A Christian Directory

CHAP. II. Directions about the Manner of Worship, to avoid all corruptions, and false unacceptable Worshipping of God.

THe lamentable contentions that have arisen about the Manner of God's worship, and the cruelty, and blood, and divisions, and uncharitable revilings which have thence followed, and also the necessary regard that every Christian must have to worship God according to his Will, do make it needful that I give you some Directions in this case.

§ 1. Direct. 1. Be sure that you seriously and faithfully practice that inward worship of God in which the life of Religion doth consist: as to love him above all, to fear him, believe him, trust him, delight in him, be zealous for him: and that your Hearts be sanctified unto God, and set upon Heaven and Holiness: For this will be an unspeakable help to set you right in most controversies about the worshipping of God. Nothing hath so much filled the Church with contentions, and divisions, and cruelties about God's worship, as the agitating of these controversies by unholy inexperienced persons: when men that hate a holy life, and holy persons, and the Holiness of God himself, must be they that dispute what manner of worship must be offered to God by themselves and others; and when the controversies about God's service are fallen into the hands of those that hate all serious serving of him, you may easily know what work they will make of it. As if sick men were to determine or dispute what meat and drink themselves and all other men must live upon, and none must eat but by their prescripts, most healthful men would think it hard to live in such a Country. As men are within, so will they incline to worship God without. Outward worship is but the expression of inward worship: He that hath a heart replenished with the Love and Fear of God, will be apt to express it by such manner of worship, as doth most lively and seriously express the love and fear of God. If the heart be a stranger or an enemy to God, no marvel if such worship him accordingly. O could we but help all contenders about worship, to the inward light, and life, and love, and experience of holy serious Christians, they would find enough in themselves, and their experiences, to decide abundance of controversies of this kind: (Though still there will be some, that require also other helps to decide them). It is very observable in all times of the Church, how in Controversies about God's worship the generality of the godly serious people, and the generality of the ungodly and ludicrous worshippers, are ordinarily of differing judgments! and what a stroke the temper of the soul hath in the determination of such cases!

§. 2. Direct. 2. Be serious and diligent also in all those parts of the outward worship of God that all sober Christians are agreed in. For if you be negligent and false in so much as you confess, your judgment about the controverted part is not much to be regarded. God is not so likely to direct profane ones and false hearted hypocrites, and bless them with a sound judgment in holy things, (where their Lives show that their practical judgments are corrupt), as the sincere that obey him in that which he revealeth to them. We are all agreed that God's Word must be your daily meditation and delight: Psal. 1. 2. and that you should speak of it lying down and rising up, at home and abroad, Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8. and that we must be constant, and fervent, and importunate in prayer, both in public and private, 1 Thess. 5. 17. Luke 18. 1. James 5. 16. Do you perform this much faithfully or not? If you do, you may the more confidently expect, that God should further reveal his will to you, and resolve your doubts, and guide you in the way that is pleasing to him. But if you omit the duty which all are agreed on, and be unfaithful and negligent in what you know, how unmeet are you to dispute about the controverted circumstances of duty? To what purpose is it, that you meddle in such controversies? Do you do it willfully to condemn yourselves before God, and shame yourselves before men? by declaring the hypocrisy which aggravateth your ungodliness? What a loathsome and pitiful thing is it, to hear a man bitterly reproach those that differ from him in some circumstances of worship, when he himself never seriously worshippeth God at all? When he meditateth not on the Word of God, and instead of delighting in it, maketh light of it, as if it little concerned him; and is acquainted with no other prayer than a little customary lip service? Is such an ungodly neglecter of all the serious worship of God, a fit person to fill the world with quarrels about the Manner of his worship?

§. 3. Direct. 3. Differ not in God's worship from the common sense of the most faithful godly Christians, without great suspicion of your own understandings, and a most diligent trial of the case. For if in such practical cases the common sense of the faithful be against you, it is to be suspected that the teaching of God's Spirit is against you: For the Spirit of God doth principally teach his servants in the matters of worship and obedience.

There are several errors that I am here warning you to avoid: 1. The error of them that rather incline to the judgment of the ungodly multitude, who never knew what it was to worship God in Spirit and truth: Consider the great disadvantages of these men to judge aright in such a case: 1. They must judge then without that teaching of the Spirit, by which things spiritual are to be discerned, 1 Cor. 2. 13, 15. He that is blind in sin must judge of the mysteries of godliness. 2. They must judge quite contrary to their natures and inclinations, or against the diseased Habits of their Wills: And if you call a drunkard to judge of the evil of drunkenness, or a whoremonger to judge of the evil of fornication, or a covetous, or a proud, or a passionate man to judge of their several sins, how partial will they be? And so will an ungodly man be in judging of the duties of godliness. You set him to judge of that which he hateth. 3. You set him to judge of that which he is unacquainted with: It's like he never thoroughly studied it: but its certain he never seriously tried it, nor hath not, the experience of those, that have long made it a great part of the business of their lives. And would you not sooner take a man's judgment in Physic, that hath made it the study and practice of his life, than a sick man's that speaketh against that which he never studied or practiced, merely because his own stomach is against it? Or will you not sooner take the judgment of an ancient Pilot about Navigation, than ones that never was at Sea? The difference is as great in the present case.

§. 4. 2. And I speak this also to warn you of another error, that you prefer not the judgment of a Sect or Party, or some few godly people, against the common sense of the generality of the faithful: For the Spirit of God is liklier to have forsaken a small part of godly people, than the generality, in such particular opinions, which even good men may be forsaken in: Or if it be in greater things, it is more unreasonable and more uncharitable for me to suspect that most that seem godly are hypocrites and forsaken of God, than that a party, or some few are so.

§. 5. Direct. 4. Yet do not absolutely give up yourselves to the judgment of any in the worshipping of God, but only use the advice of men in a due subordination to the Will of God, and the Teaching of Jesus Christ. Otherwise you will set man in the place of God, and will reject Christ in his Prophetical Office, as much as using co-ordinate Mediators, is a rejecting him in his Priestly Office. None must be called Master, but in subordination to Christ, because he is our Master, Matth. 23. 8, 9, 10.

§. 6. Direct. 5. Condemn not all that in others, which you dare not do yourselves; and practice not all that yourselves, which you dare not condemn in others. For you are more capable of judging in your own cases, and bound to do it with more exactness and diligent enquiry, than in the case of others▪ Oft-times a rational doubt may necessitate you to suspend your practice, as your belief or judgment is suspended; when yet it will not allow you to condemn another whose judgment and practice hath no such suspension. Only you may doubt whether he be in the right, as you doubt as to yourself. And yet you may not therefore venture to do all that you dare not condemn in him; for then you must willfully commit all the sins in the world, which your weakness shall make a doubt or controversy of.

§. 7. Direct. 6. Offer God no worship that is clearly contrary to his nature and perfections, but such as is suited to him as he is revealed to you in his Word. Thus Christ teacheth us, to worship God as he is: and thus God often calleth for Holy worship, because he is Holy. 1. God is a Spirit: therefore they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and Truth: (which Christ opposeth to mere external Ceremony or shadows); John 4. 23, 24. for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 2. God is Incomprehensible, and Infinitely distant from us: Therefore worship him with Admiration, and make not either visible or mental Images of him, nor debase him not by undue resemblance of him to any of his creatures. 3. God is Omnipresent, and therefore you may everywhere lift up holy hands to him, 1 Tim. 2. 8. And you must always worship him as in his sight. 4. God is Omniscient, and knoweth your Hearts, and therefore let your Hearts be employed and watched in his worship. 5. God is most wise, and therefore not to be worshipped ludicrously with toys, as children are pleased with to quiet them, but with wise and rational worship. 6. God is most Great, and therefore to be worshipped with the greatest reverence and seriousness; and not presumptuously, with a careless mind, or wandering thoughts, or rude expressions. 7. God is most Good and Gracious, and therefore not to be worshipped with backwardness, unwillingness and weariness, but with great Delight. 8. God is most Merciful in Christ, and therefore not to be worshipped despairingly, but in joyful Hope. 9. God is True and faithful, and therefore to be worshipped believingly and confidently, and not in distrust and unbelief. 10. God is most Holy, and therefore to be worshipped by Holy persons, in a Holy manner, and not by unholy hearts or lips, nor in a common manner, as if we had to do but with a man. 11. He is the Maker of your Souls and Bodies, and therefore to be worshipped both with soul and body. 12. He is your Redeemer and Savior, and therefore to be worshipped by you as sinners in the humble sense of your sin and misery, and as Redeemed ones in the thankful sense of his Mercy, and all in order to your further cleansing, healing and Recovery. 13. He is your Regenerater and Sanctifier: and therefore to be worshipped not in the confidence of your natural sufficiency, but by the Light, and Love and Life of the Holy Ghost. 14. He is your Absolute Lord, and the Owner of you and all you have: and therefore to be worshipped with the absolute resignation of your self and all, and honored with your substance, and not Hypocritically with exceptions and reserves. 15. He is your Sovereign King, and therefore to be worshipped according to his Laws, with an obedient kind of worship, and not after the Traditions of men, nor the will or wisdom of the flesh. 16. He is your Heavenly Father, and therefore all these Holy dispositions, should be summed up into the strongest Love, and you should run to him with the greatest readiness, and Rest in him with the greatest Joy, and thirst after the full fruition of him with the greatest of your Desires, and press towards him for himself with the most servant and importunate suites. All these the very Being and Perfections of God will teach you in his worship. And therefore if any controverted worship be certainly contrary to any of these, it is certainly unwarranted and unacceptable unto God.

§. 8. Direct. 7. Pretend not to worship God by that which is destructive, or contrary to the Ends of worship. For the aptitude of it as a means to its proper end, is essential to it. Now the Ends of worship are, 1. The Honouring of God: 2. The Edifying of ourselves in Holiness, and delighting our souls in the contemplation and praises of his perfections: 3. The communicating this Knowledge, Holiness and delight to others, and the increase of his actual Kingdom in the world. 1. Avoid then all that pretended Worship which dishonoreth God, (not in the opinion of carnal men that judge of him by their own misguided imaginations, but according to the discovery of himself to us in his works and Word.) Many Travelers that have conversed with the soberer Heathen and Mahometan Nations, tell us, that it is not the least hindrance of their conversion, and cause of their contempt of Christianity, to see the Christians that live about them, to worship God so ignorantly, irrationally and childishly as many of them do. 2. Affect most that manner of worship ( caeteris paribus ) which tendeth most to your own right information, and holy resolutions and affections, and to bring up your souls into nearer communion and delight in God: And not that which tendeth to deceive, or flatter, or divert you from him, nor to be in your ears as sounding brass, or a tinkling Cymbal, or as one that is playing you a lesson of Music; and tendeth not to make you better. 3. Affect not that manner of worship which is an enemy to knowledge, and tendeth to keep up Ignorance in the world: Such as is a great part of the Popish worship, especially their reading the Scriptures to the people in an unknown tongue, and celebrating their public prayers, and praises, and Sacraments in an unknown tongue, and their seldom preaching, and then teaching the people to take up with a multitude of toyish Ceremonies, instead of knowledge and rational worship. Certainly that which is an enemy to knowledge, is an enemy to all Holiness and true obedience, and to the Ends of worship, and therefore is no acceptable worshipping of God. 4. Affect not that pretended worship which is of itself destructive of true Holiness: Such as is the preaching of false doctrine, not according to godliness, and the opposition and reproaching of a holy life and worship, in the misapplication of true doctrine; and then teaching poor souls to satisfy themselves with their Mass and Mass Ceremonies, and an Image of worship, instead of serious Holiness, which is opposed, Prov. 24. 24. He that saith to the wicked thou art Righteous, him shall the people curse, Nations shall ahhor him. And if this be done as a worship of God, you may hence judge how acceptable it will be, Isa. 5. 20. Woe unto them that call Evil Good, and Good Evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. To make people believe, that Holiness is but Hypocrisy, or a needless thing, or that the Image of Holiness is Holiness itself, or that there is no great difference between the godly and ungodly, doth all tend to men's perdition, and to damn men by deceiving them, and to root out Holiness from the earth. See Ezek. 22. 26. & 44. 23. Jer. 15. 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth. Mal. 3. 18. Psal. 1. & 15. 4. Affect not a dead and heartless way of worship, which tendeth not to convince and waken the ungodly, nor to make men serious as those that have to do with God.

§. 9. Direct▪ 8. Let the manner of your worshipping God, be suited to the matter that you have in hand. Remember that you are speaking either to or of the Eternal God: that you are employed about the everlasting salvation of your own or others souls: that all is high and holy that you have to do: See then that the Manner be answerable hereunto.

§. 10. Direct. 9. Offer God nothing as a part of Worship which is a lie; much less so gross a lie as to be disproved by the common senses and Reason of all the world. God needeth not our Lye unto his glory: What worship then do Papists offer him in their Mass, who take it for an article of their faith, that there is no Bread or Wine left after the Consecration, it being all Transubstantiate into the very Body and Blood of Christ. And when the Certainty of all men's senses is renounced, then all certainty of faith, and all Religion is renounced; for all presuppose the certainty of sense.

§. 11. Direct. 10. Worship not God in a manner that is contrary to the true nature, and order, and operations of a rational soul. I mean not to the corrupted nature of man, but to Nature as Rational in itself considered. As 1. Let not your mere Will and inclination over-rule your understandings; and say not as blind Lovers do, I love this, but I know not why? or as Children that eat unwholesome meat, because they love it. 2. Let not passion overtop your Reason: Worship God with such a zeal as is according to knowledge. 3. Let not your Tongues lead your hearts, much less over-go them: Words may indeed reflect upon the Heart, and warm it more; but that is but the secondary use: the first is to be the expressions of the Heart: You must not speak without or against your hearts (that is, falsely) that by so speaking you may better your hearts (and make the words true, that at first were not true ): unless it be when your words are but reading-recitations or narratives, and not spoken of yourselves. The Heart was made to lead the tongue, and the tongue to express it, and not to lead it. Therefore speak not to God either the words of a Parrot, which you do not understand, or the words of a liar or Hypocrite, which express not the meaning, or desires, or feeling of your hearts: but first understand and feel what you should speak, and then speak that which you understand and feel.

§. 12. Quest. How then can a prayer be lawful that is read or heard from a Book?

Answ. There is in Reading the Eye, and in Hearing the Ear that is first to affect the Heart, and then the Tongue is to perform its office. And though it be sudden, yet the passage to the Heart is first, and the passage from the heart is last: and the soul is quick, and can quickly thus both Receive, and be Affected and express itself. And the case is the same in this, whether it be from a Book, or from the words of another without book: For the soul must do the same, as quickly, in joining with another that speaketh before us, without a book as with it.

§. 13. Direct. 11. Understand well how far Christ hath given a Law and Rule for worship to his Church in the holy Scriptures, and so far see that you take it as a perfect Rule, and swerve not from it by adding or diminishing. This is a matter of great importance by reason of the danger of erring on either side. 1. If you think that the Scripture containeth not any Law or Rule of Worship at all, or not so much as indeed it doth, you will deny a principal part of the Office of Christ, as the King and Teacher of the Church, and will accuse his Laws of insufficiency, and be tempted to worship him with a human kind of worship, and to think yourselves at liberty to worship him according to your own imaginations, or change his worship according to the fashion of the Age or the Country where you are. And on the other side, if you think that the Scripture is a Law and Rule of Worship, more particular than Christ intended it, you will involve yourselves and others in endless scruples and controversies, and find fault with that which is lawful and a duty, because you find it not particularly in the Scriptures: And therefore it is exceeding needful to understand how far it is intended to be herein our Law and Rule, and how far not: To handle this fully would be a D • gression, but I shall briefly answer it.

§. 14. 1. No doubt but Christ is the only Universal Head and Law-giver to his Church: and that Legislation is the first and principal part of Government: And therefore if he had made no Laws for his Church, he were not the full Governor of it. And therefore he that arrogateth this power to himself to be Law-giver to the Church universal (as such) doth usurp the Kingly Office of Christ, and committeth Treason against his Government, (unless he can prove that Christ hath delegated to him this chief part of his Government, which none can do): There being no Universal Law-giver to the Church but Christ (whether Pope or Council), no Law that is made by any mere man can be universally obligatory. Therefore seeing the making of all Universal Laws doth belong only to Christ, we may be sure that he hath perfectly done it; and hath left nothing out of his Laws that was fit to be there, nor nothing at liberty that was fit to be determined and commanded. Therefore whatsoever is of equal Use or Consideration to the Universal Church, as it is to any one part of i • and to all times as it is to any time of the Church, should not be made a Law by man to any part of the Church, if Christ have not made it a Law to the whole: because else they accuse him of being defective in his Laws, and because all his subjects are equally dependant on him as their King and Judge. And no man must step into his Throne pretending to amend his work which he hath done amiss, or to make up any wants, which the chief Law giver should have made up.

§. 15. 2. These Laws of Christ for the Government of his Church, are fully contained in the holy Scriptures: For so much as is in Nature, is there also more plainly expressed than nature hath expressed it. All is not Christ's Law that is any way expressed in Scripture; but all Christ's Laws are expressed in the Scriptures: Not written by himself, but by his Spirit in his Apostles, whom he appointed and sent to Teach all Nations to observe what ever he commanded them: who being thus commissioned and enabled fully by the Spirit to perform it, are to be supposed to have perfectly executed their commission; and to have taught whatsoever Christ commanded them, and no more as from Christ: And therefore as they taught that present age by Voice, who could Hear them, so they taught all ages after to the end of the world by writing, because their voice was not by them to be heard.

§. 16. 3. So far then as the Scripture is a Law and Rule, it is a perfect Rule: But how far it is a Law or Rule, its own contents and expressions must determine. As 1. It is certain that all the Internal worship of God (by Love, fear, trust, desire, &c. ) is perfectly commanded in the Scriptures. 2. The Doctrine of Christ which his Ministers must read and preach is perfectly contained in the Scriptures. 3. The grand and constantly necessary points of Order in preaching, are there also expressed: As that the opening of men's eyes, and the converting of them from the power of Satan to God be first endeavored, and then their Confirmation and further Edification, &c. 4. Also that we humble ourselves before God in the confession of our sins. 5. And that we pray to God in the name of Christ for mercy for ourselves and others. 6. That we give God Thanks for his mercies to the Church, ourselves and others: 7. That we Praise God in his excellencies manifested in his Word and Works of Creation and Providence. 8. That we do this by singing Psalms with holy joyfulness of heart. 9. The matter and order of the ordinary prayers and praises of Christians is expressed in the Scripture, (As which parts are to have precedency in our estimation and desire, and ordinarily in our expressions). 10. Christ himself hath determined that by Baptizing them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, men be solemnly entered into his Covenant, and Church, and state of Christianity. 11. And he hath himself appointed that his Churches hold communion with him and among themselves, in the Eucharistical administration of the Sacrament of his Body and blood, represented in the breaking, delivering, receiving and eating the consecrated Bread, and in the pou • ing out, delivering, receiving and drinking the consecrated Wine. 12. And as for the mutable subservient circumstances and external expressions, and actions, and orders, which were not fit to be, in particular, the matter of an Universal Law, but are fit in one place, or at one time, and not another, for th • se he hath left both in Nature and Scripture such General Laws, by which upon emergent occasions they may be determined; and by particular▪ Providences he • itteth things, and persons, and times, and places, so as that we may discern their agreeableness to the descriptions in his General Laws: As that all things be done Decently, in Order and to Edi • ication, and in Charity, Unity and Peace. And he hath forbidden Generally doing anything undecently, disorderly, to the hur • •• destruction 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of our brethren, even the weak, or to the division of the Church. 13. And many things he hath particularly forbidden in Worship: as making to ourselves any graven Image, &c. and Worshipping Angels, &c.

§ 20. And as to the order and Government of the Church (for I am willing to dispatch all here together) this much is plainly determined in Scripture. 1. That there be Officers or Ministers under Christ to be the stated Teachers of his people, and to Baptize, and Administer the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, and be the Mouth and Guide of the people in public Prayers, thanksgiving and praises, and to bind the imp • nitent and loose the penitent, and to be the Directers of the flocks according to the Law of God, to life eternal. And their Office is described and determined by Christ. 2. It is required that Christians do ordinarily Assemble together for God's public worship; and be Guided therein by these their Pastors. 3. It is required that besides the unfixed Ministers, who employ themselves in converting Infidels, and in an itinerant service of the Churches, there be also stated fixed Ministers, having a special charge of each particular Church: and that they may know their own flocks, and teach them publicly and from house to house, and the people may know their own Pastors that are • ver them in the Lord, and honor them and obey them in all that they teach them from the Word of God for their salvation. 4. The Ministers that Baptize are to judge of the capacity and fitness of those whom they Baptize; whether the Adult that are admitted upon their personal profession and Covenanting, or Infants that are admitted upon their Parents profession and entering them into Covenant. 5. The Pastors that administer the Lord's Supper to their particular flocks, are to discern or judge of the fitness of those persons whom they receive newly into their charge or whom they admit to Communion in that Sacrament as members of their flock: 6. Every such Pastor is also personally to watch over all the members of his flock as far as he is able; lest false teachers seduce them, or Satan get advantage of them, or any corruption or root of bitterness spring up among them and defile them. 7. It is the duty of the several members of the flock, if a Brother trespass against them, to tell him his faults between them and him; and if he hear not to take two or three, and if he hear not them to tell the Church. 8. It is the Pastors duty to admonish the unruly, and call them to Repentance, and pray for their Conversion. 9. And it is the Pastors duty to declare the obstinately impenitent uncapable of Communion with the Church, • nd to charge him to forbear it, and the Church to avoid him. 10. It is the people's duty to avoid such accordingly, and have no familiarity with them that they may be ashamed; and with such no not to eat. 11. It is the Pastors duty to Absolve the Penitent, declaring the remission of their sin, and re-admitting to the Communion of the Saints. 12. It is the people's duty to re-admit the absolved to their Communion with joy, and to take them as Brethren in the Lord. 13. Though every Pastor hath a General power to exercise his office in any part of the Church, where he shall be truly called to it; yet every Pastor hath a special obligation (and consequently a special power ) to do it over the flock, of which he hath received the special charge and oversight. 14. The Lord's day is separated by God's appointment for the Churches ordinary holy Communion in God's Worship under the conduct of these their Guides. 15. And it is requisite that the several particular Churches do maintain as much agreement among themselves, as their capacity will allow them; and keep due Synods and correspondencies to that end. Thus much of God's Worship, and Church-order and Government at least is of Divine institution, and determined by Scripture, and not left to the will or liberty of man. Thus far the Form of Government (at least) is of Divine Right.

§. 21. But on the contrary, 1. About Doctrine and Worship; the Scripture is no Law in any of these following cases, but hath left them undetermined. 1. There are many natural Truths, which the Scripture meddleth not with: As Physicks, Metaphysics, Logic, &c. 2. Scripture telleth not a Minister what particular Text or Subject he shall Preach on this day or that. 3. Nor what method his Text or Subject shall be opened and handled in. 4. Nor what day of the week besides the Lord's day he shall preach, nor what hour on the Lord's day he shall begin. 5. Nor in what particular place the Church shall meet. 6. Nor what particular sins we shall most confess: nor what personal mercies we shall at this present time, first ask: nor for what we shall now most copiously give thanks: For special occasions must determine all these. 7. Nor what particular Chapter we shall now read: nor what particular Psalm we shall now sing. 8. Nor what particular translation of the Scripture, or version of the Psalms we shall now use. Nor into what Sections to distribute the Scripture, as we do by Chapters and Verses. Nor whether the Bible shall be Printed or Written, or in what Characters, or how bound. 9. Nor just by what sign I shall express my consent to the truths or duties which I am called to express consent to, (besides the Sacraments and ordinary words. ) 10. Nor whether I shall use written Notes to help my memory in Preaching, or Preach without. 11. Nor whether I shall use a writing or book in prayer, or pray without. 12. Nor whether I shall use the same words in preaching and prayer, or various new expressions. 13. Nor what utensils in holy administrations I shall use; as a Temple or an ordinary house, a Pulpit, a font, a Table, cups, cushions, and many such, which belong to the several parts of Worship. 14. Nor in what particular gesture we shall preach or read or hear. 15. Nor what particular garments Ministers or people shall wear in time of Worship. 16. Nor what natural or artificial helps to our natural faculties we shall use: as medicaments for the Voice, tunes, musical instruments, spectacles, hourglasses: These and such like are undetermined in Scripture and are left to be determined by human prudence, not as men please; but as means in order to the proper end, according to the General Laws of Christ. For Scripture is a General Law for all such circumstances, but not a particular Law.

So also for Order and Government, Scripture hath not▪ particularly determined, 1. What individual persons shall be the Pastors of the Church. 2. Or of just how many persons the Congregations shall consist. 3. Or how the Pastors shall divide their work where there are many. 4. Nor how many every Church shall have. 5. Nor what particular people shall be a Pastors special charge. 6. Nor what individual persons he shall Baptize, receive to Communion, admonish, or absolve. 7. Nor in what words most of these shall be expressed. 8. Nor what number of Pastors shall meet in Synods, for the communion and agreement of several Churches, no • how oft, nor at what time or place, nor what particular order shall be among them in their consultations; with many such like.

§. 22. When you thus understand how far Scripture is a Law to you in the Worship of God, it will be the greatest Direction to you, to keep you both from disobeying God, and your Superiors: that you may neither pretend obedience to man for your disobedience to God, nor pretend obedience to God against your due obedience to your Governors, as those will do that think Scripture is a more particular Rule than ever Christ intended it: And it will prevent abundance▪ of unnecessary scruples, contentions and divisions.

§. 23. Direct. 12. Observe well in Scripture the difference between Christ's Universal Laws, (which bind all his Subjects in all times and places) and those that are but local, personal or alterable Laws; lest you think that you are bound to all that ever God bound any others to. The Universal Laws and unalterable are those which result from the Foundation of the universal and unalierable nature of persons and things, and those which God hath supernaturally revealed as suitable constantly to all. The particular local or temporary Laws are those, which either resulted from a particular or alterable nature of persons and things as mutually related (as the Law of nature bound Adams Sons to marry their Sisters, which bindeth others against it) or those which God supernaturally enacted only for some particular people or person, or for a time. If you should mistake all the Jewish Laws for universal Laws (as to persons or duration ) into how many errors would it lead you? So also if you mistake every personal mandate sent by a Prophet or Apostle to a particular man, as obliging all, you would make a snare of it. Every man is not to abstain from Vineyards and Wine as the Rechabites were: nor every man to go forth to Preach in the garb as Christ sent the twelve and seventy Disciples: Nor every man to administer or receive the Lord's Supper in an upper room of a house, in the Evening, with eleven or twelve only, &c. nor everyone to carry Paul's Cloak and Parchments, nor go up and down on the messages which some were sent on. And here (in precepts about Worship) you must know what is the thing primarily intended in the command, and what it is that is but a subservient means: For many Laws are universal and immutable as to the matter primarily intended, which are but local and temporary as to the matter subservient and secondarily intended. As the command of saluting one another with a holy Kiss and using Love feasts in their sacred Communion primarily intended the exercising and expressing holy Love by such convenient signs as were then in use, and suitable to those times: But that it be done by those particular signs, was subservient, and a local alterable Law; as appeareth, 1. In that it is actually laid down by God's allowance, 2. In that in other places and times the same signs have not the same signification, and aptitude to that use at all, and therefore would be no such expression of Love; or else have also some ill signification. So it was the first way of Baptizing to dip them overhead: which was fit in that hot Country; which in colder Countries it would not be, as being destructive to health, and more against modesty: Therefore it is plain that is was but a local alterable Law. The same is to be said of not-eating things strangled and blood, which was occasioned by the offense of the Jews; and other the like. This is the case in almost all precepts about the external worshipping gestures: The thing that God commandeth universally is a humble reverent adoration of him by the mind and body. Now the adoration of the mind is still the same; but the bodily expression altereth according to the custom of Countries: In most Countries kneeling or prostration are the expressions of greatest veneration and submission: In some few Countries it is more signified by sitting with the face covered with their hands: In some it is signified best by standing: kneeling is ordinarily most fit, because it is the most common sign of humble reverence: but where it is not so, it is not fit. The same we must say of other gestures and of habits: The Women among the Corinthians were not to go uncovered because of the Angels, 1 Cor. 11. 10. and yet in some places where long hair or covering may have a contrary signification, the case may be contrary. The very fourth Commandment however it was a perpetual law as to the proportion of time, yet was alterable as to the seventh day. Those which I call Universal Laws, some call Moral: But that's no term of distinction; but signifieth the common nature of all Laws, which are for the Governing of our Manners. Some call them Natural Laws, and the other Positive: But the truth is, There are some Laws of Nature which are Universal, and some that are particular, as they are the Result of Universal or Particular Nature: And there are some Laws of Nature that are perpetual, which are the result of an unaliered foundation▪ and there are some that are Temporary, when it is some Temporary alterable thing in Nature from whence the duty doth result: So there are some Positive Laws that are Universal or unalterable, (during this World) and some that are Local, particular, or temporary only.

§. 24. Direct. 13. Remember that whatever duty you seem obliged to perform, the obligation still supposeth that it is not naturally impossible to you, and therefore you are bound to do it as well as you can: And when other men's force, or your natural disability hindereth you from doing it as you would, you are not therefore disobliged from doing it at all: but the total omission is w • rse than the defective performance of it, as the defective performance is worse than doing it more perfectly. And in such a case the Defects which are utterly involuntary are none of yours imputatively at all, but his that hindereth you (unless as some other sin might cause that). As if I were in a Country where I could have liberty to Read and Pray but not to Preach, or to Preach only once a month and no more: It is my duty to do so much as I can do, as being much better than nothing, and not to forbear all, because I cannot do all.

Obj. But you must forbear no part of your duty?

Answ. True: but nothing is my duty which is naturally impossible for me to do. Either I can do it, or I cannot: If I can I must (supposing it a duty in all other respects) but if I cannot I am not bound to it.

Obj. But it is not suffering that must deter you: for that is a carnal reason: and your suffering may do more good than your preaching.

Answ. Suffering is considerable either as a pain to the flesh, or as an unresistible hindrance of the work of the Gospel: As it is merely a pain to the flesh, I ought not to be deterred by it from the work of God: But as it forcibly hindereth me from that work, (as by Imprisonment, death, cutting out the tongue, &c. ) I may lawfully foresee it, and by lawful means avoid it, when it is sincerely for the work of Christ, and not for the saving of the flesh. If Paul foresaw that the Preaching of one more Sermon at Damascus was like to hinder his preaching anymore, because the Jews watched the gates day and night to kill him, it was Paul's duty to be let down by the wall in a basket, and to escape, and preach elsewhere, Act. 9. 25. And when the Christians could not safely meet publicly they met in secret, as John. 19. 38. Act. 12. 12, &c. whether Paul's suffering at Damascus for Preaching one more Sermon, or his preaching more elsewhere, was to be chosen, the interest of Christ and the Gospel must direct him to resolve: That which is best for the Church, is to be chosen.

§. 25. Direct. 14. Remember that no material duty is formally a duty at all times: that which is a duty in its season is no duty out of season. Affirmative precepts bind not to all times, (except only to habits, or the secret intention of our ultimate end, so far as is sufficient to animate and actuate the means, while we are waking and have the use of reason). Praying and Preaching that are very great duties, may be so unseasonably performed as to be sins: If forbearing a prayer or Sermon or Sacrament one day or month, be rationally like to procure your help or liberty to do it afterward, when that once or few times doing it were like to hinder you from doing it anymore, it would be your duty then to forbear it for that time (unless in some extraordinary case): For even for the life of an Ox or an Ass, and for Mercy to men's bodies, the rest and holy work of a Sabbath might be interrupted: much more for the souls of many. Again I warn you, as you must not pretend the interest of the end against a peremptory absolute command of God, so must you not easily conclude a command to be absolute and peremptory to that which certainly contradicts the End: nor easily take that for a Duty which certainly is no means to that good which is the end of duty, or which is against it. Though yet no seeming aptitude as a means, must make that seem a duty, which the prohibition of God hath made a sin.

§. 26. Direct. 15. It is ever unseasonable to perform a lesser duty of Worship, when a greater should be done: Therefore it much concerneth you to be able to discern when two duties are inconsistent which is then the greater and to be preferred: In which the Interest of the end must much direct you: that being usually the greatest which hath the greatest tendency to the greatest good.

§. 27. Direct. 16. Pretend not one part of God's Worship against another, when all in their place and order may be done. Set not Preaching and Praying against each other: nor public and private Worship against each other: nor internal Worship against external; but do all.

§. 28. Direct. 17. Let not an inordinate respect to man, or common custom be too strong a bias to pervert your judgments from the Rule of Worship: nor yet any groundless prejudice make you distaste that which is not to be disliked. The error on these two extremes doth fill the World with corruption and contentions about the Worship of God. Among the Papists, and Russians and other ignorant sort of Christians, abundance of corruptions are continued in God's Worship by the mere power of custom, tradition and education: and all seemeth right to which they have been long used: and hence the Churches in South, East and West continue so long overspread with ignorance and refuse reformation. And on the other side mere prejudice makes some so much distaste a prescribed form of Prayer, or the way of Worship which they have not been used to, and which they have heard some good men speak against, whose judgments they highlyest esteemed, that they have not room for sober impartial reason to deliberate try and judge. Factions have engaged most Christians in the World into several parties, whereby Satan hath got this great advantage, that instead of Worshipping God in Love and Concord, they lay out their zeal in an envious, bitter, censorious, uncharitable reproaching the manner of each others Worship. And because the interest of their Parties requireth this, they think the interest of the Church and Cause of God requireth it: and that they do God service when they make the Religion of other men seem odious: when as among most Christians in the World, the errors of their modes of Worship are not so great as the adverse parties represent them (except only the two great crimes of the Popish Worship: 1. That it's not understood, and so is souleless. 2. They Worship bread as God himself, which I am not so able as willing to excuse from being Idolatry). Judge not in such cases by passion, partiality and prejudice.

§. 29. Direct. 18. Yet judge in all such Controversies with that reverence and charity which is due to the universal and the Primitive Church. If you find anything in God's Worship which the primitive or universal Church agreed in, you may be sure that it is nothing but what is consistent with acceptable Worship: For God never rejected the Worship of the primitive or universal Church. And it is not so much as to be judged erroneous without great deliberation and very good proof. We must be much more suspicious of our own understandings.

§. 30. Direct. 19. In circumstances and modes of Worship not forbidden in the Word of God, affect not singularity, and do not easily differ from the practice of the Church in which you hold Communion, nor from the commands or directions of your lawful Governors. It's true if we are forbidden with Daniel to Pray, or with the Apostles to speak anymore in the name of Christ, or are commanded as the three witnesses, Dan. 3. to Worship Images, we must rather obey God than man; and so in case of any sin that is commanded us: But in case of mere different modes and circumstances and order of Worship, see that you give authority and the consent of the Church where you are their due.

§. 31. Direct. 20. Look more to your own hearts than to the abilities of the Ministers, or the Ceremonies or manner of the Churches Worship in such lesser things. It is Heart-work and Heaven-work that the sincere believer comes about; and it is the corruption of his heart that is his heaviest burden, which he groaneth under with the most passionate complaints: A hungry soul, enflamed with Love to God and man, and tenderly sensible of the excellency of common truths and duties, would make up many defects in the manner of public administration, and would get nearer God in a defective imperfect mode of Worship, than others can do with the greatest helps: When Hypocrites find so little work with their Hearts and Heaven, that they are taken up about words and forms and ceremonies and external things, applauding their own way, and condemning other men's, and serving Satan under pretence of Worshipping God.

CHAP. III. Directions about the Christian Covenant with God, and Baptism.

§. 1. THough the first Tome of this Book is little more than an explication of the Christian Covenant with God, yet being here to speak of Baptism as a part of God's Worship, it is needful that I briefly speak also of the Covenant itself.

§. 1. Direct. 1. It is a matter of great importance that you well understand the nature of the Christian Covenant, what it is. I shall therefore here briefly open the nature of it, and then speak of the Reasons of it: and then of the solemnizing it by Baptism, and next of our Renewing it, and lastly of our Keeping it.

§. 3. The Christian Covenant is a Contract between God and man, through the Mediation of Jesus Christ, for the return and reconciliation of sinners unto God, and their Justification, Adoption, Sanctification and Glorification by him, to his Glory.

§. 4. Here we must first consider, who are the Parties in the Covenant: 2. What is the matter of the Covenant on God's Part: 3. What is the matter on Mans Part: 4. What are the terms of it propounded on God's Part. 5. Where and how he doth express it. 6. What are the necessary Qualifications on man's part. 7. And what are the Ends and Benefits of it.

§. 5. I. The Parties are GOD and MAN: GOD the FATHER, SON and HOLY GHOST on the one part, and REPENTING BELIEVING SINNERS on the other part. Man is the party that needeth it; but God is the party that first offereth it: Here note, 1. That God's part of the Covenant is made Universally and Conditionally with all mankind (as to the tenor enacted,) and so is in Being before we were born. 2. That it is not the Father, Son and Holy Ghost considered simply as persons in the Godhead; but as Related to Man for the ends of the Covenant. 3. That it is only Sinners that this Covenant is made with, because the Use of it is for the restoration of those that broke a former Covenant in Adam. It is a Covenant of Reconciliation and therefore supposeth an Enmity antecedent. 4. When I say that it is Repenting and Believing sinners that are the party, I mean, 1. That taking the Covenant in its first Act, it is Repentance and faith themselves that are that Act, and are our very Covenanting. But taking the Covenant in its external expression, so it is a Repenting Believing sinner that must make it, it being but the expression of his Repentance and faith, by an explicit contract with God. 5. Note, that though God's Covenant be by one Universal Act (of which more anon), yet man's is to be made by the several acts of the individual persons each one for himself, and not by the Acts of Societies only.

§. 6. II. The matter of the Covenant on God's Part is in General, that He will be our God: more particularly; that God the Father will be our Reconciled God and Father in Jesus Christ; that God the Son will be our Savior; and God the Holy Ghost will be our Sanctifier. And the Relation of a God to us essentially containeth these three parts: 1. That as on the title of Creation and Redemption he is our Owner, so he doth take us as his own peculiar people: 2. That as he hath title to be our Absolute King or Governor, so he doth take us as his Subjects: 3. That he will be our Grand Benefactor and Felicity, or our most Loving Father (which compriseth all the rest.) And as he will be thus Related to us, so he will do for us, all that these Relations do import. As, 1. He will do all that belongeth to a Creator for his creature, in our preservation and supplies. 2. He will save us from our sins, and from his wrath and Hell. 3. And he will sanctify us to a perfect conformity to our Head. Also 1. He will use us and defend us as his own peculiar ones: 2. He will govern us by a Law of Grace and righteousness: 3. He will make us fully happy in his Love forever.

§. 7. III. The Matter on man's part of the Covenant is, 1. In respect of the Terminus a quo, that we will forsake the Flesh, the World and the Devil as they are adverse to our Relations and Duties to God: 2. In regard of the Terminus ad quem, that we will take the Lord for our God: and more particularly, 1. That we do take God the Father for our Reconciled Father in Jesus Christ, and do give up ourselves to him, as Creatures to their Maker. 2. That we do take Jesus Christ for our Redeemer, Savior, and Mediator, as our High Priest, and Prophet, and King, and do give up ourselves to him as his Redeemed ones to be reconciled to God, and saved by him. 3. That we do take the Holy Ghost for our Regener •• er and Sanctifier, and do give up ourselves to be perfectly renewed and sanctified by him, and by his operations carried on to God in his holy service. Also 1. That we do take God for our Absolute Lord or Owner, and do give up ourselves to him as his Own. 2. That we take him for our Universal Sovereign Governor, and do give up ourselves unto him as his subjects. 3. That we do take him for our most bountiful Benefactor, and loving Father, and felicity, and do give up ourselves to him as his children, to seek him, and please him, and perfectly to Love him, Delight in him, and Enjoy him forever in Heaven as our Ultimate End. And in consenting to these Relations, we covenant to do the Duties of them in sincerity.

§. 8. IV. The Terms or Conditions which God requireth of man in his Covenant are Consent, and Fidelity or Performance: He first Consenteth conditionally, if we will consent: And he consenteth to be actually our God, when we consent to be his people: so that as bare Consent, without any performance doth found the Relation between Husband and Wife, Master and Servant, Prince and People; but the sincere performance of the duties of the Relation which we consent to, are needful afterward to continue the Relation, and attain the benefits and ends; so is it also between God and man. We are his Children in Covenant as soon as we consent; but we shall not be glorified but on Condition of sincere performance and obedience.

§. 9. V. God's Covenant with man is nothing else but the Universal Promise in the Gospel; and (to the solemnization,) the Declaration, and Application, and solemn Inv • stiture or Delivery by his authorized Ministers. 1. The Gospel as it relateth the matters of fact in and about the work of our Redemption, is a Sacred History: 2. As it containeth the Terms on which God will be served, and commandeth us to obey them for our salvation, it is called The Law of Christ or Grace. 3. As it containeth the Promise of life and salvation conditionally offered, it is called God's Promise, and Covenant, (viz. on his part, as it is Proposed only). 4. When by our Consent the Condition is so far performed, or the Covenant Accepted, then God's Conditional Universal Promise or Covenant, becometh actual and particular as to the effect, and so the Covenant becometh Mutual between God and man: As if a King make an Act or Law of Pardon and Oblivion, to a Nation of Rebels, saying, Who ever cometh in by such a day, and confesseth his fault, and sueth out his pardon, and promiseth fidelity for the future shall be pardoned: This Act is a Law in one respect, and it is an Universal Conditional pardon of all those Rebells: or a Promise of pardon; and an Offer of pardon to all that it is revealed to: But it is an Actual Pardon to those that come in, and conferreth on them the benefits of the Act as if they were named in it, and is their very Title to their pardon, of which their Consent is the Condition; and the Condition being performed, the Pardon or Collation of the benefit becometh particular and actual, without any new act; it being the sense of the Law itself, or Conditional Grant, that so it should do. So as to the reality of the Internal Covenant -interest and benefits, Justification and Adoption, it is ours by virtue of this Universal Conditional Covenant, when we perform the condition. But as to our Title in foro Ecclesiae, and the due solemnization and Investiture, it is made ours when God's Minister applieth it to us in Baptism by his Commission. As the Rebel that was fundamentally pardoned by the Act of Oblivion, must yet have his personal pardon delivered him by the Lord Chancellor under the Great Seal. In this sense Ministers are the instruments of God, not only in declaring us to de pardoned, but in Delivering to us the pardon of our sins, and solemnly investing us therein: As an Attorney delivereth possession to one that before had his fundamental Title. Thus God entereth into Covenant with man.

§. 10. VI. The Qualifications of absolute Necessity to the Validity of our Covenant with God in foro interiore are these, 1. That we understand what we do as to all the Essentials of the Covenant: For ignorantis non est consens • s. 2. That it be our own act, performed by our Natural, or Legal selves, that is, someone that hath power so far to dispose of us (as Parents have of their children). 3. That it be Deliberate, sober and rational, done by one that is compos mentis, in his wits, and not in Drunkenness, madness or incogitancy. 4. That it be seriously done with a real intention of doing the thing, and not histrionically, ludicrously or in jest. 5. That it be done entirely as to all essential parts; for if we leave out any essential part of the Covenant, it is no sufficient consent: (As to consent that Christ shall be our Justifier, but not the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier ). 6. That it be a Present consent to be presently in Covenant with God: For to Consent that you will be his servants tomorrow or hereafter, but not yet, is but to purpose to be in Covenant with him hereafter, and is no present covenanting with him. 7. Lastly, It must be a Resolved and Absolute Consent without any open or secret Exceptions or Reserves.

§. 11. VII. The Fruits of the Covenant which God reapeth (though he need nothing) is the Pleasing of his Good and Gracious Will, in the exercise of his Love and Mercy, and the Praise and Glory of his Grace, in his people's Love and Happiness forever. The fruits or Benefits which accrue to man are unspeakable, and would require a Volume competently to open them: Especially that God is our God, and Christ our Savior, Head, Intercessor and Teacher, and the Holy Ghost is our Sanctifier; and that God will regard us as his own, and will protect us, preserve us, and provide for us, and will govern us, and be our God and Joy forever: that he will Pardon us, Justify and Adopt us, and Glorify us with his Son in Heaven.

§. 12. Direct. 2. When you thus understand well the Nature of the Covenant, labor to understand the special Reasons of it. The Reasons of the Matter of the Covenant you may see in the fruits and benefits now mentioned. But I now speak of the Reason of it as a Covenant in genere, and such a Covenant in specie. 1. In General, God will have man to receive Life or Death as an Accepter and Keeper, or a Refuser or Breaker of his Covenant, because he will do it not only as a Benefactor, or Absolute Lord, but also as a Governor, and will make his Covenant to be also his Law, and his Promise and Benefits to promote obedience. And because he will deal with man as with a free agent, and not as with a brute that hath no choosing and refusing power, conducted by Reason: Mans life and death shall be in his own hands, and still depend upon his own will, though God will secure his own Dominion, interest and ends, and put nothing out of his own power by putting it into man's; nor have ever the less his own will, by leaving man to his own will. God will at last as a Righteous Judge, determine all the world to their final Joy or Punishment, according to their own choice while they were in the flesh, and according to what they have done in the Body whether it be good or evil, Matth. 25. Therefore he will deal with us on Covenant-terms.

§. 13. 2. And he hath chosen to Rule and Judge men according to a Covenant of Grace, by a Redeemer, and not according to a rigorus Law of works, that his Goodness and Mercy may be the full • er manifested to the sons of men; and that it may be easier for man to Love him, when they have so wonderful demonstrations of his Love: And so that their service here, and their work and happiness hereafter, may consist of Love, to the Glory of his Goodness, and the Pleasure of his Love forever.

§. 14. Direct. 3. Next understand rightly the nature, use and ends of Baptism. Baptism is to the mutual Covenant between God and man, what the solemnization of Marriage is to them that do before Consent; or what the Listing a Soldier by giving him Colours, and writing his name, is to one that Consented before to be a Soldier. In my Universal Concord, p. 29, 30. I have thus described it [Baptism is a holy Sacrament instituted by Christ, in which a person professing the Christian faith (or the Infant of such) is Baptized in water into the Name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost, in signification and solemnization of the holy Covenant, in which as a Penitent Believer (or the seed of such) he giveth up himself (or is by the Parent given up) to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, forsaking the Devil, the World and the Flesh, and is solemnly entered a visible member of Christ and his Church, a pardoned regenerate Child of God, and an heir of Heaven].

§. 15. As the word [ Baptism ] is taken for the mere Administration or external Ordinance, so the Internal Covenanting or faith and Repentance of the (adult) person to be baptized, is no essential part of it, nor requisite to the Being o • it; but only the Profession of such a faith and Repentance, and the external entering of the Covenant: But as [ Baptism ] is taken for the Ordinance as performed in all its essential parts, according to the true intent of Christ in his Institution (that is, in the first and proper meaning of the word); so the Internal Covenanting of a Penitent sincere Believer is necessary to the Being of it. And indeed the word [ Baptism ] is taken but equiv •• ally or Analogically at most, when it is taken for the mere external administration and action: For God doth not institute worship ordinances for bodily motion only: when he speaketh to man and requireth Worship of man, he speaketh to him as to a man, and requireth human actions from him, even the work of the soul, and not the words of a Parrot or the motion of a Poppe • . Therefore the word [Baptism] in the first and proper signification, doth take in the inward actions of the Heart, as well as the outward Profession and actions. And in this proper sense [ Baptism is the mutual Covenant between God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and a penitent Believing sinner, solemnized by the washing of water, in which as a Sacrament of his own appointment God doth engage himself to be the God and reconciled Father, the Sa • i • ur and the Sanctifier of the Believer, and taketh him for his reconciled Child in Christ, and delivereth to him by solemn investiture, the pardon of all his sins, and title to the mercies of this life and of that which is to come. ] What I say in this Description of a Penitent Believer is also to be understood of the Children of such that are dedicated by them in Baptism to God, who thereupon have their portion in the same Covenant of Grace.

§. 16. The word [ Baptism ] is taken in the first sense when Simon Magus is said to be Baptized, Act. 8. and when we speak of it only in the ecclesiastic sense, as it is true Baptism in foro ecclesiae: But it is taken in the later sense when it is spoken of as the complete ordinance of God, in the sense of the Institution, and as respecting the proper ends of Baptism, as pardon of sin and life eternal; and in foro coeli.

§. 17. In this full and proper sense it is taken by Christ when he saith, Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved; that is, He that Believeth, and is by Baptism entered into the Covenant of God: And in this sense the Ancients took it, when they affirmed that all that were Baptized were Regenerated, pardoned and made the Children of God. And in this sense it is most true, that he that is Baptized (that is, is a sincere Covenanter ) shall be saved if he die in that Condition that he is then in. All that the Minister warrantably Baptizeth are sacramentally Regenerate, and are in foro ecclesiae members of Christ and Children of God and Heirs of Heaven: But it is only those that are sincerely delivered up in Covenant to God in Christ, that are spiritually and really Regenerate, and are such as shall be owned for members of Christ and Children of God in foro • oeli. Therefore it is not unfit that the Minister call the Baptized, Regenerate and pardoned members of Christ, and Children of God and Heirs of Heaven, supposing that in soro ecclesiae they were the due subjects of Baptism. But if the persons be such as ought not to be Baptized, the sin then is not in calling Baptized persons Regenerate, but in Baptizing those that ought not to have been Baptized, and to whom the • eal of the Covenant was not due.

§. 18. None ought to be Baptized but those that either personally Deliver up themselves in Covenant to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, professing a true Repentance, and faith and consent to the Covenant▪ or else are thus delivered up and dedicated and entered into-Covenant in their Infancy, by those that being Christians themselves have so much interest in them and power of them, that their act may be esteemed as the Infants act, and legally imputed to them as if themselves had done it. If any others are unduly Baptized, they have thereby no title to the pardon of sin or life eternal, nor are they taken by God to be in Covenant, as having no way consented to it.

§. 19. Direct. 4. When you enter a child into the Christian Covenant with God, address yourselves to it as to one of the greatest works in the world: as th • se that know the Greatness of the Benefit, of the Duty, and of the Danger. The Benefit to them that are sincere in the Covenant, is no less than to have the pardon of all our sins▪ and to have God himself to be our God and Father, and Christ our Savior, and the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier, and to have title to the blessings of this life and of that to come. And for the Duty, how Great a work is it, for a sinner to enter into so solemn a Covenant with the God of Heaven, for Reconciliation and Newness of life, • nd • or salvation? And therefore if any should abuse God by Hypocrisy, and take on them to conse •• to the terms of the Covenant, (for themselves, or their Children) when indeed they do not, the Danger of such profaneness and abuse of God must needs be great. Do it therefore with that due preparation, reverence and seriousness, as beseemeth those that are transacting a business of such unspeakable importance with God Almighty.

§. 20. Direct. 5. Having been entered in your Infancy into the Covenant of God by your Parents, you must, at years of discretion, review the Covenant which by them you made, and renew it personally yourselves; and this with as great seriousness, and resolution, as if you were n • w first to enter and subscribe it, and as if your everlasting Life or death, were to depend on the sincerity of your consent, and performance. For your Infant Baptismal Covenanting will save none of you that live to years of discretion, and do not as heartily own it in their own persons, as if they had been now to be baptized. But this I pass by, having said so much of it in my Book of Confirmation.

§. 21. Direct. 6. Your Covenant thus, 1. Made, 2. Solemnized by Baptism 3. And Owned at age, must, 4. Be frequently renewed through the whole course of your lives. As, 1. Your first consent must be habitually continued all your days; for if that ceaseth your Grace and title to the benefits of God's Covenant ceaseth. 2. This Covenant is virtually renewed in every act of Worship to God: For you speak to him as your God in Covenant, and offer yourselves to him as his Covenanted people. 3. This Covenant should be actually renewed frequently in Prayer and Meditation, and other such acts of communion with God. 4. Especially when after a fall we beg the pardon of our sins, and the mercies of the Covenant, and on days of Humiliation and Thanksgiving, and in great distresses or exhilerating mercies. 5. And the Lord's Supper is an ordinance instituted to this very end. It is no small part of our Christian diligence and watchfulness, to keep up and renew our Covenant-consent.

§. 22. Direct. 7. And as careful must you be to keep or perform your Covenant, as to enter it, and renew it: which is done, 1. By continuing our consent, 2. By sincere obedience, 3. And by perseverance. We do not (nor dare not) promise to obey perfectly, nor promise to be as obedient as the higher and better sort of Christians, though we Desire both: But to obey sincerely we must needs promise, because we must needs perform it.

§. 23. Obedience is sincere, 1. When the radical consent or subjection of the Heart to God in Christ is Habitually and heartily continued. 2. When God's interest in us is most predominant, and his authority and law can do more with us, than any fleshly lust or worldly interest, or than the authority, word or persuasions of any man whosoever. 3. When we unfeignedly Desire to be perfect, and habitually and ordinarily have a predominant Love to all that is good, and a hatred to that which is evil, and had rather do our duty than be excused from it, and rather be saved from our sin than keep it.

§. 24. Direct. 8. While you sincerely consent unto the Covenant, live by faith upon the promised Benefits of it, believing that God will make Good on his part all that he hath promised. Take it for your Title to pardon, sonship and eternal life. O think what a mercy it is to have God in Covenant with you to be your God, your Father, Savior, Sanctifier and felicity! And in this continually rejoice.

CHAP. IV. Directions about the Profession of our Religion to others.

§. 1. Direct. 1. UNderstand first how great a duty the Profession of true Religion is, that you may not think as some foolish people, that every man should conceal his Religion, or keep it to himself. Observe therefore these Reasons following which require it.

§. 2. 1. Our Tongues and bodies are made to exercise and show forth that acknowledgement and adoration of God which is in our hearts. And as he denieth God with the Heart who doth not Believe in him and worship him in his heart, so he denieth God imputatively with his Tongue and life, who doth not profess and honor him with his tongue and life: and so he is a practical Atheist. Isa. 45. 23, 24, 25. I have sworn by myself: the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear; surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength—In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory. So Phil. 2. 9, 10, 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the Glory of God the father. Isa. 44 5. One shall say, I am the Lord's: and another shall call him by the name of Jacob: and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

§. 3. 2. The public Assemblies, and Worship of God, are purposely appointed by him, that in them we might make open profession of our Religion. He that denieth Profession denieth the public faith and worship of the Church, and denieth Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which are Sacraments appointed for the solemn profession of our faith.

§. 4. 3. Our Profession is needful to our Glorifying God: Men see not our Hearts: nor know whether we believe in God or not, nor what we believe of him, till they hear or see it in our profession and actions. Paul's life and death was a Profession of Christ, that in his boldness Christ might be magnified in his body, Phil. 1. 20. Matth. 5. 14, 15, 16. Ye are the Light of the world! A City that is set on an hill cannot be hid: Neither do men light a candle to put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

§. 5. 4. Our Profession is the means of saving others: that which is secret, is no means to profit them. They must see our good works that they may Glorify God, Phil. 1. 12, 13, 14.

§. 6. 5. God hath required our open and bold Profession of him, with the strictest commands, and upon the greatest penalties. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Rom. 10. 9, 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the d • ad, thou shalt be saved: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he c • meth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels.

§. 7. Direct. 2. Next, Understand what it is in Religion that you must principally profess. It is not every lesser truth, much less every opinion of your own, in which you are confident that you are wiser than your brethren. This is the meaning of Rom. 14 22. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. By [ faith ] here is not meant the substance of the Christian belief, or any one necessary Article of it. But a Belief of the indifferency of such things as Paul spake of, in meats and drinks: If thou know these things to be Lawful when thy weak brother doth not, and so thou be wiser than he, thank God for thy knowledge, and use it to thy own salvation, but do not proudly or uncharitably contend for it, and use it uncharitably to the danger of another's soul: much less to the wrong of the Church and Gospel, and the hindrance of greater truths. 2 Tim 2. 14. Of these things put them in remembrance (that is, of the Saints hope in God's faithfulness) charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but the subverting of the hearers. Yet for the faith we must earnestly contend. Jude 2, 3. So 2 Tim. 2. 2. 23, 24. But foolish and unlearned questi 〈…〉 avoid, knowing that they do gender strife. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men —

§. 8. But that which is the chiefest matter of our Profession is, The being and perfections of God himself: His love to man and power over him, and man's subjection and obligations unto God: The person and office and works and benefits of our Redeemer; with all the duty that we owe to him in perfect holiness, and all the hopes that we have in him: the happiness of the Saints, the odiousness of sin, and the misery of the wicked: These and such as these are things that we are called to Profess: yet so as not to deny or renounce the smallest truth.

§. 9. Direct. 3. Understand also the manner, how we must make Profession of Religion. 1. There is a Professing by words, and a professing by Actions. 2. There is a solemn profession by God's public ordinances, and an occasional or privater profession by conference, or by our conversations. And all these ways must Religion be professed.

§. 10. Direct. 4. Understand also the season of each sort of Profession, that you omit not the season, nor do it unseasonably. 1. Profession by Baptism, Lord's Supper and Church-assemblies, must be done in their season, which the Church-guides are the conducters of. 2. Profession by an innocent, blameless, obedient life is never out of season. 3. Profession by private conference, and by occasional acts of piety, must be when opportunity inviteth us, and they are likely to attain their ends. 4. The whole frame of a Believers life should be so Holy and Heavenly and mortified and above the world, as may amount to a serious profession that he liveth in confident hope of the life to come, and may show the world the difference between a Worldling and an heir of Heaven; between corrupted nature and true grace. The Professors of Godliness must be a peculiar people zealous of good works, and adorned with them.

§. 11. Direct. 5. Take special care that your Profession be sincere, and that you be yourselves as good as you profess to be. Otherwise, 1. Your profession will condemn yourselves. 2. And it will dishonor the truth which you deceitfully profess. There can scarce a greater injury befall a good cause, than to have a bad and shameful patron to defend it. Rom. 2. 3. And thinkest thou this O man, that judgest them which do such things, and dost the same that thou shalt escape the, judgment of God. Vers. 13. to 25. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. —

§. 12. Direct. 6. Let not your profession be so much of your own sincerity as of God and his excellencies: Boast not of yourselves, but of God and Christ, and the promise, and the Hope of true believers: and do it to God's praise, and not for your own. Be sure that in all your profession of Religion, you be seeking honor to God, and not unto yourselves. And then in this manner he that doubteth of his own sincerity, yet may and must make profession of Christ and true Religion: when you cannot proclaim the uprightness of your own hearts, you may boldly proclaim the excellencies of Religion, and the happiness of Saints.

§. 13. Direct. 7. Live upon God alone, and trust his Alsufficiency, and abhor that pusillanimity and baseness of spirit which maketh men afraid or ashamed openly to own the truth. Remember the example of your Lord, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, 1 Tim. 6. 13. who came for this end into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Fear not the face of man, whose breath is in his nostrils, and is perishing even while he is threatening. If thou believe not that Christ can secure thee from the rage of man, thou believest not indeed in Christ: If thou believe not that Heaven will satisfy for all that by scorns or cruelties thou sufferest from sinners, thou hast not indeed the hope of a believer. And no wonder if thou profess not that which thou believest not: But if thou believe that God is God, and Christ is Christ, and Heaven is Heaven, and the Gospel is true, thou hast enough in thy Belief to secure thee against all the scorns and cruelties of man, and to tell thee that Christ will bear thy charges, in all that thou sufferest for his sake. O what abundance are secretly convinced of, the truth, and their Consciences bear witness to the wisdom of the Saints, and a holy life; and yet they dare not openly own and stand to the truth which they are convinced of for fear of being mocked by the tongues of the profane, or for fear of losing their places and preferments! O wretch, dost thou not tremble when thou art ashamed of Christ, to think of the day when he will be ashamed of thee? Then when he comes in Glory none will be ashamed of him! Then where is the tongue that mocked him and his servants? Who then will deride his holy ways. Then that will be the greatest Glory, which thou art now ashamed of? Canst thou believe that day, and yet hide thy profession, through cowardly fear or shame of man? Is man so great, and is Christ no greater in thine eyes than so? If he be not more regardable than man, believe not in him: If he be, regard him more; and let not a worm be preferred before thy Savior.

§. 14. Direct. 8. If any doubt arise, whether thou shouldst now make particular Profession of the truth, ( as in the presence of scorners, or when required by magistrates or others, &c.) let not the advise or interest of the flesh have any hand at all in the resolving of the case; but let it be wholly determined as the interest of Christ requireth. Spare thyself when the interest of Christ requireth it; not for thyself, but for him: But when his interest is most promoted by thy suffering, rejoice that thou art any way capable of serving him.

§. 15. Direct. 9. Though sometimes a particular profession of the faith may be unseasonable, yet you must never make any profession of the contrary, either by words or actions. Truth may be sometimes silenced, but a Lye may never be professed or approved.

§. 16. Direct. 10. If any that Profess Christianity reproach you for the profession of Holiness and Diligence convince them that they Hypocritically profess the same, and that Holiness is essential to Christianity: Open their Baptismal Covenant to them, and the Lord's Prayer in which they daily pray that God's will may be done on earth even as it is in Heaven, which is more strictly than the best of us can reach. The difference between them and you is but this, whether we should be Christians hypocritically in jest, or in good earnest.

CHAP. V. Directions about Vows and particular Covenants with God.