The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

As to their Objections I answer. First, no man is called to lie, nor yet are they fearful to be shut out: For as no man is perfectly acquainted with his own heart, so no man is to profess a perfect knowledge of it: But if a man speak as he thinketh upon faithful endeavours to avoid self-deceit, no more can be expected of him. He that can say [Though I am not certain that there is no secret fraud in my heart, yet as far as I can ⟨p. 50⟩discern it, I am willing to be a Christian upon the terms of Gods Covenant, and to take Christ for my Teacher, Priest and King] must offer himself, and must be received into the Church.

Secondly, and as to the Jews case, I have proved in the fore-mentioned Disputations, First, that it was no less than a profession of saving faith, which was made in the Covenant of Circumcision. Secondly, that men were then to be put to death, for almost all those enormous crimes which we now excommunicate men for: And the dead are not members of the Church on earth. Thirdly, that all that in matter of fact was found among them contrary to this, was contrary to Gods Law: And to argue against the Law from mans breach of the Law, a facto contra jus, is very bad arguing. Fourthly, that it is far surer and clearer reasoning about the Evangelical state and order of the Church, from the Gospel, than from the Law of Moses, much more than from the violations of that law. Fifthly, but yet all the corruptions of the Churches, as I have cited and proved them before, do show us the difference between the Church as visibly Congregate, and as Regenerate; and show us that the presence of scandalous sinners, will not warrant us to separate or to unchurch the Church. And this may suffice against that error.

Secondly, and as to the Jews case, I have proved in the fore-mentioned Disputations, First, that it was no less than a profession of saving faith, which was made in the Covenant of Circumcision. Secondly, that men were then to be put to death, for almost all those enormous crimes which we now excommunicate men for: And the dead are not members of the Church on earth. Thirdly, that all that in matter of fact was found among them contrary to this, was contrary to Gods Law: And to argue against the Law from mans breach of the Law, a facto contra jus, is very bad arguing. Fourthly, that it is farre surer and clearer reasoning about the Evangelical state and order of the Church, from the Gospel, than from the Law of Moses, much more than from the violations of that law. Fifthly, but yet all the corruptions of the Churches, as I have cited and proved them before, do shew us the difference between the Church as visibly Congregate, and as Regenerate; and shew us that the presence of scandalous sinners, will not warrant us to separate or to unchurch the Church. And this may suffice against that errour.