have you from God's Word to affirm such things you give no more proof for what you assert than the Papists do for their vain Traditions and Popish Ceremonies Grace must be implanted in the Soul before Baptism or the Person has no Right to it 't is an outward Sign of an inward spiritual Grace as your Church asserts Baptism is not Grace nor conveys Grace if you can prove it does I will say no more but submit and acknowledge my mistake but if you err in saying it does do not go about to deceive your People any more You plead for making false Christian nominal Christians Christianity is another thing than what you seem to imagine The Way is narrow and the Gate is straight Regeneration is a difficult Work it requires the Mighty Power of God to be put forth on the Soul nay the same Power that God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes. 1.19 20. As to Infants being capable of the Blessings of the Gospel so are Heathens and Pagans when God calls them and infuses Grace into their Souls I have answered all you say upon that Account in my Answer to Mr. Burkit The Commission in the largest Extent comprehends no more than such that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciplized by the Preaching of the Gospel in all Nations the Parents must be discipled and the Children must themselves in their own Persons be discipled as well as their Parents and as their Parents were before baptized and when a whole Nation both Parents and Children are by the Word and Spirit made Christ's true and holy Disciples and as such baptized then all the Nation may be look'd upon to be Christians but we know what sort of Christians you make and your national Church does consist of that are made so by Baptism to our trouble if God does not make your Members better Christians than your Sprinkling or baptizing them as you call it hath done none of them as it appears from Christ's own words Ioh. 3.3 can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven In my former Books you may read Mr. Perkin's and Mr. Baxter's Expositions of the Commission they talk not at such a rate as you do tho' Pedo-Baptists And tho' in your late Letter to me you seem to boast as if some admire your Book and that your Arguments are invincible or unanswerable Yet that is not my Conceptions concerning it and had your Antagonist so judged of it I doubt not but he would attempted your strongest Fort before this time for I know very well his Ability to defend this Cause indeed I wonder at his silence But if you do proceed to provoke a farther Answer you may have it This which I have done was occasioned by my Preaching on this Text not intending a particular Reply to every thing you have said nor is there any need for you are fully answered already in our late Treatises yet I think the Controversie much concerns you of the Church of England and such who are for a National Church As for our Brethren called Congregational I cannot tell what they mean by contending for the Practice of Paedo-Baptism nor do I well know what their Sentiments are about it they agree as I do understand with us and other Christians that Baptism is an initiating Rite or Ordinance now if their Infants are in Covenant with themselves and are made visible Church-Members by Baptism in Infancy and until by actual Sins they violate their Rite and Privilege abide Members thereof 1. Then I would know whether they have their Names in their Church-Book or Register as Members And 2 dly Whether they ever Excommunicate or bring under any Church Censure such of their Children who fall into scandalous Sins or actual Transgressions or not 3 dly If not what kind of polluted Churches must thir's be who have not purged out such corrupt Members The truth is I see not how Infant Baptism is consistent with any Church State unless it be National and no doubt the first Contrivers or Founders of it devised that way for the Progress of that they call the Christian Religion and so opened a Door that Christ shut when he put an end to the National Church of the Iews Therefore I wonder at our strict Independants considering their Notions knowing how their Principles differ from and their Understanding or Knowledge of Gospel-Church Constitution exceeds others for Baptism does not initiate into their Churches it seems by their Practice unless their Children when baptized were thereby made Members with them It is evident that under the Law when Infants were Members of the Jewish Church they were born Members thereof tho' the Males were to be Circumcised on the Eighth day nor was the case difficult to know the Right Infants had to Circumcision it was not from the Faith of immediate Parents but it was their being the true Natural Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh or being Proselytes c. which gave them a Right to Circumcision by Vertue of God's positive Command to Abraham But now if the Infant 's Rite arises only from the True and Real Faith of their Parents the Child when grown up may doubt if its Parents or Father or Mother were not true Believers whether they had a Right to it or not or may see cause to question whether either of them were in truth in the Covenant of Grace or no for who knows who are in a true spiritual Sence in Covenant with God especially if their Parents should fall away or Apostatize and become vicious which may demonstrate they were not true Believers and so not the Elect of God themselves and if so their Children had no more Right to Baptism than the Children of open and prophane unbelievers Children have The truth is what I have said in these Sermons may serve to reprove such who set up a new Wall of Partition like that which Christ Abolished by the Blood of his Cross and so cause Enmity to rise between the Seed of Believing Gentiles and the Seed of unbelieving Gentiles by making the Children of ungodly Ones to say Our Parents were wicked and not in Covenant with God and tho' we were baptized yet had no Right to it we cannot but envy your Privilege you are the Children of believing Parents and are in Covenant c. nay and it may cause too to trust to that Birth-Privilege and so destroy their Souls by looking out for no other Regeneration but that which they had in Baptism in their Infancy Some Reflections on Mr. Exell's new Treatise Entituled A serious Enquiry into and containing plain and express Scripture-Proofs that John Baptist did as certainly Baptize Infants as the Adult REader just as I had closed with all I intended to have added to this short Tract a Gentleman brought me another Book newly Published called Plain Scripture-Proof that John Baptist did certainly Baptize Infants as the Adult This Book is written by one Mr. Exell who calls himself
main Argument pag. 2 3. to prove the Minor thus he argues viz. 2. That Principle which makes the Covenant of Grace less beneficial and extensive than the Covenant of Works hinders the Propagation of the Christian Religion but the former Principle does so Ergo To prove the Minor of this Argument he adds another viz. That Principle which allows not as great Immunities Benefits and Privileges to the Covenant of Grace as to the Covenant of Works makes the Covenant of Grace less beneficial and extensive than the Covenant of Works but the Principle that denies Baptism to Infants does so Ergo. Answ. 1. This Gentleman calls these Rational Arguments but I have nothing but his own word for it but to proceed he should have shewed what those Immunities and Benefits were in the Covenant oâ— Works which we by denying Infants Baptism render the Privileges of the Covenant of Grace to be less than those were but do you not intimate hereby that Circumcision belonged to the Covenant of Works and if so in vain do you urge Circumcision as a Privilege and also since the Covenant of Works is abrogated what is there in your Arguments for the baptizing of Infants For all Iewish Rites and Privileges may be forced upon the Christian World by this Argument of yours or else we may say the Privileges of the Gospel are less than the Privileges of the Iews under the Covenant of Works which I have already answered 2. His mentioning that Passage of Calvin is remote to his purpose he speaks of the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham not of the Covenant of Works which we say is not curtail'd by Christ's coming but is every way as extensive now as it was from the beginning but we have proved that there was a Two-fold Covenant made with Abraham and that Circumcision did appertain to his Natural Seed as such and so part of the legal Covenant Obj But the Commission Mat. 28.19 you say is as full or rather more beneficial and extensive than the Covenant of Works and consequently that the baptizing of Infants is a Christian Duty for had there been as general a Commission given by Moses to Twelve Elders of Israel as the Blessed Iesus gave to his Disciples and it had been said to them Go teach all Nations Circumcising them this had been no Prohibition to Circumcise the Iewish Children c. Ans. 1. Is this that the Mountains have brought forth we were big in Expectation by your Title Page wondering what new Notion or Arguments you had found out from the Commission Mat. 28.19 20. or what your different Method should be to prove Infant Baptism But truly Sir the Log is still too heavy you cannot lift it up I see nothing new in your whole Tract nor any thing but what has been answered but this being the main Pin upon which all hangs I shall give a brief Reply to you 1. I thank you for your plain and just Concession I see you conclude and grant Circumcision did belong to the Covenants or Works I doubt not but you are right so far and with that your Cause is gone and Calvin and all that came after him have said nothing in calling Circumcision a Gospel Covenant 2. But Sir suppose the People of Israel had never been commanded by the Lord to Circumcise their Children till Moses came and Moses had given such a Commission that you mention viz. to teach all Nations Circumcising them do you think they would have had ground from thence to have circumcised their Infants whereas his Circumcision required the teaching of all Nations first before they were circumcised of which Infants were not capable 3. 'T is evident that our Saviour in his Great Commission enjoineth no more to be baptized but such who are first taught or made Disciples and this agrees with his own Practice Joh. 4.1 he made and baptized more Disciples than John he first made them Disciples and then baptized them nor were there any baptized in the New Testament but such who first professed Faith in the Lord Jesus See our Answer to Mr. Burkit which I sent you Also our Answer to the Athenian Society this is there fully spoken unto 4. If the Commission be so extensive as you intimate Why do you not go or stir up some Ministers to go into all Heathen and Pagan Nations and Baptise them and their Children and so that way make them all Christians You may teach them the Christian Doctrine i. e. Faith and Repentance afterwards as you do your Children but the Truth is there is no need to teach them afterwards the way of Faith and Regeneration if your Doctrine be true because the chief Thing they received in Baptism you say is divine Grace viz. Regeneration Adoption and a Title to the Inheritance of eternal Life p. 20. Sure those divine Habits can never be lost Reader take what this Man says farther on this Respect Obj. But you say we neither regard nor consider the chief Thing in Baptism viz. The Testification or Witness of the divine Benevolence taking them into Covenant Protection and Patronage and conferring and bestowing Grace upon them for in Baptism the chief Thing is divine Grace which consists and stands in the remission pardon and forgiveness of Sins in Adoption or Sonship and in a Right and Title to the Inheritance of Eternal Life of which Grace Infants stand in need and are as capable as the Adult c. p. 20. Answ. This is such Doctrine that few Paedo-Baptists besides your self do assert or believe but What Proof do you give us to confirm it from God's Word You say right we do not regard it indeed Doth Baptism do all this 'T is wonderful How conferr Grace and give Pardon and Eternal Life You Ministers of the Church of England if this be so can do as strange things as the Popish Priests in Transubstantiation you can by sprinkling a little Water on the Face of a Babe it appears change the evil and vitious Habits form Christ in the Soul raise the Dead to Life and of a Child of Wrath make a Child of God It grieves me to think a Man called a Minister of the Gospel should teach such corrupt Doctrine and deceive the Ignorant For as it is without Scripture-Evidence nay contrary to it for God's Word that tells us Baptism washes not away the Filth of the Flesh that is the Corruption of depraved Nature so 't is contrary to Reason and without any rational Demonstration as Reverend Stephen Charnock tho' a Paedo-Baptist shews Many Men saith he take Baptism for Regeneration The Ancients usually give it this Term one calls our Saviour's Baptism his Regeneration This conferrs not Grace but engageth to it outward Water cannot convey inward Life How can Water an external Thing work upon the Soul in a Physical manner neither can it be proved That ever the Spirit of God is tyed by any Promise to apply himself to the Soul in gracious Opperations when
Water is applyed to the Body If it were so that all that were Baptised were Regenerated then all that were Baptised should be saved or eâ—se the Doctrine of Perseverance falls â—o the Ground And again he says That some indeed say That Regeneration is conferred in Baptiâ—m upon the Elect but how so active a principle as a spiritual Life should lye dâ—aâ— and sleep to loâ—g even many Years which intervene between Baptism and Conversion is not easily conceivable Charnock on Regen p. 75. Sir Do but prove what you here affirm and I will write no more against Infant-Baptism and till that 's done all you say is nothing in my Judgment But to proceed Such a Commission you speak of would not in your sense Authorize those Twelve Elders of Israel to go and Teach and Circumcise the Jews and their Children only but all others in all Nations of the World this would be an easie way of making People Christians But Sir The Gospel whatsoever you think according to our Doctrine is more extensive then was the Law to the Jews for that was restrained to that People He sheweth his word unto Iacob his statutes and judgments to Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation for his judgments they have not known them Psal. 147.19 20. But the Gospel is not restrained or limited to any one particular People or Nation but it is to be preached to all the World and whosoever are made Disciples i. e. Do believe and are baptised shall be saved Mark 16.16 Not that we suppose Men can't be saved without Baptism for that makes no Person a Christian or a Disciple of Christ neither Young nor Old though 't is the Duty of Believers to submit thereto We doubt not but that the same spiritual and eternal Blessings which the Jewish dying Infants had by the Death and Merits of Christ then the dying Infants of Christians have now according to the Election of Grace But as touching the legal and external Privileges of the Jews we have proved in this Tract and elsewhere that they had many more in divers respects under the Law than those we Christians and our Children have under the Gospel As to those great Advantages Blessings and Privileges of the Covenant of Works which you talk of I wonder what they were for the Covenant of Works could not give Life no Justification nor Righteousness that could save by that Covenant no pardon of Sin but contrarywise Death Wrath and the Curse is denounced upon every Soul of Man for the breach of it How vain then are your Arguments in the Gospel is Life is Justification is Pardon of Sin to every Man that believeth To the Iew first and also to the Gentiles Rom. 1.16 Time would fail me to shâ—w how absurd your Notions are to what almost all our Learned Protestant Divines have wrote about the Covenant of Works The Jewish Infants received no Soul Spiritual and Eternal Advantage by Circumcision What the chief Advantage or Profit was which they hâ—d thereby St. Paul tells us Rom. 3.1 2. Tho' it was commanded of God for the Ends and Designs I have already mentionâ—d and if so What Benefit can any Infant receive by Baptism or rather Rantism which is a mere humane Innovation You confess it was instituted by the Church as a needful Thing p. 37. And the Church hath Instituted it because it is needful it was indeed never Instituted or Appointed by our Lord Jesus And as to that Custom among the Jews you speak of p. 7 8 of their Baptising Proselytes I have fully Answer'd it in my Treaty called The Rector Rectified p. 24 25. and in my Answer to the Athenian Society Sir you go upon a Mistake all along taking it for granted That Circumcision and other legal Rites were great spiritual Privileges for 't is no such Thing It was a Yoke of Bondage not to be born and a great Mercy it was to them that they were delivered from it Act. â—5 And therefore the Jews did they believe in Christ and see the Nature of and Tendency of Circumcision would never speak after that manner as you mention in p. 9. Viz Obj. I will rather be a Iew then a Christian because as soon as I own and profess their Faith my Child after such a Declaration is in covenant as well as my self and hath a Right to the Sign c. Answ. Sir The Jewish Childrens Right to Circumcision was not deferred till their Parents made a profession of Faith but as they were the natural Seed of Abraham as such it was the Command of God to Abraham that gave them that Right and nothing else Obj. So that by this account it plainly appears That denying Infants Baptism is an hindrance to the progress of the Holy Gospel Answ. True if Infant-Baptism doth make them Christians you say right it must follow That the denying them Baptism hinders the progress of the Gospel but this is false which you assert Baptism makes them not Christians we say none but Christ by his Spirit can Regenerate the Souls of Men or make them Christians True you may thereby give them the Name of Christians but can't give them the Nature of Christians you may deceive them and make them believe they were so made Christians and thereby undoe them eternally by relying upon a mere Cheat and Delusion This is a way to make false Christians counterfeit Christians What a Christian is he whose vile Nature was never changed You would do well to get a great Number of Ministers if Baptism does make Christians as I said before to go into the Heathen Nations and Baptise them and so make all the World Christians but if you know no other way for the progress of the Gospel then this of making Christians by Baptism God deliver the World from your way of Christianing the Nations You will not see That the Gospel Church is not National but only Congregational the Jewish Church in that differ'd from the Christianâ— For What is more clearer than this Christ's Church is called a Garden inclosed Christ's Flock is a little Flock Those who were added to the Church were separated either from the Jewish People or Heathen Nations were commanded to separate themselves and not to touch the unclean Thing Ye are not saith Christ of the World You would make whole Nations the Church and from the Commission inferr such a false Conclusion I have consider'd what you have said in p. 10 11. Sir When all the Pagan World are instructed and believe in Christ we will say they have a Right to the Sign i. e. Baptism but not till then hath one Soul a Right thereto prove what you say if you can i. e. That the Children of Christians as such are Christians as the Children of Iews were Iews or that Baptism makes any either old or young True Christians or regenerates their Souls 'T is not your bare Assertions or your Saying it that is worth any thing what Authority
Infants have from thence a Right to Baptism they have also as much Right to the Lord's Supper great part of your Book is answered in these preceding Sermons But to proceed 2. Is it not said he Preached the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins Mark 1.4 Do you suppose he did not require of such that came to his Baptism first to repent or that he would Baptize them for Remission of Sins without manifesting their Repentance nay and did he not refuse to baptize such he found who did not bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance or Works that were the proper Product of true Repentance Mat. 3.8 you would with your Brother Rothwell have Persons be first made Christians by Baptism and then afterwards bring forth Fruits of Repentance but this 't is evident was not the Doctrine nor Practice of Iohn the Baptist nor of Christ and his Apostles If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest Act. 8. He that truly repented and did believe might nay ought to be Baptised and none else Obj. May be you will say that respects the Adult Answ. I Answer There is no Account given of any Infant that was Baptised no Precept no President and that is forbidden which is not Commanded or for the Practice of which there is no Ground or Rule â—rom God's Word for all humane Innovations and Inventions of Men are forbid and sinful I doubt not but if a Man would try his Wit he might say as much for Infants to receive the Lord's-Supper as you have said for the Baptising of them Pray consider what you your self speak in p. 1. And if all must be Acccepters or Rejecters then all and every individual Persâ—â— are under and must have as great Express particular and authoritive Command to accept and receive Christ and every Thing of Christianity in its Right Order and Manner as another p. 1. Tho' you bring this for to prove Infants must be Baptised and so receive Jesus Christ yet I must tell you it quite overthrows all you strive to do For 1. Where is there an express particular and authoritive Command for them to receive Christ by Baptism or any Ordinance or Principle of Christianity whilst Infants And where is there any Rule or Order in all the New Testament that the Adult must first Believe and then be Baptized but Infants must be first Baptised and then Believe Sir God's Word knows nothing of the last and the Right of Baptism only depends upon Christ's positive Precept and Example of the Apostolical Church 2. I affirm That Infants cannot be said as such to be Receivers of Christ nor Rejectors of him because they are capable to do neither nor is there any other way taught in the Gospel of receiving Christ but by Faith He that is Baptised who hath no Grace no true Grace true Faith is but a Baptised Infidel Obj. You Object Infants have the the Habit of Faith or the Habit of Grace Answ. We deny it see how you can prove it i. e. That Infants as such have the Habit of Faith Who is able to know that What tho' God may change the Hearts of some dying Infants or some who did live were sanctified in the Womb Doth it from thence follow all Infants in common or as such haâ—e their Hearts changed or are so sanctified 2. You are to prove That sacred Habits infused by the Holy Ghost may be utterly lost for 't is evident Infants that live when grown up tho' Baptised have no other Habits then such have who never were Baptised How can you prove There can be the Divine Habits of Grace in Infants and yet those Habits lie still as dead in them for so many Years as 't is from the time they are Baptised to their Conversion A sacred Habit is a Principle of divine Life yea a most active and lively Principle Can the weakness of Nature hinder the Operations of the Holy Ghost in Infants when the Power of the Devil can't in the Adult When God works who can let Can there be fire and no heat Sure such a mighty Cause would have like weighty Effect on the Souls of Children were it as you suppose Obj You say p. 10. we must prove no Infant is Converted or else grant some Infants to be there that is John did Baptise Infants Answ. You mistake your Work it is to prove what you affirm We are not to prove a Negative yet I shall now prove that Iohn the Baptist did Baptise no Infants but only the Adult Arg. 1. If Iohn Baptist required Repentance of all those that came to be Baptised by him and Infants are not capable to Repent then he did not Baptise any Infants But Iohn Baptist did require Repentance of all such that came to be Baptized of him Ergo He bad them Repent Repentance was his grand Doctrine and he also exhorted them to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance Mat. 3.8 Arg. 2. If the being the Seed of Abraham as such or the Off-spring of Believers would not give the Jews a Right to Iohn's Baptism then Iohn Baptised no Infants But the former is true Ergo I have proved largely in this Treatise That the Covenant made with Abraham's natural Seed as such would not give any of his Off-spring Right to Gospel Baptism Think not to say within your selves ye have Abraham to your Father If you Answer this Argument you must Answer this small Treatise Arg. 3. If the Covenant for the external In-Covenanting of Infants as such is Abrogated and the Fleshly Seed cast out by the Establishing the Gospel Covenant then Iohn Baptist Baptised no Infants But the former is true Ergo This Argument is largely proved in the precedent Discourse Arg. 4. If Infant-Baptism does them no good there being no Promise of Blessing made to them in their Baptism then Iohn Baptist Baptised no Infants But Infants Baptism does them no good there being no Promise of Blessing made to them in their Baptism Ergo. If it does them good or there is a Promise of Blessing made to them in their Baptism prove it since 't is deny'd But to proceed Arg 5. If the Baptism of the Adult who have no Faith no Grace doth them no good nor can convey Grace to them then it cannot do Infants as such any good But the former is true Ergo What good did Simon Magus his Baptism do him or Iudas's who no doubt was Baptised If you can prove Baptism conveys Grace to Infants or makes them Christians do it for I utterly deny it and have a cloud of Witnesses on my side among found Protestant Writers Consult with Mr. Rothwell on this Point Arg. 6. If all those Iohn Baptist Baptised confessed their Sins and Infants can't confess their Sins then Iohn Baptist Baptised no Infantâ— But the former is true Ergo This Argument you endeavor to Answer p. 36.37 You would know what Confession it was which they made of their Sins whether Verbal or Moral 'T is
said With the heart Man believeth and with the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation Therefore say I it was Verbal Obj. You intimate that some may want Speech or Weakness which may be an Impediment to them c. Answ. If they can any ways signifie or make it known to the understanding of the Administrator they are True Penitents 't is no doubt sufficient if it be by Writing 't will do but Man knows not the Heart What appears not is not Your Arguments in p. 37. about their being in Abraham's Covenant I have fully Answered already That will do you no good Iohn Baptist denies that Plea when he said Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father Do you think Baptism turns People to the Lord for so you intimate at the close of your 37. Pag. Prove it 't is denied Obj. 4. You say such a Confession would overturn the Constitution or Institution of God by Moses and casting Infants out of that Floor Answ. I have shewed you That the Gospel Dispensation has overthrown the Mosaical Constitution or Legal Church of the Jews and that Christ has thrown out the Fleshly Seed as such i. e. No Infant is to be a Member of the Gospel Church and I have given my Reasons why I have so said which you may Answer if you please 7 thly Because it was Repugnant to the End and grand Design of Iohn's Ministry to receive and Basptise every body even Men Women and Children without distinction his Ministry being most strict and severe as 't is acknowledged by all Men. His Ministry of Preaching and Baptising was held forth by the Prophet in these Words Mal. 4.1 The Day shall come which shall burn as an Oven He lays the Ax at the Root he Preached no such easie way of making Men Christians nor Church Members as these Paedo-Baptists speak of his Ministry seemed like to Fire in him was the Spirit of Burning kindled as Mr. Cotton On the Covenant observes p. 21. The Lord also prepared his People by a Spirit of Burning which as a Spirit of Bondage he doth shed abroad into the Hearts of Men This we read of Mal. 4.1 It is spoken of Iohn the Baptist which did burn as an Oven against the Scribes and Pharisees and left them neither the Root of Abraham's Covenant nor the Branch of their own Good Works He cutteth them off from the Covenant of Abraham Mat. 3.9 Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father and so by cutting them off from the Root he leaveth them no Ground to trust to But this Man renders Iohn's Ministry to be of a quite contrary Nature even the most easiest flesh-pleasing Doctrine that ever was Preached If he received all to his Baptism certainly he has made sad Work for Repentance for abusing the Ministry of this Great and Holy Prophet Arg. 7. If Iohn the Baptist was to prepare Christ's Way i. e. fit Persons as proper Materials for Christ's New and Spiritual Temple which consisteth only of living Stones viz. Believing Men and Women then Iohn did not Baptise Carnal Persons nor Ignorant Infants But the former is true Ergo Arg. 8. Iohn upon their unfeigned Repentance Baptised all that he did Baptise for the remission of Sins and no Persons have remission of Sins without such Repentance Ergo Can Baptism it self give remission of Sins or Is thete any promise of Pardon without unfeigned Repentance By this Man's Reasoning all the Carnal People of the Jews that were willing to be Baptised Iohn was to Baptise and he did Baptise them as well Unbelievers as Ignorant Babes for all his Arguments are as strong to prove that as for Iohn's Baptising of Infants Which if so all Pagans and Infidels in the World are to be baptised and by Baptsm be made Christians and Members of the Gospel Church O What a Doctrine does this Man Preach Do but see what Work he would fain make of that Confession of Sins which was required of all those that came to Iohn's Baptism in Pag. 37 38. to p. 50. i. e. It was such a Confession that excludes no ungodly or unbelieving Person that was willing to be baptised so far as I can see All that were of the Church of Israel or in the Legal Covenant God made with Abraham he intimates might be baptised nay he tells us in pag. 44. A Confession made when Iohn Baptised was not a Commanded Duty Men after this rate may even say what they please Arg. 9. If Iohn the Baptist baptised all the People of Ierusalem and Iudea and all those of the Regions round about then he baptised Unbelievers Prophaned and Impenitent Persons as well as Penitent Persons but he did not Baptise Unbelievers Prophaned and Impenitent Persons Therefore he did not Baptise all the People of Ierusalem and Iudea and all those of the Regions round about Arg. 10. If Iohn the Baptist Baptised all the People of Israel as before mentioned then he left none for Christ nor his Disciples to baptise but Iohn did leave some nay more People for Christ or his Disciples to baptize than he baptized Ergo he did not baptize all the People of Israel or all of Ierusalem and Iudea That Iohn left some nay more People to Christ and his Disciples to be baptized than he baptized is expresly asserted by the Holy Ghost John 4.1 When Iesus knew how the Pharisees heard that Iesus made and baptized more Disciples than John c. see John 3.26 And they came unto John and said unto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou bearest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him How did Iohn baptize all and yet all come to Christ to be baptized This is strange what People were these and where dwelt they if Iohn baptized all the People of Ierusalem and Iudea c. Arg. 11. If Iohn's Baptism and the Baptism of Christ was but one and the same Baptism as to the Nature Quality and Subjects thereof then he baptized none but such who were first made Disciples or who were first taught to believe and repent but the Baptism of Iohn and the Baptism of Christ was but one and the same Baptism as to the Nature Quality and Subjects thereof Ergo he baptized none but such who were first made Disciples c. That the Nature Quality and Subjects thereof were one and the same all generally affirm I know no difference but that after Christ was dead and risen they that were then baptized were baptized into him that was come dead buried and raised again but Iohn baptized them as such that believed in him that was to die c. Christ having then not actually suffered 'T is evident that Christ's Commission Impowers his Disciples to baptize only such who were discipled or such who did believe is plain Mat. 28.19.20 Mark 16.16 and this was his Practice Iohn 4.1 Arg. 12. If Iohn baptized all the People of