Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

Answ. I have there showed that the danger is greater in the Anabaptists way of using this power than of ours. 2. This objection is as much against them that are for the title of a Dogmatical faith, as for us that require the Profession of a saving faith. For they cannot be certain of their lower faith it self, and therefore must take up with the profession of it: and if they will not require all these qualifications forenamed of that Profession, then they may as well admit professed Jews and Heathens, and they will openly subject Gods ordinances to profanation. 3. Because it is a variable case, and requireth Judgement in the Administrators; therefore hath God made it a considerable part of the office and work of his Ministers, to Judge rightly of mens profession, that they may discern the meet from the unmeet: and therefore hath he required so much prudence and piety in Ministers, that they might be meet to judge in such cases. To bear these Keys, and wisely and faithfully to discern who are to be admitted, and who to be excluded, is no small part of their Trust, and Power, and Work. The great necessity of Church Officers, and the nature of its Government, would be the better understood, if this were well considered. It is not a possibility of mens erring in such Cases as are committed to humane determination, that will warrant us to condemn that way, or to cast about for some more Infallible or easy course: such contrivances will have but the Popish success, and will lose us the credit of our honest just Authoritative decision, while we will needs pretend to an Infallibility, that the world may discern that indeed we never had it. The common-course of quarrelling with all Government where there is a possibility or danger of any great abuse, and evils thereby, doth directly conclude in the simple rejection of all Government ⟨p. 13⟩by man and almost any thing else that man must be the agent in: for as long as such vile imperfect wretches are the Governors, how can you think, the actual administration will be perfect? Get Angels to Govern immediately, or stay till men be as Angels of God, and then you shall have a cure for all these Inconveniences:

Answ. I have there shewed that the danger is greater in the Anabaptists way of using this power than of ours. 2. This objection is as much against them that are for the title of a Dogmatical faith, as for us that require the Profession of a saving faith. For they cannot be certain of their lower faith it self, and therefore must take up with the profession of it: and if they will not require all these qualifications forenamed of that Profession, then they may as well admit professed Jews and Heathens, and they will openly subject Gods ordinances to profanation. 3. Because it is a variable case, and requireth Judgement in the Administrators; therefore hath God made it a considerable part of the office and work of his Ministers, to Judge rightly of mens profession, that they may discern the meet from the unmeet: and therefore hath he required so much prudence and piety in Ministers, that they might be meet to judge in such cases. To bear these Keyes, and wisely and faithfully to discern who are to be admitted, and who to be excluded, is no small part of their Trust, and Power, and Work. The great necessity of Church Officers, and the nature of its Government, would be the better understood, if this were well considered. It is not a possibility of mens erring in such Cases as are committed to humane determination, that will warrant us to condemn that way, or to cast about for some more Infallible or easie course: such contrivances will have but the Popish success, and will lose us the credit of our honest just Authoritative decision, while we will needs pretend to an Infallibility, that the world may discern that indeed we never had it. The common-course of quarrelling with all Government where there is a possibility or danger of any great abuse, and evils thereby, doth directly conclude in the simple rejection of all Government