Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A78120
|
A small treatise of baptisme, or, dipping. VVherein is cleerely shewed that the Lord Christ ordained dipping for those only that professe repentance and faith. 1. Proved by scriptures. 2. By arguments. 3. A paralell [sic] betwixt circumcision and dipping. 4. An answere to some objections by P.B. Psal.119.l30. By Edvvard Barber.
|
Barber, Edward, d. 1674?
|
1642
(1642)
|
Wing B694; Thomason E143_17; ESTC R212733
|
26,999
|
39
|
much easier 3. In respect of the end of it Circumcission did but manifest an outward right to temporall inheritance in the land of Canaan but Dipping doth witnesse to Beâ—eevers that they have a visible right into the Kingdome of heaven Luke 12. 32 not onely in grace here but in glory hereafter Againe in respect of the time for circumcision was to continue so long as the Jewes continued to bee a Nationall Church and then to end at Christs death but Dipping is to continue so long as Christ hath any Church upon earth Mat. 28. 20. till the Kingdome be delivered up and God shall be all in all 1 cor 15. 28. Lastly circumcision was a Tipe of inward dipping the truth of Regeneration or the circumcision of the heart and Spirit Rom. 2. 26. to the 29. coll 2. 11. 12. And not a Type of outward Dipping Prov. 30. 6. Adde thou not to his words least he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar And Revellat 22. 22. for I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this book If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the Plagues that are written in this book and Heb. 12. 9. Further more we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits and live BEloved since part of this Treatise was in Presse there came to my hand a book set forth by P. â— which could I have gotten sooner I should have answered more fully But to touch some particulars and first of Christs not being a Widdower nor his Church without a head though I find not this expression we differ not in the matter or substance though it bee not alwaies visibâ—e on the earth as is cleare Rev. 6. 12. 13. 14. whereupon the opening the eight Seale heaven departed as a scroule when it is rolled together and the 11. 7. 12. the witnesses lying dead three daies and a halfe therefore the Church is not alwaies visible nor the Mâ—nistry but for a time is hid in the Wildernesse where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent Chap. 13. 3. 17. And therefore Christ is no Widdower nor his Church without a head so long as his Spouse hath a being in heaven or earth 2. We grant the Ordinance being lost none but a Câ—rist a Moses Elias or a Prophet from heaven can raise it but beleevers having Christ the Word Spirit have this Mat. 18 19 20 11. 11. Luke 7. 28. Rom. 10. 6 7 8. for the Scripture is as silent of Johns baptising himselfe and so others as for one After the defection of Antichrist to baptise himselfe being worse then the Apostasie of Israel And this is plaine for the Spirit doth not call them falne Israelites but Sodomites and Egyptians that were the worst of all Pagans and so of all the Gentiles Rev. 11. 2. 8. 3. Israels Apostasie dâ—d not race the foundation of the constitution of the Church of the Jewes for that was of an infant of Abrahams seed or a Prosselite to be circumcised Exod. 12. 48. and so long as they did this their constitution was true in the Land of Canaan Gen the 17. 10 11 12. But it is plaine that Antichrist as hee hath changed all other Ordinances both in the Church Ministâ—y Worship and Government Esai 24. 5. So hath he destroyed that true Apostolicall institution the matter whereof being beleevers confessing sins and faith desiring the Ordinance Matth. 3. 6. Acts 8. 36 37. to false matter of carnall infants not new-borne Babes of that everlasting Father Begotten by that immortall seed Isai 6. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 23. First being Christ Gal. 3. 29. and not a fleshly Generation for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh that have not visible Faith neither can they seale unto the Lord. John 3. 33. as all true beleevers doe for all true matter for the true church under the Gospel must know the Lord Jere. 31. 34. And be all taught of God Isai 54. 13. And therefore did the church of Rome or England Baptize beleevers onely confessing faith and sins desiring it wee would never separate from them much lesse remove their Baptizme as false because it is Gods ordinance in it selfe but so was never the sprinkling of infants 2. Whereas you say we are filled with prejudice that we have not patience to heare wee shall bee ready as we have ever beene to speake or write and concerning the vessels of the Lords House if you performe your promise I hope you will change your minde for the Vessels of the Lords House had no relation to the sprinkling of Infants as hath beene formerly answered for they were his owne Ordinance â—nd need not be new cast so long as they remained the same but the sprinkling of Infants was never And so the Argument to no purpose But put the case the Babilonians had destroyed the Lords Vessels and in stead had made them of Brasse Copper Tin or Lead whereas they were to be of pure Gold and Silver had they beene then the Lords Vessels or would his people have used them in his service and worship or brought them backe Ezra 1. 11. or would the Lord have accepted them for his owne Vessels And thus it stands in truth for the Dipping of Christ destroyed and raced out both for matter and forme as hath beene formerly shewed the matter being a beleever desiring it the true forme dipping them into Jesus Christ in the New Covenant to be visible heires Rom. 8. 17. Gallat 4. 5. Matth. 28. 20. whereas the other is but a tradition of the Church As Master Rogers in his Treatise of Baptisme sheweth that his conscience was never convinsed by any Word of God Also confest by the Jesuits in the 17 controversies Therefore though in words you denie traditions yet for the sprinkling Infants you have no better Arguments 3. Whereas you say the whole Church of â—olosse and so children being a part thereof were baptised To which I answer could you prove them Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ with experience of their love 1 Chap. 2. 14. 21 22. and 2. 11. and 3. 8. wherefore he exhorts the Church to beware least any man spoile them through Phylosophy and vaine deceit after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ they being compleat in him in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily being circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands and so buried with Chrâ—st in baptisme wherein also they were risen with him through the faith of the operation of God which was by regeneration and not generation as Christ saith John 3. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 3. 1. 3. 21. Rom. 10. 10. and formerly proved having tasted that the Lord is gracious to whom comming as unto a living stone elect and pretious they as living stones are built up a Spirituall House an holy Priesthood to offer up Spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And whereas he saith some hold that Christ is to come and Raigne at Jerusalem wherefore hee would have had them to stay till then for the Ordinance To which I answer if the want of the visibility of the Church proveth Christ a Widdower then the state of the Church of which P. B. is a Member was unheard of within these two hundred yeares and so Christ a Widdower unlesse hee hold the Church of Rome a true Church which if he doe how dare they separate from her If not some of them being loving friends holding the same Principle how dare they raise up a State before Christ comes as they say to restore all thâ—ngs Lastly whereas the clothes or vestments are said to bee holy which they weare when they receive the Ordinance of Dipping they being dipt into the death of Christ for answeâ— hee might as well have said the clothes are holy preached unto exhorted to repentance faith and other duties that men weare when they are in their Assemblies but as is the man so is his strength and for setting our parts Judg. 8. 21. by Gods parts Ezek. 43. 8. Whether the Dipping beleevers which Christ comand or springling Infants which he commanded not be it let every wise man judge and the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14. 32. And for the whole houshold that he speakes of did hee but consider the Apostles first preaching to them the Word of Faith and their believing Acts 16. 31. 32. 34. This Objection is soone taken away but this hath beene sufficiently spoken to before therefore I shall leave it to Gods blessing and thy censure FINIS
heard it of his Father And the Apostle Paul Acts 20. 27. saith That he had declared the whole counsell of God But hee never revealed the Dipping of Infants Therefore the dipping of Infants is none of the counsell of God And therefore as the Jewes were brought by Ceremonies to know Christ so let Christians learne to know first as the Lord saith Isai 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my Righteous servant justifie many And Jere. 31. 34. all shall know me from the least to the greatest and Phillip 3. 3. we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and reioyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Quest 5. But what is the true ordinance of the dipping of Christ and wherein doth it differ from childrens Dipping which is the best way to shew the truth and what benefit doth Beleevers receive by it Answ That Dipping whereof we speake is Dipping burying or plunging a Beleever in VVater he desiring of this Ordinance of an Apostle Prophet or Evangelist To whom Christ by his Church hath committed the Administration In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Spirit Matth. 28. 19. 20. in which definition you may observe these two parts 1. The matter and that is a true subiect of a Beleever confessing sinnes and faith desiring the ordinance 2. Water the Element and so you have the matter for the true forme which is First Christs power putting life into the Ordinance in his owne Institution delivered in these words to the Apostles goe yee Thirdly the right verball forme of words in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Spirit Fourthly consider the ends the Lord aimeth at in giving this ordinance of dipping to the Apostles and so to the Church First he will have them all conformable to himselfe Rom. 8. 29. Matt. 10. 13. Mark 1. 9. Luke 3. 21. for before that hee went about the worke of God hee went to Iohn to be dipped of him so before we take on us to make publike profession of Christ or any part of the Gospel much more to preach wee must be Dipped and so put on the right profession of the Gospel Gall. 〈…〉 as many of you as have been dipped into Christ hav◠〈…〉 Christ Secondly God doth by this holy ordinance assure and manifest that he hath washed us from all our sinnes by the blood of Jesus Christ Acts 22. 16. And doth truly and visably receive us into the Covenant of grace whereby wee are partaker of all the Promises therein contained that doe concerne the planting us in Christ or forgivenesse of sinnes and Gal. 3. 26. Hos 14. 3. Gal. 4. 4. 5. 5. 6. receptation of persons both that wee being fatherlesse by nature God will be a Father to us for yee are all the Children of God by faith in Iesus Christ Againe we are lost in Adam therefore we are washed in the Name of the Son for he hath redeemed us that wee might receive the Adoption of sonnes and because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father who of God is made into us wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. Thirdly we are unable to will or to doe any thing that is good And therfore wee have the holy Spirit to begin all in and perfect all for us and to worke all our works in us Isai 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our workes in us And Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities And Col. 1. 29. whereunto I labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily And Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe all his good pleasure Fourthly Hereby the Beleever that was by nature afarre off a Farrenner and Stranger is by the blood of Christ made nigh Ephes 2. 12. 13. 14. And is by this Ordinance of Dipping in union with the whole body of God upon earth 1 Cor. 12. 13. And may challenge a right in the priviledges of the Gospel in any place wheresoever he commeth into the Communion of the Saints Acts. 9. 26 27 28. Fiftly this is Christs Livery by which Christians are knowne from all other and the Church from the world Gal 3. 27. Sixly if at any time any should aske us who reqâ—ireth us to walke in such a holy fellowship and communion wee are inabled to it by Christ and so assured of Countenance in it by the Lords Supper for hee that saith he is in Christ and hath fellowship with him ought himself so to walke even as he hath walked John 1. 2. 6. Seventhly That the person thus dipped is first visibly sealed to the day of Redemption Secondly he hath truely a right to Communion as being dipped into that one body whereof Christ is head 1 Cor. 12. 13. Thirdly that hee is mortified Rom. 6. 4. crucified dead and buried and risen againe with Christ Gal. 3. 2. 3 4 5. Eightly that the Beleever may in that day role away all the reproach of Egypt or Antichristianisme renouncing the marke of the beast in our right hands by holding or fighting for him or in our forehead Revel 13. 16. by dipping of Infants that false Constitution of Rome to beget grace thus it is cleere who is the true subjects of Dipping And who are not Now the Lord Jesus came not till the fulnesse of time Gal. 4. 5. and when he was come never undertooke any Administration though he were heire of all things Heb. 1. 3. but in an orderly way as hath been shewed nor will hee contract marriage with any though the husband of all his Church and members Hosea 2. 19. I will betroath them unto me in Righteousnesse And in Judgement and in loving kindnesâ—e And in mercy yet not with any that are so young and under age Gal. 4. 1. 2. 3. that they are not sencible of the want of Christ or any benefit they receive by him or what contract they make with him In short all those holy ends that God aimed at in true dipping are wholly made voide and of no effect in the dipping of Infants which the Lord Christ commanded not Jere. 7. 31. Revel 22. 18. Matth. 28. 19 20. nor came into his heart And cursed is he that shall adde to the Word of the Lord Deut 4. 2. 12. 31. Prov. 30. 6. If any man shall adde to these things God shall adde to him the Plagves that are written in this book and therefore that â—very one would be incovraged to bring out their Talent and not to hide it in a napkin to the overthrowing of all the inventions of the man of sinne Psal 137. 8 9. Objection 1. NOW follow certaine answeres to divers objections As First Matth. 19. 13. 14. In which it is cleere children were brought to Christ therefore he dâ—pt them or it was