A26886:454
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…
Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending them against several sorts of opponents, especially against the second assault of that pious, reverend and dear brother Mr. Thomas Blake / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The second Question is, Whether the Minister may or must deliver the Sacrament to the unconverted, with this Intention that he may be converted by it? To this I answer, that the unconverted are of two sorts: 1. Such as profess not to be converted, or savingly to repent and believe; and to these he may not Administer it at all, and therefore not to such Ends. 2 Such as do profess saving faith and Repentance; and to these he may administer it, with this disjunctive end; that if the person be truly converted, it may confirm him; if not, that if God so please, it may be a means of his Conversion.
The third Question is, Whether the unconverted may Demand and receive that Sacrament as a means of Conversion? To which I answer flatly, No: whether it be a saving Faith or another sort of faith which he Professeth, if he have not saving Faith it self, he may not Demand or Receive the Sacrament at all, and therefore not to any such ends.
Now to come closer to Mr. Blake's Argument; 1. I grant the Major, (as far as through the Lantern of his dark ambiguous phrases I can discern the sense of it,) viz that we may admit those to the Lords Supper, that are justly admitted to Baptism, if naturally capable, and have not since given cause to suspend them. And here Mr. Blake shows, that it is the lower species of Faith that entitles men (in his judgement) to the Lords Supper, because he maintaineth that this lower species entitleth them to Baptism.
Now to come closer to Mr. Blake's Argument; 1. I grant the Major, (as far as through the Lanthorn of his dark ambiguous phrases I can discern the sense of it,) viz that we may admit those to the Lords Supper, that are justly admitted to Baptism, if naturally capable, and have not since given cause to suspend them. And here Mr. Blake shews, that it is the lower species of Faith that entitles men (in his judgement) to the Lords Supper, because he maintaineth that this lower species entitleth them to Baptism.