The Covenant Sealed, Treatise · Chapter 7 · Section 9 · Subsection 1 · Argument reviewed 2
Argument 2. reviewed.
Mar. 16.16. vindicated.Mr. Baxters ſecond Argument to prove, that onelyonly juſtifying Faith gives title to Baptiſme is thus laid down, When he ſaith, He that believeth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, here Faith goes before Baptiſme, and that not a common, but a ſaving faith; for here is but one faith ſpoken of, and that is before Baptiſme. I have anſwered, that this is the weakeſt of all Arguments, to reaſon for a precedency of one before another from the order in which they are placed in Scripture, and gave divers Inſtances not needful to repeat. Upon which Mr. Baxter confeſſeth, there may be an Hyſteron Proteron: and then if Hyſterons and Proterons be any a thing to our preſent purpoſe, it reſts upon him to prove that here is none. 2. I know not how this figure of Rhetorick came to be talked on, I think no ſuch thing is here to be aſſerted. So I ſhould ſay Baptiſme doth alwaies lead, and Faith follow. I onelyonly ſaid that all that can be collected hence, is, that in Gods ordinary way of conferring ſalvation we muſt have both Faith and Baptiſme, though (as our Divines have generally obſerved againſt the Papiſts) there is not one and the ſame kind of neceſſity, which they confirm by the words that follow. If Mr. Baxter will contend for an exact order, then he muſt ſay that Faith alwaies precedes, and never followes after Baptiſme, againſt the common obſervation, that ſometimes it precedes, ſometimes it accompanies, ſometimes it followes, and he muſt alſo ſay that without inverſion of a Divine order no baptized man can be converted to a Faith that is juſtifying; And then he may preach in England to build up Converts, but not to convert: or at leaſt when he hath converted, he muſt baptize his convert; the ſeal is null that goes before a Covenant. I gave inſtance in that place of Peter, 1 Pet. 3.21. where the reſtipulation or anſwer of a good conſcience followes upon Baptiſme, affirming that juſtifying Faith is that reſtipulation, or at leaſt a principall branch of it; and therefore there is no neceſſity that it ſhould precede; but a neceſſity that it ſhould follow; In which I did not imply that a man before Baptiſme may not believe, as I gave inſtance in Abraham to the contrary, but that it tyeth him to the faith, at leaſt to follow after. Mr. Baxter ſaith, I gratefully accept your Conceſſion, that juſtifying faith is that reſtipulation, which is your Minor, (that is, juſtifying faith profeſſed) and thence I conclude, that juſtifying faith is eſſential to the Mutual Covenant, and ſo without it God is not in Covenant with men. It is very well worth our enquiry how this can follow which is thus made good. Who knowes not that ever read Civil Law, that there is no ſtipulation ſine promiſſione, which you call, and ſo do other Divines, Reſtipulation. And that this Reſtipulation is an eſſentiall part of the Contract called ſtipulation, This being paſt doubt, it followes, that juſtifying faith being our Reſtipulation, is an Eſſential part of the Contract or Baptiſmall Covenant. They onelyonly (it ſeems) that have read the Civil Law, can ſee a neceſſity of this Concluſion. I, and other Divines, call this promiſe Reſtipulation; and I (though other Divines do not) ſay that juſtifying faith is this Reſtipulation or promiſe. And ſo the Promiſe being eſſential, Faith is eſſential to our being in Covenant likewiſe. But can Mr. Baxter think that it is the Promiſe or Reſtipulation ſtrictly ſo called, or that I ſo intended it? then this is a true Propoſition, juſtifying faith is a Promiſe; can any think that I ever intended ſo egregious a peece of affected nonſenſe? Juſtifying faith with me is the thing promiſed, or that to which we reſtipulate. Who that hath read Rhetorick, or heard any man ſpeak, doth not know that the promiſe is ordinarily put for the thing promiſed? and then the Concluſion will follow the clean contrary way. If you could prove out of the Civil Law or elſewhere, that there is no Pollicitatio ſine Praeſtatione, that every man that enters Covenant eo nomine makes good his Covenant. Then you hit the nayl on the head, and till that is done, you have done nothing.