The axe laid to the root of separation, or, The churches cause against it by the author who wrote in the late Times for free admission to the Lord's Supper.

SECT. II.

I Proceed now, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to my Argu∣ments. If the common Opinion be re∣ceived, and a Profession of no less than True Grace, or a Regenerate Faith, be the Rule of Admission to the Church and Sacraments; I do not see, in the First place, but we must all give up the Cause of our Mixed Churches (Parochial or National) to the Separatist. They who require such a Profession in the Adult, as necessary to give Right to Church Com∣munion, and do indeed understand themselves, will say, It must be a Profession de praesenti, Serious, Intelligent, Resolved, with whatsoever else is needful to make it Credibly Significant of the Thing they profess; so that the Per∣son Professing must be indeed Regenerate, to be able to Make it, and the Persons that Receive him must look on him as Regenerate, upon his Making it: And what more can be imagined, for the yielding to the Congrega∣tionalist his whole Foundation? It is true, that some will persist, and say, The Independent does require yet more than this Profession;

they require also a Church-Covenant: But this is, in good earnest, to Impose upon them. The Judicious among them will avouch, That let but a Man make his Profession of the Bap∣tismal Covenant, and his Profession be only thus qualified, which Mr. Baxter in his Books still insists upon; and there is nothing Besides, but what on necessity does arise upon a Man's joyning meerly in Society, is, or can be re∣quired of any. It is this Profession individua∣ted into a Particular Congregation, is all they do, and will stand upon; even so under∣stood, so qualified, so explained. But now, such a Profession as this, will they all say, is incompatible with our Parochial, National Churches. There are none can make a Pro∣fession of what they have not. There are but few, here and there, who are Regenerate, and consent Indeed to the Covenant, in the Sense as the Baptismal Covenant is understood. There are but Few that are Elect, in com∣parison of the Multitude of others. And see∣ing there are none but these Few (as I say) are able to make such a Profession, it is They who ought, and must be Gathered out of the rest into their Select Congregations. And what can be offered with more Reason, if this in∣deed were Christ's Rule of Communion? I must, for my part, protest therefore, as one that loves to be plain, and single-hearted; I see not, in good earnest, but either we must come

Off from this Rule, or we must come Over to their Gathered Congregations.

In the Second place: This Opinion does not only fundamentally Yield, but Betray our Cause by a Defence that will stand us in no stead. It defends our Parochial Churches, upon a Sup∣position of what it Would have, not upon a Supposition of What is. It would have us B••p∣tize our Children upon Profession of the Pa∣rents, as in Covenant, with them; and wh••n they come of Age themselves, to be Confir∣med upon their Own; which should be th••n such a one. But as this Use of Confirmati∣on cannot be evidently proved in Scripture, nor A••y at all perhaps, since the Extraord••∣nary Gifts of the Holy Ghost, by the Laying on of Hands, are ceased: So is it more ap∣parent, that our Infants are Baptized in our Parish Churches, upon the Child's Own Pro∣fession, and not the Parents. The Godfathers Make Profession in their Names. And how an Infant can Make a Profession which is Ʋn∣derstanding, Serious, and Credibly Significant, that it Is, or Does, what it Professes; or how any other can make such a Profession de praesenti, for Children in their Names, there are none, who will Speak plain, but must say, they cannot apprehend. And who can yet say, That such a Profession as is supposed, is required by the Bishops of the Confirmed; or

lookt after as any such Test of Christianity, in our Days?

In the Third place: The Going this way hath cast a vile Slander on the Catholick, Na∣tional, Parochial Churches; as if They were but a Company of Hypocrites, mixt with a few of the Elect and Regenerate among them. It is their Submission only to this Rule, makes the Ʋnregenerate to be Hypocrites. A Man were no Hypocrite to come to Church, and joyn with the Congregation for Conversion: But if he must Profess, that he is Converted before his Coming, and he be Not, then is he made a Liar, a Dissembl••r, and Hypocrite in∣deed. If it were not ordinary in the Mouths of Divines, but the Language only of Two or Three that speak thus, it would be a most hateful, opprobrious kind of speaking, to call every Ʋnregenerate Christian and Hypocrite. I will not be one therefore that chuse to Speak or Ʋnderstand thus, that the Church consists of the Regenerate and Hypocrites; but of the Converted, and those that are in the Way to it.

In the Fourth place: This Rule, unless it be stated after the Congregational manner, will not answer the End unto which it is design∣ed. A Profession is not required as a Duty for it Self, but for the Admitters; that sup∣posing

none may be of the Church but the Regenerate, this Profession of Regeneration does make the Party to be reputed to be Such, whether he be or not; and consequently, to be Admitted. Now, it is not sufficient to this end, that a Profession be Credible only, or Cre∣dibly Significant only of that which is Profes∣sed, unless it be Credited. I cannot report a Story for True, let it be never so credible, unless I my self do Credit it: It is but a Lie else. In like manner, although a Man's Profession be never so Credible, yet if it be not more than Credible, that is, unless it be also Credited, the Church cannot account or Re∣pute the Professor to be what he professes, be∣cause our Account and Repute of things must be according to what we Think; or else our Account and Repute is a Lie In us, as their Profession is In them that are Hypocrites. You will say, It is our Duty, when they Profess, to Believe them, unless we can Disprove them. I Answer, It is true; yet if the Church does not Believe them, they cannot Account them Regenerate, and receive them for Such as they do not think them, whether they ought, or no. And unto This there is nothing to be Answered substantially, but by the Congrega∣tional Men; who will say, That they leave not this Business on the Judgment of the Single Minister, but on the Whole Society; and they require the Profession to be such as gives the

Major Part Satisfaction: So that it is upon a Profession Credited, and upon a Real Belief of Man's being what he Professes, that he is Adm••tted. And this is to make something of the Rule in earnest. For to what purpose should there be any Pro••ession at all, if it be less than what is Satisfactory as to the End of it? Especially, considering that upon Pro∣fession of the Party, it is not the Pastor on∣ly, but the Whole Society is concern'd to re∣ceive him as a B••other; and which requires Offices from th••m in that Relation. Blame not this Pr••••eding then of Tyranny. If this be the Rule, h••re is nothing that is too Strict, but Careful and Prud••••t: If it be not, it is not their Proceeding; it is the Rule it self is in s••••lt only. And truly, when we find in Scripture, that the Keys are given by Christ to Peter, and the Ministers, but not to the People, the Rul•• ••nd their Practice must be as good as one anoth••r.

In the Fifth place: It is manifest, th••t Pe∣ter Baptized the Gentiles, in the Tenth of the Acts, upon another Ground than This. If This were the Rule of Admission appointed by Christ for his Ch••rch, St. Peter Would not, or Could not have Baptized any upon Another Ground. But we read, upon the Falling of the Holy Ghost upon those that were met in Cornelius's Ho••se, they were Baptized by the Apostle,

Where I must add, That it need not be told likewise, that the Gi••ts of the Holy Ghost in those Dayes, which were speaking with Tongues, and the like, were not Commensur••te with the R••generate only.

In the Sixth place: If this Rule be follow∣ed, which, if it were Christ's, it ought to be, it must bring all People in our Mix•• Churches, and so in the whole Nation, to this Profes∣sion. Which is a thing, that if it were re∣quired by a Law, would prove (I take it) one of the most Abhorrent Impositions, and Pro∣fanation of Religion, that could be in the Earth. It is not possible, I think, that any that loves Sincerity, could endure such a Piece of For∣mality, and a Lie. Nay, what Heart would not be ready to tremble, to have Religion made to signifie so little, and so many be hardened to Death by it? Let us suppose such a Customary Ʋsage taken up, who is there would refuse their Submission? Not the Ig∣no••ant or Prophane, not the Secure and Pre∣sumptuous; or any of Those who indeed make no Regard of Conscience or Rel••gion at all. These will all make no more question to say, That they take Christ to be their Lord, as well as Saviour, and the Spirit to be their Sanctifier, and that they unfeignedly Repent of all their Sins; than they do to Answer to the Minister at their Neighbor's Child's Bap∣tism,

That they forsake the Devil, the Flesh, and the World; not knowing whether it be in their Own, or the Child's Name. It is only the Serious, the Tender, the Humble and Exa∣mining Christian would make a Stand. And not without Reason; for I cannot say, that it is given to the State of God's Children in this Life, that they should have ordinarily such an Assured Perswasion of their Sincerity and Grace, as such a Profession comes to; but that they must depend upon God rather with Hope and Awe, as their Helper and Judge. And what a goodly Rule would this be, when those that are most forward to observe it, would be most fit to be Rejected; and those that are most backward, the fittest for Ad∣mission? That is, when if it were practised quite contrary, the Conscience would have more Peace in it, and the End it self be bet∣ter Attai••ed.

In the Seventh place: If this indeed were a Rule of the Holy Ghost's Appointment for the keeping the Church pure, and preserving Christ's Honor in his Ordinances, as some will have it; I should have expected a Record of some Signal Instances in several Places, at least in the Tim••s of the Apostles, of certain Per∣sons Struck Dead, as Ananias and Saphira was, at their daring to offer themselves unto Bap∣tism, or coming in to the Church while they

were Hypocrites: For a Man who lives in his known Sin, and resolves to go on in it, to come and make a Profession, that he con∣••ents to the Baptismal Covenant, which he ••nows in his Conscience is most Flase, and that in the Face of God, and the Congrega∣••ion; if it were indeed the Rule too of the Holy Ghost, that no Ʋnregenerate Man, upon ••his Reason, should offer to come; what were ••t but a Lie, as palpably and directly against ••he Holy Ghost; and more proper, in regard ••f our more lasting Future Concern, for such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Judgment, than that of those Persons re∣••aining Part of their Possession, when they ••rought in the Other Part of it? But we ••ead of none made such Examples; no, nor ••f the least Discouragement offered to any a∣••out their Coming-in to Christianity.

In the Eighth place: This is a Rule that ••••ts the Conscience so much on the Rack, that ••od forbid, it should be His. If Truth of ••••ace be required as necessary to the Ordi∣••ances themselves, as well as to the Receiving ••••e Benefits, or to Salvation, then how shall ••••e Admitters act in Faith, that cannot know ••hether any have the Truth of Grace, or no? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you say, He must go by their Profession, I ••••st say again, But what if it be Short? ••hat if he Believes it not? And what shall ••e do mainly about the Baptizing Infants,

when the Child it self cannot, and the Paren•• does not Make that Profession? Here is the Minister at a plain loss, and the People a•••• at a great deal worse; when there is no•• Christian, upon this Account, who is in doubt of his Grace, can come in Faith, according to the R••l••, nor without danger of a L•••• in such a Profession. As for the terms of G•••••• Conventional Government, those he Knows 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Yi••lds to; and it is that indeed gives hi•• Right to the Ordinances, which are the In∣stitutions thereof: But when he is in qu•••••• about the term; of the Covenant of Life, o•• his Right to the Saving Benefits, it is not s•• easie a thing for every good Man to b•• perswaded in his Mind, as he ought, in th•••• Matter.

In the Ninth place: As for the Covenan•• which is so much stood upon, in regard t•• the Profession thereof at Baptism, understand∣ing by it on God's Part, his Grant of Pa••∣don and Life upon our Faith and Repentan•• through the Mediation and Merits of Chri•••• Promulgated by the Gospel, and Sealed by t•••• Sacraments; and on Our Part, an Accept•••••• on those Terms, (which, as always our Duty is required at our Entrance in the Church, b•••• not made the Condition of our Coming, as th•• Reader must see more both before and after) I distinguish: The Covenant may be consider••••

in the Internal, and the External Administra∣••ion. Consent to the Covenant puts a Man in ••ovenant, as the Consent of the Man and Wo∣••an makes the Marriage. Consent to the Co∣••••nant in the Inward Administration of the Spi∣••••t and Grace, gives Men Right, or puts Men ••••to Inward Fellowship with Christ, and his ••hurch, in the Saving Benefits of the Covenant. ••onsent to the Covenant in the External Ad∣••inistration, gives them Right to, or puts them ••••to, External Covenant Relation. This Con∣••••••t I define by the Acknowledgment of the ••rue Religion, in opposition to all oth••r, and ••illingness to come in to the Church, and joyn 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Ordinances; to the end a Man may ••••tain Grace, if he yet hath it not, in the ••••se of God's Means, and purpose to walk as ••her Christians, so as not to do any thing ••hereby he shall deserve to be cast out again 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their Society; and will submit to the Cen∣••••re of the Church, if he do. This is the ••ll which is contained in that Consent, which ••••ts a Man into External Covenant Relation, ••••d suffices to Church-Communion.

In the Tenth place: There is one thing ••ore will go to the Root of the Matter. It ••••d be granted, that He who consents to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christian upon the Term, of the Covenant, must received into the Church. Now, there are ••wo Parts, the Promissory, and Comminatory

Part of the Covenant. No Man Consents with Understanding to the Covenant, but he do••s and must Consent to Both Parts of it. I as∣sume then, that he that Consents but to th•• Covenant, so as to be dealt with by God ac∣cording to Either Part of it, as he shall, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall not perf••••m the Condition, is one th•• Consents to be a Christian upon the Terms the Covenant. I add moreover: So long 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it is not a Consenting Absolutely, but a C••••∣senting thus in the Way of Covenant, or ••••∣on Terms, which is (I say) to be dealt w•••• by God according to his Performance; th•••• needs no more Sweat to be spent, in sh••••∣ing how the Ʋn••••generate, as well as the ••••∣generate, may Enter Covenant, though it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 One of them only that Keep Covenant wi•••• Him.

In the Eleventh place: I am a little s••••∣sible, how in these Two latter Argument•• speak rather after Others, than my Own p••∣per Terms and Sentiments. When Per•••••• come to Baptism, or to the Sacrament, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Divines do still press upon them the Duty Entring or Renewing th••ir Covenant with G•••• and though they understand by it the C••••••∣nant of Life, which belongs to God's N••••••∣ral Government, which is Ʋniversal; and th•• Duty consequently, which they press, is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Peculiar therefore to the Church, or Sa••••••∣ments,

but belongs to all the World, to eve∣ry Man, and to all Times, whether he ever Enter into any Church-Society, or be Baptized, or not, (for upon this Act does depend the Saving or Perishing of every Man's Soul for ever) and upon this Account, that it is in∣cumbent upon All, and at all Times, they do well to press it upon the Baptized, and on the Communicant, they having at such times so apt an Occasion for it: Yet if they press it so far, as if no Person but such as have actually Performed that Duty, or do actually Perform it at present, and Testifie it, must be held Admittable into the Church, or to be Baptized, it is time for me to mind them; that when a Person comes to Enter into the Church, or a Church-State, whether that of the Jew formerly, and now the Christian, he Did, he Does not, come directly to give up himself to be a Subject unto God's Natural Government, under which every Man in the Earth is Born, and ought to devote himself to his Governor, from the Beginning of his Life to the End of it: But to be a Subject of his Conventional Government, which he was not till now; or a Subject of that Kingdom, which Christ hath set up by the Gospel since his Com∣ing, over the whole World, being till He came, Peculiar to the Jews, as I have described the same before. So that, to be consonant to my Premisses, I must say, If it were the Cove∣nant

of Life that Men were immediately En∣tred into, by their Rec••ption into the Church, (understand me, if it were so ex prima inten∣tione Instituti) Reason would, that they should bear with the Minister, if he required of them a Saving Faith, a Sound Repentance, and the Testimony of a Holy Life, to admit them to the intended Benefits: But when it is into the Covenant of Peculiarity that he directly Enters them, or Church-State, in order to Life, when they come in, and are Baptized, the Matter is oth••rwise; and the Difficulties, which others make about the Covenant, in Their Sense which I obviate, do blow off without other Help. I know, till Camero wrote de Triplici Foedere, our Divines usually speak only of a Twofold Covenant; and, besides that of Works, acknowledge but One of Grace, and no more, though Diversly Administred to A∣dam fallen, North, Abraham, the Israelites, and Ʋs under the Gospel. And if any shall choose to speak after Them, they may; and yet not differ with Me in the Matter, so long as they distinguish of the Internal and Ex∣ternal Oeconomy thereof, (which I have pur∣posely dropt before) for they may say the same things of the External Oeconomy of the Covenant of Grace, as I say of the Covenant of Advantage. Only they must beware, that by External Covenanting, they understand not with some a Covenanting by Profession; con∣ceiving

that a Man making the same Profes∣sion as the Regenerate make, (or professing the same Faith, Repentance, as the Regenerate have) he is from this Profession to be Repu∣ted in Covenant, as the Regenerate is; which b••ing not made from the Hea••t, but in To••gue, they call External Covenanti••g; by which Sense th••y pervert the Diff••••••••••••, and de∣prive us of the Ʋse of it: Whereas by the External Administration, or Oeconomy of the Covenant, I mean the Ordinances wherein it is Administred; and I do suppose a real Con∣sent to it, so far as to come under that Oe∣conomy, or that a Man Really is Willing to come into the Church, and joyn Orderly in God's Publick Worship, though he be short other∣wise in his Obedience to God. And this Con∣sent to the Covenant, in the External Oecono∣my, I have before defined, and must add This to it; That if the Church or Minister should indeed require such a Declaration as That, of every Man whom he admit•• to Church-Socie∣ty, I think it were proper and warrantable, provided it be not Imposed but only in the Matter, leaving Men Free to their own Ex∣pressions. Not that when I signifie this for Peace-sake, I do any ways Desert the thing I am doing; that is, the Opening and Distin∣guishing the Covenant and Government of God, which is so necessary to the Clearing our Cause, and so evident in Scripture and Rea∣son.

For how shall that Government of God which is Ʋniversal, (and Covenant appertain∣ing to it) be the Same with That which was Peculiar only to the Jews? It cannot be. How shall the Covenant of Grace, in reference where∣unto it is said, All shall know God, from the least to the greatest, (as belonging to all Man∣kind) be made Another Covenant from That which God struck with the Israelites, if they were both the Same? How shall it be said, Not according to that Covenant, if they were but One? And how shall all the Jews be said now to be Broken off from their Covenant, or from their own Olive, which is their Church-State, or God's Peculiar Kingdom over them, if it were meant of that Covenant, or King∣dom of God, which is Ʋniversal, or out of which Government none can be? Nay, how shall we say, That any Israelite once in the Covenant of Life, can be again Broken off? This cannot be said, I know, without Dis∣pute: But how the Jews in their Rejection, or Ʋnbelief of Christ, were broken off That Kingdom, which God before had over them as a Peculiar People, appears plain. For God having given up this Kingdom to Christ, He expects that the Jews (as all other Men) should come in, and give the same Faith and Alle∣giance to his Son, as they did by their Co∣venant give before to Him. Ye believe in God, (says Christ) believe also in Me. But these

Jews, rejecting the Gospel, and refusing to be Baptized in his Name, do, as it were, open∣ly say, We will not have this Man rule over us; and so are these Children of the Kingdom cast out, and the Gentiles that receive Him, Grasted in. And so long as it is that Olive, Covenant, Kingdom or Church-State, wherein the Ʋnregenerate (if Such as may be cast out) are, or may be, let Men have but such a Faith as makes them Willing, and such a Life as is free from Scandal, that would turn them Out of the Church again, if they were In; or make a Confession of their Sin, (with pro∣fessing their Repentance, if it be notorious) this is sufficient to their Admittance upon the Account thereof: For what is the Advan∣tage, Priviledge or Benefit of this Covenant, Olive, or Church-State, but the Enjoyment on∣ly of the Ordinances, which are the Means for the Bringing People up to the Terms of the Covenant of Life, if they have not En∣tred the same already, as well as to Confirm them in it, if they Have?

In the Twelfth place: This Rule is not a∣greeable to those many Glorious Texts, and Prophecies of the Times of the Gospel, which we read in Scripture. When the Heathen, the Gentiles, the Nations, the Isles, the Ʋtmost Ends of the Earth, Kindreds, People, from the Rising of the Sun to the Going down thereof, are to

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be brought into the Church, or Christ's King∣dom; it is not to be imagin'd, that it is Christ's Will and Appointment, that none but the Re∣generate should Come in, and none but such as Can make such a Profession should be Admit∣ted. When the Prophets tell us of Kings and Queens becoming Nursing-Fathers and Nur∣sing-Mothers, in regard, I count, of bringing their People ••••••o, and upholding them In, the Christian Religion; How does the Select∣ing a few People out of other Christians, to be here and there a Gathered Congregation, a∣gree with such Prophecies? I pray, turn to these Texts: Isa. 52.15. & 55.5. & 60.3. Isa. 42.4, 10. & 49.7, 23. Psal. 2.8. & 22. ••7. Ae••h. 2.11. & 9.10. Mal. 1.11. Matth. 21.13. & 28.19. Rom. 11.15. Revel. 11.15. and let the Reader make his own farther Im∣provement. How is it for the Honor of our Lord, to paucifie his Subjects, and narrow his Dominions? When to be a Christian, and Pro∣fess it, was indeed certain Death and Mar∣tyrdom; it is no wonder, if the Entrance was by a Renunciation of the World: But Profes∣sion now is not a thing so dear, nor is it the Will of our Good Lord, to call us to so much Cost. And This, I count, hath been hid from the Independent, that he could never yet (so wise as he is) Frame his Church, but accord∣ing to the Times of the First Calling of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and not according to the Fulness of

them Come in: That is, according to the Times of Nero and Dioclesian, and not those of Con∣stantine; which makes him shrivel it up into its First Beginnings. I do yet wonder, how These Men can read the Parable of the King, that makes a Marriage for his Son; how Se∣rious, and in Earnest he is to have his House to be Filled, (so that not only the Streets and Lanes in the City are searched for the Poor, the Halt, and the Blind, but the Hedges, and the High ways, for all they Can get) and their Hearts not Relent at their own Practice? Is the Kingdom of Heaven (which is the Church) to be likened to their Gleanings? O what a blessed thing would it have been thought by Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Origen, Cle∣mens, Tertullian, Cyprian, if they might have enjoyed the Times we do; when the Chief Magistrate, and all the People can Ʋnite, and Meet in the Service of the Same God, and the True Religion! And is this the Fruit of our Thankfulness, that the Largeness of God's Good∣ness, and Facility of our Assemblings, should make us the more Scanty, and Willing to be reduced to the Model of those Primitive Per∣secutions?

In the Thirteenth place: Let us suppose up∣on this, the Gospel Preached to a Country, a Kingdom, a Nation; and the Prince thereof and many of his Nobles, and Multitudes of the

People, convinced of the Evil of their Idola∣try, or Falsness, Wickedness, and Delusion of the Religion they profess; who therefore are Willing to become Christians, and Desire to be Baptized: Suppose the Ministers that have Preached to them, should consider, that if they should immediately press upon them the Great Duties of Christ's Disciples, Self-denyal and Mor∣tification, (which would be putting New Wine into Old Bottles) and tell them accordingly, That they must not only Forsake their False Religion, but every Lust, Prosit or Pl••asure that is S••••••ul, or else they can neither be Saved or Baptized: If they should proceed in Faith∣fulness, and rip up all their Ill Customs and Practices, wherein they place the Delight of their Lives at present; and let them know, that they must come to a Perfect Resolution never to use them any more while they live, or else they will not Admit them to Baptism: If they fore-see, upon this, that the Prince, and the Great Ones will never Consent to it, but Go off, and so Carry the People along with them; I would fain know of any Man that is wise, and can be concern'd about the Thought of such a Case, what he would do in it? Whether he would not rather follow Christ's Rule, which is to make them Dis∣ciples by Baptizing them; and then Instruct them further, by little and little, as they could pear it, in what Christ hath commanded

them. It is no Scruple to a good Man, in the Case where we are all Christians, and Bap∣tized in our Infancy, to suppose no Hurt in it to stand here upon a Profession, as Strict as this, to be the Rule of Admission: But if his Practice should answer his Disputation in such a Case, (or the like) as now mentioned, and he thereby should be a Cause or Occa∣sion of hindring Christ, his Lord, of so ma∣ny Subjects, nay, of the Apostasie of a whole Country that were Coming-in to Him, and of the Loss of Salvation to their Posterity, whereof they would have been under the Means, if their Parents had been Baptized; I see little Reason for him to be Stiff in such an Opinion. For my part, if any Person or Persons among us, whose Parents being A∣nabaptists, are grown up, and not yet Baptized, should desire Baptism of me, I do think I should be apt to tell him of his Duty; that he should first sit down, and cast up his Accounts, what Christianity will cost him, and to Build wisely; nay, if he seem'd Remiss in Self-Exa∣mination, I should be like to Advise him to Forbear a while yet, till he were better Fitted for his Baptism: But if I should find, that by this means he were like to go Away, and mind his being Baptized no more, and per∣haps to fall in with some Sect that is against Water-Baptism, or to a Regardlesness of his Duty, of Walking with any in Christian Com∣munion,

being not capable of it till This is done; nay, if I should but be Convinced, that I should do him more Hurt than Good by Putting him off, I should beware of Refusing him, (supposing he hath a Competent Ʋnder∣standing of the Creed, and no Scandal lies up∣on him) for want of Signs of Regeneration. I cannot but think the Bringing Men into the Church, rather than their Abiding out, to be the Means of Saving Conversion.

In the Last place: It does appear, that the Lord Jesus, since the Jews Partition-Wall is Broken down, and the Gentiles Called, hath given his Ordinances to the World, as God gave his Statutes to Israel. Go Preach the Gospel to all Nations, to Every Creature, Bap∣tizing them. Here is the Gospel and Baptism, which are Two of his chief Ordinances, (and which, consequently, draws on the rest) vouchsafed unto the whole Earth; and who∣soever will Receive them, the Apostles are com∣missionated to Administer them without any Exception; their Actual Interest depending only upon That. Under the Old Testament we know how God's Institutions were so much the Priviledge and Peculiarity of the Jews, that the Apostles were at first very doubtful, whe∣ther they might Preach to Any but that Na∣tion: But now is that Difference decided, the Gentiles Engrafted into their Olive, and the Or∣dinances

of the Kingdom made common by Christ's own Charter. This is the Fruit of General Grace, bringing Salvation to every Man's Door, and leaving it upon their own Will. It is true indeed, before a Man Believes, he cannot be Willing; but a Willingness to Come in after the Gospel Heard, supposes a Belief of it so far, at least, as That reaches; and if it reaches no farther than to produce a Willingness to Be of the Church, and to Joyn in the Ordinances, so Far as he Will, accord∣ing to God's General Grace, he must be Ad∣mitted. We do read accordingly of John the Baptist, when Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and the Region round about Jordan, came to Him for Baptism, He Baptizes all Comers. It is said indeed, They confessed their Sins; but I read not of any He Refused, whatsoever Confessi∣on they Made: Nor do I read what Con∣fession it was that served. It may be, this Confession is recorded in regard only of the Notoriety of some Sinners, that came in to Him. We read certainly, that He Admo∣nished them after Baptism, to Bring forth the Fruits of Repentance, as the Ʋse of that Or∣dinance, I conceive it: and consonantly, we read not, that it is said, They Repented unto Baptism; but, They were Baptized unto Repen∣tance: And I do apprehend truly, that his Ministry is called, a Ministry of Repentance, in this Sense; to wit, as intended to lead Men

to Repentance, and not to Gather the Peni∣tent alone into a Corporation. I think the same of the Apostles afterward, in their Discipling all Nations; who when they are Discipled and Baptized, were to be taught to Do what Christ commanded, as I before noted. And what are Those things, think we? I have thought sometimes, that those Commands sure must be, or were, some peculiar Ordinances after Baptism, belonging only to the Regene∣rate; but it was a narrow Apprehension. The Commands of Christ, in this Text, are but the same (likely) with Those, where He says, If you love Me, keep my Commandments; and those are the Ʋniversal Precepts of God, which ac∣cording to the Law of Nature, and Christ's Law, are obligatory both to the Disciples, and all the World.

Let us look forward into the Acts, and we find Peter Preaching a Sermon, and Exhorting them to Baptism; and Three thousand receive the Word gladly at one Time, and are Baptized. I observe here, that it is this Glad Receiving the Word, which so far as comes to Human Sight, can be only their being so Wrought upon by it, as to be Willing to come in, was the Ground of their Admission. If there were such a Profession necessary to Baptism, as the Congregationalists stand upon, a solemn exa∣mined Profession, how could so many be Ad∣mitted into the Church, in one Day, after Ser∣mon?

How could the Jaylor, and his House be Baptized in one and the Same Hour? We have yet an Instance in Philip, that exceeds This; who Preaching to those in Samaria, it is said, They All, who had gave heed be∣fore to Simon, that is, even the whole City, Believed, and were Baptized, both Men and Women. And what was this Faith now of Simon, and his Followers, as I have also before enquired? Why, it is expressed; They believed Philip preaching the things concerning the King∣dom of God, and the Name of the Lord Jesus: That is, they believed Him, and These things so, as to be made Willing to come in upon his Preaching; and this Willingness upon such a Belief as Simon's was, or as this Whole City had at once, is that which gives them Title to Baptism. As for the Words of the same Philip to the Eunuch, at the End of the Chap∣ter, If thou believest with all thy Heart; which is as much as to say, If thou believest in Ear∣nest, so as Indeed to be Willing to be Bapti∣zed, Thou mayst: They must be conceived as spoken in reference to the Receiver, or the Eunuch's own Part; unto whom the Belief of so much as he Declared, to wit, That Christ was the Son of God, must indeed be neces∣sary, seeing it is into His Name we are Bap∣tized: When as to the Part of the Admitter, or Philip himself, it is the Eunuch's Willing∣ness upon his Preaching Christ to him, (which

would suppose such a Belief as This, if he had not proposed the Question which came to oc∣casion that Profession) as it was before with them of Samaria, that would warrant his Ad∣ministring the Ordinance. Neither may the questioning of a Person, in the Case of this Æthiopian, whether he be In Earnest, and Be∣lieves Indeed; or of some Notorious Sinner, in the Case of such as came to the Baptist, whe∣ther they do Repent, or no? be any Obstacle to this Conclusion; but that, notwithstanding so much as This, the Willingness of a Person after Christ is Preached to him, (which sup∣poses his Belief of what is Preached, and that the Minister knows not of any open Sin he lives in, which would cast him out of the Church again if he were in) is to be maintained up∣on the Account of God's General Grace at first defined, to be the ••round of Church-Admis∣sion.

Before I conclude these Arguments or Con∣siderations of mine, which I bring against the common Doctrine; choosing hitherto such mainly as have arose in my Thoughts de Pro∣prio, and aiming at making the Quomodo of what I A••gue, to appear more than the Quod sit, which lookt to me obvious, whereof se∣veral therefore are but Topical Arguments; I must not omit yet what is insisted on by O∣thers; which, as for the Proof of That, is,

I account, even Demonstration. If the Church of God or Christ does, according to the In∣tention of the Institutor, consist of the Rege∣nerate and Ʋnregenerate, then must that Do∣ctrine, which requires no less than a Saving Faith, or Regenerating Grace, and the Profes∣sion thereof as necessary to Church-Member∣ship or Baptism, be untrue, and urged upon us no longer; for it is a Contradiction. But now, that the Church, or Kingdom of God and Christ does consist in the Intention of the Institutor of Such, let us look over the whole Scriptures relating to the Church, both of the Old, and of the New Testament, and all the particular Churches in the World ever since, and the Evidence does prove even Ocular and Palpable. In Abraham, we know, the Jews Church began; and it pleased God, for his extraordinary Faith, and upright Life, to give him a Seed by way of a Blessing, and to mul∣tiply that Seed into a Nation; and then to take them, for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob's sake, into his Pr••••••i••••n, to do W••nders for them, and become a God to them in a Pecu∣liar manner, (as before I have been speak∣ing) above all the Earth. Hereupon He gives them his Oracles, and appoints them to en∣ter Covenant with Him for Themselves, and their Posterity; who, as being of the Seed of Abraham, were All to be Circumcised, whe∣ther their next Parents were Ʋnregenerate or

Regenerate: And this was God's Token, (Gen. 17.11.) Badge or Mark upon them, as his People; and so they continued from Genera∣tion to Generation: and all according to God's own Appointment. Here is the Church of the Jews, every one of them being Members of it by their Natural, not New Birth, through the whole Old Testament. Turn we then to the New: The Lord Jesus sends forth his Apostles to Teach and Baptize all Nations: When any Come in, they Baptize them, and their Families: When Kingdoms come in, the Children of Nations are Baptized, and their Childrens Children After them. Thus hath it been in Our Kingdom: And as they were of old Jews by Nature, Gal. 2.15. so are we now Born Christians. And do not our Protestants generally own Infant-Baptism, and their Church-Membership, as the Ground of it? Do they not own our Publick Churches for True Churches, and plead for them against those that Separate from us? Nay, do they not own the Baptizing our Children to be ac∣cording to Divine Appointment? Now, how they should come then Not to see the Church of Christ under the Gospel, together with the Church of the Jews under the Law, to be Con∣stituted of the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Regenerate, and that ex intentione Ordinantis; unless really, as our Proverb has it, they Cannot see Wood for Trees, I do admire.

It is evident, that Saving Grace was no Birth-Priviledge among the Jews, Rom. 9.8. Gal. 3.29. And we Christians have no other Charter for Baptizing Our Children, than the Jews for Circumcising Theirs. The Right which Infants have, must be founded in Covenant-Relation to God, by vertue of their Parents; and that not as Regenerate and Elect, it is plain, but only as of the Church, or King∣dom of God; and so his People, Rom. 2.25. & 3.9. Rom. 11.26. Gal. 2.15. 1 Cor. 7.14. If Mystical Membership only gives them Right, then besides what is signified but now, That no Children but those of Godly Parents might be Circumcised and Baptized, which is quite contrary to the Course of Scripture and Example; the Children of Godly Parents, who have the Right, must be born in a State of Grace, and not (as Others) in a State of Na∣ture: And how then can the Apostle say of all, that We are by Nature the Children of Wrath, even as others, Ephes. 2.3?

Look again. Under the Old Testament the Body of Israel are God's Church, Act. 7.37, the Congregation of the Lord, Num. 31.16. All of them Holy, Num. 16.3. A Holy Peo∣ple, a Special People, Deut. 7.6. A Chosen, a Loved People, Vers. 7, 8. & 14.2, 21. A Congregation of Saints, Psal. 149.1. God's In∣heritance, Deut. 9.26. Joel 2.17. He was the Lord their God, Exod. 20.2. They his Own,

John 1.11. God's People, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Exod. 33.13. His Servants, Lev. 25.42. Deut. 32.36. His Sons, Vers. 19. Hos. 11.1. His Por∣tion, Deut. 32.8, 9. His Peculiar Treasure, Psal. 135.4. Nevertheless, let us now but see what these People of God and Church in∣deed were, and we shall find the Generality visibly wicked, Act. 7.39. Not Knowing their Owner, when He fed them, Isa. 1.3. Dis∣obedient, while He Stretches his Hand out to them, Rom. 10.21. Stiff-necked, Exod. 32.9. Murmurers, Num. 14.27. Rebels, Num. 20.10. Isa. 1.2. Idolatrous, Adulterous, Men of Blood, Profaners of God's Sanctuary and Sabbaths; when yet, in regard to their Church-State, their Children are said to be Born to God, Ezek. 23.37, 38, 39. Sacrificers to De∣vils, and Provoking the Lord to Jealousie, when He owns them for Sons and Daughters, Deut. 32. Vers. 29. with 16.17. A Seed of Evil-Doers, corrupted all over, Isa. 1.6. Who Forsook God, Vers. 4. Waxed fat, and kicked, Deut. 32.15. And therefore, for their ma∣nifold and continual Iniquities, were Destroy∣ed, 1 Cor. 10.10. Num. 14.32. 2 Chron. 36.14, 15, 16. To trace these Jews yet farther, would be endless: I will content. my self with this one Text only more; where it is said, That All the House of Israel were Ʋn∣circumcised in Heart, (as other Nations in the Flesh) and that is, questionless, all one with

Ʋnregenerate Persons, Jer. 9.26. Now, if the Generality of the Jews were Such, their have we proved, (unless you will answer some∣thing as absurd, I say, as to deny, that Trees are Wood) That the Members of God's Church, under the Law, were not the Regenerate on∣ly. Under the Gospel we have the same Cha∣racters of the Church or Churches of Chri∣stians, as of That of the Jews. Called to be Saints, A Chosen Generation, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, 1 Cor. 1.2. 1 Pet. 2.9, 10. which is of the Old Stile, to name no more: And shall we not find These also much alike, as to their Lives? In Christ's Time we find an Iscariot among the Twelve, Matth. 10.4. Many Disciples, and I think the most, Back∣sliders, Joh. 13.42, 43. & 6.66. In the Go∣spel-Churches we find some Members ignorant, and Shamefully so, 1 Cor. 15.24. Some Dis∣orderly, 2 Thess. 3.11. Some Contentious, 1 Cor. 1.11. Schisimatical, Vers. 10. Such as Served not the Lord Jesus, but their own Belly, Rom. 16.18. Some that denied the Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15.12. Some that Obeyed not the Truth, Gal. 3.1. Some that were Enemies to the Cross of Christ, Phil. 3.18. Some Superstitious, Col. 2.20. Some Ʋnworthy Drunken Propha∣ners of Christ's Holy Table, 1 Cor. 11.21. Some not come quite off from their Idolatry, 1 Cor. 10.20. Some that had a Name to Live, but were Dead, Rev. 3.1. Some that had De∣filed

their Garments, Vers. 4. Some Luke-warm, and so to be Spewed out of God's Mouth, Vers. 16. Some that Minded earthly things, Phil. 3.19. Some Carnal, 1 Cor. 3.4. One that was Incestuous, 1 Cor. 5.1. Many (if the Apostle's Fear was not vain) who had Sinned, and not Repented of their Ʋncleanness, Fornication and Lasciviousness which they had committed, 2 Cor. 12.31. Such finally, whose God was their Bel∣ly, and whose End was Destruction, Phil. 3.19. And if This be the Complexion of the Primi∣tive Christian Churches, who does not see, but this Matter is Mixt Matter; these Churches, even under the Gospel, Mixt Churches? Who is there, I say, unless he cannot see Wood for Trees, but must see it? It is true, when the Scripture stiles them Elect, Sanctified, Ju∣stified, and the like, that which is Divinitùs dictum, must be So, and some of them must be Such: But when the same Scripture says these things of them likewise, both must be true, and some of them must also be other∣wise. The Church of Christ, while 'tis on Earth, is, must, and will be Mixt; and the Objection shall be Answered farther in its place.

And again, yet look. I pray, where do we find any such thing, as imports Regene∣ration to be required of God, to the Admit∣tance of Persons unto Membership, in the Old Testament; so that, for want of that Quali∣fication,

they were not Admitted? Nay, where do we find any one Man put off on that Ac∣count, in the New? 'Tis true, that Repen∣tance and Faith, and such as is Sound, is re∣quired of those that come, and that as ne∣cessary to Remission of their Sins, by Baptism: But is it of Necessity to Baptism? If it be, then must the Baptism of those Persons, whose Faith and Repentance is unsound, be invalid, null, and no Baptism. If a due Subject be not of the Essence of Baptism, what is? But is there any of our Divines think such Bap∣tism void? Is there any will re-Baptize such; if they come after to be Savingly Converted? And if there be none, then let no Man, I say, until he can prove, that Wood is more than Trees, or Trees are less than Wood, go to impose up∣on me That which they have Devised; but acknowledge, that what Christ only hath Ap∣pointed, must be the Rule of Church-Admis∣sion.

The Truth is, That the Matter of Christ's Church or Kingdom upon Earth, is made up of Good and Bad, is so open in the Scripture, so even under Sight, and pronounced to be so by the Blessed Mouth of our Lord, in se∣veral Parallels on purpose; that I should not need to write a Book to tell any This, but only for the Difficulties that attend it. And they are either in respect to the Nature of the Church, as called out of the World to a Pecu∣liarity

in God, which hath caused my chief Labour therefore in the Stating and Explica∣tion of our CAUSE in the First Section: Or in respect to the Darkness, and Sophisticated Notions that are on our Ʋnderstandings about the same, which I have endeavoured to Ob∣viate and Heal in the Second Section, now Fi∣nished: Or in respect to the many Scruples and Objections that are raised and agitated concerning it, which are to be Answered and Satisfied; and that brings me to the Last Part of my Work, which remains now on my Hands in the Section ensuing.