at least if any not so well satisfied do consent to acquiesce in the mind of the Church the Call is agreed upon but by such only who are actual Members not by Members of other Churches that communicate upon recommendation only § 5. The consummation of the said Call is made by the free acceptance of the Person called a 1 Pet. 5.2 but such Call and Acceptance though necessary as Preliminaries do not constitute a Person in a Ministerial Office any more than a private Contract doth constitute Man and Wife but Marriage by a Publick Covenant before sufficient Witness So that the Person Called is not constituted in Office without Ordination which is a Publick and solemn setting him apart § 6. If the Person called be not a Member where he is to take his Church-Charge he ought now upon the said Call and Acceptance to join as an actual Member to the Church a Act. 6.3 1 Cor. 5.12 For to constitute a non-Member in Office is contrary to all the Rules of any Corporate Society § 7. A Person may not be Ordained a Pastor or Church-Officer at large or before he be called to a particular Congregation For relates and cor-relates are co-essential to each other and have reciprocal relative affections Ordination also is a solemn recognition of a Contract before made which is done in the Call Moreover to make a Pastor before a People call him is to make a Pastor to no body and to Ordain a Pastor upon supposal some People will choose him makes him not only precarious but null ipso facto for being Ordained upon a supposed futurition makes his present Ordination void not being a capable subject till called to a Relation And if it be said Such an one is Ordained Pastor to the Catholick visible Church Then 1. Why did not that Church call him 2. Why may not Deacons be Ordained to the Catholick visible Church 3. If he be Ordained Pastor to the Catholick how can he be Pastor to a particular Church unless he become a general and particular Pastor a double Pastor which is absurd 4. What power have a few Pastors or Churches to Ordain any Man to be Pastor to the Catholick Church as much power as an incorporated People or the Mayors of several Corporations meeting together have to appoint a common Mayor to all Corporations or to make one another so CHAP. IX Of Ordination Of the meaning of the Word How our Translators use the Word Whether the Imposition of Hands be peculiar to Church Ministers Whether Teaching Elders only can Ordain Laying on of Hands of Antiquity and of what uses Divers Opinions about it Arguments Answered 1 2 3 4. Concluded that it 's an obsolete Rite and Nine Arguments for it How Ordination ought to be performed How a Deacon's Ordination may be repeated The Ordination of a meer Preaching Minister to Conversion § 1. ORdination is an English Word almost Latine and coming of it by which our Translators render Words in both Originals of very divers significations But their use of the Word may be reduced for the most part to these two General significations 1. To the sence of pre-ordination of things or persons and so Ordination is destination 2. It 's taken for an actual constitution of a thing or person in a state or relation that either is designed unto 1. By enacting a Isa 30.33 Act. 13.38 10.42 Ephes 2.10 1 Pet. 1.20 Jer. 1.5 Laws for this or that thing or person which is called an Ordinance b 1 Cor. 7.17 Act. 16 14. Ps 81.5 1 Chro. 9.22 Gal. 3.19 and is a Conjugate to Ordination because ordained or 2. By constituting instating or enstalling a Person in a Charge or Office c Mar. 3.14 Act 1.22 2 Chr. 11.15 2 King 23.5 Titus 1.5 Heb. 5.1 8.3 which is most properly Ordination in that sence as we are here concern'd in it being the publick and solemn enstating or installing a person in an Office or Charge committed to him to which he was duly before called and which he hath accepted § 2. But when Ordination according to its usage in the Old or New Testament is applied unto Men it signifies only the instating any one actually in a Place or Charge that he is designed or called to Again in all the places where our Translators make such use of the Word there is not the least mention of Imposition of Hands tho the Word rendred ordaining a Act 14.23 signifies the lifting up of hands by way of Suffrage in Election of Officers § 3. It 's thought generally that Imposition of Hands is only an honourary and peculiar Ceremony to the Ordination of Teaching Elders and sacred to them alone But if the said Imposition be a thing essential to Ordination as such it must belong to all Church-Ministers ordained as to Ruling Elders and Deacons because likewise the greatest Plea that can be made for laying on of Hands on ordinary Church-Ministers must be taken from the Ordination of Deacons a Acts 6. whereas indeed we have not one instance of laying on of Hands on ordinary Teaching Elders in the whole New Testament tho we read of the ordaining them b Act 14.23 § 4. Again it 's an Error commonly received that Ordination performed by that supposed sacred Rite is only to be administred by Teaching Elders whether of the same Church or of other Churches and is an authoritative act of such But this must needs be a great mistake upon all accounts for the Elders of one Church cannot perform an Authoritative Act in another it being a great Usurpation a 1 Pet. 4.15 and the Elders of one Church having no power to Vote in another which the meanest Brother hath therefore how little power hath a foreign Elder to ordain or lay on hands in the said Church If it appertain to Elders only sure to the Elders of that Church in which the Ordination is and to those to whom Authoritative Acts do belong and not to the Elders of another Church and Corporation any more than the enstalling the Mayor of one Corporation appertains to an Authoritative Act of the Mayor of another But it may be truly said That Ordination of Elders is oftner in Churches that have no Elders at all than in such that want one and that have others surviving Who then must Ordain a Pastor called to a Pastoral Charge and lay Hands upon him Ans Who should do it but the Church that called him b Acts 14.23 Who should put him into his Charge but Christ by them for it 's Christ invests any person with a Church Ministerial Office by the Church where he hath placed his Name c Deu. 14.23 16.6.11 which is his Presence and Authority He is the servant of Christ to his Church and is its Propriety and therefore as called so to be Elected and Installed by it Obj. But may the Church having no Elders lay Hands on him Ans
Either the Church must do it or it must not be done at all and if it be necessary to be done the Church must do it being an Authoritative Act Foreign Ministers have no power to do it it 's so in Civil Corporations every Jurisdiction is distinct in it self The power is in the Church to lay on Hands if allow'd as necessary by some Brethren delegated and appointed thereto and it stands with the greatest reason that they that have a lawful right to Call and Choose have the true Right of ordaining and not they who have no power to Choose or Call Besides while laying on of Hands was in use extraordinary Gifts being indifferently bestowed as God pleased it was performed indifferently by God's Appointment as Ananias an eminent old Christian d Act. 9.14 17. was sent to lay Hands on Saul and likewise the Prophets and Teachers in the Church that was at Antioch it appears not that they were Elders there were appointed by God to lay Hands on Paul and Barnabas tho at another time Philip an Evangelist could not lay Hands on them that were converted by his Ministry confirm'd by his Miracles and baptiz'd by him but he having not power to convey the Gifts of the Holy Ghost by laying on of Hands Peter and John came to Samaria for that end and purpose e Acts 8.15 16 17. Whence it appears Philip being an Evangelist and an extraordinary Minister having not the power of bestowing the Gifts of the Holy Ghost tho he had them and wrought Miracles and therefore did not lay on Hands tho he baptized that this Ceremony was used according to the Dispensation as God pleased of the Gift of bestowing the Gifts of the Holy Ghost neither confined by any Institution to Elders or Brethren and therefore one or other laid on Hands as this Gift was by God bestowed f 1 Cor. 12.7 to 11. And therefore it need not be any objection That they that Ordain others by laying on of Hands must be in the same Office and superiour to the person ordained and hence Brethren cannot ordain a Pastor For we Reply That the Church is supream to any or all the Ministers thereof they being but ministring Servants thereto that supposing laying on of Hands be Ordination the delegated Brethren that administer the Rite do it in the Name of Christ and representing the Church it 's needless the Persons applying should be in office themselves superiour as the Apostles or equal as ordinary Elders it 's enough that they are impower'd by Christ and his Church to this service at this time But the whole reason of this practice being ceased the Rite it self is also ceased as above-said for no extraordinary nor ordinary Gifts are now conveyed by laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery or of Brethren neither is the Person so enstalled any better qualified for his place either made honester or abler by a spirit of Government or any more furnisht with Gifts and Graces any more than a secular Magistrate Mayor or others is by the Ceremonies of his Instalment § 5. This Ceremony of laying on of Hands was of great Antiquity and variously applied for quite contrary ends according to the Case it was conjoined with by Divine Command or Humane Usage It was used in Prophetick Blessings a Gen. 48.14 and it was used in solemn Exsecrations b Lev. 24.14 and execution of high Criminals in charging Sin on the Sacrifice c Ib. 4.15 6.21 in constituting Representatives of the People and then the People laid hands d Numb 8.12 After the coming of Christ e Mat. 19.10 11. Christ used it variously he laid his Hands on the Head in Blessing Both Christ and his Apostles laid on Hands in Healing f Mar. 6.5 ch 16.18 Luk. 13.13 Acts 28.8 and used it indifferently that or Vnction as equivalent Rites g Isa 5.14 It is also used both in the Old and New Testament h Num. 27 23. 1 Tim. 4.14 as significant of the Conveyance of great and extraordinary Gifts to persons that God would qualifie to great Service tho not in relation to any Office in the Church i Acts 8.18 or at the enstalling eminent Leaders in Office to his People shewing God's furnishing them with extraordinary qualifications of Grace or Government at least and often both k Acts 6.6 13.2 3. Neither was this Rite or that of Unction inseparably annex'd to any of these ends or uses under the Old or New Testament Extraordinary Church-Officers were Ordained without them by Election l Act 1.23 26. Matt. 10.5 Joh. 20.22 and Extraordinary Gifts were conveyed and Miracles wrought both by Christ and his Apostles without the use of either m Acts 2.1 c. though we find not that this Ceremony was used in the New Testament by the Apostles or the next followers of them but upon the account of furnishing the subject on whom Hands were laid with extraordinary Gifts of the Goly Ghost n 1 Tim. 4.14 § 6. It is pleaded for the continuance of this Rite in Churches by some very irrationally that its essential to Ordination of Gospel-Ministers By others not as Essential so as the not having it makes it null but as necessary to the Authority and Honour of the Ministry Others look upon it as indifferent doing neither good nor harm and that Ordination is never the worse if it hath it not nor never the better if it hath it but it is only harmlesly annexed Lastly There are others think that it is obsolete like the brazen Serpent in Hezekiah's days that had no healing vertue in it a meer piece of Brass Such a thing now do many truly take Imposition of Hands to be We shall insist upon the proof of this last especially which being done all the other will fall of their own accord or by necessary consequence § 7. The Arguments used for the continuance of the use of the Rite of Imposition of Hands in the Churches are 1. The laying Hands on the Deaons by the Apostles Ans All acts of the Apostles were not Presidential to others The Apostles laid their Hands on the Deacons not so much as such but as Persons to be furnished with an Extraordinary Spirit as appeared afterward by two especially that were called forth to most Eminent Service for Christ one viz. Stephen to set his Seal to the Truth of Christ by his Bloud in giving one of the most Eminent Testimonies thereto living and dying and the first after Christ's Ascention a Acts 7. The other Philip was an Eminent Evangelist who Planted the Gospel and Churches in Samaria was brought miraculously to the Eunuch and Preached Christ unto him who although he was searching the Scriptures yet knew not that the Messiah was come till Philip opened the Prophet Isaias to him b Acts 8. They that insist on this Plea ought to be as zealous for the formal Ordination of
Institution seem necessary to be observed 1. That it be administred to the whole Church met together a 1 Cor. 11 20. in one place and not to particular Persons or to the Church in distinct parts it being an Ordinance of Communion of a Body of Christ b ib. 10.16 2. That it be not dispensed to Members that are not capable to discern the Lord's Body or to Examine themselves c 1 Cor. 11 28 29. 3. That each Element be distinctly blessed and apart by it self by calling upon God in Christ for a Blessing d 1 Cor. 11 24 25. 4. That after Consecration the Bread broken is to be delivered with the Words of Distribution directed to the whole Church e Mat. 26.26 27. at once and by them divided among themselves and not carried up and down from Party to Party or from Seat to seat After the pouring out the Wine and blessing it it ought to be dispensed with the words of distribution in like manner to the whole Church f Ibid. and not carried up and down as aforesaid which practises came from the Church of Rome and not from Christ or his Apostles 5. The Posture of Receiving is sitting g Mat. 26.20 as Christ and his Disciples not kneeling or standing because its a Feast and signifies our eating and drinking Spiritually with joy and gladness and though Prayer accompany it wherein may be Praying Gestures as in other Ordinances yet Giving and Receiving here is a distinct Ordinance from Prayer 6. The Pastor of the congregation h Mat. 26.26 is to administer and not the Pastor of another who hath no administring Power out of his own Congregation neither hath Christ ordained any Administrators General to his Churches For the Pastor also to take in a Partner in Administration is Will-Worship and Humane 7. When the Elements are blessed by the Church the People ought not to betake themselves to their secret Prayers as if the Table had not bin blessed already none doth so at their ordinary Festivals § 8. Christ hath not in either of these Seals precisely determined the quantity of either Element to be made use of neither what quantity of Bread and Wine each should take or how much Water should be used in Baptism for our eating and drinking in the Lord's Supper is not to satisfie our natural Hunger and Thirst a 1 Cor. 11 21 22. nor is the Washing with Water in Baptism to put away the outward filth of the flesh b 1 Pet. 3.21 But our Saviour having told us what is spiritually intended and signified it is sufficiently manifest that so much of each Element in both Seals as doth hold forth to us the thing signified is enough tho never so little for Christ hath not brought his Churches in the New Testament under a Mosaick Tutorship so as to bind them up to such quantities and qualities of externals in manner as he did the Church of Old § 9. The Administration of the Seals belongs not to any but Teaching Elders being most appropriate to the Pastoral Office to feed the Flock in this peculiar manner for Christ when a Pastor on Earth administred it and therefore other Pastors whom he substitutes when ascended ought to do it Hence no private Member may be occasionally called thereto by the Church if so it renders Christ's Office needless and precarious Nor no Pastor of another Church may for the Pastor to one Church is no Pastor to another nay he hath no power to Vote and therefore not so much as a private Brother to Administer CHAP. XII Of Admitting Church Members The Ends of the use of the Keys What they are How distinguished The Key of Knowledge Of Government How given to Peter Elders for the due Management but primarily given to the Church Women not to exert Ruling Power The Church with Elders useth the Keys Ministerially Admittances ought to be with Exactness with the giving a reason of their Hope and an account of their Knowledge Their Conversation to be enquired into The Manner of Receiving in The Person received gives up his Children He may not Desert He ought to bring his Children Of Occasional Communion and of receiving recommended or dismist Members § 1. HAVING spoken to the Seals of the New Covenant we come to speak to the other Ordinances of Special Communion which concern the use of the Keys in all matters of Church Government a 1 Cor. 12 28. they being Christ's and committed by him to every Visible Congregation to be used according to his Rules and Directions in his Name b 1 Cor. 5.4 and to his Glory The great ends of which Dispensation of his Headship in this kind are the due increase of his Churches c Isa 9.7 Acts 2. ult and their Peace d Psa 122.7 Heb. 7.2 Zach. 6.13 Joh. 20.21 26. 1 Pet. 1.2 5.14 and Purity e Rev. 2.1 18. Ezek. 43.10 11. Isa 5.2 § 2. The Keys are the Power of Christ a Isa 22.22 Rev. 3.7 which he hath given to every particular Congregation to open and shut it self by b Mat. 16.19 and to do all things that belong thereunto in order unto the said ends it being Christ's House c Heb. 3.6 holy Temple d Eph. 2.21 Garden e Cant. 4.12 Vineyard f Isa 5.1 Walled in Hedged and Enclosed § 3. The Keys of Christ are to be distinguished they are his Keys of Hell and Death or his Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven i. e. of the Church His Keys of Hell and Death are the Power by Conquest which he hath obtained over Sin Curse Natural Death and Satan himself a Rev. 1.18 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Mat. 28.20 Heb. 2.14 The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven b Mat. 16.19 are they that he manageth his Visible Churches by and gives a power of opening and shutting a Visible Church by These Keys are that of Knowledge c Luke 11.52 and that of Discipline d Rev. 3.7 § 4. The Key of Knowledge is the Gospel Preached a Lu. 11.52 Mat. 10.7 2 Cor. 2 12 1 Cor. 16.9 the Spirit of Christ working inwardly to open the heart to receive it b Acts 16.14 in this respect this seems to be one of the Keys which our Lord gave to Peter in that he had the Honour of turning the first Key of Conversion after our Lord's Ascention both to Jews c Act. 2.41 and Gentiles d Act. 10.34 11.8 Eph. 3 4 5 6. § 5. The other Key given unto Peter is of Government and Discipline a Isa 9.6 neither of which Keys were given unto him as to a single Person or ruling Head of the Visible Churches neither that of Knowledge nor Government but unto the Church in him tho unto him with the other Apostles as the first Managers thereof their Names being put down in Christ's Charter granted to the Churches b Matt. 28
of another Congregation but not as a Pastor much less can he administer there as a Pastor It 's one thing to communicate as a private Member and another thing to dispense as a Ministerial Officer A Member of the Corporation of one City yea the Mayor himself may be received with much welcome as an approved Member of a Neighbouring Corporation at Festival Entertainments but must not sit on the Bench there to do any act of Office out of his Place and out of his Power whether the Mayor or chief Magistrate be alive or dead So whether the Pastor of a Church be alive or dead the Pastor to another Church hath nothing to do there as a Pastor § 4. In Cases of Difficulties and Differences arising in Churches many Churches holding Communion together may by their Elders and Messengers meet together to consult and advise about the said Matters and report to the respective Churches Howbeit these Assemblies as such are not trusted with any coercive Power or Jurisdiction over the Churches to impose their determinations on them or their Officers Besides these occasional Assemblies and Councils there are not instituted by Christ any stated Synods in a fixed Combination of Churches or Officers in lesser or greater Assemblies nor are there any Synods appointed by Christ by way of Subordination to one another CHAP. XV. Of Maintenance of Ministers Christ appointed the Support of Ordinances and Ministry That Ministers are to be maintained proved from Christ's Mission of the Disciples And by the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul § 1. CHRIST Jesus in his infinite Wisdom having instituted Churches and external Ministers and Ordinances in those Churches hath also appointed such outward ways and means for the support thereof as is necessarily conducible to his Honour and Interest in his established Worship in the World and therefore hath ordained Churches should minister of their Temporals to the upholding and maintaining of Spirituals both Ordinances and Ministry § 2. The Subject which we shall chiefly speak to now with much brevity is To prove that those Ministers who labour in the Word and Doctrine ought to be maintained in a competent manner by the Churches or People that partake of their labours so far at least as they are able And it appears § 3.1 In that Christ when he Ordained and sent forth his first Preachers of the Gospel chargeth them not to go forth at their own Charges both the Seventy a Luke 10.3 4 5. and the Twelve b Mat. 10.10 Luke 9.1 3 4. to make no Provision for themselves either Food Raiment or Money but into whatever House they went there to stay Eating Drinking and Lodging and if they were not welcome and freely entertained they were to shake off the dust of their feet against them in detestation of them and he gives them likewise to understand that he sent them not about as Common Beggars but that there was Moral Justice in it that they should be maintained by the People to whom they Preached for the Workman is worthy of his Meat c Mat. 10.10 nay he tells them how dangerous it shall be to those that refuse them to save their Charges It shall be more tolerable for Sodom c. d Ibid. v. 14 15. § 4.2 The Apostle Paul insists much upon it as a Duty that he saw the Churches were backward enough to in his day and would be more afterward For He Argues from the Law of Nature and common Justice Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox c a 1 Tim. 5.18 It 's an unnatural thing to starve the labouring Ox and not suffer him to take now and then a Mouthful of the Corn he treadeth out Again he argues from common Justice The Day Labourer by the Rules of Commutative Justice is to have his Hire Again he argues from the less to the greater Doth God take care for the poor dumb Oxen b 1 Cor. 9.9 and doth he not take care for his labouring Ministers And he tells us this was the Moral sence of Moses his Law not to muzzle the Ox c c Deut. 25.4 1 Cor. 9 10. Again he argues from the reasonable expectation of all labourers in worldly Affairs he instanceth in the Souldier that goes not a Warfare at his own Charges The Planter of a Vineyard expects Fruit thereof The Shepherd that feeds the Flock expects to eat of the Milk and the Plowman and Thresher d 1 Cor. 9.7 10. If all these reasonably expect outward subsistance from their labours Why should not he that labours in the Word and Doctrine Again the Apostle argues by way of comparison of Temporal and Spiritual things together shewing that spiritual things are much more worth than carnal And hence saith If we sow to you spiritual things is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things e 1 Cor. 9.11 Rom. 15.27 Again he removes an Objection that they would be apt to make from his own Example and saith That although he took nothing of them for some special reasons yet he assured them that he had power to do it as well as others f 1 Cor. 9.4 5. implying that other Apostles did take Maintenance He Argues also from the practice under the Law by God's Appointment That they which did minister about Holy Things liv'd on the Temple and Altar and that God hath not taken less care of his Ministers about Holy Things in the days of the Gospel but hath made Maintenance of Ministers an Ordinance He hath Ordained That they that Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel g Ibid. v. 13 14. You will say Where did Christ Ordain it It is enough if we be told so by an Inspired Man but it is easie to see that he Ordained so at his first Mission of Gospel-Preachers the Twelve and the Seventy Obj. Paul took nothing of the Corinthians Ans He tells us why Upon the account of the Corinthians and False Teachers That he would not be cut off from his Triumph upon this account to stop their Mouths but yet he saith he robbed other Churches i. e. he took more of them than otherwise he would have done even what he should have had of the Corinthians taking Wages of them to do the Corinthians service h 2 Cor. 11.8 § 5. It may be Enquired In what Proportion the Maintenance of a Minister ought to be The Apostle calls it Wages and therefore 't is the sence of our Saviour and the Apostle too That it should be a comfortable Provision for themselves and Families according to that Way and Degree of Living which the generality of sober People have to whom they Preach the Apostle telling us Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things a Gal. 6.6 Obj. But it may be said How much of all good things I will give little enough Ans The Apostle in the context says enough to stop Mens Mouths here b Ibid. v 4. Let every Man prove his own Work c. immediately after the Text mentioned c Ib. v. 7.8 Be not deceived God is not mocked c. Object You will say It seems to be a low and Mean Thing for a Preacher of the Gospel to take Maintenance Ans Is any Ordinance of Christ low and Mean Doth he Ordain Low and Mean Things And why did Christ himself take Maintenance rather than provide for himself Miraculously d Luke 8.3 Much more might be said but this will be enough to any one that hath any deference for the Authority of the Scriptures FINIS
Sabbath m Col. 2.16 17. but the Lord's Day are 1. Then Christ finished Redemption and Rose from the Dead n Mat. 28.1 Luke 24.1 2. Then he appeared after his Resurrection to his Disciples assembled o Joh. 20.19 3. On this Day the Churches held their Solemn Assemblies for Preaching and administring the Lords Supper and Contributions p Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.12 4. On this Day John was in the Spirit and it 's called the Lord's Day q Re. 1.10 because more peculiarly appropriated to his Service as the Lord's Supper § 10. It is not in the Power of Churches to set apart any stated times Yearly or Monthly to be observed for that would be Superstition and Will-Worship a Gal. 4.10 Col. 16.17 But Days of Fasting and Humiliation may be appointed by any Church of Christ according as weighty Reasons lead it thereunto b Acts 14.23 CHAP. XI Of Ordinances of Special Communion Kinds of Ordinances of Special Communion A Seal what it doth and signifies New Testament Seals but Two What Baptism is What the Lord's Supper is What is to be observed in its Administration § 1. HAVING shewed what are Christ's Ordinances in a Visible Church of General or more common Communion we come in the next place to speak of Ordinances of Special Communion peculiar only to such as are Church-Members and these are such Appointments of Christ as concern the Administration of the Seals or such as concern the Administration of the Keys § 2. A Seal of the Covenant under the New Testament is a visible and sensible Ratification thereof wherein Christ our High Priest doth eminently shew forth unto us the glory of his Priestly Office in makeing himself a Sacrifice for Sin bearing the Charge and Curse of Sin satisfying God's Justice reconciling us to God and procuring Eternal Salvation to us a 1 Pet. 2.9 Heb. 9.26 Col. 1.21 22. Heb. 9.12 who as such is the great Condition of the Covenant of Grace b Isa 42.6 i. e. of Abraham's Covenant c Ro. 4.13 Gal. 3.17 whereby we have upon Profession right to claim all Church-Priviledges Mystical and Visible in the State of Grace and that of Glory hereafter d Gal. 3.9.28 29. In all the Old Testament Seals and in the New especially Christ in the Covenant of Grace is in a most lively manner represented and shewed forth in the Church e 1 Cor. 11 24 25 26. Col. 2.11 12. as to Condition and Promises he being not only the great Condition but the Yea and Amen of all the Promises f 2 Cor. 1.20 which are therein Applied and Sealed at least Ministerially g Gen. 17.7 10. Rom. 4.11 12. Gal. 3.27 § 3. The Seals of the New Testament are Two and no more Baptism and the Lord's Supper which are the only Instituted Rites or Ceremonies in a Church that are ordained by Christ to continue till he come a Matt. 28.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. All Jewish Ceremonies are vanisht as Shadows and abolished b Heb. 8.5.13 2 Cor. 3.14 as all Ceremonies attending the bestowing Miraculous Gifts are also ceased c 1 Cor. 13.8 such as Imposition of Hands on well or sick Vnction washing of Feet this being but a didactical Ceremony used by Christ to teach the Apostles Humility and not to Lord it over his Churches and was never intended for a standing Ordinance And as none of these which many are fond of and even Idolize some one and some another and upon as good Grounds all as any for each one had any Sanction for continuance so their significancy ceasing the Sign also comes to nought § 4. Baptism is a Sign and Seal of the Righteousness of Faith wherein Washing with Water into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost a Mat. 28.19 doth represent and shew forth at least Ministerially a Sinners washing from his Sins in the Bloud of Christ b Rev. 1.6 Act 2.38 his New Birth and Renovation by the Spirit of Christ c Titus 3.5 and his Covenant Obligation to be the Lords d Gal. 3.27 28. eib 3.9.26 The Subjects of this Seal are all those who by Profession of Faith in Christ e ib. 3.9.26 which is Abraham's Faith are become Covenant-Members accordingly of a Visible Church and their immediate Infant-Seed f Act. 2.39 they being blessed with faithful Abraham g Gal. 3.7 8 14. and having all essential Church-Blessings come upon them And therefore the Blessing of Membership to the professing Body of Christ h Rom. 15.8 9. ch 4.11 12 and Gospel Church Priviledges as they belong to one or other respectively are Ministerially to be applied of which Baptism is none of the least being the Ordinance of Christ in which only a Believer can bring his Infant-Seed to Christ and he cannot bring it to Christ out of an Ordinance therefore it being his Duty to bring it to Christ it must be in this Ordinance to be blessed with Abraham's Blessing spiritually as he and his Seed are Ecclesiastically the reason that Christ gives for his Command of bringing Infants to him i Matt. 19.14 15. Mark 10.14 16. Luk. 18.16 is That they are Church Members of such is the Kingdom of Heaven and it 's known that Christ means his visible Church in the days of the Gospel by the Kingdom of Heaven and he took them in his Arms received them visibly laid his Hands upon them which is more than for any Ministers to Baptize them and blessed them And doth Christ Bless with any Blessing besides the Blessing of Abraham that comes on the Gentiles § 5. The Lord's Supper is a special Ordinance of Church Communion a 1 Cor. 10.16 instituted and continued by Jesus Christ b 1 Cor. 11 26. wherein by the Giving and Receiving the outward Elements of Bread and Wine c Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.23 Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.23 the Death Satisfaction and Merits of Christ are in a lively manner shewed forth and he who through Christ is a worthy Receiver doth spiritually and really by Faith partake of his Body and Bloud with all the high Benefits thereof and not Ministerially only as he doth who is only an outside professed Member It is called the Lord's Supper d 1 Cor. 11 20. because it is of the Lord's Institution and for this end to shew forth his Death e 1 Cor. 11 26. and because he first Celebrated it the Evening before his Death f ib. v. 23. § 6. This being instituted for so spiritual and solemn Ends and Purposes a 1 Cor. 11 24 25 26 27. Luk. 22.19 cannot be administred or attended upon for any other Purposes such as to qualifie Men upon a secular account without great Prophanation thereof b Mal. 1.11 12. John 6.26 27. Ex. 20.4 7 Rev. 13.16 17. § 7. In the Administration of this Ordinance these things according to the Primitive