All the controversy between Mr. Blake and me is like to be about the Minor, whether the profession of his common faith short of justifying, make people fit for, or capable of the Lords supper. 1. No man should be admitted to the signal profession of Receiving Christ as he is offered, who will not orally profess to receive him as he is offered. But all that are admitted to the Lords supper, are admitted to the signal profession of receiving Christ as he is offered. Therefore no man that will not orally so profess to receive Christ should be admitted to the Lords Supper. The Major is plain, because 1. Else we cannot know who is fit, if he will not make profession of it. 2. His refusal shows that he either understandeth not what he doth in the Sacrament, or is wilfully uncapable, by infidelity, or impenitency. 3. The Minor is evident in the nature of the Sacrament. The offer of the bread and wine with the command, Take, eat, drink, is signally the offer of the Lord Jesus himself, with a command to take him. He that pu•s forth his hand to take the bread, professeth thereby to Accept of Christ as offered. If it be said, that Mr. Blake's professor of a lower sort of faith, doth profess to take Christ as offered, I say, No: This proposition I here suppose as evident in it self, that no man but the sound Believer doth take Christ as offered, no not as Christ. He is offered as a Saviour from the Guilt and Reign of sin; and so Mr. Blake's professor doth not so much as profess to accept him. For I hope we are agreed, that so to accept him heartily is saving faith. 2. No man should be admitted to receive a sealed pardon of sin (or have it delivered to him) that doth not profess that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon: but he that only professeth a faith short of justifying, professeth not that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon. Therefore he is not to be admitted to the Lords supper. It is a present sealed pardon that they profess there to receive by the very actual receiving: God presently offereth; and they presently profess to accept it signally, and therefore must do so verbally.
All the controversie between Mr. Blake and me is like to be about the Minor, whether the profession of his common faith short of justifying, make people fit for, or capable of the Lords supper. 1. No man should be admitted to the signal profession of Receiving Christ as he is offered, who will not orally profess to receive him as he is offered. But all that are admitted to the Lords supper, are admitted to the signal profession of receiving Christ as he is offered. Therefore no man that will not orally so profess to receive Christ should be admitted to the Lords Supper. The Major is plain, because 1. Else we cannot know who is fit, if he will not make profession of it. 2. His refusal shews that he either understandeth not what he doth in the Sacrament, or is wilfully uncapable, by infidelity, or impenitency. 3. The Minor is evident in the nature of the Sacrament. The offer of the bread and wine with the command, Tade, eat, drink, is signally the o•fer of the Lord Jesus himself, with a command to take him. He that pu•s forth his hand to take the bread, professeth thereby to Accept of Christ as offered. If it be said, that Mr. Blakes professor of a lower sort of faith, doth profess to take Christ as offered, I say, No: This proposition I here suppose as evident in it self, that no man but the sound Believer doth take Christ as offered, no not as Christ. He is offered as a Saviour from the Guilt and Reign of sin; and so Mr. Blakes professor doth not so much as profess to accept him. For I hope we are agreed, that so to accept him heartily is saving faith. 2. No man should be admitted to receive a sealed pardon of sin (or have it delivered to him) that doth not profess that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon: but he that only professeth a faith short of justifying, professeth not that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon. Therefore he is not to be admitted to the Lords supper. It is a present sealed pardon that they profess there to receive by the very actual receiving: God presently offereth; and they presently profess to accept it signally, and therefore must do so verbally.
