into 2. Grounds Examined Enervated II. Putting too great a restraint on the New Covenant 1. Limitting it alone to the Regenerate 1. To which something is spoke 1. By way of concession that sundry Divines seeme to speak to that purpose 2. By way of Avoidance from their owne words 2. Contrary asserted 1. In Old Testament-times 1. By confession of the advesarie 2. By Scripture-testimony 36 2. In New Testament times 1. by New Testament Scriptures Mat. 28. 19 Mat. 22. 24 Heb. 10. 29 1 Pet. 2. 9 37 2. By Arguments of sundry sorts ch 38 3. Objections answered ch 39 4. Corollaries drawn 1. Professed Beleevers are under a Covenant of Grace and not a Covenant of Works chap. 40 2. Interest in a Church-state is of equall atiude with the Covenāt c. 41 3. Such Covenant-interest is sufficient to give accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches chap. 42 4. Dogmatical Faith entitles to Baptisme chap. 43 5. Impenitence and unbelief in professed Christians is a breach of Covenant chap. 44 Five Positions concerning particular Churches 1. Where nothing is wanting to the being of a Church yet much may be wanting for the wel-ordering 2. A people in a vicinity ought to associate themselves 3. Professing Christians upon tender ought to be received 4. Reformation of abuses is the work of Christians rather than separation 7. Rules concerning separation 5. Together Churches out of Churches unwarrantable 2. Terminating it onely in the person actually entring excluding the issue in which 1. Question stated as to Abrahams natural issue Chap. 45 2. Arguments concluding the natural issue of Abraham to be in Covenant Chap. 46 3. New-Testament Testimonies evincing it Ibid. 4. Objections from Rom. 9. 6 7 8. answered Chap. 47 5. The extent of it to the issue of Beleevers in New-Testament times 1. Asserted Chap 48 2 Proved 1. By Scripture testimonies Rom. 11. 16. Chap. 49. 50 1 Cor. 7. 14. Chap. 51 Galat. 4. 29 Chap. 52. Matth. 19. 14. Marke 10 14 Luke 18. 16. Chap. 53 2. By several arguments Chap. 54. 6. Corollary for Infant-Eaptisme Chap. 55 1. By Arguments asserted objections answered 2. The reality of connexion between the Covenant and the Seal vindicated Chap 56 3. Sin of Sacriledge upon the repulse charged Ch. 57 4. The title of all infants of professing parents asserted Chap. 58 7. Practical uses concerning parent and issue inserred Ch 60 1. All possible engagements to holinesse of life Ibid. 2. Parents must see that their childrens breeding answer their birth 3. There is great danger in opposing Gods Covenant-people 4. Consolation from this Birth-priviledge 1. In reference to Nations 2. In reference to single persons 1. Themselves 2. Their posterity The Analytical Table being chiefly intended for and suited to learned capacities the vulgar Reader may here see the whole of the following Treatise as it is digested into Chapters and these easily found by the pages opposite to them Chap. 1. AN Introduction into the whole page 1 Chap. 2. The Covenant of God entred with mankinde distinguished page 8 Chap. 3. A Covenant between God and fallen man in the proper nature of it asserted page 10 Chap. 4. The Covenant of grace is between God and man and not between God and Christ page 13 Chap. 5. The Outward and not the Inward Covenant is a Covenant properly so called page 19 Chap. 6. Six positions tending to clear the thing in question page 24 Chap. 7. The Covenant of Grace calls for conditions from man page 33 Chap. 8. A grand Objection against this Doctrine answered page 36 Chap. 9. Further Objectious against the former Doctrine answered page 48 Chap. 10. God in the dayes of the Gospel keeps up the power and authority of his Law The obligation of it is still inforce to bind the consciences of Beleevers page 53 Chap. 11. The Moral Law is a perfect rule of righteousnesse page 62 Chap. 12. The Moral Law bindes as it was delivered by the hand of Moses page 73 Chap. 13. God entring a Covenant of Grace with his people keeps up his Soveraignty in exercise of Discipline in the correction and chastisement of his people for sinne page 77 Chap. 14. 〈…〉 between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 86 Chap. 15. Differences between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 87 Chap. 16. A further difference between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 91 Chap. 17. Works incumbent upon the Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace page 93 Chap. 18. Further differences between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 99 Chap. 19. Objections against the former Doctrine answered page 113 Chap. 20. Further differences in the conditions in the Covenant of Works and the conditions in the Covenant of Grace page 115 Chap. 21. Faith is a condition of the Covenant of Grace page 118 Chap. 22. Objections against the conditionality of Faith answered page 130 Chap. 23. Repentance is a condition of the Covenant of Grace page 136 Chap. 24. Objections against the conditionality of repentance answered page 144 Chap. 25. What degree of obedience the Covenant of Grace calls for from Christians page 148 Chap. 26. The necessity of a Ministry to bring men into Covenant with God and to bring them up to the termes of it page 160 Chap. 27. Schooles and Nurseries of learning in order to a gifted Ministry necessary page 173 Chap. 28. An orderly way of admission of men into the Ministerial function necessary page 180 Chap. 29. Ministers of Christ must bring their people up to the termes of the Covenant pressing the necessity of faith and repentance page 188 Chap. 30. A people in Covenant must come up to the termes of the Covenant being engaged to God they must answer their engagements page 190 Chap. 31. The distribution of the Covenant of Grace into the Old and New Covenant with the harmony and agreement that is found between them page 202 Chap. 32. Differences assigned between the Old and New Covenant page 205 Chap. 33. Positions tending to clear the first Covenant under Old Testament-dispensations page 210 Chap. 34. The Old Covenant was not made up of meer carnal promises but contained New Govenant-promises that were spiritual and saving page 219 Chap. 35. The Old Covenant was a pure Gospel Covenant and not mixt page 224 Chap. 36. The Covenant of Grace admits Christians in Gospel-times in a state of unregeneration and is not limited in the bounds of it to the elect regenerate page 231 Chap. 37. New Testament-Scriptures asserting the latitude of the Covenant of Grace in Gospel times page 235 Chap. 38. Arguments evincing the Covenant of Grace in Gospel-times in that latitude as before is asserted page 248 Chap. 39. Objections against this latitude of the Covenant answered page 257 Chap. 40. Professed beleevers are under a Covenant of Grace and not a Covenant of Works page 262 Chap. 41. Interest in a Church-state is of equal latitude
with the Covenant page 267 Chap. 42. A man in Covenant with God and recieved into the universal Church visible needs no more to give him accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches page 270 Chap. 43. A dogmatical faith entitles to Baptisme page 289 Chap. 44. Impenitence and unbelief in professed Christians is a breach of Covenant page 294 Chap. 45. The question stated concerning the birth-priviledge of the issue of beleevers page 295 Chap. 46. Arguments concluding the natural issue of Abraham Isaac and Jacob to be taken into Covenant page 301 Chap. 47. Rom. Chap. 9. Verse 6 7 8 vindicated page 309 Chap. 48. The Covenant in New Testament times takes in parents with their children page 316 Chap. 49. Rom. 11. 16. vindicated page 323 Chap. 50. Arguments from a late hand for ingraffing into the Church invisible and breaking off from it answered page 330 Chap. 51. 1 Corinth 7. 14. vindicated page 349 Chap. 52. Galat. 4. 29. vindicated page 366 Chap. 53. Mat. 19. 14 Mark 10. 14. Luke 18. 16. vindicated page 393 Chap. 54. Reasons evincing the birth-priviledge and covenant-holinesse of Believers and their issue page 401 Chap. 55. A Corollary for Infant-Baptisme Infant-baptisme by arguments asserted page 410 Chap. 56. The reality of connexion between the Cavenant and initial seal asserted page 422 Chap. 57. The with-holding Infants of Christian parents from baptisme is the sin of Sacriledge page 437 Chap. 58. The children of all that are Christians in profession are by vertue of Covenant-interest to be recieved into the Church by baptisme page 448 Chap. 59. A defence of the former Doctrine respective to the latitude of Infant-Baptisme 468 page 458 Chap. 60. The application of the whole in several inferences page 478 A TREATISE OF THE Covenant OF WORKS AND OF THE Covenant OF GRACE CHAP. I. An Introduction into the whole I Shall not make it my businesse for an Introduction into this Work to enquire after the derivation of the word Etymologies are known to be no definitions The denomination being usually given from some adjuncts variable according to times places and not from any thing that is of the essence of that which is enquired after in which those are highest in Criticismes in giving their judgements of them can yet ordinarily go no higher then conjecture The common acception of the word in Scripture is that which will give the greatest light in finding out the nature of Scripture covenants which as most other words is variously used Sometimes is used Properly implying a covenant in deed and truth strictly so called and containing all the requisites of a Covenant in it Sometimes Tropically for that which contains some parts and adjuncts of a covenant and so carries some resemblance to and stands in some affinity with it This Tropical figurative and the native proper sense must be carefully distinguished and may by no meanes be confounded by those that will understand the true nature of a covenant and avoid those manifold mistakes into which some upon this a lone account have been carried The figurative acceptions of the word are diverse sometimes the homage required or duty covenanted for is called a covenant by way of Synechdoche seeing a covenant between a Superiour and Inferiour doth comprize it so Jerem. 34. 13. I made a Covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt which Covenant is no other then the Law that he gave them Exod. 21. 2. Sometimes the promise annext is called by the name of a covenant by a like Synechdoche Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 9. 11. Sometimes the Seal is called by the name of a Covenant by way of Metonymy of the adjunct serving to ratifie and confirme a covenant Gen. 17. 10. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-childe among you shall be circumcised Sometimes Christ the Mediatour of the covenant is called by a like figure the covenant Isa 42. 6 7. I will give thee for a covenant of the people and light unto the Gentiles Sometimes the Lord Christs undertaking to work the graces covenanted for in the hearts of his people in the way of his power exerted in the conversion of sinners is called by the name of a covenant Jerem. 31. 33. This is the covenant that I will make with the whole house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts of which more in its own place Sometimes a covenant is taken for that peace which usually followes upon covenants Job 5. 23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Hos 2. 18. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bowe and the sword and the battel out of the earth and will make them to lie down safely When yet neither a Law nor a Promise nor Seal annext nor yet the Mediatour or any undertaking of his can be a covenant properly so called A Law from God with a Promise annext assented to by man is a covenant and when a Seal is added there is a condescension to our weaknesse for the more abundant ratification and confirmation of Gods stability in his Promises In our enquiry after such covenants which God in his gracious condescension is pleased to enter with man the general nature of a covenant must be held every species must partake of its Genus We must not make Gods covenant with man so farre to differ from covenants between man and man as to make it no covenant at all we must also observe that which differences it from covenants meerly humane that covenants divine and humane be not confounded together In order to which we must know that in every covenant properly so called these requisites must concur First it must not be of one alone but at least of two parties one can make no bargain or agreement Secondly there must be a mutual consent of these parties When Nahash the Ammonite offered to make a Covenant with Israel on condition that he might thrust out all their right eyes 1 Sam. 11. 2. the Israelites refusing and running the hazard of a fight rather then undergo it here was no covenant Thirdly each party must engage themselves one to another for performance of somewhat covenanted for whether debt duty or promise When Abraham agreed with the Hittites for a burial place for foure hundred Shekels Gen. 23. 15 16. There was a covenant properly so called having apparently in it all requisites of a covenant So also in
duty they ought are a congregational Church A Pastour ought to watch over his people and a people ought to attend to their Pastour which how it can be when the Pastour makes his residence at Ephesus the people some at Ephesus some at Corinth some at Philippi and so scattered it cannot be imagined We finde seven several Epistles written from heaven to seven several Churches all which had their abode at the place whence the Church bore its name these are Scripture-Churches Now if any one Church be made up of Christians some inhabiting at one of those places some at another a third at a third place scarce three of one Town no more than of one minde here is not Scripture-order which is of God but an Apocryphal confusion Exceptions may be taken at the over-large extent and disordered situation of divers Parochial Congregations which calls for Reformation coming too near the inconvenience before mentioned but Parochial Assemblies not the name but the thing viz. a people inhabiting at convenient distance and joyning together under Officers according to Scripture is the way that comes up both to the light of reason and the Presidents of primitive times Our dissenting Brethren will have the limit of a particular Church to be within that number of persons that may congregate in one place for Ordinances if this be yielded as it must be for Churches meerly Congregational then it will easily be proved that Parish-congregations that is congregations of men dwelling in a vicinity are of divine institution Saints that made up a Church were still Saints in cohabitation such convenient numbers as are fit to make up a Church did not live divided in place and scattered some here some there but were as in faith so in habitation joyned together Thirdly all professing Christians in such cohabitation especially the civil power authorizing are to be esteemed and judged members and not to be refused when they offer themselves as members where there is a holinesse of separation for God and a professed engagement to real holinesse there is no Scripture-warrant for repulse Those that offer themselves to learn are taken into the School and not those only that have made a good progresse in knowledge and fit for the uppermost forme Me thinks this should be a Proposition agreed upon between us and our dissenting brethren seeing reverend Master Cotton laying down certain Propositions consented to on both sides in his Treatise of the holinesse of Church-members page 1. saith That such as are borne of Christian Parents and baptized in their Infancy into the fellowship of the Church are initiated members of the same Church though desâ—itute of spiritual grace until they justly deprive themselves of the priviledge of that fellowship For even of such is the Kingdome of God as Mar. 10. 14. This was the case as we conceive of those that have gone from us into those parts of America Here they were in infancy baptized here they have joyned in Communion at the Lords Table If they say they were not baptized here into such Church-fellowship then they must say that here is no Church of God amongst us which as we abhorre to speak or think of them so we must not yield concerning our selves and farther conclude their baptism here a meer nullity and no more than an application of a little common water They whose baptisme is valid are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and therefore in a baptized estate cannot be out of fellowship with that body The late Confession of Faith agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines not excepted against in that particular by our brethren that I know define baptisme to be a Sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ not only for the admission of the party baptized into the visible Church but c. Admission into Church-membership they then lay down as a thing never doubted which reverend Master Cotton seems to affirm likewise and I know no Orthodox Writer that questions Assoon as any were discipled through the Acts of the Apostles according to Christs commission Mat. 28. 19. they were thus received I have often marvelled what men mean when they speak of admission of members into Churches when the parties of whom they speak have already equal right with themselves to membership Have they any other or better right than title to the covenant and admission by the seal of baptism if they have let them produce it and then submit it to Scripture-trial I know none other that will abide the teste If they confesse baptism to be an admission then their title is as good that were thus before admitted as theirs that give them admission Their plea in both is one viz. birth of Christian parents and baptism For those that they passe by either forbearing to give them admittance desiring or that through scruple cannot joyne themselves not seeing warrant for such a way varying from the way of all the Churches of the Saints heretofore what do they judge of them Do they look upon them as men without and unworthy of their Communion Then they leave them without hope without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. yea they put them into an incapacity according to Gods ordinary way of salvation Acts 2. 47. All were not saved that were added nor saved in the judgement of charity that is a comment as strange as new but all were added and none refused that would enter themselves into salvation-way which they might do out of affection of novelty at that time possest with amazement by reason of the miracles under great present convictions through Peters powerful Scripture-applications and upon twenty other accounts which might be but fits flashings or present workings yet all that were to be saved were added All the maids that were brought to Ahashuerus and offered for purification Esther 2. 3 4. Were not made Queens but none was made Queen that was not thus offered and purified If it be said they are within as many passages from several hands would seem to imply as well concerning such that are refused as those that do refuse the modesty of many is such that they are loth to unchurch all but themselves then they are heires of the same promise with themselves and all the essentials of a Church of God are with those that in this way of Communion are none of theirs and consequently their covenant or separate way is not of necessity to Church-constitution whether it be at all according to Scripture-pattern rests farther to be enquired and debated Fourthly men by Providence seated among those that are thus in Covenant by a visible Profession and joyning in Ordinances as before must much rather make it their businesse to reform and redresse abuses that are found in the respective Societies on which they are cast than by any means withdraw and separate from them We finde frequent advice in Scripture of considering one another provoking to love and to good works Hebrews 10.
it p. 272 Baptisme into particular Church-societies examined p. 461 See Infants Infant-Baptisme Beleevers Vnregenerate persons have the name and outward priviledges of Beleevers p. 249 Berith In the most proper sense signifies a Covenant p. 37 Birth-priviledge Birth-interest in Ancestours-priviledges is of the nature of the things that descend from Parent to Childe p. 401 402 It is so in civil Priviledges in all Kingdomes States Corporations ibid. Vpon this account Protestants are taken up by Jesuites and the Orthodox by Anabaptists in their words p. 403 Birth-interest in Ancestours-priviledges is held up in all other Religions p. 405 God ownes Infants borne in the Church upon account of their birth as his children his servants ibid. Birth-interest being denied parent and childe are heterogeneal p. 406 Children then brought up not in Covenant but for Covenant ibid. According to Scripture-grounds no hope left of their salvation p. 407 Branch What with the Apostle it signifies Rom. 11. 16. p. 325 Branches of two sorts Natural and engraffed ibid. See Root C Canaan GIven to Abrahams natural issue by Promise p. 301 That gift was an appendant to the Covenant p. 303 The promise of it did not denominate the Covenant mixt p. 226 Carnal See Covenant Camero's Assertion of an animal life in Paradise p. 100 His distinction of an absolute and conditional Covenant of the Antecedent and consequent love of God p. 46 47 Children Acts 2. 39. Comprizes Infants p. 322 Not the same with sons and daughters of the Nation vers 17. p. 319 See Promise Christ Is the Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace a fulnesse and fitnesse in him for that work p. 92 A Covenant made of God with him p. 14 This Covenant not the same with the Covenant of Grace made with man ibid. In the assumption of mans nature he did not change the law of nature p. 57 Whole Christ is to be received by Beleevers p. 190 Justification strictly so called seemes to be the fruit of Christs passive righteousnesse p. 123 His active and passive obedience both concurre to mans full happinesse ibid. See Mediatour Christians Vnregenerate persons have the name and outward priviledges of Christians p. 252 Church The distinction into visible and invisible asserted and explained p. 267 See Engraffing Church visible Distinguished into universal and particular p. 269 Universal visible Asserted p. 267 c. It consists of all that make profession of Christian Religion p. 268 Interest in it is of equal latitude with the Covenant p. 267 Church particular A man by Covenant with God interessed in the universal Church visible needs nothing farther for his accesse and interest in particular Churches p. 270 Cohabitation makes not up a Church congregational p. 273 Yet it is necessarily required ibid. A people cohabiting in a vicinity ough to associate in Church-fellowship for Ordinances ibid. Professing Christians in such cohabitation are to be esteemed particular Church-members p. 274 Church-Covenant Explicite or implicite p. 459 Covenant explicite not essential to the relation of a particular Church-member p. 460 Without any Scripture-precedent p. 272 460 Where all is enjoyed for the being of a particular Church much may be wanting for the well-being p. 273 Church pure impure When to be judged pure p. 277 Impure Churches have yet the being of Churches ibid Rome a Church of most impure being ibid. That which especially denominates a Church pure or impure is doctrine p. 278 Doctrines tending to the defilement of Churches are tainted either in the foundation or superstruction ibid. See Errors Parochial Churches Vindicated p. 274 See Place Circumcision A seale of spiritual mercies p. 227 Both a priviledge and a bondage p. 208 Called by the name of Covenant p. 423 It was bottomed on the commandement p. 297 Which command had relation to the Covenant ibid. It was peculiar to Abrahams natural issue p. 301. Cohabitation See Church particular Commands Frequent and full under Moses his administration p. 213 See Law Consent In man of necessity to his being in Covenant with God p. 3. Consequence From Scripture justified p. 416 Conditions Covenant What a Covenant-condition is p. 35 Conditions of the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace on Gods part seem to be the same p. 99 Conditions in the Covenant of Works Were in mans power p. 102 103 Kept man within himself for righteousnesse p. 115 116 Their end was mans preservation 117 Conditions in the Covenant of Grace Covenant of Grace hath it's conditions p. 33 34 Arguments asserting it p. 34 c. Objections answered p. 36 c. These conditions are not performed without special assistance of Grace p. 104 Arguments for special assistance in this work p. 104 105 Objections answered p. 113 c. These conditions carry a man out of himself for righteousnesse p. 116 They are for mans restitution p. 117 A people thus in Covenant must come up to the termes and conditions of the Covenant p. 190 c. No happinesse or assurance but in performance of these conditions p. 195 Objections answered p. 199 Covenant in general Figurative acceptions of the Word p. 2 Requisites in a Covenant p. 3 Mutual contracts of the nature of it p. 38 Distinguished p. 4 Defined p. 5 Covenant between God and Man Reasons why God dealt in a Covenant-way with man p. 6 7 Covenant between God and man defined p. 8 Definition asserted p. 37 38 This Covenant distinguished into Covenant of Works Covenant of Grace p. 8 Covenant of Works and Grace Their agreement p. 86 Their respective differences p. 87 c. Covenant of Works Was entered in mans integrity ibid. Was alone for his preservation p. 88 Did precede the Covenant of Grace ibid. Was a small time in force p. 90 Had no Mediatour p. 91 Covenant of God with Christ Not the same with the Covenant of Grace entered with fallen man p. 14 15 Covenant of Grace Defined p. 159 Distinguished into the Old and New or first and second p. 202 Hath it's solemnities in the highest way p. 5 12 Was entered in mans fallen estate p. 87 Is for mans restitution p. 88 Is in time after the Covenant of Works ibid. Is of everlasting continuance p. 90 Is in and by a Mediatour p. 91 God in this Covenant so manifests his free grace that he still keeps up his Sovereignty p. 53 Old and New or first and second Covenant Their agreement in 6. particul p. 202 c. They are one in substance p. 204 Old Covenant Was administred and held forth by Servants Prophets Priests c. p. 205 It received only the Jewes ibid. It had its date of time and is antiquated for another to succeed p. 206 It was dedicated with the blood of Bulls and Goats ibid. It held forth Christ only in a promise to be incarnate to suffer p. 207 It held all out under types figures and shadowes ibid. Vnder that dispensation knowledge dim those under it in a state of darknesse comparativè to Christians p.
terrenae foelicitatis Promissio terrâ—na erat annexa carnali Circumcissioni hac sola ad vetus Testamentum pertinebat contrarium asserere quod facit Calvinus nihil est aliud quam ex lege Evangelium facere omnia confundere Bellar lib. 2. de esâ—ec Sac. Cap. 17. The several interests for which the assignation of this difference serves 1. To decry all Old Testament-Scriptures 2. To take all Infants out of Covenant 3. To keep Infants from Baptisme Testimonies evincing the spirituality of Old Testâ—ment-promises Imperium Turcicum quantum quantum est mica est quam pater familias projicit canibus That expression of a mixt Covenant under which the Fathers are supposed to live untoward 〈…〉 quodam sensu fuisse eâ—iam 〈…〉 promissiones remissionis peecâ—â—m ac vita â—ternae ad nos pertinere Circumcision was a Seal of spiritual mercies of the same that Baptisme sealeth a Plurima sunt ejusdem testimonia exquibus constat persuasum olim fuisse Christianis non fuisse admodum diversan circumcisionis rationem Baptismi Cur bodie mutatum quidem in Papistarum gratiam â—â—idem ad arbitrium Jesunarum Sol. A third supposed difference between the Old and New Covenant All of Israel were in Covenant in Old Testament-times Some Divines seem to put too great a restraint upon the Covenant in New Testament â—im â— Distinctions holding forth the meaning of these Divines in these expressions Esse in foedere dicitur dupliciter vel quoad jus foederis vel quoad foederis beneficia Est in foedere vel qui obtinet beneficia foederis quae sunt remissio peccatorum adoptio regeneratio salus vel qui tantum habet jus vel symbolum foederis externum ut socius foederis non alienus censeatur New Testament-Scriptures holding out the Covenant of Grace in its full and just latitude Matth. 28. 19 The literal grammatical sense of the words vindicated Confirmed by the relation that this more enlarged Commission hath to that which was restrained to Israel onely By Old Testament-prophecies By the happy successe that in many Nation hath followed upon it 2. Mat. 22. 14. Mat. 20. 16 3. Those several Parables Mat. 13. 24 25 Mat. 13. 47. Mat. 3. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 20. 4. Heb. 10. 29 A threefold interpretation of the Text. * Erat sanctificatio apostatarum non interna sed externa professione fidei et participatione Sacramentorum externa consistens Erant sanctificati hoc est à Judais Paganus professione segregati pro veris Christianis habiti 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Arguments carrying this Text to the Church as visible 1. Titles given to men in covenant and in Scripture applied to unregenerate men prove it Unregenerate persons as to the name and outward priviledges are Beleevers Unregenerate persons as to the name and outward priviledges are Saints Unregenerate persons as to the name and outward priviledges are Disciples Unregenerate persons as to the name and outward priviledges are Christians Sol. The absurdities that follow upon the restriction of the Covenant to the Elect Regenerate do evince it First Corollary 2. Corollary Ubi foedus ibi ecclesia a Debuit Bellarminus probare in Ecclesia Caâ—holica quae est corpus Châ—isti esse tam malos quà m bonos tam reprobos quà m electos Hoc ut probaret affert hanc parabolam de area inqua triticum palea est At per aream hoc in loco non Catholica sed particularis quae que ecclesia intelligitur in qua nos fatemur tam malos quà m bonos esse plerunque plures malos quà m bonos b Sensus parabolae manifestus est sic in Ecclesia evenire solere cùm Evangelium praedicatur ut cùm verriculum in mare projicitur ad pisces capiendos Primò non omnes pisces qui sunt in mori capiuntur Secundò non omnes boni sunt qui capiuntur sed multi inutiles Tertiò non separantur mali pisces à bonis donec verriculum ad terram extractum fuerit Sic in Ecclesia cum Evangelium praedicatur non omnes homines accedunt non omnes qui accedunt sunt boni non separantur boni à malis ante finem mundi Falsum esse internas virtutes requiri à nobis ut aliquis sit in ecclesia quoad visibilem ejus statum 2. Coroll a Competentes non sunt admittendi in ecclesiam quia competunt sine ulteriore satisfactione b Phariseos baptismum petentes ad baptismum indignos nonadmisit inquit Paraeus c Baptismum petierunt inquit Aretius at baptizatos fuisse nullo modo videtur judicare Positions concerning particular visible Churches where nothing is wanting to the being of a Church yet much more may be required for the well ordering and regulating of it A people in a vicinity or neighbourhood ought to associate according to their best convenience for participation of Ordinances Professing Christians upon tender of themselves ought to be esteemed members in the places where they inhabit Reformation of abuses in Churches is much rather the work of Christians in Churches than separation from Churches A Church is pure where the pollutions and taints are not soule Foully polluted and defaced it is a Church reâ—ains a being though polluted and erroneous Purity or impurity in doctrine especially gives Churches dâ—nâ—mination Errours in doctrine are either in the foundatiâ—u or superstâ—uction Errours have their estimate accordingly as they rise up against Christ and obscure his glory Separation in some cases necessary Corruption in conversation hardly admit of separation Aut de fatuis virgiuibus es aut de orâ—dentibus si de â—atuis Conâ—regatio tibi necessaria est si de prudentibus tu congregationi Corruption in discipline hardly admits of separation a Scelestus igitur blasphemus eorum error est qui sic ab hac ecclesia desiciunt quasi Christus hinc proâ—sus exularet nec ulla spes salutis manentibus esse posset Cogitent hîc Christum convivantem cum suis An puâ—bit eos illic discuâ—â—bere ubi vident Christum non pudere An illo sanctores mundiores erâ—â—t Sed quare se non coâ—vincunt suo ipsorum usuâ— Non possunt iâ—ficiari quin pâ—iùt in Christum crediderint quâ—m fecerunt nobis divortium unde haec illi fides Annon expraedicatione in nostra ecclesia Nuâ—quid autem praedicare quis potest nisi mittatur Rom. 10. 13 Quid â—â—go verbum propter labem â—liquam externae vocationis tam pervesè râ—â—puunt cujus vim divinam in â—orâ—ibus senti 〈◊〉 Quamobrem redite ad unitatem ecclesiae quae vos genuit aluis si fugiatis hunc Christum quì cum electis in nostris coetibus coenat ac eos vicissim excipit profecto nusquam invenietis To gather Churches out of Churches to make up one Congregation out of many is unwarrantable Sol. 3. Corollary Arguments evincing the title of men professing faith to
confesse is more disputable then either of the former before spoken to In those we had to deale with Antinomians on the one hand Papists Arminians Socinians on the other hand with some few others that are pleased in those points alone to strike in with Arminians and Socinians and in other things to oppose them But in this Papists agree not among themselves but one is against another neither is there that agreement amongst Protestant Writers that might be desired which must not be concealed some are for the affirmative and some for the negative and some seem to stand in a neutral indifferency Bellarmine among the Papists is for the affirmative lib. 4. de justificatione cap. 6. and takes up Soto for the contrary tenent who affirmes as he quotes him that Christians are not only delivered from the Ceremonial Law and the guilt and terror of the moral Law but from the whole Law as written in the books of Moses with this caution as he reports him that we are to keep the Law of Moses as it is natural and as it is in the Gospel and in the Epistles of the Apostles but not as it was written by Moses for Moses saith he could not binde us but it is Christ that bindes us for we are Christians and not Jews Soto hath Suarez and Medina as Master Burges observes with him and among the Protestants Zanchius de redemptione lib. 1. cap. 12. and Musculus in his common places go the same way affirming that the Moral Lawes which go under the name of the decalogue as they were delivered by Moses to the Israelites do not concerne Christians but as they are agreeable to the Law of nature and confirmed by Christ Paraeus as is observed by Rivet in his Explication of the Decalogue page 11. giving in his judgement of the differing opinions of Bellarmine and Soto affirms that the opinion of Bellarmine is most safe to be followed Rivet himself in the place quoted takes it to be a strife of words and the difference to be inconsiderable and in case the authority be granted there seemes indeed lesse danger though the Minister be waved The Antinomian as others have observed is by both parties opposed Some may think that the Law thus gaines in its authority in as much as Christ is of much more excellency then Moses when the Master of the Vineyard saw his servant neglected he said They will reverence my Sonne Mat. 21. 37. But if the servant be once despised and set so light by as we read from some hands Away with stammering Moses it may be feared that the Sonne will not long remaine in honour when servants fared so ill we finde that the Sonne had little better entertainment And in my thoughts there is scarce a readier way then this to strip us of the whole of the Law of God Keeping up to their own principles they can look on no more of the Law as binding Christians then that which is held out to us in New Testament-Scriptures If this be granted we must have a New Testament Text for every Moral duty yet to gratifie adversaries in this particular we may safely yeeld that the Law concernes not Christians as it was delivered by Moses only to the Israelites and so Zanchy's Position keeping strictly to the termes may happily be defended The Moral Laws as delivered by Moses to the Israelites do not appertain to Christians so neither doth Lukes Gospel or the history of the Acts as from him to Theophilus nor yet any of Pauls Epistles as from him to any particular Church or to Timothy Titus or Philemon But looking on Moses as employed of God with his Church with which he was in the Wildernesse Acts 7. 38. and upon his writings as a depositum left with the Church they are of equal concernment to us as they were to the Jews if we be as the Church of the Jewes was a Church of God This to me is plaine not only by those Texts of Moses quoted in New Testament-Scriptures as we heard before but quoted also as from Moses The Apostle pleading for Ministers maintenance saith For it is written in the Law of Moses 1 Cor. 9. 9. How were this argument of force if Moses his writings were not of use That of Peter is convincing 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy This was written by Moses Lev. 11. 44. Lev. 19. 2. Lev. 20. 7. and why should we be engaged to holinesse eo nomine because Moses writ it and gave it in charge in case Moses his writings do not binde Christians This also to me is plaine in reason Christ was King then as now his Church is the same now as then we and they make up one Kingdome Matth. 8. 11. The Lawes of Christ therefore unlesse they appear to be repealed are now in force as in former times There is not a temporal Obligation saith Master Burges Vindiciae Legis page 162. laid upon a perpetual duty The duties are confessed to be perpetual why should Moses then deliver them to be only of temporal permanency Neither is there any thing brought by Soto or any other hand to evince the contrary In the close of the words already quoted he sayes Mose-could not binde us but Christ for we are not Jews but Christians To this we say He could not binde us authoritatively but ministerially and because Christ bindes therefore Moses bindes seeing Moses was a servant in that house where Christ was a Sonne Christ was King of his Church in Moses his dayes Israel tempted Christ in disobeying Moses 1 Cor. 10. 9. He commanded for Christ when he gave command to the Israelites and these commands are of concernment unto Christians who are their fellow subjects The Arguments produced by Soto are satisfyingly answered by Bellarmine Soto saith that the Preface of the law leads to the Israelites onely I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage But it was the Jews and not Christians that were in Egypt This is false as one of these Jesuites truly answers the other we were in Egypt as well as the Nation of the Jews They were our fathers and we their children 1 Cor. 10. 1. It was once indeed otherwise with us being branches of the wilde Olive But the natural branches being cut off we are grafted into their stead that mercy of deliverance from Egypt being a Church-mercy is our mercy He further objects that of Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets were until John and is answered that that is understood of the Law prophecying by figures and not instructing in manners which is further explained Matth. 11. 13. For all the Prophets and the Law prophecyed until John that is all the prophesies of the Messiah to come whether delivered in words by the Prophets or by signes
the Sonne of God and do despite unto the Spirit of grace but unto Christ himself Christ was sanctified they say with this blood This indeed clearly takes this Text out of their hands that would from thence inferre the Apostasie of sanctified that is regenerate persons And if this hold it as little serves our purpose Here is Christ in covenant but no reprobate or wicked person in covenant But this reference of the words and the interpretation which is grounded on it hath I suppose come into the thoughts of few Interpreters and it seemes to be very much strained the scope of the place being for aggravation of their sinne that set themselves against the Sonne of God and the holy Spirit The common interpretation which is obvious and clearly held out in the Text fully vindicates it from any favour shew'd to the doctrine of Apostasie of the Saints and fully confirmes the point in hand There is a sanctification by separation for God and dedication to him as there is by inhesion and infusion Master Dixon on the words having so fully spoke my thoughts I had rather expresse my selfe in his words than my own putting the Question How the reprobate can be said to be sanctified by the blood of the covenant answers There is a sanctification to the purifying of the flesh and a sanctification to the purifying of the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb 9. 13 14. The sanctification external to the purifying of the flesh consisteth in the mans separation from the world and dedication unto Gods service by calling and Covenant common to all the members of the visible Church and it is forcible thus farre as to bring a man into credit and estimation as a Saint before men and unto the common priviledges of the Church whereupon as men so God also speaketh unto him and of him as one of his people and dealeth with him in his external dispensation as with one of his own people In this sense all the Congregation of Israel and every one of them is called holy yea Core also and his followers Num. 16. 3. The sanctification internall by renovation consisteth in a mans separation from the state of nature to the state of grace from his old conditions to be a new creature indeed by this latter sort a reprobate cannot be called sanctified but by the former he may be called sanctified and that by vertue of the blood of the covenant albeit he should not get any farther good thereby for as the blood of Christ hath vertue to cleanse the conscience and â—â—nue the soul which cometh unto it truely and spiritually so it must have force to do that which is lesse that is purifie the flesh and external condition of the man who cometh unto it outwardly only as the types did under the Law whereupon an hypocrite in the Christian Church must be accounted one of the congregation of the Saints as well as an hypocrite under the Law was so called because Christs blood cannot be inferiour to the Types which were of this force to sanctifie men to the purifying of the flesh Or we may say more shortly There is a sanctification by consecration when any thing is devoted or dedicated unto God and a sanctification by inhabitation of the holy Spirit 2 Cor. 6. 17. 18. Of the former sort the Censeres of Corah Dathan and Abiram are called holy and the reason is given Because they offered them before the Lord therefore they are hallowed Num. 16. 38. And in this sedse all the members of the visible Church even such as afterwards do prove Apostates are sanctified because they offered and offer themselves unto the Lord. But the inhabitation of the holy Spirit is proper onely to the elect and Gods children To the same purpose Paraeus on the words The sanctification of Apostates was not internal saith he but external consisting in the profession of Faith and participation of the Sacraments They were sanctified that is separate from the Jews and Pagans in profession and accounted for true Christians In the same sense as men are ordinarily called Saints as after we shall hear so those that are turned Apostates were sanctified by the blood of the covenant and therefore were men in covenant Neither can all the noise that hath been made about that Text 1 Pet. 2. 9. adversaries take it off but that it speaks fully to hold up a covenant in this latitude and from thence I thus argue If those phrases a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people be applied to Christians as to Jewes in an equal latitude to one as to other then it must needs follow that there is a covenant in Gospel-times in like latitude as in the time of the Law including all that accept the termes of the covenant and visibly appeare as the people of God and is not restrained onely to the Elect regenerate The consequence is evident seeing the termes plainly imply a covenant Here is a covnant-people or no where But these termes a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People are applied to Christians as well as to Jewes to one in as great a latitude as to the other That which God speaks to Israel in the wildernesse that Peter speaks to the Church to which he writes All Israelites in Moses dayes all Christians professing in Peters time had those titles when only those that kept covenant were at any time worthy of them and had the comforts of them Here 't is objected that this Text is meant of the Church as it is invisible and so it follows not that it is spoken by the Apostle in that latitude as it was by Moses to the Israelites but in as great a difference as the Church visible stands from the Church as it is invisible but I would wish that it might be taken into more serious consideration First whether the first Verse of this second Chapter be meant only of invisible members Whether the Apostle perswades Regenerate men and only Regenerate men to lay aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and evil speakings Secondly whether the third verse be to be thus limited whether the Apostle makes doubt in that manner whether invisible members had tasted that the Lord is gracious and yet the words in both those verses must needs be understood of the same men and under the same notion as these ver 9. The Apostle brings his speech to no full period till ver 11. Those that must lay aside all malice guile c. and those of whom he makes question whether they had tasted that the Lord were gracious are this chosen Generation this royal Priest-hood Thirdly let us more seriously consider the Apostles farther enlargement of this honour of these Christians Which in times past were not a people of God words borrowed from Hos 1. 10. Hos 2. 23 and spoken of the call of the ten revolted Tribes and in
faith that they must receive them giving this reason for God hath received them Rom. 14. 1 3. we may apply to those that make profession of the faith being able to make application of his reason God takes them into communion unto visible fellowship we are not then to reject them Is the necessary qualification of a member of the visible Church universal one thing and the necessary of a member of this or that particular congregation another and may one be fit to be a member of the universal visible Church and yet not qualified to be a member of a particular congregation saith Master Wood Append. p. 169 170. If I should enlarge this to heathens brought to a profession of the faith and argue their right to baptisme upon profession and by baptisme their right to Church-fellowship in any visible Church-society I should finde the Scriptures abundantly to favour it Of so many thousands myriads of thousands of converts Acts 21. 20. which were added to the Church and received by baptisme baptized the same day for a great part sometimes as appears the very houre of their conversion there is not one that we reade refused but all received yea not a scruple raised save of one only as I remember which was Saul when he offered himself into Church-fellowship and that not upon this account that we are now upon but good Ananias fearing that he came not to joyne with them but to seise upon them knowing that at that time he had authority from the chief Priests to binde all that call on Christs name Acts 9. 14. If the competentes as they were stiled in the primitive times viz. men that offered themselves for Church-fellowship had then entred at so strait a door as now in some places they are put to passe where a glib tongue is in a farre fairer way to take than an upright heart we should have heard of no small bustle about it When we finde murmurings of Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration Acts 6. 1. we should sure have heard of it had they been neglected in Church-fellowship and communion But when no such thing can be found in the practice of the Church after the Holy Ghost was given which is called by way of eminence the Kingdom of Christ or the Kingdom of Heaven yet they think they finde exceptions taken and some refused by the forerunner of Christ John Baptist One laying down this Proposition That men seeking admission into the Church are not to be received without farther satisfaction gives instance in no other but John Baptist and saith The Baptist did not admit all that sought it unto baptism and proves it from no Text either of Matthew or Luke which give us the narrative but by the authority of Pareus The Pharisees saith he did seek baptisme but John did not admit them being unworthy to whom he adds Aretius who sayes They sought baptisme but he seems to think saith our Authour that they were not by any means baptized But how eminent soever their authorities are their reasons are very weak The Baptist reproved them called them to repentance and therefore did not baptize them when the text seems to speak the contrary For as soon as his reproof with his exhortation is ended there follows I indeed baptize you with water verse 11. And it seems by Saint Luke that those Pharisees and Lawyers that were not baptized of John were not refused but did refuse Luke 7. 30. But the Lawyers and Pharisees rejected the Councel of God against themselves being not baptized of him When the same learned Authour cannot instance any precedent or produce any Scripture-Ordinance for it he endeavours by arguments drawn from the forme of a particular Church the way of reformation of Churches the relation of inferiority and superiority among those that are free and such like reasons to evince it To which but that I will not here make it my businesse an easie answer might be given it is more than strange that when the Apostles had by Commission from Christ planted Churches and were to leave them to be propagated in future Ages and knowing a covenant to be essential to the constitution as now by some is asserted would yet wholly be silent in it especially when no such thing was known in Old Testament-Scriptures that we might gather it by analogy and through all Ages till this last Age had lien hid and never discovered and leave us by our reason to discover it In which we are in danger to set our threshold by Gods threshold of which he so sadly complains Ezek. 43. 8. or rather justle out his threshold with ours denying baptisme to be any door for admission at which the primitive Saints entred and setting up a covenant of which Scripture speaks nothing and Master John Goodwin was sometimes as confident as confidence could make him that it had no ground in the holy Scriptures But to leave heathens haply called by Gospel Ordinances to speak a word or two to our own case who are a discipled Nation a Kingdom subjugated to the yoke of Christ Jesus enjoying saving Ordinances and therefore have a Church of Christ fixt among us Here we might lay down divers positions for the regulating of our judgements First where nothing is wanting to the being of a Church God having a people owning him in covenant yet much more may be required for the well ordering and regulating of it where a people accept of a King and receive his Lawes there he hath a Kingdom and is a Monarch yet much more is required for the ordering of such a Monarchy for the publick weale and safety so it is where there is a Church of God accepting the Lawes of heaven there the Lord Christ reigns as a Monarch yet farther care must be used for the right regulating of it according to his Will and the Lawes tendred by him and received by them Secondly a people in a vicinity or neighbourhood dwelling together ought to associate themselves and joyne with those of that neighbourhood according to their best convenience for the participation of Ordinances As it is against all dictates of reason that a people scattered at a great distance should combine themselves in a Church-way for Ordinances in which God rules so it is as clear against the Scriptures You read of a Church of God at Ephesus at Corinth at Philippi at Thessalonica at Laodicea But you reade not of any one Church made up of members residing at all those places or in any places at like distance That cohabitation or dwelling together makes not up a Church congregational will be easily granted Infidels Turks Pagans may cohabit they may make an idol-idol-church but not a Church of God but co-habitation or dwelling together is one ingredient Saints cohabiting that is in New Testament-language men separate for God not Jewes nor Infidels but Christians and joyning in Ordinances as in
of their plagues Rev. 18. 4. and therefore to depart and be gone when their truths could not be enjoyed but their guilt through sinne contracted and it is onely their sinne that we relinquish It is their Schisme in that or any other Church that obtrude these Heterogeneal things and not theirs that do refuse them 6. Corruptions in conversation scarce admit of separation provided that doctrine be such in which men may have communion for edification If we look upon the people of Israel through the revolution of all times after they were a visible body come out from Abrahams loines we may finde high titles given them of singular glory by reason of priviledges which they enjoyed by their call into Church-fellowship children of God holy people Gods peculiar ones his portion his heritage The apple of his eye Deut. 14. 1 2. and 32. 9. Zach 2. 8. and abundant the like Elogies in sundry other texts of Scripture A people near unto God Psal 148. 14. the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service and the promises did appertaine to them Rom. 9. 4. Therefore Prophets and righteous persons kept their residence among them held communion with them and saw no ground of separation from them the words of eternal life being with them as Christ testifies in his speech to the Samaritan woman John 4. 22. when in the meane time their qualifications were as low as their titles high their conversation no way answering their calling but branded to be stiffe-necked of an iron sinew adulterous a sinful Nation a people foolish and unwise as Sodom and Gomorrah to the Lord Deut 9. 6. Isa 48. 4. Ezek. 16 32. Isa 1. 4. Deut. 32. 6. Isa 1. 10. It is a great contradiction with some men to name men at all Saints beleevers professours when their lives evidence an unsuitablenesse to such a glory yet we know the Churches to whom Epistles are directed in Scriptures are so honoured as we may see in their frontispieces and among them the choicest and most upright-hearted had converse and communion when yet they did wrong defraud contended aud disputed for Idol pollutions and defilements prophaned the Lords Table were fornicators unclean lascivious luke-warm having onely a name to live when they were dead 1 Cor. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 20. 2 Cor. 12. 20. Rev. 3. 16. Rev. 3. 1. So that Calvin on 1 Cor. 1. 2. puts a question how Paul could give the name of a Church to them If we would know what the Prophets and Apostles held concerning lawfulnesse of communion in such Churches we may enquire what was their practice They did not leave them but made it their businesse by all ways in their power to reclaim them to work a change and conversion among them The advice that was sometimes given to a maid that for religions sake would retire her self to a solitary life if she were bad she needed the City to better her if good the City needed her may be given to these persons either they stand in need of the Church or the necessities of the Church call for their help and assistance 7. The same that I have said of corruption in conversation I may affirme of neglects in discipline Reverend Master Cotton judges that the many notorious scandalous Persons that were found in the Church of Israel did argue the neglect of Church-discipline in the toleration of such publick scandals in the Church Holinesse of Church-members pag. 21. And yet none of the Prophets or men of God who could not be ignorant of the Churches duty and their sinne in such neglects ever made attempt of setting up purer select Churches nor made separation from that which was in this sort as is said faulty All was not right in exercise of discipline in the Churches planted by the Apostles some are censured as foully faulty The Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5 2. The Church of Smyrna Rev 2 14. The Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 20. Neither could the â—hurch of Sardis be free seeing that the greatest part as it appeares were openly bad there being but few that had not defiled their garments Rev. 3. 4. and yet nothing is heard by way of advise for any to make separation nor reproof for their holding up communion nor any one instance of a separatist given Those that for many years together during the Reigne of the three last Princes denyed to come up to a full conformity to this Church had a low opinion of the discipline then exercised of which they have left behinde them large evidences yet how tender were they of the Churches honour to keep Christians in Communion How zealous were they against separation As may appeare in the labours of Master Parker though distasted by him that prefaced before his work of Ecclesiastical Policy Master Paget Master Ball Master Brightman laid us low enough when he did not onely parallel us with luke-warme Laodicea but made that Church the type and us the antitype Our state as we stood at that time by reason of our discipline according to him being rather aimed at by Jesus Christ in his Epistle then the Laodicean State in Asia then existent yet how zealous is he against separation from these Assemblies Having largely set out a double and singular honour in that Church as he stiles it viz Christs entrance into those that open to him and his sweet residence and abode being entred with them he breaks out into these words Therefore their errour is wicked and blasphemous who so forsake the Church as if Christ were altogether banished thence no hope of salvation left for those that do remain Let them think upon Christ as feasting here with his Will they be ashamed to sit down where they see Christ is not ashamed Will they be more holy and pure then he wherfore do they not convince themselves in their own practice they cannot deny but they beleeved in â—hrist before they made a divorce from us whence â—ad they this faith came it not by the preaching in our Church and can any one preach unlesse he be sent Rom. 10 13. Wherefore then do they so perversly nause 〈◊〉 the word upon any pretence of blot in an external calling when they are sensible of its divine power in their hearts Wherefore returne to the unity of the Church which hath begotten and hath nourished you if you flie from Christ 〈◊〉 feasts with his elect in our Congregation entertaining them mutually truly you will finde him no where How doth Reverend Master Cotton in his preface to Master Hildersams work upon the fourth of John whom without honour I cannot mention set forth his renoune for this work of opposing separation of which he still appeares to be tender though he seeme page 13. of his Treatise of holinesse of Church-members to be over indulgent to it Speaking in excuse of those that withdraw from communion
them John Baptist in that place doth not deny them which also now they had in visible possession All sorts of men fare better by priviledge of birth in civil things Prov. 19. 14. House and riches are the inheritance of fathers The Jews fared better respective to Religious things Rom. 3. 1. VVhat advantage then hath the Jew or what profit is there of Circumcision Much every way Priviledge of Ordinances in the Church of God is a Birth-inheritance CHAP. XLVIII The Covenant in New Testament-times takes in parents with their children BUt in case all this be yeelded in Old Testament-times that the Covenant entred was in this latitude that the whole of Abrahams seed were taken with him into Covenant and that then it ran in a race by carnal descent yet it is otherwise at least in New Testament-times No childe fares now the better respective to any visible Church-interest for the Faith or Religion of their Ancestours And here is a fourth difference between the first and second the Old and New Covenant according to some The first Covenant was entred in that latitude to take in Children with their parents Posterity with their Ancestours according to the Charter so long infisted upon But in New Testament-times the Covenant reaches no farther then the person that actually enters He covenants for himself his seed have no more or farther interest then the seed of Heathens and Pagans When I first published my Birth-priviledge I here expected opposition and did look that some would appeare to put this limit to the Covenant in New Testament-times but for the state of the Church under the first covenant I thought I should not have found an opposite and therefore was lesse mindful of the confirmation of it which I hope is now done to the Readers full satisfaction As to those that plead such a change of things in New Testament-times we might interrogate them in sundry particulars First when God by free Charter did once vouchsafe such a grant to his people how it can be made appear that it was ever reversed or any such limit put to it when the Church of God hath held it in see from Abraham to this present hour they may well look that they should produce some plaine word from God revoking his grant that challenge them for usurpation It is true that Gods Sovereignty is such that he may contract his grace at pleasure As he may wholly strike a people out of covenant so he may put what termes he pleases to it but such that affirme it should make it appear in which hitherto they have been silent They that will eject us out of so long a possession had need to make their plea firm for our eviction Secondly we might demand the reasons why the Covenant should run in so narrow a limit now being vouchsafed in so great a latitude then being once made of God as with men of yeares so with little ones Deut. 29. Why should little ones be now excluded and onely men of growth admitted when it is granted on all hands that God continues a people to himself how comes it to passe that he admits them on such new termes That his favours are now thus shortened that as a lease for terme of life differs from a fee-simple for inheritance so the Covenant in New Testament-times differs from the Covenant vouchsafed of God to our fathers Where the absurdity lies that Baptisme should be administred to those that do not actually beleeve when yet Circumcision was administred to infants in as great an incapacity Thirdly we might demand how they can avoid that great scandall that must needs by this meanes be given to the beleeving Jewes who waved the old way of the administration of the covenant and embraced the new to have their infants upon this new admission struck out of Covenant A man that should be seized on an inheritance for ever will hardly be brought to quit that tenure and accept with limit for terme of life God was their God and the God of their seed Gen. 17. 7. They did bring forth children to God Ezek. 16. 20. Now they bring forth children without God They have a seed but no holy seed a world replenished but not a Church or people to God continued The savage Indians in a married condition have this priviledge that their issue are not bastards and this is all that can be claimed by Christians Fourthly we might demand if so great a change were made and held in the Apostolique Primitive times how it comes to passe that there was such silence no man moving a question about it The pomp of worship and observation of places formerly in use was laid aside in Gospel-times but this we hear of and the reason of it John 4. 22. The initiating Sacrament of Circumcision had a period put to it of this we hear and many complaints about it Psalteries Harps Organs Cymbals and such instruments of musick in use in the time of the Law were laid aside in Gospel-times and not known in the westerne Churches till after Thomas Aquinas his dayes As this was done so it was not past in silence but spoken of as elsewhere I have shewn and given reasons of it by Justin Martyr or at least one that beares his name Chrysostome Isidore Thomas Aquinas When none of these changes can passe but observation is made it is more then strange that so great a change as this in the termes of the Covenant between God and his people can be so carried on without any observation at all or one word once moved about it or spoken in it See Master Baxters Treatise of Infants Church-membership proving that Infants were sometimes Church-members page 26 27. that there is no repeale of this grant vouchsafed of God p. 27 28. Waiting for some faire answer to the former demands I shall proceed to those texts of Scripture where the Covenant in New Testament-times is held out in this latitude to beleevers and their seed comprizing their parents in the same priviledge of Covenant and participation of promise First let us look into those words of Peter delivered in his first Sermon after the receiving of the holy Ghost the first place in which the Covenant of promise and Baptisme the Seale of the Covenant are mentioned to the Jewes with whom the Apostles as yet held communion being not actually rejected out of a visible Church-state Repent and be baptised every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2. 38 39. In which words we may observe 1. An Exhortation as to repentance for the guilt of the blood of Christ of which they stood convinced so also unto Baptisme 2. A Motive stirring them up to embrace baptisme in the
own merit It seems that Proposition of Christs That which is borne of the flesh John 3. 6. will not hold unlesse it must for ever continue flesh and no omnipotence of God shall be able to make it otherwise It is further said and yet it may be certain that the child of two unbeleevers may be federally holy at birth whether it be understood of Election inherent holinesse or outward holinesse if God please to work and declare it To this I onely say let that proposition stand till God by such a miracle confute or contradict it and whensoever he shall thus own such unclean infants as federally holy I shall be silent It is farther said But the issue of them that are not lawfully enjoyned as husband and wife cannot be made legitimate by God because it is contrary to the definition of legitimation which is a state consequent upon birth by the lawful copulation of lawful husband and wife So that the reply is brought to this because God by his omnipotence can make our uncleane ones holy and to make their uncleane ones holy is without the verge of omnipotence therefore his interpretation stands and ours must fall If we should put case in their manner that God should appear in approbation of a mans enjoying a woman out of marriage-society then there were a legitimation of the issue as he did the marriage of the brothers wife Deut. 25. 5. otherwise against the moral Law Levit. 18. 16. Or as some understand it the Prophets taking a wife of whoredoms CHAP. LII Gal. 4. 29. Vindicated THe next Scripture Text to make good the point in hand is Gal. 4. 29. As then he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit even so it is now For the clearing of which I have observed heretofore in the Apostles words there First the History Secondly the Mystery by way of Allegory Thirdly the parallel by the Apostle observed and applied to his own times The History we finde verse 22 23. It is written that Abraham had two sonnes the one by a bond-maide the other by a free-woman but he who was of the bond-woman was born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by promise The Mystery by way of Allegory verse 24 25 26. Which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants the one from the Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is Agar For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Hierusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children But Hierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all The parallel in these words But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit so it is now From whence this argument is drawn If there yet remaine in the bosome of the Church children borne after the flesh as well as those that are borne of the Spirit so that the distinction of births as applied to Abrahams seed still hath place among Christians then there is that priviledge of birth-holinesse still remaining The consequence is plaine Birth of the flesh in the Church gave a Church-interest The Apostles kinsemen after the flesh Rom. 9. 3. were all Church-members That there is is such a birth yet remaining the Text quoted makes cleare Ishmael was in Abrahams family and was by birth of his family and did persecute in the family and was by birth of his family and did persecute in the family as the Apostles shews out of Scriture History Men in the Church borne in the Church by birth-right of the Church do persecute as upon experience he affirms and so makes up the parallel There birth of the flesh is the highest honour they attaine when others have the same with an addition to it this implies two things 1. A birth of nature a childe by lineal descent of such a father 2. Outward prerogatives that accompany such a birth I know and have declared that this is not that which the Apostle here chiefly intends or is about to hold out But this I affirme that he occasionally layes down that which I here have delivered And by this free concession of mine any man in reason might have thought that I had prevented that which is still charged upon that which from this Text I have inferred or rather that which in this Text I have observed one largely shewing that these words in hand are a compound proposition which Logicians call a comparative proposition in which are two parts a Protasis and an Apodosis or rendring wherein that which answers the fore part first held out is expressed now that alwayes notes some agreement correspondence parity or likenesse whether in quantity quality action c. But according to my Apodosis or reddition as is said there is no such answerablenesse or likenesse as hath the shew of a comparison of things equal or alike as this is as the affirmative termes shew for who would conceive any better then non-sense in such a speech as this Even as Ishmael persecuted Isaac so the children of Christian beleevers are visible members in the Christian Church It were all one as to say even as Esau hated Jacob so godly men are heirs of heaven or have accesse to God The absurdity of which with him is so grosse that the man is amazed that I do not see it nor will confesse it Being above his strength to answer that sense which I give of the words he is pleased to take paines to make them up by his glosse into non-sense that so no answer may need But he well knows or might know that I have not to deale with the whole of that Protasis nor the whole of that Apodosis and not at all with the persecution there mentioned but onely with the distinction there let fall which is a distinction of births both in Abrahams family and in the Church in Gospel-times which the Apostle in his Application in those words Then and Now plainly doth demonstrate The truth which the Apostle supposes and takes for granted I have here to speak to and not to that which by way of allegory he infers from it or applies to it and so the list of authours here brought in by my adversary speaking of the persecution of Christians by Jews and Papists may all of them speak truth but none of them all any thing against me who deduce no more from the words but that a distinction of births is there laid down or rather taken for granted which is by the Apostle allegorised but the allegory is not at all within that which I am upon I met with like dealings from the same hand when I did compare 1 Cor 7. 14. with Gal. 2. 15. to make good a title to Covenant-holinesse by birth of nature both with Jew and Gentile I then heard those words of the poet Cerniâ—us an qui amant ipsi sibi somnia fingunt But the evidence of
as above 3. Brings arguments sor the negative which I shall here take into consideration First The infant that is to be baptized if we consider it in it self as abstracted from the parent gives no reason for it selfe why it should be baptized This we willingly yield the infant hath no independent title the right claimed is in relation to the parents and thence I inferre the infants right is somewhat that parents can transmit to their children that gives the title otherwise they might have regeneration from parents as well as Baptisme It is not then inherent graces that we must look after respective to the childes interest but covenant-priviledge covenant-holinesse A second ground is inferred from the former All children then saith he are baptized by vertue of the parent one or both ever considering the childe in relation to the parent being the branch of such a root and so I take in the childe together with the parent Hence we say commonly they must be children borne in the Church that is of such parents as are members of the Church being a society of visible Saints joyned together by way of covenant to exercise an holy communion with God in Christ and so one with another according to the order of the Gospel for I presume none are so sottish to understand a Church to be that place which by a Metonymy of the subject we call a Church nor the Parishes that men live in which never were of Ecolesiastical constitution I am utterly to seek what is meant by that place which by a Metonymy of the subject we call a Church our meeting places seeme to be intended but few children are borne there and the Authonr speaks of a Church where children are borne For the covenant of which he speaks one with another according to the order of the Gospel which he seemes to understand of a Congregational Church constituting covenant and puts into the definition of a Church this should not have been premised but proved His adversaries in this thing know no such explicite covenant If an implicite one will serve then the Parish inhabitants which he sayes were never of Ecclesiastical constitution are all in covenant Men that professe God in Christ and by vertue of conveniency of habitation joyne in one in the worship of God in the use of Ordinances tacitely and implicitely are in covenant together and we take it to be no sottish thing to esteeme these as Churches If this be his meaning to assert onely an implicite covenant where he sayes page 3. This rule warrants any Minister comfortably to administer that Ordinance Here is a parent one or both visibly in covenant with God and a visible member of Christs Church I do therefore administer the seal of the covenant unto this infant by vertue of this parent according to that Command given to Abraham the father of believers with whom when the Lord entered into covenant and laid the foundation of the Church visible in his family he took his seed into covenant with him and commanded that they with him should keep that Seale of his covenant we freely consent and then the question is determined in the affirmative I am sure the Church of the Jewes took in such by circumcision that some would exclude from Baptisme In case he meanes an explicite Church-covenant over and above the covenant of grace as the Jewes had no such way so neither had the Apostles or primitive Christians Those converts Acts 2. did not that first day of their conversion before their Baptisme set up Congregational Churches with officers they dwelt in many remote places at great distance whither they were to returne to their respective families and therefore could not in this way embody themselves in one distinct society for exercise of discipline Assoon as the Eunuch by Philips preaching of a Jewish proselyte is made a Christian Disciple he saith to Philip See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized Acts 8. 36. Had Philip understood a necessity of confederation into a Church-way over and above the covenant of grace before Baptisme he had doubtlesse informed him and as Christ sent the Leper that he had cleansed to shew himselfe to the Priest and offer the gift that Moses had Commanded Matth. 8. 4. so Philip would have observed the Gospel-order appointed and have sent him to some particular constituted visible Church upon his covenant to have been received and not hand over head upon his bare profession that he beleeved that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God baptized him When the Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost Peter said Acts 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we had there been any such rule of a Church-covenant orderly to have preceded he might easily have seen that any man upon that account might have forbidden it Paul had made much more haste as I may say than good speed Acts 16. In baptizing the Jaylour and his houshold in case Jesus had set down an order of a preconfederation into a particular Church-society Master Bartlet in his model of the Congregational way saith that those particular instances which are produced by divers reverend Divines of the Eunuch Centurions Jaylours Baptisme though not belonging to any particular Church against what we have laid down are of little force and validity in regard that which was done to those persons was by the hands of extraordinary officers that were not tied to particular Churches as ordinary Pastours and Teachers were then and still are But these persons whom they thus baptized were not persons in any such extraordinary capacity and they must come in in a Gospel-way This might have priviledged the Leper cleansed by Christ from offering his gift appointed by Moses as well as it could priviledge these new Converts from any covenant-way appointed by Christ and the Eunuch saith What doth hinder me to be baptized without mention of any special priviledge of an officer extraordinary in a way otherwise irregular And the like we may observe in the speech of Peter 2. They should shew us where when and by what authority any ordinary Pastours and Teachers tied themselves to such an order to bring men into a Congregational Church-way and to baptize into such particular Church Congregational and not into the universal Church visible 3. Those of his judgement may do well to give us their thoughts of their own Baptisme They had no independant right all their right was in relation to their parents Their parents were not as we conceive thus in any particular Church federation perhaps they were no fit persons in their judgement for admission neither were they baptized by the hands of extraordinary Officers If their Baptisme was null then they are yet to be baptized if valid they had then title to Baptisme and others in their condition are entitled 4. Then it is in the power of man at
 14. 127.  16. 16 17.  18. 218.  19. 18.  17. 42 48. 4. 29. 366.  30. 424. 5. 3. 149.  6. 137 143.  19 20. 141.  21. 143. 6. 6. 442. Ephesians 1. 18. 166.  19. 105. 2. 1 2. 104 105.  6 12. 94.  8. 113 217.  10. 105 145.  12. 161 208 408.  14. 55. 3. 17. 127 128. 4. 11 12. 162,167 179. 5. 6. 142. 6. 4. 479.  6 7. 157. Philipians 2. 6 14.  12. 144 145.  13. 112 131. 3. 5 6. 116. Colossians 1. 12. 196. 3. 5 6 7 8. 140.  16. 171. Thessalonians 2. 12 13. 120 135. 5. 12 13 164.  11. 171. 2 Thessalonians 2. 15. 419 3. 14. 469. 1 Timothy 1. 22. 185. 3. 6. 185. Chap. Verse Page  10. 185. 4. 8. 135.  13 15. 174.  14. 183.  16. 217. 5. 22. 187. 6. 11. 142.  17 c. 200. 2 Timothy 2. 15. 185.  19. 140  20. 240 268. 4. 8 6. Titus 1. 5. 183.  7 8. 185.  16. 452. 2. 14. 257. 4. 4. 249. Hebrewes 4. 2. 129 135. 6. 1. 137.  18. 7. 8. 13. 268.  12. 48. 9. 16 17. 39.  19 20 21. 206. 10. 1. 207.  4. 93 214 207.  26. 90.  29. 241 c. 12. 5 6 7 79. 13. 17. 164. James 1. 4. 153 154.  25. 218.  26. 109.  27. 22. 2. 8. 57.  21. 125. 1 Peter 2. 9. 243 c. 1. 15 16. 74. 3. 18. 123.  21. 197. 2 Peter 2. 22. 194. 1 John 3. 18 19. 201  21. 292.  21 22. 200.  â—4 198. Revelation 3. 19. 79. 11. 15. 237 18. 4. 259. 21. 3. 258. 22. 12. 147. FINIS Paul's last Farewel OR A SERMON PREACHED At the Funerall of that Godly and Learned Minister of JESUS CHRIST Mr. THOMAS BLAKE By Anthony Burgesse Pastor of the Church at Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire With a Funeral ORATION made at Mr. Blakes death by Samuel Shaw then Schoolmaster of the Free-School at Tamworth LONDON Printed for Abel Roper at the Sun against S. Dunstans Church in Fleet-street 1658. To the Reader READER THat I might satisfie the desire of some worthy Freinds I do here present unto thee a Sermon with very little alteration preached at the Funerall of that Godly and Learned Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Blake now with God Being the rather induced thereunto because I know the memory of his Name will be very gratefull and welcome to such who were acquainted with him How sadly his death was laid to heart the deportment of many at that time did abundantly manifest and Although I cannot speak the same which Nazianzen affirmeth concerning the Funeral solemnities of Basil how that many thousands were there valedictory Sermon we know not whether the matter or the affection in the delivering of it be more admirable It 's milk that cometh hot from the breast excellent matter without hearty affections is like a Messenger without feet and a Bird without wings I shall not make a Sermon upon his Sermon onely in the general by that discourse we have a description of a Pastor and Officer in the Church in Idea and in subjecto In Idea or in the Thesi there the Apostle describeth such by their name and titles they are Overseers and Elders v. 17. from the efficient cause the Holy Ghost hath made them so from the relation they are in The People are their Flock and they are Gods Church And lastly from the dignity and high thoughts put upon them by Christ they were purchased with his own blood shall we think our labor our pains our sweat too much when Christ thought not his blood too much To enter upon the Controversie who these Elders and Overseers were is repugnant to the occasion at this time Then you have this office in subjecto in Hypothesi in the practice of it you have the rule of a Pastor and the example of a Ruler and that is in Paul himself O the zeal watchfulness the diligence the courage the purity of aime and ends which he professeth in his Ministerial discharge not that he speaketh these for ostentation but imitation for he would not have said thus much of himself saith Grotius on the place but that hereby he would leave a patern or form of life to all successors Insomuch that no Minister reading Pauls expressions of himself in this place but may cry out O me a clod of earth to such a Star Ice to such a Fire a worm to such an Angel Though he were a Paul as some think his name denoteth little in stature of his body yet he was a Gyant in Gifts and Graces so that Papists themselves cannot but give the pre-eminence to Paul above Peter in respect of Doctrine and Ministerial abilities He was the earthly Angel the Cor Christi the Tuba Evangelii as the Ancients call him yet I am not of Amyraldus his minde consider in cap. 7. ad Rom. who denying the Interpretation of the seventh of the Romans to be understood personally of Paul thinking this would be injurious to the Grace of God sanctifying of him and making him so eminent a Servant in his Church He affirmeth that if God pleased so to adorn Paul with the gifts of the Spirit that he should in this life arrive at that fulness and perfection of holiness which other Believers obtain no where but in Heaven that thereby he might be propounded as a perfect example to all Christians and his Ministry be more happily efficacious here was not saith he any thing to be blame-worthy But though we grant Paul to have an elder Brothers portion in the Graces and Gifts of Christ so that if no Minister could be saved unless he were a Paul wo be to us all yet that Paul was not above the combate of the flesh and spirit within him appeareth partly in that careful keeping down of his body 1 Cor. 9. 27. lest sin should prevail as also in those buffetings of Satan which he was exercised with that he might not be lifted up above measure 2 Cor. 12. 7. Well however it be the Apostle having both by rule and example as you heard described what a Minister or Pastor is to be we have the consequent of this in my Text When he had thus spoken thus of himself and thus of a Gospel-Minister he kneeled down and prayed There are two actions of the body mentioned in Prayer which denote that excellent deportment that should be at that time in the soul kneeling of the body that denoteth self-humiliation lifting up the hands that implieth faith and confidence Thus descendendo ascenditur how hardly do the people of God keep these two Graces co-operating together but either their Humiliation abateth their Faith or their Faith hindreth their Humiliation both these together are the Calidum and the Humidum which maintain the life of holy Duties he Prayed