the Church universal and when not there would be a great deal of uncertainty by what how and when to esteem them members thereof Should we make any thing else the rule of this Judgement we should find our selves at a strange loss to give right judgement herein For example Should we make a mans profession of the Christian Religion in general this rule then the question will be whether every profession of the Christian Religion does render a man reputably a member of the universal Church If not as I suppose it will not be asserted that it doth then the question will be to what degree a man must profess before he be worthy that denomination And who is able here to give the rule unto his brother yea or unto himself either but that he will be in danger of making it too high or too low too narrow or too wide But now if we take the rule which God hath fitted to our hands Baptism I mean we shall then find our selves delivered from those uncertainties difficulties and dis-satisfactions yea from that un-evangelical arbitrariness in the things of God which otherwise will of necessity and unavoidably befall us herein For according to Scripture rule all they and only they are to be esteemed visibly of the universal Church who so far profess repentance from dead works faith towards God and the rest of the foundation principles as thereupon to submit to the Ordinance of Baptism as engaging themselves thereby to be no longer the servants of sin but thenceforth the servants of Jesus Christ and of righteousness I shall not here repeat the proof of this you have it already If then none are to be esteemed as visible members of the universal Church but only such as are baptized then none but such as are baptized may be admitted as members of a particular Church For it is altogether irregular indeed absurd to admit any into particular Church-Fellowship who are not first visibly members of the Universal because particular Churches and so particular Church-members receive their right of being such of and from the Universal Church and from that precedent standing they had there as branches and members of it As the special must and doth agree with the general kind in the general nature of it or else it is no special of that general as Logicians speak So must a particular Church agree with the universal in the universal nature of it otherwise it is no particular of the Universal but is something of another kind But now Baptism is so essentially formally and universally necessary to the visible being I say visible being of the universal Church and of every member of it as that it is the distinguishing mark between those that are and those that are not visibly of it For it is that mean or only visible door by which visibly men pass out of the world into the Church from under the dominion of sin and Satan into the Rule and Government of Jesus Christ That the Scriptures do assigne this office unto Baptism I have formerly proved as I suppose and is the vote and concession of all men generally a few only excepted of those that profess Christianity If the Scriptures do in any other quarters of them repeal this mean and ordain another in its stead or do assigne any other besides this to the same service I desire to be directed therein that I may know what it is and where I may find it for I must profess my total ignorance of any such thing though I have made diligent search for it Nor is it indeed Gods way and method to leavy more means for the same end when one is every way sufficient as I have formerly shewed Baptism then being so much of the general nature of the Churches visible being as that no man can according to Scripture-rule esteem any one duly and regularly a member thereof without it those particular Churches or Church-members then that partake not hereof cannot in due form of Evangelical Law nor according to the principles of reason be esteemed particucular Churches or Church-members of the universal but either of some other kind or at the best of an un-evangelical form and constitution 4. This being Gods method order and way of bringing men into the enjoyment of Church-communion and Church priviledges viz. through the door of Baptism as hath been already observed this very method and order of his ought to be very sacred unto us and inviolably observed by us For as God is the God of order and not of confusion so he hath commanded us to do all things viz. which he hath commanded in Church-Affairs decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 Now what is it to do all things in order but to do every thing in its due place that first which in order of institution is first and that afterwards which hath a relative dependance upon that which goes before There is indeed a beautiful harmony and comely agreement between the wayes of Jesus Christ Ordinance and Ordinance when each of them is observed in that order that is proper to them in which respect I suppose the Tabernacle or House of God of old was called the Beauty of holiness or the Ordinannances thereof the comely honours of the Sanctuary as Master Ainsworth tenders it which yet were but a pattern of heavenly i. e. Spiritual or Gospel things Heb. 9.23 and 8.5 The which spiritual beauty being beheld by the Apostle in the Church at Colosse he was much taken there with Joying and beholding your order c. Coloss 2.5 i.e. Joying to behold your order which argues that this order of theirs was a lovely object And doubtless it is a duty incumbent upon every one of them who have devoted themselves to Jesus Christ and the Affairs of his Gospel to endeavour as much as in them lies the honour of their Master and of the Affairs of his house and therefore if there be any piece of comeliness or beauty more in one way then there is in another as doubless there is more in God's order and method then there is in that which is but of man it will well become the servants of the Lord Jesus to be zealous of that The best way and method of doing the best things is to be coveted as well as the best things themselves And as it is a thing very well pleasing unto God to have his own things done in his own way and order so it is a provocation to him to have his way and order neglected and another introduced instead of it yea though such a disorder proceed from no wicked intent out from inadvertancie only The Lord our God saith David made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order 1 Chron. 15.13 meaning in that stroke upon Vzzah who did but touch the Ark out of an intent doubtless to uphold it upon the stumbling of the Oxen otherwise then Gods order was And shall we think that the
which should have rendred them worthy the name of Christians indeed whilest they have fancied themselves to be such upon account of their Christendome as they call it i. e. that Baptism which they received in their Infancy For whereas they are made to beleeve that they have been Baptized into Christ and thereby received into the number of Christs flock and incorporated into his Church by that Baptism they have hereupon presumed themselves good Christians and in safe condition and have taken it ill that any should make question to the contrary though otherwise they have had little more then this upon which to build such a confidence Whereas otherwise if they could not have attained so much as the name and repute of Christians much lesse the hope of that salvation which belongs to Christians indeed without a manifestation of repentance and faith preceding their Baptism and their reception of Baptism thereupon which yet is the Gospell way there is no doubt but that millions of men and women would have quit themselves upon far better tearms then now they have done in labouring after knowledge in the Gospell and such other qualifications as would have rendred them meet for Baptism and consequently for communion in other ordinances of the Gospell rather then they would have fallen short of the confidence of being Christians and the repute of such and the hope of salvation which belongs to those that are such indeed For mens extream impatience of not being reputed Christians indeed upon account of their Infant Baptism and that slender and contradictory profession which they make argues the name and repute of such and that hope they have thereby to be a thing so dear and precious to them as that they would do much more then now they do for the gaining of it if they had it not upon such easie terms as now they have as men have ordered the matter Secondly From what else then the practise of Infant Baptism hath proceeded the Churching of whole Nations and Kingdomes whilest all Infants in a Nation except such as have been prevented by death have been Baptized and thereby received into the Church and if so why may we not say that the national Church officers the Bishops yea the universal Bishop himself the Pope have grown out of the same root For if there had been no nationall Baptism in this kind as doubtlesse there would not if Baptism had not been to be had but upon Scripture terms viz. apparent repentance and faith preceding then there would have been no nationall Churches that being as to outward form the foundation upon which they are built and door of entrance thereinto and if there had been no nationall Churches there could have been no nationall Church officers and if no nationall Church officers then surely no universall officer over all nationall both Churches and officers So that Infant Baptism may well be conceived to be the cause sine qua non that without which neither the one nor the other of these would have been as now they are And therefore how small a matter or innocent thing soever Infant Baptism seems to most yet who may not see if they will but seriously consider it that the evils and mischiefes that have taken place in the world upon the taking place of nationall Churches and their Officers and the head of them all the Pope may in great part be charged upon that dangerous errour Infant Baptism of which we speake And what a dishonour and reproach hath it been to Jesus Christ that he should be looked upon as head of such Churches and that such vile and unworthy persons should be esteemed members of his body as those nationall Churches and the persons of whom they have mostly consisted have been as if Christ and Belial had been well agreed Besides these Nationall corrupt indeed Antichristian Churches have in great part thrust out the true Churches of Jesus Christ and his discipline and the purity of his administration of Ordinances and have contempered themselves in constitution discipline and worship unto the spirit of this world by which they have for the most part been inspired and acted And therefore however this After Baptism as it is called is charged with rending and tearing of Churches which in true construction is but a rending and dividing of persons from Churches of an undue and humane constitution that they might be gathered into the fold of Christs own making and such a division as this the Gospell hath always wrought in the world in respect of some or other of its truths Luke 12.51 yet indeed and in truth it is not fiduciall Baptism i. e. the Baptizing of men after they beleeve but Infant Baptism that is truely guilty of rending and tearing indeed of dissolving the true Churches of Jesus Christ in the world And therefore in the third place though those Congregationall or Independent Churches as they are called have conceived with themselves that they have provided well against that sin of corrupting and carnalizing Churches of which the Nationall and Parochiall associations are guilty by that separation which they have made from them yet upon due consideration it will be found that they have but only for the present lopt off some evill and corrupt branches but have not at all taken away the root that bears them for their practise of Baptizing their Infants and thereupon imbodying them with themselves will within the space and compasse of lesse then an age as is more then probable render these Churches also much-what as carnall as the Parochiall and Nationall are For whatsoever children are whilest but Infants during which time I cannot but hold their condition good and safe God-wards the Scriptures favourable aspect that wayes considered yet when they come to years of discretion they so corrupt themselves with actuall sin even the children of good men as well as bad as that that saying of our Saviour must take place concerning them Joh. 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdome of God And without controversie those who in reason cannot on this account be judged in a capacity to see the Kingdome of God cannot in reason be judged in a capacity to have communion with God and with his Saints in all the ordinances of God And whether it be not very rare for persons to be as early in their repentance and faith as in their actuall sinning which yet hath no promise of pardon without an actuall turning unto God I leave to themselves to consider whose experience and observation I doubt not will incline them to conclude it so to be And therefore it cannot be in all probability but that such Churches if they should continue for the space of an age in that way in which they now are they must of necessity consist in great part of carnall and unregenerate persons as the parochiall Churches do If any shall conceive this a convenient remedy against this evill viz. to Excommunicate children
or youth about the time in which they come to know the difference between good and evill at which time they make themselves guilty of actuall transgression and consequently put themselves under a necessity of conversion to wit repentance and faith for the obtaining remission of those actuall sins and therefore in reason cannot be looked upon as regenerate untill the fruites worthy amendment of life and of faith do appear though this remedy I say should be thought on which is not likely yet for them to retain them in the Church whilst Infants and to cast them out when they come to years of understanding is such a thing which as there is no rule prescribing it so I beleeve my own observation in some other cases prompting me hereunto it will prove a thing of greater difficulty then indulgent parentall members will know how to overcome If any shall think to prevent this more then inconvenience another way viz. by Baptizing Infants into the universall Church and not receiving them into any particular Church till they can give an account of their repentance from dead workes and faith towards God or else if they do receive them into a particular Church shall think to prevent this by not admitting them unto communion with the Church in other ordinances till they can give the aforesaid account herein likewise besides the evill of unregenerate persons permissive abode in the Church they shall give a rule unto themselves which God hath not given For whoever are fit to be and de facto are members of the universall visible Church are fit also to be members of particular Churches and whosoever are members of particular Churches cannot according to any rule in Scripture that I know be excluded part and fellowship in any the Ordinances there administred For during the time in which God would have Infants to be members of the nationall Church of the Jews and partakers of one ordinance to wit Circumcision he did neither order their excommunication out of the Church upon account of their unregeneration when they became actuall sinners nor yet debarre them communion with the Church in any other ordinance till signes of their regeneration appeared nor were they excluded communion in any the ordinances of that Church at any time from their very Infancy otherwise or longer then the terms of naturall necessity and debility did impose it upon them Nor does it at all follow that Infants are to be admitted Church members under the Gospell because they were so under the Law as some vainly imagine nor yet that persons of like disqualification may be admitted into or continued in Churches under the Gospell as might be both the one and the other under the Law no more then it followes that the Gospell ministration is carnall beggerly weak and unprofitable because that of the Law was such Heb. 7.18 9.10 Gal. 4.9 For under the Law Church membership was vested in Abrahams naturall seed in which capacity Infants were as well as men but under the Gospell that priviledg is proper only to those that are or appear to be his spirituall seed to wit beleevers Gal. 3.7 26-29 Rom. 9.8 in which capacity Infants are not Under the Law spirituall defilements such as were ignorance unbelief or morall pollutions such as are extortion railing covetousnesse c. did not exclude persons from Church membership if they did but keep the ceremoniall Law which according to the Apostle Heb. 9.9 10. stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them untill the time of reformation which could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience which yet unregenerate men were in a capacity to perform But now under the Gospell both spirituall and morall defilements such as are ignorance of God and his wayes unbelief covetousnesse drunkennesse railing extortion c. doe de jure exclude persons from Church fellowship 1 Cor. 5.11 15.34 Under the Law as the service and administration of that Church did consist of elements of the world beggerly rudiments and carnall ordinances Gal. 4.3.9 Heb. 9.10 So the members of that Church that were permitted communion in those ordinances Isa 53.1 8 18. 10.22 Heb. 4 2. Psal 81.11 Isa 65.2 were at least sometimes for the most part but carnall likewise in which respect Infants and youths were not lesse capable of Church membership then they But now under the Gospell God requires such only to worship him in his Churches as can worship him in spirit and truth and will have his Churches to be spirituall houses built of living stones to wit such as are meet to be an holy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Joh. 4.23 24. 1 Pet. 1.5 in which capacity Infants are not So that notwithstanding all that can be pretended to the contrary for other pretentions besides these I know none Infant Baptism is in a little time like to prove a corrupter of the * And doubtlesse that is none of Christs Church wayes wherein provision for Church purity is made but only for one age or half one rather upon which account among others the way of Independency seems to me to fall short of the mark and to misse of Gods way Independent Churches themselves as well as it hath been of the Nationall which one would think were to them argument enough alone to cause them to lay aside the practise of it The premises therefore considered Infant Baptism that hath proved so great a snare to men to think themselves secure in an unsafe condition that hath been as it were the bottom means of erecting Churches contrary to the Gospell pattern to the great dishonour of Jesus Christ unto whom they pretend relation and setting of Antichristian officers over them yea and is likely also in a little time to leaven even those Churches themselves that have been looking after some reformation and purity that Baptism I say is questionlesse no doctrine according to Godlinesse as true Baptism is but of ungodlinesse of which to me it 's more then probable it hath been a great promotresse in the World And therefore to me it clearly appears to be the duty of all those that love the honour of Jesus Christ and the prosperity of his affaires both in his Churches and in the World both which have suffered so deeply by the springing up of this root of bitternesse as is in part before exprest to endeavour with all their might in a Christian way the extirpation of so evill a custome as this hath been and the restitution of primitive Baptism as one of those Lawes of our Lord which corrupt times have made void as indeed they have done many other Upon which account I shall further encounter the one and plead the cause of the other in the ensuing arguments to which I refer thee with humble requests to God to give thee an upright heart and single eye in thy
the profession of Faith or the acknowledgment of Christ as that which doth declare who are the children of God then this saying of his that because they had been baptized into Christ that therefore they had put on Christ was a good reason or proof of their being known to be the children of God by their acknowledgment of Christ because by their putting on of Christ in Baptism and clothing themselves with his Name they did declare whose children they were and who it was they worshipped and resolved to serve and from whom they expected remission of sin and the Salvation of their Souls For so to be baptized into Christ what is it else but to be baptized into the belief profession and service of Christ and to resign up ones self to be his If ye be Christs says he Vers 29. as he supposes them to be upon that very account of their being baptized into him as will appear if you compare v. 27 28 29. together If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise The upshot or result then of this piece of the Apostles discourse is That persons by Baptism do make such a profession of Christ as by which they are characterized to be his If this then be the characteristical mark to distinguish the children of God from the world then it will follow that no other acknowledgment of Christ without this or with neglect of this is to be looked upon as any other then a partial owning of Christ and not a compleat putting him on so as to be esteemed thereby visibly the children of God Which thing may be yet further confirmed by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit That it is the Baptism by water that is here spoken of is the general sence of Interpreters so far as their judgment herein is come to any knowledg and observation The body into which we are said to be baptized is the mystical Body of Christ made up of Christ as head and of the Saints as members In that by one Spirit they are said to be baptized hereinto we are to understand I conceive that it is by the work of the Spirit upon their hearts by which men are inclined to seek membership or fellowship with Christ and his Saints in this way of Baptism as being the way of God to attain hereunto But that which is principally for our purpose is that men and women are initiated and brought into this Body by Baptism They are baptized into one Body And if their entrance thereinto be made by Baptism then it 's evident that they are not to be reckoned to be of this Body till they be baptized and consequently that Baptism is the visible door by which man enter into this spiritual corporation and a wall of partition between the world and the Saints Those Scriptures witness the same thing also which speak of mens being baptized into Christ and of their being planted together with him Rom. 6.3 5. Gal. 3.27 For can we conclude less hence then that mens visible being in Christ is to be reckoned from the time of their Baptism that being as it were the immediate instrument or means of their visible ingression into him For otherwise if they were to be looked upon as having a visible Being in Christ by any act endowment or qualification preceding Baptism why should their ingression their entrance into Christ be attributed unto their Baptism If mens owning of Christ which still did precede their Baptism had been sufficient as God accounts sufficient to have asserted or declared their visible or cognisible standing in Christ doubtless the Holy Ghost would not have ascribed or rather appropriated the same unto their Baptism as now he hath done For as Paul speaks in another case Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law If the Law had been sufficient to have given life God would not have super-added the promise of the Gospel for the same end for he makes nothing in vain so we may say in this case if any qualification action or profession preceding Baptism could have rendered mens being in Christ knowable upon terms agreeable to the wisdom of God he would not have super-added Baptism for the same end But it should seem to be in this case as it is amongst men A Major or Sheriff receives that kind of Civil or Magistratical Being by which he is distinguished from other men from some solemn acts done at the time of his enstalment into his Office and as a Husband and Wife receive that conjugal relation and matrimonial Being proper to them from some solemn act done at the time of their marriage or as a man receives a relative Being as member of such a Corporation by some solemn act done at the time of his enfranchisement even so according to the import of these Scriptures now insisted on men and women receive that relative Being which they have in Christ and as visible members of that spiritual Corporation wherein Christ is head and chief from that solemn act of their being baptized into him And as a Major or Sheriff is not vested with his authority or Husband and Wife with that power over the bodies of each other of which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 7.4 nor yet any member of a body corporate with those immunities proper to him by any prequalification or action preparatory thereunto until first that be acted and done by way of solemnity which appropriately and immediately does invest them with their several and respective capacities in like manner none are to be esteemed to be in Christ or capable of those spiritual priviledges which visibly do belong to the body of Christ the Church upon the account of any precedaneous qualification profession or action whatsoever until first they have passed through those spiritual solemnities in Baptism by and upon which they are invested with the denomination and visible priviledges which do belong in common to the members of Christ mystical body By the way I have insisted the more largely upon this particular to detect the repugnancy of that Opinion against the plain current of the Scripture which holds Baptism needless useless amongst those that have long made profession of the Gospel though they as yet never were baptized But it may be I shall deal further with this conceit in a place by it self and therefore shall come to bring home what hath been discoursed on this head to our present purpose If then that publique owning of Christ in Baptism by which men put him on and by and upon which they are incorporated into Christ visibly be another end and use of Baptism as you see it is most clear and evident it is that this end and use is
it be not intolerable presumption and boldness for any man to alter the last Will and Testament of the Lord and to wipe out Baptism which he hath left as part of the Legacy of his Church and people The Apostle saith Though it be but a mans testament yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto Gal. 3.15 And should vain man make more bold with his Redeemer and Soveraign Lord by whom he must be shortly judged then the most ordinary ingenuity will suffer him to do with men when they are dead and gone Or if they will say that Christ Jesus himself hath made any alteration in this behalf or that he ever did appropriate Baptism to the elder brethren viz. the primitive believers with the exclusion of the younger brethren to wit those other believers which in their successive generations have been are and shall be Partakers of like precious faith and of the same common salvation with them let them shew it before they require our belief of it But if they will believe Jesus Christ himself which is sure to be believed before them he testifies concerning such Doctrines Rules Precepts Laws and Ordinances as those Primitive and Apostolical Churches then had and did enjoy viz. that they should be HELD FAST by the Churches and continued in the Churches VNTIL HE COME viz. until he come again at the end of the world for that was his injunction which he laid upon those faithful ones of the Church of Thyatira in opposition to those who had begun to decline and degenerate into corrupt principles and doctrines Revel 2.24 25. But unto you I say and unto the rest in Thyatira as many at have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden but that which ye have already HOLD FAST TIL I COME See the like concerning the Church of Ephesus Revel 3.3 and the Church of Philadelphia Revel 3.11 and the Church of the Thessalonians 2 Thess 2.15 However others were looking after other doctrines then what they had been taught by Christ or by his Apostles yet says he As for you that have not this doctrine that are not yet corrupted with any new doctrine I will impose no further burden upon you then the keeping of those things which you have been already taught and have received but as for these said he Hold them fast till I come As it was the will and Command of Christ that that Church in the succession of its members should have continued a pure and uncorrupted Church until he should come again so it was his will likewise that what ever Ordinances they then had and surely Baptism was not yet extinct according to our Adversaries own opinion the Apostle John being yet alive the same were to be held fast by them in the pure use of them even until his second coming also For Gospel Ordinances among which Baptism at least in the Apostles dayes is acknowledged to be one did not die with the Apostles but as the Apostles were to teach others the same things they themselves had learned from Christ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28.20 So those that succeeded the Apostles were to transmit and carry over the same things to others that should come after them which they themselves had learned from the Apostles And not only so but those also of the second remove from the Apostles were to hand over the same things to the next Generation to them and so from one generation to another till Christ shall come again to put an end to this Gospel ministration as at his first coming he did put a period to the Legal The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2.2 Just as it was in Israel of old when God had first given them the Law and the Ordinances thereof by the Ministry of Moses those Ordinances did not cease when Moses ceased to be any more among them but one generation was to instruct and teach another the knowledge and observation of those Laws and Ordinances until the coming of Christ in the flesh Psal 78.5 6 7. For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children that the generation to come might know them even the children who should be born who should arise and declare them to their children that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his Commandments The Will and Testament of Christ then being ratified in his blood and confirmed by his death 1 Cor. 11.25 Heb. 9.16 17. He that shall go about to disanul or alter it to put out and put in at his pleasure and to say this part of it remains in force and that does not as touching such things as at the first were enjoyned Christians as Christians though it should be Paul himself or an Angel from Heaven that should do it the Apostles would have such an one to be esteemed accursed Gal. 1.8 9. Rev. 22.18 19. And there is great reason why the Spirit of God and the Servants of God should be so severe against those alterations in the Will and Testament of Jesus Christ which perhaps some men may count matters of no great moment because by weakning the Authority of any one Ordinance of Jesus Christ in the minds of men the whole Gospel is in danger of being thereby undermined as touching its credit and authority with them For as the saying is in the civil Law He that hath wronged one hath threatned many Or rather as the Apostle James hath it Jam. 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all So verily they whoever they be that deny the continuation of Baptism in the Church do in effect deny all the Ordinances of the Gospel yea and the Gospel it self too as too many now a dayes have done who at first began but where those Antibaptists do begin because all the rest both Doctrine and Ordinances stand but upon the same foundation and by the same authority as Baptism it selfe does And he that thinks he may make bold to slight the one hath as much reason which is none at all duly so called to proceed to despise the other and it is a thousand to one but if the Devil be too hard for him in the one he will not leave him till he hath brought him to the other And therefore to such as are nibling and tampering with this or any other sacred Ordinance of Jesus Christ by way of questioning its authority and perpetuity my advice to such shall be in this case the same which Solomon gives in another Prov. 17.14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water therefore
or reason of his Exhortation to be of as large an extent as his Exhortation it self otherwise you reflect disparagement upon the wisdom of the Apostle that would use such an Argument to perswade the whole Church which concerned only but a part of them But now if you will suppose the Apostles foundation suitable to his building and such as would bear it then you must conclude that as the whole Church of Rome is perswaded to mortification upon the account of their engagement thereunto in and by their Baptism so also that the whole Church had formerly put themselves under such an engagement by their Baptism and consequently that the whole Church was baptized 3. Lastly besides all this such a supposition that these Churches did consist partly of persons unbaptized as well as of those that had been baptized does cross those other Scriptures by which we have proved that none doe duly in a visible way enter into the universal Church much less into a particular Church which is subordinate thereunto but by the door or through the water of Baptism The Apostle doth not say that some are but that all are baptized into one body i.e. into one Church body 1 Cor. 12.13 2. Others they object further thus Object 2 That such persons as have repented and do believe and which are sanctified are fit matter whereof to make a Church and accordingly are to be admitted into Church-Fellowship for the Christian Churches in the Apostles times are described to be such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.2 and sometimes the faithful in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.1 and the faithful brethren in Christ Col. 1.2 And therefore in as much as many of those who though they have not been baptized since they believed yet being godly sanctified persons and in that respect fit matter whereof to make Church-members ought to be admitted into Church-Fellowship upon their desire their non-Baptism notwithstanding To this I answer by distinguishing of fitness in men to make Church-Members Answ and of their right thereunto upon that fitness There is a mediate and an immediate fitness in men for Church-Membership for though these words and phrases are not found in the Scripture yet we shall find the matter of this distinction there That which I call an immediate fitness is such a qualification which does directly dispose a man for and render him regularly capable of admission into Church-fellowship without any other thing intervening or coming between That which I call a mediate fitness is such a qualification by which a man is remotely and to a degree yea it may be in all degrees one onely excepted rendred capable of such an admission as that is of which we speak but yet so that something else some other qualification then any yet he is invested with must intervene before he be regularly compleatly and according to Gospel-order capable of that admission According to this latter acceptation or notion of fitness I do with all my heart acknowledg that very many unbaptized persons as I count unbaptized are fit to make Church Members that is they are so fit for it that there wants nothing else to make them fit but onely their Baptismal obedience to wit their subjection to that part of the Gospel which requires them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus unless it be the Imposition of hands also with prayer in order to their receiving a greater presence of the Spirit which according to the Primitive practice was wont to follow Baptism Acts 8.15 16 17. and 19.5 6. Hebr. 6.2 We may well suppose the persons we speak of to be as fit for Church Communion as those converted Jews were Acts 2. and the Eunuch the Jaylor and others were upon their repentance and belief before they were baptized But that they are immediatly fit for admission into Church fellowship by vertue of their repentance faith or sanctification without Baptism is that which hath been and is still denied there being no ruled case in Scripture to justifie such an admission Whatever the faith or holiness of any man was before yet his Baptism did still precede his Church Membership in the Primitive times as hath been before declared Let a man in all other respects imaginable be as fit as fitness it self can make him to be the husband of such or such a woman yet he may not enjoy her as a man enjoys his wife this his fitness notwithstanding untill the solemnities of Marriage are passed between them In like manner may no man regularly and in due form of Gospel proceeding be admited into Church-fellowship upon any account of fitness otherwise if this fitting and preparatory qualification of Baptism be wanting in as much as God hath as well instituted Baptism as a means to bring men into visible communion with the body of Christ which is his Church 1 Cor. 12.13 Gal. 3.27 as he hath instituted marriage as a fitting means to bring man and woman into that civil Communion which is proper onely to man and wife And whereas those Churches to which the Scripture quotations mentioned in the Objection relate are described not by their being baptized into Christ but by their faith in him and by their Sanctification or Saintship I would to this say these three things briefly by way of answer 1. Though they are not described by their being baptized yet the persons so described were baptized as appears by other passages in those very Epistles where the said descriptions are as Rom. 6.3 1 Cor. 12.13 Col. 2.12 Eph. 4 5. and 5.26 compared with Acts 19.1.5 2. When they are said to be sanctified in Christ Jesus they are inclusively or by way of implication said to be baptized as the mentioning an effect supposes its cause so does their sanctification suppose their being baptized because their Baptism was a speciall means of their sanctification Ephes 5.26 The Apostle speaking of Christ giving himself for his Church saith he did it That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water i.e. Baptism by the Word They Word and Baptism then were two great Instruments of their Sanctification And if you understand by their being sanctified their being separated from the rest of the world and set apart or dedicated unto God which most properly answers the notion of sanctification then their being said to be sanctifyed may be understood in respect of their Baptism in special though not that onely because by their Baptism they were visibly put into a new condition and into new relations being thereby transmitted or carried over from the fellowship of the world into the fellowship of Christ and of the Saints and solemnly set apart for the service of Christ 3. The Reason why the Apostle describes those of the Churches aforesaid rather by their sanctification then by their being baptized was not as may well be conceived because Baptism was not positively necessary as to their Church being but because
sanctification was more comprehensive of all particulars requisite not onely to their being a Church simply considered as such but also as unto the excellency of such a being For their sanctification the thing by which they are described includes in it both their Baptism and all other parts and degrees of that qualification by which they were or might have been eminently the Churches of God Whereas Baptism being one of the principles or beginning Doctrines of Christ and such as which the Apostle leaves behind as it were when he endeavours to advance the Hebrew Church to higher perfections Hebr. 6.1 2 3. if the Apostle had described them by this his description of them would have fallen beneath their qualifications they having now made some progress in Christianity when those Epistles were written to them These things then considered the Apostle his describing the Churches to whom he wrote by such qualifications wherein Baptism is not particularly mentioned will not minister any ground of making Church Members of such who are not baptized 3. Object 3 Another Objection and indeed all that I know further considerable is this The Apostles exhortation to the Church at Rome was that they would receive such as were but weak in the faith to wit such as erroniously held it necessary to abstain from such meats which in themselves were indifferent and lawfull to be used Rom 14.1 2. and if their weakness in the faith or error in their knowledg hereabout was no sufficient bar against their admission into Church fellowship then why should a like error and weakness in men now about Baptism be counted a sufficient and just impediment to their admission into Church Communion For answer to this Answ several things may be considered by which gradually we may come to a clear resolution and full satisfaction in the Case as touching the invalidity of this Objection As 1. That as on the one hand it is not every weakness in faith or errour in knowledge about the things of the Gospel that does exclude a man from Church-Fellowship as appears by the Scripture now mentioned in the Objection so on the other hand it is not every profession of the faith neither which men make that does render them duly capable of it For then the worst of men if but making any kind of profession of the Christian Religion should be admittable into the Communion of Saints which yet is a thing altogether dissonant unto the Laws of Church-communion Some errours then must be acknowledged to be in some men professing the Gospel which do justly debar them from Church-communion 2. This being granted in the next place to the end men may be upon terms of certainty is to know what errours they be which do de jure exclude men from Church-Fellowship and what do not recourse must be had to some fixed standing rule by which to make a right judgment in the case otherwise men will but rove at random and be in danger of making such errours exclusive of mens Church-membership which are not as likewise of making the door of this admission wider then God hath made it 3. That then which must be the standard by and according to which to make a right judgment in the case must be that thing what ever it be which is appointed by God as the next and immediate means appropriately of mens visible union with the Church and the reason hereof is because as on the one hand less then a mans coming up to that mean what ever it be which is the immediate inlet into the Church cannot minister either a right or opportunity of his being of the Church so on the other hand nothing more then this can be duly insisted on as absolutely necessary to make a man capable thereof and therefore who ever attains thereto cannot upon any account of infirmities otherwise be justly debarred his communion with the Church 4. That thing then which is the appropriate and immediate means of a mans visible entrance into and union with the Church is Baptism it being as the Bridge over which or as the Gate through which men declaredly pass over from the friendship of the world into the fellowship of the Saints this hath formerly been proved and therefore needs not here to be repeated It is true indeed Baptism is properly the immediate means of admission into the universal Church but whoever is by it duly made a member of the universal Church hath thereby a right of admission into a particular Church and not otherwise 5. Therefore in the last place If Baptism duly administred and received or mens coming up to the laws and terms of its due administration be the standard according to which men are to be judged meet or unmeet for Church-communion then it follows that whatever errours or infirmities are in men yet if they be not of that nature as to detain them from imbracing Baptism on Scripture terms those errours do not cannot justly debar them of Communion with the Church and on the other hand whatever other quallification there is in men towards the disposing and fitting of them for Church communion yet if they be under the power and command of any such errour which causes them to refuse baptism upon those terms according to which upon Scripture account it ought to be administred and so causes them to fall short of the formall and immediate mean of their regular union and visible conjunction with the Church that errour does necessarily deprive them both of right and opportunity of being of the Church visibly These things then being duly considered we may easily come to a resolution about the two Cases mentioned in the Objection viz. Whether this errour about Baptism of which we speak does no more deprive men of a right of admission into Church-Fellowship then that weakness in the faith did of which the Apostle speaks For that error about abstaining from meats which is the weakness in the faith of which the Apostle there speaks being an errour of that nature only which did not keep them that were under it from closing with Baptism as the means of their union with the Church I mean upon those terms according to which God had authorized the administration and reception of it but that they might and did repent and believe the main Principles of the Gospel the terms quallifying men for Baptism and did thereupon receive Baptism for all this weakness of theirs Hence it came to pass that they were to be admitted into Church-communion this weakness of theirs notwithstanding But now their errour about Baptism of whom we speak being an errour of that nature by which they are kept off from imbracing Baptism upon Scripture terms and so of attaining to and making use of that which is the appropriate mean of their visible union with the Church this errour of theirs does in a direct way unavoidably cut them short both of right and opportunity of a regular admission into Church-Fellowship There being then so broad a difference between the two errours compared in the Objection as you see there is the one consisting with the other being repugnant to that very mean without which a visible conjunction and union with the Church is not attainable on Scripture terms it therefore no wise follows that because the one was no just impediment unto mens Church-Fellowship that therefore the other is not neither for where things and cases do really differ as these do there the consequences of those things cannot be the same Thus having finished my Answers to these Objections I suppose it doth appear by what hath been offered to consideration on this behalf these Objections notwithstanding that persons baptized refusing to joyn themselves in Church-communion with those who are unbaptized is not without such grounds which will render them approved in so doing ERRATA PAge 6. l. 29. for to r. by p. 10. l. 15. r. is p. 16. l. 3. for end r. need p. 18. l. 19. for disciples read visible members p. 20. l. 35 for who r. we p. 21. l. 20. r. of p. 22. l. â— r. no. p. 22. l. 33. for any r. my p. 84. l. 20. for dealings r. deelinings p. 89. l. 7. r. to p. p 91. l. 4. r. upon p. 93 l. 38. omit old p. 93. l. 37. omit the deeds p. 94. l. 30. omit in p. 109. l. 7 for into r. unto p. 109 l. 19 for lights r. light The End