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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76157	Confirmation and restauration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of the corruptions and divisions of the churches: submissively, but earnestly tendered to the consideration of the soveraigne powers, magistrates, ministers, and people, that they may awake, and be up and doing in the execution of so much, as appeareth to be necessary as they are true to Christ, his Church and Gospel, and to their own and others souls, and to the peace and wellfare of the nations; and as they will answer the neglect to Christ, at their peril. / By Richard Baxter, an unworthy minister of Christ, that longeth to see the healing of the churches.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1658 (1658)	Wing B1232; Thomason E2111_1; ESTC R209487	172,368	411

washt with Christ's Blood how can they deny to wash them with that water that is appointed to signifie and invest Moreover Infants are capable of many other Priveledges and of being the Adopted Sonnes of God the Members of Christ the Heirs of Heaven as having Right thereto and being the members of the Church and being under the Special Protection and Provision of God and in a special sort partakers of the Prayers of the Church with divers more As in the Commonwealth an Infant is capable of having Honour and Inheritance in Right though not Actally to use them and of the protection of the Laws for Life Reputation and estate and of being Tenant and obliged to pay a certain Rent and Homage when he comes to age and in the mean time to have Provisions from the Estate that he hath Title to But all this I have fuller exprest elsewhere And I have altely read Mr Tombes's last and large Reply to part of my Book and many others and must needs say that it leaves me still perswaded that it is the will of Christ that the Infants of his Servants should be Dedicated to him in Baptism and members of his visible Church and though upon the review of my Arguments I find that I have used too many provoaking words for which I am heartily sorry and desire pardon of God and him yet I must say that I am left more confident then before that the cause is Gods which Mr Tombes opposeth Of which if God will I intend yet to give some further account In the mean time I deal with this but as a Supposition that is already sufficiently proved though all men yea all good men see not the sufficiency of the proofe Prop. 2. There are many Priveledges belonging to the Adult Members of the Church which Infant members are not capable of THis is true both of Natural and Moral Capacities The Priviledges which I mean are the pardon of many actual sinnes committed since they are Adult the exercise of all Holy Graces Knowing God Loving him Trusting him Serving him the Communion that we have with God herein as particularly in Prayer in holy Praises and Thanksgivings in Heavenly Meditations The Peace and Joy that followeth Believing and the Hopes of Everlasting Life the Communion which we have with the Church of Christ in hearing praying Praises the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ in distribution by giving and receiving and an endearing holy Love within These and many more Priveledges are proper to the Adult That Infants are not Naturally capable of these is as needless to prove as that they are Infants And then that they are not Morally capable is an inseparable consequent For though Natural Capacity may be without Moral yet Moral cannot be without Natural In point of Duty Infants are not bound to the work as to Hear Pray Prayse c. beyond the Natural Capacity of their Intellects and bodies And so in point of Benefit we must have more sobriety then to suppose God to make over any Benefit to them which they are not capable of All this is plain Prop. 3. The Continuation of Priveledges received in Infancy is part of the Priveledges of the Adult or the Restoration of them if they be lost IF the cause discontinue the effect will cease Adult Priveledges comprehend the Infant Priviledges partly as that which is Perfect comprehendeth the Imperfect and partly as the whole comprehendeth the parts and partly as the thing Continued is the same with the thing Begun Infant Priviledges would all cease with Infancy if the Causes or Conditions cease and there be no other Cause for their continuance God never took Infants into his Church and Covenant with a purpose so to continue them without any other Condition then that upon which they were admitted This is past denyal and will be more cleared in the next Prop. 4. The Title-Condition of Infant Church-membership and Priviledges is not the same with the Title-Condition of the Church-membership and Priviledges of the Adult so that if this new Condition be not performed when men come to Age their former Title ceaseth and there is no other that ariseth in his stead 1. WE are agreed I think that our Title which is Fundamentum Juris is Gods Covenant Graunt or Guift As it is his Precept that constituteth our Duty so it is his Promise or Deed of Gift which is our title to the Benefit 2. And we are agreed I hope that this Promise or Grant from God is Conditional For if Church-membership and Priviledges he Absolutly Given then it is to All or but to Some Not to All for then the Church and the world are all one and then it is not Ecclesia caetus evocatus and then Heathens and Infidels have right which are things that no Christian I think will grant If it be but Some that have Title then there must be some Note to know them by or else the some will be equal to All or to None And if they be Marked out then it must be by Name or by Description Not by Name for we find the contrary Scripture doth not Name all that have Title to Church Priviledges If it be by Description it is either by meer Physical or by Moral Qualifications that they are described The former none doth imagine that I hear of If they are Moral Qualifications then either they are such as are prerequisite to our Right and Priviledges or not That they are prerequisite all must confess that read the Promise and all do confess that they are prerequisite to all the following Priviledges And if Prerequisite then either as Means or no Means The later none can affirm without going against so much light as ordinary Christians have still ready at hand to confute them with And if they are required as Means then either as Causes or Conditions And I think you will sooner yield them to be Conditions then Causes though either Concession sufficeth to the end that is before us But of this we need to say no more both because it is commonly confessed and because that the words of the Promises are so plaine and undenyable being uttered in Conditional terms Nor is this either inconsistent with or any way unsuitable to an Absolute Decree For as a Threatning so the Conditionality of a Promise are Instruments admirably suited to the accomplishment of an Absolute Purpose or Decree He that is fully Resolved to save us or to give us the Priviledges of his Church will deal with us as men in bringing us to the possession of the intended benefits and therefore will by Threats and Conditional promises excite us to a careful performance of the Condition and that Grace which is resolved to effect the very Condition in us is also resolved to make a Conditional Promise yea and a Threatening the Instrument of effecting it 3. Note that the great Question whether all the Infants of true Believers are certainly Justified or

Baptism was an Actuall Profession 9. The constant Practice of the Universal Church hath given us by infallible Tradition as full assurance of the order of Baptism and in particular of an Exprss Profession and Covenant then made as of any point that by the hands of the Church can be received by us 10. And it was in those daies a more notorious Profession to be so Baptized and to joyn in the holy Assemblies then now it is When the Profession of Christianity did hazard mens liberties estates and lives to be openly then Baptized upon Covenanting with God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and openly joyn with a hated persecuted sort of men was an eminent sort of Profession It being also usually Private in houses as separated from the main body of the people and not in publike places like ours where men are justly driven to come as leaners for instruction Moreover it 's said of all that were Baptized being then at Age that they first Believed And how could the Baptizers know that they believed but by their Profession Yea it 's said of Simon Magus that he Believed and was Baptized which though he might really have some historical Faith yet implyeth that he openly Professed more then he indeed had or else he had scarce been Baptized Which hath caused Interpreters to judge that by Faith is meant a Profession of Faith And if so then sure a Profession was still Necessary Yea Christ in his Commission directeth his Apostles to make Disciples and then Baptize them promising that he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved And who can tell whether a man be a Disciple a Believer or an Infidel but by his Profession How was it known but by their Profession that the Samaritans Believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ before they were Baptized both men and women Act. 8. 12. Philip caused the Eunuch to profess before he would Baptise him that he believed that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God which upon his teaching the rest did import the rest if it were not more fully as is likest Professed Act. 8 37 38. Saul had more then a bare Profession before Baptism Acts 9. 5 15 17. Cornelius and his company had a Profession and more for they had the Holy Ghost powred on them speaking with tongues and magnifying God that use of the gift of tongues imparting more then the gift it self Acts 10. 46. Yea the Spirit bid Peter Go and not doubt Acts 11. 12 And it was such a gift of the Spirit as caused the Apostles to conclude that God had granted the Gentiles Repentance unto life Acts 11. 18. How was it known but by their Profession Acts 11. 21. That that great number Believed and turned to the Lord And the Grace of God was such as Barnabas saw vers 23. And when Saul after his Baptism assayed to joyn himself to the Disciples at Jerusalem they so suspected him that they would not receive him till Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles and declared to them how God had dealt with him and how boldly at Damascus he had preached in the Name of Jesus which shews that they admitted not men to their Communion till their Profession seemed Credible to them For no doubt but Saul told them himself that he was a Believer before he was put to make use of the testimony of Barnabas The Converted Gentiles Acts 13. 48. shewed their Belief and gladness and openly glorified the Word of the Lord. How but by a Profession did it come to pass that the great multitude at Iconium both Jews and Greeks were known to be Believers Acts 14. 1. The same I may say of the Jaylour Acts 16. Who by works as well as words declared his Conversion And the Bereans Acts 17. 12. And the Athenians Acts 17. 34. And Crispus with the Corinthians Acts 18. 8. Acts 19. 18. The believing Ephesians Confessed and shewed their deeds and many of them burnt as many of their Books of ill Arts as came to fifty thousand pieces of silver In a word it is the standing Rule that If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousnes and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation He that bids us Receive him that is weak in the Faith but not to doubtfull disputations implieth that we must not receive them that Profess not at least a weak Faith Heb. 5. 6. 1 2 3. Shew that the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ were first laid as the Foundation before Baptism And who received those Principles could not be known but by a Profession To this let me adde that Poenitentiam age●e was judged by the Ancient Doctours the Repentance that was prerequisite to Baptism and that is A manifested professed Repentance Gods order is to the Adult first to send Preachers to proclaim the Gospel and when by that men are brought so farre as to Profess or manifest that their cies are opened and that they are turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God then must they be Baptized for the Remission of their sinnes and to receive the Inheritance among the Sanctified by Faith in Christ Acts 26. 17. 18. As their sinnes are not forgiven them till they are Converted Mark 4. 12. So they must not be Baptised for the forgiveness of sinnes till they Profess themselves Converted Seeing to the Church non esse non apparere is all one Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ is the summe of that Preaching that maketh Disciples Acts 20. 21. And therefore both these must by Profession seem to be received before any at age are Baptized If as many as are Baptized into Christ are Baptized into his death and are buried with him by Baptism into his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead so we also should walk in Newness of life Rom. 6. 4 5. Then no doubt but such as were to be Baptized did first Pro●ess this mortification and a consent to be buried and revived with Christ and to live to him in Newness of life For Paul was never so much for the Opus operatum above the Papsts as to think that the Baptizing of an Infidel might effect these high and excellent things And he that Professeth not Faith nor ever did is to the Church an Infidel In our Baptism we put off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ being buried with him and rising with him through Faith quickned with him and having all our trespasses forgiven Col. 3. 11 12 13. And will any man yea will Paul ascribe all this to those that did not so much as Profess the things signified or the necessary Condition Will Baptism in the judgment of a wise man do all this for

expectants yet are they bound up by the Laws of Christ what Profession to accept and what to refuse and if by breaking these Laws they shall dangerously or grosly wrong the Church it belongeth to the Magistrate to correct them and to the people to admonish them and disown their sin yea and in desperate cases to disown them The Positive Title-condition to be produced is The Profession of true Christianity The Minister that refuseth this Profession must prove it not credible Of tolerable ignorance PROP. IX It is evident that Magistrates Ministers and people have each a power of Judging but different as they have different works How far Ministers are Judges Proved by ten Reasons against the popular claim c. How far the people must Judge How far the Magistrate must Judge Ministers for these Matters and Ministers obey them PROP. X. To this Ministerial Approbation of the Profession and Qualifications of the Expectant there is to be adjoyned a Ministerial Investiture or Delivery of the Benefit expected How many Sacraments there are 1. More than seaven in the largest sense 2. Five in a large sense not intollerable 3. Two only in the strictest sense as we define them PROP. XI The solemn Ministerial Investiture of Professours into the right of the Church-Priviledges of the Adult is either 1. Of the Unbaptized who are now first entred 2. Or of the Baptized in Infancy that never proved ungodly nor violated that first Covenant 3. Or of those Baptized whether in Infancy or at Age that have since proved wicked and broke the Covenant The first of these Investitures is to be by Baptism the second by Confirmation and the third by Absolution So that the solemn Investiture that now I am pleading for is by Confirmation to one sort that never proved ungodly since their Baptism and by Absolution to the other sort that broke their Covenant which yet hath a certain Confirmation in or with it PROP. XII This solemn Investiture on personal Profession being thus proved the Ordinance of God for the solemn renewing the Covenant of Grace between God and the Adult-Covenanter it must needs follow that it is a Corroborating Ordinance and that Corroborating Grace is to be expepected in it from God by all that come to it in sincerity of heart And so it hath the name of Confirmation upon that account also PROP. XIII Ministerial Imposition of hands in Confirmation and the foredescribed sort of Absolution is a Lawfull and Convenient action or Ceremony and ordinarily to be used as it hath been of old by the Universal Church But yet it is not of such Necessity but that we must dispence in this Ceremony with scrupulous Consciences that cannot be satisfied to submit to it Imposition of hands is allowed in Scripture to be used Generally by Spiritual Superiours to signifie their Desire that the Blessing Guift or Power may be conferred on the Inferiour for which they have a call to mediate Proved Particllarly 1. We find in Scripture a Blessing of Church-members with laying on of hands 2. And that the Holy Ghost is in a special manner promised to Believers over and above that measure of the Spirit which caused them to Believe 3. And that Praier with laying on of hands was the outward means to be used by Christs Ministers for procuring this or investing them of it 4. And that this was not a temporary but fixed Ordinance All proved How the Holy Ghost is given before Faith and after Faith and how sealed in Baptism and how not What Hope of the success of Imposition with Praier for the spirit Scripture and Antiquity for it Reasons for the non-necessity of it to the the scrupulous PROP. XIV Though in receiving Adult-persons out of Infidelity by Baptism into the Church a sudden Profession without any stay to see their Reformation may serve turne yet in receiving these that were Baptized heretofore into the number of Adult-members or to the Priviledges of such their lives must be enquired after which must be such as do not confute their Profession PROP. XV. It is not of flat Necessity that the Profession of the Expectant be made in the open Congregation or before many in order to his Confirmation or admittance PROP. XVI When a person is admitted an Adult-member of a particular Church as well as of the Universal his Profession and Admission must be either before the Church or satisfactorily made known to the Church at least who must approve of it by a Judgment of discretion in order to their Communion with him and this among us is the ordinary case because it is the duty of all that have opportunity to joyne themselves to some particu-Church and it is in such Churches that Communion in publique Worship and order must be had either statedly or transiently and temporarily Reasons to prove this Interest of the People Cases of difference between Pastours and people resolved PROP. XVII It is convenient though not of necessity that every Church do keep a Register of all that are thus Invested or admitted into the number of Adult-members PROP. XVIII Those that were never thus Ministerially and Explicitly Approved Confirmed or Absolved after an ungodly life but have been permitted without it to joyne usually with the Church in prayer and praises and the Lords Supper are Approved and Confirmed eminently though not formally though in so doing both the Pastours and themselves might sinne against God by the violation of his holy order Such therefore may be a true Church and are not to be called back to solemn Confirmation though in many cases they may be called to Tryall by their Overseers PROP. XIX So exceeding great and many are the Mischiefs that have befallen us by the neglect of a solemn meet Transition from an Infant into the Adult Church-state and which undoubtedly will continue till this be remedied that all the Magistrates Ministers people that dissemble not in professing themselves to be Christians should with speed and diligence attempt the cure The state of our Parishes anatomized Twenty intollerable mischiefs that follow the taking all into our Church-communion and neglecting this Confirmation such as all Christians should lay to heart PROP. XX. So many and great are the Benefits that would follow the generall practice of this duty of trying approving and confirming or Absolving all those that enter into the number of Adult-Christians that it should mightily provoke all Christian Magistrates Ministers and people to joyne in a speedy and vigorous execution of it Twelve excellent Benefits that will come by Confirmation It 's like to be an admirable increaser of knowledg and holiness and Church-Reformation It 's a singular means of Agreeing the Episcopal Presbyterians Congregational Er●stians and moderating the Anabaptists proved and urged Twenty Objections against this Approved Profession and Confirmation answered How little reason have Princes and Parliaments to restraine most Ministers here from overdoing The Duties that lie upon us all for the Execution of this

a point as the Covenant that men make with Christ We have wares that deserve the light and need not a dark shop We have a Master that we need not be affraid or ashamed explicitly and publickly to confess It beseemes not so high and honourable a Profession as that of a Christian to be lapt up in obscurity Such a Glorious state as Sonneship to God to be an Heir of Heaven c. should be entered into with great solemnity and owned accordingly at our first rationall acceptance and acknowledgment Kings are Crowned more solemnly then poor men take possession of their cottages Christ will be ashamed of them before the Angels that are ashamed of him before men and will confess them before his Father that confess him before men Christianity is not a game to be plaid under board Why then should any be against an open Professing and Covenanting with Christ If it be needfull that we Covenant certainly the plainest and most explicite Covenanting is the best And what will be his portion that hath a male in his flock and offereth the worst yea the halt and blind to God Let us therefore deal as openly and plainly and understandingly in the Covenant of God as we can and not contrive it in the greatest darkness that is consistent with the Essence of a Church Nay let us not tempt men to unchurch us or separate from us by leaving our cause to such Arguments as this such a man sitteth among other hearers in the Congregation therefore he maketh a Profession of the Christian Faith lest they think it followeth not therefore he seemeth to understand the Christian Faith much less he Professeth it especially when it 's known that so many understand it not and that the Papists in their writings maintain it lawfull for them to be present at our Assemblies and Infidels tell us that they can hear any man and do come thither Nehemiah caused the Jewsto subscribe the Covenant and seal it c. 9 v 38. Even under the Law it was the character of visible Saints to make a Covenant with God by Sacrifice Psal 50. 5. At least now God hath caused us to pass under the Rod. Let us yield to be brought under the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20. 37. And let us as weeping Israel and Judah Seek the Lord our God and ask the way to Zion with our faces thitherward saying come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Jer. 50 4 5. Let us take hold of his Covenant and choose the things that please him that he may bring us into his holy Mountain and make us joyfull in his house of Prayer and our Sacrifices may be accepted on his Altar Isa 56. 4 6 7. Are not these the daies of which it is said Isa 44. 3 4 5. I will poure water on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will poure my Spirit on thy seed and my blessing on thine offspring and they shall spring as among the grass as willows by the water courses One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel I would have as little Covenanting for doubtfull or needless or mutable things in Church or State as is possible but in the great things of our Salvation even the Essence of Christianity we cannot be bound too fast nor deal too understandingly and openly with God Prop. 6. It is not every kind of Profession that is the Condition or necessary qualification of those that are to be admitted to the Priviledges of Adult members but such a Profession as God hath made necessaery by his express Word and by the Nature of the Object and the Vses and Ends to which be doth require it THe Negative is not controverted among us If any were so quarrelsom or ignorant it 's easily proved And I shall do it briefly but satisfactorily in the opening of the Affirmative I have proved in my first Disputation of Right to Sacraments which I desire the Reader that would have further satisfaction to peruse the Necessity of these following Qualifications of this Profession 1. In General as to the Object of our Faith it must be a Profession of true Christianity and no less It must be a Profession of our entertainment both of the Truth of the Gospel and of the Good therein Revealed and offered More particularly it must be a Profession that we believe in God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost as to the Nature persons and works which they have done or undertaken for us Yet more particularly and explicitly It must be a Profession 1. That we Believe in God the Father and so the pure Deity as our Creatour Soveraign and chief Good who gave us the Law of Nature by breaking of which we have lost our selves and all our part in Everlasting Life 2. That we Believe in Jesus Christ God and Man that taking our Nature fulfilled the Law overcame the Devil dyed as a Sacrifice for our sinnes Rose again and conqured death ascened into Heaven where he is Lord of all and the King Prophet and Priest of his Church in Glory with the Father That he hath offered himself with Pardon and Eternal Life to all that will accept him on his terms and that he will come again at last to Raise us from death and judge the world and Justifie his Saints and bring them to Eternal Glory and cast the wicked into utter misery 3. That we Believe in God the Holy Ghost that Inspired the Prophets and Apostles to deliver and confirm the Word of God and who is the Sanctifier of all that shall be saved illuminating their understandings changing their hearts and lives humbling them for their sinne and misery causing them to believe in Christ the Remedie and heartily and thankfully accept him Possessing them with an hearty Love of God and a heavenly mind and a hatred of sinne and Love of Holiness and turning the principal bent of their hearts and lives to the Pleasing of God and the attaining of Eternal Life This much must be believed and the Belief of this much must be somehow Professed 2. As to the Acts of the thing Professed it must be not only the naked Assent of the Understanding but both this Assent that the Gospel is true and a Consent of the Will to take God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost to the forementioned Ends in the forementioned Relations and to give up our selves unfeignedly to him renouncing the flesh the world and the Devil 3. As to the Nature of the Profession it self 1. It must in General be Credible For no man is bound to Believe that which is Incredible The words are the signs of the mind and as such they are to be uttered and received If they be contrary to the mind they are false and

into an Infant or Adult Church-state do joyn themselves into a neer Relation to Christ And will Christ have men married to him and made his children and members and servants without his Approbation of them or against his particular will 2. All that thus come into the Church or are restored and claim Church-priviledges do expect and claime the Benefits of Christ and the greatest benifits in the world And shall any man have Christs great and precious Benefits against his will and without his Approbation It may be you 'l say that he hath already expressed his consent in the free Promise of the Gospel to all believers I Answer He hath so to Believers but he hath done it only to Believers and he hath not said in the Gospel that you are a Believer Object But it 's sufficient that my own Conscience beare me witnes I Answer It is so as to all matters of Conscience that are to be transacted only between God and you as about your Justification and Glorification c. And yet in this case Ministerial Absolution is a great means to help the Peace of your Consciences But where the Minister hath to do with you by Administrations and the Church hath to do with you in the way of Communion there they must know what they do and why and must have some expression of what you say your Conscience testifieth to you And the Consequence of the Major is plain that if it belongs thus to Christ to approve then it belongs to his Ministers 1. Because he appointeth not personally on earth nor useth or approveth any other way to signifie his own Approbation of you in particular for a Church-state and Priviledges 2. Because he hath expresly intrusted his Ministers with this Power as to speak to men in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5. 19. So to espouse them to Christ their husband that we may present them a chast Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. Yea and hereupon they are to give up themselves to the Lord first and to us by the Will of God 2 Cor. 8. 5. Christs Ministers are his Agents or Embassadours as to solicite men in his Name to be Reconciled to him so to Approve them in his Name and tell them that he is Reconciled to them And therefore they are to deliver Himself his Body and Blood in his Name to them in the Lords Supper and to bind and loose in his Name and whatsoever they loose on earth according to his Promise shall be loosed in Heaven So much of his work doth Christ by his Officers And even mens first Faith is a Believing the Preacher and Christ by them Acts 8. 12. They believed Philip preaching c. Arg. 12. To whomsoever the Labour belongeth to them the Power of doing it belongeth But it is to Ministers that the Labour of trying and judging of such Professions and Qualifications belongeth Therefore it is to Ministers that the power belongeth The Major is undoubted for else we must be bound by God to do that which we have no Power or Authority to do and others must have Power to do it and not be bound to it which are both senseless The Minor I prove 1. From the frequent Commands of Scripture that lay this burden on the Ministers but not Magistrates or People in the way that 's now in Question All the directions and Canons which Paul giveth to Timothy Titus to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20. and other Pastours together with the Exhortations to performance and terrible charges given them to be faithfull do shew that it 's they that must do the work 2. From common consent all would have the honour and Power but who besides the Pastours would have the work and care and severe Obligations to perform it Will Magistrates or all the people undertake it to try and judge of the Professions of every man that enters upon Adult Church-membership or Priviledges of such as are to be restored They that will undertake this work must attend it and give themselves wholly to it and conferre with the persons and do so much work as our people would be hardly brought to do if they were able It 's unexperienced Rashness and perversness that makes them so jealous of the Ministers Power in such cases and some of them to reproach us for it Ah blind unthankful Souls Do you know what the Ministry and this Power is It is a power to be the servants of all a power to spend and be spent even for the unthankfull It 's a Power to do the most toylsome and displeasing work to flesh and blood one of them in the world such as flesh calls a very drudgery I profess unfeignedly that i● God had left it to my choice and I should consult with flesh and blood I had rather preach twice or thrice a week for nothing and do no more then to have this Power a duty of judging and governing this one Parish though I had for it many hundred pounds a year Nothing doth bring so much trouble upon us as that Power which unthankfull persons scorn at I had rather if I might consult with flesh and blood be advanced to the Power of holding or driving plow for you if not of sweeping your streets Though yet because of Gods interest and the ends of the work I count it the happiest life in the world And do you grudg us such a Power as this Would you grudg me the Power of threshing your corn Or will you grudg a Physician the Power of judging of your disease and the Remedy to save your life Or a School master the Power of examining and teaching your children Do the work and take the Power if you are able and can go through with it and spare not Arg. 13. It is only the Ministers of Christ that are Able and Capable to receive the Power and do the work and therefore it is they only that have Authority thereto Nothing but the Antecedent needs proofe And that I prove by three several Enablements which Ministers have and others wa●t 1. Ministers only have ability of Mind for the work of this tryal and Approbation Here I speak of them Ordinarily and I have these grounds for it 1. God hath commanded that the most knowing able faithfull holy men shall be destinated to this work 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. c. And therefore it is supposed that usually they are such or else it 's the shame of the Magistrate that should see to it 2. It 's they only that set themselves a part to the work and study from their youth for the accomplishments that are requisite unless here and there one of other sorts And men are likeliest to be understanding in that which they have all their daies set themselves to study 3. We see by experience that they are the most able unless it be alas how few here and there a godly studious Gentleman or other person who are most of them too blame that they

Father so Adam certainly may be well said to have had the Spirit of the Father to enable him with gifts that were answerable to the Law that he was under and the state that he was in But we cannot fitly say that he had that which the Scripture calleth the Spirit of the Sonne as not being under the Administration of the Sonne But after the Promise till the coming of Christ as the Administration was mixt of Law and Promise Nature and Grace as the dawning of the day before Sunne rising doth partake of darkness and of Light so the Spirit that was then given was answerable to the Administration and Doctrine And therefore as there was somewhat of the Gospel in those times though yet God hath not thought it meet to call it at least usually by that name but rather by the name of the Promises and Prophecies of Christ so there was somewhat of the Spirit of Christ though it be not usually so called but when it appeared in some eminent Servants of Christ as the Prophets were in whom the Spirit of Christ is said to have been 1 Pet. 1. 11. Now as it was part of that work ascribed to the Father to send and give the Sonne and to Give men to the Sonne so commonly those Gifts are ascrbed to Him which are cotained in these expressions and are the accomplishment of this work And that not only in the old Testament but in the New and therefore it is called the Giving and the Drawing of the Father by which we are brought to Believe in the Sonne though yet the Grace of Faith is a special Saving Grace and not common to the wicked as the Papists dreame because they find an uneffectual Assent to be common But now as Christ at his coming doth bring to the world a clearer Light and fuller Revelation of Himself and the mysteries of Redemption and bring Life and Immortality to Light in the Gospel and as the rising Sunne dispelleth the remnants of Legal darkness and his Doctrine is fully called The Gospel the Testament of Jesus Christ so answerably he doth by and with this Doctrine give out such a measure of the Spirit to the Church as is Eminently called the Spirit of Jesus Christ Which carryeth us higher then the first Grace of Faith and Repentance to those fuller degrees which were not ordinary no not to the Godly in the time of the Law And as this Spirit of Christ did extrinsecally shine in the Glory of tongues and wonderous works while those were necessary to the Church and Christs service so both then and ever after it doth work but in various degrees for the Sanctifying of believers and conforming their hearts and lives to Christ in his humiliation patience self-denial meekness contempt of the world obedience c. till at last we be conformed to him in his Glory III. I have cleared the second point that there is an Eminent Gift of the Holy Ghost to be expected after our first Believing even such as ceased not with Miracles I now come to the third point which is That Ministerial Prayer with Laying on of hands was the Scripture-way for the giving of this Eminent gift of the Spirit For the understanding of this observe these things 1. How Sacraments and Investing signes conferre Grace 2. How the Spirit is given in Baptisme 3. How far God hath as it were tyed himself to Ordinances for conferring Grace 4. What proof the Scripture yields us of the Proposition 5. What aptitude there is in Ministerial Confirmation for the attainment of these ends 1. We find in Scripture that Sacraments are not appointed nor to be used according to the intent of the instituter for the conferring of that Grace which men have not in any degree already but they are 1. Partly a Solemn Investiture in that which before we had a Fundamental Right to as the Listing of a Souldiour or the solemnization of Marriage after a firm contract the Crowning of a King the delivering possession by a Key a twig or turf the Knighting a man by a sword c. This is as to Relative benefits and Right to Phycal benefits 2. And withal they are by actual excitation of Grace to Increase the Inherent Grace received and so to give us more All this is evident in Baptism it self where we are to receive both Remission of sinnes with right to Everlasting Life and also an increase of Grace in the Adult And yet no man at age is to come to Baptism to require it that is not a Penitent Believer already and consequently that hath not the beginning of special Saving Grace and somewhat of Christ and the Holy Ghost and title to forgiveness and Everlasting Life For he is under the promise that Whoesoever believeth shall not perish but have Everlasting Life and a Papist will grant that the Votum Baptismi may serve to his Sa●vation if he die without it And the case of Infants is the same as to these Mercies which are Necessary to their state of life Their Parents must be Believers before they Dedicate them to God and consequently the Child hath the Covenant right before it is sealed And it is ridiculous in the Papists to damn all Infants for want of Baptism and not the Aged and to make the Votum to serve for the Parent and yet not for his Child when yet the Parents Faith must serve to prove his Title to Baptism it self But to leave these Corrupters and Innovatours we see now what is to be expected by Confirmation Not that men that have no signes of Corroborating Grace should come thither first to receive it but that such as appear Initially Resolved Confirmed and Corroborated may be though not by a full and proper Sacrament yet Ministerially 1. Invested into the state of the Confirmed and their Priviledges which is a higher form in the Schoole of Christ 2. And may receive yet further Confirmation and Corroboration by Gods Approbation and Ordinance 2. But hath not Baptism done all this already seeing we are Baptized into the Name of the Holy Ghost This is our second Point to be resolved I Answer It is a great errour to think that Adult Persons that have nothing of the Holy Ghost may demand Baptism and that Baptism doth not give the Holy Ghost But yet it 's one thing to give the Holy Ghost in Relation and Fundamental Right and another thing to give the Graces of the Spirit and it 's one thing to seale and increase the Initial Special Grace of the Spirit and another thing to Invest in a stablishing degree And so it is evident that Baptism as such is appointed but for the two first That is 1. As we must have some Faith and Repentance before a person at age may come to Baptism and so must have Fundamental Right by promise to Christ and pardon and life so this is sealed in Baptism and we are solemnly Invested in it and our Grace excited for increase But it

upon the duty of Personal instruction I should never have known the state of the people But now we have dealt with them almost all in private personally I shall truly tell you the state of this Parish by which you may conjecture at the rest of the Nation I know not a Congregation in England that hath in it Proportionably so many that fear God and yet our whole Parish consisteth of all these sorts following 1. Among eight hundred Families there are about five hundred persons such as the vulgar call precise that are rated to be serious Professours of Religion or perhaps somewhat more These live in Unity and seem to me to seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and are of as peaceable harmless humble Spirits and as unanimous without inclination to Sects or Ostentation of their parts as any people I know 2. Besides these there are some of competent Knowledg and exterior performances and lives so blameless that we can gather from them no certain Proofe or violent Presumption that they are ungodly or that their Profession is not sincere So many of these joyning with the rest as make about six hundred do own their Church-membership and consent to live under so much of Church-Order and Government as unquestionably belongeth to Presbyters to exercise and to be my Pastoral charge 3. Besides these there are some that are tractable and of willing minds that by their expressions seem to be ignorant of the very Essentials of Christanity which yet I find to have obscure conceptions of the truth when I have condescendingly better searcht them and helped them by my enquiries These also as weak in the Faith we receive 4. Some there are that are of competent understandings and of lives so blameless that we durst not reject them but they hold off themselves because they are taught to question if not to disown our Administrations for all that we give liberty to all that in tollerable things do differ 5. Some there are that are secret Heathens believing with Aristotle that the world was from Eternity making a scorn of Christ and Moses and Heaven and Hell and Scripture and Ministers and all Religion thinking that there is no Devill no Immortality of the Soul or Everlasting Life But this they reveale only in secret to those that they find capable by viciousness unsetledness or any malignity or discontent against the Godly or the Orders of the Church And yet for the hiding of their minds they will hear and urge us to baptize their children and openly make the most Orthodox Confessions and secretly deride it when they have done as I can prove And this is the only differing party among us in Judgment and designe that is in danger of leavening many that God forsaketh 6. many there are that have tollerable knowledg and live in some notorious scandalous sins some in gross Covetuousness and these will not be convinced some in common drunkenness and those will confess their faults and promise amendment a hundred times over and be drunk within a few daies againe and thus have spent the most part of their lives some in as constant ●ipling drinking as great a quantity but bearing it better away some in ordinary swearing cursing ribaldry whoredomes sometimes Many in neglect of all Family-duties and the Lords Day and some in hatefull bitter scorns at Prayer holy Conference Church-Order and holy living and the people that use it sometimes rising up in tumults against the Officers that endeavour to punish a drunkard or Sabboth breaker and rescuing them and seeking the ruine of the Officers 7. Some there are that are of more tractable dispositions but really know not what a Christian is that heare us from day to day yea and some few of them learn the words of the Catechism and yet know not almost any more then the veryest Heathen in America They all confess that we must mend our lives and serve God but they know not that God is Eternal or that Christ is God or that he is man but say he is a Spirit some say neither God nor man some say God and not man some say man and not God abundance say He was man on earth but now He is not Abundance know not what He came to do in the world nor that there is any satifaction made for sinne but what we must make our selves and they tell me they trust to nothing for Pardon and Salvation but Gods Mercy and their good serving him which is only saying every night and morning in bed or as they undress them the Lords Prayer and the Creed for a Prayer and comming to Church They say openly they do not know of any surety that we have or any that hath borne the punishment of our sinne or suffered for us And when I repeat the History of the Incarnation life death and resurrection of Christ to them they stand wondering and say they never heard it before what the Holy Ghost is they know not nor what Sanctification Faith or Justification is nor what Baptism is nor the Lords Supper nor to what use but in general for our Salvation What a Church is they know not nor what is the Office of Pastour or People save only to preach and hear and give and receive the Sacraments If I ask them what Christianity is the best answer is that it is a serving God as well as we can or as God will give us leave So that there is scarce an Article of the Creed or very few that they tolerably understand Nay one of about fourescore yeares of age now dead thought Christ was the Sunne that shineth in the Firmament and the Holy Ghost was the Moone 8. Many there be that joyne this Heathenish ignorance and wicked obstinacy together hating to be instructed scorning to come neer me to be taught and to be told of their sinne when they come They will raile at us bitterly behind our backs if we will not let them have their own will and way about the Sacraments and all Church-affaires but they will not submit to that Teaching that should bring them to know what Christ or Christianity is 9. Some there be that are of tollerable knowledg and no Drunkards nor Whoremongers that the world knoweth of but of more plausible lives and have some formes of Prayer in their families but yet live in idle or tipling company or spend their lives in vanity and hate more a diligent serving of God and heavenly life then the open Drunkars do These make it their work to possess people with a hatred of strict Professours and of our Churches and Administrations and to that end get all the books that are written for admitting all to the Lords Table that they can light of and contrary to the Authors meanings they make them Engines to harden others in their Impiety and hatred of Reformation The like use they make of the Writings of man●y Dissenting Divines about Church-governemnt or

swine should be kept out of the Church and cast out if they be crept in Nothing hath more destroyed that Charitable Community which should be among the members of the Church and that loving and relieving Christ in Church-members then the crowding of such into the place as indeed are Satans members and appeare not capable of that special Love nor are capable of returning it to others 8. This will make easy the Ministers work and free him from abundance of hatred trouble and disadvantage when like a workmans tooles in his shop that all are in their place and so at hand when he should use them so his Hearers are in order and each one lookes but for his portion and none are snatching at our fingers for the Childrens bread that belongs not to them and men be not drawn to hate and raile at Ministers for not fullfiling their desires 9. By this means also the Ordinances will be more purely administred agreeably to their Nature and the Institution And so God will bless them more to his Church and own his people with the fuller discoveries of his presence and take pleasure in the Assemblies and services of his Saints 10. By this means also the Communion of the Saints and the holy Ordinances of God will be abundantly more sweet to his Servants when we have it in the appointed way and it is not imbittered to us by the pollutions of Infidels and notorious ungodly men Though yet I know that in a negligent polluted Church Gods Servants may have their share of comfort in his Ordinances when they have done their own duty for Reformation without success 11. By this means the Church and the Christian Religion will be more honorable in the eyes of the world who judge by the members and professours lives before they can judge of the thing as in it self And as Christ will be thus honoured and the mouths of adversaries of all sorts stopped so it will do much to further their Conversion when they have such a help to see the beauty of the Church and Christian Faith Many more such benefits I would name but that you may gather some of them from what was said of the contrary incommodities Only I adde 13. Lastly it is a way that is admirably suited both to Reformation and Reconciliation to Unity as well as Purity which removeth many of the Impediments that else would trouble us in the way For as all wicked men will agree against it as they will against any holy practice so all parties considerable among us do in their doctrine and professions owne it and it will suit the Principles or the Ends of all that fear God either wholly of very farre I shall here distinctly shew you 1. That the Episcopal 2. Presbyterians 3. Independants 4. Anabaptists 5. Yea and I may put in the Papists themselves have no reason to be against this practice but all of them have great reason to promote it supposing them to be what they are 1. That it is so far agreeable with the Doctrine of the Church of England that our Episcopal party have reason to be for it appeareth 1. By the Rubricke for Confirmation in the Common-Prayer Book which saith as followeth The Curate of every Parish or some other at his appointment shall diligently upon Sundaies and Holydaies halfe an houre before Evening Prayer openly in the Church instruct and examine so many Children of his Parish sent unto him as the time will serve and as he shall think convenient in some part of this Catechism And all Fathers Mothers Masters and Dames shall cause their Children Servants and Prentices which have not learned their Catechism come to the Church at the time appointed and obediently to hear and be ordered by the Curate until such time as they have learned all that is appointed here for them to learn And whensoever the Bishop shall give knowledg for Children to be brought before him to any convenient place for their Confirmation then shall the Curate of every Parish either bring or send in writing the names of all those Children of his Parish which can say the Articles of the Faith the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandements and also how many of them can answer to the other Questions contained in this Catechism And there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion till such time as he can say the Catechism and be Confirmed So that you see we must not admit any but the Confirmed to the Sacrament And I suppose in common reason they will extend this to the Aged as well as unto Children seing ignorance in them is more intollerable And indeed the words themselves exclude the unconfirmed and that cannot say the Catechism from the Sacrament of what age soever 2. And I may take it for granted that it is not bare saying the Catechism that they expect but also a Profession that they owne their Baptismal Covenant to God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost And also that it be a Profession somewhat understood and not barely to say the words which they understand not as a Parot doth And this I prove to be their meaning yea and also that they live a Christian life from the Prayer in Confirmation adjoyned which is this Almighty and Everlasting God who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these thy Servants by water and the Holy Ghost and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sinnes strengthen them we beseech thee O Lord with the Holy Ghost the Comforter and daily increase in them the mani old gifts of Grace the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsell and Ghostly strength the Spirit of Knowledg and true Godliness So that here you see that the Church of England supposeth all those that are to be Confirmed to have already the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of Wisdom Understanding Counsell Knowledg and true Godliness which they beg of God as to an increase only for the Confirmed And sure they do not think that every notorious ungodly man hath the Spirit of true Godliness if he can but say the Catechism or that every ignorant person or Infidel hath the Spirit of Knowledg Wisdom c. as soon as he can speak the words which he understands not And in the following Prayer they say We have laid our hands on them to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them And sure they will not think to Certifie men that know not what Christianity is or that live not Christian lives for this favour of God towards them meerly because they say the words which they do not understand So that if they will but let men understand what they do and make good what is here expressed we are agreed with them that stand for Common-Prayer that such as are unconfirmed be not admitted to the Holy Communion And as for the person Confirming I shall speak to that anon 2. I will next speake of the Papists