practice of the church, that the profession and claim of the adult, should be tried by the ministers of Christ. (1.) In case of infant baptism, the minister was to receive and approve the parents' profession. (2.) In case of the baptism of the aged, they always entered under the trial, approbation or hand of the minister. (3.) In case of the confirming of those at age, that were baptized in infancy, it was always done under the hand and judgment of the minister. (4.) In case of absolution of those that fell after either infant, or adult baptism, it was always upon a profession approved by the minister. To prove these things is vain, it being the subject of so many canons, and so commonly known, both by record and practice.

Mr. Herbert Thorndike in his forecited Discourse of the Right of the Church, is full upon it. P. 32, he saith, “As the power of judging who is, and who is not thus qualified, presupposes a profession; so that an instruction, obliging the obedience of them, which seek remission of sins, by the Gospel, and therefore confidently assuring it to them, which conform themselves. In a word, because admitting to, and excluding from the church, is, or ought to be, a just and lawful presumption of admitting to, or excluding from heaven, N. B. it is morally and legally the same act, that entitleth to heaven, and to the church; that maketh an heir of life everlasting, and a Christian; because he that obeyeth the church, in submitting to the Gospel, is as certainly a member of the invisible, as of the visible church." You see here in his judgment, both what kind of profession it must be, and who is the judge of it (of which he is more large). And surely, they that see confirmation, and penance, or absolution, grown up to the reputation of proper sacraments, and understandeth how they came to it, will never question whether the Universal Church hath still taken the pastors for the lawful judges and approvers of that confession and profession, which in such cases was requisite.

And that it was a profession, both of saving faith, and repentance, that was expected by the church; which the pastors were to judge of, I mentioned some plain testimonies of antiquity, Apol. p. 95, to which I shall add some more.

Justin Martyr, Apol. 2. expressing how baptism was then administered to the adult, saith, "As many as being per

suaded, do believe these things to be true which we teach, and to promise to live according to them, they first learn, by prayer and fasting, to beg pardon of God, for their former sins, ourselves also joining our prayer and fasting; then they are brought to the water, and born again, in the same way as we ourselves were born again." And of the Lord's-supper he saith, "This food we call the Eucharist, to which no man is admitted, but he that believeth the truth of our doctrine, being washed in the laver of regeneration, for the remission of sin, and that so liveth as Christ hath taught."

Nazianzen, Orat. 40. vol. 1. p. 641. "The force and faculty of baptism, is nothing else, but a covenant entered with God, for a second (or new) life, and a more pure course of living. And therefore that we should all exceedingly fear, and with all diligence keep our souls, lest we be found to have violated this covenant." Basil's words, and many more to the like purpose there recited, I forbear.

And that a man baptized, is not so much as to be taken for a Christian, if by word or deed he nullify that profession, much more when he never made a personal profession, when he is at age, the ancients commonly agree. Some I cited before: Tertullian again saith, Apol. cap. 44, speaking of the jailor, "Nemo illic Christianus, nisi plane tantum Christianus, aut se et aliud, jam non Christianus."

Athenagoras, in Legat. pro Christ. p. 3. "Nullus Christianus malus est nisi hanc professionem simulaverit.” Damascene Orthodox. fid. lib. 4. cap. 11. p. 303. 303. "Qui enim secundum traditionem Catholicæ Ecclesiæ credit, sed communicat operibus Diabolo, infidelis est."

Salvian. de Gubern. lib. 4. in the beginning: "Nam cum hoc sit hominis Christiani fides, fideliter Christi mandata servare: fit absque dubio ut nec fidem habeat, qui infidelis est, nec Christum credat qui Christi mandata conculcat. Ac per hoc totum in id resolvitur, ut qui Christiani nominis opus non agit, Christianus non esse videatur. Nomen enim sine actu, atque officio suo nihil est."

Cyprian, de dupl. Mart. "Frustra miscetur cœtui Sanctorum, in Templo manufacto, si submotus est ab universo Corpore Mystico Christi."

August. de Baptis. cont. Donatist, lib. 4. cap. 2. " Ad

Ecclesiam non pertinet omnes qui sunt intus, sed qui sunt in ea piè viventes. Et cap. 4. In corpore unica columbæ, nec hæretici, nec improbi nominantur."

See the like passages of the ancient schoolmen, cited by Davenant in Col. i. 18. p. 118.

And thus I have shewed you the necessity of a profession, and of what sort of profession, and that the pastors of the church are by office appointed by Christ, to try, approve, and receive it.

PROP. 8. Though it belong to the Pastor's office to judge of the Profession of such Expectants, yet are they bound up by the Laws of Christ what Profession to accept, and what to refuse: and if by breaking these Laws they shall dangerously, or grossly wrong the Church, it belongeth to the Magistrate to correct them, and to the People to admonish them, and to disown their sin.

In sum, as is aforesaid, It is a credible profession of true Christianity, which they must accept. And as that which seemeth not to be understanding, serious, voluntary and deliberate, is not credible; nor that which is nullified by verbal, or actual contradiction; nor that which is made by one that hath forfeited the credit of his word; so on the other side, a credible man's profession is his title-condition, in the judgment of the church, or that evidence of the condition that we must take up with. And if a man produce the positive evidence of his title, we must be able to disprove, and invalidate it, before we reject him: so that it is a profession of true Christianity, which we cannot prove to be false, at least by a violent presumption, (as the lawyers speak,) which we must accept.

By this it appears, 1. That a grossly ignorant person, that knoweth not the essentials of Christianity, is not to be taken for a professed Christian. For trial of such, the Ordinance of Parliament, of October 20, 1645, doth give us satisfaction (recited in the Form of Church Government, of March 29, 1648): 2. Nor one that denieth any of the said essentials heretically: 3. Nor one that speaketh ludicrously, and jestingly 4. Nor one that speaks in a passion, not deliberately: 5. Nor one that is manifestly forced and unwilling: 6. Nor one that saith and unsaith: 7. Nor one whose life doth prove his profession to be incredible: 8. Nor one that

hath perfidiously been a breaker of covenant with God already, till his reformed life shall recover the credit of his word. So that with a credible person, his bare profession is evidence before the church of his right; and we must prove him a liar, or false in his profession, before we can reject him. But a man that hath been wicked, after open covenanting with God or profession of Christianity, hath forfeited his credit, and therefore must shew us a new life, as well as a verbal profession, before he is to be restored to his privileges. In the first case, with a credible person, we must prove his profession false, before we reject him but in the second case, with an incredible person, he must evidence his profession to be true, by probable evidences, that shall make it credible. If I thought that the very light and law of nature, joined with the known general rules of Scripture, did not put this past controversy, with most judicious Christians, I should stand to prove all this by parts.

But on the other side, it is hence manifest, 1. That the pastors of the church, must refuse no man that hath the least degree of grace, or makes a credible profession of the least: 2. And that we must not require as a matter of necessity, such ripe, or clear and judicious expressions from the ignorant, bashful, or such, ás for want of use and good breeding, are unable to express their minds, as we may from others. If a man or woman be unable in good sense to express their faith, in the very essentials, or to reveal the grace of God within them, yet if upon our interrogations, and helping them, they can do it in any intelligible manner, so that we do but perceive that it is a sound profession in the essentials, which they mean, though they cannot handsomely utter it, we may not reject any such as these: 3. Note also, that defects in knowledge must be indeed exceeding gross, where the person is willing to be taught, and ruled by Christ, and use his means, and thus seems to love God and holiness, before they will warrant us to reject them. Should the judgments of such persons seem unacquainted with some fundamentals, about the Trinity, and the like mysteries, I should search them better; and I should plainly tell them presently of the truth, and if they received information, I should not reject a willing soul. The very apostles of Christ had the sacrament administered to them by Himself, when they did not understand and believe, the death and resurrection of

Christ. I know that this will not warrant us to give such persons the Eucharist now; because that those great truths were not then of such great necessity, as after Christ's death and resurrection they did become; as being not so fully revealed, nor the actual belief of them so peremptorily imposed. But yet it shews us this much, that even in persons admitted to the Lord's-supper, if there be but a belief in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and the points of absolute necessity, though in rude and imperfect conception, and a love to Christ, and a willingness to learn of him, and obey him, a great deal of lamentable ignorance may be borne with, in those that have wanted either means of knowledge, and clear discoveries of the truth, or natural ripeness of understanding to receive it. You see then that pastors are not arbitrary, not merely left to their own wills.

PROP. 9. It is most evident, that Ministers, People and Magistrates, have each a Power of Judging; but differently, as they have different Works.

1. WHEN the question is, 'To whom the sacraments, and other ordinances, and church-relations and privileges are to be ministerially delivered as from Christ, and to whom not?' Here the ministers of Christ are the judges. And so are they, when the question is, ' Whom must we teach, direct, and persuade, and in Christ's name command the people to avoid or to hold communion with? for those two are our own work in the execution. And if either magistrate, people, or any other must be judge, where ministers must execute and work; then 1. We have not that common judicium discretionis' to guide our own actions, which is allowed, and necessary to every Christian: 2. Then the rulers of the church, are not only degraded, and made no rulers, but are put into that slavery, and subjection to them, that are commanded to obey them, which no pastor must desire the people, or any one of them to be in; for we must not deny them a judgment of discretion, about their own actions: 3. And by this course, ministers that are the eyes of the body, must not only be guided by other parts, but they must execute against their own knowledge, and conscience, when other men misjudge : 4. And if so, either God commandeth us to sin, whenever people, or magistrates bid us (which none dare say), or else it is no sin, when it doth but get their vote, and so we may