that work There is a True saving faith Distinct 1 True faith not saving This distinction may be grounded on those words of Bolton Boltons deceit of the heart p. 73. Vid. p. 94 ad p. p. 100. in this Treatise of common faith they have indeed saith he speaking of temporary beleevers true faith in their kinde namely a joyful assent to the truths of the Gospel but not the justifying faith of the Elect which they think they have Neither did I ever know any Writer of note to deny the temporary common or hystorical to be a true faith in its kinde therefore when we read our Divines asserting the saving or justifying Mark saith Mr. Perkins here is a true saith wrought by the holy Ghost yet not saving faith Epist to his declaration of a mans estate faith to be the onely true faith we are I humbly conceive to understand them cautiously as meaning not to exclude the other common faith from being true also in its kinde but not true to its full profession as to justifie and save to which this kind of common faith doth also pretend To apply I conceive the true saving faith is the necessary condition of the Church of the elect but onely of the excellency and not of the essence of the called or the visible Church This true faith doth respect the Subject beleeving Distinct 2 Object beleeving 1. When men do truely beleeve what they professe their faith is said to be true subjectively 2. When men do beleeve that which is truth their faith is said to be true objectively therefore the Gospel is called the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ viz. is sensu objectivo The first may be termed fides formalis and stands opposed to hypocrisie the last fides objectiva and stand opposed to Heresie The last viz. a beleeving the truth is necessary to the Churches being a Church of Christ and the first viz. a beleeving truely to its being truely so and therefore both necessary to render the visible Church truely a Church of Christ For though she should beleeve never so truely any thing else but God and Christ c. this its faith not fixed on God or Christ for its object could never constitute a Church of God on Christ Again though the Church should professe all faith and truth with the greatest shew imaginable if she do not truly beleeve what she thus professeth i. e. with a common or historical faith she would onely seem to men that which indeed God knows she is not viz. truely a Church of Christ We must consider of the Church In general In some particular members and of their truely beleeving Distinct 3 Actually Virtually Accordingly I adde that a truely beleeving actually is necessarily required to the true being of the visible Church in general she being the pillar and ground of truth unlesse some of her members did actually know beleeve and maintain the truth I can hardly imagine how she could be called a true visible Church of Christ Yet I doubt not but that a virtual beleeving which in a great measure may bethought to consist in our relation to our parents and the Church who do actually beleeve and in that good profession to which we are borne and which we still own as far as we are capable is sufficient to render very many particular members truely members of the visible Church which to deny is to shut the Church doore upon all our children and all that are ignorant seeing knowledge is necessary to actuall beleeving Whose right in the Church I shall yet largely defend hereafter But farther There are which Do onely not actually beleeve Distinct 4 Deny or renounce the faith Such as do onely not actually beleeve as children idiots c. may doubtlesse be members of the visible Church but I deny this priviledge to all that deny or renounce the faith advisedly and in fundamentals as one not onely condemned of God the Church but also of himself and if by profession upon designe he deceiveth men he getteth onely the name and nothing at all of thing or truth of a Church member and though men who can onely judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must admit him to the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church yet he is but a dog eating the childrens bread to which he onely seemeth to have a right but indeed and truely have none Therefore I grant that men may not onely live within the bounds of the Church but may also proceed to make profession of the faith and seeme to be members of the visible Church and yet be no members truely thereof viz. when it is in pretence or designe as aforesaid and the subject of such a profession deny or renounce the faith if not with their mouth yet in the purpose and intent of their hearts Yet some do Formally and directly deny the faith Distinct 5 Consequently and undirectly onely Such as do directly and formally deny the faith or Christ are those which in the opinion of their minde do immediately hold quite contrary thereunto or in the rebellious action of their wills do directly reject and defie the same and both these are persons that whatsoever their passions be cannot be allowed to be truely members of the Church of Christ as more at large hereafter Because of that weakness which the Phylosopher neteth in mens capacities when he saith that the common sort cannot see things which follow in in reason an Heretick may directly grant and yet consequently deny the foundation of faith Hookers eccles pol. p. 515. Tit. 1. 16. But there are others that may be said to deny the faith or Christ though not so directly yet by consequence and indirectly and that either in opinion or practice in opinion which as it is possible though in it selfe it seeme to have no great danger in it yet it draws in the consequences of it some great errour in fundamentals as the opinion of the necessity of being circumcised in the primitive times did in the consequence of it deny Christ to be come in the flesh in practice which the Apostle affirmes when speaking of wicked men he saith They professe they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient i. e. though they did not deny God to be God or reject him as their God in a direct and proper sense yet they did as those do that do not know or own him and by consequence they did deny him though they directly professed him and professed to know and own him as profane professors use to do in every age Now I humbly conceive that neither of these two latter branches are by such a denial of the faith or of God presently cut off from the Church thereby or thereby declared to be truely no Church-members for as it would seem a hard censure to reckon Aliud est fidem violare aliud abjurare ab râ—nunciare such as deny the faith onely in the consequence of
God Joh. 1. 34. so Nathael professing said thou art the Son of God v. 49. But most remarkable is that eminent profession of Peter with Id est super hauc firmam confessionem tuam qua confiteris credis me esse Christum filium Dei viventis edificabo ecclesiam meam as Bucer in loc Christ his approbation annex'd to it Matth. 16. 16 18. thou art saith he Christ the Sonne of the living God to which our Saviour answers upon this rock upon this rock as some eminent expositors conceive of profession or upon this profession as upon a rock will I build my Church Christ then it seems will build his Church upon this rock of profession of the doctrine of faith and such as are built thereupon are true stones in his house and the true subject matter of his visible Church and those that require a profession of the grace of justifying faith or of saving grace as necessary to our entring the visible Church seem to lay another foundation thereof then Christ himself hath laid Therefore answerable hereunto is that of the Apostle being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets i. e. as Bullinger teacheth upon their doctrine not their grace nor yet Eph. 2. ult our own not as if the Apostles and Prophets were the foundation of the Church in their persons yet it seems they were so in their doctrine which was indeed the doctrine of that one foundation other then which none may lay viz. Jesus Christ Therefore accordingly the true visible Church hath ever hitherto been argued and knowne by the truth of the doctrine which it hath professed and not by the truth of its graces 4. Therefore the true and proper principle of this profession is but a dogmatical faith seeing that faith which is the principle of such a profession must needs fix upon the same object with that profession Faith is termed hystorical in the Schooles that goeth no farther then to give assent and credit to the story of that which God speaketh to be true Culverwel of faith p 16. Vid. Rogers of faith p 6. and Ball of faith page 3. Temporary faith hath more then the former adding to knowledge and assent a profession of the Word yet living still in their sinneâ— in a carnal estâ—te Rogers page 7 Temporal faith is to assent to the heavenly doctrine to professe it and to glory therein the devils beleeve historically Ursin Cat. English by Par. page 134 135. we professing what we beleeve and beleeving what we professe viz. the doctrine of faith as the common sense within receiveth the same object which the outward organ of the eye or ear seeth or heareth Yet I further yeeld that there is an act of faith more then meerly dogmatical or historical that doth many times if not ever engage a man to be so beleeving to make a profession to the world of what he beleeveth for it is not the bare beleeving of such a truth that puts a man on to professe it but usually something of an applicative faith added thereto which faith also must needs be yeelded to be very farre short of a justifying faith and is termed by Divines a temporary faith 5. Againe this profession put on as farre as it is possible is but either vocal by word or real by deed I meane be attendance upon the visible administration of the Gospel and worship of Christ whom we professe in the sight of men for that other profession of a holy life is so indirect a profession and so uncertaine a character of the true visible Church as that it was yet never allowed by the Church of Christ in any age to be a necessary requisite to the matter of a true Church 6. But by the two former branches of this profession the matter of the Church receiveth the name both of professours and worshippers which latter terme of worshippers I cannot but expresse my good liking to 1. Because the proper quality use end and businesse of the visible Church in the world is cultus gloriae Dei as before viz. to worship God 2. And Christ himself assureth us that his Father under the Gospel-dispensation sought a people to serue him by this very terme namely to worship him John 4. 3. And the rule for the finding out the material cause of a thing is Cujus rei propria qualitas in aliquo composito reperitur id est hujus materia 7. But to conclude not any one or all of these do necessarily suppose that faith which justifieth or saving grace a man may Eternally those are within the Covenant who expressing their repentance with their profession of the truth though they have not the sound work of faith nor never shall Hook surv p. 36. truely beleeve and outwardly profess the doctrine of Christ and constantly attend upon the Ordinances of worship a man may be a professour of the true faith and a worshipper of Christ with outward worship and thus be truely a part of the matter of the visible Church and all this without saving grace as none can deny 8. Therefore the subject matter of the visible Church may be truely considered to be the matter of the Church of Christ without respect to saving grace 9. Yea if we speak of particular members and not of the whole I conceive that so much as is already yeelded is not absolutely necessary to the matter of the visible Church for one that is born within the Church and never yet did actually renounce his relation thereunto though he do not actually beleeve or vocally professe c. as is the very case of Children Ignorants Ideots and Mad-men I doubt not to affirme to be a real part of the matter thereof For as Reverend Master Cotton from His holinesse of Church members p. 1. New England teacheth such as are borne of Christian parents and baptized in their infancy into the fellowship of the Church are initiated members of the same Church though destitute of spiritual grace until they justly deprive themselves of the priviledge of that fellowship CHAP. X. The Argument from the forme constituent of the visible Church HAving found the viâ—â—ble Church considerable as truely such in all the rest of its causes we now proceed to examine and argue from the form thereof And if we shall be able to prove that this cause also may be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace I presume that nothing can possibly intercept this our conclusiâ—n there-from viz. then the visible Church may be considered Posita forma in materia cengrua necessario fit compositum Arist formam vâ—cat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be truely such in it selfe when it hath beene found to be truely such in all its causes without respect thereunto For Forma tribuit essentiam completam câ—mpâ—sitâ— it presupposeth the matter informed by it yea it is said not onely to perfect but even to give the very being to
the Church and Covenant in which and indeed God himself to whom he is borne as to his earthly parent 4. Therefore the children are said to be holy themselves as well as their parents 1 Cor. 7. 14. that is federally and that which is a reason of this foederal holinesse is equally a reason of their foederal faith 5. Indeed nor we nor our children have any right in Abrahams Covenant but as we and they are Abrahams children he is the great root and we and ours branches upon him now none are Abrahams children but beleevers he is the father of the faithful therefore our children being children of Abraham are beleevers as we are 6. Therefore children may be known as Christ himself intimates to believe in his Name i. e. by their being born within the Church Mat. 18. 6 7. or else they could not be received or offended as such as Christ supposeth 7. Lastly none but an Anabaptist will deny our children to be both of the Church and the subject of their own Church-membership and therefore to be sealed such in themselves and not onely in their parent by baptisme and consequently the Camero distinguisheth of real holinesse one sort consists in the bare relation of the person c. as Mr. Blake notes Seals 150 subjects of their own faith seeing baptism is also a seal of the righteousness of faith 2. Neither let any reply that this is not a real because it is a relatiue faith for even therefore it is real real being opposed here to that which is either false or not at all and not unto relative is not a childe a son really because relatively 2. That must needs be real in it self which hath real effects but this relative faith hath real effects hereby we are borne to God and Tametsi relatio est Ens debilis entitatis tamen est magnae efficaciae in the Covenant hereby we have a right to baptisme and all other Ordinances so far as we are capable of them being members of the visible Church and body of Christ and all these really and truely so 3. Now that this foederal faith differs from that which justifieth The Church in dispensing looketh into visibility of interest in the Covenant to guide her nor is the saving interest of the persons her rule c. Cobbet cited by Blake Seals p. 124. and saveth which is necessarily a quality of the person so justified or saved or at least that we need not respect the saving grace of the childe whom upon this foederal and relative consideration we are about to receive and admit to Baptisme I think none but an Anabaptist will stick to question 2. Habitual or qualitative faith may be considered also to be a true faith when not saving both as it is an historical and as it is a temporary faith as Divines distinguish Both which viz. the historical and temporary faith are distinguished from justifying and saving faith generally by most Protestant Assensus ille generalis quem poutisicii fidem statuunt non est fides i. e. justificans quia ipsis fatentibus potest esse sine ulla vita Am. Med. p 8 Virtutis activae quantitas ex quantitatis effectu cognosci debet Trel Inst Theol. p. 114 Divines yea those which hold as the Papists generally do that historical faith doth justifie even they do yet grant that there is an historical faith in some degree and acts thereof that is not saving which is most apparent in the other viz. temporary faith which is doubtlesse a higher degree of faith if there be a difference and evidently includes a dogmatical faith within it for this being but temporary cannot be saving Now that both these are real though not saving appears by the truth of their effects an Historical faith doth generally produce a temporary faith wherein there is still more or lesse of an Applicative faith though never so much as a justifying faith Sometimetimes this temporary faith sheweth it self by a strong application bringing its subject truely to answer though Efficacitas vocationis est interna cum tanguntur intellectus voluntas Tre. Inst 114. Ex modo vocandi non ex effectu vocationis Inst Theol. but in part the call of God which renders him really though but commonly called yet not outwardly but in a very deep measure inwardly called for as Trelcatius hath most accurately noted this common calling is termed external onely with respect to the manner of calling and not with respect to the effect of the call this common call being as truely though not so throughly an inward call as that which is saving for it reacheth the minde and produceth its change truely there by bringing it to see danger and vanitie in the wayes of sinne and to judge the wayes of grace and holinesse better and safer it toucheth and turneth the will also to perfer and choose and accordingly to apply it self to the true Religion it unlocks interrupts and partially awakens the deepest part and secretest closet of the soul the conscience by convincing it of sinne and the wrath and terrours of the Lord accompanying sin by perswading it of a necessity of repentance unto life of beleeving to the saving of the soul of mortification of sinne and of becoming a new creature by letting in the flashes of hell for duties omitted and evils practiced and allowed against light and truth imprisoned this makes a change and disturbance in the passions quencheth love to the world breaketh or at least disorders and shakes the quiet hope joy and delight in sinne c. and on the other side draweth it into a good compliance with better ways makes it to attend on the word gladly to receive it with joy to yeeld some outward conformity to the will of God and even to taste of the powers of the world to come and not onely to deserve the title of beleever but even of one sanctified with the blood of the Covenant and yet all the while but such as is but for a while and therefore not justifying or saving faith as sadly appears Heb. 6. and Heb. 10. Therefore is but deservedly stiled by Matthew and Mark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temporary Object I cannot foresee what can possibly interrupt us by way of objection here unlesse it be said that real faith is taken aequivocè and though an historical and temporary faith are real in their kinde yet is not these but a justifying and saving faith which is to be understood in the definition when the Church is defined societ as fidelium Answ But even this was prevented for though Ames doth evidently mean a faith which justifieth or saveth yet it hath appeared the Scripture doth not in the former instances wherein persons that are evidently denied to have this justifying saving faith are yet as evidently allowed to have real faith and that such as interests in visible Church-membership 1. None according to Scripture are denyed to be
the very ground of the question is gone Indeed here is practice contrary to profession but not profession contrary to profession and practice contrary to profession may consist with profession for they professe to know God though in works they deny him If it be replied that a scandalous life is contrary to the faith professed and so the profession appears counterfeit I crave leave to ask once more whether faith here be taken objectivè or subjectivè if objectivè for the doctrine professed or the Will of God revealed to be beleeved then it may still be affirmed that the profession of the Scripture or an outward owning of the Will and Word of God is not inconsistent with a conversation contrary thereunto then why may not such whose practice is contrary either to their profession or to the Scripture which they yet professe be received by the Church if no other reason but this be assignable If it be said that a scandalous life is contrary to the faith in sensu formali vel subjectivo and that a wicked conversation declareth that the Professor doth not believe as he professeth and is to be rejected therefore as a counterfeit Once more I demand whether this faith professed be considered as saving or as common if as saving then Mr. Wood his cause is yeelded who is now opposing Reverend Master Baxter with this assertion that wicked men are not to be rejected formally because their wickednesse is a signe of unregeneracy but materially because it is contrary to the profession of the faith if as common or as other historical or dogmatical then though I grant that all those whose wickednesse is such as cannot consist with a real common or historical faith ought not to be admitted yet I deny the hypothesis that all wickednesse is such as is inconsistent with such a real common faith that common faith is in its kinde a true faith and that this true common faith is consistent with a wicked heart and life are two Propositions as little doubted by most Divines as much confirmed by sad experience and largely discoursed in the Treatise following Sunt in eo coetu viz. ecclesiae visibilis multi electi alii non Sancti sed tamen de verâ doctrinâ consentientes Phil. Melanct. part Sept. p. 33. Others may have leave to think that such scandalous persons ought not to be admitted into the Church because of the scandal that would come to Religion thereby and because that in this sense scandal is contrary to the profession of the faith the Church thus drawing a blot and disparagement upon her selfe as if she was ready to open her bosome to any vile unclean unreformed persons and truely I humbly conceive there is very much in this for if the Church ought to have a care that those already within cause not the wayes of God to be evil spoken of why ought she not to have the like care touching those she is about to let in or why should those be admitted into the community that now appear to be such as are presently to be cast out of communion but I presume this is not all For 3. From the premises it seemes at least probable to me that the Church is to have some kinde of respect unto the saving condition of the person she is about to admit into communion though I donbt not to assert with our brethren N. E. and Reverend Master Baxter that a sober and humble profession of faith and repentance with a desire of Baptisme is as much evidence of this saving condition as the Church is bound to expect without any farther positive proofs of conversion 4. Yet I humbly conceive that more then a bare outward profession is requisite to give real interest in the visible Church and the previledges thereof before God though no more is requisite to give visible interest before men and that there is sufficient ground for the trite distinction of right here Coram Deo ecclâ—sia for the Churches judgement of mens right must passe with her administrations upon visible or appearing signes by their outward profession but Gods upon real for the visible Church is really a Church with God as well as the invisible though the Church is bound to believe a profession that is made upon designe as the Jews at New Castle was yet God knows his wickednesse and count him a dogg eating the childrens bread out of the hand of Church deceived by his falsnesse but not erring because profession is her onely rule in the case If it be demanded what is more required besides profession to give real interest in the visible Church I Multi enim sunt non renaâ—i vel hypocritae consentientes tamen de doctrina ritibus extcrnis sen est coetus consentientium de doctrina habens multa membra mortua sen non regeneratos Maâ— 7. 21. Mat. 13. 24. par in Urs cat 343. have at large answered in the Treatise that in Adult persons about to be admitted a real actual and not fained consent but in persons borne in the Church and baptised in their Infancy and now at the adult estate a non-dissent a not dissenting from or a not rejecting of the truth and wayes of the Lord at least for all that are of the visible Church must be one of these ways either negatively or positively consentientes to true doctrine as Melancton before as wel as outward professors of it 4. Yet I must still hold my maine Proposition till I see more reason to let it go that unregenerate persons once received into the Church are notwithstanding their unregeneracy or their want of evidences of saving grace really or truely members of the visible Church till they cut themselves off by Heresie Schisme or the perfection of both Apostasie or at least are cast out by Church-censure what reasons what authorities from the Scriptures and the Church I shew for it and what absurdities I alledge against the contrary opinion must be left to your censure in the reading of the Treatise Onely that it may passe here a little the more freely I cannot but adde the remembrance of one or two late most eminent and full Testimonies Mr. Hooker of New England saith Survey of Church discipline p. 36. that externally those are within the Covenant and consequently the Church who expressing their repentance with their profession of the truth engage themselves to walk in the wayes of God and the truth of his worship though they have not for the present that sound work of faith in their hearts and may be never shall have it wrought by Gods Spirit in them Master Norton also a Minister of N. E. to this very question whether truth Against Apol. p. 3. of grace be required to visible Church-membership answereth one may be admitted into the Church-communion of the external or visible Church that is not endowed with the real inward holinesse of regeneration and justifying faith in Christ or that
can judge onely according to appearance in his visible worship saving grace is an invisible thing then what necessary use can there be thereof in such visible effects as may be done without it and such as in their present consideration respect only such creatures as cannot discern things invisible I grant that saving conversion of visible Church-members is one great end of the visible Church and that therefore the promises of first grace do most especially belong unto them but this if well heeded rather helps then hinders my designe for it evidently supposeth the visible Church and visible Church membership to have its being before his conversion or saving grace of Finis est postorior medio in executione which the visible Church is said to be a means for the Rule is that the end is after the means in execution CHAP. IX The Argument from the Matter of the visible Church HItherto of the external causes of the visible Church and the Arguments thence arising let us now consider the causes thereof remaining which are called internal viz. the matter and forme From matter of the visible Church in general I argue thus The visible Church may be considered truely to have the matter of the Church of Christ without respect to saving grace Therefore to be truely a Church of Christ without respect thereunto This consequence simply taken I confesse is not so warrantable because the matter doth prae-exist before and remaine sometimes after the forme yet take it respectively to the forme afterwards to be maintained and to the question in controversie which is chiefly concerning the matter of the Church and especially to the opinion of my present Opponents we readily affirm that all the question is about the matter of the Church that if this be fained so is our Church and if this be real so is our Church and I doubt not but it will passe without interruption However the thing that I am dispatching doth not engage me for the consequence though the other causes have been found so pregnant as to bear such a particular improvement onely to assigne and maintain to the visible Church all its causes and therefore its existence truely so in our consideration without respect to saving grace which I presume hath been done already as to the Authour the Head and the End of the Church to which I now proceed to add the matter thereof affirming as before in the antecedent that the visible Church may be considered to have the true matter of the Church of Christ without respect to saving grace The matter of the Church habet rationem Partium Subjecti 1. The matter of the visible Church having the reason of the parts is the Ministers and the people the pastors and the flock ecclesia utens and ecclesia docens as some speak and as we read 1 Cor. 12. both making up the compositum the Church and this Church must needs be the visible Church for there are no such organical parts no Minister but Christ himself in the Church invisible Now may we consider both these parts of the matter of the Church as truely such without respect to saving grace did not Judas truely teach and do not thousands truely professe in the Church of Christ being truely called though not savingly chosen without any measure of saving grace but this will more fitly meet us in the next consideration of the matter of the Church viz. as having the reason the subject matter Next we enquire what the subject matter of the visible is and whether it also may be considered without respect to saving grace 1. What is rhen the subject matter of the visible Church Trelcatius tells us that it is all such as are called out and externally professe the faith which I think none can choose but approve of when they consider that faith is a thing invisible and therefore not any way fitted to commend the matter of the Church to us as visible and though it be granted that faith doth unite men to the Church yet it must still be yeelded that profession thereof doth render them members of the Church as visible 2. But here seeing most do consent that professors of the faith are the subject matter of the visible Church it will I presume be worth our enquirie what is meant by the faith so professed Certainly it must be either the doctrine or the grace of faith and which of these is properly or usual said to be professed 1. Is it the grace of faith which men professe certainly no for that is the faith by which and not the faith which we profess 2. How incongruous a speech would it be to say I professe that I believe while it is good and sound and relishing upon the minde of the hearer to say I professe what or that doctrine which I do beleeve 3. If the meaning was that we do professe the grace of faith then the Epithite true which Divines do generally annex to faith should be put to profession and whereas they usually speak of the profession of the true faith they should should say the true profession of the faith 4. This appeares in its contrary out of doubt for such as fall away from the faith are not said to deny their own faith but the faith or doctrine of Christ 2. Then it is doctrine of faith which we professe as members of the visible Church and if this be the note or character of the matter of the visible Church it can in the most strict and rigid sense that can possibly be put upon it onely require two things truth in the object professed and truth in the subject professing i. e. that he professe the true doctrine of faith and that he believe what he professeth i. e. that he have a good profession and that he have a good principle answering to it such a faith as such a profession doth require to make it not dissembled but true and real and thus though we do not professe the grace of faith yet the grace of faith so farre is consented to as is requisite to a true profession seeing thereby we truely beleeve what we so professe 3. Yet though this faith is supposed to be true where the matter of the Church is true the matter of the Church doth not receive its denomination of being true from the truth of this grace of faith but from the truth of its object or doctrine beleeved and accordingly professed which as also what was before asserted viz. that the doctrine of faith is the object of proper profession or the faith properly professed appears by abundant example in Scripture The Eunuch being being demanded dost thou beleeve answered not my faith is sincere but I beleeve that Jesus Acts 8. 37. is the Sonne of God The like did they Matth. 14. 33. when reproved for their unbeleef they professed saying of a truth thou art the Sonne of God John also bare record and what was it that is the Son of
quis Christianam fidem se amplecti profiteatur ecclesiae per Baptismum inseri â—oget B. z. other Religions and expressed desire to be united to the Christian Church by baptism is with a professed subjection to the wayes and Ordinances of Jesus Christ the onely necessary requisite to constitute a Heathen a member of the visible Church and to give him title to the badge thereof viz. Baptisme I grant this must be serious otherwise it cannot give a real right yet I meane such a seriousnesse as may consist without saving grace and might otherwise be expressed by truth or earnestnesse as opposed to dissembling deceit designe or hypocrisie as before is explained Now if this embracing Religion and desire of baptisme be thus serious I presume such a one hath a real right in the Church and baptisme and may be lawfully admitted thereunto by the Church without further scrutiny or examination after such or such a measure of knowledge or holinesse or the inward saving condition of the party and this I hold upon the following reasons added to what hath been formerly urged Reas 1. Heathens may be lawfully received by the Church now upon the same moral conditions that the proselytes were in the time of the Law and that both by parity and identity of reason for Heathens embracing the Christian Religion now are as really made proselytes into the Jewish Church I meane the same Church which was then Jewish but now is Christian as the ancient proselytes were then for though the Church be changed in its outward dispensation and Ordinances it is still the same in its subjects and Covenant as appeares undeniably against the Anabaptist from Romans 11. Ephes 3. 6 c. But now the Jewish ancient proselytes were received and accordingly circumcised by the Church upon such a single disowning all false religions and adhering to the true with a desire to adjoyne themselves to the people and worship of the true God Therefore upon the same terms supplying what is necessarily to be supplied touching the Messias now come may Christ an proselytes be lawfully admitted into the Christian flock and number and be baptized Reas 2. That which is sufficient to make a disciple is sufficient to make a visible Church-member and to give claime to baptisme as Master Cotton and others reason well from Matth. 28. 18. Now an expressed desire to be admitted into the Schoole with a proffer to submit to the Rules and Laws thereof and to be taught and ruled accordingly is sufficient the party being thus received to disciple or make one a Schollar or a member of the School without the addition of such qualities or measures of learning or aptnesse thereunto Therefore a single desire to be joyned to the School of Christ and a professed subjection as Mr. Hudson speaks to the government thereof without any further evidence is sufficient to entitle a person to this disciple-ship and to warrant his reception and sealing by the Church Reason 3. Some Scripture admit into the Church upon as low termes as these viz. upon a general desire of baptisme and to submit to the wayes of the Lord in communion with his Church as might be instanced in all the examples of Johns Baptisme with that of the multitude Acts 2. of whom it is said that they gladly received the Word and were baptized Therefore persons may be lawfully admitted upon as low and easie termes still For 1. what was done in such cases in the Word may be lawfully done still for nothing was done unlawfully then and what was done then was written there for our imitation and learning 2. Though some other Scripture should require more then this viz. upon some consideration yet reason will prompt us to look for the minimum quod sic what may lawfully be done in such places as require least seeing every place and instance in Scripture requireth sufficient Reas 4. A profession that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God with a desire to be united to the Christians communion by Baptisme rendred the Eunuch worthy to be admitted into the Church and baptized therefore so much doth others also What Philip required more in his question matters not if his answer had not been satisfactory doubtlesse he had not been baptized Reas 5. He that embraceth the Catholick faith or doctrine partaketh of the essence of the entitive Church and he that submitteth himself to baptisme and ecclesiastick communion partaketh of the essence of the organical Church therefore he that embraceth the one and submitteth to the other hath all that is essential to a visible Church-member Reas 6. Those lastly that require more viz. seem to require performance of the condition of the Covenant in order to entring Covenant but this is some-what strange The condition of the Covenant is twofold 1. In order to covenanting which is a promise or engaging to performe the termes or conditions of the Covenant now to be entred upon performance of which the reward covenanted for depends 2. The other condition is in order therefore to the obtaining this reward promised upon such condition which is the actual performance of the conditon engaged unto upon entring Covenant Vid. Blakes Seals Hystorical faith may be in reprobates both within the Church and also in such as be without the Church as Turks believe there is a God that Christ was born of a Virgin the resurrection of the dead c. yea the devils have it 1 Joh. 2. 19 Rogers of faith p. 6. The first is necessary to entrance into Covenant the last to the partaking of the benefit thereof As it is with men a servant enters Covenant by undertaking and promising to do his Master his work but obtaineth his reward or wages alone by doing what he hath thus undertaken Yet with leave of that Reverend man this engaging to perform the condition of the Covenant is I conceive more then a bare historical or dogmatical faith for there is something of application in that faith that doth not only beleeve but embrace the truth and the true Religion and make application to the Church for admission and baptisme However I humbly conceive though more then a bare histostorical faith should be requisite yet lesse then a faith that justifieth I do not say lesse then the profession thereof may truely entitle to visible Church-membership and consequently to Baptisme as hath been shewn CHAP. XXIX What is requisite to evidence a persons interest in the visible Church by men Quest THe second question to be answered is What is requisite to evidence a person to be a member of the visible Church to others or how may we know a person to be a member of the visible Church or what doth render Church-membership visible Answ 1. I answer first that that which evidenceth a persons interest in the essence of the visible Church doth even thereby evidence his visible Church-membership for what can better evince a members union with the body then its partaking