letter of the Text then I shall hearken to him in the meane time all indifferent men may well challenge their reason that heed him A second Text holding out the covenant in its ancient latitude we have from our Saviour Christ Matth. 20. 16. and 22. 14. Many are called but few chosen The close of two several Parables The one of the labourers hired into the Vineyard where some claimed a more large pay upon merit The other of the Parable of the Wedding-feast where one intruded without a Wedding garment whence our Saviour inferres Many are called are of the number of guests at the wedding feast are of the labourers in the Vineyard but few are chosen from whence I thus argue If there be a call from God in the times of the New Testament in a farre greater latitude than the grace of Election that of many called few only are elected then the covenant in New Testament-times is not to be restrained to the elect and regenerate but containes all that professedly accept the termes of the covenant and visibly appear a people of God This is evident seeing the call is into covenant all at the Feast were called ones all the hired labourers were covenant-servants To conceive men to be called of God and not to be in covenant with God is a full contradiction The call hath its terminus à quo and its terminus ad quem a state which upon call they leave and a new state on which they enter They are upon this call in a nearer relation to God than the rest of the world otherwise they were the same as ever and not called at all they are not in so neare a relation as men borne of the Spirit so they were elected They have a call by the Word and ministerial outward Ordinances to which they yeeld a professed subjection They have not attained the inward working of the Spirit to a real Sanctification Now for the Assumption that there is a call in New Testament-times in this latitude in a far greater latitude than the grace of Election our Saviour evidently shews in the Text quoted There are those at the feast that are not accepted There are those that are taken into the Vineyard that at the evening of the day do displease there are those therefore that are called into covenant with God and yet are rejected of God a full and a clear Text for covenant-holinesse This is farther evident in those Parables of our Saviour Christ of the field with Wheat and Tares Matth. 13. 24 25. of the draw-net with fishes good and bad Matth. 13. 47. of the floore with chaffe and Wheat Matth. 3. 12. of the great house where there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earth and stone some to honour and some to dishonour 2 Tim. 2. 20. In which parables by the floore the field expressely compared to the Kingdome of Heaven and the great house the Church is understood which stands in covenant-relation to God and containes those that are in covenant with God A man in the Kingdome of Heaven is a man in covenant with God unlesse he stood in a covenant-relation he could have no standing there and the comparison were very strangely drawn if this Kingdome thus set out had all that were good none bad in it But of this more when I shall speake to some Corolaries that follow from this Assertion Another Scripture in which the covenant in the ancient latitude is held out is Rom. 11. thoroughout a great part of the chapter There is as all know a large discourse of the Apostasie of the Jews and the call of the Gentiles of the rejection and breaking off of the one and the taking in and ingraffing of the other which I shall presently have a further occasion to open when I shall speak to another pretended difference between the covenant as it stood then and as it stands now In the meane time this is clear into the same Church-state and covenant-latitude from which the Jews fell Gentiles were taken in and do still continue This cannot be denied we being graffed in their stead come in upon like termes as they left They fell from a visible Church state and that latitude of covenant which did receive regenerate and unregenerate justified and unjustified That covenant-latitude then still remaines in the Churches of the Gentiles in Gospel-times Nothing here that I can see can with any colour be objected unlesse any will say that the invisible Church is there spoken to and not the visible that the Jews fell from the invisible body and that the Gentiles in their call are generally taken in into the same fellowship Which as I think few will affirme so I shall have presently occasion to examine If any shall further say that they have this title in Foro Ecclesiae and not in Foro Dei as to men they have so far right that Ministers may not refuse them or in their administrations deny them admittance but in the sight of God who knows their unregenerate unjustified condition they have no title at all I shall refer them to the whole tenor of that chapter where they shall see this engraffing of theirs ascribed to the power of God that it is done by the election of God and mentioned as his gift and choice mercy to that people All of which speak the mind of God in it and his approbation of it This is farther clear in that Text of the Apostle Heb. 10 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace Where we see those that are sanctified with the blood of the covenant do tread under foot the Son of God and count his blood an unholy thing have an esteeme of it as that which is common and never devoted at all to God These must needs be granted to be wicked ye cannot be denied to be in covenant being sanctified with the blood of the Covenant There is indeed a threefold interpretation of this Text One of the Arminians and those of that party enemies to perseverance in Grace and they understand by sanctification in this place an internal change and renovation of the soul from whence by Apostasie such persons fall They that will embrace this tenent may indeed say that in the state of sanctification they were in covenant but falling from sanctification they fall from covenant But this is not affirmed by those with whom I have to deale and therefore I shall not lanch out into this controversie Two other interpretations are given by those that are adversaries to this way and make it their work to vindicate this text from these mens glosses The first refers sanctification not to those delinquents that tread under foot
21. Christ might indeed have baptized in his own person at pleasure seeing he knew what was in man John 2. 2. He could have distinguished a Beleever from an unbeleever a Saint from an unsanctified man a Christian from him that is no Christian a Disciple from one that is no Disciple taking these titles in the sense of these persons So can no other man It is the Prerogative Royal of God to search the heart If Paul could have discerned false Brethren by a spirit of infallibility he had never been in that danger 2 Cor. 11. 26. But Christ baptized none but left all to his Disciples John 4. 2. And they being thus tied up to baptize none till they be discipled of which according to this Tenent they could be no competent Judges it must needs follow that none at all must be baptized If any say those are to be baptized that in the judgement of charity we judge to be Disciples on whom we have grounds of hope that this work is wrought as I know it is said by many I shall give heed to them when they can shew that Christ hath said it that he hath made known that the inward work is alone the true ground on which this priviledge is granted and charity is our rule in judging of it But I finde Christ giving charge to Disciple Nations and to baptize them But I finde him not giving commission that when in the judgement of charity men have cause to conceive them to be Disciples then to baptize them We finde the Apostles and others in the Primitive-times making that haste to baptize upon profession that they stayed not for observation of those signes that might in a well-grounded charity perswade that they were Regenerate persons And those that fix it here too ordinarily make interests the chief ground to carry their charity to a more favourable construction charity according to the Proverb beginning at home they that are most like to make a party with them or drive on an interest their way will be judged persons meet for Baptisme Of this in a short time we have large experience As for those that gather up Churches and initiate them by Baptisme the way of the Apostles I confesse in case that they would make good that they have to deale with Heathens and therefore a way of more colour than theirs that set up new Churches and retaine the old Baptisme we see what manner of Saints are received among them such that civil persons respective to sobriety chastity or upright dealing with men cannot without staine of their reputation make their companions And congregations of Saints have just cause to say that they have lost none of their gold but much of their filth and drosse by such Saint-separation That I speak the truth and lie not I need not to appeal to my conscience bearing witnesse which alone is satisfaction to my self but to thousands of witnesses which may give satisfaction to others CHAP. XXXIX Objections against this latitude of the Covenant answered IT is here objected that in Old Testament-times God speaks to all in visible profession in that way of compellation as his people as appears in those places that alreadie have been quoted but in New Testament-times we finde not that title in such generality only the Regenerate those that yield ready and loyal subjection to God are honoured with the name of the people of God they therefore onlie are in Covenant The title is restrained peculiarly to them and so also the mercy To this much may be said First if this were granted that this way of compellation or speech of God to man is not found in all the New Testament in this latitude as to take in men of Christian Profession not yet regenerate yet there is little gained seeing as we have found there are termes equivalent Beleevers are the people of God so are Saints Disciples and Christians But those that are yet unregenerate have these titles as we have heard at large and therefore it argues the Covenant to be as large as when that terme was so frequent Secondly it is not often that that phrase is found in New Testament-Scriptures with such restriction only to regenerate persons Tit. 2. 14. is the most pregnant place where it is said that Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquitie and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works But if it be granted that it is sometimes taken for a people separate by grace out of the state of nature it will not follow that it is never taken for a people separate for God by Profession I know that Text Revelation 21. 3. will be urged I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God But this will hardly serve for their purpose There is no small dispute whether this be to be fulfilled on Earth or in Heaven if in Heaven as learned Interpreters contend then it is nothing to our purpose if on Earth then it sets out a singular glory in the Church through Ordinances in purity nothing that offends being suffered yet such a one in which yet there is a mixture of close hypocrites As for those that interpret it of Christs personal reigne upon earth when he in person shall manage all and work nothing by his Agents I leave them to enjoy their own opinion how they shall be qualified on earth that do attend him But if we may make conjecture by a considerable party of those that publish it and receive it we shall have strong cause of doubt that all will not be found regenerate Thirdly I say the expression mentioned of my people or people of God is used more frequently in the New Testament in the Old Testament-latitude than with restriction to the Elect Regenerate That in 2 Cor. 6. 16. with me is plain I will dwell with them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people quoted out of an Old Testament-Scripture Levit. 26. 16. and there it is a National Promise and here to be understood of Gods visible abode in Ordinances as may be made out from the context being tendered to those that were over-busie to meddle with idols from which he disswades with this Argument that they were the Temple of the Lord separate of God for his worship and service and the Promise is no more than is made good to visible Churches Christ walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Revel 2. 1. and some of them witnesse that of Sardis had not all their Members Regenerate persons That of the Apostle Rom. 9. 25. I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved is to be understood no otherwise That of the Prophet of the call of the ten
both those This is proved because our Saviour from their estate inferres a likenesse to them in others for the same estate Apolog p. 150. This Argument what colour soever it carries yet it is not conclusive It may be taken more largely in Christs argumentation and in a more restrained sense in his words of Instruction or Application as in a place much parallel I shall shew 1 Cor. 6. 1 2. There we have the Apostles reproof vers 1. and his reason vers 2. as in the Evangelists we have Christs assertion confirming his reproof ver 14. and his application ver 15. Now Saint in the Apostles reproof is taken more largly than it is taken in his reason A visible Saint is meant in the first place a real and glorified Saint in the second visible Saints may judge in small matters for real Saints in glory shall judge the world shall judge Angels and so it may be here infants have their present title to the visible Kingdome and men qualified as infants shall only enter the Kingdome of Glory His second reason that Christ directs his speech to the Disciples already in the visible Church and therefore speaks not of the Church visible I know not how to make up into a reason If I understood it I would either yield or answer it The third reason that the speech Mark 10. 15 Luke 18. 17. is like Mat. 18. 3 4. but there it is meant of the Kingdome of Glory Ergo so here is answered already If Mark 10. 15. Luke 18. 17. be like Matth. 18 3 4. yet Mark 10. 14. Luke 18. 16. which we have in question is unlike to Matth. 18. 3 4. Thirdly Were it granted him that the Kingdome of Glory must be understood both in Christs reason and application yet he is nothing holpen Infants have right to the Church visible militant because they are in a capacity of entrance into the Church triumphant Acts 2. 47. The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Not necessarily saved but now having entered Covenant with God they were in a capacity and therefore added as visible Church-members Infants standing in this capacity ought to have admission likewise It is said that if this proposition were granted that they have right to the Church visible militant who shall be of the Church triumphant yet this right cannot be claimed but by those who are elect and therefore from these Scriptures so expounded it cannot be proved that any other than elect infants are to be baptized Answ If election or non-election must steere us in admission to Baptisme this were to purpose interposed but when there is nothing that can be objected against them as hindring their salvation it is sufficiently proved that it may not hinder their Baptisme That must not be pleaded against any as a barre to hinder their admission into the Church on earth that will not hinder their admission into the Church in heaven CHAP. LIV. Reasons evincing the Birth-priviledge and Covenant-holinesse of the issue of Beleevers HAving already so largely insisted upon by Scripture proofs that children are in covenant with parents and that priviledges of Ordinances which necessarily imply a covenant do descend to posterity I shall lay down certain grounds some of them making way towards and others necessarily inferring of themselves the conclusion First This is of the nature of those things which descend from Parent to childe from Ancestors to Posterity which is in their power to convey to their issue There are those things indeed which are personally inherent in men and proper to them so that they cannot convey them to their issue there is no deriving of them to others by succession As 1. Individual accidents of the body wounds scarres or comelinesse of feature these are so in the Parent that they are not conveyed to their children 2. Habits or proper gifts whether acquired by pains or infused The son of a learned man inherits not his fathers gifts The son of an Artificer is no such Artist The son of a Prophet hath not by vertue of birth the gift of prophecy nor is the son of a regenerate man endowed with saving grace for that reason There are on the contrary those things that passe from Parent to childe which the Parent by nature or special priviledge hath power to convey As 1. The essential or integral part of a Species with the natural properties that do accompany it so one brute beast brings forth another one brid brings for another and man brings forth one of mankind 2. The priviledges or burdens which in Family or Nation are hereditary they are conveyed from Parents to Posterity from Ancestors to their issue As is the Father so is the child as respecting these particulars This none have questioned and these things in hand being of the same nature it is a faire propable ground of it self if evidence to the contrary from Scripture be not cleare that they are thus still transmitted Secondly It is so in Kingdomes Common-wealths Cities in Corporations Families The son of a Noble man is Noble of a Free-man is Free Acts 22. 28. As the sonne of a bond-man where by the Law of Nations they are bond men is a bond-man likewise Exod. 21. 4. Now we know that in Scripture the Church of God is frequently stiled by these names By the most honourable of them Mat. 8. 11 12. Mat. 21. 43. Ephes 2. 19. Hebrewes 12. 22. Ephesians 3. 15. to let us understand that as Cities Kingdomes Families have their priviledges so the people of God in covenant have theirs â—ikewise But we are told Object You do very carnally imagine the Church of God to be like civil Corporations as if persons were admitted to it by birth whereas in this all is done by free Election of grace and according to Gods appointment nor is God tied or doth tie himself in the erecting and propagating his Church to any such carnal respects as descent from men Christianity is no mans birth-right Protestant Divines are taken up by the Jesuites in the self same way for this very thing A Lapide on 1 Cor. 7. 14. saith Hence Calvin and Beza have drawn their opinion of a birth-righteousnesse and say that the children of Beleevers are holy and saved without Baptisme because on this account that they are Beleevers children they are reputed to be born in the Church within that Divine covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17. 7. As children in the civil Law are accounted free whose parents are either of them free but saith he they are deceived and gives his reason The Church is not a civil Common-wealth but supernatural and there is no man born a Christian but spiritually new borne and is made holy not civilly but really by faith hope and charity infused into the soul So Stapleton on the same words in his Antidotum applying the Spiritual Antidote against Calvins Carnal Poyson saith
this covenant between God and his people which is to be spoken to elsewhere As the being of a covenant is thus plentifully proved by Scripture-testimony so we might as amply prove it by arguments drawn from thence The Churches of Christ are espoused unto Christ Hos 2. 19 20. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you to Christ and Spouses are in covenant with their Bridegroom The Churches of Christ are married to Christ Isa 54. 5. Thy Maker is thine Husband the Lord of hosts is his Name and thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth shall he be called And wives are in covenant with their husbands Their sinnes against God are branded with the names of Adulteries Whoredomes and these are not barely dis-obedience of a Command or neglect of a favour but breaches of covenant The Churches of Christ are servants of Christ Levit. 25. houshold servants Ephes 2. 19. and servants are their Masters by covenant Their sinnes in this relation are not barely obstinacy stubbornness or ingratitude but they are charged with treachery falsehood dealing falsely in covenant and their hearts being not stedfast in covenant It is above me to conceive how man can be a covenant-breaker not alone respective to man but God as he is frequently charged when there hath past no covenant between God and him They may question whether there were ever any such thing as a covenant in the world that deny this to be a covenant in the proper nature of it some objections raised in their due place will be answered CHAP. IV. The Covenant of Grace is between God and man and not between God and Christ. HAving asserted a covenant in the proper nature of it it is necessary before I proceed further on to give differences between this covenant of Works and the covenant of Grace to speak something by way of Explication covenant being taken in so various and ambiguous senses or at least so many senses put upon it which I take to be a misunderstanding of the Scripture-covenant I shall lay down certaine Explicatory Propositions for clearing of the thing in question And the leading on shall be this The Covenant of grace is between God and man between God and those of fallen mankinde that he pleases to take into covenant God and man are the two parties in the covenant It is not made between God and Christ. This is so plain that a man might think there needed no words about it but that there are some that will have man to be no party in it and that it is entred onely with Christ on behalf of those that God hath chosen in Christ to himself To this I shall speak first by way of concession yeelding to them of this opinion these three things that follow 1. That there is such a covenant of which they speak which was entred between God and Christ containing the transactions which passe between the Father and the Sonne the tenor of which covenant we find laid down by the Prophet Esay 53. 10 c. and commented upon by the Apostle Phil. 2. 6. There we see first the work that Christ by covenant was to undergo To make his soul an offering for sinne that is as elsewhere is exprest to give his life a ransome for many and as he covenanted so he did He became obedient to death even the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 8. and that upon account of this covenant entred Christ himself speaking to it and of his work in it saith John 10. 18. This Commandment have I received of my Father Secondly the reward that he was to receive which is laid down by the Prophet in many words 1. He shall see his seed ver 10. As Isaac being received from the dead in a figure saw a seed had an innumerable posterity so the Lord Christ who was received from the dead in truth hath his seed in like manner beleevers innumerable which are called his seed in resemblance to the seed of man 2. He shall prolong his dayes not the dayes of his seed as some would have it making this one with the former and rendring the words videbit semen longaevum being delivered from death he shall live and reign eternally Revel 1. 18. 3. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand he shall irresistibly do whatsoever is the Fathers pleasure to be done in the work of mans salvation 4. He shall see the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied upon this work done he fully enjoys the whole of all his desires 5. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoile with the strong He obtains a perfect victory hath a plenary and full conquest over every adversary 2. We yeeld that the whole of these covenant-transactions between God and Christ was on our behalf Making his soul an offering for sinne he offers it for those that are fallen by iniquity All is as is there said for the justification of many Whatsoeve it is that upon the work done redounds to himself yet the reason of undertaking was for us Vnto us he was borne unto us he was given He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities he was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification He endured the mulct and we reap the benefit 3. We confesse that it is the work of Christ that we enjoy a being in covenant as it is his gift that we enjoy the blessing of Ordinances But when all these are yeelded the truth must be asserted that there is a covenant to which Scripture constantly speaks which is entred of God with man and not with Christ which me thinks with much ease might be made to appear 1. There are frequent testimonies of Gods entry of covenant with his people 1. With the leading persons in the covenant which stand as the root of many thousand branches which are their off-spring in covenant He entred covenant with Abraham Gen. 15. 18. Gen. 17. 2. The like he enters with Isaac Gen. 26. 3. with Jacob Gen. 35. 11. and therefore he is so frequently called the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. And the covenant of God is alike known by the name of the covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 2. He enters covenant with the whole body of the people of Israel Deut. 5. 1 2. Hear O Israel the statutes and judgements which I speak in your ears this day that ye may learn them and keep them and do them The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb the Lord made not this covenant with our fathers but with us even us who are all of us alive
conclude our Assurance of happinesse but the determination of that being thus put is easie No man in true grace shall go to hell or misse of heaven God doth not adorne man with that glory to reject him The Apostle exhorts to love not in word nor in tongue but in deed and in truth and for a motive adds Hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him 1 Joh. 3. 18 19. But the minimum quod sic when it is that grace may be accounted true is not so easie to determine It is not every faintish desire that is the work on which all this glory rests It must be a work of farther power and efficacy on the soul for satisfaction of which I shall referre the Reader to the learned labours of my much honoured neighbour Master Anthony Burgesse in his spiritual refining CHAP. XXXI The distribution of the Covenant of Grace into the Old and New Covenant with the harmony and agreement that is found between them BY Gods assistance we have been thus farre carried on in the work in hand to finde out the nature of a covenant and Gods way of entring covenant with man And for the more clear discovery of both we have held forth the agreement which is found between the covenant of Works which God entred with man in his state of integrity and the covenant of Grace entred of God with man in his fallen condition as also their respective differences So that all that is essential in this covenant and necessarily required to the attainment of the priviledges and mercies promised in it hath been made known and a compleat definition given with such corolaries and inferences that have been judged necessary Now this covenant thus entred with man in his lapsed estate and hitherto cleared admits of distinction and is distinguished in Scripture by the names of the Old and New Covenant Heb. 8. 13. The first and second covenant Heb. 8. 7. The first some call and not unfitly a covenant of Promise under that covenant Christ was known in promises only and not manifested in the flesh Others call it a subservient covenant being to lead in the second in its full lustre and glory which alone they call a covenant of Grace and make it a third covenant But I shall content my self with the Scripture-termes calling the first Old not because it was first in being but because it is to be abolished and another to succeed the later New because it is never to be antiquated as the Apostle Heb. 8. 13. explains himself Now it must needs contribute much to the clear understanding of the covenant as well of the termes of it as the mercies in it and be a great advantage for the better understanding of sundry both Old and New Testament-Scripture in case the agreement between this Old and New covenant together with their true differences be rightly assigned and those imaginary differences assigned by some erroneous on either hand to the great prejudice of either of the covenants be throughly examined A work of difficulty but were it well followed of singular profit On this by the help of Gods grace I shall adventure and in the first place lay down their agreement afterwards their respective true and real differences and then proceed to examination of such differences which some have assigned which I reserve to the last place seeing in the two first I shall be brief The last will be found a businesse full of tedious difficulty and trouble In several things there is a full agreement between these covenants 1. In the Authour propounding God is the Authour of them both God is the God not of the Jews only who were in the first covenant but of the Gentiles also taken through grace into the second covenant Rom. 3. 29. 2. In the party accepting as specifically considered they are both entred with man Neither Angels nor any other creature articles or is articled with in it and hitherto there is an agreement of both with the covenant of works 3. In the motive or impulsive cause Both of these are of singular grace entred with fallen man in his lost condition there was no hint of this grace before the fall nor any need or use of it being not for mans preservation but his restitution 4. In the Mediatour Christ Jesus who was one and the same in both For though Moses have the name of Mediatour Gal. 3 19. Receiving the lively oracles and giving them to the people Acts 17. 38. as the Judges in Israel had the name of Saviours Nehem. 9. 27. and thereupon Camero makes this difference between the Old and the New covenant That Moses was Mediatour in one Christ in the other Thes 68. yet he confesses that that mediation by the benefit whereof men are truly and effectually united to God belongs only unto Christ De trip foedere Thes Moses work was only to deliver the way of the worship of God in those times and that not in his own name but as a servant Heb. 3. 5. He that Moses did serve of whom he wrote Joh. 5. 46. that Prophet like unto Moses whom God promised to raise Deut. 18. 15. in all ages was Mediatour 5. They agree in the conditions annext Both these covenants have one and the same conditions on Gods part Remission of sins and everlasting happinesse as after shall be shewed more fully They are the same on mans part Faith and Repentance The just then did live by faith Heb. 2. 4. And without faith it was then impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins God then called for returne to himself and sincerity in our returnes accepting those that were sincere Ezek. 18. 31. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect before him 2 Chron 26. 9. 6. They agree in the unity of Church-felloship constituting one and the same Church of Christ The Church in those dayes in which the Fathers lived is one and the same Church with this in Gospel-times In Gospel-times men come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 8. 11. One and the same Kingdome receives both Their Faith was terminated upon Christ as well as ours Abraham saw his day and rejoyced John 8. 56. Moses bore his reproach and esteemed it greater then the treasures in Egypt Heb. 11. 26. They did eat the same spiritual meat and did drink the same spiritual drink they drank of the Rock that followed them and the Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 3. The same not among themselves but the same with us They are saved by the same free grace and mercy as we Jews by nature are justified by the same faith in Jesus as
viz. à duplici modo communionis externo interno Vindication page 4. One and the same Church hath members of a visible and invisible notion a more full explanation may there be seen This being premised I affirm that interest in Church-membership in a visible Church-state is theirs and may be claimed by all those that have interest in the covenant before named an external interest or an interest in the external covenant as usually it hath been called This is a sure rule Where the Covenant is there the Church is and in what latitude soever men are taken into covenant they are received into the Church Lawes tendred by a Prince and received by a people whether they be tendred immediately by himself or by his Heraulds or Embassadours make up the relation of King and people A marriage-covenant tendred by a man as by Abrahams servant in the name of Isaac to Rebecca Gen. 24. and accepted by a Virgin makes up the relation of husband and wife covenant-draughts between man and man for service as an apprentice his indentures make up the relation of Master and servant now the Gospel-covenant is all of these between God and a people where God tenders it and a people receive it there God hath his Spouse his Subjects his Servants These are his people and all of these are Church-members The Word preached and received hath ever been assigned by Orthodox Divines as the characteristical note of a Church of God a Church stands and falls with it where it is professedly received there is a Church-interest Let one man apart receive it as was the case of the Eunuch he forthwith becomes a Church-member and is to have as we see he had his present matriculation and to be admitted by baptism a member not of this or that Congregation but of the Church universal visible and upon this account wheresoever he comes is a Saint a Disciple a Christian a Beleever and so to be received and acknowledged This is abundantly confirmed in those parables of our Saviour Christ of the floore where there is both chaffe and wheat Mat. 3. 12. of the field where there is both wheat and tares of 〈◊〉 draught-net where are fishes good and bad Mat. 13. 24 47. As also in that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 20. In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour The Church is this floore this field this draught-net this great house in which there is chaffe tares fish unfit for use and vessels of dishonour to which may be added the parables of the wedding feast in which there is a mixture of some without a wedding garment Mat. 22. of the sheepfold with kids and goats These parables are brought by Bellarmine for proof that the Church doth not consist only of the elect lib 3. de Eccl. Mil. cap. 7 to which Whitaker Controv secundâ quaest primà cap 7. answers by distinction Bellarmine saith he ought to prove that in the Catholick Church which is the body of Christ there are both good and bad reprobate as well as elect and for proof of this saith he he brings the parable of the floore in which there is wheat and chaffe but by the floore in this place is not meant saith he the Catholick Church but each particular Church in which we confesse there are bad as well as good and for the most part more bad than good And though he makes some exceptions against some of the Parables yet he applies the same answer to others Concerning that of the draw-net he saith The sense of the parable is manifest It happens in the Church when the Gospel is preached as in the sea when the draught-net is cast to take fish 1. All the fishes that are in the sea are not enclosed in the net 2. All are not good that are inclosed but some are unfit for use 3. The bad fish are not separate from the good till the net be drawn to land so when the Gospel is preached all men do not come in all are not good that come and the good and bad are not separate till the end of the world And Doctor Reynolds maintaining that position That the holy Catholick Church which we believe is the whole company of Gods elect and chosen saith The wicked must needs be a part of the Church if the name of Church did signifie the visible Church as we call it consisting of the good and bad Amesius who as we heard judges it very probable that there is no visible Church where the Word is truly preached in which there are not some that are godl◠and therefore is farre from concluding the godlinesse of all saith in his Bellar. Enervatus lib. 2. de Eccles cap. 1. It is false that inward graces are required of us to a mans being in the Church as to the visible state of it see Apollonius Syllog pag. 8. Professores Leyden disput 40. pag. 3. If any man judge it to be absurd that Christ should have wicked men who are limbs of Satan to be of his mystical body carnal wicked men to be members of such a gracious and glorious head Christ is the head of his Church say they if such be Church-members then Christ is their head I shall referre them to a full and satisfying answer to Master Hudsons Vindication page 6 7 8. And for those that deny any being of a Church universal visible as Master Blackwood in his Storme page 65. who saith the objector is overtaken in a grosse absurdity to think there is some universal Church visible begun in Abraham into which upon the rejection of the Jewes the believers among the Gentiles and their seed are to be received for besides the invisible Church the body of Christ mystical there are only particular Churches under the Gospel I would learn of them into what particular Church the Eunuch was received and by baptisme actually and solemnly admitted or whether he was still no Church-member but an alien and stranger to the Common-wealth of Israel not added to the Church To what particular Congregation the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists joyned themselves by covenant and to save farther labour leave them to Master Hudsons Vindication of the essence and unity of the Church Catholick visible which will receive a satisfactory answer when the Sun hath no more being in the Heavens CHAP. XLII A man in Covenant with God and received into the universal Church visible needs no more to give him accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches 2ly IT farther followes that a man by vertue of covenant being thus enrighted to membership in the Church universal visible and baptized into this body there needs no farther covenant to give him accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches What the Apostle gives in charge to the Church at Rome concerning those that are weak in the
dwells in us by Faith so we in Christ Ephes 3. 17. 2. All ingraffing is into that which gives sap and juice to the ingraffed as the stock from the root to the syens Now Christ gives sap to the Elect beleeving not the Church and therefore it is not into the Church but into Christ 3. If saving faith ingraffe the branch into the Church invisible then the Church invisible is the proper object of such Faith but the Church is no such object of Faith but Christ 4. That supposed ingraffing into the invisible Church is either known to the body invisible or unwitting if know then it is no invisible They have no light to discerne an invisible work if unknown then there could not be such a dispute about the new ingraffing of Gentiles nor complaint of breaking off of the Jewes all being done by an invisible translation and so the subject of the question is taken away To dispute whether ingraffing into the Church be into the Church-visible or invisible is to dispute whether the Mount of Olives be a Mountaine of Earth or Aire I shall assoon finde a Mountaine of Aire in Geography as this ingraffing into the invisible Church in Divinity And here I tie not any up to the word which I conceive in reference to any Ecclesiastical or Spiritual station is not elsewhere used in Scripture but to the thing All that accesse to the Church from Gentile Nations which is so large fore-prophesied in the Old Testament and Historically related in the Acts of the Apostles was an ingraffing into the Church visible and this ingraffing here mentioned The visible Church did immediately receive these new branches and so the whole body of Jews and Gentiles professedly beleeving Ephes 2. 15. became one new man The visible Church communicates sap and juice which is the fatnesse of the Olive in Ordinances This is known by the Church visible they were sensible of and full of praises for the new addition to this number Argument 4. Fourthly That ingraffing is meant verse 17. whereby the wilde Olive is co-partaker of the root and fatnesse of the Olive-tree as is asserted there But such is only Election and giving of Faith Ergo. The minor I prove by considering who the root is and what the fatness of the Olive-tree is 1. Negatively the root is not every beleeving parent Answ I suppose I may answer for my self that I never said that every beleeving parent is the root I willingly yeeld that every beleeving parent is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the root but I affirm that every beleeving parent is a root I cannot reach this mystery that Abraham can be a root of all the branches in Israel reaching down to the Apostles times no intermediate rootes intervening no more then Adam can be a natural root of mankinde to this time without intermediate fathers of our flesh deriving us from him as Jacob with Rachel and Leah was a root from whom Israel sprang as branches of an Olive so Judah and Tamar Boaz and Ruth were roots likewise They built up the house of Israel Ruth 4. 11 12. The house of Israel was this Olive-tree these several Metaphors expressing the same thing the building of the house and bringing out the branches are one and the same All builders are roots these are builders therefore roots Abraham may be called the builder laying the first foundation so the root from whence every branch was derived yet every particular Beleever that had issue a builder a root Those Israelites that had no holinesse of inhesion but only of relation that were members of the Church visible not invisible were fathers by way of communication of this holinesse 1 Cor. 10. 1. All our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea It is as necessary to have intermediate fathers between us and Abraham as to have intermediate mothers between us and Eue. Eve may as well be the mother of all living and no other mother between us and her as Abraham can be the father of the Faithful and no intermediate father to derive from him and communicate to us But his proof is very well worth the hearing that every beleeving parent is not the root For then all the branches should be natural the childe of every beleeving Parent is a natural branch from his father But here Apostle makes the Gentiles branches and a wild Olive graffed in besides nature and the Jews only natural branches growing from the root verse 21 24. The Apostle makes them wilde onely at their first ingraffing and so was all Terahs race wilde likewise till that change of Faith wrought in Abrahams call and the covenant of God entered with him We now are natural as they were and cannot be called wilde but in our first Original Positively he sayes the root is no other then Abraham that Abraham onely is a holy root or at most Abraham Isaac and Jacob. If this have any face of Argument it runnes thus If Abraham be the root and not every beleeving Parent then the ingraffing is by Election and Faith that justifies The truth is the sequel is undeniable on the contrary If Abraham be the root then the ingraffing is not into the invisible Church which he strangely calls by Election but onely into the visible This Master Blakwood saw and faine would have maintained that Christ is the root for ingraffing into Christ and not into Abraham makes a member of the Church invisible If the ingraffing be by a saving Faith only to derive saving Graces personally inherent as a fruit of Election from Abraham then it must needs be that we are Elect in Abraham Abraham may say Without me ye can do nothing and he that beleeveth in me out of his belly shall flow forth rivers of living water and we may say The life that we live in the flesh we live by faith in the sonne of Terah This must necessarily follow if Abraham be the root not only respective to a conditional Covenant but to the grace under condition covenanted It had been more safe for our Authour with Master Blackwood though in contradiction to himself to have made Christ the root when these consequences must follow To which he answers If I made Abraham a root as communicating Faith by infusion or impetration mediatory as Christ this would follow But I make Abraham a root as he is called the father of all them that beleeve Rom. 4. 11. Not by begetting Faith in them but as an exemplâ—ry cause of beleeving as I gather from the expression verse 12. That he is a father to them that walk in the steps of our father Abraham which he had yet being uncircumcised A root not by communication but example an ingraffing not to have any thing communicated from the root but to imitate it is such a Catacresis as may well make all Rhetorick ashamed of it and if the Sun ever saw a more notable piece of nonâ—sense I am to seek what sense is A