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 , Teacher of the Church in KEDERMINSTER .

The Second Edition corrected and amended .

LONDON , Printed by R. W. for Nevil Simmons Book seller in Kederminster , and are to be sold by him there and by Nathaniel Ekins , at the Gun in Pauls Church-Yard . 1658.

The greatest thing that troubleth me , is to hear that there are some men , yea ( which is the wonder ) some Orthodox Godly Ministers ( though I hope but few ) that fetch an Argument from our Disputes against the motions to Peace and Unity and unquestionable Duties , which on other occasions are made to them ; and if any Arguments of mine be used to move them , they presently reply , [ If he would promote peace , he should not break it , by dissenting from or writing against his Brethren . ] But what if I were as bad as you can imagine , will you therefore refuse any Evidence that shall be brought you , or neglect any duty that God shall call you to ? Will my unpeaceableness excuse yours ? But stay Brethren ; do you build the Churches Peace on such terms as these ? Will you have Union and Communion with none but your own Party , that are in all things of your own Opinions ? If these be your grounds , you are utterly schismatical in your foundations , though you should actually get all the Christians in Europe to be of your minde . O! me thinks men that are humble ( as all are that shall be saved ) should be so far acquainted with the weakness of their understandings , as to have meaner thoughts of them , and not to make them the Standard of the Churches Judgement , or the Center of its Peace . There 's no two men of you all , of one minde in all things among your selves .

But I confess your faults excuse not mine ; and I am much too blame , if I be not willing to hear of them & reform them . But I can do nothing against the truth ; it is not in my power to be of all mens minds , when they are of so many and inconsistent . If I agree with some Reverend Brethren , it must displease the rest by disagreeing from them . And therefore I have long resolved to study to please God , ( who may be pleased ) instead of men , and do my best to find out the Truth , and entertain it and obey it , as far as I can understand it , and to propound it to others , and leave it to God and them whether it shall be received or not . And for my self to be heartily thankful to any , that will help me to know more , and deliver me from any Error that I am in .

The Differences that these Brethren have blamed me for are in these three points or four : 1. About the Interest of Faith , Repentance , and other Graces in our Justification . Of this I have not heard from any Brother , that yet he is unsatisfied , since I published my Confession ; save what is in an Epistle to the Sermons on Iohn 17. to which I have long ago prepared an Answer ( and the by-exceptions answered in this Book . )

2. About proving Christianity by Argument ; of which I have heard from none since I published my Papers against Infidelity . 3. About the Universality of Redemption : and 4. About the Controversies of this Book .

For the former of these last , I find a Reverend , Learned man endeavouring to load me with some note of Singularity , I mean D. Ludovicus Molinaeus , in his Preface to his Paraenesis ad aedificatores Imperii in Imperio ( a Book that hath much Learning , and more Truth then is fairly used , the face of it being writhen to frown upon them that own it , and Parties wronged even where Truth is defended , though through the unhappiness of the Distinction oft clouded when it seems explicated , and through — I know not what , the Controversie seldom truly stated . ) This Learned man hath thought it meet , for the disgracing Amyraldus , by the smalness of his success to mention me thus , as his only Proselyte in England , [ Forsan eo consilio Amyraldus cudit suam Methodum , ut Lutheranis subpalparet , & gratiam apud eos iniret , sperans per eam Lutheranos reconciliatum iri Calvinistis : sed reverâ dum falsam studet inire gratiam , nulli parti eo nomine gratus est , nec ulla parte haeret apud Lutheranos , ut censet Calovius clarissimus Wittemberge Theologus ; nec de vincit sibi Anglos aut Belgas : In Belgio enim nulli nisi Arminiano ; in Anglia uni Baxtero , apprime placet ejus Methodus . ] And three leaves after , [ Sed in solatium Dallęo , ut Amyraldus Baxterum Anglum , sic Dallę is Woodbrigium itidem Anglum , peperit proselytam & admiratorem ] It is an ungrateful task to answer a Writing , whose Error is a multiplication of palpable U●truths in matter of fact ; for they are usually more unwillingly heard of then committed . But I shall lay these following considerations in the way of this Learned man , where his conscience may find them 1. If in England Amyraldus Method do please uni Baxtero , and yet Dallaeus have proselyted Woodbridge also , and Amyraldus and Dallaeus Method be the same , Quaer . Whether Baxter and Woodbridge are not the same man ? 2. Qu. Whether this Learned man know the judgement of all England ? 3. I meet with so many of Amyraldus mind in the point of Universal Redemption , that if I might judge of all the rest by those of my acquaintance , I should conjecture that half the Divines in England are of that opinion . 4. Is it not a thing famously known in England , that this middle way of Universal Redemption hath been by Writing and Disputing and preaching maintained by as excellent Divines for Learning , Judgement , holiness , and powerful Preaching ( as far as we can judge ) as ever England bred ? It s famously known that Bp Vsher was for it , that Bp Davenant , Bp Carleton , Bp Hall , Dr Ward , Dr Goad , Mr Balcanquall , being all the Divines that were sent to the Synod of Dort from Brittain , were for it : and Davenant , Hall , and Ward , have wrote for it : that those holy , renowned Preachers , Dr Preston ( of which read Mr Tho. Ball in his life ) , Dr Stoughton , Mr Wil. Whately , Mr Wil. Fenner , M Iohn Ball , Mr Ezek. Culverw●ll , Mr Rich. Vines , &c. were for it : And many yet living do ordinarily declare their judgment that way . And are not these more then unus Baxterus ? An excellent Writing of Ioannes Be●gius to that end , was lately translated here into English , and published by Mr Mauritius Bohemus , a Divine residing in Leicestershire . 5. Is it not famously known that the Divines of Breme go this way , and the Duke of Brandenburg's Divines , & that Wendeline complaineth to Spanhemius of it : and that Ludovicus Crocius , Mat Martinius , and Iselburge ( besides the Brittish Divines gave it in as their judgement at the Synod of Dort ; so that the Synod hath nothing against it ; and nothing but what this unus Baxterus , and all of his mind do readily subscribe to herein . Nay , is it not manifested that Dr Twiss himself hath frequently written for it ? 6. Can he that knows the Lutherane and Arminian doctrine believe both these , that the Arminians in Belgia are pleased with Amyraldus Method , and yet that nullâ parte haeret apud Lutheranos ? 7. Can he that hath read what Davenant , Camero , Amyraldus , Lud. Crocius , &c. have written against the Arminians , and what Grotius , Tilenus , and others of them have written against them , be yet perswaded that the Arminians are pleased with Amyraldus Method , any further then to be less dispeased with it then with some others ? 8. When Mr Woodbridge doth profess but that he is for Universal Redemption in Davenant's sense , [ especially since he read Daile , &c. ] doth this Learned man well infer thence , that he was Daile's proselyte , when the contrary is intimated , yea is the [ fatetur se nondum concoquentem Amyraldi Methodum . ] true or false ? 9. When this unus Baxterus did write a Book for Universal Redemption in this middle sense , before he ever saw either Amyraldus , Davenant , or any Writer ( except Dr Twiss ) for that way , and was ready to publish it , and stopt it on the coming forth of Amyraldus , and was himself brought to this judgement , by reading Dr Twiss , and meditating of it and had in print so long ago professed these things , whether this Learned man should after all this publish to the world , that I am Amyraldus proselyte ? I speak but as to the truth of the report ; for as to the reputation of the thing , I should think it a great benefit if I had the opportunity of sitting at the feet of so judicious a man as I perceive Amyraldus to be 10. Whether is Calovius a competent witness of the judgement of the Lutherans in general , or a witness capable of dishonouring Amyraldus , when he so unpeaceably and voluminously poureth out his fiery indignation against the moderate Lutherans themselves , that are but willing of Peace , under the name of Calixtians , seeking to make them odious from the honorable name of Georgius Calixtus , who went with them in that peaceable way ? 11. If it be David Blondell that he means , when he saith of Daile's Book [ Obstetricante magno illìc Viro , sed Armimianorum cultore ] ( and Blondell only prefaceth to it ) Whether any that hath read the Writings of Blondell , and heard of his fame , should believe this accusation ? or rather — 12. Is it a certain Truth or a Calumny that is thus expressed of Dallaeus , [ Certum est tamen hâc Apologiâ maluisse Arminianorum ordinibus inseri , quàm sedem inter contrà-remonstrantes tenere ] ? And is it certain , that Dr Molin knows the mind of Dallaeus better then he doth his own , or is sooner then himself to be believed in the report of it ? 13. Whether the desire which he expresseth that Camero had been expelled , and the words that he poureth forth against him , do more dishonour Camero or himself ? And if that Article of Justification were sufficient ground of his condemnation and expulsion , and consequently Olevian , Scultetus , Vrsinus , Paraeus , Piscator , Alstedius , Wendeline , Gataker , and abundance more should have tasted of the same sauce , Whether these persecuting principles savour not of too high an esteem of their own judgements , and tend not either to force an implicite faith in the Ministery , or to depopulate the Church , and break all in pieces ? And whether more credit is to be given to the judgement of this Learned man , against Camero , or to the general applause of the Learned , Pious and Peaceable Divines of most Protestant Churches ? For instance , such as Bp Hall's , who in his Peace-maker , p. 49. saith of him , that he was [ the Learnedst Divine , be it spoken without envy , that the Church of Scotland hath afforded in this last age . ] 14. Whether this Learned man had not forgotten his former Triumph in the supposed unsuccessfulness of Amyralds Method , and the paucity of his partakers or approvers , when he wrote this in deep sorrow for the Churches of France , [ Seriò ingemisco Patriae & Ecclesiis in ea reformatis , quod jam totos viginti annos Methodus Amyraldi impunè regna verit : nemine intrà Galliam hiscere audente , aut ullo vindice veritatis ibi exurgente ] & do these words shew his desire of Peace or Contention in the Church ? 15. Whether it be truth that he saith , that all the Divines of the Assembly at Westminster were against Amyraldus Method , when Mr Vines hath often and openly owned Davenant's way of Universal Redemption ; and others yet living are known to be for it ? 16. Whether it be proved from the cited words of their Confession , c. 8. §. 5. that such was their judgement , when they express no such thing ? And I have spoken with an eminent Divine , yet living , that was of the Assembly , who assured me that they purposely avoided determining that Controversie , and some of them profest themselves for the middle way of Universal Redemption . 17. Is there one man in Oxford or Cambridge ( besides himself ) that believes his next words , [ pari obelo confodiunt hanc Methodum quotquot sunt bodie Doctores & Professores Oxoniae & Cantabrigiae ] except on supposition that the foregoing words be untrue which pari relateth to ? 18. Is it probable that Dr Twiss was an enemy to that doctrine of Redemption which he hath so often asserted , viz [ That Christ dyed for all men , so far as to purchase them pardon and salvation on condition they would repent and believe ; and for the Elect , so far further as to procure them faith and repentance it self : ] which he hath oft in many Writings as to Mr Cranford's charge concerning his severe accusation of Dallaeus , and judging his very heart to be guilty of such dissimulation , as [ that he wrote not seriously , but contrary to what he thought , and that nothing could be more illiterate . I shall not put the question , whether it be probable that these words could pass from such a man , because he is alive to vindicate himself , if the report be false , or to own it , if true . 19. Do all the contemptuous expressions of a Dissenter so much dishonour the judgement of Dallaeus , as this Dissenters own praise of his former Writings doth honour it , when he saith of him , [ A quo nihil hactenus prodii● quod non esset judicii acerrimi , eruditionis reconditissimae , & dostrinae sanctissimae , aut candidissimum pectus non referret ; in quo nulla suspicio malignitatis insideret ; multò minùs eâ aetate seriâ & serâ erupturae , cùm lenit albescens animos capillus ] This is enough to make a stranger conjecture , that the man is not grown either such a fool as to err so grosly as is pretended , or such a knave as to write in the matters of God against his own judgement . And indeed he that will prove himself a wiser , a much wiser man in these matters then Dallaeus , Blondel , Amyrald . &c. must bring another kind of evidence for the honor of his Wisdom , then Dr L. Molin's Preface or Paraenesis is . 20. Is it not an indignity to the dead , which the living should hear with a pious indignation , for this Learned man to feign that Bp Vsher thought so contemptuously of Amyraldus Method ? Whatever he might say of him in any other respect , it s well known that he owned the substance of his doctrine of Redemption . The high praises therefore which Dr Molin doth give to this reverend Bishop , do dishonour his own judgement , that makes the Bishops doctrine so contemptible and gross . The like dealing I understand , some Arminian Divines ( I am loath to name them ) have used against this reverend man : One of them of great note hath given out , that he heard him preach for universal Redemption , and afterwards spoke to him , and found him owning it ; therefore he was an Arminian : and I hear a Northamptonshire Arminian hath so published him in print . O the unfaithfulness of men seeming pious ! The good Bishop must be what every one will say of him . Though one feigneth him to be of one extream , and the other of the other extream , when ( alas ! ) his judgement hath been commonly known in the world about this 30 years to be neither for the one , nor the other , but for the middle way . Do you call for proof ? If I give you not better then either Dr Molin , or the two Arminian Divines give , let me be branded for a factious Calumniator of the dead , whose name is so honourable , that the forgery is the greater sin . First there is a Manuscript of his own in many mens hands , dated March. 3. 1617. at Dublin , ( which I intend to print , if no one else do it first ) which asserteth this Doctrine in the same middle way as Davenant and Camero do . And I askt him whether he yet owned it , ( not long before his death ) , and he said , He did , and was firm in that judgment ; I asked him to whom he wrote it , and he told me ( as I remember ) to Mr Culverwell ( I am certain it was to him , or to Mr Eyr , who , he told me , was the man that fell so foul on Mr Culverwell . ) 2. If my own word be not sufficient , Dr Kendal can bear witness that he was present , once when he heard him own this judgement of Universal Redemption in the middle way , and intimated that Dr Davenant and Dr Preston were minded of it by him ; ( as reioycing that he sooner owned it ; ) and that we cannot rationally offer Christ to sinners on other grounds . Now because the Bishop went this middle way , when he speaks against the Arminians , some feign him to speak against his own doctrine . And when he spoke for Universal Satisfaction , the Arminians say he was turned to them . This is the faithfulness of the world ! It shames and grieves me to say , Of siding Divines ; and as much almost to say , Of a publick Professor of History in Oxford : For the principal honour of a Historian , is his veracity , and impartial fidelity ; and how much of that this Preface to the Paraenesis is guilty of , I leave to consideration upon the taste that is here given . But enough of this .

The fourth and last particular in which I offend some few Brethren by my judgement , is that which is the subject of these ensuing Disputations . But I can truly say of this as of the rest , 1. That if I should change my judgement and please these Brethren , its like I should displease many more . For 2. I take it for granted , that I go in the common rode that the Church of Christ hath gone in from the beginning to this day ; so far am I from singularity . 3. I am most certain that my thoughts were so far from intending singularity or the disturbance of the Church , by these or other points in Controversie , that I apprehended them strongly to be the truths that must be instrumental to the Churches peace when ever God seeth us meet to attain it . And though I never took a point for true eo nomine , because it was in the middle , or tended to peace , yet I purposely chose out these truths rather then other to vindicate , because they tend to peace . And to the praise of God I speak it , that in those antient common disturbing Controversies between the Arminian and Antiarminian , Lutheran and Calvinist , Iesuite and Dominican , I have discerned those Principles which quiet my own mind , and which I am confident , were they received according to their evidence , would quiet the now-contending Christian world : But I am past doubt , to be derided as arrogant for this confidence ; and should the Principles in a Method with Evidence be propounded , though purposely to heal the divisions of the Church , many of the several parties would but rage at the Reconciler , and pour out their impotent accusations and reproaches against him , because he would attempt the healing of their divisions , and would feign him to be the Author of some new Sect , for seeking to put an end to Sects . But let any man make good my just demand , that the Principles propounded shall have an impartial reception according to their Evidence , and I will give you security to make good my confidence , that they shall quiet the Chrstian world hereabouts . But I know this is to be expected from none but God ; nor at all on earth in any perfection .

As to the present Controversie , it seemed good to Mr Blake to begin it with me ; and to my Defense he hath opposed an angry Reply ; not to my whole Book ( as I did to that part of his which concerned me ) but to here and there a scrap , disordered , and maimed , and parcelled as he thought good . I was in doubt whether to make any rejoinder or further Defense ; but while I doubted , divers Reverend Brethren from several parts wrote to me , to move me neither to be silent , nor to answer all his words , which would be tedious to the Reader , but to handle the Controversies by way of Disputation , and to bring in Mr Blake's Arguments under them , so far as shall be thought necessary . Though at first I scarce liked this way , as seeming not a full answer , but such a course as he took with me , yet I did acquiesce in the judgement of my Brethren . But yet indeed , I think I had never printed a word at all in Defense of my self against Mr Blake , but for another providence . The third Disputation , as here printed , was written before Mr Blake's Book against me was printed , or in the press ( as I have reason to think . ) A Copie of this I lent about two years ago to a friend : But by what means I know not , about three quarters of a year ago I received tidings from a pious learned Minister in the West ( writing to a friend of his not far from me ) that there were such abundance of Copies of that Disputation in those parts , and some were so purposed , that it would be printed if I did not do it my self . I confess I was much offended at the news , because the Disputation was imperfectly written , and on such a subject ( as to the later part , which shews what sins may consist with Godliness ) that I would have been loath it should have been by them made publike , as knowing how unfit it was for the eyes of the Profane : But when there was no remedy , the best I could do , was to add some cautions , and annex the other Disputations here adjoyned , which were hastily written , that the former might not go alone without that company that seemed necessary . And this is the occasion of this present writing .

For the Matter of it , I have manifested that I hold the common Doctrine of the Church . And many another could I mention as consenting in it , besides those particularly there cited . Mr Wil. Fenner in the second part of Christs Alarm , p. 92 , 93. saith [ Another inseparable mark of a true Church , is a sincere Profession of the word of God and true Christian religion , either in truth and uprightness of heart , or else so far as man can judge : For though the preaching of the Word come to a place , yet it doth not follow presently that there is a Church of God — but when divers of them embraced the Word either sincerely , or else to see to , as far as Paul and others could judge , then they were a Church : There must be a Congregation of People that do profess the pure Religion , and make it appear ( at least to the judgment of man ) that they are Godly in Christ Iesus : this is an inseparable Mark of a true Church , as we may see 1 Cor. 14.33 . ] See further .

Mr Vines in his Treatise of the Sacrament , p. 150 , 151. saith , That the Separatists [ laid the foundation , viz. That only Visible Saints are fit Communicants , which is true as to the Churches Admission : That real Saints only are worthy Communicants , which is true too , as to the inward Grace or Benefit ] — And 151. There is a great difference between Christs real Members and Guests at this Table , and as I may say , the Visible Churches Members or Guests . If he be a visible Professor of Faith , unshipwrakt , of capacity to discern the Lords Body , of Life without Scandal , he is a Guest of the Church . — ]

And p. 205. Though I should rest in serious Professsion of Faith and Repentance , which is not pulled down again by a wicked Life , or scandalous Sin , — yet when a man lieth under the charge of our censure for some scandalous sin , the case is otherwise , &c. ] Read the rest .

And p. 324 , 329. [ The Covenant of God with us is , that all that believe in Christ that died , and receive him for their Lord and Saviour , shall have remission of sins , &c. Answerable to this act of God , the Believer accepts of , and submits to this Covenant and the Conditions of it , viz. to believe , and to have God for our God , and thereof makes a solemn profession in this Sacrament , giving up himself to Christ as Lord and Saviour , restipulating and striking hands with him to be his , and so binds himself , and doth as it were seal a Counterpart to God again ; and not only so , but comes into a claim of all the riches and legacies of the Will or Covenant , because he hath accepted and here declares his acceptance of the Covenant . The Seal is indeed properly of that which is Gods part of the Covenant to perform and give , and is no more but offered , until we subscribe and set our hands to it , and then its compleat , and the Benefits may be claimed , as the benefit of any conditional promise may be , when the condition is performed . And lest you should stumble at that word , I must let you know , that the Will accepting and submitting to the Conditions , is the performance of the Conditions required ( NB. ) —

And pag. 249 , 250 , &c. Though as to admittance ( which is the Churches part ) to the outward Ordinance , he make Profession ( as I do , ) sufficient , yet to the question whether the Sacrament be a Converting Ordinance , he concludes that [ It is not an Ordinance appointed for Conversion ] His Arguments are ; 1. Because no effect can be ascribed to this Ordinance which fals not under the signification of it , &c. as Vasquez . 2. This Sacrament by the institution of it appears to praesuppose those that reap the sweet and benefit of it , to be Converts and in grace , namely to have faith in Christ , and to be living members ; and if this be presupposed by this Ordinance , then it is not first wrought by it . 3. The Word is the only Instrument of God to beget Faith or work Conversion , &c. And he answereth the Objections of the contrary minded : and to them that argue that the Lords Supper is a Converting Ordinance , because its possible a man may be then converted ; he saith , they may as well make Ordination or Marriage Converting Ordinances , because by the words then uttered a man may be converted . He citeth the words of learned Rich. Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. pag. 5●6 . [ The grace which we have by it doth not begin but continue grace or life ; no man therefore receives this Sacrament before Baptism , because no dead thing is capable of nourishment ; that which groweth , must of necessity first live . ] —

And for further Authority he addeth , [ And to this purpose all our Learned Divines have given their suffrage . And the Papists though they differ from us in denying remission of sins in this Sacrament , in favour to their Sacrament of Penance , yet they hold it to be an Ordinance of Nutrition , and so do all their Schoolmen ; and so doth the Church of England [ The strengthening and refreshing of our souls , &c ] I need not number Authors or Churches . It is so plain a case , that I wonder they that have stood up in defence of it , as a converting Ordinance , have not taken notice of it . There is an Army to a man against them ; and the antient Christian Churches are so clear in it — So far Mr Vines ( & Hooker in him . )