when it is well known that infant-Baptisme was not in that Councel of 66 Bishops at all agitated much lesse determined It was not put to the Question but taken for granted by all that were present The dispute and the determination was upon that which Fidus questioned which was the Baptisme of infants before eight dayes old and not infant-Baptisme how could he mean that it hath since continued in a streame by vertue of that determination or Canon when he very well knowes there was neither determination nor Canon upon it nor yet any need of it They determined that which in their meeting was put to the Vote that an infant under eight dayes might be baptized So that this Quaere as all the rest stands unsatisfied and antiquity cleared for infant-Baptisme It is yet farther said that many learned men in former and latter times take infant-Baptisme onely for an unwritten tradition giving us a list of Popish Writers that have spoke to this purpose a Cardinal in a Popish Councel Bennus Bellarmine and Erasmus that had scarce stept over the threshold from them To which we answer That it is no marvel if these making it their businesse to parallel unwritten Traditions with Scriptures some of them to preferre them before them and knowing infant-Baptisme to be in honour in all Churches do pin it upon unwritten Tradition that so they may advance the honour of unwritten Tradition with it yet even these cite Scriptures for it and so marre their own market of Traditions as those that procure them are forced to acknowledge When Bellarmine would argue the Scriptures imperfection and assert a necessity of unwritten Tradition then he can affirme that infant-Baptisme hath no other foundation but when he will defend infant-Baptisme against those that matter not Tradition he can finde Scripture for confirmation Foreseeing this Objection an Answer is brought out of Bennus That some things may be proved out of Scripture when the true sense of Scripture is evident and infant-Baptisme is proved from John 3. 5. but the sense whereby to prove it is manifest by tradition Becan Manual lib. 1. cap. 2. sect 24. It is very well known that these Jesuites will say as much of any point of Faith and leave the whole meaning of all Scripture to rest on the Churches interpretation continued by tradition As to the quotation of Protestant Authors so many of them as have kept up the honour of Scripture and made no defection from that way it onely speakes their boldnesse to affirme that any of them ever dishonoured infant-Baptisme in that way as to settle it upon unwritten tradition or to fixe it on such a bottome They very well know that as they defend the Scriptures full perfection and make it their businesse to oppose all that would have it ek't out by any thing that is unwritten so they assert infant-Baptisme on Scripture-foundation Can they think that they have to deal with such weak adversaries that whiles against their party they contend with Scripture-Arguments that infants ought to be baptized they will yield up the cause on the other hand to Papists and confesse the insufficiency of Scriptures But the homonymie or various acception of the word Tradition may deceive the unwary Reader Sometimes tradition is taken in the proper sense for that which is delivered or handed over from one to another in this sense every point of faith is a tradition and so is Baptism it self as well as infant-Baptisme in which sense Paul takes it 2 Thes 2. 15. Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle Sometimes tradition is taken for that which is delivered in word without writing as there is distinguished a tradition by word and a tradition by Epistle what Paul taught in his Epistles is a tradition and what Paul delivered by word of mouth is a tradition and both must be held Here somewhat seemingly is spoken for unwritten traditions by the Apostle For solution of which our Protestant Divines have taught us to distinguish between the doctrine it self that is delivered to us and the way and manner of delivery So Chamier de canone fidei lib. 8. cap. 1. sect 16. The former of those might admit of many sub-divisions The way of delivery is either by writing in the Scriptures or by lively voice by Gods Ministers as Chamier farther observes sect 19. Here again we must distinguish between words and things the words that are uttered and the doctrine that these words contain all words are not written all our words in Sermons are not written in the Scriptures all Pauls words in his Sermons are not written in Scriptures as appears by his distinction before delivered by word or Epistle but the doctrine it self that we deliver is contained there Paul preached nothing but that which Moses and the Prophets said should come Acts 26. 22. yet there were many words delivered by him which Moses and the Prophets never spoke They yet teach us to distinguish between that which is expressely written in the Scriptures and that which is by evident consequence thence deduced Amesius defending the Scriptures perfection against Bellarmine introducing unwritten traditions saith The Question is not whether in so many words all necessary truths are contained in the Scriptures but whether they may be gathered from thence in any expresse speech or necessary consequence Bellar. Enervat cap. 6. thes 1. Let Doctor Sclater in this be heard who speaking to this point saith Thus informe your selves 1. Where generals are delivered there are all particulars comprized in those generals intentionally delivered because generals comprehend particulars 2. Where principles and causes are delivered there effects are also intended as being virtually contained in their principles 3. Where one equal is taught all of like reason it taught quia parium par ratio and where there is par ratio there is par lex Where there is like reason there is like law So take contents of Scripture no instance of any point of necessary or but convenient faith and practice can be given but what is delivered in the written Word Doctor Sclater in 2 Thes 2. 15. and when they have well weighed these things they will finde small cause to believe that they have any advantage from these Authors Field it is said sayes The fourth kinde of Tradition is the continued practice of such things as are neither contained in the Scripture expressely nor the examples of such practice there delivered though the grounds reasons and causes of the necessity of such practice be there contained and the benefit or good that followeth it Of this sort is the Baptisme of infants which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely delivered in Scripture that the Apostles did baptize infants nor any expresse precept there found that they should do so yet is not this so received by bare and naked tradition but that we finde in
thing will serve as an expresse proof when they have a mind to affirme it and nothing will serve to evince it by consequence when they have a mind to deny it But as Disciples are women so families have children There are Families without children and there are Disciples there are not women The commission is to disciple Nations and baptize them Providence hath happily ordered that Nations have been brought in and their Infants received to Baptisme In the Primitive times housholds were baptized without mention of exclusion of children in after-ages housholds have come in with their children Secondly It is yet objected Men must believe and be baptized Mark 16. 16. Repent and be baptized Acts 2. 39. Infants can neither beleeve nor repent therefore they may not be baptized and will it not as directly follow that when they can neither believe nor repent they must be damned let them frame an answer to the one and then they have answered both That which will speak for them to receive them into heaven notwithstanding those Scriptures that threaten condemnation to men in unbelief and impenitency will speak also to receive them into the Church by Baptisme Thirdly Some say Where is it said in so many words infants must be baptized Bring us those words we abhorre syllogismes and consequences To deale with them with their owne weapons Where is it said that Infants must not be baptized where are those words written if they care not for our consequences we shall not care for theirs They have answered Negatives cannot be proved To this we answer 1. Where is that said we finde it no where in Scripture that Negatives cannot be proved 2. Christ proved Negatives That himself was not a Spirit A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have Luke 24. 39. That God was not to be tempted Mat. 4. 7. 3. if Negatives cannot be proved then Negatives are not to be believed ours is an Affirmative which they yield may be proved theirs is a Negative which they say cannot be proved we then have the better of it there is hope of proof on our side theirs is desperate To help the Reader in a word for the necessity of consequences If those be fools that cannot gather consequences from Scripture to settle their faith upon them then much more those that deny them But such are fooles by our Saviours own testimony that cannot gather consequences from Scripture to settle their faith on them Luke 24. 25 26. O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entred into his glory Those were fools and dullards that did not beleeve from the Scriptures of the Prophets that Christ must suffer and enter unto glory But those words are no where in expresse words written It is alone by consequence from the Prophets words that we know them Somewhat I have spoken to those that reason in this sort lest they should be wise in their own conceit I will have no more to deal with them lest I be thought to be like them Fourthly There is a great flourish made by some as though Antiquity were against Infant-Baptisme and famous flourishing Churches never received it In which some have taken much pains but never did men travel in a businesse to lesse purpose as all may see that will take the pains to read what they have wrote and bring it home to that which lies upon their hand to prove which is that Infant-Baptisme is not ancient as is pretended that there were some ages of the Church in which it was not in use In all of which search of theirs and help that they have found from the greatest Antiquaries of the Socinian party no friends to the Baptism of infants they cannot finde one Writer of any kinde whatsoever or wheresoever from the day that John baptized in Jordan and in Aenon near Salom to this very year that hath said and left on record That there was no such custome as Infant-Baptism in his dayes and when so many have expressely affirmed that the original was from the Apostles and that no beginning of it in the Church can be found till some one appear in contradiction to assert the non-usage of it in his time let any indifferent Reader judge to what purpose all serves that can be said The primitive times had not musical instruments in their congregations they had not Altars Images they erected not Temples to Saints this we hear from Writers in their several Ages and in case they had not infant-Baptism when the Church of the Jewes had infant-circumcision and the ancient made Baptisme to succeed circumcision and never any one mention their non-usage of it or give any reason concerning it is above a wonder the prime argument to render this practice to be of lower standing than is pretended is the silence of some Authors of ancient who times in their workes as is said do not mention it as Ignatius Clemens Alexandrinus Athanasius Epiphanius and Eusebius if it had been known in their times why do they not once mention it To this much might be said 1. Every Writer doth not treat of all Subjects nor deal in all Arguments some have written in our age and infant-Baptism is not found in all their Writings shall after-ages infer upon their silence that infant-Baptisme was not used in our times 2. If some Writers do not mention it yet others in the same time or neer about speak fully to it 3. Master Marshal full proofs of it in several of the Authors that are said to be silent in it as Clemens Alexandrinus Athanasius and that in Epiphanius that doth necessarily imply it And those that minde farther satisfaction of his Objections drawn from the Questions put to the baptized and the delay of Baptisme by some they may finde it in his Answer and if he ingenuously confessed that he craved the help of some learned Antiquaries it speakes but little ingenuity in those that once and again upbraid him for it I have put to the adversaries seven Queries concerning the practice of antiquity about Infant-Baptiâ—me with some Observations also about it in my Answer of his Letter page 3. to the tenth which I thought might give some satisfaction to all that which hath been spoke to this thing but have received no answer It is said by one that the determination mentioned by Cyprian so farre as he can finde by search is the spring-head of infant-Baptisme which upon challenge made he thus explaines I did not deny that I found infant-Baptism practised before but that the determination of that Councel was the spring-head that is the first determined rule or Canon by force of which it hath since continued in a stream and this is true It seemes the River had runne some hundreds of years before the spring-head brake forth but not in such a channel as a determinate rule or Canon
to doubting Christians First A life in distrust of God and rebellion against God provoking him to the highest punishment of the parents doth not divest the child of the title to the covenant and interest in the Sacrament of initiation into the number of Christians For proof of this look upon that act of Joshua when the people were got out of the Wildernesse and were brought into the Land of Canaan Josh 5. 6 7. The children of Israel walked fourty yeers in the Wildernesse till all the people that were men of warre that came out of Egypt were consumed because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord And the children which he raised up in their stead them did Joshua circumcise for they were uncircumcised they had not circumcised them in the way you see what the fathers were yet the children Joshua ordered to be circumcised Concerning their conversation the parents were enemies but as touching the election the choice made of God the issue is to be numbred among the beloved Who had a worse father than Josiah yet where was there a better son A circumcised man who in youth began to seek the God of his father David 2 Chron. 34. 3. Secondly Misbelief in a parent divests not the issue of this birth-priviledge though the father erre in the faith yet the child is not to be shut out of the number of beleevers We have in this particular the Apostle for a precedent had misbelief in the parent denuded the childe of this priviledge Saint Paul had not beene a Jew by nature but an Heretick or Sectary by nature being before conversion a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee Scribe was a name of office but Pharisee the name of a Sect and therefore Christ warns to beware of the leaven that is of the Doctrine of the Pharisees as of the Sadduces Such was Pauls parentage and yet by descent and off-spring he is of the people of the Jewes What we say of Pharisees is as true of Sadduces It is not to be doubted but they were circumcised persons and entitled their children according to the Directory in Scripture for circumcision as appears by their embodying of themselves with the people of the Jewes Matth. 22. 23. Acts 23. 6. The most strict of Pharisees took them into their society which they had not done had they not been men of the circumcision we see the accusation charged on Peter on this occasion Acts 11. 2 3. A man transmits not his errors nor his vices no more than he doth his graces Thirdly ignorance of needful truths in a parent doth not divest the childe of this priviledge Those were the people of God and therefore brought forth children to God that did perish for lack of knowledge Hosea 4. 6. that went into captivity for lack of knowledge Isa 5. A reverend brother giving his reasons why he is among his brethren singular in this point not baptizing all born in his Parish one maine one is the grosse ignorance among them and that as he sayes not in Cumberland and those parts but in Essex such that if he should print his Reader would scaree beleeve it were possible to be true To which I only say I wish that our own experience in the places where we live did give us occasion of suspition that any wrong is done them Therefore to let the truth passe unquestioned I would only wish him to consider whether there might not have been found the like in Corinth that Church of the Saints 1 Cor. 15. 34. Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Whether there he might not have found the like among the illuminated Hebrews were not there those that were dull of hearing that when for the time they ought to be teachers they had need that one teach them againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meat yet these were of the Church and therefore with them their children Fourthly illegitimation of birth adulterous copulation in the parents divesteth not such issue of this priviledge David had never in that manner sought in fasting and prayer his childes life had he believed that he must not have been of the seed of the Jews but of the uncircumcised Heathen Pharez was of such a birth yet who bore a greater name and glory in Israel than he and his family even where the illegitimation of his birth is noted there the glory of his race is magnified which is yet farther honoured in that Christ according to the flesh was made of his seed That seed of Abraham per eminentiam was out of his loynes Jepthah indeed was driven out by his brethren but not because that he was not of the seed of the Jews and people of God but because they would not have him to share of the inheritance among them A Reverend Divine saith Objections an ∣ swered That some persons may be notorious offenders as known Atheists mockers of Religion Idolaters Papists Hereticks Witches and yet professe before men the faith seemes to him to imply a contradiction These I confesse are plausible words to take with well-meaning souls that attend not to the language of the Scripture in this particular And for the first if he meanes Atheists in judgement that professedly maintaine in word what Davids fool said in his heart that there is no God and by mockers of Religion not those alone that oppose the power but with Lucian all notion of Religion and by Idolaters those that professedly worship false gods and worship not at all the Lord Jehovah then it cannot be denied that this is a contradiction But Reverend Master Rutherford whom he opposeth in that place hath no such meaning But for an Atheist in life to be a professour of the faith we have Paul expressely for it Titus 1. 16. They professe that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate The Apostle we see saw no contradiction in it and for mockers of Religion Peter did not foretell them to be out of the Church but within the bosome of it when he said There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3 3. For Idolaters if an Israelite might be an Idolater then a Christian How high were those in Idolatry mentioned Psal 106. 36 37 38 39 and yet in covenant ver 45. For the Church of Corinth the Apostle is plaine A brother may be an Idolater 1 Cor. 5. 11. It is within the Church and not without where men escape death by plagues yet repent not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of gold and silver and brasse and stone and of wood which neither can see nor heare nor walke Rev 9. 20. For Papists I marvel how they are distinguished from Idolaters and Hereticks for Hereticks as false Prophets were
aliter reprobationem sequitur peccatum non ut causam efficientem sed deficientem non quâ removetur quod adest sed non admovetur quod sustentaret a Tenendum est non de privata cujusque electione nunc tractari sed de communi adoptione totius gentis quae in externa specie collapsa videri potui ad tempus b Contendit Paulus firmum immutabile stare Dei consilium quo semel sibi illos in gentem peculiarem eligere dignatus est c Argumentum Apostoli ad probandam constantiam dilectionis Dei erga suam gentem d Videtur ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donorum vocationis Dei non sequi illa quam nos statumus gratiae salutis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Quia fatcute Calvino martyre dictum Apostoli non de singulari cujusque electione sed de totius gentis Judaicae communi adoptione accipiendum sit Atqui hac communis adoptio vocatio gentis fuit mutabilis quoniam gens Judaica donis vocatione illâ— excidit Ad corruptelas Stapletoni facilè respondetur 1. Non negatur de communi gentis Judaicae â—oc est foederali dignitate propriâ— loqui hanc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deo pronunâ—iare Apostolum sed negatur hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulorum non confici Imò a minori ad majus firmissimè concluditur Si enim de gratia communi quidem aliena Apostolus rectè pronunciat esse Deo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quanto magis de gratia propria fideles idem statuere debent f Sic illis jam solenne est partem unam veritatis assumere câque abuti ad alteram vel evertendam vel dimovendam g Per electionem intelligit Apostolus primo externam foederis gratiam qui Deus hanc geâ—tem sibi delegerit deinde ipsam aeternae dilectionis gratiam quam in â—ac gente quasi deposuerat Deus Nâ—m adoptando cos in foedus testatum fecit se ex ea gente plurimos habere semper habiturum esse electos ad sâ—lutem h Quia Deus patres dilexit etiam ad filios dilectionem suam extendit si enim inter homines amicitiae parentum merito transeunt ad liberos Qui ni Deui idem facerâ—t The Series of the Apostles dispute opened The Corinthians Quaere The Corinthians scruples Explicatory Positions The ground or rise of the Corinthians scruples Two heterodoxical interpretations of the words holy unclean The first interpretation setting up parent and childe too high examined The second interpretation laying parent and childe too low 1. Weak and childish 2. Incongruous 3. Untrue Arguments evincing the holinesse in the Text not to be legitimation The sanctificatâ—on spoken to is not of parents in general but of one parent beleeving and another unbeleeving in particular The Apostle brings not formal arguments to conclude the lawfulness of marriage-society but removes scruples concerning their oâ—n state and their issue A vindication of instrumental sanctification The Text Analysed The argumen deduced from it Gal. 4. 29. The whole narrative analysed Upon what account these infants were tendered to Christ Why they were forbidden by the Disciples Positions rending to clear Christ admission of them Covenant-interest is of the nature of those things that descend from parent to child Like priviledges do descend in Kingdomes Common-weales Cities c. Sol. a Hinc Calvinus Beza suum dogma de traduce justitia hauserunt docéntque fidelium fiâ—ios propriè esse sanctos sine Baptisme salvari quia hoc ipso quo fidelium sunt filii censentur esse in Ecclesia nati juxta foedus divinum Ero Deus tuus seminis tui Ge. 17. 7. Quemadmodum jure civili censentur liberi qui ex altero parentè libero nascuntur sed errant b Foederis inter Deum Abraham initi participes sint sive Judaei ab eo carnaliter oriundi sive Christianorum parentum liberi carnalis generatio nihil facit c Ad nos descendit non per carnalem generationem parentum sed per spiritualem regenerationem Christi Sol. Sol. Sol. Birth-interest descends in all other Religions God ownes childreâ— borne in the Church as his servants and as his children Parent and childe respective to Church-interest are not in an opposite condition No president in Scripture of a believing Parent bringing up a childe for covenant and not in covenant Infants out of covenant according to Scripture-grounds are without hope of salvation Jesuites our leading adversaries confesse it Protestant Divines cannot avoid it Our present adversaries instead of reasons oppose onely comers against it Objections against Infants Baptism answered The Question stated whether there be any institution of Infant-Baptism Infants are within the verge of the institution of Baptisme Infans are Disciples The invalidity of that objection that we have no example of Infant-Baptisme examined Infants want of faith and repentance no impediments of their Baptisme The want of those expresse words Infants ought to be baptized is no impediment of their Baptisme Necessity of Scripture consequence Antiquity is for Infant-Baptisme Infant Baptism is not bestowed on unwritten tradition The various acception of the word Tradition (a) Distinguendum inter resquae traduntur in Ecclesia rationem earum tradendarum b Quadam sunt dicuntur in Scripturis quaedam vero sunt in Scripaturis tametsi non dicuntur Nâ—zianzen lib 5. de Theol. c Non quaeritur antotidem verbis omnia necessaria in Scripturis continentur sed vel sententia expressa vel per necessariam consequentiam inde colligenda Infant-baptism cannot be charged with will-worship Extremes are dangerous The Jewes leaving idolatry run upon Sacriledge Separation for God of persons or of inanimate or unreasonable creatures Whether Sacriledge be any New Testament sin Separation for God either by institution or approbation Places for worship and maintenance of those that attend upon worship separate by divine approbation Positious concerning places Negative Positive Ministry maintenance asserted 1. What conscientiously is due 2. What is legally due Quae sententia tantum secum in vexit jam errorum schismatum agmen ut nihil de ullis superiorum temporum Hae reticis legatur tam insanum quod non fuerit reductum proximo quadriennio subsque rursum sectatores invenerit ut vel unum hoc pietatis studiosis radicem hanc suspectam meritò reddere debuerit ex qua tam in fausta germina suppulularunt a Arguments evincing the right of Christians in this latitude Amplification of this position a Aliquando filiis infidelium praestatur baec gratia ut baptizentur cúm occultâ Dei providentiâ in manus piorum quomodocunque proveniunt a Si Parens carens verâ fide cam tamen profiteatur in externo Eclesiae coetupro fideli habeatur aut olim habitus fuerit sub veteri Testamento infantes ex talibus nascentes erant foederati promissionis participes quia etiam promissio acceptata fluerit à parentibus majoribus in gratiam nasciturae posteritatis cui non praejudicat immediati Parentis incredulitas aut hypocrisis quamdiu infans incredulitatem hypocrisin Parentis imitari non potest Rivet in Gen. Cap. 17. Exercit. 88. Covenant of Church-members either explicite or implicite The Apostles and primitive Christians knew no explicite Church-Covenant Mr. Firmins reasons and his replies to them 1. 2 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The interest of infants of excommunicate persons in Baptisme a Haec enim excommunicatio nou est iustar veneni quod hosti datur ad exitium sed medicina quae fratri datur ad salutem Arguments to carry the question in the negative answer 1. All possible engagements and obligations to holinesse Parents must see that their childrens breeding do answer their birth The danger of persecution Consolation 1. To Nations thus honoured 2. To single persons 1. Respective to themselves 2. Respective to their posterity Doct. 2.
in it A Scholar saith Mr. Hudson that is admitted into a School is not admitted because he is doctus but ut sit doctus and if he will submit to the rules of the Schoole and apply himself to learne it is enough for his admission The like may be said of the Church-visible which is Christs School Vindicat. pag. 248. The door of the visible Church saith Master Baxter Saints Rest Part. 4. Sect. 3. is incomparably wider then the door of heaven and Christ is so tender so bountiful and forward to convey his grace and the Gospel so free an offer and invitation to all that surely Christ will keep no man off if they will come quite over in spirit to Christ they shall be welcome if they will come but onely to a visible profession he will not deny them admittance This seems to me to speak the mind of Jesus Christ for their admittance and that in foro Dei as well as in foro Ecclesiae they stand in covenant-relation and have title to Church-membership Thus the Reader may see my thoughts in this thing and though I doubt not but that some will question much that I have said yet now at last I hope my meaning may be understood CHAP. VII The Covenant of Grace calls for Conditions from Man A Third Proposition which I shall here lay down is that Gods covenant with man hath its restipulation from man when God engages to man to conferre happinesse upon him he requires conditions from him This I know hath strong opposition by men of two sorts and they of different stamps and for different ends The first deny all Gospel-conditions all covenant-termes on mans part to the end they may assert justification before and without Faith Salvation without Repentance and Obedience which though it be contradicted by abundant testimonies of Scripture placing unbeleeving impenitent and disobedient ones in hell under the wrath of God yea such unbeleeving impenitent ones that have laid highest claime to Christ Matth. 7. 23. yet it seems wholly to follow and necessarily to be evinced from this absolute unconditionate covenant If Christ have wholly finished not only the work of mans redemption but also of his salvation upon the crosse without farther work of application as one in a distinct Treatise hath made it his endeavour to prove then we may as he there doth decry both our faith in Christ and Christs intercession for us Herein one of late according to his wonted weaknesse is very industrious and whereas the Scripture tells us Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3. 17. he would prove that Christ enters into us without us dwells in the unbeleeving and in reference to this opinion of his he makes it his businesse as to deny Faith in reference to Justification so all Gospel-covenant-conditions All other covenants besides this were saith he upon a stipulation and the promise was altogether upon conditions on both sides But in this covenant of Grace viz. the new covenant it is far otherwise there is not any condition in this covenant I say the new covenant is without any condition whatsoever And he further tells his hearers that he is on a nice point Faith is not the condition of the covenant Others utterly distasting the aforenamed opinions of Justification without faith or salvation without obedience or repentance which seeme to be the natural issue and necessary consequents of an unconditional covenant yet with great resolution do affirme the covenant to be without conditions joyning in the premisses with these heterodox teachers but peremptorily denying the conclusion Against both of these that oppose it either more desperately or more innocently I affirm and might quote a cloud of witnesses that the covenant of grace hath its conditions which to me is clear First by the definition of a covenant given in by the Authour before named a few pages before his assertion before mentioned It is a mutual agreement between parties upon certaine Articles or Propositions on both sides so that each party is bound and tyed to perform his own conditions It is in the definition and of the essence of a covenant in general according to him to have conditions yet this covenant in particular with him is without condition Here is a species that partakes not of the nature of the genus a particular covenant that wants the essence of a covenant which is the same as though he should finde us a man that is no living creature a Vine or Fig-tree that is no plant a piece of scarlet of no colour such a thing is this unconditional covenant If the essence of a covenant require it then this covenant is not without it Secondly by the expresse Texts of Scripture which lay down conditions of the covenant either in expresse words or those that of necessity imply a condition See John 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death Who sees not there First a Priviledge granted by way of covenant Secondly the condition on which it is to be obtained John 8. 24. If ye beleeve not that I am he ye shall die in your sinnes Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end Who knows not If to be a conditional particle All pardon and justification if Scripture may be heard is suspended on mens not beleeving John 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Mar. 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and he that beleeveth not shall be damned Thirdly by Analogy with the covenant of Works entred of God with Adam in innocency Gen. 2. 17. This on all hands that I know is granted to have been conditional and who sees not in the Texts mentioned conditions as expresse in the Gospel as not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and euil to man in Paradise either both or neither must be conditional Fourthly from the nature of conditions in covenants A condition in a covenant is somewhat agreed upon by the Parties in covenant upon performance of which the benefit of the covenant is obtained and upon the failing of it the whole benefit is lost and the penalty whatsoever it is incurred In covenants between equals either indent and article what those conditions shall be upon defaylance of which the benefit is lost and the penalty incurred In covenants between superiour and inferiour the superiour doth prescribe and the inferiour doth yeeld In all covenants there are such conditions that upon performance or failing of them the covenant doth stand or fall such there are in the Gospel-covenant There we are enjoyned to believe and repent upon obedience to and performance of these we reap the benefit of the covenant Upon failing in them the benefit is lost and the penalty incurred He that
love in a graciously disposed soul cleaves to Christ for communion but receives him not for justification These two stand as relatives there is no soul entituled to this righteousnesse but by faith and faith is it that entitles to it the beleeving soul hath interest in it Therefore justification in Scripture is ascribed to faith and denied to works when neither faith nor works can beare us out of themselves before the tribunal of God but faith takes hold and the soul by faith rests on this righteousnesse of grace which the Gospel tenders It is true that faith receives the Spirit as well as it receives the blood of Christ Joh. 7. 39. Gal. 3. 14. But this is for another use for the work of sanctification inherent not justification by righteousnesse imputed And it is also true that faith accepts Christ as a Lord as well as a Saviour But it is the acceptation of him as a Saviour not as a Lord that justifies Christ rules his people as a King teacheth them as a Prophet but makes atonement for them onely as a Priest by giving himself in sacrifice his blood for remission of sins These must be distinguished but not divided Faith hath an eye at all the blood of Christ the command of Christ the Doctrine of Christ but as it eyes and fastens on his blood so it justifies He is set out a propitiation through faith in his blood Romans 3. 24. not through faith in his command It is the blood of Christ that cleanseth all sin and not the Sovereignty of Christ These confusions of the distinct parts of Christs Mediatourship and the several offices of faith may not be suffered Scripture assignes each its particular place and work Sovereignty doth not cleanse us nor doth blood command us faith in his blood not faith yeelding to his Sovereignty doth justifie us There are several acts or fruits of justifying faith Heb. 11. But all are not justifying It is not Abrahams obedience Moses self-denial Gideon or Sampsons valour that was their justification but his blood in which faith alone gives interest who did enable them in these duties by his Spirit Paul went in these duties as high as they living in more clear light and under more abundant grace I doubt not but he out-topt them and yet he was not thereby justified as 1 Cor. 4. 4. James indeed saith that Abraham was justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son on the Altar James 2. 21. But either there we must understand a working faith with Piscator Paraeus Pemble and others and confesse that Paul and James handle two distinct questions The one whether faith alone justifies without works which he concludes in the affirmative The other what faith justifies whether a working faith onely and not a faith that is dead and idle or else I know not how to make sense of the Apostle who streight inferres from Abrahams justification by the offer of his sonne And the Scripture was fulfilled that saith Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse How otherwise do these accord He was justified by works and the Scripture was fulfilled that saith he was justified by faith Neither can I reconcile what he saith if this be denied with the whole current of the Gospel The Rhemists indeed understand those texts of the Apostle where he excludes works from justification to be meant of mans moral works done before faith and conversion The works of the Law done without Christ Annot. in Rom. 3. 20 28. As though the Law did not command those duties unto which Christ through faith strengthens a Christian converted by grace And when the Apostle concludes the impossibility of being justified by the works of the Law his meaning should be unlesse grace assist the Law that it may justifie This could not be the Apostle calls it a righteousnesse of God without the Law not a righteousnesse of the Law with addition of strength from the Gospel All works before or after conversion inherent in us or wrought by us are excluded from justification See Ravanellus in verbum Justificatio Num. 3. page 867. This justification wrought freely by grace through faith Rom. 3. 24. is no way consistent with justification by works And what the Apostle speaks of election we may well apply to justification the same medium equally proves the truth of both If by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise works were no more works Rom 11. 6. And these things considered I am truly sorry that faith should now be denied to have the office or place of an instrument in our justification nay scarce allowed to be called the instrument of receiving Christ that justifies us because the act of faith which is that which justifies us is our actual receiving Christ and therefore cannot be the instrument of receiving This is too subtile a notion we use to speak otherwise of Faith Faith is the eye of the soul whereby we see Christ and the eye is not sight Faith is the hand of the soul whereby it receives Christ and the hand is not receiving And Scripture speaks otherwise We receive remission of sinnes by Faith and an inheritance among them that are sanctified is received by Faith Acts 18. 26. Why else is this righteousnesse sometimes called the righteousnesse of Faith and sometimes the righteousnesse of God which is by Faith but that it is a righteousnesse which Faith receives Christ dwells in us by Faith Ephes 3. 17. By Faith we take him in and give him entertaintment We receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3. 14. These Scriptures speak of Faith as the souls instrument to receive Christ Jesus to receive the Spirit from Christ Jesus The instrumentality of it in the work of justification is denied because the nature of an instrument as considered in Physical operations doth not exactly belong to it which if it must be alwayes rigidly followed will often put us to a stand in the assignation of causes of any kind in Moral actions The material and formal causes in justification are scarce agreed upon and no marvel then in case men mind to contend about it that some question is raised about the instrument But in case we shall consider the nature and kinde of this work about which Faith is implied and examine the reason and ground upon which Faith is disabled from the office of an instrument in our justification and withall look into that which is brought in as an instrument in this work in the stead of it I do not doubt but it will easily appear that those Divines that with a concurrent judgment without almost a dissenting voice have made Faith an instrument in this work speak most aptly and most agreeably to the nature of an instrument The work about which Faith is implied is not an absolute but a relative
work a work of God towards man not without the actual concurrence of man such in which neither God nor man are sole efficients nor any act of God or man can be sole instruments but there must be a mutual concurrence of both This must needs be granted unlesse we will bring in Doctor Crispes passive recipiency of Christ Christs abode in man without man in spight of man and suppose him to be justified in unbelief And hereupon faith is disabled from this office in justification by this argument If Faith be an instrument it is the instrument of God or man 1. Not of man for man is not the principal efficient he doth not justifie himself 2. Not of God For 1 It is not God that beleeveth though it is true God is the first cause of all actions 2. Man is the causa secunda between God and the action and so still man should be said to justifie himself 3. For as Aquinas the action of the principal cause and of the instrument is one action and who dare say that faith is so Gods instrument 4. The instrument must have an influx to the producing of the effect of the principal cause by a proper causality who dare say that faith hath such an influx into our justification I answer It is the instrument of man and though man do not justifie himself yet he concurres as a willing ready agent with God in it God is a justifier of those that beleeve in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. God hath set Christ forth a propitiation through faith Rom. 3. 25. It is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith Rom. 3. 30. And because it is the instrument of man in a work of this nature it is also an instrument of God As some have observed a communication of Titles between Christ and his Church the Church being called by his Name so there is a communication of actions in these relative works Christ dwells in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. We believe and not Christ and yet faith there is Christs instrument whereby he takes up his abode God purifies the hearts of the Gentiles by faith Acts 15. 17. They beleeved and not God yet faith is Gods instrument in the work of their purification so on the other side the Spirit is Gods work yet we by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. Man neither justifies nor sanctifies himself yet by faith he is raised to close with God in both and so Faith as an instrument receives righteousness to justification and therefore is called the righteousness of faith which is our justification and works sanctification provided you understand not the first work which is properly regeneration and precedent to faith but the farther progresse and increase of it The Spirit working faith faith takes in a larger measure of the Spirit John 7. 37. He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this he spake of the Spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive The Spirit will do nothing without our faith and our faith can do nothing without the Spirit Man cannot justifie himselfe by beleeving without God and God will not justifie an unbeleeving man Faith then is the act of man man beleeves yet the instrument of God that justifies onely beleevers so that what is here spoken by way of exception against faith as an instrument holds of efficients and instruments sole and absolute in their work and causality But where there is a concurrence of agents and one makes use of the act of another to produce the effect that in such causality is wrought it will not hold The promise or grant of the new Covenant in the Gospel is insted of faith made the instrument in the work of justification This is indeed Gods and not mans It is the covenant of God the Promise of God the Gospel of God but of it self unable to raise man up to justification It is often tendred and justification not always wrought so disabled from the office of an instrument by Keâ—ker in his Com upon his first Canon concerning an instrument Assoon as the instrument servs not the principal agent so soon it loses the nature of an instrument He instanceth in an horse that obeys not the reins of his rider but grows refractory then he ceaseth to be an instrument for travel A sword is not an instrument of slaughter where it slays not nor an axe an instrument to hew where it cuts not neither is the Gospel an instrument of justification where it justifies not without our faith it never justifies Where the Minister is a Minister of condemnation the savour of death to death there the Gospel becomes an instrument of condemnation and of death The efficacy that is in the Gospel for justification it receives by their faith to whom it is tendred Heb. 4. 2. Vnto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it 1 Thes 2. 2 13. You received not the Word of God which you heard of us as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeve So that the Gospel in it self considered is wanting in that honour assigned to an instrument to have influx to the producing of the effect of the principal cause by a proper causality If none dare say faith hath such an influx they may much lesse say that the Word hath such an influx The Gospel is an outward instrument saith Ravanellus Faith an inward They both making up one instrument full and compleat yet Faith is more aptly and fitly called an instrument Seeing that faith gives efficacy as an instrument to the Word the Word may be without Faith and so no instrument at all but Faith always presupposeth the Word of Promise is not without its object Therefore to wind up this whole dispute in which I have studied to be brief though I fear some will think I have been too tedious Seeing that those that make Faith the instrument in justification make the Gospel an instrument likewise and dare not go about to strip it of its honour I hope that they that make the Gospel an instrument will acknowledge Faith to be an instrument in like manner being in their efficacy as instruments so inseparably joyned and so all the controversie may be fairely ended and concluded CHAP. XXII Objections against the conditionality of Faith answered AGAINST this which hath been said it is objected by one that Vnbelief is not a barre hindring one Objections from having part in Christ God bestowes Christ without any regard to our belief or unbelief Which words how high soever against the Gospel yet he undertakes to salve with a distinction There is a twofold receiving of Christ saith
change out of it and they instance in our conceptions of and resolutions about things Kekâ—rman p. 107. A transient act is not terminated within the subject but hath its effect and is terminated upon some other object Now if by way of analogy we may apply these to God for we otherwise can reach none of his actions it is easie to conclude that justification of a sinner is a transient and no immanent act It works man from a state of wrath to a state of friendship and love of a vessel of wrath brings man into favour and esteeme which though it work no Physical change in man yet the whole effect is terminated in him That act of Pharaoh had as real an effect upon Joseph and was terminated in him in his advancement out of prison for rule in Egypt as though a Physician in case of sicknesse had wrought a cure upon him Though I were not able to hold it our that justification were a transient act but according to our conception of the actions of man it should rather appear to be an action immanent in God so in him that it had no effect out of him yet I must follow the Scriptures that make justification an act in time not from eternity Paul having mentioned a state of sinne under which the Corinthians were saith such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified 1. Corinth 6. 11. Once they were not but now they are in a state of justification It hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which it is acted a season in which it is vouchsafed It is affixed to faith Acts 13. 38. Now faith is not from eternity it comes by hearing A Ministery is continually employed for reconciliation and pardon of sinne 1 Cor. 5. 19. John 20. Which were in vain if justification were as election from before the foundation of the world They work them not to election but only call upon them to make their calling and election sure There are seniors and juniors in this priviledge one obtains it before another Andronicus and Jâ—nia were in Christ before the Apostle Rom. 16. 7. These evident proofs would take with my faith above a thousand such subtilties But herein the Schools in their application of these acts to God speak according as to the point in hand to the minde of Scriptures Fourthly Object It is farther objected that Christ is the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world His death hath been of efficacy in the Church through all ages And he bore our sinnes in his body 1 Pet. 2. 24. All our sinnes did meet in him Isa 53. 6. and therefore from the beginning we were justified I answer Answ it profited all those and only those in each age to whom it was revealed and by whom it was applied and not those that have no interest in him Over and above the Decree of God for mans salvation there was a necessity of the death of Christ for our redemption which Christ in the fulnesse of time paid on the Crosse And over and above the death of Christ there is a like necessary of the application of it to our soules for life The work of redemption was finished on the Crosse when Christ triumphed over principalities and powers But much of the work of our salvation was behinde Election did not overthrow Christs redemption but did establish it Redemption doth not overthrow our application but doth establish it likewise There is a farther work of Christs to be done his intercession in heaven being one part of his Priest-hood which he is gone to discharge as the High Priest into the holiest of holies A farther work to be done by man through believing Not to have interest in Christs death is all one as though he had not died He that beleeves in him shall not perish See Baxter of Justification Aphorisme 15. Davenant de morte Christi cap. 5. p. 58 c. Lastly it is said by another If Faith be a condition of the Covenant of Grace Object then it can be no instrument of our justification If it be a condition in this Covenant it justifies as a condition and then it cannot justifie as an instrument and so I pul down what I build and run upon contradictions I answer Answ I should rather judge on the contrary that because it is a condition of the covenant in the way as it is before exprest that it is therefore an instrument in our justification God tenders the gift of righteousnesse to be received by Faith He covenants for this Faith for acceptation of this righteousnesse By beleeving then we keep covenant and receive Christ for justification We as well do what God requires as receive what he tenders We do our duty and take Gods gift and thereby keep covenant and receive life and so Faith is both a condition and an instrument Here I might by way of just corollary infer that a justified man reconciled to God in Christ is a man fitted for every duty unto which God calls which he is pleased to require Faith is his justification the instrumental work of his reconciliation to God and all things are possible to him that beleeveth Mark 9. 23. There is not a duty commanded but a beleeving man through Christ is strengthned for it The Word works effectually in thâ—se that believe as 1 Thes 2. 13. We see the great works that were atchieved by those of ancient time both in doing and suffering Heb. 11. and all of those are ascribed to Faith what Christ can do as in reference to duty that they can do to acceptation They can do all things through Christ that strengthens them Phil. 4. 13. Christ overcomes the world John 16 33. And this is their victory whereby they overcome the world 1 John 5. 4. Christ treads down Satan Rom. 16 20. And they resist him strong in the Faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. A man of Faith is for universal obedience He is a man for dependance on God for the fruition of all promises A word from God is enough for Faith He knows how to rest upon him for the good things of the earth he is above anxious thoughts what he should eate what he should drink or wherewith he should he clothed knowing that godlinesse hath the promise of this life 1 Tim. 4. 8. and therefore Though the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no heard in the stalls yet he will rejoyce in the Lord he will joy in the God of his salvation Hab 3. 17 18. he knows how to rest upon him for spiritual priviledges for adoption of sonnes for evelasting salvation He rests upon this that he that liveth and beleeveth in Christ shall not die for ever He knows how to manage all states and conditions he knows how to
be full and how to be hungry he can beare prosperity and not be puffed up He can be under adversity and not be cast down In the worst of times the just lives by faith Hab. 2. 4. He can make use of every Ordinance for his spiritual advantage The word preach is for his benefit Being mixt with faith when he receives it Heb. 4 2. He knows how to improve the Sacraments for his spiritual growth those seales of the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. Abel by Faith exceeded Cain in sacrifices Heb. 11. 4. and so do these exceed all unbeleevers in their performances All of these might be farther and more fully enlarged but that it is done at large by better hands Master Ward in his Life of Faith Master Culverwel especially Master Ball in his elaborate treatise on that subject CHAP. XXIII Repentance is a condition of the Covenant of grace THe condition immediately serviceable for mans reconciliation to God we have seen that which respects his reparation in his qualifications to hold up communion with God follows which is Repentance The end of Christs coming in the flesh being to save sinners He saves them not in their sins but from their sins and therefore calls them to repentance and engages all to it that he receives into covenant As God will have a self-outed and beleeving people So he will have an humble and an holy people So John Baptist the forerunner of the Mediatour began his Ministery Repent giving in this as his reason The Kingdome of heaven is at hand that is a New Testament-state in which the covenant of Grace was to be opened and the glorious priviledges of it made manifest Matth. 3. 2. With the self-same words Jesus the Mediatour of the covenant begins his Ministery Matth. 4. 12 17. verses compared From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand To this he resolves to engage those that he receives So it was with the twelve that were men employed to bring Nations into covenant They thus began their Ministery Mark 6. 12. They went out and preached that men should repent Neither let any make these two Faith and Repentance or Faith and Obedience which is comprised under Repentance one and the same and old project to introduce justification by works The Scriptures evidently distinguish them Paul makes them two distinct heads in the Ministery when he preached either to the Jews or Gentiles Acts 20. 21. Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ They are two distinct heads of Catechisme in the Apostles times Repentance from dead works and Faith towards God Heb. 6. Repent ye and beleeve the Gospel Mark 1. 15. There are those acts in Scripture attributed to Faith that will by no means be ascribed to love or obedience as the taking in of the priviledges before mentioned If Faith work by love as the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. 6. And love be the end of the commandment out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. then faith is a distinct thing from love If by Faith the Worthies of old wrought righteousnesse then righteousnesse may be distinguished from it Heb. 11. 33. As Faith and Hope make two Graces so Love a third 1 Cor. 13. 13. It is not the Gospel way to confound them together They must not be divided but they are to be distinguished In this of repentance which is a Gospel-grace and condition of the covenant we may observe First A necessary pre-requisite to it Secondly The essential parts of it A necessary pre-requisite to this of repentance as to the other of Faith is Conviction Compunction Remorse Unto which the name of repentance is often given though it be of farre more narrow comprehension than the whole work yea it reacheth not unto any thing which is of the essence of it Called repentance as some say by a Synechdoche the part for the whole but I rather take it to be a Metonimy Sorrow is rather an adjunct than a part of it yet such an adjunct that still accompanies it and makes way for it as the needle as the Ancients use to expresse it enters the cloth not to stay but to let in the thread An Officer enters an house to throw out one inhabitant and to let in another but not to stay himself It hath its name from paine grief or trouble which affects the soul for sin which must needs follow when once we look upon it with shame and wearisomnesse Who can imagine a man to have his eyes opened to see that through his whole life he hath risen up in hostility and opposition against God hath taken off that stamp which God in creation put upon him run his soul upon everlasting hazard and all of this without sense of shame fear or trouble Who can imagine that the soul can leave so ugly a path as that of sin formerly so pleasant and desired without any grief or trouble of minde that he hath so long held it Or that any will make out for help in a Saviour till they see themselves through sinne in a lost and undone condition I speak not of infants who neither act faith nor repentance but of those of growth whom God works for himself by his Ministers As they have their call by the Word So the Word hath its efficacy in some measure of soul-shaking by the Lawes discovery by which is the knowledge of sinne as Rom. 3. 20. Evangelical allurements on which by some the whole of the work is laid can never I suppose work on the soule without Law-convictions If these Gospel allurements draw to Christ they must draw from sinne and how shall any be drawn from what he does not know nor ever understood either to be evil or dangerous It is with me no lesse a Paradox that a man may be drawn from sin without the discovery of the Law as to be drawn to Christ without the light of the Gospel And to say the Gospel discovers sin as well as the Law taking the Gospel in opposition to the moral precepts as here it must be taken is the greatest absurdity Exem gr If it be questioned whether to take up armes be a sin whether to fight a duel be a sinne whether usury be sin or to marry within the Levitical degrees forbidden be sin shall I determine this out of a Gospel-promise That Jesus Christ came to save sinners That the blood of Christ takes away all sin That in him all that beleeve are justified A thousand of these will contribute nothing to the expediting of these or like questions or the conviction of any under guilt The work must be brought to the rule the action to the line for discovery Upon the Laws convictions there may follow Gospel-aggravations But conviction is the work of the Law as an instrument of the
and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13. 17. These were not to be reviled railed upon but reverenced honoured and obeyed and an Order not in being is not to be thus honoured Sixthly it appeares by the Ordinance of the Lord Jesus for their liveli-hood and subsistence 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. Do ye not know that they which Minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Here we finde three things implied 1. That there was a particular order of men in the time of the Law separated by God for the Ministerial work and designed by his especial appointment for that businesse 2. That there is a proportionable Ordinance of Christ in Gospel-times of select men for that businesse 3. That maintenance by Gods appointment was designed as for one so for both in their respective times and succession Seventhly It is farther cleared by that hand of Providence that hath answerably provided in all ages men for this work in a constant succession No age since the Apostles have wanted them I say not that there was a Ministery in every age in equal purity and lustre yet all ages held up that order and Papacy when the Minstery was laid most low found out those that were faithful to Christ Iesus Some set Providence so high that they make it a rule of life as well as Scriptures Me thinks it may be confest that it gives some light to doubtful Scriptures The analogy of faith being held firme somewhat may be gathered from it To give instance in those Scriptures which seeme to beare witnesse of a glorious call of the Iewes which most receive and some question God so ordering by providence that in the revolution of so many ages they still continue a distinct people separate from others not joyning in their worship but retaining still their own and keeping up the Scriptures of the Old Testament when no such thing can be said of any captivated dispersed people it seemes to speak that they wait for and as it were expect when the vaile may be taken off that they may returne to the Lord. But here providence seconding such clear Texts of Scripture such that leave not a doubt behinde them unlesse men shut their eyes against the Sunne may sure be acknowledged to be an additional demonstration For reasons of the necessity of such an established Ministery to be continued in constituted Churches 1. The Church of God is to continue and have its abode through all ages of the world as long as a world is to continue so long a Church is to continue in which God may have glory by Christ Jesus Ephes 3. 21. and therefore compared to a mountaine as for eminence so for continuance Psalme 125. 1. to an house built by Christ himself on a rock against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile Now a Ministery and a Church cannot be separated It is of the integrality if not of the essence of it A Church setled by a Ministery may continue being for some time though in much imperfection without a Ministery but will soon be without being This is confest of all that would hold up a Church in being whether Episcopal Independent or Presbyterial They that would level a Ministery which is the work of many would level all Churches upon earth also They would drive God from off the earth and lay his glory in the dust 2. There must be intercourse between God and his people between earth and heaven in all ages It shall at no time be truly said with those Apostates Ezek. 8. 12. The Lord hath forsaken the earth Now there must be men designed Embassadours appointed to carry on this work As the Priests in the Law were ordained for men in things appertaining to God as Heb. 5. 1. So the Ministers of the Gospel have a parallel institution in succession 1 Cor. 9. 14. God in no age carries it on in an immediate way and manner 3. Take away this Ordinance of a Ministerial function and all spiritual miseries to an utter confused Chaos will presently and necessarily follow First Ignorance all spiritual darknesse and blindnesse As the setting of the Sunne brings darknesse upon the Horizon so the absence of a Ministery brings darknesse upon the Church They are the light of the world Matth. 5. 14. John Baptist was a burning light John 5. 35. Paul was sent to bring a people from darknesse to light as Acts 26. 18. Their Ministery is called a Vision without them men are without light It is the highest of contradictions to cry up light and cry down a Ministerial function Secondly Wickednesse this follows from the former If a man walk in the night he stumbleth saith our Saviour because there is no light in him John 11. 10. An ignorant man cannot be above a wicked man Ephes 4. 18. Alienated from the life of God by reason of their ignorance that is in them As that Prodigal which the wise man brings in complaining that he had not obeyed the voice of his Teachers was almost in all the evil in the midst of the Assembly Prov 5. 12. So they may say that want Teachers Blinde places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty Psal 74. 20. Thirdly Errour Heresie Blasphemy This is evident 1. In Reason Men that want a guide must needs go astray Sheep without a Shepherd cannot long hold their walk The Apostle knew that after his departure ravening wolves would arise not sparing the flock Acts 20 29. What a Wolf is to the flock that a seducer is to the Church These waited the opportunity of the Apostles absence Smite the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered when there is no shepherd in Israel every man does that which is right in his own eyes as when there is no King in Israel 2. By Experience What grosse opinions in worship did the Israelites entertaine in Moses his fourty days absence from them Let us go no further than our selves Since a Ministery in England was blasted and men made it their honour to revile and reproach it how fruitful have we been in those monsters from the lowest step of Semiseparation to the highest pitch of Rantisme which hath occasioned all those attestations to the truth of Christ Jesus against Errours Heresies and Blasphemies of this time from the Ministers of Christ in most parts of this Nation Jesus Christ leaving not himself without witnesse In which we may see lists of them unto trembling amazement But if we cannot see it at home let us heare of it from abroad from the penne of a Protestant Divine making observation of the state of the Church in England gives this sad and
righteousnesse be by the Law it is no more of Promise So that there is a necessity of distinguishing between the Law abstracted from the Promise the Promise of Christ I meane the Evangelical Promise and the Law including this Promise and writing of Christ Jesus so that the works of the Law considered in the bare mandatory part of it can save none If righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ is dead in vaine yet the righteousness witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 21 22. is our justification and brings salvation Rom. 3. 21 22. And no marvel that Moses and the Law delivered by Moses should be taken in Scripture in so different an acception when circumcision that leading ceremony of the Law is sometimes looked upon as a Priviledge as hath been shewed and a saving Ordinance Rom. 3. 1. Rom. 4. 11. And sometimes as a yoke A yoke that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear Acts 15. 10. yea as a deadly ceremony dividing and cutting off from Christ I Paul say unto you if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5. 2. So that the Law abstracted from Christ as the greater part of the Jews took it was a Ministry of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 9. It could never reach so high as salvation but including Christ it waâ— perfect and saves the soule Psal 19. 7. The Apostles thinks he can never sufficiently vilifie the ceremonial Fabrick looked upon as absolute of it self without farther relation We see what titles he gives those Ordinances Weak and beggarly elements Gal. 4. 9. Rudiments of this world Col. 2. 8. But being taken in their relative consideration as a School-master to Christ they are an attonement a sweet savour they are so called times without end The honour due to Christ who was an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. and by whom we receive the attonement Rom. 5. 11. without derogation from Christ is given to them not by way of opposition but subordination and not by mans device but Gods appointment not holding the soul from him but ministerially serviceable to lead to him CHAP. XXXIV The Old covenant was not made up of meer carnal and temporal Promises but contained New covenant-promises that were spiritual and saving THese Positions premised to clear our way in a farther progresse in this thing I should now look into those differences which several parties have not found but made between these covenants and to reckon up all which some have at least hinted and touched upon I should weary both my self and the Reader He that pleases may finde them numerously reckoned up by Master Ball in his Treatise of the Covenant page 94 95 96. with his general censure and dislike of the most of them though sparing a particular refutation which I also shall forbear So many of them as are differences indeed will fall in with those before delivered and the other will fall before that which hath and God willing may be spoken There are only foure of which I shall by Gods assistance take notice upon which much controversie depends The two former being injurious to the Old covenant laying it too low The two latter putting too great a limit to the New covenant in respect of its latitude and extent First The Old covenant under which the fathers lived and which circumcision sealed say some was a carnal covenant and contained only earthly promises the mercies of the land of Canaan such as were in this life to be enjoyed But the New covenant under which we live in Gospel-times and which Baptisme seales contains spiritual mercies and priviledges hath promises of everlasting salvation In the device of this difference Papists have led the way and Socinians and Anabaptists follow Bellar. 1. l. 1. De Baptismo cap. 4. saith and referres to what he had said before upon the question of the difference of the Sacraments of the Old and New covenant that the promise of God to Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed was not in the letter of it any promise of forgivenesse of sinnes but of special protection providence and worldly happinesse with whom Stapleton and Becan the Jesuits joyne hands as they are quoted by Chamier lib. 5. de Baptismo cap. 11. sec 11. though Vasquez one of their fraternity dissents And Master Blackwood in his Storme of Antichrists Garrison saith That these are two covenants essentially differing The first was carnal typical and shewing the difference between Baptisme and circumcision he saith circumcision signed a right to Canaan Baptism signes a right to the death and satisfaction of Christ page 32. This difference of the covenants however the reality of it will appeare in the Scriptures serves for severall interests 1. It is this high way to bring down all the honour and esteeme of Old Testament-Scriptures If the promises there mentioned be as those of the Turkish Alcoran sensual and carnal yea inferiour to them and determine with this life who can put such an estimate upon them especially having at hand by them in the New Covenant Promises lasting to eternity This doctrine hath produced those Atheistical jeers and blasphemies Old Testament-men Old Testament-spirits yea by inevitable consequence if it may stand it will bring the bane and ruine of New Testament-Scriptures along with it The Old and New Testament-Scriptures as couples in ancient buildings so answer one the other that neither can stand if either fall It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we seek in New Testament-Scriptures Now that is defined to be that which God before promised by his Prophets concerning his Son Christ Jesus Rom. 1. 2. In the promise of the Prophets then this must be found A righteousness of faith we there seek now this righteousnesse is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3. 21. They must then be heard witnessing Christ is the All that in the Gospel we look after he must be an Old Testament-Christ whom the Law and Prophets hold out to us or else he is not the Christ of God All the vilifying reproaches which are fastened on the Old Testament fall upon the head of the New Testament yea upon Christ Jesus 2. It wholly takes Infants out of all Covenant with God If that great Charter I will be thy God and the God of thy seed contain only carnal promises and those proper to that people it is determined and now no covenant for the seed remains Hence Papists and Antipaedobaptists have their respective advantages The Papists hence conclude Infants damnation dying before they are taken of God into covenant by Baptisme and Antipaedobaptists joyning with them in the premisses will they nill they they must be enforced to yield the Conclusion They may fret and storme about the charge of it and dip their pen as deep in gall
faith that they must receive them giving this reason for God hath received them Rom. 14. 1 3. we may apply to those that make profession of the faith being able to make application of his reason God takes them into communion unto visible fellowship we are not then to reject them Is the necessary qualification of a member of the visible Church universal one thing and the necessary of a member of this or that particular congregation another and may one be fit to be a member of the universal visible Church and yet not qualified to be a member of a particular congregation saith Master Wood Append. p. 169 170. If I should enlarge this to heathens brought to a profession of the faith and argue their right to baptisme upon profession and by baptisme their right to Church-fellowship in any visible Church-society I should finde the Scriptures abundantly to favour it Of so many thousands myriads of thousands of converts Acts 21. 20. which were added to the Church and received by baptisme baptized the same day for a great part sometimes as appears the very houre of their conversion there is not one that we reade refused but all received yea not a scruple raised save of one only as I remember which was Saul when he offered himself into Church-fellowship and that not upon this account that we are now upon but good Ananias fearing that he came not to joyne with them but to seise upon them knowing that at that time he had authority from the chief Priests to binde all that call on Christs name Acts 9. 14. If the competentes as they were stiled in the primitive times viz. men that offered themselves for Church-fellowship had then entred at so strait a door as now in some places they are put to passe where a glib tongue is in a farre fairer way to take than an upright heart we should have heard of no small bustle about it When we finde murmurings of Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration Acts 6. 1. we should sure have heard of it had they been neglected in Church-fellowship and communion But when no such thing can be found in the practice of the Church after the Holy Ghost was given which is called by way of eminence the Kingdom of Christ or the Kingdom of Heaven yet they think they finde exceptions taken and some refused by the forerunner of Christ John Baptist One laying down this Proposition That men seeking admission into the Church are not to be received without farther satisfaction gives instance in no other but John Baptist and saith The Baptist did not admit all that sought it unto baptism and proves it from no Text either of Matthew or Luke which give us the narrative but by the authority of Pareus The Pharisees saith he did seek baptisme but John did not admit them being unworthy to whom he adds Aretius who sayes They sought baptisme but he seems to think saith our Authour that they were not by any means baptized But how eminent soever their authorities are their reasons are very weak The Baptist reproved them called them to repentance and therefore did not baptize them when the text seems to speak the contrary For as soon as his reproof with his exhortation is ended there follows I indeed baptize you with water verse 11. And it seems by Saint Luke that those Pharisees and Lawyers that were not baptized of John were not refused but did refuse Luke 7. 30. But the Lawyers and Pharisees rejected the Councel of God against themselves being not baptized of him When the same learned Authour cannot instance any precedent or produce any Scripture-Ordinance for it he endeavours by arguments drawn from the forme of a particular Church the way of reformation of Churches the relation of inferiority and superiority among those that are free and such like reasons to evince it To which but that I will not here make it my businesse an easie answer might be given it is more than strange that when the Apostles had by Commission from Christ planted Churches and were to leave them to be propagated in future Ages and knowing a covenant to be essential to the constitution as now by some is asserted would yet wholly be silent in it especially when no such thing was known in Old Testament-Scriptures that we might gather it by analogy and through all Ages till this last Age had lien hid and never discovered and leave us by our reason to discover it In which we are in danger to set our threshold by Gods threshold of which he so sadly complains Ezek. 43. 8. or rather justle out his threshold with ours denying baptisme to be any door for admission at which the primitive Saints entred and setting up a covenant of which Scripture speaks nothing and Master John Goodwin was sometimes as confident as confidence could make him that it had no ground in the holy Scriptures But to leave heathens haply called by Gospel Ordinances to speak a word or two to our own case who are a discipled Nation a Kingdom subjugated to the yoke of Christ Jesus enjoying saving Ordinances and therefore have a Church of Christ fixt among us Here we might lay down divers positions for the regulating of our judgements First where nothing is wanting to the being of a Church God having a people owning him in covenant yet much more may be required for the well ordering and regulating of it where a people accept of a King and receive his Lawes there he hath a Kingdom and is a Monarch yet much more is required for the ordering of such a Monarchy for the publick weale and safety so it is where there is a Church of God accepting the Lawes of heaven there the Lord Christ reigns as a Monarch yet farther care must be used for the right regulating of it according to his Will and the Lawes tendred by him and received by them Secondly a people in a vicinity or neighbourhood dwelling together ought to associate themselves and joyne with those of that neighbourhood according to their best convenience for the participation of Ordinances As it is against all dictates of reason that a people scattered at a great distance should combine themselves in a Church-way for Ordinances in which God rules so it is as clear against the Scriptures You read of a Church of God at Ephesus at Corinth at Philippi at Thessalonica at Laodicea But you reade not of any one Church made up of members residing at all those places or in any places at like distance That cohabitation or dwelling together makes not up a Church congregational will be easily granted Infidels Turks Pagans may cohabit they may make an idol-church but not a Church of God but co-habitation or dwelling together is one ingredient Saints cohabiting that is in New Testament-language men separate for God not Jewes nor Infidels but Christians and joyning in Ordinances as in
in the same Church of Christ and not any of them did set up new Churches 3. The old Church-way of administration among the Jewes was then to fall that present administration to be taken down by Gods appointment and a new one to be set up according to his prescript 4. John set up a new Sacrament in a new way which after his days was the alone Church-way If any can shew as our seekers look after that Jesus Christ shall now put an end to this way and that they have a Commission for a new Sacrament of initiation then they speak somewhat for setting up new Churches in like manner CHAP. XLIII A dogmatical Faith entitles to Baptisme 3. IT farther follows by way of consectary that a dogmaticall Faith ordinarily called by the name of Faith historical such that assents to Gospel-truths though not affecting the heart to a full choice of Christ and therefore was short of Faith which is justifying and saving gives title to baptisme The Covenant is the ground on which baptisme is bottomed otherwise Church-Membership would evince no title either in Infants or in men of years to Baptisme But the Covenant as we have proved is entred with men of Faith not saving and therefore to them Baptisme is to be administred How the consequent can be denyed by those that grant the Antecedent Baptisme denied in foro Dei to men short of saving faith when they are in covenant I cannot imagine yet some that have confessed their interest in the covenant now deny their title to Baptisme and affirme If men be once taught that it is a faith that is short of justifying and saving Faith which admitteth men to Baptisme it will make foule work in the Church 1. All that hath been said for the latitude of the covenant may fitly be applyed in opposition to this tenent for the like latitude of Baptisme 2 All the absurdities following the restraint of the covenant to the Elect to men of Faith saving and justifying follow upon this restraint of interest in Baptisme 3. To make the visible seale of Baptisme which is the priviledge of the Church visible to be of equal latitude with the seale of the Spirit which is peculiar to invisible members is a Paradox 4. The great condition to which Baptisme engages is not a prerequisite in baptisme This is plaine to man is bound to make good his covenant conditions before his engagements to conditions no servant is tyed to do his work to gaine admission into service no souldier to fight in order to get himself listed under command But Faith that is justifying is the condition to which baptisme engages and no condition necessarily required to vest him in it 5. That Faith upon which Simon Magus in Primitive times was baptized is that which admitteth to baptisme Simon himself beleeved and was baptized Act. 8. 13. But Simons faith fell short of saving and justifying 6. In case only justifying faith give admission to baptisme then none is able to baptize seeing this by none is discerned and to leave it to our charity affirming that we may admit upon presumption of a title when God denies I have spoken somewhat chap. 38. and I refer to Master Hudson in his Vindication whom learned Master Baxter so highly commends to shew the unreasonablenesse of it Here it is objected First Objections answered When Christ saith make me Disciples of all Nations baptizing them he means sincere Disciples though we cannot ever know them to be sincere Object I answer Answ In case I make this first objection brought against me my seventh and last argument for me it will fully discover the weaknesse of it and thus I forme it All that are Disciples unto Christ and made disciples for Christ are to be baptized but some are made Disciples to Christ that are short of faith saving and justifying as hath been proved at large This Discipleship that Christ there mentions is such of which whole Nations are in capacity as is plaine in the Commission to which this Nation with others hath happily attained according to the manifold prophecies before cited of these the whole universal visible Church consists as is irrefragably proved by Mr. Hudson in his Treatise of that subject and his Vindication and most amply spoken to by Mr. Baxter in his plaine Scripture-proof of Infants Church-membership and baptisme page 279 280. Sir if you were my father I would tell you that when you say Christ makes no one City Countrey Tribe his Disciples you speak most malignantly and wickedly against the Kingdome and dignity of my Lord Jesus Hath he not commanded to disciple Nations Hath not the Father promised to give him the Heathen or Nations for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psalme 2. And that Nations shall serve him And that the Kingdomes of the world shall be become the Kingdomes of the Lord and his Christ and do you not see it fulfilled before your eyes Are not Bewâ—ly Keder Minsters c. and England till of late as full Christs disciples and so Church-members as the Jewes were in covenant with God and so Church-members We are not all sincere True no more were they for with many of them God was not well pleased but shut out all that Nation of covenanters from his rest save Caleb and Joshuah We may have Pagans and infidels lurk amongst us unknown but they had many amongst them known In the mean time we as generally professe Christianity as they did to serve the true God And are you sure there is never a City or Town that are all sincere I think you be not or at least is there never a godly family as Abrahams was you cannot be ignorant that the terme Disciples in Scripture is given to more to the sincerely-godly And if whole Nations yea the whole Universal visible Church consisting of discipled Nations were all beleevers it were a happinesse then election would be as large as Vocation when Christ saith many are called but few chosen Secondly Object When he saith he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved here faith goes before baptism and that not a common but a saving faith for here is but one faith spoken of and that is before baptism 1. This is the weakest of all arguments to reason for a precedency of one before another Answ from the order in which they are placed in Scripture So we may say John baptized before he preached the baptisme of Repentance for his baptizing is put before his preaching of baptisme Mark 1. 4. and that those that he baptized did confesse their sinnes after their baptisme seeing it is mentioned after that it is said that they were baptized Mat. 3. 6. and both of these with a farre greater probability of reason seeing in both there is a narrative of the thing by the Evangelists and in the place in hand there is neither commission given for the work of baptizing nor yet any
narrative of the work but onely doctrine given in charge which they were to deliver which least of all speaks the order in which the duties specified must necessarily be practised All that can be collected is that we must in Gods ordinary way of conferring salvation have both Faith and baptisme though there be not the like absolute necessity of baptisme as of Faith baptisme being necessary necessitate precepti Jesus Christ having instituted it and commanded it but Faith is necessary both necessitate medii and praecepti seeing Christ not only commanded it but salvation at no hand can be obtained by men in capacity of it without it And therefore it hath been well observed that in the words following the like stresse is not laid on Baptisme as on Faith not he that is not baptized but he that beleeveth not shall be damned 2. Let Peter where he speaks of salvation by baptisme interpret these words Baptisme doth now also saith he save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. and then explaines himselfe Not the pntting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God This answer or restipulation unto the outward administration of baptisme is that which follows upon baptisme but justifying Faith is that restipulation at least a principal branch of it and therefore there is no necessity that it go before but a necessity that it must follow after baptisme It is true that in men of yeares justifying faith sometimes goes before baptisme as in Abraham it went before Circumcision but it is not of necessity required to interest us in a right neither of baptisme nor circumcision Thirdly Object That faith to which the promise of Remission and Justication is made it must also be sealed to or that faith which is the condition of the Promise is the condition in foro Dei of the title to the seal But it is onely solid true faith which is the condition of the promise of Remission Therefore it is that onely that gives right in foro Dei to the seal Here is an Argument first proposed Answ secondly in a parenthesis paraphrased for the proposition I say faith is not sealed to but remission of sinnes or salvation upon condition of faith A professour of Faith that goes no farther may engage himself to a lively working faith and upon those termes God engages for and puts his seale for Remission and Salvation For the parenthesis That faith which is the condition of the Promise is the condition in foro Dei of the title to the seale I judge the contrary to be undeniable That faith which is the condition of the Promise is not the condition in foro Dei of title to the seale An acknowledgement of the necessity of such faith with engagement to it is sufficient for a title to the seale and the performance of the condition of like necessity to attaine the thing sealed To promise service and fidelity in war is enough to get listed as to do service is of necessity to be rewarded Fourthly as for the Argument ad hominem framed against those who make initial or common faith sufficient to entitle to Baptisme and yet affixe remission of sins to all Baptisme even so received without any performance of farther engagement I leave to them to defend who maintaine such doctrine and to speak to the absurdities that follow upon it Fifthly that of Philip to the Eunuch seems to carry most colour The Eunuch must beleeve with all his heart before he be baptized and I have known it troublesome that are fully convinced that a dogmatical faith gives title to Baptisme satisfying themselves with this answer That howsoever Philip called for such a faith which leads to salvation yet did not expresse himself so far that no Faith short of this gives title to baptisme It may be answered that a dogmatical faith is true faith suo genere as well as that which justifies therefore I know not why men should give it the terme of false faith seeing Scripture calls it faith and such as those beleevers and the heart in such a Faith as to an entire assent is required If we look into the Eunuchs answer on which Philip did rest satisfied and proceeded upon it to baptisme it will take away all scruple his answer is I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God There is no more in that then a common faith this is beleeved by men not justified yet this faith entitles to baptisme and upon this confession of faith the Eunuch is baptized CHAP. XLIV Impenitence and unbelief in professed Christians is breach of Covenant 4. IT yet follows by way of consectary that men in impenitence and unbelief that lie in sin and live in neglect of the sacrifice of the blood of Christ live in a continual breach of covenant They engage by covenant to believe in Christ and forsake their sin when yet they lie in unbelief impenitence are convinced that they are Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate abusers of themselves with mankinde thieves covetous drunkards revellers and extortioners These do not only transgresse the Law which on the severest penalty forbids these wayes but break covenant with God and so are shut out of the Kingdome of Heaven the reward upon covenant to those whose hearts are upright For howsoever I fully assent to learned Master Baxter that all weaknesses are not covenant-breaches and therefore with him judge it to be their mistake who in their confessions acknowledge that we break covenant all that we do yet those men in the list mentioned having given their names to God and entred covenant with him walking in these forbidden wayes are found covenant-breakers and therefore the Psalmist deservedly sayes to them Psalme 50 16 17. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee that is to claime any mercy or favour by vertue of Gods grant in covenant as appeares in the context Engaging to him and thus flying off from him they desert the mercies which they might receive from him As a wife by adultery so they by sin forsake the covenant by which they stand betrothed and by consequence it must needs follow that Christ died for breach of the covenant of Grace as well as for breach of the covenant of Works unlesse we will say that all men by name Christian and found in any of these sinnes are in a lost and unrecoverable condition joyning with them that have said that there is no grace or pardon for those that fall into sinne after baptisme That he died not for their sinnes that live and die in final impenitence and unbelief may be easily granted and that rises to no more then that he died not for those that finally and unrecoverably break covenant with him It is granted by a learned adversary that final unbelief and impenitence are violations
communion of the Spirit according to the election of God which is ever accompanied with perseverance Doctor Featly in his Pelagius redivivus hath these words which being so pertinent I shall transcribe Second parallel p. 38. To the place alledged Rom. 11. 19 20. We Answer saith he First that it is not meant of particular Beleevers and their danger of falling away from justifying Faith but of the people of the Gentiles in general and their danger of being cut off from the true Olive into which they were ingraffed that is from the outward profession of Faith and communion of the Catholick Church into whith they were admitted upon the rejection of the Jewes The Gentiles therefore ought not to be high-minded against the Jewes but fear lest God who spared not the natural branches should not spare them but cut them off also as he did the natural branches if they should grow proud and presumptuously secure Now there is no question but that a visible Church which at this time professeth the truth and is a Member of the Catholick Church may fall away from the outward and publick profession of faith and cease to be a part of the Catholick visible Church as the most famous and sometimes flourishing Church in Greece and Asia planted by the Apostles themselves now over-runne with Mahometanisme Idolatry and Heresie prove by their lamentable Apostasie deplorable if not desperate estate But Bertius and the Appealer should have their eyes upon the mark and point in question which is not in the doctrine of Faith but of the habit of faith not de fide quam credimus but de fide quâ credimus not of the publick profession of a Church but of a particular affiance of every true beleever in Christ A Member of the visible Church may be cut off but no Member of the invisible for Christ cannot have damnâ—ta membra any Members who shall not be saved as the approver of the Appealers book rightly gathereth out of Saint Austine in his reply to Fisher A Church or Kingdome generally may depart from the Christian Faith or renounce the pure profession thereof in publick and yet no true Beleever either totally or finally lose his Faith but either secretly in that state or Kingdome or else-where openly he may retaine both Faith it self and the profession thereof So Peter Martyr Loc. Com. pag. 491. speaking to those words Be not high-minded but fear Neither saith he is there here speech concerning particular men but of the whole company and body of beleevers deservedly therefore the Apostle doth warne them Be not high minded but fear For as the Church of the Jews hath ceased to be and also Africa Grâ—cia and Asia have lost many Churches so it is to be feared lest the same may now happen to Churches which seeme to stand let them not therefore lift up themselves 〈◊〉 â—n the words Thou standest by faith saith He speaks of the generality of Jewes and Gentiles and upon these words Be not high-minded but fear saith He speaks to the Gentiles in general from many of whom as is to be bewailed the Kingdom of God is taken away as at first from the Jews as Persians Arabians Syrians Egyptians Asians and many others so that this Authour hath lost not only this Argument but this whole Text For if Reconciliation World Riches be thus understood and cutting off in like manner then he sees this Chapter in the whole against him and in no part for him And if any Writer against Arminians understand by the World Rom. 11. 15. onely the Elect unlesse they mean an Election into a Church-state they do but give advantage to them there is not meant universally the whole world that is too large not yet they that shall be eternally saved out of the world that is too strict but the men whom God perswades of Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem all Nations dispersed through the world at the last Annotations on verse 12. Argument 3. Thirdly The ingraffing must be meant of that act whereby the branch stands in the tree as a branch this will none deny it being the very terminus of ingraffing as heat the terminus of calefaction but that is by giving Faith Ergo. The minor is proved from verse 20. where it is said By unbelief they were broken off but thou standest by faith whence I argue That act whereby the branch stands in the tree as a branch must be the giving that means whereby the branch thus stands But that is Faith v. 20. Ergo the act of ingraffing is by giving Faith Answ Here I shall willingly grant the conclusion and do affirm that it is by Faith that grown persons whether Jews or Gentiles do stand in a visible Church-fellowship such a faith upon which all called ones among which few are Elect are admitted Such a faith that gave Simon Magus title that Hymeneus had of which he made shipwrack 1 Tim. 1. 19. Doctor Featley in the words above mentioned shewing Bertius and the Appealer their fallacy shews this objector his The Apostle speaks of the Doctrine of Faith this objector of the habit The Apostle speaks de fide quam credimus this objector speaks de fide qua credimus The Apostle speaks of the publick profession of a Church He of a particular affiance of every Beleever in Christ He addes This conceit I conceived and still think is so farre from the Apostles expressions that there seemes to be no shew of such a sense in the words giving in his reason For there is not a word of taking into the Olive but by Faith verse 19 20. There is indeed here no shew of reason unlesse it can be affirmed that there is no faith but the Faith of the Elect and that which is justifying therefore if it please the Authour I shall enter the lists with him in these three Positions 1. That Faith is taken in more acceptions then one in Scripture All Faith doth not entitle to the Church invisible and therefore there is scarce shew of sense in his reason disputing from the Genus to the Species affirmativè or from the Analogum to the Analogatum 2. That the Faith here spoken to is as Doctor Featly asserts the doctrine of Faith not the habit Faith of Profession and not a particular affiance fides quam and not fides qua credimus and so the fallacy is clear and it will no more follow that the ingraffing is into the Church invisible because it is by faith then it will follow that because bruits have souls that therefore they have reasonable souls 3. That there is no such thing in all Scripture as ingraffing into the Church inuisible by Faith All ingraffing is into the body visible and therefore by a faith of profession 1. All ingraffing is into that subject which immediately receives what is ingraffed as the stock receives the syens but it is Christ and not the Church invisible that receives the Elect Beleever Christ
this Text is meant of Gospel-glory in Ordinances dispensed by the Apostles Ministery And as to the Jewes appertained the glory and the promises Rom. 9. 4 5. So now the glory and promises belong to the Gentiles And as many Jews as fell not off still enjoy this this glory with the Gentiles and so both make one new man Eph. 2. 15. The visible state of the Jews was a distinct body from the Gentiles Now upon this glorious call they are one new man or new body For the Texts Gal. 3. 14 26 28 29. when any shall tell me how they are paralle then I shall give my answer There is an in graffing into Christ mentioned but none into the Church and so the parallels are without force as are the Arguments Two things lie upon him to do and neither is done 1. To prove that these Scriptures speak of a Church invisible That they are parallel with this Scripture He is wont to reason with his full strength against the force of all Arguments à Pari and yet this argument must carry force from the parity of Scriptures which he only says and not at all proves to be parallel nor yet shews so much as in a word wherein their parity consists he well knows that by this means their disparity might appear There is a tenth Argument drawn from Authorities produced but to so little purpose that I will not trouble the Readers patience in the recital of it CHAP. LI. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Vindicated THe next Scripture in which this extent of the Covenant is evidenced is 1 Cor. 7. 14. For the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your Children uncleane but now are they holy In order to a right understanding of these words the whole scope of the Apostl is to be taken into consideration which appears to be this The Corinthians converted by the Apostles Ministery consulted him by letters in several cases of conscience one concerning Marriage a second concerning things offered to Idols a third concerning spiritual gifts a fourth concerning collection for the Saints That of Marriage is first spoken to and consists of divers heads and are all satisfied in this Chapter One among the rest concernes Marriage-estate between a Beleever an an Infidel a Professour of the true Faith and a Worshipper of Idols whether such society may be continued or must be separated That this was their Quaere appears by the Apostles resolution He gives in his answer in the affirmative both in the case of a beleeving husband joyned to an unbelieving wife and a beleeving wife joyned to an unbeleeving husband let him not put her away let her not leave him only excepting the case of wilful desertion when for religions sake the unbeleeving party leaves Unbelief breaks not the Marriage-bond renders it not a nullity Religion being not of the substance of Marriage It might make null all Covenants as well as this Covenant the Law of God seeing that condemnes Marriage-Covenants with unbeleevers condemnes all other Covenants with them Deut. 7. 23. Having determined the point in an universal proposition or that which is equivalent with it A Beleever and an unbeleever joyned in Wedlock-bond are not to be separated He meets with their scruples and answers their objections against it That they had their scruples must be confest otherwise they had never sent the case to the Apostle And those scruples which reason it self will suggest that have a faire colour in Scripture for them and are met with and satisfied by the Apostle in this his answer we must take to be their scruples and grounds of their feares Unlesse we had the Corinthians letter we have no other way of cognizance of them And these are two I shall mention the second in the first place seeing I am to dwell upon the first and that is their jealousie of themselves of their own standing and perseverance in the Christian Faith This in reason they might well fear who so active to seduce and draw away as a yoke-fellow and this hath fair colour of Scripture for it Deut. 7. 4. They will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods Examples are not wanting Nehem. 13. 26. Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things yet among many Nations was there no King like him who was belov'd of his God and God made him King over all Israel neverthelesse even him did outlandish women cause to sinne To this the Apostle answers and opposes the hopes of conversion of the unbelieving party How knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife As there is fear of seducing so there is hope of conversion The other is the condition of their issue lest they should not be reckoned with the Saints but of the fellowship of uncleane Gentiles Reason is strong for this they well knew that as it is with the Parent so it is with the Childe for Church-state and condition being a priviledge communicable and derived by descent from Parent to Childe If the Parent were without and of the Gentiles the Childe was ever such and in case the parents were of the people of God their children were reckoned so in like manner Now Parents being divided the one holy the other unclean they feared that the issue would follow the worser part a staine would lie upon them they would be accounted unclean with the unbeleeving parent this hath a faire colour of Scripture likewise and in a like case it had been so determined Ezra 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are borne of them The Apostle takes off these fears of theirs and tells them that the unbelâ—â—ving party doth not as they fear defile the issue but is sanctified as to issue by the Beleever so that their children are holy and to be reckoned with the believing Parent who is a Saint not unclean not reckoned with the unbeleeving parent who is a Gentile and so takes off their scruples respective both to themselves and their issue and quiets their fears So that several positions might be here laid down for a right understanding of the words 1. By Beleever in this place is meant a man or woman professing the true Faith and bearing the name Christian 2. By Unbeleever is meant an Infidel an unconverted Gentile living in Idolatry sacrificing to Devils and not to God of such the question is put and not of regenerate and unregenerate such a scruple was never heard whether or no such might continue marriage society 3. To be sanctified here is not to be made holy which is the case of the Regenerate or to be set apart for God which is the case of the visible Saint and Christian but together with their yoke-fellow to be an holy root to produce an
That Jewes carnally descended from Abraham or the children of Christians may be made partakers of the Covenant entered of God with Abraham Birth according to the flesh does nothing So also Bellarmine speaking of the covenant with Abraham saith It descends to us not by carnal but spiritual generation So that these men have sucked the spiritual meaning from the Jesuites and Master Marshal holds to the carnal imaginations of Protestant Reformers They produce many Texts of Scripture where this Birth-priviledge in their thoughts is evidently set forth Jesuites contradict it and upon this account it is a carnal imagination to conceive it The Apostle knew not saith one that God had so by promise Object or other engagement bound himself but he was free as he said to Moses after the promise made to Abraham to have mercy on whom he would Rom. 9. 15. If this be meant of any engagement of God to confer saving graces or habitual qualifications on the natural seed of Beleevers the words then carry reason with them But neither he nor his great friends will learn to distinguish between Gods conditional covenant contained in priviledges of Ordinances and habitual saving graces otherwise they know from Moses that God exercised this freedome in making choise of Israel above all Nations and that the Apostle knew and in the same Chapter lets us know Rom. 9. 4. that to them pertained the covenants and that this was their prerogative for Birth-priviledge Rom. 3. 1. We say the son of a Free-man is Free the son of a Noble-man is Noble we never said that the son of a Learned-man is Learned we say that the son of a Christian is a Christian as to interest in Ordinances We never said that the son of a Regenerate man is Regenerate It is further urged Object If this were true that the covenant of Grace is a birth-right-priviledge then the children of Beleevers are children of Grace by nature for that which is a birth-right-priviledge is a priviledge by nature And if Christianity is hereditary that as the child of a Nobleman is Noble the child of a Free-man is Free the child of a Turk is a Turk of a Jew a Jew the child of a Christian is a Christian Then Christians are born Christians and not made Christians and how are they then children of wrath by nature which whether it may not advantage the Pelagians and deniers of Original sinne it concernes those that use such speeches to consider To this I answer It concernes those that presse these objections to see how Chamier Paraeus and other Protestant Writers answer them when they are in their very words urged by Jesuites If they can reconcile Galat. 2. 15. with Ephes 2. 3. then they have an answer The Apostle was by birth of the people of God in covenant and yet by nature a childe of wrath It is further said Object To conceive that it is in Gods Churches as in other Kingdomes and after the Lawes of Nations is a seminary of dangerous superstitions and errours It is well that they have learned an Artifice from these superstition-hating Jesuites to keep out the inlet of superstition among us if there were no parallel held betwixt the Church of God and other Kingdomes after the manner of the Law of Nations but such that are Seminaries of superstition they may do well to acquaint us how it comes to passe that the Curch in Scripture hath the name of a City Family Kingdome Similitudes ever carry some resemblance If this were the alone ground on which the Birth-priviledge of Christians were bottomed they had said something but being only an illustration of it and nothing more they are over lavish in their censure Similitudes indeed may be over-stretched beyond their reach and if they had laid down rules to declare where the Similitude holds and where it holds not as I have done in the Birth-priviledge and made it appear that it holds not in that for which I produce it they had said somewhat to the purpose Read Mal. 1. 6 8 14. and tell me whether there be any ground laid for dangerous superstitions Thirdly It is so in all other Religions they keep up their priviledge of interest in the worship of their Ancestors The childe of a Turke is a Turke the childe of a Pagan is a Pagan the child of a Jew is a Jew And it is the Apostles Argument in like case respective to Ecclesiastical communion that because Sacramental communion rendered them one Ecclesiastical body with Christians so communion in worship will make one body with those of other Religions 1 Cor. 10. 17 18 19. See Paraeus on the words and Cudworths True notion of the Lords Supper There are common principles that are the same in all Religions and we must beleeve them to hold unlesse Scripture hold forth a difference Fourthly God ownes children born in the Church as by birth his his servants Levit. 25. 39 40 41 42. If thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor and be sold unto thee thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bond-servant but as an hired servant and as a sojourner he shall be with thee and shall serve thee unto the year of Jubile And then shall he depart from thee both he and his children with him and shall return unto his own family and unto the possession of his fathers shall he returne For they are my servants Root and Branch Parent and childe are servants of God As they were the servants of their Master when they could do them actually no service by reason of their relation to them so they are the servants of God on the same account And as he owns them as his servants so also he ownes them as by birth his children Ezek. 16. 20 21. Moreover thou hast taken thy sonnes and thy daughters whom thou hast borne unto me and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured Is this of thy Whoredomes a small matter That thou hast slain my children and delivered them to cause them to passe through the fire for them If there were no Birth-priviledge how had God this property in Infants and this David pleads Ps 116. 16. O Lord I am thy servant truly I am thy servant and the son of thy hand-maid because he was borne in Gods house and was a childe of a servant of his he pleads his interest Fifthly If the child be not in covenant the parent and childe are heterogeneal and respective to Church-relation in the most opposite condition the Parent in the Kingdom of God by vertue of the faith that he professes the childe in the Kingdome of Satan by reason of his non-interest in the Promise and want of title to Covenant-relation But Scripture makes them still as one Jewes children are Jewes by nature Gentiles children are sinners that is Gentiles by nature The Root being holy the Branches are holy Parents not sanctified children are unclean but Parents
are under the same covenant as was Isaac to whom the promises were made If some of Abrahams children were left out that concerns not us so that we are taken in yet the instance is very weak to prove it As appeares saith he verse 19. concerning Ishmael and Heb. 11. 9. that Ishmael was himself in covenant though not established in covenant as God there and verse 21. promised concerning Isaac not his seed never received appeares not alone by the signe and seale which he received verse 23. which yet is sufficient for God to seale to a blanke is very strange to signe a covenant to a man never in covenant but also from Gal. 4. 30. What saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne for the sonne of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the sonne of the free-woman A man cast out of covenant was before casting out in covenant Ejection supposes admission unlesse we will give way to our Authors dreame of Ejection by non-admission He was cast out after the time of the solemnity of his admission by circumcision as may be seen Gen 22. For that of Heb. 11. 9. it is a mystery what he will make of it unlesse he will conclude that because Abraham sojourned in the land of Promise that therefore none were in covenant that were not taken into that land so Moses and Aaron will be found out of covenant It is further said As for a visible Church-seed of Abraham that is neither his seed by nature nor by saving faith nor by excellency in whom the Nations of the Earth should be blessed to wit Christ I know none such in Scripture therefore some men have fancied such a kind of Church-seed as it is called I know not how saving faith comes in when a faith of profession will serve the turne The whole of Abrahams seed had circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith when many of their Parents had no more than a faith of profession Fourthly Were all these things yielded yet the Proposition as is said would not be made good from hence All these we see are made good against his exceptions Let us now see the strength which is reserved for the last push for overthrow of this Proposition The inference is not concerning title or right of infants to the initial seale as if the covenant or promise of it self did give that but the inference is concerning Abrahams duty that therefore he should be the more engaged to circumcise his posterity This should rather have been left to us for the strengthening of our proposition than have made use of it himself for refutation of it It was Abrahams duty to give them according to Gods command the initial Seale in this we are agreed whether it will thence follow that they had right and title to it or were without right let the Reader determine It is further said He was engaged to circumcise onely those that are males and not afore eight dayes and not onely those that were from himself but also all in his house whose children soever they were which apparently shewes that the giving Circumcision was not commensurate to the persons interest in the Covenant but was to be given to persons as well out of the Covenant as in If of Abrahams house and not to all that were in the Covenant to wit Females which doth clearly prove that right to the initiall Seale as it is called of circumcision did not belong to persons by vertue of the covenant but by force of the command If it could be proved that Abraham kept Idolaters in his house professedly worshipping a false god and gave circumcision to them in that faith and way of false worship it would prove that a man might have the seale and not be in covenant but it would not prove that he might be in covenant and be denied the Seale and then infant-Baptisme might be of easier proof Though they were not in covenant though they were not holy yet they might be baptized But I will not yield so much I do not believe that Abraham carried circumcision beyond the line of the covenant and that he had those in his house which were aliens from God seeing I finde that Testimony of the Lord concerning him Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him And that resolution of Joshua That if others would serve the gods that their fathers served that were on the other side the floud or the gods of the Amorites in whose land they dwell yet he and his house would serve the Lord Josh 24. 14 15. As it is a private mans duty to serve the Lord and not Idols so it is the Master of the Families duty to see that the Lord and not Idols be worshipped in his house As I do beleeve that if any of our adversaries had a profest Heathen in his Family he would not keep him there and not chatechize him and that he would not during his profession of Heathenisme baptize him So I beleeve concerning Abraham He catechized all that he took in as Heathens and did not circumcise them in their Heathenisme This some Paedobaptists as is said are forced to confesse when they grant the formal reason of the Jewes being circumcised was the command and the covenant he makes only a motive I wonder what need there is of an Argument to force such a confession The reason I say why Jewes were circumcised and Christians baptized is the command were there a thousand covenants and no institution of a signe or seale such a signe or seale there could have been no circumcision nor no Baptisme The command is the ground and the covenant is the directory to whom application si to be made We say all in covenant are entituled to the Seale for admission but we pre-suppose an institution They will have all Beleevers and all Disciples baptized which they cannot conclude upon their faith and knowledge barely but upon the command to baptize Beleevers and Disciples So that the command is with reference to the covenant with reference to interest in the covenant From these foregoing exceptions a conclusion is drawne that all this doth fully shew that the proof of the connexion between and the initial Seale without a particular command for it is without any weight in it And I conclude that it fully shewes that the proof of the connexion between the covenant and the initial Seale pre-supposing the institution of such a Seale and a general command is of that weight that all are meere frivolous trifles that are brought for exceptions against it Another Scripture holding out the connexion between the covenant and initial seale is Acts 2. 38 39. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes
of of God who go up into the Pulpit in the name of Christ to preach his Word ought to have such firmness of Faith in them that they are assured that their Doctrine can no more be overthrowne then God himself now truely this faith is much to be commended to us we may have much learning much reading but little Faith be very scepticall and deale in Divinitie as we use to do in Philosophy videtur quod sic videtur quod non Great Schollars are not alwayes great beleevers The want of this maketh a man of a Socinian faith an Arminian faith a Popish faith as often as any plausible Argument or carnal Interest interposeth 2. With this knowledge labour much after Casuisticall Divinity whereby you may be able to direct the tempted in cases of Conscience To guide the afflicted in soul what they are to doe Indeed the Papists have a deale of Casuisticall divinitie in large voluminous discourses but it is for the most part calculated according to their meridians of superstitious usages and Customes but it is pitty that among us Protestants our controversall Bookes are farre more then our casuisticall yet remember the Scripture calleth it the tongue of the Learned Isa 50. 4. To know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary The wounds of Conscience are the most tender and therefore require a Spirituall skilfull Physitian The Consciences of men are the subject matter of your Office and therefore look after that Ars Cordis which is indeed a liberall art that will set us free 3. He that will faithfully discharge the Office of his Ministery must regard the end of it the finis operis and finis operantis the finis ministerii and ministri must be all one The end of the Ministry is to exalt God Christ to dethrone Satan to bring many out of their sins unto the obedience of the Gospel Now if a man aim at other things in his Ministry then this he can never comfortably discharge it To be a Minister for earthly profits for ambition and vain glory these will be like the gravel that will presently stop the Ship in its passage and truly herein we may much lament our entrance in to this work how many set upon it as a profession to live upon by that they hope to satisfie their needs but if this end and motive do still reign in thee it will be like a milstone about thy neck outward maintenance may be a secondary end but not the principal still then a we thy soul with the end of thy office that all other knowledge is exercised about the body or mens Estates or the nature of things but thine is Theology De Deo à Deo in Deum its concerning God objectively it s from God effectively it s to God finally 4. He that will faithfully discharge this Office of the Ministry must as Paul professeth 2 Cor. 1. 12. have his conversation with all godly simplicity and sincerity He is to carry on his work in Scripture-ways avoiding those two Rocks Media violentiae and Media fraudulentiae A man of a crafty multiplicity of Spirit will turn into any shape dispute for any thing a lawful This the Jesuit said to one for so I understand it who doubted about something he was to do whether lawful or no Aude saith he nos efficiemus probabile Jansen St. August lib. proaem pag. 9. Be daring to do it and we will make it probable now this simplicity of Spirit in Ministerial imployment is greatly seen in an obediential dependance upon the word of God whether in matter of Duty or of Faith What is it that maketh so many learned Men embrace Errors after Errors but because they leave Faith and attend to reason They think we come to be Christians by Disputations and scientifical Demonstrations as we come to be Philosophers not by a single and plain captivating of our understandings to the scripture whereas it is Christian Faith not Christian reason It is said to be Nazianzens Emblem Theologia nostra est Pythagorica by this simplicity of Spirit a man shall overcome those Temptations which are usually in Scholars to bring inaudita invisa strange and unheard things unto our People especially let the Ministers of the Gospel be so guided by simplicity of Spirit that they may avoid these three Rocks First that while they avoid a Popish blinde obedience to men examining things by Scripture they therefore do not make all things uncertain That of Durand is true whosoever forsaketh reason because of humane Authority incidit in insipientiam bestialem maketh himself like a Beast yet let not this liberty be abused to licentiousness to believe nothing to despise all those Ministerial helps which God hath vouchsafed to the Church because he is to try all things though he must try yet he must not be always trying but hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5. 21. This liberty and particular Judgement of discerning which God alloweth every man is not to be opposed to that decisive Ministerial Judgement which God hath appointed in his Church Secondly under pretence of a more moderate and impartial handling of things as not being addicted unto parties take heed thou do not make a party of thy self as the Sect of Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogen Laert. in Proent pretending they would be of no Sect but choose the best Art of all thus they made a Sect while they condemned all Lastly Take heed of being deceived under the pretence that thou doest not bring in any new matter but new words or thou dost digest things into a better method for by this means men leaving that simplicity and Scripture-dependance they once had have corrupted their Ministerial Office instead of a faithful discharge of it Fifthly To a faithful discharge of this dreadful Office there is required an excellent compound of many choice Graces insomuch that a Ministers qualification is like that Ointment that was to be made for the Priest onely There must be love and compassion to Peoples Souls which was abundantly discovered in our Savior himself Paul compareth himself sometimes to a Father sometimes to a Mother sometimes to a Nurse because of this affectionate desire in him There must be Zeal Fortitude and Courage the spirit of love and of power also he is not a Minister that is not ad mille mortes paratus said Chrysostome as a good Souldier endure hardship saith Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 3. There must be Prudence and Wisdom else Love and Power will make us like Sampson without eyes there must be salt in the Sacrifice as well as fire Oportet Pastor sit totus oculus a Pastor must be an Argus full of eyes Again there must be an Heavemly heart contemning the world and all earthly advantages The eye that is to see for others must not have dust falling into it Austin maketh an Heretick to have some carnal profit or