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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74998	Some baptismal abuses briefly discovered. Or A cordial endeavour to reduce the administration and use of baptism, to its primitive purity; in two parts. The first part, tending to disprove the lawfulness of infant baptism. The second part, tending to prove it necessary for persons to be baptized after they believe, their infant baptism, or any pre-profession of the Gospel notwithstanding. As also, discovering the disorder and irregularity that is in mixt communion of persons baptized, with such as are unbaptized, in church-fellowship. By William Allen.	Allen, William, d. 1686.	1653 (1653)	Wing A1075; Thomason E702_12; ESTC R10531	105,249	135

principle of truth I conceive that the Apostle argues the insufficiency of the Law to accomplish the same end for which the Gospel is given viz. in that he did ordain and make the Gospel notwithstanding the being of the Law If there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Gal. 3.21 And again If that first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second Heb. 8.7 Upon the same account may we say If the same ends which God intends to bring about by Baptism could have been attained upon the same terms of wisdom and goodness by the Christian profession mentioned and by this only then he would never have leavied this other means of Baptism too for the same purpose it argues weakness and deficiency in those that out-match their ends with means And therefore to say that the ends of Baptism may be as commodiously attained without Baptism in the Christian profession as with it is to reflect a foul disparagement upon the wisdom of God in his instituting and making Baptism or giving it any being at all But let God be true and every man a lyar and let the foolishness of God be esteemed as indeed it is wiser then men and so let the shame and disparagement which some have unawares thus foolishly cast upon God fall upon their own hearts and faces in humiliation before him with whom they have been so un-becomingly bold But second I demand further how it comes to pass that Baptism and the profession of Christianity are divided and that Baptism is excluded the Christian profession For what do they else say in effect who say the ends of Baptism are attainable by the Christian Profession without Baptism For hereby they would make the Christian Profession intirely compleat as to the production of all its ends without Baptism and so consequently render Baptism no essentiall part of the Christian profession a thing directly contrary to the stream and currant of the Scripture which derives its petty-gree from the same Authour with and assignes its place and standing among other the principles of the Doctrine of Christ of which the Christian profession doth principally consist 3. I yet answer further by denying that the ends of Baptism are adequately attained by any continued course of profession whatsoever without Baptism and do say on the contrary that persons not having as yet been baptized though of the greatest attainments in religion otherwise do stand in need of Baptism as to the effecting the ends thereof and this I do assert upon these grounds and considerations following 1. Because as well Baptism as a mans entrance upon or progress in Christianity is appointed by God as a means of effecting the same end to wit salvation This hath been already made manifest from those Scriptures where persons have been directed to the use of baptism as well as repentance in order to their being faved Acts 2.37 38. The like conjunction is made between believing and baptism Mark 16.16 And between regeneration and baptism John 3.5 Tit. 3.5 and between a good conscience and baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 and all in order to the same common end salvation Now where several means are enjoyned men by God in order to the obtaining the same end there it is not safe for any that really desire that end to omit any one of those means upon any pretence whatsoever nor in case of such an omission does God stand obliged by any promise of his to confer the grace and benefit of salvation nor can such in that case with any sufficient ground of confidence expect it at his hands Effects depending upon the concurrance and co-operation of several causes are not to be expected upon the operation of part of them only As there are several syllables that go to the making up of one word so there are several things which by the appointment of God go to the making of a man regularly capable of salvation as repentance faith baptism obedience c. So that as he that propounds to himself the writing of such or such a word consisting of several syllables disappoints himself of his end in omitting any one of them so he that propounds the putting of himself into a regular capacity of salvation as his end and yet voluntarily omits any one of the means appointed by God for that purpose takes a like direct course to disappoint himself of this great and important end of his viz. his regular capacity of salvation If God shall please to save any man upon easier terms then those which he hath set as his ordinary and standing method and upon which he hath obliged himself by promise and covenant to save men I shall not so far as I know mine own heart be troubled at it but shall advise all men that prize their salvation not to trust to that but to expect salvation from God upon his own proposed terms that is in a way of doing that which he requires of men in order thereunto as David did saying Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy Commandments Psal 119.166 Faith obtains at the hands of God not simply by believing that God will do this or that good thing which he hath promised but by putting him in whom it is upon obeying God in the use of such means upon the condition or taking place whereof he hath made such promise as likewise by depending upon the power goodness and faithfulness of God for performance in a conscientious and obediential use of the said means It is said that it was by faith that the walls of Jericho fell down Heb. 11.30 but how not in omitting any one of those things which God enjoyned for that purpose though otherwise very despicable and unlikely to produce such an effect And it may very well be questioned whether those walls would have fallen down as they did if they had compassed the City but six times when he had enjoyned seven or otherwise had omitted the blowing of the same horns or any other piece of Solemnity which God had commanded as a Sacramental means of atchieving that great enterprise though otherwise there was no proportion of natural efficiency in those actions to produce any such effect when intirely performed But the faith and obedience of men to God is many times more seen in doing this or that at his appointment in reference to an end which in it self promises nothing towards such a production then it is in doing greater matters that seem more proportionate to their end because in such cases it is a signe that God is more eyed then the means Whereas doubtless it is a great temptation upon men and oft proves a stumbling block in their way to despise and so to neglect the use of such means as through the institution of God would richly conduce to their good because they promise so little in visible appearance This was the cause why the

to this God puts his Laws in the minds of men and writes them in their hearts Heb. 8.10 which implies that he did not do so under the Old Testament or at least but very little comparatively Again Joh. 4.23 But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth implying that thither-unto or until then they had not so worshipped him or at least that there was but little of that found under the Legal Dispensation And according to the nature of this Ministration children voyd of understanding and faith were capable of holy things as Circumcision and Passover and the like and consequently of the ends and benefits of them in part upon a literal administration and reception of them Rom. 3.1 2. Exod. 12.44 48. But the case is far otherwise now under the Gospel which is the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 It is not the work done but the manner of doing of it in knowledg faith and fear of the Lord that entitles men unto the benefit and blessing of Gospel-Ordinances for so the Apostle affirms concerning Baptism it self 1 Pet. 3.21 when he says that it saves us now as the Ark did some in the days of Noah not saith he the putting away of the filth of the flesh i. e. not by the external letter of the Ordinance but the answer of a good Conscience towards God i.e. when accompanyed with such a frame of mind and conscience as does answer God in his intendments of Grace in that Ordinance So again Col. 2.12 when the Apostle saith that they were buryed with Christ in Baptism and that they were therein also risen with him yet he says that thus they were by the faith of the operation of God who raised Christ from the dead meaning such a faith as was produced by the operation of God or else such as had the operation of God in raising up Christ for its object however it was by the interveniency of this Faith that they became both buryed and risen with Christ in Baptism Now Infants as they are not capable of acting this Faith or making this answer of a good Conscience so they are not capable of those blessings and benefits intended by God in Baptism in as much as he hath suspended the donation thereof upon these in conjunction with Baptism And where any effect depends upon the taking place of more causes then one as it does in the case in hand it is not any one of those causes alone that will produce that effect 3. How ever the ends of Circumcision were attainable though administred to Infants in those respects before mentioned with their fellows yet doubtless the Ordinance it self was so much the less spiritual and so much the more weak and savoring of the Legal Ministration and suited to the then childish condition of the Church because administration thereof was made to Infants This I conceive might easily be made out from several of those rational principles consonant to the Scripture upon and from which I have already evinced Baptism to be more spiritual profitable and edifying when administred to men professing the Faith then when applyed to children Therefore doubtless what the Apostle speaketh of the Commandment in general meaning the Law which as he says made nothing perfect how that it is disanulled for the weakness and unprofitableness of it Hebr. 7.18 19. may well be understood to comprehend even this part of the Commandment also which enjoyned an Ordinance one or more to be administred to little children And how ever such a mean low way and method of enjoying Ordinances as was accommodated to the capacity of babes was not uncomely whilest the Church was in the condition of children as the Apostle speaks Gal. 4.3 no more then it is for a child whilest he is a child to speak and act as a child yet to retain this poor and low and barren way of administring a Gospel-Ordinance to Infants now the Church is raised both in capacity and administration to its manly condition is as incongruous and uncomely as it is for one still to speak and act as a child when he is become a man By this time I hope it appears that there is not the same reason why Baptism administred to Infants should reach the ends thereof as there was why Circumcision though applyed to Infants formerly should attain its end For the nature of the two Ordinances differ the terms of their Administration differ and the respective capacities of the Church then and the Church now differ and according to that rule in Logick Where the things themselves differ there the reasons of those things differ also ARGUM. III. 3. MY next Argument shall be taken from the different nature of the two Ministrations of the Old and New Testaments as rendering Infant-Baptism in that precise consideration of it as applyed to Infants disagreeable to the Ministration of the Gospel but withall more correspondent with the Ministration of the Law Therefore I thus further argue If Infant-Baptism be disagreeable to the Ministration of the New Testament then Infants ought not to be baptized The reason hereof is because so far as either this or any other way or practice does comply with the Legal Ministration and disagree with the Evangelical so far it does cross or oppose the design of God in changing the Ministration of the Law for that of the Gospel and consequently carries in it a spirit of antipathy against the very spirit of the Gospel Ministration This if it were not sufficiently evident of it self might receive abundant confirmation from such Scriptures as these and what might fairly and plainly be deduced from them Joh. 4.23 24. 2 Cor. 3.6 Gal. 4.9 Col. 2.8 17. Heb. 7.18 19. 8.6 7. 9.9 10 11. 10.1 But I presume of every mans plenary satisfaction as to this Therefore I proceed But Infant-Baptism is disagreeable to the Ministration of the New Testament Assumption 1. The truth hereof in the first place is conspicuous and perceptible by what hath been made good in our former Argument For there we proved Baptism as administred to Infants less edifying as to the several ends of it then when administred unto Believers and if less edifying then the more suitable and conformable to the Ministration of the Law which was a Ministration of less light and edification and to the same proportion disproportionate to the Ministration of the Gospel which is a Ministration of a greater light and a more rich edification 2. I might in the second place well suppose Infant-Baptism to savor strongly of the Legal Ministration because the principal Arguments produced in defence thereof are such as do arise out of and are deducted from the example of Infant-Circumcision a principal part of the Legal Ministration and from that analogy and proportion that is supposed to be between them and not only so but likewise because such Arguments and Pleas tend to draw down this

himself thereby as is most clear in the case of the Supper of the Lord he that in eating and drinking does not discern the Lords body eats and drinks Judgment to himself 1 Cor. 11.29 And because this qualification of discerning is not found in Children therefore they are not admitted to this Ordinance And how they should be uncapable of this Ordinance in this respect and yet capable of Baptism I understand not especially considering that they both represent the death of Christ Rom. 6.3 1 Cor. 11.26 both relate to the great benefit of remission of sins by him and tend to serve the important interest of men thereabout Mark 1.4 Matt. 26.28 Since they both then travel with the same blessing in the main how comes it to pass that the blessing of the one accrues not to the receiver but by his discerning the mind of God in it and yet the benefit of the other does without any such discerning if that were true which some imagine Certainly if plain Scriptures will satisfie hereabout they do inform us that it is by means of Faith and the answer of a good Conscience that Baptism becomes beneficial as to its ends as well as the Supper by a spiritual discerning as to its Colos 2.12 1 Pet. 3.21 But I shall not insist again upon that which I have already dispatched In a word the whole Ministration is denominated by Faith Galat. 3.23 25. because Faith from first to last from one end of it to the other is to steer all affairs under it on mans part to act every service to accompany every Ordinance to receive every blessing to render all actions acceptable and to make all parts of it beneficial Where this qualification therefore is known to be wanting as it is in Infants certainly there Baptism cannot be applyed without an apparent breach of the Laws and Rules of this spiritual Ministration And thus also have I made good the premisses of this third Argument the Conclusion will follow of it self without help c. AROUM IIII. MY next Argument shall be this If none ought to be baptized but such who appear voluntarily willing to be baptized in obedience to God then Infants ought not be baptized The reason hereof is because Infants Baptism cannot reasonably be supposed to proceed from any willingness in them to obey God therein they being no wise voluntary or active but altogether passive therein But none ought to be baptized Assumption but such who appear voluntarily willing to be baptized in obedience to God The reason hereof is this because without this obediential willingness Baptism will be unprofitable and fruitless to them and where we know the good of Baptism is not to be attained there it is not to be administred for in case we should it would be a profanation of the Ordinance a taking of Gods Name in vain Though the sowing of seed be never so necessary yet it would be no mans wisdom but folly to sow in such a ground or at such a season which he knows will render his seed fruitless That there is no reason to expect otherwise but that Baptism should be unprofitable to all such who do not take it up voluntarily willingly and in obedience to God appears upon this account 1. Because now under the Gospel this is the standing Rule or Law between Duties and Rewards between the using of holy Ordinances and the benefit that comes by them viz. That Duties be done and Ordinances performed willingly and in obedience to God 1 Cor. 9.17 where the Apostle speaking of his preaching the Gospel saith If I do this thing willingly I have a reward This saying of the Apostle though it were uttered upon one particular occasion yet doubtless it reaches all persons and all duties If any man do any duty willingly as unto God he shall have his reward But as Affirmatives use to include their Negatives by way of implication so it is here If I do it not willingly I have no reward For so the particle IF imports the condition upon which the reward is to be received or not received and you will spoyl the sence of the place if you suppose that if the Apostle did the thing he there speaks of he should receive a reward whether he did it willingly or no. Again 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath and not according to that he hath not This also though it were spoken upon a particular occasion as many the great Doctrines of the Scriptures were yet it is a general proposition which reaches even all duties If there be first a willing mind that is an obedientious disposition God ward and this willingness of mind and obediential disposition is that both which puts a man upon doing his duty according to that ability he hath and which also renders the same acceptable and rewardable with God Here again this conditional particle IF If there be first a willing mind must needs imply that if this willing mind be wanting the man is not accepted his action not rewarded though he do the thing For so Paul speaking of the same duty of giving 1 Cor. 13.3 saith Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing Still teaching us that if there be an inward principle of a willing compliance with the Will of God wanting in any action which in it self is good and commanded of God yet for that very cause it becomes unprofitable to him that does it in which respect we affirm Baptism of Infants unprofitable to them 2. Promises made unto duty or upon condition of duty are rewards of that obedience which is yielded to God in discharge of duty when they are fulfilled thereupon Now it is no wise proper to say or rational to suppose that God rewards his creature man for that wherein he is only passive they being such actions which we call moral and which proceed from the motion of the Will governed by a divine Law that are rewardable by God And therefore unless Baptism be submitted unto willingly and in obedience to God which cannot be supposed in Infants the good things annexed thereto by way of promisory recompence of such obedience cannot upon any good ground be expected 3. I have proved before in another Argument That now under the Gospel-Ministration there is no benefit comes either by Baptism or any other Ordinance but by means of his Faith who partakes thereof Without Faith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 i. e. in any service to approve ones self acceptable to him For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 It then the benefit we speak of comes not without Faith then neither does it accrue without that willingness of mind and obedientious disposition God-ward we speak of because it 's impossible this should be separate from Faith I mean a

Jews stumbled at Christ himself when they saw the lowness of his condition in the world this likewise caused them to prefer works before faith as to their justification This was the stone at which Naaman the Syrian began to stumble when he was commanded to wash seven times in Jorden for the clensing of his leprosie supposing that to be an unlikely thing to produce that effect I had thought saith he concerning Elisha that surely he would have come out me and have stood and called on the Name of the Lord his God and have struck his hand over the place are not Abana and Pharper rivers of Damascus better then all the waters in Israel c. 2 King 5.11 12. And indeed I much fear that the feet of many who other-wayes are godly and wise are taken in this very snare of under-valuing and disesteeming the Ordinance of Baptism because it is a thing which according to outward appearance is despicable and promiseth so little For from what else can those dimunitive expressions of some concerning it proceed who say that if it be a duty for Christians not to baptize their children and to be baptized themselves yet it is one of the least of duties among ten thousand And as it was from that low esteem which Naaman had of his washing in Jorden seven times and the improbability of it in his eye to effect his clensing that made him to say Are not Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus better then the waters of Israels So doubtless is it from the like low esteem which they have of this Ordinance of Christ that some conceive that the other parts of the Christian profession are likelier to produce the effects assigned to Baptism then Baptism it self is But as many times great weights do hang on small wyers so the wisdom of God hath put much as to the good of men in those very things which many times seem least in the eyes of men that the excellency of the treasure and benefit may so much the more manifestly be known to be of God by how much the vessel is earththy and weak in which it is brought And wherefore have I thus inlarged but to shew that Baptism by water however by mens mis-representation of the matter to themselves it seems to be numbred among the least of the Commands of God or rather excluded their number as to the professors of these dayes yet being enjoyned by the same Lord in the same Gospel in order to the salvation of men as well as repentance from dead works and faith towards God and that God doth no more exempt or priviledge any man from the one then he does from the other by any word of his or does any whit more ascertain his salvation in the neglect of the one then he does in the neglect of the other that therefore it is of mans weakness and vanity and not from any wisdom received from God to make such an election and reprobation among the Doctrines of Christ as some do who while they account the one absolutely necessary to salvation yet do in the mean while with another eye look upon the other as indifferent needless and superfluous as touching any such need which the salvation of men hath thereof yea judging them deeply culpable almost as much as they who said Except ye be circumcised ye cannot be saved that urge the practise of Baptism as necessary to salvation though in the doing thereof they put no other necessity upon it then what the Scripture hath put 2. As there is one common end of believing repenting Baptism growing in grace and persevering to the end which is salvation so there are subordinately several different ends of Baptism it self and there is also a gradual accession to those ends in both which respects Baptism is necessary in persons otherwise of the largest growth in religion For though it should be granted for arguments sake that some of the ends of Baptism may be prevented by a long continued course of profession preceding it yet that any should affirm that all the ends of Baptism are anticipitated by such a profession me thinks is strange For 1. Baptism in the use influence and operation of it runs parallel with a mans life and dayes so that though the act be transient yet the Spirit or obliging power of that act is or ought to be permanent and lasting For what ever a man by his baptism does ingage himself to this baptismal engagement of his if the intent of it be observed hath an influence upon him all his dayes to walk answerable to it And so we shall find the Apostle teaching the believing Romans to improve their Baptism which they had received long before unto their then present mortification and sanctification answerable to the true intent of it Rom. 6.2 3 4 5. As a wife ought all her dayes to remember and keep that engagement of fidelity to her husband into which she entred the day of her marriage so ought a Christian to make it his continual work and daily business to answer fulfil and make good that engagement of subjection and fidelity to Christ Jesus into which he entred at the time of his Baptism So that this then running parallel with a Christians profession influencing and acting the same it cannot possibly be prevented by such a profession 2. One end of Baptism is to confirm strengthen and increase in men that which in some good measure they had before they were baptized Men either do or ought to believe before they are baptized as hath been already shewed and yet they are to be baptized for the bettering and confirmation of that faith of theirs notwithstanding So men have some presence and operation of the Spirit before Baptism in as much as they are enabled to believe before For no man can say that Jesus is the Lord as they do that believe before Baptism but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 And yet Baptism is to be received for this end among others viz. that they may receive the Holy Ghost i. e. a greater measure and presence of the Spirit then before they had Acts 2.38 39. Now then unless that any professors can come forth and say that they have so much faith and so much of the Spirit that they need no more I cannot understand how their profession though otherwise never so substantial and real can carry them above their need of Baptism Certainly they have outstript Paul either in proficiency or in opinion of their own worth who can say they have attained to wit perfection of degrees Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect sayes Paul Philip. 3.12 Now that Baptism ought to be received in relation to some of its ends though others of them should be prevented by some precedanious work of grace or gift of God will appear 1. From the example of our Saviours Baptism who though he had no need of baptism in respect of some of those