Eunuch He was to be born again of Water and the Holy Ghost Titus 3.5 This washing or second birth or being born again is called the new birth by the washing of regeneration the renewing of the Holy Ghost In this new birth we are washed ontwardly with water but inwardly by the Holy Ghost but God is pleased to use this as an Instrument by which he will conveigh the graces of his holy Spirit Some Divines think that the first grace is not given in baptisme but confirmed and sealed up Indeed in men of ripe yeers it was so required vve hear that Beliefe or Faith was first required in them before they were baptized Others might say so and yet felt not the Faith they then professed but God having given them a mind to be baptized might convey grace to them in their baptisme It s a great question between us and the Papists whether the Sacraments be instrumenta Physica or moralia whether they Physically convey grace to the soul as elebore temperature cure to the mind against Drunkennesse or any drug of medicinal power to the Patient Or but morally which he useth to concomitate according to his pleasure to make effectuall as he will for as Saint Augustin said long agoe All that receive the Sacraments of grace doe not receive the Grace of the Sacrament Simon Magus was baptized as well as Simon Peter Act. 8.13 Simon himselfe beleeved also and was baptized He beleeved historically the Doctrine taught whereupon he was so far convinced that hee received baptisme but not salvifically v. 23. For hee was still in the Gall of bitternesse and Bond of iniquity yet upon the outward confession of Faith the Apostles not knowing the secrets of his heart he was admitted to Baptisme But it may be some of the newly minted will quarrell me for saying that Simon Peter was baptized and where I can prove it in the Scriptures As they doe for baptisme of our Children To which I answer That all good Christians that oportunely might were baptized But Peter was a Christian and oportunely might Ergo Peter was baptized this they must grant except they will deny Peter to have been a Christian and yet wee have no particular place explicit totidem terminis in Scripture to prove this Even so suppose we have no particular place explicit in Scripture in terminis to prove that Infants were baptized yet we have such generall grounds for it as out of which we may safely deduce particulars as we shall shew hereafter It was no small oversight in Reuben to devide himself from the rest of the Tribes when the common enemies threatned them all and for this his division there were great thoughts of heart It s as little difcretion for this too highly conceipted generation who are all for prescribing of Laws to their brethren but for the receiving of none to divide themselvs from the rest of their brethren and make a rent in the seamlesse coat of Christ when the common enemies would take it away all which hath been no small grief to such as do sapere ad sobrietatem and are not byassed with that height of singurality and conceipted infallibility in stead of which God grant unto them a greater measure of discretion and a more common expression of Charity But I return to the point whole housholds were baptized Anabaptists or whosoever except against baptizing of children cannot shew that all these whole housholds were without children or that none of them had any in 2. Where mention is made of Baptisme in Scriptures they are no where excepted Which in all probability they would have beene if Christ had meant that they should not have been baptized 3. In no other place nor upon any other occasion are they forbidden 4. From the Apostles times downward these 1600. yeeres it hath been the practice of the Church of God Origen upon Rom. 6. saith That the Church received baptizing of Infants from the Apostles themselvs And therefore Cyprian in his Epistle adfidum would have care taken for the baptizing of new born Infants Cyprill upon Levit. 8. to the like purpose Herom lib. 3. contra Pelagianos August lib. 4. contra Donatistes cap. 23.24 not from the authority of men or councels but from the tradition or Doctrine oâ— the Apostle what need more for so ancient and cleer a truth 5. Mat. last 19. Go and teach all Nations and baptize them c. But again this place the exception is that teaching and baptizing are there put together and therefore they say that none might be baptized but such as were capable of teaching To which I answer that there is one consideration de ecclesia constituenda another de ecclesia constituta one consideration of a Church but in framing another of a Church already framed The Church was but in framing when the Apostles went first abroad and then the Church was collected of men and women of ripe yeers all which were capable of teaching and so of baptizing and therefore are they conjoyned and because they were then Heathens and had never heard of Christ it was needfull that such should first be preached to and taught before they were baptized to know what Baptisme was what was required to it what was the end of it and the benefit that came by it and then the immediatum subjectum baptismi in sacris were adulti the immediate subject of Baptisme in Scriptures were men of ripe yeers then no Infants might be baptized but of such men as had been first made Christians and baptized themselves and so being come within the Covenant themselves their Infants were intraducible by vertue of that But now if Christ had meant that Infants should first have been baptized not men of ripe yeers when the Church was but in framing and was at first to be framed and collected and when the Apostles first went out to preach then no doubt but Christ would have named them in particular and sub â—a notione as well as others but the Church was not first framed and gathered of such but of their Parents and so they induce their priviledge Yet they were but the secundarium or mediatum subjectum baptismi and therefore it will not follow that because Teaching was joyned with Baptizing when the Church was first to be collected of the Gentiles and Heathen people and men of ripe yeers as then the immediate subject of it that therefore none might afterward be baptized but such as were capable of Teaching 2 When our Saviour said Goe teach and baptize all Nations he made no exception of Infants in their Order out of the Commission generall as thus Goe ye and teach all Nations and baptize such as are capable of Teaching but no Children or Infants or none else No but thus Goe and teach all Nations and baptize them excepting neither small nor great young nor old 3 Goe thâ—refore and teach all Nations as many as are capable of Teaching and baptize them first
or more moderate Schoolmen as Bonaventure in this point and others upon the 4. of the Sentences make not Baptisme of so absolute necessity as if none could be saved without it But whereas they make a threefold Baptisme Baptismus fluminis Baptismus flaminis Baptismus sanguinis a Baptisme with Water a Baptisme with the Spirit and a Baptisme with blood a Baptisme with Water as here in the Text a Baptisme with the Spirit Luke last 49. Act. 2.4 they were all filled with the Holy Ghost a Baptisme with blood Luke 12.50 I must be baptized with a Baptisme and how am I streitghtned untill it be ended Now they say that baptisme of blood may suffice where a man is crowned with Martyrdom ex motu charitatis and cannot have the other 2. With the Baptisme of the Spirit Luke 23.43 The good Theife that was a Christian that dyed so was not baptized with Water but with the Spirit by which he beleeved that Christ was able to save him 3. Voto When a man hath an earnest and hearty desire to it and yet is prevented by death Thus Valentinian the Emperour sending for St. Ambros to baptize him yet dyed before he taught him being but in the way Ambros was not afraid to say that he was baptized voto and was in caelo in Heaven to the same effect St. August lib. 4. contra Donatestas cap. 22.23 and its worth our observation Mat. 16.16 in this point He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Some might object what needs a man baptizing if he beleeve The Scripture tells us he needs and you have heard of many that beleeved before yet must be baptized then it follows but he that beleeveth not shall be damned It s not said he that beleeveth not and is not baptized So then where the Text saith except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit we must not understand it absolutely but in some respect that is when God offers it and we may have it if no then he cannot enter For as St. Bernard hath it Epist 77. it s not omnis deprivatio baptismi but contemptus or palpabilis neglectus not every deprivation of baptisme but contempt or palpable neglect when God gives time enough and we will not take it the death of such a man without it is fearfull 2. Consider to whom Christ speaks in this Text to Nicodemus a man of ripe yeers The immediate subject of Baptisme Except such a one be born of Water and the Spirit in such a case as you have heard he cannot enter for Baptisme is alwayes necessary necessitate praecepti in regard that God hath commanded it though not alwayes absolutely necessary necessitate medii thus much for ripe yeers especially and de ecclesia constituenda Now de ecclesia constituta of a Church constituted wherein all that are of ripe yeers are actuall Christians in such a Church Infants themselves are the immediate subject of Baptisme though I know that in the primitive Times or in the Times of the ancient Fathers many men that professed Christ would not be baptized till neere their death because they thought that by Baptisme all their sins were washed away which they had committed before it and if they had been baptized sooner they were afraid to have sinned again not well considering the vertues of it afterward this they did de facto but it was not commendable in them nor should be imitable by us though their intent was honest Now of Infants that dye without Baptisme what shall we say of them shall we account them all for damned that dye without Baptisme with Water as rigid Papists do or bury them on the North side of the Church where no Sun can shine on them to signifie that no Light of Heaven nor Sun-shine of Gods countenance belongs unto them Surely no it s an harsh an uncharitable opinion for Gods eternall election cannot be over-turned for want of the outward element where it cannot be had God having deprived them of it in taking them away by death It s true St. August was of this opinion Ep. 28. ad Hieron and 106. contra Pelagianos And lib. 1. de anima cap. 9. disputing against Vincentius Victor urgeth this Text To which I answer 1. That St. August was driven upon this rock of extremity by the Pelagians importunity who denying that Infants were born in originall sinne he had no better Arguments than Baptisme for one to shew the contrary for if not uncleane then they stood in no need of washing 2. I answer That St. August did as vvell arre in the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis cap. 20. that it was necessary also to salvation for Infants to receive being mistaken from John 6. v. 53. See Maldonate in 6. Johannis how long this errour remained in the Church yet since the Councell of Trent hath condemned it and the practice of the Christian World is to the contrary But Rom. 11.16 If the Roote be holy so are the Branches If the Parents be holy we are to thinke the best in charity of their Children till they come to yeers of discretion and declare the contrary Gen. 17.7 God established a Covenant with Abrahams Seed as well as Abrahams selfe 1 Cor. 7.14 If either of the Parents be sanctified the Children are said to be holy 2. We know that the Infants under the Lavv vvere not to bee circumcised before 8. days old novv vvho knovves not that many of them dyed before that time and yet vve read not that they might be circumcised before it Now if all had been damned that wanted circumcision then had God beene unmercifull to his Creature to prevent this but this we know he is not the like we may conceive of Infants dying before they were baptized by water Mat. 2.16 Herod slew the Males in Bethlem and in the Coasts thereof of two yeeres old and under now its probable that many of those were so young that they were uncircumcised yet the Papists acknowledge they dyed Martyrs in Christs cause and were saved 3 Josh 5.5 By the space of 40. yeeres in the wildernesse they were not circumcised because Moser still waited for removeall and so they being sore were not so fit for it Now if all those that dyed there had been damned Moses and Aaron had been guilty of an horrible sin 4. And lastly wee know that in the Primitive Times they baptized but twice a yeer at Easter and Whitsuntide which they would not have done if the Popish Divinity had been true but this is no warrant forus to deferre baptisme when it may be had but we are to use the means seasonably which God hath prescribed so Cyp. ad fidum to take care for new born Infants Ep 3. The Element must be Water none else not Milke nor Wine nor Sand nor the like St. Aug tells us of Seleucus and Hermias two Heretiques that baptized with an hot Iron
to send out the prayer of Faith for it And page 643. to such as dye Infants giving that Spirit which works either Faith or some thing proportionable for their justification regeneration sanctification and salvation In the latter which survive and live to discretion vvorking the seeds and inclination of Faith which in due time shall fructifie to Eternal Life See Polan lib. 6. cap. 55. quo promissa est gratia invisibilis exhibetur Wallebius in compendio Theol. lib. 1. cap. 23. Fidem non secus ac rationem habent acsi non in fructu tamen insemine radice c. They have Faith as they have Reason though not in the act and exercise of it yet in the Root of Seed or it they have virtuall petentiall and inclinative Faith and they have it in Actu primo saith Walleb seeing they have spiritum fidei the Spirit of Faith though not in actusecundo Prosp de vocatione gent. lib. 1. cap. 18. Originem verae justitiae in regenerationis Sacramento positam esse ut vbi homo tenascitur ibi etiam ipsarum virtutum veritas Oriatur Yea some moderne Divines have afforded them the habit of Faith Polan synagmat lib. 9. cap. 6. though others cannot see how that should be of which never after any shew without new instruction Estius in lib. 4. Sent d. 4. sect 6. calls it habitum sopitum or qualitatem quiescentem which saith he constituat vere credentes sperantes diligentes c. although it cannot actuate except the impediment of the age be removed and externall doctrine or instruction accede by the outward senses I say thus that if by an habit bee meant an inchoat habit infused it may be true but not of a perfect habit for then the former exception may take place but an inchoate habit and a disposition to a perfect one are all one for Disposition and Habit thus differ not specie but gradu as tempor fervor and thus in effect It s no more then what we heard before the School-men that follow Aquin. part 3. qu. 69. art 6. in corpore say thus for their perfect habit the impotentia operandinon accidit pueris ex defectu habituum sed ex impedimento corporali even as men that are sleeping they have the habits of vertue though whilst such they cannot exercise them Taylor on Titus page 939. in his doctrine in Calce God in baptisme not onelyoffers and signifies but truly exhibiteth grace c. and that vertuall and inclinative beliefe in them is acceptable to God in Christ as actuall in aedu tis it savours therefore too strongly of an Anabapticsticall conceipt to think that Infants are not capable of inward graces of baptisme unlesse they had actuall Faith St. August To 3. in enchirid ad laurent cap. 54. Baptism itis munere quod contra origin ale peccatum donatum est ut quod generatione attractum est regeneratione detrahatur and a little after unde incipit hominis renovatio here mans renovation begins And Tom. 7. lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis cap. 9. speaking of the Pelagians denying originall sinne Hinc enim etiam in paroulis nolunt credere per Baptismun solvi originale peccatum they will not beleove that Originall sinne is is taken away in children by baptisme lib. 2. cap. 28. Although Law of concupiscence remain in our members manente ipsa reatus ejus solvitus though it abide yet the guilt of it is taken away and then it followes sed eisolvitur qui Saccamentum regenerationâ—s accaepit renov â—â—ique jam caepit its taken away in such as have received the Sacrament of regeneration and now have begun to be renewed lib. 6. contra Julianum ergo quia parvuli baptizantur in Christo peccato moriuntur a potestate tenebrarum ubi natura filii ira fucrant erunutur Children are baptized in to the death of Christ and dye to sinne and although by nature they were the children of wrath yet are they hereby plucked out of the power of darknesse lib. 1. contra 2. Ep. Pelag. cap. 13. ipsa carniâ— concupiscentiain baptisme sic dimittitur ut quanquam tract a sit a nascentibus nihil noceat renascentibus concupiscence in baptisme is so taken away that though it be contracted to posterity yet it hurts not the party regenerate lib. de nuptiiâ— cap. 23. haec in qu am concupiscentia quae sola Sacramento regenerationis expiatur c. Martyr loc com clas 4. cap. 8. sect 2. cham lib. 5. de Sacr. cap. 4. par 6. Cal. Institutionum lib. 4. cap. 14. sect 17. Gerar. voss Thes Theol. de paedo baptismo pant 1. Thes 15. Musclai com q. 1. sect 8. Junius de paedo bapt thes 10. August Tom. 3. lib. 14. de Tul. cap. 17. This concupiscence which by the onely Sacrament of Baptisme is expiated or purged namely front the guilt and by the Sacrament as you have heard is then meant the thing signified as well as the signe Nazianzen in laudem Gorgonii calls it divinae bonum the good of divine beginnings Athanasius in his book of Questions dedicated to Antiochus qu. 2. propounds this when a man may know that he hath beene baptized and received the Spirit in Baptisme being but an Infant when he was baptized Answ osper oun en gastri labousa gune even as a woman may know that she is conceived with child when there is life Even so a Christian by the springing of his heart in solemn dayes of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and by the inward joyes he then conceives oti to pneuma to agion elabe baptistheis that he received the Holy Ghost when he was Baptized-Chrysost Hom. 1. in Acta Oti to curiotaten to pneuma esti di hou cai to vdor energei in Baptisme the Spirit is the chiefe by which the water becomes effectuall not as any proper cause or any Phyficall Instrument as you have heard Basil de spiritu sancto cap. 10. answers to the question how Christians are saved dia tes en too Baptismati caritos by the grace he received in Baptisme St. Hierom. lib. 3. dialogorum contra Pelagianos asking in cavelling manner why Infants are Baptized answers vt ijs peccata in baptismate dimittantur that their sins might be remitted in Baptisme See further St. Aug. Ep. 23. ad Bonifacium and the godly and learned Mr. Prinne in his Perpetuity page 354. To which I adde learned Dr. Whittaker de Sacramentis ingenere qu. 4. cap. 2. respon ad testimonium septimum Deus in Baptismo signifieat remissionem peccatum sanae ita re operatur veritas cum signo conjuncta est in electis God both signifies remission of sins in Baptisme and indeed so works it in the Elect yet the truth of the signe is joyned with it this also Dr. Fran. White makes good against Fisher page 176. God doth not use to mock his people with empty signes but by his power inwardly makes good what
by the outward sign he represents unto us and what have beene said of this of Faith in elect Infants you have heard and how in time it fructifies Dr. Fately in his Childrens Baptisme in page 59. saith the effects of the Spirit are begun at our Baptism c. p. 60. they have purg'd away the guilt of their sins and Christs righteousnesse is imputed to them Yet onely give me leave to relate what St. August saith of this Ep. 23. ad Bonif. seme perceptam parvulis Christi gratiam non amittit nisi propria impietate si aetatis accessu tam malus evaserit c. this grace of Christ once received the child looseth not except by his own vilenesse when he comes to yeers and then his actuall sins are not removed by his baptismall regeneration sed alia curatione sanentur they must be healed by actuall repentance and yet as Mr. Prinne Obs this will not follow that therefore a converted child of God may fall either totally or finally from actuall grace Our own Church Art 25. printed 1562. they are called effectuall signes of grace Now if God doe not effect grace in some sort by them they are not effectuall In our Forme of Baptisme in the Church of England we have been taught thus to pray That the child may be baptized with water and with the Holy Ghost be received into Christs Church and made a lively member of the same and that comming to baptisme it may receive remission of its sins by spirituall regeneration and give thy Holy Spirit to this Infant that it may be born againe And after Baptisme seeing now that this Child is regenerate c. and I do not quote this as any authority of its selfe any further then made good by Orthodox Divines Ames Tom. 3. lib. 2. cap. 3.75 page though all Infants receive not grace in Baptisme neither say we so Deum tamen quibusdam cum baptizantur habitum vel Principium gratiae in fundere non negamus Davenant in Col. 2.12 Spiritum gratiae inbaptismo acceptum Dr. Featley Part. 2. inward grace ordinarily accompanieth the outward signe Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit Our Saviour you see begins at Baptisme with Nicodemus and the Spirituall Birth when he would have him a Christian And as in the Scriptures we reade of a twofold Circumcision so there is a twofold Baptisme a twofold Circumsiod Rom. 2. two last For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumsion which is outward in the flesh that is it is not that Circumcision alone that makes a man acceptable to God without the other whereof that was a symbole but he is a Jew which is one within and the Circumcision of the heart in the Spirit not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God So hee is not an acceptable Christian to God that is onely baptized outwardly with Water but he that is one inwardly baptized also with the Spirit therefore our Saviour puts them both together Except a man bee born again of Water and the Spirit 2 Kings 4.31 When the Shunamites Child was dead the Prophet sent Gehezie with his staffe to lay upon the face of the child and to quicken it but no life nor motion did appeare by that then vers 35. the Prophet himselfe comes and hee layes his mouth to the Childs mouth c. and then presently it begins to revive and life was restored unto it Thus we may lay Water alone upon the Body but it can introduce no Spirituall life but when the presence of Gods sanctifying Spirit â—omes together with it then life is infused into the soule And secondly as a man can perceive nothing of the things of this life except he be first born into the world naturally no more can he perceive any thing of the sweetnesse of the life to come except hee bee first borne againe spiritually Thirdly even as the Children of Israel when they came out of Egypt were first to goe through the Red Sea 2. Through the solitary wildernesse 3. To be fed with Manna 4. To passe through Jordan and then 5. and lastly into the Land of Promise even so are we first to passe through the water of Baptisme 2. Through the Wildernesse of Temptation 3. God therein affords the Manna of consolation 4. After both Death and 5. and lastly then that aeternall Canaan or rest of glory Fourthly our Saviour saith not except this man or that man be borne againe but speakes indefinitely except a man be born againe that is as much as except every man be born again that may for the Logitians tells us as you have heard that in materia necessaria propositioni definita est instar vniversalis though in contingenti but particularis In a matter necessary an indefinite proposition is as an universall so that it s not left to every mans judgement as a thing indifferent whether he will be baptized or no but he must if he may if he mean to enter Heaven Fifthly we may observe that this is spoken to a Jew a man that had been circumcised before Amen Amen dico tibi to ye yet to circumsion he addes Baptisme putting an end as it were to the one and beginning the other therefore the Jewes do wrangle in vaine contending for Circumsion to bee for ever and never altered because it s said Gen. 17.7 That God made an everlasting Covenant with Abraham and his Seed and Abraham believed before he was circumcised and afterwards received the signe of Circumsion which is also called a Seale of the Righteousnesse of Faith and to Ahraham it was given as a signe that hee believed the divine promise of the Seed to come Gal. 3.16 He saith not as to the Seeds as speaking of many but to thy Seed as to one which is Christ in whom all the Nations of the Earth were to be blessed Circumcision then was an open signe of the confession of this Seed to come now the Seed being come if any man should retain circumsion as still necessary he should as much as signifie he were not come Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing So that to the Jewes objection out of Gen. I answer thus faedus Dei cum populo sempiternum but signumillud particul are non esset aeternum although the Covenant of God with his people was to be aeternall yea their particular signe of circumcision was not to be so for though the covenant held yet the sign of the covenant was alterable for circumcision was not pactum but signum pacti circumcision was not the covenant its selfe but the signe of the covenant It s observeable in sacred Writ quod Deus ter faedus suum cum homine renovavit renewed his covenant three times with man and the sign was every time preximius perfectius the nearer to him and the more perfect First he made a
about baptisme and for no other use imployed than baptisme this ought to breed no quarrell amongst intelligent Christians nor to denominate any man superstitious for the thus setting it apart and revising of it seeing that it s used in no other manner nor for any other end than the Apostles used water in their times for wee acknowledge no more inhaerent holinesse in this than in other Water as the Papists do and in this sense water in the Font is no worse than water in the Fountain nor to be accounted more superstitious being but thus used though the Fonts have been abused we know the Apostles and Apostolicall men baptized in common Water and such as was most obvious for that occasion devoy'd of any ceremonious consecration Mat. 3.6 John baptized in Jordan in the faire open River because he baptized many at one meeting and those of ripe yeers and Acts 8.38 Philip baptized the Eunuch in the Water by the high way side as they travelled and if we wanted other places as they did we might also doe the like Secondly where our Saviours mentions being borne again of Water and the Spirit but expresseth not in the Text who should apply it the second question may be who should administer baptisme I answer he that hath a lawfull calling to meddle in the Administration of the Church Sacraments and to touch the people and can shew the nature the end of them c Mat. last 19. those that went out to baptize went out also to teach such as were capable of it Yea that 's ordinarily but in case of necessity may not Lay-men baptize or Midwives c. the Papists say they may for whom thus much may be said in briefe First for private men to administer Sacraments the master of every family killed the Passeover in his owne private house Exod. 12. â— to 7. and distributed it to them why may not private men now as well minister Sacraments I answer that when the Passeover was first appointed then the Aaronicall Priesthood was not instituted but the eldest of every Family was a Priest if not uncapable and performed all Priestly duties unto God but after the Lord had chosen the Tribe of Levie and setled the Priest-hood in that then these things were done by them to whom it appertained and not by others 2. For Midwives it s usually urged that Zipporah circumcised the sonne of Moses Exod. 4.24 25. God met Moses in the Inne and would have killed him for neglecting the Circumcision of his Child Let negligent Parents take notice hence how Gods anger will bee also kindled against them if they neglect baptisme now the like to their children then Zipporah Moses his wife took a sharp knife and circumcised her son then Gods wrath ceased To which I answer 1. That one example makes no rule as one Swallow makes no Summer Judg 4.4 Deborah a woman judged Israel yet it will not honce follow for a rule that any woman may be Judge neither may we hence collect like that wise man in Norfolke who reading how Deborah judged Israel would needs hence collect that a woman might be a Justice of Peace there are divers particulars in Scripture out of which we cannot well draw generall Rules if we do we shall conclude many absurdities 2. I answer that this was an extraordinary example and therefore can no more make a rule for ordinary actions than Moses his baptizing in the cloud and in the Sea or his making of Aaron a Priest Moses and Aaron among his Priests c. this might not be drawn into a rule no more might Zipporahs Objection that neither doe they make this common rule but in case of necessity or in anticulomoâ—tis in danger of death To which I answer 1. That they make it more common many times then they need because they would be doing and be accounted some body 2. That there is no such absolute necessity as to compell them to abuse the Ordinance of God as if God had no other wayes â—o save by but by the powring on water by the hand of a woman they are no such grace-wives as to conferre grace thus 3. Moses was then sick when Zepparah circumcised the child and was not well able to do it yet what if Moses speak of this rather by way of indignation then any point of Religion or commendation of her 4. She did it not in any love or reverence to the Sacrament but for by respects she did not performe it in that reverend manner that Sacraments use to be performed but very unreverently and furiously both in deeds words and gestures In deeds she threw the fore skinne in an anger at his feet In words a bloudy husband hast thou been unto me grudging against God that instituted the Sacrament as well as Moses In gestures frowning and looking disdainfully upon him 5. And lastly though God was pleased when the Child was circumcised yet it followes not that therefore he was content with the manner of it or with the approving of the party that did it and the case I say was extraordinary Obj. 2. But howsoever they may apply the element and use the right form of words and better so than no baptisme at all I say that more is required to baptisme than water and the words and that is authority from God and a solemn calling from the Csturch to do it which they cannot have and necessity is no sufficient authority to Priest a woman though I know how some have cavelled amongst the reformed as I have known such as have been baptized by them afterwards brought to the Minister to be baptized of him and wee know that the opinion of absolute necessity put them upon the point But 1. Christ hath had a setled order of men since the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to do this therefore no need of them 2 Mat. 28. 19. Teach and baptize this is a Sacrament of the Church and the Sex of a woman excludes her from Teaching and by consequence from administring Sacraments Joh 4.2 Jesus baptized not but his Disciples which some understend exclusively none but they did it yet no doubt but many Children were then in danger 2 Tim. 22. I permit not a woman to teach that is publiquely to instruct in the open Congrcgation 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your women keepe filence in the Church for it is not permitted them to speake their Sex deprives them of such Ministeriall functions Tertullian de velgandis virginibus it s not permitted a woman to speake in the Church much lesse to teach or to baptize or to offer neither to take to her selfe the execution of any mans office much lesse the Priests And Concil 4. Carth aginensi Epiphanius disputing against divers Heretiques and confuting Marcion complained that he also gave women leave to baptize he said the like of the Quintilian and Pepatian Heretiques and concerning the necessity of Baptisme by Water you have heard before that it s not