Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

Ch.38. of the ifftte of Beleetier,r. Z 79. thretl in New England have not found it awork fo eafie to bring the natives there into a Church condition. If you think it fo ea- fie a bufinefle to bring in the Jewes to this pofture of a vifible Church-Bate I would you would fet your felf upon it. You were wont to complaine for want of fub(ìfl:ence; I beleeve if this work could but be brought about thoufands of Chriftians would contribute to it ; fo your revenue would exceed all that Maher Baxter from the feverall places of your prefent or late relation hath mentioned : Have fo.many prayers been laid out for this work,and it is yet not done? When it is a matter of fuch eafe with man , and no need of the power of God for the doing of it. Vainly doth Matter 7'osn6es in his reply to Matter Geree Anti- 174:1064p. pag. 9. make this engraffing here mentioned to be in our fenfe no more then baptizing, that fo he may conclude that a power of God needs not to effect it ; We underhand a difcipling of Gentile- Nations, and acknowledge it a work above the power of man, and confeffe it to be folely in the hand of God; There -' fore he might have fpared that which he borrowes from the con- ference at Hague ; It w,cs one of the argument: (faith he) of the Contra. Remanftrants at the conference at Hague on the third and fourth Articles , that conver tan is not a moral fuafion , or from the power offree will ; batt e eamod and irrefiftible, becaufe it ù a. fcribed to Gods power, Epheî. 1. 18,19. Col. 2. 12, 13. 2 Thef. t I. 1 t, 2 Pet. t . 3. Why then fhould it be accounted a weak ground for me to argue, that therefore the ingraffing id not an admion to vi ¡6le Church -d' emberfbip by ,4n outWard Ordinance, or by an out- ward prafellion (which are in the power ofa mans will); but an e fe. Etual giving Faith according to E'Ieaion fith it is afcri6ed to God as his doing, and that proceeding from his power alone , with fuch an Emphafis as if it were hopele f fe otherzvife. We do not fpeak of the bare admit on of one that entitled , but the working of them to fuch a title; and if an outward profeffion be in the power of mans will , yet to bring men or Nations to fuch a profeffion, cordially to imbrace the Gofpel ; fo farre as to affent to the truth of it, is above man, and a work of no fuch eafe. Therefore morali fuafion falls before the power of God , ancs an ingraffing into a vifble Churchftate by an aft of power remaines,

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