Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

Answ. 1. The hazard that attendeth a mans words is not necessary to make them simply credible, though, as to the Degrees, it makes them more credible: else we must believe no man but he that speaks to the hazard of his life. 2. The Prosperity of the Gospel will not warrant us to alter the Rule of Nature and Scripture; else the Church must Incur greater difficulties in prosperity than in Adversity, if prosperity forfeit all mens credit: and so men should be kept out in prosperity who may be admitted in adversity: when the Church had peace and were edified, Act 9 31. the Apostles altered not their practice. 3. We have great cause to rejoice when Christianity is in so good credit, as that all profess it; and so, respectively, we may be glad when there are so many Hypocrites; that is, when persecutors befriend the truth which they persecuted, and when the Gospel is in so much honour. And though I am not of their mind that think it the first prescribed End of the Institution, that Sacraments and Church-state should be the means of Conversion; yet I doubt not but God, foreknowing that many hypocrites would unjustly Intrude, hath so fitted his Ordinances as to be advantageous to their Conversion when they have Intruded. He calleth not any to come into his Church without saving Faith and Repentance, nor is he consenting to any mans lying Profession, nor unworthy approach to Baptism or the Lords Supper; but yet they that do come unworthily ⟨p. 32⟩and unwarrantably, do find that there, which tendeth to their Conversion, and frequently effecteth it: and this, I think, is the true mean between their Doctrine who maintain, that the Sacrament is prescribed as a converting Ordinance, and the unconverted are called to it; and theirs that say simply, it is not a converting Ordinance.

Answ. 1. The hazard that attendeth a mans words is not necessary to make them simply credible, though, as to the Degrees, it makes them more credible: else we must believe no man but he that speaks to the hazard of his life. 2. The Prosperity of the Gospel will not warrant us to alter the Rule of Nature and Scripture; else the Church must Incurre greater difficulties in prosperity than in Adversity, if prosperity forfeit all mens credit: and so men should be kept out in prosperity who may be admi•ted in adversity: when the Church had peace and were edified, Act 9 31. the Apostles altered not their practice. 3. We have great cause to rejoyce when Christianity is in so good credit, as that all profess it; and so, respectively, we may be glad when there are so many Hypocrites; that is, when persecutors befriend the truth which they persecuted, and when the Gospel is in so much honour. And though I am not of their mind that think it the first prescribed End of the Institution, that Sacraments and Church-state should be the means of Conversion; yet I doubt not but God, foreknowing that many hypocrites would unjustly Intrude, hath so fitted his Ordinances as to be advantagious to their Conversion when they have Intruded. He calleth not any to come into his Church without saving Faith and Repentance, nor is he consenting to any mans lying Profession, nor unworthy approach to Baptism or the Lords Supper; but yet they that do come unworthily