Spirit and sufficient Rule 23. That men must believe the Scripture without reason for their believing it or must believe it to be Gods word without seeking any proof that it is his word 24. That it is meritorious to believe the Scripture to be Gods word without knowing any proof or reason of it this being an infused faith and proof making it but acquired 25. That we must believe Gods word no further than we have evidence of truth from the nature of the matter revealed 26. That Mahomet is the Paraclet promised by Christ V. Of the Creation 1. That this world was from eternity and not made in time 2. That an evil God made this earth or a middle God between the perfect God and the evil one As old Hereticks variously spake 3. Or that such an evil or middle God made the body of man 4. Or that such an evil or middle agent made the woman 5. That God made sin and death and disorder before sin deserved them 6. That when God had made this world he left it to the Government of certain Angels who fell and necessitated man to fall 7. That the World is Gods body and he the Soul of it and no more 8. That the world came by chance or by a fortuitous conflux of atomes and was not made by Gods wise and powerful word or action 9. That there is nothing in the world but matter and motion and the various shapes of matter caused by motion or at least nothing but God and matter and motion and its modal effects 10. That the world is Infinite as being made by that infinite God who made it as great and good as he was able and therefore infinite in his own similitude VI. Of Angels and Spirits and Heaven 1. That men can certainly tell the space number and order of all the celestial regions orbs or spaces and the number of Angels or when the first were made 2. That this world or earth was made by Angels only 3. That the fallen Angels were necessitated by God to sin and to tempt man 4. That God hath so left to Angels the Government of this world as not to govern it himself save by such leaving all to their free contingent action 5. That all that which scripture ascribeth to the Holy Ghost is done only by Angels 6. That we may know which are our Guardian Angels 7. That men may choose their own guardian Angels or spirits 8. That we must pray to Angels though we see them not or have no special notice when they hear us 9. That Angels lusted after women and begat Giants of them before the deluge 10. That they fight with each other for the government of the Kingdoms of this world even the good Angels among themselves VII Of Man as man in his nature and first state 1. That mans soul is God or part of God 2. Or is only a part or act of an universal soul of the world and is no singular or individual substance in each one 3. That the soul is but a quality motion or action of a higher agent 4. That the soul is mortal and dieth with the body being either annihilated or asleep or sunk into a meer potentia or hath no knowledge will sense or action or is swallowed up in the universal soul so as to lose its proper or numerical existence 5. That mans soul is of the same species as the bruits 6. That mans spirit only is immortal and continueth after death but not his soul 7. That mans soul or spirit was from eternity 8. That it was made before this earth and sinned in a former body and was thrust for punishment into this body and world 9. That the souls departed of men are sent back into beasts or at least into other men and so are oft born 10. That mens souls are fallen Angels 11. That Adams soul was made first male and female before it was incorporate 12. That Adams body was the cloathing that God made him after he sinned having no body before 13. That neither soul nor body was made after Gods image as Epiphanius ill affirmeth 14. That mans Vital faculty Intellect and Will are but accidents of his soul 15. That the soul is moved but as an engine by an extrinsick cause and hath not any Essential self-moving form or power 16. That no man can do more or less or otherwise than he doth because God as the first mover necessitateth all his actions 17. That the will hath no habits but a meer power and liberty 18. That Adam and Eve had no holiness or holy inclination to love God as God and to obey him but a meer neutral possibility 19. That Adam had not help or strength sufcient or necessary power to have forborn his first sin 20. That man was made only to be an inhabitant of earth as Angels are of heaven and is not capable of an higher habitation VIII Of sin Original and subsequent 1. That God is as much the Cause of all sin as he is of darkness and such other privations and that he made Adam sin or that he irresistibly predetermineth every ones will to every forbidden act which it doth 2. That the Devil irresistibly necessitated Adam to sin and so some superior cause did the Devils 3. That sin is not only the occasion of much good but a proper cause and as such is decreed willed and caused by God 4. That God made a Covenant with Adam that if he sinned all that came of him should be reputed sinners farther than they were really seminally in him and by natural in-being and derivation were partakers of his guilt and corruptions and so that God made them sinners by his arbitrary imputation when naturally they were not so 5. That Original sin necessitateth every sin of omission or act which ever after followeth in the world 6. That sin being a meer privation all are by nature deprived of all moral good and so all are equally evil and as bad as those in hell notwithstanding any thing that the Redeemer hath done to prevent it 7. That infants have no Original sin no guilt of Adams sin and no sinful pravity of nature 8. That Infants have no participation of guilt of any nearer parents sin but Adams only and God doth not inflict any punishment on children for their fathers sin because of their derived guilt by nature 9. That therefore Infants have no need of a Saviour to suffer for their sin nor of a pardon 10. That Infants need not the Holy Ghost to sanctifie them by killing any sinful pravity or inclination in them 11. That sin was not the cause of death 12. That sin deserveth not hell or an everlasting punishment IX Of Redemption and the Covenant of grace made to Adam and Noah 1. That God made no promise Covenant or gift of grace to Adam after his fall 2. That God made the Covenant of grace only to Adam and the elect and not to all mankind in him
no not as it is a Conditional Covenant 3. That all except the elect or most or many at least are still under that first Covenant of Innocency made with Adam as prescribing to them and requiring of them sinless innocency or perfection as the only condition of their salvation As if God still said to sinners I will save you if you are not sinners 4. That the Covenant of Grace was made only to and with Christ and no other 5. That there was and is an eternal Covenant of Redemption made between God the Father and the Son which is neither Gods Essence a Divine Person or Decree but a proper Covenant 6. That God gave no grace pardon or salvation by Covenant till Christs incarnation 7. That the same faith objectively considered was necessary to salvation under the first edition of the Covenant of grace as under the last viz. to believe that Jesus the son of Mary is or must be the Messiah and that he must die for sin and rise again and intercede in heaven and return to raise us and judge the world 8. That Christs Disciples were not in a state of justification till they believed all this 9. That all men shall not be judged as they believed and kept or brake the condition of the Covenant in that edition which they were under but all according to the tenor of the last edition 10. That no faith in God as gracious and merciful to sinners and as pardoning sin was necessary before Christs incarnation 11. That God before did pardon sin without any respect to the future sacrifice and merit of Christ as mans Redeemer 12. That no souls were glorified or received to heaven and happiness till Christ's resurrection but reserved in some Limbus till then X. Of the Covenant made with Abraham and Moses Law and the Israelites 1. That Abraham was the first true Believer or the first to whom a promise or Covenant of Grace was made 2. That the Covenant of Grace was made to no other people in the world but the Israelites were Gods whole visible Church on earth and did not only add to them a Covenant of peculiarity 3. That this promise to Abraham and his seed in whom all Nations of the Earth should be blessed extended no way to the believing Gentiles 4. That all Heathens children that were circumcised were certainly saved if they died before actual sin 5. That Moses Law bound men to no spiritual duty nor promised any future reward or happiness after this life 6. That Moses Law was given by an evil God or evil Angel 7. That Moses Law was the same as the Law or Covenant of perfect innocency first made for Adam 8. That all the world was bound to keep Moses Law as such even the judicial and ritual parts of it 9. That under that Law God gave no grace to obey him 10. That the converted Jews are still bound to keep Moses Law 11. Yea and all converted Gentiles now 12. That we are bound to form our Church government according to the Mosaical or Jewish XI Of Redemption by Christ incarnate and the Gospel or last edition of the Covenant of Grace 1. That Christ brought no more Grace than was as ordinarily given before his incarnation 2. That he was habitually or actually a sinner guilty of original or actual sin 3. That Christ was properly reputed a sinner by God or a proper sinner by imputation in that he took our sin to be his own or God took him to be guilty of the fault of all our sin and not only one that undertook to bear the punishment deserved 4. That Christ was as guilty of our sin as we were of Adams 5. That Christ was habitually or actually holy and fulfilled all righteousness in the Legal person of every elect person or of every true believer so that the Law therefore judgeth them to have been what Christ was or done what Christ did therein they doing it in him 6. That Christ was not a satisfying sacrifice for sin 7. That Christs satisfaction and merit were not sufficient for their proper use and effect without our satisfaction and merit to make up their defect 8. That Christ was not the Saviour of the world or that God did not so love the world as to give his only son that who ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Or that God hath made no such promise or grant to all to whom the Gospel cometh that if they repent and believe in Christ they shall be pardoned and saved or that this conditional universal pardon was no fruit of Christs death 9. That none but the elect have any mercy purchased by the death of Christ nor are bound to be thankful to him for any such 10. That Christ suffered the same pains of hell hatred of God and torment of Conscience which all the elect should else have suffered 11. That Christs Righteousness and sacrifice are not the true meritorious cause of our righteousness pardon justification and salvation 12. That Christ must be oft really sacrificed 13. That Christ at his last supper did make the bread and wine become his real body then living and that it was broken and his blood shed by himself really before he was crucified by the Jews 14. That Christ felt no real pain as St. Hilary Picâ—av ill said 15. That Christ died not but another in his shape 16. That Christ took not his body into Heaven 17. That all power is not given to Christ nor are Kings and Magistrates his Ministers nor hold their power by him 18. That Christ is no Law-giver and made no Law 19. That he is not our sufficient intercessor with God by whom we may have access and acceptance 20. That Christ sendeth not forth his spirit to be his agent and witness to the end of the world in sanctifying his elect XII Of Faith Repentance and sanctification 1. That Faith repentance holiness and obedience are not necessary in us to our salvation because Christ was righteous for us and repented and believed in our stead 2. That believers are under no Law of God 3. That he may be pardoned and saved who forbeareth only the outward Acts of sin through meer fear and is absolved by a Priest though he love sin better than holiness and had rather keep it than leave it 4. That loving others and doing them good and no harm is all the Love of God and Holiness that is necessary to salvation 5. That Faith and Repentance are of nature or by meer natural power and free-will and not the gift of grace through Christ 6. That God giveth grace equally to all till good improvers make a difference 7. That men may be holy in the restored Image of God without the grace of the Holy Ghost 8. That men need not the Spirit of God to help them to pray or preach 9. That the sins of sanctified persons are not judged by God to be theirs and that he seeth them
or practice And sure no such for Images is in the Creed or Decalogue § 26. The same I may say of many other Religious practices As St. Paul speaketh of meats and drinks and dayes Rom. 14. 15. so must we say of all things that are of no greater necessity If men in all these must be brought to uniformity and practising in the same mode it must be either by argument and perswasion or by force The first we are sure will never do it in all things though it may in many All the twenty reasons before mentioned prove it and many hundred years experience much more It is certain to all save blinded persons that all Christians will never be in all things of a mind about Lawful and Unlawful Duty and Sin And 〈◊〉 that force will never do it St. Paul saith of things indifferent that he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Ungodly persons that have no true Conscience may go against their false Consciences for worldly ends and wilfully sin for fear of men But so will no true Christian unless in the hour of such a temptation as Peters by a fall from which he will rise again to a stronger resolution than he had before No sound believer will sell his soul to save his flesh nor hazard heaven by wilful sin to save his interest on earth So that this way of forcing men to practise contrary to their Consciences in points in which good and tolerable Christians differ will but make up Churches of wicked men that have no conscience joyned with one party that is therein agreed And I shall shew you in due place that they will never devise what to do with the Conscionable dissenters that shall not be far worse than a charitable and peaceable forbearance § 27. III. It is certain that there will never be so great Concord as that all Disputings opposition and passionate and injurious words and writings will cease among all sorts of Christians No nor among all that are honest and upright in the main For as long as one taketh that for a dangerous errour or sin which another taketh for a necessary truth or duty men will even on Gods account think ill of one another and in some measure speak ill as they think They that know that they must not call evil good and good evil nor put darkness for light and light for darkness will abuse and injure one another in things where they confidently err A Lutheran though pious will speak and dispute against a Calvinâ—â— and a Calâ—inist against a Lutheran And so of many other Parties And though it is greatly to be wished that all Christians had humble thoughts of their own understandings and would stay till they know well what they say before they talk much against things or persons and though it be so with wise and eminently sober humble men yet with too many it is far otherwise and like so to continue Perverse disputings and shameful backbitings and speaking evil of things and persons not understood have such unhappy causes in the remnants of dark corrupted nature that they seem to be like to live till a golden age or heaven do cure them Talking and writing against one another even of the same Religion yea praying and preaching against one another must be expected in some degree I would I need not say silencing and persecuting one another yea excommunicating and anathematizing among the worser sort of men such usage as Nazianzen had from one of the famous General Councils and such usage as Chrysostom had from such Bishops as Theophilus Alexand. and Epiphanius and a Council of other Bishops and such as abundance of excellent men in most ages have met with in the like kind and way may be expected again till Bishops and all Christians become more wise and resined persons § 28. II. But affirmatively there is yet an excellent sort and degree of Unity and Concord to be sought with hope among Christians worthy of all our utmost labour Yea there is a true and excellent Unity and Concord which all true Christians do already enjoy consisting in the following things § 29. I. All Christians truly such believe in One God and believe the incomprehensible Trinity and believe Gods Essential Attributes and Grand Relations to man They believe that he is Infinite in Immensity and Eternity and Perfection even a most Perfect Spirit Life Vnderstanding and Will most Powerful Wise and Good the Creator and preserver the Governour and the End of all of whom and through whom and to whom are all things in whom we Live and Move and have our being Most Holy and True and Merciful and Just whom we are bound to believe and trust and love and serve and obey and praise with all our heart and mind and strength and perfectly and everlastingly to see Love and Praise him to Please Him and be Pleased in Him in Glory is the end and happiness of Saints § 30. II. All true Christians believe in One Mediator between God and man Jesus Christ the Eternal Word God and one in Essence with the Father Incarnate assuming the whole Nature of man conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary and was holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners fulfilling all righteousness and overcame the Devil and the world and gave himself a Sacrifice for mans sin by suffering a cursed death on the Cross to ransome us and reconcile us unto God and was buried and went to the departed souls in hades and the third day rose again from the dead having conquered death And having declared the new Covenant or Law of Grace and commanded his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the world and promised them to send the Holy Spirit he ascended into Heaven before their faces The said Covenant of Grace is summarily this that whereas all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God sin by one man entring into the world and death by sin and so death and condemnation passed upon all in that all have sinned God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever Believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life that is God freely giveth to lost undone sinners Himself to be their reconciled God and Father Jesus Christ to be their Saviour and the Holy Ghost to be their Sanctifier if they will Believe and Trust him and accept the gift and will in serious Covenant which Baptism celebrateth accordingly give up themselves to him Repenting of their sins and consenting to forsake the Devil the world and the Flesh as opposite to God and sincerely though not perfectly obey Christ and his Spirit to the end according to the Law of Nature and his Gospel institutions that so they may overcome and be Glorified for ever And they believe that Christ will come at last in Glory and judge all men according to his Laws
and to their works § 31. III. And they all believe that the Holy Spirit being God and one in Essence with the Father and the Son proceeding from the Father and or by the Son is the Great Witness Agent and Advocate of Christ before at and after his coming into the world incarnate by his gifts of Prophecy Miracles and Sanctification convincing sinners and drawing them to Repent and Believe and dwelling in Believers as an operating cause of Divine Life and Light and Love thus Uniting them to God in Christ their Head and to each other in Faith and Love by which they are gathered to him as his Church or body having the forgiveness of their sins and the adoption of Sons and right to the heavenly inheritance And living in holy communion on earth their souls at death are received to happiness with Christ and their Bodies shall be raised and soul and body Glorified at the last with Jesus Christ and all the blessed in the perfect Vision Love and joyful Praise of the most Glorious Jehovah § 32. And as I. All Christians agree in this Belief so also II. They all solemnly in and by the Baptismal Covenant and their holy Eucharistical Communion and other duties Profess the Consent of their wills to these Relations to God their Creatour Redeemer and Sanctifier and to his Church or body and their thankful Acceptance of the foresaid Gifts And they profess and express their seeking-desires hereof according to the Contents of the Lords Prayer § 33. III. And as to Practice they all agree in professing and promising obedience to Christ according to the Law of Nature the Decalogue and all his Written Laws so far as they understand them and their desire to Learn them to that end § 34. All sincere Christians agree in the true and Hearty Consent to all this And these are the true saved Church of Christ called Invisible because their Hearts-consent is Invisible All other Baptized and Professing Christians with them agree in the Profession of all this And are called The Church-visible their Profession being visible And all this being truly included in Baptism which is our entrance into the Catholick or Universal Church in this before described consisteth our Catholick Communion in Christs body as spiritual or invisible and as visible § 35. II. But besides this Universal Church-Union and Communion for ORDER and Advantage to our great end God hath instituted the ORDER of Christian Assemblies or Particular Churches which are to the Vniversal Church as Cities and Corporations to a Kingdom Which are the noblest and most priviledged parts of the Kingdom but yet not essential parts but eminently Integral For it may be a Kingdom without them and would be if they were all disfranchised and laid common And if Apostles and Evangelists as Itinerant Preachers convert and baptize men they are part of the Church Universal before they are gathered into distinct societies under proper Pastors of their own The Eunuch Act. 8. was baptized into no particular Church but into the universal only and so were many others And meer Baptism as such without any additional contract doth no more If thousands were Converted in America or cast there without Pastors they were parts of the Universal Church if baptized Professing Christians And before the Apostles ordained any fixed Bishops or Pastors of particular Churches the Church Universal was in being though small § 36. But these particular Churches being a great part of Christs Institutions and necessary not only by Precept but as a means to the Well-being of the Universal and the Edification of it and the particular members It must be endeavoured and that with good hope of success that there may so much Particular Church-Vnion be obtained and maintained as shall much conduce to its great and excellent ends That is 1. So much as that in them God the Father Son and Holy Ghost may be Publickly solemnly and constantly confessed by sound doctrine holy worship and holy discipline and conversation 2. So much as that hearty Christian Love may be exercised and maintained and Christians edified in Communion of Saints 3. So much as that God shall accept them delight in them and bless them their converting edifying and comforting souls hearing their prayers and praises and owning them by his Ministry Covenants and grace and differencing them from the people that do not thus confess and worship him and promoting hereby their salvation And if this much be attained it is not to be vilified for want of more nor blotted with reproachful names but acknowledged with thankfulness and praise § 37. III. And yet there is a further degree of concord to be hoped for and endeavoured and that is the concord of these particular Churches with one another That they may all Profess 1. The same faith and necessary doctrine 2. and the same Love to God and one another 3. and the same Hope of life eternal 4. and may offer to God the same necessary and acceptable sort of worship viz. by preaching and applying his holy word recorded in the holy Scriptures preserving and reading them calling upon his holy name by Confession prayer thanksgiving and praises and holding respective communion in the use also of the Sacraments of his Covenant and exercising in some measure such holy Government and Discipline by Pastors overseeing their several flocks as he himself by his institution hath made universally necessary And all this though not in perfection nor every where with the same degree of purity and care yet so far 1. as that Gods word and ordinances be kept up in soundness in all parts and respects necessary to salvation 2. and as may tend to the edifying of the Churches by Love and concord in necessary things and their mutual help by counsel and strength by that concord 3. and the avoiding of pernicious feuds and divisions § 38. The means by which this is to be done 1. by communicatory Letters 2. by Synods 3. and by Civil Governours is after in due place to be explained Thus much of Christian Vnity and Concord may be well hoped for upon just endeavours here on earth But neither Perfection in these nor those unnecessary terms of Concord which some have long taken to be necessary § 39. And indeed so much as may be hoped for is so very hardly to be obtained that if we trusted not to Gods extraordinary Grace more than to any natural probability that appeareth to us in man we should be ready to despair that ever Christians should live long in so much peace and concord And though the great difficulty must not kill our hopes it must much quicken us to strenuous endeavours Of which more anon Satan is so great an enemy to it and every sin in man is so much against it as every disease in the body is against its ease and peace and the multitude and malignity of sins and sinners is so great and the very healers so few and faulty and unskilful
union Is it that they all unite in Cephas Peter or in One Patriarch or Pope Or that they adhere to men with greater estimation No but contrary It is this that divided them while one was for Paul and another for Apollos and another for Cephas He calls them to unite in Christ alone and not to think of men above that which is written nor to be puffed up for one against another nor to take any Pastors as the Lords of their faith but as Ministers of Christ and stewards of his mysteries given for their good and helpers of their joy and edification c. 3. 4. He tells them that neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase and he that planteth and he that watereth are one c. 3. v. 7 8 9. And in case of eating things offered to Idols as to so much as was lawful in it self he chargeth them to deny their liberty when it will be a stumbling-block to the weak and tells them that he will never eat flesh while the world standeth if it make his brother to offend c. 8. 13. Telling them that when they sin so against the brethren and wound their weak Conscience they sin against Christ v. 12. And he himself would labour for his bread and not take a lawful and due maintenance from them when he saw it would hinder his success c. 9. and would rather dye than any should make void this his glorying v. 15. To the Jews he became as a Jew to gain the Jews and to the weak he became as weak to gain them and was made all things to all men that he might by all means save some v. 20 21 22 23. His rule is Give no offence to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved c. 10. v. 32 33. Their divisions at the Communion he reproveth ch 11. not caused by ceremonious impositions but their own partiality and selfishness The great difference among Christians in gifts and strength he largely openeth c. 12. to shew them that all this must stand with unity and that yet there must be no Schism in the body but the members must have the same care one of another v. 25. yea the less comely parts must have the more care v. 23 24. And ch 15. 1 2 3. he giveth us this sum of the Gospel which he preached Moreover brethren I declare to you the Gospel which I preached which also you have received and wherein ye stand by which also ye are saved if ye hold fast what I preached to you unless you believed in vain Are not here the terms of Christian unity and salvation For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and was seen c. whence our resurrection is proved Here is nothing but the common articles of the Creed and this was the Gospel Indeed St. Paul is an Anathematizer too but it is not of men that differ about words or humane forms but of all them that love not the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. § 15. The same Apostle sharply reprehendeth the faults of the Galatians But what is it for not for differing about things unnecessary but for making such necessary that were not For which he wisheth those cut off that troubled them And he concludeth all with this uniting true Canon c. 6. v. 15 16. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a New Creature And as many as walk according to this Canon or Rule peace be on them and mercy and on the Israel of God I Can any thing be plainer No say the battering Canoneers As many as walk according to this Canon but conform not to all our Canons or Decretals let them have no peace or mercy but be cut off from the Isreal of God so contrary is the Papal Spirit to Christs And Paul there giveth also this rule and the reason of it c. 6. 1 2. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ And because he knew that self-esteem and contempt of dissenters lay at the root of impatience towards others he addeth If a man think himself to be something to whom all must needs consent when he is nothing he deceiveth himself § 16. The same Apostle to the Ephesians accurately openeth the terms of Christian Unity and Church Concord in my Text purposely describing both the end the instruments and the terms so that I know not how we could have desired more The End is For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carryed about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up in him in all things which is the head Christ From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying of it self in love Can all the Canons in the world attain more Concord and higher ends than these exprest And the Instruments are the gifts which Christ gave to men even to Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and the loving endeavours of all believers § 17. And the Terms of all this Union and Concord are these seven 1. One Body of Christ the only Head that is all true Christians in the world 2. One Spirit given by Christ to quicken illuminate and Sanctifie and confirm and comfort them 3. One Hope of their calling that is the Glorious coming of Christ and our Heavenly Glory 4. One Lord the King Head and Saviour of the Church 5. One Faith that is Christianity expressed in the Churches Creed or common profession 6. One Baptism that is One solemn entrance into the Church and Covenant of God in the publick profession of this one faith 7. One God and father of all who is above all and through and in us all But all this consisting in various degrees of grace and gifts ch 4. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. These are Gods own terms of Christian Unity and Concord sufficient in their kind but judged insufficient by the ignorant proud tyrannical
voluntarily came or were duly brought 2. And if men will stay without or keep their Children out they wrong themselves and theirs but this breaketh no unity of the Christian Church § 8. There have been also factious persons that tye the validity of Baptism to their sects such as were specially the Donatists supposing that their Prelates had the truest call and power and that all others were Sectaries or Hereticks and therefore their baptism null and void and to be iterated But though in other arrogancies some follow them to this day yet few if any in the nulling of baptism § 9. But a greater and longer stir there hath been about Creeds and professions required as Tests to excuse men from heresie But yet it is to be noted that few of them by these altered the form of baptism but there took up with the ancient Creed the Apostles and the Nicene or Constantinopolitane and required no more but only imposed the rest on Bishops Priests or other afterwards § 10. And is there now any cause of discord here 1. All Christians have been made such by baptism from the Apostles dayes till now Is there any thing in the world that ever came down to us by more certain uniform consenting tradition The very same words of baptism which Christ did institute are every where used to this day And if all ages and Countreys have still baptized persons as believers or Christians and yet be not agreed what Christianity is or what the faith is that baptism requireth it will be a strange incredible shame to them But even Hierome and Hillary that cry out of their new Creeds do tell us that in Baptism the old one was still used to which they did appeal And though the Greeks and Latines differ about their filióque and some small new clauses are found in the Creed that were not in the old Copies which are now found on Record they are not so factious or vain as to nullifie Baptism by any of those differences For the Creed is but part of the Exposition of Baptism and Baptism is true Baptism if no other Creed or words were used but it self 2. And there are few Christians yet that will refuse any of the truly ancient Creeds of which more anon § 11. 3. It is true that there are some humane ceremonies which some Churches adjoin to Baptism and by others are rejected or omitted The most of the ancient Churches used the tasting of milk and honey the wearing of a white garment and Chrisme and now some use the transient Image of the Cross as a symbol of our engagement to a Crucified Christ which others omit as taking it to be so far participant of the nature of a Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace as that it is an usurpation of Christs prerogative for any men without his institution to appoint But yet all these Churches that differ in these Ceremonies agree that the validity of Baptism dependeth not on them Whether they be used or omitted the person is nevertheless baptized § 12. Qu. But what is it that is necessary to the being and validity of baptism Answ This was partly answered before 1. It is necessary to the validity of it in foro Ecclesiae that both the baptizer and the adult baptized or the person that is authorized to Covenant for the infant do Profess to intend real Baptism and not to do it in jeast or to other ends And it is necessary to its efficacy to pardon and salvation that this profession of the Baptized be sincere and that he do it from the heart And it is necessary to free the baptizer from Gods displeasure that his intention be sincere 2. It is necessary that the words of Baptism be such as express all the Essence of it such as are those of Christ which all Christians use I Baptize thee in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And that no contradictory words which nullifie these be added 3. It is necessary to the validity of it in the judgement of the Church that the adult person and the Parent or pro-parent for the Infant do seem or profess to understand all the words of Baptism so far as is essential to it For ignorantis non est consensus 4. It is necessary to the validity of it to real pardon and salvation that he not only seem to understand it but really do so 5. It is accordingly necessary that the person consent to all the essence of the Covenant that is seem and profess to do it to the Church and really do it to satisfie God and obtain pardon and life by it 6. It is not absolutely necessary to the validity that the Creed or any other profession be used by the baptized besides the words themselves I believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and give up my self to him in this Baptismal Covenant Because understanding and consent may be expressed by those words 7. But it is usually necessary to the bene esse or the best performance of baptism that the adult person or the Parent of Infants do in larger words profess his understanding belief and consent to baptism And it is best that these words be not too many nor too few and that they be for the most part one unchanged form Lest ignorance or heresie deprave baptism by change and variety of words 8. To this end the Churches of Christ have still used the Creed as the summary form of Profession of faith As the Lords Prayer is a summary form of our Desires and the Decalogue of our rule and profession of practice But because Assent is supposed to imply Consent to the particulars Assented to though but Generally professed therefore the Church hath more rarely omitted the Creed in the profession of Assent when yet they have accepted of a more General profession of Consent to the Covenant and promise of obedience 9. But if the adult do before-hand as a Catechumen learn the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue and give the Pastor a satisfactory account of his competent understanding of them then that may be supposed and only a General profession of faith consent and subjection be used at the time and in the words of baptism And so much of the constitutive causes of baptism § 13. II. Though no more than Baptism be essentially Necessary because so great a work should be well done and ignorance and errour are very common it is meet that the Church require an understanding Assent to the common Articles of the Creed and an understanding Consent to the Lords Prayer and Decalogue and in general to all that he understandeth to be Gods Word Belief and sincere Obedience And therefore that the adult person and Parent of the Infant be one that hath before been Catechized or examined herein § 14. Though I consent to Ger. Vossius and others that there is no proof at all that the twelve Apostles made the twelve Articles of the
to sentence or declare him none For the sentence must be true Many things in such cases may cause a man to err which do not unchristen him or cut him off from Christ § 42. The disowning and refusing some humane forms of Profession of faith called Creeds or some doubtful though lawful subscriptions promises declarations Covenants or oaths much less false ones are no just causes of Excommunicating that man who professeth all the essentials of Christianity and whatever is necessary to salvation § 43. The condemning of some such humane Creeds Articles Forms Covenants promises or oaths though unjustly is no just cause of such excommunication because all men being known to be fallible a good Christian may mistake another mans or many mens words And the misunderstanding of a man or many men may stand with Christianity piety and salvation § 44. It is not all that maketh a man uncapable of local Communion with this or that particular Church which unchristeneth him or maketh him uncapable of continuing in the Church-universal as shall be after proved § 45. Nay a man may be a Christian in the Universal Church who is a member of no particular Church as is before shewed As 1. some newly Baptized as the Eunuch Act. 8. 2. Some Christians that live among Infidels where is no Pastor or Church As if one were now Converted in any Heathen Land or cast there after or called as an Embassador or Merchant to live there 3. Some poor vagrant persons that have no dwelling as Pedlars Tinkers and such others that go from place to place and some others § 46. Therefore if a man should so far err as to think that he were not bound to be a member of some particular Church it may consist with his being a member of the Universal Church § 47. Some few brethren called Independents think that none are members of the Church-Universal but those that are members of some particular Church But it is but few of them and they are mistaken As Corporations are the most regular parts of the Kingdom but not the whole Kingdom so particular Churches are the most regular parts of the universal Church but not the whole as hath been proved by instances § 48. Yea though we need lay no stress on this I doubt not but in cases of necessity an open profession of Christianity and entring into the Covenant of God doth make a man a Christian even without baptism it self As if a Bible or good book or speech convert a man among Infidels where there is no one to baptize him St. Peter saith It is not the outward washing that saveth but the answer of a good Conscience to God in the holy Covenant And it is a dishonourable doctrine against God and Christianity to say that God layeth his love and mans salvation so much on a Ceremony as to damn or deny an upright holy soul for want of it or to give grace to none but by that Ceremony though it be of Gods institution I am sure St. Paul saith Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. And if Holy before baptism because the Parents are so and do devote them to God and God accepts them then baptism doth but solemnize this dedication and invest them It is the solemn Covenanting with God that is the chief part of baptism and is it which the ancient Churches meant when they pleaded for the necessity of baptism to salvation Though it is no doubt a duty where it may be had and the thing signified is necessary to salvation § 49. The Keyes of Admission and exclusion as to the Church universal and salvation are not given absolutely to the Pastors but only to exercise on qualified persons And every man herein hath more power as to his own entrance or ejection than the Pastors have They do but judge a man to be what he is according to Christs Law and not what he is not no man can make a man a Christian without himself nor unchristian him without himself nor can all men and devils do so much to it as himself God hath not put our salvation or damnation so much in any ones power as our own § 50. A false and unjust sentence of excommunication doth no more to damn a man than a false absolution doth to save him But till the falshood is known others for order sake must avoid the person if it be done by a just power and not notoriously abused to the subversion of order or the Church otherwise not But the injured person is still a member of the Catholick Church And is not disobliged from his Communion with it and publick worshipping of God because a Pastor unjustly forbiddeth him Though he must give all due satisfaction and seek his right in a regular way CHAP. V. III. What are the terms necessary to the Office and Exercise of the Sacred Ministry § 1. THe Schisms in the Church are far more among the Clergy than the people and have been mostly exercised by Bishops militating against each other and anathematizing each other as hereticks or as not submitting to the challengers of superiour jurisdiction Or else in the Bishops silencing Christs Ministers for not obeying them as they expect HARD WORDS for want of an equal skill in speaking and JURISDICTION or superiority through pride and a carnal mind contended for by the Clergy against each other have torn the Church and confounded States and been the shame of Christianity in the eyes of Infidels and brought us to the low and broken state that we are in § 2. The great cause of all this hath been the introduction of ignorant or bad men into the sacred Pastoral Office And the remedy doth not yet seem very hopeful to us And operari sequitur esse As the man is so will he do A good tree will bring forth good fruit and è contra An ignorant man will err An erring man will do evil and not repent none will do more mischief against the Churches peace than an erring Ruler that Can do it and thinketh that he Ought to do it worldly men will prefer their worldly interest before the interest of Christianity and mens souls The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God nor while such can be But the Proud while they will not obey God will rage against the best that obey not them Read Church-History and you 'll see it proved § 3. Such as the choosers are such ordinarily the chosen are like to be God and the ancient Churches set three locks to this door for the safety of the Church that so great a matter should not be disposed of without a manifold consent 1. The person to be Ordained and the Ordainers were made the Judges who should be a Minister of Christ in the Church-Universal as being qualified by God thereto II. The People and the Ordainers were to choose or consent who should be their Pastors in particular The people and the
Pastor is dead it is an existent Community and virtually and morally a Political Church because by the Law and the peoples resolution another is to be seasonably chosen As an elective Kingdom in the interregnum is virtually and morally a Kingdom But if the purpose of chosing a Successour be changed the Kingdom and so the Church is dissolved or changed into somewhat else § 12. 5. It is indifferent to the being though not usually to the well-being of a Church whether it have one Pastor or many § 13. 6. The number of the people though not precisely determined must be competent to the Ends of the Society If it be Greater or smaller than is necessary to the Ends it is no Church of this defined species As Logicians say of the subject of other relations If a Boat or Ship be no bigger than a spoon it is not a Boat or Ship but equivocally And it may be so big as to be no Boat or Ship when it is uncapable of the Ends. A Family is too small to be a City And a Kingdom or the world is too big Dispositio materiae est necessaria ad receptionem formae § 14. 7. It is impossible to be a Church without the cement of Consent professed or cordial If many be forced into a Temple not consenting it is a Prison and they are not a Church If they consent only to meet on other occasions or for some occasional act of Religion it is not thereby made a Church If they be commanded to consent and do not and if it only be their duty it maketh them not a Church but only proveth that they ought to be one No Law or command maketh a Church without Consent But this Consent may be divers waies expressed The plainest most obliging way is best but is not absolutely necessary In some times and cases it may be more needful than at others especially at the first gathering and forming of a Church sometime ordinary Communion or attendance specially of persons born in that Church may signifie necessary Consent It 's pity then that men should be so weak as some to make express Covenanting of each member with the Church and Pastor necessary and others to deride it when it is laudable ad bene esse but not necessary ad esse But some signification of Consent is necessary ad esse that is A Consent to be a member of the society and submit to the Pastor and hold Communion with the Church to the Ends in the definition And the plainer this is exprest it is the fitter to satisfie the Church and oblige the person But whether the Consent be signified by words writings or deeds is undetermined No man can have the great priviledges of a member either of the universal or particular Church against or without his will and consent And no Minister not consenting can be a Pastor to any The Relation of a Church member consisteth in a Right to great benefits due to no refuser or unwilling person and in obligation to duty contracted by Consent besides the obligation of Gods Command We can no further prove any Company of Christians to be a Church than we can prove that they Consent to Church relation for Church Ends. § 15. Christianity it self consisteth in a believing Consent to the Covenant of Grace and as no man is a Christian nor hath right to Christ and his saving benefits without Consent so no man can have right to the Sacraments that seal and deliver this Covenant and benefits without consent No Christian in his wits is for the Baptizing of any adult person that consenteth not And the Lords Supper is a seal of the same Covenant and no more due to non-consenters than Baptism And as it is not enough to say I am willing to be Baptized but not by a Minister or not in the order appointed by Christ so it is not enough to say I would have the Sacrament and Communion with the Church but I will not submit to the Ministry Doctrine Worship or Discipline of that Church For this is as great a contradiction as to say I will be a servant to you but I will not work or obey but only have my wages or I will be a Soldier but I will not fight but be paid He that will have Communion with the Church must consent to the Ministry Worship and Discipline of that Church in which Communion consisteth § 16. And if a Minister shall be so imposed on as that any man or woman may come when they please and force him to give them the Sacrament of Communion without consenting to take him for their Pastor or to be taught or guided by him yea or give him satisfactory notice that they know what the Sacrament is or who Christ is he is a slave and not a Pastor Baser than any School-master Philosopher or Physicion that are not forced to take a Scholar Pupil or Patient against their will or that will not take them for their Teacher or Physicion and obey them § 17. Yet if on this pretence any Bishop or Pastor will impose unnecessary Covenants promises or professions on the Church or any Christians and make their wills a Law and oblige men to give them any other Belief or Obedience than truly belongeth to the Pastoral Office and so will set up a tyranny instead of a Christian Ministry they are not herein to be obeyed lest we be guilty of the corruption § 18. Yea if every integral part of the Pastors power and the peoples duty be put into such Promises or Contracts and the people required to profess their Consent as a necessary condition of their Communion it is sinful tyranny contrary to Gods Law and common reason and the constant practice of the Primitive Church Christ himself requireth unto Baptism no other Consent as necessary save to the essentials of Religion A thousand Integrals may be unknown to the Baptized and are so to most Christians It is our duty never to think speak or do amiss But Christ maketh not such duty necessary to our Baptism Christianity or Church Communion It is the duty of every member of a single Church to hear believe and obey the Pastor in many things where the best may fail To excommunicate a man therefore for not subscribing or professing assent to some unnecessary doubtful form for not being convinced by a Lay-Chancellours sayings in a doubted case or for not paying the Court Fees or for not appearing the day that one is summoned to appear at the Chancellours Court and such like are but tyrannical Schismatical acts The King himself is satisfied with the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacie and doth not require all the subjects no nor the wisest Lawyers or Judges to swear subscribe or profess that they assent and consent to all the Laws of the land § 19. 8. The great Controversie of the age and many ages is about the true and formal difference between the lowest species of Churches which
invented expositions will be as liable to be wrested by Hereticks as the Scripture It is ridculous presumption to talk of making any Law profession or Articles that a false Heretick may not subscribe to 3. But there is another remedy against them while they conceal their heresie they are no Hereticks in the judgment of the Church Non apparere here is as non esse when they divulge it the judicatures must correct them It 's vanity to dream that the Law is faulty as long as it is but such as men can break or that any Law can be made which none can break But as they break them they are to be judged 4. And we must not rack and divide the good for fear of such letting in the bad The Churches Concord and peace is of more regard than the keeping out of some secret Heretick yea of old he was not called a Heretick that did not separate from the Church All good men agree to the word of God but all will not agree to every word of yours § 13. I conclude In humane affairs there is nothing without imperfection weakness and incommodity and to pretend the cure of these by impossibilities or mischiefs is the way of such as these Thirteen hundred years have been the true schismaticks and distracters of the Church CHAP. X. A draught or specimen of such Forms as are before mentioned for the Approved and the Tolerated Ministers § 1. TThis Chapter should have gone before the ninth But I thought to pass it by lest it seem presumptuous But the observation how ordinarily men miscarry in this work hath perswaded me to run the hazard of mens censures § 2. 1. The form to be subscribed by the Approved Ministry I A. B. do seriously as in the sight of God profess that as I have been in Baptism devoted by the sacred Covenant to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the Devil the world and the flesh so far as they are his enemies so I do unfeignedly Believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and consent still to that Covenant in hope of the grace and Glory promised obliging my self to continue by the help of that grace in Faith Love and sincere obedience to the end More particularly § 3. I. I do unfeignedly Believe 1. That there is one Only God an infinite Spirit of Life understanding and will most perfectly powerful wise and good incomprehensibly Three in One and One essence in Three called persons or subsistences by the Church the Father the Word and the Spirit of whom and through whom to whom are all things he being the Creator preserver Governour and the ultimate End of all Our absolute owner our most just Ruler and our most gracious and amiable Father and benefactor 2. I believe that this God created all the world things invisible and visible And made man in his own Image forming a fit Body and breathing into it a spirit of Life understanding and will fitted and obliged to know love and serve his Creator giving him the inferior Creatures for this use making him their Owner their Governour and their End under God But specially forbidding him to eat of the Tree of knowledge on pain of death 3. The woman being tempted by Satan and the man by the woman both fell by wilful sin from their Holiness Innocency and Happiness into a state of Pravity Guilt and misery under the slavery of the Devil world and flesh under Gods vindictive Justice and the condemnation of his Law Whence sinful corrupted guilty and miserable natures are propagated to all mankind And no meer Creature is able to deliver us § 4. II. I believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to be their Saviour Who being God and one with the Father took our Nature and became man being conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary named Jesus the Christ who was perfectly holy without sin fulfilling all righteousness and being tempted overcame the Devil and the world and after a life of humiliation gave himself a sacrifice for our sins by suffering a cursed death on the Cross to ransome us and reconcile us unto God and was buryed and descended to Hades and conquering death the third day he rose again And having sealed the New Covenant with his blood he commanded his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the world and promised the Holy Ghost and after forty daiesascended into heaven where he is God and man the glorified Head over all things to his Church all power being given him in heaven and earth our prevailing Intercessor with God the Father to present us our service acceptable to God and communicate Gods grace and mercies unto us to Teach us Govern protect and judge us and to save and bless and glorifie us § 5. 2. By the new Testament Covenant or Law of grace God through the aforesaid Mediation of Jesus Christ doth freely give to fallen mankind Himself to be their Reconciled God and Father his Son to be their Saviour and his holy Spirit to be their sanctifier and comforter if they will accordingly believe and accept the gift and by faithful covenant give up themselves to him in these Relations Repenting of their sins and consenting to forsake the Devil the world and the flesh so far as they are enemies to God and their salvation and sincerely to obey Christ his Laws and his Spirit to the end bearing the Cross and following him though through sufferings that they may reign with him in Glory All which God will faithfully perform § 6. III. I Believe that God the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and from or by the son was given to the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to be their infallible Guide in preaching and recording the doctrine of salvation and to be the great witness of Christ and his truth by his manifold Divine operations And that he is given to quicken illuminate and sanctifie all true believers and to save them from the Devil the world and the fleshes temptations from sin and from spiritual misery And that the Holy Scriptures indited by this Spirit are to be believed loved and obeyed as the word of God § 7. 2. I believe that all who by true Consent are devoted to God in the foresaid Baptismal Covenant and so continue are one sanctified Church or Body of Christ and have Communion in the same spirit of faith and Love and have forgiveness of their sins and having one God one Christ one spirit one faith one Baptism and one Hope of Heavenly Glory are bound to keep this unity of the spirit in the bond of peace in the Doctrine worship order and conversation and mutual helps which Christ hath by himself or his Apostles commanded avoiding uncharitable contentions divisions injuries and offences And that the Baptized Covenanters and external Professors of the foresaid Covenant consent are the visible
Church universal and such as we must have outward Communion with though only the sincere believers and consenters shall be saved § 8. 3. I believe that at death the spirits of the justified go to happiness with Christ and the souls of the wicked to misery And that at the end of this world Christ will come in glory and will raise the bodies of all men from death and will judge all according to their works And that the Righteous shall go into everlasting life where being perfected themselves they shall see God and perfectly love and praise him in Joy with Christ and all the Glorified Church And that the rest shall go into everlasting punishment where their worm never dyeth and their fire is never quenched § 9. II. AS I Believe thus in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost according to the Sacred Scriptures and the Creeds and constant Profession of the universal Christian Church so I do unfeignedly continue to give up my self presently absolutely and resolvedly to this God my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier according to the Covenant of grace that I may be resigned to the will of God my Owner and obey the will of God my Ruler and please and rest in the Will and Love of God my Father the Chiefest End and Infinite Good And renouncing all Idols and enemies of God and this his Covenant I consent though with the Cross to follow Christ the Captain of my Salvation to the death desiring still more of the Love of the Father the Grace of the Son and the Communion of the Holy Spirit and hoping for the promised Glory All which I pray for according to that Prayer which Christ hath left to be the summary Directory of our desires Our Father which art in heaven c. § 10. III. ACcording to the foresaid Belief and Consent As God hath obliged me I do by Covenant oblige my self by the help of his Grace sincerely to obey this God my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier according to the Law of nature summed up in the two Great Commands of Loving God with all our hearts and our neighbours as our selves and in the Ten Commandments as the Law of Christ explained by him with his superadded precepts and institutions By all which I am bound to take God only for my God by believing fearing trusting loving and obeying him To Avoid all Idolatry of mind and body To worship God according to his Law by learning and meditating on his word by believing-holy-fervent-prayer thanksgiving and praise and the holy use of the Sacrament of his Body and Blood I must reverently and holily use his name and not by perjury or otherwise profane it I must keep holy the Lords day especially in holy Communion with the Christian Assemblies in the publick worship of God and thankful commemoration of Christs Resurrection and our redemption I must if I be a superiour faithfully and holily govern my Inferiours and as an Inferiour I must honour and obey my Parents Magistrates and other superiours in power over me I must not wrong my neighbour in thought word or deed in his Soul his Body his Chastity Estate Right or Propriety but must do him all the good I can and justly give to all their own and do as I would be done by as Loving my neighbour as my self According to the Decalogue God spake all these words saying I am the Lord c. § 11. 2. ANd as the special duty of my office as in the Sacred Ministry I do Consent and Promise sincerely to perform that office for the flock over which I shall be placed or whereever I am called to exercise it Teaching them the doctrine of the Sacred Scriptures especially the greatest and most necessary parts which I have here professed and nothing contrary thereto so far as by diligent study I can discern it exhorting them to live by faith in love to God and man and in the joyful hope of heavenly Glory in humility self-denial temperance patience justice diligence and fruitfulness in all good works To be loyal and obedient to their superiours teachable to their instructors haters of sinful divisions and contentions and lovers and followers of peace To seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness to mortifie the flesh and not to overlove this world To repent of sin to resist temptations to prepare for death and judgement most carefully to please and quietly trust the will of God And in the publick celebration of the Sacraments and all the worship of God and Guidance of the flock the same word of God shall be my Rule to which also I will sincerely endeavour to conform my whole Conversation not following after vain-glory or filthy lucre or lording it over the heritage of God but seeking to please and glorifie Christ in my own and their salvation § 12. ANd as I expect my part in the benefits of godly and peaceable Government so I do profess to believe and promise to teach and practise accordingly That there is no power but of God and that Rulers are Gods Ministers for Good not for destruction but edification to be a terrour to evil doers and a praise to them that do well and this under Christ to whom is given all Power in heaven and earth That we must pray for Kings and all in authority that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty That subjects must obey their Rulers in all things lawful belonging to their office to command and not resist rebel or be seditious That they must give honour reverence and tribute to whomsoever they are due And all this not only for fear of man but in Conscience as hereby obeying God The Renunciation ANd as I have thus unfeignedly professed my Belief my Consent and promised Practice so I heartily Renounce all Doctrines Desires and Practices contrary to any part of this Profession And if by errour I hold or shall hold any thing contrary thereto as soon as I discern such contrariety I will renounce it Especially I Renounce Atheism Polytheism and Idolatry of Mind or Body All Infidelity Antichristianity and false Christs Profaneness ungodliness and malignant enmity to God and Holiness All contempt of Gods spirit and his word All serving the Devil the world or the flesh as enemies to God or Holiness All selfishness Pride and hypocrisie perjury and taking Gods name in vain superstition profanation of Gods holy day and contempt of his publick or private worship All Rebellion against my parents Prince or other Rulers All murder adultery and fornication theft and deceit lying and false witness bearing and all other injury against the life health chastity estate or reputation of my neighbour All sinful discontent with my estate and coveting that which is anothers And whatever is impious uncharitable or unjust From all these I desire to be free PArticularly to approve my fidelity to my Rulers I
the Father and the Holy Ghost nor Sanctification Consolation and Sealing to the Holy Ghost than to the Father and the Son and so that they are not hence relatively distinguishable to us and by us at all III. Of the Person of Jesus Christ 1. That Christ is but a Creature or not eternal or not of the same Divinâ— Essence as is the Father 2. That Christ hath no humane created soul but the Divine nature was to his body instead of a soul 3. Or that a superangelical created nature united to his Divine nature was instead of a humane soul to his body 4. That Christs body was not derived from the Virgin Mary but only passed through her as water through a Channel 5. That the Mother of Christ alone was as much the cause of his soul and body as our Fathers and Mothers both are of ours 6. That the Virgin Mary was not the Mother of him that was God and man 7. That she was the Mother and actual cause or procreator of the Godhead and of Christ as God 8. That Jesus Christ was two Persons a Divine and Humane 9. That he had not two distinguishable natures viz. the Divine and Humane 10. That he had not two distinguishable understandings wills and operations 11. That the Body of Jesus Christ was incorruptible in and by its own nature and constitution and not only by its union with the Deity and by Gods will decree and preservation 12. That he was begotten by Joseph or some other man 13. That Christs humane nature soul or body suffered no real pain nor was capable of suffering any 14. That he was not of the line of David after the flesh 15. That he had original sin guilt or vitiosity 16. That Christ is not now God and man in heaven 17. That the Glorified Body of Christ is now formally flesh and blood so called univocally as ours having the same formal constitutive essence 18. That every Priest maketh Bread and Wine by the Consecration in the Eucharist to become no longer Bread and Wine but the very Body Flesh and Blood of Christ or that God so maketh it or the Priests speaking those words And so that all the consecrated Bread and Wine since Christs days till now are made Christ's flesh and blood and yet his flesh and blood no whit increased 19. That all believers are by union part of the Natural Person of Christ 20. That the humane nature of Christ is now the Godhead or is become a proper part of the second Person in the Trinity as such And here presumptuous men must take great heed of medling too far some Scholastick Divines say It is errour to say that Christs humane nature is a Part of his person because his Person was perfect from eternity and the Divinity cannot be a Par. of any thing Others say that It is erroâ— to say that the Humane nature is no part of Christ 〈◊〉 seeing it is no part of the Divine Essence or nature therefore it is a part of his person Others say that it is only an Accident of Christ some think that if it were not for fear of the clamours of Ignorant Hereticaters that will call it Nestorianism it were soundest and safest to say that the word Person is equivocal And that as it is taken for the second eternal person in the Trinity the humane nature is no part of it But as it is taken Relatively for the Person of the Mediator the humane nature is a part And so that Christ hath two persons but not univocally but equivocally so called IV. Of the Holy Ghost and the Holy Scriptures 1. That the Holy Ghost is but a creature or not God of the same essence with the Father and the Son 2. That the Holy Ghost is but the Angelical nature or species and as the diabolical nature and many Devils are called singularly the Devil so the many Angels are called the Holy Spirit 3. That the Immortal part of man called his Spirit is the essence of the Holy Ghost 4. That the Holy Ghost as operative on man is not a valid witness of the truth of Christ and Christianity in the world 5. That the Holy Ghost did not impregnate the Virgin Mary or that Christ was not conceived by him 6. That Adam had not the Holy Ghost or true Holiness 7. That the Prophets spake not by the Holy Ghost Or that their prophecies are of Private interpretation that is objectively to be interpreted of such private persons and things as they immediately spake of and which were but types of Christ or grace 8. That the Holy Ghost in the Prophets was not the Spirit of the Redeemer and sent by him 9. That the miracles of Christ and his Apostles were not wrought by the Holy Ghost 10. That the Holy Ghost may set the seal of true uncontrolled miracles to a lie 11. That the Canonical Scriptures were not indited by the Holy Ghost as infallible records of the Divine will 12. That they are but for a time till a perfecter Law is made called The Law of the Spirit 13. That they are imperfect without the supplement of Roman Tradition as part of the Rule of faith and life 14. That they were but occasional writings never intended for the universal law or rule of faith and holy living 15. That there are in the true original as they came from the Apostles some errours 16. That in the present received Originals there is any errour inconsistent with true saving faith and practice 17. That we are not bound to believe the Holy Scriptures to be Gods word but by the authoritative proposal of the Church of Rome that is A general Council subject to the Pope or called or approved by him as authorized thereto by Christ or that we must believe that the Pope or Council are authorized by Christ before we are bound to believe in Christ himself 18. That the Scriptures are not intelligible in necessary things till the Church Council Pope or Fathers expound them to us 19. That the Scriptures have no such imâ—â—ss or excellency by which they manifest themselves to be of God supposing necessary conveyance and ministerial explication 20. That we must not understand any text of Scripture but as the consent of ancient Fathers expoundeth it 21. That the Spirit now given to Poâ—â— Councils or to individual Christians is as much the Rule of faith and life as 〈◊〉 holy Scriptures or that the Spirit is not given now to us 〈◊〉 to teach us to understand believe love and practise Gods word indited by the more emmenâ— inspiration of the Apostles and Prophets â—ut also to inspire us as infallibly to know more than is revealed in the Scripture and that as needful to Salvation Or that it is not so much the Spirit extraordinarily inspiring the Apostles as the Spirit as inspiring ourselves which is every mans rule of faith and life 22. That the Light which is in Heathens Infidels and all men is this
not and hateth them not nor punisheth them with any correcting punishment 10. That they that have the spirit need not study for matter method words or affection 11. That they are perfect or their duties perfect who have the spirit because all the spirits works are perfect 12. That the day of grace may be so past with some as that sincere faith and repentance and a changed will that loveth holiness and consenteth to the Covenant of grace may be rejected of God and unavailable to salvation XIII Of Justification and pardon 1. That God forgiveth the deserved punishment of no sin but requireth it of the sinner himself and Remission is only the destroying of sinful dispositions and preventing future sin and not forgiving the punishment of what is past or will be 2. That Christ's sacrifice and righteousness is not the meritorious cause of our pardon Justification adoption and Salvation 3. That Christ is not the Lord our righteousness or made of God to us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption nor we made the Righteousness of God in him or that it is not the Righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ which justifieth us 4. That Christ suffered for his own sin being either actually a sinner or our sins made properly his own sin in the guilt of culpability and not only of punishment before he suffered for them And so that he was by real imputation or Divine reputation the greatest Atheist infidel malignant murderer adulterer c. in the world these sins being in their forms or culpable guilt translated from all the elect on him 5. That all the elect were justified from eternity or before they were born or while they were no true believers by that justification which the Scripture meaneth when it saith we are justified by faith 6. That the elect are justified by the Law of innocency made to Adam or the Law of works made to and by Moses to the Jews because they were Legally in Christ fulfilling them and did perfectly fulfill them in him 7. That the sense of the Law of innocency was Thou or Christ for thee shall be innocent and obey perfectly to the end or die 8. That the Gospel Covenant or Donation is not Gods justifying instrument gift or Law 9. That God reputeth us to have been perfectly innocent from our birth to our death or at least since our believing because we were so Legally in Christ and yet reputeth us such sinners as need a Saviour and Christ suffered for our sins though we were so innocent 10. That the elect have no need of pardon at all because they are perfectly obedient by imputation 11. That at least we need no pardon of any sin committed since we believed save only of temporal correction 12. That pardon and justification actually remit all sin at once that is yet to come and is yet no sin as well as that which is past and present 13. That pardon and justification are perfect as soon as we believe 14. That therefore no true penalty no not corrective is inflicted or remaineth after our first faith 15. Therefore to such none of their wants of grace or Communion with God nor permitted sin nor suffering nor death are any true punishments for sin for the demonstration of paternal justice 16. That therefore no believer must pray for the pardon of sin it being perfected already nor seek for it of Christ by faith 17. That therefore there is no further condition or means to be used by us for pardon of new sins or for fuller pardon 18. Therefore there is no other or perfecter justification at the last judgement 19. That faith is not imputed to us for Righteousness 20. That against the false accusations that we were impenitent infidels ungodly hypocrites we need no personal Repentance faith piety or sincerity to justifie us as the righteousness contrary to this accusation but only the imputed righteousness performed personally by Christ himself 21. That we shall not be judged according to our works nor in any respect justified before God by our works nor is St. James so to be understood nor Christ that saith By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12. 22. That men are justified by the works of the Law of Moses or of innocency or some other works which must be joyned to the righteousness of Christ to make it sufficient to its proper part or office and are not only subordinate thereto 23. That we are justified by faith only in our Consciences as knowing that we are otherwise justified before God 24. That we are justified only by inherent righteousness and that pardon of sin and acceptance for Christs merits and mediation is none of our justification at all 25. That a man unjustified must believe that he is justified that thereby he may be justified taking justification in the same sense 26. That God doth not make men just before he sentenceth them just 27. That Christ justifieth only by his Priestly Office and not by his judicial sentence 28. That we are justified by no act of faith but only by the act of resting on or also accepting Christs imputed justifying righteousness 29. That being perfectly justified by the first act of faith we are never after justified as to continuation by any act after that first instant 30. That to expect justification by believing in God the Father or the Holy Ghost and in Christ as Christ in his person and whole office of a saviour and not only by the foresaid single act is to seek justification by works reprehended by Paul or unlawfully 31. That faith or repentance are not by Gods gift or promise made any conditions necessary to be done by us through his grace that we may have right to Christ or pardon or justification 32. That our believing in Christ is of equal impossibility to us as our personal perfect innocency 33. That to believe Heaven and that God will glorifie us for the sake of Christ and as a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him is no act of that faith which justifieth as a Condition of justification or salvation 34. That it is all mens duty to believe that they are elect 35. That justifying faith is only a full assurance that we are elect 36. That true faith is inconsistent with doubting or imperfection 37. That it is unlawful to trust to any thing in us or done by us as a means or condition of pardon or salvation though but subordinate to Christ 38. That no meer death-bed faith or repentance is accepted to salvation or pardon because good works are part of the condition 39. That there is no degree of pardon given by God to any but the elect that are saved 40. That all praise that is ascribed to any thing in our selves or done by us or to any subordinate act of man as a means to our salvation or final justification is a dishonour to God and our Saviour and
Alexandria and many other places had two at once by their Divisions but none of them so long as Rome But perhaps he taketh it to be enough to Catholicism or the Validity of Ordinances if we be subject to the species of Bishops and so to any one that is Consecrated rightly or wrongly and so that in Schisms both are true Bishops But lest he deny this I will spare to recite its Consequents Sect. XXVIII 3. He in his Preface and all along supposeth That no unlawful thing is 〈…〉 the Nonconformists as necessary to their Ministry or Communion which will as much satisfie them as if he had told them That Lying Perjury Covenanting deliberately against Gods Precepts and for the corrupting his sacred Doctrine Worship Order and Discipline are lawful things Did he ever hear them and confute their Reasons Sect. XXIX 4. In short he never proveth but beggeth 1. That when Gods Word describeth the Sacred Ministerial Office yet the Ordainers will and words can alter it 2. That the chief Pastors of particular Churches even Cities that had all of old their several Bishops are not true Bishops unless Men purpose them to be so in Ordination 3. That Presbyters who ordain with Bishops may not in cases of necessity ordain without them or if they do it is a nullity 4. That in Cases of Necessity Ability Consent Election and Opportunity may not design the person that shall receive authority and obligation directly from Gods Law without other Ordination 5. That any Church on Earth can prove an uninterrupted Succession of Canonical Ordination by Bishops themselves so ordained 6. That such a Succession is necessary ad esse Officii 7. That the Covenant of Grace secureth not true penitent Believers of Pardon and Salvation where they cannot have the Sacrament 8. That the Sacrament is null as to Mens Pardon and Salvation if the Priest be not truly called or have not successive Episcopal Ordination 9. That if a presumptuous Title as â—e saith may yet make all valid when Men seem Episcopallâ— dained and are not Whether able godly Men ordained by such like City Pastors or Presbyters in a Synod and chosen by Religious People and solemnly dedicated to Gods Ministery in the face of the Congregation have not a better presumptuous Title than notorious ignorant and vicious Men that say they were ordained by a Bishop when their Orders were forged of which sort there have been many 10. Whether he can prove that it is not Anabaptistry to baptize all again that are baptized in the Reformed Churches that have no Diocesanes 11. Whether he abuse not Gods Word and Churches in feigning all such Reformed Churches to live in the Sin against the Holy Ghost for serving God without a Succession of Episcopal Ordination 12. Why is it that I cannot intreat him to answer Voetius de desperata Causa Papatus that hath long ago confuted Jansenius a far stronger Adversary than he Nor my Dispute of Ordination Twenty Years ago written and yet unanswered when I tell him we have not leisure to write over the same things as oft as Men provoke us to it Sect. XXX I will now cast before him these following Notes 1. What proof hath he of Sacraments besides Sacrifices before Abraham's days And was there then no pardon of sin 2. Were Women damned that were not circumcised Or were the uncircumcised Children in the Wilderness none of the Church 3. Were not Infants in the Covenant of Grace before Circumcision entered them into the Covenant of Israels peculiarity 4. Why did Abraham think there had been Fifty righteous persons in Sodom And in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Acts 10. 5. Though Sacraments under the Gospel convey greater benefits can he prove that it placeth greater necessity of them than the Law did 6. Seeing Christ was not baptized till about thirty years old was he not Holy and the Churches Head before 7. Can he prove that the Apostles were ever baptized Or were they not before true Christians 8. The Apostles had not the Lords Supper till near Christs death and yet had part in him before 9. Was Paul of this Mans mind that said He was not sent to baptize but preach and thanked God that he had baptized so few 10. Is not that Promise true That whoever believeth shall not perish but have everlasting life and that the pure in heart shall see God c And will want of a Sacrament then frustrate all 11. He presumeth to say That God is obliged to make good the Sacraments of those that have but a presumptuous Ministery seeming to have Episcopal Ordination when they have not And is not the reason as strong from the Peoples impossibility of avoiding the danger when they can have no Sacraments or none but from Ministers that had not Episcopal Ordination 12. What if the Succession have been interrupted long ago in Armenia Egypt Syria or elsewhere Are all damned that were born since Or which way shall particular persons there remedy it they cannot send to Europe for Ordainers 13. If Laymen as Frumentius and Edesius convert persons in India are they all damned that dye after Conversion for want of an ordained Priest and Sacraments 14. If Baptism give the first sanctifying Grace then none but unholy persons are to be baptized and that is impenitent unconverted Infidels or wicked men 15. It is confessed that the Lords Supper is for Confirming Men in the Faith they had before And are not both the Sacraments of the same general nature one to declare and confirm our initial Faith and the other our progressive 16. The Sacraments are to Christianity what Solemn Matrimony is to Marriage which is valid before God upon private consent but is necessary for order and preventing Fornication to satisfie Men ouâ— Church Title ordinarily depends on Baptism but God knoweth and accepteth heart consent 17. God saith Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. Therefore it is not the Sacrament that first maketh them holy And the seed of the Faithful have such Promises as we make good against the Anabaptists 18. Children may dye before they can be baptized and are they by that natural necessity damned 19. If a Man live where the Priests will not baptize or give the Lords Supper but on condition that we profess some falshood or commit some sin as in the Church of Rome Must we commit that sin or be damned for want of the Sacrament 20. Doth not this lay a necessity upon all the Protestants in Italy Spain France Austria Batavia Portugal yea Mexico Peru c. to leave their Countries and travel to some Land where they may have Sacraments without sinful Conditions and may have it from Men of right successive Ordination And how shall all these be able so to travel And where will they find that Land on Earth that will answer their expectation and can and will receive them
all 21. What if a thousand honest weak Men mistake and think that the things imposed as necessary to their Sacramental Communion are great Sins and it be not so as our Doubts against Conformity are thought to be Mistakes yea the Anabaptists Error Can he prove that all such are damning Errors for want of Sacraments 22. Gods Oath is also to confirm our Faith And if a Man may be saved that beâ—ieveth Gods 〈◊〉 and knoweth not of his Oath why not he that believeth it and knoweth not of the Sacrament 23. Doth not his Doctrine make the Priests the absolute Lords of all Mens Souls that can deny Salvation to any or all Men by denying them the Sacrament Is this the sense of their having the Power of the Keys 24. Is not this abuse of Tibi dabo Claves and the office of Key-bearing the knack by which Popes have subdued Kings and Kingdoms 25. Is not the Argument which this Man manageth against the Reformed Churches to prove them â—o Churches and to have no Ministery and Sacrament the Achilles of the Papists in which is their chief coâ—fidence but often baffled as by Voetius against Jarâ—nius aforesaid 26. Nay the Papists themselves are far more moderate than this Man for they take a Laymans Baptism yea a Womans to be sufficient to salvation when this Man denieth it of all the most learned and holy Pastors that have not uninterrupted Episcopal Ordination 27. Bishops have too oft conspired to corrupt Gods Sacraments witness the Lateran Council sub Innc. 3. and to interdict Kingdoms and oppress Princes and People and may do so again And have the People no remedy against them 28. A Minister justly ordained and unjustly suspended or silenced by a Bishop hath more authority than Laymen and their Sacraments are not Nullities by the Romanists Confession 29. Is not this Mans Doctrine far grosser than Cyprians and the Africans yea the Dâ—natists that denied the validity of Heretick Baptism 30. A Lay-Chancellor in these mens judgments useth the Keys of Excommunication and Absolution validly and yet are not the Sacraments or Ordination of the Reformed Churches aforesaid valid 31. Surrogate Priests by the Bishops consent validly Excommunicate that are no Bishops 32. No People can be sure by this Mans Rule that they have Sacraments or shall be saved except by faâ—lible presumption not knowing that their Priest hath uninterrupted successive Ordination 33. When your presumptuous Ordination is discovered to be Null must all the People be Re-baptized 34. The Church of England giveth none the Lords Supper till 16 years old Doth it become absolutely necessary to Salvation just at that Age and not before 35. The Burial Office pronounceth all saved that never Communicated so they be Baptized and not Excommunicate nor kill themselves 36. What work would this Man make for Rebaptizers if all the Protestanâ—s of all Nations must be Re-baptized that have not the foresaid Ordination 37. Is it suitable to the description of God and his grace in Scripture to believe that he layeth all mens Salvation upon Sacraments performed by men Ordained as he describeth 38. Are not we Reproached Silenced Ministers as like to be good Protestants as such men as this that say that 1. The Reformed Churches that have not Episcopal Ordination from uninterrupted Succession are no true Churches 2. Have no true Ministers 3. Nor true Sacraments 4. Nor part in the Covenant of Grace 5. Nor hope of Salvation by promise from God 6. That their Ministery and Sacraments is the Sin against the Holy Ghost 7. That the Church of Rome hath this uninter rupted Succession as he tells me 8. That as will hence follow the French Protestant were better turn Papists than be as they are Sect. XXXI There are as many and greater Objections that I should lay before him about his Doctrine of an Universal Church-Policy and that sort of Episcopacy which he rather supposeth than proveth necessary and such other Points But I will no more tire the Reader herein Sect. XXXII All the definition of the Protestant Religion that I can extort from him is Communicating with the Church of England and those that it holds communion with 1. And so did the Papists saith Dr. Heylin in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign till the Pope forbad them 2. The Church of England never renounced Communion with the Reformed Churches which he renounceth 3. A particular Church is no Standard of Religion Nor England more than the rest Sect. XXXIII If he renounce Communion with all these Reformed Churches and with the Romans also what a Separatist is this Man and how narrow is his Communion and into how small a number hath he reduced the Universal Church If neither Papists nor any Churches that have not Ordination from uninterrupted Succession be parts of the Catholick Church it is very little if not invisible Sect. XXXIV He thus teacheth almost all the Christian world instead of Love and Concord to Unchurch Unchristen and Condemn each other The Romans on such accounts already Unchurch all the rest The rest will far more easily prove that Simony Heresie uncalled Popes uncapable ones and manifold Schisms have oft interrupted his described Succession at Rome And so Turks and Heathens have matter given them against us all Already by such kind of Schismatical Principles there are few parts of the Church on Earth that are not by others Unchurched and Unchurch not others But yet it is but few of them that have proceeded to that Anabaptistical height as to nullifie all their Sacraments and to expect that almost all the Christian world should be again baptized Yea this is far more Schismatical than common Anabaptism For the Anabaptists with us Re-baptize not them that were baptized at age by such Ministers as this Writer and such others degrade much less do they damn almost all the Christian world or other Reformed Churches and say They have no part in Gods Covenant of Grace and Promise of Salvation and that they sin against the Holy Ghost as this Man doth CHAP. X. None of these terms will unite a National Church or any Associated Churches nor well any single Church Though by other means a competent Vnion may be kept in some Churches notwithstanding such Schismatical Courses § I. THE same Reasons which prove that none of these terms will ever unite the Universal Church but that all are fitted to promote Divisions will prove also that they tend of themselves to the dividing and distracting of all lesser Church Societies and Communions Though yet we do not deny but de facto a particular Church may easilier agree in an Error or be kept in some Concord under the same Pastor where a Sin or Error prevaileth than the Universal Church on Earth can As the Church of Rome may agree in Popery but all the Christian world will not And as a great part hath agreed in Arianism called Christians and a great part in Nestorianism and to this day in Eutychianism