letter of the Text then I shall hearken to him in the meane time all indifferent men may well challenge their reason that heed him A second Text holding out the covenant in its ancient latitude we have from our Saviour Christ Matth. 20. 16. and 22. 14. Many are called but few chosen The close of two several Parables The one of the labourers hired into the Vineyard where some claimed a more large pay upon merit The other of the Parable of the Wedding-feast where one intruded without a Wedding garment whence our Saviour inferres Many are called are of the number of guests at the wedding feast are of the labourers in the Vineyard but few are chosen from whence I thus argue If there be a call from God in the times of the New Testament in a farre greater latitude than the grace of Election that of many called few only are elected then the covenant in New Testament-times is not to be restrained to the elect and regenerate but containes all that professedly accept the termes of the covenant and visibly appear a people of God This is evident seeing the call is into covenant all at the Feast were called ones all the hired labourers were covenant-servants To conceive men to be called of God and not to be in covenant with God is a full contradiction The call hath its terminus à quo and its terminus ad quem a state which upon call they leave and a new state on which they enter They are upon this call in a nearer relation to God than the rest of the world otherwise they were the same as ever and not called at all they are not in so neare a relation as men borne of the Spirit so they were elected They have a call by the Word and ministerial outward Ordinances to which they yeeld a professed subjection They have not attained the inward working of the Spirit to a real Sanctification Now for the Assumption that there is a call in New Testament-times in this latitude in a far greater latitude than the grace of Election our Saviour evidently shews in the Text quoted There are those at the feast that are not accepted There are those that are taken into the Vineyard that at the evening of the day do displease there are those therefore that are called into covenant with God and yet are rejected of God a full and a clear Text for covenant-holinesse This is farther evident in those Parables of our Saviour Christ of the field with Wheat and Tares Matth. 13. 24 25. of the draw-net with fishes good and bad Matth. 13. 47. of the floore with chaffe and Wheat Matth. 3. 12. of the great house where there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earth and stone some to honour and some to dishonour 2 Tim. 2. 20. In which parables by the floore the field expressely compared to the Kingdome of Heaven and the great house the Church is understood which stands in covenant-relation to God and containes those that are in covenant with God A man in the Kingdome of Heaven is a man in covenant with God unlesse he stood in a covenant-relation he could have no standing there and the comparison were very strangely drawn if this Kingdome thus set out had all that were good none bad in it But of this more when I shall speake to some Corolaries that follow from this Assertion Another Scripture in which the covenant in the ancient latitude is held out is Rom. 11. thoroughout a great part of the chapter There is as all know a large discourse of the Apostasie of the Jews and the call of the Gentiles of the rejection and breaking off of the one and the taking in and ingraffing of the other which I shall presently have a further occasion to open when I shall speak to another pretended difference between the covenant as it stood then and as it stands now In the meane time this is clear into the same church-Church-state and covenant-latitude from which the Jews fell Gentiles were taken in and do still continue This cannot be denied we being graffed in their stead come in upon like termes as they left They fell from a visible Church state and that latitude of covenant which did receive regenerate and unregenerate justified and unjustified That covenant-latitude then still remaines in the Churches of the Gentiles in Gospel-times Nothing here that I can see can with any colour be objected unlesse any will say that the invisible Church is there spoken to and not the visible that the Jews fell from the invisible body and that the Gentiles in their call are generally taken in into the same fellowship Which as I think few will affirme so I shall have presently occasion to examine If any shall further say that they have this title in Foro Ecclesiae and not in Foro Dei as to men they have so far right that Ministers may not refuse them or in their administrations deny them admittance but in the sight of God who knows their unregenerate unjustified condition they have no title at all I shall refer them to the whole tenor of that chapter where they shall see this engraffing of theirs ascribed to the power of God that it is done by the election of God and mentioned as his gift and choice mercy to that people All of which speak the mind of God in it and his approbation of it This is farther clear in that Text of the Apostle Heb. 10 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace Where we see those that are sanctified with the blood of the covenant do tread under foot the Son of God and count his blood an unholy thing have an esteeme of it as that which is common and never devoted at all to God These must needs be granted to be wicked ye cannot be denied to be in covenant being sanctified with the blood of the Covenant There is indeed a threefold interpretation of this Text One of the Arminians and those of that party enemies to perseverance in Grace and they understand by sanctification in this place an internal change and renovation of the soul from whence by Apostasie such persons fall They that will embrace this tenent may indeed say that in the state of sanctification they were in covenant but falling from sanctification they fall from covenant But this is not affirmed by those with whom I have to deale and therefore I shall not lanch out into this controversie Two other interpretations are given by those that are adversaries to this way and make it their work to vindicate this text from these mens glosses The first refers sanctification not to those delinquents that tread under foot
Deut. 32. 21. of the call of the Gentiles into a visible church-Church-state and profession and so applied by the Apostle Rom. 9. 24 25 26. Whence I argue The call of the ten revolted Tribes and of the Gentiles into a visible Church-way is not to be meant of the Church as it is invisible onely This one hath already taken into consideration and answered Howsoever it be in the places in which the allusion is yet it is certaine that here it is meant of such a calling as is from darknesse to marvellous light Taking it it seems for granted that there is no marvelous light in visible Churches that in the land of Zebulon and Nepthali where they saw a great light there were only invisible members Mat. 4. 15 16. Fourthly as honourable titles as these are frequently given in Scripture as shall be shewn to visible professours why should then these be limitted to invisible Members Fifthly this Text by adversaries is made to be parallel with those Texts Gal. 6. 10. 1 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Pet. 2. 20. And those Texts I have demonstrated to be meant of visible Churches To which nothing is replyed Arguments to evince it to be meant of the Church as it is invisible come to be considered 1. I argue saith one from the termes chosen Generation royal Priesthood Objections answered and holy Nation a peculiar people This is by Christs death which can be understood of no other than Elect and true Beleevers Tit. 2. 14. Answ 1. Such a way of arguing would not passe with him in his Adversary As peculiar people is taken in one place of Scripture so it must be taken in all places but in one place it is taken for the Elect regenerate If this would hold much labour might be spared in finding out the various acception of words in Scripture 2. These termes and others equipollent to these are given to the Israelites Deut. 14. 1 2. Deut. 9. 6. Deut. 32. 9. not as a Church invisible but as visible Members Their qualifications are often as low as their appellations by reason of their relation to God raise them high And setting apart Christs death I would know how the Israelites came to this honour 3. The gift of Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers were the gift of Christ and the purchase of his death These are for constitution of visible Churches and visible members enjoy these priviledges in common with regenerate persons to which more is already spoken 2. An Objection is raised from that which is said of them They are called of God by his power and vertue into his marvelous light and verse 10. Which now had obtained mercy which they had not before which cannot be affirmed of any but true Beleevers and Elect persons Answ Men brought into a visible Church-state are brought into a marvelous light The seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. 20. had a marvelous light in their lamps and yet in some of those there were onely a few names that had not defiled their garments And this light is a mercy the fruition of it is a great mercy Psalme 147. 19 20. Yea it is applied by the Prophet Hos 2. 23. whence the Apostle gathers it unto the mercy enjoyed in a visible Church-communion which is not denied by the adversary 3. It is said that those persons did beleeve contra-distinguished to them that were disobedient and stumbled at the word but such are onely the Elect. Ergo. Answ So did all they that made shipwrack of the faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. So did Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. So did the hearers compared to the rocky ground Luke 8. 13. And whereas it is said these Beleevers are contra-distinguished to them that were disobedient and stumbled at the Word it fully makes against this interpretation Those disobedient ones are those that disallow Christ as we see verse 7. that reject Christ upon tender that persist in Judaisme or Gentilisme All others not professed Jewes nor Gentiles are in that place Beleevers and in all other Scriptures respective to visible prerogative all which are visible Church-members 4. They are said to be built as living stones c. which can agree to none but Elect persons and true Beleevers Answ That is left out in the Quotation of this Text which would wholly spoile the argument and carry it on the other hand namely those words To whom coming as unto a living stone The Apostle shews them the way and points out the condition called for which being done they are then built as living stones And this implies that it was so with some but not with others Here is that which was done by some and neglected by others and their happinesse upon discharge of their duty declared I am told by one that he hardly beleeves that any approved Writer joyns with me in this Interpretation But though I were alone in it yet I might learne of him to adventure not barely on the interpretation of one single-Scripture-Text but on a conclusion in Theology against all Protestant Writers and herein I should have the advantage in that few comparatively I think have started this question much lesse have they seriously handled it minding more what those titles engage us to be in which there is an agreement of all parties than to whom they are given when some of my opposites dare affront the whole body of Protestant Writers in that in which ex professo they have to deale against Papists Estius indeed upon examination of the thing in question appeares to be of a contrary minde and censures those that set out this holinesse by Religion doctrine Sacraments which Authours by him thus censured may be for ought I know as approved as himself and they as we see limit it not to the Church invisible I doubt not but that holinesse which is intrinsecal is here aimed at yet all those have these titles that do make profession of the way of it and are of the number of those that engage themselves to it Gerrard also on the words puts it to the question and determines the same way but tells us of others that understand it of common and general election His name I suppose is waved in that his Arguments are borrowed and have been answered But on the other hand Master Ball who if authorities must carry it will sway with me as much as either treating on those words Hos 2. 19 20. I will betroth thee unto me for ever c. saith The external betrothing by outward covenant so as God betroths himselfe to all professing the true faith may be broken for though God offer them mercy if they will believe yet he gives not not faith to them and quotes for proof Rom. 9. 24 25. 1 Pet. 2. 8 9. And Zanchius de perseverantia sanctorum cap. 1. Tit. de Sanctis hath these words Hear now what I understand by the name of Saints This name Saint when it is spoken of men is 1 Generally taken for all those that have consecrated
their flesh this signe and seale of the Covenant 2. Upon it they had many and great priviledges yea all Church priviledges followed upon this leading priviledge though otherwise strangers to the Common-weale of Israel now they were look't upon as of Israel 3. Answering unto and in sincerity making good that unto which they do actually engage the whole blessing of the Covenant is theirs They that undertake the termes on which covenant-salvation according to the Gospel is had are actually vested in a a saving covenant but they undertake the termes on which covenant-salvation according to the Gospel is had they are therefore in a saving covenant 4. In case unbelief and impenitence in them be not only Law-transgressions but also Gospel-sins and breaches of a Gospel-covenant then these professed believers are under a Gospel-covenant This is evident They sin not against the Gospel that are not under the Gospel they break not covenant that were never in covenant but their unbelief and impenitence are above Law-transgressions they are Gospel-sins and breaches of covenant as I think need not to be proved and therefore it is plain that they are in covenant Upon this account I confesse I have often marvelled why many eminent and godly Divines do earnestly perswade their people to whom they speak to enter covenant with God giving directions what way they are to take to come into covenant with him telling them that it is of great concernment to them to know under what covenant they are whether under a covenant of Works or a covenant of grace when the same men expressely say that we all entred covenant in baptisme and that unbelief and impenitence at least if not every sin is a breach of our baptism vow and covenant Might not any think that these did perswade to be baptised and that they tell their people that it is of great concernment to know what covenant it is that baptisme seales whether it seales the covenant of Works or the covenant of Grace If we enter in covenant in our baptisme as they truly say that we did as to the Jus in re then how comes it to passe that any that are baptised are out of it and being already actually in it how are they perswaded to enter into it These perswasions therefore and motives to enter covenant I think should be to presse men on to keep covenant and so the directions which they lay down are indeed of divine and excellent use And when they say it so much concernes men to know what covenant they are under I conceive it should rather be to let them know of how great concernment it is to them to see that they have their interest in the mercies of the covenant through grace answering to the termes of it and requisites in it and so the entring of covenant which is done as these say in baptisme and keeping of covenaut or obtaining the mercies of the covenant would not be confounded but distinguished Their labours would likewise be of excellent use which otherwise scarce suit either with their own words or the Scriptures It may be objected that in case they are from under the covenant of Works and under the covenant of Grace then they are exempted from the curse and acquitted from the condemnation which is annext to that covenant which cannot be affirmed of any meer Professour of Christianity in unbelief and impenitence and enough is spoken in this Treatise it self against it To this I answer 1. The curse may follow upon the transgression of the Law as a Law without consideration of any covenant at all whether of Works or Grace and it is not interest in Covenant but interest in Christ which these supposedly such have not that frees from condemnation 2. What if it be yielded that they beare no more than the penalty annext to the breach of the Covenant of grace If the Gospel be consulted that is sufficiently sad and heavy If they be put to beare that nothing more needs to be added to the burden and indeed with submission to better judgments not resolvedly determining any thing it is my thoughts that professed Christians in unbelief and impenitence suffer not upon account of the penalty annext to the breach of the covenant of Works but upon account of the penalty annext to the breach of the covenant of Grace and let not any here object that the transgression of the Law shall not then be laid to their charge for the Gospel bindes us to the obedience of the Law though not in exact perfection yet in sincerity and truth And this I suppose receives strength from that of the Apostle 2 Thes 1 7 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which character therof not knowing God Interpreters saith Dr. Slater upon the words generally take to be a description of the Gentiles who though they know God by his Works yet they know him not by his Word and to this he subscribes The other character of not obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ is as he saith a circumscription of Christians according to Interpreters Gospel-disobedience is then their guilt and upon account of this they suffer Had they believed and yielded sincere obedience which they professed and to which they engaged themselves they had not perished and the want of this appears to be their destruction CHAP. XLI Interest in a Church-state is of equal latitude with the Covenant THen it follows by way of necessary corollary that Church-membership interest in a Church-state is of equal latitude not only the elect and regenerate but all in covenant as before spoken to have their right stand entitled to Church-priviledges And here lest I should be mistaken let me explaine my selfe that my meaning is not ipso facto because in covenant with God and called by his name to entitle them to the Church invisible and so to suppose them lively members living in grace by influence of the Spirit from Christ This would clearly enough contradict that which before I have spoken and were indeed a contradiction in the adject I mean it of a visible church-Church-state and interest in visible priviledges If any quarrel at the distinction as some have done on either hand endeavouring to take off both members The Church of Rome not admitting any Church invisible and others not brooking any Church but such as consists of invisible members as may appear in their definitions of a particular Church putting in those clauses that belong only to the Church invisible I shall refer them to Doctor John Reynolds in his second Thesis fully bottoming it on that Text Mat. 22. 14. Many are called but few chosen which yet must be confest with judicious Master Hudson that it is not a division into two distinct Churches or species of Churches but a distribution of the subject by the adjuncts
viz. à duplici modo communionis externo interno Vindication page 4. One and the same Church hath members of a visible and invisible notion a more full explanation may there be seen This being premised I affirm that interest in Church-membership in a visible church-Church-state is theirs and may be claimed by all those that have interest in the covenant before named an external interest or an interest in the external covenant as usually it hath been called This is a sure rule Where the Covenant is there the Church is and in what latitude soever men are taken into covenant they are received into the Church Lawes tendred by a Prince and received by a people whether they be tendred immediately by himself or by his Heraulds or Embassadours make up the relation of King and people A marriage-covenant tendred by a man as by Abrahams servant in the name of Isaac to Rebecca Gen. 24. and accepted by a Virgin makes up the relation of husband and wife covenant-draughts between man and man for service as an apprentice his indentures make up the relation of Master and servant now the Gospel-covenant is all of these between God and a people where God tenders it and a people receive it there God hath his Spouse his Subjects his Servants These are his people and all of these are Church-members The Word preached and received hath ever been assigned by Orthodox Divines as the characteristical note of a Church of God a Church stands and falls with it where it is professedly received there is a Church-interest Let one man apart receive it as was the case of the Eunuch he forthwith becomes a Church-member and is to have as we see he had his present matriculation and to be admitted by baptism a member not of this or that Congregation but of the Church universal visible and upon this account wheresoever he comes is a Saint a Disciple a Christian a Beleever and so to be received and acknowledged This is abundantly confirmed in those parables of our Saviour Christ of the floore where there is both chaffe and wheat Mat. 3. 12. of the field where there is both wheat and tares of 〈◊〉 draught-net where are fishes good and bad Mat. 13. 24 47. As also in that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 20. In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour The Church is this floore this field this draught-net this great house in which there is chaffe tares fish unfit for use and vessels of dishonour to which may be added the parables of the wedding feast in which there is a mixture of some without a wedding garment Mat. 22. of the sheepfold with kids and goats These parables are brought by Bellarmine for proof that the Church doth not consist only of the elect lib 3. de Eccl. Mil. cap. 7 to which Whitaker Controv secundâ quaest primà cap 7. answers by distinction Bellarmine saith he ought to prove that in the Catholick Church which is the body of Christ there are both good and bad reprobate as well as elect and for proof of this saith he he brings the parable of the floore in which there is wheat and chaffe but by the floore in this place is not meant saith he the Catholick Church but each particular Church in which we confesse there are bad as well as good and for the most part more bad than good And though he makes some exceptions against some of the Parables yet he applies the same answer to others Concerning that of the draw-net he saith The sense of the parable is manifest It happens in the Church when the Gospel is preached as in the sea when the draught-net is cast to take fish 1. All the fishes that are in the sea are not enclosed in the net 2. All are not good that are inclosed but some are unfit for use 3. The bad fish are not separate from the good till the net be drawn to land so when the Gospel is preached all men do not come in all are not good that come and the good and bad are not separate till the end of the world And Doctor Reynolds maintaining that position That the holy Catholick Church which we believe is the whole company of Gods elect and chosen saith The wicked must needs be a part of the Church if the name of Church did signifie the visible Church as we call it consisting of the good and bad Amesius who as we heard judges it very probable that there is no visible Church where the Word is truly preached in which there are not some that are godl◠and therefore is farre from concluding the godlinesse of all saith in his Bellar. Enervatus lib. 2. de Eccles cap. 1. It is false that inward graces are required of us to a mans being in the Church as to the visible state of it see Apollonius Syllog pag. 8. Professores Leyden disput 40. pag. 3. If any man judge it to be absurd that Christ should have wicked men who are limbs of Satan to be of his mystical body carnal wicked men to be members of such a gracious and glorious head Christ is the head of his Church say they if such be Church-members then Christ is their head I shall referre them to a full and satisfying answer to Master Hudsons Vindication page 6 7 8. And for those that deny any being of a Church universal visible as Master Blackwood in his Storme page 65. who saith the objector is overtaken in a grosse absurdity to think there is some universal Church visible begun in Abraham into which upon the rejection of the Jewes the believers among the Gentiles and their seed are to be received for besides the invisible Church the body of Christ mystical there are only particular Churches under the Gospel I would learn of them into what particular Church the Eunuch was received and by baptisme actually and solemnly admitted or whether he was still no Church-member but an alien and stranger to the Common-wealth of Israel not added to the Church To what particular Congregation the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists joyned themselves by covenant and to save farther labour leave them to Master Hudsons Vindication of the essence and unity of the Church Catholick visible which will receive a satisfactory answer when the Sun hath no more being in the Heavens CHAP. XLII A man in Covenant with God and received into the universal Church visible needs no more to give him accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches 2ly IT farther followes that a man by vertue of covenant being thus enrighted to membership in the Church universal visible and baptized into this body there needs no farther covenant to give him accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches What the Apostle gives in charge to the Church at Rome concerning those that are weak in the
visible body But this ingraffing of the Gentiles into the Church of God caused disputation and contention in some Acts 11. 2 3. emulation in others Deut. 32 21. Rom 10. 19. Rom. 11. 14. this therefore was into the Church visible Thirdly That priviledge which is not restrained to some few invisible Churches but is the priviledge of all that are contained in it and members of it is not an invisible work upon the heart to a saving change but only an interest in visible priviledges This is evident the invisible work is not in all Matth. 2â— 14. But this here mentioned is the priviledge of the whole body as is cleare in the Text and adversaries are constrained to acknowledge Therefore the ingraffing is only into the visible body That priviledge wherein the Jewes while they were a people of God did transcend the Gentiles when they were no people is the priviledge which these Gentiles have by their ingraffing this is plain verse 17 But it is the priviledge of Ordinances in being visibly related thus to God wherein Jews did then exceed Gentiles as hath been largely shewn Fourthly that Faith from which the Jews actually fell and the Gentiles stood in danger to fall from is not a saving justifying Faith entituling to invisible priviledges but a Faith of profession onely giving a visible title This is plaine unlesse we will maintaine Bertius his Hymenem desertur and assert the Apostasie of the Saints But this Faith whereby the Gentiles are ingraffed is a Faith from which the Jews fell and from which they were in danger to fall v. 20. Fifthly that reconciliation or ingraffing which is opposite to casting out of a visible church-Church-state is an ingraffing into the Church visible But this reconciliation or ingraffing is opposite to the casting out of a Church state This is plain Matth. 21. 43. It is a casting out of them that bore not fruit and not a casting off invisible branches Sixthly If the state of the Jewes continued from the Apostles time to this day be an exclusion from a visible church-Church-state so that they are no people of God in name then a visible church-Church-state is that which they lost and the Gentiles gained This is plaine The state in which they stand being rejected is their state of rejection But their condition since that time is an exclusion out of a visible Church state This needs no proof Therefore a visible Church state is that which the Jews lost and these gained I wish that these arguments to which many more might be added may be taken into consideration and for a close of all seeing it is peremptorily asserted that it is manifestly false that the Christian Gentiles were graffed into the same visible Church with the Jews for then they should have been Circumcised contrary to the determination Acts 15. and that God hath quite taken away the visible Church of the Jews or to that purpose This Error begetting many others I wish that it may be a little better thought upon whether it be the language of the Scriptures I have learnt that as we and they have one and the same God one and the same Faith that is the doctrine of Faith one and the same Covenant eat of one and the same spiritual meat and drink of the same spiritual drink one and the same expected heaven so we are one and the same Church Let us to that end further observe the manifold Metaphors by which the Church ours and theirs is set forth all of them holding forth this Onenesse First That of a Tent which is the habitation of sojourners Gen. 9. 27. God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant Shems Tents must be possest by Japhet and not others built for their habitation The Tents of Shem that is his posterity by Abraham which Japhet that is the Gentiles by a special blessing did possesse is the Church visible as needs no proof Shems Tents and Japhets Tents are one and the same Japhet comes to Shems not Shem to Japhets Secondly That of a Sheep-fold John 10. 16. Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd The Sheep that in present were in the fold viz. Jews and those not yet taken in viz. Gentiles all make up one and the same fold which though some may limit to the Church invisible because Christ gives notes of those that are indeed his sheep but that is no argument at all Christ speaks to those that were disciples only according to profession and gives notes of disciples indeed and it is against all reason that Christ should in discourse point out the invisible Church with the demonstrative This and that to those that were malignant enough in the Church visible namely the Pharisees as appears in the close of the former Chapter And the mention of thieves creeping into it hirelings employed in it doth contradict it The visible Church of the Jews and Gen tiles in which Christ hath true sheep for whom he dies and others that theeues and hirelings do deceive makes up one sheepfold Thirdly By a natural body 1 Cor. 12. 13. Mans body most aptly to this purpose that one new man Eph. 2. 15. is the visibly body compact of both Jew and Gentile Fourthly to adde no more that of a Kingdome Mat. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven The same Kingdome that Jews leave Gentiles enter Matth. 21. 41 43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof That can be no more then the presence of God in Gospel-Ordinances which is without fruit among Jewes all invisible Members bring forth fruit and upon that accout is given to the Gentiles Neither is it of force that which is said against it Then we must be circumcised As though we may not be in the same Kingdom and yet under a new way of Administration Law-givers on earth are sometimes pleased to change their Lawes and so doth the Law-giver of Heaven or if he will limit his instance to Circumcision taking in no other Lawes the same house may have a new doore or porch let our opposites then know that they are in the same visible Kingdom as Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their posterity after the flesh in Israel were and I wish that they may take heed of making divisions in it or separations from it CHAP. L. Arguments from a late hand for ingraffing into the Church invisible and breaking off from it answered Argument 1. FIrst That ingraffing which is Gods act by his sole power is into the invisible Church by Election and giving Faith For graffing into the visible Church is admission into visible Membership which if it be by an outward Ordinance is the easie act
of the Administrator if by profession of Faith the easie act of the Professor But the ingraffing meant â—om 11. is Gods act from his sole power as is proved from verse 23. where the reason is rendred why the Jewes should be again graffed in is because God is able to graffe them in again Ergo the graffing here is into the visible Church Answ This ingraffing is by a power of God working the heart to a professed subjection to the way of God in Ordinances tendered and assent of heart unto all that is there promised that power that brought Japhet into the tents of Shem Gen. 9 27. That hand of the Lord that was with those that preached the word Act. 11. 21. so that a great number beleeved and turned to to the Lord must bring the Jews back into their former Church-condition How easie soever you take this work to be to bring a people who are strangers to God into a church-Church-state yet our Brethren in New England have not found it awork so easie to bring the Natives there into a Church-condition nor is it so easie a businesse to bring in the Jewes to this posture of a visible Church-state Have so many prayers been laid out for this work and it is yet not done when it is a matter of such â—ase with man and no need of the power of God for the doing of it We understand a discipling of Gentile-Nations and acknowledge it a work above the power of man and confesse it solely to be in the hand of God We do not speak of the bare admission of men that stand entitled but the working of them to such a title and if an outward profession â—e in the power of mans will yet to bring men or Nations to such a profession cordially to imbrace the Gospel so far as to assent to the truth of it iâ— above man and a work of no such â—ase Argument 2. Secondly That ingraffing which is called reconciliation opposite to casting away that is by Election and giving Faith for 〈…〉 acts can reconcile But the ingraffing here is called reconciliation opposite to casting away verse 15. as may appear in that verse 16. is a reason of the clause about the reception of the Jews vers 15. and the 17. verse is an admonition from the suspition verse 15. that the Jews were cast away which is called breaking off v. 17. Now if breaking off verse 17. â—e the same with casting away verse 15. then ingraffing is the same with reconciliation Ergo ingraffing is by Election and giving of Faith Answ Reconciliation is either graduâ—l or total Either to take in or hold a people in visible communion or else to receive them with an everâ—asting delight in them The former of these Moses obtained for the people of Israel when the Lord upon the sinne of the golden Calfe said Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them Exod 32. 10 11 12 13 14. This being premised if any were at fault for a full answer he might easily finde it in the objection it selfe Reconciliation is opposite to casting away The Jewes then by reconcilation are brought into that state out of which they were once cast But they were not cast out of the Church invisible not out of Election and justification but out of a visible church-Church-state and fellowship Breaking off is rightly said to be the same as casting away and reconciliation the same as ingraffing Their reconciliation or ingraffing is then into that condition from which they were broken out of which they were cast Now they were cast out of the Church visible not out of the Church invisible Their reconciliation brings them into the same Church state which is a reconciliation gradual not total It is here said When any shall shew either a Scripture wherein by reconciliation to God is meant bare vouchsafing a visible church-Church-state and by casting away and breaking off a lâ—sse of visible priviledges or any approved Writer in the Churches of the Protestants so expounding it I shall begin to suspect that I am mistaken but till then I shall remaine confident I am in the right and shall wonder that any that loveâ— not to wrangle but feares to pervert the Scripture and the truth of God should dare so to interpret it Here I may have many things to say 1. When this Authour pleases he can heap up phrases which are onely once used in a select sense in Scripture and that to uphold this interpretation of holy and unclean 2 Cor. 7. 14. when the context clearly evinces the contrary 2. When he pleases he dare undertake the defence of an opinion held unanimously by all Papists and as unanimously opposed by Protestants as in that of Covenant-holinesse 3. Gomarus Tom. 1. p. 111. observes that World is taken in that sense in Rom. 11. 12 15. as in no other Scripture 4. If reconciliation in no other place be so used yet little is gained seeing as we have seen there are parallel phrases that hold out the same thing to us 5. I shall gratifie him with an Authour an approved Writer in the Protestant Church that so interprets this text in hand that by reconciliation to God is meant no more then vouchsafing a visible church-Church-state It is Ravanellus who having in his laborious work Thesaurus Scripturae distinguished of a twofold reconciliation 1. Of man with God 2. Of man with his neighbour And defining reconciliation according to our Authours sense of it he goes on and saith Where we are to consider First the name which saith he is taken either properly in the sense already spoken to or lesse properly Rom. 11. 15. Where by reconciliation of the world to God is understood the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ or they are call to the participation of the favour of God which also is called the salvation of the Gentiles verse 11. and the riches of the world verse 12. Here he may see Faith taken for a bare dogmatical Faith reaching a visible Church-state and not justifying Reconciliation to God taken for the grace and favour of Church-priviledges And the salvation of the Gentiles and riches of the world interpreted to signifie the same thing These phrases are Synonima and they signifie a reconciliation not properly so called but such a one that is opposed to the Reconciliation for which he contends And for the other phrase that by casting away and breaking off is meant a losse of visible priviledges let him consult the last Annotations to those words verse 22. Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off which they enterpret as an unfruitful branch adding this caution as though they had foreseene this Glosse But here it is to be noted that this passage ought to be understood of the outward incorporation into the Church by profession whereof many hypocrites do partake and not of the inward and efficacious ingraffing into the mystical body of Christ by a lively Faith and the
case he pleased but will not neither is he bound Sinne no otherwise follows upon reprobation not as a cause efficient but deficient not whereby any thing is removed that is present but that is not supplied which is wanting And Master Ball in his larger Catechism p. 57. Sin is the effect of mans free will and condemnation is an effect of justice inflicted upon man for sin and disobedience But the decree of God which is good is the cause of neither The signes of Reprobation may appear in those that are thus dischurched according to that which is quoted out of Ames but not as an effect of it The severity which God sheweth in not sparing but breaking off these natural Branches is explicitely no more then that which Jesus Christ did threaten against them Mat. 21. 43. That the Kingdome of Heaven should be taken from them and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof the same which he threatens against Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. in taking away their Candlestick which is the effect of their own sin and not of Gods decree Argument 1. Sixthly If re-ingraffing of the Jewes produceth salvation is by turning them from iniquity taking away their sins according to Gods Covenant then it is into the invisible Church by giving faith But the former is true v. 25. Ergo the latter Answ This Argument well husbanded might haue made three To the first â— say that priviledges enjoyed in a church-Church-state in Scripture-phrase are the salvation John 4. 22. Seeing Church-members are partakers of sauing Ordinances And the fruition of Ordinances under Gospel-dispensations is a great salvation Heb. 2. 3. And so that Text Rom. 11. 26. all Israel shall be saved must be understood as the last Annotation speaks The body of this people in general shall be brought againe into a way of salvation and re-istablisht into the Church of the whole Israel of God consisting of Jewes and Gentiles And so Diodate That is the body in general shall be put again into a way of salvation and re-established into the Communion of the Church And such men brought into a church-Church-state are turned from iniquity partially from their former way of iniquity their contradicting and blaspheming having escaped the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2. 16. of the world that remaines out of the Church of God Their sinne is pardoned quoad hoc and when Moses prayed for the pardon of the sinne of Israel Exod. 32. and God proâ—miseth it 2 Chron. 7. 14. it is so to be understood of a National dardon Argument 7. Seventhly If the re-ingraffing be by vertue of Gods Election and love his gifts of calling then it is into the invisible Church by Election and giving Faith But the former is true v. 28 29. Ergo the latter Answ His Election love and gifts of calling did at the first put them into a visible church-Church-state and condition Deut. 7. 7 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because you were moe in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people But because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworne unto your Fathers c. And the same love election and gifts of calling now they are broken off doth re-ingraffte them If this Argument hold it was an invisible Church that was brought out of the land of Egypt Here our Authour sayes with much confidence that he questions not but all Anti-Arminians that understand the controversie will disclaime Master Geree in this answer and acknowledge that the election love gifts and calling meant Rom. 11. 28 29. are by faith into salvation But he is much deceived Those before mentioned understood somewhate and Diodate in his Annotations hath these words God never recals his grace which by absolute decree he wil communicate to some person or Nation to call them to him and to have right to his Covenant Now the election of this people hath been such above all others in the world who being once called have and may fall totally and irreparably which this people cannot without repentance that is to say irrevocable of which God never repents Calvin on the words saith This is to be held that private Election is not here handled but the common adoption of the Nation which in outward appearance seemed for the time to be lost but not cut off from the root And presently after The Apostle argues that the counsel of God whereby he once chose to himself that Nation in peculiar remaineth firme And Paraeus in dubio decimo nono on this chapter understands it of the constancy of the love of God towards his own Nation And most fully in dubio vicesimo where urging Stapletons objection That it seems from this irrevocablenesse of the gifts and calling of God the assurance of grace and salvation cannot follow 1. Because as Stapleton objects and Calvin and Martyr confesse the speech of the Apostle is not to be understood of the election of each particular person but of the common adoption of the whole Nation and this common grace of adoption of the whole Nation was mutual for they fell from this gift To which Paraeus sayes Stapleton's corrupt glosse is easily answered 1. Saith he It is not denied that the Apostle spake this of the Common that is the federal dignity of the Nation of the Jewes and that the irrevocablenesse in God is to be understood yet it is denied saith he that from hence the assurance of particular persons is not concluded yea from the lesse to the greater it is firmly concluded For if the Apostle from common grace do rightly conclude this irrevocablenesse in God much more may it be determined from that grace which is proper Ravanellus in verbum Electio understands Election in v. 28. of common Election as he do also in 1. Pet. 2. 9. Amesius is urged as an adversary yet appears otherwise The Remonstrants giving two answers to this Scripture The second is the self-same in 〈◊〉 with Stapletons To which Amesius replies Coron page 233 234. This is their custome to take one part of a truth and to abuse it for the overthrow or removal of another So that it appears according to him that they spake truth in the denial of this to be meant of the unchangable decree of eternal Election but they abuse this truth in about to avoid the argument drawn from it for perseverance As Jesuites and Arminians do object it so their adversaries freely confesse it I have indeed sometimes in my thoughts doubted how fitly this Text was brought against Arminians for proof of perseverance and estament of assurance yet satisfied my selfe according to what hath been said but since I had any understanding never questioned but it was here applied according to the minde of these Authours to the National priviledge of the Jews the full scope of these Chapters being to dispute the rejection of Israel after
the flesh their former dignity and consequently their future recovery unto the state from whence they were fallen in which the Gentile-Nations by discipling do succed let us go no farther for determination of the question then the preceding verse As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake Here is to be enquired 1. Who were enemies concerning the Gospel 2. Who the Fathers are for whose sake they are beloved 3. What this election is and then we shall soone see who are beloved for the Fathers sake For the first It is not the spiritual seed that were as concerning the Gospel enemies that is the highest of contradictions but as Diodate sayes the Jewes who at present time were alienate from God by reason of rebellion against the Gospel which only can unite souls to him Enemies against the Gospel are enemies against God which cannot be understood of spiritual Israel The fathers for whose sake they are beloved are the ancient fathers from whom after the flesh they did proceed especially Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepter patres for the fathers Then Election must needs be as Paraeus upon the words Diodate and Ravanellus in verbum Electio observe understood of an external grace of the Covenant whereby God chose this Nation to himself according to that of Moses Deut. 7. 6. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth unlesse we are elect in Abraham to salvation and not in Christ And Abraham Isaac and Jacob are our Mediatours reconciliation and when the Apostle saith We are accepted in the beloved Ephes 1. 6. it is to be understood of acceptation in Abraham and we are to conclude our prayers not in and through Christ but Abraham Isaac and Jacob we are not for their sakes beloved to salvation Paraeus indeed makes the grace of eternal Election to be secondarily here understood which God saith he deposited in that Nation for adopting them into Covenant he makes it evident saith he that he hath many of that Nation and ever shall have that are Elect unto salvation But this is not the Election here mentioned but only an adjunct of it and now of it self it will follow that these beloved for Abraham Isaac and Jacob are the children of their flesh Because saith Paraeus God loved the Fathers the love extends it self to the children for if among men friendship with parents be divolved to Children why should it not be so with God likewise I desire that it may be considered for whom Moses interceded when he prayed Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thy own selfe and saidest unto them I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shall inherit it for ever Exod. 32. 13. Was it not the whole body of Israel And for whom is it that God promises to remember his Covenant with Jacob and also his Covenant with Isaac and also his Covenant with Abraham Levit. 26. 42. Was it not the whole Nation under suffering as there is exprest I will remember the land Either then Paul and Moses erre together with the list of Authours here mentioned or else the love election calling in this place is into a Church state and condition Argument 8. Eighthly If the ingraffing both of Jews and Gentiles be the fruit of Gods mercy the breaking off by shutting up in unbelief then the ingraffing is into the invisible Church by election and giving faith But the former is true verse 30 31 32. Ergo the latter Answ The priviledge of a church-Church-state which the Jewes once had and againe shall have is a mercy as may be seene Hosea 1. 6 9. Our Author addes What shall I say more It is so plain from the whole scope and tenour of the Apostles words that the ingraffing there spoken of is into the invisible Church by election and giving faith that from the first of the chapter to verse 13. there is scarce a verse but speaks of rejecting foreknowing election grace hardening giving a Spirit of slumber darkening the eyes stumbling falling or some equipollent terme to these and the Apostle doth plainly signifie his intention in all that discourse to be the shewing the mystery of Gods counsel in electing reprobating blinding conuerting one while the Jews another while the Gentiles so that I cannot but admire that Mr. Marshal should interpret the ingraffing of bare admission into visible Church-membership Answ 1. I would willingly learne what ingraffing by Election is I take Election to be an immanent act in God which is terminated in himself and not on the creature such expressions do not suit with so high pretendings to scholastical learning as every where may be seen in this Authour 2. I would have this Argument made up by taking in the assumption which can be no other then this But the Jewes in their fall from Church-fellowship cannot be said to be rejected hardened given to a spirit of slumber or that their eyes are darkened or that they have stumbled neither Election or Grace should have any hand in their Church-fellowship This must be the reasoning if there be any shew of reason in this heap of words and then all may well admire while he is in his admiration of others I say no more but that he is very weak both in Divinity and Logick that cannot presently upon the first sight discover the weaknesse and return a satisfying answer to this flourish of words Argument 9. Parallel places as is said must be understood of implanting into the invisible Church as Ephes 3. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Gal. 3. 14 26 28 29. Answ Master Hudson page 132. hath not onely affirmed but proved that the Text 1 Cor. 12. 13. is meant of the Church as visible to whom I referre the Reader He places his greatest confidence in the first as he professes and thus enlarges upon it Now sure the Gentiles were made fellow-heires of the same body and co-partakers of the promise of God in the Gospel not by an outward Ordinance but by giving of faith according to Election Ergo the ingraffing Rom. 11. 17. parallel to it is not by an outward Ordinance but by giving Faith according to Election To this I onely say O that this were truth Then as the Apostle saith of Israel at their restauration all Israel shall be saved Rom. 11. 26. so we may say all England in statu quo shall be saved in the sense that he would understand salvation Whether we be by descent Britaines Saxons or Normans we are gentiles and consequently by his Divinity partakers of the Gospel by Fatih according to Election But it is too clear that
into 2. Grounds Examined Enervated II. Putting too great a restraint on the New Covenant 1. Limitting it alone to the Regenerate 1. To which something is spoke 1. By way of concession that sundry Divines seeme to speak to that purpose 2. By way of Avoidance from their owne words 2. Contrary asserted 1. In Old Testament-times 1. By confession of the advesarie 2. By Scripture-testimony 36 2. In New Testament times 1. by New Testament Scriptures Mat. 28. 19 Mat. 22. 24 Heb. 10. 29 1 Pet. 2. 9 37 2. By Arguments of sundry sorts ch 38 3. Objections answered ch 39 4. Corollaries drawn 1. Professed Beleevers are under a Covenant of Grace and not a Covenant of Works chap. 40 2. Interest in a church-Church-state is of equall atiude with the Covenāt c. 41 3. Such Covenant-interest is sufficient to give accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches chap. 42 4. Dogmatical Faith entitles to Baptisme chap. 43 5. Impenitence and unbelief in professed Christians is a breach of Covenant chap. 44 Five Positions concerning particular Churches 1. Where nothing is wanting to the being of a Church yet much may be wanting for the wel-ordering 2. A people in a vicinity ought to associate themselves 3. Professing Christians upon tender ought to be received 4. Reformation of abuses is the work of Christians rather than separation 7. Rules concerning separation 5. Together Churches out of Churches unwarrantable 2. Terminating it onely in the person actually entring excluding the issue in which 1. Question stated as to Abrahams natural issue Chap. 45 2. Arguments concluding the natural issue of Abraham to be in Covenant Chap. 46 3. New-Testament Testimonies evincing it Ibid. 4. Objections from Rom. 9. 6 7 8. answered Chap. 47 5. The extent of it to the issue of Beleevers in New-Testament times 1. Asserted Chap 48 2 Proved 1. By Scripture testimonies Rom. 11. 16. Chap. 49. 50 1 Cor. 7. 14. Chap. 51 Galat. 4. 29 Chap. 52. Matth. 19. 14. Marke 10 14 Luke 18. 16. Chap. 53 2. By several arguments Chap. 54. 6. Corollary for Infant-Eaptisme Chap. 55 1. By Arguments asserted objections answered 2. The reality of connexion between the Covenant and the Seal vindicated Chap 56 3. Sin of Sacriledge upon the repulse charged Ch. 57 4. The title of all infants of professing parents asserted Chap. 58 7. Practical uses concerning parent and issue inserred Ch 60 1. All possible engagements to holinesse of life Ibid. 2. Parents must see that their childrens breeding answer their birth 3. There is great danger in opposing Gods Covenant-people 4. Consolation from this Birth-priviledge 1. In reference to Nations 2. In reference to single persons 1. Themselves 2. Their posterity The Analytical Table being chiefly intended for and suited to learned capacities the vulgar Reader may here see the whole of the following Treatise as it is digested into Chapters and these easily found by the pages opposite to them Chap. 1. AN Introduction into the whole page 1 Chap. 2. The Covenant of God entred with mankinde distinguished page 8 Chap. 3. A Covenant between God and fallen man in the proper nature of it asserted page 10 Chap. 4. The Covenant of grace is between God and man and not between God and Christ page 13 Chap. 5. The Outward and not the Inward Covenant is a Covenant properly so called page 19 Chap. 6. Six positions tending to clear the thing in question page 24 Chap. 7. The Covenant of Grace calls for conditions from man page 33 Chap. 8. A grand Objection against this Doctrine answered page 36 Chap. 9. Further Objectious against the former Doctrine answered page 48 Chap. 10. God in the dayes of the Gospel keeps up the power and authority of his Law The obligation of it is still inforce to bind the consciences of Beleevers page 53 Chap. 11. The Moral Law is a perfect rule of righteousnesse page 62 Chap. 12. The Moral Law bindes as it was delivered by the hand of Moses page 73 Chap. 13. God entring a Covenant of Grace with his people keeps up his Soveraignty in exercise of Discipline in the correction and chastisement of his people for sinne page 77 Chap. 14. 〈…〉 between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 86 Chap. 15. Differences between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 87 Chap. 16. A further difference between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 91 Chap. 17. Works incumbent upon the Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace page 93 Chap. 18. Further differences between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace page 99 Chap. 19. Objections against the former Doctrine answered page 113 Chap. 20. Further differences in the conditions in the Covenant of Works and the conditions in the Covenant of Grace page 115 Chap. 21. Faith is a condition of the Covenant of Grace page 118 Chap. 22. Objections against the conditionality of Faith answered page 130 Chap. 23. Repentance is a condition of the Covenant of Grace page 136 Chap. 24. Objections against the conditionality of repentance answered page 144 Chap. 25. What degree of obedience the Covenant of Grace calls for from Christians page 148 Chap. 26. The necessity of a Ministry to bring men into Covenant with God and to bring them up to the termes of it page 160 Chap. 27. Schooles and Nurseries of learning in order to a gifted Ministry necessary page 173 Chap. 28. An orderly way of admission of men into the Ministerial function necessary page 180 Chap. 29. Ministers of Christ must bring their people up to the termes of the Covenant pressing the necessity of faith and repentance page 188 Chap. 30. A people in Covenant must come up to the termes of the Covenant being engaged to God they must answer their engagements page 190 Chap. 31. The distribution of the Covenant of Grace into the Old and New Covenant with the harmony and agreement that is found between them page 202 Chap. 32. Differences assigned between the Old and New Covenant page 205 Chap. 33. Positions tending to clear the first Covenant under Old Testament-dispensations page 210 Chap. 34. The Old Covenant was not made up of meer carnal promises but contained New Govenant-promises that were spiritual and saving page 219 Chap. 35. The Old Covenant was a pure Gospel Covenant and not mixt page 224 Chap. 36. The Covenant of Grace admits Christians in Gospel-times in a state of unregeneration and is not limited in the bounds of it to the elect regenerate page 231 Chap. 37. New Testament-Scriptures asserting the latitude of the Covenant of Grace in Gospel times page 235 Chap. 38. Arguments evincing the Covenant of Grace in Gospel-times in that latitude as before is asserted page 248 Chap. 39. Objections against this latitude of the Covenant answered page 257 Chap. 40. Professed beleevers are under a Covenant of Grace and not a Covenant of Works page 262 Chap. 41. Interest in a church-Church-state is of equal latitude
knows who we say are in covenant and have covenant-right to baptisme so that a second covenant of which he speaks to give right to a first is a strange fancy But seeing I am no better understood I shall endeavour if it may be to clear my meaning in certain positions which here follow CHAP. VI. Positions tending to clear the thing in question 1. THose that take upon themselves a Christian profession being separate for God calling him by the Name of Lord that have Ordinances of God as their inheritance that acknowledge a Deity and no other but the true Deity a necessity of worship and none but the Christian worship these with me are in Covenant with God as was the whole state of the Church of the Jews and the whole face of the visible Church of the Gentiles that were ingraffed in their stead This to me is plain in that they are the Church or Churches of God Act. 7. 8. Gal. 1. 2. The called of God Matth. 22. 14. The people of God Isa 1. 2. Psal 90. 7. They sacrific'd to the true God Psal 50. 7. Are the sons of God Gen. 6. 1. Deut. 14. 1. Rom. 9. 4. Are a people nigh unto the Lord Deut. 4. 7. Psal 148. ult God professing himself to be their God Psal 90. 7. Are children of the Covenant Acts 3. 35. Saints Psalme 90. 5. Acts 26. 10. 1 Cor. 14. 33. Believers Act. 8. 12 13. Acts 21. 20. Luke 8. 13. Disciples Matth. 10. 1 4. Acts 9. 1. 15. 10. Christians Acts 11. 26. That all of these imply a covenant-state and that unregenerate men have in Scripture all this honour is clear These therefore with me are in covenant I know that as to all of these elogies it is answered in a word that they are equivocal An answer that I can scarce take into my thoughts without horrour as though Gods Oracles were all over from one end of the Bible to the other like those of Apollo and there were no reality either in their separation for God or gifts that they receive from God as illumination conviction faith or priviledges that they enjoy When there can be no plain denial that all of this here mentioned argues a covenant-state yet exceptions are taken It seemes saith one he takes all to be in Covenant that bear the name Christian And then questions What Though they know not what Christ or Christianity is Is taking a name entring into Cevenant The poore Indians that by thousands are forced by the Spaniard to be baptized are said to know so little what they do that some of them forget the name of a Christian which they assumed And does not our Authour think that a man may take as plausible exceptions against his words where he saith The rule is That a serious professour of the faith is to be taken for a true beleever if he would travel as far as India for it as he doth here against Gods Word Do not we know that force may make these poor Indians to appear serious in their profession And it is wonder that it should be so strange with him that taking a name should be entring covenant or at least that it should imply a covenant-state Let him consult Isa 4. 1. In that day seven women shall take hold of one man saying we will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel onely let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach and those manifold Scripture-Texts which expresse the relation of Gods covenant-people to him in these words A people called by his Name or on whom the Name of God is called Distinction should be put between children of the covenant by descent from parents in covenant whether Jews or Christians who continue their covenant-relation till they professedly cast it off notwithstanding their ignorance and such that of meer aliens are to be received having no other title then their own present qualification This ought to be voluntary as well in renouncing their old false way as embracing the present as we see it was in those coverts through the Acts of the Apostles and is not to be without some competency of knowledge discerning the evil of their former course and the happinesse attainable in the present And I am easily induced to believe that more knowledge by the industry of teachers is now required then was in the primitive times seeing there is not so much of God by miracle to perswade and as it were to over-rule So that it is not a naked taking of a name that is intended but that which together with it still attends upon it As a wife is called by her husbands name and withall makes her abode in his house so it is with a Covenant people and was with Israel They bore the name of God and they made abode in the Church of God enjoying his Ordinances as their inheritance It is objected God oft bestowes his Word on Infidels and in England there are men that deride the truth of Scripture and esteem it a fiction and yet for credit of men come ordinarily to the Congregation These have the Word given and so have other unregenerate men but not by Covenant that I know of That God doth bestow his Word on Infidels to me is strange It is true that he often tenders it to them but in case they remain Infidels they put it away from them and bestowing implies not only a tender but an acceptance It was the great advantage of Israel above other Nations that to them was committed the Oracles of God when others had not that honour And to speak of Gods giving his Word by Covenant is a most improper speech seeing the Word is the very Covenant draughts as though we should say he gives his Word by his Word And these sure are no open deriders that for the credit ofmen make such a publique profession this would work restraint on the one hand as it puts upon profession on the other And in case any such thing be though the Covenant is perfidiously broke yet as I conceive it is not totally cast off as long as an open profession is continued What shall we say of those that take their sons and daughters to give them to Moloch this can be no low crime and is an high departure from the true God yet these bring forth children unto God and they are Gods children that they thus sacrifice Ezek. 16. 20 21. So also Psal 106. 35 c. Israel was mingled among the Heathen and learned their works and they served their Idols which were a snare to them yea they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto Devils and shed innocent blood even the blood of their sons and daughters Yet this as appears cast them not out of Covenant God notwithstanding remembred for them his Cavenant ver 45. This was therefore doubtlesse but a partial apostasie Taking in the worship of Idols they did not totally cast off the worship of God God was not
So for Ministers of the Gospel we hear of their labour in Word and Doctrine their charge to preach in season and out of season For the forbidding of marriage there is no such thing who hath not known men in that state in the Universities and Resident in Colledges It is true that those Students that have their maintenance from the Founders donation upon marriage lose their place but do not incurre expulsion And the thing is very equal seeing those places are not intended for a setled abode as some abuse them but for Preparation for publick employment whether in Church or State and who blames those ties of Apprentices from marriage for the terme of their service to know their trades If wives and families should be taken in they would soon finde the inconvenience that the sonnes of the Prophets complained of their dwellings would be too strait for them Object Object Have not the Vniversities sacrilegionsly stole this blessed name of Christs Scholars from his People Is not the very Scripture-language it self becâ—me absurd to wit to call Gods People especially women as Dorcas Scholars Answ Bloody tenent ibid. And was it not an equal sacriledge for some peculiar men to take the title of the Sons of the Prophets who as it is plain were not their children but their Scholars and therefore the Prophets under whose tuition they were were called by them as by the name of Father 2 King 2. 12. so also by the name of Master 2 King 6. 5. being those Masters of the Assemblies that the Wise man speaks of Eccles 12. Others heard the doctrine and as sons received the instructions of the Prophets as well as they yet the title is given peculiarly to some who in a peculiar way were separate for that work not common to all men much lesse to women Besides the word Scholler is plainly in relation to Schooles men may learn Christ and be his disciples is confest though they be not Scholars in this way I know no Schooles of the Prophets in the New Testament Object but the particular Congregation of Christ Jesus And I question whether it be any thing but sinne that hath dried up this current of the Spirit in those rare gifts of tongues to Gods sonnes and daughters serving so admirably both for the understanding of the Original Scriptures and also for the propagating of the Name of Christ Who knows but that it may please the Lord again to cloath his People with a Spirit of zeal and courage for the Name of Christ yea and poure forth those fiery streames again of tongues and prophecy in the restauration of Zion Bloody tenent page 174. I am glad to here it confessed that sinne is displeasing to God and that any judgement on the Church is confest to be let in at this gate I am glad farther to hear that tongues serve so admirably to propagate the Name of Christ whence I infer that while this judgement for sin continues there is a necessity of other courses to attaine this that is acknowledged to be of this excellency Since the judgement was laid on the earth for sin men have got their bread with labour and so must as long as the judgement remaines The like paines must be for learning as for a living When God shall please to poure out again these fiery streames we then shall confesse the unusefulnesse of Schools to this purpose in the mean space their use is evident And seeing it is acknowledged that men must digge with daily study and labour to come at the Original fountaines let none be like Pharaoh to urge a tale of brick and deny straw If they must thus digge let them not be necessitated to go to the Papists to sharpen their spades as sometimes Israel to the Philistines with their goads and mattocks which yet necessarily will be if their Schools be kept up and ours cried down Mr. Ainsworth is brought in for an instance who as is said had scarce his peer among a thousand Academians for the Scripture-Originals and yet he scarce set foot within a Colledge walls His abilities in the tongues is evident which was his Master-piece but his education I know not but one Swallow makes not a Spring I have known a man excellent in the most exquisite manual trade who yet never served a Master to learn it yet this never took men off the way of Apprentiships If Mr. Ainsworth scarce set foot in a Colledge walls yet he reaped the fruit of their labours that were studied and thiâ— way excelled Is this the honour that you professe to give to Schools for Tongues and Arts to perswade men not to set their foot within them Another goes yet here farther Object not only to put down Schooles and demolish Academies for learning but to deny any necessity or use of learning at all yea any necessity of a Ministery for interpretation of Scripture as the Compassionate Samaritane page 29 30 31. One interest among others by him named of Ministers is to perswade the people that the Scriptures though we have them in our tongue are not yet to be understood by us without their help and interpretation so that in effect we are in the same condition with those we have so long pitied that are forbid to have the Scriptures in their own tongue for it is alone not to have them in our own tongue and to be made beleeve that we cannot understand them though we have them in our own Is the cabinet open to us and do we yet want a key has so much labour been spent so many translations extant and are we yet to seek Let us argue a little with them either the Scriptures are not rightly translated or else they are if they are not why have we not been told so all this while why have we been cheated into errours if they are rightly translated why should not English men understand them The idiomes and proprieties of the Hebrew and Greek languages which some say cannot word for word be exprest in English might all this while have been translated into as many English words as will carry the sense thereof For the dilemma concerning the Scriptures rightly translated or not rightly I may apply that of Job chap. 6. verse 15. How forcible are right words but what doth your arguing reprove and answer in a word that they are rightly translated according to the reach of a humane work and more rightly than the translation followed so much by the Evangelists and Apostles I suppose all will yeeld that ours is more exact after the Original than was that of the Seventy And yet there was no cheat in those translations if there had those witnesses of Christ had not been silent and yet not such a perfection that will bear no amendment There is still use of examination of them of asserting and defending them But be it granted that the translation is every way exact and full does it follow that there needs no help or
Tribes from Hosea 1. 10. Hos 2. 23. is there applied to the call of the Gentiles into a church-Church-state and condition Neither is that of force against it that is objected from verse 23. where the Apostle saith That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory God sets up visible Ordinances and calls to a Church-state as is there prophecied that he may there work to himselfe a people of invisible relation that thereby he may make them vessels of mercy having afore prepared them unto glory So likewise Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues All Professours of faith and worshippers of the true God are there included in that exhortation to quit Babylon so all Ministers of Christ are to urge and presse it Men therefore of visible Profession have this title in compellation from GOD of my people It is yet objected Jeremiah 31. 31 32 33. Behold the dayes come saith the LORD that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was an husband to them saith the Lord. But this shall be my Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Here is a third purpose or interest for which this Text is produced to serve The first was to assert an unconditionate Covenant in the dayes of the Gospel which we examined chapter 25. when the Gospel expressely holds out Covenant-conditions more expressely than the Covenant of Works which is confest to be conditional The second to overthrow a publick Ministery and all private mutual exhortation which we spake to chapter 26 when the New Testament doth establish both And to set up this Prophecie in a third particular against all New Testament-light none must be of the called of God into Covenant for fruition of Church-priviledges but those that are regenerate Men in Old Testament-Covenant broke Covenant as is there exprest Men in the New Covenant shall keep covenant and these are only the Elect and Regenerate To this I might have many things to say No such sense must be put upon this one single Text as to restrain the covenant only to those that are stedfast in it and carefully observe it when other New-Testament-Scriptures clearly and unanimously hold it out in that latitude to comprehend those that are transgressours of it no more than it must be brought though there be like colour for both to overthrow Gospel-Ordinances private and publick exhortations when in the New Testament there is a clear and full establishment of them There are those that are in the faith so farre as to enter Covenant that make shipwrack of the faith 1 Tim 1. 19. Disciples of Christ that go back and walk no more with him Joh. 6. Men sanctified by the blood of the Covenant that tread under foot the blood of the Son of God and do despight to the Spirit of grace Heb. 10. 29. There are that escape the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled and overcome Those that have known the way of righteousnesse that turne from the holy Commandment To whom it happens according to the true Proverb The dogge is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2 22. It is farre easier to returne answer to this Scripture held out by way of Prophecie what shall be than to give answer to all these Scriptures and far more than these setting out what is in New Testament-times 2. That we may interpret and not commit Scriptures finde out the sense of all and not create differences in any we may observe that though it be granted that those that have the Law written in their hearts and put into their inward parts do enter covenant and not break it yet it is not said none shall enter covenant and transgresse it There may still be an outward covenant according to Interpreters that may be broken as well as an inward covenant that shall be observed If it be said that these are two distinct covenants one succeeding the other one abolished when the other takes place according to that of the Apostle Heb. 8. 13. In that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first Old now that which decayeth and waxeth Old is ready to vanish away then it will follow this being the characteristical difference that as none in New Testament-times enter covenant but they keep covenant so none in Old Testament-times were in covenant but they did transgresse it at least that the covenant that then was was wholly transgresseable and the covenant that now is is not in any possibility to be transgrest But the contrary is evident there were those that kept covenant in Old Testament-times Psal 44. 17. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotton thee neither have we dealt falsely in the covenant Psal 103. 17. And also there are those that break covenant in New Testament-times 1 Tim. 5. 12. Having damnation because they have cast off their first faith The Law was written in mens hearts and put into their inward parts in the dayes of the Old Testament and some were as it is called in an inward Covenant Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest live Psal 37. 31. The Law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Psal 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Encline your eare and come unto me hear and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of Dâ—â—id Isa 55. 3. And so by consequence it fairly holds notwithstanding this Text that there is as hath been proved an outward covenant in the dayes of the Gospel The oldnesse to be abolished is only in circumstances wherewith one and the same covenant that now is was then clothed 3. The covenant then spoken to by Jeremy in the place quoted is not a covenant properly so called or at least as Master Baxter observes not the whole of the covenant So there must be two distinct covenants one in being when the Prophet wrote and another to have its being in the time of which he prophesied one covenant made with the Jewes and another covenant distinct from it made
of their plagues Rev. 18. 4. and therefore to depart and be gone when their truths could not be enjoyed but their guilt through sinne contracted and it is onely their sinne that we relinquish It is their Schisme in that or any other Church that obtrude these Heterogeneal things and not theirs that do refuse them 6. Corruptions in conversation scarce admit of separation provided that doctrine be such in which men may have communion for edification If we look upon the people of Israel through the revolution of all times after they were a visible body come out from Abrahams loines we may finde high titles given them of singular glory by reason of priviledges which they enjoyed by their call into Church-fellowship children of God holy people Gods peculiar ones his portion his heritage The apple of his eye Deut. 14. 1 2. and 32. 9. Zach 2. 8. and abundant the like Elogies in sundry other texts of Scripture A people near unto God Psal 148. 14. the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service and the promises did appertaine to them Rom. 9. 4. Therefore Prophets and righteous persons kept their residence among them held communion with them and saw no ground of separation from them the words of eternal life being with them as Christ testifies in his speech to the Samaritan woman John 4. 22. when in the meane time their qualifications were as low as their titles high their conversation no way answering their calling but branded to be stiffe-necked of an iron sinew adulterous a sinful Nation a people foolish and unwise as Sodom and Gomorrah to the Lord Deut 9. 6. Isa 48. 4. Ezek. 16 32. Isa 1. 4. Deut. 32. 6. Isa 1. 10. It is a great contradiction with some men to name men at all Saints beleevers professours when their lives evidence an unsuitablenesse to such a glory yet we know the Churches to whom Epistles are directed in Scriptures are so honoured as we may see in their frontispieces and among them the choicest and most upright-hearted had converse and communion when yet they did wrong defraud contended aud disputed for Idol pollutions and defilements prophaned the Lords Table were fornicators unclean lascivious luke-warm having onely a name to live when they were dead 1 Cor. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 20. 2 Cor. 12. 20. Rev. 3. 16. Rev. 3. 1. So that Calvin on 1 Cor. 1. 2. puts a question how Paul could give the name of a Church to them If we would know what the Prophets and Apostles held concerning lawfulnesse of communion in such Churches we may enquire what was their practice They did not leave them but made it their businesse by all ways in their power to reclaim them to work a change and conversion among them The advice that was sometimes given to a maid that for religions sake would retire her self to a solitary life if she were bad she needed the City to better her if good the City needed her may be given to these persons either they stand in need of the Church or the necessities of the Church call for their help and assistance 7. The same that I have said of corruption in conversation I may affirme of neglects in discipline Reverend Master Cotton judges that the many notorious scandalous Persons that were found in the Church of Israel did argue the neglect of Church-discipline in the toleration of such publick scandals in the Church Holinesse of Church-members pag. 21. And yet none of the Prophets or men of God who could not be ignorant of the Churches duty and their sinne in such neglects ever made attempt of setting up purer select Churches nor made separation from that which was in this sort as is said faulty All was not right in exercise of discipline in the Churches planted by the Apostles some are censured as foully faulty The Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5 2. The Church of Smyrna Rev 2 14. The Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 20. Neither could the â—hurch of Sardis be free seeing that the greatest part as it appeares were openly bad there being but few that had not defiled their garments Rev. 3. 4. and yet nothing is heard by way of advise for any to make separation nor reproof for their holding up communion nor any one instance of a separatist given Those that for many years together during the Reigne of the three last Princes denyed to come up to a full conformity to this Church had a low opinion of the discipline then exercised of which they have left behinde them large evidences yet how tender were they of the Churches honour to keep Christians in Communion How zealous were they against separation As may appeare in the labours of Master Parker though distasted by him that prefaced before his work of Ecclesiastical Policy Master Paget Master Ball Master Brightman laid us low enough when he did not onely parallel us with luke-warme Laodicea but made that Church the type and us the antitype Our state as we stood at that time by reason of our discipline according to him being rather aimed at by Jesus Christ in his Epistle then the Laodicean State in Asia then existent yet how zealous is he against separation from these Assemblies Having largely set out a double and singular honour in that Church as he stiles it viz Christs entrance into those that open to him and his sweet residence and abode being entred with them he breaks out into these words Therefore their errour is wicked and blasphemous who so forsake the Church as if Christ were altogether banished thence no hope of salvation left for those that do remain Let them think upon Christ as feasting here with his Will they be ashamed to sit down where they see Christ is not ashamed Will they be more holy and pure then he wherfore do they not convince themselves in their own practice they cannot deny but they beleeved in â—hrist before they made a divorce from us whence â—ad they this faith came it not by the preaching in our Church and can any one preach unlesse he be sent Rom. 10 13. Wherefore then do they so perversly nause 〈◊〉 the word upon any pretence of blot in an external calling when they are sensible of its divine power in their hearts Wherefore returne to the unity of the Church which hath begotten and hath nourished you if you flie from Christ 〈◊〉 feasts with his elect in our Congregation entertaining them mutually truly you will finde him no where How doth Reverend Master Cotton in his preface to Master Hildersams work upon the fourth of John whom without honour I cannot mention set forth his renoune for this work of opposing separation of which he still appeares to be tender though he seeme page 13. of his Treatise of holinesse of Church-members to be over indulgent to it Speaking in excuse of those that withdraw from communion
concerning grace and works verse 6. to the 11. 2. He speaks to the Gentiles and to take down their insultation over the Jewes he shewes that this rejection of theirs is not final And this as the former is 1. Asserted verse 11. I say then have they stumbled that they should fall viz. irrecoverably fall God forbid 2. Proved by giving account of a twofold end of this rejection of the Jewes 1. The call of the Gentile verse 12. But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie 2. A more glorious returne of the Jews in emulation of the Gentiles verse 12. Now if thâ— fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulnesse Hereupon he falls upon a large discourse of his zeal toward them and their re-ingraffing vers 13. 14 15. adding the words of the Text If the first fruits be holy the lump also is holy and if the root be holy so are the branches This Paraâ—us makes a farther Argument for proof that the Jews shall again be called Gomarus makes it an encouragement to the Apostle to endeavour their call howsoever here is a double similitude One drawn from the Ceremonial Law If the first fruits be holy the lump is also holy The other from Nature If the root be holy so are the branches The first is only mentioned the second is largely commented upon In both we see 1. A supposition 2. An affirmation The supposition is of the holinesse of the first fruits the holinesse of the root The affirmation is the whole lump is holy the branches are holy This last is grounded on a principle in nature universally true As is the root so is the branch they are both of one and the same nature As is the one so is the other Which he applies to the state of the Church of God first to the Church of the Jewes and that 1. In their ancient estate when they were a people of God in Covenant-relation holy so stiled of him frequently in Scripture 2. In their present state for a great part broken off and so made no people 3. In their future condition when they should be called of God and as it were risen from the dead Secondly he applies it also to the Gentiles 1. In their ancient estate as no people 2. In their present estate made a people of God in the place of the Jewes 3. In their possible estate and condition to be rejected and cast off On which we may ground several undeniable Positions some concerning the subject root and branch some concerning the predicate holy First concerning the subject root and branch in this place as by way of Metaphor set out the estate of parent and childe ancestor and issue 2. The whole body of the Church is compared to a tree to an Olive tree 3. The root of this tree viz. the first supreme universal root is Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Not Abraham alone so Ishmaelites would be of the body Nor Abraham with Isaac alone so the Edomites from Esau would have been taken in But the Apostle in this chapter from Old Testament-authority excludes both of them Abraham Isaac and Jacob are therefore joyntly the root 4. The branches of this tree are of two sorts â—ome natural issuing from the root by descent others ingraffed put in by way of insition The â—ewes were natural branches descending from the loynes of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The Gentiles are branches by insition put into the stock the natural branches being broken off 5. The fatnesse of this tree is the glory of Ordinances of which the whole Church partakes or as some say Christ is the fatnesse but that is onely as he is tendered in Ordinances for he walks in the middest of the Golden Candlesticks In which sense onely we may yeeld that Christ is that fatnesse Secondly concerning the predicate Holy There is one and the same holinesse goes through the whole tree all the branches natural and engraffed through the whole Church and all the children of it Jews and Gentiles The whole of this holinesse is from one Original root and therefore one and the same 2. This holinesse is such as is communicable from parent to childe and necessarily communicated as a root communicates sap to the branches This is so plaine that if it be denied all the Apostles dispute falls 3. It is no holinesse of inhesion but relation not qualitative but federal The holinesse of the Jewes who were a holy Nation was such The holinesse of the Gentiles can be no other Holinesse of inhesion is not communicable but only holinesse of relation In holinesse of inhesion the proposition holds not as is the father so is the child who knowes not that holy fathers have unholy children regenerate parents have issue unregenerate These things considered it is evident that as the father is in regard of Church-state Covenant-holinesse so is the childe both in the Church of the Jews and Gentiles The father being without the childe is without the father being within the childe is within eo nomine because a branch of such a root a childe of such a father which is a full confirmation of the point in hand that the childe is in Covenant with the father and the person that actually enters Covenant is not solely vested in it One stands upon the contrary part and puts it to this issue for trial Whether this ingraffing be into the visible Church by profession of Faith or into the invisible by Election and Faith and concludes that it is meant of the Church invisible which if he can make good I shall confesse all Arguments drawn from hence as to this point are lost I would to avoid impertinent cavils and quarrels each Text were brought to such issue I shall in the first place bring arguments to evince that the breaking off and engraffing is respective to the Church as visible and then proceed to answer arguments from a late hand against it 1. That ingraffing which is into Abraham Isaâ—â— and Jacob as a root is not an invisible graffing by saving Faith and Election This is plaine we live not by power received from Abraham Abraham cannot say he bears us up in saving graces and that without sap from him we can do nothing But the ingraffing is into Abraham Isaac and Jacob as a root This argument as is said by one were of force if Abraham were made a root by communication and for prevention he is put to it to tell us of a root communicating nothing but an exemplary root or an exemplary cause of beleeving only what an exemplary non-communicating root is or meanes let the Reader Consider Secondly that ingraffing which caused disputation and contention in some emulation in others upon the sight and report of it was not by saving faith only into the invisible body but open visible and apparant into the
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
pleasure to keep parent and childe from the priviledge of Ordinances to have them passe as Heathens and Infidels yea believing godly men and their children at their courtesie must be reputed either of the number of dogges or of children this cannot be denied The majority of these have power at pleasure of admission of members And to be no Church-member with them is the same as to be a Turke or Indian page 9. And how different their judgements are who are fit to be received and who are to be denied is evident Some of no obscure note have affirmed though minded be contrary minded that to render a man capable of admission into Church-membership grace is not sufficient but he must have expressions and so a fathers slow tongue shall exclude his childe from admittance into the fellowship of the Saints when upon the other hand upon the bare account of his fathers glib tongue though there be scarce another commendable quality another may be received when these are not judged worthy of fellowship who are not of abilities to sit in judgemeut with the Congregation to admit members to passe sentence upon delinquents to judge of Doctrines not only to elect but to ordain Pastours and Church-Officers we may easily guesse how many they exclude as without whom Christ receives Such a way had it been taken had deprived the Church of an Hezekiah Josiah and many others in their age renowned How great a provocation is this to such children when once of growth to joyne with them with whom the Church rancks them and to oppose with the uttermost of fury such that after the revolution of so many generations inheriting that priviledge now do debarre them And how great an encouragement to joyne with such in all holinesse with whom they are honoured with these priviledges As to the second whether the Ministers of England are bound by the Word of God to baptize their children which say they beleeve in Jesus Christ but are grossely ignorant scandalous in their conversations scoffers at godlinesse and refuse to submit to Church-Discipline Our Authour puts a Question What parent do you mean the immediate parent onely or the predecessors For suppose the immediate parent be as your question mentions yet it may be the Grand-father or some of the predecessors have been godly And farther sayes I perceive diverse of our Divines help themselves here and some in discourse are content to lose that ground of the immediate parent and flie to this Though I see no reason that any should fly hither in hope of help yet it is strange to me that he should stand for the immediate parent excluding all mediate predecessours who hath said enough for their power in giving of this interest to the children He sayes I do administer the Seale of the covenant unto this childe by vertue of this parent according to that Command given to Abraham the father of Beleevers with whom when the Lord entered into covenant and laid the foundation of the Church visible in his family he took his seed into covenant with him and commanded that with him they should keepe that Seale of his covenant When God tooke Abraham into covenant and his seed with him it was not onely his immediate seed but the issue of his flesh at the greatest distance Gods covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob is mentioned in Gods apparition to Moses Exod. 3. 6. and was pleaded by Moses in his intercession with God for Israel Exod. 32. 13. Moses then and all Israel were in this confederation of Abraham yea all Israel in succeeding ages Levit. 26. 42. When the worst of Jewes make that plea that they are Abrahams seed the Lord Christ yields it John 8. 37. and the Apostle concludes a holinesse in the whole body upon that account that the root at such a distance Abraham Isaac and Jacob were holy Rom. 11. 16. I know not how we can bottome any thing upon the grand Charter of God made to Abraham and exclude the mediate parent from all power to conferre this interest upon posterity When Jacob calls Ephraim and Manasseh by the name of sonnes Gen. 48. 9. as a father gives his blessing to them putting his name and the names of his fathers Abraham and Isaac upon them ver 16. and 20. were they not to be reckoned for the sonnes and seed of Jacob doth not their mediate Parent as well as Joseph their immediate Father conferre an interest on them Mr. Hooker was before our Authour in this tenent and his grounds are fully answered by Mr. Caudrey in his Diatribe concerning infant-baptisme I shall onely take into consideration our Authors Reasons First he yields that England had Christians in Primitive-times Thousands of Martyrs under Dioclesian but after the waters grew brackish at Rome and brings it to us in England we held saith he the name Christianity under the Romish yoke till of late the State threw it off and then the people following the State concluding I doubt not but God had his number in those dark times but what were those few in comparison of the body of the people or predecessours since the time of the Gospel restored to its purity God hath wonderfully appeared in England but those who use the argument of predecessours runne very high Answ 1. If the waters grew brackish at Rome so that they gave their sent hither so did the waters of Judea and Jerusalem grow as brackish yea and of a worse savour in the dayes of Ahaz and at those times when they brought forth children to God and gave them to Moloch Ezek. 16. 20. 2. Neither do we look so farre back when we look back as farre as Dioclesian as the Jewes in Christ time as Paul that looked as farre as Abraham in his time yea himself stayes not till he come up to him we are not necessitated to look so high A pedigree in a shorter line as to this purpose will serve our turne we are not tied to make it out that our Progenitors were really godly to conferre such covenant-interest upon us Primitive-Christians were admitted upon the account of Profession by our Authours confession and not upon the account of reality of godlinesse and they gave their posterity interest We see how much reverend Master Hooker speaking the opinion of his party gives to the Churches connivance negligence or indulgence in this thing If the Church saith he either through connivance negligence or indulgence shall tolerate such evils and evil persons in that state of Church-membership they cannot then deny them the priviledge of Members And I dare attribute as much to Gods connivance his indulgence and long suffering Till he sue out a bill of divorce and openly casts a people off that they be none of his Kingdome or called by his name they are in covenant and their children with them It seems Master Hooker judges that the Church may thus connive without sinne seeing he distinguisheth between connivance indulgence and
with the Covenant page 267 Chap. 42. A man in Covenant with God and recieved into the universal Church visible needs no more to give him accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches page 270 Chap. 43. A dogmatical faith entitles to Baptisme page 289 Chap. 44. Impenitence and unbelief in professed Christians is a breach of Covenant page 294 Chap. 45. The question stated concerning the birth-priviledge of the issue of beleevers page 295 Chap. 46. Arguments concluding the natural issue of Abraham Isaac and Jacob to be taken into Covenant page 301 Chap. 47. Rom. Chap. 9. Verse 6 7 8 vindicated page 309 Chap. 48. The Covenant in New Testament times takes in parents with their children page 316 Chap. 49. Rom. 11. 16. vindicated page 323 Chap. 50. Arguments from a late hand for ingraffing into the Church invisible and breaking off from it answered page 330 Chap. 51. 1 Corinth 7. 14. vindicated page 349 Chap. 52. Galat. 4. 29. vindicated page 366 Chap. 53. Mat. 19. 14 Mark 10. 14. Luke 18. 16. vindicated page 393 Chap. 54. Reasons evincing the birth-priviledge and covenant-holinesse of Believers and their issue page 401 Chap. 55. A Corollary for Infant-Baptisme Infant-baptisme by arguments asserted page 410 Chap. 56. The reality of connexion between the Cavenant and initial seal asserted page 422 Chap. 57. The with-holding Infants of Christian parents from baptisme is the sin of Sacriledge page 437 Chap. 58. The children of all that are Christians in profession are by vertue of Covenant-interest to be recieved into the Church by baptisme page 448 Chap. 59. A defence of the former Doctrine respective to the latitude of Infant-Baptisme 468 page 458 Chap. 60. The application of the whole in several inferences page 478 A TREATISE OF THE Covenant OF WORKS AND OF THE Covenant OF GRACE CHAP. I. An Introduction into the whole I Shall not make it my businesse for an Introduction into this Work to enquire after the derivation of the word Etymologies are known to be no definitions The denomination being usually given from some adjuncts variable according to times places and not from any thing that is of the essence of that which is enquired after in which those are highest in Criticismes in giving their judgements of them can yet ordinarily go no higher then conjecture The common acception of the word in Scripture is that which will give the greatest light in finding out the nature of Scripture covenants which as most other words is variously used Sometimes is used Properly implying a covenant in deed and truth strictly so called and containing all the requisites of a Covenant in it Sometimes Tropically for that which contains some parts and adjuncts of a covenant and so carries some resemblance to and stands in some affinity with it This Tropical figurative and the native proper sense must be carefully distinguished and may by no meanes be confounded by those that will understand the true nature of a covenant and avoid those manifold mistakes into which some upon this a lone account have been carried The figurative acceptions of the word are diverse sometimes the homage required or duty covenanted for is called a covenant by way of Synechdoche seeing a covenant between a Superiour and Inferiour doth comprize it so Jerem. 34. 13. I made a Covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt which Covenant is no other then the Law that he gave them Exod. 21. 2. Sometimes the promise annext is called by the name of a covenant by a like Synechdoche Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 9. 11. Sometimes the Seal is called by the name of a Covenant by way of Metonymy of the adjunct serving to ratifie and confirme a covenant Gen. 17. 10. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-childe among you shall be circumcised Sometimes Christ the Mediatour of the covenant is called by a like figure the covenant Isa 42. 6 7. I will give thee for a covenant of the people and light unto the Gentiles Sometimes the Lord Christs undertaking to work the graces covenanted for in the hearts of his people in the way of his power exerted in the conversion of sinners is called by the name of a covenant Jerem. 31. 33. This is the covenant that I will make with the whole house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts of which more in its own place Sometimes a covenant is taken for that peace which usually followes upon covenants Job 5. 23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Hos 2. 18. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bowe and the sword and the battel out of the earth and will make them to lie down safely When yet neither a Law nor a Promise nor Seal annext nor yet the Mediatour or any undertaking of his can be a covenant properly so called A Law from God with a Promise annext assented to by man is a covenant and when a Seal is added there is a condescension to our weaknesse for the more abundant ratification and confirmation of Gods stability in his Promises In our enquiry after such covenants which God in his gracious condescension is pleased to enter with man the general nature of a covenant must be held every species must partake of its Genus We must not make Gods covenant with man so farre to differ from covenants between man and man as to make it no covenant at all we must also observe that which differences it from covenants meerly humane that covenants divine and humane be not confounded together In order to which we must know that in every covenant properly so called these requisites must concur First it must not be of one alone but at least of two parties one can make no bargain or agreement Secondly there must be a mutual consent of these parties When Nahash the Ammonite offered to make a Covenant with Israel on condition that he might thrust out all their right eyes 1 Sam. 11. 2. the Israelites refusing and running the hazard of a fight rather then undergo it here was no covenant Thirdly each party must engage themselves one to another for performance of somewhat covenanted for whether debt duty or promise When Abraham agreed with the Hittites for a burial place for foure hundred Shekels Gen. 23. 15 16. There was a covenant properly so called having apparently in it all requisites of a covenant So also in