Soul It is not so easie a thing with every Good Man as with So good a One to assume to himself so much as but amounts to All that is necessary to make a Man a Christian when he speaketh but as he thinks upon faithful Endeavours to avoid Deceit There may be Thousands of the Temper of Holy Mr. Bradford who the more tender they are of their Duty the more sensible they are of their Defects and more fearful of Hypocrisie And God forbid but many of them whose Consciences do condemn them should yet be acquitted by Him who is Greater than their Consciences and who Does and Will do it while they are secretly yet borne up in their Desponding Dependence on his Goodness and Mercy It was more fairly said once to me by a Chief Pastor of the Anabaptists That the Way they went was not Thus but the Person that offers himself to their Church said he was only to declare what Work of God there is on his Heart and the Church are to make Judgment of it So that though the Man himself should profess he did Not believe his own Sincerity and yet the Church Did they could Receive him This I told him I liked well but it was to depart so much from the received Rule of Profession and to verge towards Mine that is towards an Admission of the Willing who are to come as I cannot chuse but think to the Vse of the Means for Grace if they have it Not as well as for farther Edification if they Have In the Last place to come home I have in my fore-going Discourse delivered my Thoughts about the Church and Covenant And though it be true that no Man can Enter or be in Covenant with God in that Sense which signifies the Performing the Condition but he must be Regenerate and a Member of Christ's Mystical Body or Church taking the Covenant whether Abstractly or Complexly for the Covenant of Life Yet as for Admitting Men and Women into the Society of Christians which is the Congregate Church or Christ's Political Body and Entring them into the Covenant of Peculiarity whereby they obtain only the Advantage of the Ordinances as Means for the bringing them up to the Terms of Salvation if they are not Effectually Converted already whereof I have all the way before been speaking I apprehend the Scene is as it were quite changed and I must stand still upon this That if any one Receives the Gospel and Believes it but so far Let not any one then say foolishly That when I let those That Will come into the Church I let in Turks Jews Infidels for by Receiving the Gospel i. e. the Doctrine or Creed of it I do suppose them turn'd Christians as to be Willing to come in and be Baptized whether he makes any other Profession or not This is sufficient hereunto and there is nothing Else I find required of him unless we doubt whether a Man be In Earnest and a Christian in his Heart when he comes and then are we to Put the Question to him and he is to own the Faith Or unless he be a Profligate Scandalous Sinner who then must make his open Confession and declare his Repentance or be kept out I see not but the Owning the True God in opposition to all false Religions and other Gods was the main Intendment of the Jews Covenant and that a Common Faith left the word Dogmatical be too short which is less than Saving did suffice to the Entring it or Taking hold of it and that the Vnregenerate consequently as well as the Regenerate were in the Intention of God to be Members of that Church And I do think that the same Latitude ought to be maintained in regard to the same Kingdom as it is now Enlarged over the Nations and put into Christ's Hands which belonged to it before when a Theocracy of the Jews Indeed it must be confessed lest I seem Deficient in waving That before though once touch't upon which was needless till Now That besides their taking God to Worship Him only there was a Consent in the Generality likewise to all that Political Ceremonial Moral External Obedience which was required in that Covenant according to those Words of theirs All things that the Lord hath commanded we will do Only this must be known withal that these All Things which they were to do as the Matter of that Covenant in Observing all the Commandments thereof was short of the Righteousness of a Regenerate Man or of that Righteousness that justifies a Christian This appears expresly by St. Paul who was a Pharisee of the chiefest Sect of the Jews and Touching the Righteousness of the Law he says blameless but yet in point of Justification he tells us He Counted it but Loss desiring to be Found in Christ not having his own Righteousness but the Righteousness which is of God by Faith The Apostle by his Own Righteousness understands the Righteousness which he had as a Jew the Righteousness of Moses's Covenant described by him thus And it shall be our Righteousness if we observe to do all these Commandments Deut. 6.25 24.13 It shall be Our Righteousness that is so as the Law hath nothing against Such but that they shall live in the Land and be Blessed or that God as Rector shall Reward them with the Temporal Blessings promised in that Covenant But it was never intended by God for such a Righteousness as should Justifie a Man to Life Everlasting for how then should Enoch Job Melchisedeck and those Good Men that lived before the Law have been Justified Were they Justified any other ways than we If Righteousness come by the Law then is Christ dead in vain The Jews indeed generally that were not Saducees thought to obtain Salvation by their Works according to this Covenant which proved so deadly to them For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to Establish their own Righteousness did not submit to the Righteousness of God This Righteousness of Theirs and Paul's Own which he calls so I say as a Jew for his Own as a Christian he must have and be Judged according to it is that Righteousness whereof Christ speaks when He tells his Disciples that were Jews Vnless your Righteousness exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot be saved There is a Conformity to the Law or Covenant of Moses which is the Righteousness of the Jew and so of the Scribes and Pharisees And there is a Conformity to the Law or Covenant of Grace and This is the Christian Righteousness that exceeds the Other The One consists in External Obedience in the Political Ceremonial Moral External Obedience I say of That Covenant The Other in Sincerity of Heart and Life accepted through Christ which is That which exceeds the Former As Abraham's Walking Vprightly before God exceeded his being Circumcised This Righteousness is called the Righteousness of God as of his Inventing Appointing Accepting instead of
Profession of such a Faith and Repentance as is saving in order to his Admittance to the Church or Sacraments though he on his own part be required to examine himself and to see that his Grace be sound when he comes to them The Reason being because if his Faith be but true so far as makes him Willing to Come in and Joyn with us it gives him title to the Ordinances when unless his Faith be so True also as to be Saving he is like to reap no other Fruit by it but the Outward Enjoyment And this is the very Vse we are to make of this Doctrine That no Person be discouraged in his attending on the Means seeing Regenerate and Vnregenerate may have Title and yet none be Secure but Piously sollicitous how they Come as knowing that it is One thing that gives a Man title to the Ordinances and Another to the Effectual Benefits which can be attain'd by the Sincere only It may be askt by the way But what then is That I count Necessary to the Government and Covenant which I press taken Precisely I mean what is the Terms or Conditions thereof If the Covenant for Life and This Covenant be distinguished the Terms of them must be diverse Now the Terms of this Covenant may be discovered by knowing what That was chiefly which God accounted the Breach thereof And this we find very frequent both in regard to the Single Jew and the Whole Body If there be found within thy Gates a Man or Woman that hath wrought Wickedness in the Sight of the Lord in transgressing his Covenant and hath gone and served other Gods then let that Person be stoned Deut. 17.2 7. You see what God calls Transgressing his Covenant He was their King and the serving Another God was Crimen laesae Majestatis and therefore Capital Let us look into 2 King 17. and we shall find there the whole Ten Tribes at once carried away and given up of God for being any longer his People And what is the matter They Rejected it is said his Statutes and his Covenant and followed Vanity What Vanity Why they Went after the Heathen concerning whom they were charged not to do like them and they made them molten Images and worshipped Baal c. and therefore God was angry with them and removed them out of his Sight Vers 10 12 15 16 18. They did many other things which was Against their Covenant and He bare with them but Idolatry and False-Worship was such Breaking of it as Whoredom and caused their Divorce and his writing Loammi upon them And this Event we find Prophesied of even so long before as Moses who tells of the Nations asking why God dealt thus with his People Then Men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord which he made with them when he brought them out of Egypt Here we have Our Covenant and Government And what was the Forsaking of it Why they Served other Gods and worshipped them Vers 24 25. So again Chap. 31. Vers 20. Jer. 22.19 with other Places Well now if going after other Gods and False-Worship was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Breaking this Covenant then must the Terms of this Covenant be mainly the Owning the True God and his Worship in opposition to all False Gods and False Religion and consequently a Subjection to the Ordinances of that Worship Himself hath appointed unto which they were admitted under the Old-Testament by Circumcision and Now by Baptism Upon what is already said I know the Way I go is not the Road when yet there are Some that go the Road do seem to me to seek Mine but Miss it The Church with them is the Company of the Faithful and the understand by the Faithful such only whose Faith is Saving that engrasis them in Christ makes them his Members or Members of his Mystical Body For Others whom they call Members of the Church Visible if they be Visible Members only are Christians but in Appearance not Members of Christ indeed and so no Church-Members with them but in Shew or the Account of Men. And the Result of this Divinity which goes for the Orthodox comes to This That nothing less than such a Faith that is Saving gives a Man Right as to his Own Part to come and the Profession of no less than of a Faith and Repentance which is Such gives a Man Right of Reception on the Part of the Admitter into the Church and unto Baptism I have several Arguments to add therefore to what I have said already against this Opinion Only I will yet say a little more to the Explaining my Own before I give them The Church according to the common Opinion must be taken for a Corporation of Regenerate Persons that is of such Believers only as are already all Sincere Converts But I would have it rather in my Opinion be lookt on as a School wherein such Persons as are Wrought upon by the Gospel to Believe so far only as to be Willing to Come into it and be Baptized may There by the Use of the Ordinances as the Means of Grace be brought up to that Sincerity of Heart and Life which yet they have not and which God hath made the Condition of their Salvation There is a Conversion from Heathenisme to Christianity that brings Men into the Church must be One thing and a Conversion unto the Life and Power of Grace called Effectual Conversion is Another That the Latter of these Conversions is wrought in the Church ordinarily though not Confined to it is to be doubted of no Body Let the Commission of our Lord which ordinarily I think is overlookt be consulted Go ye and disciple all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you I pray mark it They are here to Call by their Preaching all them that will Come in and make them Disciples by Baptism and then after they are Discipled they are to be Instructed in the Things that Christ hath Commanded that is they are to Learn in his School when they are there their farther Duty which is the walking up Fully to the Precepts of the Gospel And in the first sixt sound Act of Resolution thereof I mean of doing so in Sincerity whensover a Man is wrought up to it does lie the Essence of that Work which we call Effectual Conversion If the School of all Christ's Disciples the Church of all Believers the Kingdom of all God's People were so narrow as to hold the Regenerate only how comes there to be a Proclamation for all the World to come into it even all that Will for it is not a Kingdom of such as are brought in by Force but of a Willing People Psal 110.3 over whom the Word prevails from one end of the Earth to the other If any Man will have Christ this is certain God offers Him Whosoever Will May have Him
Whosoever Will be saved May be saved God Wills it and it is Man only Will not And shall we think that if any would come in to these External Means whereby his Grace is Communicated that they are to be Refused It is a strange thing that Divines should be able to see how Christ how the Spirit it self or its Help can be the Fruit of Vniversal Grace and yet their Eyes be holden as not to see the External Ordinances to be so while they make the Church to consist of the Regenerate only I pray let us consider a little of other Societies What is it makes a Man the Member of any other Society which he may be of if he will Is it not his Consent only to be of it his Coming-in it self that which gives him his Right and makes him one of that Company And why is it otherwise with the Church or Society of Christians It is the Will of a Man upon his Hearing the Gospel Preached or his Receiving the Gospel Preached so as to be Willing is the Foundation I should say Condition to speak exactly of his Right to be Received If he will be Baptized upon it he may be Baptized without more terms It is his Consent to it is the Ratio fundandi in This as in other Voluntary Relations It is true that the Nature of Christian Society is such as requires that a Man be one that hath Received the Christian Doctrine that is to be a Believer and that he lives not in any open gross Sin seeing that would Excommunicate from it if he were In But supposing him such a one that believes that Christ is the Son of God I mean it according to the Articles of the Creed for how shall he be Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost if he Believe not the Trinity and stands not actually Guilty of any such notorious Sin as if the were in the Church he must to be turn'd out for it there is nothing but his Willingness enjoyned of God nor ought to be required of us to the Receiving Him There are some says St. Austin that Put on Christ so far as to come into the Church and be Baptized Vsque ad Sacramentorum receptionem in his Words and some that put Him on ad vitae Sanctificationem unto that Sanctification of Life as brings them to Heaven I add so much because there are Many Saints or Sanctified Men says Mr. Richard Baxter that shall never come thither There are Saints by Separation from Paganism unto Fellowship with the Political Body of Christians which yet are not so by Separation from all Vngodliness into Fellowship with the Mystical Body of Christ The Door of the Church says that Learned and Pious Author is incomparably wider than that of Heaven and the Gospel is a free Offer to All. If any Man will come quite over in Spirit to Christ they shall be welcome if they will come but only to a Visible Profession He will not deny them Admittance there because they intend to go no farther but will let them come as near as they will and that they come no farther shall be their own fault Saints Rest Part 4. Sect. 3. Let me make bold to set this right and as I have put in before Political Body of Christians instead of his terms Visible Church and also left out the word Visible so instead of Visible Profession let me say Participation of Ordinances as St. Austin but now hath it and I take it to be very happily spoken As for the terms Visible and Invisible which our Divines use ordinarily when they distinguish the Congregate and Mystical Church I do avoid them they are a Snare to us The Sense of the term Visible can have no Place with God who Judges always according to Truth and hath no footing therefore neither in Scripture There is indeed the Outward Jew and Inward Jew in Scripture but the Outward Jew was a Real Jew or really a Jew in God's and Man's Account alike who had thereby ex intentione Dei Ordinantis a Right to be Circumcised and consequently to the Priviledge of all the Ordinances of Israel But a Visible Christian a Visible Member according to our common Notion of Visible is one that is not a Christian or Member Indeed but one only that Appears to be a Christian or Member and as None hath no Right therefore to the Ordinances at all in God's Sight A Visible Profession must be consequently an Hypocritical Profession that hath nothing in it but a Lie and Falshood altogether And can Mr. Baxter indeed say That if any will come to Such a Profession he is welcome No no God Almighty indeed is willing that All should come in to Him and They may come as Far as they will if but to be Baptized or Circumcised they are Welcome But I am against that Doctrine and Practice which depends upon this ensnaring Distinction I am for a Believing in Earnest the Gospel Preached and a Man's Coming-in thereupon and being Willing to be Received or to be Baptized and then I say whosoever Will he May. Whosoever would be Circumcised or Take hold of the Covenant Isa 56.4 6. he might Whosoever will be Baptized under the New-Testament he may Whosoever will come in to Christ so far as ever he Will Come this must be held for certain He will in no wise cast him out But no Man must nor be suffered to say He Believes he Repentâ— if he does Not at least in any Sense otherwise than he Does We must have none of this fame Visible Profession whatsoever comes of it We must see our Way clear how we can admit the Vnregenerate as well as the Regenerate into our Mixt Churcher without a Lie or we must allow none but Gathâ—red ones and turn all Independents unless we should Preach One thing and Pâ—actisâ— Another which no honest Man but must hate to do The People of Samaria are all said to believe Philip Preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and were Baptized and Simon himself believed also Here we have none of this Visible Faith or Visible Profession but a Real Belief of what was Preached and that Belief prevailing upon the Will their Willingness to be Baptized is the Ratâ—o Baptizandi the Ground of their Baptism and Fight to be Admitted Simon Magus believed What is that Is it a Profession that he Did when he did Not No such matter his Faith and That of the City was Real and shewn by the Deed in their being Baptized A Man must Believe Indeed and his Faith be True as True does signifie Vndissembled or else he cannot be Baptized But his Faith may be far from True as Simon 's was as True does signifie Saving and yet so far as he can come in with any Truth he hath his Warrant from the Gospel SECT II. I Proceed now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to my Arguments If the common Opinion be received and a
he shall deserve to be cast out again 〈◊〉 their Society and will submit to the Cenâ—â—re of the Church if he do This is the â—ll which is contained in that Consent which â—â—ts a Man into External Covenant Relation â—â—d suffices to Church-Communion In the Tenth place There is one thing â—ore will go to the Root of the Matter It â—â—d be granted that He who consents to be 〈◊〉 Christian upon the Term of the Covenant must received into the Church Now there are â—wo Parts the Promissory and Comminatory Part of the Covenant No Man Consents with Understanding to the Covenant but he doâ—s and must Consent to Both Parts of it I assume then that he that Consents but to thâ— Covenant so as to be dealt with by God according to Either Part of it as he shall 〈◊〉 shall not perfâ—â—m the Condition is one thâ— Consents to be a Christian upon the Terms the Covenant I add moreover So long 〈◊〉 it is not a Consenting Absolutely but a Câ—â—senting thus in the Way of Covenant or â—â—on Terms which is I say to be dealt wâ—â— by God according to his Performance thâ—â— needs no more Sweat to be spent in shâ—â—ing how the Vnâ—â—generate as well as the â—â—generate may Enter Covenant though it 〈◊〉 One of them only that Keep Covenant wiâ—â— Him In the Eleventh place I am a little sâ—â—sible how in these Two latter Argumentâ— speak rather after Others than my Own pâ—per Terms and Sentiments When Perâ—â—â— come to Baptism or to the Sacrament 〈◊〉 Divines do still press upon them the Duty Entring or Renewing thâ—ir Covenant with Gâ—â— and though they understand by it the Câ—â—â—nant of Life which belongs to God's Nâ—â—â—ral Government which is Vniversal and thâ— Duty consequently which they press is 〈◊〉 Peculiar therefore to the Church or Saâ—â—â—ments but belongs to all the World to every Man and to all Times whether he ever Enter into any Church-Society or be Baptized or not for upon this Act does depend the Saving or Perishing of every Man's Soul for ever and upon this Account that it is incumbent upon All and at all Times they do well to press it upon the Baptized and on the Communicant they having at such times so apt an Occasion for it Yet if they press it so far as if no Person but such as have actually Performed that Duty or do actually Perform it at present and Testifie it must be held Admittable into the Church or to be Baptized it is time for me to mind them that when a Person comes to Enter into the Church or a Church-State whether that of the Jew formerly and now the Christian he Did he Does not come directly to give up himself to be a Subject unto God's Natural Government under which every Man in the Earth is Born and ought to devote himself to his Governor from the Beginning of his Life to the End of it But to be a Subject of his Conventional Government which he was not till now or a Subject of that Kingdom which Christ hath set up by the Gospel since his Coming over the whole World being till He came Peculiar to the Jews as I have described the same before So that to be consonant to my Premisses I must say If it were the Covenant of Life that Men were immediately Entred into by their Recâ—ption into the Church understand me if it were so ex prima intentione Instituti Reason would that they should bear with the Minister if he required of them a Saving Faith a Sound Repentance and the Testimony of a Holy Life to admit them to the intended Benefits But when it is into the Covenant of Peculiarity that he directly Enters them or Church-State in order to Life when they come in and are Baptized the Matter is othâ—rwise and the Difficulties which others make about the Covenant in Their Sense which I obviate do blow off without other Help I know till Camero wrote de Triplici Foedere our Divines usually speak only of a Twofold Covenant and besides that of Works acknowledge but One of Grace and no more though Diversly Administred to Adam fallen North Abraham the Israelites and Vs under the Gospel And if any shall choose to speak after Them they may and yet not differ with Me in the Matter so long as they distinguish of the Internal and External Oeconomy thereof which I have purposely dropt before for they may say the same things of the External Oeconomy of the Covenant of Grace as I say of the Covenant of Advantage Only they must beware that by External Covenanting they understand not with some a Covenanting by Profession conceiving that a Man making the same Profession as the Regenerate make or professing the same Faith Repentance as the Regenerate have he is from this Profession to be Reputed in Covenant as the Regenerate is which bâ—ing not made from the Heaâ—t but in Toâ—gue they call External Covenantiâ—g by which Sense thâ—y pervert the Diffâ—â—â—â—â—â— and deprive us of the Vse of it Whereas by the External Administration or Oeconomy of the Covenant I mean the Ordinances wherein it is Administred and I do suppose a real Consent to it so far as to come under that Oeconomy or that a Man Really is Willing to come into the Church and joyn Orderly in God's Publick Worship though he be short otherwise in his Obedience to God And this Consent to the Covenant in the External Oeconomy I have before defined and must add This to it That if the Church or Minister should indeed require such a Declaration as That of every Man whom he admitâ— to Church-Society I think it were proper and warrantable provided it be not Imposed but only in the Matter leaving Men Free to their own Expressions Not that when I signifie this for Peace-sake I do any ways Desert the thing I am doing that is the Opening and Distinguishing the Covenant and Government of God which is so necessary to the Clearing our Cause and so evident in Scripture and Reason For how shall that Government of God which is Vniversal and Covenant appertaining to it be the Same with That which was Peculiar only to the Jews It cannot be How shall the Covenant of Grace in reference whereunto it is said All shall know God from the least to the greatest as belonging to all Mankind be made Another Covenant from That which God struck with the Israelites if they were both the Same How shall it be said Not according to that Covenant if they were but One And how shall all the Jews be said now to be Broken off from their Covenant or from their own Olive which is their Church-State or God's Peculiar Kingdom over them if it were meant of that Covenant or Kingdom of God which is Vniversal or out of which Government none can be Nay how shall we say That any Israelite once in the Covenant of Life can be again Broken off This cannot be said I know without Dispute But
Live but were Dead Rev. 3.1 Some that had Defiled their Garments Vers 4. Some Luke-warm and so to be Spewed out of God's Mouth Vers 16. Some that Minded earthly things Phil. 3.19 Some Carnal 1 Cor. 3.4 One that was Incestuous 1 Cor. 5.1 Many if the Apostle's Fear was not vain who had Sinned and not Repented of their Vncleanness Fornication and Lasciviousness which they had committed 2 Cor. 12.31 Such finally whose God was their Belly and whose End was Destruction Phil. 3.19 And if This be the Complexion of the Primitive Christian Churches who does not see but this Matter is Mixt Matter these Churches even under the Gospel Mixt Churches Who is there I say unless he cannot see Wood for Trees but must see it It is true when the Scripture stiles them Elect Sanctified Justified and the like that which is Divinitùs dictum must be So and some of them must be Such But when the same Scripture says these things of them likewise both must be true and some of them must also be otherwise The Church of Christ while 't is on Earth is must and will be Mixt and the Objection shall be Answered farther in its place And again yet look I pray where do we find any such thing as imports Regeneration to be required of God to the Admittance of Persons unto Membership in the Old Testament so that for want of that Qualification they were not Admitted Nay where do we find any one Man put off on that Account in the New 'T is true that Repentance and Faith and such as is Sound is required of those that come and that as necessary to Remission of their Sins by Baptism But is it of Necessity to Baptism If it be then must the Baptism of those Persons whose Faith and Repentance is unsound be invalid null and no Baptism If a due Subject be not of the Essence of Baptism what is But is there any of our Divines think such Baptism void Is there any will re-Baptize such if they come after to be Savingly Converted And if there be none then let no Man I say until he can prove that Wood is more than Trees or Trees are less than Wood go to impose upon me That which they have Devised but acknowledge that what Christ only hath Appointed must be the Rule of Church-Admission The Truth is That the Matter of Christ's Church or Kingdom upon Earth is made up of Good and Bad is so open in the Scripture so even under Sight and pronounced to be so by the Blessed Mouth of our Lord in several Parallels on purpose that I should not need to write a Book to tell any This but only for the Difficulties that attend it And they are either in respect to the Nature of the Church as called out of the World to a Peculiarity in God which hath caused my chief Labour therefore in the Stating and Explication of our CAUSE in the First Section Or in respect to the Darkness and Sophisticated Notions that are on our Vnderstandings about the same which I have endeavoured to Obviate and Heal in the Second Section now Finished Or in respect to the many Scruples and Objections that are raised and agitated concerning it which are to be Answered and Satisfied and that brings me to the Last Part of my Work which remains now on my Hands in the Section ensuing SECT III. THUS much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Stating our CAUSE and Confirming it I descend now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Answering Objections But how can an Vnregenerat Man be Admitted Into the Church that is not Of it How can he that is not In Christ be Received as a Member or into his Body How can he that is Out of Covenant be Admitted to Enter Covenant How can a Sealed Pardon be delivered to him whose Faith is not sound and Repentance sincere How can one be a Christian that hath no Grace These Objections and the like which are multiplied do receive their Solution by the Preceding Thread of this Discourse If the Government and Covenant we have been speaking of be understood aright and that the Church is the Number of those directly that be brought under That Government and into That Covenant we see all the way how the Vnregenerate as well as the Regenerate may be of it and that they who say That Such are only In the Church and not Of it do but mistakingly allude to St. John's Words in this Case We see how the Vnregenerate may be In Christ as they are of his Political Body and as Christ himself says expresly That there are Branches in Him that bring forth no Fruit. We see how the Vnregenerate may Enter into the Covenant of Peculiarity when yet he hath not brought his Soul to a Full Decree and Purpose of Constant and Entire Obedience which is required of him also in the Covenant of Life We see how he may Enter it in the Precise though he does not as he ought to do also in the Complex Consideration thereof We may understand also how that Vniversal Conditional Pardon which God hath passed in the Gospel may be Delivered or Sealed to a Man though a Simon or a Judas as well as to a Philip himself or to a John We see likewise how that a Man who hath not one Spark of that Grace that is Saving may have his Share in the General Grace of God or of the Gospel as well as others The Acute and Profound Mr. Baxter in one of his Books hath these Words You must first believe that Common Grace and Love mentioned Joh. 3.16 2 Cor. 5.19 20 14 15. 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 And you must believe your Interest in this that is that God hath by Christ made to All and to You an Act of Oblivion and free Deed of Gift that you shall have Christ and Pardon and Eternal Life if you will believingly accept the Gift and not finally â—â—ject it And the Belief of This even of this Common Love and Grace must first perswade your Hearts accordingly to accept the Offer and then you have a Special Interest Life of Faith pag. 152. Mark here There is the General Grace of God and a Particular Interest in that General Grace the Belief whereof is the orderly way to a Special Interest that is to the putting a Man upon the Performance of the Condition that he may have Interest in the Benefit Let me ask then Whether the Confirming and stirring up this Belief of a Man's Particular Interest in God's General Grace is not to be endeavoured in order to this End the getting the Special Interest And if it be how shall the Word Baptism and the Lord's Supper which are Ordinances that do indeed directly and immediately nothing else howsoever People may mistake but Declare Seal and Confirm the Particular Interest of every Man in this General Grace of the New-Testament and so are delivered to all alike
de Fide Operibus The Case was This There were Persons who while they were Heathens had put Away their Wives and Married Others and some had Concubines They are Loth to part with this Custom and yet Willing to be Baptized Augustine gives his Judgment That if they Would not they are not to be Admitted Concluding in the Main That it is not enough for a Man's Admission to the Church to Own the True Faith if his Life be not sutable to God's Commandments I remember likewise that Eminent Passage of Justin Martyr in his Second Apology who having told of the Christian Assemblies and what they did There as to their whole Exercises he adds That they did Admit none to this Fellowship with them more particularly in the Eucharist but such as Lived as they ought to do like Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a Life therefore or such Sins which are not consistent with a State of Grace or not consistent with the State of Membership or the State of that Society into which we Enter I will suppose with these Fathers that such a Life or such Sins that will not consist with the State of Membership or the Common Good of the Society when it will Leven and Destroy it may keep a Person from Admission but not such a Life or Sins only which are not consistent with Regeneration The Truth is the Church looks not into the Heart or to Effectual Grace which is known only to God that tryeth it and consequently is not to require such a Profession as is requisite to a Judgement Thereof which the Congregationalists yet therefore do But the Church is to look indeed that her Society be kept Pure from Scandal or that That be Purged out which would Defame and Leven it so far as stands most to her Preservation This I take to be sufficient as to the Mind of these Fathers St. Augustine especially who is One we know every where that is open for Tolerating the Evil rather than Disturb the Churches Peace as in good earnest for the Casting them Out when it will do the Church good The Church even the Catholick Church as One is with him still as I remember the Field in the Gospel which does consist of Tares and Wheat even such Tares as are Discerned among the Wheat and yet are to stand unto Judgment And there is one Argument I must not let pass before I have done but produce out of him in respect to our Congregational Brethren for I know no kind of thing almost more Vnanswerable and Convincing It is the express Command of our Lord to his Servants That they Pull not the Tares up when it will Endanger the Wheat to be Rooted up with them From whence that Judicious and most Temperate Father lays down this Rule which will serve for deciding many Difficulties and Scruples That when we can Root out any Tare without hurt to the Wheat we are to be careful of Discipline and all those Texts which speak of keeping no Company with Such and the like are to be pressed But when we cannot Pull up the Tares without Endangering the Corn we must for the Churches Advantage and Peace be content to Suffer them and be satisfied with such Texts as these which say Let them alone till the Harvest Now there are none of the Moderate Pious and Learned of any of our Sects who Do who Dare deny but that there are some true Christians and Members of Christ in our Mixt Churches But to Vn-Church a whole Nation and all our Parishes at once by this Congregational Practice and Opinion is certainly to Eradicate the Wheat with the Tares beyond all Possibility of Answer If the Servant may not Pluck up the Tares if it will but Endanger any of the Single Wheat how shall he dare to Root up the Whole Wheat on purpose for the Tares sake When the Lord does say Let it stand who art thou my Independent Brother that goest to meddle with it There is indeed a Separate Church as a Mixt Church But the Mixt Church remains in This Life and the Separate Church is not be expected till a Future State The Church is the House wherein are Vessels of Silver and Vessels of Wood Those of Wood are for use as those of Silver and the Master intends both shall be There The Church is the Net that takes the Fish little and great and it is intended all should be Taken which are within its reach The Church is the Feast unto Which all are Called and the Lord of it intends that Whosoever Will should come to it The Church is the Field whereof I am speaking And it is objected The Field is said to be the World and the Enemy is said to Sow the Tares therefore it was not God's Intention they should be In it I Answer Here are Two Objections and One confounds the Other If the Field be the World you cannot object God would not have the Tares There for God will have Good and Bad in the World out of question The Field therefore must be the Church as the Feast is and it is God's Will that All should be Called to come In to it It is his Will that they should Come also as they ought to Come This is the Intention of their Call and Both are his Will It is true now Of Those that Come some are Tares and it is of the Devil that they are Tares Some have not the Wedding Garment and it is of the Devil they Come without it But if they Come for all that they must be Let in The Rule is this Whosoever will let him come and though Tares they must Stand. Parables our Divines say well are like Knives whereof the Edge and not the Back is for use and the Main Scope take the Parables together appears plainly to be this That the Church in This World for That is the Meaning of Christ's saying The Field is the World is Mixt and the Separation is not to be as I said even now till the Life to come Thus do the Fathers speak against the Donatists And whereas in the Discipling of Nations the Refusing one Person or some few Persons as Tares might hinder the Coming in of a Country I perceive in such a Case according to the Judgement of this Discreet Father it were but a Shallow Conceit to think that when they Are In they may Stand but may not be Admitted upon the same Terms as they are let Stand Though in the common Case of others I have provided against the main Objection upon my Hands in the Stating my Matâ—er who say That when a Man believes the Gospel and is Willing to Come in if he live in any open notorious Sin as would Excommunicate one that Is a Member he may be required to declare his Repentance or be Refused upon the same Account It is but one Exercise of the Keys to Keep a Man Out as to Turn him Out when there is the same
that is too Strict but Careful and Prudâ—â—t If it be not it is not their Proceeding it is the Rule it self is in sâ—â—lt only And truly when we find in Scripture that the Keys are given by Christ to Peter and the Ministers but not to the People the Rulâ— â—nd their Practice must be as good as one anothâ—r In the Fifth place It is manifest thâ—t Peter Baptized the Gentiles in the Tenth of the Acts upon another Ground than This. If This were the Rule of Admission appointed by Christ for his Châ—rch St. Peter Would not or Could not have Baptized any upon Another Ground But we read upon the Falling of the Holy Ghost upon those that were met in Cornelius's Hoâ—se they were Baptized by the Apostle Where I must add That it need not be told likewise that the Giâ—ts of the Holy Ghost in those Dayes which were speaking with Tongues and the like were not Commensurâ—te with the Râ—generate only In the Sixth place If this Rule be followed which if it were Christ's it ought to be it must bring all People in our Mixâ— Churches and so in the whole Nation to this Profession Which is a thing that if it were required by a Law would prove I take it one of the most Abhorrent Impositions and Profanation of Religion that could be in the Earth It is not possible I think that any that loves Sincerity could endure such a Piece of Formality and a Lie Nay what Heart would not be ready to tremble to have Religion made to signifie so little and so many be hardened to Death by it Let us suppose such a Customary Vsage taken up who is there would refuse their Submission Not the Ignoâ—ant or Prophane not the Secure and Presumptuous or any of Those who indeed make no Regard of Conscience or Relâ—gion at all These will all make no more question to say That they take Christ to be their Lord as well as Saviour and the Spirit to be their Sanctifier and that they unfeignedly Repent of all their Sins than they do to Answer to the Minister at their Neighbor's Child's Baptism That they forsake the Devil the Flesh and the World not knowing whether it be in their Own or the Child's Name It is only the Serious the Tender the Humble and Examining Christian would make a Stand. And not without Reason for I cannot say that it is given to the State of God's Children in this Life that they should have ordinarily such an Assured Perswasion of their Sincerity and Grace as such a Profession comes to but that they must depend upon God rather with Hope and Awe as their Helper and Judge And what a goodly Rule would this be when those that are most forward to observe it would be most fit to be Rejected and those that are most backward the fittest for Admission That is when if it were practised quite contrary the Conscience would have more Peace in it and the End it self be better Attaiâ—ed In the Seventh place If this indeed were a Rule of the Holy Ghost's Appointment for the keeping the Church pure and preserving Christ's Honor in his Ordinances as some will have it I should have expected a Record of some Signal Instances in several Places at least in the Timâ—s of the Apostles of certain Persons Struck Dead as Ananias and Saphira was at their daring to offer themselves unto Baptism or coming in to the Church while they were Hypocrites For a Man who lives in his known Sin and resolves to go on in it to come and make a Profession that he conâ—ents to the Baptismal Covenant which he â—nows in his Conscience is most Flase and that in the Face of God and the Congregaâ—ion if it were indeed the Rule too of the Holy Ghost that no Vnregenerate Man upon â—his Reason should offer to come what were â—t but a Lie as palpably and directly against â—he Holy Ghost and more proper in regard â—f our more lasting Future Concern for such 〈◊〉 Judgment than that of those Persons reâ—aining Part of their Possession when they â—rought in the Other Part of it But we â—ead of none made such Examples no nor â—f the least Discouragement offered to any aâ—out their Coming-in to Christianity In the Eighth place This is a Rule that â—â—ts the Conscience so much on the Rack that â—od forbid it should be His. If Truth of â—â—ace be required as necessary to the Ordiâ—ances themselves as well as to the Receiving â—â—e Benefits or to Salvation then how shall â—â—e Admitters act in Faith that cannot know â—hether any have the Truth of Grace or no 〈◊〉 you say He must go by their Profession I â—â—st say again But what if it be Short â—hat if he Believes it not And what shall â—e do mainly about the Baptizing Infants when the Child it self cannot and the Parenâ— does not Make that Profession Here is the Minister at a plain loss and the People aâ—â— at a great deal worse when there is noâ— Christian upon this Account who is in doubt of his Grace can come in Faith according to the Râ—lâ— nor without danger of a Lâ—â— in such a Profession As for the terms of Gâ—â—â— Conventional Government those he Knows 〈◊〉 Yiâ—lds to and it is that indeed gives hiâ— Right to the Ordinances which are the Institutions thereof But when he is in quâ—â—â— about the term of the Covenant of Life oâ— his Right to the Saving Benefits it is not sâ— easie a thing for every good Man to bâ— perswaded in his Mind as he ought in thâ—â— Matter In the Ninth place As for the Covenanâ— which is so much stood upon in regard tâ— the Profession thereof at Baptism understanding by it on God's Part his Grant of Paâ—don and Life upon our Faith and Repentanâ— through the Mediation and Merits of Chriâ—â— Promulgated by the Gospel and Sealed by tâ—â— Sacraments and on Our Part an Acceptâ—â—â— on those Terms which as always our Duty is required at our Entrance in the Church bâ—â— not made the Condition of our Coming as thâ— Reader must see more both before and after I distinguish The Covenant may be considerâ—â— in the Internal and the External Administraâ—ion Consent to the Covenant puts a Man in â—ovenant as the Consent of the Man and Woâ—an makes the Marriage Consent to the Coâ—â—nant in the Inward Administration of the Spiâ—â—t and Grace gives Men Right or puts Men â—â—to Inward Fellowship with Christ and his â—hurch in the Saving Benefits of the Covenant â—onsent to the Covenant in the External Adâ—inistration gives them Right to or puts them â—â—to External Covenant Relation This Conâ—â—â—t I define by the Acknowledgment of the â—rue Religion in opposition to all othâ—r and â—illingness to come in to the Church and joyn 〈◊〉 the Ordinances to the end a Man may â—â—tain Grace if he yet hath it not in the â—â—se of God's Means and purpose to walk as â—her Christians so as not to do any thing â—hereby