in this as appears from what he says p. 45. where the whole force of his Argument against the Cross depends on our making it a Rite whereby we Oblige and Bind our selves to serve God But in order to clear the matter I will shew that an Obliging Ratifying Dedicating Sign in this sense has nothing of a Sacramental Nature in it but that we may make use of such Signs to this purpose as common Universal Custom has made proper This I will shew First from Scripture and Secondly from your own Practice and then shall make appear that the use of the Sign of the Cross is altogether of this sort IV. 1. For the proof of this from Scripture I appeal to the Jewish Church after the Captivity The Jews had been guilty of many breaches of God's Covenant made with their Fathers and there was great necessity to renew it on their part and accordingly we find they applied themselves to do it with Fasting with Sackcloaths and Earth upon them Neh. 9. 1. and after a solemn humiliation and confession they renew their Covenant with God and declare their Resolution and Promise to keep it by such methods as were usual to oblige men in other cases that is first by an Oath Neh. Chap. 10. 29. They entred into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in God's law which was given by Moses 2. They Bind Engage and Oblige themselves by certain usual Signs never that we can find prescribed by God that is by writing and sealing the Covenant Neh. 9. 3 8. We make a sure Covenant and write it and our Princes Levites and Priests seal unto it Now to make a Covenant with God the same that Circumcision entered them into even to walk in God's law which was given by Moses was certainly to oblige engage and dedicate themselves to God's service Mr. B. himself alledges Vind. p. 42. That Circumcision was an external Bond on those that received it to observe that Law yet notwithstanding this Bond of Circumcision and their renewing the same Obligation in the Passover these Jews added new Bonds to their Covenant and made use of new Signs to engage and oblige themselves to keep it and to ratifie and confirm it on their part It cannot be deny'd but Signing and Sealing are outward Signs and their use is to ratifie and confirm that to which the Name and Seal is put and to oblige the Persons to perform what they promise in it if therefore these be peculiar and principal uses of Sacraments it clearly follows that these Jews by using these Signs made two Sacraments for ought appears out of their own Head But if God commanded them then here are two Signs obliging confirming and ratifying the Covenant they entred into of divine Institution and then they must be divine Sacraments which no body ever yet pretended that I have heard of The truth then is that to renew our Covenant with God to declare our Resolution Purpose and Promise to obey God's Laws and keep his Covenant either by such Words or Signs as universal Custom has made expressive of such a Promise c. are alike lawful and the one has no more of a Sacramental nature in it than the other V. I shall add one Instance more out of the New Testament and that is laying on of Hands a Sign used in Blessing from the Patriarchs to this day Fathers used it in blessing their Children Priests in blessing not only the People but likewise in blessing Persons and Offerings dedicated to God but more particularly it is used in that solemn Blessing to which our Church directs us in our Catechism under the title of being Confirmed by the Bishop For the understanding of which you must observe 1. That the Apostles who had commission to Teach and Baptize did upon their Converts declaring their conviction of our Saviour's being the Messias or Christ immediately Baptize them tho' they were not particularly instructed in all the parts and duties of the Religion they embraced as appears sufficiently from the second of the Acts where in one day 3000 were Converted and the same day Baptized as appears v. 41. Then they that gladly received his words were Baptized and the same day there were added to them about 3000 Souls It is not to be supposed thot all these could be fully instructed in all the necessary Articles of their Faith but it was sufficient that in general they believed in Christ and were willing to learn his Doctrine as opportunity offer'd The same appears in Baptizing the Jaylor and his Family Acts 16. and on several other occasions This is one Ground of Baptizing the Children of the Faithful with us because it is supposed that God according to his Promise will in Baptism give a Principle of Faith to such which together with the influence of their Parents on them and of the society whereof they are members will dispose them to learn the Principles of their Religion as soon as they are capable so that there is a radical Faith and presumed willingness tho' not an actual 2. At the beginning of Christianity the Converts were many and the Teachers few and it would have too much confined them if they had been obliged to teach every Convert in the ordinary methods of Learning and therefore God gave the Apostles an extraordinary power to confer the Holy Ghost not only led those that received it into all truth but likewise enabled them to teach others which appears from several places of Scripture particularly from Acts 8. 19. 6. When Paul had laid his hands on them the Holy Ghost came up in them and they spake with Tongues and Prophesied 3. When the number of Teachers were sufficiently multiplyed this extraordinary manner of teaching Converts and enabling them to teach others was not necessary not but the Holy Ghost is still the true Teacher of his Church insomuch as without his influence no Man can attain such a degree of Knowledge as to save his own Soul or instruct others all true Knowledge then is still from him but it is not without our own industry or study or the assistance of those that Christ has commissioned to Teach us in an ordinary way 4. Such as were Baptized immediately after their Conversion before full instruction or in their infancy when particularly and explicitly instructed were brought before the Church and there made a solemn Recognition of their Faith and declared their Resolution to adhere to it whereupon the Bishop or chief Governour of the Church laid his hands on them Blessed them Prayed for their continuance in Grace and Knowledge and admitted them as competently instructed Members by this they were taught and assured that the Grace and Knowledge they had was from the Holy Spirit and that the encrease and continuance of it must be Expected from him 5. This laying on of hands is reckoned a principle of our Religion Heb. 6. 2. and joyned with Baptism That this is the true meaning of
year This he interpreteth Vind. p. 17. only of the most devout and serious which is very different from the Generality since if One do it the words may be true in the sense he gives of them but I have allowed as you see before One in Four of your Communicants to be thus devout and serious III. Secondly He affirmed 〈◊〉 136. That all of you have the opportunity of Communicating 10 12 or 15 times a Year if you will take the advantage of receiving it as often as it is administred within a few Miles of your respective Habitations This he interprets Vind. p. 19. To be Estimated from those parts where the main Body of Dissenters are to be found and p. 19. That he is not obliged to prove it concerning every particular one in the Remotest parts of the Province of Ulster As if the Diocess of Ardmagh Clogher Rapho Derry Drummore with a considerable part of the Diocess of Down and Connor were more in the Remote parts of Ulster than Antrim Carrickfergus Glenarm and the other places he mentions But I fully shewed in my Admonition that there is no Congregation in the Diocess of Derry nor I believe in any of the other places named in which the people may Communicate ten times a year without Riding 40 Miles which is very unreasonable to expect let them take what advantage they will Nor had I any intention to consine you to one Diocess as Mr. B. wou'd insinuate Vind. p. 18. I mean honestly and plainly in what I say and never designed to help out a Cause by Equivocations And as to those places Mr. B. has mentioned they are all in a Nook or Corner as may be seen by the Mapp and yet by his own Confession it requires 24 Miles Riding to attend them and sometimes 30 which are not a few Miles for the Generality of Country People being an unreasonable Charge and impracticable by many especially by Women and Servants who have as good a title to the Lord's Supper and are often as serious and devout as the Masters of Families This contrivance therefore of sending People from their Parish Churches no ways answers either in point of Conveniency or Order to the frequent Administration of that Sacrament in every Parish nor is Equivalent to it as he suggests p. 32. IV. Thirdly Whereas he asserts Rem p. 13. That it is Universally usual in every Meeting where an Ordained Minister is settled to have the Lords Supper Administred twice in the larger Towns every Year He now tell us Vind. p. 17 That the twice a Year in the Larger Towns was intended and is true of Belfast Carrickfergus and Antrim As if Lisburn Colerain and Londonderry were not larger Towns then Antrim and as if Strabane Newry Ballymenagh Ballymony Ardmagh Dungannon Downpatrick and many others were not in an equal rank with it And yet he has not produced any Voucher that this practice has been constant in these very three Towns or how long These and many such are the favourable Interpretations he allows himself V. But then as to us he is resolved to put what sence on our words he pleases and oblige us to stand by it Thus he will needs know my design in publishing my Book better than my self and oblige me to design it for the generality of Dissenters in England as well as in Ireland Vind. p. 6. Tho' the whole scope of it the Addresses in it my Management of the Impression and the very Title I sent with it to the Press For the use of this Diocess tho' lost there as the Printer must acknowledge and another substituted in place of it without my knowledge sufficiently declare the contrary VI. Secondly He will pretend to know the design of our Church's using the Cross in Baptism better than all her Sons from the Learned Hooker to this day as you may see Vind. p. 44. VII Thirdly Our Church in her Catechism in answer to that question What is required of Persons to be Baptised determines that Repentance and Faith are required Mr. B. after Mr. Baxter puts a very absurd sense on these words and then disputes against them alledging that by Repentance and Faith is meant present Faith and Repentance Vind p. 35. directly against the Catechism which requires only present Faith and Repentance in those that are capable of them But of Children who have a right to Baptism and are not capable at present of actual Faith c. She accepts a rational Presumption that they will believe when capable and an Engagement made by the Parents and Congregation under whose power they are solemnly declared by their Proxies and Vouchers the Godfathers and Godmothers It shews a mighty Prejudice against the Established Church and a delight to find fault in those that insist on such forced and disowned Construction of our words if we should deal thus with the Holy Scripture it wou'd expose even them VIII Fourthly Whereas I quote your Directory for a certain Position Chap. 2. Sect. 3. N. 2. meaning thereby that Book which commonly goes under that Name among You and whose words one of your own Ministers Mr. Craghead quotes as the Express words of the Directory p. 45. Mr. B. will oblige me to mean The Directory made by the Assembly of Divines for Publick Worship Whereas I meant not that part of the Book but the Directions which are your Directory for Private Worship as the other for the Publick and which being bound together with the other and with the Directory for Ordination of Ministers and other pieces do all commonly pass under the Name of the Directory and are so quoted by one of your own Ministers as I have already shewed Yet this he imputes to me as a very unpardonable mistake and repeats it again in his Vind. p. 23. I suppose every Body sees this is nothing to the matter whether that Position I quoted was in the Directory for Publick Worship or in the Directions for Private since both are owned and received by you to whom I wrote Therefore for Mr. B. to insist on it a second time plainly shews that his business is with the Person not the Cause and that he writes for a Party not the Truth otherwise he would not offer a matter the second time that is nothing to the purpose and for which there was no ground besides his being unacquainted with the terms used among you IX Fifthly Whereas I laid it down as a thing that wou'd be granted me by you that all ways of Worship are displeasing to God That are not expresly contained in Scripture or Warranted by Examples of Holy Men mentioned therein Mr. B. misrepresents my sense Vind. p. 30. as if I had intended by this Rule to exclude such things as may be deduced by clear consequence or parity of Reason from them Now I desire you to compare this Rule with your Catechism and you will find it expressed there in these words The Second Commandment forbiddeth the Worshiping
Nobility or laying on his Sword is of Knighthood To make a Distinguishing Sign in this sense were indeed to make a Sacrament and we readily own that God only can appoint Signs to make one Man thus differ from another or bestow such Badges on them But our Church has fully declared that the sign of the Cross is not any such Badge And therefore Mr. B. is very unjust to us when he affirms Vind. p. 45. that being Cross'd we as truly according to the Establish'd Church wear the Livery of Christ as by being Baptiz'd a Calumny without ground or pretence In Baptism our Church according to the Scriptures teaches us that we put on Christ that is lay aside our Sins and Lusts and become Partakers of the Divine Nature 1 Pet. 14. whereby we are privileged as Sons of God this is the true Badge and Distinction of Christians but our Church never said any such thing of the Cross and therefore to say that we as truly wear the Livery of Christ by being Cross'd as by Baptism or that the Cross is as effectually made the common Symbol or Tessera of our Discipleship as Baptism are most grievous Calumnies I beseech God to pardon those that endeavour to keep up a Party against us by such Accusations and to turn their Hearts II. But then Eighthly a Sign may be called Distinguishing because we thereby declare testifie and profess to the World that we claim and own the Privileges and Characters that God has been pleased to bestow on us as Christians And thus indeed the sign of the Cross is a Badge and Token of our Christianity But then this is no proper or peculiar much less principal use of the Sacraments our keeping the Lords Day our appearing in a Christian Assembly our Kneeling uncovering our Head our Fasting on publick occasions our Standing at our Confession of Faith are all of them Badges and Tokens in this sense of our being Christians as well as the sign of the Cross and are all of them warranted by the Scripture The same may be said as I have already shew'd of our Christian Names and of many other Signs used among us and precedented in Scripture Particularly That of your giving Tickets to those that are to Communicate concerning which I shewed you Admon p. 7. that it was an Outward and Visible Sign And Secondly That it signified your Right and Claim to the Lord's Supper and Communion of Saints which is a spiritual Grace or Privilege Thirdly That it was a Badge and Token whereby Privileged Members were distinguished And Fourthly a sort of necessary Term of Communion To this Mr. B. replies Vind. p. 53. 1. That a Ticket with you is a Sign of nothing more than that the Person that brought it was allowed to Communicate at that time To which I Answer That to be allowed to Communicate at any time is a great Grace and Privilege and therefore this Ticket is plainly a Badge of a Man's Aptitude Privilege and Title to the Membership of Christ and a Declaration from the Minister who gave it to him that he thinks him entitl'd to it at that time and to declare who is fit and unfit who shall be admitted or not admitted is a Spiritual Act and belongs to the Power of the Keys And this is a clear Proof that we may signifie our sense of Spiritual Things even in particular Duties by Signs as well as Words when they are proper Secondly He Objects that this is no Badge because many may be Members that have no Tickets at present because they do not at present Receive but even to distinguish Persons at present fit to Receive from others that are not is to make it a Badge in a very weighty matter Thirdly He argues That a Mans having a Ticket would not secure his Admission if he were not known to be a Member of that or some other Congregation This indeed shews that it is no infallible Mark a Man may steal this Badge or come dishonestly by it and when that is discovered he shall be secluded But in the mean time it is a Badge that gains a Man Admittance without any Question if it be not discover'd to be counterfeit It is therefore a Livery of Christ's Privileged Members at that time tho' if it be known that any has stolen this Livery he shall not be Owned or Admitted to Christ's Table by it It cannot therefore be denied but it is a sort of external Wedding Garment Fourthly He argues that it is no necessary term of Communion since no man that is a Noted Member of that or any other Congregation shall be refused tho' he have no Ticket but many are not Noted Members and it is a necessary term of Communion to them But suppose a Man Refused and Condemned it as an Human Invention and Human Sacrament and all those that used it as Idolaters and Superstitious and would set up another Communion if you did not lay it aside would you disuse it to gratifie such a man This is really the case between you and us I leave you to judge what you would think of such an unreasonable person But Fifthly Mr. B. alledges Vind. p. 45 in such multitudes as Receive this or some such Expedient is necessary to distinguish Communicants from meer Spectators to which I answer that then some other Badges and distinguishing Signs may be necessary besides the Sacraments and therefore it is no use peculiar or proper to them to be Badges or Signs of our Profession and the relations we thereby are invested in as he contends for sure to be admitted as Communicants is a relation wherein we are invested by our Profession yet you see we may invent a Sign to distinguish this Relation and those that have a Title to it But I must put you in mind that there is no necessity for this Badge except what is criminal and of your own making If every Minister would administer the Holy Sacrament frequently in his own Congregation as he ought to do there needed none of these Multitudes or Crowdings that are at your Sacraments to which People come thirty or forty miles as the Papists go on Pilgrimages at certain times to their Jubilees or celebrated Saints and which are the occasion as it generally happens in such Crowds of Looseness and Intemperance and a great hinderance to Devotion by crowding such Families as live near the place where the Celebration is whereby both the Guests and Families are hinder'd from that Quiet and Retirement which seem very necessary to true Devotion at such times Lastly he Objects That this can be no Badge or like to the Cross except this perilous Ticket had a Cross on it or the persons that brought it were ordered to wear it on their Breasts or Foreheads as a Sign whereby they publickly profess their remembrance of and renewed dedication of themselves to the service of a Crucified Saviour as the adult Members of his Church Vind. p. 54. I cannot