Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

The Covenant of Workr Chap. ?. on and examination. As to the comforts of them, and for a- voiding danger by them, both Propofitions are plain ; the con - clufion is as evident, that the Sacraments feale no otherwife then conditionally. Thefe for a great part I brought (though here more fully ex- plained) in my anfwer to Mr. Tombes his letter, chap, 15. page ioo. Mr. Tombes in his Reply, (which he entitles an Apology) is not pleafed to take notice of them at all, only he is pleafed magifte- rially to repeat in a diftin ft charaé er, that which he had fad in his Examen. ells for the fealing by God upon conditions, perforas ag- nize the Covenant, it but a notion, and to that of Bellarmne he faith, 1 like not to call the Sacrament a conditional Seale, he gives his reafon, for that which feales cloth affure and fuppofeth the condition.,, Then our Lawyers have a long time deceived us, who have given us Prefidents (as they call them) for obligations un- der Peale, to run in thefe words; The condition of thi, obligation is fuck, and after an indication of the condition,to conclude and clofe up all : Then this prefent obligation to be void and of none -ef feti, or elfe to ff and in full force and vertue. Scales we fee leave the condition doubtful to men, at laft he refolves, Be the Sacraments feales conditional orabfolute, aeloai or aptitudinal, (which it feems he doubts,) What is this (faith he) to prove that God feales condi- tionally in thisfenfe ? as if God left it to mans liberty, to whom he did feale to agnize or recognize that fealing, or to free themfelves if they pleafe, and fo nullife all, which Mr. Marfhali I conceived meant by his conditional feeling, I confeffe the ftrength of all Both not rife fo high as to make good that calumny. And if Mr. Marfhalls meaning had been fuch, (for which he brings no reafon but his own conceit) yet Mr. Tombes there hath alone to deal, with me, and 1 had at large acquitted my felf of it, (as Mr. Baxter is plea - fed to obferve in his learned Treatife of the Church- member- fhip of infants,) and therefore Mr. Tombes might well havefpa- red it. I fay therefore the conditional feale Rands, and the ca- lumny falls. But that which Imay not paffe is fomewhat of concernment, both to my felf and the prefent caufe in hand. Mr. Baxter, que- ftionift, having blamed him in his eighth queftion, in that he made a genesal Covenant to all (giving a reafon that might make all Divinity to b.lufh,) and is anfwered topurpofe by Mr. Bax- ter,

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