it be obserued what Baptisme is I say a washing away the filth of the Flesh is not Baptisme that is the least part of Baptisme where the greater is and where the greater is wanting it is no part of Baptisme at all the which not onely the Scriptures teach but our aduersaries confesse as shal be shewed First the Scriptures teach that the Baptisme that saueth vs is not the putting away the filth of the Flesh but in that a good Conscience maketh request vnto God * 1. Pet. 3.21 c. It is the Baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes * Mark 1.4 The Sprinkling of the heart from an euill conscience and washing the body with pure water is that whereby wee come to God * Heb. 10.22 It is the washing of the new birth and renuing of the holy Ghost * Tit. 3.5 For we must be borne of the Spirit or we cannot enter into the Kingdome of God * Ioh. 3.5 for nothing auayleth in CHRIST but a new creature * 2. Cor. 5. Gal. 6. 2. The Cathechisme set forth by authority saith That a Sacrament as Baptisme c. hath two partes the outward visible signe and the inward Spirituall Grace the outward visible signe is Water c. the inward Spirituall Grace is a death vnto sinne a new birth vnto righteousnes The English Primmer for being by Nature borne in sinne and the children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace And further they confesse that Repentance and Faith is required of euery person to bee Baptised Repentance whereby they forsake sinne and Faith whereby they stedfastly beleeue the Promise of God made to them in that Sacrament And Vrsinus saith thus * Cathechism pag. 723. Hee that shall beleeue c. In these wordes is noted briefly the right vse of Baptisme in which right vse the Sacraments are ratefied but in whatsoeuer corrupt and vnlawfull vse and administration the Sacraments are no Sacraments but are Sacraments to them onely who receiue them with a true Faith c. All which being considered If they cannot proue and that by the Scriptures that Infants haue their hearts Sprinkled from an euill conscience and so haue a good Conscience that they haue Repentance that they haue the washing of the new birth which is to be born againe euen of the Spirit and that they haue Faith I say all these or any one of them let them proue by Scripture Infants haue or else their consequence vanisheth and it is no Sacrament by their owne confession The blasphemous inuention of Pope Iginius will nothing auayle them which is that they haue or doe performe them by their Godfathers and Godmothers for the which there is not the least shew in all the Scriptures of God For the iust shall liue by his owne Faith * Heb. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 the righteousnes of the righteous shall * Ezek. 18. 14. be vpon himselfe Iust Iob Noah and Daniell shall deliuer neither Sonne nor Daughter but onely themselues by their righteousnes * Ezek. 14. Chap. They affirme indeed that Infants be regenerate but let vs agree what Regeneration is so Repentance Faith by Gods Scriptures then it will appeare plainly Infants haue them not Regeneration is a turning from sinne to God * Rom. 6.11 1 Thes 1.9 Tit. 3.5 Repentance is a sight and knowing of sinne by the Law a confessing of sinne a sorrowing for sinne and a promise and endeauour to forsake sinne as before Heb. 11.1 Faith is the ground or assurance of thinges hoped for the euidence of things not seene and it is accompanied with obedience Iam. 2.17.26 For Faith without works is dead Our aduersaries say Repentance is a forsaking of sinne and Faith is a stedfast beleeuing of the Promises of God made to them that are Baptised Let them either now proue that Infants are turned from sinne to God in righteousnes that they see know sinne by the Law that they confesse sinne sorrow for it and promise and endeauour to forsake it that they haue stedfast beliefe of the promises of God Let them proue these or they say nothing and wee may truely conclude they are neither Regenerate neither haue they Repentance nor Faith and so may by no consequence be Baptised Ereu. They alledge Act. 2. as a place much making for them Amend your liues and bee Baptised euery one of you in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ for the Promise is made to you and to your Children and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call Odeg. The place truely considered maketh against themselues for these to whom the Apostle speaketh being pricked in their hearts by the call of God in Peters Preaching and crying out men brethren what shall we do Peter answeres them Amend your liues and be Baptised euery one not onely be Baptised but also amend your liues and such as gladly receiued his word were Baptised So that Fathers of the Iewes and their Children and Fathers of the Gentiles and their Children must all amend their liues and be Baptised gladly receiue the word or else this Promise here made appertaineth not to them for the Promise is to all that the Lord our God shall call Fathers and Children Children must amend their liues and gladly receiue the word or else their sinnes cannot bee put away neither can their Fathers repentance saue them from damnation Againe let it be well obserued that this Couenant or Promise * Act. 1. is the couenant of saluation by Christ made vnto the Children of Abraham vpon the same Condition that it is made to Abraham himselfe namely vpon repentance and Faith in Christ as is most plaine in these wordes * Act. 13.31 c. And wee declare vnto you that touching the Promise made vnto the Fathers God hath fulfilled it vnto vs their Children in that hee raised vp IESVS from the dead Verse 38. c. And bee it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is Preached vnto you remission of sinnes and from all things from the which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified In these wordes we see the Promise made vnto the Fathers is thus fulfilled to their Children that Christ is raised from the dead that through him they might haue remission of sinnes euen euery one that beleeueth might bee iustified Fathers and Children And whereas many stumble at the worde Children conceiuing that it is meant of Infants it is heere and elsewhere vsed often in the Scriptures for men of vnderstanding * Act. 3.25 Gal. 4.19 1 Cor. 14.20 Heb. 2.10.14 1 Ioh. 12 28. â— 21 3.18 Ereu. They obiect 1. Cor. 7.14 the Children of beleeuing Parents are holy and being holy they may be Baptised say they Odeg. This place
of the earth which sheweth they sinned but there can be no sinne without a Law neither would God haue destroyed the world but for offending hiâ— Maiesty which offences are breaking a iust Law giuen them of God Also all people after beginning at Noahs sonnes euen till Moses are said to doe well or euill whiâ—h actions must bee so iudged by some rule or Law And the Law of Moses was not giuen because there was no Law before but to reuiue or bring into remembrance those iust and holy rules which were almost forgotten and to make sinne out of measure sinâ—â—ll by this Law as also to keepe a truer obseruatioÌ„ of those things which did type out CHRIST and of what race he should come that when he came all might know that it was hee that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ereu. Indeed it is saide that all haue sinned both Iew and Gentile and sinne is the transgression of a Law so it plainely appeares as you said that all had a Law or else they could not haue sinned for where there is no Lawe there is no transgression but what is that Law the Gentiles had and that before the Flood also Odeg. It is two folde first it is written in the hearts of men euen in Nature who hath a conscience * Rom. 2.14 15.26.27 to excuse them if they doe the thinges of the Law or to accuse them if they doe that the Law forbids Secondly that which may be known of God he hath shewed it to all men not onely in the qualities of body minde but also by other his workes For the inuisible thinges of GOD * Rom. 1.19 20. Deut. 4.19 Psal 19.1.6 Iob. 12.7.8 Act. 14.17 17.24.29 Iob. 38.39.40.41 that is his eternall Power and Godhead are seene by the Creation of the world being considered in his works to the intent that all should be without excuse so that the workes of God which are seene of all men are a Law to teach them to feare and dread and to seek after the worke master to know his will so that it is most euident all men haue a Law the breach of which bringeth them vnder wrath Ereu. Two thinges let me demaund of you more one is whether this Law of the Gentiles be different from that which the Iewes had the other the time when both is required to bee obserued of man Odeg. The Law giuen both to Iew Gentile is one the same for as God is but one his Law is but one for the Law that is written in the heart is the * RoÌ„ 2.14 15. effect of that written in the letter Besides the Gentiles in all their actions haue bene condemned or iustified by the Law of Moses and the Iewes haue been condemned oftentimes by the actions of the Gentiles contained in the Law who wanted a Law of the letter Also obserue that it is the Law of workes vnto both and both are bound to obserue it euen of themselues with out an helper as they are the worke of God by creation as was Adam which when by reason of the weakenes of their Flesh they cannot keepe CHRIST is prouided to relieue them To the second part of your question I answer the Law is to bee obserued when it is giuen to a man that is when he comes to vnderstanding and when his conscience giues him peace by keeping it and warre for breaking it not till then which qualities are not in Babes for they discerne not earthly thinges and * Ioh. 3.12 how then should they discerne heauenly but when they can discerne thinges of the earth that differ * Luk. 12.56.57 as times and seasons and the like then are they iustly taxed for not knowing Gods matters there must bee a Conscience vnto which a Law is giuen which Infants haue not for Conscience is Of Infants estate hereafter at large a knowledge to a mans selfe of accusing or excusing which who so hath are breakers of the Law for though the Law be holy and iust yet flesh is weake and the Tempter strong that all when they come to haue the Law doe plunge themselues into miserie by breaking it and must be saued by CHRISTS sufferings and Faith in him Now it remaineth to proue how all may come to the knowledge of CHRIST for it is cleare all haue a Law and all are sinners and no way of reconciliation but by CHRIST Ereu. Now if it can bee shewed that Christ hath beene and still is offered to all that haue sinned and that they haue put him away and the fault is their owne and condemnation from themselues and God freed from partialitie then I am satisfied Odeg. It cannot be denyed but Adam and Heuah the first transgressors had Christ offered by the seede of the Woman promised Gen. 3. and so their generation as they tooke notice of their sinne so they tooke notice of Christ by whom they must be freed from their sinne Habell and Caine vnderstood it Gen. 4. as appeareth by their Offerings also Henoch the seauenth from Adam remembred it those were called the Sonnes of GOD which could not be but by Grace the Law made them not so Noah knew it well for he found Grace in the sight of God which is through Christ not by workes for that were not by fauour but by debt he also preached CHRIST by the same Spirit that Peter preached him to the olde world euen to them that are now in prison After the Flood Noah with his little Family offred Sacrifice which was a type of Christ from which action all his Sonnes could doe no lesse but take notice of as of the Deluge it selfe and so to conuay it by tradition to all their generations In Abrahams time it is apparant that Christ was remembred till the Law and vnder the Law written it is not doubted but he was knowne For our Fathers did all eate â— Cor. 10. c. and that Rocke was Christ Also the Sacrifices of the Gentiles though in an Idolatrous manner doth plainely show that the remembrance of Christ was among them for they offending knew there was no way to make peace but by a Sacrifice they vpheld Sacrifices which either they had from their Ancestors as one Generation tooke it from another or else somthing moued them to doe it of themselues as a troubled conscience which must be quieted by Sacrifice so yâ— we may see among all sorts of men there was a kinde of acknowledging CHRIST though by most in an euill manner which augments their sinne euen as now at this day there be many that acknowledgeth him falsly which indeed is not him but a false Christ in stead of him all which proueth that euer there was the remembrance of a pacifier though the right one was missed which was their owne fault and not Gods for why might not euery one haue found the right aswell as some God would haue all to be saued
and euen from the beginning hee hath beene liberall vnto all In Paradice there was a tree of life aswell as of knowledge euer since as there hath beene a Law which is a good tree if it be obserued and an euill tree if it be broken so there hath beene a tree of life prouided that man might eate of it and liue for euer which is that Lambe slaine from the beginning A remembrance of which hath euer beene obserued either in a true manner or a false of all the world for all the world euer haue and doe worship either the true God or a false and offer Sacrifice to that which they tooke for their God to appease him Now since CHRIST came in the Flesh it is apparant that hee hath beene offered to all Nations vnder Heauen First hee was Prophesied of long before he came that all flesh should see the saluation of God Luk. 3.6 After hee was come by Doctrine and myracles both hee and all his Apostles did so powerfully worke that all obserued him The Iewes to whome first he offered himselfe the Gentiles also who put him to Death The Apostles at the day of Penticost was fitted with all tongues that Christ by them might be conueyed to all Nations where were present men of euery Nation vnder Heauen Act. 2. and their sound went throughout all the earth their words vnto the end of the world Rom. 10.18 Psal 19.1 c. euen as farre as the Sunne and the Moone doth teach God and though the Iew will none of him many of the Gentiles refuse him and many of the Gentiles confesse him amisse to their further woe the fault is not because God hath not offered him to helpe euen as largely as the Law did hurt but because man will not accept of this offer some put him away quite as the Iew Turke and diuers others that heare of him and in a manner looke for him some confesse him with their mouthes but will not suffer him to raigne ouer them but will haue other spirituall Lords in stead of him yet no default on God who herein is rich to Iew and Gentile in the offer of his Sonne but the fault is in themselues who will not accept of this guift of God for euen in this Nation and others where Christ is confessed are there not many millions of men whose knowledge of CHRIST is such in truth and deed that they cannot so much as make a confession of him no more then any Pagan in the world who knoweth not this and what is the cause but their owne neglect and contempt of his Word and crosse Ereu. Indeed I see generall Nations haue or might haue had Christ if they would for hee was euer offered to them as largely as the Law and that the Law and Christ went together that as the one did kill th' other was offered to make aliue in a generality but you must proue that this is or might bee manifested to euery particuler person that as euery man particulerly whosoeuer he be Rom. 2. is culpable before God of Iudgement so euery one likewise in mercy hath Châ—ist offered to him for reconciliation Odeg. I haue largely shewed you before by the Scriptures that as all and euery person are shut vp in vnbeliefe so God hath mercy on all and his Grace that bringeâ—h saluation vnto all men hath appeared c. which might satisfie any reasonable man for either euery particuler soule of reason and vnderstanding hath had meanes offered or else the Scriptures are not true which God forbid and it will bee easily granted that euery such person hath a Law written in his heart and an accusing Conscience for breaking of it and euery such person hath the Heauens the Firmament the Sunne the Moone and all the wonders of the Heauens the Earth the Seas and Fountaines of waters all which sendeth them to seeke out the worke-master and he that seeketh shal finde but in stead of knowing God by these his teachings they become vaine in their thoughts and their foolish heart is full of darknes for some turne the Glory of the incorruptible God to reall Idols some to mentall Idols and therefore as they regard not to know God aright by seeking him aright wherein they are ignorant but set vp seuerall Idols by their owne knowledge which is Beastly so God deliuereth them vp to a reprobate minde that they neuer know more for what should he that is not faithfull in a little * Luk. 16.10 c. be trusted with much This is the cause that the most blinde Pagans in the world know no more because they vse not that well they haue ☞ why the Turkes know no more the Iewes the Papists and others of all sorts because they haue despised the first light of God offer'd them and therein continue * Act. 28.27 wincking with their eyes least they should see further because the wayes of their owne hearts best please them For * Psa 81.12 Rom. 1.21 c. this cause doth God giue them vp to walke in their owne Counsels Is the fault now for want of meanes on Gods part to any particuler person or their owne neglect and contempt of the meanes offered them Ereu. Their owne surely else it had not beene iniustice in God to tell them that which might be knowne of him is manifest in them Rom. 1.19 and to blame them for not profiting by that they had as after in 9. verses following is shewed Odeg. In like manner all that knoweth they haue offended some infinite Power by their accusing Conscience are there by inuited to seeke who it is finding it to be their Creator they are then to seeke by what way he shall be pacified with them for their accusing Conscience is a meanes to cause them to seeke with earnestnes for then God callâ— vnto them as hee did vnto Adam saying where art thou whose answere ought to be heere Lord what wilt thou I haue sinned and not to hide sinne with the Fig-leaues of inuentions then if there be no meanes in that Nation yet there is to be picked out of the consideration of the greatnes of him offended that his iustice must bee satisfied then must they and may they consider whether themselues can satisfie or some others for them and thus if they examine all thinges rightly God will reueale CHRIST vnto them by one meanes or other so as in seeking nothing satisfie them but the which is of God in which they must cast away not onely their owne inuentions but also they must not be seruants of men which if they doe not but satisfie themselues in either of these it is iust with God to giue them vp to their owne hearts lusts and so they become past feeling And for conclusion all Nations Cityes houses fieldes high-wayes hedges haue had the mercy of God in the offer of CHRIST affoorded them all were bidden so that this is not now
by Faith And Rom. 6.3 c. they were grafted into Christ and his death by Baptisme according to Christs commandement in his Cōmission Goe make to Disciples all Nations baptising them into the name of the Father c * Mark 28.19 And Christ promiseth his presence vnto two or 3. so gathered into his name * Mat. 18.20 so that to be gathered into the name of CHRIST by being made Disciples and baptised is to be made members of his body which is his Church of his Flesh and of his bone plainely confirmed * 1. Cor. 12.13 wee are all by one Spirit baptised into one body as also except a man be borne of water and the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God * Ioh. 3.5 Thus Christ made Disciples * Ioh. 4.1 c. wee must be the sonnes of God by Faith and put on Christ by Baptisme * Gal. 3.26.37 Our entrance into the holy place is to drawe neare with a true heart in assurance of Faith sprinckled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water c. and wee are made partakers of Christ by hauing the beginnings * Heb. 10.22 which beginnings are Repentance Faith and Baptisme * Heb. 3.14 other beginnings or foundation can no man lay * Heb. 6.1 c. * 1 Cor. 3.11 Thus was the members and Church of Ierusalem made which was the first Church of Christ 1. The 120. euen by Iohns Doctrine which was Faith and Baptisme into the name of IESVS * Act. 19.4 and thus were the 3000. added by gladly receiuing the Word and being Baptised * Act. 2.41 Thus were the Churches of Samaria made * Act. 8.12 Act. 16. Act. 18.8 the Church at Phillippi at Corinth in Galatia * Gal. 3.26.27 Col. 2.12 Collossa and as the Gospell came to these Churches so came it vnto all the world Col. 1.6 The manifestation of Faith and Baptisme hath Christ ioyned together and what is mortall man that he should seperate them * Mat. 19.6 This is the doore into his Kingdome by which if any man enter Ioh. 10. hee shall goe in out and finde pasture and whosoeuer climbeth vp another way they are Theeues and robbers This is the word of the Lord it endureth for euer * 1. Pet. 1.25 and it must be kept without spot vntill Christs appearing * 1 Tim. 6. and cursed are they that teach otherwise * Gal. 1.8.9 This being thus declared it followeth that the Church of Rome at this day and for diuers hundred yeares not being made by Baptising beleeuers but by washing fleshly Infants vpon confession of suerties for them therefore they haue not Christ but are in Gods accompt as the worst Pagans Egiptians Sodomites Babilonians Gentiles a habitation of Deuils * Reuel 18. ◠a holde of all soule Spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird as also all that seperate from her doe confesse From whence I reason If such as came from Gods own people the Iewes must enter into the Church by manifestation of Repentance Faith and Baptisme aswell as the Gentiles for there was but one entrance for them both * Ephes 2.18 then much more such as come from Egiptians Sodomites Babilonians yea from a habitation of Deuils c. must manifest Repentance beliefe and be Baptised and so enter into Christs Church but the former is true as all the afore named Scriptures proue therefore the latter much more must follow in that if any should haue had priuiledge this way Gods people the Iewes should That such is and was the estate of Rome and England when Iohn Robinson and his company left it olde Brownisme freely confesseth yea he himselfe acknowledgeth * Justific of super pa. that the Lord neuer made Couenant with Rome nor England and not onely Brownists but Caluinists Church of England and others apply all these thinges before named against Rome yet being loath to cast her downe to the ground euen all of them retaine maintaine the Babilonish Egiptian Sodomitish washing of this habitation of Deuils for the outward badge of their Christianity wherein they take the chiefe Corner Stone of Babilon for foundation contrary to the expresse commaund of the Lord * Ier. 51.26 and besides they take an other course in the building of their Spirituall Temple Ezra 3. then Gods people tooke in the rebuilding of the materiall Temple who made all things according to the first patterne and so take counsell in their new buildings but not of the Lord therefore shall they bee destroyed and are in Gods account so farre from being true Churches that they are Synagogues of Sathan But Christs sheepe will heare his voyce and follow him calling them Goe out of her Goe out of her * Reuel 18.4 harken to the Angell flying through the mid'st of Heauen * Chap. 14. hauing an euerlasting Gospell not a new Gospell they that bring new Gospell are to be held accursed * Gal. 1.8.9 the old Gospell of IESVS CHRIST is to saue all such as beleeue and are Baptised * Mark 16.16 Thus doe Christs follow him in what he hath commanded and so become a habitation of God by the Spirit * Ephes 2.22 and water which Church Christ sanctifieth by the washing of water through the Word * Ephes 5.26 All which I haue shewed to this end to make plaine that if Iohn Rob and others did walke in the path of the Lord as they follow the vision of their owne hearts they should be constrayned to practise that in the building of the Church of Christ which they disaproue in vs that is That when they seperated from that habitation of Deuils Rome and were to combine themselues together to be a Church some one must Baptise not being yet Pastor or Elder For there must be a Flocke before a Shepherd as were all the Churches of the Primitiue time and as was Io. Rob. flocke before they made him their shepherd And one thing more I would demaund of him seeing he hath cast away his Popish Priesthood and yet retaineth his Popish washing for his Christianity for other christianity hath be none in that by Baptisme men put on either a true or false Christ Why he could not as well haue repented of the euils of his Ordination and yet retaine that ordination still as repent of his Baptisme and yet keepe it In his Baptisme hee confesseth there was neither fit party to be Baptised right party to Baptise Pag. 136. nor true fellowship to bee Baptised into but onely washing with water with the wordes vsed in Christs Baptisme So I say was therein his ordination imposition of handes with fasting and Prayer If he say there was no right party to be ordayned true parties to ordayne nor true cōmunion to be ordayned in which is all he can