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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30138	Differences in judgment about vvater-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints, as saints, proved lawful in answer to a book written by the Baptists, and published by Mr. T.P. and Mr. W.K. entituled, Some serious reflections on that part of Mr. Bunyan's confession of faith, touching church-communion with unbaptized believers : wherein, their objections and arguments are answered, and the doctrine of communion still asserted and vindicated : here is also Mr. Henry's Jesse's judgment in the case, fully declaring the doctrine I have asserted / by John Bunyan.	Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.; Jessey, Henry, 1603-1663.	1673 (1673)	Wing B5509; ESTC R21419	60,966	126

they proceed from a taunting Spirit that will be known to you better in the day of God when your evil surmizes of your Brother and my designs in writing my Book will be published upon the house-tops And even now before I go any further I will give you aetouch of the Reason of my publishing that part thereof which you so hotly oppose It was because of those continual Assaults that the rigid Brethren of your way made not only upon this Congregation to rent it but also upon many others about us if peradventure they might break us in pieces and draw from us Disciples after them Assaults I say upon this Congregation by times for no less than these sixteen or eighteen years Yea my self they have sent for and endeavoured to perswade me to break Communion with my Brethren also with many others they have often tampered if haply their seeds of Division might take Neither did they altogether fail of their purpose for some they did rent and dismember from us but none but those of whom now they begin to be ashamed The Judgment of God so following their design that the Persons which then they prevailed upon are now a stink and reproach to Religion Neither were these Spirits content with that discord they did sow among us but they proceeded to seize upon others But to pass these The wild and unsound Positions they have urged to maintain their Practice would be too large here to insert Now Sir to settle the Brethren the Brethren of our Community and to prevent such disorders among others was the cause of my publishing my Papers and considering my Concern in the House of God I could do no less than to give them warning That every man might deliver his Soul You proceed saying It is my liberty as well as others into whose hands it falls to weigh what you have said in Truths ballance and if it be found too light to reject it whether you will or no. Answ. Do but grant me without mocking of me the liberty you desire to take and God helping me I desire no more to shift for my self among you As to your saying that I proudly and imperiously insult because I say they are Babes and Carnal that attempt to break the Peace and Communion of Churches though upon better pretences than Water You must know I am still of that mind and shall be so long as I see the Effects that follow viz. The breach of Love taking off Christians from the more weighty things of God and to make them quarrel and have heart-burnings one against another Where you are pleased to charge me with Raging for laying those Eighteen particular Crimes to the charge of SUCH who exclude Christians from Church-Communion and debar them their Heaven-born Priviledges for the want of that which yet God never made the Wall of Division between us pag. 116. I say when you can prove That God hath made Water-Baptism that Wall and that the stress of the after Eighteen Charges lye wholly and only in that then you may time enough call my language such as wanteth Charity but I question though that was granted whether your saying I RAGE will be justified in the day of Judgment My great noise as you call it about an initiating Ordinance you say you shall take no notice of pag. 3. Answ. 1. Although you do not I must For if Baptism be not that but another and if visible Saints may enter into Fellowship by that other and are no where forbidden so to do because they have not light into Water-Baptism it is of weight to be considered by me yea and of others too who are unprejudiced 2. How ignorant you are of such as hold it the initiating Ordinance I know not nor how long you have been of that perswasion I know not This I know that men of your own Party as serious godly and it may be more learned than your self have within less than this twelve-month urged it Mr. D. in my hearing did from Rom. 6. 1 2. in the Meeting in Lothbury affirm it Also my much esteemed Friend Mr. D. A. did twice in a Conference with me Assert it 3. But whatever you say whether for or against ' tls no matter for while you deny it to be the entering Ordinance you account it the Wall Bar Bolt and Door even that which must separate between the righteous and the righteous nay you make want of Light therein a ground to exclude the most Godly your Communion when every Novice in Religion shall be received into your bosom and be of esteem with you because he hath and from what ground God knows submitted to Water-Baptism I am glad that in page 4. you conclude with me what is the initiating Ordinance but withal give me leave to correct as I think one extravagant expression of yours You say 'T is CONSENT on all hands and NOTHING else that makes them Members of particular Churches and not Faith and Baptism pag. 4. You might have stopped at and nothing else you need not in particular have rejected Faith your first Error was bad enough what NOTHING else but Consent What not so much as a respect to the matter or end Why then are not all the Communities of all the High-way-men in the Land truly Constituted Churches of Christ unless you can prove that they hold together but not by consent What Consent and nothing else But why do YOU throw out FAITH why I throw out Baptism which because you cannot as to the case in hand fetch in again therefore OUT must Faith go too Your action is much like that Harlots that stood to be judged by Solomon who because her own Child was dead would have her Neighbours killed also Faith Sir both in the Profession and Confession of it is of immediate and also absolute concern even in the very act of the Churches reception of this or another Member Throw out Faith and there is no such thing as a Christian neither visible nor invisible You ought to receive no man but upon a comfortable satisfaction to the Church that you are now receiving a Believer Faith whether it be savingly there or no is the great Argument with the Church in receiving any we receive not men as men but the man immediately under that supposition He hath Faith he is a Christian. Sir Consent simply without Faith makes no man a Member of the Church of God because then would a Church not cease to be a Church whoever they received among them Yea by this Assertion you have justified the Church of Rome it self to be to this day both good and godly unless you can prove that they did at first and do now receive their unbelieving Members without their own Consent The Church hath no such Liberty to receive men without respect to Faith yea Faith and Holiness must be the Essentials or Basis upon and for the sake of which you receive them Hoiness I say yet not such

as is circumstantial but that which is such in the very heart of it Pray you in your next therefore word it better lest while you slight and trample upon me you stand before all blame-worthy your self The Scriptures you speak of I did not in my first pag. 68. produce to shew persons unbaptized might hold Communion with the Church though I am fully convinced they may but to shew that knowledge of those Persons of their Faith and Holiness in general ought first to be shewed to the Church before she can lawfully receive them Acts 9. 25 26 27. 1 Cor. 16. 10. 2 Cor. 8. 23. As to my Answer to a Question pag. 70. which you have at pag. 5. of yours corrupted and then abused I tell you again That a discovery of the Faith and Holiness and a Declaration of the willingness of a Person to subject himself to the Laws and Government of Christ in his Church is a ground sufficient to receive such a Member But you descant Is Baptism none of the Laws of Christ Answ. It is none of those Laws neither any part of them that the Church as a Church should shew her Obedience by For albeit that Baptism be given by Christ our Lord to the Church yet not for them to worship him by as a Church Shew me what Church-Ordinance it is and when or where the Church as a Church is to practise it as one of those Laws and Appointments that he hath commanded his Church to shew to him her Obedience by Again That submitting to Water-Baptism is a sign or note that was ever required by any of the Primitive Churches of him that would hold Fellowship with them or that it infuseth such Grace and Holiness into those that submit thereto as to capacitate them for such a Priviledge or that they did acknowledge it a sign thereof I find not in all the Bible I find not as I told you in my first that Baptism is a sign to any but the Person that is baptized The Church hath her satisfaction of the Person from better proof Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 15. 29. Acts 2. 38. 22. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 21. I told you also That Baptism makes thee no Member of the Church neither doth it make thee a visible Saint It giveth thee therefore neither right to nor being of Membership at all Why Sir did you not Answer these things but slip them with others as if you were unconcerned troubling your Reader with such kind of insinuations as must needs be unsavoury to godly ears You make the Moral Law none of Christs but Moses's not the Sons but the Servants and tell me because I plead for Faith and Holiness according to Moral Duties Gospellized they are my words pag. 79. whereby we ought to judge of the fitness of Members that therefore Moses is more beholding to me than Christ. pag. 6. Sir Know you not yet that a difference is to be put betwixt those Rules that discover the Essentials of Holiness and those that in themselves are not such and that that of Faith and the Moral Law is the one and Baptism c. the other Is not Love to God abhorrence of Idols to forbear Blaspheming to honour our Parents to do no Murther to forbear Theft not to bear False witness nor Covet c. are not I say these the Precepts of the Lord Jesus because delivered by Moses Or are these such as may better be broken than for want of light to forbear Baptism with Water Or doth a man while he liveth in the neglect of these and in the mean time bustle about those you call Gospel-Commands most honour Christ or best fit himself for Fellowship with the Saints Need I tell you That the Faith of Christ with the Ten Commandments are as much now Gospel-Commands as Baptism and ought to be in as much and far more respect with the holy ones than that or other the like Yea shall I tell you That Baptism will neither admit a man into Fellowship nor keep him there if he be a transgressor of a Moral Precept and that a man who believeth in Jesus and fulfilleth the Royal Law doth more glorifie God and honour Religion in the World than he that keepeth if there were so many ten thousand figurative Laws As to those Commands that respect God 's Instituted Worship in a Church as a Church I have told you that Baptism is none of them and you have been driven to confess it The Church then must first look to Faith then to good Living according to the Ten Commandments after that she must respect those Appointments of our Lord Jesus that respects her outward order and discipline and then she walks as becomes her sinning if she neglecteth either sinning if she over-valueth either But why did you not Answer those Texts I produced for the strengthening of my Argument viz. Rom. 14. 18. Deut. 23. 47. Jam. 2. 8. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 21. 5. 9 10 11. Gal. 6. 15 16. Phil. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 9 10 11. Acts 20. 28 32. Rom. 13. 13. Jam. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 5. 12. Deal fairly Answer those Texts with the Argument made upon them and when you have after a godly manner done that you may the more boldly condemn You tell me That in page 93 of mine I say None ever received Baptism without light therein What if I did as I did not but you grant it And now I will ask you ●nd pray deal fairly in your Answer May man be a visible Saint without light therein May he have a good Conscience without light therein And seeing that Baptism is none of the worship that Christ Instituted in his Church for them to practise as a Church must he be kept dark about all other things concerning the Worship of God in his Church until he receive light therein You have answered already pag. 7. That they ought to be ashamed and to repent of that abomination their sprinkling BEFORE they come to have a sight of the pattern of the House of God the goings in and the comings ●n thereof Ezek. 43. 10 11. But Sir where do you find that want of Light in Water-Baptism or because a man hath been Sprinkled that he is to be kept dark in all other Temple-Institutions till he be ashamed and repent of that Pray produce the Texts for Ezekiel helps you nothing He speaks only of the Pattern of the HOUSE the goings out and comings in thereof As for the coming IN you have already confessed That Baptism is not the entring Ordinance And as for the Worship that Christ hath Instituted in his Church as a Church I say and you also have said it page 40 Baptism is none of the Forms thereof none of the Ordinances thereof none of the Laws thereof for Baptism is as to the Practice of it that which is without the Church without the House of God Then by your own Text if a man do repent him

to be blamed it was not what was since in corrupted times but that which was from the beginning the first Churches were the purest Patern Answ. That the Text saith there was a Church OF Judea I find not 1 Thess. 2. 14. And that the Thessalonians are commended for refusing to have communion with the unbaptized Believers for that is our question prove it by the word and then you do something Again that the commendations 1 Thess. 2. 14. do chiefly or at all respect their being Baptized Or because they followed the Churches of God which in Judea were in Christ Jesus in the Example of Water-Baptism is quite beside the word The Verse runs thus for the Brethren became followers of the Churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus for ye also have suffered like things of your own Countrey-men even as they have of the Jews c. This Text then commends them not for that they were baptized with Water but for that they stood their ground although baptized with suffering like them in Judea for the Name of the Lord Jesus For suffering like things of their own Countreymen as they did of the Jews Will you not yet leave off to abuse the Word of God and forbear turning it out of its place to maintain your unchristian practice of rejecting the People of God and excluding them their blessed Priviledges The unbaptized Believer instead of taking shame for entering into fellowship without it will be ready I doubt to put you to shame for bringing Scriptures so much besides the purpose and for stretching them so miserably to uphold you in your fancies Your tenth Argument is If so be that any of the Members at Corinth Galatia Coloss Rome or them that Peter wrote to were not baptized then Paul's Arguments for the Resurrection to them or to press them to holiness from that ground Rom. 6. Col. 2. 1 Cor. 15. was out of doors and altogether needless yea it bespeaks his ignorance and throweth contempt upon the Spirits Wisdom Heb. 6. 1 Pet. 3. 12. by which he wrote if that must be asserted as a ground to provoke them to such an end which had no beeing and if all the Members of all those Churches were baptized why should any plead for an exemption from Baptism for any Church-Member now Answ. Suppose all if all these Churches were baptized what then that answereth not our Question We ask where you find it written that those that are baptized should keep men as holy and as much beloved of the Lord Jesus as themselves out of Church-Communion for want of light in Water-Baptism Why we plead for their admission though they see not yet that that is their Duty is because we are not forbidden but commanded to receive them because God and Christ hath done it Rom. 14 15. Your eleventh Argument is If unbaptized Persons must be received into Churches onely because they are Believers though they deny Baptism Then why may not others plead for the like priviledge that are negligent in any other Gospel-Ordinance of Worship from the same ground of want of light let it be what it will So then as the consequence of this Principle Churches m●● be made up of visible sinners instead of visible Saints Answ. I plead not for Believers simply because they are Believers but for such Believers of whom we are perswaded by the Word that God hath received them 2. There are some of the Ordinances that be they neglected the being of a Church as to her visible Gospel-Constitution is taken quite away but Baptism is none of them it being no Church-Ordinance as such nor any part of Faith nor of that Holiness of heart or life that sheweth me to the Church to be indeed a visible Saint The Saint is a Saint before and may walk with God and be faithful with the Saints and to his own Light allo though he never be baptized Therefore to plead for his admission makes no way at all for the admission of the open prophane or to receive as YOU profess YOU do Persons unprepared to the Lord's Table and other solemn Appointments pag. 29. Your twelfth Argument is Why should Professors have more Light in breaking of Bread than Baptism That this must be so urged for their excuse Hath God been more sparing in making out his mind in the one rather than the other Is there more Precepts or Precedents for the Supper than Baptism Hath God been so bountiful in making out himself about the Supper that few or none that own Ordinances scruple it And must Baptism be such a rock of offence to Professors That very few will inquire after it or submit to it Hath not man's wisdom interposed to darken this part of God's Counsel By which Professors seem widingly led though against so many plain Commands and Examples written as with a Sun-beam that he that runs may read And must an Advocate be entertained to plead for so gross a piece of ignorance that the meanest babes of the first Gospel-times were never guilty of Answ. Many words to little purpose 1. Must God be called to an account by you why he giveth more Light about the Supper than Baptism May he not shew to or conceal from this or another of his Servants which of his Truths he pleaseth Some of the Members of the Church of Jerusalem had a greater Truth than this kept from them for ought I know as long as they lived Acts 11. 19. yet God was not called in question about it 2. Breaking of Bread not Baptism being a Church-Ordinance and that such also as must be often reiterated yea it being an Ordinance SO full of blessedness as lively to present Union and Communion with Christ to all the Members that worthily eat thereof I say The Lord's-Supper being such that while the Members sit at that feast they shew to each other the Death and Blood of the Lord as they ought to do till he comes 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. 11. 22 23. 24 25 26. the Church as a Church is much more concerned in THAT than in Water-baptism both as to her Faith and Comfort both as to her Union and Communion 3. Your supposition That very few Professors will seriously enquire after Water-baptism is too rude What! must all the Children of God that are not baptized for want of Light be still stigmatized with want of ferious inquiry after God's mind in it 4. That I am an Advocate entertained to plead for so gross a piece of ignorance as want of Light in Baptism is but like the rest of your jumbling I plead for Communion with men godly and faithful I plead that they may be received that God hath shewed us he hath received and commanded we should receive them Your thirteenth Argument is If Obedience must discover the truth of a man's Faith to others why must Baptism be shut out as if it was no part of Gospel-Obediance Is there no Precept for this Practice that

you unanswered and standing by my Argument conclude That if Laws and Ordinances of old have been broken and the breach of them born with when yet the Observation of outward things was more strictly Commanded than now if the Profit and Edification of the Church come in competition how much more may not we have Communion Church-Communion when no Law of God is transgressed thereby And note That all this while I plead not as you for Persons unprepared but godly and such as walk with God We come now to my seventh Argument for Communion with the Godly though unbaptized Persons which you say is Love pag. 29. My Argument is this Therefore I am for Communion thus because Love which above all things we are Commanded to put on is of much more worth than to break about Baptism And let the Reader note That of this Argument you deny not so much as one syllable but run to another story but I will follow you I add further That Love is more discovered when we receive for the sake of Christ than when we refuse his Children for want of Water And tell you again That this Exhortation to Love is grounded not upon Baptism but the putting on of the new Creature which hath swallowed up all distinctions Col. 3. 9 -14 Yea there are ten Arguments in this one which you have not so much as touched but thus object That man that makes Affection the Rule of his walking rather than judgment it is no wonder if he go out of the way Answ. Love to them we are perswaded that God hath received is Love that is guided by Judgment and to receive them that are such because God hath bidden us Rom. 14. is Judgment guided by Rule My Argument therefore hath forestalled all your noise and standeth still on its legs against you As to the Duties of Piety and Charity you boast of pag. 30. found not a Trumpet tell not your left hand of it we are talking now of Communion of Saints Church-Communion and I plead that to Love and hold together as such is better than to break in pieces for want of Water-baptism My Reason is because we are exhorted in all things to put on Love the Love of Church-Communion contrariwise you oppose Above all things put on Water For the best Saint under Heaven that hath not that with him you refuse Communion Thus you make Baptism though no Church-Ordinance a bar to shut out the Godly and a Trap-door to let the unprepared into Churches to the Lord's-Supper and other solemn Appointments pag. 29. But you object Must our Love to the unbaptized indulge them in an act of disobedience Cannot we love their Persons Parts Graces but we must love their Sins pag. 30. Answ. We plead not for indulging But are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God 2 Chron. 28. 10. But why can you indulge the Baptists in many acts of disobedience For to come unprepared into the Church is an act of disobedience To come unprepared to the Supper is an act of disobedience and to come so also to other solemn Appointments are acts of disobedience But for these things you say you do not cast nor keep any out of the Church Answ. But what acts of disobedience do we indulge them in In the Sin of Infant-baptism Answ. We indulge them not but being Commanded to bear with the Infirmities of each other suffer it it being indeed in our eyes such but in theirs they say a duty till God shall otherwise perswade them If you be without infirmity do you first throw a stone at them They keep their Faith in that to themselves and trouble not their Brethren therewith we believe that God hath received them they do not want to us a proof of their Sonship with God neither hath he made Water a Wall of Division between us and therefore we do receive them Obj. I take it to be the highest act of friendship to be faithful to these Professors and to tell them they want this one thing in Gospel-order which ought not to be left undon pag 30. Answ. If it be the highest piece of Friendship to preach Water-baptism to unbaptized Believers the lowest act thereof must needs be very low But contrariwise I count it so far off from being any act of Friendship to press Baptism in our Notion on those that cannot bear it that it is a great abuse of the Peace of my Brother the Law of Love the Law of Christ or the Society of the Faithful Love suffereth long and is kind is not easily provoked Let us therefore follow after the things that make for Peace and things wherewith one may edifie another Let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to Edification Bear you one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ. 1 Cor. 13. Rom. 14. 19. Chap. 15. 2. Gal. 6. 2. But say you I doubt when this comes to be weighed in God's ballance it will be found no less than flattery for which you will be reproved pag. 31. Answ. It seems you do but doubt it wherefore the Principle from which you doubt it of that methinks you should not be certain but this is of little weight to me for he that will presume to appropriate the Epistles to himself and fellows for the sake of Baptism and that will condemn all the Churches of Christ in the Land for want of Baptism and that will account his Brother as prophane Esau pag. 20. and rejected as Idolatrous Ephraim pag. 32. because he wanteth his way of Water-baptism he acts out of his wonted way of rigidness when he doth but doubt and not affirm his Brother to be a flatterer I leave therefore this your Doubt to be resolved at the Day of Judgment and in the mean time trample upon your harsh and unchristian surmises As to our Love to Christians in other cases I hope we shall also endeavour to follow the Law of the Lord but because it respects not the matter in hand it concerns us not now to treat thereof My Argument treateth of Church-Communion in the prosecution of which I prove 1. That Love is grounded upon the new Creature Col. 3. 9 c. 2. Upon our fellowship with the Father and Son 1 Joh. 1. 2 3. 3. That with respect to this it is the fulfilling of the Royal Law Jam. 4. 11. Rom. 14. 21. 4. That it shews it self in acts of forbearing rather than in publishing some Truths Communicating only what is profitable forbearing to publishing what cannot be born 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. Acts 20. 18 19 20. Joh. 16. 17. 5. I shew further That to have fellowship for to make that the ground of or to receive one another chiefly upon the account of an outward Circumstance to make Baptism the including and excluding Charter the Bounds Bar Rule of Communion when by the Word of the everlasting Testament there is no Word for it to speak charitably

towards them that sought him not according to due order 1 Chron. 15. 13. Was God so exact with his People then that all things to a Pin must be according to the Pattern in the Mount Heb. 7. 16. 9. 11. whose Worship then comparatively to the Gospel was but after the Law of a Carnal Commandment and can it be supposed he should be so indifferent no● to leave men to their own liberty to time and place his Appointments contrary to what he hath given in express Rule for in his Word as before Ezek. 44. 7 9 10. It was the Priest's Sin formerly to bring the uncircumcised in heart and flesh into his house Answ. That there is no such Order in that Commission as you feign I have proved As for your far-fetch'd Instance 1 Chron. 15. 't is quite besides your purpose The express Word was That the Priest not a Cart should bear the Ark of God Also they were not to touch it and yet Uzza did Exod. 25. 14. 1 Chron. 15. 12 13 14 15. Numb 4. 15. 1 Chron. 13. Now if you can make that 28th of Matthew say Receive none that are not baptized first or that Christ would have them of his that are not yet baptized kept ignorant of all other Truths that respect Church-Communion then you say something else you do but raise a mist before the simple Reader but who so listeth may hang on your sleeve As for the Pins and Tacks of the Tabernacle they were expresly commanded and when you have proved by the Word of God That you ought to shut Saints out of your Communion for want of Baptism then you may begin more justly to make your Parallel How fitly you have urged Ezek. 44. to insinuate that unbaptized Believers are like the uncircumcised in heart and flesh I leave it to all Gospel-Novices to consider Your third Argument is The practice of the first Gospel-Ministers with them that first trusted in Christ discovers the truth of what I assert Certainly they that lived at the spring-head or fountain of Truth and had the Law from Christ's own mouth knew the meaning of his Commission better than we but their constant practice in conformity to that Commission all along the Acts of the Apostles discovers that they never arrived to such a latitude as men plead for now a-dayes They that gladly received the Word were baptized and they yea they only were received into the Church Answ. How well you have proved what you have asserted is manifest by my Answer to the two former Arguments I adde That the Ministers and Servants of Jesus Christ in the first Churches for that you are to prove were Commanded to forbear to Preach other Truths to the Unbaptized Believers or that they were to keep them out of the Church or that the Apostles and first Fathers have given you to understand by their Example that you ought to keep as good out of Churches as your selves hath not yet been shewed by the Authority of the Word The second of the Acts proveth not That the three thousand were necessitated to be baptized in order to their Fellowship with the Church neither doth it say THEY yea they only were received into the Church But suppose all this as much was done at the first Institution of Circumcision c. yet afterwards thousands were received without it Your fourth Argument is None of the Scripture-Saints ever attempted this Church-priviledge without Baptism if they did let it be shewn The Eunuch first desired Baptism before any thing else Paul was first baptized before he did essay to joyn with the Church Our Lord Christ the great Example of the New Testament entred not upon his publick Ministry much less any other Gospel-Ordinance of Worship till he was Baptized Answ. That none of the Scripture-Saints if there be any unscripture ones so much as attempted this Church-priviledge first remains for you to prove But suppose they were all Baptized because they had light therein what then Doth this prove that Baptism is essential to Church-Communion Or that Christ commanded in the 28th of Matthew or gave his Ministers by that authority not to make known to Believers other parts of Gospel-Worship if they shall want light in Baptism The Eunuch Paul and our blessed Lord Jesus did none of them by their Baptism set themselves to us Examples how to enter into Church-Communion what Church was the Eunuch Baptized into or made a Member of but where is it said that the unbaptized Believer how excellent soever in Faith and Holiness must for want of Water-baptism be shut out from the communion of Saints or be debarred the Priviledge of his Fathers House This you are to prove Your fifth Argument is If Christ himself was made manifest to be the SENT of God by Baptism as appears Mark 1. 9 10. Then why may not Baptism as the first Fruits of Faith and the first step of Gospel-Obedience as to Instituted Worship be a manifesting discovering Ordinance upon others who thus follow Christ's steps Answ. That Jesus Christ was manifested as the SENT of God by Baptism or that Baptism is the first Fruit of Faith and the first step of Gospel-Obedience as to instituted Worship is both without proof and truth the Text saith not he was manifest to be the sent of God by Baptism nay it saith not that by that he was manifest to others to be any thing thereby you have therefore but wronged the Text to prove your wordless Practice by Yea John himself though he knew him before he was baptized to be a Man of God for saith he I have need to be Baptized of thee and comest thou to me and knew him after to be the SENT of God yet not in or by but after he was Baptized to wit by the descending of the Holy Ghost after he was come out of the Water as he was in Prayer for the Heavens were opened to John and he saw and bare Record because he saw the Spirit descend from Heaven and abide upon Jesus after his Baptism as he was in Prayer Mat. 3. 13 14 15 16. Luk. 3. 21 22. Thus we find him made known before and after but not at all by Baptism to be the SENT of God And that Baptism is the first fruits of Faith or that Faith ought to be tyed to take its first step in Water-baptism in the instituted Worship of God this you must prove is not found expressed within the whole Bible Faith acts according to its strength and as it sees it is not tyed or bound to any outward Circumstance one believeth he may and another believeth he may not either do this or that Your sixth Argument is If Baptism be in any sence any part of the foundation of a Church as to order Heb. 6. 1 2. it must have place here or no where why are those things called first Principles if not first to be believed and practised Why are they rendred by the learned the A.

B. C. of a Christian and the beginning of Christianity Milk for Babes if it be no matter whether Baptism be practised or no If it be said Water-baptism is not there intended let them shew me how many Baptisms there are besides Water-baptism Can you build and leave out a stone in the Foundation I intend not Baptism a Foundation any other way but in respect of order and it is either intended for that or nothing Answ. Baptism is in no sense the Foundation of a Church I find no foundation of a Church but Jesus Christ himself Mat. 16. 18. 1 Cor. 3. 11. Yea the Foundation mentioned Heb. 6. 1 2. is nothing else but this very Christ. For he is the Foundation not only of the Church but of all that good that at any time is found in her He is the Foundation OF our Repentance and OF our Faith towards God vers 1 2. Further Baptisms are not here mentioned with respect to the Act in Water but of the Doctrine that is the signification thereof The Doctrine of Baptisms And observe neither Faith nor Repentance nor Baptisms are called here Foundations Another thing for a Foundation is here by the Holy Ghost intended even a Foundation for them all a Foundation OF Faith OF Repentance OF the Doctrine of Baptisms OF the Resurrection of the Dead and OF eternal Judgment And this Foundation is Jesus Christ himself and these are the first Principles the Milk the A. B. C. and the beginning of Christian Religion in the World I dare not say No matter whether Water-Baptism be practised or no. But it is not a stone in the Foundation of a Church no not respecting order it is not to another a sign of my Sonship with God it is not the door into Fellowship with the Saints it is no Church Ordinance as you your self have testified pag. 40. So then as to Church-work it hath no place at all therein Your seventh Argument is If Paul knew the Galatians ONLY upon the account of Charity NO other wayes to be the Sons of God by Faith but by this part of their Obedience as he seems to import then the same way we judge of the truth of mens profession of Faith when it shews it self by this self same Obedience Gal. 3. 26 27. Baptism being an Obligation to all following Duties Answ. This your Argument being builded upon no more than a SEEMING Import and having been above ten times overthrown already I might leave still with you till your seeming Import is come to a real one and both to a greater perswasion upon your own Conscience But verily Sir you grosly abuse your Reader Must Imports yea must seeming Imports now stand for Arguments thereby to maintain your confident separation from your Brethren Yea must such things as these be the Basis on which you build those heavy Censures and Condemnations you raise against your Brethren that cannot comply with you because you want the word A seeming Import But are these words of Faith or do the Scriptures only help you to seeming Imports and me-hap-soes for your practice No nor yet to them neither for I dare boldly affirm it and demand if you can to prove that there is so much as a seeming IMPORT in all the Word of God that countenanceth your shutting men better than our selves from the Things and Priviledges of our Fathers House That to the Galatians saith not that Paul knew them to be the Sons of God by Faith NO other way but by THIS part of their Obedience but puts them upon concluding themselves the Sons of God if they were baptized into the Lord Jesus which could not ordinarily be known but unto themselves alone because being thus baptized respecteth a special Act of Faith which onely God and him that hath and acteth it can be privy to It is one thing for him that administreth to Baptize in the Name of Jesus and another thing for him that is the Subject by that to be baptized INTO Jesus Christ Baptizing INTO Christ is rather the Act of the Faith of him that is baptized than his going into Water and coming out again But that Paul knew this to be the state of the Galatians NO other way but by their external Act of being baptized with Water is both wild and unsound and a miserable IMPORT indeed Your eighth Argument is If being baptized into Christ be a putting on of Christ as Paul expresses then they have not put on Christ in that sense he means that are not baptized if this putting on of Christ doth not respect the visibility of Christianity assign something else as its signification great mens Servants are known by their Masters Liveries so are Gospel-Believers by this Livery of Water-baptism that all that first trusted in Christ submitted unto which is in it self is as much an Obligation to all Gospel-Obedience as Circumcision was to keep the whole Law Answ. For a reply to the first part of this Argument go back to the Answer to the seventh Now that none have put on Christ in Paul's sense yea in a saving in the best sense but them that have as you would have them gone into Water will be hard for you to prove yea is ungodly for you to assert Your comparing Water-baptism to a Gentlemans Livery by which his Name is known to be his is fantastical Go you but ten doors from where men have knowledge of you and see how many of the World or Christians will know you by this goodly Livery to be one that hath put on Christ. What I known by Water-baptism to be one that hath put on Christ as a Gentlemans man is known to be his Masters Servant by the gay Garment his Master gave him Away fond man you do quite forget the Text. By THIS shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one to another John 13. 35. That Baptism is in it SELF obliging to speak properly it is false for set it by it self and it stands without the stamp of Heaven upon it and without its signification also and how as such it should be obliging I see not Where you insinuate it comes in the room of and obligeth as Circumcision You say you know not what Circumcision was the initiating Ordinance but this you have denyed to Baptism Further Circumcision THEN bound men to the whole Obedience of the Law when urged by the false Apostles and received by an erroneous Conscience Would you thus urge Water-baptism would you have men to receive it with such Consciences Circumcision in the flesh was a Type of Circumcision in the heart and not of Water-baptism Your ninth Argument is If it were commendable in the Thessalonians that they followed the foot-steps of the Church of Judea 1 Thes. 2. 24. who it appears followed this order of adding Baptized-Believers unto the Church Then they that have found out another way of making Church-Members are not by that Rule praise-worthy but rather

may be lost or omitted and is it to be supposed the Lord would suffer any of his Ordinances to be lost or omitted in the Old or New-Testament or the right use of them and yet own such for true Churches and what reason can there be for it Answ. The Lord hath suffered some Ordinances to be omitted and lost in the Old-Testament and yet owned the Church Though Circumcision were omitted in the Wilderness yet he owned them to be his Church Acts 7. 38. and many of the Ordinances were lost in the Captivity See Ainsworth upon Exod. 28. 30 c. which shewed what the High-Priest was to put on and were not to be omitted upon pain of death as the Urim and Thummim yet being lost and several other Ordinances the Ark with the Mercy-Seat and Cherubims the Fire from Heaven the Majesty and Divine Presence c. yet he owns the Second Temple though short of the First and filled it with his Glory and honoured it with his Son being a Member and a Minister therein Mal. 3. 1. The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his Temple So in the New-Testament since their Wilderness condition and great and long Captivity there is some darkness and doubts and want of Light in the best of the Lord's People in many of his Ordinances and that for several Ages and yet how hath the Lord owned them for his Churches wherein he is to have Glory and Praise throughout all Ages Eph. 3. 21. And so should we own them unless we will condemn the Generation of the Just It must be confessed That if exact Practice be required and clearness in Gospel-Institutions before Communion who dare be so bold as to say his hands are clean and that he hath done all the Lord Commands as to Institutions in his Worship and must not confess the Change of Times doth necessitate some Variation if not Alteration either in the matter or manner of things according to Primitive Practice yet owned for true Churches and received as visible Saints though ignorant either wholly or in great measure in laying on of hands singing washing of feet and anointing with oyl in the Gifts of the Spirit which is the Urim and Thummim of the Gospel and it cannot be proved that the Churches were so ignorant in the Primitive times nor yet that such were received into Fellowship yet now herein it is thought meet there should be bearing and why not in Baptism especially in such as own it for an Ordinance though in some things miss it and do yet shew their love unto it and unto the Lord and unto his Law therein that they could be willing to die for it rather than to deny it and to be baptized in their blood which sheweth they hold it in Conscience their duty while they have further Light from above and are willing o hear and obey as far as they know though weak in the Faith as to clearness in Gospel-Institutions surely the Text is on their side or else it will exclude all the former Him that is weak in the Faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations Rom. 14. 5. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind and such the Lord hath received As to the Query What reason is there why the Lord should suffer any of his Ordinances to be lost Answ. If there were no Reason to be shown it should teach us silence for he doth nothing without the highest Reason and there doth appear some Reasons in the Old Testament why those Ordinances of Urim and Thummim c. were suffered to be lost in the Captivity that they might long and look for the Lord Jesus the Priest that was to stand up with Urim and Thummim Ezra 2. 63. Neh. 7. 65. which the Lord by this puts them upon the hoping for and to be in the expectation of so great a mercy which was the promise of the Old Testament and all the Churches losses in the New Testament By all the dark night of ignorance she hath been in and long captivity she hath been under and in her wandering wilderness-state wherein she hath rather been fed with Manna from Heaven than by men upon Earth and after all her crosses and losses the Lord lets Light break in by degrees and deliverance by little and little and she is coming out of the Wilderness leaning upon her Beloved and the Lord hath given the Valley of Achor for a Door of Hope that e're long she may receive the Promise of the Gospel richly by the Spirit to be poured upon us from on High Isa. 32. 15. and the Wilderness be a fruitful Field and the fruitful Field become a Forrest and then the Lord will take away the covering cast over all people Isa. 25. 7. and the Vail that is spread over all Nations Isa. 11. 9. For the Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea vers 13. Then Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim Thus will the God of Peace bruise Satan under-foot shortly and one Reason why the Lord may suffer all this Darkness and Differences that have been and yet are is that we might long and look for this blessed Promise of the Gospel the pourings out of the Spirit Object But many Authors do judge that the weak and strong were all in Church-fellowship before and that the receiving Rom. 14. 1. was but into mutual affection Answ. It ought to be seriously weighed how any differ from so many worthy Authors is confessed to whom the World is so much beholding for their help in many things but it would be of dangerous consequence to take all for granted they say and unlike the noble Bereans Acts 17. 11. Though they had some infallible Teachers yet they took not their Words or Doctrine upon trust and there may be more ground to question Expositors on this Text in regard their Principles necessitate them to judge that the sense for if it be in their Judgments a Duty to compel all to come in and to receive all and their Children they must needs judge by that Text they were all of the Church and in Fellowship before their scrupling Meats and Dayes because that is an Act of grown persons at years of discretion and therefore the receiving is judged by them to be onely into mutual affection for it is impossible for them to hold their Opinion and judge otherwise of the Text for in Baptism they judge Infants should be received into Church-fellowship and then scrupling Meats and Dayes must needs be after joyning Their Judgements might as well be taken that it is a Duty to baptize Infants as that they can judge of this Text rightly and hold their practice Object But no uncircumcised Person was to eat the Passeover Exod. 12. And doth not the Lord as well require the sign of Baptism now as of Cirumcision then and is there not like reason for it Answ. The Lord in the