Ezek. 13. Mat. 10.10. Acts 2.4. 185 John 3.6. Eph. 4. 5. I Pet. 3. 21. Rom. 6.4. Col. 2. 12. John 3.30. Gal. 3.27. do or leave undone, as himself fees meet; whether The Twelfth Propofition. As there is One Lord, and One Faith, fo there is One Baptifm; which is not the putting away the Filth of the Flesh, but the answer of a good Confcience before God, by the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift: And this Baptifm is a pure and fpiritual Thing, to wit, the Baptifm of the Spirit and Fire, by which we are buried with him, that being washed and purged from our 1 Cor. 1.17. Sins, we may walk in Newness of Life; of which the Baptifm of John was a Figure, which was commanded for a Time, and not to continue for ever. As to the Baptifm of Infants, it is a meer Humane Tradition, for which neither Precept nor Practice is to be found in all the Scripture. * Cor. 10. 36,17. The Thirteenth Propofition. Concerning the COMMUNION, or PARTICIPATION of the BoDy and BLOOD of CHRIST. The Communion of the Body and Blood of Chrift is Inward and Spiritual, which is the Participation ot 33, 55. of his Flesh and Blood, by which the Inward Man is John 6. 32, daily nourished in the Hearts of thofe in whom Chrift dwells; of which Things the Breaking of Bread by Chrift with his Difciples was a Figure, which they even used in the Church for a Time, who had received the Substance for the Caufe of the Weak; even as abstaining from Things ftrangled, and from Blood; the wasbing one another's Feet; and the anointing of the John 13. 14. Sick with Oil; all which are commanded with no lefs James 5.14 Authority and Solemnity than the former; yet feeing they are but the Shadows of better Things, they cease in such as have obtained the Subftance. The Fourteenth Propofition. Concerning the PoWER of the CIVIL MAGISTRATE, in Matters purely RELIGIOUS, and pertaining to the CONSCIENCE. Acts 15. 20. Mat. 7.12, 29. Since God hath affumed to himself the Power and Dominion of the Contcience, who alone can rightly instruct and govern it, therefore it is not lawful Luke 9.55. for any whatfoever, by Virtue of any Authority or 56. Principality they bear in the Government of this World, to force the Confciences of others; and T. 3. 19. therefore all Killing, Banifhing, Fining, Imprifoning, and other fuch Things, which Men are afflicted with, for the alone Exercife of their Confcience, or Difference in Worthip or Opinion, proceed from the Spirit of Cain, the Murderer, and are contrary to the Truth; provided always, that no Man, under the Pretence of Confcience, prejudice his Neighbour in his Life or Eftate; or do any Thing deftructive to, or inconfiftent with Humane Society; in which Cafe the Law is for the Tranfgreffor, and Juftice to be adminiftred upon all, without Refpect of Perfons. Eph. s. 11, Fer. 10.3. Mat, 15.13. The Fifteenth Propofition. Concerning SALUTATIONS and RECREA Seeing the chief End of all Religion, is, to redeem Pet. 1.14. Man from the Spirit and vain Converfation of this John Job 5.44 World, and to lead into inward Communion with Alls 10. 26. God (before whom, if we fear always, we are accounted Happy) therefore all the vain Customs and Habits thereof, both in Word and Deed, are to be rejected and forfaken by those who come to this Fear; fuch as the taking off the Hat to a Man, the Bowings and Cringings of the Body, and fuch other Salutations of that Kind, with all the foolish and fuperftitious Formalities attending them; all which Man has invented in his degenerate State, to feed his Pride in the vain Pomp and Glory of this World; as alfo the unprofitable Plays, frivolous Recreations, Sportings and Gamings, which are invented to pass away the Precious Time, and divert the Mind from the Witness of God in the Heart, and from the Living Senfe of his Fear, and from that Evangelical Spirit, wherewith Chriftians ought to be leavened, and which leads into Sobriety, Gravity, and Godly Fear; in which, as we abide, the Blefling of the Lord is felt to attend us in thofe Actions, in which we are neceffarily engaged, in order to the taking Care for the Suftenance of the outward Man. AN A N APOLOGY FOR THE True Chriftian Divinity. PROPOSITION I. Concerning the true Foundation of KNOWLEDGE. 15 Seeing the Heighth of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God, (This is Life Eternal, to know John 17. 3. thee the only true God, and Jefus Christ whom thou haft fent) the true and right understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge, is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the firft Place. HE E that defireth to acquire any Art or Science, feeketh first thofe Means, by which that Art or Science is obtained: If we ought to do fo in Things Natural and Earthly, how much more then in Spiritual? In this Affair then fhould our Inquiry be the more diligent, because he that errs in the Entrance, is not fo easily reduced again into the Right Way; he that miffeth his Road from the Beginning of his Journey, and is deceived in his firft Marks, at his first fetting forth, the greater his Miftake is, the more difficult will be his Entrance into the Right Way. true Knowledge Thus when a Man firft propofeth to himself the The Way to Knowledge of God, from a Senfe of his own Un- thi worthinefs, and from the great Wearinefs of his of God. Mind, occafioned by the fecret Checks of his Confcience, tors and Confcience, and the tender yet real Glances of God's Light upon his Heart; the earneft Defires he has to be redeemed from his prefent Trouble, and the fervent Breathings he has to be eafed of his difordered Paffions and Lufts, and to find Quietnefs and Peace in the certain Knowledge of God, and in the Affurance of his Love and Good-will towards him, make his Heart tender, and ready to receive any Impreffion; and fo (not having then a diftinct Difcerning) through Forwardness embraceth any Thing that brings present Eafe. If either through the Reverence he bears to certain Perfons, or from the fecret Inclinations to what doth comply with his natural Difpofition, he fall upon any Principles or Means, by which he apprehends he may come to know God, and fo doth center himfelf, it will be hard to remove him thence again, how wrong foever they may be: For the firft Anguish being over, he becomes more hardy; and the Enemy being near, creates a falfe Peace, and a certain Confidence, which is ftrengthened by the Mind's Unwillingness to enter again into a new Doubtfulness, or the former Anxiety of a Search. This is fufficiently verified in the Example of the Jewish Doc- Pharifees and Jewish Doctors, who most of all refifted Pharifees Chrift, difdaining to be efteemed Ignorant; for this refift Chrift, vain Opinion they had of their Knowledge, hinder John 7.48, 49. ed them from the true Knowledge; and the mean People, who were not fo much pre-occupied with former Principles, nor conceited of their own Knowledge, did easily believe. Wherefore the Pharifees upbraid them, faying, Have any of the Rulers or Pharifees believed on him? But this People, which know not the Law, are accurfed. This is alfo abundantly proved by the Experience of all fuch, as being fecretly touched with the Call of God's Grace unto them, do apply themselves to falfe Teachers, where the Remedy proves worfe than the Difeafe; because instead of knowing God, or the Things relating to |