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The Third Thing I obferve from hence is this; That the Baptifm of Water, as appointed by our Saviour, was not a Temporary Inftitution, a Ceremony just to laft for that Age; but it was defigned by our Saviour to continue in ufe among his Difciples as long as he had a Church upon Earth. The Reafon of it is plain, because this was the Method he appointed for the admitting Men into his Covenant, and into his Church. If therefore all particular Perfons from Age to Age are to believe in Chrift, and to be enter'd into his Covenant, and made Members of his Church then all particular Perfons are to be baptized with Water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. If now this be fo, what muft we fay of fome religious Sects among us that are fo very fpiritual, that they will have nothing to do with fuch a carnal Ceremony as that of Baptifin with Water is: Either pretending that the whole Thing is meant in a myftical Senfe, or that it is long ago antiquated? Thus do the Quakers, and fome other Sectaries.

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Thefe People call themselves Chriftians, for they pretend to believe in Jefus Christ. But do they really deferve that Name, when they were never enter'd into Covenant with him? But however, to speak the foflieft of them; If they be Christians,

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fure they are far from being right found Christians, because they live in a conftant Tranfgreffion of as plain a Precept of Jesus Christ as any in the Gofpel; and fuch a Precept too, as all the Chriftians in the World, till this laft Age, have always made a Confcience of religioufly obferving.

The Fourth Thing I remark upon this Text is this; That from these Words we may be fairly led into an eafy Method of giving ourselves Satisfaction concerning a Question that hath made not a little Stir and Buftle in the World; not that there is much Difficulty in the Thing, but that Men, by endeavouring to ferve Parties and Factions, have induftrioufly made it difficult. The Queftion I mean is, What is the true Notion of the Catholick Church out of which there is no Salvation? All Chriftians are agreed that Jefus Christ did found a Church while he was upon Earth that fhould continue to the End of the World, and against which the Gates of Hell should never prevail. All Chriftians likewife are agreed that this Church is but one, however it may be spread into never fo many Countries; and this is that which we acknowledge in our Creed, when we say, I believe one Catholick and Apoftolick Church. Laftly, it is likewife agreed by all Chriftians, that out of this one Church there is no Salvation, at least no Salvation promised

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by God, or covenanted for by our Lord Jefus Chrift. But now here comes the Queftion; Where is this true Church to be found? fince there are fo many different and oppofite Churches in the World, all pretending to be the true Church, but notoriously contradicting one another both in Doctrine and Worship. Why now, methinks, we have a plain Anfwer to this Question from my Text, and that is this; Where-ever the Gospel of Chrift is preached, and Men do believe it, and are baptized into it, there is a true Church: In all those Places all the World over, where this is made good; in all thofe Places the true Church of Chrift is; and every one of those Combinations of Men fo preaching, fo believing, and fo profeffing, are true Parts and Members of the Catholick Church (that myftical Body of Chrift) out of which there is no Salvation. We do not fay that they are all equally pure, or that a Man may communicate with all of them with equal Safety: But that they are all true Parts of the Catholick Church, tho' fome more found, and others more corrupt. This, you will fay, is a very plain intelligible Notion of the Catholick Church: But how do we prove it? Why, we can prove it undeniably, beyond all Contradiction, from the very Words of my Text. It is owned and confeffed, that none out of the Catholick Church can be faved. But our Saviour

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here declares, that Whosoever believes, and is baptized, is put into a Capacity of Salvation. It therefore follows undeniably, that whofoever believeth, and is baptized, is within the Catholick Church. I do ask, Is it true, that whofoever believeth, and is baptized, fhall be faved; or is it not? If it be not, then we cannot rely upon our Saviour's Words, who yet is the Author of our Faith. If it be true, then every fuch Perfon is a Member of the Catholick Church; otherwise People may be faved without being in the Church.

So that you fee in this prefent divided State of Christendom, where there are fo many different Communions, if a Man be unfatisfied which of them he should chuse to venture his Soul in; the Question he is to put to himself is not this, Which of these Communions is the true Catholick Church in Oppofition to all the reft? as the Papists put it; for none of them are fo, tho' perhaps they are all Parts or Members of that Catholick Chuch: But this, In which of thofe Communions, that he hath any Knowledge of, is the Gospel of Christ most purely taught and profeffed according to the primitive Rules of it, and confequently which of them he may with the greatest Safety join himself to? Now if this be the Queftion, as it certainly is, a ferious Enquirer may, without very much Pains, give himfelf Satisfaction.

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The Fifth Reflection I make upon thefe Words is this; We may from hence be able to give a true Account of the Measure and Standard of that Faith, which is required of Chriftians in order to their Sal

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All Chriftians agree that we must be Believers: But fome, taking Advantage of this, will not allow us to have a right Faith, or to be Orthodox Christians, unless we can come up to all thofe Notions and Propofitions which they efteem Articles of Faith. One would think therefore that fome Rule ought to be given us, by which we might measure the Sufficiency of our Faith, or by which we might know when we have believed all that is neceffary; that fo we might not be under the Tyranny of fuch Ufurpers upon our Confciences, as would be always impofing on our Faith, till at laft they came to make us fwallow Impoffibilities for Divine Revelation. And fuch a Rule, methinks, our Saviour hath here given us. His Commiffion to the Apoftles is, Go into all the World, and preach the Gospel unto every Creature; and he adds, Whofoever believeth fhall be faved. Believeth? believeth what? Why certainly the Gospel that he spoke of before: Whofoever believeth the Gospel, and is baptized, shall be faved; that must be his Meaning. It is the Gospel therefore that we must believe; and to the believing of that alone, without VOL V. R

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