A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 2 · Chapter 7
Chap. VII.
The third Inference: By what meaſures to judge of the Knowledge neceſſary to Church Communion.
I Know that there are ſome that would make Chriſt two Churches; one Political and Congregate (as they phraſe it) and the other Regenerate: Or one Viſible and the other Inviſible: And accordingly they ſay that profeſſed Faith is the qualification of a Member of the Church-Congregate (and Obedience to the Pope, ſay the Papiſts,) and real love is the qualification of the Church-Regenerate.
But as there is but one Catholick Church of Chriſt, ſo is there but one Faith, and one Baptiſm, by which men are ſtated as Members in that Church. But as Heart-conſent and Tongue-conſent are two things, but the latter required only as the Expreſſion and Profeſſion of the former; ſo Heart-conſenters and Tongue-conſenters ſhould be the ſame men; as Body and Soul make not two men, but one. But if the Tongue ſpeak that conſent which is not in the Heart, that Perſon is an Hypocrite; and is but analogically or equivocally called a Chriſtian or Member of Chriſt: And ſuch among the ſincere are not a diſtinct Church or Society, (if they were, they ſhould be called the Hypocritical Church, and not the Political or Congregate Church.) But they are as Traytors in an Army, or as ſtricken Ears in a Corn Field. But the true Church being One is conſidered, as conſenting with Heart and with the Tongue: As a Corn Field hath Straw, Chaff and Grain; and as a Man hath Soul and Body. So that it is the ſame Church that is viſible by Baptiſm and Profeſſion, and Inviſible by Heart-conſent or Sincerity.
But it is the ſame thing (and not divers) that is in the Hearts of the ſincere, and that is to be profeſſed by the Tongue: Even that voluntary practical Faith which is deſcribed in Baptiſm, and no other. The ſame Faith which is accepted to Salvation in the ſincere and inviſible Members of the Church (as they are called) muſt be profeſſed by all that will (at Age) be viſible Members.
And the Knowledge and Belief required in Baptiſm is ſo much as prevaileth with the Perſon to give up himſelf to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, as his Reconciled Creator, his Saviour and Sanctifier. And he that hath ſo much knowledge as will do this, hath as much as is neceſſary to his reception into the Church.
Doubtleſs he that is capable of Baptiſm, is capable of Church Memberſhip; and he that is capable of Church Memberſhip, is capable de jure as to right, of ſo much Church Communion as he is capable of by real aptitude: An Infant is not naturally capable of the actions of the Adult; nor half-witted Perſons, of the receptions and performances of the judicious; ſome cannot underſtand a Sermon, or Prayer, or Praiſe, the twentieth part ſo well as others can do, and ſo cannot receive and do beyond their underſtanding: Some may not ſo well underſtand the nature of the Lords Supper, as to be really fit at preſent to receive it: And ſome may be unfit through ſome extraordinary doubts, opinions, or lapſes: But ſtill de jure a Church Member hath right to ſo much Church Communion as their real qualifications make them capable of. For that right is part of the definition of a Church member; And to be made a Church member is the work of Baptiſm.
And here we muſt conſider of the reaſon, why God would have Baptiſm to be the Profeſſion of that Faith which maketh us Chriſtians: Sometime we are called Believers, and ſaid to be Juſtified by Faith, as if it were Faith alone that were our Chriſtianity: And yet when it cometh to Church entrance, and to the ſolemn profeſſion of our faith, and reception of a Sealed and Delivered pardon, we muſt do more than profeſs that we believe with the underſtanding; We muſt give up our ſelves abſolutely by a Vow and Covenant, to God the Father Son and Holy-Ghoſt, renouncing the fleſh, the World and the Devil; which is the act of a reſolved Will. And to Will, is rationally to Love and Chooſe. By which Chriſt telleth us, that (as words of Knowledge in Scripture uſually imply affection, ſo) the Faith that he means and requireth to our juſtification, is not a meer aſſent or act of intellection; but it is alſo the wills conſent, and a practical Affiance: As a man Believing the Skill and Fidelity of a Phyſician, doth Deſire, Will or Chooſe him for his Phyſician, and Practically Truſt him, or caſt himſelf upon his Fidelity and care for cure. Therefore Chriſt joyneth both together, Mark 16.16. He that Believeth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, not principally intending the waſhing of the fleſh, but the anſwer of a good Conſcience, as Peter expoundeth it; that is, [He that ſo believeth as by hearty conſent to devote and give up himſelf openly and abſolutely, and preſently to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, ſhall be ſaved.]
And ſo the Apoſtle ſaith, Eph. 4.4, 5. There is one Baptiſm, as part of the uniting bond of Chriſtians: That is there is one ſolemn Covenant between God and Man, in which we profeſs our Faith, and give up our ſelves to God the Father Son, and Holy Ghoſt, and are ſtated in a gracious Relation to him and one another.]
And thus it is that Baptiſm is reckoned, Heb. 6. among the principles; And that the ancient Doctors unanimouſly conclude, that Baptiſm waſheth away all ſin, and certainly puts us into a preſent ſtate of life; That is, The delivering up our ſelves ſincerely to God in the Baptiſmal Covenant, is the condition of our right to the benefits of that Covenant from God.
From all which it is plain, that the Head is but the guide of the Heart, and that God looketh more to the Heart than to the Head, and to the Head for the Heart: And that we are not Chriſtians indeed, till Chriſt have our Hearts indeed; Nor Chriſtians by profeſſion, till by Baptiſmal Covenant and profeſſion we deliver up the Heart to Chriſt; Now ſo far as Conſent and Will may be called Love, fo far even Love is Eſſential to our Chriſtianity, and to this faith, which is required to our baptiſm and juſtification. And no other faith is Chriſtianity, nor will juſtify us.
But to them that are here ſtalled with the great difficulty, How Love is that grace of the Holy Ghoſt which is promiſed to believers, in the Covenant, as conſequent, if it go before it in the Covenanters, I anſwer at preſent, that they muſt diſtinguiſh between, 1. Love to Chriſt as a Saviour of our ſelves, proceeding principally from the juſt Love of our ſelves, and our Salvation; and Love to God above our ſelves, for his own Infinite Goodneſs, as our ultimate end: 2. Between the Act of Love, and a Habit; 3. Between that ſpark of Love which conſiſteth in the ſaid conſent, and is contained in true Faith; and that Flame of Love which it ſelf carryeth the name, as being the moſt eminent operation of the Soul. And if hereupon they cannot anſwer this queſtion themſelves, I muſt refer them to the Appendix of the third Chapter of my Chriſtian Directory, in which I have largely opened this caſe, with as much exactneſs as I could reach unto.
All that remaineth very difficult then as to our judging of the Knowledge of men to be admitted to Chriſtian Church Communion, is but, what knowledge is neceſſary in the adult unto their lawful Baptiſm? And to that I ſay, ſo much as is neceſſary to an underſtanding conſent to the Baptiſmal Covenant, or to an hearty giving up themſelves to God the Father Son and Holy-Ghoſt: And here we muſt know that the ſame Covenanting words being comprehenſive, are underſtood in different degrees, according to mans different Capacities, even of true believers: Inſomuch that I do not think that any two men in the world, have in all notions and degrees juſt the ſame underſtanding of them. And therefore it is not the ſame diſtinctneſs and clearneſs of underſtanding which we muſt expect in all, which is found in ſome, or which is deſireable. When one man nameth GOD, he hath an orderly conception of his ſeveral Attributes (in which yet all men are defective, and moſt Divines themſelves are culpably ignorant:) When another man conceiveth but of fewer of them, and that diſorderly: And yet theſe muſt not be accounted Atheiſts, or denied to believe in the ſame God, or refuſed Baptiſm, nor is it ſeveral Gods that men ſo differently believe in.
I. He that knoweth God to be a moſt perfect Spirit, moſt powerful, Wiſe and Good, the Father Son and Holy Ghoſt, the Creator of the world, our Owner, Governour and moſt Amiable Lover, (Benefactor and End) I think knoweth as much of God as is of neceſſity to Baptiſm and Church Communion.
II. He that knoweth [that Jeſus Chriſt is God and man, the Redeemer of the ſinful world, and the Mediator between God and Man, who was conceived by the Holy-Ghoſt in the Virgin Mary, fulfilled all righteouſneſs, was crucified as a Sacrifice for mans ſin; and being dead and buried roſe again, and aſcended into Heaven, and is the Teacher, King and Interceſſor of his Church, and hath made the new Covenant, and giveth the Holy-Ghoſt to ſanctify believers, and pardoneth their ſins, and will raiſe our Bodies at laſt, and Judge the World in righteouſneſs according to his Goſpel, and will give everlaſting happineſs to the Sanctified] I think knoweth as much of Chriſt as is neceſſary to Baptiſm and Church Communion.
III. He that knoweth that [the Holy Ghoſt is God, proceeding from the Father and the Son, the ſanctifier of Souls, by Holy Life and Light, and Love, by the Holy Goſpel of which he is the Inditer and the Seal] I think knoweth all that is neceſſary unto Baptiſm, concerning the Holy Ghoſt.
IV. And as to the Act of Knowing this Trinity of Objects, there is great difference between, 1. Knowing the Notions or Words, and the matter. 2. Between an orderly clear, and a dark and more confuſed Knowledge. 3. And between apt ſignificant words, and ſuch as any way notify a neceſſary true conception of the mind. 4. Between ſuch a Knowledge as maketh a man Willing, and Conſent to give up himſelf to this Trinity in Covenant, and that which prevaileth not for ſuch conſent. And ſo,
1. It's true that we know not the Heart immediately; and therefore muſt judge by Words and Deeds: But yet it is the Knowledge of the Things (as is aforeſaid) that is neceſſary to Salvation, becauſe it is the Love of the Things, is chiefly neceſſary. But by what words to expreſs that Love or Knowledge, is not of equal neceſſity in itſelf.
2. There being no man whoſe conceptions of God, Chriſt, the Holy Ghoſt, the Covenant, &c. are not guilty of darkneſs and diſorder, a great degree of darkneſs and diſorder of conceptions, may conſiſt with true grace in thoſe of the loweſt rank of Chriſtians.
3. The ſecond Notions and Conceptions of things (and ſo of God our Redeemer, and Sanctifier) as they are verba mentis in the mind itſelf, are but Logical, Artificial Organs; and are not of that neceſſity to Salvation as the conception of the matter or incomplex objects.
4. Many a man in his ſtudies findeth that he hath oft a general and true Knowledge of Things in themſelves, before he can put names and notions on them, and ſet thoſe in due Order, and long before he can find fit words to expreſs his mental notions by; which muſt coſt him much ſtudy afterward. And as Children are long learning to ſpeak, and by degrees come to ſpeak orderly and compoſedly and aptly (moſtly not till many years uſe hath taught them;) So the expreſſive ability is as much matter of art, and got by uſe, in men at age: And they muſt be taught yet as Children to ſpeak of any thing, new and Strange, and which they learned not before. As we ſee in learning Arithmetick, Geometry, and all the Arts and Sciences. Even ſo men, how holy internally ſoever, muſt by ſtudy and uſe (by the help of Gods Spirit) learn how to ſpeak of holy things, in Prayer, in Conference, in anſwering ſuch as ask an account of their Faith and Knowledge: And hypocrites that are bred up in the uſe of ſuch things, can ſpeak excellently in Prayer, Conference or Preaching: When true Chriſtians at firſt that never uſed them, nor were bred up where they heard them uſed, cannot tell you intelligibly what is in their minds, but are like men that are yet to learn the very Language in which they are to talk in, I know this by true experience of my ſelf, and many others, that I have examined.
5. Therefore, I ſay again, if men cannot aptly anſwer me of the very Eſſentials of Religion, but ſpeak that which in its proper ſenſe is Hereſie, or unſound and falſe: Yet if when I open the queſtions to them my ſelf, and put the Article of Faith into the queſtion, and ask them (e. g.) Do you believe that there is but One God? or, are there many? Doth God know all things, or not? Is he our Owner, or not? Doth he rule us by a Law, or not, &c? If they by Yea or Nay, do ſpeak the truth, and profeſs to believe it, I will not reject them for lack of knowledge, if the reſt concur. I meet with few cenſorious Profeſſors (to ſay nothing of Teachers) that will not anſwer me with ſome nonſenſe or falſeneſs, or ineptitude, or groſs confuſion, or defectiveneſs, if I examine them of the foregoing Notions of the very baptiſmal Covenant: As, what is a Spirit? what doth the word [God] ſignifie? what is Power in God? what Knowledge? what Will? what Goodneſs? what Holineſs? what is a Perſon in the Trinity? what is the difference between the three Perſons? How is God our End? Had Chriſt his humane Soul from the Virgin, or only his fleſh? Had he his Manhood from Man, if not his Soul, which is the chief eſſential part? what is the Union of the Divine and Humane Nature? wherein different from the Union of God and Saints, or every Creature? with an hundred ſuch. In which I muſt bear with ignorant falſe anſwers from eminent Profeſſors, that ſeparate from others as too ignorant for their Communion: And why then muſt I not bear with more in thoſe that are new beginners, and have not had their time and helps?
6. But if a man can ſpeak never ſo well, and profeſs never ſo confident a belief, if he Conſent not to the Covenant and Vow of Baptiſm, to give up himſelf preſently and abſolutely to Chriſt, I muſt reject that man from the Communion of the Church. But if theſe two things do but concur in any, 1. The foreſaid ſignification of a tolerable Knowledge and Belief, by yea or nay, (Doſt thou Believe in God, &c. as the Ancient Churches uſed to ask the Baptized;) 2. And a ready profeſſed conſent to be engaged by that holy Vow and Covenant to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt; I will not deny Baptiſm to ſuch, if Adult, nor after Church Communion to them, if they are already in the Covenant.
And all this is becauſe that the Will is the Man; and if any Man truely love Jeſus Chriſt, he is a true Believer in Chriſt; and if any Man love God, the ſame Man is known and loved of him, and hath ſo much knowledge as will ſave his Soul. I confeſs in private Catechizing and Conference I have met with ſome ancient Women that have long lived as godly Perſons, in conſtant affectionate uſe of means, and an honeſt godly Life, and been of good repute in the Church where they lived, who yet have ſpoken downright Hereſie to me, through ignorance, in anſwering ſome queſtions about Jeſus Chriſt: But I durſt not therefore ſuſpend their Communion, nor condemn their former Communion: For as ſoon as I told them better, they have yielded, and I could not perceive whether it was from groſs ignorance, or from unreadineſs of notions, or from the want of memory, or what, that they ſpake amiſs before. So that I ſhall be very loth to reject one from Communion, that ſheweth a love of God, and Jeſus Chriſt, and Holineſs, by diligent uſe of means, and an upright Life.
7. And he that will impartially be ruled by the Holy Scriptures, will be of the ſame mind. For no one was ever taken to be a Church Member at Age, without ſo full a conſent, as was willingly expreſt by devotedneſs to God in the Solemn Covenant: The Jews by the Sign of Circumciſion, and the Chriſtians by Baptiſm; and both by Covenanting with God were initiated: And conſent is love. But the Articles and objective Degrees of Knowledge and Belief have greatly varied. The Jews were to know and profeſs more than the Gentiles; and the Jews ſince the Egyptian Deliverance, more than before; And John Baptized upon a ſhorter Profeſſion than the Apoſtles did; And the Apoſtles till Chriſts Reſurrection, believed not many great Articles of our Faith, not knowing that Chriſt muſt die, and be an Expiatory Sacrifice for Sin, and Sin to be pardoned by his Blood; nor that he was to riſe again, and ſend the Holy Ghoſt for the work which he was ſent for, &c. And Acts 19. there were Diſciples that had not heard that there was a Holy Ghoſt (I confidently think, twice Baptized.)
And if we mark how the Apoſtles Baptized, with what Orders for it they received from Chriſt, it will confirm my concluſion. For Chriſt could have given a particular Creed, and Profeſſion of Faith, if he had pleaſed; but he taketh up with the General three Articles, of Believing in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, Mat. 28.19, 20. leſt any ſhould caſt out his weak ones for want of diſtinctneſs of Knowledge and Belief. And he maketh the Covenant-conſent in Baptiſm the neceſſary Thing, as the End and Meaſure of their Knowledge. He that hath Knowledge enough to cauſe him to thirſt, may come and drink of the waters of Life, Rev. 22.17. And he that hungreth and thirſteth after righteouſneſs ſhall be ſatisfied; and he that cometh to Chriſt he will in no wiſe caſt out.
And the Apoſtles Baptized ſo many thouſands in a ſhort time, that they could not examine each Perſon about a more particular Knowledge and Belief, Acts 2. &c. Nor do we read in Scripture of ſuch particular large Profeſſions, as go much beyond the words of Baptiſm. And though, no doubt, they did endeavour to make the ignorant underſtand what they profeſt and did, and ſo had ſome larger Creed, yet was it not all ſo large, as the ſhort Creed called the Apoſtles now is; ſeveral of its Articles having been long ſince added.
I have ſpoken all this, not only to Miniſters, who have the Keys of Admiſſion, but eſpecially for the Religious Perſons ſakes, who are too much enclined to place godlineſs in words and ability to ſpeak well, in Prayer or Conference, or anſwering Queſtions, and that make a more diſtinct Knowledge and Profeſſion neceſſary than God hath made: Yea, if all the Articles of the Creed are profeſſed, when the underſtanding of them is not clear and diſtinct, they deride it, and ſay, A Parrot may be taught as much; and they ſeparate from thoſe Paſtors and Churches that receive ſuch to their Communion. Many do this of a godly Zeal, leſt ignorance and formality be encouraged, and the godly and ungodly not ſufficiently diſtinguiſhed: But their Zeal is not according to Knowledge, nor to the holy Rule; and they little know how much Pride oft lurketh unobſerved, in ſuch deſires to be publickly differenced from others, as below us, and unmeet for our Communion: And leſs know they how much they injure and diſpleaſe our gracious Lord, who took little Children in his Arms, and deſpiſeth not the weak, and carrieth the Lambs, and refuſeth no one any further than they refuſe him.
I tell you, if you ſee but true love and willingneſs in a diligent, reformed, pious and righteous Life, there is, certainly there is, ſaving Knowledge and Faith within; and if words do not ſatisfactorily expreſs it, you are to think that it is not for want of the thing it ſelf, but for want of uſe and exerciſe, and for want of well ſtudied Notions, or for want of natural Parts, Education or Art to enable them to act that part aright. But if God know the meaning of Abba, Father, and of the groans of the Spirit, in his Beloved Infants, I will not be one that ſhall condemn and reject a lover of God and Chriſt, and Holineſs, for want of diſtinct particular Knowledge, or of words to utter it aright.