an argument there is one Baptisme Ephes 4. we are all baptized into one bodie I would fain know of what use Baptisme is to them is it not the same to others baptized To count the baptized dogges men without to disown their brotherhood and the like must needs denie that Baptisme is the dore of admission into the Church and yet this in terms they will not say though they carrie towards them as without and call them to be members of the Church who are members of the Church on as good a ground and as cleer a method as themselves If this be not a solecisme in Christianitie I know not how to make any As for their admission into the Church by Covenant Agreement or profession it is cleerly without Scripture prescription or primitive president that ever I could yet finde and I can deem it no other than an inhumane invention if I may not call superstition the countenance of which it bears in my eye whilest it stands in the place of Baptisme is made the only way of consecration unto Church communion whereby it plainly supplants Gods Ordinance These things I note but cannot stand to debate intending a reproof not dispute and to let men see the sinfulness of this sacred way of independencie and gathering of Churches out of Churches whilest it stands guilty of a contempt of Gods way of access unto him and admission into his Church of censorious uncharitableness towards their brethren invested with the reason of relation to the Lords people and constitution of Church membership in a way of meer humane invention I confesse I have heard it often noted that the difference between Independents and others is not so much as to maintain an irreconcileable distance and I say so too I could wish they were more friendliely united As to the single point of Discipline they shall have my consent for a brotherly toleration of its exercise till they are weary of it But as for their separation from the Churches of Jesus Christ self congregation into a Church and seclusion of baptized souls from sacred Ordinances and the like they seem to me so repugnant to truth and order and ruinous to Gods Church and Ordinances that I cannot without sinne but stand a professed enemie thereunto Let not men think that I allow the prophaneness of Christians because I alledge their interest in the coÌ„mon administration of the Covenant or that I think their enjoyment may not be interrupted because I cannot consent their interest be denied them I have learned to distinguish between right and possession and where the one is cleer the other may be justly sometimes with held I well know prophane Christians are unseemly Saints yet Saints scandalous Disciples yet Disciples disorderly Brethren yet Brethren vessels of dishonour yet vessels in the same house to the Masters use That Church members be for a time suspended from particular priviledges may be admitted but at private brethrens pleasure to be sleighted as no members is not to be endured That obstinate incurable members be cut off is the Church her duty but that the Church be cast off is the congregational impietie Is there baptized persons in works denying the God they profess Is there a brother a drunkard an adulterer and the like Doth not Baptisme appropriate them to the private admonition of particular brethren and publique inspection of Church officers Is not the delivering them to Satan for the buffeting of the flesh that the soul may be saved their priviledge by Baptisme If these holy men would talk of correcting casting out cutting off disorderly baptized souls it would sound well in my â—ares but to talk of gathering Churches coming into Church-way admission of members and the like amongst those that bears holiness in their flesh and have on them the qualification of access to God sounds so harshly in my eares that I cannot but abhor it as inconsistent with the nature of Baptisme exposing it to contempt making it of no effect endangering the subversion of the Church and the ushering in of Paganisme whilest the baptized finde themselves rejected and not looked after as of any relation to God they cannot but resigne up themselves to their own lusts run into an ignorance of and estrangedness to God It seems to me a most just plea that is made by Christians in common Were we baptized why are we disowned as to relation to God and his Church and cast out of all the care of the Church as if we were thereunto strangers If the seal of God be on us why doe our breâ—hren lift up themselves above us and engross to themselves the titles termes priviledges that belong in common to all baptized souls If we walk unworthy our relation we are willing to be corrected but must we needs lose our interest and be thrust out of our fathers inheritance by our brethren our forfeiâ—ure never being judicially exacted Gods Ordinances we could bear though never so cross to our nature because thereunto we are bound by our Baptism but the new wayes pursued by our brethren and to us proposed are grievous to us because we finde them not in the grand Charter of our priviledge willingly we would walk with God in duty and draw nigh to him in the assemblies of his people for that we are thereunto consecrated but herein we are debarred and driven at a distance as if Doggs not Children Heathens not Christians Aliens to the Covenant not Heirs of Grace If we goe astray we think those that are set over ought to seek us as sheep not suffer us to wander as goats We have cause to complain that our Shepheards feed themselves not the flock they feed the flock and clothe them with the wooll kill the fat but feed not the sheep The weak they have not strengthned the sick they have not healed nor have they sought that which was lost nor brought again that which was driven away but with crueltie and rigor have they ruled us We were scattered without a shepheard and when we were dispersed every beast of the field devoured us We were sheep though wandring upon every high hill and mountain Gods flock though scattered through the earth and none sought after us If the Lord Jesus subscribe and accept not this complaint as just and good I know nothing of Gospel method or order Thus then I have noted the vanitie and vileness of those whose carriage contradicts the nature of Baptisme and bespeaks them insensible of it as an especial qualification for confidence in access to God in the assemblies of his people The third and last use of this Doctrine is by way of exhortation unto two especial duties First Acquaint we our selves with the holy nature of Baptisme Secondly Act we the course of our lives and carriage as those whose bodies are washed with pure water Of these give me leave to speake a word in their order and first of the first Acquaint we our selves with the holy
THE VERTUE AND VALUE OF BAPTISM In which the Dignity and Duty of Baptism The due Right of Infants to Baptism And their right above that of grown persons by Baptism The degrading and destructive Principles and Practices of Baptism ARE Catechetically propounded plainly Preached and now Published as an Antidote to the Baptism-Despising-Dictates of John Simpson By Zachariah Crofton Minister at Botolph Aldgate London Imprimatur Edm. Calamy London Printed by D.M. for J. Nuthal living next door to the Dolphin in the Minories 1658. To the Right Worshipful Richard Garforde AND Robert Burdet Esquires And the rest of his Beloved Parishioners late Assertors of his innocency and Protestors against his groundless and furious Persecutions Right Worshipful and wel-beloved TO you of all men this Treatise oweth its Dedication and from you must needs demand its Patronage for that in order to your good in the Instruction and establishment of you in the order of the Gospel and Ordinances of Jesus Christ it hath been preached once and again and is now Printed you cannot be insensible how you baptized Members of the Catholick Church were dispersed as Sheep without any Shepherd nay by the Congregational Anabaptistical principles and practises and in order to their Schismatical Church-gathering design you were by Rude Rust Foolish Wise and Baptism-blaspheming Simpson paganized and proclaimed Dogs aliens and strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel when the zealous importunity of some among you meeting in me with a real pity of your Pagan posture did engage me to take of you as a Church of Jesus Christ the care and charge I was constrained to lay again the Foundations these wicked men had razed and to inform you in the first rudiments of Religion and first ordinances of worship that you might understand the dignity and duty of your Baptism in which I finde such dulness in common capacity that the things you heard you must hear again and indeed Read before many will receive them I being come among you and by Gods blessing on my Ministry having reduced you into some order convinced some persons of their Rebaptized vanity and Parents of the sinfull neglect of their Infants interest in the Covenant have met with violent opposition and malitious interruptions in the work of God constraining me to preach unto you the Gospel of Truth through much contentation wherein yet through grace I have waxed bold You are manifest Witnesses that the Anabaptists will Baptize with fire and fury such as they cannot Baptize with water in the way of their folly By what clamours have they clouded my name representing me uncivil whilst for fear of the Law they durst not render me prophane how they have by false surmizes prejudiced present powers by false accusations palpable perjury extrajudicial Process partial and prejudiced Judges of their own picking and implacable fury darkned my credit weakned my Ministery disturbed my peace and endeavoured 〈◊〉 stop my mouth you and all the Churches of God cannot but know The guilt and odium whereof you have taken from your selves by your seasonable Attestation to my Innocencie and serious protest against their groundless cruelty wherein I bless God I can rejoyce It is the cause that makes the Martyr and what is the cause of all that calamity they have to me created Let the fretting of their spirits when your Pulpit sounded the Sacrament of Bastism is to be administred your Reverend attendance on that Ordinance is desired their railing speeches on all occasions uttered against Infant Baptism their invective Letters to me written which I keep as Monuments of their folly and malice their often strugling to set up Oats Knowls Lamb Simpson to blaspheme Gods Ordinances and at last violent and unjust intrusion of John Simpson into the Baptismal Season of the Sabbath to the excluding of that Ordinance and vilifying the same in the sight of the People and that not only in its subjects but in it self openly teaching baptism is no ground of Communion with the Church visible witness to all the world if I suffer as an evil doer Whose Ox or Ass have I taken what Law have I violated whom did I injure in word or deed How often have I sought for competent impartial Judges that might convict me and proposed ways of Accommodation admitted them when sought by my enemies whose Return hath been we will have no peace no agreement no arbitration nay my enemies being Judges the ground of their quarrel and enmity is my endeavours to return you into order and their cry is He will not let Simpson preach So that because I will not suffer that woman Jezabel to teach and seduce the Lords people I must be loaded with calumny and followed with vexation Well be it so I will bless God for supporting and wait on him for saving mercy and pray that you may be more confident in the truths confirmed by my Sufferings wherein you also have boâ—n your share I cannot but observe how Heretical Malice hath trampled on your dignities and gravities by Military insolency and vulgar rudeness yet hath God hitherto given you hearts to adhere to me and the truths by me witnessed Whilst you have owned my Ministry under so great a Fight of affliction I cannot but hope you will do it still and be more confirmed in the vertue and value of your received Baptism both which are here plainly and practically propounded to your view Many eminent men have most fully debated the Controversie and defended your Infants Right to Baptism but of their Labours I observe the vulgar make little use for Practical conviction of sin I find to be the best confutation of error and have therefore attempted it in the ensuing Treatise for its stile and method suited to vulgar capacity receive it as a token of my true affection to your Souls and Gods holy Ordinances read it as the direction of your duty learn by it to prize Baptism as the high Priviledge of you and yours and in doing and suffering shew forth the vertue and value of the Covenant of God on your flesh living as Baptized into the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost to which end you may be assured as of the endeavours so the earnest prayers of Your greatly reproached and persecuted but yet really innocent and resolvedly zealous Pastor Zach. Crofton To the READER Courteous Reader THou canst not be such a stranger in our Israel as to be ignorant of my sufferings by the intrusion of John Simpson into my Pulpit and amongst my People I doubt not but thou mayest well with many other enquire the reason of my resistance the which is written in such legible Characters that just men and zealous Christians cannot but Run and Read them I have in a small Book called Right Re-entered given the world some account as to my own personal Reasons wherein had I been silent can any that know John Simpson a man subject to such windings and turnings that he cannot to his own
Proselytes appear to be the same this year he was the last A man under judicial * The Committee for Plundred Ministers Parliamentary censure for his Errors a man by the most sage grave and pious * London Testimony to the truth c. Ministers of his City the place of his Residence branded as a Seducer from the Truth of Jesus Christ a man for Sedition so owned by himself imprisoned banished and afflicted as an evil doer a man of such violence commotion division confusion distraction disorder that Bishopsgate and Aldgate must needs lament the day of his being in the midst of them And yet enquire why should Master Crofton so much withstand John Simpsons preaching but if he or all his Adherents were as they never can be able to acquit him from these Blots that must needs render him unfit for Gospel-work yet Master Crofton hath too too just cause to withstand his Ministry not only for his unjust intrusion and dis-ingenuous silence under any propounded conveniencie for the people and malitious exercise of his pretended Ministery to the meer humoring of an envious prophane Faction pursuing nothing but Confusion and Disorder not having any Assembly of his own to engage him to it But for those Falshoods that in the name of the Lord he doth utter to the decrying of Gods holy Ordinances and danger of mens Salvation herein he is frequent and of which I shouâ—d were it not that my weak people are apt to take boldness to sit under his Ministry from my hearing him make a full detection Can any man think Ministerial zeal can in the least admit an afternoons contradiction of a forenoons Doctrine of Truth I have before noted to the world that he no sooner violently entred my Church and interrupted some of Gods Ordinances but he presently vilifying those he could not hinder openly averred that to learn a Catechism was not to worship God you might as well take your children to the Market or Fair and buy them Baubles Rattles and Hobby Horses as Catechisms I well know that he did with most prophane impudence in the Pulpit at Great Al-hallows and in my own Pulpit make a dreadfull appeal to God Angels and Men that he never Preached such Doctrine but I have offered and do yet offer if he will be convicted before any competent Judges to convince him by some of his late Proselytes and many others that heard him speak it and after most wickedly deny that he spake it he must not think but we know the Serpentine wisdom of Seducers leads them to deny they spake the doctrine they divulge if the time and other circumstances will not defend them in it And yet in the Sermon wherein he would deny this notion he doth but Familistically Spiritualize and runs into this assertion which is yet Tantamount That it is gross ignorance to say or think that the teaching of Catechitical heads of Religion is the way to bring any man to the knowledge of Christ I confess this contempt of catechizing was in my ears but a praeludium to the decrying of Infant Baptism which engaged me to attend his Wednesday Lectures for some few days when he was from 1 Peter 3.21 Treating of Baptism wherein I heard many absurdities false interpretations and incongruous expressions uttered but at length found him that pretends he had * His Book of Justification in the Epist to the Reader run over the bogs of Familism yet not to have been swallowed up in them to have fallen up to the arm holes if not over head and ears for not only did he despise Poedo-Baptism by the contemptible terms of Baby-sprinkling cozening Infants and the like but proclaimed Water-Baptism the very Ordinance it self to be nothing worth and the spirit inward Grace the answer of a good conscience to be all in all even unto communion with the Church visible and this he did in a full Discourse half an hour long directed to his own Proselytes with many invectives against such as would not admit Communion with the unbaptized in flesh these nullifying notions of Gods Ordinance I could not bear and resolving they should not corrupt on my stomack or he have liberty to make a false appeal to God Angels and Men in the denial of what he had delivered or to complain I dealt not fairly by him publickly to render him erronious before I had charged him personally I did on the day on which he preached it being the 2. of September 1657. and assoon as Sermon was ended repaire to my Study and writ unto him this Letter following Mr. Simpson I did this day with no little trouble hear your Discourse and pretermitting your incongruous impertinent expressions and misapplication of Scripture with many Ordinance-degrading and Church-confounding speeches you laid down this inference That Baptisme is not the ground of communion with the Church but real grace the answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and therefore you did declare Though a man were altogether ignorant of the doctrin of Baptism and had never passed under that outward Ordinance you could own him as a member of the Church and hold communion with him and admit him to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ and much to this purpose you delivered Sir When I consider the answer of a good conscience is only known to God I cannot believe God hath made it the Ground of communion with men and outward Baptism to be the first Ordinance of God to the Church and external Seal of the Covenant and the very door of admission into the Church erected by Jesus Christ and reckon'd by the Apostle among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in all Ages of the Church made the foundation of the Church Ordinances in foro Ecclesiae I cannot conservâ— to communion with such as are unbaptized but must fear in this case God may say to me as to them in Isa 44.7 For though outward baptism without inward Grace can carry no man to heaven yet the Church cannot without palpable profaneness admininister other Ordinances of Communion to the unbaptized I pray you tell me whether you do not in vain press me to outward Baptism when you tell me I may live and die in Commmunion with the body of Christ all my dayes and yet never know the Doctrine nor passe under the Ordinance of water-Baptism Is Baptism become an Adiaphoron These things I thus timely signifie to you to prevent mistakes desiring your arguments for your position for that your Cited Scripture Rom. 15.7 doth not conclude it but is farre wide to which I promise you a speedy answer unless they be convincing to Zath Crofton Sept. 2 1657. Though this letter was by a messenger sent of purpose delivered into his hand disingenious be never returned answer to it either in publick or privat but suffered these contemptible notions to abide on the spirit of the people as it they were Gospel truths Having observed
have good reason to say we as such infants have by a long Tenure an interest in the Covenant shew us a clear Gospel Writ of Ejection if you think now to dispossess us Q. But have you any good ground in the New Testament on which infants as the natural issue of believing Parents may claim an interest in the Covenant A. Yes very much when we consider little sucking Babes brought in arms to be received by the Lord Jesus to be blessed by him to be declared members of the Kingdom of heaven propounded as such who ought to be received in his name as his disciples and not to be offended all which are the blessings of the Covenant and that the Apostle affirms of the Gentiles ingrafted in as well as the Jews cut off in Rom. 9. That if the first-fruits then the whole lump is holy if the root then the branches are holy and the branches do partake of the fatness of the olive we must cast away our reasons if we see not Infants interest in the Covenant Q. But have you not yet some plaiâ—er Scriptures to prove their title A. Yes the Apostle doth expresly say the Infants of one Christian Parent is holy 1 Cor 7.14 of real holiness none understand it natural holinâ—ss taking away the blot of bastardy supposing Faith essential to Marriage is too ridiculous to be received and then it must needs mean a foederal holiness by the extent of the Covenant and in the esteem of the Church And in Acts 2.38 the Apostle saith expresly The promise is to you and to your children This promise cannot be of extraordinary-Gifts because it is extended to all that shall be called nor is it to children when culled for that were not to them as children the Holy Ghost doth not use to speak non-sense and express personal qualifications by terms of relation but tels the believer his children as his children have a priviledge in the Covenant above other mens children so that it is plain such Infants are within the Covenant and according to their capacity to enjoy the Seals and Priviledges thereof Q. But they are not capable of being baptized because they can act nothing in the Ordiâ—ance nor can they make a profession of Faith and Repentance A. Nor is such capacity needfull for profession gives no right to Baptism but as an evidence of Covenant Interest and their right to the Covenant manifested by their descent from such Parents is as good a reason for their Baptism and the subjects of the initiating Seal do not act any thing as if God would thereby dictate inability to action shall be no bar to Baptism Q. But those we read of in Scripture that were baptized were at grown years A. So were those who were first circumcised but that was occasional and circumstancial The Church is founded in grown Trees but is to be edified by infant branches Q. But there is no institution for infant Baptism A. That Baptism is instituted cannot be denied Age or Infancy are only directions to whom to apply it and therein the qualification of Covenant Interest is according to Scripture the clear direction Moreover Infants may be Disciples bearing on them the name of Christ and are Members of Nations and so the Institution directing the baptizing of Discipled Nations is to them extended Q. But all you urge for infants baptism is by way of inference and consequence A. Scripture-Inference is Gods word binding mans conscience it was the way of Christ his convincing the Sadduces of the Resurrection and of Pauls preaching at Athens and is your only way to warrant womens Communion at the Lords Table and shall it not be of force to Infants Baptism Q. What benefit do you receive by your Baptism A. Much as I am baptized and enjoy that Ordinance of God and much as I was baptized in Infancy by the early enjoyment of it Q. What is your benefit received by the Ordinance it self A. A fit qualification to draw nigh to God with confidence Q. What do you mean by drawing nigh to God A. Not only the possâ—ssion of heavenly Glory when I die which I deny not but such may enjoy whom the providence of God cuts off before they can be baptized Nor only the private and personal acts of the soul which may be presented though not with much confidence acceptably to God before a man can be baptized after his Conversion he not living in contempt or wilful neglect of Baptism but I mean an approach to God in the Assemblies of his people to worship before him as a Member of his Church and one of his peculiar people to bear his name in the world and of his Royal Priesthood to offer up acceptable Sacrifice and enjoying all his Ordinances all which I do in assurance having my body washed with pure water Q. Is then Baptism the necessary qualification for approach to God A. Yes it is so necessary that the unbaptized may not appear in the Assemblies of his people The way of Christ his appearance in his Church as the Messiah was prepared by Baptism therefore John the promised Elias is called John the Baptist Baptism prepared Christ for his work of Mediatorship he neither prayed that we read of nor was tempted nor preached nor received the Testimony from heaven till he was baptized and if the head were thus sanctified much more must the members moreover Circumcision did sanctifie such as might come nigh to the Sanctuary and Baptism hath succeeded in the room signifies and seals the same Grace and in all things serve to the same end in the Christian Church that Circumcision did to the Jews Q. What is the use of Baptism that it should so qualifie with confidence in access to God A. By Baptism I am visibly interested in Jesus Christ Gal. 3.27 incorporated into his Church 1 Cor. 12.13 made a member of the houshold of Faith and Commonâ—ealth of Israel consecrated unto God Eph. 5.26 having holiness stamped on my flesh being sanctified by the washing of water by the word And in Covenant with God having the seal of the promise whereby God is become mine and I am dedicated to be his in faith and obedience to God Father Son and Holy Ghost All which are clear grounds of Faith to be improved unto my encouragement in approach unto God Q. Are all that are baptized partakers of these priviledges A. All that are baptized enjoy these Priviledges Visibly and Sacramentally in the judgement of the Church by whose just censure they may be deprived of them but not Savingly and Sincerely for to some the inward Grace is withheld from Gods outward Ordinance according to Gods holy purpose And many not acting Faith to claim lose the Priviledges sealed Baptism is in its nature and efficacy the same to all but by reason of the incapacity of some it is not always a like effectual Q. What principles or practices are to be condemned as contrary to this use of Baptism A.
Many as 1. Such as dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of access to God teaching that Baptism is not the ground of Communion with the Church visible but real Grace the answer of a good conscience and thereon do tender all the Ordinances to the unbaptized which is directly opposite to this use of the Ordinance and inverts the Ordinance of the Gospel giving God cause to complain as once in Israel Ezek. 44.7 Ye have defiled my Sanctuary by admitting into my Sanctuary the unbaptized in flesh and in spirit Q. Who are further to be condemned as contrary to this consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as disown their Baptism in drawing nigh to God as do some Familists who deny all outward Ordinances and pretend to serve God altogether in Spirit as if divided man could draw nigh to God or the Lord would not be adored by the body he hath redeemed or true Grace could admit a contempt of any divine Ordinance Or the Anaebaptists who are so irrational as to renounce their Baptism because received in Infancy as if a corruption in circumstance if this were one had destroyed the essence of the Ordinance but indeed they do it out of ignorance or obstinacy deâ—ming Gods Institution Superstition and so run into the sin of Sacriledge Q. Is the denial of Infants Baptism the sin of Sacriledge A. Whilst it robs God of the children to him begotten the Church of Members to her born believing Parents of a ground of Faith and reason of hope and the Infants of their undoubted Interest in the Covenant I cannot but deem it sacriledg Q. Who else are to be blamed as repugnant to this consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as disregard Baptism in its application to others as do Parents who pass over their childrens Baptism as a Civil Complement and meer Formality to please Friends but never compose themselves to it as an act of Religion and Ordinance of God pray not for a blessing on it nor praise God for the blessing of it nor instruct their baptized children in the benefit and use of it and people who attend with some shew of reverence on other Ordinances but rudely rush out of the Congregation when Baptism is administred as if it were some idle action and as if the sanctifying of a soul to God the sealing of the Covenant and admission of a Member into the Church were of no use to them nor worth their attendance Q. Who else are to be blamed as contrary to the nature of Bapiism A. Such as disesteem their own Baptism neither improving it against sin nor arguing to themselves the duty or dignity of their Baptism so as to make Baptism an Engagement against sin to holiness and encouragement of their Spirits in holy duties Q. Who also are to be blamed as contrary to the consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as deny the Baptized the liberty of access to God in the Assemblies of his people as do the Independents who gather Churches out of Churches rightly constituted and call the Baptized into Church way as if they were out and prescribe a Covenant of their own whereby to admit Church members affect to distinguish themselves from others Baptized by the term of Saints Brethren Church and the like and deny to communicate with them as if Baptism did not incorporate into Christ his Body and prepare for communion with him in his Ordinances Q. To what course of life doth your Baptism bind you A. To depart from all iniquity to devote my self wholly to the Faith and Service of one God Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom I am dedicated and all my days to demean my self as a member of Christ his Church one in Covenant with God on whom holiness is stamped and that is sanctified for approaches to him Q. You spake of some benefit you reaped by your being Baptized in Infancy Is the early enjoyment of this Ordinance of any advantage A. Yes veâ—y much in many things to be preferred before Baptism of grown persons wherein it is more profitable Q. What is the first benefit of Infant Baptism A. Infant Baptism expresseth clearly the sin of nature and engageth against it in that we are washed it is evident we are unclean but being so soon baptized doth witness our very nature is defiled for infancy did never admit us to be stained with personal guilt as are men at years and so Infant Baptism is an unanswerable argument of our inbred corruption against which we are bound to fight being baptized before it had spread it self into actual sin Q. What is the second benefit of Infant Baptism A. It explaineth the method and order of transmitting the Covenant and affecteth us with the benefit of Relation to a believing Parent That we are baptized speaks us in Covenant but that we are so soon baptized before we have in our selves any qualification for it shews us as branches we partake of the fatness of the olive and are of the same kinde with our Parents God hath graciously become the God of the Believer and his Seed and made grace to run through natures channel otherwise we had never enjoyed this Priviledge Q. What is a third benefit of Infant Baptism A. It enlargeth the bounds and establisheth the being of the Church Baptism is the band of union and Ordinance of ingrafting into the Church But Infant Baptism doth scatter the holy seed and send forth sprouting branches which succeeding into the room of old perishing stocks doth not only increase the number of the Churches Members but defend it from the wasting annihilating breaches of time Q. What is the fourth benefit of Baptism A. It exciteth Repentance representing sin in its Root and Original the pravity of nature and its gracious object the God of our Fathers and the God of our youth against whom we have offended Q. What is the fifth benefit of Infant Baptism A. It enforceth Faith not only in the sealing but also the extending of the Covenant to the seed of Believers a ground of Parental Prayer for Posterity and an early seizure of our souls before Satan could possess us or our own corrupt nature could betray us unto him Q. What is the sixth benefit of Infant Baptism A. It engageth duty Parents to Christian education and instruction of those who by their Authority are dedicated to the service of the true God children to the obedience of the God of their Father and of their youth who extended to them the Covenant and so soon set the seal of it in their flesh Q. What is the seventh benefit of Infant Baptism A. It encourageth under death the knowledge of the Covenant extended unto Believers and their seed hath prepared young children unto Martyrdom and interest in the Covenant can be the only ground of hope to the Parents under the death of their Infants who are born the children of wrath but by Baptism are put into the ark of salvation such as let go this must
to be admitted to the uncircumcised among the Jews nor unbaptized among Christians this unto me seems to be the drawing nigh intended in the Text and is that I intend in the Doctrine viz That the Leviticall Rites being abolished and the way of access to God is now by Gospell Ordinances they that will use them must begin at Baptisme and first have their bodies washed with pure Water and be thereby made members of the body or Church of Christ and be consecrated unto God without which such as have the charge of Gods Holy things must keep them from intermedling with them Confidence is the adjunct quality of this act of approach to God and stands opposite unâ—o the tremblings and despondency of the uncircumcised Gentiles who could expect no other but rejection and displeasure in their approach to God for that they were aliens and strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel without God and without hope in the world Eph. 2.11 12. Positively forbidden approach to God and the use of his Holy thing Ezek. 44.9 And to the terrors of the circumcised Jewes who though admitted into Gods presence were yet kept at a distance and might not enter the Holy of Holies in their own Persons but by their High Priest but now such was the priviledges of Believers and the advantage of Baptisme that the Baptized might not onely enter the sanctuary whence the uncircumcised were excluded but also the Holy of Holies not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens so that they who by Baptism have their body washed in the outward sign and their hearts sprinkled from an evill Conscience the inward Grace of this Ordinance are required to shake off all feares and doubts and to encourage themselves to the enjoyment of all Ordinances and discharges of all duties whereby they may walke with God and hold communion with him for that they are the persons so qualified as that the Church must not onely admit them to outward acts of Worship but also a liberty of inward adoration by the nearest approach they can possibly make to God is their priviledge to them is given full assurance of ready acceptance for the way is open to the Holiest the Vale is rent the High Priest gone before and the liberty left Common to all such though none but such as having their hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and their bodies washed with pure water do draw nigh to the same both these are necessary qualifications for an approach to God without an heart sprinkled must needs be diffident and full of doubts and without a body washed dreadfull and full of horrour The Text and doctrine you have had explained and you see the point of doctrine plainely asserting That Baptisme or the body washed with pure water is the especial qualification that must fit us for an approach to God The next thing to be done is to prove the doctrine and it is in it selfe a truth so plaine that none that understand any thing of the method of Gospell worship and the necessitie of outward acts and bodie qualifications in approaches to an holy God but do subscribe unto the truth of it indeed the late spiritual Chymists who have by our late overlarge liberty of conscience I mean sinful toleration had the boldness to blaspheme all Gods holy Ordinances and under a pretence of spirituality to nullifie all outward acts of worship â—nd qualifications to duty have denied it and the late Intruder into this place hath openly decried the necessity of this qualification in access to God offering the liberty of Church Communion and the priviledges of the Covenant to such as never passed under water Baptisme as if the order of the Gospell were now inverted and Gods Ordinances not capable of profanation or the answer of a good conscience reall grace were obvious to every eye that hath the charge of holy things and is a Steward of the Misteries of Salvation I shall therefore briefly enforce this plain and Generally acknowledged truth with these commonly known observations as the reasons thereof Reas 1. Baptisme prepared the way of the Messiah or Christ his appearance in and approach to the Church the qualification that fits the Church for Christ his approah to her fits the Church for approach to Christ or God for these are reciprocall the one goes not without a return of the other and the same qualification must be in both for that holy Majesty is present Holinesse is in the Assembly of the Saints when God comes to his people as well as in Heaven where his People come to him and all that will walk in this consuming fire and meet this Messiah and be made fit to enjoy him must not onely have the heart sprinkled but also the body washed with pure water Baptisme is the Sanctification of the People directed to prepare them for Gods appearence in Mount Sion the voice of the Grand Herald crying in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths strait Mat. 3. Repent and be Baptised The Mace of Majesty borne by the Messenger of the Messiah to strike awe in and require subjection from the expectants of his coming was the Baptisme of amendment of life The levelling Engine that pulled down and made plain all mountainy and proud hearts that withstood the coming of Christ in his first appearance was Baptisme insomuch that the Scribes and Pharisees who rejected the counsell of God against themselves not being Baptized are all along branded as enemies who would not have Christ reign over them in a word the promised and prophesied Elias who was to come before the Lord to prepare his way is from his preparative work which is plainly declared to have been Preaching and Baptizing denominated John the Baptist and the way of the Lord thus prepared is proclaimed as a ground of Confidence to the Church Isa 40.3.9.11 So that if the way of the Messiah his appearance must be the way of the Churches approach to him as it is evident it must in that Baptisme did not onely precede but also followes his appearance for John the Baptist did not onely prepare for his coming but ever since his ascension his Ministers do go teach and Baptize into the name of Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Baptisme hath ever been the Discipling forme method of matriculation in his Schoole and incorporation into his body and solemne consecration unto communion with him of all such as were afarre off but are now made nigh even the people of the living God their Baptisme is the qualification that fits for a confident approach to God without which we cannot be assured of acceptance Reas 2. Baptisme prepared Jesus Christ unto the work of Mediatorship The way of access to God is the same for the people as Priest for the Head as Members for the Church as for Christ the Mediatour as Man must manifest himselfe Holy in all things not onely in an immunity from all positive acts of sin
but also a positive performance of all duty he becomes in all things obedient unto the Father lives in Communion with the Church and is conforme to all holy Ordinances proclaiming himselfe a Member of the Church before he propose himselfe a Mediator for or to the Church he is Baptized because it thus became him to fulfill all Righteousness by his subjection to Ordinances and thereby suiting himselfe for his worke he doth not only shew but sanctifie them to be the way of access to the Father for he as our High Priest hath left open the same way of approach and as the Captain hath marched in the same steps of salvation in which we are to follow him and we shall find him Baptized and so immediately entring on the exercise of his Mediatorship when and not till then he was Baptized he is solemnly inaugurated into his office coming out of the water the Spirit came visibly on him and the voice was heard This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him We never read of his praying preaching and combate with the Divel till he was Baptized and no sooner was he Baptized but as consecrated to God he Prayed Luk. 3.21 as confirmed to the Combate he was led immediately into the wildernesse to be tempted Mar. 1 12. And as one now completely fitted to transact the business of mans salvation he preached the Kingdom of God Mat. 4. By all which the Mediator doth plainly dictate That acts of holinesse must move in order beginning at Baptism and that Baptism doth fit men to prayer for temptation and all publick acts of Religion and if any will in confidence of acceptance follow the Mediator they must have their body first washed with pure water and be by Baptisme thereunto prepared Reas 3. Circumcision was the qualification of confident aproach to God under the old Covenant And therefore Baptism having succeeded into the place standing in the stead serving to the end for which Circumcision served must be so under the new Covenant The administration of the Covenant may be altered but the Covenant it self abides substancially the same to the Church of God both in the Old and New Testament Sacraments are permanent and inseparable adjuncts to the Covenant as grounds of Faith and however the different administration may cause a change in the Rite and outward Ceremony in the matter applyed or form of application yet is there no change in their use and signification but what was of old signified by the Seals of the Covenant the same is now signified by such as have succeeded into their place thus the Lords Supper supplyeth the room of the Passeover and Baptism the room of Circumcision so that whatever Circumcision did confer on its subjects the same priviledges are by Baptism conferred on its subjects And Circumcision was to the Jews the door of admission into the Church the Ceremony of Consecration to such as approach to the Lord and the Character of distinction on the people of the living God and so the qualification that was unto them the ground of confidence in approach to God hence Circumcision and Vncircumcision are the distinguishing terms between the Jewes the only people related unto God and the Gentiles that were afar off without God and without hope in the world Rom. 2.26 Eph. 2.11 12. and the approach of the uncircumcised unto the Sanctuary of God is declared to be a polluting and profaning of Gods Sanctuary Ezek. 44 7 9. therefore such are forbidden the least approach to God they may not enter the Sanctuary nor observe the Lords Passeover Exod. 12.48 Nay the uncircumcised must be cut off from the Lord people Gen. 17.14 And if a stranger will come nigh to God and have a place in his Sanctuary he must first lay hold on the Covenant of God and be Circumcised so that by Circumcision Jews were acknowledged and Gentiles proselyted members of the Church entituled to the Covenant and entrusted with the liberty of accesse to God in his Sanctuary That Baptism is the Ordidinance under the New Testament answering unto Circumcision in the Old can any that observe the order of Gospel the cessation of Circumcision the regular succession of Baptism into its place believe some initial Seal essential to Gospel administration and see none established if Baptisme be excluded and find Baptism in all things fully significant of what was signified by Circumcision deny that Baptism is succeeded into the room serves to the end that Circumcision did and so confers the same priviledge of confidence and is Essentially necessary to such as approach to God in acts of worship Unto such I would in short say Dâ—d Circumcision incorporate into the Church are we not all Baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 did Circumcision put the name of God on any do not as many as are Baptized put on Jesus Christ Gal. 3.27 Was Circumcision a sign of Regeneration called the Circumcision of the heart Are not the Baptized buryed with Christ in baptism Doth not the Apostle in this very respect note the agreement of these two distinct but not different Seals Col. 2.11 12 Did not Circumcision seal the Covenant of Grace I will be your God is it not therefore called the Seal of the righteousness by Faith Rom 4 11 Is not the propriety to the promise of Grace Remission and Salvation the very ground entituling and encouraging to Baptisme as the Seal thereof Act. 2.38 39 And is not this agreement sufficient to demonstrate that Baptism is now what Circumcision was of old to the Church What if in some things these two Seals do differ is the difference so essential as to deny the succession of the one to the other It is true the one was by blood the other by water the one is to male and femal both sexes the other to males only the one limitted to the eighth day the other left at liberty but do these or the like hinder either the one or other from being ordinances of Incorporation to the Church Consecration to God or Confirmation to our confidence in drawing nigh to God Will not the differences be found as many and great between the Passeover and the Lords Supper yet the succession of the one to the other will not be denyed Circumstantial differences do shew they are not the same in substance and matter but they must be essential disagreements that shall deny a succession unto the same use and end And if Baptism be not the Ordinance that supplyeth the room of Circumcision what doth How is it called when and where was it institâ—ted and who were ever consecrated by it so as to have the boldness of accesse to God Or is the Church defective under the New Testament as to an initiating Seal so that the holy things of God lie common no visible badge of holinesse is now to describe them that may with freedome use them Most rude and ridiculous is that objected bar to this
succession that some Antipaedo baptists have urged and talked of among you viz. Circumcision was a National priviledg and only sealed the promise of Canaan to the children of Israel If so how then came it to be used before Israel was a Nation and how came it to be used after the land was possessed and the promise accomplished Why doth Moses mention the Covenant of Grace I will be your God as the ground and reason of Circumcision To what doth the Circumcision of heart so frequently mentioned in Scripture allude it is often joyned with the Circumcision of flesh What was the benefit of Circumcision to the proselyted Gentiles We never read that by the virtue of it they demanded or the Jews divided to them any portion of the Land of Canaan And it will be an hard matter to make me believe it did to them Seal a Blank for that I find it in Scripture called A laying hold on the Covenant of God and the Uncircumcision are declared strangers to the Covenant and without God and without hope in the world Why doth the Apostle define Circumcision to be the Seal of the righteousnesse of Faith I find this phrase to denominate the Covenant of Grace and its Spiritual priviledges but that it ever denominated Canaan or any National priviledges I am yet to be informed And the limitation of it unto the personal faith of Abraham is so inconsistent to the scope of the Text absurde in it self and smells so much of Popish Bellarmine that I cannot but avoid I had almost said abhor it But lastly I would Quaery whether the adversaries of Circumcision sealing the Covenant of Grace did ever yet observe adjuncts separable from a Covenant to bear the name of a Covenant or did ever yet discern that the Land of Canaan was an appendant on the Covenant but not of the essence of the Covenant which if they well study I doubt not but they will correct their ignorance and the errors thence arising and so with us conclude That Circumcision sealed Spiritual priviledges to the Jews as Baptism doth to Christians and Baptism succeeding to its use and ends must have the same subjects and is now the special ground of confident approach to God Reas 4. The nature and order of Baptism doth dispose unto a confident approach to God Baptism is a Seal and the first Seal to the Covenant of Grace and Salvation and so is a ground of Faith and an encouragement in accesse to God But in the Nature of Baptism three things do dispose unto confidence in approach to the Lord 1. It is an Ordinance of Conjunction to the Church 2. Consecration to God 3. Confoederation with God And every one of these are Reasons of boldnesse in Access and assurance of Acceptance 1. Baptism is an Ordinance of coojuuction to the Church The Church is Christs Body and every individual Christian is the members thereof united by Baptism as by Nerves and Sinews None but the Church may come nigh unto God in Zion every one must appear before God Christ is only conversant with his Spouse if the Gentiles will draw nigh to the God of Jacob they must joyn themselves to Israel the people of the Lord and all believers that will come nigh to God must be added to the Church all the promises of God are made to the Church and all the administrations of the Covenant are in and to the Church Ex Ecclesia nulla Salus out of the Church no Salvation They that will come nigh to God as his children must be the daughters of Sion of the houshold of Faith and Commonwealth of Israel To be cast out of the Church is to be debarred all priviledges of grace delivered over to Satan for that relation to the Church is the only reason of every individual believers claim of promises and priviledges ground of confidence in all worship unto God and this relation is conferred by Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Greeks bond or free Baptism is the only badg of distinction to the Lords people the very door of admission into the houshold of Faith the very method of matriculation to Christ his Disciples and manner of adding to the Church such as shall be saved Act. 2.41 In a word Baptism is the band of union to all Gods servants binding them to a constant adherencie to his Name and joynt attendance on his Worship and is the bar of division from all others that are yet strangers to the Covenant so as that until baptized they may not communicate of the holy things of God with the Church nor come nigh with them to the Lord. In the Primitive times of the Church the Catechumenists who were preparing for Baptism not having been yet Baptized were sent from Church Communion and holy priviledges with the profane and paenitentiaries by the cry of Sacra Sacris holy things for holy men but when by Baptisme they were incorporated into the Church then they continued in prayer breaking of bread and every act of Worship to God with confidence so that till the Church appear our mother we see no warrant to call God Father his children are no vagrants in the high way and hedges and when begotten by uncorruptible seed of the Word were by Baptisme placed in the lap and laid to the brests of the Church then as her children we claim all the Priviledges of the Covenant and come to the throne of Grace with confidence nor may any without a forfeiture of Baptisme be judicially exacted by the Church deny our relation and liberty of accesse to God I never yet could conceive any warrantable reason to deny the liberty of accesse to the Lords table to such Baptized soules whose horrid profaneness and obstinate spirits did not make them obnoxious to the censures of the Church in order to their excommunications and dismembring from the body and certainly Circumcision did not more firmly incorporate unto the Church under the Law and conferre a liberty of approach unto the Sanctuary then Baptisme doth under the Gospell 2. Baptisme is an Ordinance of Consecration unto God God is a God of Holiness and will be sanctified in such as come unto him none may appear before him in their prophanenesse the Masse of Mankind is so prophaned with sin that men in common may not appear before God such as shall adore him must be adorned for him and if they will hold communion with him they must be consecrated to him God never comes nigh to Israel but he first calls to have the people Sanctified nor comes the Messiah before his Messenger had prepared his way Israel the onely Nation that holds communion with and comes to God are called an holy Nation because conâ—ecrated by Circumcision hence Circumcision is the terme and title of a Sanctified people but uncircumcision the title and terme that denominates the prophanations that might not come nigh to God It is Gods command
contempt and profane negleâ—t thereof that is not a little abounded to our shame and with grief of heart be it spoken in the midst of us were men but rightly affected with the nature of Baptisme they would see in it beauty and of it a great necessity Was not washing of the flesh necessary and the holy Garment glorious in Israel because they fitted for approach to God and entrance into the holy place if men were but really convinced that the body washed with pure water was a ground of assurance because a qualification of access to God that Bâ—ptisme is the onely band of union and doore of admission into the Church the formall consecration to the service of the living God what an esteem of Baptisme must needs possesse their hearts and make them not content without but carefull to pursue it as seeing into Gods presence there is no approach to such as are not sanctified by the washing of water through the Word but a pressing unto Gods Ordinances not thus prepared must be a presumption no less then damnable nay how would the sence of Baptisme affect the heart with joy whilst thereby we are made Members of Gods Church an higher priviledg then the Coronation of a King C. and made fit for the worship of an holy God the ground of all alacrity and boldnesse in the use of his Ordinances How must such a soule say what a happy condition am I now in who through Grace have my body washed with pure water and joyned to the houshold of faith and sanctified for the service of that consuming fire and Holy God whom to approach unto it 's the greatest happinesse man can enjoy whilst others are a far off debarred the Holy things of Grace and dare not intermeddle with the Holy things of God nor draw nigh unto his Holy place I come with freedome into his Sanctuary and claim the liberty and priviledges thereof by virtue of Baptism that Covenant of God which is upon my flesh in this therefore I will rejoyce before the Lord. Nay the sense of Baptisme as a qualification for accesse to God would set our hearts into a reverent use and dreadfull attendance on the administration of it to others whilest the Element is weak and simple its use and end must make it glorious and powerful whilst common washing is contemptible a bathing the flesh at the door of the Tabernacle in order to an entrance into the Holy place and appearance before God is dreadful â—â—â—â—â—gh Wax and parchment aâ—â— poor and viile base and common Commodities most Shops afford Commodities much higher prized yet these conjoyned by the hand of Majesty to make a Patent Deed or Magna Charta to secure some Grant priviledge or great revenue is of much more worth and value and received with more reverence and esteem if we look on water we see it is an Element as low as common as meâ—n in our esteem as ordinary in menâ— use and this is ready to raise in our hearts contemptible thoughts and make us say what a beggerly Element and base Administration is this What profit can be in the Application of an handfull of water But when we shall consider that water is applyed by vertue of Gods Command as a most sacred Ordinance to signifie the blood of Christ whereby we are cleansed from all sin to seale unto us the Covenant of Grace and all its priviledges of Salvation to set us in union with the Church to the enjoyment of all Gospel Ordinances and Sanctifie us as a peculiar people that may and must draw nigh to God in assurance of faith what lustre doth there appear in the Ordinance what reverence doth then raise our Spirits what high and honourable regard doe we then see we ow unto this common and contemptible act of Baptisme oh what prayers for efficacy what prayses for enjoyment what pleasure in administration must the consecrating qualifying and soule-encouraging assuring nature of Baptisme effect in all such as are seriously affected with Gods Holiness and the order of approach to him unto all such Baptisme is no carnall beggarly and unprofitable Element but a Glorious Spirituall Evangelicall Administration of exceeding dignity no Church complement and matter of indifferency that may or may not be used without any damage but a compleat duty by reason of Divine command and its own due nature disposing man into such a devout relation to God and so of indispensable necessity Vse 2. Is of reproofe justly to blame that disesteeme and disregard of Baptisme that is to be found among us our age of liberty hath set us so loose to Gospell Ordinances that many can be not onely content wiâ—hout them but also readily run into the contempt of them how few in the midst of us understand the nature and seek the use of Baptisme as a ground of â—aith and Ordinance of Consecration and so of confident access to God mens principles and practise doth proclaim their palpable ignorance of such priviledges possessed by the body washed with puâ—e water How many to our shame and with griefe be it spoken do use Baptisme as a meere Church complement and convenient Ceâ—emony to the content of their wives kinsfolke friends or neighbours bring their children to be Baptised without any awe of an Ordinance of God upon their spirit or apprehension of advantage to be by Baptisme conferred or design and intention of solemne dedication of their children to God and his service and so to have Gods name and Covenant stamped upon their flesh and them fiâ—ted for accesse to God in the Assemblies of his people and hence it is that they are at cost and care for the civilities that attend the Baptisme of their children but as for the Solemne praises of God for the blessing of the Covenant prayers for a blessing on an Ordinaâ—ce and carefull instruction of their Baptized children in the consecrating nature of Baptisme the boldnesse it creates and the duty of access to God it imposeth these come not into his thoughts cost him no care or pains his friends gone and work done he thinks himselfe well rid of a piece of trouble and pursues that dayes enjoyments to no more advantage nay how many sit so luke-warme in minds and affections to Baptisme that they think it to be a meer Ceremony and matter of indifferency if their body be washed they are content but they know no good it hath done them and if it be not washed they are as well pleased they see no losse they undergoe by the want of it and they can accompany with the Baptized or unbaptized in the Assemblies of Gods people and Administrations of Grace they matter not an outward Ceremony but look after the inward and hidden Man of the heart true and reall Grace without any outward Ordinance shall be the ground of their communion but say Circumcision or Uncircumcision avails not to them must it not be concluded that these men yet need to be
informed in the first rudiments of the Doctrine of God even the Doctrine of Baptismes and to be convinced that the body washed with pure water is the qualification prescribed by a glorious God to consecrate such as with confidence approach before him and so the contempt of it must needs be prophane and dangerous nay too many in the midst of us open their black mouths and give their blasphemous tongues the liberty of decrying and vilifying this Holy Ordinance envying against it as a carnal base beggarly Element an Excrementious Ordinance and Antichristian Idol and piece of abomination so horribly profane and impudent do impostors grow by liberty that they will outface God and speak blasphemously of Divine institution and the appointed order of accesse to God in the assemblies of his people Nay what shall we say to the rude recession of people from the application of Baptism to others or their irreverent attendance on it as if it concerned not them or were no part of Gods worship and of those eminent pretenders unto Saintship who disown the relation of men Baptized to God and themselves as the people of God standing at a distance from the consecrated to the Lords service as if profane and altogether strangers to the Covenant and many other profane carriages that are insuitable to so holy an Ordinance But Generalia non pungunt not to confine my self to Generals which will hardly reach the heart and consciences Give me leave to take notice of those principles and practises that are inconsistent with this holy use and nature of Baptisme and do indeed profanely militate against this doctrine that teacheth you That Baptism or the body washed with pure water is the especial qualification of confidence in approach to God in the assemblies of his people and I shall Rank them into this order and make them known by these names They are such who 1. Dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of accesse to God 2. Disown and decline their Baptism in their approaches to God 3. Disregard Baptism administred to others 4. Disesteeme the priviledges conferred by Baptism 5. Declare not to theirs Baptized the dignity and duty of Baptism 6. Deny the Baptized the liberty of accesse to God in the assemblies of his people and use of his Ordinances Unto each of these this Doctrine doth speak Reproof and Blame as we shall note in the particular consideration of them And First If the washing of the body with pure water or Baptism be the especial qualification of confident approach to God in the assemblies of his people then Generally are they too blame who do Dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of accesse to God Many in this Remisse age of ours can make Baptism a matter of no moment in their Communion they can hold Communion with baptized or unbaptised and cry out Circumcision or uncircumcision is to them nothing as if this Ordinance of Baptism were rendred indifferent as the nullified Ordinance of Circumcision And they themselves complain of rigor and severity in such as impose Baptism as the ground of Communion in the Church and decline the administration of holy things to the unbaptized these call for inward grace the answer of a good conscience Real love to Jesus Christ and then they care not whether they ever passe under the outward Ordinance or be Baptized And herein the Lukewarmnesse of private men is not so much to be blamed for that the leaders of the people cause them to erre some that stand in the midst of you as guides and professe themselves Ministers of Jesus Christ and teachers of the truth have not been affâ—aid if I may not say ashamed positively to affirm and in this Pulpit plainly to teach as the very mind of God Tha Baptism is not the ground of Church Communion but real Grace the answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and therefore did offer and affirm That although a man were altogether ignorant of the Doctrine of Baptism and had never passed under that outward Ordinance yet he could own him as a member of the Church hold Communion with him and admit him to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ and much to this purpose which stands in a direct contradiction to this truth and declared use of Baptism For if it be the qualification of accesse to God the door of admission into the assemblies of Gods people and way of consecration unto Communion in the holy things of God must it not needs be profanenesse to administer the holy things of God to such as are not thus qualified and presumption to invite such unto the participation of them But a little to expostulate with the asserters of this Baptism-subverting notion Will God be worshipped by outward Ordinaces and must these Ordinances be enjoyed in order some preparing for participation to others Is Baptism the first Ordinance of the Gospel Initiating Seal of the Covenant Door of admission into the Church and method of Matriculation into the houshold of Faith and way of consecration unto Communion with God and his people Is it not reckoned among the first principles of the Word of God to be learned by all Disciples entred into Christ's School And if so must it not be horrid profaneness to decry the knowledge of Baptism and its Doctrine To expose communion with God and his people to common hands never sanctified and by body washing separated from the heap of mankind on whom Baptism never stamped holinesse and grosse impiety to fling open the door of Gods house that dogs and swine may enter at pleasure there being no baptismal badge of distinction between them and the children of God Is it not great prodigality to offer the priviledges of the Covenant to every hand not having any Sealed interest whereon to claim Is it not grievous presumption to decline the directed order of the Gospel and dispence the holy things of God in a way and method contrary to that whereby Christ and his Apostles either injoyned or administred them Must not this needs be Superstition Will-worship a laying waste Divine directions and running from the Rule of Scripture and due method of holy things Must not God in his Jealousie needs arise and say to such Ministers as to the keepers of the Sanctuary Ezâ—k 44.7 You have enough of all abominations seeing ye have brought into my house the unbaptized in flâ—sh and in spirit To what end do these men Baptize any or urge any to be Baptized In this assertion Baptisme is proclaimed a matter of indifferency nay a meer nullity an action of no advantage administred to no end for if it confer not outward Priviledges it will never conveigh inward Grace And thus the institutions of the Lord Jesus stands charged with folly and vanity and the Ordinances of the Gospel are made Complements and bootlesse Ceremonies but rather the Spirit of seduction is evidenced to be prophane notoriously wicked willingly withstanding Divine order and in
acts of Adoration the holy service that is assigned by their Lord and King much lâ—sse sh uld such Apostatize from the Profession of that Nâ—me and run into open Rebellion against him with whom they stand confederated bound in Covenant Can any think Baptisme to be the bond of union and nerve of incorporation with the Church of Christ and not Sympatâ—ize with her under all the changes of her condition much lesse câ—n such make Schisms in or separation from her body and forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is Much is the advantage Baptism once received may administer to a fâ—ul all his dayes if by raâ—ionalâ— acts of faith it were improved either as a moral instrument or outward sign exhibâ—ting matter of meditation or as a Divine Ordinance and Seal of the râ—ghteousnesse by Faith established to assure of the promises of Grace and Salvatâ—on And yet to our shame be it spoken how little thereof is reaped by regardlesse we Baptism is a memorial of our misery and Gods mercy a manifest expression of that natural uncleannesse which sets us at a distance from God and eminent act of sanctifying unto an accesse to God and yet how many make no use of it nor find matter of meditation by it God hath appointed it an instrument of Regeneration and Salvation how few find these effects produced by it nay improve it thereunto It is that Seal that assures of interest in all the promises of Grace yet when do men propound it to themselves as a ground of Faith or plead it in prayer How many live in such profanenesse that the Church may charge them to have forgotten that they were purged from their old sin and God may complain that they have broken their Baptismal Oath yet Baptism is to them a mean and weak argument of conviction Wâ—en I consider the dulnesse of profane Christians under the enfoâ—cements of their Baptism even ministerially urged I could wish according the sometime custome used in the Primitive times of the Church when men are Baptized they might leave behind them a white garment as a witnesse of their Baptism that so we might upbraid wicked men as the Deacon of the Church did Elpidâ—phorus when revolted from the Faith saying O Elpidophorus I will keâ—p this white garm nt as a monument agaiâ—st thee to all Eternity When I consider the Scripture aggravating guilt with this circumstance they have forgotten that they were purged it dictates to my mind that the condemnation of Christians will be more grievous because of their Baptism If this water quench not Lust it will make Wrath burn more vehemently Though I cannot consent to the Novatians cruel and groundlesse conclusion That sin after Bap ism is unpardonable I dare affirm That every sin not resistâ—d by Bâ—ptism will be more then ordinarâ— y damnable to the Bap ized What an answer to every temptation unto sin is the soul furnished withal that is appreâ—ensive that in Baptism he did renou ce the flesh the world and the divel and devote himself to a conformity to the death of Christ and stands dedâ—cated to â—n holy God in whose presence â—e may not presume defiled with sin This Argument if â—mproved by a Rational act of Faith is of more advantage because it is plaine and common ready at hand to reflâ—ct and easie to be understood and obvious to the eye of men without and within the Church by which we are lyable to be upbraided by the very enemies of Christ That we are Baptized the whole Church will witnesse and shall not we have rec urse unto our Baptism as a bâ—r to our profanenesse Shall Circumcised Israel live in the vilenesse and vanitâ— of the uncircumcised Gentiles And hath God made Baptism a badg of distâ—nction between the holy and prophane and shâ—ll we not make it a bar of divi on between their unclean Lusts and our holy Lives to live without mortification of sin and quickning to all holy duties do h clearly declare we have never yet understood the nâ—ture of Baptism nor used it to its end As this Deadnesse in sin so the Despoâ—denâ—y of the Spirit in Duty to which even the best of men are subject doth witness a disesteem and disreâ—ard of their Baptâ—sm of which they can sometime boast though in it they cannot rejoyce A rigâ—t apprehension and real sense of Baptisme as the qualification of confident approâ—ch to God would dissolve many doubts if but duely urged by Faith Ordinances of God are given for our encouragements but rational acts of Faith must pass from us to enforce them to their end What is said of the Word is true of Baptism it profits not becaâ—â—e not mingled with Faith in them that hear it many a sâ—d soul comes tremblingly inâ—o Gods presence and goes more troubled out and the reason is they do not righty husband Gods Ordinances to the soul they passe from Oâ—dinance to Ordinance but never consider tâ—e one entitles to and fits for the enjoyment of another They suck no sweetnesse fâ—om all Sacred administrations sometimes they abstain from and ofteâ—times approach to God in his Ordinances and the discharge of holy duties as afraid they have no right to nor fitnesse for these priviledges yet are sanctified by the wâ—shing of water they complain they see no interest in the Covenant and yet the Seal of the Covenant is in their flesh they cry out they are aliens and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel and yet are Baptizâ—d into one body aâ—d incorporated into the Congregation of the Saints they dare not caâ—l God Father yet were châ—ldren begotten unto him bear his marke and as soon as born were by him owned and plâ—ced in the bosome of his Church and do wear the coat he prepared for his Josâ—ph They see many good things promised in the Covenant but know not how to clâ—im any of them in Prayer and they have the Broad-Sâ—al of heâ—ven to secure thâ—ir title Unto these souls let me freely say Shall God give you a ground of encouragement will you not use it Shall he call for an aâ—proach in full assurance for thâ—t the bâ—dy is washed with pure water and will you not yield it Dâ—d God mock you when he gave you the dignity of Baptisme or is it not your madness that makes it not a check to your g iefs and curb to your fears Shall your prâ—ctice proclâ—im the truth of that which the Papists hâ—ve endeavoured to châ—rge on the Reformed Chuâ—câ—es viz. That â—hey make Bâ—â—tism a nudum signum a bare empty sign of no use or advantage to the Soul Is Gods seal in vain and sanctification by the washâ—ng of water to no purpose and matriculation into his houshold a matter of no moment that thou makest them no ground of Faith nor encouragement to thy soul Was not Circumcision of great benefit to the Jewes d d not God claim them by it when gone astrâ—y from him and they
the Covenant that assureth them of the high priviledges of Salvation doe not only slight this holy Ordinance of Baptism but also sinfully transgress Gods command shew their natural affection to be diverted from its right channel cure for the chiefest good and set their children under an inevitable necessitie of sleighting the Ordinance starting aside from God to whom they know no relation We finde it our grief that our children are prophane when it is no other than the production of our own neglect We can easily complain of their impietie but where is the man that as soon as his child is sensible doth season him with the knowledge of his miserie by sin Gods mercy in the Covenant of Grace and his special engagement to holiness for that he beares on him the name of God from his very birth and that imprinted by his Baptisme when his body was washed with pure water The sixth and last sort whose principles and practise doe plainly millitate against the nature of Baptisme and cleerly doe contradict the same are such who deny the baptized the libertie of access to God in the assemblies of his people This I well know to relate unto the most eminent professors of Gospel order and pretenders unto pietie that are among us and therefore the most tender rebuke will seem to be railing violence and bitterness But be it what it will sin against Gods Ordinances must not pass without a zealous and serious reproof Such among us as affect the term of Congregational Brethren in the gathering of their Churches run into an extreme as farre wide on the one hand as the loose levelling Familists and Anabaptists are on the other These dictate a liberty of access to the unbaptized and those denie it to the baptized We must needs imagine they agree both in one principle that Baptisme is not the ground of communion with the Church visible nor qualification of access to God For if it be otherwise as we have noted it must be prophaneness to admit without it and they have need of good warrant that will acquit themselves from impietie in excluding the baptized from these priviledges That such are among us who debarre the baptized from their priviledges is so obvious to every observant eye of the now only cryed up Church way that I need not much urge demonstrations thereof I well know some whose practice proclaim it in their principles will disown it but it is the property of that congregating way to couch their principles until their practice have proved their truth and goodness and proclaimed them to others But if in the termes charged any shall deny this to be acted among us I shall desire to understand why they declare privatly and publiquely men baptized to be strangers to God and his Covenant why doe they decline communion with and a care of baptized soules as members of the Church and dictate a necessitie of their coming into Church-way and fellowship and why doe they direct other wayes for admission of Church members is there any terms more ordinarie in the mouthes of the congregated saints towards those whom they live amongst than doggs without unbeleevers not in a Church way Doe not the pastors â—f these private it may offend if I say separate assemblies in their publique ministrie speak unto their baptized hearers as aliens strangers to the Covenant and Common-wealth of Israel men in the High-wayes and Hedges Doe they not call them into their self congregated and constituted Churches as the only Churches of Jesus Christ Doe not the particular members of these assemblies appropriate to themselves the title of saints beleevers the people of God the brethren If they know or deale with a man professing the same God and Christ baptized and of a Godly conversation but not in their Church-way they cannot know him in any Christian relation but can oppose to him a member of their private aâ—â—sembly by the name of brother such an one as if the other were no brother Nay further do not they decline communion with the baptized even such whom they cannot charge with any visible prophanenesse and against whom the Church never proceeded in censure Hence they withdraw themselves from publique assemblies in their speciall administration of Church priviledges denominate themsâ—lves the Church and decline all Church actions towards such as come not into their Church-wayes though their Pastors will possesse the places and make a shift to compell the late cried down parochial maintenance yet of the people in common they take no charge Brethren will not own them as objects of first or second admonition Pastors will neither admit to the Lords table the unblameable parents nor baptize or catechize their Children nor exercise any act of discipline towards the disorderly in order to their conviction and salvation but in all things so demeane themselves towards the baptized as men without the pale of the Church meere heathen for Church ministrations are as much reserved from them as from such who never yet had holinesse stamped on them And if any doe incline to associate with them in the holy things of God they must bee admitted Members and enter at the door of a Church-Covenant or mutuall agreement among themselves and declaration of the worke of Grace upon their hearts and their experiences of God which these Congregational-men have set up If this dialect and deportment doe not declare that liberty of accesse to God in the assemblies of his people is denied to the baptized I know not how to judge it And how this will consist with the nature use and end of Baptisme I cannot discern If by the washing of water we were sanctified how were we prophaned and again laid common I never yet could understand any divine rejection I am sure it is much contrarie to Gods wonted method and patience to cast off a people adhering to him though subject to many aberrations and vile actions towards him and the extraordinarie pleasure of God is yet to be manifested And if God count us holy and continue the libertie of our access to him in his Ordinance they must produce a good commission that shall cast us out as prophane and unclean if they expect we should be therewithall contented If Baptisme doe incorporate into the Church of God doth it not intitle to all the priviledges of the Church and binde us to use them and the Church to allow us the use of them according to our capacitie If we are baptized into one bodie have we not the same relation to them that others have Are we not all of one familie members of one bodie and brethren sonnes of the same father Ought not all the Church to be the Pastors charge Is not the rebuke of the disorderly his duty as well as his encouragement of the orderly Doth not Baptisme so knit us one unto another that we are bound to watch over one another and doe all brotherly duties Why else doth the Apostle make it
nature of Baptisme Understand its end use and effects Labour we to know the holiness it stamps on any the priviledges it confers and how it confers them see the divine institution enforcing the duty of subjection to it and the dignitie received by it Ignorance is the Nurserie of Error and Guard of all Prophaneness All those Oâ—dinance degrading and vilifying notions that are conceived in mens mindes blasphemies belched out of their mouthes and contemptible carriage under and towards Baptisme and the baptized which we have before taxed are no other than the mists and filthie fogs of a blinde mind to be dispersed by a right apprehension of the holy nature thereof Ignorance is noted in Scripture as the ground of Isâ—aels impiety very often doth God complain they know not me and are a people who will not understand my people perish for lack of knowledge Knowledge is the propounded cure of all prophaneness and contempt of holy things it is the principle of Regeneration to be renewed in the spirit of the minde Our Saviour corrects the prophanation of the Temple by an it is written my house shall be called an house of prayer and dispels all rude traditions which made the Law of God of none effect by an exposition of the Law And the Apostle corrects the prophane use of the Lords Supper by explaining the nature form and use thereof telling them sometime this is not to eat the Lords Supper and other times pointing to the Ordinance by a The Cup of blessing which we bless is the Communion and an I received from the Lord what I delivered unto you The same is to be the cure of the prophaneness of every Ordinance of God viz. the understanding of its use and nature They that know not the benefit of a Denison of England or a Freeman of London must needs disesteem disregard and despise the priviledges thereof Is it any marvel to hear men speak and see men carry contemptibly towards a sealed parchment whose use and nature he doth not understand but such as know thereof the use and value will purchase them at a dear rate and prise them above many things simply and in themselves more considerable In a word I must say if men knew that Gods image and authority was set on Baptisme they would not dare to despise its simplicity and meanness If they understood it to be the dore of admission into the Church incorporation into Christs body and method of matriculation into the houshold of faith they could never scorn it or sit indifferent to it but must see as ever they will put on Christ Jesus and be united to his body they must be baptized nay further such as are sensibly affected with it as a seal of the Covenant of Grace and so ground of faith as a sacred qualification of approach to God without which we may not come nigh unto him and as the ordained Ark of Salvation wherby we stand separated from the world unto so great advantages he could not but set on it an high esteem rejoycing in his Baptisme blessing God for such distinguishing grace and thankfully improve the same to his encourâ—gâ—ment in and ingagement unto duty Let it therefore be your care with all diligence to studie the nature of the Ordinance and understand its use vertue and value that by ignorance you lose not its effects or be led into erronious notions luke-warm affections to and prophane expressions towards so holy and necessary an Ordinance The second exhortation is To act our conversation as sensible that the body washed with pure water must qualifie us with confidence in access to God Let your knowledge of the right use and nature of Baptisme appear in your lives and carriage under and towards so holy an Ordinance Take heed of prophaning holy things disesteeming high priviledges and contemning special grounds of faith and priviledges of grace and more particularly 1. Direct Admit not men into communion with the Church in other Ordinances and acts of worship that have not been baptized Let them enter at the right dore that receive Gods alms Call not them the Lords people who weare not the Lords livery communicate not the priviledges of the Saints with them who stand Aliens Strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel Let not them approach the presence of an holy God who were never sanctified by the washing of water by the word And in a word take heed of running into the abhomination of bringing into Gods Sanctuary the unbaptized in flesh Invert not Gods order and the Gospel method of approach to God These might have seemed needless exhortations heretofore but now doe not for that many in the midst of us doe not onely disown their own baptisme but bring up their Issue unbaptized And great is the present and greater will be the future danger of admitting to sit at the Lords table such as never were baptized I could heartily wish we could keep a Register of the unbaptized as we doe of the baptized However let the administrators of holy things make it their first enquiry Were you baptized and take heed they pollute not Gods Sanctuarie by admitting thereunto the men whose bodies were not washed with pure water Be not deceived with a pretence of reall grace for grace must needs be pretended where any of Gods Ordinances are despised and Christs prescribed order is neglected but if it were reall it is not the Churches guide who cannot know it Outward qualifications must be their direction and Gospel order in peoples approach to God is their charge and must be their care 2. Direct Attend with reverence and affection the administration of Baptisme unto others Turn not your backs on so holy an Ordinance and eminent action but consider it is an act of worship and Ordinance of God as well as preaching or prayer and our attendance on all acts of Religion is duty it is a solemn and sacred action separating persons unto God sanctifying them for God stamping upon men holiness to the Lord setting them as members of Church the body of Christ and solemnly dedicating them to the service of Father Sonne and holy Ghost And doth not this call for the attendance of all the Lords people Shall not the worth of union with Christs Church and consecration to God be witnessed to be of weight by the reverent attendance of the assemblie Are not all concerned in and to be edified by the Ordinance and shall they sleight it and turn back on it Consider the reproof of the guilt of such neglect let it quicken you to duty let your presence at and reverence in the administration of Baptisme bespeak your sense of its sacred nature and sanctifying use making a Church Ordinance privat by confining it to your houses or running from its administration in the publique place must needs be the result of low thâ—ughts Clandâ—stine Baptism is the cloud of Baptisme and the rude out-â—unning that Ordinance runs it into contâ—mpt be witnesses
of their incorporation with whom you must live in communion in Gods Ordinances 3. Direction Argue your Baptisme to your engagement to and encouragement in drawing nigh to God Your bodies are washed with pure water provoke your spirits to draw nigh in the assurance of faith Consider that by your baptisme you are singled out of the world and set in a capacity of Salvation You are placed in the Ark will you perish in the common deluge of mankinde You are sanctified unto God by the washing of water will you stand at a distance from God as strangers to him You are in the order of his own appointment suited for divine society will you live as without God without hope in the world You are the sealed sonnes and subjects of the covenant and will you pass away your time as Bankrupts that possess nothing You have put on Jesus Christ his livery will you not doe him homage with all cheerfull loyalty You are entred into the houshold of Faith and Church of God shall not their communion be to you comfortable Is not Baptisme a ground of faith and encouragement why are you then so dispondent in appearing before God Is it not your solemn Bond unto divine service why are you then so dull and backward unto duty Was your baptisme a meer complement that you doe not minde it or make use of it now it is past Is it not a moral instrument to be improved by meditation affording matter of counsel and comfort Nay is it not Gods Ordinance a ground of faith pledge of love badge of relation to be argued into the awe and encouragemâ—nt of our access to God Is not Baptisme an initiating seal assuring us of iâ—â—tiating graces hath it not planted us into the Olive that we might extract â—p and juyce to the bringing forth fruits of Righteousness In a word Baptisme is greatly advantagious to hope and holyness if but duly improved by acts of Faith We find no profit in it because we look for none from it If right assured be never claimed how shall it be possessed If sin-mortifying engines be never used sin must needs have dominion over the soul I would to God I couâ—d but perswade Châ—istians to sit down and seriously contemplate their Baptisme in order to their holyness and thus reflect it I am baptized Surely then I am under some more than ordinary engagement Thereby I was washed from my old sins shall I then live in them or so far forget my self as not to let vertue knowledge temperance brotherly kindness patience godliness all the graces of God to abound in me Is not Baptisme the dew of Heaven that waters the Garden of God Hath it been distilled on me and shall I be found idle and unfruitfull 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9. I have been baptized into the death of Christ buried with him in Baptisme planted into the similitude of his death that my old man might be crucified and the body of sin destroyed that I should not serve sinne but as he was raised up from the dead I should walk in newness of life and shall sin reign in my mortal body that I should obey the lusts thereof or shall I give my members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sinne Rom. 6. I have by Baptisme been consecrated unto God and shall I not come nigh him in duty I am incorporated into the Church ought I not then to be conversant in the assembly of the first born I have stricken Covenant with God will not my neglect of duty and course of impiety be charged on me as the breach of the oath of God All the promises of grace are to me sealed shall not I then cleanse my self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness In a word Baptisme is the seal of the Covenant set in my flesh and the causing me to see the evil of my wayes and doings and to be ashamed and forsake them the taking away the stony heart and giving an heart of flesh the putting Gods spirit within me that I may walk in his wayes are the promises of the Covenant why then doe not graceless I claim them and by prayer plead my Baptisme for the obtainment of them For he is faithfull that hath promised but will not perform until they be asked in faith And as our Baptisme is thus a moral argument of holiness to our selves it is the more helpfull hereunto because it answers all temptations unto sin When we are saluted with the pollutions that are in the world through lust we may answer we are washed in pure water and may not be again defiled The cogencie of custome must give place to the Covenant we have made in Baptisme The violent temptations of Satan recoile upon the returns of Bâ—ptisme I am baptâ—zâ—d silenceth all suggestions to sinne I am baptized into the Name of Fathâ—r Sonne and holy Ghâ—st is the only Spel to speak with reverence that charms the Devil For it imports thus much Shall the children of God coâ—verse with his enemies the confederates of God break his commands the separated out of the world be subject to the Prince of the world Oâ— doth malicious Satan think the sealed of the Lord shall be so much sleighted by their Lord as to be taken captive at his will Oh! play the man in a rational mâ—nagement of your Baptisme it will much advance your Christianity all your dayes As Baptisme is an help to holinesse so also to hope to be improved by due acts of Faith as it is an Ordinance of God for our encouragement in accesse to him many soules stand at a distance from divine Ordinances or draw nigh with much trembling which would be dispelled by due apprehensions of Baptisme Let such therefore consider that under the want of speciall they ought to rejoyce in generall expressions of Gods love and arguments of hope and immediate assurances of divine favour are not to bee expected whilest we have mediate Ordinances on which to act our Faith Our Hope must come into the Soule in the same way with holynesse by a morall improvement of Gods Grace in his Ordinances to us extended let therefore the desponding Christian that trembles to converse with Gods people to come nigh Gods table or claim any of Gods promises sit down and seriously discourse his Baptisme I am Baptized Was this an emptie Ordinance Shall my unbeleeving heart imagine any divine Institution to be emptie and in vain imposed No All the wayes of God are Truth hee never subjected Soules to any falacie nor can doe Why then art thou so sad Oh my Soule Trust still in God in him will I hope for he hath established a Covenant of peace extended to my Parents and through them to mee and set the Seale thereof Baptisme in my flesh and is not Baptism a pledg of his affection to mee a badge of my relation to him Why then doe I say he knowes mee not or I belong not to him Doe all
the Sons of Adam weare this liverie Is there a specialty in the application of water and hath it extended to mee shall I say I have received no favour peculiar to the Lords people and distinct from the mass of mankinde Nay I am by Baptism a matriculated Disciple in Christ his Schole an incorporated Member of the houshold of Faith Why then doe I feare to feede on childrens Bread and to use those priviledges that doe belong to the Citizens of the new-Jerusalem Why am I as an alien and stranger from the Commonwealth of Israel I have by Baptisme put on Jesus Christ and shall I feare to come before the Father is not hee his beloved Sonne in whom hee is well pleased Is not Baptisme a Seale of Gods Covenant Why then doe I not claime the promises What though I see not Gods privie Seale the Spirit of adoption is the broad seal of the Covenant of no force and value doth it in vain bear on it divine authority why then iâ— it called thâ— Aâ—k of Salvation why hath God said he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Shall I lose my Salvation for not joyning faith to my baptisme What though I finde many rude Christians and pâ—ophane persons in the Church claiming priviledges by their Baptisme can I deny in some things their claim to be good though they be wicked And wherein it is not good to them breaking the Covenant may it not be good to me poor me that desire to keep the Covenant of my God In a word hath not God sanctified me to himself by the washing of water and doth he call men to draw nigh to him in assurance of faith having the body washed with pure water and shall I be dismayed in access to him Oh! the wickedness of my doubting that doth spring from ignorance of Gods holy Oâ—â—inances the sin of my despondencie that deâ—ers me from duty and exposeth my baptisme to contempt I will sure cast off this estate and hence forward continue with the Church in the Word breaking of bread and Prayer and use of all other priviledges of grace and composedly prize the benefit of Ordinances that by rational acts of faith in them I may at length arrive at the fulness of assurance Thus then Christians argue to your selves the duty and dignity of your Baptisme enjoy with comfort the priviledges thereby conferred Know and approve your selves as baptized and thereby Singled out of the world by Baptisme and set in a capacity of Salvation as was Noahs family in the Arke 1 Pet. 3.21 Sanctified unto God Baptisme being the solemne form of consecration Ephes 5.26 Sons and Subjects of the Covenant invested with Christ incorporated into his Church the seal of which is in your flesh by Baptisme Suited for divine society by the expiation of guilt extirpation of sins power and exact confederation with God all which the Scriptures note to be the effects of Baptisme or the washing of the body with pure water In the apprehension and argumentation of these priviledges let me guide your judgements by propounding to your consideration these several rules 1. Rule Salvation and sanctification and the like priviledges are naturally argued from Baptisme as it is an Ordinance of God ordained to that end Therefore the effects are to it attributed It in all things necessary bears an analogie with Circumcision and propounds moral considerations to that end to the reasonable soul of man to be argued by contemplative acts of faith 2. Rule All that will be sanctified saved and enjoy the before noted priviledges must be baptized All that will in an ordinary way possess them for extraordinary providences are beyond the reach of our debate must be baptized not only on the necessity of a command from God but the nature of the Ordinance being the means appointed rightly constituted and readily conclusive to such an end So that none unbaptized can on any ground expect to enjoy nor may warrantably be admitted to the priviledges of a sanctified and saved people of the Lord. 3. Rule Some baptized enjoy these priviledges of salvation sanctification and the like visibly and symbolically others really sincerely and savingly Some are seemingly saved and sanctified in the sight of men and esteem of the Church These enjoy the outward Ordinance only and that is the guide and ground of humane censure and the judgement of the Church Hence the term Saint Beleever Disciple Brother is in Scripture given and must be by the Church yeilded to hypocrites yea to visible prophane persons but baptized but others are sincerely and savingly possessed of these priviledges not only in the judgement of the Church but by the testimonie of their own conscience and spirit of adoption These enjoy not only the outward signe but also the inward grace of Baptisme have not only the body washed with pure water but also the heart spriâ—kled from an evil conscience The outward Ordinance and inward grace are sometimes divided according to the visible and invisible ministration of the Covenant Baptisme is to all the same in its nature but not in its effects it is in it self efficacious to all but in some not meeting with due capacity acts of faith to improve it it becomes not effectual Many baptized and by the Church called heirs of Glorie lose their hopes holiness and heaven it self not because Baptisme did not seal it and confer a ground or right but because the soul acted not faith in the right unto the claim of what was conferred None so deservedly lose their inheritance as those who improve not their sealed evidence to a due claim Take heed lest there be among you a prophane Esau heir of his fathers blessing who for a mess of pottage sold his birth right Men in the Church contented with Creature-comforts claim not the priviledges of the Covenant conferred by their Baptisme and so lose their birth-right 4. Rule The outward priviledges of Baptisme enjoyed visibly and in the judgement of the Church may be forfeited and by the censures of the Church taken away A brother may be made as a Publicane and Heathen a member of Christs body may be cut off and a servant of God may be delivered unto Satan the Citizens of Jerusalem may be disfranchised private persons may not at pleasure disown baptized souls but the publique censure of the Church if unworthy their received Baptisme may discharge them Church communion and divest them of salvation sanctification interest in the Covenant which clave non errant the Church not Erring is ratified in Heaven as well as in the Church visible upon earth 5. Rule Salvation sanctification and the priviledges of the Covenant may by Baptisme be conferred on them who are not sensible of the Ordinance or in a present capacity of using them Right may be formally conferred where it is not presently acted The King may be crowned in the cradle the crown be set on his head as a token of right before his hand can
their interest in the Covenant In vain should the miserable mother encourage the scourged thirsty child to remember the cup of which Isaac drank and patiently to bear its present torments for that it should be shortly crowned with eternal glory if the child at eight years of age had not understood the Covenant of God and been catechised in its baptisme Our Anabaptists will never afford us babie Martyrs that will not allow us babie Christians And as for Parents if their childrens interest in the Covenant and right to Baptisme doe not support them under the death of their babes I a parent of dead children doe demand what can That they are by nature children of wrath must not be denyed that they fall into a limbus Infantum must be denyed by all that abhor Poperie that they are saved there remains no hope whilest we see them out of the Ark of salvation What unusual way the Anabaptists run upon for their own comfort they have not yet declared nor will Scripture warrant any Were it not for Infants interest in the Covenant sealed in their Baptism I should mourn over my dead children as without hope You see now that there is not only warrant in Scripture for the Baptisme of your Infants but there is much of profit by it Whilest others are beating the controversie doe you study the practice of Infant-Baptisme Let not seducers beguile your simple souls by pretending Infant-Baptisme is unlawfull because unusefull But seeing there is so much profit in the Ordinance and so much in the season of its application prize it pursue it and preserve it to the Church Let your children be baptized in their Infancie and catechised according to their growing capacitie that through ignorance they may not throw away their birth-right but may duly know the duty and dignity thereof and dâ—mean themselves as baptized souls The fifth and last exhortation is to Church-gathering saints To admit the baptized into the approaches to God in the assemblies of his people Make no bar of division to such as we are the badge of union If Baptisme doe incorporate into the Church and consecrate unto God why doe you deny the relation of the baptized or their fitness for divine service either deny Baptisme to be the dore of admission into the Church of Christ or throw down your Church Covenant agreement or experiences of graces as to entrance into a Church state Deny Baptisme to be the Church constituting Bond or talk not of gathering Churches from among baptized souls Affect not to your selves the terms and titles of saints brethren beleevers Church and the like whilâ—st those you despise have as good naâ— by reason of your sinfull schisme a better title thereunto than your selves If Baptisme be the ground of confidence in access to God who are you that make it void Is not the straitning of the Church dore as dangerous as setting it wide open Will it not be equally provoking to God to let doggs into his house and to keep children out to pollute his holy things by the unbaptized and bar the baptized from his worship If men baptized walk disorderly endeavor by discipline to reduce them deny not their interest drive them not from God make it not your designe to paganize the Christians among whom you dwel that some few of them may be brought into your Church-way Weigh well the nature of Baptism if it do not charge your way with wickedness I know not how to judge If Baptism rightly apprehended be not the engine to batter Independencie I dare renounce my skil in militaries Let not God say draw neer in full assurance having your bodies washed with pure water and you say to your baptized Brethren stand thou further from me I am holier than thou Thus then I have noted to you the nature of Baptisme the outward Ordinance and the duties that flow from its consecrating nature which rightly understood will convince much error and correct many sinfull practises Which that it may doe God Father Son and holy Ghost in whose holy Name we are baptized follow it with his blessing Amen FINIS