provided raiment for them they should put it on themselves or go without it thus candid are we towards the dying infants of all sorts nevertheless though we tell you of our charity towards them and of your own cruelty in sending all heathen infants to hell and this no less then twenty times over yet we must expect to hear it from ore the pulpit cloth twenty times ore again before the devil be dead how blessed and charitable your doctrine is and what most bloody and cruel opinionists the Anabaptists are concerning infants Infants then I say of what parents soever 〈◊〉 either such as die in the personall innocency of their own infancy and so are universally saved and yet in token or as 〈◊〉 sign thereof to themselves there 's neither need nor sense nor reason to baptize them or else such as live to understanding and then they appear either not to do Abrahams works and then we own them not yet as Abrahams seed though born of believing parents yea though of believing Abraham himself nor as heirs according to the Gospel-promise or else to belieue in Christ and walk in the steps of Abraham and then of what parents soever though of infidels we are to own them as Abrahams spiritual seed and such as so abiding are heirs apparent by promise of the heavenly Canaan this we can never discern by them in their infancy not knowing yet whether they shall die infants or live to years nor whether when they come to years they will reject Christ or receive him To conclude this then that any mans fleshly seed in the world is upon the meer account of their natural descent of such or such parents or further then as dying in infancy they have no actual sin to condemn them or living to act sin they believe in Christ in both which cases the seed of unbelievers are as capable of salvation as the seed of believers themselves are by promise heirs of salvation and in tokeâ—… thereof are to be baptized and in baptism visibly sign'd more then other children as children of God members of Christ and inheritors of the Kingdom of heaven t is a lesson which I learn'd once by roat and had by root of heart when in the minority of my standing in the false ministry with you I was verst in the Priests Primmer of Common-prayer and as to Gospel-administrations was skild but little further then the Psalter but when I once turn'd over a new leaf and began to advance a little further even into the Scripture which in some volumes was in those dayes annexed as some certain appendix at the end of it I could never read that lesson perfectly since neither can I learn now that any mans fleshly seed that lives and yet believes not can make any clearer claim of kindred to Abraham as their father or to the Gospel inheritance by a meer bodily birth of believers only then I can make of my kindred to the Great Turk and of my tight to succeed him as his heir in his dominion by pleading that between them both his Grandmother and mine had four elbowes Now therefore Sirs let it be seriously considered by you that that outward meer denominative birth holiness which was once in the seed of the Iews and is now supposed and asserted by you to be in the seed of believing Gentiles as it was then peculiar to that people only that were Iews by either nature or Religion so it is now universally and utterly ended in Christ crucified and no more to have a being among them or any other people under heaven It was not by Christ comming communicated or as Mr. Blake cloudily contends throughout his Treatiseâ—…f â—…f birth-priviledge and covenant holiness conveyed from the Iews to believing Genâ—…iles and their seed but clearly cashiered and confiscated so that ther 's now no such thing to be found at all 'T is not devolved downwards but rather resolved into that Gospel truth and substance which it shadowed ouâ—… yea and totally dissolved ecclipsed annihilated swallowed up as the light of the Moon before the Sun being clothed upon with a far greater and more glorious holiness than it self for as the type was in time to give way and be gone when the thing typified thereby should once come into existence so all that old covenant holiness even the holiness of that seed Isaac and his posterity as well as other things that were predicated by it was as but a type of a more perfect holâ—…nes and holy seed to come to flee away as Ishmael before himself when once Christ should come and that holy seed to stand in the house to whom the promises of the Gospel do belong Babist This seed you speak of viz. believers was come before Christ and in being under the law as well as now therefore they sure cannot be the holy seed shadowed out by that holy seed that came of Isaac Baptist. True the Gospel holy seed was under the law but not the Laws holy seed under the Gospel the substance being ever when and where the shadow is but the shadow not alwaies when and where the substance Novum Testamentum semper ubique fuit in vetere velatum vetuâ—… non in novo nisi revelatum the law and its holy things are not in being but only revealed what they wâ—…re under the Gospel but the Gospel and its holy things were in being though veiled over under the law and yet for all that the Gospel is said truly to come then because it came not into its full force till Christ came so faith is said to come in with Christ Gal. 3. 23. 25. not as if there were no faith in the world before but because both the fulness of the things before believed came in then and things before believed came then into full force and act and also because the way of standing in the Church which before was chiefly by a fleshly birth comes now to be no otherwise then by a spirituall birth from above by faith in Christ Iesus Rom. 11. thou staâ—…dest by faith saith â—…aul speaking of the manner of the Gospel standing in the visible Church so that the holy seed and heirs of the Gospel covenant i.e. believers which are the seed of Christ Esay 53. He shall see his seed are said to come then though there was such a seed in the world from the beginning thereof because they then came to dwell alone as it were in the house where Ishmael the sonne of the Bondwoman to speak after the Allegory I mean the fleshly Israelites a meer fleshly seed dwelt together with them as Ishmael did with Isaac till he was cast out in former time for even as Ishmael the servant dwelt as it were the Son and heir in the house till Isaac was born and then after a while was cast out that Isaac the true heir might dwell alone and such as should successively come from him so Israel after the flesh though a servant in
reference to the Gospel Israel dwelt and domineered as the only child of the Church till Christ the true Isaac was born and then afer a while was cast out of the Church that his seed might dwell there alone for ever after Babist If it be so that believers only are that holy seed which is now to stand in the visible Church how is it that you baptize and â—…church such among you sometime's as are no true believers Baptist. We receive all that we receive by baptism into the Church under the notion of true believers only and such they are so far as we are capable to conceive by that outward profession of faith upon which only we admit them but if our charity be so mistaken as that of the Apostles themselves was in the like case that persons after either appear to be Hypocrites or prove Apostates we have warrant from the word according to which we also act to cast them out again as those that have no right at all to stand there whilest by their works they seem to be unbelievers till by some future and clearer fruits thereof we can guess them groundedly to be converted truly to the faith All then that we can say of the holiness and holy things that were under the first covenant which had then ordinances of divine service but carnal ones and a worldly sanctuary an humane infirm and imperfect High-priest-hood an earthly inheritance a fleshly seed which yet were all holy for the time then being all I say that can be now said of them is this they were Typical Ceremonial and abiding only till the the of Gospell reformation Heb. 9. 9. and are now all abrogated and out of date so that we may say as he fuit Ilium so fuit Canaan fuit urbs fuit lex fuit Templum fuit sanctum Sanctorum fuit sacerdotium fuit sacrosanctum semen there was indeed a holy â—…nd a holy City a holy Law a holy Temple a holy Priest-hood a holy seed but all these belonging to a first Covenant which was faulty and so gave place in time to a second all ornaments furniture and accomplishments of a covenant that decayed waxed old was ready to vanish and is now long since vanished before a better there were priviledges there was a freedome there was a rest there was a holiness there was a glory there was a Mosaical ministration but as it was less glorious by far then the Gospel ministration of Christ so as the shine of a Star when the Sun rises it past away and perished from before it when the other came in so that they were at a loss that then did as those are that still do dote though but in part upon it not looking stedfastly to the end of that which is now abolished and not considering that all that glory is done away and hath something remaining in its stead that is more glorious than it nor that all that which was made glorious and holy as a type for a while viz. the holy City the glorious holy mountain the holy Priesthood holy Temple holy root holy branches and what ever else was so denominated hath now no glory nor holiness at all upon it by reason of a glory that excelleth 2 Cor. 3. 9. 10 11. 13. Babist Abraham is still an holy root and his children holy branches even now under the Gospel as well as of old under the law and so are believing parents to their seed as the Iews of old were to their children for saith Paul Rom. 11. 16. if the first fruit be holy so is the lump and if the root be holy so are the branches as Mr. Blake also well observeth in his Birth-priviledge p. 7. Baptist. That the Root here is Abraham for my part I freely grant you since t is supposed you have so much advantage by it although t is sub judice among some whether by the root in that place be not meant Christ because the standing upon it is said to be by â—…aith only which is that only that ingrafts persons into Christ and as some say ingrafts them into Christ only and not any other and that by the olive-tree is meant the house or family of Abraham i. e. the visible Church and that the branches and lump that are here said to be hly are Abrahams children alâ—…o but I beseech you let it be considered that Abraham was a root two wayes or a double holy root standing respectively so to a two-fold lump or two sorts of holy branches viz natural and spiritual his children after the slesh and after the faith â—…is typically and ceremonially holy seed and his morally and really holy seed his sons by generation and heirs by promise of the the earthly 〈◊〉 i. e. the carnal Israelites and his sonnes by regeneration i. e. the Saints and believers who are 〈◊〉 by promise of the heavenly Canaan and theâ—…ue Israelites in whom is no guile under the first Covenant or old Testament Abraham stood a holy root to his natural branches born of his body by Isaac and Iacob which also in a figure and pro tempore to shadow out the holy seed to come that should inherit heaven were by bare deâ—…omination more then inward qualification a holy seed inheriting a figurative holy land but under the Gospel the substance being come in place that shadow is fled and how â—…eit Abraham is a holy root now unto the end of the world as well as befor yet not now any longer to his own fleshly seed by Isaac much less the meer carnal seed of believing Gentiles but to the other sort of seed viz. the children of his faith that walk in his steps and do his works for the natural branches of his own body are now broken off and can stand no more a holy seed and branches in reference to that holy root Abraham for the want of faith but the other i. e. all and onely such as believe of what nation or parents soever Jews or Gentiles are now counted for his seed and stand holy branches to that holy root Abraham and the holy lump to him who was as it were a certain first fruits unto God of the whole body of believers and choseâ—… of God to be a father of the faithful and a holy root for ever to all persons that in after ages should believe to which honor he was also sealed by circumcision The true visible Church then or olive-tree in which there 's fatness and fulness as David saith I shall be filled with the fatness of thy house is counâ—…ed his family to the end in which there 's now no right of admittance or continuance â—…s of old for his own fleshly seed the very Iews that were an holy seed before the time of faith came muchless for any other mans natural seed without faith but for those onely even those individual persons that do believe There 's no room by right for any else in the house of Abraham the gospel-Gospel-church whose
and their seed were altogether alienated from that further then every individual of them did cut themselves off from a right of standing therein by want of faith in their own persons for as this covenant was never made with any men and their meer fleshly seed no not with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and their natural posterity so that a bare birth of their bodies doth ipso facto make them heirs of the heavenly inheritance promised therein nor give them a right as such only to be signed as true heirs thereof but only with Abraham and his spiritual seed i. e. Christ and all believers in him so no men and all their naturall posterity are outed from it together but as both they and their posterity do stand together in unbelief upon which account faith being the only way of standing heirs under the Gospel and the Iews Children proving unbelievers in all ages as well as their parents I confess they are broken off together and not otherwise for if the Children of the Iews did appear to have faith as in infancy they cannot and when they are grown up unversally they do not their parents infidelity could in no wise prohibit their standing and since neither in infancy nor at age they appear to be in the faith their parents in case they were never so faithful can in no wise intitle them to a standing for then the natural seed of those thousands of Iews which did believe in the Primitive times have a birth-priviledge and holiness to this day whereupon they may claim admittannce unto baptism as well as any specially if those words Rom. 11. 16. if the Root be holy so are the branches were to be taken in such a sense as you put upon them but we know that though they are branches growing naturally upon that holy Root as you call it of believing parents yet they are counted unholy by your selves because they believe not in their own persons yea if we should ask how the children of those Iews that at first believed did come to be such strangers to the Gospel Church your selves would answer vs because they believed not as their parents did by which you do no less than grant what we contend for viz. that the faith of Ancestors gives no right to their posterity to stand at all in the Gospel Church and Covenant but faith in the particular persons only so standing Well then they were broken off but why not because they had not believing parents for Abraham was the fleshly Father of all of them and the primitive believing Iews were the fleshly fathers of many of them and are to this day as much as ever if bare birth priviledge could ingraft them as it did of old in the family of the Iewish Church Nor was it because they wanted title upon which they might have stood still in the Iewish Church if that Church it self had stood to this day for they were Abrahams seed and that gave them capacity enough to dwell in the house before their own unbelief notwithstanding but because they do not believe themselves because the terms of standing in the Church which before Christ were these viz. We have Abraham to our Father we are the Children of such and such parents are now quite changed so that it boots not to say such a thing as Abraham is our father Mat. 3. unless we can also say we repent and believe the Gospel The Jews were broken off by unbelief and thou and thine o believing Gentile must stand by faith yet not thine by thy faith but thou thy self by thine and they by their own faith is that in which thou standing and not thy seed thou hast right to stand in the Church and not they in which they standing and not thy self they have right to stand in the Church and thou hast none Perpetuity in personall faith gives perpetual personal right to baptism and to Church-membership but not a perpetuity of the same right to any mans whole posterity there 's now no difference made at all as to Gospel interest by being either this or that by nature but in all the world any person Jew or Gentile male or Female seed of believer or of unbeliever Barbarian Scythian bond or free is capable both to be saved and signed as an heir of salvation by baptism upon personal faith but in no wise the progeny upon the faith of the parentage And yet to put it more out of doubt that the Covenant holiness and church-right of mens fleshly seed which was of old is not continuing under the Gospel but Ceremonial and so ended in Christ in whom your selves say Iudicialia sunt Mortua Ceremonialia Mortifera I will leave two or three consequences upon the file which either answer and that not invitâ Minervâ nor stretching your Genius beyond sense and reason rather than want somewhat whereby to prove your Iudaizing to be judicious or else by silence say you cannot I leave you to consult with them as you see occasion That holiness which sanctified the Iewes Land City Temple Altar all its untensils Priest-hood and the whole body of that people and all the pertinences of the first tabernacle and old Covenant was Ceremonial only and is now abolished and not abiding among believing Gentiles But that holiness that sanctified the Iewish seed was the same and no other then that which sanctified their Land City Temple Altar and its Utensils Priest-hood and whole people and all the appertenances of that first Tabernacle and old Covenant Ergo That holiness which sanctified the Iewish seed is now abolished and not abiding at all among believing Gentiles As for the Major I would wish you not to subject your selves so much to suspicion of superstition as you will do in these daies of light by putting me to prove it as to require proof on 't since no intelligent man or religious Christian save the Pope and Dr. Featley and the rest of their several fryes and fraternities will deny it or did ever in the daies of the Gospel attribute the same holiness to outward and inanimate things viz. places Lands profits Emolluments first fruits Tithes Oblations and other obventions Temples Altars Tables Lavers Chalices Vestiments nor yet to Priests and people that all these were denominated holy by under the Law for to me by the same reason that first fruits tythes and such like are now to be called holy the first born of every creature both of man and beast is still to be called holy also for even these were sanctifyed and holy Denominativè and Dedicativè as much as any of the rest Ezod 13. 2. yea as Paul did in another case viz. appeal to the Pharisees to judge between him and the Sadduces so may I to you of the Presbyterian Priest-hood to decide this matter between me and the Seducers of the Popish and Prelatick strain whose holy sandalls copes surplices and other superfluities viz. railes high Altars holy Tapers and
by birth priviledge to be baptized p. 27. which yet is more birth-priviledged then Abrahams own seed could have Mat. 3. even before their birth priviledge did perish from them such as have a large and full right to all the ordinances of God and priviledges of the Church appertaining to members as they shall be capable of their use by personall faith and good demeanor when at years and grown up and I wonder who hath not the like upon those terms even infants of infidels surely as well as they when at age and whilst infants they are no more capable of the use of any ordinance then the other He tells us these by birth are of the houshold of God of the Citizens of the Saints t is much he said not fellow Citizens in Pauls phrase Eph. 2. sure t was because he bethought himself of their uncapableness of fellowship for all their membership He tells us that these are orderly admitted i. e. by baptism then which Scripture knows no other admission for no sooner do we read of a convert saith he but we presently hear of his baptism whereas of all the converts in Christendom that sit under the ministry of the Pope Prelate and Presbyter I never knew one in all my daies baptized after their conversion of him by preaching till being converted from them to the Truth as it is in Iesus they convert and come to us and then we immediately baptize them indeed but as for them t is impossible for them so much as to preach the Gospel in all Christendome in the way and words in which Peter Ananias Philip Paul and all the first and purest preachers did while they suppose all they preach to to have been baptized in infancy for what Priest in Christendom can say to his parish repent and be baptized for remission of sinnes arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved as they of old said Mark 16. 16. Act. 22. without gross absurdity having christn'd them all long before he ever preacht to them neither do they baptize any at all after conversion and the best baptism they dispense in token of remission of sins so long before either sins commission or the sinners conversion is at best but meer rantism neither He tells us that those have right to all the immunities of this house to all the priviledges of this City of God meaning the Church here below and have title to all Christs visible ordinances that they belong to Christ and therefore must partake of that which is of Christ and being of the houshold they must therefore have of the food of the houshold yea the stewards of the mysteries of God must be accountable in case they deny it them And yet till they are at years not any one of them may participate as themselves say of any one of those visible ordinances viz. neither praying preaching hearing nor the supper nor any thing else which is the food of the houshold after baptism by which they are barely entred in infancy and onely thrown ore the threshold into the house and then ly starving for many years together without bit or crumb of any other food at all being utterly denied to be communicants at the supper the use of which their folly will once be manifest who say they are lesse capable of in infancy then of the use of baptism for as shall appear more hereafter howbeit they are truly capable of neither they are as truly capable of both as of either yet are they deni'd a share in that service of the supper by these shewards of the mysteries of God the ministry themselves and that for no less then 16 years together at least according to the rule of the old stewards the episcopacy that have almost given up all their earthly account and I know not for how long by the will of the new stewards i. e. the Presbytery for if their rule be to practise it no oftner then they practise it indeed some of them have had no supper at all in their parishes neither for young nor old for about seven or eight years together last past and when they will no body knows and how they can with a good conscience I cannot tell nor never could while I stood among them they standing all and their people all universally unbaptized to this day for which neglect of theirs to give persons their meat in due season order and manner feeding them with a break-fast in baptism before they are fit to be fed so much as with that milk and then denying them any supper at all when they come to years though they then both pay for it and are at least as fit to feed thereon as they were in infancy to feed on baptism the Lord of that supper and of all the other holy ordinances of his which they have dispenst more after their own minds and mens tradition will and Testament then his own will call them ere long to give account of their stewardship too and let them be no longer stewards And yet a little more to trace Mr. Blake to and fro as he daunceth the hay up and down in that trifling treatise he tells us that these are a holy seed of the noblest birth yea though they be the children of loose living parents of misbelieving parents p. 4. 5. 25. 26. of apostatized parents of excommunicate parents of fornicating parents and consequently a very bastard brood which under the law that Mr. Blake himself professes to be tried by were unclean and not admitted into the congregation unto the tenth generation of papistical parents for even these are but misbelievers and Christians in name still and as himself sayes no insidels though to go round again holding such damnable errors in the faith p. 30. as shâ—…t them out from the happiness and therefore I think from the holiness too of Christians yet all this notwithstanning to go round again if the children but of believing parents that are of the Church and to go round again not true believers neither as believer is opposed to unbeliever misbeliever or Christian in name onely with all which he confesses the Church may abound but as believer is opposed onely to infidel p. 25. between which terms unbeliever and infidel which are not synonimaes it seems with him yet the Scripture makes no more difference then is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same greek word that expresses both and is translated into latin by infidelis and Englisht by either unbeliever or infidel notwithstanding all this I say if born in England or any where else in any nations or of any parents that are but Christian in name onely or of but one such Christian parent the other being an Indian that is with him an infidel indeed they are with him a holy seed still that God ownes and challenges for his yea frrom the womb Gods heritage a seed so nobly
sith tâ—…ey are no longer then while they have it but faith in Christ is according to your selves Habitus ad placitum a deo infufus only not innatus and is in them neither qua sic nor essentially nor universally in all nay but in a few infants by your own confession and you know not which neither for though you do altum sapere so fâ—…r sometimes as to conclude it is in infants of believers yet you do insipere so far sometimes as to undote that again and say the spirit is neither bound nor barred in his working of it in these or those so that till they are at yeares there can be no conclusion made p. 18. therefore me thinks you should blush at this illiterate and indigested assertion viz. that there can be no more concluding against the being of faith in them then their having reasonable souls Secondly if from their non declaring it there can be no more concluding against their having faith then against their reasonable souls then there is no more concluding against the being of faith in one infant more then its being in another or against its being in unbelievers infants than in those of believers for the reasonable soul is in all even in the infants of unbelievers as well as of believers Secondly if their non-declaring it be no ground to conclude against their having faith yet I am sure it is ground enough to bar you from concluding that they have it specially that this infant hath it more then that for though you confess there can be no conclusion made till you see the fruits of their faith yet that is the bold conclusion you undertake to make Fourthly whether we can upon its non appearance conclude against their having faith yea or no yet upon its non appearance we may boldly conclude against their baptism and admittance into the visible Church here on earth into which not an invisible habit of faith gives right but an outward appearance and profession to believe witness not my self only who am of little credit with you but Mr. Cotton also none of the least of your Champions that appear for infant baptism whose very words p. 48. 49. of his Way of the Churches in New England these are viz. It is not the seed of faith nor faith it self that knitteth a man to this or that visible Church but an holy profession of the faith and professed subjection to the Gospell of Christ in their communion Be ashamed therefore of such a monstrous position that persons not appearing to believe in Christ can conclude no more against their faith in Christ then against their reasonable souls Determination The seed of faith sown after discovers it self when the season comes Detection Yet so audacious are you that whilest it is but in the seed at most by your own confession as in infancy to attempt a discovery of it to all the world to be in these infants viz. of believers and not in those viz. of infidels before the season Determination The testimony of Scripture concerning their faith and the proofs taken from thence are equivalent to the best testimony and profession of any man concerning his own faith Detection O Sapientia as if the Scripture did as punctually personally and particularly testify concerning this and that individual infant which you sprinkle that it doth believe and those infants that you deny to sprinkle that they do not believe as men at years do to us by their words and works that they do or do not believe Secondly there is but one testimony of Scripture alledged by your selves where you say it s asserted of infants that they do believe viz. Mat. 18. 6. and that as I have shewed First speaks not of little ones in your sense but of little ones in Christs sense viz. believers indeed and his disciples whom he stiles little ones also a little above Matth. 10. 42. a place where we read not that any infant was among them Secondly that Scripture testifies of those of whomsoever it speaks in actu secundo that they do believe and so to do your selves yield is impossible for infants therefore it cannot be meant of them Thirdly if it did speak of little ones properly so called so as to say they do believe yet that they were believers and not unbelievers infants is a thing which a wise man may fumble himself 55 times over and become a fool before he once find it so to be Fourthly 't were but a Prosopopeia however Determination If it be further askt how faith is bread in them it is answered by the holy spirit whose waies are inscrutable who ties not himself to means works where he will and how quo magistro quam cito discitur quod docet saith Cyprian Detection And yet you scrue so farr into the inscrutable waies of the spirit in this matter as though he works where he will and how both to bind and bar him and to determine both where he doth and must work faith and where he doth not and must not viz. in believers infants not in infants of infidels else why do you refuse to baptize the one upon non-appearance of faith and yet plead for the baptism of the other as in whom it appears to you so clearly that by argument you say you make it more plainly appear to any one that will not deny Scripture and reason that they have faith then the profession of any one particular person that evâ—…r I baptized can make it appear of himself for thus you peremptorily conclude p 5. and then as prettily unconclude it all ore again p. 18. saying unlesse it could be certainly presumed what children have the habit of faith what have not for the working of the spirit is not known to us there can be no conclusion made why also do you say the promise is to believers and all their seed which is as much as to say God is bound upon his word and covenant unto these children not unto others and therefore must be as good as his word for I hope you all agree that God will not lie p. 14. though I confesse p 18. you unsay all this ore again and grant that he is not bound to work it in all the children of Christian parents nor bard from working it in any of the children of infidels O fine whisles Determination If it be inquired how faith can be said to be in them without their consent the answer is as well as originall sin to which they never consented and that Christ is more powerful to salvation then Adam to condemnation Detection That original sin is in infants so far as it is in them without their consent I do not deny it being a matter more imputative as I have shewed above then inhaesive and that Christ is more powerful to salvation then Adam was to condemnation is an undoubted truth which makes me believe otherwise then once I did viz. that whatsoever befel whomsoever meerly by Adams sin
is as universally as well in respect of the subject made miserable thereby viz. whole mankind as of the misery befalling that subject by the coming of the Second Adam taken away for which tenet I could give more proof then you can easily disprove were it not besides the Argument I am in hand with but that faith is in any persons without the consent of those in whom it is is a lesson thâ—…t I shall never consent to learn while mine eies are open I have found many Divines defining faith by the very term of an assent or consent unto the things promised preacht profered or propounded to us to believe and making assent or consent such a necessary ingredient to the very essence being or nature of faith that faith cannot be faith without it thus Mr. Baxter your fiercest fellow-fendent of infants baptism the very essence of faith saith be p. 98. lyeth in assenting that Christ is king and saviour and consenting that he be so to us Yea he denies them to have any true faith who do not thus assent and consent but of all the faiths that ever I have heard or read of and of all the kinds of believing that ever were broacht in the brains of men I never yet heard of a believing of things whether one will or no I mean a real believing and not such a feigned forced faith as that of those who must say they believe as the Church believes when happily they know not what that is nor did I ever hear of believing without assenting to the things believed since I was born till I met with this figment of yours nor ever shall again I am perswaded while the world stands from any men but such as having uttered one absurdity are resolved rather then to recant it to uphold it with an 100 worse then it self Determination It is further added that there is no other way revealed for the salvation of little infants but by justification and that by faith that way of the presentment of the righteousness of Christ without faith is 〈◊〉 figment of the Anabaptists without ground or reason from Scripture the Covenant of the Gospel being the righteousness of faith Detection To which I contradictorily reply that there is another way revealed for the salvation and justification of little infants from all the guilt that lies upon them in infancy which is no other then that which comes upon them for the sin of Adam onely and from all that mischief which comes on them onely meerly and simply for that sin then that way of faith and that is the presentment of the righteousnesse of Christ to God on their behalf without faith and this way is no figment of the Anabaptists as you No-Baptists do foolishly fancy but that which hath such strong ground and reason from Scripture as you will never overthrow while you live although to men at years that have acted transgression in their own persons and are capable to act faith and other good as well as evil the Gospel is granted to be a Covenant that gives righteousnesse by Christ in no other way then that way of faith and obedience to him We usually put cloaths upon infanâ—…s but men put their clothes on themselves and so must we put on Christ by faith in order to justification when we come to years of discretion Gal. 3. 27. and not before I know the multitude of Scriptures that speak in general or at least in such indefinit terms as are in sense equivalent to universal concerning salvation to all them that believe and nothing but condemnation to all them that believe not as Mark 16. 15. 16. Iohn 3. 15. 16. 18. 19. 36. 11. 26. Act. 10. 42. Act. 13. 43. Rom. 1. 17. 3. 22. 25. 26. 28. 30. 4. 6. 24. a most monstrous mistake of all which as also of the whole Scripture makes you miserably misbelieve this matter viz. the way that all dying infants are saved in for you deem or rather dream that the Lord by these expressions whosoever believeth in me shall never dye he that believeth not shall be damned he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life c. delivers his will and testament not onely concerning persons at age but concerning infants in their very infancy also whereas if you Divines had not Divin'd your selves to very dotage you could not but understand that little infants are not intended in any of these or any other places that hold out faith as the way of our salvation for do but judge in your selves were it not shameful senslessnesse to read thus out of those places viz. God so loved the world c. that whosoever infants in infancy as well as men believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life those infants that do believe on him are not condemned but those infants that believe not are condemned already and why because they have not believed in the name of the onely begotten Son of God And this shall be the condemnation of infants as well as men that light and life is come to them and yet infants believe it not neither will come unto Christ that they might have life but but love darknesse more then light because their deeds are evil for thus you may read it if infants as well as men be there meant and so were it not sottish to read thus out of Rom. 4. 23. it was not written for Abraham onely that faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse but for infants also to whom it shall be imputed if they do believe on him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead c. so would it sound any whit savourly in the ears of one that 's of a sound judgement to read Mark 16. 15. 16. so as to understand infants together with others viz. go preach the Gospel to every creature who ere believeth and is baptized shall be saved but whoever believes not man or woman old or young infant or suckling shall be damned would not this grate harshly upon charitable ears but surely infants are not spoken of here nor are they in any other Scripture for ought I can find with the best sight I have where faith is spoken of as the condition on our part without which nothing is to be expected but condemnation I am sorry Sirs to see you Clergy men cloath your selves with such darke conceits and confusednesse of mind as not to know of whom and to whom things are spoken in the word nor whom in general the Scriptures you professe to be so profound in concern and preach to and I beseech you be not too wise in your own conceits to learn one lesson at least from him that is a fool among you for Christs sake viz. whereas you say infants must believe or not be saved the Scriptures declaring no other way to salvation but faith in Christ that the Scriptures were written only for our instruction that are at years to understand them and
grant p. 88. intailes baptism to the children that have believing Guardians as well as to such as have believing parents and so he gives the question as stated concerning believers children only Some again put it on the score of neither the childs nor the parents nor the sponsors faith but at least either the fathers or the Mothers membership in a gathered Church so as if this be not the parents though otherwise never so faithful may not have their children baptized thus the Churches in New England yea and I think all of this indifferent semi-demi-Independent way both in Old England and New and elsewhere witness Mr. Best Churches plea p. 60 61. who saith thus A man must not only be a Christian and by profession within the covenant only but also a member of some visible Church and particular congregation ere his child be baptized For which Mr. Rutherford rounds him a bout again and takes him to do p. 174. 175. of his Presb. and flatly contradicts him thus saying Baptism is a priviledge of the Church not of such a particular Independent Church and the distinction between Christian communion and Church communion in this point is needless and fruitless for none are to be refused baptism whose parents professe the faith c. howbeit not members of a settled Church Which also contradicts Mr. Cobbets Castle of come down whose whole structure is settled upon that same dainty distinction of Church choice and true choice of this mind also was my beloved friend Mr. Charles Nicolls of whom I have more hopes yet then I have of every one of his own form that he will fully own the truth in time forasmuch as he doth more fully appear for it against that Truth-destroying thing called Tythes then those of his way do in other parts of Kent who either per se or at least per alios take them not to say rake and rack both Christs flocks and the parish flocks also for them still which Mr. Nicolls preaching publiquely at Dover in my hearing Ian. 1650. whether he fetch his doctrine out of Mr. Cobbets book yea or no I cannot tell in page 17. whereof the same is found declared himself to be of Mr. Cobbets mind by the delivery of this doctrine viz. That an enchurcht believers natural seed is faederally holy from 1 Cor. 7. 14. which position I have also since seen under his hands so narrow a corner is the case crouded into now that it is not the believing but the enchurcht belieuing parent i e. who leaving the perochiall posture betakes himself to membership in some seperated society who sanctifies the unbelieving parent and the seed else were the children unclean but now are they holy i. e. from the time of one or both parents entering the borders of a seperated society and so by this means if an old man or woman that hath ten or twenty children the youngest whereof is no less then twenty years old they all though never so morally wicked yet from thenceforth are faederally holy but not before no though their parents believed before Upon this Account the Churches in New England deny their Nullity sprinkling to infants of such parents as are either not yet joined to them or for which they are very oddly also at odds among themselves excommunicate from them in justification of which Gambole Mr. Cotton lapps himself up in such a manglement of discourse p. 81. to the 88. as betokens that wisdome is perishing from the wise for mans tradition sake which they hold up against Christs institutions yea he sticks not to assert p. 81. Thâ—…t the Apostles and Evangelists gathered men whom they baptized into a visible church estate before they baptized them unless they were church-members before they preached to them Which is as if he should say they brought them first into the visible Church that they might be baptized and then to go round again baptized them that they might be brought into the visible Church for unlesse he contradict all those thousands of Old England now becoming New whilest New England growes old who after sprinkling still used this phrase viz. We receive this child into the coâ—…gregation of Christs flock as in the English refined Masse-book the Priests universally did preaching baptism to be the entrance into the visible Church not in word only but in deed also by placing their Fonts at the Church doors unless I say he be contrary to all Paedobaptists who hold baptism to be the way into the Church and not the visible Church the way into baptism and then what another cross whet doth he wipe them with we must needs take Mr. Cotton in that manner and yet to say the truth the Clergy is cross enough to themselves in this case for this is but like that of them that say believers infants are born in the bosome or within the pale of the Church and so must be baptized and must be baptized and so enter within the pale of the visible Church or else they are out and in no better condition than the children of Turks and Pagans What prety Gim-cracks are here yet surely not much above the tyth of those round abouts and contradictions to themselves and one another that are to be found among the Paedorantists should I stand upon a full discovery of them but verily I am weary to see Old England New England and Scotland all together by the ears about their infants sprinkling and had rather if it were possible gain them all to be at peace in that point by laying down their dispensing it any more to infants and pitching all upon the undoubted subject of true baptism i. e. a professed believer without which it is impossible to reconcile them till they have routed each other and stormed themselves out of their strongest garrisons with their own hands Among whom and so to make an end what hold and keep is there likewise about the sprinkling of bastards may be seen by Mr. Cotton page 88. of his way e. Some and those the best Divines holding the baptism of Bastards but not sine sponsoribus i. e. not without witnesses or sureties Others holding it without witnesses for ought I find of which sort is Mr. â—…obbet who brings in Bastards to baptism by a certain fetch beyond his fellowes viz. the faederal interest of those bastard infants that are born in the Church saying Though the parents faith do not sanctify such yet the force of Abrahams covenant fetches them in which I much marvel at sith the law or covenant of Circumcision admitteth not such into the Congregation unto the tenth generation Others again denying that the Scripture warrants any such thing at all as the admitting of Bastards to come by baptism into the Congregation as his neighbour Mr. Cotton who gives liberty to Christian Sponsors to entitle wicked mens children to baptism by their undertaking for them yet can scarce find in his heart for ought I find to allow them the
have declared my sense of it before so I testifie again is so clear against the standing of infants as members in the family of Abraham or Church of God now under the Gospel that he is as blind as a beetle that sees any thing in it tending to the proof of it for it seems plainly that the natural branches or seed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob themselves that stood the children of the Church before without faith upon the meer account of being their naturall branches cannot stand children of the Church now unlesse they be also spiritual branches as Abraham Isaac and Iacob were yea if being the fleshly seed of a believer could ingraft persons into the Gospel Church as it did of old into the Jewish Church without faith then the Jewes to this day being asmuch believing Abrahams natural seed as ever might by that birth stand Members as truly as any Gentile believers seed but they cannot yea the same persons that were members of that Church without faith were not admitted to passe from that Church to membership in this for want of faith but when very forraigners that had no relation to nor descent from Abraham became his children in the Gosspel sense and members of the Gospel Church by personal faith the very naturall seed of Abraham was cut off through unbelief so that the standing before was by a fleshly birth of Abraham of some believing proselited Gentile but the standing now in the Church is not by a birth natural of any parent no hot of Abraham himself unlesse there be faith in the persons themselves as Mr. Baxter believes not there is in any infants for to the confutation of the Ashford Pamphlet which pleads infant-faith Mr. Baxter p. 98. Makes the very essence of faith to lie in assenting to it that Christ is King and Saviour and consenting that he be so to us and whether infants do thus both assent and consent let Mr. Ba. be judge of it if he please Because of unbelief the natural seed were broken off thence Mr. Bax. argues that infants stand still in the Church but thence I argue they cannot stand because those that stand now stand by faith ver 20. i e. personal not parental thou standest saith Paul by faith i. e thy faith not thy Fathers for then we may as well say the just shall live by his fathers faith not by fleshly descent though of Abraham Isaac and Iacob themselves as of old they did and infants cannot stand by faith unlesse they had it and therefore not at all Mr. Baxter argues it was the Jewes own Olive tree or Church they were cut off from for unbelief Therefore infants stand in it still But theâ—…ce I argue that our infants cannot stand therein for if god spared not the Naturall Branches of Abraham but broke them off their own root their own father Abraham and his family so as to be counted no longer his children their own olive tree the church so as to abide no longer in it because they believed not the terms of standing church-members being now no fleshly descent but faith then much lesse will he admit any Gentiles that are not naturall branches of Abraham to be grafted into the good olive tree without faith and therefore no infants that believe not Mr Ba. tells us that some branches only were broken off therfore not infants It is true all were not broken off and why because some believed and so abode in the family others and those the most believe not when they should others and those all infants nor believed nor yet could and therefore could not abide nor have a visible being a visible membership a visible standing in that visible church the termes of standing in which is only and alone by faith Mr. Bax. argues that Israel shall again be grafted into their own olive tree and saved even the children with the parents and therefore infant-membership in the Gospel church is not repealed I answer it is true that if they abide not still in unbelief they shall be grafted into their own olive tree the visible Church and family of Abraham that is so many as shall believe onely this infants do not but whether they believe or believe not when the Redeemer i. e. Christ Jesus shall come all Israel shall be saved and be owned and made the most glorious people upon earth and enter into a flourishing state indeed but not in this way of baptism and membership Mr. Baxter speaks of who I perceive is not a little ignorant of this mystery as yet how long blindnesse shall happen unto Israel and in what manner their calling shall be of which I also have at this time as little list as leasure to inform him Mr. Ba. argues from the samenesse of the Olive tree the Jew was broken off from and the Gentile was grafâ—…ed into that therefore as infants stood members then so they must now I answer it is true there is some kind of indentity between the Jewish and the Gospel Church but not such as concludes an indentity of membership for infants they are the same ingenere visiblis Ecclesiae they agree in the common name of Church and visible Church elected and segregated from the world but there 's little else that I know of wherin they are the same they differ in circumstantials in their accidental forms in their officers ordinances customs constitutions subjects members that being constituted of one whole nation of people or fleshly seed of Abraham taken out from all other nations this of a spiritual seed of Abraham i. e. believers scaterred here and there taken out of any nation as they happen to be called almost every nation some the ceremony of inchurching Abrahams own much more any other mans meer fleshly seed being ceased Mr. Bax. peddles on a pace and brings a company of Scripures in proof of infants Church-membership and baptism which though he stile them as indeed his whole book Plain Scripture proofs for those two yet a man that is not minded to force the Scripture into the Service of his own fancy because it does not serve it freely may look till dooms day before he see in them any plain perspicuous proof of either one of these or of the other Christ saith he Mat. 23. 37 would have gathered Ierusalem oft as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but they would not therefore sure he would not have put them or their infants out of the Church the strength of the consequence lies here saith he he would have gathered whole Ierusalem and that into the visible Gospel Church therefore infants also Now that Christ does not speak of whole Ierusalem here as he saith he does both men and infants the circumstances of the text do fully evince to us for he speaks of the same persons he speaks to and the same persons he complains of saying ye would not the same and no other are they to whom he speaks when he saies Oh
no end Therefore I le hint but a few among which this shall be the first If the standing upon the root Abraham i. e. the family or visible Church of God since Christ be by faith in the person onely so standing and not by faith in the parent as of old then infants cannot now stand therein But so t is Therefore the other The consequence is cleared by the consideration of the incapacity of infants to believe faith being assent to something propounded to us faith comming by hearing and hearing by the word Rom. 10. so that who so thinks it possible for infants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere when it is said how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard is wretchedly inconsiderate The Minor is evident out of Rom. 11. where it is said the very natural branches of Abrahams body that did on that account meerly as the fleshly seed of that father of the faithfull stand in the olive tree the visible Church before time yet now could stand no longer on that old account why were they not the seed of Abraham still that stood without faith in the old visible Church to the very end of it yes but they believed not in their own persons therefore could not stand in this house but were cast out of their own olive their own father Abrahams family i. e. the visible Church now Christ came in because of unbelief and thou saith Paul to the Gentile standest how by fleshly descent no that standing is gone from such as come of Abrahams himself therefore is not to thee nor to thine but by faith i. e. personal and not parentall A Second this If all they that are baptized into one visible body under the Gospell are made in the supper to drink into one spirit then infants who cannot drink into one spirit with the body secundum te may not be baptized into that visible body But this is true 1 Cor. 12. 13. Therefore that So Col. 2. 19. All the body is knit together and by joints and bands hath nourishment ministred and increaseth by that which every joint and member supplieth Eph. 4. 16. But infants are not capable to have Spirituall nourishment Minstired and to grow in grace as all the body ought to do at least and this in the use of the Supper If you say they are capable of spiritual nourishment I say as capable I think as of the spiritual birth for where there 's a birth there 's a growth but then me thinks they should be as capable of the supper which is the Sacrament of spirituall nourishment being capable of that as being capable of spiritual birth they are of baptism the outward Sacrament of the same But Mr. Bax. denies that page 114. 115. among other reasons for this because though capable to be washed yet not to eat bread and drink wine in their first infancy Oh strange they may have it then as they can eat and drink A third is this If no infants were baptized and added to the first Gospell visible Church then surely they had no right so to be for the Apostles would not do them that wrong as not to add them that had right But this is true Therefore that The Minor is plain out of Acts 2. where to the 120. men and women that without infants continued in fellowship Acts 1. there were added 3000. more in one day and not one infant among them but as many onely as gladly received the word nor more nor lesse for else Luke couzens us in his history and continued after their baptism in fellowship in breaking bread and prayers which no infants did and yet it is well nigh infallible that those 3000 had some infants belonging to some of them which would have been added with their parents if the promise is to you and to your children and them a far off even as many as the Lord shall call would bear the sense divines drawes it to Yea Master Cotton himself conceives that no infants were baptized at that time and when else either these or any other were neither I nor any one else ever found since they began to read Christs Testament with their eyes open Yea Peter commanded no more to be baptized but the same persons whom he speaks to also to repent which me thinks he should have done saying be baptized every one of you and baptize your children also if any such thing had been intended and Christians infants were to have been seperated out of the world and called to be saints and baptized as Mr. B. believes they are to be but not I. For what saies Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chapter 1. I suppose he wrote not to infants yet to all the called Saints to all that be in Rome called to be saints So in 1 Cor. 14. the 23. If the whole Church come together and all speak with tongues and all Prophe-y So 26. Every one of you hath a Psalm So 31. Ye may all prophecy one by ons that all may be ediâ—…yed He writes and so surely he seems to me to do all his Epistles to the whole church and speaks to the whole body yet I cannot conceive that to any infants who are uncapable to be edifyed and comforted Yea 1 Cor. 12. 25. 16. The Members of the visible body of Christ ought to have the same care one for another so that if one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it if one be honoured all rejoice with it This cannot infants do Therefore surely are not of this visible body of Christ. Another Argument which Master Baxter himself mentions and slights as simply supposing that it excludes infants from salvation is that of Mr. Tombs viz. That the onely way now appointed by Christ to make visible church Members is by teaching the persons themselves and that none else must be Members of the visible Church but those that have learnt as infants have not This Argument is of great weight and receives as trifling an answer from Mr. Bâ—…or â—…or saith he then it will much more follow that they are not or at least that we may not judge them to be of the invisible Church at all i. e. to be such as so dying shall be saved The contrary to which and inconsequence of which I have shewed above and shall shew more by and by Secondly saith he If they may argue from Matth. the 28. 20. that none but those that are taught are true Disciples and are to be baptized why may they not as well Argue from Mark the 16. chap. 16. verse who ever believeth not shall be damned that all infants are certainly damned To which I say first I am one who argues from Maâ—…h 28. that none but such as are taught are disciples and to be baptized for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is teach ye or make ye disciples by teaching or cauâ—…e to learn then which I testify to Mr. Bâ—… face that there is no other way whereby
you and me though I suppose I shall not be more critical in considering nor volumnous in dilating on them than your selves are numerous in bewraying of your own negligences ignorances contradictions fictions â—…nakednesses and abusive shifts throughout this your three-fold thing yet I shall make little less than a totall transscription of your Papers before I have done and therin take notice of such absurdities at least whereby you most notoriously delude the world most grosly oppose the truth most unworthily wrong your Respondent and most palpably proclaim your selves to be rather true Dissemblers than true Discoverers of the Ashford Disputation and Smotherers rather than Publishers of that Gospel-truth in the point of Baptism which you pretend also to give as true an Account of to the world as of the other Report You talk first of Propositions agreed upon between your Respondent and your selves the Ministers at the Communion-Table in the Church of Ashford in Kent before the Disputation began Reply Give me leave Sirs sith silence with you may be taken else for Assent to say a word or two to this you stile your selves the Ministers both here and else-where throughout your book But if you mean Ministers of Christ and the Gospel I am yet to learn that from you which I never found you very forward to teach me viz. that you came truly and honestly by that Title you have hitherto wanted no provocation from me to prove the lawfulness of your calling I made bold to denominate you Antichristian Ministers in my Position upon the very day of the Disputation before those Thousands which you say were Auditors thereof And I have asserted the same more abundantly since in that letter to Mr. G. C. which it seems you know so well as even thence to take occasion in a Pet to publish so much as you have done of your Disputation all which is enough to give you to understand that I own you not at all in that capacity yet did you never no neither then at the Disputation nor since in your so true a Relation of it so much as once open your mouth or strike one stroke with your pen whereby to evince it that you are Christs Ministers which gives me to believe that howbeit you have a habit of calling your selves so yet you had rather men believed you on your bare words than put you to prove your selves to be so and that you are as utterly uncapable to clear it as 't is clear you are unwilling to be urged to it You speak of the Church of Ashford and a Communion-Table in it 'T were strange if I should not know what you mean thereby yet had you told this peece of your tale in other Terms it had been so much the less lyable to correction I know but one Church of Ashford that hath a Communion-Table in 't and that is those few persons who since they have gladly received the Word of Truth have been according to Christs will in that kind baptized in his name for remission of sinnes and do now continue in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers to which the Lord I hope will add dayly such in those parts as shall be saved in this Church there is a Communion-Table indeed even the Table of the Lord at which they meet blessing and drinking that Cup of blessing which is the Commemoration and Communion also of the blood of Christ breaking and eating that bread which is the Commemoration and Communion of the body of Christ at which you and your Respondent never yet met but may do yet in due time if the Lord please to grant you for till then surely it never will be repentance to the acknowledgement of his truth But for other Communion-Table I wot not Sirs that there is any at all at Ashford As for that common Table which stands in the great stone house where the Bells hang where the people meet once a week but never do that they should do if they were disciples of Christ indeed which house you call the Church of Ashford and I cannot but allow you so to do sith you disclaim the true one the very Steeple being well nigh as much a truly constituted Church of Christ as a parish people the one whereof is but a compacted number of dead stones in a literal sense and for the most part no less in a spiritual sense is the other besides stone Churches and wooden Priests such as if you are not yet most of the Popes children are suit well enough each with other as for that Table I say where you and your Respondent agreed better about the Articles of the Disputation then they do for ought I see to this day about that Article of faith they disputed on you had need to find some fitter phrase for it than Communion-Table for it hath long since ceased to be of any such use as for people to communicate at it The Gentleman my beloved friend that is now Resident there and President too in pretence at least as a Pastor over that flock having never administred it at all since his abode among them nor since the Classis possest him of that Relation and gave him orders to feed them with that ordinance why he doth not meddle with that service in his parish would be farre more wonderful to me then 't is had not mine own conscience been of the same constitution with his when I was with him in the same condition for as my own feet stuck once in the same stocks when I stood in Pastorall relation to parochiall people so I believe him to be further inlightned then to be free for a promiscuous admittance to the Supper of such Societies among whom he discerns not a few more goats than sheep or to hold Communion there with them whom in the Pulpit he cries out on as unbelievers as knowing well enough there 's no fellowship to be held between light and darkness believers and unbelievers in that holy ordinance yet he sprinkles the Infants of all as you also do and my self blindly did or else that parish will prove happily to hot to hold him upon what account he doth so I know not for sure it cannot be upon this because onely believers Infants are to be sprinkled The Lord open all your eyes to see those sorry shifts wherein you shroud your selves for a time from your own sight so that ye see not when ye interfeer nor feel when you hack your own shins for who so blind as those that cannot see how you act quite contrary to that you argue for and overthrow your own principles by your practise Report These Propositions say you were as followeth First that both parties should publiquely protest that they sought for verity not victory Reply I acknowledge this is very true and it was protested on both sides accordingly as was agreed nevertheless whether it be the Proud Priest-hood that seeks to tuck all
exhort c. with all long suffering and doctrine Ob. But some there would have been griev'd at it in which case better to have omitted it in charity then hazzarâ—…â—…treds by performance Aâ—…sw Some there its like would not â—…ave indur'd it yet is that no plea whereupon to omit it for then we must preach no more Gospel to thâ—… world which sets two against three and three against two and occasions not causes by means of mens lusts opposing it more sword then peace at present Luk. 12. 51 52 53. Yea the time will come and now is when men yea Ministers will not indure sound Doctrine but after their own lusts heap to themselves teachers and what heaps upon heaps of false teachers are there in all Christendom for the Clergy have made themselves many as the locusts many more then to every parish one tickling men up still with an omnia bene in a bad condition even when for their sakes Isa. 24. omnia penè penitus peritura sunt and will turn away their ears from the truth and be turned unto fables of mens feigning but watch thou in all things indure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist fulfill thy ministry 2 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. Report That the Congregation consisted of two sorts of men and women whose opinions were different that there was a danger of a breach between them that as they came together and had behav'd themselves quietly all the time so they might be permitted to depart that the mischiess which follow Division are easier prevented then heal'd c. Reply Great indeed are the mischiefs that follow Divisions they are more easily prevenâ—…ed then heal'd but as sure as the Lord lives and his word hath any truth in 't the Divisionâ—… of these dayes the mischiefs of which and that 's the best out ' will light most upon the tripple Tower of B B Babel even the â—…ripple C C Crowâ—… aâ—…d Kingdome of the C C Clergy out of whose clutches God is going to redeem his Captive Clergy the height of which Tower he will bring down to the Earth even to the dust these Divisions I say will neither be prevented nor healed notwithstanding all indeavours to that purpose till that be fully accomplisht which this Division of Languages truly tends to in the Councels of God viz. the uâ—…ter shattering and disabling of these great Babel-builders so that their Ambitious projects shall come to a Perpetual end till then breach upon breach cannot be avoided while the Earth was as in old time of Priestly pomp it was of one language and of one speech all saying nemine contradicente as the Pope said all worshipping as the Priest-hood appointed all believing as the Churâ—…h believed there was so much Chariâ—…y to the Churches peace that all truth was choakt under the name of Schism for the sake on 't the builders by whom the corner-stonâ—… is still refused saying one to another go to let us build us a City and a Tower whose top may reach to heaven let us make us a name and nothing was 〈◊〉 from them which they imagined to do by advantage of this their unity and uniformity of speech and Religion but now God is coming down to view the great Tower this Poâ—…pous Kingdâ—…m of Priests and finding it swell up to heaven above the stars of God over all on earth at least that 's called God he sâ—…yes go â—…o let us go down and confoâ—…nd their 〈◊〉 that they may not un derstand one anothers speech whereupon as the great City is split in three parts so each of these will be subdivided more and more into Sectaries of all sorts so that men understand not now the language of the Pope and Priest-hood nor will Christs sheep hear the voice of those strangers by which Division of tongues if â—…hat Great City cease to reign and that montanous Babell come down and become a plain before Zerubabel as it must t is not so devillish as Divine a Division which all are not so sorry for as some whose Alas is lamented back again with Halleluâ—… yea let the day break more and more and the shadows â—…ie away and my beloved be like a Roâ—… young hart hasting ore these mountains of Bether i. e. Divisâ—…on Cant. 2. 〈◊〉 And now as to the peoples being permited to depart 〈◊〉 know none were held there against their wills besides your selves yea both you and they too that would might have gon in peace and those that would might have staid in peace had you not troubled all with your oppositions if such as had a mind to stay had been as peaceably permitted to abide as you who had such a mind to be out were peaceably permitted to depart for any hinderance you had from us all might have been full as well for ought I know as now it is Report Next you relate I not 〈◊〉 to the Reasons of the Ministers it was at last refeâ—…red to the Minister of the place being there present and he desired to declare whether he would give way to my preaching which he refusing to do upon the reasons before said one of the Congregation began to utter some words tending to a Commotion viz. that â—…e had nothing to do with them that they would do it without his leave and the like whereupon the Ministers conjuâ—…ed me whose interest they observed to be so great in the people by the bonds of Charity the candor and Sobriety of a Christian and ingenuity of a Scholar thaâ—… I would dissolve the Câ—…ngregation that they might part without professed hostility that there would great disâ—…race light upon their meeting besides dangers which thâ—…y did foresâ—…e if I did not that if I persevered in my motion they did pâ—…otest openly before the Congregation against it and â—…id charge upâ—…n me whatsoever inconveniency should follow so being perswaded I went out of the Church with the Ministers and the Congregation followed Reply I saw not so much as a grain of reason in all you spake in prevention of so innocent and in it self inoffensive a purpose as that was to render a reason of my faith to a people that expected it from me and were as your selves were not then and there so willing to hear it whereupon I neither did nor durst decline the doing of it upon any such account as convicted that by right I ought not to have done it nevertheless I must confess when I saw such conjuring such sensles scar-crows such reasonles referrings such rigid refusings such crooked constructions ready to be made by the Ministers of mens words as Commotions when very parishioners who pay Peter-pence both to the Presbyter and the place onely pleaded their Priviledge to be there without his leave such Emulous observations of the Ministers how great or little my interest was in the people such desires of me to dissolve the Congration rather then râ—…solve them by an exercise about the truth of baptism by the bonds of Charity as
of old and was in bondage with her children so he saies for all their Sonship yet in truth they are but servants and not sonnes he grants their Sonship freedom and title to the old inheritance but denies their son and heirship as to the new Thirdly they boast and bless themselves in their standing in the house or family of Abraham i. e. the Church as to the ordinances rights and priviledges whereof who but themselves had the title for this indeed was their advantage of old that to them were committed all the oracles of God to which Christ replies true they did stand in the house for a time yet but for a time and though sons and heirs in the laws typical sense yet they were were but servants in the Gospels because they believe not in him and being but servants as Moses and all his house or church the old Israel were in comparison of Christ the Son and his house or Church i. e the Saints they must anon be packing out of the house and abide in the Church i. e. Abrahams family no longer that the true Sons and heirs may come in i. e. believers who are the blessed seed to whom onely the Gospel-promises and priviledges do belong ver 35. And the servant saith he abideth not in the house for ever but the son abideth ever if therefore the son make you free and that he doth not for all your former freedome unless you believe in him and continue in his words then shall ye be free indeed even to the glory oracles and blessings of the spiritual house the gospel-Gospel-church which else you must be cut off from for ever thus Christ tells them and so indeed it came to passe within a while for not believing and repenting which are the only terms â—…at give right and admittance to the ordinances and fellowship of the Gospel these Iews though natural branches of Abraham still as much as ever if being the fleshly seed of a believer could have steaded them at all as to a standing here were yet clean broken off from the Root Abraham as he stands a Root to all the faithful because onely of unbelief Rom. 11. 20. when such as were wild olives and no kin at all to Abraham after the flesh were in their own persons but not their natural seed with them save as they believed with them own'd as his children by believing and as members of the true Church under the Gospel And this was also most directly declared by Iohn the Baptist and the rest of the first ministers of the Gospel who would not admit of the Jews as Jews though Abrahams own seed and holy by birth and members thereupon of that Church under the law to baptism and membership in the Gospel-church when they offered themselves upon the aforenamed terms without faith repentance and amendment for howbeit the Pharisees and Saduces and the whole multitude of people came forth to be baptized of Iohn Mat 3. 7. c. Luke 3. 7. c. pretending and pleading that if baptism were a Church-priviledge it must needs belong to them as who were the children of Abraham yet see how he rounds them up as having no part nor portion in that matter O generation of vipers saith he who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come as if he had said what have you to do with that remission of sinnes righteousness and redemption from wrath to come which I preach and baptize in token of being though invested with circumcision Church-membership and other legal rites and priviledges yet corrupt and crooked in conversations bring forth therefore i. e. to the end that you may be admitted baptized and inc hurched here fruits answerable to amendment of life and begin not its like that plea was in their thoughts and mouths too whereupon he puts them off from it think not to say that we have Abraham to our father we are the seed of such an eminent believer for God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham i. e. God will without being beholding to you raise a seed to Abraham rather then want them from among these stones which whether he meanes stones litterally or the Gentiles which were yet as stocks and stones in their eies I leave you further to examine but thus much we may gather hence however that even in that very time wherein the birth-priviledge and holiness of a fleshly seed stood in full force and power unrepealed as then it did so far as to give right to all ordinances of the law yet even then I say before how much more since the Abrogation thereof by faith Abrahams own seed could not much less then may the seed of believing Gentiles now it s repealed as such be admitted to baptism without repentance the Jews as impenitent and unbelieving as they were stood uncast out of the Jewish Church while that Jewish Church it self was yet standing but they could not passe per saltum out of that Church into the Gospel Church nor immediately from their right to circumcision which meer fleshly birth gave them prove their right without somewhat more to baptism yet thus they might have done if what gave right of old to one of these ordinances doth in like manner inright persons to the other And this that Abrahams own naturall seed do not now stand his seed so as thereupon onely or at all to stand in this house of Abraham i. e. the visible Church of the Gospel and in title to the promises and priviledges thereof is further and more lively figured out to our undestandings in that admirable allusion of Paul to the things transacted of old as a type hereof in the family of Abraham between the two mothers and their children viz. Hagar and Sarah Ishmael and Isaac Gal. 4. 21. to the end where to give you but a hint of the thing that you may follow it in your own thoughts at leasure having first related what is written of Abrahams having two sonnes one by his bond-maid Hagar viz. Ishmael that was born after the flesh the other by the free woman or his true wife Sarah viz. Isaac who though born of Abrahams flesh as well as the other yet because he was promised to come of Abrahams true spouse Sarah long before he did was said to be born by promise he asserts these things to be an Allegory i. e. things which though really and truly done yet were done also in a figure and as a shadow of some other things to come viz. the two Covenants and two seeds of Abraham thereunto belonging or the two several Jerusalems or Churches of the law and the Gospel with their several children viz. the fleshly seed of Abraham and the spiritual each answering respectively not only as anti-types to their several types that pointnd at them whether the maid and her son or the mistriss and hers but also inter se invicem as the two mothers and their children did each of them
8. Gal. 3. 7. 9. there is but one way of becoming Abrahams spiritual seed or the children of his faith so as thereupon to be signed by baptism as heirs with him of the Gospel-promise and this is not by being the fleshly posterity of a believer though it should be of believing Abraham himself for even his own fleshly were not his spiritual seed but onely as they believed with him but by bringing forth fruits of repentance doing his works treading in the steps of his faith you belike have found more wayes to the wood then one whereof when ones failes you in the fight you commonly take your flight by the other and with you there 's two wayes whereby persons nay which is a greater mystery whereby the same persons even believers infants in their very infancy may and do become Abrahams spiritual sons and heirs viz. first by their own walking in the steps of Abrahams faith i. e. believing themselves which though it be the true way of becoming Abrahams spirituall seed yet infants are not capable to walk in it Secondly by being the natural progeny of believing parents which though infants are capable of it yet is none of the way whereby to be canonized according to the sense of Scripture the Spirituall seed of Abraham But it seems the terms upon which persons become heirs with Abraham of Gospel-promises and stand in true title to Gospel-ordinances are not uniform but mulâ—…form in your imagination for those on which persons in the capacity of parents are privilâ—…dged with the title of Abrahams spiritual seed and title to Gospel-ordinances and enjoyments are their own believings not anothers but those on which others i. e. all that are in the capacity of children to those parents are thus highly priviledged are the believing of their parents whether they have any faith of their own yea or no and yet some count that the childs own faith which the parent professes for him But Genus et pro avos et quae non â—…cimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco Sirs what pretty intricate blind bo-beep Divinity is this of yours do the same priviledges and promises belong to the believing parents and their children and yet though exhibited to them both alike in one and the self same phrase and form of speech for saith Peter the promise is to you and your children and to them that are farre off yea even as many meaning of you and your children and of them that are far off as the Lord shall call do they belong upon such various and different grounds viz. to the parents upon their own faith to the children upon the parents faith my father then it seems what ere his fathers were must prove his pedegree from Abraham by his doing as Abraham did or else he can be no gospel-son nor share at all in any gospel-priviledges and immunities but if he were a believer I his son may prove mine at easier rates by farr viz. by going no further then the faith and faederation of my father But Sirs will this hold a triall think you by the word is there any such manglements as these to be found there is it to be found there that now under the gospel-Covenant since that outing of the old Covenant and that fleshly seed that were heirs of it and all the tipical pertinencies thereof the faith and faederation of fathers inrights and enrouls all their fleshly seed as Heirs with them of salvation without any evidence of their believing themselves then tell me why the fleshly seed of those great believers Abraham Isaac and Iacob stand excommunâ—…cated from all Gospel-priviledges participations of ordinances promises c. even from the beginnings of the Gospel Church and first administring of baptism to this very day will you plead your own right above theirs to stand his children in the Gospel-Church by saying we had holy men and believers to our fathers but their fathers believed not the Gospel therefore worthily are they cut off with them I reply thus were not Abraham Isaac and Iacob their fleshly fathers and though remote ones yet were they not their true fathers after the flesh still as much as ever did Iohn Mat. 3. and Christ Iohn 8. and Peter Acts 2. deny them a standing in the Gospel house and admission unto baptism and membership without repentance and belief in their own persons and doing the works of Abraham did they I say put such off from all Gospel-expectations and priviledges who offered themselves thereto with this plea viz. we have Abraham to our father and dare you admit such without faith or repentance for whom you can make no higher pretence then this viz. they are the children of believers me thinks if meer birth-priviledges and fleshly descent must carry it still without faith in the seed themselves are not the Iews infants to this day higher born then any Gentiles infants in the world whose parents are believers for they verily can say no less then this we are the natural issue of the father of all the faithfull yet may they not be own'd barely upon that account to gospel-ordinances and if the natural seed and that by Isaac and Iacob of Abraham himself the grand believer which seed could of old claim a room by right of birth from Abraham in the house of Moses cannot possibly carry it so high under Christ as by the same descent onely without faith in themselves to gain a standing in his house or so much as right to be stiled their own natural fathers children as to the Gospel I am amazed to see you Gentile believers to conferre upon your meer natural seed the name of Abrahams spiritual seed and denominate your semen carnis his semen fidei Baptist. The Iews though the natural seed of Abraham yet cannot have the account of the spiritual seed nor any right to Gospel priviledges because they believe not themselves which if they did they should have right to the Gospel as well as we who believe but sith they abide in unbelief they are cut off from all share in these things Baptist. Then learn once I beseech you this lessen from your selves which you will not learn from Iohn Christ and Paul viz. that the ground of standing Abrahams spiritual seed sons and heirs and Church-members under the Gospel is not the the faith and faederation of the parents by vertue of which you plead your childrens right to baptism saying they have believers as the Jews once to Iohn pleaded theirs saying we have Abraham to our father but faith it self in the particular persons so standing for so many Jews heathens infidels children as are of the faith of Abraham i. e. not born of faithful parents but faithful themseves as he was are incorporated incovenanted inchurched as Abrahams seed and Evangelically blessed with faithful Abraham but till even believers children yea Abrahams own believe themselves the parents faith cannot now possibly ingraft them the time of faith or standing by faith
or nation by any such birth-priviledge or propagation thereof from Christians to their meer natural posterity but all the provision that hath been made in this behalf hath been made by the Pope and his priest-hood Yea if God himself had took order for any such matter then me thinks the name Christian should have been continued to this day among the posterity of that Gospel Church of the Hebrews i. e. those many thousands of Iews which in the primitive times turned Christians yea then so many thousands of the Iews which then believed and became Christians Act. 21. 20 might have multiplied as easily by this time into one Christian nation at least by the pastoral power improvement and sanctity of Saint Simon Peter as the Church of Rome i. e. those few Gentiles which at first believed there did at last by the pollitick power improvement and subtilty of Sir Simon the Pope his supposed successour increase and multiply into so many And as God did not shew unto Peter in the forenamed place that he had now removed that birth priuiledge and old Covenant holinesse from the Iews by nature to the natural seed of believing Gentiles so Thirdly he shewed him point blank that he had now quite abolished and put an end to that old outward carnal legal ceremonial account of things and persons as holy and unclean so that now as no meats nor flesh of birds and beasts should be counted common or unclean in relation to other as aforetime so no men now or flesh of men however born should by meer fleshly birth of such parents though unbelieving Gentiles be counted common or unclean in relation to others whether Iews by nature or believing Christians natural seed as more holy by birth then they for being cavill'd with by them of the circumcision i. e. the birth priviledged Iews for eating things common and unclean and for associating himself with men uncircumcised common or unclean for so both the Gentiles or uncircumcision in the flesh and many meats eaten by them and prohibited to be eaten by the Iews are call'd and accounted under the law he tells them chap. 11. that he was at first as scrupulous of the thing as themselves till a voice from God declared to him that he must not now call any thing common or unclean that was so before in respect to other as more holy then it in the sense of the law because whatever was then common or unclean in such a sense God had now cleansed i. e. destroyed that denomination and distinction that was between it and what answerably to it was wont to be called holy And that these discriminating terms of holinesse and uncleannesse are as much abolished in all people and their fleshly seed as in all other flesh of birds and beasts appears undeniably chapter 10. 28. where he tells Cornelius the very same as concerning men who aforetime were by birth common or unclean that he tells them of the circumcision as concerning other creatures which aforetime were called common or unclean Ye know saith he that t is an unlawful thing meaning according to the will of God under the law for a man that is a Iew to keep company or come nnto one of another nation for then indeed Iews by nature might not eat with such as were by nature sinners of the Gentiles but now God hath shewed me that I should not meaning in these dayes of the Gospel call any man common or unclean observe the words I beseech you and consider them with reference to the vision it self and that further exposition of it which Peter himself makes in the 11. chapter and the result thereof is no less then this viz. That as there is now nothing i. e. no meats or flesh of birds or beasts or other creatures more unclean unholy unlawful or abominable to be eaten then other as some was under the law so there is not now any man by birth nature or nation unclean in such sense as the Gentiles were of old in reference to the Iews but that all men are alike now by birth and none by nature more holy or unclean then other in such wise as before none by meer nature neerer to God or further off more or less the people of God or accepted with him further then by holinesse or unholinesse of life they are distinguisht In further consideration of which v. 34. 35. Peter opened his mouth again and said thus of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons i. e. now he accepts not men of one nation above another no not Iews by nature more then those which heretofore in relation to that birth-holiness the Iew had were counted sinners of the Gentiles nor any one man above another as meerly descended of such a parent but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Though therefore time was when the natural seed of Jewish parents as meerly so born though proving never so morally wicked profane and unbelieving in their own persons were still accepted of God I mean in that outward ceremonial sense onely as his people his peculiar chosen generation his holy nation above all nations of the earth though as Mr. Blake saies truly none of the holiest for any transcendent manners of the inhabitants yet when Christ came the hour came and now is wherein no fleshly birth or being of this or that nation or parentage or natural descent and condition doth invest one person or people with this birth-priviledge of acceptation before God as his people or denomination of a holy people or seed more then others the hour now is wherein in meer infancy there 's no more distinction at all between persons as holy and unclean wherein faith and not typical but true holiness or holinesse of truth onely Eph. 4 17 18. 24. makes the distinction between the Church of the Genliles and other Gentiles wherein there 's no difference between Iews and Gentiles and the children of both save according as they are called and have hearts purified by faith Act. 2. 39. 15. 9. wherein the righteousness and grace of God is unto all and upon all alike without difference in time of infancy and upon all alike that believe a alike when they come to years for there 's no difference Rom. 3. 22. wherein there is neither Iew nor Greek circumcision or uncircumcision more unclean or holy by nature either then the other as of old but all alike accounted sinners or holy according as they live sinfully or holily and not other wise If then we may not call any man of what blood nation or parentage soever under the Gospel common or unclean as God shewed Peter that he should not no not those who saving the abolishing of that unclaanness are as abominable by birth as the Gentiles were in the time of the law then may we not call any man howevernaturally descended holy upon the same account of that his natural birth in
discovery of it do go astray by it as to go round again you who care not which extream you run out into when you suppose your own turn against us to be served by it do seem to make and magnifie it in this place Neverthelesse as I said once above as much as you sleight it other while and Mr. Baxter also who spends a pair of pages viz. 10. 11. to shew how little stress God lates upon this point making it as the non-Churchers usâ—…y do upon whose principles how neer he borders some see better then himself though he yet own the use of ordinances as it were a low small matter a piece of â—…remony 〈◊〉 which God will dispense with saying circumcision is nothing i. e. in suâ—…o sensu not much material whether baptized or not a small part of the ministers work which Paul left to other to dispense at belonging not much to him to administer who was sent to preach and yet I believe if we say as indeed we do that there 's no such need that the dispensation it self be done by the hands of one that is specially sent to preach and in holy orders Mr. Baxter will either be against us oâ—… else against all his brethren of the lergy who will have none to baptize but such as are sent to preach as much I say as you and Mr. Baxter sleight it and as little fundamental as you make it yet I must tell you in Mr. Baxters words and your own too that Christs commands are to be obeyed by us great and small as far as we know them and so necessary a point of Religion is this as to the outward part of Religion that how beit Mr. Baxter p. 11. denies that outward part of baptism or external washing to be called one of the foundations Heb. 6. 2. any otherwise then for its praecedency viz because its first laid in order of time not because it beareth up the building even that outward burying of believers in that baptism is both to be done necessitate praecepti by special command from him Act. 2. 38. 1â—… 68. whose voice whoever will not hear i. e. obey when heard in all things whatever he saith little commands as well as greater Mat. 5. 19. shall be cut off from among his people Act. 3. 22. 23. and therefore how farre forth necessary necessitate medâ—… and ad salutem to life it self so far forth as we know his will in that particular let Mr. Baxter judge And also Secondly is to be done in such wise and manner as he himself hath commanded and not after mans precept and tradition there being no lesse rejection plague and cursing denounced against changing the ordinances and serving God after such manner as men require then to neglecting it altogether Isa. 24. 5. 6. 29. 13. Mat. 15. 9. And also thirdly is to be done first after once we do repent and believe and that so necessarily first necessitate both praecepti and medii in order to outward membership and fellowship in the visible Church of Christ and in order also to the true being of the visible Church in that outward right form and order that if it be not first done and done according to his own mind and not mans and first laid as a foundation among the rest of those principles Heb. 6. 1 2. of Christs doctrine which altogether are called the foundation i. e. to the visible Church of Christ which is said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets i. e. their doctrine or that form of doctrine they delivered whereof baptism in water was a part and a principle though not the principal part Eph. 2. 22. Rom. 6. 2. 3. 17. I deny that there can be any visible Church of Christ at all truly constituted according to his own will and such a bearer up of that building it is thaâ—… abstract it and there is no building fitly framed together nor people growing together visibly an holy Temple in the Lord and he that in these latter dayes will ever erect that holy City and Temple which was trodden under foot by the Gentiles advancing all into the name of the Church at the door of infant-sprinkling must preach and practise again that true baptism of repentance for remission of sins in the absence of which there was no true visible Church as to outward order and form at all in their opinion as well as mine who hold and so does the whole Clergy that baptism is the way by which persons enter and out of which there is no entring at all into the visible Church in which therefore to erre is in truth such an unsufferable crime and so fearfully to erre in one of the most necessary points of Religion as pertaining to visible Church order that except ye repent of your infant-sprinkling O ye Priests and be baptized truly according to Christs will in the name of the Lord Iesus for remission of that and all other your sins and superstitions your error is enough to justifie our separation from you nor find we how we can in Christs name and according to his will or without violation and palpable breach of that outward order which he gives no dispensation for to us abide in one body or Church fellowship with you in the supper Secondly Sirs though I told it you before yet to conclude this I now tell you again though we deny infant baptism yet we do not hold at all nor conclude thereby that the whole Church of God hath universally erred i. e. the Church of Christ in all ages and places and howbeit it is true as Dr. Featley saies p. 19 and we with him That particular Churches have erred and may erre as the Greek Church and the Latin Church the two legs upon which Mr. Marshal strives to make infant baptism stand still because it hath stood there so long and general councels which the Schooles term the representative Church are subâ—…ect to error and have sometimes as Dr. Featley saies and so often say I that that I le never build my faith upon them decreed here sie and falshood for truth howbeit all christendom hath erred after the Clergy in this point and many more for 1260 years yet t is true as Dr. Featloy saies that the formal Church as they speak i. all the assemblies in the world cannot be impeached with errour in this point of infant baptism forasmuch as the trueâ—… Churches of the first times never knew it and many faithful witnesses that knew it to be a corruption testified against it in the darkest times and the best reformed Churches even no lesse then scores of Assemblies do deny it at this day to the shame of that one general Assemblie that would have settled it Review And not onely so but if Mr. Fishers doctrine which hâ—…â—…ely delivered as a judicious gentleman affirâ—…d who heard him that â—…ll that did believe and were dipt should be saved but all that did believe and were
persons that did then believe whose children yet for all that promise to them and their children you so talk of out of Act. the 2. 39. came all to nought through unbelief for else indeed the promise even after Christ crucified was to them as also to all others so sure in case of faith that that causelesse curse of their parents wishing the blood of Christ to be on them and their children should never have hurt any but them that wished it In further illustration of which yet I mean that personal faith onely not 〈◊〉 gives a standing in the Church now because I write to a generation of men that have more time to read then I to write I hope I may be bold to trouble my self and you with the transcription of at least a page out of a little treatise termed a confutation of infant-baptism by Thomas Lamb very plain and pregnant to this purpose and the rather because I fear you will not search the book it self soundly if I should send you to it onely by telling you t is worth your reading in this point though at your request I have all-to-be-read Dr. Featley in the 12. and 13 pages of which book of Thomas Lamb he writes as follows So then when Christ the true promised seed was come the seed in the flesh that lead to Christ ceased for the natural relation ceased at the death of Christ and not before at which time the distinction or different holinesse between Iew and Gentile ceased Act. 10. 28. Eph. 2. 13. 15. In Rom. 11. 20. it is said through unbelief they are broken off now t is manifest they were the true Church till the death of Christ and then broken off through unbelief why were not the Iews in the sin of unbelief before yes no doubt why then were they not broken off before and why then the reason is because the time of faith was come and therefore now they were broken off through unbelief the seed was come therefore the natural seed ceased Christ was come therefore the law ceased As long as the law lasted they did remain in the Church by being circumcised and observing the rites and ceremonies of the Law though they did remain in unbelief but when the time of faith was come Gal. 3. 25. then they were no longer in the Covenant and Church by observing the rites and Ceremonies of the Law which they entered into by circumcision but now they were broken off through unbelief which notes out unto us that the standing in that Church before Christ in time of the Law and the standing in this Church since Christ in time of the Gospel is upon different grounds for the standing in that Church was by being circumcised and observing the rites and ceremonies of the Law but the standing in this Church is by faith and being baptized into the same faith Act. 2. 38. 41. Joh. 4. 1. Gal. 3. 26 27. Rom 11. 20. And it is to be noted that the Iewes the same people that were circumcised and in covenant with Abraham according to the flesh and thereby members of the Iewish Church could not be the visible church according to the Gospell unless they did manifest faith and so be in covenant with Abraham according to the spirit and baptized into the same faith Whereas if the Covenant now under Christ were the same that was before Christ with Abraham and his posterity in the flesh then by the same right they possessed circumcision and the Iewish Church state they must possesse this since Christ which they could not do therefore it is not the same It is true therefore that the Covenant of God makes the Church both in time of the Law and Gospel too for the Church is nothing else but a people in covenant with God now look how the covenant differs so the Church and people differs which is made by it and which enter into it Now the Covenant whereby God took a people outwardly to be his people then was that whereby they did being circumcised participate of all those outward meanes which led to Christ which was to come Psal. 149. 19. 20. But the Covenant whereby he takes a people outwardly to be his people now whereby they are admitted to be baptized is that profession they make of faith in Christ Acts 8. 12. 37. Mat 3. 6. Whereby they have true and spirituall conjunction with God and are his people Heb. 3. 6. Indeed it is true that Christ is and ever was the Mediator and Means of salvation and also that all those that were saved were saved through faith in him both before and since his comming But yet because the outward means of making Christ known doth differently depend upon his being yet to come aâ—… upon his being come in the flesh the one being more dark the other more plain the one more carnall the other more spirituall therefore the participation of these meanes doth make the state of the participants to differ Thus far are his words and then noting certain differences to the number of seven or eight between the Old Testament and the New which is 1. Established upon better promises 2. After the power of an endless life 3. In Christ. 4. And liberty of the spirit 5. A Celestial Jerusalem 6. A State of faith He very truly concludes that such onely as are in the New Covenant in Christ in faith of the promises born from above and partakers of the spirit and the power of that endless life or of the world to come a re suitable to be admitted to Gospel Church priviledges In the time therefore before Christ saith he such as would circumcise themselves and their males and observe the Law in the rites and ceremonies therof together with their children by generation were the seed and in covenant with that Church but now since Christ only such as believe in Christ and are thereby children by regeneration are the seed and in câ—…nant with this Church and this he proves further yet First Because None of the Natural seed of Abraham are in the Covenant by vertue of any natural relation though they did remain in the Iewish Church till the death of Christ and as that Church then ceased so their being in the Church by an natural relation ceased also Act. 10. 28. Rom. 9. 8. Gal. 5. 28. 31 3. 7 8 9. 14. 16. 19. 26. 28 29. Secondly The Gentiles have no natural relation to become Abrahams seed by therefore a believers child cannot become the seed of Abraham by being the seed of a believer unless such children do believe themselves and cannot otherwise in no respect be participants in the covenant made with Abraham p. 14 15. And again p. 18. No Gentile saith he is Abrahams seed at all but by believing the righteousnesse of faith allthough he be the child of believing parents Now therefore because you tell us not only First that believers children in infancy are Abrahams children though they yet do not
e. both Jewes and Gentiles 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 Iohn 2. 2. and to all nations as well as one Mat. 28. 18. Mark 16. 15. Luke 24. 47. excluding now the Major part yea almost all children by their doctrine viz. the children of unbelieving Gentiles of heathens Turks and Pagans and unbelieving Jewes too which for all their parents wickednesse and unbelief were wont to be received into the Church under the Law and this not onely from the visible Church neither for that were more tollerable of the two and can do them no hurt if it be all but also from the Kingdome of heaven and salvation it self in their cruel Charity before they have by actuall sinne deserved to be exempted And this I speak not as believing any infants in infancy to have right to entrance into the visible Church and fellowship thereof here on Earth though yet I believe all infants as well as some dying infants and before they have deserved exemption and damnation by actual rebellion to have according to the general declaration of Scripture right of entrance into the kingdome of heaven but that I may discover the unruliness of the Priest who wherein he judges others of streightning the Gospel condemnes himself who undertakes to make laws prescribe rules impose principles upon all men and yet breaks his own lawes varies from his own rules straggles from his own principles through blindness as much as any other whom he blames for it To the second thus if it be so indeed as you told us once before it is p. 7. and here tell us over again that we may know your mind in it that to deny baptism to infants before they dy doth ipso facto destroy all the comforts all the hopes that any parents can possibly have of the salvation of their infants that dy unbaptized and all the grounds of those hopes i. e. all those childrens right in the covenant and promises of Christ and consequently this necessarily followes doth subject them unavoidably unto eternal damnation Then first as I told you once or twice before so I tell you now again that 't is your selves and not we who are the men that say no baptism no salvation for say you there is no ground for parents to hope their children can be saved no though those parents be believers though those children believe also themselves and so both by birth and by their parents faith and their own faith too have right as you say the infants of Christians have in the Covenant and promises of Câ—…rist yet they must damn for all this if baptism be denyed them and if they dye without it their parents must mourne without hope of their Salvation This is your judgement of Charity concerning unbaptized infants even of never so believing parents having also the habit of faith in themselves for though parents believe and believe their children to have faith too and right to salvation yet deny them baptism and all the other notwithstanding there 's no hope of them the parents can upon no good ground be comforâ—…ed concerning them but that they are damned T is you therefore that place such high and mighâ—…y necessity in the bare outward dispensation of the ordinance that are so for the ceremony that hold that the substance doth no good without it why else do you say that be there never so many grounds otherwise on which to hope infants salvation viz. their parents faith and their own faith and title thereby to the Covenant which though false simple and rotten yet are the grounds on which you hope some dying infants may be sav'd though you fear the most are damn'd for indeed the true grounds on which to hope the salvation of all dying infants is there non-deserving exemption by actual sin and personal rebellion against the Gospel why I say though there be never so much ground of hope of their salvation do you say the grounds whereupon they elsewise may be hoped to be saved are all destroyed if they be denyed to be baptized Moreover I tell you that you run round like a blind horse in a mill and contradict your selves egregiously by holding â—…uch a high necessity of infants baptism that there 's no hope of their salvation if it be denyed them so that unlesse you recant it you l in the end repent it that ere you lived your selves and led others so long in such delusion for mark how you mope too and fro in a mist sometimes you say that birth of Christian parents and faith in the children so born these give right to the Covenant and the promises of Christ and so to salvation and the kingdome of heaven and their right to the promises and the kingdome that gives them right to baptism and to entrance into the visible Church supposing their right to salvation to be without baptism and before it as that which intitles them thereto making their visible right to baptism and the visible Church to depend upon their visible right to salvation saying they must be seen by some thing or other distinguishing them from others who are not heirs to be heirs belonging to the kingdome before they be signed as such and so you argue making an apparent right to baptism posteriour to their right to salvation viz. to whom the thing signified i. e. heaven appears to belong to them consequently the sign i. e. baptism else not but that appears to belong to infants therefore this which is as much as to say we must first look upon them and believe them to be heirs of salvation and upon that ground afterward baptize them so making the right to the sign depend upon the being of the thing signified Other while again as here you turn the cat i th pan and tell us a tale that turns all this up side down again and makes all their right to the Covenant promises of Christ to salvation by him to the kingdome which all are according to your other opinion to be Antecedent to baptism and entitling to it so that no apparent right to the Covenant and promise and kingdome and salvation no baptism you make I say all these on which you made baptism depend before so necessarily dependant on baptism so subsequent to it so no way appearing to belong to infants without it that no baptism no title to life deny them baptism and entrance into the visible Church and they are visibly in the kingdome of the divel there 's no hopes they can be saved if their parents let them die without it no grounds on which to hope it but though believers children and apparently enough believing themselves and so thereby in apparent right to the Covenant and promise of Christ and consequently of salvation and all this before they may be baptized yet they are in the visible kingdome of the divel and do but deny baptism to them and all those old evidences are worn out their names blotted out of the book of life their
amazemeut much of this sort of matter I have under my hands in private letters to my self and others and what of it is not there is legible I confesse as it were in text letters in the printed Polemicals of your Champions whose sharp censures and heavy charges of the way of truth which we walk in how judicious they are shall God willing be anon examined sith you send us to them at present you shall have a short word to your quaeries and such other passages which may occure and intervene either from your self or their writings in way of contradiction or obstruction to any thing that hath been said before Your first is grounded upon a simple supposition that an unbaptized person may in no case baptize or make a fit administrator of baptism whereas there is nothing in the world more clear then this that when it is to be done and cannot be well done otherwise it may be done as well as by one that was by one that never was baptized at all yea why not in case of innitiation after intermission as well as at the innitiation of the Gospel it self I wonder who baptized Iohn the Baptist that was the greatest administrator that ever was for either he was baptized surely or else he was not if he was ever baptized at all who baptized him but if he was never baptized the matter amounts still to be the same i. e. to evince no lesse then we assert that at the innitiation of the dispensation whether at first or after a long unlawful cessation an unbaptized person may baptize for if Iohn the Baptist himself was not baptized himself or if he was either by one that was unbaptized or else by one that was first baptized by himself he talks in his sleep that saies an unbaptized person may not in such a pressing case baptize Your second querie is as unsolidly grounded as the other and supposes your opinion to be this that no man though baptized himself unlesse he be a Minister i. e. an ordained officer may baptize for say you what commission have you to baptize you being no Minister of the Gospel whereas if by Minister you mean one officiating as a pastor over a people there is nothing more cleer in the world or in the word either then that others besides the Ministers may baptize viz. not any she for which there 's no president but rather precept to the contrary 1 Cor. 14. 2 Tim. 2. but any prophet i. e. any he gifted disciple especially who by the improvement of his gifts he proves as not seldome such do instrumentall of the parties convertion Ananias baptized Paul himself yet was he but a certain disciple Acts the 9. if you say that he was sent by God himself to that service it serves to shew this however which we affirm that God limited not that dispensation to the Ministry for if he had he would have sent Peter or at least some other officer to that work Did not Philip baptize the Samaritans and the Eunuch yet he did it in the capacity of a disciple and howbeit t is true he was ordained to be a Deacon and Deacons were by the Bishops babishly authorized to baptize yet that was no part of his office as a Deacon for his Deaconship designed him to no more then barely to have a care of the poor and if you say he was an Evangelist also so is every one that is gifted to preach the Gospel and doth it whether he be in any office or no for Evangelist is nothing but a preacher of the Gospel and such are they that occasionally preach it as well as such as preach it constantly by way of office therefore all the disciples that were scattered together with Philip it s said went every where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 11. 20. and Philip that was one of those disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8. 40. preached or did the work of an Evangelist whence Philip was called Evangelista that being the very thing made him an Evangelist and not his Deaconship besides which he had no other office because he did Evangelizare no man can give a reason why the scattered disciples that did Evangelizare or preach the Gospel with him should not be denominated Evangelists as well as he and indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ no more then a Preacher and he that preaches and though every Pastor be both an Evangelist and a Prophet yet he that saieâ—… every Evangelist and Prophet is a Pastor or an ordained officer qua sic or that either of these are nomen offâ—…cii or sounding forth more then a person thus or thus gifted viz. the Evangelist to preach the Gospel for the conversion of such as are yet without the Prophet to speak to the exhortation edification and comfort of the Church and people already converted and both these occasionally only and not as by vertue of an ordination to an office may say it ten times over before the Scripture rightly understood will furnish him to make proof of it once And as these ordinary disciples for the Apostles abode still at Ierusalem Act. 8. 1. went every where as well as Philip pro suo modulo Evangelizantes preaching Christ according to their abilities so the hand of the Lord was with those occasional preachers that a great number believed and turned to the Lord by their means and were baptized also undoubtedly by their hands yea the famous Church of Ant ioch had its foundation from this and grew into a Church which they could not do without baptism before any actual officer came neer them for though Paul and Barnabas walked with them for a year and improved their gifts for their edification yet neither of these were yet actually any more then Evangelists and Prophets though before by God intended and not long after by the Church visibly ordained to their Apostleship i. e. men of excellent gifts and this will appear Act. 11. from verse 19. to the end with Act. 13. v. 4. and backward to the beginning you do therefore greatly err not knowing the Scriptures which tell you also plainly that though Paul converted all the Corinthians yet his own hands baptized but a few committing that dispensation as an inferiour work to his preaching to the hands of inferiour disciples as Mr. Baxter himself also confesses to your confutation asserting it from 1 Cor. 1 17. so though Peter converted the company in Cornelius house yet surely he baptized them not all if any at all with his own hands but left the administration to the hands of others some one or more of the brethren that came with him And the manner of speech implies plainly no lesse for he commanded that they should all be baptized in the name of the Lord yea so far is the word from tying up the dispensation of baptism to an office that we have much more president
baptism that was in the primitive and purest times and for a reformation of all things according to the word and example of the Churches the word speake of it is true those Churches indeed worshipped thus were congregated thus ordered thus baptized thus viz. by dipping when they believed but sprinkling infants is the way and fashion now adaies and as for what was done of the Churches of old we have nothing to do with it and if any list to be contentions for it we have no such custom now nor the Churches of God! of which sure Mr. Cook cannot but be ashamed who hath covenanted to reforme according to the word fiâ—… a covenant keeper and a Custom-monger cannot possibly be denominated both of one Rantist Nay stay a little you 'l forget your own words I think anon did you not say your self even now that we must put difference between examples in substantiall matters and in matters meerly circumstantial we desire to keep as close as your selves can do to the primitive custom in things of weight and that there may be no variation from it without a violation of the will of Christ in any point that is positively commanded but I hope you will not make such a matter of moment of the manner of baptizing as if Chrst had injoined this way or that way of dispensation of it viz. dipâ—…ing so strictly as that sprinkling may not be used nor yet sprinkling so as that dipping may not be used nay rather its a meer ceremony a prudentiall point in which the Church may use her discretion so as to dispense it either way as conveniency and charity may dispose her and no lesse is very well observed by Mr. Baxter p. 135. Christ saith he hath not appointed the measure of water nor manner of washing no more then he hath appointed in the Lords supper what quantity of bread and wine each must take and as it would be but folly for any to think that men must needs fill themselves with bread and wine because it best signifies the fullnesse of Christ so it is no better to say that we must needs be washed all over because it best signifies our burial with Christ c. Christ told Peter that the washing of his feet was enough to clense all a little may signisie as well as much as a clod of earth doth in possession of much lands and a corn of pepper fignifies our homage for much and much to such a purpose are those words of Mr. Cook p. 20. some of which having been quoted and spoken to before though not so satisfactorily but that they sway with me still I am almost loath to repeat them yet sith they be so among the other I can hardly decline the mentioning them once more by your leave in answer to the objection that a little water doth not so fitly and perfectly represent as dipping and plunging sith in the one the whole body is washed in the other the face or head only He saies first that the Scripture no where requires the washing of the whole body in baptism Secondly that with as good reason one may plead thus that at the supper it is most convenient that every Communicant should receive his belly full of bread and wine and take as long as stomach and head will hold to signify the full refreshment of the soul with the body and blood of Christ but who saies he would endure such reasoning Thirdly These outward Elements of water bread and wine are for speciall use and to signify special things so that if there be the truth of things the quantity is not to be respected further then is sufficient for its end namely to represent the spiritual grace and that it be neither so little as not to represent nor so much as to take of the heart from the spirituall to the corporal thing not the washing away the filth of the body in baptism nor the glutting or satisfying of the natural Appetite in the Lords Supper is to be looked after but the washing and refreshing of the Soul which may well be represented by the sprinkling of a little water eating and drinking of a little bread and wine In circumcision a little skin was cut of You see what these worthy men say you need not be so hot as you are for the ceremony if so be you keep the substance Baptist. I have received as much as all this comes to long since in a loving letter from a worthy friend of mine whose words shall sway me where I see them suit with the word of truth where not I must be excused to the full as much as Mr. Cook and Mr. Blake and Mr. Baxters sway you be they right or wrong Grant that dipping was alwaies used in those Hot Countreys yet you know saith he that necessity and charity dispense with Ceremonies even of Gods own institution nor is the Nature of the Sacrament altered by this change viz. from dipping to sprinkling for seeing the whole vertue of the Sacrament is in signification perablutionem it no more matters Quantum quisque abluatur then it doth in the Supper Quantum quisque comedat But verily I am not able to discern either in this or in that you say above or in that you cite out of Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter the least warrant in the world for the way of sprinkling or for waving the old wonted way of dipping with all the wisdome I have to weigh it by at this instant as for what you take notice of that I said my self above viz. that there is difference between matters circumstantial and substantial so that we need not be so strict in the observation of the one I will not eat any thing I then uttered but me thinks you might as well had you not been partial have taken notice of what followed as of that which had you done you would have seen how little accrues to your purpose out of that grant of mine for I told you there and now tell you again sith I see you so quick to catch at things by the halves and slow to mind what in them makes against you that howbeit it is not so material which way you baptize so you baptize yet if you Rantize onely you vary not onely in a circumstance but in the very substance of the Ordinance doing quite another matter then that you should do and not the matter i. e. Baptism in another manner onely for we will bear with that as a thing neither here nor there whether you baptize i. e. wash a person by overwhelming or burying him in water in this gesture or that this form or that with his face up or down yea be it by infusion of water on him or immersion or putting him under it which of the two is most proper and easy we weigh it not so you see to it that you bury and overwhelm him for all this while you retain both the true outward sign which is baptism or burial
the sharpest seasons conversion falling out as ordinarily in winter as in summer whose present health both proves the falsnesse and reproves the madnesse of your prophet Yea I have cause to know a little better then every one and a little more then Mr. Baxter in this Expertus loquor I speak by experience against which no Argument of his availes I have seen since my five or six years converse among the commonly called Anabaptists many a one baptized totally in cold water and weather too by others besides toward two hundred by my silly self many of which have come forth covered though not with yee as Mr. Cook phrases it out yet with that water which yee truly covered but just before yet never saw I any one so baptized in all that time who was not if not better in meer bodily respects yet at least as well after it as before he tells you if you will believe him that totall dipping is for nothing but to dispatch men out of the world that are burdensome but then I wonder how the Creature called Anabaptist that is so burthensome to Mr. Baxter doth not dy out of the way by hundreds and thousands and so save him and others that labour of dispute against their growth but rather grow from hundreds into thousands so fast that they are not likely to be dispatcht out of the world till they are such a burthensom stone as will press them to death i.e. the whole Priesthood that is troubled with them He tells you if you will believe him that dipping will destroy men except they be preserved by Miracles why else doth he say speaking specially as to this ordinance of dipping God hath not appointed ordinances in his Church that will destroy men except they be preserved by miracles now if it be not so as hee sales viz. that it is a miracle to be dipped and not destroyed then what a strange man is he to say so but if it be so indeed viz a Miracle to be dipped and not destroyed then â—…o fools and slow of heart to believe the truth though the Lord confirm it to you with Miracles which are wrought day by day amongst the Disciples who are dipped Winter and Summer as occasion is yet are not destroyed Yea whereas Mr Baxter dares say that in Cities like London and amongst Gentlewomen that have been tenderly brought up and antient people and weak people and shopkeepers especially women that take but little of the cold aire dipping in cold weather would in the course of nature kill hundreds and thousands suddenly or cast them into some Chronical disease I dare say that in the City of London there is hundreds if not thousands dipped in cold water and as it happens in cold weather too many of which are Gentlewomen tenderly brought up and antient and weak people and shop keepers and women that take but little of the cold aire and yet by the course of grace they are preserved from perishing by either cold or suffocation yea and out of the City of London too for these hands have baptized of all these sorts in the Countrey viz. Gentlewomen most tenderly brought up very antient people very weak people shopkeepers and specially two women both alive at this day which I 'l become a fool in telling you of them sith Mr. Baxter compells me did take so little of the cold aire that one of them if my memory fail me not and if I were truly informed was but once out of her house in 5 year before by reason of a dropsy and that was with much adoe and but a little before her dipping and to hear this doctrine notwithstanding which weaknesse and such swellings that she was wellnigh twice as bigg as now she is and scarce able to betake her self to the water she was dipped and was rather better in body then worse after it and after sending for some elders of the Church toâ—… pray over her and anoint her with oile in the name of the Lord according to his own institution in that behalf Iam. 5. was within a while so asswaged in her swellings that she is now as slâ—…nder as in former times before ever he distemper took hold on her The other had scarce been out of her Chamber in two years together and durst not dip her finger in cold water and was ready to have her breath stopt with the least annoyance that could be yet was dipped and was better after it through Gods mercy for a pretty while so as to go abroad though she now is weak and much what as she used to be before If then you will not believe the words of God believe the works believe the Miracles for it is by Miracles that they are preserved who are dipt in cold water and not destroyed saâ—…es Mr. Baxter which if it be then God hath wrought very many Miracles among the men you nickname Anabaptists of late for they are constantly preserved from perishing by either cold or suffocation yea I have known many a one better in body but I nere knew any one of whom I could safely say they were the worse in body or Soul for being dipt save such as turned from the truth after turning to it for the latter end with such indeed is worse then their begining Yet how rashly do these men shoot their bolts to the murdering of the truth whilst they make the ordinary practise of it no lesse then flat murder it self and that undeniably to any understanding man unless there be a preservation by a miracle for else it destroyes men quoth Mr. Baxter it directly tendeth to overthrow mens lives in the course of Nature it will kill hundreds and thousands of them but if a man scape perishing with cold yet how can he i.e. how is it possible for him to escape being choaked quoth Mr. Cook and stifled with the water if he must be plunged over head to signify his death to sin 2. Secondly kept under water to signify his burial How can a man escape choaking Sirs if he be put and kept under the water why I tell you that either he can or else he cannot if he can why then he can and so Mr. Cook is confuted if he cannot in the course of nature without miracle then it being certain that thousands do scape choaking it should seem God by Miracle secures them and yet for all this nor Mr. Baxter nor Mr. Cook are convinced whether it be the more shame for them or no not to be so I leave it to themselves and all understanding men to consider Or perhaps Mr. Cook means how can a man escape choaking if he be kept three daies under water for so quoth he the disciple must as Christ abode three daies under water if Christs burial be represented but not onely his own party for mora sub aqua quantulacunque saith Tilenus quantumvis momentanea saith Bucan abode under the water for never so little a while doth most lively resemble
universalis eidem etiam totum universale adimi necesse est whoever is not a part of some part or other i. e. of some particular visible church cannot be a part of the whole i. e. the universal visible this I say is the Logick and Theology which was wont to passe for currant among your selves but Mr. Ba. learnes men a new kind of Logick viz. that all the parts put together are not so big as the whole that the universall visible church is larger then all the particular visible churches in the world of which yet it consists so that there is room enough for a person to stand a member in the universal visible church though he be of no particular visible church at all I ever understood yet that he who is removed and cast out of all the particular visible churches of the Saints is consequently cast out of the universal visible church but he tells me a tale that to be removed out of every particular visible church is consistent still with a standing in the universal visible so that excomunication out of all the particular visible churches in the world is not excomunication out of the whole visible church with him Another thing worth noting though worth nothing is this he tells us there that Keturahs children when they left the family of Abraham that they continued members of the universal visible church still which compared with the clause above where he tells us that it is a far higher priviledge to stand in the universal visible church then to stand in any particular whatsoever amounts to thus much viz. that the Midianites for they were some of Keturahs children had far higher priviledges then those that the Israelites had by being members of that particular visible church of Israel which if it were so then we may say what advantage hath the Iew indeed and what profit by circumcision and by Gods commission of his oracles unto them yea what necessity of circumcision of themselves and their males at all for any strangers or of joining themselves to that particular church of the Jewes sith they might have had as high priviledges if they had joined themselves to the seed of Abraham by Keturah of whose posterity circumcision nor the strict law it bound to was not required and so consequently what need of baptism if persons might be of the uniuersal visible which is the greater though not of the particular visible church of the Iews without circumcision and keeping the law But it is a question with Mr. Bax. whether Keturahs children must leave their seed uncircumcisied p. 60. yet I tell him it is out of question that unlesse it were in order to joining and inchurching themselves with that individual Church of of the Iewes to which pertained peculiarly the adoption and glory and covenants and law and promises and which was all the visible church that I know God had then upon the earth circumcision was not enjoined to any other of Abrahams own posterity not the Ishmalites nor Midianites but those onely that came of Sarah by Isaac and Iacob for the covenant of which circumcision was a sign was establisht with none of them but with Isaac onely and with Iacob and his seed after him and so many as should join themselves unto them Many more odd conceits about this universal visible church Mr. Ba. broaches but I spare him and hasten to what followes His 16. plain Scripture-lesse proof for infants church-membership and baptism is from a clause in the second commandâ—…ment viz. I will shew mercy to 1000s of them that love me and keep my commandements a phrase out of which a man may as easily prove the Pope to be head of the church as prove either of those points in proof of which he doth produce it Yet oh the miserable muddy wretched ragged crooked cloudy piece of disputation for infant baptism which this man makes from that place For my part I mean not to wander after him in that wildernesse of worthlesse discourse that he vents about mercy Church covenant promises nor am I so wise as to wot what he means nor so foolish as to believe he knows well what he means himself by much of that he there utters or else he would never say that wicked men in the church are within the covenant and so have this mercy spoken of in the second commandement stated on them by promise as if wicked men in the church were in some special wise beloved of God when yet they are more hateful to him by far then heathens It is enough to serve my present purpose that what proof Mr. Baxter pens in the head of this argumentation his own pen dashes it all out again in the taile of it For first after a great deal of wiestling to make the mercy here promised to thousands of them that love God necessarily to include church-membership he confesses at last that it lies doubtful in the text what mercy in particular is there meant which if he do then t is not necessary that church-membership be implied in it for there may be much mercy yea special yea eternal saving mercy shewed to persons to whom the mercy of membership in the visible church and baptism is not vouchsafed or else what becomes of such infants as notwithstanding your timely admittance do yet dy without both membership and baptism are they shut out of the kingdom of heaven Secondly he confesses it is doubtfull in the text to how many generations God shewes mercy to the children of parents tâ—…at love him whether it be to the remote or neerest progeny onely and though he passe his judgement that it is onely to immediate children of godly parents that the promise in the commandment is made yet thereby he contradicts his own sense of the place and overthrowâ—…s all that he contends for in that if the words were as he would have them read viz. I shew mercy to a thousand Generations or to the thousandth generation of them that love me it were evident that he meant not the nexâ—… generation only for that to a thousand generation should signifie no more then one generation to come is most irrational and plain brutish to imagine and if he say t is to a thousand generations if such children succeed their parents in godlynesse that sense excludes infants quite from the mercy here promised and extends it to such children oâ—…ely as are at years and that on condition of being godly themselves and on that condition of being godly themselves God shewes mercy to the immediate seed of the very wickedest parents as well as of the Godliest parents in the world But in very deed to put him out of all his doubts at once about this place viz. whether God mean the remote or immediate children I desire Mr. Baxter to consider that this promise is not made to any mans posterity at all but only to all such individual persons as love him and keep his commandements for
off so many infants together with their wicked parents by meer temporal death and to make amends as it were for all the slaughters that he made of innocent infants with their rebellious fathers in the daies of the law unlesse in liew thereof he grant some infants of faithful men to be members of his visible Churches and in visible fellowship with them in the daies and ages of the Gospel Who sees not the weaknesse the wretchednesse of this consequence yet so it is with Mr. Ba. that God is more prone to severity then mercy if he now admit no infants into the visible Church under the Gospel except saith he it be proved that God giveth them some greater mercy out of the Church To which exception of his I say thus First it need not be proved and yet his consequence will prove false for if the meer admitting of some faithful mens infants into the visible Church will so make up the matter as to salve God from censure of pronesse to severity rather then mercy and magnifie his mercy so as to make it appear to be that he delights in more then judgement notwithstanding his severity in slaying so many infants with the parents then God magnfied his mercy in that kind of way sufficiently to make amends for that severity in the very time of the law it self forasmuch as then he did admit for 2000 years together not onely some infants of faithfull men but in all that time innumerable infants of unfaithful and wicked men for such were the Jewes for the most part in their several generations and yet such infants your selves would not now have admitted to stand in the visible and national Church of the Jewes And so there is no need of any admittance of infants now in order to such an end as satisfaction for his severity to some infants of old into visible fellowship with Gospel Churches Secondly to satisfie him further it may easily be proved that God giveth infants if they die in their infancy unbaptized and not inchurched for if they live to years they may be baptized all and inchurched too if they believe a greater mercy then that of meer church-membership here on earth for they having never committed any actuall sins whereby to deserve exemption charity teaches us to believe and hope thus much saies the Ashford Pamphlet of all such that of such is the kindom of heaven One thing more I cannot but take notice of in this passage not in way of contradiction to Mr. Ba. but in way of discovery how contradictory unto him some of his brethren are who mannage the same cause with him that they may either close more handsomely together or else excuse us if we believe none of them till they be agreed more among themselves for whereas Mr. Baxter layes it down as the manner of old that when the parents sinned and broke Gods covenant so as to deserve to be discovenanted thereupon the children that had right to stand by the Quondam membership of their parents were wont to be discovenanted dischurched and sometimes destroyed with them I find the fornamed Dr. Channell of another mind for when in a second publique discourse with him at Petworth on Ianuary 5. 1651. I asserted his practise to be contradictory to his own judgement forasmuch as his judgement was that believers infants onely were in covenant with God and in right to Church-membership and baptism and yet his practise to baptize all or most of the infants in his parish not one of many of whose parents he judged to be believers as appeaed by his refusing communion with them for many years together in the supper He gave answer to this purpose viz. that the parent i. e. believing or else the child hath no right secundum te O Presbyter may sin himself out of covenant again out of all communion in the Church and be damned and yet the child stand still in right to baptism and membership which he had by the faith of those parents which as it thwarts the wonted wayof discovenanting dischurching of children with the parents so it contradicts himself more another way though he evade his first contradiction by it to say that believing parents for such onely say your selves give right to their infants to be baptized may sinne themselves out of covenant and be damned for though as I then told him he preached it in saying thus yet I am perswaded he holds no falling from grace More things I take notice that that Dr. and Mr. Bax. knock heads in but I spare to do more then advise them to accord better with each other but specially each of them with himself or else as implicitly as men have believed them heretofore they will try them ere long and scarce trust them any longer His 20 Plain Scripture-lesse proof for infant churchmembership and baptism he drawes as he saies from Deut. 28. 4. 18 32. 41. blessed shall they be in the fruit of their body that keep the covenant and cursed in the fruit of their body i. e. that break the covenant c. he may well say he drawes it for there 's no such thing as he draws flowes freely from that or any other Scripture he produces he drawes indeed but at such a distance that I see nothing followes from thence at all he does not fall flatly upon it nor deal down rightly with the text alledged nor doth he interpret the blessing and cursing to be membership and non-membership so as to say that by blessed shall be the fruit of thy body is meant thus i. e. thy infants shall be inchurched and by cursed shall 〈◊〉 of thy body thus i. e. thy infants shall be dischurched for that had 〈◊〉 â—…lpably to pervert it but he keeps a loof off from it and doth not drawâ—…â—…o the heart and center of it but syllogizes in a circumference and fetches it from far for fear I think least it should fly in his face The Argument that I fetch hence is this That doctrine which maketh the children of the faithfull to be in a worse condition or as bad then the curse Deut. 28. maketh the children of covenant breakers to be in is false doctrine But the doctrine which â—…denyeth the children of the faithfull to be visible Churchmembers doth make them to be in as bad or worse condition then is threatned by the curse Deut. 28. Therefore The Minor of which Syllogism is most false for infants may be both unbaptized and no visible Church members and yet be in a better condition then such as are under the curse and the captivity threatned Deut. 28. and so are all these to whom baptism and admittance into the visible Church is delayed by your selves who in the Church of England in old time were wont to defer the baptizing of all infants to two times in the year viz. Easter and Whitsuntide and so are all those also to whom we deny it for both those to whom you delay it and
to perfection in order whereunto unto this visible church Ephes. 3. 21. which though it exists in many several particular bodies each of which is independent on any other head then Christ and impowered from him to determine all its own affaires ultimately within it self yet since it endeavours to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace is said to be but one body because of one spirit one call one hope one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of them all who is above all and through all and in them all God hath given officers gifted for its service viz. some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of this visible body of Christ till we all come to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of â—…hrist Eph. 4. 3. 4. 5. 6. 11. 12. 13. As for that Catholique visible church I mean that voluminous body or part of the world commonly called Christ'ndome which was once all as it were of one language and one speech and is now rather three in one or a Triune treader of the truch viz. Papall Prelaticall Presbyterial yet to this day exists in those particular visibles as were never thus seperated and called and constituted upon the foundation of the doctrine of the Apostles but conglomerated by the lump by the Apostle Peters supposed successor into Nationall Provinciall Parochiall to call a spade a spade I can call it no other then the C C Catholique Beast that bears now in three parts a B B Babilonish C C Clergy Rev. 16. 19. i. e. indeed the very C C Catholique whore Rev. 17. As for particular persons though professing to be believers that yet are not baptized and added to some such particular visible society or church but are yet abiding in the capacity only of single though visible Saints till they are both baptizd and added as members to walk in fellowship with some particular assembly and congregation in breaking bread and prayers as every such a one as supposes himself to be a saint ought to be or else his saintship may be much suspected if he will not they are no visible members of the visible church but onely fitter materials then they were before their faith and in a neerer right to be both baptized and admitted to be members then when they had none they are better matter for the visible church but not yet formally of the visible church have jus ad reâ—… not in re ad ecclesiam not in Ecclesia a right to the church but not actual standing in it till entered and admitted Nor yet are they immediate matter for or in immediate right to membership though believing till baptized but materia remota and â—…n â—…re quodam conditionali remoto a certain remote matter though neerer then when meerly men and in a conditional and remote right For as believers are the immediate matter for or in immediate right to baptism so baptized believers after laying on of hands in prayer are the immediate subject i. e. in immediate right to be admitted yet neither are baptized believers actuall members till admitted the formality and most immediate entrance and way of becoming a visible member of a particular visible Church and so consequently of the generall visible if I may so call it which hath its existence in all the particular churches which are the immediate matter of which that is made up being not simply the act of baptism but the act of joining our selves after it Act 9. 26. and the constitutive form of a visible Church is not their being all baptized but their free falling into fellowship with each other and though we are said to be all baptized into one body t is an expression of the necessity only of every ones being baptized in order to a being in the visible Church for none hath right to be of the visible body unbaptized but though the baptized have immediate right to be of the body yet are they not meerly of it because baptized till added to it and as one cannot be said to be actually under baptism from an immediate right to it by faith till he have submitted so neither can we be said to be actually in the body from our immediate right to it by baptism till we are admitted Self condemned sinners have a right to believe in Christ believers a right to baptism baptized believers a right to the spirit of promise to have hands laid on with prayer that they may receive it according to the promise Asts 2. Acts 8. Acts 19. such as these to fellowship in the visible Church yet not in fellowship till assaying to join themselves they are accepted and yet in a visible state of salvation too both before baptized as the thief and after baptized before added to the Church visible as the Eunuch who both were seemingly members of the invisible Church and yet then when converted and baptized neither one nor the other as yet actual members of the visible stones though never so unhewn and ragged are remote matter hewn and polished stones immediate and fit matter for a building yet not a building till built together many sheep are fit matter to make a flock yet not formally a flock till they come neer together Christs visible church is Christs flock Gods house Temple building several sheep and single disciples that hear his voice believe in him and are baptized into his name for remission of sins are pecious materials and in potentiâ proximâ thereunto yet be they never so many of them not visibly actually nor formally a flock an house a Temple a Building his visible Church longer then imbodyed into fellowships nor till fitly framed together they are builded an habitation of God through the spirit Ephes. 2. 20. 21. 22. any more then many sheep that never came neer each other are a flock and a multitude of fitted and squared stones lying a long way a sunder each from other make a building Mr. B. shall be no Champion of my choosing to mannage the matter against the non-churchers of these times for all he flourishes his sword so against them at the end of his book if he plead the cause of them so that sit down satisfyed in single fellowship between God and themselves onely living up with him in the spirit contenting themselves to believe onely and renouncing all ordinances forsaking the assembling of themselves together and all fellowship in breaking of bread and prayers if he grant the denomination of the true visible Church to such as these as well as to those that continue stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship in breaking bread and prayers yet Mr. B. does not yet agree with me in this that the particular assemblies collectively taken are the only visible Church for indeed he is aware that it overturns all his visibilities from the bottom and layes
those dayes not onely before but also after Christ crucified for as in the dayes before Iohn the baptist was beheaded and before Christ crucified all those multitudes of disciples which by each of them were made by teaching were universally baptized either by Iohn confessing their sins or by Christs disciples who dispenst in Christs name for he dispenst not himself in Enon or Iordan or some other places that were convenient Mat. 3. 5. 6. Iohn 3. 22. 13. 4. 1. 2. so even long after Christ crucified raised and ascended were the people that were discipled and converted to the faith before ever they joined in visible Church-fellowship in one body in breaking of bread and prayers baptized all without exception for as it s said Act. 2. 38. 40. 41. 42. of that first Church of the Jews or Hebrews to whom that Epistle was after written they were bid to be baptized every one of them so as many of them as did gladly receive the word of the Lord i. e. as repented and imbraced the Gospel were baptized and then continued in the Apostles doctrine who surely taught them all the six first principles of the oracles or holy things of God at that time Heb. 5. 12. 6. 1. 2. and what more they saw occasion for for with many more other words then those that are recorded did Peter then exhort that people v. 40. and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers so it s said 1. Cor. 12. 13. of the whole Church of Corinth in way of sacramental metonymy whereby that is very familiarly spoken of the thing signified which can be spoken properly onely of the outward sign et retro by one spirit we are all baptized into one body Iewes or Gentiles bond or free none excepted and have been all made to drink into one spirit Yea as these Churches in Iudea Ierusalem and Corinth were all baptized before built up in a body so which of all the Churches were not to whom the Apostles directed afterward those several Epistles All the Romans to whom Paul wrote were baptized all the Galatians were baptized the Ephesians which at first were but 12 disciples that imbraced the truth were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus the Colossians were baptized the Philippians were baptized as we see by Lydia and the Iaylor and all those that believed with them which was the beginning of the Church at Philippi and that the Thessalonians were not baptized is more then bruitish to imagine for surely Paul and Silas that went immediately thither from Philippi where the Iaylor and Lydia and many more were baptized had not got a new doctrine of no-baptism to preach before they came to Thessalonica nay it is evident by the Jews accusation of them Act. 17 6. that what doings and disturbance they were occasion of through their preachings and baptizings at Philippi the same they were by the same means no causes but occasions of at Thessalonica therefore of them say they these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also yea Paul himself hints that to us 1 Thess. 2. 2. that after they had suffered and were shamefully intreated at Philippi they yet were bold to speak to the Thessalonians the Gospel of God the same Gospel sure that they preacht at Philippi for what he did and ordained in one Church the same he did and ordained in all the Churches 1 Cor. 16. 1 with much contention By all which foregoing considerations the Minor of the third main argument above is cleared which assure baptism to be commanded to all without exception therefore a duty from which we are not exempted What Christ commanded to be taught and observed not only in and among all nations of the world but also in all ages and generations thereof even to the very end the same is not ad placitum but de jure not at mens own pleasure but of right to be taught and observed as Christs will and their duty in all nations to this very day But Christ commanded Baptism in water to be taught and observed not onely in and among all Nations of the world but also in all ages and generations therof even to the end Ergo Baptism in water is not at mens own pleasure but of right to be taught and observed as Christs will and their duty in all nations to this very day The Minor which only needs proving needs none neither to him that will but observe how plain it is to every mans understanding in the text For first if baptism be to be taught to and observed as duty among all nations and by every creature therein that hears and believes as t is clear it is both here for teach them saies Christ i. e. all nations to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and did he not command them in the very verse above the observation of that administration of baptism and also Mark 16. 15. 16. where he bids that the Gospel of salvation be from thenceforth tendred on terms of faith and baptism to all the world to every creature capable of being preach to then of necessity in all nations and generations to the worlds end for all nations were not then extant but many nations are risen since that the world then knew not all the world every creature was not in actual being at that time neither could possibly be all baptized unless baptism abide in its right in all ages unto the end by all nations every creature all the world Christ denoted all people of the earth that then were or thereafter should be whom as they should successively arise and grow into capacity for it he would have to be in their several generations successively taught and baptized Besides how plainly doth Christ expresse his meaning to be that this course of baptizing in waâ—…er should be kept a foot in all ages and generations v. 20. where after his precept to observe that dispensation he adds this promise of his presence And lo I am with you alwaies i. e. in your faithful observation of all these things for if men be not found in this way he is disingaged even to the end of the world Amen Whence the argument in form may be thus What way of outward administration Christ not onely required to be observed to the end but likewise promised his people to be present with them during their due observation of to the very end of the world that must stand of right to the very end of the world But Christ hath not onely required that outward administration of water baptism to be observed to the end of the world but likewise hath promised his people to be present with them during their due observation of it to the very end of the world Ergo that administration of water baptism is of right to stand even to the very end of the world The objections that are usually made against what is asserted hitherto
not make him ere the fitter to baptize and Ananias baptized Paul who is stiled but a certain disciple and the rest of the disciples that together with Philip were scattered abroad by the persecution that arose about Steven went every where even as far as Antioch preaching the Lord Jesus and turned many unto the Lord Act. 11. 19. to the end and baptized them surely as Philip did for that businesse was the foundation of the famous Church at Antioch before any such great administrators as Apostles came neer them for though Barnabas who together with Paul was sent forth afterward from that Church with prayer and laying on of hands from which time they both were visibly and in foro Ecclesiae Apostles and were so called and not before Act. 13. 3-14 14. was sent to confirm and comfort them and exhorted them to continue in that faith which they were baptized into before yet he was but in the capacity of a teaching disciple only yet and not an Apostle nor do I believe that Peter baptized them with his own hands Acts 10. but by some of them that came with him from Ioppa only he bid it should be done as that which no body could forbid and commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord but by whom t was done we know not The father sent Christ to baptize i. e. to give order for the baptizing of the disciples he should make or else he could not be truly said both to baptize and yet also to speak and do no more then the Father that sent him gave command for as he is Ioh. 3. 22. 4 1. 12. 49. 40. and yet in another sense it may be said Christ was not sent to baptize i. e. personally to dispense the ordinance it self for if he had been sent to baptize with his own hands he had not fulfilled his message for howbeit it s said he baptized more then Iohn yet he himself dipenst baptism to none with his own hands Iohn 4. 1. 2. but by the hands of his disciples When therefore Paul saies he was not sent to baptize he means not that baptism was none of those things he had in commission to meddle with for had it been so he had meddled beyond his commission in baptizing those few he did baptize with his own hands which were absurd to think but that he had not such a positive command to dispense it after he had preacht the Gospel to conversion so himself but that others even inferior persons might baptize the disciples of his converting as well as himself he means not that baptism was no part of his message which he received in charge from God to deliver and declare among men as his will for he saies God sent him to preach it not to baptize but to preach the Gospel saith he and what was that but the Gospel of repentance and baptism the baptism of faith and repentance for remission of sins among the nations but that there was no necessity that himself should administer it when it might be done by others not that t was not needful to be done but that t was needlesse he personally should dispense it so it might be done by another Neither doth Paul make that the ground of his giving of thanks to God that no more but Crispus and Gaius and the houshold of Stephanus c. were baptized for then he had thankt God that the Corinthians had most of them neglected their duty in that point of baptism which its evident he preacht among them as well as faith or else sure none of them at all would have submitted Act. 18. 8. but that he himself had with his own hands baptized but some of them least perceiving what a foolish dotage on his person was in the hearts of many of them any of them at least his party for some doted too much on Paul some on Apollos some on Cephas i. e. Peter should either think the better of their baptism as long as they lived because he dispenst it or else think the worse of him for it i. e. that he had baptized in his own name this is the clear sense in which Paul speaks and not the other 1 Cor. 1. 14. 15. 16. 17. viz. that no more then such and such were baptized by his hands not that no more then such and such of them for they were all baptized by one or other were baptized at all for that many more then those he there names as baptized by him were baptized by one or other for all Crispus's house and many more of the Corinthians besides Crispus's his own person whom onely with Gaius and Stephanus his house he here names believed and were baptized as well as he and they is evident Act. 18. 8. yea verily and elsewhere that all the Corinthians were baptized for 1 Cor. 1. 13. Paul speaking to the whole Church of Corinth none excluded saith thus were ye i. e. ye O Corinthians that were all baptized baptized in the name of Paul and 1 Cor. 12. 13. speaking to and of the whole Church again together with himself he saies we are all baptized into one body and have been all made i. e. in the supper to drink into one spirit all the body of them therefore were baptized Ranterist It appears that some of the believing Romans who were beloved of God and called to be Saints Rom. 1. 11. and who had from their hearts obeyed the form of doctrine delivered unto them Rom. 6. 3. were neverthelesse unbaptized as many of us as have been baptized into Christ c. which words plainly intimate that some of them were not baptized see Ioh. 1. 12 to as many as came to him gave he power these words plainly intimate that some of these did not receive Christ as appeareth by the words immediately foregoing it s also evident that some of the Church of the Galatians were not baptized for the same expression is used concerning them Gal. 3. 27. from which two instances it is apparent that baptism is neither necessary to make a Saint or to render him capable of Church-fellowship Baptist. As many as is a phrase that where it s used doth not alwayes nay doth never of it self necessarily expresse and imply not all or but some onely of the things or persons spoken of in the words that border about it but as it may happen pro re substrata according to the nature of the matter in hand and according as the sense thereof is manifest by the foregoing and following sentences expressing or implying it so that sometimes you shall find it signifying but some onely or a part exclusively of others or the rest of the body spoken to or spoken of thereabout and sometimes no lesse then the whole of it neither is it apparent whether a or but some onely is the sense of this term as many as where ere t is used but as t is made appear by the context or some circumstances in it
it like Caesar at Rubicon with one foot out saying yet I may go on the other in saying yet I may go back bespeaking its patrons to be in a twitter in a temper between Hawk and Buzzard afraid to dispute too downrightly for disputation least that should ingage them another time ashamed too directly to dispute down disputation least it be thought they have no mind to it any more But to come to the thing it self I confesse you have spoken Bonum but not Bene Rectum but not Recte it is a moddle of for the most part right good true and honest matter onely made use of either very simply or very subtly to a bad end viz. the provoking of the Priesthood no need to bid mad folks run to preach up a false and oppose the practise of the true baptism Secondly most miserably misapplied if â—…cientiously and not cunningly it is the better to an improper subject and perverted the wrong way viz. to the fastning of the name Hereticks and Schismaticks for non-conformity to the Clergy upon those true Churches of Christ for non-conformity to whom in opinion and practise if miscariage about baptism may properly be so stiled the Clergy are in very deed the truest Hereticks and Schismaticks in the world I shall therefore in a serious survey and examine of what Heresie and Schism is discover plainly First that the people whom you call Anabaptists upon account of meer dissent and separation from you in the point of baptism are no Hereticks nor Schismaticks but the truest visible Church that Christ hath upon the earth Secondly that you the P P Priesthood of the Nations who dissent from them in that point are as to that point at least the veriest Hereticks and Schismaticks your selves Thirdly after some pathetical expostulation with your selves addresse my self by way of Peraphrase upon your own pathetical and paraenetical passages pathetically to exhort the true Pastors and paraenetically to perswade all people as you do yours to beware of us to beware of you the spirituallity by whom the way of truth is dispited who though you disguise your selves under the name of Gods Clergy or Heritage for a while yet will appear to be but cruel crushers of his true Clergy in the end First then let us see what Heresie and Schism is and then who is a Schismâ—…tical Heretick in the doctrine of baptism Heresie as to the Gospel is held and that truly by all manner of men I think the holding or maintaining any erroneous opinion in the faith and doctrine of the Gospel contrary to that doctrine delivered by Christ and his Apostles in the primitive times obstinately and pertinacously against all meanes that can be used towards conviction of the truth Schism is division or making of a rent fraction or faction in or separation from the true Church and from walking with them in the truth by the holders or maintainers of such false doctrine or opinion and consequently Schismatical Hereticks who ere they be are such as are bewitched from the simplicity of the truth as it is in Jesus and from the doctrine that was once received by the Church from him and his immediate Apostles so as both to believe and practise contrarily thereunto against all manifestations of the truth whereby to reduce and reclaim them and do also rend from and make a head against the true Church and true head thereof Christ Jesus separating themselves so as to have no fellowship or communion i. e. nor union of action nor unity of affection with them that walk in truth Now whether it be you O PPPriests who rantize infants or we who baptize believers that are thus gone off and divided from the primitive faith and practise from the true head of that Church from the true foundation i. e. the doctrine of the Apostles Eph. 2. 20. Heb. 6. 1. 2. and from fellowship with and conformity to the true Church in baptism and otherwise is evident to him that is not blind or blear-eyed for verily the water baptism which we dispense is abundantly shewed above to be that one baptism Eph. 4. which was used in the primitive times then which there is no other water baptism enjoined or exemplified in the word as Christs ordinance to his disciples viz. the burying of new born babes i. e believers in water and bringing them up again in token of Christs death burial and resurrection and of their dying to sin and rising to newnesse of life this I say is that one onely baptism the Churches then practised and thus and no otherwise do we at this day for which the word is our warrant yea it is that faith which was once delivered unto the Saints that we now contend for and the words which were spoken before by the Apostles of the Lord as we are specially injoined to do in these latter daies by both Peter and Iude who foretold how they would be sleighted as we see they now are by the two Spiritualties viz. the Rantizer and the Ranter the one Hereticizing in the excesse by adding a new thing the other in the defect by owning nothing both Schismatizing accordingly from the way of truth and howbeit after that way which you call Heresie Schism separation from the Church and such like so worship we God yet as sure as the coats upon your back you shall first or last to your wealâ—…er wo find that as to the point of baptism Churchfellowship and the supper also it is no other then the way of truth we walk in yea so far are we from erring and Schismatizing from the Church that we of all men do stand for a full reformation in faith practise doctrine discipline worship manners government and baptism according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches i. e. those mentioned in the word according to which we are all sworn to endeavour to reform as we will not be justly charged with Perjury Perfidiousnesse and Prevaâ—…cation the guilt of all which how little the Orthodox protesting covenanting Clergy are clear of in the sight of God and man is good for them to consider yea conformity in all things to the primitive practise is that we plead for presse after and persue and howbeit to the shame of his ignorance be it spoken Orthodox Mr. Baxter is pleased among other sectaries to charge the Anabaptists so he calls us that baptize aright as the Authors and approvers of the horrible wickednesse of these times and speaks of us as dispappointing and destroying their hopes in point of reformation to the grief of his heart yet with grief of heart that the way of truth should be evil spoken of by him by reason of such as do wickedly indeed yet those lascivious wayes he laies to our score are lesse approvvd on in our Churches then in the purest Parish Church in all Christ'ndom Kederminster not excepted yea I tell him and God I hope will one day seal it home upon
broken his lawes changed his ordinances trampled his truth made void his commandments and subpaena damni Temporalis et eternae damnationis imposed mens Traditions arrogantly in their stead so you in your severall lines have done no lesse yea you also make people to erre with all your might and whatever tender consciences find Christ piping to the contrary in his word yet if they dance not after you pipe when it sounds to the tune of Tithes and put not into your moneths you cry peace but bite with your teeth and prepare war against them Mich. 3. 5. possessing the world with prejudice against them as a sort of seditious Sectaries damnnble Hereticks and Schismaticks yea exceptis excipiendis saving some few scatterings here and there of more sober and moderate minded Ministers like so many graines of salt to keep the rest from stinking too much in these states where you have or would have raigned who have not been so hot spur as their fellowes by the good will of P. the Presbiter as well as of P. the Prelate and P the Pope many an honest mans native countrey for non-conformity to his Gangraenaticall domination should ere this have been made too hot to hold him so far therefore as separa from the true church and her orders may denominate a people Heretical Schismaticks and Divines themselves place the Nature of Heresie much in seperation and Schism the Denomination seems to be your due O P P Priests who are departed from the primitive church and not ours for departing from you ye are are those Schismatical Teachers that are rent all from the primitive plainesse of the Gospel and present pompousnesse of each others way and have seduced the whole world into spiritual thraldome idolatry and superstition and inticed them into a carnal liberty of calling all things according as your carnal ends and interests impose the names of Heresie or truth upon them you are S S She that having got the good liking of the Kings and Kingdomes of the earth to confide in you do close the eyes of their judgements as Dr. Featley faines we do with your birdlime of Schism from the true church and head thereof Christ Jesus and bewitcht them into an implicic submission to Papism Arch-bishopism Occumaenical Synodism Provincial Classism and so lead them as you list into Anti-gospelism Antiscripturism c. making a prey of them and though Featly had the faculty of faining the Baptists â—…o be such yet you are indeed devisers of new religions and Spiritual Impostors falsely pretending to Christ as the Patron and Authorizer of your new doctrines of which Paedo-baptism is one which because there is not the least dram of evidence for it in the word of Christ therefore when people begin to question it you amuse the vulgar with the names of some divine Authors or other not Peter nor Paul c. but St Austin S â— Gregory S Chrysostome c. at Rome his Holiness the Pope the holy Mother the Catholique Church Ghostly Fathers c. and in places where those subterfuges are not regarded Reverend Sinods of grave Orthodox Divines Ministers of Christ Suffrages of all the learned Divines in the Reformed Churches c. and this you do to secure your Tenets from the hazards of disputes and exempt your persons and actions from the test of examination as if there were such infallibility herein that it is no lesse then blaspemy to doubt or call in question the Dictates or Directories c. of such and such thus bearing your selves up with bombasting termes of Fathers Spiritual Ius divinum c. you gain to the captivating of the reason of men so far that they resign up themselves â—…urare in v v vostram sententiam and will be as their Priests are and never believe but that they believe the truth when all this while there is nothing but humane authority and humanum est errare for most things you do yea you are indeed the greatest Schismaticks or Rentmakers in the seamlesse coat of Christ that the Earth bears you are they that have caused divisions and offences contrary to that doctrine which was at first received at Rome and in all Churches and by good words and fair speeches viz. decency order c. have deceived the hearts of the simple so as to make more conscience of serving those belly gods the Priests then the Lord Jesus according to his own will therefore when you talk so much to us of the Church and your Church crying out as the Pope does against the Bishops for theirs and the Bishops against you Presbyters for your departure from them Hereticks Hereticks that disturb the peace of the Church forsake the Church infringe the unity of the Church yet I say what Church so long as there is no other Church constitution among you to this day then that of parishes into which the Pope put all Christ'ndome what Church so long as the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles on which every true Church is built is cut off disclaimed and exploded and neither the word purely preached nor the Sacraments duly administred which by Calvin and Featley themselves are both made such true notes of the true visible Church that wherever they are there is the true Church and where not there 's no true Church what ever there may be in pretence yea verily so far are you from due administration of the sacraments giving the Supper to such as were never at all much lesse truly baptized many of you Presbyterians not administring it at all to your flocks whom you contend were truely initiated into your Church by baptism that indeed as you have substituted infant rantism instead of it so you preach down that due administration of baptism and the Supper which according to the primitive pattern Acts 2. is at this day to be found amongst us withall the vehemency you can proclaiming us Schismatical hereticks for declining your disorderly administrations and according to our covenant pressing on to that purity of administration of Gospell ordinances which lies now in such plain English before mens eyes that all your glosses wil beguile them but little longer there is no danger therefore of being rent from the Church of Christ in departing from participation with you in your oppositions of the truth therefore never glory so much in these vain lying words the Church of God the Church of God which is indeed the Common tone of all you Romanists each to other in your rendings each from other for there is none of you all three have a true visible Church of Christ among you nor yet right any administration of the things you call Sacraments whether we speak of either baptism or the Supper My answer then to the whole PPPriesthood of Christ'ndom even ye Protestant Clergy also from all whom as well as from the Pope we who are fictitiously stiled Anabaptists and charged as Schismatical Hereticks for so doing and troublers
blaspheme that worthy name wherby the poor in this world which commonly are the richest in faith are called Ia. 2. 6. that the Kings of the very Christian Nations would throw down their crowns and give up their power and strength unto the beast commit fornication wiâ—…h the W W Whore and at her instigation make war with the Lamb and at last be overcome by him Rev. 17. 14. 17. and be put down together with all their rule authority and power as very enemies though once his ordinance under his feet 1 Cor. 15. â—…4 25 I find also Ephe. 4. that he hath sit in his Church Apostles Pastors c. for the work of the Ministery and affairs of it but I no where find in his will and Testament that Christ intended the Magistracy as his Ordinance though undoubtedly in other cases the supreme ordinance of God to men whether in the Church or out of it for civil good to officiate so immediately in matters of Religion saith church order c. as to execute Church-discipline Church censure for â—…er Church disorders Church Divisions Church offences or so as to make all men within their jurisdiction and yet though their Churches be no true Churches neither so the CCClergy would have it to believe as the Church believes worship as the Church worships and be members of the Church whether they will or no if not to pray with them yet at least to pay to them or else to be excommunicated out of all they have and under the name of Hereticks dischurcht out of the world for so verily they do doctrinally at least who teach such false doctrine that men of false relegions whether heathens Jewes Turks or Pagans or men erring most grosly about the true as Papists or whatever else though never so submissive in all civil things to the civil Powers yet may not lawfully be licensed to live in civil States or in any Common-wealth under the Sun for by the same reason that Iews Turks Heathens Hereticks may not without sin be tolerated in one Nation but must ex officio be rooted out of it upon that meer account of denying and defying Christ which is as high as ever any Heretick went they may not without sin be permitted to be in another and so either some nations must sin in allowing these to live in them or else though de facto they cannot by reason of their number yet de jure they ought as far as they well can by Kings and Princes among whom few or none are so well acquainted as they should with what is Heresie and what truth to be driven quite out of the world and so the poor Iewes whose conversion the Priests pray for with much zeal and compassion must in quiet live no where at all that they may be converted but must belike be turned altogether into the sea Besides the notion of their being Christians adds nothing to mens power as Magistrates so but that if such magistrates as are Christians are Church officers as Magistrates then other Magistrates as heathen Magistrates must be Church officers as well as they and then how well that Christian Church is likely to be served and governed whose head Church-officers are Heathens a fool may see Yet whether the Magistracy be Heathens or Christians it matters not to the Church so long as they are the ministers of God and Christ to them and others too for civill good to punish evil doers that are injurious against the common or any mans proper weal Church-member or other in body goods or name by stealing lying murder defiling defaming defrauding c. whereby any are prejudic'd in point of their outward well being mean while whether he be the minister of God onely or Christ also and that not onely as God but God man also it matters not so long as he is an ordinance to us for civil good so that if any matter of Division of inheritances or of wrong and wicked lewdnesse be brought before the Magistrates committed whether by a church-member or any other it is all one reason wills that the Magistrate should hear it and be they Heathens or be they Christians who stand before him determine and destribute ac cording to the equity of his civil Law and as much as Mr. Baxter looks askew at this assertion p. 120. as if he thought the Magistrate were to do a Pagan no right against a Christian without partiality not favouring a Christian in a civil cause against a Heathen a Turk an Egyptian a Pagan so as to take the Christians part further then the equity of his cause in hand may justly call for it more then the others though the Magistrate himself also be a christian and a brother to the christian whose cause depends before him or a member of the self same congregation with him not balking to do civil justice against Church-members they deserving punishment as if the church were exempted from his jurisdiction in civil things because he is no christian but a heathen nor yet denying to do right to church-members if they be injured by others for if he do any of this I am sure he does no justice in his place whereupon Gallio the Depuputy Governour of Achaia who was not a little to be commended in one thing was no lesse to blame in another Act. 18. 17. in that when the Greeks in a rude and barbarous manner took Sostenes the chief Ruler of the Synagogue and beat him for letting Paul preach in it before his face and before the very judgement Seat too yet he cared for none of those things for those were the things that fell duly and directly under his cognizance as he was a magistrate and so the minister of God to men for good whether they be Christs disciples or no for the redresse of such civil abuses neither is Christ yet in his own person Luke 12. 13. 14. nay nor yet by any Church-officers of his qua sic unlesse they be civil Magistrates also and then as in that capacity they must do that right that concerns them as such as meer church-officers to be judge in those outward cases and as therein the outward man onely is concerned for then Paul one of the chief Apostles and officers of the Church being then present might have taken upon him in the behalf of Sostenes and himself as the Pope and the PPPriesthood do for the most part in their religions to have determined for themselves in that civill dissention but Christ as man and his church as his Church are yet no judgers nor dividers over men but the Magistrate by Gods and if I say by Christs appointment it hurts us not is made as onely in such so the only judge and divider in such civil matters but if it be a question and a brabble about Heathenism Turcism Iudaism Christianism and about Religion worship and faith and Iesus and words and names as Antinomists Arminians Anabaptists Pelagians Socinians
Anti-christians Pedobap tists Sectaries c. and about his law and about Heresie and spiritual Truth and Schism in the Church and Ministry and such like about which the eares of the civil powers have been dâ—…d by the usual addresses of the PPPriesthood unto them for help against Hereticks and Schismaticks and by their hideous outcries viz. of the Prelates against the Presbyters saying help O King and the Presbyters against the Sectaries help O Parliament all will be overspread with a Gangrene of Heresie Murder Murder c. O ye Magistrates restrain dipping in cold water as you will save the lives of your subjects and such stuff and folly as is powred out to the Magistrate by the Minister against men more true to Christ and Magistracy then himself I humbly conceive the Magistrate may lawfully and more acceptably to God then otherwise save himself so much labour as to let these matters alone yea he may do well to see that whatever Religion men be of that are under his civil power in each state whether Iewish Turkish Heathenish Popish Prelatical Presbyterian or Independent may not be injurious each to other without satisfaction in civil matters and to see that none commit any uncivil actions that are contrary to that common honesly and righteousnesse among men which men as magistrates are set to vindicate to see that none live be they of this or that Religion dishonestly without correction to see that none usurp Dominion over each others faith so as to make all men believe as some do whether they see ground to believe so yea or no by the civil sword to see that in order to their own eternal good they find out and walk in the way of truth themselves as it is in Jesus and when they are once assured that they are in the truth themselves to let that truth be verbally declared per se or per alios as much as they please but not forced upon others as their faith further then the light of preachings and discourses may prevail to fasten it on others consciences and to see that even enemies to the Gospel and true Church may have no more then the weapons of the Churches warfare which are not carnal used towards them to make them friends and as to those who walk in truth whoever they are or shall but be supposed by the successive representatives Princes or Powers to walk in the way of truth to see that they be countenanc't but not too much maintenanc't because Christs disciples nor cockt up to all the honour and preferment and places of trust and advantage above their fellow subjects to the ingendring of jealousies and emulations in others that may be happily though not so neer the truth of Christ yet as trusty to the State as themselves for that too often choaks the Church but onely that with an indifferent impartial hand as men whether in Church or out being otherwise honest and able and of publique spirits not selfish nor covetous nor cruel c. may seem fit to be intrusted with such and such places so they may be chosen and disposed of thereunto in a word to see that such as make prayers and supplications and intercessions and giving of thanks for all men for Kings and such as are in authority living in all godlinesse and honesty may as well as others and others also as well as they living soberly and honestly though not Godly in Christ Jesus nor worshipping in way of truth but falsly may live a quiet and peaceable life without persecution as to confiscation bonds or death for doing and denying according to the dictates of their own though yet blinded conscience and that men of all Religions may live without molestation one from another any more then by meer manifestations of their light one to another at seasonable times in wayes of query disputation and preaching and then to leave all men to worship God according to their several wayes even misbelievers Hereticks and Iewes themselves and others that yet believe not in Christ but deny him till the Lord lend them light by the word of truth and to stand or fall to their own master Christ Jesus to whom every conscience shall give account of it self at last who if any man hear his words and believe not nor receives but rejects them judges him not here either by himself or the civil magistrate or by his Church any further then to non-communion with them yet by the word that he hath spoken unto him will judge every man at the last day Thus it is most evident the magistrate whether Christian or Heathen is to do and not otherwise viz. to give protection to men as men living honestly so berly and justly without respect to their Religions whether true or false And as to Religions to allow Tolleration to all men to practise according to their principles the practise of whose principles is not directly destructive to the true Religion common honesty civillity morallity righteousnesse and the peace and safety of the Common-wealth as some mens principles are if put in practise yet verily I know none among Christians at least save those of the two Spiritualties vix the Rantizing PPPriest that in his precincts which is the whole world could he catch it would have no tolleration for any way of worship but his own and the Ranting Prophet who would have toleration of all and more too not onely all Religions but all as well unciuill unnatural lewd abominable as irreligious actions which nature it self cries shame on among beasts magistracy finds it self an ordinance of God to give correction to among heathens for those men are now acting upon the stage of whom Iude speaks when he saies Iude 10. what they know naturally as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves the principles of that old PPPriest and this new Prophet if practised in the hight of them are utterly inconsistent with the standing of truth in the world untrampled viz. that of the Priest and also with the standing of very manhood among men of civility in civil states of the common-health of the Common-wealth it self viz. that of the Prophet the one is so far from owning any power to be a terror to evil works and incouragement to good that despising all Government and speaking evill of dignities he holds that there is at all neither good nor evil nor better nor worse amongst works but all alike and then good Lord how fast must iniquity dishonesty unrighteousnesse and incontinency thrive and abound upon earth to the ripening of iâ—… for the sickle when it shall be acted with allowance from such a principle as this viz. that there is now no iniquity at all this man would have the civil power allow all Religions and good Manners too but allowes of none at least thinks he needs use none himself and is for a Toleration of all truth in the world thoughall truth is the intollerablest thing in the
of thus saying that by the Field is meant the Church not the World as we say and Christ himself interprets it in that place Secondly that the servants who ask whether they should pluck up the Tarts yea or no and are bid to let them grow together with the Wheat are not the Civil Magistrates but Christs Disciples who had nothing to doe to pluck them up and â—…o the civil Magistrate may do it no withstanding to this purpose I have been answered when I have askt in way of querie the sense of that place To which I say First that by the Field is most necessarily meant the World and not the Church First Christ so expounds it himself the field saith he is the World but say they the World is oft used to expresse the Church and so may here I reply first I deny that the word world in any one place of Scripture signifies the Church onely it signifies sometimes the fabrick of the Universe Secondly it signifies all man kind good and bad collectively Thirdly sometimes the wicked onely that lie in wickednesse 1 Iohn 1. 13. Iohn 17. abstract and in contradistinction to the godly and the Church but never at all the Church the godly the Elect alone abstract and as in contradistinction to the wicked and though I know how far forth to maintain their absurd doctrines in other cases some Divines divine such a matter yet till they shew more for it then they have ever shewed to me or I am sure can shew out of the word not denying but that there is a number electorum i. e. all that believe and obey Christ exmundo electus their Mundus electorum is haud mundus dialectus Secondly here it cannot be the Church however because it is vox secundae intentionis a speech that is expounded by Christ to be the sense of the other speech of fieâ—…d he used before for if the word world were ever used for the Church it must be by a figure synechdoche whereby a smal snip of it is signified by the whole and then Christ speaks figuratively again in his Exposition of the other figurative word field which were incertum per incertum to open one paraboricall ex pression by another as paraboricall as that which who can think Christ did to his Disciples to whom his intent was to speak more plain that they might understand him but understand him they could not well if while he spake figuratively at first he did not speak properly at last however for whereas he had told them the field was the World they had as much need to have asked again what the world was if they could not think he meant plainly as he said Thirdly the Church is exprest usually by the name of Christ's Garden Vineyard c. which are places more peculiar and sequestred as Cant. 4. 12. 16. Isaiah 5. 6. Ez. 15. and the world or part without the Church by the name of Field Forrest c. wherein Tares wild bores briars thornes as well as wheat and Saints may live Fourthly if by Field and World here is meant the Church then t will follow that sith the Tares i. e. false Worshippers Hereticks Antichristians are bid to be let alone untill the harvest that such as these may be tolerated not in the world or civil state onely with the Church but also in the very Church it self which toleration cannot be for God chides that Church that suffers Iezebel to teach fornication in her and if the P P Priesthood plead for such a Toleration as this as he had need considering how his Church is filled with tares more then he is either able or willing to root out then he is for a tolleration far more intollerable then that we plead for for we would have Hereticks and Schismaticks and Erroneous false worshippers and nominall Christians Antichristians no neerer the Church then in the world with them i. e. the same States Towns houses but not in one and the same Church-fellowship or Congregation but they would have them stand in the Church for which sure Christ gives no permission much lesse a strick Commission as here is that they should But say you Christ does not here mean that they shall stand as if none had to do pluck them up but onely forbids these servants who were his disciples from meddling with them to evâ—…ry of whom he gives not Authority to pass câ—…nsures and punish but some may have Authority for it for all that Some who are those I trow it must be then either the Ministry or the Magistracy not the Ministry for it is far more cleer that by the servants here that took notice of the tares to the housholder is meant the servants of Christ in the office of Ministers that would fain have been meddling as the false Ministry ever does to root 〈◊〉 all both out of Church and world too that is not of institution by Christ in their opinion and such a spirit may too much shew it self in the true too see the like Spirit in his own disciples the first Ministers Luke 9. 54. 55. Mat. 15. 12. 13 14. for which Christ gives them a check and tells them they knew noâ—… what spirit they were of and bids them let the false plants alone to the heavenly Father to pluck up in his time saying let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind and will both in due time fall into the ditch t is far more clear I say that t is his Ministry he here forbids then common disciples for why should not their Ministry complain of them as well as they yet he bids these let them alone which shewes too that t is the World and not the Church they are to stand in for it belongs properly enough and primarily to the Ministers with consent of the Church executively to passe the censure of putting them out of the Church Secondly not the Magistracy for if it were the Church as they say it is how miserably do they mope and yet so the Priest does that make him the highest officer in the Church to cast persons out of the Church who is though the highest officer over the Church and World too yet in truth no Church officer or Minister in the Chuch qua Church at all Besides lastly which puts all out of doubt the prohibition is to all men as well as some and sounds forth the mind of Christ to be that the tares shall stand in the Field till the harvest and not be pluckt up by any at all but stand till the harvest they cannot according to his will if according to his will either Magistrate or Minister might pluck them up out of the field what field ere t is that is here spoken of his will is not only that such shall not pluck them up but that they shall not be pluckt up until the harvest i. e. the end of the world till he sends his Angels to gather the tares all
beasts and so cast them to the dogs to be devoured i. e. with the names of Monsters and so exposed them to the hatred of the world with the which kind of sport not onely Dr. Featley and Mr. Edwards while they lived made themselves merry and their friends too by bestowing Legends a piece towards the support of their severall false wayes as one great Benefactor did a Legend of lies on the Papistrey to the maintaining of that which they call the golden Legend but others also bely the nicknamed Anabaptists of this present age and nation as denying any obedience to civil Magistracy any propriety in goods as holding plurallity and community of wives divorce for difference in religion as dipping men and women stark naked and such like Yea just the same lying shifts and inventions that the Popish Clergy did use to help their Religion by against the Protestants when they began first to protest against them and their abominations do you the Protestant CCClergy i. e. both Prelacy and Presbytery strengthen your cause by against the Anabaptists especially of all sectaries 1. They detain the People from reading the Scripture alledging to them the perills they may incurr through misinterpretation you likewise would not have the Scripture medled with by this Clergy of Laicks Mechanick fantastick Enthusiasts profound watermen Sublime Coachmen Illuminated Tradesmen c. Apron Levites Sectarian Preachers as Dr. Featley and Mr. Baily call them for they say you are dunces and ignorant both of tongues and arts and so must needs run into errors and are insufficient for these things let the smith keep him to his Anvile and the Cobler to his last 2. These bred Antipathy between the Papist and Protestant and debar them all sound of the Protestant Religion as much as may be by prohibiting books of the reformed writers and Traffick with such Hereticall Countries or such places where those contagious sounds and sights as they term them might make them return infected You also forbid your good Protestants all society and commerce as much t is possible with these pitchy persons as those that they can't come neer but they must be defiled with them 3. Those by the severity of their inquisition and so you by your high commission and spiritual alias spiteful Courts while they stood and by complaints to the next Classis Synod c. as in Scotland and threats to have an order taken with such and such as here in England crush as far as you can in your people the very beginnings and smallest suppositions of being this way addicted 4. They teach their people to Believe that the Protestants and so do you that the Anabaptists are basphemers of God and his Saints Those that in England Churches are turned into Stables you that the Anabaptists preach in Tubs that Stables are turned into Temples stalls into Quires Shopboards into Communion-tables Those that the people i. e. Protestants are barbarous and eat young children that Geneva is a professed sanctuary of Roguery c. you that the Anabaptists are filthy and base in their Conventicles and are for Murder Adulâ—…eries Butchery Bawdery the veriest villains in the world You tell the world that the Anabaptists would have no rules nor bonds of lawes because of their dissolutenesse which though it be true enough of the Ranter that Peter and Iude speaks of that seperate themselves from their churches sensual presumptuous self-willed despising Government Peter the second Epist. chap. 2. yet is most false of our Churches that seperate from you that we would have no discipline in the Church no learning nor universities No coercive power in the civill Magistrates to restrain us because we walk inordinately whereas though we cannot away with your Canons yet we are the only men in the world for the rule which Christ himself hath set for men to walk by even the word the Scriptures which onely and not Synodicall constitutions nor holy chair we stand to have the standard for truth to be tryed by to the worlds end and are for all lawes in nations save such as obedience to which makes us palpably rebellious against the law of Christ viz. lawes for tithes with trebble dammages for Christ never appointed mens goods to be streined and they sold out of what they have to pay his own Ministers for preaching his own Gospel much lesse to pay the Popes Ministers for preaching a Gospel of their own also laws to come to masse in Latine or Masse in English or any service of mans making under penalty we also stand for a true Church that hath right matter viz. professed believers baptized and right form viz. free not forced fellowship in breaking of bread and prayers we are also for the true discipline i. e. Christs not the Clergies in that Church we hold also that Magistrates though their persons should be wicked men and heathens for the notion of Christian addes nothing to their power as Magistrates are the ordinance of God To maintain all civil justice and righteousnesse between man and man and to restrain abuses such as murder treason adultery drunkennesse theft false witnesse though they have no coercive power to keep men from sâ—…ving God according to his own will that power we deny yet go not about by violence to withstand it but in quietnesse suffer under it when it is put forth against us we are also for learning for t is a good talent to use for God and too good for the Devill a good servant but a bad master and we wish that there were more of it then there is among you CCClergy if it may be also well improved as it seldome is by those of you that have it for as those of you that are more singular schollars then the rest in humanity and that meer Anthropo-Theology that is among you which you call Divinity are deep dunces for the most part in the school of Christ and most opposite through the wisdome of their flesh which is enmity against God to the follishnesse of the Gospel so no lesse then legions of you are little learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either Yea verily and fiftly howbeit among other things you brand the Anabaptists with the names of an illiterate and sottish sect cut as chips out of Nicolas Stock whom Featly faines to be the father of the Anabaptists and stiles a very blockhead and such as know not how to teach nor dispute for truth because they know not the original and cannot conclude in mâ—…od and figure p. 113. 164. 163. nor make able ministers of the Gospel because they understand not the Scripture in the Original languages and cannot expound without Grammer nor perswade without Rhetorick nor divide without logick nor found the depth of any controversie without Philosophy and School divinity p. 118 yea Dr. Featley defeats 1000s of his fellow Clergy men utterly in so saying from the name of able Ministers yea as
he saies of us in another so may we of them in this case hos suo ingulamus gladio we may wound them with their own dudgeon dagger for if ignorant and unlearned men are not fit to make ministers then not onely their Laâ—…y which are millions are unlearned for the most part and so by Dr. Featleys own confession unfit to be teachers of truth but even multitudes of their CCClergy too for it is none of the least brands saies Dr. Featley p. 164. of the Roman Antichrist that he filled the Church with a number of ignorant Mass Priests Monks and Friars who blind guids as they were of the blinder people fell with them into the ditch of Superstition Heresie and Sensuallity and say I the English Antichrist i. e. the Arch-bishop of Canterbury a chip of the old block that was an Apprentice at Rome in old'n time till he set up for himself here and became indeed what the old Caiaphas Pope Urbane the second prophesied of him in a complement about 1099 little thinking then God wot that he would serve him such a trick as to set up his posts against his posts and take away his custome and trading here in England Papatus alterius Orbis this English Antichrist I say hath multiplyed many teachers and feeders that are far better fed then taught in matters of either God or man and as few Scholars as are among the true Churches if there were none the truth would stand without them and God delights in no mans legs but if there were need of that to the making ministers of the Gospel there is proportionably fewer among your churches considering how little Christs flocks is and how voluminous the fold of the WWWhore and how few truly are so that go under that name among the people with whom haud tam cult us quam cucullus facit monachum for though you talk of secular learning yet if that were so necessary to a Minister as the Ministry say it is it would not onely cut off Peter and Iohn from that denomination who were though better gifted yet lesse learned in that sense then the least of you but most of you CCClergy also among whom through out your whole dominion of Christndome there 's few Country Curates are well studied Scholars indeed in Logick and other arts and sciences and as for the tongues and original languages of the Scriture I speak it to the shame of the Ministry who unminister themselves in saying it is so necessary there is scarce five of 20. know the originall in the old Testament and not twenty to 5 so well as you should do in the new and as for the onely true learning and original of all wisdom the fear of God growth in grace and the knowledge of Christ and misteries of his kingdom and the spirit that Christ promised to his people to teach them all things which it were better for you by all your learning that you had more of unlearned Pâ—…ter himself may truly tearm the most of you such unlearned ones as wrest the Scripture to your own destruction Act. 4. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 16. yea so ungifted are the most of you so much as to pray and then well may you be to preach and that is to be unlearned as to the ministers office that unlettered or at least unspirited Artificers may be the proper name of some Clergy men as well as of the teaching tradesmen Dr. Featly speaks of for these receive the holy spirit that gifts them to it but not many of the Clergy are gifted to pray extempore without book if I onely said this you would not believe me but sith your great Patron Dr. Featly to whom you send us is my Patron as to this you must believe it whether you will or no unlesse you would have us believe him whom you will not believe yoâ—…r selves who gives this good reason p. 95. why its necessary to have set formes for the Ministers of the church of England to pray by if they pray at all in publique for there is not one Minister saith he or Curate of an 100 specially in Country Villages or Parochial churches who hath any tolerable gift of conceived as they term them or extempore prayers which if so you have smal reason to cry out of others as illiterate yea verily your selves will appear to be as the Anabaptists are stil'd by you an illiterate and Sottish generation in things principally pertaining to Christ and to Ministers of Christ to be skil'd in for that indeed is to be truly learn'd or unlearn'd in quoquo genere viz. to be raw or ready either in that which men supremely pretend to excell in as the Divine doth to excell other men in the things of God or else in that which is most excellent in it self and most worthy our being learn'd in as the highest and most excellent objects that are knowable being Christ and the mysteries of his kingdome those consequently are the best Scholars in the world that are most deeply insighted thereinto though elsewise never so ignorant Si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera noscis Si Christum noscis nihil est si caetera nescis Now count which of these two waies you will the greatest Clerks will appear to be the greatest Novices the greatest Doctors the greatest Dunces the greatest Schoolmen the least Schollars the prime of the Priesthood the prime Ignor amus's that the Christian earth doth carry for howbeit O yee PPPrists some of you for the most of you will never be mad with much learning even surfeit on inferiour literature viz. arts tongues c. andare taller then other men by the head in the reading of History Oratory pieces of pibald Poetry and such like yet as to the misterious plain Gospel wherâ—…in are hid and whence are handed out unto us the treasures of eternity in earthen vessels i. e. the homely base foolish weak wayes and dispensations which are of Christs chusing which it concerns Christs Ministers of all men to be more clear in thâ—…n in any thing else they are low and therefore too high and wonderful for you high studied men to reach to they are far about out of your sight Yea I think thee O father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hidest these things because seeing they will not see them from the wise and prudent and revealest them unto babes yea O Lord how great is the multitude of meer Humanists that feed onely upon the common Theory of that Theology they have framed to themselves and relish nothing but what is of man how are thy depths even thy downright deliveries of soul saving truth in plainess of speech by the mouths of stammerers stark dunceâ—…y to them how will not a poor marred mocked misreputed Saviour and gospel in any wise down with them who did of old and who do still stand out most stiffly against thy gospel O Christ but the proud self conceited Pharisees Priests and
blushing at the lives of those men who stiled themselves their successors I have done with the câ—…uses of his heresies and come to his design The design of the Heretick even this Heretick of Hereticks the CCClergy is to propagate his Error and as his grounds are wicked so are his manners in mannaging of them intrat ut vulpes regnat â—…tleo he pretends verity but intends onely vctory that he may reign over the kings and people of the earth and that they might all stoop to his commands directions and under pretence of verity at first he did get victory at last over the whole world so that Pape Oh strange the whole world wondered after him and doted upon him as their Lord God and became slaves in chains to his Priestly will yea as he loved to be supreme and overcome so the lord let him for a time that he might manifest his own power the more in the overcomming him for ever in the end yea power was given him to make war by the beast that bears him even all nations of Christendom which he overcame first against the Saints and to overcome them also and so to be filled with his own inventions he gives out when any disputes against him that his desire is to be satisfyed by disputing and so perhaps he would but t is with riches more then rightousnesse with tith more then truth for in truth he seemes if he must meet with such as charge him with error in his doctâ—…ine of baptism tith forced maintenance forcing conscience as if he would renounce his opinions and practises in these points if any can prove them to be corrupt but seeks onely opportunities to spread his odd opinions of what sc'â—…ism and sacriledge and robbing of God it is if submission be not acted and tithes be not offered to him among the vulgar among whom his Ghostly pretences produce a kind of aweful affrightment and dread of doing any thing against what he saies being resolved before hand never to be convinced of the truth as t is in the word for that overturns him in all his preferment projects and plucks him up from all the profits of his present princely posture which is such a right eye to him that he hath not faith enough to believe that it can possibly be more profitable to him to part with though Christ himself till him tis then to preserve and perish with it His disciples are for the most part not such as the noble Beraeans that would take nothing upon trust from the very Apostles mouths but searched the Scripture dayly whether the things were so or no not onely men but honourable women too not a few but rather meer idle implicit forefather faitht men simple and weak women who try nothing but keep their Church and believe as their Church believes and as their good churchman saies led away with diverse lusts and pleasures leaning onely on their Priests understandings pinning all their Religion upon their sleeves adoring all that their Orthodox divines deliver at a venture ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth as t is in the word whose honest ignorant devotions he hath won to himself by his cunning artifice of pretended piety voluntary humility seeming zeal to the truth long prayers or rather multitudes of short prayers and praises Pater Nosters Miserere Meâ—…'s Magnificats Te deums Gloria Patri's per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrums and such like devoutries and being once gained are so carried on with the streme of corrupt custome present fashion foolish affection that no reason in the world can reclaim them he deterreth lay people as much as may be from reading expounding or too much prying into the Scripture alledging unto them the perils they may incur by misinterpretations he hath laid his foundations so firmly in the dark consciences of men women by perswading them of his own infallibity Ecclesiastical Authority his Ius Divinum in the Government and guidance of the Church as here in Britain and even of his Temporal jurisdiction too as at Rome over both heaven and earth hell and purgatory of his power in the agony of mens souls to forgive sin that men and women are becharmed into beleif of him he hath woven himself so far into their credulity that all his sayings are received as oracles all his doings as divine all his traditions as truth it self all his Adminstrations as Apostolical all his doctrines as Orthodox all his Arguments though confessed by himself to be weak as unanswerable and all others Administrations Actions Answers Arguments though never so consentaneous to the true sense of Scripture valued at that price which he sets upon them as if the holy chaire of Papall determination Episcopal Convention Synodical constitution could not possibly be mistaken yea the Scripture it self is but a nose of wax with him of what shape soever the CCClergy casts it into of no more authority then Aesops Fables with the Papists if the Pope say the word so as to disdate digrade it or put any part of it out of commission of no other sense then the Bishops and Synod seem to say is the sense on 't with their good Protestants so altogether Oraculous is the Pope among his the Bishop among his the Presbyter among his and even all the three several CCClergies among their three several sorts of CCCreatures that their different ipse dixits are ipso facto divine directory and discharge enough too for these different doters on them insanire cum ratione to dote to and fro by Authority so as to do and undo and do and undo and do by In a word he is too bold to be born down not so much from such things as mae the righteous witnesses to truâ—…h as bold as Lioâ—…s before God and men viz. the goodnesse of his cause for that is stark naugh and rotten nor the clearnes of his call â—…ther to his Clerical function or any actions he goes about by vertue and in persuance thereof for t is clear enough that his orders emission commission as to the external etymology of them are more from the Pope then Christ and the true Church nor any good answer of a good conscience for either his conscience is so cloudy that he cannot or so cowardly that he dares not or so resolved that he will not see or else so clear that he is condemned of himself wâ—…en tâ—…uth shines plainly upon his face but rather from either his great interest in or directive authority over the civil power that hath long back as well as bellyed him as in England or his having it all in his own hands and dispose as at Rome where â—…e duo gladii both swords are in the Clergyes clutches so that he can quickly correct those that conâ—…radict him he is too clamorous to be silenced calling out with such a heavy noise and divine ditty against the truth and condâ—…ing it with such an
truth in the people who before were wont to take their ware on trust without trial then then they can lay again while they live by all the shifts and subtleties they can devise for when once people are resolved to believe things to be heresie by heatsay no more but to fancy them according as they find them in the word and to see into the plainness of speech that is in the Scripture with their own eyes they see so much disproportion between the national Church wayes and those of the primitive Churches of the Gospel that they commonly resolve not to see at all adventures through the unclear eyes of CCClergy men any more This makes them fieâ—… and fume and fain and fiddle hither and thither which way to fasten their Heretical opinions further if it be possible on them in whom they they stick and into whose hearts they have eaten fowl healthless holes already and to dâ—…ive them deeper even with hammer and nailes if they can tell how or else to cleave whole Countries asunder with beetle and wedges Heresie is said by the Apostle to fret like a canker so that it is not the clearness nor yet the coolness nor yet the heat of a disputation can correct it in some mens hearts the tongue may heal any poisoned wound with licking of it sooner then that which the Heretick the Pope and the Priesthood hath made so deeply hath he found his heresies in the dark cells of some mens implicit consciences Athauastus his disputation with Arrius and Austins with Manichaeus are sufficient Instances Indeed it is not possible to expect any good fruit from those former grounds as to the CCClergie themselves and such of their CCCreatures as stand bent to believe all they say and never doubt it though otherwise much good may come to others that are inquisitive by disputation with them or that he which is possessed with self love and hunts so greedily after glory or gain as the CCClergie does should be perswaded to hearken to any reason which contradicts his principles or to disclaim that wase which must advance his design What is the result of this discourse to forbid all disputation with HHHim no by no means it is necessary to stop the clamors of the adversarie to the truth who will cry out victoria if his challenge be not answered and make our silence be a confession of the truth on his side if he be not stoutly encountred with Saint Austin who was in his time called Malleus hereticorum of whom it is said that he never went so willingly to a feast as to a conference when Pascentins the Arrian bragd that he had worsted him in his dispute and those believed it which desired it yet gave not out from disputing but was onely careful to set down his disputations in writing for the future that the truth might appear vindicated from thofe false reports with which commonly it is blasted either by word or else by some such true counterfeit Accounts in print as that which is at this day extant of the disputation held at Ashford A Disputation orderly carried soberly proceeded with without heats and distempered passions not suffered to go out of its due bounds nor to follow every new sent that is taken up by the way nor to degenerate into quarrellings and hasty fals chargings of the Anabaptists as this and that they know not what without proving them such or disproving their doctrines as if others do not I do know more then one place where and where more then once too it hath been so will contribute much to the clearing of truth the begetting of doubts in them that yet never doubted but blindly believed the contrary The removing of doubts in them that are already in doubts about it and putting it out of all doubt to them all in the end that all is not so well yet as it ought to be with the very reforming Clergy and that their parochial posture is popish and their constitution ordination administrations baptism and the supper is all disorderly and out of joint to the confâ—…rming of the strong that stand fast in the true faith the recovery of the laps't world that hath departed from the faith Gospel Baptism Church order which was once delivered to the Saints and been seduced from Christ by the Scholastical incroachments of the CCClergy and as it may chance in time if the civil powers that have preferred them would come once to favour the truth the convincing the SSSeducer it is rare so to mannage one among an unskilful multitude where the auditors take themselves no lesse engaged then their champions and will be ready on all hands too much but an 100 fold more for ought I find among the parochial party then the other disorderly to break the lists which hath made so many able Scholars not in mans onely but in Christs School also almost averse from undertaking it but unless their be sufficient caution against such exorbitatances as jangling with bells to drownd all audience of truth and counter speeches of non-sense rather then nothing to interrupt him that is about to speak the truth and noise of shouting if it were possible to shame the truth and such like geer as I have met with in my daies better be no disputation at all nor preaching of truth among such it being if not a giving of that which is holy to dogs and casting of pearles before swine which will turn again and rent you yet at least impossible any thing should come of it that good is and yet even that shall be no hurt to the Ministers of Christ that are approved in tumults yet cannot help it but blasphemy to the truth stumbling to the weak parishioners that stumble enough already poor souls the Lord help them to see their preachers violently oppose preaching and proving the truth out of the Scriptures a kind of shamefull Glory to the adversaries of the truth the PPPriesthood from some a glorious shame to the undertakers for it There is therefore a better way for the true Pastors of the true Churches and specially the Churches messengers to the world in which to oppose the approach of heresies which the parish Pastors make mickle use of to oppose the truth by under the names of Anabaptism at least in their Respective flocks and that is by preaching To argue substantially against them to convince them soundly is the best in the pulpit if they can freely get in a place wherein one might have hid ones self for a month together or more and sometimes a year from some parish Priests non-resident Parsons divinity Doctors but specially the lazy Lord Bishops not very long since but now to keep out the Anabaptists more frequented by some Priests then else it would be a place which is secured much and yet not alwayes neither when plain truth tellers are in it from those incursions to which disputations are subject It is worth observation that
2. 9. 10. 11. 3. 10. 11. 12. 13. c. ad finum 4. 7. ad 13. 20. 21. 5. 1. 2. Ep. 5. 3. Ep. 1. is that more excellent way which the Apostle Paul so magnifies to the Church of Corinth as that without which all other gifts tongues of men and angels prophecy understanding of mysteries knowledge faith of miracles liberality to the poor exposing the body to be burned can make a man no better then as sounding brasse and a tinkling cymbal yea knowledge puffs up and so plucks down the true Church but love edifieth buildeth it and pulls down nothing but BBBabylon 1 Cor. 8. 1. love sufereth long and is kind love envieth not love aunteth not it self rashly is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseeemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh none evil rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth beareth all things believe all things hopeth all things endureth all things 1 Cor. 13. strengthneth all things beautifieth all things composeth all things the contrary to which weakneth marreth ruinateth consumeth Gal. 5. confoundeth all in the Church Iam. 3. it is not apt to see things amisse more then she must needs and if it cannot but see them she will hide and cover them what she may with a safe conscience especially the nakednesse of her father and the shame of her mother unless they both prove so abominably impudent and shamelesse as like to the false National and Parochial Churches and their ghostly fathers palpably to play the harlot under pretence of holinesse to the Lord and then she may not hold her peace but cry out upon 't as she will not be held accessary to their sins and guilty of the losse of love to the Lord her self â—…he â—…xtenuates faults in very enemies so far as they are enemies to us onely and not God for she hates them that hate him and can shew but little favour to their faults however she will not aggravate them in brethren it is not a light matter will work dislike in her of the brotherhood much lesse departnre and divorce she covers a multitude of offences and will not upon such trivial ones such meer mole-hills as the sensualists of these times stumble at in the true Churches break forth into diffemper and rage oh where is the charity of the true Church in these times Where in the Cherub that covereth certainly if this of love had been the temper of all Christians and disciples in the true Churches as t is pretended to be theirs in the highest by such as are gone out from them mistaking lust for love the breach the rent of the Ranters from the true Church had not been so great nor the wound or separation of that Schismatick so grievous it must be a great and unsufferable crime and that evidently proved must make charity break the bonds of peace even that of perverting the primitive Gospel changing Christs laws and falsifying his ordinances in their forms and subjects depraving his Divine institutions defiling corrupting violating adulterating his holy will and testament worshipping God in vain teaching for doctrine the traditions of men and she will not then depart by separation till she despaires of Redresse which was the Protestants case with their once holy mother the Church of Rome when she prov'd a strumpet the Presbyterian with their Ghostly fathers the Prelatick Priests the Independents with the Presbyters the Baptists with the Independents and all the rest but not the Seekers case with the Baptists for they act in all things according to the primitive pattern shewed in the word as for all the rest viz. the Po-Prela-Presbyter-Independent Pastoralty and people they are altogether out of the way and more or lesse corrupt and traditional in their constitutions and dispensations to this day 8. If doubts arise about the true form and right subjects of baptism go not to Seducers or parish PPPriests for resolution for they are not very well resolved about it some saying t is of God some of men some that t is to be done to this end and purpose some to that some upon one kind of account some upon another as is discovered above in the Re-Review they pretend at least to be seekers themselves and pray for more light for both themselves and their people yet smoother it still as it rises upon them yea many of them are so taken up with minding means and money that they mean not to find truth nor follow it faster then it goes along with tith go not therefore I say to them That is dubius ad dubios caecus ad caecos saith Tertullian in another case for the blind to be lead by the blind yea these are the blind guides of their blinder people whom having themselves forgotten Christs Law they cause to erre these are the staff to which people trust and lean that declare their own falsehoods instead of Christs truth these are the stocks of which they ask councel that would have all men hang up on their mouths and take things for truth as they come out by common consent from them and tell us that Gods advice is Ask the Priest and so it was concerning the Law Hag. 2. 12 for the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth but verily as t was said of the Priests of old Mal. 2. 1. ad 10. so may it much more truly be said now the Priests will not hear the Lords commâ—…ndements and will not lay it to heart to give glory to his name therefore God sends a curse upon them and blasts their understandings and blinds their eyes and curses their blessings because they lay it not to heart Indeed they bid us Ask the Priest as if they were very forward to resolve men but alas as many of them are not much minded to be resolved themselves in that point which intrenches too much upon their interest so much lesse are they minded for the most part in order to the resolution of others to render any reason of their way of baptism at all before their people I have been more then either an eye or an ear witnesse of not onely the rigid refusals to answer but also the rough repulses that have been given by some of chiefest note in our County of Kent to such as have never so modestly propounded questions to them or demanded an account of the truth of their practise in their publick places And how no answer but no answer Dr. Chamberlain had from Dr. Gouge to this question Whether the sprinkling of Infants were of God or man is known sufficiently to all though it was pressed on him in three or four letters by all the rationall and Christian considerations that could be possible yea though he intreated him to return him an answer for his own sake to return him an answer for Dr. Gouges own sake to return him an answer for the peoples sake to return him an answer
alone in the house or visible Church of God being now come in the standing by any fleshly generation what soever is done away yea Abrahams own children the naturall branches that grow out of his loynes are cut off from standing as till Chirist they did now any longer upon their own Root Abraham because of unbelief I say then that no infant in infancy of what believing parent soever is either Abrahams spiritual seed or dying in infancy is saved upon any such account as a believers seed or Abrahams seed nor whilst living an infant onely may be signed by baptism as an heir apparent of salvation for if Abraham stand not a spiritual father to his own meer fleshly seed he stands not so sure to the meer fleshly seed of any believing Gentile for that were to priviledge every ordinary believer and his natural seed above either himself or his own Nor doth this hinder or deny the salvation of the dying infants of believers or dispose them ere the sooner muchless necessarily to damnation to say they are not Abrahams spirituall seed quâ believers infants nor heirs to salvation upon any such account as that for though neither upon that nor any other account at all they may warrantably be baptized yet it s more then possible or probable either because infallible that there 's other Scripture account enough upon which when we see them die in infancy we may assert them undoubtedly not to be damned for as it is most sure and true that all that are apparently if really Abrahams spiritual seed by faith must so living so dying be saved in token and farther evidence of which to themselves more then others they are by the good wil of Christ to be baptized yet is it neither true nor necessary that all that are saved must be Abrahams spiritual seed by faith but most certain that some shall be saved that never were Abrahams seed in any sense at all witnesse not onely the faithful fore-fathers of Abraham for he was their seed and not they his but also all dying infants of what parents soever both before Abrahams time and since of whom to salvation notwithstanding those are the onely termes on which it belongs to adult ones to whom it s preacht Mark 16. 15 16. these being truly capable of neither 't is not required that they should either repent believe or be baptized I know this Iustification of dying infants without faith is uncouth and little less for all it holds forth so much salvation then damnable doctrine among you Divines that plead the contrary but I shall by the help of God make it good to the faces of you all when I come to consider the baldness of your consequence in this point as you give me good occasion to do in some places where me thinks you meddle with it somewhat clumsily as it were in mittins as if because there 's no other way revealed for the salvation of such by Christ to whom the gospel is preached who are capable to hear and do what 's required for such onely the word universally speaks of when it speaks of salvation in that way but the way of belief and actuall obedience onely therefore there 's no other way for the salvation of dying infants by Christ who can possibly neither believe in him nor obey him which as it is such shameful stuff that I cannot bear it with out inward blushing at your blindness so whether you have not as much cause to be ashamed on 't within your selves is well worth your inmost inquiry I say therefore again so far is this from excluding dying infants of believers from entrance into the kingdome of heaven to say they are neither Abrahams spiritual seed by faith nor heirs thereof upon that ground onely of being so that it rather concludes and supposes there 's some other ground that is common with them to the innocent infants of even infidels and all the world upon which these whom though they are hundreds to one yet your selves in your fierce wrath and merciless cruelty devote universally to damnation may dying in infancy universally be saved also which ground if you will yet know it is the righteousness of Christ the free imputation of which universally from the father saves not onely all that believe from both that and their actuall transgressions too but even the whole world whether they believe it or no from the the imputation of Adams transgression so that none at all ever perish upon that account in which respect he is said to be the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe much more doth it and that without faith save all dying infants who as they believe not so have not as yet by any actual sin bard themselves or deserved exemption or become liable at all to the second death i. e. the damnation of hell which befalls not any but upon personal neglect of the light and grace of life brought in by the second Adam as the first death onely overtakes mankind for onely that sin of the first Adam Babist If all dying infants are saved then not few but many if not the maior part must be saved contrary to that of Christ Mat. 7. 13. 14. Luke 13. 23. 24. where he saith few there are that are saved Baptist. There are indeed but few inter adultos among persons that come to years of whom alone and not of Infants at all Christ there speaks and even every where else where he speaks to us of the way of life and this is plain by the reason he there gives why so few are saved which is the straitness of the gate and narrowness of the way that leads to life viz. of self-denial and suffering for Christ which men mostly being very loath to walk in it comes to pass that few of them come to life by it but infants being altogether uncapable to walk in it are are altogether dis-ingaged from walking in it till they come to capacity so to do and yet are not damn'd for not walking in it when we come to years of understanding and to apprehend the good will of God to us in providing a Saviouâ—… for us his good will concerning us in order to salvation by him is that we believe in him and obey him and apply his righteousness unto our selves Gal. 3. 27. but whilst we are yet in such minority as neither to know what God hath done for us nor to be capable of putting on the Lord Iesus our selves he himself is pleased to impute his righteousness to salvation to us so dying even as we our selves whilst our infants are new born do not onely provide but also put on what clothes we have provided in our pitty towards them for the covering of their nakedness but when they come to years of such discretion as to discern and be sensible of their own shame and capable to dress themselves with their own hands we expect when in our love we have once