out of your common discourse an ordinary terme relating to Baptisme viz such a one is Christned if I did not hope you well understand it Baptisme may Christianum dicere declare and pronounce a man a Christian but it doth not Christianum facere make a Christian if your Children be not made Christâ—ans by the extent of the Covenant to believers and their seed bring them not to me to be Baptized most cursedly prophane was the cruelty of the Spanish Papists in America who with whips and scourges drave the unchristanized untaught Indians to the Fonts to be Baptized for that Baptisme belongs to none but Christs disciples and Covenant People Baptisme belongs to all Christs Disciples and Gods Covenant People so that none of them may without sin nay sacriledg be barred from Baptisme and these are resolved into two ranks and known by two names in the Church viz Infidells converted to the faith and the Infants of one or both Christian Parents These two are the orders into which Gods faederates have been Ranked ever since Gods Covenant was established and his Church was estated in Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their seed as to the first of them they are on all hands consented to as fit and proper Subjects onely our over-pious age hath started the quaery How and when they must be judged converted to the faith which I must needs resolve to be by a profession of saving faith not the saving Profession of faith and possession of sincere Grace which the Congregating Anabaptists call for sincere grace and saving Profession must be the soules care and ground of joy but cannot be the signe that shall guide the Church in giving the Sacrament of Baptisme assoon as they professed to believe Philip Preaching the things of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were Baptized both men and women Act. 8.12 Philip required no more of the Eunuch in v. 37. and when I hear Peter declared Simon the Sorcerer to be after his Baptisme in the Gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity as v. 23. I perceive they in whose company he was Baptized yielded no more and when I remember Annà nias and Saphira Demas and other Baptized Persons proved hypocrites and reprobates I cannot believe they possessed sincere Grace or made a saving Profession though they professed saving Faith I cannot yet turn Arminian and believe true Grace may be finally and totally lost and a man may be a child of God to day and a child of the Devill to morrow I have not faith enough to believe that when God made me a Minister he made me a God and endowed me with the property of to searching the heart nor have I wit enough to conceive that God making me a Steward of his Misteries prescribes to my as my guide the qualification of subjects which lies beyond my knowledg I believe the grosse enormities of many baptized Saints as they call themselves hath convinced them that true Grace is not within their sight but they may and have baptized hypocrites why then do they call for that qualification God hath not directed and they can not discern God hath made the tongue the trumpet of the heart and I can better hope men will not play the hypocrite and make that utter an uncertain sound then I can know the sincerity of their Grace Though Infidels converted to the Faith be generally resolved within the Covenant yet since the dayes of Balthazar Pacimontanus who pretending to have derived his fancy from Luther constrained Luther to write against him in the year of our Lord 1527. The Right of Infants to the Covenant of God and consequently their capacity for Baptisme hath been called in question and of late yeares hath met with most high and violent though irrational and unscripturall opposition wherein I cannot but admire at the erroneous industry of the Antipaedobaptists to curtail Gods Covenant cut off their seed from the priviledges of Grace and cast away their own reasons blinding their eyes against plaine demonstrations of Scripture and the Antient enjoyments of the Church wherein we must see better warrant before we strike hands with them and be of their uncharitable beliefe for if I know any thing of the method of Gods Covenant or in the least how to Reason from Scriptures It is as cleare as the Sun that the Infants of believing Parents Gods Covenant People whilst Infants and as their naturall seed are Gods faederates and within his Covenant and so fit Subjects of Baptisme In politicall and all civill transactions of men we find all the world over that Covenants made from or to parents do usually include children as their children so that by that very relation without any new formall contract they claime Priviledges and stand bound to duty and when I consider Gods way of dealing to be according to mans capacity and humane method I have no ground on which to imagine that he hath inverted the order and cut off Relation in the conveighing of the priviledges of Grace and constituting a peculiar People to himselfe for Gods speciall dispensations do ordinarily run in the same Channell though not with the same Latitude that his Generall Providences do and then when God after the manner of men assumes to himselfe a Kingdom without doubt he confers Honours on and looks for Loyalty from his subjects and their seed or off-spring who as their seed are born heires of such Honour and duty Further in all the transactions of God with man ever since he had a being the Covenant hath extended to his seed as his seed without any personall qualification all that know any thing of Gods dealing with Adam know the Covenant of works was made to him for himselfe and his seed as they were his naturall seed he received priviledges for himselfe and them and so he lost them and by one mans disobedience we were all made sinners if this were Gods method in the Covenant of works we must have good reasons to make us believe it is altered in the extent and Administration of the Covenant of Grace but not to stand on Generall equity and demonstrations the Scripture doth by plain and clear instances in both Old and New Testament evidence the children of men under the Covenant of Grace to be also in Covenant as they are their naturall issue There is nothing plainer in Scripture then that when the Covenant of Grace was established in Abraham Isaac and Jacob it was extended to their naturall seed their children as their children even in infancy and before they attained to any Personall qualifications were in Covenant and the children of God This is expressed in the very form of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee This is evidenced by Circumcision the Seale of the Covenant set in their flesh on this very ground and that at eight dayes old whilst infants unable to any personall acts of Abrahams faith and it must needs be
guilt The second Benefit of Infant Baptisme is That it explaineth the benefit of Relation and the method of transmitting the Covenant of Grace Baptisme as a seal of the Covenant sheweth interest in the Covenant and the benefit of personall qualification that fits for it but it is the Infant season that shâ—weth that God hath wisely ordered Grace to run in natures channel and parental relation under such a qualification as beleeving to engender a propriety to Baptisme He that first receives the Patent of honour can discern no benefit of relation save what is future but if his Patent be only personal he seeth none at all but hereditarie honours are demonstrations of relation and its advantage hereby a man knows what his benefit is in being the childe of a Baron or Earle rather than of a common Knight or Gentleman Baptisme applied to men of years doth indeed demonstrate a Covenant of Grace granted on good behaviour unto every individual person but wholly obliterateth the seeds interest and extent of the Covenant unto natural Issue in order to their good behaviour It declareth expresly that as to the specialtie of Gods Grace relation to beleeving Parents is no priviledge As good be the childe of Ammon as of Abraham of a Pagan as a Christian which is cleerly contrarie to the tenure of the Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seed The promise is to you and your children and the ground of applying the initiating seal is relation to such Parents Therefore every man-child at eight dayes old shall be circumcised that thereby it may appear the order of my Covenant is to Parents beleeving and their seed and the benefit of relation to such Children shall be that I will be their God Relation to the Olive is the reason of the branches fatness The Jews relation to their pious progenitors is the only remaining hope of their conversion They are beloved of God according to election for the fathers sake Rom. 11.28 If we will maintain the knowledge of relative advantages in the Covenant of Grace carefully baptize we our Babes in their infancie as the plainest comment thereon so when they shall consider themselves to have been sealed and sanctified to God before they had in themselves the least of personal qualification they will bless God for the Covenant of their fathers and the extent of it to the seed of beleevers and giving them to be born of such favorites to heaven The great assertors of the Baptisme of grown persons to defend their notion doe in the ministration of Grace darken all relation and disfranchise all Posterity interpreting the cleer text of Scripture The promise is to you and your children by a personal qualification when God shall call them as if the Holy Ghost had spoken nonsence and used a term of relation in vain and to no purpose But certainly when God established a Covenant of Grace he did not invert natures course but provided relation to derive the priviledges thereof in his Church as well as other advantages in the world nor did he in the least intend Religion to be an abridgement of parental right and power of dedication of their seed to the service of their God as well as designation to any worldly trade and therefore he appointed a seal of his Covenant and sacred Bond to his own service whereby subjects meerly passive as was before noted might be at the pleasure of Parents to him presented And hereof Infant-Baptisme is the only visible evidence in the whole world Root and branches Parents and Children are alwaies homogeneal Nature makes all relations to be of the same kinde and Grace not inverting Natures order will have the children by the dignity of a sacred Ordinance to be declared of the holy kinde with their Parents and by this religious badge of Baptisme be distinguished from other Children of Turks Jews and Pagans who like their Parents remain prophane and estranged unto God And thus Infant-Baptisme doth not only evidence relation and its benefit the method and order of the Covenant to men within but also to men without the Church that it may be to them an encouragement to lay hold on the Covenant of God for that they doe not only provide for their own personal term but see Grace also extended to their issue on the very ground of relation natural unto them under a Christian qualification And this is especially profitable to the Jew who having had the Covenant of God to themselves and seed natural as their seed and that witnessed by the initiating seal of Circumcision set in the flesh of their children must needs stumble at the new Covenant if it exclude their issue as hath been before noted So that the Infant-Baptisme so cleerly witnessing the order of the Covenant and benefit of relation to beleeving Parents to the comfort of men within the Church and encouragement of men without the Church it must needs be more profitable than the Baptisme at grown years which curtails the Covenant cuts off Posterity casts out of the Church all relation natural and maketh all ministrations of Grace to be meerly personal The third benefit of Infant Baptisme is That it enlargeth the bounds and establisheth the being of the Church of God but the baptisme of grown men doth much confine the borders and hazard the being of the Church Infant Baptisme doth enlarge the Church by the spreading of it through whole Families Countries and Nations persons are private and perishing but posterity is publique and flourishing holy seede is the Churches nurserie whilest grown trees are fading Lambs are the increase of Christs Fold when old-sheep are few and dying and succession is the surest title and strongest ground of claime when from generation to generation the Church of God is continued in a constant Race from Father to Son it is much established against hellish opposition Nature hath made all living Creatures seminall that they might multiply and continue the course of providence is the same to the Church that it is to the World certainly the only wise God well knew the best way to enlarge and establish his owne kingdome upon Earth and hee though hee founded his Church in an old stock yet order'd the spreading of it by naturall branches and preservation of it by posteritie The method of God must needs bee the same in the maintenance of his Church under the new as it was under the old Testament and hee that takes up his Church from one Nation on designe to extend it through all the nations of the World would never plant it only in personall perishing plants but provide for their scattering an holy-seede for its increase and succession The promise of the Churches increase in Gospell times is noted to be by Children the promise is expresse I will lift up my Standard to the Gentiles and they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters on their shoulders Isa 49.22 Our own observation must
Many as 1. Such as dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of access to God teaching that Baptism is not the ground of Communion with the Church visible but real Grace the answer of a good conscience and thereon do tender all the Ordinances to the unbaptized which is directly opposite to this use of the Ordinance and inverts the Ordinance of the Gospel giving God cause to complain as once in Israel Ezek. 44.7 Ye have defiled my Sanctuary by admitting into my Sanctuary the unbaptized in flesh and in spirit Q. Who are further to be condemned as contrary to this consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as disown their Baptism in drawing nigh to God as do some Familists who deny all outward Ordinances and pretend to serve God altogether in Spirit as if divided man could draw nigh to God or the Lord would not be adored by the body he hath redeemed or true Grace could admit a contempt of any divine Ordinance Or the Anaebaptists who are so irrational as to renounce their Baptism because received in Infancy as if a corruption in circumstance if this were one had destroyed the essence of the Ordinance but indeed they do it out of ignorance or obstinacy deâ—ming Gods Institution Superstition and so run into the sin of Sacriledge Q. Is the denial of Infants Baptism the sin of Sacriledge A. Whilst it robs God of the children to him begotten the Church of Members to her born believing Parents of a ground of Faith and reason of hope and the Infants of their undoubted Interest in the Covenant I cannot but deem it sacriledg Q. Who else are to be blamed as repugnant to this consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as disregard Baptism in its application to others as do Parents who pass over their childrens Baptism as a Civil Complement and meer Formality to please Friends but never compose themselves to it as an act of Religion and Ordinance of God pray not for a blessing on it nor praise God for the blessing of it nor instruct their baptized children in the benefit and use of it and people who attend with some shew of reverence on other Ordinances but rudely rush out of the Congregation when Baptism is administred as if it were some idle action and as if the sanctifying of a soul to God the sealing of the Covenant and admission of a Member into the Church were of no use to them nor worth their attendance Q. Who else are to be blamed as contrary to the nature of Bapiism A. Such as disesteem their own Baptism neither improving it against sin nor arguing to themselves the duty or dignity of their Baptism so as to make Baptism an Engagement against sin to holiness and encouragement of their Spirits in holy duties Q. Who also are to be blamed as contrary to the consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as deny the Baptized the liberty of access to God in the Assemblies of his people as do the Independents who gather Churches out of Churches rightly constituted and call the Baptized into Church way as if they were out and prescribe a Covenant of their own whereby to admit Church members affect to distinguish themselves from others Baptized by the term of Saints Brethren Church and the like and deny to communicate with them as if Baptism did not incorporate into Christ his Body and prepare for communion with him in his Ordinances Q. To what course of life doth your Baptism bind you A. To depart from all iniquity to devote my self wholly to the Faith and Service of one God Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom I am dedicated and all my days to demean my self as a member of Christ his Church one in Covenant with God on whom holiness is stamped and that is sanctified for approaches to him Q. You spake of some benefit you reaped by your being Baptized in Infancy Is the early enjoyment of this Ordinance of any advantage A. Yes veâ—y much in many things to be preferred before Baptism of grown persons wherein it is more profitable Q. What is the first benefit of Infant Baptism A. Infant Baptism expresseth clearly the sin of nature and engageth against it in that we are washed it is evident we are unclean but being so soon baptized doth witness our very nature is defiled for infancy did never admit us to be stained with personal guilt as are men at years and so Infant Baptism is an unanswerable argument of our inbred corruption against which we are bound to fight being baptized before it had spread it self into actual sin Q. What is the second benefit of Infant Baptism A. It explaineth the method and order of transmitting the Covenant and affecteth us with the benefit of Relation to a believing Parent That we are baptized speaks us in Covenant but that we are so soon baptized before we have in our selves any qualification for it shews us as branches we partake of the fatness of the olive and are of the same kinde with our Parents God hath graciously become the God of the Believer and his Seed and made grace to run through natures channel otherwise we had never enjoyed this Priviledge Q. What is a third benefit of Infant Baptism A. It enlargeth the bounds and establisheth the being of the Church Baptism is the band of union and Ordinance of ingrafting into the Church But Infant Baptism doth scatter the holy seed and send forth sprouting branches which succeeding into the room of old perishing stocks doth not only increase the number of the Churches Members but defend it from the wasting annihilating breaches of time Q. What is the fourth benefit of Baptism A. It exciteth Repentance representing sin in its Root and Original the pravity of nature and its gracious object the God of our Fathers and the God of our youth against whom we have offended Q. What is the fifth benefit of Infant Baptism A. It enforceth Faith not only in the sealing but also the extending of the Covenant to the seed of Believers a ground of Parental Prayer for Posterity and an early seizure of our souls before Satan could possess us or our own corrupt nature could betray us unto him Q. What is the sixth benefit of Infant Baptism A. It engageth duty Parents to Christian education and instruction of those who by their Authority are dedicated to the service of the true God children to the obedience of the God of their Father and of their youth who extended to them the Covenant and so soon set the seal of it in their flesh Q. What is the seventh benefit of Infant Baptism A. It encourageth under death the knowledge of the Covenant extended unto Believers and their seed hath prepared young children unto Martyrdom and interest in the Covenant can be the only ground of hope to the Parents under the death of their Infants who are born the children of wrath but by Baptism are put into the ark of salvation such as let go this must
piece of Gods worship you may receive of it this description Baptisme is a Solemn and Religious application of water by a lawfull Minister to a fit Subject to the signifying of the Blood of Christ and its cleansiing property and the Sealing of the Covenant of Grace In this description I will not trouble you with a logicall distribution of it into its parts but propound these conclusions as helpfull to your understanding of it Conclusion 1. Water is the outward sign and matter of Baptisme water and no other Element pure water without Popish mixture or Composition with oyle creame spittle or the like for this and this only Element the Lord appointed and his appointment stamps on the use of it Dignity and Authority and justly checks the curiosity of such as are subject to contemne the simplicity of the Element and advance the dignity of the Ordinance by their own dull but daring inventions and yet water being an Element cooling heat quenching thirst of common use and easie purchase and cleansing all filthiness doth fitly represent unto our minds the cooling and refreshing efficacy the plenty and easie purchase together with the purifying property of the Blood of Christ Conclus 2. A solemne and Religious application of the water must be the form of Baptisme That water be applied to the Subject is the essentiall act of Baptisme the manner of its application by dipping or sprinkling is to be guided by discretion and conveniency though we deny not dipping to have been used in the Primitive Churches in the hot Eastern Countries where with safety and conveniency it might be used and we grant all other things concurring dipping to be a lawfull application of the water yet it is not essentially and indispensably necessary as the Anabaptists do too zealously contend but it is both lawfull and sufficient that the water be poured or sprinkled on the Subject which hath been the allowed practise of the Church and the word Baptize signifying any kind of washing by sprinkling pouring on or dipping and the measure or quantity of water being no more essentiall to Baptisme then of Bread and Wine to the Lords Supper will allow it and the Holy Ghost mentioneth the blood of Christ as Cleansing by sprinkling 1 Pet. 1.2 by way of allusion to this act in Baptisme as the analogie thereof and it is more then probable that Baptisme in houses as was that of the Jaylors Act. 16.33 was Administred by sprinkling or pouring on not by dipping and the weakness of Children and coldness of our climate is a just Reason for this manner of Application so that either of these may be used without contention Water what way soever must be Solemnly and religiously applyed in the holy form and with the holy Rites which God hath appointed for every common washing or application is not Baptisme but water consecrated by the word of institution and prayer and as an act of worship to God and argument of faith applied in the name that is by the appointment and to the dedication of the person Baptized to faith in and holy profession of Father Son and Holy Ghost is the Sacrament of Baptism so that as the Apostle doth well check the horrid prophaneness of such as deemed the common eating of bread and drinking of wine to be the Lords Supper by declaring The Cup of blessing which we blesse is the Communion of the blood of Christ and the Bread which we break is the Communion of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 thereby pointing unto the solemne and Religious Rites which must distinguish the Lords Supper from common eating and drinking so the Solemne and Religious Application of water distinguisheth the Sacrament of Baptisme from all other common washing Conclus 3. Baptisme must be administred by a lawfull Minister this water may not be applied by every or any private hand the Lord Jesus hath joyned it in Commission with teaching and discipling so that such only that have the Authority of the one have the Authority of the other Baptisme is on all hands agreed on to be an act of office and Authority and not to be given by men out of office it is a Seale which must be stamped not by a childish impression but with Power and Authority to make it valid a ground of faith pleadable in prayer so that the Baptisme of women and private Persons on what pretended necessity soever it be is wicked and prophane nay in my judgement is void and null and not to be salved with a quod fieri non debuit factum valet that unlawfull things are valid when past and done though I cannot with the Donatists grant that the efficacy of the Ordinance depends on the dignity of the Administrator yet I cannot but believe that the Authority of the institutor is essentiall to every Gospell Ordinance to the Church and must be found in every Administrator Ordained Ministers must give us Sacraments I and preach the Word too if we will not be cheated of Salvation and content our selves with mock Ordinances my muddy brains could never yet conceive the God of Order to make Office and Authority essentiall to politicall transactions in Kingdomes and Common-wealths and yet to leave his Church in such confusion that the great Affaires of Salvation shall be dispenced by every common hand as if his care were more for the world then the Church which if it be I will never go to the House of God to behold the beauty of his Holiness which shines more brightly in the wide Wilderness Conclus 4. Baptisme must be administred unto fit subjects all Subjects sute not the Ordinance Creatures insensible and irrationall are incapable of the Grace of God and these holy Administrations thereof the baptizing of Bels Churches Fonts c. is a piece of Consecration neither prescribed nor allowed in the New Testament but to be damned as prophane and superstitious they must be the subjects of Life and Reason that will lie in the least Capacity of Grace and Holiness and such are the Sons of men Sons of men are Subjects capable of Grace and Holinesse but the speciall dispensations thereof in the Covenant of Grace and its Seales calls for speciall qualifications and therefore Baptisme may not be given to men as men and meerely the sons of Adam no they must first be the seed of Abraham Gen. 17.13 for the Covenant of God must be in their flesh and by Preaching they must be discipled into the Christian Church and see that the Promise is to them and to their Children before they be Baptized Act. 2.38 39. for Baptisme must be the Seale of the Righteousness of faith which we have being not yet Baptized Rom. 4.11 so that the fit Subjects for Baptisme must be not only men but Faederati such as Covenant with God to whom the Promise may be judged to belong they must be made Christians and lay hold on the Covenant of God and then be Baptised I could drive
most grosse ignorance to say that Circumsion Sealed to the naturall issue of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the land of Canaan and Promise thereof but not the Covenant of Grace whilst the matter sealed and very ground on which every man child must be Circumcised is expressely declared to be I will be thy God and the God of thy seed whilst the Holy Ghost tells us Circumcision was the seale of the Righteousness of faith which is the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4.11 and Circumcision was set on the flesh of the Profelyted Gentiles who never claimed nor possessed by the vertue thereof any portion of Canaan the land of Promise so that if this were the onely matter Sealed by Circumcision it did to them Seale a blank and they had by it no benefit again God doth lay an eminent claime to the naturall issue of the Jewes in their very Apostasies from him when he calls them out of Egypt he doth it with an especial claime let my People go Exod. 5.1 when he chargeth them with duty he enforceth it with relation ye are the children of the Lord your God Deut. 14.1 when he chides their abominable Idolatry he aggravates it by the sacriledg owning his own title Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters which thou hast born unto me and sacrificed c. Thou hast slain my Children and delivered them to cause them to passe through the fire for them in Ezek. 16.20 21. When he chastiseth them he comes to them as a Father Ye children of Israel you onely have I known as mine therefore I will visit you for your iniquities Amos. 3.1 2. and when he comes to deliver them from afflictions their sins provoke to continue the Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob is the onely cogent reason thereunto this is pleaded as the prevalent argument and ground of faith in prayer Exod. 32.14 Isa 64.9 And affectionately resented by the Lord Levit. 26.42 Ezekiel 16.59 60. I might deal with thee as thou hast done when thou didst despise the Oath in breaking the Covenant neverthelesse I will rememember my Covenant made with thee in the dayes of thy youth when I consider this carriadge of God toward Israel according to the flesh I cannot without blasphemy but think God to be more just then to lay such a speciall claime under the series of his dispensation towards Israel if by his Covenant with their Fathers he had not a cleare and unquestionable title to the posterity and it is to me a most senselesse and dull evasion to say that Israel were Gods People by right of Creation as wool and hempe and flax are his whilst he himselfe tells us he had chosen them to be a precious People unto himselfe above all people that are upon the earth Deut. 14.2 and you onely have I known above all the families of the earth Amos 3.2 Where doth God say of any Nation they are my people Israel excepted and is not the transmission of the Covenant to the Gentiles that which makes them who were not a People to be the People of the living God and unto this it may further be added that our Saviour in the very rejection of the Jewes when he declares them to be of their father the devill denieth them not to be the children of Abraham John 8 nay declareth them to be Children in the Right to the Grace he brought into the world in comparison of whom the Gentiles are called dogs Mat. 15.26 Nay and ownes them as children of the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 8.11 And St. Paul lamenting the rejection of his Kinsfolke aggravates their present miseries by their past mercies reckoning up their priviledges Adoption Glory Covenants Oracles the giving of the Law the Service of God the Promises the Fathers and the coming of Christ concerning the flesh but not a word of Canaan the great dreamed of Priviledge in Anabaptist view and determines these belonged not to Israel heires of Abrahams faith but to Israel his kinsfolk according to the flesh even the naturall issue of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. By all this and much more that hath been said by others and might be by me it is more then manifest that during the dispensations of the Covenant under the Law and to the Jewes the children of Gods Covenant People even as their children and without personall acts of faith were in Covenant with God and subjects capable of the initiating Seale thereof and me thinks under the Gospell if as undoubtedly it is the Covenant be substantially the same though ministerially different men should have more reason then to release such a priviledge without a very plain and clear reversall in the New Testament and limitation of the Covenant to adult and actuall believers which my dimme sight could never yet read nor dull brain conceive and more justice to themselves and Postesterity then if it be at their choice to change a Fee-farm to themselves and heires for ever for a Lease for a terme of life and meere personall title sure I am my little honesty would act me with such foolish selfe love more regard to the rejected Jew who are yet the beloved of God according to Election for the Fathers sake Rom. 11.28 And in hope to be Re-implanted into the Olive from which they were cut off can we with any confidence court them to a new Covenant with straiter termes shall we not earnestly emulate and highly provoke them to receive the Gospell by bidding them to their losse will not ingenuity engage them thus to retort why you perswade me to turn Christian as I am a Jew I beget Children to the Lord and bring forth an Holy seed the Priviledges of the Covenant is entailed on me and on my Naturall issue and therefore the Covenant of God is set on the flesh of my child assoon as born whereas if I turne Christian I bring forth children of wrath and beget children to the God of the world I have indeed a Personall right to the Covenant and am provided for during my own life but my children are turned into the wide world to sink or swim shift for themselves without any speciall Divine Protection is not a poor pittance with perpetuity better then more large enjoyments with so short a tenure never tell me of a better Testament on such tickle termes O the hopes the hopes of England to convert the late inlet Jewes their new inhabitants by such narrow and Honourable treaty and tenders of Grace and Salvation Lastly Me thinks men calling themselves Saints should have more Religion then to restrain the Grace God hath extended to themselves and feed and curtaile the Covenant that by the New Testament is conferred on the Believer and his issue naturall even as his child in infancy and before he acts any Personall faith when I consider little infants sucking the brests and brought in armes not able to go received by our Lord Jesus Christ by him blessed and pronouneed with others of the
have good reason to say we as such infants have by a long Tenure an interest in the Covenant shew us a clear Gospel Writ of Ejection if you think now to dispossess us Q. But have you any good ground in the New Testament on which infants as the natural issue of believing Parents may claim an interest in the Covenant A. Yes very much when we consider little sucking Babes brought in arms to be received by the Lord Jesus to be blessed by him to be declared members of the Kingdom of heaven propounded as such who ought to be received in his name as his disciples and not to be offended all which are the blessings of the Covenant and that the Apostle affirms of the Gentiles ingrafted in as well as the Jews cut off in Rom. 9. That if the first-fruits then the whole lump is holy if the root then the branches are holy and the branches do partake of the fatness of the olive we must cast away our reasons if we see not Infants interest in the Covenant Q. But have you not yet some plaiâ—er Scriptures to prove their title A. Yes the Apostle doth expresly say the Infants of one Christian Parent is holy 1 Cor 7.14 of real holiness none understand it natural holinâ—ss taking away the blot of bastardy supposing Faith essential to Marriage is too ridiculous to be received and then it must needs mean a foederal holiness by the extent of the Covenant and in the esteem of the Church And in Acts 2.38 the Apostle saith expresly The promise is to you and to your children This promise cannot be of extraordinary-Gifts because it is extended to all that shall be called nor is it to children when culled for that were not to them as children the Holy Ghost doth not use to speak non-sense and express personal qualifications by terms of relation but tels the believer his children as his children have a priviledge in the Covenant above other mens children so that it is plain such Infants are within the Covenant and according to their capacity to enjoy the Seals and Priviledges thereof Q. But they are not capable of being baptized because they can act nothing in the Ordiâ—ance nor can they make a profession of Faith and Repentance A. Nor is such capacity needfull for profession gives no right to Baptism but as an evidence of Covenant Interest and their right to the Covenant manifested by their descent from such Parents is as good a reason for their Baptism and the subjects of the initiating Seal do not act any thing as if God would thereby dictate inability to action shall be no bar to Baptism Q. But those we read of in Scripture that were baptized were at grown years A. So were those who were first circumcised but that was occasional and circumstancial The Church is founded in grown Trees but is to be edified by infant branches Q. But there is no institution for infant Baptism A. That Baptism is instituted cannot be denied Age or Infancy are only directions to whom to apply it and therein the qualification of Covenant Interest is according to Scripture the clear direction Moreover Infants may be Disciples bearing on them the name of Christ and are Members of Nations and so the Institution directing the baptizing of Discipled Nations is to them extended Q. But all you urge for infants baptism is by way of inference and consequence A. Scripture-Inference is Gods word binding mans conscience it was the way of Christ his convincing the Sadduces of the Resurrection and of Pauls preaching at Athens and is your only way to warrant womens Communion at the Lords Table and shall it not be of force to Infants Baptism Q. What benefit do you receive by your Baptism A. Much as I am baptized and enjoy that Ordinance of God and much as I was baptized in Infancy by the early enjoyment of it Q. What is your benefit received by the Ordinance it self A. A fit qualification to draw nigh to God with confidence Q. What do you mean by drawing nigh to God A. Not only the possâ—ssion of heavenly Glory when I die which I deny not but such may enjoy whom the providence of God cuts off before they can be baptized Nor only the private and personal acts of the soul which may be presented though not with much confidence acceptably to God before a man can be baptized after his Conversion he not living in contempt or wilful neglect of Baptism but I mean an approach to God in the Assemblies of his people to worship before him as a Member of his Church and one of his peculiar people to bear his name in the world and of his Royal Priesthood to offer up acceptable Sacrifice and enjoying all his Ordinances all which I do in assurance having my body washed with pure water Q. Is then Baptism the necessary qualification for approach to God A. Yes it is so necessary that the unbaptized may not appear in the Assemblies of his people The way of Christ his appearance in his Church as the Messiah was prepared by Baptism therefore John the promised Elias is called John the Baptist Baptism prepared Christ for his work of Mediatorship he neither prayed that we read of nor was tempted nor preached nor received the Testimony from heaven till he was baptized and if the head were thus sanctified much more must the members moreover Circumcision did sanctifie such as might come nigh to the Sanctuary and Baptism hath succeeded in the room signifies and seals the same Grace and in all things serve to the same end in the Christian Church that Circumcision did to the Jews Q. What is the use of Baptism that it should so qualifie with confidence in access to God A. By Baptism I am visibly interested in Jesus Christ Gal. 3.27 incorporated into his Church 1 Cor. 12.13 made a member of the houshold of Faith and Commonâ—ealth of Israel consecrated unto God Eph. 5.26 having holiness stamped on my flesh being sanctified by the washing of water by the word And in Covenant with God having the seal of the promise whereby God is become mine and I am dedicated to be his in faith and obedience to God Father Son and Holy Ghost All which are clear grounds of Faith to be improved unto my encouragement in approach unto God Q. Are all that are baptized partakers of these priviledges A. All that are baptized enjoy these Priviledges Visibly and Sacramentally in the judgement of the Church by whose just censure they may be deprived of them but not Savingly and Sincerely for to some the inward Grace is withheld from Gods outward Ordinance according to Gods holy purpose And many not acting Faith to claim lose the Priviledges sealed Baptism is in its nature and efficacy the same to all but by reason of the incapacity of some it is not always a like effectual Q. What principles or practices are to be condemned as contrary to this use of Baptism A.
like kind to be of the Kingdome of Heaven and propounded not onely as examples of meekness and humility but as objects of charity and observation not to be offâ—nded but awfully received because Christs name is placed on them and they are made his disciples so as that the receiving such a little child must be deemed the receiving of Christ and the offending one of these little ones a dolor more dangerous then a milstone hanged about his neck and being cast into the Sea Matth. 18.2 3 4 5 6. Mark 10.14 Luk. 18.16 And when I consider the Apostles position of the latitude of Sanctity not onely to the Jewes the naturall branches but the Christianized Gentiles accidentall branches wilde by nature but ingrafted in and partaking of the fatness of the Olive plainly affirming of both if the first fruits were holy so is the whole lump if the root be holy so is the branches Rom. 11.16 And I here by the way observe that from these priviledges the naturall branches were and accidentally may be cut off Lastly When I consider the Apostles clear and serious resolve to the case of Conscience propounded by the Corinthians concerning their children born of an Infidel not adulterous parent else were your children unclean but now are they holy 1 Cor. 7.14 The Anabaptist will not let us understand in this place Real holiness nor do we desire it and until that they have made it to appear that Faith is essential to Marriage which will put marriage in a good tendency to a Sacrament and please the Church of Rome it is too ridiculous to understand a natural holinesse I mean Legititimacie and acquittance from the blot of Bastardie and then I am constrained to understand a Foederal holiness in the extent of the Covenant and esteem of the Church These things I say considered I must pluck up my reason by the very root if I do not by undenyable consequence constraine my conscience to believe and preach this point of Doctrine viz In New-Testament times under the Gospel-administration of the Covenant of Grace the natural issue or infants of believing parents are in covenant with God and under the promises of salvation And when I look upon Peters encouragement to the converting Jews to believe and be baptized for the promise is to you and to your children even to all that are a far off as many as the Lord our God shall call Act 2.38 39. I must renounce my Grammar and little skill in reading plain English with the least of understanding if I do not read Believing Jews and their children and also believing Gentiles and their children have that interest in the Promise that may be to them a Ground of Faith and confer on them a Right to Baptism And the Anabaptist glosse that the promise was of extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghâ—st for these are not extended to all that are a far off when God doth call them nor created they any right to Baptism for many time they follow this Sacrament or that children when called to the faith of the Parent should have the right to the Promise for that is to them as called nor as children And my mind is very foggie I am much out if this terme of Relation do not dictate a Priviledge and Propriety by virtue of relation which children of such parents as children should enjoy above what children of other parents did or could enjoy is too short a Fescue to make me read otherwise Thus then it doth fully and plainly appear that under Old and New Testament administrations of the Covenant of Grace the infants of believing parents are Foederati within the Covenant and so fit and proper subjects of baptism to be baptized Nor is their incapacity of making a vocal profession of Faith any bar to their baptism for profession simply creates no right to baptism I never read the divil was baptized and I believe the Dipping Saints will not now baptize him Yet he really believed and more then once professed That Jesus Christ was the Son of God Profession as an evidence of Covenant-interest was the Churches guide to baptism and the Scripture giving another demonstration of Covenant-interest viz Descent from believing parents that is also regarded and the one to be no bar to the other but both in their place gives due direction who are foederates and to be baptized Nor is the Argument of any more force because the Scripture mentioneth vocal profession and baptism upon it but passeth the other in silence for occasional and circumstantial actions are no binding precedents or universal direction to the Church of God The Church is founded in grown persons whose Covenant-interest can be known no otherwise but by vocal profession but it may be edified by infant Branches who by a course of nature partake of the fatnesse of the Olive having the birth-right of the Covenant Thus it was with Abraham and his issue and so with us 2. Where the general nature of the Covenant with a long and particular exercise thereof doth dictate there needs no particular explâ—cite directions God in his wisdome designing our right understanding and rational improvement of the Covenant and our reverend esteem of the old Testament in its use and necessity to the Christian Church representing unto us the order of the administration of the Covenant and Circumcision refers us thither for direction concerning baptism and we must needs in reason see that the change of a meer Rite or Ceremony under the continuation of the substance and same Covenant will never admit a change of the subjects to be sealed Last of all Infants inability to action is no bar to their baptism because it voids not their interest in the Covenant and the Sacrament is such wherein they are to be meerly Passive When I observe God to have appointed the initiating Seal of initiating grace to be such where men of the greatest activity are altogether Passive he seemes to me to suggest these shall not act in their admission into the Church and receiving of my Covenant that inability to action may be no bar or hindrance to such as have no lesse interest in the Covenant and only Covenant-interest shall make capable of the Seal Let not any Antipaedobaptist think to amaze us by crying Why Sir on this ground infants may have a right to the Lords Supper for we say so too they have jus ad rem though not jus in re their right is not denyed though present incapacity hinders their injoyment These things considered we must tell the Anabaptist That infants right to the Covenant and enjoyment of the initiating Seale having been continued throughout the old world under the Law without the least controule and also under the Gospell for more then 1600 yeares without any Generall interruption or the least disturbance untill within this 200 yeares we must find better warrant to divest us of it before we part with it and our antiquity on so clear a
succession that some Antipaedo baptists have urged and talked of among you viz. Circumcision was a National priviledg and only sealed the promise of Canaan to the children of Israel If so how then came it to be used before Israel was a Nation and how came it to be used after the land was possessed and the promise accomplished Why doth Moses mention the Covenant of Grace I will be your God as the ground and reason of Circumcision To what doth the Circumcision of heart so frequently mentioned in Scripture allude it is often joyned with the Circumcision of flesh What was the benefit of Circumcision to the proselyted Gentiles We never read that by the virtue of it they demanded or the Jews divided to them any portion of the Land of Canaan And it will be an hard matter to make me believe it did to them Seal a Blank for that I find it in Scripture called A laying hold on the Covenant of God and the Uncircumcision are declared strangers to the Covenant and without God and without hope in the world Why doth the Apostle define Circumcision to be the Seal of the righteousnesse of Faith I find this phrase to denominate the Covenant of Grace and its Spiritual priviledges but that it ever denominated Canaan or any National priviledges I am yet to be informed And the limitation of it unto the personal faith of Abraham is so inconsistent to the scope of the Text absurde in it self and smells so much of Popish Bellarmine that I cannot but avoid I had almost said abhor it But lastly I would Quaery whether the adversaries of Circumcision sealing the Covenant of Grace did ever yet observe adjuncts separable from a Covenant to bear the name of a Covenant or did ever yet discern that the Land of Canaan was an appendant on the Covenant but not of the essence of the Covenant which if they well study I doubt not but they will correct their ignorance and the errors thence arising and so with us conclude That Circumcision sealed Spiritual priviledges to the Jews as Baptism doth to Christians and Baptism succeeding to its use and ends must have the same subjects and is now the special ground of confident approach to God Reas 4. The nature and order of Baptism doth dispose unto a confident approach to God Baptism is a Seal and the first Seal to the Covenant of Grace and Salvation and so is a ground of Faith and an encouragement in accesse to God But in the Nature of Baptism three things do dispose unto confidence in approach to the Lord 1. It is an Ordinance of Conjunction to the Church 2. Consecration to God 3. Confoederation with God And every one of these are Reasons of boldnesse in Access and assurance of Acceptance 1. Baptism is an Ordinance of coojuuction to the Church The Church is Christs Body and every individual Christian is the members thereof united by Baptism as by Nerves and Sinews None but the Church may come nigh unto God in Zion every one must appear before God Christ is only conversant with his Spouse if the Gentiles will draw nigh to the God of Jacob they must joyn themselves to Israel the people of the Lord and all believers that will come nigh to God must be added to the Church all the promises of God are made to the Church and all the administrations of the Covenant are in and to the Church Ex Ecclesia nulla Salus out of the Church no Salvation They that will come nigh to God as his children must be the daughters of Sion of the houshold of Faith and Commonwealth of Israel To be cast out of the Church is to be debarred all priviledges of grace delivered over to Satan for that relation to the Church is the only reason of every individual believers claim of promises and priviledges ground of confidence in all worship unto God and this relation is conferred by Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Greeks bond or free Baptism is the only badg of distinction to the Lords people the very door of admission into the houshold of Faith the very method of matriculation to Christ his Disciples and manner of adding to the Church such as shall be saved Act. 2.41 In a word Baptism is the band of union to all Gods servants binding them to a constant adherencie to his Name and joynt attendance on his Worship and is the bar of division from all others that are yet strangers to the Covenant so as that until baptized they may not communicate of the holy things of God with the Church nor come nigh with them to the Lord. In the Primitive times of the Church the Catechumenists who were preparing for Baptism not having been yet Baptized were sent from Church Communion and holy priviledges with the profane and paenitentiaries by the cry of Sacra Sacris holy things for holy men but when by Baptisme they were incorporated into the Church then they continued in prayer breaking of bread and every act of Worship to God with confidence so that till the Church appear our mother we see no warrant to call God Father his children are no vagrants in the high way and hedges and when begotten by uncorruptible seed of the Word were by Baptisme placed in the lap and laid to the brests of the Church then as her children we claim all the Priviledges of the Covenant and come to the throne of Grace with confidence nor may any without a forfeiture of Baptisme be judicially exacted by the Church deny our relation and liberty of accesse to God I never yet could conceive any warrantable reason to deny the liberty of accesse to the Lords table to such Baptized soules whose horrid profaneness and obstinate spirits did not make them obnoxious to the censures of the Church in order to their excommunications and dismembring from the body and certainly Circumcision did not more firmly incorporate unto the Church under the Law and conferre a liberty of approach unto the Sanctuary then Baptisme doth under the Gospell 2. Baptisme is an Ordinance of Consecration unto God God is a God of Holiness and will be sanctified in such as come unto him none may appear before him in their prophanenesse the Masse of Mankind is so prophaned with sin that men in common may not appear before God such as shall adore him must be adorned for him and if they will hold communion with him they must be consecrated to him God never comes nigh to Israel but he first calls to have the people Sanctified nor comes the Messiah before his Messenger had prepared his way Israel the onely Nation that holds communion with and comes to God are called an holy Nation because conâ—ecrated by Circumcision hence Circumcision is the terme and title of a Sanctified people but uncircumcision the title and terme that denominates the prophanations that might not come nigh to God It is Gods command
contempt and profane negleâ—t thereof that is not a little abounded to our shame and with grief of heart be it spoken in the midst of us were men but rightly affected with the nature of Baptisme they would see in it beauty and of it a great necessity Was not washing of the flesh necessary and the holy Garment glorious in Israel because they fitted for approach to God and entrance into the holy place if men were but really convinced that the body washed with pure water was a ground of assurance because a qualification of access to God that Bâ—ptisme is the onely band of union and doore of admission into the Church the formall consecration to the service of the living God what an esteem of Baptisme must needs possesse their hearts and make them not content without but carefull to pursue it as seeing into Gods presence there is no approach to such as are not sanctified by the washing of water through the Word but a pressing unto Gods Ordinances not thus prepared must be a presumption no less then damnable nay how would the sence of Baptisme affect the heart with joy whilst thereby we are made Members of Gods Church an higher priviledg then the Coronation of a King C. and made fit for the worship of an holy God the ground of all alacrity and boldnesse in the use of his Ordinances How must such a soule say what a happy condition am I now in who through Grace have my body washed with pure water and joyned to the houshold of faith and sanctified for the service of that consuming fire and Holy God whom to approach unto it 's the greatest happinesse man can enjoy whilst others are a far off debarred the Holy things of Grace and dare not intermeddle with the Holy things of God nor draw nigh unto his Holy place I come with freedome into his Sanctuary and claim the liberty and priviledges thereof by virtue of Baptism that Covenant of God which is upon my flesh in this therefore I will rejoyce before the Lord. Nay the sense of Baptisme as a qualification for accesse to God would set our hearts into a reverent use and dreadfull attendance on the administration of it to others whilest the Element is weak and simple its use and end must make it glorious and powerful whilst common washing is contemptible a bathing the flesh at the door of the Tabernacle in order to an entrance into the Holy place and appearance before God is dreadful â—â—â—â—â—gh Wax and parchment aâ—â— poor and viile base and common Commodities most Shops afford Commodities much higher prized yet these conjoyned by the hand of Majesty to make a Patent Deed or Magna Charta to secure some Grant priviledge or great revenue is of much more worth and value and received with more reverence and esteem if we look on water we see it is an Element as low as common as meâ—n in our esteem as ordinary in menâ— use and this is ready to raise in our hearts contemptible thoughts and make us say what a beggerly Element and base Administration is this What profit can be in the Application of an handfull of water But when we shall consider that water is applyed by vertue of Gods Command as a most sacred Ordinance to signifie the blood of Christ whereby we are cleansed from all sin to seale unto us the Covenant of Grace and all its priviledges of Salvation to set us in union with the Church to the enjoyment of all Gospel Ordinances and Sanctifie us as a peculiar people that may and must draw nigh to God in assurance of faith what lustre doth there appear in the Ordinance what reverence doth then raise our Spirits what high and honourable regard doe we then see we ow unto this common and contemptible act of Baptisme oh what prayers for efficacy what prayses for enjoyment what pleasure in administration must the consecrating qualifying and soule-encouraging assuring nature of Baptisme effect in all such as are seriously affected with Gods Holiness and the order of approach to him unto all such Baptisme is no carnall beggarly and unprofitable Element but a Glorious Spirituall Evangelicall Administration of exceeding dignity no Church complement and matter of indifferency that may or may not be used without any damage but a compleat duty by reason of Divine command and its own due nature disposing man into such a devout relation to God and so of indispensable necessity Vse 2. Is of reproofe justly to blame that disesteeme and disregard of Baptisme that is to be found among us our age of liberty hath set us so loose to Gospell Ordinances that many can be not onely content wiâ—hout them but also readily run into the contempt of them how few in the midst of us understand the nature and seek the use of Baptisme as a ground of â—aith and Ordinance of Consecration and so of confident access to God mens principles and practise doth proclaim their palpable ignorance of such priviledges possessed by the body washed with puâ—e water How many to our shame and with griefe be it spoken do use Baptisme as a meere Church complement and convenient Ceâ—emony to the content of their wives kinsfolke friends or neighbours bring their children to be Baptised without any awe of an Ordinance of God upon their spirit or apprehension of advantage to be by Baptisme conferred or design and intention of solemne dedication of their children to God and his service and so to have Gods name and Covenant stamped upon their flesh and them fiâ—ted for accesse to God in the Assemblies of his people and hence it is that they are at cost and care for the civilities that attend the Baptisme of their children but as for the Solemne praises of God for the blessing of the Covenant prayers for a blessing on an Ordinaâ—ce and carefull instruction of their Baptized children in the consecrating nature of Baptisme the boldnesse it creates and the duty of access to God it imposeth these come not into his thoughts cost him no care or pains his friends gone and work done he thinks himselfe well rid of a piece of trouble and pursues that dayes enjoyments to no more advantage nay how many sit so luke-warme in minds and affections to Baptisme that they think it to be a meer Ceremony and matter of indifferency if their body be washed they are content but they know no good it hath done them and if it be not washed they are as well pleased they see no losse they undergoe by the want of it and they can accompany with the Baptized or unbaptized in the Assemblies of Gods people and Administrations of Grace they matter not an outward Ceremony but look after the inward and hidden Man of the heart true and reall Grace without any outward Ordinance shall be the ground of their communion but say Circumcision or Uncircumcision avails not to them must it not be concluded that these men yet need to be
informed in the first rudiments of the Doctrine of God even the Doctrine of Baptismes and to be convinced that the body washed with pure water is the qualification prescribed by a glorious God to consecrate such as with confidence approach before him and so the contempt of it must needs be prophane and dangerous nay too many in the midst of us open their black mouths and give their blasphemous tongues the liberty of decrying and vilifying this Holy Ordinance envying against it as a carnal base beggarly Element an Excrementious Ordinance and Antichristian Idol and piece of abomination so horribly profane and impudent do impostors grow by liberty that they will outface God and speak blasphemously of Divine institution and the appointed order of accesse to God in the assemblies of his people Nay what shall we say to the rude recession of people from the application of Baptism to others or their irreverent attendance on it as if it concerned not them or were no part of Gods worship and of those eminent pretenders unto Saintship who disown the relation of men Baptized to God and themselves as the people of God standing at a distance from the consecrated to the Lords service as if profane and altogether strangers to the Covenant and many other profane carriages that are insuitable to so holy an Ordinance But Generalia non pungunt not to confine my self to Generals which will hardly reach the heart and consciences Give me leave to take notice of those principles and practises that are inconsistent with this holy use and nature of Baptisme and do indeed profanely militate against this doctrine that teacheth you That Baptism or the body washed with pure water is the especial qualification of confidence in approach to God in the assemblies of his people and I shall Rank them into this order and make them known by these names They are such who 1. Dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of accesse to God 2. Disown and decline their Baptism in their approaches to God 3. Disregard Baptism administred to others 4. Disesteeme the priviledges conferred by Baptism 5. Declare not to theirs Baptized the dignity and duty of Baptism 6. Deny the Baptized the liberty of accesse to God in the assemblies of his people and use of his Ordinances Unto each of these this Doctrine doth speak Reproof and Blame as we shall note in the particular consideration of them And First If the washing of the body with pure water or Baptism be the especial qualification of confident approach to God in the assemblies of his people then Generally are they too blame who do Dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of accesse to God Many in this Remisse age of ours can make Baptism a matter of no moment in their Communion they can hold Communion with baptized or unbaptised and cry out Circumcision or uncircumcision is to them nothing as if this Ordinance of Baptism were rendred indifferent as the nullified Ordinance of Circumcision And they themselves complain of rigor and severity in such as impose Baptism as the ground of Communion in the Church and decline the administration of holy things to the unbaptized these call for inward grace the answer of a good conscience Real love to Jesus Christ and then they care not whether they ever passe under the outward Ordinance or be Baptized And herein the Lukewarmnesse of private men is not so much to be blamed for that the leaders of the people cause them to erre some that stand in the midst of you as guides and professe themselves Ministers of Jesus Christ and teachers of the truth have not been affâ—aid if I may not say ashamed positively to affirm and in this Pulpit plainly to teach as the very mind of God Tha Baptism is not the ground of Church Communion but real Grace the answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and therefore did offer and affirm That although a man were altogether ignorant of the Doctrine of Baptism and had never passed under that outward Ordinance yet he could own him as a member of the Church hold Communion with him and admit him to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ and much to this purpose which stands in a direct contradiction to this truth and declared use of Baptism For if it be the qualification of accesse to God the door of admission into the assemblies of Gods people and way of consecration unto Communion in the holy things of God must it not needs be profanenesse to administer the holy things of God to such as are not thus qualified and presumption to invite such unto the participation of them But a little to expostulate with the asserters of this Baptism-subverting notion Will God be worshipped by outward Ordinaces and must these Ordinances be enjoyed in order some preparing for participation to others Is Baptism the first Ordinance of the Gospel Initiating Seal of the Covenant Door of admission into the Church and method of Matriculation into the houshold of Faith and way of consecration unto Communion with God and his people Is it not reckoned among the first principles of the Word of God to be learned by all Disciples entred into Christ's School And if so must it not be horrid profaneness to decry the knowledge of Baptism and its Doctrine To expose communion with God and his people to common hands never sanctified and by body washing separated from the heap of mankind on whom Baptism never stamped holinesse and grosse impiety to fling open the door of Gods house that dogs and swine may enter at pleasure there being no baptismal badge of distinction between them and the children of God Is it not great prodigality to offer the priviledges of the Covenant to every hand not having any Sealed interest whereon to claim Is it not grievous presumption to decline the directed order of the Gospel and dispence the holy things of God in a way and method contrary to that whereby Christ and his Apostles either injoyned or administred them Must not this needs be Superstition Will-worship a laying waste Divine directions and running from the Rule of Scripture and due method of holy things Must not God in his Jealousie needs arise and say to such Ministers as to the keepers of the Sanctuary Ezâ—k 44.7 You have enough of all abominations seeing ye have brought into my house the unbaptized in flâ—sh and in spirit To what end do these men Baptize any or urge any to be Baptized In this assertion Baptisme is proclaimed a matter of indifferency nay a meer nullity an action of no advantage administred to no end for if it confer not outward Priviledges it will never conveigh inward Grace And thus the institutions of the Lord Jesus stands charged with folly and vanity and the Ordinances of the Gospel are made Complements and bootlesse Ceremonies but rather the Spirit of seduction is evidenced to be prophane notoriously wicked willingly withstanding Divine order and in
valid and of force the Grant of a cruel King and profane Prince will be by these men admitted as the substantial binding Charter of the peoples Priviledges we read often of the proâ—anenesse of the Priests of Israel but never of a nonentitie brought upon Gods Ordinances in their hand If they be in Moses Chair though we must not do as they do we are bound to the attention and obedience of what they say It is not impossible for a man to preach to others and himself be a cast away I never read that the Baptism of those Baptized by the unworthy hand of Judas was ever pronounced void or null A pure Ordinance is unhandsome in a profane hand but yet its essence is not impaired it is Gods Ordinance effectual to its end So that if they were Baptized by Ministers though unworthy wherein I wâ—sh charity be not violated for that many know not who they were they do censure as unworthy nay some worthy men to themselves so known they now call unworthy it is a corrupâ—â—on consistent with the essence of the Ordinance not any way destructive to its being The same is to be said for the annexed Ceremonies that they were profanely added but yet did not nullifie the Ordâ—nance but it stands in full force as a ground of confidence in access to God But secondly As they appear greatly irrational in inferring more then their premises will allow so they are Grosly ignorant nay I fear many wilfully shutting their eyes may be charged to be grosly obstinate They renounce their Baptism under the notion of Superstition not considering they run into the sin of Sacriledge charity must perswade us these men understand not the method and ministration of the Covenant of Grace otherwise they could never charge Infant Baptism with superstition which is the very application of Gods Ordinance to its proper subjects and so Sacrilegiously rob God his Church believing parents and their children of those holy duties and Dignities that belong unto them Have we not before noted that they who are in Covenant with God ought to be Baptized and is not this the principle wherein we all agree And if these men know any thing of the method and and ministration of the Covenant must they not needs confesse That the natural issue of one or both believing Parents are in Covenant as we have before proved and so fit subjects for Baptism that may and must be made partakers of the first initiating Seal of which God hath made them capable in their Passive age and estate Can any stand convinced that such infants are as soon as born the Lords Heritage Psal 127.3 The Lords servants Lev 25.42 Children begâ—tten to him Ezek. 16.20 21. Holy ones Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 Children of the Covenant Act. 4.25 To whom belongs the promise Act. 2.28 Interressed in the prâ—viledges of the people of God Mar. 10 14. and withhold the keeper of the Sanctuary and Stewards of Gods houshold from setting of Gods mark in their flesh or withstand their dedication unto God Must not we give Caesar the things that are Caesars and God the things that are Gods Will not God account it a Râ—bbery tâ—at they which are his shall be withheld from him Again câ—n any consider the issue of believing Parents to be the Churches Children begotten to the Lord Ezek 16.20 an holy seed scattered for her increase and yet snatch them out of her armes and cast them out of her bosome into the wide wildernesse of the world Shall not the Church lament and refuse to be comforted whilest she is bereaved of her babes and as a Bear robed of her whelps Will not such robbery prove her ruiâ—e and the drying up her seed hinder her increase and make her bâ—rren and fruitlesse Again shall the children of such believing parents be borne members into thâ— houshold of Faith and not be incorporated by Baptism Shall Loyalty be their born duty and not Gods Livery their dignity Shall the Covenant of Grace be the Charter of their priviledge and the Seals not be applyed to them as tâ—ey are capable of receiving them Shall they be holy in their kind and the badg of distinction be denyed them If any thing would make a new born babe to speak sure this Sacriledge would do it there is reason for the real demand that is fabled of one Rumball Son to an English King at Brackâ—ly in Northhamptonshire that as soon as he was born he requested to be Baptized for that he was a Christian Iâ— it not a cruel Sacriledge to shut out of the Ark of Salvation such whose title to entrance cannot be denyed Yet further is Baptism the only visible evâ—dence God hath given to parents of the extent of the Covenâ—nt to their children and shall any deprive them of this reason of hope cause of joy ground of Faith in prayer and spur to duty in dedication to God and education of their children for God So that these things considered such as on this ground of being Baptized in infancy do renounce thâ—ir Baptism do out of ignorance of Gods Covenant commit most horrid Sacriledge by robbing Gâ—d of his Heritage the Church of Children and the beâ—efits of the administration of Baptism to infants which by Gods grace I shall shew to be great the children of believing parents of their Seal of the Covenant of which they are capable and their Parents of that ground of Faith the administration of the Covenant doth award them And so they g ve us cause not only to charge them with irrationality in fancrying Gods holy Ordinance to be superstition but in the language of the Apostle to say Thou that abhorrest Idols dost commit Sacriledge Rom. 2 22. So that not only Groundlesly but even contrary to Divine method and order they disowning the regular washing of their body in pure water do divest themselves of that Seal of Sanctity and veâ—ture of holinesse by which they were fitted for a confident approach to God and decline the assembles of Gods people in which alone the Lord is to be adored and joyn themselves to false assemblies where they are consecrated to and come before God in a way that is not of his appointment nor can expect his approvement how high soever false hopes and joyes may carry their sâ—irits For those to whom they joyn are divided from the Church of Christ and void of all commission to administer the holy things of God if you look at their constitution you shall find it is no other then seâ—f-congregation with the cry of all the Lords people are holy and invectives against Aaron and Moses as they which take too muâ—h upon them the which I could never yet find warranted in Scripture but is remarkably condemned in the company of Kâ—rah that were thus constituted Ministerial authority is no lesse essential to Constitute a Church of Christ then Magistratical to constitute a Corporation or Company my litt e skill in Politicks could never
acts of Adoration the holy service that is assigned by their Lord and King much lâ—sse sh uld such Apostatize from the Profession of that Nâ—me and run into open Rebellion against him with whom they stand confederated bound in Covenant Can any think Baptisme to be the bond of union and nerve of incorporation with the Church of Christ and not Sympatâ—ize with her under all the changes of her condition much lesse câ—n such make Schisms in or separation from her body and forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is Much is the advantage Baptism once received may administer to a fâ—ul all his dayes if by raâ—ionalâ— acts of faith it were improved either as a moral instrument or outward sign exhibâ—ting matter of meditation or as a Divine Ordinance and Seal of the râ—ghteousnesse by Faith established to assure of the promises of Grace and Salvatâ—on And yet to our shame be it spoken how little thereof is reaped by regardlesse we Baptism is a memorial of our misery and Gods mercy a manifest expression of that natural uncleannesse which sets us at a distance from God and eminent act of sanctifying unto an accesse to God and yet how many make no use of it nor find matter of meditation by it God hath appointed it an instrument of Regeneration and Salvation how few find these effects produced by it nay improve it thereunto It is that Seal that assures of interest in all the promises of Grace yet when do men propound it to themselves as a ground of Faith or plead it in prayer How many live in such profanenesse that the Church may charge them to have forgotten that they were purged from their old sin and God may complain that they have broken their Baptismal Oath yet Baptism is to them a mean and weak argument of conviction Wâ—en I consider the dulnesse of profane Christians under the enfoâ—cements of their Baptism even ministerially urged I could wish according the sometime custome used in the Primitive times of the Church when men are Baptized they might leave behind them a white garment as a witnesse of their Baptism that so we might upbraid wicked men as the Deacon of the Church did Elpidâ—phorus when revolted from the Faith saying O Elpidophorus I will keâ—p this white garm nt as a monument agaiâ—st thee to all Eternity When I consider the Scripture aggravating guilt with this circumstance they have forgotten that they were purged it dictates to my mind that the condemnation of Christians will be more grievous because of their Baptism If this water quench not Lust it will make Wrath burn more vehemently Though I cannot consent to the Novatians cruel and groundlesse conclusion That sin after Bap ism is unpardonable I dare affirm That every sin not resistâ—d by Bâ—ptism will be more then ordinarâ— y damnable to the Bap ized What an answer to every temptation unto sin is the soul furnished withal that is appreâ—ensive that in Baptism he did renou ce the flesh the world and the divel and devote himself to a conformity to the death of Christ and stands dedâ—cated to â—n holy God in whose presence â—e may not presume defiled with sin This Argument if â—mproved by a Rational act of Faith is of more advantage because it is plaine and common ready at hand to reflâ—ct and easie to be understood and obvious to the eye of men without and within the Church by which we are lyable to be upbraided by the very enemies of Christ That we are Baptized the whole Church will witnesse and shall not we have rec urse unto our Baptism as a bâ—r to our profanenesse Shall Circumcised Israel live in the vilenesse and vanitâ— of the uncircumcised Gentiles And hath God made Baptism a badg of distâ—nction between the holy and prophane and shâ—ll we not make it a bar of divi on between their unclean Lusts and our holy Lives to live without mortification of sin and quickning to all holy duties do h clearly declare we have never yet understood the nâ—ture of Baptism nor used it to its end As this Deadnesse in sin so the Despoâ—denâ—y of the Spirit in Duty to which even the best of men are subject doth witness a disesteem and disreâ—ard of their Baptâ—sm of which they can sometime boast though in it they cannot rejoyce A rigâ—t apprehension and real sense of Baptisme as the qualification of confident approâ—ch to God would dissolve many doubts if but duely urged by Faith Ordinances of God are given for our encouragements but rational acts of Faith must pass from us to enforce them to their end What is said of the Word is true of Baptism it profits not becaâ—â—e not mingled with Faith in them that hear it many a sâ—d soul comes tremblingly inâ—o Gods presence and goes more troubled out and the reason is they do not righty husband Gods Ordinances to the soul they passe from Oâ—dinance to Ordinance but never consider tâ—e one entitles to and fits for the enjoyment of another They suck no sweetnesse fâ—om all Sacred administrations sometimes they abstain from and ofteâ—times approach to God in his Ordinances and the discharge of holy duties as afraid they have no right to nor fitnesse for these priviledges yet are sanctified by the wâ—shing of water they complain they see no interest in the Covenant and yet the Seal of the Covenant is in their flesh they cry out they are aliens and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel and yet are Baptizâ—d into one body aâ—d incorporated into the Congregation of the Saints they dare not caâ—l God Father yet were châ—ldren begotten unto him bear his marke and as soon as born were by him owned and plâ—ced in the bosome of his Church and do wear the coat he prepared for his Josâ—ph They see many good things promised in the Covenant but know not how to clâ—im any of them in Prayer and they have the Broad-Sâ—al of heâ—ven to secure thâ—ir title Unto these souls let me freely say Shall God give you a ground of encouragement will you not use it Shall he call for an aâ—proach in full assurance for thâ—t the bâ—dy is washed with pure water and will you not yield it Dâ—d God mock you when he gave you the dignity of Baptisme or is it not your madness that makes it not a check to your g iefs and curb to your fears Shall your prâ—ctice proclâ—im the truth of that which the Papists hâ—ve endeavoured to châ—rge on the Reformed Chuâ—câ—es viz. That â—hey make Bâ—â—tism a nudum signum a bare empty sign of no use or advantage to the Soul Is Gods seal in vain and sanctification by the washâ—ng of water to no purpose and matriculation into his houshold a matter of no moment that thou makest them no ground of Faith nor encouragement to thy soul Was not Circumcision of great benefit to the Jewes d d not God claim them by it when gone astrâ—y from him and they
the Covenant that assureth them of the high priviledges of Salvation doe not only slight this holy Ordinance of Baptism but also sinfully transgress Gods command shew their natural affection to be diverted from its right channel cure for the chiefest good and set their children under an inevitable necessitie of sleighting the Ordinance starting aside from God to whom they know no relation We finde it our grief that our children are prophane when it is no other than the production of our own neglect We can easily complain of their impietie but where is the man that as soon as his child is sensible doth season him with the knowledge of his miserie by sin Gods mercy in the Covenant of Grace and his special engagement to holiness for that he beares on him the name of God from his very birth and that imprinted by his Baptisme when his body was washed with pure water The sixth and last sort whose principles and practise doe plainly millitate against the nature of Baptisme and cleerly doe contradict the same are such who deny the baptized the libertie of access to God in the assemblies of his people This I well know to relate unto the most eminent professors of Gospel order and pretenders unto pietie that are among us and therefore the most tender rebuke will seem to be railing violence and bitterness But be it what it will sin against Gods Ordinances must not pass without a zealous and serious reproof Such among us as affect the term of Congregational Brethren in the gathering of their Churches run into an extreme as farre wide on the one hand as the loose levelling Familists and Anabaptists are on the other These dictate a liberty of access to the unbaptized and those denie it to the baptized We must needs imagine they agree both in one principle that Baptisme is not the ground of communion with the Church visible nor qualification of access to God For if it be otherwise as we have noted it must be prophaneness to admit without it and they have need of good warrant that will acquit themselves from impietie in excluding the baptized from these priviledges That such are among us who debarre the baptized from their priviledges is so obvious to every observant eye of the now only cryed up Church way that I need not much urge demonstrations thereof I well know some whose practice proclaim it in their principles will disown it but it is the property of that congregating way to couch their principles until their practice have proved their truth and goodness and proclaimed them to others But if in the termes charged any shall deny this to be acted among us I shall desire to understand why they declare privatly and publiquely men baptized to be strangers to God and his Covenant why doe they decline communion with and a care of baptized soules as members of the Church and dictate a necessitie of their coming into Church-way and fellowship and why doe they direct other wayes for admission of Church members is there any terms more ordinarie in the mouthes of the congregated saints towards those whom they live amongst than doggs without unbeleevers not in a Church way Doe not the pastors â—f these private it may offend if I say separate assemblies in their publique ministrie speak unto their baptized hearers as aliens strangers to the Covenant and Common-wealth of Israel men in the High-wayes and Hedges Doe they not call them into their self congregated and constituted Churches as the only Churches of Jesus Christ Doe not the particular members of these assemblies appropriate to themselves the title of saints beleevers the people of God the brethren If they know or deale with a man professing the same God and Christ baptized and of a Godly conversation but not in their Church-way they cannot know him in any Christian relation but can oppose to him a member of their private aâ—â—sembly by the name of brother such an one as if the other were no brother Nay further do not they decline communion with the baptized even such whom they cannot charge with any visible prophanenesse and against whom the Church never proceeded in censure Hence they withdraw themselves from publique assemblies in their speciall administration of Church priviledges denominate themsâ—lves the Church and decline all Church actions towards such as come not into their Church-wayes though their Pastors will possesse the places and make a shift to compell the late cried down parochial maintenance yet of the people in common they take no charge Brethren will not own them as objects of first or second admonition Pastors will neither admit to the Lords table the unblameable parents nor baptize or catechize their Children nor exercise any act of discipline towards the disorderly in order to their conviction and salvation but in all things so demeane themselves towards the baptized as men without the pale of the Church meere heathen for Church ministrations are as much reserved from them as from such who never yet had holinesse stamped on them And if any doe incline to associate with them in the holy things of God they must bee admitted Members and enter at the door of a Church-Covenant or mutuall agreement among themselves and declaration of the worke of Grace upon their hearts and their experiences of God which these Congregational-men have set up If this dialect and deportment doe not declare that liberty of accesse to God in the assemblies of his people is denied to the baptized I know not how to judge it And how this will consist with the nature use and end of Baptisme I cannot discern If by the washing of water we were sanctified how were we prophaned and again laid common I never yet could understand any divine rejection I am sure it is much contrarie to Gods wonted method and patience to cast off a people adhering to him though subject to many aberrations and vile actions towards him and the extraordinarie pleasure of God is yet to be manifested And if God count us holy and continue the libertie of our access to him in his Ordinance they must produce a good commission that shall cast us out as prophane and unclean if they expect we should be therewithall contented If Baptisme doe incorporate into the Church of God doth it not intitle to all the priviledges of the Church and binde us to use them and the Church to allow us the use of them according to our capacitie If we are baptized into one bodie have we not the same relation to them that others have Are we not all of one familie members of one bodie and brethren sonnes of the same father Ought not all the Church to be the Pastors charge Is not the rebuke of the disorderly his duty as well as his encouragement of the orderly Doth not Baptisme so knit us one unto another that we are bound to watch over one another and doe all brotherly duties Why else doth the Apostle make it
an argument there is one Baptisme Ephes 4. we are all baptized into one bodie I would fain know of what use Baptisme is to them is it not the same to others baptized To count the baptized dogges men without to disown their brotherhood and the like must needs denie that Baptisme is the dore of admission into the Church and yet this in terms they will not say though they carrie towards them as without and call them to be members of the Church who are members of the Church on as good a ground and as cleer a method as themselves If this be not a solecisme in Christianitie I know not how to make any As for their admission into the Church by Covenant Agreement or profession it is cleerly without Scripture prescription or primitive president that ever I could yet finde and I can deem it no other than an inhumane invention if I may not call superstition the countenance of which it bears in my eye whilest it stands in the place of Baptisme is made the only way of consecration unto Church communion whereby it plainly supplants Gods Ordinance These things I note but cannot stand to debate intending a reproof not dispute and to let men see the sinfulness of this sacred way of independencie and gathering of Churches out of Churches whilest it stands guilty of a contempt of Gods way of access unto him and admission into his Church of censorious uncharitableness towards their brethren invested with the reason of relation to the Lords people and constitution of Church membership in a way of meer humane invention I confesse I have heard it often noted that the difference between Independents and others is not so much as to maintain an irreconcileable distance and I say so too I could wish they were more friendliely united As to the single point of Discipline they shall have my consent for a brotherly toleration of its exercise till they are weary of it But as for their separation from the Churches of Jesus Christ self congregation into a Church and seclusion of baptized souls from sacred Ordinances and the like they seem to me so repugnant to truth and order and ruinous to Gods Church and Ordinances that I cannot without sinne but stand a professed enemie thereunto Let not men think that I allow the prophaneness of Christians because I alledge their interest in the coÌ„mon administration of the Covenant or that I think their enjoyment may not be interrupted because I cannot consent their interest be denied them I have learned to distinguish between right and possession and where the one is cleer the other may be justly sometimes with held I well know prophane Christians are unseemly Saints yet Saints scandalous Disciples yet Disciples disorderly Brethren yet Brethren vessels of dishonour yet vessels in the same house to the Masters use That Church members be for a time suspended from particular priviledges may be admitted but at private brethrens pleasure to be sleighted as no members is not to be endured That obstinate incurable members be cut off is the Church her duty but that the Church be cast off is the congregational impietie Is there baptized persons in works denying the God they profess Is there a brother a drunkard an adulterer and the like Doth not Baptisme appropriate them to the private admonition of particular brethren and publique inspection of Church officers Is not the delivering them to Satan for the buffeting of the flesh that the soul may be saved their priviledge by Baptisme If these holy men would talk of correcting casting out cutting off disorderly baptized souls it would sound well in my â—ares but to talk of gathering Churches coming into Church-way admission of members and the like amongst those that bears holiness in their flesh and have on them the qualification of access to God sounds so harshly in my eares that I cannot but abhor it as inconsistent with the nature of Baptisme exposing it to contempt making it of no effect endangering the subversion of the Church and the ushering in of Paganisme whilest the baptized finde themselves rejected and not looked after as of any relation to God they cannot but resigne up themselves to their own lusts run into an ignorance of and estrangedness to God It seems to me a most just plea that is made by Christians in common Were we baptized why are we disowned as to relation to God and his Church and cast out of all the care of the Church as if we were thereunto strangers If the seal of God be on us why doe our breâ—hren lift up themselves above us and engross to themselves the titles termes priviledges that belong in common to all baptized souls If we walk unworthy our relation we are willing to be corrected but must we needs lose our interest and be thrust out of our fathers inheritance by our brethren our forfeiâ—ure never being judicially exacted Gods Ordinances we could bear though never so cross to our nature because thereunto we are bound by our Baptism but the new wayes pursued by our brethren and to us proposed are grievous to us because we finde them not in the grand Charter of our priviledge willingly we would walk with God in duty and draw nigh to him in the assemblies of his people for that we are thereunto consecrated but herein we are debarred and driven at a distance as if Doggs not Children Heathens not Christians Aliens to the Covenant not Heirs of Grace If we goe astray we think those that are set over ought to seek us as sheep not suffer us to wander as goats We have cause to complain that our Shepheards feed themselves not the flock they feed the flock and clothe them with the wooll kill the fat but feed not the sheep The weak they have not strengthned the sick they have not healed nor have they sought that which was lost nor brought again that which was driven away but with crueltie and rigor have they ruled us We were scattered without a shepheard and when we were dispersed every beast of the field devoured us We were sheep though wandring upon every high hill and mountain Gods flock though scattered through the earth and none sought after us If the Lord Jesus subscribe and accept not this complaint as just and good I know nothing of Gospel method or order Thus then I have noted the vanitie and vileness of those whose carriage contradicts the nature of Baptisme and bespeaks them insensible of it as an especial qualification for confidence in access to God in the assemblies of his people The third and last use of this Doctrine is by way of exhortation unto two especial duties First Acquaint we our selves with the holy nature of Baptisme Secondly Act we the course of our lives and carriage as those whose bodies are washed with pure water Of these give me leave to speake a word in their order and first of the first Acquaint we our selves with the holy
hold the Scepter Present incapacity of use is no barre to the laying the foundation of a future claim Many men at years must revâ—ew the Decrees concerning their estates which were sealed in Infancie Infants may have their Baptisme as soon as born whereby they must claim the Covenant when they come to years of capacity 6. Rule The baptized not arguing joy and duty from their Baptisme doe sinne against the nature of the Ordinance and either disown its institution to that end or deny its efficacie thereunto and disesteem its specialty as related to the Covenant and people of God Therefore deliver we our selves from sin and let us carefully improve our Baptisme as the qualification that fits us for a confidence in approach to God The fourth exhortation is to Parents Christian Parents With ardent care and affection present your Infants unto Baptisme and instruct them in their baptismal priviledge Your children may nay must by your care come nigh to God Let them then be consecrated they are as your natural issue an holy seed begotten to the Lord Holy in the esteem of the Church and extent of the Covenant partakers of the fatness of the Olives Heirs of the promise of Remission and Salvation Children of the Covenant bearing Christ his Name as his Disciples to be received not offended as we have before proved And shall not they come nigh to God enter into his Sanctuary be joyned to the assemblies of his people Hath not Christ said to the rebukers of such approach Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for such are of the kingdome of heaven and capable of my blessing and shall not then Infants be admitted members of Christ his body and have the seal of the Covenant set in their flesh and holiness stamped on them Shall they not be consecrated to the Lord hath not the Lord appointed the same sanctifying Ordinance to root and branches and will you not with care and affection pursue it Shall God give your children Covenant interest and shall not your paternal care provide for the confirmation of it by the seal of which they are capable Would you not affectionately contend for their interest in a worldly estate neglect it not in an heavenly but when God gives you children be carefull with all convenient speed to give them back again to God When you have brought forth heirs of the Covenant with due reverence bring them to Gods Church to be inrolled and have their interest sealed by Baptisme Provoke not God to meet with you as with Moses for your neglect of sanctifying your seed by his holy Ordinances Let not your children have cause to curse and complain of your neglect of their baptisme Let not your affection to your Infants baptisme be cooled or care for it be checked by the foolish exceptions of their adversaries whilest you see their interest is cleer What if it be objected that all the arguments for their Baptisme is by way of inference and consequence Is not Scripture consequence Gods word binding conscience produced by our Saviour as a ground of faith to prove the Resurrection and his own sufferings Is it a sufficient warrant of womens receiving the Lords Supper and will it not prove Infants right to Baptisme and direct the subjects to whom a sacred Ordinance must be applied I have before evidenced Infants right to Baptisme and given sufficient answer to the objections urged against it I would now engage you Parents to make conscience of your duty to baptize your children Contract not on your selves the guilt of the sacriledge before noted and the more to encourage you hereunto let me shew you some of those many advantages that attend the infant season of Baptism wherein it is to be preferred before baptisme at grown years Reverend Mr. Forde in his practicall use of Infant-Baptisme hath very affectionately enforced this argument and shewed many benefits I refer you seriously to read them And for your present help let me wish you to consider that Infant Baptisme confers on us these several priviledges which adult Baptisme leaves us without 1. Infant Baptisme expresseth sin nature 2. Explaineth the benefit of Relation and the method of the Covenant and eminently dignifyeth the children of such parents 3. Enlargeth and establisheth the Church 4. Exciteth Repentance 5. Enforceth Faith 6. Engageth duty 7. Encourageth under death None of these doe so naturally flow from the baptisme of men of grown yeeres as wee shall plainly see by a particular consideration of them The first benefit by Infant-Baptisme is That it expresseth the sin of nature and engageth against it Baptisme doth it self declare sinne to bee defiling but the spreading propertie thereof is evidenced by Infant-Baptisme They are washed must needs witness they are uncleane but their early Baptisme must needs note their uncleannesse is in their nature not in their persons for poor Babes they have acted neyther good nor evill That Babes must beare the paine of Circumcision bespeaks a foreskin upon their heart that makes them prophane to God The Baptisme of men at yeeres doth indeed minde them that they are filthy but that is a filthiness of their person evidencing that they having committed many actual corruptions that appears to them but that they are transgressors from the womb conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquiry of a prophane lump and polluted in their very being it no way at all convinceth no that is the language of the baptized before actuall sin The baptisme and burial of our babes hath ever been in the Church of God two unanswerable arguments against the Pelagian fancie that children have no imbred corruption but sin by imitation If we give away the first it is just God should take away the second by giving us barren wombs Infants Baptisme was urged by Austin against Pelagius to the puzling of him in his denyal of original sinne yet he never denyed them to be baptized which had been a ready answer nor was he ever able to withstand the consequence For if baptized before polluted in person they must needs be unclean in nature before actual sin pass from them original sin must needs be upon them before they are capable of any imitation then they must needs be the subjects of imbred corruption For Baptism cannot be denyed to be Gods Ordinance of Remission and Regeneration and further this evidence of hereditarie sin must needs engage hereditarie enmity and so irreconcileable hatred much more violent and implacable than that which is personal being inforced by the antiquity of the quarrel it runs in a blood and passeth from parents to children I have observed a great aptitude in the enemies of Infants Baptisme to embrace the Arminian fancies and deny all original sinne And it is no marvel whilest their principles are so neer of kin one Error will easily ingender another As ever you will make visible the sin of nature baptize your babes before they be stained with actual
kingdome all my dayes thou hast done me good yet wretched I have sinned against such a God ungratefull I have been ready to forsake thee my God and my fathers God and have dealt falsly in thy Covenant It might be just with thee to deal with me as I have dealt with thee when I despised the oath in breaking the Covenant but in thy mercy Lord I pray thee Remember thy Covenant thou madest to me in the dayes of my youth and establish it for an everlasting Covenant that I may know the Lord that I may remember and be ashamed and never open my mouth any more because of my shame when thou art pacified towards me for all that I have done against the God of my father and the God of my youth Now will I live in loyalty to so good a God if thou wilt give me to be sanctified by the blood of sprinkling and my old man to be crucified by Baptisme which by thy Grace shall be the awe of my soul and answer of my heart unto every temptation to sin against thee This benefit cannot be effected by adult Baptisme which affords no such matter of meditation apprehending the dispensations of God to be only personal and therefore to be personally improved The fifth Benefit of Infant-Baptisme is that it enforceth faith towards God Baptisme as a seal of the promise pledge of love and sanctifying Ordinance of God is a ground of faith pleadable in prayer by all its subjects but receiveth not a little force from the season of its application in infancie whilest it self witnesseth the Covenant it seals the season of its use witnesseth the extent of the Covenant to beleevers and their seed and creates a ground on which to claim protection as well by early seizure as covenant proprietie not to note how all the Graces of God in order to salvation and good things of this life even all things pertaining to life and godliness are assured to the soul by Baptisme as the seal of the Covenant The Parent can with faith thus plead from the season Lord my childe is thine in Covenant to thee begotten to thee dedicated by thy seal on his flesh Oh! wilt thou own him Remember him take care of him establish thy Covenant with him let all the graces of thy promise be performed to him let not Satan seduce him from thy service to which he is so soon sealed How much doe I owe to thee that makest Grace to run through Natures channel my loins Lord let him in time know and have faith to claim his interest keep him from the property of prophane Esau that he despise not his birth-right in thy Covenant which thou hast sealed to him in the sight of thy people by his baptisme And as the Parent so the person baptized acting faith in the Ordinance doth thus enforce it from his Infant season of enjoyment of it God is a gracious God in calling my parents he had respect unto my good before I had a being he graciously established w th them a Covenant which he extended to their seed I no sooner sprang from the womb but he owned me as his own and called me by his name and set the seal of his Covenant in my flesh as studious to forestall the choice of my corrupt will which would never have chosen him he challenged me and caused me to be dedicated to his service as sensible of Satans malice he made an early seizure of me and set his mark upon me and before there was in me the least of act or qualification he sanctified me to himself by the washing of water What ever doubts may deter me I will now draw nigh unto him and depend upon him for he that was so soon gracious in extending and sealing to me the Covenant will faithfully perform it My condemnation will be most just if I having such grounds of faith should be cut off by reason of unbelief now I will walk before and wait upon him for he will not now forsake me or suffer Satan to repossess me and take me out of his house and family The sixth Benefit of Infant-Baptisme is That it engageth more to duty than adult Baptisme Herein it is of use to the Parent and baptized child How much of argument doth Infant-Baptisme press upon the Parent to the due instruction and education of his baptized child Not to speak any thing of the benefit of catechising it self the Parent hath reason to reflâ—ct the Baptisme of his child in its infant estate to convince him That if God hath been so gracious to extend a Covenant of Salvation to his seed he must have so much grace as to make them know Gods goodness and understand the extent of the Covenant If God hath caused their loins to convey grace as well as sinne their care must be that the grace of God be not received in vain The childs ignorance of interest in conceded honours and priviledges is the baseness of education and blot of natural affection If by their Parental power they have dedicated them to Father Son and holy Ghost it is their part to make them know to what they are devoted And as it bindes the Parents to the duty of education so the child to carefull observation Early adoption is the greatest argument of filial observation that can be the child taken off the Stall is more bound to the will of Parents than the man at years adopted to inherit the one is the object of more pitie subject of more care cost and charge but of lesse service and obedience therefore bound more to duty than the other Infant-Baptism giveth cause to sing with Israel He is our God and our fathers God we will exalt him Exod. 15.2 and with David I am thy servant the son of thy handmaid I will offer sacrifice and call upon thy name Psal 116.16.17 We must not think as heirs of dignity to wear Gods livery in our cradles but must know it makes us also heirs of duty to yeeld loyalty to him all our dayes Parental dedication to God layeth on us the duty of observation Shall Parents proclaim dayes of purim to be observed in all generations and posterity dare to pretermit them Whether we consider Gods pitie or our Parents power sparkling in our Infant-Baptism both impose on us duty the nature of our Baptism the effect of both binds us to fight at Gods command under Christ his Banner against every iniquity and vice to the discharge of every duty of Religion but neither faith nor obedience can be so enforced by the Baptisme of grown persons which deny relations natural to be of any use in things of Salvation and doth greatly darken the method and order of the Covenant of Grace and Salvation The seventh and last Benefit of Infant-Baptisme is That it encourageth under death and that either the Child or Parents We read in primitive times of Infant Martyrs certainly they were thereunto prepared by a knowledge of
their interest in the Covenant In vain should the miserable mother encourage the scourged thirsty child to remember the cup of which Isaac drank and patiently to bear its present torments for that it should be shortly crowned with eternal glory if the child at eight years of age had not understood the Covenant of God and been catechised in its baptisme Our Anabaptists will never afford us babie Martyrs that will not allow us babie Christians And as for Parents if their childrens interest in the Covenant and right to Baptisme doe not support them under the death of their babes I a parent of dead children doe demand what can That they are by nature children of wrath must not be denyed that they fall into a limbus Infantum must be denyed by all that abhor Poperie that they are saved there remains no hope whilest we see them out of the Ark of salvation What unusual way the Anabaptists run upon for their own comfort they have not yet declared nor will Scripture warrant any Were it not for Infants interest in the Covenant sealed in their Baptism I should mourn over my dead children as without hope You see now that there is not only warrant in Scripture for the Baptisme of your Infants but there is much of profit by it Whilest others are beating the controversie doe you study the practice of Infant-Baptisme Let not seducers beguile your simple souls by pretending Infant-Baptisme is unlawfull because unusefull But seeing there is so much profit in the Ordinance and so much in the season of its application prize it pursue it and preserve it to the Church Let your children be baptized in their Infancie and catechised according to their growing capacitie that through ignorance they may not throw away their birth-right but may duly know the duty and dignity thereof and dâ—mean themselves as baptized souls The fifth and last exhortation is to Church-gathering saints To admit the baptized into the approaches to God in the assemblies of his people Make no bar of division to such as we are the badge of union If Baptisme doe incorporate into the Church and consecrate unto God why doe you deny the relation of the baptized or their fitness for divine service either deny Baptisme to be the dore of admission into the Church of Christ or throw down your Church Covenant agreement or experiences of graces as to entrance into a Church state Deny Baptisme to be the Church constituting Bond or talk not of gathering Churches from among baptized souls Affect not to your selves the terms and titles of saints brethren beleevers Church and the like whilâ—st those you despise have as good naâ— by reason of your sinfull schisme a better title thereunto than your selves If Baptisme be the ground of confidence in access to God who are you that make it void Is not the straitning of the Church dore as dangerous as setting it wide open Will it not be equally provoking to God to let doggs into his house and to keep children out to pollute his holy things by the unbaptized and bar the baptized from his worship If men baptized walk disorderly endeavor by discipline to reduce them deny not their interest drive them not from God make it not your designe to paganize the Christians among whom you dwel that some few of them may be brought into your Church-way Weigh well the nature of Baptism if it do not charge your way with wickedness I know not how to judge If Baptism rightly apprehended be not the engine to batter Independencie I dare renounce my skil in militaries Let not God say draw neer in full assurance having your bodies washed with pure water and you say to your baptized Brethren stand thou further from me I am holier than thou Thus then I have noted to you the nature of Baptisme the outward Ordinance and the duties that flow from its consecrating nature which rightly understood will convince much error and correct many sinfull practises Which that it may doe God Father Son and holy Ghost in whose holy Name we are baptized follow it with his blessing Amen FINIS
his silence and resolving to leave him without excuse I wrote unto him this second Letter Sir I did this day sevenday signifie my dissatisfaction in your Doctrine and dislike of that old Familistical noâ—ion you published I demanded your reasons but have received none Sir Think you not that it is your duty to convince gainsayers or can I pass in silence Baptisme-annilitating notions I cannot I will not Sir I once more demand your arguments and that as you are a man of any ingenuity williâ—g to give an account of your Doctrine Sept. 9. 1657. Zach. Crofton This also he received but passed it in silence and never to this day gave any the least answer to defend or retract his error If therefore I find him obstinate after the first and second admonition I hope I shall not be blamed for rejecting him as an Heretick and withstanding him from filling my Peoples Heads with low thoughts of Gods Ordinances and the high Priviledges of Grace whose tongues can already speak too despicably of them God having in his Providence brought me to the Section of Baptism in my course of Catechizing and given me a little breathing space from the violent persecutions of his Abettors I thought it to be my duty to dictate to my people the dignity of Baptism and knowing that many heard his Error who would not hear the correction of it I have committed it to the Press and sent it into publique view submitting it and my opposition of the Seducer that occasioned it to thy Censure desiring thou mayest shake off prejudice and read with seriousness and sobriety whereby I doubt not but thou mayest finde profit for which he prays who seeth a Divine Stamp on every ourward Gospel-Ordinance Zach. Crofton ERRATA Page 4. line 23. for a read as p. 23. l. 22. r. not to p. 24. l. 2 r. me p. 56. l. 4. r. readily gives p. 58. l. 20. r. tribes p. 87. l. 23. r. profane nations p. 92. l. 11. r. answerably p. 107. l. 23. r. inveighing p. 119. l. 19. r. justle out p. 136. l. 7. r. weight p. 149. l. 7. r. third p. 186. l. 4. r. humane A SHORT CATECHISM BRIEFLY Propounding and plainly shewing the VERTUE AND Value of BAPTISM OR The following TREATISE fitted to the weak capacity of such People as desire to be confirmed in the Nature and Necessity of BAPTISM against the Contempt and Neglect thereof By Zachariah Crofton Minister at Botolph Algate London London Printed by D.M. for J. Nuthal living in the Minories 1658 A Short CATECHISM Briefly propounding and plainly shewing the vertue and value of BAPTISM Q. WHat is your name Ans M. Q. Who gave you this name A. My Parents the natural Authors of my being and Instruments of my Interest in the Covenant of God Q. When did they give you this name A. In my Baptism when I was dedicated to God and by the washing of my body in pure water fitted for approach to him Q. What is Baptism A. It is a solemn and Religious application of water by the hand of a lawfull Minister to fit subjects to signifie the blood of Christ and Seal the â—ovenant of Grace Q. What is the outward sign in Baptism A. Water in opposition to all other elements and pure water without any mixture or composition for so Christ did appoint and his appointment doth stamp dignity on that despicable Element Q. What is the inward Grace in Baptism A. The blood of Jesus Christ with its properties and effects the remission of sin and regeneration of the soul Q. Is Baptism only a sign to represent these things to our minde A. No but also a seal to ratifie them to our soul and therefore a right unto the Promise is the ground of Baptism and Baptism a reason of our Faith in the Promise to be pleaded in Prayer for obtainment Q. What is the form of Baptism A. The Application of water by Dipping or Sprinkling for the manner is of no moment so it be done solemnly and religiously as a sacred Ordinance by Divine Institution with Prayer to God and a Dedication of the person baptized unto the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Q. Who is to administer Baptism A. A lawful and none but a lawful Minister for Baptism is an act of Office and argument of Faith therefore to be applyed by authority and then the Baptism of women and private men is void and null Q. Who are fit subjects to be baptized A. Such all such and only such as are in Covenant with God for the qualification that must guide the Church in applying Baptism must be Interest in the Covenant and these are two sorts 1. Infidels converted to the Faith 2. The Infants of one or both Christian Parents Q. By what must Infidels converted to the Faith be judged within the Covenant and fit subjects to be baptized A. By making a profession of saving faith which may be done by men in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity not saving profession of faith importing sincerity of grace nor by a well ordered conversation for Gods Ministers must judge by a presenâ— visible sign and they cannot search the heart And Plants are to be set in the Church before we look for fruit Baptism is a Bond unto amendment of life Q. How can it be proved that the infants of Christian Parents are with in the Covenant and to be baptized A. During the administration of Covenant in the times of the Old Testament the natural issue of Gods people before they acted their faith even as soon as they were born were within the Covenant The form of the Promise is I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Circumcision the Seal of the righteousness of faith was set in their flesh at eight days old God claims the natural issue of his Covenant-people as his own when he calls them out of Egyyt Exod. 5.1 chargeth them with duty Deut. 14.2 complaineth of Idolatay Ephes 16.21 Chastiseth their sin Amos 3.2 And Christ calls the Jews natural the children of his Kingdom and placeth in them the Right to the mercies he brought whilst the Gentiles were Dogs licking up the crums Q. But what is the interest of Infants in the Old Testament to us under the new A. Very much for whilst we see they have been in Covenant it will direct us to see a very clear reversal and plain limitation of the Covenant before we part with such a birth-right and priviledge for common Justice will not suffer us without good warrant to change a Fee-farm to our selves and heirs for a Lease for term of Life and we need a clear reason to convert the Jews from the old Covenant whereby they begot an holy seed to God unto a straiter Covenant that provides for the Parent but leaves the child prophane and estranged to God The enemies of our Baptism cry for an express command to baptize Infants but instead of shewing any we think we