Repentance it doth not follow they must be deprived of Baptism for all this might be said of Circumcision and yet God commanded Children to be Circumcised and to oppose this as contrary to reason is to Dispute against God who would have Circumcision a Sacrament of Regeneration for as I observed before 't is called Circumcision of the Heart and without Hands to be administred to Children whereby we are taught 't is not always necessary the Truth signified in a Sacrament should go before the Sign sometimes 't is enough it should follow at least in part so that except one would make which were a kind of Blasphemy the Mercy of God less towards us and our Children than towards the Jews and their Seed we must not deprive them of Baptism the Seal of that Covenant no more than they were not deprived of Circumcision for by these Two Sacraments God did and doth separate some from others to offer them his Salvation They who have no right to the Promises must joyn themselves to Christ's Flock before they receive his Mark Thus God instructed Abraham in the Doctrine of Faith and in his Covenant before he gave him Circumcision but once having admitted him into the Church he ordered his Seed to be made partakers of the same benefit Out of what hath been said one would hope every Rational Man would be satisfied how Infants ought to be Baptised and the Sign not to be denyed those who may have the Thing signifyed But because I know (a) Matth. 13.11 'T is not given to all to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but only to those whom God is pleased to reveal it to for 't is not any man's Parts or Learning that can do 't (b) 1 Cor. 3.6 Paul may Plant Apollos may Water but God alone can give the Increase To him must be left the Success of things all I now can do is to beseech the Lord to open (c) Luke 24.45 the Understanding of those who are concerned As he did that of his Apostles that they might Vnderstand the Scriptures and open their Heart as that of [d] Acts 16.14 Lidia to attend unto the Things spoken Some other things there are relating to this matter wherein Anabaptists differ from us which we must not omit The First is about the outward Act used in Baptism They would have it done with Dipping whence they have gotten the Name of Dippers and 't is the signification of the Greek Word whence comes the word Baptism And though as much as we can we must close with the Ceremony of the Institution yet that outward Rite is not of the Essence of the Sacrament and that which is used hath the same Effect and Signification It doth not appear any where that they that were Baptised were dipped under Water for they had been in some Danger of being Drowned but that they went into the River or other Water and he who Baptised as John Baptist or other poured it upon their Head whereupon they were accounted to have been under Water as in some kind they had been but those who at that time were Baptised were persons come to Years and consequently more able to resist the Coldness of the Water in cold Weather in case any Quantity had been poured upon them which yet was but little But leaving aside the Difference of Climates Hot or Cold of Constitutions Weak and Strong of Age Childhood and Manhood or Inconveniency that might arise therefrom I say in the Church Sprinkling hath succeeded Dipping and not without Ground in Scripture for the word Sprinkling is used for the Thing signified and of this we have Two Witnesses St. Paul is the first (e) Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water There are Sprinkling and Washing And chap. 12.24 't is spoken of the blood of Sprinkling The other is St. Peter (f) 1 Pet. 1.2 Thorough Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ If the Thing signified be represented with Sprinkling so may the Sign be administred with Sprinkling and the Child lying upon it's back in man's Arms may be said to be under the Water sprinkled upon it's Face We also find in Scripture that the Administration of that Sacrament is both as to the Sign and Thing signified called Washing so that there is no certain and constant Obligation to the strictness of the Greek word and to the outward Rite of Dipping and Sprinkling Answers the end of the Sacrament and the Analogy between the visible and the invisible parts of it as well as Dipping and we see in the Lord's Supper there is no Obligation to any certain Posture so that provided there be no Superstition nor Idolatry it may well be received Sitting Kneeling or Standing Another thing we differ in is about Rebaptisation Hence they are called Anabaptists from baptising again those that were baptised before The Church of Rome doth not rebaptise those who from us turn to them nor we those who from them come to us but Anabaptists do all that come to them out of other Perswasions and though the Lord's-Supper be administred many times yet Baptism is not or ought not to be but once because Baptism is the Sacrament of Initiation and the Lord's-Supper of Nutrition and Increase Baptism is a Regenerating and the Lord's Supper a Confirming and Strengthening Ordinance Now as there is but one beginning of spiritual Life thorough Regeneration and there is but one Introduction and admission into the Covenant so the Sacrament of these things ought only once to be administred but as during our whole Life we need spiritual Nourishment so the Sacrament of it ought often to be reiterated as in our natural Life we are born but once but we must Eat often to preserve our Life I must resolve a Difficulty and then I have done 'T is said in one place [g] Ephes 4.5 One Lord one Faith one Baptism And in another 't is spoken of the Doctrines [h] Heb. 6.2 of Baptisms as of many There is certainly but one Sacrament of Baptism instituted by our Lord Jesus In that first place the Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians to Unity for this reason that our whole Salvation is grounded upon it in it's Principle Progress and End One God One Lord One Faith One Baptism one Hope one Body and one Spirit whereby all these are united In consequence of this we find [c] Acts 4.32 the multitude of those that believed were of One Heart and of One Soul Philip. 1.27 and ought to stand fast in one Spirit with one Mind So that this admits of no difficulty But in the other place the Apostle exhorteth the Hebrews to tend to a perfection and make a further progress in the knowledge and way to Salvation the Principles thereof having been laid before whereof
of all their Judgments And as the Understanding ought to be Sound and the Heart Upright so must the Conscience to love search find out and judge according to Truth be very wary and cautious to do nothing against it rather detest abhor and punish all Lies Falshood and any thing conttary to 't Besides these they must not want Moral Vertue but avoid things contrary thereunto Now Justice is one of the Four Moral Vertues and as nothing is so apt to pervert it as Covetousness for it makes men seek after Bribes and both Blindeth the Eyes and Corrupteth the Heart so they that are appointed to do Justice ought not only to be free from but also to (s) 1 Coloss 3.5 Hate Covetousness which by the Apostle is well called Idolatry because Riches is the god of adored and served by the Covetous Man in few words the same Apostle calls the Love of Money which is Covetousness the Root of all Evil. This is the most pernicious Rock of all which Judges can run upon This very same Sin though they had every other Quality for the Place doth Unqualify them for it and highly declares them Uncapable of Except they hate Covetousness all other good Qualities are Insignificant and it is Pity a great Shame and Scandal to any Court of Judicature that any one who ever was Branded with and Convicted of Bribery should be suffered to sit upon the Bench and have Daily Occasion to satisfy his Covetousness and Pervert Justice and Judgment of such speaks David when (t) Psalm 26.10 he saith Their Right-hand is full of Bribes but Fire shall Consume the Tabernacles of bribery Job 15.34 We have in Scripture another most considerable Charge though to the same Purpose as Moses's in King Jehoshaphat's Instructions to his Judges thus (u) 2 Chron. 19.5 6 7. And he said to the Judges take heed what ye do for ye judge not for men but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgment Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no Iniquity with the Lord our God nor Respect of Persons nor taking of Gifts This is very full and comprehensive first to shew how Cautious Judges and Juries must be of what they do not to be Rash or Hasty or Corrupt in their Judgments and though they be appointed by men as Princes c. as those Princes and Kings themselves are appointed by God so Justice is Originally in and derived from God for that saying of Divine Wisdom of the Son of God is most true (w) Prov. 8.15 16. By me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the Earth by me Kings reign and decree Justice Not only from but by me in my Name and Authority Wherefore Jehoshaphats Reason is very true First Negatively Ye judge not for men Then Positively but for God with this weighty Consideration that God is with them in the judgment If Judges should judge for Men that is for those who appointed them for that Office then they would judge for the Absent for Princes who gave them their Places are not present at their judgments and therefore if they have a mind to know what passes in such Courts they stand in need of being informed by others for they cannot know it by themselves but when they judge for God 't is for him who being every where is always with them heareth seeth and observeth all their Proceedings and knows all by himself and therefore needs not being informed by men of what passeth there (x) Heb. 4 13. for There is not any Creature or thing that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do Therefore Judges in the Discharge of the Duty of their places ought to look upon and eye God and not men or at least God chiefly and primarily Wherefore this good King Jehoshaphat would have not the fear of himself be upon his Judges as if he would turn them out of their places or undergo his Displeasure if they did not Right but he would work upon them out of a more noble and higher Motive not out of a Principle of Interest but of Conscience and that makes him point at the very Spring of all Justice Equity Rewards and Pains when he saith let the Fear of God be upon you and they ought to have a great care and it ought to be their whole and constant Study to do 't by a Reason drawn from the Purity of the Nature and Actings of God for there is no Iniquity with the Lord our God as the Spring is so the Streams derived from it ought to be God's Representatives upon Earth in administring of Justice ought to imitate him and not suffer Justice which is pure in it's Source to be corrupt and defiled by themselves as the Pipes thorough which it is conveyed for as it is Written Be ye Holy as I am Holy so they are Commanded Be ye Just for I am Just or else thorough his just Judgment they may happen to be Infatuated and deprived of their Understanding a heavy Punishment for (y) Job 12.17 God maketh the Judges Fools Now as to Witnesses besides what I have already said upon the matter the Charge is (a) Exod. 23.1 Put not thine Hand with the Wicked to be an unrighteous Witness Which argues how sometimes there is amongst the Wicked a Combination to be false Witnesses to pervert Right and Justice (b) Prov 24.28 Be not a Witness against thy Neighbour without Cause and Deceive not with thy Lips Without a just Cause and a lawful Call men ought not to intrude to be Witnesses against any one no Enmity Envy or Jealousy should prompt us to it but when we are Summoned then have a care not to tell Lies but to speak the Truth from the Heart The â—inth Precept is very Positive and Universal renewed and confirmed in several other places (c) Exod. 20.16 Deuter. 5.20 Matth. 19.18 Luke 18.20 Rom. 13.9 Not to bear false Witness The Character which Solomon gives of a False Witness is this (d) Prov. 2â— 18. A Man that beareth false Witness â—gainst his Neighbour is a Maul and a â—word and a sharp â—rrow A Dart a â—â—ammer and not barely an Arrow but a Sharp one ail these Offensive Arms whereof some break things in pieces others divide and this to shew the Mortality of the Wound made by such False Tongues Now such Villanies as these are the more Abominable because there is nothing to be pleaded for to excuse it 't is no Mischance no Ignorance no Mistake nor Infirmity but it proceeds out of a rotten Principle out of a corrupt Spring from the Heart wherein it is designedly deliberately and maliciously Contrived and Hatched For saith the Lord Jesus out of the Heart proceed among other horrid Sins (d) Matth. 15.19 False Witness and Blasphemies The wise King makes
for the Thing Signified as the Holy Ghost washing with the Blood of Christ Secondly 'T is taken for Doctrine (g) Mark 11 30. The Baptism of John was it from Heaven or from Men And it is called (h) Acts 13.24 The Baptism or Doctrine of Repentance Thirdly It is taken for Death whereof 't is a Figure (i) Matth. 20.22 23 Are ye able saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 the Sons of Zebedee to drink of the Cup that I shall drink and to be baptised with the Baptism that I am baptised with Here I intend not to engage in any Dispute against all that are in an Errour concerning Baptism my Design being upon some occasion given me only to Vindicate the Doctrin of Infant-baptism against Anabaptists And to state well the Question we say and own how men newly Converted that are come to Years of Discretion ought to give an account of their Faith before Baptism be administred to them We also own Children of Jews Mahometans and other Infidels must not be Baptised except God-fathers or the like promise before God and in presence of the Church they will cake Care to see them Bred and Instructed in the Knowledge and Fear of God But to deny Baptism to Infants born of Christian Parents 't is to deprive them of their Right to Despise the Ordinance of God to take away the Mark whereby they are distinguished from Children of Unbelievers to Cheat them of Christ's Livery and the Badge of Christian Profession 't is with Pelagius to deny them Naturally to be Sinners and not to need being Washed And 't is also to deprive Parents of the Comfort to see how God takes care to bring their Children within the Pales of his Church Before we proceed further into this matter to make it the Clearer it is necessary to go back and say something in general In order thereunto God hath not only made us Promises in his Word but to help our Weakness and strengthen our Faith hath also appointed Sacraments to Signify Seal and exhibit Things Promised for Sacraments do Seal that which the Word Promiseth Thus God works upon two of our Senses first upon the Ear (k) Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God And upon our Eye with the sight of those visible Signs representing invisible Graces Hence Augustin calls a Sacrament The Visible Word Thus God did with his Church under the Old Testament and thus he doth under the New and man must not pretend to be wiser than God and to alter the Rules he hath given And as the Church of Christ is formed by degrees and that daily some were and are added to it so there are Two Sacraments instituted one of Initiation whereby we are introduced and admitted into 't such was Circumcision under the Old and such is Baptism under the New Testament another to Feed Strengthen and Confirm such was the Passover of Old and now the Lord's Supper which Sacraments of the Old and New Testaments though they differ in some Circumstances yet agree in the Substance both these of the New Testament (l) John 19.34 Water and Blood came out of our Saviour's Side God is the Author of every Sacrament none but God who can give the Grace signified hath right to Institute a Sacrament wherefore God instituted those under the Old Testament and our Lord who is the same those under the New To every Sacrament belongeth a Precept and a Promise the Precept of Baptism is (m) Matth. 28.19 Baptise all Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost the Promise is (n) Mark 16 16. Luke 22.19 He who believes and is baptised shall be saved The Precept of the Lord's-Supper is first to those who administer it this do that is take the Bread bless brake and distribute it so pour the Wine into the Cup and give it 2ly To those who receive it 't is Commanded (o) Matth. 26.26 27 28 to take eat and drink the Promise is this is my Body this is my Blood which is shed for many for the Remission of sins Now in every Sacrament the words of the Precept ought punctually and exactly to be observed without Addition Diminution or Alteration There are Four sorts of those whom Sacraments are administred unto for some have the Sign without the Thing Signified others have the Thing Signified without the Sign some others have both Sign and Thing Signified lastly some have neither Sign nor Thing Signified A Sacrament is an Ordinance of God wherein God under visible signs doth represent some invisible grace in and thorough the Mediatour therefore in the Sacrament are the visible and earthly part and the invisible and spiritual which some call the outward and inward parts of the Sacrament Then the Third thing is the Analogy and Relation between the Sign and Thing signified and the Acts outward and inward and except one doth understand this he can never have a right Notion of the Nature of a Sacrament To demonstrate it I shall insist only upon the Holy Sacrament of Baptism which is the only Point I handle in this Discourse Water is the Visible Sign in Baptism and the Blood of Christ is the Invisible Thing thereby Signified the Analogy and Conformity is this as poured or sprinkled Water washes the Filth and Uncleanness of the Body so the Sprinkling of the Blood of Christ upon our Souls doth Purify them for (p) 1 John 1.7 the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin Both these are mentioned elsewhere (q) Heb. 10.22 Having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and the body washed with pure water By this last the Apostle alludeth to the several washings under the Law as to the use of Water in Baptism Now the Minister doth administer the outward Sign and can do no more but the Holy Ghost gives the Thing signified and with applying it doth purify and sanctify us to this purpose saith John Baptist (r) Matth. 3.11 I baptise you with Water but he that comes after me will baptise you with the Holy Ghost Though this Water be a common Element yet being bestow'd upon so holy an Use as well as Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper it is thereby sanctified what I say is not to attribute so much to 't as if the use of the Sign could infallibly confer the Grace thereby signified but 't is to shew how Anababaptists are in the wrong to undervalue Sacraments in general and this of Baptism in particular as (s) 2 Kings 5.10 11 Naaman the Syrian did the Water of Jordan They are not bare Signs but 1st Signifying Signs for by those visible Signs are represented things not seen which we do believe 2ly They Seal not only the Analogy between the Signs and the Things Signified but also the Vertue and Efficacy of the Union of Sign and Thing Signified being duly and lawfully used is thereby Sealed 3ly As that
house of him that sweareth falsely by my Name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the Timber thereof and the Stones thereof This is Lightning Thunderbolt and fire from Heaven and I doubt we have here too much cause with the Prophet to say because of Swearing Cursing and Forswearing (e) Jer. 23.10 the land mourneth This is one of our Loud and Epidemical Sins which hath â—rought upon us the many Judgments we labour â—nder As God hath said he will be a Wittness against False Swearers so he hath declared he will be Judge too (f) Psal 9.8 God shall Judge the World in Righteousness he shall minister judgment to the People in uprightness 'T is as if he had said I will be a just Judge And thus with Abraham we may say (g) Gen. 18.21 Shall not the judge of all the Earth do Right Now if God judgeâ— in Justice without Mercy who can stand in Judgment (h) Rom. 2.2 We are sure saith the Apostle that the judgment of God is according to truth against theâ— which commit such things as are named in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter amongst whom are Covenant breakers that is perjured persons and such others as make no Conscience of their ways and changed the truth of God into a lie (i) Isai 1.23.24 Therefore saith the Lord the Lord of hosts the mighty one of Israel Ah I will ease my self of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies But who are those Adversaries who are those Enemies in the foregoing verse they are thus described Every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they Judge not the Fatherless neither doth the Cause of the Widow come unto them These are their Sins these Things they Commit and Omit therefore upon them will I visit their Injustices whether they be Witnesses in Swearing Falsely or Judges in perverting Judgment The Great Day of the General Assizes of the World is coming on when we all Judges Juries Witnesses Plaintiffs and Defendants must stand at the Bar and then God shall want no Witnesses but the Guilty Mens Consciences which now are Asleep and Seared with a hot Iron will Awake be Quickned and fly into their Faces and be as a Thousand Witnesses to Convict as many Judges to Condemn and as a Thousand Executioners to Torment them the Devil himself who is here a Seducer will then be an Informer and Accuser Now we are assured that (k) Acts 17.31 God hath appointed a Day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath Ordained Such a Man as is God also that knows all things and needeth not that any one should tâ—ll him what is in Man for he searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and this God-Man Judge of the World is named elsewhere (l) 2 Cor. 5.10 and Rom. 14.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be Good or Evil called (m) Jude 6 the Judgment of the great Day though many wish there was no Judgment Day yet 't is such a Truth as they may not deny and the Thoughts thereof should make all wicked Men to Tremble if they be not worse and more hardned than (n) Acts 24 25. Felix an Heathen was who Trembled when Paul reasoned of Judgment to come And now let first the Judges hear their Charge what is their Duty here and what shall be Required of them hereafter I mean not only the Judges upon the Bench but also the Juries whose Verdict is the Sentence and only in point of Law are guided by the Judges The Thing ought to answer the Name 't is called Verdict quasi Verum Dictum therefore let it not be Falsum Dictum a False and Unjust Sentence thorough Seduction of the Judgment or Bribery for Judges such as indeed they are ought not to be influenced by any corrupt Practises whether Judges upon the Bench or Jury-men in the Court (o) Psal 2.10 Therefore be Instructed Ye Judges of the Earth which is a Charge by David's Pen given by the Judge of all the Earth And hear what saith upon the matter the great Law-giver under God I mean Moses (p) Deut. 1.16 17. And I charged your Judges at that time saying Hear the Causes between your Brethren and Judge righteously between every Man and his Brother and the Stranger that is with him Ye shall not Respect Persons in Judgment but ye shall Hear the Small as the Great You shall not be afraid of the Face of Man for the Judgment is God's Herein they were told of the Duty of their Office first to hear which must neither de denyed nor delayed and according to what they hear they are bound to judge justly whether between Jew and Jew or between Jew and a Stranger for Justice ought equally and impartially to be render'd unto all without any Byass or Regard of Persons in Judgment whether Friends or Enemies Relations or Strangers Great or Small Poor or Rich and because some men are often apt to be dazled and influenced by the greatness and wordly Advantage of others either out of Interest Love or Fear here Judgeâ— are charged not to mind any such thing nor to suffer themselves to be wrought upon by any such outward Advantages and wordly Considerations and the Reason is given in the Text For the Judgment is God's and not Man's The Heathens in their Hieroglyphicks represented Justice one of the Four Moral Cardinal or chief Vertues by the Figure of a Woman Blindfolded and holding Scales in her Hand the first to signify she ought not to look upon or see any thing in the Parties to Byass her Judgment the second that the justice of the Cause without any regard to the Person must decide the Dispute and both to require an Impariality in the Judge always looking on God as present with them (q) Psal 82 1 For God Judgeth among the gods In Jetro's Prudent Advice to Moses about Judges he mentioneth Four Qualifications required in all that are in such a station (r) Exod. 18.21 Able Men such as fear God men of Truth hating Covetousness First Men endued with Knowledge and Understanding which are natural Parts necessary for those that are in such places for else how can they that want judgment in themselves be competent Judges over others The Understanding is the Light of the Soul whereby it must be guided and which without it lyes in Darkness wherefore it concerns those that appoint Judges to make choice of such as God hath fitted for the place and given them Endowments proper for it But this is not enough all Natural Gifts are defective without Grace therefore the Heart of Judges should be Sanctified with the Fear of God This ought to direct their Knowledge and here must be the Ground