docuimus non primúm baptismo nos justificari sanctificari sed hoc sigillo Remissionem peccatorum Christique Justitiam jam per sidem nobis imputatam ut Sanctificationem nostraÌ„â—am per Spiritum sanctum in nobis inchoataÌ„ in cordibus credentiuÌ„ obsignari Et pag 762. col 2. He expoundeth 1 Cor. 7.14 sanctitatem esse Jus illud quod habent ad Deifoedus gratuitum bona spiritualia in Foederis promissione comprehensa nempe ut Ecclesiae membra censeantur remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam in per semen illud benedictuÌ„ nempe Jesum Christum Mediatorem unà cum-Piis parentibus vel saltem eorum altero consequantur Jus inquam quod ex gratuita Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dependet qui non tanùum cum ipsis parentibus sed cum ipsoruÌ„ semine foedus suum pacisci bona in eo promissa usque ad fidelium parentuÌ„ posteros extendere dignatus est ut norint se non sibi tantuÌ„ credere ad Deum converti sed instrumeÌ„ta esse divinitùs ordinata ad eandem Foederis GratiaÌ„ in liberos posteròsque suos derivandaÌ„ donec ipsi in eam aetatem adoleverint quâ possint actu ad Deum toto corde converti Christum mediatorem vivâ veráque fide amplecti eáque ipsi praestare quae parentes susceptores pro ipssis eorum nomine sposponderunt Nec tamen Dei gratiaÌ„ erga infantes fidelium sic parentuÌ„ fidei alligamus ut ullum liberae arcanae ejus electioni praejudiciuÌ„ faciamus c. sed hoc tantum asserimus ex Dei voluntate nobis in foeâ—ere suo gratiose patefactâ nobis constâ—re iâ—fantibus ad hoc ut ad Baptismum admittantur Ecclesiae Christi membra censcantur donec in annos maturiores adoleverint idem prorsus esse ac valere ad nostrum judicium quod attinet è Piis pâ—rentibus nosci vel natos esse quod adultis fideique capacibus fidem hanc proficeri Nam sicut ex his Deus solus novit qui verâ salutaeâ—i in Christum praediti sunt side vel non sunt ac proinde quinam ad suam electionem pertineant nostrum tantùm est Charitatis judicium secundum quod eos omnes qui Christo fidem obedientiam profitentur pro sidelibus electis habere debemus nisi sese factis reapse alios ostenderiâ—t ita etiam ex illis novit Dâ—minus solus quosuam elegerit nostrum autem est ex eâdem Charitatis regulâ eos omnes pro Dei foederatis Christi membris habere quos videmus esse pioruÌ„ fidelium semen sobolem sive baptismo fuerint obsignati sive c. See more there So that he takes it to be a profession of a saving faith that is necessary in the adult which must give us ground in the Judgement of Charity to judge them true believers and elect and that we suppose the like of their Infants in the same judgement and therefore suppose them justified before we baptize them Perkins Order of Causes of Salv pag. 71. c. 32. A Sacrament is that whereby Christ and his saving Graces are by certain external rites signified exhibited and sealed to a Christian man pag. 72. The holy use of a Sacrament is when such as are truly converted do use those rites which God hath prescribed to the true ends of the Sacrament Therefore 1. the Reprobate though God offer the whole Sacrament to them yet they receive the signs alone without the things signified by the sign because the sign without the right use thereof is not a Sacrament to the receiver of it Rom. 2.25.2 The Sacrament received before a mans conversion is afterward to the Penitent both ratified becometh profitable and that use of the Sacrament which before was utterly unlawful doth then become very lawful Leg p 74. The action of the party to be baptized is twofold the first is To offer himself to be baptized before the Minister c. This signifieth that he doth consecrate himself to the Lord and thâ—t he utterly renounceth the Flesh the World and the Devil 1 Pet. 3.21 And pag. 73. Within the Covenant are all the seed of Abraham or the seed of the faithful These are either of riper years or Infants Those of riper years are all such as adjoyning themselves to the Visible Church do both testifie their Repentance of their sins and hold the foundation of Religion taught in the Church Anton. Fayus in Rom 4.11 pag. 239. saith Fides ergò praecedit Sacramenta quae absque side sunt tantùm inania signa eandem sidem Sacramenta fovâ—nt augent And he fully shews that he speaks of Justifying Faith Et in Rom 6.3 pag. 3â—1 Baptismus non facit nos Christianos Filios Dei peccato mortuos sed tales nos esse indicat Lud. de Dieu in Rom 4.11 saith Nisi Abrahami praeputio praeextitisset sides vanum fuisset signum Circumcisionis Itaque vel eo quòd signum ei fuit datum colligitur jam ante habuisse fidem Et in Hebr. 6. pag. 305. Adde quòd ablutio Baptismi repurgatae à tenebris peccati adeòque illuminatae mentis sit indicium obsignaculum ut reipsâ illuminationem profiteatur qui baptismum suscipit that is such illumination as hath mentem à tenebris peccati repurgatam Michaël Ragerus though of that party that give too much to Sacraments saith in Rom. 4.11 pag. 104. Obsignatio confirmatio praesupponit gratiam vel collatam jam vel mediante sacramento conferendam quibus verò gratia non confertur illis non obsignatur per sacramentum Ità igitur gratia Regenerationis hypocritae adulto per baptismum neque confertur neque obsignatur Et in Rom 6.3 Vide plura Hemmingius in Rom. 4.11 putteth true faith into the Definition of a Sacrament Sacramentum est visible signum mandatum institutum à Deo quo ut Deus hominibus suam gratiam testatur obsignat ità homines vicissim suam in Deum sidem profitentur cà mque usu Sacramentorum confirmat The Context shews that its Justifying faith which he means Hinc etiam apparet quis sit principalis finis Sacramentorum videlicet obsignare promissam gratiam quae fide accipitur possidetur Vide plura in Rom. 6.3.4 ex Ambrosio pag. 142. Yates Model of Divin pag. 330 331. Christ in the Sacrament profiteth not except he be eaten by faith A Reprobate may receive bread but the sign seal and thing signified are none of his for he hath no experience of this mysterie that wants the first part of Divinity without which the second cannot work So Christ with all his benefits being received and the fruits thereof being truly received by faith is our happy communion with the body and blood of Christ Otherwise we communicate no more with Christ in the Sacrament than we
as to their more profitable use of Ordinances but make no other conditions of their Right then God hath made 4. It is onely a Profession that 's serious voluntrary not contradicted prevalently by word or life which you must take as is before described And do you take it to be so unreasonable a matter to believe a man fide humana who speak's of his own heart which another cannot see when you can bring no evidence to disprove his words If you know any thing by his life that certainly proves his Profession false admonish him of it in the order that Christ hath directed you to till he either hear the Church or be rejected by the Church or at least by not hearing the Church do give you cause to take him as a Heathen or Publican but be not so much against the Scripture and 2. All discipline that ever the Church hath used And against common justice and reason as to do this by men on your own private judgement without evidence and a just tryal and once hearing them speak for themselves and many do that will unchurch a whole Parish and gather a new one on supposition of the invalidity of a bare Profession and on supposition that most are ignorant and ungodly before they have ever once accused them particularly or dealt with or excluded any of them in the way that Christ appointeth If I certainly knew that in this Parish there were 4000 unregenerate Persons and not 400 or 100 truly regenerate and yet knew not particularly which the unregenerate Persons were I ought not to cast out one man from the Church upon any such account Object But with what comfort can the Godly have communion with the societies that are so mixt with multitudes of the ungodly Answ. If they do not their duty in admoishing the offenders and labouring to heal the diseased members and to reform the Church in Christs appointed way Mat. 18.17 Then you may well ask With what comfort can such Professors live in the sinful neglect of their own duty But if they faithfully do their own part how should the sins of others â—e their burden unless by way of common compassion And how have Gods servant in all ages of the Church to this day received comfort in such mixt Communion These Objectors shew that they seek more of their comfort in men then is meet or that they discomfort themselves with their own fancies when they have no cause of discomfort given them from without but what must be born to the end of the world by al that wil walk in the waies of Christ. Object But it is the Communion of Saints that we believe and must endeavour Answ. True internal spiritual Communion with hearty Saints and External communion with professed Saints For real Saints in heart are unknown to us Ob. But the greater part do not so much as Profess to be Saints Answ. They that profess to believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to renounce the world the Flesh and the Devil do profess to be Saints so do they that profess to repent of all sin and to be willing to live according to the word of God But I meet but with very few that will not profess all this Object They will say these words indeed but in the mean time they will scorn at godliness or disclaim it by their lives Answ. Those that do so must be dealt with in Christs way as Church-members till either they hear the Church or be rejected for their impenitency but you must not dare upon this account to unchurch whole Parishes nor ordinarily any one Person that hath not been dealt with in the order that Christ hath appointed To conclude this Disputation I find that the two things before mentioned are great occasions of the proneness of many godly people to schism The one is because they do not understand that Christ hath so contrived in it the Gospel that every man shall be either the Introducter of himself by Profession or the Excluder of himself by the rejection of Christianity And so that all Church admissions or rejections shall be but the consequents of his own choice that the chief comfort or the blame may be upon himself And this is partly from the admirable freedom and extensiveness of Gospel Grace which the sons of Grace should glorifie and rejoyce in and not murmur at and dishonour and partly from the wise dispensations of our Legislator that he may deal with men on clear grounds in their absolution or condemnation before all the world 2. The other cause of the schismatical inclination of some godly people is the great mistake of too many in confining all the fruits of Christs death and the mercies or graces of God to the Elect and so not considering the difference that there ever was and will be between the visible Church of Professors and the invisible Church of true Believers Alas Brethren in the name of Christ let me speak it to your hearts do you grudge a few common Priviledges to common Professors when you have the best and choysest part your selves you have Christ himself and do you grudg them the name of Christians or the bare symbole or signs of his body and blood You have sincerity of faith and Repentance and answerably you have true Remission and Reconciliation They have the profession of Faith and Repentance and do you grudg them the empty signs of a Remission which they have lost by their hypocrisie and Unbelief You have Inward communion with Christ in the Spirit as you have Inward faith Do you grudg an Externâ—l communion with the Church to them that have the External profession of Faith O Remember that the Net of the Gospel bringeth good and bad to the shore and the tares must grow with the wheat till harvest and then is the time that you shall have your desire The second Disputation Quest. Whether Ministers must or may Baptize the Children of those that Profess not saving faith upon the Profession of any other faith that comes short of it IT may seem strange that after 1625. years use of Christian Baptism the Ministers of the Gospel should be yet unresolved to whom it doth belong yet so it is And I observe that it is a Question that they are now very solicitous about And I cannot blame them it being not only about a matter of Divine appointment but a practical of such concernment to the Church I shall upon this present occasion give you my thoughts of it as briefly as I can which contain nothing that I know of which is new or singular but the Explication and Vindication of the commonly received truth We here suppose that Baptism is still a needfull Ordinance of Christ and that Infants are to be Baptized and that Ministers are the persons that should Baptize them so that it is none of our work at this time either to defend the Ordinance it self against the Seekers nor the
Scripture so connexed to salvation I know no Regenerate ones but the justified or those that profess to have a justifying faith Nor hath he proved any more Argum. 11. All that are meet subjects for Baptism are after their Baptism without any further inward qualification at least without another species of faith meet subjects for the Lords Supper having natural capacity by age But no one that professeth only a faith short of justifying is meet to receive the Lords Supper therefore no such a one is a meet subject for Baptism Or thus Those at age whom we may baptize we may also admit to the Lords Supper without any other species of faith But the Professors of a meer common faith short of justifying we may not admit to the Lords Supper Ergo c. The duty of a particular examination before the Lords Supper is nothing to our purpose because 1. that makes a man fitter than he was but the want of it is not in the cognizance of the Minister alwaies nor will not justifie our refusal of a godly man excepting some apparent gross evils 2. And it is the necessity of another faith and state that we are enquiring after which will not be proved by the necessity of an actual examination or excitation of our present grace The Major Mr. Blake will easily grant me and if any other deny it I prove it thus 1. It is the same Covenant that both Sacraments Seal one for initiation the other for confirmation and growth in grace therefore the same faith that qualifieth for the one doth sufficiently qualifie for the other For the same covenant hath the some condition 2. They are the same heresies that are conferred in baptism and the Lords Supper to the worthy Receiver Therefore the same qualification for kind is necessary for the reception The Antecedent is commonly granted Baptism uniteth to Christ and giveth us himself first and with himself the pardon of all past sins c. The Lords Supper by confirmation giveth us the same things It is the giving of Christ himself who faith by his Minister take eat drâ—nk offering himself to us under the signs and commanding us to take himself by faith as we take the signs by the outward parts He giveth us the pardon of sin sealed as procured by his body broken and blood shed 3. A member of Christs Church against whom no Accusation must be brought from some contradiction of his first profession must be admitted to the Lords Supper but the new baptized may be ordinarily such at age therefore if he can but say I am a baptized person he hath a sufficient principal title to Baptism coram ecclesia I mean such as we must admit though some actual preparation be necessary unless he be proved to have disabled his claim on that account either by nulling and reversing that profession or by giving just cause of questioning it 4. The Church hath ever from the Apostles daies till now without question admitted the new baptized at age to the Lords Supper without requiring any new species of faith to entitle them to it I take the Major therefore as past denial All the controversie between Mr. Blake and me is like to be about the Minor whether the profession of his common faith short of justifying make people fit for or capable of the Lords supper 1. No man should be admitted to the signal profession of Receiving Christ as he is offered who will not orally profess to receive him as he is offered But all that are admitted to the Lords supper are admitted to the signal profession of receiving Christ as he is offered Therefore no man that will not orally so profess to receive Christ should be admitted to the Lords Supper The Major is plain because 1. Else we cannot know who is fit if he will not make profession of it 2. His refusal shews that he either understandeth not what he doth in the Sacrament or is wilfully uncapable by infidelity or impenitency 3. The Minor is evident in the nature of the Sacrament The offer of the bread and wine with the command Tade eat drink is signally the oâ—fer of the Lord Jesus himself with a command to take him He that puâ—s forth his hand to take the bread professeth thereby to Accept of Christ as offered If it be said that Mr. Blakes professor of a lower sort of faith doth profess to take Christ as offered I say No This proposition I here suppose as evident in it self that no man but the sound Believer doth take Christ as offered no not as Christ. He is offered as a Saviour from the Guilt and Reign of sin and so Mr. Blakes professor doth not so much as profess to accept him For I hope we are agreed that so to accept him heartily is saving faith 2. No man should be admitted to receive a sealed pardon of sin or have it delivered to him that doth not profess that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon but he that only professeth a faith short of justifying professeth not that faith which is of necessity to make him capable of a sealed pardon Therefore he is not to be admitted to the Lords supper It is a present sealed pardon that they profess there to receive by the very actual receiving God presently offereth and they presently profess to accept it signally and therefore must do so verbally 3. No man is to be admitted to the Lords supper that professeth not true Repentance for sin But Mr. Blake's Professor doth not so for that is inseparable from saving faith Therefore Mr. Blake must deny the Major or say nothing that I can imagine but what is to no purpose And if he do deny it 1. I would desire him once to give us a just Description of that Repentance short of saving which he will be satisfied with the Profession of in his Communicants 2. I must confess as much as I am against separation I never intend to have communion with Mr. Blakes Congregation if they profess not saving Repentance and faith And if he exact not such a Profession I say still he makes soul work in the Church And when such soul work shall be voluntarily maintained and the Word of God abused for the defilement of the Church and Ordinances of God it is a greater scandal to the weak and to the Schismaticks and a greater reproach to the Church and sadder case to considerate men than the too common pollutions of others which are meerly through negligence but not justified and defended And if Mr. Blake be angry at my speaking these things I cannot help it I am bound to tell him of it as a faithful Brother that I doubt not but God is angry at his Doctrine and the great wrong that he doth the Church of God while he is so angry at his Brother for resisting it For my part I would not have done his work no nor justified it as some of his
Chuâ—ch These are both so groundlesly pleaded and by so few that are neer us that I think it not meet to trouble you with them any more 3. A condition pretended to be necessary is A true Justifying faith This also is a mistake but yet how far it is necessary to a true Right I shall open anon none of these three are meant by us in the question for these are not short of saving faith though we exclude the necessity of these as is said 4. Another qualification pleaded necessary and sufficient to the ends expressed in the question is A Profession of a saving Faith which is it that we are to defend 5. A fifth claim is laid upon the pretended sufficiency of a Faith short of Justifying But you will perhaps say what faith is that Those words tell us what Faith it is not viz. It is not justifying faith but they tel us not what faith â—t is To which I must say I know not my self nor can I learn of all the writings of those that go that way so perplexed and confounded or uncertain are they saying sometime one thing and sometime another But I shall have a fitter opportunity to enquire further into their mind or words anon 6. Another claim is laid upon the pretended sufficiency of the Profession of a faith short of that by which we are juâ—â—ified I say the Profession as distinct from that faith it self which the former claim made mention of Some other there are that yet go lower and think we may Baptize any that consent to be Baptized though they profess no faith at all nor their Parents nor pro-Parents neither And there have been so some foolish as to think that it is a work of charity to catch them and Bapâ—ize them whether they will or not But it is not our present business to deal with these The great adversary that we have here to deal with is the Papists And I shall in few words shew you part of their doctrine which we are now to oppose Their great Fundamental error on which they build their tottering Babel and tyrannical usurpation is this that the Catholike â—hurch is one Political society united in one visible head and governed by those that hold their power from him or at least are ruled by him and are conjoyned under these overseers in one Profession of faith and use of Sacraments Bellarmines words are these De Eccles. lib. 3. Nostra autem sententia est ecclesiam unam tantum esse non duas et illam unam et veram esse coetum hominum ejusdem Christianae fidei Professione et eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum sub regimine legitimorum Pastorum ao praecipue unius Christi in terris vicarii Romani Pontificis And he addeth afterward Hoc interest inter sententiam nostram et alias omnes quod omnes aliae requirunt internas virtutes ad constituendum aliquem in ecclesia et propterea ecclesiam veram invisibilem faciunt nos autem et credimus in ecclesia invâ—niri omnes virtutes fidem spem charitatem et caeteras tamen ut aliquis aliquo modo dicipossit pars verae ecclesiae de qua scripturae loquuntur non putamus requiri ullam internam virtutem sed tantum externam professionem fidei et sacramentoruÌ„ communionem quae sensu ipso percipitur Ecclesia enim est coetus hominum ita visibilis palpabilis ut est coetus populi Romani vel Regnum Galliae aut respublica Venetorum Yet other Papists be not so strict with us but that they will distinguish between the professing Church and the true believing Church And Bellarmine in the next words citeth a passage as Austins which he commendeth which maketh Faith Hope and Charity to be the soul of the Church and the external profession of faith and use of sacraments to be the Body of it and some persons to be in it in one respect only some in the other only and some in both They confess indeed that of duty men should be found Believers at the first but ordinarily they say that is not to be expected and therefore they are first to be entered into the Church this visible Church by Baptism that this may be a means to bring them higher and by this entrance they are put under right guides and into the true body and so are fed with true ordinances yea with Christs body and blood and so are in the way to a true spiritual state The terms on which they must be admitted they say into this Political Church which is not the holiest of all is a Profession of faith and a consent to be a member of the society and to be under those Pastors and use those ordinances in order to further growth so that these they suppose to have a true faith and to be such as have right to this Church state but yet to be but in the way to a special saving faith for theirs is but fides informis or meer faith which is onely Assent say they joyned with the foresaid consent to live in a Church state but when Love is added then it is fides charitate formata and then they are become of the true spiritual society and have part in the soul as well as in the body of the Church so that though they desire fidem formatam in all yet it is not to be expected that so much as a Profession of it be exacted of those that enter into the first order by Baptism but when they enter into a retired monastical life then it must be expected and it is found in all that are fully justified For say they Baptism which entreth men into the visible Church doth put away their original sin and justifie them that is change them in tantum viz. from Heathenism or infidelity if they lay in it before but it doth not justifie them from their more spiritual latent sins such as lie in the heart and keep out the power of Grace but it is the work of special Grace which is given upon the good use of their Church state and Ordinances that doth this by giving them fidem formatam with charity and hope Among all this there is some truth and some error we confess that the Church is one Political society or Republâ—ck but not headed by men but only by Christ the several particular Churches being as so many distinct corporations that all make up this one Republick and are conjoyned internally by faith love and obedience to the same Lord and laws and externally by the use of the same confession worship c. and holding correspondency and brotherly communion as far as occasion and natural capacity shall enable them but not united in one visible frame of policy so as to be under the same Governors some as subordinate and one person or a General council being the supream No more then all the schools in England or in the world must have such a Political constitution and Government
not that he hath forgotten that he promised or engaged to be purged from his old sins but that he was purged from them Pareus in loc saith A veteribus peccatis purgatum h. e. se esse baptizatum seu se accepisse in Baptismo purgationis signaculum Omnes enim baptizati debent purgari à peccatis sicut dicuntur induere Christum Gal. 3. mori cum Christo Rom. 6. sensus est Qui se volutant in sceleribus non recordantur se baptizatos esse Abnegant ergo Baptismum suum 1 Cor. 6 11. The Apostle saith of the visible Church of Corinth such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. where it is evident that all the visible members of the Church are visibly washed sanctified justified of which Text I shall speak more anon And I thik it is clear that by Washing here he hath some respect to their Baptism I shall not stand now to add any more texts because we shall have occasion anon to do it but may hence conclude that till one text of Scripture be produced from whence it may be proved that Christ did institute such a thing as Baptism which was not for the present signal Remission of sin we must take the contrary for granted because we have so many texts that tell us that his Baptism was for Remission of sin I shall only here add that the very sign it self which is the washing of the body by water doth plainly shew that the washing of the soul by the blood of Christ is the thing signified and the present actual use of the sign is to signifie the presence and actuality of the thing signified So that I conclude that there is no Baptism to be administred without a Profession of saving faith and Repentance fore-going because there is no Baptism that ever Christ appointed but what is for the obsignation of Remission of sin which is the consequent Mr. Blake page 171. reciteth some words of mine containing this Argument thus that faith to which the promise of Remission and justification is made must also be sealed to Or that faith which is the condition of the promise is the condition in foro Dei of the Title to the seal But it is only solid true faith that is the condition of the promise of Remission therefore it is that which gives Right in foro Dei to the seal Who would think now but Mr. Blake had given some substantial answer to this and other Arguments when himself and some others are so confident of the sufficiency of them His answer is this To this I have answered faith is not sealed to but Remisâ—ion of sins or salvation upon condition of faith and when I come to speake of the sealing of Sacraments I shall God willing make this more evident that the sacrament quâ seal immediately respects our priviledges not duties Reply 1. Is here one word of answer to any real part of the Argument Is not this answer as little to the matter as if he had talk't of another subject I think it my Duty to say that Ministers of the Gospel do but proclaim to the Church the matter of our common lamentation and the enemies joy when some confidently publish such kind of Disputations and others are satisfied with them And I must say if all were such they should never more be angred with one word of mine in opposition to their assertions though they would maintain that the Crow is white 2. To that useless touch that he hath on a word whose following explication might have spared him his labour I may say that our Divines have ordinarily maintained hitherto that there is a mutual covenanting between God and us and no man more then Mr. Blake and that in the Sacrament there is a mutual sealing the receiving being our seal as the Act is Gods Arg 6. If Baptism be instituted to be a seal of the Righteousness of that faith which we have being yet unbaptized then must we Baptize none that profess not a justifying faith and their seed But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the consequent The reason of the consequence is evident in that we must use Baptism only according to its nature and to it s instituted ends The Antecedent is proved thus Circumcision was instituted to be a seal of the righteousness of that faith which they had being yet uncircumcised therefore Baptism is instituted to be a seal of the righteousness of that faith which we have yet unbaptized the consequence will not be denyed by them whom we now deal with Because they confess that Baptism succeedeth Circumcision The Antecedent is evident in Rom. 4.11 It being so expresly said of Abraham to whom circumcision was first given I cannot imagine what they will say unless it be by recourse to the Anabaptists shift to say that Circumcision was instituted to this end indeed to Abraham himself and others that were sincere but not to all that had right to it But God here tels us the established use and end of his Ordinance and in such Relations the end is inseparable And as God hath not made many sorts of Baptisms or Circumcisions so neither many neerer inconsistent ends or separable And we are likest to know the true end of the institution where the institution and first example are reported to us Calvin in loc saith Hic porrò habemus insignem locum de commum sacramentorum usu sunt enim teste Paulo sigilla quibus Dei promissiones cordibus nostris quodammodo imprimuntur sancitur gratiae certitudo Quare maneat hoc fixum sacra symbola esse â—l est monia quibus gratiam suam Deus cordibus nostris obsignat Gratuita Reconciliatio in Deo in signo illo inclusa fuit Duae deniqâ—e ut Baptismi hodie sunt ità olim Circumcisionis erant partes nempe tam vitae novitatem quà m peccatorum Remissionem testari But he shews next that all the circumcised had not Justice that is actual faith and sanctity first giving instance in Isaac an Infant Saith Aritius in loc Hanc Justitiam obsignavit hoc est illuÌ„ certum reddidit de faedere inito acceptatione gratuita Saith Piscator in loc Sicut olim Circumcisio signum fuit federis gratiae sigillum quo credentibus obsignata fuit Justitia fidei hoc est quo illi certiores sunt redditi sibi remâ—ssâ— esse peccata prepter futuram satisfactionem Christi ac proinde se habere DeuÌ„ prepituÌ„ ac saventeeÌ„ itâ—â—ctera quoque sacrameÌ„ta c. similiter finis seu scopus omnium sacramentorum unus idemque est viz. Obsignatio justitiae Fidei quae vulgo dicitur fidei confirmatio Paraeus in loc saith Ita signum fuit dantis accipientis respectu c. Et justitia fidâ—i est Remissio peccatorum fide accepta propter redemptionem Christi Et sic sacramenta non sunt instituta justificandis
neer Learned Friends have done for more than I will speak of It s like he will hardly exact a Profession of saving Repentance from the lapsed for their Restoration to the communion of the Church if he will not do it of the Church themselves in their Sacramental communion Argum. 4. Furthermore they that will not profess true Love to Christ as a Redeemer are not to be admitted to the Lords Supper But no man can Profess true Love that will not Profess true faith Ergo c. The Major is proved in that it is a Sacrament of communion in Love We receive the highest expressions of Christs love and are to receive them with gratitude which hath alwaies love in it Argum. 5. They that profess not true Pope of Christs coming in Glory are not to be admitted to the Lords Supper But none can do that but the Professors of a saving faith Therefore the Major is proved because it is the very end and use of the Sacrament to exercise Hope of Christs coming Do this in remembrance of me till I come which Implyeth Expectation or Hope Argum. 6. No man is to be admitted to the Lords Supper that Professeth not a sincere love to the Saints as Saints But so can none do that Profess not a saving faith without contradicting himself Ergo. The Major is proved in that the very business of that Church there next their communion with Christ is to have communion with the Saints in Love and if they be at variance but with one they must leave their gift at the Altar and go first and be reconciled to their Brother and then come and offer their gift But Mr. Blake is so far from excluding the ungodly that he would not have us so much as disswade them from coming Pag. 196. he saith to that 1. It is as I suppose without all Scripture Precedent to warn men upon account of want of a new life by the Spirit wholly to keep off from this or any other Ordinances of Christ that we should warn men upon this account upon this very ground to hold off from all address to Ordinances I have not learnt Answ. That we should disswade them to come till they have that Faith and Repentance and Love to the Brethren which is the fruit of a new life I have proved and more have done it than you will ever well answer And it will not follow as you pretend that then none must come that have not the certainty of their sincerity in the Faith as I shall further shew when I come purposely to your Objections And where you talk of unregenerate mens being incapable of examining themselves it s a great mistake else no wicked man could despair if he be not able to find himself to be wicked And then it would be a sufficient Evidence of Grace for a man to find himself graceless which is a contradiction And it s an unhappy confusion that Mr. Blake is guilty of almost all along while he pleadeth against the Interest of the Regenerate only in the Sacraments that he confoundeth most commonly the Professors of Justifying Faith and holiness with his Professors of a faith short of Justifying and thus in his arguing against Mr. Hooker and Galaspie and others carrieth on the matter in the dark as if these were all one or the arguments will serve for the one that will serve for the other which is meerly to lose his own and his Readers labour or leave him deceived which is worse How many leaves of that volumn and his former of the covenants are guilty of this dark misleading work I could willingly here answer his Arguments for unregenerate mens right to this Sacrament but 1. I shall meet with much more about their pretended right to baptism anon and the answer of those will serve for both 2. And he hath so mixt the two Cases of Professors of saving faith and of not saving together that if I deal with him on the later he may say he speaks of the former The first Argument of Galaspies 201 which he answereth is from the Nature of Sacraments which are to signifie that we have already Faith in Christ Remission of sin by him and Union with him The sense of the Argument is That seeing Sacraments according to Christs institution are confirming signs presupposing the thing signified both on our part and on Gods therefore none should use them that have not first the thing signified by them at least those at age To this Master Blake answereth This to me is as strange as new that Sacramental signs declare shew that we have Faith remission of sins The Sacrament now in question is a sign of the body blood of Christ in whom by faith remission of sins may be obtained I know but that it is a sign either that we do believe or that we have remission of sin otherwise than upon believing to which this engages but not presupposes I know not Repl. Though I undertake not to defend all the Arguments that other men use in this Case yet this doth so much concern the cause of baptism which I am now debating that I shall give you this reply to it 1. The sacramental Actions are signs as well as the substance of bread and wine The Offer with Take eat signifieth the offer of Christ to us to be received and applyed the Taking and Eating and Drinking signifieth our Acceptance Application of him With himself is offered the pardon of sin and given to all that Accept him which by Taking Eating and Drinking we profess to do It is my duty to tell you that it is sad that a Treatise of Sacraments should profess not to know that our believing and Remission is here signified It s pity but this had been known before you had written of them at least Controversally What Divines are there that deny the Sacraments to be mutual signs and seals signifying and sealing our part as well as Gods and how ill do you to wrong the Church of God by seeking to make men believe that these things are new and strange If it be so to you its pity that it is so But sure you have seen Mr. Gatakers Books against Doct. Word and Davenant wherein you have multitudes of sentences recited of our Protestant Divines that affirm this which you call new It is indeed their most common doctrine that the Sacrament doth pre-suppose Remission of sin and our faith and that they are instituted to signifie these as in being though through infancy or error some may not have some benefits of them till after it is the common Protestant Doctrine that Sacraments do solemnize and publikely own and confirm the mutual Covenant already entered in heart as a King is crowned a Souldier listed a Man and Woman married after professed consent so that the sign is Causal as to the Consummation and Delivery as a Key a Twig and Turff in giving possession but consequential to the Contract
of a good conscience is we shall further enquire anon Both the common expositions fully confirm the point which I maintain The Assemblies Annot. recite both thus Hence by the answer of a good conscience we may understand that unfeigned faith whereof they made confession at their Baptism and whereby their consciences were purified and whereby they received the remission of their sins c. Some understand by the Answer of a good Conscience that Covenant whereinto they entered at their Baptism the embracing whereof they testified by their unfeigned confession of their Faith viz. such a Faith as is aforesaid so that I conclude that this Texâ— doth plainly shew that Baptm is for the saving of the Baptized as to the instituted use and may not be used meerly to any lower ends then to put them into a present state of Salvation Aâ—gum 18. No one may be admitted to Baptism who may not be admitted a Member of the Church of Christ. No one may be admitted to be a Member of the Church of Christ without the profession of a saving faith by himself or Parents or Proparents therefore no one may be admitted to Baptism without the profession of a saving faith I speak of such admission to Church-membership as is in the power of the Ministers of Christ who have the Keyes of his Kingdom to open and let in as well as to cast out The Major is past question because Baptism is our solemn entrance into the Church who were before entred by private consent and Accepted by the Covenant of God All the question is of the Minor which I shall therefore prove 1. It is before proved that all the Members of the Church must be such as are visibly solemnly or by profession sanctified from former sin cleansed justified persons of God the Heirs of the Promise c. But this cannot be without the profession of a saving faith Ergo c. 2. This also is before proved where it was shewed that no others are Christians or Disciples 3. In Acts 2.41 42 c. The many thousands were added to the Church were such as received gladly the doctrine of saving Faith and Repentance and continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and Prayer and so far contemned the world as to fell all and make it common And doubtless no man continued in those wayes of doctrine fellowship prayer c. without the profession of saving Faith Repentance for the very use of these is such a profession Of which saith Calvin in Act. 2.42 Quaerimus ergò veram Christi ecclesiam Hìc nobis ad vivum depictum est ejus Imago Ac initium quidem facit à doctrinâ quae veluti ecclesiae anima est not as barely heard but as professed or Received Nec quamlibet doctrinam nominat sed Apostolorum hoc est quam per ipsorum manus filius Dei tradiderat Ergo ubicunque personat pura vox Evangelii ubi in ejus professione manent homines ubi in ordinario ejus auditu ad profectum se exercent illic indubiè est Ecclesia c. Quare non temere haec quatuor receâ—set Lucas quum describere vult nobis ritè constitutum ecclesiae statum Et nos ad hunc ordinem eniti convenit si cupimus verè censeri Ecclesia coram Deo Angelis non inane tantum ejus nomen apud homines jactare And ver 47. It is said that the Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved Obj. It saith not that all shall be saved that are added to the Church Answ. But it describeth them that were added to the Church viz. that were such as should be saved or as Beza yielded to another reading and so Grotius and many others such as saved themselves from that untoward Generation quisese quotidie servandos recipiebant in Ecclesiam The Church is the Body of Christ Col. 1.18 24. and none are members of his Body but such as either are united to him and live by him or at least seem to do so The Church is subject to Christ and beloved of Christ and cherished by him we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephe. 5.24 25 30. And those that are against the General Redemption me thinks should be moved with the consideration that it is the Church that Christ gave himself for even the visible Church which he purchased with his own blood Act. 20.28 Ephe. 5.25 and he is the Saviour of his body ver 23. But so he is not effectively the Saviour of the Professors of a Faith that doth not justifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the effective Saviour of those that profess a Justifying faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the sincere but of others neither way Hitherto Divines have gathered from the plain texts of Scripture that there is but One Church One Faith and One Baptism and that those that had this Faith really were to be baptized and were real members of the Church and that those that professed this faith and so seemed to have it when they have it not are visible members of the Church and are so taken because their Profession is sensible to us and by that they seem to have the thing professed But the Opponents are fallen into a new conceit in all these 1. They feign a New Christian faith to themselves viz. A faith that is short of Justifying which Scripture and the Church of God have taken to be but a preparatory to the Christian faith subjectively or but a common part of it objectively considered so that before there was but one Christian faith and now they have made two 2. And so before there was but one sort of real serious or sincere Christians consisting of such as had that real Christian faith and now they have found out another sort of them that hold another sort of faith 3. So have they feigned a new Baptism for the Old Baptism was for Remission of sin and Burial and Resurrection wiâ—h Jesus Christ and to engraff men into the Church wich is the body of Christ upon the profession of a saving faith but the new feigned ends of Baptism are far different 4. And they have feigned also a new kind of Church For the Church of Christs constitution is but one which is called visible from mens Profession and invisible from the faith professed But they have made a Church which consisteth of a third sort of members that is of men that neither have saving faith nor profess it but only have or profess to have a faith of a lower orb 5. To this end they have confounded the Church and the Porch the Vineyard and the adjacent part of the Wilderness those that heretofore were but Catechumeni or men in preparation for the Church are now brought into it and are annumerated to true Christians before they once profess themselves such and that upon a lower profession 6 And hereby also the
ought not to be baptized nor any on their account The Major is proved 1 In that it is part of Christianity And to be baptized into his name is to take him as our Prophet 2. Such should be cut off Acts 3.23 Mr. Gilespie and others expound Moses cutting off of Excommunication therefore not admitted in such a condition Argu. 20. If notoriously ungodly baptized Parents are notoriously uncapable of presenting and dedicating their children to Christ covenanting with him on their behalf then are they Notoriously uncapable of Interesting their children in the Covenant or Baptism Or Then may we not baptize them on their account But the Antecedent is true as I prove thus 1. A man that notoriously refuseth to accept of Christ himself and to take him as he is offered to covenant truly with him is Notoriously uncapable of doing the same on the behalf of another For he that hath no true faith for himself cannot have it for his child though perhaps he may be content that his child let go some sins for Christ which he cannot spare himself but c. Ergo. 2. He that is Notoriously a perfidious Breaker of his own verbal covenant is while such uncapable of covenanting with Christ for another For such a mans word is not to be taken he hath forfeited his credit till he repent and return to his fidelity But such are all the notorious Ungodly Ergo. c. The Consequence of the main Argument is clearly good because he that brings any child to be baptized must covenant for it with Christ for it is a mutual Covenant that must be entered in Baptism The child cannot consent or covenant by it self therefore it must do it by others and that must be those that present it as having Right on their Account And he that is not Willing for himself cannot Consent for another Argu. 21. From the second Commandment with all those other Texts that express Gods differencing the seed of the wicked and godly If it be Gods will that there shall be visible notes of his displeasure on the children of the Notoriously ungodly as theirs in comparison of the children of the godly then we ought not to baptize them But the Antecedent is true Therefore so is the Consequent Here note 1. That we speak not of any children of ungodly men who at age renounce their Parents waies and themselves fear God of whom Ezek. 18. speaks but only of them while Infants and as theirs 2. In the Antecedent I mean that God hath so visibly noted out the children of the Notoriously ungodly as such to lie under his displeasure that he would have the Church and all take notice of it and esteem of them accordingly The reason of the Consequent is because Baptizing puts them among those that are visibly under Gods favour the Church being called the Body of Christ the House of the Living God c. But those that be visibly from under his special favour should not be put into such a Body The Antecedent I prove 1. from the second Commandment where note 1. that the parties differenced are the Posterity of them that hate God on one side and on the other those that love him and keep his Commandments Not only between Professors of Faith or of Infidelity but between godly and ungodly it being usual in Scripture to call the ungodly Haters of God and justly and it is those that love him not and keep not his Commandments that are called haters of him 2. Note that it is a visible mark of his favour which he there putteth on the seed of the godly from whence we may well gather their Church-membership as I have shewed elsewhere Therefore it is a visible note of his disfavour which he putteth on the Notoriously ungodly from whence we may gather that they are not to be visible Church-members 3. Note also that this is in the Decalogue and a standing determination of God and not ceremonial or transitorie Note also how the Scripture all along concurs The seed of Cain are called the children of men though its like they acknowledged God to be their Maker who might have heard Adam tell them of the creation And indeed it is ungodliness and wickedness that God drowned the World for Yet are these children of Cain as an excommunâ—cate brood whom the children of God might not joyn with The Infants of all the wicked of the world are drowned with their Parents in the Flood The Infants of Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed with their Parents who are said by Jude to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire as an example not of original sin but to those that after should live ungodly The children of the Egyptians are destroyed for their Parents sins while Israels are preserved The children of Daâ—han and Abiram and their confederates were swallowed up with them for their Rebellion yet did their parents confess the true God and were circumcised Achans children were all stoned to death and burned for his sin Josh. 7.15.26 It was Gods command to Israel that if any City were reduced and drawn away to serve other gods that City infants and all should be destroyed Deut. 13.12 13. c. God commanded Israel to put to death all the Infants of all the Nations that were given them for Inheritance Deut. 20.16 17. which was for the Parents abomination The Amalekite's infants must all be slain So are all the Males among the little ones of the Midianites Numb 31.17 The children of Daniels Accusers are cast into the Den of Lions Dan. 6.24 And Babylones little ones must be dash't against the stones Psal. 137.9 The wicked are cursed in the fruit of their body yea It is cursed Deut. 28.18.32.41 Christ would have gathered the children of Jerusalem great and small but did not because they would not On that Generation he brought all the righteous blood that was shed from Abel and takes witness from their own mouths that They were the children of them that killed the Prophets Now I think if the children of the notoriously ungodly lie under Gods visible displeasure thus far they should not by Baptism as theirs be taken into that society that are visibly in his favour and distinguished from all the world as a Peculiar people a Holy Priesthood a Royal Nation the Children of God the Body and Spouse of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Ghost Argu. 22. That Doctrine is not found which confoundeth the Catechumeni as to their description which the rightfull members of the Church But such is the Doctrine that we oppose yea worse For the Catechumeni might understand and believe the fundamentals which is all the Title that these men can produce by their profession But they were not to be admitted into the Church till they had more even resolutions expressed to obey Nay many such without the Church had some willingness to learn and waited long on teaching to that end But so will not many of these in