Aphorisms of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…Aphorismes of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…

But you cannot, it seems digest Mr. Blake's assertion, that the Sacraments do seal but conditionally. Answer, I have not Mr. Blake's book by me, and therefore how he explaineth himself I cannot tell; But I remember he hath oft said so in conference with me. But let me tell you two or three things. 1. That I question whether you well understand him. 2. Or whether you be able to confute it, as thus to except against it, 3. That Mr. Blake is as truly conscientious whom he admitteth as you.

BUt you cannot, it seems digest Mr. Blakes assertion, that the Sacraments do seal but conditionally. Answer, I have not Mr. Blakes book by me, and therefore how he explaineth himself I cannot tell; But I remember he hath oft said so in conference with me. But let me tell you two or three things. 1. That I question whether you well understand him. 2. Or whether you be able to confute it, as thus to except against it, 3. That Mr. Blake is as truly conscientious whom he admitteth as you.

But for the Controversy, you must consider it a little more distinctly before you are like to understand it rightly. It is in vain to enquire, whether the Sacraments do seal absolutely or conditionally, till you first know well what it is that they seal. ⟨p. 256⟩Let us first therefore resolve that Question, what they seal? and then enquire how they seal? You know a Christian doth gather the assurance of his Justification and Salvation by way of Argumentation, thus: He that believeth is justified, and shall be saved: But, I believe; therefore I am justified and shall be saved. Now the Question is which of the parts of this Argument the Sacrament doth seal to? Whether to the Major, the Minor, or the Conclusion? To which I answer: 1. That it sealeth to the Truth of Gods promise (which is the Major proposition,) is unquestionable. But whether to this alone, is all the doubt? 2. That it sealeth not to the truth of the Minor Proposition, (that is, to the truth of our Believing) I take also for to be beyond dispute, For, first it should else seal to that which is now here written: For no Scripture saith, that I do believe. 2. And then it should be used to strengthen my Faith, in that which is no object of Faith: For, [that I do believe] is not matter of Faith, or to be believed, but matter of internal sense, or to be known by the reflex act of the understanding. 3. Also God should else set his seal, to my part or condition of the Covenant, as well as his own, and seal to the truth of my word, as well as to the truth of his own; for a justifying and saving us, is Gods condition, which he undertaketh