2 24 The Old and New Covenant. Chap . 3 t ( therefòre did' not Baptize them; when the text feemes to fpeake the contrary, for a`íïoon as his reproof with his exhortation is ended, there follows, I indeed baptize you With Water, verf i i. 1 And it feemes by Saint Lrtke,that thofe Pharifees and Lawyers that were not baptized of john, it was not becaufe they were i refufed, but becaufe they did refute, Luke 7. 30. But the Lazy- yers and Tharifeer rejeéled the Councel'of God againfi themfelves being not baptized of him. When the fame learned Authour in his fecond Chapter (where he purpofely treates of a Ciìurch- Covenant) cannot inflame in any prefident , or produce any Scripture- ordinance for it, he endeavours by arguments drawn from the forme of a particular Church, the way of reformation of Churches , the relation of inferiority and fuperiority among thofe that are free,and fuch like reafons to evince it; to which (but that I will not here make it my bufineffe) an eafie an- fwer might be given. It is more then frange, that when the Apolles had by Commiflìon from Chrif planted Churches, and were to leave them to be propagated in future ages and knowing a Covenant to be effential to the ,conlitution (as now by force is afferted ) would yet wholly be filent in it (efpecially when no fuch thing was known in Old Tela- ment- Scriptures, that we might gather it by analogy, and through all ages till this lait age had lien hid and never dif- covered) and leave us by reafon to difcoverit, in which we are in danger to fet our threfhold by Gods threfhold (of which he fo fadly complaines, Ezekel }z. 8.) or rather .jufle I out his threfhold with ours denying Baptifine to be any doore for admiflion, at which the primitive Saints entered, and Petting up a Covenant, of which Scripture fpeaks nothing ; and Po/ìtions car- Maler John Goodwin was fomerimes as confident as confi- .cerrtingpa,tici, dente could make him, that it had no ground in the holy tar cÍes, Scriptures ; But to leave heathens ( haply called by Gof- cothinc nvante el ordinances to fpeak a word or two to our own café, ßothinr.i want p ) P ire- to :be who are a difcipled Nation , a kingdome fubjugated to the of aChhr.h,yet yoak ofChrift Jefus, enjoying laving ordinances,and therefore much mare may a Church of Chrift fixt among us Here we might lay down be rec¡nired fog divers pofitions for the regulating of our judgements. the wail arch ing gin:! regula- Firft, Howfoever nothing is wanting to the being of a Church, ring ofir. God having a people owning him in Covenant , yet much more may
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