but varied according to the different times wherein the Church hath been gathered the progress thereof in that variety being from less perfect before the coming of Christ to more perfect after his coming the former was more external and carnal Heb. 9.10 the latter more internal and spiritual Ioh. 1.17 that was accommodated to the state of the Church being a childe this to the state of the Church being an heir grown to full age Gal. 4.1 to 5. Position 6 Though Baptism is come in the place of Circumcision and therefore infants of Confederates are now to be baptized as then they were to be circumcised they both being outward Seals of the same Covenant in substance Col. 2.11 12. Rom. 4.11 Yet neither must we look at Circumcision as it was of Moses but of the Fathers I h. 7.22 nor at every subject of Circumcision as the subject of Baptism extensively Circumcision was extended to all that were born in the house and bought with money Gen. 17 12 13. But Baptism is limited to believing Iews and their children and to so many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.38 39. 1 Cor. 7.14 Your children are holy he saith not Your servants â—c Position 7 The Rules accommodated by Iesus Christ our Lord for the manner of applying the Covenant and of administring the Kingdome of God under the Gospel concern either the constitution and ordering of Christian Churches or the propagation and continuing of them or their communion together In all which both the Truth and the Arguments for confirmation of it must be drawn expresly or by good consequence from the New Testament in such particulars wherein we have Christ's appointment or the Primitive Churches planted or approved by the Apostles for our Patterns Not from the Old Testament further then they may be inferred thence by parity of reason Mâ—t. 28.20 1 Tim. 3.14 15. Position 8 The Rules given of Christ 1. Concerning The Constitution of Christian Châ—rches are 1. That the Matter of them must be if adult approved Believers Acts 5.14 if infants or children in minority such whose Parents both or one are orderly and visibly joyned to the Church of Christ Acts 2.39 1 Cor. 7.14 2. That the Form of them must be their visible confederating with the Lord Christ as the Head of the Church and one with another mutually to walk together according to his Rules for the attainment of the ends of Church communion 2 Cor. 8.5 1 Pet. 2.5 Position 9 The Rules given by Christ for The Ordering of Christian Churches are 1. In general that all Gospel Ordinances be dispensed and administred according to Gospel-Precepts and Patterns Col 2.5 6. 2. In particular 1. That fit persons be orderly admitted into this holy Fellowship by the Door which is Christ believed on and professed Ioh. 10.7 9. 2. That Officers appointed by Christ be regularly chosen and ordained and that the Elders both Teaching and Ruling especially Teaching be singularly loved and honoured with double honour and obeyed 1 Tim. 3. Tâ—t 1 Ph l. 1.1 Acts 6.6 14.23 1 Thess 5.12 13. 1 Tim. 4.17 18. Heb. 13.17 2. That the Members exercise mutual Watchfulness one over another Heb. 10.24 25. with mutual Submission of one to another and of every one to the whole Body 1 Pet. 5.5 3. That the visible Seals instituted by Christ for Gospel-Churches which are onely two Baptism and the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 12.13 be administred by the Teaching Officers according to Christs Institution Mat. 28.19 1. Baptism is to be administred by Christs Ordinance to Disciples ibid. Viz. 1. To grown persons not before baptized after their holding forth their Repentance and Faith in Christ and voluntary taking hold of the Covenant for themselves and their seed Mat. 3.6 Luke 3.3 Acts 8 37 38. 2.38 39. 1 Cor. 12.12 13. These for distinction sake I call Immediate Members 2. To their infant-seed or children in minority who also are members in the right of their Parents covenanting for them Acts 2.39 1 Cor. 7.14 these I call Mediate Members because the membership which they have is Mediante Parentum foedere therefore these being grown up must be admitted into immediate fellowship and full communion with the Church by their personal faith held forth to satisfaction of the Churches charitable discretion and by their taking hold of the Covenant for themselves and their seed as their Parents before them did as it is prophesied of Gospel-Churches in Isa 56.6 7. 62 5. 2. The Lords Supper is to be administred according to Christ's Institution in reference both to the Ordinance it self 1 Cor. 11.23 to 27. and to the Communicants ver 27 to 32. 4. That Church-censures be applied to delinquent Members in private offences according to Mat. 18 15 to 18. and in publick criminous Scandals according to 1 Cor. 5.11 Rev. 22.15 but so as the publick judgement be not by the Elders alone but together with them by the Fraternity 1 Cor. 5 12. Position 10 The Rules given of Christ for the Propagation and Contâ—nuing of Christian Churches are properly suited to their Congregational and Spiritual state They are not the same with those before the Law when the Church was onely in Families nor with those under the Law given to the Church of the Jews in both which the Church was to be propagated and continued by natural generation in a lineal descent from Noah by Shem and from Abraham by Isaac and Jacob till the coming of Christ this way best suiting to a Domestical and National Church in their respective constitutions Christian Churches are of neither of these sorts but are by Christ's appointment cast into a Congregational and more Spiritual Form and therefore are not capable of being propagated and continued in a lineal succession by natural generation ordinarily but must be propagated and continued 1. In adult persons by Regeneration visibly manifested to the charitable discretion of the Church Joh. 3.3 5. being wrought in the working of Faith in Christ Joh. 1.12 13. and made visible by a right confâ—ssion and profession of Faith both quae creditur Rom. 10.10 and quâ creditur Gal. 3.26 2. In their infant-seed by their Parents covenanting for them to the end that such being engaged to God in their infancy may be thereby engaged and excited the more to give up themselves to God in Christ when they come to years of discretion not by constraint but willingly Psal 110.3 through the operation of God working Faith in their hearts Col. 2.12 by the Spirit who is a voluntary Agent and therefore likened to the wind which bloweth where it listeth Joh. 3.8 Sometimes in some of the next posterity yet not in all 2 Joh. 4. sometimes in the Grandmother and Mother and childe as in Timothy 2 Tim. 1.5 Accordingly the Church must make a difference of children grown up where God makes a difference as he did between Jacob and Esau Mal. 1.2 and receive onely such whom Christ receiveth Rom. 14.1
let into tâ—e Soul As Reverend Mr. Hooker was wont to say Such 〈◊〉 profess d Assent as hath a prâ—fessed Consent joyned with it Isa 1.10 Such a manner of knowing and consenting as produceth Obedience flowing from Faith which is the next end of the Ministery of the Gâ—spel Rom. 1.5 16.26 Else they are defiâ—â—â— and unbelieving to whom nothiâ—g is puâ—â— but even their minde and conscience is defiled who profess that they know Goâ— bu in their works they deny hiâ— T it 1.15 16. 3 And though t ey are not scandalous in l fe but solemnâ—y own the Câ—venant bâ—fore tâ—â— Church wherein they give up themselves and their children to the Lord and subject themselves to the Governâ—ent of Christ in he Churcâ— yet all these may be affirmed of many who have a so of godlâ—nesâ— bâ—â— deâ—y tâ—e power thereof From such Paâ— who tauâ—ht him how he ought to behave himself in the House of 〈◊〉 which is the Church â—f the living God the pillar and gâ— oâ—nd of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 warned Tâ—mothy to turn away 2 Tim. 3.5 4. But are all the adult persons whom they admit into Membership such as the Proposition describes Do they take a right course to know they are such 1. That they are noâ— scandalous in life What testimony or certain knowledge have they that the Church may confide in that they f equent not loose and vain Company in dâ—sorderly Nâ—ght-meetingâ— at unseasonable hours and in suspected places in unwarrantable Gaming 's and Drinkings c not to speak of other evils 2 Hâ—w do they S lemnly own the Covenanâ— before the Church when some of them having publickly said They do own it being afterward asked â—n private What is the Covenant which you owned answered I do not know 3. As for their Subjecting themselves to the Governme t f Christ in the Church Do they orderly submit to the Government of their Family-Governours Parents and Masters c If the Church know not that How can they expect that they wilâ— really subject themselves to Christ's Government in the Church Yea if they have not been weary and heavy loaden and then came unto Christ they are not fit to take his yoke and burthen upon them Matth. 11.28 29. I proceed to their second Argument Arg. 2. The children of the Parents in question are either children of the Covenant or strangers from the Covenant either holy or unclean either within the Church or withouâ— either such as have God for their God or without God in the world But he that considereth the Proposition will not affirm the latter concerning these children and the former being granted infers their right to Baptism Râ—ply The more seriously I consider their Proposition the less I finde in it to evince the former and the more to conclude the latter viz. That if a man have no more then the Proposition holds forth he may be a stranger from the Covenant unclean and without the Church in Scripture account Râ—m 9 6 7 8. and without God in the world through want of faith in Christ whereby the heart is purified and men have an interest in Christ and in God through Christ Arg. 3. To deny the Proposition would be 1. To straiten the grace of Christ in the Gospel-dispensation c. 2. To render the children of the Iews when they shall be called in a worse condition then under legal Administrations contrary to Jer. 30 10 Ezek. 37.25 26. 3. To deny the application of the initiatory Seal to such as regularly stand in the Church and Covenant c. 4. To break Gods Covenant by denying the initiatory Seal to those that are in covenanâ— Gen. 17.9 10 14. Reply The contrary to all and every one of these is true For 1. It enlargeth the Grace of Christ in the Gospel-dispensation by shewing that Christian Churches are in a more spiritual and gracious frame and staâ—e then the Jews of old were under Legal Dispensations which therefore are not continued and propagated by a natural succession as that National Church was but by Gods â—illing them with an holy calling according to his purpose and gracâ— 2 Tim 1.9 and adding thereby to the Christian Church such as in their charitable judgement shall be saved Acts 2.43 2. It declareth that the state of the Jews when they shall be called will be far better then it was under Legal Dâ—spensations yea then the condition of the Gentiles is now For under the Law their light and holiness was defective and Christian Churches now how careful soever they be in point of admittance cannot avoid the creeping in of Hypocrites but the Jews when they shall be called shall have a far greater measure of light and holiness then was to be found in former ages of the Churches and all the Members of the New â—erusalem shall be Elect they and their children successively and no Hypocrite shall be mingled with them Rev. 21. 22. 3. Nor doth the denial of the Proposition infer a denial of the application of the initiatory Seal to such as stand regularly in the Church and Covenant but the contrary 4. Nor doth it break Gods Covenant by denying Baptism to such as are regularly in Covenant These are Accusations without Proof Arg. 4. Confederate visible Believers though but in the lowest degree such are to have their children baptized But the Parents in question are confede ate visible Believers â—t least in some degree Reply The major being granted the minor is denied For 1. All that is said in the Proposition may be affirmed of sundry that have not visible saving Faith in Christ in the lowest degree Therefore these are no sufficient grounds for charity to account them Believers in Christ in the least degree Let them that are to be admitted into Membershâ—p by theâ—r personal right shew how Faith was wrought and how it works in them in the lowest degree then the Church will have some ground for their charitable judgement concerning their fitness for regular Church-membership and communion 2. Nor are the châ—ldren of the godly qualified but as the persons in the Proposi ions said to be fait ful in â—â—t 1.6 whether we understand that Text in a Moral or Spiritual sense The first is a fâ—uit of Moral Principles and Education these are short of the qualifications in the Proposition The second is a fruit of the Spirit G â— 5.22 These are Believeâ—s in Christ Acts 16.15 3 Epist Ioh. ver 5. and are qualified above what the Proposition requâ—reth 3. They say Chi dren of the Covenant as the Paâ—ents in questionare have frequently the beginnings of grace wrought in them in younger years Hence this sort of persons shewing nothing to the contrary â—re in charity or to Ecclesiastical reputation visible Believers R pl. 1 It remains to be proved that the Parents in question are children of the Covenant They were children of the Covenant in their infancy and minority and bound thereby when they became adult
for it and have most need â—f it Reply 1. Those Relations of born Servants and Subjects in the Text alledg d have d fferent respects That Lev. 25. was typical figurin the time of Grace whereby now Christ hath freed u f o the servitude of Sin and Satan 〈◊〉 8.32 36. Râ—â— 6.14 18. to bâ—come the Servants of God in Christ Rom. 6 22. 1 C r. 7.23 Parents and children so far aâ— they have inâ—â—râ—st in the Redemption wrought by Christ as they are freed by him from other Lord so they are bound thereby serve him all the dayeâ— of their lâ—fâ— Luke 1.74 75. Therefore this relatâ—on doth not cease with infancy but continueth in adult age But this doth nothing concern the thing in question concerning M diate Membershi The other Text in Ezek. 37.25 is a Prophecy of the calling of the Elect Nation of the Jews and of the state of the Church under the New Jerusalem the difference between which and the Chrâ—stian Gentiles now I have formerly shewn so that neither doth â—hat fit the question But 2. I grant though not as following thence That one special end of membership received in infancy is to leave persons under engagement to service and subjection to Christ in his Church when grown up when they are fittest for it and have mâ—st need of it The engagement is strong both on the Parents To train up their children from their Infancy in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and upon the Children To know the God of their Parents and to serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28.9 and upon the Church To exercise their Watchfulness that both Parents and Children do their duty helping them also therein with their Instructions and Prayers and Power which is given for Edification as the case may require Yet when all this is done neither can the Parents nor the Church give Grace unto the Children that when they become adult they may be spiritually fit for personal and immediate Membership and to bring them into it without such fitness visibly is to profane the Ordinances and to pollute the Lords Sanctuary Reas 4. There is no ordinary way of cessation of membership but by Death Dismission Excommunication or Dissolution of the Society none of which is the case of the persons in question Reply This enumeration is insufficient there is another ordinary way of cessation of Membership i. e. Desertion Thus Esau's Membe sh p ceaâ—ed and so may the Membership of others though they abide in the place where the â—hurch â—s yet if being adult they regard nâ—t to joyn with the Church by their personal â—nd immediate Confederâ—tion nor to fit themselves for it these despise the Chuâ—ch of God And if that is sufficient to deprive thâ—se of all hurch priv ledg s who were before in personal and immediate Church fellowsh p when they forsake it 1 Job 2.19 much more those who never had such Membership nor have approved their Spirituâ—l fitness for it to the Churches charitable judgement nor truly desire and end aâ—our so to do What can the mediate Membershâ—p whâ—ch such had in Infancy advantage them for continuing thereby still in Membership when being adult they live in the breach of that Covenant whereby they were left under engagement in their Infancy unto service and subjection to Christ in the Church Reas 5. Either they are when adult Members or Non-members if Non-members then a person admitted a Member and sealed by Baptism not cast out nor deserving to be may the Church whereof he was still remaining become a Non-member and out of the Church and of the unclean world which the Scripture acknowledgeth not Reply A Freemans childe suppose of London or any other Corporation was free-born and might in his minority trade under his father yet being grown up he must personally enter into the common Engagement of Freemen and be accepted of the Company as his father was unto all Duties and Liberties of that Society in his own person else he may not trade for himself If it be said Why so either he is a Freeman or a Non-freeman It will be readily answered He is a Non-freeman and that by his own defaulâ— If it be said He was Free by his Fathers Copy and is not dis-franchised by any publick Censure nor hath deserved so to be may such an one the Society whereof he was still remaining become a Non-freeman and out of that Society c The answer will easily and readily be given He hath lost his Freedome by not entring in his own person into the common Engagement of Freemen to the Duties whereunto all Freemen are personally bound So and much more justly it is in this case An adult person makes himself to become a Non-member as to priviledges by not performing the Duties whereunto he was bound by his Parents Covenant for him in his minority and by his not regularly covenanting as his Parents did And his is according to Scripture which tells us that Circumcision received in Baptism may become by his own fault being adult no Circumcision Rom. 2.25 Those Texts in Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 Gen. 17.7 are not applicable to the adult persons in question but onely to Infants and Children in minority Propos 6. Such Church-members who either by death or some other extraordinary Providence have been inevitably hindred from publick acting as aforesaid yet having given the Church cause in judgement of charity to look at them as so qualified and such as had they been called thereunto would so have acted their children are to be baptized Reply This Proposition may not be granted For 1. It granteth the priviledge of Church-membership to such as are not actually and regularly Church-members which is contrary to Christs Ordinance whereby Baptism being a publick Church-Ordinance is due onely to them who have a publick state and Interest such are onely the Members of the publick Ecclesiastical Body the Church Hence 1. An ordinary Minister cannot orderly perform an act proper to his Office in reference to church-Church-communion to any that are not regularly and actually Members of the visible Church without great usurpation as if a man do a work proper to Magistracy to one that is not under his Magistratical Power he is an Usurper So it is in this case of a Minister To administer Baptism is an act of his Office-power If he administer Baptism to children whose Parents are not regularly in Church-order in so doing why may not the Lord say He is an Usurper Suppose an unbaptized person professing his Faith and qualified according to the description in the sixth Proposition yet deferring for some probable causes to adjoyn himself to the Church for the present should desire Baptism of any of these Ministers who framed this Proposition Should they administer it to him and so do a proper work of their Office upon him If yea if they admit him to Baptism why not to the Lords