above all the nations that are upon the earth And to anticipate any that should restraine and limit this Covenant-holinesse consistent with actuai wickednesse to the time of the Law The Apostle Peter hath taken the very same passage and made its application to the times of the Gospel 2 Peter 2. 9. If yet any possible scruple remaine seriously weigh that method of reasoning God is pleased with in Psalm 50. 7. God threatens there to testifie against Israel a sufficient note of Israels wickednesse yet in the same verse God owneth Israel a competent token of Israles holinesse but how dâ—th God own wicked Israel not in Covenant yea doubtlesse in both the maine parts thereof thou art my people and I am thy God hear O my people and I will speak O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God here is sufficient doubtlesse infinitely to supersede what can lawfully be argued against the possibility of a wicked Israelite his being in Covenant from v. 16 17. so much insisted on 3. Therefore nothing is more trite in reformed Writers especially against the Anabaptist then the distinction of persons holy vel actu vel orasione professione debita holinesse real and relative habitual and imputed foederal and inherent who generally acknowledge that some persons are holy in a relative foederal and imputed sense and by profession obligation separation and calling that are not holy really as it stands opposed to relatively actually personally or inherently who are yet onely called to be Saints taking the word called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut sint sancti as Paraeus Aretius and divers others do in which sense Master Baxters words are ordinarily quoted That there are His Rest p. 105 many Saints or sanctified men that shall never come to Heaven who are onely Saints by their separation from paganisme into the fellowship of the visible Church Whence also Chamier proportionably reasons quomodo Paulus dicebat Romae i. e. omnes sui temporis Judaeos esse sanctos quod eorum Truncus i. e. Abraham sanctos fuisset 4. We need not trouble our selves to prove particularly that the judgement of the reformed Churches is that foederal holinesse doth proceed into the Adult estate seeing those Churches viz. of New England which alone are capable of suspition in this controversie have expressely declared for it or at least very strongly Mr. Cottons way of the Church of New England pag. 51. intimated in these words those say they that are baptized in any Church may by vertue of this former interest require the Supper in that Church if there be no impediment in regard of their unfitnesse to examine themselves Which yet Master Baxter hath somwhat more clearly for saith he their being baptized persons if at age or members of the universal Church into which it is that they are baptized is a sufficient evidence of their interest to the Supper till they do by heresie His Rest p. 104 or scandal blot that evidence which assureth us to be the confident issue of much doubting dispute and study of the Scriptures 5. Yea that prudent Ordinance called confirmation though of singular use in the hurch if well managed and that onely thing that seemeth against us in this part of dispute it being looked upon as a mean of passing from the Infant to the Adult estate yet it is most evident this did not intend to exclude those that were found ignorant and wanted a fit and ready answer at their examination presently out of the Church or on the other side to admit the rest upon a new account into Church-membership they being sufficiently so before for they stiled this exercise not an admission but a confirmation or if in any respect it was an admission the term thereof was only into the company of adult Church-members or to some higher priviledge of the visible Church viz. the Supper and not at all to the state or society of Church-members as such Neither did such examinants intend at least a direct search for evidence of grace but competency of knowledge or at utmost a renuing of that covenant or promise personally and actively which before in their infancy they were only passively and in their sureties bound unto Which promise having for the object of it repentance and obedience and being for the nature of it a promise that is respecting the future and being made for something yet to be doth rather suppose that as yet they have not repented nor entred upon a course of new obedience and consequently are not yet supposed to have any saving grace though thought fit upon such a promise to pass by confirmation of their examinants out of their Infant into their Adult estate 6. If those that do not render this answer of a good conscience are no longer within the Church I demand whether they were truely members of the Church in their state of Infancy or onely seemingly so 1. If it be replied that they were onely seemingly so then Infants interest in the Church by foederal holinesse is not a real interest which is plainly Anabaptistical or at least but dependently and upon the supposition of future saving grace which is absurd and plainly against the Scripture For after heaven had reveal'd that Ishmael was none of the seed of the promise of salvation with Isaac and that to Abraham Vid. Gen. 17 himself he is yet by vertue of his relative foederal holinesse from his fathers family and in plaine obedience to Gods command circumcised by Abraham the mark and token of the Covenant of God And the bond woman and her sonne who indeed was Ishmael are clearly intimated to be within Gal. 4. 30. where they are charged to be cast out Where also the Apostle assures us that this history of Ishmael and Isaac was allegâ—rical and served to conclude that even in the dayes of the Gospel to the end of the world there should be Ishmaels as well as Isaac's in the visible Church the Apostle arguing v. 29. from then to now 2. Againe if it be said that such were really visible members before in their infant estate but now they wanting that which their Adult estate requires to continue this their membership they cease to be any longer so I then must demand whether they cease to be so on course and by any thing which flowes from the nature of such a state or whether they cease or rather are made to cease to be so by violent censure or Excommunication 1. If the first be chosen viz. that they cease to be any longer members of themselves without any censure of the Church 1. I humbly conceive here is a new way of loosing Church-membership viz. by ignorance wickednesse c. unknowne to the Scripture or any age of any Church before 2. Then Ideots and distracted persons cease to be members of the visible Church at their Adult estate 3. What shadow of Scripture or reason is there that ignorance for which
they say that wicked men are not of the Church that they are not of the Church so fully effectually and savingly as the righteous and elect are not but that they are so really Therefore there is plaine Scripture ground to distinguish of being of the Church viz. savingly as they that fell away 1 Joh. 2. 12. were not 2. In a visible outward and common sense as those were Rom. 9. 6. that were of Israel to whom belonged the Covenants and glory of the visible Church though they were not Israel to whom belonged the absolute promise of salvation But to silence all possible objections I shall now undertake to conclude from several principles undoubtedly owned by all the Churches in all ages that they have ever denied saving grace to be essential to visible Church-membership and consequently must needs have ever held that wicked persons may be of the visible Church and that really and not equivocally onely if it be opposed to really Arg. 1. To believe that relative holinesse is really sufficient Fidelibus sunt annumerandi tanquam ecclesiae membra fidelium corum liberi qui sunt in ecclesia 1 Cor. 7. 14. participes enim ejusdem foederis ejusdem professionis cum suis parentibus Medul Am. p. 168 169 to interest in visible Church-membership is to believe also that saving grace doth not onely do so unlesse relative holinesse and saving grace be all one a Paradox that no Protestant asserts but the Church hath ever beleeved that relative holinesse giveth real interest to visible Church-membership For first she never doubted but that children borne within the visible Church were really in Covenant and Church-members Nor secondly that their title thereto is founded not upon personal much lesse saving grace but upon parental or relative holinesse Arg. 2. The constant unscrupled practice of baptizing the children of all such as remaine within the pale of the Church can truely proceed from no other principle but this viz. that Church-membership may be really considered without respect to saving grace this is demonstrated by two considerations 1. That it was never the practice of any Church constantly and ordinarily i. e. without the Adoption of such children unto Christian Parents to baptize the children of Pagans or of such as are no Church members 2 That it cannot be imagined by any that are serious in the case that all that are within the pale of the Church make evidence satisfactory of saving Epist 12. Infantes pontificiorum similium possunt baptizari quia non sunt plane alicni a foederi professiâ—ne Am. de consic p. 248 grace But now it cannot be denied me that such hath been the constant unscrupled practice of the Churches of Christ in all ages viz. to baptize the children of all such as lived within the pale of the Church Indeed Calvine writes against the baptizing of the children of the Papists But 1. Papists live not within the pale of our reformed Church 2. And his reason given against it is not because the Papists have no grace or because they are hypocrites but because they want sound doctrine and are judged Hereticks Yet 3. The ecclesiastical Colledge of Geneva plainly Against Knox p. 88 tell us that wheresoever the profession of Christianity hath not utterly perished and been extinct Infants are beguiled of their right if the common seale be denied them I confesse that Amesius Hildersham and some others haply would have us put a difference in sealing the children of the wicked i. e. such as do apertè in the face of the world violate the Covenant But 1. They never questioned the right of Ab allis piis eorum educatio suscipiatur Qui foedus Dei Aperte violuat corum infantes cum aliquo discrimiâ—e debent he doth not say non debent Baptizari de consc Am. p. 247. Distinctio debet ad conectionem malorum ibid. such children to Baptisme 2. Nor denied the actual administration thereof unto such wholly onely in prudence urged the great use of Sponsores viz. godly persons to undertake for children in such a case 3. This reacheth not our case for the reason hereof was not because they had no saving grace but because their open wickednesse was a present blot and scandal to Religion for which they ought by this suspending the seale from their children to be made ashamed and brought to repentance 4. However this is but the judgement of particular men and contrary to the judgment and practice of the Churches in general as our present argument extends it self yea howsoever our Congregational brethren have of late taken up the contrary Master Rutherford hath noted that Best a famous Brownist denied baptisme to belong to the children of the excommunicate onely which yet he doubtlesse did not because such were supposed to have no grace but because they were by the sentence of excommunication cast out of the Churches clearly yeelding that the children of all Church-members are to be baptized Yea though our Congregational brethren are yet so charitable as to allow our Churches to be true Churches and yet so severe to deny our Infants the first seal we suppose this is not because they judge us all to be void of saving grace or out of the general Covenant of God but as Master Cotton Master Norton c. affirme because we are not within their ecclesiastical particular Covenant and that in their practice in their own Congregations they are more favourable to the Infants borne therein and their application of the seals is as large as their Church and Covenant Arg. 3. Those that in their constant course of preaching still supposed that men might violate their Covenant with God cannot but be thought to hold that men may be truely in Covenant with God and consequently in the Church without saving grace especially considering 1. That if men do break Covenant with God it is by great and notorious wickednesse 2. That to men who are now the Judges such as are guilty of notorious wickednesse and do as Ames expresseth it Aperte violari foedus Dei give no evidence of saving grace and lastly that as it was before observed men cannot break that bond they are not under or violate that Covenant in which they cannot be said to be But now none can have the least ground of doubting whether such hath not been the constant course of proaching yea and writing too by the whole cloud of the men of God in all ages that hath the least communion or converse therewith Arg. 4. Those that hold that notoriously scandalous persons are within until they be censured and cast out must needs be granted to hold also that persons void of saving grace may be real members of the visible Church that is de facto if not de jure the reason is because one that appeareth notoriously scandalous appears thereby to have no sincere or saving grace and according to the rule esse apparere sunt equipollentia in
wrong if she judge such as are not scandalous she erreth because such deserve it not if she judge such as are scandalous she erreth also because hereby she judgeth them to be within who have no evidence under their notorious scandal of their being within but indeed strong evidence to the Contrary If she judge such as are not scandalous she really wrongs the party if she judge those that are scandalous she visibly wrongs a higher Judge who hath pleased to reserve to his own prerogative to judge them that are without 2. This Doctrine involveth our interest in and dispensation of the Sacraments also in inextricable difficulties and doubtings First the Sacrament of Baptisme is thus involved children have their right unto it either in themselves or in their parents that is either from their own personal holinesse The contrary tenet viz. that no professor can be a member without saving grace will draw unavoiddifficulties with it and give such advantages to the enemies of Gods grace and the dispensation of his Ordinances that they will hardly be regained laying a corner-stone to build up the wretched doctrine of the Anabaptists Mr. Hook survey p. 37 38. or from their parents holinesse derived unto them by relation Now if the first be said it will follow from this doctrine 1. That we are to baptize them onely upon evidence of their saving faith 2. This being impossible we should ever discover before years of discretion it follows that we cannot regularly baptize an Infant 3. Yea no childe can then in his infancy be known to be a disciple to belong to Christ to be a Church-member to be borne to God c. all which are not so much obscured by Anabaptisme as clear'd by Scripture 4. Or at least the childe being baptised in its infancy upon charitable hopes if afterwards by a wicked and lewd conversation it appeare to the Church to have had no saving grace at the time of its baptisme it clearly followeth that upon the discovery of its after conversion it ought to be rebaptized for if none but such as are savingly converted enter into Covenant then none but such as are savingly converted ought to be sealed in Covenant and a seal set without a Covenant is of no effect and every one that enters Covenant ought to have the seale of initiation affixed to it 5. Nay grace I see not but according to the tenour of this doctrine that so often as a man may fall by scandal from the evidence of his saving grace and consequently thereby declare to the eye of the Church that he was never really within the Covenant or the Church and giveth penitential satisfaction for the same whereby in the judgement of the Church he entreth Covenant even so oft he must be re-baptized though it be seventy times seven 2. Againe if the childes right to baptisme depend upon the saving grace or holinesse of the parent then such as is the evidence of the parents saving grace such is the evidence of the childes being lawfully and effectually baptized so that Secondly if the parent apostatize to heresie blasphemy or any other kind of notorious profanenesse or if the parent never had any evidence at all of saving grace so farre as men may charitably judge which is all the rule the case and the present opinion will admit the childes baptisme is forthwith null Then Thirdly what remaineth but that such children when at yeares of discretion must give their own consent in person and be re-baptized or else depend in an Heathenish state of waiting for their parents returne to be re-baptized with them But Fourthly I cannot see how any one that stands baptized upon his parents account can ever be fully perswaded that he is truely baptized because he cannot be certaine of his parents Election or saving vocation so that the whole generation of Christians who stand in their baptisme by their foederal bolinesse are hereby necessarily left in doubt whether they be Christians or Heathens And lastly is not this a faire step and temptation to Anabaptisme yea truely it puts us upon a necessity of it for unlesse all our Ancestours since the first entrance of our stock into Christianity have beene really godly at the very time of their childes baptisme a thing incredible our own baptisme is unavoidably nul for where the reason and ground of Baptisme is wanting there Baptisme is invalid but according to this doctrine where saving grace is wanting in the parent the reason and ground of Baptism is wanting therefore whensoever any of our Ancestors were baptiz'd in the time of their parents unregeneracy then that persons baptisme was no baptisme but a seal set to a blanck Again the childe of a Beleever hath no next right to baptisme unlesse the parent be also a baptized-beleever therefore though the next in the line of succession unto him that through want of saving grace first rendred his childs sealing invalid were truely a Saint yet he was not a baptized Saint and consequently could not entitle his childe to baptisme much lesse can this childe unbaptized entitle the next or that the next until we descend to our own case 2. Again our interest in the Sacrament of the Supper is alike obscure and intricate by the just consequences of this doctrine For 1. Unlesse I am well satisfied of two things whereof one is very difficult and the other impossible viz. my own and my parents sincerity I may not venture to receive this Sacrament I must be satisfied of my parents sincerity otherwise I cannot know my selfe really baptized and consequently I cannot know my remote right for one that is not really baptized hath no right to the Supper of the Lord and then I must be satisfied of my own sincerity otherwise I cannot know my next right to the Supper or indeed my being lawfully i. e. really baptized either and must with all doubting Christians be deterred therefrom though the Scripture assures us to the contrary viz. that if we judge our selves if we finde our sins though we cannot find our graces if we judg not justifie or acquit our selves we shall not be judged as unworthy receivers of the Lord as those were 1 Cor. 11. 30 31 32. 2. This must needs involve the Administrator also in hazards doubtings and even necessity of sinning which I rather commend to the consideration of my Reader in the words of Reverend Mr. Baxter then my own and with which I shall conclude what hath been but rudely delivered upon this question that the end may crown the work his words are these then no Minister can groundedly administer the Sacraments to any man but to himself because he can be certaine of no mans justification being not certain of the sincerity of their faith and if he should adventure to administer upon probabilities or charitable conjectures then should he be guilty of profaneing the Ordinances and every time he mistaketh he should set the seal of God to a lie
notwithstanding ignorance or wickednesse of heart and life doth proceed into and continue men members of the visible Church even in the adult estate 135 136 c. I Idolatry how consistent with a true Church 202 Jewes Abrahams seed and yet the Devils children 1. How 142 143 144 The Jewe outwardly what 144 145 Individuum and integrum the Church is both 4 5 1 John 2. 19. Examined 148 to 151 The ignorant how to be discovered 364 No one means absolutely necessary 36 Ignorance not inconsistent with Church-membership proved 184 185. Objections answered 185 c. Infants what constitutes their Church-membership 173 Infants borne members not de jure onely but de facto and sealed such by baptisme 175 Infants perfectly members though not perfect members proved p. 175 176 Infants may be known to be members 182 Infants right in the Church seated in themselves and not in their parents explained and proved p. 185 186 187 K Knowledge not necessary to membership 184 185 186 Knowledge dark and generall is sufficient for such consent as is necessary to keep adult persons in Covenant 188 189 L The largest acceptation not alwayes the lesse proper 111 M Matter of the visible Church both in its parts and subject may be considered without respect to saving grace 60 c. Meanes necessary to the attaining the end is allowed by the text which commands the end 277 No one Meanes of discovering the ignorant absolutely necessary 278 The matter of the visible Church as Professors of the faith not properly the grace but the doctrine 61 The Church is denominated visible and invisible from its Members p. 5 6 The Moral Law is to be applied to Gospel worship by two Rules 230 231. N Niddui whether persons under it might come into to the Temple or Synagogue 195 The one onely true Note of the true Church is the truth of the Word to which truth of Sacraments is inseparably annezed 76 O Outward calling hath inward effects the reason why said to be outward 85 The Jew outwardly what 144 The onely considerable Objection artificially framed against my maine conclusion largely answered 105 c. Objections against particular arguments See the Arguments Objections from Scripture are subjoyned to Scripture Arguments So are Objections from humane Testimony P A Particular Church without any savingly beleeving in it is at least ens reale potentia and for ought we know actum 26 27 Excommunicate persons members more then potentia 192 Ecclesiastical power wherein it consists 't is separable from a true Church 77 Power of the Church to deny the Sament to the ignorant not founded on reason prudence mutual confederation or on Matth. 7. 6. or 1 Cor. 5. but in our ministerial authority given us for edification largely proved 272 to 277 The great prohibition of unworthy receivers is 1 Corinth 11. 28. p. 237 to 240. Preaching how farre necessary to the first constitution of true Churches 208 to 212 Ecclesia presumptiva shut out of the Controversie 21 Preparations to duties are either meerly such as preparations to prayer c. or also conditions without which the duty is not to be done such is self-examination before the Sacrament 233 Preparations are necessary to hearing ad bene esse i. e. utiliter esse to the Sacrament ad bene esse i. e. honeste vel legaliter esse largely explained 334 Profession is properly of fides quae not qua proved 61 62 Profession of the true faith the chiefest note of a true Church 74. This is personal and so a note of a true member or ecclesiastical and so a note of the Church 75 What Ames by profession as a note 75 76 Profession of faith as a note of the true Church is not to be distinguish'd from the Word and Sacraments 76 Whether the visible or the invisible Church be most properly a Church largely debated p. 13. to 19. this is not a question properly betwixt us and the Papist but amongst our selves 111 The Protestant judgement is that saving grace is not of essence of the visible Church or visible Church-membership p. 153 to 157. further proved to be so by seven Arguments 158 to 165 Q Argument from the quality of the Church 80 81 82 The Question analised and and stated chap. 1 c. R Whether if none are to receive but the worthy the Sacrament essentially depend upon worthinesse Reasons for the negative 231 232 233 All kinde of right will not infer present possession several distinctions of right 251 252 253. the distinction of right into its first and second act grounded on the Laws of Reason Nations Scripture Churches 254 255 The Church of Rome and the reformed Churches differ rather about the truth of the invisible Church then about the nature of the visible Church 118 119 The reformed Divines true meaning of the onely true Church largely examined 105 to 120 The respect we owe to saving grace in the consideration of the visible Church 30 c. The reformed Divines give definitions specifically differing to the Church as strictly and as largely taken yet held but one Church 117 118 119 140 Schisme from Rome destroyed not our Churches 206 S Saving grace what respect we owe to it in the consideration of the visible Church 33 c. 't is not of the essence but of the excellency of the visible Church 36 Sardis acknowledged to be a Church though said to be dead 146 There are in the Church such as Seeme and are not Are and seem not Are and seem and are not seen Are seem and are seen also 31 The same persons in divers respects seem to be what they are and what they are not 32 Schism cutteth off from the Church and when 200 201 Schism from Rome hath not destroyed our Churches 206 The Supper is immediately forbidden to some Church-members therefore but mediately required of all proved by many arguments 219 c. Objections hereunto answered 225 c. The grounds of denying the Supper to some Church members largely examined 259 to 271 Self-examination is the great condition of a private persons coming to the Supper 237 c. Who may be suspected of ignorance 278 279 None but the suspected may be tried 277 Suspension for scandal 't is excommunication in part 287 288 289 Awicked man not excused from though not permitted to receive the Supper If he receive not he sins twice if he do receive he sins thrice 226 T Temporary faith is that faith whereby we profess the true Religion nor savingly 62. 't is true faith through not saving 84 85 Titles equivalent to Church-member given by God in Scripture to wicked men in number twenty three 126 to 134 Truth as applicable to the Church is genere entis vel genere moris 19. the usual distinction of a true Church and truly a Church questiond 20. the Chur. is true respectu naturali vel entitatis moralis i. e. vel status vel finis 107 vel simpliciter vel secundum
give assent 3. they give assent to the Covenant of Grace 4. They are perswaded in a general maÌ„ner that God will perform his promises to the members of his Church Ep. to his declar of a man estate And ads Mark here is a true faith wrought by the holy Ghost yet not saving faith either First that the calling whereby men are brought to leave the world to renounce Idols to embrace the true religion Hystorically to believe the Gospel to see a necessity of depending on Christ repentance and obedience to salvation are no real works but this would be against common sense for we see the contrary with our eyes Or secondly that these common works are also saving works but this would be against experience which sadly tells us that men may go so farre and yet no further in the way to heaven or else against the doctrine of perseverance Or Thirdly that these common graces do not really constitute a visible Church but this would be against what we have formerly proved Or Fourthly and lastly that God is not the worker of these common effects by his Word which would indeed be against Religion I shall therefore conclude this Argument with those known and pertinent words of Amesius hence saith he even visible Hinc ecclesiae etiam visibiles particulares ratione fidei quam profiteutur rect è dicun tur esse in Deo paTre in domino Jesu Christo 1 Thes 1. 1. 2 Thes 1. 1. Medul p. 168. and particular Churches by reason of the faith which they professe as also I might adde by reason of the grace which they have received from God are rightly said to be in God he doth not say ratione fidei qua but ratione fidei quam profitentur that being the faith of God which they professe through the work of the common grace of God upon them they are rectè or truely said to be in God without any further consideration of any saving grace by which they believe received from him CHAP. VII The Argument from Christ as the head of the visible Church THe second Argument from the efficient is taken from Christ as the cause efficient of the visible Church according to dispensation or as he is the head thereof Thus Christ may be considered to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect to saving influence therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely his body without respect to saving grace The reason of the connexion here is most evident but I must needs confesse that the antecedent requires as well a modest inquisition as strong demonstration seeing it is easily noted to crosse many plain expressions of eminent Divines In this antecedent there are two distinct branches First that Christ is the head of the visible Church this passeth Secondly that he may be so considered without necessary respect to saving influence this is my task which I shall humbly undertake after I have gotten a faire understanding with my reader therein For I desire it may be heeded that I do not affirm that Jesus Christ doth performe the office of a head fully without saving influence but as it is expressed truely i. e. in some measure truely 2. It may be also observed that truely here stands not in opposition to mystically but to falsly or to seemingly onely for though our Divines do usually mean by the mystical body the Church invisible yet doubtlesse Master Cotton as is well noted of him by others also doth not speak improperly when he termes a particular visible Church a mysticall body and if that be granted the visible Church though not particular may also challenge the same title and if the visible Church be granted to be the mystical body of Christ then Christ may be said to be its mystical head Besides if Christ be indeed the head of the visible Church as none do doubt and if he be not the head thereof as it is Physically or Mathematically taken which none will affirme who can deny but that he is so Mystically 3. Further may it be noted that it is not said that Christ doth performe the office of an head to the Church truely without saving influence in any other consideration but as it is the visible Church for if any will assert a Church invisible I am not bound at all to follow him and say that this Church invisible also hath true influence from its head Christ which is not saving a thing not to be imagined 4. Lastly neither do I offer to say that Christ is the head of his body visible without saving influence but that he may be so considered without respect thereunto seeing there are influences not saving which yet descend from Christ as the head upon his body the Church and upon many of the members thereof that shall never be saved and this is enough for my present purpose because in whatsoever sense Christ may be said to leave the influence of a head upon his Church the Church may in the same sense be said to be his body and if it shall truely be made to appear that Christ doth really performe the office of the head when he doth not give saving grace it will thence easily follow of it selfe that the Church may be consideâ—ed to be truely his body without respect thereunto Now that Christ may be considered to be thus truely the head of the visible Church without respect to saving grace I think appeareth thus Arg. 1. Christ truely dispenseth gifts and graces not saving to the visible Church and to many particular members thereof Arg. 1 that shall never be saved as he is a head therefore he may be considered to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect to saving influence The Antecedent which is alone to be proved hath three parts 1. That Christ doth truely dispense gifts and graces not saving to the visible Church which none that know what the gifts of prayer preaching healing c. or what the graces of illumination conviction common faith and common love are will offer to deny 2. That Christ bestoweth these both gifts and graces upon some particular members of the visible Church which shall never be saved this also will be easily granted me 1. Concerngifts in Judas and in those that are reserved to cry out another day we have prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name we have Mat. 7. 22 cast out devils and Secondly concerning graces if we but once shall think upon that sad catalogue the Apostle recordeth Heb. 6 4 5 6. 3. That Christ bestoweth these gifts and graces not saving Profession of saith before a visible Church uniteth to Christ as head of the visible Church whether the person be sincere or no cobbet of Inf. Bapt. p. 57. as a head which is also very evident 1. Because they are gifts and graces abound in the Church alone 2. Because they are conveyed to the Church by the dispensation of Ordinances which
is the dispensation of Christ as head 3. Because the Scripture it self hath noted them to be the proper work of the spirit of Christ which is peculiarly designed and sent to do the work of Christ as head gifts are so there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit that giveth them all graces are so too for the spirit is to convince the world of sinne c. and those that were enlightened and had tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come by common grace they as the text addes were made partakers of the holy Ghost 4. Because these gifts and graces are most properly reducible to the work of Christs offices which he dispenseth as head gifts to his prophetical and graces to his Priestly and Kingly office Arg. 2. The members of the visible Church may be considered Arg. 2 to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace therefore Christ may be also considered to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect thereunto the consequence is obvious The Antecedent viz. that members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace appears 1. Because the members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely objâ—cts of discipline truely called to the Ministry and truely baptized without respect to saving grace 1. The members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely objects of discipline without respect to saving grace 1 Cor. 5. unlesse fornication railing drunkennesse covetousnesse malice wickednesse or scandal as such for which discipline is properly appointed carry respect to saving grace or those that are about dispense the rod should first consider whether the fault may consist with grace or a saving condition and otherwise not to lash therewith Therefore it will follow that the members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace For 1. All discipline is truely a part of the administration of Christ as Head of the Church it being truely appointed by himself to be dispensed by such as stand in his stead in the Church Quia vero tam efficaciter urget obedientiam er ga Christum idcirco non sâ—ne ratione singulari magna pars regni Christi preut visibiliter ecclesiam regit ab optimis theologis in ista disciplina colocatur Medul p. 202 to be dispensed by them in his Name alone to be made effectual by his power alone and lastly it being so urgent a meanes of obedience to his Gospel Wherefore as Amesius addeth is not without singular reason according to the method of our best Divines reputed a great and special part of the Kingdome of Christ which all will grant belongeth to him as Head of the Church 2. The objects on whom discipline is to be exercised or granted by all to be members of the Church and consequently of Christ for as we have said discipline is part of his dispensation as head and the influence of the head is not beyond the body Certainly Christ judgeth none with discipline but such as the Church ought to judge now the Church ought to judge none but those that are within for those that are without God 1 Cor. 5. 12 13 judgeth Within and without what but the Church and what is the Church but the body of Christ therefore Amesius exactly Personae circa quas exerceri debet sunt membra ecclesiarum visibilium insti tutarum 1 Cor. 5 11. non a lii v. 12. Med. p 201. John 6. 70. saith that persons about whom discipline ought to be exercised are members of visible instituted Churches and none other 2. Persons may be considered to be truely called to the work of the Ministry without respect to saving grace for Judas was truely called to the work of the Ministry as is undeniable insinuated by that question of our Saviour have not I chosen you twelve i. e. have not I my self put you twelve into my Ministry yet 't is known that Judas was not savingly called to be a member of Christ as the next words added by our Saviour note and one of you is a Devil which our Saviour doubtlesse knew when he first chose him and would never have chose him had saving grace been essential to a true and lawful call to the Ministry Therefore it hence also follows that persons may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace for can any one possibly think that Christ would choose an infidel remaining such to rule his Church or make him an officer over that is not one of his people or put him into the place of the steward of his house whom he yet hath not and whom he never intends to put into his house who doubts but that he that is a Ruler Officer or Steward over the Church people or house of Christ is also a member thereof and much more and that he that is a member of the Church people and house of Christ is also a member of Christ himselfe 3. Persons may be considered to be truely baptized without respect unto saving grace for persons are truely because lawfully baptized in their infant state unto the consideration of their Covenant-holinesse and not the supposition of their personal Si ullius gratiae sunt participes fit illud vi faederis gratiae atque adeo foedus primum foederis sigillum adipsos etiam pertinet saving grace for as Ames teacheth us if they are partakers of any grace it is done by force of the Covenant of grace and thus both the Covenant and the first seal of the Covenant belongs also to them not as having true grace but as borne to God and in Covenant with him by their parents and if it be so with us when infants I shall humbly ask anone why not so afterwards and in our adult estate if born Christians and if we do not renounce Christianity Then hence it also follows that persons may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace for into what are persons baptized but into the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 13. yea and though afterwards they prove ungodly yet are they dealt with both here and hereafter as within and as children of the Kingdome here they have punishment peculiar to the subjects and members of Christ viz. to be cast out as before if after admonition they remaine obstinate then if they repent and are re-accepted into communion with the Church they are still dealt with as within and are not required to be re-baptized and if they shall die in their wickednesse they shall be judged hereafter and proceeded against not as the children of this world but as the children of the kingdome but of this more largely hereafter as we shall have abundant occasion now accept of this short touch Arg. 3. Christ is considered under all those many
the Church and Covenant in which and indeed God himself to whom he is borne as to his earthly parent 4. Therefore the children are said to be holy themselves as well as their parents 1 Cor. 7. 14. that is federally and that which is a reason of this foederal holinesse is equally a reason of their foederal faith 5. Indeed nor we nor our children have any right in Abrahams Covenant but as we and they are Abrahams children he is the great root and we and ours branches upon him now none are Abrahams children but beleevers he is the father of the faithful therefore our children being children of Abraham are beleevers as we are 6. Therefore children may be known as Christ himself intimates to believe in his Name i. e. by their being born within the Church Mat. 18. 6 7. or else they could not be received or offended as such as Christ supposeth 7. Lastly none but an Anabaptist will deny our children to be both of the Church and the subject of their own Church-membership and therefore to be sealed such in themselves and not onely in their parent by baptisme and consequently the Camero distinguisheth of real holinesse one sort consists in the bare relation of the person c. as Mr. Blake notes Seals 150 subjects of their own faith seeing baptism is also a seal of the righteousness of faith 2. Neither let any reply that this is not a real because it is a relatiue faith for even therefore it is real real being opposed here to that which is either false or not at all and not unto relative is not a childe a son really because relatively 2. That must needs be real in it self which hath real effects but this relative faith hath real effects hereby we are borne to God and Tametsi relatio est Ens debilis entitatis tamen est magnae efficaciae in the Covenant hereby we have a right to baptisme and all other Ordinances so far as we are capable of them being members of the visible Church and body of Christ and all these really and truely so 3. Now that this foederal faith differs from that which justifieth The Church in dispensing looketh into visibility of interest in the Covenant to guide her nor is the saving interest of the persons her rule c. Cobbet cited by Blake Seals p. 124. and saveth which is necessarily a quality of the person so justified or saved or at least that we need not respect the saving grace of the childe whom upon this foederal and relative consideration we are about to receive and admit to Baptisme I think none but an Anabaptist will stick to question 2. Habitual or qualitative faith may be considered also to be a true faith when not saving both as it is an historical and as it is a temporary faith as Divines distinguish Both which viz. the historical and temporary faith are distinguished from justifying and saving faith generally by most Protestant Assensus ille generalis quem poutisicii fidem statuunt non est fides i. e. justificans quia ipsis fatentibus potest esse sine ulla vita Am. Med. p 8 Virtutis activae quantitas ex quantitatis effectu cognosci debet Trel Inst Theol. p. 114 Divines yea those which hold as the Papists generally do that historical faith doth justifie even they do yet grant that there is an historical faith in some degree and acts thereof that is not saving which is most apparent in the other viz. temporary faith which is doubtlesse a higher degree of faith if there be a difference and evidently includes a dogmatical faith within it for this being but temporary cannot be saving Now that both these are real though not saving appears by the truth of their effects an Historical faith doth generally produce a temporary faith wherein there is still more or lesse of an Applicative faith though never so much as a justifying faith Sometimetimes this temporary faith sheweth it self by a strong application bringing its subject truely to answer though Efficacitas vocationis est interna cum tanguntur intellectus voluntas Tre. Inst 114. Ex modo vocandi non ex effectu vocationis Inst Theol. but in part the call of God which renders him really though but commonly called yet not outwardly but in a very deep measure inwardly called for as Trelcatius hath most accurately noted this common calling is termed external onely with respect to the manner of calling and not with respect to the effect of the call this common call being as truely though not so throughly an inward call as that which is saving for it reacheth the minde and produceth its change truely there by bringing it to see danger and vanitie in the wayes of sinne and to judge the wayes of grace and holinesse better and safer it toucheth and turneth the will also to perfer and choose and accordingly to apply it self to the true Religion it unlocks interrupts and partially awakens the deepest part and secretest closet of the soul the conscience by convincing it of sinne and the wrath and terrours of the Lord accompanying sin by perswading it of a necessity of repentance unto life of beleeving to the saving of the soul of mortification of sinne and of becoming a new creature by letting in the flashes of hell for duties omitted and evils practiced and allowed against light and truth imprisoned this makes a change and disturbance in the passions quencheth love to the world breaketh or at least disorders and shakes the quiet hope joy and delight in sinne c. and on the other side draweth it into a good compliance with better ways makes it to attend on the word gladly to receive it with joy to yeeld some outward conformity to the will of God and even to taste of the powers of the world to come and not onely to deserve the title of beleever but even of one sanctified with the blood of the Covenant and yet all the while but such as is but for a while and therefore not justifying or saving faith as sadly appears Heb. 6. and Heb. 10. Therefore is but deservedly stiled by Matthew and Mark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temporary Object I cannot foresee what can possibly interrupt us by way of objection here unlesse it be said that real faith is taken aequivocè and though an historical and temporary faith are real in their kinde yet is not these but a justifying and saving faith which is to be understood in the definition when the Church is defined societ as fidelium Answ But even this was prevented for though Ames doth evidently mean a faith which justifieth or saveth yet it hath appeared the Scripture doth not in the former instances wherein persons that are evidently denied to have this justifying saving faith are yet as evidently allowed to have real faith and that such as interests in visible Church-membership 1. None according to Scripture are denyed to be
in conclusion this foedus as it is extended in Ames his description is necessary in intentione passionis viz. admission non patientis the person admitted 8. Yet at length we must conclude that there is very little use of and consequently as little reason to dispute about this bond whether expresse or implicite in constituted Churches seeing herein our members are generally admitted in their infancy and what shall need to be imposed at years of discretion cannot with any shew of reason intend their admission into the Church it being rightly either but in order to their admission to some higher Ordinance or at most their confirmation in that state and those priviledges whereinto they are indeed admitted before in baptism but of this more directly and therefore more largely hereafter However my maine conclusion passeth still for if the persons that are subjects of both this society and the bond thereof may be considered as before is proved without respect to saving grace then doubtlesse so may both the society and the bond thereof touching the first viz. the society there is no colour of doubting and touching the latter viz. the Covenant let Amens himself whose words haply are the ground of our doubt be our resolver he first assures us that such as onely professe are members of the visible Church and yet also here addes that the visible Church is not constituted without the bond of this Covenant so that if Ames consist with himself or may be yeelded unto in the case this Covenant may be entred even by such as onely professe i. e. such as have no saving grace or as he in another place no inward vertue Besides what should possibly hinder but that such persons as are not endued with saving grace may yet be obliged to those duties which are not performable without that grace which themselves want by an obligation brought upon themselves by themselves when they themselves did not intend it as we have found this to be and was the very case of Simon Magus CHAP. XV. Of the definition as it may be framed by the union of the former parts HItherto of the parts of the definition of the visible Church by themselves proceed we now to look upon these parts in union and to state an entire definition therefrom Which is most ready to be done by the closing or drawing together what hath beene so long considered apart The visible Church may thus be said to be Beleevers or persons outwardly called or professing the true Religion ordinarily attending the communion of Ordinances in coetu or in a fix'd society or if you would put them together thus a community of persons that believe with a common faith or that are called with common calling or that make a profession of the true Religion ordinarily meeting and joyning together in the Ordinances of Gods worship For though communion be neerer to the essence of the visible Church then personal qualifications and community then communion yet as hath beene still acknowledged they have all their sit place and use in the definition thereof Here therefore is the qualification of the matter viz. common faith calling or profession here is the forme constituting the coetus or community as it looketh unto communion and lastly here is the formal action or if you please rather the form dâ—stinguishing this society from all other communion in the Ordinances of God Most of the definitions that our reformed Divines have given so far as I can find do indeed expresse all these three parts thereof I shall set a few of them down here and leave the rest to the search and judgement of the learned The Leiden Professors define it to be a company of those which Visibilis ecclesia est coetus eorum qui per verbum externum Sacramentorum disciplinae ecclesiasticae usum in unum corpus colescunt disp 40. The. 32 by the external word and the use of the Sacraments and ecclesiastical discipline are united into one body wherein two of the three foresaid parts are very evident 't is a company and such a company as hath the communion of such a body in the Word and Sacraments I confesse that the other viz. the qualification of the subjects of this company is not by them here specified yet their profession is easily implied in their fellowship and communion in Gods Ordinances and the not mentioning of the calling or faith or profession thereof onely intimates as before was noted that personal qualifications are not so necessary to the visible Church as this community or communion Indeed they also insert discipline but seeing that discipline is not necessary to the being of the Church and is but a separable adjunct of it it cannot be taken as more necessary into the definition of the Church Ames defineth the Church institute or visible particular to be Est societas fidelium speciali vinculo inter se conjunctorum ad communionem Sanctorum constanter inter se exercendam Med. 168. a society of beleevers joyned together among themselves by a special bond for their constant exercising the communion of Saints together where all the three parts are very visible 1 Beleever 2. In society 3. For communion I have before confessed that he intends saving faith as appears by his next words yet I humbly conceive his meaning is that all this society ought to be endued with such a faith and not that they are so indeed or if not no members of the visible Church For in the same page he tells us that it is very probable that there is no particular Church but it hath some members that do savingly beleeve and by his asserting the greatest probability of some that savingly beleeve he evidently granteth that others in this Church yea and many others for they viz. many others are directly distinguished to some may be without saving faith and yet as he grants in the next Paragraph be members of the visible Church and in that known place against Bellarmine saith expressely that it is false if any say that we the reformed Divines require inward vertues and therefore not the root of them saving faith to render one a member of the visible Church Trelcatius saith the visible Church is a company of men called Ecclesia visibitis definitur coetus hominum vacatione externam seu praedicatione verbi ad cultum gloriae Dei Inst 215 Est societas coramqui veram fidem profitentur ad communionem societatem ecclesiasticam inter se exercendam out by external calling as by the preaching of the word and the communion of the Sacraments to the worship of the glory of God here also all the parts are manifest A company 2. Of men called with external calling 3. To communion in the worship of God But Apollonius seemeth most clear and distinct whose definition I had rather fix upon then any yet named 't is saith he a society of persons professing the true faith and exercising ecclesiastical communion
are called that neither now have nor ever shall have saving grace and consequently that give no evidence thereof but of this frequently heretofore if it be said that they seemed to have saving grace that 's nothing for our saviour saw that they indeed had none and yet the same time when he makes a discovery of that he saith not that they seeme to be but that they are called q. d. these many seem to be elected but indeed some of them are not elected they are onely called for many are called but few chosen 3. A child of God a child of the Covenant a childe of the Kingdom are all of them titles in Scripture equivalent to a Church-member but all these are ascribed in Scripture to such as the Scripture it self witnesseth to have had no evidence at least of saving grace 1. The title of being a childe of God is Rom. 9. 4. given to such as had no evidence of saving grace viz. to Israelites who by that most dreadful scandal of crucifying Christ and persisting therein without repentance and with a continued obstinate gain-saying and persecuting the Gospel did bring so great heavinesse and continual sorrow to Pauls heart as we read ver 2. to whom yet saith the same Paul pertaineth the Adoption as ver 4. 2. The title of being a childe of the Covenant is also given to the same wicked Israelites Acts 3. 25. ye are the children of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Rom. 9. 4. Yea unto them belonged the Covenants that implies that they were not onely borne in them but intrusted with the keeping of them viz. with the giving of the Law as there it followeth Rom. 9. 4. Yea their very breaking of Covenant is an evident As they are charged Deut. 31. 16 17. signe of both 1. That they were in it a propositione secundi adjacentis ad propositionem primi adjacentis valet argumentum 2. That they had no evidence at least of saving grace for unlesse men were in Covenant how could they break it and if men do break Covenant where is their evidence of saving grace seeing men are charged in Scripture to violate the covenant onely by grosse and notorious scandals which are utterly inconsistent with such evidence viz. idolatry Deut 31. 20. rebellion Ezra 17. 15 c. 3. The title of being a childe of the Kingdome Matth. 8. 12. given to such as have no saving grace for Christ himselfe there assures us that some of the children of the Kingdome must go accursed into hell but certainly never any that hath the least degree of saving grace shall go thus accursed into Hell 4. Being in the field of Christ the barne of Christ the net of Christ is in Scripture equivalent to visible Church-membership for the Kingdome of heaven is compared in Scripture to all these and to be in the Kingdome of Heaven and a Church-member are in the Scripture of equal latitude But now the same Scriptures which compare the Kingdome of heaven or the Church of God to a field barne floore and net do fully attribute a place in them all to such as have no saving grace there are tares in this field chaffe in this barn-floore and bad fish in this net of Christ 5. Being in Christ is doubtlesse equivalent unto Church-membership But the Scripture and Christ himself therein acknowledgeth some persons to be in him that yet it witnesseth at the same time to have no truth of saving grace John 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit Some branches are such as beare no fruit but must be burned as verse 6. yet even these are owned by Christ to be branches and branches in himself I have read a bad answer somewhere unto this that the words in me are to be understood last and that the sense of the words are but thus every branch that beareth not in me which is said not to imply the branches being in Christ at all but onely to intend its bearing no fruit in Christ but the very look of the text shames it For 1. Wherefore is it called a branch but with relation to the Vine mentioned ver 1. which was as 't is said Christ himself I am the Vine ye are the branches and every branch c. 2. If we should read the words as this objection requires then it follows that some may bring forth fruit and yet be out of Christ contrary to the words following without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or out of or severed from me ye can do nothing 3. But from what shall these branches be cut if they be not upon the Vine or whence shall they be taken away by the Father or out of what shall he be cast forth as a branch v. 6. 4. And lastly what congruity is there in the following caution if a man abide not in me if such cannot be branches in him that may prove fruitlesse or Apostates and be cast forth wither and be burned 6. Disciple in Scripture is a title equivalent to visible Church-member But the Scripture doth reckon some to be disciples whom it self also testifieth to have had no saving grace John 6. 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more after him now let it be supposed that by their apostacy it being indeed total and final they now ceased to be disciples yet this onely evidenceth for the time past that they never had any true grace howbeit they were then disciples unless they had gone on they could not have gone back and so long as they went on they were disciples not those that seemed but those that were disciples went back and though now they are discovered never to have had any saving grace yet it is still acknowledged that they were disciples 7. To be a vessel in the house of God is more and therefore indeed implies a being in the house of God or a Church-member but the Scripture 2 Tim. 2. 20. ascribes this title of being a vessel in the house of God to some whom it also witnesseth to have Rom. 9 had no saving grace for it saith there are vessels of dishonour and therefore of wrath fitted to destruction in the house of God as Hymeneus and Philetus were sad instances 8. To be within to be of Israel and to be of the house of Israel are equivalent to Church-membership but the Scripture attributes all these to such as it also testifieth to have had no saving grace or at least no evidence thereof 1. The Scripture 1 Cor. 5. acknowledgeth the incestuous person to have been within when it putteth him upon the Churches judgement who hath not to do with them who are without and yet by laying so heavy a charge of incest upon him it doth plainly evidence that he had then no evidence at least of saving grace 2. The Scripture Rom. 9. 6. affirmeth some to
be of Israel whom yet in the very same place it denieth to have any true saving grace all are not Israel i. e. all are not in the purpose of God according to election v 11. that are of Israel or of the visible Church therefore some are of Israel that are not elected and consequently that have no saving grace 3. The Scripture Luke 15. 6. affirmeth some persons to be of the house of Israel also whom it also denieth to have any evidence of saving grace viz. lost sheep lost sheep are of the house of Israel but lost sheep are therefore without evidence of saving grace therefore persons whom the Scripture affirmeth to be without evidence of saving grace it attributeth interest in the house of Israel or the visible Church unto 9. To be the people of God to bring forth children unto God and to have a right coram Deo or in the sight of God unto the first seale or the Ordinance of initiation do all of them import in the Word of God visible Church-membership But the Word of God ascribeth every one of these unto such as it self also testifieth to have had no evidence at least of saving grace 1. The Word of God Jer. 7. 12. as also before the same was observed from Isa 1. 3. thus attributes the title of the people of God to such as had no evidence of saving grace even to those Israelites that by their abominable wickednesse had brought a curse and desolation upon the place where they lived viz. Shiloh see what I have done to Shiloh for the wickednesse of Israel yea of my people Israel but evidence of saving is inconsistent with such wickednesse 2. The Word of God Ezek. 16. 20. ascribes the honour of bringing forth children unto God unto such as had no evidence at least of saving grace they sacrificed their children unto Molâ—ck therefore they had no evidence of saving grace yet their children which they thus idolatrously sacrificed God owns for his sons and his daughters and such as the parents had borne unto him To say that these children were the first born onely which the Lord challengeth for his in a peculiar manner may seeme to gratifie an Anabaptist somewhat but doth not so much as seem to weaken my inference hence for the first borne of those in whom the Lord had this interest onely and who were related to God as his people were challenged by God for his in this peculiar manner therefore if we grant that these were the first-borne onely yet seeing God challengeth them for his sons and daughters he owneth and acknowledgeth the parents of them yet to remaine in his Covenant and to be in the number of his people If those that are gracelesse had a command to receive the seals had warrant to receive them then they had a right from God but such as Ishmael Mr. Hooker survey p. 41 3. The Word of God Gen. 17. 23. acknowledgeth that one may have a right to the first seal of the Covenant and that coram Deo and in the sight of God that hath no saving grace in the case of Ishmael Ishmael was thirteen years old vers 25. when he was circumcised and therefore past the age and state of Infancy and of age to answer for himself yet againe Ishmael had no saving grace which the Lord knew well enough neither was he within the Covenant of Isaac the Covenant of absolute and certaine salvation from which he was excluded vers 19. If Ishmael had not been circumcised he had broken the covenant v. 14 therefore he was in covenant The Hebrew calls Ishmael a wilde asse and the Targum retaineth the original word Metaphoricè pro homine insociabili ferinis moribus praedito saith Rivet who with Paraeus Cajctane Pererius and others judgeth him to be a reprobate as Mr. Mar. hath observed page 277. yet lastly Ishmael hath a right unto the first seal of the Covenant and consequently was truely in one respect within the Covenant coram Deo and in his sight as is most evident from the immediate command of God that he that was borne in Abrahams house as God knew that Ishmael was so already must needs be circumcised v. 12. and accordingly Abraham understood it although the Lord himself had but now revealed to him that Ishmael in particular was to have no part in the Covenant of Isaac or the Covenant of salvation or the saving state of the Covenant rather he proceeds upon the command of the Lord to circumcise Ishmael first of all Now what is it that giveth one right to any Ordinance but the command or at least more evidently then the command of God himself and that right which we have from Gods command is doubtlesse a right coram Deo and in his sight and the consequence from that first seal of circumcision to ours of baptisme will passe without scruple upon all but Anabaptists with whom I am not now disputing 10. To be borne againe and to be of the body are both equivalent to Church-membership But the Word of God acknowledgeth such to be borne againe and to be of or in the body the one great body of Christianity whom it also witnesseth to have no saving grace 1. The Word of God John 3. 5. acknowledgeth that all that are baptized with water are borne again of water wherefore haply baptism is meant by the lavor or washing of regeneration Tit. 3. 5. 2. The Word of God acknowledgeth also that all that are baptized are baptized into that one great body of Christianity 1 Cor. 12. 13. we are all baptized into one body 3. And yet the Word of God hath witnessed that many are baptized that never had any saving grace as Simon Hymeneus Philetus Alexander Ananias and Saphira c. 11. To have the Spirit to have begun in the Spirit to be sonnes to be children of the promise to be children of the free woman that is I conceive by embracing and submitting unto the Gospel of Christ Jesus who was the seed in whom the promise to Isaac was especially fulfilled are all equivalent to Church-membership But the Word of God ascribeth all these to such as gave no evidence of saving grace and all of them in those two Chapters the third and fourth to the Galatians Gal. 3. 2 3. they are acknowledged to have received the Spirit and to have begun in the Spirit yet the same place witnesseth their folly and their great danger of ending in the flesh which gave no evidence of their saving grace Gal. 4. even those are said to be sons v. 6. to be the children of the promise with Isaac v. 28. and children of the free-woman that is I conceive not under the Law but the Gospel v. 31. of whom Paul travelled in birth again until Christ be formed in them ver 19. and of whom therefore we may safely say they had no saving grace 12. Beleevers sanctified redeemed and a state of grace are all equivalent to
visible Church-membership in the Word of God But the same Word of God attributeth all these unto some that had no saving grace 1. The Word of God as was noted before acknowledgeth that both Simon Magus and the stony ground beleeved and the Word of God witnesseth also that neither Simon Magus nor the stony ground had no saving grace 2. The Word of God Heb. 10. 29. ascribeth the title of sanctified to such as trampled under foot the Son of God c. which doubtless had no saving grace 3. The Word of God 2 Pet. 2. 1. acknowlegeth such to be redeemed and bought by Christ who yet fall away and deny him and bring upon themselves swift destruction but these had never any saving grace 4. The Word of God in the last place acknowledgeth Gal. 5. 4. that some persons were once in a state of grace who fell from grace and therefore such as never had any saving grace they were in a state of grace first otherwise they could not have fallen from grace their grace however was not saving for from saving grace none did ever fall away CHAP. XIX The third Argument from Scripture admitting persons into Church-membership upon account diverse from saving grace the difference of the Infant and Adult estate largely considered MY third and last Argument from the Word of God is grounded upon the condition of admission of persons into the visible Church of God therein allow'd and it is this The Word of God both alloweth and requireth that persons be admitted members of the visible Church upon an account that is really diverse from saving grace therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace The antecedent here is not to be touch'd for unlesse we pretend that according to Scripture the childe born within the Church is admitted a member thereof for his own habitual or inherent grace or that foederal or imputed grace is saving grace or that he is not of the Church or not to be baptized till he make a profession of saving grace in his own person all which are apparently absurd we must needs yeeld that according to Scripture persons are admittable into the Church upon an account that is diverse from saving grace Obj. It may not be objected that the child is admitted upon the evidence of his parents saving grace for as that is false in it selfe as anon will be shewne so it reacheth not at all to our present purpose which onely concerneth the qualification of the very person admitted and the ground thereof in himselfe Yet I grant that this is concludent onely in settled Churches for at the first plantation of a Church personal qualities are to be expected in Heathens adult for their admission into visible Church-membership as also when they are to be adjoyned to any particular Church already setled and therefore so farre onely as concerneth the admission of infants in setled Churches However is not this our common case yea and of all the Churches were not our and their members admitted in infancy time out of minde all standing as members grown up or branches sprung from the old root in the garden or Church of God at least ordinarily and for the most part for how rare a thing and extraordinary is it to hear of a Pagan Turk or Jew baptized Christian The consequence is also evident upon this ground that the same grace may easily be considered to continue the being of the visible Church which first gave it unlesse some violent accident as renouncing the Covenant c. hath since disolved it for as Dayrel saith well we must know that all which be once admitted page 171 into the Church do remaine members of the same Church be they never so wicked until either they themselves depart from it or else by excommunication they be cast out and that consequently all the scandalous persons aforesaid were in and of the Church yea the incestuous person till he was excommunicated and this as he addes they of the separation likewise acknowledge to be true Object The great objection here is that children remaine Church-members by foederal holinesse until they come unto their adult estate indeed but no longer for then they must give the answer of a good conscience for themselves and continue this relation to the Church upon the account of their own faith Answ 1. I readily grant that all children baptiz'd in their infancy ought when at yeares of discretion to give this answer of a good conscience both by their evidence of their knowledge of Christ and an holy conversation 2. I further grant that there is an evident necessity upon all such baptized persons to own the faith into which they are baptized at least negatively seeing that a positive renounciing thereof putteth out of the Church 3. Yet admit that persons thus baptized in their infant state state do not give such answer at years of discretion either of their knowledge or holinesse as they ought to do it by no meanes follows that they are forth-with rendred out of the Church or that their former foederal or relative holinesse is hereby null for these Reasons Reas 1. The Word of God wherein alone his minde is revealed hath no where evidenced that foederal or relative holinesse of persons borne in the Church or their relation to the Church thereby is extinct at years of discretion or removed and lost by ignorance or the want of the evidence of saving grace if but one text were produced intimating this this part of the controversie ends 2. Yea indeed the contrary is more then evident in sacred writ viz. that relative holinesse doth proceed even into the adult estate and that ignorance or want of the evidence of saving grace doth not then extirpate our former hurch interest convey'd thereby and sealed in infancy was not Ishmael and the incestuous person at their adult estate or were they such as evidenced saving grace yet Ishmael Gal. 4. 30. and the incestnous person 1 Cor. 5. 12. are both acknowledged to be within hath it not appeared abundantly that persons charged by God himself with actual rebellion are also acknowledged at the same instant by the same God to be his people how could they be so charged had they not been at adult age and how could they be so acknowledged had they had no foederal or relative holinesse for they had none other Yea to put it out of further question this people are expresly said to be a holy people Deut. 14. 2. even while they were charged with being stiff-neck'd and a rebellious people unto this place chap. 9. verse 6 7. and what holinesse could that be that was consistent with a stiffe neck and a rebellious heart but a Covenant-holinesse even as 't is there expounded to be I have chosen thee to be my people or a holinesse of separation as it also followeth Deut. 14. 2. to be a peculiar people unto himself
the minde of the eminent translators of the Bible who point us in their margent to Rom. 2. 21 22. as a Text parallel and exegetical of this and which is manifestly concerning Ministers Now if the Text before us should indeed be thus to be understood viz. of Ministers who seeth not its distance and utter incongruity to our purpose 2. But should it be found to intend the people it will also be found far enough from wounding or indeed touching my conclusion for it cannot be conceived to determine any thing touching that with which it medleth not viz. the outward Covenant-state of this people it doth not so much as seeme to offer any service at all against us unlesse to the Brownist in another point viz. that wicked men ought not to performe holy duties which yet indeed it doth but seem to do for the intention of the Text is not to resolve what is a wicked mans duty but what will be the fruit and issue of all the duties of wicked worshippers and what ruine and destruction abideth them as is most evident from their contrary in v. 14. they that offer thansgiving and pay their vowes to the Lord they have a promise made unto their duties verse 15. but now to the wicked God saith q. d. thou hast nothing to do with this grace or promise made to the godly c. what hast thou to do with my name or Covenant doest thou imagine that I will have any mercy for such a wretch and hypocrite as thou art deceive not thy self c. therefore v. 21 22. more directly I will reprove thee and set them in order before thee therefore consider this all ye that in your duties forget God least I tare you in pieces and there be none to deliver All the advantages that this corrupt glosse of the Brownist hath is taken from the sound of this English phrase what hast thou to do which indeed is onely to an English objection for if we examine all the other languages we shall find it will not bear any weight at all viz. no more then quid tibi ad narrandum vel ut enarres c. will help him too which doubtlesse is fitter to be understood of what profit or benefit such a one can expect from his duty then what duty he is bound to perform as the Hebrew and Targum are rendred or quarè tu enarras c. wherefore doest thou worship God for what end what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 canst thou hope for as the seventy the Aethiopick and the Latine version have it but might the Syriack version be heard there is lesse colour for the objection hence against my position for it ends the interrogation and so the question with declaring the Statutes and maketh the Covenant of God and the Peccatori dicit Deus quid tibi libris mandatorum meorum gestas enim pactum meum ore tuo attamen tu odisti disciplinam c taking thereof into the mouth an aggravation of wickednesse thou carriest my Covenant in thy mouth yet thou hatest my discipline and castest my words behinde thee 3. To conclude whatsoever be found to be the true sense of these words most certaine it is that the sense of this objection is not for how plentiful is the Scripture in acknowledging wicked men to be Gods people and outwardly in Covenant with him yea if we cast our eye to the seventh verse of this same Psalme this is cleared beyond contradiction where we finde the Lord summoning his people to be testified against from heaven yet owned by the name of his people and himself acknowledged to be their God most Emphatically I am God even thy God q. d. though I am about to testifie against thee let none imagine that I intend thereby to disown or reject thee or that thou art no longer in Covenant with me for notwithstanding thou art my people and I am God even thy God or as the Covenant expresly soundeth I am yet to thee a God and thou art to me a people Object 5 'T is said John 2. 19. that those that left the Apostolical Churches were never of them therefore those that have no saving grace though they be in the Church they are not of it Answ One great help for the right understanding of this Text is to weigh the conditions of these persons here spoken of the Apostle in the immediate verse foregoing telleth us that they were Antichrists that is desperate hereticks for ut Christus suum aluit tulitque proditorem sic etiam Apostolis alendi erant multi Antichristi Pseudo Apostoli as Marlorat hath collected out of Thomas Naogeorgius of whom Bullinger out of Tertullian Irenaus and Eusebius giveth us a particular account in his Commentary upon this Text they were saith he Simon Magus Menander Saturninus Basilides Carpocrates Cerinthus Haebion the two first of them were by their proselytes worshipped as God the rest denied either the Divine or the Humane nature of Christ And now the question would be whether these persons were guilty of those grosse and Antichristian Heresies while they continued to be ex Apostolorum societate as Marlorate speaks or under the pretext and profession of Christian Religion those words of Naogeorge on the place subdolos and falsos fratres seem to carry the affirmative as also what Bullinger addeth of them cum Christianorum nomine se vinditarint Haeretici c. Now if so the matter is ended for I have before acknowledged that such as upon any treacherous or corrupt designe take up and carry the profession of religion not historically owning but with a secret purpose of minde rejecting the faith and doctrine of Christ are onely doubtlesse to use Brentius his words Christianorum numero nomine titulo rever à nunquam crediderunt 2. But least this content not another special means of clearing this doubt will be to consider what is meant by these words they were not of us and in what sense these that are now departed from the faith and the Church are said never to have been of us Now first I yeeld that this phrase is not to be restrained to the society of the Apostles but to be enlarged to the company of the faithful or those primitive Apostolical Churches from which they truely broke themselves off as well as from the Apostles 2. I distinguish of persons being of the Church viz. by profession Of the Church p. 14 onely or by profession principled with a common faith or by profession with a saving faith or with Dr. Field after Stapleton some persons are of the numero onely some numero and merito and others numero merito electione the first are real members of no Church at all the second are members of the Church of the called the third and last onely of the Church of the Elect or the saved Whereof I make application thus 1. None will deny but that these Whence our Divines conclude
against the errors of the Schismatical Aug. lib. de correp gr cap. 9. de don persev c. 8 Sect. And least it should be thought that the heat of dispute should have transported him he giveth us his judgement most clearly and fully upon other occasions about it as before we noted after Dr. Fulk Augustine teacheth us that such as shall certainly fall away and that finally and consequently such as have no saving grace according to their present state that is while they abide with the Church they are truely members thereof Again in the same place upon those known words of the Apostle they were not of us that is saith he they were not of the number of the sons even when they were of the faith of the sons what he means by sonship here he telleth us in his reason in the next words because they that are the sonnes indeed are foreknown and Ecclesia etiam mali sunt imo bonis multo plures ut in co rum comparatione pauci sunt de unit eccles cap. 12 predestinated these men therefore were of the many that were called but of the few that were chosen they were not yea in another place he assureth us that there are not onely evil men in the Church but indeed so many as that the good being compared with them are but a few CHAP. XXII The judgement of the Protestant Writers searched after THe second eminent point of occasion was sharpened by Bellarmine Stapleton the Rhemists and other Papists by their envy and malice against the Reformation falsely charging the doctrine thereof concerning the visible Church to be that none are truely members of it but such as are elected or such as have saving grace Hereby the Patrons of our Protestant and reformed cause are provoked to answer for us and what is their answer do they Am. Ant. Bel. Tom. 2. l. 2. c. 1 n. 5 acknowledge the charge to be just or do they not with Ames cry falsum est it is false that we require internal vertues or saving grace to render one a member of the visible Church according to the outward state thereof Accordingly Dr. Fulk wipes off the like aspersion cast upon us by the Rhemists the visible Church saith he hath both Fulk upon the Rhemists on Mat. 22. 14 Elect and reprobate in it but the Chatholick Church invisible which is the body of Christ consisteth onely of Gods Elect the true members of his body thus you know speaking to the Rhemists right-well but that you are disposed to slander us wheresoever you can take occasion to blinde the ignorant by ambiguity or generality or double understanding of any word Againe the Jesuite having charged us falsly in these words the onely reason by which hereticks hold the Church to be invisible because they imagine the Church to consist onely of the elect or at Whites way to the true church least of the good White not more generally then boldly answers Here the Jesuite bewraieth either hid ignorance or malice let him if he can for the credit of his Word shew where any of those whom he calleth Hereticks do teach or affirme that the Church militant whereof the question is consisteth of the Elect onely Whereupon also Whitaker saith that Bellarmine ought to Debuit Bellar. probare in ecclesia Catholica c. Whita Contro secund qu. pri cap. 7 prove that there are both good and bad in the Catholick that is the invisible Church which when he goeth about to prove from the Parables of the barn-floor c. he ought to understand by the barn-floore in this place not the Catholick but the particular Church in which we confesse that there are both good and bad To whom Doctor Reynolds in his defence of the Church Reynolds in his second thesis which consists of the Elect alone fully accords the wicked saith he must needs be a part of the Church if the name of the Church did signifie the visible Church and we call it consisting of the good and bad Famous Willet also addeth his testimony hereunto when in answer Willet Synop. of the Church to the Papists he openly and freely acknowledgeth that such as do not truely beleeve whom he calleth close infidels are of the visible Church viz. de jure yea and that open sinners are of the visible Church de facto until they be excommunicated Our industrious Fox is very distinct in the point which visible Church saith he having in it self a difference of two sorts Fox Act c. p. 27. of people so it is divided into two parts of which the one standeth of such as be of outward profession onely the other which by election inwardly are joyned to Christ the first are in the visible Church but not in the invisible We have before occasionally noted the consent of Pareus distinguishing the Church of the called from the Church of the Elect Pareus Polanus Bullâ—nger Ravanellus Wollebius Gomarus Apollonius c Vid. etiam Mel. part sept p. 33 Ociand Enchir p. 126 Polanus reckoning the invisible to be but a part not the whole of the visible Church Bullinger Ravanellus c. who distinguish the Church by a large and a strict acceptation and account the visible to be of larger extent then the Church invisible and with Wallebius Gomarus Apollonius and even all the reformed Divines define the Church largely taken viz. the visible Church to containe within it both good and bad elect and reprobate Master Hooker thus reasoneth all are of necessity either Christians or not Christians if by external profession they are Christians Hook eccles pol. p. 84 they are of the visible Church and Christians by external profession they all are whose mark of recognisance hath in it those things which we have mentioned one Lord one Faith one Baptisme yea although they be impious idolaters wicked Hereticks person excommunicable yea and cast out for notorious improbilities yet such we deny not to be Imps and limbs of Satan even as long as they continue such Field assureth us not onely of his own but even of the judgemen Field p. 12 13 14 of such as are most liable to exception in the case and confidently telleth us that the meaning of Wickliffe Husse and others who defined the Church to be a multitude of the Elect was not as if they thought them onely to pertaine to the Church and no others but because they onely pertaine unto it principally fully effectually and finally c. Externally those are within the Covenant though they have not for the present that sound work of faith and may be never shall Hook survey p. 36. Mr. Cobbet confesseth or asserteth rather that there is a Mr. Cobbet Concl. 3. in his just vindication Vid his Book of Inf. Bap. p. 57 Bish Usher sum of Relig. p. 396 Vid. Cottons way p 1 Expos in 39. Art p. 87. bare external being in the Covenant of grace
jure seeing men who judge onely according to appearance are Judges thereof But now it hath been the universal opinion or judgement rather of all the Church in all ages that notoriously wicked and scandalous persons are really within untill they are censured and cast out as Willet saith close infidels are in the visible Church de jure and openly wicked and flagitious persons are so de facto until excommunicated both of which do indeed evidently argue that saving grace is not an essential requisite to visible Church-membership neither can it be imagined that unlesse they are granted to be within that they are capable of being cast out or unlesse they be granted to be really within that they can really be cast out therefore persons as Ames aptly Medal p. 201 and plainly teacheth about whom discipline ought to be exercised are members of the Church and none other It will but little availe to urge here that some Divines affirme wicked men and hypocrites to be onely in and not of the Church for the same Divines acknowledge the most notoriously wicked so far in the Church as to be liable to eâ—clesiastical censure and to be cast out and do they not thereby confesse that they are also of the Church I mean visible for otherwise what hath the Church to do to Censure Judg punish one that is not of her own society and corporation therefore I am further confirmed in what before was noted that such Divines meane by such expression that wicked men are not so fully because not savingly of the visible Church or else they are not of the Church that is of the Church invisible for of the visible Church they must needs be granted to be and that really by all such as allow them really subject to the censure thereof seeing the Church judgeth none but her own members and one cannot be said to be a member by being in the body unlesse he also be of the body wherefore Ames is expresse in the words already cited that such as are liable to Church-censure are membra membra ecclesiarum members and therefore not onely in but of the Churches Arg. 5. The practice of the Church-hath ever been to readmit the penitents that is such as after baptisme have been excommunicate for scandal and have given satisfaction to the Church againe into Church-communion without rebaptization We read indeed of one kinde of Anabaptisme in the ancient Fortunat. in Conc Carthag secundinus in eodem Conc. Church much pressed by Cyprian and other fathers in the counsel of Carthage viz. of such as were baptized by hereticks but as this is nothing to our case it being in no respect to the persons that were to be rebaptized or their qualifications at all but wholly in respect to the qualifications of the administrator viz. his heresie so 't is well known that this opinion In Conc. Nic. vid. Hier. dial versus Luciferaria was afterwards both condemned by a better advised counsel and also revoked by the chiefest authours thereof themselves Now this practice of re-admitting penitents without re-baptizing them doth evidently argue this principle wheresoever it is found that persons may be considered in relation to the visible Church without respect to saving grace For 1. These penitents were acknowledged to have had some secret union with the Church even by the Church her self in their most scandalous condition when the Church could have no evidence at all of their saving grace otherwise upon their repentance they had entred covenant and consequently must have had the initiating seal applied viz. baptisme for what reason can there possibly be given why else they could not be re-baptized but onely this because they were held never wholly extirpated out of the Church or Covenant by scandal or censure neither can it be imagined that their now repenting is a certaine evidence of saving grace to have been in their hearts in the midst of their wickednesse and therefore conclude we must that they held that something else besides saving grace did root and interest in visible Church-membership for if being in Covenant and consequently being in the Church did appear unto the Churches where saving grace did not appeare who seeth not this consequence that the Churches judged that interest in the Church and Covenant is not founded in saving grace Arg. 6. The Church hath ever held that vera fides and sana doctrina is an essential note of the true visible with Ames thereupon our reformed Divines assert that a doctrinal and not a personal succession is a necessary mark thereof and according to reverend Hildersham profession and preaching of true doctrine Held in Joh. 4. p. 161 Vid. Cal. Instit l. 4. c. 1. p. 363. Zanch. de eccl p. 82 c. in all fundamental points is the onely proper and certain note of the true Church for ubi fides ibi ecclesia that as Ames explaineth fides quam or as Hierome in symb Rufin fides Christi illa est ecclesia Sancta quae fidem Christi integram servat thus the Prophets and Apostles the penmen of this doctrine of faith are said to be the foundation on which the true Church is Eph. 2. ult built Hence it must needs follow that the Church ever held that the essence of the visible Church doth not necessarily require saving grace For 1. The essential property or note of any thing doth immediately connote or argue the essence or forme of that thing 2. The profession of the true doctrine of Christ doth not necessarily much lesse immediately connote or argue saving grace many with Judas preaching and with Simon Ananias Saphira Hymeneus and Phyletus owning and professing the true faith or sound doctrine of Jesus Christ whose hearts are alienated from the life of God and strangers to the grace of that Covenant whose Doctrine they thus professe and acknowledge Arg. 7. Lastly to put the matter yet further out of doubt those very Divines that are suspected in the point do generally assert that the visible Church consisteth of good and bad that hypocrites are de jure of the visible Church that they are to be accounted members of the Church till they wholly renounce the Gospel that they are in the external part of the Covenant that they are in the Church according to the external state thereof that they have a visible right to the Ordinances all which are most obvious as well to the slightest as seriousest reader and searcher of the reformed writings and the least of which will fully satisfie my designe CHAP. XXV The last Argument from the opposite to my position and the dongerous consequences thereof WE have hitherto argued from the name the causes and the definition of the visible Church as also from divine and humane authority one place of argument more we hope may serve to conclude the question Which let me say without offence is the dangerous consequences that necessarily attend the contradictory
unto him by the command of these Kings in like manner our gracious Queen Elizabeth did her duty to God in following these happy Kings in the like case in England and the people did no lesse then their duty to God and the Queene in returning to their God at the Queenes command 2. Neither can it be sufficiently proved that the preaching of the Word is of absolute necessity at the first constitution of a particular Church especially where some Knowledge of God and his wayes is presupposed as our case in England then was 1. I grant that in ordinary cases the preaching of the Gospel is required to the constitution of a Church but that there can be no extraordinary exception to this rule I deny especially when men would thence reason us out of our senses as well as our Churches we see our Churches in all the parts and essentials of true Churches shall we yet argue against what we see and not believe our own eyes because their first constitution was not as we would have had it or as indeed ordinarily Churches are constituted would it not have been judged a madnesse in Caine and Abel to have reasoned their parents out of the number of man-kinde because they were not born of a woman as men ordinarily are Let who will undertake to prove that our Churches in England were not constituted at first by the preaching of the Word and I dare engage to make good the assumption that our Churches in England are true Churches and thus we may haply discover another extraordinary way of constitution of Churches besides the preaching of the Word 2. The preaching of the Word as necessary to a true Church may be thought to be either antecedent or subsequent to the constitution thereof either of which is sufficient provided that the people are brought to a willing embracement of the Christian profession by any other means so that where the Candlestick is pitched and the Ministry of the Word is fixed among any people that freely attend upon it there none may doubt but that God hath chosen a people to be his Church for here are found the infallible marks of a true Church Now none can deny but that our Congregations in England if they were not at first reduced by the Minstry yet they have enjoyed it ever since that their reduction from the Popish yoak in the dayes of that famous Queen and that none may have cause to say that this our attendance on the Ordinances of God is generally forced by a Law as was wont to be laid to our charge we have of late a most clear evidence that it is indeed free and voluntary seeing all compulsory meanes are known to be rebated and taken away in the present liberty 3. Much lesse can it without grosse ignorance or dangerous impudence be denied that the Ministery of the word was instrumental with the Queens command to the reduction of the people in her dayes from Popery to Protestantisme yea 't is well known that divers Ministers were sent into all parts to satisfie the people touching that change in Religion which she then was about and allowed the people that their returne might be free above half a years time to consider of it and what law was made at length to compel in any regard was made by consent of the people themselves in Parliament all which are so evident in history that I shall need say no more thereof However suppose that all these things should be granted them 1. That we lost our Churches in Queen Maries dayes 2. That a true Church can be constituted onely by the preaching of the Word 3. That our Churches in Queen Elizabeths dayes were gathered or rather compelled onely by the Queens Command 4. And consequently that they then were no true Churches but societies of Heathens all which have appeared to be false yet what will this adversary conclude from thence against our present Churches especially if we adde the serious consideration of these four following particulars 1. That our people have had the preaching of the Word ever since 2. That they are now a willing people in Gods publick worship all meanes of compulsion being now taken off 3. That they became thus willing to embrace and abide in the true Religion by the preaching of the Word seeing no other meanes by their owne principles could make them so 4. And therefore consequently we stand true Churches now by their own principles being constituted such at length by the long abiding of the same among us if not so at first by the preaching of the Word CHAP. XXXVI Inferences from the former discourse concerning Baptisme and title to it WE have found the former doctrine helpful to us in the vindication of the truth of our Churches let us follow it a little further and it may haply discover something also touching their title to Sacraments And First of Baptisme Secondly of the Supper Concerning Baptisme it follows that if the former principle stand the children of foure sorts of persons may lawfully communicate Baptisme thereof the children of such as have no saving grace nor evidence of it the children of visibly wicked persons the children of the excommunicate and the children of such as ought not to be admitted to the Lords Table which will fall into so many Positions 1. Then first saving grace in the parent is not absolutely necessary to a real-right nor its evidence to a visible right in baptism for his child or the children of such as have no such grace and make no satisfactory evidence thereof to the Church may yet have a clear and good title to Baptisme and be lawfully baptized 1. The children of such as have no saving grace may have a Children of graceless persons have right in Baptisme real right in baptisme because such parents may notwithstanding their want of saving grace be really members of the visible Church and be themselves really baptized which is all that is requisite to entitle their children to visible Church-membership and consequently to baptisme the children of such parents are within the Covenant and interest in the Covenant carrieth Foederatis competit signum foederis doubtlesse a right in it to some seal of the Covenant and if to any must it not be to the first viz. Baptisme 2. The children of such as give no satisfactory evidence of saving grace may yet have a visible title to baptisme and a just claime for it from the hands of the Church because such parents may without such evidence have evidence enough of their interest in the Covenant and the visible Church sufficiently satisfying the Judges thereof by some other means for that which being real giveth real right to Ordinances in Gods account being visible or seen and known or not to be doubted of by men giveth visible right thereunto in the Court of the Church But something else besides such saving grace being real giveth real right to Ordinances therefore
savin◠qualifications in themselves how few of Gods truth-humbled and savingly qualified people would dare to come did they suffer themselves to be throughly convinced of such a principle that they that cannot certainly conclude that their graces are saving might not encourage themselves to receive but ought to abstain and who would presse with the greatest confidence and in the greatest numbers to this holy Table but such as deceive themselves as well as others by presumption and self-conceitednesse 3. Because if this were true that none but such as can evidence the truth of their graces to their own satisfaction might come to the Sacrament the Sacrament would seem to agree rather with the Oeconomy of Heaven and the Church-triumphant where there is grace without sin spirit without flesh assurance without doubting then with the frail sinful tempting doubting estate and condition of the troubled and militant Church on earth 4. Yea methinks the text it self with it s context is too evident to the contrary to bear much gain-saying the text is given as a meanes whereby we may prevent the sinne v. 27. of being guilty of the body and blood of the Lord to which it stands knit by the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the Text and the judgement ver 29. 30. of sicknesse weaknesse death which many had suffered before for want of this due self-examination now in v. 31. the Apostle gives his reason why self-examination must needs prevent this sinne and punishment because he that judgeth himself shall not be judged of the Lord or in his own words for if we judge our selves we shall not be judged i. e. of the Lord as unworthy receivers were and consequently we shall not be judged of the Lord to be unworthy receivers then 1. Here we may easily note that such examination as issues in self-judging hath the promise of not being judged of the Lord for unworthy receiving 2. Then where men attaine to this effect of self-examination as to judge themselves they shall not be dealt with by God as unworthy receivers of the Sacrament 3. Then it follows that such as do in examining themselves judge themselves may come to the Sacrament without feare of unworthy receiving yea are here invited yea commanded to come so let him eat c. 4. Then it seemes that our sinnes which are the proper cause of self-judging are the object of self-examining rather then our graces so that if we can but finde out our sinnes and humble our selves in the sight of them and judge our selves for them we may warrantably come to partake of this Sacrament though we cannot discover our graces 5. Then unlesse self-judging be self-acquitting or self-condemning be self-approving self-justifying a person may warrantably come to the Sacrament without the discovery of saving grace in his self-examining The summe is would a man escape the sinne and judgement of unworthy receiving let him so farre examine himself as to see his sinne and judge sentence and condemne himselfe for the same for if we judge our selves we shall not be judged Lastly this is excellently noted and judiciously stated as well as confirmed by the Assemblies larger Catechisme with whose words I shall here conclude One say they who doubteth of his being in Christ or of his due preparation to the Sacrament may have interest in Christ though he be not yet assured thereof and in Gods account hath it if he be duely affected with the apprehension of the want of it and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ and to depart from iniquity in which cases because promises are made and this Sacrament is appointed for the reliefe even of weak and doubting Christians he is to bewaile his unnbelife and labour to have his doubts resolved and so doing he may and ought to come to the Lords Supper that he may be further strengthned p. 141. CHAP. XXXVIII The termes of publick admission to the Lords Supper not the evidences of saving grace SO much for the termes of private accession let us now enquire what my former proposition inferres about publick admission to the Lords Supper which may in general be offered thus If saving grace appearing be not necessary to declare our interest in the visible Church then neither is it necessary to our publick admission by the Church to the Supper of the Lord. The reason of this connexion is because visible right or interest in the Church declares visible right to all the priviledges of the Church as such and consequently to this of the Supper and if a person may be known to the Church to be in Covenant without the evidence of saving grace doubtlesse we may argue from a visible being in Covenant to visible right to the seale for who can be thought to have a right to the seal but such as are in Covenant This consequence is I presume denied by none some do indeed deny the present and actual possession of the Supper to some Church-members as is next to be considered yet they deny not question not the right even of such Church-members thereunto but rather distinguish of right and say that such Church-members as are not to communicate have yet a remote and fundamental right though not such a right as giveth claim to immediate possession Others seem to plead for an actual possession of all Church-members but this most evidently flows from an opinion that all Church-members as such have a right to all visible Ordinances without distinction of right or Ordinances The minor therefore viz. that those that declare no evidences of saving grace may be Church-members is generally denied by such as make such evidences the condition upon which alone the Church may admit to the Sacrament whereby they evidently grant the consequence also But this proposition that evidences of grace are necessary requisites to visible Church-membership doth necessarily depend upon principles of Anabaptisme as is formerly noted and necessarily engageth the Assertor thereof against all the streame of my former discourse as appears in the fore head of the sole objection and argument against us herein which is this Object Those say they that appear not to be in Covenant have no visible right to the seal of the Covenant the Lords Supper this is allowed on all hands Answ But those that give no evidence of saving grace appear not to be in Covenant now this I have still denied and laboured against this is it that involveth the objector in the former labyrinth For 1. Either children appear to be in Covenant or not if not how then have they a visible right to the seal and if where is there evidence of saving grace Again evidence of grace is essential to visible Church-membership or not if it be not then neither to visible right in the Sacrament as this very objection presseth but if evidence of grace be said to be essential to visible-Church-membership how then are Infants to be baptized and my former arguments to the contrary answered
privitive is no act of severity but charity The latter are rather to be rejected ratione censurae whose suspension called positive is truly and properly an Ecclesiastical punishment Hereby it is evident that the latter of these is to be deferred to the next head viz of censures and suspended until then and that the first alone falls to the lot of the present debate where the question rather is what are the grounds of denying of the Sacrament to such as are unfit for it then of the rejecting of any from the Sacrament for their unworthinesse of it Again the grounds of denying the Sacrament or the unfitnesse for which a person may be kept back may be considered Negatively what it is not and Positively what it is 1 Negatively the denial of the Sacrament to baptized The grounds of denying the Sacrament negatively considered 1. Not non discipleship persons cannot be grounded upon their non-discipleship or non-Church-membership because though baptized they are not so or so qualified as true disciples of Christ are Thus some venture but to me very unadvisedly seeing lawful baptisme and discipleship are acknowled by all that consider what they say to be of equal latitude either the absence of due quaâ—ifications destroyeth Baptisme formerly and lawfully received which none will affirm or the present effectual seal of lawful Baptism must necessarily conclude real discipleship or Church-membershâ—p as all must grant But this hath been often banded before and indeed in places more proper to it seeing we are here restrained to the consideration of the grounds of denying the Supper to persons supposed to be under lawful Baptisme and visible Church-membership 2. Others would ground the denial of the Sacrament upon Nor want of evidence of saving grace the want of the evidence of saving grace But this ground hath been subverting all along For 1. We have found that such as want saving grace may be within the Covenant and Church 2. That the evidence of saving grace is not necessary for private satisfaction in self-examination 3. All do grant that self-examination must be stricter then Church-examination and that lesse may satisfie the Church for admitting then the conscience for receiving 4. Neither have we the least print of footstep in Scripture or Antiquity of denying the Sacrament upon the want of the evidence of saving grace unlesse the person were first excommunicate which is plainly excluded the present debate 3. Others fix it upon the want or absence of a vocal Nor vocal Profession of faith Profession of the faith or renewal of our Covenant Here I confesse I know not what to reply unlesse I may distinguish for things may be required either as special and extraordinary means of Reformation in general or as necessary conditions of admission to this Ordinance of the Church in particular Now my answer accordingly in brief is this that the Church hath power to call her members to a vocal Profession of the Faith and renewal of their Covenants as these may be fit though extraordinary means of a general Reformation but she hath not power to call for these as necessary conditions of admission to this Sacrament in special The ground of this answer is plain because God hath allowed this power to the Church in the first case and denied it to her in the second Such things as are either Scriptural as renewing Covenant is or rational means of Reformation as vocal Professions may be the Church hath liberty to assume for that great end But she hath no liberty or power given her to make new or other conditions of right in Ordinances then God himself hath made who never denied any priviledge of his Church as such to any Church-member throughout the Scripture for want of a vocal Profession of faith or renewal of Covenant Upon foure conditions I should be as ready and zealous I hope to presse either or both of these as any of my brethren 1. Upon condition that prudence judge upon a rational viewing of all due circumstances this means to be fit viz. specifick accommodate and proper for our maladie and seasonable for the Crisis period and time of our distemper without which 't is presumption praecipice and not prudence whatsoever we pretend to apply it Certainly censures are a nearer and more appropriate means for the Churches Reformation and more clearly authorized by Jesus Christ in the New Testament for this 1 Cor. 5 great end then either a general vocal Profession or renewal of Covenant yet a great father we know thought that sometimes of corruption were not fit to be purged and reformed by these Prudence is the principle and guide and rule of the Church in discovering and applying fit and proper and seasonable remedies in times of general corruâ—tion But whether this our present time be a fit time or season to call our people to make a particular vocal Profession of their faith or to renew their Covenant or not I dare not determine especially if these be required before though not in order unto our peoples admission to the Sacrament Yer give me leave to doubt that that means that is at this time very likely to heighten the prejudices and jealousies of our people against us and against our proceedings is very unlikely to prove a meanes of an happy Reformation Who seeth not that the great designe of the world and hell now on foot is to widen the differences betwixt Ministers and people and to withdraw the peoples affections from by stirring up suspitions in them against their Ministers Again is it not as easie to observe from former experiencies of too like a nature and present dispositions of our people generally that to presse a vocal Profession of faith or Renewal of their Covenant upon them at such a time as this and before their admission to the Lords Supper when they startle at every thing would greatlie heighten the prejudicies suspitions murmures and jealousies of our people generally against us and against our proceedings Indeed were all such evil weeds in the hearts of our people rooted up were there no aptnesse in them to suspect us to surmize evil of us were we open and naked to all the world that we aimed at nothing but Reformation much lesse at dominion and enlarging our Kingdom and power over them we might I think presse either of the former means with much fitnesse to the distempers of this back-sliding unsetled apostatizing Age but while this general remedy remains complicate with this strange malignancy and venome of prejudice and jealousie against us and against almost every thing that we meddle with he must have more skill then I that first can fit and than dare apply the remedies specified thereunto Secondly I should more easily yield to the calling of our people to a vocal Profession of faith or to a Renewal of their Covenant provided we expresse our selves to make use of these only as extraordinary means of Reformation as a refuge to
Judges Kings our Saviour Christ and his Apostles with a description of the Towns and places also a Treatise of the weights and measures mentioned in the Scriptures and reduced to our English valuation quantity and weight by H. Bunting a work of excellent use for the understanding of the holy Scriptures Admirable events with moral relations written in French J. Peter Camus Bp. of Belley and translated into English by S. V. A Treatise of Pollicy and Religion by Tho. Fitzherbert Esq The history of Episcopacy from our Saviours time by P. Heylin D. D. Vindiciae foederis a Treatise of the Covenant of God entred into with mankinde in the several kinds and degrees of it much enlarged by its Author Mr. Thomas Blake Minister of the Gospel a little before his death unto which is annexed a Sermon preached at his Funeral by Mr. Anthony Burgesse and a Funeral oration made upon his death by Mr. Samuel Shaw The Covenant sealed or a Treatise of the Sacraments of both Covenants polemical and practical especially of the Sacraments of the Covenant of grace by Mr. Thomas Blake His Answer to Mr. Tombes letter in vindication of the Birth-priviledge or Covenant-holinesse of beleevers and their issue in the time of the Gospel together with the right of Infants to baptism Three Sermons preached by Master Thomas Jacomb Min. of Mart. Ludgate 1. Enochs walk and change at the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. Richard Vines on Gen. 5. 24. 2. The active and publick spirit at Pauls upon Acts 13. 36. former part 3. Gods mercy for mans at the spittle upon Mat. 5. 7. Twelve Sermons preached upon several eminent and publick occasions by that learned Orthodox and powerful preacher Mr. Richard Vines The Birth of mankinde the womans book or a guide for women in their conceptions bearing and suckling their children illustrated with figures by Tho. Reynald Dr. of Physick The perfect conveyancer or several select and choice Presidents collected by four several Sages of the Law Rules and Orders for the regulation of the Court of the Vpper Bench published by the Judges of that Court. Rules and Orders for the regulation of the Court of the Common Bench published by the Judges thereof Orders for the regulation of the High Court of Chancery The Sum of a conference between John Rainolds and John Hart touching the head and faith of the Church The whole art of Husbandry by Barnaby Googe Esq enlarged by Garv Markham Gods mercy mixed with his Justice laid open in Several Sermons by that learned and judicious Divine Mr. John Cotton A discovery of the deceitfulnesse of mans heart by Daniel Dyke B. D. The Assize of bread by John Penkith-man Via recta ad vitam longam with a Treatise of Bathes and of Tobacco by Tho. Venner Doctor in Physick Considerations upon common fields and inclosures wherein is shewed the benefit of inclosures The Posing of parts by John Brinsley A paraphrase upon Solomons Song by George Sandis Esq Bucanus common places in English A Discourse of the visible Church by Fr. Fulwood Minister of the Gospel A true relation of a dispute between Francis Fulwood Minister and on Tho. Salthouse a Quaker The noble order or the honor which God confers on them that honour him in a Sermon preached before the house of Lords on 1 Sam. 2. 30. by Daniel Evance The growth and spreading of heresie set forth in a Sermon preached before the house of Commons on 2 Pet. 2. 2. by T. Hodges Pauls last farewel or Sermon preached at the Funeral of that godly and learned Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Thomas Blake by Mr. Anthony Burgesse Pastor at the Church at Sutton Cold-field in Warwick-shire Playes The Countrey-Girle Mercurius Britanicus In Octavo Lexicon Greco latinum in novum Testamentum Georgio Pasore Piscator in omnes Epistolas in Nov. Test The story of stories or the life of Christ according to the four Evangelists with the harmony of them Haynes Lat. Grammar Divine and moral speculations in metrical numbers upon various subjects by Dr Robert Aylet Hoptons Concordance of years enlarged Rastals computation of the years of our Lord with the years of the Reigns of all the Kings of England Clavis Graecae Linguae Leicesters Common-wealth Corderius translated Gramatically by John Brinsly Ovids Metamorphosis Gramatically translated by John Brinsley Ovids Festivals translated into English verse Sandys paraphrase on the Psalmes of David and upon the Hymnes in the Old and New Testament The practice of the high Court of Chancery with the nature of the several offices belonging to that Court and the reports of many choice Cases Reports of special Law Cases touching the Customes and Liberties of the City of London by Sir H. Culthrop Recorder of London The History of Massianello of Naples the second part The Italian Convert or the life of Galeacius Carracciolus his admirable conversion from Popery and forsaking a rich Marquesdom for the Gospels sake illustrated with several figures Horatii Poemeta Annotationibus Joannis Bond. The benefits of Christs death A Sermon preached at Sussex Assizes by Zachâ—us Montague A new A. B. C. or a short Catechism according to the rules and direction for suspension from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in case of ignorance by John Buckley In 12. St. Augustines Confessions translated and with Marginal notes illustrated wherein divers Antiquities are explained by W. Wats D. D. The Compleat Angler being a discourse of rivers fish-ponds of fish and fishing A help to English history containing a sucession of all the Kings Dukes Marquesses Earles and Bishops with a description of all the chief places in England the names and ranks of the Viscounts and Barons and a Catalogue of the Baronets and Knights Ovids Metamorphosis Englished by G. Sandys Esq The history of Scotland during the minority of K. James by Robert Johnston Esops Fables English Moretons threefold state of man Spare minuits or resolved Meditations by Arthur Warwick Satyrae seriae or the secrets of things written in moral and politick Observations Withers Britans remembrance second part His Psalmes 16. Jueli Apologia The Devout Christian Communicant by Nicholas Hunt M. Annaeus Lucanus de Bello Civili A Copy Book of all the usual hands written in England methodically digested as may best direct such practioners in writing as want the assistance of a Master The true way to heaven or a Christian store-house a Book of Prayers and Meditations for every day of the week morning and evening also prayers fitted for all occasions by John Gee FINIS AN Appendix Touching CONFIRMATION Occasioned by the Reverend Mr. Hanmore his pious and learned Exercitation of Confirmation By F. F. SInce this Treatise of the Church was put into Introduction the Presse I have had the benefit and great content of perusing our Reverend brother Mr. Hanmore his exercitation of confirmation Some haply may be willing to surmise that our two Propositions are irreconcileable and interpret me an enemy to that most ancient useful