SIr, when I part­ed with you the other day, I did not think to have come unto you so soon againe: but indeed having better considered [Page 2] of it, I see I was some­what deceived in our neighbour Zacheus, for the truth is, he answered you better then I had thought hee could have done. But yet here is an­other neighbor of ours, in whom I am sure I am not deceived, for all that have any acquaintance with him, and have any know­ledge in Religion, do con­clude that hee is a very simple ignorant man, and a bad liver; and yet he saith, That he hopes the Lord would be mercifull unto him and forgive him his sinnes, if hee should come to the Sacrament. And he telling me that he [Page 3] was going to your house to speake with you about it, I was willing to come along with him, to see if you would judge him also fit to partake of that ho­ly Ordinance, and our neighbour Matthias hath thought good to come along with us to heare our discourse.

You be all of you very welcome to me, and I shall be very willing to doe any good I can to any of you: And truly neigh­bour Simon I was sorry you went away the other day in such a discontent­ed manner; for I should have beene glad if you had tarried longer, that wee [Page 4] might have had further conference together.

Sir, I thanke you, it may be we may have further conference toge­ther about those things before we part; but first of all I pray you hearken to our neighbour Alexan­der, for he hath somewhat to say unto you.

Come neer neigh­bour Alexander, and tell me what you have to say unto me.

Sir, I do acknow­ledge, that as my neigh­bour Simon hath said, I am a very ignorant man, and am now and then sub­ject to drinke more then I should doe, and to sweare [Page 5] now and then an Oath when I am vexed, but I am sory for it afterwards. Now Sir, I doe desire to know the reason why I for all this may not be admitted unto the Sacra­ment of the Lords Sup­per?

Because you be­ing an ignorant and sin­full man, must needs be an unbeleeving man, and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not instituted and ordained for any un­beleever.

But Sir, though I be (as I have confessed) an ignorant and sinfull man, yet I hope I am a be­leeving man for all that.

[Page 6]

No, no, that can­not be.

Why Sir, I pray you is every ignorant and sinfull man an unbelee­ver?

No not so neither, for there is a twofold Ig­norance, and a twofold sinfulnesse; that is to say, there is an ignorance and sinfulnesse in part, and an ignorance and sinful­nesse in whole; now a man may be ignorant in part, and yet have true faith in Christ; for the A­postle saith concerning himselfe, and other true beleevers, We know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9. yea, and a man may be also sinfull [Page 7] in part, and yet be a true beleever, witnesse the same Apostle, when hee saith, Rom. 7. 23. I finde a law in my members rebel­ling against the law of my minde, and bringing mee into captivity to the law of sinne. But if a man bee wholly ignorant of Jesus Christ, and of himselfe, and of the Sacrament, as for ought I yet perceive you are, and wholly sin­full, as by your own con­fession it appears you are, then it is impossible hee should have true faith in Christ.

But Sir, I hope I am not wholly ignorant of Jesus Christ, nor of my [Page 8] selfe, nor of the Sacra­ment.

Well, because you say so, I pray you give me leave to aske you two or three questions; and first of all I pray you tell mee what is Jesus Christ.

Why, he is Gods onely Sonne, who was conceived by the holy Ghost, and borne of the Virgin Mary.

But the Scripture saith, That GOD hath more sonnes then one, as it is written, Galat. 3. 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus; why doe you then say, That Christ is Gods onely Sonne?

[Page 9]

Why I say so, be­cause it is so set downe in the Apostles Creed, which I am sure I say many a time and often; and if it be not true, me thinks the Apostles of Christ should not have so set it downe.

And what is the holy Ghost which you say Christ was conceived by?

Why truly Sir, the Holy Ghost I think is that good Spirit whereby we are guided and ruled when we live and walke according to Gods will and Commandments.

And why was Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost.

Beleeve me Sir, [Page 10] that is too hard a questi­on for me to answer, and it would trouble a man that hath much more knowledge then I to an­swer aright.

And why do you say that Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary?

Why I say so, be­cause it is so said in my Creed.

But why was it meet that he should bee borne of a Virgin, rather then of another woman?

Truly Sir, I know no other reason, then that I am perswaded it was the will of God it should be so.

Well, you con­fesse [Page 11] you are a sinner; therefore I pray you tell me how you came to be a sinner?

Why by yeelding to the Devils tentations and mine own wicked and corrupt heart, as other sinners do I thinke.

But was you born a sinner?

Yea, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sinne did my mother conceive me.

And was you a sinner when you were first created in Adam?

Yea surely, or else how could I be borne a sinner.

And what doe [Page 12] you beleeve that Christ hath done for you?

Why I do verily beleeve that he died for me.

But what warrant have you to beleeve that Christ died for you?

Why Christ died for sinners, and I am a sin­ner, and therefore I doe beleeve that he died for me.

And do you think that Christ died for all men?

Yea indeed, if he died for sinners, I thinke he must needs die for all men, for wee are all sin­ners.

Do you then beleeve [Page 13] that all men shall be sa­ved?

No indeed, I am not so simple to think that all men shall be saved, for as I doe beleeve there is a Heaven for some, so do I beleeve there is a Hell for others.

Why do you then thinke that Christ died in vaine for them that are not saved?

No surely I dare not think so.

But if he died to save them, and they bee not saved, must it not needs follow, that he died for them in vaine?

Truly Sir I can­not tell how to answer [Page 14] that, it is too hard a que­stion, and therefore I pray you aske mee no more such.

Well then, I pray you tell me what is a Sa­crament?

Why a Sacrament is the Lords Supper.

And why do you desire to come to the Lords Supper?

That I might there worship and serve the Lord.

Well neighbour Alexander, I might aske you many other questions touching these points, but your Answers to these I have already asked you, are sufficient to prove that [Page 15] you are wholly ignorant, of Christ, of your selfe, and of the Sacrament, for though some of your an­swers be true, yet as wee use to say, As good never a whit, as never the bet­ter.

But Sir, for ought I see, those that have most knowledge in Religion, and can talke best of it, are as bad in their lives as they that are most igno­rant, and therefore if I have but a good heart and a good minde, as I doubt not but I have, I hope I shall doe as well at the last as if I could talke and prate more.

I but whatsoever [Page 16] you thinke of your selfe, and whatever your hopes are, the Lord tells you, Prov. 19. 2. That without knowledge the heart or minde is not good; and although it be possible that a man of great know­ledge may have an evill heart of unbeleefe, and so perish, yet it is without all question, that hee who hath no knowledge hath an evil heart of unbeleefe, and therefore shall perish, as it is written, Hos. 3. 6. My people perish for want of knowledge.

And Sir, do you also thinke that I am wholly sinfull?

Yea indeed do I, [Page 17] for an ignorant heart is alwayes a sinfull heart, and a man without know­ledge is alwayes a man without grace.

But Sir, when you say I am wholly sinfull, I pray you tell me what you meane, for I do not well understand you.

Why I meane you are wholly given over to sinne, you commit sinne with greedinesse, with­out any strife in your will and affections against it; you love sinne, and de­light in the committing of it.

Nay now Sir, I see you are deceived in me, for I thanke God I [Page 18] doe strive against my sins, and would faine leave off my sinfull courses, and as the saying is, My Spirit is willing, but my Flesh is weake; The Lord bee mercifull unto mee, and forgive me all my sinnes, as I hope he will.

But what is your meaning, when you say, You doe strive against your sinnes, and would faine leave them.

Why my mean­ing is, That when I am overcome by drinking too much, and do there­upon fall to cursing and swearing, quarrelling, and some other sinnes; when I come to my selfe againe, [Page 19] and have considered what I have said and done, I am much vexed at my selfe, and wish from my heart that I had never done so; yea, and I have many a time resolved ne­ver to do the like againe; and yet by occasion of go­ing into the company of some men, with whom I have some dealing, who are too subject to that vice (though otherwise very honest faire conditi­oned men) and also by reason of mine own natu­rall inclination to those sinnes, I am now and then overcome, and so commit the like sinnes againe.

And what hath [Page 20] beene the reason of this your striving against your sinnes, as you call it?

Why truly Sir, it hath been because I have considered that in so do­ing I have mis-spent my time and my money, and have disgraced my selfe, and endangered the salva­tion of mine owne soule, if the Lord were not the more mercifull.

Surely it appears to me that all this striving hath beene onely betwixt your Judgement and Af­fections, or betwixt your Conscience & your Lusts; You doe in your Judge­ment conceive these cour­ses to be evill, because of [Page 21] the evill effects that fol­low them, and therefore your conscience tells you that you do evil in cōmit­ting them, and you thinke it were good for you to leave them because of the punishment that follows or is like to follow upon the committing of them; but your Affections and Lusts do like and approve of them, and therefore doe prevaile with you to act and commit them, and in the committing of them you take great de­light; so that I say, this your striving against sinne is nothing but Conscience and Lusts by the ears to­gether, which striving He­rod, [Page 22] Balaam, and Pilate had within them, and so may the vilest Reprobate in the world have: But all this while there is no strife in you betwixt will and will, nor betwixt Af­fection and Affection, as there is in every true Be­leever; for he having the Spirit of Christ within him is a regenerate man, and in part renewed, and therefore the strife that is in him is betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit, betwixt the regenerate part and the unregenerate part, and it is against sinne as it is sinne, and hated and loa­thed by him; and there­fore assure your selfe that [Page 23] notwithstanding all your striving, you are wholly sinfull.

But stay a little, I pray Sir, this your speech seemeth to imply, as though a true Beleever might commit the like grosse sinnes that he doth, and that there were no other difference betwixt him and a true Beleever in the point of sinning, but onely this different striving.

But assure your selfe neighbour Simon, that my meaning is not so, for I doe fully agree with that worthy man of God, who saith, That a true Repentant, and that [Page 24] is a true Beleever, for­sakes all sinne in affecti­on, and all grosse sinne in action; and therefore I pray you neighbour Alex­ander consider of it, for this doth more fully prove that you are wholly sin­full as well as wholly ig­norant.

Well Sir, though I be wholly ignorant and wholly sinfull, as you say, yet would I faine know the reason why I may not have true faith in Christ for all that?

The reason why there can be no true faith in Christ when a man is wholly ignorant of him, is because it is the nature [Page 25] of faith to beleeve that which it knoweth; so that wheresoever there is no true knowledge of Christ there can be no true faith in Christ; and therefore Reynolds on the Sa­craments, p. 138. Christ himselfe makes the knowledge of him all one with beleefe in him, Joh. 17. 3.

And the reason why there can be no true faith in Christ when a man is wholly sinfull is, because holinesse of life and con­versation is an unsepera­ble companion and fruit of faith; for faith purifi­eth the heart, Acts 15. 9. and faith worketh by love, Gal. 5. 6.

Well Sir, sup­pose [Page 26] I have no true faith in Christ, and so be an un­beleever, as you say; Yet why was not the Sacra­ment of the Lords Sup­per instituted and ordain­ed for unbeleevers as well as for beleevers?

The reason is, be­cause the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, being not the Sacrament of Re­generation, but of susten­tation and nourishment, Christ did not institute and ordaine it for the re­generating or converting of any man, nor for the breeding of grace in him, but for the strengthning of the regenerate man that is borne againe, and [Page 27] for the nourishment of grace already bred and begun in him, so that in­deed the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is childrens bread, even the bread of Gods children, that are borne againe, not of cor­ruptible 1 Pet. 1. 23 seed but of incor­ruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever; and therefore it is not to bee given unto dogs; yea, it is spirituall food, ordained for spiri­tually living men; and therefore it is not to bee put into the mouthes of spiritually dead men, but into the soules of spiritu­ally living men; and a man is made a sonne of [Page 28] God onely by faith in Christ, as it is written, Joh. 1. 12. To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that beleeve on his Name. And so Gal. 3. 16. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus; yea, & it is faith that quickens a man and maks him spiritually alive according to that of the Apostle, Gal. 2. 20. I live by the faith of the Son of God.

Furthermore, the Sa­crament is the Seale of a Covenant, Rom. 4. 11. and Covenants essentially in­clude conditions, and the condition on our part is Faith, so that where there [Page 29] is no Faith there is no Co­venant, and where there is no Covenant there is no Seale, and then con­sequently no Sacrament; so that you being an un­beleever, you are an un­converted un-regenerate man, no childe of God, no spiritually living man, neither are you under the Covenant of Grace; and therefore assure your selfe the sacrament of the Lords Supper was not instituted and ordained for you.

Then Sir, it seems that you do not intend to admit me to bee a parta­ker of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

Surely neighbour [Page 30] Alexander, you not having true faith in Christ, you cannot bee a partaker thereof, though we should admit you.

This is strange to me Sir, cannot I come to Church and receive the Bread and Wine, and eat it, and drinke it, if you give it me?

Yea I do confesse, though you have no faith yet you may partake of the Bread and Wine; but you are not to come to the Sacrament to partake of the Bread and Wine, but to be made a partaker of CHRISTS Body and Blood, under the simili­tude of Bread and Wine, [Page 31] but this you cannot doe without Faith, for Faith is the hand with which Christ is received as you may see, Joh. 1. 12. yea, and it is the mouth by which we feed on him, as you may see, Joh. 6. 53. wherefore I beseech you bee not so simple as to thinke and imagine that you are to come to the Sacrament for a morsell of finer Bread, or for a draught of sweet Wine; nor that if you receive the outward Elements in a reverend manner, and be­have your selfe decent­ly during that action, and demeane your selfe man­nerly for that day, that [Page 32] then you have received the Sacrament in honour of Christ, and done a right acceptable service to God. But know and consider, That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a spi­rituall Banquet, where we are to feast our soules with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ crucified for us; and this you can­not do for want of Faith: and therefore, if you should come and partake of the outward Elements, yet would it be no benefit to you.

But Sir, doe you thinke it would bee any hurt to me, if I should re­ceive the Sacrament?

[Page 33]

Yea, I know it would be great hurt to you for by reason of your Ignorance and want of Faith in Christ; you are neither able to examine your selfe before you come there, nor to discerne the Lords Body when you are there, and so should you receive the Sacrament un­worthily; and so not only be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, but also eat and drinke damnation to your selfe, as the Apo­stle tells you, 1 Cor. 11. 27. 28, 29.

Sir, these things are somewhat strange to me, and therefore I pray you give me leave to ask [Page 34] you a few questions about them, and first of all tell me what I ought to exa­mine my selfe of, because you say I am not able to doe it.

Why you ought to examine your selfe 2 Cor. 13. 5 whether you bee in the Faith, whether Christ be in you yea or no, whether you be dead to sinne or alive to righteousnesse, what graces you have and what you want, what cor­ruptions you have over­come, and what do over­come you, what religious actions you perform, and how you performe them; in briefe, to examine your selfe, is to take a true sur­vey [Page 35] of the state and con­dition of your soule, by comparing it with the Scriptures. Now you are ignorant both of the state and condition of your soule, and also of the Scriptures, and therefore I say it is impossible that you should be able to ex­amine your selfe.

Well Sir, and what is it to discerne the Lords Body?

To discerne the LORDS Bodie, is to put a right difference betweene the outward Elements in the Sa­crament, and common Pemble on the Sacra­ments, p. 59. Bread and Wine, which difference is not at all in [Page 36] substance but in the use, the one being prophane the other sacred, being set a part to signifie unto us the benefits of Christs death and passion; or the discerning of the Lords Body stands in know­ledge, understanding and Dike on the Sacra­ments. p. 90. judgement of the nature, use, and necessitie of the Sacrament; but you have manifested by that which you said ere while, That you put no difference be­twixt the Bread and Wine at the Lords Table and common bread and wine, but would use them as you doe your ordinarie food, without any regard of the spirituall use of [Page 37] them, and therefore you are not able to discerne the Lords Body at the Sa­crament.

But Sir, it would be a strange thing if I by receiving the Sacrament should become guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ; I pray you Sir shew me the reason of it.

The reason is, be­cause if you should re­ceive the Sacrament, you would doe even so as the shedders of Christs Blood did, for looke as they that crucified and pierced Christ, poured not forth his Blood that they might Dike on the Sacra­ments p. 56. drinke it, but onely that they might poure it forth [Page 38] and shed it, so you by your receiving the Sacra­ment without profit or benefit to your soule, would rashly and in vaine shed the Blood of Christ.

Or to be guiltie of the Body and Blood of Christ Reynolds on the Sa­craments, p. 180. is to offer some notable contempt unto the suffer­ings of Christ, to finne against the price of our Redemption, and to vili­fie and set at naught the precious Blood of the new Covenant, as if it were a common and prophane thing, when men out of ignorant, sensuall, se­cure, presumptuous for­malizing, inconsiderate and prophane affections [Page 39] approach unto Christs Table to communicate of him.

And do you think that I should eat and drink damnation to my selfe, if I should receive the Bread and Wine at the Sacra­ment?

I think you would commit such a sinne in prophaning the Sacra­ment, as deserves both eternall and temporall Judgement, for though this Table of the Lord be a Feast of choicest deli­cates for refreshing of the Pemble on the Sacra­ments, p. 66. soule, when men come rightly prepared thereto, yet doth it become the bane and destruction of [Page 40] soules, when men present themselves thereat with unbeleeving impenitent and unholy hearts, as you would doe if you should come there.

Then Sir, it seems you doe absolutely con­clude that I am unfit to be admitted to the Sacra­ment of the Lords Sup­per?

Surely neighbour Alexander, you being wholly ignorant & whol­ly sinfull, unbeleeving, unregenerate, unconvert­ed, no Sonne of God, no spiritually living man, and having neither hand to re­ceive Christ, nor mouth to feed on Christ, nor be­ing [Page 41] able to examine your selfe, nor to discerne the Lords Bodie, and an un­worthy receiver, and so liable to become guilty of the Bodie and Blood of Christ, and to eat and drink your own damna­tion; I think it must needs follow that you are unfit to be admitted to the Sa­crament of the LORDS Supper.

Well Sir, if the case stand thus with me, then surely I have no cause to be sorry (as some are) but rather glad that the Parliament have ta­ken such a course, that you Ministers and Elders in every Parish shall exa­mine [Page 42] every one before he be admitted to the Sacra­ment; for if it had not beene for that, and if all might have come to the Sacrament that would, as it was in the Bishops dayes, then had I two or three times at the least re­ceived the Scrament of late, though, as it seems, it had been to the hazard­ing of the salvation of my soule: But Sir, what would you advise mee to do, in regard I have here­tofore received it divers times?

Why surely, I would advise you to goe unto the Lord by often and fervent prayer, be­seeching [Page 43] him to pardon and forgive you that, and all your other sins, for his Sonne Jesus Christs sake, and to give you faith to beleeve the pardon and forgivenesse of them, and to give you repentance for them, and so to make you a new creature: And I would also advise you to become a diligent hea­rer of the Word of God, and read it often, that so you may come to know your self and Jesus Christ, with the nature, use, and necessity of the Sacra­ment; and by these and other such meanes it may please the Lord to con­vert your soule, and to [Page 44] make you fit to be admit­ted to the Lords Table, and then we shall willing­ly receive you.

Then Sir, it seems I may be permitted to heare the Word of God preached?

Yea indeed, I do not only permit you, but also exhort you thereun­to, for that is the speciall meanes which God hath ordained for the convert­ing of soules, and for the breeding of grace in the heart of his Elect, and therefore I say I doe ex­hort you, yea, and I be­seech you as you tender the good of your soule, have a speciall care of [Page 45] that, and when you finde that the Lord hath there­by wrought upon your heart, then come before me and the Elders to be examined, and in the meane time I will pray for you, and so for this time I have done with you.

Well then Sir, I will take my leave of you, and I thanke you for the paines you have taken with me.

Fare you well neighbour Alexander, and I beseech the Lord to con­vince you of your sinnes, and convert you to the faith of Christ.

Well Sir, now [Page 46] you have pleased mee wondrous well, for now I see you will not admit of every ignorant and prophane fellow to come to the Sacrament, and truly now I could almost finde in my heart to come in amongst you and joyne my selfe with you, were it not for this businesse of Examination, but that I cannot approve of; and to tell you the truth, since I was here with you the other day, I met with a friend of mine, unto whom I related your con­ference with our neigh­bour Zacheus, and he said, That there was no war­rant in Scripture, either [Page 47] for Minister or Elders to examine any one before they come to the Sacra­ment; indeed, said hee, the Apostle exhorts a man to examine himselfe before he come, but he doth not exhort any o­ther to examine him, nei­ther is there any place of Scripture that warrants it.

But whosoever your friend was, hee is much deceived, for the Apostle in exhorting a man to examine himself, doth not exclude his ex­amination by another, but rather includes it; and though there be no place of Scripture that doth ex­presly require one man to [Page 48] examine another before he come to the Sacra­ment, yet may it bee ga­thered from Scripture by necessary consequence, for I thinke no man will de­ny but that command of the Lord, Deuter. 6. 7. to Parents to Catechise their children and servants, and to take an account of their Faith; and surely if Mi­nisters 1 Cor. 4. 15 bee spirituall Fa­thers, as indeed they are, then by the like reason they are warranted to ex­amine their people, and to take an account of their Faith. And surely I doe conceive that the practice of those Christians is both warrantable and com­mendable, [Page 49] who in any case of conscience which is not easily determined, doe repaire to some god­ly Minister for his advice and counsell therein, con­sidering that the Lord Isai. 50. 4. hath given unto them the tongue of the learned, that they should know how to speake a word in season. And considering also that the Prophet Malachy saith, The Priests lips should keep Mal. 2. [...]. knowledge, and men should seeke the Law of God at his mouth; and this case of conscience, to wit, whe­ther a man be fit to par­take of the Sacrament yea or no, I doe conceive is not very easily deter­mined, [Page 50] and therefore as the Eunuch said unto Phi­lip, Act. 8. 36. See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be bap­tized? So I do conceive that it is meet for every man and woman, before they receive the Sacra­ment of the Lords Sup­per, to goe to some godly Minister, or rather now before the Eldership, and say, I understand that such a day the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is to be ad­ministred, what doth hin­der me to partake there­of, and that it is meet for them to answer with Phi­lip, If thou beleevest with all thine heart, thou maiest; and so require him either [Page 51] to make some briefe con­fession of his Faith, as the Eunuch did, or else to give an answer to him that shall aske him a reason of the hope that is in him with meeknesse and feare, according as the Apostle Peter exhorts Christians to doe, 1 Pet. 3. 15.

But Sir, would you have a man to do this that hath received the Sa­crament many a time al­ready.

Yea indeed, if he never yet did it, yea and although he have already done it in private, yet do I thinke it meet that hee should goe before the Mi­nister and Elders, and do [Page 52] it againe to them more publikely.

Indeed Sir, I doe confesse it is meet that all Ignorant persons, who are not able to examine them­selves, ought to doe so. But as for such as have a great measure of know­ledge, and so are able to examine themselves, I see no need of it at all.

But I do conceive that it is meet for them also to come to be exami­ned, that so the Eldership may have a full satisfacti­on concerning their fit­nesse, so far forth as they are able to judge, yea and that they themselves may by their approbation bee [Page 53] the better confirmed in the same; yea, and that the ignorant sort, who for want of knowledge are turned backe, may have no occasion given them to say, That the Mi­nisters and Elders are par­tiall, and that such a man or such a woman would be found as ignotant as they, if they were exa­mined.

Well Sir, I doe now beginne to conceive that it is meet for a godly and learned Minister to examine a man, but I nei­ther see it lawfull nor needfull that those whom you call Elders should have any hand in such a [Page 54] businesse, especially such ignorant men as some of them are to my know­ledge.

Assure your selfe it is both lawfull and needfull that there should be Elders to joyne with the Minister both in ad­mitting those to the Sa­crament that upon exa­mination are conceived to be fit; and in keeping those back who upon ex­amination are conceived to bee unfit, because Christ hath not given this power to the Minister alone, for when he saith, Matthew 18. 17. Tell the Church, hee doth not meane the Minister only, [Page 55] neither yet the whole Church, but the Rulers in the Church, to wit, the Minister and Elders; and so the Apostle men­tioning the excommuni­cation of the incestuous person, 2 Cor. 2. 6. saith, That his punishment was inflicted by many, not by the Minister onely, for then he would have said by one; nor yet by the whole Church, for then he would have said by all: but by many; that is to say, of the Presbytery, which consisted of many Officers. And indeed I do conceive it is very need­full that the Elders should be joyned with the Mini­ster [Page 56] in this worke, both for the assisting and help­ing of him therein, and for the preventing of oc­casions of suspicion of his usurping more power to himselfe then Christ hath given unto him, or going beyond the bounds which Christ hath set him.

But Sir, there is a Neighbour of mine, who is the Independant way (as it is called) who hath (to tell you truly) perswaded with me to come into their way, and in our Conference toge­ther, I remember amongst the rest he told me, that by the word Church is not to be understood the [Page 57] Ministers and Elders only, but also every member of the Church, and that it is therefore meet that every member of the Church should joyne with the Ministers and Elders, both in admit­ting those to the Sacra­ment that upon examina­tion shall be conceived to be fit, and in keeping those backe who upon examination are concei­ved to be unfit.

I know who that Neighbour is of whom you speake, and I hope he is a man truly fearing God; but yet I must tell you, that I am confident that therein he erreth [Page 58] from the truth, for it is evident by Scripture, that in the Church of Christ there are to be some Go­vernours and Rulers, whom others in the Church must honour, be obedient unto, and sub­mit themselves, as in 1 Cor. 12. 28. the Apostle saith, God hath set some in the Church to be helpers in Government. And in Rom. 12. 8. there is mention made of Rulers in the Church, He that ruleth, saith the text, let him doe it with diligence. And in 1 Tim. 5. 17. the Apostle saith expresly, Let the El­ders that rule well be coun­ted worthy of double ho­nour, [Page 59] especially they who la­bour in the word and do­ctrine, and in Heb. 13. 17. it is said, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves unto them, because they watch for your soules as they that must give an account. And most plainely it is said, Heb. 13. 24. Salute all them that have the rule o­ver you, and all the Saints. Where you see, that Ru­lers and Saints are made contra distinct one to another, and thus you see it is evident by all these Scriptures, that in the Church of Christ there are to be some Gover­nours and Rulers, and [Page 60] some to be ruled and go­verned, but if all the members of the Church should have an equall au­thority in the Churches affaires, then should they be all Officers and Rulers, and then who should be ruled? If all were Go­vernours, then where were the governed?

Well Sir, I must confesse that you have hereby given me more satisfaction in this point then ever any man yet did, and truly if I did make any question of my fitnesse to come to the Sacrament, I could be contented either to be examined by you private­ly, [Page 61] or else come before you and the Elders more publiquely, but that I thanke God I doe not, and therefore I cannot bring my heart to sub­ject unto any such thing.

Neighbour Si­mon, let me tell you plain­ly and truly, it is possible that a man may have a very great measure of knowledge, and leade a very righteous course of life according to the Law, and yet have no true faith in Christ, and so be unfit to come to the Sa­crament of the Lords Sup­per; for the Apostle Paul, when he was a Pharisee, and before he had any [Page 62] true faith in Christ at all, was endued with a great measure of knowledge, and legall righteousnesse, being as himselfe confes­seth, Act. 22. 3. brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the Fathers, and as touching the righteous­nesse which is in the law he was blamelesse, Phil. 3. 6.

But Sir, though the Apostle Paul when he was a Pharisee, had a great measure of know­ledge, yet had he no knowledge of Christ, as thankes be to God we Christians have in these [Page 63] dayes, and therefore it is no marvell though he had no faith in him.

I tell you neigh­bour Simon, that in these dayes of Gospell light, a man may have a great measure of knowledge concerning Christs Per­son, Christs Offices, Christs Death and Resurrection, & yet all may be but meer notions floting in the braine, and so indeed have no more true faith in Christ then Paul had when he was a Pharisee, the Apostle Peter speakes of some in his time that had escaped the pollutions of the world, and that through the knowledge of [Page 64] the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and yet afterwards were intangled and over­come, 2 Pet. 2. 20.

But Sir, I should thinke it were impossible for a man that is able to answer you any question, touching any fundamen­tall point of Religion, and that leades an honest and religious course of life to want true faith in Christ, for me thinkes it should be as evident, that such a man hath true faith, as it is evident, that a sinfull and ungodly man hath it not.

No, it is not so evident, for though it be true, that whatsoever [Page 65] doth not glister is not gold, yet it is not so true that whatsoever doth gli­ster is gold; even so may we say, That although it be evident, that every person that is grosly igno­rant, and is a grosse sinner, hath not true faith in Christ, yet it is not so evident that every man that hath knowledge, and leades an honest and righ­teous course of life accor­ding to the Law hath true faith in Christ, I tell you truly, a man may have a name that he liveth, and yet be dead; as it is said concerning the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3. 1. yea, and a man may with the [Page 66] Church of Laodicea, think himselfe rich, and increa­sed with goods, and to have need of nothing, and yet be wretched and miserable, and poore, and blinde, and naked, Rev. 3. 17. and therefore I would intreat you to consider well of it.

Well Sir, I doe perceive by that which you said to me the other day, and by your words to me now, that you are somewhat jealous of me, though I hope there is no cause; but Sir, may not both you and the Elders be deceived in a man though you doe examine him, either in thinking a man hath faith in Christ [Page 67] when he hath not, or in thinking he hath no faith when he hath?

Yea indeed, I thinke it is possible that we may be deceived both wayes, for we have none of us the spirit of infali­bility.

Why then Sir, me thinkes it should be in vaine for a man to come before you to be exami­ned.

No, not so nei­ther, for though it be possible that we may be deceived, yet considering the course that we take in our way of examining, I hope we are seldome de­ceived, if at all.

[Page 68]

Why Sir, I pray tell me what course you take.

Why when any one commeth before us to be examined, we first of all desire him either to make some briefe Confes­sion of his faith, or else to answer us some Questi­ons which we shall pro­pound unto him, and if a man give us satisfaction concerning his know­ledge of Christ, of him­selfe, and of the Sacra­ment, then we aske him what evidences he can shew of his Conversion, or New Birth, and so con­sequently of his true faith in Christ; and if he also [Page 69] give us satisfaction there­in, then if we know not his life and conversation we make inquiry of it, and when we have satis­faction touching that also, we doe admit him to the Sacrament.

Surely Sir, I doe like this very well, and therefore because you seeme to question whe­ther I have true faith in Christ or no, I am con­tented (now I am here) to give you leave to exa­mine me, if you thinke good to take the paines.

Yea indeed, I am very willing to doe it for your good, and therefore I pray you in the first [Page 70] place tell me, Who made the world, and all things therein?

God.

And what is God?

God is a most ho­ly Spirit, infinite and e­ternall.

And how many Gods be there?

There is but on­ly one true God, distin­guished into three Per­sons, Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost.

And in what an estate did God create man at the first?

He created him holy and righteous.

And did man con­tinue in that holy & righ­teous estate?

[Page 71]

O no, he fell from it by breaking of Gods expresse Command­ment, in eating of the for­bidden fruit.

And was the first man onely guilty of that sinne?

O no, all Man­kinde did also become guilty in that they were all of them then in his Loynes, yea, they are not onely become guilty by having his sinne impu­ted unto them, but they are also become filthy, by having his corruption in­fused into them.

And what pu­nishment are all Mankind made liable and subject [Page 72] unto by reason of their guiltinesse and filthinesse?

Even to eternall death and damnation in Hell fire.

And shall all Man­kinde then partake of that punishment?

O no, for God hath from all Eternity e­lected and chosen some to eternall life and glory, and all those shall certainely be saved.

And by what meanes shall they be sa­ved?

Onely by Jesus Christ.

And what is Je­sus Christ?

He is the eternall [Page 73] Son of God, who in time became Man for his Elect.

And what hath Christ done for their Sal­vation?

He hath fulfilled the Law, and suffered death for them.

And by what meanes are the elect made partakers thereof?

Onely by meanes of faith.

And what is faith?

It is a speciall gift and grace of God, be­stowed onely upon Gods elect, and wrought in their hearts by the power of his Spirit, whereby they doe receive and apply Christ unto themselves particu­larly.

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And what is the Sa­crament of the Lords Sup­per?

It is a signe or a seale, wherein by the Mi­nisters blessing, and deli­vering of Bread and Wine according to the instituti­on of Christ is signified, exhibited, and sealed to the faithfull Receiver, the nourishment of the soule to eternall life, by the Bo­dy and Blood of Jesus Christ crucified, and so his further confirmation in the covenant of grace.

And doe you in­tend to come before me and the Elders when we are together, and so to be admitted to the Sacra­ment [Page 75] the next time it shall be administred?

I doe desire to partake of the Sacrament, but I am not yet very willing to be examined any more.

And why doe you desire to partake of the Sacrament?

Because I doe conceive it is a duty which God requireth at my hands, and which tends much to the comfort and benefit of my soule.

Well neighbour Simon, I like all these an­swers well except it be the last, how ever, such an­swers as these, though 'tis true they are all funda­mentalls, [Page 76] yet if as they come from you they be rather Catechisticall then experimentall, if they come onely from your head, and not also from your heart, it matters not greatly whether they had been better or worse; for in a Catechisticall manner a man may answer better, and yet want faith in Christ; and he may not answer so well, and yet have faith in Christ; and therefore for a more sure Testimony of your faith in Christ, I would pray you to let me heare what heart knowledge you have, let me heare what Evidences you can [Page 77] shew for your Regene­ration or new Birth?

Why truly Sir, whilst I was a young man and unmarried I was very wilde, and given to much vanity, and many sinfull courses; but when I came to be a married man I left them all, and betooke my selfe to a very civill course of life, dealing up­rightly and justly with all men, not doing the least wrong to any, being very diligent in my Calling, en­deavouring thereby to get where withall to maintaine my selfe and my Family, and to bring up my children in lear­ning and good manners, [Page 76] [...] [Page 77] [...] [Page 78] and to keepe my selfe out of debt and danger, and to live in credit and fa­shion amongst my neigh­bours, and though I say it my selfe, I did so, and had the love of all that knew me, especially of the poorer sort, for the truth is, I was good to them: and I was also ve­ry carefull to goe to the Church every Sabbath day, and to see that my wife, children, and ser­vants did the like, and when we came home I did usually read a Chapter either before or after supper, commanding my children and servants to doe the like, and after­wards [Page 79] we used to sing a Psalm together, and then I commonly went to Prayer with them, though I must confesse I then did it upon a Booke; and this course of life I led for the space of full seven yeeres together, and now Sir, before I goe any further, I would intreat you to tell me, what state and con­dition you thinke I was in at this time.

Why the state and condition that you were in at this time, so farre as I can perceive, was neither better nor worse then the state and condition of a meere ci­vill honest man.

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Why truly Sir, herein you and I doe a­gree, for ever since it pleased the Lord to en­lighten me, I have thought just so of my selfe, and yet whilst I was in that condition, I thought my selfe to be in the onely happy condition, I meane as touching my soule, for I thought that he that came short of me, and did not so much as I, did not so much as he ought to doe, and he that went be­yond me, and did more then I, did more then he need to doe; but at last I heard a godly Minister handle these words, Mat. 5. 20. For I say unto you, [Page 81] that except your righteous­nesse exceed the righteous­nesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the King­dome of heaven. Whence he tooke occasion to shew what their righteousnesse was, and how farre they went, whereby I did per­ceive that they had gone further then I, and that in many things I come short of them; whereupon I thought with my selfe, if I come short of them that come short of Heaven, surely I must either goe further, or else I shall ne­ver come there.

And what fol­lowed then?

[Page 82]

Why then I chan­ged my minde, yea, and my course of life also; for whereas before I thought such men as were more zealous and forward in Religion then I was, they went too farre, and made more adoe then was need­full, and were more nice then wise. Why now I saw I was deceived, for they were the onely men that should enter into the Kingdome of Heaven; and thereupon I fell to hea­ring of Sermons, not on­ly on the Sabbath Day, but also on the Weeke day, and fell to writing after the Minister, and to make repitition of the [Page 83] Sermon when I came home, and on the Sab­bath Day I did ordinarily aske my children and ser­vants what they did re­member, and whereas be­fore I used to pray in my Family onely every Sab­bath Day at night, why now I fell to the doing of it both morning and eve­ning every day in the weeke, and without a Booke, yea, and I com­manded both my children and servants to learne a Catechisme or two by heart, and to tell you the truth, I also did learne them my selfe, and where­as before I did usually sweare by my faith and [Page 84] troth, thinking them to be no Oathes, and to tell a lye now and then for advantage, thinking that also to be no sinne, why now I left those things al­so; and whereas before I had no delight to keepe company with religious honest men, why now they were the onely men whose company I desired; and thus have I gone on ever since I thanke God, and increased more and more both in knowledge and in godly conversati­on, and so that time as I did conceive was the time of my true Conversion, or of my Regeneration and new Birth; and now Sir, [Page 85] I pray you tell me what you thinke of me.

Why surely you have done well both in turning from being a pro­phane man, to be a civill honest man, and in tur­ning from being a civil ho­nest man to be a religious honest man (as you terme it) but yet you have done ill in resting in either, as it appeares you have done in both; for as you were kept from religious ho­nesty by resting in civill honesty, so are you kept from Christ by resting in religious honesty, or ra­ther by resting in ratio­nall and religious forma­lities.

[Page 86]

I pray you then Sir, tell me what you would have me to doe more, for I doe assure you I cannot tell what to doe more then I have already done.

Why truly, I would have you to take off your heart from re­sting and putting confi­dence in your owne righ­teousnesse, and rest and put confidence in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, for that is the way to have true faith in Christ, and to be justified in the sight of God.

Why Sir, doe you not thinke that I who have led, and doe still [Page 87] lead such a just and righ­teous course of life, am already justified in the sight of God.

Alas, neighbour Simon. I feare you are of the same opinion touch­ing this point of Justifica­tion, which I well remem­ber, old Master Culverwell, who wrot the Treatise of Faith, once told me some legall Professours were, who using to come to him for resolution in some points, would tell him, that they could not be­leeve their Justification, and Salvation, because they were so sinfull and ungodly; whereupon he would aske them, Whe­ther [Page 88] they thought GOD would justifie the godly or the ungodly, they would presently answer, the godly sure; nay would he say, You are deceived, for the Apostle saith, Rom. 4. 5. That God justifieth the ungodly; even so, if you did conceive that you were a sinfull and ungod­ly man, I am confident you would not beleeve that God hath justified you, but because you doe conceive you are a righ­teous and godly man, therefore you thinke that you are already justified.

Sir, I would pray you to tell me what it is to justifie, or wherein [Page 89] doth justification consist.

The word justi­fie is in Scripture taken two wayes; First, it is taken for GODS Act in making of a man just: Secondly, it is taken for Gods Act in pronouncing of a man just.

Well Sir, and doth not Gods Act in making of a man just, goe before his Act in pronoun­sing of him just?

Yea indeed, for God being a just and righ­teous Judge, cannot in Justice pronounce any man just till he have first made him so.

Then Sir, how or what sence can it be said, [Page 90] that God justifieth the ungodly?

Why that saying of the Apostle, Rom. 4. 5. That God justifieth the un­godly, is to be understood onely of the first Act of God in making of a man just, and not also of his second Act in pronoun­cing of him just.

But then Sir, doth God make any man just whom he doth not also pronounce just?

No indeed, whom­soever God doth make just, he doth also pro­nounce just.

Then Sir, why doe you seeme to blame me for being perswaded, [Page 91] that God who hath made me just, hath also pro­nounced me just.

The reason why I blame you is, for that you doe imagine with the Papists, that God maketh a man just or righteous, by infusing of Justice or Righteousnesse into him, whereas the truth is, God maketh him just or righ­teous, by imputing the righteousnesse of Christ unto him, according to the saying of the Apostle, Rom. 5. 19. By the obedi­ence of one shall many be made righteous; or which is all one, God maketh a man just or righteous by not imputing sinne unto [Page 92] him, but pardoning and forgiving all his sinnes for Christs sake, according to the saying of the same A­postle, Rom. 4. Verse 6, 7, 8. Even as David describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God impu­teth righteousnesse without workes, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sinnes are covered; blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Sir, this Act of God, in thus making a man righteous I doe not well understand, and therefore I pray you tell me, what is meant by Gods imputing the Righ­teousnesse [Page 93] of Christ unto a man, or not imputing his sins unto him.

Why, the mea­ning is nothing else but this, to wit, that God graciously accepteth for a man, and in his behalfe, the Righteousnesse of Je­sus Christ, both active, that is his obedience, which in the dayes of his flesh he performed for man; and passive, that is, his sufferings which he sustained for man, as if he had in his owne person both done and suffered the same for himselfe.

But Sir, if the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ be imputed to a [Page 94] man for his Justification, and a man be justified thereby, why then is it said in Scripture, That Faith is imputed to a man for his righteousnesse, and that a man is justified thereby?

It is because faith is the instrument, and as it were the hand where­by Christ and his Righte­ousnesse is received, so that wheresoever it is said in Scripture, that Faith is imputed to a man for his righteousnesse, or, that a man is justified by faith, we are to understand it relatively, that is, as it hath relation to Christ and his Righteousnesse, [Page 95] which it receiveth and ap­plyeth; for indeed Faith considered in it selfe can­not be said to be imputed, neither as it is a habit, nor as it is an act, because that which is within a man cannot be said to be impu­ted Piscator on Justifica­tion. to a man, but that which is without a man; but faith is within a man, for, With the heart man beleeveth, Rom. 10. 10. and therefore faith can­not be properly said to be imputed to a man▪ how­ever, this may serve for a briefe and full answer to Mr. Shep­heard in his sound Beleever. pag. 228. your question, that to be justified by faith, and to be justified by Christs Righteousnesse, is all one [Page 96] in Scripture phrase and meaning, Gal. 2. 16, 17.

But Sir, if faith doe receive and apply the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ, then it should seeme that Gods imputa­tion is not sufficient for mans Justification with­out faiths application.

No indeed, for without mans application Gods imputation is not at all.

Why then Sir, it should seeme that a man doth helpe to justifie himselfe.

O no, not so, for mans application is also Ʋrsinus Catechis. from God, for God first imputeth unto a man [Page 97] Christs satisfaction, and then he ingendreth faith in him, whereby he ap­plyes that which is impu­ted unto him, and then is a man perfectly just or righteous indeed.

Well Sir, you have sufficiently declared wherein that first Act of God consisteth, in making a man just and righteous, I pray you also shew wherein the second Act of God consisteth, in pro­nouncing him just and righteous.

This Act of God is nothing else but a judi­ciall acquiting, whereby the Lord as a Judge pro­nounceth just and inno­cent, [Page 96] him that is accused and brought to the Judge­ment Seat; and this is done when that Satan accuseth, and the Law condemneth a Beleever, unto whom the Lord doth not impute sinne, but doth absolve and free him both from the fault and punishment; and this is that which the Apostle meaneth when he faith, Rom. 8. 33. It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth; where you see, that Justification is manifestly opposed to condemnation.

Well Sir, I doe now plainely perceive, that a man is neither [Page 97] made just by, nor pro­nounced just for his owne inherent righteousnesse, but onely by and for Christs righteousnesse im­puted; but Sir, Doth not the Lord wheresoever he imputes righteousnesse to a man, whereby he is ju­stified, infuse righteous­nesse also into him where­by he is sanctified?

Yea indeed, for Christ by his obedience hath not onely obtained imputation of righteous­nesse for his elect, where­by they are justified, but also that by his Spirit, to­gether with faith, there should be righteousnesse infused into them, where­by [Page 98] they are sanctified, and therefore I doe affirme, that sanctification is a necessary and unseparable consequent of Justificati­on, so that although in­herent righteousnesse be no part of that righteous­nesse wherewith a man is formally justified, yet that righteousnesse wherewith a man is formally justi­fied, is not imputed and applyed to any man that is growne in yeares of dis­cretion, without the gift of inherent righteous­nesse, whereby he is re­newed Eph. 4. 24. Colos. 3. 9. in the spirit of his minde, and restored to the Image of God, which consisteth in knowledge, [Page 99] righteousnesse, and true holinesse.

Then Sir, it seemes that the righte­ousnesse whereby a man is justified, and the righ­teousnesse whereby he is sanctified are not both one.

Yea, they are both one in regard of matter and substance, but yet there are divers other differences betwixt them.

I pray you Sir, for my better informati­on shew we what those differences are.

Why first of all, the righteousnesse where­by a Beleever is justified is in Scripture, called, Gods [Page 100] righteousnesse, as you may see, Rom. 1. 17. Rom. 3. 21. not because it is the righteousnesse of the God-head, but because it is the righteousnesse of that Person who is God: but the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified is called mans owne righ­teousnesse, as you may see, Rom. 12. 3. Phil. 3. 9.

Secondly, the righte­ousnesse whereby a man is justified, is called the righteousnesse which is of faith, but the righte­ousnesse whereby he is sanctified is called, the righteousnesse which is of the Law, as you may see, Rom. 10. 5, 6.

[Page 101]

Thirdly, the righteous­nesse whereby a Beleever is justified, is inherent in Christ, and imputed unto him, but the righteous­nesse whereby he is sancti­fied is inherent in him­selfe, being infused into him by the Spirit of Christ.

Fourthly, the righte­ousnesse whereby a Be­leever is justified, is a most perfect righteous­nesse, and cannot be in­creased, nor admit of any degrees, for the God-head of Christ afforded such dignity, vertue, effi­cacy, and merit to the obedience and sufferings of his Man-hood, as that [Page 102] they were an all-sufficient price, ransome, and sa­tisfaction to the Justice of God; but the righteous­nesse whereby he is sancti­fied is imperfect, and there are degrees of it ac­cording to the measure of grace received.

Lastly, to name no more, the righteousnesse whereby a Beleever is justified, is alwaies im­puted unto him, and ap­prehended by faith, be­fore the righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified is infused into him by the Spirit.

Truly Sir, I must acknowledge that I did never before this time [Page 103] observe these differences, betweene this two-fold righteousnesse.

Surely neighbour Simon, if I mistake not, there are two sorts of Professors, who for want of the true understanding of this difference, doe confound this two-fold righteousnesse, making them to be both one.

I pray you Sir, let me know who these Professors be, and what they doe, that so I may know whether I be one of them or no.

Why one sort of them, of whom I thinke meet to speake first, are such as may be truly called [Page 104] Antinomisticall Profes­sors, who confound the righteousnesse of Sanctifi­cation, with the righte­ousnesse of Justification, in making them to be both one, for they will have that righteousnesse which is inherent in Christ to be the righteousnesse both of their Justificati­on, and of their Sanctifi­cation; they will have all righteousnesse to be in­herent in Christ, and no righteousnesse to be inhe­rent in themselves, they will have God to impute all righteousnesse unto them, but not infuse any righteousnesse into them, they will apply a perfect [Page 105] righteousnesse unto them­selves by faith; when as they have neither faith nor righteousnesse, they will have Christ without his Spirit, and so indeed have neither Christ nor his Spirit; you shall heare these men and women in their conference with o­thers about these points, will be ever uttering these or the like speeches; As for me, truly I have nothing in me that is good, but am wholly sinfull; neither doe I looke for any thing else to be in me but sinne, and yet I doe verily beleeve, that I am perfectly righ­teous in the sight of God [Page 106] through Christ, or in Christ, being cloathed with a garment of Salva­tion, and covered with a robe of Righteousnesse, so that I am all faire and cleane, and there is no spot in me.

These men and wo­men, because they are not to looke for any good in themselves, as a ground or cause of their faith, they will not looke for any good in them­selves as an evidence of faith, because they are not to looke for inherent righteousnesse before they have by faith apprehen­ded the imputed righte­ousnesse; therefore they [Page 107] will not looke for any in­herent righteousnesse at all, because they must not looke for inherent righ­teousnesse to move them to beleeve, therefore they will not looke for it to assure them that they have beleeved.

Surely Sir, these men and women are much mistaken, but what doe you thinke is the rea­son of it?

Why truly, I have thought upon three Reasons of it, as first, be­cause that they have ei­ther by meanes of hea­ring, reading, or confe­rence, been instructed in the law of faith onely, [Page 108] without instruction in the law of workes going be­fore, or the Doctrine of the Law of Christs fol­lowing after, or else in the Doctrine of the law of workes, and the law of faith without the Do­ctrine of the Law of Christ. My meaning is, they have been instructed, that they of themselves are altogether unable ei­ther to doe, or suffer that which the law as it is the covenant of workes re­quireth, and that they are therefore in a dam­nable condition, and that yet notwithstanding, if they truly beleeve, and so apprehend the Righte­ousnesse [Page 109] of Jesus Christ, they shall have life and salvation, but they have not been instructed that if they doe truly beleeve, then they doe hereupon become subject and obe­dient to the minde and will of Christ revealed in his Word; they have been instructed that he is Jesus, a Saviour, but they have not been instructed that to whomsoever he is Jesus, a Saviour, he is also to them Christ, a Lord.

The second Reason is, because they take faith to be nothing else but a meere notion of Christ and his Righteousnesse, [Page 110] swimming in their braine, or at the best but a meere apprehension thereof in their minds, which is but a faith of their own forging, & so they think they have a strong faith, when as indeed they have not the least measure or degree of a true weake faith; they thinke they have Christ in their hearts, when as indeed he is but in their heads; they thinke they have him in their wills and affections, when as indeed they have him but onely in their understandings.

And a third Reason is, because they mistake the meaning of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 30. where he [Page 111] saith, that Christ is made unto us of God both righte­ousnesse, and sanctificati­on, for whereas they doe thence conclude, that Christs inherent righte­ousnesse is not onely that righteousnesse whereby a Beleever is justified, but also that righteousnesse whereby he is sanctified; and that in a Beleever there is no inherent righ­teousnesse, nor sanctifica­tion, as I have heard some have affirmed; the mea­ning of the Apostle is not so, but his meaning is; that God hath not onely ordained that Beleevers should be justified by ha­ving the righteousnesse [Page 112] which is inherent in Christ imputed unto them, but that Christ al­so should by his Spirit in­fuse righteousnesse into them, and so sanctifie them; he having not on­ly by the merit of his Death procured the one, but also by the vertue of his Death procured the other, and so indeed is made unto them both righteousnesse and san­ctification; and thus have I shewed you the first sort of those Professors, who confound his two-fold righteousnesse, and how they doe it.

Well Sir, I thanke God I am none of this [Page 113] sort, and therefore I pray you shew me also who are the second sort, and how they doe it.

Why, the second sort are such as are truly called formall, or legall Professors, who confound the righteousnesse of justi­fication with the righte­ousnesse of sanctification, making them to be both one; for they will have that righteousnesse which is inherent in man him­selfe, or rather those righ­teous actions which are performed and done by himselfe, to be not only that righteousnesse wher­by he is sanctified, but al­so that righteousnesse [Page 114] whereby he is justified; and hence it is that such men doe labour and en­deavour to reforme their lives, and their waies, and to performe good duties, both towards God and man, and also to the end they may have a ground to build their faith upon, and so farre forth as they can see a righteous dispo­sition in themselves, and righteous and religious actions performed by themselves; why so farre forth they will beleeve that they are justified in the sight of God, and no further.

And I pray you Sir, shew me also the [Page 115] ground and reason of this their mistake.

Why truly I have also thought upon three Reasons of this, whereof the first is, because they either by meanes of hear­ring, reading, or confe­rence, have been instru­cted in such a manner in the Law of the ten Com­mandments, as if a man in the time of this life were able to keepe and doe them perfectly, and so might be justified in the sight of God by his owne obedience to them, and they have not been con­demned and killed by the Law, in having it made knowne unto them in [Page 116] the purity and perfection of it.

The second Reason is, because they have had lit­tle or no instructions in the Doctrine of the Law of faith, or Covenant of pro­mise, especially betwixt that covenant and the covenant of workes, or betwixt the righteous­nesse of Justification, and the righteousnesse of San­ctification; and therefore being not able to distin­guish betwixt them, they doe confound them to­gether.

And a third reason is, because man naturally sees no other way to be justified and saved, but [Page 117] onely by his own workes and performances, for as Luther saith, It is the ge­nerall opinion of the whole world, that righte­ousnesse is gotten by the workes of the Law; and thus have I also shewed you the second sort of them that confound this two-fold righteousnesse, and how they doe it.

But Sir, as I doe conceive, he that doth confound this two-fold righteousnesse this latter way, doth not so ill, nor is not in so bad a conditi­on as he that doth it by the former way.

Yea indeed for ought I see, he doth even [Page 118] every whit as ill, and is every whit in as bad a condition as the other; for as he that confounds the righteousnesse of San­ctification with the righ­teousnesse of Justificati­on, doth thereby destroy them both to himselfe, and so indeed hath nei­ther of them: so he that confounds the righteous­nesse of Justification with the righteousnesse of Sanctification, doth there­by destroy them both to himselfe, and so indeed hath neither of them.

Indeed Sir, it is evident to me, that he who hath not the righte­ousnesse of sanctification, [Page 119] hath not the righteous­nesse of Justification, and so indeed hath neither of them: but Sir, me thinkes he who hath the righte­ousnesse of Sanctification, should also have the righ­teousnesse of Justificati­on, and so indeed have both of them.

No, you are de­ceived, it is not so, for as he that thinkes he be­leeves, and so hath the Righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto him for his Justification, deceives himselfe except the righ­teousnesse of the Spirit of Christ be afterwards infu­sed into him for his sancti­fication; even so he that [Page 120] thinkes he leades a godly and righteous course of life, and so hath the righ­teousnesse of the Spirit of Christ infused into him for his sanctification de­ceives himselfe, except the Righteousnesse of Christ hath been before imputed unto him for his justification.

Sir, I grant it, that a man may thinke he doth beleeve when he doth not, and therein de­ceive himselfe, because that he cannot see his faith; but me thinkes a man should not thinke he lives a godly and righ­teous course of life when he doth not, because [Page 121] that is to be seene.

O but let me tell you, as there is a forme of faith without the power of faith, which caused the Apostle to pray for the Thessalonians, that God 2 Thess. 1. 11. would grant unto them the worke of faith with po­wer; even so is there a forme of godlinesse with­out the power of godli­nesse, as you may see, 2 Tim. 3. 5. And as this forme of faith is nothing else but a faith of a mans owne hammering, or of his owne acquiring, and so is but an acquired faith, and not an infused faith; even so this forme of godlinesse is nothing else [Page 122] but a godlinesse of a mans owne hammering, or of his owne acquiring got­ten by the improvement of his Naturall and Morall abilities, and so indeed is but a godlinesse acquired, and not a godlinesse in­fused.

Then Sir, it seems that a man cannot by having the one, be assu­red that he hath also the other.

No indeed, if he have them not both he hath neither of them, for as there is no imputed righteousnesse going be­fore, where infused righ­teousnesse followeth not after, so is there no infu­sed [Page 123] righteousnesse follow­ing after, where imputed righteousnesse hath not gone before; so that if either of them be want­ing, and beare not wit­nesse to the other, and that in its due place, ac­cording to Gods owne order, and as his owne di­stinct actions, they are nei­ther of them true.

Then Sir, I pray you tell me how a man may know that he hath them both, and that they doe beare witnesse either to other, and that in their due place according to Gods owne order, and as his owne distinct actions.

Why, if a man [Page 124] have truly seene and con­sidered, that in regard the Lord did in Adam Create all men righteous, and able to yeeld perfect obedience to his Law, they having all of them in him transgressed his Law; it is a righteous thing with God to require a full satisfaction to be made to his Justice, by a perfect obedience to his Law both actively and passively, before he doe forgive any mans iniqui­ty, or cover any mans sinne, and so pronounce him just. And that in re­gard of the infinite exact­nesse, the glorious puri­ty, and absolute perfecti­on [Page 125] of the Law of God, he see an utter impossibility in himselfe, to yeeld a perfect active obedience unto it, and that in re­gard of that infinite Ma­jesty that is offended, there is an infinite suffe­ring required, which must either be an eternall pu­nishment, or that which is equivolent to eternall: And that man being a fi­nit Creature can doe it no way but by an eternall punishment, and that therefore he sees no way for himselfe but Hell and Damnation; and if then it hath been revealed un­to him, that Jesus Christ the Sonne of God, and of [Page 126] the Virgin Mary, was both God and Man in one Per­son, and that therefore his Divine nature did so sanctifie his humane na­ture, and did adde such dignity, worth, and ex­cellency to it, that he was thereby made a person of infinite value, and so by his holy and righteous course of life in the dayes of his flesh, he fulfilled the Law perfectly, and by his Death and Blood-shed made an infinite satisfa­ction to divine Justice, and all this as a Surety, and in the place and stead of all those that truly beleeve on his name; and if he have thereupon truly be­leeved, [Page 127] that all this was as truly done and suffered for him, as if he himselfe had done and suffered it in his owne Person, and that he is thereby justified in the sight of God, then may he be sure that the righteousnesse that is in­herent in Christ hath been imputed unto him, and apprehended by faith, and so hath gone before as an Antecedent. And if he have thereupon seene, considered, and felt the great and free love and Rom. 5. 5. favour of God in Christ, shed abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghost then given unto him, so as that his heart hath been [Page 128] thereby moved, yea and constrained to love God 1 John 4. 19. because he hath loved him first; and out of love to desire and endeavour to keepe his Command­ments, so that whereas before this time he either lived a prophane and sin­full course of life, or a meere civill honest course of life, aiming onely or chiefly at his owne credit and profit in this world, or a religious honest course of life onely, or chiefly for his owne eternall wel­fare in the life to come.

If this grace of God, or this free love and favour of Tit. 2. 11, 12. God in Christ hath so ap­peared unto him, as that it [Page 129] hath taught him to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, not for faith and justification, but from faith and justi­fication; then may he be assured that inherent righteousnesse, wrought by the Spirit of Christ, hath followed as a con­sequent, and so conse­quently that he hath both the righteousnesse of justi­fication, and the righte­ousnesse of sanctification, bearing witnesse either to other in their due place, according to Gods owne order, and as his owne distinct actions.

[Page 130]

And now neighbour Simon I beseech you try your selfe by these things, and know that if it hath been in any measure thus with you, then you may be assured that you have truly beleeved on the name of Jesus Christ, and are justified freely by his grace, and sanctified by his Spirit, and so are no formall or legall Profes­sor; but if it hath been in no measure thus with you, but that you have laboured and endeavou­red to live a godly and righteous course of life, that so you might have a ground to build your faith upon, that is, upon your [Page 131] owne righteousnesse and performances, if you have been ignorant of Gods righteousnesse, as the A­postle Rom. 10. 3. saith, the Jewes were, and have gone about to stablish your owne righ­teousnesse, as they did, then you may be assu­red that you have not truly beleeved on the name of Jesus Christ, neither are you justified nor sanctified, but are in plaine tearmes a meere le­gall Professor.

Sir, I must con­fesse that I have not here­tofore been acquainted with these things, and therefore I cannot truly say that I have done thus, [Page 132] or that it hath been so with me, but yet I can­not be perswaded that I have gone about to sta­blish mine owne righte­ousnesse, for I know right well, that when we have done all that we can we are but unprofitable servants, and that a man is to be justified by the mercies of God, and the merits of Christ, and not by his owne workes and merits, as the Papists hold.

I but neighbour Simon, I must tell you, that it is one thing to say thus in words, and to hold thus in judgement, and another thing to doe it in effect and practice; I [Page 133] meane in heart and con­science, it is not enough for a man to thinke, and be of opinion that he can­not be justified by his owne righteousnesse and performances, for that is onely a worke of the judgement rightly infor­med, and not a worke of the heart rightly refor­med; wherefore I doe admonish you to take heed, that whilst you are a Protestant in opini­on and profession, you be not a Papist in effect and practice, I meane in the inward disposition of your heart, as I feare me too many, both men and women in this City are; [Page 134] for if I be not mistaken, their very speeches and behaviour doe testifie, that because they know and doe more then they do conceive others know and doe, or because they are members of such a mans Congregation, and so in a Church way as they call it, therefore they trust in themselves that they are righteous, as our Saviour said the Pharisees did, Luke 18. 9. and yet if a man should say unto them as our Saviour did to the Pharisees, Luke 16. 15. Ye are they which justifie your selves, they would utterly deny it as you doe; but to tell you [Page 135] plainly neighbour Simon, your speeches and behavi­our, when you were with me the other day made me to feare that you were but a kind of a Pharisaicall Professor, furely in your crowing over, and un­dervaluing your honest neighbour Zacheus; in comparison of your selfe you did too nearely re­semble the proud Pha­risee, crowing over, and undervaluing the humble Publican, Luke 18. and in judging of him to be un­fit, and unworthy to come to the Lords Table; you did too nearely resemble Simon the Pharisee, men­tioned Luke the 7. who [Page 136] when he saw that sinfull, yet penitent and belee­ving woman, washing our Saviours feet with her teares, and wiping them with the haires of her head, he spake within himselfe saying, This man if he were a Prophet, would have knowne who, and what manner of woman this is that hath touched him, for she is a sinner, and there­fore I pray you consider of it.

But Sir, this is somewhat strange, that a man should put confi­dence in his owne righte­ousnesse, and thinke he is thereby justified and yet not know it, I would [Page 137] you could give me some signes of a mans doing so, that so I may know whe­ther I doe so or no.

Why truly I can give you no more evi­denter a signe of it then that which I have already given you, and that is in plaine termes a proud spirit, for those men and women, that doe truly beleeve, that they are ju­stified Rom. 3. 24 freely by Gods grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, they are the humblest people, and the most free from spiri­tuall pride of any people in the world; and there­fore the Apostle having fully proved free justifica­tion [Page 138] in respect of a mans selfe, Rom. 3. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. he breakes out in the next verse into this patheticall expression, saying, Where is boasting then? it is excluded; by what law? of workes; nay, but by the law of faith. I tell you neighbour Simon, if a true Beleevers heart doe begin to swell, be­cause of his excelling o­thers in gifts and parts, he doth ere long give it a vent, by saying to it in the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another, and what hast thou that thou didst not receive; now if thou didst receive it, [Page 139] why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? But yet to the intent you may be the more fully convinced, that you have put confidence in your owne righteousnesse, I pray you answer me this question; Did you ever finde it a hard matter to deny your owne righte­ousnesse, to become truly poore in spirit, to be bro­ken off from confidence in your owne perfor­mances, and to passe through them all to Jesus Christ? I beseech you an­swer me truly from your heart.

Why truly Sir, I must confesse I never [Page 140] thought my selfe guilty of any such thing.

Why then be­leeve it you are guilty of it, for it is naturall for every man and woman, when they leave off plod­ding towards Hell in the dirty path of sinne, yet to goe on thitherward in the cleaner path of duty re­sted in; when Satan can­not keepe a man from Christ by sinne, then he labours to keep him from him by selfe; if he can­not keep a man with his sinnes from flesh-pots in Aegypt, then he labours to keep him from Canaan, by losing himselfe, and his soule in the wilder­nesse [Page 141] of his owne perfor­mances rested in, assure your selfe that there is in all men naturally this frame of spirit, never to come to Christ whilst they have any hopes that their owne performances will heale them, & there­fore here they rest untill they see it, bewaile it, and pray against it; and therefore if you never did so, it is cleare that you doe put confidence in your owne performances. Againe, I pray you an­swer me another questi­on truly; and that is, Did you ever see so many im­perfections, and so much rottennesse and corrup­tion, [Page 142] as touching the manner and end of per­forming duties that you have even loathed your selfe, and have been wea­ried and tired in your owne endeavours by rea­son of the same.

No truly Sir, I cannot say I have, for I have alwaies had great delight in the perfor­mance of religious exer­cises.

Then I doe assure you this is another signe that you have rested and put confidence in your owne performances, for till a man see, and take no­tice of his wandring and worldly thoughts, and of [Page 143] his drowsinesse and hea­vinesse, if not sleepinesse in Prayer, and hearing the Word, and such like exercises; and till he see, and take notice of his selfe ends in doing good actions he will rest, and put confidence in them, and be thereby kept from Christ; and beleeve it neighbour Simon, before that a man doe take up his rest in Christ, the Lord doth discover unto him so much imperfections in his owne performances, that he cryes out within himselfe, I see now what a vile undone wretch I am, I can doe nothing well; all that I am is vile, [Page 144] and all that I doe is vile; I see now that I am in­deed poore, and blinde, and naked; and hereup­on he is quite tired out, and sits down wearie, not seeing any hopes of hea­ling the breach betweene God and himselfe, and this saith a godly Writer I take to be the meaning of Mat. 11. 28. Yea that la­bour, Mr. Shep­heards sound Be­leever. p. 134. you that are weary in your owne way, in see­king rest to your soules by your owne hard labour, or workes, as the word signifies, and are tired out therein, and so are now laden indeed with sinne, and the heavie pressure of that finding no ease by all [Page 145] that you doe, Come to me, saith Christ, & you shall then finde rest unto your soules.

Againe, I pray you let me aske you one question more, and that is this; Have you not prized the bare performances of du­ties wonderfully; that is, Have you not thought when you have prayed so many times in a day, and heard so many Sermons in a weeke, and turned to all the places of Scripture that the Minister hath co­ted, and folded downe the leafe in your Bible, or else writ their Sermons after them, and made some repetition thereof to others, and the like; I [Page 146] say, have you not in so doing rested satisfied, without looking for a re­turne of your Prayers, or what good you have gai­ned to your owne soule by your hearing, and so whether you have met with God in Christ, in all these waies and meanes, I pray you answer me truly from your heart.

Beleeve me Sir, I must confesse I have done so.

Then I beseech you take this as another evident signe of your rest­ing, and putting confi­dence in your owne per­formances, for if a man doe not put confidence [Page 147] therein, then he makes use of such performances, but onely as a Bridge or Ferry-boat to carry or waft him over to God in Christ, and resteth not contented till hee bee brought thither; other signes I might lay downe touching this matter, but I hope these will be suffi­cient for you to try your selfe by, if the Lord be pleased to make them ef­fectuall to you.

Well Sir, and suppose that I should thereby finde that I have been guilty of resting and relying upon mine owne duties and performances, and should come before [Page 148] you and the Elders, and acknowledge the same, would you thereupon conclude me to be but a formall legall Professor without true faith in Christ, and therefore not fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

Neighbour Si­mon, to the intent you may more clearely see and perceive what we doe when we meet together, and also declare it unto others if you see occasion, I pray you understand and take notice, that if we upon examination finde a man to be wholly igno­rant, and wholly sinfull, [Page 149] as you know I found our neighbour Alexander to be, then we doe absolute­ly conclude that he hath no true faith in Christ, and therefore we shut the Gate against him, and keepe him from the Sa­crament under the notion of an ignorant & prophane man, and suffer him not to come there whilst he re­maines in that condition.

Yea, and though we know a man that he lives honestly and peaceably a­mongst his neighbours, and deales uprightly and justly with all men, gi­ving every man his due, and for ought we know or can heare is free from all [Page 150] grosse and scandalous sins, yet if upon examination we finde him to be grosly ignorant, then doe we likewise conclude, that he hath no true faith in Christ, and so shut the Gate against him also, and keepe him from the Sa­crament under the notion or a meere civill honest man, and suffer him not to come there whilst he re­maines in that condition.

But if upon examinati­on we finde a man to have a competent measure of knowledge, especially if it be experimentall of himselfe, and neither know, nor can upon en­quiry heare any thing to [Page 115] the contrary, but that he leads both a civill and re­ligious honest course of life, though he be accused to be but a formall le­gall Professor; yea, and though we upon exami­nation doe finde him not to be so cleare and di­stinct in his knowledge touching the difference betwixt the Law and the Gospell, or Covenant of workes and Covenant of Grace, as we could wish he were; yea, and though for want of so cleare a light betwixt Justification and Sanctification, as some have, he seemes to con­found the righteousnesse of justification with the [Page 152] righteousnesse of sanctifi­cation, yet if he be an humble man, & shew it by confessing his ignorance, and his willingnesse to be better instructed herein; then we judge in charity that he hath true faith in Christ, and so open the gate of the Sacrament and let him in; but if upon examination we finde a man ignorant in these points, and yet because of his great measure of knowledge in others, though not so necessary points to be knowne, he be puffed up, and by rea­son of his righteous course of life be kept back from seeing his need of Christ, [Page 153] as it seemes to me you are, then are we jealous over 2 Cor. ii. 2 him with godly jealousie, as the Apostle was over the Corinthians, but yet we dare not absolutely conclude that he hath no true faith in Christ, and therefore we pray him, as I doe now pray you be­fore you come to the Sa­crament, to command with your owne heart upon your bed, as David exhorts, Psal. 4. 4. and to examine himselfe, as you know the Apostle exhorts, 1 Cor. 11. 28. and if he come unto us againe and ac­knowledge, that upon se­rious examination of him­selfe he hath found, that [Page 154] that with zealous Paul be­fore his conversion, he hath counted his owne righteousnesse and perfor­mancers to be gaine, that is to say, that he hath hi­therto rested and put con­fidence in them, and ex­pected to be justified in the sight of God by them, but now with him he counted them losse for Christ, and desired to be found in him, not having his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law, but Phil. 3. 9. that which is through the faith of Christ, the righte­ousnesse which is of God through faith, then doe wee willingly open the doore and let him in; [Page 155] otherwise we send not for him againe, and even so are we like to deale by you.

Well Sir, you have answered me fully, and I hope I shall thinke of it; but Sir, suppose that an Antinomisticall Professor should come before you, how would you deale with him?

Why though a man be accused to be an Antimonian, yet if upon examination we finde that he hath a competent measure of knowledge, and we neither know nor can heare but that he leades an honest and re­ligious course of life, [Page 156] though he seeme to hold, that the Law is not to be a rule of life to a Belee­ver, and that God can see no sin in a justified per­son, and that God is nei­ther angry, nor doth af­flict his people for sinne, and that Christs inherent righteousnesse is both the righteousnesse of a Belee­vers justification and san­ctification; yet if we per­ceive that he doth not pe­remptorily and obstinate­ly hold and maintaine these points, but is rather induced to hold them be­cause such a Minister, or such a religious man whom he doth reverence and hath a good opinion [Page 157] of is that judgement, and be willing to be instructed in the truth, then doe we hope that notwithstand­ing all this he hath true faith in Christ, and there­fore doe open the gate to him and let him in; but if upon information and examination we finde a man to hold and main­taine these points obsti­nately, and doe either certainely know or heare that his conversion is not such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ, then we doe very much suspect him, though he have a great measure of know­ledge; and therefore doe not presently open the [Page 158] gate unto him, but pray him to hearken to the truth, and consider of it when he commeth home, and then if afterwards he come to us againe, and ac­knowledge his errours, and professe his griefe and sorrow for the same, then doe we willingly open the doore unto him, other­wise we send not for him.

Well Sir, if you be so carefull and so strict whom you doe admit to the Sacrament, then me thinkes some in this City, yea some in this Parish that I know should come in amongst you, and not goe the Independant way as they have a mitde to [Page 159] doe, for they tell me that the reason why they have no minde to come in a­mongst you is, because you doe admit such to the Sacrament as are not fit to be admitted; and to tell you the truth, I my selfe also had some thoughts of going that way, onely I resolved to stay and see what your way would be, and what you would doe.

Surely neighbour Simon, though I am ve­rily perswaded there be many men and women goe that way who doe truly feare the Lord, yet am I jealous that there are divers taken in amongst [Page 160] them, that are as unfit and as unmeet to be ad­mitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as any that we have hitherto admitted; and therefore I see no reason that any Christian hath to leave us, and goe to them for any such cause.

I pray you Sir, tell me what you thinke of the Independant way, for I would faine heare your judgement concer­ning it.

Truly neighbour Simon, I have neither minde nor time to fall upon any such discourse, neither would I advise you to trouble your selfe, [Page 161] nor spend your time a­bout any such circum­stantiall matters as I doe conceive that is, but give rather diligence to make your calling and election sure, as the Apostle Peter exhorts us; labour to know Jesus Christ and him Crucified, and to know your selfe, and whether you be in the faith or no. There are too many people that doe spend too much time a­bout such needlesse mat­ters, and too many wrang­ling disputes have been thereby occasioned; I wish with all my heart there might be no more, and I wish with all my [Page 162] heart, that all who are truly godly either a­mongst them or us, had such humble loving hearts as Christians ought to have, that we might nei­ther speake nor thinke evill one of another, but rather study and endea­vour to make up the brea­ches which are needlesly made betwixt us, that so if it were the Lords will we might all speake the same thing, and that there might be no divisions a­mongst us, but that we might be perfectly joyned together in the same minde, and in the same judgement, according to the Apostles exhortation, 1 Cor. 1. 10. [Page 163] and that we might with one minde, and with one mouth glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostle ex­horts, Rom. 15. 6. and so have more neare and sweet communion toge­ther in all the Lords holy Ordinances, for the edi­fying and building up one another in our most holy faith; and thus you see what my minde and de­sire is touching these things.

Then Sir, it see­meth to me that you doe not onely desire that all those that are godly, and have a minde to goe the Independant way, should [Page 164] come to you and joyne with you in your way, but also that all those who are already joyned in the Independant way should returne to you.

That is my desire indeed, and I doubt not but that it would be very well pleasing and accepta­ble to the Lord, if all that are truly godly a­mongst them, whether they be Ministers or peo­ple, would come in a­mongst us; for truly I can see no warrant they have from the Word of God to separate from us, and to gather Churches out of Churches as they doe, surely, me thinkes if [Page 165] they would but read that learned and moderate Tract, called, Jus Divi­num, with an indifferent judgement, and moderate spirit, without prejudice, they should see that our way touching Church-Government commeth as neare the minde and will of Christ as can be found out in his Word.

But what said a godly, judicious, and moderate Minister of the Gospell in the Pulpit not long since in my hearing, I am per­swaded said he, and it is not onely my judgement, but also the judgement of a grave, gody, and lear­ned Divine, who had [Page 166] long studied the point, that there is not to be found in all the whole New Testament a perfect Plat-forme of Church-Government, which makes me thinke (said he) that it is not the mind of Christ that Chri­stians under the New Te­stament should much bu­sie or trouble themselves about such matters. These words as neare as I can remember he uttered, and truly I thinke it were well if we were all of his mind, that so we might busie our mindes, and spend lesse time about such matters, and bend our mindes and studies more about mat­ters [Page 167] of substance, viz. about the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance, and matters that concerne Christian practice, and godly conversation, and meekenesse, and love a­mongst our selves; truly neighbour Simon I am perswaded that all, both godly Ministers, and godly Christians that doe now live in this King­dome, have great cause to rejoyce and be thankfull to the Lord, that hath let them live to see those things which we see, to wit, that there is now po­wer given to godly Mini­sters and Elders, to keep back unfit and unworthy [Page 168] Communicants from the Lords Table, the which it is well knowne hath not beene heretofore though much desired; and O that the Lord would be pleased to move the hearts of all our godly discenting Bre­thren, to come in and joyne themselves with us, that so we might re­joyce and praise the name of the Lord toge­ther, but no more of this.

Truly Sir, these your words have moved my heart to your way, and I wish I were worthy to come in amongst you, but I will take my leave [Page 169] of you, and goe home and consider of what you have this day said unto me concerning the state and condition of my soule, for I still feare I am not right; and I see that the chiefe thing to be loo­ked after and regarded is the true Knowledge of Christ.

I surely, that is the thing indeed, and O that we could all of us seeke more after that then we doe, and as one in a In Bacon hi [...] Catachis. Epistle de­dicatory. certaine place saith very sweetly; Oh that every one in this Kingdome, that truly desires to feare the name of God, were so wise as to forbeare this [Page 170] clashing & dashing them­selves in pieces one a­gainst another for matters externall, triviall, and cir­cumstantiall in Religion, and would at length con­tent themselves with that which is alone saving and everlasting, and account it honour and happinesse enough in matters apper­taining to God to be a Christian.

I remember I was late­ly told by a Christian friend of mine, that one comming to old Master Dod not long before his death, to desire him to resolve him about the point of Re-baptizing, or some such like point; he [Page 171] answered, Friend, have you made your Calling and Election sure, or ra­ther give diligence to make that sure, which in my judgement was a ve­ry gracious answer.

Well Sir, I will now take my leave of you for this time, and I be­seech you pray for me.

Truly neighbour Simon, I would here breake off and take my leave of you, were it not that I see our neighbour Mathias looke very hea­vily, and therefore I pray you tarry a while till I have spoken a few words unto him, and then I will take leave of you both [Page 172] together. How doe you neighbor Mathias, what ai­leth you to be so sad, what is the matter with you?

O Sir, if you did but know how it is with me, you would say I had cause to be heavie and sad.

Weepe not man, weepe not I pray you, but tell me what is the mat­ter with you.

O Sir, I am trou­bled to thinke what will become of my soule when I dye.

And what cau­seth this trouble?

Why truly Sir, the hearing of your dis­course with my neigh­bour Simon hath caused [Page 173] it for (I thinke with my selfe) that if he that is a man of such great know­ledge, and holy life and conversation, be questio­ned by you, and doe question himselfe, whe­ther he be in a good con­dition or no; alas, then what may I thinke of my selfe, that am such a poore ignorant and sinfull man as I am?

But I hope you are neither so ignorant, nor so sinfull as you thinke you are.

O yes Sir, it is too true, the Lord he knoweth it.

Why, have you no knowledge in the fun­damentall [Page 174] points of reli­gion, did you never learne your Catechisme.

Yea, when I was young I learned a little, but alas I have forgotten it long since.

No, I hope you doe remember some of it, and therefore I pray you tell me, what is God?

I beseech you Sir, beare with my ignorance, and I will answer you as well as I can; I thinke God is the Maker and Go­vernour of all things.

Well said, and how many Gods be there?

Surely Sir, I think there is but one true God.

Well said, and [Page 175] how many Persons is there in the Trinity?

I thinke Sir there are three.

And how are the three Persons distingui­shed?

Alas Sir, I cannot tell how to answer that.

And how did God make man at the first?

In his owne I­mage and likenesse.

And wherein did that Image or likenesse consist?

Truly Sir I can­not tell you.

Well, but you say you are a sinfull man, how doe you know that you are so?

[Page 176]

Because I was conceived and borne in sinne, and have sinned all my life time.

And what is sin?

Why surely Sir, sinne is to doe contrary to the minde and will of God.

Neighbour Simon, you know him better then I, therefore I pray you tell me what you thinke of him?

Yes Sir, I have known him a great while, and have alwaies taken him to be a simple honest man, according to his knowledge; onely I must tell you, I have hereto­fore seene him now and [Page 177] then a little distempered with drinke, but of late he hath seemed to minde matters of Religion, for I have seene him some­times at a Lecture on the weeke day, and therefore I hope he is better now then he hath been for­merly.

Well neighbour Mathias, I am glad to heare that you begin to minde the best things, and to frequent the hearing of Gods Word more now then formerly; I pray you tell me what hath moved you so to doe?

Why truly Sir, a friend of mine, a godly religious man, whom [Page 178] neither of you know was the first occasion of it, for he telling me in an hum­ble loving manner, that he feared I was yet in my naturall estate and condi­tion, and thererefore lya­ble to Gods everlasting wrath and damnation in Hell, his words did so worke upon me, that I asked him what he would advise me to doe; and he bad me be diligent in hearing and reading the Word of God, and get good Divinity Bookes, and one Booke he com­mended to me above the rest, called, The plaine mans path way to Heaven, and truly Sir, I hope the [Page 179] reading of that Booke hath done me much good; but alas Sir, my sins, my sins are they that trouble me.

But whether are they your sinnes which you have formerly com­mitted, or your present corruptions that doe trou­ble you?

Truly Sir, they are both, for I am trou­bled at my former sinnes for feare they are not par­doned, and I am troubled at my present corrupti­ons, because I cannot overcome them.

I pray you tell me one thing truly, have you ever gone to the [Page 180] Lord in prayer about your sins?

Yea indeed Sir, I have of late divers times gone privately to prayer, and have besought the Lord, that he would be pleased for Jesus Christs sake, to pardon my for­mer sins, and give me power to overcome my present corruptions, but yet alas all in vaine, for they doe still remaine with me.

But doe you be­leeve that your former sins are pardoned?

No surely Sir, I cannot beleeve that, so so long as my present cor­ruptions doe still remaine unsubdued.

[Page 181]

Weepe not I pray you, but consider that you have gone a wrong way to worke, you would have your sinnes subdued before they be pardoned, whereas the Lord doth first pardon sinne, and then he gives power against sinne.

But Sir, I have thought with my selfe, that as when I was a childe, and had by the committing of any fault displeased my Father, he would at my intreating forgive me, upon condi­tion that I did so no more; but if I committed the like fault againe, then he would not forgive the [Page 182] former, but reckon with me for them both: even so I did conceive the Lord would deale with me.

But did not you tell me that you did be­seech the Lord to forgive you your sins for Christ Jesus sake.

Yea indeed.

And why have you asked it for Christs sake?

Because he hath suffered death for my sinnes.

And doe you no [...] beleeve that Christ by his death hath fully satis­fied the Justice of God for all your sins.

[Page 183]

Yea Sir, I doe beleeve he hath.

Why then, doe you not beleeve that God for his satisfaction sake hath forgiven your sins.

Why Sir, I doe beleeve it so long as I doe continue obedient unto God in doing his Will, and not transgres­sing his Commandments.

And can you not beleeve it any lon­ger then you doe so?

No indeed Sir.

Why then you doe not beleeve that God pardoneth your sins for Christs sake, but for your owne sake, not for Christs obedience sake, but for [Page 184] your owne obedience sake.

Indeed Sir, I can­not tell what to say to that.

Well neighbour Mathias, as you have be­sought the Lord to par­don and forgive you your sinnes for Christ Jesus sake, doe so still, but withall, beleeve that he hath done so according to your Petition; yea, and that absolutely, and not conditionally as you have done, and answerably as you doe, so you shall be sure to finde and feele your sinnes mortified and subdued; doe but be­leeve that you are washt [Page 185] by the Blood of Christ from the guilt of sinne, and you shall be sure to finde that you are clean­sed by the Blood of Christ from the filth of sinne; let a man (saith Doctor Preston) but beleeve the On the new Cov. the promise of pardon in the Blood of Christ, and the very beleeving the pardon will be able to cleanse his heart from dead workes, for that faith which doth lay hold on Christ crucified (saith a­nother godly Divine) doth Dyke on the Sacr [...] ment. p. 292. fetch a Crucifying vertue from him, whereby the body of corruption is en­feebled and weakned.

O but Sir, I feare [Page 186] I shall not beleeve that my sins are pardoned, so long as they remaine unsub­dued.

If you will not beleeve that your sins are pardoned till they are quite subdued, then will you not beleeve it whilst you live; for so long as you live here you shall finde and feele some remainders of sinfull corruptions unsubdued, though you doe beleeve, and if you doe not be­leeve you shall not have them subdued at all by the sanctifying Spirit of Christ. Indeed it is possi­ble, that after much stri­ving against your cor­ruptions [Page 187] in your owne strength, you may see there is no strength in you to subdue them as you would; and may there­upon goe unto Christ by Prayer, for grace and po­wer to leave sinne and doe better, and so live upon Christ that you may live upon your selfe; I say, you may goe unto Christ for power to doe your worke, that so you may earne your wages, and it is possible you may here­upon grow in legall righ­teousnesse, as the stony and thorny ground seed sprung up, and increased much, and came neare unto maturity, and yet [Page 188] this not be the worke of the sanctifying Spirit of Jesus Christ; wherefore I beseech you, goe not this way to worke, doe not seeke to have the righteousnesse of sanctifi­cation infused into you before you seeke to have the righteousnesse of Ju­stification imputed unto you, and so as much as in you lyeth, to goe a­bout to pervert the Lords owne order and method.

Doe you not remem­ber how I told my neigh­bour Simon, that the Lords order and method in justifying and sanctify­ing a sinner is, First, to [Page 189] justifie him, by imputing the righteousnesse that is inherent in Christ unto him, and enabling him to apprehend it by faith, and then to sanctifie him by infusing of righteousnesse into him by his Spirit; and this is the method which the Prophet Micah proclaimes by way of ad­miration, saying, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heri­tage, he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy? Here is the righteous­nesse Micah. 7. 18. of Justification, and then in the next Verse he [Page 190] proclaimes the righteous­nesse of Sanctification, saying, He will turne a­gaine, he will have compas­sion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities &c. And this method the Prophet Da­vid was well acquainted with, and therefore in the first Verse of the 51. Psalme, he beseeches the Lord, According to the multitude of his mercies to blot out his transgressions; and then in the tenth ver. he saith, Create in me a cleane heart, O God, and re­new a right spirit within me. Wherefore I beseech you againe, and againe, to acquit your selfe with this way, and endeavour to goe on in it.

[Page 191]

O Sir, that I could doe so, for surely I should thinke my selfe a happy man if the Lord would both pardon mine iniquities, and subdue them; for truly Sir, I have lately had in my heart such a deale of feare & terrour of the direfull displeasure of God, and of Death, and Hell, for want of be­ing assured that my sinnes are pardoned, and I doe so hate, loath, and abhor those corruptions which are still in me, that I veri­ly thinke I shall never be quiet in my minde whilst they and I live together.

Weep not I pray you, except it be for joy, [Page 192] for surely this feare is a worke of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, for ordinarily after conviction, he lets into the hearts of his Elect such feares as these; for although tis true, there may be in a meare natu­rall man certaine naturall feares arising from the ac­cusation of his naturall conscience, yet they ne­ver affect his heart so as to worke a separation be­twixt his heart and his sinnes, but your feares doe so affect your heart as that they worke a se­peration betwixt it and your Corruptions, and therefore without doubt they are as Arrowes shot [Page 193] into your Conscience by the arme of the Al­mighty.

But alas Sir, how can there be a seperation made betwixt my heart and my corruptions, seeth they still remaine in me?

Neighbour Ma­thias, if you doe hate, loath, and abhorre your corruptions as you say you doe, and would faine have them subdued, as you say you would, then beleeve it, and make no question of it, there is such a seperation made betwixt your heart and your sinnes, as that they shall never seperate be­betwixt the Lord and [Page 194] your soule, for hatred of evill, saith that worthy Saint, Doctor Sibbes, is a sure and never failing Souls con­flict. p. 476 Character of a good soule; wherefore I beseech you comfort your heart, though by reason of the weakenesse of your faith your sinnes be not so sub­dued as you desire.

But alas Sir, I feare I have no true faith at all.

Why, did not you tell me even now, that you feared the dire­full displeasure of God by reason of your sins?

Yea indeed Sir, I feare he is sore displea­sed with me by reason of them.

[Page 195]

And doe you not beleeve that Jesus Christ by his obedience hath pa­cified his anger for you, and so reconciled you un­to him?

Sir, I doe be­leeve that Jesus Christ hath pacified Gods anger for all that doe beleeve, and hath reconciled them unto him; but Sir, I feare that I doe not beleeve, and therefore I feare I am not reconciled unto God.

But tell me one thing truly, Doe you de­sire to beleeve on the name of Jesus Christ, and so be reconciled unto him?

Yea, I doe de­sire [Page 196] it from the bottome of my heart.

Then I beseech you leave off your wee­ping, and let me tell you to your comfort, that your desire to beleeve is faith indeed, and your Perkins Graine of Mustard-seed, p. 21. desire of reconciliation with God in Christ is re­conciliation it selfe, for any man that is through­ly touched for his sinnes, and unfainedly desires to have them pardoned, and to be reconciled unto God, God accepts as re­eonciled, and hence it is that Christ saith, Blessed Mat. 5 6. are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall be satisfied, [Page 197] and againe saith he, If any Joh. 7. 38. man thirst let him come unto me and drinke, so that although as yet you want firme and lively faith, yet are you not al­together void of faith, for you have the seed, conception, or bud of faith, the immortall seed is cast into the furrowes of your heart, therefore wait but a while, using the good meanes to this end appointed, and you shall see the leaves, blos­soms, and fruit will short­ly follow after.

But Sir, how can these things be, for if a desire of faith and recon­ciliation with God be [Page 198] faith and reconciliation indeed, then surely every man and woman have faith and reconciliation with God, for what man or woman is it that doth not desire it? but I re­member the Apostle Paul saith, All men have not faith, 2 Thess. 3. 2.

I doe ac­knowledge that a man in Perkins graine of Mustard-seed, p. 18 the state of nature may desire true happinesse as Balaam did, who wished to dye the death of the righteous, for indeed it is the property of nature to desire the preservation of it selfe, but alas, all such desires are but naturall desires, whereas your de­sires [Page 199] I am confident are supernaturall desires.

I but Sir, how shall I be sure that my de­sires are supernaturall?

To the intent you may be sure of it, I will shew you the true difference betwixt natu­rall desires and supernatu­rall desires, and therefore I pray you consider, that if a mans minde be blinde, and his heart untouched and unhumbled, then all his desires to beleeve and to be reconciled unto God can be no better then naturall desires; and the reason is, because that where the minde reveales not, the will affects not; [Page 200] and if the heart be not touched with so much feare and sorrow as doth loosen it from sinne, and makes sinne the sowrest, and Christ the sweetest; and if there be not so much Humiliation as makes a man deny him­selfe, and to renounce his owne righteousnesse and performances, and so to desire to be found cloa­thed with the Righteous­nesse of Jesus Christ, there can be no supernaturall desires of faith, and re­conciliation with God in Christ, but if a mans minde be enlightened, and his heart touched and hum­bled as yours is, then all [Page 201] his desires of beleeving and reconciliation with God in Christ must needs be supernaturall desires, and the reason is, because that where the minde is truly enlightened, so that a man perceives his mise­rable estate by reason of his sins, and his heart is truly touched, cast downe and humbled, it with­drawes it selfe from God as much as it can; and therefore if there be any spirituall motions where­by the heart is lift up un­to God, they are without doubt from the Spirit of Perkins graine of Mustard-seed, p. 20 God; so that although such a heart dare not make out to Christ, (saith [Page 202] Doctor Sibbs) yet is it In his pre­face to bruised Reed. secretly upheld by the spirit of faith, shewing it selfe in hidden sighs and groanes unto God; and such persons as these (saith Master Perkins) as have Graine of Mustard-seed, p. 38 this weake faith, can say indeed, That they doe beleeve their sins are par­donable, and they doe seriously in their hearts desire that they were par­doned, but as yet they cannot say they are with­out doubt pardoned; and this I am confident is your condition.

But Sir, I feare that my minde was never yet truly enlightened be­cause I am so ignorant, [Page 203] and I feare I was never yet truly humbled, be­cause I now see that I have not renounced mine owne righteousnesse.

I pray you tell me, was there not a time, and that not long since, that you did not know that which you now know neither concerning God, nor concerning your selfe?

Yea indeed Sir, I must needs confesse, that before I hearkned to the advice of that friend I told you of, and read that Booke which I mentio­ned before, I neither knew any thing either concerning my miserable condition by reason of my [Page 204] sins, nor yet of any reme­dy by meanes of Jesus Christ.

Why then may you truly say with the man in the Gospell, I was blinde, but now I see, for as sure as Jesus Christ did open his naturall eyes, so sure hath he opened your spirituall eyes.

But alas, I have such a small measure of knowledge, that I feare my minde is not truly en­lightened.

For answer to this Objection, I will onely tell you what a godly and judicious Di­vine saith, and that is this, Be not dismayed [Page 205] saith he, at the small mea­sure Rogers [...] the Sacr [...] ▪ p. 80. of thy knowledge so long as there is sound­nesse of minde in thee, if thy knowledge be sound though weake, let it not discourage thee, and there may be soundnesse of minde as well in a little knowledge as in much.

I Sir, it is like that there may be so in others, but how shall I be sure there is so in me?

It is very cleare and evident to me that your knowledge is sound though weake, and that you have a sound minde in that you know your selfe, your nature and your sinnes, and are there­upon [Page 206] humbled, for un­sound knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8. 1. But your knowledge hath discove­red to you your igno­rance, and so hath abased you in your owne eyes, and cast you downe, and therefore doubtlesse your minde is sound.

I but Sir, I told you that I also feared that I was never yet truly humbled, I pray you tell me what you say to that.

And the reason why you feare it (as you say) is, for that you have not renounced your owne righteousnesse.

Yea indeed Sir, that is the reason of it.

[Page 207]

Why I pray you tell me truly, have you any hopes to be justified, or accepted in the sight of God for your owne per­formances?

Yea indeed Sir, I told you that I have had hopes, that if I sinned no more, then the Lord would forgive my former sins, and accept of me.

But I doe not aske you what you have done formerly, but what you doe now?

Why truly Sir, you have this day made it so evident and cleare to me, that it is onely the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ received by faith, [Page 208] that procures acceptance in the sight of God, that I see it is my onely way to beleeve on his name, and as I told you I doe desire so to doe.

Then beleeve it, you are truly humbled, which is a very good and sure foundation, and therefore you are like to erect a good and sure building, though it may be it may not goe on so fast, nor make so glorious a shew as some others doe.

But alas Sir, I am so ashamed, and troubled in my minde when I con­sider how farre other men doe out-strip me, both in knowledge and other [Page 209] graces, that I know not what to doe.

But surely you have no cause at all to be troubled at that, for it is to be feared there are some Professors that grow up quickly, and flourish abundantly in a legall way, they are not trou­bled with inward heart corruptions as other poore soules are, they are full of parts, gifts, abilities, and duties which others want, and are very glorious Christi­ans in outward appea­rance, and yet for lack of an humble foundation they are but flittering fleeting motions, & win­dy [Page 210] conceptions; whereas you or rather the Spirit of Christ in you, hath laid such an humble foundati­on, that questionlesse there shall be built upon it a gracious building, composed of many Evan­gelicall Graces, and there­fore I pray you be not dismayed, though you come farre short of many vaine glorious high-spiri­ted Professors; it is like the Lord sees though it may be you doe not; that if you had such parts, gifts, and abilities which some others have, and had not some sinfull corruptions in you which it may be o­thers have not, that then [Page 211] you would he lifted up above that which is meet, and be kept in your selfe from Christ; therefore it is the Lords glorious wis­dome, and gracious good­nesse to you, to let some of your sinfull corrupti­ons remaine in you, espe­cially to open your eyes to see them, and to affect your heart with them, and to let you come be­hinde others in gifts and parts, that so your soule may sink in holy despaire of any helpe in your selfe, and rest in nothing till it come to Christ Crucified, and the eternall sweet promise in him; howbeit this you may be assured [Page 212] of, that if you be carefull to use the good meanes to this end appointed, you shall have such a mea­sure of faith and all other graces of the Spirit of Christ, as shall be most fit for you.

O blessed be the Lord if this be true; but I pray you Sir, what are the meanes which you would have me to use.

Why I meane hearing and reading the Word of God, meditati­on, prayer, and receiving the Sacrament.

Why Sir, I pray you, doe you thinke me sit to come to the Sacra­ment?

[Page 213]

Yea indeed do I.

Surely Sir, I am altogether unworthy.

And why doe you thinke your selfe un­worthy?

Why because of my ignorance and sinful­nesse.

Then belike you thinke that knowledge and righteousnesse makes a man worthy to come to the Sacrament?

Yes indeed Sir, I have had such thoughts, and therefore when I heard you question whe­ther my neighbour Simon were worthy to be ad­mitted to the Sacrament, I did much admire at it, [Page 214] for that I know he is a man of great knowledge and godly life, but I doe much more admire that you should thinke me to be worthy.

Indeed, if wee were to understand these words, worthy and un­worthy, by way of me­riting and deserving, then he in regard he hath more knowledge then you, and it may be is more free from some inward cor­ruptions then you, and doth more frequently performe religious acti­ons then you, were more worthy then you; but as I told him not long since, we are not to understand [Page 215] words worthy, and un­worthy by way of merit­ing and deserving, but by way of fitnesse and suta­blenesse of disposition to receive Christ, and taking them in this sence, I say, that your ignorance and sinfulnesse have occasio­nally through the work­ing of GODS Spirit, wrought in you such a fit and sutable disposition for the receiving of Christ, that I doe pronounce you worthy to be admitted to the Lords Table.

O blessed be God if this be true; but Sir, I pray you what is this fit and sutable disposition which you say the Spirit [Page 216] of God hath by occasion of my ignorance and sin­fulnesse wrought in me, or wherein doth it consist?

This fit and su­table disposition which the Spirit of God hath wrought in you, consists in that sight and sence of your owne ignorant sin­full miserable and help­lesse condition, as hath made you see your need of Jesus Christ, to be made unto you of God wis­dome, 1 Cor. 1. 30 righteousnesse, san­ctification and redemption.

But Sir, I pray you how can such a dispo­sition be said to make me worthy to be admitted to the Lords Table?

[Page 217]

Why even as we, when we see a miserable poore hungry man, that is senceable of his owne miserable and helplesse condition crave an Almes, with earnest desire and intreating, we doe con­ceive he is in a fit and su­table disposition to re­ceive it, and account him worthy to have an Almes bestowed upon him.

Even so when the Lord sees a man so sensible of his owne miserable and helplesse condition, that he sees and feeles his need of Jesus Christ, and there­fore doth earnestly desire him, he conceives him to be in a fit and sutable [Page 218] disposition to receive him, and so accounts him wor­thy of him; and there­fore we read in the tenth Chapter of St. Matthewes Gospell, that when our Saviour sent forth his Di­sciples to preach the Gos­pell, that is to say, the glad tidings of Justificati­on, Sanctification, and e­verlasting Salvation by Jesus Christ, he said unto them, verse the 11, Into whatsoever City or Towne ye enter, enquire who in it is worthy, and there abide. And if we compare this verse with Luk. 10. 7, 8, 9. we shall perceive that they, and only they were those worthy ones, which [Page 219] testified their sight and sence of their owne mise­ry, and their desire to re­ceive Christ into their hearts, as their only reme­dy, by receiving his Di­sciples into their houses, counting their feet very beautifull for preaching the Gospell of peace, and bring­ing unto them glad tidings of good things; these are those poore ones whom our Saviour saith, Receive the Gospell, Matth. 11. 5. and these are they who mourne under the sight and sence of their owne spirituall wants, unto whom he promiseth com­fort, Mat. 5. 4. and these are they that hunger and [Page 220] thirst for Christs Righte­ousnesse, whom he pro­miseth to satisfie, Matth. 5. 6.

But Sir, doe you not thinke that my neigh­bour Simon hath this fit and sutable disposition wrought in him.

No, I feare not, for it doth appeare to me that his owne spirit hath taken occasion from his great knowledge to puffe him up, as the Apostles phrase is, 1 Cor. 8. 1. yea, and it doth appeare to me that it hath taken oc­casion from his owne righteousnesse to move him to put confidence in himselfe, and so he is [Page 221] hindered from seeing and feeling his owne need of Jesus Christ, to be made unto him of God, wisdome, 1 Cor. 1. 30 righteousnesse, sanctificati­on and redemption.

But Sir, how can such a disposition be said to make him unworthy to be admitted to the Lords Table.

Why, even as we when we see a stout and lusty Begger come to crave an Almes, and heare him flourish in his Rhe­torique, and not speake Pro. 18. 23 with suplications, as the wise man saith the poore man doth, then we doe conceive he is not in a meet and sutable disposi­tion [Page 222] to have an Almes bestowed upon him, and therefore we use to say concerning such a one, He is not worthy to have an Almes bestowed up­on him. Even so when the Lord sees a man proud of his knowledge, and confident of his owne righteousnesse and deser­vings, and sees not his need of Jesus Christ, and so consequently not to de­sire him, then he lookes upon him as one who is in an unfit and unsutable disposition to receive him, and therefore ac­counts him unworthy of him; and therefore we read in the 13. Chapter of [Page 223] the Acts of the Apostles, that when Paul and Bar­nabas were in the City of Antioch, and preached the glad tidings of the Gospell, as the Apostle calls them, verse 32. It is said vers. 45. that the Jews spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradi­cting and blaspheming, whereupon Paul and Bar­nabas waxed bold saith the Text, verse 46. and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing ye put it from you, and judge your selves un­worthy of everlasting life, loe, we turne to the Gentiles. Thus you see that these [Page 224] Jewes, who doubtlesse were very knowing men in all points of their Reli­gion, and also very holy and righteous according to the Law, yet because they were proud of their owne knowledge, and put confidence in their owne righteousnesse, and saw no need of salvation by Christ, and so were not in a meet & sutable dispo­sitian to receive him; the Apostles counted them unworthy of him. So likewise we read in the 22. Chapter of St. Mat­thews Gospell, that there were some that were in­vited to a feast, which the King made at the marriage [Page 225] of his Sonne, and it is said verse 5. That they made light of it, as if they had said (taking it in the spi­rituall sence, as the mea­ning is) what tell you us of Christ, or of Justifica­tion, or Sanctification, or eternall Salvation to be had by beleeving on Christs name, we are A­brahams children, we are the people of God, we are a righteous Nation, and therefore sure of eter­nall life already, and have no need of any such offer; whereupon the King said, verse 8. The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy; whereby you may also [Page 226] perceive that this un­meet and unsutable dispo­sition in not seeing a want of Christ, and so not de­siring him did render them unworthy of him.

Well Sir, I see that you are still falling foule upon me, surely Sir, I thinke it is strange that you should altogether dis­courage me, and altoge­ther incourage him.

Why truly neigh­bour Simon, it appeareth to me that you have taken occasion from those good gifts and parts which God hath given you, to be puf­fed up, and incouraged in your selfe; and it doth [...] me that [Page 227] he hath taken occasion from those weakenesses and wants that are in him to be cast downe, and dis­couraged in himselfe, and therefore I have concei­ved it very needfull that you should know that Christ accepts none for greatnesse of parts, that you may not continue lifted up as you have been, because of that which is of so little esteem with him; and I also see it very needfull to let him know that Christ re­fuseth none for weake­nesse of parts, that he may not continue cast downe and dejected, for want of that which Christ [Page 228] doth not so much regard; wherefore neighbour Ma­thias, I beseech you to consider what hath been said, and take it home to your selfe for your com­fort and incouragement.

But Sir, did not you say to our neighbour Alexander, that know­ledge must of necessity goe before faith?

Yea, I said so in­deed.

Why then Sir, me thinkes our neighbour Simon should have a great measure of faith, because he hath a great measure of knowledge; and me thinkes I should have little or no faith, be­cause [Page 229] you know I have little or no knowledge; and then me thinkes he should be very fit to be admitted to the Sacra­ment, and I very unfit; for I remember you said, That it is faith that ma [...]s a man fit to receive the Sacrament aright.

I, but you must know that this rule holds not touching the measure of knowledge onely, ex­cept it be also true and sound, so that although our neighbour Simon have never so great a mea­sure of knowledge, yet if it be not true and sound as I feare it is not, then hath he no true faith, and [Page 230] therefore is he not fit to be admitted to the Sacra­ment; and although you have but a very small measure of knowledge, yet it being true & sound, as you know I have pro­ved, then have you a true faith, and therefore are fit to be admitted to the Sacrament.

But yet Sir, me thinkes so small a measure of faith, as the Lord knowes I have, if any at all, should not fit a man to receive the Sacrament aright.

O but you are to Rogers on the Sacra. p. 48. consider, that it is the kinde of faith that makes a man fit for the Sacra­ment, [Page 231] and not the mea­sure, the truth of faith is rather required then any certaine measure; and thought you have not that measure of faith that you doe desire, yet have you that truth of faith which Christ doth re­quire.

But Sir, doe you use to admit any to the Sacrament that are so weake as I?

Yea indeed, for we doe consider, that a [...] spark of fire is fire as well as the whole Element, e­ven so is a sparke of faith faith as well as the flame; and we must looke to faith in the sparke as well [Page 232] as in the flame, knowing right well that although all Beleevers have not the like strong faith, yet have they all the like precious faith, whereby they lay hold, and put on the per­fect righteousnesse of Je­sus Christ. And we are not ignorant that the Sa­crament of the Lords Supper was instituted and Rogers on the Sacra­ment, p. 107. ordained to make weake Beleevers strong, and not onely nor chiefly to make strong Beleevers stronger.

Well Sir, I thanke the Lord I doe now be­gin to see more concer­ning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper then hi­therto I have done, for to [Page 233] say nothing of former times, when I went unto it and received it hand o­ver head, not knowing any other reason why I should receive it, but be­cause others did so; and I thought I did God some service, and that he was as it were beholden to me for doing so; even since I have known more then formerly, I have therein been much mistaken, for I had thought that know­ledge, faith, repentance, love, and obedience had made a man worthy to receive the Sacrament, for I am sure I have ei­ther heard some Minister Preach, or else read it in [Page 234] some Booke, that the wedding garment where­with a man that com­meth to the Sacrament is to be cloathed is made up of all these, and that therefore it was for want of these that the man in the Gospell was bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darknesse, and therefore because I found a want of all these in my selfe I thought I was al­together unworthy to come to the Sacrament, and durst not presume to come unto it; but now I doe perceive that it is ra­ther an hungering, and thirsting appetite after Christ and his Righteous­nesse, [Page 235] arising from a true sight and sence of the want thereof, that makes a man worthy, and I hope I may truly say, That I doe see and feele a want thereof in some small measure, and therefore Sir, I doe desire to come to the Sacrament if you be pleased to admit me.

Neighbour Mat­thias, if you read the con­tents of the 22. Chapter of the Gospell written by Sr. Matthew, where the wedding garment is men­tioned, in the Bible that containes Bezas notes in the Margent you shall find these words, The wed­ding garment is faith, to [Page 236] the which I doe assent, for though tis true, where faith is truly planted in the heart all the other doe proceed and grow from thence as fruits, yet it is faith that is especially ex­ercised in the act of recei­ving the Sacrament, it being as I told you, the hand that receiveth Christ, and the mouth that fee­deth on Christ; yea, and it is by faith that this hungering and thirsting appetite is stirred up in the soule, therefore I said, that your hungering and thirsting after Christ and his Righteousnesse is from faith, or rather faith it selfe, and so you ha­ving [Page 237] the wedding gar­ment, I doe pronounce you to be one of those guests which Christ invi­teth to his Table; and therefore I as a messenger sent from Christ, doe in the name of my Lord and Master Christ invite you to his Table, assuring you that he will bid you kind­ly welcome; and there­fore I beseech you faile not to be there the next time it shall be admini­stred, and in the meane time I would intreat you to come before me and the Elders together, that you may also have their approbation, for I of my selfe have not power to admit you.

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But Sir, it may be, though you doe think me fit to be admitted, yet it may be they will not, and then I shall be turned backe, and that will much trouble me.

Feare not man, I dare warrant you that they will be all of my minde in that point con­cerning you.

Well then Sir, God willing I will come before you, and if they al­so give their consent, if the Lord spare me life and health, I will come to the Sacrament with my godly neighbours the next time it shall be administred, and in the meane time I be­seech [Page 239] you Sir pray for me, that the Lord would be pleased to fit and prepare me to pertake thereof.

Yea, neighbour Mathias, as the LORD shall be pleased to enable me I will pray for you, and I beseech you also in the meane time to pray for your selfe, and use all other meanes to informe your judgement aright concerning the nature, use, and end of the Sacra­ment, that so you may re­ceive that fruit and bene­fit which the Lord doth thereby tender and offer to such as you are.

Sir, I doe acknow­ledge that I am very igno­rant [Page 240] in these points, and therefore have great need to use all the meanes I can to be better informed, and truly for the present I know no better meanes then to intreat you to give me some further in­struction concerning the same.

God willing you shall not want the best in­structions that I am able to give you, and therefore I pray you understand that the Sacrament of the LORDS Supper was by Christ himselfe instituted and ordained for three especiall ends.

1 As first of all, to keep Beleevers in a continuall [Page 241] remembrance of that pro­pitiatory Sacrifice which he once for all offered by his death upon the Crosse, Doe this, saith he, in re­membrance Luk. 22. 19. of me; that is to say, Do this in remem­brance that my Body was broken and my Blood shed for the remission of your sinnes.

2 Secondly, Christ did institute and ordaine it to be a seale of the righteous­nesse Rom. 4. [...] of faith to ratifie and confirme the Covenant of promise made with all be­leevers; for indeed that Covenant is as a last Will and Testament, and the Sacraments are as Seales set thereunto, whereby all [Page 242] the promises in the Co­venant of Grace or the Gospell are ratified and confirmed to every faith­full soule, that so they having both Christs hand and seale, their faith may be the better confirmed and strengthned.

3 Thirdly, Christ did institute and ordaine it to be spirituall nourishment to every hungry and thir­sty soule; yea, and to be spirituall Physick to heale and cure every sensible sick and diseased soule.

Now these being the ends for which Christ did institute and ordaine the Sacrament, I beseech you let your comming there­unto [Page 243] be to obtaine these ends, and doe not you come for forme and cu­stome sake, neither yet for your credit sake a­mongst your neighbours, neither yet out of a con­ceit that your very pre­sence there, and your ve­ry performance of the outward acts is well plea­sing and acceptable to the Lord, as I feare me ma­ny ignorant people have thought in former times; neither yet doe you con­ceive that for your so do­ing the Lord is ingaged to forgive you your sinnes, and give you eternall life; neither yet doe you ima­gine, that the bare out­ward [Page 244] actions and elements are able to sanctifie you; in a word, beware of con­ceiving too highly of the outward acts and outward elements; but rather look to the inward invisible matter and vertue of the Sacrament, which is, Je­sus Christ; alwayes re­membring that he is all in all in every action and in every element; and there­fore when you are at the Lords Table (as I hope you will be very shortly) and there see the Bread and Wine separated by consecration unto this holy use, and these blessed ends, then remember Christ, and thinke how [Page 245] he was fore-ordained and Pemble on the Sacra­ments, p. 8 fore-appointed by his Fa­ther from everlasting un­to the accomplishing of our redemption, by his death and blood-sheding; and when you see the Bread broken and the Wine poured forth, then remember Christ, and thinke how he was torne and rent in his precious Body with stripes and wounds, and pained even to the death in his most holy Soule, full of the wrath of God, and the in­dignation of the Almigh­ty, by whom he was smit­ten for your sinnes, and plagued for your trans­gressions: and when the [Page 246] Minister offereth unto you the Bread and Wine, then remember Christ, and thinke how he is gi­ven to you of God freely, yea and freely gives him­selfe to you if you will receive him; and when you receive the Bread and drinke the Wine, then re­member Christ that li­ving Bread, and thinke how he himself hath said, Ioh. 6. 5. 5. My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drinke indeed; and be­leeve, that thereby hee gives life unto your soule, and will preserve it to all eternity; in a word, con­sider how God the Father did by this death and [Page 247] bloodshed of his Sonne thus represented in the Sacrament, fully answer and satisfie his owne ju­stice, to the end he might set open a doore of mercy to all humble penitent hearted sinners; yea, and doe you thereupon assu­redly beleeve that you have thereby tendered unto the Justice of God a full and perfect satisfacti­on for all your sinnes, and that therefore now it is a meet and equall thing with God (he having re­ceived and accepted this full satisfaction) to pardon and forgive you all your sinnes, according to his promise, Mat. 26. 28. yea, [Page 248] doe you beleeve, and as­suredly perswade your heart, that for this satis­faction sake you are re­conciled unto God, accor­ding to his promise, Col. 1. 21, 22. yea, doe you be­leeve, and assuredly per­swade your owne soule, that for the obedience and satisfaction sake of Christ you are justified in the sight of God, accord­ing to his promise, Rom. 5. 9. yea, and doe you then beleeve and make no doubt of it, but that for this satisfaction sake of Jesus Christ you shall be sanctified by his Spirit according to his promise, Hebr. 13. 12. and have [Page 249] your heart of stone taken out of your bowels, and a heart of flesh given unto you, according as it is pro­mised, Ezek. 36. 26. and have strength and vigour to all holy performances, according to that promise, Heb. 13. 20, 21. yea, doe you beleeve and make no question of it, but that for this satisfaction sake of Christ you shall have eter­nall life, according to Christs owne promise, Ioh. 6. 51.

This you see is the Co­venant of promise; this is Christs last Will and Testament; these are the riches which he hath left and bequeathed to all such [Page 250] as you are; this is Christs owne hand and deed, and by the Sacrament duly administred and rightly received he sets too his seale, and so confirmes it fully; wherefore I be­seech you, when you are at the Sacrament, yea as oft as you shall be there present at any time here­after, speake to your faith as Deborah did to her self, Iudg. 5. 12. and say, Awake, awake O my faith, and now bestir and rouze thy selfe up to do thine office in receiving Christ now offered, in whom all these [...] Cor. 1. [...]0. promises are Yea and A­men. Lift up thine eye to see Christ, reach forth [Page 251] thine hand and lay hold on him and receive him, set thy mouth to him and feed on him, eat and drink Christ by sucking these breasts of consolation; and thus would I have you in the act of recei­ving the Sacrament by Faith, to knit your heart unto Christ, and throw your selfe into his armes stretched out on the crosse to imbrace you, and wash your soule in his Blood that you may be cleane, and by Faith apply his Blood to your soule for the healing of all your in­firmities; say in your heart, Hath my Saviour died for my sinnes, and [Page 252] shall not I die unto sinne? shall I live any longer there­in? Rom. 6. 2. no, God forbid; and by this meanes ye shall finde your sinnes weak­ned, and the graces of Gods Spirit revived and strengthned; yea, you shall finde the Sacrament to become a good cora­sive to eat out your cor­ruptions, and as physicke to heale and cure you of all your infirmities; yea, you shall finde it to be, by meanes of the acting of your faith as a Conduit pipe, which being set to the Fountaine of grace Christ Jesus, shall convey grace from that holy Fountaine Christ, into the [Page 253] cisterne of your soule, and like a soveraigne me­dicine you shall finde it to become beneficiall to all the parts of your soule, making you apt and rea­dy to every good worke; and therefore I beseech you to receive it often.

Truly Sir, by meanes of these your speeches my judgement is much better informed touching the use and end of the Sacrament, and I am hereby much incoura­ged to approach thereun­to; but Sir, because you doe exhort me to receive it often, I would gladly know the reason why we must receive that Sacra­ment [Page 254] of the Lords Sup­per often, seeing we are to receive the Sacrament of Baptisme but once in all our lives.

The Reason is, because the sacrament of Rogers on the Sacra­ment, p. 360. Baptisme is the sacrament of our Regeneration or new birth; and the sacra­ment of the Lords Sup­per is the sacrament of our spirituall nourishment and growth, and there­fore we are to be bapti­zed but once, because we are borne but once; but we are to receive the sa­crament of the LORDS Supper often, because that after wee are borne wee stand in need to be often [Page 255] nourished and fed, that so we may grow in grace; for indeed, growth in grace is a maine end and fruit of that Ordinance, God thereby giving to every faithfull Receiver the Body and Blood of his Sonne Christ, that by the Bread of his Flesh and the Wine of his Blood he may cause them to grow.

Well Sir, this day hath beene a day of good tidings to me; and surely Sir, if the LORD have beene so mercifull unto me as you have declared, then have I cause to mag­nifie and praise the name of the Lord as long as I live, for bringing me hi­ther [Page 256] this day to you; sure­ly if the Lord doe count me worthy to come to his Table, and to receive Je­sus Christ with all his rich endowments, then may I truly say as I remember Hannah Samuels mother 1 Sam. 2. 8 said in her song, He rai­seth up the poore out of the dust, and lifteth up the beg­ger from the dunghill, to set him among Princes, and to make him inherit the throne of glory. I little thought when I came hi­ther with my neighbour Simon that I should bee found to be more fit and more worthy to be admit­ted to the Lords Table then he; surely Sir, if you [Page 257] had not proved it so plain­ly, I should not have be­leeved it.

Assure your selfe neighbour Mathias that this day the words of the Apostle James are fulfil­led concerning you two, where he saith, that God resisteth the proud, and gi­veth grace to the humble; and so are the words of the Virgin Mary, where she saith, that God filleth the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away.

Sir, I will now take my leave of you, and tru­ly I cannot tell how to ex­presse my thankfulnesse to you for the great paines [Page 258] you have taken with me this day, the Lord in mer­cy make it profitable to me, and recompence your paines to you an hundred fold, and I beseech you Sir pray for me.

Min. Now the very God of peace sanctifie you whol­ly, and I pray God that your whole spirit, and soule, and 1 Thes. 5. 23, 24. body be preserved blame­lesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ; faithfull is he he that cal­leth you who also will doe it.

The Lord be with you, Sir. Come neighbour Simon, will not you goe along with me?

No, I pray you be [Page 259] going before, and I will come after you.

Well then, I will also take my leave of you, and I thanke you for suf­fering me to come along with you to this place, where I have, through the mercy of God, recei­ved so much good.

Well, but do not you now goe home and boast among our neigh­bours that Master M. hath found you fit to be admit­ted to the sacrament, and me unfit.

No neighbour Si­mon I shall not do so, for I know that if it be so, it is the free mercy of the Lord towards mee, and [Page 260] therefore I desire rather to speake to my owne soule, and say unto it in the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4. 7. For who ma­keth thee to differ from an­other, and what hast thou that thou hast not received. Now if thou hast received it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it. And so the Lord be with you both.

Fare you well good neighbour Mathias.

The Lord be with you, good neighbour.

Well Sir, I wish that I were fit to be ad­mitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, for I see there is much good [Page 261] to be gotten by the right receiving of it.

Surely neighbour Simon, if men did but know what good is to be obtained at the hands of the Lord by the right par­taking thereof, and what hurt doth come to a man by not receiving it aright, they would not onely de­sire to come thereunto, as indeed many doe, though it is to be feared hand o­ver head, as we use to say, not knowing what they doe, but they would also endeavour to fit and pre­pare themselves thereun­to, and therefore no mar­vell though you do desire that you were fit to re­ceive it aright.

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Sir, I doe perceive that he who is not fit to partake thereof is a mise­rable man, whether he do receive it or not.

He is so indeed, for if he doe receive it be­ing not fit, he doth there­by commit the greatest sinne that is unpardona­ble, and doth expose him­selfe to the greatest mise­ry that can befall a man, either here or hereafter, as you know I told my neighbour Alexander; and if he receive it not, then hee misseth and comes short of all that good which you know I told our neighbour Mathias comes to a man by means [Page 263] of the right receiving thereof.

O then, what great care and paines ought men to take to fit and prepare themselves to partake of that Ordinance? and how often should they fre­quent it, being duly fitted and prepared? And yet, alas, for want of so doing, how many men and wo­men by their absence doe deprive themselves of these great benefits?

Some there are that are neither fit nor willing to come; others there are that are willing to come, and yet not fit to come; and others there are that are fit to come, and yet [Page 264] not willing; as for in­stance:

How many are there, who because they cannot receive the Sacrament kneeling, as they have formerly done, are not willing to come? What said an old simple igno­rant man in my hearing not long since? Rather then I will receive it so unreverently as they doe now a dayes, by sitting at Table, as if they were e­quall with Jesus Christ, I will never receive it while I live.

And are there not some others, who meerly out of a superstitious conceit doe desire to come, and [Page 265] yet by reason of their un­fitnesse, are justly upon examination kept backe by the Eldership.

And are there not some, who it may be are fit to come, and yet doe not come; either because they are ashamed to come be­fore so many men to bee examined, as they are in­formed doe sit upon that occasion, or else are fear­full least they should not be able to answer them to their content, and so be turned backe to their dis­grace.

And are there not also some others who it may be are fit to come, and yet either because they [Page 266] scorne to be examined at these yeares, or by such and such a man, whom they doe conceive is infe­riour to themselves, they will not come.

And are there not o­thers also who are fit to come, and yet doe not come, because such are admitted to the Sacra­ment whom they con­ceive are not fit to partake thereof?

Thus I say, either tho­row superstitious igno­rance, prophannesse, or through foolish shame or feare, or else through the sinne of pride, many are kept from that great be­nefit which otherwise [Page 267] they might receive by the right partaking of that Ordinance.

It is true indeed, Sir, I see it clearly, and therefore I beseech you tell me what course you would advise me to take to fit and prepare my selfe thereunto, that so I may come before you and the rest to be admitted.

Why truly neigh­bor Simon, the best coun­sell that I can give you is to labour to become truly poore in spirit; that is to say, labour to see in your selfe a want of all good, as of your selfe, that so you may see your need or Je­sus Christ; and to this end [Page 268] I pray you consider that Shepherds [...]ound be­leever. p. 145. as a godly writer saith, Not onely some sinne, but some good that a man thinkes he hath and rest­eth in, without Christ, may as easily prove his ruine, because a mans owne righteousnesse rest­ed in, doth not onely hide mens sinnes, but streng­thens them in some sinne, by which men perish.

Trusting in a mans own righteousnes, and commit­ting iniquity being cou­ples, Ezek. 33. 13. and therfore though you have forsaken all other sinnes, yet if you doe still with the Scribes and Pharisees and with zealous Paul, be­fore [Page 269] his conversion, re­taine this sin, you undoe your selfe.

Cast away therefore from you all your trans­gressions, and confidence in your owne righteous­nesse amongst the rest, and with Paul after his con­version, reckon it all but losse for Christ; yea, and Phil. 3. 8, 9 judge it to be dung that you may win Christ and be found in him, not having your owne righteousnesse, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righte­ousnesse which is of God by faith; for God as a Crea­tor, Sincere Convert. p. 108. saith that godly wri­ter in another place, ha­ving [Page 270] made a Law, will not forgive one sin with­out the Blood of Christ; Nay, saith hee further, Christs Blood will not do it neither, if thou dost joyne never so little that thou hast or dost unto Je­sus Christ, and makest thy selfe or any of thy duties co-partners in that great work of saving thee; Cry out therefore as that bles­sed Martyr did, None but Christ, None but Christ; yea, and as Richel cryed out, Give me children, or Gen. 30. 1. else Idie; even so do you cry out, Give me Christ, or else I die: For as hee that hath the Sonne hath life; so he that hath not [Page 271] the Sonne, hath not life, 1 Joh. 5. 12. But for as much as you of your selfe have no power to do this, I beseech you be earnest with God in prayer, to make you see and feele your owne sinfulnesse and helplesnesse, and so your great need of Jesus Christ, who is that mighty one up­on whom the Lord hath laid Act. 4. 12. help, Psal. 89. 19. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby wee must be saved: wherefore saith the holy Ghost, He Heb. 9. 25. is able also to save them to the uttermost that come un­to God by him, seeing hee [Page 272] ever liveth to make inter­cession for them; so that you may assure your selfe there is no need of any of your own righteousnesse or performances in the case of Justification or Salvation, and therefore I pray you come empty handed to Christ, who doth not require you to bring any thing at all to him to enrich him, but would have you come poore, and then will he inrich you, and so shall you be fit to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; and then if you come in to us when we meet together, and make it appeare to us [Page 273] that your heart is so qua­lified, we shall willingly set open the gate to you and let you in; and so be­seeching the LORD to worke this in you by the power of his owne Spirit, I will for this time take my leave of you, commit­ing you to God, and to the word of his grace.

Sir, I could wil­lingly have tarried longer with you, but it may be your occasions doe now call you away from mee, and therefore I will at this time take my leave of you, giving you many thanks for the great pains you have taken with me, and I beseech you, Sir, [Page 274] pray for mee, and before long, God willing, I will make bold to come to you againe; for truly I am perswaded I shall never be well till I have further conference with you, but no more at this time.