feel the like obligation to Christ by it Then for the form it being by burying the body in water and raising it out again thereof there is a most exact representation between sign and thing signified which Christ intended in this sign as appeareth by the Scriptures though not in all signes which heavenly projects of the Lord Jesus Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.4 in the Ordinance are totally frustrate in childrens sprinkling 7. I find the Scriptures in all expressnese of letter are in many places for Beleivers Baptisme whereas there is not one such Text for Childrens nor any instance of the Baptisme of so much as one Child in all the new Testament though the firmament of the Scriptures are filled with the stars of Beleivers Baptisme so that many learned men have acknowledged Infant-baptisme is not in Gods Word and those who go about to found it on Scripture build all on consequences ifs may bees and why nots which Argument Mr. Goodwin hath often used to confirm the doctrine of general Redemption and to draw the contrary opinion under the suspition of error 8. I found the unregenerate world naturally falling in with Childrens baptisme which is a shroad sign it is a device of her own The world loveth her own John 15.19 And on the contrary hating Beleivers Baptisme with an inveterate hate as she doth every Ordinance of Christ administred in the naked plainness and simplicity of it 9. Infant-Baptisme disagreeth to the spiritual state of the Church under the new Testament because Baptisme being the initiating Ordinance into the Church it letteth in a sort of members which the new Testament knoweth not namely such as cannot worship God in Spirit whereas the Scripture saith John 4 23. That God now seeketh SUCH meaning onely such because he maketh the Churches growth unto an holy Temple to be by the meanes of the building its being fitly framed together Ephes 2.21 and again he maketh the encrease of the body unto its edification and its growth up into the head to be partly at least by the meanes of the WHOLE body its being FITLY joyn'd together and compact and mark according to the effectuall working in the measure of EVERY part whereas Infants are altogether uncapable of such effectual working or of any fit conjunction with Beleivers And though children might be Church members under the old Testament when also wicked persons might if Abrahams carnal seed not so under the New it is plain from the Scripture that Christ will have the matter thereof be the spiritual seed of Abraham manifested by repentance and faith Math. 3.9 Therefore 1 Corinth 1.1 giveth the matter of the Church by due constitution to be called Saints and commandeth that if any prove themselves otherwise by disorderly walking to withdraw from them 2 Thes 3.6 14. 10. I find the sharpest adversaries this way hath even in their writings on purpose to disgrace it and to magnifie the contrary namely Infant-baptisme God maketh them to let fall such expressions as justifie it and condemn their own As for instance Mr. Rich. Baxster speaking of the full and proper ends why God instituted the Ordinance of Baptisme he saith they are rather to be fetcht from the Aged than Infants and that because MARK The Aged 1. They are the most FVLLY CAPABLE SVBJECTS 2. THE MOST EXCELLENT SVBJECTS 3. THE MOST EMINENT SVBJECTS 4. OF WHOM SCRIPTVRE FVLLY SPEAKETH 5. THE GREATER PART OF THE WORLD WHEN BAPTISME WAS INSTITVTED who were to be partakers of it But on the contrary as for Infant-baptisme he acknowledgeth in the same place P. 301. Of plain Scripture Proof that the Scripture speaketh darkly of it yea that it is SO dark in the Scripture that the controversie is thereby become not onely hard but SO hard c. as he saith he findeth it Now if this learned and holy man hath not in a few words said more for our way than in his whole book against it and that upon pure principles of reason and Religion let the world judge for if Infants baptisme be dark in the Scripture and so dark as he complaineth 1. How doth this agree with the Title of the Book and the superscription of every page Plain Scripture proof for Infants c. Doth not plain Scripture proof and dark Scripture proof directly oppose And however Mr. Baxster thinketh he seeth such a thing though it lie darkly he knoweth many learned quick-sighted men that profess they cannot see it there at all no more than we But if the case be indeed thus as it is by Mr. Baxsters own confession that of Infants Baptisme the Scripture speaketh darkly but of Beleivers or the Aged that the Scripture fully speaketh and besides that they are the most capable eminent and excellent Subjects with what conscience either of duty to God or comfort to the soul can any Christian man cleave to Infant-baptisme and despise Beleivers If Infant-baptisme be a dark way and so hard to find is he a wise man that chuseth that way when he may walk in the light Doth any honest man in his right mind chuse untroden paths when the beaten rode lieth just before him and doth not Christ say he that walketh in the dark stumbleth John 11.10 or doth it become the people of God to be so indifferent in matters of Religion as not to care whether they walk in the light or in the dark or can any man think to please God by chusing a dark way hard to find when a lightsome path beaten by the feet of Christ and the Saints looketh him full in the face Or where is that man in all the world that will give as much for land that the title too is dark as for that which is clear and unquestionable Doth not every one say of Titles not clear I le not meddle Hath not Mr. Baxster said to Mr. Bedford it is good going the surer side of the hedge p. 303. of Plain Scripture proof and is not Beleivers Baptisme the surer by his own confession Or doth it become men to be more solicitous about their temporal estates than their spiritual Or can leaving the light and walking in the dark be thought the way to the Saints everlasting rest 11. It agreeth not to the wisdom and goodness of Christ that Baptisme should be so dark in the Scripture as Mr. Baxster saith it is not to his wisdom because it is appointed for babes and because he expecteth obedience who that expecteth obedience will leave their Lawes hard to find Not to his goodness because he hath put the Disciples under a sore penalty in case of disobedience to whatsoever he hath commanded Now the way of Baptisme after faith is clear and manifest as Mr. Baxster acknowledgeth most like therefore to be the Statute of Christ for his Babes to submit too and not that which is dark Besides would it not be a good excuse at Judgement for the neglect of any Law of Christs if men could say the Command
not at all to its inconvenience And whereas you say that Baptisme was ordained for Disciples of the first peep out of the shell and greatest weakness in the faith and from thence argue that surely Christ intended it not to be so offensive to the flesh and the rather because the other Sacrament which yet is ordained for the strong is of a more welcome import To this I answer 1. 'T is true Baptisme was ordained for young Disciples but that this is any Argument why it should not be greivous to the flesh I understand not I am sure it is not scriptural Christ saith to those that are young Disciples Luke 9.23 and he said to them ALL If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself take up his crosse daily and follow me and to those that were looking towards Christianiy Christ putteth the worst to them and therefore would have them sit down and cast up the cost In the 8. of Math. 20. To the Scribe that said Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest Jesus saith to him the foxes have holes the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head But 2. Why you should say the other Ordinance is provided for the strong as if it were so appropriately to them and exclusive of the weak or otherwise where lieth any strength in the Argument this is not onely unscripturall but anti-scriptural Acts 2. They all both weak and strong all that gladly received the word and were baptised continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking bread and prayer and indeed more for the weak sake than the strong who had less need and so I appeal to the conscience of the judicious Reader what weight there is in all this Argument against us and whether these be not carnal complaints against the hardness of Christs yoak and the fruit of such workings of heart as was found in Peter Math. 16.22 Your fourteenth Consideration for substance this THat for persons to mistake in the matter of Baptisme so as to judge they have no need to be baptised after beleiving because they judge themselves sufficiently baptised in infancy is a mistake of a veniall nature because almost all the judicious learned and grave all the zealous faithful and best conscienced Christians and Servants of God throughout the world Fathers Martyrs Reformers and others for sixteen Generations together even from the dayes of the Apostles until now have been so mistaken To which I answer 1. The Apostles did foresee in their time that there would be an apostasie from the primitive practise in the worship of God as well as the primitive faith for doctrine the mystery of iniquity beginning to work very early which was the reason of those items to hold fast the Ordinances 2 Thes 2 14. and Col. 2 6. and to beware of Philosophers that would carry them from the simplicity of the Gospel Accordingly it did fall out many departures there were even in the Apostles dayes 1 John 2.19 and more foretold amongst which this of Infant-sprinkling is one wherein there hath been a palpable deviation from the rule which yet notwithstanding many worthy men suffered supposing the Church to have power to make alterations in matter of Ordinances Com. upon Acts 8. Calvin himself acknowledgeth that the liberty of sprinkling whereas the antient custome was dipping the Church took to her self And Mr. Bedford as Mr. Baxster reporteth p. 301. of plain Scripture proof flieth to tradition for proof of Infant-Baptisme One Doctor Eck against the new Church Orders in the upper Marquesdome and Territories of Noremburge writeth That the Ordinances concerning the Baptisme of Children is without Scripture and is found to be onely a custome of the Church with a cloud of other witnesses yea even Luther himself the great Reformer in his book of Anabaptisme acknowledgeth That it cannot be proved by sacred Scripture that Childrens Baptisme was instituted by Christ or begun by the first Christians after the Apostles for many yeares since it came to be in use in the Church saith he and was established by Pope Innocentius And yet for all that he allowed of it so that though he was a godly man and a great Reformer yet allowed of alterations in worship upon that ground which Mr. Baxster abhorreth to doe now Mr. Baxster thinketh he hath plain Scripture proof for Infants baptisme or he would not own the practise because he looketh upon the Scriptures as a perfect rule as well he may and all deviations from them in worship in ordinary cases but so many complaints against the perfection of Scripture 2. If the judgements of the learned and godly be of so much consideration as that it may justly stop proceeding in the work of Reformation why did it not curbe you from that frightfull tearing your self off from the Nationall Church which had been in reputation with the godly many hundred yeares and that in the face of the Sun and that when such things were comparatively rare to the scandal and great offence of your brethren of the Ministry wherein as I remember you were pretty early in leading the way of separation from the womb that bear you and the paps that gave you suck or doe you think one of fourty of those antiently godly and holy men would have liked it and yet for conscience sake you did it notwithstanding 3. This Argument becommeth not you of all men living because it is no new thing with you to leave the road nay at this day and in this book that I am now answering you plead stifly for some things which rendereth you more alone than we in the point of denying Infant-baptisme namely in denying though not in plain words at length yet in effect that Baptisme is the Ordinance of entrance into the visible Church of Christ and that a Church may be of as found a constitution without it as with it and ordained upon the termes of the free-will Offering under the Law Water dipping p. 48.61 wherein I beleive you have no fellow except some Seekers and some few persons leaning that way others that have gone before have stumbled at the same stone and fell and never rise more which ought to be like pillars of salt in the eye of all good men to take heed of slighting and undervaluing any of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ least because they receive not the truth in the love of it I say in the love of it God deliver them up to a reprobate mind and send them strong delusions that they may beleive a lie But I hope better things of you though I thus speak and 't is my earnest prayer to God for you upon the bended knee of my soul to shew you the evill of these arguings that you may repent in dust and ashes before you goe hence and be no more seen Your fifteenth Consideration followeth THat Baptisme how duly soever administred is no Church-maker
into with hands lift up to the most high God wherein we vowed to go one before another in the work of reformation mark well TO GO ONE BEFORE ANOTHER not to stay one for another till all were satisfied and that both in doctrine and discipline according to the Word of God Now that it was Mr. Goodwins own sense as well as ours that every man was to judge for himself what was according to the Word of God and not another for him appeareth by his own practise upon it shortly after for notwithstanding all the obligations of love and friendship which the Parish of Coleman-street had put upon him to continue fellowship with them in that old way and notwithstanding all the promises of service on his part made to them upon their fetching him from Norfolk to Coleman street yet because of this solemn Vow to the most high God with other reasons in conjunction he thought himself bound in conscience to withdraw from them and actually did so and made this solemn Vow and Covenant one argument that induced him thereunto And did this solemn Oath before the most High justifie him in the like practise and will it fail us Or will Mr. Goodwin be so monstrously disingenious as to construe any after promise to walk with the Church in contradiction to this solemn Oath And yet thus he dealeth with us for which God forgive him that we may look like normous transgressors Our after promise to walk with the Church in the way we then was must either be understood conditionally that we found not the Word of God reproving it or else we supposed to make promises that should disable us from performing the matter of our solemn Vow attended with so many dreadful circumstances which a very little before we entred into which surely no ingenious man that considereth will ever imagine either that we did so or that it was the sense of the body we should do so And how unreasonable a thing it is and destructive to the honour and glory of God that any such engagement should be understood absolutely appeareth by the grosse absurdities that follow upon it for then Men should be locked up from any further progress in the work of reformation let the light shine never so bright and the call of the Scriptures be never so loud and that upon the penalty of promise breaking Nay if Mr. Goodwin himself hath not at another time said enough and more than enough to justifie our practise and condemn himself in this rash and hasty charge of us let the world judge In his fifth caution for Reformation according to the Word of God he hath this passage They who would have this golden Motto written as well in the heart as in the face of their Reformation must be FREE from all collaterall engagements unto other patterus besides the Word of God Mark Mr. Goodwin saith they must be free and yet calleth us faith breakers trust betrayers promise breakers because we use our liberty against a collateral engament to another pattern He addeth further in these words They meaning hearty reformers must not encline not so much as a dust in the ballance amounteth unto to any Reformation of any Church whatsoever further than they are reformed according to the same Word Further thus Doubtless no man ever covenanted to reform according to the example of any Church whatsoever in opposition to the Word of God or if they did they have cause to abhorre themselves in dust and ashes for it Why then do you force upon us such a sense of promising which standeth in such direct opposition to it Nay in the Margin thus To violate an abominable and accursed Oath out of conscience to God as surely that would be that kept persons from following Christ fully and held them in a half reformation is a holy and blessed perjury Good Reader this is Mr. Goodwins Text I leave thee to make the interpretation and give judgement whether we by his own principles deserve to bear the heavy burthen of faith and trust betrayers which he loadeth us with not onely in the beginning of his book but very frequently almost to the end thereof as if he took a kind of secret delight to mention us with dishonour Or whether Mr. Goodwin by making the charge proveth not himself inexcusable altogether both in the sight of God and Men and guilty to a high degree of breaking the royall Law of love to his Neighbour yea his friends and brethren of like pretious faith that ever had him in double honour and sought his good and comfort as their own and that too while he passionately complaineth of us for breaking the morrall Law His second Consideration for substance this THat supposing our way to be the sole Baptisme Ordinance of Christ the Churches which are not actually baptised with our very Baptisme are yet according to the estimate of God baptized our way with our very Baptisme and ought so to be estemed by us because they have a willing mind so to be To which I answer First it is a great and clear mistake that the Churches which are not actually baptised with our Baptism are yet notwithstanding esteemed to have been so baptised by God upon the accompt of a willing mind so to be Doth the righteous God of heaven and earth judge contrary to the truth doth he judge men to have actually done that which they never did 'T is one thing for God to deal gratiously by men as if they had been obedient because of a willing mind another thing for him to judge them actual obeyers of that command which they never did obey because thereof Though God accept the will in some cases for the deed where doth he judge the will to be the deed In the 2 Corinth 8.12 It is indeed thus written as Mr. Goodwin alleadgeth If there be first a willing mind a man is accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not But what then Doth Gods accepting a man according to that he hath prove him judging a man to have actually done that which he never did which yet is the conclusion Mr. Goodwin maketh to follow these premises For his other instance Math. 5.12 where he saith VVho so looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery Christ saith it is onely in his heart that is desire Yet because there wanteth nothing but opportunities for actual adultery the demerit of that sin may be imputed to him but the sin of actual adultery in a formal proper sense is not imputed to him In the Phil. 2 11. he saith God worketh in you both to will and to do therefore to will is one thing and to do is another and are they two things in themselves and doth God esteem them to be but one But secondly Though it should be granted that a through desire to obey a Command which yet is not obeyed for want of conviction that it is a
it appeareth by your drawing sore conclusions from words upon suppositions that are utterly false viz. from hence that a baptised person said of an unbaptised he deserved to be hang'd though it is not affirmed for what much lesse is it affirmed that he said he deserved to be hang'd for not being baptised and how unreasonable such a conceit is I leave to any body to judge Yet you conclude sorely against the Baptists upon that uncharitable presumption thus in these words if so then he that deserveth to be hang'd must expect no better quarter than that of the halter and if justice be administred without partiality all that are in the same condemnation of ANTI-DIPPING with him may bear him company in the same expectation which cruell conclusion that if the baptised were in power the undipt may look for the halter all men may see you draw from that wrested supposition that the baptised person should say of the unbaptised he deserved to be hanged for not being baptised the conclusion otherwise being no wayes drawable from the premises Oh Sir Truth is too noble a thing to desire such weapons to fight its battels 3. Your likeness to Gangrena appeareth in this that the faults of some that were the most unworthy of the Independents he charged upon the generality of them for which you belabour him thus Doe not all men know that the composition of the world it self and of all the parts of it consisteth ex flore faece of what is excellent and what is excrement for Mr. Edwards to judge of Indepency by the miscarriages whether in practise or opinion of some few that should make an estimate of Cheap-side by the channel that runneth in the midst of it and give sentence against the holy and elect Angels by what is found in sin and wickedness in the devill The most accursed hypocrites that ever the earth bare have been of the profession of Christianity and yet Christianity the best of all professions with a great deal more to the same purpose both rationall and pleasant to read But yet as if no such words had ever proceeded from Mr. Goodwin or else that he had repented of them he can now find in his heart to argue against the Generation as he calleth them of the Baptists upon the account of the wild expressions of two persons instanced in But surely THESE MEN Again let no man think I doe not walk charitably to THESE MEN Again My conscience bears me witness I have been freindly to THESE men Well Sir the time will come when you shall look upon these men whom you have peirced and mourn 4. Mr. Edwards stirreth up the Magestrate to suppress the Independents which you do not in so many words but you foment jealousies against them and endeavour a frowning brow towards them by your bitter insinuations let all the world judge else by the words following That wise men are not a little jealous over the peace of this Nation least it should suffer as other places have done formerly from the tumuliuous and domineering spirit of this sort of men and also after your two instances of persons here at home thus These words I regard but aâ— muck notwithstanding it may concern others to look after the FIRE Whereas amongst all the professors of Religion in the Nation they are found to be as peaceable spirited if not more than any other sort of men witness the Declaration of the Messengers and Elders of many Congregations met in London from many if not most parts of the Nation published about eight or nine moneths agoe speaking their peaceable disposition as all the world may see that will read it besides let but experience speak to it what fire have these men kindled for this many yeares that the Nation hath had experience of them wherein hath their turbulency domineering and tumultuousness of spirit appeared nay are they not branded this day by some for dulness in their generation work upon this very account because they are not of a more stirring spirit 5. Your similitude to Gangrena appeareth in this that as he urged the writings of other men against the Independents to disgrace their Religion so doe you against the Anabaptists p. 64. of his Gangrena being part of a letter to him sent out of the Country We have a few Independents in our Town but we are more troubled with them than some are with many they are so TURBULENT and VIOLENT Just what Mr. Goodwin writeth from other men concerning the Anabaptists the same doth Mr Edwards write from men concerning the Independents which was that they were proud turbulent and every wayes stopping the progress of the work of Reformation But Sir will not after ages give as much heed to the writings of Mr. Edwards and Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Walker in your disparagement as you now do to the writings of Luther and the rest c. to the disparagement of the Anabaptists if they do what manner of man will you be in the thoughts of future generations Doth any of those Authors say worse of the Anabaptists than these men do of you Doe not these men strive to render you one of the most odious men living not onely a Schismatick but an Heretick in grain yea a Blasphemer But are you ever the more so for all that and would you hold them excused that should beleive the reports of cruel professed adversaries To come a little closer I look upon your self as a man of as good a conscience as the most if not as the best of those famous Writers you speak of yet so transcendent is your prejudice against us that every light appearance you have taken for a reality as if your were greedily desirous to beleive some ill of us insomuch that you your self have given as unrighteous judgement of us and printed it too to the perpetual infamy of our persons and way as the worst of them have done of you I am sure what I say is true and that you will find one day I conclude then that the testimony of professed adversaries though good men is not to be depended on And if Mr. Goodwin hath not as much need of the truth of this proposition as the poor Anabaptists let the world judge To conclude then the truth is this two and twentieth Consideration in most of the nine parts of it is so like Gangrena that one would think Mr. Goodwin had consulted that book in drawing it up as the Reader may easily perceive which being made up of such dirty stuffe without the least breathing of the Spirit from any word of Gods I think I may take my leave of it without blame and the rather because of that floud of contempt which he let in upon the Author of Gangrena for using such weapons to fight the Lords battels Onely what he saith in the ninth and last place I take my self bound to make some answer too because I suppose I am principally aimed at
were added unto them or the Church about three thousand soules who continued in the Apostles fellowship But by this doctrine of Mr. Goodwins Baptisme should be a crime rather than an act of obedience because he maketh the Church not to consist of such persons as have been baptised is this doctrine according to the form of wholsome words Doth not the Apostle write to the CHURCH of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.10 13. Rom. 6.3 4 Col. 2.12 Gal. 3.27 and CHURCH at Rome and Church at COLOSSE and the CHURCHES of Galatia and were they not made up of baptised persons But 2. Mr. Goodwin saith The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved which say you was NOT by being BAPTISED but beleiving Here Mr. Goodwin opposeth Baptisme to beleiving in reference to salvation but it is not by vertue of this Text He that beleiveth and is baptised shall be saved And by vertue of what Text of Scripture he doth it I know not for though Baptisme should not be looked upon as a condition of absolute necessity to salvation as faith is yet sure it is some way necessary to salvation it is plain in the Text and therefore not to be put in opposition to faith in reference thereto what a wide difference there is between making Baptisme equaâ— with faith as conditional of salvation which is the judgement of many learned men as you know and making it stand in opposition to faith in reference thereto as you doe Sir will that God that ordained Baptisme to be Faiths companion to serve the same interest of the pretious soules of men will he take it kindly that you toil thus to make them look like enemies rather than friends In a word Sir this doctrine is altogether unscriptural and as pleasant to the tast of a healthful soul as vinegar to the teeth But 3. and lastly you say though it should be read thus Then they that gladly received his word were baptised and the same day there were added to the Church yet the recording their addition to the Church after their Baptisme doth not prove their addition was BY their Baptisme The cause doth not require it neither doth my Brother Allen affirm it from this Text but onely that addition to the Church followed it and did not goe before it which was your own words heretofore as I have shewn already and we think it is safest to follow the Scripture pattern partly because of what you said heretofore that all others were but seducers but cheifly because of the express Word of God But whatever the matter is you think now one may goe another way and doe as well The second Scripture which in my apprehension suffereth under your pen is Math. 28.19 which I have proved at large already p. 13 14 15 16. of this book where I have laid down my Brother Allens Argument from the words and answered Mr. Goodwins objections against it in doing which the Reader will easily perceive that Text complaining of hard usage The third is the 1. Corinth 12.13 which I have also discharged the service Mr. Goodwin employed it in p. 18 19 20 21 22 23. of this book because the truth is it is not pleased with it The fourth which doth not onely whisper but cry out of injury is the 8. of Acts 27. And Phillip said if thou beleivest with all thy heart thou mayest The words its evident are an answer to the Eunuch who asked Phillip upon the sight of water what hindred that he might not be baptised Mr. Goodwin supposeth by these words THOU MAYEST he not saying to him THOU MUST is noted a liberty which he calleth an Evangelicall liberty concerning external Ordinances implying he might be baptised if he would he should not sin or he he might refuse without sin This I take to be the most unnatural unkindly and indeed injurious stroke of the Text of any that hath been touched Gird up therefore the loines of thy mind and consider good Reader that thou beest not hurt by this dangerous gloss of the Text. 1. If Phillip should have propounded Baptisme to the Eunuch upon such slight termes not as a duty on him but a thing indifferent he should have done that he had no warrant for from Christ Christ gave all his Commands to be obeyed not to be trifled with John 15.14 Ye are my friends if you doe WHATSOEVER I command you Revel 22.12 14. Blessed are they that DOE his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life Acts 3 22. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you him shall you hear in ALL things WHATSOEVER he shall say unto you And it shall come to passe that every soul that wil not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people that by hearing is meant obeying in this Scripture is your own sense Luke 6.46 Why call you me Lord Lord and DOE not the things that I say So that if Baptisme be one of the Commands of Christ Mat. 28.19 Acts 2.37 Mar. 16.16 as I have proved from Acts 2.37 and might do it from many others And 2. that Christ gave all his Commands to be observed John 15.14 Rev. 22.14 Acts 3.22 And 3. that he counteth those no friends of his that baulketh any of them 4. That he threateneth them with destruction that observeth him not in whatsoever he commandeth without exception of any thing yea that he distateth any ones calling him Lord that doth not obey him Then I think it followeth roundly enough that if Phillip should have propounded Baptisme to the Eunuch upon such termes of indifferency he should have betrayed his trust Reader what thinkst thou 2. To evince that Phillip by those words THOU MAYEST did not intend them by way of indifferency as to the Eunuchs obedience appeareth by this because then he should act by a differing Spirit from all the rest of his brethren the Servants of Christ that were imployed in the Lords work But he was acted by the same Spirit I shall take that for granted that the Spirit that said unto Phillip Goe near and joyn thy self Acts 8.29 that it was the Spirit of the ever-living God which acted Phillip thorough that negotiation he had with the Eunuch Now that Spirit inspireth Peter to COMMAND Cornelius and his Company to be baptised after faith Acts 10.47 Peter did not say you may or you may chuse but though they were deeply baptised with the Spirit yet Peter commandeth them to be baptised with water for all that In the Name of the Lord Jesus which was in full pursuit of his Commission which also is a clear interpretation of it that when Christ saith Disciple me all Nations baptising them his meaning was that they should having discipled them command the Disciples to be baptised In the Name of the Lord Jesus that they should lay it home to the consciences of the Disciples and a duty to be baptised into his Name and so bear the
in his demonstration and consequently to loose his Argument so that parting the Disciples amongst themselves can never be the design of the Spirit in those words AS MANY AS 2. To confirme the Reader therein I referre thee to that proof we have made in answer to Mr Goodwins third Consideration by which it fully appeareth that there was no such thing in those dayes as Church-fellowship before Baptisme where I hope thou wilt have full satisfaction as in divers other places of this Book 3. Consider this the same persons that in the 27. verse are noted under the words As many As in the 28. verse are called ALL as well as in the 26. verse for YE are ALL one in Christ Jesus that the object of the word YE is not a part of the Churches but the whole as well in the 28. verse as in the 26. there is no question because there is nothing affirmed between to enforce nay not to invite to a restrain'd understanding them But if any one ask what the reason should be that the Apostle chuseth such words as these which for the most part are partitive and yet by them intend all and every individuall I answer For variety the scope and context necessitating them to be understood universally yea the word MANY is upon that account as I apprehend often put in Scripture for ALL as in the 9. Hebr. 28. He was once offered to bear the sins of many Now the 1 Timot. 2.6 saith He gave himself a ransome for ALL and Mr. Goodwin understandeth the word ALL largely as well he may So in the 5. Romans 15. If through the offence of one many be dead but by the 12. verse it appeareth by this word MANY he meaneth the whole posterity of Adam for he saith Death passed upon ALL men Now the words As many As served the Apostles design in this place with as much advantage every jot as the word All would do There being two sorts of persons become proselites to Christian Religion namely Jewes and Gentiles and the Gentiles being apt to think that they should not be the children of God upon so good termes as the Jewes because of the high respect God bear from the beginning to the Jewes more than the Gentiles and that therefore onely so many of the Church as were Jewes should become heires of that priviledge through beleiving the Apostle for their comfort doth assure them that not onely so many of the Church as were Jewes became the Sons of God by faith and put on Christ by Baptisme but AS MANY as were baptised into Christ though they were never so many and of what rank sex condition soever whether they were Jewes or whether they were Gentiles and though they were like the starres in the skie for multitude they had all put on Christ and were all members of the same body according to the next words verse 20. There is neither Jew nor Greek nor bond nor free nor male nor female but ALL one in Christ Jesus So that there is a strain of Elegancy in the Apostles varying the word All to As many As so farre are they from necessitating us to understand them parting the Disciples amongst themselves So I have done with the Scriptures which Mr. Goodwin useth to overthrow my Brother Allens Arguments levied to prove the unlawfulness of mixt communion of baptised and unbaptised persons in Church-fellowship besides these eight I doe not find any he useth to found any Argument on to answer him if then it appear that the Scriptures Mr. Goodwin buildeth on like not the service but in truth bitterly complain of it and whether they doe not so I referre to the judgement of the judicious Reader and let him judge of Mr. Goodwins whole building accordingly And whether Mr. Goodwin find that heaving at my Brother Allens Answer to his fourty Queries be but like the heaving at a feather P. 55. Of Water dip which he saith is too childish a posture for a man or rather whether the truth in it be not like a mountain rather which the greatest Giant heaving at though Mr. Goodwin himself cannot make to stir And now let all the world judge between us and Mr. Goodwin 1. Whether we are as lie representeth us Persons of a maimed fancy P. 4. Of Water dip having our reasons judgements and understandings stupified distraught and confounded that all reason opposing us is a Barbarian to us that common sense is a mystery in accessible to our understandings men of sound intellectuals are as men that speak to us in a strange tongue P. 41 42. that if they speak any thing against our way we know not valleys from hills nor hills from valleys rivers from trees trees from rivers halfes from wholes nor wholes from halfes precepts from promises nor promises from precepts ceremony from substance nor substance from ceremony every distinction that attempteth to shew us the error of our way Ipso facto becometh a Chaos and confusion On the other hand for the maintenance and defence of our way the shadowes of mountains seem valiant and arm'd men stubble and rotten wood are turned into weapons of steel and iron before us letter becometh spirit face becometh heart promise becometh precept ceremony becometh substance Apostles become ordinary men and women disputables become demonstrations and peradventures become all Yeas and Amens in respect of these marvellous and sad distempers in our fancies and understandings to reason with us about our way or to endeavour our conviction seldome turneth to any better account than a beating of the air or their Diogenes his begging applications to the statues of men 2. Whether these expressions may not be justly numbred amongst those cruel mockings which the cruel persecutors of old tried the worthies of the Lord with Hebr. 11.36 even those of whom the world was not worthy 3. Whether such contemptuous revilings be not the way to harden fallen persons in their sin there being no sign of charity in them but hatred rather than recover them and as directly contrary to the rule as flesh is to spirit 2 Timothy 2.24 And the Servant of the Lord MUST NOT STRIVE but be GENTLE TO ALL MEN apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill So also Galations 6.1 If a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESSE considering thy self least thou also be tempted 4. Whether these expressions are not directly contrary to the advice of the Spirit of God in these Scriptures following Phillip 2.3 In lowliness of mind let each esteem other BETTER than themselves Romans 12.9 In honour preferring one another Titus 3.2 Speak evill of no man Colos 3.12 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness
faith in Christ to be true by this that they were not ashamed to put on Christ to bear his Name publickly whatever it should cost them And then 2. Whereas he saith AS MANY OF YOU as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ They and onely they that were baptised into Christ were judged by the Churches as persons that had put on Christ in distinction from Moses and that had now embraced the Religion of the Lord Jesus And although it be very true that beleiving persons are not in so-good a way of perfecting by the gifts of Christs pastors and Teachers out of Churches as in Churches yet that will not justifie the Church in breaking any of Christs rules for their admission their suffering is through their own fault the mouth of God being open and his heart enlarged towards them And thus good Reader how easily maist thou see that the Scriptures complain of the yoak wherein Mr. Goodwin forceth them to draw Your two and twentieth Consideration hath many parts and for substance thus FIrst we understand by books and writings of such authority and credit that we have no ground as all to question their truth that the generation of men whose judgements have gone wandring after dipping and re baptising have from the very first originall and spring of them since the late reformation been very turbulent and trouble some in all places where they have encreased to any numbers considerable and wiser men than I are not a little jealous over the peace of this Nation lest it should suffer as other places have formerly done from the tumultuous and domineering spirit of this sort of men so numerously prevailing as they doe There is a strong tide of report both from Ireland and Scotland that as farre as the interest and power so far the insolency also and importune haughtiness of that generation we speak of extendeth in both these Nations and that all persons of what integrity or worth soever who are not enlightned with their darkness about their dipping are trodden under foot like unsavoury Salt and judged unmeet for any place of trust or power with them being allowed onely the preferments of drawing water and hewing wood One of this faction or party in England and he no small beggar neither speaking of a person who though not of his judgement about the necessity of dipping yet otherwise a man that had very well deserved of that way in severall respects yet speaking of this person he said in the presence of several persons of quality that He deserved to be hanged an Aphorisme consonant to a latter saying of a Preacher of that way about the City who in discourse with a person walking in communion with me about his judgement and being as it seemeth worsted in the skirmish at last recovered the lost ground with this or the like Epiphonema that she might find her Church at Tyburn and the Gallows These words I regard but as muck notwithstanding it may concern others to look after the fire But surely these men when they come into their Kingdome of authority and power will execute judgement without partiality if so then he that deserveth to be hanged must expect no better quarter than that of the halter and if Justice be administred without partiality all that are in the same condemnation of anti-dipping with him may bear him company in the same expectation Before I make particular answer to this Consideration I must say it cannot passe my observation how strangely Mr. Goodwins zeal in opposing us transporteth him how it maketh him forget his old brave sayings wherein he certainly had the Spirit of God with him he once said The truth would never be made great by the suggesting of morral imputations against the enemies of it Ye a in his Cautions for Reformation he beginneth as well he may thus They who intend a reformation according to the Word of God must take heed of admitting humane passions into their consultations For in James his divinity The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God that is saith he MARK subjecteth a wan to an incapability of doing that which is truly agreeable to his will And doth not these words come home to Mr. Goodwin for hath he not left calm reasoning from Scripture ground and betaken himself to wrath and the weapons of reflexion his spirit being as it were of a light fire no marvell then if he manage this controversie upon termes so disagreeable to Gods will and that he come to shake hands with the old enemy of the truth Gangrena in many of his methods and will heaven or earth like of it He once said Gangrena would be found a strumpet of the race and lineage of the great scarlet whore that the vine of the Author was as the vine of Sodome and his grapes grapes of gall his clusters bitter his wine the poyson of dragons and the cruell poyson of aspes And hath not Mr. Goodwin now justified it But if the question be How Mr. Woodwin hath justified Gangrena The answer is by doing himself just as that Author did which hath made some lift up their eyes to heaven and say LORD WHAT IS MAN THAT THOU ART MINDFUL OF HIM If the question be wherein it is answered 1. By taking up disparaging reports against his brethren that never did him harm and publishing them to disgrace their religion by This was the great fault of Mr. Edwards for which Mr. Goodwin reproveth him thus p. 4 of Cretensis The form of those accusations Mr. Edwards hath levied against his brethren is much more inexcusable than the matter of them We do not read that either Cham or Doeg though sons of much unworthiness ever traded with Satan for these black commodities or compassed the earth too and fro with their Eves-droppers Agents or Factors to gather up and furnish themselves with the sins or infirmities of the Saints no nor that they ever took up a report into their lip against any man upon either the loose or malitious suggestion of others BVT ONELY mark that RELATED and informed what themselves SAW WITH THEIR OWN EYES and that casually without any waiting the opportunity But Mr. Goodwin hath not onely taken up a report against a man but against many even the generation as he calleth them that he is now writing against 2. He hath not onely taken up these reports into his lip but like Mr. Edwards he hath published them to the world in print to be an everlasting monument of dishonour to them which hainous sin of yours against the royal Law of love will he found agravated by these two notorious circumstances 1. The matter of the story it self being utterly untrue though you did not think so And 2. Against persons many whereof have had honourable thoughts of you and much love for you Secondly To convince you that the same spirit or a worse acted you in writing this book that inspired Mr. Edwards in his Gangrena