A Trial of the New Church Way in New England, Position 3 & 4 · Part 16 – Part 17
1 Reaſon.
THat ſacred order which God hath ſet in his viſible Church for all his Saints to keep and walk by, that is religiouſly to be obſerved. But for men to ſet up that as a neceſſarie order which God never allowed, approved, or commanded, is great preſumption. Now the Lord hath not ordained that a man ſhould be a ſet member of a particular Societie, or body politique of faithfull people joyned together in ſpirituall Church-fellowſhip by Covenant, before he be admitted unto the Lords Supper, or that the parents ſhould be actuall viſible ſet members of ſome particular diſtinct body before their children be baptiſed. They that beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt have received the word of promiſe and walk therein, they and their children are within the Covenant, and have right and title to the Seales of the Covenant, but in their order, the infants to baptiſme, parents baptiſed, to the Lords Supper. And if in that ſtate by divine grant they have intereſt to the Sacraments, the Church in debarring them becauſe they be not yet grown into one diſtinct ſeparate ſocietie of mutuall covenant, doth exceed the bounds of her commiſſion. For a miniſteriall power onelyonly is committed to the Church to admit or refuſe them who are to be admitted or refuſed by authoritie from God: But the Church if ſhe thruſt beleeving parents from the Supper of the Lord, and their ſeed from baptiſme; ſhe denieth theſe benefits to them who by the grace and gift of God have lawfull right and title thereto.
1. For firſt, the baptiſme of John was true baptiſme, and truly adminiſtred by him: And they that were baptized by him received the ſeales of the Covenant, and were eſteemed members of the viſible Church: But John never demanded of them who came to his baptiſme whether they were entred into ſpirituall fellowſhip by mutuall covenant one with another.Matth. 3. 6, 7. This was not then knowne to be a neceſſarie and eſſentiall point in the lawfull, due, and orderly adminiſtration of the Sacrament. The diſciples of our Saviour made and baptiſed diſciples profeſſing the faith, but not combined into Church-ſtate or fellowſhip.Ioh. 4. 2. and 3. 22. The Apoſtles commiſſion was firſt to teach the Gentiles,Matt. 28. 19. 20. and then to baptiſe them having received their doctrine. And this they carefully obſerved in the execution of their miniſtery upon grounds and reaſons common to them and us: for as ſoone as any man or number of men gladly received the doctrine of ſalvation, and gave their names to Jeſus Chriſt, if they deſired to be baptiſed forthwith they accepted them, never excepting, that they were no ſet members of a diſtinct viſible congregation. When the firſt 3000. converts, being pricked in their conſciences, came to Peter, Act. 2. 37, 38.and the reſt of the Apoſtles, ſaying, Men and brethren, what ſhall we do? Peter returns this anſwer, Repent and be baptiſed every one of you in the Name of Jeſus, &c. For to you is the promiſe made, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, &c. As ſoon as the Samaritanes beleeved, Philip who preached the things that concerned the kingdom of God, Act. 8. 12.they were baptiſed both men and women. Act. 8. 47. & 11. 16. 17.When the Eunuch asked of Philip, See here is water, what doth let me to be baptiſed? he anſwereth not if thou beeſt firſt received as a ſet member into a viſible congregation thou mayeſt: Act. 8. 37.but if thou beleeveſt with all thy heart, thou mayeſt. Can any man forbid water (ſaith Peter, ſpeaking of the Gentiles upon whom was powred the gift of the holy Ghoſt) that theſe ſhould not be baptiſed who have received the gift of the holy Ghoſt as well as we? At that time it was not held a bar ſufficient to keep them from the Sacrament of baptiſme,Act. 10. 47. and 11. 16. 17. becauſe they were not ſet members of a diſtinct ſocietie, which had it been eſſentiall to the lawfull and orderly adminiſtration of the Sacraments, queſtionleſſe it had been obſerved in the firſt Inſtitution and adminiſtration of them. Annanias baptiſed Paul before he was any ſet member of a congregationall Aſſembly. Lydia and her houſhold,Act. 9. 18. the Jaylor and his houſe were baptiſed without regard to their Church-eſtate.Act. 16, 14. 33. For in the ſame night which he was converted, he was baptized with all his houſhold. And this was done not by the Apoſtles onelyonly upon ſpeciall diſpenſation,1. Cor. 1. 17. but by others upon grounds and reaſons common to them,Matth. 28. 19. and all ages, viz. becauſe they were diſciples,Act. 2. 41. and 8. 12, 13, 37. beleeved, gladly received the Word, had received the holy Ghoſt, were called,Helv. conf. c. 20. Gallic. Sect. 35. Anglic. & ab eo neminem qui velit profiteri nomen Chriſti ne infantes quidem Chriſtianorum hominum, &c. Scot. conf. c. 23. and the promiſe was made to them, and to their ſeed, even to all them that were afarre off.
Now if the Apoſtles diſpenſed the ſeales to them that were not in Church-fellowſhip upon common grounds,Belgic. act. 34 Zengerm. conf. de Bapt. infant. pro. 44. Argent. conf. ca. 17. Saxon. confeſ. ca. 14. Palab. conf. Sect. ad uſum vero ipſum, &c. it is not eſſentiall to the lawfull diſpenſation of the ſeales, that all partakers ſhould be under ſuch a covenant. If the baptiſed diſciples, beleevers, ſuch as gladly received the Word, and had received the gift of the holy Ghoſt, then the ſeals of the Covenant belong unto ſuch, and by the grace of God they have right and title unto thoſe priviledges.
2. As we received the Sacraments from God by divine Inſtitution; ſo muſt we learne from him, how and to whom the ſame are to be adminiſtred, obſerving what he hath commanded without addition or diminution. But we have learned from Chriſt the Author of Baptiſme, and the conſtant practiſe of the Apoſtles (the firſt diſpenſers of theſe holy ſeales who beſt underſtood the mind and pleaſure of the Lord herein) that ſuch as be called of God to whom the promiſe is made, who have received the gifts of the holy Ghoſt, beleeved in the Lord Jeſus, profeſſed their faith in him, and repentance for ſins paſt with purpoſe of amendment for the time to come, that ſuch have right unto, and deſiring it ought to be received unto Baptiſme, and are greatly wronged if they be deprived of that unſpeakable benefit.
3. By a lively faith a man is made a living member of Jeſus Chriſt, and hath internall communion with him by the intire profeſſion of Chriſtian faith joyned with conformity of life in righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe, and fellowſhip of love, he is a member of the viſible congregation or flock of Chriſt, though no ſet member of a free diſtinct independant Societie. And Baptiſme is the ſeale of our admiſſion into the congregation or flock of Chriſt; but not evermore of our receiving into this or that particular ſocietie as ſet members thereof. This latter is accidentall to baptiſme, not eſſentiall. It may fall out to be ſo, but it is not ever neceſſarie; nor is the Sacrament to be denyed, nor can we ſay it is imperfectly adminiſtred where it cannot be attained. For the Catholique Church is one intire bodie, made up by the collection and agregation of all the faithfull unto the unity thereof; from which union there ariſeth unto every one of them ſuch a relation to, dependance upon that Church Catholique as parts uſe to have in reſpect of the whole. And this holds true, not onelyonly of ſound beleevers in reſpect of internall fellowſhip with Chriſt their head, and ſo one with another; but of all men profeſſing the true and intire doctrine of faith and ſalvation in reſpect of them that hold and profeſſe the ſame faith of Chriſt, and worſhip God according to his will; whereupon it followeth that neither particular perſons, nor particular guides, nor particular Churches are to worke as ſeverall divided bodies by themſelves, but are to teach, and be taught; and to do all other duties as parts conjoyned to the whole, and members of the ſame flock or ſocietie in generall: And ſo beleevers profeſſing the faith, and walking in holineſſe, may and ought to be admitted to the Seales as actuall members of the Church of Chriſt, and ſheep of his paſture, though not ſet members of one congregationall Church.
4. Not to inſiſt upon this here, that it hath and may fall out many times through ignorance, raſhneſſe, or pride, of a prevailing faction in the Church, that the true members of the Catholique Church, and the beſt members of the Orthodox viſible flock, or Church of Chriſt, may be no actuall members of any diſtinct Societie, and ſhall they for this be accounted men out of Covenant, and their poſteritie be eſteemed aliens and ſtrangers: but if they be in Covenant, then are they holy in reſpect of the Covenant, and their children holy as pertaining to the Covenant,Rob. againſt Ber. pa. 92. and have right to the Sacrament of initiation. Thus Mr. Rob. frameth the argument. The Sacrament of Baptiſme is to be adminiſtred by Chriſts appointment,Matth. 28. 19. and the Apoſtles example onelyonly to ſuch as are (externally,Act. 2. 41. & 8. 12 13. 37. and 10. 47. and 2. 39. and ſo far as men can judge) taught and made diſciples, do receive the Word gladly, do beleeve, and ſo profeſſe, have received the holy Ghoſt, and to their ſeed.1 Cor. 7. 19. And thus the Church of God ever ſince the Apoſtles dayes underſtood the covenant and promiſe, and their practiſe in receiving beleevers and their ſeed to the Seales of the Covenant was anſwerable, as might be ſhewed at large, if it was not a thing confeſſed. Hereunto you anſwer.
Anſwer.
VVHere the holy Ghoſt is given and received (which was the caſe of the Centurion) and where faith is profeſſed according to Gods ordinance (which was the caſe of the reſt) there none may hinder them from being baptiſed, viz. by ſuch as have power to baptiſe them. In the Inſtances given baptiſme was adminiſtred either by Apoſtles or Evangeliſts, not ordinary Paſtors: the perſons baptiſed, if they were members of Churches, had a right to baptiſme in their ſtate, and the Apoſtles being Officers of all Churches might diſpenſe the ſeales to them where ever they came, which yet will not warrant ordinary Officers to do the ſame. Nor is it improbable but that all theſe were in Church-order, Aret. on Act. 18. 1. is of opinion, that the Centurion had a conſtituted Church in his houſe;Act. 8. 27. the Eunuches coming to Jeruſalem to worſhip, argueth him to be a Proſelyte, and member of the Jewiſh Church not yet diſſolved: and therefore upon the profeſſion of the Chriſtian faith capable of Church priviledges at that time. As for Lydia and the Gaylor it appeareth that in the beginning of the Goſpel there was a Church at Philippi which communicated with Paul as concerning giving and receiving:Act. 4. 15. As he expreſly ſaith, before his departure was from Macedonia, which departure was immediately upon the Gaylors converſion. In which reſpect what ſhould hinder that Lydia and the Gaylor ſhould firſt be joyned to the Church, and then to be baptiſed though it be not mentioned in that ſtory? As neither there is mention of a Chriſtian Church, which Paul mentioneth in his Epiſtle to the Philippians. At leaſt it is probable that Lydia was a member of the Jewiſh Church, becauſe ſhe is ſaid to be one that worſhipped God. But if any man think they were not members of any Church yet baptiſed, though we ſee not how it will be proved, yet if it were ſo, the object doth no whit weaken the argument, which ſpeaketh of the ordinary diſpenſation of the ſeales, and not of what was done in an extraordinary way. So that ſuppoſe that in the caſes alledged, baptiſme diſpenſed to ſome that were not in Church-fellowſhip, yet the examples of the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts in ſo doing will not warrant ordinary Paſtors to do the like. The reaſon of the difference why Apoſtles and Evangeliſts might adminiſter Baptiſme out of Church-order, whereas Paſtors and Teachers may not, is double. 1. Becauſe their calling gave them illimited power over all men, eſpecially Chriſtians whereſoever they came. But we do not find that ordinarie Paſtors and Teachers can do an act of power, but onelyonly over their own Church, which hath called them to watch over them in the Lord. 2. Becauſe they were aſſiſted with an immediate direction and guidance of the holy Ghoſt, in the places of their adminiſtration in the caſes alledged. But ordinary Church-Officers are to walke according to ordinary rules of the Scripture in the diſpenſation of the Seales, and not to expect immediate inſpirations and extraordinary revelations for their helpe in ſuch caſes. This difference between Apoſtles and ordinary Church-Officers muſt needs be acknowledged, or otherwiſe a man might from their example juſtifie Baptiſme in private houſes.