1. To examine those texts that themselves produce for the interest of such infants of whose Parents their charity thus hopefully determines and see whether those texts will not carry it for all the infants of professing Parents I am sure I know none but carry it as clear for all as they do for any 2. Let them consider whether children of God are not to be baptized These infants of whose Parents they have saddest thoughts are children of God Ezek. 16.21 Whether servants of God ought not to be baptized These children of such Parents are servants of God Levit. 25.42 Whether Saints are not to be baptized Such children are Saints where one Parent is removed from an infidel 1 Cor. 7.14 But the greatest part leave us not out of error but neglect not as being misled in judgement but prophane Let these seriously take to heart these Queries 1. Why did you joyn in any Ordinance in publick as that of praying hearing singing was it not upon that account as of God by his appointment Why then are those attended and this which you allow also to be of God neglected 2. Is this the closing duty doth not a blessing follow upon this Ordinance quitting this you quit both you will joyn with others in the duty but you will give them leave to be alone in receiving a blessing upon it 3. Is not he she or they that now are to be received a fellow-member or members must not thou and they make up one body are not they a part of Christ mystical as thou It is but a little honour that thou givest them when thou hast not patience to abide a few minutes to be a witness of their happy initiation 4. Doth not their case upon this account call for thy prayers the Churches prayers It would scarce please that thy own child should be offered to God in this Ordinance without a word of prayer to God They that consider the great business that lyes upon the hands of a Christian that high engagement to which this Ordinance tyes the manifold temptations that accompany a Christian course cannot but confess that their case calls for all mens prayers 5. Note the scandal and offence that thou givest the censure that thou leavest behind thee upon others that joyn in the duty and on the other hand the censure that thou bearest from them in thus forsaking of them either Minister and people do manifest their trifling folly and so a taking of Gods Name in vain in the open Congregation on the Lords day in his presence to wait upon such an Ordinance that is unworthy of the honour of thy presence or else thou manifest much sinful neglect in thy refusal or with drawing of thy self Thou canst not but think their continuance is vain or else must conclude thy own departure to be wicked 6. Is there nothing of edification in this Ordinance no Word to be heard by which thou maiest profit dost not thou here see Gods engagement to thy soul and thy souls engagement unto God Doth Baptisme save as the Arke of Noah and is there nothing in it whereby thou maiest be benefited But here is objected weakness of body or haste of business that lyes upon them in that they can bear no longer Answer 1. How is it that these reasons do not send thee away from other Ordinances as well as barely from this that thy weakness can bear and thy business stay just to this time that thy patience is bespoke for this work when the Minister intreats to stay this Sacrament a man might think mens ears mistook and they thought he said Turn your backs clap to your pew-doores tumble down the stayrs haste be gone give your Amen to no more prayers stay for no blessing If these were the words many could make no more haste to be gone then they do on request to stay 2. Let that text be well weighed Ezek. 46.9 10. where order is given both for the comming in and going out of the publick assembly The Prince may ordinarily speak of as much business-intanglements to hinder as any other by reason of the burden of his heavy employments and yet he is to go in with the first and stay in with the last and his example is prest that it may be a precedent to others Some are slow to come in and as hasty to be gone come as a Bear to the stake and fly away as an Ape from a whip They are for Ordinances and from Ordinances as a truantly boy is for school and from school These have none of Jacobs thoughts Surely God is in this place Gen. 28.16 or that they have to deal with God in all the Ordinances of the day otherwise they would rise up early as Job to his sacrifices to partake of them and would not make any such forward haste to be quit of them And this respect that it hath God for the Author should move us not barely to vouchsafe our presence in the occasional administration which may be done gazingly carelessely sleepily An improvement is to be made of Baptisme But we should make use of our own Baptisme being instituted of God as a standing Ordinance of his Church we should have other thoughts then that as soon as it is past in the act it is over in the use we should eye it all our dayes as our inlet into the society of Saints which is a greater honour then a Kings Coronation and as a high engagement unto duty to faith in the blood of Christ to a death to sin and a resurrection to righteousness by power of the Spirit of Christ Though it be low in the Ceremony it is high in the obligation tying us fast to him whose name we bear by vertue of our baptisme our whole business should be that our conscience may answer this obligation as a seal put to the promise for pardon of our sin and salvation If Baptisme saves by the resurrection of Christ as the Apostle tells us 1 Pet. 3.21 there should be other improvement of it were it aright considered and duly improved it would neither suffer sin nor doubtings it would not suffer any way of sin nor any prevalency of doubtings concerning our spiritual state and condition Parents should look above civil decency and complement It should quicken Parents to think of more then bare Ceremony civil decency and complement in the work which is almost the whole of all that is regarded If friends in due order be invited and in a way suitable to their place entertained that is the great care any blessing on the Ordinance is but little mattered When they give a child in marriage they do not neglect a wedding-feast and such civil appurtenances that usually attend but their great care is about assurance for their livelihood on this account counsel is retained friends consulted But this being as the day of their espousal for visible communion with Jesus Christ little thought is taken of the weight of
(e) Tam perfecta est haec lex ut nihil ei in praeceptis moralibus aut à Christo aut ab Apostolis ipsius additum fuerit quoad exactiorem bonorum operum normam sub novo Testamento sit adducta The Law is so perfect that nothing in Moral precepts either by Christ or his Apostles as any more exact rule of good works hath been added under the New Testament Disp 18. § 39. Vrsinus in his definition of the Morall Law inserts this (f) Obligans omnes creaturas rationalies ad perfectam obedientiam internam externam binding all reasonable creatures to perfect obedience both inward and outward Pag. 681. Chemnitius entitles his third Chapter de Lege (g) De perfectâ obedientiâ quam Lex requirit Of the perfect obedience which the law requires and presently laies down these words (h) Variis autem corruptelis omnibus temporibus olim nunc depravata est doctrina de perfectâ obedientia quam Lex Dei requirit This doctrine of the perfect obedience which the Law requires in all ages past hath been and is now depraved Bucan in his Common places Pag. 188. thus defines the Morall Law (i) Est praeceptio divina continens piè justéque coram Deo vivendi regulam requirens ab omni homine perfectam perpetuam obedientiam A divine injunction containing a rule to live piously and justly before God requiring of all men perfect and perpetuall obedience towards God I shall conclude with the Confession presented to both houses of Parliament by the Assembly of Divines Chap. 19. 2. The Law after his i. e. Adams fall continued to be a perfect Rule of Righteousnes and as such was delivered by God on mount Sinai in ten Commandements To these more might be addded but these are sufficient to take you out of that wonder that I should assert the perfection of it But I shall not rest barely upon the authority of these testimonies but offer to your consideration these following reasons Arguments evincing the pefection of the Morall Law 1. If the Law be not a fully perfect and compleat Rule of our lives then there is some sin against God which is not condemned in the Law this is clear Deviation from any rule given of God is a sin Deviation from that supposed additionall rule is a sin But there is no sin which the Law doth not condemn Sin is a Transgression of the Law 1 John 3 4. He that sins transgresseth the Law 2. If the Law alone discovers and makes sin known then it is a perfect full and compleat Rule this is plain Omne rectum index est obliqui But the Law alone discovers sin Rom. 3.20 This office is ascribed there to the Law and is no other but the Morall Law Had not the light of that Rule guided him in this work he had never made any such discovery And it is the moral Law written in the decalogue that he means as appears in the quotation I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet 3. That which alone works wrath is the alone Rule and guide of our lives This is clear in what sence soever it is that we take working of wrath whether we understand it of working of wrath in man against God as some do Mans heart being apt to rise against him that will exercise Soveraignty over him Or of the wrath of God kindled against man upon transgression of the Law But it is the Law that works wrath it is ascribed to it and it alone Rom. 4.15 4. That which being removed will take away all possibility of sinning that is alone the Rule of our obedience This is plain were there any Rule the transgression of it would be still our sin But the Law being removed all possibility of sin is taken away Where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4 15. 5. If the Law only adds strength to sin viz. for condemnation then the Law is the alone Rule of obedience This is plain Any other Rule whatsoever addes like strength to sin and upon transgression will condemne But the Law only addes strength to sin 1 Cor. 15.56 The strength of sin is the Law 6. Either the epithite morall is not justly given to the Law or else it is a perfect Rule of manners that is of obedience This is plain for morall denotes as Amesius observes that use of it But this epithite given to the Law and appropriated to it was never as I think upon any such account challenged Ergo. 7. Either this new Rule doth transcend the old Rule of the Morall Law requiring a more exact degree of perfection as Papists speak of their Evangelicall counsels Socinians of their additionall Gospell precepts or else it falls short and admits of obedience in a degree more low If it require obedience more high then even the doers of the Law in the greatest highth and possible supposed perfection though equall to the Angels are sinners The Law might be fulfilled and yet disobedience charged If it fall short of the old Rule which it seems is your opinion seeing you confesse an imperfection is our personall righteousnesse as it refers to the old Rule and assert a perfection as it relates to the new Rule then the new Rule allows that which the old Rule condemnes and so you bring in a discrepency between them and find an allowance for transgression So that I think I have sufficient authority divine and humane with reasons that are cogent to conclude that which I have asserted That the old Rule the Rule of the Moral Law is a perfect Rule and the only Rule You come in here with six several exceptions taken against the (a) Exceptions taken against the perfection of the Law perfection of this Law or singularity of it as rule 1. You demand What say you for matter of duty to the positive (b) 1. Exception precepts for the Gospel of Baptism the Lords day the Officers and a government of the Church c Is the Law of nature the only rule for these And foreseeing what I would answer as well you might you adde If you say they are reducible to the second commandment I demand 1. What is the second commandment for the affirmative part but a general precept to worship God according to his positive institution 2. Do ye take the precept de genere to be equivalent to the precepts de speciebus c. To this I think I may answer out of your own mouth Aphor. pag. 149. The neglect of Sacraments is a breach of the second commandment In case we break the commandments in the neglect of them then the commandment requires the observation of them For which you may consult also Mr. Burges Vindiciae legis pag. 149. Balls Catechisme Amesius his Sciographia Dod on the Commandments Downhams Tables Zanchy each of them on this Commandment and Cawdry and Palmer
of his Reign began to seek after the God of his Fathers and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the groves and the carved Images and the molten Images 2 Chron. 34.3 4. But it was in the eighteenth year of his Reign that he could reach to keep a Passeover Chap. 35.19 Hezekiah as appears hasted to keep a Passeover yet durst not be over-hasty he could not keep it on the day which originally in the Law was appointed But upon advice put it off to the second moneth because the Priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently 2 Chro. 30.3 Ezra kept a Passeover upon the return out of the Captivity Ezra 6.19 and the reason is given vers 20 21. For the Priests and Levites were purified together all of them were pure and killed the Passeover for all the children of the captivity and for their brethren the Priests and for themselves and the children of Israel which were come again out of Captivity and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthinesse of the Heathen of the Land to seek the Lord God of Israel did eat Had not the Priests and Levites been thus purified and the people thus separated the Passeover it appeares had been longer delayed As these saw necessitating occasion for omission of this Ordinance which yet is not charged as their sin so may also the Ministers of Christ see like occasion for delay of administration of the Lords Supper And there is advantage on their part seeing there was a prescript time in the Law for the observation of the one but no limited time in the Gospel for the administration of the other Sometimes a Minister by providence is cast upon such a people that scarce three are able to discern what they have in hand when they are about this duty and therefore he sees no more reason to call them to it then Christ saw to call his disciples newly chosen unto private fastings or the Apostle to give meat to babes edification is their great businesse their whole businesse they may stay the time that they may administer it to edification sometimes it evidently appeares that the rent is in a way to be made so great by their administration through the observance of some working errour upon the judgment in others that are so principled that none but high Saints are for this Ordinance that they see danger in proceeding in it And though I do not doubt but that it is often forborn out of sinful neglect and by truly consciencious Ministers sometimes out of over-much indulgence of their brethrens weaknesse and their own over-rigid principles yet as I do believe that all consciencious Pastours who for some space of time forbear do judge that there is cause for such forbearance so I do believe that upon some occasions pro hic nunc it may justly be forborn And whatsoever exception is taken against Arguments drawn from Analogy as not concluding of which I need to say no more then I have already spoken yet I shall conclude that this which is drawn from the Passeover which is rather from example then analogy is cogent If that of the London-Divines in their Divine Right of Church-Government pag. 20 21. quoted and approved by Reverend Mr. Jeanes pag. 21. of his Treatise be of weight That whatsoever actions were done by Saints recorded in Scripture upon such grounds as are of morall perpetual and common concernment to one person as well as to another to one Church as well as to another these actions are obligatory to all and a rule to after-generations then this Argument grounded on the example of such actions is not to be charged as not concluding yea though we had no such Example to lead us as perhaps they had none to be a precedent to them yet those reasons which led them or those that are equivalent may lead us likewise Fourthly 4. Rule There is no prescript for the time or frequency of the observation of the Lords Supper There is no definitive time in the Gospel for observation nor any precise determinate prescript for the frequency of the Lords Supper But when and how often Christian prudence must order yet being an holy exercise the day which we are to keep holy calls for it being the Lords Supper what time so meet as the Lords day The whole community of the faithful being interested in it it is to be observed at the time of their publick meetings which occasionally may be at other times but must be at that time And in case breaking of bread Act. 20.7 be meant of the Lords Supper as most affirm and I will not oppose it is out of question But yet I cannot think that every holy duty is alwaies to be the work of every holy meeting so the word should never be preached nor prayer publickly made without a Sacrament I believe there is somewhat extraordinary in a Sacrament comparative to other duties as there is in a Fast And though the Law for the Passeover and day of Atonement tye not us to annual observations onely of Sacraments and Fasts as it tyed the Jewes yet me thinks it speaks somewhat more then ordinary in them and that Fasts and Sacraments are not to be done in that frequency as daily addresses to God in prayer and our hearing from God in his Word And though I subscribe to Mr. Pemble and others that the Apostles words As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup implyes that it should be often A Christian should not seldome in his life partake of this Ordinance yet I suppose it doth allow if not imply longer intermission then is to be in other duties The primitive times perhaps in some places at least made this Ordinance over-common celebrating it as is said every day in other places every Lords day Mr. Pemble who religiously pleads for the frequent celebration of it sayes It is true that as in other so in this Divine institution Satan hath done much by his malicious policy to corrupt mens hearts in the observation of it When the Sacrament was administred often he brought it into contempt by the commonnesse of it Now that it is administred seldome through ignorance it is thought unnecessary How truly his observation is verified we see in two extreams into which different parties are run at this present time One part breaking bread almost at all their meetings and make no more of it then common bread looking after no Minister set apart for that work not so much as of their own making any one whom they will call a gifted disciple and such with them is every dipt disciple is set up for it They act it while some walk some talk in their presence with lesse reverence then befits grave persons at common meals I fear there was never more rudenesse in Corinth then may be seen here in Sacramental observations On the other hand the Sacrament is
that God himself and not John was the Author of it Let John himself speak whether he went on his owne head on this work He that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost Joh. 1.33 The people of the Jewes certainly had another opinion of his Baptisme as appears by their reasoning when Christ demanded The Baptisme of John whence was it from heaven or of men and they reasoned with themselves saying If we shall say from heaven he will say unto us Why did ye not then beleeve him But if we shall say of men we fear the people for all hold John as a Prophet Matth. 21.25.26 When the opinion among the people was so generall that the Chief Priests and Elders were afraid to oppose it had it been an errour doubtlesse Christ would not in that way have nourished them in it And to say with Bellarmine that Deus solum in genere inspiravit inspiratione illa mandavit ut baptizaret sed ritum in particulari quo baptizandum esset ipse Johannes instituit non a Deo prae scriptum accepit God did command him to baptize but the particular rite was left unto John himself is nothing When Christ demanded of the Baptisme of John whether it were from heaven or of men the Priests and Elders to whom he spake understood the whole work and to conceit that the work was commanded and the way of doing concealed is an ungrounded fancy All that are confest to be Sacraments are we see yeelded to be of Divine institution which is further plain in reason First Sacraments are parts of worship a piece of the homage that is due from man to God And it is God and not man that is to prescribe in his own worship here God hath declared himself to be jealous Exod. 20.5 that not any thing of the invention of man come within that worship that is Divine And if Nadab and Abihu fell for adulterating the worship of God bringing in strange fire when fire from heaven was provided to their hands How shall they stand that coin a worship it self as do our adversaries or put a new stamp upon it when it is set up of God which is their way likewise Marriage which is an Ordinance without the Church they make a Sacrament in the Church Of duties they make ordination and repentance Sacraments and in case Pharisees made the Commandements of God void by their tradition when they imposed a necessity of washing of hands before meat when yet they did not raise it to the honour of a Sacrament How much more had John offended if out of his own fancy he had set up such an Ordinance as Baptisme David hath been charged that he appointed singers and other officers in the house of God without any command or direction from heaven but the contrary to this appeares 2 Chron. 29.25 where in the life of Hezekiah it is said He set the Levites in the house of the Lord with Cymbals with Psalteries and with harpes according to the commandement of David and of Gad the Kings Seer and Nathan the Prophet for so was the Commandement of the Lord by his Prophets Secondly Sacraments are notes of distinction between the people of God and others that beare not that relation to him as we have heard Circumcision and uncircumcision divided the world The Circumcised were a people of God when all others were children of a strange god so we may say of all Sacraments And as men of place alone have power to give liveries to their own servants to distinguish them from those that have their dependance on others so God hath alone power to give differencing Cognizances to his servants likewise Thirdly God onely can give strength and efficacy to the Sacraments what that is rests to be enquired and is not a little controverted but whatsoever it is that it is wholly of God was never doubted and he onely that can give efficacy to them is to ordaine them This is Thomas Aquinas his reason in the place mentioned Fourthly Sacraments are teaching signes visible words whereby man is instructed in Divine mysteries but God alone is the author of the Word It is given by inspiration of God 1 Timothy 3.15 God alone therefore is the author of Sacraments Fifthly Sacraments are seales put to promise annext for confirmation of Covenants as shall be further shewen But he onely that makes the promise and appoints the Covenant can give the seal The Schoolman then quoted by Bullinger de Sacr. Decad. 5. Ser. 6. hath well minded the Church that she is no Lady over the Sacraments but barely a servant and can no more appoint a Sacrament then abrogate a Divine Commandement And Bellarmine puts this for the first reason that Ministers are Stewards of the Mysteries of God therefore they are not to institute them but being instituted of God are onely to administer them This holds true not onely of Sacraments in their essence that none may adde any to the number of those that God hath instituted But of all that is of the integrality of Sacraments likewise there is not the least Sacramental rite that is to be of humane but all of Divine institution There is the same reason of the whole and of every part He that may not appoint a Sacrament may appoint no piece of a Sacrament A worship made up of Divine and humane Commandements stands in the Church like Nebuchadnezzars image the head of Gold but the feet of earth The Poets device of a mans neck joyned to a horses head is not so great a soloecisme Thomas Aquinas saw that this might be objected against much in the Sacraments in the Church of Rome and therefore when he had put the question Whether Sacraments have their institution from God in the first place objecteth c Ea quae sunt divinitus instituta t aduntur nobis in sacra Scriptura sed quaedam aguntur in Sacramentis de quibus nulla fit mentio in sacra Scriptura puta de Chrismate quo homines confirmantur oleo quo Sacerdotes inunguntur de multis aliis tam verbis quam factis quibus utimur in Sacramentis Illa quae aguntur in Sacramentis per homines instituta non sunt de necessitate Sacramenti sed ad quandam solennitatem quae adhibetur Sacramentis ad excitandam devotionem reverentiam in his qui Sacramenta suscipiunt Ea vero quae sunt de necessitate Sacramenti ab ipso Christo instituta sunt qui est Deus homo that there are some things done in the Church of which there is no mention in Scripture as Chrisme wherewith men are confirmed and oyl wherewith Priests are ordained and much else as well words as actions saith he which we use in Sacraments and answeres that those things which are done in Sacraments instituted by
into four heads 1. That as to the cutting off the foreskin and the smart suffered in it it was no injustice in Masters to compell them seeing they were their Money 2. That he best approves of their opinion That hold that the Law of circumcising of Proselytes was on that condition that they were willing to be circumcised 3. That Masters ought to make it their businesse to perswade them but not against heart to circumcise them 4. If that any think that a necessity lay upon Masters to circumcise all servants it is safest to be of Cajetans mind to deny it to be any note of profession of the Jewish Religion Secondly It is objected on the other hand that some in Covenant were denyed Circumcision as 1. Infants before the 8th day But that is unworthy of any answer A stated day for it is not any denyall of it 2. Females were not to be circumcised seeing the institution is onely for the males To which three things may be answered 1. For those that make use of this objection they have authors of their own namely Walafridus Strabo de rebus Ecclesiasticis as he is cited by à Lapide on Genes 17. affirming that they were circumcised 2. The reason of their exclusion from any actuall participation was their incapacity of it And thirdly they were circumcised virtually and so reputed of that number as appeares in that they were admitted to the Passeover when the law was expresse no uncircumcised person must eat of it Exod. 12.48 And Samson was charged that he took a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines Judg. 14.3 So that I say a Covenanting people of God and they onely are entitled to the right of Sacraments when they are given to a people out of Covenant a seal is put to a blank which must needs be an horrid prophanation of the seales of the Covenant of God And when they are denied to those in Covenant as not their right they are injured from whom they are thus detayned SECT II. FOr further explanation of this point several Propositions must be laid down Explicatory Propositions Proposition 1. First A Covenant properly so called is entred between God and his people God enters a Covenant exactly and properly so called with his people A Covenant in the true nature of it passeth between God and man I took this for granted in the introduction into the Treatise of the Covenant of God entered with mankind where in its proper place it might have been handled supposing that there had been none that had denyed it But since that time I have seen my mistake and among the many questions that have been moved and agitated about the Covenant it is questioned whether there be any such thing as a Covenant entered between God and any of the sons of men upon earth Commands and promises are confest but a Covenant is disputed The way to make it good is to prove from Scripture the name and the thing when these are proved all is clear The word Covenant proved The word we find in places above number Deut. 29.12 They stood that they might enter into Covenant with the Lord God God is often put in mind by his people of his Covenant Psal 74.20 and he promises Levit. 26.42 to remember his Covenant These are then such transactions between God and his people that are called by the name of a Covenant when this cannot be dâ—nyed the impropriety of the word is objected that the word of command given of God out of Soveraignty and the word of promise given out of mercy they are called by the name of a Covenant when strictly so called they are as is objected no Covenant at all But to avoyd this the thing it self may be as easily proved as the word The thâ—ng it self proved and when we have nomen and nominis rationem then we have a Covenant not aequivocally but truly so called And here I may deal liberally with any adversary and undertake to make proof not onely of all the essentials of a Covenant but the usual adjuncts not onely all that makes up the nature but all accessories usually added to the solemnity of Covenants For the essentials of a Covenant or real properties they are as Mr. Burges saith A mutual consent and stipulation on both sides In the essentialls of it Parties consent and mutual engagement is all that is required to the being of a Covenant when two parties agree and either of them both have their conditions to make good there is a Covenant or bargaine see it exemplified in several instances given Treatise of the Covenant Pag. 3. All of these we find in that one place Deut. 26.17 18 19. in the Covenant that God enters with his people Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes and to keep his Statutes and his Commandements and his Judgements and to hearken to his voyce And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandements And to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour and that thou maiest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath spoken There are the Covenanters God and his people There is consent on both parties Thou hast avouched the Lord hath avouched And there is a stipulation on both sides On Gods part to make them high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour On the peoples part to keep all his Commandements to be an holy people There are Covenant-mercies from God to his people unto which of grace he engages himself and there are covenant-Covenant-duties unto which man stands engaged Psal 103.17 18. But the mercie of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto childrens children to such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandements Let none say that this was a legal Covenant in which man had his conditions but is freed from all in the Covenant Evangelical Not to mention what I have elsewhere said Mr. Ball Treatise of the Covenant Pag. 102 103 104. Mr. Burges Vindiciae legis Pag. 224 225. have abundantly manifested the contrary and most amply of all others that I have read Mr. Cobbet in his Vindication Pag. 60 to Pag. 70. where he delivers this conclusion that the body of the Jewish Church was under the Covenant of grace making it good with twelve arguments and answering as many objections Gods engagements in Gospel-times none deny mans restipulation is all the question And this is as clear in New Testament-times as it was in the dayes of the Law that of Christ fully holds it out Joh. 8.51 If any man keep my sayings he shall never see death Christs engagement there is to keep from death and upon these termes that man keep
his sayings Here is a full tender of a Covenant and Covenant-termes on Christs part he that accepts of Christ as his Lord and professes to keep his sayings enters Covenant he that hath in him such an heart as God wished in Israel To feare him and keep all his Commandements alwayes Deut. 5.29 keeps Covenant Gospel-Preachers hold out Christ in Covenant and they do not onely tender mercies but engage to duties Act. 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins and this duty of repentance is in order to the priviledge of remission of sins as we find from Peter Act. 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the duty of the Covenant is neglected the mercy of the Covenant is lost This caused them in their Ministery to be so zealous to urge men to it Testifying both to the Jewes and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Christ For the usuall solemnities of a Covenant In the usual accessories on solemnities These are found in the transactions between God and his people as well as the essentials of it 1. Covenants used to be written for memorial for posterity and so is the Covenant between God and man as in Old so in New Testament-times These things are written that you might believe and that believing you may have everlasting life Joh. 20.31 2. Covenants used to be confirmed with outward visible signes as the killing of beasts Jo. 15. Jer. 34 This was done in the old administration Exod. 24. Half of the blood was sprinkled upon the Altar to denote Gods entering of Covenant vers 6. The people also were sprinkled with blood to shew their voluntary entering into Covenant vers 8. And in the new dispensation a new and unheard of ratification was used the blood of the Mediatour of the Covenant Matth. 26.27 28. This Cup is my blood in the New Testament which was shed for you and for many for the remission of sins This latter is a plain allusion to the former in which you may find 1. A threefold agreement Either of both these were Covenants 2. Either of both these had their ratifications and confirmations 3. Either of both were confirmed with blood 2. A threefold difference 1. The former was the Old Covenant which was antiquated This is the New 2. The former was ratified and sanctified with the blood of beasts This is ratified and sanctified in the blood of Christ 3. That blood could never take away sin Heb. 10. This was shed many for remission of sins Thirdly Covenants use to be confirmed by seal so is this Covenant between God and his people as remaines to be spoken to As the being of a Covenant is thus plentifully proved by Scripture-testimony so we might as amply prove it by arguments drawn from thence Arguments evincing a Covenant in the proper nature of it The Churches of Christ are espoused unto Christ Hos 2.19 20. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you to Christ and Spouses are in Covenant with their Bridegroom The Churches of Christ are married to Christ Esay 54.5 Thy maker is thine Husband the Lord of hosts is his Name and thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth shall he be called And wives are in Covenant with their husbands Their sins against God are branded with the names of Adulteries Whoredomes and these are not barely disobedience of a Command or neglect of a favour but breaches of Covenant The Churches of Christ are servants of Christ Levit. 25. houshold servants Ephes 2.19 and servants are their Masters by Covenant Their sins in this relation are not barely obstinacy stubbornness or ingratitude but they are charged with treachery falsehood dealing falsely in Covenant and their hearts being not stedfast in Covenant It is above me to conceive how man can be a Covenant-breaker not alone respective to man but God as he is frequently charged when there hath past no Covenant between God and man They may question whether there were ever any such thing as a Covenant in the world SECT III. Proposition 2. SEcondly Whereas there is an usual distinction almost in all that write or speak of the Covenant of a double Covenant between God and his people one external and the other internal one passing outwardly and the other inwardly kept and observed Or as Doctor Preston expresseth it a single and a double Covenant which I shall forbear to examine seeing I know there is a right meaning though I much doubt whether there be in the Reader a right understanding My second Proposition shall be that it is the external Covenant not the inward that exactly and properly is called by the name of a Covenant and to which priviledges of Ordinances and title to Sacraments are annext This Proposition occasioned by this received distinction is of three heads which in case the Reader please he may subdivide into three distinct Positions 1. The outward and not the inward Covenant is most exactly and properly called by the name of a Covenant The outward and not the inward Covenant is properly a Covenant which I thus make good That Covenant to which the definition of a Covenant doth belong hath exactly and properly the nature of a Covenant this none can deny The definition sets out the nature of the thing defined But the definition most actly belongs to the outward Covenant not to the inward this is plain An agreement of parties on tearms and Propositions is the definition of a Covenant Now the outward Covenant is an agreement on tearms and Propositions as elsewhere I have abundantly declared In that Covenant God engages himself to man for his happiness and man engages to faith and obedience The inward Covenant hath no tearms or Propositions at all for man to make good upon account of his Covenanting seeing the performance of the conditions of the Scripture-Covenant is his very entrance into the inward Covenant He that believes and repents keeps Covenant nothing more is expected of God or promised by man But believing and repenting is the first closing with God in Covenant according to them that speak of an inward Covenant A Covenant to perform conditions is a Covenant properly so called But the outward Covenant not the inward is a Covenant to performe conditions is plain The conditions in the inward Covenant are the Covenant That which confounds entrance into Covenant and keeping of Covenant is no Covenant properly so called In a Covenant properly so called these are distinct But the inward Covenant confounds entrance into Covenant and keeping of Covenant and therefore in exact propriety of
distinction of a Church into visible and invisible Arg. 12 12. The children of God have right in the sight of God to be admitted to baptisme This is clear enough But men short of justifying faith are children of God even those that drew down judgements on the Old world as Gen. 6.2 The whole body of the children of Israel Deut. 14.1 Those that most provoked God amongst them Those that revolted from Christ for whom Paul had so much heavinesse in the flesh Rom. 9.4 If the way of their adoption or sonship be questioned doubtlesse it â—s such as hath with it an inheritance for a child is not adopted but to be provided for And what inheritance can be conceived but Church priviledges Greater will not be yeelded and lesser to one thus related cannot be assigned and what priviledge can be inherited if there be no door of admittance to it Those therefore that are short of justifying faith have right in the sight of God to Baptisme 13. Those whom God ingraffs by his power into the true Arg. 13 Olive and makes partakers of the fatnesse of the Olive they have right in the sight of God to be admitted This is plain God engraffing right must not be denyed But he engraffs by his power those that are short of that faith that justifies even the whole body of the Church of the Gentiles and we expect the like of the Church of the Jewes as appears from the Apostle Rom. 11. Therefore those that are short of a justifying faith have right in the sight of God to Baptisme I had thought to have ended here but let me add two more 14. All of those that professedly imbrace a Gospel tender Arg. 14 in which there is a conditional promise of Justification Adoption Glorification have right in the sight of God to all Ordinances ordinarily necessary and requisite to bring them up to these conditions and to the fruition of these glorious priviledges and consequently to baptisme the leading priviledge This none can deny that know the readiness of Christ in imparting saving Ordinances to a people But those that are short of faith which is justifying may imbrace a Gospel-tender in which there is a conditional promise of Justification Adoption Glorification Those therefore that are short of faith which is justifying have right in the sight of God to all such Ordinances and consequently to Baptisme 15. If the Apostle argue for a right to Baptisme from gifts Arg. 15 that are common to the justified and unjustified then faith which is short of justifying gives right in the sight of God to Baptisme This none can deny unless they will call the Apostles Logick into question and deny his consequence But the Apostle thus argues for a right to Baptisme from those gifts that are common to the justified and unjustified this is plain Act. 10.47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we The holy Ghost there is the gift of the holy Ghost then poured out the gift of tongues as in the 45. and 46. verses is held forth which is a gift not onely inferiour to charity but such as may be sever'd from it 1 Cor. 13.1 A gift of that kind that men of a miraculous faith ordinarily did as in an instant confer They are therefore gifts common to the justified and unjustified Those therefore of faith short of that which is justifying have right to Baptisme Arg. 16 16. If the promise be to others besides believers then so is the seal for to whom God promiseth to them he engageth himself to perform But the promise is to others Therefore the seal is to others This will be evident if it be once understood that it is onely the conditional Covenant which God sealeth by the Sacraments for this promise is made to unbelievers though the good promised is not to be enjoyed by any but those that perform the condition Arg. 17 17. If God do no more in his actual sealing to believers then he doth when the Sacrament is rightly applyed to hypocrites then he actually sealeth to hypocrites But God doth no more in his actual sealing to believers then he doth when the Sacrament is rightly administred to hypocrites The Minor is proved by the enumeration of the several acts 1. God maketh a promise 2. He commandeth Ministers to publish it 3. He hath instituted the Sacraments as mutually engaging signs or seals 4. He commands Ministers to deliver or apply them to those that professe their consent and desire to enter or renew the Covenant These two last I confesse I have borrowed and that from Mr. Br. pag. 223. of his Infant-Baptisme and whether they make for him or against him to prove or disprove their right which he here calls hypocrites and distinguishes from believers I leave to the censure of the intelligent Reader Mr. Baxters Arguments reviewed and his Vindication examined Argument 1. MR. Baxter argues When Christ saith Make me Disciples of all Nations Matth. 28.29 Vindicated baptizing them he meant sincere disciples though we cannot know them to be sincere I have answered that this discipleship which Christ here mentions is such of which whole Nations are in a Capacity which was made plain by the Commission concluding If whole Nations yea the whole universal visible Church consisting of discipled Nations were all believers it were a great happinesse Christ on the contrary saith Many are called but few chosen Mr. Baxter replyes If it be not sincere disciples that Christ means in that Text Then no Apostle was bound by that Commission and great Precept to endeavour the making of sincere Disciples but onely counterfeits and half Christians But the Antecedent is false Therefore I am sorry to hear the Constitution of visible Churches to suffer this brand of making counterfeit and half Christians It is well known whose Language it is That all charging or urging of duty upon unregenerate persons is onely to bring them to hypocrisie Do not all know that the means necessarily conducible must be used in order to the end proposed In order to make men sincere disciples they must be made visible professing disciples They may be half Christians if Mr. Baxter will have it so in order to whole Christians Dr. Ames if I do not misremember compares visible Churches to rough stones taken out of the quarry and invisible Christians to stones hewed and polished I am sure they must be taken out of the quarry to be put into the building It is said that Melanchton used to wish that there were more hypocrites in the world then there were not that he would have more dissembling among those that made profession of Christianity but more brought in to make profession Profession being a good step in the way to sincerity which a man would think Mr. Baxter would not dislike who so far speaks the mind of Christ towards men that if they will come but onely to a
well weighed we may well believe that the Primitive times were not acquainted with the rigour of some persons 4. There is no reason that this Ordinance should stand alone that in all other Ordinances there should be a greater latitude and men in an unregenerate state admitted and not held out with limit to men in whom a life of Sanctification through the Spirit is found and this alone pent up in so narrow a compasse I know somewhat is said for the latitude of some Ordinances that all are received to them because they are Ordinances appointed for conversion of men unconverted But this Plea in many will not serve unregenerate mens admission to prayer to thanksgiving to fasts hath been that I know questioned by few And those that deny that the Lords Supper hath any influence to conversion have not asserted these to have any such efficacy or power unregenerate men then must be admitted to the Supper or else they must be denyed to come to fasts thanks-giving and prayer Here some do distinguish between duties naturally Moral and those that are of meer positive institution Moral duties as prayer thanksgiving c. are confest to belong in general unto all but it is not so as is objected in duties of positive institution they are given with limit to some and are not of universal obligation To which I answer 1. By way of concession positive Precepts bind not all because they are not given to all the Gentile Nations were not tied to the Law of Ceremonies given to the Jewes and meer Heathens are not now tied to our Sacraments 2. For a positive answer I say Positive Precepts were never given in charge with any such distinction as to bind the regenerate and to exclude men in unregeneration Men under sin and in nature are bound to the affirmative part of the second Commandement to observe every way of worship that shall be instituted by God all of which are onely of positive right All Israel were tied to sacrifice as well as to hear and pray it was a sin not to sacrifice as not to fear an oath Eccles 9.2 And all Christians are now under an obligation to the Law of the Sacraments as they are to other duties And as to the thing in hand this distinction of Moral and Positive duties as I conceive is of no use for the positive Command being given there is a Moral tie to yeeld obedience Instance may be given in purely Ceremonial Precepts that are seconded with this sanction I am the Lord Levit. 19.23 24 25. So that when a Precept meerly Ceremonial was broke immediately yet the first Command was broken interpretatively and by way of necessary consequence the Law of nature tied Adam to abstain from the forbidden fruit when God had given him a Precept not to eat of it and the young man in the Gospel was also bound to sell all that he had and give it to the poor when Christ had manifested that it was his pleasure There are texts indeed produced seemingly taken of men under sin from the performance of positive duties as Math. 5.23 24. and as much may be said concerning those that are Moral Ezek. 14.2 3.20.2 3. We read that the sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination Prov. 15.8 21.27 and as much is said of their prayers Prov. 28.9 All which textâ— sufficiently imply Gods dislike when they are acted by such hands but none of them imply mans disobligation Fifthly This limit of the Lords Supper to regenerate persons as on the one hand it will take with the consciences of many sanctified Christians to hold them back as hath been said even with all that stand short of assurance of grace so on the other hand it will give encouragement to many unsanctified ones to make addresse to it Broken hearts under the body of sin having not yet attained to the light of Gods smiling face will be so severe in their own censure as to hold themselves back The generation of formal Professors pure in their own eyes and not yet cleansed from their filthinesse Prov. 30.11 will flock to it So that we must either find some other more sure rule or else the hearts of many precious ones whom God would not have made sad will be sadned and the hands of many in sin upon their admission will be strengthned Objections answered I know there are Objections even without number multiplyed against this that I have here delivered and such that have taken with very many to carry them to determine the Point in hand in a contrary way And in case I had not seen that the weaknesse of them is more and more discerned and that by men of eminent parts and integrity I should have been by the multitude as well of Objections as Objectors discouraged to appear against them The duties of the Lords Supper are such say some that onely the sincere servants of Christ that are sanctified by Christ are able to perform The mercies of the Sacrament are such as they onely can receive and therefore onely these are the fit subjects of it And these are driven on very far The duties preparatory to the work cannot be done by others as is objected as self-examination self-judging The duties executory cannot be done that accompany the work it self How specious soever this argument appears and I doubt not but it is with all sincerity of heart and integrity urged yet I desire it may yet be further considered First That this Argument thus urged doth disable all men not sanctified from all other duties by the command of God incumbent upon them as well as from this duty they must upon this account exclude themselves from every Ordinance enjoyned of God as well as from this put the argument into form and this will easily appear They that cannot do the duties charged upon those that are put upon a work nor receive the mercies given in promise to it are to be excluded from it Now as these assume An unsanctified man cannot discharge the duties nor receive the comforts of a Communicant so will I with equal reason assume That an unsanctified man cannot perform the duties charged upon the hearers of the Word upon him that calls upon the Name of God or returns thanks to him He cannot perform the duties that are charged puon him that is to sanctifie the Sabbath to meditate to instruct his family rebuke his brother give almes follow the duties of his calling No unsanctified man does all that is required in the performance of any of these neither is any fit to receive the mercies of these duties that is unfit to receive the mercies of that duty Therefore it followes that he must neither hear pray give thanks sanctifie the Sabbath instruct or reprove any give almes labour in his Calling or any other work If any think to come off by way of distinction That there is difference between this and other duties Then the distinction should have been
put into the Proposition and it not delivered in that generality and whensoever that distinction shall be put I shall not doubt but an answer in the distinction will be suggested Secondly Inabilities to perform duties upon the bare account of natural corruption in a right way and in that acceptable manner as to receive the comforts of them do not discharge a man from obligation to the duty In case indeed it could be proved that God never gave the Sacrament in charge to an unsanctified man but left this visible Ordinance as a Legacy or charge to an invisible Society whom none but themselves can distinguish and few of them able to distinguish themselves then the argument were of some force but from the inability to reason against obligation to the duty to take men off from it upon that account of weaknesse through natural corruption will take all men off that are unregenerate from all duties Thirdly Those that in this way disable all men in nature from these duties which are given in charge to a Communicant upon that ground to keep them from the Sacraments yet confesse they may do this work in order at least to their own exclusion they cannot examine themselves in order to receive but they may and must examine themselves in order to hold themselves off from it When the Apostle speaks to the whole visible Church of Corinth expressely Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. This few say they can reach but to examine and not to eat is in the power of all the other Fourthly Though these reach not the highest duties and so come not up to the ultimate end of the Sacrament yet they perform in their measure several duties and reach the intermediate and subordinate end of it They see Christ there evidently set forth and crucified before them There they see the highest aggravation of sin Christ wounded for sin bruised for transgression under the Fathers wrath for mans guilt suffering for sin the just for the unjust They see him bearing the sins of many and they cannot nor may not exclude themselves from the number They see there a ransome paid for sin a discharge made to the Fathers Justice They see Christ tendered and offered They may further oblige themselves to all duties required as well to the interesting grace which is faith as to the qualifications of obedience They do believe Acts 2.12 13. Luke 8.13 Joh. 12.42 43. 1 Tim. 1.19 This faith is true in its kind they do not onely yeeld assent but reach to some measure of joy and delight Luke 8.13 They are in Christ their way of inhesion or implantation I shall not determine But in the latitude as he is an head he hath members that are inherent in him he is an head of a Church visible and hath many members suitable as the Reader may see in Cobbet of Infant-Baptisme Conclus 5. pag. 56. Whilest those hearers mentioned Luke 8.13 believed I cannot think it was the seeds-mans office who had sounded the Word in their ears to have withheld the visible Word from their eyes or advised them to have withdrawn themselves And as they do duties incumbent on Communicants so also they receive mercies many intermediate mercies though in that state they receive not the highest and choicest mercies They partake of the fatnesse of the Olive Rom. 11. even all that come into that state that the blinded Jewes and the worst part among them did relinquish SECT XII Proposition 10. THe Lords Supper as all other Ordinances of Christ must be so administred The Lords Supper must be so administred that Communicants may be edified that the Kingdom of Christ may be most advanced and the Church in her members most edified Let all be done to edification is the Apostles rule 1 Cor. 14.26 Not as an Apostolical Canon as Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Policy hath observed for then if the Apostle had been silent that injunction had not been obliging but as a necessary result from all that they had in charge from Jesus Christ Prophecie exceeds unknown tongues because it edifies 1 Cor. 14.4 And unknown tongues are without profit and of no use without interpretation to edifie ver 5. Therefore we have the Apostles resolution for publique prayers ver 14 15 16 17. For if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitfull what is it then I will pray with the Spirit and with understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Else when thou shalt blesse with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest for thou verily givest thankes well but the other is not edified And for the preaching of the Word ver 18 19. I thank my God I speak with tongues more then you all yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue Matters circumstantiall and of themselves indifferent if they be not reduced to this end prove inexpedient and to the doer evil All things are lawful for me but all thinges edifie not 1 Cor. 10.23 The whole of the Ministerial work and every appendant to it must be reduced hither what have builders to do but to edifie And if they edifie not what do they do In what other metaphor soever their work is set out this is still their businesse the perfecting of the Saints the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes 4.12 When they have done this and made it their whole businesse they may with confidence speak to God in the words of Christ I have glorified thee I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.5 This thread which runs through the whole of the Ministeriall work is not to be excluded here Those of whom there is hopes that they are willing to learn Christ are to be taken into Christs School by Baptisme and those are to be admitted to the Lords Supper that knowingly will engage for continuance and comming on in the waies of Christ Baptisme is the entry door into the Church visible no man must be refused of whom there is reason of expectation that they will be professedly Christs And the Lords Supper is the means of the growth of those that are thus visibly and in the face of the Church received where this may conduce to their building up it is not to be denyed so that the dispensers great enquiry must be whom the Lords Supper may benefit where it may edifie which according to Scripture rules may be discerned and determined otherwise the Apostle had not given this charge Let all things be done to edification and where it may edifie to give it and where it serves not for edification to forbear it not whether
necessity to suffer Though it is a matter of consolation that guilt by suffering is removed and an atonement made in which there is either present assurance or at least a possibility of future actuall interest Twelfthly That Ordiinance unto which Christ calleth none but such that have spiritual gracious qualifications is not a converting but a sealing Ordinance But the Lords Supper is an Ordinance unto which Christ calleth none but such as have spiritual and gracious qualifications Ergo. The Assumption is proved Matth. 11. 28. Joh. 7.37 Isa 55.1 Matth. 22.12 1 Cor. 11.28 Cant. 5.1 Answ Onely one of these speaks of the Lords Supper the rest have immediate relation to Christ not to this Ordinance of the Supper and positive spiritual qualifications as preceding all coming is not required in any of them upon sense of want we may come to Christ for spiritual qualifications as wen may come with them though without positive spiritual qualifications there is no assurance of interest in him 2. As to that worthinesse which is spoken to in that Text of the Corinthians there is an usual distinction of worthinesse of merit and worthinesse suitable to the work in hand It is the latter onely that as is confest is called for There is yet a double suitablenesse to the work One is compleat answering to all that the work can call for which comprises grace not onely in the habit but in the act an actual improvement of our graces for the participation of it and this is alike required in other Ordinances of hearing praying c. as in this Orainance of communicating The other is a worthinesse respecting the person that doth communicate such a worthinesse of suitablenesse and conveniency whereby according to the measure of grace vouchsafed whether common or saving he addresseth himself to it Now though the regenerate man alone receives to the acceptation of his person as he onely hears and prayes with such acceptance yet a man in unregeneration may be so far suitably worthy for this work that he may know himself called untp it and that it would be his sin to hold back from it and he may hopeuMlly expect blessing in it and such a worthinesse was in Christs and John Baptists hearers so many of them as have their commendations in the Gospel for such ready and forward hearing and such a worthinesse as I take it is mentioned Matth. 10 11. Let the Learned Consider whether either the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indigne or the context in that place will necessarily take in every unregenerate man or rather the irreverend prOphanation of that duty and whether arguments drawn from want of saving faith and sincere repentance in performance of this work do not bring unregenerate men under like danger in fasting praying thanksgiving hearing Sabbath-keeping and every other duty of worship whatsoever Thirteently That Ordinance which is instituted for the Communion of Saints is intended onely for such as are Saints and not for unconverted sinners But the Lords Supper is an Ordinance instituted for the Communion of Saints and those that are members of the same body of Christ The assumption proved 1 Cor. 1016 17. compared with 1 Cor. 1.2 Answ Saint is either such that are so by calling and separation for God or else by qualifications and regeneration from God In the former sense unconverted sinners prosessing the Gospel are Saints as of old they were of the people of God and called by his Name Saint is a New Testament-word taking in all of a Christian profession and outward Covenant-interest and then the Proposition is to be denyed Saint being taken in the latter sense the assumption is false This Lords Supper is a priviledge of the Church as visible dispensed by visible officers not as invisible as those very Texts quoted do manifest Fourteenthly If Baptisme it self at least when administred to those that are of age is not a regenerating or converting Ordinance far lesse is the Lords Supper a regenerating or converting Ordinance But Baptisme it self at least when ministred to those that are of age is not a regenerating or converting Ordinance Ergo. Answ This Argument seemeth to suppose an opinion of regeneration or conversion by the very work done in Baptisme and the Lords Supper which seeing I do not own but in either of both disclaim I need to give no further answer Fifteenthly If the Baptisme even of those that are at age must necessarily precede the receiving of the Lords Supper then the Lords Supper is not a converting but a sealing Ordinance But Baptisme even of those that are of age must necessarily precede the Lords Supper Ergo. Answ I see no necessity of this consequence unlesse I should believe that all that are baptized are ipso facto regenerate and that not with an initial regeneration of which some speak that may be lost but the immortal seed of the Spirit that abides for ever But being not as I am not of that faith I suppose a baptized man may be to use Pareus his phrase Christianus non regeneratus sed regenerandus a Christian not regenerate but to be regenerate and so regeneration may as ordinarily it doth not precede but follow Baptisme Sixteenthly There is an Argument drawn from the Parable of the Prodigal There is a robe ring and shoes put upon him and a fatted calf killed for him but this when he comes to himself and sayes Father I have sinned c. But this is done in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper more especially and manifestly then in any other Ordinace Ergo. Answ All Ordinances as I take it are to bring a prodigal unto such a returning posture in the discovery of the hatefulnesse of sin against such a Father and the riches that are in his Fathers family There are some Arguments of this nature follow which may seasonably be spoke to in the close of these Propositions I shall onely here by the way hint so much to the Reader that in case these Arguments had been framed against the power of this Sacrament for conversion the sense as generally the opposers of it understand it that it works as a medicine to heal and hath an opus operatum in it I should not at all have undertaken them how inconcluding soever I had judged them But seeing a tendency in them to interest alone men already in grace in this Ordinance and denying all hope of benefit by it to the majority of those that men of all interests ordinarily admit to it to the necessary ensnaring of all that are concerned in the administration of it I could not be silent let the Reader impartially weigh and determine SECT XV. Proposition 12. THose that are in a present inaptitude All of present incapacity to receive benefits by the Lords Supper are to be denyed accesse to it and incapacity to improve this Sacrament to any spiritual advantage but are under an inevitable necessity either to receive no good or much danger and damage
are not so inviolably joyned but that the work is done though unduly by him that is not called to it yet though the validity of the work be asserted the disorder must be opposed Entring upon Aarons work and never called of God as Aaron was with Vzziah officiating in that work that appertains not to him leaving scruples in the thoughts of those to whom in this disorder they have administred these ordinances This the Church hath never suffered save onely tha Papists and Lutherans dispense with Baptisme in case of necessity putting so much weight upon it and placing such efficacy in it which the Church of England also suffered after the reformation till King James his dayes and then as appears in the conference at Hampton-Court it was reformed Dr. Abbot in his Lectures read while it stood in power appeared publickly against it and as I remember for the book is not in my hands affirmed that zealous Ministers then generally did distaste and decry it The Midwife was usually employed in the work as nearest at hand to cast water upon the infant ready to dye in her armes though in no capacity of that function by reason of her sex and though the sex might have born it she was never called to it But they must first make that good that all perish without Baptisme or that the act of Baptisme assures us of salvation before they can justifie this practice Protestant Writers with irrefragable arguments opposing it produce as a dispensation from God for the breach of an order by him set up otherwise we shall conclude that from the time of the said conference it hath justly been put into the hands of the lawful Minister and notwithstanding Mr. Tombes his quibble it was upon just grounds concluded by the late Assembly in their confession of faith Chapter 27. Sect. 4. SECT XVIII A further Corollary from the former doctrine All that are interested in Sacraments must come up to the termes of the Covenant IT further followes that all those that interest themselves in Sacraments expecting benefit by Baptisme and comfort at the Lords Table must come up to the tearms of the Covenant They receive them as signes and badges of a people in Covenant with God They receive them as seals of the Covenant God puts to his seal to be a God in Covenant In their acception they engage as by seal to be his people in Covenant The obligation now is mutual in case man fail on his part God is disobliged If any tye be upon him it is to inflict the just merit of breach of Govenant upon them I have spoken to the necessity that lyes upon the Ministers of Christ to bring their people up to the termes and Propositions of it Treatise of the Covenant chap. 20 21. Here I speak to it onely as the interest in the Sacraments tyes to it And this obligation hath all force and strength in it When God entred Covenant with man in his integrity upon condition of perfect and compleat obedience and gave him as we have heard Sacraments for the ratification and confirmation of it when man failing in obedience and falling short of the duty of the Covenant those Sacraments were of no avail notwithstanding the tree of life man dyed and notwithstanding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil man became brutish in his own knowledge It fares no better with those that are under a Covenant of grace and live and persist in breach of Covenant we see the heavy curse that God pronounceth against them Jer. 11.3 4. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt from the iron Furnace saying Obey my voyce and do them according to all which I Command so shall ye be my people and I will be your God And to this Jeremy adds his Amen or So be it O Lord which assent of his though it may be referred to the Prophets duty in obedience of Gods Command when he had said to him ver 2 3. Speak to the men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and say unto them Thus saith the Lord Cursed be every man that obeyeth not c. The Prophet in these words says What thou hast enjoyn'd me I will do it and so Junius and Tremelius understand it or to the Prpphets earnest desire to have the promise fulfilled which the Lord utters in the close of his speech ver 5. That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers to give them a Land flowing with milk and honey as it is this day To which the Prophet answers So Lord let it be that this people being careful to keep Covenant with thee may still enjoy that land which thou didst by oath bind thy self to settle them in as the last larger Annotations understand it or to Jeremies answer in the name of the people binding themselves to obedience as Diodati understands it yet doubtlesse it also comprizeth the Prophets acknowledgement of the equity that the curse should fall on those that obey not the words of the Covenant The Amen is of that latitude that it comprizeth the whole that goes before of the Prophets duty his desire the peoples obligation and the equity of the curse that lyes upon disobedience As the Sacraments in Paradise could be no protection to man in sin so the Sacraments under the present Covenant whether in the old dispensation of it in the dayes of the Fathers or new dispensation of it in Gospel-times can be no protection of those that lye in unbelief and impenitence Let not an unbeliever let not an impenitent person think to find shelter here as the Jewes did think to find in the Temple and say They are delivered to do these abominations Priviledge of Sacraments can help Christians no more then birth-priviledge could the Jewes who are checkt by John Baptist for making it a plea to this purpose and called to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance and amendment of life Matth. 3. I do not say that unlesse you are assured that you do believe to justification and repent in sincerity and unfeignednesse that you must not come to the Lords Table I have declared my self to the contrary but I say you must make it your businesse to believe your work to repent in truth and sincerity or else you shall never find here acceptation The Covenant of works was for mans preservation in life and Adam could have help towards immortality in the tree of life no longer then he made it his businesse to keep up to that which the Covenant required The Covenant of grace is for mans restitution to life none under this Covenant can find any help towards life in any Sacraments annext to it otherwise then in keeping up faith and repentance which are the termes and conditions of it Which way doest thou expect
life in the Sacrament either of thy initiation or confirmation either in Baptisme or the Lords Supper is it in the Sacrament it self or is it in Christ that thou shouldest seek and look after in the Sacrament If thou lookest for it from Sacraments thou Idolizest them and deceivest thy own soul Bread and Wine never were nor ever can be saviours Our Fathers ate Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead Joh. 6. We may eat bread at the Lords Table and eternally dye All Israel in the wildernesse did eat of Manna and drank of the Rock which the Apostle calls Spiritual meat Spiritual drink being Sacramentally such yet with many of them God was not well pleased but they were overthrown in the Wildernesse 1 Cor. 10.5 If thou sayest thou lookest for life in Christ I desire to know where thou findest that men in unbelief have life in Christ The Apostle saith I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and presently adds The life that I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 And the same we may say of repentance Christ with his own mouth denounceth death and destruction to the impenitent I tell you Nay except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Luk. 13. Where he gives life he gives repentaace to life Act. 11.18 I have said that the Sacrament may be improved with the help of the Word towards conversion But if there be no such change already wrought in thy soul nor any such thing in thy endeavour then this great Orinance is sadly prophaned thou pretendest to Christ when indeed thou treadest under foot the blood of Christ seemingly wouldst have thy interest in his blood and dost become guilty of his blood Here Christs death is set out his sufferings for sin called to remembrance Art not thou now affected with delight in his death when thou art affected with delight in thy sin when thou seest a man murthered and sportest with the murtherers with those whom thou knowest to have had the alone hand in the murther how then dost not thou be come an accessory This is the case of the man that comes to the Sacrament and will keep his sin He looks not upon Christ Sacramentally broke to the breaking of his heart but he looks upon him to his hearts rejoycing Look upon all that hath been said of the danger of unworthy receiving by all that have written practically upon this subject all is thy danger that art in sin and resolvest not to relinquish thou art admitted into the Church by Baptisme and upon that account art of that number and reckonest thy self among those that are called Christians and here perhaps thou hast hopes highly prizest this priviledge as sometimes the Jews did circumcision in order to the favour of God and assurance of eternal life And doubtlesse rightly understood it is to be prized otherwise God would not have given it it is an honorarium or token of love to his people Nor would the Apostle Peter have said that Baptisme saves 1 Pet. 3.21 But our building of hopes upon Scripture-words without Scripture-Comment doth undo us When the Jewes took themselves to be secure against all the judgements that the Prophets could denounce by reason of sin upon the priviledge of circumcision Jeremy undervalues not circumcision at all but helps them to a right understanding of it will have them to have it full and compleat reckoning up many Nations by name he saith They are uncircumcised they were wholly destitute of it and mentioning the house of Israel saith that they are uncircumcised in heart Jer. 9.26 They want the best and choisest part of it and so are in the same condition with uncircumcised ones and the Apostle after him beating down the vain confidence of the Jewes in their outward title called Jewes and circumcision which was a badge of their relation to God as a people in Covenant tells them that he is not a Jew that is one outwardly that was not enough to give a full and true denomination but he is a Jew that is one inwardly who is for God in soul as well as in name and circumcision is that of the heart Rom. 2.28 and he beats down the carnal opinion of the Jewes in circumcision by a definition given of the circumcised We are of the circumcision that worship God in Spirit and in truth Phil. 3.3 And baptisme of the flesh can neither be nor do more then circumcision in the flesh The Apostle therefore telling us that Baptisme saves is as willing to undeceive us as the Prophet was to undeceive the Jewes and tells us that he doth not mean the outward putting away of the filth of the flesh the application of water is but the outside of Baptisme but the answer of a good conscience towards God when conscience answers to that which this washing signifies and to which it engages then Baptisme saves not of it self but seales Salvation through the Resurrection of Christ when conscience fails in its duty Baptisme fails in its efficacy then it brings not Salvation but is an aggravation of condemnation as after may appear Thou art admitted to the Supper of the Lord upon that account that through knowledge gained and profession made thou art in a capacity for improvement of it for eternity But if thou stay here and thy remembrance of Christ broken for sin do not work thee to brokennesse of heart under sin canst drink of this Cup and gulf in wickednesse here is no pardon sealed but condemnation heightened I know on the other hand to discourage men from endeavour some say that there is no acting for life but from life what can be gained by sin and all actions done in unregeneration are no other but sin I marvel then what that Counsel of our Saviour means Joh. 6.27 To labour for the meat that endures to everlasting life The context acquaints us with the unregeneration of those to whom this Counsel is given As also what that complaint of our Saviour means Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life These works in unregenerate men are acts of obedience and not as is objected sins onely by accidental pollution they are sinful such subtleties are above the Logick that we read in Scriptures which gives duties in charge in reference to their respective ends without consideration of the state of the subject under command whether in nature or grace Actions we know work to habits and in case that rule hold that Habitus infusi infunduntur more acquisitorum which Dr. Wilkin sayes is a golden rule in Divinity Treatise of the gift of prayer pag. 8. this is above controversie I yeeld to that of Austin that as a wheel is not made round by turning but turnes because it is round so a man is not made good by doing good but is good through grace and then does good as the tree is first good and then brings forth good fruit But it is not
Gods way to infuse grace into the soul unfitted for it no more then it is to infuse life into the body unorganized A new being is put of God into the soul when reason appears to it of closing with it The Word Prayer Sacraments may all have a hand in it And all are in vain to the soul Word Prayer and Sacraments with all other Ordinances and endeavours unlesse they lead the soul to it make it thy businesse to come up to the Covenant or else it is without fruit that thou comest to the Sacrament CHAP. VIII SECT I. Of the necessity of Sacraments THe next Observation that the words offer is Sacraments are not arbitrary but necessary That Sacraments are not arbitrary but necessary the Covenant-people of God not onely may but must partake of them As God appointed so Abraham received this sign of circumcision And as he received it so all in confederation with him received it likewise Gen. 17.23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son and all that were born in his house and all that were bought with his money every male among the men of Abrahams house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the self-same day as God had said unto him And the stated time for circumcision of those children who were born of parents in Covenant being the eighth day the text tells us That Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight dayes old as God Commanded him Gen. 21.4 And when Moses had a son born in his exile and had neglected this duty The Lord met him in his way from Midian to Egypt and sought to kill him Exrd. 4.24 he appeared in some formidable way of death to him in that way as many do conjecture that he appeared to Balaam on his way Numb 22.23 Not that God really intended his death whom he now employed in that great work to deliver his people out of Egypt but he appeared in this posture to let him know what his sin deserved and by these terrors to bring him and his wife to take the course after mentioned for prevention of it And though there have been some that have gone about to assign other causes of Gods anger against hith and this apparition in such terror yet no other in the text appearing and God departing from him upon the childs circumcision the neglect of that Command was undoubtedly the cause of it Whatsoever reason moved Moses to this neglect whether the fear of displeasing his father in law or his wife which Rivet judges to be most probable certain it is from the Lords displeasure against him that it was his sin This was after given in charge by Moses to the people of God Levit. 12.3 speaking of the birth of a man-child he saith The eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised This the Israelites except the intermission of it in the wildernesse exactly followed when the eighth day happened on the Sabbath that work was yet observed as Christ notes Joh. 7.23 On the Sabbath day they received circumcision that the Law of Moses might not be broken John Baptist therefore on the eighth day was circumcised Luk. 1.59 and Christ himself on that day was circumcised Luk. 2.21 as also Paul Philip. 3.5 That of the Passeover was appointed 400. years at the least after circumcision It had its first institution in Egypt Exod. 12.3 4. c. to be observed as a feast to the Lord throughout their generations to be kept as an Ordinance for ever ver 14. It was again commanded by Moses and inserted into the body of the Law Levit. 23.4 Numb 28.16 This was carefully observed by the Israelites in their generations though at some times when Idolatry prevailed sinfully neglected We read of many famous Passeovers observed viz. In Joshua's time in Hezekiah's in Josiah's dayes also by Ezra upon the return of Gods people out of the captivity of Babylon Ezra 6.19 It is observed of the Lord Christ that he kept four Passeovers after the time that he publickly appeared as the Messiah The last was the evening before his death concerning which he said With a desire have I desired to eat this Passeover with you before I dye Luk. 22.15 With extreme earnest affection he was carried towards it and then he put a period to it and did institute his Supper in the place and room of it That heavy menace so frequently threatened in the Law of being cut off from among their people is given out against the neglect of both of these Sacraments Gen 17.14 The uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant Num. 9.13 The man that is clean and is not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passeover even the same soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season that man shall bear his sin which commination however we do interpret it whether of the more immediate hand of God as dying childlesse The case of Jeconiah Jer. 22.30 or being cut off by untimely death The case of Er and Onan Gen. 38.1.9 and of Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.2 or perishing everlastingly The case of all presumtuous and inpenitent siners 1 Cor. 6.9 or whether the execution be committed to man and that either the temporal Magistrate which was the case of Achan Josh 7. and of Shelomiths son Levit. 24.14 or by Ecclesiastical censure which was the case of the incestuous Corinthian 1 Cor. 5.13 As there be that appear for each of these which way soever it is understood it sufficiently proves a necessity of these Ordinances For the Sacraments of the New Testament when John baptised and the Pharisees did refuse to submit to his Baptisme the text saith They rejected the Counsel of God against themselves Luk. 7.30 and the Commission given to the Apostles to disciple all Nations baptizing them Matth. 28.19 implyes a necessity of all discipled ones to submit to Baptisme Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Faith is of absolute necessity in all that hear the tender of the Gospel and therefore it followes He that believeth not shall be damned and Baptisme is the ordinary way set up of God that leads to it Peter counsels his converts when he had them in an hopeful way Repent and be Baptized Act. 2.28 And Ananias counsels Paul Arise why tarriest thou and be baptized Act. 22.16 For the Lord Supper we find it under a precept 1 Cor. 11.24 25. Luk. 22.19 Do this in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup implies as a preparation for it so also a necessity that we eat and drink of it so that every Sacrament hath its injunction upon it First The institution of it is a sufficient proof of the necessity God did never institute it to have it
farre as I could learn that it did succeed and spread as little as almost any error that ever I knew spring up in the Church Plain Scripture proof of Infants c. pag. 294. so inconsiderable was the party that stood for it And Vorstius speaking in the name of Protestant Divines in general saith b Id potissimum quaeritur an Sacramenta sint signa tantum sigilla foederis gratiae sive externa symbola signacula foederi gratiae appensa divinitus ad hoc institura ut gratiam Dei salutarem in foedere promissam nobis significent atque ita fidem nostram suo modo confirment simul publice testaram reddant quae quidem communis est Evangelicorum sententia an vero preaterea sint causae efficientes hujus salutaris justificantis gratiae sive an sint effectiva gratiae ejusdem organa nempe ad hoc divinitus institura ut gratiam istam realiter instar vasorum in se contineant omnibus illa percipientibus candem vi sua imprimant reipsa conferant quae Bellarmini Pontificiorum omnium opinio est It is disputed whether Sacraments are onely signes and seales of the Covenant of grace or outward signes annext the Covenant and appointed for this of God that they should signify saving grace of God promised in the Covenant and signifying seal and after their manner confirm our faith and give publick testimony of it which saith he is the common opinion of Protestants or whether they be further efficient causes of this saving and justifying grace or whether they be effective instruments of this grace appointed of God for this thing that they should indeed containe it in them and convey it which is the opinion of all Papists Vorstius Anti. Bellar. ad Contro 1 Gen. And our men further judge that opinion of the opus operatum or of the outward Sacramental action as though without the faith and pious motion of those that use it it could justifie any to be evidently false and pernicious And they teach that all Sacraments by the ordination of God himself have onely a power to signifie and seal and not to conferre the grace of the Gospel it self And whereas several passages in the Liturgy of this Church did seem to favour the opposite opinion affixing adoption membership of Christ and inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven and regeneration to Baptisme we know how great offence it gave to many eminently Learned and pious putting them upon omission of those passages And also what Interpretation as with a grain of salt others put upon them that they were onely Sacramentally such And doubtlesse these either hit upon the meaning of the Church which was held to these phrases in imitation of many hyperbolical speeches in the Fathers or else the Church had mist the meaning of Scriptures so loth were the sons of the Church to be quarrelling with their mother and yet more loth with her to run into errors The Observation it self if heeded hath a caution or limit in it Affirming that Sacraments work no otherwise then as signs and seals and that they conferre no inward graces or priviledges further then they work upon the understanding and faith of those that receive them it implyes that they do conferre what an outward symbole or sign is apt to and of powder to convey and that outward priviledges in Sacraments are either conferred of infallibly evidenced This is clear the Apostle having so far undervalued Circumcision in the flesh as to make it Parallell with uncircumcision so that a circumcised Jew and an uncircumcised Gentile differed nothing as to their Spiritual state and condition inferres by way of objection What advantage then hath the Jew and what profit is there of circumcision And answers not that outward circumcision is altogether unprofitable but that it hath much profit and instances in one eminent one To them are committed the Oracles of God This is the inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob Deut. 33.4 as Moses speaks and carrying with it this great priviledge it conveyes with it all other inferiour Church-priviledges right to the Passeover upon this account was theirs Exod. 12.48 and not otherwise So it is with Baptisme men are taken into the Church at this door according to the Commission given to the Apostles Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. Whatsoever they were and whomsoever they professedly served before they are this way taken in as the consecrate servants of the whole Trinity and added to the Church Act 2.47 When they had by the Covenant a precedent title in Baptisme they have a solemn inauguration By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 It is the Spirits work to shape the heart of unbelieving Corinthians to enter into one visible Church-body as that work of Gods power whereby he did perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 And therefore when c Durandus docet characterem esse ens rationis id est respectum advenientem ex deputatione ad certum officium qualis est relatio in Doctoribus Praetoribus c. Quae sententia vix distinguitur ab haeresi hujus temporis Durand denyed that the Character which the Church of Rome speaks of was any quality in the soul but meerly a relation comming as by way of deputation to an office or duty exemplifying it by the relation that is seen in Doctors Praetors c Bellar. lib. 2. de Sacramen effectu cap. 14. saith That this opinion can scarcely be distinguished from the Heresie of this time d Haeretici non negant neque negare possunt quin sit aliqua relatio rationis in Ministris quae non est in aliis qui non sunt deputati ad ministrandum And further saith That Heretiques do not deny nor can deny but that there is some relation in Ministers which is not in others who are not deputed to the Ministery We do confesse indeed that there is that relation in Christians to Christ by the work done in the Sacrament of Baptisme which is not in Heathens And though we deny Orders to be any Sacrament yet we confesse there is that relation in Ministers to Christ by vertue of their Ordination that is not in those that are not called to the work of the Ministery There are those indeed that do deny it But those that Bellarmine had to deal with and that he charges for Heretiques as Luther Melancthon Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Chemnitius willingly yeeld it And in case this were all the character that they talke of to be imprinted in Baptisme yea in Ordination we should never contend about it And as these priviledges are conferred as to actual interest in the initiatory Sacacraments both of Baptisme and Circumcision so the same priviledges in the following Sacraments are infallibly evidenced as appears in that text 1 Cor. 10.17 The Apostle there making it
them making them to think that this is all that can be said for them Mr. Fuller in his history of holy warre lib 3. cap. 20. quoting out of Reinerius a charge against the Albigenses that they gave no reverence to holy places answers It is true And then gives in this for a reason because most in that age ran riot in adoring of Churches as if some inherent holinesse was ceiled to their roof or plaistered to their walls yea such as might more ingratiate with God the persons and prayers of people there assembled Let men take heed that they raise not Sacraments above the honour that Scripture gives them with like successe as these did places of publick holy assemblies a good cause hath not a greater adversary then a weak argument taken up in the defence of it This argument I confesse had it ground to stand upon might be of force for the battery of Anabaptisme but having no Scripture-bottome it presently falls before any adversary and Anabaptisme gathers strength by the fall of it 3. As to the argument it self tending to evince the uselessenesse of infant-Baptisme it may very fitly be parallelled with that Objection made against Pauls doctrine Rom. 3.1 when he had made it his great businesse to set circumcision on its right bottom and declared that it was not efficacious in the way that they expected and that it was without use for salvation unlesse it were answered with the Circumcision of the heart an objection presently is raised What profit is there then of Circumcision so these likewise when Sacraments are not raised to that height as the Schoolmen have advanced them to be instruments of conveyance of grace by the work done and as they expect from them they presently demand what profit And affirm as to infants at least that they are uselesse 4. That answer which Paul gives to his Questionists that demanded what profit is there of Circumcision I give to those that demand what profit is there of infant-Baptisme Having asserted in general Much every way he answers more punctually instancing in one eminent priviledge that virtually comprized all the external priviledges enjoyned by Israel as Church-members chiefly that to them were committed the Oracles of God It was said before that these priviledges in all Sacraments are either actually conferred or infallibly evidenced In Baptisme a true title is legally conferred Upon account of our baptisme we have an orderly and legall right and title to all succeeding Church-priviledges as the Jewes had done upon account of their Circumcision though there be not alwayes an aptitude for actual admission to them or improvement of them Upon this ground infants have 1. Their share and interest in all the prayers made for the Church collectively even in all that are preferred to God by his people for Zion and Jerusalem This was the duty of every son of Zion Psal 122.6 This was the faithfulls practice Psal 51.18 and in these infants as Church-members had their interest on this account infants were brought to Christ Priviledges following upon infant-baptisme That he might put his hands upon them and pray Matth. 19.13 2. They have their share in the blessings of the Church we see with what solemnity it was to be done Num. 6.22 c. The Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons saying On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keep thee c. and they shall put my Name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them Infants had their share here and upon this account infants were blessed of Christ Mar. 10.16 3. Their relation to God by virtue of Covenant-interest is hereby evidenced and ratified How transcendent a priviledge this is to have the Lord for our God we see Psal 144.15 having reckoned up several mercies the Psalmist concludes Happy is the people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord This is the priviledge of every infant that upon Covenant title is baptized God will not suffer their enemies to passe without vengeance As it was an acceptable work to dash the infants of Babylon against the stones Psal 137.9 being a seed growing up against God so it is as displeasing and provoking to harme these that are a seed dedicated unto and growing up for God 4. Baptisme teaches them to know as soon as they are of capacity to learn to whom they belong what Master they are to serve and in what School they are to be trained 5. A necessity is seen to get the knowledge of Christ and timely to walk in his wayes 6. A delight is wrought in them towards those in whose communion they are bred and that own them as theirs whereas being debarred in childhood from this society and denyed this badge it is the way to bring them to maligne them each one is apt to love those of his owne fraternity and on the contrary to study the opposition of others 7. The aggravation of their sin presently rings in their ears by reason of the favour they receive from God the society into which they are incorporated when their conversation doth not in some measure answer their profession 8. Parents here see a strong engagement to bring them up for Christ whom they have thus dedicated to him and put into the fellowship of those who are his Saints and members When they have brought forth children unto God they see their sin heightned in giving them to Moloch or any other besides God and there is no example of any believing parent in all the Scripture bringing up a child for Covenant but in Covenant with the Lord. These alone though more might be added might stop the mouthes of all that insultingly move this question 5. That which in present does not but hereafter may work upon the understanding is not vain and uselesse when it is done That was not vain which Christ did to Peter Joh. 13.17 when he said unto him What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter 6. Seals of purchases taken in infants names are of use to infants though during infancy they know not how to make actual improvement themselves of them If Baptisme hath its actual use in behalf of infants whilest infants as hath been shewed and remains with them to be improved by their understanding and faith when they come to maturity it cannot be thought to be vain and uselesse SECT IV. A Corollary from the former doctrine THen it followes by way of necessary Corollary from that which hath been said Answer to Sacramental engagementsâ— ncessary to salvation that unlesse the soul answer to Sacramental engagements Sacraments are not efficacious for salvation to the receivers This is a clear result from that which hath been said and is fully delivered by the Apostle 1 Pet. 3.21 speaking of the Arke of Noah wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water he
the mercies of the Covenant No opinion that they hold party that they take name that they think they have got supposed interest that they have in Christ can acquit them They may be denominated unsanctified or unholy men having not obtained that which the Apostle sought in prayer in behalf of the Thessalonians that they might be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body sanctification purifies all the unclean and heales all the diseased parts And no unclean person can inherit the Kingdome of God Eph. 5.5 They are truely styled impenitent ones Repentance is a return to God in the same latitude as our departure by sin was from him In every sin of all these and of the like kind we depart from God In repentance therefore we are to return from every sin to God The Prophet tells us upon what terms our souls may be freed from ruine by sin Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine and unlesse we repent we shall all perish Luk. 13.3 5. They are justly pronounced to be void of grace there being that contrariety between grace and sin that they cannot rest in the same subject or lodge continually in the same heart without opposiition Where grace is prevalent sin falls and where sin prevails grace is excluded and it is the grace of God that brings salvation Tit. 2.11 They are void of the Spirit of regeneration As our birth-corruption hath in it the spawn of all sin so regeneration hath the seed of all grace And Except we be born again we cannot see the Kingdome of God John 3.3 These are the men which by their claime of Baptisme The uselessenesse of Sacraments to these persons and offer of themselves to the Lords Table subscribe the equity of their own condemnation and justifie the sentence of death pronounced against themselves They accept the Covenant on those terms on which it is tendered in the Gospel and upon these terms they are under the wrath of God and lyable to the sentence of eternal death Yet not remedilessely helplessely hopelessely as it is with those oftentimes that upon forfeitures of Covenant fall into the hands of man the forfeiture being once made advantages are taken by many to the uttermost The prodigal is an instance of the Fathers readinesse to receive to mercy those that have gone away from him in wayes of sin And the Prophet tells us Ezek. 18.21 22. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not dye All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live And though it be a wickednesse that reaches to the highest violation of Covenant yet this shall not hinder Jer. 3.1 They say If a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shall he return unto her again Shall not that land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet returne again to me saith the Lord. He that hath hitherto come in the highest degree of unworthinesse to the Lords Table as oft as he hath come to it yet casting that off which was his unworthinesse and coming up to Gods terms he is now received and accepted SECT VII A further Corollary from the former Doctrine THen let all take heed that they look for no more from Sacraments then God hath put into them We are to look for no more from Sacraments then God hath put into them and promised to do by them and hath promised to work by them least looking unto them and waiting for them as the troops of Tema and companies of Sheba for the stream of Brooks which vanish when they wax warm and are consumed out of their place they be confounded and coming thither be ashamed And this caveat is no more then needs seeing men in all times have been wonderfully apt to delude themselves upon account of their fruition of outward Church-priviledges Mens aptnesse to delude themselves in Sacramental priviledges and in particular Sacrament-priviledges And to this they are induced by divers reasons 1. Because Sacraments are an honour which God hath vouchsaf'd to his people and denyed to others that stand not in that relation and they cannot think that it is in vain that such an honour is conferred upon them 2. There are great promises annext to them and made to those that make right improvement of them The bread is the Communion of the body and the wine in the Lords Supper the Communion of the blood of Christ 1 Cor 10.16 It is the New Testament in Christs blood shed for many for the remission of sins Matth. 26.28 Baptisme saves through the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 Insomuch that we have been taught that in Baptisme we are made children of God members of Christ and inheriters of the Kingdom of heaven These promises are streight applied without any eye had to the terms and Propositions annext to them like unto men that look at dignities in offices and never regard the burthens 3. Interest in Sacraments is not onely a priviledge but a duty not onely an honour but a work of obedience in them that partake of them To be baptized with water and to eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup in the Lords Supper is a duty as it was to be circumcised in the flesh of the foreskin and to eat the Paschal Lambe at the time appointed and there is danger in neglect of these This gives some ease and speaks some peace to the conscience that they have done the Command of the Lord. 4. They are yet matters of ease especially New-Testament-Sacraments Here is no mortification of the members no crucifying of the flesh no cutting off the right hand or plucking out the right eye and therefore no marvel that men could wish that all Religion were in them and hope that salvation may be gained by them Lastly Those of these conceits have alwayes met with teachers to sooth them up in them In all Ages some have over-highly advanced Sacramental priviledges and carry on their delusion How high was Circumcision set up in the Apostles times as in regard of the necessity of it Acts 15.1 Certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved So also in regard of the power and efficacy of it and therefore the Apostle was put to it to warn men in that way of the delusion and to give that undervaluing term of concision to it Phil. 3.2 After-age produced Schoolmen and Popish Writers to magnifie them affixing and limiting salvation except in some cases extraordinary to the water in Baptisme and
hear onely at their idle leisure judging a businesse that may be done but see little necessity of doing of it would pretend not to despise it yet put a very sleight esteem upon it Doth the child judge so of the dug Or do these judge so of their ordinary and necessary food A life of nature is kept up in the use of meanes as long as it can be patcht up if Physick be neglected so is not food The Word is food and physick for the life of grace and this is let alone 3. Those that carelesly negligently superciliously and disdainfully hear as though their businesse were not to feed but judge not to learn or be minded of any thing but onely to censure According as the way of their fancy works so the Word takes Some are pleased onely with Kickshawes like such dishes on a table that have shew without substance words that are quaint and strained not to help but to exceed their understandings Others with choyce notions onely how wholesome soever it is not worth heeding if not curious Others take up all according to the person that delivers it with children they are pleased with every thing from one hand with nothing from another Lastly Those that let go all truths as soon as they are heard There is no more heard of the Sermon when once it is done They that go to a feast will talk of the dishes and they that go to a Fair or Market will talk of the Commodities but when they go to the Congregation there is not a syllable heard of the Word after they return When meat goes out of the stomach as it comes in it neither strengtheneth nor nourisheth and the Word slipt as soon as it is heard can be no more effectual Sacraments 2. Sacraments are visible signs and seals That of Baptisme enters us into the Church visible and seals all the promises made to members on Gods terms and propositions And the Supper of the Lord is for confirmation of those that are visibly Church-members on the same terms likewise Baptisme is past in the act but still present in the use As a Souldier by oath taken and colours given was tied to his General so we are hereby tyed unto God and God is tyed unto us and hereby we know our duty and Gods promise As a lease binds to duty and assures a benefit so it is with the Sacrament of Baptisme The Apostle 1 Pet. 3.21 compares it to the Ark of Noah he was there tost up and down in the deep considering his present state he might well have feared shiprack but the Ark being of Gods apointment and he put into it by Gods command he might well confide in him for safety If we look to the temptations and assaults wherewith our souls are on all hands battered we have just cause of fears but when we call to mind that we entered the Church as Noah the Ark by Baptisme and make it our businesse that conscience may answer unto what Baptisme requires what objection soever our heart makes Baptisme may raise our souls in confident assurance The Lords Supper is to the eye as the promises are to the eare Whilest we are in the body spiritual things under corporal signs are ordained for our help and strength Our Saviour tells us his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed John 6.55 And here under the signs of that which is our ordinary meat and drink the flesh and blood of Christ is tendered and as our food is offered unto us Where these Sacraments have their due esteem and men baptized in infancy do not passe by the thoughts of it in their growth but well consider their engagements and bonds that lye upon them to presse them to duty and the engagements of God for support of their faith they then make use of this ordinance to uphold faith and keep life in it in their souls when they frequent the Lords Table and conscienciously communicate for the ends for which it was instituted to be laid low in themselves to see sin aggravated and pardon tendred there is like hopes But when all thoughts of Baptisme is laid aside and the Lords Supper either neglected or prophaned these may well look that as a child through want of food so their faith upon the same account may languish Prayer 3. Prayer is the daughter of faith and also the nurse or foster-mother Faith breathes out it self in prayer and prayer obtains a more ample measure of faith to pray Lord I believe help my unbelief was the prayer of the father of the Lunatick Mark 9.24 and Lord encrease our faith was the prayer of the Apostles Luk. 17.5 When we have done all to stand prayer in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 must second This Communion with God keeps up faith in God They that make it their work to pray alwayes ever holding it up in the season of it joyning with the Congregation in publique in the family in a way more private and after Christs counsel in their closet sending forth holy ejaculations in their beds their walks and on all occasions These take care of their faith But in case that may be truly said of them which was falsly laid to the charge of Job that they restrain prayer before God Job 15.4 their faith may justly be suspected I may speak concerning this grace in the words of the Apostle these have not because they ask not these starve their faith and let it dye through want of nourishment and support We hear of Camelions that live in the ayr and Salamanders in the fire A Wonder was not long since noysed out of Germany of a Maid that lived onely on the smell of flowers An impostor lately went from place to place that fed on stones these that would passe for believers are some such Monsters Thus we have lookt into faith according to the three first rules the last followes which is the fruit that it beares or the effects that it produceth The fruits which faith bears and the effects which it produces These might be reduced into two heads First such as all faith if true produceth Secondly such as onely a strong and grown faith obtaineth But calling men to the tryal whether they be in the faith and not whether they be high and transcendent in believing I shall wave the latter and speak onely to the former These fruits which every faith which is such in truth produceth are either in the understanding or affections For that which it produceth in the understanding 1. In the Understanding take this rule Faith puts that high prize on Christ and priviledges through Christ that all earthly things are comparatively of the meanest value and most low esteem This we might make good in divers instances 1. In Moses If we read the beginning Chapters of Exodus we may there see the sad afflicted estate of the people of God in that time together with the honour to which Moses
you thus challenge never had any such thing in their thoughts Making the Scripture their study and Protestants writers their Comment they find Justification by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.9 and interest in this blood alone by faith Rom. 3.25 28. and works they find again and again excluded I wish you to consult the Homilies of the Church of England especially the Homilies of the Salvation of Man-kind by Christ our Saviour pag. 14. Having touched upon divers passages of Saint Paul This is added In the aforesaid places the Apostle toucheth especially three things which must go together in our Justifycation upon Gods part his great mercy and grace upon Christs part Justice that is the satisfaction of Gods Justice or the price of our Redemtion by the offering of his body shedding of his blood with the fulfilling of the Law perfectly and throughly and upon our part true and lively faith in the merits of Jesus Christ And therefore Saint Paul declareth here nothing upon the behalf of man concerning his Justification but only a true and lively faith And yet that faith doth not shut out repentance hope love dread and the fear of God to be joyned with saith in every man that is Justified but it shutteth them out from the office of Justifying With much more to the same purpose Your Readers that are not so much seen in the Language of Bellarmine and Suarez as they are in the Scriptures or at least that do not so much heed them deny all that you take for granted In which also you have phrases more uncouth to your Readers then any that I have uttered can be to you to be righteous signifieth say you quoad legem novam non obligatus ad poenam cui debetur praemium This signification according to this new law I think was never found in any of our old and new Dictionaries Those that are righteous shall be thus acquit and rewarded we believe but not upon account of any righteousnesse inherent in them but the righteousnesse of Christ made theirs by faith and so their faith is accounted to them for righteousnesse You then adde So that you see that your first righteousnesse non reatus poenae vel jus ad impunitatem ad praemium as it requires Christs perfect satisfaction as a medium to it by which all the charge of the Law works must be answered So it requires our performance of the condition of the Law of grace as an other medium by which Christ and his benefits are made ours I had thought that our righteousnesse had not been non reatus poenae that is not the thing at best were it as perfect as Adams was but reather non reatus culpae If a man be charged with Murther his righteousnesse as to this charge is his not-killing and not his non-obligation to the Gibbet That follows upon it non reatus is not of the essence of righteousnesse nor is reatus of the essence of sin otherwise then consecutive And that Christs righteousnesse should be thus called a medium I do not see I think it is the thing it self and not a medium to it And that our righteousnesse is any medium to Justification as it is inherent I deny and that our inherent righteousnesse required by the Law of Grace stands in any such subordination to the righteousnesse of Christ as a necessary means to make it ours I see your word for it but I think and the reformed Churches are of the same mind that I have the whole current of Scripture against it You close up this discourse thus And thus I have done what at present I thought my duty that it might be not my fault that you are in ignorance all over But I have said the lesse because I have lately more exactly opened the nature of our righteousnesse in answer to the Animadversions of an other learned brother But it is worth inquiry whether this learned Brother have received satisfaction from that more exact paines of yours Perhaps his learning may serve to give as exact an answer And if his greater learning be not satisfyed with that which is more exact and elaborate my less learning may well remain as much unsatisfied with lesse exactnesse And your Reader will think you were not so well advised to publish your self and conceal your most exact opening of this poynt of so great concernement Though you might think that any thing might serve me yet all your exactnesse will I believe be litte enough in this poynt to give satisfaction to many Readers Whereas you had said in your Aphorismes pag. 122. Imperfect righteousnesse is not righteousnesse but unrighteousnesse Imperfect righteousnesse is no contradiction It is a contradiction in adjecto yet there admitting an imperfection in holinesse I answer'd I never took imperfect righteousnesse to imply any such contradiction more then imperfect holinesse To this you reply 1. By a way of concession that holinesse is taken first for the relation of a person or thing dedicated to God So it admits not of magìs and minùs more then righteousnesse 2. That the common use of the word Holinesse is for the qualities or actions of a spiritually-renewed man this is confessed to have its transcendent perfection as wel as righteousness Hitherto we are agreed but here say you is the difference Holinesse thus taken is a quality which though it have the truth of being yet it is intendend and remitted or doth recipere magìs minùs righteousnes is a relation which in suo formali is not intended or remitted And is not Righteousnesse a quality in like manner which is intended and remitted when Zachary saies Righteousness as well as holiness is intended and remitted We are delivered out of the hands of all our enemies to serve in righteousnesse and true holinesse Is not the one a qualification by a new work of the Spirit as well as the other When the Angel said Rev. 22. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still As unjust and filthy hold out vicious qualities from the flesh so Holy and righteous both signifie renewed qualities by the Spirit It follows Nay if you will exactly open it it will appear that the righteousnesse in question is a relation founded in a relation Yea more that the very subjectum proximum hujus relationis nec intenditur nec remittitur this is that I mean by perfection besides the aforesaid transcendentall perfection And how shall we know what the righteousnes in question is either it must be gathered out of your own words or out of their words that you censure as guilty of such ignorance as before Let us look upon your own words Thess 2.2 which you there comment upon In this fore-explained sense it is that men in Scripture say you are said to be
personally righteous And in this sense it is that the faith and duties of believers are said to please God viz. as they are related to the covenant of Grace and not as they are measur'd by the Covenant of works Are not faith and duties here our personall righteousnesse and is not faith a branch of holinesse as well as it is of righteousnesse And hath it not its degrees as well as righteousness Surely the Apostles thought so when they prayed Lord increase our faith Luk. 17.5 And the Lord Christ had no other thoughts when he rebukes his hearers for their little faith Matth. 6.30 And commends the Woman of Canaan for the greatnesse of her faith Matth. 15.28 And as it riseth and falls so do other duties with it they are more intense or remisse in like manner And as for their speeches which you challenge do you think that their ignorance was in that measure intolerable as to believe the righteousnesse of what they spake was a meer non-entity i.e. had nothing of the being of righteousnesse in it They doubtlesse looked upon righteousnesse as a renewed quality as you do upon holinesse and the Apostle both upon holinesse and righteousnesse Eph. 4.24 The new man is so put on that we must be still putting it on It follows that seeing these things are exactioris indigationis understand that the reason of my assertion lyes here The law as it is the rule of obedience doth require perfect obedience in degree and so here is an imperfection in our actions in the degree as being short of what the rule requireth and it being these actions with their habits which we call our holinesse therefore we must needs say our holinesse is imperfect And if our righteousnesse were to be denominated from this law commanding perfection we must say not that such righteousnesse were imperfect because the holinesse or obedience is imperfect but it is none at all because they are imperfect It seems you intend here exactnesse equall to that in which you appeared to the learned brother before mentioned and as you did distinguish before of a metaphysicall and morall perfection so you seem here to distinguish of righteousnesse and holinesse either as a duty performed by men in the Covenant of grace according to rule or else as a condition required by the Covenant of works respective to the attainment of life upon terms there required This seems to be your meaning in your last words in this Paragraph Duty simply as duty and holiness or supernaturall grace as such may be more or less But holiness and duty as the materia requisita vel subjectum proximum justitiae consistit in indivisibili How duty and holiness can be the subject of it self I know not for so they are if they be the subjects of righteousness That righteousness in which we must exceed the righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees is our duty and our holiness as well as of our righteousness but if you carry it thence to make it the righteousness of the covenant of works it is easily granted that the imperfection of it renders it as no righteousness respective to that end of attainment of life by it A Pharisee might as well be justified upon the terms of that covenant as Noah Daniel and Job Zachary and Elizabeth or any other of those that were most perfect and eminent in righteousness But I think no Reader could observe either in your own words or theirs that you censure any such meaning To assert the imperfection of our righteousness I said Isaiah I am sure saith All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Is 64.6 no greater charge of imperfection can lie against the most imperfect holiness then the Prophet layes upon our righteousness Interpreting the Prophets words as I think the sense of them is generally given by interpreters ancient and modern But seeing you go off to speak of righteousness of another kind I will not contend I there added Neither do I understand how holiness should be imperfect taken materially and righteousness perfect taken formally in reference to a rule After such courteous censure that you please to give you fall to examine what that is that I understand not In which you take one piece of my sentence apart and say How holiness should be imperfect taken materially sure you understand that It is therefore say you no doubt the other branch that you mean How righteousness is perfect taken formally in reference to a rule If the Reader please to consult my words he may see that I put them not divisim but conjunctim giving in my reason why to me it is non-intelligible telling you that we may for ought I know as well make holiness formall and refer it to a rule and righteousness materiall in an absolute consideration without reference to any rule at all This you disjoyn from the rest and fall upon my words apart for what reason is best known to your self And I leave it to the Reader to judge whether that I may not call holiness perfect and righteousness imperfect as well as you may call righteousness perfect and holiness imperfect and whether there is not a materiality and formality not in the one or the other but in the one as well as the other and this was that which I spake to And any man that understands no more then I will I think take this to be a material exception against that which in your Aphorismes was delivered You say if you or any man resolve to use holiness in the same sense as righteousness if I once know your minds I will not contradict you for I find no pleasure in contending about Words but for my self I must use them in the common sense if I will be understood Righteousness and holiness in what sense commonly used But you might have done well to let us know that that is the common sense of the word righteousness taken for personall inherent righteousness which you here use till I see that made good I shall judge it to be your own peculiar acceptation of it I would know what interpreter of Zachary's words Luk. 1.75 of Paul's words Eph. 4.24 of John's words Revel 22.11 do put such a difference as you make between righteousnesse holiness as to make one a renewed quality of the Spirit the other no such thing but a relation in esse formali to what you must explain your self I have read so much difference indeed made as to put holiness for duties of the first Table in immediate reference to God righteousness for duties of the second Table in immediate concernment to man but thus taken they are both equally new qualities from the Spirit and have their intension and remission one as well as the other And I have read a rule given that where they are put together as in the Scriptures quoted they are to be distinguished as before but where the one is put apart it is to be understood as comprehensive of
and the condition as such And you proceed ex non concessis to charge me with this confusion taking it for granted in the words that follow that a Covenant which is also a Law as well as a Covenant may by the preceptive part constitute much more duty then shall be made the condition of the promises In which I conceive there is a double mistake 1. That a Covenant properly so called of which we speak can be a Law in the proper acceptation For a covenant is of 2. parties either of both concurring to the constitutioÌ„ of it if it be a Law both parties are as well Law-givers as Covenant-makers A Superiour may impose a condition as by a Law but that is but one part of a Covenant 2. That there is any duty in a Covenant that is not also of the Condition of it I am sure in the Covenant of Grace there is nothing duty which is not a condition Faith and Repentance are conditions and if you can tell me of any thing else which is matter of duty taking Repentance in its due latitude viz. to cease to do evill and learne to do well it will be a piece of a new Catechisme with me These you grant are conditions and this the all of a Christians duty Whereas you say If you will speak so largely as to say All who break the preceptive part of the Covenant are Covenant-breakers then no doubt God accepteth of many such and none but such for Whether we say say you that the New Law commandeth perfect obedience or not yet except you take it exceeding restrainedly it must be acknowledged that the precept is of larger extent then the condition having appointed some duties which it hath not made sine qua non to salvation Answ I think God accepts of none that break the preceptive part of the Covenant in the sense as the preceptive part of it qua Covenant is to bâ— understood as interpreters usually give as the meaning of it God accepts that I know none to speak de adultis but those that walk before him and are sincere He neither accepts of profanenesse nor men of hypocriticall dissimulation I know sincerity hath its latitude as perfection strictly taken hath not An upright heart in temptations hath many a great shock but if you can say that the duty of the Covenant is so laid aside that the heart is not right in the sight of God as Peter of Simon Magus which must be said if the precept of sincerity and uprighthnesse be broke then I do not know that there is any acceptance Simon Magus must be in another frame before the thoughts of his heart be forgiven him And this I am confident is the thoughts of my learned friend whom you mention if I do not as I think I do not mistake the man And I have my reason for this confident opinion And as I wonder at your distinction betwixt the duty and condition of a Covenant so I no lesse marvail at your Simile You tell me If I send my Child a mile of an errand and say I charge you play not by the way but make hast and do not go in the dirt c. and if you come back by such an houre I will give you such a reward if not you shall be whipt He that plaies by the way dirties himself yet comes back by the houre appointed doth break the preceptive part but not the condition Your distinction is between the preceptive part and the condition in a Covenant and here you talke of a precept that is no part of the Covenant but if I put all within the Covenant and say Come again within an houre not playing or dirtying your self if he either out stay his houre or play or run in the dirt he forfeites his reward and is at mercy for a whipping according to Covenant You speak afterward of a mans breach of some particular Covenant which a man may do in a temptation and yet as to the Covenant of grace be sincere 3. I said Then it will follow that as none can say They have so answered the command of the Law that they have never failed So neither can they with the Church make appeale to God that they have not dealt fasly in the Covenant Psal 44 17. Every sin according to this opinion being a breach of it and a dealing fasly in it You reply This charge is as unjust as the former I confesse it and you giving no further reason I shall sit down with the former answer 4. I said Then the great promise of mercy from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousnesse unto Childrens Children to such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commands to do them Psal 103.17 18. only appertaines to those that keep the Law that they sin not at all against it You answer It follows not If they sincerely keep the Law they fulfill the conditions of the Covenant though not the precept And I say the precept of the Covenant goes no higher then sincerity And I had thought you had fully concurred with me That Christ say you as the Mediator of the new Covenant should command us not only sincere but perfect obedience to the moral law so hath made it a proper part of his Gospel not only as a directory and instruction but also as a command I am not yet convinced Adding My reason is because I know not to what end Christ should command us that obedience which he never doth enable any man in this life to performe Aphor. 157 158. How these can be reconciled I know not I think none is inabled through grace to be more then sincere and then the precept of the Covenant according to you requires no more You further say They keep the precept in an improper but usuall sense as keeping is taken for such a lesse degree of breaking as on Gospel grounds is accepted Answ They keep it if they be sincere in the sense as Christ the Mediator of the Covenant gave it in as proper a sense as they keep the conditions 5. I said Then our Baptism-vow is never to sin against God and as often as we renew our Covenant we do not only humble our selves that we have sinned but we afresh bind our selves never more to commit the least infirmity To this you answer We do not promise in Baptism to do all that the precept of the Covenant requireth but all that is made the condition of life and to endeavour the rest I desire to know where you find this distinction as applied to our Baptism-vow You say pag. 79. of this Apology that Baptized ones are to renounce the Flesh the World and the Devill and that this abrenunciation hath been in the Church ever since the Apostles daies qâ—oting Tertullian Cyprian and all antiquity for it I would know whether Tertullian Cyprian or any other eminent in ancient times help'd it out
almost forgotten and looked upon as a Ceremony antiquated and obsolete Christian prudence should interpose and discern a mean between both To quicken and put us on against this last of which the most had need instead of a Book of Canons Directions for our guidance about it or compulsory Lawes Let us 1. Affect our soules with an ardent love of Christ and then we shall not be so slack in celebration of this memorial of him We will keep up the memory of an endeared friend this way Christ hath commended to endear his memory to us If love be such as it ought we shall not desire that it be seldome if it may be possibly often Peter had it three times in charge from Christ to feed his Lambs to feed his sheep how often he must preach Christ he is not told that is left to his love If thou lovest me feed my sheep Love would not let him be slothfull 2. Let us take into consideration our own necessities of which here we may have supplyes first our want of humiliation and heart-breaking how slight and overly is all our feeling and sense of sin if let alone are we not in danger to grow past feeling which was the case of the Heathen when they had arrived at the greatest height of wickednesse Ephes 4.19 Here is an hammer for that purpose when once the Law hath discovered by the light that is given that we have sinned No way to this for the aggravation of it Here we see Gods detestation of sin that would not spare it in his onely Son as he spared not the Angels that sinned but having no Mediatour to bear it for them they bore the punishment of it in their own persons so he spared not his own Son when he had taken upon him our sin Here we see the desert of sin in all those torments which Christ bore for us If we would know sin and be sensible of wrath study the Sacrament the dead soul may be here awakened Secondly our spiritual weaknesses and wants which I shall set out in Mr. Pembles words Let them look inward and see how great need they have of many and often confirmations of their faith renovations of their repentance of stirring up the graces of God in their soules to adde an edge an eagernesse to all spiritual affections after holinesse to get unto themselves the most powerfull provocations unto obedience Every one that hath grace knowes how frequently the power thereof is impaired by temptations weakened by wordly distractions even of our lawful employment and over-mastered by the force of sinful lusts so that they must needs discover a great deal of ignorance in their spiritual estate that feel not in their own soules a pronenesse to astonishment as well in their soules as in their bodies at least they bewray intolerable carelesnesse that finding the emptinesse and leannesse of their soules yet neglect to repair often to this holy Table whereon is set forth the bread of life whereof when they have eaten their spirit may come again 1 Sam. 31.12 their hearts may be strengthened their soules may be replenished as with marrow and fatnesse These considerations may quicken our appetites after this spiritual food And such a meal extraordinary with the help of our ordinary refreshments in hearing prayer and meditation may carry us on more then 40 dayes towards our heavenly Mansion That we hasten not too fast on the other hand Let us take into consideration our inabilities for a suitable preparation and fitnesse for addresse to this Ordinance we have fasted so long in course that we have scarce known what humiliation of our soules in fasting is yea some would be every day at â—t as we can rise in our spirits to the extraordinary weight of it and fit our soules with suitable preparations for it These that I have named are the best gages that I know to regulate us in it that in over-eager haste in duties extraordinary we do not run our selves out of breath nor in over-much sloth give our selves over to faintnesse and leannesse SECT III. A Corollary from the former Doctrine Men called to the Sacrament may not othewise then upon weighty reasons absent themselves from it THen it will follow by way of necessary inference from this consideration of the necessity of Sacraments that When Sacraments are dispensed Christians should see weighty reasons such in which they may have confidence that they will bear them out at the day of Judgment for their omission of them This duty is in the number of affirmative precepts which alwayes bind A man is never from under the obligation of that Precept Do this in remembrance of me though it doth not bind to all times A man is not to be ever in the doing of it and he is never to be found in the neglect of it Loco tempore debitis in due time and place they must be done A journey would have dispensed with a man for absence from the Passeover so it will when necessity of a mans calling makes it necessary from the Lords Supper so also will sicknesses imprisonments or like providences But when the servant comes and calls and sayes All things are made ready then take thou heed how thou makest excuses They that were called to the wedding Feast might have pleaded that other businesses lay upon them that they could not alwayes attend weddings But when the King sends and sayes All is ready come there is no time for other occasions td be lookt after It were an endlesse work to find out the reasons that men frame for absenting themselves Excuses for absence from the Lords Table removed Some see that it is a duty above them neither their knowledge nor their life doth answer to that which is required in a Communicant and so despair of coming up to it and therefore keep off lest they should as they fear encrease their judgment In case these speak out of a serious consideration of the work with a sad reflexion on themselves upon a diligent scrutiny into their hearts and wayes and so take a day over for it and in the mean time digge for knowledge as for hid treasures and do strengthen their resolutions to withstand all temptations to sin they are by all meanes to be encouraged and holpen every Christian of strength should commiserate these weak soules But in case they clearly see all to be so as we have said and resolve to let all alone as a man that sees himself near to a bankrupt regards not whether end goes forward This is then a sad and saddening reason It lyes upon these to take their state and condition into further consideration that by the good hand of God it may be better with them To provoke these to further care of their eternal state I shall put to them these questions First What is it that thou dost respective to other duties The excuse of unfitnesse examined the duty of
Prayer dost thou pray ever or never resolving to keep back from the Sacrament dost thou resolve wholly to forbear to call on the Name of the Lord If thou resolvest in this way and perishest thou hast upon thee the brand of the wicked Psal 14.4 They call not on the Name of the Lord and the sentence of the wrath of God Jer. 10.25 If thou canst pray with hopes to be heard thou mayest then have hopes to receive the Sacrament to be accepted and if so qualified as to be out of hopes in the one then thou art altogether void of hopes in both Paul speaks much of the danger of an unworthy Communicant which should awaken all that intend to receive And multitude of Scripture-Texts speak the same of men that pray in such a condition What can be worse then for the Lord to say when they pray he will not hear he will hide his eyes Isa 1.15 to reproach their praying by the name of howling Hos 7.14 to account it an abomination Prov. 28.9 Secondly If it be above thy hopes to sit down with acceptance at the Lords Table Is it not then as much above thy hopes to sit down in heavenly places with Christ Jesus If thy state of ignorance unbelief and wickednesse keep thee from participation with visible Church-members in this Ordinance in the way how wilt thou be fit to joyn with the Church Triumphant in glory Thou must be made meet for heaven Col. 1.12 if thou come to heaven and thou art meet to partake of this Supper when thou art meet for heaven unfit for this unfit for salvation Thirdly If the danger be great to come unworthily is it any lesse not to come at all It is hard to determine of the sins of despising and prophaning the worship of the Lord whether is greater or lesser Judge whether are in better case those mentioned Matth. 22.7 or him that is mentioned ver 12 13. and then thou wilt see that there remains nothing but to endeavour to be such a one that may come otherwise thou perishest in coming and perishest in absenting Others professe their willingnesse and readinesse to come in case they could have things to their minds when they come But things being as they are they are compelled to forbear Now these keep off out of several principles which in case they be well laid they may justifie their practice but in case they are found erroneous their way must needs be faulty These are in two extreams Want of a wonted Leiturgy may not excuse Some would come in case the ancient Liturgy were held and the Book of Common Prayer anciently in use in England might be observed in the mean time till that be they do forbear To this I say It is wonder how so much stresse is laid on this as to invite to the worship of God in case they may enjoy it and to perswade a total neglect if they want it Give me leave to desire of these there being so many that harp upon this string a few things for satisfaction that so we may either prevail with them to hold Communion with us or else that we may forbear with them First Is not this an honour far above all that is due to any labour or composure of man to turn the scale in this manner whether an instituted worship of God must stand or fall An humane work it is this cannot be denyed we are to receive nothing as Divinely inspired upon pain of adding to the Word of God but that which is contained in the words of the Scripture For this so to steer my course that when my liberty of use of it is granted I will worship and when denyed I will forbear This I say is too high an honour a work of man is thus made of the very essence and being of an Ordinancie of God Hezekiah indeed put that honour upon the Altar at Hierusalem that he would admit no sacrifice elsewhere as Rabshakeh could observe to his reproach Isa 37.7 But he had a Word of God for it Deut. 12.5 6. To give the like honour to this book without a word from God is to idolize it These opinions of it were that which outed it Secondly Is it for the excellency of the work it self that thou thus prizest it or from the Sanction that from higher powers hath been put upon it the Law that did establish it It must needs be one of these that moves thee to put such an honour upon it That no such incomparable transcendent excelleny to cause so high a price to be put upon it can be found in the work it self may seem several waies to appear if we consider 1. The time of composure immediately upon the first dawning of the Gospel light and beginning of the knowledg of God in the midst of us 2. The persons for whose use it was composed such that for the generality had scarce stept one foot out of Popish blindnesse 3. The end at which the compilers aimed to frame such a piece that might draw on a people wholly held in Masse Idolatry to be content to accept somewhat in their own tongue where prayers are directed to God in Christ and not as before they had been trayned to Saints and Angells So that they made not that use of their own gifts for such a work as by the light received from God they might have framed but such a one that they judged most meet for the Churches present infant condition and so contented themselves in a great part with that which they found in the Breviaries and Portuises of Rome In so much that B. Davenant one of the gravest and most learned of Prelates saith Deter 37. k Quidam exipsis Pontificibus Romanis formulam illam sacrorum officiorum qua not utimur probare voluerit modo nos ab ejus autoritate hac in rependere voluissemus that some of the Bishops of Rome have offered to approve our form of prayers provided that we would accept it by their authority This is sufficient if no more should be said to make it appear that it did never come up to that excellency that one might reach that were composed in greater light and for their use that were of further growth But letting it passe without exception and yielding as must be granted that thousands are in heaven that received the Sacraments no otherwise then according to the directory in it yet doubtlesse as must also be granted that many more thousands are in heaven that never knew it Christ and his Apostles never used it It was not in use in the primitive times How many Liturgies may be read as we may see if we go no further then Cassander and this of ours is none of them None of the reformed Churches in the world except England hath made use of it Had it been of such a glory that men would deny themselves the benefit of the Sacrament rather then want it all should at the
with your distinction that we engage to renounce them not as duty but as a condition to obtaine Salvation This privative part of duty holding out the terminus à quo in our Christian motion implyes a positive work which also was expressed in our English Leiturgie constantly to believe Gods holy word and obediently keep his commands and confirmed by the Apostle to be our duty Ro. 6.4 Buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of liâ—e This we vow and I desire to know what more in any Gospel-precept is required 6. I said then the distinction between those that enter Covenant and break it as Jer. 31.32 33. and those that have the Law written in their hearts and put into their inward parts to observe it fallâ— all standing equally guilty of the breach of it no help of grace being of power to enable to keep Covenant To this you answer When sincere obedience The precept and the condition in the Covenant of Grace are one and perfect obedience are all one and when the precept and the condition of the Covenant are proved to be of equall extent then there will be ground for the charging of this consequence I marvail how the first part of the answer came into your thoughts That Text of Jeremiah speaks to sincerity and not to perfection For the second sincerity is the precept and sinceâ—ity is the condition sincerity is one and the same and therefore precept and condision are one and the same That which we are to renounce and that to which we engage is our condition But that which we renounce and that to which we engage is thâ— Gospel or Covenant-precept The precept and condition are therefore the same Faith and new obedience are the precept Faith and new obedience are the condition The precept and condition are therefore one and the same So that your distinction falling as I doubt not but it do's all my arguments after the first to the last eo nomine stand You go about to evade them all with this one distinction which I leave to the judicious Reader to determine whether it be not without a difference But before I undertake your next I have to thank you for that which you have transcribed out of Robert Baronius pag. 401. of your Confession Treating in an Appendix of the possibility of fulfilling the Law of God considered according to Gospel lenity you tell us what his second assertion is pag. 122. which I desire the Reader to peruse either in your book or in the Author himself Where he may see 1. That the Gospel is below the Law as to the degree that it requireth As to the one there is a possibility of fulfilling according to him and not so to the other 2. That the obligation of the Law yet remains so that all failings are transgressions 3. That it stands as a Rule for us to affect and with our best strength to endeavour after 4. That the Gospel requires a certain measure of obedience on pain of eternal damnation This doubtless is that which is the condition of it 5. That this obedience thus required is necessarily to be as high as grace enables to reach In which we see in the first place their distinction opposed that say That the Gospel requires perfection and accepts sincerity The Gospel according to him requires no more then it accepts and for which grace enables And in the next place your distinction of duty and condition is by him utterly overthrown according to him all comes within the condition which is matter of duty My last argument was Then it follows that sincerity is never called for as a duty or required as a grace but only dispens'd with as a failing and indulged as a want It is not so much a Christian's honour or Character as his blemish rather his defect then praise But we find the contrary in Noah Job c. To this you reply I will not say it is past the wit of man to find the ground of this charge i. e. to see how this should follow but I dare say it is past my wit If it had been said The Covenant commandeth perfection and not sincerity or the Covenant accepteth sincerity but not commandeth it there would have been some reason for this charge But do you think that sincerity is no part of perfection c Answ My wit is so low that I know not where the cloud lies I do not take sincerity to be properly a part of perfection but a degree towards it as Calor ad unum is a degree towards rather then a part of Calor ad octo So the lower degâ—ee of heat would remain when a higher is introduc'd and not be swallowed up in it And if the command looks no lower then perfection in degree the imperfect degree is not directly commanded though according to these it is in dulged It is said Matth. 12.20 that Christ will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax. Is that feeble strength and remiss heat there look'd upon as a duty or rather is it not look'd upon as a defect or want Is it not Christ's indulgence rather then the obedience of his command that is there noted or pointed out My answer to the single argument so far as I have read or heard against that which I here delivered follows But seeing that your reply so far as I can judge is rather with me then against me as to the Position it self and your endeavour rather to excuse then defend those of the contrary opinion which very well pleaseth me for I wish that more were said for their honour so that the truth do not suffer I am well content to pass it by having a greater desire to defend you where you speak for truth then my self where not truth but my reputation is impugned And shall make it my business to look into that which Mr. Crandon hath against you in it Concerning the second that the Gospel doth require but sincere Mr. Crandons arguments answered not perfect obedience which is both your assertion and mine he saith What shall we think of those Texts in the new Testament which require us to be perfect 2 Cor. 13.11 Jam. 1.4 Yea perfect as God is perfect Matt. 5.48 reproving weakness and infirmity and commanding a going on to perfection Answ We are to think of them as Protestant Divines ordinarily do in their commenting upon them We deny saith Rivet that the perfection of which Scripture speaks either when it commands us to be perfect or gives testimony of perfection or integrity to some consists in a freedome from sin Exercit. 52. in Genes pag. 267. The Text quoted out of James serves well to explain the rest Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing whence we may argue 1. That perfection