and soon contemned which should indeed bee ever administred for this very respect with the greatest dreadfulnesse rarity and solemnity 2 Separation from wicked men as to their persons may be considered simplicitèr or secundum quid as it is considered simply or absolutely it is not a duty for a man may go into the company of evill persons upon his necessary businesse and as Christ himselfe did to admonish and do them good But as it is taken secundum quid or Relatively in respect of such or such an end so is it our duty Now that end either respects our selves or them That which respects our selves is to avoid their sinnes or not to partake thereof by acting with them infection connivance or the like And This respect does alwayes binde so that in such case as we must needs partake of their sins we are undoubtedly to avoid them That which respects them is to bring them to repentance by shaming them c. Hereupon it will follow that if any man goes to avoid his brother in Gods Ordinances unlesse it be to this end his separation is evill the reason being plaine because as I am bound to avoid the least partaking of anothers sinnes so am I bound to the greatest partaking with him in duty and though I must separate from him in civil familiarity I mean common and unnecessary where I have my liberty and not else 1 Cor. 7. 13 14. unlesse it be to exhort and edifie him Yet may I not in sacred society and the service of God which is both his and my duty unlesse he be excommunicate I pray note this Separation I say is either from civill society alone or from Sacred and Civill both In the first I am to withdraw from every one that walketh disorderly yet with prudence and complaine of him But the second is proper to Church-censure before which my withdrawing from him in publick duty is not like to be any means of bringing the man to repentance but rather to harden him and therefore to speak freely I fear it is but a likely sinne to withdraw from others at the Sacrament before Excommunication P. 204. He comes to my wishes which he is pleased to approve engage me to him before he parts with two passages The first is Page 205. where he tells me he hath made me an object of fraternal correption and hopes I am in a fair way to be mended by his admonition Answ Had the man been longer a Divine or a little more modest in the spirit of meeknes words of sobriety he could have managed his cause with me I think so far as I know of my own spirit that I am so conselous of my owne weakness and afraid to offend others that I should have been more ready to a submission then dissertation could it have stood with any face of truth and ingenuity but when I see how his whole book is carried with such a high conceit of himselfe and interest so much contempt of me bitterness of language passion and incontinency truly it is a great argument to me and inward support against his opinion that the Lord doth not approve it or at least intends not to succeed it If it had been the minde of Christ it is more likely he would have humbled his heart and suited him a spirit fit to have declared that minde to us But now hath his temper betrayed his cause now are his Arguments little besides prejudice now are his instructions but briars and thorns with which he goes to teach me only as Gideon taught the men of Succoth Now are these admonitions which should come from him as a brother but the bitter insultations of an adversary which must make me answer him in the words of Micha 7.8 9. Rejoyce not against me Oh mine enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse The second is Page 206. How justly may be at last be looked at as a Weed by our great Husbandman who will cherish Weeds c. Methinks it were enough for Mr. D. to have passed a suspension on me in the beginning of his Book he needed not have prosecuted it to the end and even to the last judgement It is not for him to take the Tribunal and condemn me for a Weed at the great day I desire God that this mans rashness may teach me to consider his righteous Judgement that I may sanctifie him in my heart and make him my fear and my dread so shall I reap the benefit of his censure without the guilt of it I must humbly acknowledge if the Lord should deal with mee according to my deserts he might indeed justly look at me as a Weed and condemne me for ever But enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord but take occasion by this mans judgement to forgive me and him for thou seest how some mens piety out-runs their charity and their over-eager zeale like Moses breaks the Tables And though he would have me suspended from the favour of thy people doe not thou suspend him or me from a fellowship in thy mercies and while he is ready to shut up the bosome of the Church against me as if it could no hold me and him let me be assured that Abrahamt bosome stands wide enough open to receive both me and my opposer I could have heartily wished Mr. D. had so carried his business that I might rather have reverenced his judgement and yeelded to his piety then be forced to shew him his weakness which yet may serve to abate his imperiousness and some weariness in the Reader For my part I shall prepare my selfe to expect from him nothing but the dregs of his former bitternesse and that many godly men will speak evill of my Booke though they shall receive a relaxation and support by it I shall be contented to let them speake evill of me so long as they receive good by me onely I shall desire them that they will be ready to propagate what they finde in me may doe good as I shall be ready to retract what I am convinced is amisse But let them not reject all if they dislike some Even as when the new wine is in the cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a blessing is in it There is these foure things for which I must demand some Texts of Scripture if any will answer me by which the world may judge of their satisfaction 1 Where visible worthiness upon triall is the rule of admission to the Sacrament 2 Where they finde suspension as distinct from Excommunication 3 Where the unregenerate are forbid to receive the Sacrament 4 Where this difference is advanced between the Sacrament and other Ordinances that herein it is better to omit the matter and manner both then to doe the matter if the manner bee not done as they ought which is directly contrary to all other duty And now if Master Drake shall have need to write againe as I beleeve nature will worke and his spirit cannot hold I shall desire him if he will goe to vent that superfluity of maliciousnesse which yet he ought to lay apart to take along with him that Text of Dent. 23.13 Thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon and it shall bee when thou shalt goe to ease thy selfe abroad thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turne back and cover that thing which commeth from thee for this froward language and bitter spirit hath no good savour in the holy Campe but is an uncleane thing that ought not to be seen amongst Gods people He concludes Page 207.209 with a Scruple to the Reader and tells us hee hath done with Mr. Humfrey Ans Thus Hiram hath finished the worke he had to doe the Pots and the Shovels and the Basins the Pillars and the Pommels and the Chapiters and the wreaths to cover the Pommels of the Chapiters on the top of the Pillars FINIS READER The absence of the Author must excuse the Errors of the Presse of which these are apart Page 84. line 12. read Ministers p. 115. l. 13. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 179. l. 5. r. other p. ibid. l. 7 r. are the same p. 181. l. 18. for never r. near p. 191. l. 26. r. I give place p. 217. l. 6. for out r. of
their own conceit many self-Justiciaries c. Ans Of all men I think that such as these had need most of conviction but I find not the Scripture sends out any spiritual Hue and Cry to make search for them if it did I will not for any thing say who are the men but sure some Ministers upon certain marks might begin with their own Elders nay I think upon the main known mark of I thank God I am not like other men if you see Mr. D. p. 90. some Elders might take up their own Minister upon suspition P. 39. All may be present at the administration as at Preaching and Baptism but that All ought Actually to partake will lead thousands into utter darkenesse Ans Not to mention his unhandsom language where the sense is so dreadfull I answer 1. If a man swear by the Temple it is nothing but the gold of the Temple makes him guilty If a man partake of the whole administration besides it is nothing for all his unworthinesse but if he actually receive he becomes a debtor Which is greater the bare eating and drinking or the whole sacred institution and consecration that sanctifies the action 2. It is not his instance of Baptism will wash off this superstition wherein this good man has taken a deadly conceit for there are no actions here to be repeated the weaknesse is clear as its own water But I argue if a man is bound at this Ordinance to make inward application together with the Word of what is represented though the outward sign is forbidden as to be twice used How shall we deny both the inward and outward application also in the Supper where both are commanded The truth is the very sealing the Covenant applies wrath to every impenitent and life to every one that has true faith whether we should see it only or receive it And if it be not eating commends us unto God I do not stand upon this outward receiving as any thing considerable in comparison of the reverential application of the Covenant in a right use of it according to our condition 3. For admission of all intelligent Church-members I am free but as for their own comming I have spoken more tenderly than his speeches Yet will I confesse my present inclination is thus I hold A man must examine himself I place much on this and so receive according to his estate God commands John to destroy Ahab Iohn his disposition is evil in it and does but commit murder which God will punish Hos 1.4 yet neverthelesse must the thing be done and as commanded it is both approved as good and rewarded 2 Kings 10.30 Christ Iesus says to his Church Doe this Mr. Drake says If an unregenerate member does it he shall I must say only he may become guilty of Christs blood in the action Neverthelesse it is not his disposition being not right that can nullifie Gods precept but that he must both examine himself and so eat 4. Whereas then He thinks my opinion will lead many thousands to Hell I am humbly afraid that his will do it I do professedly charge every soul that they look well into their conscience what they embrace and the Lord be their direction For my part I am thinking when Iesus Christ shall call us both to account at the great day he will say to me Why have you brought in all unto my feast I shall say Lord even as thou hast commanded Thou hast said Do this Drink ye all of it and I must not mistrust the goodnesse of thy word and thy gracious efficacy to go along with it I durst not for my life make void thy blessed command And what then if he shall say to Mr. D. And why have you contrary to my expresse words taught your own Commandement for the precept of God that it is an unregenerate mans duty to abstain When I said Doe this you have said Doe it not unlesse you be sure you can also so do it whereby you have strengthned the Carelesse hardned the impenitent and afflicted tender Consciences laying waste this Ordinance of mine in many places whereas one ought still to be done and not leave the other undone Let me seriously forewarn this pious man that while he has laid that text Ez. 13.22 so heavy on my soul that he provide himself to answer unto it P. 40.41 He brings in my Simile but takes hold of it by the left handle We must not think as we are Ministers set over Christs flock we are sent to them as Externally Rebels that they must come in and professe before us to be admitted to those privileges which they have a right to already as well as we No the main point of the Simile lies here that the Instrument of peace committed to us is a sealed Instrument the word of reconciliation is a sealed word to all the Church Every member has an equal right to the Seal as the writing and we cannot pluck off or put on our Lords seal at our pleasure It is a weak conceit that we are sent to our Members as it were with their pardons unsealed to try whether they truly submit and according to our judgement to seal them We must conceive our Seal is set by Christ himself to his own Proclamation and we have no other than what belongs to the whole Church But if we look any further than Church-membership we enter the office of the inward Minister and take a power of medling with the inward sealing which does not belong to us It is the want of discerning between these inward and outward things has mislead Mr. D. who has not yet considered how the Covenant is a sealed Covenant to all that are but Christs external people and that this Seal is a standing seal both Covenant and Seal make up one publick instrument for the use of the Church We may see this in Circumcision from whence we borrow the notion of a seal Gen. 17. I will establish my Covenant between are and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations Every man child among you shall be circumcised Here you see how it is a standing seal set to the Covenant and both established with the whole seed so that by this one act as it were of publick delivery Every Church-member that was then any one of Abrahams seed had a right to the seal without any more plea as other publick privileges for ever after in their generations Now whereas he puts the case that some who come to the Sacrament are but Rebels and how shall we seal unto them I answer we cannot judge of the hearts of any that they are inward Rebels and we may not judge that they are outwardly so when they outwardly come in unlesse we haue something to allege against them to prove their Rebellion and then if it be such as deserves it they may be Excommunicated but while they are Church Members we cannot deny them their common privileges But
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
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
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