The Axe Laid to the Root of Separation, Section 3

The Axe Laid to the Root of Separation · Section 3

p. 69SECT. III.

THUS much foreign, and foreign; for the Stating our CAUSE, and Confirming it: I deſcend now foreign, to the Anſwering Objections.

But how can an Ʋnregenerat Man be Admitted Into the Church, that is not Of it? How can he that is not In Chriſt, be Received as a Member, or into his Body? How can he that is Out of Covenant, be Admitted to Enter Covenant? How can a Sealed Pardon be delivered to him whoſe Faith is not ſound, and Repentance ſincere? How can one be a Chriſtian, that hath no Grace? Theſe Objections, and the like, which are multiplied, do receive their Solution by the Preceding Thread of this Diſcourſe. If the Government and Covenant we have been ſpeaking of, be underſtood aright, and that the Church is the Number of thoſe directly that be brought under That Government, and into That Covenant; we ſee all the way, how the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Regenerate, may be of it; and that they who ſay, That Such are p. 70only In the Church, and not Of it, do but miſtakingly allude to St. John's Words, in this Caſe. We ſee, how the Ʋnregenerate may be In Chriſt, as they are of his Political Body; and as Chriſt himſelf ſays expreſly, That there are Branches in Him that bring forth no Fruit. We ſee, how the Ʋnregenerate may Enter into the Covenant of Peculiarity, when yet he hath not brought his Soul to a Full Decree and Purpoſe of Conſtant and Entire Obedience; which is required of him alſo in the Covenant of Life. We ſee, how he may Enter it in the Preciſe, though he does not (as he ought to do alſo) in the Complex Conſideration thereof. We may underſtand alſo, how that Ʋniverſal Conditional Pardon, which God hath paſſed in the Goſpel, may be Delivered or Sealed to a Man, though a Simon, or a Judas, as well as to a Philip himſelf, or to a John. We ſee likewiſe, how that a Man, who hath not one Spark of that Grace that is Saving, may have his Share in the General Grace of God, or of the Goſpel, as well as others. The Acute and Profound Mr. Baxter, in one of his Books, hath theſe Words. You muſt firſt believe that Common Grace and Love, mentioned Joh. 3.16. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20, 14, 15. 1 Tim. 2.6. Heb. 2.9. And you muſt believe your Intereſt in this; that is, that God hath by Chriſt made to All, and to You, an Act of Oblivion, and free Deed of Gift, that you ſhall p. 71have Chriſt, and Pardon, and Eternal Life, if you will believingly accept the Gift, and not finally …ject it. And the Belief of This, even of this Common Love and Grace, muſt firſt perſwade your Hearts accordingly to accept the Offer; and then you have a Special Intereſt. Life of Faith, pag. 152. Mark here: There is the General Grace of God, and a Particular Intereſt in that General Grace; the Belief whereof is the orderly way to a Special Intereſt; that is, to the putting a Man upon the Performance of the Condition, that he may have Intereſt in the Benefit. Let me ask then, Whether the Confirming, and ſtirring up this Belief of a Man's Particular Intereſt in God's General Grace, is not to be endeavoured in order to this End, the getting the Special Intereſt? And if it be, how ſhall the Word, Baptiſm, and the Lord's Supper, which are Ordinances that do indeed directly and immediately nothing elſe, (howſoever People may miſtake) but Declare, Seal, and Confirm the Particular Intereſt of every Man in this General Grace of the New-Teſtament, (and ſo are delivered to all alike, that have an External Right to them) be Denyed to any one, (the fuller Definition of General Grace before laid down, duly alſo conſidered) who, upon an Aſſent to the Truth of the Goſpel, doth deſire Admiſſion upon this Account, or to this End? If there be any Reaſon for their Refuſal otherwiſe, p. 72well and good; but it muſt be left to themſelves, to make further Application, as to their Special Intereſt, only by way of Conſequence and Deduction, according to their Evidence of having, or not having, performed the Condition required to the Benefits, of Remiſſion and Salvation.

It is Objected in the Cure of Church-Diviſions. 1. This Doctrine confounds the Catechumens with the Chriſtians. Anſw. It is true, that the Primitive Church, after the Apoſtles, in the Times of the Ten Perſecutions, were very ſtrict in their Admitting Members; and ſo had their Catechumeni, which continued upon the good Uſe of that Cuſtom, for a long Seaſon: And Albaſpinaeus (as I remember) does tell us a good Reaſon they had for it, in regard of the Danger they then were in, in caſe of any Falſe Brother, (upon which Account we find the Diſciples, at firſt, ſo ſhy of Paul, Act. 9.26.) who might, at that time, betray the whole Church, and her Sacred Myſteries, to the Perſecutor: Beſides the horrid Scandal to thoſe both Within and Without, in the Caſe of the Lapſi. This Reaſon being now ceaſed, God be bleſſed, and the Command of Chriſt, with the Firſt Times of the Goſpel, and Acts of the Apoſtles, being the Rule and Examples which we are to follow in our Practice; this Objection, I muſt ſay, is for the Times before Conſtantine; but is now out of p. 73date. The Practice of the Apoſtles we find otherwiſe; the Practice of the Church now we know otherwiſe. There was Reaſon after the Apoſtle's Time for this Strictneſs; but the Rule was not ſo at firſt. What? Would you like, that the People of our Mixt Churches ſhould be held but as Catechumens; and when any are grown to be Sound Chriſtians, the Independent ſhould Gather them into Their Congregations? Our Times continue no ſuch Cuſtom. Infant-Baptiſm alone confounds this Objection. 2. This Doctrine makes the Church conſiſt of ſuch as are no Chriſtians; Of ſuch as take Chriſt for their Teacher, and not their King. Anſw. Of Such, or moſt Such, as are no Regenerate Chriſtians. It was the Belief of their Creeds, among the Antients, made them Chriſtians; and there is none of us believe Chriſt to be a Teacher, but he believes Him alſo a Prieſt, and a King. I underſtand not this dividing Chriſt's Offices. He that comes in but to the Conventional Government of Chriſt, and ſubmits to the Inſtitutions of it, takes Him for his King: Nay, he that takes Chriſt for his Teacher, takes Him Therein alſo to be his Ruler; that is, to be led by Him. And, I ſay, the Ʋnregenerate takes Chriſt to be his Ruler ſo far as to joyn in his Ordinances; and ſo far as he takes Him, the Miniſter cannot Refuſe him. If he takes Him ſo far as to Obey Him farther, it is his p. 74Duty; and his Salvation depends upon it: But if no farther, ſo far as any will take Him, or come in to Him, it is the General Grace of God and Chriſt, that muſt, and that will warrant his Admiſſion againſt all that gainſay it. 3. They therefore that hold this, (the dividing Chriſt's Offices) introduce a New Chriſtianity. Anſw. And they that ſavor it not, retain but the Old. 4. And a New ſort of Baptiſm. Anſw. No, good Sir, but another Profeſſion than That, which, by an unavoidable Conſequence, muſt elſe bring us all to Separation. It is true, that the Tradition of Baptiſm is Sacred; and it is a Benefit, not to be loſt, that it hath delivered down what Chriſtianity is, by our Chriſtening. But Infant-Baptiſm is a part of that Tradition, if the Fathers be not out: And I hope that we may know what Chriſtianity is, by engaging our Children to it, as well as by our making them de praeſenti, to Profeſs it. If the Child be made to anſwer Polliceor, and that in the Senſe which reſpects both Parts of the Covenant, as hath been intimated, it will be all one with an Abrenuncio, as for that. The Church her ſelf, which, for the Antient Forms ſake, retains the Words in her Baptiſm, does recal them in effect, by rendring this Interpretation in her Catechiſm. 5. This large Doctrine deſtroys the Special Love of Chriſt's Members. Anſw. By no means. We are to Receive p. 75all that are Willing: We know not how Far they are Willing. If they be Willing to come in thus Far, they may be Such, for ought we know, as are willing Altogether: And as Charity Hopeth all things, as well as Believeth all things, we are to judge the beſt of them, and behave our ſelves to them accordingly. Beſides, it is too narrow a thing for Brotherly Love, to ſit down in the Comforts only of my Brethren's Mutual Faith, and not be at the Pains for their Converſion. 6. Hence it will follow, that the Church muſt be conſtituted of Two ſorts of Profeſſors, and ſo be Two Churches. Anſw. There is one thing I muſt remember, while I think of it, which elſe may work a great deal of Prejudice to my CAUSE. It muſt be acknowledged, that our Divines generally do make Profeſſion to be That which gives Right, Coram Eccleſia, to the Ordinances and Memberſhip; and Truth of Grace (ſay the moſt) Coram Deo. Now, whil'ſt I ſeem to lay another Ground, which is Willingneſs or Conſent upon Belief of the Goſpel, upon the Account of General Grace, both Coram Deo and Eccleſia, I muſt declare, that This is, or ſhall be accounted by me to be Profeſſion. I ſay, That when a Man comes, and offers himſelf to joyn, or joyns with the Church in her Service, this is Profeſſion. If any will not let me call This Profeſſion, then I muſt ſay, It is Not Profeſſion, but This Conſent p. 76or Willingneſs upon Receiving the Word, that is the Rule of Admiſſion: If they will, then I ſay, It is My Profeſſion is the Rule, and not Theirs, which is a Profeſſion of no leſs than Regeneration. Not but that a Man who believes the Goſpel, and comes in, may make what Profeſſion of Grace he Can, and Will, as he hath occaſion, without Making or Marring the Conſtitution of the Church. The Church is Conſtituted of the Willing, of thoſe that Offer Themſelves. Theſe are Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate, according to Chriſt's Intendment in ſeveral of his Parables. This Church moreover, I muſt ſay, is Catholick, One, and Entire after Cyprian, de Ʋnitate Eccleſiae, and after Auguſtine. The Objection then of Two Churches, upon the Diverſity of Profeſſions, that being not our Rule, is built upon the Sand, tho' the Church Political and Myſtical, be not indeed the ſame.

There are more Objections, with greater Variety, in the Book called, Right to Sacraments. And the Sum of moſt of them, I take it, comes to This. The whole Church have the Denomination of Saints, Sanctified, Believers, Juſtified; and multitude of things are attributed to It, which none but the Regenerate really are capable of: And Therefore, it muſt be upon a Profeſſion which amounts to that Importance, Wherefore the Ʋnregenerate are ſo Reckoned, and Received. This Objection is multiplied, and Scriptures abundantly Ʋrged p. 77and Improved accordingly. I will Anſwer therefore very plainly: The whole Church is thus Denominated (or ſuch things are attributed to It) from the Better Part, or from the Regenerate Part only, (which our Divines do commonly ſay) who are Such; where I need not ſtand (I think, after them) to ſhew, how the Scriptures abound with frequent Paſſages, where Something is attributed to All, that belongs properly to a Part only of Thoſe, to Whom, or of Whom it is ſpoken: but aſſume ſtreight, That foraſmuch as it is for the ſake of Thoſe to whom the Ʋnregenerate Chriſtian is Joyned, that ſuch Titles or Things are attributed to him; it does appear, that it is his Coming in to the Church, or Willingneſs to be one of their Society, that gives him that Advantage; and not his telling a Lie in an Hypocritical Profeſſion. Yes ſure, you will ſay, it muſt be a Man's Profeſſing himſelf to be Thus, makes the Church Repute him thus: But I ſay, No; for it is not We only Repute him Thus, but the Scripture: The Holy Ghoſt calls all the Members ſuch; and the Holy Ghoſt and Scripture cannot Repute them So, but upon a Ground of Truth, and not upon the Foundation of a Lie, or what is Viſible only. Now, that Truth is this, that Some are indeed Such, and the Reſt are of their Society; which, in the Whole, is ſo denominated on their Account. I will yet ſay That, which p. 78does yield my ſelf moſt Satisfaction. The Ʋnregenerate Chriſtian, who comes in to the Church, is under the Means, and in the Way, to attain That himſelf, which yet he is Reputed to Be for the ſake of Them with whom he is Joyned. As we are ſaid to be Juſtified by Faith, according to Auſtin, when Faith in its ſelf, diſtinct from Repentance and Good Works, is the Initium only, or Entrance of a Chriſtian towards it, (there being a particular Intereſt in the General Grace of God, upon Belief of That only, which is Firſt, and in the Way to a Special Intereſt, as One before hath told us) and as the Apoſtle intimates, when he ſays, We have Believed, (as a firſt thing) that we might be Juſtified: So do I judge, that an Ʋnregenerate Man may be ſaid to be a Diſciple, Saint, Sanctified, Juſtified, Saved, as this Coming into the Church is his beginning the Courſe to obtain it. The Children of the Koathites are ſaid From a Month old to keep the Charge of the Sanctuary, (Num. 3.27, 28.) becauſe they were ſo deſigned, or devoted thereunto. Neither is this unuſual in our common Speech: For let a Man go out of London but Yeſterday towards Cornwal, we ſay, He is gone to Cornwal, when it will be many Days before he reaches Thither. As we ſay then, This Man is Gone to Cornwal; ſo is the Ʋnregenerate Member Sanctified, Juſtified; that is, he is In the Way to get p. 79to it. I will clear this farther. The Apoſtle, ſpeaking of the Perſon whom he would have Excommunicated, bids us yet, Not to count him as an Enemy, but admoniſh him as a Brother, 2 Theſſ. 3.15. It may be demanded, How this can be, when he is caſt out from the Society, and ſo is actually a Brother no longer? I Anſwer, That foraſmuch as he is Cast out to this End only, that he may Return, and ſo be a Brother again, he is ſtill to be Had, and in this reſpect to be Dealt with as a Brother. If then a Perſon ſhall be held a Brother in reſpect to his Repentance and Return, as being under the Means (the Churches Cenſure and Admonition) to bring him to it, we ſee how the Ʋnregenerate may have the like Denominations as This, on that Account; which is indeed the Same only.

But what if a Man ſhall ſay, I Believe the Articles of the Creed, but I will not leave my Sins: I would have Chriſt to ſave me, but I Renounce his Government: Shall ſuch a Man be Admitted? I Anſwer, Theſe are Tragical kinds of Exaggerations of the ſame Objection, which ſtands on a miſtaken Suppoſition. If it be proved, that it is Chriſt's Will, that every Man muſt come with ſuch a Profeſſion, as to tell what he Is before he is Baptized; it were but Reaſon he ſhould tell all, and ſay the Worst as well as the Best of himſelf; and I know not what then you would p. 80do with him: But if it be a Man's Offering Himſelf only is his Profeſſion, there is no footing for any Words of this Nature. I ſay, moreover, As you will receive the Hypocrite under the Name of a Profeſſor; ſo will I receive the Willing under the Notion of a Comer, to get Grace, or more Grace, in the Uſe of the Ordinances, as the Means thereof, by God's Appointment.

Baptiſm is for Remiſſion of Sins, and ſo is the Lord's Supper; and how ſhall any Man, whoſe Faith and Repentance is not Sound, be Baptized, or Communicate, ſeeing his Sins be not Forgiven? I Anſwer, Baptiſm, and the Supper are for Remiſſion; and they are for ſomething Elſe too. They are For the Owning and Acknowledging God and Chriſt, according to his Inſtitutions. Jeſus Chriſt was Baptized, and Partook of his own Supper; but He had no Sins to be Remitted. He did it, He tells us, for Fulfilling of Righteouſneſs. Theſe Acts in the Ʋnregenerate, are Acts of External Righteouſneſs; and ſo far as he can Do it, his Duty muſt be Done. When there are More Ends than One of an Ordinance, or of an Action, and ſome Other of thoſe Ends may be Attained, the Ordinance or Action muſt not be omitted, becauſe That One Cannot. Neither indeed is it the Advantage of Man, but the Will and Glory of God, that is the Ground of our Duty. Ne que enim quia bonum est idcircò p. 81auſcultare debemus, ſed quia Deus praecepit. Prior eſt Authoritas imperantis quàm utilitas ſervientis. Tertul. de Poen. Lib. But I have Anſwered this Objection before alſo, Otherwiſe; and becauſe it may be urged with as much Strength and Importunity, as Any elſe whatſoever, I will repeat that Anſwer, and Enlarge it. That God hath granted Pardon and Life upon our Faith and Repentance, is the Subſtance of the Goſpel. That this Grant is ordinarily called The Covenant by Divines, is not to be denyed. That this Covenant is Conditional and Ʋniverſal, appears in the Propoſal; and conſequently, that All Perſons, and Every Perſon in the World, hath a Share in it; ſo that, if he Repents and Believes, he ſhall be Pardoned and Saved. Every Perſon that comes into the Church, and is Baptized, does take Poſſeſſion, I muſt ſay, of that Share or Intereſt which he hath in this Ʋniverſal Conditional Remiſſion and Salvation, whatſoever elſe he does farther. This Poſſeſſion, and Ʋnderſtanding of it, is a Matter of greater moment than moſt do think of; being Worthy of all Acceptation, according to the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 1.15. Thoſe Perſons that hear the Goſpel, and Refuſe to come in, and be Baptized, do leave their Share, Part, Portion or Intereſt in this General Grace; and thereby do Refuſe or Forſake their own Mercy: at leaſt, they do not Take their Share, and Apply it p. 82to their Souls, as thoſe do (or ſhould do) that Receive the Goſpel. This Application of a Man's Intereſt in the General Grace of God, is the Means to bring him to a Special Intereſt, as we have been inſtructed before by a ſound Divine, as well as moving Preacher; and his Meaning (as I take it) is, That a Man appropriating the Doctrine of General Grace to himſelf, (to wit, that if he, for his own part, does Repent, Chriſt hath died for him, having Died for All, and he ſhall be Pardoned and Saved as well as any) is that ordinary way which the Spirit of God takes to the working the Soul up to a Reſolution of Repentance, and Truſt in his Mercy; which is neceſſary to that End. Well! The Covenant then, which the Goſpel declares, and the Sacraments Seal, being the Conditional Covenant, that Remiſſion and Salvation which they Confer (Pronounce or Exhibit, Signifie or Seal) to any Body, is Conditional only, and can be no other. Whatſoever is common to the Regenerate, and the Hypocrite, (which the Sacraments muſt needs be) can Exhibit no Remiſſion, or any thing elſe, but ſuch as belongs both to Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate, and that is Conditional Remiſſion. It is the particular Share, Part, or Intereſt, that every Man hath in this Ʋniverſal Conditional Remiſſion, that the Miniſter doth deliver to the Baptized, and the Communicant, when he delivers them their p. 83Pardon ſealed by theſe Ordinances. If the Perſon that receives them hath performed the Condition, though he receives from the Miniſter the Seal only of the Conditional Ʋniverſal Pardon belonging to Him, and all the Reſt alike; yet is this Pardon, upon that Account, made Abſolute to him; and he is accordingly to apply the Conſolation with Thankſgiving and Bleſſing, with Joy and Peace in Believing: If he hath not performed it, yet hath he his Share in the General Grace of God delivered to him, (ſo that there is no Sealing to a Blank) and he is, at leaſt, to Take it, and Carry it home with him, to Lay it to his Heart with that Chriſtian Conſideration that is meet: And in ſo doing, who knows but God may give him his Grace, that by this Means (if by any in the World) he may be ſtirred up to the Performance, and ſo come Alſo to be Abſolutely Pardoned and Saved.

Baptiſm is the putting off the Filth of the Fleſh, the Old Man, a Burial with Chriſt to our Sins, a Signified Taking God and Chriſt as offered, a Conſent to our Part of the Covenant, the Anſwer of a good Conſcience, a Putting on Chriſt, and the like. Ergo; No Ʋnregenerate Man can be Baptized. Anſw. This is the ſame Objection with That which precedes the Two Laſt; and I give the ſame Solution. Baptiſin is ſo to the Regenerate; and in regard to Such it is ſo Denominated. The Regenerate p. 84when they are Baptized Do Thus; they put off Sin, put on Chriſt, Conſent, and ſo forth: The Ʋnregenerate are brought under the Means to do it. Baptiſm to them is the Ark, which Saves them only, as they are got into the Way to be ſaved. But do not theſe Mediums prove, that the Profeſſion we make at Baptiſm, muſt be of no leſs than a Saving Faith, which alone does operate thus? Anſw. I acknowledge the Puiſſance of that Author; and gain-ſay it not, upon his Suppoſition, that Profeſſion is the Rule of Admiſſion: But I deny that Rule; I apprehend the Suppoſition to be the foreign, and would not have been taken up by ſo ſearching a Judgment, but upon deep Authority; and ſo preſumed generally without Precept from Chriſt, and without Example from the Apoſtles. I muſt then ſay farther, His Arguments prove powerfully, that the Baptized ſhould Have a Saving Faith; but they prove not (methinks ſcarce at all) that he muſt Profeſs it: They prove, that the Perſon ſhould come With it; but they prove not, that Without it he muſt not come. Yes, you may reply, A Signal Profeſſion of Doing That which a Man really Does not, is a Lie, Ergo; Without the Thing ſignified, it is Ʋnlawful for him to come. Anſw. A Man's Coming is indeed ſuch a Signum Mentis as This, in the Regenerate that means it; but it is not ſuch in Others. It is in the Ʋnregenerate a Signification p. 85of his Willingneſs to Joyn with the Church, or to be One of their Society; and ſo long as he is indeed Willing to that, it is ſufficient for the Act to be done in Truth, and for him to Come; becauſe it is this Conſent of his, or Will, in good earneſt, is the very Rule of Admiſſion. God hath given Man the Faculty of Speech, to expreſs his Mind by it; and He commands him to Speak as he Thinks, and not Otherwiſe. A Profeſſion therefore in Words that agrees not with the Mind, is Sin in Its Self, or in its Own Nature; and ſuch Words may not be ſpoken: But in Things and Actions the Lie is not in the Nature of thoſe Things and Acts, but in the Interpretation of Others; and ſo is a Lie only by Accident; and the Thing or Act being Good in it ſelf, it muſt be done. As Evil muſt not be committed, becauſe Good may come of it; ſo that which is Good, or Duty, muſt not be omitted, becauſe Evil May.

How will you prove, that any Ʋnregenerate Man hath Right to Baptiſm? Anſw. Very well. By Right we underſtand any Good due to us upon a Grant of him that hath Authority; which Grant (or Gift) is the Foundation of Right, called Title. When the Condition then is performed, upon which ſuch a Grant is made, here the Good is Due; and that is Right. This is the moſt proper of Rights, and which concerns us; and I will p. 86wave all Rights otherwiſe. Now, when Chriſt took Poſſeſſion (as hath been expreſt) of the Government, that God before had over the Jews, (which being a Voluntary Government, and not his Natural One, he could part with) he ſets up Baptiſm, and commiſſionates the Apoſtles to Go and Preach to all Nations, and to Baptize them, as the Badge, Sign or Token of their being his Subjects; enlarging thereby that Kingdom of God (and now His) over the World. In this Commiſſion then, or in the Goſpel, there is a Grant included of Baptiſm, together with the Conſequential Ordinances, (which are the Poſitive Laws or Inſtitutions of this Government) as Priviledges belonging to theſe Subjects of Chriſt's Kingdom, as God's Statutes were of old peculiar to the Jews: And we muſt ask, To whom they are Granted, and upon what Condition? It is plain now, and undeniable, that the Whole Earth are the Perſons; and the Condition (as plain to me) is, if they Come in, if they Accept them. If they will hear, let them hear; if they will be Baptized, Baptize them. Where the Goſpel and Baptiſm are offered unto any, and they made Willing, here is the Condition on their Part extant, and the Grant takes place. If God Will have All to be Saved, He muſt be Willing that they have the Means. The Coming in to the Church, and Partaking of the Ordinances, is God's way of Salvation: Salvation is of p. 87the Jews, Joh. 4.22. The Affording the Means is the Fruit of General Grace. General Grace belongs to the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Regenerate. God Wills ſtill, if Man Will. If any Man then will come to the Means, and God Wills that he Should, if he Will, who art thou that Refuſeſt to Admit them? Take heed, if you go on with this Rule, leſt you deſtroy General Grace, and ſubvert the Goſpel. You may, if you pleaſe indeed, ſay ſtill, Baptiſm is only for the Regenerate; and you may look on all you Baptize to be Regenerate, and give the Sacrament, and Adminiſter the other Ordinances as Means only for the Edification of ſuch; and you muſt maintain conſequently, that ex intentione Inſtituentis, there is no Converſion within the Church, to be expected by any, (when no Member Ʋnregenerate can be Edified, unleſs Converted): And I ſhall then humbly tell you, That if your Preaching and Practice did not indeed contradict your Doctrine, you ſhould deſtroy the moſt of Souls in our ordinary Congregations.

But what ſhall we think of the Man, that comes into the Feaſt without the Wedding-Garment? To come in to the Church, is to come in to the Feaſt; and what a dangerous thing muſt that be unto ſuch? I Anſwer, And what ſhall we ſay to the Man, that comes to hear the Word, and to Pray, without a Saving Faith, or True Grace? The Caſe is the p. 88ſame in all the Ordinances; and there is no doubt, but he ſins in all: nevertheleſs he muſt Come. He ſhould ſin more, if with the Phariſee, he ſhall Reject the Counſel of God, and refuſe to be Baptized. It is true, the Man in the Parable, that was without the Wedding-Garment, is condemned; but this is to be underſtood at Judgment: Neither is it for his Coming, but for his Ʋnworthineſs being There. The Servants brought him In, and did but what they were bid. Beſides, if he had ſtaid Out, when Called, he had been more certainly deſtroyed. It was his Fault, he had no Wedding-Garment; it would have been Double, if he had alſo refuſed the Call. For the One he is bound hand and foot, and thrown into Darkneſs; for the Other he muſt have been brought before the Lord's Face, and ſlain.

To come in an Ʋnregenerate State, is to be Ʋnworthy; and he that Eats and Drinks unworthily, Eats and Drinks Damnation to himſelf, not diſcerning the Lord's Body. Anſw. This Text hath need to be a little opened, for the moderating that Dread which is ordinarily too exceſſive on Tender Minds; or elſe I might ſpare the Objection. For the underſtanding then the Meaning: That which is firſt ſolidly to be thought on, is the Rule of Expoſition; and the Rule of Expoſition is the Inſtitution; for that only is laid down in the Place. p. 89In general therefore, by the word Ʋnworthily, foreign, there is nothing elſe is, or can be accordingly underſtood, but Ʋnmeetly, Ʋnſutably, or not Anſwerably to the Nature of the Ordinance, and the Ends of it. Thus St. Ambroſe: Is indigne ſumit qui aliter accipit quam Chriſtus inſtituit. See his Comment upon the Place. On the contrary, Dignè manducare, To Eat worthily, (ſays Chemnitius) eſt Euchariſtiâ uti eo modo, & in eum finem ſicut ex ipſo Filio Dei inſtituta eſt, is to uſe the Euchariſt after that Manner, and to that End as Chriſt hath Inſtituted it. See his Examen. Conc. Trid. de Coena Domini. Nothing can be more plain, or ſaid with better Judgment. This is alſo moſt fully confirmed by the other Phraſe, Not diſcerning the Lord's Body; which is brought in manifeſtly, as exegetical of the former. The Argument of the Chapter, (which is the Corinth's Sin of Diſorder, and the Reproof thereof; who mingling their Love-Feaſts with the Sacrament, came without any Reverence to the Holineſs of the Inſtitution, inſomuch as they were ready even to be Drunken at it) does explain it to perfect Satisfaction; and it does, and muſt ſignifie therefore nothing elſe, in the Firſt Senſe, but the not putting a Difference between this Sacred, & a Common Table. Paulus dicit Corinthios non dijudicare Corpus Domini, quia illud in Coena Dominica non majori reverentia tractabant quam vidgares Concoenationes, p. 90ſays the ſame Examiner of the Council of Trent, in the ſame Place. And this is the true, and certain Interpretation. I will yet Eſtabliſh it with the Authority of the Great and Devout St. Auguſtine. Indignè dicit acceptam ab cis, qui non diſcernebant à caeteris cibis veneratione ſingulariter debita. Continuò quippe cùm dixiſſet, Judicium ſibi manducat & bibit, addidit ut diceret, Non dijudicans Corpus Domini, quod ſatis toto ipſo loco ſi diligenter attendatur, apparet. Aug. Ad Inquiſitiones Januarii, Lib. 1. Cap. 3. If the Meaning of either of the Phraſes were to come in Ʋnregeneration, then muſt thoſe Corinths that fell aſleep under the Guilt, be not only Chaſtened of the Lord, but Condemned with the World; which were to give the Lie to the Text.

Our Divines generally diſtinguiſh the Church into Viſible and Inviſible, and make that a Diſtribution of a Subject into its Adjuncts; and conſequently, when the Church Inviſible is the Number of the Regenerate and Elect, and the Subject is One, the Viſible muſt be nothing but Thoſe, who by Profeſſion are Such; that is, Appear ſo, and are Not; and the Ʋnregenerate are excluded. Anſw. I confeſs, this is the Common Judgment of our chief Proteſtant Divines; and it hath confounded us. I muſt therefore, for my own part, declare Againſt it. I diſlike the Terms, (which I ſuppoſe not Cyprian's or Auguſtine's, but Late Ones) and p. 91being forced therefore to ſome Deſcription of the Church, and to Diſtinguiſh about it, (for elſe we ſhould not know of What we ſpeak) I uſe Others. I diſtinguiſh the Church into Political and Myſtical; and I ſpeak of It under the former Conception. Now, this Diſtinction (underſtanding, by the way, the word Political in a Generical, not Specifical Notion) I take not to be Diſtributio Rei, into its diverſe Accidents, or Parts Eſſential or Integral; but Nominis, into its diverſe Significations: That is, I take it not for a Diſtribution of a Genus into its Species, which are its Eſſential Parts, or a Totum into its Integrals, or of a Subject into its Adjuncts, or Accidents; but I tell what I mean by the Church, when I uſe the word, through the Means of that Diſtinction. I do not (I ſay) diſtribute One Thing into its Two Parts or Adjuncts; but I diſtribute One Word, or Homonymous Term into Two Things, ſignified by it. To be Ʋnited to Chriſt by his Spirit, ſo as to Have Him a Head of Influences to me, for Spiritual Life and Salvation, is One Thing; and to be of the number of Thoſe who are brought under his Poſitive Inſtitutions, and Subject themſelves to his Officers for the proper End, and ſo Have Him as a Political Head only for External Government, (though it be in order to bring them on to Saving Grace, and into the Myſtical Church alſo) is Another. If I ſpeak p. 92of the Seed of Abraham; To be his Seed by Birth is One Thing, and to be his Seed by Faith is Another. It is One Thing to be an Outward Jew, or a Jew by Nature, and Circumciſion in the Fleſh; and it is Another to be an Inward Jew, by Circumciſion in the Spirit, by Grace, and Keeping the Commandments of God. And what a Diſtribution then is this? Why? It is Diſtributio Homonymi ſive Equivocantis in Equivocata: And the Diſtribution of a Genus into its Species, of a Whole into its Parts, of a Subject into its Adjuncts, being (as I count) Diſtributiones Ʋnivoci, This can be none of thoſe Three. Here is Idem Nomen, the ſame Word or Term, [CHƲRCH] but Nominis Ratio Diverſa, the Reaſon of the Denomination, the Conceptus Objectivus, not the Same. When there is One Name then, there are Two Things. The Things are diverſe and diſparate; but not Two Species of One Genus, or Two Parts of One Integrum, or Two Accidents of One Subject; there is no need of That. The Political Body is One Society, and the Myſtical Body is One Society; Both are headed by One Chriſt, Both are Catholick, and Both are One; and One Perſon may be a Member of Both, but Both are not the Same. It is not a Diſtribution of an Integrum into its diverſe Sorts of Members, (as I have been formerly apt to think) becauſe the Coetus then muſt be One; when That Coetus p. 93which conſiſts of the Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate, and That which conſiſts of the Regenerate Only, cannot be One and the Same Coetus, but Two: Eſpecially, when there may be Some, who are Members of the Church Myſtical, (as being already in a State of Salvation) and not yet Admitted into the Congregate, or Political Body, (either Ʋniverſal or Particular; for ſo I uſe theſe Terms) Act. 10.4, 22, 35. Rom. 2.26, 27. as well as Many, who are Members of a Chriſtian Congregation, but Foreigners to the Aſſembly of Heaven. It is not a Diſtribution of a Subject into its Adjuncts, for the ſame Reaſon; which yet our Divines intend, by their Terms, Viſible and Inviſible, already noted. The Church, which is Chriſt's Church, is that One Myſtical Body of the Elect and Regenerate only, according to them, diſtinguiſhed into a double Reſpect, or Conſideration thereof, as Inviſibly or Viſibly ſuch; that is, as Men be Indeed, or in Appearance Members of it. A goodly Diſtribution! As if we ſhould divide Man in Specie into its Singulars; Plato Socrates, Paul John, and the Pictures of Men; when the Picture of a Man is No Man, and a Viſible Member No Member; that is, a dividing a Church-Member, or Church, into one that is One, and into one that is None. Beſides, that this is a Conception, (as before intimated) that makes the Apoſtle underſtand by the Outward p. 94Jew (when he diſtinguiſhes them, Rom. 2.) to be the Inward One according to Appearance; one that appears to be an Inward One, or a Jew only Putativè & ſecundum apparentiam, as they ſpeak; when nothing is more contrary to his Mind; who means undoubtedly, a Jew by Nature, (as Gal. 2.) one of Abraham's Seed according to the Fleſh; Born a Jew, and thereby having a Right to Circumciſion, and the Conſequences of it. The Formal Reaſon giving Being and Relation to One Church, is diſtinct and different quite from That which Conſtituteth, and giveth Relation to the Other. I am nevertheleſs afraid to ſay likewiſe, That it is a Diſtribution of a Genus into its Species, becauſe the making Two Churches ſpecifically diſtinct under One Ʋnivocum Ʋnivocans, will be Abſonant, I doubt, to the General Ear; though if any will make the Coetus Vocatorum the Number of the Called in Genere, to be divided into the Number of the Called Effectually, and of the Externally Called, and then divide theſe, as the Species, into their Singulars; Peter Paul Regenerate, Judas Simon Unregenerate, I ſhall be far from falling out with them; who muſt rather declare, That if they can make it good, they have won our CAƲSE. For my part, I am only pretty ſure methinks of This, that the term CHƲRCH is Homonymous; and ſo long as I go no farther than I do, I ſeem p. 95to my ſelf the more ſafe. For thus much appears, The Inward Jew hath another Relation to God than the Outward; in regard to which, the Outward Jew is ſaid to be No Jew; that is, None as ſo meant; when in regard to that Relation which is common to Both, he was a Jew, (the true proper Jew, and the Other but Metaphorically ſo) having the ſame Priviledges thereof equal with the Other. It is One thing to have One of theſe Relations, and to have the Other is Another; and the Societies to which they relate therefore, are not the Same. To be Called is One thing, to be Elected Another. The Myſtical Church is the Number of the Spiritual Seed, Inward Jew or Chriſtian, or of the Elect: The Political Church is the Number of the Called. To ſpeak yet more exactly: There is the Kingdom of Chriſt, and there are Some Perſons among them, whom He Chooſes, to give his Special Grace and Spirit unto; and thereby to make them One with Himſelf in another (or ſtricter) manner than the reſt. Theſe Select or Elect Perſons are ſometimes called the Church; and ſometimes this whole Kingdom is called the Church. This Kingdom is Ʋniverſal or Catholick, becauſe it is over the World. Theſe Elect are Catholick, becauſe ſcattered here and there, every where in it. This Kingdom is One, becauſe they are All under One Head and Government, (and have One p. 96Faith, and One Baptiſm, Epheſ. 4.5.) Theſe Elect are One, becauſe united into a Myſtical Body, even ſo as to be ſaid One Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12.12. If Divines had uſed to diſtinguiſh theſe Two Things by Two Words, and called the One Chriſt's Kingdom, and the Other the Church, the Matter would have been more eaſie: But when they are Both called the Church, I am forced to diſtinguiſh the word Church, and tell, That I underſtand by it, Chriſt's Kingdom, (that which is called the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, in the Goſpel, Matth. 13.44. Mar. 4.26. Act. 20.25.) And if it appear, that Ʋnregenerate Men are of This Kingdom, (Matth. 8.12:) it is all one to me, as to ſay, They are of the Church. Unto Chriſt's Kingdom certainly do Chriſt's Inſtitutions, Chriſt's Poſitive Laws and Officers belong; and conſequently, the Ordinances of Baptiſm, which is appointed to Admit Men into the Same. That Door now, which admits Hypocrites as well as Sound Believers, cannot Admit Men into the Myſtical Church; for there are no Hypocrites There. But Hypocrites, as well as Sound Believers, are Baptized; and it cannot be otherwiſe. The Myſtical Body then is One thing, and the Political Body (which alone concerns our Diſpute) is Another. They are Two Things, though called by One Name. The Objection conſequently, being founded on the contrary Suppoſition, does fall.

p. 97There is One Thing yet, puts me moſt to it. It is the Form of Baptiſm in the Liturgy, (which I ſuppoſe very Antient by Tertullian) where the Covenant is Entred by every one that is Baptized, in the way of Queſtion and Reſponſe: And when That Queſtion is askt, Doeſt thou Renounce the Devil, the World, and the Fleſh, in the Words as there expreſs'd; and no leſs an Anſwer is required, than, I Renounce them all; it appears, that the Church of England receives none for her Members, but Such as She ſuppoſes Regenerate Perſons. If none but Such as make that Profeſſion, which none but the Regenerate can Make, are Admitted to Memberſhip and Baptiſm; it is evident what is the Churches Judgment. To this purpoſe are Thanks given for every Child upon its Baptiſm, That God hath pleaſed to Regenerate it by his Holy Spirit, (not only by Water.) When theſe Children come of Age, they muſt be Confirmed; and All, as ſuppoſed in a State of Grace, are to come to the Communion. When any Die, they are likewiſe, as being in the Church, ſuppoſed to go all to Heaven: Neither ought the Words in the Burial give Offence to any, being ſpoken according to a Church-Judgment of Charity, of every Body, upon that Suppoſition.

In the Firſt place therefore, for Anſwer: I acknowledge my ſelf a Non-Conformiſt: And p. 98as All, who are Such, have ſome particular Reaſons above others, why they Aſſent and Conſent not to all, and every thing contained in, and preſcribed by the Book of Liturgy; I am content that this be alledged for My Reaſon, though it be not my only Reaſon: I Aſſent, and Conſent not, that this Abrenuncio be impoſed in Baptiſm: And not only becauſe no Child can make that Profeſſion, but becauſe I cannot find in my Heart to receive ſuch a Tenent, by Conſequence, from the Liturgy, for Conforming to the Church; which muſt lead me, if I be true to it, to Separate from Her. Not but really, if any Body can make this Profeſſion, it is well; but to impoſe it on every one as neceſſary to Baptiſm, (without Liberty of a Man's own Words) and to ſuppoſe it of every one that is Baptized, This is the Point. We intend our Mixt Churches to be of the Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate: This Profeſſion intends them to be of the Regenerate only. Theſe are inconſiſtent things; and This is no little matter therefore, for which I Diſſent; and She may the better bear with me. We can never maintain our Parochial, our National, our Mixed Churches, againſt the Congregational Party, in my Judgment, if we give them This Ground, That the Churches of Chriſt's Inſtitution do conſiſt ex intentione Inſtituentis, of the Regenerate only.

p. 99In the Next place, I muſt ſay this: Though the Church, by requiring ſuch a Profeſſion of the Baptized, muſt indeed, by Conſequence, be interpreted to be of the common Opinion; which I oppoſe, for the great Reaſon mentioned: Yet does She, by allowing this Profeſſion to be made by Infants, vere again from it. An Infant can make no Profeſſion de praeſenti: And as the Abrenuncio therefore is well interpreted by a Polliceor in her Catechiſm, I could wiſh accordingly, if ever there be another Emendation of the Common-Prayer-Book, that theſe Words in the Baptiſm, of the Adult, as of the Infant, were changed; and inſtead of, I Renounce them all, ſome ſuch words were put in, I engage to it, God being my Helper. If they were, you may ſay, How would this mend the Matter? No Man can ſay, I engage to do a thing Hereafter; but he muſt reſolve upon it Now, or he lies. If the Baptized reſolve Now to Repent, or to live Holy for the Time to come, he muſt be Regenerate, all one as if he profeſſed He did already. I Anſwer, There is no doubt, but a Man may really Intend, or Purpoſe to Repent Hereafter, or ſometimes Before his Death, (as he may Deſire, Wiſh, and Hope it, leſt he be Damned) who, at the Preſent, is for Injoying yet the Pleaſures of the World for a Seaſon: And whether ſuch an Engagement, de futuro, will ſave the Adult Perſon, as well as p. 100the Infant, from a Lie, (when it will not ſave him from Sin, and Deſert of Wrath, if he makes any Delay, Heb. 3.7, 8.) I leave to Others to judge, that will: I muſt Offer yet farther. The Baptized is ſuppoſed to be Entring Covenant in theſe Reſponſes; and there is Difference between an Abſolute, and a Covenant-Engagement. A Man cannot engage Abſolutely to do any thing, but he muſt, at Preſent, be Reſolved, or he Lies: But a Man may make a Conditional-Engagement without a Lie, before he be Reſolved upon the Performance. A Covenant-Engagement is no more, but I Engage to perform my Part of the Covenant, as ever I expect God ſhould perform His, or as ever I expect the Benefit of it; or, if I do not (that is, if I Never do) Perform the Condition, I conſent to go without what is Promiſed. The Lord Jeſus will be ſure, for his Part, to perform his Promiſe; wherefore this Infant muſt alſo, for its Part, promiſe by You, to Renounce the Devil, to Believe, to Obey, ſays the Prieſt to the God-Fathers, in Words more at large: And if the whole Form were ſo moulded, as to make the Engagement of this Baptiſmal Vow to be Conditional, that the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Regenerate, might make theſe Reſponſes, and the Thing be Juſtified; there is nothing, I judge, could be done Better; and nothing, I think, ought to be done Leſs, for maintaining our Mixt Churches p. 101Againſt, or ſaving them F…m, Separation.

If This ſatisfie not, I have yet Something more laid in. In the Covenant, there are the Precepts, the Promiſes, and the Threats. As the Perſon Covenanting engages himſelf to the Precepts, as ever he hopes to enjoy the Bleſſings: So he conſents to Ʋndergo the Penalty, in caſe of Non-Performance. There is no queſtion now, but a Man may Engage to Do a Thing, or Bear the Penalty, when he is not yet Reſolved either To Do, or Not to do it. No queſtion, but he may Engage himſelf to the Loſs and Puniſhment, without the Reſolution of Doing that which is the Condition of avoiding of it. At Ʋniverſity, when we were Matriculated, we ſwear to Keep the Statutes: No one that Ʋnderſtands them, does think of always Keeping them; and yet they tell us, We are not to Scruple the Oath, becauſe it is a Penal Oath: And ſo long as we Submit to the Penalty, in caſe of Breach, we ſin not, though we Swear without Reſolution to Perform the Matter Sworn. To this Purpoſe above all, we muſt not forget, that the Iſraelites had the Curſes propoſed to them, as well as the Promiſes, in their Covenanting; and every Man was to ſay Amen to the Curſes. Dent. 27.26, And they entred into a Curſe, and an Oath, to walk in God's Law, which was given by Moſes, Nehem. 10.29. God, on his Part, is Engaged to be Iſrael's God, and to p. 102Bleſs them, if they do their Duty; and to Puniſh them, if they Neglect it. The People, on their Part, do accordingly Engage themſelves to the Performance, or Submit to his Judgments, as Righteous. It is a Covenant-Engagement as to Both Parts; and ſo long as the People (whether Regenerate or Ʋnregenerate) do believe God will be Gracious to them if they be Obedient, and are ready to acknowledge Him for Righteous if He puniſhes their Diſobedience; there is nothing hinders, but that the whole Body may ſay, We engage to it. The Truth is, the Command of God for all the People to ſay Amen to the Curſes, may be a Key for Opening the Nature of the Jew's Covenanting, as intended by God. If their Engagement to do all things that God had commanded was Abſolute, then muſt their Engagement, when they ſay, in effect, If we do not, let us be accurſed, be Abſolute alſo. But far be it from God, to require the whole Congregation to Engage themſelves to Continue in all the Words of the Law, to do them, (which Strictly none of them Did, or Could) or elſe be Abſolutely accurſed. As many as are of the Works of the Law, (ſays St. Paul) are under the Curſe, Gal. 3.10. But were they Abſolutely under it? God forbid! How then ſhould any of them be delivered from the Law and Curſe? How then ſhould Salvation be through Jeſus Chriſt, even to Paul himſelf p. 103the Apoſtle? In one Place it is ſaid, Go thou near, and ſpeak thou to us all that God ſhall ſpeak to thee; and we will do it, Deut. 5.27. They know not what ſome of theſe Commands will be, yet Engage to do Them. I ask, How can this be Abſolute? Ignorantis non eſt Conſenſus. If any one then ſays, He underſtands not my Diſtinction before, between an Abſolute, and Covenant-Engagement, let him bring his Mind to ſome good Conceptions about this Saying Amen to the Curſes, (which our Church uſes alſo in Lent) and, I ſuppoſe, he may then underſtand ſomething of it. It may be objected, An Ʋnregenerate Man cannot Conſent to the Sanction, any more than to the Preceptive Part of the Covenant. I Anſwer: But he can, and does Aſſent to it; and for the Entring the Covenant in regard to the Comminatory Part of it, that Aſſent is enough. He cannot help his Belief, though he would never ſo fain; and ſo long as he knows he is within the Sanction whether he will or no, ſo that according to his Performance or Non-Performance of the Condition he muſt be Saved or Damned, though he cannot be Willing to be Damned, yet does his Conſcience bind him over to it. Which alſo will tell him, That he might yet, if he would, Forbear thoſe things, in the Doing whereof he is ſaid, by an unavoidable Conſequence, to Will, (Ezek. 18.31.) to Chooſe, (Deut. 30.19.) to Love p. 104Death, (Prov. 8.26.) It is true, that the Iſraelite, who had not Performed the Condition, could never ſay Amen to the Curſe with a Good Will; but he Muſt ſay it. For when a Man's Conſent to the Condition is requiſite to have his Part in the Promiſe of the Covenant, he ſhall and muſt have his Part in the Threat, whether he will or not. This is Chriſt's Law, (ſaith the Sagacious Mr. Baxter) He that Believeth, and is Baptized, ſhall be Saved; and he that Believes not, ſhall be Damned. He that profeſſeth to be Governed by Chriſt, profeſſeth to be Governed by this very Law; and therefore profeſſeth his Conſent to be Damned, if he Believe not. Chriſt told you, You muſt Conſent to both Parts, or to neither. The Curſes of the Covenant (Deut. 29.21.) were to be repeated to the People of Iſrael; and they were expreſly to ſay Amen to each of them. For Life and Death were ſet before them, Bleſſings and Curſings, (Deut. 30.1, 19.) and not Life and Bleſſings alone. And ſo the Goſpel, which we are to Believe, containeth though principally and eminently the Promiſes, yet ſecondarily the Threatnings of Hell to Impenitent Believers; and our Conſent doth ſpeak our Approbation. Life of Faith, pag. 303. Neither is this to be lookt on as any thing Singular; Promiſſio non minus iram incredulis minatur, quam gratiam fidelibus offert, ſays Calvin, Mar. 16.16. Unto which I will add this, The Application p. 105of that Part of the Covenant to a Man's own Soul, which belongs to him upon a due Examination of his State, is a Duty ſurely of Great Concern to every Body; and the Applying the Curſe to himſelf, if he be under it, is as direct, proper, and convincing a Means to his Repentance, and Saving Converſion, as the Application of the Promiſes to the truly Faithful is for their Eſtabliſhment in the Grace of God. I will add again thus much. As Adam, when he was in Innocency, could Enter Covenant with God, in regard to the Comminatory Part, that if he fell He ſhould die, when he was at preſent only Ʋnder Life; ſo can an Ʋnregenerate fallen Sinner enter Covenant with God, in regard to the Promiſſory Part, that if he Repent he ſhall Live, while he is yet actually Ʋnder Death and Condemnation. When the whole Body of Iſrael promiſcuouſly, without any Diſcrimination, ſay, All that God hath ſaid we will do, it muſt be underſtood (as to an All above their owning God, and his Worſhip, in oppoſition to other Gods, which they then Abſolutely did) of ſuch an Engagement, which I call a Covenant-Engagement. I will yet add moreover, That time may come, when ſuch Men who let nothing almoſt eſcape their Sight, but can ſpeak things ſo true, ſo clear and full as Above, may ſee their own ſelves how to walk in the Light and Conſequence of what they have ſpoken.

p. 106In the Third place: I muſt offer from hence by way of Quaere; Whether an Engaging to the Covenant be not a Duty of that Nature as other Duties, where the Matter of the Duty muſt not be omitted for any Impotency of ours, or Defect in the Manner of the Performance? When a thing is Evil in it ſelf, it muſt be avoided; but when a thing is commanded, and hath Evil caſt on it Externally by the Agent that doth it, the Doer muſt be reformed, but the Duty muſt be done. God commands all Iſrael (which we are here yet upon) to enter Covenant with Him: The moſt Part of them are uncapable of Sincere Performance; and yet they all Engage, and God and Moſes ſeem to approve it. In like manner, God calls all Nations, as He did Iſrael, to come in to the Chriſtian Church, and to enter Covenant with Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt. If the Goſpel be Preached, and they Believe that theſe Three Perſons are the only true God, they are to be Baptized into their Name. They are to Come, and to come So as to be Sincere Converts. They are to Engage, and to engage So as to reſolve upon the Performing the whole Condition on their Parts, that they may be Saved. If they fail in the Manner, and do not Engage ſo as they ought, or do not reſolve upon the Performance, (ſuppoſing it a Conditional Engagement) or rather reſolve not Entirely, but in Part, p. 107(or ſo far as to take God for their God and King, in oppoſition to other Gods, which is the main thing of that Covenant, as the Iſraelites, for the moſt of them, at this Time we may be ſure, Did) ſo that there is a Partial, but not Total Hypocriſie, (to make it Evil in it ſelf) in their Engagement; I Quaere, Whether the Matter is not yet ſtill what they are called to? And if it be, they Muſt, and, for ought I ſee, they May engage, as Iſrael did. Where they fail then in regard to the Manner, they are to be Reformed; but what Their Duty is, muſt be done. If they Reſolve not as they ought, they ſin, I ſuppoſe, in the Manner of their Engagement: But I muſt ask, Whether they ſhall not ſin more, if they Engage not at all; if they quite turn their Back upon God, and the Goſpel, and leave both the Manner and Matter undone. You may object: But can we think that the People could ſay, They Would do all God commanded, and God approve of it, as Well ſaid of them, (Deut. 5.27.) or that they ſhould make a Covenant, by Sacrifice paſſing between the Parts thereof, (Jer. 34.18.) and Enter into a Curſe and Oath to walk in God's Law, (Nehem. 10.29.) and yet intend nothing but a Conditional, Diſ-junctive Obligation to Do it, or be ſubject to the Penalty? Anſw. I ſay not ſo. They did all take God to be the True God, and their God, in oppoſition to all falſe Gods: And as p. 108for theſe Words here, which they Said, and God Approved, I muſt firſt premiſe This; That to engage a Man's ſelf under the Curſe of God, to Do any thing, muſt be laying the greateſt Obligation on his Soul that can be, to the Performance; and if it were God's Will, that the whole Body of Iſrael ſhould engage to their Part of the Covenant, ſo as to ſay Amen to the Curſes, (which, I think, is not to be denyed) it does appear, that this Obligation by Covenant muſt be their Duty, even the Duty of the Whole Body; and conſequently, their Doing it, and God's Command of them to do it, muſt be Juſtified: Which being premiſed, I ſay, that when theſe Words, [All that God hath ſaid we will do] are attributed to the Whole Body, they were all under great Commotion (that we know for certain) at the Terrible Appearance of God, as ever was; and ſome of them (I doubt not) ſaid So, with a preſent Reſolution of Sincere Obedience, and did Perform it; as Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Ordinances of the Lord blameleſs: Others of them (I believe) ſaid So, out of that preſent Fear only, and Awe of God upon them; as the Seed that fell on the Stony Ground, ſprung up Preſently, but, for want of Root, Withered: The Generality (it is like) had the Idea of a General, Implicit Obedience in their Thoughts, which they did alſo endeavour (I ſuppoſe) in their Lives; but it was External p. 109altogether, thinking That ſufficient to their Juſtification before God: And ſuch an Obedience the Ʋnregenerate Man (we know) can Engage to, and Perform, all alike with the Regenerate; there being no Duty in the Outward Matter, or Outward Act, but he can do as well as the other; he can Hear, Read, Pray, give Alms, as well as the other; when yet he cannot do it out of that Principle, to that End, and after that Manner, as the other; which is the Doing it ſo as to be acceptable to Salvation. Now, if I ſhould reſt here, and ſay, That theſe Words [All that God commandeth we will do] are to be underſtood of ſuch an Engagement, and that ſuch an Obedience which is External only, and Inſincere, is yet in the Matter, or in Its ſelf good, and Man's Duty, ſo that, notwithſtanding the Failure in the Manner, it muſt be Engaged to and Done; I do apprehend the Cauſe were carried: But becauſe my chiefeſt Cauſe ought to be Truth, I muſt yet add, That a great many of this Multitude (I believe) did ſay I for Company; that is, they conſented with others in the General Terror, without any formed Conſideration of what they promiſed, or Reſolution to perform it: nay, their Hearts bring wicked, they could have no mind to do it, whatſoever Fear might conſtrain from them. And when we ſee well, how the Firſt ſort could ſay theſe Words with the Acceptation p. 110of God, and how the Second might ſay the Same without any preſent Lie; yea, how the Third alſo might engage ſo Far, and God in Tantum approve it; I would fain know, in reſpect to the Fourth ſort of them, how God and Moſes could require of the Whole Body any Engagement to the keeping all God's Precepts, but upon the Account I have offer'd; that is, upon this Account, That it was a Covenant-Engagement? which being of Validity for obtaining the Bleſſings to all thoſe that Perform it, was not in Vain as to thoſe (whom He deals withal ſtill as Men) that perform it Not; becauſe they were thereby (even according to Agreement) yet obliged to the Penalty; and God was Righteous, as their Lord and King, to make every one of them Subſcribe to it. I will add a Simile, that will come a little more near the Matter, than ſome One we have had before. In an Oath of Allegiance to a Prince, a Man cannot ſwear to the King's Government, but it includes Subjection to his Laws; which Laws perhaps he knows not; or if he do, he knows he Breaks many: and yet ſo long as the Subſtance of that Oath lies in the Owning his Authority againſt all Foreign Juriſdiction, and being True to the Crown, which one that is no Popeling does heartily conſent to, he makes no Scruple to take it, notwithſtanding thoſe Laws; for he makes this Account, that if he ſubmit p. 111to the Penalty in caſe of Tranſgreſſion, or can eſcape without Reſiſtance, that is conſiſtent with his Allegiance: So in the Covenant of the Jews, which was a Covenant of Fealty to God, as their King, ſo long as they could freely and abſolutely Conſent to take God for their Lord, and to ſerve Him alone in his Appointed Worſhip, in oppoſition to ull other Gods, their Submiſſion to the reſt of God's Precepts we may conceive to be under ſuch Political Terms, as in this Inſtance is ſignified. See, I have ſet before thee Life and Good, Death and Evil; therefore chooſe Life, Deut. 30.15, 19. One can't imagine, how theſe People ſhould be left to chooſe what they would do, but that their Engagement muſt have this Conſtruction; As ever we expect to eſcape the Curſe, or reap the Bleſſing, we will do it. And foraſmuch as that which they Could and Did, was the main thing to be Done, and they were called to it, it was not for any to leave undone So much, becauſe More was alſo required; Ʋnto Which the moſt of them could Engage only under God's terms, leaving themſelves to Mercy; and Which accordingly they neither Abſolutely intended, nor Did. I will add: So long as a Jew cleaved to God, in oppoſition to Idols, and lived in general as other Jews, here was the Eſſentials of That Covenant; and the Breach of other Precepts was failing in the Integrals: But the Eſſence of p. 112the Covenant of Life conſiſts in Integrity, (Integrity meaſured by Grace, accepting of what is Done, and forgiving what is Ʋndone, through the Righteouſneſs and Satisfaction of Jeſus Chriſt) which none but the Regenerate have, muſt be confeſſed.

In the Fourth place: I muſt ſay upon this, It having pleaſed God to ſet up a Kingdom over this People, and as a King to give them his Statutes and Judgments, and they as his Subjects declaring they will obey them; (In the Diviſion of the Nations, He ſet a Ruler over them; but Iſrael is the Lord's Portion, ſays Eccleſiaſticus) I muſt take leave to ask, How theſe Words [All that the Lord hath ſaid, we will do] can prove, That no Perſon therefore, that ſays not the ſame Words, may be Baptized; or that becauſe the Iſraelites ſaid ſo, therefore the Baptized muſt ſay Abrenuncio and Spond…o? Eſpecially when they were not preſcribed by God, but Words of their own; and if they had ſpoken them Examiningly, and with more Caution, and ſaid but as we do in the Common-Prayer, Lord have Mercy upon us, and incline our Hearts to keep all theſe thy Laws; I am perſwaded, it had been better. It is manifeſt, that every Jew was to Circumciſe his Children, and Joſhua all the Congregation in the Wilderneſs; but I find not, that every Father, or every One there, p. 113was to make ſuch a Profeſſion, a Profeſſion in ſuch large Words, in the Doing. I find not ſuch a Profeſſion neither required of any of the Baptized, in the New Teſtament. The Eunuch ſays, He believed Chriſt was the Son of God; and thoſe that came to John's Baptiſm, confeſſed their Sins, (both which I have provided againſt) and that is all I find There. Nay, though Iſrael indeed uſed theſe Words when God gave the Law at firſt, I find not in Deut. 29. when Moſes called them to Covenant Again, or to Another Covenant, (v. 1.) about Forty Years after that, (v. 5.) that they uſed the ſame Words. This is certain, Man, Woman and Child enter Covenant, (v. 12.) but what Words paſſed, or whether they Conſented by Silence, or otherwiſe, we read not. Suppoſe then theſe Queſtions in the Churches Form to be retained, and the Baptized Perſons left to uſe what Words they Could, and Would, in their Reſponſes; I pray, were not the Baptiſm good? Suppoſe, inſtead of ſaying [All this I ſtedfaſtly believe,] a Man ſhould ſay, I believe it with all my Heart, or, I Really and in Truth believe it, as the Eunuch forementioned; or ſhould be only able to ſay, I believe it; Lord, help my Ʋnbelief, with the Man in the Goſpel: Should ſuch a one be turn'd away for That? I am pleaſed to ſee, how in the Third Queſtion, [Wilt thou obediently keep God's Holy Will?] when the Child, who Anſwers p. 114by his Sureties, and is Innocent, is made to anſwer, [I will,] the Adult Perſon, who Anſwers for himſelf, and muſt think of Performing it, does ſay with all Tenderneſs and Caution, [I will endeavour ſo to do, God being my Helper]: And when the Church her ſelf doth vary the Reſponſe, if the Baptized, who is yet more Tender, (being fearful leſt he is defective in that Endeavour) ſhould be able to ſay only, I do acknowledge this Renunciation of Fleſh, World and Devil; I own this Walking in God's Commandments all the Days of my Life, to be my Duty; Pray God give me his Grace to do it; I deſire I may; I can ſay no more: I would be very willing to know, whether ſuch a Man might not be Baptized? For my part, I ſhould judge ſuch a one ſitter to be Received, than the moſt of Confident Believers, that make no Bones at all of the Matter. I would have no Man here ſo high for the Church, as not to conſider the Foundation. I do acknowledge, that every Man who was Circumciſed, became a Debtor thereby to the whole Law; and every one that is Baptized, is a Debtor to the Practice of all Chriſtianity: But I am apprehenſive alſo, that the Ʋnregenerate Man cannot actually, in Words, ſay, I Renounce the Devil, World, and the Eleſh, ſo as Not to be led by them; when yet he may be obliged to it, as well as the Regenerate, by Covenant-Engagement, at leaſt p. 115in the Sign of it. I am willing to have a Man's Duty preſſed on him, in regard to the Obligation, as much as any: But as for the Profeſſion he makes in Words, I cannot but be Tender of it for my Life. I am Conſcious, how one Excellent good Man is ſtill for to have ſome Law Eſtabliſhed, (in caſe, at leaſt, of any Accommodation) that every Man who offers his Child to Baptiſm, or Himſelf to the Euchariſt, ſhould make his Profeſſion, that he Takes God for his Chief Good, Chriſt for his Lord and Saviour, the Holy Ghoſt for his Sanctifier; and unfeignedly Repenting of all his Sins, he does reſolve upon a Sincere Obedience, through the Courſe of his Life, for the Time to come; or the like Words: Which, I muſt confeſs, is ſo grievous a thing to my Mind, in regard to that Formality, and Authorized Lying, which the Moſt ſhould be put Ʋpon; and that Scruple and Perplexity, which the Beſt, moſt Serious, and moſt Tender, ſhould be Put To thereby, that I cannot, in my Heart, but rather be glad, (though ſimply I approve not the thing) that the Church hath impoſed this Profeſſion upon the Ʋncapable Infant, and the Sureties in their Names. Neither is there any thing, I know, in the Scripture, for ſuch ſtrict Injunctions, unleſs theſe Words of the Iſraelites (Words of their Own, not Impoſed) be any thing; which hath made me therefore ſpeak thus much the more about it. It is ſaid, for mollifying p. 116the Matter, If a Man can ſay, I am willing to be a Chriſtian upon the Terms of the Covenant, it is enough; but this is the Thing (if you underſtand by it the Covenant of Life) that a Man doubts. Neither is it leſs, but only in Words, than what is ſaid before. A Perſon is afraid, that he is indeed Ʋnwilling to Submit to ſomething or other, that is in the Terms, when he hath ſtrictly examin'd his whole Life, and is in Good Earneſt with his Soul. It is not ſo eaſie a thing with every Good Man, (as with So good a One) to aſſume to himſelf ſo much as but amounts to All that is neceſſary to make a Man a Chriſtian, when he ſpeaketh but as he thinks, upon faithful Endeavours to avoid Deceit. There may be Thouſands of the Temper of Holy Mr. Bradford; who, the more tender they are of their Duty, the more ſenſible they are of their Defects, and more fearful of Hypocriſie: And God forbid, but many of them, whoſe Conſciences do condemn them, ſhould yet be acquitted by Him, who is Greater than their Conſciences; and who Does, and Will do it, while they are ſecretly yet borne up in their Deſponding Dependence on his Goodneſs and Mercy. It was more fairly ſaid once to me, by a Chief Paſtor of the Anabaptiſts, That the Way they went was not Thus; but the Perſon that offers himſelf to their Church, (ſaid he) was only to declare what Work p. 117of God there is on his Heart; and the Church are to make Judgment of it: So that though the Man himſelf ſhould profeſs, he did Not believe his own Sincerity, and yet the Church Did, they could Receive him. This, I told him, I liked well; but it was to depart ſo much from the received Rule of Profeſſion, and to verge towards Mine; that is, towards an Admiſſion of the Willing, who are to come (as I cannot chuſe but think) to the Ʋſe of the Means for Grace, if they have it Not; as well as for farther Edification, if they Have.

In the Laſt place, to come home: I have, in my fore-going Diſcourſe, delivered my Thoughts about the Church and Covenant. And though it be true, that no Man can Enter, or be in Covenant with God, in that Senſe, which ſignifies the Performing the Condition, but he muſt be Regenerate, and a Member of Chriſt's Myſtical Body, or Church, taking the Covenant (whether Abſtractly or Complexly) for the Covenant of Life: Yet as for Admitting Men and Women into the Society of Chriſtians, which is the Congregate Church, or Chriſt's Political Body, and Entring them into the Covenant of Peculiarity, whereby they obtain only the Advantage of the Ordinances, as Means for the bringing them up to the Terms of Salvation, if they are not Effectually Converted p. 118already, (whereof I have all the way before been ſpeaking) I apprehend the Scene is, as it were, quite changed; and I muſt ſtand ſtill upon this, That if any one Receives the Goſpel, and Believes it but ſo far, (Let not any one then ſay fooliſhly, That when I let thoſe That Will come into the Church, I let in Turks, Jews, Infidels; for by Receiving the Goſpel, i. e. the Doctrine, or Creed of it, I do ſuppoſe them turn'd Chriſtians) as to be Willing to come in, and be Baptized, whether he makes any other Profeſſion or not; This is ſufficient hereunto, and there is nothing Elſe I find required of him; unleſs we doubt, whether a Man be In Earneſt, and a Chriſtian in his Heart, when he comes; and then are we to Put the Queſtion to him, and he is to own the Faith: Or unleſs he be a Profligate, Scandalous Sinner; who then muſt make his open Confeſſion, and declare his Repentance, or be kept out. I ſee not, but the Owning the True God, in oppoſition to all falſe Religions, and other Gods, was the main Intendment of the Jews Covenant; and that a Common Faith, (left the word Dogmatical be too ſhort) which is leſs than Saving, did ſuffice to the Entring it, or Taking hold of it; and that the Ʋnregenerate conſequently, as well as the Regenerate, were in the Intention of God, to be Members of that Church: And I do think, that the ſame Latitude ought to be maintained, in regard to p. 119the ſame Kingdom, as it is now Enlarged over the Nations, and put into Chriſt's Hands, which belonged to it before when a Theocracy of the Jews. Indeed, it muſt be confeſſed, (leſt I ſeem Deficient, in waving That before, though once touch't upon, which was needleſs till Now) That beſides their taking God to Worſhip Him only, there was a Conſent in the Generality likewiſe to all that Political, Ceremonial, Moral, External Obedience, which was required in that Covenant, according to thoſe Words of theirs, All things that the Lord hath commanded, we will do: Only, this muſt be known withal, that theſe All Things which they were to do, as the Matter of that Covenant, in Obſerving all the Commandments thereof, was ſhort of the Righteouſneſs of a Regenerate Man, or of that Righteouſneſs that juſtifies a Chriſtian. This appears expreſly by St. Paul, who was a Phariſee of the chiefeſt Sect of the Jews, and Touching the Righteouſneſs of the Law (he ſays) blameleſs; but yet, in point of Juſtification, he tells us, He Counted it but Loſs, deſiring to be Found in Chriſt, not having his own Righteouſneſs, but the Righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith. The Apoſtle by his Own Righteouſneſs, underſtands the Righteouſneſs which he had as a Jew; the Righteouſneſs of Moſes's Covenant, deſcribed by him thus: And it ſhall be our Righteouſneſs, if we obſerve to do all theſe Commandments, Deut. p. 1206.25. & 24.13. It ſhall be Our Righteouſneſs, that is ſo, as the Law hath nothing againſt Such, but that they ſhall live in the Land, and be Bleſſed; or that God, as Rector, ſhall Reward them with the Temporal Bleſſings, promiſed in that Covenant: But it was never intended, by God, for ſuch a Righteouſneſs, as ſhould Juſtifie a Man to Life Everlaſting; for how then ſhould Enoch, Job, Melchiſedeck, and thoſe Good Men that lived before the Law, have been Juſtified? Were they Juſtified any other ways than we? If Righteouſneſs come by the Law, then is Chriſt dead in vain. The Jews indeed generally (that were not Saducees) thought to obtain Salvation by their Works, according to this Covenant, which proved ſo deadly to them. For they being ignorant of God's Righteouſneſs, and going about to Eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs, did not ſubmit to the Righteouſneſs of God. This Righteouſneſs of Theirs, and Paul's Own, (which he calls ſo, I ſay, as a Jew; for his Own, as a Chriſtian, he muſt have, and be Judged according to it) is that Righteouſneſs whereof Chriſt ſpeaks, when He tells his Diſciples, that were Jews, Ʋnleſs your Righteouſneſs exceeds the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, you cannot be ſaved. There is a Conformity to the Law, or Covenant of Moſes, which is the Righteouſneſs of the Jew, and ſo of the Scribes and Phariſees: And there is a Conformity to p. 121the Law, or Covenant of Grace; and This is the Chriſtian Righteouſneſs, that exceeds the Other. The One conſiſts in External Obedience, in the Political, Ceremonial, Moral, External Obedience (I ſay) of That Covenant: The Other in Sincerity of Heart and Life, accepted through Chriſt; which is That, which exceeds the Former. As Abraham's Walking Ʋprightly before God, exceeded his being Circumciſed. This Righteouſneſs is called the Righteouſneſs of God, as of his Inventing, Appointing, Accepting, inſtead of that Righteouſneſs of Innocent Nature, from whence we are fallen; and it is called alſo, the Righteouſneſs of Faith, whereby we are Juſtified, in oppoſition to the Works of the Law; that is, both of the Law of Nature, becauſe no Man hath thoſe Works, and therefore cannot be Juſtified by them; and of the Law of Moſes, becauſe if a Man had them, he could not be Juſtified thereby, as hath been now ſaid: So that, here being a Righteouſneſs of One Covenant, which is Juſtifying, (for Jeſus Chriſt, by his Merits, procured this Covenant, that we might be Juſtified by it; but He died not for the Redemption of Iſrael out of Aegypt, or the Procuring Moſes's Covenant) and the Righteous of Another, that is Not Juſtifying; it does appear, that theſe Covenants muſt be Diſtinguiſhed; and that So, as a Faith, Short of Saving, muſt be made to ſuffice for a Man p. 122to enter One, when a Saving One is neceſſary to the Other; and conſequently, that the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Regenerate, may be brought in to be Members of the Charch, or Subjects of God's and Chriſt's Kingdom, by being capable of Entring this Covenant belonging thereunto, (a Covenant of Allegiance); when none can be Members of Chriſt's Myſpical Body, by Entring the Covenant of Life, but the Regenerate only. If our Church then, inſtead of the Three Queſtions at Baptiſm, letting the Firſt ſtand, (ſuppoſing a Dogmatical Faith ſufficient for Anſwer to That) ſhould for the other Two ask, Do You renounce the Heatheniſm, Idolatry, Mahometiſm, or This or That Falſe Religion, which you Separate from, when you Joyn with us? And do you intend to live ſuch a Chriſtian Life in your whole Converſation, as not to Leven the Society by your Being of it? I muſt confeſs, the Anſwer to theſe Queſtions (ſuppoſing we doubt of the Perſons, when elſe there is no neceſſity of any) in the Affirmative, were a Qualification plainly neceſſary to a Man's being Admitted, and proper to a Covenant of this Nature, which is made for Receiving Men into ſuch a Society: But when theſe Covenants are confounded, and the Baptiſmal Covenant advanced into the Covenant of Life, ſo that there are no leſs Conditions required of a Perſon unto his Coming into the Church, and being Baptized, p. 123than unto his Entrance into Everlaſting Bleſſedneſs; What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? but that for a through Satisfaction to the whole Objection, theſe Interrogatories therefore, and Reſponſes of the Church, (which have been brought into Baptiſm by Men, I will ſuppoſe for good Reaſon, at the time, but not by Chriſt's Commandment) are to be lookt on by none, I hope, as Eſſential, or Neceſſary to the Inſtitution, but may be Omitted, Altered or Relaxed at her Will; at leaſt, when better Reaſon appears for it: And they were Omitted, we know of late, at Home, under the Directory; and are, I ſuppoſe, in moſt of the Reformed Churches Abroad. Nevertheleſs, if the Church, when She can require no more of a Perſon, but what is neceſſary to the Conventional Government of God, and Covenant of Peculiarity, (I mean, can require of him to do no more, than Conſent to the Terms Thereof) ſo as to Refuſe his Admittance Without It, ſhall, in regard to the Complex Conſideration of God's Government and Covenant, require an Engagement further unto the Terms that are neceſſary, even to Life and Salvation alſo; ſo long as it be not made by a Profeſſion, de praeſenti, which muſt draw Regeneration along with it; but by a Covenant-Engagement underſtood aright, and Authenticated by an Interpretation of the Church, I ſhall humbly give way Thereunto, both out p. 124of Reverence to what She hath hitherto preſcribed, as alſo (and rather) for the Good Ʋſe, which Is (eſpecially in our Catechiſtical Divinity) and May ſtill be made of it. Only, as for the Abrenuncio in the Liturgy, I muſt lodge my Opinion, That either the Engagement ſhould be declared to be Conditional, or the Queſtion only be impoſed, and the Baptized left to make his own Anſwer.

If after This you be not ſatisfied, as judging that no Perſon Ʋnregenerate can ſay, I Engage, (into which, I confeſs, I would have the word chang'd) but it is a Lie, as much as if he ſaid Abrenuncio; Let the Church make her Interpretation, with the Change of the Word, and I am not of your Mind: Nevertheleſs, I will Anſwer you alſo otherwiſe. If the Church were willing to turn her Abrenuncio to a Polliceor, and That Won't ſerve; then may She turn it into ſome other Words, [God grant I may] as Will ſerve: And I doubt not, but if the Perſon, that is tender of the Form impoſed, makes his Anſwer in ſuch Words as he can, with a good Conſcience, and without Doubting, it were better than in thoſe Preſcribed; ſeeing it is not Words, nor Works, but a Man's Will, (as I humbly underſtand) or a Man's Conſent, a Believing Conſent, or a Conſent upon Believing; that is, Believing the Goſpel Preached, and Conſent to come in, and p. 125be Baptized, (that no Body may miſtake my Meaning) upon the Account of General Grace, is the Goſpel's, Chriſt's, and his Apoſtle's Rule of Admiſſion. Suffer them to come unto Me, and forbid them not.

In the Going Off, I cannot but take notice, how the Want of a more Timely, or more Through Conſideration of what I have Inſiſted upon; to wit, this Diſtinction of the Covenants and Government of God; and the Neceſſity thereof, hath led ſome Eminent Divines into the Particular Opinion, That Children are to be held in the Same State with their Parents, in regard to Salvation, as well as in regard to their Outward Priviledges, as they were Jews or Chriſtians: But I will humbly offer it to their Conſideration, whether there be any Places in Scripture, that ſpeak of the Parents entring Covenant for their Children, or of the Covenant being made With them, or To them, and their Children after them; but it is to be underſtood of the Covenant of Peculiarity, and not of the Covenant for Salvation. The Covenant God Eſtabliſhes between Him and Abraham, and his Seed after him, is manifeſtly the Covenant of Circumciſion, Gen. 17. v. 7. with v. 10. And that Covenant He Enters with the Jews for Poſterity, (Deut. 29.9.—15.) is but the ſame Covenant enlarged, and expreſly Diſtinguiſhed p. 126from the New Covenant, (which is the Covenant of Grace, or Covenant for Life) in Heb. 8. v. 9, 10. When therefore a Right to the Priviledges of that Covenant is ſoundly argued for Children, from their Parents being in it; and the Baptizing our Children as Chriſtians, as the Jews Circumciſed theirs, ſtands firm on the ſame Bottom, becauſe the Covenant of Peculiarity takes in the Children with the Parent, by God's Ordination, [I will Eſtabliſh my Covenant between Me and Thee, and thy Seed after thee]; it follows not, that we may argue the ſame thing, as to the Covenant for Life. In Ezek. 18. All Souls are Mine, (ſays God) as the Soul of the Father, ſo the Soul of the Son. The Son ſhall not bear the Iniquity of the Father. The Soul that ſinneth, it ſhall die. In Rom. 9. it is ſaid of Jacob and Eſau, That while they were Yet unborn, God ſaid, Jacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated; which though it be ſpoken (I believe) of their Poſterity, and in regard to their Temporal Inheritance; yet does it carry, methinks, a Figure in it of ſomething farther; to wit, That the Eternal State of Children (while Infants) depends not on the Condition of the Parents, (which was here the Same to Both) but on God's Free Election. Above all, if the Salvation of Children depends on the Faith and State of the Parent; as this is comfortable Doctrine to the Sound Believer, whoſe Infants p. 127therefore muſt be Saved: ſo muſt it follow, That all the Children of the Ʋnregenerate, though their Parents be Chriſtians, and bring them to Baptiſm, muſt be inevitably damn'd: Which is a Conſequence too hard upon the Church, and harder in it ſelf than can be borne. Let the Caſe here of Adam alone be ſet by.

I muſt note farther, How through want of the ſame Diſtinction inſiſted on, and Application of the Light of it to our CAƲSE, ſome Worthy Men, who have gone before me, have Faltered in it. It is not for any one to tell us of a Faith, ſhort of Saving, (called by them Dogmatical) that ſuffices to Enter Covenant with God, while they think of no other Covenant, but That which gives Pardon and Life upon a Faith that is Saving, and None elſe: Whereas, let the Government of God, and Covenants thereof, be diſtinguiſhed, and then ſhall the Diſtinguiſhing of Faith alſo ſuit with it. For when there is no Faith, leſs than Saving, ſufficient for a Man to Enter into the Covenant of Life, (it being a Contradiction, to think we ſhould Live by a Faith, that is leſs than Saving); yet did a Faith, (call it Dogmatical, or what you will) which conſiſts in the Owning of the only true God, and his Worſhip, in oppoſition to all falſe Gods, and falſe Worſhip, (which Faith may p. 128be ſeparate from Sincere Obedience) ſuffice to the General Body of Iſrael, for their Entring that Covenant, (for This was the Main of it) which God made with them, When He took them by the Hand, to lead them out of the Lard of Aegypt. Let any prove, That the Faith of the Whole Body of Iſrael, could come to any More. Beſides This, that Faith alone, and That only which lies in an Aſſent, could ſay Amen to the Curſes; which making a Man obnoxious to the Minatory Part of the Covenant, muſt put him in Covenant Conditionally, in regard alſo to the Promiſſory Part with it. And the Truth is, a Faith of Aſſent, a Belief of a God, and that his Word is True, does lay an Obligation on the Conſcience, which none can have that Believe not: And though a Reſolution of doing what may eſcape the Threat, be Another thing (called Conſent) than that bare Obligation; yet ſo long as the Obligation it ſelf is laid thereby, whether a Dogmatical Faith goes not farther into the Covenanting Act, than ſome Men are aware, I commit to their farther Conſideration. And as for the Covenant whereof I am ſpeaking, which I have ſaid, was a Political Covenant between God and Them, as King and Subject, Lord and People, and ſuch an Owning Him as a Dogmatical Faith ſuffices to, was the main Subſtance and Intendment of it, as their departing to Idolatry was the Chief (if not Only) Breach of p. 129it, as I have alſo noted, I do take it to be that Covenant, which was repeated often by their good Rulers. In the Time of Aſa, a great Confluence of Perſons are ſummoned together, and it is ſaid, They Covenanted to ſeek the Lord with all their Heart, 2 Chron. 15.12, 15. If by this Covenanting we underſtand a Reſolution of Ʋniverſal Obedience, according to the Covenant for Salvation; I cannot ſee well, how this could be ſaid of ſuch a Mixed Multitude: But if it be underſtood of a Refreſhing the Covenant mention'd, and a Seeking the Lord, in oppoſition mainly to Idolatry, (as indeed it muſt be ſo underſtood, comparing Verſ. 8.16.) then may we apprehend likewiſe, how Theſe Men (the moſt of Them) might have a Faith leſs than Saving; and yet (ſecundum quid) do This from their Hearts. And Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord, and the King and People, That they ſhould be the Lord's People; and between the King, and the People, 2 King. 11.17. What was the Covenant between King and People, but a kind of Oath of Allegiance to him, in oppoſition to Athaliah's Faction? And what was the Covenant between the Lord and Them, but the like higher Allegiance to Him, as their Supreme Lord, in oppoſition to Baal, as appears in the next Verſe? Here is a Covenant, we ſee, unto Which nothing but the want of a Dogmatical Faith could be a Bar; and nothing p. 130requiſite to Enter it, but the believing that God was the only True God. And as for that Qualification, it is moſt certain, that the Iſraelites had it in the Whole Body of them, when they firſt Covenanted this Covenant with God, as their King, in the Time of Moſes; who were under ſuch a Conviction at the Appearing of God himſelf to them, as never had any the like under the whole Cope of Heaven; ſo that, neither Man, nor Woman, nor Child, that were capable of Seeing and Believing, could be under Ʋnbelief: Yet can I not think, that many of them had Saving Faith, whoſe Carkaſſes all of them, ſave Two or Three, fell afterwards in the Wilderneſs. Let me come now then from this Church in the Wilderneſs, to the Chriſtian Church under the Goſpel, into Which Men are Entred by Baptiſm. And what is here the Covenant of Chriſtianity? The Words of Chriſt's Inſtitution are theſe only: Go, Baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghoſt: Which Words, undoubtedly, do import thus much; to wit, An Owning the Bleſſed Trinity to be that Only True God, whom the Jews owned in their Covenant before. And what Elſe, but the Conſequences of it, who can ſay? Unto This now, ſuch a Faith, which is Dogmatical, does appear abſolutely neceſſary; and was therefore required of the Eunuch. I believe Chriſt to be the Son of God. But if the Church, by her Additions p. 131to Baptiſm, hath made more Qualification neceſſary to them, than Chriſt to his Inſtitution, ſo that no Adult Perſon, whoſe Faith is leſs than Saving, can, without a Lie, make theſe Reſponſes; what ſhall I ſay, but that She may Diminiſh what She hath Added, and hath Power over her own Additions to Change them, or Interpret them; and delare, That She underſtands them in a Covenant Conſtruction.

The laſt Objection, as to this Doctrine in hand, is the innumerable Teſtimonies of Modern and Antient Divines, that Are, and May be cited for the received Opinion, againſt What I have propoſed: Unto Which I have alſo ſome Little to ſay. I remember well, that Auſtine hath one Book, which eſpecially touches the Point. It is de Fide & Operibus. The Caſe was This: There were Perſons, who, while they were Heathens, had put Away their Wives, and Married Others; and ſome had Concubines. They are Loth to part with this Cuſtom; and yet Willing to be Baptized. Auguſtine gives his Judgment, That if they Would not, they are not to be Admitted: Concluding in the Main, That it is not enough for a Man's Admiſſion to the Church, to Own the True Faith, if his Life be not ſutable to God's Commandments. I remember likewiſe, that Eminent Paſſage of Juſtin Martyr, in his p. 132Second Apology; who having told of the Chriſtian Aſſemblies, and what they did There, as to their whole Exerciſes, he adds, That they did Admit none to this Fellowſhip with them, (more particularly, in the Euchariſt) but ſuch as Lived, as they ought to do, like Chriſtians: foreign. There is a Life therefore, or ſuch Sins, which are not conſiſtent with a State of Grace, or not conſiſtent with the State of Memberſhip, or the State of that Society into which we Enter. I will ſuppoſe, with theſe Fathers, that ſuch a Life, or ſuch Sins, that will not conſiſt with the State of Memberſhip, or the Common Good of the Society, when it will Leven and Deſtroy it, may keep a Perſon from Admiſſion: but not ſuch a Life, or Sins only, which are not conſiſtent with Regeneration. The Truth is, the Church looks not into the Heart, or to Effectual Grace, which is known only to God, that tryeth it; and conſequently, is not to require ſuch a Profeſſion as is requiſite to a Judgement Thereof; which the Congregationaliſts yet therefore do: But the Church is to look indeed, that her Society be kept Pure from Scandal; or that That be Purged out, which would Defame and Leven it, ſo far as ſtands moſt to her Preſervation. This I take to be ſufficient, as to the Mind of theſe Fathers, St. Auguſtine eſpecially; who is One, p. 133we know every where, that is open for Tolerating the Evil, rather than Diſturb the Churches Peace; as, in good earneſt, for the Caſting them Out, when it will do the Church good.

The Church, even the Catholick Church, as One, is with him ſtill, as I remember, the Field in the Goſpel, which does conſiſt of Tares and Wheat; even ſuch Tares as are Diſcerned among the Wheat, and yet are to ſtand unto Judgment. And there is one Argument I muſt not let paſs, before I have done, but produce out of him, in reſpect to our Congregational Brethren; for I know no kind of thing almoſt more Ʋnanſwerable and Convincing. It is the expreſs Command of our Lord to his Servants, That they Pull not the Tares up, when it will Endanger the Wheat to be Rooted up with them: From whence that Judicious and moſt Temperate Father, lays down this Rule, which will ſerve for deciding many Difficulties and Scruples. That when we can Root out any Tare without hurt to the Wheat, we are to be careful of Diſcipline; and all thoſe Texts, which ſpeak of keeping no Company with Such, and the like, are to be preſſed: But when we cannot Pull up the Tares without Endangering the Corn, we muſt, for the Churches Advantage and Peace, be content to Suffer them; and be ſatisfied with p. 134ſuch Texts as theſe, which ſay, Let them alone till the Harveſt. Now, there are none of the Moderate, Pious and Learned of any of our Sects, who Do, who Dare deny, but that there are ſome true Chriſtians, and Members of Chriſt, in our Mixt Churches. But to Ʋn-Church a whole Nation, and all our Pariſhes at once, by this Congregational Practice and Opinion, is certainly to Eradicate the Wheat with the Tares, beyond all Poſſibility of Anſwer. If the Servant may not Pluck up the Tares, if it will but Endanger any of the Single Wheat, how ſhall he dare to Root up the Whole Wheat, on purpoſe for the Tares ſake? When the Lord does ſay, Let it ſtand, who art thou, my Independent Brother, that goeſt to meddle with it? There is indeed a Separate Church, as a Mixt Church: But the Mixt Church remains in This Life; and the Separate Church is not be expected till a Future State The Church is the Houſe, wherein are Veſſels of Silver, and Veſſels of Wood: Thoſe of Wood are for uſe, as thoſe of Silver; and the Maſter intends both ſhall be There. The Church is the Net, that takes the Fiſh, little and great; and it is intended all ſhould be Taken, which are within its reach. The Church is the Feaſt, unto Which all are Called; and the Lord of it intends, that Whoſoever Will, ſhould come to it. The Church is the Field, whereof I am ſpeaking: p. 135And it is objected, The Field is ſaid to be the World, and the Enemy is ſaid to Sow the Tares; therefore, it was not God's Intention, they ſhould be In it. I Anſwer; Here are Two Objections, and One confounds the Other. If the Field be the World, you cannot object, God would not have the Tares There; for God will have Good and Bad in the World, out of queſtion. The Field therefore muſt be the Church, as the Feaſt is; and it is God's Will, that All ſhould be Called to come In to it. It is his Will, that they ſhould Come alſo, as they ought to Come. This is the Intention of their Call; and Both are his Will. It is true now, Of Thoſe that Come, ſome are Tares; and it is of the Devil, that they are Tares: Some have not the Wedding Garment; and it is of the Devil, they Come without it: But if they Come for all that, they muſt be Let in. The Rule is this, Whoſoever will, let him come; and though Tares, they muſt Stand. Parables (our Divines ſay well) are like Knives, whereof the Edge, and not the Back, is for uſe; and the Main Scope (take the Parables together) appears plainly to be this, That the Church in This World, (for That is the Meaning of Chriſt's ſaying, The Field is the World) is Mixt; and the Separation is not to be (as I ſaid even now) till the Life to come. Thus do the Fathers ſpeak againſt the Donatiſts: And whereas in the Diſcipling of Nations, p. 136the Refuſing one Perſon, or ſome few Perſons, as Tares, might hinder the Coming in of a Country, I perceive, in ſuch a Caſe, according to the Judgement of this Diſcreet Father, it were but a Shallow Conceit to think, that when they Are In, they may Stand; but may not be Admitted upon the ſame Terms as they are let Stand: Though in the common Caſe of others, I have provided againſt the main Objection upon my Hands, in the Stating my Mat…er; who ſay, That when a Man believes the Goſpel, and is Willing to Come in, if he live in any open notorious Sin, as would Excommunicate one that Is a Member, he may be required to declare his Repentance, or be Refuſed upon the ſame Account. It is but one Exerciſe of the Keys, to Keep a Man Out, as to Turn him Out, when there is the ſame Reaſon. And this muſt ordinarily needs be for the Good of the Wheat. But when there is a Willingneſs upon the Goſpel Preached, and there be no ſuch Reaſon to hinder, I am for gain-ſaying no Bodies Admiſſion. Whatſoever Paſſages there be then in the Fathers, or Other Men, that run in an higher Strain than This comes to, they are to be Reduced (I will account) to this Model, or to be ſeaſoned with the ſame Interpretation.

I will Conclude yet with One Authority, which ſeems to me to incline to my Cauſe, p. 137with Declination from the common Opinion. Our Britiſh Divines, in the Synod of Dort, upon the Fifth Article, De Perſeverantia Sanctorum, have theſe Theſes. Quihuſdam non Electis conceditur quaedam Illuminatio Supernaturalis, cujus virtute intelligunt ea quae in Verbo Dei annunciantur eſſa vera, iiſdem que aſſenſum praebent minime ſimulatum. To ſome Perſons, not Elect, God does afford a certain Supernatural Illumination, by vertue whereof they underſtand thoſe things which are declared in the Word of God to be true; and do give an Aſſent to them not counterfeit. In iiſdem ex hac Cognitione & Fide oritur affectuum quaedam mutatio, & morum aliqualis emendatio. Out of ſuch a Knowledge and Faith as this, in the ſame Perſons, does there ariſe ſome kind of Change in their Affections, and Amendment of their Lives. Ex his initialibus, etiam per externa Obedientiae opera teſtatis ſumuntur, & Charitatis judicio ſumi debent pro Credentibus, Juſtificatis, Sanctificatis. From theſe Initials, or this beginning Work upon ſuch, are they, and ought they to be held for Believers, Juſtified, Sanctified, who never come up to a State of Saving Grace; that from the Falling-away of ſuch, the Perſeverance of the truly Godly ſhould be impugned: as they proceed in their next Theſes, which concern not this Argument.

p. 138From theſe Poſitions now I note, That when the common Opinion of the Proteſtants is, That no leſs than a Saving Faith and Repentance, or Regeneration, is neceſſary to Memberſhip and Baptiſm, here appears, in theſe Divines, ſomething that is Singular; who do make a Work of Common Grace upon People, that is leſs than Saving, to be the Ground of our Holding them to be Such as Thoſe are, who are the moſt Qualified Members. The Common Opinion will have Perſons make a Profeſſion of a Saving Faith, or Regenerating Grace; and it muſt be of no leſs than Such: and then we are to reckon them, in the Judgment of Charity, to Be what they Profeſs, unleſs we have Proof to the contrary. This is our ordinary Judgment of Charity; and ſo Men are Viſible Members (as they ſpeak) upon a Lie, or upon a Ground that is Falſe: But theſe Judicious Divines will have us reckon Men Believers, Saints, Juſtified, Sanctified, upon an Initial Work of Grace, that is Short of Saving; and This is a Judgment of Charity, upon a Ground that is True. The Call of the Goſpel is Ʋniverſal: Thoſe Perſons that will Come in, ſo Far as they Will, are to be Received: The End why they are Called, is, That they ſhould all come in Fully, as the Elect do. The Whole Number, for That Part ſake as come in So, have theſe Denominations, as being in the way to obtain the ſame End. This is that p. 139Judgment of Charity theſe Divines would Eſtabliſh; and it is not upon a Falſhood, as the Other is.

There are Two or Three things nevertheleſs, that are lacking in their Judgment. One is, When an Initial Faith, Repentance or Grace, ſhort of Saving, is made by them a Ground ſufficient in Charity to Receive Men Into the Church, and To Baptiſm, ſo long as it ſuffices to Denominate Men ſo, as qualifies them for Members: They ſhould hold the ſame Grace a Ground Sufficient alſo for their Own Coming. Another is, Whereas they make an Initial Work of Faith and Repentance to be Sufficient for their Reception in the Judgment of Charity; They ſhould hold it to be So in the Judgment of Verity, upon the Ʋniverſal Grace of the Goſpel. The Third and Chief thing wanting, is to tell, If a Work of Grace on the Soul, ſhort of Saving, be able indeed to give a Man Right to Memberſhip, and the Sacraments; unto what Degree then it muſt come. If it be Initial only, and yet not Saving, how much Grace is it, how much Faith, how much Repentance is it, that will ſerve? Are we able to ſet any Stint, until we come to Saving? I Anſwer, Yes. We have Pitcht the Meaſure, we have Fixt the Point. Such a Work of Initial Grace, or of Faith, ſuch an Initial Faith, or ſo much Faith as brings the p. 140Man up to be Willing, is it: This is the Meaſure, this is the Degree. It is the Anſwer to the Queſtion, Wilt thou be Baptized in this Faith? I ſay, Theſe words of Anſwer, I Will, gives a Man Right both to Come, and to be Admitted. Let me ſay it over in other words. It is a Faith receiving the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and Advancing to the Degree, as makes a Man Willing to come Into the Society of Chriſtians, and ſo own Chriſt our King; (for there are ſome may Believe, and yet not be Willing to Own Chriſtianity, Joh. 12.42, 43. as ſome may Believe, and be Willing to Come in, and yet their Faith be Short of Saving, Jam. 2.18, 26.) that is, Fides Dogmatica, I may ſay, Conſenſu Formata, upon the Account of General Grace, as the Fundamentum Juris, does give Title to Church Communion. Neither do I think, but that Theſe ſo much acknowledg'd Excelling Divines, would themſelves have alſo proceeded Thus Far, if they had underſtood This Bottom, and that their Matter led them to it.

I know, they that lay Another Rule, do honeſtly intend the Purity of the Church: But either This Rule ſhall be Backt by a Law; and then it will be a Strainer in Shew; but inſtead of Keeping the Church pure, it will but Strain the Tender and Scrupulous; the Careleſs and Ʋnconcern'd will Proſeſs any thing that p. 141is Impoſed, as I have obſerved before, in its Place: Or it ſhall have no Power, but that of the Word and Conſcience, as in the Primitive Times; and I muſt then ſuggeſt this, That where One went to Heaven when the Church was Pure, there are Twenty, a Thouſand ſince it was Enlarged and Corrupt. England might have been a Pagan Kingdom to this Day, if they that Planted in it the Chriſtian Religion, had ſtood in good earneſt upon theſe Terms, and preſſed them as the Congregationaliſts do. And were the Rule indeed Chriſt's, what a horrible deal of Guilt muſt there lie on the Miniſters, ſince Conſtantine's Time, unto whom Chriſt committed the Keys of his Houſe, to Let In none but Subjects qualified according to That Rule; and they Let in whole Pariſhes, Kingdoms, Countries into it? Alas, that none but thoſe of the Novatian, Donatiſt, Browniſt Sects ſhould have delivered their own Souls! You complain, that the Bad Come In; but I would fain know, whether you think any were ever the Better, that have Kept Out?

And now, what remains, but that The Spirit ſays Come, and the Bride ſays Come; and whoſoever will, let him Come? If Men will come Quite Home to a Saving Faith, Sound Repentance, and the Love of God above All, it is That which they ſhould Do; and in ſo Doing, p. 142they ſhall be Partakers of the Saving Benefits of the Goſpel, Church and Covenant: If they will come no Farther, than to Submit to the External Adminiſtration of the Ordinances, they are yet to be Received ſo Far as they Will come; and, in the Ʋſe of the Means, we are to expect they ſhould be brought Farther, even to Effectual Converſion and Salvation.

Deo Gloria, mihi Condonatio. J. H.