A Rejoinder to Mr Drake, Part 1 · Section 4
Sect. ANd here I might keep cloſe, but I will open my ſoul, for it is melted like water, which I am ready to pour out before the feet of Jeſus Chriſt, or any of his ſervants that will gather it up. I find the temper of moſt tender Chriſtians, when they ſearch their hearts for an habitual preparation required to this Sacrament, they reſolve into doubts about their comming: For while our Divines do as it were ſtrive to lay down the moſt ſearching marks of theſe graces, and our poor frail hearts cannot reach up to them, which the more ſtrict we judge uſually, the more ſpirituall, they begin to fail us, and if we go on, we are ever convinc'd of the want of them, and ſo doubt of our unworthineſſe.
Now if we muſt hold the Sacrament to be a means of grace only to the Regenerate, and that none may come without theſe Sacramental graces, or thus habitually prepared, we cannot approach to this holy Table, but the terrors of the Lord muſt fall upon us, as trembling to be guilty of the blood of Chriſt, and eat our damnation. O ſir! It may be the Lord has cleared your intereſt, that you can lay the hand of your faith upon Chriſts ſhoulder, and ſay he is mine; and in the confidence of David, Gilead is mine. Ephraim is mine, Manaſſes is mine, this mark is mine, and that Evidence mine, here is my new name, and here the white ſtone. And now you may think it eaſie to anſwer theſe difficulties, not knowing the fears and doubts of others, when they cannot lay to heart the commoneſt ſigns, as Univerſal obedience, and Pure love of God, but inſtead of obedience, they find univerſal corruption, and inſtead of living only to Gods glory, in the beſt of their actions. they ſuſpect hypocriſie; So that they never hope to ſee the face of one Sacrament more in peace, unleſſe they may come to Jeſus Chriſt, as wholly unworthy of him. Thou haſt ordained peace, thou hast don all our works in us and for us. O my Saviour! thou knoweſt this is an argument not fetcht from mere invention; this is an argument is ſown in mens tears, and it is fetch'd from the ſighes and bleedings of many thouſands that are made ſad, that ſhould not be ſad, whilſt they have received their wounds!, in the houſe of their friends. Alas! let us but ſeriouſly conſider, either we muſt put this buſines over with a ſlight Examination, and connive at our failings, being ready to preſume theſe graces are in us, becauſe we dare not open our eyes to look fully upon them; and if we do thus, we ſhall bring ſecurity upon our ſelves, and the blood of our own ſouls; or we muſt deal impartially, & conclude againſt our ſelves, we have not theſe evidences, if then we come unqualified, the blood of Chriſt will be upon us. Nay if a man ſhould be regenerate, yet doubts, and judges himſelf unregenerate, ſo long as he hold there is none may come hither but the regenerate, He that doubts of his eating, is damn'd if he eat. So that there is nothing left for poor doubting Chriſtians, but an everlaſting gulph to ſwallow them up. And are any of us Miniſters, that are not in a capacity to abſtain from this Ordinance, what will become of us? The Lord knows, how few of our people are truly regenerate; and ſhall we think every one that is not, muſt neceſſarily become guilty of the murder of Chriſt, (as he uſes that term) and eat his own judgement? What a ſad apprehenſion, what fears, and afflictions, muſt this bring on our ſpirits, whileſt we do but as it were gather our poor people, to receive their damnation. Good Gods! What a deal of blood ſhall we bring on our own ſouls? Who can lie under that terrible guilt that is neceſſarily brought on us, by this dreadfull opinion? Neither have we any way here to ſtand up for our lives, and the lives of our flocks, but to allow this Ordinance, as well as others, a means of regeneration, to examining Chriſtians. For my part, ſhould I believe otherwiſe, I ſhould ſet my face againſt my Congregation, and bid them take heed, Here be theſe marks; and theſe upon them; and theſe upon them upon thoſe; Cannot you find them in you? Beware, touch not a crumb, upon pain of your lives; Come you not hither, there is ſcarce a man of you but will be ſure to be damn'd. Now let this but effectually enter into their hearts, and we ſhall leave the Sacrament, as the Jews did the Woman, alone with Jeſus Chriſt, and while every one is conſcious of his own corruption, we muſt even go out moſt of us, one by one, and be contented to have our names written in the duſt.
For ſome eaſe then of thoſe perplexities, I ſhall humbly venture to look over that text of 1 Cor. 11. from the 17. verſe to the end, which I think is the ground of them. And in the delivery of my thoughts, I beſeech the Lord to guide me by his grace, that I may do no hurt, nor offend any; and I adviſe my Readers not to truſt to my judgement, for I have no might to go out againſt theſe difficulties, I know not what to do, but mine eyes are upon him. Now there are 7 or 8 things, unto which I have a little to ſay, upon this Scripture.
The firſt is, concerning the ſcope or argument of it, which is open. The Apoſtle is reproving them, among other vices, about their diſorder at the Sacrament, which, while they mingled with their Love-feaſts, they were ready to be drunken ſome of them, as at an Ordinary. Upon this he tels them of the Sacred inſtitution, the ſinne, and danger of ſuch doings, and rectifies them in it, &c.
The ſecond is, concerning ſuch high expreſſions, which we find not lightly in other places. And there are two grounds, I conceive, in preſſing certain precepts, ſometimes above others. Either the Eminency of the duty, or defects of the doers. For the former, I would not have men think St. Paul advances this ordinance, which he ſpeaks but lowly of, 1 Cor. 10.4. above others, as Prayer, the one being only inſtituted, the other natural worſhip. But the latter is manifeſt; Here is a Church-ſin, that ſin is making that common, which was ſacred, the uſing this Sacrament but as their Love-feaſts, which were not divine, and this profanation brought down temporal judgements on them. Their carriage was ſo notorious, that it makes him ſpeak ſo deeply of this ſin, and danger thereof, to reclame them from it, attempering his language to his occaſion. For I am perſwaded, if he had been to write this Epiſtle to many of the Church of England, as to Corinth, he would not have ſet it down ſo dreadfully, but rather fore-warn'd us of ſuperſtition.
The third is, Concerning the nature of this Sacrament, and that we find clearly to be a Memorial of Chriſts death, or the new Covenant made by it, which we acknowledge, and ſhew forth in our receiving. Here may be two notes, 1. Whereas the Apoſtle undertakes to deliver down to us whatſoever he had received of the Lord; There are many poor ſouls may diſcharge themſelves of ſome trouble about the notions of ſealing, and the like, when they ſink too deep into them.2. Whereas a Remembrance is of ſomething only that is paſt; It is a queſtion (I am not aſſertive) how the Sacrament is a token of the Covenant, any more than as to that moſt free, abſolute, general act of Grace, in Gods ſo loving the world, that he gave his Son for a Covenant, Jo. 3.16. This cup is the New Teſtament in my blood, or that there is a new Covenant made in my blood. So that on Gods part, it may be A teſtimony of Grace, in this univerſal act or grant thereof; and on Mans part, a Note of his profeſſion, that he believes this, and looks for ſalvation only in his name. Neither in leaving the nature of the Sacrament open, need we abate any thing from the holy improvement of the uſe of it.
The fourth thing is, What is this Eating and drinking unworthily? which phraſe Paul himſelf opens in another I will ſpeak next of. I ſhall now diſtinguiſh between a Worthy Receiver, and Receiving worthily. A worthy Receiver I ſhall account him only, that is habitually qualifyed with the Sacramental graces, or finds the condition of the Covenant actually in him: A receiving worthily, lies mainly I think in comming with reverence; This reverence I will conceive both in regard of the dignity of the inſtitution, and due conſideration of our ſelves, that we make our addreſſe to it according to the ſtate of our ſouls.
To open my ſelf, I will ſuppoſe (though what I laſt ſpake may put it to a quaere) as others do, that the Sacrament is a ſeal of the Covenant, even in application to ſingle perſons. Now then there muſt be two things, or parts of it ſealed, ſalvation to him that truly beleeves and repents, and damnation to him that does not. Promiſſio (ſays Calvin) non minuùs ir ā incredulis minetur, quam gratiam fidelibus offert. Mar. 16.16. Now if a man finds true faith & repentance in himſelf, he receives worthily, in applying the benefits promiſed to him. But if a man finds not his regeneration, and that he does not ſincerely repent of his ſins, he is then to come in the fear of God, applying to himſelf that part of the Covenant that belongs to him, being ready to lay to heart his ſad eſtate, and certainty of damnation, without a true and total ſubmiſſion unto Chriſt, who only is offered to him on that condition. In the application of the right part of the Covenant to a mans proper eſtate, lies the very eſſence of that conviction, which the Spirit works in us at our converſion.
The fifth thing is, What is the meaning of that phraſe Not diſcerning the Lords body; and it is the not putting a difference between this ſacred, and a common table. I pray mark it, v. 29. and it is plainly exegetical of the former, as if he ſhould ſay, by their eating and drinking unworthily, I mean this prophane regardleſſneſſe of theirs, that they have no more reſpect to this Bread and Wine, than their ordinary meals.
And this is farther clear by that illative Wherefore, v. 27. while the Apoſtle argues from the end of receiving, which is to ſhew forth Chriſts death, againſt their receiving unworthily, that is, without conſideration of that end. He enquires not into the eſtate of the perſon, whether regenerate or not, but looks to their manner of receiving, becauſe they came not to the Sacrament as a memorial of Chriſt, as a ſacred thing, and holy inſtitution. If the meaning of either of the phraſes were to come without faith or regeneration (as ſome too harſhly preſſe it) then the Corinths, that were puniſht for this ſinne, muſt have been not only chaſtened, but condemned with the World, which they were not. v. 32. The ve…y direct ſin then of this place, is their irreverence, and monſtrous prophaneneſſe, which I am perſwaded ought not to be laid to the charge of every unregenerate Chriſtian, if he comes humbly hither, in the ſight of his condition.
The ſixt thing is, The import of that ſaying, He ſhall he guilty of the body and blood of Christ; & it is no more than if he ſhould ſay, if you receive theſe holy ſigns ſo regardleſſely, you offer an indignity to the things ſignified; As you commit a crime againſt your Prince, in defacing his Arms, or Royal Statue, wherein, there is a latitude conſiderable in the ſin, according to the more or leſſe evill uſage thereof; and I do not approve the drawing out theſe words, to that harſher language of Murthering Chriſt, or the like, ſeeing there is a vaſt difference between being guilty of Chriſts blood in the unworthy Receiver, and thoſe expreſſions of crucifying the Lord of Life, and trampling under foot the blood of the Covenant, Heb. 10.29. &c.
The ſeventh thing is, What is that duty, Let a man examine himſelf? Some read it, Let a man approve himſelf, and take it as to theſe particulars only in reforming them. I have been apt to think, Let a man examine himſelf; and ſo eat, is as if he ſhould ſay, Let him ſo eat, as conſidering with himſelf his own eſtate, and purport of this Ordinance, in ſuitable meditations, and applications of it. But I willingly lie down unto the labours of our Divines, who generally make this ſelf-examination to be a ſearching into our hearts, and our eſtates; about our ſins, in looking over the Commandements, to repent of them; and about our graces, in looking over our evidences, that we come with an habitual and actual preparation. Only I muſt lay down three cautions. 1. Take heed of ſtanding too much upon this, if you find it in you. When you come as one worthy, you may chalenge the benefits of the Covenant, upon bringing the condition; but if you do ſo, look well to that condition, for if you appeal unto Caeſar, to Caeſar you muſt go; there are ſome might have been ſaved, if they had not appealed to their condition.2 If you find not theſe graces, and are grieved in the want of them, let not that ſtave you off from Chriſt; But humble your ſelf, reſolve againſt ſin, and think I ſhall be ſo much the more beholding to my Saviour, not only for his benefits, but alſo for my condition. Though it be faith only can receive any thing from Chriſt, yet is the ſenſe of our unworthineſſe, a proper qualification to bring us to him, both to receive that faith, and the benefits of it.3. If thou findeſt thy ſelf wicked, and living in ſin, thou art to repent, and mayſt defer thy coming upon reſolution to prepare againſt next Sacrament; But if thou thinkeſt to go on in thy courſe, and ſo forbeareſt, I tell thee (as I judge) thou muſt come, and apply to thy ſoul, that part of the Covenant that is properly thine. Thou art to eat, and ſay with thy ſelf, As this bread and Wine holds forth Chriſt and his benefits only upon condition, ſo it ſhews what I ſhall loſe, and as ſure as I eat and drink I ſhall be certainly damn'd, unleſſe I repent, and leave theſe courſes, for here is the ſeal unto the truth of Gods word, and I yield unto it. Deut. 27.26. All the people ſhall ſay, Amen.
The laſt thing is, What is this Eating and Drinking damnation? and it is the incurring, either with ſome, a preſent temporal puniſhment, (and ſo the word is foreign, not foreign, and ſenſe too, v. 32.) or, with others, the merit, deſert, or guiſt of eternal. Both which, nevertheleſſe, a due judging our ſelves, through Gods mercy may prevent, v. 31. And here I muſt give you two diſtinctions, which you are to receive, as you intend to have peace in this thing.
The former is, between a general, and particular receiving damnation. In general, Divines ſay certainly, Every unregenerate man receives his damnation as he reads, hears, prays, & works his damnation in every thing he does, Tit. 1.15. which things nevertheleſſe muſt be done. The meaning is, I take it, that nothing he does, or can do comes up to the condition of the Covenant, but there is ſome failing and ſin, which muſt be accounted for at the great day, and ſo it is ſaid to increaſe 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 lets 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, let me have but a hold of the hem of his garment; whiles they are as it were raviſht with the kiſſes of his mouth, let me be but ſo happy to lick up the very duſt that is at his feet; the leaſt hem of his righteouſneſs, the leaſt duſt of his mercy, ſhall have virtue enough in it to ſave me. For the cloze of this buſineſſe, as to the part of the Receivers, which I muſt yet leave to be judged of thoſe that are more able, I do humbly beſeech ſome moderate Spirit, that is good at a broken bone, to ſpeak ſome words in ſeaſon for the refreſhment of the weary, and deal not ſo roughly, as this man has dealt with me; for why ſhould you break a bruſed Reed, caſt down by the troubles of his ſoul? Why ſhould you call a man Marah moſt deſpitefully, becauſe the Lord hath ſent him bitterneſſe? And amidſt the reproaches that are fallen on me, will you throw more on me? If you will, I will go tell my Saviour of you, I will heartily pray him to forgive me, for fear I have deſerved them, and will be contented to be made conformable to him, though I am reviled in my agony, and have Vinegar in my croſſe.