Deut. 17.11 From Jeremiah 35.6 some there are contend to maintaine the law and customes we have in this Nation received from our fathers because the Rechabites stuck so close to theirs To which I answer 1. That the Rechabites were subject to the judicial law as the other Jews were 2. These traditions of theirs were not forbid nor commanded of God that the magistrate could not forbid the doing what they did 3. Nor cause c. saith In the Congregation of God confession of sins is always the first the which in times past went before before baptism for commonly children were baptized when they came to their understanding c. Idem super Mat. Christ hath nowhere commanded to Baptize infants 19 Calvinus in Institutionibus lib. 4. cap. 16. Confesseth that it is nowhere expresly mentioned by the Evangelists that any one childe was by the Apostles hands baptized 20 Dathenus in the Frankendalische Colloquium fol. 549. We believe that christian children ought to be baptized albeit it stand no where plainly with such words written That Christian children shall in the New-Testament be baptized And folio 605. Now we have plainly confessed that we have no such express commandment that you should baptize the Christians children And fol. 663. Also in Protocol Printed in Netherlandish 274. 1 He confesseth that there is no evident example that the Apostles did baptize children 21 Beza in Annotationibus super Matth. John taught those that were to be baptized and admitted none to baptism but those that gave testimony that they believed the forgiveness of their sins such Confession was also in the Primitive Church required of the Catechumens before baptism For in that the Sacraments are Seals it is requisite that Doctrine or Instruction should go before the use of those things by which the Doctrine it self is to be sealed 22 Luther in his book of the civil Magistrate The Sacraments neither can nor may be received without Faith but with great hurt Wherefore we hold our selves to the words of Christ He that believeth and is baptized so that either before or else even then present when Baptism is administred there must needs be Faith or else there is a contempt of the divine Majesty who offers his present grace when there is none to receive it Thus much out of those Teachers own writings which observe and use childrens baptism from whence the Reader may take notice of the unsoundness of their principles and what little ground 1 There is for it in the Word of God as they themselves confess 2 Therefore what great cause have we to search the Scriptures for better information let the sober-minded judge Moreover I shall further prove out of their own writings that the baptism of infants and sucklings is a Ceremony and Ordinance of man brought into the Church by Teachers after the Apostles times and Instituted and Commanded by Councels Popes and Emperours Proofs out of the Ancient and latter Teachers 1 ORigen calleth Baptism of children a ceremony and tradition of the Church In Levit. Hem. 8. In Epist ad Rom. lib. 5. 2 Augustine calleth it a common custom of the Church De baptismo contra Donat. lib. 4. cap. 23. Et de Genesi ad literam lib. 10. cap. 23. 3 Pope Gregory the 4. calleth it a Tradition of the Fathers In decretis distinct de consecrat 4 Erasmus lib. 4. de ration concio saith that they are not to be condemned that doubt whether Infant-baptism was or was denyed by the Apostles and think that the same is to be received as the placita Scholasticorum theologicorum which cannot be proved by sacred Scripture 5 Eckins calleth it a commandment and ordinance of man In Enchiridion 6 Luther in his book of Anabaptism acknowledgeth that it cannot be proved by sacred Scripture that childrens baptism was instituted by Christ or begun by the first Christians after the Apostles For many yeers since it came to be in use in the Church and was established by Pope Innoceneius 7 Cassander in his book de infantium Baptismo saith That it came to be used by the Fathers which lived three hundred yeers after the Apostles 8 Cyprianus lib. 3. Epistolarum 8. Epistle 9 Augustinus Epist 28. ad Hieroni. 10 Cassander de infantium baptismo 11 Bullinger in his House-book 12 Justus Menius of the Spirit of the Anab. 13 Melancthon in his Answer to the Anab. Articles About the yeer of our Lord 248 and after the departure of John the oldest Apostle 158 yeers lived a Priest called Fidus the same would that men should according to the manner of Circumcision baptize young children upon the eighth day Against whom Cyprianus with sixty six Bishops and Elders more gathered together opposed themselves ordaining that every one without delay should receive Baptism and that the young children should timely be brought thereto Thus have you the time when and the persons by whom it was brought in viz. The time when in the yeer of our Lord 248. the persons by which it was brought in namely Fidus by name who was a Priest who then lived Thirdly the opposition that he then had by Cyprianus and 66 other Bishops and Elders so that by their own Confessions it is an Ordinance and Tradition of man which will and must perish with the using And that it is Will-worship and Idolatry appeareth by their own Confessions as followeth 14 Bullingerus in ex Augustino contra Julianum lib. 1. cap. 2. saith The Carthaginian Councel concludeth thus to Innocentium Forasmuch as we believe that Christ the Son of God was holy born of the pure Virgin Mary to fulfil and ratifie the promise of God which excludeth not children from salvation but much rather comprehends the same within the Covenant We will therefore that they be baptized Thus we see it is We will therefore Will-worship 15 In Tomis Conciliorum Synodorum ex Concilio Carthag 5. cap. 6. saith Concerning Infants we will that they be baptized if there be no certain witness to testifie that they are baptized c. 16 Item Gregorius quartus Bonifacio Those young children whose parents are absent or unknown whether they be baptized or not let them according to the Tradition of the Fathers be baptized Here the Reader may take notice that it is a Tradition of the Fathers according to their own confession 17 Ex Concilio Miletano cui interfuit Augustinus Anselmus Romae Ecclesiae legatus It is also our will that all those that will not that children which are new born from their mothers womb should be baptized to the washing away of Original sin let them be excommunicated 18 Ex Tomis Conciliorum Franck. in Chronologia In the second Bracharense Councel holden 610. Baptism of children was adjudged and holden to be needful 19 Tuicensi Divinis officiis lib. 4. cap. 18. In times past the children in the Church were throughout the whole yeer instructed in the word And at the feast of Easter to rehearse the Faith which
writings as we wrote them and therefore he cunningly saith that in the stating the question many things must be animadverted or changed in the minde and then he states the question according to his own minde and then falls on answering not ours but his own words and thus he darkneth the Counsel of God by words without knowledge and so deceives the hearts of the simple but he telleth us that we take it for granted that he holds that by baptizing or sprinkling of infants Churches are constituted but he denies it Answ 1 If you deny that you differ from the rest of your brethren and forefathers who all generally and with one consent till within these ten or twelve yeers at the most did conclude that children were made members of Christ children of God and heirs of heaven in their baptism witness your old Catechism which you all concluded was Orthodox till the beginning of the first Parliament 1640. and therefore out of your own mouths you are condemned for if in Baptism they were made members of Christ children of God c. then they were not so before and if not members nor children before then not constituted members and thus is your folly manifest And now if you shall for an advantage seem to disown the Common-Prayer book and that Catechism Then I answer You may as well disown your baptism which you had by it and be baptized again as we are 2 I suppose you will not be so absurd as to own any unbaptized person for a Church-member that hath an opportunity to be baptized neither do I think any of you that are zealous in your own way will have communion with any such persons in the Lords Supper or other Ordinances 3 No people in Scripture since the Resurrection of Christ and his Ascension the time that all power was given into his hands to give to his Church Laws and Commandments were ever called a Church of Christ without baptism prove it if you can by the Scriptures Therefore baptism doth constitute a true Church being done upon right subjects viz. such as can believe and gladly receive the word of God as in Act. 2 41 they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day were added three thousand souls And ver 47. the Lord added to the Church dayly such as should be saved 4 Your self saith than faith and interest in Christ constitutes a Christian Very well then but why do you baptize such as cannot believe in Christ nor yet make out their Interest in the Covenant of Grace it is cleer to all that will understand that if faith in Christ and interest in the Covenant of Grace do constitute a Christian then they that do not believe in Christ and cannot make out their interest in the Covenant of Grace are no constituted Christians but all the infants baptized into the Church of England could do neither therefore no constituted Christians What they are to God is nothing to you nor me secret things belongs to God Deut. 29. Again you say that joynt and orderly profession of faith and interest in the Covenant doth constitute them a Church Very well and I pray then is not repentance and baptism an orderly profession of faith doth not the Apostle say Act. 2 38. 1 Repent and 2 be baptized c. and 3 So many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 and is not putting on Christ profession Consider it again doth not a man that puts on a garment profess to wear it to all that behold him whilst it is upon him so likewise they that put on Christ by baptism do profess to own him before all men and Mr. Baxter calleth it a listing engaging ordinance himself I hope you will not deny his Doctrine to be Orthodox although you cavil with the Scriptures And now seeing that baptism is an Ordinance by which believers do put on and profess Christ then its evident out of your own mouth that it constitutes a Church or else you must say they are constituted before they put on Christ 5 You say that baptism is a sign or pledge of peoples admission into the Church Well then if so then it followeth that they are not in before to any mans sight and if not in the Church much less constituted and established members of the Church But you proceed to prove by instancing the Thief upon the cross to be saved without baptism Answ We deny it not because he declared openly his faith in Christ and owned him when he was disowned almost of all which sheweth plainly that if he might have had liberty to come down he would have quickly been baptized into his name and therefore the Lord accepting the will for the deed as 1 Cor. 8.12 he said unto him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise But what makes this for the baptizing of Infants to tell us of a man that was saved and was never baptized at all You might rather if you would have dealt honestly with the Text have proved that little babes may be saved though not baptized for alas they can profess no faith nor confess no sin neither hath Christ anywhere required them to obey any command before they can understand and believe the Gospel for what soever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 But you are pleased to say that we do not apply that Scripture right And why I pray because it spoyles your practice but doth not the word what soever include all matters and duties we owe to God Consider it again cannot the Scriptures be in quiet for you But because this offends you we will give you another Heb. 11.6 without faith its impossible to please God Now consider whether you please God or no when you baptize babes that have no faith in them neither have you any word of God for it Again this your president of the Thief upon the Cross will not at all help you except you finds some men in the like condition or some men upon the Gallows that would gladly come down and become new creatures then I confess as you say 2 multitude of such penitent ones might be reckoned to be in a saying condition though not baptized But sir I suppose that neither you nor I are in that straight the poor Thief was in as yet therefore it wall be no plea for us but if either of us be unbaptized we have time and liberty enough to consider our ways and to turn our feet to the testimonies of the Lord therefore let us make haste and not delay the time see Psal 119.59 60. Lastly You tell us that the Church of England was constituted in or anon after the Apostles days and by the Ministry of the word were converted from heathenism to Christianity and then persons of yeers were baptized upon profession of Faith and Repentance Answ What then what is your Church now the better for that which was done 1600 yeers agone
if you walk not in the same footsteps which they did then I can prove as well the Church of Rome was then a constituted Church according to the order of the Gospel Rom. 1.7 but I pray doth that make the Pope and his crew now to be a true Church If they be why do you separate from them But they are not neither are you though a true Church might be in England 1600 yeers agone and possibly may be found now Again you say that they and their children were then admitted into the Covenant and Church as Abraham and his family were by Circumcision To which I Answer It still remains for you to prove that they and their children were admitted into Church-fellowship I deny it prove it if you can or else you have done nothing As for Abraham and his family being circumcised I grant it because the Scriptures say so but you have no Scripture for Infants baptism if you have shew it if you can and as for that Covenant that Circumcision was a token of it s far different from the Covenant now under the Gospel as I shall shew by and by The next thing you speak of is a National Church which you seem to prove thus in that the Lord said Gen. 22.18 to Abraham that in his seed all Nations should be blessed Answ But he doth not say that All of All Nations shall be blessed nor yet that All of any Nation shall be blessed and I am perswaded that you think in your own Conscience that some in this Nation are not blessed for by your writings you pronounce us accursed and I suppose there are many that live in known sins as drunkenness whoredom wichcraft murder theft c. of your own Church and yet you dare not judge them blessed in Christ if you do why do you hang them up every Assizes and Sessions If they be members of Christ their bodies are Temples of the Holy Ghost and he that destroyeth the Temple of God him shall God destroy therefore if your Argument be true take heed what you do in such cases 2. You bring this Scripture Psal 22 27 28. which saith All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord and all kindreds of the Nations shall worship before him for the kingdom is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations Answ When that day shall come and that Prophecie be fulfilled we will grant you it is fulfilled but for present I think you will be our witnesses that all Nations do not serve him for the Turks and Moors and Indians with many other do not serve nor worship God neither do all in this Nation worship him as aforesaid but Peters words are true if you please Act. 10.34 35 viz. that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted for God is no respected of persons But there are many in this Nation which do not fear God and work righteousness therefore no National Church 3 You say Isa 49.23 that kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens shall be nursing mothers to the Church Answ That it shall be so I deny not but prove you that it is so if you can As for Englands King and Queen it is well known how they would have nursed the Church if they had but had their mindes or if you please to side with them and the Cavaliers party and own them for a Church yet are the other that oppose them contrary minded therefore you can have no National Church 4 You say Isa 52.15 that Christ shall sprinkle many Nations Answ It s granted but it doth not follow that he doth sprinkle whole Nations it is also true as the Apostle saith Heb. 10.22 that believers have their hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and their bodies washed with pure water but it doth not follow therefore that all men and such as are wicked and prophane have their hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience therefore no National Church And I much wonder that you Ministers of the Church of England who for the generality of you hold and preach that Christ did not dye for all men but onely for some few elect persons should yet preach up national Churches and impudently say all England are so far in Covenant as all their children ought to be baptized I confess you had all need to have seven yeers education at Cambridge or Oxford or else you could never make these things hang together but that the people would see your folly 5 You say from Matt. 28.19 Did not Christ command his Apostles to go into all Nations and preach and baptize Answ But do not you know that they never baptized whole Nations nor yet whole Cities but most men hated and abused them so as they were forced to shake the dust off their feet against them and we read but of seven Churches in all Asta which is one quarter of the world and they were so far from converting and baptizing whole Nations that we read but of four or five whole housholds in all the Scriptures that were baptized therefore not likely to baptize whole Nations but if they did any such thing we desire to see it Moreover we grant you if a whole Nation can be converted by the preaching of the word they ought to be baptized but you baptize little babes that know not what the word is contrary to the primitive practice Act. 8.12 6 You bring Rev. 11.15 which saith The kingdoms of this world are become our Lords and his Christs and he shall raign for ever Answ I told you already that I believe such times shall be but they are not yet if they were then we should no longer need to pray Thy kingdom come and in that day Satan shall not deceive the Nations See Rev. 20.3 but Sir I suppose these things are too hard for you to understand though you be a scholar for they are hid from the wise and prudent and revealed to babes See Luke 20.21 with 1 Cor. 2.8 9 10. 7 You say from Rev. 21.24 that the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of the New Jerusalem Answ That 's granted but that new Jerusalem is not yet here below for drunkards and wicked persons to walk by but Paul saith Gal. 4.26 that it s above and is free and is the mother of all the Saints 8 Lastly you say If a company of believers in one house have been called a Church domestical then a multitude of believers in a City or Nation may be called a National Church I answer That 's granted if they be all believers as you said at first but little babes are not believers therefore your Argument will not hold One thing more I have to answer to you in your sixth page which is this You say we affirm a negative namely that the baptism or sprinkling of Infants is not the baptism of Christ c. and here you follow us on to purpose and tell
36 37 38. c. 10.47 c. 16.33 34. c. 18 8. therefore I pray let this custom be of weight to your self and do not baptize little babes that cannot believe nor understand what they do especially because you say there was weight in that Argument when Paul said We have no such custom nor the Churches of God Again you say that you can prove that Infants-baptism was used in the Church as high as to the Apostle as there be many sufficient histories extant inform us and that the deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery upon popish or heretical grounds Answ O Sir have I now found you out truly seeing I have I must not conceal your wickedness lest I become guilty with you of the blood of souls and therefore I do by this declare to all men that you are both a deceiver and a blasphemer the which charge I now come to prove I That you are a deceiver it is evident in that you have entituled your book Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and baptism by which you perswade many hundred souls that there is plain Scripture indeed in the Bible for Infants-baptism when there is no such thing but your self confess in your 9 Position that your proof is from some histories extant which you judge sufficient O that poor ignorant souls would but see and consider your cunning craftiness wherewith you lye in wait to deceive them before it be too late 2 That you are a blasphemer is plain if the Scriptures may be heard to speak for you say deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery Answ But Sir do you not know that our glorious Lord Jesus Christ deferred his baptism till he was thirty yeers of age Luke 3.21 22 23. and yet he was the child of believing parents I think you dare not deny And now do you not see your wickedness in affirming that deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery or do you think wickedly that Christ brought in any part of popery take heed Again doth not the Commission of Christ defer baptism till believing Mark 16.15 16. saying He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and doth not Philip defer baptism upon the same account to the Eunuch Act. 8.36 37. when the Eunuch said to him See here is water what hinders me to be baptized Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest shewing by these words plainly that if he did not believe it was to be deferred and that unbelief would hinder And thus is your folly made manifest though I fear you will not see it but however I leave it to the consideration of all rational men desiting that the Lord will give them wisdom to consider how you delude poor souls by this means perswading them that there is very plain Scripture for infants-baptism when at last you confess there is none but some histories which you judge sufficient and thus have you made proselytes and when they are made they are sevenfold more the children of Satan then they were before for before they were forced in their non-age to receive the mark of the beast spoken of Rev. 19.20 which was not received by a few despised people as you say the Anabaptists are but he caused all both free and bond rich and poor small and great to receive it yea and that none may buy or sell save he that had the mark c. See Rev. 13.16 17. and this is most properly applyed to you for there is never a small child in the Nation if it were but eight days old but you would look it should be Rantized and in that receive the mark on its forehead namely to be signed with the sign of the cross in token c. and this was so universal throughout England that if any did but stand up to oppose it they must neither buy nor sell amongst you but must be imprisoned banished or hanged So that all both rich and poor free and bond small and great were glad to be and suffer their children to be baptized or rather Rantized or else they could not be suffered to live for to buy and sell amongst you to get a livelihood And thus I have presented you a glass to look in that you may behold what manner of persons you are Again its impossible that you should apply these Scriptures to those you call Anabaptists because now they have their liberty to declare their minde freely they do not desire small and great to receive the mark of baptism which they practise but onely great ones which can understand what they do and give a resson thereof even as we read Act. 2.41 They that gladly received the word were baptized and added to them c. and Act. 8.12 when they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And Act. 11.8 Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed in the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized And thus you may sue that the more we do look in the glass of the Gospel which is the perfect Law of liberty to them that fear God Jam. 2.12 the more we see our selves conformable to the image of Christ and walking according to the Primitive pattern and we are so far from compelling rich and poor that we would have neither rich nor poor to be baptized until they believe the truth of the Gospel and amend their lives and can give an account thereof to those that ask them a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness Again you say Position 10. Evident Consequences or Arguments drawn by Reason from Scripture are as true proof as the very express words of a Text and if we have the words without the meaning and reason we have no proof at all for the devil used the words of the Scripture to Christ To all which I answer As for your saying that Consequences or Arguments drawn from Scripture are as true proofs as Scripture this is but one of your untruths for most certain it is that what the Scripture saith we need not prove by Consequence for that would be but darkening the Counsel of God by words without knowledge as for example Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and earth now what need you prove this by Consequence again ver 3. God said Let there be light and there was light And what can any Consequence do in this case And again ver 7.8 And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament and it was so And this I do believe without any Consequence and if you will deny it because it is plain Scripture without any Consequence you may if you please but your folly will be manifest as it is to me already When you say if we have the word without the meaning and reason we have no proof at all I answer
that knoweth the hearts bare them witness giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did to us ver 9 and put no difference between them and us purifying their hearts by believing Now therefore saith the Apostle ver 10. why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples c. But now who were these disciples Answ v. 7. those that heard the word of the Gospel by the mouth of Peter and believed to whom God also gave the Holy Ghost and purified their hearts by faith as is plain ver 89. but little infants that can neither speak nor understand could not hear the word of God and believe by Peters preaching therefore they are not at all concerned in this place Another Argument that Mr. B. hath to prove infants disciples is in pag. 18 19. thus If infants are capable of being Gods servants then they are capable of being Christs disciples And he proves them servants from Levit. 25.41 42 where the Lord commandeth the children of Israel in the yeer of Jubilee to set free all their brethren with their little ones for they are my servants whence he concludes his Argument thus If God calls them servants why may not we call them disciples To which I answer Methinks its very strange he should take upon him to prove children disciples and when he cannot find such a word in all the Scriptures then he would turn us off with the word Servant and presume to call it Disciples and then say If God call them one thing why may not we call them another It seems Mr. Baxter will take leave in this thing to walk contrary to God and therefore I dare not trust him in another But I will shew him not onely in things but also in persons that we must not call them Disciples of Christ which God calleth Servants for in Jer. 25.9 chap. 27.6 chap. 43.10 in all these places God calleth Nebuehadrezer his Servant the King of Babylon an Enemy to the house of Israel whom the Lord made use of to destroy it and make it an astonishment and an hissing but yet I hope Mr. Baxter will not take leave to call him Christs Disciple if he doth I think his folly will be manifest to all men as it is now to me Another such Argument he hath page 21. where he reasons thus If Infants be capable of being Christs subjects then they are capable of being his Disciples A learned Argument and I will endeavour that all men may see the depth of it thus All the Children in this Nation are capable of being Subjects of this Common-wealth therefore they are capable of being University-Scholars This is the same with Mr. Baxters Argument but what truth is in either I leave to the wise to judge That Infants are capable of being subjects here or in any Kingdome upon earth Mr. Baxter affirms page 21. and therefore I need not prove it Thus having answered I proceed to his third Argument page 22. which is this If Christ would have some Children received as Disciples then they are Disciples but Christ would have some Children received as Disciples Therefore All the question saith he is of the Antecedent namely whether Christ would have some Infants received as Disciples or no the which he seems to prove by these Scriptures in his 22 page Luke 2.47 48. compared with Matth. 19.5 and Mar. 9.41 the which Scriptures I shall set downe at large to the view of all that they may see and consider whether they prove such things as he brings them for or not The Scriptures speak thus Luke 2.47 48. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers when they saw him they were amazed and his Mother said unto him Son why hast thou so dealt with us behold thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing Mat. 19.5 And said For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they twain shall be one flesh Mar. 9.41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drinke in my name because ye belong to me verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward Now what the two first Scriptures are to the purpose I leave to all that can read and understand Eaglish to judge But it may be he will say the Printer hath done him wrong I answer Then I have done him none as all may see that read the place and consider the quotations page 22. and I looked also in his Errata but there is nothing spoken of it and truly I dare be no interpreter of his meaning without his words therefore it remaineth that I onely speak to that Mar. 9.41 and Luke 9.47 Which I find after were quoted in that page thus And Jesus pereeiving the thoughts of their hearts took a Child and set him by him and said Whosoever shall receive this Child in my name and whosoever shall give a cup of water to you to drinke in my name shall not lose their reward To which I answer First Let the Reader take notice that the word Disciple is not to be found in the Text therefore it cannot prove Infants Disciples for if we prove the resurrection and the eternall judgement we must bring a Scripture that speask of the word resurrection and eternall judgement and so did Christ to the Saddnees he saith That the dead shall rise is evident and his sayings we take for as good Scripture as any is in the Bible although Mr. Baxter saith we would not in his tenth position to the answer of which I refer you Secondly To that in Mark 9.41 it s evident he speaks to the twelve saying Whosoever shall give you a cup of water c. And that he spake of actuall believers is evident ver 42. in these words And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleive in me c. Now that little Infants that can neither speak nor understand are beleivers in Christ I utterly deny and let Mr. Baxter or any man prove it by Scripture if they can for Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 therefore he speaks of such little ones as John writes to 1 John 2.12 which had known the Father Thirdly To that in Luke 9.48 Whosoever receiveth this Child in my name receiveth me c. I answer The Lord Christ himself answereth or rather cleareth this to purpose as you may read Mat. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6. at large Now that Matthew and Luke do speak of one and the same thing is clear by comparing Luke 9.46 which words are these Then there arose a reasoning among themselves which of them should be the greatest with Mat 18.1 which words are these At the same time came the Disciples unto Jesus saying Who is the greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven by this we see it is all one thing Now to the following words of Christ which are these And Jesus called a little Child unto him and set him in the midst of
and Customs of it till they come to understanding to learn them and when they learn then they are scholars or disciples and to them that learn it is given to know c. So also I believe that little children according to the Scriptures do belong to the kingdom of heaven and partake of the priviledges of divine protection and likewise of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus although they know nor believe nothing of it till they be of yeers and discretion to be disciples of Christ and begin to learn of him and then To them it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom as aforesaid Argument VIII My eighth Argument is from Luke 14.27 in these words And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple Whence I reason thus If none can be the disciples of Christ but those that bear the cross of Christ and so come after him then little children that know not what the cross of Christ is nor yet what belongs to following of him as dear children in love cannot be his disciples But none can be his disciples but such as do bear his cross and follow him Therefore little babes cannot be Christs disciples Argument IX My ninth Argument is from Luke 14.33 in these words So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple From whence I reason thus If none can be Christs disciples but such as considering before what it will cost are willing to forsake all that they have yea and their own lives also for his sake then little children that can neither consider what it will cost nor yet resolve in themselves what to do cannot possibly be Christs disciples But none can be Christs disciples without they have the use of their Will Reason and Affections so far as to consider before what it will cost and to resolve after whatsoever it cost to forsake all and their own lives also as is proved by all these Scriptures Luk. 14.26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. compared with Matth. 10.37 38. and Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 25. Therefore they which say little children that can do none of these things are Christs disciples it is much to be feared that they never yet learned to know what a disciple of Christ is and are none themselves Thus having shewed the deceit of Mr. Cooks and Mr. Baxters Arguments in general by which they would prove that Infants are Church-members and Christs disciples and so fit subjects for Baptism I leave it to the view of all both friend and foe and proceed to answer Mr. Baxters eight Arguments by which he saith he proveth the Anabaptists way of Baptizing sinful His first Argument is this If there be no word of precept or example for baptizing the childe of any one Christian at yeers of discretion then to delay their baptism till yeers of discretion and then to baptize them is not the Scripture-way But there is no one word of precept or example in all the Scripture for the baptizing of the childs of any one Christian at yeers of diseretion Therefore to defer it till then and then to baptize them is not the Scripture-way Answ 1. I would gladly know whether Mr. Baxter do or dare judge Mary the mother of Jesus to be no Christian who said Luk. 1.46 47. My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour c. if he will deny her to be a Christian who rejoyced in God her Saviour then I will be bold to say he doth not know what a Christian is yea and that he is none himself Again if he confess her to be a Christian then his Argument is worth nothing for her childe viz. her Son Jesus was baptized at yeers of discretion when he was thirty yeers of age Luk. 3.21 22 23. And thus I have given him an example And our way of baptizing of people at yeers of discretion is a Scripture-way and therefore not sinful And now I shall retort his Argument upon himself that all men may see his folly thus If there be no word of precept nor example in all the Scripture for baptizing the childe of any Christian before they come to yeers of discretion then so to baptize them is not the Scripture-way But there is no word of precept nor example in all the Scripture for baptizing the childe of any one Christian before yeers of discretion Therefore to baptize them before yeers of discretion is not the Scripture-way and therefore sinful And thus is Mr. Baxter wounded with the edge of his own sword and his folly manifest Now to the second Argument which is this That practice which is utterly inconsistent with the obeying of Christs rule for baptism is a sinful practice But the baptizing of children of Christians at yeers of discretion is utterly inconsistent with obedience to the rule for baptism Therefore such baptizing is a sinful practice Answ This is the same with the first Argument therefore the same answer may serve But yet to make Mr. Baxter's folly manifest I shall give him his Argument again thus That practice which is utterly inconsistent with the obeying of Christs rule for Baptism is a sinful practice But the baptizing of children of Christians or others before they come to yeers of discretion is utterly inconsistent with the obedience to Christs rule Therefore it is a sinful practice 2. Whereas Mr. Baxter would make us offenders for doing of nothing that is to say for not baptizing children in their non-age I answer He can never make it a sin till he shew us what command we have broke in not baptizing them for all sin is the transgression of some law therefore saith the Apostle where there is no law there is no transgression But there is no law nor commandment in all the Scripture to baptize little babes that cannot speak before they come to yeers of discretion Therefore no sin to let it alone 3. There is both precept and example for baptizing men and women at yeers of discretion viz. when they believe Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and Acts 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And Acts 10.48 Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus c. And now seeing there is both precept and example for it therefore it is no sin to baptize men and women at yeers of discretion 4. That Mr. Baxters Mr. Halls and Mr. Cooks way of baptizing is sinful is evident First because they baptize little babes before they come to yeers of discretion for which they have neither precept nor example therefore utterly inconsistent with Christs rule for baptism and a sinful practice as Mr. Baxter himself hath granted in these former Arguments and thus out of his own mouth he is judged and condemned for a sinner Secondly that this their way of baptizing infants before
of Gods house will never eat up nor destroy Mr. Baxter nor his Brethren the Priests of England for I never knew any of them go into the water to baptize either men or women for it is against their principle therefore he might well hold his peace in that thing and if the Anabaptists do it and it be so dangerous as he saith it his best way is to let them baptize as many as they will and then they will kill themselves the sooner if it be as he say and then he shall be quit of them But to conclude 1. We finde that in the daies of Christ and the Aposties they baptized both men and women in Rivers See Mark 1.5 with Acts 1.12 vers 37 38. and in AEnon near to Salem because there was much water there John 3.23 all this was allowed of and practiced by Christ and his Apostles Now if they baptized men and women in Rivers where there was much water we will be bold to follow their good holy and righteous Example notwithstanding Mr. Baxters foul mouth who doth not onely reproach slander and bely us but also the Lord Christ and his Apostles therefore we can through mercy well bear it knowing that the Servant is not greater then his Lord and if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of his houshold Through mercy we can rejoyce that we are counted worthy to suffer any reproaches for the name of our Lord Jesus But let Mr. Baxter and his Brethren know that they must one day give an account of all their words and actions to him that is ready to judge the quick and dead at his appearing 1 Pet. 4.5 who will come with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon and to convince all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him And then all Mr. Baxters serious protestations for the truth in one place of his Book chap. 1. pag. 2 3. and his cunning insinuations against the truth almost all over his Book will do him little good for then those which now are so zealous that they thinke they should do God good service if they should kill us John 16.2 will see their error But I heartily desire Mr. Baxter and the rest of his Brethren may see theirs before if possible And now to your eighth Argument which is as followeth That party and practise which hath been still branded and pursued with Gods eminent Judgements but never evidently with his blessings is not likely to be the way of God But the Anabaptists way and practice is such Therefore not likely to be of God The same saith Mr. Hall in his 19. Argument in his Fontgaurded To all which I answer If this Argument be good then thus the Amorites were followed on with blessings and enjoyed the best of the Land of Canaan 400. yeers together while the People of Israel were in bondage and in misery will you therefore conclude that the Amorites were the Children of God and that the Children of Israel were not the Children of God And likewise remember the poverty and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Disciples and how they were branded as much for Hereticks and wicked persons and such as knew not the Law and were accursed John 7.39 as you now brand us but dare you say that they were not Goods People Truly I remember the Prophet saith Psal 73.3 4 5. that when he saw the prosperity of the wicked and that they were not in trouble nor plagued like other men that he had like to have stumbled at their prosperity and to have said that they were Gods People but it seems ye have stumbled and are fallen so as to speak evill of Gods People because of their sufferings You further say What an hinderance the Anabaptists were to the Gospel in Germany by resisting the most painefull godly Ministers there be few Divines of note who do not bear witness of it frequently in their writings as Luther Melancthon Illyricus Zuinglius Bullinger Leo Juda Calvin with multitudes more and in pag. 140. you tell us Zuinglius was constrained to resist them with all his strength but it seems that was too little for you tell us presently that the Senate was fain to deal with them with banishments prison and death and then you tell us that Calvin did write a Treatise against them wherein he sheweth page 141. that the Anabaptists were divided especially into two Sect one more moderate and simple that did boast of Scripture and pleaded Scripture with confidence for all they held but the other was a sort called Libertines which were above Scriptures and these you say pag. 142. are such as forsake their Wives and Children and laying by all labour do live idly and feed on other mens labours and when they abourd with filthy abominable lust they say its the command of their heavenly Father perswading Women and honest Matrons that its impossible they should be partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven unless they filthily prostitute their Bodies alledging that we must renounce all things we love best and that all kinds of infamy are to be swallowed by the godly for Christs sake and that Publicans and Harlots go first into the Kingdom of Heaven and of the treachery lying and sedition wherewith these People everywhere do abound there is no end nor measure And I pray say you are these your vertues do you yet thinke they designe nothing dishonest or can you deny the truth of these things no you say nor can any man shew you one of the Anabaptists who is not blemished with some of these forenamed wickednesses c. And now I hope by this time you have vented your deadly poyson that lay under your tongue against the Anabaptists To all which I answer first If all these things should be true that Mr. Baxter hath said as they are not yet it seems Mr. Baxters Religion is so tottering and ready to fall that he is faine to underprop it with the Anabaptists failings or rather with the grossest wickedness of those that have Apostatized from us and is glad to discover the gross darkness of the worst of men or else his own light is so small that it will not shine and when he hath reckoned up the worst of all wickedness that those that have apostized from us have committed he would lay it all upon us and wickedly affirmeth that there is none of us free from it And when he should prove what he promiseth namely that the Anabaptists hindred the preaching of the Gospel in Germany his proof is nothing but telling us most writers of those times do testifie it To which I answer He might as well have asked his fellow-Preists if it had been lawfull to take Tythes and he had been sure to have had the testimony both of their words and writings for it as he hath now against the Anabaptists
and so bemyred himself that he hath been fain to be washed and hath attempted the chastity of divers women sold his tythe-calves for kisses with them and having lockt himself up in a Chamber in an Inne with a lewd woman after a long time the door was broken upon him when he refused to unlock it and he found in a very suspitious manner upon a bed with her after which he conveyed her secretly away and sent gifts unto her and hath affirmed that the Land is governed by wicked men and that the Papists were the Kings best subjects and is a common swearer of very great Oathes 7. The benefice of Humphrey Dawes Vicar of the Parish-Church of mount Nezing in the county of Essex is sequestred for that he hath discouraged his Parishoners from assisting the present defensive war affirming that they are damned and are Traitors to the King that have lent money to the Parliament and that he hath read the book of sports and encouraged his Parishioners to prophane the Sabbath and hath been often drunk and came so drunk to Church on the Lords day as he bade his people sing a chapter in the Hebrews in stead of a Psalm not knowing what he did 8. The benefice of Anthony Hugget Parson of the Parish of the Cliff in the County of Sussex is sequestred for that he hath preached that it was more lawful to Steal or to do any work on the Lords day then to go to other Churches to hear Sermons though they have none at home and hath sued divers of his parish for going to other Churches and forced two of them to do penance for it and hath been bound to the good behaviour at quarter Sessions for severall misdemeanors and instead of a Sermon did read to his people the late new Cannons and is greatly suspected of incontinency and hath had the and was cured thereof by one Mr. Abel for ten pounds promised him and the said Huggets Wife asking him for a piece of Gold which he took from her and gave to a light Woman in fury he spurned her on the belly when she was quick with Child so that she was forced presently to her Chamber and was delivered of a dead Child notwithstanding which he vowed he would never have more Children by her c. who is now without naturall fection 9. The benefice of Peter Allin Vicar of the Parish-Church of Tolsbury in the County of Essex is sequestred for that he hath lived incontinently a long time with several Women that is to say Mary Time who went from his house with Child by him Frances Smith by whom he had a bastard and Anne Cooper whom he hath kept for the space of seven yeers last past and yet he keepeth her in his house who miscarried a of Child begotten by him refused to administer the Sacrament to such as would not come to him at the railes there and hath been very negligent of his cure so that he absented himself that the dead have been left unburied several daies and hath expressed great Malignity against the Parliament 10. The benefice of John Hurt Vicar of the Parish-Church of Hordon upon the Hill in the County of Essex is sequestred for that he is a common frequenter of Taverns or Ale-houses and a common drunkard and gamester a common swearer and curser and hath been convicted before the Justice of peace of six oathes at a time and then swear by-God he did not swear and hath a very ill report of uncleanness and abuse of Women and hath spoken basely of the Parliament expressing great Malignancy against them c. 11. The benefices of Paul Clapham Vicar of the Parish-Church of Farnham in the County of Surry and Parson of the Parish-Church of Martinworthy in the County of South-Hampton are sequestred for that he hath lived in Adultery with several women and hath had divers bastards and hath charged the Parish with keeping them and hath two bastards at this time kept one of which he payeth for the maintenance of and is bound with his Son to pay for the maintenance of the other and hath called the Parliament and their adherents Rebels and Traitors and exhorted men to contribute and take up armes against them and hath deserted his cure and betaken himself to the Army of the Cavaleers c. 12. Lastly The benefice of Robert Sheppard Parson of the Parish-Church of Hep-worth in the County of Suffolk is sequestred for that he is a common drunkard and frequenter of Taverns and Ale-houses lying and continuing drunk in the said houses divers nights sometimes twice or thrice a week and greatly suspected of incontinency having had many Maid-servants depart from his house great with Child none living in the house with him but himself and some have returned againe to live with him and within a short time have been with Child again and he hath been a great practiser of the altar-worship and inforcer of his Parishioners to receive the Sacrament at the rails and hath put fifteen at a time from the Sacrament for refusing to receive it there and in his Catechising and preaching calls his Parishioners black-mouthed hell-hounds limbs of the Devil fire-brands of Hell plow-joggers bawling-dogs weaverly-jacks Church-robbers affirming that if he could tearm them worse he would and hath endeavoured to perswade poor men to forswear themselves for him and hath affirmed that the Parliament were but a company of factious Spirits c. And thus have you a relation of the practices and carriages of some of them verbatim as it is written in the forenamed Book intituled The first Century of Scandalous and Malignant Preists Ordered to be printed by authority of Parliaments Therefore none may think I devised it or any of it because the Book is still extant by which all that I have written here about them may be tried more I was not free to write First because of the tediousness of it And Secondly because some things are gross and abominable that I judged them not fit to be named although the Parliament was forced to record them for the vindication of themselves in shewing their reasons to the World why they ordered them to be sequestred and what they have recorded of these men and the grossest of their wickedness is proved by no less then five or six witnesses as is affirmed in the Epistle to the Reader but the truth is I should not once have mentioned any of these things but as Paul saith to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.11 in another cause I am become a fool in glorying but you have compelled me So say I in this I confess I have but acted a fools part in laying open their nakedness by repeating of what was formerly writen but Mr. Baxter and Mr. Hall hath compelled me by letting their tougues and pens fly at such uncertainties accusing us of things they canot prove as their fore-Fathers Ananias the high Preist and the Elders of Israel with Tertullus the Orator did by
Paul Acts 24.1 2 3 4 5 6. with 13. But I have proved all what I have here wrote by good authority the which I suppose they will not nor dare not deny but if they do the books remain still to be seen and now seeing these things are so I shall desire the impartial Reader seriously and in the fear of God to consider whether this generation of men although some of them more transformed into Angels of light and Ministers of righteousness then others as the Scripture saith 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. yet whether these be not those spoken of 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. in these words This know also that in the last daies perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankfull unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers for they accuse us and are in fault themselves incontinent fierce dispisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof and from such we are commanded to turn away for of this sort are they that creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knwledge of the truth and as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth Men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith but the Lord hath promised they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest to all men as theirs also was 2. Whether they be not like their forefathers of old that are spoken of Jer. 23.14 15 16 17. in these words I have seen also in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lyes they strengthen also the hands of evil doers that none return from their wickedness they are all of them unto me as Sodom and as the inhabitants of Gomorrha therefore saith the Lord of hosts concerning these Prophets that cause my people to err Behold I will feed them with wormwood and make then drink the water of Gall for from these Prophets is Prophaness gone forth into all the land therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesie unto you they make you vaine they speak a vision of their own hearts and not out of the mouth of the Lord but they say still to them that despise me Ye shall have peace and to every one that walketh after the imaginations of his own heart No evil shall come upon you 3. Thirdly Whether they be not like those which the Lord speaks of by Ezekiel chap. 22.26 27 28. in these words Her priests have violated my law and prophaned mine holy things they put no difference between the clean and unclean and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am prophaned by them her princes in the midst of them are like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood and to destroy souls to get dishonest gaine And the cause of it was Her prophets had daubed them with untempered morter seeing vanities and divining lies saying Thus saith the Lord when the Lord hath not spoken And it is not unknown how some of them did daube up Charles the first deceased with his princes and nobles that followed him with their untempered morter till they made him such a King as Salomon speaks of Eccles 4.13 in these words Better is a poor and wise childe then an old and foolish King which will no more be admonished The same did another party of them by Charles the second though more strict and zealous but not according to knowledge and would have drowned this land in blood and then cryed out the Anabaptists are the cause of it had not the Lord in mercy discovered their plot and turned all their councels into foolishness insomuch that some of them were branded and putsued with Gods eminent Judgements which Master Baxter speaks of therefore let him remember Master Love and his party 4. Whether they be not like thos e that the prophet Micah speaks of Chap. 3.11 when he saith The priests teach for heir and the Prophets Divine for money and yet they will lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us and no evil shall come upon us 5. How like the men Paul speaks of Phil. 3.18.19 when he saith Many walk as I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are enemies to the cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame who minde earthly things 6. Consider how the words of the Apostle Peter are verified in these men 2 Pet. 2.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. which are these The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise goverment presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities whereas the Angels which are greater in power and might bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these as natural bruit-beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruptions and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness as they count it pleasure to ryot in the day time Spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sin beguiling unstable souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practices Cursed Children which have for saken the right way and gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bozor who loved the wages of unrighteousness but was rebuked for his iniquity the dumbe Ass speaking with mans voice forbad the madness of that Prophet These are wells without water clouds that are carried with a tempest to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever For when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lust of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them that live in error while they promise others liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption c. So that we may say with Jer. 5 30 31. A wonderful horrible thing is commited in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof And now in all that I have written none can justly say that I have wronged or abused them at all for 1. I do but repeat what is recorded and that by the consent of those then in Authority of their words and actions and 2. I compared them with these forenamed Scriptures to the end that we might know and
they were to make confession of at their baptism But that Christendom might encrease and be filled with the word of God the Church hath thought good for mortalities sake that the children of Christians should be timely baptized 20 Johannes Bohemius lib. 2. De gentium moribus saith In times past it was the custom to administer baptism alone to those that were instructed in the Faith and seven times in the week before Easter and Pentecost Catechised or asked questions and then upon Confession of their Faith they were baptized But afterwards when it was thought and adjudged needfull to everlasting life to be baptized it was ordained that new-born children should be baptized and that Godfathers or sureties were appointed who should make confession of their Faith and renounce the Devil in their behalf 21 Bilander de Trinitate Justinianus the Empererour ordained Novella institutione 144. That children should be admitted to haptism and those that are come to their full growth should be taught before they were baptized Thus have you it out of the mouths of their own Poets and by them confessed that baptizing of babes is Wili-worship which the Scripture saith shall all perish with the using after the Commandments and Doctrines of men Col. 2.22 23. and thus having discovered the foundation of the Font and having shown whence and when and by whom Infant-baptism came in I shall leave it to the view of all and proceed to the next Now for better and more full satisfaction the book is suddainly to be reprinted and will be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls and is Entituled as followeth A very plain and well-grounded Treatise concerning Baptism Wherein is very cleerly shown and out of good grounds demonstrated that Baptism was instituted and ordained by the Lord Christ for those that believe and Repent and was so taught and used by his Apostles and observed and followed by the Primitive Church As also how that in process of time the baptism of children in stead of true Baptism was brought in and received and by divers Councels Popes and Emperours commanded to be observed Now we come to answer something to the beginning of Mr. Cooks book and to Mr. Baxters 10 Positions upon which himself confesseth his whole book standeth and without which it cannot be understood See his third page before he lay down his first Position But first I shall desire the Reader to take notice that after the truth of the Gospel had a long time been preached and publickly at Stafford both by my self and others who constantly affirmed according to the Scriptures that men and women when they believed in Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins were to be baptized into his name as in Mark 1.5 with Act. 8.12 is evident with ver 37. these things being preached in the presence of many people and some Ministers to the number of seven or eight at a time who stirred up the people to oppose it as indeed they did very much we desired them lovingly to bring their Teachers that they and we might reason about it before them the which the people were very confident they should have obtained but never could insomuch as I was carryed forth to declare my earnest desires in publick before some Priests and many people divers times thinking that then they could not in Civility have denyed it but yet we could never attain ours nor the peoples desires but they rather sought to satisfie them in private using divers Reasons and Arguments to perswade them to the contrary as if they were afraid to come to the light lest their deeds should be manifest as indeed we told the people at last we judged they were because they so much incensed the people against us privately and yet would never come to speak to our faces in the open Congregation although the honourable Governour Danvers did freely offer to engage himself that not the least wrong nor abuse should be offered them yet these men were in great fear where no fear was as it s written Psal 53.5 as appeareth by Mr. Cooks Epistle in his Font uncovered to the inhabitants of Stafford Notwithstanding we divers times offered them to reason with them twenty miles from Stafford as we have done since but it would never yet be received but rather paper-conference which for my part I was always against and was then although I was perswaded by the Governour and Captain James Brown to set my hand to that paper which was then sent them which did not exceed a quarter of a sheet to which they have answered seven sheets but to what purpose I shall leave it to the Reader to consider when he hath perused my following lines in answer to Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter and first to Mr. Cooks Font uncovered Pag. 1. our words which he hath there put down are these You having avoided publike dispute by your selves so much prest for at first and since have rather desired paper-conference we to gratifie your desires therein have written these few lines hoping thereby to beget some discussion of the truth wherein we affirm that the baptism or sprinkling of infants whereby the national Churches of Spain England France and Rome are Constituted and from thence called Christians and Christendom is not the baptism or dipping of believers which Christ Jesus ordained and his Disciples practised for the right constituting of Churches under the Gospel whereby they rightly became and were truly called Christians To all which you begin to answer thus saying Cooks In this our stating the question divers things must be animadverted that we deceive not our selves and others through darkning the truth by words without knowledge for say you we take it for granted that you hold that by the baptizing or sprinkling of infants Churches are constituted but this you deny and proceed to affirm that 1 As Faith or interest in Christ or the Covenant of Grace constitutes a Christian so the joynt and orderly profession of faith and interest in that Covenant or Gods owning a people to be in his Covenant is that which constitutes them a Church 2 You say baptism is not essential to the constituting of a Church being but adventitious or additional as a sign or pledge of peoples entring or admission into the Church the penitent Thief on the cross was a true believer though unbaptized and a multitude of such penitent ones joyntly professing Christ should be a true Church though they wanted opportunity to be baptized c. 3 You tell us that the Church of England received its constitution in or anon after the Primitive times when by the Ministry of the word some were converted from heathenism to Christianity at which time you grnnt persons of yeers were baptized upon their profession of Repentance c. H. To all which I answer 1 It is to be observed that Mr. Cook can say nothing nor give any Answer in the least to our