command the whole kind and therefore the holy Apostles baptized whole Families in which we find none excepâ—ed as St. Peter baptized Cornelius and his Family Acts 10. 48. St. Paul baptized the Jaylor and all that belonged unto him Acts 16. 33. Lydda and her houshold Acts 16. 15. The houshold of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16 c. Again whereas our Lord commandeth Mark 10. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not How properly can an Infant come unto Christ but by Baptisme Repent they cannot beleeve they cannot as the Anabaptists affirm But by baptisme they may come where the Minister in Christs stend receiveth them and blesseth them and why all this Of such is the Kingdome of God and therefore saith our Lord Forbid them not St. Peter saith Acts 2. 39. The promise is mad to you and your children and therefore be baptized To whom the promise is made and covenant let no man forbid baptisme which is the seal of the Covenant Again the faith of the Parents may warrant their Infants baptisme yea though they have but an hystoricall faith and not a justifying if they can credere ad baptismum though not adsalutem this faith maketh their children capable of baptisme many in the Apostles time were baptized having onely an historicall faith as Sâ—mon Magus and others Moreover these phrases Teach and baptize Repent and beleeve Beleeve be baptized are meant of such as were of riper years and made profession of the Christian faith or else the estate of Christian infants in the Gospel were much worse then the condition of the Israelitish Infants under the Law which to affirme is an horrible indignity offered unto Christ. Last of all most blasphemously they call baptisme of Christian mens children the mark of the Beast and to come from Antichrist and especially from Pope Innocent the third who lived about the yeare 1213. Learned Mr. Calvin affirmeth the baptisme of children to be a holy institution alwayes observed in Christ Church All the reformed Churches use it and it hath ben the practice of the universall Church The Greek Church who yearly excommunicate the Pope to whom St. Paul preched baptize their Infants as Gregory Nazianzen affirmeth And Origen who lived about the yeare 226 about 1000 yeares before Pope Innocent whom the Anabaptists would make the author of pedobaptisme The Russians who received the faith from St. Andrew the Apostle and account the Pope of Rome an Heretick hold a necessity of baptisme and put to death them that neglect and deride baptisme what would they doe with these men who blaspheme it The Abyssiâ—s or Ethiopians who received Christianity from St. Matthew the Apostle doe baptize their Infants viz. their male children at fourty dayes of age and their females at eighty The Armenian Christians to whom St. Barthoiomew preached the faith baptize their Infants Baronius writeth that these Christians had a thousand Bishops The Iacobites who are a numerous sort of Christians doe the same yea they mark their children with a hot Iron with the signe of the crosse alluding to the words of St. Iohn He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire The Cophtie or native Christians of Egypt to whom Saint Mark preached baptize their Infants these Christians have no communion with the Pope of Rome The Indians to whom St. Thomas brought the faith do the like The Matacasion Christians in Africa affirme children dying without baptisme to be deprived of eternall beatitude The Melchites one of the greatest fort of Christians in the Orient as Boterus affirmeth do the same The Nestorians under the Patriarch of Muzal who as Cardinall Vitriacus affirmeth are more numerons with the Iacobites then the Christians of the Latin and Greek Church doe the same These account the Pope of Rome a reprobate Bishop The Circassians Mengrellians Georgians Maronites Cephalians with all the orthodox Christians in the Universe baptize their Infants Erasmus wondreth what evill Devill entred them who forbid the baptisme of children used by the holy catholick Church for above 1400. years Also the Britains to whom Simon Zelotes preached have alwayes baptized their children and have honourably esteemed of that Sacrament administred to their children until some of these hereticks fled hither out of Germany where they burnt hanged and drowned men of that Sect till they had suppressed them They came into England about the year 1535. and as they could be found we did the like to them burning some and banishing others but since the yeare of our Lord 1640. they have crept out of their holes lift up their heads chalenge our Divines to publick disputations preach in our Churches publish their blasphemies print their bookes seducing multitudes of people And moreover to speak of the curelty of these Sectaries who depriving Infants of baptisme put them all out of the estate of grace We read of Herod the Tyrant who destroyed all the children in Bethlehem and the coasts thereof is not this a far more cruell sentence to set all infants in no better state then Pagans and Infidels without Christ Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel as strangers from the convenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Can any sober Christian but think this to be a barbarous cruelty It is not lawfull to take childrens bread and give it to dogs but these conclude children to be no better then dogs The Propher Elisha wept when he lookâ— upon Hazael fore-seeing that â—e should dash the Infants of Israel against the wall Hazael thought himselfe worthy to be so esteemed if ever he should â—â—e any such things And certainly thus to deprive Infants of baptisme is a more cruell act then to dash their bodies against stones Let these men also consider how much they provoke Christs displeasure against themselves he was greatly displeased with his Disciples for forbidding little children to come to him and one day they shall find him much more displeased with them who with great violence oppose the bringing of children to Christ in this holy Sacrament and with wrong injury and slander prosecute the Ministers of Christ who administer this Sacrament to Infants condemning theâ—â—or Ministers of Antichrist yea condemning all Churches â—or Antichristian who will not cast their children out of â—be covenant of grace The Lord open their eyes that they may see their errour and repent of it To conclude the baptismâ— of children is commanded in holy Scripture the holy Apostle baptized whole families the ancient â—athers testifie the same the holy Catholick Church of God alwayes used it Let not the Devill enter into the heart of any man to belâ—â—ve a fâ—â—acick unlearned mechanick man not an Angel from hâ—aven that teacheth a contrary doctrine What greater mischiefe can the Devill and his Imps do then to make a schisme in the Church and rob Almighty God of all his Lambsâ— and cut off so many millions of
and challenging all such as stand against their Errors and Heresies Goliah like defying Israel yet saith my Authour their opinions are such as pervert the Gospell of Jesus Christ bereave the Church of the grace and favours of God to young and old c. First for his grounds and reasons for the Baptisme of Children he alleadged seven 1. Because it is the Commandement of God to give the signe and seale of his Covenant of grace to his people and their seed in their infancy throughout their generations Which Ordinance of the Lords hath never been repealed but abideth stablished upon a certain and perpetuall ground which is his Promise and Covenant of grace made with the faithfull and their seed for ever 2. Because Christ hath confirmed the same when he sent forth his Apostles and appoynted them to make all the Natitions Disciples and to baptize them into the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost For to make Gentiles Disciples is by the Gospel to bring them unto the Covenant of God made with Abraham the Father of many nations for salvatition through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Which being a Covenant everlasting and including the faithfull and their seed Baptisme which did now succed and seale it in stead of Circumcision was therefore by this appoyntment of Christ to be administred unto all that should be brought and comprehended under that Covenant of Grace and consequently both to such as were of yeares coming to the faith of Christ and to their children being yet Infants Otherwise the Gentiles should not with the Jewes bee made co-heriters and of the same body and joynt-partakers of the Promise of God in Christ as the Scripture teacheth 3. Because is was the Apostles practice at the publishing of the Gospell through the world to baptize both the house-holders themselves that believed and their housholds also Like as Abraham himselfe first believed and then was circumcisâ—d all his family with him and as the strangers of the Gentiles which received the faith of the Jewes was circumcised likewise with all the males that were his 4. Because Children of beleevers are holy and are Abrahams seed and heires by promise of the Kingdom of heaven And who can then with-hold the Baptisme of water from them to whom God vouchsafeth the baptisme of his Spirit and the blessing of Abraham to an inheriâ—ance everlasting 5. Because Baptisme is the Lords signe of his washing away of our sins receiving of us into the Church and incorporating of us into Christ for salvation by his death and resurrection Whereof the children of Believers are partakers as wel as they which be of yeares and therefore can no more be deprived of Baptisme then of remission of sins entrance into the Church ingraffing into Christ and salvation by his meanes 6. Because there is one Baâ—tisme as there is one Body and one Mediator and confirmer of our covenant of Grace to the faithfull and their seed in all ages so as therefore one and the same Baptisme pertaineth to the children of the faithfull together with the Parents themselves as they ere also one and the same body with them having one and the same Mediator and raâ—ifier of Gods Covenant of grace unto them even Jesus Christ the head and Saviour of his Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things 7. Because else the grace of God to his people is now since Christs comming in the flesh lessened and straitned more then before which to affirme is highly to derogate from the grace of God the fulnesse of Christ and his Gospel the comfort of Christians and contrary to that which is written Col. 2 2. That Baptisme received in the Apostaticall Churches of Christians as in Rome and the like is not to be renounced and a new to be repeated again 1. Because there is no precept nor example for and therefore not from heaven 2. Because there is one Baptisme as one Circumcision as in the apostasie of Israel Circumcision was not repeated again they returning In like manner Baptisme being once received in the Apostaticall Churches of Christians is not to be repeated 3. Because the Covenant of Gods grace in Christ is an everlasting Covenant 4. Because Christ dyed for sin once and being raised from the dead dyeth no more and we are buried with him by Baptisme into his death to be grafâ—ed with him in the similitude of his resurrection wherefore all that are once Baptized into his name ought still to retaine it and not repeat it any more 5. Because the Church of Rome was espoused to Christ in the Covenant of Grace by the Gospell of salvation having Baptisme and the rest of Christs Ordinances in the Apostles dayes and have ever since retained it with other grounds of Christian Religion notwithstanding all her adulteries and apostasies whereinto she is falne 6. Because God hath his people in the Romish Babylon and when he calleth them out from thence doth not enjoyne them to leave whatsoever is there had but requireth of them to have no communion with their sins Now Baptisme is not of her adulteries but of Christs Oâ—dinance 7. Because else men might by the same reason also not retain the Articles of faith the learning of Scripture or the translations thereof and also be perswaded to dâ—ssolve such marriages which have been had by their Ministerie with other as strange consequences which to admit were unlawfull Now howsoever the Brownists comply with the Anabaptists in many things as you shall â—ee afterwards yet in these poynts Mr. Iohnson and some other of them disagree from them counting these their opinions abominable In describing of the Brownists I purpose to set downe 1. Their Originall and why called Brownists 2. Called also Separatists and why 3. Their agreement with the Donatists 4. Their agreement with the Anabaptists 5. Great Inâ—ovators 6. Some of their errors set downe by Mr. White 7. They are bitter Railers 8. Magnifie their owne Sect. 9. Criminate the Dutch and French Churches 10. They pretend Scripture 11. Blame our Congregation for prophanenesse 12. The prophanenesse impietyl dissentions and lewdnesse of their own Sect. 13. Their equivocating and palliating their owne wickednesse 14. Blame the Conversations of our Ministers 15. Except against our Ministers Ordination 16. Noveltie of their Ordinations 17. Their singing of Psalmes 18. Their Prophesying 19. Their blaming set Prayers 20. Their blaspheming the Lords Prayer 21. The tyranny of the Separation 22. Divers sorts of Brownists 23. How great a sin Schisme is 24. How they have been suppressed and punished in times past 25. Mr. Scots description of a Brownist 26. Of the Semi-separatists 1. Their Originall THese Sectaries are called Brownists from onâ— Master
also of power as Peter was called to the highest degree Eph 4. 11. Christ ascended up an high and gave gifts unto men as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Doctors Now howsoever one Apostle be not above another yet one Apostle is above another as an Apostle is above an Evangelist and an Evangelist above Pastors and Teachers And Peter being an Apostle was above all Evangelists and Pasâ—ors having the highest roome in the Ministery of the New Testament Secondly among the twelve Apostles Peter had a three-fold priviledge First of authority Cephas with Iames anâ— Iohn were called Pillers Gal. 2. 6. 9. Secondly of Primacy being first named The names of the twelve Apostles are these the first is Simon called Peter Thirdly of Principality in regard of the measure of grace in which he excelled Math. 16. 16. The difference is the Papists give to Peter and to the Bishops of Rome his successors a supremacy under Christ above all causes and persons which wee deny affirming Kings and Princes to bee supreme within their owne Dominions The nineteenth of the efficacy of the Sacraments Our consents We teach Sacraments to be signes to represent Christ with his benefits unto us 2. Instruments whereby God offereth and giveth the said benefits unto us The difference First that Sacraments are Physicall Instrements having force in them to give grace Secondly that the very action of the Minister dispensing the Sacrament as it is a worke done giveth grace if the party bee prepared We hold the contrary The twentieth poynt of saving Faith Our consent 1. They teach the property of faith to believe the whole Word of God and especially the redemption of mankinde by Christ. 2. They a vouch that they beleeve and look to be saved by Christ and by him alone and by the meere mercy of God in Christ. 3. The most learned of them hold and confesse that the obedienâ—e of Christ is imputed to them for the satisfaction of the Law and their reconciliation with God 4. They avouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in Christ and in the meere mercy of God for their salvation 5. They hold that every man must apply the promise of life everlasting by Christ unto himselfe Though in coloured termes they seem to agree with us yet indeed they abolish and deny the substance thereof namely the particuler and certaine application of Christ Crucified and his benefits to our selves The 21. poynt of Repentance Our consent 1. Conclusion that Repentance is the conversion of a â—inner and that it is passive or active passive is an action of God whereby he converteth a man being yet unconverâ—ed Active is an action of man whereby man being once turned of God turnes himselfe 2. Conclusion That repentance standeth In Confessing of the mouth Contition of the heart Satisfaction in deed 3. Conclusion that in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruits worthy amendment of life We dissent not from the Church of Rome in the Doctrine of Repentance but in their abusing of it 1. They place the beginning of repentance partly in themselves and partly in the holy Ghost 2. They take Repentance or Penance for that publike Discipline that was used against offenders in the open Congregation 3. They make it a Sacrament 4. They make it a meritorious cause of Remission of sinne and everlasting life and in these poynts saith my Author we dissent from the Church of Rome In the 22. place he setteth downe some sinnes of the Romish Church viz. Atheisme Idolatry and Adultery in permitting Stewes and Brothell-houses I pray God keep us in these distracted times from Atheisme and Sacriledge which ensuâ—th thereupon In Master Perkins Reformed Catholike you may see the confutation of the Popish errors before named at large A Review of the Sectaries comparing them with the PAPISTS FOr the Sacrament of Baptisme the Papists exclude those Infants heaven that are not Baptized and the Anabapâ—ists affirme the Baptisme of Children to be the marke of the Beast and Antichristian The Papists attribute too much to the Element of Bread in the holy Communion accounting him no good Christian that will not call it his Lord God Some of these Sectaries as the Brownists mocke and scoffe at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper calling it a two-penny Banquet For the number of Sacraments the Papists will have too ma-many and some of these Sectaries too few The Papists give too much reverence to the Blessed Virgin holy Apostles and Saints departed and some of these Hereticks blaspheme the holy Virgin whom all Nations should call blessed as the Melchiorists saying Maledicta sit caro Mariae The Papists are blamed for saying too often the Lords Prayer the Brownists and some of other Sectaries will not say the Lords Prayer at all some of them affirming it to be an abominable Idoll though it be commanded to be said by our Lord himselfe The Papists will not onely keep the Lords day but also many Holy-dayes some of these Sectaries will neither keepe Holy-dayes nor the Lords day as the Famalists and Anâ—i-Sabbatarians The Papists confesse their sinnes and suppose they cannot enter heaven without a particuler confession of them some of these Hereticks will not confesse their sinnes at all affirming God can see no sinne in them as the Antinomiaâ—s In equivocating they are alike Equivocation is a cunning colouring of a Lye which is against Scripture against the rule of equity an hindring of Justice the way to perjury the divills creature who is the Father of Lying a princiâ—pll proppe and pillar of Antichrists Kingdome For lying I know not whether Papists or Sectaries shall carry away the Bell they tell lyes they print lies they preach lyes they paint lies and both without controule Bullinger telleth us that the Anabaptists brought Cart-loads of lies to maintaine their detestable opinions Piae fraudes as the Papists have Piae fraudes to draw men to godlinesse as purgatory and such like so have the Sectaries and especially the Anabaptists have tricks and devises as Visions Revelations Dreames yea false miracles to maintain their cause For Hypocrisie they are both alike they come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves The Anabaptists entred Munster like Lambes but became Wolves having gotten the upper hand For their uncleannesse the Papists permit Stewes â—but the uncleannesse of the Familists and Anabaptists in their spiritâ—all marriages and other abhominations are not with a modest tongue to be spoken For Churches the Papists spare no cost in erecting and trimming them they would make them if they could like heaven it selfe whereas some of these Sectaries would destroy and demâ—lish them Last of all the Papists worship God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity and whereas some of these Sectaries blaspheme the holy Trinity their opinions being so Diabolicall and prodigiously impious that it