Of Regeneration and Baptism, Sermons · Sermon 2 · Chapter 7

Of Regeneration and Baptism · Sermons · Sermon 2 · Chapter 7

p. 60CHAP. VII.

QUAERE 2. Of the Originall of Godfathers in Baptiſme.

TOuching certain Aſſiſtants that have been uſually required at the adminiſtration of this Sacrament among Chriſtians for like believed Regeneration; the expectation of the World, and continuance of Ages, has not improperly ſtiled them (for ſo they were thought to be) GODFATHERS. About whom much hath been ſaid (beſides what hath been ſeen done) by many, and not the leaſt doubt of them is of their(1)(1)Mult… ignoramus, quae non late rent ſi veterum lectio eſſe… familiaris Macrob. in Saturnal. 6. In omnibus rebus animadverto, id perfectum eſſ… quod ex omnibus partibus ſuis conſtat. & certè cujuſque rei p…tiſſima pars principium eſt. Digeſt. de Origine Iuris. L. Facturus. Originall, which if well ſearch'd into, might, as in other things, let in much light toward ending many controverſies, hanging now in miſerably perplexed, both obſcurity and uncertainty. That they have been in the largeſt diffuſion of C…rcumſtance, both to time and place, in all AGES, and of all CHURCHES, appears by the Records left; the(2)(2)As Juſtin. Martyr. Quaeſt. 5…. ad Orthodox. Dionyſ. Areopagit. de coeleſti Hierarch. cap. 2, 3, 7. as I find him alledged by Bellarmin, Vaſquez, Aquinas & Maldonare. The Writer of Epiphanius his life, in cap. 8. Nicetas de ſaraceni Anathema…iſmo, apud Bibliothec. Pat. Graec. tom. 2. pa. 283. Diſputationes Gregentii cum Herban… Iudaeo, tom. 1. pag 271. Severus Patriarch. Alexandr. lib. de ritibus Baptiſm, apud Biblioth. veterum patrum. tom 7. pa. 732. foreign in the Greek Church;(3)(3)Tertullian, lib. de Co ona milit cap 3. & lib de …aptiſmo, cap. 18. Auguſtin. in Sermon. 116. Serm 163. Serm. 181 & in prae…at. ad ſerm. 215 Lib de peccatorum meritis ſe remiſſ… cap. 19. & cap. 34 De Nuptiis & concupiſc. lib. 1. cap. 20. Contra Donatiſt. lib. 4 124. & Epiſtol. 23 ad Bonifacium, Gregor. Magn Dialog lib. 4 cap. 32. By P lydore Virgils authority they were required by Higynus Biſhop of Rome about the year 1…0. lib 4 de rerum Inventor cap. 4. By Genebrard, ſooner: Thel…ſphoru —p…oparentes Baptiſmi — conſtituit, aut potius conſtitutos & in uſu habitos imperavit. (He lived about the year 110) Genebrard. Chronolog ad an Mundi, 4.27. By the Latins I finde they were ſtiled Patres, Patrini, Patroni, Divini patres, Offerentes, Sponſores. Vades, Fide-juſſores, Fidei doctores, Fidei-ductores, Poedagogi, Levantes de fonte ſacro, &c. which may enlighten among them to their uſe. Suſceptores & compatres, in the Latine, and among p. 61our(1)(1)Be godfaederes oꝧꝧe godsunes …lyht; De eaede ſuſceptoris ad ſacrum fo…tem, aut ſuſcepti, vid. Spelman. Concil. Britan. tom. 1. pa. 186. in Leg. Eccleſiaſt. Inae regis, 11. Necnon Lambard, Archaionom. pa. 14. Quid ut ſu…ceptoris officium, vid. c…ncil. Calcuth. can. 2. apud. Spelman, pa. 293. He muſt be able to give account of the Creed and Lords Prayer. Canon. Edgari regis, 22. pa. 450. & Lambard. Archaion. pa. 67. None to contract Marriage within degrees forbidden, or with his godribbe (ſince contracted) cum conſponſali ſua, Leg. Presbyterorum Northumbrenſ. 52. pa. 501. in Spelman. God-ſib is as much as kin together through God. Verſtegans Antiqu. cap. 7. pa. 223. More may be ſeen in Concilio Aeuhamenſi Pananglico, cap. 8. pa. 516. & King Knouts eccleſiaſt. laws, ca. 7. pa. 544. Saxon Anceſtors at their firſt illumination by Chriſt's ſaving truth, godfaeder & godsun beſides(2)(2)Concil. Nicen. c. 21, & 23. apud Concil. Antiſiodor. can. 25. in Caranz. fol. 266. Concil gener. 6. Conſtantinopol in Trullo. can. 53. fol. 338. Synod Mogunt. can. 47. fol. 386. Synod. Anglican ſub Oſwaldo, Northanymbrorum Rege, Anno 787. apud Magdeburg. Centuriatores, Centur. 8. cap. 9. Col. 316. Ne Monachi compatres, vel Monachae commatres fiant Synod. Anglican. ſub. H…nric. 1. in Eadm. Hiſtoria Novorum, pa. 68. Concil. Trident. Seſſion. 24. de reformat. Matrimonii can. …. Ne proprium filium de Baptiſmo quis ſuſcipiat, Synod. Mogunt. can. 55. Councels,(3)(3)Lombard. Sentent. lib. 4. Diſtinct. 6. de reſponſione Patrinorum, & diſtinct. 42. Qui ſunt filii ſpirituales, Aquin. Summ. Theolog part. 3. Quaeſt. 67. Utrum in Baptiſmo requiratur aliquis qui baptizatum Ievet de fonte ſacro? Artic. 7. Utrum qui, &c. teneatur ad ejus inſtructionem? Artic. 8 & vid. Supplem. tertiae partis quaeſt. 56. Art. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. Nec non Auguſtin Hunnaeum, de Sac…am. Bapt. axiom. 8. & de matrimon. axiom. 8 Vaſquez in 3 partem Thomae. Diſput. 148. tom. 2. pa. 346. &c. Gregor. de Valenc. tom. 4. Diſput. 4. Quaeſt. 2. punct. 3. Schoolmen,(4)(4)Joan. Patriarcha. Hieroſolym. in vita Johannis Damaſceni, pa. 12. ſet before his Works, Centur. Magdeburgenſ. Cent. 3. cap. 6 de ritibus baptiſmi, Centur. 5. Cent. 7. Cent 8. Cent. 9. Cent 10. in the ſixth chapter of each of thoſe tomes, under the head, De ritibus Baptiſmi, Buchannan; Hiſtor. rerum ſcoticarum, lib. 18. Oſ…ald King of Northumberland was Godfather to Kynigilſus King of the Weſt-Saxons: this in the morning of our Chriſtian light, when the bright beams of the Goſpel from heaven to great joy and comfort firſt diſpeld here the darkneſs of H…atheniſme, Bed Hiſtor. Eccleſiaſtic. gentis Anglorum lib. 3. cap. 7. Edilwalch King of Chicheſter had for his Father at Baptiſme King Vulphere (of Weſt Saxons) who gave him the Iſle of Wight, and the Means about old Wincheſter in Hampſhire) as a pledge of his love and adoption. lib. 4. cap. 13. compared with Mr. Camden in Hampſhire, pa. 2…8. Such another lega…y K. Alfred gave to Guthrun (or Gurmund) the Daniſh King adopted by him at Wincheſter, with eighteen, ſome ſay thirty of his Chiefs,: ſc. the Provinces of the Eaſt Angles and Northumberland, Spelman, Concil. Britan. tom. 1 pa 378, 379. & pa. 395. Lambard Archaion pa 37. Foxe Martyrolog. in the life of K. Alfred, & Jo. Pike, avouched by Mr. Camden in Icenis pa. 510. Not unſeaſonably may here be remembred, that it was uſual in thoſe days, and continued ſince, to beſtow gifts upon thoſe were owned for ſuch children in God (or Religon) as a token of a kinde of adoption or aſſumption into the Family, with thoſe were natural. For, Adoptio eſt imago Naturae, & civilis ratio quaerendorum liberorum, qui in noſtra poteſtate ſunt perinde atque liberi procreati ex juſtis nuptiis Cui ac: in paratit. ad Codic. lib. 8. tit. 48. de adoptionibus; or it is, fictio inducta ad ſimilitudinem naturae. Nam eſt adoptio legalis actio, per quam quis fit velut filius qui non eſt, penè naturam imitans. Gloſſ. Imagine. ad Digeſt. de liberis & poſtum. L. 23. Filio, quem. Or, as Aquinas, Adoptio eſt extraneae perſonae in filium vel filiam vel nepotem legitima aſſumptio, Supplem. tertiae partis. Quaeſt. 57. art. 1. Such Adoption ſeemed here, and the care and bounty of life continued to death in remembring with ſome kinde of Legacy, in the next claſſis after natural, thoſe that were ſo adopted. Which abuſed, and as it were Simoniacally depraved, to ſuck out of what was Holy and Religious, corrupt worldly gain, (as, for inſtance, that Jew did, ſo often baptized in Socrates his Eccleſiaſt. ſtory, lib. 7. cap. 17.) occaſioned (for ex malis moribus bonae leges) thoſe wholſome Laws in after times, ſc. 1. Againſt giving any thing: So far a Synod at Millain proceeded.—Ne cuiquam, quod aliquando commiſſum eſt, iterandi hoc ſacramentum (confirmationis) occaſio praebeatur: Quod & in Baptiſmo diligenter obſervandum: Alledged by Durant, de ritib. lib. 1. cap. 20. ſect. 18. 2. Againſt unneceſſary multiplying thoſe relations at firſt. As our commanding canons had reſtrained to three. Quod enim amplius eſt à malo eſt. Lindwood Conſtitur. provincial. lib. 3. tit. de Baptiſmo. Other places allow not ſo many. The Councel of Trent, but two at moſt. De reformat. Matrimonii, Seſſion. 24. ca. 2. The Canon law, one man and one woman, Gratian. in Decret. par. 3. diſt. 4. c. 101. & Lancelot, Inſtitut. Juris Canon. lib. 2. tit. 13. At Lunenburg in Germany (ſaith my Authour) they have but one. Hiſtorians, p. 62(1)(1)Cod. de nuptiis. L. Siquis alumnam The Gloſſe takes this to be a Greek Law, though wanting in Theodoſius his Code, and refers both to Harme nop. lib. 4. tit. 6. and another body, de nuptiis prohibitis, where they are mentioned,Civilians,(2)(2)Decret. par. 2. Cauſ. 2. Quaeſt. 1, 2, 3, 4. part. 3. Diſtinct. 4. c. 100, 104, &c. Lancelot Inſtitut. Juris Canon. lib. 2. tit. 13. Gregor. Tholoſan. Syntagm. lib. 9, cap. 9. ſect. 10. lib. 15. cap. 13. ſect. 15 & lib. 2. cap. 4. ſect. 10, 11. Canoniſts,(3)(3)Walafrid. Strabo, de rebus Eccleſiaſt. cap. 26. Alcwin. de devinis offic. cap. 19. col. 1062, & 1064. cap. 21. col. 1064. de ceremoniis Baptiſmi, Epiſt. col. 1153, & 1158. Durand. Rationale Divin. lib. 6. cap. 83. ſect. 34, 35. Joan Beleth. Divinorum offic. explic. cap. 90. & cap. 110. Durant. de ritibus Eccleſ. lib. 1. cap. 19. ſect. 16, 17. Joſeph. Vicecomes, de ritibus Baptiſmi, lib. 1. cap. 30. de ſuſceptorum nominibus, origene, uſu, &e. Ritualiſts, p. 63(1)(1)Eſtne ſponſorum, quos ſuſceptores vocant, &c. uſus neceſſarius? Reſpond. Nec neceſſarius. — nec ſimpliciter rejiciendus. But 8 Reaſons alledged for their conveniency, by Will. Ducan. a Lutheran, and profeſſor at Lozanna, the next Ʋniverſity to Geneva. Commun. loc. 48. quaeſt. 47. Joyn to him for neighbourhoods ſake and conſonancy in opinion, the eloquent profeſſor at Ulme, Dr. Theordorike (or Cunrad. Dietericus,) in praefat. ad tom. 2. An. Dominical. and ſome gratulatory verſes before the laſt edition of 1644. tom. 1. were directed to him by Cunrade Backman (his ſucceſſor in the Chaire) Ad reverendum, &c. Cunradum Dieterio, &c. amicum & compatrem ſuum. In like manner Dr. Ch. Matthias profeſſor at Sora gratified Dr. Brockman profeſſor at Coppenhagen in Denmark: Ad reverendum, &c. Eraſmum Brockmannum—fratrem in Chriſto & compatrem longè dilectiſſimum, in the verſes before his Works printed 1639. And the profeſſor himſelf both remembers them, approves their uſe, and has four reaſons for continuance of them in his Daniſh Proteſtant Church. Syſthem. Theolog. artic. 34. ſect. 5. de Baptiſmi ceremon. pa. 2018. tom. 3.Catechiſts,(2)(2)Bellarmin. de ſacram Baptiſmi, lib. 1. cap. 26. Polydor. Virgil. de rerum inventor. lib 4 cap. 4. Herman Archbiſhop of Coleyne, in his conſultation for a reformation of Religion in his Province: Theſe he would have retained in his chap. of Baptiſme, and of Demands before Baptiſme. Adverſaries, Friends,(3)(3)As far abroad as Preſter Johns hot regions, Ordo Baptiſmi ſecundum uſum Aethiopum both mentions and expects them Vades, ſureties and pledges for the infant, ſays Joſ. Vicecom. lib. 1. cap. 30. Caſſander inlarges, extant apud nos typis excuſi ritus Baptiſmi Ruthenorum, Armenorum & Ethiopum, &c. — qui omnes infantes haud ſecus atque adultos apud ipſos baptizari teſtantur, niſi quod infantium nomine ſuſceptores reſpondeant. Teſtimonia veterum ſcriptorum, &c. in his Works, pa. 693. The Ruſſes are a part of the Greek Church, at their profeſſion of Abrenunciation the Godfathers ſpit on the ground in defyance of the Devil, Paget. Chriſtianogr. pa. 132. The Low-Countreys own them by Tremellius his notes on Iſa. 8.2. and the ſame I had from credible teſtimony of a neighbour, who long exerciſed his Miniſtery among them. Learned Zanchy both mentions and approves them in Commentat. ad Epheſ. pa. 580. Chamiet, that great light of France, magnifies them; Praeclarum inventum, &c. eſpecially for infants in the place hereafter alledged. But above all Geneva has not diſcarded them. Mr. Hooker aſſures it, in his Eccleſiaſt. Politie. lib. 4. ſect. 10. pa. 146. & Bellarmine, (who makes ſome advantage of it) lib 1. de Bapt. cap. 1. Nor do they that Town any wrong. For to one that ask'd the queſtion and doubted of the lawfulneſs, Calvin did not forbid the thing, but to be ſurety at Popiſh Baptiſme, in Epiſt. 258. To Mr. Farell, deſiring his advice in ſome things about the Church of Berne (where it ſeems he was then reſident, and in which Epiſtle he mentions Levantes puerum, in Epiſt. 147.) He is very copious. Stipulamur ab iis qui offerunt (ſaith he) ut adultos erudiunt in ea fide in qua baptizantur: ſi nemo fide jubeat profanari baptiſmum certum eſt. — and for what they ſhould be, Caeterùm minimè dubitamus, non alios eſſe idoneos ſponſores, niſi penes quos ſit praeſtandi facultas, hoc eſt qui infantem habituri ſunt in ſua poteſtate, vel qui patris aut matris rogatu fidem ſuam eccleſiae obligent, Epiſt. 149 pa. 256. To Gaſpar Olevian ſhewing upon requeſt their diſcipline, and for his imitation, Patres (niſi quid negotii impediat) jubentur adeſſe ut ſtipulationi reſpondeant unam cum fide juſſoribus (ſaith he) Nemo tamen ad fide jubendum admittitur, niſi qui ejuſdem nobiſcum eſt profeſſionis; arcentur & excommunicati ab hoc honore, Epiſt. 302. pa. 491. This communion of faith he again holds requiſit in Epiſt. 381. pa. 661. as did Gregory de Valencia his way. ſc. Jure divino & naturali certum eſt haereticos vel maximè ab ejuſmodi munere prohiberi, tom. 4. Diſput. 4. Quaeſt. 2. Punct. 3. And thoſe are under pennance, the Councell of Paris would have forborne: Quoniam quos & lex divina à caſtris militaribus, ne ruina ſint populi, & authoritas Canonica ab eccleſiarum ſequeſtrant limitibus, multo magis à memoratis peragendis, &c. Concil. pariſ. c. 54. Dr. Brockman is earneſt againſt both, ſc. that both the ſcandalous and heterodoxe ſhould be kept away. Syſthem. Theolog. artic. de Bapt. Caſ. conſcient. 9.Isa 8:2 abroad, p. 64(1)(1)Even T. C. or Tho. Cartwright liked to have them retained here becauſe all Chutches have received them. Hooker Polit. Eccleſ. lib. 5. ſect. 65. pa. 341. Dr. Godwin had ſomwhat of them in Moſes and Aaron, lib. 6. cap. 1. and Dr. Mayer on the Church-Catechiſme, pa. 4. I forbear any more at home, becauſe at home: de quibus ſaltem pauca poſuiſſem, niſi otioſum eſſet docere quae nota ſunt, in the words of St Jerome Comment. in Jerem cap. 32. tom. 4. pa 303. They have been with us alway. This ſure. Witneſs what before, of the firſt days: and add thoſe directions to the Presbytery of Northumberland, that the ſponſores ſhould make good their title, and perform their undertaking, teaching the childe to forſake the Devil and all his works, to learn the Greed and Lords Supper, &c. Or elſe to anſwer the neglect to God Almighty, Magdeburgenſ. Centur. 8. cap. 9. de Synodis col. 316. The thoughts of Vicecomes may be a fit cloſe, which his pen hath left expreſſed in theſe words: Si plura veterum teſtimonia quis deſideret, facile erit rerum divinarum ſcriptores, qui, &c. adjicere. Quorum plerique cum non longo intervallo, ab Apoſtolis disjuncti ſint, neceſſaria conſequutione colligimus Suſceptorum uſum ab ipſis Apoſtolis incepiſſe, Joſeph. Vicecom de antiquis Bapt. ritibus, lib. 1. cap 30. By Caranza's credit St. Mark was ſo adopted by St. Peter. Hic ſcripſit duas Epiſtolas quae catholicae & canonice nominantur, & Evangelium Marci, qui Marchus auditor ejus fuit, & filius à Baptiſmo. ſumm. Conciliorum, fol. 12. in vita Petri. True indeed, St. Mark was his ſon: He ſtiles him ſo, and that we imbrace for Holy Writ gives it us. In 1. Epiſt. 5.13. The Church which is at Babylon ſaluteth thee, and Marchus my ſon. So, his ſon he was, and not natural: no one hath ſaid this. Ergo.Jer 32at home, and generally all ſorts of Writers, which may be thought to have had occaſion to mention them, who have not forgotten them. Now may not a more probable origination of them then hitherto (indeed ſcarce thought on before) be made out, by deriving them from the like aſſiſtants, at the ſame rite, by the ſame ceremony, for the very ſame end of regenerating men to new Religion, though the Jewiſh way? (as firſt Chriſtianity throughout was nothing elſe but Judaiſmus reformatus, as the learned ſtile it, or the corruptions of Moſes and the Prophets reformed by Jeſus of Nazareth and his Diſcſples) and they be thought to be taken up in ſucceſſion of the p. 65(1)(1)Look back to what was ſaid of them before, pa. 16. and compare therewith what is ſaid of Ordination: In Pandectis. Hebraeorum ordinatio presbyterorum per impoſitionem manuum tribus fieri debet praeſentibus, Selden. commentar. in Eutych. Num. 10. pa. 20.Num 10Triumvirate before ſpoken of, to be that Triumvirate continued, without whoſe preſence or aſſiſtance neceſſary, none were ever regenerate unto the Church of Iſrael?

As, by the way, our making the buſineſs clearly(2)(2)For the Church of Chriſt is ſo gentle and reaſonable a Mother, that ſhe would have none forced to yeild to her Juriſdiction, or conſtrained without due ſelf-conviction to yeild ſubjection to her ſoveraign and commanding Power. Whence way to Baptiſme hath been uſually made not without explicite ſatisfaction given in two things. 1. Whether the competens or deſirer thereof were willing to come over to her? 2. Whether he would frame his life accordingly, and not be a diſgrace to that School, a blemiſh to that ſociety which is the Houſhold of God, 1 Timoth. 3.15. Epheſ. 2.19. Galat 6.10. whoſe converſation Philip. 3.2. is already in heaven? So was it in the Synagogue of Iſrael. Nolentem non cogebant in ſe ſuſcipere legem & prophetas, ſays Maiemonides, He that would not, ſhould not be theirs: they forced none to their Law, (underſtand, the Law of Moſes and to compleat proſelytes; for the lower ſort were as 'twere conſtrained, or not ſuffered elſe to live with Iſrael, becauſe Iſrael might not aſſociate with them:) and Munſter, When any deſire to be a Proſelyte, they propoſe to him the hardeſt things of the Law—with ſome pennances—and they would ſeem by theſe means to be willing to drive men from their Religion. in Evangel. Mat. Hebr. cap. 22. A ſpecial part of that enquiry was, whether by love and choice, &c? Diligenter an ob ſimplicem Judaiſmi amorem in illum tranſire deſideraret, explorantes, as Mr. Selden, de Jure nat. pa. 143. (in exact paralel to what in St Auguſtine, Utrum propter vitae praeſentis aliquod commodum, an propter requiem quae port hane vitam ſperatur? de Catechizand. rudibus, cap. 16. & cap. 26. tom. 4. pa. 301.) And this might give reaſon why in the proſperous days of Solomon and his father, ſo few were admitted, perhaps none, but the Courts down, leaſt Fear of power, or Hope of reward, or any thing but Love and Choice might ſeem to inforce or permit them to Iſrael. So at this day, Si alcune voleſſe farſi Hebraeo, primo ſono tenuti tre Rabbini, ô perſone di autorita interrogaclo ſottelmente, che coſa lo move à far queſta riſſolutione, è intender bene ſe foſſe à qualch fine mondana, che devono licentiarlo, è poi proteſtarle con notificarle che la legge Moſaica è ſtrettiſſima, è che gl'Hebraei al preſente ſono abietti è vili & eſotarlo che meglio ſarebbe ch'egli ſe ne ſtaſſo nel ſtato che ſi trova. Which by the help of a Spectacle, I thus read: If any one would be a Jew, he muſt firſt be preciſely queſtioned by 3 Rabbines or perſons of authority, What is that moves him to take this reſolution, and underſtand well that if it be for a worldly end, they ought to leave him, and then to let him know and proteſt that the Law of Moſes is very ſtrict, and that the Hebrews are at preſent abject and vile, and exhort him that it is better for him to continue in his preſent condition. But if he give a faſt anſwer: then he is to be circumciſed, &c. from Ludovic. Mutinenſ. de gli riti Hebraici. part. 5. cap. 2. Now for the Chriſtian ſide, beſide St Auguſtine before, hear St Chryſoſtome. Sicut nos ſervos ementes, ipſos qui venduntur prius interrogamus, an nobis ſervire velint? Ita facit & Chriſtus quando futurus eſt in ſervitutem te caper…. Prius interrogat, an velis illum crudelem tyrannum dimittere, & à te faedera ſuſcipit; foreign, non enim coactum eſt ejus imperium. Homil. 21. ad popul. Antioch. tom. 1. pa. 244. As we, when we hire ſervants, enquire of their will to ſerve us, So Chriſt, willing to own no one againſt his will. And thence he reckoneth that Baptiſme unavailable which is in ſickneſs, &c. when a man ſeems driven in by the tempeſt of pain, and has not command of his whole ſelf: in Homil. ad Illuminandos, pa. 707. The incongruity of which time for which reaſon Baſil left obſerved, Quid expectas beneficio febris baptizati, &c. in Exhortat. ad Bapt. Homil. 13. tom. 1. pa. 415. And the Canon Law which would not admit ſuch into Orders, Diſt. 57. cap. 1. As nor the Councel of Neocaeſarea, ſiquis in aegritudine fuerit baptizatus ad honorem presbyterii non poterit pervenire, quòd non ex propoſito fides ejus ſed ex neceſſitate deſcendit. can. 12. nor Cornelius Biſhop of Rome, whoſe reſtraint of the Clinici, or thoſe were baptized in their beds may be ſeen in Binius, in Epiſt. ad Fab. Antioch. pa. 163. tom. 1. Dionyſius the Areopagit (to take the higheſt) has left, Imprimis interrogandum eſſe baptizandum, antequam Eccleſiam ingrediatur, num velit ejus eſſe profeſſionis, as Gregor. Tholoſau. in Syntagn. 2.4.10. Wilt thou be baptized into this Faith? Walafrid. Strabo. Notandum, quod primis temporibus, illis ſolummodò Baptiſmi gratiam dari ſolitam, qui & corporis & mentis integritate jam ad hoc pervenerant ut ſcire atque intelligere poſſent, Quid emolumenti in Baptiſmo conſequendum, quid conficendum atque credendum, quid poſtremò renatis in Chriſto eſſet faciendum, de rebus Eccleſiaſt. cap. 26. Nicetas has it often, how free the acceſs was in his time: Heus tu, qui à Saracenis ad Chriſtianorum fidem accedis (ſaid the Miniſter) non ex violentia quadam aut neceſſitate, neque dolo aut hypocriſi, ſed ex tota anima & corde puro atque ſincero quibus Chriſtum & ejus fidem diligis? What! willingly, and in ſincerity of heart to ſeek Chriſt alone! He anſwers, Renuncio omni Saracenorum religioni,& anathematizo Maomedum, &c. And ſoon after, Ego qui à Saracenis hodiè ad Chriſtianorum fidem accedo, non ex violentia quadam aut neceſſitate, neque dolo aut hypocriſi, ſed ex tota anima & corde puro atque ſincero, quibus Chriſtum & ejus fidem diligo: I ſeriouſly renounce Mahomed, and ſeek my Saviour with all my heart. Nicet. Saracenica, apud Biblioth. Patrum Graec. tom. 1. pa. 282, 283. And another Nicettas (Serronius) Solo voluntatis pretio Baptiſmus emitur. Nothing but a good will can deſerve to this Seal. In Commentar ad Gregor. Nazianz. Orat. 40. cap. 26. Tertullian, Sed nec religionis eſt cogere religionem, quae ſponte ſuſcipi debet. lib. ad Scapul. cap. 2. St Bernard, Fides nequaquam vi extorquetur, ſed exemplis atque ratione ſuadetur, de modo benè vivendi, cap. 1. And a Spaniſh Councel gravely and diſcreetly, De Judaeis praecepit ſancta ſynodus nemini deinceps ad credendum vim inferri, Cui enim vult Deus, miſeretur: & quem vult indurat. Non enim in viti tales ſalvandi ſunt, ſed volentes, ut integra ſit forma juſtitiae. Sicut enim homo proprii arbitrii voluntate, ſerpenti obediens periit, ſic. &c. Concil. Tolet. 4. can. 55. taken after into the Decree, in Diſtin. 45. cap. 5. Where the Canon is determining, that the Miniſter of Religion ought to be milde, not ſoon angry, no ſtriker, (from 1 Timoth. 3.3.) Paſtores etenim facti ſumus, non percuſſores, ſaith Gregory, Et egregius praedicator dicit; Argue, obſecra, impera in omni patientia & doctrina. Nova verò atque in audita eſt iſta praedicatio, quae verberibus exigit fidem. cap. 1. out of Gregory the great. Ad fidem enim nemo cogendus eſt, as the Gloſs has it there. Yet more, the ſame Canon Law grants them diſchargeable from obligation to obſerve Laws Chriſtian, who in no ſort conſented, but in ſpite of expreſs contradiction had this Sacrament forced on them. Lancelot. Inſtitut. Jur Canon. lib. 2. tit. 3. As Eraſmus would have them releaſed of the Churches Juriſdiction, who diſſent at years of conſent, in praefat. in Matth. (But note that refuſal muſt be then more then not agreeing, an actual reſiſting; for plus eſt expreſſe contradicere quam non conſentire, as in the Decretals.) And in the Decree, Prius ipſe Jeſus caeci nati oculos luto ſuperlinivit, & ſic ad aquas Siloe miſit, quia prius debet baptizandus fide incarnationis Chriſti inſtrui, & ſic ad Baptiſmum jam credulus admitti, ut ſciat cujus gratiae eſt in eo particeps, & cui jam debitor fiat deinceps. de conſec. diſtinct. 4. ca. 54. Hence Catechizing was wont to go before Baptizing, and in practiſe as well as rule, in act as well as equity: Non enim adulti ſunt cogendi ad profitendum fidem, vel ad ſuſcipiendum ſacramenta fidei, ſed inducendi inſtructione & admonitione ut dictum fuit, &c. in the Schools, Durand. in Sentent. lib. 4. Diſt. 6. Quaeſt. 3. Utrum Catechiſmus debeat praecedere Baptiſmum? By the greateſt reaſon in the world. And though Princes may compell their ſubjects to return to their vow, if they apoſtatize, or all other not to blaſpheme; &c. yet it is the common ſentence of the Schools, ſaith Gregory de Valencia, that to force their conſciences that are at liberty to come to Baptiſme, this they may not: tom. 3. diſput. 1. Quaeſt. 10. de in fidelitate, punct. 6. So was done here in this our Land: When the Bible, unheard of, was brought and offered, and the King by the Grace of God had his heart opened to belief of the Truth, yet he conſtrained none of his ſubjects to follow him, but left it to their choice, and to bring the free-will offering of their hearts in their hands, by conſecration of minde and good will, elſe he knew the ſprinkling of a little water was but an unprofitable Ceremony. Quorum fidei & converſioni (ſaith Bede of thoſe that came in after him) ita tamen congratulatus eſſe rex perhibetur, ut nullum tamen cogeret ad Chriſtianiſmum, ſed tantummodo credentes arctiori dilectione quaſi concives ſibi regni coeleſtis amplecteretur. Didicerat enim ab auctoribus doctoribuſque ſuae ſalutis ſervitium Chriſti VOLUNTARIUM non coactitiumeſſe debere. Hiſtor. Eccleſiaſt. gentis Anglorum, lib. 1. cap. 26. So is it as this day abroad. If any Jew, Moor, or other Gentile be diſpoſed to receive the Faith of Chriſt, it is believed written in the Apoſtles books (ſaith Zaga Zabo, an Ethiopian, Biſhop, of his Countrey, to omit other) that he is not forthwith to be admitted: But they will that he firſt come unto the gate of the Church, and there to hear Sermons and the words of our Saviour Chriſt that before he be (wrought over and) brought (as it were by ſtealth or force) unto the, faith, he may know the yoke of the Law. Damian. à Goes. pa. 563. whereto we may believe practiſe anſwerable. Aquinas propoſeth the Queſtion, of Jews children, Whether they are to be baptized without conſent of their parents? He anſwers, No: nor ever had or ſhould: quod & juſtitiae naturali repugnaret, & inde fides in periculum venire poſſet: It was both againſt common Juſtice, and deſtructive of the nature of Faith: So of other infidels, ſecunda ſecundae, Queſt. 10. artic. 10. Laſtly, our very learned neighbour diſlikes all fighting to propagate religion (in his book of War, and for religion) particularly the inforcing of ours, by Scripture Fathers, and other amplificatio…s. Lex nova non ſe vindicat ultore gladio, out of Tertullian, Force is the worſt Miniſter of Faith, and moſt unreaſonable to perſwade averſe men to Heaven by the Rhetorick of the Sword H. Grot. de jure Belli & pacis, lib. 2. cap. 20. This whole in accordance to the firſt and beſt patterns: As many as receive the word foreign with delight (and pleaſure, which is more then libenter with a permiſſive or active good will, as in the old tranſlation( were baptized: and ſo there were added to the Church that day multitudes of ſouls, Act. 2.41.1 Tim 3:15Eph 2:19Gal 6:10Phil 3:21 Tim 3:3Acts 2:41 voluntary, in all formes, or according to all Directories of Chriſtian Baptiſme, that I have met with by repeated p. 66p. 67p. 68Queſtions or(1)(1)Ʋſed all along, and from the firſt: Philips queſtioning the Eunuch, Act. 8.37. may give ſome countenance of holy Writ. For continuance, ſee Tertullian: de corona mil. cap. 3. Cyprian. Epiſtol. 70. ad Januar. Epiſt. 77. ad magn. Epiſtol. Firmiliani ad Cyprianum, pa. 116. Acta ſanctorum Martyrum, firſt publiſhed from the Manuſcript by Baron, ad an. 259. n. 11. Hieronym. adverſus Luciferian, cap. 5. tom. 2. pa. 167. Ambroſ. in lib. de initiandis. cap. 2, & 3. tom. 4. pa. 163. de ſacrament. lib. 2. cap. 2. pa. 171. de ſpiritu ſancto. lib. 2. cap. 11. pa. 151. Auguſtin. de Catechizand. rudibus cap. 16. tom. 4. pa. 301. & cap. 26. pa. 307. de Baptiſmo contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 20. tom. 7. pa. 63. Homil. 2. de Bapt. in append. tom. 10. pa. 846. Nay what Interrogatories to a mans ſelf. Serm. 116. de Temp. tom. 10. pa. 303. Lombard. Sentent. lib. 4. diſtinct. 6. Herman. Archbiſhop of Coleyne in his Treatiſe of Reformation, chap. [of Baptiſme] Calvin. Epiſt. 302. pa. 491. Are they able to ſhew that ever the Church of Chriſt had any publick form of Baptiſme without Interrogatories? Hooker, in his Eccleſ. Politie. lib. 5. ſect. 64. pa. 336.Acts 8:37 Interrogations propoſed to the Baptized, and exacting full anſwer,(2)(2)Scrutinium nihil aliud eſt quam fidei & religionis Chriſtianae inquiſitio. —& dicitur à ſcrutando, id eſt, inquirendo, quia fidei & religionis inquiſitio ſit. Durand. Rational. Divin. lib. 6. cap. 56. ſect. 2. Certe: Nemo improbare queat ſeriam in tam ſanctis rebus non prophanandis diligentiam: Ne, quantum fieri poterit, lateant Simones. Chamier. Panſtrat. Cathol. par. 4. lib. 5. cap. 15. ſect. 13. Scrutinia the antients called them, or(3)(3)Perpulchrum verò nobis videtur, ut ad incontaminatum accurrentes Baptiſma non temetè ſuſcipiantur. Authentic. collat. 9. tit. 25. cap. 2. ſifting them for their conſents (for Religion ſhould be of all other moſt free and at liberty, to force men profeſs what they do not believe, what is it but to fill the world with Atheiſts and hypocrites? in a buſineſs ſo near us of Salvation, every one ſhould be allowed to chuſe for himſelf and not according to anothers Intereſſe: Faith is the gift of the holy Ghoſt, I can believe but what I know, nor ſhould I be forced to ſeem to believe any more then I liſt, becauſe I can believe no more or otherwiſe then my foreſtalled judgement ſhall lead my faith and perſwaſion) p. 69with mutuall(1)(1)Conſider whether that foreign 1 Pet. 3.21. or Stipulatio bonae Conſcientiae, as Beza has tranſlated, may not be fitly thought to allude to ſome ſuch thing? Many have thence ſpoken of a ſtipulation: and very many. Brentius: Petrus in priori ſua Epiſtola, Baptiſmus (inquit) eſt foreign, hoc eſt, ſtipulatio bonae conſcientiae erga Deum. Quibus verbis Baptiſmi ratio valde ſignificanter explicater. Etenim quod inter homines in civilibus ſtipulationibus fieri ſolet, hoe idem ſit in Baptiſmo inter Deum & hominem. In civili autem ſtipulatione,(quae eſt, ut Juriſconſultus definit, conceptio verborum, quibus is, qui interrogatur, daturum facturumve ſe id, quod interrogatus eſt, reſpendet, videlicet: Spondes? ſpondeo: promittis? promitto: dabis? dabo: facies? faciam) primum eſt interrogans, quem vocant ſtipulatorem, deinde reſpondens, qui eſt promiſſor, poſtremo res ipſa de qua fit ſtipulatio; & in legitima ſtipulatione promiſſor ſtipulatori ita firmiter obligatur, ut quaſi vinculo quodam ſolvendae promiſſae rei aſtringatur; ſic in Baptiſmo, &c. Homil. 23. ad Luc. 3. fol. 46. which is indeed the nature of that compact, by our Bracton: Stipulatio eſt quaedam verborum conceptio, quae conſiſtit ex interrogatione & reſponſione, ut ſi dicatur, Promittis? Promitto: Dabis? do. &c. lib. 3. tract. 1. ca. 2. ſect. 2. & Fleta, lib. 2. cap. 56. ſec. 9. which they might have both from the Imperials: Inſtit. 3. de verborum obligat. ſect. in hac re. Bellarmine alledges Lyranus, Gagnaeus, & Johan. à. Lovan: for this interpretation; de Sacram: lib. 1. cap. 17. Chamier ads many other, Nicetas Heſſelius, &c. tom. 4. lib. 2. cap. ſect. 5, & 11. Pamellius on Tertullian goes the ſame way, lib. de Bapt. cap. 6. num. 45. & Joſeph Vicecomes. de ritibus Bapt. lib. 2. cap. 23. & Eſtius in his coments on the place: & Dr. Brockman, Syſthem. Theol. art. 34. ſect. 3. and Hooker in his Eccleſ. Polit. 5. ſect. 63. foreign ſignifieth a ſtipulation or promiſe conceived in words, whereby he that is baptized covenanteth to believe and do as he is in baptiſme required. Mr. Legh, Critica ſacra, pa. 213. Non enim ſufficit baptizando habere bonam conſcientiam, niſi ad interrogationem eccleſiae ſuam fidem oſtendat, ſays the Canon from 1. Pet. 3.21. de Conſecrat. diſt. 4. cap. Verus Baptiſmus. Thus after mine own thoughts had led me to this conjecture, plenty of confirmation came in from abroad. Beza's atteſtation to all will not be deſpiſed. Sed omnino praeſtat ut hoc referamus ad interrogationes Catechiſtarum quibus Catechumeni interiorem Baptiſmum teſtificabantur exteriore ſanciendum, ut Act. 8.37. Quò ſpectat Apoſtolicum totum ſymbolum, & illud, ab adultorum Baptiſmo ad inſantium baptiſmum, magno errore, ſi ipſos infantes ſpectes, tranſlatum, Credis? Credo. Abrenuncias? Abrenuncio. Unde illud Tertulliani (lib. de reſurrect.) Anima non lavatione ſed reſponſione ſancitur. Annotat. maior. ad 1 Pet. 3.21.1 Pet 3:21Luke 3Acts 8:37 ſtipulation between him and(2)(2)Ubi promiſeris conſidera vel quibus promiſeris. Levitam vidiſti, ſed Miniſter. eſt Chriſti. Ambroſ. de ſacram. lib. 1. cap. 2. Gods Miniſter, the reſult whereof is by St Chryſoſtome and others ſtiled(3)(3)foreign. Chryſoſt. Homil. 21. ad popul. Antioch. tom. 1. pa. 244. When a man lyes ſick upon his bed and like a block, how can he conſent to thoſe words, foreign, whereby he is to contract a league with the God of all? Id. in Homil. 51. ad Illuminand. tom. eod pa. 707.—ſequentis vitae ac purioris vivendi rationis PACTUM cum DEO in itum. Gregor. Nazianzen. Orat. 40. tom. 1. pa. 641. vid. etiam Joan. Damaſcen. de Barlaam & Joſaphat, cap. 8. & B…l. exhort. ad Bapt. Homil. 13. tom. 1. pa. 415. Baptiſme implyeth a Covenant betwixt G d and man, ſaith Mr. Hooker, wherein as God doth beſtow preſently remiſſion of ſins and the holy Ghoſt, binding alſo himſelf to add in proceſs of time what grace ſoever ſhall be farther neceſſary for the atainment of everlaſting life, ſo every baptized ſoul receiving the ſame grace at the hand of God, tyeth it ſelf for ever to the obſervation of his Law, Eccleſiaſt. Polit. 5. ſect. 64. pa. 337. And from advantage of this preconfederation and firmneſs of the COMPACT we may ſuppoſe it to be, that thoſe who deliberate of plain Apoſtacy, or falling from God to his Enemie, as Witches (having been baptized) can, as is ſaid of them, do nothing in this accurſed helliſh buſineſs of new league till they have abjured their Baptiſme and trampled under foot their former Contract, Renouncing their paſt Chriſtian Renunciation, and tearing in pieces the Articles of that bleſſ'd agreement, whereby they were ſo (thus) made over to God in Chriſt, that they could not be anothers, nor enter into new covenant-ſervice till they were diſcharged of their former Maſter; As a woman can ſuperinduce no new relation conjugall till ſhe have ſued out divorce from whoſe ſhe was; Feodum talliatum, not paſs to a ſtranger before the tallie be taken in, and the Indenture of paſt appropriation revoked; A State can do nothing contrary to a Publick Act unrepealed; nor a privat perſon go againſt his own hand. All which if, and theſe things be ſo; What a great advantage muſt it be to Sathans Kingdom to have left out what was ſo contrary to him? What a loſs to Chriſt, by his ſervants not being hindred from his enemie? What muſt follow hereon, but a Gate ſet ready open for Hell and Death? and (by forbearance to lay acroſs that rub and impediment was wont to hinder) the levelling and making plain a ready ſmooth way to the D? But I forbear Poſition here: The ſuppoſitum lyes far off in a dark Region of knowledge wherein I thank God I have little acquaintance. Darkneſs ſhould not make way to light. Theſe foundation-Premiſes are ſlippery or weak, and ſo no confident boldneſs ſhould be taken up in ſuperſtruction or concluſion. Confaederatio cum Deo, or entring p. 70ſolemn league and Covenant with the God of Heaven: Our Bleſſing from him, or(1)(1)Benedicere alicui, pro, orare pro eo, & bene illi precati poſitum eſt. Nam prius dixerat Matthaeus, ut manus eis imponeret & oraret, Marlorat. in Matth. 19.15.Matt 19:15 praying for him, which the Hebrews called to Bleſs, (and they are not far aſunder,(2)(2)Benedictio eſt ſanctitatis traditio. Gratian. in Decret. Qui benedicit mediator eſt ad impetrandum influxum ſive gratiam ejuſmodi: eſtque illa ratio impoſitionis manuum: ſolent enim qui benedicunt, imponere manus ſuper eos, quibus benedicunt, ut eos diſponant ad recipiendam gratiam, aut bonum ejuſmodi. Quum autem juſtus aut pius benedicit, ipſe eſt canalis per quem gratia divina profluit. Joſeph. de Voiſin. lib. 1. Theolog. Judeaorum, cap. 5. pa. 76. de cultu Angelorum. from the Rabbines. Bleſſing being in a ſort the calling down or giving of God, & prayer chiefly to invoke and procure his preſence, aſſiſtance or bleſſing) Our enjoyning him moreover Abrenunciationem ſeculi, in Martyr(3)(3)Cprian. Epiſtol. 7, pa. 14. Epiſt 8. pa. 15. (ſo underſtood by Auguſtine de Bapt. contra Donat. lib. 4. cap. 2.) lib. de diſcip. & habitu. virg. pa. 132. lib. de lapſis. pa. 141. lib. de orat. Domin. pa. 157. & lib. de mortalitate, pa. 177. The word betokens ſo ſmart and irrevocable rejection as was uſed by Monks at entrance upon their Poverty, poſtquam abrenuncian converſatus fuerit inter Monachos. Novel. 5. cap. 5. abrenuncians hanc (ſubſtantiam) reliquit. cap 7. as upon other occaſions, Novel. 17. cap. 8. & Novel. 18. cap. 9. Cum ſaeculo abrenunciaverit. gloſſ. Dedicare. ad Novel. 76. in praefat. Cyprians phraſe and p. 71and(1)(1)Abrenuncio Sathanae & operibus ejus, pompis, cultui, Angelis & machinationibus ejus, & omnibus quae ſub ipſo ſunt: I defy them all. Clem. Roman. Conſtit. Apoſtol. lib. 7. cap. 41. vid. etiam lib-3 cap. 18. Clement. Alexandrin paedagog. lib. 1. cap. 6. Cyrill. Alexandrin. contra Julian. lib. 7. tom. 6. pa. 248. Cyrill. Hieroſol. Catecheſ. Myſtagog. 1. Chryſoſtom. Homil. 21. ad pop. Antioch. tom. 1. pa 239, 244, 245. Homil. 47. in Julian. pa. 544. & Homil. 6. in Coloſſ. 2 tom. 6. pa. 200, & 201. Nichol. Cabaſil. Liturg. expoſ. apud Biblioth. pat. Gr. tom. 1. pa. 203. Nicet Saracen. tom. 2. pa. 283, 285. Sever. patriarch. Alexand. lib. de ritibus Bapt. apud Biblioth. pat. Lat. tom. 7. pa. 530. Baſil exhort. ad Bapt. Homil. 13. tom. 1. pa. 115. lib. de Sp. ſancto. cap. 27. Eli. Cretenſ. in Orat. 4. Gregor. Nazianzeni. cap. 24. & in Orat. 19. cap. 13. Nicet. Serron. commentar. ad ejuſdem Gregor. Orat. 40. cap. 51. whence Gregory himſelf might ſay of Baptiſme, it was, foreign, a declaration for God againſt his adverſaries, in Orat. 32. ſect. 56. tom. 1. pa. 520. ſo expounded by Elias Cretenſis, col. 929. For the Latines (beſides Cyprian above) ſee Tertullian, lib. de ſpectac. cap. 4, 24. lib. de Idololat. cap. 6. lib. ad Martyr. cap. 2. lib. de corona. mil. cap. 3. & cap. 13. de cultu faeminarum. lib. 1. cap. 2. & lib. Anima. cap. Ambroſ Hexaem. lib. cap. 4. tom. 1. pa. 3. Comment, in Luc. 20. tom. 3. pa. 95. Comment. in Coloſſ. 2. pa. 255. lib. de initiandis. ca. 2. tom, 4. pa. 163. & lib. 1. de Sacram. cap. 2. pa. 167. Hieron. Comment. in Amoſ. 6 tom. 5. pa. 115. Comment. in Matth. 5. tom. 6. pa. 6. Comment. in 1. Timoth. 6. tom. 8. pa. 270. & de vera Circumciſione. tom. 9. pa. 77. Auguſtin. Epiſt. 23. ad Bonifac. tom. 2. pa. 35. Epiſt. 89. contra Pelag. pa. 155. Concio. ad Catechum. contra Judaeos. cap. 3, 4. tom. 6. pa. 23, 24. de Bapt. contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 15, & cap. 28. tom. 7. pa. 61, 65. ſerm. 116. de Tempore. tom. 10. pa. 304. Homil. 2. de Bapt. in append. tom. 10. pa. 846. & de Symbolo ad Catech. lib 4. cap. 1. Alchwin. Epiſt. ad Imperat. Carol. de Ceremon. Bapt. col. 1156. de divinis officiis, c. 19. col. 1061, 1063. & Epiſt. 70. col. 1592. Salvian. de gubernat. DEI. lib. 6. Bernard. Serm. de duplici Bapt. Lombard. Sentent. lib. 4. diſt. 6. Joan. Beleth. divinorum offic. explic. cap. 90. Concil. Calchuth. ca. 3. in Spelman. Concil tom. 1. pa. 293. Synod Anglican. ſub. anno, 786. apud Magdeburg. Centur. 8. cap. 9. de Synodis, & Centur. 9. cap. 6. ritus circa Baptiſmum, Gratian. de Conſecrat. diſt. 4. cap. 95. So all abroad this hath been received, and heretofore. Of later times, The Ruſſes were remembred before ſpitting upon the ground in defyance of the Devil, credo ut hac ratione perpetuum illi diſſidium indicent, ſays Joſeph. Vicecom. de ritibus Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 19. The Habaſſines or Ethiopians are no leſs earneſt in Pagets Chriſtianogr. par. 1. pa. 165. The Cophri or Egiptians thus: I ſuch a one N. that am baptized, I do renounce the Devil and all his works, and all his Angels, and all his pride, and all his worldly error, and every one that doth conſent unto him, pa. 158. The nearer Daniſh Proteſtants continue it, by Brochman. in Syſthem. Theol. artic. 34. ſect. 5. tom. 2. pa. 2017. Others I forbear as near enough home, and well enough known. Vehementiſſima frequentiſſimaque apud veteres patres hujus partis & commemoratio eſt & commendatio; prorſus neceſſaria atque eſſentialis huic ſacramento, quo initiamur Deo & Chriſto: quod prorſus fieri nequit quin dermamus eſſe Diaboli. So Ghamier. Panſtrat. Cathol. par. 4. lib. 5. cap. 15. ſect. 15. Nor may it be impertinent to compare herewith the proteſtation of the Eſſenes at their admiſſion into their Order, wh… e ſeems to have been a purification by water, and more then ordinary. After a years Probationerſhip without their Colledg, and two within, before they be received into fellowſhip, (ſaith Joſephus, that knew them) They proteſt with great and ſolemn Oaths, To worſhip God, obſerve Juſtice and Faith toward all men, not willingly to hurt any (though commanded) but to hate the Evil and love the Good, eſpecially to keep faith to Governors, If ever exalted to any command to uſe power with ſobriety and moderation, to hate pomp and all worldly oſtentation, to love the Truth and ſtrive to confute lyars, to keep their hands from picking and ſtealing, the ſoul pure from ſpotted with uniuſt gain to conceal Myſteries, hold faſt received Doctrins, &c. and with theſe oaths or adjurations they try, arm and prepare thoſe that enter into their Order. De Bello Judaico, lib. 2. cap 7. And the rather view this proteſtation well, becauſe it ſeems much Chriſtian; the whole Character of them there given agrees with Chriſt his Doctrin, and the antient Chriſtians were either reputed Eſſenes, or were, or deſcended of them (which conſent might be the reaſon why our Saviour, reproving the Scribes and Phariſees often, yet never meddles with them; nay they are not mentioned in Scripture at all) Whether the denying of the Faith, the Lord Redeemer, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſo often laid to the charge of ſome unhappie Apoſtates in the later Scriptures of the New Teſtament (after the Meſſias had been embraced by them a while) may not have reference to after-Revocation of ſome ſuch precedent formal ſtipulation with God and pre-confederation againſt his enemy? may deſerve to be farther thought on. 'Tis ſaid of the Nicholaitans and Simonians, by Simon Peter, that they did denie the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2.1. and by Jude the brother of James ſoon after, that They (the ſame 'tis like) denyed the only God and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 4. The Deceiver, Antichriſt, St John tels us, ſhall deny high points, both that Jeſus is the Chriſt, and the Father, and the Son, 1 Epiſt. 2.22. and Gamaliels Schollar to his Diſciple Timothy, If we deny ('tis not ſaid How, Whom, or What) Chriſt will deny us: (yet after ſeemingly expounded) If we return to infidelity (foreign) become plain Apoſtates, yet he cannot deny himſelf, 1 Tim. 2.12, 13, 14. Some more formal abnegation may have been meant, (as agreeing meetly well with the inſinuation of theſe texts, and the Majeſty of Scripture, whoſe ſtate uſes to couch much in little) yea abjuration, and of weightier import then ſimple dereliction, joyned thereto negation; life that foreign of the great Apoſtle, Matth. 26.34, 35, 75. Mar. 14.30, 31, 72. Luc. 22.34. Jo. 13.39. compared with Matth. 26.74. & Mar. 14.71. As thoſe vertual and interpretative denyals of thoſe that in a ſort, held the Truth, but in unrighteouſneſs; profeſſing to know God (they had not caſt off that cloak) but in deeds denying him (their lives were an interpretative, ſubſtantiall, reall abjuration) Tit. 1.16. may not inconveniently be thought to caſt a glance this way; with 1 Tim. 5.8. and 2 Tim. 3.5. Even the words and ſyllables of Divine Oracles are conſiderable, the intimation of weight, the glances not to be neglected. Bleſſed is he that readeth and can underſtand. All illuſtrates the ſeriouſneſs of Defying Sathan, his pride, Pomps, Vanities, Luſts, & ALL other HIS WORKS.Col 2Luke 20Amos 6Matt 51 Tim 62 Pet 2:11 Tim 2:121 Tim 2:131 Tim 2:14Matt 26:34Matt 26:35Matt 26:75Mark 14:30Mark 14:31Mark 14:72Luke 22:34John 13:39Matt 26:74Mark 14:71Titus 1:161 Tim 5:82 Tim 3:5 others, both fathers and their children, no age or almoſt another having left it out, Admitting the baptized to be One of Ʋs only upon holy condition of publick ingagement p. 72p. 73from that day for ever: for(1)(1)Manens enim in priſtino ſtatu, & mores ſuos & conſuetudinem non relinquens, nequaquam ritè ad Baptiſmum venit. Origen. Homil. 22. in Luc. Hence that tranſmentation or change of minde, from dead works to ſerve the living and true God, and to look for his ſon from heaven, required among the paſt lower things of thoſe on whom Baptiſme had paſſed, Heb. 6.1. Laying by that foundation, foreign, &c.) He that undertakes not to reform all amiſs, as well as believe in Chriſt aright, is to be barred this Rite by St Auguſtins ſtrict Order, lib. de fide & operibus, cap. …1, 12. Propterea, & prius dixi, & nunc dico, & dicere non diſiſtam, ſiquis morum vitia non correxit, nec ſibi facilem paravit virtutem, ne baptizetur: Chryſoſt. Homil. 21. tom. 1. pa. 239. Non ideo abluimur ut delinquere deſinamus, ſed quia deſiimus: quoniam jam corde loti ſumus. Tertullian. lib. de poenit: After much diſpute, Aquinas his concluſion ſettles on this, Manens in propoſito peccati non debet baptizari. part. 3. Queſt. 68. art. 4. And Gregory de Valencia proves it at large, in tom. 4. diſput. 4. Quaeſt. 3. punct. 3. Nay abroad, apud gentes etiam profanas uſurpatum antiquitùs fuit, ut qui initiari vellent prius toto corpore abluerentur, haud dubie eo ipſo teſtantes propoſitum innocentiae. Nam ejus propoſiti ſponſionem ab iis myſtagogi exigebant, ut Libanius docet & Lampridius, H. Grot. ad Matth. 28.19. pa. 515. Both waſhing, and in implication of innocence, among Heathens.Heb 6:1Matt 28:19 reformation and amendment of life, whatever he hath been before, that now henceforth he ſeriouſly promiſe and(2)(2)This ſolemn devout managing the work, makes it the more deſerve that obliging title, whereby the Latins (how properly I enquire not) have thought good to render the originals by the name of a SACRAMENT. Sacramentum dicitur quod jurisjurandi ſacratione interpoſita geritur, ſaid Paulus in verb. ſignificat: & Sacramento dicitur quod ſacratur fide interpoſita. Scaliger ad Feſtum. Thus is it more then a civil, a devout and Religious giving our ſelves over to God and Chriſt. ſacredly vow to(3)(3)Manet aurem ſocietas eouſque donec in eodem conſenſu perſeveraverint (ſocii) at cum aliquis renunciaverit ſocietati ſolvitur ſocietas, Juſtinian. Inſtit. 3. tit. 26. ſect. 4. forſake the Devil and all his works, (branded crimes and hainous offences, nay) the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked world,(4)(4)Pompa eſt Diaboli, in theatris ſpectacula, in Hippodromo curſus equorum, & venationes, & reliqua omnis ejuſcemodi vanitas, à qua poſtulans liberati ſanctus ille Dei, Averte inquit, oculos meos, ne videant vanitatem. Non ergo ſis curioſus frequentia ſpectaculorum, &c. Cyrill. Hieroſolym. Catecheſ. Myſtag. 1. vocis illius recorderis, quam dum ſacris initiareris, emiſiſti, Abrenuncio tibi Sathana, & pompae tuae, & cultuti tuo. Circa margaritarum enim curam in ſania eſt pompa Sathanica. Aurum enim cepiſti, non ut corpus vincias ſed ut pauperes ſolvas & enutrias. Dic igitur continuò, Abrenuncio tibi, Sathana: Nihil hac voce tutius, ſi ipſam per opera exhibeamus. Chryſoſt. Homil. 21. pa. 244. tom. 1. Pompa verò ſathanica ſunt foreign, pag. ſequ. Of the ſame eſteemed deteſtation and profeſſed abjuration are all lewd rimes, wanton ſongs, obſcaene dances, &c. Thou diddeſt renounce them all, devoting thy ſelf to Chriſts ſervice, ſaith he, Remember thy word and that promiſe, and do not by the preſent or too morrows ſports and revels, renounce that renunciation, Id. in Homil. 47. in Julian. pa. 544. Quid enim in circo faciebat, (ſays Sathan) atque ibi furias, lites, inſanas voces, maneſque victorias, (Cum jam à ſe alienus ſibimet videbatur) videbat? Quid in theatro faciebat renunciator turpium voluptatum? Quid in amphitheatro—&c? Haec omnia mea poſt renunciationem invaſit: Meus eſſe voluit, & Mea concupivit. Goncio ad Catechum. cap. 4. tom. 6. pa. 24. vid. etiam lib. de Symbolo ad Catechumen, lib. 4. cap. 1. Quae eſt enim in Baptiſmo ſalutari Chriſtianorum prima confeſſio? Quae, ſc. niſi ut renunciare ſe diabolo ac pompis ejus, atque ſpectaculis & operibus proteſtentur? Ergo ſpectacula, & pompae etiam juxta noſtram profeſſionem ſunt opera Diaboli. Quomodo, ô Chriſtiane, ſpectacula poſt Baptiſmum ſequeris, quae opus eſſe Diaboli confiteris? Renunciaſti ſemel Diabolo & ſpectaculis ejus, ac per hoc neceſſe eſt, prudens & ſciens dum ad ſpectacula remeas, ad Diabolum te redire cognoſcas. Salvian. Maſſil. de gubernat. Dei, lib. 6. The gallants of our age would account this preciſe Doctrin: that gaming, racing, ſtaging, hunting, dancing, &c. ſhould be a breach of Articles of their Chriſtendom, and a violation of the Covenant of their God! If they have been Chriſtened (they know how) let them think again, and own this preciſeneſs of ſevere life for no leſs then ſacred and ſworn duty, or they are as they are. Theatralibus ludis qui dat operam, venationibus, equorum curſibus ac certaminibus, vel deſiſtat vel rejiciatur. So the Apoſtles Canons; let them leave their vanity or their profeſſion, lib. 8. cap. 38. Scaenicus (ſive vir, ſive mulier) auriga, gladiator, Curſor ſtadii, Olympius, Choraules, Citharaedus, Lyriſta, no leſs, ib. O, for the power of our Religion! that we were but as we are BOƲND to be! and the conditions of our Faith ſeen in our works! Then ſhould not infidelity ſtand before us, but GOD be glorifyed in all his Saints. Gaming, racing, Stageplays, light and p. 74wanton ſongs, pranking with Jewels, &c. ſo far the fathers extended the meaning of this Article of agreement) and all the ſinfull luſts of the fleſh: Renunciaſti Diabolo & operibus ejus, mundo ut luxuriae ejus, ac voluptatibus, as grave(1)(1)lib. de initiand. cap. 2 St Ambroſe made bold after to remember the baptized and hold him to his Bargain: Laſtly, to(2)(2)Remember what before of the preſent mention and premonition of thoſe things were as in the Articles of the preſent Hebrew Creed, De juſtorum mercede, de poena iniquorum, &c. And compare the Chriſtians antient and uſual repetition of his Creed, by way of anſwer to ſuch Interrogation, Doſt thou believe in God the Father Almighty? &c. Of the Apoſtles times thus much is laid together by the Centuriſts: Ante Baptiſmatis impertitionem, quod quidem ad adultos attinet &c. Before any thing was done, they taught what Baptiſme was, and why uſed, what the Doctrin of the Goſpel and true faith in Chriſt. For John is ſaid to have preached a Baptiſme of repentance, Act. 3.24. The Apoſtles firſt taught of Chriſt, of repentance and Baptiſme, and then, thoſe that received the word by repenting and believing, they Baptized, Act. 2.38, 41. Nor would Philip admit the Samaritans, till they heard and received the Goſpel, Act. 8.12. The Eunuch being well inſtructed of the Goſpel and Faith in Chriſt, out of the Prophet, Eſai 53. deſires to be baptized. Philip conditions, if thou believeſt with all thy heart, thou mayſt. He anſwers, I believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the ſon of God, ver. 35, &c. Unde haud obſcurè intelligitur baptizandos oportuiſſe fidei ſuae confeſſionem ante Baptiſmum edere. Whence is plain, that profeſſion of faith went before admiſſion to profeſſion of it. Magdeburg. Centur. 1. lib. 2. cap. 6. Col. 382. Among thoſe conſtitutions are ſaid to have been St Peters, we have both inſtruction into the faith to be baptized into, God increate, Jeſus the only begotten ſon of God, the Holy Ghoſt, Divine Providence, &c. to the laſt of Reſurrection of the body and life everlaſting, and perſonal aſſent teſtified by word, if not ſigned by the hand, Aggregor & credo & baptizor in unum & ingenitum meum verum Deum omnipotentem, patrem Chriſti, Creatorem & opificem omnium, ex quo Omnia: & in Dominum Jeſum unigenitum filium ejus, primogenitum omnis creaturae, &c. Crucifixum ſub Pontio Pilato, &c. Conſtitut, Apoſtol. lib. 7. cap. 39, & 41. The continuance whereof is atteſted by the Greek and Latine Fathers. Gregor. Nazianzen. Orat. 40. cap. 51. tom. 1. pa. 671. Chryſoſtom. Homil. 40. in 1 Cor. 15. tom. 5. in N. Teſtam. pa. 451. Cyrill. Hieroſolym. Catech. Myſtagog. 1. pa. 230. Atque tunc unuſquiſque interrogabatur, An crederet in Nomen Patris, & filii, & ſp. Sancti? & confeſſi eſtis confeſſionem ſalutarem. Catecheſ. Myſtag. 2. pa. 232. ſever. patriarch. Alexander: in Biblioth. pat. Latin. tom. 7. pa. 530. Joan. Damaſcen: Hiſtoria de Barlaam, &c. cap. 19. pa. 867. Baſil. in exhortat. ad Bapt. Homil. 13. tom. 1. 415. Nicet. de ordine qui obſervatur cum quis à Saraceniſmo, &c. Biblioth. pat. Gr. tom. 2. pa. 288. Looking up toward heaven, and with hands ſtretched out thither, the Miniſter bids, Chriſto aſſentire, omnibuſque ſacris verbis, quae à Deo tradita ſunt. Dionyſ. in Hierarch. Eccleſ. Tertullian. lib. de bapt. cap. 6. lib. de pudicitia, cap. 9. Cyprian. Epiſt. 70. pa. 101. Epiſt. 75. pa. 116. & Epiſt. 77. Baron. ad ann. 259. num. 23. tom. 2. col. 675. Ambroſ. de Sacrament. lib. 2. cap. 7. tom. 4. de ſpir. Sancto. lib. 2 cap. 11. Auguſtin. Confeſſion. lib. 8. cap. 2. Concio ad Catechumen. contra Judaeos. cap. 1, 5, 6, &c. Homil. 3. ad Neophyt. lib. de fide & operibus, cap. 11. ſerm. 2. de Bapt. in append. tom. 10. Hieron. contra Lucifer. cap. 5. tom. 2. pa. 167. in proverb. 2 tom. 8. pa. 75. Symbol. Ruffini. tom. 9. pa. 63. Concil. Laodicen. ca. 46. de redditione fidei baptizandorum, Concil. Brac. 2. cap. 1. apud. Caranz. fol. 289. Salvian. Maſſil. lib. de gubernat. Dei 6. Alchwin. de divinis officiis cap. 14. col. 1061, 1063. & cap. 21. col. 1069. Epiſtol. ad imperat. Carol. de ceremoniis Bapt. col. 1155. & Epiſt ad Dominum regem. col. 1489. Jo. Beleth. divinorum officiorum explicatio. c. 110. Gratian. de Conſecrat. diſt. 4. c. 37, & 59. Lombard. ſentent. lib. 4. diſt. 6. Porrò, cuncti ad Baptiſmum venientes fidem ſuam profiteri debent, & exponere ad quid petendum venerint ad eccleſiam, Calvin. Inſtit. 4. cap. 15. ſect. 19. & H. Grot. in Evangel. Matth. 28.19. pa. 518. From which declaration of faith ſo often mentioned, ſo uſually required, ſo commonly made, and in an orderly way never to be left out, the ſeal thereon was called foreign, a rite of obſignation into the faith, by St. Baſil. and in Tertullian, obſignatio Baptiſmi. lib. de Bapt. cap. 13. Nor may all this want foundation of Divine likely authority (if we take probable gueſſes and likely interpretations) much may be derived from the equity of Act. 8.37. (but an example, yet imitable) Doſt thou believe? If thou doſt, thou mayſt; ſo he did and was. I thought thus, when (beſides from the Centuriſts before) I had a ſtipulation from Beza, in his larger annotations on the place, G. Caſſander, in one of his Treatiſes about the middle of his Works, pa. 752. Joſeph. Vicecom. de ritibus Bapt. lib. 2. cap. 23. and he that ſo lately wrote from Rome, Joan. Bapt. Caſalius, de veteribus Chriſtianorum ritibus, cap. 5. pa. 35. No other might be that confeſſion of hope, Heb. 10.22. made, it ſeems, when the body was waſhed in pure water. Cornel à Lapide, Eſtius, and Beza ſo underſtand, and the conſequence of text favours and furthers; the very word of illightening or Baptiſme (ſo expreſſed by the Syriack) follows ſoon after, In chap. 3.1. Chriſt is the Highprieſt of our confeſſion, him we then confeſſed, or the ſubject of the work, in chap. 6.1, 2. the Apoſtle eggs on himſelf with the loytering Synagogue, to leave ſpeech of the beginning of Chriſt and make on, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, (Doſt thou believe in God, the Father, &c.) the Doctrin of Baptiſmes, impoſition of hands, Reſurrection of the dead, and eternall judgment (which two laſt were the two laſt articles of the preſent Hebrews Creed, before pa. 18. whereon St Auguſtin, Haec omnia pertinere ad initia Neophytorum ſatis aperteque teſtatur ſcriptura, lib. de fide & operibus, cap. 11. And, what ſpeech was this of the beginning of Chriſt? Sermonem inchoationis, vocat doctrinam quae tradi ſolet iis qui Chriſto initiantur: quae ſuperius appellavit (cap. 5.12.) elementa exordii ſermonum Chriſti: ſays Eſtius on the place. And both Beza and Cornelius a Lap. make the five following particulars ſo many heads of Chriſtian Catechiſme, whereof account was given and required before the Myſtery: Reſpicit ad profeſſionem ſymboli, quam faciebant baptizandi, ſo Eſtius again. Or, the Doctrin of Baptiſmes, may be a head to all the reſt, which were ſo many branches of Doctrin, then delivered; the rather for that parentheſis with which thoſe words in Luthers Edition of the Originall, are incloſed. Heed well the conſtruction of the Greek. And (from Rabanus) the conſequence and order of Matth. 28.19. Go, Teach and Baptize: and Matth. 16.16. He that believeth and is baptized. To all not unſutable may be added remembrance, that the Apoſtles Creed was wont to be called Symbolum, as the common watch-word wherein all believers in Chriſt were to agree. Quod ſignum in noſtr. lingua vertitur vel Cognitio. Quando enim dividebantur Apoſtoli per totuma orbem praedicationis cauſa, dederunt illud praedicatori, ut ſiquis talia confiteretur qualia ibi dicuntur, cognitionem daret ſe à Chriſti Apoſtolis ſive à ſucceſſoribus eorum didiciſſe. Alchwin. in Epiſt ad Imperat. Carolum. col. 1153. which Ruffinus had more at large before: inter opera Hieron. tom. 9. Epiſt. 19. pa. 63. If ſo, this might be the larger form of words into which Baptiſme was made; dilating upon that of Scripture more contracted, Matth. 28.19. Of great uſe for continuance, to maintain conſent of Doctrin.Acts 3:24Acts 2:38Acts 2:41Acts 8:12Isa 531 Cor 15Matt 28:19Acts 8:37Heb 10:22Matt 16:16 believe in God and to ſerve him (accordingly) which the Catechumene was p. 75p. 76after taught to have accompliſhment in [to (1)(1)Remember here again what before of the Proſelytes ſincere undertaking to fulfill the whole Law of Moſes, pa. 18. or elſe no Matriculation into the S…nagogue; eſpecially from Saint Paul, Every one Circumciſed is bound to keep it intire, Gal. 5.3. and add thereto both what out of Oecumenius hereafter of the intimation (by being baptized into Moſes, 1 Cor. 10.2.) of a Covenant to obſerve that Law, and what Mr. Selden has upon another occaſion,—nec cooptatum quempiam, qui futuram legis Moſaicae obſervationem in ſe non reciperet: de Jure Nat. &c. lib. 7. cap. 12. And compare therewith that obligation to obey Laws Chriſtian, and ingagement to all morall and holy ſtrictneſs preimpoſed and conditioned, as well as after required and expected of all thoſe came over to Jeſus of Nazareth from the wilderneſs of this world by water and the Holy Ghoſt, In Heb. 6.1. Repentance from dead works is among the lower foundations, above which is required much exaltation, as before. The ſame Apoſtle having remembred, a Layer of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt, ſoon infers, thoſe that have ſo believed in God, ſhould (by a faithfull ſaying and worthy ſpecial remembrance) be carefull to maintain good works, and inforces it again, for neceſſary uſes, and that they be not unfruitfull, Tit. 3.5, 8, 13. Our Saviours Canon is moſt conſiderable, Mat. 28.19, 20. Go, make Diſciples Baptizing, &c, And teach them to obſerve all that I have commanded, in ſincere performance, and an abſolute integrity of all obedience, that no trifle be left out. Whereupon, to light it this way, thus Jo. Ferus, Nequis ſatis eſſe putet ſemel tinctum eſſe ac profeſſum Evangelicam fidem, RURSUS DOCENDI SUNT quibus modis progredi poſſint ad perfectionem Evangelicae pietatis, Quaſi dicat; A me nihil omiſſum eſt quod pertineat ad parandum ſalutem aeternam; Veſtrum erit, nedum fidem docere, ſed etiam vitam & mores informare. Nulla enim fides eſt quae opus Dei non habet, & adeò non prodeſt Baptiſmus, ut ſi non ſervemus quod notat Baptiſmus, id eſt, mortificationem carnis & innovationem vitae, vehementer etiam obſit. Comment. in Matth. lib. 4, pa. 302. and St Hierom, according to his wont, judiciouſly and gravely: The order is here much to be regarded, Juſſit Apoſtolis ut primùm docerent univerſas gentes, deinde fidei intingerent ſacramento, & poſt fidem ac Baptiſma, quae eſſent obſervanda praeciperent. Ac ne putemus levia eſſe quae juſſa ſunt & pauca, addidit: Omnia quecunque mandari vobis. Ut quicunque crediderint, qui in Trinitate fuerint baptizati, omnia faciant quae praecepta ſunt, Comment in Matth. 28. tom. 6. pa. 60. Plini gives account to Trajan the Emperor of the Chriſtians then ſo early meetings, Eos ſc. ſe ſacramento ſolenni obſtringere ſolere, ne ſurta, ne latrocinia, ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fallerent, ne depoſitum appellati abnegarent, Epiſt. lib. 10. Epiſt. 97. and from him, Tertullian: in Apologet. cap. 2. Dionyſius, about thoſe times. Tum ei exponit rationem perfectam, qua ad Deum accedendum eſt, explanataque eidem divina vita, &, ut ita dicam, converſatione, ex eo praeterea quaerit. Num ità inſtituat vivere? Cum promiſit, manum ejus capiti admovet, &c. Dionyſ. Areop. ca. 2. Juſtine Martyr was not long after. Quo verò modo nos Deo dicaverimus, exponemus, ſaith he,—Quicunque perſuaſi fuerint & crediderint vera eſſe quae à nobis traduntur & dicuntur ac vivere ſe ita poſſe receperint, orare jejunantes & petere à Deo priorum peccatorum remiſſionem docentur, nobis cum illis & orantibus & jejunantibus; and ſo they are Baptized. St Auguſtine doubts not the Eunuch was thus articled with, Act. 8. in lib. de fide & operibus, cap. 9. The Fathers have their works full of what faſting, prayer, and all the parts and works of holy penitence (ſee Act. 2.38.) were required to cleanſe and prepare that veſſel was to hold the holy water of Divine Baptiſme, (the Renunciation afore was a part of that purification) which yet was not to be powred in neither, but with all poſſible obligation to keep it ſo, ſc. to obey God in all his written Laws, and to follow the Lambe whith…rſoever he goeth. See more in Clem. Roman. Conſtitution. lib. 3. cap 18. & lib. 8. cap. 40. Tertullian lib. de Baptiſmo, cap. 20. Baron▪ o… an. 259. num. 11. baſil. de ſancto Bapt. lib. 1. t…m. 1. pa 558 Cyrill Hieroſolym. Catech. 3. Gregor. Nazianzen, Orat. 40. cap. 38, & 51. Auguſtin. lib. de fide & operibus, from cap. 6. to cap. 13. & de tempore ſerm. 116. tom 10. pa. 305. Damaſcen. Hiſtor. Barlaam. cap. 19 pa. 867. Concil. Carthag. 4. can. 85. taken into the Decree, de Conſec. Diſt. 4. c. 60. foreign. Marc. Eremita de Baptiſmo, in Biblioth. pat. Gr. tom. 1. pa 918. And Gregory Nazianzene, foreign; the turning over a new leaf. Carm. Iambic. 15. tom. 2. pa. 202. Of later times; Hominem, qui baptizatur, obligare ſeipſum ad juge Dei ſacrificium, teſtis eſt D. Paulus, Epiſt. ad Rom. 6. ver. 1, 2, 3. Shall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? God forbid! How ſhall we that are dead unto ſin, live any longer therein? Are ye ignorant that they who are Baptized into Chriſt, are Baptized into his death? Being buried with him by Baptiſme unto ſin, to be raiſed unto newneſs of life? Brockman, Artic. 34. ſect. 3. So Iſrael undertook ſanctification and vow of obedience in order to their Law; Iſrael according to the Spirit, the ſame; and either at admiſſion: Into Mr. Hookers minde it came to bring them both together. Every baptized ſoul receiving grace at the hands of God, tieth likewiſe it ſelf for ever after, to the obſervation of his Law, no leſs then the Jews by Circumciſion bound themſelves (Gal. 5.3.) to the Law of Moſes. Eccleſ. Politie. lib. 5. pa. 338. and Mr. Selden no leſs, Praefecturae juridicae quae baptiſmo praeerat profitebatur proſelytus ipſe majorennis (maſculus qui annum decimum tertium, foemina quae duodecimum ſuperaverat) legem Moſaicam ſe ſervaturum. Minorum verò nomine, idem ipſum profitebatur praefectura ipſa, uti in Chriſtianiſmo ſuſceptores minorennium ſeu parvulorum, de Synedriis vet. Ebraeor. lib. 1. cap. 3. pa. 34. The traduction ſought for, made out plain. How Heathen initiation did promiſe innocence, enough was ſaid before.Gal 5:31 Cor 10:2Heb 6:1Titus 3:5Titus 3:8Titus 3:13Matt 28:19Matt 28:20Matt 28Acts 8Acts 2:38Rom 6:1Rom 6:2Rom 6:3keep Gods holy will and Commandments, and to ſerve him truely all the days of his life,] without which no Baptiſme, or p. 77p. 78whereinto this did lead, and publickly and ſolemnly engage,

Theſe, and more, and the whole grave and antient dreſs of this moſt holy Ceremony had Sacrament, as it was apparelled and ſet forth in elder days by thoſe antient and holy(1)(1)Ne tranſgrediaris terminos antiquos quos poſuerunt patres tui, Proverb. 22.28. ſc. ne tranſgrediaris terminos fidei, quos Catholici ab initio ſtatuêre doctores. Hieron. in loc. tom. 8. pa. 104. Fathers (in their miniſtration) and martyrs, who lived and died in and for the truth of Jeſus Chriſt, confeſſedly before the growth of ſuperſtition, I believe it would be no impoſſible thing to render it the fruit of labour, incouraged p. 79with(1)(1)Et ſi quid tecum diſſentiat priſcae veritatis indagator, dum Apoſtolicas voces, dumque rejectis fabulis, veteris eccleſiae commentationes, Rei que publicae (cujus poſt Deum ſumus) conſectetur veſtigia, impunitatem meretur. This at leaſt. Ab. Wheloc. fol. 4. Epiſt. ad lect. impunity, and aſſiſted by due means of furniſhing out ſo important and needfull a ſearch, to prove, That they derive themſelves (probably) from a fair parity and reſemblance of the like doings, proceedings, undertakings, performances annexed to a kinde of Sacramentall Baptiſmall initiation into the truth on the other ſide of the Covenant. And as it is moſt certain they have been in all(2)(2)Hi ritus omnes (Catecheſis, ſcrutinium, Abrenunciatio, fidei profeſſio) ab ipſa Baptiſmi inſtitutione habue…unt originem. Chamier. Panſtrat. Cathol. 4.5.15.19. That mighty Champion of Truth, and incomparable confounder of all Popery; whom not all the Jeſuits in Chriſtendom ſhall ever be able to confute in this world, or the world to come: ſays Mr. Bolton of him, in his Inſtruct. for comforting of Conſc. pa. 386. And before: Eorum (rituum) ordines duos explico: Unum legitimorum, alienorum alterum: Priorem qui oritur ex ipſa ſacramenti natura atque ejus inſtitutione; as theſe: Though he would have all diſcretion uſed (which no good man but wiſhes) in the application; To whom, where, when, &c. ages (much, for that hath been ſaid before) and ſtates of the Church, and to have come from the beginning, ſo that they were before likewiſe, even before our Saviours incarnation, in that other Hemeſphere of the true believing Synagogue, which was inlightened by the face of God from Moſes and the Prophets. Which if, how likely they muſt not but have been to come through his and his Apoſtles hands? And if this, of what rare uſe and conſequence it would be (being well proved) is left to judge, though for the weightineſs is hard, in few words to determine, or many.

Certainly for(3)(3)Quo peraequè adverſus univerſas haereſes jam hinc prae…udicatum ſit, Id eſſe verum quodcunque primum, Id eſſe adulterum quodcunque poſterius. Tertullian. adverſus Prax. cap. 2. Ne innitaris prudentiae tuae. Proverb. 3.5. Prudentiae autem ſuae innititur, qui ea, quae ſibi agenda, vel dicenda videntur, patrum decretis ante ponit. Hieron, in Proverb. 3. 1200. or 1400. years ſuch Interrogations, Reſponſions, Vow, Promiſe, Profeſſion, Confeſſion, &c. with ſureties, and the interpoſition of divers other ſuch requiſits and performances, of ſolemnity and uſe enough, have been continued (beſide the bare and ſimple act of Baptizing) by order: And if nearer the fountain and up to the very well head (as far as books and lights of information help us to ſee) and alſo beyond; if on this ſide of the Croſs and the other, and on both ſides neareſt, how unlike is it but the beſt interceding times of our Saviour and his p. 80Apoſtles might have them likewiſe, and both take and give them? take them with one hand from the times before, and convey them (with Baptiſme again) to the times following? They being in themſelves ſuch things as are not(1)(1)Ritus tamen illos ſervandos judicamus, qui ſine peccato ſervari poſſunt & ad ordinem bonum proſunt. Confeſſ. Auguſtan. art. 15. vid. etiam Caſſand. Conſultation. cap. de Ceremon. Baptiſmi pa. 84. evill, but grave and good, of no evident or probable iniquity in uſe or conſequence, and ſo far from ſuperſtition (unleſs mens opinion make them ſo, as by enhancing their neceſſity, or aſcribing to their effects, &c.) that they tend openly to edifycation, and the better,(2)(2)Omnia Decenter & ordine fiant. 1. Corinth. 14.40. Ergo, erſi alia deſint quae ad decorem Sacramenti inſtituta ſunt, non ideò minus eſt verum, ſacramentum eſt ſanctum, ſiverbum ſit ibi & Elementum. Nam & in hoc Sacramento (Baptiſmi) & in aliis, quaedam ſolent fieri ad decorem & honeſtatem ſacramenti, quaedam ad ſubſtantiam & cauſam ſacramenti pertinentia: De ſubſtantia hujus ſacramenti ſunt verbum & elementum, Caetera ad ſolennitatem ejus pertinent. Lombard. Sentent. lib. 4. diſt. 3. — Ceremonias, quae ſacramenti hujus dignitatem & vim commendent, tanquam verba quaedam viſibilia, &c. Caſſander, ubi ſupra.1 Cor 14:40 handſomer, fuller, if not faſter inocculation or graffing wild men into that holy ſtock which is Chriſts myſticall body, the Elect company of moſt holy Believers, his beloved Church. For how handſome is it, if thoſe few who have the hap or rather happineſs to be brought into the fold with Chriſts little flock, (3)(3)Renunciantes ſtetiſſe recto corpore, ad ſolem occidentem ſpectaſſe, manus protendiſſe, in coelum erexiſſe, complicaſſe, invicem colliſiſſe, ſpiritum impuliſſe, atque etiam in terram ſpuere; & ſingulorum ratio demonſtrata, apud Joſeph. Vicecom. de antiquis rit. Bapt. lib. 2. cap. 19.diſclaim his enemy (the roaring Lyon) upon their entrance, and have with them ſureties (fide-juſſores is St Auguſtines common title, Sponſores & promiſſores in others) that they do and will ever after defy and Renounce that Sathan, thoſe maligne, oppoſite, adverſe powers, that are moſt contrary to him? as by all conceſſions and confeſſions, the Devil, the World, and the Fleſh are moſt notoriouſly ſuch and undeniably. Of what great obligation muſt it needs be to hold men faſt and cloſe in, ever after to the Chriſtian Law, when, (and at the very admiſſion) the admitted ſhall enter upon no other terms but expreſs and avowed undertaking, condition and promiſe, that he will ever after keep thereto? How compleat muſt it needs make the preſent action cannot but ſpeak it ſelf out of being Baptized into the Faith of Chriſt, if the heads or articles of that faith be p. 81then and there diſtinctly(1)(1)As in the Baptiſme of Prince Joſaphat, in Jo. Damaſc. Hiſtory, chap. 19. St. Auguſtine has an excellent treatiſe, of the Explication of Chriſtian Religion, by giving the ſum and heads of the Doctrin of the Old and New Teſtament, before Baptiſme: de Catechizandis rudibus, tom. 4. pa. 295, &c. The like is in Gregory Nazianzene, in Orat. 40. in Sanctum Bapt. cap. 51. See alſo Auguſtine, Serm. 130. ad Competentes. repeated and rehearſed as the particular covenants of that Indenture or Agreement,(2)(2)Decret. 1. diſtinct. 23. cap. 6. ſolet enim plus timere quod ſingulariter pollicetur, quàm quod generalis ſponſione concluditur) to which the(3)(3)Olim in Baptiſmo fidem Chriſtianam profeſſuri publicè in coelum ſuſpiciebant, ac manus dextras in altum erigebant, adhibito juramento coram teſtibus: ac Jusjurandum manu baptizati ſubſcriptum, ejuſ que annulo obſignatum in tabulas referebatur, uti ex patribus, &c. Cornel. à Lap. in 1 Pet. 3.21. As 'twere in accompliſhment of what the Prophet Eſai foretold, upon the powring forth of theſe myſticall waters: One ſhall ſay, I am the Lords: and another ſhall call himſelf by the name of Jacob: and another ſhall ſubſcribe with the hand unto the Lord: and ſirname himſelf by the name of Iſrael, Iſa. 44.4. Scribet in manu, DEI SUM, ut novo tyrocinio ſervitutis Chriſti ſe militem glorietur. Hieron. in loc. tom. 4 pa. 145. Intuentemque in coelum & manus tendentem jubet (Hierarcha) Chriſto aſſentire, omnibuſque ſacris verbis quae à Deo tradita ſunt. Dionyſ. Hierarch. Poſtquam autem renunciârunt, convertit eos ad orientem, & ait tribus vicibus: — Conſentio tibi Chriſte Deus Ego N. qui baptizor, & omni doctrinae quae revelata eſt à te divinitus per prophetas & Apoſtolos & Sanctos Patres. Confiteor quoque & credo & baptizor in te & in patre tuo, & in ſancto ſpiritu tuo, &c. Severus patriarch. Alexand. lib. de ritibus Bapt. in Biblioth. pat. tom. 7. pa. 530. which is yet retained in thoſe Countreys among the Cophti, (or Egophti, Egiptians) to this day. Paget. Chriſtianog. lib. 1. pa. 158. foreign. Nichol. Cabaſil. Liturg. expoſit. cap. 1. & vid. Nicet. de ordine qui obſervatur, cum quis à Saraceniſmo, &c. loco ſuprà citat. foreign. Cyrill. Hieroſ. Catech. Myſtag. 1. Taking all together: Fidem profeſſuros in coelum ſuſpexiſſe, ac manus dextras in altum erexiſſe; profeſſionem publicè & alta voce fieri ſolitam; teſtes in ea adhibitos; juſjurandum additum; eam quoque in tabulas relatam, & profitentis vel alterius manu ſubſcriptam; ac demùm annulo obſignatam; eorum omnium rationes allatas, vid. apud Joſeph. Vicecom. de antiqu. ritibus, lib. 2. cap. 27. All this belongeth to the manner, the grave and circumſtantical, ſtudied ſerious way of acting in this miniſtration.1 Pet 3:21Isa 44:4 hand and ſeal of publick and deliberate conſent, are then and there to be affixed? As accordingly, how frequent and wonderfull-powerful uſe, the (4) Fathers (that well underſtood theſe things, p. 82(3)(3)See Tertullian. de Coron. cap. 13. Chryſoſt. Homil. 21. ad pop. Antioch. & Homil. 47. in Sanctum Julianum. Auguſtin. Serm. 116. ad competent. & Conc. ad Catechumen: adverſus Judaeos. tom. 6. Cyrill. Hieroſ. Catechiſ. Myſtag. 1. Nicet: Commentar. in Gregor. Nazianzen. Orat. 40. The ſum of Baptiſme, is a compact with God, ac proindè vel maximo in metu omnes eſſe, atque omni cuſtodia animas noſtras ſervare debemus, ne hoc pactum violaſſe comperiamur. Nam cùm ad mutua hominum pacta firmanda Deus medius adhibeti ſolcat, quantum quaeſo periculum eſt, ne foedera cum Deo ipſo contracta pertregiſſe reperiamur? ac praeter alia peccata ipſius etiam mendacii apud veritatis tribunal rei peragamur? Gregor. Nazian. Orat. 40. cap. 8. May it not be ſaid of all here, as our learned Countreyman (but not taking in all his particulars) upon like occaſion? Videris quam fideliter, rationabiliter & prudenter haec omnia tradita ſunt nobis obſervanda: Nemo Catholicus contra eccleſiae authoritatem, Nemo ſobrius contra rationalem conſu…tudinem, Nemo fidelis contra pietatis intelligentiam certare audeat. Alchwin. Epiſtol▪ …0.before time and negligence had frozen them into dull and uſeleſs forms) made of them in their holy and divine tractates and Sermons, ad populum Chriſtianum, is known to all thoſe very well that have read their Works.

I ſaid, ſome few appendants of Baptiſme: But might I not as well, more and the moſt of old Chriſtianity to have been in the ſeveral particulars as ſo many branches ſlipped off from the elder Synagogue, and tranſplanted to the ornament of new Sion, Chriſt's Catholick Church? the rather for that S… Auguſtine doubted not HER Truth to be coaevall with the world, and clothed only with a new name of late, for ſubſtance, to have been ſince the beginning. For, ſpeaking of that the immortall ſoul hath to truſt to to convey it hence to God,(1)(1)In lib. de vera religione, cap. 10. tom. 1. pa. 303. Ea eſt noſtris temporibus Chriſtiana religio, ſaith he, quam cognoſcere ac ſequi, ſecuriſſima & certiſſima ſalus eſt; That can do this alone which we now call Chriſtian Religion, the ſureſt guide to know and follow. Which later date (now he(2)(2)Retractat. lib. 1. cap. 13. tom. 1. pa. 10. after expounds to be meant only of the Name, not Thing, Secundum hoc Nomen, non ſecundum rem cujus eſt nomen, Nam res ipſa quae nunc Chriſtiana Religio nuncupatur, erat & apud antiquos, nec defuit ab initio generis humani, quo uſque ipſe Chriſtus veniret in carne, Ʋndo vera religio quae jam erat, caepit appellari Chriſtiana. Cum enim poſt reſurrectionem aſcenſionemque in coelum coepiſſent Apoſtoli praedicate, & plurimi crederent, primùm apud Antiochiam, ſicut ſcriptum eſt, appellati ſunt diſcipuli Chriſtiani, Act. 11.26. Propterea dixi, Haec eſt noſtris temporibus Chriſtiana religio; non quia prioribus temporibus non fuit, ſed quia poſterioribus hoc nomen accepit. For p. 83that we call Chriſtian Religion (his meaning is) was of old, never but among mankind ſince the beginning, till Chriſt, of whom it was NAMED Chriſtian, For when after his death and reſurrection, his Apoſtles preached him and were believed; Then were men called Chriſtians firſt at Antioch: And therefore ſaid I, the Chriſtianity of our times, not becauſe it was not ſooner, but of later times was begun to be ſo called. So indeed: Truth is from the beginning; coaevall with the world: Goſpel truth the light and glory of all ages, from the ſame point of duration with the Sun of the Firmament: But not of equall brightneſs; for it hath ſhined ſometimes dimmer, ſometimes clearer, as the ſame Father again, ſometimes under vail, ſometimes revealed, as Type or Reality, Shadow or Subſtance. Nor is that but worthy of all acceptation, as rooted in truth, and grounded on much obſervation all abroad, of the ſingularly judicious H. Grotius, fit here to be called up to be heard ſpeak again, Pleraque veteris Chriſtianiſmi à Judaeis, moſt of Chriſtian is borrowed from Judah and Jeruſalem. It had been to be wiſhed (as he was moſt able) that he had, while he lived, ſet himſelf on work about traduction and to imbody the particulars: No inquiry could be more uſefull then what might have produced ſatisfaction, in our darkeſt times (becauſe remote from the firſt ſpreading of light) about what is pregnantly inſinuated in Rom. 11.17. the graffing in of that Olive Tree which is wilde by nature, the Gentiles, upon the ſtock, or inſteed of the broken branches of decayed Iſrael, that once moſt fertile and truebred natural Olive Tree; wherein it yet ſtands & floriſhes by faith of that truth, the unbelief wherof in that wretched infidel, both brake him off at firſt, and makes him yet continue a dead and ſapleſs ſtick fit for the fire. Which till, and from better abilities, anſwering the difficulty, ſhall pleaſe God to ſet ſome fitter hand on work, to go through with it, let the needfulneſs and uſefulneſs excuſe this eſſay.

Where (omitting, though not but remembring, what we have under our hands, of the Hebrew parentage of our two p. 84great Sacraments (Let**But know▪ Reader, that as I had obſerved and digeſted theſe conſiderations, there came to my hands a very uſefull treatiſe this way, called THEOLOGIA JƲDAEORƲM, Sive Opus (verè aureum) in quo res ipſa quae nunc Chriſtiana Religio nuncupatur, etiam apud antiquos fuiſſe, priuſquam Chriſtus veniret in carne, ex Hebraeorum libris oſtenditur; The Author Joſeph de Voiſin a Frenchman, and of Burdeaux, Printed the laſt year at Paris, 1647. His ſcope the ſame with mine; and for ſo far as he hath gone, and thoſe ſpeculations he hath taken in hand (for of that nature his enquiries are, but ſpeculations; nor hath he more then begun, as of Gods Ʋnity; Eſſence, Attributes of Eternity, immenſity, incorruptibility, &c. according to the Schools; ſo far) he keeps to his text very cloſe, and makes good his title with much faelicity of ſucceſs. Good luck may he have with his honour, and a proſperous journey in this his progreſs for new diſcovery, to ſpin out his thread to full length and ſatisfaction of all lookers on as he hath begun. That I borrowed not of him, an inſpection of the things will be my beſt and real juſtification; Whether he may of me, Time will ſhew. Let Knowledge proſper by all means, and Truth ſhine out every day clearer and clearer by whomſoever. I cannot but love the name of CHRIST, and what I finde of HIM whereſoever: eſpecially what lays deepeſt, and toward the bottom of time, giving oppoſition to his open profeſſed enemies. That ſweet name is my hope, be my Comfort in life and death, and after death, even for ever and ever. firſt be called to minde what I ſomewhere read in the exchange of Letters between Dr. Hammond and Dr. Cheynell, ſc. that Confeſſion of ſins, Prayer, Lection. Benediction, and the whole ordered form of Divine publick ſervice, is ſaid there to have come into the Church from the Synagogue, for which is alledged the famous Morney du Pleſſy, lib. 1. de Miſſa. cap. 3. Then, to fit the body with a head not unanſwerable, add that the title of foreign (which in it ſelf betokens(1)(1)Rom. 13.6. Exod. 24.13. and Paſors Lexicon on the new Teſtament, page 296.Rom 13:6Exod 24:13 publick imployment or ſervice, and by firſt Chriſtian Governors was laid hold of to denote their publick ſacred ſervice) is from the old by the new Teſtament conveyed to our later days; yea is in the new both of the new and old, and from both, through the current of ages, conveyed down to ours. (Nor offers this any croſs to whatever is or ſeems eſtabliſhed now: for a new Directory is nothing elſe but an Eſtabliſhed Order for Publick Sacred Service or Liturgy, and the old Liturgy was nothing but a publick agreed on Direction for ſacred Service or Worſhip; both to further unity and conſent in the things of HIM is ONE, and long ſince uſed as expoſitory one of the other.)

For, as to the Old firſt, in that tranſlation the learned obſerve our Saviour and his Apoſtles to have been more converſant then in their own native originall, becauſe therewith their allegations are found better to agree, then (as it is p. 85come to us) their Hebrew edition, the publick ſervice of the Temple there (moſt what Sacerdotall as well as Leviticall, and ſpirituall in offering Prayer, Praiſe and Sacrifice, as well as corporall in works of outward ſervility) is delivered out unto us by the title of foreign, as theſe places do evince: Num. 8.22, 25, 26. & chap. 18. ver. 7.21, 23, 31. 1 Chron. 6.32. cap. 24. ver. 3, & 19. & cap. 28. laſt, 2 Chron. 8.14. cap. 31.2, 4. & cap. 3, 10, 16. Sapient. ſolom. 18.21. Sapient. Sirack 50.21. 2 Maccab. 4.14. To do either work is worded to us foreign, Exod. 28.35, & 43. cap. 29.30. cap. 30.20. cap. 35.19. & cap. 38. laſt, Num. 8.6, & 31. cap. 4.3, & 26. cap. 16.9. cap. 18.7, 21. & 23. Deuteron. 10.8. & cap. 18.5, & 7. 1 Chron. 6.32. cap. 23.13, & 27. 2 Chron. 5.14. cap. 13.10. cap. 23.6. cap. 29.11. cap. 31.2. & cap. 35.3. Nehem 10.35. Ezek. 40.46. cap. 42.14. cap. 43.19. cap. 44. ver. 15, 16, 17, 19, & 27. & cap. 45.4. Daniel 7.10. Joel, 1.9, 14. & cap. 2.17. Beſides the Wiſdom of Sirach. cap. 4.15. cap. 45.19. & cap. 50.15. & 1 Maccab. 10.42. Even as Philo tels us the Prieſts had in the Temple, Bread (unleavened) and Salt (unmixed) thereby different from others, and it was foreign, a reward of their Miniſtry or publick ſervice they performed there. And Joachim the high-prieſt, and all they that waited before the LORD, foreign, offered the daily ſacrifice and prayers and voluntary donations of the people with their loyns in ſackcloth, Judeth 4.15. But above all, in 1 Chron. 16.4. where the following verſes give upon record the manner how the Prieſts did perform this work of foreign, or publick Miniſtry: to wit, by Confeſſing with a loud voice and praiſing the LORD, the God of Iſrael, and ſaying, O confeſs unto Jehovah and call upon his Name, make known his works unto the People, &c. as it followeth, (and is a compoſition of the fifteen firſt verſs of the 105. Pſalm, joyning thereto the whole 96, and the laſt of the fourth paragraph or book of the Pſames, according to the Hebrew diviſion, which is with us the 106. Bleſſed be Jehovah the God of Jſrael for ever and ever, and let all the people ſay, Amen) whereon is recorded ſoon after, ver: 37. They thus praiſed Jehovah and left there before the Ark p. 86Aſaph and his brethren, foreign, to Miniſter thus over againſt the Ark of JEHOVAH from day to day: Nor is any doubt but they continued ſo doing from age to age, for ſo long after as Simon the ſon of Onias his time (whoſe(1)(1)Vid. Joſeph. Antiqu. lib. 12. ca. 4. ſtory is within 200 years before Chriſt) the wiſe ſon of Sirah hath left deſcribed the then ſervice of the Temple much according, ſc. by Pſalmody, Prayer, Proſtration; and all the parts of worſhip till the honour of the Lord was given compleat, foreign, and they had finiſhed all his ſervice. cap. 50.20, 21, &c. Further, by another conjugate the Agent in all this work (as by and by in the New Teſtament) is ſtiled foreign, Ezra 7.24. Nehem. 10. ult. & Eſa. 61.6. (a plain propheſie of Evangelicall times, Vos autem Sacerdotes DEI vocabimini, foreign) and with application both to Prieſts and Levites, foreign, Jerem. 33.21. as in the Egiptian Philo, foreign, their Miniſters of ſacred things quenched their thirſt with water, being forbidden wine: and a little before, foreign, None might miniſter but who was ſpotleſs, lib. de victimis. pa. …53, 654. yea foreign were the Veſſels, works, and appurtenances of that ſervice, Num. 4.12, 26, 32. cap. 7.5. 2 Chron. 24.14. & foreign, wherein they were performed, Exod. 29.30. cap. 31.9. cap. 35.19. cap. 39.1, 4.1. & Ezech. 42.14.

In the New, referring to the Old, are three places, Luc. 1.21. the days of Miniſtration of Zacharie the father of John Baptiſt were foreign, Every Prieſt ſtood daily miniſtring and ſacrificing till St. Pauls time, foreign. Heb. 10.11. and all the Veſſels of Miniſtery were ſprinkled with blood, foreign, cap. 9.21. Beſides what a moſt judicious Traveller brought us home word of, that the Hebrews retain at Rome their Liturgies to this day. S. Edwin Sands, Relat. fol. 10. pa. 1, 2.

In the New Teſtament, of the New, St Paul continues and boaſts and writes the more confidently to the Gentile Romans, becauſe he was to them foreign, ſuch a p. 87Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, preſently expounded, foreign, imployed in the ſacred work of the Goſpel, chap. 15.16. The Antiochian Prophets and Doctors being met together, and [ſerving the Lord and faſting] (Beza expounds, Teaching; Chryſoſtome, Preaching; the Syriake, Praying; foreign, is the Originall) the Holy Ghoſt called for a ſeparation and Ordination▪ Act. 13.2, 3. Gamaliels Schollar if he ſhould ſpend his blood, was ready to rejoyce in that Sacrifice, joyned thereto the publick Miniſtration of the Philippians faith, foreign, cap. 2.17. for ſo St. Chryſoſtome read the place, tom. 6. N. Teſt. pa. 81. to omit, that Chriſt diſdained not the import of that title, Heb. 8.2. foreign, a Miniſter of ſacred things; whence his foreign, ver. 6. Behither and on this ſide the Scripture, things are well enough known.

A whole heap of borrowed titles is together in Mr. Seldens notes on Eutychius, num. 10. pa. 16. who is ſpeaking of impoſition of hands for ordination to publick Office, which as we have, ſo he there makes good we borrow from the alledged ſtorehouſe, with other: Animadvertendum autem eſt (ſaith he) quem admodum nomina officiorum ſacrorum, ut Patriarcha, Preſbyter, Apoſtolus, Diaconus, Primas & Epiſcopus in Chriſtianiſmum ex Judaiſmi veteris uſu foreign, jam dictis ſatis reſpondentium, manarunt (unde & ſacerdotum, foreign, Levitarum etiam nomina noſtris aptârunt majores) Ita & ritum ſive presbyterorum ſive aliorum (ut Patriarchae heic, which he is ſpeaking of) creandorum hunc, ab Ebraico fonte, uti alia non pauca, tùm ex inſtitutione, tum ex imitatione▪ manaſſe. Both Patriarch, Elder, Apoſtle, Deacon, Primate and Biſhop, all their titles of Office from Jewry, Look we upon ſome of the particulars.

The Hebrews were not without their Patriarch, for he is mentioned often. Eliezer the ſon of Zichri was ſuch over the tribe of Ruben, Saphatias the ſon of Maacah over the tribe of Simeon, Haſhakiah the ſon of Kemuel of the Levites, and ſo every other tribe had his one in Davids Politie, p. 881 Chron. 27. foreign, all Patriarchs of their ſaid tribes, ver. 22. In that liber cenſualis (like our Domus-Dei book) which the Kings of Iſrael and Juda kept by them, cap. 9.1. were many more; ſome of their names after remembred, Salom, and Jemnaa, and Elo, &c. ſo many in all that verſe 9. they are nine hundred fifty and ſix, all Patriarchs of their families or circuits, as in the Spaniſh edition of the Septuagint, (to which Septuagint, remember, I refer all along, as where the title is found without Traduction) others are in cap. 24.31. 2 Chron. 19.8. cap. 23.20. & cap. 26.12. and were continued even among them to Chriſtian times by the fair mention is of them, in Epiphanius, Haereſ. 30. num. 4, 11. God, Theodoſ. tit. de Judaeis. L. 14. & Conſideremus Patriarchas Judaeorum, &c. in Hieron. Commentar. ad Eſ. 3. tom. 4 pa. 13. But when left off among the Hebrews, taken up by the Chriſtians, much about the year 430, if Mr. Blundle be not miſtaken, in the preface of his late Apology againſt the Biſhips, pa. 18. I ſhould think much ſooner.

The title of foreign was among them much more often. I do not ſay for a perſon that had Eccleſiaſticall praeeminence, but for that which the word does import, a Governor, an**foreign. Suidas. Primù nam que ab Epiſcopo, quid ſui nominis dignitas teneat, inquiratur. Quoniam cum Epiſcopus Graecam nomen ſit ſpeculator interpretatur. Cyprian. de 12. abuſibus ſect. cap. 10. Super inſpector. Ambroſ. lib. de dignitate ſacerdot. cap 6. The ſame with the Carthaginian Sufes (or chief Magiſtrate) from foreign ſpeculator in the Hebrew, Scaliger. ad Feſt. pa. 185. See alſo Auguſtin. de Civit. Dei. lib. 1. c. 9. & lib. 19. c. 19. Conſtitut. Othonis tit. de offic. Archiepiſcop. Polyd. Virgil de rerum invent. lib. 4. cap. 6. Gratian. Decret. 1. diſtinct. 21. c. 1 & Leonard. Coquae. in commentar. ad Auguſtin. de C. D. 19. 19. Overlooker, a Superintendent (in which ſenſe the verbe foreign is ſo frequent, as none more) as the foreign were among the Lacedemonians, to overſee that abſolute Power did not corrupt into Tyranny, and as Cicero had it commended unto him by Pompey: Ego negotio praeſum non turbulento. Vult enim me Pompeius eſſe, quem tota haec Campania & maritima ora habeat foreign, ad quem delectus & negotii ſumma referatur, lib. 7. ad Atticum. Epiſt, 11. And ſome like inferior Offices in the Civil Law, Epiſcopi qui praeſunt pani & caeteris vaenalibus rebus quae civitatium populis p. 89ad cottidianum victum uſui ſunt. Digeſt. de muneribus & honoribus. L. 18. Sect. Irenarchae: like Clerks of the Market to look to proviſion. As, for inſtance, in Num. 61.14. Jud. 9, 28, 4 Reg. 11.18. 2 Chron. 34.12, 17. Nehem. 11.9, 22. Job. 20. ult. and in the language of thoſe times to foreſhew what was to come, Et dabo principes tuos in pace, foreign, Eſai, 60.17. Sure a propheſie of Evangelicall times, fulfilled in thoſe had this title undeniably, in all the later Scriptures of the New Teſtament: Yea foreign, &c. Num. 4.16. who was before foreign, princeps ſuper principes Levitarum, in the diſtribution of their Offices, cap. 3.32. and whoſe Office is there foreign, ſuperintendentia totius tabernaculi, as Nobilius tranſlates, the overſight of all the affairs of the travailing Temple, the Tabernacle. Ad the Originall (for theſe have bin hitherto but the Septuagints tranſlations of 1 Maccab. 1.53. and the office of foreign in the prognoſtication of Pſal. 108.7. So alledged thence in that very word in the fulfilling thereof, Act. 1.20. about a ſubtitute for Judas: So tranſlated (adviſedly) by Th. Beza, Et Epiſcopatum ejus accipiat alius (for although the title were originally Doegs in the Pſalm whence 'twas alledged, and as Foreſter or chief ſhepheard, in ſo good a place and thence to be removed; no more: yet 'twas fitly enough relative (ſaith he) to and of an Apoſtle, Solent enim paſtorum, ovium, & gregis vocabula ſaepiſſimè ad eccleſiaſticam adminiſtrationem transferri, for which the Apoſtle that makes the allegation gives a fit inſtance in one of his Epiſtles, Ye were all as ſtray ſheep, but now are returned, foreign, to the ſame perſon, Shepherd and Biſhop of ſouls, 1 Pet. 2.25.) And laſtly, ſo underſtood by F. Feu-ardentius in his notes on Irenaeus, lib 4. cap. 44. who ſpeaking there of that text before (and alledged by his author, Dabo principes tuos in pace, & Epiſcopos tuos in juſtitia, Eſa. 60.17.) Atque hinc (ſaith he) manifeſtum eſt antiquiſſimam eſſe vocis Epiſcopi mentionem: ut etiam ex Pſal. 108.8. & ex prophetis per Apoſtolos traducta ſit ad Eccleſiae praefectos & principes, Annotat. 7. pa. 383. p. 90His author (remember) both read and underſtood the word in that import; St Jerome commented on it in a ſenſe according, lib. 17. in Eſ. tom. 4. pa. 203. and before them both Clemens Rom. A multis enim temporibus de Epiſcopis & Diaconis ſcriptum eſt, ſic enim alicubi ait ſcriptura: Eorum Epiſcopos in juſtitia conſtituam & Diaconos in fide, as I finde him alledged: And it is a rule with me, to prefer often a ſeeming fair interpretation of the antients, though not irrefragably true, before that commends it ſelf by more probability of later date, becauſe I know they not only loved truth as well as we, but had one help to ſee what it was, which we have not (irrecoverable from the jawes of time) from advantage of the height of ſtation upon which they ſtood. Nay, God grant they loved it not better, who did ſo much for it; We can hardly let alone what they at much coſt of care and pains and wealth, procured to leave as it was. Nor have the later Hebrews decryed this title, or forgotten it, even in this our land; for I finde Mr. Selden alledging it from the rolls in the Tower, (thoſe Records cannot deceive, or be ſuborned) ſc. Sacerdotium communitatis Judaeorum Angliae ab Henrico tertio Eliae, Epiſcopo dicto, conceditur; uti ab Edwardo primo Hagino filio Deulares: in his notes on Eutychius, num. 10. pa. 34.

But here all along I ſay nothing (mark this well) of that great queſtion now on foot, and diſputed eagerly at puſh of pike, and wherein indeed is the only queſtion, Ʋtrum Epiſcopus ſit major presbytero jure Divino? This is another thing, the praeminence or difference; that if a Conſtable be, he ſhall be preſently allowed to be greater then a Juſtice of Peace or a Chairman above the whole Committee: But the exiſtence or beeing, that ſuch a title, degree, order, and truſt, hath been and ought to be in all times and places of the New Teſtament; This I believe no one will deny, but he that is ready to offer violence to the ſacred text, to raze the Tables of Sions Eternall Covenant, and to deface and mutilate that fair body of truth, that (in beauty and majeſty, derived from above) ſhines for our light and conduct p. 91from the glorious leaves of the New Teſtament of the Son of God. For there we have it, foreign, expreſly, in all the elements of letter and ſyllable: Act. 20.28. Phil. 1.1. 1 Timoth. 3.2. Tit. 1.7. 1 Tim. 3.1. Act. 1.20. Whatever the Juriſdiction prove, this is the Title: the Life is in the Power, the doubt only Praeeminence, and of this I ſay nothing.

foreign are yet more obvious then both: it may ſeem toward ſuperfluous to collect or ſuggeſt; their evidence and frequency is ſuch in either Teſtament. I believe they came firſt from Egipt; for there we have them before in Iſrael. Gen. 50.7. With Joſeph went to ſolemnize his fathers funeral, the Servants of Pharaoh and the Elders of his houſe and the Elders of the Land: Not (adding conſideration what after followed, Moſes the Lawgiver his Marryage with Jethro's daughter the Prieſt of Midian, the familiarity that after grew between father and ſon in law thereby, the adviſe that was asked and given and taken about the whole frame of State, Exod. 19. and in a word, the influence the Politicks of Egipt are obſerved by the learned to have had on the conſtitutions of infant Iſrael) may this conjecture or derivation ſeem altogether abſurd or unreaſonable. But among Jacobs poſterity we have ſure the Elders of Iſrael, and the Elders of the People, and the Elders of the Congregation (foreign, as 'twere Church-Elders with us:) as Levit. 4.15. The Elders of the Synagogue ſhall lay their hands upon the head of the Bullock: the like is Jude 21.16. foreign: And Solomon as 'twere, called the Elders of Iſrael to Church to the dedication of the Temple (foreign) 3: Reg. 8.1. 2. Paralip. 5.2. which phraſe is again, 2 Maccab. 12.35. more and in officiall ſignification may be ſeen in Exod. 17.5. cap. 18.12. cap. 19.7. cap. 24.1, 9, 14. Num. 11.16, 24, 25. cap. 16.25. Deuteron. 31.28. (foreign — foreign) Joſh. 7.6. cap. 8.10. cap. 24.1. Jud. 8.14. Ruth. 4.2, 3, 9, 11. 1 Reg. 16.4. 2 Reg. 17.15. 3 Reg. 20.8, 11. 4 Reg. 6.32. cap. 10.1, 5. cap. 23.1. cap. 19.2. foreign. (as p. 92Eſai. 37.2) 1 Paralip. 11.3. cap. 15.25. cap. 21.16. 2 Paralip, 5.3. cap. 34.29. Ezra 3.12. cap. 10.8. Whoſoever did not come according to the counſel of the Governors and Presbyters, his Eſtate to be ſequeſtred, foreign, and himſelf excommunicate from the Church of the Captivity. Continued yet farther in 1 Maccab. 12.35. & cap. 14.20. The collection of theſe made up a foreign or Elderſhip, Exod. 3.16, 18. cap. 4.29. cap. 12.21. Levit. 9.1, 3. Num. 22.4. (even in Midian, whence Jethro was, of whom before, and Moab) Deuter. 5.23. (officiall ſtill) cap. 19.12. cap. 21.2, 3, 4, 6, 19. cap. 22.15, 16, 17, 18. cap. 25.7, 8, 9. Judith 4.7. cap. 11.11. cap. 15.9. 1 Maccab. 12.6. 2 Maccab. 1.10. cap. 4.44. & cap. 11.27. continued to after both reſurrection and aſcenſion of the ſon of God; for in the perſecution raiſed againſt the Apoſtles, Counſell is taken with the SENATE as 'tis fitly tranſlated, or Elderſhip, foreign, Acts 5.21. Nor, if we believe two of the likelyeſt witneſſes, Philo and Joſephus, was the Nation in other Countreys without them, as far as Galilee and Alexandria. Ita foreign Judaeorum Alexandriae habitantium mentio eſt apud Philonem. Ipſe Joſephus ſimili Senatorum numero (ſc. 72) foreign in Galilaea conſtituit, cum in ibi bello praefectus eſſet, ſays H. Grotius, ad Matth. 5.21. pa. 83. And as to the perſons they remained no leſs, for we have them Matth. 15.2. cap. 16.21. Mar. 8.3. cap. 14.43. cap. 15. 1. Act. 23.14. cap. 25.15 (as Judaicall ſtill) A collection of them gave Authority to perſecute Paul for his conſcience. Acts 22.5. A presbytery foreign, banded and bandyed againſt our Redeemer: Luc. 22.66. made out in deſcription to be Chief Prieſts and Scribes, And might be ſo ſtiled (of the People or ruder ſort in oppoſition to foreign, that more civilized collection in Towns,Ad Mat. 16.20 pa. 295.Matt 16:20 as Grotius thinks, (as 'twere a Rurall Deanry) And laſtly, ſince the infallible times, amongſt thoſe deprived by one Joſeph their Hebrew Apoſtle, Epiphanius (who had been of the Circumciſion) reckons up Rulers, Prieſts, and Presbyters; which, he ſays, he had information of from that very Apoſtle himſelf, p. 93in haereſ. 30. cap. 11. pa. 135.

foreign, our Deacon was among them no leſs. I ſay not always in a ſacred ſenſe, as of foreign before, (remember, nor were they clearly in Church orders at firſt by Acts 6.) but for, at large, Miniſters: And yet this ſucceſſion may as well paſſ (and of foreign too) as that of Preſbytery, Sacerdotes (or by what name ſoever we call thoſe are above Deacons with us) to follow upon thoſe who were but among the Jews Presbyters or Elders, no more; who were not (ſtrictly) of the Prieſthood, the ſons of Aaron, but meer Lay, of a different both extraction and miniſtration, and ſo needed a farther conſecration (as the Prieſts had not) by impoſition of holy hands; as well as to deſigne the party, to limit and guide the hoped fruit of preſent Invocation for ſomewhat to be poured out from above to inable to a new and extraordinary work, which the ſons of Aaron were ſuppoſed not to want from the inherited purity of their blood. And thence alſo we ordain by impoſition of hands thoſe we take from amongſt men, not as the Prieſts were, Exod. 29, by anoiting and ſacrificing, but as the ſecular Elders commonly were) according to our pattern, Acts 13.3. 1 Timoth. 4.14. 2 Timoth. 1.6. and their pattern of preceding Elders. Though this be not commonly heeded, but our holy orders thought fit to be graffed only upon a ſtock of the ſame, no heterogeneous root will ſerve the turn, but only the ſacred Prieſthood of the Law to ſettle our holy miniſtration upon; as is with confident and publick ſolemnity enough delivered us in the Decree: But it is not ſo, witneſs the name; and what could be more? continued form of ordination; which gives Presbyters to ſucceed Presbyters, Elders Elders, not Prieſts or Levits; and as in theſe, why not in Deacons likewiſe? That word of Office, attendance, or miniſtration is in three places, Eſther 1.10. cap 2.2. & cap. 6.3. The Office it ſelf in 1 Maccab. 11.58. young Antiochus gave to Jonathan foreign, golden veſſels and a ſervice, which might be the ſacred function in the former verſe. granted, here actually given, the military power being reſerved p. 94for his brother Simon in the verſe following. For continuance to after times, among other Eccleſiaſticall officers and Miniſters deprived by the ſeverity of Joſeph their Apoſtle, ſome mentioned by Epiphanius were Azanitae; which he hath not only interpreted to our hand, foreign, Deacons or Miniſters, but the word it ſelf ſeems to be an eaſie and gentle inflexion of that title was given to like officers, for they had their foreign who had care of collection and their treaſury which was the firſt originall office of Deacons.Annotat. in Luc. 4.20. pa. 664…Luke 4:20 The very knowing and judicious H. Grotius ſays the foreign were all one, as in Epiphanius his indifferent interpretation, and that they were both the juſt tranſlation of Chazanim: This if, we have them plain in the Hebrew form of our Saviours time; for he delivered the book to one (having read his text) who was there pro more according to the cuſtom, foreign, Luc. 4.20. a miniſter: and Barnabas and Saul had ſuch a John attendant, Acts 13.5. Jgnatius preſſeth the Deacons of his time, to be pleaſing in all things, for as much as they are foreign, in Epiſt. ad Trallian pa. 66. Philo ſpeaks of the attendance of the Eſſenes, the forefathers of the Chriſtian ſect, foreign, as free they do ſervile offices: lib. de vita contemp. pa. 696. and a little after, foreign, &c. after the waiters are ſet ready for attendance, there is wonderfull ſilence, &c.

An Apoſtle hath been of much note in our Church: there might be alluſion thereto in Ahijahs anſwer to Jeroboams wife, I am a ſad meſſenger, or Apoſtle to thee, foreign, &c. 3 Reg. 14.6. and in that contrary miſſion of Evil Angels, or by evil angels, Pſal. 78.49. foreign. The brethren, the glory of Chriſt, are ſtiled, the Apoſtles of the Churches, 2 Corinth. 8.23. and Epaphroditus was ſuch, foreign, an Apoſtle and Miniſter, as 'twere with relation to ſuch known office of Hebrew ſtamp and power. That certainly they had ſuch, we are beholding (out of Scripture) to Epiphanius, a learned one of their own, born and bred both with and of p. 95them, who has left us a full deſcription. He tels us they were a kinde of Co-aſſeſſors with their Patriarch, to aſſiſt at all times with counſell, and to be ſent abroad if need were upon weighty affairs: as to collect tenths, gather firſt fruits, adminiſter diſcipline, &c. a kinde of Viſitors and Receivers. Joſeph of Tiberias he there ſpeaks of, and was well acquainted with, was one, who uſed his truſt and power with much ſeverity, to the diſplacing of many ſcandalous Prieſts, Elders and Deacons under his juriſdiction, in Haereſ. Aebionit. n. 4. & n. 11. tom. 1. pa. 128. & 135. The credit of an imperial law will ſeldome deceive us; Honorius & Arcadius make expreſs mention of them — Archiſynagogi five presbyteri Judaeorum vel quos ipſi Apoſtolos vocant (ſc. foreign) qui ad exigendum aurum atque argentum à Patriarcha certo tempore diriguntur, &c. (much to what was in Epiphan.) in C…d. Theodoſ. lib. 10. tit. 8. L. 14. alledged by Mr Selden on Eutychius, pa. 16. Grotius gives them the reddition of the ſame word, and their office of the ſame nature, from the moſt proper repoſitory of the Talmud: Propriè autem vocabantur in Talmudicis libris foreign qui decimas atque alia percipiebant, atque ad Levitas deferebant. Of their foreign (which word we have in Scripture, Acts 1.25. Romans 1.5. 1 Corinth. 9.2. Galat. 2.8.) and other things of them he hath enough from Philo of Alexandria, Ignatius of Antioch, Julian the Emperour and others, to whom their perſons and Offices might be as well known as a Biſhop or Arch-Deacons is amongſt us; in his notes on Matth. 10.1. whereto I remit.

As to the number,, tis like they were twelve, (while the State ſtood in power.) We read, (That being the number of their Tribes) often of the Heads of their Tribes, as Num. 7.2. cap. 25.14. Deuteron. 5.32. cap. 33.5. Joſh. 14.1. cap. 19.51. yea both foreign, Deuteron. 31.28. & foreign, Deuteron. 29.10. & Joſh. 21.1. (whoſe power was next to Regall, in Dr Hammonds Power of the Keys, cap. 5. ſect. 13.) which, allowing a due Symmetry and proportion, and that every body has one head and no more, will give that product exactly: as indeed they are by number, tale p. 96and name in the firſt of Numbers, from ver. 4. cap. 7.4. cap. 13. from ver. 3. to 17. and in Joſephs Hebrew Antiquities, twelve are choſen and ſent to view Canaan, one of every tribe, lib. 3. cap. 13. The very ſame number, to one, which Chriſt ſent after to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael, the twelve tribes of his Nation, Matth. 10.5, 6. Over whom he promiſed they ſhould one day ſit, as ſo many Judges on their ſo many thrones, Matth. 19.28. Luc. 22.30. In imitation and commenſuration whereto his Jeruſalem Apoſtle directs to the twelve tribes ſcattered abroad, Jam. 1.1. So was it, for a while, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into a City of the Samaritans enter not, Matth. 10.5. But after inlarged to All Nations, Matth. 28.19. ratified and allowed, Acts 13.46, 47.

The great Court of Sanhedrim is famous; raiſed by Moſes, (to take off a great part of the Monarchicall burden from himſelf in the beginning of their State, as appears Num. 11.24, 25, &c.) continued by his ſucceſſors, renewed after the Captivity, and never but carried along through all the variations of their State, and courſe of their affairs to the end of their Commonwealth, to have as it were Parliamentary influence upon all perſons, eſtates, affairs and things: It conſiſted of 70 choſen men, as uſually, though more truely of 72, to teach in ſix Twelves, or ſix out of every Tribe (like as Ptolomyes tranſlators were of the ſame number for the ſame reaſon by beſt**Joſep. Antiq. Hebr, lib. 12. cap, 11. Epiphanius, lib. de ponderibus & menſuris; & Ariſtaeus, an Aegiptian preſent and imploy…d in the work by King Ptolomy, in Bibliothec. par… Graecorū. tom. 2, pa. 859 authority, though commonly propter rotunditatem numeri, and more ready conformity to common uſe of ſpeech in an article Number, they are called the SEVENTY:) And as it were in extraction from that Sanhedrim, Jeſus of Nazareth choſe …o, ſay ſome, 72, give other both Greek and Latin texts of Luc. 10.1. & ver. 17. (the Eaſtern and Weſtern agreeing to diſſent in the ſame point both fathers and their children; a new probable reaſon of which diverſity the premiſſes may perhaps afford a better light toward. then hitherto or any before) that they might be his Sanhedrim, or a kinde of Collegiate and Congregationall aſſiſtants, by whoſe furthering adviſe and help, or ſeeming p. 97countenance and authority, he might the better carry on his great work of building a Kingdom of God in the holy Nation, wherein he lived under the like repreſentative; a part of whoſe work is cut out and left there in open view upon plain Record, that they might go before his face by two and two to make way in every place and City whereunto himſelf was alſo to come. And the phraſe of the text may there the better bear this interpretation (of a meant Sanhedrim) if we ſhall obſerve, that though ſome tranſlations add boldly the word Diſciples, to diſtinguiſh from the Apoſtles before, others continue the word of Apoſtles, (corrupting by a kinde of Sacrilegious addition, at pleaſure equally and on both hands) yet if we view the beſt Originals of Greek and Syriak, taking in the moſt authentick old Latine, with the chief of Fathers, as Ambroſe, Hierom, Bede, &c. in their tranſlations or commentations, We ſhall in them have no ſuch limitation by any appropriation to what ſubject ſoever, but a bare ſeptenary or ſeventy two without any more, as well in verſe 17 as verſe 1. leaving at looſe as to the ſubſtantive; and an indifferent unforeſtalled judgement will aſſoon take an offer of ſo many Elders for a Sanhedrim, as any ſort or thing elſe. The rather for that the Fathers of the Councell of Neocaeſaraea, having occaſion in their 13 Canon to compare with them the Chorepiſcopi of the antient Church, as Zonaras and Balſamon underſtand, the old tranſlator thought good and made bold to add the word Seniores, as there meant: Chorepiſcopi vero ſunt foreign, ad exemplum ſeptuaginta ſeniorum: (whether he meant and referred to the ſeventy our Saviour choſe as the other ſide of his compariſon, or the elder bench of Moſes Sanhedrim? is left to judgment: Zonaras and Balſamon underſtand as I ſay:) And**Annal. Eccl. tom. 1. ad an. Chriſti. 58. n. 10: Baronius proving that Seniores & Presbyteri were all one in the firſt Churches, doubts not to averr, both that either of theſe titles were thoſe Seventys; That it could not well be otherwiſe; All the Fathers were of that opinion; Nay and reaſon (he goes on) muſt give they were upon that ſtayre of eminence and diſtinction. For, All the believers p. 98were called Diſciples, (the generall title in Acts 6.1, 2, 7. chap. 9. ver. 10.19, 25, 26, 36. eſpecially chap. 11. 26, &c.) This was the loweſt ſtile) Deacons, the firſt preferment were made out of them: Acts 6.) So that unleſs we will allow thoſe were SENT, with ſpecial Commiſſion, to be Labourers in making way for the beſt Teacher, having Power mixed with Threat, (He that heareth you heareth me, He that refuſeth you, me alſo) and this ſo effectual that it quelled, in execution, the very devils, To be of the common loweſt ſtile, and flat level with the meaneſt of the people, We muſt at the leaſt grant them this ſtep of exaltation above Diſciples (for Deacons were not yet in beeing) & (joining in the number) a very great likelyhood of a Seigniory or Sanhedrim, which methinks the whole frame and complexion of the place to every one that looks upon it not prepoſſeſſed cannot but give. In farther confirmation both whereof, and of the former branch of ſucceeding Apoſtleſhip: comes in very fitly the ſtrength and concurrence of the learned and moſt learned H. Grotius, Synedrium (ſaith he) quod â Moſe-conſtitutum eſt, ad cujus exemplum hos Chriſtus elegit, quomodo Apoſtolos ad exemplum phylarcharum, fuiſſe capitum 72, Judaei nonnulli prodiderunt, &c. in Annot. ad Luc. 10.1. pa. 711. and of Mr Calvin upon the ſame place: (double ſtrength even of aſſiſtance, conduceth much to immoveable firmneſs) Tenendum eſt memoria quod de Apoſtolis duodecim diximus: Quot florente populi ſtatu fuerant tribus, totidem delectos fuiſſe Apoſtolos quaſi Patriarchas, qui membra laceri corporis in unum colligerent, ut inde prodiret integra eccleſiae reſtitutio. Non abſimilis in Septuaginta ratio fuit. Scimus Moſen, quum oneri non ſufficeret, ſeptuaginta ſibi aſciviſſe judices, qui populum unà cum ipſo regerent, Numer. 11. This (Synedrium or Sanhedrim) the captivity of Babylon ruined, the return thence raiſed, Herods tyranny had now diſſolved, and as the return from Babilon, was only a type of a better redemption, videtur nunc ſeptuaginta adventus ſui praecones eligere Dominus, ut inſtaurationem collapſi ſtatus promittat. Comment. in Harmon. Evangeliorum, pa. 42. Yet more, the p. 99title of the New Teſtament (from the contents) foreign, with the conjugates of foreign, &c. are in the ſeptuagints of 2 Reg. 18.26, 27, 28. 4 Reg. 7.9. Pſalm. 63. 12. & 39.10. Joel 2. ult. That ſignall appellation thereof, Rom. 10.15. is borrowed by the learned Apoſtle from Eſay 52.7. Our Saviours of Luc. 4.18. from the ſyllables of Eſ. 61.1. The title of the collection of believers of the N. Teſtament foreign, our Saviour and his Apoſtles (with their followers) might with far more likelyhood take up where they found it in their own Bibles (of daily uſe) in the ſeptuagint, then from thoſe trivial, vain ſhallow, frivolous grounds of grammaticall ſignification and derivation, (as of foreign, to call from others, as Gods people were: which yet may have been of conſideration at firſt) As, that there it was, for a congregation, of Gods people, ſometime met to ſerve him, we have from Deuteron. 28.1, 2, 3 8. & cap. 31.30. Judic. 20.1, 2. 1 Reg. 17.47. 3 Reg. 8.14, 22, 55, 66. 1 Chron. 13.2, 4. Ezra. 10.1, 8. Nehem. 13.1. Pſalm, 21.23, 26. & 25.12. & 67.28. & 88.6. & 149. 1 Joel 2.16. Sapient. Sirac. 24.2. cap. 25.15. & cap. 50.15. beſides foreign, to call an Aſſembly, or the congregation to Church, Levit. 8.3. as David called his worthies under that phraſe, 1 Chron. 28.1. & foreign, call the people to me, as 'twere to Church, that they may hear my words, on that which was foreign, a Congregation or Church-day, Deuteron. 4.10. The title, thing, degrees, uſe of excommunication or ſeparation from the Church, by 1 Excluſion 2. Anathematization 3. utter devotion or finall diſtermination, which among the Hebrews was raiſed by the degrees of Niddui, Cherem, Schammatha, but by the ſeptuagint was ſtiled, foreign, (or foreign) & foreign, This graduation might by the Scripture from thence be traduced and brought down along to our Conſiſtories. In John 1…: verſe 2. we have excluſion from the Synagogue foretold, (which was before in cap. 9.…2. & cap. 12.44. as Hebrew) In Rom. 9.3. Gal. 1.8. 1 Corinth. 12.3. & cap. 16.22. it is worſe, plainly accurſed. In 1 Corinth. 5.5. & 1 Timoth. 1.20. the higheſt devotion, p. 100or giving up to the Devil. The progreſs of the Greek Church was by one ſtep more, foreign, as in the Fathers and Counſels at large; of the Roman by one leſs, Excommunicatio major, & minor, as in the Decree. Cauſ. 3. Queſt. 4. c. Engel-trudam. All, no doubt from the Leviticall Anathemata and Anathematizations, with which we cannot be unacquainted from Deut. 7.26. cap. 13.15. & cap. 20.17. Joſh. 6.20. Jude 1.17. cap. 21.11. 1 Reg. 15.3. Ezra 10.8. and other places: though with ſome difference. Of which ſucceſſion and compariſon, that I may not ſeem to walk by mine own light, enough may be ſeen in thoſe that have carried the Torch before me. Polyd. Virgil. de rerum inventor. lib. 4. cap 12. Bez. annot. Major. in Roman 9.3. Godwin. Antiq. Hebr. lib 5. cap. 2. Selden, de Jure nat. & gentium, lib. 4. cap. 7, 8, 9. Hug. Grot. annot. ad Luc▪ 6.22. and a late learned and uſeful tract of the Power of the Keys, cap. 4. ſect. 5…, 53, &c.

A learned Italian had the laſt age intended to write a treatiſe of this argument (beſides what was done this way, or let fall by the way, by Petrus Galatinus) He takes occaſion by the ceremony of a Chriſtians change of garment, upon renouncing his old ſtate in Baptiſme, à toga ad pallium, as the word was in Tertullian. This Pallium was borrowed, ſaith he, from Jewry, as appears by the frequent mention, in Deut. …2. 1 Eſd. 9. Eſter 8. Canticles 5. Eſay 28. Zach. 13. Hence, facile adducor, ut credam, Apoſtolos, cum in inculto ſolo magnam ſementem Chriſtianae religionis facerent, hujus indumenti genus, Chriſtianis tradidiſſe; pro certo habens, ea omnia, quae fidei non repugnabant, à noſtris hominibus in eccleſiae exordio retenta eſſe, (very reaſonable) ut ſuave Chriſti jugum dura daemonis ſervitute oppreſſis faciliùs imponeretur. Sicut de more feſtumac ſolennem ſabbati diem laetè agitandi, aliiſque Hebraeorum ritibus in Diario noſtro Eccleſiaſtico demonſtrabimus. Joſeph. Vicecomes, de ritibus Bapt. lib. 2. cap. 22. pa. 149. Whether he wrote that book, I know not; I could finde none by enquiry: He was well perſwaded howſoever of this derivation, and very reaſonably. For why ſhould more changes be made, then p. 101needs? or heretofore ſhould have been? There was work enough to ſeparate the droſs and fan the chaff: why ſhould any of the courſeſt corn be thrown away? or good mettal, though not the fineſt, as gold purified ſeaven times in the fire?

To conclude: The Preſident of the Divines aſſembled at Weſtminſter hath licenſed ſince the beginning of this Parliament, and is by the Author thought worthy of ſpecial obſervation, that, The pattern from whence moſt, if not all the Cuſtoms in the Churches were taken, was, the Cuſtom of Iſrael in the Old Teſtament: And this may be one ſpecial reaſon (he thinks) why the providence of God thought not fit to commend them to writing, — becauſe the pattern was at hand to reform, if, &c. as before, pa. And he inſtances, in 1, A ſeventh day for Gods ſervice. 2, Places deputed thereto. 3, Directions for Church-cenſure, of which but now. 4, Womans having leave to partake of a ſecond Sacrament, from the Paſſeover. 5. Baptizing all, Infants, becauſe whole houſes, &c. Treatiſe of Poedobaptiſme, pa. 9. It were not hard to drive on the conjecture yet much farther: Materials offer themſelves, with plenty, probability and pliability enough on both ſides of the parallell, to ſtretch forth the lines to exceeding much length on both ſides of the parrallel: for Salvation is from the Jews, ſaith he is Saviour both of Jew and Gentile: John 4.22. Many things happened to them, foreign, ſays the profound learned Apoſtle, … Corinth, 10.11. and the Law had a ſhadow of things to come, Hebr. 10.1. What could be more expedient then to finde out the foreign, that muſt exemplifie thoſe types? (as St Peter ſays our Baptiſme does in ſome things, 1 Epiſt. 3.21.) and the body whereto the things therof were ſhadows? The Law (future) was to proceed from Sion, Eſa. 2.3. and Jeruſalem is the Mother of us all, Galat. 4.26. (Queſtionleſs the firſt, higheſt, and fitteſt ruling Metropolis, to us Chriſtians, (it ſhould be ſo of all the world, as one of the Fathers ſometimes ſtiled her:) I believe we have more of either then we commonly imagine or underſtand, p. 102and that as well belonging to Politye as Religion, to war as peace, both of ſtabiliment and ornament, in Church and State. Mr Selden hath much in his late learned**De Synedriis veterum Hebraeorum. lib. 1 cap. 8. pa. 225. book diſperſed all over, reducible to that of the eight chapter, Nec diſciplina illa (Chriſtianae) apud eos (Chriſtianos) alia, quàm Judaiſmus verè reformatus, ſeu cum fide in Meſſiam ſeu Chriſtum rite conjunctus. New Chriſtianity was nothing but old Judaiſme, reformed and purified: and**Annotat. ad Luc. 6.22. pa. 678.Luke 6:22 H. Grotius moſt excellently (with whom I began) Chriſtiani veteres (qui, ut ſaepe notavimus, omnia proba Judaeorum inſtituta libenter ſequebantur) hos (foreign) vocabant foreign, &c. They followed the moſt that was good, and this: (He is ſpeaking of the degrees of Excommunication.) And ſumming together much that I have ſaid, in one of his laſt pieces,(1)(1)In appen. ad comment. de Antichriſto. pa. 54. col. 1. Nimirum, Chriſtiani (ſaith he) omnes mores probabiles, quos apud Judaeos receperant, ſequebantur, coalituri, ſcilicet cum Judaeis ſi ipſi Evangelium non reſpuiſſent. Inde nomen foreign, inde foreign iidem qui foreign & epiſcopus qui: foreign inde excommunicationes, abſolutiones, impoſitiones Manuum, panis & vini communicatio, baptiſmus. The Chriſtians took in what they could of their Hebrew fore-fathers: thence the name of Elders, Deacons, the head of the congregation or the Biſhop: thence Excommunication, Abſolution, laying on of hands, Communion by bread and wine, and Baptiſme.

And the rites of Baptiſme too, as was ſaid before, the way of Baptiſme, beſides the thing it ſelf: particularly a ſucceſſion to their Trium-virat in a ſort of like Aſſiſtants retained at firſt and continued ever ſince through the Chriſtian world. To whom at laſt to return (after much digreſſion, 'tis hoped, without any tranſgreſſion) that they do ſo ſucceed as was propoſed, two things make it yet more likely. 1. Their continued name, even to us. 2. Their remaining uſe.

p. 1031 As to name, that had been with the Hebrews, and remains to us(1)(1)Sub quo jam puer ſit quaſi ſub divino Patre. Dionyſ. Hierarch. Poſt abſolutum Evangelium ingreſſus eſt Epiſcopus in Baptiſterium, & juſſit Epiphanium in gredi & ejus ſororem, & cum ipſis Lucianum, foreign, qui etiam pater eorum fuit in Baptiſmate. In his life written by one of his Diſciples, chap. 8. pa. 324. tomi ſecundi. He was born and bred a Jew, this and thus was his converſion; at leaſt thus ſealed. Et ideo non ſolum exemplis, ſed etiam verbis eos ad omne opus bonum, admonere debetis: praecipuè tamen qui filios aut filias excipere religioſo amore deſiderant, &c. and ſoon after, Et ideo tam illi qui accipiunt, quam qui accipiuntur, id eſt, tàm patres quàm filii, pactum, quod cum Chriſto in Baptiſmi Sacramento conſcribunt, cuſtodire co…endant. Auguſtin de Temp. Serm. 116. tom. 10. pa. 304. Filios quos in Baptiſmo ex…tis, ſcitote vos fide juſſores pro ipſis apud Deum extitiſſe. Id. Serm. 215. pa. 36.6. Spirituales patres. Durand. rational. Divin. lib. 6. cap. 83. ſect. 38. Our Parents in God. Hooker, Politie, pa. 323. In the phraſe of ſome kinde of men they uſe to be called Witneſſes, as if they came but to ſee and teſtifie what is done: It ſavoureth more of Piety to give them their old and accuſtomed name of Fathers and Mothers in God, whereby they are well put in minde what affections they ought to bear, toward thoſe innocents for whoſe Religious Education the Church accepteth them as pledges. Id. lib 5. ſect. 64. pa. 339.. vid. Durant. de ritibus eccleſiae, lib. 1. cap 19. ſect. 17, 18 & Aquin. Sum. par. 3. quaeſt. 67. art. 7, 8. & Supplem. tertiae part. Quaeſt. 56. art. 5. GODFATHERS; with other or leſs reſpect, They nor mentioned nor We, it hath paſſed through Jewry and Chriſtendome, a ſtrong argument of their mutual paralleliſme, when the diſtinguiſhing name ſhall continue without change to hold us to the ſame expectation. For us, the caſe cleer, and proved in aſſertion: For Jewry, I have it from Mr Lightfoot of Staffordſhire, He from the Gloſs on the Talmud, which alledging, as before, for the Baptiſme of Chrildren in the Court of Three, Thoſe Three (ſays the gloſs, and(2)(2)Harmony of the Goſpels. part. 2. pa. 75. He from it) become a FATHER to the Baptized, and he is a Proſelyte by their hands. And Mr. Selden much to the ſame, fetching his Merchandize (like(3)(3)Proverb. 31.14. King Lemuels Lady) from far, I mean, every where adorning his pages with the rich ſpoyls of Babylon and Jeruſalem, (4)(4)De Synedriis veterum, Hebr. lib. 1. cap. 3. pa. 39.Baptizare ſolent, quia non fit proſelytus ſine circumciſione & Baptiſmo; ex ſententia domus Judicii. Sci licet Triumviri Baptiſmo ejus praeſunt, ſecundum jus ad Baptiſmum illorum attinens, cui neceſſarii habiti ſunt Triumviri, foreign, & ita fiunt ei PATER. Atque is per eos fit proſelytus, &c. They become a Father to him, and he is a Proſelyte by their means. By words we know p. 104things: they are the habit wherein they are dreſſed and ſerved out to our underſtanding, neceſſary for conveyance at any diſtance of time or place: as the Pictures of our mindes or apprehenſions of what is real, and thus made tranſmittable, the foreign, which we can draw to ſend over what neceſſarily corrupts or paſſes, to the view of diſtance, or memmory of Poſterity. Of what REALL and inward conformity to the things from which they are drawn, I enquire not. It is a hard queſtion, perhaps too hard for our dull intellects. (When any ſuch ſerious and very quick propoſals are made, as dull of apprehenſion as our bodily eyes are to lay hold of a paſſing and vaniſhing Angel; ſomething we gueſs at, but cannot reach it) An voces habeant à natura REALEM aliquam congruentiam cum rebus? Whether Words are not ſo extracts, and as it were Emanations by way of Radiation from things, that they partake and ſtill retain ſome what of from whence they came? a kind of ſpecies being firſt reflected from them on our minds, thence on our ſpeeches or books, which are our Words? The queſtion is propoſed by Abraham: Vander-Mylius in his Lingua Belgica, cap. 15. pa. 59. and there may be ſome ſuch thing as he after ſpeaks of, Naturali quadam vi ſua congruunt Nomina NATƲRAE rerum, quas ſignificatu ſuo & forma EFFIGIANT: Words are the proper and commenſurate SHADES of things, more then denoting, decyphering, deſcribing, and delineating the proportions of their Natures and Beings: according as Marſilius Ficinus hath left there remembred from the wiſe Plato, Sunt quaedam IMAGINES Nom… Rerum, per quas RES IPSAE agnoſcantur: they are a kinde of Pictures or Caſements through which things are diſcerned; not only emergent and deduced from them, but reſembling and con-natural with them. As if they be, then are they not of meer voluntary impoſition, as commonly paſſes, that White might have been as well ſtiled Black, or Light, Darkneſs, for their REALL, correſpondence hindreth, and would keep things that are like, together. But this enquiry I purſue not. Of whatſoever relation or p. 103conſent, The NAME I finde was here the ſame continued: and if, Why, but to the end all grant all names ſerve for, ſc. to wrap up and to convey, if not to ſignifie and delineate the ſame thing to us? As, a man doth import always a man, a Father, not a Son or a Daughter, and Light, it ſelf and not Darkneſs.

2. As to their uſe and power, they who do mention, do ſo make mention of them as if they had the nature of a Court, to give legall and more ſolemn admiſſion to Jewiſh hopes; Such(1)(1)They muſt be Rabbie's or Perſons of Authority and place: in the Teſtimonie before alledged from Rabbi, Ludovicus Mutinenſis. Triumviri nempè qui huic negotio ſic praeerant Fori genus erant, ſive authoritate publica, ſive velut ex compromiſſo, ſeu auſpiciis eorum quorum intererat, uti & in rebus aliis fieri aſſolebat, ſelectum. Selden, de Jure nat. & Gent. lib. 2. cap. 2. pa. 143. What Court I finde not expreſſed or intimated. I ſhould gueſs, or almoſt not doubt, the Court of Three, diſperſed in leſſer Villages or Towns, where the whole collection of Families did not amount to twice threeſcore. There was, 1. At Jeruſalem the great Sanhedrim (ſome ſay diſtinct from the Eccleſiaſticall, and two other) as the ſupream Parliament: Summa curia ſeu ſupremus Senatus Judaeorum, quemadmodum apud nos in Germania eſt Curia ſpirenſis, apud Gallos Curia Pariſienſis, apud Britannos Curia Londinenſis, quam alii voce Gallica vocant Parliamentum, Paſor, Lexicon Gr. Lat. pa. 246. Ab his (ſenatoribus) non erat provocatio. Cun. de republ. Hebr. lib. 1. cap: 12. 2. In every City of 120. Families three and twenty Benchers, to judge of Civil and Criminall matter, even to life and limb. Joſeph brings it much to the ſame, Seven Governors, and to every Governor two Levits aſſiſtant, Antiqu. lib. 4. cap. 8. and compare 2 Chron. 19.4, 5. 3. In every leſs City or leaſt collection of Families a Triumvirate, to judge of ſmaller matters, ordain Elders, &c. I ſhould parallel, this with our hundred Court, the former with the Sheriffs turn or County Court, the firſt with as before. More may be learn'd from Godwin, Hebr. Antiqu. lib. 5. cap. 4. Mr Thornedike of religious Aſſemblies, cap. 3. Pet. Cun. de republ. Hebr. lib. 1. cap. 13. and Weemſe Chr. Synagogue, lib. 1. cap. 6. ſect. 8. parag 3. And it is obſerveable, The Hebrews being much delighted with the number of ſeven, that ſeven Triumvirats (the leſs) make up the next middle-Court, (the two over might be the Judges) And thrice as many ſevens again the great Court, near ſeventy.2 Chr 19:42 Chr 19:52 Chr 19:3 a Court they were, ſtiled, acknowledged, uſed, owned; And therefore Baptiſme could not be regularly and legally adminiſtred on the(2)(2)Beſide what is in their Laws, In feſtivitatibus ſuis Judaei corporalia munia non obeunt: addit nomocanon, neque quicquam faciunt: neque propter publicam privatamve cauſam in jus vocantur, aut ipſi Chriſtianos in jus vocant. Cod. de Judaeis & coelic. L. 2. & vid. L. 13. Die Sabbati. Sabbath or other Feaſts, becauſe they were a kinde of Non-le days, as we had ſome in the Univerſities, and are at(3)(3)There are dies Juridici (which Britton calleth Temps Covenables) & dies non juridici. The former (ſave in Asſizes) onelyonly in terme; wherein alſo are ſome dies non juridici. As in all the four Terms the Sabbath, for that it ought to be conſecrate to divine ſervice. Cook, Inſtitut. 1. fol. 135. Anſwerable to the old reſpect was wont to be given to holy times, or reputed holy, even before the Conqueſt. No proceeding in ſuits to be on the Lords day. Leg. Eccleſiaſt Aethelſtan. cap. 9. ſo Leg. Presbyt. Northumb. cap. 49. in Spelman Concil. pa. 500. Concil. Aenham. K. 15. & de diebus juridicis, K 18. pa 518. & ca. 29. pa. 523.. L. Eccleſ. Canuti cap. 14. De temporibus Juſtitii. ca. 17. pa. 546. The Con…n joyned in. Decret. 2. cauſ. 15. Quaeſt. 5. cap. 1, 2, 3. & Decretal. Gregor. lib. 1. tit. de Feriis, cap. Omnes dies & cap. Conqueſtus eſt. Weſtminſter, wherein p. 104Courts might not ſit (Though if the things were done, the received rule took place,(1)(1)Facta tenent multa quae fieri prohibentur. Cook, Inſtit. 4. cap. 1. pa. 38. Multa enim contra jus dantur, nec tamen ideo vel nulla vel non data dicuntur. Auguſtin. de baptiſmo cont. Donat. lib. 5. cap. 15. tom. 7. pa. 61. Multa quae non fieri debent at facta valent, as if a Prieſt of the Roman Church marry without licenſe in forbidden times, the Act is valid, though the thing ſhould not have been done; the knot is faſt though there were a fault in tying; or if(2)(2)Cook Inſtitut. 1. pa. 136. himſelf had been married, (being ſecular) his iſſue was legitimate and ſhould have inherited with us, though it were a fault in him to contract, his faulty contract wa… not void, but voidable) Now in ſome Chriſtian Writers, and thoſe not of meaneſt account, our Suſceptores were ſo ſet out as might render them very well capable of this compariſon, the Schools telling us that they ſtood and offered for the whole (3)(3)Reſpondeo. Dicendum, quod ſicut in generatione carnali aliquis naſcitur ex matre & patre, ita in generatione ſpirituali aliquis renaſcitur filius Dei, ſicut patris & eccleſiae, ſicut matris: ſicut autem ille qui Sacramentum confert gerit perſonam Dei, cujus inſtrumentum & Miniſter eſt, ita ille qui baptizatum ſuſcipit de ſacro fonte—gerit perſonam eccleſiae. Supplement. Aquin. par. 3. Quaeſt. 56. art. 3.Church, as a Court repreſents, in few, a Community; one of their antient names, retained by St Auguſtine, is Offerentes, a kind of Publick Preſenters, expounded by himſelf, that they did offer for the (4)(4)Offeruntur quippe parvuli ad percipiendam ſpiritualem gratiam, non tam ab iis quorum geſtantur manibus, quamvis & ab ipſis, ſi ipſi boni & fideles ſint quàm ab univerſa ſocietate ſanctorum atque fidelium. Ab omnibus namque offerri rectè intelliguntur, quibus placet quod offeruntur, & quorum ſancta atque individua charitate ad communicationem ſancti ſpiritus ad juvantur. Tota ergo hoc mater eccleſia quae in ſanctis eſt, facit: quia tota omnes, tota ſingulos parit. Epiſt. 23. ad Boni ſac. tom. 2. pa. 35. & vid. Decret. 3. de Conſec. diſt. 4 ſect. 229.Church, Hers their act; and laſtly ours by all accounted very profound and judicious Mr Hooker deſcribing them, as if they ſtood forth inſteed of the body of the Congregation to further and approve what Gods Steward p. 105and Vicegerent does in admitting or taking in a new member into Chriſts holy congregation Some make them to have been only a kinde of Witneſſes (and ſtile them ſo) to come and ſee, as(1)(1)De rerum inventor: lib. 4. cap. 4. Teſtes, ſc. acceſſus ad Chriſtum. Tremel. ad Eſai. 8.2. In the way of Durand, Aquinas, &c. in the places alledged.Isa 8:2 Polydore Virgil who aſcribes their inſtitution to about Anno 150 after Chriſt, to prevent that which the(2)(2)As appears by the frequent votes of Synods, the multiplyed determinations of privat men, and indeed the general loud voice of the Chriſtian World. The ſoveraign power of the Civill Law left it under ſtrict prohibition, Cod. 1. tit. 6. Ne ſanctum baptiſma iteretur. Eſpecially in L. Si qui rebaptizare. And the Canon as ſeverely. Rebaptizare haereticum hominem, qui haec ſanctitatis ſigna perceperit, quae Chriſtiana tradidit diſciplina, omnino peccatum eſt. Rebaptizare autem Catholicum immaniſſimum ſcelus eſt. de Conſec. diſtinct. 4. c. Rebaptizare. Church hath all along ſo carefully declined, and(3)(3)Id auferentes quod geminabant, (Donatiſtae, Novationi &c.) as in Cod. Theodoſ. L. 5. de haeret. interpreted ill done if it hath more then once been attempted to be done well, that is (in times of perſecution) Rebaptization; whom many follow, or lead, or have lighted of themſelves upon the ſame or very near the ſame way: But it ſeems ſomewhat unlikely that the times of peace and quietneſs ſhould go on to continue ſo long to call for, even in times of peace, what had been needfull, and therefore had been needfull becauſe the times had been of trouble, as if a winter garment no ſummer beams ſhould prevail to have laid aſide, nor ever, that which had been once required: Reaſon would there ſhould have been ſomewhat more at firſt to raiſe and with power carry along (which alſo might as a cauſe accompany) that which hath with ſo much conſtancy gon on and been conveyed through times and ages, continuing to call for them and bear them out with their continuance; which whether conſiſting with theſe conjectures laid down, is left (with whatſoever elſe I ſaid) to judge ſome had ſtumbled ſo far before in this dark p. 106(4)(4)No doubt, to ſee to their Chriſtian Education; that as their natural parents take care to bring them up in the world, ſo their conſcience ſhould with equall diligence think it ſelf obliged for their nurture in religion. Qua propter eos obſervare, quam fieri poteſt diligentiſſim è debent, ne unquam fide & juſtitia excidant, utpote reſponſuri in die judicii de omn… bus illis, quae iſti enormiter per petraverint. Joan. Beleth. divin. offic. explic. ca. 110. Sciant ſe fidejuſſores ipſorum eſſe ad Dominum pro ipſa ſponſione, ut dum ad perfectionem aetatis pervenerint doceant eos praedictam Orationem Dominicam & Symbolum; quia niſi fecerint; diſtrictè ab iis exigetur, quod pro non loquentibus Deo promittitur. Concil. Calcuthenſ. can. 2. apud. D. Spelman. Concil. tom. 1. pa 293.way of ſearch and traduction that they had lighted (very near) upon a kinde of aſſiſtants at Circumciſion (miſtaken to have led the way to Baptiſme, as before) who had reſemblance and(1)(1)Vid. Tremel. ad Eſai. 8.2. Puelli circumcidendi ſive ſponſor ſive ſuſceptor accedit. Buxtori. Synag Judaic. cap. 2. He was called Baal-Berith, or the Maſter of the Covenant, and held the child in his arms. Dr Godwin in Moſes & Aaron, lib. 6. cap. 1. out of Elias Thiſbites. Otherwiſe Saudak, that is, ſuſceptor pueri. Alſo Mecabbalim, Promiſſores, of undertaking for the child, Weemſe, Chr. Synag. lib. 1. cap. 6. ſect. 3. parag 3. Tremellium ſequuntur profeſſores Leidenſes in Synopſi Theolog. pa. 659. Theſ. 54. inquit Brochman, in cap. de Baptiſm. ſect. 5. de caeremoniis Bapt. nec Baptiſmo ſolum verum etiam circumciſioni proſelyti Triumviros ad eſſe debuiſſe volunt aliqui, Selden, de Iur. nat. 2.2.Isa 8:2 in whoſe ſucceſſion they thought theſe Offerers followed; taking occaſion by an unlikely text (as to me it ſeemeth) of Eſai 8.2, 3. Where is mention made of faithfull witneſſes required and aſſiſting at the naming) not circumciſing, though they often went together) of the Prophets ſon Maher-ſhalal-haſh-baſh, and two Prieſts, they are ſuppoſed to ſtand forth as Godfathers, Ʋriah & Zachariah: But I refer my ſelf to indifferent judgment, whether this be not a more probable origination from like aſſiſtants at the ſame rite of very Baptiſme, rather then circumciſion, a thing heterogeneous (if we were agreed of derivation from the ſynagogue) and of another nature; and if there be any difficulties as to the number, or our taking in the other(2)(2)Faeminae quoque adoptate non poſſunt: quia nec naturales liberos in ſua poteſtate habent. Iuſtinian, Inſtit. 1. de adopt. ſect. 10. Though in ſome caſes, it follows, they might: Alſo by the Emperours leave, Digeſt. de in offic. teſtam. L. 29. ſect. Quoniam faeminae. ſex, &c. theſe are either of no weight, or they will ſoon diſpell or vaniſh. As to the number, Time having poſſibly wrought that(3)(3)The firſt reſtraint I finde was in Leo's time (incorporated after by Gratian into the Canon) Non plures ad ſuſcipiendum de Baptiſmo infantem accedant quam unus ſive vir ſive mulier: de Conſecrat. diſtinct. 4. c. 101. And yet about then a plurality is ſuppoſed, and in the ſame body, Cauſ. 30. Quaeſt. 4. cap. ult. The Gloſs ſays there, The limitation had not been ſo ſoon diſperſed to be under knowledge at Rome; and that's Urbans excuſe for contradicting Leo: the very reaſon of the alteration and reſtraint may have been this, ſc. A ſuperinducement of that opinion (then generally received) of a kinde of alliance contracted hereby, forbidding marriage: Hence, (ne carnalis copula per ſpiritualem conjunctionem impediretur, as Io. Beleth contracts in cap. 116. de divinis offic.) leaſt too many ſhould be hindred their choice, 'twas thought good the occaſioning reſtraint might have ſcope to touch the fewer, leaſt otherwiſe the prevalence might offer ſeeds of much miſchief, by hindring from that neareſt amity moſt known friends. And the Councell of Trent ſeems to preface to the ſame purpoſe in ſeſſion, 23. de reformat. Matrimon. ca. 2. change; divers times and diverſe Laws producing like diverſity in their limitations or permiſſions, (though with us the number p. 107held for three, by our ruling Conſtitution, of which hereafter. And for women offerers and undertakers. 1. There may have been none at firſt: I do not remember to have found mention of them very early: and(1)(1)De mulieribus, An ſuſceptrices eſſe queant, nonnulli dubitarunt. Durant: de ritibus. lib. 1. cap. 19. ſect. 18. De faeminis, an poſſint eſſe ſuſceptores, aliquis dubitet, nam in antiqua eccleſia non legimus ſolitas fuiſſe ſuſcipere; tamen ex ſermone quodam D. Auguſtini de Paſcha cognoſcimus etiam faeminas fuiſſe ſuſceptrices, quia admonet viros & faeminas, qui aliquem in Baptiſmo ſuſceperunt, ut inſtituant bene eos quos ſuſceperant. Maldonat. tom. 1. de Sacrament. cap. 3. pa. 93. great enquirers yeild it doubted, Whether or no they ought to be? 2. I read of ſome women that went into the water with women at their initiatory waſhing into the Law (beſides the Triumviri ſtanding and looking aſide) And in the Chriſtian Church at firſt were ſome of the ſame ſex, commonly thought to have aſſiſted at the Baptiſme of women; as p. 108(2)(2)Elige quoque Diaconiſſam fidelem & ſanctam ad mulierum miniſteria: for often the Deacon himſelf may not viſit them, one of their own ſex may. Nam ad multos uſus muliere Diaconiſſa indigemus: ac primum cum illuminantur mulieres, Diaconus ungit frontem ipſarum oleo ſancto, deinde Diaconiſſa eas abſtergit. Non eſt enim neceſſe mulieres aſpici à viris, &c. Clement. Conſtit Apoſt. lib. 3. cap. 15. Diaconiſſa non benedicit, ſed nec aliquid ex iis, quae faciunt presbyteri vel Diaconi exercet ipſa, ſed tantum portas cuſtodit & miniſtrat presbyteris, quando baptizantur mulieres, propter honeſtatem. lib. 8. cap. 38. Quanquam vero Diaconiſſarum in eccleſia ordo ſit, non tamen ad ſacerdotii functionem, aut ullam ejuſmodi adminiſtrationem inſtitutus eſt, ſed ut muliebris ſexus modeſtie conſulatur, aut tempore Baptiſmi, aut viſitationis propter infermitatem, aut laboris, aut cum nudandum eſt mulieris corpus, ne à viris miniſtran tibus aſpiciatur, ſed à ſola Diaconiſſa, &c. Epiphan. Her. 79. cap 3. Diaconiſlae ad hunc unum uſum adhibeutur, ut mulierum decoris & honeſtatis cauſa ſint adminiſtrae, ſi id fortè neceſſe fuerit, ſive dum Baptiſmo initiandae ſunt, ſive dum earum corpora perſcrutanda. Id. in expoſit. fidei Cathol. cap. 21. In the Civil Law care was to be taken of their choice as thoſe that did adorandis miniſtrare baptiſmatibus, & aliis adeſſe ſecretis quae invenerabilibus miniſteriis per eas ritè aguntur, Novel. 6. cap. 6. The fourth Councell of Carthage gives their part to be, To inſtruct Countrey women how to anſwer their interrogatories and order their lives afterward. cap. 12. Only the Conſtitutions above mentioned come home to our purpoſe: Sacram ſuper ipſos dicens ac nominans invocationem patris & filii & ſpiritus ſancti, baptizabis eos in aqua: ac virum ſuſcipiat Diaconus, mulierem Diaconiſſa. lib. 3. cap. 16. See alſo Cornel. à Lapide in 1 Tim. 5.9. Tertium, & Chamier: Panſtrat. Cathol. par. 4. lib. 5. cap. 2. ſec. 6.1 Tim 5:9Saint Pauls (1)(1)Hooker, Eccleſ. polit. lib. 5. ſect. 78. pa. 423.widows, 1 Tim. 5. and Phoebe, ſtiled(2)(2)Vid. Comment. ad loc. inter opera Hieron. tom. 8. pa. 190. & Spelman, Gloſſar. in vocab. Diaconus. Miniſtra, (Rom. 16.1.) from ſome ſuch miniſtration. But this laſt I ſhould gueſs to be no more nor other then ſome devout zealous convert, whoſe good affection to the cauſe of Chriſt moved her (by all the credit the(3)(3)Written to the Romans from Corinth by Thaebe (foreign) ſervant of the Church of Cenchrea. Plainer by the Syriak tranſlated by Tremellius, Finitur Epiſtola—quae—&c. & miſſa fuit per manus Phoebae, miniſtrae fidelis. poſtſcript can give) to do the good office for St Paul to carry this Letter to Rome for him; and he in lieu could not but afford her name a friendly and(4)(4)Vide quantùm illam honorat; nam illam & ante reliquos omnes commemorat, & ſororem vocat. Non eſt autem, modici momenti, Pauli ſororem vocari, foreign. Chryſoſt .in loc. tom. 4. pa. 382. honorable remembrance with other his friends and aſſiſtants; and as in the firſt place (which ſhe deſerved) ſo by the merited title of foreign (that's the word in the text) which might be fully enough rendred(5)(5)Compare Marc. 1.13. Rom. 13.4. Luc. 8.3. Matth. 23.11. Act. 6.2. Hebr. 1.14. 2 Cor. 9.11. Luc. 10.40. & cap. 12.37.Mark 1:13Rom 13:4Luke 8:3Matt 23:11Acts 6:2Heb 1:142 Cor 9:11Luke 10:40 Miniſtra in any kinde; 'Tis not ſaid, Sacred, and 'tis uſed for(6)(6)Diaconi nomen ad alias quam ad Eccleſiaſticas perſonas referri poteſt, propter generalem ſignificationem verbi, quod ad diverſa miniſteria refertur. foreign, unde foreign, miniſtro & famulor ſignificat. Ut D. Paulus vocat Magiſtratus foreign, ad Rom. 13. ſic & Iulius Pollux, &c. Ea ratione Diaconi ſacri & ſeculares. Pet. Gregor. Tholoſ. lib. 15. cap. 20. ſect. 1, 2. Verbum foreign ſcriptores noſtri uſurpant ſaepe de iis miniſteriis quae ad hujus vitae neceſſitates pertinent, ut videre eſt Matth. 8.15. cap. 25.44, &c. Grot. ad Luc. 10.40. pa. 718. The conjugates thereof are uſed both of that miniſtery is ſacred, foreign, of the word, ver. 4. and of that is oppoſed thereto; we muſt not leave the word of God to ſerve tables, foreign. ver. 2. of Act. 6. of the Eſſenes Philo remembers, foreign, In their feaſts they are not ſerved by ſlaviſh underlings, but by Freemen freely; lib. de vit. contemplat. pa. 696 And ſo again ſoon after.Rom 13Matt 8:15Luke 10:40Acts 6 prophane or any ſervant or ſervice elſewhere. She was latrix hujus Epiſtolae, obſerved by Corn. à Lap. on the place. 3. At the naming of a woman child about the end of 40 days (which was as her circumciſion the eight day, when the name on males was impoſed, peradventure her purification by water accompanying, ſure 'twas the time of her mothers purification) there was one called Suſceptrix under this very title, in Buxtorfs Synagogue, Jud. chap. 2 page 96. But enough hereof.

I was going on to drive on the conjecture farther, That foraſmuch as Chriſt came to fulfil all righteouſneſs, Matth. 3.15. John we may preſume a Prieſt not irregular or incanonicall, p. 109and ſuch things uſually were required, even to the particulars mentioned, that therefore there paſſed on him what on others, and he had at leaſt what all: But —

In that which is, I crave I be not miſtaken, as if I went about to diſturb things howſoever ſetled, or reduce and bring back what POWERS have or ſhall think meet to caſt away: Privat hands are too daring that would meddle with Churches and men too bold that ſhake States. Nay I acknowledge theſe things according to preſent grounds and rules of proceeding can have no force that way, where a regulation of all is held forth ſimply by Scripture, which here is not(1)(1)Harum & aliarum ejuſmodi diſciplinarum ſi legem expoſtules ſcripturarum, nullam invenies. Traditio tibi praetendetur auctrix, conſuetudo confirmatrix, & fides obſervatrix. Tertullian: de Corona, cap. 4. pretended (that from Eſai. 8.2. being but a forſaken conjecture; and of Chriſt in Jordan owning it ſelf but as a modeſt propoſition; The(2)(2)As of Ludolphus de ſaxon: who found them in the Example of Andrew offering his brother Simon to Chriſt, Io. 1.42. Ex hoc accepit eccleſia quod in Sacramento Baptiſmi & confirmationis utitur Adducentibus qui praeſentent ſuſcipientes ſacramentum, qui Patrini ſolent vocari. de vita Chriſti, par. 1. cap. 24. ſect. 12. Weakly: For what ſimilitude? yet the ſame taken up after by Ioſeph: Vicec…mes, de ritibus Bapt. lib. 1. cap. 30. and after both by Baptiſta Caſalius, de veter. Chriſtianorum ritibus, cap. 5. pa. 23. So ready are learned men to follow one another: ſometimes in miſtakes: ſometimes in unlikelyhoods. We know in part. When that which is perfect cometh, that which is in part ſhall be done away. Come Lord Ieſus!John 1:42 incongruities of others wholly rejected) But, It delighteth ſome to look back the way they have travelled or hath been travelled, when themſelves have forſaken that way, There may be uſe of the(3)(3)Paulatim autem antiquae leges vetuſtate atque in curia obſoleverunt: quarum etſi nullus jam uſus eſt, notitia tamen neceſſaria videtur. Decret. part. 1. diſt. 7. c. 2. Licet leges abrogatus non teneamus, tamen notitia earum eſt neceſſaria. gloſs. Membranas ad Diſtinct. 19. c. 1. Legimus aliqua ne negligantur: legimus, ne ignoremus: legimus, non ut teneamus ſed ut repudiemus. Amb. in proaem com. ad luc. Lex etiam ipſa abrogata, nedum mutata aut novata, abrogandique, mutandi, novandi ratio diligentiùs perpenſa (neque enim ſine hujuſmodi concurſu praevio benè decernit Iuriſconſultus) autoritatem planè praeſtat ampliſſimam Iuri noviſſimo atque in repraeſenti capiendo. Selden. Diſſert. ad Flet. cap. 1. ſect. 3. Non eſt novum ut priores leges ad poſteriores trahantur. Digeſt. lib. 1. tit. 3. L. 26. knowledge of ſome things left, It may pleaſe to recount upon what grounds (and But upon what grounds) things have paſſed reaching to our ſelves, or all may paſs if but for the reaſon alledged in the licenſe of Mr. Tombs his late book, The ſtrength being here imbattelled and p. 110the better (1)(1)Diſcunt autem non ut ſequantur ſed ut judicent atque convincant. Quomodo ſi quiſpiam adverſus Mathematicos velit ſcribere ignarus foreign, riſui pateat; & adverſum Philoſophos diſputans, ſi ignoret dogmata Philoſophorum. Hieron. in Daniel, cap. 1. tom. 4. pa. 496. D.known for oppoſition. Whatever it be, I ſubmit it to the cenſure of every body, yea if need be,(2)(2)Audivimus etiam illud ab eo (Origine) frequenter intexi, quod hodiè ne quidem iſti imperitiſſimi omnium obtrectatores ejus dicere non dedignantur; ut ſiquis meliùs de his locis qua ille diſſeruit, dixerit vel expoſuerit, illi potiùs qui rectiùs diceret, quàm ſibi auſcultandum. Apolog. pro Origine. inter opera Hieron…: tom. 9. In hoc autem tractatu non ſolum pium lectorem, ſed etiam liberum correctorem deſidero: maximè ubi profunda verſatur veritatis quaeſtio, quae utinam tot haberet inventores, quot habet contradictores. Lombard. in Prolog. ad ſentent. Correction; or, farther, Rejection; Though I had rather finde(3)(3)And from a Chriſtian I hope to be dealt with as a Chriſtian. Not flattering, or ſnarling; but approving, or convincing: in meekneſs and ſobriety, admoniſhing or inſtructing. Let all your works be done in love, is bleſſed St Pauls (1 Cor. 16.14.) In doctrin ſhewing integrity, gravity, ſincerity, ſound ſpeech that cannot be reproved (Tit. 2.9.) with meekneſs reclaiming the diſcenter, (2 Tim. 2.25.) and with much ſedulouſneſs of induſtry and utmoſt endeavour, ſtudying to keep the unity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace Epheſ. 4.3.1 Cor 16:14Titus 2:92 Tim 2:25Eph 4:3 Conviction, or Approbation. It is far enough from the pretious foundation, and ſo, if it ſhould prove hay, ſtubble, or other rotten and corruptible ſtuff, ex qua non ſtruitur firmum aedificium, as Beza, unſerviceable for the propoſed end of meant edification, yet the Worker ſhould be himſelf ſafe and free enough by the paſt vote of a leading and infallible Chriſtian Caſuiſt, the Work proving unprofitable. For, Other foundation can no man lay, ſays he, then Jeſus Chriſt and him crucifyed: And if any (keeping to that) ſhall trouble himſelf fruitleſly to build hay, ſtubble, wood (things(4)(4)So the beſt expoſitors. Calvin, Beza, Marlorate, &c. unprofitable meerly, not otherwiſe noxious, for the ſpeech is of miſtaken informers, not malignant depravers) the (5)(5)Examinationem judicii igni voluit comparate juxta conſuetudinem ſcripturarum. Commentar: inter opera Hieron. tom. 8. pa. 195. Quia metaphorice loquutus erat Paulus de doctrina, ipſum quoque doctrinae examen nunc metaphorice Ignem appellat, ut membra comparationis oppoſita inter ſe cohaereant. Ignis ergo hic eſt ſpiritus Domini, qui ſuo examine probat, quae doctrina ſit inſtar auri, & quae inſtar ſtipulae. Quò propius ad hunc ignem admota fuerit Dei doctrina, eò magis clareſcet: contra, quae in hominum capite nata fuerit, protinus evaneſcet, ſicut ſtipula igne devoratur. Io. Calvin: Comment. in 1 Corinth. 3.13.1 Cor 3:13fire of ſevere cenſure ſhall try what it is: if it had been of proof, able to hold out tryal, p. 111there is(1)(1)Cum enim nihil in illo ſordis inventum fuerit pravae doctrinae (ut in bono auro) it… erit ut tr… fratres in camino ignis, mercedem vitam aeternam cum gloria accepurtus: quia ſicut aurum & argentum & lapides quos ignis non corrumpit, ita & bonorum magiſter incorruptibilis perman… bit. Ambroſ. in loc. tom. 3. pa. 167. reward in juſtice for the Worker: Elſe he may ſuffer loſs, (of his(2)(2)Siquis negligenter docuerit aut verbo aut exemplo, perdet laborem ſuum. Hieron. ubi ſupra. foreign, id eſt, jacturam hanc faciet, operis nimirum iſtius & laboris: ut ſiquis architectus non rectè ſtruxerit parietem, non modo non perſolvitur ei merces operis, ſed etiam opus diruitur. Beza, in annotat. major. periſhing work) foreign, but(3)(3)Paulum de iis loqui conſtat, qui retento ſemper fundamento faenum auro, ſtipulam argento, lignum lapidibus pretioſis admiſcent, nempe qui in Chriſto aedificant, ſed propter carnis imbecillitatem patiuntur aliquid humanum— (as the Fathers) tales dicit Paulus ſalvos fieri poſſe, ſed hac lege, ſi Dominus eorum ignorantiam abſterferit, &c. Vult ergo innuere ſe illis non adimere ſpem ſalutis, modò libenter faciant jacturam operis, &c. Calvin. in loc. Servabitur, id eſt, opere quidem ut mercede ſperata, non tamen, vita mulctabitur. (This written in the heat of late troubles, when priſons were full and houſes empty; when a man was made an offender for a word, as Eſai 29.21. and ſoft Religion, that hardly permits to defend our ſelves, both taught and inſtigated to bloodſhed and for Religion.) Every Table was made a ſnare: To think did border upon a Crime: the leaſt diſcovery of warping to any ſide had ſome Armed Power at hand to Judge and Revenge: but to aſcend the Pulpit-ſtayers (How much more yet to coyn thoughts into doubtfull words, and make them legible! Litera ſcripta manet!) This brought on uſually a Dilemma of higheſt danger, Sequeſtration, or Treaſon. O tempora! O mores! Neque enim eos ut pſeudo-apoſtolos reprehendit Paulus, quique à Fundamento deſciſcant, ſed ut curioſa quaedam ac humana potius quàm divina conſectantes, &c. Beza in annot. majore in ver. 15.Isa 29:21 himſelf ſhall be ſafe, though not without (4)(4)Porrò, tametſi purgat interdum Deus ſuos afflictionibus, Hic tamen Ignis nomine Spiritus examen intelligo:—Scio quidem multos ad crucem referre, verùm meam interpretationem ſanis omnibus judiciis placituram confido. Calvin. in loc.fire or ſearching tryal, which ſhall paſs farther even upon all, in the great criticall day, when Judgment ſhall be given of all the world. Whence in the texts of ſundry Editions it is, Dies Domini declarabit, not ſome time or other, but The day of the Lord ſhall make declaration of all things ſecure till when, I go on in my way.