A survey of the Survey of that summe of church-discipline penned by Mr. Thomas Hooker ... wherein the way of the churches of N. England is now re-examined ... / by Samuel Rutherfurd ...

CHAP. XXI.

Whether Mr. Hooker doth prove this Conclusion (which Mr. R. never said, nor wrote, nor thought) That Ba∣ptism gives formality, or makes a Member of a visi∣ble Church.

Mr. H. If there be a Church, and so Members before Ba∣ptism, * 1.1 then Baptism cannot give formality; for forma is causal, and before formatum. But the Church now considered as totum essentiale, is before Baptism. For Ministers are before Baptism, else Baptism may be administred lawfully before by such as are not Rulers nor Pastors, which is denied by Orthodox Divines, and none can give a call to Ministers, but onely a Church of be∣lievers. * 1.2

Ans. Its a conclusion not ingenuously forged, as if I made Baptism the specifick form of Membership visible; he ought to have cited my words. By Baptism (I say) we are received so∣lemnly into the visible Church; and Baptism is a seal of our entry into Christs visible Body, as swearing to the colours entreth a Souldier a member to the Army; and, we teach not that Baptism

constituteth the Church visible simply as the Church, its a seal of a visible profession.

I distinguish the simple being of a visible Member actu pri∣mo; such are Infants born within the covenant visibly made to parents, the promise is made to Church-members, Gen. 17. 7. Acts 2. 39. from the solemn entry and admission into the visible Church.

2. I distinguish between simple being of a Member, and actual solemn communion or visible profession: So speaks the re∣nowned * 1.3 Assembly, so Calvin, Bucan, Tilen, Professors of Ley∣den, Beza, Ursine, Tr••l••atius, Pet. Martyr, Iunius, Pareus, Waleus: its a seal for our solemn admission, and solemn in∣graffing and adopting into the visible Church, 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one spirit we are baptized into one body, &c.

1. The conclusion is fancied, and nothing against me, who teach, That Baptism is the door, way and means of our solemn installing into actual communion with the visible teaching Mi∣nisterial Church, (which Arminians and Socinians deny) Ergo, must Baptism be before the Ministers?

2. This fancied homogeneous Church visible of onely belie∣vers, can be no politick Church, and that in ordinary to Christs second coming, which calleth Ministers, for Ministers did ba∣ptize this Church; then must the effect, to wit, called Mini∣sters, be before, and that ordinarily the creating cause, to wit, the Church of believers who made them Ministers, a dream: If this homogeneous Church be a number of unbaptized belie∣vers, (and such Pagans they must be, for Mr. H. saith, They are a born Church, before their fathers Baptizers) then must

unbaptized children (a strange Church) call and give Ministe∣rial being, and that ordinarily, to their fathers, and choose out of their own unbaptized body their own Pastors not yet ba∣ptized: and who baptized these unbaptized? not the unba∣ptized Church, nor themselves. Mr. H. I judge would deny both.

3. As to that, Whether the Church or the Ministery be first, it is sure, Adam and Evah, as men, were before the Word: if * 1.4 any say, They being created according to the Image of God, were created a Church; yet some priority there is of the sub∣ject, before the concreated Law: but sure they were not crea∣ted a visibly professing Church, and therefore the Word, as preached in Paradise by the Lord the first Minister, Gen. 3. 15, 16. must be before Adam and Evah as a visibly professing Church. For, the seed is before the tree, the means before the end, the father before the childe, and so some Ministery, ordi∣nary or extraordinary begetting, there must be, before the Church begotten. Who baptized Iohn Baptist? or if he was at all baptized, is not much. But that the Church in the ordinary way of Christ is before the baptizing and begetting Ministery, is wilde Divinity.

Mr. H. If Baptism cannot be before a Ministerial Church, nor * 1.5 a Ministerial Church before a Congregational Church, which onely can call them to be Ministers; then such a Church is much more before Baptism. For before the coming of some godly zealous Christian and Scholar into a countrey where there are a company of Pagans converted, they may joyn in Church-fellowship, and call this man lawfully according to God, to be their Minister, therefore there is a Church before a Minister, and so before Baptism.

Ans. 1. Mr. H. gives an extraordinary instance of his own devising, without Scripture; and of this he frames a fixed or∣dinary Rule, May not converted Pagans, which onely (saith he) can call Ministers, call this Christian Scholar to be their Minister according to God? No, say we,

1. God never did it, nor is there any Scripture-proof for it.

2. Why doth Mr. H. frame a new instance of his own, and pass by the Lords way? For God sends not private men, or

Christian unofficed Scholars (or if he do, their extraordinary * 1.6 sending makes them publick Pastors and Prophets, not the peo∣ple) but he sent Philip an Evangelist, and after Peter and Iohn to Samaria, Act. 8. Paul to Macedonia, Act. 16. and his own Ministers, Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 4. 14. & 5. 22. Paul and Barnabas, men in office, some more than zealous Christians and Scho∣lars to the Gentiles, Act. 13. Ionah to Niniveh, Ananias to baptize Paul, Jon. 3. Act. 9.

3. Doth not Mr. H. dress up a providence of a Christian Scholar sent to converted Pagans, and must they be made the ordinary and onely Church who can call Ministers? and this Scholar being unbaptized himself, must as the married Pastor in the ordinary way of Christ baptize to his dying day others, and his calling must be null (say our Brethren) except that one∣ly * 1.7 Church call him; and according to the ordinary Rule of Christ, he must be all his life unbaptized (which must be a re∣puting of Baptism, with the Famil••st, a thing indifferent) rather than he own a forreign jurisdiction (as Mr. Lockier speaketh) so as to be baptized by a Pastor of another Church.

Mr. H. If Baptism give the form to visible Membership, then * 1.8 while that remaineth valid, as it doth in excommunicated persons, and when the Church is dissolved, visible Membership must remain; for where the form is, the formatum, the thing having such a form must be also: for, Relata se mutuò ponunt & t••llunt.

Ans. The conclusion is fancied, and nothing against me. 2. There be two things in baptized Members.

1. God is their God, of Egypt and Assyria, fathers and sons under the New Testament, as the Prophecy is, Isa. 2. 1, 2. & 19. 25. & 60. 1, 2, 3. Rev. 11. 15. 2. Infants are holy as the root, 1 Cor. 7. 13, 14. Rom. 11. 16. and it must be cruel divinity to say, That fathers and feed broken off an Independent Church through persecution, and no sin in them, are by the Lord cast out of visible covenanting with God, and from Membership and Church right to the Seals: nor is Baptism any wayes re∣moved.

2. There is the solemnity of admission by Baptism in the excommunicate; this is hurt: but its no more to me the formal cause of Membership, than the ceremony of Coronation, or the

delivery of a Sword, is the specifick form of a King, and of a Major: and therefore all is granted, and Mr. H. proves no∣thing.

M. H. Baptism is but a separable accident to the covenant, its * 1.9 efficacy may be hindered by the unworthy receiver, and yet it re∣mains in its own nature to the excommunicate and dissolved mem∣ber, for the form can never be removed from the thing formed. If to be the eldest son be the formal cause of possession, it could never have been taken away. But to be a well-deserving heir, is that wh••ch gives formality of possession.

Ans. 1. It is a wonder that M. H. cannot find valid argu∣ments to bear a free conclusion. For to me Baptism is not a means of a Church-membership simply, but of a Church-mem∣ber tali modo, that is, of a member conspicuously and solemn∣ly differenced from a Pagan.

2. It is bad Divinity to join the nocent excommunicate man with the innocent dissolved member.

3. It is a naughty argument to prove that Baptism is a separa∣ble accident of the covenant: why? because its efficacy may be hin∣dered by unbelief: for the efficacy of any thing is the actus se∣cundus, the operation of it, not its essence; so he may prove that Christ the essential subject of the Gospel is a separable ac∣cident * 1.10 of the Gospel and covenant of Grace, because both the efficacy of the Gospel and of the Redeemer, by mens unworthi∣ness and unbelief is hindered.

4. He concludes not so much as his own fansied conclusion; to wit, this only, ergo the efficacy of baptism is not the specified form of visible membership; valeat totum: what Dreamer said any such thing? it is sure baptism in fieri, as it is administrate and professed, is the means of the excommunicate mans solemn installing and engaging to be a follower of Christ: and by the scandal that brings on excommunication baptism as professed and as binding is so far hurt as the Covenant-Baptismal is viola∣ted: and if the man be excommunicate for Apostasy, then it is disputable whether Baptism be not quite undone.

5. It is weak moral Philosophy which Mr. H. addeth, that well deserving in an heir gives formality to possession. Well de∣serving gives just and Law-right to possession in the heir: But

he is a weak Lawyer who would so plead; the innocent Tra∣veller believing in God hath due deserving to his own purse, which yet is in the bloody Robbers pocket. Why Mr. H. saith he hath well deserving, which (saith he) is the formal cause of possession, and so he must have possession, for the formal cause cannot be separated from formatum. And so godly David unjustly expelled from his Kingdom for many years, yet deser∣ving well, must have right both to possess his Kingdom, and not possess it, for if he have the formal cause of possession, he must have possession when he is expelled. * 1.11

Mr. H. It shall follow that the Church of Rome is a true Church, for all the members of that Church have true baptism, which is the formal cause of a true Church: but that is false, that that Church is a true Church.

Ans. The conclusion of the connex proposition is nothing against me, who deny Baptism to be the formal cause of Mem∣bership.

2. Such a Baptism that is valid, as touching the substance of the seal, as is in Rome, such a Church according to the Meta∣physick entity and being of a Church, is Rome a Ministerial Church, teaching necessary fundamentals, though darkning and contradicting all; but it is not morally a true Church, but leprose and unclean. See what Iunius, Whitaker, Calvin and Ri∣vetus say hereupon: Mr. H. is far from their sound expressions; if this be true, then to Iezabel and seducing Teachers, who are under the Church-covenant, the formal cause of membership must appertain, and they must be Church-members, and must be tolerate, till they be judicially tried, and censures applyed, so Mr. H. a 1.12 and Church priviledges bestowed on them at the command of Christ. So also Mr. H. b 1.13 So visible non-con∣verts, and swine adorned with Pearls, contrary to Christs com∣mand, Matth. 7. 6. and yet keeping the essential form of visi∣ble Saints, must be visible Converts. Which is a contradi∣ction.

Mr. H. The seal of our incorporation, which is latter and poste∣rior

to the incorporation cannot be the form of it; for the Sacrament is not appointed to make a thing that was not, but to confirm that was; or it doth not give, but confirm grace. But such is Baptism.

Ans. The conclusion is not against me.

2. Observe that Mr. H. sides with Arminians and Socinians, * 1.14 who deny the seals to be exhibitive signs, and make them meer signs: but seals used in faith, both confirm the former grace, and add increase of grace. Baptism seals that union with the visible Church, which was actu primo in Infants, being born fe∣derally holy, Rom. 11. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 14. and is a way and means of one more solemn installing in the visible Church; as the re∣ceiving of the Keys of a Castle, both confirms the covenant of the Princes giving of the Castle to the receiver, and doth more solemnly authorize the man as Captain of the Castle. The like may be said of the press-money received by the souldier, who before had given up his name to the Captain, and that by cove∣nant.

Mr. H. The Church was visible, when there was no seal, neither * 1.15 Circumcision nor Baptism; therefore these do not constitute it, nor any member thereof, Gen. 17 10, 11.

Ans. 1. These five Arguments Mr. H. borrowed from the * 1.16 brethren, but weakened them by an unjust conclusion, which I own not, nor any of our brethren. This argument also is apt to destroy all the seals; for there was a Church of visible rege∣nerate persons, and of such as by faith saw Christs day in Abra∣hams house, Gen. 12. and as yet neither was there Circumcisi∣on, nor Passeover, nor Baptism: will it hence follow, that Bap∣tisme is essentially no seal of regeneration, nor of any covenant or covenant-Grace, because covenant, covenant-grace, visible membership, and all these were before either circumcision or baptism? but sacred signs are seals of graces and priviledges go∣ing before these signs, both in time and nature.

Circumcision so shall essentially be no seal of the covenant, nor of the righteousness of faith, contrary to Gen. 17. 7. Rom. 3. 11. For there was a people visibly in covenant, and Abraham was righteous before that circumcision was instituted. But no∣thing follows, but onely baptism doth not seal our union with Christ, and solemn entry into his Church-visible, until the

Lord institute water and sprinkling therewith, and stamp them by his Divine Authority, to seale these graces and privi∣ledges.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. H. Survey, par. 1. ch, 19. p. 55.
• * 1.2

  Mr. H. without any ground a∣scribeth to Mr. R. that he ma∣keth Baptisme the formal cause of visi∣ble member∣ship.
• * 1.3

  Due Right of Presbyt. par. 2. q. 2. pag. 210. & 211. & 218. Synod at West∣minst. of Great Brit. Conf. c. ••8: p. 58. Ib. Catech. larger p. 137. Calvin advers. Anabaptist. art. 2. Homo in communionem Ecclesiae per baptismum cooptatur. Calv. Instit. lib. 4. c. 15. sect. 15. Est Confessionis nostrae symbolum—••otestamur nos in Ecclesiam Dei ingredi, 1 Cor. 12. 12. Bucan. loc. 47. q. 53. In unum corpus (••o) baptizati sumus, 1 Cor. 12. Tilen. Syntag. disp. 59. th. 4. In familiam patris coelestis cooptati per baptismum. Synops. purior. Theol. disp. 44. th. 34. In Ecclesiam visibilem & particularem insertio. Beza lib. quest. p. 150. Christianos tum à reliquis hominibus sejun∣git, tum inter se quasi unum sub eodem capite corpus consociat, ut Apost. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Pareus in catech. q. 69. ar. 2. pag. 387. Tertius finis, ut sit symbolum ingressus & receptionis in Eccle∣siam, quia Deus omnes Ecclesiae suae cives vult hoc modo recipi. Pet. Mart. com. in Rom. 6. Inferi autem nos visibili Sacramento (Baptismi) in Christum & Ecclesiam declaratur hoc loco.
• * 1.4

  The ministery must be before the church of believers.
• * 1.5

  Par. 1. p. 55, 56
• * 1.6

  Mr. H. his cal∣ling of a Chri∣stian scholar to be an unba∣ptized mini∣ster by unbap∣tized Pagans conve••ted; a supposition that proves nothing.
• * 1.7

  Answer to 32 questions, q. 20. p. 67.
• * 1.8

  Pag 56.
• * 1.9

  Surv••y part. 1. c 7. pag. 74.
• * 1.10

  How Baptism is hurt in the excommuni∣cate.
• * 1.11

  Of the Church of Rome. 3. Arg. pag. 59 Iunius lib. de Eccles. c. 17. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 2. sect. 1. Baptismum De∣us primò illic conservavit fae∣deris testimoni∣um.—Sect. 12. Cum ergo Eccle∣siae titulum non simpliciter vo∣lumus concede∣re Papistis, non ideo Eccles••a: apud eos esse in∣ficiamur. Whitaker Con∣trov. 2. q. 3. c. 2. Rivetus to. 3. tract. 2. q. 7. In corpore agro pe∣ste insecto ad∣huc aliqua ob∣scura Ecclesiae vestigia obser∣vamus, Scrip∣tural cet sulummodo occultata ibi rem insit, item{que} Baptismus, quamvis variis additionibus corrup∣tus, ita ut si aliquid Ecclesiae ibi residuum sit, id fiat ideo quod aliquid de notis nostris ibi supersit.
• a 1.12

  Survey. par. 1. c. 2. pag. 29, 30.
• b 1.13

  Par. 3. c. 3. pag. 11, 12.
• * 1.14

  Mr. H. makes Sacraments meer and na∣ked signs.
• * 1.15

  Arg. 5.
• * 1.16

  Answ. to 32. Quest. Q. 4. pag. 12, 13, 14. Baptisme is a seal of grace and privi∣ledges which were before Baptism was.