Churches in England that have at present I know not for what cause laid aside that practice are therefore not visible true Churches Though I highly approve of such a solemn declaration of the faith if possible in the same sound forme of words to be universally made yet I humbly conceive that this is but a prudential humane Ordinance and therefore not so necessary or so neer the essence or so essential a mark of the Church as sound doctrine and pure Sacraments both which are undoubtedly of immediate divine institution and without which the Church cannot exist Which thing Trelcatius doth thus most accurately and fully open the proper and essential note of the visible Church which flows immediately from the very forme of it is but one viz. the Nota propria essentialis ecclesiae visibilis proximeque fluens ex forma illius unica est veritas scilicet verbi Dei Revelati ac communicati cui veritas Sacramentorum tanquam connexum inseperabile conjuncta est Utriusque enim veritas ita proprium essentiale est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ecclesiae ut veritas haec ecclesia convertantur Instit Theol. p. 224. truth of the Word of God revealed and communicated to which the truth of the Sacraments is inseparably joyned for which he quotes Heb. 4. 12. John 10. 27. Matth. 28. 10. Rom. 4. 11. for as he addes the truth of both is such a proper and essential mark of the Church that this truth of both Word and Sacraments and the Church are convertible But of this I shall have more occasion in the next Chapter therefore I have onely this to do here namely to set this profession of the faith before you to consider whether it doth necessarily suppose saving grace or not in any of these senses 1. May not personal vocal profession be made without saving We are to acknowledge a Church of Christ more or lesse corrupt according to the greater or lesse abuse of Gods Word and worship Bp. Usher p. 39. his sum of Rel. grace and the truth be professed as well as beleeved where saving grace is wanting 2. May not ecclesiastical profession whether more formally by a solemn Creed read and silently consented unto by the people be also done and considered without any respect to saving grace in the declarer or consenters 3. Or that other real profession consisting in attendance upon the Ordinances of God be considered to have truth for its object both in Word and Sacraments and yet without respect to saving graces Againe the accidental notes of the Church are also generally acknowledged to be of two sorts inseparable or proper and separable or common The separable and proper notes of a true Church are said to be the pure preaching of the Word and the lawful administration of the Sacraments which are but the meanes or actions of conveyance and application of the foresaid truth of both unto the Church and so near unto the profession thereof which was said before to be the essential mark of the Church that I have already reduced it thither and need not repeat it here againe The separable notes of the Church whatsoever they be cannot conclude any thing against me because they are such I meane separable and therefore not necessary in our consideration of the being of the Church However that we leave not them onely untoucht they are usually reduced unto two heads 1. Ecclesiastical power 2. And holiness of life Ecclesiastical power hath three branches the power of Ministry the power of Order the power of Discipline all which may easily be considered without the least respect to saving grace 1. Judas may truely exercise his Ministry And 2. Outward Order may be fix'd and observed And 3. Discipline may be erected and dispensed without any necessary supposition of saving grace either in the parties so dispensing or in the objects openly scandalous on which the Discipline is dispensed as hath beene touched before and will be more fully handled hereafter I confesse holiness of life cometh neerest to shew its respect to saving grace but this also shewes as much respect to my cause as easily appeares by this concluding argument If holiness of life be separable from a true Church then saving grace is separable from a true Church for if a holy life doth not alwayes suppose saving yet saving grace doth not always produce a holy life But it is still confessed by those which write most accurately on the Church that holinesse of life is a separable accidental note which is onely necessary to the order and welfare of the Church and not to the being or truth thereof Now if saving grace be separable from a true Church then it may be considered to be truely such without respect thereunto The summe of the general Argument from the causes is this The Summe of the Argument from the causes in general All the causes of the visible Church may really exist without the work of saving grace viz. The efficient as Authour God Head Christ The end of the Glory of God on earth before men Worship The matter whether it be Professors of the faith The outwardly called Outward worshippers The form whether it be Constituting Distinguishing he forme constituting whether it be Faith Calling Society or community The form distinguishing whether it be Essential Profession of the faith or truth of word Sacraments ccidental inseperable Pure preaching of the word and administration of Sacraments Therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace CHAP. XII The Argument from the definition of the visible Church first from its special quality HAving done with the causes we proceed to the definition whence we thus argue The definition of the visible Church doth not suppose saving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace therefore the definition the visible Church it self may be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace for the definition of a thing is but that whereby the nature of that thing is declared or explicated and is plainly convertible with the thing defined Now whether the definition of the visible Church be inclusive of saving grace or not may appear First from the parts thereof severally considered And Secondly by a view of such definitions of the Church as are already given us by approved Authours 1. The parts are three 1. The special quality of the visible Church 2. Or the special work and employment thereof Or lastly the state and condition wherein the Church so qualified is rendred capable of that employment First let us look upon the special quality of the visible Church which may be conceived to be either the faith calling or profession thereof Whence by some the visible Church is in short defined to be a company or society of Beleevers or a company of men called by external vocation or a company professing the Christian and true Religion where the weight and emphasis rests upon
A DISCOURSE OF THE Visible Church In a large Debate of this famous Question viz. Whether the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace Affirm Whereunto is added a brief discussion of these three Questions viz. 1. What doth constitute visible Church-membership 2. What doth distinguish it or render it visible 3. What doth destroy it or render it Null Together with a large application of the whole by way of Inference to our Churches Sacraments and Censures Also an Appendix touching Confirmation occasioned by the Reverend Mr. Hanmore his pious and learned Exercitation of Confirmation By FRANCIS FULWOOD Minister of the Gospel at West-Alvington in DEVON I said I will also answer my part I also will shew mine opinion Job 32. 17. For many be called but few chosen Mat. 20. 16. and 22. 14. Rejicimus Catharos Navatianos Pelagianos Anabaptistas qui peccatoribus nullum ne in visibli quidem ecclesia locum relinquunt Alst comp Theol. part 5. loc 8. Christians truely regenerate are the members of the invisible Church It is the duty of the members of the visible Church to be truely regenerate Such are members of the visible that are destitute of saving grace Mr. Cotton of N. E. holinesse of Church members pag. 1. LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe for Abel Roper at the Sun in Fleetstreet over against St. Dunstans Church 1658. To the HIGHLY RENOWNED EDWARD CRESSET Esquire Master of that most famous Hospital called the CHARTER-HOVSE and one of the Honourable Trustees for maintenance of MINISTERS FRANCIS FULWOOD Formerly a Plant in that Excellent NURSERY Being earnestly pressed thereunto by many Obligations of duty and gratitude Doth with all Humility and due respectfulnesse DEVOTE and DEDICATE this Polemical DISCOURSE of the CHURCH c. TO THE READER OUR Reverend brother Mr. Francis Fulwood having taken great pains upon this question viz. whether the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace which we conceive to be a subject both weighty and seasonable We the Ministers of that part of the second division of the County of Devon who are appointed to meet at Kings-bridge do earnestly desire him to make these his worthy labours publick we being fully perswaded that they will prove very useful and acceptable to the Churches of God in this Nation now so much troubled with this great Controversie Kingsbridge in Devon Jan. 5. 1657. Signed by Robert Cary Moderator John Buckley Scribe In the Name and by the Appointment of the Rest TO THE REVEREND MY FATHERS and BRETHREN The Associated Ministers in the County of DEVON Reverend and Worthy Sirs YOu well know that the Reformed Churches have ever since they deserved that name been militant on both hands with the Papist on the one and with the Brownist Anabaptist c. on the other Against whom their first and maine scope was indeed to defend themselves to be the Churches of Christ yet in pursuit of Argument 't is very evident they were still driven to contend for the very being and nature of the Church Rejicimus catharos novatianos Pelagianos Anabaptistas qui peccatoribus nullum ne invisibili quidem ecclesia locum Relinqunt Alst Comp. Theae par 5. loc 1â— in general chiefly as invisible against the Papist and as visible against the Brownist c. The Brownist I humbly conceive assaulted the Reformed Churches with these two Positions 1. That a Church wherein there is a mixture of wicked persons at least tolerated cannot be a true Church 2. That none but the Elect or the truely godly are members of the visible Church 'T is confest this leaven was laid in the Church long agon Andiani pâ—opter hominum vitia coetum Orthodoxae ecclesiae deseruit quod donatistarum erroris postoa suit seminarium Dan. in Aug. de Her p. 976 even in the time of Cyprian as Augustine observeth and afterward kneaded in the lump by Donatus and its sournesse diffused very farre by the heat of his followers yet it was timely and effectually purged out by the learned and elaborate industry and wonderful success of Augustine But this ulcer broke sadly out again upon the Reformation and notwithstanding as to hic and nunc to time and place The Church hath been hitherto competently healed of it through the zealous instant and effectual endeavours of many of her champions yet grievous experience hath still found that at other times or in other places the botch hath risen and broke afresh with a more noisome stench and a more spreading and infecting nature then ever it had done before how evident and notorious is this in our calamitous Churches in England at this day how doth this disease range and its corruption spread over us having gotten its throne in the very heart of the people Wherefore I having also been formerly called forth both to a vocal and Scriptural defence of our Churches against A Sermon and dispute had at Wiviliscome in Somerset and Printed 1654 the first of these errours and there being some special occasion arising from some late scruples among my neighbouring brethren inviting me to deal with this latter of them this also being looked upon not by my self alone but by divers godly and Learned Divines to be the very core and root of most of our Controversies both about our Churches Sacraments and Censures I desire that this may be accepted to you my Reverend Brethren as all the publick Apology I thought fit to set before this my great and bold yet humble undertaking However I shall crave your patience a little longer while I shall labour to prevent mistake and unjust prejudices against the Treatise by setting down my minde as clearly as I can in a few following particulars 1. And first I am fully perswaded that such as have for their scandal of the brethren been justly excommunicated by the Church ought not to be received into communion again without the evidence of such repentance as is in the judgement of rational charity saving for the end of the censure is that the flesh of the offender may be destroyed and the spirit saved and in reason the means should remain applied till the cure be in likelihood done 2. Againe I fully consent with that Reverend man Master James Wood that such as have notorious marks of impenitency or unregeneracy upon them ought not while such notwithstanding the profession to be admitted or received into the communion of the Church at first though I dare not determine what is the true and next reason of their repulsion Mr. Wood saith the reason is not because they appear unregenerate but because a scandalous life is contrary to the very outward profession of the faith But may I have leave to demand how contrary certainly not so contrary to it but that it is consistent with it otherwise a scandalous Professour of the faith would be a contradiction and
upon a strict examination shall not give signes of true faith and inward holinesse which may convince the conscience touching the sincerity of their faith c. Master Cobbet also of N. E. more plainly saith that albeit a mans own personal faith uniteth to Christ in respect Hisbook of Infant baptism p. 57. of saving and invisible union yet the profession of faith before a visible Church uniteth to Christ as Head of the visible Church whether the party be sincere or not and those that are so admitted being unregenerate or destitute of saving grace continue so to be viz. members of the visible Church notwitstanding until they justly deprive Cottons holines of Church-members p. 1. themselves of the priviledge of that fellowship as Mr. Cotton affirmeth I know not why I may not here adde those penitent words of our most Reverend and Learned Master Baxter This saith he is the other cause of the Schismatical Disputations p. 38 39. inclination of some godly people viz. the great mistake of too many in confining all the fruits of Christs dead and the mercies and graces of God to the Elect and so not considering the difference that ever was and will be between the visible Church of Professors and the invisible Church of true beleevers Now if there be indeed a difference the visible Church of Professors is larger then the invisible Church of true beleevers and consequently there are some in the visible that are not in the invisible i. e. the unregenerate to whom those fruits of Christ death and the mercies and grace of God belong that are not to be confined to the Elect. 5. Therefore it follows that to be truely regenerate is onely a necessary duty of Church-members but Though we acknowledge such onâ—ly to be sincere Christians who serve God with upright hearts yet those are not to be denied to be Christians who make so much as a general profession of Christ Mr. Ho. Catech. p. 75. Holinesse of members p. 1. not a condition of their membership I meane visible that is all Church-members ought to be inwardly holy but yet men may be and doubtlesse thousands are truely members of the visible Church that are destitute of such holinesse this is so happily and fully expressed by Mr. Cotton that I shall make bold to give you my full sense of it in his most clear and excellent words Christians saith he truely regenerete are the members of the invisible Church it is the duty of the members of the visible Church to be truely regenerate such are members of the visible that are destitute of spiritual grace plainly intending that to be regenerate is the condition without which men cannot be members of the Church in invisible 2. To be regenerate is the duty of all the members of the visible Church also 3. But to be regenerate is onely the duty and not the condition of visible Church-members for they may be such without it And truely those that do affirme these two Propositions 1. That we ought to expect a profession of saving faith in all we admit 2. That the visible Church hath some hypocrites that are its members must needs allow the distinction viz. that saving grace is the duty because themselves require the profession of it but not the necessary condition of visible membership seeing they also acknowledge that persons may be members thereof without it 6. Further I affirme that no person being once Holiness of the Churches of N. E. p. 89 admitted is to be ejected or cast out for any thing but scandal for we saith Master Cotton proceed not to censure but in case of known offence and such offence as cannot be healed without censure Yea scandal qua tale or as it is offence to others and not as it is a signe of unregeneracy therefore Ametius saith proprium adequatum objectum de consc p. 252 hujus censurae est scandalum viz. fratris from Matth. 18. 15. Si peccaverit in te frater 't is the sinne that offends not unregeneracy 't is the offence that is admonish'd for and not unregeneracy satisfaction is required for the offence and not for unregeneracy the offence indulg'd is the leaven that would spread and sowre the lump of the Church and lastly 't is the offence that is onely to be known and proved and not the want of grace or unregeneracy for as Reverend Master Baxter 'T is a matter of such exceeding difficulty Disp 3. 340 341 to conclude another to be certainly gracelesse that it is not one of the multitudes nay 't is but few of the commonly scandalous grosse sinners that we should be able to prove it by Yet 1. We must censure all the scandalous if scandal be the adequate object of censure 2. We must censure for none but known and proved scandal for the other is not properly or legally scandal Known offence as Master Cotton before 3. Therefore we are not to censure for unregeneracy which we can prove or know by but very few of the scandalous and grossest sinners as Master Baxter notes for how unreasonable is it to punish men with so great and certain a penalty for an uncertain and presumed crime or as the same Reverend man hath it be so heavily Disp p. 34 35 punish'd before they be judg'd and heard I shall put an end to this in those apt and full words of Reverend Master Hooker of N. E. If any saith he Survey p. 42. after they be received shall be found not to be added of God because they be not regenerated yet we are not to cast them out for non-regeneration even known 7. But with your favour I must now needs note that all that hath been said hath not punctually expressed our own case our common concernment in England who generally come into the Church in our Infancy and are not admitted thereinto upon our personal profession at yeares of discretion as Heathens are to be and of which most of our controversies about the way of admission now are For my part I humbly conceive there are but two maine questions about Church-membership that need much trouble us 1. Whether the Infants of Church-members are borne in the Church and to be baptized 2. What is that which unchurcheth them afterterwards It cannot but be heartily wish'd that any heat that is or may be spent about the conditions of admitting Heathens into the Church might be saved till a practical occasion requires it viz. till such a Heathen shall sue for baptisme whose profession or right is truely disputable I must freely professe I cannot like that way of reasoning The parent if he were not baptized should not be baptized himself therefore his childe should not be baptized for in all cases that will keep out that cannot cast out whether Civil Military or Ecclesiastical Positive consent is required upon admission but a negative a non-rejecting the Gospel is sufficient to retaine in the Church distraction of
spewed out of his mouth his word is to be removed from them for how did those Asian Churches cease to be so but by the Lords performance of that other threatning in order unto this viz. removing his Candlestick out of their place Revel 2. 5. Cons 6. Yea a people have no other way to unchurch themselves but by their voluntary breaking of their communion in the Ordinances of God by heresie poysoning them and thus making them die and cease to be Gods Ordinances or schisme directly rejecting them or by the perfection of both in a total Apostasie But though wickednesse did ever unchurch a people demeritoriè it never yet did unchurch a people formaliter vel effectivè as will appear more anone Yea though Heresie be indeed a renouncing the faith and schisme a renouncing the profession of the faith yet at present I conceive that heresie doth properly and strictly unchurch as it denieth the faith not as it is the faith of Christ but as it is the foundation of this communion in the Word and Sacraments Being built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and accordingly schisme doth stictly unchurch as it breaks off this communion and not as it ceaseth the profession of the faith Therefore breaking off from this communion is most exactly and properly termed schisme or a renting of the Church and ungodlinesse of heart or life and indeed a ceasing to professe the faith as such is not so properly or stictly schysme Cons 7. These qualifications faith holinesse calling and profession may all be found where there is no instituted or formed Church and consequently to our congregational brethrens principles who as Master Cotton in the name of his brethren phraseth it say that the universal visible Church is a Chimaera where there is no formed visible Church wherein Ames is so expresse Fideles non constituant ecclesiam particularem nisi speciali Med. p. 167. vinculo inter se conjungantur which onely renders them capable of this communion the Jewish Church being dissolved the Elect that were saved were not of themselves a formed instituted Church but must therefore be added to the Gentile-Churches i. e. Congregations Therefore these personal qualifications are not so fitted to the definition of the visible Church as communion in the Ordinances of God for wheresoever this is fixed and settled there is undoubtedly a true visible Church this communion supposeth the called beleevers professors on the one side and the officers or dispensers of the Ordinances on the other side and plainly expresseth or signifieth to us the essence or truth of the visible Church by the formal actions of it Now that I may yet be more free from exception and more truely understood I shall here recollect and subjoyne what hath beene already in a scattered way hinted about these two great considerable in a few brief concessions and propositions Prop. 1. I grant that these personal qualifications are necessarily supposed in this communion in Ordinances in the senses before given of them the persons thus communicating are such as are called thereunto such as professe the faith therein and such as are presumed to beleeve what they thus professe or at least not to deny or renounce it Prop. 2. These qualifications are therefore necessary conditions of Church members or of such particular persons as assemble themselves with the Church in this worship of God or as Ames most Med. p. 163 accurately forma vocatorum the forme of the called not of the Church Prop. 3. Therefore these qualifications are rather to be reduced to the matter of the Church then to the forme Prop. 4. I grant therefore that they fitly serve to expresse the qualification of the matter of the Church in the definition thereof as I conceive Amesius and others mean whose definitions of the visible Church are usually begun thus a company of beleevers c. or of the called c. or of such as profess the faith or the true Religion Prop. 5. Yet I humbly conceive the maine distingushing part of the definition of the visible Church lieth in the communion of Ordinances for the reasons above specified this being as was said the formal action of it immediately springing from its forme and essence viz. society or community which is the next great particular in the definition of the Church and now at hand to be considered Onely by the way let this be concluded with the easie notice that my designe is yet going on seeing none can doubt but if persons void of saving grace may be truely considered to have faith calling and profession as before they may much easier also be considered to partake of the outward communion of the Church in the worship and Ordinances of God and therefore so far none can hinder the definition of the Church to be applicable therunto without respect to saving grace CHAP. XIV Touching that State of the Church whereby it is capable of communion in Ordinances viz. Community THe last great particular that claimeth a place in the definition of the Church is that proper condition or state thereof that only renders it capable of the exercise of this employment comes now to be handled This I presume will be generally consented unto to be a company community or society as it strictly intends communion in the worship of God wherein I humbly conceive is contained 1. Many particular persons or men in the kinde not sex or age 1. Many coetus requirit decem 2. Many men for other creatures below man are not capable of making a society it being a political and therefore a rational state and Angels are almost as much above it society being a state of discourse and so most properly belonging to discoursive creatures viz. men according to that of the Grammarian coetus requirit decem homines this is supposed in a society Cod. 2. The union of these men by some kinde of bond or other whereby they are embodied and made an habitual assembly a fixed society this is expressed 3. Actual communion in the Ordinances of God this is intended Coetus or societas here is therefore to be taken in a moral or political sense from corporations or companies of trade So 1. 'T is orderly not tumultuons 2. 'T is fixed not occasional 3. 'T is habitual not onely actual 4. It hath officers belonging to an orderly and fix'd society of this nature 5. Therefore lastly 't is a society of Christians governed by the Minister or Ministers of the Gospel as we still finde it to be in Scripture I shall crave leave to explicate my self herein a little further by a few propositions Prop. 1. This community is of necessity required in the true or false definition of the visible Church Prop. 2. This community doth directly immediately and formally Foederata ifla conjunctio tantum constituit ecclesiam quotenus spectat ad communionem sanctorum exercendam Am. Med 169. intend communion Communion is the most
visible Church-membership in the Word of God But the same Word of God attributeth all these unto some that had no saving grace 1. The Word of God as was noted before acknowledgeth that both Simon Magus and the stony ground beleeved and the Word of God witnesseth also that neither Simon Magus nor the stony ground had no saving grace 2. The Word of God Heb. 10. 29. ascribeth the title of sanctified to such as trampled under foot the Son of God c. which doubtless had no saving grace 3. The Word of God 2 Pet. 2. 1. acknowlegeth such to be redeemed and bought by Christ who yet fall away and deny him and bring upon themselves swift destruction but these had never any saving grace 4. The Word of God in the last place acknowledgeth Gal. 5. 4. that some persons were once in a state of grace who fell from grace and therefore such as never had any saving grace they were in a state of grace first otherwise they could not have fallen from grace their grace however was not saving for from saving grace none did ever fall away CHAP. XIX The third Argument from Scripture admitting persons into Church-membership upon account diverse from saving grace the difference of the Infant and Adult estate largely considered MY third and last Argument from the Word of God is grounded upon the condition of admission of persons into the visible Church of God therein allow'd and it is this The Word of God both alloweth and requireth that persons be admitted members of the visible Church upon an account that is really diverse from saving grace therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace The antecedent here is not to be touch'd for unlesse we pretend that according to Scripture the childe born within the Church is admitted a member thereof for his own habitual or inherent grace or that foederal or imputed grace is saving grace or that he is not of the Church or not to be baptized till he make a profession of saving grace in his own person all which are apparently absurd we must needs yeeld that according to Scripture persons are admittable into the Church upon an account that is diverse from saving grace Obj. It may not be objected that the child is admitted upon the evidence of his parents saving grace for as that is false in it selfe as anon will be shewne so it reacheth not at all to our present purpose which onely concerneth the qualification of the very person admitted and the ground thereof in himselfe Yet I grant that this is concludent onely in settled Churches for at the first plantation of a Church personal qualities are to be expected in Heathens adult for their admission into visible Church-membership as also when they are to be adjoyned to any particular Church already setled and therefore so farre onely as concerneth the admission of infants in setled Churches However is not this our common case yea and of all the Churches were not our and their members admitted in infancy time out of minde all standing as members grown up or branches sprung from the old root in the garden or Church of God at least ordinarily and for the most part for how rare a thing and extraordinary is it to hear of a Pagan Turk or Jew baptized Christian The consequence is also evident upon this ground that the same grace may easily be considered to continue the being of the visible Church which first gave it unlesse some violent accident as renouncing the Covenant c. hath since disolved it for as Dayrel saith well we must know that all which be once admitted page 171 into the Church do remaine members of the same Church be they never so wicked until either they themselves depart from it or else by excommunication they be cast out and that consequently all the scandalous persons aforesaid were in and of the Church yea the incestuous person till he was excommunicated and this as he addes they of the separation likewise acknowledge to be true Object The great objection here is that children remaine Church-members by foederal holinesse until they come unto their adult estate indeed but no longer for then they must give the answer of a good conscience for themselves and continue this relation to the Church upon the account of their own faith Answ 1. I readily grant that all children baptiz'd in their infancy ought when at yeares of discretion to give this answer of a good conscience both by their evidence of their knowledge of Christ and an holy conversation 2. I further grant that there is an evident necessity upon all such baptized persons to own the faith into which they are baptized at least negatively seeing that a positive renounciing thereof putteth out of the Church 3. Yet admit that persons thus baptized in their infant state state do not give such answer at years of discretion either of their knowledge or holinesse as they ought to do it by no meanes follows that they are forth-with rendred out of the Church or that their former foederal or relative holinesse is hereby null for these Reasons Reas 1. The Word of God wherein alone his minde is revealed hath no where evidenced that foederal or relative holinesse of persons borne in the Church or their relation to the Church thereby is extinct at years of discretion or removed and lost by ignorance or the want of the evidence of saving grace if but one text were produced intimating this this part of the controversie ends 2. Yea indeed the contrary is more then evident in sacred writ viz. that relative holinesse doth proceed even into the adult estate and that ignorance or want of the evidence of saving grace doth not then extirpate our former hurch interest convey'd thereby and sealed in infancy was not Ishmael and the incestuous person at their adult estate or were they such as evidenced saving grace yet Ishmael Gal. 4. 30. and the incestnous person 1 Cor. 5. 12. are both acknowledged to be within hath it not appeared abundantly that persons charged by God himself with actual rebellion are also acknowledged at the same instant by the same God to be his people how could they be so charged had they not been at adult age and how could they be so acknowledged had they had no foederal or relative holinesse for they had none other Yea to put it out of further question this people are expresly said to be a holy people Deut. 14. 2. even while they were charged with being stiff-neck'd and a rebellious people unto this place chap. 9. verse 6 7. and what holinesse could that be that was consistent with a stiffe neck and a rebellious heart but a Covenant-holinesse even as 't is there expounded to be I have chosen thee to be my people or a holinesse of separation as it also followeth Deut. 14. 2. to be a peculiar people unto himself
is yeelded that these Jews were not onely nominally but really members of the visible Church and then my desire is granted viz. that persons void of saving grace as these Jewes were may be considered to be real members of the visible Church 3. Indeed if we take Abrahams seed here in the last sense viz. spiritually or savingly such then the opposition is most evident for thus they could not be Abrahams seed and the children of the devil also and our Saviour plainly staves off from the first by so sharp a charge of the second q. d. you think because you have Abraham to your father that you are the heirs of salvation and heaven but alas ye are the devils children and must look for your place and portion with him Secondly we may distinguish also of these Jewes as they are here affirmed to be the children of the Devil The children of the devil are so in nature or habitually or in conversation or service or so in state condition profession and visible shew nor though such as are in nature and service the children of God and in grace and works the children of Abraham cannot be in state profession or outward shew the children of the Devil yet on the contrary it is too evident in sad experience and plaine in the Scripture that such as are the children of God and our father Abraham in profession and condition may yet be the children of the world the flesh and the devil in heart and life and service as these Jews were who though they were so notoriously eminent in the service of the devil against Christ and his Gospel are yet acknowledged by our Saviour here to have Abraham to their father and by Paul Rom. 9 4. to be the adopted children of God Object 2. He is no Jew that is onely so outwardly Rom. 2. 28. therefore he is no real Church-member that is onely so in profession Answ 'T is confest that he is no Jew in the Apostles sense that is onely a Jew outwardly and that this by analogy will conclude from Jews to Christians but the great question yet resteth viz. in what sense the Apostle meaneth that the Jew outwardly is no Jew 1. He cannot mean that he was no Jew carnally this is confessed while the Apostle termes him a Jew outwardly 2. He cannot mean that he is no Jew ecclesiastically or with respect to visible Church-membership for that also he allows in the very next words ch 3. 1 2 c. what advantage then hath Quum enim cos circumcisionis symbolo insignitos suisse tra dit quo filii Deâ— haberâ—ntur non eas fatetur suo aliquo meri to excelluisse sed Dei beneficiis Bul. in loc Rom. 9. 4. the Jew as if he had said if he be in some sense no Jew what then is his advantage above the Gentile he answers himself much every way and wherein but in Church-priviledges and how but as this outward Jew is a Church-member 3. Then thirdly there is no sense left for these words of the Apostle but that spiritual saving sense before mentioned so that here is a Jew and no Jew a carnal Jew and an outward Jew a member of the visible Church to whom belongeth the adoption and the glory of the Covenants c. and yet no Jew spiritually and savingly as the very place interprets it self if any thing heeded where the Jew outwardly is onely asserted to be no Jew in that he is not a Jew inwardly and what 's that but such a Jew as God expects accepts or gives praise unto whose praise is not of men but of God the conclusion is that some are outwardly Christians or members onely of the visible Church who are not spiritually or savingly so or that shall finde no praise or acceptance with God which was never denied Object 3. Some in the Church have onely a name to live when indeed they are dead Rev. 3. 1. therefore there are some that are onely nominal and not real members of the Church Answ I have before confessed that there are some persons mingled with the Church and people of God that are of his Church onely nominally and not really that have the name alone and not the thing whether we respect the visible Church or the invisible such as pretend contrary to their direct intentions as the Jew at New-castle to joyne with the Church upon any corrupt or treacherous designe may have the name but that is all of a visible member thereof Again all hypocrites that cover their rottennesse under specious professions of the truth of their grace from the eyes of the world have the name and shew of the members of the Church invisible or of the Church of the saved when they have nothing at all of the truth or being thereof 2. But 't is most evident that our Saviours words now urged reach onely the latter sort of these pretenders and lay us a ground onely to distinguish of nominal and real members of the Church of the saved so far is it from troubling the course of our question at all for if we mark the Text saith not that this Church hath a name to be a Church but to live to have spiritual and saving life in her in opposition whereunto she is alone said to be dead Againe this life doth not seeme so much as to pretend the life of outward grace or that which is the principle of the state and condition of the visible Church but onely the life of habitual and inward grace or that which is the principle of good works and a holy conversation as is very evident from the very Text I know thy works thy works are not perfect before God v. 1 2. 3. Yea to put all out of doubt the same mouth that thus chargeth her to be dead doth also acknowledge her to be a Church and her Ministry to be an Angel to the Angel of the Church in Sardis v. 1. and concludeth this Epistle v. 7. as he doth the rest Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches it is also called a golden candlestick as well as the rest yea and by name said to be one of the seven Churches ch 1. 11. and 20. Object 4. To the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my Statute or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth c. Psalme 50. 16. therefore wicked men are not in Covenant and consequently not in the Church Answ This passage may be thought to be spoken of wicked Ministers 1. From the context in the verses preceding which chiefly treat of the work of Ministers viz. sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings as the special matter of the present discourse from v. 8. to v. 14. 2. From the Text it self which supposeth the persons here reproved to be such as used to declare Gods statutes to others I should not lay much weight upon this interpretation but that it seemeth to have been
non profecto veniet Antichristus ex Judais quod quidam credunt neque ex Turcis sed ex Christianis Naogeorge in loc Hereticks that were never of the Church in the Apostles sense were yet of the Church in the first sense numero nomine titulo ex Apostalorum societate Christianorum and thus Christiani as Bullinger saith Christiani olim fuerant quos hic vocavit Antichristus they were Apostolorum discipuli though ficti and fratres though subdoli and falsi as Naogeorge saith but thus as before was noted the Text concerneth not our question at all 2. Yet I grant that some of these Hereticks might formerly have owned the true Religion without these Heresies or any purpose and designe to promote the same or themselves by them but that they came on as in our age men usually do thereto by degrees and that though they were not of the Church in the Apostles sense yet they were of the Church according to the second branch of the distinction before explained viz. of the Church of the called though not of the Elect. Tertii vivam habent fidei radicem ac suae Adoptionis Testimonium penitus fixum in cordibus gerunt de his loquitur Jobannes cum impossibile esse dicit ab ecclesia alienari Calv. in loc Therefore the Apostle meaneth that these Hereticks did make it appeare by their departure from the Church upon so damnable an occasion that they were never of the Church to be saved or elected to salvation though yet they were once of the visible so ciety of Christians or of the visible Church from which otherwise they could not have departed and that really though not effectually finally fully or savingly they were not of us saith Oecumenius that is of the lot of them which are saved yet they were truely of us as Augustine fully and clearly distinguisheth the place his words are these such as will not tarry in the Church but finally forsake it to the end in the prescience of God and respect of the small benefit they shall have by their temporal and small abode there be not of or in the Church though according to this present state they are truely members thereof which words are quoted and sealed to by Fulk against the Rhemists in Vindication of the Protestant judgement aspersed by the Papists as more fully anon in this point those other words of Augustine used by Fulk upon this Text likewise are yet more clear these men therefore were of the many that were called but of the few that are chosen they were not And this double sense of being of the Church at which some seeme to be offended is clearly grounded upon the Scripture those that are of the visible Church and not of the invisible are as well said to be of Israel though not Israel by Paul to the Chap. 9. 6 Romans as those are here said to be of us that are of the Church invisible also Therefore I conclude with Fields apt and pertinent words by that which hath been said that none but the Elect are of the Of the Church p 14 Church in that principal and high degree before mentioned we may easily understand the Truth of their meaning who say that hypocrites wicâ—â—d men and cast awayes are in but not of the Church Object 6. The titles that are proper to the savingly beleeving as Saints Gods children people c. are communicated by Scripture to all Church-members therefore all Church-members are by Scripture supposed to be truely and savingly beleeving and those that are not savingly qualified are but equivocally so called by Scripture Answ To take it for granted that such titles as these are proper in Scripture to such onely as savingly beleeve is too plainly to begge the thing in question or rather that which hath been wholly put beyond all question by the Scripture it selfe before Had not we already found the holy Ghost almost throughout the Scriptures when he doth not onely suppose but expresly charge a people to be notoriously wicked to own such a people at the same time and in the same place to be Gods people children holy c. this might have seem'd a plausible and handsome argument but seeing it is indeed thus a very easie reply may serve it until our former arguments from Scripture against it are answered How such titles as these became so generally received as proper and peculiar to such onely as savingly believe I dare not presume to guesse however give me leave to fear that the too frequent restrain'd or ambiguous application thereof shall I say unadvisedly from our pulpits hath had some influence into that sad and schismatical perswasion and errour of the Anabaptist as well as others CHAP. XXI The Authority of the Church searched after and first in Augustines age LEt us now at length descend from the consideration of Divine authority to that which is called Humane and from the Scripture to the Church But if we would indeed discerne the clear and distinct opinion of the Church in this famous controversie we need not be so much busied in drawing consequences or offering snatches from what she hath scattered by her worthy hands up and down upon other occasions but rather seriously to fix and ponder upon what she hath delivered about it when called by some eminent and special providence to speak punctually to it Before this controverting age of ours there have been three remarkable periods of special occasion exacting the sentence and judgement of the Church in the present case upon all which we now proceed briefly to examine what judgement she hath made The first eminent occasion hereof was urged by the Donatists Aug. Tom. 7. Gram. l. 2. c. 3. 4 there was indeed as Austine observeth some slight motion of it by some Schismaticks in Cyprians age before but Donatus was the first great stickler in it who held that none but the godly were true members of the visible Church the very point I humbly conceive that we have all this while been arguing against but was this indeed the opinion of the Donatists if St. August may be believed doubtlesse it was illud ostendere tentaverunt inquit August Donatistae prolatis multis testimoniis Divinarum Scripturarum Aug. Tom. 7. Col. cum Donatistis quod ecclesia Dei non cum Malorum hominum commixtione futura praedicta sit though driven by dispute at length they evaded by limitting their opinion to openly wicked as Augustine testifieth also Malos in ecclesia permixtos esse confessi sunt Donatistae sed occultos eos esse dixerunt Now this worthy mouth and champion of the Church in his age hath noted this opinion as an errour and therefore not his own opinion and as an errour of this sect of the Donatists and therefore not the opinion of the true Catholick Church of God in his time as abundantly appears by his set and purposed large disputation in most of his volumes
against the errors of the Schismatical Aug. lib. de correp gr cap. 9. de don persev c. 8 Sect. And least it should be thought that the heat of dispute should have transported him he giveth us his judgement most clearly and fully upon other occasions about it as before we noted after Dr. Fulk Augustine teacheth us that such as shall certainly fall away and that finally and consequently such as have no saving grace according to their present state that is while they abide with the Church they are truely members thereof Again in the same place upon those known words of the Apostle they were not of us that is saith he they were not of the number of the sons even when they were of the faith of the sons what he means by sonship here he telleth us in his reason in the next words because they that are the sonnes indeed are foreknown and Ecclesia etiam mali sunt imo bonis multo plures ut in co rum comparatione pauci sunt de unit eccles cap. 12 predestinated these men therefore were of the many that were called but of the few that were chosen they were not yea in another place he assureth us that there are not onely evil men in the Church but indeed so many as that the good being compared with them are but a few CHAP. XXII The judgement of the Protestant Writers searched after THe second eminent point of occasion was sharpened by Bellarmine Stapleton the Rhemists and other Papists by their envy and malice against the Reformation falsely charging the doctrine thereof concerning the visible Church to be that none are truely members of it but such as are elected or such as have saving grace Hereby the Patrons of our Protestant and reformed cause are provoked to answer for us and what is their answer do they Am. Ant. Bel. Tom. 2. l. 2. c. 1 n. 5 acknowledge the charge to be just or do they not with Ames cry falsum est it is false that we require internal vertues or saving grace to render one a member of the visible Church according to the outward state thereof Accordingly Dr. Fulk wipes off the like aspersion cast upon us by the Rhemists the visible Church saith he hath both Fulk upon the Rhemists on Mat. 22. 14 Elect and reprobate in it but the Chatholick Church invisible which is the body of Christ consisteth onely of Gods Elect the true members of his body thus you know speaking to the Rhemists right-well but that you are disposed to slander us wheresoever you can take occasion to blinde the ignorant by ambiguity or generality or double understanding of any word Againe the Jesuite having charged us falsly in these words the onely reason by which hereticks hold the Church to be invisible because they imagine the Church to consist onely of the elect or at Whites way to the true church least of the good White not more generally then boldly answers Here the Jesuite bewraieth either hid ignorance or malice let him if he can for the credit of his Word shew where any of those whom he calleth Hereticks do teach or affirme that the Church militant whereof the question is consisteth of the Elect onely Whereupon also Whitaker saith that Bellarmine ought to Debuit Bellar. probare in ecclesia Catholica c. Whita Contro secund qu. pri cap. 7 prove that there are both good and bad in the Catholick that is the invisible Church which when he goeth about to prove from the Parables of the barn-floor c. he ought to understand by the barn-floore in this place not the Catholick but the particular Church in which we confesse that there are both good and bad To whom Doctor Reynolds in his defence of the Church Reynolds in his second thesis which consists of the Elect alone fully accords the wicked saith he must needs be a part of the Church if the name of the Church did signifie the visible Church and we call it consisting of the good and bad Famous Willet also addeth his testimony hereunto when in answer Willet Synop. of the Church to the Papists he openly and freely acknowledgeth that such as do not truely beleeve whom he calleth close infidels are of the visible Church viz. de jure yea and that open sinners are of the visible Church de facto until they be excommunicated Our industrious Fox is very distinct in the point which visible Church saith he having in it self a difference of two sorts Fox Act c. p. 27. of people so it is divided into two parts of which the one standeth of such as be of outward profession onely the other which by election inwardly are joyned to Christ the first are in the visible Church but not in the invisible We have before occasionally noted the consent of Pareus distinguishing the Church of the called from the Church of the Elect Pareus Polanus Bullâ—nger Ravanellus Wollebius Gomarus Apollonius c Vid. etiam Mel. part sept p. 33 Ociand Enchir p. 126 Polanus reckoning the invisible to be but a part not the whole of the visible Church Bullinger Ravanellus c. who distinguish the Church by a large and a strict acceptation and account the visible to be of larger extent then the Church invisible and with Wallebius Gomarus Apollonius and even all the reformed Divines define the Church largely taken viz. the visible Church to containe within it both good and bad elect and reprobate Master Hooker thus reasoneth all are of necessity either Christians or not Christians if by external profession they are Christians Hook eccles pol. p. 84 they are of the visible Church and Christians by external profession they all are whose mark of recognisance hath in it those things which we have mentioned one Lord one Faith one Baptisme yea although they be impious idolaters wicked Hereticks person excommunicable yea and cast out for notorious improbilities yet such we deny not to be Imps and limbs of Satan even as long as they continue such Field assureth us not onely of his own but even of the judgemen Field p. 12 13 14 of such as are most liable to exception in the case and confidently telleth us that the meaning of Wickliffe Husse and others who defined the Church to be a multitude of the Elect was not as if they thought them onely to pertaine to the Church and no others but because they onely pertaine unto it principally fully effectually and finally c. Externally those are within the Covenant though they have not for the present that sound work of faith and may be never shall Hook survey p. 36. Mr. Cobbet confesseth or asserteth rather that there is a Mr. Cobbet Concl. 3. in his just vindication Vid his Book of Inf. Bap. p. 57 Bish Usher sum of Relig. p. 396 Vid. Cottons way p 1 Expos in 39. Art p. 87. bare external being in the Covenant of grace
consequences of it as anon may further appear Object 'T is here objected that infants are borne members of the Church de jure onely and that they are not actually so until they are baptized as Rutherford distinguisheth Answ Our children are borne actually in the Church or actually out of the Church but they are not borne actually out of the Church for then they are borne actual Heathens and not Christians as is generally pleaded against the Anabaptists Ubi ponis parvulos non baptizatos profecto in numero credentium Aug. de verb. Apost Serm. 1. 2. Children are borne to an immediate right to the seal of the Covenant to wit baptisme therefore they are borne actually in Covenant and consequently in the Church for though a right to be taken into Covenant give a remote right to the seale of the Covenant it must be an actual being in Covenant that giveth an immediate title or claime to the seal thereof and that children borne within the pale of the Church have such an immediate right to baptisme is not to be doubted seeing we cannot think upon any neerer cause of title to baptisme in such children then their Birth priviledge or their being borne in the Church 3. I therefore humbly conceive that our children are borne E foederatis nascentes etiam in foedere sunt Dei in foedere comprehenfi ab ipso utero Bez in 1 Cor. 7. 14. Baptizandi sunt infantes non ut sancti sint sed quia sancti sunt Whitaker Church-members not onely de jure but also de facto and sealed rather then made such actually by baptisme though truely such as deny them to be born so actually if they as Rutherford doth will but grant that they are baptized actual Church-members my turne is thereby sufficiently served seeing most of our people were not onely borne de jure but also baptized de facto within the Covenant and members of the visible Church Object 2. It is again objected that infants are not perfect Church-members as Ames non adeo sunt perfecta membra c. Answ 1. There is a difference betwixt perfectè and perfecta membra one may be a member of the Church perfectly that is no perfect member thereof perfectly with regard to being or state not perfect with respect to nature or quality perfect naturally not perfect morally such a Church-member viz. in infancy may be and not such as such a Church-member viz. in years ought to be 2. I hence assume that Infants borne and baptized lawfully within the Church though they are not perfect members as neither are many growne persons yet they are truely and perfectly so For these Reasons 1. They are either members perfectly so or not at all for all motion from corruption to generation is instantaneous and there is no time when such a thing may be said to be partly and not wholly what it is particularly this change from a state of Heathenisme to a state of Church-membership hath no degrees of magis and minus but being wholly wrought in instanti a man is perfectly the one or the other and not halfe an Heathens and half a Christian Omne ens est verum perfectum Now none but Anabaptists will offer to say that such infants are in no respect Church-members therefore they are so perfectly 2. They are perfectly disciples therefore perfectly Church-members for disciple and Church-member are synonimous that they are perfectly disciples appeares by considering what is requisite to make a disciple perfectly so namely entrance or admittance into the Schoole or the society of such as are to be taught indeed one cannot be a perfect or compleat Schollar without learning yea and much learning but one may be truely perfectly and compleatly a Schollar before any thing at all be learned and a Schollar is so denominated not quia doctus sed ut sit doctus as is noted by many now it s generally urged against the Anabaptist that infants are admitted disciples into Christ his Schoole by Baptisme Infants are thus perfectly in Covenant otherwise we seal in Baptisme such as are partly heathens and but partly in Covenant which sounds absurdly therefore they are perfectly members of the Church for as they are in Covenant so they are in the Church the Church alone being the party in Gods Covenant 4. Lastly it may be well observed that Ames his words give no just ground for this objection for he doth not say that such infants are not perfect members much lesse not perfectly members onely that they are not so perfect members as to have a next Non adeo sunt membra perfecta c. vid. Am. Med. and immediate right to all the Ordinances as the adult or persons of age have which is as easily as readily granted by my cause CHAP. XXVIII The Terms upon which adult persons are admitted visible Church-members PRoceed we next to consider the conditions upon which persons borne and educated under Heathenisme may become Christians or members of the visible Church Now though the former discourse concerning infants be of most concernment yet here lieth the burden and stresse of Argument In general that might here satisfie which Reverend Master Cotton from the words of our Saviour hath given us viz. that such a person as is by nature and birth and breeding a Heathen and no Christian to the end he may become a Church-member he must be discipled that is as Master Cotton explaineth it he must be entred into Christ his Schoole Which I humbly conceive is truely done 1. In his own part by a voluntary offering himself to be admitted And 2. On the Churches part by receiving him and sealing him by Baptisme a member of her own society upon lawful termes I grant that there is some measure of the knowledge of Christ and some kinde of profession of the faith inherently necessary of the very designe of Baptisme in Christs Name but I think no more then that is absolutely necessary though a great deale more may I doubt not be expediently and prudently required by the Church I would not be thought to condemne the ancient practise of the Church in her more strict and severe proceeding towards the Chatecumeni though others have so freely lash'd it yet 't is known that the work of admitting proselytes by circumcision in the time of the Law and Christians by Baptisme in so many thousonds in the dayes of the Gospel by John and the Apostles was more speedy Worthy Master Hudson hath an expression which I cannot but note as very helpful and preparatory to my set and fixed answere page 127. the Church saith he is called entative not because of inward grace but from the receiving and embracing the Christians Catholick faith which is essential to a visible Beleever accordingly my answer is A serious embracing of the Christian Religion as distinct from all Ex probabilibus conjecturis an aliquis ad Christum pertineat puta in adultis si
something else besides saving grace being visible c. to men giveth visible right thereunto in the Court of the Church Now that such persons as have neither grace in dâ—ed nor grace in shew may yet have both a real and a visible interest in the Covenant and Church I presume to have been plentifully manifested by the whole scope of the former debate and need not be here repeated Children of wicked Persons c. 1 Cor. 7. 14 Ezek. 16. 20 Josh Acts 2. 39 Luke 3. 6. 21 Joh. 4. 1 Ex. 20. 6 Gen. 17. 12 13 Jer. 31. 29 Ezek. 16. 4. All they who be within the Covenant and such only are to be received into Baptism Infants of Christian Parents are within the Covenant Those are not to be denied to be Christians who make so much as a general Profession of Christ Hier. Caâ—ech p 75 Yea the children of openly wicked Parents may have the like real and visible title to Baptism For this there are many Arguments urged by Divines that to me were never yet satisfactorily answered 1. That such children may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints as well as others seeing this title dependeth only upon the foederal holinesse of the Parents which is not inconsistent with personal wickednesse 2. That such are expresly said to be borne to God 3. Such weâ—e expresly commanded to be circumcized 4. That the Call wherein the visible Church of the Gentiles is is of as great a latitude now as the Call wherein the Jewes stood in the times of the Law 5. That the Baptisme of John and Châ—ist his Apostles admitted all that offered themselves 6. That the Covenant passeth in its force among such as professe Religion where the Word and Sâ—als and People of God are continued through a thousand generations 7. That such children have thâ—ir right supplied from the holinesse of the place or peoplâ— wherein they are borne or their Susseptores 8. And that the childe may not bear the Parents iniquitie But the Argument that my former Conclusion helps unto lieth thus The children of baptized Church-members ought to be baptiâ—ed But the children of many openly scandalous and wicked persons are the children of baptized Church-members Thereâ—ore such children ought to be baptized He that breaks with the first of these Propositions shaketh hands with Anabaptisme And he that excâ—pts against the second engageth against all my former discourse and therein I presume against the verdict of all the Churches and the plain Testimony of God himself in both the Testamâ—nts of his Word I think neither of the Propositions much lesse the Conclusion wete ever doubted of by any Church for any considerable time if ever before our present generation Should I grant that Zanchy and some others are against me in this Yet I know that divers eminent Divines seem so too that are reallie for me Calvin is against the baptizing the children of Papists Yet Rutherford reckons him among the number Calv. ep 12 of those that affirm the lawfulnesse of the baptizing of the children of wicked Church-members Ames saith that the Infants of such as openly break the Covenant debent baptizari they ought to be baptized though indeed De Consci p. 247 â—48 he addes cum aliquo discrimine viz. for the shame of the Parents But who knows not that Augustine Bucan Wallaeus Apollonius Perkins and infinite more are expresly for it together with the Leiden Professors and the Ecclesiastical Colledge of Geneva whose words alone I shall here cite as the language of the rest of the Churches Wheresoâ—ver say they the Profession of Christianity hath not utterly perished and been Against Knox. extinct Infants are beguiled of their right if the common seal be denied them Indeed Mr. Hildersham seems to give reasons against us yet in the issue closeth perfectly with us Both may be briefly examined and I have done with this His Reasons against us are foure Obj. 1 Hence saith he viz. by baptizing the children of wicked Parents there is a great contempr of Gods publick Worship But I answer that if Baptism be indeed the right and due of such a childe it is a duty on us to pay it and to deny Answ Justice upon such terms of Prudence is but to excuse God for not providing sufficient means of preserving his own Worship from contempt The Execution of an Ordinance of God cannot directly and perâ—sâ— expose any part of Gods Worship to contempt therefore if any should take occasion hence to contemn Gods Worship we ought rather to make them understand that they take occasion when it is not given then to dispense with Justice to our Neighbour and our duty to God and his Ordinance Hence occasion is given to the weak viz. as he saith Brownists Obj. 2 to mislike our Religion But again if such Faptisme be our duty the fault is evidently Answ in their weaknesse who take occasion not given Let us do our work and they mend the fault Holy things are hereby prophaned Obj. 3 Not so Because they are dispensed in a holy way the way of Answ a holy God and holy duty 2. Because they are also dispensed to holy persons Holy 1. Negatively they are not I mean the children actually sinful with their Parents and the childe may not bear much lesse suffer for the iniquitie of the Parent 2. Foederally they are holy as borne to God with the holinesse of the Covenant wherein they are to be sealed by Baptisme Children are to be admitted only in the Parents Obj. 4 right This hath been largely answered before Both Propositions Answ are denied 1. That children are baptized in their Parents right for they being borne to God and in the Covenant they are baptized and sealed in their own right Therefore the Promise is to our seed as well as unto us 2. That the wicked Parent hath no right while he is a member of the Church he is foederally holy though naturally wicked and thereby he hath the force of his own seal and a right for the Seal of the Covenant to his childe So much for Mr Hildershams objections which as I noted before do only seem to be against us For he that reades page 128. of that Book will there plainly discover that that Reverend man did not intend by all this to deny or question the childe of wicked Parents right to Baptism As appears by that one condition that he puts upon all that hath been said viz. provided that there be no necessity requiring haste on the childes part Why it may be said if the childe have no right it is a sin to baptize it and what necessity is there to sin what haste to sin 1. Therfore doubtlesse all that he had said was only for dispensing a while with the children of wicked Parents actuall baptizing not to question their right upon prudential grounds viz. the Parents good and the Churches credit the bounds of this Prudence I shall not touch much lesse