to a Particular visible Church 4. there is by the Apostle mentioned these things that are essential to a particular visible Church-union which are these First to be all called into one hope of our calling which the poor children which some admit into their society by sprinkling are not called to the same hope that believers are called into Againe One Body one Spirit one Faith one Lord and one Baptism one God and Father of us all Now it is impossible that a people should walk together acceptably that have not one hope of one and the same glorious Inheritance and that have not one and the same Spirit and assistance and guideance in his holy worship and that have not one and the same faith but in the doctrine of faith do mainly differ one from another and it is an essential difference inconsistent with Communion that the members of one Church should own two Baptisms the sprinkling of Infants and dipping of Believers and this Ordinance of baptism is one of the essentials of a true visible Church And lastly they are to own one God and Father of all Here you have from this Text a ground why such as are not inlightned in the Lords baptism cannot be admitted into Church-fellowship because in one and the same Fellowship there is to be owned as one Hope one Spirit one Lord one Faith so one and the same Baptism Again the main end of Church fellowship is That they there do practice whatsoever Christ hath commanded as you have heard before in Mat. 28.20 and as Cornelius saith in Acts 10. We are here saith he to hear whatsoever it commanded thee of God and saith Christ Ye are my freinds if you do whatsoever I have commanded you And this is without doubt that the true and lawfull Ministry in Christs Church is to see that all the members practice the observation of whatsoever he hath commanded and so to see all the Laws of Christ put in execution For that cause hath Christ given into his Church not only the key of doctrine but also the key of Discipline that if any soul in a Church shall be known wittingly or willingly to neglect any duty that the Lord hath commanded by his holy word especially a fundamental Ordinance of the New Testament as is Baptism and the Supper of the Lord it is without all question that such a soul standing out in that disobedience ought to be cast out of the Church speedily for the same without which the Church allowing or conniving at or tolerating a â—oul in one course of known disobedieÌ„ce do therby make the sin their own the whole people becomming really guilty of his sin and impiety And as the Apostle saith Thus will the whole Lump be leavened and that Church unchurched Amongst men he that concealeth murther and is privy and consenting to it and will agree to tolerate it is reckoned a murtherer in like manner in the case of theft Now the main end of Church fellowship and Ministerial power is to destroy sin and to execute the power of Christ against it and not to be fosterers and Countenancers of sin which you are if you agree to admit any person into your fellowship that refuseth to submit to Baptism that plain solemn Ordinance of the New Testament let his pretence be what it will be that person that is not brought over to yield obedience to whatsoever Christ hath commanded is not while so disobedient fit matter for a visible Gospel Church especially in those his fundamental Ordinances as Prayer Hearing Baptism and the Supper of the Lord Thanksgiving Contribution to the necessity of the Saints and maintenance of an official Ministery according to the ability that God gives them and by the same rule and upon the same ground that you will tolerate some members in the Church to live in the neglect of baptism you must tolerate such as neglect to hear the word and others that will not according to abilitie contribute to pious charitable uses and others that will not pray in half a year or at twelve moneth together under the pretence they are not moved to that duty and others that will in a gross manner neglect the duty of particular callings or relations which the Apostle in Thessal 2. doth give rule to be withdrawn from which is as the rest but the neglect of duty nay this practice lays a foundation for all disobedience and for gathering an Assembly of Rebels let me alone in my sin and I will let thee alone in thine But may some say is a godly mans omitting to be baptized or dipped a sin Yes certainly it is for 1 Joh. 3.6 the Apostle saith sin is a transgression of the Law Now you have heard several Laws of the New Testament do command that such as believe and repent should be baptized therefore to neglect is a transgression of those Laws and sincere obedience is universal obedience by this saith David I know I shall not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments But further consider if you receive a person into Communion Unbaptized persons not to be admitted into Church fellowship that doth not submit to the Lords baptism that soul justifies still a corrupt baptism that he had in his infancy and consequently is not ashamed of all he hath done amiss which Ezekiel speaks of but still stands in fellowship and Communion with a Church and Ministry which by the Bishops power dispensed the same and you receiving such a soul into Communion receive that Church and Ministery from which he had his supposed baptism and must certainly own all those Churches which that Ministery stood in fellowship with that so baptized him therefore it is a sad and serious matter who it is that is admitted into fellowship in the true Church of Christ and I would admonish souls to be careful that they do what they do in good order for God it is said made a breach upon Vzzah because he did not do what he did in due order Object But some may say Faith in Christ brings a soul into Son-ship and so to a right in all the privileges in Gods house Answ It s true Faith and Repentance doth intitle a soul but repentance according to the Gospel is a change of the heart a resolution to obey God in all his Commandments such a Repentance only the Church of Christ ought to own in those Members they receive And therefore though they ought to receive the weak in faith yet they have no rule to receive them but by faith and baptism So that though faith gives an interest to baptism yet faith and baptism are to prepare and fit a soul for Communion So many as gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand souls and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and prayer So here you see the word of Christ our Lord unto whom
Papists hold that the Ordinance of baptism conveith grace by the very work done which is so generally confuted by all Protestant Authors that it is not worth the speaking of p. 25. The Covenant of life not made to the seed of believers as coming out of their loins and therefore the baptism of infants drawn thence by a false consequence ib. Two Covenants the one of Works the other of Grace or the one Old the other the New p. 29. Why though the Covenant of Grace be absolute yet the promises are held forth under a condition p. 35. Faith the gift of God p. 36. Repentance the gift of God ib. The Covenant of grace obscurely delivered to our first Parents p. 37. The New Covenant not entailed upon any fleshly line p. 38. What is meant by the blessedness promised to Abraham and to his seed page 39. Circumcision proved to be no covenant of eternal life but a typical and carnal Covenant p. 42. How the word Everlasting is taken in the Law ib. First argument to prove Circumcision a covenant of works pag. 44. Second argument to prove Circumcision a covenant of works p. 48. The sealing use of Circumcision proved to be peculiar unto Abraham p. 53. An Appendix to the second argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 55. Third argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 57. Fourth argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 60. Fifth argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 61. Sixth argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 65. Seventh argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 70. To say that the covenant of grace is entailed on the flesh overthroweth the main fundamental points of our religion p. 71. The third General Head p. 84. Somewhat offered to prove that God presently upon the Fall made an outward carnal covenant entailed upon the flesh ib. Why the covenant of circumcision made to Abraham and his seed and not to others p. 88. To defend a covenant of life entailed on the flesh is virtually to deny that Christ is come in the flesh p. 93. None have right to the Covenant of grace but such aâ— are united to Christ by faith p. 94. Answers to such Scriptures as are alleged to prove the Baptism of Infants p. 101. An answer to that text Acts 2.39 p. 101. An answer to that text 1 Cor. 7.14 p. 105. An answer to that text Rom. 11.16 17. p. 110. An answer to that text 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. p. 119. Faith made not Israelites capable of performing the Ceremonies of the Law p. 130. An answer to that Text Mat. 19.13 p. 132. An Exposition of that Text Gal. 4.21 p. 140. Why the Ordinance of Baptism is administred but once the Ordinance of the Lords Supper often p. 168. What things are essential to a particular visible Church p. 169. Vnbaptized persons not to be admitted into Church fellowship p. 172. The Commands of Christ must not be disputed p. 177. THE Doctrine of Baptism AND THE Distinction of the COVENANTS OR A Plain Christian Treatise explaining the Doctrine of Baptism and the two Covenants made with Abraham and his twofold Seed ACTS 2.37 38. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost THese words of my Text have a special dependence upon the words foregoing in the Chapter The occasion of the words in the Text laid open for in the beginning of the Chapter you shall find that the Apostles and the Church were all with one accord in one place when the Day of Pentecost was fully come And according to the promise that Jesus Christ commanded them to wait for and that John had foretold of That one should come after him that should baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire the which was at this time fulfilled for as the Author of the Acts here relates Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a Rushing mighty wind and it filled all the House where they were sitting and there appeared unto them Cloven Tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Now this I understand to be the Baptism which John speaks of viz. that of the Holy Ghost and of fire which Christ should dispense as you may see was extraordinary and upon special occasion communicated to the Apostles they being now to give testimony of Christs Death Resurrection and Ascension The Lord in order to this work communicates to them the extraordinary Gifts of the holy Ghost and that in an extraordinary manner For here was outward signs which were cloven Tongues of fire resting on them and here was also the Holy Ghost with the extraordinary Effects of it as the inward things signified by the outward sign all which was I understand extraordinary for the fitting of these Apostles to that extraordinary work which God had to do by them First They were to be eye-witnesses of Christs Majestie in the flesh Secondly The Reasons why the Holy Ghost descended in an extraordinary manner upon the Apostles They were to be Master-Builders to lay a Foundation which all after Ministers to the end of the World were to build on they being Penmen of Scripture Thirdly They were now to overthrow all the Jewish Worship and all the Mosaical Administrations put to an end by Christs Death and to furnish them to this extraordinary work which Christ as an effect of his Session at the right hand of God pours down these gifts upon them as beforementioned this being noised abroad how they spake with other Tongues the multitude came together wondring at them and some thought they had been drunk but Peter standing up with the eleven began to lift up his voice to teach them And first The Contents of Peters Sermon to the Jews upon the descent of the Holy Ghost He proves by Scripture that these gifts of the Holy Ghost were formerly promised by the Lord and as an effect of his Ascension now given to them and he endeavours in this Sermon preached to prove First That Jesus was the Christ a man approved of God by Miracles and Signs that God did work by him amongst them Secondly He endeavours to prove by Scripture that he did suffer and dy according to the Counsel and Will of God Thirdly That he did rise again from the Dead which he from Scripture doth justifie And that in the fourth place God had exalted him by his right hand to be both Lord and Christ and he proves that by the visible gifts of the Holy Ghost which they did see and
over into the River or water to hold forth That now he must resolve to take up the Cross of Christ and suffer and not only so but this being raised and delivered out of the water again by the hands of the Minister doth hold forth that so shall such believing souls be saved and delivered from all their afflictions as in Psal 34.17 Many are the Afflictions of the righteous but God shall deliver them out of all And that this doth sign or signify our salvation appears in 1 Pet. 3.21 the like figure wherunto Baptism doth now save us and Mark 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved So that Baptism is to sign and confirm signally our Sufferings and Afflictions with Christ so Salvation or Deliverance from them all the one in dipping and plunging him in Water the other in Raising him out again Into whose name Baptism is administred The third thing that is essential in this Ordinance of Baptism which I shall speak to will be what is meant by name of Father Son and Holy Ghost The Command is That the Mininister must dip them into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost the which the Lord Jesus commanding must be therefore essential to this Ordinance I shall therefore endeavour to shew you what is meant by name here That by which Father Son and Spirit are made known as a man is by his Name that is hereto be understood by the name Father Son and Holy Ghost we know the Gospel doth hold forth one God yet distinquished into Father Son and Holy Ghost the name here is to be understood that Gospel that doth so set forth God and describe him as the Subject Matter of our Faith Acts 9.15 But the Lord said unto Ananias Go thy way for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and Children of Israel for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my names sake Now Name in this place and in the Commission is to be understood that heavenly mystery of the Gospel in which God is discovered and made known as a man by his name One part of the Gospel mystery consists of a Discovery of the name of the Father by which he is distinquishably made known from the Son and Spirit and that in these particulars First In ordaining the Son 1 Pet. 1.18 in choosing and electing the Son Isaiah 28.16 with 1 Pet. 2.5 in sending the Son Gal. 4.4 John 3.16 17 in sealing the Son John 6.27 in promising the Son Isaiah 9.6 in bruising the Son and putting him to grief Isaiah 53. and laying all our iniquities upon the Son and to justify and freely accept such as believe in the Son This I understand is the Name of the Father And by the Sons Name is to be understood that by which he makes known himself to the Sons and Daughters of men as to take Flesh Heb. 2.14 Rom. 9.5 1.3 He kept the Law in order to dy As that just one or as a Lamb without spot and his making his Soul an offering for sin as a perfect offering for the sins and transgressions of his people Heb. 10.12 14. Isa 53. and that he did not only dy for our Sins but rose again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 and ascended into Heaven and makes intercession for us Heb. 2.25 And pours down the Spirit and gives gifts unto men Zach. 12.10 Ephes 4.10 11 12. all this the Son makes himself known by as by a name distinguishably from the Father and the Spirit And in the last place the Spirit is made known in the Gospel as that which in the first place convinceth the world of sin John 16.8 and pricks men in their hearts with a sense of sin and the wrath of God due for sin Acts 2.37 29. And the work of the Spirit by which that is made known Is the revealing of the Father and the Son and those great Mysteries unto the soul of a poor convicted Sinner for as Christ saith the Spirit of God shall lead you into all truth it shall take of mine and shew it to you John 16. and so no man doth understand the things of a man but the Spirit of a man that is within him So none shall or can understand the things of God but by the Spirit of God for the Spirit of God searcheth out all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.9 10. The Spirit doth not only discover mans misery and his lost estate by reason of sin but discovers a remedy which lies in the great love of God in Christ as before mentioned and worketh in the heart true faith and repentance disposing the heart to obedience This is the proper work or office of the Spirit by which he is distinguishably known from the Father and the Son And now when the Soul shall come to the Preacher and make known to him that the Spirit hath experimentally made known unto him his lost and damnable estate by sin and that he same Spirit hath discovered unto him the great love of God the Father in the gift of Christ to be a propitiation for sin as one dying for the chief of Sinners and that the Spirit of God hath made known all this to him and hath wrought faith in his heart to believe it and hath changed his heart from a Course of sin to renewed obedience for no soul can declare to a Minister the true work of Conversion but he must in so doing discover his knowledge of the work of the Father Son and Spirit and into this doth the Minister baptize him as in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And thus much for these three particulars In the fourth place The subâ—ect of Baptism we shall now come to the Subject that must be baptized and that as you have heard is one that is taught Teach all Nations baptizing them and as my Text saith Repent and be baptized every one of you which doth hold forth the person baptized to be a taught and repentant person But seeing the main thing in question hath alwaies seemed to be the Subject of Baptism who it is that is to be baptized this I shall therefore most insist upon wherein I shall endeavour to make plain to you first as I say that he is to be a believer a penitent person as appears Mark 16.16 Go preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved where observe That believing the Gospel is to go before baptizing and Matthew 28.19 Teach all Nations Faith and Repentance go before baptism baptizing or dipping them What them them that are taught or made Disciples by teaching and in my Text you find that Peter after Christ had poured down the Spirit upon them doth by that authority received from heaven when he had converted those Jews command every one of them to be baptized or dipped Repent and be baptized
every one of you into the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins and so in like manner you shall find Cornelius his family by Peter commanded to be baptized Acts â—0 48 for saith he to the six brethren that were with him How shall we forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he by the great authority which as an extraordinary Apostle he had from Heaven commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus So we find Ananias in a special manner sent to the Apostle Paul at his first conversion to the faith as Acts 22.16 where he also by the authority received from Christ in verse the 16. saith And now Paul why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized for the washing away of thy sins in calling upon the name of the Lord where you see the express command of God enjoyning him upon his Conversion to be baptized And in the next place As God hath commanded his Ministers to baptize or dip Believers only and as his Ministers by virtue of that authority from him have left standing Laws and commands upon Disciples only to be baptized so we find that they did practice that way and that only of baptizing such as believed and repented Acts 2.40 41 42. So many as gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there were added to the Church three thousand souls And they continued in the Apostles Doctrine Fellowship Breaking of Bread and Prayer VVhence you may observe the practice of the Apostles that were guided by the infallible gifts of the Spirit that first they converted before they baptized In like manner you shlla find in Acts 8.12 13. where Philip was preaching to the people in Samaria But when they believed he preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both Men and Women Then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wondered So that you see this was the continued course of Christs Messengers sent by him First They converted men by preaching and then baptized them In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost or in the name of the Lord Jesus wherein the name of the Father and Spirit are included when his name is only mentioned In like manner you shall find in the same Chap. that Philip by the Spirit of the Lord being directed to the Eunuch that did belong to Candace the Queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of all her Treasure and had been at Jerusalem for to worship was returning and reading Isaiah the Prophet then Philip joined himself to his Chariot and upon some discourse together he from the aforesaid Scripture preached unto him Jesus in Acts 8.32 c. And as they went on their way they came to a certain Water and the Eunuch said See here is Water what hindereth me to be baptized Philip said If thou believest with all thy heart it is lawful implying it was unlawful for a man not believing to be baptized And he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he commanded the Chariot o stand still and they went both down into the Water both Philip and the Eunuch and he baptized him and when they were come out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip that the Eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing From all these words you may observe That Philip is said to preach Christ unto this man and upon his comming to the water he said What lets Believers should offer themselves to be baptized where you see It is the duty of such as believe to offer themselves to be baptized and that there is no let or hinderance to the Ordinance of Baptism but unbelief and therefore saith he If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest or it is lawful as the word more properly may be read plainly holding forth that all both young and old that did not believe it was unlawful for them to be baptized And you shall find several families also baptized upon their being converted which many through ignorance and want of taking notice of what the Scripture speaks say it is probable they had some Infants in them But to prevent mistakes in the minds of any that so think I shall prove That these families were all converted Disciples so as to believe the Gospel as for instance First the Family of Lydia Acts 16.14 15. And a certain women named Lydia a Seller of Purple of the City Thiatyra which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul and when she was baptized and her houshold she besought us saying If ye judge me faithful to the Lord come into my house and abide and she constrained us Now here in this Text Lydia and her houshold together converted Lydia is only mentioned as to have been converted no mention made what her houshold was only that they were baptized but in the last verse viz. the 40. of that Chapter It is said That when Paul and Sylas were put out of the Gaolers house they went and entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the Brethren they comforted them and departed where you may clearly see That Lydia's house consisted of Brethren capable of being visited and comforted by Paul and Sylas as well as Lydia whose houshold they were And also in the same Chapter you have mention made of the Gaoler and his Houshold The Gaoler and his houshold together converted all which were baptized in the 31 32 33 and 34. Verses In which place you shall upon reading find this to be true that they spake unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house and verse 34. He set meat before them and rejoiced believing in God with all his house Where it is plain That the whole houshold of the Gaoler heard the word of God and rejoiced and believed as well as the Gaoler and were all baptized Which is a clear proof that such hearing the word of God and believing ought and they only to be baptized And this will appear further by the house of Stephanus comparing the 1 Cor. 11 6. Stephanus and his houshold together converted with the 16. chap. and the 15. verse of the same Epistle where in the one place it is said that Paul baptized the houshold of Stephanus in the last place he speaketh thus I beseech you Brethren Ye know the House of Stephanus that it is the first fruits of Achaia and that they have addicted themselves to the Ministery of the Saints That you submit your selves unto such and to every one that helpeth with us and laboureth Where you see in one and the same Epistle as he saith he baptizeth this houshold so he affirms they
undertaken to perform and to work in the Creature as further appears in Ezekiel 16. latter end For thus saith the Lord God I will even deal with thee as thou hast done which hast dispised the oath in breaking the Covenant Notwithstanding I will remember my covenant with thee in the day of thy youth and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant and as he saith afterward not by thy covenant but by my covenant so that which he calls thy covenant was that which they broke and therein dispised the Oath as he saith plainly holding forth that it was a covenant of works answerable to that in Nehemiah 10.29 They clave to their Brethren the Nobles and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses the servant of God In which case you may discern here was two covenants the one that God calls his covenant and another that was their covenant a covenant of works which they broke And likewise you have further the covenant of eternal life opened in Ezekiel 36.25 26 27. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the Stony heart out of your flesh and will give you a heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and you shall keep my Judgements and do them Where you have as I said before this New covenant wholly lying on Gods part that he would first cleanse them from all their Idols and iniquities that he undertakes to give a new heart to take away the heart of Stone and to give them hearts of flesh And that he will give the soul his own Spirit and thereby came these to walk in his ways whom he calls to the obedience of his truth If they sin he binds himself to pardon their sins and to remember their sins and transgressions no more so that it is impossible that this covenant should be broke or that a soul shall ever miscarry that is once in this covenant as in respect of his everlasting estate And to this purpose David very eminently speaks in 2 Sam. 23. and 5. verse Although my house he not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow Where you have David setting out the Covenant of Grace and the mercies in it to be in all points perfect and sure And to this purpose the Prophet in the 55. of Isaiah and the third verse inviting souls and perswading them to come to Christ saith Incline your ear and come unto me Hear and and your souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David that is he will give a Soul those New Covenant mercies which are most sure no way depending upon any condition to be performed in the Creature but wholly upon the Lord as appears in Psalm 89.28 to the 37. ver My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him his seed also will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the days of Heaven If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgements If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquities with Stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing which is gone out of my lips Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not ly unto David His seed shall endure for ever His Throne as the â—un before me It shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithful Witness in Heaven Selah Now in these words you have the Covenant of eternal life made with Christ and his spiritual seed which David and his seed were types of which Covenant is a sure Covenant to all those to whom it is once made and to this doth the Author to the Hebrews allude when he saith in chap. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to ly we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Now in this Covenant before spoken to you have both the promise and oath here spoken of and here in this Covenant must needs be discovered the immutability of his Counsel because this is as David saith a covenant that is in all points perfect and sure and James in his Epistle alluding to these New covenant blessings or gifts saith Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning and that he doth here speak of the New covenant gifts doth appear in the next words he saith Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures Now consider well that in this covenant there is nothing that he requires but he ingageth himself to enable us to accomplish If he command to pray he promiseth to give his Spirit to help our infirmities If he command to walk in all his waies as you have heard he promiseth that he will put his Spirit in them to cause them to walk in his waies But some may object and say That we find the Gospel is held out upon Condition of Faith and Repentance Answer It is true Why though the Covenant of Grace be absolute yet the promises are held forth under a condition the promise of salvation and remission of Sin is held out with a condition to the world because it is Gods free mercy to work that condition in the hearts of his Elect by means of preaching and tendering of the Gospel and in them only But we are not to think that this grace of Faith and Repentance are any Qualifications that persons are to attain by their own abilities unto which the Gospel is tendred But in the new covenant the Lord undertakes to work the condition and to give the salvation tendred upon that condition also for saith he I will be unto you a God and you shall be unto me a people and in particular he saith He will put his Law in their hearts and in their minds will he write them and he will teach them to know him Now doubtless the Law of Faith and Repentance are here included according to those Scriptures Ephes 2.8 For by grace are you saved through Faith and
that generation must needs be born heirs to if they were born heirs of a covenant of grace which if this should be asserted as it is by those who defend childrens baptism Then this fundamental point of Religion must needs be denyed that all mankind are by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.2 and that all both Jews and Gentiles are charged under sin Rom. 3.9 And there is none righteous no not one But be it known to you this is a fundamental doctrine of truth generally acknowledged by all the godly That we are dead in sins and trespasses wherein in times past we walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh and of the mind and were children of wrath by nature as well as others Now the Apostle Paul affirmeth this to be equally the state of himself who was born in the Church of Israel as well as the Gentiles and David doth affirm this of all in general Psalm 14.2 3. which the Apostle Paul urgeth in Rom. 3.9 forwards speaking of himself and the rest of the National Churches of the Jews What are we saith he better than they meaning than the Gentiles No in no wise for we have before proved that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin as it written there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are together become abominable there is none that doth good no not one And in Psalm 51. David saith I was conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity who was a child of the Church of God as it is usually termed But beloved this doctrine is clear in Scripture and clearly experienced by every Godly Christian which truth must needs be overthrown if the whole body of Israel were born adopted Sons and heirs of a covenant of eternal life born heirs of Justification then they were never heirs of wrath nor in a state of damnation nor never proved nor charged under sin nor never all unrighteous because born heirs of a covenant of Grace aad of righteousness nor never born dead in sins and trespasses for that is inconsistent with being in a covenant of grace and life This opinion of holding the covenant of grace to be intailed in the flesh opposing it self so directly against this forementioned foundation of Religion must needs be a gross error so considered The second fundamental point of Religion that this error opposeth it self against is stability in a covenant of eternal life it cannot be imagined that I should much insist upon proving this Doctrine of stability in grace to be a fundamental truth I shall take that for granted from the nature of the new covenant in several Scriptures before recited as in Psalm 125. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but as the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so shall the Lord be about them from this time forth and for ever And in Psal 89.33 If thy children sin I will afflict them with the rods of men but my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth But taking this for granted to be a truth that all born in the Church of the Jews were born heirs of his stable Covenant and so were really and in truth in the covenant of grace then most of the Church of Israel that were in a covenant of grace were damned and not saved as Isaiah 10.22 23. Though Israel were as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them were saved only And so Isaiah with Rom. 9.27 28 31. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not obtained to the Law of righteousness Paul saith Rom. 11.5 There was a Remnant according to the election of grace and in verse 7. how they obtained it but the rest were hardened all but the remnant were blinded and hardened Therefore if such multitudes as the sand of the Sea were all really in a covenant of grace most of them must be understood to fall out of the covenant and so to fall out of the covenant of life This is another fundamental truth that this opinion is fully against defending that souls may be truly in a covenant of eternal life and yet perish and be damned The third foundation that this error overthrows is The necessity of Conversion or Regeneration which doctrine is eminently confirmed by Christ in the Gospel as a fundamental truth John 3.4 5. where Christ speaking to Nichodemus tells him th except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And likewise in John 8.24 Except ye believe that I am he ye shall dy in your sins And John 3. two last verses He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him and he shall not see life The before mentioned errors that holds a covenant of life running in the flesh upon the carnal seed opposeth it self against this for might the carnal seed of Israel say to Christ why do you preach such a doctrine to us That except you be born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We affirm the contrary seeing by the first birth we have an interest in the covenant of grace and eternal life already without believing and being born again and so are entered into the Kingdom of God and the privileges thereof Whereas you say That except you believe that I am he you shall dy in your sins why doth Christ pronounce death without believing seeing we are acquainted with another way to enter into life than the way of believing which is to be begotten of one of the church or a believer We find the Holy Ghost in the 1 John 5. saith He that hath Christ hath life he that hath not Christ hath not life No saith this error there were thousands that were interessed in life without having Christ that is to say by carnal generation Saith the Apostle There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but by the name of Jesus Yea saith this error There is another name by which we may come into a covenant of eternal life and so to be saved so that here lies the case where Christ in the Gospel powerfully affirms no other way to life but by believing regeneration and coming to Jesus Christ This opinion destroys all these testimonies opening another door of entrance into the covenant of life besides this and that by fleshly generation though Christ saith to Nicodemus Joh. 3. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit as if souls were
Cain and his offering being not in faith God accepted not for all the thoughts of such a man are only evil and that continually till they believe as Gen. â— 5 and 8.21 All the imaginations of all believers till converted are evil and only evil continually Secondly their words are evil Matth. 12.34 O Generation of Vipers how can you being evil speak good word for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh an evil man out of the evil Treasure of his heart brings forth evil things and as their thoughts and words are evil so in like manner their actions are all evil natural actions as eating Job 20.23 When he is eating to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating thus you see natural actions are evil such as eating and drinking for satisfying his hunger and also civil actions are evil as Prov. 21.4 an high look and a proud heart and the ploughing of the wicked is sin if plowing then all his civil actions and also his best duties of worship as his sacrifice is an abomination to God Prov. â—8 9 15.8 Isaiah 1. with 66.4 Upon this ground it must needs be that the Covenant of Grace and eternal life cannot belong to any such persons that do not believe for it is impossible to be in a covenant of Grace and yet not to have persons nor any of their best actions accepted Yea further all mankind are compared to beasts till they believe Job 11.11 Vain man would fain be wise but man is born like a wild Asses Colt with Jeremy 2.23 24. Yea the Lord saith in Revel 21.8 That the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Beloved therefore if any have been so deluded as to believe such a notorious error as this is to think that any ever hath been in the Covenant of life but such as are in Christ by faith I desire God may give you repentance for maintaining such a fundamental error as this is And now in the fourth place Answers to such Scriptures as are alleged to prove the baptism of infants I shall endeavour to answer such Scripture allegations and those especially brought in from the New Testament to countenance this error wherein I shall endeavour to take off those false and corrupt Glosses that are usually put upon them wherein men pretend to prove the covenant of grace among the Gentiles to run in the flesh and line of believing parents under the Gospel which I am sure was never yet since the world began nor never shall be with any neither parents nor children but such individual persons that particularly believed in Christ with their own hearts And first let me speak to that in Acts 2.39 An answer to that text Act. 2 39. which is usually pretended to be a proof of the covenant in the flesh the words are these The promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Now I pray you take notice how evident this Text makes against this error For this Text affirms only the promises to belong to so many even as God shall call and that is a fundamental truth if by promise you understand the gift of the Holy Ghost or remission of sins or both to be promised in this text It is most true that so many as God shall call have an interest both to Christ and all the promises in him and only they for saith the Text Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost So that remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost it is safe to understand here to be meant that promise that is said to belong to them to their children and to those afar off even so many of them and their children and of those afar off as the Lord our God should call agreeable to the words thus understood is Rom. 8.30 moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified So that justification or remission of sins is here given only to called persons with these agreeth that of Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgression that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of the eternal Inheritance So here you see that those that are predestinated to have a covenant of life and the blessing given in that covenant are first called as 1 Pet. 2.9 He hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light Now this text is plain to prove that those Jews and Proselytes that then heard him and their children and also the ten Tribes new afar off and also the Gentiles the promises did belong to so many of all these as God should call and except Souls be given up to a Spirit of Delusion will any dare to affirm that the promises of the Spirit remission of sins and eternal life do belong to any other Will any be so ignorant as to judge that those promises did belong to the Generation of the Jews whether they were called or not though they continued in unbelief and hardness of heart and impenitency Is not such a corrupt interpretation against Christs words to that very people John 8.24 Except you believe that I am he you shall dy in your sins speaking to these very Jews and doth not John the Baptist say to these John 3. last He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him directing this speech indeffinitely to the generation of the Jews the seed of Abraham such as were in the covenant of Circumcision But if by the children you understand so many of them as God should call whether then at that time or afterwards to the end of the world it is most true that to such of their children the promise of grace did belong But Beloved the Scripture is in nothing more full than in this that the promise of grace belonged not to any of those Iews seed but such as were called for God shuts them under unbelief and because of unbelief they were broken off Rom. 11. if unbelief excluded them from that external relation which before Christs death they then had in the Covenant intailed on the flesh and Christ coming in the flesh and fully exhibiting and putting an end to that covenant no other covenant standing in force in the Church of God but what Christ was the Mediator of these unbelieving Iews of necessity were broken off The promise of remission of sins was so far from running upon the
Teachers perswaded the Gallatians to be a Covenant of life and that they could not be saved without it which covenant the Apostle Paul called the flesh in Gal. 3.3 meaning that Covenant which God had established in their flesh for an everlasting Covenant as he so calls it Gen. 17.13 This shall be my Covenant in your flesh saith the Lord for an everlasting Covenant Therefore saith Paul in Rom. 4.1 What shall we say that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found if Abraham were justified by works Mark his Exposition of that Covenant appertaining to the flesh to be a Covenant of works which in â—â—e 10. verse he clears to be Circumcision in opposition to that Gospel promise which Abraham had before he was circumcised and so he doth all along in that Chapter Herein the 3. of Gal. he doth set the Covenant of grace and that of works in opposition the one he calls the Spirit the other flesh which he most evidently explains in Chap. 5.1 2 3. where saith he Stand fast in that liberty which Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoake of bondage Here observe again that he calls it as Peter doth Acts 15.10 a yoke of bondage which is evident that they were set at freedom and liberty from as that which was abolished and they freed from as a yoak which neither they nor their Fathers were able to hear as appears in Gal. 5.1 2 3. Behold I Paul say to you if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Nay in v. 3. For I testify to every one that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law and in ver 4. He sets it in opposition to the covenant of grace and this is explained more in Gallatians chap. 6.12 13. verses Now all this considered you may clearly see the Covenant of Circumcision made to Abraham and his seed in their Generation that he would give them Canaan with the blessings thereof and in that sense be their God to protect preserve and externally to privilege them with the means of grace and tenders of the Gospel and the external blessings of Canaan upon condition they would be circumcised and keep the Law All these things are typical this deliverance out of Egypt typing out the deliverance out of Hell That temporal Israel after the flesh that were redeemed out of Egypt typed out the spiritual Israel that were redeemed out of the spiritual bondage and as before hath been said Moses then a temporal Redeemer Mediator or Saviour typed out Christ the spiritual Mediator and Saviour therefore in the 1 Cor. 10.6 The Apostle tells us these were our figures or types So this being premised we have the sense of the Text here plain that as the spiritual disciple or Israelite when he believes and confesseth his faith thereby shewing his interest in Jesus Christ is baptized into Christ Jesus the Mediator of that Covenant which he is in by faith So the temporal Israel by birth or being bought with money or cohabitation in that family of Israel comming to have a right to the Covenant of Circumcision whereof Moses was the Mediator they were likewise baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea that being as real a confirmation to them of the temporal deliverance from Egypt into Canaan by the hand of Moses as our baptism is a confirmation to the spiritual Israel of their spiritual deliverance by Jesus their Mediator from death and condemnation to eternal life And whereas the Apostle calls that meat spiritual meat and that drink spiritual drink he here speaks figuratively as before affirmed Not that the Manna eaten by the whole Nation of Israel was in it self spiritual but it was a figure of the spiritual bread therefore Christ saith to the Jews in John 6.32 33. Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven Observe that word Giveth not did give but giveth for the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world And therefore saith he My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven that is the substance of that shadow and so that rock was Christ meaning a figure or type of Christ What is all this Beloved to the proving of a Covenant of life running in the flesh either then or now to the Gentiles under the Gospel seeing it is clear that all these Ordinances as the Apostle calls them Heb. 9. Carnal Ordinances did type out or figure out spiritual and substantial things For their sacrifices for sin typed out Christ but they were not Christ and their typical remissions which they had by their sacrifice That remission I say which the whole body of Israel had by offering up their sin-offering can be understood to be no other but typical A man might be under that typical Remission and yet ne under the wrath of God and be damned and a poor Gentile at the utmost part of the Earth believing as Rahab did in Canaan as truly justified though he had none of this typical remission and none of these before mentioned figures so that we conclude the whole Nation of the Jews had not a covenant of eternal life in the flesh made unto them though they had a temporal typical covenant as I have all along called it that is consisting of such Laws and privileges that had not Christ in them but did point at him to come therefore they are called in Heb. 9. Patterns of Heavenly things but not the very things themselves They are called by the Apostle Beggarly Elements or Rudiments of the World or a School-master to lead to Christ The Jews literal obedience to the Law typing out the obedience to faith Deut. 30.12 13 14. with Rom. 10. from v. 6. to the 10. ver Now beloved the literal obedience in it self performed by the carnal Jew though it figured out the substantial obedience viz. faith in Christ and though the Rest in Canaan typed out the spiritual Rest in Christ yet I hope no man will be so absurd but he will confess that this litteral obedience it was not the spiritual obedience and that this rest in Canaan it was but a shadow of that rest in Christ not the very rest it self But some may say so of baptism and the Supper that these are the signs of inward and spiritual things but it doth not follow that these are the spiritual things Beloved Observe warily for here lies the ground of this great mistake the want of distinguishing between these figures that type out Christ to come and these Sacramental signs that do confirm and ratifie his being already come Those typical signs and figures then which typed out Christ to come did properly belong to that typicall seed the body of Israel that typed out the spiritual seed to come But now these signs I say these Sacramentall signs that are instituted
since Christ came for the confirming he is come these belong only to the spiritual seed in whom Christ is come already dwelling in their hearts by faith Therefore as Christ is a spiritual and substantial Mediator of a Substantial and spiritual covenant so these spiritual Administrations of the spiritual covenant belong only to such as are in Christ and this new Covenant by faith and that have Christ dwelling in them as hath been before in the former part of my discourse manifested In the new Testament Faith and Repentance are required of them that are to be baptized Here is Water what letteth If thou believest with all thy heart it is lawful Acts 8.38 implying it was unlawful to baptize any that did not believe with all their heart at least in profession And so when Christ dispenseth the Supper He commands it to be received by his Disciples Matth. 26. He saith to his Disciples take eat and he said to his Disciples Drink ye all of this and Paul saith Examine your selves and so eat of this bread and drink of this Cup. If you will not shut your eyes against the light there is nothing more plain than this That those administrations under the old covenant did not require such qualifications as are essentially requisite to be found in the persons that must partake of these substantial signs of the new Covenant As for Circumcision it was not necessary for all that were circumcised to believe and repent or to have faith in Christ or to be converted and made Disciples by preaching as necessary Qualifications to partake of the Ordinances But the institution in Gen. 17.13 saith All born in thy house or bought with thy money though never so ignorant carnal or have never so wicked parents or parentage yet such ought to be circumcised this institution running upon that family But baptism is a confirmation of our Regeneration already wrought in us and our new birth and our union with Jesus Christ by faith and therefore belongs only to them where this Regeneration is to them that are born again of Water and of the Spirit and so the Passeover was to be partaken of by the carnal Israelite after the flesh viz. the captive the slave bought with money Heathen Black Moor or of the Canaanites but the Lords Supper only belongs to Disciples able to discern the Lords body by faith without the which they bring Judgement upon themselves and make themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord except they are able to examine themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cap. So that which the Apostle drives at in this chapter is this principally that as the temporal Israel who were the Church of God then privileged in that temporal Covenant upon their falls and sins were by God visited and corrected to shew to all the world that he would not countenance sin in them without sad reproof so he concludes in this also the Gospel-Church professing the covenant of grace and enjoying the privileges thereof they should not escape if they turn aside from God and sin against him without checks reproofs and sad admonitions from him and here lies the scope and the rather might such caution be given to Gospel churches because they were in a covenant of Grace onely by a visible profession and therefore may possibly receive the greater danger by sin if their profession should not be right and saving Object But some may object That there were some precious Saints then in the Old Testament and do you think that they did not perform the Ordinances with spiritual hearts Answ No question such did as it is said of Abel By faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Duties performed from faith with an eye to Christ were then acceptable when so performed though ceremoniously and such duties relating meerly to the covenant of works Only I would have you to observe that the carnal Israelite was without faith capable to perform every ceremonial Law Faith made not Israelite capable of performing the ceremonies of the Law required by the old covenant according to the express tenor thereof as truly as the believer So in no wise can it be said of the duties relating to the new covenant either then or now as repentance spiritual prayer thanksgiving and divers other duties perpetually at all times and universall to all Saints I deny that the carnall Jews were capable of the true performance of these I mean as to answer the Rules or Institutions given For if you look to the Catechism in the Common Prayer Book you shall find that it was a maxim received by all that own that Liturgy That no less than a profession of faith and repentance was required of them that were baptized Whence observe they thereby confirm the doctrine that I have been all this while pleading for that none but such as have Faith and Repentance in their hearts and do profess the fame should be baptized Object But may some say Did not some bring their freinds to Christ to be healed and Christ seeing the faith of those which brought them healed them And if they believed for others to the healing of their bodies why not also then for the saving of their souls Answ This is directly the Papists Argument with which some do close rather than part with their Idol But to speak to this more particularly There is nothing more plain than that God did give gifts of healing to many as that the faith of one contributed to the healing of the body of another as their Servants and children as in the case of the Centurion in Matth. 8.7 8 9. verses and Jairus the Ruler over the Synagogue But this is no way to prove that one man should come to have union with Christ and so to have justification and eternal life by the faith of another For in this case the Prophet saith The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 And he that believes not is condemned already that is every individual he that believes not shall be condemned and he that believeth shall be saved but some do bring in that text in the 7. of the Hebrews that Levi paid tyths in Abraham therefore why should not souls believe and repent in their believing Parents as well as Levi paid tythes in his believing Father Abraham It seems to me that this Act of Abraham was performed as a publique person in his paying Tythes to Melchisedeck herein representing his Posterity but not so in all the rest of his Acts It doth not follow that he believed and repented for all his posterity for this were a notable ground indeed for Papists implicite Faith We know that Adam in his fall did act sin as a publique person in which all mankind are said to sin Romans 5. But it doth not follow that all the future Acts that Adam committed he did perform as a publique person for if
is grounded upon an error and a mistake taking for granted that a man may be a believer and in a state of grace and yet void of spiritual power to perform obedience to the Commands of God and that a man that is a Christian may know such a thing to be a Command of God and yet left without ability to perform obedience to the same I judge this is a dangerous error and contrary to Scripture For God doth at the very first conversion put his Law in the heart of his child as in Heb. 8.10 and as in Ezek. 36.26 27. God is said to put his Spirit in them to that end to cause them to walk in his waies therefore in some measure doubtless God doth give his people power to obey him as in Ezekiel 11.19 20. I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within them and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes and keep my Ordinances and do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Whence you may observe That Gods main drift in making his Covenant and giving his Spirit into the hearts of his people is that they may keep his Ordinances and be able to walk in his waies Therefore at the first Conversion of Paul God puts in him a disposition to obedience for saith he Lord what wouldst thou have me to do in Acts 9. and so in Acts 2.37 when they through the belief of Peters Sermon were pricked at the heart they cryed out Men and Brethren what shall we do So you see there was a disposition of heart in their first Conversion to be doing what God should command and teach them to be his will So we find God gives them power to submit as soon as his will was revealed for if not so we should lay an aspersion upon God that he should enter into a covenant with a Soul by way of engagement and yet neglect to make good his promise which is to put his Spirit in him and to cause him to walk in his waies And again further God gives to every believer the power of believing by virtue of which he is enabled to fetch virtue from Christ his head to strengthen him to duty and to resist sin therefore the Apostle thus reasons in the 2 Cor. 7.1 â— Dearly Beloved seeing you have these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God Whence observe the Apostle takes for granted the soul having great and precious promises and faith to draw virtue from them should thereby oppose sin and perfect holiness in the fear of God For though it is true God works to will and to do of his good pleasure yet it is constantly and unfailingly his good pleasure thus to work more or less in a soul that is in him thus by faith And a believer by faith ought to look at himself in a capacity to draw Water out of those Wells of salvation for else what difference between a child of God and a wicked man the form of godliness and the power if a child of God must be forced to live in a course of disobedience to the solemn worship of God for want of power to obey And by the same rule we must take for granted that a child of God may be in a state of Grace and want power to resist sin and upon this ground plead excuse for drunkenness and covetousness and theft or uncleanness and say though he is a believer yet he wants power to resist and conquer these sins Beloved thus for any to plead would be very absurd and contrary to the truth and the nature of a Christian in a state of grace And further observe the deceit lying in this objection Hath not God given thy soul power to hear the word of God and to read and to meditate and to pray and that some times earnestly and fervently to God and is it likely that there wants power to perform obedience to this Ordinance of baptism any more than thou doest perform prayer or other duties which require the same spiritual power upon due examination what enabling power is required in the one more than in the other Again consider thou dost in this walk by sense and not by faith contrary to the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. who saith We walk by faith not by sight it is a very childish thing in a Christian to walk by sense only when he feels strength and power sensibly then he thinks himself able to perform duty and resist sin but when he feels not ability and power then to neglect it Whereas contrary to this Christ saith to Paul in the 2 Cor. 12. My power shall be made perfect in your weakness my grace shall be sufficient for you and as after Paul expresseth himself When I am weak then am I strong When Paul was made most sensible of his own weakness in himself then was the time for Paul to be made most strong by Faith in the strength of another Therefore in Isaiah 45.24 In thee Lord have I righteousness and strength In him shall they boast And the Psalmist saith in Psalm 73 â—4 Though my heart fail and flesh fail yet God will never fail he is the strength of my life and my portion for ever So that when in a mans own sense his heart fails his flesh fails then is the only time for God strength to appear in his weakness this is the way of living by faith and the way which Gods believing children have been carryed therefore we find Jonah when in his own sense he was cast out of Gods sight then he resolved to look towards Gods holy Temple and cryed to God out of the belly of Hell as in Jonah 2. therefore surely this objection hath no weight in it Object But some other soul may say I grant the practice of baptism to be an Ordinance of God and the way of such Churches that walk under the baptism of believers to be that only justifiable practice in the Gospel and could willingly walk with them and be baptized were it not for their rigidness in that they will have no Communion with any though godly that are not baptized Answ To this I answer by way of distinction between Church-union and Communion and personal Union and Communion Now if we find a soul not baptized nor joined to any Church and happily ignorant of baptism yet if I have ground in my own heart to judge that soul to be godly and not an enemy to the truth and Gospel of Christ but a soul willing to hear and learn what truth God shall further reveal unto him and so having ground to judge such a soul to have union and personal communion with the Lord in such a case I ought to immitate the Lord in owning a Communion with such a Christian in