lose much and fall into foul sin and grow worse than they once were so common Grace and I think this middle Infant Grace which Children have as related to their Parents may be lost Q. 20. But is it not safer to hold that Baptism putâ— none but the Elect who never lose it into a title to Salvation A. 1. Then it would be little comfort to Parents when their Children die who know not whether one of ten thousand be Elect. 2. And it would be little satisfaction to the Minister to Baptize them who knoweth not the Elect from others 3. It 's plain that it is not another but the same Covenant of Graâ—â— which is made with Infants and Adult And thâ—â— Covenant giveth pardon of Sin and right to Life to all that have the requsiite qualification And â—… that qualification in the Adult is Faith and Râ—pentance so in Infants it is nothing but to be the Children of the faithful dedicated to God God never instiâ—uted any Baptism which is not for Remission of Sin If I thought Infants had no visible right to Remssion in which Baptism should invest them I durst not Baptize them I think their Holiness containeth a certain title to Salvation Q. 21. But is it not enough to know that they are of the Church visible A. All at Age that are of the visible Church are in a state of Salvation except Hypocrites Therefore all Infants that are of the visible Church are also of the Mystical Church except such as had not the requisite qualification and that is such as were not the Children of the Faithful All the World are in the Kingdom of the Devil who are not in the Kingdom of God And if there be no visible way of Salvation for them what reason have we to hope that they are saved Q. 22. Some say we must leave their case to God as unknown to us and that he will save such of them as he electeth A. True Faith and Hope is grounded on Gods Promise What reason have we to believe and hope that any are saved whom God never promised to save This would reach wicked men to presume that God will save them too though he do not promise it And this giveth no more comfort to a Christian than to an â—nfidel How know we but by his promise whether God elect one of ten thousand or any at all But God hath promised a special blessing to the Seed of the Faithful above all others Q. 23. You make the Mercy so very great as maketh the denyal of it seem a hainous sin in the Anabaptists A. There are three sorts of them greatly differing 1. Some say that no Infants have Original sin and so need no Baptism nor Pardon Or if it be sin it 's done away by Christs meer death and all Infants in the World are saved 2. Others say that Infants have Original sin but have no visible Remedy nor are any in Covenant with Christ nor Members of his Church because no Pardon is promised but to Believers 3. Others hold that Infants have Original sin and that the Promise is to the Faithful and their Seed and that Parents ought thankfully to acknowledge this Mercy and devote them to Christ as Infant-members of his Church but that Baptism is not for Infant-members but only as the Lords Supper for the adult This last sort are they whom I speak of as such whom I would not separate from if they separate not from us But the other two sorts are dangerously erroneous When God hath made so many plain Promises to the Seed of his Servants and in all Ages before Christ hath taken Infants for Church-members and never made a Covenant but to the faithfull and their Seed to say that Christ the Saviour of the World came to cast all Infants out of the Visible Church into the visible Kingdom of Satan and give them no greater Mercy instead of it seemeth to me very great Ingratitude and making Christ too like to Satan as coming to do much of his destroying work Q. 24. But every where Salvation is promised only to Believers A. The Promise is to them and their Seed keeping Covenant The same Text that saith He that believeth shall be saved saith He that believeth not shall be damned Which sheweth that it is only the Adult that it speaketh of Or else all Infants must be damned for Unbelief It shuts them no more out of Baptism than out of Heaven Q. 25. But the Scripture speaks of no Infants baptized A. 1. No Infants are to be baptized but the Infants of the Faithful Therefore the Parents were to be made Believers first 2. The Scripture speaks of baptizing divers Housholds 3. No Scripture mentioneth that ever any Child of a Believer was baptized at age 4. The Scripture commandeth it and that 's enough Disciple Nations baptizing them Mat. 28. 19. Q. 26. How can Infants be Disciples that learn not A. 1. Did Christ mistake when he sent them to Disciple Nations of which Infants are a part 2. Cannot Infants be Disciples of Christ if Christ an Infant can be the Master and King of his Church Christ was our Teacher Priest and King in his Infancy by Right Relation and Destination and undertaking and Obligation to what he was after to do and so may Infants be his Subjects and Disciples May not an Infant be a King that cannot rule And are not Infants the Kings Subjects though they cannot obey May not they be Knights and Lords and have right to inheritances 3. Yea are not Infants called Gods Servants Levit. 25. 42. Yea and Christs Disciples Act. 15. 10. Peter saith those that would have imposed Circumcision would put a Yoak on the neck of the Disciples But it was Infants on whom they would have put it Q. 27. We are all by Nature Children of Wrath and none can enter into Heaven that is not regenerate and born of the Spirit A. But we are all the Children of God we and our Seed by the Grace of Christ And Infants are capable of being regenerate by the Spirit Or else they would not be called Holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. Q. 28. The Apostle only giveth a reason why a believing Husband may lawfully live with an unbelieving Wife A. True But what is the Reason which he giveth The doubt was not whether it be Fornication that was past doubt But the Faithful must in all their Relations be a peculiar Holy People and the doubt was Whether their Conjugal Society became not such as Infidels common and unholy And Paul saith No To the pure all things are Sanctified The Unbeliever is not Holy in her self but sanctified to the Husband for conjugal Society Else saith he Your Children were unclean not Bastards but unholy as those without are But now are they Holy as the Israelites adult and Infants were a Holy People separated from the World to God in the Covenant of peculiarity and not common and unclean Q. 29. Is it the
Considerations and Prayers are necessary Q. 18. May one communicate who is uncertain of the sincerity of his Faith A. By Faith you mean either Objective or Active Faith 1. One that is so far uncertain that the Gospel is true and that there is a Life to come as that he dare not say I have no wavering or doubt of it may yet be a true Believer and may communicate if his perswasion be but so prevalent as to resolve him to consent to the Covenant of Grace and take God for his God and Christ for his Saviour and the Holy Ghost for his Sanctifier Gods Law for his Rule his Promise for his Security and Heaven for his Happiness and here to place his Hope and Trust forsaking all that stands against it A weak and doubting Faith may bring a man to Martyrdom and to Heaven if it bring him to trust Christ with Soul and Body in the way of Obedience to him 2. If by Faith you mean the Act of Believing and Consenting God hath made the Sincerity of our Faith necessary to our Salvation but not the Certainty that it is Sincere Every man must do his best to discern the Trust Consent and Choice of his own Heart And he that truly believeth and yet is not sure of it if he can say As far as I am able to know my own Heart by Trial I seriously think that I resolvedly consent to the Covenant of Grace and prefer Christ Holiness and Heaven before all this World and trust to Christ and his Promises for my Felicity ought to come to the Table of the Lord notwithstanding his uncertainty Q. 19. Whence is it that so many Christians are more terrified than comforted by the Lords Supper A. 1. Some of them by an excess of reverence to this above all other Ordinances of God which by degrees brought in the Papists Transubstantiation and Adoration And by a dread lest by unworthy Receiving they should eat and drink their own Damnation And so coming thither with a deeper sence of the danger than of the Benefit And mistaking their Imperfections for this Unworthy Receiving 2. And some come with two high expectations that God must suddenly give them Joy or all the grace that is signified by the Sacrament while they have not the Holy skill to fetch in Comfort by the exercise of their Faith And when they miss of what they expected they are cast down 3. And too many by wilful Sin or Negligence deal falsly with God and break their Covenant and renew their wounds of Conscience and deprive themselves of the Comforts of the Love of God and the Grace of Christ and the Communion of the Holy Spirit Q. 20. Is not the Lords Supper a Converting Ordinance which therefore should be used by the unbelievers or ungodly A. Many things may accidentally by Gods Grace convert a man which are not to be chosen and used to that End Plagues Sickness Death-approaching may convert men Falling into a hainous Sin hath affrighted some to leave their Sin But these are not means to be chosen for such Ends. And the Fear and Care of preparing for a Sacrament hath converted some when it was not the Receiving that did it It is so evident as not to need long proof that God never appointed the Lords Supper to be chosen and used by Infidels or Impenitent ungodly persons as a means to convert them 1. Because it is presupposed that they be baptized who communicate And I have proved that Baptism to the adult presupposed the Profession of Faith and Repentance And that it delivereth Pardon and Title to Salvation 2. Because Faith and Repentance and Covenant-consent renewed are also to be professed by all before they communicate 3. Because it was ever an Ordinance proper to the Church which consisteth of Professors of Faith and Holiness 4. And the Communicants are said to be One Bread and one Body and to Eat Christs Flesh and drink his Blood and Christ to dwell in them by Faith and to have Eternal Life hereby And as for them that say it is not saving Faith but some Commoner Preparatory sort which is necessarily to be professed in Baptism and the Lords Supper I have at large confuted them in a Treatise of Right to Sacraments and the reasons before and now named confute it I adde that their Opinion is destructive to true Christian Love For by them No one should be taken for a Child of God and in a state of Salvation for being baptized and Communicants and so not Loved as such And how Poor a Charity is it to love all Visible Church-members but as the Children of the Devil must be loved Q. 21. Must we Love all as true Christians who are baptized and communicate and profess Christianity A. Yes with these three exceptions 1. That it is not as a certain Truth that we must judge them sincere but as Probable 2. That there be divers degrees of Probability as there be of Profession Some we are almost sure are sincere And some we have more Fear than Hope of And we must measure our Love and Trust accordingly 3. If men by Word or Life Apostatize or plainly contradict and destroy their profession of Christianity thereby they nullisie our Obligation to take them for Christians But till men render their Profession incredible by Contrary Profession or Practice we are by the Rules of Christian and Humane Charity to take all Professed baptized Communicating Christians to be sincere but only in various degrees of probability Q. 22. How must the Lords Supper be improved after the receiving A. By a serious remembring with Joy and thankfulness how great Mercies we have received of God And with chearful Obedience what a Covenant we have made and what duty we have most solemnly promised And in how near a Relation and bond we are tyed to the whole Church of Christ and to all our fellow Christians And frequently to plead these great Receivings and Great Obligations to quicken our Faith and Hope and Joy and to overcome all Temptations to the World and Flesh to Unbelief Disobedience and Despair Q. 23. Some say that no man should be kept from the Sacrament or Excommunicated because it is the Food of their Souls c. A. 1. If none be kept from Baptism Heathens and Infidels and professed deriders of Christianity might be baptized to make a mock of Baptism We must make men Christs Disciples before we baptize them Mat. 28. 19. And then Baptism would be no Baptism nor the Ministry no Ministry the specifying End and Use being changed 2. Then the Church would be no Church but lie common with the World 3. And then Christ would be no King and Head and Husband of the Church that is no Christ. 4. If all may not be baptized all may not communicate for Baptism entereth them into a state of Communion Else the unbaptized and all Infidels might communicate 5. Some baptized persons turn
true Christians in the World And 2. Because it consisteth of Persons that have every where in the World the same Essentiating qualifications summed up Eph. 4. 3 4 5 6. One Body one Spirit one hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all though iâ— various Measures of Grace And so the Concordanâ— Churches of Christ through the World were called The Catholick Church as distinct from the Sects and Heresies that broke from it Q. 4. How comes the Pope of Rome to call only his Subjects Catholicks A. The greatest part of the Church on Earth by far was long in the Roman Empire and when Emperors turned Christians they gave the Churches Power for the Honour of Christianity to form the Churches much like the Civil State And so a General Council of all the Churches in that Empire was their Supream Church Power And three Patriarchs first and five after were in their several Provinces over all the rest of the Archbishops and Bishops And so the Orthodox Party at First were called The Catholicks because they were the greater Concordant part But quickly the Arrians became far greater and carryed it in Councils and then they called themselves The Catholicks After that the Orthodox under wiser Emperors got up again and then they were the greater part called Catholicks Then the Nostorians a little while and the Eutychians after and the Monothelites after them got the Major Vote in Councils and called themselves the Catholick Church And so since then they that had the greatest countenance from Princes and the greatest number of Bishops in Councils claimed the Name of the Catholick Church And the Pope that was the first Patriarch in the Empire first called himself the Head of the Catholick Church in that Empire and when the Empire was broke extended his claim to the whole Christian World partly by the abuse of the word Catholick Church and partly by abuse of the Name General Councils falsly pretending to Men that what was called Catholick and General as to the Empire had been so called as to all the World And thus His Church was called Catholick Q. 5. Why is the Catholick Church called Holy A. 1. To notifie the work of our Saviour who came to save us from our sins and gather a peculiar People a holy Society who are separated from the unbelieving ungodly World 2. To notifie the Work of the Holy Ghost who is given to make such an Holy People 3. Yea to notifie the Holiness of God the Father who will be Sanctified in all that draw near him and hateth the impure and unholy and will have all his Children Holy as he is Holy 4. And to tell us the fitness of all Gods Children for his favour and Salvation Q. 6. Wherein consisteth the Holiness of the Church A. 1. Christ their Head is perfectly Holy 2. The Gospel and Law of Christ which is our objective Faith and Rule are Holy 3. The Founders of the Church were eminently Holy 4. All sincere Christians are truly Holy and marked out as such for Salvation 5. The common Ministers have an Holy Office 6. The Church Worship as Gods Ordinances are Holy works 7. All that are Baptized and profess Christianity are Holy as to Profession and so far separated from the Infidel World though not sincerely to Salvation Q. 7. What is it now that you call The Holy Catholick Church A. It is The Universality of Christians Headed by Iesus Christ. Or It is a Holy Kingdom consisting of Iesus Christ the Head and all sincere Christians the sincere Members and all professed Christians the professing Members first founded and gathered by the Holy Ghost eminently working in the Apostles and Evangelists Recording the Doctrine and Laws of Christ for their Government to the End and guided by his Ministers and Sanctifying Spirit according to those Laws and Doctrine in various degrees of Grace and Gifts Q. 8. What is it that makes all Churches to be One A. 1. Materially their concord in the same qualifications which is called Eph. 4. 3. The Unity of the Spirit They are all that are sincere Sanctified by the same Spirit and have the same Essentials of Faith Hope Baptismal Covenant and Love And the Hypocrites profess the same 2. Formally their common Union with and Relation to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost that is to Iesus Christ their Head bringing them home to God the Father by the Spirit Q. 9. Is there no one Ministerial Head of all the Church on Earth A. No neither One Man nor one Council or Collection of Men For 1. None are naturally capable of being One Supream Pastor Teacher Priest and Ruler over all the Nations of the Earth nor can so much as know them or have humâ—ne converse with them And a Council gathered equally out of all the World as One such Supream is a more gross Fiction of impossibles than that of a Pope 2. And Christ that never so qualified any never gave any such power But all Pastors are like the Judges Justices and Mayors that rule subordinately under one King in their several Precincts and not like an Universal Viceroy Lieutenant or Aristocracy or Parliament Q. 10. But is not Monarchy the best Form of Government and should not the Church have the best A. 1. Yes and therefore Christ is its Monarch who is capable of it 2. But a Humane Universal Monarchy of all the World is not best nor was ever an Alexander a Caesar or any Man so mad as soberly to pretend to it or plead for it Who is the Man that you would have to be King at the Antipodes and over all the Kings on Earth 3. Yea the case of the Church is liker that of Schools and Colledges that rule Volunteers in order to Teaching them And did ever Papist think that all the Schools on Earth of Grammarians Philosophers Physicians c. should have one humane Supream Schoolmaster or a Council or Colledge of such to Rule them Q. 11. But Christ is not a Visible Head and the Church is Visible A. We deny not the Visibility of the Church but we must not feign it to be more visible than it is 1. It consisteth of visible Subjects 2. Their Profession is visible and their Worship 3. They have visible Pastors in all the particular Churches as every School hath its Schoolmaster 4. Christ was visible in the Flesh on Earth 5. He was after seen of Stephen and Paul 6. He is now visible in Heaven â—â— the King is in his Court 7. And he will come in glorious Visibility shortly to judge the World 8. And his Laws are visible by which he ruleth us and will judg us If all this Visibility will not satisfie Men Christ will not approve of Usurpation for more Visibility Q. 12. Of what use is this Article to us A. 1. To tell us that Christ dyed not in vain but will certainly have a Holy Church which he will save
not My Father A. 1. To signifie that all Christians must pray as Members of One Body and look for all their good comfort and blessedness in Union with the whole and not as in a separate State Nor must we come to God with selfish narrow Minds as thinking only of our own case and good nor put up any Prayer or Praise to God but as Members of the Universal Church in one Chore all seen and heard at once by God though they see not and hear not one another And therefore that we must abhor the pregnant comprehensive Sin of selfishness by which wicked Men care only for themselves and are affected with little but their Personal concerns as if they were all the World to themselves insensible of the Worlds or the Churches State and how it goeth with all others 2. And therefore that all Christians must love their Brethren and Neighbours as themselves and must abhor the Sin of Schism much more of Malignant Enmity Envy and Persecution and must be so far from disowning the Prayers of other Christians on pretense of their various Circumstances and Imperfections and from separating in Heart from them on any account for which God will not reject them as that they must never put up a Prayer or Praise but as in concord with all the Christians on Earth desiring a part in the Prayers of all and offering up hearty Prayers for all The imperfections of all Mens Prayers we must disown and most our own but not for that disown their Prayers nor our own They that hate or persecute or separate from Gods Children for not praying in their Mode or by their Book or in the Words that they write down for them or for not worshipping God with their Forms Ceremonies or Rites or that silence Christ's Ministers and scatter the Flocks and confound Kingdoms that they may be Lords of Gods Heritage and have all Men sing in their Commandded Tune or Worship God in their unnecessary Commanded Mode do condemn themselves when they say Our Father And to repeat the Lords Prayer many times in their Liturgy while they are tormenting his Children in their Prisons and Inquisitions is to worship God by repeating their own Condemnation Q. 13. It seems this Particle Our and Us is of treat importance A. The Lord's Prayer is the Summary and Rule of Mans Love and just Desires It directeth him what to Will Ask and Seek And therefore must needs contain that duty of Love which is the Heart of the New Creature and the fulfilling of the Law The Will is the Man And Love is the Will What a Man Wills and Loves that he is in God's account or that he shall attain And therefore the Love of God as God and of the Church as the Church and of Saints as Saints of Friends as Friends and of Neighbours as Neighbours and of Men though Enemies and Sinners as Men must needs be the very Spring of acceptable Prayer as well as the Love of our selves as our selves And to pray without this Love is to offer God a Carrion for Sacrifice or a lifeless sort of Service And Love to all makes all Mens Mercies and Comforts to be ours to our great Joy and that we may be thankful for all CHAP. XXV Hallowed be thy Name Qu. 1. WHy is this made the first Petition in ouâ— Prayers A. Because it containeth the highest Notion of ouâ— ultimate end And so must be the very top or chief oâ— our desires Q. 2. What is meant by God's Name here A. The proper Notices or Appearances of God tâ— Man and God himself as so notified and appearing tâ— us So that here we must see that we separate not any oâ— these three 1. The Objective signs whether words or works by which God is known to us 2. The inward Conceptions of God received by these signs 3. God himself so notified and conceived of Q. 3. And what is the Hallowing of Gods Name A. To use it Holily That is in that manner as is proper to God as he is God infinitely above all the Creatures That is Sanctified which is appropriated to God by separation from all common use Q. 4. What doth this Hallowing particularly include A. First that we know God what he is 2. That our Souls be accordingly affected towards him 3. That our lives and actions be accordingly managed 4. And that the signs which notifie God to us be accordingly reverenced and used to these Holy Ends. Q. 5. Tell us now particularly What these Signs or Names of God are and how each of them is to be hallowed A. God's Name is either 1. His sensible or intelligible works objectively considered 2. Or those words which signifie God or any thing proper to God 3. And the inward light or conception or notice of God in the mind And all these must be Sanctified Q. 6. What are God's works which must be so Sanctified as notifying God A. All that are within the reach of our knowledge But especially those which he hath designed most notably for this use and most legibly as it were written his Name or Perfections upon Q. 7. Which are those A. First The Glorious wondeful frame of Heaven and Earth 2. The wonderful work of Mans Redemption by Iesus Christ. 3. The planting of his Nature Image and Kingdom in Man by his Spirit 4. The marvellous Providence exercised for the World the Church and each of our selves notifying the disposal and Government of God 5. The Glory of the Heavenly Society known by Faith and hoped for Q. 8. How must the first God's Creation be Sanctified A. When we look on or think of the incomprehensible Glory of the Sun it 's wonderful Greatness Motion Light and quickning Heat of the multitude and magnitude of the glorious Stars of the vast heavenly Regions the incomprehensible invisible Spirits or Powers that actuate and rule them all when we come downward and think of the Aire and its Inhabitants and of this Earth a vast Body to us but as one Inch or Point in the whole Creation of the many Nations Animals Plants of wonderful Variety the terrible depths of the Ocean and its numerous Inhabitants c. All these must be to us but as the Glass which sheweth somewhat of the Face of God or as the Letters of this great Book of which God is the Sence or as the actions of a living Body by which the invisible Soul is known And as we study Arts for our Corporal use we must study the whole World even the Works of God to this purposed use that we may See Love Reverence and admire God in all And this is the only true Philosophy Astronomy Cosmography c. Q. 9. What is the Sin which is contrary to this A. Prophaneness that is using God's Name as a common thing And in this instance to study Philosophy Astronomy or any Science or any Creature whatsoever only to know the thing it self to delight our mind with
though Hypocrites are the Church-visible and his professed Subjects 3. Subjects by sincere Heart-consent And so all such are his Subjects as make up the Church-mystical and shall be saved So that the Kingdom of God is a word which is sometime of a larger signification than the Church and sometime in a narrower sence is the same Eph. 1. 23. Christ is Head over all things to the Church Q. 7. What are the Acts of Christs Kingly Government A. Law-making Judging according to that Law and executing that Judgment Q. 8. What Laws hath Christ made and what doth â—e rule by A. First He taketh the Law of Nature now as his own as far as it belongeth to sinful Mankind And 2. He expoundeth the darker passages of that Law And 3. He maketh new Laws proper to the Church â—ince his Incarnation Q. 9. Are there any new Laws of Nature since the Fall A. There are new Obligations and Duties arising from our changed State It was no duty to the Innocent to repent of Sin and seek out for Recovery and â—eg Forgiveness But Nature bindeth Sinners not yet â—nder the final Sentence to all this Q. 10. What new Laws hath Christ made A. Some proper to Church Officers and some â—ommon to all Q. 11. What are his Laws about Church-Officers A. First He chose himself the first chief Officers â—nd he gave them their Commission describing their Work and Office and he Authorized them to gather â—nd form particular Churches and their fixed Officers â—t Pastors and necessary Orders and gave them the â—xtraordinary Conduct and Seal of his Spirit that their determinations might be the infallible significations of his Will and his recorded Law to his Universal Church to the end of the World His Spirit being the Perfecter of his Laws and Government Q. 12. How shall we be sure that his Apostles by the Spirit were Authorized to give Laws to all future Generations A. Because he gave them such Commission to teach Men all that he Commanded 2. And promised them his Spirit to lead them into all Truth and bring all things to their Remembrance and to tell them what to say and do And 3. Because he performed this Promise in sending them that extraordinary measure of the Spirit And 4. They spake as from Christ and in his Name and as by his Spirit And 5. They sealed all by the manifestation of that Spirit in its Holy and Miraculous manifold Operation Q. 13. Have not Bishops and Councils the same Power now A. No To be the Instruments of Divine Legislation and make Laws which God will call His Laws is a special Prophetical Power and Office such aâ— Moses had in making the Iewish Laws which noâ—… had that came after him But when Prophetical Revelation hath made the Law the following Officeâ—… have nothing to do But 1. To preserve that Law 2. And to expound it and apply it and guide thâ— People by it and themselves obey it 3. And to determine undetermined mutable Circumstances As the Iewish Priests and Levites were not to make another Law but to preserve expound and Rule by Moses Law so the ordinary Ministers Bishops or Councils are to do as to the Laws of God sufficiently made by Christ and the Spirit in his Apostles Q. 14. What are the New Laws which he hath made for all A. The Covenant of Grace in the last Edition is his Law by which he obligeth Men to Repent and Believe in him as Incarnate Crucified and Ascended and Interceding and Reigning in Heaven and as one that will Judge the World at the Resurrection As one that pardoneth Sin by his Sacrifice and Merit and Sanctifieth Believers by his Spirit And to believe in God as thus reconciled by Him and in the Holy Ghost as thus given by him And he promiseth Pardon Grace and Glory to all true Believers and threatneth Damnation to impenitent Unbelievers And he commandeth all Believers to devote themselves thus to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost by a solemn Vow in Baptism and live in the Communion of Saints in his Church and Holy Worship and the frequent Celebration of the Memorial of his Death in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood especially on the first Day of the Week which he hath separated to that Holy Comemoration and Communion by his Resurrection and the sending of his Spirit and by his Apostles And he hath commanded all his Disciples to live in Unity Love and Beneficence taking up the Cross and following him in Holiness and Patience in hope of Everlasting Life Q. 15. But some say that Christ was only a Teacher and not a Law-giver A. His Name is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all Power in Heaven and Earth is given him and all things put into his Hands the Government is laid on his Shoulders and the Father without him judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son For this end he died rose and revived that he might be Lord of the Dead and of the Living He is at God's right Hand above aâ—â— Principalities and Powers and every Name being Head over all things to the Church Q. 16. May not this signifie only his Kingdom as â—â— is God or that which he shall have hereafter only at the Resurrection A. 1. It expresly speaketh of his Power as God and Man the Redeemer 2. And he made his Law iâ— this Life though the Chief and Glorious part of hâ—â— Judgment and Execution be hereafter How elsâ— should Men here keep his Law and hereafter â—â— judged according to it He that denieth Christ to be the Lawgiver denied him to be King and he that denieth him to be King denieth him to be Christ and is no Christian. Q. 17. Hath Christ any Vicegerent or Universal Governour under him on Earth A. No It is his Prerogative to be the Universal Governour for no mortal Man is capable of it As no one Monarch is capable of the Civil Government of all the Earth nor was ever so mad as to pretend to it much less is any one capable of being an Universal Church-Teacher Priest and Governour over all the Earth when he cannot so much as know it or send to all or have access into the contending Kingdoms of the World To pretend to this is mad Usurpation Q. 18. But had not Peter the Monarchical Government of all the Church on Earth in his Time A. No He was Governour of none of the Eleven Apostles nor of Paul nor ever exercised any such Government no nor it seems so much as presided at their meeting Act. 15. Q. 19. But is not a General Council the Universal Governour A. No 1. Else the Church would be no Church when there is no General Council for want of its Unifying Government And 2. There indeed never was a general Council of all the Christian World But they were called by the Roman Emperours and were called General as
Such as only enjoyn the obeying of Christs own Laws 2. And such as only determine of such meer Accidents of Doctrine Worship and Discipline as Christ hath commanded in General and virtually and left the particular sort to humane determination of Governours as Time Place Utensils c. 3. Such as are not extended beyond the Churches of which they are Pastors to others of whom they are no Rulers 4. Such as being Indifferent are not made more necessary than their Nature and Use requireth Nor used to the Churches Destruction or hurt but to it's Edification 5. Such as being mutable in the Reason or Cause of them are not fixed And continued when the reason of them ceaseth Christ calleth us Minsters that we may not think we are Lords of his Heritage Our Work is to expound and apply his Laws and perswade men to obey them and not to make Laws of our own of the same kind as if we were his Equals and Lords of his Church It 's true he hath bid us determine of Circumstances to the Churches Edification and the Pastor is Judge for the present Time and Place what Chapter he shall read what Text he shall preach on and in what Method what Psalm shall be Sung and in what Tune and such like But who made him Lord of other Churches to impose the like on them Or how can he prove that the very same circumstances are necessary to all when a day may alter the case with himself which depends on mutable causes If all the World or Land be commanded on such a day to read the same Psalm and Chapter and occurrents make any Subject far more suitable who hath power to deprive the present Pastor of his Choice and to suppose Ministers unable to know what Subject to read or preach on unless it be they that make such men Ministers that they may so rule them Q. 10. Why must there be stated Worshipping Congregations A. 1. For the Honour of God and our Redeemer who is best honoured in united solemn Assemblies magnifying him with one Mind and Heart and Mouth 2. For the preservation of Religion which is so best exercised honoured and kept up 3. For the Benefit and Joy of Christians who in such concordant Societies receive Encouragement Strength and Comfort 4. For the due Order and Honour of the particular Churches and the whole Q. 11. Is every worshipping Congregation a Church A. The Name is not much worthy of a debate There are divers sorts of Christian Assemblies which may be called Churches 1. There are occasional accidental Assemblies that are not stated 2. There are stated Assemblies like Chappels which have only Curates and are but Parts of the lowest political Governing Churches 3. Christians statedly associated under such Pastors as have the Power of the Church Keyes for personal Communion in Holy Doctrine Worship and Conversation are the lowest sort of Political Governed Churches 4. Synods consisting of the Pastors and Delegates of these may be called Churches in a laxe sence 5. And so may a Christian Nation under one King 6. And all the Christian World is one Catholick Church as Headed by Jesus Christ. 7. And the Roman Sect is a spurious Church as it is headed by a humane uncapable Soveraign claiming the Power of Legislation and Judgment over all the Church on earth Q. 12. But how shall I know which is the true Church when so many claim the Title the Papists say it is only theirs A. I have fully answered such doubts on the Article of the Holy Catholick Church and Communion of Saints in the Creed Either you speak of the Whole Church or of a Particular Church which is but a Part. If of the whole Church it is a foolish question How I shall know which is the true Church when there is but one If of a Particular Church every true Christian Society Pastors and Flocks is a true Church that is a True Society as a part of the Whole Q. 13. But when there are divers contending Churches how shall I know which of them I should joyn with A. 1 If they are all true Churches having the same God and Christ and Faith and Hope and Love You must separate from none of them as Churches though you may separate from their sins But must communicate with them in all lawful Exercises as occasion requireth 2. But your fixed Relation to a particular Pastor and Church peculiarly must be chosen as your own Case and Benefit all things considered doth require When you can have free choice the Nearest and Ablest and Holyest Pastor and Society should be chosen When Violence interposeth a Rulers will may do much to turn the scales for a tolerable Pastor and Society if it make it most for the common good and your Edification Q. 14. May men adde any thing to the prescribed Worship of God A. Worship is a doubtful Word If you will call meer mutable Accidents and Circumstances by the Name of Worship Man may adde to them such as is putting off the Hatt the Meetre and tune of Psalms and such like But men may do nothing which implyeth a defect in the Laws of Christ and therefore may make no new Articles of Faith or Religion or any thing necessary to Salvation nor any Sacraments or Ordinances of Worship of the same kind with Christs much less Contrary thereto Q. 15. May we hold Communion with a faulty Church and Worship A. Or else we must have Communion with none on Earth All our personal Worship is faulty we joyn with them for Christian Faith and Worship If the Minister say or do any thing contrary it is his sin and our presence maketh it not ours Else we must separate from all the World But we may not by false Professions Subscribing Swearing or Practice commit any sin our selves for the Communion of any Church on Earth CHAP. XLV Of Baptism Qu. 1. WHat is Baptism A. It is a Sacred action or Sacrament instituted by Christ for the Solemnizing of the Covenant of Christianity between God and Man and the solemn investing us in the State of Christianity obliging us to Christ and for his delivering to us our Relation and right to him as our Head and to the gifts of his Covenant Q. 2. Why did Christ institute such a Ceremony as Washing in so great and weighty a Work as our-Christening A. 1. A Soul in flesh is apt to use sense and needs some help of it 2. Idolaters had filled the World with Images and outward Ceremonies and the Jews had been long used to abundance of Typical Rites And Christ being to deliver the World from these and teach them to Worship in Spirit and Truth would not run into the extream of avoiding all sensible signs and helps but hath made his Sacraments few and fitted to their use to be instead of Images and mens vain Inventions and the Jewish burdens as meet and sufficient helps of that kind to his Church
believing Pâ—rent that the unbeliever is sanctified to the believing for the begetting of a Holy Seed else weâ—â— your Children unclean but now they are Holy meeâ— Legitimation is never called Holiness nor are Heâ—thens Children Bastards 8. And most plainly Christ when he instituteâ—â— baptism saith Go Disciple me all nations baptiziâ—â— them which fully sheweth that he would have Mâ—nisters endeavour to Disciple and baptize Nationâ— of all which Infants are a part 9. And accordingly many Prophesies foretell thâ—â— Nations shall come in to Christ and Christians aâ—â— Called A Holy Nation And it 's said The Kiâ—â—doms of the World are become the Kingdoms of tâ—â— Lord and of his Christ. Q. 14. But though Infants be Church-Memberâ— is it not better that their Baptism be delayed till thâ—â— know what they do A. Christ knew what 's best And he hath toâ—â— us of no other door of entrance into the visibâ—â— Church regularly but by Baptism And if he 〈◊〉 intended so great a change to the believing Iems to unchurch all their Infants he would have told â—… And the Apostles would have had more ado to quiâ—â— them in this than they had for casting off Circumâ—…on But we read of no such thing but the câ—â—stant baptizing of whole housholds Q. 15. But Infant-Baptism seems to let in all the Corruption of the Churches while Infants receive they know not what and are all taken after for Christians how â—ad soever or without knowing what Christianity is Whereas if they stayd till they understood â—…t it would engage them to be resolved Christians indeed A. This is not long of Infant-Baptism but of unfaithful Parents and Ministers For 1. If the Parents were told their Duty and also what a Blessing â—… is to have their Children in Christs Church and Covenant it would awaken them better to do their â—…rt and comfort them in their Childrens state of Grace 2. And if Infants were not betime engaged the â—sage would tempt Multitudes to do as some did of â—â—d even sin on as long as they durst that Baptism â—â—ght wash it away at last 3. And doubtless with unfaithful Ministers Bapâ—ism at age also would be made but a Ceremony â—â—d slubbered over as Confirmation is now and as â—â—stomary going to the Church and Sacrament is 4. But that which should be done is that at age â—ery baptized person before he is admitted among â—â—ult Communicants should be as diligently Cateâ—â—ized and as solemnly own and renew his Baptisâ—al Vow and Covenant as if it were now to be â—â—st done The full nature of Baptism is best to be â—â—derstood by the case of the adult who were caâ—â—ble of more than Infants are And no adult Perâ—â—n must be baptized without serious deliberate unâ—â—rstanding Profession of Faith Repentance and hoâ—… Obedience to Christ. Infants cannot do this â—hough they must not do that again which they did and could doe viz. receive Baptism yet they must do that which they did not nor could do I confess to you of the two evils I think the Church is more corrupted for want of such a solemn serious renewing of the Baptismal Covenant at age and by turning Confirmation into a Ceremony than by those Anabaptists who call People to be seriously rebaptized as the Africk Councel did those that had been baptized by Hereticks Q. 16. Do you think that Anabaptists should be tolerated or that all should not be forced to bring their Children to Baptism A. 1. Infant Baptism is no such easie Controversie or Article of Faith as that no one should be tolerated that receiveth it not 2. The ancient Church which we most reverence left all men to their liberty to be baptized only when they pleased and compelled none for themselves or their Children Tertullian was for the delay till they understood Gregory Nazianzen was â—oâ— staying some years Augustine and other of the Fathers were baptized at age 3. Baptism giveth so great a gift even Christ aâ—â— Pardon and Adoption and Right to Life Eternal â—â— Condition of thankful acceptance and believing Coâ—…sent that undoubtedly the unwilling have no rigâ—… to it The ancient Church baptized none till the desired and sought it for themselves or Children Yea they must be willing of it on self-denyal-termâ— forsaking the Flesh the World and the Devil aâ—â— taking God instead of all So that to force any 〈◊〉 be Baptized by Mulcts and Penalties and baptiâ—â— those so forced is to deceive Souls defile Chrisâ—â— Church and profane the Sacred Ordinance of God Q. 17. I have oft wondred what harm twice baptizing doth that it should be accounted a Heresie and intolerable A. It is a fault because it 's contrary to Christs appointed Order Baptism is the Sacrament of our New-Birth and we are born but once To be baptized again implyeth an Untruth that we were not baptized before But I suppose none do it but through Ignorance And Cyprian and the Bishops of many Countreys in many Councils were so ignorant is to be guilty of rebaptizing all that Hereticks baptized The great fault of the Anabaptists is their Schism that they cannot be contented when they are rebaptized to live in Love and Communion with others but grow so fond of their own Opiâ—â—on as to gather into separated Churches and avoid Communion with all that are not of their Mind and â—â—end their time in contentious Endeavours to draw â—en to them Q. 18. What the better are Infants for being baptized A. The Children of the Faithful are stated by it â—… a Right to the foresaid Benefits of the Covenant â—…e Pardon of their Original sin the Love of God â—â—e Intercession of Christ and the help of the Holy Ghost when they come to Age and title to the Kingdom of Heaven if they die before they forâ—eâ—t it Q. 19. Rut how can we judge all such in a state â—f Salvation when we see many at age prove wicked â—â—d Enemies A. This is a point of so great difficulty that I â—ay but humbly propose my Opinion to tryal â—… There is a degree of grace or goodness which doth only give a man a Power to believe or obey God but not give a rooted habitual determination to his will such the fallen Angels had and Adam before his fall who was thereby in a state of Life till he fell from it by wilfull sin And so it may be with the baptized Infants of Believers But when the special sanctifying gift of the Holy Ghost is given them and they are habitually rooted in the Love of God as the seed sown in good ground they fall not totally away 2. As Parents and Children are Covenanters for their several Duties if Parents will perâ—idiously neglect their promised duty for the holy Education of their Children or Children rebelliously sin against that Power and Measure of Grace which they received they may perish by Apostacy as the Angels did or need as Adam a renewing by Repentance All Christs Grace is not confirming As the best may