> '"*.' ' :t ~*»^'" -i " ' iffil'iii'lITi ^7-; OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. Case^ *-^S7fS-r7 Plyision Shelf, '^.^..../J^... Section Book, ' N« * v/ DEMONSTRATION O F T H E Grofs and Fundamental Errors Ofa late BOOK, called 'A plain Account of the Nature and End of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ^ &c. BOOKS printed for W. I N n y s and ^ , R. M A N B Y. I. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. J^^ Adapted to the State and Condition of ^all Orders of Chriftians. The Third Edition, ^vo. II. A pradical Treatife upon Chriftian Per- feftion. The Fourth Edition. Svo. III. The Cafe of Reafon, or Natural Religion fairly and fully Itated. In Anfwer to a Book, entituled, Chriflianity as old as the Creation. Bvo. IV. The abfolute Unlawfulnefs of the Stage Entertainment fully demonftrated. The Second Edition. Sv.o. V. Remarks upon a late Book, entituled, The Fable of the Bc^es, or private Vices publick Be- nefits. To which is added, a Poftfcript, contain- ing an Obfervation or two upon Mr. Bayle. The Third Edition. 81;^. VI. Three Letters to the Bifhop of Bangor, The Eighth Edition, ^vo. 'thefe fix hy the Reverend Mr. Law. VII. A Review of the Do6lrine of the Eu- charift, as laid down in Scripture and Antiquity. By Daniel Waterland^ D. D. Chaplain in ordinary to liis Majefty. The Second Edition. %vq. A DEMONSTRATION O F T H E Grofs and Fundamental Errors Of a late BOOK, called A Plain Accou7tt of the Nature and End of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper y 6c c. Wherein alfo the Nature and Extent of the Redemption of all Mankind by Jesus Christ is ftated and explained ; and the Pretences of the Deifls^ for a Religion of Nadir al Reafoa initead of it, are exa.min'd to the Bottom. The whole humbly, earneftly, and affeflionately addrefs'd to all Orilcrs of Men, and more efpecially to all the Younger Clergy. By WILLIAM LAV/, A. M. The Second .Edit ion corrected. L O ISl D O N: Printed for W. I n n y s and R. Manb^, at the Weft-End of St. Faul\. Mdccxxxvui. |Y Defign (worthy Reader) is not to lay before you all the Errors and falfe Rea- fonings of this Author throughout his wholeTrea- tife. This would lead you into too much Wrangle, and the Multipli- city of Things difputed, would take your Eye from the chief Point in queftion, and fo make the Matter lefs edifying to you. Many therefore of his leffer Miftakes I fliall pafs over, and only endeavour to dis- cover fuch grofs and fundamental Errors, as may juftly pafs for an entire Confutation o£ his whole Book. The Foundation on which he proceeds, and the principal Matters of his Difcourfc, are not only nocorioufly againft the Truth of B the c o the Sacrament, but plainly deftru6live of the principal Dodrines of the Chriftian Reli- gion. And if this Key of Knowledge, put into your Hands by this Author, is accepted by you, you will not only lofe all the right Knowledge of this Sacrament, but be ren-^ der'd a blindj deaf] and even dead Reader of all the other Dodrines of Scripture. For the Way He points out to find the Truth of the Do(5trine of the Sacrament, is the only Way to lofe the Truth of all the moft important Parts of the Gofpel. Who this namelefs Author is, neither concerns the Truth, nor You, nor Me, and therefore I leave that Matter as he has left it. He begins with giving us this Account of the Principles on which he proceeds. I have endeavoured to eJlablifJj and explain the true Nature^ Endy and Eff'eB of the Sa- crafnent of the Lord's Supper, And this in fuch a mamier^ that all who are concerned may\ I hope y be led into the right way of judging about *V.* Ti? this I have endeavoured to guide thetn, by • Pag. S- [3] ly dire^ing and confining their Attention to ail- that Isfald about this Dut)\ by thofe who alone- had any Authority to declare the Nature of it :■: Neither on the one hand dlmmlfilng, nor on the other augmenting^ what Is declared by them to belong to it.' " ' If therefore the Manner in which I have chofen to treat this SubjeB^fiould appear tofome tofiand In need of any Apology y this is the only one I can perfuade myfelf to make, That I have no Authority to add to the Words ofChrlft and his Apojlles upon this Sub-' je5t', 7ior to put any Meaning or Interpretation upon thefe Words, but what is agreeable to the common Rules of Speaking In like Cafes, and to the declared Defign of the Inftltutlon Itfelf * All who (in the Apoftle's phrafe) love our Lord fefus Chrlft in Sincerity, and who defire to be no wlfcr about his Appointments, than He himfelf was; and are co7itent to expe5l ?2o more from his Infiitutlon than He himfelf put into It, will join with me at leaf In the one only Method of examining Into the Nature and Ex- tent of it. -f Here he has given us a {horr, but full Account of the Prhiclples on which he pro- ceeds, which I {hall reduce into the follow- ing Propofitions. B 2 I/?, * Pjg. 6, f Pag. 7. [4] \Jij That the Nature^ End^ and E/- feBs of the Holy Sacrament can only be fo far known, and apprehended by us, as the bare Words of Chrift in the Inftitution of the Sacrament, related by the Apoflles and Evangelifts, have made them known to us. 2J/y, That no other Meaning or Inter- pretation is to be put upon thefe Words, but what is agreeable to the common Rules ofjpeak- ing on the like Occafions. ^dly. That this Examination into the Meaning of the Words, according to the common Rules of fpeaking on the like Oc- cafions, is the one only Method of knowing what is meant by them. A^thly^ Th at this Knowledge thus acqui- red from fuch a Confideration of the Words, is all the Knowledge that we can have of the Nature^ End, and Efecfs of this Holy Sacra- ment. Every one muft fee that thefe Propofi- tions are fairly taken from his own Words, and that they are the Foundation of his whole Difcourfe, He builds upon them as upon [5] upon fo many Axioms, or firft Principles; and all he fays from the Beginning to tiie End of his Treatife, is founded upon the fuppofed inconteftable Truth of them. Here therefore let me defire you to fix your Eye, for here I will place the Merits of the Caufe with him: If this Foundation cannot be fhaken, I will difpute nothing that lie has built upon it. But then let it be obferved, that if thefe Proportions are prov'd to be abfolutely falfe, and mofl evidently repugnant to the repeat- ed Letter^ conftant Spirity and whole Te- nor of Scripture, then all this whole Trea- tife from the Beginning to the End, fo far as he proceeds upon his own avow'd Principles, is mere Fidion and Fable, a Caitle in the Air. I SHALL therefore in the plalneft manner (hew the Falfenefs of thefe Propofuions, and that they are fo far from being what he takes them to be, 'uzz. the only Me am of arriving at the Fulneji of Scripture Truths J that whoever entertains them as Truths, and abides by them in his Search after Scripture Truths isj B 3 and C 6 ] and w?//? be, Co long as he continues in that Sentiment and Practice, Stojte-blind to all the Myfteries of the Kingdom of God, as related in Scripture. ^ jtjj-I^And that, if it was any one's Defire to do exad:ly what our BleiTed Lord charges upon the Pharifees and Lawyers, that they fiut tip the Kingdom of Heaven^ took away the Key of Knowledge, entred not in themfehes, and thofe c^that were entring in, they hindred : Were ^this the deepefl: Defire of any one's Heart, the one only efFedtual Way of doing it, muft be the Way that this Author has taken in this Treatife. For, it fliall alfo be made appear, that thefe Principles of his are that ''oery Veil which the Apoftle fays, was upon the Hearts of xh&fews: and that the Scriptures have never been ufelefs to, mifunderftood or rejeB- ed by any People of any Age, but for this Keafon, becaufe their Hearts were blinded and hardened by this very Method of know- ing Scripture Truths, which he propofes to us. All the Charadlers o{ Jliff-necked, har^ dened, blind, carnal, and imcirciimcifed in. Heart and Spirit, which are in the Scrip- tures given to the unbelieving Jews, are on- ly fo many various Ways of defcribing that State [7] State of Heart, which thefe very Principles had produced in them. Had they thought of any other Method of knowing their Mejjiah^ but that of the hare Letter of Scripture, interpreted accord- ing to the common Rules of [peaking^ the greateft Occafion of their Infidelity had been remov'd. But to begin in my propofed Methra. The Holy Sacrament was inftituted in thefe Words : Aiid as they rsjere eatings Jif'^^^ took Breads and hlejj'ed it^ and brake it, and gave it to the DifcipleSy andfaid. Take, eat, this is my Body. And he took the Cup, and gave it to them, faying. Drink ye all of it : For this is my Blood of the new Tefamejit, iz'hich is fjedfor many, for the Remifjionof Sins, Matth. xxvi. 26. In St. Luke the Words of Infti- tution are : And he took Bread, and gave thanh, and brake it, and gave it unto thenjy faying, This is my Body which is give ji for you : This do in remembrance of me. Likewije alfo the Cup after Supper, faying. This Cup is the new Tefiament in my Blood , which is f:edfsr you^ Luke xxii. 19. B 4 Let [8] L E T US now apply the Doctrine contained in the forementioned Propofitions to thefe Words of the Inftitution of the Sacrament. According to the Dodrine of thofe Propofi- tions, the one only Method of under/landing what is meant by thefe Words of the Infritu- tion, is to confider and interpret them ac- cordtJig to the common Rules of Jpeaking in like Cafes. But, pray Sir, where muft a Man look for a like Cafe^ Does the World afford us any Cafe like it? Have the Speaker ^ or the I'hings fpoken, any things in common Life that are alike to either of them ? How vain is it therefore to refer us to the common Ruies of fpeaking on the like Cafes, when the whole World affords us neither any Perfon like him that fpoke, nor any Thing, or Cafe, like the Things and Cafe here fpoken of. Th e Scripture faith, He [pake the Word, and they were made ; He commanded, and they were created.^ Has this way of fpeaking any Parallel in the Language of Men ? Do human Things and Tranfac^ions furnilh us with any thing like this ? Now * Pfal. cxlvlii. $'i [9] Now the Word which thm fpeaklng created all things, is not more extraordinary, more above the common Rules of fpeaking, or more without human Example, than that Word which, in the Infiitution of the Sacra- ment, fpake^ and it was done ; commanded, and it was created. For it is the fame Om- nipotent Word that /jf;v fpeaketh, thatfpoke the Creation into Being ; and the Effeds of his fpeaking in the Inftitution of the Sacra- ment, are as extraordinary, and as much above the Effeds of human fpeaking, as when the fame Wo Rufpakey a?id they were made , commanded, and they were created. And it is impofiible for any one to fhew, that there is lefs of Divifie Power and Greatnefs, lefs of Myftery and Miracle imply'd in thefe Words fpoken by the Eternal Word in the Inftitu- tion of the Sacrament, than when the fame Eternal Wo r d faid, Let there he Lights and there was Light. All Words have a Meaning, a Signifi- cancy and EfFed, according to the Nature of him, whofe they are. The Words of God are of the Nature of God, Divine, Living and Powerful ; the Words of an Angel are as that Angel is in Power and Perfe^ion; the [ 10] the Words of a Devil have only his Nature and Powder, and therefore they can only and folely tempt to Evil; the Words of Man are as Men are, weak, vain, earthly, and of a foor and narrow Signification. To diredt us therefore to the common Rules of fpeaking amongft Men, as the only Means of truly knov^ing all that the Son of God fpoke, when he fpoke of himfelf, and on fuch an Occafion and in fuch Circumflances as never did, nor ever can happen or belong to any one but himfelf, is furely no fmall Miftake. t:The common Rules of fpeaking are like Mother things that are common amongfl Men, viz. poor, empty, and fuperficial, hardly touching the outfide of the mere human Things we talk about. If therefore what the Son of God faid of himfelf in the In- Aitution of this Holy Sacrament, muft ne- cciTarily be fuppofed to have no higher Mean- ing or deeper Senfe, than fuch as is accord- ing to the common Rules of fpeaking amongft Men ; it muft neceflarily follow, that he fpoke as meanly, as imperfeBly, and Oisfuper- ficially in what he faid of himfelf, and the Matter he was upon, as when Men fpeak of themfelves and human Things. For if there was not the fame weak, empty, and fuperficial Meaning in his Words, as there is [ " ] hi the common Difcourfe of Men; then the common Rules of fpeaking amongft Men cannot be a proper^ much lefs the o?ily Means of underftanding all the Truth that is con- tained in them. This Author feems to be in the fame Miftake concerning Jefus Chrift and his Kingdom, as his Difciples were in, before they had received Power from on high. They had till then heard him only with their out- ward EarSy conceived what he faid, only ac- cording to the common Rules of fpeaking amongft Men, and fo continued perfeB Strangers to all the Myfteries and great Truths of the Gofpel. But after the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon them, their Un- derftandings were opened, and they faw all things with new Eyes, and in a new Light ; they then fully apprehended what their Lord meant by thefe remarkable Words, my King- dom is not of this World. Which is the fame thing as if he had faid, I fpeak not as a Per-* fon of this World, nor of the things of this Worlds and therefore the things which I fay, can neither be underftood by a worldly Mind, nor according to the comtnon Ways of fpeak- ing amongft Men. And had this Author fufficiently attended to the Senfe of thefe Words, [ 12 ] Words, and felt the Truth of them in his own Heart, it feems next to impoffible for him to have fallen into his prefent way of reafoning. For he that truly and fully be- lieves that the Kingdom of Chrift is not of this World, and that therefore worldly Pow- ers and Privileges are not a proper Part of it, can hardly be fo inconfiftent with himfelf, as to affirm, that worldly Language, fpoken on worldly Matters, is the o?ily proper Key to the right underftanding the Truths and Do- (ftrines of this Kingdom, that is fo out of, above, and contrary to this World. And if he has but one juft and good Ar- gument to prove, that worldly Power is not the proper and only Power that belongs to this Kingdom, the fame Argument will as fully prove, that worldly Language under- ftood according to the common Rules of fpeaking, cannot be the proper and only Means of rightly apprehending the Truths of this Kingdom. T o proceed ; he refers and confines us to the bare Words of the Inflitution, for the right and full underflanding of all that is to be underflood of the Nature^ End, and Ef' f€^^ of the Holy Sacrarnenta Here [ ^3] H E R E he throws an eafy Deception into the Mind of his Reader, who becaufe he may juftly think he is right in declaring the Words of the Inftitution to be the only true and /«// Account of the Sacrament, as to the outward Form and Matter of it, fufpeds him not to be wrong, when he concludes fron> thence, that the Words are alfo the only true mid full Account of the Nature, Knd and Effects of the Holy Sacrament. Whereas this is as falfe, as the other is true ; for the Nature, and End, and EfFedls of the Holy Sacrament, neither are, nor poffibly can be taught us (as fliall be (hewn hereafter) from the bare Words of the Inftitution, confider- ed by themfelves. Le T us fuppofe that one of this Author's rafiofial MtUy o£ clear Ideas, but an abfolute Stranger to the Scriptures, and to our Sa- viour's Dodlrines, had been prefent only when he fpoke the Words of the Inftitution ; would his Knowledge of the Meaning of Words, according to the com?non Rules of fpeaking, have direcfled him to the true Senfe of all that was imply 'd by this Sacrament and the Obfervation of it ? To fay that fuch a Perfon thus qualified could have known the true ClH ] tnic Nature, End, and Effedfs of the Holy Sacrament, is furely too abfurd to be imagi- ned. And to fay that he could not, is fully giving up this Author's whole Doctrine, namely, that the bare widerjlanding the Words of the Injiitution according to the common Rides of fpeaking, is the only way to underftand all that is certain and true as to xht Nature, End and EffeBs of the Sacrament. For if this were fo, it would evidently follow, that a perfed: Stranger to all the other Dodrines and Inftitutions both of the Old and New Teflament, would be as well qualified to un- derftand all that was implied in the Words of the Inftitution, as he that had the fulleft Knowledge of every thing that ever had been revealed or appointed by God, either before or lince the Birth of Chrift. *i But if fome Knowledge of what God' has revealed both in the Old and New Tefta- ment be required, for a right underftanding what is imply'd in the Words of the Inftitu- tion, then it is abfolutely falfe, and highly blameable, to fay, that the bare Words of the Inftitution, confider'd in themfelves on- ly, according to the common Rules of fpeak- ing, are the 07ily Means or Method of un- derftanding all that is implied in them. Eithe;r [is 11 Either this Sacrament has fome rela* tlon to fome other Dodtrines of the Old and New Teftament, or it has not ; if it has no relation to them, then it muft be faid to have no Agreement with any other Part of Scripture: But if it has fome relation to other Dodrines of Scripture, then it dcmon- ftratively follows, that this Inftitution mufl be interpreted, not according to the ifare Meaning of the Words in the common ways of fpeaking, but according to that Relation which it has to fome other Dodrines of Scripture. This I think is inconteftable, and entirely overthrows his only Method of un- derftanding the Nature of the Sacrament. Again, another Argument of ftill greater Force againft him may be taken from the Apoflles themfelves. He confines us to the bare Words of the Inftitution related by the Apoftles and Evangelifts, as the only Means of knowing all that can be known of the Nature^ Efidy and Effe£ls of the Sacrament ; and yet it is certain, beyond all doubt, that the Apoftles and Evangelifts neither had, nor could poflibly have this Defign in rela- ting and recording the Words of the Inftitu- tion, namely, that we might thereby have ■^ . the r-^'s- [i6] the one only Means of knowing all that is to be underflood by it. For they very well knew, that they had received no fuch Knowledge themfelves from the bare Words of the Inflitution, and therefore they could not relate them as the only Means of Inftrudtion in that matter to others. They very well knew, that if they had received no other Light, befides that which thofe Words convey 'd, they had died in a total Ignorance of the whole Matter. Th e y very well knew, that though they had perfonally convers'd with Chrift, had heard from his own Mouth, Myfteries pre- paratory to their right Knowledge of their Saviour, that notwithftanding all this, when they heard and faw him inftitute the Sacra^ ment in its outward Form and Matter^ as they relate it, by the help of the bare Words of the Inflitution, they then neither did, nor could rightly underftand the Nature, End and Eff'eBs of the Holy Sacrament. And therefore it maybe faid to be certamhcyond all Doubt, that they neither did nor could relate and record thefe Words of the Inftitution, as the o?2ly Means of rightly underftanding all that is implied in the Sacrament, as to the [ i7 ] the Nature, End and Effedts df it. And yti this Author takes all this for granted, and fuppofes that the Apoftles had all their Know- ledge of the Sacrament from the Words of the Inftitution, and that they have recorded the Inftitution for this End, and with this Defign, that we might know all that they knew, and all that could be known conccri> ing it. That the Apoftles themfelves did not comprehend the Nature, End and Effedls of the Sacrament from the Words of the In- ftitution^ is plain, for they did not then know what Per/on their Saviour was, or how he was to fave them, or what their Salvation in itfelf implied. They knew nothing of the Nature or Merit of his Sufferings, but thought all to be loft, when he fuffer'd Death. They knew not how to believe in his Refurre- d:ion, and when they did believe it, they knew nothing of theConfequences of itj which is a plain Proof th^t they did not at all fee into the Meaning of the Holy Sacrament, for had they known what was implied in it, they* ynuft have known their Saviour^ and the Nature of their Salvation, And yet, (what js well to be obferv'd) it is alfo pliiin, that m this State of grofs Ignorance and hifidelity^ C knowing [ i8 ] knowing nothing of their Salvation, they had all that Knowledge of the Holy Sacra- ., ment which this Author is recommending to | the Chriftian World, as the only true Know- , ledge of it. For they mud have underftood ; the Words according to the common Rules of ,{ Ipeaking, which is all that he allows to be \ underftood by them. For any other Senfe or Meaning, that is not literally expreffed in the Words taken according to the common Rules of fpeaking, is by him called a being Wifer thanChrift in his own Appointments, an adding to the Inftitution, or a putting fomething into it, which he has nor put in. So that it is evidently plain, that this Purity , of Knowledge concerning the Sacrament, which this Author has writ fo large a Volume in Recommendation of, is that wry Know- ^ ledge of the Sacrament which the Apoftles hadjwhen they had no Faith in Chrift as their Saviour, nor any Knowledge of the Nature of Chriftian Salvation. Every one muft fee that this Charge is juftly brought againft; him, and that he cannot poflibly avoid it. For if that is the only right Knowledge of the Nature, End and Effedls of the Holy Sacrament, which the bare Words of the Inftitution, underftood only according to the common Rules of fpeaking, declare; if every [ ^9] fcvery other Senfe and Meaning is to be reject- ed as a Criminal adding, or putting feme- thing into Chrift's Inftitution, and a prefu- ming to htwifer than he was; then it undc* niably follows, that ihzt Jimple 2ind pure Knowledge of the Sacrament, which he lays fo great Claim to, and fo much contends for, is that very grofs Ignorance of it which the Apoftles were in, when they had no light but from the bare Words of the Inftitutiory^-j and had all the Articles of the Chriftian Faith to learn. Further, a$ the Apoflles did not, {o they could not pojjibly know the Nature^ End and EffeBs of the Holy Sacrament, from the bare Words of the Inftitution, nor is ic poflible for any one fmce their time to know- it by that Help alone. The outward Matter and Form indeed^ or that wherein the pofitive Inftitution con- fifts, (as I have already faid) is fufficiently plain and intelligible from the bare Words of the Inftitutionj and is by them made unal- terable. This is the only Plainnefs of the Inftitution. But what Myfteries or Dodrines of Chriftian Faith are to be acknowledged and confefted by the Words, the Formt and C ;^ the C 20] the Matter. oi it, and what are not, cannot be known from the bare Words of the Infti- tution, but are to be learnt by that Light which brought the Apoflles and the Church after them into a true and full Knowledge of the fundamental Articles of the Chriftian Faith. T^.ic yn£ "jo-n- ,?:-)ijfoqA . Take the Words of the Inftitutbn alone 1)1. as the Apoftles firfl: heard them, underftood only according to the common Rules of fpeak- ing, and then there is nothing in them, but that poor Conception which they had of them at that time, and fuch as did them no good ; and then alfo we have that Knowledge of this Inflitution, which this Author pleads for. ■ j^ But, take the fame Words of the Infti- tution, underftood and interpreted accords ing to the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, and fcen in that Light in which the Apoftles afterwards faw them, when they knew their Saviour j and then every thing that is great and adorable in the Redemption of Mankind, every thing that can delight, comfort and fupport the Heart of a Chriftian, is found to be center'd in this Holy Sacrament. There then wants nothing but the Wedding Gar- 2 menc [21] ment to make this Holy Supper the MarfHagt'' Feajl of the Lamb : And it is this Holy So- lemnity, this Author is taking fo much Pains to wrangle us out of, by fo many dry Sub- tilties of a fuperficial Logic. But I proceed to (hew, that neither the Apoftles, nor any other Perfons fmce them, could poffibly know the Nature, End and Effedls of the Holy Sacrament, from the bare Words of the Inflitution connder'd only in themfelves , according to the common Rules of fpeaking. And this may be de^ monftrated from every Part of the Inllitu- I SHALL begin with thefe Words, which are only a Command to obferve the Inftituti- on. Do this in Remembrance of me : That is, let this be done as your Confejjion and Ac-^ knowledgment of the Salvation that is received through me, Does not every common Chriftian, that has any Knowledge of Scripture, know, that this is the plain Meaning of thefe Words ? And that as often as he does this^ he does it in Remembrance of his Saviour, in acknoiV' kdgment ^ViAconfeJfio7i of that Salvation which C 3 Man- ( [ 22 ] Mankind received through him ? But noWj that which is thus plai?i and intelligible in the Words of the Inftitution' to a common Chriilian, knowing only the chief Articles of his Salvation, is altogether unintelligible to any Man that is left folely to the bare Words of the Inftitution; for unlefs he was inftru- ded in the other Parts of Scripture, fo as to know what he was to underftand by the Words, they would fignify no more to him than they would to a Heathen^ who had by chance found a bit of Paper in the Fieldg « with xhtfame JVords writ upon it. - ' Now a Heathen^ ignorant of all Divine Revelation, if he found fuch a Paper, could not know what it related to, nor what any of the Words fignified; he could not know when he was nearer or when he was further from a right underftanding of them; the common Rules of fpeaking amongft Men, would be of no ufe to teach him, whether there was any T'ruth in fuch a Paper, or what kind of Truths were declared by it. Now this is exactly the Cafe of him that renounces all other Means of knowing what is contain'd in the Inftitution, but that of the Words themfelves, underftood only ^c^ cording f 23 ] cording to the common Rides, of fpeaking amongft Men. Such a one is only in the State of this Heathen, the Words of the In- ftitution are as unintelligible and ufelefs to him, as if he had found them by chance; they relate to he knows not what, they may be all Fidlion and Inve?ition for ougiit he knows, they cannot poffibly be underftood as having any truth or reality in them, till he that fireads them, kijows more than is related by Ythem, till he knows the chief Articles of the ■ :Chriftian Salvation. For the bare Words of the Inftiiution , confider'd by themfelves , do not at all prove^ j^fi^fy ^^ explain^ even iiTlhat which they literally exprcfs ; they are biall but empty ^ unmeaning Words, till the \^ Proofs the Jtijiijication and Explication of vy them, is learn'd from fome other Farts of prScripture. They do not at all prove, juftify, >3nt)r explain, either that we want a Saviour, fTrc'r why we want him, or that a Saviour is given us, and how he effedts our Salvation j and yet ^//thefe things are ^7^/(?^/6'/)' necelTary to a right underftanding of this Inflitution ; and as foon as thefe things ?iVtprovdjjifftified and explain' dj as foon as we know, that we 5w?vhsn he refers and confines us to the bare Woids of the Inftitution, underflood only accord-^ C ?s ] a.ccording to the common Rules of fpeaking, in order to have a Chrijiian Knowledge of the Holy Sacrament. .73n£ ;- 7^ Q A I N, Do this in Remembrance of me: Now take thefe Words in what Senfe you pleafe, is it not equally and abfolutely necefTa- ry for the right underftanding of them, to know who and what kind of Perfon this m e is, who is here to be remcmber'd? For if this is to be done in Remembrance of him, how :can he be remember'd, or acknowledg'd, ipnlefs it be known what Realities and Cha- ra&ers of him are to be remember'd and ac- knowledg'd? But this is not done in the Words of the irinftitution ; the State^ Nature, and Char a- ^ers of the Perfon to be remember'd are not ri there declared^ nor proved^ and explained-, ^i therefore foniething of the greatejl hnpor- *■• tance to the Words, and that muft have the ^reateft Effed: upon the Senfe of them, and iiecefrary, that we rightly know (what can- ~%ot poffibly be known from the bare Words of the Inftitution) in what ReJpeBs and on how many Accounts he is our Saviour^ before we can rightly make this Remembrance and Acknowledgment of him as fuch. I T was the want of this Knowledge, that made the Inftitution of the Sacrament ufe- " lefs to the Apoftles when they firft heard it 5 ; but when they had got this Knowledge, and ''■'feiew all the CharaSiers of their Saviour, anci "-'^^n hovfmany Refpeds he flood as the Mediator "and Redeemer betwixt God and Man, then the Inftitution became highly intelligible to them, and every Part of it plainly declar'd the ^ ^Myftery that in a certain Senfe was both con- cear4 [ 27] ceal'd and exprefled by it. Now the Addi- tion of this Knowledge of the Nature^ Con- dition and CharaBers of the Perfon to be re- mcmber'd and acknowledg'd by the Inftitu- tion, is adding nothing to the Inftitution, but the right ufe of it, it is bringing nothing to it, but a Mind capable of knowing and ob- ferving it. He that is to underftand a Propofition written in Hebrew, cannot be charg'd wuh adding to that Propofition, becaufe he holds it necejjary to learn the Hebrew Language^ before he pretends to underitand a Propor- tion written in Hebrew. Now a Scripture-Chriftian Inftitution, mud as neceflarily be underftood according to Scripture and Chriftian Do(ftrine, as an Hebrew Proportion mufl be underftood ac- cording to the Hebrew Language : And the making ufe of Scripture and Chriftian Do- iStrine, in order to underftand a Scripture and Chriftian Inftitution, is no more an adding oi fomething to the Inftitution, that need nor, or ought not to be done, than the interpre- ting an Hebrew Propofition by the Hebrew Language, is an adding of fomething to it, that need not, or ought not ;o be done. And [ 28 ] 30flfiB0 \l6\n noiiuJiilni 3fl3 .VfiH jqbi 3( And on the other hand, to confine us to the l;are Words of the Inftitution, as they are in themfelves, as they found only in com- mon Language, in order to underftand a Scripttire'ChriJliaft Inftitution ^ is exadly the fame thing as to confine us to the bare Words of a Propofition written in Hebrew, confidered only according to the common Rules of fpeaking, and not according to that Meaning they have in the Hebrew han^ guage to which they belong, and of which they are a part. 'For a Scripture - Chriftian Inftitution mufl; in the fame manner have its Depen- dance upon, Foundation in, and Interpreta- tion from Scripture and Chriftian Dodrine, of which it is a Part, and to which it belongs, as an Hebrew Propofition hath Dependance upon, Foundation in, and Interpretation from the Hebrew Language, to which it be- longs, and of which it is a Parr. This Scripture-Chriftian Inftitution be^ ing thus interpreted, according to the Scri- pture and Chriftian Doctrine, of v/hich it is a Part, is, when thus interpreted, left and kept in that State, in which Qhrift left it to [ 29] be kept. Nay, the Inftitution itfelf cannot even literally be obferved according to the bare Words of it, unlefs it be obferved ac- cording to this Knowledge and Acknowledge 7nent of all the Characters of Chrift. ^ - Fo R though the bare Words of the Infti- tution do not exprefs or reach thefe Chara- ders, yet the bare Words or Letter of it re- quire thus much: For lince the Letter of the Inftitution requires us to do this in Rerjiem- brance and Acknowledgment of Chrift, the bare Letter requires us in doing this^ to ac- knowledge and remember all the Charadcrs of Chrift J therefore he that in doing this does not remember and acknowledge all the Characters of Chrift, muft be faid not to ob- ferve the veryLetter of thelnftitution. Hence therefore there arifes another plain Demon- ftration againft his DoCtrine, 'viz. that we are to know no more of the Nature or right Obfervation of the Sacrament, than what is exprefly taught us in the bare Words of the Inftitution. For the very Letter itfelf of the Inftitution contradids this; and if he will not diredtly refufe what the bare Words ex- prefly command, he muft feek ^oi fomethuig towards the right Obfervation of this Sacra- ment, which is only required, but not taught in t 30 ] Ih the Words of the Inftitution. tot hy the Letter of the Inftitution you are command- ed to remember and acknowledge a Perfon^ ' whofe CharaBers, Condition and Offices to be ^' acknowledg'd, are not taught in the Inftitu- tion, but only to be found in other Parts of ^'^ Scripture; and therefore the bare Letter of the Inftitution is grofly violated, if we look no farther than to the Words of the Inftituti- on for a right Knowledge and Obfervation of the Sacrament* A GAIN, If the Scriptures teach 2.nd prove Chrift to be the Sacrifice, Attonement and Propitiation for our Sins, as exprefly as they teach us the Lijlitution of the Sacrament, does not the Remembrance and Acknow- ledgment of him as the Sacrifice, Attone- ment and Propitiation for Sin, become a ne- cejj'ary Fart of our right Obfervation of the Sacrament? For if the Sacrament is appoint-^ ed for the Remembrance and Acknowledg- ment of Chrift as our Saviour, and if as our Saviour he is the Attonementy the Sacrifice and Propitiatio?i for our Sins, is not the Re- membrance and Acknowledgment of him as our Sacrifice and Attonement, effential to the Remembrance of him as our Saviour? If thefe Characters were mentioned in the Infti-* tution. [ 31 ] :l tutlon, I fyppofe. they- would be allowed to be an eflential Part of it. But if the Letter of the Inftitution diredlly points to, and calls for the Acknowledgment of thefe Characters, then they are as effential to it, as if they were exprefly mentioned in it. ,„i „^ ■ In Jesus Chrift is not mentioned in the In- ftitution as our Saviour, but I fuppofe it will not be deny'd that he is there by way of ne- cefTary Implication, fince the Perfon there ,, to be remember'd, is declared by the Scrip- ture to be our Saviour. But if we may be allowed thus to take our Saviour to be the ; Perfon that is to be remember'd and acknow- ledg'd by the Sacrament, if this may be done without adding any thing to the Inftitution, if it muft be done as abfolutely eflential to it, then the Addition of Sacrifice ^ Attonemeiity and Fropitiation for our Sins, may be added without adding any thing to the Inftitution, and muft be done as abfolutely eflential to it; becaufe the Scriptures teach and prove, that Jefus Chrift, as our Saviour, is the Sacrifice, Attonement, and Propitiation for our Sins. T;herefore if the Remembrance of him as our Saviour is eflTential to the Sacrament, the Remembrance and Acknowledgment of him as [32 ] as the Sacrifice and Attonement, and PropH tiation for Sin, is effentia:! to the Sacrament. And therefore it follows again, that the very Words of the Inflitution dired: us to ^ farther Knowledge of the Sacaament, than that which is exprejiy taught by them. To proceed : Take, Eaf^ this ii my Body* Now what fignifies it what any one can make of thefe Words, underilood according to the common ways of fpeaking? For the way itfelf is Jingular and uncommon^ and has no certain Meaning according to the common Rules of fpeaking. He may as well read a Difcourfe uponTr2^/4 to know whether thefe Words have a^iyTruthm them, as confult the common Forms of fpeaking, to know what is meant by them. For if the Things men- tioned and expreffed in thefe Words, were not made fignificant and Important to us by fomething not mentioned in the Sacrament, if they were not afferted and explained in oi ther Farts of Scripture, it could never be known from the Words themfelves, that they were of any Slg?njicancy to us, or that there was 2Li[\y Truth and Reality in them. The fhort of the Matter is this : Either thefe Words are only a great Impropriety of Speech, dark- [33l ly expreffing only a common thing; or they are a figurative Form of Words, which by the Particularity of the Expreffion are to raife the Mind to a Faith and Apprehenfion of fuch Things, as cannot be plainly and nakedly re« prefented by human Language. Now one of thefe two muft neceflarily be true, that is, they muft necelTarily be either a dark Form of Words with only a plain common Meaning of an ordinary Thing at the bottom, or they muft be a myfterious Form of Words fignify- ingjometbing more than human. But now which of thefe two they are^ cannot pojjibly be known from the Words of the Inftituti- on. For the Words in themfelves prove no- thing at all of this i from ought that appears in the Words themfelves, they may be mere FiSfion and Impropriety about a Trifle, or thi^greateji and moft important of all Truths may be taught by them. But this can no o- ther pofTible way be known, but by other Parts of Scripture. And if the Scriptures were as filent about the 'Truth, Nature, and Extent of the Things barely mentioned in the Sacrament, as the Inftitution itfelf is, it muft be the fame ufclefs, unintelligible Form of Words to us, that it was to the Apoftles when they firft heard them, and had no Knowledge . of their Saviour. [34] B u T, on the other hand, if the Things barely tnentioited in the Words of the Inftitu- tlon, are openly afjertedy and varioujly ex- plained m other Parts of Scripture ; if we are often told what the Body of Chrift is in fe- ver al Refped's, of the NeceJJity and Pojfibility of Eating his Flefh and Drinking his Blood; if the Scriptures abound with InJlriiBion, fliewing us how we have our Life in him, and from him, how we muft be born again in him and through him, how he muft htform^ ed in us, and v/cnew Creatures in him; then it follows, that to feparate the Injlitution from thefe Scriptures that njarioujly unfold its Nature, and to confine us to the bare Words of the Inftitution itfelf, in order to under- iland it fully, is the fame Abfurdify, the fame Offence againfl Scripture and Reafon, ' as it would be to confine us to the bare Words ~. of the firft Promife of a Saviour made in the ' third Chapter of Genejis, in order to know fully our Chriflian Saviour, and what our ' Chrijlian Salvation is. For as that firft Pro- ■ mife of a Seed of the Woman thatJJjould bruife ' the Serpent's Head, contain'd the whole Cha- rader of our Saviour, and all that related to him as fuch, and yet contain'd nothing of it intelligible ^/ziJZ/f^^, till hvih^i: Revelations, Do- ■ brines Brines and FaBs explained all that w^sfiorf- and figurative in that firft Promife, and fhewed how every Part of our Salvation was promiled by it; fo the Inftitution of the Sa- crament contain'd every thing relating to Chrifl as our Saviour, and yet contain'd no- thing of it intelligible enough^ till farther RevelationSy new Lights DoBrijies and Fa£fs cxplain'd all that vj3.s Jhort smd figurative m it, and plainly {hew'd what it was in its real Nature, how \ifiood in the Heart of our Re-* ligion, fully attefting and reprefenting the - chief Charadlers of Chrifl, as he v/as our Sa- viour and Redeemer, Therefore it is the fame grofs Etror to confine the Words of the Inftitution to their own literal Meaning, and to underftand them only according to the common Rules of fpeak- ing, as it would be to confine iha.t fi^rfi Pro- mife of a Saviour to the literal Meaning of the Words in which it was exprelTed, under- flood only according to the common Rules of fpeaking. For as it was by the Scriptures fpeaking a Language different from the Ex- preflions of the firft Promife of a Seed to bruife the Serpent's Head j^indgWmg farthe?'Kt- velations concerning the promifed Saviour in other Words, that the Words of the firilPro- [ 36 1 mifc itfelf came rightly to be underflood and believ'd j fo it is by the Scriptures fpeaking a Language different from that of the Sacra- ment, and by revealing DoBrines on which it is founded, that the Sacrament itfelf came rightly to be known and underftood. And if the Scripture may and muft be allow'd to explain , confirm , and eflabliih the true Meaning of the firft Promife of a Seed to de- ft roy the Serpent's Head, even where the Words of it are not mentioned^ or expreJJy faid to be explain'd J then the Scriptures may and muft be allowed to explain, confirm, and eftablifh the true Nature of the Sacrar ment, even where the Words of it are not mentioned, or exprejly faid to be explain'd. r-, Ye t this Anchor poorly and vainly fuppq- fes, that the Nature of the Sacrament, and the Things meant by it, are no where to be look'd for in Scripture, but where the Sa- cramental Words, or the Manner of the out- ivard Inftitution is repeated, or exprefly faid to be explain'd: Which is asjuft and foHd, as if a Jew (liould from the fame Skill in Words fuppofe, that the Explication of the firft Promife of a Woman s Seed to bruife the Serpent's Head, was no where \o be' looked for in Scripture, but in /i^^/5' Places as fpoke flrialy C 37 ] ftrldly the Language of the firfl: Promife, and mention'd the exprefs Words, Seed, and Brtiife, and the Serpent's Head, And indeed herein, in this poor literal Exaiftnefs lay all the Infidelity of the Jews, the Blindfiefs and Hardnefs of their Hearts, and their Incapacity to receive their Saviour. Look at every Folly, GrofTnefs, and errone- ous Principle of the Scribes and Pharifees, look through the whole of their falfe Reli- gion, and you will find, that they fell into it all, becaufe they had this Author's Met bod of finding the Truth. They placed all in the Letter of Scripture, as this Author does; they underfl:ood that Letter only according to the common Rules of fpeaking amongft Men, as this Author does; they look'd upon and underftood all the Injlitutions of their Religion, as this Author looks upon and un- derftands the Sacrament-, they faw jufl fo flir into the Law, as he does into the GoJpel% they had his Degree of Knowledge, and he has their Degree of Ignorance. For take but away from the Scribe and Pharifee the Letter of Scripture, underftood according to the common Rules of fpeaking, and you taiie away all their Religion j they fee w mon D X of [ 38] of an inward Myftery, Spirit, or Doctrine m it, than this Author fees in the Sacra- oocAgain, leave them but the Letter of Scripture, underjiood according to the common Rules of fpeaking, as this Author would . have the Sacrament left, and then you leave them all that they would havej and the Re- . ligion of the Scribes and Pharifees is in itsfull PerfeBion^ and has exaBly the Perfe(flion of ..this Author's plain Account of the Sacrament. \d This made me fay above, that it would - appear, that this Author's Method of under- flanding the Scripture Doctrine of the Sacra- ment, was that 'uery Veil, which the Apoftle faid was upon the Hearts of the Jews ; and that he was labouring to draw Skins over our Eyes, and to make our Ears grofs and dull of hearing , that the New Teftament might be as ufelefs to us, as the Old Tefta- ment was to the unbelieving Letter-learned Scribes and Pharifees. For his excellent Me- thod of underftanding the Nature of the Sa- crament, is to a tittle that very Method which kept them totally ignorant of the Nature of $heir Religion. pVERY [ 39 ] A'tin .. ^^ Every Prophecy of our Saviour, whe- ther in the LaiVy or the PJ'alms^ or the Pro- fhets, ferv'd only to keep him more out of their Knowledge; becaufe looking o?ily upon if, as this Author looks uoon the Words of the Inftitution, they were under a Necejji- tyoi underftanding it wrongs and fo the more Prophecies they had of him, the farther they Were carried from the true Knowledge of their promifed Saviour. CircnmciJio?i, Sacri- fices, WajlAngs^ Feajis and Faftsy &c. which were intended and appointed as fo many Schoolmajiers or Guides to Chrift, were by them turned into dead, carnal^ earthly Ordi- nances, that left them in their Sins, and im" capable of acknowledging their Saviour, or : fo much 2.S feeling any want of one ; for this very Reafon^ becaufe they faw no farther into their Sacrifices, than this Author fees into the Sacrament J but thought that the v/holp Nature and End of a Sacrifice was fully ob- ferved, when they h^d flain an Ox, and not chang'd it into the cutting off' of a Dog's Head, This was their Great Point in Sacrifice, jufl as this Author has found out the Great Poijif^ as he calls it, of the Sacrament, Vv^hich con- fifts in a bare A5f of the Memory, remembring Chrift as a Teacher of Religion at the Inflant D 4 yoi\ [40]' _ yoii taKe the Bread or the Cup^j^'^ftd not re-^ membring Arifiotle or Socifius, &f. asTeach^ ers oi Logic and Criticifm. "^'^V 3i"^3 ir;of* When you have by the fole A(5l of your Memory thus fepar^Jed and dijlingiiijh'd what is done in the Sacrannenti from that vfhich is jione for Food^ or Mirth, or in Memory of ""your Friends, then you have fecur'd xht. great '^Toint in the Sacrament, and are to look for pothing farther as to the peculiar Natur£^ 'End, and Effe3s of it. Juft as the Letter- learn'd Pharifee thought that the wjjole Nar iure and End of the Sacrifice yv2iS fully obfer^ yed, v^hen he had Jlain an Ox, and pot cup off a Dogs Head. A N D if you are for adding any thing to th^ Sacrament befides this dijiinguijhtjig Att of the Memory, you are as blameable in the Sight of this Author, as the Apojlles were in the Eyes of the unbelieving Pharifee, when they taught that the Blood of flain Beafts, was, as to its Nature and End, a 'T'ype and Application of the Attonerpent of Chrifl's Blood. Thus does this Author ftand in the very State and Place of the unbelieving Pha- rifee, teaching Chriftians the Go/pel, as he taught the Jews the LaWy and excluding the i^rue [41 ] true Knowledge of Chrift from Chrfllan Inftitutions, jufl as the Pharifee excluded it from the Jewip. And if you afk, or fearch ever fo much into the true Reafo7i why the Religion of the Serines and Pharifees was fo odious in the Sight of our BlefTed Saviour, why he cafl fo many Reproaches upon it, why he denounced fo many JVoes againft it; the one true genuine Caufe was this, it was, becaufe they ftood on the outfide of the Law, jufl: as this Author flands on the outfide of the Gofpel, and were content with fuch 2. plain Account of their Sa- crifices and Circumcifion, as he has given us of the Sacrament; it was becaufe they {tuck to the hare Letter of Scripture, only ynderftood according to the common Rules of fpeaking amongfl Men; it was this Fulnefs of a falfe^ empty and 4^fld Knowledge, that made the Scriptures ufelefs tp them, that fix'd them in a State of bli?jd Self-Jlifficiency^ and made it harder for the Rational^ Letter- learned Pharifee, than for a grojs Sinner to fee the Ki?2gdom of God, or to acknowledge him that preach'd it. And here we may fee the true and folld Meaning of the Apoflle, when he faith, God [ 42 ] had made them able Minijler^ of the New l^ejiamefit^ not of the Letter, but of the Spirit; for the Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth For the Letter of Scripture, underflood only according to the common Rules of fpeak-- ing, is the Letter that killeth^ the Letter that made the yews Unbelievers in Chrifl:, that m'sktsfpeculati'ue Chriftians, Idealifs, Q^iticSj and Grammarians fall into Infidelity ; but Scripture, interpreted not by Lexicons and DiBionaries, but by DoBrines revealed by God, and by an inward Teaching and TJnBion of the Holy Ghoft, is that Spirit wrhich giveth Life. But this Author, according to his own Principles, is obliged to ow^n himfelf to be an Anti-Apoftle, and to declare, that not God, but Logic ^ and much Attention to hu- man Words and Ways of Reafoning, have made him an able Minifler of the New^ Tefla- ment, not of the Spirit^ but of the Letter; and has convinced him, that it is the Letter alone that giveth Life. For he cannot allow the fmalleft Degree of found Dodtrine to be in the Apoftle'sWords3 had he but dropp'd an Expref? * z Cor. iii. [43] Expreffion like it, or made the lea-il Ae^ knowledgment of 2i killing Letter of Scrip- ture, till the Spirit gave Life to it, it muft have pafs'd for a full Recantation of all his Tlain Account. But to return to the further Confidera- jion of the Words of the Inftitution : T/j/i ii my Body J which is given for you ; this is my Bloody whichisjlded for many y for the Remif" Jion of Sifis. Who can know what is righ^ or wrong in thefe Expreffions, or in what SenJ'e they are to be received, if he look only to the Sound of the Words according to the common Rules of fpeaking ? Or fuppofing he could guefs out fome tolerable Meaning ; yet if the Scripture has Doctrines concerning thefe things, teachings aprti?ig, and ex- plaining how, and in what Senfe his Body is given for us, and his Blood the Attonement for our SinSy in a Way and Manner above all human T^hought and Conception ; then it fol- lows, that 710 Meaning of the Words can be admitted, but that which is according to the Scripture Explication of the things men- tioned by them. Nothing therefore can be more unjufli- {iable and impradicable, than this Author's only I[ 44 ] mly Method of underflanding the Nature of the Sacrament from the Words confider'd in themfelves. For as this cannot be the Way of underftanding the Truth of any Dodrines of Scripture, fo leaft of all can it be the Way of underftanding the true Meaning of the Words of the Inftitution ; for thefe Words have a more than ordinary Relation to, and Dependance upon all the Scriptures. For as Chrift is in fome refpedl or other re- prefented, and vm^Q further known what he is to us, in almoft every Page of Scripture ; fo the Sacrament, which is to be done in Remembrance and Acknowledgment of what he is to us, muft have its Relation to, and Dependance upon all thofe Places and Doilrines of Scripture, which teach what be is to us, and what we are to remember and acknowledge him to be. Therefore, all thofe Paffages of Scripture, which teach and explain the Nature, Office, and Conditi- on of Chrift, diredly and Immediately teach and explain what we are to do, remember, and acknowledge in the Sacrament, and are in the fame Degree /n/^ and /r^/'^'r Comments upon the Nature of the Sacrament, in which they are true Accounts and Defcriptions of our Saviour. And that which we are to be- lieve of our Saviour according to the Scrip- tures, [ 45 3 tares, that we are to remember and ac- knowledge of him in the Sacrament j and therefore the Scripture Explication of the Sacrament is not, as this Author extravagant- ly fuppofes, confin'd to thofe Texts that men- tion exprefsly the Sacrament, or the Words of the Injiitiition, but is as large and ex- tenfive as the Scripture Explication of the Nature, Office and Condition of Chrift as our Saviour. Where-ever we are taught any thing concerning him as fuch, there we are dircdly taught fomething of the true Nature and End of the Sacrament, and what we are to remember and acknowledge of him in the doing it. Search the Scriptures, faith our Blefled Saviour, for they are they which tejiify of me. Is not this in the plaineft Manner referring us to all the Scriptures that fpeak of him as our Saviour, to know what we are to remem- ber and acknowledge of him in the Sacra- ment ? For iince he faith. Search the Scrip- tures, for they are they that tefiijy of vnc , and in the Sacrament, Do this \nRemembra7ice or Acknowledgment of me^ is it not diredtly as full to the Purpofe, as if he had faid, Search the Scriptures, for they are they which teflify what you are to rejnembcr and acknow- ledge [ 46 ] ledge concerning me in the Sacrament r For that which they teftify of him, that thty muft teftify of the Nature and End of the Sacrament, which is to be done in Re- membrance and Acknowledgment of that - which is fo teftified of him. Since therefor0r, every Scripture that teftifies any thing con-^^r cerning Chrift, as our Saviour, teftifies fo much of that which is to be acknowledged of him in the Sacrament, it plainly foUow&Jt v that the Nature and End of the Sacrament can only be fo far known, as the Nature, Charader, OJfice and Conditio7i of Chrift is known ; and that all thofe Scriptures which n teach us the one, in the fame Degree teach us the other, and are as neceflary to teach us the Nature of the Sacrament, as the Nature of Chrift ; for this plain Reafon, becaufe the Sacrament is to remember and acknowledge that which is taught us concerning the Na-* ture of Chrift. Hence again it appears with how little Judgment and lefs Truth this Author affirms, that the Nature and End of the Sacrament is only to be known from the bare Words of the Inftitution, underftood according to the common Rules of fpeaking. Again* [ 47 ] Again, another Argument which will make the Abfurdity of this fame Error ftill further apparent, may be tkiken from the following PafTage of Scripture. When our Saviour faid in the 6th of St. John, that his Flejh was Meat indeed, and his Blood was Drink indeed; and that unlefs a Man did eat his Flejhj and drink his Bloody he had no Life in him\ his Dijciples were ajlonijhed at his , Difcoiirfe^ and faid ^ How can this Man give ui^\ his Flejh to eat ? To which, by way of An- fwer, he faid. The Words that I fay unto you, they are Spirit and they are Life. For if our Saviour had thought at all like this Author, and had intended to be underftood according to the common Rules of fpeaking, he would have fpoke only common Language j and upon their not underfcanding what he faid, he mufl have directed them to the right way, and have faid, Cofijider my Words only accord- ing to the common Rules 0/ fpeaking, and then you will know all that is to be known by them. Least of all could he have faid, to help their underflanding of them in a common way. The Words that Ifpeak unto you, they arc Spirit^ a?id ihcy are Life 5 for furely fuch a 2 Way [ +8 ] Way of fpeaking could not be a direfting them to the common Rules of fpeaking amongft Men. For if he had intended to fhew them in the ftrongeft Manner, how much what he faid was different from, and fuperior to all the common Meaning of human Vv^ordsj how could he have done this in a higher Degree, than by faying as he did, The Words that I fpeak unto you, they are Spirit ^ and they are Life, Now, the Queftion put by his Difciples, How can this Man give us his Flejh to eat f comes as naturally in the Cafe of the Sacra- ment, where we are to eat his Body, and drink his Blood, as in the foremention'd Place of St. fohn\ and as there is the fanre Foundation for the fame Queftion, fo there is ftridly the fame Foundation for the fame Anfwer, viz. the Words that I fpeak unto you, they are Spirit and they are Life, And it is ahfolutely impoffible for any one to {hew, that the Words of the Inftitution are not as truly to be look'd upon as Spirit and Life, as the other Words about eating his Flefi, and drinking his Blood. For furely, he that is obliged to own, that the Words in St. "^ohn, of eating his Flefli, and drinkiflg his C 49 ] his Blood, are Spirit and Life, cannot have any Proof that the Words in the Sacrament, of eating his Body and drinking his Blood, have nothing of that Spirit and Life in them. For if it be afked, Why the Words in St. yohn are Spirit and Life? The one otily Rea- fon is this, becaufe they fpeak of eating Chrift's FleJJj and drinking his Bloody which is fuch a J'piritualy living Participation of the Nature of Chrift, or in Scripture Words, fuch a putting on of Chrijl, as cannot be un- derftood, or obtain'd by outward and dead Words. And yet if the Words in the Sa- crament muft be faid, ?iot to be Spirit and Life, the one o?ily Reafon muft be this, be- caufe they only fpeak of eating Chrift's Body and drinking his Blood. But furely this is too great an Abfurdity for any one to hold; for it is faying, that the drinking his Blood, when join'd with eating his Body^ is only an huinan Expref- fion, to be underftood according to the com- mon Rules of fpeaking; but that the drink- ing his Blood, whenjoyn'd with eating his Flef})^ is fo great a Myjtery^ fo above our common ways of conceiving, that the Words exprefling it, are faid to be Spirit and Life, E Bur C 50 ] But now if the Cafe be thus, if the Words in the Sacrament muft be allowed to be Spirit and Life, for the fame Reafon that the Words in St. Jolm are faid to be Spirit and Life; then there is an end of this Au- thor's poor Contrivance to enter into the whole Truth contain'd in the Sacrament, by only confidering the Words according to the common Rules of fpeaking. It is a Con- trivance as unjit for the Purpofe, as weakly and improperly thought of, as an Iron Key to open the Kingdom of Heaven. Again, If a Perfon hearing the Words of our Saviour, as recorded in St. yohn, had faid to him. There is no more Spirit and Life in your Words than in the Words of any one elfe, and they can mean 7io more than our Words according to the common Rules of fpeaking, fuch a Perfon might have been reckon'd amongft thofe that blafphem'd the Son of God. Now if this Author will fay the fame thing concerning the Words of the Inftituti- on, of eating his Body and drinking his Blood, that they are no more Spirit and Life, than the Words of Men fpeaking of human Things, [51] Things, and that nothing more is to be un- derftood in them and by them , than according to the common Rules of fpeakingj I defire to know, how this could be a lefTer Degree of Blafphemy, or a fmaller Offence againft the Son of God, than in the former Cafe ? Or why it was not as right and jujiijiable for a Perfon to fay, there was no Spirit and Life in the Words of our Saviour, fpeaking of eating his Flejh and drinking his Blood, as to fay, there is no Spirit and Life in his Words, fpeaking in the Sacrament of eating his Body and drinking his Blood? Lastly, Either therefore this Author muft fay with thofe that blafpheme the Son of God, that the Words of the Inftitution, are not the Words of him, whofe Words were Spirit and Life, or he muft give up his only Method of underftanding the true Meaning of them. For if they are Spirit and Life, then to feek for the Senfe of fuch Words in the common Forms of fpeaking, is truly to feek the Living amongft the Dead. From what has been faid of the Words of the Inftitution, of their not being under- ftood by the Apoftles, of the ImpofTibility E 2 of [ 52 1 of their being underflood according to the Sound of the Words in the common Ways of fpeaking ; of the Impoffibility of their being underftood, till the great Doctrines and Articles of the Chriftian Faith were firft known, and fo became the plain and vifible Explication of them; from thefe things we may fufficiently fee the Falfenefs of this Author's chief Propofitions concerning the Sacrament. Tn ESE Propofitions are printed in a pom- pous Manner, with great Shew of Signify- cancy, as fo many Pillars of Truth. The four firfl are the chief; if therefore they are removed, the others muft go with them. I SHALL begin with the fourth Propo- fition, becaufe it is the chief; both thofe that are before and thofe that follow it, depend entirely upon the Truth of it ; and yet it has already appeared, and fhall be made ftill more apparent, that there is not the icaft glimpfe of Truth in it. Speaking of our Saviour's inflltiuing the Sacrament, he fays as follows. Pro- [53] Proposition IV. It cannot be doubted^ that he himfelf jiifficiently declard to his jirft and immediate Followers^ the whole of what be defigndflmdd be imderftood by ity or imply d in it. And yet it has been fully fliewn to be out of all doubr, by a variety of Arguments, that the firft Followers of Chrift, neither didj nor pojjibly could underftand the whole Nature of the Sacrament from the Words of the Inftitution ; which is all that our Saviour himfelf declar'd to them about it, and alfo all that this Author appeals to, as a Proof of his having Jiifficiently declar'd the whole Matter to them. Further, what is afferted in this Pro- pofition, is as diredlly contrary to Truth, Scripture, FaB, and our Saviour's own Z)^- claratiom-, as if it had been aiTerted, that our Saviour did that Jiifficiently himfelf, which he declared he hadwo^ done fufficient- ly; and alfo Jbould not be done, till after his leaving the World. For at the time that he was about to depart from them, he exprelly fays unto them; / have yet many things to Jay umoyou^ but ye cannot bear them now. How* E 3 beif^ [ 54 ] ielf^ when he the Spirit of ^rufh is come, he Jhall guide you info all Truth. From this Declaration of our Saviour, as well as from plain Fadls recorded in the Hiftory of the Apoftles , it is out of all doubt, that he left the Apoftles in great Ig- norance of the Chriftian Religion, and that it was not his Intention to deliver them out of this Ignorance by his own perfofial Inftru6tion of them J but that they were to continue in this Ignorance, till further Revelations^ new Light, and certain Fa5ls which were about to happen, (hould open to them a clear and full View of the Nature of the Chriftian Religion. For firft, here are ma?iy ^/6/;?^i that they wereyetto be taught, which they then had not been taught, and of which they were then to continue ignorant; therefore it is plain, that they could not ftifficie?itly know all that they were to know, or all that our Saviour defigned they fliould know of any Article or Injtitution of the Chriftian Religion ; that is, they were fo far from knowing the whole Nature and End of the Sacrament, that they knew the whole Nature of nothing elfe in the Chriftian Religion, but knew every thing that f 55 J that they did know, in the m oft imperfect Manner. Forfurely, li many things xfj\2iUv\^ to the Chriftian Salvation were yet to be kept fecret from them, the Chriilian Salvation was imperfedly made known unto them \ and therefore they could only have been taught in Part, and had only feen as it were fome Jirji Sketches^ or beginning Lines of what they were afterwards to fee in its true Fulnefs. And that thefe tnany things y of which they were kept thus ignorant, were many things of the greatcjl Importance and Signifi- cation to the right Knowledge of the Chri- ftian Salvation, is evident from the Reafon given by our Saviour, why they were not then taught by him, ''oiz. But ye caniiot bear them now. For furely, if thofe in any things were then not taught them, for this reafon, hecaufe they were not able to bear them then ; they muft have been things of the greate/l Importance, and mofb uncommon in their Nature J fuch things as were the hardejl to be comprehended, the moft difficult lo bebeliev'd, and the mofl contrary to the common Con- ceptions of Men, and confequently fuch as were moft neceffary and elTential to a right Knowledge of the Chriftian Salvation. E 4 From C 56] From this alfo it appears, how low*¥' State of Knowledge the Apoftles were in at the time of the Inftitution of the Sacrament, fince they were not only ignorant of fo many things of the greateft Importance to be known, but were in a State fo contrary to this Knowledge, fo full of Difpofitions con- trary to it, that they were then incapable of being taught it. And though all this be declar'd by our Saviour himfelf, at the End of all his Inftru- (flions, when he was upon the Point of going from them; yet this Author, in dire5i and full Con tradition to Scripture FaSls^ and this exprefs Declaration of our Saviour, fays. It cannot be doubted^ that he fujiciently declar'd to his Difciples the whole of what he dejign'd Jhould be imderftood by it. Whereas, the contrary to this is as plainly declar'd by our Saviour himfelf, as if he had faid in exprefs Words, I have in- ftituted a Sacrament to be obferved by you kereafter; but what is to be underftood by ir, and implied in it, can only be known by you now, in that poor^ low, and ignorant Manner, in which you know other things at preient CS7] prefent concerning me. But when the many things which ye now cannot bear to be taught, fliall by tny Deaths ReJurreBio?!^ and AJben- fioUy and the coming of the Holy Ghoft, be made truly intelligible to you, and become the real Light of your Minds, then fliall ye clearly fee and know the whole of that which I defigned to be underftood by, and imply'd in this Sacrament of my Body and Blood. For what our Saviour has laid concern- ing the ImpsrfeBion of their Knowledge then, and their JJnjitneJl to be inftruded further, and of their NeceJJity of being taught in ^?zo- //j^r manner, is as plain a Proof of this, as if it had in exprefs Words been applied to the Sacrament. For though it is too much for any one to pretend to fay exadly ivhat or how many thefe Things were, that they were then not in a Condition and Capacity to underftand, yet this may with great Aflu ranee be affirm- ed, that the Doctrines concerning Chrift's Deaths the Nature, NeceJ]it)\ and Merits of his Sacrifice and Attonement for the Sins of the World, ih& PoJJibility and Neceffify of eating his Flefli, and drinking his Blood, were certainly amongft thofe many things; and [ 58 } and therefore this Holy Sacrament, which hath its Foundation in this Attonement for Sins^ and is itfelf inflituted for the eating his Flejh and drinkijjg his Blood , muft of all neceffity be amongft thofe many things^ of which they were then greatly ignorant, be- caufe they were not in a Condition to receive a right and^}/// Knowledge of them. There- fore there is the fulleft Proof that can be de- lired, that our Saviour did not, and could not intend fufficiently to declare to them the whole of what he intended fhould be under- flood and implied in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. And for this reafon alfo, He faith unto them, It is expedient for you that I go away-y for if I go not away the Comforter will not come. But if I depart^ I will fend him unto you. A- gain, T^hefe Things have I faidj being yet pre- fetit with you ; but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghojl, whom the Father will fend in my Name, He Jhall teach you all Things, and bring all Things to your Remembrance, whatfoever I have faid unto you. As if he had faid ** It is expedient for " you that I go away, becaufe fo long as I " thus ftay with you in the Flefh, ye canr " not [ 59 ]( ^' not know, nor believe, nor enter into the " true Nature, End, Merits and Effeds of ** my Death, Refurredion and Afcenfion; " neither can the Holy Ghod come upon *' you /;/ my Name^ till my Kingdom is thus *' fet up, and thefe Things are accompliih- " ed in me. Therefore thefe thmgs I have '■' faid^ ht'mgytt prejh:t with you -y that is, I ^' have fpoken thus far of thefe Things in a " v^ay fuited to your prefent State j notthac " they (hould be the Matter of your prej'mt " Knov/ledge, vvhilft you know nothing *' rightly y nor apply any thing that I fay, to " its proper Object', but I have faid thefe " Things to you, that they may be laid up *' in your Minds, then and then only to be " truly underfiood, righcly remember dm their " proper Place, and duly apply'd to their " proper Objeds, when the Holy Ghofl fliall " come in my Name, that is, upon the " Foundation of my Death, Refurredion, *' and Afcenfion, "S^x^^jhall teach you all things, " and bring all things to your Remembrance, *' whatjoe^'jer I have/aid unto you'' From all thefe Things it appears fuffici- ently, that this Author's fourth and funda- mental Proportion is abfolutely falfe, and grofsly contradidory to Scripture , Faols, and [ 60 ] and the f^^x^h Declaration of our Saviour; and that our Saviour himfelf, in his own Perfon, before he left the World, did nor, could not mx.tx\di Jiifficiently to declare to his Difciples the whole of what he intended jhould be iinderjlood by^ and imply d in the Sacra- ment, \ --WW -uci An d here I muft obferve to you, that the Confutation of this fourth Proportion, is not to be confidered as the Difcovery of a fi?2g!c Error in this Author, but as a full De- teCiion of the ^-^w^r^?/ Falfenefs, and errone- ous Procedure of his v/hole Book ; for every thing, and every other Proportion of any moment, throughout his v^hole Book, is founded upon the fuppofed Truth of this fourth Propoficion. He cannot take ojtc Jiepy in the v^ay he is in, v^^ithout it. He has not an Argument but v/hat is built upon it. And all his Treatife, from the Beginning to . the End, is as idle and wandering as a fick Man's Dream, unlefs you grant him thefe two bulky Errors; iy?,That our Saviour him- felf, in the Words of the Inftitution, fiiffi- '^'ciently declard to his Difciples the whole of ■what he intended Jhould be underftood by, and imply din the Sacrament, idly. That the on- ly Method ofunderftanding xki^ whole Qi^\i'M he [ 6i ] he fo fufficiently declared to them, is to in- terpret the fame bare Words of the Inftitu- tion, according to the common Rules of fpeaking. But as both thefe Pofitions have, ^as I think, been already fliewn to be grofs Errors^ diredly contrary to Reafo?i, Se?ije, Scripture^ Fadls, and the exprefs Declaration of our Sa- viour himfelf, io the whole of his Treatife is already in the fulleft manner confuted. B u T I fhall now proceed to confider fome poor, little Pretences of Argument, which this Author brings in Support of this falfe Propofition. Which are as follow : For this beings fays he, a Pofaive Injiitii- tion^ depending entirely upon his Will-, and not defigned to contain any thing in it^ hut what he himj'elf fiould pleafe to affix to it, it inujlfol- low^ that he declard his 7m?id about it^ fully and plainly. P. 4. This is his whole Proof, that our Savi- our himfelf fufficiently taught his Difciples the whole Nature and Meaning of the Sacra» ment, and that they wholly underftood it. The [ 62 ] The thing that he would here fpeak to, is very improperly exprelTed, and ought to have proceeded thus, 'This being a pojitive Injlitution , by his Will and Pleajhre introduced into a Religion^ which contains the Means and Method of the Salvation of Mankind by himfelf the Inftitu^ tor J cannot be defignedby him to be any ways iin-^ derjlood^ or to have any other Nature^ Mean^ ing^ and End in it, thanfuch as is truly and fully according to the DoBrines of that Reli^ gion into which he has introduced it, and more efpecially according to that fart of Religion in which he has placed it. Whereas inftead of this, this Author poorly fays, // was not dejigned to contain any thing in it, but what he Jhould pleafe to affix to it. For he put nothing to be contained in it, he affix'd nothing to it, but only placed it in the Heart, or midft of a Religion; which Religion, as foon as it was truly known by his Difciples, would fufficiently declare and explain to them the whole Nature and End of this pofitive Inftitution. In confequence of vi^hat he had juH: now erroneoufly faid, he proceeds thus, Becaufe otherwife he muji be [ 63 ] befiippofed to injlitiite a T)iit)\ of which none could have any Notion without his Injiitution ; and at the fame time not to infruEl his Fol- lowers fiificiently what that Duty was to be. Whereas inftead of this, it ought to have been exprefled thus; Becaufe otherwife^ if he had not fo inftituted this Sacrament ^ as to have its Nature^ End^ and Eff'eBs explaitid and determined by that Religion^ and chief y by that Part of Religion, in which it was placed, it could never have appeared to any of his Follow- ers, what they were to do in it, or that there was any Reafonfor its Infitution, or any Bene- ft to be had from the Obfervance of it. As for Inftance j if the Religion of which the Sacrament is a Part, did not teach us how his Body is given and his Blood fed for us, if it did not teach us fomething concern- ing the eating his Fief) and drinking his Blood, what could the mentioning of thefe two f range Things in the Sacrament fignify to us, or how could we have any Notion of what was to be done or acknowledg'd by the Sacrament? For if the Sacrament fpeaks of a?iy thing that the Religion in which it is pla- ced fpeaks nothing of; if it reprefents any thing that that Religion has not to be reprt- fented, then it can fignify no more in that Religion [ 64] Religion after its Inftitution, then it did be- fore. But if to be a Part of that Religion in which it is appointedj it mull fpeak the Lan- guage of that Religion; if the Things that it reprefents, muft be the I'hmgs of that Reli- gion, then it plainly follows; i/?, That our Saviour himfelf in Perfon, at the Time, and by the Words of the Inftitution, did not^ could not fully and plainly declare the whole Nature of the Sacrament; becaufe the Lan- guage which it fpoke, and the Things that it reprefented, were the Language and Things of a Religion, which was not, and could not then be known by hisDifciples. 2^/y, It follows alfo. That our Saviour \\2,^ fully and fiifficiently provided for their right Know- ledge of this Sacrament, becaufe it was fo 'worded and fo placed in their Religion, that the firft true Knowledge of their Religion would become the full and clear Explication of it. This Sacrament was inftituted, before the Religion, of which it was to be a Parr, was known ; is it therefore any wonder in it- felf, or any Matter of Accufation of our Sa- viour, that when he appointed this Inftitu- tion. [6s ] tion, he left it to be then only underflood, when the Religion, of which it was to be a Part, (hould be known ? And if he left his Difciples in ihejiime Ignorance of the Sacra- ment, as of the Nature, Merits, and E?iJ of his Death, Refurredion and Afcenfion, is there any more to find fault with in the onej than in the other? And this Author might with the fame; iliew of Argument prove, that he did declard unto them, fully and plainly, the whole Na- ture, Merits, and End of his Death. For it may as well be faid of that, as of the Sa- crament, that he mufl have fully and plainly declared his Mind about it-, other wife he muft be fuppofed to have intruded them of a Mat- ter of Faith, which, without his Inftrudion, they could have no Notion of, and at the fame time not to inflrud; them fully about it. Now if any thing may be faid in defence of what our Saviour did to his Difciples with regard to that imperfed: State in which he left them, as to the Knowledge of the Na- ture, Merits, and End of his Death j if he might juftly leave the true and full Know- ledge of it, to its only proper l^ime^ and only [ 66 ] proper Manner oi being fully known j name- ly, till the Confequences of his Death, till his Refurredion, Afcenfion, and coming of the Holy Ghoft, fhould prove the Naturey Power ^ Merits^ and End of it ; then the fame may and muft be faid in defence of our Saviour's leaving his Difciples fo ignorant of the Nature, End, and EffeBs of the Holy Sacrament. It was not becaufe he was defi- ciejit in inflrudling them, but becaufe he in- ftruded them with tht greateJiJViJdom-y not giving them verbal Explications of Things which could not fo be underftood by them, but leaving them to be informed in the one only proper T^ime^ and the only proper Man- ner -y namely, when by the Knowledge of his Death, Refurredlion, and Afcenfion, and by the coming of the Holy Ghoft, they fhould truly ^nA fully know the whole of that Religion, of which this Sacrament was ap- pointed to be a Part. ^. All therefore which this Author faith of the Neceflity of their knowing fufficientlyat firft from the Words of the Inftitution, the whole Natiire of it, becaufe it was a Pojithe hijiitution, and could have no more in it .than he intended fhould be in it, are mere ^mpty Words 5 for it is granted on all fides, that [ 67 ] that the Inftltution can be only that which Chrift intended it fhould be, and can imply- more than he deligned {hould be implied •-. ;3AiJ 6 I' tJlont> yioil ttA'i no in It. But the Queflion is, how we are to know all that he defigned (hould be under- ftood by, and implied in it. This Author fays, this can only be known from the bare Words of the Inftitution con- fidered m themjehes, according to the com^ mon Rules of fpeaking. Therefore, according to this Author, had Socrates faid the fame Things that Chrift faid, the Inftitution had been juft the fame thing as it is; it had had the fame Meaning, and there had been neither jnore or lefs in it. This cannot be denied: For if the Words of the Inftitution are only to be undcrftood ac- cording to the common Meanijig or Sound of Words in common Life; then they muft have the fame Meaning, and fignify neither more or lefs, whether they be apply'd to Chrift, or Socrates. On the other hand, we fay, fince Chrift appointed this Inftitution to ftand in a cer- F 2 tain [ .68 1 tain Place ^ to be 2i certain Part, and to have Relation to certain DoBrines of a Religion not known, when this Inftitution was ap- pointed y that therefore what Chrift meant by it, and would have imply'din it, can then only be fully known, when that Religion in which it was to have a certain Place, and of which it was to have a certain Part, and to whofe Doctrines it was to be related, came to be fully known and underftood. In fliort, that a Chriftian Inftitution, ingrafted into the Chriilian Religion, and connected with its chief Dodrines, could then only be fully known, when the Chriflian Religion was ful- ly known. Thus for Inftance: Let it be fuppofed that at theTime of infiituting the Sacrament, the Apoftles had no other Way of knowing what was meant by it, but by confidering the Words in themfehes, according to the common Sound of the Words. Yet, if after the Death, and RefurreBion, and Afcenfion of our Saviour, and the coming of the Holy Ghofl^ they knew a Religion, which they knew no- thing of before, and faw this Sacrament to be a Part of that Religion j had they not then got a new 2.nd/ure Way of underftand- ing what our Saviour meant by it? And had 2 they C ^9 ] they not this ''cery new Means of undcrftand- ing it from our Saviour himfelf ? Did not he teach them all that they were taught by his Deaths Refarre5fio?2^ and Afcenfion, and by the coming of the Holy Ghojl"^ And was not that which he thus taught them in this man- ner, to be 2.%facred with them, and as much to be adherd to, as v/hen he only taught them the Words^ outward Fonn^ and Matter of the Sacrament? And if he thus led them into the F*ofleiTion and Knowledge of every T^riith and Doclrine upon which this Sacra- ment was founded, and to which it was rela- ted; is he nox. Jlill the Teacher of the Sacra- ment, as well as he was the Teacher of it in the Words of the Inftitution? Vainly therefore doth this Author thus farther argue, that feeing no one can be a'Judge^ but the Inftitutor himfelf, of what he defign d fbould he contain d in it\ ih^x t^or c ^ fuppof77g him not to have fpoken his Mind plainly about ity it is impofjible that any other Perjbn fiould make up the DfeB. P. 5. Va INLY, I fay, is all this argu'd, becaufe here is no Defecfl charg'd upon the Words of the Inftitution, nor any other Perjon appoint- ed or appeal'd to, to make up the Defed:. F 3 The [ 70] The Words of the Inftitution are allow'd to be full and plam, as to all that is pofit we m this Inftitution, both as to the Matter and Form of the Sacrament: They were as plain at the firji as they are now, or ever can be. But that Part which is not pofitive in this In- ftitution, which is the greatejl and chiefeft Part of it, namely, the T^ruths fignified and reprefented, and acknowledg'd by the outr; ward Form and Matter of the Sacrament} as the Body of Chriji given, and his Blood Jhed for the Sins of the World, and the eating his Fief) and drinking his BloodyV^ert not then, are not ?20Wj nor ever can be truly and right- ly known from the Plainnefs of the Words of the Inftitution alone. Yet here is not the fmallef DefeB either in the Inftitutor or the Inftitution. For fince the Inftitution was not an independent thing, made for itfelf,and on its onion Account, nor to be pradtifed at the ^ime it was appointed j it was no T)efe6i in it, that it did not explain itfelf, or was not then known, when it was not to be pradis'd. And feeing the Inftitution was appointed for the Sake of a Religion, that then was noty but foon fliould be^ it could be no DefeSl in «he Inftitutor, that it was not known fooner than it was wanted, or //// the Time came, that every thing elfe that was to be pradifed with [ 71 ] with it, or for the Sake of it, were fully and truly known. .v!ft\(^ ba& \\»\ ad .Jt>ii^ i^» iiJud ^f the making up the DefeB, if Chrift did not at firft make the whole of the Inftitution plain, is of no Significancy j for what they furthei: C 73] further knew rightly of it, when they knew their Religion, and faw how and in what manner it was a part of it; all this further true and real Knowledge of it , came as plainly and undeniably from him, as the Words of the Inllitution did j and what they were taught by his Death and Refurrettion, and the Contequences of them, was as truly from him, as what they were taught by his Birth and Incarnation^ and miraculous CoU'- verfation wirh them. Having thus difpatch'd this Author's fourth and chiefeft Propofition , and his Proof of it; I fhall now go back to hisiirft, which ftands thus. Proposition I. T^he partaking of the Lord's Supper^ is not a Duty of tt/elj] or a Duty apparent to us from the Nature of the thing ; but a Duty made Juch to Cbrijiiam^ by the pojitive Inflitution of Jtjiis CbriJ}. P. 2. There is a great deal of Error and Deceit propofed to the Reader in this Pro- portion. For it is to make him believe, that the Nature and End of the Sacrament is wholly pojiti've^ and that all that we are to mean. r74]i mean, and intend, and do by it-r l^fomething- that we are only obliged to do by virtue of the Injiitution : All which is abfolutely falfei^ For the Inftitution, as to hslsfature and End^ is fo far from being ivholly pojitive, that its Nature and End hath 7iothing pojttive in it. And all that which it is our Duty to intend and do by the Sacrament, is to be intended and done for ttfelfy on its own Account -, and that which is pofitive in the Sacrament, is only as a Means, or Mark, or Sign of our- doing it. That which is pojitive in this In-^' flitution, and not to be done but becaufe of" the JVili of the Inftitutor, is fomething en-" X\xe\y dijiin£t, and different from the Nature, ' End and Intent of the Inftitution. And', that in which the whole Reafon, Meaning," "End and Intent of this Inftitution effentially " confifts, is fomething that is to be done for '^ itfelf, and does not take its Reafon of being done from the Inftitution. Now if all that is to be done, imply' d and intended by our celebrating the Lord's Sup- per, was, and is abfolutely necelTary to be done, though the Way of doing it by the Sacrament had never been inftituted; thea the Meanings End and Intent of the Sacra- ment [75] ment cannot be pojitive j and if our Obllga-- tion to do all that is contain'd in this Mean- ing and Intent of the Sacrament, is an Obli- gation arifing from the Thing itfelf, then this is not 2.fofitive Duty^^,y^,.^ADi snj ito i r r -. ;• -t /-> f Now the Meaning, End and Intent of the Sacrament, is to remember, acknowledge ^ and profejs Chrift to be our Saviour, and the Manner in which he is our Saviour; but all this is to be done on its oivn Account, from- the Nature of the Thing itfelf, and muft have been done, tho' the Sacrament had not been inftituted j therefore the Meaning, End and Intent of the Sacrament has nothing pofitive in it, and contains only our natural Duty to Chrift, arifmg from the Relation between him and us. For to acknowledge and pro^ fefs Chrift to be our Saviour, and in all the Refpedts in which he is our Saviour, is no more 2i pojitive Duty, than it is a pojitive Du- ty to acknowledge and profefs the Goodiiefs of God towards us ; but is a Duty of itfelf, of the fame Nature, and of the fame Obli- gation, as Faith and Love, and Adoration of our Creator and Redeemer are. But to fhew ftill more plainly, that the Nature, End and Intent of the Sacrament, is [76] is not politive, but entirely diftindl and diffe- rent from that which is pofitive in the Sa- crament ; take the following Inftance. Let it be fuppofed, that God by a pofi- tive Command cr;jcin'd the People of one Age to build an Altar for his Ho?20ur and Worjhip ', the People of another Age to fet up a 'Tabernacle^ and a third to build a Tern- pie for the fame End and Intent; namely, for his Honour and JVorfiip, Now here are three poCnWe Appointments, and three pofitive Duties ; and all that is pofitive in the one, is very different from that which is pofitive in the other; yet the Mean- ing, End a.nd hitent of all three is the fame, namely, the Honour and Wo7'Jloip of God.; therefore the Meaning, End and Intent of pofitive Appointments is fomething not po- fitive, but entirely different and difiiindl from that which is the pofitive Part of it. Now this is exadly the Cafe of the Sa- crament : Bread and Wine appointed to be ufed in Acknowledgment of Jefus Chrifl as our Saviour, is as the Altar or Tabernacle, ap- pointed to be built for the Honour and Wor-- Jhip of God. And as it was purely depend- ing [77 ] ing upon the Will of God, whether it fliould be an Altar or a T^ahernacle^ or a Temple^ that fliould be built for his Honour and Worfliip ; fo it was folely depending upon the Will of Jefus Chrift, whether it fliould be Bread and Wiiie^ or any other thing elfe that was to be ufed in Remembrance and Acknowledg- ment of him. And as the Honour and Worfliip of God, which was the fole ikfe'^w- ing^ End and Intent of building either Altar or T'abernacle, was a natural Duty, founded in the Relation between God and his Crea- tures, and was fomething that was to be done, though no Altar or Tabernacle had ever been built ; fo the Remembrance and Acknowledgment of Jefus Chrifl: as our Sa- viour, which is the End and Intent of our qfing Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, was a 7iatur el V>uiy, founded in the Relation between Chrifl; and us, and was fomething that was to be done for itfelf, though the Ufe of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament had never been appointed. It is therefore an un- pardonable Error in this Author, to reprefent the Sacrament, as containing nothing in its Meaningy End and Intent^ that was a Duty itjelf] or to be done upon its own Account ; but that every thing imply'd by it, was only a Duty by virtue of the Infl:itution. For the C 78 ] the Reverfe of all this is the very Truth! for all that is meant ^ imply' d and intended by the Sacrament, is as much our Duty to do b*A it's own Account, as it is our Duty to believe in God; and the pofitive Part, the Ufe of Bread and Wine in this Sacrament, is only an appointed Way of our expreffing, Acknowledging and doing that, which it was our Duty to exprefs, acknowledge and do, though we had never been taught to ufe Bread and Wine for that End. ^ ■ A'^^S'indeed this is the Cafe of all pofitive Appointments and Inftitutions of Revealed Religion j the Meanings End and Intent of them, was always fomething entirely different from that which was pofitive in them ; for the fame Reafon, that an Idea or Sentiment is entirely different from that Eiiglifi or Latin Word by which you are to exprefs it, or to put yourfelf, or another Perfon in mind of it. For the pofitive Part of an Inftitution has much of the Nature of Language in it, and is to exprefs and teach fomething by Symbols and outward Things, better than it could be exprefs'd or taught by mere Words; but that which is meant ^ imply' d and intended by the Symbol, is as different from it in its whole Nature, as the Idea qx Sentiment meant and [ 79 ] and. intended by an Englijh or Latin Word, is different from it in its whole Nature. To look therefore, as this Author doth, for the whole Nature, End and Intent of the Sacrament, in the pofitive Part of this Infli- tution, is as abfurd, as to look for the true Knowledge of God and the Divine Attributes from the EngUJh Word God. For the things meant and intended by the Sacrament, are as entirely and wholly different from that Ufe of Bread and Wine by which they are exprefs'd, as the Divine Nature is entirely and wholly different from that Englijlo or Latin Word, which is to exprefs or remind us of that Divine Nature. iiS".- Great Part of the yewifi Religion confifted in politive Appointments and In- ftitutions ; but the Meaniiig^ End and Intent of them was entirely of another Nature, and confifted of fuch things as were Duties of themfelves, and of the higheft Neceffity to be done. For the End and Intent of their Inftitutions were either to ktep up and exer- cife their Faith and Hope of a Redeemer, or to fet forth the CharaBers and Marks by which they (hculd know him, or to repre- fent to them the Nature and Manfier of their expected Redemption, or to teach thern 2 fome -%. [ 8o ] fome i?iward dying unto Sin, and inward living unto God, or fome other Truth, DoBrine or PraBice^ that was to be acknow- ledged and done for itfelf, though no pofitive Inftitution had ever been made on its Ac- count. And the one only Reafon why the greateft Part of the Jews liv'd in fuch a total Ignorance of their Religion, was, becaufe they had learn'd it in the fame Manner as this Author has learn'd Chriftianity ; they would fee nothing in their Inftitutions but what a Heathen might as well have feen, no- thing but what could be f^en in the Outfide of them^ jufl as this Author will fee no more in the Sacrament, than what a Heathen that knows only the Words of the Inftitution may fee in it. They were too learn'd and rational to allow of any Myfteries at the Bottom of their Services, as this Author is too fober a Critic to allow of any Myfteryin the Inftitution of the Sacrament. And as they, through a blind Zeal for the Letter of their Inftitutions, and to fhew their Fidelity to them, loft all that which was truly meani and intended by them ; fo this Author, full of the fame Zeal for the Letter and Plainnefs of this Chriftian Inftitution, is doing all that he can to make us lofe all that is truly meant and intended by it. The- [81] Th E Sacrifices of the "Jews were at the bottom, only fo many Reprefentaiiom and Applicatiom of that great Sacrifice for the Sins of the World, firft promifed to all Mankind, in thefe Words ; T^he Seed of the Woman jh all bruife the Serpenfs Head-., but becaufe this was not exprefsly faid in the In- ftitution of any of their Sacrifices, this is done in confequence of that firft Promife^ or this is to fhew you how and in what manner you are to feek and find your Redeemer, becaufe the Letter was not thus adapted to thefe carnal Men, they contented themfelves with the Religion of faying Beafts. Juft as this Author is only a bare Eater of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, becaufe it is not there exprefsly Jaid^ what great Myfteries of Chrift as our Saviour are reprefented by ir. The Jews had many PafTages in their Scrip- tures that called them to the Spirituality of their Religion, and {hew'd them the inward Meanings Spirit and Intent of all their In^ ftitutions J but becaufe it was not exprefsly faid, This is an Explication oi fiich an Ordi- nance, or this that is here faid, relates to the true Meaning and Intent of fuch an In- flitution, all thefe Paifages of Scripture were negleded by them, and not applied to their G proper «[ 82 3 |5roper Objeds. It is juft thus with this Au- thor; the New Teftament abounds with PafTages that prove, teach and explain the true Meanings End and Intent of the Holy Sacrament ; but becaufe thofe Paffages don't cxprefsly fay, "This is the Proof or ExpHcati- on of what is faid in the Inftitution, they are by him overlook'd and rejefted, as having nothing to do with it. The learned PharifeCy in order to know the Meanine; and Intent of .^JiilUng a Heijer in Sacrifice, or or circum- l^xifmg the Flefli, would only look for Juch ^-.places of Scripture, as appoint the killing of ^^an Heifer, and the circumcifing the Flefh ; juft fo this Author, to know the true Mean- ing and Intent of the Inftitution of the Sa- crament, only fearches the Scripture in the fame manner. He feeks ox\\y fuch Places' tiS cxprefsly mention the Inftitution, or repeat the Words of ic. Th e Je'ws neither expeded nor allow'd any Benefits and Merits of Chrift to be ob- tain'd by means of their Sacrifices, becaufe I-., ^, fuch Benefits were not literally mention'd in ,^.. the Inftitution of their Sacrifices; juft fo ..^this Author, neither expeds nor allows the }.^%Ierits and Benefits of Chrift's Pafijon to be . applied to us by the Holy Sacrament, becaufe the tiie Application of fuch Benehts and Merits Is not exprefsly mention'd in the Wotds of the Inftitution. Thus \vas it that the^^^-zcj never found their Saviour in the Old 1 efta- inent ; and thus it is, that this Author ha9 loft him in the New. And indeed, upon his Principles, it is jmpojjible that any one {hould ever know any thing of the real Nature and l^ruth of the yewijh or Chrijiian Religion. For let any one but fearch into the Nature, Meaning and Intent of the Jewifj Inftitutions, as this Author doth into the Nature and Intent of the Sacrament ; and he muft, as I faid above, be rendered Jio?ie-blind to all the Myfteries of the Old Teftament as well as of the New. For as Chrifl vs^as the Subjiajtce, the Heart J and triie Meaning of all their Ordi- nances, though not mentioned exprefsly iii the Letter of their pojitive Inftitutions; they were obliged by this Author's Principles^; not to acknowledge him to be in them, and to rejedt all fuch Interpretations as led to him ; and to allow nothing to be meant by their pofitive Inftitutions, but that which the Words of them underftood, according G 7, to C 84 1 to the common Rules of fpeaking, declared to be in them : Therefore every 'Jew that had this Author's Prijiciples, was under a Ne- cejjity of being ftone-blind, or totally igno- rant of the real Nature and Truth of the yewiJJj Religion. .^lom 5§Again, the Apoftle faith, He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcijion which is outward in the Flejh ; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and Gircumcifwn is that of the Heart, in the Spirit y and not in the Letter. * But according to this Author's Princi- ples, you are to maintain, that he o?ily is a yew, which is one outwardly, and that only is Circumcifion which is outward in the Flefh ; for to allow Judaifm to have any thing inwardly more than is in the outward Letter, or Circumcifion to be any thing elfe than that which is expreffed in the Words of the Inftitution, is a thing nor lawful to be done upon this Author's Principles. This I think may fufficiently (hew you the Truth of what I faid to you in the Beginning, that if you accept of this Author's Key of Knowledge, for the right underflanding the ;'fr vi^'A'^ -moy t)* Nature * Rom. ii. 28. [ 85 ] Nature of the Sacrament ; you will not only lofe all the right Knowledge of the Sacra- ment, but be render'd a Bli?idy Deaf and Dead Reader of all the other moft import tant Dodlrines of Scripture. For, accord-^ ing to his Principles, you are to fee no more Spirit, Life, or Myflery in any other Sayings of our Saviour, than in that of the Sacra- ment; and low as he has reduced that, it is full as high and myfterious, and deep in its- Meaning, as any thing in the whole Nature of the Chriftian Religion can be allowed to be by this Author. But to return: There are plainly two diftincl and effential Parts of the Sacrament, which conftitute its whole Nature. The firft is in thefe Words, This is my Body which" is give?2 for yoUy this is my Blood ivhich is Jhed for the Remifjlon of Sins. What is here faid by our Lord Chrifl,' we are to acknowledge to be true; therefore we are to own and acknowledge this great Truth, that this Bread and Wine are made Symbols and Memorials of, 'uiz. that his Body is given for us, and his Blood fhed for the RemiiTion of Sins ; and confcquently all ;hat the Scripture teaches concerning the G 3 Truths C 86] Truth, Reality and Manner in which he is the Sacrifice, Attonenaent and Satisfadion for our Sins, is in this Sacrament to be of all neceffity acknowledged and confeffed by us. And we cannot perform this Sacrament ac^^; cording to what it is, unlefs we fee and own all that to be in it, which Chrift faw and own'd to be in it; unlefs we prefent it to him in the fame Meaning, as he prefented it to his Difciples. For if Chrift has declared ihl^.Nafure and Meaning to be in ir, we cannot perform this Sacrament according to Chriil's Declaration, unlefs we alfo in our Performance of it, declare that fame Nature and Meaning to be in it. Therefore the Ac- knowledgment of Chrift's being the AttoneV ment and Satisfadion for our Sins, is an efiential and important Part of the Sacra- ment. If we were to miftake or negledt fomething in the right Ufe of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, fuch Miftake would only relate to the outward pofitive Part of t}iis Inftitution, which has no Obligation ijpon us but from Divine Appointment j but if we refufe to own and confefs Chrift to be the At tone ment and SatisfaBion for our Sins, we fm againft God and the Nature of things, as thofe Atheifts do, who refufe to own that it was the Goodnefs of God that create^ them. Secondly, [ 87] Secondly, The other eflential, arid no , iefs important Part of the Sacrament is, the': eating the Bod)\ and drink'wg the Blood of ' ChriJ}. This is plainly another effential " Part of the Sacrament, entirely diJlinSi from the other. The one refpeds Chrift, as he is the Att07iement and Satisfadllon for our Sins ; the other (hews that he is to be own'd and received as a Principle of Life to us. Th e other Words, Do this in Kemeni" hrance of me^ relate equally to both thefe Parts, and are only as if our Saviour had faid after thclnftitution J Let this, which I have thus appointed to be done, be your AcknoW" ledgmcnt of that Salvation which is received' through me, both as 1 am the Attonement and Satisfi\(£tion for Sin, and a Pri?jciple of Life to all that lay hold of me. You cannot help feeing that all this Is plain, eafy and natural in this Explication of" the Words of the Liftitution, and that I have ufed no Art or Force to come at it, and that no one can find any fault with itj but he that is unwilling to own thefe two great truths of Scripture, that Chrift as our Sa- viour is the Attonement and Satisfaction for G 4 o\ir .1). <)M C 88 ] our /-Sins, and a Principle of Life to us, The (hort of the Matter is this ; the Scrip- tures are full of Proofs of thefe two great and fundamental Characters, that he is in one refpeCl the Attonement and Satisfadlion for our Sins, and in another, a Pri?jciple of a new Life to us; if therefore thefe two elTen- tial Charaders of our Saviour, which con- tain all that is faid of him as fuch, are not to be acknowledged by us in the Sacrament j then the Sacrament muft be faid to be infli- tuted for the Denial of Chrift j and the "Words, Do this in Remembrance of me, muft have this Meaning, Do this in Denial cf me: For if he is not to be remember'd, as the At- tonement and Satisfaction for Sin, and as a Principle of new Life to us; then he is not to be remember'd and acknowledg'd as he is, and therefore in the ftridleft Senfe is to be deny'd. Hence it appears, that this Author's, Plain Account can have no Truth or Reafon- ablenefs in it, but upon this Suppontion, irhat Chrift Jefus is not a real Attonement and SatisfaBion for our Sins, nor a real Principle of Life to us. For if thefe things were true of Chrift as our Saviour, then the Sacrament, which is done in Acknowledgment of him, as fuch, muft alfo of neceflity acknowledge thefe C 89] thefe Truths. Therefore this Author's Plain Account, which does not acknowledge thefe things of Chrift, can have no Truth or Rea- fonablenefs in it, but upon this Suppoii- tion, that thefe things are not true of Chrift. For if thefe things were real Dodrines of Scripture, it mu ft follow, that they were to be acknowledg'd in the Sacrament, even though they were not exprefsly mention'd or pointed at in the Words of the Inftitution. For fince the Sacrament is to be done in Re- membrance and Acknowledgment of Chrift, it necelTarily follows, that that which the Scriptures teach us concerning the Nature and Charader of Chrift, is to be remember'd and acknowledg'd of him /";/ and by the Sa- crament, becaufe the Sacrament is appoint- ed for that End. And therefore, fince this Author will not allow our Saviour to be thus acknowledg'd in the Sacrament, he muft de- ny that he is thus defcribed in Scripture. Now deny either of thefe Charaders of our Saviour, and you deny aH the Chrift ian Religion; the Words, Saviour, Salvation, Redemption, and fuch like, have no proper Meaning, I'ruth or Reality in them. But [ .90 ] J B u T if you allow thefe Charadlers of our Saviour, that he really is, what he faid he was, and what all the Scriptures affirm of hitn ; namely, the Attonement for Sins, and a Frinciple of a new Life to us ; then the Sacrament, which is the Reprefentation and Acknowledgment of thefe two great Truths, has all that is great, myfterious, and adora- ble in the Chriftian Religion, center'd in it. And had this Author believed thefe two great Dodlrines concerning our Saviour, it had been as impoffible for him to have his prefent poor Notion of the Sacrament, as it was im- poffible for St. Joh?2y who knew that the Word was God, and that the fame Word was ^ made Fleflo, to have had fo poor a Notion of Jefus Chrift, as thofe "Jews had, who took him to be only the Carpenter's Son. ' Hence alfo it plainly appears, that fee- ing thefe two great Truths are the eflential Parts of the Sacrament, and that it is appoint-^ ed to exprefs our Faith of them ; that the A^^- ture and End of the Sacrament is not, as this' Author teaches, to turn an y^ The [Lio2 y. The fliort of the Matte f % flife^^ eithei^ this Author will plainly own a lincere Belief of thefe Dodrines, or he will not : If he will not own the Belief of them, you have no reafon to confider him as a Chrijlian Wri- ter upon this Subjed; and fo ought no more to learn from him, than from a Jeii\ the Nature of the Sacrament. But if he will de- clare his full Belief of thefe Dodrines, then you have the fulleft AfTurance frOm himfelf, that his Pla'm Account cannot be Cbrijiian : Becaufe if thefe Things are true of Chrift, they mufl be remembcr'd and acknowledg'd in that Sacrament, which is appointed for the Remembrance and Acknowledment of him. ; Now thefe two cfjential Parts of the Sa- crament, relating to this twofold Charader of our Saviour, as he is the Attonement and Satisfadion for our Sins, and as he is a Prin- ciple of Life to us, contain the whole Na- turcy E?2d and EffeBs of the Sacrament., You are to look no where, nor in any thing elfe, for the right Knowledge of this Sacrament, but in the right Faith and Knowledge of thefe two great Points. And every thing that they teach you^ and every thing that the Scripture [ 103 ]1 Scripture teaches you of thcfe two great Points, is the only true Dodlrine of the Sacra- ment. All that you know of Chrift, as the At- tonement for our Sins, all that you know of him, as a Principle of Life to us, is neither more nor lefs than that which you are to knoii\ and confefs, and appeal to, in and by the Ufe of the Sacrament. And indeed thefe two great Points do fo plainly fliew them- felves, at firft Sight, to be in the Words of the Inftitution, that any Man upon the bare reading of them, without any further Know- ledge, might juftly fay, if Chrift is not an Attonement for our Sins, why is his Body faid x.Qhtgiven^ and his Blood fied for our Si?2sf If he is not a Food to our Souls, or a Pri?iciple of Life to us, why are we com- manded to eat his Body, and dri?2k his Blood ? S o that though a Man could not fay, that thefe Things were certainly true, or in what Senfe they were true, merely from the men- tion of them in the Sacrament, yet he might juftly fay, that the Words of the Inftitution pointed at fuch Truths, and could have no Foundation, unlefs thefe Things barely men- tioned in it, were in the Scriptures prov'd H 4 and C 104 3 and declar'd to be true Do^daes of ther^i Chriflian Religion. -:-<^:? in bnuoi 31p v'5fi:f And as tbefe two great Points are ^r vifi- bly plain in the Sacrament, and conflitote itS' ' li'boie Nature, fo as foon as we rightly undefi:; ftand what the Scripture has taught concerni- ing thefe Points; they mai-e known to us, ifi^-' the fliortefl and plaineft Wny, all the Merit, Dignity, and Value o^ this Sacrament, all the Bleffings and AdvaDi^ges deriv'd to us from it, and all the pious Difpofitions with which we are to approach it. lience it was that the Apofties, after the Day of Pentecoft, when they had all their Ignorance difpell'd, yet gave us no farther or particular Explica- tions of the Nature of the Sacrament; be- caufe as foon as it was known, that Chrift was a real Attonement and Satisfadion for Sins, and a real Principle of Life to us; as foon as thefe two great Doctrines were known, the Sacrament had all the Explica- tion it could poffibly have. For no more can be known of the Sacra- ment, than is fignify'd by them. All that is great, myfterious, and adorable in thefe Do- d:rines, as found in the Scriptures, is equal- ly UkiL kiiiLi kij^jV^i:- ly C ^°5 ] ly great, myfterious and adorable in them as,, they are found in the Sacrament. "^ Needless tlierefore would all Books be ipon the Nature of the Sacrament, and the riizht Preparation for it, did we but truly :;no\v and believe Chrifl to be the Attone- meni and Satisfa(Ction for our Sins, and a Principle of Life to usj for the Belief of thefc thicgs in the Sacrament, would like the UnBic-.y fpoken of by St. yolm^ teach us allthijtgs concerning it; and we fliould have no need of other teaching. No one need then, as this Author vainly does, enquire for fome Promife of Scripture annexing a Bcnejit to this Sacrament^ to know what good we receive by it. For the Knowledge of thefe two great Parts of the Sacrament, would fufficiently fliew us the ineftimable Benefit that we re- ceive by it. For if this Sacrament is appointed by Jefus Chrift, as the Acknowledgment of his being the Attonement of our Sins, and a Principle of Life to us ; if it is appointed to fiand between him and us, as a declard Proof [ io6 ] proof on his Side, that he is thus our At^<^' tonement and Life; and as ?l declared Proof on our Side, that we own, feek, and apply to him as fuch ; and if this is not fet as a Mark once for all, but as a Proof that is to be ^ repeated continually, and that is to be made ^ good to us, not by our once having done it, or be once own'd it, but to be perpetually own'd and done, both on his Side and ours, can we want any other AlTurance of the Be- nefit and Advantage of obferving this Sacra- ' ment, than the thing itfelf by its own Na- ture declares ? .%\ For if we are in Covenant with Chrift, and have an Interefl in him, as our Attone- ment and Life-, not becaufe he once faid, that this was his Body and Blood, given and filed for our Sins, or becaufe we once own'd it, and pleaded it before him; but becaufe' he continues to fay the fame thing in the Sa- crament, and to prefent himfelf there to us ^ as our Attonement and Life, and becaufe we continue to ov/n and apply to him as fuch ; it necelTarily follows , that the Sacrament rightly ufed, is the highefl: Means of finifli- ing our Salvation, and puts us in the fulleft FolTeflion of all the Benefits of our Saviour, both [ 107 ]1 both as he Is our Attonement and Life ^ that^ we are then at that time capable of. .1, For if die Attonement of our Sins by,.'i Chrift, and that Life which he communicates ^ to us, is not to be confidered as a tranfient.-^ Matter, as fomething that is done and pajf^-,x. but as fomething that on the Side of Chriftro is always doing, and never will be done, till the Confummation of all Things j if our ap-^ plying to, and receiving Chrilt as our At- tonement and Life, is not to be confider'd as a tranfient Adl, as fomething that is done and pafi, but as fomething that is always doings and never will be done, till we depart out of a State of Trials then it follows, that that which is the appointed Means or Proof of Chrift's continuing to communicate himfelf to us, as our Attonement and Life, and of our continuing to apply to, and receive him as fuch, is in its own Nature, and unlefs hinder'd by us, a certain Means and hijlru- vient of conveying and imparting to us all theBenehts of Chrift, both as he is our At- tonement and Life. To afk therefore for a particular ^Promife annexed to this Inftituti- on, which in its Nature communicates to us ^//that e'ver ^^.^promifed to us in a Saviour, is highly abfurd. But But after all, it can be truly faid, that itlic Scriptures are very full and particular in fetting forth the Benefits and Advantages of the Holy Communion, to all thofe that have -Eyes that fee, and Ears that hear. For do not the Scriptures plainly enough tell us of fcthe Benefit of believing, feeking, and ap- ;plying to Chrift as the Attonement for our ^Sins? And is not the Benefit of this Faith the Benefit of the Sacrament^ if Chrift is there belie^vedy fought and apply 'd to as our •cAttonement ? , . booia And is it not the fole End of the Sacra-^ .ment to continue, confirm and exercife this Faith , to which all the Bleffings of our Salvation are annex'd ? Therefore, all that the Scriptures fay of the Riches and Blef- fings, and Treafures, which Faith in Chrift as our Redeemer, can procure to us, all that they fay of the Benefit of that Faith, which 16 abfolutely required and exercifed by this Sacrament. Again, do not the Scriptures plainly and frequently enough tell us of the Benefit of the tiew Birth in ChriJ}^ of the putting- i?;|, Chrift, of haying Chrift formed in us, of - ' -■ Chrift's T 109 ] Chrift's being our Life^ of our having Lifs in bim^ of his being that Bread fro?n Heaven^ •that Bread of Life , of which the Manna was only a ^ype; of his Flefli being Meat indeed^ and his Blood Drink indeed, of our eating his Flefli and drinking his Blood, and that without it we ha^-oe no Lije in us 3 and are not all thefe things fo many plain and open Declarations of that which we feek and obtain, by eating the Body and Blood of z£hrijl f tjiij TM •■•■-rft For we eat the facramental Body and Blood of Chrift, to fliew that we li^ant and defire^ and by Faith lay hold of the real^ jpiritiial Nature and Being of Chrift j to {hew that we want and delire, the Progrefs of the new Birth in Chrift j \.o put on Chrift- to have Chrift formd and reveal'd in us, to have him cur Life, to partake of him our fecond Adam, in the fame FulneJ's and Rea- lity, as we partake of the Nature of the firft Adam : And therefore all that the Scripture fays of the Benefits and Bleffings of thefe things, fo much it fays of the Benefits and Blellings that are fought and obtain'd by the eating the Body and Blood of Chrift in the Lord's Supper. For to eat the Body and Blood of Chrift, is neither more nor lefs than to [ iio ] W^pttfon Chrift, to receive BIHS lflc!^*ic, and Nourifhment and Growth from himj as the Branch receives its Being and Life, and Nourifliment and Growth from the Vine. And becaufe Chrift is that to '«rs, which the Vine is to the Branches, therefoi-'e there is a ftri6l Truth and Reality in thefe Expreffions ; and the/ame Truth and Reality , whether it be expreffed, by faying, that we eat the Flejh and Blood of Chrift, or that we put on Chriji, or that Chrift is formed^ ma- nifefted or revealed in us. '- Fo R if you could bid the Bra?tch to eat the Siib/iafice and Juice of the Vine, the fame muft be intended, as if you had faid, that the Vine muft h^ formed in the Branch, or muft manifejl itfelf in the Branch. So when it is faid, that we muft eat the Flejh and Blood oi Chrift, it is the fame thing as faying, that Chrift muft he formed in us^ or manifefted in us. But you will perhaps fay, how does it appear, that thefe Expreftions of putting on Chrijl, of Chrift's h&'mg formed in us, of his being our Ufe, the Bread of Life, and his Fltfti Meat indeed, and his Blood Drink indeed -^ How does it appear, that thefe and the like Places [ III ] Places of Scripture are to be underilood Sa-- crame?itally ? I ANSWER, It does not appear. And the Queftion itfelf is as abfurd, as if it was afk'd, How does it appear, that the Scrip- tures are to be underftood Sacramentally^ Whereas, if the Queftion began at the right End, it fhould proceed thus. How does it appear, the Sacrament is to be underflood Scripfurally\ or according to the plain Dq^ (ftrines of Scripture ? Was the Queftion thus put, as it ought to be, it would fall of itfelf. For furely it need not be proved, that the things fpoken of Chrift in the Sacrament, are to be underftood according to that which is fpoken of Chrift in the Scripture. When our Saviour faid in the 6th of Sr. Johfiy 'That his FleJJj was Meat indeed, and his Blood Drink indeed, a?2d that except a Man eat his Flejh and drink his Blood, he hath no Life in him j and that he who eateth his Flejh and drinketh his Blood, dwelleth in him, and he in him ; he did not fpeak of the Sacrament, nor could pofiibly fpeak of it, for this plain Reafon, becaufe he fpoke of the Truth, the Reality, and the Thi?ig itfelf; for the fake of w^hich, and for the Application of which to our- felves, [1.2] felves, he afterwards inftituted the Sacra- ment. But if the Sacrament was inftituted for the fake of that Truth and Reality, of which he then fpakej then the Sacrament muft be ejfentially related to that which he then fald, and muft have its il/i?^«/«'^ and End according to it. And if what he then faid , was that Truth and Reality of the Thing itfelf, and the Sacrament was inftituted as an outward Sign, Proof or Declaration of it, then what he faid in St. yohuy he fpoke not of the Sa- crament 3 and yet what he inftituted in the Sacrament, has all its Meaning according to that which he faid in St. John. To afk, whether our Saviour meant the Sacramental Bread and Wine, when he faid, my Flefti is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed, is as abfurd as to alk, whe- ther he did not mean the Flefli and Blood of fome other Perfon, when he faid, my Flefti and my Blood? And on the other Hand, to afk, whether the Sacramental Bread and Wine does not fignify C "3] fignify to us that Flefh and Blood which 13 our Meat indeed, and Drink indeed, ig as abfurd, as to afk, Whether the appointed Sign of a thing, does not fignify that which it is appointed to fignify ? Th ese two things therefore are evidently plain ; Firft, That our Saviour in the 6th oi' St. John^ did not, could not poffibly fpeak of his Sacramental Body and Blood, or Bread and Wine, becaufe he fpoke of himfelj\ of his real, natural and true Life, of which we muft partake : Secondly, That what he calls. his Body and Blood in the Sacrament, or has appointed to be the Signs of his Body and Blood, muft be underftood according to that which he has faid in St. "John^ of his Flefh which is Meat indeed, and his Blood which is Drink indeed ; for this plain Reafon, be- caufe the appointed Sign of a thing muft fignify that v/hich it is appointed to fignify. Th e r e f o r e in St. ^ohn there is nothing faid of the Sacramerjt j and yet what is faid in the Sacrament, is to be neceffarily under- ftood of that 'very thiJig which is faid in St, John. I And f f'* I •rrf-^^/h' T^n'TpT/f fi^nitJBfrf .fl-iO'^rhi ., ,.Jl,$i p the Reafon is plains fqr the 7'hh?g Is elTentially different ffona that which is ap^ pointed to be a Sign of it ^ there{ore, he that fpeaks of the Thing, cannot, in fpeaking of that, fpeak of the Sign. But the Sign, as fuch, has all its Nature from the Thing that it is to fignify ; and therefore the Thifig it- felf muft be 7neant by that which the Sign fpeaks of *,,r,To fay, as fome do, that our Saviour could not fpeak of that in St. yohn, which is intended by the Sacrament, becaufe the Sa- crament was not then inllituted, is very weak and unreafonable ; for it is faying, thac he could not then fpeak of a Thi?2g or Do^ Brine, becaufe he afterwards appointed fomething to be a Sign or outward Declara- tion of it. For if he had appointed an In- ilitution, or pofitive Rite, which related to nothing that he had before taught, it muft have been very unaccountable. Thus to command us to eat his Body and Blood in the S.acrament, if he had not before-hand taught that we had our Life from him, and that his Fl^ipo was our Meat indeed, and his Blood our Drink indeed, had been very un- accountable. Bu^,feiDg,)ie ,h^d ^^^ ^^^^ _. I openeft, t "^ ] openeft, plainefl: Manner declar'd, that he was the Life of Men^ and that except we eat his Flef> and drink his Blood we have no Life in us J the Command to eat Bread and Wine as his Body and Blood, is plain and intelligi- ble J and we have the fuUeft AfTurance of the Meaning of it, for this Reafon, becaufe Chrift had often, and long before -hand taught that 'Truth, of which he afterwards appointed the Sacrament to be an outward Sign, and an outward Means of our owning, confeffing and embracing it. Thus all the Controverfy about this Place in St. John, and other like Paflages of Scripture, is at at end, and has the moft plain and fatisfadory So- lution; fuch Paflages do not fpeak of the Sacrament, becaufe they fpeak of the thing itfeif of which the Sacrament is an ap- pointed outvv^ard Signification ; but the Sa- crament direSflyfpeaks of, and points to thofe PafTages, becaufe they contain that Truth and Reality which the Sacrament is appoint- ed to fignify. For were not Chrift our real Li^e, thefe had not been any outward Figure or Declara- tion of it appointed; was there not a real eating the Flefli and drinking the Blood of Chrift, was there not a true fubftantial putting [1,6] on of Chrift, or partaking of the Nature of Chrijft, the Sacramental eating and drinking of his Body and Blood had not been ap» pointed j there could have been no Founda- tion for it J or if appointed, it could have had no meaning fuitable to the Words. But fince 'That which is Sacramentally^^ZifrV or fignifyd^ by the eating and drinking the Sa*- cnarnental Body and Blood of Chrift, is in the Scriptures declar'd to be a real Tvuth, fince its Reality is taught, declar'd and ex- plain'd by various Ways and Manners of Speech, it is undeniable, that the Sacrament, which is an appointed Figure, muft be ex- plain'd and aflerted according to that Truth and Reality^ of which it is the appointed Figure. i^ic When our Saviour faid, he that eateth my FleJJjy and drinketh my Bloody dwelleth in ;;/2I ] Devotion which we pra6tife by means of the Sacrament, has every thing in it, that can prove it to be right, and juft, and good. And the Want of this Faith, Hope, Love, Defire, Adoration and Devotion, is more blameable in the Ufe of the Sacrament, than any where elfe, becaufe it is there more properly requi- red, and has the moil proper Objed and Oc- caiion to excite it. .,,..„, bi Io"j '^^ - , .loqrr -X You muft therefore confider the Sacra- ment purely as an OhjeEl of your Devotion^ that is to exercife all your Faith^ that is to raife, exercife, and inflame every holy Ar- dour of your Soul that tends to God. It is %n AbjlraBy or Sii?n of all the Myfteries that have been revealed concerning our Saviour, from the firft Promife of a Seed of the JVo- mail to bruife the Serpent's Head^ to the Day of Pcntecoft. A s you can receive or believe nothing high- er of our Saviour, than that he is the At- tonement for our Sins, and a real Principle of ^Lifc to us J fo every Height and Depth of De- votion, Faith, Love, and Adoration which i^ due to God as your Creator, is due to God as your Redeemer. CI Jacob's [ 122 ] Jacob*s Ladder that reached frorh Earth to Heaven, and was fill'd with Ans^els afcend- ing and defcending between Heaven and Earth, is but a fmall Signification of thaff '- Communion between God and Man, which^ this holy Sacrament is the Means and Inftru- ment of. - '^" " "' "• 1^ o w here it may be proper for you to ob-' fervfe, that whatever Names or Titles this In- ftitution is fignify'd to you by, whether it b^^ called a jS^^rr/^c^ propitiatory, or commemo- rative, whether it be called an holy Oblation ' ' the Eticbarifi, the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Chrift, the Sacrament of the Lord's" Supper, the Heavenly Banquet, the Food oj^ Immortality, or the fib/y Communion, and the' like, matters not much. For all thefe Wordt or Names are right and good, and there is'' nothing wrong in them, but theflriving and' contention about them. Fo R they all exprefs fomething that is true^ of the Sacrament, and therefore are every" one of them, in a good Senfe, rightly appli- ' cable to itj but all of them are far fhort of expreiiing the whQle Nature of t;he Sacra- ment, and therefore the Help of all of them is wanted. He therefore that contends for one Name^j,; as the only proper one inexclufion of the reft-^-« is in the fame Miftake, as he that fliould cony^ tend for one Name and CharaBer of our Sa-ri;^ viour, as the only proper one, in exclufioa of all the reft. For as all the Names and li'itles by which Chrift is defcrib'd, from the Seed of the Woman in Genejis, to the Mpha and Ome^^^ ga in the laft Chapter of the RevelationSy are.rv only to help us to know, believe, and expen^ rience more of him as our Saviour, than can be exprefs'd by all thefe different Characters of him : So all the various Natnes and Titles given to the Sacrament, are only to teach us to know, believe, and find more of our Re- demption and Salvation in the Sacrament, than can be pointed out to us by any or all thefe Expreffions. If you have yet known Chrift in any true Degree, what muft you think of him, who ftiould contend that the Lamb of God was the only proper Character of our Saviour, and that therefore thofe other Names, Seed of the Womatiy Root of David^ Bright and Morn- . in^ Star J Bread ofLfe, Tree ofLfe, Son of Man, h 124 ] Mafiy Firjl born of all the Creatures, Word of God, could not belong to him as our Sa- viour, becaufe of the Difagreement there is between a Lamb, and the Bread of Lfe, or a TreeofLfe? V' Now this is the Learning this Author is full of; from this fcrupulous Attention to Words, and the Ideas annexed to them, he rejedls aim oil; all the Names by which the Sa- crament has ever been exprefs'd. io .■2.. ^•He is able to prove, that the Sacrament is not a Commemorative Sacrifce, becaufe it is the Supper of the Lord ; juft as another by the fame Skill in Words, might prove, that the Lamb of God, is not the Tree of Life, or the Bread that came down from Heaven, be- caufe of the great difference there is between aTr^^i Bread, and a Lamb. Now the Reafon why our Saviour is de- fcribed under this vaft Variety of Characfters, is this, becaufe no one Phrafe or particular Form of Expreffion can truly defcribe him to us; therefore that is to be done as well as it can, by different and feemingly contrary Charaaers. i^33^, but is jufb ^s perpetual and unchangeable as his Priefihood, For he can be no longer a Prieft, than while he maketh an Attonement and Interceflion for us. And from this his unchangeable Priefl-^ boodi * Heb. xi. 24. [ 144 ] hood, the Apoftle thus argues, wherefore he U able alfo to fave them to the uttermojl, who come unto God by him^ feeing he ever liveth to make IntercefTion for us. B u T if he is able to fave them to the utter" moji who come unto God by him^ then his At- tonement is not fonaething done and ^aft, but always in being, always prefent, always do- ing, and always prefenting itfelf every where and to every Man; and if he is ever living to make Inter cefjlon for us, then we haVe a Vro- fitiation that never ceafes, that is as near to us as it was to the Apoflles, and will be as prefent to thofe that fliall be born two thou- fand Years after Chrift, as it was to thofe who flood by his Crofs when he died. Agreeable to this, St. ^ohn faith, We have an Advocate with the Father^ fift^^ Chrifi the Righteous, Ard he is the propitiation for our Sins. He does not fay, we have had an Advocate in this World, but that we havt one with the Father, nor that Chrift was our Propitiation fome time ago, but that he is the Propitiation for our Sins. And indeed Jefus Chrift is the Attone- ment for our Sins, in that fame unlimited, univerfal * Heb. vii. 25. [ HS ] univerfal and omniprefent Manner, in whicfi he is the Life and Light of the World. And as he is the Light which lighteth every Man that Cometh into the Worlds and is not a^ aBiial prefent Light to fome, and a dijlanf tinpo^efjed Light to others, only to be re- menibered by an AB of their Memory-y fo he is the Attonement for every Man that cometh into the World, and is not an aBual, prefent Attonement to fome, and a diftant Attone- ment to others, only to be remember'd by an A5i of their Memory ^ but is an Attonement aBually and really prefent to all, as he is a Light adlually and really prefent to all^ and every Man that cometh into the World. Therefore this Author's Account of the Remembrance in the Sacrament, has not only thofe Abfurdities in it demonflrated above, but is alfo folely founded upon this grofleil of all Errors, that the Benefits and Bleflings of Chrift, as the Saviour of Man- kind, are fomething done 2x\^paft\ which is an Error that no one could have fallen into< that had but a common Knov^'ledge of the firft and plaineft Principles either of the Jewifi or Chrijlian Religion. For both thefe Religions are founded upon this great Truthi and fuppofe it in every Part, that the L Benefits [ 146 ] Benefits and Bleffings of Chrift were always in beingy always doing, always prefent in and to every Age, as well before as Jince the In- carnation ^uid Death of Chrift. A N D as this Author has been forced to affert, they were things ^^^«/, donezndpajiy in order to make the Sacrament to confifl of an Adion of the Memory upon thofe abfent Things; fo feeing it is an undeniable Truth, that they are not things abfent, done and paft, but are as adually prefent, as ever they were or ever could be, it follows, according to his own Principles, that the Remembrance fpoken of in the Sacrament, cannot poffibly fignify only an ABion of the Memory, but muft neceffarily fignify fuch Faith and Ac- knowledgment of Chrift, as when we are bid to remember our Creator, or believe in God. ;^ Further, this Author proceeds thus: To fay that the Communion is the aSlual partaking of all the Benefits of Chrifs liviiig and dying for us, is to put that upon onefingle AB ofObe-^ dience, which is by our blejfed Lord made to depend upon the whole Syfiem of all Virtues united, * And again, Such a Dodirine as this. * Page 158, C 147 ] , this would, in mj Opinion^ he not only incon-*' Jifient %iiith the plaifieji Declarations of the Gofpel, but direBly contradiBory and dejiru^ Bive to the main Defign of it. * What this Author calls here ql fmgle ABy and a fingle Infiance of Obedience, is true only of his own Sacrament, which con- iifts only of 2l fingle ABion of the Metnory caft upon Chrift at a certain Injiant of Timei and to which fingle Adlion, this Author exprefsly fays, that no Prayer is necefTary,'!" not even neceffary to attend upon it, either as going before or following after it. That in its own proper and peculiar Nature, it has nothing to do with Prayer or Devotion of any kind, can have no Perfection from itj nor be in any Degree imperfect as to its Nature and EJfence, for want of any Prayer, becaufe its EJJ'ence is entirely diftindl from Prayer. And therefore all Prayers, Thankjgivings and Dei)otionsy are to be confider'd as things diftin^l from this Sacrament, that have no relation to the peculiar Nature and proper EfTence of it. || L 2 Hence * Page 144. t Page 160. 1| Page 173. [ 148 ] Hence it is plain, that we do not over- charge this Author, when we fay, that hp. places the whole Nature of the Sacrament in a barefingle ABion of the Memory. For if, as he fays, no kind of Prayer, Devotion or Thankfgiving, is of the Eflence of this Sa- crament, or can be an eflential Part of it; then it has all its Perfeftion within icfelf, as it is a bare Ad of the Memory, and cannot, as to its own proper Nature or ElTence, have any thing added to it by Prayer, or taken fj'qm it by the want of Prayer. Hence it is alfo undeniable, that this Author's Sacrament is not fo much as a bare AB of Religion, nor can have any more Religion in it, than if it was the A(5t of a Parrot. For no Adt can be a religious Ad, but fo far, and in fuch Degree, as it is an Ad of Fat f by and Love, and Devotion to God. But this Au- thor's Sacrament will not, as it is a Sacra- ment, allow Faith, or Love, or Devotion to be any Part of it, therefore it cannot be fo much as a bare AB of Religion. N AY, it may and muft be faid, that the right Obfervation of this Author's Sacrament is diredly an Ad of Atheifm. For if it is an j [ ^49 ] an Ad, that iri' its own Nature, and accord- ing to \i^ peculiar Effhice, cannot be perform- ed according to what it is, unlcfs it be done without Faith, and Love, and Devotion to- vt^ards God, then it is diredly an ASi cj' Atheijm, becaufe Atheifm is nothing elfe but a CefTation of Faith, Love and Devotion towards God. But the Effence of this Au- thor's Sacrament cannot be preferv'd, unlcfs you keep Prayer, Devotion and ^hankfghnr.g out of it. Therefore to perform it rightly according to what it is, is to perform an Ac^ of Atheijm. And if at the taking of the Bread and Wine, you fliould fuffer Faith, or Love, or Adoration of God, or Thankfgiving, to take up your Mind, you might as well have let the Sacrament alone, for you have negleded all that in which its whole Nature confifts j and have only been in fuch a State of Devo- tion, as has nothing to do with it, nor can pojjibly be a part of it. And therefore, if you will perform this Sacrament rightly ac-? cording to this Author, you mufl perform it Atheiftically, you muft excite fuch a Re- membrance as excludes Faith, Love, Devo- tion and Thankfgiving, from being a Pare gf it, And your Remembrance is not per^ l^ 3 fonn'dj [ '5° J form'd, unlefs it t)e fuch a Remembrance as thefe things cannot be a Part of. ,^4 {^^y^ The .Devils are faid to believe a God\ but why is it that their Faith is no religious AB, nor of any Benefit to them ? It is ber, cayfe their Faith is only a bare AB of bfi-^^ lievi?ig, jufl as this Author's Sacrament ha,S{ only a bare AB of remembring.y and , that which is the Perfection of his Sacrament, is their Wretchednefs. •. -.i^^^ AslFyou'aik this Author, why Faith, and Prayer, and Adoration, and Thankfgiving, are not of the Eflence, or cannot be eflential Parts of the Sacrament : All he has to fay is this, that the Duty of Prayer is a Duty ab^ folutely difiinci from the Participation of th^ Lord's Supper. * It may and muflbe granted, that Prayer, Humility, Faith, Hope, Charity, ^c. are gbfolutely dijiin^ from each other ; that Hu- mility is not Prayer, nor Faith in its proper Idea Prayer, and fo of the reft, Yet not'? withfluiiding this Diftind:ion between them, they are all of them eflential to each other. Faith is of the Eflence of Prayer^ Hope is pf * Page i6s. [ ^51 3 of the Efifence of Faith, and all of them are' eflential Parts of Prayer. Therefore when this Author afferts that Prayer is not an effen- tial Part of the Communion, he is juft as much in the right, and has as much Truth on his fide, as he who fays, that Humility^ Faith and Hope are not effential to Prayer,' becaufe Prayer is diftind: from Humility, Faith and Hope. '^^ •7/ What this Author faith of the Sacra- ment, that it is one fo^gle A5l^ or one fiiigle Inftance of Obedience^ is only true of his o'^xn Fi5lio7i of a Sacrament, which he makes to confift in a fingle Ad: of the Memory j and indeed it would be highly inconfiftent with the Gofpel, to make fuch a Sacrament a Means of obtaining the Benefits of Chrifr. But this is not the Sacrament of Chrifi:, nor the Sacrament which the Church of Chrift obferves. For all that relates to our Salvation, either on the Part of Chrift, or on our own Part, is plainly united in that Sacrament which Chrifi has inftituted. All that relates to our Salvation on the Fart of Chrifi^ is in the Sacrament, becaufe he has faid, that hl^ Bod^ and Blood are there for the Kemifllon of h 4 our our Sins, and that his Body and Blood are there to be eaten and drank, as the Food and Life of our Souls, therefore phfift> as our Saviour is 'Z£/W/)' there. ■'' '"■■■ ?"!-t.^'I "r And all that relates to oiir Salvation on our ovjn Part, is there, becaufe we cannot come to Chrift, or find him to be there, as he has faid he is, unlefs we corne to him with all thofe Qualities and pious Difpofitions that cvrrejpond to him, as he is an Attone- ment for our Sins, and a Principle of Life tq us ; therefore all that relates to our Salvation, cither on the I*art of Chriji, or on our own Part, is plainly united in the Sacrament. And to call fuch a Communion one Jingle AB of Obedience, is juft the fame Abfurdity, as to fay, that the Baptijm of a Heathen con- verted to Cbriftianity, is but one fingle In- fiance of Obedience. For every thing that is imply'd in fuch a Converjion and Baptijm, whether it be on the Part of Chrift, or on the Part of the Perfon baptized, is imply'd |n this Communion, A N D as the Baptifra of fuch a Perfon contains all in it that relates to his Salvation, either pn the Part of Chrift, or on his own Part, and therefore cannot without great C »53 ] ignorance be called a fmgle Injlance or Ad: jof Obedience : So it is with the Sacrament, it is all that to the pious Communicant, both on the Part of Chrift, and on his own Parr, that Baptifm is to the true converted Hea- then; and he is made an adual Partaker of all the Benefits of Chrift by it, as the Convert is made fo by Baptifm -, and therefore it is the fame Abfurdity to call it a fingle Ad:, or In- ftance of Obedience. A N D as it would be vain and groundlefs to fay, that it was incc?ijjjlent with the maifi De- fign of the Go/pely to make fuch Baptifm the ^z(f?/W partaking of all the Benejits of Chrift j fo it is equally, if not more io^ to fay the fame thing of Communion ; becaufe every pious and holy Difpolition is to be fup- pofed to be in an higher State, in the pious Communicant, than in the pious Defirer of Baptifm; and therefore, it cannot without much Abfurdity be fuppofed, that the Sacra- ment is not as beneficial to the pious Com- municant, as Baptifm is to the pious Con- vert. FoH if Chrift has appointed this Inftjtur tion, to aflure us, that he is there ^ both as die AJt^gnmcnt fo^.our Sins, and a Principle [ X51- ]l of Life to us, and we come to it with fuch pious Difpofitions as corrcjpond arid anfwer to him in both thefe Refpeds, and make us capable of him; it muft be great Abfurdity'' to fay, that we find him not there as our At- tonement, nor r^eeive him as a Principle of Life ro ■^■^, .or are made Partakers of thefe hcucriLSof him. I F we ftand before this Attonement with- out fuch Difpofitions as correfpond to it; we are as abfent from the Sacrament of Chriji^ as they are that refufe to come to it; if we eat that which is before us in the Sacrament, without fuch Faith and 'Purity as qualify us to receive the Flefh and Blood of Chrift, we are only eating that, which might have been' the Bread of Life to our Souls. But if we, according to the Condition of our Humanity, are That which thefe two e//'ential Pans of the Sacrament require us to be, then we may and ought as firmly to be- lieve, that we are by this Sacrament made aciudl Partakers of all the Benefits of Chrift, as that we are fav'd through Chrift, and not by ourfelves, This [ ^55 ]j This Author makes great Complaint of afcribing thefe Benefits to the Reception of the Communion, becaufe it is, as he fays, to put I' hat upon afingle hijlance of Obedience^ ■ which our blejjed Lord has mude to depetjd upon the whole Syjie?7i of all Virtues united in us: ' That is, Chrift has made the Syftem of all Virtues united in us, to be the only ^alifica- tion for the ^^//^/ partaking of his Benefits; which is not only utterly inconfiftent with the Gofpel, but nonfenlical initfelf; for it is , faying that we are then only qualified for die Benefits of our Saviour, when we have no need of them; for if all Virtues were fo uni- ted in us, all that our Saviour could do for us, would be done beforehand. But let us take an Inftance or two from our Saviour's own V^^ords, and then we (hall beft fee how truly this Author has faid, that he has made the adual partaking of his Be- nefits, to depend upon the wljole Syflem of all Virtues united, Wh EN our blefied Lord flood by Jacob's Well, talking with the Woman oiSamaria^^ he faid to her, Jfthou knewefi the Gift of God, (indvoho it ?V that faith to thee, give me to drink, thou [ 156] thou wouldji have ajk'd of him, and he would have give?2 thee living Water; a Water which jhall he in him that drinketh it, a Well of Wa- ter fpringing up into everlafiing Life:^ vr,-^+vf^ Here, I fuppofe are offer'd to this poor Woman all the Benefits of the Saviour of Mankind. Our Lord does not fay to her. If thou had ft the whole Syjiem of all Virtues united in thee, then thou mighteft be made a Partaker of all my Benefits ; I could make the Water of eternal Life perpetually fpring up within thee. No, there is no fuch Jargon as this in the Gofpel: But as he came as a compaffionate Saviour, to make the blind to fee, the deaf to hear, and the dumb to fpeak, and the dead to awake; as he came as a good Shep^ herd to feek that which was loft, and as a Phyfcian to heal the fickj fo he oply fays to the Woman, if {he had afk'd, that is, if ftie had felt the Want of a Saviour, as the blind feel the Want of Sight, and her Heart had only de/ird this Gift of God, he would then have beftowed this greateft of all Gifts upon her. But I, John iv^ [ 157 ] But furely, if this Defire in the Woman would have made her thus capable of all the Benefits of our Saviour, it cannot be incon- fiftent w^ith the Gofpel, to make the fame Defire as beneficial to a true and pious Chri- flian, as it would have been to an unbaptized Samaritan. Again, our Lord faith. All things, ijohaf^ foever ye jhall ajk in Prayer, believijig^yefhall receive.^ Here you fee, all things, and therefore all the Benefits of Chrift, are afcrib'd to Faithy and we have every thing that we can defire or pray for, by vertue of it. Does not our Lord here afcribe as much Benefit to Faith, as ever any one afcrib'd to the holy Commu- nion ? Or who ever faid that of the Power, or Benefit, or Efficacy of the Sacrament, which our Lord here fays of the Benefit of Faith in Prayer ? Is not this as inconfiftent with the Gofpel, as the adual partaking of Chrift's Benefits, by thtfingle Duty of receiving the Sacrament ? Is not this Benefit of the Prayer of Faith as contrary • Matlh. xxi. 22, C 158 ] contrary to this Author's whole SyJIem ofVlr-^^ tues united in us, as the other Benefit of the Sacrament? ' Is It not as juffi'to iky, 'tllit tKis^ Prayer of Faith is only a fingle tnjtance of Obedience, as to fay fo of the Sacrament ? A N D is not the ?ndi?i Dejign of the Go/pel as much dcftroy'd by making Faith to be thus beneficial, as by making the Commu- nion to be fo beneficial? Or can it be fuppofed, that when our Lord, who afcribes thus much to the Prayer of Faith, when it is alene, would think it too much to be afcribed to it, when the Holy Sacrament is united with it? Or muft it be fuppofed, that this Prayer of Faith lofes its Virtue and Power, is depriv'd of its excellent Effedls, only then^ when it is a Part of the Communion of Chrift's Body and Blood, Again, our Lord faith, Verily, 'verity, I fay unto you, whatfoever ye Jhall afk the Fa-' ther in my Name, he will give it you. Must not this Author have as much to complain of in this Dodtrinej that afcribes 2 io [ '59 ] fo much to Prayer in the Name GfCht\lJi^ as in thatDodrine, that afcribes fb much to the Sacrament ? Muft he not fay, that the pray- ing in the Name of Chrijiy is but one Jingle In- jlance of Obedience -y and that to fay, we are thereby made Partakers of all the Benefits of Chrift, h putting that upon one Jingle Act of Obedieticey which our blefled Lord has made to depend upon the whole Syjie?n of all Virtues united in us? Muft he not fay, that this Ac- count of the Power and Efficacy of Prayer in ChriJTs Name^ is a Do(5lrine deftrudive of the main Defign of the Gofpel? For every thing that this Author objcds a- gainft this Dodtrine of the Sacrament, muft with the fame Strength be objeded againft thefe, and many other the like exprefs Decla- rations of our Saviour. EvERT^-one muft know that it would be very eafy to produce various PafTages of the Gofpel, that teach the fame Dcxflrine, as thefe do that I have quoted j and that when this Author faid, our Saviour made the parta- king of his Benefits to depe?id upon the -whole Syjietn of all Virtues united in us^ he had juft the fame Reafon and Authority from the Go- fpel to fay io^ as he has to fay, that Chrift de- clared [ i6o 3 dared he came tofeek that which was not loj% \.Q heal \k\Qit which were not fick^ 2.n6. favd thofe who flood in no need of a Saviour. But now, feeing this is the Nature, Power, and Efficacy of the Prayer of Faith^ and of Prayer. in the NameofChriJi-, feeing he himfelf has afTured us, that they make us adtual Partakers of every thing that we can afk of the Father, or that he through Chrifl can give us, we have the fulleft Affurance, that if we do that which the Sacrament re* quires to be done, if we don't feparate Faith and Prayer in the Name of Chriji from it j but perform it in this Faith and Prayer ^ or make it as it ought to be, a real Exercije of this Faith and Prayer, then we receive in and by it all the Benefits of our Saviour. But becaufe this Author feems entirely out of his Element, when fpeaking of the Be- nefits of Jefus Chrift,- and not to be able to fpeak an intelligible Word about it, as to the true Grounds and Nature of it, but only to puzzle himfelf and the Reader with an empty fuperficial way of arguing from the Sound of Words: I (hall therefore, in a Word or two, endeavour to lay before you the [ i6i ] the true Grounds of the Benefits of Jefus Chrift, as he is the Saviour of all Mankind, I T is the fundamental Dodrine, or rather the known Foundation of all reveal' d Reli- gion, and the unknown Foundation of all na- tural Piety and Goodnefs, that Jefus Chrift is the Jecond Adam : That he is a common Head^ or Parent^ or P erf on to all Mankind, in the fame manner, as Adam is the com- mon Head^ or Parent ^ or Perfon to all Man- kind. That a real Birth^ Life, Nature^ and true Man^ is in the fame T^ruth and Reality deriv'd to us from this ouvfecond Adam^ as a real Birth, and Life, and Nature is deriv'd to us from our firft Adam. And that as with- out any Figure oi Metaphor of Speech we arc all faid to be born of Adam, and defcended from him, fo we are all in the fame Depen- dance upon our fecond Adam, really and not figuratively born of him, and have our De- fcent from him j Spirit of his Spirit, Life of his Life, in the fame Truth and Reality, as every Man has the Nature of the firft Adam. M And [ i62 ] And herein is feen the infinite Depth of Divine Love and Goodnefs to Mankind, who though they were by the Condition of their Creation to be deriv'd from one Head or Pa- rent^ and to take his State of Perfection or Imperfection; yet were by the Goodnefs and Care of God for them, provided from the very Beginning, with ?ifeco?id Par ent, or com- mon Head, who after the Fall of the firft, and the fallen State that he had brought upon his Pofterity, fhould be a common Rejlorer, and put it in every Man's Power to have the fame Choice of Life and Death, as the firfl: Man had ; that fo, they who were loft be- fore they were born, and were made Inheri- tors of a miferable Nature without their Choice, might have a Divine Life reftor'd to them in a fecond Parent, which fhould not be in the Power of any one to lofe for them, but fhould depend entirely upon their own Will afid Dejire of it, upon their own Faithy and Hope, and Hungering after it. This eternal and immutable Truth, wor- thy of being written in capital Letters of Gold, is the Foundation of all reveal'd and natural Religions and a ftanding Monu- ment of God's univerfal Goodnefs and Love to [ i63 ] to all Mankind, and fuch as is fufHcient to make all Men rejoice and give praife to God. For by this Truth, all that feems hard and cruel to human Reafon, that the Pofle- rity of Adam fhould be involved in the Con- fequences of their firfl Father's Fall, (yet how could it be otherwife?) all this, I fay, is made a v^onderful Scene of Love, as foon as we coniider, that all Mankind were re- deem'd as foon as they were lofl, and that their Redemption was as early ^ as univerfal, and as extenfive in its Effe(fts, as the Fall was. And that no Son of Adam is left to in- herit a poor^ earthy, perijhable, corrupt Na- ture from him, without having it in his choice to be born again of a fecond Adam^ and reftor'd, with Advantage, to all the Riches, and Treafures, and Bleffings of a di- vine and paradifical Nature, which were loil without his Confent. There is fomething fo amazingly loving and merciful in this Condudt of divine Pro- vidence over Mankind, that I cannot help .thinking, no one can calmly confider it in the Qmet of his Mind, without having all his Infidelity melted down by it. And that M 2 fuch C 164 I fuch an AB of general Pardon, as early as the iirfl Sin, and a new Parent provided for us, to be our Parent by Choice and Faith, as foon as our firft Parent had undone us without our Canfent: Such an Ad: of Pardon being the Beginning and Foundation of all reveal'd Religion, and of every thing that is after- wards reveal'd in it, has furely enough in it, if once known, to make reveal'd Religion the Joy, and Comfort, and Defire of every Man's Heart. What would I give that I could but dart one Ray of this Truth into every Unbeliever's Heart; for the fmalleft Ray of it, would do to every one as the Light that fell from Heaven did to St. Paul, it would make as it were Scales fall from his Eyes: And he would find that all 5ooij and Syjlems of Infidelity, were as unreafonable in them- felves, and as hurtful to him, as thofe Com- miffions were which Paul had from the High- 'prifl to bind all that called on the Name of Chrifl. iji But to proceed: That Jefus Chriil is thus the Saviour and univerfal Redeemer of all Mankind, that he is this fecond Adam or Parent, giving a new Birth and Life to all that which was ex- I tinguifh'd [ i65 ] tlngui{h'd and loft by Adam-, reftoring Adam himfelf, and in him all Mankind to a Poffi- bility of being born again, by their own Will^ Choice J Faith, and Defire\ and that reveal'd Religion bega7t with the DecIaratio?i of this Redemption, and has reveal'd nothing but for the Sake and Support of it, is a Truth fuf- ficiently attefted by Scripture. The Declaration which God made to Adam immediately after his Fall, of a Seed of the Woman to briiije the Serpenfs Head, was a Declaration of Fardon and Redemption to Adam, and in him to all Mankind j for what he faid to Adam, that he faid to all that were in the Loins of Adain; who, as they fell in his Fall, before they were born, without the PofTibility of any one Man's being exempted from it } fo were they all put into his State of Pardon and Redemption before they were born , without the Poflibility of any caie Man's being excluded, or left out of it. Thus reveal'd Religion hegim with an Offer of a fecond Adam, and upon the Foot of an imiverfal Pardon and Redemption to all Mankind. Every Son of Ada?n is in the fame Covenant with God that Adam was, and has the fame Bruifer of the Serpent as M 3 7iear [ i66 ] near to him, as he was to Adam, and de- clar'd to be his Redeemer, in the fame De- gree as lie was declar'd to be the Redeemer of Adam, And who would feek for Arguments a- gainfl fuch a Saviour ? Or who would cavil at a revealed Religion^ that has no other Be- ginning or End, but to reveal an univerfal Redemption^ Or who can enough call upon all the Creation, Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men, and every thing that hath Breath, to praife the Lord, for fuch Salvation? You muft forgive thefe little Digreffions, for I want fomuch to touch the Heart of my Rea- der, and make him in love with God, and his own Salvation in Chrift Jefus, that I know not how to content myfelf with bare Arguments. Now this Declaration of God to Adam, of his Pardon and Redemption by the Seed of the Woman, is not to be confider'd, as we confider the Declaration of a Pardon made by fome great Prince to an oiFending Subje5}, which is only a Declaration of JVords, that are heard only with our outward Ears, and of a Perfon that is entirely diftind: from us. God's [ 1^7 j God's pardoning a Sinner, or redeeming fallen Man, has nothing like this in it. If this offending Subje(5l had his Life^ and Breath, and Being in and from this great Prince, or could be faid to live and movey and have his Being in him, it would be eafy, nay, neceffary to believe, that his Declara- tion of Pardon to him, muft be fomething very different from a Pardon of Words, and muft fignify fome inward EffeB^ or Change, or new ^tate of Exiftence in his Prince. Now this Declaration of God's Pardon and Reconciliation to Adam, and in him to all Mankind, is not the Declaration of a Be- ing that is out of, or feparate from us, but of a God in whom we live, and move, and have our Bei?2g -, who is the Center of that which is moft Central in us, the Life of our Life, the Spirit of our Spirit : His Declara- tion therefore of Pardon is not a Declaration oi Words, or of a Being that is feparate from us, but muft fignify fome inward Change, or new State of our Exiftence in him, or that be is to us, and in us, that which he was not before he pardoned us. For his Words are Power, and what he fpeaks he ads, and what he ads he ads not out of us, but in the M 4 ^*«''^^2/^ [ »68 ] inmoft EJfence of our Being, becaufe fo we ex- ifl in him and he in us. If God at the Fall, had faid. Let usfave Man, the fame had been effeded, as when he faid. Let us make Man, Wh e n therefore God faid to Adam and Lve^ 1'be Seed of the Woman Jhall bruife the Head of the Serpent^ what was faid, was done; and it was the fame thing, had the fame Meaning and Effed:, as if he had faid. Be ye henceforth in a State of Salvation^ and let the redeeming^ conquering Seed of the Woman from this time begin to have Power in you, and to be in you a Strength and Might a- gainfi the Serpent. And what he faid was done 5 as when he faid, Let there be Light, and there was Light, Thus this Declaration of Pardon and Re- demption made by God to Adam, and, in him, to all his Pofterity, was not folely a Promife of fomething to come, or of a Par- don that was at a Diftance, no more than it was the Promife of a God that was at a Di- ftance from him ; but the Declaration of fome- thing then inwardly done 2.nd given, by a God inwardly prefent in him, and fignify'd no lefs than God's feeking and manifefting him- felf C 169] felf again to a Creature, that had lojl him as his God and ofily Good. Fo R how can the Anger of that Being, in whom we live a?id tnove^ and have our Beings be only an Anger of Words^ or made known to us only by Words? Or how can it be any thing elfe, but fome inward Lofs of that which is our Good in him? O R how can his Pardon, be only a Par- don of JVords , or fomething heard only with our Ears ? Or how can it be any thing elfe, but his rejioring that to us, or his re~ vivi?jg that in us, which makes us again ca- pable oi folding him our God and only Good. Therefore God's Declaration of Pardon to Adam, was not barely a Promife of fome- thing to come, but the Pardon itfelf^ and was the real Commu?iication oHomething to Adam, which made him capable of enjoying God as his Good, which he had not when he wanted to be pardoned, and which he could not have, if God was in a State of Anger with him. Now had not God fpoken this Pardon and Reconciliation to Adam after his Fall, he [ lyo ] he had been in the Condition of the Deepy when it was faid, Darknefs was upon the Face cfthe Deep. Nay, it had been much worfe with him ; for had not God made this Declaration of Pardon and Redemption to him at that time, that is, had he not done inwardly in the Depth of his Soul, fomethfng Hke that which he did to the Darknefs of the Deep, when he fpoke Light into it, Adam and Eve^ and ^// their Pollcrity, had been inwardly mere: D^'Vils, and outwardly mtre Beajis, a motly Mixture of both, till the Beaft fell into the Earth, and the Soul to the State of Devils. For had not God thus in the Beginning of the Fall, before any Man was born into the World of Adam and Eve, had he not fpoke Pardon and Redemption unto Adam and Eve\ neither they, nor any of their Po-. il:erity had been capable of any Faith, or Hope, or Dejire of God, but had liv'd as much without all Confcience, or InfiinB of Good- nefs, as the Beafls of the Earth and Devils do. Therefore God redeemed Man, that is, reftor'd to him a Power of being a^ain his [171 1 his Creature, or a Power of hiowifig and finding him ro be his God, when he faid, the Seed of the Woman jlo all bmife the Serpenfs Head, He redeemed him by communicating to him a Senfe, a Feelings and a Defire of God, by communicating to him a Capacity to enjoy him as his 07ily Good, by fowing into him a Seed of the Woman, a /S'/><2r/^ of Life, an Infii?t5i of Goodnefs, a T^/^d- of Heaven, a Principle of Holinefs, a Toz^cZ? of Love, the Pearl of the Gofpel, the Pledge of Im- mortahty, the hidden Kingdom of God. For all thefe Expreflions of a Seed, a Spark, an Inflindl, a Principle, a Pearl and Kingdom , are infufficient to exprefs that inward Treafure of the Soul, and Fund of everlafting Happinefs, which God in the Beginnini^ of the Redemption , or as his A6t of Redemption, communicated to Man. Now in this Degree of Redemption is every Creature that is born of Adam ; he has this Kingdom of God in his Soul, as a Grain of Muftard-Seed, as a Spark of Life, as a Pledge of Immortality, as his Attraction t9 God : If he tramples this Pearl under his Feet, ■f «72 ] Feet, If he will chaak this Word, if he will put out this Spark, if he will re/iji this At- tradtion ; then his Deftrudion is from him- felfj and when the Carcafs of Flefh and Blood falls off from him, he muft find him- felf in his ow?i Hell, and muft have the Mi- fery of a darknedy anxious, fi^Hy f^lf'^or- mented Nature for ever,that would not fufFer itfelf to be redeemed. But if he will confent to his Redempti- on, and co-operate with that inward Re- deemer which God has put into his Soul, if he will fufFer his Spark to kindle, his InfiinSi of Goodnefs to fpread itfelf, the Light of Life to arife in him, the Voice of God to be heard in him; then will the Divijie Life, the ijiward Man, be brought forth in him ; and when his Body breaks off. Heaven will be made manifeft in his Soul, and he will fall into all the Fulnefs of God. The Son of God will be his Light, the Holy Spirit will breathe in him, and the Power and Om- nipotency of the Father, will be Life and Strength in him ; and thus in the compleateft Senfe of the Words, fhall he ever live and move, a?id have his being in God. Anb [ 173 ] ■u And now, my dear Reader, what (hall 1 lay to you ? How lliall I do that, which I mod of all defire to do, touch your Heart ? Or how can your Heart be untouch'd with this afFeding View of the Mercies of God in Chriftjefus, and of the Riches and Trea- fures which He hid in your own Soul, want- ing nothing but your own Confent and good Wifhes to be manifefted in you ? But it may be, modern Infidelity has ftole into your Heart, and fo you lie flarving in the midft of Plenty, chufing rather to famiih on the dry Hujks of Reajhn, DiJ'ptitey and Infidelity., than to have this Divine Life, this Riches of your own Soul, difcover'd to you on the Terms of the Gofpel. It may be you have buried this Spark of Life, this inward Man^ and have heap'd all the Earth upon him that you can get, that you have J'eal'd the Stone of his Sepidchre, and have fet your greateft Enemy, a reafojiing Infidelity^ upon the Watch, to difpute, wrangle and deny every Dodrine of Scripture, that as a good Angel woi'ld roul away the Stone of the Sepulchre, and let your inward Redeemer arife in you. If [ ^74 ] Ip this is your Cafe, if you have let a reafoning Infidelity into your Heart , you know not what Mifchief you have let into iti for the Denial of the Gofpel reaches much further, and is more extenfive than you imagine. Fo R to deny Jefus Chrifl, is to deny your Share in the firfl Pardon of God to Man, it is returning into the firil State of the Fall^ and refufing to be a Partner with Adam in his State of Forgivenefs; it is going over to the Side of the Serpent, and declaring that you will not enter into Peace with God on the Terms of briiifing his Heady for Jefus Chrifl that calls upon you in the Gofpel, is that fame Chrift which became Adam's Par- don, and if you rtj';d; him in the Gofpel, it is rejecting him from the Beginning j and is faying, that you will have no fliare in that Salvation which was granted to Adam, and in him to all Mankind. Nay, what is ftill more, if you rejedl the Saviour ofFer'd to you in the Go/pel, you rejed all that which makes you differ from a Devil; for that Saviour which fpeaks to you in the Gofpel, is that very fame inward Light of your Mind, which makes you now differ froni a Devil i for had you [ 175 ] you nothing of that Jefus Chrifl in you, whom you rejed in the Gofpel, you would be in the fame dark Mahgnity, and felf-tor^ menting Wretchednefs, in which every dia- boHcal Nature is. To refufe him that fpeaketh to you in the Gofpel, is not barely to renounce a certain •particular Religion rtvea\cd by God at a cer- tain Time, it is not barely to reject Chrift as come in the Flejlj-j but it is rejeding all that God has ever tranfaBed with Man, it is re- nouncing all that is Divine and Good w\th\xi you, all that God inwardly fpeaks and teaches in the Depth of your Soul ; it is faying that you will have no Benefit from the good Workings or Motions of your own Heart, or the InJiinSis of Goodnefs that are ftirring in it J for Jefus Chrift that calls you to Repen- tance in the Gofpel, is the very fame blefled Saviour, that ijuarns, reproves^ and preaches Repentance in the inmoft Effence of your Spirit. For it is a Deceit of the groffeil Kind, to think that Chrift came only as our Saviour, when he came in the Fleflo^ or that he only fpeaks ro us that which is out^iScardly fpoken in the Gofpel; for he always was lihat in every Man \\\zxfav€d\(\n\ from being entirely a diabolical Nature, and always was n as [ 176] as really the Teacher and Mover of all that is good within you, as he was the Teacher of the Go/pel Therefore to rejed him as your Saviour, to refufe him as fuch, and to defire to be w^ithout him, is in reality to de- iire to be in Hell^ to have the Darknefs and Dijirefs of diabolical Beings, it is defiring to be w^ithout any Light of God upon your Mind, or any InJiinBs of Goodnefs flirting in your Heart. And if this is not the immediate EffeSi of your Infidelity, if you don't immediately find that the Denial of Chrift, is putting out all the Light vi^ithin you ; 'tis becaufe Chrift is Love, and will be fo good towards you, as to continue his inward Light to you, though you rejed his outward Light of the Gofpel. But, my Friend, be wife in time, for this Goodnefs will continue but a Timej don't let a poor worthlefs Infidelity beguile you to eat the Duji of the Earth with the Serpent, when God has provided for you the Bread of Life. For this Time of Goodnefs and Forbearance will foon be over, and if the End of it finds you in your Infidelity, rejeding the Benefits of Chrift, you will then [ 177 ] then fee the whole of all you defir'd, you will be without Chrift, you will find that all is gone with him, and that you will have nothing left, but that Nature which is the Torment of Hell. You now think, that beeaufe you can frame Ideas of Virtue, and exert fome ABs of Goodnefs, though you rejed: all Faith in Chrift, that therefore he is not necejfary to your Virtue and Happinefs j but your mi- ferable Miftake lies here, that you think Chrift is only he that preached the Gofpel, and that it is not him that fpeaks and moves every good Thought or Word that is fpoken in you, but that you have a Light and Good- nefs of your own. But when this Time is over, and you have fpent your Hour of Grace, Chrift will no longer ftand knocking at the Door of your Heart, and then you will find, that you are as empty of all inward Light, as you are of the Gofpel, and that by rejecting him as your Saviour, you have rejected all that was Divi?ie and Good within you. Infidelity therefore is a much deeper Evil than you may imagine, it denies and rejedts more than you think of; you may intend by N it C 178 3 it only to change the Light of the Go/pel for the Light of Reajon^ but Chrift will not be divi(Jed by your Intention j he is the one only Light of Men, the fame in the Heart that he is in the GoJpel^2.x\^ though you may now think that you have tivo I'eachers, becaufe he teaches in two Places, and therefore may adhere to one, and irejed: the other j yet this -is a Deceit that can la ft no longer than the Difputings of thjs World laft with you. When the Veil of Flem and Blood is pulled off, and you, muft ftand in the Na- kednefs of your Soul before God ; then you will know, that thefe t:^o Lights are only^ one, and that neither of them can be rejeft- ed by itfelf. Thefe Lights appear now as two, only becaufe God is fo good as to leave no „Part of you untrfdy but preffes the Kingdom of Heaven upon you, both from \Vithin, and from without. The eternal Wordy the So?t of God, took human Nature upon him, work'd all his Miracles, taught all his Dodrines, under- went all his Sufferings, to make that Light of the Mind, which every Man that cometh i?ito the world, had received from him, effe- dual to their Salvation j therefore the Light I of •{^79] of the Gofpel, and the Light of the Mind, are one, as Chrift is one, whether he fpcaks, to you inwardly or outwardly. If therefore you rejed Chrift in the utmoll Efforts of his Goodnefs to fave you, you will find that the renouncing of Chrift, is renouncing all that you have from him, and that all the good Light of your Mind, call it what you will, as it was his, is all rejedted with him, arid that nothing is left in that Soul, where he is not, but mere Darknefs. But to return to my Subjecfl; what I have faid above of God's Covenant with Adani^ and the Redemption granted to him, is God's Covenant with all Mankind, and therefore thus far all Mankind are the re- deemed of Jefus. There 'is no Partiality in God, no Eledlion of one People to Salvati- on, and Dereliction of another to their own Mifery. As 2\\fcll and died in Adam^ fo all were rejlored m his Reftoration. Th us fays the Apoftle, As by the Offence of one, 'Judgment came upon all to Condemna- tion ; even fo by the Right eoujheji of one, the free Gift came upon all Men unto Juftifi- cation of Life. ^ N 2 But * Rom. V, 18. «[-i8o ] ■tinrD 3iJi:.i^ rlgjoiil; -jc^^ aj:.7/ jnsf's '. .■ B c^ t you wM' perhaps fa^P, How does it appear, that this firft Covenant of God with Mankind, or Redemption of all Men in the Redemption of Adam^ is the Redemption in and by Jefus Chrift? 4 mA^ better aik "you, Where you can liave the fmalleft Reafon even to fufped: the contrary ? For is not the Seed of the Woman^ Jefus Chriil: ? And if our Salvation then began, when God made Declaration of the faving Power of this Seed, it is plain, that Chrill's Redemption then began in Mankind, that he was thenceforward in every Man as a Spark of Life, that as a fecret Power, ihould bruife the Serpent, and fupport us againft him, till he in the Fulnefs of Time ihould, in the Fulnefs of the Promije, become fuch a Seed of the ¥/oman, as fhould openly triumph over Death and Hell, and all the Kingdom of the Serpent* For if it was Chrift that became Adams Redeemer in the promifed Seed, if he had adually the Power of that Salvation manifefted in his Sou}, and was in a State of Redemption, becaufe Chrift was become the Ranfom and Life of his Soul ; then all the Sons of Adam, from the firft to the laft, are in Adains State of 2 Covenant [ i8i ] Covenant with God through Jefus Chrlfl, and have the Seed of the Woman doing all that for them, which it did for Adam. . Again, does not the Gofpel exprefsl3f fay, that Jefus Chrill is the true Light "which light eth every Man that comet h into the World '? Therefore Jefus Chrift is in every Man that Cometh into the World, and every Sou: of Adam is in a State of Redemption in and by Jefus Chrift, and every Son of Jldaju has re- ceived that fame from Jefus Chrift, whic-h Adam receiv'd from him, viz. an inward Light of Life, a Beginnifig of his Salvation, an aclual Power or Strength to refift the Ser- pent ; therefore Jefus Chrift, as he is the Light and Life of Men, as he is the Bruifer of the Serpent, as he is the Power of Salva- tion, is and ever was the^r^^ Gift of Godiin^ to all Men, A Q A I N, Does not the Scripture teach us, that God is as well the God of the Gefitilesy 0S the God of the Jews ? But if he is their God, then they are his People. And as we know that God is not the Creator of any Beings, but in and by Jefus Chrift, by whom every thing was made, that was made; fohe is not the God of any People, but in and by N 3 Jefus [ l82 ] Jefus Chrift, who is the Reconciler of all thin^^s unto God, by whom alone all Things arfd Perfons are made acceptable to him •, therefore if he is the God and Father of the Gentiles^ then the Gentiles have an Interefl in Jefus Chrifl:, have all their Accefs to God as their Father and Creator, in and by the Be- nefits and Merits of Jefus Chrift, or, in other Words, a'-e a(^ual Partakers of the Benefits of Jefus Chrift, as he is the Saviour of Man- '"^Which is a Privilege or Bleffing that this Author will not allow Chriftians to have, even when eating the Flefti and drinking the Blood of Chriftj fo little does he know what he fpeaks of, when he fpeaks of the parta- king of the Benefits of Chrift. But you will perhaps further afk, How can the Gentiles have an Intereft in the Bene- fits of Jefus Chrift, fince they^know him nor, nor afk any thing in his Name? 3.", ■( ■^ ' M AY you not as well aik me, How they 'ean be faid to live^ aiid mo'oe^ and have their Being in God, who know not what it is to have Life, and Motion, ^n6:'^Bei?ig in him, nor ever confefs'd it in'a true manner, or ■' '-^ • under under a right ScnTe of it? For if they c^n have the Benefit of a Life in God, and be blelTed by ir, who are either totally or much ignorant of it; then Chrift, as he is the At- tonement and Life of j4Jam and his Pofteri- ty, may be a Benefit and Bleffing to thofe who are totally ignorant of it, or at leaft know nothing of him, as he is Chrift, or the Son of God manifeft in the Flefh. SidW Again, the Scripture fays of Jefus Chriftj^ that he came unto bis own^ and his oijon re- cei'ved hi?n not, that is, they knew him $}ot : Now if he could come unto his own, tho' they knew him not, then it is plain, that they may be his^ who know him not, that is, they may have fome Intereft in him, be pur- chafed by him, have received much from him, be greatly related to him, who yet are infenfible of it. Lastly, You might much better afic me. How can they who never knew any thing of Chrift, as their Mediator and Attonementy be judged by him at the laft Day ? For if they were altogether Strangers to Chrift, had no relation to him, had receiv'd nothing from him, or by means of him, he could not be their Jud^e. For Jefus Chrift cannot do any N 4 il^'mg [ i84] thing as a Judge^ till he has done every thing as a Saviour 'y nor be any where a Judge, but where he has firft appeared as a Saviour. Th e r e f o r e it is an evident Truth, that had not all Nations, and every i7idividual Man received a certain Means of Salvation through him, he could not be the 'Judge of all, „,^^P-E ATHENS, Jews and Chriflians differ not thus, that the one have a Saviour and are in a redeemed State, and the other are not j or that the one have one Saviour, and the o- ther have another ; for the one Judge of all, is the one Saviour of all j but they only dif- fer in this, that one and the fame Saviour is differently made known to them, and dif- ferently to be obtained by them. The Hea- thens knew him not as he was in the nume- rous T^ypes of the Jewijh Law, they knew him not as he is glorioufly manifejled in the Gofpel, but they knew him as he was the God of their Hearts, manifefting himfelf by a Light of the Mind, by Inftin5is of Good- nefs, by a Senftbility of Guilt, by Awakenings and Warnings of Confcience j and this was their Gofpel^ which they receiy'd as truly and really in and by and through J ejus Chriji, as 1 185 ] as the Law and Gofpel were receiv'd through him. .ou\ fir K 3d ic Therefore it is a great and glorious Truth, enough to turn every Voice into a Trumpet, and make Heaven and Earth ring with Praifes and Hallelujahs to God, tharje- fus Chrift is the Saviour of all the World, and of every Man of every Nation, Kindred, and Language. Therefore faith St. yobn, ^hey Juf7g a new Song, fiy^^'^S-' ^^'"^^ ^^^ ivor- - thy to take the Book, and to open the Seals the?-e^ of\ for thou ivaft Jlain, and hafi redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out of cvcty Kindred, and Tofigue, and People, and Nation.^ And a- gain, After this I beheld, fays he, and lo, a great Multitude, which no Man could iiumber^ of all Nations and Kindreds, and People, and tongues, food before the T^hrone, and before the Lamb, cloathed with white Robes, and isjith Palms in their Hands, and cried with a loud Voice, faying^ S ah at ion to our God ijuhichft- teth upon the "Throne, and unto the Lambr^ I MUST, before I proceed further, put in here a Word of Caution to two Sorts of Readers. If you are in fuch a State, as 1 fuppofed one to be above, touch'd with modern Infidelity, having * Rev. V. 9. f Rev. vii. 9, 10. having your Kea/bh^Ti^' upon mt^watch ta ■ guard you againi't the Gofpel, ic may here do ' its Office, and will perhaps tell you, that what I have here faid in favour of the ^^w- ral Light, or Seed of Life that is in all Men is much the fame thing that you fay ii D"-^ fence of natural Reajbfi, or Religion, only with this difference, that I mention it as coming from Chrift, and you confider it as the bare Li2;ht of Nature. won c ^ Now if this were all the Difference, Is not this enough to (hew you, that my Opi- nion is the very denial o^ yours; for if I prov'd that what you call'd the natural Light of Men, was wholly deriv'd from the divine RevelatioNy would not that be a fufficient Proof that I deny'd and difprov'd your Re- ligion of natural Reafon ? And have I not done the fame thing, if I have afTerted the Liaht of Men to be a Lieht deriv'd from Chrift? And how canfuchin AlTertion be made in the leaft favourable to your Opinion, that fuch a Light is natural? But to prevent all Mifapprehenfion, I now declare to you, and will fliew you in the moft ex'plicit manner, that that which I call die Light of Men, or the Seed of Li-fe^ [187] ^ fown into all Men byjefus Chrift, is as wholr;;i ly ditFerent from that which you call natural-, ReaJoUj as Light is different from Darknefs j and that they Hand in that fame State of Con- trariety to each other, both as to their Ori- gmal, their Nature, and ^(alities, as our Saviour and Pontius Pilate did. I MUST therefore allure you, that as I fear God, and wifli your Salvation, fo I caa no more fay a Word in favour of v^^hat is now call'd the Religion of natural Reajon^ than I would recommend to you the antient Idola- try of Heathens. And yet at the fame time, I am no more an Enemy to Reajbn, than I am an Enemy to the Light of the Sun, and as freely wifl^ you all the Benefits of the one, as of the other. But if you do by Rcafon, as they did by the uun, who thought it to be divijie, fell down before it, and expected all from it, then I muft fpeak a?f)kinly to you of the Liability of Reafon toTtl^^you this Good, as I mufl have fpoke of the Inability of the Sun to fuch Idolaters of it. njiAND if I fliould have toldthem, that the Suii was no more their God, than the pooreft Wqrm upon Earth, and that it could no more make f:[ 188 ] make thofe to be divine, that worlhipped it» than a Storm of Hail could make thofe to be divine, that it fell upon, I fhould have told them a great Truth. So if I fay to you, that Reajd?2y or theF<2cz^//)'of Reafoning, is no more the Religion of Man, than the Faculty of doubting or erring is^ and that it can no more make thofe to be divine who place their Truft in it, than a great Error can make thofe lOibe divine vi^ho abide by it 5 I (hould tell you a great and ufeful Truthiin£a3G -For Reafon, or a Faculty of Reafoning upon the moral Habitudes and Relations of Things and Perfons, or upon the moral Pro- portion of Actions, has no more of the Na^ ture and Power of Religion in it, than fo much Reafoning upon the Relations of Squares and Tria?2gles. And if a Man had this Religion of Reafon only when he was dreaming in Sleep, it would be the fame good thing to him, as it is to thofe who make it their Religion, when they are awake. For the Good of Religion, is like the Good of Food and Dri?ik to an hungry and thirfty Creature; and if inflead of giving fuch a one Bread and Wine, or Water, you ihogjd teach hini to feek for Relief, by atr tending tending to clear Ideas of the Nature of Bread, of different ways of making it, and the Re- lation it hath to Water; he would be left to die in the Want of Suftenance, juft as your 'Religion of Reafoning leaves the Soul to pe- rifh in the Want of Religion. And as fuch a Man would have no more Benefit from fuch Rea/bni?jg about the Relation that Bread had to Water, whether it was the Reafon- ing of a Dream, or the Reafoning of a Man awake, becaufe either way he was kept un- der the fame Want of that which was to pre- ferve his Life ; fo whether a Man has your Religion of Reafoning only when he is ajleep, or when he is awake, is the fame thing; be- caufe either way he is kept under the fame Want of that which can alone preferve the Life of the Soul. For the Good that is in Re- ligion, or the Good that we want to receive by it, is no more within the reach of our Rea- fon, or to be com7nunicated to us by it, than the Good of Food is in the reach of our Rea- fon, or can be communicated to us by it. And yet as a Man may have the GoodoiYood. much affifted and fecured to him, by the right Ufe of his Reafon, though Reafon has not the Good of Food In it, fo a Man may have the Good of Religion much alfifted and fecur'd to him by the right Ufe of R-ea- fon [ 190 ] fon, though Reafon has not the Go^^ of Re- ligion in it. ''■'' ''' bah fi And as a Man ought not to be accufed as an Enemy to the trueUfe of Reafoning about Food, becaufe he declares that Reafon is not Food, nor can fupply the Place of it; foa Man ought not to be accufed as an Enemy to the Ufe of Reafoning in Religion, becaufe he declares that Reafon is not Religion, nor can fupply the Place of it. ^■^BuT to ihew you the Bottom of this whole Matter, pray coniider with me as fol- lows: '-We have no Want of Religion, hm fo/ar as we want to l?et/er our State in God, orfo far as we are zmpofefed of God, or kfs pof- fefled of him than we might be. This is the true Ground of Religion, to alter our SfaU of Exiftence in God, and to have more of the Divine Nature or Perfedlions communicated to us. Nothing therefore is our Good in Re- ligion, but that which alters our State of Ex- iftence in God for the better, and puts us in poffeffion of fomething of God, or makes us Partakers of the Divine Nature in fuch a Manner and Degree as we wanted it. Every i '91 }] Every thing that is in Life, has its De- gree of Life in and from God, it lives, arid moves, and has its. heimin God, This is as true of Devils themfelves,;as,,.of the higheft and moft perfed; Angels^.w Therefore all the Happinel's oj Mifery of all Creatures confifts only in this, as, they are more^oi lefs poiTeiTed of God, or as they diff}reJttl)\^2in2kQ of the divine Nature, or„ according, to their d^i^fea-c State of Exiftencem God.^^ v>.-y->, , But if this be theTruth.of the Matter, (and w^ho can deny it) then^ve have theCer^ tainty of Demonrtration, that nothing can" be our Good in Religion, but that whit''- "o;;?- municates to us fomething of God or the di- vine Nature, or that which betters our State and Manner of Exiftence in God. For if Devils are what they are, becaufe of ilicir Stati. and Manner of Kxifrence in God; i^ blcfled Angels are what they arc, becaufe o. their State and Manner of Exift- ence in God j then it undeniably follows, that ah that is betwixt Angels and Devils, all Beings, from the Flappinefs of the one to the Mifery of the other, muft and can have no other Happinefs or Mifery, but accord- ins C 192 ] iiig to their State and Maimer of fixillencc in God, or according as they have more or lefs of the State of Angels, or the State of Devils in them. Therefore nothing can be our Good in Religion, but that which alters our State and Manner of Exiftence in God, and renders us pofTefs'd of him in a different and better Manner. N o w if you was to fend to the fallen Spi^ rits of Darknefs, all the Syjlems of your Re- ligion of Reafon^ that have been publiflied here, to let them knov\^ that they have the Pov^er of their ovi^n Reftoration and Happi- nefs within themfelves, that they need feek to nothing, but their own natural Reafon and Underftanding, and the Strength and A- Bivity of their own Powers, to raife them to all the Happinefs they are capable of ^ fuch a Religion would be fo far from altering or mending their State of Exiftence in God, or doing them any good, that it would add Strength to all their Chains j and the more £rmly they believed and relied upon it, the more would they be confirm'd and fix'd in their Separation from God. And yet, a Religion that mufl neceflarily keep them in Hell, is the only Religion that . you [ "93 ] you will have to carry you to Heaven. May God deliver you from this Error ! On the other hand, if you could infufe into thofe dark Spirits a Glimpfe of thac Light of the Mind, or InfiinB of Goodnefs, which I have faid all Mankind have received from Jefus Chrift, as their fecond Adam^ their Salvation would be fo far begun, and Hell would become a State of T^rial for their Redemption. Therefore that Light of the Mind, or Inftind of Goodnefs which I have fpoken of, has the utmod: Contrariety to your Religion of Reafon^ that can potnbly be imagined. The oneis the Beginning of the new Birth in Chrift, and the Foundation of Heaven , the other is the Growth of Death, and the very EfTence of Hell in the Soul. Now thac here is no Aggravation of the Matter, but the plain and naked Truth, you may ealily fee from a Confideratlon of the Articles of your Religion of Reajbn. Your Religion of Reafon, is a Religion of natural Stre?igtb and Power, that rejects the Necejjity of a Saviour, that feels no Want of him, that rejeds the Neceflity of Divine Grace^ the Guida?jce of the Holy Spirit, and feels no JVant of it 5 O ihefe [ 194 J tfieti^M'i\\&(;pkfial Parts of jckf Religion of Reafon, which are in Truth and Reality the Religion of Hell, or that very State of Mind which reigns and governs ther^dVi^% - -^ih ba^ ,rn3fij m sii J aid \q> For could thofe miferable Spirits re- nounce thefe Articles of your Religion, their Chains of Darknefs would break off from •them. Could they caft themfelves down be- "fofe God, humbly con feffing, thatofthem- Sfc^Ves-they arc not able to fave themfelves, or even to think a good Thought : Could they in Humility and Penitence beg of the Mercy of God, to do fomething i?i them and jor them, which they cannot do to themfelves : Could they acknowledge the Want of a Sa- viour, afk God iofnd one for them : Could xhtyfeel and own the Want of his Holy Spirit^ and humbly beg of God to be affifted by it, a Door of Salvation would be opened to them. And yet you fee that nothing opens this Door, but the plain and full Renuncia- tion of every Part of your Religion of Rea- son. And if it be afked, Why they cannot be faved ? no other Reafon can be given, but be- caufe they will not ; they cannot renounce your Religion of Reafon^ that is, they cannot I humblv humbly acknowledge their own Inability to do themfelves good j they will not admit the Thought of a Saviour^ they will not be af- fifted by the Spirit of God, or own the Want of his Life in them, and therefore they arc and muft be what they are, Prifoners in Chains of Darknefs..o galjiy Awake therefore, my dear Friend, and caft away this Religion from you, with more Earneftnefs than you would caft burning Coals out of your Bofom: For could it only deftroy your Body, I (hould have been lefs earneft in giving you notice of it. But as I have the fuUeft Conviction, that it is the Death and Darknefs of your Soul, and is bringing the E[j'ence of Hell fecretly and in- vifibly into it \ you muft forgive me, if I ufe all the Expreflions and Defcriptions I can think of, to prevent your giving into it. Had I a fuperficial Charity for you, or a flight View of the Hurt you are doing toyourfelf, I (hould fpeak to you accordingly J but the Depth and Earneftnefs of my Deflre to do you good, muft have Expreflions fuitable to it. Study not therefore how to find fault with me, or to diflike the Words, or Man- ner of my ^tiky for it is the- Stile of Love ..and Zeal for your Salvation; and if you con- ■ idrru'/. O % deran C ^96 ] demn any thing but Love in it, you condemn fomething that is not there. ^. v-vrf-fyrnr-f^* ^^ hnnr' x>: ■• '.f-^ff-HlT rf^'^-^■ I H Ave {hewn you, that the Religion of Reafon is the very State of hellifli Minds, and that they are what they are, becaufe they will do all for themfelves, place all in their own Strength, becaufe they cannot be hiimhle^ cannot own the Want of a Saviour ; and I have only appeal'd to this Inftance of the 'Nature and Power of your Religion of Rea- fon, to {hew you in the mo{l undeniable Manner, that it mu{l, and can have no other Effeft upon you, than it has upon themj xhat it muft produce tht fame Hell in your ^Soul, the fame Separation from God, and cannot pofTibly be any more the way of Sal^ vat ion for you, than it is for them. .^: Wh at is the Reafon that the Faith of the Devils, or their Belief of God, does them no good ? It is becaufe there is nothing in it but iheir own jiB^ a mere Produd of their own; it is becaufe it is an Adt of your Religion of Reafon, that will have no Virtue but by its -own Strength, and of its own Growth. But if they could have fo much of the Religion of the Gofpel, as to fay in the Language of it> Lord help our Unbelief, their Faith would be 2 changed^ [ »97 ] changed, and be beneficial to them, only for this Reafon, becaufe they had renounced your Religion of doing good to thcmfclves by their owji natural Powers. Hence it fufficiently appears, that your Way of natural Reafon, cannot be theWay of Salvation: i/?, Becaufe the Want of Salva- tion is nothing elfe, but the wanting to have our State, or Manner of Exiftence in God al- ter'd for the better, or to have fomething of God confimunicated to us, which we wane and are capable of receiving. But if this is the Nature of Salvation, then no Religion can y^'LY us, can do us our 'proper Good, or fupply our proper Want, but that which has Power to alter our State of Exiftence in God, or to communicate to us that of God which we want and are capable of. Therefore it follows, that nothing but that fame God which created us, which gave us our State and Manner of Exiftence in him, and com- municated to us that which we poilefs of him ; nothing but that fame God can redeem us, or help us to that State or Manner of Ex- iftence in him, which we have loft, or are in want of. O 3 But r riWi BtfT if God alone can redeem us, and for the fame Reafon that he alone can create % if Creation and Redemption neceffarily require the fame Power, and muft for the fame Rea- fon be neceffarily appropriated to God, be- caufe each of them equally imply the Com- munication oi fomething of God to us; then I fuppofe it may be granted, that the Re- ligion of Reafon, which is iot faving our- felves by our own natural Powers, is the greateft of all Abfurdities ; as abfurd as to fuppofe, that we can create by our own na- tural Powers, becaufe Creation and Redem- ption both of them equally imply a Co7nmu- nication of fomething of the Divine Nature; and therefore he that cannot do the one, cannot do the other. And if a Man was to afk himfelf. Why he cannot be the Saviour of other People, as well as of himfelf? He could fay nothing againft the one, but what muft for the fame Reafon be faid againft the other. For if Sal- vation is a Communication oi fomething of God to the Perfon faved, then it is plain, that a Man can no more do this for Jiimfelf, than he can do it for another. ""'"^ ^^ ^^ '^^^^^ There h '9.% ] There never could have been any Dif- pute about the PcJ/il)iI/fy o£ f^v'mg ourftlves, nor any Pretence to fave ourlelves by our own natural Faculties, had not Men loft all true Knowledge both of God and themfelves. For this Difpute cannot happen, till Men fuppofe that God is Ibme outward Beifig^ that our Relation to him is an outivard Rela- tion^ that Religion is an outward Thing that palTes between God and us, like Terms ot Behaviour between Man and Man; that Siii hurts and feparates us from God, only as a Mifdemeanour hurts and feparates us from our Prince; that an offended or angry God either gives or refufes Pardon to us, as ah angry Prince does to his Subjeds; and that what he gives us, or forgives us, is fome- thing as diftind and different from himfelf, as when a Prince fitting upon his Throne gives or forgives fomething to an Offender, . that is an hundred Miles from him. I Now all this is the fame total Ignorance of God, of what he is, of the Relation we have to him, and the Manner of his being f-^cur Goody as when the old Idolaters took Men to be Gods. And yet nothing is more plain, than that your Religion of Reafon is O 4 iV'holly [ 20O ] wholly founded upon thefe grofs and falfo) Notions of God. You have not anArgUr^-i ment in its Defence, but what fuppofes a] I ^ thefe Errors juft mention'dj that our Relati:^! on to God IB ^n outward RelaiioHy like that ^ of Subjeds to their Prince, and that what., we do tQ,, and for God, as our Service to him, is and muft be done by our ow?z Power, as that which we do to, and for our Prince, muft be by our ovv^n Power. And here lies the Foundation of all your Religion of Rea- fon and Natural .power, that i:f it was not fiificieni to obtain for us all that we want of ^; God, he muil be lefs good than a good • earthly Prince, who requires no more of us, than that which we have a natural Strength to do, or can do by our own Po,v^ef. ■ And yet this Error appears to have alj . tKe^Groffnefs of Idolatry^ as foon as youj fuppofe, that God is no outward Je parage ^^ Being, but that we are what we are, have wliat we have, can do that which we can do, : becaufe he has brought us to this State of: Life, Power and Exiftence in himfclj\ becaufe he has made us, fo far as we are made Par- takers or PoiTeflbrs , of his own Natu^re, and . has communicated to us fo much of himfelf; or, in the Words of Scripture^ becaufe i?i , [ 201 ] himwelivej move, and havis our being, and^ confequently have no Life, Motion or Being " out of him. For from this State of our Exiftence in God, it neceffarily follows, firfl, that by the Nature of our Creation we are only put into a Capacity of receiving Good: A Creature as fuch, can be in no other State, it is as impoffible for him to enrich himfelf, or communicate more good' to himfelf, as it was to create himfelf. 2^/)^,, That nothing but God himfelf can do us any, good. 3 arl Therefore your Religion of Reafon,! which you efteem as the modern Refinements of an human Mind, and more excellent and rational than the Faith and Humility of the Gofpel, has all the Dregs of the Heathen Idolatry in it, and has changed nothing in Idolatry, but the Idol; but has the fame Miftakes of the Nature of God, and of the Manner in which he is our God, and our Good, as thofe Idolaters had; and only differs from them in fuch a Degree of Fhilojophy^ as the Religion of worfhiping the Sun^ differs from the Religion of worfhiping an Onion. And if you expeft that divine Affiftance from your Reafon, which one did from the Sun, and another from an Onion-, ye ar« all equally Idolaters, though ye may not be equally Philofophers. '"^-^ For as foon as it is known and confeffed, that God is all in all, that in him we live, move, and have our Being; that we can have nothing feparately or out of him, but [ 203 ] hut every thing in himj that we can hav& no Being, nor any Degree of Being, nor. any Degree of Good but in him ; and that he can give us nothing but himfelf, nor any Degree of Salvation, but in fuch Degree as he communicates fomething more of him- felf j as foon as this is known, then it is known with the utmoft Evidence, that to put our Truft in the Sun^ an Onion ^ or our own ReafoNy if not equally abfurd, is yet equally idolatrous^ and equally prejudicial to our Salvation, " ^ This, I think, my dear Friend, may fuf- ficiently (hew you both the Nature and Dan- ger of your Religion of Reafon j and that ic can no morefupply the Needs and Neceffities of your Soul, than an Idol can fave them that worfhipped itj that in this refpedl it has the Injignijicancy of an Idol, the Vanity of an Idol, and the Sin of an Idol; that it is that fame Self-confidence, Self-acquiefcence, that fame Refufal of a Saviour and all divine Afiiftance, that keeps loft Spirits the Prifo- ners of Hell. Could they touch the Spirit of the Gofpel, their Freedom would be begun ; and becaufe they will not, cannot depart in xht Jmalleji Tittle from your Reli- gion of natural Strength, their Chains are immoveable. For t 204 ] 'For no Soul can be loft, that can truly humble itfelf before God, and apply to his Mercy to be help'd, fav'd and redeem'd in fitch a Manner as it fliall pleafe him. Let it be hid, or bury'd, or imprifon'd where it will. Hell and Earth, Death and Darknefs, and every thing muft give way to the Soul thus converted to God, that has no Confidence in itfelf, that fees, nothing of its own but Sin, and that defires and calls upon God to faye it by fome Miracle of his own Mercy and Goodnefs. By this Senjibility of the want of a Saviour, and by this humble Co??- *uerJion and Application to God for him, all Chains are broken off, all Wounds are healed, and the Soul muft infallibly find, if it thus continues to feek, its Salvation in the unknown Depths and Riches of the divine Mercy. On the other hand, no Soul, however refin'd and fpeculative, however lofty and afpiring in its Imaginations, fpiritual in its Conceptions, or deep in its Penetration, can poffibly be fav'd , that trufts in its own Strength and Ability, and will have no other Saviour or Redeemer, but its own natural Reafon and Faculties.. The [ 2P.5 J The whole Univerfe has not two Truths of greater Certainty than thefe. And yet if they are Truths, and Truths of the utmoft Certainty, then the abfolute Necejfity of the Gofpel Salvation, and utter ImpoJJibility of being faved by your Religion of Reafon^ has its final Decifion. Fu R T H E R, that Principle of Life, or Light of the Mind, which I have faid thac every Man receives from Jefus Chrift, as the Beginning of his Salvation, is entirely diffe- rent from your magnify 'd Light of Reajbriy as that lignifies a Faculty of viewing the Relations of the Ideas of Things, and drawing Confequences from them. For that Light I fpeak of, is Goodnefs itfelf, a Seed or Degree fo much of the heavenly Life in the Soul ; but this Faculty of Speculatijig and Reafon- ing has nothing of the Nature of Goodnefs or Religion, it has not fo much as the Shadow of it, a^d is in its own Nature as foreign from Religion, when it is fpecula- ting upon ir, as when it is fpeculating upon any thing elfe. Jufl as our Faculty of Seeing has no more of Goodnefs, or the Nature of an AfJgel in it, when it fees the Pidure of an mrT C 206 ] an Angely than when it fees the Pidure of a Beaft. ^ ^f^3 rf^iw b'rfauoj **\Vi^^Vl sri 3 -a I 001 gnbH laagilbKii nfi 8£w And as a blind Man has no more Light in him, when he reafons about Light and Colours , than when he difcourfes about Weights and Meafures ; fo this Ratiocinati- on, or Reafoning of the Mind, has no more of Religion in it, when it fpeculates its Ideas of God, Goodnefs and Morality, than when it fpeculates its Ideas of Trees and Houfes. 'And the Reafon is plain, becaufe this Faculty of fpeculating and arguing, is only the ASiivity of the Mind upon its own Ima- ges and Ideas, and is only xht fame bare Ad:i- vity, whatever the Images be that exercife it; it has nothing of the Nature of the Images that it views, nor gets the Nature of them, becaufe it views them ; as it does not become dark when it conliders the Nature, Caufes and EfFeds of Darknefs, nor becomes Light when it reafons about it; fo neither is it Religion, nor gets any thing of the Nature .of Religion, when it is wholly taken up in making Defcriptions and Definitions of it. • -I .- - ■ ."S ■ ;. \i-i\ ^ If [ 207 ] If the Needle touched with the Loadfione was an intelligent Being, it could reafon and make Definitions oiitfelj] of AttraSfiotij and of the LoadJione\ but it would be eafy to fee, that the AttraBion in the Needle, or the Virtue of the Loadftone that was left in it, was fomething in its whole Nature really different from this reafoning about itj and that this reafoning and defining had no rela- tion to this Attradion, nor would ever be the more like it, for its reafoning upon it, though it continued ever fo long, or improv'd ever fo much in its Defcriptions of it, but would always be at the fame Diftance from it, and could have nothing of its Nature in it. But now if this reafoning Faculty in the Needle fhould pretend, that the Needle need not be drawn by an inward Attracflion, that it need not be unjixdy or deliver'd from any outward Impediments of its turning to the Loadftone, becaufe this reafoning Faculty was its true znA proper AttraBion^ being full of Ideas and Definitions of it; you would then have a plain Exafnple of your Practice, in taking natural Reafon to be true Religion, and to have the Nature and Power oi Joine- thing that carries the Soul to God, For [ 208 ] For this Inftance is a clear Explication of the whole Matter; for that which I have called the firft Redemption of Chrift in the Soul, a ^eed of Life, an Injlmcl of Good, a Stirring of Confcience, an AthaBion to God, is that to the Soul, which AttraBion is to the Needle that is touch'd, and is as different from your Religion of Reafon, as a reafoning Faculty in the Needle would be different from its AtfraBion, and never could be Attraction, or have the Nature of it. If the Needle lofes its Attradlion , its Communication with the Loadftone is at an end, and though it reafons never fo long about it, it is ftill at the fame Diftancc from it. So if the Soul lofes its InjiinB of Good- nefs, its ^eed of a Divine Life, its AttraBion to God, all its Reafonings and Definitions about God and Goodnefs are of no ufe to carry it to God, but it mufl lye in an abfo- lute State of Separation from him, if its Attradion, its inward Tendency to God, is lofl. And [ 209 ] And let me tell you, my dear Friend, for fo I mud call you and think of you, that there is much more in this hijiajue than you imagine. For all is Magnetijrn^ all is Sentiment^ InJlinB and Attradiion^ and the Freedom of the "Will has the Government of it. There is nothing in the Univerfe but Magnetifm, and the Impediments of it. For as all things come from God, and all things h'lvtfomethitig of God and Goodnefs in them, io all things have magfiefical Effttls and I?tjii7tcfs both towards God and one another. This is the Lifey the Force, the Power, the Nature of every thing, and hence every thing has all that is really GooJ or Evil in it; Reafon ftands onlyasaBufy- body, as an idle Spectator of all this, and has only an imaginary Povv^er over it. We difcover this Magnetifm in fome things, where it breaks out fenfiblyj but it is every-where, for the fame Keafon that it is any- where, though we are too bufy with the Fi<5tions of our own Minds to fee it, or too much employ'd in fuch things as refifl and fupprefs its Force. P But [ 2IO ] But becaufe this Magnetifm is a fecret Life, that wants to increafe its Strength^ before it can fenfibly {hew its Power; and becaufe we have an ABivity oiKeafon within us, that is foon in Adion, and concerns it- felf with every thing, and takes all upon it, as if it did all; becaufe it can look at all, and dijptite about all, therefore it is, that this Magnetifm, or Inftin<^ towards God and Goodnefs, has much difficulty to ihew itfelf fufficiently, and only flirs now and then within us, or when Sicknefs, Diftrefs, or fome great outward Shock has fo dafh'd in pieces all Images of Reafon, and ftopp'd the Aclivity of our Minds, that this fecret Power of the Soul has liberty to awake in it. This is that Trumpet of God which will raife and feparate the Dead, and then all Impediments being remov'd, every thing will take its place, not according to the Ima- ges and Ideas it has here play'd with, but according to the inward Tendency and At^ traftion of its Nature, and Heaven and Hell will each take its own. o M And [ 211 ] JSli And even whilfl we are in this Life, thi^ Magnetifm is the Mark within us, to what Part we belong; and that which has its At- tradion in us, has the Right to us, and Power over uSj though for a while Fleili and Blood, and the Nature of our temporal State, hinders this from being vifibly and fenfibly known. Nothing however is more plain, than that our Goodnefs bears no Proportion to our intelledual Abilities of Reafon; every one fees this, and yet no more than this need be feen, to give us the fuUeft Demonftration, that natural Reafon has no Connection with Virtue and Goodnefs, and therefore furely can have no Connexion with our Salvation, or be the proper Caufe of it. Hence we fee, that learned, acute, ra^ tional Philofophers are often Atheijls ; and thofe that can demonftrate the Foundation of Virtue, and paint every Office of it, are Rakes and Debauchees, and will fell every Appearance of pradlical Virtue for a Salary of fo much a Year; whilft thofe that feem to have little of intelledual Accomplifh- jnents, are Virtuous and Honed, have a P ?, Tafte '[ 212 ] Tafte and Relifli for every pradical Vir- tue. Th e natural Love or Affedion of Rela- tions, bears no proportion to our rational Abilities to fpeak or w^rite of them. A Parent that is of too refin'danUn- ^erftanding to content himfelf with the Morals of the Golpel, or its low Way of making Men good, and that wants to be en- tertain'd with a Virtue of more Mathema- tical Exaftnefs, is often content with the Demonftration, and fo remains deficient in the plaineft Duties of domeftick AfFedion ; when the poor Labourer or Mechanick, that knows not what you mean by a Definition, has all the folid Love and AfFedtion that be- comes a good Relation. All this, and much more, which you and every one may think for himfelf of the fame Kind, is a fufficient Proof, that the Ground of Goodnefs in every Man, is fomething entirely dijiinB from our natural Faculties of Reafon and Speculation. And therefore, when you place the Power of your Salvation in your intellcSfual Light, or the Strength of your own Reafon, you place it in your weakcji Parr, in the fooreft, I molt [ 213 ] moft trifling and ififtgnificant Thing that-J)C- longs to you, and upon that which has the leaft Effed: in human Life. f The only good that Reafon can do to you, is to remove the Impediments of Vir- tue, and to give room to that inv^^ard InjiinSi or Attra5iion to God, and Goodnefs, to dif- play itfelf j that the inmoll; Spirit of yoyr Mind may receive its Strength and Affiflance from the Spirit of God, from which, as the Needle from the Loadflone, it has all its In- JiinB of Goodnefs and T^endency towards God. \ For this inward Inftind: of Goodnefs, or Life of God in the Soul, is all the real and living Goodnefs that is in you, and is as dif- ferent and diftind from natural Reafon, as the Lighty and Heat, and Poiver and Firtue of the Sun, is different from a Pi^m^e of it upon a piece of Ca?ivafs, and has as different EffecCts upon the Mind. For this Light of bare Reafon, or the reafoning Faculty of the Mind, has ho Con- trariety to the Vices of the Heart, it neither kills them, nor is kill'd by them. As Pride, Vanity, Hypocrify, Envy or Malice, don't P 3 take [ 214 ] take, away from the Mind irs Geometrical Skill, fo a Man may be mofl Mathematical in his Demonflrations of the Religion of Reafon, when he has extinguifh'd every good Sentiment of his Heart, and be the mofb zealous for its Excellency and Sufficiency, when he has his Paffions in the mofl difordetr But in that Light of the Heart, or Atr tyaBion to God, which I have faid is comr njqn to all Mankind in and through Jefus Chrift, all is contrary. As it is a Gift and Grace of God, fo it is a real Life, a living Thing, a Sentiment of the Heart, and fo far as it grows and increafes in us, fo far it de-^ ftroys all that is bad and corrupt within us. It has the fame Contrariety to all Vices of ihe Heart, that Light has to Darknefs, and mull either fupprefs or t?e fupprefs'd by them. N o w when I fpeak of this Light, or Inr ftind of the Hearty or Attraction to God, I have not only the Authority of Scripture, but every Man's own Experience on my fide; that Diflindiipn between the Head and the Heart, which every one knows how to make, plainly declare^ for all that I have ftid. It fliew^ [ 215 ] Ihews that the State, and Manner, and Ten^' dency of our Heart, is all that is good within Qs; and that the Reafonings and Speculations of the Head, are only an empty Shew and Noife that is made in the Outfide of us. Fo R tM^%rhicK we mean by the Hearty plainly fpeaks thus much, it is a kind of Life and Motion within us, which every one knows contains all that is good or bad in us ; that we are that which our Hearts are, let us talk, and reafon, and difpute what we will about Goodnefs and Virtue ; and that this State of our Heart is as diftindt from, and independent of all Speculations of our rea- foning Faculties, as it is diftindl from, and independent of all the Languages in which a Scholar can reafon and fpeculate upon it. And if a ?vlan (hould fay, that the Excellency and Sufficiency of natural Religion confifted in knowing all the Languages in which Vir- tue, Goodnefs and Religion are exprefs'd by different Sounds and Charaders, he would have fi\id as much Truth, and as well grounded, as he who places the Excellency and Sufficiency of natural Religion in the many Arguments and Demonftrations which Reafon can raife about it. For all Reafon- jng and Speculation ftand on the Outfide of ^' P 4 the [ 2l6 ] the Heart, in the fame fuperficial Manner as all Languages do. -l^iarijc. 11' vb ni h lo no'-P»3''lT'^i*I For our Heart is ouv Manner o^ Exi{l4 ence, or the State in which we feel ourfelves to be; it is an inward Life, a vital Senfibili- ty, which contains our Manner of feeling what and how we are 5 it is the State of our Defires and Tendencies, of inwardly feeing, hearing, tafting, relifliing and feeling that which pafTes within us ; it is that to us in^ wardly with regard to ourfelves, which our Senfes of feeing, hearing, feeling, ^c. are, vvith regard to Things that are without, or external to us. ^\^C\ r; Now as Reafon is a poor, fuperficial, and infignificant Thing with refpedl to our out- ward Senfes, unable to add any thing to our hearing and feeing^ &c. or to be the true Pow- er and Life of them, by all its Speculations and Reafonings upon them ; fo it is much more a poor, and fuperficial, and infignifi- cant Thing with refped; to the inward Sen- fibility of the Heart, or its feeing, feeling, i^c. and much more unable to add to, or a- mend the State of the Heart, or become the Life and Power of its Motions, by its Argu- ings about them. And C 217 ] And therefore, to feek for the Religion or Perfection of the Heart in the Power of our Reafon, is more groundlefs and abfurd, and againft the Nature of Things, than to feek for the Perfedion and Strength of our Senfes in the Power of our Reafon. Now I appeal to every Man in the World for the Truth of all this; for every Man has the fulleft inward Convi(5tion, that his Heart is not his Reafon, nor his Reafon his Heart, but that the one is as ditferent from the other in its whole Nature, as Pain, and Joy, and Deiire, are different from DeJi?iitions of them; and that as a thoufand Definitions of Joy and Defire, will not become that Defire and Joy itfelf; fo a thoufand Definitions of Religion will not become Religion itfelf, but be al- ways in the fame State of Diftance from it; and that all Reafoning and Speculations up- on Religion, are at the fame State of Di- flance from the Nature and Power of Reli- gion, as Speculations upon our Paflions are from the Nature and Power of them. You know, not by Hearfay, Reafoning, or Books, brat by an inward Sentiment, that your Reafon can be very nicely religious, ve- ry [ 2l8 J ry flridt in its Defcriptions of Goodnefs, at the fame time that the Heart is a mere Liber- tine, funk into the very Dregs of Corrupti- on: On the other hand, you know, that when your Reafon is debauch'd with Argu-^ menXs, is contending for Prophanenefs, and^ feems full of Proof that Piety is Superftition, your Heart at the fame time has a Virtue in it, that fecretly dilTents from all that you lay; N ^tTow all this Proof that the State ^ofKea- fori is not the State of your Heart, is the fame Proof that Reafon is not the Power or Strength of our Religion, becaufe what our Heart is, that is our Religion; what belongs to our Heart, that belongs to our Religion j which never had nor can have any other Nature, Power, or Perfection, than that which is the Nature, Power, and Perfe<5tion of our Heart. Yo u are forced to know and feel, whether you will or no, that God has a certainy^'cr^/ Power within you, which is watching every ^ Opportunity of faying fomething to you, ei- ther of yourfelf, the Vanity of the World, or the Guilt and Confequences of 5in, This I 219 ] This Is that Inftindof Goodnefs, Attra^-t <5lion of God, or Witnefs of himfelf in the Soul of every Man, which without Argu- ments and Reafonings rifes up in the Soul, and would be doing fome good to it, if ^not quenched and refifted by the Noife and Hur- ry either of Pleafures or Bufinefs. ,.,y And this is every ones natiwal 'Religion^ or Call to God and Goodnefs, which is faith- ful to every Man, and is the only Founda- tion of all the Virtue and Goodnefs that (hall be brought forth in him. And the leaft Stirring of this inward Principle, or Power of Life, is of more Value than all the Acfivi-^ ty of our Reafon, which is only as it were a Painter of dead Images, which leave the Heart in the fame State of Death, and Em^ ptinefs of all Goodnefs in which they find it. Therefore, my dear Friend, know the Place of your Religion, turn inwards, liften to the Voice of Grace, the Inftind: of God that fpeaks and moves within youj and in- ilead of forming dead and lifelefs Images, let your Heart pray to God, that all that is Poo;i and Ploly in him, may touch, and f[ 22D ] {i\r] and revive all that is capable of Good- nefs and Holinefs in you. Your Heart wants nothing but God, and nothing but your Heart can receive him. This is the only Place and Seat of Religion, and of all Com- munication between God and you. We are apt to confider Confcience only as fome working of our Heart, that checks us, and fo we are rather afraid, than. fond of it. But if we look'd upon it as it really is, fo much of God within us, revealing himfelf within us, fo much of a heavenly Life, that is driving to raife us from the dead, we (hould love and adhere to it, as our happy Guide to Heaven. For this Reafon, I have call'd this Spark of Life, or Liftindt of Goodnefs, ouv i?iward Redeemer 'y not only becaufe it is the only Thing within, that helps forward our Salva- tion, but alfo becaufe it is the firfl Beginning of ChriU's' Redemption in the Souls of all Men, by his becoming the Attonement for all. And as it is thefirft Step of Chrifl's Re- demption in the Soul, and that which be- came f[ 221 ] came their Capacity of Salvation ;■ fo the Pro- grefs of their Redemption confifts in the In- creafe and Growth of this firft Seed of Life, till the new Man be wholly raifed up by it. Lastly, another real Difference between this hifiinB of Goodnefs, or Piety of the Hearty and your Religion of Reafon, is this, that natural Reafon in itfelf is incapable of Jefus Chrill:; it cannot comprehend him, lic is at Enmity with him, and fets itfelf up S- gainft him. For it feels Jio Want of a Savi- our, and therefore is unwilling to receive one. Or if it was to admit of a Saviour, it muffc be only fuch a one as came to increafe the Number of its Imager and Ideas ^ or to help it to be inore aBive and artful in the raneino-. dividing and diftinguifhing them. And for this Reafon it is, that a Book of Ideas and DiJlinBions is more valued by fome People, than all the Salvation that is offer'd in the Gofpel. But this natural Religion or Inftinifl of Goodnefs, of which Ihave fpoken, as God's free Gift to all Men in Jefus Chrift, has that natural Fitnefs for the receiving of Chrifl, as the Eye has for receiving the Light ; it wants C 222 ] vfahts ninr, it delires him, it is forTiirrt, it. knows him, it rejoices in him, as the Eye- wants, delires, knows, and rejoices in the Light. And of this natural Religibn, orRe-->) ligion of the Heart, does our Saviour plain- <, ly fpeak, when he faith, He that is of God heareth Gcd\s JVord^ . and again, M^ S.heep hear my Voice. Therefore this Inflin6t of Goodnefs, or Piety of the Heart, though it is God's Gift to Man before his hearing the outward Word, is yet a certain Preparation for it; and if it be brought forth in us, is a never-failing Fitnefs to receive it. Therefore he that has this natural Religion of the Hearty of which I have fpoken, has the greateft Fitnefs to receive the Gofpel, he is fo of God, that he heareth Gods Wordy fuch a Sheep of Chrift as knoweth his Voice. And therefore the receiving, or not receiving the Gofpel, is the greateft of all Demonftrations, whether a Man hath, or hath not that right- Religion that is antecedent to it. NatuRx\l Religion, when rightly un-* derftood, is a real Thing, and of the fame Truth as reveal'd Religion. But the Mi-^ flake lies here, in our taking natural Reli-* o;ion to be the Work or EfFed of natural Reafonj whereas ReafoDj or our Faculty of reafoning [ 223 1; reafonlng upon our Ideas, is,not a P^nf^,^^^ natural or reveal'd Religion, but only a bar^;,} Spectator of its own Images of natural and reveal'd Religion, juft as it is not a Part of our hearing 2inAjeei?tg; nor can come any nearer to them, than as it is a bare Sped:ator of its own Images of them. All Men by virtue of God's firft Pardon to Adam^ are put into a State of Salvation ; and as this State, though it is the free Gift , of God, is common to all Men, as Men, or^ born of Adam, (o it may in a good Senfe be call'd their natural State, and the Religion of this State, their natural Religion. Now the Queftlon is, What is the natu- ral Religion of this State? It is that which his State and Condition fpeaks to him. Now his Condition and State in the World plainly fpeaks thus much to him, that he is a Sinner, and yet in a State of Favour with God, or in a PoJ/ii?ility of ht'ing accepted of him. Eve- ry Man's Nature teaches him thus much, with the fame Certainty that it teaches him, that he is weak and mortal. That he is a Sinner, and at the fame time an Objecft of Divine Mercyt are things that are made known to him, [ 224 ] him, not by Arguments or Speculation, but by his own being what he is. Therefore the whole of natural Reli- gion conlifts in a Man's following this Voice of Nature, and ading conformably to it j in acknowledging the Sinfulnefs of his State, and in imploring and relying upon the divine Mercy to be deliver'd from it. This is the whole Truth of natural Religion; an hum- ble penitent Senfe of Sin, and an humble Faith and Truji in the Mercy of God to be deliver'd from it ; though it is not known by what Name to call that Deliverance, or what kind of Saviour is wanted to effed: it. But he that thus according to the Diredion of bis natural State lives before God, in Petii- tence^ and in Faith in his Mercy, is fure of having the Benefit of all the Mercy of God, though he does not know the Method, or the Means, by which the Mercy of God will fave him. So that true, natural'KtWgion and reveal'd Religion agree in thefe two great and effential Points, that Man is in a State of Siny and yet in a State oi Acceptance with God thro' his Mercy ; therefore the Piety of the one, is the Piety of the other, vi;^. a penitait Senfe of [ 225 ] of Sin, and a humble Faith and 'Truft in God to be delivered from it by his Mercy. And here you may again fee, why this Natural Religion is to be confider'd, not as a Matter of Reafon^ but as an InftinB of Good^ nefs, or Piety of the Hearty becaufe it is no- thing elfe huifo much Goodnefs^ not in Idea^ but in the very inward Effence of the Soul, as diftinguiflies and preferves it both from Beads and fallen Spirits. H A D a Man no Senfe of Shame for his Sins, he would be in the very State of the Beaftsj had he no Faith and Hope in the Mercy of God, he would be in the State of the Devils. Therefore that internal Se?2timej2t of Hearty that InJiinB of Goodnefs, is his c«/y true Religion of Nature, becaufe it is thus the Prejervation of his Nature, and the/^- *uing him from being like to Beafls and fallen Spirits. Reason therefore, as it is a Faculty of fpeculating and comparing Ideas, has no more Share in this Religion of Nature, than it has a Share in our natural Powers oihear^ I 226 I i?7g 2Lnd feeing y and as it can only in a Iktk Pi^ay, and in certain Circujjijiances^ do fom& outward Service to thefe Senfes^ fo it can on- ly Jn the fame little and low Way, help and affift this Religion of Nature by fome out- ward Services,:^ ^^^^^ gnids ' And as this Inftindt of Goodnefs, or in- ward Sentiment of the Heart, is that alone which preferves our Nature, and therefore is alone the true Religion, or Salvation of Na- ture; fo the whole of all reveal'd Religion, is to improve this true Religion of Nature in its, two ejfential Parts, Penitence for Sin, gnd Faith and Trufl in the Mercy of God. For all reveal'd Religion has only this End, it teaches nothing, intends nothing, but ta^ give us more Reafons for Penitence, and more Reafons for Faith and Trujl in the Mercy of God. 7U And therefore it was that I faid, this In- flincfl of Good, or true Religion of Nature, is the very Preparation of the Heart for the Reception of the Gofpel. For fo much aa there is of this Penitence and Faith living in the Soul, fo much it has of Eyes to fee, qfr Ears to hear, and of a Heart to underhand all the Truths of Divine Revelation. Tlie I Humi- [ 227 ] Humility and Penitence of the Gofpel, the Mercies of God in and through Jefus Chrift, are as agreeable to a Man in this State of Heart, as Food and Water to the hungry and thirfty Soul. The Gofpel prefents every thing to him that he wants ; and God is thereby become all that to him, which the miferable State of his Soul flood in need of. And fo when he finds the Gofpel, he fiinds the Pearl, for which he gladly fells all th^t he hath. ^-^^'^^^^ -THEitEFo^S'a "Man can have no greater Proof that the Religion o^ Nature is fuppref- f^d 4h him, that he has not the Religion of Penitence and Faith, than by his Refufal of the Gofpel; for the Gofpel as naturally a- grees with fuch a State of Heart, as Light mixes with Light, and Darknefs with Dark- nefs. "Lay the Caufe of Infidelity where you will, it is a certain Truth, that it lies only in this Infenfibility of Heart, in this Extin- Bion of the Religion of Nature. And if the lead Sentiment of Penitence arifes in your Heart, or a Senfibility of the Need oi Diving Mercy ^ the Gofpel has got fo far an En- trance into you, and it cannot lofe its hold CL2 of C 228 1 of you, but by your lofmg this State of Heart. ^o\t^'i5i Let your Reafon pretend what it will, and fancy it has ever fo many Objedions of Speculation and Argument againft the Gofpel, ffthey are all Objedions of the Heart. For the DjGofpel fpeaks only to the Heart, and nothing but the Heart can either receive or rejedt it. For this is an eternal Truth, which you can- ,-iiot too much reflec^t upon, that i^^-^;? al- 0-^w^.ys follows the State of the Heart, and what your Heart is, that is your Reafon. If your Heart is full of Sentiments o^ Peititence^ and of Faith in the divine Mercy, your Reafon -will take part with your Heart, and will en- tertain itfelf with all Arguments, Ideas, and Difcourfes, that can exercife this Religion of the Heart. But if your Heart is fhut up in Death and Drinefs, your Reafon will be according to it, a poor ^libbler in Words, and dead Images, and will delight in nothing but fuch dry Objections and Speculations as anfwer CO the Deadnefs and Infeniibility of your Heart. So , [ 229 ] So that what you imagine, of your ha- ving a Religion of pure Reajbn^ is the meer- eft Fidion of Deceit that can be impofed upon you ; for Reafon has nothing of iti 0W71, it ads nothing of itfelf, it barely refects that which comes from the Heart, as the Moon barely refleds that which comes from the Sim ; it is the Serva?it of the Heart, and muft ad or not ad in Obedience to it ; what the Heart loves, that Reafon contends for ; and what the Heart has no Inclination to, that Reafon objeds againft. Therefore there neither is, nor was, nor ever can be any o- ther Religion but the Religion of the Heart, and Reafon is only its Servant, in the fame Manner, and in the fame Degree, whatevep tile Religion of the Heart be, whether true or falfe. ^ And to imagine that Natural Religion is the Effed of pure Reafon and Speculation, is as great an Error againft the Nature of Things, and more hurtful to you, than to imagine that natural hearing ^nd/eelfj^ is.the Effed of Reafon and Speculation. Natural Religion, if you underftand it rightly, is a mpfl excellent Thing, it is a _Q^3 n^ht [ 230 ] right Sentiment of Heart, it is fo much Good- nefs in the Heart, it is its Senfibility both of its Separation from, and its Relation to God; and therefore it fhews itfelf in nothing but in a penitential Sentiment of the Weight of its Sins, and in an humble Recourfe by Fatth to the Mercy of God. Call but this the Religion of Nature, arid then the more you efteem it, the better j fo* you cannot wifh well to it, without bringing it to the Gofpel State of Perfedi- on. For the Religion of the Gofpel is this Re- ligion of Penitence, and Faith in the Mercy of God, broi^ght forth into its full Perfedion. For the Gofpel calls you to nothing, but to know, and underftand, and praftife a full and real Tenitence, and to know by Faith, fuch Heights and Depths of the divine Mer- cy towards you, as the Religion of Nature had only fome little uncertain Glimmerings of. Therefore there is the fame Agreement, and the fame Difference between the true Religion of Nature, and the Religion of the Gofpel, that there is between the Breaking of the Day, and the Rifmg of the Sun to its meridian Height 5 the one is the Beginnings and [ 231 ] and the other is the Perje^ion of the fstv^^i Thing. And as the Light of thje Day-breaki and the Light of the Noon^Day, are both thf> fame Light, and from the fame Producer of Light J fo the Light of the Religion of Na- ture, and the Light of the Gofpel, are the fame Light, and from the fame Producer o| Light in the Mind. If you only ftood for fome Time, in the firft Break of Day, fenfible of the Mifer)^ of Darknefs, and only feeling fome Hope and Expedation of the Light, yet knowing nothing of that Gkbe of Fire that afterwards was to appear, and blefs you with fo many unknown and unhop'd for Joys and Com- forts of the Noon-Day Light, you would then refemble one ftanding for fome time in the Day-break of Natural Religion, fenfible of the Weight of his Sins, and only hopifig in Go'd iov fome Kind of Mercy towards himj yet knowing nothing of that Globe of Fire^ that Myftery of di'vine Lo-ce that was by de- grees to difcover itfelf, and blefs him with fo many unknown, unhop'd for Joys and Coni- forts of the divine Mercy towards him. o ''•The original Inftind of Goodnefs in the rSftul, which I have fliewn to be the only Re- ^'^-^- 0^4 ligion [ 232 ] ligion of Nature, is the Light of D'a^^hreak in the Soul, and is that Light which Itghteth ev'ery Man that cometh Into the World, The Light of the Gofpel is that Noon-' Day Light, which difcovers fuch Joys and Comforts as no one could have thought of, that had on^ ly ftood in the Break of Day. ^^'^-And as no one, when the Day arifes, can rejeft or difpute the Coming or Goodnefs of the Rifing Sun^ but becaufe he has loft that Sen fa which was to dijlinguifi Light from Darknefsj fo no one can reied or diflike, or difpute againil the Light of the Gofpel, but he that has ex tifjgmJJf J that hiJlinB of Good- nefs in his Soul, which alone can diftingui/h Good from Evil^ and make him love the one ajid rejed: the other. Don't therefore, my dear Friend, de- ceive yourfelf, nor let any one elfe deceive you. The Matter is of infinite Confequence that you have before you. You come into the World but once, and have but one Tri» al, but the Effeds of it are to lail for ever. The Time of difputing and fpeculating up- on Ideas, is (hort ; it can laft no longer than whilft the Sun of this World can refrefh your Flefji and Bloody and fo keep the Soul froin knowing [ 233 ] knowing its own Depth, or what has been. Growing in it. But wiien this is over, then you muft know and feel what it is to have a Nature as deep^ and firong^ and large as E- ternity. If you have liv'd upon the Amufements of Reajon ^pd Speculation, your Life has been worfe than a Dream, and your Soul will at the End of fuch a Life, be left to it- felf in its own Darknefs^ Hunger, T^hirfi, and Anxiety, to be for ever devour'd by its own Fire, ; B u T if you have watch'd over that InJiijiB of Goodnejl which God planted in your Soul, and have exercifed yourfeif in that Penitence for your Sins, and humble Faith in the Mej'- cy of God, that the Gofpel propofes to you > then when your Body falls off from you, you will feel and know what a Kingdom of God Jay hid in your Soul, you will fee that you Jjave a Life and Stretigth like that of Eterni- -ity, and the Fulnefs of God himfelf will be ■your everlafting Enjoyment. Fo :; Heaven and Hell ftand ready to a- wake and be reveal'd in you, and can no longer be hid from you, than whilil you are Vindcr [234 J under the Cover of Flefli and Blood. And then will be fully verified in you that Saying of Scripture, he that feelieth find eth : For you'f will find that which you have fought, ahcP" according to your Faith, fo will iteternall^^ be done unto you. Your Soul will have no-* thing taken from it, but it will have all that Good which you fought after, and provided for it. You chofe to be failed only by the Powers of your own Reafon, and refufed the Mercy of God that was to havefaved you, and therefore you will have that very Sahation you have chofen, you will be entirely without the Mercy of God, and left wholly to your; own Nature : And that Salvation is the Mife--- ry of Hell. Yo u are now your own Carver , and muft be that which you fhall have made of yourfelf. If the Depth of your Heart has^ not in this Life's Time its proper Cure, if it' has not fomething done to it, which your Rea/on can no more do, than it can create the Light , your Heart will become youi^^ Hell. And if you let the Light of the Gof-' pel fliine into it, and revive the good Seed of Life in it, then it will become the Seat and Habitation of your Heaven. \'i^.:v^ iU^U ^ci^uji uaii fii^^i^iOi You [ 235 ] You may perhaps imagine, that becaufe you pradife Sobriety and Juflice, and are a Friend to moral Behaviour, both in your- felf and other People, that therefore your D/Jbeliefof the Gofpel cannot proceed from the Dijbrder of your Heart, or a Want of P^ety. ' ./W^ ./K> V- "1 ^\0{^ Si lol But this. Sir, is all miftake. For youP may have all this moral Behaviour, and,y£t have notmng at all of that Sentiment oi Pe?!;- fence, and Faith in the divine Mercy ^ which I have fhewn to be the only true Religion of Nature. ..„ It is as eafy to have all this kind of Goodnefs which you appeal to, as it is to be civil, well-bred, and a Friend to the "Peace and Order of that Society of which one is a Member. Even an Atheifi may find his Ends, and adt fuitably to his own Principles of Self- love, Eafe and Reputation, by this moral Behaviour. But the Preaching of the Gofpel dif-; covers all, and ihews from what Principle all [ 236 ] all this Morality proceeds. If there was this Se^time?2t of Fenitence and Faith in the Mercy of God at the Bottom, then this Mo- rality would want and rejoice at the Precepts and Dpdrines of the Gofpel,' becaufe they raife a Morality upon the Foundation of Fenitence and Faith. But when this Mora- lity is only a worldly Wifdom, a Convenieftfe of Life, a political Confovmkyy and as meer a Gratijication of SelfiJJmefs , as any other worldly Accomplifliments are , then this Morality is in the greateft Enmity with the Gofpel, becaufe the Gofpel takes away its Worth , and all the Self-acconiphfhment that was placed in it, The^ej^/7'/c" Reafon they could have for receiving Chrift ; then it follows, that every Man of every Age, has all the Reafons for receiving or not receiving the Gofpel within himfelf, and ftands juft as near to, and juft as far from the Evidence of it, as thofe did who firft heard it. If you know of no Burden or Weight of Sin, nor want any AJjlJlance to overcome it, the Gofpel has no Evidence for you, and tho* ,you had ftood by our Saviour, you had been ^^ R 4 never [ 248 ] never the nearer to it. But if you know your State, as the Sick^ the Lame, and the Blind, knew their State, if you groan under the Power of Sin, and are looking towards God for fome Affiftance to overcome it,, then you have all the Reafons for receiving the Gofpel written in your Heart, and you ftand as near all its />rc»/>^r Evidence, whether you was born the laft Age, or 1700 Years ago. ilj iliOii b li^Viijbad O nJ _ • . . : ._^.^_ ^ - N o w if you don't know and feel, that the Gofpel has this Foundation in you, that you have that Fall and Redemption in you that it teaches, then all external Evidence of it can be of no ufe to you, becaufe you are not the Terfon that wiints Juch a Salvation. But if you know that thefe two things are written in the Frame of your Nature, that Evil and Good, or the Fall and the Re- demption, are at Strife within you, and that you want fome Divine Affiftance to help you to overcome the Evil that is in you 5 then the Gofpel needs no external Evidence, becaufe your Heart is a Witnefs of all the Truth of it. For you are then only doing that in a ■ lower Degree, which the Gofpel teaches and C 249 ]| and enables you to do in a more perfed: and prevailing Manner. ^i^\c odi zb ,^mic loo^ Fu R T H E R, if you have only that InJlinSi of Goodnefs in you, which I have (hewn to be the only Religion of Nature, if you have a Defire to adt fuitably to this State of your Heart, this Struggle of Evil and Good that is in you, and are weary of your Sins, and- deiirous to be deliver'd from them, then you are fully prepared to love, admire, and re- ceive all the Precepts of the Gofpel, becaufe they have no End, but to do that which you want and defire to have done in you j that is, to fupprefs the Power of Evil in you, to deftroy the old Man, or the firft Life of your corrupt Nature, and to raife the new Man, or Principle of Goodnefs that is in you, to its full State of Strength and Perfedion. And here you have the fhorteft and fureft of all Methods, to find both the Truth and Excellency, and NecefTity of the Gofpel Me- thod of Salvation. I PUT no Labour or deep Enquiry upon your Hands : I defire you only to know, what you cannot help knowing, that you have Good and Evil alive and at work in you. For [ 250 ] For this Is the whole of the Fall of Adam,^ and of the Redemption of Jefus Chrift. Say' that you have no Evil in you, and I will not defire you to believe the Fall o^ Adam, Say that you have no Senfe of Gobdnefs in you, and I W\\\ not defire you to acknowledge the Redemption through Jefus Chrift. But if neither of thefe can be deny'd to be in you,"^ ifyour own Heart confefTesthefe two Things; How can you want a Proof of the Truth of that Religion , which only tells you that which your own Heart is a Witnefs of? ^! A G AiN, fay that you have no InjitnB of Gbodnefs in you, that you have no Dijliki of the Corruption of your Nature, nor the finallefi Defire to be free from it, and then I will excufe your Ignorance of the Truth and Fitnefs of the Precepts of the Gofpel. But if you will but own fo much of natu-. ral Religion, as to be at all troubled at your Sins, or hni fecretly wijh that God would"^ jome way or other help you to get the better of them; then you are under a Neceflity of feeing and knowing that the Precepts of the Gofpel are highly fuited to the State of your Soul, to afiift this Degree of natural Religion in \i [ 251 ] in you, and to help you to that Conqiicjl over Sin which you want. ^c^^a\^h^9i srti^b bns 301T II . . J^rf^ So that from this plain and eafy Know- ledge of yourfelf, you are abfolutely obliged either to deny the mojl known State of your Heart, and to deny that you have any De^) gree, or Dejire of Goodnefs in you^ or to own the Gofpel to have every thing in ir both as to Dodrine and Precept, that ftrid- ly anfwers to the ^tate and NeceJJitieSy and good Inclinations of your Heart. A N p therefore the Proof of the Gofpel is at no Dijiance from you, requires no Labour of Learning, or Search of Hiflory, but ari- fes from the moft obvious Knowledge of your felf, what you are, and what you want. And you may have the utmoft Affurance, that you cannot hurt or deceive yourfelf in this fliort Method that I have recommended. For if you cannot be hurt or deceiv'd in be- lieving yourfelf to be a Sinner^ and yet to be in a State that admits of the divine Mercy to you, then you are fure that you cannot have any Hurt or Deceit put upon you by the Go- fpel i becaufe it is to do nothing to you, you ^re to receive nothing from it, but a Conjir- matiou [ 252 ] mation of your Penitence, and a Strengthen- ing your Faith in the Mercy of God.? h T .^^jUnderstand all the Gofpel in this Man- ner, and then you underftand it according to the Truth, as it lis in itfelf. • For there is not a Doftrine or Precept of the Gofpel, but is given you for this End; to perfect your Penitence, to fhew you all the Qrounds, and Reafons, and Extent of it, and to confirm, increafe, and exercife your Faith in the Mercy of God, by fuch a Difcovery of God, and his Goodnefs towards you, as without the Gofpel could not have been known. S o then, if you know the Religion oi Na- ture, the Religion of Penite7ice and Faith, to be a true and good Religion, if the Proof of the Truth and Goodnefs of this Religion lies within you, then the Proof of the Truth and Goodnefs of the Gofpel is in thQ fame De- gree of Nearnefs to you, and you cannot but know it in the fame Manner and Degree as you know yourfelf, what you are, and what ypu want. [ 253 ] tvm\*,v.w V /i t. hfl S-^*^ 100V ^O Roih^W Thus much may ferve to convince my unbelieving Reader, if I have fuch a one, whom I would fain lead to God, that I have faid nothing in favour of a modern Religion of Reafon; which I have fhewn to have the Vajjit)\ Infgnljicancy^ and ^in of the antient Idolatry in it, and to be that very Confidence in natural Strength, and Hardnefs of Jlearty which keeps fallen Angels Prifoners of Dark- nefs. I MUST now fay a Word to the zealous Chriftian, who may perhaps imagine from what I have faid of that inward Light, which is the Gift of God to all Men in Jefus Chrift^ that I have brought this Light too near to the advantageous State of reveal'd Religion, whe- ther Jevvidi or Chriftian. To fuch a one I fay, firft, that what I have faid of this Light of the Mind, or In- ftindl of Goodnefs common to all Men, is fo much faid of the Light and of the Benefit of Divine Revelation. Becaufe this Light of the Mind, or InfinB of Goodnefs, is not fomething iiidependent of, and antecedent to all divine Revelation, but was the Lffecl of God's revealing himfclf as reconciled to Adam through t\\r6\i^\\\iiE^edoffbe mfmn} feo^*s' par- doning Adam as the Headz.x\di Reprefentative of all Mankind, and giving him a Mediator and Redeemer, was putting him into a State, and Capacity of being renewed in his Mind j, and this renewing Power, which God then by pardoning him beflowed upon him, is that Injiin^i of Goodnefs, or Light of the Mind, of which I have fpoken. And therefore all the PoJJibility of Reli* gion, and all that is good in it, is to be afcri^ bed to divine Revelation. Second l y, what I have faid of this com-^" mon Light, or Piety of the Heart, is onlyT to fignify, that they have a PoJJibility of fuch good Difpofitions as belong to thofe , of whom it is faid, He that is of God, heareth God's Word; and of fuch as Chrifl: fpoke, when he faid. My Sheep hear my Voice. Now if there were not a Poffibility or Capa^ city of this Degree of Goodnefs in Men, di- ftin(^ from all outward Revelation, How; ■ t could Mankind be fit for God to make a Re-, velation to? For if Men could not be in this ' State of Goodnefs, fo as to be prepared or qualify dHc^vcis of the Word of God, why fhould [ 255 ] (hoiild God fpeak to them? Or why ihculd the Voice of Chrift be founded, if there were ^0 Sheep that could know it ? Therefore what I have faid of this Light of Men, is only fo much faid of their Capacity to receive divine Revelation j it is only a Glimmering of Light, a Seed of Goodnefs, a Poffibility of Piety, which lies only in the Soul, as the Begijini?2g of its Salvation, and therefore is in great want of, and mufl be much benefited by further Revelations from God. T HAVE not confider'd it as a Species of Religion that may truji in itfelfy or fet up it- yf//'againft divine Revelation, as having no Need of it. When it is thus, it is not the Religion that I fpeak of, it is fo far from be- ing then the Light of Chrift in the Soul, or ihtlnjli?!^ of Goodnefs that it had from him, that it is the Darbjefs and Depravity of the Heart, and the Foundation of that Hell which will be at laft manifefted in it. Lastly, if my zealous Chriftian fliould find it a difagreeablc Thought to him, to think that all Mankind have had fome Bene- fit iKowi Chrift, and that the Seed of the Wo- man from the Beginning, has help'd, and will to the End of the World help and call every [ 256] ev€ry Man to refift and make Waragainft the Serpent ; I muft tell him, he need have nO greater Proof than this, that his own Heart is not yet truly Chriftian, that he is not a true Difciple of that Lord who would have all Men to befaved. Having faid thus much to guard againft all Mifapprehenfion, either by the Unbelie- ver, or the Chriftian^ I now return to my Subject, concerning the Benefits of Chrift, as he is the Saviour of Mankind, Now this great Truth that 1 have already declared, namely, that all Mankind were pardoned and redeemed in Adam's Pardon and Redemption j that at the Fall, Jefus Chrift became the /eco?jd Adam, or Parent of all Mankind, who from him received a Prin- ciple or Seed of Life, an Inftind: of Good- nefs, which was to be in every Man a Be- ginning of a new Birth, a PoJJibility of his Sal- vation, or receiving a new Man from this fecond Adam, in the fame Reality as he re- ceived a natural Life from the firft Adam ; this great and glorious Truth is of great Im- portance when rightly known, and is the Key to all iheMyfteries of Scripture j it leads you [ 257 ] you into the Fulnefs of the greateft Truths, and difperfes all Difficulties. This free Gift of God to all Men, in thus making all Men Partakers of Chrift's Redemption, by a Seed of Life, which all Men, as Men, receive from Chrift, is the true and folid Meaning of that which is call'd Preventing Grace, and which, when rightly fpoken of, is faid to be common to all Men. It is Grace^ becaufe it is God's free Gift, we could not lay hold of it by any Power of our own, nor had any Right to claim it. It is Preventing Grace, becaufe it prevents, or goes before, and is not given us for any thing that we have done. And there- fore it has its plain Diftindiion from God's ajjijiing Grace, which always is in Proportion to the Nature of our Anions, and only works as they work. Hence there is a full End of all the wretched Difputes of an abominable Eleciion and Reprobation, and of other Difputes con- cerning the Grace of God. Fo R if all Men, as Sons of Adam, are by the free Gift of God made Sons of ihcfecond Adanii and, as fuch, have a Principle or Seed S of [ 258 ] of Life in them from him, in order to be raifed up to a Perfedion of the new Man in Jefus Chrift ; and if this Seed of Life, or In- jlin5i of Goodnefs, or Light of the Mind, is the General Prevetiting Grace of all Men, that enables them fo to aft as to obtain God's cjpfiing Grace in the Renewal of their Minds; then you mufl eafily fee, that all Men have a general Call and a general Capacity to obtain their Salvation, and that the Dodrine oi par- ticular ahfolute Eledion and Reprobation is pluck'd up by the Roots, and moft of the Difficulties of God's Difpenfations fairly folv'd. But this by the by. Now you muft have obferved that this general Grace, or Redemption, or Life given to all Men in Chrift as thckfecond ^dam, is not done only by an outward teaching, as when one teaches another the way of a new Life, or by an outward Adoption, as when a Perfon takes a Stranger to be his Son ; but by the Commimication of an eflential Seed or Principle of Life from the fecond Adam to all the Sons of the iirft Adam. From which Seed or Principle of Life,, every Son of Adam has Chrift for his fpiri- ' tual Father and Parent in the fafne Reality^ I as • [ 259 ] as he had the fir ft Adam for his natural Pa- rent. For this Reafon, the Change that Reli- gion aims at, is conftantly reprefented as a neiD Blrth^ and our Progrefs in Religion as our Progrefs in Regeneration^ or being born again. We are not call'd upon only to change our Notiojjs, or to receive fuch an Al- teration^ as Scholars may receive from their 'Teachers, but to die to ourfelves, that a new Life may be raifed up in us ; or to futfer fomething to be revived in us that is not of our own Growth, or any Change that we can make upon ourfelves. Thus fays our Lord, Except a Man be horn of Water and of the Spirit y he cannot en- ter into the Ki?jgdofn of God.* And to (liew that this new Birth is to be underftood according; to the literal Truth of the Expreflion, there is added. That which is born of the Flejh is Flejh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, Therefore the Birth of the Spirit is as real as the Birth of the Flefh, and Chrift is a Principle of Life S 2 to ^ * John iii. S' [ 26o ] to us, as furely as we derive our Flefli from Adam, Again, Tloejirjl Adam was made a living Souly the lafl Adam was made a quickning Spi- rit.* That is, the firft Adam was made to be a Fountain, or Original, of a natural Life to Men, the fecond Adam was made a Re- viver or Parent of a fpiritual Life in Men. Therefore the fpirituai Life deriv'd from the fecond Adam^ is in the fame Degree ofReali- ty^ as the natural Life deriv'd from the firft Adam. The Apoftle adds, Thefr/i is of the Earth, earthy j the fecond is the Lord from Heaven. And as is the earthy, fiich are they alfo that are earthy : And as is the heavenly y fiich are they alfo that are heavenly. Therefore thofe that are related to Chrift, have his heavenly Life and Nature in them, in the fame Reality as thofe that are related to Adam have his earthy Nature in them. And as we have bore the Image of the earthy, fo we fJjall alfo bear the Image of the heavenly. Therefore, as we bear the Image of the firft Adam, by having bis Nature and Life in us, f I Cor. XV. 45.^ [ 26i ] US, derivd from him \ fo we can only bear the Image of the fecond, by having his Na- ture and Life in us, derivd from him. S o that it is an undoubted Truth, that Chrift is our fecond Adam^ or a Raifer of a new Birth and Life in us, in the fame Reali^ ty as we have our natural Birth and Life from Adam, Hence it is that you fee fo much mention in Scripture of Chrift's being in uSy formd in us, reveaVd in us, of o\xx putting on Chrift, of our receiving Life from him, as the Branches from the Vine. Hence alfo fo much mention of a new and old Man that is in us, and the whole of Religion reprefent- ed as a Contefl betwixt this twofold Man that is in us, the one from the iirft, the other from the fecond Adam, Th e Knowledge of this great Truth, that Chrift is our fecond Adam as mention'd above, renders all the moft myfterious, and feemingly hard PafTages of Scripture, not only plainly intelligible, but full of a moft affed:ing Senfe. Thus when it is faid, that Chrift muft ht formed in us, and that we are Mejnben of his Body, of his Flefi, and of his Bones, &c.* All this, and the like, is high- * Ef h. V. ja [ 262 ] ly Intelligible, as foon as it is known, that Chrift is the Parent of a fpiritual Man in us, in the fame Reality^ as Adam is the Parent of our natural Life. Thus alfo when Chrift faith, Except ye eat the Flefi of the Son of Man ^ and drink his Bloody ye have no Life in you. And again, I am the Bread of Life, he that cometh to me Jhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me /hall never thirfij^ And again, Whofoever jhall drink the Water that I fkall give him, Jhall never thirjl : But the Water that I jhall give him, jhall be in him aWell of Water fpring- ing up into everlajling Life, -f- And again, / am the Refurredlion and the Life. — Whofoever Uveth and believeth in me, jhall never die. || Now if Jefus Chrift had been only a Teacher of Morality, how unaccountable muft all this Language have been? But as foon as it is known that he is a fpiritual Pa- rent, or Pri?iciple of Life to us, in the fame Reality as we derive our Flefti and Blood from Adam, and that this Life lieth in us as a Seed, which is to be brought forth to the Fulnefs of its Stature by Faith in Chrift, then all thefe PafTages have a Meaning that is plainly intel- ^ I.:;;. . ligible, • John vi. 35. \ fohn iv. 15. || John xi. 25. [ 253 ] ligible, yet never to be exhaufted, bjt is al- was fuited to the State and Progrefs of the Reader. Fo R if Chrlft is a Principle of Life to us, and this Life is drawn into, ov formed in us by means of our Faith , then how juftly are we faid to eat Chrift as the Bread of Life ^ to eat his Flefh and drink his Bloody &c. when by Faith we draw him into us, as our Principle of Life ? For what can exprefs the Nature of this Faith, fo well as Hunger and T^hirfi ? Or how can it be a real Faith, un- lefs it have much of the Nature of Hinmer^ of a flrong Defire, and ardent Thirfl .? Therefore all thefe Expreffions are as li- terally fuited to the Nature of the Thing, to that which Chrift is to us, as human Words can be, and are not a Language adapted to our Reafon, to increafe its Ideas ; but are the Language of Heaven to the heavenly Part of us, and are only to excite, diredt, and con- firm our Faith in Chrift, or to raife, increafe, and exercife our Hunger, ^hirf and Dcfitc of the new Birth of Chrift in our Soul. But this Author knowing nothing of this Dodtrine, is forc'd to deny the moft precious S 4 Truths [ 264 ] Truths of Scripture. Thus all that our Sa- viour fays of hlrafelf in the fixth of St. 'John^ of his Flefi being Meat indeed^ and his Blood Drink indeed^ and of the Nece/Jity of eating and drinking it^ to have eternal Life in us -J ail this, fays this Author, was only a very highfgnrative Keprefentation to the fews then about him, of their Duty and Obligation to receive into their Hearts, and digefi his whole DoBrine, as the Food and Life of their Souls. * Therefore, according to this Author, Chrift is our Life, in no other Meaning or Senfe, than any other Perfon who teaches us any Dod:rine that may do us good, and we have no Life from him any other v/ay, than we may have from ary Teacher of ufeful Truths. And tiicrefore what he fays of himfelf, of his being the Life of the World, has juft as much Truth in it, as if any of the Apoflles had faid the fame things of themfelves. Nay, had Socrates or Plato, or any body elfe, preached the fame Gofpel that our Saviour has done, there had been juft the fame Meaning, and neither more nor lefs in it than in the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift. St. * Page 1 00. [ 265 ] S T. John faith, Pf^ho is a Liar, but he that denieth that J ejus is the Chriji ? He is Anti- chriji that denieth the Father and the Son *. Now furely the Son could not be men- tioned with the Father, as an equal ^Objedt of our Faith and Acknowledgment, if he could not in reality be faid to be our Life in fuch a Senfe, as the Father may be faid to be our God, not by a very high, ox Jlrong Figure of Speech, but in Truth and Reality. The Scriptures tell us, that Jefus Chrift is the Word that was with God, and was that God by whom allThi??gs were made-f. That by him all Tki?igs were created that are /« Heaven and in Earth , vijible and invifible, and that in him all T^hings ccnjiji ||. Must not this Author be here oblig'd to have recourfe to much higher and Jirofiger Figures of Speech, to account for the Mean- ing of thefe Expreffions ? For if there is any thing in the Nature of our Saviour, to fupport the literal Meaning and Truth of thefe Expreffions, then it muft not only be groundlefsy but abfolutely falfe, to fay, that we • I John ii. zz. f John i. 3. || Col. i. 16. [ 266 ] we can only be faid to dwell in him, or have onr Life from him, by a very high or Jlrong figure of Speech. For furely, if all things both in Heaven and Ea^th are created by him, if in him all things con/ijiy then it may be faid without any ftrong Figure, that he is our Life, and that we dwell in him , and he in us , in the fame Reality, as we are faid to live, and move, and have our being in God. For if this Creator becomes our Redeemer, we may be faid to receive Life from him, to be new born, or created again by him, in the fame Reality and Fulnefs of Truth, as we can be faid to be created by him at firft. When therefore this Author faith, We may be faid (by a firong Figure of Speech) to dwell in him, and he in us, to be one with Chrift, and Chrifl with us, that is, that Chriji and we to all the Intents and Pwpofes of true Re- ligion /hall be in perfeB Friendflnp and Union together * : It is the fame bare-fac'd Denial of the Gofpel, the fame diredt Blafphemy againft God, as to affirm, that God can only by a ftrong Figure of Speech, be faid to be our Life, our Creator, in whom we live, and move, * Page m. [ 267 ] move^ a?td have our Being. It is the fame Blafphemy as to affirm, that we have no Relation to, or Dependance upon God, or Exiftence in him, but fuch as any Party of People, whether at Court , or the Exchangey have with one another, when they are to all the Intents and Purpofes ^f their Party In- tereft, in perfeSl FriendJIoip and Union toge- ther. B u T to return : From this Dodrine of Chrifl's being a Principle of Life, or Parent of a new Birth in us, we may fee the plain Reafon, why the Scripture defcribes a Chri- ftian as a Creature, or Inftrument of the Holy Spirit, and entirely animated by it, fo far as he is truly Chriflian. Becaufe as Chri- ftianity confifts in the Birth of a new Man within us, it muft needs have a Spirit and Breath as fuitable to it, as the Spirit and Air of this World is fuitable to a Life of Flefh and Blood. And as every Thought and Mo- tion of our outward Man muft be in, and by the Affiftance of the Spirit, and Air of this outward World ; fo every Thought and Motion, and Defire of our inward fpiritual Man, muft be in, and by the Affiftance of the Spirit, and Air of that World, whofe Creature it is. Now [ 268 1 ^^ N o w, was there not as really this new fpiritual Man within us, in the fame reality of Exiftence, as our outward rational Na- ture, there could be no Foundation for this Dodlrine of the Neceffity of God's Holy Spirit. Nor could the Scripture Account of the Guidance of that Holy Spirit be at all intelligible, upon this Suppofition, that we had nothing more in us, but our outward rational Nature, Thus when it is faid. No one. can call yefus the Lordy but by the Holy Spirit : How could this be intelligible, or have any Truth in it, if there were not a Principle in us, a fpiritual Man, diftindl from our rational Na- ture ? For our rational Nature can as well call Jefus Lord, as it can call any one elfe Lord, or as Judas faid, H(iil Mafter, Therefore fmce Man in his natural State, and by his Powers as a rational Man, cannot truly call Jefus Lord, it follows, that he has a fpiritual Nature or Principle in him, entirely diflind from his rational Nature, and which receiving its Life and Power from the Spirit of God, has alone the Power of owningj [ 269 ] owning, knowing and receiving Jefus Chrift as Lord. S T. Paul faith, Te are not in the Fle/b, but in the Spirit ^ if Jo be the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. Now if any Man hath not the Spirit of Chrift , he is none of his *. And again , Now we ha've received not the Spirit of this World, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the thijigs that are freely gi'uen to us of God. But the natural Man receivetk not the things of the Spirit of God\ for they are Foolijhnefs unto him, neither can he know themy becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned -f-. The RE FORE there is ^fpirifual Life, or Man within us, by which alone we have our Communication with God, and which is fo diftind: and different from our natural, ra- tiojial Man, that they are of a Nature con- trary to each other. The one is by Nature fitted to receive, and know the things of the Spirit of God, the other has a Nature that cannot know, nor receive them. This is not to be underflood, as if the natural Man could not underftand the Words of • Rom. viii. 9. f i Cor, ii. 12. [ 270 ] of Scripture, as other Words are to be un- derftood, for he can reafon and difcourfe as well upon Scripture, and the things of the Spirit of God, as upon other Matters. Neither are we to take him that is able to difcern things fpiritually, to be only fuch a one whofe Faculty of Reafoning is aflifted by the Holy Spirit. For this does not make the fpiritual Man here fpoken of. No, the Subjed: of the Holy Spirit, or that which it operates upon in us, is not our rea- foning Faculty, it no more affifts our Reafon in this manner, than it affiils our Eyes to read a difficult Print, or our Ears to hear Sounds more diftindly. F o R as the Holy Spirit is Holinefs itfelf, or the Life and Power of Holinefs, fo it operates only in the manner of itfelf, and only upon that Part of us, which has its own Nature, or a real Agreement with it. Therefore the fpiritual Man that is animated, enlighten'd and guided by the Holy Spirit, is that vital InJlinSt of Goodnefs, that Spark of Life, of which I have fpoken fo much, and which {hews itfelf in an inward Senti- ment of the Weight of Sin, and in an inward Sentiment [ 27' ] Sentiment of Hope and Converfion to the Mercy of God. This is the Beginning, or Foundation, or Seed of that fpiritual Man, for whom the Scriptures are written, to whom they fpeak, and who alone has a Capacity to hear and receive them, becaufe he alone has a Capa- city to be animated, moved, and governed by the Holy Spirit. And therefore it is, tha<- our Saviour faith fo often. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Meaning only this inward State or Senfibility of the Heart. He is fo far from faying, according to modern Learning, he that hath clear Ideas y that has accuftom'd himfelf to Reajon , and difcinguiQi about them ; he that can fpeculate impartially, and fearch into the Nature of Things, Adions and Perfor.s,by comparing the Ideas of them j let fuch a one fo prepared, draw near to the Kingdom of Heaven j he is fo far from fay- ing any thing like this, that he rejeds it all as the Burden and Darknefs of the Heart, and fays. Except ye be converted, and become as little Children, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom, of God. But [ 272 ] But you will perhaps fay, If the Scrip- tures are not propofed to our Reafon , if Reafon is not the SubjeB or Faculty of Reli- gion in us J is not this the fame as to fay, that the Scriptures and Religion are propofed to the unreafonable Part of us ? Is it not faying, that we muft negled. or fupprefs that which is moft excellent in us, in order to be religious ? You fhall fee Reafon poflefTed of all that belongs to it, and yet Religion fet up in a better Place. I w I L L grant you much more than you imagine in refpedl of Reafon j I will grant it to have as great a Share in the good Things of Religion, as it has in the good Things of this Life ; that it can affift the Soul, jufl as it can affifl the Body ; that it has the fame Power and Virtue in the fpiritual World that it has in the natural World j that it can communicate to us as much of the one as of the other, and is of the fame Ufe and Im- portance in the one as in the other. Can you afk more ? Now [ 273 1 Now Man confider'd as a Member of this World, that is to have his Share in theJ Good that is in it, is 2ifenjihle and a rational Creature ; that is, he has a certain Number of SenfeSj as Seeing, Hearing, Tafting, Smelling and Touching, by which he h fenfible of that which the outward World, in which he is plac'd, can do to him, or communicate tO him, he is fenfible of what Kind and Degree of Happinefs he can have from it ; befides thefe Organs of Senfe, he has a Power or Faculty of reafoning upoii the Ideas which he has receiv'd by thefe Senfes. Now how is it, that this World, or the good things of this World are communicated to Man ? How is he put in PofTeffion of* them ? To what Part of him are they pro- pofed ? Are his Senfes or his Reajbn the Means of his having fo much as he has, or can have from this World ? Now here you muft degrade Reafon, juft as much as it is degraded by Religion^ And as we fay, that the good Things of Scripture and Religion are not propofed to our Reafon j fo you muft fay, that the good T Things I 274 1 Things of this World are not propofed to our Reafon. And as St. Paul fays, the «^- tural Man cannot receive the Things of the Spirit of God, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned ; fo you mufl aifo fay, the rational Man cannot receive the Things of this World, becaufe they are to h^fenjibly recei- ved, that is, by the Organs of Senfe. , JThus muft you peceffarily fet Reafon as low, with refpedl to the Things of this World, as it is fet with refpedt to the Things of the fpiritual World. It is no more the Means of communicating the good Things of the one, than of communicating the good Things of the other. I T ftands in the fame Incapacity in one World, as in the other. For every one knows, that we knovv no more, can receive no more, can poflefs no more of any thing that is communicable to us from this World, than what we know^ receive and poflefs by our Senfes, or that fmfihle Capacity that is in us, of having fomething communicated to us by the World, bounds are only propos'd to our Efzri, Light to our Eyes-^ nothing is com- municated i 275 ] municated to our Reafoni' ritr'fet df^thfe World hath any Commiifiication wi'A "?fi Reafon therefore has no higher Office or Power in the Things of this World, than in the Things of Religion. The World is only fo far known, received and pojGTefs'd, as we receive and poflefs it by our Senfes. And Reafon ftands byj as an impotent Spedtator, only beholding and fpeculating upon its own Ideas and Notions of what has pafs'd between the World and the Jenfible Part of the SouL • '^'^ And as this is the State of Man in tlilg World, where he receives all the Good he can receive from it, by a Sejtfibility of his Nature, entirely diftind: from his Faculty of reafoning ; fo is it his State with regard to the fpiritual World, where he ftands only capable of receiving the invifible good Things of it, by a Senjibility of his Nature, or fuch a Capacity as lets the fpiritual World into him, in the manner as the natural is let into him in this Life. Religion therefore does no more Violence to your Reafon, or rejedts it in any other way, than as all the good Things of this Life rejeft it. It is not Seeing, it is not Hearing, it is not Tajiifig and Feeling the Things of this Life, it can h^} T a ^'jpp^y C 276 ] fupply the Place^ of no one of thefe Senfes. Nov^'it is onl/ thus helplefs and iifelefs in Re- ligion;' it'^S"''il'either Seeing, nor Hearing, Taftingn(dr' Feeling of fpiritual Things'; therefore in the Things of Religion, and in the Things of this World, it has one and the fame Inlignificancy. So that the Things of the Spirit of God belong not to Reafon, cannot be known and receiv'd by it, for the fame Reafon, that the good Things of this World belong not to Reafon, and cannot be known and receiv'd by it. It is the Senfihility of the Soul that mufl receive what this World can communicate to it ; it is the Senfibility of the Soul that mufl receive what God can communicate to it. Reafon may follow after in either Cafe, and view through its own Glafs what is done, but it can do no more. Now the Senfibility of the Soul, which is its Capacity for Divine Communications, or for the Operation of God's Holy Spirit upon it, confifts in an inward Sentiment of the Weight and Diforder of Sin, and in an inward Sentitnent of Hope and Converfion to the Mercy of God. This is the firfl Seed of Life, fown into the Soul when j4dam ^ was ^r 277 1 was redeemed; and it is this 5*^^^ of Life, rk Se7ifibiltt)\ that the Holy Spirit of God ads upon, moves and quickens, and enUghtens; and to this it is, that all that is faid ni the Scripture is addrefs'd. Nothing but this Sefifibtlity, or State of Heart, has Eyes to fee, or Earb to hear the Tubings of the Spirit of God. Reason may be here of the fame Serr vice to us, as it may be when we w'ant any of the Enjoyments of this Life. It may take away a Cover from our Eyes, or open our Window-iliutters, when we want the Light, but it can do no more towards feeing, than to make way for the Light to a6l upon our Eyes. This is all its Office and Ability in the good Things of Religion, it may re- move that which hinders the Senfibility of the Soul, or prevents the Divine Light's ad-* ing upon it, but it can do no more. Hence you may judge of the following Paifage of the Plain Account^ We may be Jure ive are plea/!7ig God, whilft ice are obeying the Command of his Son. But in this particular Injlance of our Duty, we can with Reajbngo farther, I fay with Reafon ; becaufe the Be?ie^ fti received from allfuch Performances by rea- T ? fonable [ 278 ] (bnable Creatures, cannot pojjihly be receh'd but in a reafonable way. Thefe Duties^ how well Joever perform' d^ cannot be jupposd to operate as Charms j nor to injlueiice us, as if we were only Clock- Work, or Machines, to be aMed upon by the arbitrary Force of a fu- perior Being.* -jja^uL. bni;f^;ow all this is in dire6i; Contradidlion to t the Nature and State of Man in this World. giFor no good thing of this World, no Power ,' or Virtue in the whole Syflem of Beings that oiurround us, can poffibly be communicated to our Reafon, or by the Way of our Reafon. V/hatever the World communicates to us of " its Power and Virtue muft be communicated to the Senfibility of our Nature, to that Part of us which is as diftind: from our reafoning Faculty, 2i^ feeing the Light is diflindt from a ConjeBure about the Nature of it. Now let us fuppofe a Man to ftand in this World, only with his rational Nature, or Faculty of reafonifig, but deftitute of the Senfibility of his Nature, or the Organs of Senfe ; What would all this World, or all the Good of it fignify to him? If he was to receive nothing but by the way of Reafon,^ woul4 » Page !54« - would it not be the fame thing as tQ^.fey, ,ihac he was co receive nothing from it? \ v^ Now this is the State that this Author would have you he in, with relation to God, and the fpiritual World. No Power, or Vir- tue, or Influence of God, or the fpiritual World, is to be communicated to you, but by the way of Reajbn^ and you are to ftand with relation to all the Riches and Powers, and Virtues of God, and the fpiritual World, in the fame State as he ftands in this World, who is to know, and feel, and poiTefs no more of it, than he can know, and feel, and poffefs by the way of Reafon, without any one Senfe. Therefore it is plain, that this Author defires all Communication from God to you, to be as much at an end, as all Com- munication from this World muft be at an end, if you had not one Se?ije left. I HAVE juft fuppos'd a Man to (land in c^Jthis World, ivithout all Senfibility of Nature, tiiendued only with a Faculty of reafoning j let l-'it now be fuppos'd, that you had a Power to t^ Awaken a Se?ijibility of Nature in him, and ^Ho help him to all thofe Senfes that arc com- mon to Man. Would you fay, this mufl by Li^ao means be done ? Would you fay, that you T 4 mud; [ 28o] rnuil keep off this Senfibility of Nature^*. that you aiight preferve him a free Agent? And that if the Light and Meat of the Sun, the Virtues and Powers of the World, {hould operate upon him in any other manner than by the way of Reafon, he would be turn'd from a rational Creature, into a mere Mar- chine and Clock-work. f.J^ow this is the Way that this Author would preferve you a Free Agents with re- lation to God, and the fpiritual World : He will not allow you to have any Senfes, that he may preferve your Reafon. For if God, or the fpiritual World, could do that to you, which this outward World can do to a Man that has his Senfes j if God fhould commu- nicate any Good to you, as the Sun commu- nicates its Light and good Influence without the A^ffiftance of your Reafon, and only by making yon fenfibk of them, you are undone, the Freedom and Kationality of your Nature is loft, and you are turn'd into Clock-^work^ '«> Let me aik this rational Man, who is fo great an Enemy to all that is not done in a rational IVay, whether he feels no Attach- ment to the World, and his Intereft in it 5 whether he purfuc;s it no farther, and has no Senfibility [ 28i ] Senjibility of its Power over him, butjuftfo much as pure Reafon and the Light of the Gofpel raife in him ; whether he has no Self-love, no Family-love, no Party-love, no Ambition, no Pride, no Senfuality, but what is weigh'd out to him by Arguments and Motives of pure Reafon, enhghten'd by the Letter of the Gofpel ? Now if there is fome- ching of thefe Tempers in him, arifing from fome J'ecret Power that is working in him, that has not all its Life and Working from pure Reajbn, will he therefore fay, that he is ii mere Machine, that he has no Liberty left, that he is no longer a rational Creature ? Now if a Degree of Goodnefs Ihould fteal upon him this way, without confulting his Reafon, if he Ihould find a heavenly Love, a Purity of Heart, an Attratlion to God, a Defire of Holinefs , a Poverty of Spirit, a Contempt of the World, a Senfbility of the Greatnefs of eternal Things, fiirring and awakened in him in a greater degree than ever he intended to have them by his own Reafon, would he be oblig'd to cry out, that his rea- fonable Soul was undone, that he had loft the R.ationality of his Nature, was become a Machine, becaufe fuch a Senfe of God and Goodnefs had got Entrance into him with- out confulting his Reafon ? And I ^82 ] •And if'lGfodis a^^readjr ta o^jerate iip6h our Souls, and to manifeil his Power and Prefence in them, when we give way to it, as the World and the Devil are when we leave an Entrance for them, has a Preacher of the Gofpel any Authority from thence, to reproach this divine Affiftance, as Commimi- cattons and ImpreJJio?is from ahove^ which leave the Mind in a State fatisfied with what carries no rational SatisfaSiion in it ? * liDid :£d 8 loriiuA 8ifij jfifij 06 Fo R however this^Author may pleaie him- felf with thinking that his Mind is free from Commtinications and ImpreJJions frojn above^ and fatisfyd only withfuch Things as carry a rational SatisfaBion in them-, yet it is an eter- nal immutable Truth, founded in the Na- ture of Things, that no Soul can enjoy any Degree of Good whatever, but by a Com- 7nunication or Imprejjion of fomething upon it, . di lo Every Creature, as fuch, is by the Ne- ceffity of its Nature, in a State of Poverty and Want^ and may be defin'd to be only a Capacity to receive fo much Good as Ihall be communicated to it, or imprefs'd upon it. Were not this the State of our Souls, it would not » Page 156, [ 283 ] not be the State of our Bodies ; and as the Body ftands in this World in Poverty and Want, only capable of being fed, nourished, comforted and blefTed by Communications and Impreffions from the Things that fur- round it, fo the Soul (lands in the fame Po- verty and Want in the fpiritual World, and only capable of being nouriflied, comforted, and blefled by Communications and Impref- fions from God. S o that this Author's SatisfatSlion which he has chofen for himfclf, a Satisfadion purely rational^ or by way of his Reafon, in- flead of divine Impreffions, is the Choice of a Man in a Dream ^ that knows nothing of the Nature of God, or of his Soul, or of the State and Nature of Things. For the Satif- fadion of every Being, from the highefl An- , gel to the loweft of human Creatures, is all Jenfible^ and wholly feated in the Senfibility of their Nature. ^ T H I s is as certain, as that a Child has no rational Satisfa6lion j for no Man ever was fatisfied or diffatisfied for any other Rea- fon, or upon any other Account, than as a Child is fatisfied or diffatisfied, namely, ac- ,9Qrding as its ^enjes, or the Senfibility of its Nature, L '8£ 1 1 284- 1 ^^'^oFR^icffftT brtj^ ?rr': -tmoD yd b^n"- " Nature, has or has not that whicli is agree- able to it. For Nature {hews what it is in a Child, and does not become another thing in a grown Man. The Child has no Cunning or Fraud, and therefore he plainly owns what he wants, and cries for it. Grown Men are under the fame Senji- hility of Nature, want only what the Child wanted, "-otz. to have their Senfes gratified, but they have the Cunning not to own it, and the Fraud to ^r^T^W fomething elfe. And thus it mufl be with every human Creature. He mud be govern'd by this SeU" fibility of his Nature, muft be happy or un- happy, according as his Senfes are gratified, till fuch time as he is born again from above, till the 7iew Birth has awaken'd another Sen- fibility in him, and opened a way for divine Communications and ImpreJJions to have more Effed: upon him, than the Things of this World have upon his natural Senfes, For no created Being whatever, can any Mo- ment of Time be free from Communications and Impreffions of fomc kind or other 5 if it is not governed by Communications and Impreflions from ahove^ it is certainly go- verned [ 285 ] verned by Communications and Impreflions from below. The Needle that is touch'd with the Loadjlone, does not the7i begin to be under the Power of Attradion, for it was under the Power of Attratliion from the Earth before. And if it lofes the Attracflion of the Load- ftone, it does not ceafe to be attraded by fomething elfe. The Soul that is touch'd with an Im- preffion from God, does not the?i begin to be under the Power of fomething that adls up- on it, for the World and the Devil, or the Nature of thofe Things that furround it, at- tract it, and ad upon it. For as it has fome- thing of the Nature of every thing in it, fo the whole Nature of Things as continually adl upon it by Impreffions, as the Sun ad:s upon every thing that has any thing of the l^aiure of the Sun in it. Now the Freedom of the Will, is not a Freedom from Communications and Impref- fions, but is only a Liberty of chufing to be made happy, either by yielding ourfelves up to the AttraBion or Operation of God upon us, or to be miferable, by yielding ourfelves up up to the ImpreJJiom of the World, and {^vi^ fible Things. T H E R E is no middle way ; if we rejeB or make ourfelves Incapable of Impreffions from God, we are the Machines and Clock- work of this fenfible World. =nr ■:,■ Two Men born blind may talk and dif-^ pute about receiving Light in a rational ivay^ and think it ought- only to be received by their Reafon, or in Conformity to its Power of fpeculating ; as foon as their Eyes are opened, they both fee that Reafon was a Foolj and that Light can only adl upon them by way oi ImpreJJion upon the Senfibility of theif Nature. I T is fo far therefore from being a dan- gerous Delufion to expeB^ defire^ believe^ and fray for Communications and Impreffions from above, by means of the holy Sacrament, that it is as right and found a Faith, and as beneficial to the Soul, as to believe that the Goodnefs of God's Providence is in every thing, and that every thing is blefled by his Power and Prefcnce in jt to the faithful Re- ceiver, C 287 ] ^flal b.fiB ^blioW ;wo^\{»^'^(:\w\ orb orqu All the Perfe<5tions of God have fortie kind of SimiUtude or Refemblance of their Power in the Perfedlions of the Su?j, which refrelh our animal and rational Nature by continual Communications and Impreffions upon it, as the Perfedions of God commu- nicate and imprefs themfelves upon the in- mofl Spirit of our Souls. 1 A N D he that would have his animal ra^ tional Nature comforted and refrelhed only in a rational way, without Communications and Impreffions from the Sun, would be juft fuch a Pleader for Reafon, as he that would have religious Satisfaction only in a rational way, without Communications and Impref- fions from above, For the Impreffions from God are more neceflary and eflential to the pious Life of the Soul, than the Impreffions of the Sun are to the comfortable Life of our outward rational Man. A N D he that prays for nothing elfe but thefe divine Communications and Impref- fions, who thinks of nothing elfe, defires nothing elfe, trufts in nothing elfe, as able to 2 comfort. [ 288 ] comfort, ftrengthen, and enrich his Soul 5 He that is thus, all Prayer, all Love, all De- fire, and all Faith ^ in thefe Comfnunications ard Imprejjiom from above, is juft in the fame State of Sobriety^ as he that only prays that God "would not leave him to himjelf. For he that is without any thing of thefe Communications and Impreffions of God upon him, is in the fame State of Death and Reparation from God as the Devils are. And to turn Men from the Faith, and hove, and Defire of thefe divine Impreffions, is to lay the Axe to the Root of Religion, and is as direB a v^ay to Atheifm, as to teach them, as Epicurus did, that God is afar off. For a God without any Communications and Im- preffions upon us, and a God afar off, are equally atheiftical Tenets, equally deftru- dive of all Piety. The one Opinion is the fame Denial of God as the other. And when Men have once loft all Senfe of the Neceffiity of being inwardly, invifibly, and fecretly fupported, affifted, guided, and bleffed by Communications and Impref- fions of God upon their Souls, it figniiies not [ 289 3- not much what Religion they profefs, or for what Reafons they profefs it, whether they have the Reafon of Epiciirui, or Hobbs, ot this Author. For a Religion has no good of Religion in it, but fo far as it introduces the hife. Power, and PreJ'ence of God into the Soul. For there is nothing good even in Hea- ven itfelf, but the Fiihejs of divine Com- munications and Imprcffions j no Wretched- nefs in Hell, but what arifes from an entire Ceflation of them ; and this Life has no Pof- fihiltty of being changed into a heavenly Life, but fo far as it is capable of divine Commu- nications and Imprcffions. Fo R as the ^un is the Light of this World, only by Communications and Imprcffions of his Light upon all Objeds, according to rheir Capacity to receive it ; fo God is fhe God of all his Creatures, only by Communications and Impreffioiis of his Life, and Power, and Prefence upon all his Creatures, according to their Capacity to receive them. And therefore to difcredit and ridicule the Dejtre, Hunger^ Faith, and ExpeBation of divine Communications and Imprcffions in all Ads and Parts of Religion, is to teach Men to u- U nite C 290 1 iiite Religion with Jtheifm, and to make their very Ads of Religion, a Renunciation of, and Departure from God. Had this Author openly and plainly faid vvith Epicurus^ God is afar off, the Atheifm had been plain and apparent, and confefTed by all ; and yet he has faid more than this ; for to fay that we are without all Commu- nications and Impreffions of God upon us, for this Reafon, becaufe they would make us Machines and Clock-work, and could give us no rational Satisfadlion, is not only faying that God is afar off, but that he ought and- mujl continue to be fo, if we are not to be Machines, and lofe the Rationality of our Nature. So that according to this Author's Dodrine, rational and free Agents are not only to believe with Epicurus, but alfo ought^' to rejoice that God is afar off, and to defire^' for the fake of the Rationality of their Na^"^ ture, that he may always be at the fame Di-'' (lance from them. H E N c E it is, that this Author is, as Epi*^ curus was, forced to invent 2ifummum bonum^ or chief Good for Man, exclulive of the En^' joyment of God. Thus fays he, T^he higheff: Good of mortal Man, is the uniform PraBice^ 2 ^ of [ 291 ] of Morality i chofen by oitrfelvesi SfiurHapp:-^ nefs here, and our unfpeakable Reward hercr^ after. ^ .boO rnoil ^*\»^^^^'sU Uiu* .^lo Fo R as Epicurus was forc'd to place the highejl Good of Man in his Philofophical Gar- den, becaufc he had feparated the Gods from Men, and placed them apart by themfelvesj fo this Author having reje,. Epicurus therefore and this Parochial Mi^ nijler of the Gofpel agree in this \ Firft, that' they place the higheji Goody or Happinefs of Man, in fomething that is exclujive of God, Secondly, that they place it in fomething that they can do for themfelves. The Churchy of which this Author fays he is a Minijler^ fings every Day, Holyy Holy, Holy, Lord God, Heaven and Earth are full ofthyMajeJiy andGlof-y-yhux. according to him, it (ings of fomething that is no Part of its Happinefs, eitb^er here or hereafter. C '^^'^ U 2 The ^- ? Page 157. [ 292 ] Th e Gofpel, of which he pretends to be a Preacher, brings the glad Tidings of a Sa- viour, and Salvation to all Mankind} but he preaches a highejl Good of mortal Man, that has nothing of this Saviour or Salvation in it. Jesus Chriil fays. Except a Man be born again of the Water and the Spirit^ he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, That as the Father raifes up the dead, and quickeneth them^ evenfo the Son quickeneth whom he ivilL* And that to as many as received him^ to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God. Who were born, not of Blood, nor of the Will, of the Flejh, nor of the Will of Man, but of God. -f* Again, If ye abide in me, and my Words abide hi you, ye floall ajk what ye will, and itjhall be done unto you. Afk, and yejlmll receive, that your Joy may be full. If any Man love me, my Father will love him, and we will come un- to him, and make our abode with him. The Apoftle faith, Giving thanks unto the Father ^ who hath deliver d us from the Power of Dark- nefs, and hath tranjlated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have Kedemption through his Blood, Now * John V. 21. f John I 12. r [ 293 ] 'NovPViiabe/fus, ov 2. Fcrphyry, or any modern Adverfary of the Gofpel, a mind to flievv their utmoft Detefiation and Abhorrence of thefe Dodrines, of a Birth of the Spirit, a Birth of God, a quickening Saviour^ a Life in him and through him, a Redemption thro his Blood, a T^ranjlation into his Kijigdonty of our ajking and receiving all through him, of his Father's and his Abode in us, had they the greateft Defire to perfuade all People that all this was a groundlefs FiSiion, without the leaft Truth or Reafonablenefs in it, need they declare any more, or defire any more to be believ'd than this, That the highejl Good of Man, is the uniform PraStice of Morality, chofen by oiirfelves, as our Happinefs here, and our unfpeakable Reward hereafter f For is not this the fame thing as to fay, all the Dodrines of the Gofpel Saviour and Salvation, of a new Birth, of the Spirit of God, of Redem- ption through Chriji, of Righteoifnefs in him, of entering into his Kingdotn, are abfolutely falfe ? For it is the fame total Denial of all the Chriftian Method of Salvation, as to fay, that we have our Happinefs or higheft Good both here and hereafter from Epicu- rus. For the Salvation, and Happinefs, and eternal Life which we receive through Jefus .^i .i;..ui y 3 Chrift, r[294] Chrift, is equally deny'd and rejeded as falfe, whether you place our highejl Good in what we can do for ourfelves, or in what Epicurus can do for us. d:^uoi The Scripture faith, T'he Gift of God is ^eternal Life, through fefus Chrift our Lord. * -jArid again, He that hath the Son, hath Life-, ^i^nd he who hath not the Son, hath not Life, -f* ^.^Again, By Grace ye arefaved through Faith ; ^md that not ofyourfeheSy it is the Gift of God. {| And again, If Chrift be not raifedy ye are yet in your Sins : And, j^s in Adam all died, fo in Chrift ftoall all be made alive, .And again. Tour Life is hid with Chrift in God, When % Chrift who is our Life fhall appear, then fhall ye alfo appear with him in Glory, j ^j-^.sj W«% Now this Author does not exprefsly fay all this is abfolutely falfe, and not fit to be believ'd, but he only defires you to believe fomething, that will jQaew it to be impofjihle to be true. , ^ qj tatavia) For if our own Morality, chofen by our fehesy is our higheft Good and Reward both » here and hereafter^ it is impoflible to be true, 4 J TL3V3 as e*^^>X>^'^°^^^ I that * Rom. vi. 23, f I John v. la. j) Eph. ii. 8. ""\ Col. iii. 3. r [ 295 ] fhaf we have fio Life but in the So?2 ofGodj or that eternal Life is the Gift of God to tis : through Jefus Chrift, or that we os^favdby Grace^ through Faith, and not of ourfehes. So that this Author is not to be confider- ed as one that has barely miftaken fomething in the Nature of the Sacrament, but as one that rejedls the whole Method of Salvation through Jefus Chrift, and will have no Hap- pinefs or Redemption from him here, or eternal L>fe. hereafter. ^V t. ,o»' Wh EN therefore he faith, Do icr not par- take of the Benefit ofRemiJJion of our Sins, by partaking of the Lord's Supper worthily^ I muji anjwer. No ; if the Gojpel be true. * vr. This ought to have no more Weight ^■'With you, than if CeJfus or Forphyry^ or Hobbsy had faid the fame thing. For fince ' he makes our own Morality ^ chofen by our*, felves, to be our higheji Goody both here and hereafter^ he as abfolutely rejeds our Salvati- on through Jefus Chrift, and denies the "v^Love and Goodnefs of God towards us in , iChrift Jefus, to be our higheft Good, both here and hereafter, as ever Celfus or Forphyry did ; U 4 And f Page 144, [ 296 ] And therefore can have no more Right or Pretence to explain any Part of that Salvati- on, which he has fo totally denied, than they had. In the Gofpel, fays he, No Par- don of paji Silts is promifed or given^ unlefs to thofe juft converted i renouncing their Sins, and baptized into the Chrijlian Faith ; or to thofe^ who having finned after Baptifm, aBu- ally amend their hives. This is to (hev^^ you, that there is no Remiffion of Sins obtain'd by the worthy partaking of the Sacrament, if the Gofpel be true. Now in the Gofpel, our Bleffed Lord feeing their Faith, faith to the Sick of the ^Falfyy Son, be of good cheer, thy Sins are forgive?! thee. Now here Pardon of Sins is given, di- re6tly contrary to this Author's AlTertion, to one not converted and baptized ilito the Chriilian Faith, but becaufe of his and their Faith that brought him on a Bed. Again, of Magdalen, our Lord faith. Her Sins, which are many, are forgiven j for foe loved much. But to whom little isforgiven, the fame loveth little. Here C 297 ] Here you fee again a plain Confutation of this Author's Dodrine j for here Remif- fion of Sins is adually given and declar'd to be due to Love^ and Love is affirm'd to be the Meajure of it. Therefore it is an undeniable Dodrine of the Gofpel, that Faith and Love are cer^ tain Means of obtaining Remiffion of our Sins J if therefore the Sacrament is an Ex^ ercife of our Faith and Love, then we have the utmoft AfTurance from our Saviour's own Words, that we thereby obtain Remiffion of our Sins. But this Author has another Argument againft it, taken from our Liturgy. In our Publick Office^ fays he, it is not Juppofed that the worthy partaking oj the Lord's Supper does itfelf operate this Forgivenejs j but it is made part of a Prayer to God, that they who have partaken of ity may obtain 'Remijfionof their Sins, &c. l^hey are taught to pray thus, after the A5i of Communion is over, which fuppo- fes that it is not already obtain'd *. Now if there was any Truth or Reafon in this Argument, it would follow, that our Saviour's !» Page 145. Saviour's Apoftles had obtain'd m Remiffion of Sins from him; and tho' he had chofen ttheni out of the World, called them his Friends^ and declared his extraordinary Love for them, and tho' they left all and followed 'him, yet he had not done that for them, which he had done for the fick of the Palfy, and many others j for this Reafon, becaufe he had taught and enjoin'd them a Form of Prayer, in which they were to pray for the '^orgivenefs of their Sins, Au , mstlj .:^ -^'Wo'^ if it is rightly argued, that there is no RemiJJion of Sins obtained by the Ufe of the Sacrament, becaufe afterwards there is Prayer made for the Forgivenefs of Sins, then it muft follow, that our Saviour's Apo- ftles could not have received any Remiffion of Sins, when he taught them to pray for it. It muft follow alfo, that he never intended that they ftiould be in the State of new Con- verts, baptized for the Remiffion of their Sins, becaufe then they could not without great Abfurdity have ufed that Form of Prayer which he gave them. I T follows alfo, that the Apoftles could not have taught this Form of Prayer, or enjoin'd the Ufe of it to their new baptiz'd i Converts^ c 299 ] ■iiQonverts, becaule it would have been, ac- i^ordlng to this Author, a proving to them, that they had not received the Pardon of their Sins by Paptifm. :. Now the Inconfiftency which this Au- thor finds in praying for the Forgivenefs of Sins, and all other Benefits of Chrift's Paf- fion, after the Reception of the Sacrament, if the Sacrament itfelf was a Means of ob- taining them , all this Inconfiftency and Difiiculty had been remov'd, if he had onlv known or acknowledged, that the Chriftian Life is a progrejive State, and that Forgive- nefs of Sins is a Grace and Benefit of Jefus Chrift, beftow'd upon us in the fame man- ner as every other Grace or degree of Holi- nefs, as a Talent to be improv'd, as a ^eed to J)e nourifhed up by us to its full Growth. And for this Reafon it is, that we are oblig'd to pray for every Grace, and every Virtue, that we have already received, becaufe we have receiv'd it to grow up in us, and Prayer or Defire of it is the only Soil in which it pan grow. h^ T H u s he to whom God has already gi- •ven the Grace of Penitence, for that reafon .^rayyiox Penitence ; he that has already re- ^^navncU ceiv'd r. [ '300 ] ceiv'd of God the Glft'W'PMk^^rxhzt reafon prays, Lord, help thou mhie Unbelief', and he that is the fullefi of Righteoufnefs, feels the greateil: Hunger and Thirjl after it/' But according to this Author's Religion, he that has receiv'd the Spirit of God , can- not be fuppos'd to pray for i't; and yet ac- cording to the Religion of the Go/pel, no one can pray for it, but bccaufe he has received it, I SHALL now only add a word or two on what this Author fays in Defence of the Safety of his Dodrine of the Sacrament , tho' it Ihould be erroneous. It ought certainly, fays he, to be far from the Thoughts of every Chrijlian to lefen any Privileges, or undervalue any Promifes, an- nexed by Chriji to any Duty or Inflitution of his Religion. It is an ijiexcufable Fault wil- fully to attempt it, and an inexcufable Carelefj- nefs to do it for want of due Conf deration. — • But this, I think, nmy with I'ruth be /aid, that an Error of this fort (fhould it be fuppofed) does not really hurt any Chrijiian, nor alter the EffcB of the Duty at all *, The * Pref; p. s. ,['30i ] The Safety therefore of his Dodrine of the Sacrament, fuppofing it to leflen and undervalue the Benefits of it, is grounded upon this general Propofition , which he takes to be a great Truth, viz. " That to " lelTen or undervalue the Privileges and " Promifes annex'd to any Duty or lujiitu- " tion by Jefus Chrift, does not really hurt " any Chriftian, or alter the EffeB of the " Duty at all;' Now this Dodrine diredly leads to In- fidelity^ for Infidelity is nothing elfe but a lejfening and undervaluing the Privileges and Promifes annexed to Faith in Chrift. The Scripture faith. In this was mani- fejied the Love of God towards us^ becaufe that God fent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live thro him ; and again. He fent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins *. God fo loved the Worlds that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him fiould not perifi , but have eternal Life. Here the Privilege and Promife of Life, and Atonepienf for our Sins, is annex'd to Faith in Chrift; but according to this Author, it does you no real Hurt, nor alters the Eff'eB of your Faith at all, though you lefen * I John iv. 9. iejfe?t and imder'value this Privilege and Pro- mife of Life, and Atonement for your Sins, oifer'd to your Faith in Chrifl Jefusiunnwoq ri sbdj oJ woVi^ »flonfiviB8 luo /fe I s not this diredly faying, that Infidelity is as fafe and beneficial to you, as a Belief of the Privileges and Promifes of the Gofpel ? Is it not faying, that it is as beneficial to you to efleem of Chrift only as a Carpenter's Son, as to exped; Atonement and Life from him, as th^ only begotten Son of God ? ^ . I T is faid of our blefled Lord, that among thofe of his own Country he did no mighty Works ^ becaufe of their Unbelief . Now what was their UnbelieJ f It was nothing but the Infdelity which this Author would prove to be harmlefs j it was only a leffening and un- der'valuing all thofe Privileges and Promifes which our Saviour offered to thofe that would have a jufl Senfe of the Value of them. Now if we lefTen or undervalue any Privileges and Promifes annex'd to Faith in Chrift, or any other Duty, fuch U?ibelief will certainly have the fame Effed: upon us that it had upon thofe amongft whom Chrifl liv'd, it will hinder him from doing any mighty Works among us, or in other Words, render our Knowledge and Proffflion of hiiu ineffedual to our Salvation. a -lis Kiv- . Prayer [ 3^3 ] -oPrayer and Faith are amongfl the greateftr Duties of the Chriftian Life, and are the moft powerful Means of obtaining all the Bleffings of our Salvation. Now to thefe two Duties the greateft Privileges and Promifes are an- nex'd by Chrift. The Promife of the Holy Spirit is made to Prayer. Now, according to this Author, if you leffen and undervalue this Privilege and Promife annex'd to Pray-' er, if you grow indifferent about the Necef^-^ fity or Benefit of the Holy^ Spirit, and fancy^ that you are fufficient of yourfelf for all the Virtue that you want, all this does you no real Hurt, nov alters at all the EffeSl of your A G jSrwl another Privilege annexed to Prayer, is that of being heard in and thro* the Name of Chriji. } • -s , ^Hitherto, fays our blefled Lord, ye have ajked nothing in my Name ; ajk and ye fiall receive y that your Joy may be full. What- foever ye fiall aJk the Father in my Name, he wtllgive it you*. ■•'Now if any Infidel, to abate your Zeal for, and Confidence in this kind of Prayer, (liould teach you, that no one can fuiFer any real Htiti' * John xvi. 24, [ 304 ] Hurt by lejfening and undervaluing Prayer in the Name of Chrift, and that it would have the fame EfFe(St upon you, tho' you expedled little or no Good from it, the Gofpel would be preach'd to you, jufl as it is by this Author. Again, All things whdtfoever ye Jhall ajk in Prayer^ believing, ye Jhall receive. Now what is this believing, but an entire Faith in the Privileges and Promifes annex'd to Prayer? B u T if Prayer is effedual becaufe of this Faith in the Promifes made to Prayer, then every one fuffers a real Hurt, and the EffeB of his Prayer is altogether hinder'd by this want of Faith, or by a lefTening and under- valuing the Privileges and Promifes annex'd to it. B u T if this Author's Dodrine was true, it might then be faid, in Contradidion to the Gofpel, Prayer does you as much real good when you have little or no Faith in it,as when you have ever fo much, and your believing is no help to your receiving. The Scriptures attribute a kind of Om- nipotency to Faith j thus. All things are pof- fible to him that believeth. Again, According I to '^b- [ 305 ] to thy Faith ^ fo be it done unto thee. 'T'hy Faith hath favd thee.--^— Thy Faith hath made thee whole. But according to this Au- thor, it muft be faid, that the Want of Faith does you no real Hurt, that you will be heald zndjavd, and have all t hi figs done to yoiiy in the fame manner, whether you be faichlefs or believing. And on this Foundation it is that he grounds your Safety in receiving his Do6lrine of the Sacrament, though he iliould have lefTened and undervalued the Benefits annex- ed to it. But you ought to obferve, that you can have no Safety in receiving his Dodrine of the Sacrament, unlefs it be fafe for you to receive another Gofpcl. Had the Sick^ the Lame., the Blind., and the F)eaf believed that which this Author would have you believe, as fafe Dodlrine, mz. that to leffen and undervalue the Pro- mifes and Privileges made to Faith, could do them no real Hurt, they had continued in their Infirmities, merely for knowing Jefus Chrifl and the Gofpel as this Author would have you know them. X When I? 3<56 ]l '^^W4'fiN' twb'MW Men raft crying after bur iSaViour to have Mercy on them, he faith- uiito them. Believe ye that I am able to do this f ^ hey [aid unto him, yea. Lord, 'Then touched he their Eyes, faying, according to your Faith bi^'ilt Unto you. And -their Eyes were opened *. The poor Woma#'khat wanted to be healed fei^her Infirmity, ' faM-, If I may but touch his €hdths-IfiaH-kwhole-:V^(m this Faith of the Woman, oi3i^ Saviour {M^ Jferceive that Viiriueisgoneoutofme'i and turning him about, and feeing the WomaUi he faid unto ber-y Daughter, be of good comfort ^ thy Faith Wth made thee whok^*^ -'■^ oi:^^^, u^A ? N o w, had the blind Men anfwer'd to our Saviour's Queftiou, No, Lord, we do not ht- lieve that thou canft give us Sight ; had thjs -difeafed Woman faid, I am fo far from ex- pelling to be heal'd by touching his Cloaths, that I don't believe he has the Power of heal*- ing in himfelf ; according to this Author, their Infidelity muft have help'd them to juft the fame Benefit from Chrift, as their Faith did , notwithftanding that Chrift himfelf afcribes it to their Faith. For unlefs it be true, that their want of Faith had help'd them ^ * Matth. ix. 27. f Matth. ix. 20. Luke viii. 46. them to the fame Benefit from Chrift that their Faith did, it cannot be true, that to lejfen and undervalue the Privileges and Fr^ mifes annex d to any Duty^ dois you «d real Hurtf nor alters the EffeB of it at ati. And thereiore the Safety whicti this Au^*, thor propofes to you, in lefTening and under* valuing the Privileges and Promifes annex'4 to the Sacrament, is only the Safety of Infi^ delity, and fuch a Safety as they are in, who lefTen and undervalue the Privileges and Pro- mifes annej^'d to Faith in Jefus Chrift. And indeed herein he is, though incon- fiftent with the Gofpel, very confiftent with himfelf. For if, as he has faid, an uniform Morality chofen by ourf elves, is our highefl Good both here and hereafter-, our higheft Good makes Chrift as needlefs to us as the Sacrament ; for if this is true, you can no more need the Benefits of a Saviour, than the Benefits of a Sacrament, and it can fig- nify nothing to your Happinefs, whatever Privileges and Promifes are offer'd to you in the Gofpel, becaufe you want none, can re- ceive none as a Part of your Happinefs, be- i caufe you have it all from yourfelf, both here ;ftnd hereafter. • i«>f .luv 3XuJ .OS .xi .rfluM t ."^i xi .o>uV: So _[-3o8] " S b that if this Minifter of the Gofpel carries his Point with you, if you beheve his Dodrine of the Sacrament,, upcn the Pn'/z- ciples on which he tcac1>.'^r j- , you n:ay ir.deed retain fomething of the outward Fcr^/i of the Sacrament^ but muft rejedi; the tukcfe. Saiva- tion of the Gofpel. F I N J S. 0^ k^f. it,- ■jy^^