profuse c. A man consenting to serve whether in bare words or taking earnest as is most usual or by hand and seal as in the case of apprentices is a servant although he intend with Onesimus to purloyn or take his opportunity to be gone Some thinks it makes for their advantage to say that unregenerate men are unsincere in covenant but that concession utterly destroys them If they be unsincere or as the Psalmist speaks not stedfast in covenant then they are in covenant A propositione secundi adjacentis ad propositionem primi adjacentis valet argumentum If it be true that Catiline is a seditious man then it is true that he is a man that Peribomius is a vicious man then he is a man that Judas is treacherous and perfidious in covenant then he is in covenant A mans conviction that he is an unjust steward or an unfaithful servant doth not conclude him to be no servant or no steward but the contrary And whereas it is said The differences must be taken notice of between humane Covenants and ours with God or else all will be marred Men know not one another hearts and therefore make not laws for hearts nor impose conditions on hearts and therefore if both parties do confesse consent though dissembledly they are both obliged the Covenant is mutual But God offers to consent only on condition that our hearts consent to his terms and therfore if we profess consent do not consent God consenteth not nor is as it were obliged This were somewhat to purpose in case it could be made to appear that Scripture denies all being of a covenant between God and man where the all-seeing eye of God sees not all integrity and sincerity But Scripture-language which is the fasest for us to follow being as we have heard far otherwise there is nothing marr'd in non-observance of any such supposed difference See Psal 78. 34 35 36. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And they remembred that God was their Rock and the High God their Redeemer Neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues 5. There is a real and serious purpose in many unregenerate persons to serve the Lord and to come up to as much as they think he in covenant requires though with Austin they have a great mind to delay and often to put off the thought of their more exact and serious service and too ordinarily think that they keep covenant when they break it having not as yet any right knowledge either of their own hearts or Gods commands and in this posture in which they thus stand before they come up any higher yea though they never come higher they reach unto graces in themselves real true and good and all do the works which God commands There is a common grace which is not saving yet real and so true and good and so true grace as well as special grace which is saving saith Master Baxter Saints everlasting Rest Part. 3. Sect. 6. Which may be a faire answer to that which is objected against me that in my explication of Dogmatical faith I adde by way of exclusion though not affecting the heart to a full choice of Christ where he seems saith my adversary to imply though he expresse it not that the faith that he meaneth doth affect the heart to a choice of Christ which is not full But if so then 1. It is much more then assent or a meer Historical Dogmatical Faith 2. But is the choice which he intimateth real as to the act and suited to the object That is the real choice of such a Christ as is offered and on such termes If so it is justifying faith If not either it is counterfeit as to the act or but nominal as to the object and is indeed no choosing of Christ That which is real and true is neither counterfeit nor meerly nominal so far as they know either Christ or their own hearts they undissembledly choose and take to him as expecting to be happy in him and not in any other object though too often it is upon mis-information and when they come to a right understanding of the termes they are in danger to quit the way in which they might enjoy him It is further said That I think that there may be an undissembled profession which yet may not be of a saving faith But then I conceive saith one it is not an entire profession of the whole essential object of Christian faith viz. of assent and consent In which he doth but cast dust in his Readers eyes in confounding the intirenesse of the object and the integrity of the subject There may be an entire profession of the whole essential object of faith where the will is brought in to make no more full choice or consent then hath been said and the desired integrity of the subject wanting I am told It will be an hard saying to many honest Christians to say that a man not justified may believe every fundamental article and withal truly professe repentance of all his sinnes and to take God for his Sovereign to rule him and his chief good to be enjoyed to his happinesse and to take Christ for his Lord and only Saviour and his Word for his Law and Rule and the Holy Ghost for his guide and Sanctifer and the rest which is essential to Christianity I think it will be nothing hard for any honest Christian to say that a man not justified may believe every fundamental article as to assent and that he may be convinc'd of the necessity of such repentance and accordingly to make profession of it as Johns converts who were not all justifi'd did and were baptiz'd into it or that such an one may freely yeeld that God hath right of Sovereignty and rule and that he is the chief good to be enjoyed for happinesse and that he ought to take Christ for his Lord and Saviour c. and that this may be done truly not only as to reality of assent but as to reality of purpose to make this choice so farre as the man knows his own heart or the minde of God in this work though there be not that integrity to yeeld up himself wholly which yet by the power of Ordinances through the Spirit in Gods time may be done and through grace perfected Lastly God setting up a visible Church upon earth in order to that which is invisible will have those admitted that give assent to Scripture-doctrine and accordingly wake profession And this of it self in fero Dei brings them into covenant-right and visible Church-membership And therefore according to the minde of God and as Apollonius speaks jure Dei in this estate are to be received Though they shall hit or misse of the mercy of the covenant accordingly as by grace they come up to or by sin fall short of the Propositions contained
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-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
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
and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13. 17. These were not to be reviled railed upon but reverenced honoured and obeyed and an Order not in being is not to be thus honoured Sixthly it appeares by the Ordinance of the Lord Jesus for their liveli-hood and subsistence 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. Do ye not know that they which Minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Here we finde three things implied 1. That there was a particular order of men in the time of the Law separated by God for the Ministerial work and designed by his especial appointment for that businesse 2. That there is a proportionable Ordinance of Christ in Gospel-times of select men for that businesse 3. That maintenance by Gods appointment was designed as for one so for both in their respective times and succession Seventhly It is farther cleared by that hand of Providence that hath answerably provided in all ages men for this work in a constant succession No age since the Apostles have wanted them I say not that there was a Ministery in every age in equal purity and lustre yet all ages held up that order and Papacy when the Minstery was laid most low found out those that were faithful to Christ Iesus Some set Providence so high that they make it a rule of life as well as Scriptures Me thinks it may be confest that it gives some light to doubtful Scriptures The analogy of faith being held firme somewhat may be gathered from it To give instance in those Scriptures which seeme to beare witnesse of a glorious call of the Iewes which most receive and some question God so ordering by providence that in the revolution of so many ages they still continue a distinct people separate from others not joyning in their worship but retaining still their own and keeping up the Scriptures of the Old Testament when no such thing can be said of any captivated dispersed people it seemes to speak that they wait for and as it were expect when the vaile may be taken off that they may returne to the Lord. But here providence seconding such clear Texts of Scripture such that leave not a doubt behinde them unlesse men shut their eyes against the Sunne may sure be acknowledged to be an additional demonstration For reasons of the necessity of such an established Ministery to be continued in constituted Churches 1. The Church of God is to continue and have its abode through all ages of the world as long as a world is to continue so long a Church is to continue in which God may have glory by Christ Jesus Ephes 3. 21. and therefore compared to a mountaine as for eminence so for continuance Psalme 125. 1. to an house built by Christ himself on a rock against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Now a Ministery and a Church cannot be separated It is of the integrality if not of the essence of it A Church setled by a Ministery may continue being for some time though in much imperfection without a Ministery but will soon be without being This is confest of all that would hold up a Church in being whether Episcopal Independent or Presbyterial They that would level a Ministery which is the work of many would level all Churches upon earth also They would drive God from off the earth and lay his glory in the dust 2. There must be intercourse between God and his people between earth and heaven in all ages It shall at no time be truly said with those Apostates Ezek. 8. 12. The Lord hath forsaken the earth Now there must be men designed Embassadours appointed to carry on this work As the Priests in the Law were ordained for men in things appertaining to God as Heb. 5. 1. So the Ministers of the Gospel have a parallel institution in succession 1 Cor. 9. 14. God in no age carries it on in an immediate way and manner 3. Take away this Ordinance of a Ministerial function and all spiritual miseries to an utter confused Chaos will presently and necessarily follow First Ignorance all spiritual darknesse and blindnesse As the setting of the Sunne brings darknesse upon the Horizon so the absence of a Ministery brings darknesse upon the Church They are the light of the world Matth. 5. 14. John Baptist was a burning light John 5. 35. Paul was sent to bring a people from darknesse to light as Acts 26. 18. Their Ministery is called a Vision without them men are without light It is the highest of contradictions to cry up light and cry down a Ministerial function Secondly Wickednesse this follows from the former If a man walk in the night he stumbleth saith our Saviour because there is no light in him John 11. 10. An ignorant man cannot be above a wicked man Ephes 4. 18. Alienated from the life of God by reason of their ignorance that is in them As that Prodigal which the wise man brings in complaining that he had not obeyed the voice of his Teachers was almost in all the evil in the midst of the Assembly Prov 5. 12. So they may say that want Teachers Blinde places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty Psal 74. 20. Thirdly Errour Heresie Blasphemy This is evident 1. In Reason Men that want a guide must needs go astray Sheep without a Shepherd cannot long hold their walk The Apostle knew that after his departure ravening wolves would arise not sparing the flock Acts 20 29. What a Wolf is to the flock that a seducer is to the Church These waited the opportunity of the Apostles absence Smite the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered when there is no shepherd in Israel every man does that which is right in his own eyes as when there is no King in Israel 2. By Experience What grosse opinions in worship did the Israelites entertaine in Moses his fourty days absence from them Let us go no further than our selves Since a Ministery in England was blasted and men made it their honour to revile and reproach it how fruitful have we been in those monsters from the lowest step of Semiseparation to the highest pitch of Rantisme which hath occasioned all those attestations to the truth of Christ Jesus against Errours Heresies and Blasphemies of this time from the Ministers of Christ in most parts of this Nation Jesus Christ leaving not himself without witnesse In which we may see lists of them unto trembling amazement But if we cannot see it at home let us heare of it from abroad from the penne of a Protestant Divine making observation of the state of the Church in England gives this sad and
too true report unto the world That England in foure yeares space is become an â—eap and sink of all Errours and Sects No Province from the beginning of the world ever brought forth in so little a space so many monstrous Heresies as this Honor. Reggus Comment de statu Ecclesiae in Anglia pag. 1. Hath Christ any thing that he may enjoy unquestioned among us As he may not have an Embassadour so he must not enjoy a Day or an Ordinance not so much as his Deity among us 3. If neither Reason nor experience will serve to convince us let the Apostle be heard Ephes 4. 11 14. He gave gifts unto men some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and some teachers that we be not as children â—ost to and fro with every winde of Doctrine One end of the Ministery is establishment of Saints against Errours And it is not the least of the cunning sleights of men to throw down a Ministery that errour may be introduced and Heresies planted we must not look to be secure from Seducers longer than a Ministery ballasts us It is objected that in New Testament-times there is a Promise that God will poure out his Spirit on all flesh sonnes and daughters shall prophecy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those dayes will I poure out my Spirit Ioel 2. 28 29 So that now this office is not with limit to some but promiscuously in all First Answ Old Testament-prophecies must be understood according to New Testament-Interpretations Not alwayes as in the letter they may seem to hold things out but as the Spirit of God there unfolds them and as the event to those that live in after-ages in the Church cleares them The rigid adhering to the letter of mystical prophecies hath brought many into dangerous snares This holds the Jews in blindnesse Looking after a Messiah with a temporal rule and power they will receive no other This caused many in Christs time to expect Elijah in person and not to regard John who came in the power and Spirit of Elijah This holds those of the Church of Rome that they see not that Antichrist who opposeth Christ in a mystery but expect one that opposeth Christ openly And let others take heed that it do not deceive them while they look after a personal reigne of Christ upon earth which some mysterious Scriptures seeme to imply when open cleare Texts do manifestly contradict Secondly when in New Testament-times this prophecy was first fulfilled observe what way was taken for the fulfilling of it The Spirit comes in the forme of tongues fiery and cloven and sate upon each of the Apostles and this Peter sayes was that which was foretold by Joel the Prophet Acts 2. 16. There is a singular analogy between Scripture-signes and the thing signified whether ordinary in Sacraments or extraordinary in Visions This shews in what manner and way the Spirit is communicated in all Languages and Nations and that the Spirit is received by the hearing of Faith If Peter may interpret Joel a Ministery is established and not overthrown Thirdly those high expressions there serve only to set out the abundance of knowledge which men by the Ministerial work should reach in Gospel-times what Prophets then saw and those that saw visions and dreamed dreames knew that men of all ranks should see What the Prophets diligently enquired after 1 Pet. 1. 12. they should understand Fourthly I could wish that these men would compare another prophecie of New Testament-times Zach. 13. 2. where the Lord promises to cause the Prophets and the unclean spirits to passe out of the land Prophets there are men of unclean spirits those false spirits that are gone out into the world These shall be brought to a serious conviction and shall be ashamed every one of his Vision of the spirit of the which they use to speak the revelation of which they were wont to boast and shall no longer weare a rough garment to deceive shâ—l relinquish that calling function or practice giving in this reason I am no Prophet man taught me to keep cattel from my youth Because they were bred for husbandry man another way therefore they are not for this function In the case of extraordinary inspiration this indeed holds not Amos pleads Amos 7. 14. I was no Prophet nor a Prophets son but I was an herdman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruit He was thus trained up and therefore lived in this calling in which he was trained till God gave him an extraordinary call and this he pleads The Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me Go prophesie to my people Israel verse 15. Robinson the learnedst Penne I suppose of that party undertaking to defend the liberty of all promiscuously to preach the Gospel and that it is no proper work of a Select Ministery instances in Christ and his Apostles who preacht saith he in the Jewish Church without contradiction And whereas we except against this that they were extraordinarily called and qualified he answers that the exception though true yet is not of force for their argument is not that they preached which their extraordinary call would warrant but that they preached and were not excepted against by the Jewes who did not beleeve any extraordinary immediate call of theirs yet never excepted against them but received them upon the account of private men and therefore it appears that it was their ordinary course that any gifted man might preach without control Ans It is wonder Answ so quick-sighted a man could not see that Christ himself was excepted against by the Jewish Elders and that upon this very point how often we know not but we see it upon record in three several Evangelists that the excepted against him The chief Priests and the Elders of 〈…〉 to him as he was teaching and said by what authority 〈◊〉 thou these things and who gave thee this authority Luke 20. 21. Matth. 21. 23. Mark 11. 7. Their argument runs thus They that preach the Gospel must have their authority for it Thou undertakest this work produce thy authority let us see thy warrant Christ answers not that it was each mans lâ—berty and duty who had gifts as he must have done else he was wanting in his defence of the truth in case their proposition had been false but puts a question in which he clearly holds out his extraordinary call The baptisme of John whence was it from heaven or of men As John Baptized so I preach He baptized not neither do I preach without authority whence we may collect that he that may presume to set up a new Sacrament without farther authority may with the same liberty undertake to be a Gospel-Preacher 2. That Prophecy is objected Object Jerem. 31. 31 32 33. 34. This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house
in the same latitude as Beleever and is the most common appellation in the New Testament for all that are separate for God and dedicated to him The distinguishing name for professing Christians as the title of People of God Circumcision was for the people of Israel some do not hear of the word Saint but presently they understand a Saint in glory and will not endure that any man should be a Saint upon earth Others will have none Saints but those that are really such and shall be for heaven They will have no denomination of a Saint from a holy profession But if we look into the Scriptures and may be suffered to speak in that language we shall finde Saint for the most part taken for men upon the earth The psalmist professedly names Saints upon earth Psal 16. 3. And those Saints not often taken for other than a Saint by profession He is a Saint that makes a Christian profession We read of Collections for the Saints 1 Cor. 16. 1. Administration to the Saints Heb. 6. 10. which can reach no higher than visible Professours and can by no means be limited to Elect Regenerate ones When Paul shut up many of the Saints in prison and did much evil against them Acts 26. 10. he knew no other way of distiction then an outward profession and so he explaines himself those of that way Act. 9. 2. We read of Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. 33. and they were taken in to be Church-members assoon as they made profession that is assoon as they ceased to be Jews or Pagans and took them to the way of Christianity As we see in those three thousand Acts 2. The Samaritans The Eunuch Simon Magus assoon as they were taken off from Heathenisme Judaisme for Christianity they had that name of Saints The Epistles wrote to particular visible Churchs are inscribed to Saints among which what some are read both the Epistles to the Corinthians yea what almost all are in some Churches read the Epistle to the Church of Sardis Amesius judged by some to be of the opposite party hath these words It is most probable that there is no particular Church in which the profession of the true faith flourisheth but in the same we may finde some truly Beleevers Medul lib. 1. cap. 32. sect 8. The Apostle tells us of the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. the Doctrine of Faith as is agreed on all hands is there understood All that professe that Doctrine are Saints no other Comment can be put upon it than upon the Apostles words Rom. 3. 1. To the Jews were committed the Oracles of God Saint then is a name of distinction to set out those that take the way not of Jews or Heathens but the way of Christians and Saints are men in covenant For the terme Disciple enough hath been spoken before This argues an interest in the covenant as well as the former of Saints and Beleevers and whole Nations are in capacity to be Disciples Matth. 28. 19. that is to be put into a way of salvation as sometimes the Nation of the Jews was in the fruition of saving Ordinances And the Kingdomes of the earth being made the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christs by a visible profession are Discipled Judas is called a Disciple Matth. 10. 1 4. as well as Simon Magus is called a Beleever Saul breathed out threatnings against the Disciples of the Lord Acts 9. 1. In case you will know who the holy Ghost there means see verse 2. all that Saul could finde of that way He made it not his work to enquire after their Regeneration or inward work of Sanctification we may well think he understood as little of that as Nicodemus It was enough to him that they made such a profession Complaint is made Acts 15. 10. that those that urged the necessity of circumcision put a yoke on the necks of the Disciples which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear and they urged it upon all in visible profession and not upon regenerate ones alone Let that one Text speak for all in what latitude the word Disciple is taken and in how large comprehension it is used John 6. 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him For the last of these termes Christians it stands in the same latitude as the other where we first heare of it we finde it the same with Disciples Acts 11. 26. The Disciples were first called Christians in Antioch And in what acception through all ages it hath past is also manifest All of these imply an interest in the covenant and these are given to unregenerate persons Here that of our Saviour is objected Object Luke 14. 27 33. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple These qualifications are signes of Regeneration and these only that are thus qualified are Disciples of Christ Regenerate men then onely have that honour of Disciples I answer They only do the duty of Disciples they onely are worthy of that title as Christ explaines himself Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me Yet others have the name as we have heard and the outward priviledges in order to bring them to the duty of true Disciples There are Disciples as to the fruition of visible priviledges and those are they that make visible professions There are Disciples for glory and life and those onely are Regenerate ones John 3. 3. Except a man be borne again he cannot see the Kingdome of God Ordinances are granted in a greater latitude than Regeneration All that enjoy the priviledges of Ordinances are Disciples and therefore it is no honour proper to Regenerate persons Secondly as these titles argue a covenant-interest when the parties are yet short of Regeneration so the manifold absurdities that will follow upon this restraint of the covenant alone to Regenerate plainly evince that it is to be taken in a larger extent and that it takes in unregenerate Professours 1. This restriction of the covenant to out shut all non-Regenerate makes an utter confusion between the covenant it selfe and the conditions of it or if that expression do not please the covenant it self and the duties required in it between our entrance into covenant and our observation of it or walking up in faithfulnesse to it All know that a bargaine for a summe of money and the payment of that summe the covenant with a servant for labour and the labour according to this covenant are different things Faithful men that make a bargaine keep it enter covenant and stand to it But the making and keeping the entring and observing are not the same many enter and transgresse covenant for much and performe nothing So it is in the covenants of men and so
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
visible body But this ingraffing of the Gentiles into the Church of God caused disputation and contention in some Acts 11. 2 3. emulation in others Deut. 32 21. Rom 10. 19. Rom. 11. 14. this therefore was into the Church visible Thirdly That priviledge which is not restrained to some few invisible Churches but is the priviledge of all that are contained in it and members of it is not an invisible work upon the heart to a saving change but only an interest in visible priviledges This is evident the invisible work is not in all Matth. 2â— 14. But this here mentioned is the priviledge of the whole body as is cleare in the Text and adversaries are constrained to acknowledge Therefore the ingraffing is only into the visible body That priviledge wherein the Jewes while they were a people of God did transcend the Gentiles when they were no people is the priviledge which these Gentiles have by their ingraffing this is plain verse 17 But it is the priviledge of Ordinances in being visibly related thus to God wherein Jews did then exceed Gentiles as hath been largely shewn Fourthly that Faith from which the Jews actually fell and the Gentiles stood in danger to fall from is not a saving justifying Faith entituling to invisible priviledges but a Faith of profession onely giving a visible title This is plaine unlesse we will maintaine Bertius his Hymenem desertur and assert the Apostasie of the Saints But this Faith whereby the Gentiles are ingraffed is a Faith from which the Jews fell and from which they were in danger to fall v. 20. Fifthly that reconciliation or ingraffing which is opposite to casting out of a visible Church-state is an ingraffing into the Church visible But this reconciliation or ingraffing is opposite to the casting out of a Church state This is plain Matth. 21. 43. It is a casting out of them that bore not fruit and not a casting off invisible branches Sixthly If the state of the Jewes continued from the Apostles time to this day be an exclusion from a visible Church-state so that they are no people of God in name then a visible Church-state is that which they lost and the Gentiles gained This is plaine The state in which they stand being rejected is their state of rejection But their condition since that time is an exclusion out of a visible Church state This needs no proof Therefore a visible Church state is that which the Jews lost and these gained I wish that these arguments to which many more might be added may be taken into consideration and for a close of all seeing it is peremptorily asserted that it is manifestly false that the Christian Gentiles were graffed into the same visible Church with the Jews for then they should have been Circumcised contrary to the determination Acts 15. and that God hath quite taken away the visible Church of the Jews or to that purpose This Error begetting many others I wish that it may be a little better thought upon whether it be the language of the Scriptures I have learnt that as we and they have one and the same God one and the same Faith that is the doctrine of Faith one and the same Covenant eat of one and the same spiritual meat and drink of the same spiritual drink one and the same expected heaven so we are one and the same Church Let us to that end further observe the manifold Metaphors by which the Church ours and theirs is set forth all of them holding forth this Onenesse First That of a Tent which is the habitation of sojourners Gen. 9. 27. God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant Shems Tents must be possest by Japhet and not others built for their habitation The Tents of Shem that is his posterity by Abraham which Japhet that is the Gentiles by a special blessing did possesse is the Church visible as needs no proof Shems Tents and Japhets Tents are one and the same Japhet comes to Shems not Shem to Japhets Secondly That of a Sheep-fold John 10. 16. Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd The Sheep that in present were in the fold viz. Jews and those not yet taken in viz. Gentiles all make up one and the same fold which though some may limit to the Church invisible because Christ gives notes of those that are indeed his sheep but that is no argument at all Christ speaks to those that were disciples only according to profession and gives notes of disciples indeed and it is against all reason that Christ should in discourse point out the invisible Church with the demonstrative This and that to those that were malignant enough in the Church visible namely the Pharisees as appears in the close of the former Chapter And the mention of thieves creeping into it hirelings employed in it doth contradict it The visible Church of the Jews and Gen tiles in which Christ hath true sheep for whom he dies and others that theeues and hirelings do deceive makes up one sheepfold Thirdly By a natural body 1 Cor. 12. 13. Mans body most aptly to this purpose that one new man Eph. 2. 15. is the visibly body compact of both Jew and Gentile Fourthly to adde no more that of a Kingdome Mat. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven The same Kingdome that Jews leave Gentiles enter Matth. 21. 41 43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof That can be no more then the presence of God in Gospel-Ordinances which is without fruit among Jewes all invisible Members bring forth fruit and upon that accout is given to the Gentiles Neither is it of force that which is said against it Then we must be circumcised As though we may not be in the same Kingdom and yet under a new way of Administration Law-givers on earth are sometimes pleased to change their Lawes and so doth the Law-giver of Heaven or if he will limit his instance to Circumcision taking in no other Lawes the same house may have a new doore or porch let our opposites then know that they are in the same visible Kingdom as Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their posterity after the flesh in Israel were and I wish that they may take heed of making divisions in it or separations from it CHAP. L. Arguments from a late hand for ingraffing into the Church invisible and breaking off from it answered Argument 1. FIrst That ingraffing which is Gods act by his sole power is into the invisible Church by Election and giving Faith For graffing into the visible Church is admission into visible Membership which if it be by an outward Ordinance is the easie act
this number they are the heritage of the Lord Psalm 127. 3. and consequently admitted by our Saviour Christ to this priviledge of a blessing The Authour that charges non-sense and gibberish on Paedobaptists in general there tells his Reader that my arguing is as though my wits went on wool-gathering because I was not mindful to put my argument into an explicite sylogistical form but now it is done for his satisfaction blessing is a priviledge of the Israel of God Numb 6. 23. 27. Christ admits infants to a blessing Therefore he admits them to a priviledge of the Israel of God or Church-priviledge It is objected that Christ admits onely a few but it is with a reason that gives admission to others of such is the Kingdome of heaven A great triumph is made of a speech of mine page 91. of my answer where I say we do not think that this blessing was baptising or that these desired or that Christ intended their baptisme onely we affirme that a medium hence may be taken from whence we may inferre the right of infants to baptisme They that are admitted to one Church-priviledg may not be denyed another whereof they are equally capable But infants are here admitted and order taken for their admission to one Church-priviledge of which they are no otherwise capable than of Baptisme so that here is no direct precedent for baptisme in particular but for Church-priviledges of which infants are capable None that are interessed in the Church of Christ which is his Kingdome may be denied an admission to it by Baptisme A ground it is not immediate expresse but by necessary consequence Observation is made Mark this speech if but be adversative then he grants that infants are capable of Church-priviledges not of Baptisme which overthrowes all his dispute But that is left out which would fully explaine my meaning and wholly take off the force of his reply This act of Christ is no direct precedent for Baptisme in particular but of Church-priviledges in general If he can but assume and make good with our Socinian Antibaptists who in the parts where I live begin to triumph over Antipaedobaptists beating them down with their own weapons that Baptisme is no Church-priviledge then I shall confesse that he hath wrested this argument out of my hands and that this text as to this argument falls otherwise it is of force and an undeniable consequence I am now told that if this act of Christs be a direct precept I intended precedent of Church-priviledges in general then it is of Baptisme in particular being a Church-priviledge that which is said of the Genus being true as Logicians say of the species quicquid praedicatur de genere praedicatur de specie Whence it followes he speaks inconsistencies But he should have taken in all my words immediate expresse as well as direct and I think he that speakes of the Genus doth not immediately directly and expresly speak of the species But if it be otherwise and that herein I was mistaken I am here content to retract it and confesse now with help of this new light that there is an expresse immediate direct precedent for infant-Baptisme Concerning the reason given of admission of infants in that proposition of Christs Of such is the Kingdome of heaven We have 1. The subject of such 2. The predicate or attribute is the Kingdome of Heaven The particle such cannot here have reference to their qualification that those that were qualified as these in humility and meeknesse had their interest Sheep and Doves as well as infants are thus qualified They are not proud nor revengeful That which the Disciples took to be an impediment of force to hinder infants and a just ground of rebuke of those that brought them is that which Christ understands in this reproof of the Disciples and admission of their infants But it was their want of growth their littlenesse which the Disciples took to be a just impediment and which occasioned their reproof So that the particle such hath direct reference to the quantity as I may say not to the quality of these infants to their infant-stature or minority not to their meeknesse or humility And so it is referred else-where expressely by our Saviour himself Who so shall receive one such little child Matth. 18. 5. the word is the same here and there it respects littlenesse therefore and not meeknesse The whole Text may be thus fitly parathrased Trouble not our Master with such as these say the Disciples there is no use of their coming they need not his cure and they are not capable of his instruction they have no infirmity to be healed no capacity to be taught It is fit for men of abler parts not for infants to make their addresse to him Let them come saith our Saviour and let not their infant-age exclude them how little soever they are capable of the Kingdome of Heaven For the predicate or attribute the Kingdome of heaven This as is said is meant of the Kingdome of Glory and on this hinge as is further said the answer to the whole Argument turnes The Author therefore assumes his affirmation and saith I determine the Kingdome of Heaven to be meant of the Kingdome of Glory and gives his reasons To encounter with this confident assault of his I shall undertake these three particulars 1. To make it appear that the hinge of the whole hangs not here 2. That in his reasons given are nothing satisfactory to evince that it must be meant of the Kingdome of Glory 3. That in case it were granted him yet it doth not at all advantage the leaâ—e First That all hangs not on this appeares in that our Saviour had said enough in his order for admission of these infants on which we can build our conclusion Those that are admitted to Church-priviledges they are Church-members But infants are admitted by our Saviour Christ to Church-priviledges and therfore are Church-members However Master Tombes can interpret the reason yet he cannot deny Christs order for their admission nor deny that it was a Church-priviledge to which they are admitted To illustrate it by a parallel The Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 11. 10. The woman ought to have power on her head because of the Angels The womans duty is there cleare to be covered in token of subjection though we do not agree what is meant by Angels Whether Angels of Glory or Gods Ministers in the Congregations that are called Angels of Churches our duty is as plain to give infants admittance as Church-members though the reason annext remaines controverted Whether Gods Kingdome on Earth or the Kingdome in Glory be here meant by the Kingdome of Heaven Secondly For his Reasons which though I should yield the cause is already gained there is not force in them 1. Saith he The Kingdome of God must be understood Mark 10. 14. as it is vers 15. and Luke 18. 16. as vers 17. and Matth. 19. 14. as it is in
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