Whosoever Will be saved May be saved God Wills it and it is Man only Will not And shall we think that if any would come in to these External Means whereby his Grace is Communicated that they are to be Refused It is a strange thing that Divines should be able to see how Christ how the Spirit it self or its Help can be the Fruit of Vniversal Grace and yet their Eyes be holden as not to see the External Ordinances to be so while they make the Church to consist of the Regenerate only I pray let us consider a little of other Societies What is it makes a Man the Member of any other Society which he may be of if he will Is it not his Consent only to be of it his Coming-in it self that which gives him his Right and makes him one of that Company And why is it otherwise with the Church or Society of Christians It is the Will of a Man upon his Hearing the Gospel Preached or his Receiving the Gospel Preached so as to be Willing is the Foundation I should say Condition to speak exactly of his Right to be Received If he will be Baptized upon it he may be Baptized without more terms It is his Consent to it is the Ratio fundandi in This as in other Voluntary Relations It is true that the Nature of Christian Society is such as requires that a Man be one that hath Received the Christian Doctrine that is to be a Believer and that he lives not in any open gross Sin seeing that would Excommunicate from it if he were In But supposing him such a one that believes that Christ is the Son of God I mean it according to the Articles of the Creed for how shall he be Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost if he Believe not the Trinity and stands not actually Guilty of any such notorious Sin as if the were in the Church he must to be turn'd out for it there is nothing but his Willingness enjoyned of God nor ought to be required of us to the Receiving Him There are some says St. Austin that Put on Christ so far as to come into the Church and be Baptized Vsque ad Sacramentorum receptionem in his Words and some that put Him on ad vitae Sanctificationem unto that Sanctification of Life as brings them to Heaven I add so much because there are Many Saints or Sanctified Men says Mr. Richard Baxter that shall never come thither There are Saints by Separation from Paganism unto Fellowship with the Political Body of Christians which yet are not so by Separation from all Vngodliness into Fellowship with the Mystical Body of Christ The Door of the Church says that Learned and Pious Author is incomparably wider than that of Heaven and the Gospel is a free Offer to All. If any Man will come quite over in Spirit to Christ they shall be welcome if they will come but only to a Visible Profession He will not deny them Admittance there because they intend to go no farther but will let them come as near as they will and that they come no farther shall be their own fault Saints Rest Part 4. Sect. 3. Let me make bold to set this right and as I have put in before Political Body of Christians instead of his terms Visible Church and also left out the word Visible so instead of Visible Profession let me say Participation of Ordinances as St. Austin but now hath it and I take it to be very happily spoken As for the terms Visible and Invisible which our Divines use ordinarily when they distinguish the Congregate and Mystical Church I do avoid them they are a Snare to us The Sense of the term Visible can have no Place with God who Judges always according to Truth and hath no footing therefore neither in Scripture There is indeed the Outward Jew and Inward Jew in Scripture but the Outward Jew was a Real Jew or really a Jew in God's and Man's Account alike who had thereby ex intentione Dei Ordinantis a Right to be Circumcised and consequently to the Priviledge of all the Ordinances of Israel But a Visible Christian a Visible Member according to our common Notion of Visible is one that is not a Christian or Member Indeed but one only that Appears to be a Christian or Member and as None hath no Right therefore to the Ordinances at all in God's Sight A Visible Profession must be consequently an Hypocritical Profession that hath nothing in it but a Lie and Falshood altogether And can Mr. Baxter indeed say That if any will come to Such a Profession he is welcome No no God Almighty indeed is willing that All should come in to Him and They may come as Far as they will if but to be Baptized or Circumcised they are Welcome But I am against that Doctrine and Practice which depends upon this ensnaring Distinction I am for a Believing in Earnest the Gospel Preached and a Man's Coming-in thereupon and being Willing to be Received or to be Baptized and then I say whosoever Will he May. Whosoever would be Circumcised or Take hold of the Covenant Isa 56.4 6. he might Whosoever will be Baptized under the New-Testament he may Whosoever will come in to Christ so far as ever he Will Come this must be held for certain He will in no wise cast him out But no Man must nor be suffered to say He Believes he Repentâ— if he does Not at least in any Sense otherwise than he Does We must have none of this fame Visible Profession whatsoever comes of it We must see our Way clear how we can admit the Vnregenerate as well as the Regenerate into our Mixt Churcher without a Lie or we must allow none but Gathâ—red ones and turn all Independents unless we should Preach One thing and Pâ—actisâ— Another which no honest Man but must hate to do The People of Samaria are all said to believe Philip Preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and were Baptized and Simon himself believed also Here we have none of this Visible Faith or Visible Profession but a Real Belief of what was Preached and that Belief prevailing upon the Will their Willingness to be Baptized is the Ratâ—o Baptizandi the Ground of their Baptism and Fight to be Admitted Simon Magus believed What is that Is it a Profession that he Did when he did Not No such matter his Faith and That of the City was Real and shewn by the Deed in their being Baptized A Man must Believe Indeed and his Faith be True as True does signifie Vndissembled or else he cannot be Baptized But his Faith may be far from True as Simon 's was as True does signifie Saving and yet so far as he can come in with any Truth he hath his Warrant from the Gospel SECT II. I Proceed now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to my Arguments If the common Opinion be received and a
which though One Assembly at first they were to encrease into Many as they are now at this Day making up that one Church Insimae Speciei which can admit of no other under it but only several Congregations as Parts of it that can themselves be no Political Societies upon that Account These Men it must be confessed therefore do destroy the Parish Pastor and Church and their Opinion is to be opposed by us all Conformist and Non-Conformist espâ—cially when they take upon them to deliver the Judgment of the Church of England which in her Declaration of the Work or Office with which She Charges the Minister at his Ordination as well as otherwise does say enough for the Confutation of these Men. There are others then more temperate who hold thus only That Christ having instituted a Superiority and Inferiority in the Ministry and the Apostles and Evangelists ceasing in regard to the Extraordinary Part of their Office the sixed Bishop succâ—eds in thâ— Ordinary Part of it But as thâ— Elders or Pastors in Scripture-time had a Power conferred on them by their Ordination which they continued over their Congregations notwithstanding the over-ruling Authority of the Apostles and did exercise it when they interposed not or were prâ—sent with them So is the Superintendency of the Bishops their Successors now but Cumulative and not Destructive of the Government which the Minister hath over his Parish by vertue of Christ's Institution And these Men by such soft Words do quite turn the Edge of this Argument Of Those who hold Episcopacy to be only of Humane Right there are some that are ready to acknowledge and approve of it as Prudent and of Ecclesiastical Institution when they will in no wise endure it to be obtruded on us as Apostolical or of Divine Right for this Reason more especially because then it can never be alter'd whatsoever Occasion there be for it There are Others that though they cannot but acknowledge the Antiquity of Bishops as of Ecclesiastical Right yet are they not willing to receive them if they could help it but only being Establish't by the Supreme Power they submit to thâ—m And the Truth is so long as all Power Ecclesiastical or Civil which is but Human is subordinate to the Supreme Magistrate it is the King's Authority must be their chiefest Hold who if He please may put into their Hands the Executive Part of that Power Circa Sacra which belongs to Princes making it Coercive so far as He will and no Body I know could deny Obedience to them upon that Account when if they challenge any from the Authority of Christ there are many will be apt to think they owe them none Now to draw up to the Argument or this First Ground of the Separatist I must say first That true it is there are some by their Opinion Quantum in se do destroy the Pastoral Office of the Parish Minister but These are not to be accounted the Church of England or the Law but Innovators whosoever they be I must say then next That suppose we were mistaken and the Church and Law did or does Establish such an Episcopacy as this the Authority of Law in this Case and Church too is or were of no Force because the Authority of Christ must take place A Pastor and People Associated for carrying on the Worship of God and a Christian Life is a Church of Christ's Institution Such Associations are our Parishes Such Pastors also have Power though the Exercise be obstructed and they may exert it if they will and venture the Issue Such Churches I say again have nothing wanting in the Essentials of true Churches and to Separate from them therefore without other Cause is Schism For Answer to the latter Ground which is the old stated Ground of Donatist and Brownist I have prepared this ensuing Discourse That our Churches are True Churches in opposition to or Answer of the first Ground Argument or Objection it hath been I must confess but the fresh Work of another Person and in such a piece of Impartiality and Self-denyal as is in my Opinion very engaging to the Church of England if She could acknowledge it for he hath removed all their just Offence and the Substance of it I think I have set down in this little Only I must add thus much more yet in his behalf That whereas the Dispute between him and his chief Opposer lies in this Point Whether it be lawful to Communicate with the Parish Assemblies as by Law required I must say That the Question thus proposed includes a Fallacy in it which is the Fallacy plurium Interrogationum as we call it The only Enquiry should be Whether we may go to Church the Law requiring it The word As As by Law required includes I say another or farther Interrogation which is not needful to be Answered and therefore is Fallacious which I put in as a Suppletory to what that worthy good Man hath omitted The Law requires that we go to our Parish Church whether as to a Part only of the Diocesan or as to a True Particular Church agreeable to Christ's Appointment is a Matter of Contention which is Needless and may be Endless It is enough that it is lawful for us to go to Church There is this Difference between the Law of Man and God's That when our Obedience to Him must not only be in the Matter but in the Manner of his Commands to be accâ—ptable to Him If the thing which the Law of Man requires be but in the Matter done and may be done there is no more comes into Examination That our Churches are True Churches in answer of or opposition to the Second Ground I do make the Work de Industria of these Sheets that is I do make it My Work because indeed it can never be that Worthier Man 's seeing the Way he hath gone hitherto which because Common they call Orthodox will never make any Work of it For let us try If we Answer hereunto That the Church of Christ does indeed consist only of the Sound Bâ—liever or Regenerate Persons but the Church as Visible that is which appears the Church in Man's Account consists of the Vnregenerate also Or Those that are Members really and in the Sight of God are only Regenerate Believers but those are Members in our Esteem that profess themselves to be such Christians as the Regenerate tho' they be not the Argument then will come to this The Church as visible to use here for once the common Term in the common Sense is a number of Profâ—ssors This Profession must be of a Regenerate Saving Faith and of no less that we may believe the Professor to be such as is sit Matter for Christ's Church according to our Protestant Divines But in our Parish Churches there is no such Profession Therefore They are no True Churches This I say is the old and constant Foundation of the Separatist and who is there that goes the
common way hath indeed Answered it to the Satisfaction of any the most Impartial among them As for Profession of Infants what is that for Signification to us whether the Baptized be Regenerate or not And what Profession is there besides at least ordinarily but coming together in the Publick Congregation If the Churches of Christ's Ordination I must say it again be a Number only of such Persons as do profess their Faith Repentance Regeneration so credibly or in some such manner as the Minister and Church do receive them thereupon as Men endowed with the Grace supposed to be professed and our Mixt Churches be not in good earnest a Number of such Professors then is there here inconsistent Matter Our Principle is One thing our Practice is Another If you deny the Assumption and will still affirm Our Members are such Professors you will prevail with the Opponent no more than One whom they count will say any thing which will but root them so much the deeper in their Conviction They will tell you They stand on your Bottom and make their Practice comport with it who admit none into their Society but such as indeed make a Profession that is credibly Significant of the thing professed and upon that or such only receive them to be Members They make our Principle and their Practice accord but we stand on the same Bottom and our Vniversal Practice is otherwise and yet maintain our Mixt Churches And what then must we do to make them Good Why As these Men by keeping to our Principle do forsake our Practice so we to avoid their Practice must try our Principle Whether it may not be enlarged to that Practice which is common and cannot but take place where Kingdoms become Christian the Particular Congregations whereof will be acknowledged for all that by Others if not by thâ—se Men to be Churches of Jesus Chriâ—t I know indeed how mean and unfit a Person I am to become a Master-Builder especially when I am to lay another Foundation than That which is laid by the common Doctrine of our Protestants and much more when I am to lay it in Opposition to One particularly unto whom I do not think My Self worthy to be as a Labourer and carry his Bricks after him From whom nevertheless I shall expect a more sincere and candid Consideration of what is offered than from Others It is now about One or Two and Thirty Years that I have had for Recollection for so long it is since I Printed Three Books about Free Admission to the Sacrament Vpon coming out of the Third Piece I received from Mr. Blake a grave Presbyterian a Letter signifying to me his Approbation of the Second Section of that Book with Exceptions to all the Rest When on the contrary I heard from the Reverend Mr. Baxter who approved the rest but excepted at that Section Mr. Blake having found it necessary in regard to some Dispute wherein he was engaged concerning Baptism to enlarge the received Notion of the Church I had in that Section contributed what present Aid I could toward strengthening his Opinion Mr. Baxter upon his first taking notice of the Notion in Mr. Blake did shew a very good Will to it in his Book of Infant-Baptism using as I remember some such Words That there was more Worth in a Leaf or two of Mr. Blake than in all Mr. Tombs's Works By which Words Mr. Blake being encouraged advanced in his Notion But Mr. Baxter having considered farther of it and finding that it would not go being against the Stream which appeared to him more especially from the Learned Gataker's Book de Infantili Baptismo comes out against him in Answer to his Books and to That little of Mine with such a Torrent of Argument and Authority that Mr. Blake I believe could never recover it For my part I conceived Mr. Baxter too hard for me to Cope with and Mr. Blake being dead there was none to take up his Cause The Truth is Mr. Blake had much to say and a great many Scriptures appeared apt to militate for him But he had not digested his Notion and no Man shall ever be able to Make Good any Point which be cannot first State He maintained That a Dogmatical Faith was sufficient to enter a Man in Covenant with God and so to Entitle him to the Ordinances But being pressed with the Authority of the Assembly and the Fathers That the Profession of a Justifying Faith is required to Baptism he grants it and accounts that Nothing to him who never denyed it This Concession was an irrecoverable Contradiction If a Faith less than Saving serves to give Title to a Man himself to be Baptized then a Profession of one less than Saving must suffice for his Admission The Church or Pastor cannot require that a Man should profess any more to their Receiving him than That which gives himself Title to be Baptized It fared the like with that Learned and most Ingenious Gentleman Sir William Morice who appearing by the Title of his Book in the First Edition to defend the same Point with Mr. Blake was discoursed from One by Letter with all the Difficulties he could bring to the end he should obviate them and extricate Vs out of them But he finding it indeed beyond his Ability did wisely by interpreting the Term Dogmatical Faith and making it to signifie a Profession of a Saving One decline the Task and so glided himself off into the Stream of the Common Opinion There have been of late Two Persons of sober Judgment both Citizens who were of the Congregational way but brought off from it upon this same Conception That the Church is to be laid Wider than they thought before and is used They wrote each of them upon the Subject with Approbation of some Persons of Note in the Church and the latest Book is Entituled Catholicisme which I name particularly because there are many things considerable in it to the Asserting our Cause and Answering some Objections I have not touched Nevertheless it does fall out with this Author as with Those before-named who having not compleated his Thoughts does at the very Beginning when he is about stating the Matter destroy it For making this Query What may That be by which People are made Visible Members and giving the Resolution That it is a Mutual Covenanting between God and Them and understanding by this Covenant the Covenant of Grance or Covenant of Life without any Distinction or Apprehensions about it but as others have It is plain that no Man can Covenant on his Part in the manner he expresses it but he is a Regenerate Man and so shall not the Church consist of the Regenerate and Vnregenerate as we would have it but of the Regenerate only or of Those only who are Visibly such which subverts our Opinion When accordingly in his Eighth Query he endeavours to disprove the Tenent of the Independents That Men are Members of the Church as Visible
a holy People unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special People unto Himself above all the People that are upon the Face of the Earth Deut. 7.6 So again Chap. 14. Vers 2. A Special People a Peculiar People from whence this Covenant we speak of is called by some the Covenant of Peculiarity as by me the Covenant of Advantage from the Words before of the Apostle What Advantage then hath the Jew He hath shewed His Mind unto Jacob his Statutes and Judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any other Nation Psal 147.19 20. To whom pertaineth the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving the Law and the Service of God and the Promises Rom. 19.4 By the Adoption I understand that Sonship only which they had by their Admission into this outward Relation of being God's peculiar People By the Covenants I understand nothing but this same Covenant of Advantage given at first to Abraham and renewed after by Moses and so called Two Covenants the Covenant of Circumcision and the Covenant which God made with the Jews when He took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt Act. 7.8 Heb. 8.9 By the Promises likewise we must understand either those that were made only to that People or if the great Promise of Salvation by Christ be included also we must understand that they belonged to the Israelites in regard to the Revelation that is they only had the Revelation of them but the Matter revealed belong'd alike to all the World It is true that Abraham was the first Man with whom God entred Covenant understanding it of this Covenant of Advantage or Peculiarity and he is the first Elect therefore we read of in Scripture Thou art the Lord the God who didst choose Abraham and broughtst him out of Vr of the Châ—ldees Nehem. 9.7 It is an Election into this peculiar State or relation to God in regard to his Conventional Government we are speaking of and as all the Israelites are said to be his Chosen People It is not to be understood of that Decree of Election which Divines dispute of from other Texts but is equivalent with his Call Get thee out of thy Countrey unto a Land that I will shew thee Gen. 12.1 God's choosing Abraham and calling him into this peculiar Relation is but the same thing but it is One thing to be Chosen in regard to that Election which is unto Everlasting Life and Another to be only Called Many are called says Christ and few chosen This is indeed here very certain and to be observed that it was in Abraham and his Family God was pleased to lay the First Foundation of any Corporation formed under distinguishing Laws or Institutions for his Solemn Service or Worship which is properly to be a Church A Church from the Word in the Greek is a Number of the Called that is called out of the World as it is Idolatrous or given to false Worship unto the owning the true God and his Government according to his own Institutions which was begun in the Commonwealth and Polity of Israel Circumcision being preliminary to it and is now and shall be continued in the Congregations of Christians to the end of the World This Covenant then which God made with the Jews when He brought them out of Egypt appears to be no other than such a Covenant as passes between a Prince and his Subjects that is a Political Covenant God undertaking to be their Ruler and they promising him Allegiance so that the Common-wealth of Israel was indeed a Theocracy insomuch as when the People chose Saul for their Prince they are said to reject God for the Lord their God was their King 1 Sam. 12.12 Not but He continued this Conventional-Government of His for all that allowing of their Kings as his Vicegerents having his House or Temple to dwell amongst them where he kept also his Servants or Houshold the Priests and Levites receiving their Offerings as Rents for maintaining his Attendants This Kingdom was not to cease untill Christ his Son the Messiah should come into the World and then indeed he broke up House and delivered up the same to him The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his Feet untill Shiloh come and to Him shall the gathering of the People be Gen. 49.10 We read therefore when Christ had finished the Work of Man's Redemption and Rose from the Dead He takes upon Him the Administration of this Government All Power is given me in Heaven and Earth Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel Matth. 28.18 Mar. 16.15 What is that but Go and gather all those that will come in and Incorporate as the People who are to be gathered to Me that is that will embody as Christians who then are to be Baptized and so to continue in Doctrine in Fellowship breaking Bread and Prayer which are Laws and Institutions of his Government I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Ask of Me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession That Kingdom which God had over the â—ews in regard to this voluntary Government He hath now given to his Son and all the World that will are to be brought into it Upon this account is the State of the Church under the Gospel that is the Christian Church so often called the Kingdom of God And Jesus began to Preach Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven is the Kingdom of the Messiah fore-told in the Prophets and the Terms were not strange to the Jews They thought indeed the Messiah would come for the Restauration of the Kingdom to Israel by Conquering the Romans and subjecting all the Nations and so reigning in outward Glory but they were deceived not in the Matter it self nor in the Greatness and Extent of his Dominions but they were deceived in the Manner of it which was not to be of this World that is not from it or to be set up by Worldly Means by Armies or the Sword but by the Word yet is it a Kingdom in the World and as other Kingdoms comprehends the Bodies as well as Souls of Men and Women living under Subjection to his Government in that External way of Worship and Discipline as by his own Officers and Ordinances He hath appointed in the Gospel It is therefore a mistaken Notion which our Divines have ordinarily taken up of the Church accounting it to be the Number only of the Regenerate and Elect which in the first Apprehension is the Number of the Called and the Called are ex intentione vocantis more than the Chosen It is true that the Church in some Scriptures speaking of it to other Purposes is to be understood of the Elect only So we read of the Church of the
Live but were Dead Rev. 3.1 Some that had Defiled their Garments Vers 4. Some Luke-warm and so to be Spewed out of God's Mouth Vers 16. Some that Minded earthly things Phil. 3.19 Some Carnal 1 Cor. 3.4 One that was Incestuous 1 Cor. 5.1 Many if the Apostle's Fear was not vain who had Sinned and not Repented of their Vncleanness Fornication and Lasciviousness which they had committed 2 Cor. 12.31 Such finally whose God was their Belly and whose End was Destruction Phil. 3.19 And if This be the Complexion of the Primitive Christian Churches who does not see but this Matter is Mixt Matter these Churches even under the Gospel Mixt Churches Who is there I say unless he cannot see Wood for Trees but must see it It is true when the Scripture stiles them Elect Sanctified Justified and the like that which is Divinitùs dictum must be So and some of them must be Such But when the same Scripture says these things of them likewise both must be true and some of them must also be otherwise The Church of Christ while 't is on Earth is must and will be Mixt and the Objection shall be Answered farther in its place And again yet look I pray where do we find any such thing as imports Regeneration to be required of God to the Admittance of Persons unto Membership in the Old Testament so that for want of that Qualification they were not Admitted Nay where do we find any one Man put off on that Account in the New 'T is true that Repentance and Faith and such as is Sound is required of those that come and that as necessary to Remission of their Sins by Baptism But is it of Necessity to Baptism If it be then must the Baptism of those Persons whose Faith and Repentance is unsound be invalid null and no Baptism If a due Subject be not of the Essence of Baptism what is But is there any of our Divines think such Baptism void Is there any will re-Baptize such if they come after to be Savingly Converted And if there be none then let no Man I say until he can prove that Wood is more than Trees or Trees are less than Wood go to impose upon me That which they have Devised but acknowledge that what Christ only hath Appointed must be the Rule of Church-Admission The Truth is That the Matter of Christ's Church or Kingdom upon Earth is made up of Good and Bad is so open in the Scripture so even under Sight and pronounced to be so by the Blessed Mouth of our Lord in several Parallels on purpose that I should not need to write a Book to tell any This but only for the Difficulties that attend it And they are either in respect to the Nature of the Church as called out of the World to a Peculiarity in God which hath caused my chief Labour therefore in the Stating and Explication of our CAUSE in the First Section Or in respect to the Darkness and Sophisticated Notions that are on our Vnderstandings about the same which I have endeavoured to Obviate and Heal in the Second Section now Finished Or in respect to the many Scruples and Objections that are raised and agitated concerning it which are to be Answered and Satisfied and that brings me to the Last Part of my Work which remains now on my Hands in the Section ensuing SECT III. THUS much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Stating our CAUSE and Confirming it I descend now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Answering Objections But how can an Vnregenerat Man be Admitted Into the Church that is not Of it How can he that is not In Christ be Received as a Member or into his Body How can he that is Out of Covenant be Admitted to Enter Covenant How can a Sealed Pardon be delivered to him whose Faith is not sound and Repentance sincere How can one be a Christian that hath no Grace These Objections and the like which are multiplied do receive their Solution by the Preceding Thread of this Discourse If the Government and Covenant we have been speaking of be understood aright and that the Church is the Number of those directly that be brought under That Government and into That Covenant we see all the way how the Vnregenerate as well as the Regenerate may be of it and that they who say That Such are only In the Church and not Of it do but mistakingly allude to St. John's Words in this Case We see how the Vnregenerate may be In Christ as they are of his Political Body and as Christ himself says expresly That there are Branches in Him that bring forth no Fruit. We see how the Vnregenerate may Enter into the Covenant of Peculiarity when yet he hath not brought his Soul to a Full Decree and Purpose of Constant and Entire Obedience which is required of him also in the Covenant of Life We see how he may Enter it in the Precise though he does not as he ought to do also in the Complex Consideration thereof We may understand also how that Vniversal Conditional Pardon which God hath passed in the Gospel may be Delivered or Sealed to a Man though a Simon or a Judas as well as to a Philip himself or to a John We see likewise how that a Man who hath not one Spark of that Grace that is Saving may have his Share in the General Grace of God or of the Gospel as well as others The Acute and Profound Mr. Baxter in one of his Books hath these Words You must first believe that Common Grace and Love mentioned Joh. 3.16 2 Cor. 5.19 20 14 15. 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 And you must believe your Interest in this that is that God hath by Christ made to All and to You an Act of Oblivion and free Deed of Gift that you shall have Christ and Pardon and Eternal Life if you will believingly accept the Gift and not finally â—â—ject it And the Belief of This even of this Common Love and Grace must first perswade your Hearts accordingly to accept the Offer and then you have a Special Interest Life of Faith pag. 152. Mark here There is the General Grace of God and a Particular Interest in that General Grace the Belief whereof is the orderly way to a Special Interest that is to the putting a Man upon the Performance of the Condition that he may have Interest in the Benefit Let me ask then Whether the Confirming and stirring up this Belief of a Man's Particular Interest in God's General Grace is not to be endeavoured in order to this End the getting the Special Interest And if it be how shall the Word Baptism and the Lord's Supper which are Ordinances that do indeed directly and immediately nothing else howsoever People may mistake but Declare Seal and Confirm the Particular Interest of every Man in this General Grace of the New-Testament and so are delivered to all alike
that have an External Right to them be Denyed to any one the fuller Definition of General Grace before laid down duly also considered who upon an Assent to the Truth of the Gospel doth desire Admission upon this Account or to this End If there be any Reason for their Refusal otherwise well and good but it must be left to themselves to make further Application as to their Special Interest only by way of Consequence and Deduction according to their Evidence of having or not having performed the Condition required to the Benefits of Remission and Salvation It is Objected in the Cure of Church-Divisions 1. This Doctrine confounds the Catechumens with the Christians Answ It is true that the Primitive Church after the Apostles in the Times of the Ten Persecutions were very strict in their Admitting Members and so had their Catechumeni which continued upon the good Use of that Custom for a long Season And Albaspinaeus as I remember does tell us a good Reason they had for it in regard of the Danger they then were in in case of any False Brother upon which Account we find the Disciples at first so shy of Paul Act. 9.26 who might at that time betray the whole Church and her Sacred Mysteries to the Persecutor Besides the horrid Scandal to those both Within and Without in the Case of the Lapsi This Reason being now ceased God be blessed and the Command of Christ with the First Times of the Gospel and Acts of the Apostles being the Rule and Examples which we are to follow in our Practice this Objection I must say is for the Times before Constantine but is now out of date The Practice of the Apostles we find otherwise the Practice of the Church now we know otherwise There was Reason after the Apostle's Time for this Strictness but the Rule was not so at first What Would you like that the People of our Mixt Churches should be held but as Catechumens and when any are grown to be Sound Christians the Independent should Gather them into Their Congregations Our Times continue no such Custom Infant-Baptism alone confounds this Objection 2. This Doctrine makes the Church consist of such as are no Christians Of such as take Christ for their Teacher and not their King Answ Of Such or most Such as are no Regenerate Christians It was the Belief of their Creeds among the Antients made them Christians and there is none of us believe Christ to be a Teacher but he believes Him also a Priest and a King I understand not this dividing Christ's Offices He that comes in but to the Conventional Government of Christ and submits to the Institutions of it takes Him for his King Nay he that takes Christ for his Teacher takes Him Therein also to be his Ruler that is to be led by Him And I say the Vnregenerate takes Christ to be his Ruler so far as to joyn in his Ordinances and so far as he takes Him the Minister cannot Refuse him If he takes Him so far as to Obey Him farther it is his Duty and his Salvation depends upon it But if no farther so far as any will take Him or come in to Him it is the General Grace of God and Christ that must and that will warrant his Admission against all that gainsay it 3. They therefore that hold this the dividing Christ's Offices introduce a New Christianity Answ And they that savor it not retain but the Old 4. And a New sort of Baptism Answ No good Sir but another Profession than That which by an unavoidable Consequence must else bring us all to Separation It is true that the Tradition of Baptism is Sacred and it is a Benefit not to be lost that it hath delivered down what Christianity is by our Christening But Infant-Baptism is a part of that Tradition if the Fathers be not out And I hope that we may know what Christianity is by engaging our Children to it as well as by our making them de praesenti to Profess it If the Child be made to answer Polliceor and that in the Sense which respects both Parts of the Covenant as hath been intimated it will be all one with an Abrenuncio as for that The Church her self which for the Antient Forms sake retains the Words in her Baptism does recal them in effect by rendring this Interpretation in her Catechism 5. This large Doctrine destroys the Special Love of Christ's Members Answ By no means We are to Receive all that are Willing We know not how Far they are Willing If they be Willing to come in thus Far they may be Such for ought we know as are willing Altogether And as Charity Hopeth all things as well as Believeth all things we are to judge the best of them and behave our selves to them accordingly Besides it is too narrow a thing for Brotherly Love to sit down in the Comforts only of my Brethren's Mutual Faith and not be at the Pains for their Conversion 6. Hence it will follow that the Church must be constituted of Two sorts of Professors and so be Two Churches Answ There is one thing I must remember while I think of it which else may work a great deal of Prejudice to my CAUSE It must be acknowledged that our Divines generally do make Profession to be That which gives Right Coram Ecclesia to the Ordinances and Membership and Truth of Grace say the most Coram Deo Now whil'st I seem to lay another Ground which is Willingness or Consent upon Belief of the Gospel upon the Account of General Grace both Coram Deo and Ecclesia I must declare that This is or shall be accounted by me to be Profession I say That when a Man comes and offers himself to joyn or joyns with the Church in her Service this is Profession If any will not let me call This Profession then I must say It is Not Profession but This Consent or Willingness upon Receiving the Word that is the Rule of Admission If they will then I say It is My Profession is the Rule and not Theirs which is a Profession of no less than Regeneration Not but that a Man who believes the Gospel and comes in may make what Profession of Grace he Can and Will as he hath occasion without Making or Marring the Constitution of the Church The Church is Constituted of the Willing of those that Offer Themselves These are Regenerate and Vnregenerate according to Christ's Intendment in several of his Parables This Church moreover I must say is Catholick One and Entire after Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesiae and after Augustine The Objection then of Two Churches upon the Diversity of Professions that being not our Rule is built upon the Sand tho' the Church Political and Mystical be not indeed the same There are more Objections with greater Variety in the Book called Right to Sacraments And the Sum of most of them I take it comes to This. The whole Church have
Whole Earth are the Persons and the Condition as plain to me is if they Come in if they Accept them If they will hear let them hear if they will be Baptized Baptize them Where the Gospel and Baptism are offered unto any and they made Willing here is the Condition on their Part extant and the Grant takes place If God Will have All to be Saved He must be Willing that they have the Means The Coming in to the Church and Partaking of the Ordinances is God's way of Salvation Salvation is of the Jews Joh. 4.22 The Affording the Means is the Fruit of General Grace General Grace belongs to the Vnregenerate as well as the Regenerate God Wills still if Man Will. If any Man then will come to the Means and God Wills that he Should if he Will who art thou that Refusest to Admit them Take heed if you go on with this Rule lest you destroy General Grace and subvert the Gospel You may if you please indeed say still Baptism is only for the Regenerate and you may look on all you Baptize to be Regenerate and give the Sacrament and Administer the other Ordinances as Means only for the Edification of such and you must maintain consequently that ex intentione Instituentis there is no Conversion within the Church to be expected by any when no Member Vnregenerate can be Edified unless Converted And I shall then humbly tell you That if your Preaching and Practice did not indeed contradict your Doctrine you should destroy the most of Souls in our ordinary Congregations But what shall we think of the Man that comes into the Feast without the Wedding-Garment To come in to the Church is to come in to the Feast and what a dangerous thing must that be unto such I Answer And what shall we say to the Man that comes to hear the Word and to Pray without a Saving Faith or True Grace The Case is the same in all the Ordinances and there is no doubt but he sins in all nevertheless he must Come He should sin more if with the Pharisee he shall Reject the Counsel of God and refuse to be Baptized It is true the Man in the Parable that was without the Wedding-Garment is condemned but this is to be understood at Judgment Neither is it for his Coming but for his Vnworthiness being There The Servants brought him In and did but what they were bid Besides if he had staid Out when Called he had been more certainly destroyed It was his Fault he had no Wedding-Garment it would have been Double if he had also refused the Call For the One he is bound hand and foot and thrown into Darkness for the Other he must have been brought before the Lord's Face and slain To come in an Vnregenerate State is to be Vnworthy and he that Eats and Drinks unworthily Eats and Drinks Damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's Body Answ This Text hath need to be a little opened for the moderating that Dread which is ordinarily too excessive on Tender Minds or else I might spare the Objection For the understanding then the Meaning That which is first solidly to be thought on is the Rule of Exposition and the Rule of Exposition is the Institution for that only is laid down in the Place In general therefore by the word Vnworthily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is nothing else is or can be accordingly understood but Vnmeetly Vnsutably or not Answerably to the Nature of the Ordinance and the Ends of it Thus St. Ambrose Is indigne sumit qui aliter accipit quam Christus instituit See his Comment upon the Place On the contrary Dignè manducare To Eat worthily says Chemnitius est Eucharistiâ uti eo modo in eum finem sicut ex ipso Filio Dei instituta est is to use the Eucharist after that Manner and to that End as Christ hath Instituted it See his Examen Conc. Trid. de Coena Domini Nothing can be more plain or said with better Judgment This is also most fully confirmed by the other Phrase Not discerning the Lord's Body which is brought in manifestly as exegetical of the former The Argument of the Chapter which is the Corinth's Sin of Disorder and the Reproof thereof who mingling their Love-Feasts with the Sacrament came without any Reverence to the Holiness of the Institution insomuch as they were ready even to be Drunken at it does explain it to perfect Satisfaction and it does and must signifie therefore nothing else in the First Sense but the not putting a Difference between this Sacred a Common Table Paulus dicit Corinthios non dijudicare Corpus Domini quia illud in Coena Dominica non majori reverentia tractabant quam vidgares Concoenationes says the same Examiner of the Council of Trent in the same Place And this is the true and certain Interpretation I will yet Establish it with the Authority of the Great and Devout St. Augustine Indignè dicit acceptam ab cis qui non discernebant à caeteris cibis veneratione singulariter debita Continuò quippe cùm dixisset Judicium sibi manducat bibit addidit ut diceret Non dijudicans Corpus Domini quod satis toto ipso loco si diligenter attendatur apparet Aug. Ad Inquisitiones Januarii Lib. 1. Cap. 3. If the Meaning of either of the Phrases were to come in Vnregeneration then must those Corinths that fell asleep under the Guilt be not only Chastened of the Lord but Condemned with the World which were to give the Lie to the Text. Our Divines generally distinguish the Church into Visible and Invisible and make that a Distribution of a Subject into its Adjuncts and consequently when the Church Invisible is the Number of the Regenerate and Elect and the Subject is One the Visible must be nothing but Those who by Profession are Such that is Appear so and are Not and the Vnregenerate are excluded Answ I confess this is the Common Judgment of our chief Protestant Divines and it hath confounded us I must therefore for my own part declare Against it I dislike the Terms which I suppose not Cyprian's or Augustine's but Late Ones and being forced therefore to some Description of the Church and to Distinguish about it for else we should not know of What we speak I use Others I distinguish the Church into Political and Mystical and I speak of It under the former Conception Now this Distinction understanding by the way the word Political in a Generical not Specifical Notion I take not to be Distributio Rei into its diverse Accidents or Parts Essential or Integral but Nominis into its diverse Significations That is I take it not for a Distribution of a Genus into its Species which are its Essential Parts or a Totum into its Integrals or of a Subject into its Adjuncts or Accidents but I tell what I mean by the Church when I use the word through the Means of
that Distinction I do not I say distribute One Thing into its Two Parts or Adjuncts but I distribute One Word or Homonymous Term into Two Things signified by it To be Vnited to Christ by his Spirit so as to Have Him a Head of Influences to me for Spiritual Life and Salvation is One Thing and to be of the number of Those who are brought under his Positive Institutions and Subject themselves to his Officers for the proper End and so Have Him as a Political Head only for External Government though it be in order to bring them on to Saving Grace and into the Mystical Church also is Another If I speak of the Seed of Abraham To be his Seed by Birth is One Thing and to be his Seed by Faith is Another It is One Thing to be an Outward Jew or a Jew by Nature and Circumcision in the Flesh and it is Another to be an Inward Jew by Circumcision in the Spirit by Grace and Keeping the Commandments of God And what a Distribution then is this Why It is Distributio Homonymi sive Equivocantis in Equivocata And the Distribution of a Genus into its Species of a Whole into its Parts of a Subject into its Adjuncts being as I count Distributiones Vnivoci This can be none of those Three Here is Idem Nomen the same Word or Term CHVRCH but Nominis Ratio Diversa the Reason of the Denomination the Conceptus Objectivus not the Same When there is One Name then there are Two Things The Things are diverse and disparate but not Two Species of One Genus or Two Parts of One Integrum or Two Accidents of One Subject there is no need of That The Political Body is One Society and the Mystical Body is One Society Both are headed by One Christ Both are Catholick and Both are One and One Person may be a Member of Both but Both are not the Same It is not a Distribution of an Integrum into its diverse Sorts of Members as I have been formerly apt to think because the Coetus then must be One when That Coetus which consists of the Regenerate and Vnregenerate and That which consists of the Regenerate Only cannot be One and the Same Coetus but Two Especially when there may be Some who are Members of the Church Mystical as being already in a State of Salvation and not yet Admitted into the Congregate or Political Body either Vniversal or Particular for so I use these Terms Act. 10.4 22 35. Rom. 2.26 27. as well as Many who are Members of a Christian Congregation but Foreigners to the Assembly of Heaven It is not a Distribution of a Subject into its Adjuncts for the same Reason which yet our Divines intend by their Terms Visible and Invisible already noted The Church which is Christ's Church is that One Mystical Body of the Elect and Regenerate only according to them distinguished into a double Respect or Consideration thereof as Invisibly or Visibly such that is as Men be Indeed or in Appearance Members of it A goodly Distribution As if we should divide Man in Specie into its Singulars Plato Socrates Paul John and the Pictures of Men when the Picture of a Man is No Man and a Visible Member No Member that is a dividing a Church-Member or Church into one that is One and into one that is None Besides that this is a Conception as before intimated that makes the Apostle understand by the Outward Jew when he distinguishes them Rom. 2. to be the Inward One according to Appearance one that appears to be an Inward One or a Jew only Putativè secundum apparentiam as they speak when nothing is more contrary to his Mind who means undoubtedly a Jew by Nature as Gal. 2. one of Abraham's Seed according to the Flesh Born a Jew and thereby having a Right to Circumcision and the Consequences of it The Formal Reason giving Being and Relation to One Church is distinct and different quite from That which Constituteth and giveth Relation to the Other I am nevertheless afraid to say likewise That it is a Distribution of a Genus into its Species because the making Two Churches specifically distinct under One Vnivocum Vnivocans will be Absonant I doubt to the General Ear though if any will make the Coetus Vocatorum the Number of the Called in Genere to be divided into the Number of the Called Effectually and of the Externally Called and then divide these as the Species into their Singulars Peter Paul Regenerate Judas Simon Unregenerate I shall be far from falling out with them who must rather declare That if they can make it good they have won our CAVSE For my part I am only pretty sure methinks of This that the term CHVRCH is Homonymous and so long as I go no farther than I do I seem to my self the more safe For thus much appears The Inward Jew hath another Relation to God than the Outward in regard to which the Outward Jew is said to be No Jew that is None as so meant when in regard to that Relation which is common to Both he was a Jew the true proper Jew and the Other but Metaphorically so having the same Priviledges thereof equal with the Other It is One thing to have One of these Relations and to have the Other is Another and the Societies to which they relate therefore are not the Same To be Called is One thing to be Elected Another The Mystical Church is the Number of the Spiritual Seed Inward Jew or Christian or of the Elect The Political Church is the Number of the Called To speak yet more exactly There is the Kingdom of Christ and there are Some Persons among them whom He Chooses to give his Special Grace and Spirit unto and thereby to make them One with Himself in another or stricter manner than the rest These Select or Elect Persons are sometimes called the Church and sometimes this whole Kingdom is called the Church This Kingdom is Vniversal or Catholick because it is over the World These Elect are Catholick because scattered here and there every where in it This Kingdom is One because they are All under One Head and Government and have One Faith and One Baptism Ephes 4.5 These Elect are One because united into a Mystical Body even so as to be said One Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 If Divines had used to distinguish these Two Things by Two Words and called the One Christ's Kingdom and the Other the Church the Matter would have been more easie But when they are Both called the Church I am forced to distinguish the word Church and tell That I understand by it Christ's Kingdom that which is called the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel Matth. 13.44 Mar. 4.26 Act. 20.25 And if it appear that Vnregenerate Men are of This Kingdom Matth. 8.12 it is all one to me as to say They are of the Church Unto Christ's Kingdom certainly
do Christ's Institutions Christ's Positive Laws and Officers belong and consequently the Ordinances of Baptism which is appointed to Admit Men into the Same That Door now which admits Hypocrites as well as Sound Believers cannot Admit Men into the Mystical Church for there are no Hypocrites There But Hypocrites as well as Sound Believers are Baptized and it cannot be otherwise The Mystical Body then is One thing and the Political Body which alone concerns our Dispute is Another They are Two Things though called by One Name The Objection consequently being founded on the contrary Supposition does fall There is One Thing yet puts me most to it It is the Form of Baptism in the Liturgy which I suppose very Antient by Tertullian where the Covenant is Entred by every one that is Baptized in the way of Question and Response And when That Question is askt Doest thou Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh in the Words as there express'd and no less an Answer is required than I Renounce them all it appears that the Church of England receives none for her Members but Such as She supposes Regenerate Persons If none but Such as make that Profession which none but the Regenerate can Make are Admitted to Membership and Baptism it is evident what is the Churches Judgment To this purpose are Thanks given for every Child upon its Baptism That God hath pleased to Regenerate it by his Holy Spirit not only by Water When these Children come of Age they must be Confirmed and All as supposed in a State of Grace are to come to the Communion When any Die they are likewise as being in the Church supposed to go all to Heaven Neither ought the Words in the Burial give Offence to any being spoken according to a Church-Judgment of Charity of every Body upon that Supposition In the First place therefore for Answer I acknowledge my self a Non-Conformist And as All who are Such have some particular Reasons above others why they Assent and Consent not to all and every thing contained in and prescribed by the Book of Liturgy I am content that this be alledged for My Reason though it be not my only Reason I Assent and Consent not that this Abrenuncio be imposed in Baptism And not only because no Child can make that Profession but because I cannot find in my Heart to receive such a Tenent by Consequence from the Liturgy for Conforming to the Church which must lead me if I be true to it to Separate from Her Not but really if any Body can make this Profession it is well but to impose it on every one as necessary to Baptism without Liberty of a Man 's own Words and to suppose it of every one that is Baptized This is the Point We intend our Mixt Churches to be of the Regenerate and Vnregenerate This Profession intends them to be of the Regenerate only These are inconsistent things and This is no little matter therefore for which I Dissent and She may the better bear with me We can never maintain our Parochial our National our Mixed Churches against the Congregational Party in my Judgment if we give them This Ground That the Churches of Christ's Institution do consist ex intentione Instituentis of the Regenerate only In the Next place I must say this Though the Church by requiring such a Profession of the Baptized must indeed by Consequence be interpreted to be of the common Opinion which I oppose for the great Reason mentioned Yet does She by allowing this Profession to be made by Infants vere again from it An Infant can make no Profession de praesenti And as the Abrenuncio therefore is well interpreted by a Polliceor in her Catechism I could wish accordingly if ever there be another Emendation of the Common-Prayer-Book that these Words in the Baptism of the Adult as of the Infant were changed and instead of I Renounce them all some such words were put in I engage to it God being my Helper If they were you may say How would this mend the Matter No Man can say I engage to do a thing Hereafter but he must resolve upon it Now or he lies If the Baptized resolve Now to Repent or to live Holy for the Time to come he must be Regenerate all one as if he professed He did already I Answer There is no doubt but a Man may really Intend or Purpose to Repent Hereafter or sometimes Before his Death as he may Desire Wish and Hope it lest he be Damned who at the Present is for Injoying yet the Pleasures of the World for a Season And whether such an Engagement de futuro will save the Adult Person as well as the Infant from a Lie when it will not save him from Sin and Desert of Wrath if he makes any Delay Heb. 3.7 8. I leave to Others to judge that will I must Offer yet farther The Baptized is supposed to be Entring Covenant in these Responses and there is Difference between an Absolute and a Covenant-Engagement A Man cannot engage Absolutely to do any thing but he must at Present be Resolved or he Lies But a Man may make a Conditional-Engagement without a Lie before he be Resolved upon the Performance A Covenant-Engagement is no more but I Engage to perform my Part of the Covenant as ever I expect God should perform His or as ever I expect the Benefit of it or if I do not that is if I Never do Perform the Condition I consent to go without what is Promised The Lord Jesus will be sure for his Part to perform his Promise wherefore this Infant must also for its Part promise by You to Renounce the Devil to Believe to Obey says the Priest to the God-Fathers in Words more at large And if the whole Form were so moulded as to make the Engagement of this Baptismal Vow to be Conditional that the Vnregenerate as well as the Regenerate might make these Responses and the Thing be Justified there is nothing I judge could be done Better and nothing I think ought to be done Less for maintaining our Mixt Churches Against or saving them Fâ—â—m Separation If This satisfie not I have yet Something more laid in In the Covenant there are the Precepts the Promises and the Threats As the Person Covenanting engages himself to the Precepts as ever he hopes to enjoy the Blessings So he consents to Vndergo the Penalty in case of Non-Performance There is no question now but a Man may Engage to Do a Thing or Bear the Penalty when he is not yet Resolved either To Do or Not to do it No question but he may Engage himself to the Loss and Punishment without the Resolution of Doing that which is the Condition of avoiding of it At Vniversity when we were Matriculated we swear to Keep the Statutes No one that Vnderstands them does think of always Keeping them and yet they tell us We are not to Scruple the Oath because it is a
choose Life Deut. 30.15 19. One can't imagine how these People should be left to choose what they would do but that their Engagement must have this Construction As ever we expect to escape the Curse or reap the Blessing we will do it And forasmuch as that which they Could and Did was the main thing to be Done and they were called to it it was not for any to leave undone So much because More was also required Vnto Which the most of them could Engage only under God's terms leaving themselves to Mercy and Which accordingly they neither Absolutely intended nor Did. I will add So long as a Jew cleaved to God in opposition to Idols and lived in general as other Jews here was the Essentials of That Covenant and the Breach of other Precepts was failing in the Integrals But the Essence of the Covenant of Life consists in Integrity Integrity measured by Grace accepting of what is Done and forgiving what is Vndone through the Righteousness and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ which none but the Regenerate have must be confessed In the Fourth place I must say upon this It having pleased God to set up a Kingdom over this People and as a King to give them his Statutes and Judgments and they as his Subjects declaring they will obey them In the Division of the Nations He set a Ruler over them but Israel is the Lord's Portion says Ecclesiasticus I must take leave to ask How these Words All that the Lord hath said we will do can prove That no Person therefore that says not the same Words may be Baptized or that because the Israelites said so therefore the Baptized must say Abrenuncio and Spondâ—o Especially when they were not prescribed by God but Words of their own and if they had spoken them Examiningly and with more Caution and said but as we do in the Common-Prayer Lord have Mercy upon us and incline our Hearts to keep all these thy Laws I am perswaded it had been better It is manifest that every Jew was to Circumcise his Children and Joshua all the Congregation in the Wilderness but I find not that every Father or every One there was to make such a Profession a Profession in such large Words in the Doing I find not such a Profession neither required of any of the Baptized in the New Testament The Eunuch says He believed Christ was the Son of God and those that came to John's Baptism confessed their Sins both which I have provided against and that is all I find There Nay though Israel indeed used these Words when God gave the Law at first I find not in Deut. 29. when Moses called them to Covenant Again or to Another Covenant v. 1. about Forty Years after that v. 5. that they used the same Words This is certain Man Woman and Child enter Covenant v. 12. but what Words passed or whether they Consented by Silence or otherwise we read not Suppose then these Questions in the Churches Form to be retained and the Baptized Persons left to use what Words they Could and Would in their Responses I pray were not the Baptism good Suppose instead of saying All this I stedfastly believe a Man should say I believe it with all my Heart or I Really and in Truth believe it as the Eunuch forementioned or should be only able to say I believe it Lord help my Vnbelief with the Man in the Gospel Should such a one be turn'd away for That I am pleased to see how in the Third Question Wil t thou obediently keep God's Holy Will when the Child who Answers by his Sureties and is Innocent is made to answer I will the Adult Person who Answers for himself and must think of Performing it does say with all Tenderness and Caution I will endeavour so to do God being my Helper And when the Church her self doth vary the Response if the Baptized who is yet more Tender being fearful lest he is defective in that Endeavour should be able to say only I do acknowledge this Renunciation of Flesh World and Devil I own this Walking in God's Commandments all the Days of my Life to be my Duty Pray God give me his Grace to do it I desire I may I can say no more I would be very willing to know whether such a Man might not be Baptized For my part I should judge such a one sitter to be Received than the most of Confident Believers that make no Bones at all of the Matter I would have no Man here so high for the Church as not to consider the Foundation I do acknowledge that every Man who was Circumcised became a Debtor thereby to the whole Law and every one that is Baptized is a Debtor to the Practice of all Christianity But I am apprehensive also that the Vnregenerate Man cannot actually in Words say I Renounce the Devil World and the Elesh so as Not to be led by them when yet he may be obliged to it as well as the Regenerate by Covenant-Engagement at least in the Sign of it I am willing to have a Man's Duty pressed on him in regard to the Obligation as much as any But as for the Profession he makes in Words I cannot but be Tender of it for my Life I am Conscious how one Excellent good Man is still for to have some Law Established in case at least of any Accommodation that every Man who offers his Child to Baptism or Himself to the Eucharist should make his Profession that he Takes God for his Chief Good Christ for his Lord and Saviour the Holy Ghost for his Sanctifier and unfeignedly Repenting of all his Sins he does resolve upon a Sincere Obedience through the Course of his Life for the Time to come or the like Words Which I must confess is so grievous a thing to my Mind in regard to that Formality and Authorized Lying which the Most should be put Vpon and that Scruple and Perplexity which the Best most Serious and most Tender should be Put To thereby that I cannot in my Heart but rather be glad though simply I approve not the thing that the Church hath imposed this Profession upon the Vncapable Infant and the Sureties in their Names Neither is there any thing I know in the Scripture for such strict Injunctions unless these Words of the Israelites Words of their Own not Imposed be any thing which hath made me therefore speak thus much the more about it It is said for mollifying the Matter If a Man can say I am willing to be a Christian upon the Terms of the Covenant it is enough but this is the Thing if you understand by it the Covenant of Life that a Man doubts Neither is it less but only in Words than what is said before A Person is afraid that he is indeed Vnwilling to Submit to something or other that is in the Terms when he hath strictly examin'd his whole Life and is in Good Earnest with his
that Righteousness of Innocent Nature from whence we are fallen and it is called also the Righteousness of Faith whereby we are Justified in opposition to the Works of the Law that is both of the Law of Nature because no Man hath those Works and therefore cannot be Justified by them and of the Law of Moses because if a Man had them he could not be Justified thereby as hath been now said So that here being a Righteousness of One Covenant which is Justifying for Jesus Christ by his Merits procured this Covenant that we might be Justified by it but He died not for the Redemption of Israel out of Aegypt or the Procuring Moses's Covenant and the Righteous of Another that is Not Justifying it does appear that these Covenants must be Distinguished and that So as a Faith Short of Saving must be made to suffice for a Man to enter One when a Saving One is necessary to the Other and consequently that the Vnregenerate as well as the Regenerate may be brought in to be Members of the Charch or Subjects of God's and Christ's Kingdom by being capable of Entring this Covenant belonging thereunto a Covenant of Allegiance when none can be Members of Christ's Myspical Body by Entring the Covenant of Life but the Regenerate only If our Church then instead of the Three Questions at Baptism letting the First stand supposing a Dogmatical Faith sufficient for Answer to That should for the other Two ask Do You renounce the Heathenism Idolatry Mahometism or This or That False Religion which you Separate from when you Joyn with us And do you intend to live such a Christian Life in your whole Conversation as not to Leven the Society by your Being of it I must confess the Answer to these Questions supposing we doubt of the Persons when else there is no necessity of any in the Affirmative were a Qualification plainly necessary to a Man's being Admitted and proper to a Covenant of this Nature which is made for Receiving Men into such a Society But when these Covenants are confounded and the Baptismal Covenant advanced into the Covenant of Life so that there are no less Conditions required of a Person unto his Coming into the Church and being Baptized than unto his Entrance into Everlasting Blessedness What shall we say to these things but that for a through Satisfaction to the whole Objection these Interrogatories therefore and Responses of the Church which have been brought into Baptism by Men I will suppose for good Reason at the time but not by Christ's Commandment are to be lookt on by none I hope as Essential or Necessary to the Institution but may be Omitted Altered or Relaxed at her Will at least when better Reason appears for it And they were Omitted we know of late at Home under the Directory and are I suppose in most of the Reformed Churches Abroad Nevertheless if the Church when She can require no more of a Person but what is necessary to the Conventional Government of God and Covenant of Peculiarity I mean can require of him to do no more than Consent to the Terms Thereof so as to Refuse his Admittance Without It shall in regard to the Complex Consideration of God's Government and Covenant require an Engagement further unto the Terms that are necessary even to Life and Salvation also so long as it be not made by a Profession de praesenti which must draw Regeneration along with it but by a Covenant-Engagement understood aright and Authenticated by an Interpretation of the Church I shall humbly give way Thereunto both out of Reverence to what She hath hitherto prescribed as also and rather for the Good Vse which Is especially in our Catechistical Divinity and May still be made of it Only as for the Abrenuncio in the Liturgy I must lodge my Opinion That either the Engagement should be declared to be Conditional or the Question only be imposed and the Baptized left to make his own Answer If after This you be not satisfied as judging that no Person Vnregenerate can say I Engage into which I confess I would have the word chang'd but it is a Lie as much as if he said Abrenuncio Let the Church make her Interpretation with the Change of the Word and I am not of your Mind Nevertheless I will Answer you also otherwise If the Church were willing to turn her Abrenuncio to a Polliceor and That Won't serve then may She turn it into some other Words God grant I may as Will serve And I doubt not but if the Person that is tender of the Form imposed makes his Answer in such Words as he can with a good Conscience and without Doubting it were better than in those Prescribed seeing it is not Words nor Works but a Man's Will as I humbly understand or a Man's Consent a Believing Consent or a Consent upon Believing that is Believing the Gospel Preached and Consent to come in and be Baptized that no Body may mistake my Meaning upon the Account of General Grace is the Gospel's Christ's and his Apostle's Rule of Admission Suffer them to come unto Me and forbid them not In the Going Off I cannot but take notice how the Want of a more Timely or more Through Consideration of what I have Insisted upon to wit this Distinction of the Covenants and Government of God and the Necessity thereof hath led some Eminent Divines into the Particular Opinion That Children are to be held in the Same State with their Parents in regard to Salvation as well as in regard to their Outward Priviledges as they were Jews or Christians But I will humbly offer it to their Consideration whether there be any Places in Scripture that speak of the Parents entring Covenant for their Children or of the Covenant being made With them or To them and their Children after them but it is to be understood of the Covenant of Peculiarity and not of the Covenant for Salvation The Covenant God Establishes between Him and Abraham and his Seed after him is manifestly the Covenant of Circumcision Gen. 17. v. 7. with v. 10. And that Covenant He Enters with the Jews for Posterity Deut. 29.9 15. is but the same Covenant enlarged and expresly Distinguished from the New Covenant which is the Covenant of Grace or Covenant for Life in Heb. 8. v. 9 10. When therefore a Right to the Priviledges of that Covenant is soundly argued for Children from their Parents being in it and the Baptizing our Children as Christians as the Jews Circumcised theirs stands firm on the same Bottom because the Covenant of Peculiarity takes in the Children with the Parent by God's Ordination I will Establish my Covenant between Me and Thee and thy Seed after thee it follows not that we may argue the same thing as to the Covenant for Life In Ezek. 18. All Souls are Mine says God as the Soul of the Father so the Soul of the Son The Son shall not bear the
Iniquity of the Father The Soul that sinneth it shall die In Rom. 9. it is said of Jacob and Esau That while they were Yet unborn God said Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated which though it be spoken I believe of their Posterity and in regard to their Temporal Inheritance yet does it carry methinks a Figure in it of something farther to wit That the Eternal State of Children while Infants depends not on the Condition of the Parents which was here the Same to Both but on God's Free Election Above all if the Salvation of Children depends on the Faith and State of the Parent as this is comfortable Doctrine to the Sound Believer whose Infants therefore must be Saved so must it follow That all the Children of the Vnregenerate though their Parents be Christians and bring them to Baptism must be inevitably damn'd Which is a Consequence too hard upon the Church and harder in it self than can be borne Let the Case here of Adam alone be set by I must note farther How through want of the same Distinction insisted on and Application of the Light of it to our CAVSE some Worthy Men who have gone before me have Faltered in it It is not for any one to tell us of a Faith short of Saving called by them Dogmatical that suffices to Enter Covenant with God while they think of no other Covenant but That which gives Pardon and Life upon a Faith that is Saving and None else Whereas let the Government of God and Covenants thereof be distinguished and then shall the Distinguishing of Faith also suit with it For when there is no Faith less than Saving sufficient for a Man to Enter into the Covenant of Life it being a Contradiction to think we should Live by a Faith that is less than Saving yet did a Faith call it Dogmatical or what you will which consists in the Owning of the only true God and his Worship in opposition to all false Gods and false Worship which Faith may be separate from Sincere Obedience suffice to the General Body of Israel for their Entring that Covenant for This was the Main of it which God made with them When He took them by the Hand to lead them out of the Lard of Aegypt Let any prove That the Faith of the Whole Body of Israel could come to any More Besides This that Faith alone and That only which lies in an Assent could say Amen to the Curses which making a Man obnoxious to the Minatory Part of the Covenant must put him in Covenant Conditionally in regard also to the Promissory Part with it And the Truth is a Faith of Assent a Belief of a God and that his Word is True does lay an Obligation on the Conscience which none can have that Believe not And though a Resolution of doing what may escape the Threat be Another thing called Consent than that bare Obligation yet so long as the Obligation it self is laid thereby whether a Dogmatical Faith goes not farther into the Covenanting Act than some Men are aware I commit to their farther Consideration And as for the Covenant whereof I am speaking which I have said was a Political Covenant between God and Them as King and Subject Lord and People and such an Owning Him as a Dogmatical Faith suffices to was the main Substance and Intendment of it as their departing to Idolatry was the Chief if not Only Breach of it as I have also noted I do take it to be that Covenant which was repeated often by their good Rulers In the Time of Asa a great Confluence of Persons are summoned together and it is said They Covenanted to seek the Lord with all their Heart 2 Chron. 15.12 15. If by this Covenanting we understand a Resolution of Vniversal Obedience according to the Covenant for Salvation I cannot see well how this could be said of such a Mixed Multitude But if it be understood of a Refreshing the Covenant mention'd and a Seeking the Lord in opposition mainly to Idolatry as indeed it must be so understood comparing Vers 8.16 then may we apprehend likewise how These Men the most of Them might have a Faith less than Saving and yet secundum quid do This from their Hearts And Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and People That they should be the Lord's People and between the King and the People 2 King 11.17 What was the Covenant between King and People but a kind of Oath of Allegiance to him in opposition to Athaliah's Faction And what was the Covenant between the Lord and Them but the like higher Allegiance to Him as their Supreme Lord in opposition to Baal as appears in the next Verse Here is a Covenant we see unto Which nothing but the want of a Dogmatical Faith could be a Bar and nothing requisite to Enter it but the believing that God was the only True God And as for that Qualification it is most certain that the Israelites had it in the Whole Body of them when they first Covenanted this Covenant with God as their King in the Time of Moses who were under such a Conviction at the Appearing of God himself to them as never had any the like under the whole Cope of Heaven so that neither Man nor Woman nor Child that were capable of Seeing and Believing could be under Vnbelief Yet can I not think that many of them had Saving Faith whose Carkasses all of them save Two or Three fell afterwards in the Wilderness Let me come now then from this Church in the Wilderness to the Christian Church under the Gospel into Which Men are Entred by Baptism And what is here the Covenant of Christianity The Words of Christ's Institution are these only Go Baptize in the Name of the Father Son and the Holy Ghost Which Words undoubtedly do import thus much to wit An Owning the Blessed Trinity to be that Only True God whom the Jews owned in their Covenant before And what Else but the Consequences of it who can say Unto This now such a Faith which is Dogmatical does appear absolutely necessary and was therefore required of the Eunuch I believe Christ to be the Son of God But if the Church by her Additions to Baptism hath made more Qualification necessary to them than Christ to his Institution so that no Adult Person whose Faith is less than Saving can without a Lie make these Responses what shall I say but that She may Diminish what She hath Added and hath Power over her own Additions to Change them or Interpret them and delare That She understands them in a Covenant Construction The last Objection as to this Doctrine in hand is the innumerable Testimonies of Modern and Antient Divines that Are and May be cited for the received Opinion against What I have proposed Unto Which I have also some Little to say I remember well that Austine hath one Book which especially touches the Point It is
Reason And this must ordinarily needs be for the Good of the Wheat But when there is a Willingness upon the Gospel Preached and there be no such Reason to hinder I am for gain-saying no Bodies Admission Whatsoever Passages there be then in the Fathers or Other Men that run in an higher Strain than This comes to they are to be Reduced I will account to this Model or to be seasoned with the same Interpretation I will Conclude yet with One Authority which seems to me to incline to my Cause with Declination from the common Opinion Our British Divines in the Synod of Dort upon the Fifth Article De Perseverantia Sanctorum have these Theses Quihusdam non Electis conceditur quaedam Illuminatio Supernaturalis cujus virtute intelligunt ea quae in Verbo Dei annunciantur essa vera iisdemque assensum praebent minime simulatum To some Persons not Elect God does afford a certain Supernatural Illumination by vertue whereof they understand those things which are declared in the Word of God to be true and do give an Assent to them not counterfeit In iisdem ex hac Cognitione Fide oritur affectuum quaedam mutatio morum aliqualis emendatio Out of such a Knowledge and Faith as this in the same Persons does there arise some kind of Change in their Affections and Amendment of their Lives Ex his initialibus etiam per externa Obedientiae opera testatis sumuntur Charitatis judicio sumi debent pro Credentibus Justificatis Sanctificatis From these Initials or this beginning Work upon such are they and ought they to be held for Believers Justified Sanctified who never come up to a State of Saving Grace that from the Falling-away of such the Perseverance of the truly Godly should be impugned as they proceed in their next Theses which concern not this Argument From these Positions now I note That when the common Opinion of the Protestants is That no less than a Saving Faith and Repentance or Regeneration is necessary to Membership and Baptism here appears in these Divines something that is Singular who do make a Work of Common Grace upon People that is less than Saving to be the Ground of our Holding them to be Such as Those are who are the most Qualified Members The Common Opinion will have Persons make a Profession of a Saving Faith or Regenerating Grace and it must be of no less than Such and then we are to reckon them in the Judgment of Charity to Be what they Profess unless we have Proof to the contrary This is our ordinary Judgment of Charity and so Men are Visible Members as they speak upon a Lie or upon a Ground that is False But these Judicious Divines will have us reckon Men Believers Saints Justified Sanctified upon an Initial Work of Grace that is Short of Saving and This is a Judgment of Charity upon a Ground that is True The Call of the Gospel is Vniversal Those Persons that will Come in so Far as they Will are to be Received The End why they are Called is That they should all come in Fully as the Elect do The Whole Number for That Part sake as come in So have these Denominations as being in the way to obtain the same End This is that Judgment of Charity these Divines would Establish and it is not upon a Falshood as the Other is There are Two or Three things nevertheless that are lacking in their Judgment One is When an Initial Faith Repentance or Grace short of Saving is made by them a Ground sufficient in Charity to Receive Men Into the Church and To Baptism so long as it suffices to Denominate Men so as qualifies them for Members They should hold the same Grace a Ground Sufficient also for their Own Coming Another is Whereas they make an Initial Work of Faith and Repentance to be Sufficient for their Reception in the Judgment of Charity They should hold it to be So in the Judgment of Verity upon the Vniversal Grace of the Gospel The Third and Chief thing wanting is to tell If a Work of Grace on the Soul short of Saving be able indeed to give a Man Right to Membership and the Sacraments unto what Degree then it must come If it be Initial only and yet not Saving how much Grace is it how much Faith how much Repentance is it that will serve Are we able to set any Stint until we come to Saving I Answer Yes We have Pitcht the Measure we have Fixt the Point Such a Work of Initial Grace or of Faith such an Initial Faith or so much Faith as brings the Man up to be Willing is it This is the Measure this is the Degree It is the Answer to the Question Wilt thou be Baptized in this Faith I say These words of Answer I Will gives a Man Right both to Come and to be Admitted Let me say it over in other words It is a Faith receiving the Doctrine of the Gospel and Advancing to the Degree as makes a Man Willing to come Into the Society of Christians and so own Christ our King for there are some may Believe and yet not be Willing to Own Christianity Joh. 12.42 43. as some may Believe and be Willing to Come in and yet their Faith be Short of Saving Jam. 2.18 26. that is Fides Dogmatica I may say Consensu Formata upon the Account of General Grace as the Fundamentum Juris does give Title to Church Communion Neither do I think but that These so much acknowledg'd Excelling Divines would themselves have also proceeded Thus Far if they had understood This Bottom and that their Matter led them to it I know they that lay Another Rule do honestly intend the Purity of the Church But either This Rule shall be Backt by a Law and then it will be a Strainer in Shew but instead of Keeping the Church pure it will but Strain the Tender and Scrupulous the Careless and Vnconcern'd will Prosess any thing that is Imposed as I have observed before in its Place Or it shall have no Power but that of the Word and Conscience as in the Primitive Times and I must then suggest this That where One went to Heaven when the Church was Pure there are Twenty a Thousand since it was Enlarged and Corrupt England might have been a Pagan Kingdom to this Day if they that Planted in it the Christian Religion had stood in good earnest upon these Terms and pressed them as the Congregationalists do And were the Rule indeed Christ's what a horrible deal of Guilt must there lie on the Ministers since Constantine's Time unto whom Christ committed the Keys of his House to Let In none but Subjects qualified according to That Rule and they Let in whole Parishes Kingdoms Countries into it Alas that none but those of the Novatian Donatist Brownist Sects should have delivered their own Souls You complain that the Bad Come In but I would fain know whether you think any were ever the Better that have Kept Out And now what remains but that The Spirit says Come and the Bride says Come and whosoever will let him Come If Men will come Quite Home to a Saving Faith Sound Repentance and the Love of God above All it is That which they should Do and in so Doing they shall be Partakers of the Saving Benefits of the Gospel Church and Covenant If they will come no Farther than to Submit to the External Administration of the Ordinances they are yet to be Received so Far as they Will come and in the Vse of the Means we are to expect they should be brought Farther even to Effectual Conversion and Salvation Deo Gloria mihi Condonatio J. H. Reader THere happening this Leaf to remain vacant I will fill it up with a Letter which I had but just now from a Private Christian to whom I Communicated several of these Sheets before the Last was wrought off at the Press he being a Man who hath considered these Things and of known Integrity to the Church whose Letter also will have its Use Or else I confess I should have chose rather to have left it for the Bookseller to have fill'd with a Catalogue of Books The Author SIR YOV were not mistaken in thinking as You told me That this Book would agree with my Sentiments touching the Latitude of the Church It seems to me to have much in it not to be found elsewhere and that Matter momentous striking at the Root of our Divisions about Church-Communion You have well observed That God is never behind hand with Men in a Willingness to any thing that tends to their Salvation and therefore the Church must not be so And indeed there is so great Advantage by Coming into the Church given to Men Thereunto that I wonder any should oppose it The Word is nigh them in their Mouth and in their Heart There is no Part of the Christian Church where every Member that comes to the Vse of Reason does not learn the chief Doctrines of Christianity contain'd in the Creed without Book which have a mighty force to bring Men to Repentance and an Holy Life And as this is so great Advantage to Them so it is no Means to corrupt the Church so long as the Discipline of Christ is observed which you take care of I know no other Book that hath given me so clear an Vnderstanding of the Church and Kingdom of God and Christ together with the Covenant of Allegiance proper to it That hath proposed the Rule which you have particularly recited p. 75. and 140. for Admitting his Subjects into the same That hath laid this Rule on its right Foundation which is the General Grace of the Gospel so exactly defined to the End p. 16. to 21. That hath carried the Cause through all its Difficulties at you have done This is the Opinion of Your Engaged Friend Thomas Seymor