Confirmation and Restoration Necessary Means, Proclamation 6
Prop. 6. It is not every kind of Profeſſion, that is the Condition, or neceſſary qualification of thoſe that are to be admitted to the Priviledges of Adult members, but ſuch a Profeſſion as God hath made neceſſaery, by his expreſs Word, and by the Nature of the Object, and the Ʋſes, and Ends, to which be doth require it.
THe Negative is not controverted among us. If any were ſo quarrelſom or ignorant, it's eaſily proved. And I ſhall do it briefly, but ſatisfactorily, in the opening of the Affirmative.
I have proved in my firſt Diſputation of Right to Sacraments, (which I deſire the Reader, that would have further ſatisfaction, to peruſe) the Neceſſity of theſe following Qualifications of this Profeſſion.
1. In General, as to the Object of our Faith, it muſt be a Profeſſion of true Chriſtianity, and no leſs. It muſt be a Profeſſion of our entertainment, both of the Truth of the Goſpel, and of the Good therein Revealed and offered. More particularly, it muſt be a Profeſſion, that we believe in God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, as to the Nature, perſons, and works, which they have done or undertaken for us. Yet more particularly, and explicitly: It muſt be a Profeſſion, 1. That we Believe in God the Father, and ſo the pure Deity, as our Creatour, Soveraign, and chief Good, who gave us the Law of Nature, by breaking of which, we have loſt our ſelves, and all our part in Everlaſting Life. 2. That we Believe in Jeſus Chriſt, God and Man, that taking our Nature, fulfilled the Law, overcame the Devil, dyed as a Sacrifice for our ſinnes, Roſe again, and conqured death, aſcened into Heaven, where he is Lord of all, and the King, Prophet, and Prieſt of his Church, in Glory with the Father: That he hath offered himſelf with Pardon, and Eternal Life, to all that will accept him, on his terms: and that he will come again at laſt to Raiſe us from death, and judge the world, and Juſtifie his Saints, and bring them to Eternal Glory, and caſt the wicked into utter miſery. 3. That we Believe in God the Holy Ghoſt, that Inſpired the Prophets and Apoſtles, to deliver, and confirm the Word of God, and who is the Sanctifier of all that ſhall be ſaved, illuminating their underſtandings; & changing their hearts and lives, humbling them for their ſinne and miſery, cauſing them to believe in Chriſt, the Remedie, and heartily and thankfully accept him; Poſſeſſing them with an hearty Love of God, and a heavenly mind, and a hatred of ſinne, and Love of Holineſs, and turning the principal bent of their hearts and lives, to the Pleaſing of God, and the attaining of Eternal Life. This much muſt be believed, and the Belief of this much, muſt be ſomehow Profeſſed.
2. As to the Acts of the thing Profeſſed, it muſt be, not only the naked Aſſent of the Underſtanding; but both this Aſſent that the Goſpel is true, and a Conſent of the Will, to take God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, to the forementioned Ends, in the forementioned Relations; and to give up our ſelves unfeignedly to him, renouncing the fleſh, the world, and the Devil.
3. As to the Nature of the Profeſſion it ſelf. 1. It muſt in General be Credible: For no man is bound to Believe that which is Incredible. The words are the ſigns of the mind, and as ſuch they are to be uttered, and received. If they be contrary to the mind, they are falſe; and if wilfully contrary, they are a lie: And God doth not make a lie to be the Condition of Church-memberſhip, or Priviledges; nor doth he bind his Miniſters, or Church, to believe a known lie: Nothing but Real, or ſeeming truth is to be believed.Therefore it is to be made at years of underſtanding. The Papiſts themſelves ſay in their Catechiſm, compoſed for the Armenians, Tranſlated by Peter Paulus. pag 194. Tum recipiendum eſt Sacramentum hoc, quando ad uſum rationis pervenit homo, fidemque profiteri incipit, & ut confirmetur, & ſtabiliatur in gratia opus habet. 2. More particularly, the Profeſſion which we ſpeak of, muſt have theſe Qualifications.
1. It muſt be, or ſeem to be Ʋnderſtanding. Ignorant is non eſt Conſenſus. If a Parrat could ſay the Creed, it were not a Credible Profeſſion of Faith. Therefore the Ancient Church was wont by Catechiſts, to prepare them to underſtand, the Doctrine which they were to believe, and profeſs. This is paſt Controverſie. I think no Miniſter would take that mans Profeſſion, that ſeemeth not to Underſtand what he ſaith.
2. No Profeſſion is Credible, but that which is, or ſeems to be ſerious. He that ſpeaks in ſcorn, or jeſt, is not to be believed, as one that ſpeaks his mind; nor is it to paſs for a Profeſſion.
3. No Profeſſion is credible or ſufficient, but that which is, or ſeems to be Free and Voluntary. Though ſome force, or outward urgencies in ſome caſes may help to incline the will, yet willing it muſt be; or it is not a Credible Profeſſion. He that Profeſſeth himſelf a Chriſtian, when a ſword or Piſtol is at his breſt, is not to be Credited, if he continue it not when he is free. And alſo that which is done in a meer Paſſion without Deliberation, is not to be taken as the act of the Man, and a true expreſſion of the bent of his mind; unleſs he afterwards ſtand to it upon Deliberation.
4. It muſt be a Profeſſion not nullified by a contradiction in word or deed. Though their may an obſcure contradiction, not underſtood, conſiſt with it; or a contradiction only in Degree; as Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief: yet there muſt be no contradiction of the Eſſentials of our Profeſſion, that nullifieth it, by ſhewing that we lie, or ſpeak againſt the bent of our hearts. If a Miniſter can by contrary words or deeds diſprove the Profeſſion of the party, he is not to believe it, or accept it. For we are not to believe without Evidence of Credibility, much leſs againſt it. I have given inſtances of this in the foreſaid Diſputation of Sacracrament, pag. 10.
5. When by Covenant-breaking, and Perfidiouſneſs, or often Lying, a man is become come Incredible, having forfeited the Credit of his word, with wiſe and charitable men, this man muſt give us a Practical, as well as Verbal Profeſſion, before we can again admit him, to the Priviledges of the Church. For though we are not to be ſo ſtrict, as ſome old Fathers ſeem to have been, and the Novations were, that would not admit ſuch Penitents again into the Church at all, but leave them to Gods own Judgment; yet muſt we not go againſt Reaſon and Scripture, and the Nature of the thing, in believing that which is not to be believed; nor to caſt by all Order and Diſcipline, and proſtitute Gods Ordinances to the luſts of men, and make them a ſcorn, or level the Church of Chriſt with the world.
The Teſtimonies cited by me on another occaſion, in the foreſaid Diſputations, ſhew the Judgment of Proteſtants in theſe Points, and ſomewhat of the Judgment of Antiquity. I ſhall recite but thoſe on the Title page of the third Diſputation.
Tertullian Apologet. cap. 16. Sed dices etiam de n…ſtris, excedere quoſdam à Regulis diſciplinae. Deſi…unt tum Chriſtiani haberi penes res: Philoſophi verò illi cum talibus factis, in Nomine & honore Sapientiae perſeverant:that is, But you'l ſay, that even of ours, ſome ſwarve from (or forſake) the Rules of Diſcipline.
Anſw. They ceaſe then to be counted Chriſtians with us: But your Philoſophers with ſuch deeds, do keep the Name and honour of Wiſdom.
The Judgment of the French Profeſſours at Saumours, you have in theſe words,Theſ. Salmurienſ. vol. 3. pag. 39. Theſ. 39. Sacramenta non conferuntur niſi iis, qui vel findem habent vel ſalt…m eam praeſe ferant, adeò ut nullis certis argumentis compertum eſſe poſſit, eam eſſe …mentitam: that is, Sacraments are conferred on none, but theſe that either have Faith, or at leaſt pretend (or Profeſs) to have it, ſo that it cannot by any certain Arguments be proved to be feigned.
The Judgment of the Scottiſh Divines, may be much diſcovered in theſe two Teſtimonies following: Gilleſpie, Aaron's Rod Bloſſoming,pag. 514. [I believe no conſciencious Miniſter would adventure to Baptiſe one; who hath manifeſt and infallible ſigns of unregeneration. Sure We cannot be anſwerable to God, if we ſhould miniſter Baptiſm, to a man whoſe works and words, do manifeſtly declare him to be an unregenerated, unconverted Perſon. And if we may not initiate ſuch a one, how ſhall we bring him to the Lords Table.]
Rutherford, Due Right of Presbyteries,pag. 231. n. 2. But ſaith Robinſon, moſt of England, are ignorant of the firſt Rudiments and Foundations of Religion; and therefore cannot be a Church.
Anſw. Such are materially not the Viſible Church, and have not a Profeſſion; and are to be taught; and if they will fully remain in that darkneſs, are to be caſt out.
If you would have the Teſtimonies of Proteſtants, you may read above threeſcore of them, expreſsly maintaining that it is a Profeſſion of Saving Faith that is prerequiſite to to our Right of Sacraments, cited in my forementioned Diſputation ſecond. To which I adde 33. more, cited to a like purpoſe in my fift Diſputation of Sacraments: And to theſe adde the large teſtimony of Davenant, with his many Arguments, on Coloſ. 1. verſ. 18. too large to recite.
And for the later ſort of Epiſcopal Divines, that they alſo agree in the ſame, I will ſatiſfie you from an Eminent man among them, Mr Herbert Thorndike, in his Diſcourſe of the Right of the Church, pag. 31, 32. where he ſaith [And hereby we ſee how binding and looſing ſinnes, is attributed to the Keyes of the Church: Which being made a Viſible Society, by the power of holding Aſſemblies, to which no man is to be admitted, till there be juſt preſumption, that he is of the Heavenly Jeruſalem, that is above.] I ſhall adde more from him anon.
Somewhat I have elſwhere cited, of the Fathers Judgments in this Point, and more anon I ſhall have occaſion to produce. But in a Point that we are agreed on (that is not Every Profeſſion, but only a Credible Profeſſion of true Chriſtianity, even of Faith and Repentance, that muſt be taken as Satisfactory by the Church) I hope I may ſpare any further proof.