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

But faith Mr. Blake [bring me a man that in his heart is convinced that Jesus is the Christ, with his mouth professeth him, and engageth ⟨p. 169⟩for him, and in the mean space actually renounceth him, and I will do what you would have me with him; that is, a man that is falling headlong down a ladder, at the same instant he is climbing up it]. To which I say, 1. If you mean an Absolute Renouncing him, or for the same time when he determineth to begin his Accepting of him, I confess it were a contradiction: but of your own feigning, and nothing to our business. 2. And therefore if you suppose the man to promise to believe savingly the next minute, then I confess it will not stand with a future Renouncing him: But then it is as true, that such a promise containeth, importeth, or supposeth a present profession of saving faith, or it is absurd and vain, as is aforesaid. 3. But if it be a promise to believe only at such a distance of futurity, then it not only may stand with a renouncing Christ till that time come, but seemeth to imply that so it is, if you suppose faith to be so far in the unregenerate mans power that he can make such promises of it. I told you before (which made you angry) where a renouncing of Christ did stand with your two first qualifications, Conviction, and Verbal acknowledgement, viz. Mat. 21.38. This is the Heir; come let us kill him, and seize on the Inheritance.] And for your lust of Engaging to him (such an Engagement as you describe, to believe savingly) as I have said, if it be to believe at present, it is inseparable from a profession of saving faith. If only to believe at such a distant time, it is possible to renounce all actual union and special communion with him till that time, and to say, I will not have Christ as offered till such a time, or till I can better spare my lusts; can you show us here such contradictory work as your tumbler is supposed to make.

But faith Mr. Blake [bring me a man that in his heart is convinced that Jesus is the Christ, with his mouth professeth him, and engageth ⟨p. 169⟩for him, and in the mean space actually renounceth him, and I will do what you would have me with him; that is, a man that is falling headlong down a ladder, at the same instant he is climbing up it]. To which I say, 1. If you mean an Absolute Renouncing him, or for the same time when he determineth to begin his Accepting of him, I confess it were a contradiction: but of your own feigning, and nothing to our business. 2. And therefore if you suppose the man to promise to believe savingly the next minute, then I confess it will not stand with a future Renouncing him: But then it is as true, that such a promise containeth, importeth, or supposeth a present profession of saving faith, or it is absurd and vain, as is aforesaid. 3. But if it be a promise to believe only at such a distance of futurity, then it not only may stand with a renouncing Christ till that time come, but seemeth to imply that so it is, if you suppose faith to be so far in the unregenerate mans power that he can make such promises of it. I told you before (which made you angry) where a renouncing of Christ did stand with your two first qualifications, Conviction, and Verbal acknowledgement, viz.