(i63 ) delibte Chura&er, muff needs fet it fomewhat lower thenBap- tifm. Baptizing is commonly called our Chrifl:enttag, as that in fome fort makes us Chriftians. And yet for all that the true ufe ofBaptifm is but to folemnize the Marriage between Cbrift and us, and to Inveg and inaugurate them in a Rate of Chriftia- nity folemnly , that were indeed Chriftians before. And the Papitts themfelves confefs that when a man firfl repenteth and believeth ( with a faith formata Cbaritate) he is pardoned,and in a State of Salvation before Baptifm , and fhall be faved upon the meer Yocum Bapti fmi, if in cafe of Neceffity he die without it ( Though the partial Pro&ors will damn the infants for want of Baptifm, that never refufed it, when they fave the parenrs that have but the defire,) No doubt but Coxlantine, and man other, that upon mittake deferred their Baptifm, were neverchelefs Chriftians;and judged fo by the Church both then and now. And yet to neglect it wilfullywere no fmal fin. So if in our cafe , men want Ordination, they may be re- ally `linifters, and their Miniftrations Valid ; but it is their very great fin, if their wilful! negie& be the caufe that they are not Ordained. Se&. 46. As Baptifm is the open badge of a Chriftian , fo Ordination is the open badge of a Miniier : and therefore though a man may be a Chrillran beforeGod without Baptifm, yet Ordinarily he is not a Chriaian before the Church without Baptifm, till he have by fome equivalent Profeflion given them facisfa&ion : And therefore if I knew men to be utterly unbap- tzed, I would not at firft have Communion with them asChri- ¡bans. But if they could manifeft to me that Neceffity forbad them, or if it were anymiftake and temple of their confciences that hindered them from the outward Ordinance, and they had without that Ordinance made as publick and, bold a profeftion of Chriiianity, . and fa,isfadorily declared themfelves to be Chrigians by other' means I would then own them as Chriftians though with a difowning and reyrehenfion of theirerror ; Even fo would I doby a Minitier : I would not own himas a Miniger unordained, unlefs he cir.her (hewed a Neceflity that was the Caufe, or elfe ifit were his weaknefs and miftake) did manifeft by his abilities and fidelity and the confent and acceptance of theChurch that he were truly al-
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