The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…

1. Every Sacramental Symbol is a professing Sign: But every professing Sign is not a Sacramental Symbol (a solemn Sacramental Celebration of a Mutual Covenant, by an investing signification of the parts of both the Covenants.) Doth it follow then, that because Men (yea, any Man) may make a professing Sign of his Mind, that Man (yea, every Man) may make a new Sacrament? An Israelite might have lift up his ⟨p. 43⟩Hand to signify consent to a Duty, or to answer a Question: But might he therefore have imitated Circumcision, or the Passover? When a Man is Baptized, if you ask him whether he consent, he may signify it by Bowing, lifting up his Hand, by Writing, which are all but to the same use as Speech: But he must Sacramentally signify it by the reception of Baptism, as the instituted solemn Covenanting Symbol of his Religion. But for any to make to the Church of Christ, a new Sacramental Symbol for such a Covenanting use, is another Matter.

1. Every Sacramental Symbol is a professing Sign: But every professing Sign is not a Sacramental Symbol (a solemn Sacramental Celebration of a Mutual Covenant, by an investing signification of the parts of both the Covenants.) Doth it follow then, that because Men (yea, any Man) may make a professing Sign of his Mind, that Man (yea, every Man) may make a new Sacrament? An Israelite might have lift up his ⟨p. 43⟩Hand to signifie consent to a Duty, or to answer a Question: But might he therefore have imitated Circumcision, or the Passeover? When a Man is Baptized, if you ask him whether he consent, he may signifie it by Bowing, lifting up his Hand, by Writing, which are all but to the same use as Speech: But he must Sacramentally signifie it by the reception of Baptism, as the instituted solemn Covenanting Symbol of his Religion. But for any to make to the Church of Christ, a new Sacramental Symbol for such a Covenanting use, is another Matter.

A Man that at the Lord's Supper, is asked whether he consent to Christ's Covenant, may signify it as aforesaid: But he may not therefore join to the Sacrament such another Covenanting Symbol of Christianity, e. g. To make (or consent to, and approve and use) a Law that all Christians shall, solemnly after the Eucharist, have their Heads anointed with Oil, to signify that they are Members of Christ, and hereby Covenant with him and the Holy Ghost, as signifying his Grace received, and their Duty performed and promised; and this applied by a Minister Officiating, as by his Commission.