which Faith only can proceed that Confession with the Mouth which is to Salvation That therefore it may be firmly agreed that humane force or violence is not the means ordain'd of God to propagate the Church of Christ But that preaching the Gospel and walking holily in Charity towards all Men are the true and proper means to encrease the Church according to the Will and Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations in that behalf III. Concerning Regeneration and Baptism 1. That as Conversion or Regeneration is necessary to the Christian-state of every Sinner so it may be joyntly held and professed that the Baptism of Repentance for Remission of Sins is an Ordinance of Christ and necessary to the Admission of all Men to the Priviledges of his Church and that the things required of all that are to be baptized are Repentance whereby they forsake Sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the Promises of God made to them in that Sacrament 2. That as it is granted on all hands that Immersion in Water agrees best with the Word baptize and was the primitive way of baptizing so this Ordinance may therein be restored to its purity according to its primitive Institution And that to this end there may be Baptisterions or fit Places to baptize in appointed for the Solemn Performance of this Ordinance IV. Concerning Infants or Little-Children 1. That all Infants of Christians be solemnly devoted to Christ by Prayer and Blessing and that the Ministers of Christ be assistant in this Work not forbidding them this Blessing Mat. 19. 13 14. 2. That every Minister of Christ residing in any Country-Village be obliged in Consideration of convenient maintenance to teach all the Children in his precincts to read the Holy Scriptures and to instruct them in the Principles of the Christian Religion Heb. 6. 1 2. and that they may be baptized when they shall profess Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ And that the like care be used in Cities and great Towns in such manner as may be most convenient 5. Concerning laying on of Hands 1. That the fourth Principle of Christ's Doctrine called Laying on of Hands be restored 〈◊〉 its due use and purity in the Church namely thaâ— when any Converts are Baptised then Prayeâ—â— with the Laying on of Hands be speedily made tâ— God for them that they may receive the Promiâ—â— of the Spirit by Faith and that it may retain iâ— ancient Titles given it by the Holy Ghost viz. Laying on of Hands or a Principle of the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Christ 2. To the end this service of God be not neglecteâ— that it may be allowed that all faithful Overseeâ— of particular Congregations may perforâ— this Service upon the newly Baptised speciallâ— in the absence of such a Minister as has a moâ—â— general charge be he called the Angel or Messenger of the Churches And that care be takeâ— that the Christians who have not known thâ— Principle of Christ's Doctrine be deliberately instructed concerning it before they be made comformable to it 6. Concerning publick Prayers and the manner 〈◊〉 singing the Praises of God in the Churches Anâ— of the removal of such Ceremonies as 〈◊〉 not to Edification 1. Seeing the Prayers contain'd in holy Scripâ—ure and especially the Lords Prayer are sufâ—icient to direct the Man of God in that duty of Prayer in the Church that therefore the Book of Common Prayer be not imposed and that â—t may be in the liberty of the Minister to pray â—n the Church according to the ability which God hath given him that so the Spirit of Prayer as well as the Order of it may be preserâ—ed 2. That it be joyntly agreed that singing the Praises of God in Psalms Hymns and Spiritual â—ongs is a holy Ordinance of God and that â—he order and Spirit of that Duty be restored God assisting according to 1 Cor. 14. and other Rules contain'd in the Holy Scripture And that Musical Instruments bowing to the Altar the â—ign of the Cross the Surplice or any other unneâ—essary Ceremony be prudently removed out of â—he Service of God in all Churches 7. Concerning Church-Discipline 1. That the Exercise of Discipline be restored in 〈◊〉 Churches according to the Scriptures and 〈◊〉 Doctrine of the Church of England foreâ—â—cited in this Epistle 2. To the intent that no Sinner be indulged in â—is Iniquity for Money that it may not be pâ—râ—itted that any Officer concern'd in the Execution of Discipline take any manner of Fees oâ— the Offenders or any other Person for them And that such Ministers be entrusted with thâ— Exercise of Discipline as are Men of know Integrity Holiness and self-Denial And thâ—â— holy Discipline be executed in or near the placâ— where the Offences are committed accordinâ— to the Order of the primitive Churches 8. Concerning Ordination and Preaching the Word 1. That the Election and Ordination of Minâ—sters of what Rank soever be restored wherâ—in it shall appear to have been neglected in 〈◊〉 most solemn manner that may be accordiâ—â— to the Scriptures And that such Ministeâ—â— among the Baptized Believers as shall be fouâ—â— to have been so elected and ordained be â—â—lowed to preach the Gospel to edifie the Peâ—ple and to dispense the holy Ordinances 2. That the primitive liberty of prophesyiâ—â— to Edification Exhortation and Comfort be 〈◊〉 stored to the Church i. e. as it shall please 〈◊〉 to give Men the Gift of Teaching Exhortaâ—â—on c. they may be permitted with Prudeâ—â— to edifie the People by the modest Exerciseâ—â— their Gifts in the Churches 9. Concerning the Mâ—intenance of Christ's Ministers and the Relief of poor Christiant 1. That it be agreed that the Relief of the Poor 〈◊〉 that those who preach the Gospel should 〈◊〉 of the Gospel are God's Ordinances and 〈◊〉 be performed with all Faithfulness by all â—hristians according to their Ability But that 〈◊〉 Methods for performance of them are â—â—ythes for the one or Assessment for the other 〈◊〉 only jure humano and that therefore the same â—â—wer Magistratical which gave being to these â—ethods may lawfully alter the same to the â—tter when they please 2. And that therefore it be further agreed and â—â—clared that the way asfign'd in holy Scripture 〈◊〉 the support of Christ's Ministers and the â—â—lief of Poor Christians is by a free Contribuâ—â—on to be constantly upheld in the Churches â—â—cording to every ones Ability and the Moâ—â—y so collected to be entrusted in the Hands 〈◊〉 the Deacons of the Church and by them to 〈◊〉 faithfully distributed as occasion requires â—nd that therefore such as will stand to Christ's â—â—lowance and for his Name-sake minister the â—ospel freely to the Gentiles may be still had in â—eputation and sent forth by the Church 〈◊〉 restore Christianity where it is corrupted 〈◊〉 to plant the Gospel where it is not known 10. Concerning Separation 1. It 's here propounded as greatly necessary to a truâ— Christian state that some
effectual Course be resolveâ— upon to keep as far as may be consistent with Trutâ— and Charity a holy and just Distinction between thosâ— who lead wicked and Scandalous Lives and them thaâ— live holily according to the general Rules of Christianity without respect of Persons 2. That this Care be taken more especially concerning the Ministery otherwise we shall still have multitudes of prophane and debauched Men set up as Leaders And we see by Experientce the People are too ready to follow their ill Examples and the consequence musâ— needs be lamentable as it is written They eat up thâ— Sins of my People and set their Heart on their Iniquities and there shall be like People like Priest And 〈◊〉 will punish them for their Wayes and reward theâ— their Doings Jer. 15. 18. II. Concerning the means to effect the Vnity desired 1. That it would please you the Bishops of the Church of England to petition the King's Majesty that it may be made lawful by an Act of Parliament or by his Royall Permission for a competent Number of Representatives of such Dissenters as have a mind to unite with the Church of England to meet in Christian Counsel with your selves and to agree upon mature Deliberation on such Articles as may if God see iâ— good put a Period to our present Animosities and Divisions 2. That if these Proposals do not hold Agreement with the good old way of Christianity then we desire they may be rejected and that you would be plâ—ased to propose things which may be more effectual to procure the Unity desired For our Record is on high and we have also the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simâ—licity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by â—he Grace of God we desire to have our Conversation 〈◊〉 the Gospel with you and with all that love Christ 〈◊〉 our Nation Trusting in the Lord that the uâ—â—ting of such in the Truth in general may effectually â—ove many to Jealousie with themselves who are now â—â—tangled in Error or involved in Prophaneness that â—hey may be converted from the Evil of their Ways and â—onsequently our Nation to abound with all Blessings â—specially the Blessing of the Gospel of Peace For Godliness hath the Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come Finally if these Endeavours for Christian Concord with all that fear God and work Righteousness in this Nation be rejected yet herein shall we have some Peace and Comfort that we have made the best Essay we could for Brotherly Concord with them Being also â—eriously desirous utterly to forget all the hard things which in time past we have suffered from our Countrey-Men Hoping that the sober Protestant hath had good Occasion by this time to observe that God Almighty hath pleaded the Innocency of our Principles and Purpose from the Evils too frequently and most unjustly suggested against them and that therefore we may now with the greater freedom of Speech express our selves as in the Premises and conclude with the modest Speech of Augustine This then is our Desire which we do alledge by these Letters unto your Reverence First if it may be that you would confer with our Bishops peaceably and quieâ—ly to the End that Error be taken away from those in whom it shall be found and not that Men be taken away nor punished but gently corrected But before we shut up this Epistle it will be needful to answer two Objections which may seem to be of 〈…〉 we have said Obj 1. It will be objected That we ask or desirâ— many things and grant but few Ans 1. That we hope we have desired nothing buâ— what is rational according to the sound Principles 〈◊〉 Christianity and which will be profitable to the Churcâ— of God when granted 2. We stand ready to hear what our Friends of thâ— Church of England will require of us to answer thoâ— Kindnesses which we desire of them and hope we shadeny them nothing which we may lawfully grant 2. Obj. That the Alteration which we propose in tâ—â— case of Baptism amounts to a Renunciation of thâ—â— Christianity and to begin anew to become Christians Ans The Church of England does not only retaiâ— the Substance of what Truth â—he hath received concerninâ— Baptism by altering to the better but will indeed the be consistant with the Truth of her own Doctrine in the fiâ— paragraph of her 27th Article and her vulgar Catechisâ— which she hath rather made void hitherto by the Custoâ— of Paedobaptism 2. If we take the Text Act. 19. 5. according to tâ— Exposition of the Ancients and divers Modern Writâ— as that is indeed the native and clear Sence of tâ— place It will then be a good president to the Churâ—â— of England to alter the Subject and Manner of her Baâ—tism for here we see these Ephesians being not right instructed concerning the grounds of Baptism when thâ— were baptized unto John's Baptism are therefore baâ—tized again upon more perfect Instruction Yet 〈◊〉 they not renounce the least part of Christianity 〈◊〉 any Truth which they had received concerning Baptisâ— But did rather perfect that Infirm Baptism which thâ— had received And it is a just Presumption that the first Baptism was more valid then Paedobaptism 〈◊〉 Infants know nothing at all either what they do what is done to them but oppose it what in them 〈◊〉 whereas these at Ephesus were Disciples ver 1 â—uch as did know unto what they had been baptized 〈◊〉 3 and yet are baptized again because not duly inâ—ormed before concerning the grounds of Baptism and â—his is written for our Learning when our case is like â—heirs POSTSCRIPT THe Reader may be confident we are not without foresight that our hearty desire and endeavour for Truth â—nd Peace will be little regarded by many some will cenâ—ure us others contemn us and what we have here proâ—osed But be it so yet we also hope some will consider what we â—ave offered and may it but give some Light to a better â—nderstanding of the Case depending or move any whose â—ircumstances may render them more serviceable to promote Truth and Peace amongst Dissenting Christians We shall â—e content to labour and suffer reproach because we trust 〈◊〉 the living God Since the precedent Epistle was written some of us have 〈◊〉 a Sermon lately preached by Dr. Stillingfleet on Phil. â— 16. wherein he also endeavours for Peace amongst Dissening Christians but there is one thing necessary which he â—oes not much meddle with and that is to shew That the â—hurch he would have us to communicate with is such for Constitution and Government as was that at Philippi â—hen he shall do this he may be confident small faults â—â—ll not keep us from her Communion And that she may 〈◊〉 such is the unfeigned desire and eadeavour of the Auâ—â—ors of the precedent Epistle FINIS * By Truth in this place we intend chiefly what is needful to a true Church-state and an holy Life * 1 Cor 3. 3 4. 11. 18 19 20 21. 15. 12 29. 2 Cor. 12. 20 21. see also Clem. Ep. at large and it will fully appear * This Letter has been printed about 24 years and never yet contradicted by Dr. Barlow See Mr. Tombes his Praeface to the Reader in the third part of his full Review of the Dispute concerning Infant Baptism p. 8 9. * Mr. Baxter tells us many both Papists and Prelaâ—ists have maintain'd that Infant Baptism is not determined in Scripture but depends on the Tradition of the Church Def. Princ. of Love p. 7. And Dr. Jer. Taylor tells us there is no prime Tradition for Infant Baptism See his Disswas from Popery * Note that the Division at Corinth was occasioned by laying aside the primitive Institution of Christ concerning the Ministery the ancient Bishops or Elders being thrust out c. And our Divisions are occasioned by either the laying aside or the not duly observing Christ's Ordinances touching the Constitution and Government of his Church according to the primitive pattern See your Church Catechism * And it is granted by learned Protestants that this clause of Christ's Descent into Hell was not always in the 4th Article of the Creed as the Nicen Creed and divers others do witness See Mr. Ross's Abridgment of Divinity pag. 115. See Mr. Calvin Instit L. 1. Chap. 13. Sect. 5. out of whom this Quotation is taken Aug. Ep. 58. ad Jan. Donat.
they omitted 2. Our second Motive shall respect the 39 Articles of the Church of England in which if a few things which are not of the substance of the Christian Religion were explained or amended it were a very easie thing for the Church of England and the Baptised Believers in this Nation to compose their differences in point of Doctrine and Faith as touching the Basis or foundation of the Christian Religion And to the intent that Unity may be herein attained between us we shall humbly beg leave with plainness to shew when we offer our Proposals the Particulars whereof we are doubtful in some of the said Articles Our third Motive to seek for Concord with the pious Protestant is the contents of that remarkable Letter long since sent to Mr. J. Tombes B. D. upon occasion of his learned Disputations concerning the Restauration of holy Baptism to its primitive use and written by that Reverend Man Dr. Barlow now Lord Bishop of Lincoln which verbatim is as followeth I am a friend to your person whom I have known though unknown to you this 31 years and to your opinion too as to the main of it for I believe and know that there is neither Precept nor Practice in Scripture for Paedobaptism nor any just Evidence for it for about two hundred years after Christ The first who bears witness to Infant Baptism practised in the Church is Tertullian but so as he expresly dislikes and condemns it as an unwarrantable and irrational Custome And Nazianzen a good while after him in his Oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dislikes it too and would not have Infants brought to Baptism till they were of some age and able to answer for themselves Sure I am that in the primitive times they were first to be Catechumeni and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illuminati or Baptizati and this not only Children of Pagans or Pagans converted but Children of Christian Parents Nazianzen though a Bishop's Son being not baptized till he was about 30 years of age as appears in his life and the like is evident of some others The Truth is Infant Baptism did how or by whom I know not come in in the second Century and in the 3d and 4th began to be practised though not generally and defended as lawful from that Text grosly misunderstood Joh. 3. 5. Vpon the like gross mistake of Joh. 6. 53. they did for many Centuries both in the Greek and Latin Church communicate Infants and give them the Lord's Supper and I confess they might do both as well as either but altho they baptized some Infants and thought it lawful so to do yet Austin was the first that ever said it was necessary inde durus pater Infantum I have seen what my learned and worthy Friend Dr. Hammond Mr. Baxter and others say in defence of it and I confess I wonder not a little that men of such great parts should say so much to so little purpose for I have not yet seen any thing like an Argument for it And not only this Letter but many other Testimonies which are found in the Writings of learned Protestants to the same purpose as hath bin shewn by diverse hands in our Books now extant do greatly perswade us to hope that the Controversies about Baptism draws towards an end and were this point well agreed many other things would be therewith so moderated as that we should by Gods help approach that Blessing to have one Heart and one Way 4. Our fourth Motive is taken from that great dread which seems to be at present upon this Land of the encroachment of Popery but what is in this God knoweth nor shall we concern our selves with secrets And seeing it is rational to believe that nothing shall sooner bring such Fears and heavy Judgments upon us than our own Dissentions and Divisions in which there is too much dissenting from the Truth therefore do we the more earnestly desire to dispose our minds to unite in Truth and Charity with all such as love God and their Neighbour and walk according to the general rules of Christianity resolving to bear what with a good Conscience may be born for Peacesake in the Truth in which we shall upon a friendly and free Debate be agreed Our last and principal Motive is That hereby God shall be glorified in the furtherance of a Faithful and Impartial Reformation of Life and Religion when we who have had so great a share in contending one against another shall after a Christian and Manly sort cease our conflicts each with other by stooping to what of sincere Truth hath appeared in our Disputes and not leave our Divisions Hereditary to our Posterity but rather a pious Example of our Charity to be by them pursued For seeing it is a rational presumption that there hath bin said what well can be said on both sides what then remains but that we bend our minds to cease our strife by such a Christian Compliance as may justly render us willing to be overcome by Truth on both parts where the matter shall require it And herein let none so much consult his own glory as the good of Christians in general as it is written Let no Man seek his own but every Man anothers wealth And again let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to Edification And let that Christian speech of Clement come to mind and conclude this Preface Is there any one then saith he that is bravely spirited among you Is there any one that hath compassion Doth any one abound with Charity Let him say If this Contention Sedition or Schism be for me or by my means I will depart I will go my ways whithersoever you please I will do what the rest commands Only let the Sheepfold of Christ enjoy peace with the Elders which God hath placed over it He that shall do this shall purchase to himself great Glory in the Lord and every place shall receive him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer to God for his Blessing upon this present endeavour for Concord amongst Dissenting Christians O Most Mighty most Holy and most Gracious God! What are we that we should speak unto Thee the God of Heaven and Earth We beseech thee pardon our unworthiness and for the sake of Christ our Saviour hear this Prayer which in his Name we do with our whole Heart pour out before thy Majesty O Lord in thy Fatherly Compassion behold the sad Divisions which have befallen the Christian People throughout the whole World And seeing nothing is too hard for Thee Graciously be pleased to move upon the Hearts of all sober and Heavenly-minded Christians however differing in some Points concerning the Christian Profession and so work by thy Spirit of Power Love and Wisdom that they may be so united in Brotherly Affection as speedily to consider one another in Love And to have compassion one of another under their unhappy differences in Opinion O destroy the