Parents Unfaithful to Masters Stubborn Proud Self-willed and yet these shall be accepted into immediate personal Membership whereby they become Covenanters for themselves and theirs to whom the Lord justly saith as in Psa 50.16 to 23. What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth Obj. They have the more need to be under the Watch Discipline and Government of the Church Answ Their unfitness for such an holy Fellowship as Christian Churches are being so manifest how can it be rationally expected that they who submit not themselves to the Yoke of Family-Government will orderly submit themselves to Christs Yoke in Church-censure But as the admission of such is without due regard to their Spiritual Fitness so the application of Church-censures to them will be disregarded and slighted by them The Churches will have trouble enough with them and dishonour and infection and disturbance by them without any acceptance with God who will say Who hath required these things at your hands and without any blessed fruit either to the Church or to such Meer Members For God limits his Blessing to his own Appointments When Vzzah put forth his hand to take hold of the Ark of God for the Oxen shook it the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and he made a breach upon Vzzah 2 Sam. 6.6 7 8. because they sought not the Lord in the due order 1 Chron. 15.2 13. The application is easie I proceed to examine their sixth Argument Arg. 6. The Parents in question are personal immediate and yet-continuing Members of the Church This they endeavour to prove in the terms severally 1. That they are personal Members or Members in their own persons appears 1. Because they are personally holy 2. Because they are personally baptized 3. They are personally liable to Church-censures 4. They are personally by means of the Covenant in a visible state of Salvation 5. When they commit iniquity they personally break the Covenant Reply The Argument hath Parents for its Subject but most of the Proofs belong onely to Infants viz. three of them the other two belong onely to adult persons regularly admitted into Church-membership which therefore doth not concern the Parents in question There are two sorts of Church-members and both are accounted holy 1. Children of Confederates in their minority whose right to Membership is from their relation to confederate Parents covenanting for them whence they are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 though not in their persons yet foederally relatively 2. Are Baptized though in their persons yet by and for their Parents covenanting for them being incapable of covenanting for themselves 3. They are personally under Discipline and liable to Church-censures in their own persons This is answered before when the third Proposition was examined 4. By means of the Covenant their persons are in a visib e state of Salvation while nothing appears to the contrary 2. Adult persons whose Membership is founded in their own personal Faith made visible to the regular satisfaction of the Church To these the other two properties do agree 1. That they are personally under Discipline and liable to Church-censures in their own peâ—sons See Propos 3. examined 2. When they personally commit iniquity they personally break the Covenant This is not proved concerning infants nor can be for that in Ier. 11.2 10. is spoken by the Prophet to the men of Iudah so that in Ezek. 16. 2. They say that Children are immediate Members as to the essence of Membership i. e. they themselves in their own persons are the immediate Subjects of this Adjunct Membership though they came to it by mâ—ans of their Parents covenanting This they say appears by like Reasons as the former Reply By what is answered to the former it appears that personal Membership is of two sorts 1. Purely or meerly Personal such is the Membership of adult persons regularly admitted for their Membership is both subjectively and formally personal by their orderly covenanting for themselves 2. Mixtly Personal such is the Membership of the infants and children in minority of confederate Parents For their Membership is onely subjectively Personal but formally Relative by their Parents covenanting for them they being unable to covenant for themselves To apply this to childrens Membership which they unfitly style Immediate I say unfitly for two things are requisite to the denominating of a Member Mediate or Immediate 1. To an Immediate Member that his Membership arise 1. From his personal Faith made visible to the Church 2. From his personal Confederating with the Lord and his Church for himself and his seed Such an one is an Immediate Member because his Membership is from himself as well as in himself 2. To a Mediate Member 1. That is Membership ariseth not from his personal Faith made visible to the Church whereof he is not capable but from his believing confederate Parents 2. That it is from such Parents covenanting for him Such an one is a Mediate Member because his Membership though it is subjectively in himself yet it is relatively from his Parents Whence it will follow that this kinde of Membership is peculiar to such infants and children in minority onely during their non-age This distinction of Mediate and Immediate Church-members the Writers of that Book exagitate causlesly saying As touching that distinction of Mediate and Immediate as applied to Membership which some urge we are to distinguish 1. Between the Efficient and Essence of Membership 2. Between the Instrumental Efficient and Means thereof which is the Pa ents profession and covenanting and the Principal Efficient which is Divine I stitution They may be said to be mediate or rather mediately members as they become members by means of their Parents covenanting as an instrumental cause thereof Reply I look at believing confederate Parents not as the instrumental but as the procreant cause as of the childes natural being by his generating him so also of his Church-membership by his confederating for him and this by Gods Institution therefore I chuse rather to call him a mediate membeâ— then to say he is a member immediately to shew that the childes Membership differs from the Parents specifically or in the kinde of Membership For the childes Membership is Relative in it Essence though Personal in its Subject which doth vary the Essence or Nature of it from the Parents which is both in its Essence and Subject meerly Personal Divine Institution giveth a real and mixtly personal membership to such children by their Parents covenanting for them as the immediate procreant cause of their membership whereby the children become mediate Members i. e. mediante Parentum foedere which gives Being to the Membership of such children and differenceth it from the Membership of adult persons Divine Institution though it doth not make every Parent a Publick Person against which Title I excepted in my first Essay and whereunto I finde no Answer here Yet it makes such Parents Covenant to be Obligatory to such
Baptized Members of the Church are not orderly Continued and Confirmed Members unless when they grow up to years they do before the Lord and his People profess their Repentance and Faith in Jesus Christ To say no more of this Renowned Parker speaking of the Interpretation of those words Laying on of Hands in Heb. 6.2 cites many judicious Writers whose judgemâ—nts he expresseth in words to this purpose g Pâ—rker â—e Pâ—â— F â—les in â—ap â—e 〈◊〉 E lesia 〈◊〉 Seâ—â— 9. â— 13. That they who were baptized in their minority when they are grown up after that the Church had approved their Faith by the Symbol of Imposition of Hands they were admitted Members of the Church This was according to sound Doctrine in the Primitive times as Parker saith Now we demand How they can be admitted as Members who are already as compleat and perfect Members as any in the Church But the ancient Doctrine wâ—s h Tertullian Antiquissimum uâ—issimum That Children who were baptized in their minority after they shall come to profess their Faith so as to be accepted of the Church may be admitted as Members Therefâ—re according to the ancient Dâ—ctrine Such children are not as compleat and perfect Members as any in the Church Yea therefore it follows That when they are Adult in case they do not by holding forth Faith and Repentance joyn unto the Church that then they â—o not retain their Membe ship whicâ— tâ—ey had in minority Fourthly it hath beâ—n Obâ— cted That we will not suffer Children to come under the Watch and Care of the Church Answ We are so farre from being of that Opâ—nion aâ— thâ—t we verily fear there is great guilt lies upon thâ— Churches â—â—câ—use â—hey have neglected their duty towards the Children in questiâ—n Iâ— is as clear to us as the Light at Noon or to use Tertullians pâ—r sâ— as if it were written with the Beams of the Sun Thâ—◠〈◊〉 special Care even Church-care and Inspection is due over thos Children that are Born within the Gates of Zion Hâ—ppy â—ight it be for us all if the issue of these troublesome Controversies might be onely to awaken Churches to stricter Watch and Diligence in Overseeing those Children that are in minority Onely we conceive that the Watch over them is to be Mediate according to the state of their Membership The Church is to see that the Parents do their duty toward their Children in bringing them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. i 〈…〉 And if when they shall be adult they do not bring forth fruits of Repentance and Faith then as the Fig-tree which did not bear fruit was to be cut down the Church is to disown them as having no part in the Lord and to declare that they by their unbelief have Discovenanted themselves But we see not sufficient warrant from the Word of God to proceed to a formal Excommunication of the Children in question because that is applicable unto none but those who have been in full Communion Now if this be all that is striven after That Church-children might be brought under Church-watch why sâ—ould the Contentions of Brethren be like the bars of a Castle that cannot yield Lastly it hath been Objected That the reason of our Dissenting from the major part of the Synod was Weakness and Ignorance and meer Wilfulness in that we could bring no Arguments but what were sufficiently refuted Answ The very same thing hath been said of those Worthy Champions who stood up for the Congregational-Way in opposition to the Assembly at Westminster that k See tâ—esâ— wordâ— in The 〈◊〉 aâ—â—inst 〈…〉 P. p 21 â—â— Their Arguments were weak and ridiculous and had been Confuted and sufficiently answered and that themselves were Self-conceited and Obstinate But these Criminations were unworthy Calumniations It was a common Reproach cast upon the Christians of old That they were all weak and unlearned men which made Jerome write that Book De viris Illustribus So Stapleton makes no bones to call Whitaker An Asse and A Fool. And the same hissing of the Serpent have we seen in the Prelates against the Renowned Non-Conformists But we suppose their saying so did not prove it was so Nevertheless we are content to accept of the Charge when we are charged with Weakness and Folly Let us be fools for Christs sake or for his Truth Let us fall so the Truth may rise let us sit in the dust so that Truth may sit in the Throne We deserve not to be otherwise esteemed then as Weakness and Ignorance it self Yet let us not be reputed Obstinate and such as are and will be blinde because we dare not betray the Truth and sin against our Consciences For our weightiest Reasons never were Answered unto any tolerable satisfaction even to this day If it be demanded here What our Reasons were why we accorded not with the major part of the Synod We shall by the help of Christ and in the fear of God declare what our chief Reasons were which caused our Dissent which when they are Answered we shall lay down our Opinion as knowing that it is Nullus pudor ad meliora transire 1. The Synod did acknowledge That there ought to be true saving Faith in the Parent according to the judgement of rational charity or else the childe ought not to be baptized We intreated and urged again again that this which they themselves acknowledged was a Principle of Truth might be set down for a Conclusion and then we should all agree But those Reverend Persons against whom we placidly disputed would not consent to this though our Unity lay at the Stake for it 2. We have not Warrant in all the Scripture to apply the Seal of Baptism unto those Children whose Parents are in a state of unfitness for the Lords Supper Those Acts 2.41 who were Baptized continued breaking Bread also ver 42. 'T is granted That those Children were Circumcised amongst the Jews whose Parents were for a time debarred from the Passeover but that was onely upon accident of Ceremonial Uncleanness which alters not the case for Unless the father were in a state of fitness for the Passeover he was not fit to have his childe circumcised The like may be said concerning the Gospel-Passeover and the Gospel-Circumcision Neither do we reade that in the Primitive times Baptism was of a greater latitude as to the Subject thereof then the Lords Supper but the contrary The l Catechun eni ad Baptisterium nunquam admittendi sunt Concil Araus c. 19. Catechumeni were not to be Baptized before they were fit for the Lords Supper And thence when through the darkness of the times the Lords Supper was not administred except at Easter as 't is called the m Concil Gern dist 4. Baptism of the Catechumeni was deferred until then also In the Dawnings of Reformation in England our Juell could plead against Harding that n Juels Reply to Harding p.
but varied according to the different times wherein the Church hath been gathered the progress thereof in that variety being from less perfect before the coming of Christ to more perfect after his coming the former was more external and carnal Heb. 9.10 the latter more internal and spiritual Ioh. 1.17 that was accommodated to the state of the Church being a childe this to the state of the Church being an heir grown to full age Gal. 4.1 to 5. Position 6 Though Baptism is come in the place of Circumcision and therefore infants of Confederates are now to be baptized as then they were to be circumcised they both being outward Seals of the same Covenant in substance Col. 2.11 12. Rom. 4.11 Yet neither must we look at Circumcision as it was of Moses but of the Fathers I h. 7.22 nor at every subject of Circumcision as the subject of Baptism extensively Circumcision was extended to all that were born in the house and bought with money Gen. 17 12 13. But Baptism is limited to believing Iews and their children and to so many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.38 39. 1 Cor. 7.14 Your children are holy he saith not Your servants â—c Position 7 The Rules accommodated by Iesus Christ our Lord for the manner of applying the Covenant and of administring the Kingdome of God under the Gospel concern either the constitution and ordering of Christian Churches or the propagation and continuing of them or their communion together In all which both the Truth and the Arguments for confirmation of it must be drawn expresly or by good consequence from the New Testament in such particulars wherein we have Christ's appointment or the Primitive Churches planted or approved by the Apostles for our Patterns Not from the Old Testament further then they may be inferred thence by parity of reason Mâ—t. 28.20 1 Tim. 3.14 15. Position 8 The Rules given of Christ 1. Concerning The Constitution of Christian Châ—rches are 1. That the Matter of them must be if adult approved Believers Acts 5.14 if infants or children in minority such whose Parents both or one are orderly and visibly joyned to the Church of Christ Acts 2.39 1 Cor. 7.14 2. That the Form of them must be their visible confederating with the Lord Christ as the Head of the Church and one with another mutually to walk together according to his Rules for the attainment of the ends of Church communion 2 Cor. 8.5 1 Pet. 2.5 Position 9 The Rules given by Christ for The Ordering of Christian Churches are 1. In general that all Gospel Ordinances be dispensed and administred according to Gospel-Precepts and Patterns Col 2.5 6. 2. In particular 1. That fit persons be orderly admitted into this holy Fellowship by the Door which is Christ believed on and professed Ioh. 10.7 9. 2. That Officers appointed by Christ be regularly chosen and ordained and that the Elders both Teaching and Ruling especially Teaching be singularly loved and honoured with double honour and obeyed 1 Tim. 3. Tâ—t 1 Ph l. 1.1 Acts 6.6 14.23 1 Thess 5.12 13. 1 Tim. 4.17 18. Heb. 13.17 2. That the Members exercise mutual Watchfulness one over another Heb. 10.24 25. with mutual Submission of one to another and of every one to the whole Body 1 Pet. 5.5 3. That the visible Seals instituted by Christ for Gospel-Churches which are onely two Baptism and the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 12.13 be administred by the Teaching Officers according to Christs Institution Mat. 28.19 1. Baptism is to be administred by Christs Ordinance to Disciples ibid. Viz. 1. To grown persons not before baptized after their holding forth their Repentance and Faith in Christ and voluntary taking hold of the Covenant for themselves and their seed Mat. 3.6 Luke 3.3 Acts 8 37 38. 2.38 39. 1 Cor. 12.12 13. These for distinction sake I call Immediate Members 2. To their infant-seed or children in minority who also are members in the right of their Parents covenanting for them Acts 2.39 1 Cor. 7.14 these I call Mediate Members because the membership which they have is Mediante Parentum foedere therefore these being grown up must be admitted into immediate fellowship and full communion with the Church by their personal faith held forth to satisfaction of the Churches charitable discretion and by their taking hold of the Covenant for themselves and their seed as their Parents before them did as it is prophesied of Gospel-Churches in Isa 56.6 7. 62 5. 2. The Lords Supper is to be administred according to Christ's Institution in reference both to the Ordinance it self 1 Cor. 11.23 to 27. and to the Communicants ver 27 to 32. 4. That Church-censures be applied to delinquent Members in private offences according to Mat. 18 15 to 18. and in publick criminous Scandals according to 1 Cor. 5.11 Rev. 22.15 but so as the publick judgement be not by the Elders alone but together with them by the Fraternity 1 Cor. 5 12. Position 10 The Rules given of Christ for the Propagation and Contâ—nuing of Christian Churches are properly suited to their Congregational and Spiritual state They are not the same with those before the Law when the Church was onely in Families nor with those under the Law given to the Church of the Jews in both which the Church was to be propagated and continued by natural generation in a lineal descent from Noah by Shem and from Abraham by Isaac and Jacob till the coming of Christ this way best suiting to a Domestical and National Church in their respective constitutions Christian Churches are of neither of these sorts but are by Christ's appointment cast into a Congregational and more Spiritual Form and therefore are not capable of being propagated and continued in a lineal succession by natural generation ordinarily but must be propagated and continued 1. In adult persons by Regeneration visibly manifested to the charitable discretion of the Church Joh. 3.3 5. being wrought in the working of Faith in Christ Joh. 1.12 13. and made visible by a right confâ—ssion and profession of Faith both quae creditur Rom. 10.10 and quâ creditur Gal. 3.26 2. In their infant-seed by their Parents covenanting for them to the end that such being engaged to God in their infancy may be thereby engaged and excited the more to give up themselves to God in Christ when they come to years of discretion not by constraint but willingly Psal 110.3 through the operation of God working Faith in their hearts Col. 2.12 by the Spirit who is a voluntary Agent and therefore likened to the wind which bloweth where it listeth Joh. 3.8 Sometimes in some of the next posterity yet not in all 2 Joh. 4. sometimes in the Grandmother and Mother and childe as in Timothy 2 Tim. 1.5 Accordingly the Church must make a difference of children grown up where God makes a difference as he did between Jacob and Esau Mal. 1.2 and receive onely such whom Christ receiveth Rom. 14.1
let into tâ—e Soul As Reverend Mr. Hooker was wont to say Such 〈◊〉 profess d Assent as hath a prâ—fessed Consent joyned with it Isa 1.10 Such a manner of knowing and consenting as produceth Obedience flowing from Faith which is the next end of the Ministery of the Gâ—spel Rom. 1.5 16.26 Else they are defiâ—â—â— and unbelieving to whom nothiâ—g is puâ—â— but even their minde and conscience is defiled who profess that they know Goâ— bu in their works they deny hiâ— T it 1.15 16. 3 And though t ey are not scandalous in l fe but solemnâ—y own the Câ—venant bâ—fore tâ—â— Church wherein they give up themselves and their children to the Lord and subject themselves to the Governâ—ent of Christ in he Churcâ— yet all these may be affirmed of many who have a so of godlâ—nesâ— bâ—â— deâ—y tâ—e power thereof From such Paâ— who tauâ—ht him how he ought to behave himself in the House of 〈◊〉 which is the Church â—f the living God the pillar and gâ— oâ—nd of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 warned Tâ—mothy to turn away 2 Tim. 3.5 4. But are all the adult persons whom they admit into Membership such as the Proposition describes Do they take a right course to know they are such 1. That they are noâ— scandalous in life What testimony or certain knowledge have they that the Church may confide in that they f equent not loose and vain Company in dâ—sorderly Nâ—ght-meetingâ— at unseasonable hours and in suspected places in unwarrantable Gaming 's and Drinkings c not to speak of other evils 2 Hâ—w do they S lemnly own the Covenanâ— before the Church when some of them having publickly said They do own it being afterward asked â—n private What is the Covenant which you owned answered I do not know 3. As for their Subjecting themselves to the Governme t f Christ in the Church Do they orderly submit to the Government of their Family-Governours Parents and Masters c If the Church know not that How can they expect that they wilâ— really subject themselves to Christ's Government in the Church Yea if they have not been weary and heavy loaden and then came unto Christ they are not fit to take his yoke and burthen upon them Matth. 11.28 29. I proceed to their second Argument Arg. 2. The children of the Parents in question are either children of the Covenant or strangers from the Covenant either holy or unclean either within the Church or withouâ— either such as have God for their God or without God in the world But he that considereth the Proposition will not affirm the latter concerning these children and the former being granted infers their right to Baptism Râ—ply The more seriously I consider their Proposition the less I finde in it to evince the former and the more to conclude the latter viz. That if a man have no more then the Proposition holds forth he may be a stranger from the Covenant unclean and without the Church in Scripture account Râ—m 9 6 7 8. and without God in the world through want of faith in Christ whereby the heart is purified and men have an interest in Christ and in God through Christ Arg. 3. To deny the Proposition would be 1. To straiten the grace of Christ in the Gospel-dispensation c. 2. To render the children of the Iews when they shall be called in a worse condition then under legal Administrations contrary to Jer. 30 10 Ezek. 37.25 26. 3. To deny the application of the initiatory Seal to such as regularly stand in the Church and Covenant c. 4. To break Gods Covenant by denying the initiatory Seal to those that are in covenanâ— Gen. 17.9 10 14. Reply The contrary to all and every one of these is true For 1. It enlargeth the Grace of Christ in the Gospel-dispensation by shewing that Christian Churches are in a more spiritual and gracious frame and staâ—e then the Jews of old were under Legal Dispensations which therefore are not continued and propagated by a natural succession as that National Church was but by Gods â—illing them with an holy calling according to his purpose and gracâ— 2 Tim 1.9 and adding thereby to the Christian Church such as in their charitable judgement shall be saved Acts 2.43 2. It declareth that the state of the Jews when they shall be called will be far better then it was under Legal Dâ—spensations yea then the condition of the Gentiles is now For under the Law their light and holiness was defective and Christian Churches now how careful soever they be in point of admittance cannot avoid the creeping in of Hypocrites but the Jews when they shall be called shall have a far greater measure of light and holiness then was to be found in former ages of the Churches and all the Members of the New â—erusalem shall be Elect they and their children successively and no Hypocrite shall be mingled with them Rev. 21. 22. 3. Nor doth the denial of the Proposition infer a denial of the application of the initiatory Seal to such as stand regularly in the Church and Covenant but the contrary 4. Nor doth it break Gods Covenant by denying Baptism to such as are regularly in Covenant These are Accusations without Proof Arg. 4. Confederate visible Believers though but in the lowest degree such are to have their children baptized But the Parents in question are confede ate visible Believers â—t least in some degree Reply The major being granted the minor is denied For 1. All that is said in the Proposition may be affirmed of sundry that have not visible saving Faith in Christ in the lowest degree Therefore these are no sufficient grounds for charity to account them Believers in Christ in the least degree Let them that are to be admitted into Membershâ—p by theâ—r personal right shew how Faith was wrought and how it works in them in the lowest degree then the Church will have some ground for their charitable judgement concerning their fitness for regular Church-membership and communion 2. Nor are the châ—ldren of the godly qualified but as the persons in the Proposi ions said to be fait ful in â—â—t 1.6 whether we understand that Text in a Moral or Spiritual sense The first is a fâ—uit of Moral Principles and Education these are short of the qualifications in the Proposition The second is a fruit of the Spirit G â— 5.22 These are Believeâ—s in Christ Acts 16.15 3 Epist Ioh. ver 5. and are qualified above what the Proposition requâ—reth 3. They say Chi dren of the Covenant as the Paâ—ents in questionare have frequently the beginnings of grace wrought in them in younger years Hence this sort of persons shewing nothing to the contrary â—re in charity or to Ecclesiastical reputation visible Believers R pl. 1 It remains to be proved that the Parents in question are children of the Covenant They were children of the Covenant in their infancy and minority and bound thereby when they became adult
for it and have most need â—f it Reply 1. Those Relations of born Servants and Subjects in the Text alledg d have d fferent respects That Lev. 25. was typical figurin the time of Grace whereby now Christ hath freed u f o the servitude of Sin and Satan 〈◊〉 8.32 36. Râ—â— 6.14 18. to bâ—come the Servants of God in Christ Rom. 6 22. 1 C r. 7.23 Parents and children so far aâ— they have inâ—â—râ—st in the Redemption wrought by Christ as they are freed by him from other Lord so they are bound thereby serve him all the dayeâ— of their lâ—fâ— Luke 1.74 75. Therefore this relatâ—on doth not cease with infancy but continueth in adult age But this doth nothing concern the thing in question concerning M diate Membershi The other Text in Ezek. 37.25 is a Prophecy of the calling of the Elect Nation of the Jews and of the state of the Church under the New Jerusalem the difference between which and the Chrâ—stian Gentiles now I have formerly shewn so that neither doth â—hat fit the question But 2. I grant though not as following thence That one special end of membership received in infancy is to leave persons under engagement to service and subjection to Christ in his Church when grown up when they are fittest for it and have mâ—st need of it The engagement is strong both on the Parents To train up their children from their Infancy in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and upon the Children To know the God of their Parents and to serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28.9 and upon the Church To exercise their Watchfulness that both Parents and Children do their duty helping them also therein with their Instructions and Prayers and Power which is given for Edification as the case may require Yet when all this is done neither can the Parents nor the Church give Grace unto the Children that when they become adult they may be spiritually fit for personal and immediate Membership and to bring them into it without such fitness visibly is to profane the Ordinances and to pollute the Lords Sanctuary Reas 4. There is no ordinary way of cessation of membership but by Death Dismission Excommunication or Dissolution of the Society none of which is the case of the persons in question Reply This enumeration is insufficient there is another ordinary way of cessation of Membership i. e. Desertion Thus Esau's Membe sh p ceaâ—ed and so may the Membership of others though they abide in the place where the â—hurch â—s yet if being adult they regard nâ—t to joyn with the Church by their personal â—nd immediate Confederâ—tion nor to fit themselves for it these despise the Chuâ—ch of God And if that is sufficient to deprive thâ—se of all hurch priv ledg s who were before in personal and immediate Church fellowsh p when they forsake it 1 Job 2.19 much more those who never had such Membership nor have approved their Spirituâ—l fitness for it to the Churches charitable judgement nor truly desire and end aâ—our so to do What can the mediate Membershâ—p whâ—ch such had in Infancy advantage them for continuing thereby still in Membership when being adult they live in the breach of that Covenant whereby they were left under engagement in their Infancy unto service and subjection to Christ in the Church Reas 5. Either they are when adult Members or Non-members if Non-members then a person admitted a Member and sealed by Baptism not cast out nor deserving to be may the Church whereof he was still remaining become a Non-member and out of the Church and of the unclean world which the Scripture acknowledgeth not Reply A Freemans childe suppose of London or any other Corporation was free-born and might in his minority trade under his father yet being grown up he must personally enter into the common Engagement of Freemen and be accepted of the Company as his father was unto all Duties and Liberties of that Society in his own person else he may not trade for himself If it be said Why so either he is a Freeman or a Non-freeman It will be readily answered He is a Non-freeman and that by his own defaulâ— If it be said He was Free by his Fathers Copy and is not dis-franchised by any publick Censure nor hath deserved so to be may such an one the Society whereof he was still remaining become a Non-freeman and out of that Society c The answer will easily and readily be given He hath lost his Freedome by not entring in his own person into the common Engagement of Freemen to the Duties whereunto all Freemen are personally bound So and much more justly it is in this case An adult person makes himself to become a Non-member as to priviledges by not performing the Duties whereunto he was bound by his Parents Covenant for him in his minority and by his not regularly covenanting as his Parents did And his is according to Scripture which tells us that Circumcision received in Baptism may become by his own fault being adult no Circumcision Rom. 2.25 Those Texts in Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 Gen. 17.7 are not applicable to the adult persons in question but onely to Infants and Children in minority Propos 6. Such Church-members who either by death or some other extraordinary Providence have been inevitably hindred from publick acting as aforesaid yet having given the Church cause in judgement of charity to look at them as so qualified and such as had they been called thereunto would so have acted their children are to be baptized Reply This Proposition may not be granted For 1. It granteth the priviledge of Church-membership to such as are not actually and regularly Church-members which is contrary to Christs Ordinance whereby Baptism being a publick Church-Ordinance is due onely to them who have a publick state and Interest such are onely the Members of the publick Ecclesiastical Body the Church Hence 1. An ordinary Minister cannot orderly perform an act proper to his Office in reference to Church-communion to any that are not regularly and actually Members of the visible Church without great usurpation as if a man do a work proper to Magistracy to one that is not under his Magistratical Power he is an Usurper So it is in this case of a Minister To administer Baptism is an act of his Office-power If he administer Baptism to children whose Parents are not regularly in Church-order in so doing why may not the Lord say He is an Usurper Suppose an unbaptized person professing his Faith and qualified according to the description in the sixth Proposition yet deferring for some probable causes to adjoyn himself to the Church for the present should desire Baptism of any of these Ministers who framed this Proposition Should they administer it to him and so do a proper work of their Office upon him If yea if they admit him to Baptism why not to the Lords
time we shall hold to this as conceiving that the admitting of it would be a good means to preserve the Churches in purity to prevent many unprofitable and uâ—coâ—fortable disputes and other great inconveniences which the rejecting of it will unavoidably make way unto IV. This clause in the third Propâ—sition When grown up are pâ—â—sonally under the Watch Discipline and Government of the Church had need be warily understood and doth call for some clear explication For if it be meant that they are in the same way and as fully under the Dâ—sâ—ipline and Gâ—vernment of the Church as those who in their own persons have taken hold of the Covenant it cannot be assented unto For then in case of such delinquency as doth call for Excommunication in another Member they are formally to be Excommunicated But this may not be admitted For 1. Formal Excommunication doth not suit their state they are within the Church onely mediately by their Parents confederation Therefore are not to be cast out of the Church immediately and personally by formal Excommunication 2. Besides they are in respect of strength weak and in respect of state dead especially being considered as in this third Proposition without qualifications even such as are mentioned in the fifth Proposition which yet are separable from true and saving grace They are too weak to bear the weight and strength of that Censure which is mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 it is to put new wine into old bottles which Christ doth dislike in Spiritual matters Mat. 9. 2. It seemeth to be very injurious to them to lay them open to the highest Censure and not to allow them proportionable priviledges 3. The main end of Excommunication when it passeth upon such is not like to be attained which is the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved 1 Cor. 5.5 The Ordinance doth suppose the Subject of it to be flesh and spirit they who are considered as without qualifications to make them capable of Church-priviledges as in this third Proposition cannot be looked at as other then all flesh V. In the fourth Proposition it is said These adult persons are not therefore to be admitted to full Communion because they are and continue Members without such further qualifications as the Word of God requireth thereunto But whether the children of such are to be baptized or not is not said and it is necessary that it should have been expressed that the sense and meaning of the Synod might be rightly understood VI. To the fifth Proposition many things may be said 1. This Proposition may rationally be looked at as holding forth the qualifications wanting to full Communion mentioned in the fourth Proposition And if so then it will follow that such as have these qualifications have right to full Communion if I miss it I would be thankful to him that should shew me my mistake if I am right and do rightly express the sense of that Proposition it were expedient that the Synod should plainly and fully express their meaning therein to the understanding of all 2. The qualifications are Vnderstanding the Doctrine of Faith and professing their Assent thereunto Not scandalous in life 1. There is more required in a Church-member even in point of knowledge then to understand the Doctrine of Faith and assent thereunto He ought in a competent measure to understand Church-Order and Discipline appointed by Christ otherwise he cannot Covenant in judgement or own the Covenant neither doth he know how to behave himself in the House of God as a Member thereof 2. The Devil doth understand the Doctrine of Faith and doth assent thereunto Jam. 2.19 3. Not scandalous in life is wholly Negative and may be said of irrational Animals He onely that doth righteousness positively can be denominated righteous 1 Joh. 3.7 4. Besides all these there must be the work and grace of Faith held forth Acts 8.37 38. 16 31-34 before any medling with the Covenant Isa 19.21 3. It is said And solemnly owning the Covenant c. The Scripture speaketh of Entring into a Covenant 2 Chron. 15.12 of Making a Covenant with the Lord 2 Chron. 29.10 and Before the Lord 2 Chron. 34.31 of Taking hold of the Covenant Isa 56 4. Now if their Owning the Covenant be the same then not onely their children are to be baptized but themselves admitted to full Communion if short then it is a meer humane invention not warranted by the Word 4. Upon supposition that the qualifications expressed be found in them it is said Their children are to be baptized But 1. The first and second Propositions are against it The first Proposition doth limit Baptism to the Members of the visible Church The second Proposition doth explain who are meant by Members of the visible Church according to Scripture 1. Confederate visible Believers in particular Churches i. such as have personally and immediately Confederated for themselves as the last clause sheweth And 2. Their Infant-seed i. children in minority whose next Parents one or both are in Covenant Now these mentioned in the fifth Proposition to whom Baptism is allowed are neither the one nor the other Ergo. 2. The grace of Faith is wanting if there be no more then the qualifications before mentioned and that is necessary to give their children right to Baptism Acts 2.38 39. 3. The children of such are not to be baptized who themselves do live under great offence visibly and do not reform Exod. 20.5 But so do these Parents in not taking hold of the Covenant personally and immediately for themselves Ergo. It may easily and abundantly be proved that such as have been baptized in the Church and have lived under precious means and great light untill they are Married and have children and all this while have neglected the main thing that doth concern them which is to Believe and upon their Believing personally and for themselves to take hold of the Covenant are under very great sin and offence But I will onely use one Argument which is this Neglect of taking hold of the Covenant or of entring into Covenant now under Christ and the Gospel is as gross a neglect as great a sin as much displeasing to God as was the neglect of Circumcision the sign of the Covenant before Christ Grounds of it are 1. The thing it self is as weighty that I say not more 2. As fully under command as that 1 Joh. 3.23 Rom. 10.9 10. 3. The neglect of it doth as necessarily and peremptorily infer Gods highest displeasure and everlasting destruction if continued in as that Joh. 3.36 Mark 16.16 Heb. 2.3 But that neglect was gross the sin great and very displeasing to God Gen. 17.14 Exod. 4 24-26 Ergo. 4. If the children of such are to be baptized if their children again thus baptized live to have children themselves not personally taking hold of the Covenant or not entring into Covenant what shall become of them shall they be baptized or not 1.