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.

THE Cause of our Mixt Churches AGAINST SEPARATION.

SECT. I.

IT is in vain to write Books for the Satis∣faction of People, concerning the Law∣fulness of the Liturgy and Ceremonies, and coming to Church; To think of Terms for Ʋ∣on and Concord; or to endeavour any the like good things; which many Considerate Mini∣sters about London have lately done; if the Churches, unto which We Go, and would Bring Others, cannot be maintained to be True Chur∣ches, or Churches agreeable to the Institution of Christ. It is This is the First Stone to be Laid: It is This is the Cause must be made Good.

For the doing hereof, I shall offer some things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for the Stating or Build∣ing it Ʋp; some things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for the Confirming it; some things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for the Refutation of Objections: And the Discourse shall contain Three Sections.

To begin with the First, The Building Ʋp our Cause, in This; and to fetch the Matter from the Bottom, I must lay my Thoughts to∣gether,

in these Theses and Method following.

As God made all things, so is He univer∣sal. Governour of his Creatures.

The Government of God over his Creatures that are Reasonable, must be a Moral Govern∣ment, requiring Obedience from them upon Mo∣tives of Reward and Punishment.

The Insirument of this Government must be his Law.

The Law of God is, either the Law of Na∣ture, or his Revealed and Positive Laws.

The Government of God is likewise double; Natural, or Conventional.

The Natural Government of God over Men and Women, which He hath by Right of Crea∣tion, is over all the World, as they are particu∣lar Persons; giving them the Law of Nature to live by that they may please Him, and be saved.

This Law of Nature is either the Law of Innocent, or Lapsed Nature.

The Law of Innocent Nature, is that perfect Rule of Righteousness, that was writ in Adam's Heart when created, requiring him to preserve his Innocency and Integraty, upon Pain of Death; and it is called the Law of Works.

The Law of Lapsed Nature, is the same Law, with mitigation, requiring the same Duty, but not as the Condition of Life: accepting of the imperfect Service of Man, according to his pre∣sent State, so long as it is performed in Since∣rity of Heart towards God: and this is called the Law of Grace.

As Man in Innocency had the Notices of the most Holy God, and his Duty writ in his Heart, or could gather it from the Light of his Reason, being to live perfectly in that State: So must the World, after Man's Fall, and the Loss of his Innocency, have some the like Notices implanted there, or arising na∣turally from the Exercise of his Faculties, That God is Good and Merciful, and will not punish him if he Repent, but consi∣der him according to his frail Condition; and consequently, that he must now have no Government at all over him for Life and Sal∣vation; or else that he must be under ano∣ther Law than that of Innocency, or under other Conditions in obeying it; for else must every Man on the Earth everlastingly perish.

Upon what Account, or upon what Ground or Foundation the Righteousness of God could stand in dealing with Man, when faln by a∣nother Law than that at first implanted in him in Innocency, was a Mystery hidden from the Foundation of the World; and not re∣vealed, but darkly, till the Times of the Go∣spel: But the Belief that God was Good, and would pardon the Sinner upon his Repen∣tance, though they could not tell how, or upon what ground it was, (the way of Re∣conciliation through Christ, being beyond the Ken of all Human Understanding) was general

in the World; as does appear, in particular, by the Ninevites; as also, by the Sacrifices for the Atonement of the Deity, which have been in use in all Nations.

Not but all the World is under the same Law as Adam was, (the Law that was for our Nature cannot be altered) but we are not under it on the same terms. We are under it as a Rule of Life, but we are not under it as a Rule of Judgment. We are under it so as we are bound to live according to it; but we are not under it so, that if we do not, we shall be justified or condemned by it.

There is one Religion therefore, Law or Rule for all Mankind to obtain Life by; which being the Law of our Lapsed Nature, or Re∣medying Law, containing God's Grace admi∣nistred to all the Earth, in a threefold State of such as were, or are, without the Law, (or before it) and under the Law, and under the Gospel; as this Administration is threefold, so hath the Faith, which is the Condition there∣of, been diversified. But now is the Righte∣ousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith. The Righteousness of God is the Righteous∣ness of this Law, which hath ever been a∣foot in the World: And though a Heathen hath not that Faith as is required of the Christian under the Third Edition of it, or that which was required of the Jew under the Second; yet hath he such a Faith as belongs

to the First, such as the Antients before Abra∣ham had; and so long as that Faith he hath does work by Love, or by Sincere Obedience to God according to his Light, it will justifie him as well as that which is now further re∣quired of us under the Gospel.

It follows, that this Law (being that which is given for Life, and so the one only true Measure of Religion to all the World) must belong to the Government of God which is Ʋ∣niversal; and that is the Natural Government of God.

The Government of God which is Conven∣tional, is that Government which He hath ta∣ken over some certain Persons as they are ga∣ther'd, or joyned together into Societies, un∣to which they are called out of the World, for the Glorifying his Name in that Worship and Service of Him, which He hath Institu∣ted by his Positive Law, Precepts or Ordinan∣ces, (I mean, such as He hath any way re∣vealed to be his Will, whether they be such as belong to the Law of Nature also, or such as do not) in order to the taking, owning and acknowledging Him for their God in a peculiar manner; that is, in opposition to the Worship of any other God or Idols, and the serving Him the true God in any other way but what He hath appointed; and their becoming thereby a peculiar People to Him; and so being under his Favour and Blessing

in regard to all the good things of this Life, and that which is to come.

I do observe here, the Government of God which is Natural, is over all the World; this Government, which is Conventional, is over some Persons only, called out of the World into a peculiar Relation to God. That the One is over All, but consider'd as Single Persons, ta∣king in every Individual in the World; the Other is over some, and so over Singulars al∣so, but consider'd as Incorporated for the Pub∣lick Service of God. That the One Govern∣ment is by the Law of Nature, (I mean, both of Lapsed and Innocent Nature) the Other is by his Positive or Revealed Laws. That these Laws and Ordinances of God therefore, which He hath revealed, as they are more, and as they are revealed otherwise, or farther than by the Light of Nature, or Natural Reason only, are a high Priviledge to such as they are vouchsafed to. What Advantage th••n bath the Jew above the Gentile? Much every way, chiefly because that unto them was committed the Oracles of God, Rom. 3.1, 2. That this gi∣ving to a People his Oracles, or Positive In∣stitutions, are advantageous upon this Account, that they are Means for obtaining his bles∣sing, or else there could be no such Advan∣tage in them. That this Blessing of God must not be look'd on only to concern Temporal Things, but Spiritual and Eternal: For seeing

Man consists of a Body, and a Soul, and that Soul is Immortal, he cannot be happy but in Both. That the great and principal Advantage there∣fore, that we have by these Ordinances, or Go∣vernment of God which is Conventional, must and does lie in being Means for the bringing Men up to the Performance of the Terms of that Law, which God by his Government, which is Natural and Ʋniversal, hath made to be the Rule of Judgment to all Men, for Ever∣lasting Life or Condemnation.

There are some Learned Men, that will not have Adam, nor any in the World, to have been in Covenant with God before Abraham, (understanding it of a Covenant of Life.) But so long as God had a Government in the World before Abraham, and that Govern∣ment must be by a Law, and that Law to Adam fallen, to Seth, Enoch, Melchisedeck, must be a Law of Grace, or else no Man of them could have been saved; it is but a Mat∣ter of Words whether they call this Law of Grace and Life, a Covenant or not. This we must have a Care of, that we distinguish this Law of Grace, or Law for Life and Salvati∣on, which is contained in these Words, [Walk before Me, and be Ʋpright] belonging out of question, to Adam, Seth, Enoch, as much as to Abraham; and the Covenant which God made with Abraham hereupon, being such an upright Person, in regard to himself and Po∣sterity.

I will make my Covenant between Me and Thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly. I I will establish my Covenant between Me and Thee, and thy Seed after thee in their Generations, to be a God to Thee, and thy Seed after Thee. This is my Covenant, Every Man-child among you shall be Circumcised.

There is the Covenant of Life therefore, and Covenant of Advantage.

The Covenant of Life (I scruple not to call it Law or Covenant) was made with faln Adam, and in him with all the World, and is all one with the Law of Grace (I say) that belongs to God's Natural Government, which is Ʋniversal; and according to this Law (or Covenant) must every Man be judged at the last Day. The Covenant of Advantage is the Covenant which God made with Abraham, and with the Israelites for his sake, begin∣ning it with him by Circumcision, unto which were added other Rites and Ordinances by Moses, together with the Declaration of the Moral Law; and in regard hereunto, that People are said to be a holy People, a pe∣culiar People, and preferred before all the Nations in the World. Among all the Mul∣titude of People, Thou hast gotten Thee one Peo∣ple; and unto this People whom Thou lovedst, Thou gavest a Law that is approved of all, says Esdras, 2 Esd. 5.27. Ye stand this Day all of you before the Lord, to enter into Covenant with

the Lord thy God, Deut. 29. Thou art a ho∣ly People unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special Peo∣ple unto Himself, above all the People that are upon the Face of the Earth, Deut. 7.6. So again, Chap. 14. Vers. 2. A Special People, a Peculiar People; from whence this Covenant we speak of, is called by some the Covenant of Peculiarity; as by me the Covenant of Ad∣vantage, from the Words before of the A∣postle, What Advantage then hath the Jew? He hath shewed His Mind unto Jacob, his Statutes and Judgments unto Israel; He hath not dealt so with any other Nation, Psal. 147.19, 20. To whom pertaineth the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving the Law, and the Service of God, and the Promi∣ses, Rom. 19.4. By the Adoption I under∣stand that Sonship only which they had by their Admission into this outward Relation of being God's peculiar People: By the Cove∣nants I understand nothing but this same Co∣venant of Advantage, given at first to Abra∣ham, and renewed after by Moses; and so cal∣led Two Covenants, the Covenant of Circum∣cision, and the Covenant which God made with the Jews, when He took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt, Act. 7.8. Heb. 8.9. By the Promises likewise we must understand either those that were made only to that People; or if the great Promise

of Salvation by Christ be included also, we must understand that they belonged to the Israelites, in regard to the Revelation; that is, they only had the Revelation of them, but the Matter revealed belong'd alike to all the World.

It is true, that Abraham was the first Man with whom God entred Covenant, under∣standing it of this Covenant of Advantage or Peculiarity; and he is the first Elect there∣fore we read of in Scripture. Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abraham, and broughtst him out of Ʋr of the Ch••ldees, Nehem. 9.7. It is an Election into this peculiar State, or relation to God, in regard to his Conven∣tional Government we are speaking of; and as all the Israelites are said to be his Cho∣sen People. It is not to be understood of that Decree of Election, which Divines dispute of from other Texts; but is equivalent with his Call. Get thee out of thy Countrey, unto a Land that I will shew thee, Gen. 12.1. God's choosing Abraham, and calling him into this pe∣culiar Relation, is but the same thing; but it is One thing to be Chosen in regard to that Election which is unto Everlasting Life, and Another to be only Called. Many are called, (says Christ) and few chosen. This is indeed here very certain, and to be observed, that it was in Abraham, and his Family, God was pleased to lay the First Foundation of any

Corporation formed under distinguishing Laws or Institutions for his Solemn Service or Wor∣ship, which is properly to be a Church. A Church from the Word in the Greek, is a Number of the Called, that is, called out of the World, as it is Idolatrous, or given to false Worship, unto the owning the true God, and his Government, according to his own Institutions, which was begun in the Com∣monwealth and Polity of Israel, (Circumci∣sion being preliminary to it) and is now, and shall be continued in the Congregations of Christians to the end of the World.

This Covenant then, which God made with the Jews when He brought them out of E∣gypt, appears to be no other than such a Co∣venant as passes between a Prince, and his Subjects, that is, a Political Covenant, God un∣dertaking to be their Ruler, and they pro∣mising him Allegiance; so that the Common∣wealth of Israel was indeed a Theocracy: in∣somuch as when the People chose Saul for their Prince, they are said to reject God; for the Lord their God was their King, 1 Sam. 12.12. Not but He continued this Conventio∣nal-Government of His for all that, allowing of their Kings as his Vicegerents, having his House, or Temple, to dwell amongst them; where he kept also his Servants, or Houshold, the Priests and Levites, receiving their Of∣ferings as Rents for maintaining his Atten∣dants.

This Kingdom was not to cease un∣till Christ, his Son, the Messiah should come into the World; and then indeed he broke up House, and delivered up the same to him. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from between his Feet, untill Shiloh come; and to Him shall the gathering of the People be, Gen. 49.10.

We read therefore, when Christ had fi∣nished the Work of Man's Redemption, and Rose from the Dead, He takes upon Him the Administration of this Government. All Pow∣er is given me in Heaven and Earth: Go ye into all the World, and preach the Gospel, Matth. 28.18. Mar. 16.15. What is that but, Go and gather all those that will come in, and Incorporate as the People who are to be gathe∣red to Me; that is, that will embody as Chri∣stians, who then are to be Baptized, and so to continue in Doctrine, in Fellowship, break∣ing Bread and Prayer, which are Laws and Institutions of his Government. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion. Ask of Me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inhe∣ritance, and the utmost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession. That Kingdom which God had over the ••ews, in regard to this voluntary Government, He hath now given to his Son, and all the World that will, are to be brought into it. Upon this account is the State of the Church under the Gospel (that is, the Chri∣stian

Church) so often called the Kingdom of God. And Jesus began to Preach, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The King∣dom of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven, is the Kingdom of the Messiah fore-told in the Prophets; and the Terms were not strange to the Jews. They thought indeed the Messiah would come, for the Restauration of the King∣dom to Israel, by Conquering the Romans, and subjecting all the Nations, and so reigning in outward Glory: but they were deceived, not in the Matter it self, nor in the Great∣ness and Extent of his Dominions; but they were deceived in the Manner of it, which was not to be of this World, that is, not from it, or to be set up by Worldly Means, by Armies, or the Sword, but by the Word; yet is it a Kingdom in the World; and, as other Kingdoms, comprehends the Bodies (as well as Souls) of Men and Women, living un∣der Subjection to his Government in that Ex∣ternal way of Worship and Discipline, as by his own Officers and Ordinances He hath ap∣pointed in the Gospel.

It is therefore a mistaken Notion, which our Divines have ordinarily taken up of the Church, accounting it to be the Number on∣ly of the Regenerate and Elect; which in the first Apprehension, is the Number of the Cal∣led, and the Called are ex intentione vocantis, more than the Chosen. It is true, that the

Church, in some Scriptures, speaking of it to other Purposes, is to be understood of the Elect only. So we read of the Church of the First-Born, which are enrolled in Heaven, Heb. 12.23. the Church that is so washed in Christ's Blood, as to be without Spot or Wrinkle, which none are but those that enter into Glory, Ephes. 5.27. So we read of that Chain of the Apostle: Whom he did Predestinate, them he also Called; and whom he Called, them he also Justified; and whom he Justified, them he also Glorified, Rom. 8.30. Nevertheless, when the Scripture speaks of the Church to the Pur∣pose which concerns us, which is, as it is that Corporation of Christians, unto which the World is to be brought in by Preaching of the Gospel, it must consist of Regenerate, and Ʋnregenerate; that is, of Multitudes, where∣of the Elect are but few only. The whole Body of the Israelites, brought out of Egypt, are expresly called the Church, The Church in the Wilderness, Act. 7.38. The whole Bo∣dy of them, Man, Woman and Child, en∣ter into that Covenant, which denominated them God's peculiar People, Deut. 29.10, 11, 12, 13. It is yet more significant with me, that it was the Outward Jew, and not the Inward only, unto whom belong'd that Ad∣vantage which the Jew is accounted to have above the Gentile, Rom. 3.1. that is, the Ad∣vantage of the Oracles of God, and conse∣quently

those Ordinances, whereby that Peo∣ple were distinguished, as by Tokens, from other People.

There is the Mystical Church then, and Congregate Church, or Church Political. It is not the Regenerate and Elect, but the Con∣gregate Church, which, according to the Con∣texture of this Discourse, is, and must be the immediate Recipient of the Outward Ordinan∣ces. It is in regard to his Voluntary Govern∣ment, which I call Conventional, that God did institute any, or give any Laws at all, but what are of Nature: And those Persons who are the Subjects of that Government, must be the Recipients of these Appointments. Nei∣ther is it a Man's being Born again, but his Willingness to come under this Government, (that is, a Willingness to come in, and joine with the Church) that gives him title to the Institutions thereof. This Priviledge of the Congregate Church is One thing, and the Pri∣viledge of the Regenerate, or the Church My∣stical is Another. The External Ordinances are the Privilege of all Christians, as they were of all the Jews, the Outward Jew and Chri∣stian, as well as the Inward, unto whom they belong, in opposition to the Gentile and Hea∣then: But the Privilege of the Inward Chri∣stian, and Mystical Church, is not the Ordi∣nances, (being common to them with the Ʋn∣regenerate) but the saving Benefits of the Or∣dinances;

which (I say) is another Matter; There is the General and Special Grace of the Gospel. The Church of Christians, in the first Notion of it, should not be defined by the Participation of the Special, but the General Grace of the Gospel: And it is the Number of the Called into Christ's Kingdom, or under the Conventional Government of God, to the Participation of those Ordinances which He hath appointed as Means of Grace, and Ex∣ercises of Piety, by way of Advantage above others, as the Jew is said to have above the Gentile, in order to their obtaining, or far∣thering their Eternal Salvation.

That there is the General Grace of God, and of the Gospel, as well as Special, is recei∣ved by Eminent Divines: But how this Ge∣neral Grace accordingly is also to be defined, I find not many that can tell. That Christ died for All, as for his Sheep, and that God would have All to be saved, as well as his Elect, is express in Scripture. But is this General Grace? What if a Man Repent not, and Believe not, will God have such to be saved? Not so, certainly: There is thus much more there∣fore must come into the Definition, if they Repent, if they Believe. Christ hath died, and God would have Christ to die for All so, that if they Believe and Repent, they shall be Sa∣ved. Well! Is this the Definition then of General Grace? No, it is not; this is not

yet enough. Dr. Twisse indeed, and all Men grant This; but it is short by Two Steps. For, as God is said to will all Men's Salva∣tion; so is He said, that He would have all Men to Repent, and come to the Knowledge of the Truth. This then is also to be taken in. But hath He given Christ to die for All, that they may Repent? By no means: This would bring in Origen's Ʋniversal Grace; that All, at last, must be Saved. When God then is said to Will that any should Repent, it must be understood, without doubt, as to the Means which He offers them for Repentance. And thus does the Lord expostulate with his People; What could I have done more for my Vineyard, than I have done? There is one Mr. Cottier, a French Protestant, seems to have stu∣died this Point of General Grace more accu∣rately than others; who thus defines it. Gra∣tia Ʋniversalis est nobis actus liberrimus, quo eli∣gendo eos quos praecognovit, simul alios respexit, uti Creaturas suas Sathanae malignitate seductas, quous{que} fas & jura tulêre, pari jure seu invi∣tandos, seu vocandos, ad Dei cultum, & conse∣quentiâ cultus.

Here is One Step farther then towards the Definition of Ʋniversal Grace; That God does not only Will the Salvation of All (in giving Christ to die for them) upon condition; but that He does also vouchsafe the Means to All, so far as is meet, for their Performance of that Condition.

The Other Step is, To lay down the Spe∣cifical Difference it self, wherein this Ʋniver∣sal Grace does consist, as it is distinguished from Special; for without the Specifical Diffe∣rence of any thing, there can be no exact Definition. I will therefore humbly offer this full Definition. The Ʋniversal Grace of God, is that free Act, Love or Favour of his, where∣by, together with his El••cting some to be infal∣libly saved by Him, He does respect all others as his Creatures, with the Vouchsafement of the same Means of Salvation, so far as Right and Equity requires; (Quous{que} fas & jura tulère, says that cautious Divine; which I must there∣fore six and establish, as that alone which is wanting to compleat the Definition) and that is, so far as they will.

Behold! When there are no Means of Sal∣vation, which God does vouchsafe his Elect, but He vouchsafes the same to the Non-Elect, and so to All according to the State they are in, if, or as, they will; who can deny this Grace to be indeed Ʋniversal? If Christ hath Died for all Men, if God would have all M••n Return and Live, and if, according to the State they are in, they have their Means of Return, and if any Know and Desire more, they are not Refused; who can deny (I say) this Grace to be Ʋniversal? And when this Grace is adjusted according to Men's Will, who does not see the true Difference between

that Grace which is Special, and This? Ʋni∣versal Grace is God's vouchsafing the same Means to All, H••ct and Reproba•••• so far as they Will: Special Grace is his vouchsafing that Operation with the Means, as makes some Willing, when else they World not. This is what is agreeable to God's Goodness, what is Meet and Equitable, (Quous{que} fas & jura rulêre) according to his Nature; That He should not with-hold those Means which are necessary to Salvation, from any; That He should be before-hand with every Body; and so long as they are Willing, He should never Refuse them any thing to save them: who waits to be Gracious, and his loving Kindness endureth for ever. But if they first Refuse Him, and Will not, then it is meet indeed He be free, and that He should not Force them to any thing, whether they will or no, or Proceed farther with them, unless He please.

It is true, if He please, He may. He may do what He will with his own Free Grace; and when He loves all Thus far, He may love some More. When He Wills that All be saved, He may Will Some Men's Salvation yet Above others. What hinders, but God may Majùs & minùs velle, & amare? When He Wills that All should if they Will, He may Will that Some should though they Will not. But when He Acts thus, it must be confes∣sed to be not according to those Ways of his,

which are said in Scripture to be Equal; but out of a Benevolence, which is Singular. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! How often (says our Lord) would I have gathered you as an Hen gathers her Chickens under her Wings; but ye would not? He would have gather'd them, if They would: He would have gather'd them, but they Would not. If any Means would save the Reprobate, which he would, but God will not; then shall the fault lie on God, or on the want of his Grace, and not upon Himself; which is direct contrary to the Scripture. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self; but in Me is thy Help. There are many Texts we have of this Nature. God will have All to be Saved; He will have All to Repent; He hath given Christ to Die for All; He gives his Outward Ordinances; He gives his Spirit in the Use of those Ordinances: There is no Means of Sal∣vation, but He offers them to the Elect and Non-Elect, without Exception: to every one so far as they Will, even so far as no Man shall be able to complain on God's Part; no, nor plead indeed a want of Power, but of Will only, if he be not Saved.

From what is said, it appears, that foras∣much as God, who Saith not to the Seed of Ja∣cob, Seek ye my Face in vain, hath appointed his Ordinances, whether of Worship or Disci∣pline, even in Societies which are Christian, to be the External Means of Men's Repentance

and Salvation; in the Use of which He hath also promised his Spirit: there are no Per∣sons, who are by Him made Willing to come in to partake of them, but they have a War∣rant from the Ʋniversal Grace of God for their Admission. If there be any Means of Man's Salvation with-held by God from the Repro∣bate, that is vouchsafed to the Elect, which he would have, so that Man would, and God will not, the General Grace of God is over∣thrown.

Not but when Christ Commissionated his Apostles to Preach the Gospel to the World, for calling People into a Church-State, which is his Kingdom, (and so to the Means) He intended to Call them also to Vertue and Glo∣ry: Yet seeing the next and immediate End of that Gospel-Commission was this, that is, The setting up the Conventional Government of God, which was before Peculiar to the Jews, but now Enlarged to take in all Nations, and so committed into Christ's Hands; it is even manifest in the thing it self, that nothing but the Receiving the Gospel Preached, so far as to be Willing to come under that Govern∣ment, and submit to the Institutions thereof, (which requires that first we be Baptized) could be necessary to the giving a Man right to be Admitted to the same. The Church, I must say over again, is the Number of the Called: From What now are they called?

They are called out of the World: But how Out of the World? The whole World is un∣der the Natural Government of God; and the Laws thereof are the Rule we must live up to in Sincerity, in order to Life. We are not called out of the World upon this Account; but out of the World, as it is Idolatrous, and sets up its own Inventions and Institutions, without God, about Religion. And unto what then are we Called, in opposition hereunto? Why? unto those Institutions and Ordinances which God, by another Voluntary Government o∣ver some Persons, superadded to that which is Natural, hath Himself appointed for Wor∣shipping Him aright, and also (in the making them Means of his Grace) for the Attaining the End of his Natural Government, in the Salvation of those among them that are Elect. And if here then be the true Description of the Church, we see also who do belong to it.

I perceive indeed where the Difficulty lies, when we speak of the State of Christians and Jews, in opposition to the Heathen and Gentiles, and distinguish God's Government into Natural and Conventional; and the Covenant into that of Life, and that of Advantage: Our Divines do ordinarily confound them, as likewise do the Scriptures. We are therefore to know, that this Covenant of Advantage, and Conven∣tional Government, may be taken Complexly, so

as to include God's Natural Government, and Covenant of Life together with Them; or Pre∣cisely, with Contra-Distinction thereunto. If they be taken Complexly, there is no Man, without doubt, can enter this Covenant, or give up himself to this Government, but his Faith must be saving, and his Obedience uni∣versal, (consisting in the Preference of God's Interest above the Flesh, and the World) for up∣on this Account there can be no less requi∣red of the Persons that are admitted into the Church, and unto the Sacraments, than is required unto their Salvation. But if that Government and Covenant be taken Precisely, as when we stand upon the Point they may be, we have concluded all along how such a Faith as receives the Doctrine of Christ in opposition to all other Religions, and subjecti∣on to the Ordinances, (as he that consents to the Terms of any sort of Covenant, does en∣ter it thereby, and has the Priviledges of it) is all that is of Necessity to a Man's Admis∣sion.

I distinguish therefore, Here, between what is required of Persons that Come into the Church, or To the Sacraments; and what is required to their Coming, so as else they may not come. No more is necessary to a Man's Coming, so as without it he may not come, but what is ne∣cessary only to the Conventional Government of God, and Covenant of Peculiarity, considered

Precisely, in Contra-Distinction to the Natu∣ral Government of God, and Covenant for Sal∣vation: Though that is necessary to the Per∣sons that come, which is required also in their Complex Consideration. And upon this account it appears, how no Man can be put upon a Profession of such a Faith and Repentance as is saving, in order to his Admittance to the Church or Sacraments; though he on his own part be required to examine himself, and to see that his Grace be sound when he comes to them. The Reason being, because if his Faith be but true so far as makes him Willing to Come in, and Joyn with us, it gives him title to the Ordinances; when, unless his Faith be so True also as to be Saving, he is like to reap no other Fruit by it, but the Out∣ward Enjoyment. And this is the very Ʋse we are to make of this Doctrine, That no Person be discouraged in his attending on the Means, seeing Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate may have Title: and yet none be Secure, but Piously sol∣licitous how they Come; as knowing, that it is One thing that gives a Man title to the Ordinances, and Another to the Effectual Bene∣fits, which can be attain'd by the Sincere on∣ly.

It may be askt by the way; But what then is That I count Necessary to the Government and Covenant, which I press, taken Precise∣ly? I mean, what is the Terms or Conditions

thereof? If the Covenant for Life, and This Covenant be distinguished, the Terms of them must be diverse. Now the Terms of this Co∣venant may be discovered, by knowing what That was chiefly, which God accounted the Breach thereof: And this we find very fre∣quent, both in regard to the Single Jew, and the Whole Body. If there be found within thy Gates a Man or Woman that hath wrought Wick∣edness in the Sight of the Lord, in transgres∣sing his Covenant, and hath gone and served other Gods; then let that Person be stoned, Deut. 17.2.—7. You see what God calls Transgressing his Covenant. He was their King, and the serving Another God was Crimen laesae Majestatis; and therefore Capital. Let us look into 2 King. 17. and we shall find there the whole Ten Tribes at once carried away, and given up of God for being any longer his People: And what is the matter? They Rejected (it is said) his Statutes, and his Co∣venant, and followed Vanity. What Vanity? Why, they Went after the Heathen, concern∣ing whom they were charged not to do like them; and they made them molten Images, and worship∣ped Baal, &c. and therefore, God was angry with them, and removed them out of his Sight, Vers. 10, 12, 15, 16, 18. They did many o∣ther things which was Against their Cove∣nant, and He bare with them; but Idolatry and False-Worship was such Breaking of it as

Whoredom, and caused their Divorce, and his writing Loammi upon them. And this Event we find Prophesied of, even so long before as Moses; who tells of the Nations asking, why God dealt thus with his People? Then Men shall say, Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord, which he made with them when he brought them out of Egypt. Here we have Our Covenant and Government: And what was the Forsaking of it? Why, they Served other Gods, and worshipped them, Vers. 24, 25. So again, Chap. 31. Vers. 20. Jer. 22.19. with other Places. Well now, if going after other Gods, and False-Worship, was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Breaking this Covenant, then must the Terms of this Covenant be mainly the Owning the True God, and his Worship, in opposition to all False Gods, and False Religion, and conse∣quently a Subjection to the Ordinances of that Worship Himself hath appointed; unto which they were admitted under the Old-Testament by Circumcision, and Now by Baptism.

Upon what is already said, I know the Way I go is not the Road; when yet there are Some that go the Road do seem to me to seek Mine, but Miss it. The Church with them is the Company of the Faithful; and the understand by the Faithful, such only whose Faith is Saving, that engrasis them in Christ; makes them his Members, or Members of his Mystical Body: For Others whom they call

Members of the Church Visible, if they be Vi∣sible Members only, are Christians but in Ap∣pearance, not Members of Christ indeed; and so no Church-Members with them, but in Shew, or the Account of Men. And the Result of this Divinity, which goes for the Orthodox, comes to This, That nothing less than such a Faith that is Saving, gives a Man Right, as to his Own Part, to come; and the Profes∣sion of no less than of a Faith and Repentance which is Such, gives a Man Right of Recepti∣on, on the Part of the Admitter, into the Church, and unto Baptism. I have several Ar∣guments to add therefore, to what I have said already, against this Opinion.

Only, I will yet say a little more to the Explaining my Own, before I give them. The Church, according to the common Opinion, must be taken for a Corporation of Regenerate Persons; that is, of such Believers only as are already all Sincere Converts: But I would have it rather, in my Opinion, be lookt on as a School, wherein such Persons as are Wrought upon by the Gospel to Believe so far only as to be Willing to Come into it, and be Baptized, may There, by the Use of the Ordinances, as the Means of Grace, be brought up to that Sincerity of Heart and Life which yet they have not, and which God hath made the Condition of their Salvation. There is a Conversion from Heathenisme to Christianity,

that brings Men into the Church, must be One thing; and a Conversion unto the Life and Power of Grace, called Effectual Conver∣sion, is Another. That the Latter of these Conversions is wrought in the Church ordina∣rily, though not Confined to it, is to be doubt∣ed of no Body. Let the Commission of our Lord, (which ordinarily, I think, is over∣lookt) be consulted: Go ye, and disciple all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have command∣ed you. I pray mark it: They are here to Call, by their Preaching, all them that will Come in, and make them Disciples by Baptism; and then, after they are Discipled, they are to be Instructed in the Things that Christ hath Commanded; that is, they are to Learn in his School, when they are there, their farther Duty; which is, the walking up Fully to the Precepts of the Gospel. And in the first sixt, sound Act of Resolution thereof, I mean, of doing so in Sincerity, (whensover a Man is wrought up to it) does lie the Essence of that Work which we call Effectual Conver∣sion.

If the School of all Christ's Disciples, the Church of all Believers, the Kingdom of all God's People were so narrow as to hold the Regenerate only, how comes there to be a Pro∣clamation for all the World to come into it,

even all that Will, (for it is not a Kingdom of such as are brought in by Force, but of a Willing People, Psal. 110.3. over whom the Word prevails) from one end of the Earth to the other? If any Man will have Christ, this is certain, God offers Him. Whosoever Will, May have Him. Whosoever Will be saved, May be saved. God Wills it, and it is Man only Will not. And shall we think, that if any would come in to these External Means, whereby his Grace is Communicated, that they are to be Refused? It is a strange thing, that Divines should be able to see how Christ, how the Spirit it self, (or its Help) can be the Fruit of Ʋniversal Grace; and yet their Eyes be holden, as not to see the External Or∣dinances to be so, while they make the Church to consist of the Regenerate only. I pray, let us consider a little of other Societies. What is it makes a Man the Member of any other So∣ciety, which he may be of if he will? Is it not his Consent only to be of it, his Coming∣in it self, that which gives him his Right, and makes him one of that Company? And, why is it otherwise with the Church, or So∣ciety of Christians? It is the Will of a Man, upon his Hearing the Gospel Preached, or his Receiving the Gospel Preached, so as to be Willing, is the Foundation, (I should say Con∣dition, to speak exactly) of his Right to be Received. If he will be Baptized upon it, he

may be Baptized without more terms. It is his Consent to it, is the Ratio fundandi in This, as in other Voluntary Relations.

It is true, that the Nature of Christian So∣ciety is such as requires, that a Man be one that hath Received the Christian Doctrine, (that is, to be a Believer) and that he lives not in any open, gross Sin, seeing that would Ex∣communicate from it, if he were In: But sup∣posing him such a one that believes, that Christ is the Son of God, (I mean it, accord∣ing to the Articles of the Creed; for how shall he be Baptized in the Name of the Fa∣ther, Son and Holy Ghost, if he Believe not the Trinity?) and stands not actually Guilty of any such notorious Sin, as if the were in the Church, he must to be turn'd out for it, there is nothing but his Willingness enjoyned of God, nor ought to be required of us to the Receiving Him.

There are some, says St. Austin, that Put on Christ so far as to come into the Church, and be Baptized; Ʋs{que} ad Sacramentorum re∣ceptionem, in his Words; and some that put Him on ad vitae Sanctificationem, unto that San∣ctification of Life as brings them to Heaven. I add so much, because there are Many Saints, or Sanctified Men, (says Mr. Richard Baxter) that shall never come thither. There are Saints by Separation from Paganism unto Fellowship with the Political Body of Christians, which

yet are not so by Separation from all Ʋngod∣liness into Fellowship with the Mystical Body of Christ. The Door of the Church (says that Learned and Pious Author) is incomparably wi∣der than that of Heaven, and the Gospel is a free Offer to All. If any Man will come quite over in Spirit to Christ, they shall be welcome; if they will come but only to a Visible Professi∣on, He will not deny them Admittance there, because they intend to go no farther; but will let them come as near as they will: and that they come no farther, shall be their own fault. Saints Rest, Part 4. Sect. 3. Let me make bold to set this right; and as I have put in before Political Body of Christians, instead of his terms, Visible Church, and also left out the word Visible; so instead of Visible Profession, let me say Participation of Ordinances, as St. Austin but now hath it; and I take it to be very happily spoken.

As for the terms Visible and Invisible, which our Divines use ordinarily when they distin∣guish the Congregate and Mystical Church, I do avoid them; they are a Snare to us. The Sense of the term Visible can have no Place with God, who Judges always according to Truth; and hath no footing therefore nei∣ther in Scripture. There is indeed the Out∣ward Jew, and Inward Jew in Scripture; but the Outward Jew was a Real Jew, or really a Jew in God's and Man's Account alike, who

had thereby ex intentione Dei Ordinantis, a Right to be Circumcised, and consequently to the Priviledge of all the Ordinances of Is∣rael. But a Visible Christian, a Visible Mem∣ber, according to our common Notion of Visible, is one that is not a Christian or Mem∣ber Indeed, but one only that Appears to be a Christian or Member; and as None, hath no Right therefore to the Ordinances at all in God's Sight. A Visible Profession must be con∣sequently an Hypocritical Profession, that hath nothing in it but a Lie and Falshood altoge∣ther. And can Mr. Baxter indeed say, That if any will come to Such a Profession, he is welcome? No, no: God Almighty indeed is willing, that All should come in to Him; and They may come as Far as they will; if but to be Baptized, or Circumcised, they are Welcome. But I am against that Doctrine and Practice, which depends upon this ensnaring Distinction.

I am for a Believing in Earnest the Gospel Preached, and a Man's Coming-in thereupon, and being Willing to be Received, or to be Baptized; and then, I say, whosoever Will, he May. Whosoever would be Circumcised, (or Take hold of the Covenant, Isa. 56.4, 6.) he might. Whosoever will be Baptized under the New-Testament, he may. Whosoever will come in to Christ, so far as ever he Will Come,

this must be held for certain, He will in no wise cast him out. But no Man must (nor be suffered to) say, He Believes, he Repent••, if he does Not, (at least, in any Sense other∣wise than he Does.) We must have none of this fame Visible Profession, whatsoever comes of it. We must see our Way clear, how we can admit the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Regenerate, into our Mixt Churcher, without a Lie; or we must allow none but Gath••red ones, and turn all Independents, un∣less we should Preach One thing, and P••actis•• Another; which no honest Man, but must hate to do.

The People of Samaria are all said to be∣lieve Philip Preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and were Baptized; and Simon himself believed also. Here we have none of this Visible Faith, or Visible Profession, but a Real Belief of what was Preached; and that Belief prevailing upon the Will, their Willingness to be Baptized is the Rat••o Bap∣tizandi, the Ground of their Baptism, and Fight to be Admitted. Simon Magus belie∣ved: What is that? Is it a Profession that he Did, when he did Not? No such matter; his Faith, and That of the City was Real, and shewn by the Deed, in their being Bapti∣zed. A Man must Believe Indeed, and his

Faith be True, as True does signifie Ʋndis∣sembled, or else he cannot be Baptized: But his Faith may be far from True, (as Simon's was) as True does signifie Saving; and yet so far as he can come in with any Truth, he hath his Warrant from the Gospel.

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.

SECT. III.

THUS much 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; for the Stating our CAUSE, and Confirming it: I descend now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to the Answering Objections.

But how can an Ʋnregenerat Man be Ad∣mitted Into the Church, that is not Of it? How can he that is not In Christ, be Recei∣ved as a Member, or into his Body? How can he that is Out of Covenant, be Admitted to Enter Covenant? How can a Sealed Par∣don be delivered to him whose Faith is not sound, and Repentance sincere? How can one be a Christian, that hath no Grace? These Objections, and the like, which are multipli∣ed, do receive their Solution by the Preceding Thread of this Discourse. If the Government and Covenant we have been speaking of, be understood aright, and that the Church is the Number of those directly that be brought under That Government, and into That Cove∣nant; we see all the way, how the Ʋnrege∣nerate, as well as the Regenerate, may be of it; and that they who say, That Such are

only In the Church, and not Of it, do but mistakingly allude to St. John's Words, in this Case. We see, how the Ʋnregenerate may be In Christ, as they are of his Political Body; and as Christ himself says expresly, That there are Branches in Him that bring forth no Fruit. We see, how the Ʋnregenerate may Enter into the Covenant of Peculiarity, when yet he hath not brought his Soul to a Full De∣cree and Purpose of Constant and Entire Obe∣dience; which is required of him also in the Covenant of Life. We see, how he may En∣ter it in the Precise, though he does not (as he ought to do also) in the Complex Consi∣deration thereof. We may understand also, how that Ʋniversal Conditional Pardon, which God hath passed in the Gospel, may be Deli∣vered or Sealed to a Man, though a Simon, or a Judas, as well as to a Philip himself, or to a John. We see likewise, how that a Man, who hath not one Spark of that Grace that is Sa∣ving, may have his Share in the General Grace of God, or of the Gospel, as well as others. The Acute and Profound Mr. Baxter, in one of his Books, hath these Words. You must first believe that Common Grace and Love, men∣tioned Joh. 3.16. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20, 14, 15. 1 Tim. 2.6. Heb. 2.9. And you must believe your Interest in this; that is, that God hath by Christ made to All, and to You, an Act of Oblivion, and free Deed of Gift, that you shall

have Christ, and Pardon, and Eternal Life, if you will believingly accept the Gift, and not fi∣nally ••••ject it. And the Belief of This, even of this Common Love and Grace, must first per∣swade your Hearts accordingly to accept the Offer; and then you have a Special Interest. Life of Faith, pag. 152. Mark here: There is the General Grace of God, and a Particular Inte∣rest in that General Grace; the Belief where∣of is the orderly way to a Special Interest; that is, to the putting a Man upon the Per∣formance of the Condition, that he may have Interest in the Benefit. Let me ask then, Whe∣ther the Confirming, and stirring up this Be∣lief of a Man's Particular Interest in God's Ge∣neral Grace, is not to be endeavoured in or∣der to this End, the getting the Special In∣terest? And if it be, how shall the Word, Bap∣tism, and the Lord's Supper, which are Or∣dinances that do indeed directly and imme∣diately nothing else, (howsoever People may mistake) but Declare, Seal, and Confirm the Particular Interest of every Man in this Ge∣neral Grace of the New-Testament, (and so are delivered to all alike, that have an External Right to them) be Denyed to any one, (the fuller Definition of General Grace before laid down, duly also considered) who, upon an Assent to the Truth of the Gospel, doth desire Admission upon this Account, or to this End? If there be any Reason for their Refusal o∣therwise,

well and good; but it must be left to themselves, to make further Appli∣cation, as to their Special Interest, only by way of Consequence and Deduction, according to their Evidence of having, or not having, performed the Condition required to the Be∣nefits, of Remission and Salvation.

It is Objected in the Cure of Church-Divi∣sions. 1. This Doctrine confounds the Catechu∣mens with the Christians. Answ. It is true, that the Primitive Church, after the Apostles, in the Times of the Ten Persecutions, were very strict in their Admitting Members; and so had their Catechumeni, which continued upon the good Use of that Custom, for a long Season: And Albaspinaeus (as I remember) does tell us a good Reason they had for it, in regard of the Danger they then were in, in case of any False Brother, (upon which Ac∣count we find the Disciples, at first, so shy of Paul, Act. 9.26.) who might, at that time, betray the whole Church, and her Sacred My∣steries, to the Persecutor: Besides the horrid Scandal to those both Within and Without, in the Case of the Lapsi. This Reason being now ceased, God be blessed, and the Command of Christ, with the First Times of the Gospel, and Acts of the Apostles, being the Rule and Examples which we are to follow in our Practice; this Objection, I must say, is for the Times before Constantine; but is now out of

date. The Practice of the Apostles we find otherwise; the Practice of the Church now we know otherwise. There was Reason af∣ter the Apostle's Time for this Strictness; but the Rule was not so at first. What? Would you like, that the People of our Mixt Churches should be held but as Catechumens; and when any are grown to be Sound Christians, the In∣dependent should Gather them into Their Con∣gregations? Our Times continue no such Cu∣stom. Infant-Baptism alone confounds this Objection. 2. This Doctrine makes the Church consist of such as are no Christians; Of such as take Christ for their Teacher, and not their King. Answ. Of Such, or most Such, as are no Regenerate Christians. It was the Belief of their Creeds, among the Antients, made them Christians; and there is none of us be∣lieve Christ to be a Teacher, but he believes Him also a Priest, and a King. I understand not this dividing Christ's Offices. He that comes in but to the Conventional Government of Christ, and submits to the Institutions of it, takes Him for his King: Nay, he that takes Christ for his Teacher, takes Him There∣in also to be his Ruler; that is, to be led by Him. And, I say, the Ʋnregenerate takes Christ to be his Ruler so far as to joyn in his Ordinances; and so far as he takes Him, the Minister cannot Refuse him. If he takes Him so far as to Obey Him farther, it is his

Duty; and his Salvation depends upon it: But if no farther, so far as any will take Him, or come in to Him, it is the General Grace of God and Christ, that must, and that will warrant his Admission against all that gain∣say it. 3. They therefore that hold this, (the dividing Christ's Offices) introduce a New Chri∣stianity. Answ. And they that savor it not, retain but the Old. 4. And a New sort of Baptism. Answ. No, good Sir, but another Profession than That, which, by an unavoid∣able Consequence, must else bring us all to Separation. It is true, that the Tradition of Baptism is Sacred; and it is a Benefit, not to be lost, that it hath delivered down what Christianity is, by our Christening. But Infant-Baptism is a part of that Tradition, if the Fathers be not out: And I hope that we may know what Christianity is, by engaging our Children to it, as well as by our making them de praesenti, to Profess it. If the Child be made to answer Polliceor, and that in the Sense which respects both Parts of the Co∣venant, as hath been intimated, it will be all one with an Abrenuncio, as for that. The Church her self, which, for the Antient Forms sake, retains the Words in her Baptism, does recal them in effect, by rendring this Inter∣pretation in her Catechism. 5. This large Do∣ctrine destroys the Special Love of Christ's Mem∣bers. Answ. By no means. We are to Re∣ceive

all that are Willing: We know not how Far they are Willing. If they be Willing to come in thus Far, they may be Such, for ought we know, as are willing Altogether: And as Charity Hopeth all things, as well as Believeth all things, we are to judge the best of them, and behave our selves to them accordingly. Besides, it is too narrow a thing for Bro∣therly Love, to sit down in the Comforts on∣ly of my Brethren's Mutual Faith, and not be at the Pains for their Conversion. 6. Hence it will follow, that the Church must be constituted of Two sorts of Professors, and so be Two Churches. Answ. There is one thing I must remember, while I think of it, which else may work a great deal of Prejudice to my CAUSE. It must be acknowledged, that our Divines ge∣nerally do make Profession to be That which gives Right, Coram Ecclesia, to the Ordinan∣ces and Membership; and Truth of Grace (say the most) Coram Deo. Now, whil'st I seem to lay another Ground, which is Willingness or Consent upon Belief of the Gospel, upon the Account of General Grace, both Coram Deo and Ecclesia, I must declare, that This is, or shall be accounted by me to be Pro∣fession. I say, That when a Man comes, and offers himself to joyn, or joyns with the Church in her Service, this is Profession. If any will not let me call This Profession, then I must say, It is Not Profession, but This Con∣sent

or Willingness upon Receiving the Word, that is the Rule of Admission: If they will, then I say, It is My Profession is the Rule, and not Theirs, which is a Profession of no less than Regeneration. Not but that a Man who believes the Gospel, and comes in, may make what Profession of Grace he Can, and Will, as he hath occasion, without Making or Marring the Constitution of the Church. The Church is Constituted of the Willing, of those that Offer Themselves. These are Regene∣rate and Ʋnregenerate, according to Christ's In∣tendment in several of his Parables. This Church moreover, I must say, is Catholick, One, and En∣tire after Cyprian, de Ʋnitate Ecclesiae, and after Augustine. The Objection then of Two Churches, upon the Diversity of Professions, that being not our Rule, is built upon the Sand, tho' the Church Political and Mystical, be not indeed the same.

There are more Objections, with greater Variety, in the Book called, Right to Sacra∣ments. And the Sum of most of them, I take it, comes to This. The whole Church have the De∣nomination of Saints, Sanctified, Believers, Ju∣stified; and multitude of things are attribu∣ted to It, which none but the Regenerate real∣ly are capable of: And Therefore, it must be upon a Profession which amounts to that Importance, Wherefore the Ʋnregenerate are so Reckoned, and Received. This Objection is multiplied, and Scriptures abundantly Ʋrged

and Improved accordingly. I will Answer there∣fore very plainly: The whole Church is thus Denominated (or such things are attributed to It) from the Better Part, or from the Re∣generate Part only, (which our Divines do commonly say) who are Such; where I need not stand (I think, after them) to shew, how the Scriptures abound with frequent Passages, where Something is attributed to All, that be∣longs properly to a Part only of Those, to Whom, or of Whom it is spoken: but assume streight, That forasmuch as it is for the sake of Those to whom the Ʋnregenerate Christi∣an is Joyned, that such Titles or Things are attributed to him; it does appear, that it is his Coming in to the Church, or Willingness to be one of their Society, that gives him that Advantage; and not his telling a Lie in an Hypocritical Profession. Yes sure, you will say, it must be a Man's Professing himself to be Thus, makes the Church Repute him thus: But I say, No; for it is not We only Repute him Thus, but the Scripture: The Holy Ghost calls all the Members such; and the Holy Ghost and Scripture cannot Repute them So, but upon a Ground of Truth, and not upon the Foundation of a Lie, or what is Visible only. Now, that Truth is this, that Some are in∣deed Such, and the Rest are of their Society; which, in the Whole, is so denominated on their Account. I will yet say That, which

does yield my self most Satisfaction. The Ʋnregenerate Christian, who comes in to the Church, is under the Means, and in the Way, to attain That himself, which yet he is Re∣puted to Be for the sake of Them with whom he is Joyned. As we are said to be Justified by Faith, according to Austin, when Faith in its self, distinct from Repentance and Good Works, is the Initium only, or Entrance of a Christian towards it, (there being a particu∣lar Interest in the General Grace of God, upon Belief of That only, which is First, and in the Way to a Special Interest, as One before hath told us) and as the Apostle intimates, when he says, We have Believed, (as a first thing) that we might be Justified: So do I judge, that an Ʋnregenerate Man may be said to be a Disciple, Saint, Sanctified, Justified, Sa∣ved, as this Coming into the Church is his be∣ginning the Course to obtain it. The Chil∣dren of the Koathites are said From a Month old to keep the Charge of the Sanctuary, (Num. 3.27, 28.) because they were so designed, or devoted thereunto. Neither is this un∣usual in our common Speech: For let a Man go out of London but Yesterday towards Corn∣wal, we say, He is gone to Cornwal, when it will be many Days before he reaches Thither. As we say then, This Man is Gone to Corn∣wal; so is the Ʋnregenerate Member Sancti∣fied, Justified; that is, he is In the Way to get

to it. I will clear this farther. The Apostle, speaking of the Person whom he would have Excommunicated, bids us yet, Not to count him as an Enemy, but admonish him as a Brother, 2 Thess. 3.15. It may be demanded, How this can be, when he is cast out from the So∣ciety, and so is actually a Brother no longer? I Answer, That forasmuch as he is Cast out to this End only, that he may Return, and so be a Brother again, he is still to be Had, and in this respect to be Dealt with as a Bro∣ther. If then a Person shall be held a Bro∣ther in respect to his Repentance and Return, as being under the Means (the Churches Cen∣sure and Admonition) to bring him to it, we see how the Ʋnregenerate may have the like Denominations as This, on that Account; which is indeed the Same only.

But what if a Man shall say, I Believe the Articles of the Creed, but I will not leave my Sins: I would have Christ to save me, but I Renounce his Government: Shall such a Man be Admitted? I Answer, These are Tra∣gical kinds of Exaggerations of the same Ob∣jection, which stands on a mistaken Supposi∣tion. If it be proved, that it is Christ's Will, that every Man must come with such a Profes∣sion, as to tell what he Is before he is Bapti∣zed; it were but Reason he should tell all, and say the Worst as well as the Best of him∣self; and I know not what then you would

do with him: But if it be a Man's Offering Himself only is his Profession, there is no foot∣ing for any Words of this Nature. I say, moreover, As you will receive the Hypocrite under the Name of a Professor; so will I re∣ceive the Willing under the Notion of a Comer, to get Grace, or more Grace, in the Use of the Ordinances, as the Means thereof, by God's Appointment.

Baptism is for Remission of Sins, and so is the Lord's Supper; and how shall any Man, whose Faith and Repentance is not Sound, be Baptized, or Communicate, seeing his Sins be not Forgiven? I Answer, Baptism, and the Supper are for Remission; and they are for something Else too. They are For the Own∣ing and Acknowledging God and Christ, ac∣cording to his Institutions. Jesus Christ was Baptized, and Partook of his own Supper; but He had no Sins to be Remitted. He did it, He tells us, for Fulfilling of Righteousness. These Acts in the Ʋnregenerate, are Acts of Exter∣nal Righteousness; and so far as he can Do it, his Duty must be Done. When there are More Ends than One of an Ordinance, or of an Action, and some Other of those Ends may be Attained, the Ordinance or Action must not be omitted, because That One Cannot. Nei∣ther indeed is it the Advantage of Man, but the Will and Glory of God, that is the Ground of our Duty. Ne{que} enim quia bonum est idcircò

auscultare debemus, sed quia Deus praecepit. Pri∣or est Authoritas imperantis quàm utilitas servi∣entis. Tertul. de Poen. Lib. But I have An∣swered this Objection before also, Otherwise; and because it may be urged with as much Strength and Importunity, as Any else what∣soever, I will repeat that Answer, and En∣large it. That God hath granted Pardon and Life upon our Faith and Repentance, is the Substance of the Gospel. That this Grant is ordinarily called The Covenant by Divines, is not to be denyed. That this Covenant is Con∣ditional and Ʋniversal, appears in the Propo∣sal; and consequently, that All Persons, and Every Person in the World, hath a Share in it; so that, if he Repents and Believes, he shall be Pardoned and Saved. Every Person that comes into the Church, and is Baptized, does take Possession, I must say, of that Share or Interest which he hath in this Ʋniversal Conditional Remission and Salvation, whatsoever else he does farther. This Possession, and Ʋn∣derstanding of it, is a Matter of greater mo∣ment than most do think of; being Worthy of all Acceptation, according to the Apostle, 1 Tim. 1.15. Those Persons that hear the Gospel, and Refuse to come in, and be Bap∣tized, do leave their Share, Part, Portion or Interest in this General Grace; and thereby do Refuse or Forsake their own Mercy: at least, they do not Take their Share, and Apply it

to their Souls, as those do (or should do) that Receive the Gospel. This Application of a Man's Interest in the General Grace of God, is the Means to bring him to a Special Interest, as we have been instructed before by a sound Divine, as well as moving Preacher; and his Meaning (as I take it) is, That a Man ap∣propriating the Doctrine of General Grace to himself, (to wit, that if he, for his own part, does Repent, Christ hath died for him, ha∣ving Died for All, and he shall be Pardoned and Saved as well as any) is that ordinary way which the Spirit of God takes to the working the Soul up to a Resolution of Repen∣tance, and Trust in his Mercy; which is ne∣cessary to that End. Well! The Covenant then, which the Gospel declares, and the Sa∣craments Seal, being the Conditional Covenant, that Remission and Salvation which they Con∣fer (Pronounce or Exhibit, Signifie or Seal) to any Body, is Conditional only, and can be no other. Whatsoever is common to the Rege∣nerate, and the Hypocrite, (which the Sacra∣ments must needs be) can Exhibit no Remissi∣on, or any thing else, but such as belongs both to Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate, and that is Conditional Remission. It is the particular Share, Part, or Interest, that every Man hath in this Ʋniversal Conditional Remission, that the Mi∣nister doth deliver to the Baptized, and the Communicant, when he delivers them their

Pardon sealed by these Ordinances. If the Per∣son that receives them hath performed the Condition, though he receives from the Mi∣nister the Seal only of the Conditional Ʋniver∣sal Pardon belonging to Him, and all the Rest alike; yet is this Pardon, upon that Account, made Absolute to him; and he is according∣ly to apply the Consolation with Thanksgiving and Blessing, with Joy and Peace in Believing: If he hath not performed it, yet hath he his Share in the General Grace of God delivered to him, (so that there is no Sealing to a Blank) and he is, at least, to Take it, and Carry it home with him, to Lay it to his Heart with that Christian Consideration that is meet: And in so doing, who knows but God may give him his Grace, that by this Means (if by any in the World) he may be stirred up to the Performance, and so come Also to be Absolute∣ly Pardoned and Saved.

Baptism is the putting off the Filth of the Flesh, the Old Man, a Burial with Christ to our Sins, a Signified Taking God and Christ as offered, a Consent to our Part of the Covenant, the Answer of a good Conscience, a Putting on Christ, and the like. Ergo; No Ʋnregenerate Man can be Baptized. Answ. This is the same Objection with That which precedes the Two Last; and I give the same Solution. Baptisin is so to the Regenerate; and in regard to Such it is so Denominated. The Regenerate

when they are Baptized Do Thus; they put off Sin, put on Christ, Consent, and so forth: The Ʋnregenerate are brought under the Means to do it. Baptism to them is the Ark, which Saves them only, as they are got in∣to the Way to be saved. But do not these Mediums prove, that the Profession we make at Baptism, must be of no less than a Saving Faith, which alone does operate thus? Answ. I acknowledge the Puissance of that Author; and gain-say it not, upon his Supposition, that Profession is the Rule of Admission: But I de∣ny that Rule; I apprehend the Supposition to be the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and would not have been taken up by so searching a Judgment, but upon deep Authority; and so presumed generally without Precept from Christ, and without Example from the Apostles. I must then say farther, His Arguments prove powerfully, that the Baptized should Have a Saving Faith; but they prove not (methinks scarce at all) that he must Profess it: They prove, that the Person should come With it; but they prove not, that Without it he must not come. Yes, you may reply, A Signal Profession of Doing That which a Man really Does not, is a Lie, Ergo; Without the Thing signified, it is Ʋn∣lawful for him to come. Answ. A Man's Coming is indeed such a Signum Mentis as This, in the Regenerate that means it; but it is not such in Others. It is in the Ʋnregenerate a Sig∣nification

of his Willingness to Joyn with the Church, or to be One of their Society; and so long as he is indeed Willing to that, it is sufficient for the Act to be done in Truth, and for him to Come; because it is this Con∣sent of his, or Will, in good earnest, is the very Rule of Admission. God hath given Man the Faculty of Speech, to express his Mind by it; and He commands him to Speak as he Thinks, and not Otherwise. A Profession there∣fore in Words that agrees not with the Mind, is Sin in Its Self, or in its Own Nature; and such Words may not be spoken: But in Things and Actions the Lie is not in the Nature of those Things and Acts, but in the Interpre∣tation of Others; and so is a Lie only by Ac∣cident; and the Thing or Act being Good in it self, it must be done. As Evil must not be committed, because Good may come of it; so that which is Good, or Duty, must not be o∣mitted, because Evil May.

How will you prove, that any Ʋnregene∣rate Man hath Right to Baptism? Answ. Ve∣ry well. By Right we understand any Good due to us upon a Grant of him that hath Au∣thority; which Grant (or Gift) is the Foun∣dation of Right, called Title. When the Con∣dition then is performed, upon which such a Grant is made, here the Good is Due; and that is Right. This is the most proper of Rights, and which concerns us; and I will

wave all Rights otherwise. Now, when Christ took Possession (as hath been exprest) of the Government, that God before had over the Jews, (which being a Voluntary Government, and not his Natural One, he could part with) he sets up Baptism, and commissionates the Apostles to Go and Preach to all Nations, and to Baptize them, as the Badge, Sign or Token of their being his Subjects; enlarging there∣by that Kingdom of God (and now His) over the World. In this Commission then, or in the Gospel, there is a Grant included of Bap∣tism, together with the Consequential Ordinan∣ces, (which are the Positive Laws or Institu∣tions of this Government) as Priviledges belong∣ing to these Subjects of Christ's Kingdom, as God's Statutes were of old peculiar to the Jews: And we must ask, To whom they are Granted, and upon what Condition? It is plain now, and undeniable, that the Whole Earth are the Persons; and the Condition (as plain to me) is, if they Come in, if they Accept them. If they will hear, let them hear; if they will be Baptized, Baptize them. Where the Gospel and Baptism are offered unto any, and they made Willing, here is the Condition on their Part ex∣tant, and the Grant takes place. If God Will have All to be Saved, He must be Wil∣ling that they have the Means. The Coming in to the Church, and Partaking of the Ordinan∣ces, is God's way of Salvation: Salvation is of

the Jews, Joh. 4.22. The Affording the Means is the Fruit of General Grace. General Grace belongs to the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Re∣generate. God Wills still, if Man Will. If any Man then will come to the Means, and God Wills that he Should, if he Will, who art thou that Refusest to Admit them? Take heed, if you go on with this Rule, lest you destroy General Grace, and subvert the Gospel. You may, if you please indeed, say still, Baptism is only for the Regenerate; and you may look on all you Baptize to be Regenerate, and give the Sacrament, and Administer the other Or∣dinances as Means only for the Edification of such; and you must maintain consequently, that ex intentione Instituentis, there is no Con∣version within the Church, to be expected by any, (when no Member Ʋnregenerate can be E∣dified, unless Converted): And I shall then humbly tell you, That if your Preaching and Practice did not indeed contradict your Do∣ctrine, you should destroy the most of Souls in our ordinary Congregations.

But what shall we think of the Man, that comes into the Feast without the Wedding-Garment? To come in to the Church, is to come in to the Feast; and what a dangerous thing must that be unto such? I Answer, And what shall we say to the Man, that comes to hear the Word, and to Pray, without a Sa∣ving Faith, or True Grace? The Case is the

same in all the Ordinances; and there is no doubt, but he sins in all: nevertheless he must Come. He should sin more, if with the Pha∣risee, he shall Reject the Counsel of God, and refuse to be Baptized. It is true, the Man in the Parable, that was without the Wedding-Garment, is condemned; but this is to be un∣derstood at Judgment: Neither is it for his Coming, but for his Ʋnworthiness being There. The Servants brought him In, and did but what they were bid. Besides, if he had staid Out, when Called, he had been more certain∣ly destroyed. It was his Fault, he had no Wedding-Garment; it would have been Dou∣ble, if he had also refused the Call. For the One he is bound hand and foot, and thrown into Darkness; for the Other he must have been brought before the Lord's Face, and slain.

To come in an Ʋnregenerate State, is to be Ʋnworthy; and he that Eats and Drinks un∣worthily, Eats and Drinks Damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's Body. Answ. This Text hath need to be a little opened, for the moderating that Dread which is ordinarily too excessive on Tender Minds; or else I might spare the Objection. For the understanding then the Meaning: That which is first solid∣ly to be thought on, is the Rule of Exposi∣tion; and the Rule of Exposition is the Institu∣tion; for that only is laid down in the Place.

In general therefore, by the word Ʋnworthi∣ly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there is nothing else is, or can be accordingly understood, but Ʋnmeetly, Ʋn∣sutably, or not Answerably to the Nature of the Ordinance, and the Ends of it. Thus St. Ambrose: Is indigne sumit qui aliter accipit quam Christus instituit. See his Comment upon the Place. On the contrary, Dignè manducare, To Eat worthily, (says Chemnitius) est Eucharistiâ uti eo modo, & in eum finem sicut ex ipso Filio Dei instituta est, is to use the Eucharist after that Manner, and to that End as Christ hath In∣stituted it. See his Examen. Conc. Trid. de Coena Domini. Nothing can be more plain, or said with better Judgment. This is also most ful∣ly confirmed by the other Phrase, Not dis∣cerning the Lord's Body; which is brought in manifestly, as exegetical of the former. The Argument of the Chapter, (which is the Co∣rinth's Sin of Disorder, and the Reproof there∣of; who mingling their Love-Feasts with the Sacrament, came without any Reverence to the Holiness of the Institution, insomuch as they were ready even to be Drunken at it) does ex∣plain it to perfect Satisfaction; and it does, and must signifie therefore nothing else, in the First Sense, but the not putting a Diffe∣rence between this Sacred, & a Common Table. Paulus dicit Corinthios non dijudicare Corpus Do∣mini, quia illud in Coena Dominica non majori reverentia tractabant quam vidgares Concoenatio∣nes,

says the same Examiner of the Council of Trent, in the same Place. And this is the true, and certain Interpretation. I will yet E∣stablish it with the Authority of the Great and Devout St. Augustine. Indignè dicit ac∣ceptam ab cis, qui non discernebant à caeteris ci∣bis veneratione singulariter debita. Continuò quippe cùm dixisset, Judicium sibi manducat & bibit, ad∣didit ut diceret, Non dijudicans Corpus Domini, quod satis toto ipso loco si diligenter attendatur, apparet. Aug. Ad Inquisitiones Januarii, Lib. 1. Cap. 3. If the Meaning of either of the Phrases were to come in Ʋnregeneration, then must those Corinths that fell asleep under the Guilt, be not only Chastened of the Lord, but Condemned with the World; which were to give the Lie to the Text.

Our Divines generally distinguish the Church into Visible and Invisible, and make that a Di∣stribution of a Subject into its Adjuncts; and consequently, when the Church Invisible is the Number of the Regenerate and Elect, and the Subject is One, the Visible must be nothing but Those, who by Profession are Such; that is, Appear so, and are Not; and the Ʋnre∣generate are excluded. Answ. I confess, this is the Common Judgment of our chief Protestant Divines; and it hath confounded us. I must therefore, for my own part, declare Against it. I dislike the Terms, (which I suppose not Cyprian's or Augustine's, but Late Ones) and

being forced therefore to some Description of the Church, and to Distinguish about it, (for else we should not know of What we speak) I use Others. I distinguish the Church into Political and Mystical; and I speak of It un∣der the former Conception. Now, this Di∣stinction (understanding, by the way, the word Political in a Generical, not Specifical No∣tion) I take not to be Distributio Rei, into its diverse Accidents, or Parts Essential or Inte∣gral; but Nominis, into its diverse Signifi∣cations: That is, I take it not for a Distri∣bution of a Genus into its Species, which are its Essential Parts, or a Totum into its Inte∣grals, or of a Subject into its Adjuncts, or Ac∣cidents; but I tell what I mean by the Church, when I use the word, through the Means of that Distinction. I do not (I say) distribute One Thing into its Two Parts or Adjuncts; but I distribute One Word, or Homonymous Term into Two Things, signified by it. To be Ʋnited to Christ by his Spirit, so as to Have Him a Head of Influences to me, for Spiritual Life and Salvation, is One Thing; and to be of the number of Those who are brought under his Positive Institutions, and Subject them∣selves to his Officers for the proper End, and so Have Him as a Political Head only for Ex∣ternal Government, (though it be in order to bring them on to Saving Grace, and into the Mystical Church also) is Another. If I speak

of the Seed of Abraham; To be his Seed by Birth is One Thing, and to be his Seed by Faith is Another. It is One Thing to be an Outward Jew, or a Jew by Nature, and Cir∣cumcision in the Flesh; and it is Another to be an Inward Jew, by Circumcision in the Spi∣rit, by Grace, and Keeping the Commandments of God. And what a Distribution then is this? Why? It is Distributio Homonymi sive Equi∣vocantis in Equivocata: And the Distribution of a Genus into its Species, of a Whole into its Parts, of a Subject into its Adjuncts, being (as I count) Distributiones Ʋnivoci, This can be none of those Three. Here is Idem No∣men, the same Word or Term, [CHƲRCH] but Nominis Ratio Diversa, the Reason of the Denomination, the Conceptus Objectivus, not the Same. When there is One Name then, there are Two Things. The Things are di∣verse and disparate; but not Two Species of One Genus, or Two Parts of One Integrum, or Two Accidents of One Subject; there is no need of That. The Political Body is One So∣ciety, and the Mystical Body is One Society; Both are headed by One Christ, Both are Ca∣tholick, and Both are One; and One Person may be a Member of Both, but Both are not the Same. It is not a Distribution of an In∣tegrum into its diverse Sorts of Members, (as I have been formerly apt to think) because the Coetus then must be One; when That Coe∣tus

which consists of the Regenerate and Ʋn∣regenerate, and That which consists of the Re∣generate Only, cannot be One and the Same Coetus, but Two: Especially, when there may be Some, who are Members of the Church My∣stical, (as being already in a State of Salva∣tion) and not yet Admitted into the Congre∣gate, or Political Body, (either Ʋniversal or Particular; for so I use these Terms) Act. 10.4, 22, 35. Rom. 2.26, 27. as well as Many, who are Members of a Christian Congregati∣on, but Foreigners to the Assembly of Heaven. It is not a Distribution of a Subject into its Adjuncts, for the same Reason; which yet our Divines intend, by their Terms, Visible and Invisible, already noted. The Church, which is Christ's Church, is that One Mysti∣cal Body of the Elect and Regenerate only, ac∣cording to them, distinguished into a double Respect, or Consideration thereof, as Invisibly or Visibly such; that is, as Men be Indeed, or in Appearance Members of it. A goodly Distribution! As if we should divide Man in Specie into its Singulars; Plato Socrates, Paul John, and the Pictures of Men; when the Picture of a Man is No Man, and a Visible Member No Member; that is, a dividing a Church-Member, or Church, into one that is One, and into one that is None. Besides, that this is a Conception, (as before intimated) that makes the Apostle understand by the Outward

Jew (when he distinguishes them, Rom. 2.) to be the Inward One according to Appear∣ance; one that appears to be an Inward One, or a Jew only Putativè & secundum apparen∣tiam, as they speak; when nothing is more contrary to his Mind; who means undoubt∣edly, a Jew by Nature, (as Gal. 2.) one of Abraham's Seed according to the Flesh; Born a Jew, and thereby having a Right to Circum∣cision, and the Consequences of it. The For∣mal Reason giving Being and Relation to One Church, is distinct and different quite from That which Constituteth, and giveth Relation to the Other. I am nevertheless afraid to say likewise, That it is a Distribution of a Genus into its Species, because the making Two Churches specifically distinct under One Ʋni∣vocum Ʋnivocans, will be Absonant, I doubt, to the General Ear; though if any will make the Coetus Vocatorum the Number of the Called in Genere, to be divided into the Number of the Called Effectually, and of the Externally Called, and then divide these, as the Species, into their Singulars; Peter Paul Regenerate, Judas Simon Unregenerate, I shall be far from falling out with them; who must rather de∣clare, That if they can make it good, they have won our CAƲSE. For my part, I am only pretty sure methinks of This, that the term CHƲRCH is Homonymous; and so long as I go no farther than I do, I seem

to my self the more safe. For thus much appears, The Inward Jew hath another Re∣lation to God than the Outward; in regard to which, the Outward Jew is said to be No Jew; that is, None as so meant; when in regard to that Relation which is common to Both, he was a Jew, (the true proper Jew, and the Other but Metaphorically so) having the same Priviledges thereof equal with the Other. It is One thing to have One of these Relations, and to have the Other is Another; and the Societies to which they relate therefore, are not the Same. To be Called is One thing, to be Elected Another. The Mystical Church is the Number of the Spiritual Seed, Inward Jew or Christian, or of the Elect: The Po∣litical Church is the Number of the Called. To speak yet more exactly: There is the King∣dom of Christ, and there are Some Persons a∣mong them, whom He Chooses, to give his Special Grace and Spirit unto; and thereby to make them One with Himself in another (or stricter) manner than the rest. These Select or Elect Persons are sometimes called the Church; and sometimes this whole Kingdom is called the Church. This Kingdom is Ʋni∣versal or Catholick, because it is over the World. These Elect are Catholick, because scattered here and there, every where in it. This Kingdom is One, because they are All un∣der One Head and Government, (and have One

Faith, and One Baptism, Ephes. 4.5.) These Elect are One, because united into a Mystical Body, even so as to be said One Christ, 1 Cor. 12.12. If Divines had used to distinguish these Two Things by Two Words, and called the One Christ's Kingdom, and the Other the Church, the Matter would have been more easie: But when they are Both called the Church, I am forced to distinguish the word Church, and tell, That I understand by it, Christ's Kingdom, (that which is called the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, in the Gospel, Matth. 13.44. Mar. 4.26. Act. 20.25.) And if it appear, that Ʋnregenerate Men are of This Kingdom, (Matth. 8.12:) it is all one to me, as to say, They are of the Church. Unto Christ's Kingdom certainly do Christ's Institutions, Christ's Positive Laws and Officers belong; and consequently, the Ordinances of Baptism, which is appointed to Admit Men into the Same. That Door now, which admits Hypocrites as well as Sound Be∣lievers, cannot Admit Men into the Mystical Church; for there are no Hypocrites There. But Hypocrites, as well as Sound Believers, are Baptized; and it cannot be otherwise. The Mystical Body then is One thing, and the Po∣litical Body (which alone concerns our Dispute) is Another. They are Two Things, though called by One Name. The Objection consequent∣ly, being founded on the contrary Supposition, does fall.

There is One Thing yet, puts me most to it. It is the Form of Baptism in the Liturgy, (which I suppose very Antient by Tertullian) where the Covenant is Entred by every one that is Baptized, in the way of Question and Response: And when That Question is askt, Doest thou Renounce the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, in the Words as there express'd; and no less an Answer is required, than, I Renounce them all; it appears, that the Church of England receives none for her Members, but Such as She supposes Regenerate Persons. If none but Such as make that Profession, which none but the Regenerate can Make, are Admit∣ted to Membership and Baptism; it is evident what is the Churches Judgment. To this pur∣pose are Thanks given for every Child upon its Baptism, That God hath pleased to Rege∣nerate it by his Holy Spirit, (not only by Wa∣ter.) When these Children come of Age, they must be Confirmed; and All, as supposed in a State of Grace, are to come to the Commu∣nion. When any Die, they are likewise, as being in the Church, supposed to go all to Heaven: Neither ought the Words in the Burial give Offence to any, being spoken ac∣cording to a Church-Judgment of Charity, of every Body, upon that Supposition.

In the First place therefore, for Answer: I acknowledge my self a Non-Conformist: And

as All, who are Such, have some particular Reasons above others, why they Assent and Consent not to all, and every thing contained in, and prescribed by the Book of Liturgy; I am content that this be alledged for My Reason, though it be not my only Reason: I Assent, and Consent not, that this Abrenuncio be im∣posed in Baptism: And not only because no Child can make that Profession, but because I cannot find in my Heart to receive such a Tenent, by Consequence, from the Liturgy, for Conforming to the Church; which must lead me, if I be true to it, to Separate from Her. Not but really, if any Body can make this Profession, it is well; but to impose it on every one as necessary to Baptism, (with∣out Liberty of a Man's own Words) and to suppose it of every one that is Baptized, This is the Point. We intend our Mixt Churches to be of the Regenerate and Ʋnregenerate: This Profession intends them to be of the Regene∣rate only. These are inconsistent things; and This is no little matter therefore, for which I Dissent; and She may the better bear with me. We can never maintain our Parochial, our National, our Mixed Churches, against the Congregational Party, in my Judgment, if we give them This Ground, That the Churches of Christ's Institution do consist ex intentione Instituentis, of the Regenerate only.

In the Next place, I must say this: Though the Church, by requiring such a Profession of the Baptized, must indeed, by Consequence, be interpreted to be of the common Opinion; which I oppose, for the great Reason men∣tioned: Yet does She, by allowing this Pro∣fession to be made by Infants, vere again from it. An Infant can make no Profession de prae∣senti: And as the Abrenuncio therefore is well interpreted by a Polliceor in her Catechism, I could wish accordingly, if ever there be a∣nother Emendation of the Common-Prayer-Book, that these Words in the Baptism, of the A∣dult, as of the Infant, were changed; and instead of, I Renounce them all, some such words were put in, I engage to it, God being my Help∣er. If they were, you may say, How would this mend the Matter? No Man can say, I engage to do a thing Hereafter; but he must resolve upon it Now, or he lies. If the Bap∣tized resolve Now to Repent, or to live Ho∣ly for the Time to come, he must be Rege∣nerate, all one as if he professed He did al∣ready. I Answer, There is no doubt, but a Man may really Intend, or Purpose to Repent Hereafter, or sometimes Before his Death, (as he may Desire, Wish, and Hope it, lest he be Damned) who, at the Present, is for Injoy∣ing yet the Pleasures of the World for a Sea∣son: And whether such an Engagement, de futuro, will save the Adult Person, as well as

the Infant, from a Lie, (when it will not save him from Sin, and Desert of Wrath, if he makes any Delay, Heb. 3.7, 8.) I leave to O∣thers to judge, that will: I must Offer yet far∣ther. The Baptized is supposed to be En∣tring Covenant in these Responses; and there is Difference between an Absolute, and a Co∣venant-Engagement. A Man cannot engage Ab∣solutely to do any thing, but he must, at Pre∣sent, be Resolved, or he Lies: But a Man may make a Conditional-Engagement without a Lie, before he be Resolved upon the Per∣formance. A Covenant-Engagement is no more, but I Engage to perform my Part of the Co∣venant, as ever I expect God should perform His, or as ever I expect the Benefit of it; or, if I do not (that is, if I Never do) Perform the Condition, I consent to go without what is Promised. The Lord Jesus will be sure, for his Part, to perform his Promise; wherefore this Infant must also, for its Part, promise by You, to Renounce the Devil, to Believe, to Obey, says the Priest to the God-Fathers, in Words more at large: And if the whole Form were so moulded, as to make the Engagement of this Baptismal Vow to be Conditional, that the Ʋnregenerate, as well as the Regenerate, might make these Responses, and the Thing be Justi∣fied; there is nothing, I judge, could be done Better; and nothing, I think, ought to be done Less, for maintaining our Mixt Churches

Against, or saving them F••••m, Separation.

If This satisfie not, I have yet Something more laid in. In the Covenant, there are the Precepts, the Promises, and the Threats. As the Person Covenanting engages himself to the Precepts, as ever he hopes to enjoy the Bles∣sings: So he consents to Ʋndergo the Penal∣ty, in case of Non-Performance. There is no question now, but a Man may Engage to Do a Thing, or Bear the Penalty, when he is not yet Resolved either To Do, or Not to do it. No question, but he may Engage himself to the Loss and Punishment, without the Resolu∣tion of Doing that which is the Condition of avoiding of it. At Ʋniversity, when we were Matriculated, we swear to Keep the Statutes: No one that Ʋnderstands them, does think of always Keeping them; and yet they tell us, We are not to Scruple the Oath, because it is a Penal Oath: And so long as we Sub∣mit to the Penalty, in case of Breach, we sin not, though we Swear without Resolution to Perform the Matter Sworn. To this Purpose above all, we must not forget, that the Is∣raelites had the Curses proposed to them, as well as the Promises, in their Covenanting; and every Man was to say Amen to the Cur∣ses. Dent. 27.26, And they entred into a Curse, and an Oath, to walk in God's Law, which was given by Moses, Nehem. 10.29. God, on his Part, is Engaged to be Israel's God, and to

Bless them, if they do their Duty; and to Punish them, if they Neglect it. The People, on their Part, do accordingly Engage them∣selves to the Performance, or Submit to his Judgments, as Righteous. It is a Covenant-En∣gagement as to Both Parts; and so long as the People (whether Regenerate or Ʋnregene∣rate) do believe God will be Gracious to them if they be Obedient, and are ready to acknow∣ledge Him for Righteous if He punishes their Disobedience; there is nothing hinders, but that the whole Body may say, We engage to it. The Truth is, the Command of God for all the People to say Amen to the Curses, may be a Key for Opening the Nature of the Jew's Covenanting, as intended by God. If their Engagement to do all things that God had commanded was Absolute, then must their Engagement, when they say, in effect, If we do not, let us be accursed, be Absolute also. But far be it from God, to require the whole Congregation to Engage themselves to Conti∣nue in all the Words of the Law, to do them, (which Strictly none of them Did, or Could) or else be Absolutely accursed. As many as are of the Works of the Law, (says St. Paul) are under the Curse, Gal. 3.10. But were they Absolutely under it? God forbid! How then should any of them be delivered from the Law and Curse? How then should Salvation be through Jesus Christ, even to Paul himself

the Apostle? In one Place it is said, Go thou near, and speak thou to us all that God shall speak to thee; and we will do it, Deut. 5.27. They know not what some of these Commands will be, yet Engage to do Them. I ask, How can this be Absolute? Ignorantis non est Con∣sensus. If any one then says, He understands not my Distinction before, between an Abso∣lute, and Covenant-Engagement, let him bring his Mind to some good Conceptions about this Saying Amen to the Curses, (which our Church uses also in Lent) and, I suppose, he may then understand something of it. It may be ob∣jected, An Ʋnregenerate Man cannot Consent to the Sanction, any more than to the Pre∣ceptive Part of the Covenant. I Answer: But he can, and does Assent to it; and for the Entring the Covenant in regard to the Com∣minatory Part of it, that Assent is enough. He cannot help his Belief, though he would ne∣ver so fain; and so long as he knows he is within the Sanction whether he will or no, so that according to his Performance or Non-Performance of the Condition he must be Sa∣ved or Damned, though he cannot be Willing to be Damned, yet does his Conscience bind him over to it. Which also will tell him, That he might yet, if he would, Forbear those things, in the Doing whereof he is said, by an unavoidable Consequence, to Will, (Ezek. 18.31.) to Choose, (Deut. 30.19.) to Love

Death, (Prov. 8.26.) It is true, that the Israelite, who had not Performed the Conditi∣on, could never say Amen to the Curse with a Good Will; but he Must say it. For when a Man's Consent to the Condition is re∣quisite to have his Part in the Promise of the Covenant, he shall and must have his Part in the Threat, whether he will or not. This is Christ's Law, (saith the Sagacious Mr. Bax∣ter) He that Believeth, and is Baptized, shall be Saved; and he that Believes not, shall be Dam∣ned. He that professeth to be Governed by Christ, professeth to be Governed by this very Law; and therefore professeth his Consent to be Dam∣ned, if he Believe not. Christ told you, You must Consent to both Parts, or to neither. The Curses of the Covenant (Deut. 29.21.) were to be repeated to the People of Israel; and they were expresly to say Amen to each of them. For Life and Death were set before them, Blessings and Cursings, (Deut. 30.1, 19.) and not Life and Blessings alone. And so the Gospel, which we are to Believe, containeth though principally and eminently the Promises, yet secondarily the Threatnings of Hell to Impenitent Believers; and our Consent doth speak our Approbation. Life of Faith, pag. 303. Neither is this to be lookt on as any thing Singular; Promissio non minus iram incredulis minatur, quam grati∣am fidelibus offert, says Calvin, Mar. 16.16. Unto which I will add this, The Application

of that Part of the Covenant to a Man's own Soul, which belongs to him upon a due Ex∣amination of his State, is a Duty surely of Great Concern to every Body; and the Ap∣plying the Curse to himself, if he be under it, is as direct, proper, and convincing a Means to his Repentance, and Saving Conversion, as the Application of the Promises to the truly Faithful is for their Establishment in the Grace of God. I will add again thus much. As A∣dam, when he was in Innocency, could Enter Covenant with God, in regard to the Com∣minatory Part, that if he fell He should die, when he was at present only Ʋnder Life; so can an Ʋnregenerate fallen Sinner enter Cove∣nant with God, in regard to the Promissory Part, that if he Repent he shall Live, while he is yet actually Ʋnder Death and Condem∣nation. When the whole Body of Israel pro∣miscuously, without any Discrimination, say, All that God hath said we will do, it must be understood (as to an All above their own∣ing God, and his Worship, in opposition to other Gods, which they then Absolutely did) of such an Engagement, which I call a Covenant-Engagement. I will yet add moreover, That time may come, when such Men who let no∣thing almost escape their Sight, but can speak things so true, so clear and full as Above, may see their own selves how to walk in the Light and Consequence of what they have spo∣ken.

In the Third place: I must offer from hence by way of Quaere; Whether an Engaging to the Covenant be not a Duty of that Nature as other Duties, where the Matter of the Du∣ty must not be omitted for any Impotency of ours, or Defect in the Manner of the Perfor∣mance? When a thing is Evil in it self, it must be avoided; but when a thing is com∣manded, and hath Evil cast on it Externally by the Agent that doth it, the Doer must be reformed, but the Duty must be done. God commands all Israel (which we are here yet upon) to enter Covenant with Him: The most Part of them are uncapable of Sincere Performance; and yet they all Engage, and God and Moses seem to approve it. In like manner, God calls all Nations, as He did Is∣rael, to come in to the Christian Church, and to enter Covenant with Father, Son and Holy Ghost. If the Gospel be Preached, and they Believe that these Three Persons are the only true God, they are to be Baptized into their Name. They are to Come, and to come So as to be Sincere Converts. They are to En∣gage, and to engage So as to resolve upon the Performing the whole Condition on their Parts, that they may be Saved. If they fail in the Manner, and do not Engage so as they ought, or do not resolve upon the Perfor∣mance, (supposing it a Conditional Engagement) or rather resolve not Entirely, but in Part,

(or so far as to take God for their God and King, in opposition to other Gods, which is the main thing of that Covenant, as the Is∣raelites, for the most of them, at this Time we may be sure, Did) so that there is a Par∣tial, but not Total Hypocrisie, (to make it Evil in it self) in their Engagement; I Quaere, Whe∣ther the Matter is not yet still what they are called to? And if it be, they Must, and, for ought I see, they May engage, as Israel did. Where they fail then in regard to the Manner, they are to be Reformed; but what Their Duty is, must be done. If they Resolve not as they ought, they sin, I suppose, in the Manner of their Engagement: But I must ask, Whether they shall not sin more, if they En∣gage not at all; if they quite turn their Back upon God, and the Gospel, and leave both the Manner and Matter undone. You may ob∣ject: But can we think that the People could say, They Would do all God commanded, and God approve of it, as Well said of them, (Deut. 5.27.) or that they should make a Covenant, by Sacrifice passing between the Parts thereof, (Jer. 34.18.) and Enter into a Curse and Oath to walk in God's Law, (Nehem. 10.29.) and yet intend nothing but a Conditional, Dis-jun∣ctive Obligation to Do it, or be subject to the Penalty? Answ. I say not so. They did all take God to be the True God, and their God, in opposition to all false Gods: And as

for these Words here, which they Said, and God Approved, I must first premise This; That to engage a Man's self under the Curse of God, to Do any thing, must be laying the greatest Obligation on his Soul that can be, to the Per∣formance; and if it were God's Will, that the whole Body of Israel should engage to their Part of the Covenant, so as to say Amen to the Curses, (which, I think, is not to be de∣nyed) it does appear, that this Obligation by Covenant must be their Duty, even the Du∣ty of the Whole Body; and consequently, their Doing it, and God's Command of them to do it, must be Justified: Which being premised, I say, that when these Words, [All that God hath said we will do] are attributed to the Whole Body, they were all under great Com∣motion (that we know for certain) at the Ter∣rible Appearance of God, as ever was; and some of them (I doubt not) said So, with a present Resolution of Sincere Obedience, and did Perform it; as Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Ordinances of the Lord blameless: O∣thers of them (I believe) said So, out of that present Fear only, and Awe of God upon them; as the Seed that fell on the Stony Ground, sprung up Presently, but, for want of Root, Withered: The Generality (it is like) had the Idea of a General, Implicit Obedience in their Thoughts, which they did also endeavour (I suppose) in their Lives; but it was External

altogether, thinking That sufficient to their Justification before God: And such an Obedi∣ence the Ʋnregenerate Man (we know) can Engage to, and Perform, all alike with the Regenerate; there being no Duty in the Out∣ward Matter, or Outward Act, but he can do as well as the other; he can Hear, Read, Pray, give Alms, as well as the other; when yet he cannot do it out of that Principle, to that End, and after that Manner, as the other; which is the Doing it so as to be acceptable to Salvation. Now, if I should rest here, and say, That these Words [All that God com∣mandeth we will do] are to be understood of such an Engagement, and that such an Obedi∣ence which is External only, and Insincere, is yet in the Matter, or in Its self good, and Man's Duty, so that, notwithstanding the Fai∣lure in the Manner, it must be Engaged to and Done; I do apprehend the Cause were carried: But because my chiefest Cause ought to be Truth, I must yet add, That a great many of this Multitude (I believe) did say I for Company; that is, they consented with others in the General Terror, without any for∣med Consideration of what they promised, or Resolution to perform it: nay, their Hearts bring wicked, they could have no mind to do it, whatsoever Fear might constrain from them. And when we see well, how the First sort could say these Words with the Accep∣tation

of God, and how the Second might say the Same without any present Lie; yea, how the Third also might engage so Far, and God in Tantum approve it; I would fain know, in respect to the Fourth sort of them, how God and Moses could require of the Whole Body any Engagement to the keeping all God's Precepts, but upon the Account I have offer'd; that is, upon this Account, That it was a Co∣venant-Engagement? which being of Validity for obtaining the Blessings to all those that Perform it, was not in Vain as to those (whom He deals withal still as Men) that perform it Not; because they were thereby (even ac∣cording to Agreement) yet obliged to the Pe∣nalty; and God was Righteous, as their Lord and King, to make every one of them Sub∣scribe to it. I will add a Simile, that will come a little more near the Matter, than some One we have had before. In an Oath of Al∣legiance to a Prince, a Man cannot swear to the King's Government, but it includes Sub∣jection to his Laws; which Laws perhaps he knows not; or if he do, he knows he Breaks many: and yet so long as the Substance of that Oath lies in the Owning his Authority a∣gainst all Foreign Jurisdiction, and being True to the Crown, which one that is no Popeling does heartily consent to, he makes no Scru∣ple to take it, notwithstanding those Laws; for he makes this Account, that if he submit

to the Penalty in case of Transgression, or can escape without Resistance, that is consistent with his Allegiance: So in the Covenant of the Jews, which was a Covenant of Fealty to God, as their King, so long as they could freely and absolutely Consent to take God for their Lord, and to serve Him alone in his Appointed Worship, in opposition to ull other Gods, their Submission to the rest of God's Precepts we may conceive to be under such Political Terms, as in this Instance is signified. See, I have set before thee Life and Good, Death and Evil; therefore choose Life, Deut. 30.15, 19. One can't imagine, how these People should be left to choose what they would do, but that their Engagement must have this Construction; As ever we expect to escape the Curse, or reap the Blessing, we will do it. And for∣asmuch as that which they Could and Did, was the main thing to be Done, and they were cal∣led to it, it was not for any to leave undone So much, because More was also required; Ʋnto Which the most of them could Engage only under God's terms, leaving themselves to Mercy; and Which accordingly they nei∣ther Absolutely intended, nor Did. I will add: So long as a Jew cleaved to God, in oppositi∣on to Idols, and lived in general as other Jews, here was the Essentials of That Cove∣nant; and the Breach of other Precepts was failing in the Integrals: But the Essence of

the Covenant of Life consists in Integrity, (In∣tegrity measured by Grace, accepting of what is Done, and forgiving what is Ʋndone, through the Righteousness and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ) which none but the Regenerate have, must be confessed.

In the Fourth place: I must say upon this, It having pleased God to set up a Kingdom over this People, and as a King to give them his Statutes and Judgments, and they as his Subjects declaring they will obey them; (In the Division of the Nations, He set a Ruler o∣ver them; but Israel is the Lord's Portion, says Ecclesiasticus) I must take leave to ask, How these Words [All that the Lord hath said, we will do] can prove, That no Person there∣fore, that says not the same Words, may be Baptized; or that because the Israelites said so, therefore the Baptized must say Abrenun∣cio and Spond••o? Especially when they were not prescribed by God, but Words of their own; and if they had spoken them Exa∣miningly, and with more Caution, and said but as we do in the Common-Prayer, Lord have Mercy upon us, and incline our Hearts to keep all these thy Laws; I am perswaded, it had been better. It is manifest, that every Jew was to Circumcise his Children, and Joshua all the Congregation in the Wilderness; but I find not, that every Father, or every One there,

was to make such a Profession, a Profession in such large Words, in the Doing. I find not such a Profession neither required of any of the Baptized, in the New Testament. The Eunuch says, He believed Christ was the Son of God; and those that came to John's Bap∣tism, confessed their Sins, (both which I have provided against) and that is all I find There. Nay, though Israel indeed used these Words when God gave the Law at first, I find not in Deut. 29. when Moses called them to Co∣venant Again, or to Another Covenant, (v. 1.) about Forty Years after that, (v. 5.) that they used the same Words. This is certain, Man, Woman and Child enter Covenant, (v. 12.) but what Words passed, or whether they Con∣sented by Silence, or otherwise, we read not. Suppose then these Questions in the Churches Form to be retained, and the Baptized Per∣sons left to use what Words they Could, and Would, in their Responses; I pray, were not the Baptism good? Suppose, instead of say∣ing [All this I stedfastly believe,] a Man should say, I believe it with all my Heart, or, I Real∣ly and in Truth believe it, as the Eunuch fore∣mentioned; or should be only able to say, I believe it; Lord, help my Ʋnbelief, with the Man in the Gospel: Should such a one be turn'd away for That? I am pleased to see, how in the Third Question, [Wilt thou obediently keep God's Holy Will?] when the Child, who An∣swers

by his Sureties, and is Innocent, is made to answer, [I will,] the Adult Person, who Answers for himself, and must think of Per∣forming it, does say with all Tenderness and Caution, [I will endeavour so to do, God being my Helper]: And when the Church her self doth vary the Response, if the Baptized, who is yet more Tender, (being fearful lest he is defective in that Endeavour) should be able to say only, I do acknowledge this Renuncia∣tion of Flesh, World and Devil; I own this Walking in God's Commandments all the Days of my Life, to be my Duty; Pray God give me his Grace to do it; I desire I may; I can say no more: I would be very willing to know, whether such a Man might not be Baptized? For my part, I should judge such a one sit∣ter to be Received, than the most of Confident Believers, that make no Bones at all of the Matter. I would have no Man here so high for the Church, as not to consider the Foun∣dation. I do acknowledge, that every Man who was Circumcised, became a Debtor there∣by to the whole Law; and every one that is Baptized, is a Debtor to the Practice of all Christianity: But I am apprehensive also, that the Ʋnregenerate Man cannot actually, in Words, say, I Renounce the Devil, World, and the Elesh, so as Not to be led by them; when yet he may be obliged to it, as well as the Regenerate, by Covenant-Engagement, at least

in the Sign of it. I am willing to have a Man's Duty pressed on him, in regard to the Obligation, as much as any: But as for the Profession he makes in Words, I cannot but be Tender of it for my Life. I am Conscious, how one Excellent good Man is still for to have some Law Established, (in case, at least, of any Accommodation) that every Man who offers his Child to Baptism, or Himself to the Eucharist, should make his Profession, that he Takes God for his Chief Good, Christ for his Lord and Saviour, the Holy Ghost for his San∣ctifier; and unfeignedly Repenting of all his Sins, he does resolve upon a Sincere Obedience, through the Course of his Life, for the Time to come; or the like Words: Which, I must confess, is so grievous a thing to my Mind, in regard to that Formality, and Authorized Lying, which the Most should be put Ʋpon; and that Scru∣ple and Perplexity, which the Best, most Seri∣ous, and most Tender, should be Put To there∣by, that I cannot, in my Heart, but rather be glad, (though simply I approve not the thing) that the Church hath imposed this Profession upon the Ʋncapable Infant, and the Sureties in their Names. Neither is there any thing, I know, in the Scripture, for such strict Injunctions, unless these Words of the Israelites (Words of their Own, not Imposed) be any thing; which hath made me therefore speak thus much the more about it. It is said, for mol∣lifying

the Matter, If a Man can say, I am willing to be a Christian upon the Terms of the Covenant, it is enough; but this is the Thing (if you understand by it the Covenant of Life) that a Man doubts. Neither is it less, but only in Words, than what is said before. A Person is afraid, that he is indeed Ʋn∣willing to Submit to something or other, that is in the Terms, when he hath strictly exa∣min'd his whole Life, and is in Good Ear∣nest with his Soul. It is not so easie a thing with every Good Man, (as with So good a One) to assume to himself so much as but amounts to All that is necessary to make a Man a Christian, when he speaketh but as he thinks, upon faithful Endeavours to avoid Deceit. There may be Thousands of the Temper of Holy Mr. Bradford; who, the more tender they are of their Duty, the more sensible they are of their Defects, and more fearful of Hypo∣crisie: And God forbid, but many of them, whose Consciences do condemn them, should yet be acquitted by Him, who is Greater than their Consciences; and who Does, and Will do it, while they are secretly yet borne up in their Desponding Dependence on his Good∣ness and Mercy. It was more fairly said once to me, by a Chief Pastor of the Anabaptists, That the Way they went was not Thus; but the Person that offers himself to their Church, (said he) was only to declare what Work

of God there is on his Heart; and the Church are to make Judgment of it: So that though the Man himself should profess, he did Not believe his own Sincerity, and yet the Church Did, they could Receive him. This, I told him, I liked well; but it was to depart so much from the received Rule of Profession, and to verge towards Mine; that is, towards an Admission of the Willing, who are to come (as I cannot chuse but think) to the Ʋse of the Means for Grace, if they have it Not; as well as for farther Edification, if they Have.

In the Last place, to come home: I have, in my fore-going Discourse, delivered my Thoughts about the Church and Covenant. And though it be true, that no Man can Enter, or be in Covenant with God, in that Sense, which signifies the Performing the Condition, but he must be Regenerate, and a Member of Christ's Mystical Body, or Church, taking the Covenant (whether Abstractly or Complexly) for the Covenant of Life: Yet as for Admit∣ting Men and Women into the Society of Chri∣stians, which is the Congregate Church, or Christ's Political Body, and Entring them into the Covenant of Peculiarity, whereby they ob∣tain only the Advantage of the Ordinances, as Means for the bringing them up to the Terms of Salvation, if they are not Effectually Con∣verted

already, (whereof I have all the way be∣fore been speaking) I apprehend the Scene is, as it were, quite changed; and I must stand still upon this, That if any one Receives the Go∣spel, and Believes it but so far, (Let not any one then say foolishly, That when I let those That Will come into the Church, I let in Turks, Jews, Infidels; for by Receiving the Gospel, i. e. the Doctrine, or Creed of it, I do suppose them turn'd Christians) as to be Willing to come in, and be Baptized, whether he makes any other Profession or not; This is sufficient here∣unto, and there is nothing Else I find requi∣red of him; unless we doubt, whether a Man be In Earnest, and a Christian in his Heart, when he comes; and then are we to Put the Question to him, and he is to own the Faith: Or unless he be a Profligate, Scandalous Sinner; who then must make his open Confession, and declare his Repentance, or be kept out. I see not, but the Owning the True God, in oppo∣sition to all false Religions, and other Gods, was the main Intendment of the Jews Cove∣nant; and that a Common Faith, (left the word Dogmatical be too short) which is less than Saving, did suffice to the Entring it, or Taking hold of it; and that the Ʋnregenerate consequently, as well as the Regenerate, were in the Intention of God, to be Members of that Church: And I do think, that the same La∣titude ought to be maintained, in regard to

the same Kingdom, as it is now Enlarged o∣ver the Nations, and put into Christ's Hands, which belonged to it before when a Theocra∣cy of the Jews. Indeed, it must be confessed, (lest I seem Deficient, in waving That before, though once touch't upon, which was need∣less till Now) That besides their taking God to Worship Him only, there was a Consent in the Generality likewise to all that Political, Ce∣remonial, Moral, External Obedience, which was required in that Covenant, according to those Words of theirs, All things that the Lord hath commanded, we will do: Only, this must be known withal, that these All Things which they were to do, as the Matter of that Co∣venant, in Observing all the Commandments there∣of, was short of the Righteousness of a Rege∣nerate Man, or of that Righteousness that ju∣stifies a Christian. This appears expresly by St. Paul, who was a Pharisee of the chiefest Sect of the Jews, and Touching the Righteous∣ness of the Law (he says) blameless; but yet, in point of Justification, he tells us, He Coun∣ted it but Loss, desiring to be Found in Christ, not having his own Righteousness, but the Righ∣teousness which is of God by Faith. The Apo∣stle by his Own Righteousness, understands the Righteousness which he had as a Jew; the Righteousness of Moses's Covenant, described by him thus: And it shall be our Righteousness, if we observe to do all these Commandments, Deut.

6.25. & 24.13. It shall be Our Righteous∣ness, that is so, as the Law hath nothing a∣gainst Such, but that they shall live in the Land, and be Blessed; or that God, as Rector, shall Reward them with the Temporal Blessings, promised in that Covenant: But it was never intended, by God, for such a Righteousness, as should Justifie a Man to Life Everlasting; for how then should Enoch, Job, Melchisedeck, and those Good Men that lived before the Law, have been Justified? Were they Justifi∣ed any other ways than we? If Righteousness come by the Law, then is Christ dead in vain. The Jews indeed generally (that were not Sa∣ducees) thought to obtain Salvation by their Works, according to this Covenant, which proved so deadly to them. For they being ig∣norant of God's Righteousness, and going about to Establish their own Righteousness, did not sub∣mit to the Righteousness of God. This Righte∣ousness of Theirs, and Paul's Own, (which he calls so, I say, as a Jew; for his Own, as a Christian, he must have, and be Judged ac∣cording to it) is that Righteousness whereof Christ speaks, when He tells his Disciples, that were Jews, Ʋnless your Righteousness exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you cannot be saved. There is a Conformity to the Law, or Covenant of Moses, which is the Righteousness of the Jew, and so of the Scribes and Pharisees: And there is a Conformity to

the Law, or Covenant of Grace; and This is the Christian Righteousness, that exceeds the O∣ther. The One consists in External Obedience, in the Political, Ceremonial, Moral, External Obedience (I say) of That Covenant: The O∣ther in Sincerity of Heart and Life, accepted through Christ; which is That, which ex∣ceeds the Former. As Abraham's Walking Ʋp∣rightly before God, exceeded his being Circum∣cised. This Righteousness is called the Righte∣ousness of God, as of his Inventing, Appoint∣ing, Accepting, instead of that Righteousness of Innocent Nature, from whence we are fallen; and it is called also, the Righteousness of Faith, whereby we are Justified, in opposition to the Works of the Law; that is, both of the Law of Nature, because no Man hath those Works, and therefore cannot be Justified by them; and of the Law of Moses, because if a Man had them, he could not be Justified thereby, as hath been now said: So that, here being a Righteousness of One Covenant, which is Justifying, (for Jesus Christ, by his Merits, procured this Covenant, that we might be Justified by it; but He died not for the Redemption of Israel out of Aegypt, or the Procuring Moses's Covenant) and the Righte∣ous of Another, that is Not Justifying; it does appear, that these Covenants must be Distinguished; and that So, as a Faith, Short of Saving, must be made to suffice for a Man

to enter One, when a Saving One is necessary to the Other; and consequently, that the Ʋn∣regenerate, as well as the Regenerate, may be brought in to be Members of the Charch, or Subjects of God's and Christ's Kingdom, by be∣ing capable of Entring this Covenant belong∣ing thereunto, (a Covenant of Allegiance); when none can be Members of Christ's My∣spical Body, by Entring the Covenant of Life, but the Regenerate only. If our Church then, instead of the Three Questions at Baptism, let∣ting the First stand, (supposing a Dogmatical Faith sufficient for Answer to That) should for the other Two ask, Do You renounce the Hea∣thenism, Idolatry, Mahometism, or This or That False Religion, which you Separate from, when you Joyn with us? And do you intend to live such a Christian Life in your whole Con∣versation, as not to Leven the Society by your Being of it? I must confess, the Answer to these Questions (supposing we doubt of the Persons, when else there is no necessity of any) in the Affirmative, were a Qualification plain∣ly necessary to a Man's being Admitted, and proper to a Covenant of this Nature, which is made for Receiving Men into such a Socie∣ty: But when these Covenants are confound∣ed, and the Baptismal Covenant advanced in∣to the Covenant of Life, so that there are no less Conditions required of a Person unto his Coming into the Church, and being Baptized,

than unto his Entrance into Everlasting Bles∣sedness; What shall we say to these things? but that for a through Satisfaction to the whole Objection, these Interrogatories therefore, and Responses of the Church, (which have been brought into Baptism by Men, I will suppose for good Reason, at the time, but not by Christ's Commandment) are to be lookt on by none, I hope, as Essential, or Necessa∣ry to the Institution, but may be Omitted, Al∣tered or Relaxed at her Will; at least, when better Reason appears for it: And they were Omitted, we know of late, at Home, under the Directory; and are, I suppose, in most of the Reformed Churches Abroad. Neverthe∣less, if the Church, when She can require no more of a Person, but what is necessary to the Conventional Government of God, and Co∣venant of Peculiarity, (I mean, can require of him to do no more, than Consent to the Terms Thereof) so as to Refuse his Admit∣tance Without It, shall, in regard to the Com∣plex Consideration of God's Government and Covenant, require an Engagement further unto the Terms that are necessary, even to Life and Salvation also; so long as it be not made by a Profession, de praesenti, which must draw Regeneration along with it; but by a Cove∣nant-Engagement understood aright, and Au∣thenticated by an Interpretation of the Church, I shall humbly give way Thereunto, both out

of Reverence to what She hath hitherto pre∣scribed, as also (and rather) for the Good Ʋse, which Is (especially in our Catechisti∣cal Divinity) and May still be made of it. On∣ly, as for the Abrenuncio in the Liturgy, I must lodge my Opinion, That either the En∣gagement should be declared to be Conditional, or the Question only be imposed, and the Bap∣tized left to make his own Answer.

If after This you be not satisfied, as judg∣ing that no Person Ʋnregenerate can say, I Engage, (into which, I confess, I would have the word chang'd) but it is a Lie, as much as if he said Abrenuncio; Let the Church make her Interpretation, with the Change of the Word, and I am not of your Mind: Nevertheless, I will Answer you also otherwise. If the Church were willing to turn her Abrenuncio to a Polliceor, and That Won't serve; then may She turn it into some other Words, [God grant I may] as Will serve: And I doubt not, but if the Person, that is tender of the Form imposed, makes his Answer in such Words as he can, with a good Conscience, and without Doubting, it were better than in those Pre∣scribed; seeing it is not Words, nor Works, but a Man's Will, (as I humbly understand) or a Man's Consent, a Believing Consent, or a Consent upon Believing; that is, Believing the Gospel Preached, and Consent to come in, and

be Baptized, (that no Body may mistake my Meaning) upon the Account of General Grace, is the Gospel's, Christ's, and his Apostle's Rule of Admission. Suffer them to come unto Me, and forbid them not.

In the Going Off, I cannot but take notice, how the Want of a more Timely, or more Through Consideration of what I have Insisted upon; to wit, this Distinction of the Cove∣nants and Government of God; and the Ne∣cessity thereof, hath led some Eminent Divines into the Particular Opinion, That Children are to be held in the Same State with their Pa∣rents, in regard to Salvation, as well as in regard to their Outward Priviledges, as they were Jews or Christians: But I will humbly offer it to their Consideration, whether there be any Places in Scripture, that speak of the Parents entring Covenant for their Children, or of the Covenant being made With them, or To them, and their Children after them; but it is to be understood of the Covenant of Peculiarity, and not of the Covenant for Sal∣vation. The Covenant God Establishes be∣tween Him and Abraham, and his Seed after him, is manifestly the Covenant of Circumci∣sion, Gen. 17. v. 7. with v. 10. And that Co∣venant He Enters with the Jews for Posteri∣ty, (Deut. 29.9.—15.) is but the same Co∣venant enlarged, and expresly Distinguished

from the New Covenant, (which is the Co∣venant of Grace, or Covenant for Life) in Heb. 8. v. 9, 10. When therefore a Right to the Priviledges of that Covenant is soundly argu∣ed for Children, from their Parents being in it; and the Baptizing our Children as Christi∣ans, as the Jews Circumcised theirs, stands firm on the same Bottom, because the Covenant of Peculiarity takes in the Children with the Parent, by God's Ordination, [I will Establish my Covenant between Me and Thee, and thy Seed after thee]; it follows not, that we may ar∣gue the same thing, as to the Covenant for Life. In Ezek. 18. All Souls are Mine, (says God) as the Soul of the Father, so the Soul of the Son. The Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father. The Soul that sinneth, it shall die. In Rom. 9. it is said of Jacob and Esau, That while they were Yet unborn, God said, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated; which though it be spoken (I believe) of their Po∣sterity, and in regard to their Temporal Inhe∣ritance; yet does it carry, methinks, a Fi∣gure in it of something farther; to wit, That the Eternal State of Children (while Infants) depends not on the Condition of the Parents, (which was here the Same to Both) but on God's Free Election. Above all, if the Salva∣tion of Children depends on the Faith and State of the Parent; as this is comfortable Do∣ctrine to the Sound Believer, whose Infants

therefore must be Saved: so must it follow, That all the Children of the Ʋnregenerate, though their Parents be Christians, and bring them to Baptism, must be inevitably damn'd: Which is a Consequence too hard upon the Church, and harder in it self than can be borne. Let the Case here of Adam alone be set by.

I must note farther, How through want of the same Distinction insisted on, and Ap∣plication of the Light of it to our CAƲSE, some Worthy Men, who have gone before me, have Faltered in it. It is not for any one to tell us of a Faith, short of Saving, (called by them Dogmatical) that suffices to Enter Cove∣nant with God, while they think of no other Covenant, but That which gives Pardon and Life upon a Faith that is Saving, and None else: Whereas, let the Government of God, and Covenants thereof, be distinguished, and then shall the Distinguishing of Faith also suit with it. For when there is no Faith, less than Saving, sufficient for a Man to Enter in∣to the Covenant of Life, (it being a Contra∣diction, to think we should Live by a Faith, that is less than Saving); yet did a Faith, (call it Dogmatical, or what you will) which consists in the Owning of the only true God, and his Worship, in opposition to all false Gods, and false Worship, (which Faith may

be separate from Sincere Obedience) suffice to the General Body of Israel, for their Entring that Covenant, (for This was the Main of it) which God made with them, When He took them by the Hand, to lead them out of the Lard of Aegypt. Let any prove, That the Faith of the Whole Body of Israel, could come to any More. Besides This, that Faith alone, and That only which lies in an Assent, could say Amen to the Curses; which making a Man obnoxious to the Minatory Part of the Cove∣nant, must put him in Covenant Conditionally, in regard also to the Promissory Part with it. And the Truth is, a Faith of Assent, a Belief of a God, and that his Word is True, does lay an Obligation on the Conscience, which none can have that Believe not: And though a Re∣solution of doing what may escape the Threat, be Another thing (called Consent) than that bare Obligation; yet so long as the Obliga∣tion it self is laid thereby, whether a Dogma∣tical Faith goes not farther into the Covenan∣ting Act, than some Men are aware, I com∣mit to their farther Consideration. And as for the Covenant whereof I am speaking, which I have said, was a Political Covenant between God and Them, as King and Subject, Lord and People, and such an Owning Him as a Dogma∣tical Faith suffices to, was the main Substance and Intendment of it, as their departing to Idolatry was the Chief (if not Only) Breach of

it, as I have also noted, I do take it to be that Covenant, which was repeated often by their good Rulers. In the Time of Asa, a great Confluence of Persons are summoned to∣gether, and it is said, They Covenanted to seek the Lord with all their Heart, 2 Chron. 15.12, 15. If by this Covenanting we under∣stand a Resolution of Ʋniversal Obedience, ac∣cording to the Covenant for Salvation; I can∣not see well, how this could be said of such a Mixed Multitude: But if it be understood of a Refreshing the Covenant mention'd, and a Seeking the Lord, in opposition mainly to Ido∣latry, (as indeed it must be so understood, comparing Vers. 8.16.) then may we appre∣hend likewise, how These Men (the most of Them) might have a Faith less than Saving; and yet (secundum quid) do This from their Hearts. And Jehoiada made a Covenant be∣tween the Lord, and the King and People, That they should be the Lord's People; and between the King, and the People, 2 King. 11.17. What was the Covenant between King and People, but a kind of Oath of Allegiance to him, in op∣position to Athaliah's Faction? And what was the Covenant between the Lord and Them, but the like higher Allegiance to Him, as their Supreme Lord, in opposition to Baal, as ap∣pears in the next Verse? Here is a Covenant, we see, unto Which nothing but the want of a Dogmatical Faith could be a Bar; and no∣thing

requisite to Enter it, but the believing that God was the only True God. And as for that Qualification, it is most certain, that the Israelites had it in the Whole Body of them, when they first Covenanted this Covenant with God, as their King, in the Time of Moses; who were under such a Conviction at the Ap∣pearing of God himself to them, as never had any the like under the whole Cope of Hea∣ven; so that, neither Man, nor Woman, nor Child, that were capable of Seeing and Be∣lieving, could be under Ʋnbelief: Yet can I not think, that many of them had Saving Faith, whose Carkasses all of them, save Two or Three, fell afterwards in the Wilderness. Let me come now then from this Church in the Wilderness, to the Christian Church under the Gospel, into Which Men are Entred by Baptism. And what is here the Covenant of Christia∣nity? The Words of Christ's Institution are these only: Go, Baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost: Which Words, undoubtedly, do import thus much; to wit, An Owning the Blessed Trinity to be that Only True God, whom the Jews owned in their Covenant before. And what Else, but the Con∣sequences of it, who can say? Unto This now, such a Faith, which is Dogmatical, does appear absolutely necessary; and was therefore re∣quired of the Eunuch. I believe Christ to be the Son of God. But if the Church, by her Ad∣ditions

to Baptism, hath made more Qualifica∣tion necessary to them, than Christ to his Insti∣tution, so that no Adult Person, whose Faith is less than Saving, can, without a Lie, make these Responses; what shall I say, but that She may Diminish what She hath Added, and hath Power over her own Additions to Change them, or Interpret them; and delare, That She understands them in a Covenant Constru∣ction.

The last Objection, as to this Doctrine in hand, is the innumerable Testimonies of Mo∣dern and Antient Divines, that Are, and May be cited for the received Opinion, against What I have proposed: Unto Which I have also some Little to say. I remember well, that Austine hath one Book, which especially touches the Point. It is de Fide & Operibus. The Case was This: There were Persons, who, while they were Heathens, had put Away their Wives, and Married Others; and some had Concu∣bines. They are Loth to part with this Cu∣stom; and yet Willing to be Baptized. Augu∣stine gives his Judgment, That if they Would not, they are not to be Admitted: Conclu∣ding in the Main, That it is not enough for a Man's Admission to the Church, to Own the True Faith, if his Life be not sutable to God's Commandments. I remember likewise, that Eminent Passage of Justin Martyr, in his

Second Apology; who having told of the Chri∣stian Assemblies, and what they did There, as to their whole Exercises, he adds, That they did Admit none to this Fellowship with them, (more particularly, in the Eucharist) but such as Lived, as they ought to do, like Christi∣ans: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. There is a Life therefore, or such Sins, which are not consistent with a State of Grace, or not consistent with the State of Membership, or the State of that Society into which we Enter. I will suppose, with these Fathers, that such a Life, or such Sins, that will not consist with the State of Membership, or the Common Good of the Society, when it will Leven and Destroy it, may keep a Person from Admission: but not such a Life, or Sins only, which are not consistent with Regeneration. The Truth is, the Church looks not into the Heart, or to Effectual Grace, which is known only to God, that tryeth it; and consequently, is not to require such a Profession as is requisite to a Judgement Thereof; which the Congregatio∣nalists yet therefore do: But the Church is to look indeed, that her Society be kept Pure from Scandal; or that That be Purged out, which would Defame and Leven it, so far as stands most to her Preservation. This I take to be sufficient, as to the Mind of these Fa∣thers, St. Augustine especially; who is One,

we know every where, that is open for To∣lerating the Evil, rather than Disturb the Churches Peace; as, in good earnest, for the Casting them Out, when it will do the Church good.

The Church, even the Catholick Church, as One, is with him still, as I remember, the Field in the Gospel, which does consist of Tares and Wheat; even such Tares as are Discern∣ed among the Wheat, and yet are to stand unto Judgment. And there is one Argument I must not let pass, before I have done, but produce out of him, in respect to our Con∣gregational Brethren; for I know no kind of thing almost more Ʋnanswerable and Con∣vincing. It is the express Command of our Lord to his Servants, That they Pull not the Tares up, when it will Endanger the Wheat to be Rooted up with them: From whence that Judicious and most Temperate Father, lays down this Rule, which will serve for de∣ciding many Difficulties and Scruples. That when we can Root out any Tare without hurt to the Wheat, we are to be careful of Disci∣pline; and all those Texts, which speak of keeping no Company with Such, and the like, are to be pressed: But when we cannot Pull up the Tares without Endangering the Corn, we must, for the Churches Advantage and Peace, be content to Suffer them; and be satisfied with

such Texts as these, which say, Let them a∣lone till the Harvest. Now, there are none of the Moderate, Pious and Learned of any of our Sects, who Do, who Dare deny, but that there are some true Christians, and Members of Christ, in our Mixt Churches. But to Ʋn-Church a whole Nation, and all our Parishes at once, by this Congregational Pra∣ctice and Opinion, is certainly to Eradicate the Wheat with the Tares, beyond all Possibility of Answer. If the Servant may not Pluck up the Tares, if it will but Endanger any of the Single Wheat, how shall he dare to Root up the Whole Wheat, on purpose for the Tares sake? When the Lord does say, Let it stand, who art thou, my Independent Brother, that goest to meddle with it? There is indeed a Separate Church, as a Mixt Church: But the Mixt Church remains in This Life; and the Separate Church is not be expected till a Fu∣ture State The Church is the House, wherein are Vessels of Silver, and Vessels of Wood: Those of Wood are for use, as those of Sil∣ver; and the Master intends both shall be There. The Church is the Net, that takes the Fish, little and great; and it is intend∣ed all should be Taken, which are within its reach. The Church is the Feast, unto Which all are Called; and the Lord of it intends, that Whosoever Will, should come to it. The Church is the Field, whereof I am speaking:

And it is objected, The Field is said to be the World, and the Enemy is said to Sow the Tares; therefore, it was not God's Intention, they should be In it. I Answer; Here are Two Objections, and One confounds the Other. If the Field be the World, you cannot object, God would not have the Tares There; for God will have Good and Bad in the World, out of question. The Field therefore must be the Church, as the Feast is; and it is God's Will, that All should be Called to come In to it. It is his Will, that they should Come al∣so, as they ought to Come. This is the In∣tention of their Call; and Both are his Will. It is true now, Of Those that Come, some are Tares; and it is of the Devil, that they are Tares: Some have not the Wedding Garment; and it is of the Devil, they Come without it: But if they Come for all that, they must be Let in. The Rule is this, Whosoever will, let him come; and though Tares, they must Stand. Parables (our Divines say well) are like Knives, whereof the Edge, and not the Back, is for use; and the Main Scope (take the Parables together) appears plainly to be this, That the Church in This World, (for That is the Meaning of Christ's saying, The Field is the World) is Mixt; and the Separation is not to be (as I said even now) till the Life to come. Thus do the Fathers speak against the Dona∣tists: And whereas in the Discipling of Na∣tions,

the Refusing one Person, or some few Persons, as Tares, might hinder the Coming in of a Country, I perceive, in such a Case, according to the Judgement of this Discreet Fa∣ther, it were but a Shallow Conceit to think, that when they Are In, they may Stand; but may not be Admitted upon the same Terms as they are let Stand: Though in the com∣mon Case of others, I have provided against the main Objection upon my Hands, in the Stating my Mat••er; who say, That when a Man believes the Gospel, and is Willing to Come in, if he live in any open notorious Sin, as would Excommunicate one that Is a Member, he may be required to declare his Repentance, or be Refused upon the same Ac∣count. It is but one Exercise of the Keys, to Keep a Man Out, as to Turn him Out, when there is the same Reason. And this must or∣dinarily needs be for the Good of the Wheat. But when there is a Willingness upon the Go∣spel Preached, and there be no such Reason to hinder, I am for gain-saying no Bodies Ad∣mission. Whatsoever Passages there be then in the Fathers, or Other Men, that run in an higher Strain than This comes to, they are to be Reduced (I will account) to this Model, or to be seasoned with the same Interpretation.

I will Conclude yet with One Authority, which seems to me to incline to my Cause,

with Declination from the common Opinion. Our British Divines, in the Synod of Dort, up∣on the Fifth Article, De Perseverantia Sancto∣rum, have these Theses. Quihusdam non E∣lectis conceditur quaedam Illuminatio Supernatu∣ralis, cujus virtute intelligunt ea quae in Verbo Dei annunciantur essa vera, iisdem{que} assensum praebent minime simulatum. To some Persons, not Elect, God does afford a certain Super∣natural Illumination, by vertue whereof they understand those things which are declared in the Word of God to be true; and do give an Assent to them not counterfeit. In iisdem ex hac Cognitione & Fide oritur affectuum quae∣dam mutatio, & morum aliqualis emendatio. Out of such a Knowledge and Faith as this, in the same Persons, does there arise some kind of Change in their Affections, and Amend∣ment of their Lives. Ex his initialibus, etiam per externa Obedientiae opera testatis sumuntur, & Charitatis judicio sumi debent pro Credenti∣bus, Justificatis, Sanctificatis. From these Ini∣tials, or this beginning Work upon such, are they, and ought they to be held for Belie∣vers, Justified, Sanctified, who never come up to a State of Saving Grace; that from the Falling-away of such, the Perseverance of the truly Godly should be impugned: as they proceed in their next Theses, which con∣cern not this Argument.

From these Positions now I note, That when the common Opinion of the Protestants is, That no less than a Saving Faith and Repentance, or Regeneration, is necessary to Membership and Baptism, here appears, in these Divines, something that is Singular; who do make a Work of Common Grace upon People, that is less than Saving, to be the Ground of our Holding them to be Such as Those are, who are the most Qualified Members. The Common O∣pinion will have Persons make a Profession of a Saving Faith, or Regenerating Grace; and it must be of no less than Such: and then we are to reckon them, in the Judgment of Cha∣rity, to Be what they Profess, unless we have Proof to the contrary. This is our ordina∣ry Judgment of Charity; and so Men are Visible Members (as they speak) upon a Lie, or upon a Ground that is False: But these Judicious Divines will have us reckon Men Be∣lievers, Saints, Justified, Sanctified, upon an Initial Work of Grace, that is Short of Saving; and This is a Judgment of Charity, upon a Ground that is True. The Call of the Gospel is Ʋniversal: Those Persons that will Come in, so Far as they Will, are to be Received: The End why they are Called, is, That they should all come in Fully, as the Elect do. The Whole Number, for That Part sake as come in So, have these Denominations, as being in the way to obtain the same End. This is that

Judgment of Charity these Divines would E∣stablish; and it is not upon a Falshood, as the Other is.

There are Two or Three things neverthe∣less, that are lacking in their Judgment. One is, When an Initial Faith, Repentance or Grace, short of Saving, is made by them a Ground sufficient in Charity to Receive Men Into the Church, and To Baptism, so long as it suffi∣ces to Denominate Men so, as qualifies them for Members: They should hold the same Grace a Ground Sufficient also for their Own Coming. Another is, Whereas they make an Initial Work of Faith and Repentance to be Suf∣ficient for their Reception in the Judgment of Charity; They should hold it to be So in the Judgment of Verity, upon the Ʋniversal Grace of the Gospel. The Third and Chief thing wanting, is to tell, If a Work of Grace on the Soul, short of Saving, be able indeed to give a Man Right to Membership, and the Sa∣craments; unto what Degree then it must come. If it be Initial only, and yet not Sa∣ving, how much Grace is it, how much Faith, how much Repentance is it, that will serve? Are we able to set any Stint, until we come to Saving? I Answer, Yes. We have Pitcht the Measure, we have Fixt the Point. Such a Work of Initial Grace, or of Faith, such an Initial Faith, or so much Faith as brings the

Man up to be Willing, is it: This is the Mea∣sure, this is the Degree. It is the Answer to the Question, Wilt thou be Baptized in this Faith? I say, These words of Answer, I Will, gives a Man Right both to Come, and to be Admitted. Let me say it over in other words. It is a Faith receiving the Doctrine of the Go∣spel, and Advancing to the Degree, as makes a Man Willing to come Into the Society of Chri∣stians, and so own Christ our King; (for there are some may Believe, and yet not be Willing to Own Christianity, Joh. 12.42, 43. as some may Believe, and be Willing to Come in, and yet their Faith be Short of Saving, Jam. 2.18, 26.) that is, Fides Dogmatica, I may say, Consensu Formata, upon the Account of General Grace, as the Fundamentum Juris, does give Title to Church Communion. Nei∣ther do I think, but that These so much ac∣knowledg'd Excelling Divines, would them∣selves have also proceeded Thus Far, if they had understood This Bottom, and that their Matter led them to it.

I know, they that lay Another Rule, do ho∣nestly intend the Purity of the Church: But either This Rule shall be Backt by a Law; and then it will be a Strainer in Shew; but in∣stead of Keeping the Church pure, it will but Strain the Tender and Scrupulous; the Careless and Ʋnconcern'd will Prosess any thing that

is Imposed, as I have observed before, in its Place: Or it shall have no Power, but that of the Word and Conscience, as in the Primitive Times; and I must then suggest this, That where One went to Heaven when the Church was Pure, there are Twenty, a Thousand since it was Enlarged and Corrupt. England might have been a Pagan Kingdom to this Day, if they that Planted in it the Christian Religion, had stood in good earnest upon these Terms, and pressed them as the Congregatio∣nalists do. And were the Rule indeed Christ's, what a horrible deal of Guilt must there lie on the Ministers, since Constantine's Time, un∣to whom Christ committed the Keys of his House, to Let In none but Subjects qualified according to That Rule; and they Let in whole Parishes, Kingdoms, Countries into it? Alas, that none but those of the Novatian, Donatist, Brownist Sects should have delivered their own Souls! You complain, that the Bad Come In; but I would fain know, whether you think any were ever the Better, that have Kept Out?

And now, what remains, but that The Spi∣rit says Come, and the Bride says Come; and whosoever will, let him Come? If Men will come Quite Home to a Saving Faith, Sound Repen∣tance, and the Love of God above All, it is That which they should Do; and in so Doing,

they shall be Partakers of the Saving Bene∣fits of the Gospel, Church and Covenant: If they will come no Farther, than to Submit to the External Administration of the Ordi∣nances, they are yet to be Received so Far as they Will come; and, in the Ʋse of the Means, we are to expect they should be brought Farther, even to Effectual Conversion and Salvation.

Deo Gloria, mihi Condonatio.

J. H.