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

Argum. 6. No man is to be admitted to the Lords Supper that Professeth not a sincere love to the Saints as Saints: But so can none do that Profess not a saving faith (without contradicting himself) Ergo.

The Major is proved in that the very business of that Church there, next their communion with Christ, is to have communion with the Saints in Love: and if they be at variance but with one, they must leave their gift at the Altar, and go first and be reconciled to their Brother, and then come and offer their gift. But Mr. Blake is so far from excluding the ungodly, that he would not have us so much as dissuade them from coming. Pag. 196. he saith to that [1. It is as I suppose, without all Scripture Precedent to warn men upon account of want of a new life by the Spirit, wholly to keep off from this or any other Ordinances of Christ — that we should warn men upon this account, upon this very ground, to hold off from all address to Ordinances, I have not learnt.] Answ. That we should dissuade them to come till they have that Faith and Repentance and Love to the Brethren which is the fruit of a new life, I have proved, and more have done it than you will ever well answer. And it will not follow, as you pretend, that then none must come that have not the certainty of their sincerity in the Faith, as I shall further show when I come purposely to your Objections. And where you talk of unregenerate mens being incapable of examining themselves, its a great mistake; else no wicked man could despair, if he be not able to find himself to be wicked; And then it would be a sufficient Evidence of Grace for a man to find himself graceless, which is a contradiction.

The Major is proved in that the very business of that Church there, next their communion with Christ, is to have communion with the Saints in Love: and if they be at variance but with one, they must leave their gift at the Altar, and go first and be reconciled to their Brother, and then come and offer their gift. But Mr. Blake is so far from excluding the ungodly, that he would not have us so much as disswade them from coming. Pag. 196. he saith to that [1. It is as I suppose, without all Scripture Precedent to warn men upon account of want of a new life by the Spirit, wholly to keep off from this or any other Ordinances of Christ — that we should warn men upon this account, upon this very ground, to hold off from all address to Ordinances, I have not learnt.] Answ. That we should disswade them to come till they have that Faith and Repentance and Love to the Brethren which is the fruit of a new life, I have proved, and more have done it than you will ever well answer. And it will not follow, as you pretend, that then none must come that have not the certainty of their sincerity in the Faith, as I shall further shew when I come purposely to your Objections. And where you talk of unregenerate mens being incapable of examining themselves, its a great mistake; else no wicked man could despair, if he be not able to find himself to be wicked; And then it would be a sufficient Evidence of Grace for a man to find himself graceless, which is a contradiction.