Aarons Rod Blossoming, Book 3 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be a converting or regenerating Ordinance.
I Had in answer to Mr. Prynns third Quaere, given this reason why prophane and scandalous persons are to be kept off from the Sacrament, and yet not from hearing the Word: because the word is not onelyonly a confirming and comforting, but a converting Ordinance, and is a mean appointed of God to turn sinners from darknes to light, and from the power of Sathan to God: Whereas the Sacrament is not a converting, but a confirming and sealing Ordinance, which is not given to the Church for the conversion of Sinners, but for the Communion of Saints: It is not appointed to put a man in the state of grace, but to seal unto a man that interest in Christ and in the Covenant of Grace which he already hath. Mr. Prynne doth with much eagernesse contradict me in this, and argue at length the contrary. (Which is the marrow and fatnesse (if there be any) in his debate concerning the eighth point of difference) Whereby he doth not onelyonly contradict me, but himself too (as shall appear) yea and joyn not onelyonly with the more rigid Lutherans, but with the Papists themselves against the Writers of the Reformed Churches. For the very same thing which is controverted between him and me, is controverted between Papists and Protestants. The Papists hold that the Sacraments are instrumental… to confer, give, or work grace; yea ex opere operato▪ as the School-men speak. Our Divines hold that the Sacraments are appointed of God, and delivered to the Church as sealing Ordinances, not to give, but to testifie what is given, not to make but confirm Saints. And they do not onelyonly oppose the Papists opus operatum: but they simply deny this instrumentality of the Sacraments, that they are appointed of God for working or giving grace, where it is not. This is so well known to all who have studied the Sacramentarian controversies, that I should not need to prove it. Yet that none may doubt of it, take here some few insteed of many testimonies. bI…stit. pag. 301. edit. 1539. Cum hoc tantum in ministerio habeant (Sacramenta) testificari nobis ac confirmare Dei in nos benevolentiam &c. Ut quae … largiantur quidem aliquid gratiae, sed renuncient & ostendant quae divina largitate nobis data sunt.Calvin holds plainly against the Papists that the Sacraments do not give any grace, but do declare and shew what God hath given.
He clear… it in that chapter thus, the Sacraments are like seals appended to writs, which of themselves are nothing, if the paper or parchment to which they are appended be blank. Again, they are like pillars to a house which cannot be a foundation, but a strengthening of a house that hath a foundation; We are built upon the Word, the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles. Again, Sacraments are to us from God, that which messengers are which bring good newes from men, they declare what is, but do not so much as instrumentally make it to be. These are Calvins similes.
cDecad. 5. Serm. 7. Docuit vulgus Sacerdotum & Monachorum Sacramenta novae legis non tantum esse signa gratiae, sed simul etiam gratiae causos, hoc est qu… habeant virtu…m conferendi gra…iam. And after. Sancti & electi Dei non tum primum gratia Dei donisque coelestibus participant, cum Sacramenta percipiunt. Etenim rebus prius quam fignis partic…pant. And after. Pro…nde in Coena … non primum accipiuntur divi…a …, sed pro acceptis aguntur gratia. Effec… his opinor, eviciqu… … … … ….B…llinger confuteth the Popish doctrine concerning the Sacraments conferring of grace, by this principle, that the Saints are justified and sanctified before they are sealed and confirmed by the Sacraments.
dUrsin. Tract. Theol. pag. 350. Sicut verbum est conversionis & confirmationis organum: sic … Sacramenta sunorgana confirmationis &c. Non res accipimus ideo quia signum accipimus: sed signum nobis tribuitur quia res habemus: idque ita, ut non cur habeamus causa, sed quod eas habeamus testimonium sit. Ibid. de Sacram. def…ns. quinti Arg. Pag. 557. Nos vero supra hoc discrimen verbi & Sacramentorum non dis…imulavimus, quod fides per verbum inch…atur: Sacramentorum usu autem confirmatur, exercetur, fovetur, augetur jam inchoata. Sacramenta enim ne docent quidem, nedum confirmant, nisi praeeunte verbo & addente explicationem typorum. Ideirco etiam Sacramenta iis instituta sunt, quos Deus jam pro membris Ecclesiae a nobis vult agnosci. Inchoatio igitur fidei ordinaria verbi propria est; confirmati… inchoatae, Sacramentis cum verbo communis est. Judicium de disciplina Ecclesiastica ad finem Tom. 3 pag. 89. Quasi non pueris jam no…um, verbum & conversis & non conversis esse annuncia…dum, quo illi quidem confirmentur, hi vero convertantur. Sacramenta autem iis esse instituta qui jam sunt conversi & membra populi Dei facti.Ursinus speaks so fully and plainly for us, that none can say more. He distinguisheth between the Word and Sacraments, as between converting and confirming Ordinances, and argueth that the Sacraments do not confer grace, because we receive not the thing by receiving the signe, but we get the signe because it is supposed we have the thing. Yea he speaks of it as a principle known to children.
Wolfangus Musculus in his eDe Coena Dom. pag. 350 Quis non videt quales nos ad mysticam hanc Domini mensam accedere oporteat? nempe non tales qui fruiti… nem corporis ac sanguinis Domini primum in ea …aeramus, tanquam illius adhuc expertes: sed qui per fidem illius jam antea participes, gratiam semel acceptam, communicatione hac Sacramentali corporis ac sanguinis Domini, & mortis ipsius rememoratione, in cordibus nostris magis ac magis corrob…rare, redemptorique gratias agere cupiamus.common places saith thus, Who seeth not what manner of persons we must be when we approach to this mystical Table of the Lord, to wit, not such as do therein first of all seek the fruition of the body and blood of the Lord, as if we were yet destitute thereof; but such as being already before partakers thereof by faith, do desire to corroborate more and more in our hearts, the grace once received by the Sacramental communication of the body and blood of the Lord, and by the remembrance of his death, and to give thanks to our Rede…mer.
fAdhaec praedicandum iis quoque est, qui nondum audierunt, aut certe nondum perceperunt. Attame… utcunque feratur impuritas con…entuum ubi verbum praedicatur, quam Christus & Apostoli quoque tulerunt: Coenae tamen communio (ut dixi) purior esse debet. Nam publica est eorum qui palam se Christianos profitentur, de redemptione gratiarum actio …ideo circa hanc, ut communionem Christi solemmiter sancti percipiunt, ita excludendi inde sunt qui vita sua se extra …anc communionem esse, ma…ifesto probant.Martin Bucer upon Matth. 18. 17. puts this difference between the Word preached, and the Lords Supper; that the Word may be preached to the unconverted: but the Lords Supper may not be given to any who by their lives do declare that they are out of communion with Jesus Christ. Which is the very point now in controversie.
gFideles enim ante usum Sacramentorum hanc gratiam omnin… habe…t: neque ad Sacramentorum usum accedere debent qui ea… gratiam pro aetatis modo non habeat, neque admittendi sunt qui eam non habere meri…o praesumuntur.Festus Honnius Disp. 43. Thes. 3. confuting the Popish opinion of the Sacraments working or giving grace, brings this reason against it; They that receive the Sacraments, have this grace before they receive them, neither are any to be admitted to the Sacraments who may be justly supposed not to be justified and sanctified.
Aretius Coment. in Mark 14. loc. 3. observeth, Qui admissi sint ad istam Coenam? discipuli solum, Who were admitted to that (eucharistical) Supper? the Disciples o…ely. Hence he inferreth: Quare mysteria haec ad solos fideles pertinent: Wherefore these mysteries do pertain to the faithful alone: that is, to those who are supposed to be converted and beleevers.
Vossius Disp. de Sacram. effic. part. poster. After he hath observed two respects in which the Sacraments do excel the Word. 1. That Infants who are not capable of hearing the Word, are capable of the Sacrament of Baptisme, and are brought to the laver of regeneration. 2. That the Sacraments do visibly and clearly set before our eyes that which is invisible in the Word. He adds hQuemadmodum autem Sacramenta duplici nomine praesiant verbo, itidem verbum duobus nominibus praferendum Sacramentis. Vno quod verbum in adultis & generet fidem, & genitam foveat atque alat: Sacramenta vero …am non gignant, sed tantum genitam conserve…t atque augeant. Altero quod absque verbo non salv… mur. &c.Thes. 49. other two respects in which the Word doth far excel the Sacraments. 1. That the Word can both beget & confirm faith: the Sacraments cannot beget faith in those that are come to age, but onelyonly conserve and increase it. 2. That without the word we cannot be saved, for he that beleeves not is condemned; now faith commeth by hearing: but the Sacraments though profitable means of grace, yet are not simply necessary.
The confession of the faith of the Church of Scotland in the Article entituled to whom Sacraments appertain, saith thus. But the Supper of the Lord we confesse to appertain to such onelyonly as be of the houshold of faith, and can try and examine themselves as well in their faith, as in th…ir duty towards their neighbours. The Belgick Confession Art. 33. saith of the Sacraments in generall, that God hath instituted them to seal his promises in us, to be pledges of his love to us▪ and to nourish and strengthen our Faith. And iCredimus & confit…mur Iesu… Christum servatorem nostrum sanctae Coenae Sacramentum …rdinasse & instituisse, ut ea nutriat & sustentet eos, quos jam regeneravit, &c. At vero, ad conservationem vitae sp…ritualis & c…estis, quam fideles jam habent, Deu… illis pane… … misit &c.Art. 35. They plainly hold that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is intended and instituted by Christ for such as are already regenerate, and are already quickned with the life of grace.
The Synod of Dort in their Judgement of the fifth Article of the Remonstrants kQuem ad modum autem Deo placuit opus hoc suum gratiae per predicationem Evangelii in nobis incho…re, ita p…r ejusdem auditum, lectionem, meditationem, adhortationes, minas, promissa, nec non per usum Sacramentorum, illud conservat, continuat et persicit.Sect. 14. ascribeth both the inchoation and conservation of grace to the Word: but ascribeth o…ely to the Sacraments the conserving, continuing, and perfecting of that begun grace.
In the Belgick form of the administration of the Lords Supper (See Corpus Disciplinae lately published by the Ministers and Elders of the Dutch Church at London pag. 16.) it is said thus. Those which do not feel this Testimony in their hearts (concerning their examining of themselves touching their repentance, faith, and purpose of true obedience) they eat and drink judgement to themselves; Wherefore we also (according to the Commandement of Christ and the Apostle Paul) do admonish all those who find themselves guilty of these ensuing sins, to refrain from comming to the Lords Table, and do denounce unto them that they have no part in the Kingdom of Christ.
(Here follows an enumeration of diverse scandalous sins concluded with this general, and all those which lead a scandalous life.) All these as long as they continue in such sins, shall refrain from this spiritual food (which Christ onelyonly ordained for his faithful people) that so their …udgement and damnation may not be the greater. Which plainly intimates that they hold this Sacrament to be a sealing, not a converting Ordinance. And this they also signifie, Ibid. pag. 17. And to the end we may firmly beleeve that we do belong to this gracious Covenant, the Lord Jesus in his last Supper took bread. &c.
lExplic. Catech. Quaest. 67. Verbum est instrumentum Spiritus sancti, per quod incl…oat & confirmat in nobis fidem ideoque verbum debet praeire. Sacramenta sunt organa Spiritus sancti per quae fidem inchoatam confirmat: ideoque Sacramenta debent sequi. Ibid. Quaest. 81. Art. 1. Sacramenta tantum sunt instituta fidelibus & conversis, ut his promissionem Evangelii obsignent, & fidem confirment. Verbum quidem est conversis, & non conversis commune, ut conversi confirmentur, nondum conversi convertantur: Sacramenta vero ad solos fideles per…inent.Paraeus puts this difference between the Word and Sacraments; that the Word is a mean appointed both for beginning and confirming faith: the Sacraments means of confirming it after it is begun. That the Word belongs both to the converted and to the unconverted: the Sacraments are intended for those who are converted and do beleeve, and for none others.
And though the Lutherans make some controversie with us about the effect of the Sacraments, yet mLoc. com. Tom. 5. pag. 1. Per Baptismam regeneramur ac re…ovamur: per Sacramentum Coenae alimur ac nutrimur ad vitam aeternum. In Baptism… praesertim Infan…um, per Spiritum S. fides accenditur: in usu sacrae Coenae augetur, confirmatur, & obsignatur. Per Baptis…num Christo inserimur, in quo spirituale incrementum salutari Coenae usu accipimus.Ioh. Gerhardus doth agree with us in this point, that the Lords Supper is not a regenerating but a confirming and strengthening Ordinance, and this difference he puts between it and Baptisme.
nTom. 1. pag. 477. At an non per Sacramenta etiam fides & regeneratio exhibetur? Resp. Distinguendum inter primum fidei & resipiscentiae initium, & confirmationem ejus ac augmentum. Nemo admit…tur ad Sacramenta nisi pro fideli & poenitente habeatur; quemadmodum verba clara sunt, Quisquis crediderit & baptizatus fuerit. In…ntes habentur pro foederatis, ac proinde etiam pro iis qui Spiritum fidei acceperunt, sed de hac repostea. Sic in Coena requiritur, ut … probet se an sit in fide, & ut digne manducet: infidelibus enim vel nondum credentibus nullae fiunt promissiones, ac proinde nec obsignantur. Perperam ergo statuunt ipsa Sacramenta esse caus… primae regenerationis aut justificationis, tum Pontificii, tum Lutherani quidam. Sed si fidei & regenerationis conf…atio & augmentum spectetur, recte tribuitur Sacramentis ut causis instrumentalibus.Walaeus asserteth both against Papists, and against some of the Lutherans, that Sacraments do instrumentally confirme and increase faith and regeneration; but not begin nor work faith and regeneration where they are not.
Petrus Hinkelmannus de Anabaptismo Disp. 9. cap. 1. Error 6. disputeth against this as a Tenent of the Calvi…ists. Fideles habent Spiritum S. habent res signatas ante Sacramenta: the faithful have the holy Spirit, they have the things which are sealed, before they receive the Sacraments. Brochmand. System. Theol. Tom. 3. de Sacram. Cap. 2. Quaest. 1. condemneth this as one of the Calvinian errors: Sacramenta non esse gratiae conferendae divinitu… ordinata media: that Sacraments are not instituted and appointed of God to be means of conferring or giving grace. Which he saith is the assertion of Zuinglius, Beza, Danaeus, Musculus, Piscator, Vorstius. The Lutheran opinion he propounds ibid. quaest. 6. that the Sacraments are means appointed of God to confer grace, to give faith, and being given to increase it. Esthius in Sent. lib. 4. dist. 1. Sect. 9. stateth the opinion of the Calvinists (as he calls us) thus, justificationem usu Sacramenti esse priorem, obtentam nimirum per fidem quâ homo jam ante credidit sibi remitti peccata; Sacramentum verò postea adhiberi, ut verbo quidem promissionis fides confirmetur: elemento verò ceu sigillo quodam diplomati appenso eadem fides obsignetur; at que ita per Sacramentum declaretur testatum que fiat hominem jam prius esse per fidem justicatum. This he saith is manifestly contrary to the doctrine of the Church of Rome, from which (saith he) the Lutherans do not so far recede as the Calvinists. Gregorius de Valentia in tertiam partem Thomae Disp. 3. Quaest. 3. punct. 1. thus explaineth the Tenent which he holdeth against the Protestants concerning the Sacraments giving of grace. Sacramenta esse veras causas qualitatis gratia, non principales, sed instrumentales: hoc ipso videlicet, quod Deus illis utitur ad productionem illius effectus, qui … gratia, tamet si supra naturam seu efficacitatem naturale… ipsorum.
The Papists dispute indeed what manner of casuality or vertue it is by which the Sacraments work grace, whether Phisica, or Ethica; whether infita, or adsita. In which questions they do not all go one way. See Gamachaeus in tertiam partem Tho. Quest. 62. Cap. 5. But that the Sacraments do work or give grace to all such as do not ponere obicem, they all hold against the Protestants. They dispute also whether all the Sacraments give the first grace, or whether Baptisme and Pennance onelyonly give the first habitual grace, and the other five Sacraments (as they make the number) give increase of grace. But in this they all agree, that habitual grace is given in all the Sacraments of the New-Testament: the Thomists hold further, that the very first grace is de facto given in any of the Sacraments. See for the former oBecanus Theol. Schol. part. 4. Tract. de S…cram. Quaest. 7. Omnia Sacramenta …ovae legis s…mper conferunt gratiam habitu…lem seu …, non ponentibus obicem, ac proinde gratia habitualis est communis quidam esfectus om…ium Sacramentorum: Est communi… sententia.Becanus, for the latter pTannerus in Thomam. Tom. 4. Disp. 3. Qaest. 3. Dub. 5. …mo omnia Sacramenta de facto nonnunquam possunt ex opere operato (how much more if there be also opus operantis) confer…e primam gr…am. Haec est sententia magis pia & probabilior; quam docet S. Thomas &c. eandem communiter sequuntur T…omistae. He confirms it thus. Quia quaedam Sacram…nta per se pro…riesolum instituta ad dindam prima… gratiam, tossunt conserre …. Ergo etiam per se instituta ad honc toterunt conferre primam &c. Atque hoc etiam sensu admitti potest quod nonnulli dixeru…t, omnibus Sacramentis sub ratione saltem generica Sacramenti novae Legis, etsi non specifica, per se co…venire ut gratiam primam conferant.Tannerus.
You will say peradventure▪ that Protestant Writers hold the Sacraments to be 1. Significant or declarative signes. 2. Obsignative or confirming signes▪ 3. Exhibitive signes, so that the thing signified is given and exhibite to the soul. I answer, That exhibition which they speak of, is not the giving of grace where it is not (as is manifest by the afore quoted Testimonies) but an exhibition to beleevers, a real effectual lively application of Christ and of all his benefits to every one that beleeveth, for the staying, strengthening, confirming, and comforting of the soul. Chamierus contractus. Tom. 4. lib. 1. cap. 2. Docemus ergo in Sacramentorum perceptione effici gratiam in fidelibus: & hactenus Sacramenta dicenda efficacia. Polan. Syntag. lib. …. cap. 49. saith the visible external thing in the Sacrament, is thus far exhibitive, quia bona spiritualia per eam fidelibus significantur, exhibentur, communicantur & obsignantur. So that in this point Habenti dabitur is a good rule. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. Maith. 25. 29. Our Divines do not say that the Sacraments are exhibitive Ordinances, wherein grace is communicated to those who have none of it, to unconverted or unbeleeving persons.
By this time it may appear (I suppose) that the controversie between us and the Papists concerning the effect of the Sacraments (setting aside the opus operatum, which is a distinct controversie▪ and is distinctly spoken to by our Writers, setting aside also the casualitas phisica and insita, by which some of the Papists say the Sacraments give grace, though diverse others of them hold the Sacraments to be onelyonly moral causes of grace) is thus far the same with the present controversie between Mr. Prynn and me, that Protestant Writers do not onelyonly oppose the opus operatum, and the casualitas physica & insita, but they oppose (as is manifest by the Testimonies already cited) all casuality or working of the first grace of conversion and faith in or by the Sacraments, supposing alwaies a man to be a beleever and within the Covenant of grace before the Sacrament, and that he is not made such, nor translated to the state of grace in or by the Sacrament. This the Papists contradict, and therein Mr. Prynn joyneth with them. When Bellarmine brings an impertinent Argument: The Sacraments (saith he) have not the same relation to faith which the Word hath: Nam verbum Dei praecedit fidem, Sacramenta autem sequuntur, saltem in adultis. The Word of God doth go before faith, but the Sacraments follow after it, at least in those who are of age. Dr. Ames Bell. enerv. Tom. 3. lib. 1. cap. 5. corrects his great mistake or oblivion. Hoc illud est quod nos docemus: Sacramenta confirmare fidem per verbum Dei prius ingeneratam, saltem in adultis. This (saith he) is that which we teach, that the Sacraments confirm that faith which was first begotten by the Word of God, at least in those who are of age.
Mr. Prynns assertion is▪ that the Lords Supper is a converting, as well as a sealing Ordinance; for clearing whereof h… premiseth two distinctions. There are two sorts both of conversion and sealing, which he saith his Antagonists to delude the vulgar have ignorantly, wilfully, or injudiciously confounded. Whether such language beseems a man fearing God, or honouring them that do fear God, let every one judge who knoweth any thing of Christian moderation. See now if there be any reason for this grievous charge. First (saith he) there is an external conversion of men from Paganisme or Gentilisme to the external profession of the faith of Christ. This (he saith) is wrought by the Word or by Miracles, and effected by Baptisme in reference to infants of Christian Parents. But how the Baptism… of such Infants is brought under the head of conversion from Paganisme to the external profession of Christ, I am yet to learn. Secondly saith he, There is a conversion from a meer external formal profession of the Doctrine and Faith of Christ, to an inward spiritual embracing and application of Christ with his merits and promises to our souls, by the saving grace of Faith, and to an holy Christian real change of heart and life: In this last conversion, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is not onelyonly a sealing or confirming, but likewise a regenerating and converting Ordinance as well as the Word.
He might upon as good reason have made a third sort of conversion from a scandalous and prophane life to the external obedience of the will and commandements of God. But all this is to seek a knot in the rush; for there is but one sort of conversion which is a saving conversion, and that is a conversion from nature to grace, from sin to sanctification, from the power of Sathan to God, whether it be from paganisme, or from prophanenesse, or from an external formal profession. Now that conversion which Mr. Prynn ascribes to the Sacrament is a true sanctifying and saving conversion. The other conversion which he ascribes not to the Sacrament, is not a saving conversion, for the external conversion of men from Paganisme or Gentilisme to the external profession of the faith of Christ, without the other conversion to an inward spiritual embracing of Christ, doth but make men seven▪fold more the children of Hell. So that Mr. Prynn hath more opened his sore when he thought to cover and patch it.
The other distinction which he gives us, is of a twofold sealing. But by the way he tells us that Baptisme and the Lords Supper are termed Sacraments and Seals, without any Text of Scripture to warrant it. Hereby as he gratifiethqFaustus Socinus de Coena Dom. Tract. brev. terum, quod omnes fere opinantur, hoc ritu, quem Sacramentum appellant, confirmari saltem fidem nostram, ne id quidem verum censeri debet; cum nec ullo sacro testimonio comprobetur, nec ulla ratio sit, cur id fièri possit. Quomodo enim potest nos in fide confirmare id quod nos ipsi facimus, quodque licet a Domino institutum, opus tamen nostrum est. Smalc. Disp. 12. de Coena. Vox Sacramenti in hac significatione barbara vel saltem sacris liter is incognita est, …b hominibus vero otiosis, qui ceremoniis hujusmodi nescio quid praeter sacram Scripturam superstiti…sum aut eti…m Idololatricum ex parte, … non sunt …, ad … dolum …. the Socinians not a little (who will not have the Lords Supper to be called either seal or Sacrament, but an obediential act and a good work of ours, and tell us that we make the Lords Supper but too holy to delude the vulgar) So he correcteth all Orthodox Writers, Ancient and Modern. The Apostl… ▪ describeth Circumcision to be foreign a seal of the righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 4. 11. Whence Divines give the name of seals to all Sacraments Rectè autem (saith Aretius Theol. Probl. Loc. 76.) speciebus imis & intermediis generibus eadem …ssignantur in definiendo genera. Circumcision is a seal, therefore a Sacrament is a seal: as well as this, Justice is a habit, therefore vertue is a habit. Man is a substance, therefore a living creature is a substance. And further, if Circumcision was a seal; the Lords Supper is much more a seal; as we shall see afterwards. The honourable Houses of Parliament, after advice had with the Assembly of Divines have judged this point (which Mr. Prynn so much quarrelleth) to be not onelyonly true, but so far necessary and fundamental, that in their Ordinance of October 20. 1645. for keeping back the ignorant and the scandalous from the Sacrament, this truth, That the Sacraments are seals of the Covenant of grace, is enumerate among those points of Religion, which all persons who shall be admitted to the Lords Supper ought to know, and of which whosoever is ignorant shal not be admitted to the Lords Supper. I hope Mr. Prynn shall not be willing to fall within the Category of ignorant persons, and such as ought not be admitted to the Sacrament: which yet by that Ordinance he must needs do; if he will not know the Lords Supper to be a seal of the Covenant of grace. Wherefore though he leaneth much that way, both here, and pag. 30. yet I shall expect he will rectifie himself in this particular. His words are these. There is a double sealing (if we admit this Sacrament or Baptisme to be seals, though never once stiled seals in any Scripture Text) And in the Margent, they are termed Sacraments and seals of the Covenant, without any Text to warra…t it. Now Quaeritur whether Mr. Prynn doth know that the Sacraments are seals of the Covenant of grace; and if he doth not know this, whether doth not the Ordinance strike against him. And now to return, the word foreign, that is, a Seal; (which makes most to our present purpose) is a Scripture word. As for the Word Sacrament, we need not seek it in Scripture, because it is a Latin Word, and there is not either in the Hebrew or Greek (the languages in which Scripture was written) any word which properly, closely and fully answereth to the Word Sacrament. Sure we have the thing Sacrament (though not the name) in Scripture. Peradventure Mr. Prynn is the more afraid of the Word Sacrament, because some derive it à sacramente which suteth not so well to his notion of a converting Ordinance.
Well: But what are nis two sorts of sealing? 1. A visible external sealing of the pardon of sin and Gods promises in the blood of Christ to our outward s…nces. 2. An internal invisible sealing of them by the Spirit, working in, by the Word and Sacraments to our souls. In the first sence (he saith) this Sacrament is a seal to all receivers, even to those who are scandalous and unworthy, who receive onelyonly the outward Elements. Again this first kind of sealing (saith he) seals all Gods promises and a free pardon of all our sins onelyonly conditionally, if we truly repent, lay hold on Christ &c. The second which is an absolute sealing, he grants to belong onelyonly to worthy penitent beleeving receivers. Who doth now delude the vulgar? When the Lords Supper is called a sealing Ordinance; did ever any man understand this of a sealing to our outward sences onelyonly, or of receiving the outward Elements and no more? Who can mistake the thing so far as to think that Christ hath instituted and ordained this Sacrament to be a meer external seal and no more? When he grants that in the second sence this Sacrament is a seal, onelyonly to worthy, penitent, beleeving receivers, who receive the inward invisible grace, as well as the outward signes: He grants that which I require, that is, that it is a sealing Ordinance intended for worthy penitent beleeving receivers, not for the scandalous and unworthy. God forbid we should make a sealing Ordinance to be an empty Ordinance. The truth is, his first kind of sealing without the second, is no sealing, yea worse then no sealing. Where there is no charter, how can there be a sealing, except we seal blank paper? and as we shall hear anon from Chrysostome, we have not so much as the seal, except we have that which is sealed. I know it will be answered, there is somewhat to be sealed even to the scandalous and unworthy▪ that is, the pardon of all their sins conditionally, if they truly repent, beleeve, lay hold on Christ. In this very place Mr. Prynn tells us, that all Gods promises and a free pardon is sealed, even to scandalous and unworthy receivers conditionally; that is, as he explicates himself pag 37. upon condition that they become penitent and beleeving receivers. But then (say I) he must upon as good reason grant, that the Sacrament may be given to Pagans and Turks, at least the first day of preaching the Gospel to them; May it not be said to Pagans and Turks, that if they repent and beleeve on Christ, they shall have pardon of sin? Here is the thing to be sealed in Mr. Prynn's opinion. What then should hinder the sealing? He shunneth to call the Sacrament a converting ordinance in reference to Pagans; and now behold his principles will admit the giving of the Sacrament even to Pagans as a sealing Ordinance, how much more then as a converting Ordinance?
We have now heard his two distinctions, which if they have given any clearing to his assertion, it is such as is little to his advantage. I will now premise some distinctions of my owne to clear that which I hold.
1. The Question is not de potentia Dei absoluta, Whether God by his omnipotency can give the first grace of conversion in the instant of receiving the Sacrament. But the Question is of the revealed will of God, and the way of the dispensation of grace made known to us in the Gospel, which must be the rule to us to walk by. A peradventure it may be, and who knoweth but the scandalous sinner may be converted, is no warrantable ground to go upon in this case, as Mr. Prynn would make it pag. 47. for we may as well adventure to delay repentance, upon a peradventure it may be. There is an example in the New-Testament of one who got repentance and mercy at his end, and if we beleeve the Hebrews and divers Christian Interpreters; there is another example of the same kind in the Old Testament, which is the example of Achan. Whereas there is no example in all the Scripture of any converted by the Sacrament. But if a thing be contrary to the revealed will and commandement of God (as both these are, the delaying of repentance, and the admission of scandalous persons to the Sacrament) we may not dare to go upon peradventures. To the Law, and to the Testimony. Search the Scriptures. If the Word do not shew us any thing of conversion by the Sacrament, we must not think of any such thing.
2. We must distinguish between the Sacrament it self, and those things that do accompany the Sacrament, powerful preaching, exhortation, prayer, or the like before or after the Sacrament. Put case a sinner be effectually converted by a Sermon or a prayer, which he heareth at the Ordination of a Minister, will any man therefore say that Ordination is a converting Ordinance? So if by most serious powerful exhortations, convictions, promises, threatnings, by prayer, by Christian conference by reading or meditation before or after the Sacrament, the Lord be pleased to touch the Conscience and convert the soul of an impenitent prophane wicked liver, nothing of this kind can make the Sacrament a converting Ordinance.
3. We must distinguish even in conversion between gratia praeveniens & subs…quens, operans & co-operans, excitans & adjuvans, or rather, between habitual and actual conversion. Habitual conversion I call the first infusion of the life and habits of grace; actual conversion is the souls beginning to act from that life and from those habits. The first or habitual conversion in which the sinner is passive, and not at all active, it being wholy the work of preventing, exciting, quickning grace, is that which never is to be looked for in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, which is enough to overthrow that opinion, that scandalous impenitent sinners (having an external formal profession, but known by a wicked abominable conversation to be dead in sins and trespasses, in whom the holy Ghost hath never yet breathed the first breath of the life of grace) may be admitted to the Lords Supper (if they desire it, not being excommunicated) upon hopes, that it may prove a converting Ordinance to them. As for gratia subsequens co-operans & adjuvans, by which the sinner (having now a spiritual life created in him and supernatural habits infused in his soul) is said actually to convert, repent, and beleeve. I consider even in this actual conversion, repenting, beleeving, these two things. 1. The inchoation. 2. The progresse of the work. Where the work is begun, if it were but faith like a grain of mustard seed, and where there is any thing of conversion which is true and sound; the Sacrament is a blessed powerful means to help forward the work. But I peremptorily deny that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is appointed or instituted by Christ as a regenerating converting Ordinance, as well as the word, or as a means of beginning actual, much lesse habitual conversion.
4. When I hold the Lords Supper not to be a converting but a sealing Ordinance, the meaning is not as if▪ I beleeved that all who are permitted to come to the Lords Table are truly converted, or that they are such as the seals of the Covenant of Grace do indeed and of right belong unto (for we speak of visible Churches and visible Saints) But my meaning is that Christ hath intended this Sacrament to be the childrens read onelyonly (though the hired servants of the house have other bread enough and to spare) and he alloweth this portion to none but such as are already converted and do beleeve: and that they who are the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God ought to admit none to this Sacrament, except such as are quallified and fit (so far as can be judged by their profession, knowledge, and practice, observed and examined by the Eldership according to the rules of the Word, no humane court being infallible) to have part and portion in the communion of Saints, and to receive the seals of the Covenant of Grace, at least that they may not dare to admit any man whose known and scandalous wickednesse continued in without signes of repentance, saith within their heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
These things premised (which are to be remembred by the Reader, but need not be repeated by me as we go along) I proceed to the Arguments which prove my assertion, that the Lords Supper is not a converting but a sealing Ordinance. And thereafter I shall answer Mr. Prynns Arguments brought to the contrary.