Ch.47 of the ite of ßeleevèrs. 433 onely an implicite Covenant, where he layes pag. 3. (This rule warrants any lldinifizer comfortably to admini fter that Ordinance. Here is a parent, one or both vifibly in Covenant with God,, and a vifible member of Chrifts CI urch ; l do therefore adminificr the feale of tbe Covenant unto this Infant by vertue of this parent, according to that Command given to Abraham the father o] believers with Whôm when the Lordentred into Covenant , and laid the foun- dation of the Church viable in his fancily, he tool¿ his feed into Co- venant with him, and commanded that they with him fhould I eep that Seale of his Covenant,) We freely coneit and then.the queftion is determined in the affirmative ; I am lure the Church of the Jedes took in;fuch by Circumcifion that Mailer Firmin would ex- clude from Baptifine. In cafe he means an explicite Chúurch-Co- venant, over and above the Covenant of grace; as the Jedes had no filch way, fo neither had the Apoffles or primitive Chri- flians. Thofe converts, Aîts 2. did not that first day of their converfion before their. Baptifine let up Congregational Churches with officers, they dwelt in many remote places at great diftance (whither they were to returne to their refpec`tive families,) and therefore could not in this way embody themfelves in one di find fociety for exercife ordifcipline. Affoon- as the Eunuch by Philips preaching of a Jewifb profelyte, is made a Chriftian Difciple he faith to'Philip,See,here is water, What cloth hinder me to be baptized? Ads 8.36. Had Philip underftood a neceffity of confederation into a Church-way, over and above the Cove- nant of grace before Baptifme he had doubtleffe informed him; and as Chrift fent the Leper that he had cleanfed, to fbew him- felfe to the Priefi, and offer the gift that Mofes had Commanded, Matth. 8.4. fo 'Philip would have obferved the Gofpel -order appointed, and have fent him to force particular conftituted vi- fible Church, upon his Covenant to have been received, and not hand over head upon his bare profeffion that he beleeved that Je- fus Christ is the fonne of God, baptized him. When the Gentiles had received the holy Ghoft Peter Paid, 467.c i o. 47. Can any man forbid water, that thefe fhould not be baptized, which have re- ceived the holy Ghoft as well as we ? had there been any fuch rule of a Church Covenant, orderly to have .proceedh he might eafily have feene that any man upon that account might have forbidden it. Paul had made much more hafte (as X may fay ) Kkk then. The Apoftiés and primitive Chriftians knew no expli- citcChurch- Covenanr.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=