good acceptance communicate each of them at others Churches even so often as Gods providence leads them thereunto and themselves desire it In your preface to this consideration you say you admit to fellowship of the seales the known approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church and if knowne and approved Christians members of our Churches comming over into New England shall desire either to have their children baptized or to be admitted themselves to the Lords Supper before they be set members of any society theâ—e we desire to know upon what grounds from God you can deny them if you acknowledge our Churches Ministery and Sacraments to be true and of God as you professe and the members of the Church be known and approved orderly recommended unto you It is the priviledge of Christians baptised themselves and walking in the faith that their children should have right to baptisme in all true Churches in the world It is the priviledge of Christians lawfully and justly admitted to the Lords Supper in one visible Church and walking in covenant with God that they have right to this priviledge in all Churches professing their intire faith and you must shew just and sound reasons from God of your judgement and practice in debarring their seed from baptisme and parents themselves from the Supper or else to use the words of a reverend Elder among you in a case of lesse importance and not concerning so many you will be found guilty of adding to the words and making eleven Commandements and setting up humane customes and selfewill against Gods appointment For the Sacraments are given to the Church as a priviledge peculiar thereunto but you deny this priviledge to the true visible members of the Church as your selves confesse For if the Ministers be the Ministers of Christ and their congregations the Churches of Christ then knowne and approved Christians are members of the Church In your opinion the members of the Jewish Church might be received unto baptisme upon confession of the Christian faith before they were entred into Church fellowship and it is more then strange to us that you should not thinke the true visible members of the Churches of Christ to have as much title and interest to the Seales as the members of the Jewish Church to the Sacrament of Baptisme 6 The distinct Churches mentioned in the New Testament it is not certain that they were congregationall societies consisting onely of so many as might and did meete together ordinarily in one place at one time for the publike worship of God and their own edification and if this were granted it would not carry the weight that was laid upon it But because it may make way for the clearing of some other points pertaining to discipline and Church order we intreat leave to set downe and desire you to examine what may be objected against it We will not insist upon this that the least circuite wherein there is mention of Churches is ample enough to containe some diocesses and the least City populous enough to make many numbersome congregations Nor upon this that to meete at one time and one place as one assembly is a thing meerely accidentary to the unity of the Church and society Ecclesiasticall which is still one when they are dispersed asunder and no particular man of that society at first remaining now alive The number of beleevers was so great in some Cities as they could not conveniently meete in one place as one assembly to worship the Lord according to his will and for their edifying That there was a Church gathered in the City of Samaria by the ministery of Phillip will not be denyed for they received the word and were baptised but that the Church in that City was onely a congregationall assembly is more then can probably be concluded out of Scripture For the whole City or the greatest part could not ordinarily assemble in one place to their edification But the whole City of Samaria in a manner as it is probable imbraced the faith As the whole City from the least to the greatest had given heede to Simon Magus before so to Phillip now when he preached Christ And the Text saith expresly that Samaria received the Gospell The Christian Church at Ierusalem was one and distinct but it grew and increased first to 3000. then to 5000. afterwards multitudes of men and women were added and the multitude of Disciples increased it is also noted that a company of the Priests received the faith The Syriacke hath it of the Jews scil inhabiting Judea but the Greeke Arabian vulgar Chrisostoms Ethiopians approve the former and the number of the Priests was not small there is mention also of millions of beleevers And when all the Apostles or the greatest part of them remained at Jerusalem for a time continuing in the ministery of the word and prayer and that they might doe it the more earnestly and diligently left the care of the poore to others how can we thinke but that Church did grow exceedingly and the number of beleevers there to be more then could fitly meete ordinarily in one congregation Without question the number of beleevers in Antioch was not small of which it is said expresly that a great number beleeved turned to the Lord and that a great multitude was added to the Lord by the preaching of Barnabas and that Paul and Barnabas continued there one whole yeere preaching the word of God and teaching the multitude so that the Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch After that this Church was visited by Paul and Barnabas who continued there teaching and preaching the Word of God with many others also and may wee not thinke that this Church did quickly rise to such bignesse that they could not well assemble in one congregation as now wee call them It will easily be credited that the number of believers was not small at Ephesus if we call to minde that when Paul had been there but two yeers all they that dwelt in Asia had heard the word of the Lord both Iews and Grecians that a great doore and effectuall was opened to him at Ephesus That the art for making Shrines and Dianaes Temple was in danger to be set at nought and that those that had used curious arts came and burnt their books in the sight of all men which could not be done without great danger unto the Church unlesse a great part of the City had believed Where a Church did comprehend a City with its Suburbs and the Country circumjacent i. e. the believers who professed the faith within that circuit It might well be that the number did so increase through the extraordinary blessing of God which accompanied the preaching of the word in those primitive times and first planting of the heavenly Kingdome that they could not well meet ordinarily in one place and yet continued one Society For when a number is
the visible Church when yet they were visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace and in Church Order as those times required is well-nigh a contradiction And so it is to debar known and approved Christians members of our Congregation and their seed from the Seals because they be not of the visible Church for they are members of the Church and so to bee held and esteemed all true Churches and members of the Church The true proper meaning of this Consideration is that as Circumcision and the Passeover were not to be dispensed to all visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace but onely to such as were joyned to Abrahams Family or to the people of the God of Abraham no more may Baptisme and the Lords Supper be administred to any Believers now unlesse they be joyned to some particular Congregation in Church Membership or unlesse by solemne Covenant they be set members of some particular Assemblies The strength of this Consideration stands in the parity which is betwixt the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament Circumcision and Baptisme for parum par est ratio but this parity is not found in every thing as is manifest by the particulars alleadged in the Consideration it self And wee must justly require some reason to prove them like in that particular but to unfold it more fully we will consider three things First how far an argument may be drawn soundly from one Sacrament to another or wherein the Sacraments agree and wherein they differ Secondly What wee are to think of the proposition it self Thirdly whether the Reason of Circumcision and Baptisme be one in that particular First the Sacraments of the old Testament and the new agree in their Common author nature and end and therfore what is spoken of one in respect of the common author nature and end that doth hold true of everie one If Circumcision be of divine institution a seale of the Righteousnesse of faith and of the Covenant of grace a Sacrament in generall is an ordinance divine a seale of the Covenant proper and peculiar to them that bee confederates But what is peculiar to one Sacrament that agreeth not to another What is proper to the sacraments of the old Testament in respect of the manner of dispensation that agreeth not to the new as if the Sacraments of the old Testament be with bloud obscure in signification painfull for use peculiar to one Nation and to bee abolished the Sacraments of the new Testament must be without bloud cleere for signification easie for use universall to all Nations and perpetuall to continue in the Church for ever Circumcision and Baptisme are both Sacraments of divine institution and so they agree in the substance of the things signified the persons to whom they are to bee administred and the order of administration if the right proportion bee observed As circumcision sealed the entrance into the covenant the righteousnesse of faith and circumcision of the heart so doth Baptisme much more clearly As Abraham and his houshold and the infants of beleiving Iews were to be circumcised so the faithful their families and their seed are to bee baptized None must eate the passeover who was not circumcised women excepted who were circumcised in the males Nor may a man unbaptized be admitted to the Lords supper Circumcision was but once applied by Gods appointment and the same holds in baptisme according to the will and good pleasure of God But circumcision and baptisme agree not in their speciall forme and manner of dispensation appointed of God And in these things a reason cannot be drawn from the one to the other affirmatively The males onely were to be circumcised as only capable of that signe but males and semales both ought to be baptized The infants males were to be circumcised the eighth day because seaven dayes they were legally uncleane But the seed of the faithfull are not to bee reputed uncleane Ergo no set tyme is appointed for baptisme Circumcision as other Ceremonies did distinguish the Iewes from the Gentiles but Christ now of two hath made one Circumcision signified Christ to come Baptisme is the seale of the New covenant made in Christ already come And so in the degree of grace given some difference may be put The other differences alleadged in the considerations with the reasons thereof are not so cleere and undoubted for Baptisme is not tyed to the first day of the weeke and the Jewes might gather an Assembly on the eighth day as occasion required and it might be appropriated to the Priests and Levites though done in private But in whatsoever they agree or differ we must looke to the institution and neither stretch it wider nor draw it narrower then the Lord hath made it For hee is the Institutor of the Sacraments according to his owne good pleasure And it is our part to learne of him both to whom how and for what end the Sacraments are to be administred how they agree and wherein they differ In all which we must affirme nothing but what God hath taught us and as he hath taught us Secondly as for the Proposition it selfe certaine it is Circumcision and the Passeover were to be administred onely to the visible members of the Church e. to men in Covenant professing the true faith But that in Abrahams time none were visible members of the Church which joyned not themselves in Church orders to the family of Abraham wee have not learned In the first Institution of Circumcision we find that God gave it to Abraham as the Seale of the Covenant formerly made with him But of any Church covenant or order whereunto Abrahams family should enter before Circumcision we read not Melchizedeck Lot Iob c. were not onely visible Beleevers under the Covenant of grace but visible members of the Church according to the order and dispensation of those times Wee read not you say that Melchizedeck Lot or Iob were circumcised but that is no good reason to inferre negatively that they were not Circumcised We read not that Iohn the Baptist or the Apostles or the 500. brethren were Baptized wee must not forthwith conclude that they were not initiated by that seale Moreover if they were not Circumcised it may bee the Institution of that Sacrament was not knowne unto them or the Authour of Circumcision upon whose will and pleasure they must depend did not command it unto them or require that they should joyne themselves in Covenant with Abrahams family and in that case if they had Circumcised themselves they had transgressed But then the reason why they were not circumcised was not this that they were not as you speake in Church order but because Circumcision was appropriated to Abrahams family by divine Institution in some speciall and peculiar respects belonging to the manner of Administration After the Church of the Jewes was constituted when wee can no more imagine that there was a Church among the Gentiles then
together in Church-fellowship and have called a Pastor to feed and watch over them wee desire not words but proofe why the poore dispersed Christians wanting means or opportunitie to joyn themselves together into societie ought not to desire and that others be not bound in conscience to afford them the comfort of Gods ordinances If the Propositions may stand for good I feare we shall scarce finde that ever in ordinary way the Sacraments were lawfully dispenced or received in the Christian Churches of God since the first foundation of them Now the premises being liable to so many exceptions the conclusion to be laid upon them will fall of it selfe And thereunto wee oppose the direct contrary That Infidels converted to the faith or godly Christians formerly visible beleevers knowne and approved members of Congregations professing the intire faith and joyning together in the lawfull use of the Sacraments for substance according to the Institution may and ought to desire and expect the Seales of the Covenant to be dispenced to them and to their seede though for the present they be not joyned into such Church-state and call of Ministers as you require Answer 7. Consideration THat our practise may not be censured as novell and singular give us leave to produce a President of the like care observed and approved by publick countenance of State in the dayes of Edward 6. of blessed and famous memory who in the yeare 1550. granted Johannes Alasco a learned Noble man of Poland under the great Seale of England libertie to gather a Church of strangers in London and to order themselves according as they should finde to be most agreeable to the Scriptures Among other godly orders established in that Church that which concerned the Administration of Baptisme to prevent the prophanation of it we will repeate in Alascoes owne words Baptisme in our Church saith he is administred in the publique Assembly of the Church after the publique Sermon for seeing Baptisme doth so belong to the whole Church that none ought to be driven thence which is a member of the Church nor to be admitted to it who is not a member of it truely it is equall that that should be performed publiquely in the Assembly of the whole Church which belongs to the whole Church in common Againe he addeth Now seeing our Churches are by Gods blessing so established by the Kings Majestie that they may be as it were one parish of strangers dispersed throughout the whole Citie or one body corporate as it is called in the Kings grant and yet all strangers doe not joyne themselves to our Church yea there are those who while they avoyde all Churches will pretend to the English Churches that they are joyned with us and to us that they are joyned to the English Churches and so doe abuse both them and us lest the English Churches and the Ministers thereof should be deceived by the impostures of such men and that under colour of our Churches wee doe baptize their Infants alone who have adjoyned themselves to our Churches by publique confession of their faith and observation of Ecclesiasticall discipline And that our Churches may be certaine that the Infants that are to be baptized are their seede who have joyned themselves thereto in manner aforesaid the father of the Infant to be baptized if possible he can or other men and women of notable credit in the Church doe offer the Infant to Baptisme and doe publickly professe that it is the seede of the Church yet wee suffer no stranger to offer Infants to Baptisme in our Churches who hath not made publique profession of his faith and willingly submitted himselfe to the Discipline of the Church lest otherwise they who present their children to Baptisme might in time plead that they belong to our Churches and so should deceive the English Churches and their Ministers To those which presented Infants to Baptisme they propounded three questions the first was Are these Infants which yee offer the seed of this Church that they may lawfully be here baptized by our Ministery c. Answer Yea. This Instance is the more to be regarded because Alasco affirmeth in the preface of that Book that this libertie was by the King granted to them out of his desire to settle alike reformation in the English Churches which in effect you see the same with out practise in this particular Reply THe practise of the Church of strangers in London recorded by John Alasco is farre different from your judgement and practise not in some by-circumstances but in the maine point in question for your judgement is that true visible beleevers baptized and partakers of the Lords Supper in other Churches not yet gathered into Church-estate or fellowship have no right or interest in the Seales they nor their seede But this Church of strangers held no such opinion as their own words which you have omitted doe plainly speake And Paul testifyeth say they that by Christs Ordinance the Church it selfe without exception of any member of it is to be accounted cleane or holy by the ministery of Baptisme Whence we may easily see that Baptisme doth neither belong to those who are altogether without the Church nor to be denyed to any member of the Church Secondly They held communion with the Church of England as one and the same with theirs For so they professe Yet neverthelesse that we may openly shew that the English Churches and ours are one and the same Church though we differ somewhat from them both in language and Ceremonies We doe not refuse that the English may as publick witnesses of the Church offer the Infants of our members to Baptisme in our Churches if they have both the use of our language and a certain testimony of their piety As in like manner our members are accustomed to offer the Infants of the English to Baptisme in the English Churches If your judgement be this of the English Churches your judgement in acknowledging us members of true Churches and practise in debarring visible beleevers and their seede from the Seales are opposite the one to the other Thirdly This order was observed by them to prevent the impostures of some who whilst they avoyded all Churches pretended to the English that they were joyned to the strangers and to the strangers that they were joyned to the English But you debarre knowne Christians who desire to joyne themselves with you not to prevent impostures of them who avoyde all Churches yea you debarre them as men having no right to the Sacraments because they be not in Church-fellowship and herein you can shew no president ancient or moderne either from Scripture or Monuments of the Church And as your practise is without example so without warrant from the word of God And this is the maine reason why we cannot consent unto you in this particular which we thus propound 1 Reason THat sacred order which God hath set in his visible Church for all his Saints to
keep and walk by that is religiously to be observed But for men to set up that as a necessarie order which God never allowed approved or commanded is great presumption Now the Lord hath not ordained that a man should be a set member of a particular Societie or body politique of faithfull people joyned together in spirituall Church-fellowship by Covenant before he be admitted unto the Lords Supper or that the parents should be actuall visible set members of some particular distinct body before their children be baptised They that beleeve in Jesus Christ have received the word of promise and walk therein they and their children are within the Covenant and have right and title to the Seales of the Covenant but in their order the infants to baptisme parents baptised to the Lords Supper And if in that state by divine grant they have interest to the Sacraments the Church in debarring them because they be not yet grown into one distinct separate societie of mutuall covenant doth exceed the bounds of her commission For a ministeriall power onely is committed to the Church to admit or refuse them who are to be admitted or refused by authoritie from God But the Church if she thrust beleeving parents from the Supper of the Lord and their seed from baptisme she denieth these benefits to them who by the grace and gift of God have lawfull right and title thereto 1. For first the baptisme of John was true baptisme and truly administred by him And they that were baptized by him received the seales of the Covenant and were esteemed members of the visible Church But John never demanded of them who came to his baptisme whether they were entred into spirituall fellowship by mutuall covenant one with another This was not then knowne to be a necessarie and essentiall point in the lawfull due and orderly administration of the Sacrament The disciples of our Saviour made and baptised disciples professing the faith but not combined into Church-state or fellowship The Apostles commission was first to teach the Gentiles and then to baptise them having received their doctrine And this they carefully observed in the execution of their ministery upon grounds and reasons common to them and us for as soone as any man or number of men gladly received the doctrine of salvation and gave their names to Jesus Christ if they desired to be baptised forthwith they accepted them never excepting that they were no set members of a distinct visible congregation When the first 3000. converts being pricked in their consciences came to Peter and the rest of the Apostles saying Men and brethren what shall we do Peter returns this answer Repent and be baptised every one of you in the Name of Jesus c. For to you is the promise made and to your children and to all that are afar off c. As soon as the Samaritanes beleeved Philip who preached the things that concerned the kingdom of God they were baptised both men and women When the Eunuch asked of Philip See here is water what doth let me to be baptised he answereth not if thou beest first received as a set member into a visible congregation thou mayest but if thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayest Can any man forbid water saith Peter speaking of the Gentiles upon whom was powred the gift of the holy Ghost that these should not be baptised who have received the gift of the holy Ghost as well as we At that time it was not held a bar sufficient to keep them from the Sacrament of baptisme because they were not set members of a distinct societie which had it been essentiall to the lawfull and orderly administration of the Sacraments questionlesse it had been observed in the first Institution and administration of them Annanias baptised Paul before he was any set member of a congregationall Assembly Lydia and her houshold the Jaylor and his house were baptised without regard to their Church-estate For in the same night which he was converted he was baptized with all his houshold And this was done not by the Apostles onely upon speciall dispensation but by others upon grounds and reasons common to them and all ages viz. because they were disciples beleeved gladly received the Word had received the holy Ghost were called and the promise was made to them and to their seed even to all them that were afarre off Now if the Apostles dispensed the seales to them that were not in Church-fellowship upon common grounds it is not essentiall to the lawfull dispensation of the seales that all partakers should be under such a covenant If the baptised disciples beleevers such as gladly received the Word and had received the gift of the holy Ghost then the seals of the Covenant belong unto such and by the grace of God they have right and title unto those priviledges 2. As we received the Sacraments from God by divine Institution so must we learne from him how and to whom the same are to be administred observing what he hath commanded without addition or diminution But we have learned from Christ the Author of Baptisme and the constant practise of the Apostles the first dispensers of these holy seales who best understood the mind and pleasure of the Lord herein that such as be called of God to whom the promise is made who have received the gifts of the holy Ghost beleeved in the Lord Jesus professed their faith in him and repentance for sins past with purpose of amendment for the time to come that such have right unto and desiring it ought to be received unto Baptisme and are greatly wronged if they be deprived of that unspeakable benefit 3. By a lively faith a man is made a living member of Jesus Christ and hath internall communion with him by the intire profession of Christian faith joyned with conformity of life in righteousnesse and holinesse and fellowship of love he is a member of the visible congregation or flock of Christ though no set member of a free distinct independant Societie And Baptisme is the seale of our admission into the congregation or flock of Christ but not evermore of our receiving into this or that particular societie as set members thereof This latter is accidentall to baptisme not essentiall It may fall out to be so but it is not ever necessarie nor is the Sacrament to be denyed nor can we say it is imperfectly administred where it cannot be attained For the Catholique Church is one intire bodie made up by the collection and agregation of all the faithfull unto the unity thereof from which union there ariseth unto every one of them such a relation to dependance upon that Church Catholique as parts use to have in respect of the whole And this holds true not onely of sound beleevers in respect of internall fellowship with Christ their head and so one with another but of all men
Apostles dispenced the seales onely to the Church Disciples faithfull c. 2. An Argument followeth necessarily from particular example to a generall when one particular is proved by another particular by force of the similitude common to the whole kinde under which those particulars are contained But the practise of the Apostles in baptizing Disciples and faithfull by force of similitude common to the whole kinde agreeth with the practise of Ministers receiving to Baptisme the seed of the faithfull though as yet not set members of any particular societie In some circumstances there may be difference when yet the reason is strong if the difference be not in the very likenesse it selfe whereupon the reason is grounded One circumstance that is materiall to the point may overthrow the likenesse pretended and twenty different circumstances if they be not to the point in hand make no dissimilitude Now in this matter wee speake of no circumstance is or can be named why we should thinke it lawfull for the Apostles to baptize Disciples as yet being no set members of particular societies and the same should be unlawfull in all cases for ordinary Pastors in their particular Congregations though it be desired 3. What is done by extraordinary dispensation that is lawfull for them onely who have received such dispensation and by them cannot be communicated to others But the Apostles baptized by others seldome by themselves as hath been shewed 4. We might urge the rule which a reverend Elder among you giveth in another matter scil Those examples which are backed with some divine precept or which are held forth in the first Institution of an ordinance being part of the institution or which were the constant lawfull actions of holy men in Scripture not civill but sacred so binde us to imitation as that not to conforme thereunto is sinne For the Assumption to this Proposition it is plaine and naturall But the practise of the Apostles in receiving the faithfull Disciples c. is backed with divine precept held forth in the first Institution and was their constant lawfull practise agreeable to the practise of all others who were imployed in that service Ergo c. 5. In the first consideration you prove the Seales to be the priviledge of the Church in ordinary dispensation by this passage of Scripture Then they that gladly received the Word were baptized but if Apostles baptize by extraordinary dispensation in your sense this testimony is insufficient for that purpose 2 Reason OUr second reason In due order the Seales belong to them to whom the grant is given viz. Baptisme to the seed of the faithfull and the Lords Supper to beleevers able to try and examine themselves But the grant is vouchsafed to the faithfull and their seed forgivenesse of sinnes sanctification adoption and what other good things are promised in the covenant of grace are the grant or good things sealed in the Sacrament But those are granted to beleevers according to the covenant and they are so linked together that under one promised all are understood and if one be vouchsafed none is denied When God promiseth to circumcise the heart the forgivenesse of sinnes is implyed And when Circumcision is said to be the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith the circumcision of the heart by spirituall regeneration is included To whomsoever then the spirituall gift or inward grace of the covenant is given and granted to them the Seales of that gift and grant doth belong in their due order But the spirituall gift or grace which is the thing signified in the Sacrament is freely granted to true beleevers who have received the doctrine of salvation and walk in the wayes of truth and righteousnesse therefore the priviledges of the Seales belong unto them To this you answer The scope of the Apostle in the place Rom. 4. 11. is not to define a Sacrament nor to shew what is the proper and adequate subject of the Sacrament but to prove by the example of Abraham that a sinner is justified before God not by works but by faith Thus as Abraham the Father of the faithfull was justified before God so must his seed be that is all beleevers whether Jews or Gentiles circumcised or uncircumcised for therefore Abraham received circumcision which belonged to the Jews to confirm the righteousnesse which he had before while he was uncircumcised that he might be the Father of both but lest any one should think his circumcision was needlesse if he was justified by faith before circumcision he addeth that his circumcision was of no use as a seale to confirme to him his faith and the righteousnesse which is by faith yet as Justification is not the onely thing that Circumcision sealed but the whole Covenant also made with Abraham and his seed was sealed thereby so Abraham is to be considered in using circumcision not simply or onely as a beleever without Church relation but as a confederate beleever and so in the state and order of a visible Church Though the Apostle maketh mention of the righteousnesse of faith as sealed thereby which was not that which served for his purpose Now that Circumcision also sealed the Church-Covenant may appear from Gen. 17. 9. 10 11. where you may find that Abraham and his seed though beleevers were not circumcised till God called them into Church-Covenant and there is the same reason use of Baptisme to us which serveth to seal our justification as circumcision did yet not that alone but also the whole covenant with all the priviledges of it as Adoption Sanctification and fellowship with Christ in affections and the salvation of our souls and the resurrection of our bodies And not onely the covenant of grace which is common to all beleevers but Church-Covenant also which is peculiar to confederates According to that of the Apostle By one Spirit we are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. And by one bodie he meaneth that particular Church of Corinth whereunto he writeth and saith Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular ver 27. And ergo Church-membership is required as well to the orderly partaking of Baptisme as it was of Circumcision Nor do we find that circumcision was administred to all that were in the Covenant of grace as all beleevers were but onely to such of them as were joyned to the people of the God of Abraham Melchizedech was under the covenant of grace so was Lot so was Job and his foure friends yet we no where read that they were circumcised nor do beleeve they were So that if Circumcision was administred to none but those that were joyned together in Abrahams familie and to the Church of God in his seed then may not baptisme in ordinarie course be administred to any beleevers now unlesse they be joyned to the Church of Christ for parum par est ratio But the first is true Ergo the second also
Reply THe particulars in this Answer hath been examined alreadie and might have well been passed over because it is tedious to repeat the same things againe and againe Two things are affirmed by you 1. That the scope of the Apostle Rom. 4. 11. was not to define a Sacrament nor to shew what was the proper and adequate subject of a Sacrament But this weakneth no part of the argument for if the Apostle do not fully define a Sacrament nor mention every particular benefit or prerogative sealed in the Sacrament yet he sheweth sufficiently to whom the Sacraments in due order do appertaine even to the heires of salvation to them that are justified by faith and walk in the steps of our Father Abraham And thus we argue from the text of the Apostle They that are partakers of the good things sealed in the Sacrament to them belong the Seales of the Covenant according to Gods Institution But they that are justified by faith are partakers of the good things sealed in the Sacrament to them belong the Seales of the Covenant according to Gods institution If Justification be not the onely thing that Circumcision sealed this is nothing to the point in hand For the gifts of the holy Ghost is not the onely thing that is sealed in Baptisme But you confesse in your Answer immediately going before that they have right to baptisme who have received the holy Ghost and the reason is the same of Justification Besides if Justification be not the onely thing that is sealed in the Sacrament it is one principall thing which doth inferre the rest For the blessings of the covenant of grace in Christ are inseparable where one is named others are implyed and where one is given no one is absolutely wanting Christ is made of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption whom God doth justifie them he doth sanctifie and them he will glorifie 2. The second thing you affirme is that not onely the covenant of grace which is common to all beleevers but Church-Covenant also which is peculiar to confederates is necessarie to the participation of the Seales This sense your words must beare or else they reach not the point in hand but this is that which should be proved substantially and not barely affirmed and which as we conceive is contrary to the first Institution of the Sacrament and the lawfull practise of John the Baptist our Saviour Christ his Apostles and all others who are recorded lawfully to administer the Seales In Gen. 17. we find the first Institution of circumcision recorded and that it was the seale of the Covenant to Abraham and his seed to them that were borne in his house or bought with his money but we find no mention of any Church Covenant besides the covenant of promise which God made with Abraham There is no mention of any Church-order into which Abrahams family was now gathered more then formerly God gave circumcision to Abraham and his seed as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith but that this family was first gathered into Church-order as you speak we cannot beleeve because the Scripture saith it not whether Lot Job Melchizedech were circumcised or not we will not dispute but if they received not the seale we cannot think the reason to be because they were not in Church-order as those times required if any such thing had been required we cannot think that either they were ignorant of it or that they walked against their light But according to the dispensing of those times we judge as they were visible beleevers so they walked in that Church-fellowship which God prescribed and therefore if circumcision had been the seale of such Church-Covenant as you conceive it should have been given to them no lesse then to Abrahams family But of this sufficient is said before As for Baptisme it is the seal of the whole Covenant which the passages quoted prove it to be Whether it be the seale of our fellowship which Christ in affliction and the resurrection of our bodies we leave it to your consideration but that it should be a Seal of a Church-Covenant which is peculiar to confederates that to us is very strange That it is a solemne admission into the Church of Christ and that of necessitie it must be administred in a particular societie though in the passage to the Corinthians the mysticall bodie of Christ be understood will easily be granted But that it is the seale of any other covenant but the covenant of grace we cannot digest The Sacraments are of God and we must learne of God for what end and use they were ordained But by the Institution or Baptisme recorded in Scripture we have learned it belongeth to the faithfull to disciples to them that are called of God and as for any other covenant necessarie to the right participation of the Seales there is deep silence of it in the Institution in the lawfull and approved practise of the first dispensers of these sacred mysteries Enough hath been said to this matter alreadie but we will conclude it with the words of that reverend Author whom we have cited many times before upon occasion Afterwards saith he John the Baptist walked in the same steps and by the same rule administred baptisme in the Church whereof he was a member required of all that came to his baptisme a profession of repentance and amendment of life for remission of sinnes whereof baptisme was a seale and preached Christ to them This order our Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection established to continue in the Christian Churches giving a commission to his Disciples to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles and to gather all such as should beleeve through the world as a testimonie to them that the righteousnesse of faith did belong to them also and not to the Church of the Jews onely Accordingly the Apostles and servants of Christ were carefull to observe this rule in their administring baptisme Thus Peter when he saw those three thousand souls pricked in their hearts preached unto them concerning repentance remission of sin Christ the promise baptisme faith amendment of life baptised those that gladly received his word and testified the same by joyning together in the profession thereof The same course Philip took with the Church that was gathered in Samaria where many were baptized but none till they professed their beliefe of the Gospel and their receiving of the Word of God And therefore it is said expresly When they beleeved Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdome of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptised both men and women When Ananias was commanded to go and baptise Paul he objected against it at first till the Lord assured him that he was one to whom the Seale of the Covenant belonged and then he went and did it When Peter and those that came with him saw that the holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and those that
were assembled at that time in his house whilest he spake these words To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through the Name of Jesus whosoever beleeveth on him shall receive remission of sinnes Peter demanded Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised which have received the holy Ghost as well as we In this catalogue we see profession of faith and repentance required in them that were admitted to partake in the seals but there is not a word of Church-Covenant either in the Institution or administration of the Seales before they were admitted to them That Christians are solemnly ingrafted into the body of Christ and into particular Societies by the Seales is a truth acknowledged on all sides but that ever it was deemed necessarie that a Christian should be a set member of a particular Congregationall Church before he were admitted to the Seales or that by divine institution any such thing is ordained as necessarie thereunto that upon the grounds before mentioned we denie and cannot account it lesse then an addition to the institution For if the Sacraments be seales of the Covenant of grace and baptisme by divine Institution belong to Disciples faithfull Saints who have gladly received the Word of grace are justified by faith sanctified by the Spirit adopted to be the children of God by grace and heires apparent to the kingdom of heaven then to debarre such from the Seales and their seed from Baptisme because they be not in Church-Covenant as you speake is an addition to the ordinance of grace and many wayes injurious to the people of God V. POSITION That the power of Excommunication is so in the body of the Church that what the Major part shall allow must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly be of another minde and that peradventure upon more substantiall reasons Answer IF the Question had been Whether the power of Excommunication lies in the body of the Congregation consisting of officers and members our Answer should be Affirmative and according hereunto is also our practise and wee hope your judgement and ours are not different herein But seeing the Question is Whether it is so in the body of the Congregation that what the Major part doth allow that must be done though the Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly doe dissent upon more substantiall reasons Our Answer is Negative viz. that the power of Excommunication is not sealed in the Congregation neither ought it to be so in any of the Churches of the Lord Jesus who ought not to carry matters by number of votes against God as this Position implyeth but by strength of rule and reason according to God The power of the Apostles was not to doe things against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8 and not for destruction but for edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. And the same may be said concerning the power which God hath given to the Church and if any Church among us have swerved from the rule which is more then we know we doe not allow them in such a practise but should be ready as the Lord should helpe to convince them of their sin therein Reply THis Question is much mistaken for the demand is not whether in the Congregation matters should be carryed by number of votes against God as you interpret the Position but whether the power of Excommunication so lye in the body of the Congregation as that sentence must proceed in externo foro according to the vote and determination of the Major part and so whether power of admission of members doe so reside in the communitie as that they must be refused whom the Major part refuse though the Pastors and Governors and part of the Congregation be of another judgement and he admitted whom the Major part doth approve And though the Church hath received no power against God but for God yet in the execution of the power no doubt the members of that Church may be of different judgements and affections wherein the one side or other doth erre and is deceived Now the Question hereupon moved is whether the power of the keyes be so given and committed to the society of the faithfull as that in externall Court that act or sentence must stand and be in force which the greater part shall determine amongst them which hold the power of the keyes to be given to the Church Some distinguish betwixt the power it self which they give to the Church and the execution and exercise of it which they confine to the Presbytery Others give the power of the keyes with the exercise thereof to the whole body of the Church or if in the dispensation they attribute any thing to the Officers it is but as servants of the Church from whom they derive their authoritie By Church also some understand the communitie of the faithfull together with their officers and guides And here lyeth the stone at which they of the Seperation stumble and which we conceive to be your judgement and practise wherein we required your plaine answer with your reasons but have received no satisfaction You referre us to Mr. Parkers reasons to prove the power of the keyes to belong to the whole Church who are of farre different judgement from Mr. Parker in the point it selfe And if your judgement and practise be according to that of the Seperation which we feare you dissent from him and we cannot but dissent from you upon these considerations 1. No power agreeth to the multitude or communitie of the faithfull but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive Law For the whole spirituall power for the gathering and government of his Church is given to Christ as Mediator And if the power of the keyes be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his Church of necessitie it must draw its originall from divine positive Law and can agree to none but as it is communicated But the communicated power of the keyes with the execution thereof Christ hath not given immediately to the whole multitude but to some persons and Officers designed and appointed thereunto Peruse the severall passages of Scripture wherein power and authoritie of preaching the Gospel administring the Sacraments binding and loosing is given to the Church and it is apparent that distinct severall persons are spoken of and not the whole communitie Goe teach all Nations and baptize them c. Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted c. Feed my Lambes feed my sheepe c. Were these things spoken to the whole communitie or to speciall persons 2. If Christ gave this power to the communitie was it from the beginning of the Church or tooke it effect after the Churches were planted and established by the Apostles Not the first for then the Apostles themselves should derive their power from the communitie and societie of the faithfull which they did not but
gathered in small Villages or some added to the number already gatherd it is not meet they should be neglected because small nor divided from the body because the number not competent to make an intire and perfect body of it selfe The increase of the Churches doth require an increase of Elders and if they grow to bignesse more then ordinary an increase of places for their assembling when the essence of the visible Church is not changed nor one multiplied or divided into many And it is more available for the good of the Church and further removed from all ambition if the Society shall assemble occasionally in divers places as parts and members of the body then to constitute a distinct free Society consisting of a few Believers not fit to make up an intire body contrary to the precedent examples of the Apostles In times of grievous and hot persecution the Churches of God could not assemble in any great number in publick places but have been compelled to meet in Woods Caves Dens and dark corners as the Lord hath offered opportunity one and the same Society in sundry places So that either it is not essential to the Church to meet together in one place ordinarily or their Society is broken off by persecution when their meeting together in one place is interrupted It is said by some where the Church grew greater sometimes by the suddain and extraordinary conversion of more then could well so assemble then was there presently a dispersion of the former and a multiplication of more particular Assemblies But in the Scriptures quoted no such thing doth appeare but rather the contrary as hath been proved In aftertimes when the Church was within the Cities as of Rome Ephesus Alexandria Carthage Ierusalem c. the number of Believers did greatly exceed the bignesse of a convenient and fitting assembly which might ordinarily congregate in the place to worship God according to his appointment when the Church was but one Seventhly Seeing them both the Seals in ordinary and in extraordinary dispensation belong to the Church id est to the faithfull and repentant taught made Disciples who have received the word believe and professe the faith have received the holy Ghost and walke in obedience who are members of other visible Churches or to be made members of a visible Church for the time being by admittance unto the Sacraments and not unto set members of congregationall assemblies only And seeing the godly and faithful Ministers among us are the true Ministers of Christ and their godly congregations true Churches and knowne and approved Christians true members of visible Churches formerly baptized and admitted to the Lords Supper This consideration is of no weight to justifie your opinion and practice in debarring known and approved Christians professing the faith members of the true visible Churches amongst us from the Lords Supper or their seed from Baptisme because they be not yet received as set members of some particular cōgregation amongst you And if such Believers are not to be received to the Seals we desire you to consider if ever the Sacraments of the New Testament were rightly dispensed in the Church of the New Testament from the first Plantation thereof unto this day The Seale doth follow the grant and as the Seale is prophaned if it be put to a false grant or Charter so are the faithfull wronged if the Seale in a lawfull way desired be denied to them that have received the grant i. e. have right unto Jesus Christ and communion with him But the faithfull who have received the word with gladnesse believe and professe be members knowne and approved by other visible Churches or such as desire to be admitted members of that visible Society for the time by communicating in the ordinance are already partakers of the grant or charter have right and interest in Christ may lawfully desire the Seals and may be admitted as members for the time being of that particular Society Therefore to debar such from the Lords Supper and their seed from Baptisme is against the Law of nature and the positive Law of God an injury to the faithfull and their seed a wrong to the Catholike visible Church that particular society and the Pastors themselves that so debar them They sinned grievously who deferred Baptisme to the end of their life and the negligence of Pastors and Teachers who did not instruct the ignorant and reprove the superstitious was great And is not the severity in debarring such as crave and desire to be admitted to the Seals an injury to be reprehended Answ 2 Confider the ordinary administration of the Seales is limited to the ministery and the ministery to a particular Church therefore the seals also must necessarily be proper to the Church and to the members thereof 1 That the administration of the seales is limited to their Ministery is evident from the first institution Math. 28. 19. where God hath joyned to preach viz. by office and to baptize together therefore wee may not separate them For howsoever any man may by the appointment of the Lord and Master of the family signifie his minde and deliver his message from him to the family yet the dispensing of a fitt portion of food to everie one of the houshold is a branch of the stewards office Indeed the keies are given to the whole Church yet the exercise and dispensation of them in this as well as in other particulars is concredited to the Ministers who are called to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4. 1. And no Church office can be orderly performed by any but one that is called therunto nor will God vouchsafe his presence and blessing wherupon all spirituall efficacy depends in an ordinance dispensed but when it is dispensed by those whom he hath ordayned and appointed thereunto 2 That the ministery is limited to the Church appeares as from evident texts of Scripture so also upon this ground 1 The office is founded in the relation betweene the Church and the officer wherfore take away the relation and the office and the worke ceaseth For where he hath not power he may not doe an act of power and he hath not powerwhere he hath not a relation by office Herein the proportion holdeth between an officer of a towne corporate and of a Church that as the power of the former is only within his owne corporation so the power of the latter is confined to his owne congregation Reply THe proposition is granted that the dispensation of the Sacraments in the New Testament both ordinary and extraordinary is limited to the Ministery But in that you alleadge for confirmation somethings may be noted 1 The first institution of Baptisme is not contained in that passage Math. 28. 19. but confirmed For the seales of the New Testament were instituted by Christ before his death and his disciples had baptized many which they could not doe before the institution of
that there are Christians among the Barbarians at this day we finde none must be admitted to the Passeover that was not first Circumcised but nothing was required of a stranger to circumcision but that he professe the true faith and avouch the God of Abraham to be his God which of necessitie must be done before he could be reputed a visible Beleever or under the Covenant of promise Thus a learned and reverend divine Circumcision was a seale of the covenant that God made with Abraham concerning Christ that should come as concerning the flesh of Isaac and so of Iacob of whom were the 12 tribes who were the Israelites c. Rom. 9. 4. 5. So that as in Abrahams time none were bound to be Circumcised but those that were of his family as being borne there or bought and so brought thither which were not of his seed So afterwards none were bound to be Circumcised which were not borne in the family of Jacob and Patriarchs or joyned to them And after their comming out of Egypt none were bound to be Circumcised but the children of the Iewes then the only Church of God and those that desired to joyne unto them The summe is thus much God gave circumcision to Abraham as a seale of the Covenant but whether it was given to other beleevers in his time it is at least a thing uncertaine And if they were not Circumcised it was by reason of the speciall Institution of God and peculiar manner of administration of the Covenant of promise which in some respect was proper to the family of Abraham and not common to all the visible members of the Church at that time in Church fellowship and order Afterwards when there were none in covenant but the seed of Iacob or strangers professing the faith of Abraham circumcision was not to be administred to any man who was not in Covenant nor any man to bee admitted to the Passeover who was not circumcised This is the most that can be said with any probability But hence it will not follow by iust analogie or proportion that the seed of the faithfull must not bee admitted to Baptisme or visible believers be received to the Lords Supper unlesse they bee set members of some particular congregation united in Church order Thirdly presupposing therefore that Melchizedeck Lot and Iob were not Circumcised we say there is not the like reason of Circumcision and Baptisme in this particular For first if Circumcision was ever appropriated to the family of Abraham and might be communicated to other visible Beleevers it was in the first Institution and administration but in the first Institution and administration of Baptisme it was not observed that beleevers should be first gathered into a politicall body or Christian church membership and then baptized Iohn the Baptist baptized such as came to him confessing their sins The Apostles baptized Disciples such as gladly received their doctrine beleeved in Jesus Christ and received the gifts of the holy Ghost before they were gathered into Christian Church order or made fit members of a Christian congregationall Assembly 2 If Circumcision was by speciall Institution given as a priviledge to the Males of Abrahams Familie Melchizedecke Iob Lot and other visible Beleevers were not bound to joyne themselves as members to Abrahams familie or desire and seek to be circumcised But they that have received the doctrine of salvation beleeve Christ and professe the faith are bound to seek and desire the priviledge of the seals in an holy manner 3. Melchizedech Job and Lot were not onely visible beleevers but visible members of the Church according to the manner of dispensing in those times but the Seals as you confesse belong to all beleevers knit together in Church-Covenant 4. If circumcision be appropriated to the family of Abraham it is because the Covenant sealed by circumcision is peculiar to Abrahams posteritie sc that Christ should come as concerning the flesh of Isaac But Baptisme is the seal of the Covenant of grace without any peculiar or speciall tye or respect 5. You contend that Baptisme did belong to such beleevers as were members of the then Jewish Church which cannot stand if Abrahams familie did answer to a Christian societie or congregationall Assembly Just reason therefore may be given why circumcision was dispensed onely to the males of Abrahams familie when baptisme is not to be limited onely to the set members of a particular societie and if this consideration be applied to the purpose instead of saying Circumcision and the Passeover were to be administred onely to the members of the Church you must say Circumcision was to be desired of or administred unto all the true approved visible members of the Church And if there be the same reason of both then all visible approved members of the Church must not desire nor be admitted to the seals but this conclusion you will not acknowledge Answ 4. Consideration THey that are not capable of the Church censures are not capable of the Church priviledges but they that are not within Church-Covenant are not capable of Church censures Ergo. The proposition is evident The Assumption may be proved 1 Corinth 5. 12. What have I to do to judge them that are without Now to be without is not onely the case of Heathens and Excommunicates but of some beleevers also who though by externall union with Christ they are within the Covenant of grace yet being not joyned externally to the visible bodie of Christ a particular Church are in regard of visible Church communion said to be without To this purpose is this text alledged by other Divines also as Dr. Ames Cas of consci l. 4. c. 24. q. 1. resp 5. Reply FIrst men are capable of Church censures in two respects either in having the power of the keyes and authoritie to dispense them according to God or as subject to the censures of the Church In the first sense many are capable of Church priviledges that are not capable of Church censures as the seed of Christian parents children and women You say you admit to the seales the knowne and approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church but to fellowship in the censures admittance of members and choice of Officers onely the members of that particular Church whereof they and we any of us stand members In the second sense also many are capable of Church priviledges who are not subject to Church censures as the children of Christian parents are capable of baptisme the known and approved members of any true Church are capable of the Seales in other Congregations among you who are not subject to the censures of that other Society Spirituall communion in publick prayer is a Church priviledge which is not denied to visible beleevers and godly persons though not in Church order and so not in subjection in your sense to Church censures Secondly a person baptised is not baptised in that particular congregation onely but
credit in such cases our reasons must be weightie and convincing But for your exposition of this text of Scripture as yet we have not observed one substantiall ground or approved author to be alledged Doctor Ames shewing the necessitie of Christians joyning themselves to some particular Church giveth this reason Quoniam alias fieri non potest quum conturbentur signa illa quibus fideles ab infidelibus discerni possunt 1. Cor. 5. 12. But herein Dr. Ames manifestly sheweth that by them that are without heathens and unbeleevers must be understood and not beleevers and godly men though of no particular setled societie for the time for thus we conceive he argueth The signes and evidences whereby the faithfull are to be discerned from unbeleevers must not be confounded but unlesse Christians make themselves actuall members of a Societie or Church the signes whereby the faithfull are discerned from unbeleevers will be obscured and darkned And if this be his reason how can that text of Scripture be alledged for confirmation unlesse by men without Infidels be understood Again Doctor Ames in the same book lib. 4. ca. 27. speaking of Infants to be received it is required he saith that they be in the covenant of grace in respect of outward profession and estimation in respect of their parents and that there is hope they shall be instructed and brought up in the same covenant 2. That Baptisme doth most properly belong to those infants whose parents at least one of them is in the Church and not without because baptisme is a signe and seale of the covenant of grace 3. That children that are cast forth are in charitie to be esteemed the children of Christian parents when there is no just cause of presuming the contrary that in admitting unto baptisme a difference must be put betweene the Infants of those who in some sort belong to the Church but openly break the covenant of God and the children of others 1. Because a distinction must be observed in holy things betweene the cleane and uncleane seeing else the ordinance of God cannot be preserved from all pollution To say nothing of that which he addeth touching the baptisme of Infants borne in fornication excommunication and Papists which is more then sufficient to cleare his meaning in the former passage To this may be added that he holdeth it not necessarie that Christians should gather themselves into a particular society but as opportunitie and occasion should offer it self So that it was never his mind to censure them who be not gathered into Church-Covenant because they want means or opportunitie as men without in the Apostles sense His judgement is further manifested in his second Manuduction pa. 33. So many parish Assemblies of England saith he as have any competent number of good Christians in them united to worship God ordinarily in one Societie so many have the essence and integrall forme of a visible Church and all they have intire right to Christ and to all the meanes of injoying him how ever they are defective in the puritie of their combination and in the compleat free exercising of their power whereupon a reverend Elder now among you draws this conclusion Ergo to dischurch them wholly and to separate from them as no Churches of Christ or to denie baptisme to the Infants of their known members is not warrantable by any rule of Scripture that I know nor justified by any assertion or practise Answ 5. Consideration VVE may adde hereunto for a fifth Consideration the evill and pernicious consequences of extending communion in Church priviledges beyond the bounds of Church fellowship for thus 1. The extraordinarie office of the Apostles and the ordinarie office of Pastors and Teachers will be much confounded if the latter be as illimited as the former in the execution of their office beyond the bounds of their own particular Churches 2. The distinction of Church assemblies from the confused multitude is abroagated if without membership in a particular Church the parents may communicate with the Churches in the Lords Supper and their seed in baptisme 3. The Church shall indanger the profaning of the seals and want one speciall meanes whereby the grace and pietie of men may be discerned and made known for if without respect to their Church estate men of approved pietie as you say are to be admitted to fellowship in the seales how shall their pietie be approved to the Church not by their own report of themselves alone without attestation of such as are approved by the Church and how can such beare witnesse to their approved pietie who against light refuse to professe subjection to the Gospel of Christ by orderly joyning themselves in fellowship with some approved Church of Christ as members thereof when they have opportunitie thereunto seeing such fellowship is an action of pietie required of all beleevers in the second Commandment and true pietie frameth mens spirits to have respect to all Gods Commandments And we have had much experience of it that men of approved pietie in the judgement of some have been found too light not onely in the judgement of others but even of their own consciences when they have come to triall in offering themselves to be members of Churches with such a blessing hath God followed this order of taking hold of church-Church-Covenant by publick profession of faith and repentance before men be admitted to the seales but this meanes of discoverie of mens pietie and sinceritie would be utterly lost if men should be admitted unto the Lords table without entring in Church-fellowship Reply IF it be repugnant to Divine Institution to admit of approved Christians lawfully baptized walking in the faith members of the visible Churches and partakers of Church priviledges among us to the Lords Supper or their children to baptisme because they be not entred into Church fellowship according to your order then it is unlawfull though no such evill consequences are to be feared But if by accident some abuse should fall out the evill is to be prevented by all lawfull meanes but the faithfull are not utterly to be debarred of the order of God whereto they have right and title by his free grant and gracious invitation And no question but the seales of the Covenant may be profaned many times when it is not in the power of the dispensers to put back or expell such as profane them If the Congregation shall admit of or tolerate an unworthy member the Churches priviledges are profaned and yet we conceive you will say the Pastor is not faulty in receiving him when the Church doth tolerate unworthily if he do what pertaineth to his office to keep the holy things of God from contempt But in the case propounded there is no feare or danger of such consequences necessarie to follow for the question is not of all sorts at randame but of Christians professing the faith intirely lawfully baptised known and approved to the consciences of
Elders in every city or Church And so there was a Church before Elders were set over it but this Church was a societie of beleevers by baptisme admitted into Church-fellowship There can be no Church to call a Minister to feed the flock and dispence the seals till they have received the doctrine of salvation intirely and by the seale of initiation be solemnly received into the societie of men professing Christ A company of men converted to the faith being unbaptized may and ought to desire baptisme but they have not power to elect and chuse one among themselves to dispence the seales unto the rest for ought is to be found in Scripture The Churches constitution into which Christians are to gather themselves must be Apostolicall and not one day or houre younger in nature and forme of it thus the first Church of the New Testament But it can never be shewed in Scripture that any societie of unbaptised persons did first chuse from among them a Pastor or Teacher by whom they might be baptised you cannot produce one example or other proofe in the Scripture of one man teaching the Gospel ministerially but he was baptised and a member of a true Church or of a societie who made choice of a Pastor and teacher but they were baptised persons The third Proposition That the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church must also be rightly understood For by the Church must be meant the societie of the faithfull not onely ingrafted into Christ set into the state of salvation and made heires apparent of everlasting blessednesse but solemnly entred and inrolled into the societie of Christs flock and acknowledged members by free admission into the Seales of the Covenant Againe by the Church if we speake of ordinary calling must not be understood of the faithfull alone but their guides and officers together with them who are to goe before the rest and to direct and governe them in their choice Neither can we say that any two or three beleevers linked together in societie doe make such a Church as to whom the calling of the Minister doth belong but that right was given by Christ to such Churches as were gathered and established by the Apostles The Church hath a Ministery of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of Office given him in the vacant place But the office gift and power of the Ministery is immediately from Christ and not from the Church The Church doth neither virtually nor formally give power to her Officers but ministerially onely as ministring to him who hath power and vertue to conferre it And this right of election is so given to the communitie and body of the people that if they have consented to give away their right or if it be taken injuriously from them the calling of the Minister notwithstanding may be true and ministeriall acts done by him that is thrust upon the people without their consent may be effectuall to their salvation A wrong it is altogether to debarre the godly of their consent in the calling of such as must watch for their soules but it makes not the calling it selfe a meere nullitie for then many Churches in the world within a few hundred yeares after Christ should have wanted both ministery and Sacraments and they would have been altogether destitute of both ministery and Sacraments for many hundred yeares The fourth That all those who desire to partake in the Seales are bound to joyne themselves together in Church-state that so they may call a Minister to dispence the Seales unto them will not follow from the former rightly understood We deny not but Christians are bound to joyne themselves together in holy fellowship if God give them opportunitie but they must partake in the Seales before they can joyne themselves together in Church-state And such as for lack of meanes and opportunitie cannot joyne themselves into such an estate or be dispersed by persecution or be destitute of Pastors and Teachers may for a time desire and seek to have the seales dispenced unto them by the Pastors and Teachers of other Societies with whom they hold communion in the faith The people also who are deprived of right and libertie to choose their Pastor may desire and seek to have the Seales dispenced unto them by him who is set over them If a company of Infidells should be converted to the faith they must desire to partake in the ordinances of grace before they could joyne together in a Church-way to call a Minister of their own who might administer the Sacraments unto them To make Disciples and baptize are joyned together And if these Propositions be allowed for current a nation or people plunged into Idolatry or Infidelitie or otherwise dischurched cannot by ordinary meanes recover into a Church-estate wherein they may lawfully and according to Gods appointment desire or expect that the Seales of the Covenant should be dispenced to them The fifth Proposition riseth beyond measure that no Christian can expect by the appointment of God to partake in the Seales till he have joyned himselfe in Church-fellowship and the calling of the Minister Wee conceive you will not say that children and women have to doe in the call of the Minister for women they are debarred by their sex as from ordinary Prophesying so from any other dealing wherein they take authority over the man If some part of the Congregation doe not consent in the election of Pastors or Teachers have they not right to expect to have the Seales of the Covenant dispenced to themselves or their seede If the people be deprived of that libertie to choose or call their Minister must they seperate from the ordinances of worship there dispenced and from the Congregations as no true Churches If some persons by the providence of God live in such places where they cannot joyne in Church-fellowship and call of the Minister as suppose the Christian wife childe or servant nor lawfully remove to any such Societie must they and their children live as strangers and aliens from the Covenant of grace wherein they may not expect to partake of the Seales In Infidels be converted to the faith must they not partake in the Seales because they cannot joyne in Church-fellowship and call of the Minister before they be admitted to Baptisme Here you say the people must joyne together in the call of the Minister before they can lawfully desire to be admitted to the Seales And another hath zealously affirmed It is a presumptuous sin in any to choose an Officer not trained up and tryed scil in the debating discussing carrying and contriving of Church-affaires as also in admonition exhortation and comfort publickly occasioned and so manifested Lay these two together and let it be considered how long many a poore soule converted to the faith must be compelled to want the comfort of Gods ordinances Besides if a people be joyned
professing the true and intire doctrine of faith and salvation in respect of them that hold and professe the same faith of Christ and worship God according to his will whereupon it followeth that neither particular persons nor particular guides nor particular Churches are to worke as severall divided bodies by themselves but are to teach and be taught and to do all other duties as parts conjoyned to the whole and members of the same flock or societie in generall And so beleevers professing the faith and walking in holinesse may and ought to be admitted to the Seales as actuall members of the Church of Christ and sheep of his pasture though not set members of one congregationall Church 4. Not to insist upon this here that it hath and may fall out many times through ignorance rashnesse or pride of a prevailing faction in the Church that the true members of the Catholique Church and the best members of the Orthodox visible flock or Church of Christ may be no actuall members of any distinct Societie and shall they for this be accounted men out of Covenant and their posteritie be esteemed aliens and strangers but if they be in Covenant then are they holy in respect of the Covenant and their children holy as pertaining to the Covenant and have right to the Sacrament of initiation Thus Mr. Rob. frameth the argument The Sacrament of Baptisme is to be administred by Christs appointment and the Apostles example onely to such as are externally and so far as men can judge taught and made disciples do receive the Word gladly do beleeve and so professe have received the holy Ghost and to their seed And thus the Church of God ever since the Apostles dayes understood the covenant and promise and their practise in receiving beleevers and their seed to the Seales of the Covenant was answerable as might be shewed at large if it was not a thing confessed Hereunto you answer Answer VVHere the holy Ghost is given and received which was the case of the Centurion and where faith is professed according to Gods ordinance which was the case of the rest there none may hinder them from being baptised viz. by such as have power to baptise them In the Instances given baptisme was administred either by Apostles or Evangelists not ordinary Pastors the persons baptised if they were members of Churches had a right to baptisme in their state and the Apostles being Officers of all Churches might dispense the seales to them where ever they came which yet will not warrant ordinary Officers to do the same Nor is it improbable but that all these were in Church-order Aret. on Act. 18. 1. is of opinion that the Centurion had a constituted Church in his house the Eunuches coming to Jerusalem to worship argueth him to be a Proselyte and member of the Jewish Church not yet dissolved and therefore upon the profession of the Christian faith capable of Church priviledges at that time As for Lydia and the Gaylor it appeareth that in the beginning of the Gospel there was a Church at Philippi which communicated with Paul as concerning giving and receiving As he expresly saith before his departure was from Macedonia which departure was immediately upon the Gaylors conversion In which respect what should hinder that Lydia and the Gaylor should first be joyned to the Church and then to be baptised though it be not mentioned in that story As neither there is mention of a Christian Church which Paul mentioneth in his Epistle to the Philippians At least it is probable that Lydia was a member of the Jewish Church because she is said to be one that worshipped God But if any man think they were not members of any Church yet baptised though we see not how it will be proved yet if it were so the object doth no whit weaken the argument which speaketh of the ordinary dispensation of the seales and not of what was done in an extraordinary way So that suppose that in the cases alledged baptisme dispensed to some that were not in Church-fellowship yet the examples of the Apostles and Evangelists in so doing will not warrant ordinary Pastors to do the like The reason of the difference why Apostles and Evangelists might administer Baptisme out of Church-order whereas Pastors and Teachers may not is double 1. Because their calling gave them illimited power over all men especially Christians wheresoever they came But we do not find that ordinarie Pastors and Teachers can do an act of power but onely over their own Church which hath called them to watch over them in the Lord. 2. Because they were assisted with an immediate direction and guidance of the holy Ghost in the places of their administration in the cases alledged But ordinary Church-Officers are to walke according to ordinary rules of the Scripture in the dispensation of the Seales and not to expect immediate inspirations and extraordinary revelations for their helpe in such cases This difference between Apostles and ordinary Church-Officers must needs be acknowledged or otherwise a man might from their example justifie Baptisme in private houses Reply THis Answer stands of many parts wherein things doubtfull are affirmed and that which more weakeneth the force of the consideration before alledged and the Answer it selfe then of the reason whereunto it is applyed For First If where the holy Ghost is given and received and where faith is professed according to Gods ordinance there none may hinder them from being baptized viz. by such as have power to baptize them Then either men that have received the holy Ghost and professe the faith be members of the Church or Baptisme is not a priviledge of the Church then it is not essentiall to the first Institution of Baptisme that it should be dispenced to none but such as were entered into Church-fellowship or were set members of a congregationall Assembly Then the Apostles in dispensing the Seales unto such or commanding them to be dispenced did walk according to the rules of Scripture and upon grounds common to them and us viz. they admitted them unto the Sacraments who had right and interest to them according to the minde and pleasure of the Institutor not extraordinarily revealed besides the common rules or by speciall dispensation and prerogative excepted from the common rule but made knowne in the Institution it selfe And then the difficultie remaining is onely this whether a Pastor or Teacher hath authority from Christ to dispence the Seales of the Covenant to one who hath right and title to them and doth orderly desire that benefit because he is not as yet received as a set member of that particular societie which your practise in admitting of set members of other Congregations unto the Seales doth manifestly convince For if both have equall interest unto the Seales the Pastor upon lawfull suite and request hath equall authoritie to receive the one as well as the other Secondly In the particular Instances given
do not appropriate this priviledge of the Seals onely to the members of your own Churches excluding all other Churches of Christ from the same If your meaning be onely this that you deny not the Sacraments administred in other Churches to be the true Sacraments of Christ for substance then you ascribe little more to the Churches of Christ in this then to the Synagogue of Satan the Church of Rome For you will not deny Baptisme administred among them to be true for substance If you deny not to have fellowship with them in the Seals and to admit them to the Sacrament and to communicate with them then either your judgment is contrary to your practice or you exclude the Churches of England from the number of true visible Churches of Christ which is to destroy what you formerly builded and here professe All possible care to keep the Ordinances of God from contempt we allow and commend provided you go not beyond the Lords warrant and deny not the priviledges of the Church to them to whom they are due by divine appointment nor the name and title of Church to those societies which God hath plentifully blessed with means of grace have received the Tables and Seals and have entred into Covenant with his Highnesse Your liberty to receive such satisfaction as is meet is not called into question nor whether you are to keep the bond of the Spirit inviolate according to order But whether this be to keep the bond of the Spirit inviolate viz to exclude from the Sacrament true visible believers or knowne recommended Christians formerly members of visible Churches among us and their children because they are not members as you speak in Church Order And whether God alloweth to put this difference between Church mēbers of your societies other visible believers walking in holines though not admitted members of any society according to your Church order as to receive the one though members of another society unto the Seals and to debar the other and their children These are the things to be considered in these present positions And first we will examine your Reasons for your judgment and practice by themselves and then so far as we judge meet try your answers to the objections you make against it 1 Consideration THe Seals Baptism the Lords Supper are given to the Church as a priviledge peculiar therto in ordinary dispensation Indeed the preaching of the word is not so being an ordinance given not onely for the edifying of the Church already gathered but also for the gathering of men to the Churches that yet are without wheras the dispensing of the Seals is Gods Ordinance given onely for the edifying of the Church being gathered and not for the gathering of it And because there is now no universall visible Church on earth wherein the Seals are dispenced there being no place nor time nor Officers nor Ordinances appointed in the New Testament by Christ our Lord for any such Assemblies as the Iewes had under Moses It remains that the Christian Churches whereunto these priviledges were given are congregationall consisting onely of so many as may and do meet together ordinarily in one place for the publike worshipping of God and their own edifying Hence it is that we read so much in the New Testament of the Churches in the plurall number the Churches of Christ the Churches of God the Churches of the Saints and not onely when they were of divers Nations the Churches of the Gentiles but also of the same Nation The Churches of Iudea and not onely when that Country was of large extent and circuit the Churches of Asia but also of a small part of the Country The Churches of Galatia yea when congregations in severall Cities are spoken of They are called Churches as the Churches of Ierusalem the Churches at Antioch To wind up all seeing the Churches in the Gospell are congregationall and that Baptisme and the Lords Supper being Church priviledges belong onely to the Churches it will follow that as City priviledges belong onely to Citizens and their children so baptisme and the Lords Supper being Church priviledges belong onely to the members of particular Churches and their seed And that seeing sigillum sequitur donum to apply them to others what is it but to abuse them As a seal of a corporation is abused if added to confirme the grant of priviledges which are peculiar to any Towne corporate to one that being no free-man of that corporation is uncapable thereof Reply IF by the Church be understood the Society of men professing the entire faith of Christ the seales are given unto it as a peculiar priviledge but if by the Church you understand onely a congregationall assembly in Church order the seales were never appropriated to it But to examine every thing in order as it is propounded 1 The Seales Baptisme and the Lords Supper are given to the Church as priviledges peculiar thereunto not onely in ordinary as you say but also in extraordinary dispensation True baptisme is not without the Church but within it an ordinance given to it and they that are baptised must needes be of a Church The Sacraments are the seales of the Covenant to the faithfull which is the forme of the Church and when for substance rightly used tokens and pledges of our spirituall admittance and entertainment into the Lords family and Symbolls or testimonies whereby the people of God are distinguished from all other Nations This is most certain as in the ordinary so in the extraordinary dispensation of the Seales as is confirmed by the Texts of Scripture alleadged in the Margine For the Apostles as you say dispenced the seales in an extraordinary way but the seales dispenced by the Apostles were Seales of the covenant priviledges peculiar to the Church priviledges of spirituall admittance and entertainment into the Lords family And when you say the dispencing of the Seals is an Ordinance given onely for the edifying of the Church being gathered and not for the gathering of it must it not be understood in extraordinary dispensation as wel as ordinary To what pupose then are those words in ordinary dispensation added to the proposition if thereby you would intimate that the Sacraments be not the peculiar priviledges of the Church and Seales of the Covenant in extraordinary dispensation it is evidently crosse to the Text you cite and to your selves afterward If your meaning be that in ordinary dispensation the Sacraments doe of right belong to them onely who bee set members of a visible congregation it is all one with the conclusion that which is in question and should be proved and that which this very Scripture doth plentifully disprove for they that were baptised were not set members of a particular congregationall Church whereunto they were baptised nor in a Church way before baptisme as is evident and granted by the most of your selves but by baptisme
solemnly admitted into the Church and then it is not for your purpose or they were set members as some of the brethren seeme to contend in answer to the objection framed against this consideration and then the words are more then superfluous Added they were to prevent the objection which you foresaw might be made from the Apostles practice and example but so as they cut asunder the sinews of the consideration it selfe and make it of no force For as those beleivers were of the Church so are approved Christians and their seed among us therefore the priviledges of the seales belong unto them 2 And as the seales so is the word of salvation preached and received a priviledge of the Church If by the preaching of the word you understand nothing but the tender of salvation or the publishing of the will of God concerning the salvation of man whether by private or publike persons it is not proper to the Church but an ordinance given for the gathering of men to the Church and not only for the edifying of the Church For the Apostles first preached to the Gentiles when Infidels that they might be converted And we doubt not but a Minister or private Christian comming into a country of Infidells may as occasion is offered and as they shall be inabled instruct and perswade them to receive the faith of Christ but if by the preaching of the word be meant the giving of the word to a people to abide and continue with them and consequently their receiving of it at least in profession then it is proper to the Church of God The word makes disciples to Christ and the word given to a people is Gods covenanting with them and the peoples receiving this word and professing their faith in God through Iesus Christ is the taking of God to bee their God The lawes and statutes which God gave to Israell was the honour and ornament to that Nation and a testimony that God had separated them from all other people even the Gentiles themselves being Iudges The word of reconciliation is sent and given to the world reconciled in Iesus Christ and they that receive the doctrine law or word of God are the Disciples servants and people of God In your second consideration you intimate that there is a two fold preaching the one by office and authority the other in Common charity or how ever else it may be called For thus you write God hath joyned to preach viz by office and to baptize together therefore we may not separate them Now to preach unto that is to instruct or counsell in charity is a duty which may be performed to an infidell but to preach by office is proper to them that are called to that office and so to be taught and instructed by Officers in the Church is proper to the Church To have pastors who shall feed with knowledge and understanding is a gift of matrimoniall love which God vouchsafeth unto his Church The Apostles first gathered Churches and then ordained elders in everie Citie or Church so that it is proper to the Church to be fed and guided by true spirituall pastors who teach and blesse in the name of the Lord. And if the word preached and received bee a certaine note of the true Church they that have intyrely received the word of salvation and have Pastors godly and faithfull to feede and guide them they and their seed have right and interest unto the seales in order Moreover the true worship of God is an inseparable and infallible marke of the true Church of God for where Christ is there is his Church This is the prerogative of the church The Prince shall be in the midst of them and he shall go in when they goe in c. And Christ saith where 2. or 3. are met together in my name there am I in the middest among them And for certain they are gathered in the name of Christ that being lawfully called doe assemble to worship God and call upon his name in the mediation of Iesus Christ In times past the Church was acknowledged by the feare of God and entyre Service of his Majestie by the professing of the true faith and faithfull calling upon Gods name The signes of Apostolike Churches are these The continuance in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer And if faith true and lively though mixed with many doubtings and errors make a man a living member of Iesus Christ the entyre profession of true faith joyned with holynesse of life in some measure answerable thereunto makes a man a true member of the visible Church And if the seales belong to the Church in right and orderly dispensation they that joyne together in the true worship of God according to his will with godly and faithfull pastors they have right and title to the Sacraments according to divine institution Thirdly that there is now no visible Catholike Church in your sense will easily bee granted i. e. there is no universall society consisting of all such as are accounted or to bee esteemed Christians subjected to one or many vniversall Pastors or guides wherwithall subordinates must communicate in some sacred things which may make them one Church and which may and can be performed by that vniversall and head Church only Such an vniversall Christian Church Christ never ordained no not in the dayes of the Apostles to whom all the care of all the Churches was committed The Churches planted by the Apostles had all the same substantiall lawes and customes the same guides and officers for kinde the same ordinances of worship and meanes of Salvation But one flock or Society in the fore mentioned acceptation they were not because they were but subordinate to one visible head Christ with which they were to hold union and communion in some worship to be performed by them all jointly assembled at some speciall solemnity nor subjected to the government of any supreame tribunall constantly to be erected and continued among them Neverthelesse in some respects of reason the visible Church may be called the Church sheepfold or flock of Christ for if the whole society or body mysticall of Christ be one this Church militant in like sort is one the unity of which society consists in that uniformity which all severall persons thereunto belonging have by reason of that one Lord whose servants they all are and professe themselves that one Spirit whereby they are animated as the body by one soul whereby they believe in Christ and which they acknowledge and professe that one Baptisme inward and outward whereby they put on Christ and are initiated This society is one in the inward fruition and enjoying of the benefits of Christs Death and Resurrection and in outward profession of those things which supernaturally appertain to the very essence of the Church and are necessarily required in every Christian this
acceptation of the word is not unusuall in Scripture As God hath set some in the Church His bodies sake which is the Church The Church viz. whereof Paul was made a Minister and whereunto the rest of the Apostles were ordained which was the Catholike visible Church the society of men professing the faith of Christ throughout the world divided into many particular Churches whereof some are pure others impure some more others lesse sound Hereunto it may be added that every multitude and society of believers are indefinitely called the Church I persecuted the Church of God The house of God which is the Church of the living God In which sense all the Churches in the world may truly be called one And thus the Apostle Peter writing to many dispersed Churches who could not assemble in one place nor be fed by one Shepherd speaketh of them singularly as one flock Feed the flock of God which is among you But that flock are the strangers dispersed through Pontus Galatia Asia Cappadocia and Bythinia which could not possibly joine together in the Ordinances of Worship or make one distinct congregated assembly And if the Catholike Militant Church be one Society the Seals that are given as a prerogative to the Church are given unto it and the true Members of the Catholike Church have right and title to them in due order though they be not admitted into the Church fellowship you speak of For as the flock or society is one so is the Ministery Faith Covenant and Sacraments which are given as a communion prerogative unto the whole Church and not appropriated to this or that part or member as separated from the whole which is further evidenced hereby that sometime it hath and too often it may fall out that a Christian may be a true member of the universall visible Church i. e. he may hold professe and maintain that holy Catholike Faith pure and undefiled without which no man can be saved who for the present is no actuall member of any particular or visible society in Church order As for example a man may be cut off by Excommunication from all commerce with the present visible Church wherein hee was bred and born when hee is not cut off from the Catholike Orthodox all Church Hee may be deprived of participation of the Ordinance in every particular society when his right and title to them is much better then these who have most injuriously cast him out or debarred him of the means of salvation The communion of Saints whether visible or invisible is the effect and property of the Church Catholike and agreeth to the severall parts and members thereof as they be members of that body under the head and if particular Churches have communion together it must of necessity be that they bee parts and members of the whole body which is one 4. Though there be no universall congregation or assembly nor can be imagined yet there are and have beene many visible assemblies or societies true Churches of Christ to whom the Prerogative of the Seals is given which have not beene united and knit together in Church-order into one congregationall body or society For every society in covenant with God is the true Church of God for what is it to be the flock people or sheepe of God but to be the Church of God And where there is a Covenant there is the people of God They that are of the faith of Abraham are the children and seed of Abraham and within the Covenant of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenant The communication on and accepting of the tables of covenant is an undoubted token of a people in convenant or confederate but every society professing the true and entire faith joyning in prayer and thankesgiving receiving the truth of God to dwell among them and in some measure conforming themselves to the obedience of Gods Commandements is in covenant with God It is simply necessary to the being of a Church that it be laid upon Christ the foundation which being done the remaining of what is forbidden or the want of what is commanded cannot put the society from the title or right of a Church For Christ is the foundation and head corner stone of the Church and a people comming unto Christ united unto him built upon him having communion with him and growing up in him are the true Church of God and if the seals be annexed to the covenant by God himselfe as we cannot deny a people in covenant to be the Church so we must not deny their right and title to the Sacraments If therefore the meaning of the proposition be that the seales be given to the Church that is to true and sound Christians and people in covenant with God as a priviledge whether in ordinary or extraordinary dispensation we accept it as good and sound but it makes against your judgement and practice in keeping away such as have right and title to the ordinances If you meane the seales are given to the Church that is onely to set members of some particular society combined by covenant as it is among you we cannot receive it because it implieth a distinction not taught in Scripture and crosse to your selves And for the thing it selfe the Scripture hath nothing but many things against it as hath beene shewed 5 If it be granted that the seales are the prerogative of a particular visible Church known and approved Christians among us and their seed are members of true and visible Churches and so to be esteemed among you before they be entred into Church membership as you call it For every society professing the intire and true faith and joyning together in the right use of the Sacraments in matters substantiall is the true Church of God and every visible beleever receiving the word and professing the true intire faith admitted to the right and lawfull participation of the Sacraments is a visible member of the true Church if he have neither renounced that society nor deserved justly to be cast out by excommunication or Church censure For the intire profession of the truth the dwelling of the truth among men the right use of the Sacraments which is ever joyned with truth of Doctrine and to be esteemed by it is proper to them that be in covenant with God And they that truly partake of the Seales must needes be of a Church for the seales are not without but within the Church an ordinance given unto it and if they be true members of the true Churches of Jesus Christ other Churches are bound to hold communion with them in the ordinance of worship as divine providence shall minister occasion In answer to the ninth position you say the members of other Churches well known and approved by vertue of communion with Churches doe mutually and with
the people that were borne in the Wildernesse Joshua circumcised but it is incredible to thinke that among that great multitude there was not one who did not give good testimony of the worke of grace in his soule We reade often times that Israel after some grievous fall and revolt renewed their Covenant to walke with God to serve him onely and to obey his voyce as in the dayes of Joshua the Judges David Samuel Also Joash Josiah and Nehemiah c. But no particular enquiry was made what worke of grace God had wrought in the hearts of every singular person But the confession and profession of obedience was taken When John Baptist began to preach the Gospel and gather a new people for Christ he admitted none to Baptisme but upon confession of their sinnes but we reade of no question that he put forth unto them to discover the worke of grace in their soules or repelled any that voluntarily submitted themselves upon that pretence It appeareth many wayes that when the Apostles planted Churches they made a Covenant between God and the people whom they received But they received men upon the profession of faith and promise of amendment of life without strict inquirie what sound work of grace was wrought in the soul In after ages strangers from the covenant were first instructed in the faith and then baptised upon the profession of faith and promise to walk according to the covenant of grace Now the profession at first required of all that were received to baptisme was that they beleeved in the Father Sonne and holy Ghost This was the confession of the Eunuch when he was baptised I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God The Creed is honoured of the ancients with glorious titles as the rule of faith the summe of faith the body of faith the perswasions of faith but by the Creed they understand that rule of faith and law of faith and institution of Christ which was then given when he was about to ascend into heaven and commanded his disciples saying Go teach all Nations c. It is true that in after times as occasion required some other Articles were added as explanations of the former to meet with the heresies of the times which began to trouble the Church But for substance of matter in things to be beleeved the Church never required other acknowledgement of them that were to be received into the congregation of Christs flock and admitted into her communion And for things to be done or the practicall part she requireth of them that were to be received to baptisme an abrenuntiation of the devill the world and the flesh with all their sinfull works and lusts The first principles then of the doctrine of Christ being received and the foresaid profession being made the Apostles and the Church following the example of the Apostles never denied baptisme unto such as sought or desired it If this be the Covenant that members admitted into Church-fellowship do enter into and this be all you require of them whom you receive you have the practise of the Apostles and the whole Church in after ages for your president But if you proceed further then thus and put men to declare what worke of grace God hath wrought in their soul in this or that way which perhaps is not determined by the word of grace at least not agreed upon among your selves we beseech you consider by what authority you do it and upon what grounds you stand But we will enter no further upon this matter because it comes not within the compasse of these Positions and to attribute so much to private letters as to make them the ground of another dispute we may not VII POSITION That a Minister is so a Minister of a particular Congregation that if they dislike him unjustly or leave him he ceaseth to be a Minister Answer OUr Answer to this consists in two branches 1. In case a Minister be set aside by the Church meerly through his own default 2. By the Churches default without any desert of his In the former case it is evident he ceaseth to be a Minister to them any longer as appears in foure conclusions 1. It is cleare from the Word that a Pastor or Teacher in these dayes hath no Apostolicall power over all Churches but onely limited to that one Church where God hath set him Paul gives not the Elders at Ephesus a generall Commission to go teach all Churches but to go feed that one flock over which the holy Ghost hath made them over-seers Act. 20. 28. So Peter gives direction to Elders to feed that flock of God onely which was among them and take the over-sight thereof 1 Pet. 5. 2. 2. It is as cleare that all this power of feeding which the Minister hath in that Church is nextly derived to him from Christ by the Church who hath solemnly called him to the work and promised to obey him therein for if he have it elsewhere it must be either from Christ immediately or from some other men deputed by Christ to conferre it on him or he must take it up of himselfe Not the first for that was proper to the Apostles or Apostolicall men therefore Paul proving his Apostleship saith he was called not of men nor by men but by Jesus Christ himself Gal. 1. 1. Not the second for we never read in Gods Word that any ordinary Officers or other besides the Church that had any Commission given them from Christ to call Ministers unto Churches Not the third for no man taketh this honour viz. of a Priest under the Law or of a Minister under the Gospel but he that is called of God Hebr. 5. 4. Therefore it must needs be from Christ by the Church 3. As the Church in the name of Christ gave this power to a Minister to be what he is and do what he doth amongst them when such a Minister shall make and manifest himself apparently unworthy and unfit to discharge the place which they thus called him unto so that they may discerne that Christ the head of the Church hath refused him from being a Minister unto him they may then upon as good grounds depose him from it as they called him to it 4. When a Church hath thus in Christs name put forth this power of shutting as before it did of opening to a Minister then he must cease to be a Minister unto them any more for we know no such indelible character imprinted upon a Minister that the Ministery ceasing the Minister ceaseth also 2. In case the Church shall without cause or sufficient weightie cause rashly or wilfully set him aside whom Christ hath set over them and whom they so solemnly called and promised before the Lord to submit unto and so abuse their power given them by Christ it is deubtlesse a very great wrong unto the Minister and sinne against Christ himselfe before whom it was done and