like manner as for Example Cornelius and his family having a personal union with the Lord and communion with him before Peter preached to him and he not being an obstinate professed enemy against any Law of Christ but contrarywise saying to Peter We are here to hear what soever is commanded thee of God Therefore the Spirit of God falling down upon them they spake with new tongues and glorified God and Peter and the six baptized Brethren being with them no question did join in Spirit and heart in that present Spiritual service which Cornelius and his family did perform to God they none of them at that interim of time being baptized nor convinced that baptism was an Ordinance of God For till Peter had consulted with the Brethren he did not press baptism upon them And therefore we find that he did instruct them after a consultation which he had with the Brethren saying How should we forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And Paul in like manner between the time that Christ had converted him and his comming to Annanias prayed and we find God owns a personal Communion with him in that prayer for Christ speaking to Annanias saith That Paul was a chosen Vessel for behold he now prayeth manifesting that he owned Paul in that service Now he being in a teachable godly frame though ignorant of baptism in prayer God had Communion with him In like manner I judge from these Scripture examples it is lawful for a baptized person to have fellowship in prayer or speaking with any such soul which he is perswaded of to be godly and that is not a professed enemy to any command of God But God hath not as we find ever had any Church-union or Communion with any Soul that was unbaptized and it is clear that the Ordinance of the Supper is committed to a Church yea to a Ministerial Assembly gathered according to Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 20. where I understand the order there binding is this First the Ministers should teach the Nations or make them disciples by teaching and then the command is Baptizing them what them such that are made disciples by teaching Thirdly the Command is to teach them to observe whatsoever Christ hath commanded what them is here meant but such as are made disciples and baptized teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you and I will be with you to the end of the world that is he will be with a people first converted secondly baptized thirdly walking in the practical observation of all other administrations of Gods house as these eleven did and those they converted I say this his promise is to be with his people to the end of the World And this order is binding that as a Minister is commanded to baptize one made a Disciple and not any other so he is commanded to put them upon the practical observation of all his Laws and they only and till they are baptized they are not nor cannot be admitted into a visible Church to partake of the Supper of the Lord. And that this is the true meaning of Christ in the Commission appears by his Apostles Ministry and practice who by the infallible gifts of the holy Ghost were guided unfailingly thus to preach and practice as in Acts 2.37 38. with 41 and 42. verses First he teacheth them the Doctrine of Jesus Christ they hearing that were pricked at the heart and inquiring of Peter and the rest of the Apostles what they should do he saith Repent and be baptized every one of you See how he presseth the same order here as Christ doth in the Commission and afterwards in the 41. verse it is said So many as gladly received the word of God were baptized and the same day there was added to the Church about three thousand souls by Faith and Baptism and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of Bread and prayer Therefore the way that Christ hath ordained is That souls should be joined or added to the Church by Faith and Baptism according to that word in 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptized by one Spirit into one body Now though the Spirit as the inward thing signified be here spoken of yet the outward sign is also included as might be by other Scriptures cleared Thus Cornelius his Family were converted then baptized before they were constituted a Church So the Gaolers and Lydia's and the Church of Samaria in Acts 8. were all gathered by faith and dipping And for a Minister to gather a Church any other way is to go not only in an untroden path but cross and point-blank contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Apostles therby slighting the Rules of Christ in the Commission by which the Apostles Doctrine and practice was guided and which all the Ministers of the Gospel ought to be guided by Why the Ordinance of Baptism is administred but once the Ordinance of the Lords Supper often But yet further the Ordinance of baptism is to confirm our Regeneration New birth and Union with Christ in his death burial and resurrection Rom. 6.3 4 5. with Col. 2.12 Tit. 3.5 and therfore is to be received but once as a man is to be regenerated but once and born but once and changed from death to life but once but that ordinance of God viz. the Supper is for Christians growth and increase of grace and of constant use to shew forth Christs death till he come and therefore to be received often Now it must needs be a profâ—nation of this ordinance of God to divert and cross the order and so the special intendment of God in them and that is to admit persons to that Ordinance which is principally for Christian growth before you have admitted them to that Ordinance which is for planting them into Christ signifying the confirmation or washing of Regeneration and the new birth and Union with Christ the true stock and root from whence all spiritual growth is to be expected Therefore Baptism must be the first Ordinance dispensed or administred after conversion before the Supper So that it would be a profanation of the Ordinances of God to divert their proper order end and use to which our holy and jealous God hath appointed them and it is a tender point for those that profess themselves friends to Christ the Bridegroom to be venturing to take his peculiar privilege or prerogative out of his hands as to order and dispose of his own order in his solemn worship contrary to his Commission I do judge such a man that hath not a tender conscience in such cases is in that much unlike Christ and shewes much carnality because as you have heard God will have the honor to direct his people both for the matter and manner of their worship and order of his house But again as you have heard before in Ephes 4.3 What things are essential
that generation must needs be born heirs to if they were born heirs of a covenant of grace which if this should be asserted as it is by those who defend childrens baptism Then this fundamental point of Religion must needs be denyed that all mankind are by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.2 and that all both Jews and Gentiles are charged under sin Rom. 3.9 And there is none righteous no not one But be it known to you this is a fundamental doctrine of truth generally acknowledged by all the godly That we are dead in sins and trespasses wherein in times past we walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh and of the mind and were children of wrath by nature as well as others Now the Apostle Paul affirmeth this to be equally the state of himself who was born in the Church of Israel as well as the Gentiles and David doth affirm this of all in general Psalm 14.2 3. which the Apostle Paul urgeth in Rom. 3.9 forwards speaking of himself and the rest of the National Churches of the Jews What are we saith he better than they meaning than the Gentiles No in no wise for we have before proved that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin as it written there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are together become abominable there is none that doth good no not one And in Psalm 51. David saith I was conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity who was a child of the Church of God as it is usually termed But beloved this doctrine is clear in Scripture and clearly experienced by every Godly Christian which truth must needs be overthrown if the whole body of Israel were born adopted Sons and heirs of a covenant of eternal life born heirs of Justification then they were never heirs of wrath nor in a state of damnation nor never proved nor charged under sin nor never all unrighteous because born heirs of a covenant of Grace aad of righteousness nor never born dead in sins and trespasses for that is inconsistent with being in a covenant of grace and life This opinion of holding the covenant of grace to be intailed in the flesh opposing it self so directly against this forementioned foundation of Religion must needs be a gross error so considered The second fundamental point of Religion that this error opposeth it self against is stability in a covenant of eternal life it cannot be imagined that I should much insist upon proving this Doctrine of stability in grace to be a fundamental truth I shall take that for granted from the nature of the new covenant in several Scriptures before recited as in Psalm 125. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but as the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so shall the Lord be about them from this time forth and for ever And in Psal 89.33 If thy children sin I will afflict them with the rods of men but my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth But taking this for granted to be a truth that all born in the Church of the Jews were born heirs of his stable Covenant and so were really and in truth in the covenant of grace then most of the Church of Israel that were in a covenant of grace were damned and not saved as Isaiah 10.22 23. Though Israel were as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them were saved only And so Isaiah with Rom. 9.27 28 31. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not obtained to the Law of righteousness Paul saith Rom. 11.5 There was a Remnant according to the election of grace and in verse 7. how they obtained it but the rest were hardened all but the remnant were blinded and hardened Therefore if such multitudes as the sand of the Sea were all really in a covenant of grace most of them must be understood to fall out of the covenant and so to fall out of the covenant of life This is another fundamental truth that this opinion is fully against defending that souls may be truly in a covenant of eternal life and yet perish and be damned The third foundation that this error overthrows is The necessity of Conversion or Regeneration which doctrine is eminently confirmed by Christ in the Gospel as a fundamental truth John 3.4 5. where Christ speaking to Nichodemus tells him th except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And likewise in John 8.24 Except ye believe that I am he ye shall dy in your sins And John 3. two last verses He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him and he shall not see life The before mentioned errors that holds a covenant of life running in the flesh upon the carnal seed opposeth it self against this for might the carnal seed of Israel say to Christ why do you preach such a doctrine to us That except you be born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We affirm the contrary seeing by the first birth we have an interest in the covenant of grace and eternal life already without believing and being born again and so are entered into the Kingdom of God and the privileges thereof Whereas you say That except you believe that I am he you shall dy in your sins why doth Christ pronounce death without believing seeing we are acquainted with another way to enter into life than the way of believing which is to be begotten of one of the church or a believer We find the Holy Ghost in the 1 John 5. saith He that hath Christ hath life he that hath not Christ hath not life No saith this error there were thousands that were interessed in life without having Christ that is to say by carnal generation Saith the Apostle There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but by the name of Jesus Yea saith this error There is another name by which we may come into a covenant of eternal life and so to be saved so that here lies the case where Christ in the Gospel powerfully affirms no other way to life but by believing regeneration and coming to Jesus Christ This opinion destroys all these testimonies opening another door of entrance into the covenant of life besides this and that by fleshly generation though Christ saith to Nicodemus Joh. 3. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit as if souls were
Worshippers John 4.23 Lively Stones 1 Pet. 2.5 Such as are redeemed from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Such brought out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now this error destroys the truth or opposeth it self against the truth of God lying in all these Scriptures it brings in the nation of believers all born of their body their seeds seed in their generation if you will be faithful to this principle whereon this seems to be grounded For the covenant of Circumcision was not only to the next generation immediately flowing from Abraham But to thy seed after thee in their generations And we see in that generation in Christs time they were as well called Abrahams seed as Isaac himself was and they did call Abraham their father Therefore if the covenant of Circumcision shall be mans patern we must necessarily have a Church that is national consisting of succeeding generations for many hundred years coming out of believing persons loins and so set up the partition-wall again between the natural branches and those that are wild by nature So that this tenet doth of necessity destroy the true matter of a Church because it unavoidably admits into the Church all the unconverted and unregenerate children born of the bodies of such persons that either are or have been accounted believers And as it destroys the matter of a Church in admitting such that are not made Disciples so it occasions such as do believe remaining in that opinion to live in that sin of neglect of the Lords Baptism contenting themselves with that counterfeit of Baptism which they had in their infancy So that this evil opinion occasions the constitution of a Church or Congregation of good and bad promiscuously and all these unbaptized both the good and the bad and what light in the Gospel have you to justifie such an Assembly to be the true Church of Christ that doth consist of some Religious people in the Judgement of Charity and a world of carnal children admitted and received in among them and all both the carnal and the religious never baptized with the Lords baptism I do deny such an Assembly can be owned an orderly Church of Christ Thus you see what a great error this is that opposeth it self against so many fundamental points of the Gospel But may some say though we receive in children by baptism into our Church we do not admit them unto the Supper The Question is when you will admit them See what an untroden path you are run into Do you own your children to be in a covenant of Grace and eternal life and inrighted into the privileges of the same and is Baptism the privilege of the new Covenant and not the Supper also if it be how dare you keep them from their right and privilege I pray you how long did the Apostles baptize their members before they admitted them to the Supper If you look in Acts 2.41 42. you shall find so many as gladly received the word of God were baptized and presently they continued in the Apostles doctrine Fellowship breaking of Bread and prayer as soon as they were baptized Therefore you have no ground at all upon any pretence to suspend such members that you own privileged in all the Ordinances of God from the Supper which you have received into your Church by your supposed baptism Thus you may see what horrible Consequences flow naturally from maintaining a Covenant of eternal life in the flesh Seventhly This opinion defends another gross error That persons may have right to a covenant of life without union or in-being in Christ by faith it is a sad thing that souls that profess knowledge In the Gospel and to be preachers of the same should be so blinded thus to mislead people in so weighty a point as this is and that should endeavour to leaven thousands of poor people with such a sad error that opposeth it self against the very substance of the Gospel in holding all the whole Nation of Israel to be in a covenant of eternal life and also the carnal children of believing parents among the Gentiles though they had no union by faith in Christ the greatest part of them I come to the third thing which is to prove that the covenant of eternal life The third general general head never was nor shall be made with any but such as believe or such as are in Christ and for the better clearing of that you must understand that as soon as the seed of the woman was promised to wit Christ Jesus which was the whole of the new covenant all promises being Yea and Amen Somewhat offered to prove that God presently upon the Fall made an outward carnal covenant entailed upon the flesh and spiritual and heavenly blessings being given in him this being one main point then to be made known to the Sons of men that he must come out of the woman You must I say understand that the Lord did presently make an outward covenant which was typical intailed upon the flesh out of which the Messiah should come But I must confess this is not held forth so clearly till the time of Abraham nor then so clear as it was afterwards by the hands of Moses But it is clear to me that in substance the same covenant of Ceremonial obedience which was given to Moses when the people came out of Aegypt the same was given to Adams generation upon the promise of Christ which was to go on in the fleshly line out of which Christ was to come and this to continue till he did come in the flesh and then to cease The reason that induceth me thus to judge is this I find Cain and Abel at the end of the year of daies bring their sacrifice and the one brought the first lings of the flock and the fat thereof Thus did God command the same things to Israel by Moses Exod. 34.19 13.12 13. And you see Cain brought the first fruits of the ground and we find this delivered by Moses as part of the covenant to the Jews in Deut. 18.4 26.2 for saith the Lord Thou shalt bring of all the first fruits of the Earth which thou shalt bring of thy Land that the Lord thy God gives thee Micah 7.1 Levit. 2.12 14. Pro. â— 19 Though ye do not here see from what rule Cain and Abel did thus do yet we must take for granted they had it from God how else could Abel have performed his worship acceptably if he had not a ground to do it by faith and it is certain he did it in faith therefore had he rule for the same as Hebrews 11.4 And we find that in that time there was a distinction of clean and unclean Beasts that went into the Ark. Now what cleanness or uncleanness is here meant is by virtue of a Law for certainly that Law which God gave to forbid such beasts and creatures was that which made one clean and not
Gentile and so far is the Apostle free from concluding that the Gentiles come in by nature that he affirms the contrary that he is graffed in contrary to nature Plainly holding forth that all both Iews and Gentiles in a state of unbelief were excluded from those privileges For as before hath been proved the ground upon which the covenant of Circumcision was made unto Abraham and his seed according to the flesh was not because he was a believer but because Christ was to come of that line according to the flesh If you could find out any Gentile under the Gospel out of which the Messiah should come according to the flesh then there were the same reason and ground that an external typical covenant should run in his line or flesh till the Messiah were fully exhibited But I hope none will be such an Anti-christ so highly to deny Christ come in the flesh seeing Paul saith Henceforth we know no man after the flesh for saith he We have known Christ after the flesh but henceforth we know him so no more That men were known that is approved as privileged persons in Gods Church by being in that covenant intailed in the flesh of Abraham viz. that covenant of Circumcision But from henceforth we know no man no not Christ himself should be minded as standing interessed in that covenants he being now known to be one receiving a more excellent ministery than the Ministry of Circumcision a better covenant grounded upō better promises Heb. 8.6 7. the following words confirm this Exposition Therfore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things pass away and all things become new compared with Gal. 6.15 It is not Circumcision availeth any thing c. therefore we are not now to know men according t the flesh No not Christ as come in the the flesh circumcised and by virtue of that privileged in the Church But we are now to know him as fully exhibited and as before a Minister of a better covenant grounded upon better promises So that this 11. chapter of the Romans doth so little serve to countenance the covenant of eternal life to run in the flesh that it exceedingly makes against it cuts it up by the Roots affirming no other of the Gentiles or their seed to be graffed into this stock or root but contrary to nature which he expounds to be by faith Therefore take the whole drift and scope of that place and you shall have two seeds two covenants a certain select number out of those that were in the old Covenant elected into the new covenant the rest of all the body of Israel in that old Covenant were blinded and hardened and never obtained an interest into the new Covenant And when Jesus Christ the Substance of the old Covenant was come then that ceasing and now but one covenant remaining the covenant of Gods Church it s of necessity only believers and spiritual seed now can remain in the Church Hereupon all the unbelieving seed of Jews and Gentiles are utterly excluded out from the Church and Church-privileges which never was so long as an old external covenant stood in force The next Scripture Text An answer to that text 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. brought in for defence of the Covenant in the flesh is 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. verses Moreover Brethreen I would not have you ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and did all eat of that spiritual meat and drink of that spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. This is another Scripture which is made use of to prove a Covenant of Salvation to run in the flesh But beloved the drift of the Apostle here is as it is throughout the Scripture to give out the mystery and substance that shadows typed out to come according to that in 2 Cor. 3. We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit meaning that the main thing which the Apostles did hold forth in their Ministery when they had to do with types and shadows was to set forth the substance or Spirit or heavenly things that was pointed at and so here Beloved know this that these were all types and ceremonies here spoke of belonging to the carnal Jew therefore saith the Apostle They were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea He doth not say they were all baptized into Christ but unto Moses which is a main passage I would present to you You must understand Moses was a solemn type he was a Saviour to save them out of the Land of Egypt their present bondage into Canaan He was a Mediator of that temporal covenant Gal. 3.19 and in this did Moses type out Christ the temporal Covenant did type out the spiritual and heavenly covenant and the temporal Israel did type out the spiritual Israel This temporal redemption of Israel out of Egypt into Canaan typed out the spiritual redemption from sin Bondage the World and Devil into that heavenly Canaan The Covenant that Moses was the Mediator of you have heard was the covenant of Circumcision which is before cleared to be a Covenant of works delivered in substance to Abraham but after committed by writing to Moses as Act. 15.1 where the Teachers did command them to be circumcised and keep the Law after the manner of Moses compared with John 7.22 Moses therefore gave unto you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Father In Acts 15.1 It is said by the false Teachers That except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved Those Teachers were of the same opinion with these in our daies who hold that the Covenant of Circumcision was a Covenant of life and therefore concluded such persons out of it could not be saved their conclusion was doubtless answerable to the premisses For if that Circumcision had been as they judged it a Covenant of eternal life then 〈◊〉 of it none could have been saved Therefore it is said in the 5. verse Certain of the Sects of the Pharisees that believed did say it was needfull to Circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses And in the tenth verse it is said Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the Disciples which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear which was the Covenant of Circumcision which on Gods part was the promise of the Land of Canaan with all the good things thereof and the external privileges as protection and preservation And on their parts they were bound to keep the Law therefore you shall find that Ezra and Nehemiah entered into an oath and a curse with the people then to keep this covenant on their part as that Nation were bound to do And this was that Covenant which the false
all the posterity of a believing person so many generations to come as Levy from Abraham did believe and repent in their believing parents then there is no ground to oppose that all the world at this day are believers because they were all in the line of believing Noah he being the father from whence all the world did proceed that are now living this day And again observe that if the Covenant of life belongs to all believers seed then we need not want for Church-members because all the world are the children and off-spring of believing Noah and this argument carries the right of Covenant to all the world being the children of a Believer viz. Noah An answer to that text Mat. 19.13 Further some bring that in Matthew 19.13 There were brought unto him little children that he should put his hand upon them and pray and the disciples rebuked them and Jesus said suffer little children and forbid them not to come to me for of such is the kingdom of God and he laid his hands on them and departed In Mark 10.13 thus And they brought young Children to him that he should touch them and his Disciples rebuked them that brought them but when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said unto them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter therein From hence would some maintain a covenant of eternal life in the flesh for that end they bring this Text but let us examine what the meaning of it may be First whose children they were that were brought to Christ doth not appear its probable they were the seed of Abraham but what their mediate parents whether believers or wicked persons doth not appear certainly but by the former discourse in the chapter it should seem they might be wicked and ungodly persons for there were such mentioned before that tempted Christ and asked him questions The next thing is for what did they bring these children unto Christ most certain not to baptize them because Christ it is said baptized not but the Disciples John 4.2 What then were they brought to Christ for One Evangelist saith He took them in his arms and blessed them another saith He laid his hands on them and prayed All which considered in my judgement it doth probably appear they were brought to him to be healed of some disease it being usual in those daies that by prayer and laying on of hands they did heal the sick But the main expression in the Text to be noted is this That of such are the Kingdom of God From these words some gather that all the children of believing parents do belong to the kingdom of God and if to the Kingdom of God then to all the privileges of that kingdom But as you have heard it will be very doubtfull whether these children had any believing parents to the fifth or sixth degree for of such is the Kingdom of God saith the Text the which we must understand thus That all the children born of the body of Believers and that when little ones in arms do belong to the kingdom of God if you will make this text to countenance that error of the covenant in the flesh the which is erroneous as appears in that the greatest number of believers children never belonged in that sense to the kingdom of God for Adam had a Cain as well as an Abel Noah had a Ham as well as a Sem Abraham had an Ishmael as well as an Isaac Isaac had an Esau as well as a Jacob. And so I might mention all the Scriptures wherein in like manner God doth as well bring forth the generation of the wicked out of the godly and the generation of the elect out of the line of the wicked indefinitely But if by Kingdom of God be meant that condition or state that men are interessed in by virtue of a Covenant of eternal life and that believers children should by birth and generation belong to it then this fully crosseth that doctrine of Christ to Nicodemus Joh. 3.5 as was formerly spoken to Object But some may say It s possible that such a little child may believe because in Matthew 18. 3 4 5 6. verses it is said We should not offend such little ones that believe If you grant that some children when little do believe and therefore belong to the kingdom of God to that I assent let them be whose children they will whether of Believers or Infidels If they believe they are in Christ and so interessed in the Kingdom of God But what makes this for the covenant in the flesh of carnal unbelieving seed Again If by Kingdom of God should be understood the Jewish state or Church and children here understood for children of that Jewish nation then in that sense it is true that all the children born in the Jewish Church by virtue of their birth in that family or nation belonged as members to that National Church being interessed in the Covenant of Circumcision which was the national covenant and the privileges of the same and were by natural birth interessed therein Answ But the true and proper meaning of the Text appears plain to be here in Mark 10.13 14 15. compared together for when he had in the 14. verse said Of such belongeth the Kingdom of God in verse the 15. he presently saith Verily I say unto you whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter therein this I say interprets these words before Of such as the kingdom of God that is of such like in grace as these be by nature such souls that are by Gods grace subdued and brought into a child-like frame of spirit they only are such as are of the kingdom of God as for example When the Disciples reasoned who should be greatest among them Christ set a little child as a patern of humility innocency and harmlesness And also saith the Apostle Be you children in malice and old men in understanding 1 Cor. 14. and saith Peter As new born babes desire the sincere Milk of the word that ye might grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. â— And so as there is a parity held forth between a man and his wife and Christ and his Church so in Scripture there is between a child in nature and a child in grace as the natural begetting the spiritual begetting alluding to that there is the natural birth and the spiritual birth held forth by that sucking of the Mothers breast and by sucking of the breast of Gods word A little babe we know in nature will trust to his parents so the new born babe will trust in Christ if the natural babe want any thing it will go to its parents and ask them for it so must a new born Babe make his request known to God in all
we ought to submit that those only who were Baptized were admitted into the fellowship of the Saints and to breaking of bread and therefore we upon these grounds may not admit any member in communion into the church of Christ but by baptism But some may object and say There are many godly souls that do think they are baptized already in their infancy And till they be convinced of that error cannot you have Church Communion with them To this I answer I dare not say but precious souls to God in these times as well as formerly may be in that point in darkness I do not censure the case of such But sure I am that if they judge their own baptism or sprinkling in their Infancy to be an Ordinance of God they cannot but judge it a duty still to practice the same upon their own Infants being faithful to their principle and then how can a church and true Ministry that judges dipping of believers a duty and the other to be a grievous and provoking sin admit such a person into Communion that resolves to live not only in the neglect of a Solemn duty but in a great and heinous sin in the judgement of that Church and Ministery that is to admit him which the justifying of his Baptism must needs be Wherfore hath Christ set up in his Gospel church his Ordinance of Excommunication or casting forth out of the Church if that persons may be admitted that are resolved to live in both a sin of omission and commission and such as have not repented of that sin of sprinkling children So then that person that lives impenitently in any one known sin known I mean to the Church if that Church have communion with that person in that sin the sin becomes the churches sin Obj. But he liveth in this sin through ignorance Answ That we presuppose or else the Scripture would â—end us little hopes of charity as to his good estate For to knnow a sin to be a sin and to live in it doubtless it cannot stand with grace therefore it is generally concluded that the contempt of any Ordinance of God is damnable but not the simple neglect of it being upon scruples or doubts of conscience unanswered but the church knows it to be a sin and therefore they are not to have communion with it Object But may some say I am afraid some persons do rest in Ordinances and place that in them which is due to Christ only which is some offence to me and hath kept me off from that practice Answ There is no sound ground for this objection from either our profession or practice for we do profess salvation justification and the spiritual welfare to be meerly of the grace of God in Christ and that by faith only and that our obedience to Christ ought to be performed from a principle of Regeneration and union with Christ by faith and answerable is our practice in that we dare not put any soul on obedience but from that root For before we baptize any soul we prove whether a true work of conversion be wrought in his heart or no and whether he have union with Christ and dare not admit children because that we judge that they have not a principle of Christ in them from whence they should submit to baptism And further let me say thaâ— it is easie for a soul to forbear resting in duties that doth not perform them But that which is worthy in a Christian is to walk as strictly in obedience to all the commands of God as though he would be saved by his obedience and to rest as fully upon Christ and his blood and the love of God therein revealed as if he had done nothing at all accounting himself an unprofitable servant And whereas you say you fear they rest in duties that fear and jealousie in you I fear is your sin and possibly may flow from that inbred enmity and prejudice that is apt to be in every mans heart against the pure waies of God Or else it proceeds from the malice of the Devil suggesting such thoughts into thy heart For thou entrest into the hearts of such people and judgest their very intents in this thy fear and jealousy and therefore beware of this snare But further suppose some souls should be so far left of God that walk in the practice of Ordinances as to rest in them is that a ground for thee to excuse thee to live in a sinful neglect of them In a word there can be no objection come into thy heart tending to hinder thee from this duty and to keep thee from thy obedience to thy Lord and King but it must needs be from the flesh or from the Devil and therefore beware of them Suppose thy judgement inclined to such a Latitude as that thou couldst have communion with unbaptized persons consider with a tender conscience what hath been said and I hope it may much satisfy thee in that objection But suppose thou shouldst not be satisfied with what hath been said but still judge that thy liberty thou canst not but say its clear in the new Testament and out of doubt that such believing and being baptized ought to have Church fellowship together with the practice of Ordinances and is that a justifiable argument to keep thee off from communion with such as out of doubt thou maiest according to rule have communion with and further that thou canst not but say is thy duty to have communion with The Commands of Christ must not be disputed Therefore I would in all tenderness admonish and warn all that fear God to be more conformable and observe the rules of Christ and not to harbour such a gross error in thy mind as to think thou mayst at thy pleasure dispute the commands and Ordinances of Christ The Apostle Paul in Gal. 1.16 saith He conferred not with flesh and blood but he presently obeyed the heavenly voice And Christ when God by his Spirit directed him to go to the Doctors in the Temple to hear them and ask them questions he without so much as acquainting his Father or Mother obeyed the Lord though to their great grief and trouble in going And then in Phil. 2.14 our obedience should be without murmuring repining or any more ado and Luke 5.5 Peter had been fishing all night and caught nothing therefore had little hopes to catch any fish yet saith he At thy word I will cast down my net he did not dispute the commands of Christ though his own experience and skill did utterly testify against what Christ had commanded as to sense that there could be no good effect produced yet at thy word saith he I will cast in my net As David in Psalm 119. I made hast to keep thy righteouss precepts for delaying of obedience doth harden the heart and give place to the tempter and therefore I would advice all godly souls to drink in this as a Maxim that if you find an express Law of Christ given to a believer that it is utterly unlawful to dispute or to question the practice of it upon any pretence whatsoever or to admit any objection against it For amongst men both in Civil and Military Authority they will not have their Laws disputed who may err greatly in making those Laws But our righteous God whose Laws be sure are just will not have his disputed and therefore as before when Christ bid Peter cast down his Net into the Sea saith he I have been all night and catched nothing yet notwithstanding at thy word I will cast down my net Where observe though what Christ commanded him his skill experience and reason might have strongly objected against yet he learned this that there could not be any justifyable ground to bear him out in disputing Christs Laws And thus you have an example in Abraham in sacrificing Isaac who was the promised seed And when God called him he followed God not knowing whether he went And Noah when he built an Ark for the saving of his house And Jacob upon the command of God carrying away his family three daies journey before Laban and the family knew of it There might have been much dispute against these things but these holy men of God had learned not to give place to the pride and rebellion of their unmortified reason and understanding which many souls for want of more grace and soundness of judgement give way to in our days but they did obey the word of Gods coÌ„mand without any more a do as the Apostles rule is Phil. â— 12 13 14 15. Wherefore my Beloved as you have alwaies obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure Do all thinks without murmurings and disputings that you may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation amongst whom you shine as Lights in the world FINIS