The Covenant of God Entered with Mankind, Chapter 43 – Chapter 44
CHAP. XLIII.
A dogmatical Faith entitles to Baptiſme.
3. IT farther follows by way of conſectary,3. Corollary. that a dogmaticall Faith (ordinarily called by the name of Faith hiſtorical, ſuch that aſſents to Goſpel-truths, though not affecting the heart to a full choice of Chriſt, and therefore was ſhort of Faith which is juſtifying and ſaving) gives title to baptiſme. The Covenant is the ground on which baptiſme is bottomed, otherwiſe Church-Memberſhip would evince no title either in Infants, or in men of years to Baptiſme; But the Covenant (as we have proved) is entred with men of Faith; not ſaving, and therefore to them Baptiſme is to be adminiſtred. How the conſequent can be denyed by thoſe that grant the Antecedent; Baptiſme denied in foro Dei, to men ſhort of ſaving faith, when they are in covenant, I cannot imagine; yet ſome that have confeſſed their intereſt in the covenant,Arguments evincing the title of men profeſſing faith to Baptiſme. now deny their title to Baptiſme; and affirme, If men be once taught that it is a faith, that is ſhort of juſtifying and ſaving Faith, which admitteth men to Baptiſme; it will make foule work in the Church.
(1.) All that hath been ſaid for the latitude of the covenant, may fitly be applyed in oppoſition to this tenent, for the like latitude of Baptiſme.
(2) All the abſurdities following the reſtraint of the covenant to the Elect, to men of Faith ſaving and juſtifying, follow upon this reſtraint of intereſt in Baptiſme.
(3.) To make the viſible ſeale of Baptiſme which is the priviledge of the Church viſible, to be of equal latitude with the ſeale of the Spirit which is peculiar to inviſible members, is a Paradox.
4. The great condition to which Baptiſme engages, is not a prerequiſite in baptiſme. This is plaine, to man is bound to make good his covenant conditions before his engagements to conditions; no ſervant is tyed to do his work, to gaine admiſſion into ſervice; no ſouldier to fight in order to get himſelf liſted under command. But Faith, that is juſtifying, is the condition to which baptiſme engages, and no condition neceſſarily required to veſt him in it.
5. That Faith upon which Simon Magus in Primitive times was baptized, is that which admitteth to baptiſme; Simon himſelf beleeved, and was baptized, Act. 8. 13. But Simons faith fell ſhort of ſaving and juſtifying.
(6.) In caſe only juſtifying faith give admiſſion to baptiſme, then none is able to baptize; ſeeing this by none is diſcerned; and to leave it to our charity, affirming that we may admit upon preſumption of a title when God denies, I have ſpoken ſomewhat, chap. 38. and I refer to Maſter Hudſon in his Vindication, whom learned Maſter Baxter ſo highly commends to ſhew the unreaſonableneſſe of it. Here it is objected.
Firſt, Objections anſwered. When Chriſt ſaith, make me Diſciples of all Nations, baptizing them; he means ſincere Diſciples, though we cannot ever know them to be ſincere. Object.
I anſwer. Anſw. In caſe I make this firſt objection brought againſt me, my ſeventh and laſt argument for me; it will fully diſcover the weakneſſe of it, and thus I forme it. All that are Diſciples unto Chriſt, and made diſciples for Chriſt, are to be baptized; but ſome are made Diſciples to Chriſt, that are ſhort of faith ſaving and juſtifying, as hath been proved at large. This Diſcipleſhip that Chriſt there mentions, is ſuch, of which whole Nations are in capacity, as is plaine in the Commiſſion, to which this Nation (with others) hath happily attained according to the manifold prophecies before cited; of theſe the whole univerſal viſible Church conſiſts as is irrefragably proved by Mr. Hudſon in his Treatiſe of that ſubject, and his Vindication; and moſt amply ſpoken to by Mr. Baxter in his plaine Scripture-proof of Infants Church-memberſhip and baptiſme, page 279, 280. Sir, if you were my father, I would tell you that when you ſay [Chriſt makes no one City, Countrey, Tribe his Diſciples] you ſpeak moſt malignantly and wickedly againſt the Kingdome and dignity of my Lord Jeſus. Hath he not commanded to diſciple Nations? Hath not the Father promiſed to give him the Heathen or Nations for his inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for his poſſeſſion? Pſalme 2. And that Nations ſhall ſerve him? And that the Kingdomes of the world ſhall be become the Kingdomes of the Lord and his Chriſt? and do you not ſee it fulfilled before your eyes? Are not Bew…ly, Keder Minſters, &c. and England (till of late) as full Chriſts diſciples, and ſo Church-members, as the Jewes were in covenant with God, and ſo Church-members? We are not all ſincere: True no more were they for with many of them God was not well pleaſed, but ſhut out all that Nation of covenanters from his reſt, ſave Caleb and Joſhuah. We may have Pagans and infidels lurk amongſt us unknown; but they had many amongſt them known. In the mean time we as generally profeſſe Chriſtianity, as they did to ſerve the true God. And are you ſure there is never a City or Town that are all ſincere? I think you be not; or at leaſt is there never a godly family as Abrahams was? you cannot be ignorant that the terme [Diſciples] in Scripture is given to more to the ſincerely-godly. And if whole Nations; yea, the whole Univerſal viſible Church (conſiſting of diſcipled Nations) were all beleevers, it were a happineſſe, then election would be as large as Vocation; when Chriſt ſaith, many are called, but few choſen.
Secondly, Object. When he ſaith he that beleeveth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved; here faith goes before baptiſm, and that not a common, but a ſaving faith: for here is but one faith ſpoken of, and that is before baptiſm.
1. This is the weakeſt of all arguments, to reaſon for a precedency of one before another, Anſw. from the order in which they are placed in Scripture. So we may ſay, John baptized before he preached the baptiſme of Repentance; for his baptizing is put before his preaching of baptiſme, Mark 1. 4. and that thoſe that he baptized did confeſſe their ſinnes after their baptiſme, ſeeing it is mentioned after that it is ſaid, that they were baptized, Mat. 3. 6. and both of theſe with a farre greater probability of reaſon, ſeeing in both there is a narrative of the thing by the Evangeliſts, and in the place in hand there is neither commiſſion given for the work of baptizing, nor yet any narrative of the work, but onelyonly doctrine given in charge which they were to deliver, which leaſt of all ſpeaks the order in which the duties ſpecified muſt neceſſarily be practiſed. All that can be collected, is that we muſt in Gods ordinary way of conferring ſalvation, have both Faith and baptiſme; though there be not the like abſolute neceſſity of baptiſme as of Faith; baptiſme being neceſſary, neceſſitate precepti; Jeſus Chriſt having inſtituted it, and commanded it; but Faith is neceſſary both neceſſitate medii, and praecepti; ſeeing Chriſt not only commanded it, but ſalvation at no hand can be obtained (by men in capacity of it) without it; And therefore it hath been well obſerved that in the words following, the like ſtreſſe is not laid on Baptiſme as on Faith; not he that is not baptized, but he that beleeveth not, ſhall be damned.
2. Let Peter where he ſpeaks of ſalvation by baptiſme, interpret theſe words; Baptiſme doth now alſo (ſaith he) ſave us by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 3. 21. and then explaines himſelfe; Not the pntting away the filth of the fleſh, but the anſwer of a good conſcience towards God. This anſwer or reſtipulation, unto the outward adminiſtration of baptiſme, is that which follows upon baptiſme; but juſtifying Faith is that reſtipulation (at leaſt a principal branch of it), and therefore there is no neceſſity that it go before, but a neceſſity that it muſt follow after baptiſme. It is true that in men of yeares, juſtifying faith ſometimes goes before baptiſme, as in Abraham it went before Circumciſion, but it is not of neceſſity required to intereſt us in a right, neither of baptiſme, nor circumciſion.
Thirdly, Object. That faith to which the promiſe of Remiſſion and Juſtication is made, it muſt alſo be ſealed to (or that faith which is the condition of the Promiſe, is the condition in foro Dei of the title to the ſeal;) But it is onelyonly ſolid true faith, which is the condition of the promiſe (of Remiſſion; Therefore it is that onelyonly that gives right in foro Dei to the ſeal.
Here is an Argument firſt propoſed, Anſw. ſecondly in a parentheſis paraphraſed, for the propoſition I ſay faith is not ſealed to, but remiſſion of ſinnes or ſalvation upon condition of faith. A profeſſour of Faith that goes no farther, may engage himſelf to a lively working faith, and upon thoſe termes God engages for, and puts his ſeale for Remiſſion and Salvation. For the parentheſis, That faith which is the condition of the Promiſe, is the condition in foro Dei of the title to the ſeale, I judge the contrary to be undeniable. That faith which is the condition of the Promiſe, is not the condition in foro Dei of title to the ſeale. An acknowledgement of the neceſſity of ſuch faith with engagement to it, is ſufficient for a title to the ſeale, and the performance of the condition of like neceſſity to attaine the thing ſealed. To promiſe ſervice and fidelity in war is enough to get liſted, as to do ſervice is of neceſſity to be rewarded.
Fourthly, as for the Argument ad hominem framed againſt thoſe who make initial or common faith ſufficient to entitle to Baptiſme, and yet affixe remiſſion of ſins to all Baptiſme, even ſo received without any performance of farther engagement; I leave to them to defend who maintaine ſuch doctrine, and to ſpeak to the abſurdities that follow upon it.
Fifthly, that of Philip to the Eunuch ſeems to carry moſt colour. The Eunuch muſt beleeve with all his heart before he be baptized, and I have known it troubleſome that are fully convinced that a dogmatical faith gives title to Baptiſme, ſatisfying themſelves with this anſwer, That howſoever Philip called for ſuch a faith which leads to ſalvation, yet did not expreſſe himſelf ſo far that no Faith ſhort of this gives title to baptiſme.
It may be anſwered that a dogmatical faith is true faith, ſuo genere, as well as that which juſtifies; therefore I know not why men ſhould give it the terme of falſe faith, ſeeing Scripture calls it faith, and ſuch as thoſe beleevers, and the heart in ſuch a Faith (as to an entire aſſent) is required. If we look into the Eunuchs anſwer on which Philip did reſt ſatisfied, and proceeded upon it to baptiſme, it will take away all ſcruple; his anſwer is, I beleeve that Jeſus Chriſt is the Sonne of God. There is no more in that then a common faith, this is beleeved by men not juſtified; yet this faith entitles to baptiſme, and upon this confeſſion of faith, the Eunuch is baptized.
CHAP. XLIV.
Impenitence and unbelief in profeſſed Chriſtians, is breach of Covenant.
4. IT yet follows by way of conſectary,4. Corolary. that men in impenitence and unbelief, that lie in ſin, and live in neglect of the ſacrifice of the blood of Chriſt, live in a continual breach of covenant. They engage by covenant to believe in Chriſt, and forſake their ſin; when yet they lie in unbelief & impenitence, are convinced that they are Fornicators, Idolaters, Adulterers, Effeminate, abuſers of themſelves with mankinde, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revellers, and extortioners, Theſe do not only tranſgreſſe the Law (which on the ſevereſt penalty forbids theſe wayes) but break covenant with God, and ſo are ſhut out of the Kingdome of Heaven; the reward upon covenant, to thoſe whoſe hearts are upright. For howſoever, I fully aſſent to learned Maſter Baxter, that all weakneſſes are not covenant-breaches, and therefore with him, judge it to be their miſtake, who in their confeſſions acknowledge that we break covenant all that we do; yet thoſe men in the liſt mentioned, having given their names to God, and entred covenant with him, walking in theſe forbidden wayes, are found covenant-breakers; and therefore the Pſalmiſt deſervedly ſayes to them, Pſalme 50 16, 17. What haſt thou to do to declare my ſtatutes, or that thou ſhouldeſt take my Covenant in thy mouth; ſeeing thou hateſt inſtruction, and caſteſt my words behinde thee? that is to claime any mercy or favour by vertue of Gods grant in covenant, as appeares in the context▪ Engaging to him, and thus flying off from him, they deſert the mercies which they might receive from him. As a wife by adultery, ſo they by ſin forſake the covenant by which they ſtand betrothed, and by conſequence it muſt needs follow, that Chriſt died for breach of the covenant of Grace, as well as for breach of the covenant of Works; unleſſe we will ſay that all men by name Chriſtian, and found in any of theſe ſinnes, are in a loſt and unrecoverable condition; joyning with them that have ſaid, that there is no grace or pardon for thoſe that fall into ſinne after baptiſme. That he died not for their ſinnes that live and die in final impenitence and unbelief, may be eaſily granted, and that riſes to no more then that he died not for thoſe, that finally and unrecoverably break covenant with him. It is granted by a learned adverſary that final unbelief and impenitence, are violations of this covenant, but no other impenitence or unbelief; but that which is final, and for this, as is affirmed Chriſt never died; To this I ſay, If unbelief and impenitence be not breaches or violations of covenant properly ſo called, then final unbelief and impenitence is no breach or violation of covenant properly ſo called. This is clear, Final perſeverance in unbelief and impenitence is no more, then a continuance of the ſame poſture or ſtate of Soul God ward, in which they before ſtood, in impenitence or unbelief; As Perſeverance in faith and repentance, is the continuance of faith and repentance. If then final unbelief and impenitence be a breach of the covenant of grace, then all unbelief and impenitence, denominating a man, an unbeleeving and impenitent perſon, is a breach of covenant likewiſe.