unbelievers infants in their parishes whom they truly judge not to have the spirit in common with those whom as blindly they judge to have it i. e. not the seed of true believers only but the seed of true and apparent unbelievers also The second fault I charge upon your Minor Proposition is an utter falseness in the matter affirm'd in 't for take the term little children for what little ones you please these or those t is utter untruth to utter any such thing as that infancy have the holy spirit much more that believers infants have it more then others neither is there any strength in any one thing you have presented the world with to prove either one of these or yet the other and howbeit I say suppositively that all appear to have it if any at all by what you have here produc'd in proof on 't yet I 'le positively prove and partly by way of answer to your own argument that neither â—ll infants have the holy spirit nor any at all in such non-age as you falsly supposing they have it do thereupon baptize in to this end I would I wist what you mean by the holy Ghost as you call him but I all along the holy spirit I am in doubt you scarcely well know your selves or else you would not predicate him to be in infants in such wise as here you do I 'le indeavour therefore to search out what your meaning may be by a serious survey of the senses which the holy spirit seems to be taken in in the word of which I am confident if you know what you mean you must mean one The spirit which is but one and the self same in substance where ere he is is yet spoken of in Scripture in two and but two different senses in general so far as I find and that answerably to two different offices which he exercises towards two different kinds of men in the world viz. godly and wicked believers and unbelievers Saints and sinners these two several offices which that one holy spirit is found in towards these severall sorts of men are either more common or more special general or peculiar the common or general office of the spirit is to convince and inlighten draw move perswade strive with men to bring them into the way of obedience to God and of their own good and this he executes universally to all men and in this sense is in all men and women good and bad godly and wicked Saints and sinners Jews and Gentiles Christians and heathens but not in the one day old infants of any of all these that I know of The will of man even every man so soon as he comes to such capacity as to be able to discern between good and evill stands ever after even all the daies of his life between two wooers that sollicit him and seek to win him to their service and which ere wins him finally to its service will everlastingly and accordingly reward him with life or death Rom. 6.17 to v. 23. Gal. 6.7 8. And these two are mans flesh and Gods spirit which are evermore lusting in him one against the other and between them perswading him each in their kind in this sense he is in the blindest heathens that breath on earth natural fools and infants onely excepted of whom as far as nothing is required because nothing revealed so far they have nothing to answer for yea the very Gentiles which have not any law in an outward letter as we have are said Rom. 2.14 15. to be a law unto themselves and to shew the work of the law written in their hearts and to have their conscience and thoughts witnessing within accusing and excusing one another which can be no other though commonly call'd the light of nature then a light from God and Christ who is said to enlighten every man that cometh into the world and so doth more or less even such as never yet knew his person as the Sun sends some light in some corners of the earth where the body of it is not at all discerned yea the very spirit of God shining and striving in them answerably to which Gods spirit is said Gen. 6. to strive with man even those evill men of the old world that rebell'd against it by which spirit Christ himself is said to have preacht to those disobedient persons while the long suffering of God waited on them in the daâ—es of Noah whose outward ministry he also used while the Ark was preparing 1 Pet. 3.19 20 the same spirit is said Ioh. 16. to be sent to convince the very world of sin righteousness and judgement yea the stift-necked and uncircumcised Iews both in heart and ears are said Act. 7. alwayes to have resisted the holy spirit which they could not have done had he not wrestled with them yea within them thus farre all men have him even ill men the worst in the world at some time or other by which spirit the Son of righteousness is the light of the Microcosme or inward world of mans heart as the Sun by the beams that stream from the body of it is the light of the Megacosme or outward universe In this sense I cannot conceive you take the holy spirit here or if you do you mistake not a little if you say infants have him thus for howbeit in these ordinary wayes of his acting all persons male and female may be said to have him at the years of capacity to distinguish yet infants of one day old have him not in this sense or if they had 't will make no more for the baptism of them then of all men and women in the world much less have they him in those special waies of acting in which he acts in the Saints till at least they come to be so far past that minority as to be sensible of his acting towards them Which speciall and more eminent acts and offices of the spirit are on this wise viz. special assisting in doing good when by common strivings with them men are perswaded and prevaild with to set about it and when in his first motions he is obey'd also comforting supporting in and under troubles trials sufferings temptations persecutions which will assuredly light on those that do obey him assuring souls more and more clearly of Gods love and favour witnessing to their spirits that they are the children of God enabling them with boldness to cry Abba father sealing them up to the day of Redemption confirming them as an earnest in their present confidence of a future inheritance kingdom glory revealing to them more plainly the things freely given of God so that they rejoice mainly therein whilst others to whom these things are foolishness rejoice in the things of the world lusts of the flesh and of the eye and of the pride of life lusting strongly against the flesh delivering from the law of sin and death warring against the law of the members effectually which else would
cut off from standing as till Chirist they did now any longer upon their own Root Abraham because of unbelief I say then that no infant in infancy of what believing parent soever is either Abrahams spiritual seed or dying in infancy is saved upon any such account as a believers seed or Abrahams seed nor whilst living an infant onely may be signed by baptism as an heir apparent of salvation for if Abraham stand not a spiritual father to his own meer fleshly seed he stands not so sure to the meer fleshly seed of any believing Gentile for that were to priviledge every ordinary believer and his natural seed above either himself or his own Nor doth this hinder or deny the salvation of the dying infants of believers or dispose them ere the sooner muchless necessarily to damnation to say they are not Abrahams spirituall seed quâ believers infants nor heirs to salvation upon any such account as that for though neither upon that nor any other account at all they may warrantably be baptized yet it s more then possible or probable either because infallible that there 's other Scripture account enough upon which when we see them die in infancy we may assert them undoubtedly not to be damned for as it is most sure and true that all that are apparently if really Abrahams spiritual seed by faith must so living so dying be saved in token and farther evidence of which to themselves more then others they are by the good wil of Christ to be baptized yet is it neither true nor necessary that all that are saved must be Abrahams spiritual seed by faith but most certain that some shall be saved that never were Abrahams seed in any sense at all witnesse not onely the faithful fore-fathers of Abraham for he was their seed and not they his but also all dying infants of what parents soever both before Abrahams time and since of whom to salvation notwithstanding those are the onely termes on which it belongs to adult ones to whom it s preacht Mark 16.15 16. these being truly capable of neither 't is not required that they should either repent believe or be baptized I know this Iustification of dying infants without faith is uncouth and little less for all it holds forth so much salvation then damnable doctrine among you Divines that plead the contrary but I shall by the help of God make it good to the faces of you all when I come to consider the baldness of your consequence in this point as you give me good occasion to do in some places where me thinks you meddle with it somewhat clumsily as it were in mittins as if because there 's no other way revealed for the salvation of such by Christ to whom the gospel is preached who are capable to hear and do what 's required for such onely the word universally speaks of when it speaks of salvation in that way but the way of belief and actuall obedience onely therefore there 's no other way for the salvation of dying infants by Christ who can possibly neither believe in him nor obey him which as it is such shameful stuff that I cannot bear it with out inward blushing at your blindness so whether you have not as much cause to be ashamed on 't within your selves is well worth your inmost inquiry I say therefore again so far is this from excluding dying infants of believers from entrance into the kingdome of heaven to say they are neither Abrahams spiritual seed by faith nor heirs thereof upon that ground onely of being so that it rather concludes and supposes there 's some other ground that is common with them to the innocent infants of even infidels and all the world upon which these whom though they are hundreds to one yet your selves in your fierce wrath and merciless cruelty devote universally to damnation may dying in infancy universally be saved also which ground if you will yet know it is the righteousness of Christ the free imputation of which universally from the father saves not onely all that believe from both that and their actuall transgressions too but even the whole world whether they believe it or no from the the imputation of Adams transgression so that none at all ever perish upon that account in which respect he is said to be the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe much more doth it and that without faith save all dying infants who as they believe not so have not as yet by any actual sin bard themselves or deserved exemption or become liable at all to the second death i. e. the damnation of hell which befalls not any but upon personal neglect of the light and grace of life brought in by the second Adam as the first death onely overtakes mankind for onely that sin of the first Adam Babist If all dying infants are saved then not few but many if not the maior part must be saved contrary to that of Christ Mat. 7.13.14 Luke 13.23.24 where he saith few there are that are saved Baptist. There are indeed but few inter adultos among persons that come to years of whom alone and not of Infants at all Christ there speaks and even every where else where he speaks to us of the way of life and this is plain by the reason he there gives why so few are saved which is the straitness of the gate and narrowness of the way that leads to life viz. of self-denial and suffering for Christ which men mostly being very loath to walk in it comes to pass that few of them come to life by it but infants being altogether uncapable to walk in it are are altogether dis-ingaged from walking in it till they come to capacity so to do and yet are not damn'd for not walking in it when we come to years of understanding and to apprehend the good will of God to us in providing a Saviour for us his good will concerning us in order to salvation by him is that we believe in him and obey him and apply his righteousness unto our selves Gal. 3.27 but whilst we are yet in such minority as neither to know what God hath done for us nor to be capable of putting on the Lord Iesus our selves he himself is pleased to impute his righteousness to salvation to us so dying even as we our selves whilst our infants are new born do not onely provide but also put on what clothes we have provided in our pitty towards them for the covering of their nakedness but when they come to years of such discretion as to discern and be sensible of their own shame and capable to dress themselves with their own hands we expect when in our love we have once provided raiment for them they should put it on themselves or go without it thus candid are we towards the dying infants of all sorts nevertheless though we tell you of our charity towards them and of your own cruelty in sending all
ours therefore I shall not trouble my self with it but the first of them which you say is so directly against us t is because you are blind if you do not perceive it to be an express downright declaration of a general justification of all from Adams sin as to life i. e. a resurrection from that bodily death which that sin brought upon all mankind and from which as there is now a universal return of every individual by Christ so there had never bin any returning for any one man in the world but by Christ to all eternity world without end 1 Cor. 15.21.22 Yea as universally as that judgement or condemnation to that first death came by Adam upon all men so that it spreads its black wings upon them all and brings them all down to the dust from whence they came so universally is justification unto life i. e the benefit and resurrection from that death from which else no one man should ever have risen come by Christ upon all men really and truly and not onely so but a capacity also and possibility of eternal happinesse and well being after that resurrection and all this whether persons believe it yea or no yea and a promise and certainty of it in case of belief in this Christ otherwise indeed a losse of the Resurrections becoming a mercy and benefit to them and a lyablenesse even after that escape of the first death that came by the first Adam to a sorer even that second death that lake of fire which by the second Adam by whom comes eternal blessednesse on believers comes upon all unbelievers and that for ever So that if there be no salvation to infants without justification yet ther 's justification of infants without faith or baptism either And whereas you argue from the cart to the horse from the justification and salvation of infants to their faith I argue from their non capacity to believe to their justification and salvation without it no salvation or justification without faith say you but infants are justified and saved therefore they believe if no justification and salvation without faith say I infants who cannot believe can neither be justified nor saved but infants so farre as they need justification for they have no sins of their own are justified and saved also for the kingdome of heaven belongs to them therefore there is justification and salvation for infants without faith To conclude therefore this opinion of you adversaries to the truth which allows no salvation to infants without faith puts you miserably to your shifts viz. either to find out a new way of coming by faith which Paul saies comes onely by hearing or else to damn innumerable dying infants who whilest they lived were uncapable to hear the word preached and so to believe or else as you do p. 18. to dream out a new kind of hearing whereby infants come by their faith viz. an inward wonderful miraculous hearing of some voice of the spirit within such a sigment of your own brains as the Scripture is wholly silent in and no true Church of God nor rational man but your selves who dream dreams and divine â—alse divinations and things of nought deceits of your own heart and tell them to the deceiving of others did ever dream of and whosoever shall consider the impertinencies of your proofs in a cause of so great consequence shall have just cause to suspect all your other doctrines and to take heed how they take any thing any more upon trust as the whole world hath done now of old from these new masters the Clergy who instead of being ministers in truth or servi servorum dei have bin domini dominorum Lords over the heritage and over the faith of all civil powers and people teaching them instead of the true doctrine of the old ministers the traditions and commandements of men And so I have done both with the head of this third argument and with that long tail also that trails after there remains no more of it to be meddled with but a certain slender sting that sticks to this tail put forth against us with more length then strength in prosecution of the argument which I shall cut out into many pieces and after set upon each section severally and then I hope your great hope of help from these three unworthies will prove a forlorn hope indeed Review But to prosecute this Argument for the full satisfaction of the simple but honest Reader since there is no way to come to salvation but by justification and no justificatnon but by faith why should it be doubted by any but little infants which are ordained to salvation are also by faith made subjects of justification those soules which please God so well as they are to see him presently after their separation from the body why should they not be capable of faith without which the Apostle saith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Re-Review The Reader had need be honest for I dare say he will be simple enough that receives full satisfaction your way by your present prosecutions of it because there 's no way for salvation and justification for men that are actual sinners and capable to believe and to whom justification and remission is preached to the end that they might believe it to their comfort is there therefore no other way wherby God willing and ordaining to save little infants from eternal wrath can possibly or doth certainly save them that can neither sin or be preacht to nor believe but that very self same way of believing is he tied to that means to save infants by as we are tied to it in order to the saving of our selves viz. the way of faith if so why not to repentance and self denial also for both these are the way to us Act. 2.38.40 Mat. 16.24 and would it not shift a man out of his seven sences to hear such doctrine that infants as ever they will be saved dying infants must even in their infancy repent is it not manifold more suitable to reason and sense of Scripture that as infants so far as they are guilty become guilty unwittingly to themselves by the presentment and imputation of the first Adams sin without personal disobedience in themselves so also should be justified from that imputed sin by the presentment of the satisfaction and imputation of the righteousness of the second Adam as unwittingly to and without personal obedience in themselves and because without faith t is impossible to please God for such as have actually incurred his wrath such as come to him by prayer for these indeed must believe that is God and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ther fore is it impossible for infants also who yet actually disspensed him nor yet are capable to come to him by belief or prayer Is that Scripture think you intended to infants for shame scope the Scripture a little better Review Is it not the
say however in this point and hold it fast too if by the word you find it to be good I come therefore to consider that which first occasioned all this discourse and to see if such a matter as a death burial and resurection of Christ be not here expressed or at least implyed neither of which yet is granted by Mr. Cook or Mr. Blake as things to which true baptism is to bear some resemblance and here let me tell you though you and the rest are engaged to make the best of your rantism now you see it questioned and have begun in the face of the world to defend it will sooth men up and tell them there is none but the Anabaptists gather that there must be a representation of death burial and resurrection from those places and such like yet we are not alone in our assertions even from those places that these are to be resembled for some that wrote impartially upon the places Rom. 6. Col. 2. even of your own way before the matter came so much in question have shewed their sense therof to be the same with ours as concerning the representation of all these witnesse one Mr. Thomas Wilson who in an exposition of his upon Rom. 6. declares from the 3 and 4 verses thereof in this manner That baptism is a pledge of our sanctification in all the parts of it thus the death of sin saith he is effectually represented by the water cast on us at our baptism though by his favor who was I perceive of Mr. Cooks conceit that infusion might serve turn not half so effectually as by the water overwhelming us the burial of sin by our being under the water and by our comming out of the water our arising out of our sins to a better life through the power of the holy spirit applying Christs death and burial for the beating down of our corrupt nature and his Resurrection for our quickening to godlinesse of living Thus he Neither is he alone in this sense upon these places but most if not all modern writers that do purposely or but occasionally touch upon these places as Calvin Vrsin Paraeus Tilenus Zanky c. do fully agree with him in this particular viz. that the lively resemblance of Christs death burial and resurrection and of ours with him that is to be held forth in the administration of Baptism is among other things signified in those Scriptures and do with him expound the words baptized in his death buried with him in baptism into death wherein yee are also risen with him c. not of the things signified only viz. our Mortification of sin and rising to holinesse in a way of likeness to Christs death and resurrection but also of the oâ—tward right and form of administration of the sign it self to be done in a way of likenesse to them both so that we by that as by an image or lively resemblance may not only be kept in a lively remembrance of the matter of them but may bear the manner of those matters also in our minds Thus Calvin l. 4. c. 15. s. 5. Alterum fructum affert baptismus qui nostram in Christo Mortificationem ostendit c. id est another fruit of baptism is this it sets forth our death to sin in Christ and our new life in him fitly as the Gosspel saith Rom. 6.3 we are baptized into his death and buried with him in baptism into death that we might walk in a new life By which words he doth exhort us to an imitation of him as if he should say we are admonished by baptism that by a resemblance of Christs death we should dy to our lusts and by the example of his resurrection we should rise to righteousness c. Also l. 4. c. 16. s. 16. speaking against such as say no more then truth though Baptismum esse sepulturam in quam nulli nisi jam mortui tradendi sunt id est That Baptism is a form or way of burial with which none but such as are i. e. appear to be already dead to sin or to have repented from their dead works are to be buried And that he might vindicate infants who yet in infancy cannot dy to sin or repent from dead works tells us but believe him who will in that Nos jam ante Mortuos per baptismum sepeliri id est That persons are to be buried in baptism before they be dead before they repent or appear to have died to sin and to prove that he cotes this very place Rom 6.4 which the scripture saith he Deserte reclamet nos ea conditione in mortem sepeliri ut emoriamur ac mortificationem istam exinde meditemur i. e. very elegantly proclaims the contrary namely that we are buried in baptism into death on this very condition that we may die to sin and may even by that outward visible burial we have in baptism be minded of the duty of mortification Which Exposition is the truth yet not the whole truth nor yet so much as serves the turn Mr. Calvin brings it for t is true we are baptized into death or buried in baptism in token that we must and on this condition that we shall dy to sin yet not only so but also in token and on condition that we are dead in a measure or have repented already nor doth it follow because we are buried in baptism that we may and in token that we must die more and more to sin that therefore we are to be buried in baptism before we die to sin for we are to repent before baptism and after it also But however the truth that is in it is enough to serve our turn at present i. e. to prove his Judgement and ours to jump together as to the true intent and meaning of those phrases in the text viz. buried with him in baptism into death which both hee and we take to expresse the outward rite of baptism and that that outward rite be performed answerably to the name here given it in manner and form of a burial which cannot be without submersion and this too in token and as a resemblance of our death to sin and burial with Christ the signatum or thing signifyed and resembled which whether it go before or come with or after the sign is not material And though Mr. Calvin and we are twain and cannot agree whether we are to be baptized i. e. buried in baptism before we are dead to sin or after yet herein we meet in one with all other Expositors on this place so far as I find Mr Cook and Mr. Blake only excepted viz. that whether Mortui or Morituri we ought to be buried in baptism according to this place not spiritually only for that is the inward thing signifyed into which i. e. in token and resemblance of which we are outwardly buried but visibly and representatively also in the ceremony Much what to the same purpose speaks Calvin again about three
into Christ i. e. into or in token of an interest in him of a onenesse and fellowship with him by faith are baptized into his death i. e. in token of such a communion with the power of his death as kills â—in and crucifies the old man So that henceforth we should not serve sin therefore or hence it is saith he that in baptism i. e. the outward ordinance we are buried with him i. e. outwardly visibly bodily in water into death i. e. in token and resemblance of our dying to sin by vertue of his death that we should be ever practically mindful of this that like as Christ rose again after he was dead so we should rise to a new life for if we have bin planted together in the likenesse of his death i. e. signally in outward baptism spiritually and really in the inward work and washing performed by the spirit upon the soul we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection i. e. we should be de jure and shall de facto as we believe Fourthly this burial and resurrection that is immediately expressed by the words buried with him in baptism wherein you are also risen with him is made a motive argument and incitement to the spiritual death and resurrection for therefore are we perswaded to die to sin and live righteously because in baptism we are buried in water and raised again in token that we ought so to do and on this condâ—on are we baptized and buried and raised therein and so interessed into all the other benefits of Christs death remission of sins and salvation viz. that we should die to sin and live holily and to this end also that we may be minded thereby to do so Nos ea conditione in mortem sepeliri in baptismo Scriptura reclamet ut emoriamur ac mortificationem istam exinde meditemer Saith Calvin l. 4. c. 16. S. 16. Now if this death and burial that we are buried with in baptism be to this end to teach us and shew us that and how we must die to sin then the buriall in baptism there spoken of is not the death to sin it self for the motive and things we are moved to are two and so are the sign and thing signified now Fifthly t is not only such as is made a motive to the other therefore is not the other but such a death and resurrection as is performed accomplisht transacted in baptism i. e. in the very time and juncture of our baptizing therefore cannot be meant of our spiritual death and resurection immediatly but of that burial and resurrection which the outward man in a figure or resemblance passes through both at in the administration of the ordinance for the spiritual death and resurection is that which though it be signified and resembled in baptism yet it is seldom if ever transacted in a person in that juncture of time wherein he is baptizing but for the most part before or after yea ever either before or after and never in the very nick and act of baptism no neither of your baptism nor of ours for you who professe to baptize infants have a subject of whom you hope that he will die to sin when he lives to years but you look not on him as one that is mortuus but moriturus and that not in baptism but long after it unlesse you suppose baptism confers the inward grace viz. death to sin ex opere operato still but we baptizâ—ng believers baptize such as repent from dead works and in fieri though not infacto esse are dead to sin before we baptize them as well as oblige them to die more to sin after it yet you say your subjects for all that are buried in baptism too and so say we of ours therefore the burial in baptism there meant is no other then that of the sign for the thing signified viz. the death to sin is not done in baptism whether it be before or after it and one of the two it is for Calvin saies truly that we hold baptismum esse sepulturam in quam nulli nisi jam mortui already dead i. e dying to sin are to be buried but of himself and others that are baptized in infancy he saies quoting Rom. the 6.4 nos jam ante mortuos per baptismum sepeliri i. e. before we are dead to sin we are buried by baptism l. 4. c. 16. S. 16. the burial therefore is not the signatum but the signum i. e. their putting under water in baptism which sacramentally is called a burial even therefore because of the analogy and likenesse it bears to such a thing even to Christs burial and ours with him which are the things analogized and lively resembled thereby i. e. by immersion for by aspersion they are not And so I have proved by three arguments hitherto that Christs ordinance of baptism is a totall dipping viz. First by the prime signification of the word baptize which is to overwhelm or wash by swilling or dipping but never to sprinkle as Rantize never to dipp or wash Secondly by the practise of the primitive times which was totally to dip as I have made appear many wayes Thirdly by the name of a burial and resurrection that 's there given to the outward sign by a sacramental Metonimy i. e. in this respect as in its dispensation it must bear analogy and likenesse as spirinkling does not to the death burial and resurrection of Christ and ours in him which are the things immediatly signified in baptism and therefore mainly and as lively as may be to exemplified thereby If there be yet any more to say against dipping and for sprinkling let us hear it and as I find it true upon triall or false and feigned so accordingly I shall eitâ—er answer it or yield for I know that he who is not as desirous to hear all that can be said against what he holds as what is to be said for it can never be so solidly settled in it as he should be for nil tam certum quam quod ex dubio certum est Nothing more sure to a man then that which he sees as well on what ground some doubt and disown it as one what himself owns and imbraces it and though I professe my self to be beyond all doubt that Rantism is no ordinance of Christ but a meer figment of men meaning to serve Christ by the halves nor infant baptism neither howbeit I have disputed for them both and thought I did God service in it too yet he that knoweth my heart knoweth that I have so unsatiable a thirst after the knowledge of truth that if I could think those things to be the truth of God as I once did upon the same totten and reasonlesse principles you now think so on I should re-entertain them with rejoicing in my flesh which would find much ease and honour by it and in the spirit much more which would have that ease and honour with
rant and whore and in all this to have no more conâ—cience of sin then a very bruit thy perfection is a meer defection from the truth thy fulnesse of age to discern between good and evil is a faculty to discern that there 's neither good nor evil thy Godlinesse to be as Paul paints thee out 2 Tim. 3.1 2. c. a lover of thy self coveteous proud a boaster a blasphemer disobedient to Governours c. incontinent fierce a despiser of those that are good treacherous heady high-minded a lover of pleasures more then God and to have a form or pretence of godlynesse whereby with the more advantage to creep into houses and lead captive to thy lust silly women laden with lust but to resist the truth and deny the power thereof and instead of denying all ungodlinesse in such a sense as the grace of God teaches men to do i. e. to have nothing to do with it by a principle of grace turned into wantoness to deny that there 's any ungodlinesse at all Neverthelesse know this that the Lord commeth with 10000 of his Saints to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Iude 14.15 and though thou being willingly ignorant of any such personall comming of Christ Oh Ranter and ungodly scoffer of these last times that walkest after thy own lusts in sensual lascivious and polluted wayes since thy forgetting the words of the Apostles of our Lord and thy unlawful separation from the true Churches Iude 17.18.19 since their lawful separation from the false 2 Cor. 2.14.15.16.17.18 saiest where is the promise of his coming and because all things continue as they were 2 Pet. 3.2.3 4 5. pleasest thy self in believing he will never so come yet he will so come in like manner i. e. visibly personally bodily but far more gloriously as he went away Act. 1.11 and be revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God them specially that know no other God but themselves and their belly Phil. 3 19. and on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess. 1.7.8.9 who shall be punisht with everlasting destruction yea while thou dreamest oh filthy dreamer despising government even ecclesiastical and civil defiling the flesh having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin and yet cannot commiâ— sin because with thee there is now no sin promising men liberty whilst thou thy self art a servant of corruption and a slave in chains to Satan acting and ranting in every particular even to the life I should say rather to the death for t is to thy own according as thou art punctually painted out and prophesied of all along by Peter 2 Peter 2. c. 3. and Iude in both their Epistles who speak both the same things which either speaketh and no other then the self same which thou dost yet thy judgement now of along time lingreth not and thy damnation slumbreth not 2 Pet. 2.3 for thy Lord O evil servant that art not found so doing as some few will be as he left in charge when he went away but saiest in thy heart my Lord delayes his coming and thereupon beginnest to smite thy fellow servants that keep close to the masters will that they may be without spot as his appearing and to eat and drink with the drunken thy Lord I say will come to thy cost in a day when thou lookest not for him in an hour that thou art not aware of and cut thee a sunder and appoint thee a portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 24.46.47 48 49 50 51. yea O thou unprofitable servant thou shalt be cast into utter darknesse Mat. 25.30 yea thou fearless feaster and feeder of thy self against the day of slaughter Iam. 5.5 6 7. thou fruitlesse twice dead bruitish Creature the very mist and blackness of darknesse is against that time of Christs comming reserved for thee for ever 2 Pet 2.17 Iude 13. ANTI-SACERDOTISM Sacerdotale delirium dilineatum The dotage of the Priests discovered OR Editio nova auctior et emendatior A new Edition With no small Addition In way of Emendation Amplification and truer Application of the third part of that trebble Treatise which is extant about the Ashford Disputation ENTITLED A pathetical exhortation to the Pastors to oppose the growth of Anabaptism or a short discourse concerning the means of opposing hereticks in disputation and preaching In which new Edition as Christs true Clergy alias the Churches that are commonly but not properly called ANABAPTISTS are cleared not to be such So exceptis excipiendis the Pope and his CCClergy are cleared to be such themselves viz. self-loving and ambitious vain-gloryous and covetous illiterate and sottish impure and carnal cruel and bloody lying and blasphemous prophane and sacrilegious Heretical and Schismatical as Dr. Featly in his remarkeables and that fraternity by whom he though dead yet speaketh in their patheticals have proclaimed the said ANABAPTISTS to be MAL. 2.1 2.7 8 9. O ye priests this commandment is for you c. AND now O ye Disputers and Scribes of the Ashford Disputation I might say not a little and will say something how much I know not in discovery of your sacerdotall doings not to say dotings in the third piece of your pedorantical paper wherin the only truely baptism Church and Ministers of it are both declaimed against under the hatefull names of Heresie Schism Hereticks such as from no other principles then self conceit Ambition vain-glory and covetuousnesse design the propagation of errors by certain hypocritical pretences obstinate impudent and audacious deportments Seducers whose society is to be shuned c. for thus and much worse to the rendring of us odious among your Gentry and Vulgar and the hardning of their hearts against the truth are we whom you stile Anabaptists bespattered by you Anâ—â—baptists in that Triobulary Treatise intituled p. 20. A short discourse concerning the means of opposing Hereticks both in Disputation and preaching alias in your title page whereby it is evident both what and whom you mean by the words Heresie Heriticks viz. us and the way we walk in A pathetical Exhortation to the Pastors to oppose the growth of Anabaptism the drift of it whether it be more to decline or desire any more disputation with them one can hardly discover so doubtful is the sense of the Scribes that scraped it sometimes as it were decrying disputation as dangerous and that from which t is scarce possible to expect any good and superscribing it self thus viz. Why Hereticks are not to be disputed withall sometimes as it were disputing for disputation again as if it meant to move the Ministers â—hough worsted by no meanes to give out and to make it good that much good may be expected from it like Caesar at Rubicon with
oppositions and imprisonments which Paul met with from the adverse party whereby they intended to smoother it in his daies fell out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel for it came to be the more manifest in all places by means of errors so earnest appearance against it 1 Phil. 12. to 19. Thus truth hath gained ground not a little in these latter daies by the ominous onsets wherewith falsehood fights it and would fain fright and force it to hide its head and wisdome works out it self not a little to light by follies flying so furiously at the face of it 3. That the truth mihgt be better loved and more price set upon it we prize lihgt the more by our knowledge of darkness health by our sense of sicknesse errour is a foil to a Diamond truth looks more lovely being compared with it The lilly looks most lovely and beautifull when it stands among black thornes 2 Cant. 2. the stars though ever obvious to us would never shine if there were no night contraria juxta se posita maxime elucescant contraries set together discover each other more lively in their severall loathsome or lovely formes the light of the Sun shewes brightest seemes sweetest when it breaks from under a dark cloud so does the Sun of righteousnesse now arising appear the more lovely by how much it hath been hid from the earth now of long time by that dismall darknesse and smoak of Heresies erroneous false worships and foolish figments with which the CCClergy hath filled all parishes throughout CCChristendome 4 For the punishment of hypocrites nominall Christians curious Minds such as have itching eares and heap unto themselves teachers stragling sheep fall into the wolves clutches such as will not keep the steps of the flock but go after the flocks of the Companions ever fall into most dangers of seducement all which is most plain by too woful experience in all Nations of CCChristendome for while Christianity and the Gospel was professed sincerely as it was saving some remote beginnings of mens traditions to take place against the commands of Christ in the first three hundred years wherein t was evidenced by the ten bloody persecutions that Christians served Christ for love then and not for loaves nor for lives sake neither for they loved not their lives unto the death there were not half so many Hereticks or Heresies as have been since but when once after Constantine Christianity comming into credit and being not onely owned by the Emperors themselves but established by their edicts in all things according to the pattern shewed them in the word not of Christ but of the Catholique Clergy convened in Councels as the Religion sub paena to be submitted to men turned Christians upon such sleight grounds and were born to that Name of Christianity without the Nature no otherwise then of the will of man and were no more then nomine tenus professors of it the Lord in his just and severe judgement to these nominal Christians permitted those Spiritual plagues that we see Rev. 8. Rev. 9. seconded the sounding of the trumpets to fall thick and three fold upon the world suffered the Clergy to fall to contentions jars and janglings about their ambitious interests viz. primacy and universallity c. and to Apostatize more and more from the plain primitive truth and to degenerate be degrees into darknesse till they came at last to be totally blinded in things of God and blind leaders of the blind Princes and people that implicitly give up themselves to be guided by them that both might drop together into the ditch yea he suffered that great star the Bishop of Rome that sometime shone very bright to fall as wormwood upon the third part of the waters the pure doctrine of the Gospel i. e. to foist in his heresies to the poisoning and imbittering of the doctrine so that many died even all that drank thereof because it was bitter and unwholsome and he suffered the third part of the Sun and Moon and Stars all the means and waies of Christs own institution and appointment to give light unto men by to be smitten and darkned corrupted covered with false glosses depraved with heaps of heresies and traditions c. crept in and authorized by the Pope and his Ecclesiastical Doctors so that what with the damnable and horribly devillish heresies by means of Mahomet and his Alcoran infecting the Orientall Christians through all Asia and these Papisticall errors of those Arch-Hereticks the Pope and CCClergy and Scholastick Rabbies who with vain deceit seduced the Occidental part of the world from the simplicity that is in Christ the day shone not for a third part of it the might likewise i. e. the third part of that pure and pretious truth of Christ which shined in the primitive Churches was now exclipsed and extinguisht neither had men by the third part so much of that clear light of Christs Gospel that they were wont to have in former dayes yea further in way of plague and punishment to hypocrites and meer nominal Christians the Lord at last suffered that star which fell before or angel of the Church of Rome when he was fallen from all his heavenlinesse and love of truth to earthlinesse and love of money and honour from beneath to open the bottomlesse pit i. e. the way to the very depth of hellish darknes and to raise up a smoak or thick fog of errors and heresies lies traditions which as the smoak of some great furnace darkened the sun and air i. e. totally put out the light of Scripture and pure administrations which were but in part ecclipsed before so that now nothing could be seen as it were but Popish legends and such stuff by the advantage of which smoother the Locuâ—ts came out i. e. the Clergy that swarmed all over the earth in every parish one at least stinging hurting wounding to eternal death by their poisonous doctrines propounded under pretence of the word of Christ all persons save such as have the seal of God in their foreheads even a few witnesses to the truth that withstood their doctrins which locusts are said to be scorpions i. e. carrying a fair face but stings in their tailes and to have crowns because of their great power for under their great King Apollyon they rule all and reign ore the Kings of the earth These are they that outwardly wear the sheeps cloathing i. e. cloth themselves with the denominations of Clergy Gods heritage Spiritual men Priests men of God which are the true titles of the sheep but inwardly are ravening wolves into whose clutches the stragling sheep that would not keep the steps of the flock of Christ but turned aside after the flocks of the companions going at a venture which way the most went for companies sake right or wrong did fall and by whose Heretical principles men are in danger of perishing for ever Thus when the world would be
zealous as you are to unlade your selves in your Romish wayes of disgraces yet what grace unless you have the Grace to Repent in this juncture wherein the Lord is about to fill the earth with the knowledge of himself and that glorious truth which you have darkned and to bring shamefull spuing upon all your Ghostly glory Pre. In which it was designed to be smothered c. Epil Scarce any Infant ever past alive I think under so many murtherous and Smotherous designs as this one poor Insant-disputation that was born at Ashford It hath had two or three births or appearances in publick one at Ashford the place where it was first held before many two at the press whence its forth-held before all from every of which it should have been with-held so as never to have appear'd at all to the view of any if any of those whose own more then mine it was could handsomely have smothered and broke the neck on t The True father who first begate it by venting to a certain Gentlewoman further then he would have done as it seems to some since had he thought she would have prov'd with child by his dallying with her his pretended desire of some discourse with her seducer so he was then pleas'd to stile me by Anticipation having neither before nor since so much as said one word toward the shewing of me to be in error when he saw his offer thrive so fast in the womb of her desires that there was like to be an Issue i. e. a Disputation father'd on him to provide for would for ought ever I could discern whether to avoid the shame on 't or why else I know not have smothered the very Embryon in the womb but sith that could not be done very cleanly it being nois'd that there was a conception he was minded I suppose to have it smother of itself at the birth for want of help to bring it forth for he would have nought to do with it himself when the hour came but threw it as Iudas did his busines among the Priests with see ye to it not vouch-safing so much as to see it himselfe or to send in so much as one Rag or Ragged Argument to hide its shame withall in the day of its nativity wherein notwithstanding all the help and hand it had from such of you as were sent for far and neer to the labor who I dare say did the best for it you could it was not so well ordered but that it pittied many a ones heart to see how wretched it was and poor and miserably blind and naked Howbeit I say to give you your due you had bowels toward it far beyond him who was neerer kin to it then your selves for whereas he should have bin by right at all the pains and charges too that day as being most concern'd in the business of it yet he withdrew himself from both but you who as you say were not the men appointed for the disputaâ—ion drew neer and undertook it and were at such pains about it that how far forth you gnawd your tongues for pain I cannot say but I may safely say you blaspâ—emed the God of heaven both then and since so farre forth as to call his truth Heresie is to blaspheme him because of your pains and your sores not do I hear that you yet Repent of your deeds in a word though little to th' purpose yet your cares concerning this Infant-disputation were very great when his whose it was were none at all save how to keep far enough from it that it might be strangled before ever it came to light Thus it outliv'd one or two smothers to which it was designed by its first father viz. both in and coming out of the womb much land therefore which you love more then a little to you the kind uncles for it who so seasonably interposing your selves swadled it up as fairly as you could in such foul shifts as you had then about you in such wise at least as to save the life on 't or else it had surely miscarried and come well nigh to nothing before it was well any thing at all Now in small process of time perceiving perhaps that you had over-charged your selves unawares in Adopting this Ashford-disputation the fruit of another mans loins into your own future Tuition by taking the Patronage thereof upon you so publiquely as you had done that day before many people and possibly not more asham'd of its former poor appearance then afraid that a further appearance of it in publique might put you to more charge and shame even you the foster fathers also who had been so kind as to keep it from killing and to perform the mid-wivery und nursery thereof before had a design now to smother it your selves in order whereunto you had buried it alive it seems and rak'â— it up in the ashes of oblivion that it might live no longer in mens minds but rather return dust to dust Ashes to Ashes as it was hoping the Sepulchre of your silence was so sure that the Ghost would never walk about to the cost shame and affrightment of its guilty Guardians any more But all this avails not yet the Baby-disputation was not fully smothered for all that for people of all sorts were in a kind of Hue-and cry after it Adversaries talkt how ill you handled it friends were importunate to see a copy of its countenance so that there 's no remedy but it must be rak't out of those Ashes in which it was then designed to be smothered and appear again in publique at the Press and so by chance it came to escape a third smother by which else in your intent it should have perisht both out of mind and sight per varios casus per tot discrimâ—na rerum Hath this poor Infant-disputation had the fortune to escape those many smothers which in the fearful wrath of its own parents that begat and brought it out it was ore and ore designed to so that it rubs out still and remains in rerum naturâ in vivis characteribus to this very day Pre. And given life to it c. Post. And gâ—ven death to it you might more truly have said for verily under a colour of setting it free from the old intended smother you have subtily smother'd it ore a new as it were in another yea your very Impression is a very suppression of it rather then otherwise for you have Prest it almost to nothing in the Press and made such a Thin-gut thing of it that howbeit it stands bulk't out with an Appendix and other bumbles yet it looks no more like the disputation it once was in respect of the Respondents Answers which you have rob'd it of as well as of your own weakest Arguments then the seven lean kine like the fat you would have sneap't it all out of sight if you could but necessity urging to set forth somewhat and shame forbidding
foregoing it s also evident that some of the Church of the Galatians were not baptized for the same expression is used concerning them Gal. 3.27 from which two instances it is apparent that baptism is neither necessary to make a Saint or to render him capable of Church-fellowship Baptist. As many as is a phrase that where it s used doth not alwayes nay doth never of it self necessarily expresse and imply not all or but some onely of the things or persons spoken of in the words that border about it but as it may happen pro re substrata according to the nature of the matter in hand and according as the sense thereof is manifest by the foregoing and following sentences expressing or implying it so that sometimes you shall find it signifying but some onely or a part exclusively of others or the rest of the body spoken to or spoken of thereabout and sometimes no lesse then the whole of it neither is it apparent whether a or but some onely is the sense of this term as many as where ere t is used but as t is made appear by the context or some circumstances in it and not a jot lesse then this is said by your self in that very objection of yours I am now answering to for of Iohn 1.12 as many as received him to them gave he power these words plainly intimate say you that some of them i. e. the Jews whom its said he came to did not receive Christ and for my part I grant they do so signfie in that place but why or how doth it appear that they must needs signifie there that but some of the Jews received him It appeareth not by any usuall or constant sense of the words as many as as if they alwayes sounded forth but some and never all of such or such subjects as are spoken of but it appeareth say you by the words immediately foregoing in which veâ—ily you say right for the words foregoing do plainly shew what the sense of these words As many as is in this Scripture for forasmuch as it s said plainly above that he came to his own and his own received him not i. e. for the generality of them rejected him therefore it s undeniably evident that here the words as many as received him do intimate that some did not receceive him but if you should take these words as many as received him abstract from what 's said above viz. that his own for the most part did not receive him then they were not necessarily to be so understood neither could they simply of themselves intimate so much and as these words as many as considered abstractively from the context or speeches adjacent are not of themselves termes so necessarily exclusive of some as they are conclusive of some so considered in a right reference to the rest of the words preceding and succeeding among which they have their place they will be found sometimes conclusive of no lesse then all those persons or things there spoken of e. g. if I were speaking of the whole company of men in the great ship or Royal Soveraign as Paul does to the whole Church at Galatia and say you are all in a pretty safe condition for as many of you have been admitted into that strong ship cannot likely be sunk does not the word as many of you signifie all the men he speaks to even the whole company of them that are in the ship and not some of them onely so and no otherwise is it to be understood in these two Scriptures viz. Rom. 6.2 Gal. 3.27 where you would needs have these words viz. as many of us and as many of you as were as have been baptized into Christ necessarily to intimate no more but that onely some of the believing Romans and some of the Galatians were baptized and to be conclusive of some in each of these two churches and exclusive of the rest even of them as being not baptized whereas there is nothing in the world more plain then this that these words Rom. 6. as many of us Gal. 3. as many of you as have been baptized c. if considered with that due relation they bear and stand in to the words foregoing or following do intimate to us that the whole Church of the Romans that were to reckon on themselves as dead to sin and bound to live to it no longer and that certainly was no lesse then the whole were baptized and that all the Churches in Galatia or all the believers among the Galatians were baptized Yea if the scope of the Apostle Paul in both the places be observed we shall find that he makes this no other then an argument and uses it as a certain medium or motive whereby to perswade the Romans that they were all to dy to sin and now to live to it no longer and to prove the Galatians even all of them to be visibly to us at least the sons of God by faith in Christ because they were all of them baptized into Christ and thereby had visibly put him on First take notice that the businesse he would perswade the whole Church at Rome to and prove to be the duty of them all is this that they should now dy to sin have no more to do with sin and live to God now how does he prove that and go about to perswade them to it which is his businesse throwout that whole chapter Rom. 6. no otherway as I find but by imminding them of it that by their being buried with Christ in baptism this not only was signifyed to them but also became the duty of them all and that so strictly that howbeit before not so obliged yet from thenceforth they must crucify the old man and utterly abolish the body of sin and live to righteousnesse what shall we saith he for so his sense is continue in sin i. e. we that are dead to it and have been all baptized into Christ in token of it God forbid know ye not that every one that 's baptized into Christ is baptized into his death yea therfore t is that we i. e. all we still himself and the whole Church to whom he writes are buryed with Christ in baptism into death c. to shew that as Christ dyed and rose again so we also should walk in newnesse of life for if we i. e. all we have been planted together i. e. in baptism the lively â—esemblance of it into the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection c and so he goes on moving them all now to lead a new life and to be servants to righteousnesse by the consideration of the great engagements to Godward that lay upon them all since such time as they were baptized and forasmuch as you say they had all obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered unto them you therein contradict your self and confesse no lesse then we assert viz. that they were all
6.14.15.16.17 Rev. 14 18 9 10.8.4.5 and is there not a reed given and a command to rise and measure the City and Temple and worshippers in order to building again of what was ruined as the plummet was then in hand of Zorobabel Zach. 4 10. we have for ought I see as plain promises prophecies warrands and grounds as they had to build when they came from Babilon if we have eyes to see them unlesse nothing will serve to the satisfying of us as indeed it will not to the satisfying of some that our acting in the old way of Christ is his mind and will concerning us now but miracles to confirm us in the belief of it by whose leave I must rather call for miracles from them to confirm it that their leaving that old administration of ordinances and beginning to act in that new way of no ordinances is of God for as for the doctrine we practise t was at first confirmed by miracles as Gods manner ever is at the remove of any old Testament or will of his and establishing a new one in its stead but theirs though a new one nor yet committed to writing was never yet confirmed by miracles at all and suppose they had had more extraordinary Prophets then we have at the restoring of their ruins after the Babilonish wastings yet le ts know what extraordinary Prophets they had to build upon for the re-edifying of their dayly sacrifices and religion when trod down for a time times and an half also by Antiochus that most lively type of Christs Church-wasting enemies under the Gospel of whose violent ablation of all and lawful restoration of all again by the Jews according to the old pattern excepting what corruptions were afterward among them which yet did not disannul the right of the remaining of any truth may be read at large 1 Mac. 1.2 Mac. 7.2 Mac. 10. which all stood in force notwithstanding that falling away even till Christ himself who also confirmed and practised to a tittle according to Moses Testament during his life at last put an end to it by his death All thy arguings therefore O libertine from a falling away to no return from a treading down of the true way of ordinances to no erecting it again are but a sort of sorry shifts whereby thou fencest off that part of Christs Gospel which I confesse from some experience in my own crooked deceitful yet self-searching heart flesh and blood takes no delight in for if we consider things under the Gospâ—l with that relation and proportion they stand in to things under the Law which were Types and shadows of them then we must conclude there is a certain space or intertime between the last period of the 42 months or of the time of treading down of the true Gospel worship by might and Christs coming to abolish and take away their right as there was after the Babilonish captivity a space of 70 weeks in which the Saints according to the call and warning given them to worship God aright and decline the beasts worship and come out of Babilon Rev. 14. Rev. 18. are obedient and continue in the word of Christs patience under all the mallice of the beasts worshippers and in the observation of the commandements of God and the faith of Jesus and of all the works that Christ left in charge at his departure to be kept in memoriall of him in his absence viz. baptism the supper c. that so when the Lord shall come as a snare and as a thief on all that are disobedient to his voice and contentious against any tittle of his truth they may be found as Noah and Lot till whose separation the doom determined could not fall upon the wicked Gen 19.22 out of Sodom Rev. 11.8 in Zoar in the ark i. e. Christ and his true wayes Ordinances and worship which are to them as those of old to the other a little Sanctuary and being found so doing as Christ required keeping his commandementâ— may be blessed and have right to the tree of life and to enter in thorow the gates into the City Rev. 22 14.15 and be entertained with well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a very little and over a few things have thou authority over much over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 Luk. 19.17 Thou tellest us that the day star arises and the day approaches and therefore now there need be no such heed given to the edifying one another in Assemblies by the use of Ordinances but whether we shall believe thee o perverter who saiest we must give attendance to these things so much the lesse or Paul who saies so much the more as we see the day approaching let any judge but thy besotted self who speakest all along by a spirit most contradictory to and yet canst not be perswaded but that in all thou speakest answerably to the word Thou tellest us that Christ is now in his Saints the hope of glory but thou tellest us no newes in this for I know not when he was otherwise while they walkt not after the flesh but after the spirit in obedience to his voice in holy conformity to his will and word and in fellowship one with another in the use of all his holy ordinances but as for thy self o spiritualist that separatest thy self sensual not having the Spirit though pretending to have it in a higher degree then any that live in bondage unto Ordinances I know not how to believe he is so much in thee as the hope of glory for every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 Thou tellest of seeing face to face of present perfection and manhood and that that which is perfect is come and that thou livest already with God in God in full and actual enjoyment of heaven and all heavenly happinesse God dwelling already in thee and thou in him in the very substance which was once shadowed out by the childish things called Ordinances in the secret chambers of the most high in the heights of God in the very bosom and inmost imbraces of the father in a high degree of godlinesse spirit and glory But to let passe how thou contradictest confutest and givest thy self the lie when thou expressest all this sometimes by no higher a term then Christ in thee the hope of glory for hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for but if we hope for that we see not then do we not say we have it but with patience wait for it as not yet actually enjoyd Rom. 8.24.25 we know well enough forthy own practise and sometimes thy own speech bewrayeth thee what thy spiritualnesse perfection and godlinesse is thy spiritualnesse is to fulfil the will of the flesh with out scruple to feed and feast it without fear to swaggar and swear â—evil roar and
of the civil powers have been dâ—nd by the usual addresses of the PPPriesthood unto them for help against Hereticks and Schismaticks and by their hideous outcries viz. of the Prelates against the Presbyters saying help O King and the Presbyters against the Sectaries help O Parliament all will be overspread with a Gangrene of Heresie Murder Murder c. O ye Magistrates restrain dipping in cold water as you will save the lives of your subjects and such stuff and felly as is powred out to the Magistrate by the Minister against men more true to Christ and Magistracy then himself I humbly conceive the Magistrate may lawfully and more acceptably to God then otherwise save himself so much labour as to let these matters alone yea he may do well to see that whatever Religion men be of that are under his civil power in each state whether Iewish Turkish Heathenish Popish Prelatical Presbyterian or Independent may not be injurious each to other without satisfaction in civil matters and to see that none commit any uncivil actions that are contrary to that common honesly and righteousnesse among men which men as magistrates are set to vindicate to see that none live be they of this or that Religion dishonestly without correction to see that none usurp Dominion over each others faith so as to make all men believe as some do whether they see ground to believe so yea or no by the civil sword to see that in order to their own eternal good they find out and walk in the way of truth themselves as it is in Jesus and when they are once assured that they are in the truth themselves to let that truth be verbally declared per se or per alios as much as they please but not forced upon others as their faith further then the light of preachings and discourses may prevail to fasten it on others consciences and to see that even enemies to the Gospel and true Church may have no more then the weapons of the Churches warfare which are not carnal used towards them to make them friends and as to those who walk in truth whoever they are or shall but be supposed by the successive representatives Princes or Powers to walk in the way of truth to see that they be countenanc't but not too much maintenanc't because Christs disciples nor cookt up to all the honour and preferment and places of trust and advantage above their fellow subjects to the ingendring of jealousies and emulations in others that may be happily though not so neer the truth of Christ yet as trusty to the State as themselves for that too often choaks the Church but onely that with an indifferent impartial hand as men whether in Church or out being otherwise honest and able and of publique spirits not selfish nor covetous nor cruel c. may seem fit to be intrusted with such and such places so they may be chosen and disposed of thereunto in a word to see that such as make prayers and supplications and intercessions and giving of thanks for all men for Kings and such as are in authority living in all godlinesse and honesty may as well as others and others also as well as they living soberly and honestly though not Godly in Christ Jesus nor worshipping in way of truth but falsly may live a quiet and peaceable life without persecution as to confiscation bonds or death for doing and denying according to the dictates of their own though yet blinded conscience and that men of all Religions may live without molestation one from another any more then by meer manifestations of their light one to another at seasonable times in wayes of query disputation and preaching and then to leave all men to worship God according to their several wayes even misbelievers Hereticks and Iewes themselves and others that yet believe not in Christ but deny him till the Lord lend them light by the word of truth and to stand or fall to their own master Christ Jesus to whom every conscience shall give account of it self at last who if any man hear his words and believe not nor receives but rejects them judges him not here either by himself or the civil magistrate or by his Church any further then to non-communion with them yet by the word that he hath spoken unto him will judge every man at the last day Thus it is most evident the magistrate whether Christian or Heathen is to do and not otherwise viz. to give protection to men as men living honestly soberly and justly without respect to their Religions whether true or false And as to Religions to allow Tolleration to all men to practise according to their principles the practise of whose principles is not directly destructive to the true Religion common honesty civillity morallity righteousnesse and the peace and safety of the Common-wealth as some mens principles are if put in practise yet verily I know none among Christians at least save those of the two Spiritualties vix the Rantizing PPPriest that in his precincts which is the whole world could he catch it would have no tolleratian for any way of worship but his own and the Ranting Prophet who would have toleration of all and more too not onely all Religions but all as well unciuill unnatural lewd abominable as irreligious actions which nature it self cries shame on among beasts magistracy finds it self an ordinance of God to give correction to among heathens for those men are now acting upon the stage of whom Iude speaks when he saies Iude 10. what they know naturally as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves the principles of that old PPPriest and this new Prophet if practised in the hight of them are utterly inconsistent with the standing of truth in the world untrampled viz. that of the Priest and also with the standing of very manhood among men of civility in civil states of the common-health of the Common-wealth it self viz. that of the Prophet the one is so far from owning any power to be a terror to evil works and incouragement to good that despising all Government and speaking evill of dignities he holds that there is at all neither good nor evil nor better nor worse amongst works but all alike and then good Lord how fast must iniquity dishonesty unrighteousnesse and incontinency thrive and abound upon earth to the ripening of 〈◊〉 for the sickle when it shall be acted with allowance from such a principle as this viz. that there is now no iniquity at all this man would have the civil power allow all Religions and good Manners too but allowes of none at least thinks he needs use none himself and is for a Toleration of all truth in the world though all truth is the intollerablest thing in the world to him and though it hath leave from him to grow besides him and will too among some yet he hopes to loosen it by lending it so much scope
dayes and were not by him persecuted nor constrained either to be of his Religion nor to say nothing against it nor against any other in after times indeed when the Emperours grew bloody against the Christians all Religions lived quietly under Caesar but the Christian that was worse then nought and I think it not a little too bad and not doing as our duty is to all men as we desire they should do to us but the way back to Priestly blindnes if we put Caesar on now because he is a Christian to let the Christian Religion live quietly under him and none else for my part I dare not desire that the Jews may not not onely live but till they see better serve God in their wayes of worship in the State as well as others for a being they must have somewhere and may no where without sin if not here for is it more sin for one Common-wealth to let false worshippers live in it till they see the truth then for another yea and let them and others too preach and promulgate even all that ere they can for their way Ob. I know men fear false Religions will seduce men from the true to themselves An. Let them gain what they can whom can they gain not the elect which in your sense are a sort of individuals without respect to any thing done in time personally unchangeably positively and not conditionally determined to faith and final perseverance in it to the death and if they seduce others to damnation it self they are no other then such with you as are as particularly peremptorily and not conditionally onely of their loving darkness more then light afore of old ordained to that condemnation therfore me thinks you of that principle of all others should see no danger of doing more hurt then God decreed to have done by suffering seducers in the world before the foundation of it and as for us who hold no such though as much election and reprobation as your selves in that sense in which the Scripture speaks oâ—t which bids us know that God hath chosen the godly man to himself and ordained ungodly men to condemnation not determining the individuals to life or death before birth but upon account of belief or non-belief of the truth that 's told them for he hath chosen men to life no otherwise then through belief and ordained men to be holy i. e. that they shall believe and live holily that mean to live for ever even we that know there is danger enough and yet hope enough too of life for men that neglect not their own salvation â—are venture truth among all false wayes whatsoever which when and where ere it lives uncurbd as it never yet did in England without molestation more or lesse to these our dayes for a 1000 years and upwards will shine through all the rest so clearly to mens souls as either to save them or else at least to convince them so as if they perish by following any false wayes that grow up by it to leave them without excuse because they either did know and did not what they knew or might have known more then they did but would not besides if any religion be as I am sure the true one is not though the RRRomish Jewish Turkish and all others are such a dead Sea of Divinity as hath not life enough in it to live of it self if it may have bare leave unlesse all others that would live beside it be sneapt by the civil sword so that they must not shew their heads by it for its sake let that Religion be the Jews and the Turks and the Popes and the Prelates and the Presbyters and the Independents too if it will for me but while I live to Christ surely t will be none of mine So I have done with you my dear friends of the Independent way and shall wait and pray that you may first laying as your foundation then leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ go on unto perfection T is time to return to talk on with the Pope and PPPriesthood to whom I have almost forgotten what more I was about to say being put by it by ones presentment of these proposals to me inter scribendum which draw'd me on to this long Perenthesis and off from my present purpose viz. the proving of the PPPriesthood to be that themselves which they most falsely father upon them whom they as falsely call Anabaptists I have shewed how though they call us an impure and carnal sect a cruel and bloody sect yet themselves are both these much more then we yea and much more that 's nought then either of these two also For next whereas you stile us a prophane and Sacriledgious sect yet that you are a more Profane and Sacrilegious generation then those whom Dr. Featly calls so will appear very plainly if you consider either what Sacriledge and Profaneness are indeed or what Dr. Featley if he may be your spoksman to whom you refer us doth falsey suppose it hath defined it to be for he states profaneness or sacriledge for these two with him are one to be the extream in the defect to Religion to which the extream in the excess saith he is superstition which is the offering to God what he claimes not for his own whilst the other i. e. profaneness Sacrilegiously Robs God of that which is his own in a particular manner which if so then you CCClergy men are more guilty in this behalf then any other under the Sun for besides that you erre from the true religion in the excesse by superstitious attribution of such things to God as his by institution which are not his but your own inventions viz. payment of Tithes to you infant-sprinkling and many other which you plead for as if the Lord had required them Iure divino or Iure Apostolico whereas it is no false Latine because true English to say they stand Iure humano et Apostatico or rather Daemonito by the devil and the whores appointment you erre from it also in the defect by Sacrilegious ablation and abolition of the true Baptism and Ordinances from the Church which Christ hath appointed this though it be wonderful strange yet is marvellous true for though ordinary men miscarry from the mean but by one extream ordinarily e. g. if men erre from the vertue liberality by prodigality they are not covetous too or if by covetousness they are not prodigal too but so extraordinarily out of holy order are you O ye that are in holy orders that you content not your selves to go beyond the word but you 'l be behind it too you will make God own that he never commanded neither to use the phrase and figure in which he speaks of himself came it all into his mind and disown his own precepts which you make void by your traditions T is bad to be in the extream on either hand from the truth but to be in
carry captive to the law of sin mortifying the deeds of the body teaching all things leading into all truth guiding and gifting persons for the Churches service severally as he will bringing all things to remembrance which Christ spake which are subject to be forgotten manifesting the Father the Son and many more things to them that love Christ and keep his commandements which he will not manifest to the world nor to any of those in it that do not and other such like precious performances in all which he officiates peculiarly towards the Saints onely that submit to him not wicked resisters of him to which Saints or true Disciples of the Lord Jesus he was promised to be given under the Gospel in a fuller measure then in former daies and sent to be their comforter whilst to such as entertain him not but a bare convincer in which respect he is call'd the spirit of promise as being promised in this sense to all those that obey Christ that believe repent and are baptized into his name for remission of sins and ask the father for him and to be set as by office to minister in way of succor to the mournful spouse in the bride-grooms absence to help poor soules that give up themselves to be lead by him and accordingly was is and ever shall be given to those that do not grieve resist and quench him and that are found observing all things that ever Christ commanded non-observation of which disingages Christ of his promise so that it failes not though he be not with men that name themselves his Church for ages and generations together In which senses he is not at all in infants in their infancy neither doth he at all guid or provoke them how far forth soever he may guard and protect them till they come to such capacity as to have good or evil fasten'd on them by perswasion nor doth he any of the aforenamed good offices for infants in whom there 's yet no need they should be done nor doth he delight ordinarily to be where either he must be idle as he must in infants of one two or three daies old or unless he work miraculously imployed altogether to no purpose As to that of Iohn concerning whom 't was promised he should be filled with the holy spirit from the womb besides the singularness and extraordinariness of the case which renders it unfit for you to argue from who deny that such examples are to be drawn in as an ordinary rule to judge by and confess that ex particulari non est Syllogizari I add moreover that there 's no necessity for such an imâ—mediate acceptation of that word from the womb as to make the sense of it thus viz. in the very moment of his birth for it may well be taken as elswhere the same phrase must be viz so soon as ever he should be capable to receive it and be assisted and guided by it which might be in his tender years but was not I believe in such meer non-age as you wot off thus the wicked are said Psal. 58. 3. ab alinare se ab utero to estrange themselves from God from the womb to go astray as soon as they be born speaking lies stopping their ears not hark-ring to the voice of the Charmer which terms do all denote actuall sinne by which your selves confess infants cannot bar themselves p. 5. or deserve exemption it must therefore be understood thus viz. so soon as ever they are capable to do this or that to take the right away or the wrong or to know and act either good or evil I assert therefore once again that the spirit in this second sense is not in infants in their infancy nor know I in what sense they can be said to have him as to have right thereby to baptism unless you can assign me some more senses out of Scripture which if you can do I shall tell you what to say to them and as I cannot find they have the holy spirit in them so neither find I any promise of the holy spirit in such non-age as you wot of if by the spirit you mean the spirit of promise as you must if you plead a right to baptism there from and if you should refer me to Act. 2. I find there no more made to any then to all indeed it s said the promise is to you and your children but I advise you to consider first that t is not said to you and your infants neither are children and infants all one in signification the one expressing the age or rather non-age the other the Relation to the parents of whom they are born all infants are children of some parents or other but all children are not infants Infants are at least such younglings as cannot speak but children may be children in respect of their parents though the parents be eighty years old and the children sixty so that the promise of the spirit might be to them and their children too i. e. their posterity as well as to the Gentiles that were yet far off in both time and place and their posterity to all succeeding generations and be made good too on the same terms upon which and the same time in which it s made good to the parents themselves viz. the terms of faith and the time of their believing and yet all this while not be made to them and their infants as in their infancy moreover it appears most evidently that these parents were yet in unbelief and bare inquiry after what they should do having acted neither faith nor repentance as yet when Peter said thus to them repent and be baptized and ye shall receive the holy spirit for the promise is to you and your children therefore it may seem rather to be to unbeleevers children by that place then unto belieuers children but in very deed t is to all men and their children throughout the world as they and their children should believe repent receive the word gladly come to God at his call and that in all ages and places to the worlds end and as children of unbelievers have as much promise of the holy spirit so as much manifestation of it as the other and that is just none at all But say you these appear to have it first by their faith i. e. as other mens infants do not by their faith Sirs this is no demonstrative Argument I am sure that they have the Spirit for demonstratio est ex notioribus conclusione but this is Ignotum per ignotius or at least per aeque ignotum for now you have much more ado by something else hoc aliquid nihil est to demonstrate to us that they have faith then before you had to demonstrate them to have the spirits yea this will puzzle you the more by how much the last error is worse than the first and more confuted in other places by your selves however we will consider your Argument