cause of it selfe But here is the mans error still The seale of the inward writing in mens hearts is not the Sacraments but the Spirit and that seale I hope is the cause of the writing and that by the means of the outward writing and seale the Word and Sacraments Page 155. He produces my Argument The Sacrament is a visible Gospel the shewing forth the death of Christ is the means of conversion But the Sacrameut is a shewing forth of his death Ergo. His Answer is This proves onely that all may be present which he pleads for not actually receive Answ Methinks the heart of a godly man should at first scare serve him thus to shift and trifle with this holy Ordinanee and the Consciences of people And yet his granting this is enough for so long as he maintains that as the Sacrament holds forth Christ to the eyes there is none may be debarred from the sight no more then they may be debarred from hearing where he is held forth to the eare I argue Then as Christ is held forth Sacramentally to the taste and touch there is none can be debarred to wit if intelligent Church-members from the tasting and feeling of him herein then they can from the seeing of him or hearing Nay our force for this is rather greater because the words of institution expressely respects the touch and taste while Christ saies this is my body not barely to see and hear but to take and eate As the Centurion by looking on Christ upon the crosse beleeved he was the Son of God So did Thomas by feeling his wounds beleeve his Resurrection And I doe not doubt but that all these senses doe afford their grounds of suitable meditation about the melting objects of Christs Passion Redemption and tender mercies so represented they may become means to worke upon us through the Spirit of God which we may piously hope for by vertue of an Ordinance For if Mr. D. say Page 147. What the word applies by one sense the Sacrament doth by all senses and therefore is a more powerful means of assurance I will not doubt to say by the same reason as it applies the same thing with the word it may have the same operation and as faith comes into the heart at first in the one by hearing alone it may in the other by hearing seeing touching and tasting altogether Page 156. He brings in my next Argument In the institution there is a Take and Eat a Take for such as have not Christ a word of grace to quicken those as an Eat to nourish others My substance is Here is a free offer and command in this word Take and we are not to hold it ineffectual He excepts Taking and Eating call for acts of faith and presuppose the habit Ans When Christ and his Disciples preached Beleeve and repent The command did call for faith and repentance but I hope it did not presuppose the habit in those who were to be converted so when Christ sayes here Take that gracious word includes Beleeve or receive me by faith but faith I hope is required where it is not pre-required to wit required that it may be wrought as well as acted And herein indeed I place my strength This Take requires Beleeve but there is a vertue or power from Christ that goes along with his commands The free tenders of himselfe are the conveyances of the grace he requires to the receiving him even as the Apostles words to the Jaylor Act. 16.31 which he well notes Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ was the instrument to worke that faith and convert him And as while Thomas by feeling Christs wounds beleeved why might it not be the vertue of Christs gracious command bidding him to put his fingers in his sides and beleeve that produced that powerful application My Lord and my God Now we have Christ here likewise presenting his broken body and blood and bidding us feel his wounds touch and taste Take and eat be not faithlesse but beleeving Here we have a joynt offer and command and why then should we distrust the power of our Lord when we have the word of our Lord What if we had but that one word for us were not one word from the mouth of our deare Saviour which is a standing word to his Church enough to rest upon Truly Christians Let me plead with you Are the words of Christ Spirit and life or are they not Is there any power goes along with the tender offers and precepts of the Gospel or is there not If there be not why do poor dead souls wait on them for life If there be then why is there not the like power expected in this precept and offer of grace How dull and flow of heart are we to relye upon Christ and expect vertue from his commands Methinks I could wish that all faithful Ministers would set themselves to beleeve in Christ for this effect and while they should as it were stand round about this little word Take by their acting faith in Christ and expectations from him as the Disciples did about Paul when they supposed him stoned dead Act. 14. though they judge no otherwise of this word though they suppose it but a dead word to the unregenerate they might finde life in it for the quickning of their flocks as some
common Faith as it makes a man a Professor it makes him partaker of the Ordinances and his waiting thereupon or meeting at the Word and Sacraments is his very profession signified and his badge that he is one of the visible Church so that you must either say that every unregenerate man must leave off his profession and become no Christian or the scruple is removed for the truth is that Faith he hath in the doctrine of Christ so far as it is undissembled and makes him a Christian in opposition to all other Religions will bear him up in the profession and make it his duty for to come which in the manner ought to be done and the matter not left undone 2 The case is the same in all Ordinances while a Christian comes to the Word that is a signified profession that he will obey the mind of God when it is revealed now unlesse hee heartily resolves to practice what he hears it is a like mocking God and playing the hypocrite if I may use his words Psa 50.16 17. Jer. 43.2 5 20. Likewise in Prayer there is a vertuall engagement of us to endeavor the grace we pray for Nay herein is the most expresse hypocrisie for how can an unregenerate man say Thy Kingdome of grace come when he doth not sincerely desire grace which yet he ought to pray and sincerely desire too if he did truly desire it he were regenerate for a desire of true grace as Mr. D. sayes is true grace Yet doe I think Mr. D. doth not exclude any of his unregenerate Members from the Word and Prayer 3 This argument then is strong to enforce men to the manner when they doe the matter but not to leave off the matter because they faile in the manner It is of force to presse men to bring up their hearts and lives to their engagements but not to forbear those engagements they are bound to as Professors 4 Though a professor be unregenerate he does 0 truly beleeve Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and the alone Saviour of the World in opposition to all other Religions and thereof this is a true profession and that suffices to the Sacraments precisely considered though not complexly as to the entire benefits of the Covenant 5 So far as a man is in Christ or a member of his Church Christ is given to him and received of him with a true distinction of priviledge from the world 6 He engages himselfe or is engaged hereby to submit to the termes of Jesus Christ as he is bound to do which if he do not perform it is the issue makes it a lie and him an hypocrite Psa 78.35 with 37. but the obligation it selfe and that sincerely is his duty 7 There is the nature and substance of this Ordinance and the divers uses to be made of it The very nature and substance consists in a Commemoration of Christ An unregenerate man is capable of this substance and so it becomes his duty which cannot bee made voyd by the mal-performance for no consequence can annihilate Gods Precept Neither doth my incapacity of satisfying all the ends and uses of an Ordinance as before exempt me from those I can for then neither could children be capable of Baptisme not Christ of Circumcision 8 As the Minister doth tender and apply Jesus Christ conditionally to all according to the termes of the Covenant so may he receive him to wit as looking for salvation from him upon performance of the condition and condemnation if he continues in unbeliefe without repentance as the case in penal obligations this being the means both to perswade and fright him to it And then 9 The full and safest answer to this will be by a serious practise Let us examine our selves and humbling our soules in the sight of our unworthiness acknowledge our deserts and apply the due sense of our just condemnation according to our present estate together with the offer of mercy upon our amendment and this takes off the hypocrisie for if my actual receiving be a Lye to wit as it is a visible profession it must be so either before God or before men It is not a Lye before men for I hold it a means of conversion and profess not my self converted already but come onely as a Church-member and It is not a Lye before God I mean so far as any unregenerate mans service can bee without it for I condemne my selfe and apply that part of the Covenant which is due to mee as I ought with the offer of grace to bring mee home to him Page 190. I easily grant assurance is not absolutely requisite as a means to receiving Answ Upon this true concession I argue against him in the maine If it be necessarily pre-required that a man be regenerate before he receives then must assurance be absolutely requisite as a means But seeing assurance is not necessary as a means therefore it is not necessarily pre-required that a man be regenerate and this becomes a means of conversion The former I prove That which a man cannot be perswaded in his conscience is lawful to doe it is sin if it bee done Rom. 4.23 But a man that holds it absolutely unlawful for an unregenerate man to eat and is not certaine that he himselfe is regenerate cannot be assured in his conscience that he ought to eat And hee that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not with faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne This is the misery is brought upon us while men deny the Sacrament to be a means of conversion Page Ibid. and 191. Whereas I press upon the Receiver to resolve against every knowne sin for the present and to accept of Christ which is his duty as well as to come He excepts at me as not speaking consonantly to my self and the nature of faith For the former I do beleeve we know so little of the nature of spirits our own souls actings thereof and so infinitly less the workings of Gods Spirit that I dare not confine my selfe herein I doe not doubt but there may be many good resolutions and some supernatural motions on the hearts of men which prove abortions when the like desires cherished in the use of the means by Gods grace become effectual It is therefore my Doctrine that a Christian should still endeavour to blow up every spark desire or good motion he finds in him We do not know how the seeds or first impressions of grace differ in any and discover them onely by the rooting and continuance If common grace differ from special only gradually which for ought we know may bee the truth then we have a certain promise that in the use and exercise those degrees shall be increased which will make it saving Habenti dabitur If it dâ—ffers specifically which those terms of the immortall seed the new birth regeneration c. do incline me to beleeve yet have we a Peradventure in the use of
the Ordinances which we have not otherwise And I conceive as the act of man brings in the wind and water in their Mils and makes use of their naturall motions to doe their work and serve their occasions So does the holy Spirit make use of Gods voluntary actings in his waiting on the means for the effecting of his speciall worke of grace in him which is as it were acquired by infusion yet so as we can do nothing of our selves It is the free gift of God For the latter I doe admire he should say Mr. H. professeth he knowes no other constituting parts of saving faith then an Historicall assent and good purpose when I speak hereof onely as what suffices to the Sacrament not to justification And whereas upon this he wishes Mr. H. would study fundamentalls better before he come to superstructures I shall desire him seeing he acknowledges our dispute to be but about a superstructure that he would not be so hot and froward that another differs from him And as for my studies about this point of the nature of Faith I shall submit my selfe to give him this small account of them Faith is an assent to a testimony and so it differs from Knowledge Experience c. That testimony is either of Man and then it is an humane or of God and then it is a divine Faith Divine Faith then is an assent to divine Revelation or the Word of God and it is either general or special General Faith is this assent without effectual application Special is this assent with it and this assent with application is Saving Faith Now this Special Faith in the habit hath two acts according to its object in the word the one whereby it is carryed out upon the precepts and threats for obedience or the other as it is carryed out upon the promises especially the great Promise of salvation through Christ and this is the act we say justifies whether in sensu proprio or in sensu correlativo in respect of its object the point seems decided by those two Texts Rom. 3.25 with Rom. 5.9 where to bee justified by Faith in Christs blood is to be justified by his blood Yet doe I think that those men that doe as it were compound these two acts into one and call it acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour and so say it justifies as the Covenant-condition speak piously solidly and safely as to these times To close up this eighth Objection Though it is certain a Speciall Faith is required to every saving duty yet whereas the duty at least as a task service tribute must still be don I will advise every Receiver to look mainly into this one thing that there be not upon him the unworthinesse of an evill conscience which I account not in reference to his life past though he has been an ignorant obstinate and grievous sinner so long as for his life to come he now resolves to go on no more in any of his known wilfull sins against Conscience but to leave them and if his heart upon examination can truly tell him this though he be unregenerate and this resolution but legall and preparatory yet seeing he can heartily for the present engage himselfe to the terms of Christ as there is nothing in his Conscience can be opposed against his coming So I am intirely perswaded without the least doubt as to such a one that this Ordinance is a most fit means subordinate to the Word to make his good purposes serious for his effectuall conversion And as for those harsh termes and opinions of others that a man if he be unregenerate does but mock God murder Christ drink his poyson and cate necessarily his damnation It would even pitty a man to the heart to see how they make the holy Table of the Lord to become a snare a very rack terror and torture to many consciences while our grand Enemy makes use thereof to defraud our soules of then due sustentation by it The fear of guilt and damnation may be applyed for the pressing men to preparation but not to keep any from his duty A person famous for wit being condemned had his life promised him on condition he could make a fat Lamb become leane within such a time and yet allow him his ordinary meat This he undertakes prepares two grates in the one he puts the Lamb and gives him the food required in the other he puts a Wolfe and gives him no meat As the Wolfe growes hungry hee baites at the Lamb with his head and pawes raving at him the poore Lamb in the sight of so much terror though he cate his meat pines suddenly away and becomes as lean as if he had been quite famished for want of it I am afraid it fares thus with many of the tender Lambes of Jesus Christ who whiles they doubt of their regeneration and men set damnation to rave at and bark them away if unregenerate not being sensible of the grates that protect them they feed at the blessed Table of the Lord with so much fear and doubtfulnesse that their spiritual meat hardly does them good or their poor soules thrive by it It is even as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soule is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and he drinketh but he awaketh and behold hee is faint Sect. 9 THe ninth Objection is The Ordinance is polluted if all be admitted My answer was Unto the unworthy Receivers it may be said defiled as all things are to the unbeleeving Tit. 1.15 but not no others If the heathen Husband bee sanctified to the beleeving Wife which is the nearest communion that can be 1 Cor. 7.14 so that she must not separate from him in the duties of marriage as it is Gods Ordinance I may resolutely say it is not the unworthinesse of another which is external to him should make a beleever separate from the Sacrament To the clean nothing is unclean Mat. 5.11 Rom. 14.14 Unto this p. 192 193. Mr. D. consents and therefore he might have dealt more ingenuously to have joyned with me in strengthening the weak rather then to vilifie the succors I brought them but that like a troublesome briar there is nothing can passe him without catching renting and tearing while he brings his nettles to possesse our pleasant places and thorns our tabernacles Page 194. He accuses me againe for excluding infants which is nineteen times and because I do not exclude others also as he would have me he bids me take heed there be not the Pharisee and Hypocrite in my heart c. Answ His advise may be good blessed is he that feareth alwaies for though if I belye not my own temper I think it is free and open a lover of truth and reality yet when I come to the closer inter-views between God and my soule it makes my heart bleed to see what a deal of infidelity and spiritual unsoundnesse there is in