abroad very credible and not without arguments otherwise to confirm the truth of them that there are cunning Emissaries of the Romish faction Jesuites and others and these not a few who secretly and in a disguise insinuate themselves with all or most of the prementioned Sects amongst us These being the most exquisite and expert Artists in the world in glosses and colours know how of plausible Arguments and Pretenses to make fair faces to set upon every Sect and by-opinion whereby to allure the fancies of injudicious and inconsiderate people unto them and to set every party agog with a conceit of their own way and notions their most wicked and dangerous design being to distract rend and tear the Nation into factions parties and sects especially all those in it who seem to pretend with any zeal to conscience or Religion that so they may upon better terms of advantage commend the Romish Church and Religion for that unity which is found in them unto the generality of weak and carnal men amongst us being the bulk of the Natioan and whose Sovereign grievance it is not to have a National or State Religion wherein all must gree and hereby have the bro ader and larger opportunity either to work the Nation back again unto Rome or otherwise to bring the misery of confusion if not ruine it self upon us 9. As the English Proverb that a rowling stone § 16. gathers no Moss importeth that persons who oft remove and change either their dwellings or imployments do not ordinarily prosper or thrive in the world so neither do the souls of such persons usually prosper who are of desultory and light dispositions easily and without great weight and evidence of argument perswaded out of one form or way of worpshiping God into another or out of one Church into another Upon this account it is that the Apostle makes an opposition between being carryed about with divers or various and strange doctrines and having the heart established with grace Be not carryed about with various 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strange Doctrines for it is good that the heart be established with grace not with meats which have not profited them who have been occupyed therein a Heb. 13. 9. clearly implying that such professors who are apt to be hurryed or carryed round from one opinion to another which are various and strange not depending on nor consistent with one the other or such wherewith the Church of Christ have not been acquainted for these are properly strange Doctrines are never like to attain the great blessing of having their hearts and consciences wel ballanced or established either with any excellent work of grace or holiness in them or with the sence or sound belief of the rich Grace of God in the Gospel The reason whereof might be given but that the Law of brevity forbiddeth it It was the confession of one who had some years before turned aside into the way of Ana-Baptism at the time of his execution for the horrid sin of murther committed in this City of which confession one of you if I mistake not was an ear witness that from the time of his going under water he sensibly found God departing from him 10. If it be a duty solemnly charged by God upon § 17. you as far as lyeth in you and if it be possible i. e. if you can compass or admit of it without sinning for unto Saints all sin by the Law of their profession is made and declared an impossibility b Joh. 3. 9. Rom. 6 2. 2 Cor. 13. 8. Gâ—â— 39. 9. to have peace with all men how much more ought you to judge your selves bound by ingagements of the highest to have and keep peace amongst your selves and one with another your Church and Christian fellowship wil be as a first fruits of that New Jerusalem which is now coming down apace from Heaven unto you if you be careful and diligent to knit your selves together in love standing fast in one spirit with one mind and one judgement and so continue Be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11. your God shall be your glory and you shall be the glory of all the Churches of the Saints round about you if you shall carefully endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the band of peace Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity It is as the Dew of Hermon yea as that which descendeth upon the Mountains of Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing and life for evermore Psal 133. 1. 3. As on the contrary where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3. 16. and consequently God must needs behold persons and societics of this unworthiness a far off And to those whom he thus beholdeth misery and ruine must needs be neer at hand Therefore if differences at any time arise amongst you 1. Let every man remember that he knoweth but in part and consequently that the errour or mistake may possibly lie on his side 2. Let him candidly and with an unfeigned desire of being over-ruled though contrary to his present sence into the truth especially when love and peace are like to be gained and maintained withall weigh and consider the grounds and reasons of him or them who dissent from him 3. Let him that hath any thing suggested to him under the notion of a truth contrary to the present sence of his Brethren not over-hastily entertain it but rather suspect and expostulate with the suggestion And if he cannot thus satisfie or free his conscience let him argue and debate with himself the grounds of it upon such terms as he would oppose or counterargue the Tenent of an Adversary If this wil not yet deliver him let him by frequent and fervent prayer seek an intemerate and chast judgement at the hand of God If this notwithstanding he shall remain doubtful and unsatisfied 4. In case the matter of his suggestion supposed to be a truth be somewhat about the verge or out-works of Religion and not near the center or heart as matters of doubtful dispute amongst Christians for the most part are let him as the Apostle adviseth in somewhat a like case either have his faith to himself and not trouble his Brethren or the Church with it Or else let him declare and propose it like it self I mean with an acknowledgment that it is a point of inferiour concernment and for which he shall contend with no man to the breach of love or peace especially let him not strayn or bend himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hyperbolize or over-speak the consequence or concernment of it In which kind of misdemeanor the high Ana-Bapâ—ist is the first-born of offenders yea though his notion for rebaptizing or as himself would fain have it pass for baptizing should be yeilded unto him for a truth He
be cleerly made known unto men Otherwise as the Apostle argueth in a like case If the Trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the Battel In like manner if the Tenor of an Institution be imperfect and some things only appertaining to it be expressed and other things of a like relation suppressed or concealed how shall men either prepare themselves to a due observation of this Institution or know at any time whether it be duly administred observed or received or no Consectary If an Ordinance or Institution may be duly and regularly administred without any such ingredient whether of Ceremony or Morality which God himself hath not prescribed or injoyned in the Tenor of the Institution nor otherwise then may the Ordinance of Baptism be duly and regularly administred and received without a Total submersion of the body of the person baptized inasmuch as this is no where expresly prescribed or injoyned by God CONSIDERATION XXI JN what circumstance or modality soever in or about the Administration of an Ordinance not prescribed by God himself any person shall place Religion or think that in the observation thereof he performs an act of worship unto God he is in this point Superstitious and a will-worshipper Proof To evidence the truth of this Consideration the descrip-of Superstition and will-worship is sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive superstitio as Cameron well describeth it a Camer de Eccles est cultus Dei sed qualem sibi praescribit ingenium humanum i. e. Superstition is a worshiping of God but such a worshiping of him as the wit or wisdom of men prescribeth unto it self Another defineth it to be Cultus seu modus câ—lendi Deum arbitrio humano sine Dei praecepto susceptus b Rivet in Exod. 20. a worship or manner of worshiping God according to the will and pleasure of men taken up without any precept of God If this be the nature of Superstition or will-worship to worship God or rather to conceit that a man doth worship God by any ceremony gesture or action which himself hath not prescribed it is a plain case that whosoever placeth religion in any ceremony circumstance or modality in the observation of any divine Ordinance which God hath not enjoyned is in this behalf a son of Superstition and a will-worshipper Consectarie If they who think they do God service and truly worship him by the observation of any rite circumstance or action in the administration or reception of an Ordinance which God himself hath not prescribed be upon this account will-worshipers and Superstitious it roundly follows that they who administer Baptism by dipping all-over and think that by this mode of that Administration they worship God are in the said condemnation of will-worship and superstition inasmuch as God hath no where in his Word prescribed this mode of the Administration From the same ground and principle it likewise followeth that they who having been once baptized as suppose in their Infancy shall conceit they honour or worship God aright by a second or after Baptism are children of the same error inasmuch as God hath no where prescribed a Baptism upon Baptism nor yet declared Baptism received in Infancy to be null CONSIDERATION XXII SAcramental ingagements the more early imposed are so much the more improveable and the more binding also Proof This Consideration also is hereafter asserted and the truth of it cleered § 161. 163. and elsewhere in the second part of this discourse Doubtless Circumcision under the Law was never the less but rather the more both improveable by and binding unto the Jews because received by them in Infancy Otherwise as hath been formerly argued there is little question but God would have imposed it not upon Infancy but upon maturity of years nor is it to be beleeved that He that hath made this order for men as we lately heard Let all things be done unto edifying would impose a service or action upon men upon such terms according to which it should either not not be edifying at all or less edifying Consectary If Sacramental Ingagements be both so much the more binding upon those who are under them and likewise so much the more improveable by them by how much the sooner they are imposed then must Infant-Baptisme needs be more effectual for all baptismal ends and purposes then after Baptism The Consequence is apparent CONSIDERATION XXIII ADult Baptisme standingly administred in constituted Churches and amongst Believers cannot lightly but prove a root of bitternesse and occasion perpetual quarrels contests and emulations amongst them Proof The reason hereof is because the want of a positive and certain rule whereby to adjudge issue and determine such cases and questions which are frequently incident to any Society or Body of men must needs the ordinary temper and weaknesse of men considered ingender strife contention and discontents amongst them If a Church shall passe by the time of Infancy and not baptize the children of her Members under this age by what rule will they baptize them afterwards To say they are to be baptized when they shall believe and make known their faith to the Church by their lives or works and withall desire Baptism is to speak very inconsiderately and to prescribe a rule every whit as dark and questionable as the case it selfe that is to be measured and adjudged by it For who knoweth not that the members of a Church are commonly of different judgments apprehensions as about other matters so about nothing more then about the signes and properties of a true Faith So that when a person shall come to desire Baptism who it may be hath satisfied one part of the Church touching the soundnesse and sincerity of his Faith another part hereof will remain dissatisfied In this case here will be Ephraim against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both indeed against Judah I mean the truth The judgements even of sober and able Christians for the most part are about nothing more divided nor in reason more like to be divided then about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or demonstrative effects of a sound Faith I confess it is an easie matter for Master Tombes or Master Fisher here to interpose their sence instead of a rule to decide such cases as that specified and to tell us Magisterially what they judge meet to be done but whether their Churches will agree about the sence and interpretation of what they shall prescribe for a rule in such cases or if they shall agree in this whether they will own and consent unto the sufficiency of this rule is very questionable Yea rather it is no question but that there will be a battail fought by yea's and nay's if not by more angry and fierce souldiers about it See this Consideration more amply propounded and fully vindicated by Master Baxter in his Discourse for Infant-Baptism p. 130 131. where likewise he substantially proveth that the ordinary practise of
Doctrine stands or falls Mr. A's Doctrine that Baptism appropriately belongs to the pardon of sin upon Repentance c. is a notion quite besides the Scripture-foundation to which it pretends That Baptism is stiled the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins doth no wayes prove that it appropriately belongs either to pardon of sin or to Repentance or to pardon of sin upon Repentance Yet this he attempts to make good by a second argument give we him a patient hearing of this also Sect. 178. 2. Saith he The love of God is the mediate ground of Baptism so farr only as it relates to or is effective of the Mr. A. p. 45 good of men in Baptism For the reception of Baptism is not otherwise to be esteemed an effect of Gods love then as the good and benefit of men is concerned therein That which Christ speaks of the Sabbath how that it was for man Mar. 2. 27. i. for the good of man is true of Baptism and every Mr. A. p. 44. other Ordinance and institution of God In as much then as Baptism is not beneficiall unto any but by means of their Faith and answer of a good conscience and in as much also that Infants are not under this capacitie of means both which I have formerly evidently proved therefore it follows undeniably that God doth not love Infants upon any such terms as he doth those unto whom he commends and communicates his love in and by Baptism and consequently that the love which God bears to Infants puts them into no immediate capacitie of Baptism Neither is there any thing in this bundle of discourse relating to Mr. A's cause but what hath been already cast into the fire and burnt That every Ordinance and institution of God and so Baptism is for man in the sence declared by him is the sence of his Adversaries as well as his and maketh more for their cause then his For Circumcision was in this sence for man and yet Infants in the best capacitie to receive it Neither should Baptism be as much for man i. for the good of man as now it is in case infants were not in a regular capacitie to receive it Not to repeat what hath been formerly insisted on and proved upon this account as viz. that Baptism received in Infancie is a seasonable and preventive ingagement upon them to remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth for Infants are the same the same persons in their Infancie and in their youth a See Sect. 161. as likewise that infant-Baptism makes more for the edification of the church then the contrary practise b See Sect. 56 57 73 156 160. and again that it is more improvable to spirituall ends then after-Baptism c with some other particulars of like import I shall here only subjoyn that meditation of Calvin How sweet a thing saith he is it to the minds of godly men to be assured not only by the word but also by a visible spectacle or sign that they have found so much favour in the eyes of their Heavenly Father as that their posterity also is regarded by him d Quà m enim suave piis animis non verbo tantum sed oculari etiam spectaculo certiores fieri tantum se gratiae apud patâ—em coâ—lestem obtinere ut posteritas sua illi cura sit Calv. Institut l. 4. c. 16. Sect. 32. Sect. 179. Whereas he saith that Baptism is not beneficiall unto any but by means of their Faith c. if his meaning be that it is not or proves not actually or eventually saving unto any adulterous person but by meaÌ„s of their faith the saying hath had a pass graÌ„ted unto it before But neither was Circumcision thus beneficiall unto any without Faith likewise as hath been proved over and over and yet Infants judged by God himself in a sufficient capacitie to receive it If his meaning be that Baptism is no wayes in no respect or degree beneficiall unto any person without Faith I must borrow his Faith or some like unto it to believe it Baptism without Faith will open the door into any of the Churches which call themselves baptized And is it not very beneficiall for a man to have a standing here Or is it not possible for him to be truly converted to the Faith by means of his coming into one of these Churches and walking there If so then may a mans Baptism prove very beneficiall unto him without Faith i. without Faith in the Receiver at the time of the receiving it which I preâ—ume is a sence of perfect accord with Mr. A's meaning However Mr. A's Answer to the Argument before him as yet comes on very heavily and slowly it may be we shall find it in the reere Let this then be drawn up 3. Saith he The extent of Gods love to Infants so farre as is pretended in the reason of the consequence in the Major Proposition consists only in the pardon of Originall Mr. A. p. 45 sinne and the putting them into a condition of Salvation by Christ all which love of God they are invested with before ever Baptism can be applied unto them Because the love of God in this respect is not conditionall nor does depend upon the action of any creature or application of any means but solely upon the attonement which Christ hath made on that behalf And therefore Baptism lies out of the verge compasse circumference of the love of God as enjoyed by Infants and contributes neither lesse nor more in that dispensation of Gods love unto them In which respect also Baptism is irrelative to the love of God in that precise consideration of it in which it is communicated unto Infants Thus farre Mr. A. in an Aenigma in this place and as farre as I understand the Riddle I shall assoil it 1. I am not able to comprehend what he drives at nor where the thred of reason reason runs in this discourse Only I perceive that he works upon his former mistake supposing that his Adversaries argue and conclude a Baptismall capacitie in Children from the love which God sheweth unto them in the pardon of their guilt in Adams sin But 2. Whereas he saith that Infants are invested with all that love of God which consists only in the pardon of original sinne and the putting them into a condition of Salvation by CHRIST before ever Baptism can be applyed to them I am so dull of hearing that I cannot conceive which way this would operate or what it desires to produce The best of my conjectures at this turn is that because the extent of the love of God to Infants of which the Major Proposition speaks consists in the pardon of Originall sinne and is vouchsafed unto them before Baptism can be applyed unto them therefore the application of it unto them is superfluous and vain I shall not spend much time in detecting the vanity of this arguing because I am
taught to turn head upon conscience yea and upon whatsoever is commendable in Nature it self are plainly laid under the Notions and names of most worthy Truths and such wherein the glory of the Gospel confisteth The truth is that a Ranter is nothing but an Antinomian sublimated Amongst the Virgin-Livers you wil be taught or § 13. Virgin-Livers tempted to stop the course and current of Nature until it breaks over not onely the dam wherewith you shal obstruct it but even all the banks and bounds which God himself hath prefixed to it Here also if you be easie of belief and tractable under a spirit of delusion you wil be provoked to make a breach upon al the Laws and Precepts of God which concern the Christian management of Relations and this under a pretext of sovereign devotion and of signal sequestration from the world Those commonly known by the name of Seekers are a generation who think they do God a most Seekers choice service in overlooking all that is written upon pretence of looking after somewhat higher more mysterious and sacred then any thing that is writen as if God who as the Apostle teacheth us hath in these last days spoken unto the world by his Son intended to reveal unto and speak by these men somewhat beyond and of greater import then any thing he hath spoken unto the world by him Amongst these this snare of death wil be spread in your way you wil be tempted to seek after another Jesus with the neglect and contempt of him besides whom there is no Saviour of souls Amongst the Quinto-Monarchians or persons § 10. best known by the name of the fift Monarchie men Quinto-Monarchians not so much from their opinion touching the said Monarchie as by that fierce and restless spirit which worketh in them to bring it in into the world by uncouth and unhallowed methods and ways and this before the times of the other Monarchies be fulfilled you wil learn to speak evil of those that are in dignity to curse the Ruler of your people to entertain darkness in stead of a vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to advance your selves with confidence into the things which you have not seen and to please your selves most when you neither please God nor sober minded men Amongst the Behemites or Mysterialists you Behemites or Misteryal wil learn little but uncouth and affectate words and phrases under which you may intend and mean what mysteries you please but nothing to the edification of any man nor scarce of your selves together with an art or faculty to allegorize quite away the vivifique spirit power and Authority of the Scriptures and this under a pretence of teaching Repentance Mortification Humility Self-denyal Resignation c. after a new and more excellent way then hath been formerly taught or known Here though you shal meet with strange and unheard of terms and expressions in a sufficient number to fil the world with new notions and secrets of truth such as the hearts and minds of men have been strangers unto until now yet wil the whole Encyclopedy of this learning hardly bless or enrich you so much as with one distinct notion veyn or streyn of truth which is not already abroad in the world amongst intelligent men yea and this in a far more scientifical garb or habit of expression Here you wil be taught to comment upon the light with darkness Contra-Remonstrancie as it is commonly taught § 14. amongst us is a model of divinity or of Christian Contra-Remonstrants Religion drawn quite besides the platform or pattern in the Mount I mean the mind of God revealed in the Scriptures The appropriate principles of this way may reasonably be conceived to lead unto most if not all other sects and those evils whether of opinion or of practise that are found in them Amongst the sons and daughters of this Divinity you wil learn such a Faith which instead of working by love wil work by carelesness and security and which wil give such large quarter unto the flesh that its own Life and Being wil be sorely endangered if not utterly overthrown thereby besides many most unworthy and hard thoughts and sayings of him who is Grace Love Goodness and Bounty it self and who is not willing that any should perish but that al should come to repentance a 2 Pet. 3. 9. and be saved b 1 Tim. 2. 4. Among the Arians and Anthropomorhites the life of godliness in you if you carry any such thing with Arians and Anthropomorphites you unto them wil be in danger of poysoning with dunghil notions and conceits of God and of Christ For here the abominable Idolatry of the old Heathen who changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image maâ—e like to corruptible man which as the Apostle informeth us God most severely punished is in the clear and plain pri 〈…〉 les oâ— it taught as a great and unquestionable truth And He who the Holy Ghost stileth God blessed for ever c Rom. 9. 5. I mean Christ the Lord is allowed this God-head in a diminutive sence onely and such which dissolveth the glory of the mystery of the Gospel into a piece of odd and savour-less projection without any length or breadth depth or height of wisdom in it Amongst the High-Presbyterians and men baptized into their spirit you must submit your faith to the test of men and be content to be at a classical or Synodical allowance for what you shal beleeve And yet here you wil be taught to sacrifice the peace liberties and comforts of other men and these it may be better more righteous yea and sounder in the faith then your selves upon the service of such a faith which is form'd and model'd by the fancies or weak understandings of men and these superintended for the most part and influenced by some politique or corrupted interest or other These are the principal Sects and by-ways of Christian profession at this day on foot amongst us as far as my knowledge and memory at present serve me to recount them unto you into which I mean into one or other of which if you be not throughly established with the knowledge of the truth and of the good word of God and withal watchful in prayer unto God to keep you in the good old way of truth and peace your foot wil be in danger of sliding and in so much the more danger because these ways of errours at least some of them have deceived great numbers of men and women and are at this day occupyed by many according to that of Christ to his Disciples themselves Take heed that no man deceive you For MANY shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive MANY Facilè transitur ad plures is the saying of Seneca i. A little consideration serves a man to make one in a multitude or throng Besides there are reports
not unto justificâ—tion or remission of sins 86. 87 68. Salvation not suspended by God upon any modality of acting not expresly and precisely determined by himself but obtruded by men 87. 69. Mr. A. cannot substantially prove that baptizing Mark 16. 16. is to be understood of water-Baptism 88. 70. What remission of sins understood Act. 2. 37. § 90. and what Baptism § 91 92 93. 71. Protestants generally against remission of sins by Baptism Papists generally for it 94. 72. A particular or personal injunction under some circumstance not generally obliging upoâ— the same terms or in order to the same end 95. 73. The promise of remission of sins was made unto faith and repentance long before Baptism was in being and so could not be suspended upon it 95. 148. 74. The prescription of one means for the obtaining of an end is not exclusive of this attainment by all others 95. 75. The order of things as well that of time as that of nature is oft interchanged in the Scriptures 97. 76. No mans publique assent unto the terms of the Gospel is entred by Baptism 98. 77. The justification of God in the sight of the world is no effect of Baptism 99. 100 78. Infant-Baptism contributes as much or more to the justification of God in the world as the baptizing of men and women 101. 102. 79. Baptism no part of the Gospel 102. 80. Gal. 3. 24 25 26 opened 104. 105 c. 81. Faith under the Gospel different from that under the Law 105. 82. When a thing may be dont after donâ— after different manners they that do it not after one manner may dâ— it after another 107. 83. Baptism doth not characterise men to be truly Christs 108. 84. Whether or how Baptism makes visible Saints 109. 113. 52. 85. Baptism is no partition wall between Saints and the world 112. 86. Saints visible before baptized 113. 114. 87. Mr. A's similiâ—ude to prove that men and women receive a relative being â—n Christ by Baptism lame and halting right down 115. 116. 88. To put on Christ in Baptism dâ—th not signify to make an actual declaration or profession unto the world that men own and acknowledge Christ to be come in the flâ—sh c. 118. 89. Infants â—ith as much propriety and truth of speaking may be said to put on Christ in Baptiâ—m as men 119. 90. It cannot bâ— proved â—rom the Scriptures that men put on Christ â—or are said to put on Christ by Baptism 119 91. The Analogy or proportion between Infant-Baptism and Infant-circumcision maintained 120. 121. 122 c. 92. Whether the remaining of circumcision in the flesh any ground of a disproportion c. 121. 122 c. 93. The validity of the testimony of Parents Neighbours c. concerning mens Baptism 123. 124. 94. The Jews had no knowledge of their being circumcised but from their Parents or others c. 123. 95. Little or no inconvenience in being deceived by Parents or others touching a mans having been baptized 124. 125. 96. Mr A's children left at more uncertainty touching their Baptism in case of their parents death c. then those baptized in their Infancie according to the received manner of the Churches where they were born 125. 97. Circumcision not profitable without keeping the Law 126. 127. 98. The Gospel requireth as strict and absolute obedience as the Law but exacteth it not upon the like terms 128. 99. Children void of understanding not more capable of holy things or of the ends or benefiâ— of them under the Law then under the Gospel 129. 100. How the Answer or rather demand of a good conscience towards God saveth us 130. 101. The services of the Law of no better acceptance with God without Faith and Repentance then the services of the Gospel 130. 102. That which is promised and given upon the Antecedent cannot be suspended upon the consequent 131. 103. Circumcision was not therefore weak or less spiritual because administred unto children 132. 104. Weakness and unprofitableness comparatively onely imputed to the Law 133. 105. Infant-Baptism as well reacheth the ends of Baptism as Infant-circumcision the ends of circumcision 134. 106. What is less edifying is not therefore more sutable to the Legal ministration 136. 107. The principal Arguments for Infant-Baptism are not deducted from the example of circumcision 137. 108. Mr. A. buildeth as well upon the rudiments of the world as Pedo-Baptists 137. 109. Circumcision ordered by God in the administration of it to the best advantage for the Churches edification that such an Ordinance or service could be 110. In what respect the Gospel-Ministration before the Legal 139. 111. The guidance of the Holy Ghost whether or in what sense at any time or in any person fallible 141. 112. Christ and his Apostles are to be imitated in the methods and grounds of their arguings 142. 113. Things of a moral consideration and of ready perception from the Scripturâ—s need not the voucher of the extraordinary Authority of the Speaker 143. 114. Baptism supposed with the ends of it the baptizing of Infants is of a moral consideration 144. 115. Whether Infant-Baptism be agreeable or disagreeable to the Gospel-Ministration 145. 116. Whether Baptism be a part of the Gospel Ministration 146. 117. Baptism no contributer towards the receiving of the Spirit 147. 118. The mention of two things for the obtaining of a third doth not allways suppose a necessity of both for this attainment 148. 119. The promisâ— of receiving remission of sins and the Spirit is an old Testament promise and so not made at all unto water-Baptism 148. 149. 120. A comparative sence oft expressed in a positive form 150. 121. A subsequent consent as valid to all ends and purposes as an Antecedent 151 164. 122. Whether men baptized in unbeleef ought to be rebaptized in case of their beleeving afterwards 151. 123. Words and actions at present not understood may do service and obtain their ends afterwards 152. 124. Why and how children capable of Baptism and yet not of the Lords I able 153. 125. Faith not put Gal. 3. 23. 25. for the whole Ministration of the Gospel 154. 126. Infant-Baptism to whom an apparent breach of the Laws of the Gospel miâ—istration 155. 127. That none ought to be baptized but such who appear voluntarily willing c. refuted by sundry arguments 156 157 158 c. 128. Imposition of hands in what respect a greater Ordinance then Baptism 157. 129. Infant-Circumcision was more edifying then men-circumcision would have been 159. 160. 130. Infant-Baptism how comporteth with the exhortation Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth 161. 131. Baptism in respect of the baptized no action or service performed though a submission unto Baptism may be 163. 132. Profession of Baptism and perseverance herein more rewardable by God then the act of being baptized or of once submitting unto Baptism 164. 133. No argument of any pregnant import to disable Infant Baptism 167 171. 134. Any
judge it more Christian and meet to allow them their apparel for a covering to their nakednesse at such a time And if it could be proved that John baptized both men and women naked and both in the presence and sight of either the very retriment and dreggs of all sects at this day amongst us the Ranters I mean might take a plausible occasion to glory in a very honourable Father and Founder of their Order Nor can it reasonably be thought that John should baptize all that came unto him with their garments upon them in case it be supposed that he dipped them all under water when he baptized them For we do not read of any spare garments brought along with them by those who came to be baptized nor yet of any shifting or changing garments either before or after baptizing nor is such a thing in it self in any degree probable and yet more improbable it is of the two that men and women how weak and tender soever should travel several miles in their cloaths soaked and steeped and as wet as water could lightly make them 4. It apposeth my reason yea and imagination it self to conceive how so many thousands such vast multitudes of people as the Sciptures overtureth had recourse unto Joâ—n day after day to receive baptism from him could be baptised of him if it be supposed that they were singly and apart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man by man and woman by woman dipped by him If Andrew reasonably judged 5 Barley loaves and 2 small fishes so insufficient disproportionable a provision for 5000 men as to demand but what are these among so many much more have we reason to demand concerning John what was John among so many thousands of men and women as came unto him to be baptized if he could not baptize them without dipping them Upon this supposition the task which he performed in baptizing required the strength not of a man but of stones or of Mountains to overcome it Besides must he not be supposed to have stood deep in water from morning untill night for several days together which that he did or was able to do and yet live I must borrow the Faith of some easie Beleever to beleeve Other circumstances there are too many to be insisted upon at present which make it an invinceible difficulty to my Faith to beleeve that John put under water the whole bodies of all those whom he baptized That may be remembred by the way that neither do we read that John's Disciples ever baptized though the Disciples of the Lord Christ did nor that John in or about his entrance upon his work of baptizing when it seems his labour in this imployment lay heaviest upon him had any Disciples in that notion and relation of which we now speak at all Nor is this latter in it self so much as probable 5. And lastly we read Joh. 3. 22. that the Lord Christ continued some space of time baptizing in Judea Now if we may beleeve the Geographical descriptions of this land which are presented unto us from several hands there were few or no rivers or waters in it of any considerable depth but onely brooks or smaller rivers Therefore it is not like much lesse certain that the Disciples of Christ here had the opportunity of dipping men when they baptized them much lesse that they made the Administration by dipping Thus we see how weak and faint the conjecture is which presumeth that the reason why John made choice first of the River of Jordan and then of Aenon where many waters are said to have been for his Baptismal station was that he might have a convenience of deep waters for the dipping of those who came to be baptized Nor doth the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Christ is said to have been baptized of John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 1. 9. at all prove that he was dipped by him into Jordan For 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 9. signifieth no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. and Mat. 3. 6. where all the people that came unto him are said to have been baptized of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the river Jordan unlesse it shall be said that Christ was baptized after one manner and the rest of the people after another and so that Baptism may be administred this lawfully and without breach of any rule after more waies then one in respect of ordering or using the element of water in or about the said Administration 2. The preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very frequently and so acknowledged by Mr. Fisher himself a Mr. Fisher Baby-Baptism p. 332. used in the sence and signification of the preposition ' EN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he dwelt in a City called Nazaret Mat. 2. 23. That this is the true grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN which or wherein ye stand 1. Pet. 5. 12 Again Thou wilt not leave my soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN Hell Act. 2. 27. Yet again my children are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN bed with me Luk. 11. 7. to omit others Now John's baptizing men IN Jordan is no more a demonstration of his dipping them over head and ears in Jordan then a mans being in a bathe or in a river proveth him to be over head and ears in either So that the reason assign'd why John was drawn to baptize in Aenon by reason of the many waters there and so why he baptized in Jordan viz. that he might have sufficient dippage is a very uncertain yea improbable conjecture But 3. And lastly for this the reasons of greatest probability in my understanding why John chose to baptize where plenty of water was were these two haply amongst others the one respecting the commodiousnesse of the external work or act it self of baptizing the other to accommodate the spiritual design or purpose of God in Baptism For the first It may well be presumed that before John entred upon the work of Baptizing it was made known to him by God or otherwise that he apprehended the thing very likely to come to passe that vast multitudes of people from several parts would from day to day have recourse unto him to be baptized In this respect it concerned him to project and find out the best method and means he could to accommodate himself in so great a work as well in point of ease as of expedition or dispatch Now the work of Baptizing being to be performed with or by water and the numbers very great of persons to be baptized by him it was very proper and expedient for him to make choice of such places for this work where many persons might with convenience be so postured and disposed of that he passing along by them in the water might whether with his hand onely or with some instrument for the purpose cast water upon them In such a way as this where there are tracts of water
ploughed with for the unfolding of it that maketh Christ manifest The end of shadows types figures enigma's parables c. is not to make either things or persons MANIFEST but rather to veil and conceal them at least in part or at the most to reveal them sparingly and with reservation And he said unto them to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to others in parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand Luke 8. 10. And certainly Baptism is such a mysterious and profound parable of Christ that without an Interpreter it would never be understood nor Christ be found in it Therefore the end of it cannot be his manifestation to the world Sect. 52. 3. The manifestation of Christ unto the world is the end of the Scriptures and more especially of the Gospel I mean of the writings of the New-Testament and of the preaching and publishing of these in the world a Eph. 6. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 16. Rom. 16. 25 26. Col. 4. 3 4. So that as the Apostle reasoneth against justification by works Gal. 2. 21. If righteousnesse come by the law then Christ is dead in vain so may we reason and conclude against the manifestation of Christ to the world by Baptism If Christ be manifested unto the world by Baptism which must be supposed if this manifestation of him be the end of Baptism then is the letter of the Gospel and the ministry thereof in the world in vain Yea and Paul whose great work and imploiment was to make Christ manifest unto the world should rather have been sent to baptize then to preach the Gospel if the manifestation of Christ unto the world had been the end of Baptism But this notion of Mr. A. concerning the end of Baptism is so broadly obnoxious that an over-operous refutation of it would be but an impertinency And Sect. 53. 4. Whereas he affirms that the manifestation of CHRIST is better madâ— by the Baptism of Belâ—evers then of Infants whether it respects the party who is baptized or others who behold it 1. It seems then that there is a manifestation of Christ made in or by the Baptism of infants as well as by the Baptism of Beleevers although not so good I suppose he means not so full or perfect a manifestation If then there be a manifestation of Christ in the Baptism of infants although not so pregnant rich and full as in the Baptism of men how can he judge it to be unlawfull Is any manifestation of Christ though in a lower or lesser degree unlawfull Or is the ministry of all such Pastors and Teachers unlawfull who do not haply cannot manifest Christ unto the world therein with â—â— much power and glory of manifestation as the most able and best qualified Minister or Preacher in the whole world 2. Upon what account can he suppose Christ to be manifested to the party baptized supposing him a Beleever by his Baptism I thought that his sence had been that none ought to be baptized but onely such to whom Christ was manifested before their baptizing And if Christ be manifestable to a Beleever in some further degree by Baptism it must be by the Baptism of others rather then his own at least if he be baptized by a total submersion under water For during the while of his being under water he is in no good capacity notwithstanding any former use or exercise of his understanding to receive any further information or knowledge concerning Christ being taken up with thoughts about his emersion and how to recover and come off with the safety of his life from the water Or if it be said that Christ may be said to be further manifested by Baptism to a Beleever although the effect it self of this manifestation doth not take place till after such his Baptism I answer upon this account may Christ be manifested to an Infant also by his Baptism viz. when he shall grow up to a capacity of understanding what his Baptism meaneth and what the counsell of God was or is in it Sect. 54. 3. Whereas he pleadeth p. 13. that that end of Baptism whereof he speaks i. e. that end of Baptism which is no end thereof as hath been proved is more effectuall unto Spectators when Baptism is administred unto Beleevers then when unto Infants because their Faith in Christ and repentance are visible in their willing submission unto Baptism and their example apt to quicken c. whereas there is nothing of all this in the Baptism of Infants who are meerly passive herein c. I answer 1. That when and where the baptizing of men and women under the notion of Beleevers becomes customary and in fashion which are the terms and state of it amongst us in these daies the truth is that there is a very poor and faint visibility of any mans Faith in Christ or Repentance in their willing subjection unto that Ordinance When all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and all the Region round about Jordan went out unto John to be baptized of him and were baptized accordingly what exemplarinesse was there in any particular mans subjection unto this Ordinance or what visibility of any mans faith or repentance whereas John himself notwithstanding this voluntary offering themselves unto Baptism called them a generation of vipers Luke 3. 7. and complaining of the unbeleef of the generality of them saith And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and NO MAN receiveth his testimony John 3. 32. Yea many of those who willingly offered themselves unto Baptism yea and were immediately after baptized of him were so far from beleeving in Christ that they were doubtfull whether John himself was not the Christ Luke 3. 15. Therefore there is no such visibility of Faith or Repentance in any mans offering himself unto Baptism or in his being baptized especially under such a circumstance as that mentioned It was Postquam in tanto culmine nomen coepit esse Christianum crevit hypocrisis the observation and saying of Austine long ago that When the name of a Christian began to be in honour and esteem hypocrisie increased Yea all things duly considered we have reason to judge that there is a better or clearer light in any one act of charity or mercy towards the poor to render any mans saith and repentance visible then in a willing offering himself to be baptized Sect. 55. 2. What religious affection devout carriage matter of edification quickning or the like unto spectators Mr. A. can pretend or imagine to accompany the Baptism of Beleevers may and this as seasonably as regularly proceed from them upon a thousand occasions otherwise as upon the occasion of their being baptized When any afflicting hand of God is upon them as by sicknesse losse of estate friends c. and so when God lifteth up the light of his countenance upon them blesseth or prospereth them in one
be baptized It is a true saying of Musculus that Baptism is indeed the Laver of Regeneration but not so that only they who are actually regenerate ought to be sealed therewith but those also who are to be regenerated afterward a Baptismus est lavacrum regeneration is sed non ita ut regenerati tantum illo debeant obsignari verùm etiam regenerandi Mus in Mat. c. 22. And Calvin answering an objection against the Baptizing of Infants affirmeth that they are to be baptized in futuram poenitentiam fidem b Calv. Institut l. 6. c. 14. Sect. 20. 1. in order to that Repentance and Faith which afterwards should be found in them And herein their Doctrine is expresly consonant to the Scriptures I indeed saith John the Baptist to those who were at present a generation of vipers baptize you with water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or unto Repentance 1. to oblige or engage you the more effectually to Repent Mat. 3. 11. So v. 8. Bring forth therefore therefore 1. since you have now been baptized fruits worthy Repentance 3. When he saith upon which they look for remission of sins according to the promise of God in that behalf I do not well understand with what antecedent he intendeth a match for his Relative WHICH If he intends it barely nakedly with Repentance that which he saith nothing concerns the Interest of his cause If with this clause do take up the Ordinance of Baptism out of a Principle of Repentance so that his meaning be that upon such a takeing up of the Ordinance as this viz. out of a principle of Repentance persons look for the remission of sins according c. Sect. 61. 1. Remission of sins is promised by God unto Repentance whether it be accompanied with Baptism or no Act. 3. 19. Act. 5. 31. Luk 24. 47. Prov. 28. 13. And consequently he that truly repenteth may look for remission of sins according to the promise of God in that behalf whether he taketh up the Ordinance of Baptism or no. Yea according to Mr. A's own principles no person ought to be baptized untill he believeth and what is believing being interpreted lesse then a looking for remission of sins upon Repentance according to the promise of God in that behalf If so then men may nay must or ought to look for remission of sins upon Repentance according c. before the taking up of the Ordinance he speaks of and consequently without it 2. In the Scriptures I finde neither precept for nor example of any looking for remission of sins by any man simply upon his taking up the Ordinance of Baptism no though taken up by him out of a principle of Repentance 4. What he meaneth by his Denomination and use of Baptism better served in mens baptism then in childrens I am again to seek If by this better service he means any thing meet for the understandings of men I know no reason why the Denomination and use of Baptism he speaks of should be either better or so well serv'd in the Baptism of men as of children considering that God himself judged the like Denomination and use of circumcision better serv'd in the circumcision of children then of men Otherwise I suppose he would have ordained by Law the circumcising of men rather then of children And whereas the Apostle declares the use of circumcision by this Denomination a sign and seale of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4. 11. is not the Denomination of it and consequently the use of it the same in substance both with the Denomination and use of Baptism For what is Repentance but Faith in implication as Faith also comprehends Repentance in it the Scriptures accordingly by reason of this mutual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making the same promises indifferently unto the one and the other Again what is Remission of sins but the righteousness of Faith Or what is the Righteousness of Faith but in strictest proprietie of speech remission of sins As for that new-fangled conceit that Circumcision was a sign and seal of the righteousness of Faith only unto Abraham personally considered it is so ridiculously importune that an operous and solemne confutation of it would be little other it self Certainly God did not injoyne two kinds of circumcision the one specifically differing in the signification and end of it from the other one to signifie and seale both covenants as well that which was temporall or carnall as that which was spirituall another to signifie that covenant only which was spirituall Besides if circumcision had signified and sealed nothing to the Jewish nation but only the covenant of God to give them the land of the earthly Canaan why should God covenant with them long after Abraham was dead that he would circumcise their heart and the heart of their seed to love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul that they might live Deut. 30. 6. Doubtlesse these things import much more in circūcision then either the signifying or sealing of an earthly covenant unto those to whom it was given This appears from many other passages of Scripture which may be considered at leasure Rom. 2. 28 29. Philip. 3. 3. Col. 2. 11. Act. 7. 51. besides other As for the great argument in defence of the wild conceit now opposed built upon Rom. 4. 11. it is built quite besides the clear meaning and import of the place For because here it is said that He Abraham received the sign of circumcision a seale of the righteousness of the Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FATHER OF ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed unto them also Mr. Fisher a See Mr. Fisher Baby-Baptism p. 18. 19 24 154 269. and Mr. A. would infer from these words that he might be the Father of all them that believe that Abraham received circumcision viz. in his flesh as a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith for this end that by receiving it upon this account or upon these terms viz. as a seale of the righteousness of Faith he might hereby be made or become the Father of all that believe c. Which honour they weakly imagine could not accrue unto him by his receiving of circumcision if any other of his posterity should receive it upon the same terms with him I mean as a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith This is the strength or weaknesse rather of their arguing from this place that Circumcision was a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith unto Abraham only For 1. Though Abraham did receive the sign of Circumcision in his flesh Gen. 17. 24 26. yet is it not this receiving it which is here spoken of but his receiving it in the Law or Ordinance of it from God in such a sence as John the Baptist may be said to have received Baptism viz. because he was the first to whom the Ordinance of
Baptism was delivered by God Thus also Moses is said by Stephen to have RECEIVED the lively Oracles to give unto them Act. 7. 38. In this sense also Christ is said to have RECEIVED of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost which he shed forth Act. 2. 33. And if Abraham's RECEIVING Circumcision in this place signified his being circumcised in the flesh it must follow that all his posterity receiving circumcision in this sense as well as he should at least in part all of them be Fathers of them that believe as well as he in as much as this prerogative is manifestly by the Apostles suspended upon that receiving of Circumcision which is here spoken of not upon the end for which he received it 2. By the Faith which Abraham is here said to have had being yet uncircumcised and of the righteousnesse of which he is said to have received Circumcision as a sign and seal is not meant that individuall Faith whether act or habit which was in Abraham but the species or kind of Faith which he had In such a sense as this the Apostle saith that that Faith which was in Timothie dwelt first in his Grandmother Loïs 2 Tim. 1. 5. meaning the same species or kind of Faith i. as himself also expresseth it of Faith Unfeigned When I call to remembrance the unfeigned Faith that is in thee which first dwelt in thy Grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also In like manner by the Faith of Abraham twice in this very chapter Rom. 4. 12 16. is meant that species or kind of Paith which Abraham had 3. For the cleare understanding the Scripture before us it is diligently to be observed that the Apostle doth not say that Abraham received circumcision as either sign or seal of his Faith but of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had i. of that justification or justified estate wherein by vertue of the counsell will and decree of God in that behalf he was invested or instated by and upon his beleving Circumcision was neither sign nor seal of Abrahams Faith nor of any other mans Faith how like soever unto Abraham's but of the righteousnes of his Faith yet not as his but as true and unfeigned 1. such as unto which God by covenant and promise had annexed the Grace and blessednesse of Justification From whence it follow 's 4. That circumcision could not be a sign or seal of the righteousnesse of Abrahams Faith only individually or personally considered but must needs be this sign and seal of the same righteousnesse of the like Faith in what person or persons soever it should be found Yea it was a sign and seal of the righteousness of Faith simply and indefinitely considered i. as promised or covenanted by God unto man-kind So that whether any person among the Jews had been circumcised or not and so whether any circumcised person had beleeved or not yet was Circumcision a sign and seal of the righteousnesse of Faith unto them as well as unto those who were both circumcised and believed i. As God made this covenant with the world or man-kind in generall that whosoever truly believed in him should hereby become righteous or which is the same be justified so likewise upon the same generall and unlimited terms he gave the Ordinance of circumcision by the hand or ministerie of his servant Abraham for a sign and seal of his truth and faithfulnesse in this covenant i. that he would justifie all those without exception who should truly beleeve This is evident from these words in the fall of the verse in their dependance upon the former that righteousness might be imputed unto them also unto them i. unto all that should believe whether circumcised or uncircumcised as if he should have said Therefore Abraham received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousnes of that kind of Faith which he had being yet uncircūcised that so all those without exception who should beleeve as he did might have the same assurance with him that righteousnesse should be imputed unto them also as it had been unto him i. that they should be as certainly justified by God as he had been Mr. Fishers notion denying Circumcision of old and Baptism now to be any sign at all unto children is very childish and unworthy a Considering man Circumcision was the same i. the same sign unto children which it was unto men nor was there any difference change or alteration in it or in the signifying nature or propertie of it when it was actually apprehended and understood by these children being now become men But the present inability or incapacity in children to understand the language or signification of a sign doth not prove that that which is really a sign is no sign unto them it onely proves that it is not apprehended as a sign or in the signifying relation of it by them If signs be no signs unto children because they do not at present understand their signification it will follow that there are none at all in the world unto men whilst they are asleep or whilst thorow any ingagement of their minds or thoughts otherwise they do not actually mind or attend the significations of them A sign is not therefore called a sign because it alwayes actually signifies one thing or other unto any man but because it is apt to signifie such or such a thing unto those that are in a capacitie whether more immediate or more remote to understand it and withall actually mind the signification But the conceit we now speak of is so waterish that there is no tast either of truth or reason in it Sect. 62. 5. By the premises levied in the consideration of the Scripture before us duly considered it clearly appeareth that when Abraham's said to have RECEIVED the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FATHER OF ALL THAT BELIEVE the meaning is that God by casting this peculiar honour upon Abraham to make him from amongst all the men in the world the Receiver of and as it were his Great feoffee in trust for his Great Ordinance of Circumcision which he intended for a sign and seal of that blessed Covenant of Grace made with him and his seed and in them with all the world did characterise and commend him unto the world as the Father of all that should ever after beleeve i. for the most exemplarie and signall Beleever that ever the world had seen the worth and transcendent excellency of whose Faith was enough to replenish the earth with a generation of beleevers The meaning of this expression That he might be the Father of c. according to the frequent use of the verb substantive in the Scripture is that he might be declared or made known to be the Father in the sence mentioned of all that believe That ye may be the
children of your Father c. 1. that ye may be known to be so Mat. 5. 45. And the man whom the Lord shall chuse shall be holy i. shall be owned or acknowledged for holy Num. 16. 7. So again And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great 1. appear or be discovered to be great Num. 14 17. That sin might BE out of measure sinfull by the commandement 1. might appear or be known to be so Rom. 7. 13. Besides many the like a This interpretation of the verb Substantive BE Mr. Fisher himself attesteth affirming that Circumcision was a seal to Abraham to honour the greatness of the Faith he had and to NOTIFIE him to be the Father of the Faithfull as is plainly expest Rom. 4. 11. Baby-Baptism p. 153. As God by chusing Moses out of all the children of Israel yea out of the whole world to be the first and immediate Receiver from himself of those lively Oracles as Stephen expresseth them Act. 7. hereby declaclared and commended him both unto the nation of the Jews and then to all the world besides for a Great Prophet Person highly interessed in his favour c. and did the like by John Baptist in making choice of him from amongst all the holy worthy persons in the world to be the first imediate Receiver of Baptism from his hand that sâ— by and from him it might be propagated unto all those to whom it was intended in like manner by singling and chusing Abraham out from amongst the generation of men spread upon the face of the whole Earth to be the first and imediate Receiver of the Great Ordinance of Circumcision intended and given for a sign and seal of the Righteosness of such a Faith or kind of Faith as he had being yet uncircumcised by and from him to be derived unto all those that should desire or be found meet to partake thereof he did I say hy casting the Spirit of this glory upon him recommend and set him forth unto the world as the Father of all those that should believe i. for a person whose Faith he so highly esteemed that he invited the world to follow his steps herein So that Abraham was not properly or formally constituted or made the Father of all that believe in the sence declared by his receiving the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse os the Faith which c. but by that great and worthy spirit of Faith acting and shewing it self from time to time so exemplarily in him in severall cases upon occasion as appears Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many a See Rom. 4 18 19 20 21. Heb. 11. 8 9 17 c. nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy seed be c. Onely the honour of this Father-hood which was Abrahams equitable right upon the account now specified before his receiving Circumcision God was pleased to attest and set his seal unto in the sight and presence as it were of Heaven and Earth by revealing that his mysterious and great Ordinance of circumcision first unto him as for his own personall accommodation and heavenly securitie in matters of highest concernment unto him so likewise for the like benefit and blessing unto his posteritie and all those who should incorporate and make one nation and people with them And that the world might understand and know that the consignment of this great Ordinance unto Abraham was intended by God as an honourable cognizance of that signall Faith which was in him he was pleased to impose this sence and signification upon the said Ordinance viz. that it should be a seal or means of confirmation unto the world that in whomsoever that kind of Faith which was in Abraham should be found he should with Abraham be justified in his sight Rom. 4. 11 22 23 24. Gal. 3. 6 7 8. 9. Sect. 63. 6. And lastly for this evident it is 1. that Abraham his being circumcised or his receiving this Ordinance in the flesh is not in this Scripture so much as mentioned or intended but only his receiving the first discovery and command of it from God as a Feoffee in trust for his posteritie and those who should desire to incorporate with them 2. That Circumcision the Ordinance whereof Abraham thus received was not intended or given by God as either a sign or seal either of Abrahams Faith or of the Faith of any other person nor yet as either sign or seal of the righteousness of Abrahams personall or individuall Faith as such but of the righteousness of the same kind of Faith in whomsoever or in how many soever it should be found during the time assigned by God for the continuance in it in the world 3. That Abraham was very notably and solemnly declared by God unto the world to be the Father of all that believe not by any kind of receiving Circumcision in his flesh wherein all his posteritie were equally priviledged with him but by receiving the Ordinance and commandment of it immediately and before any other person from God which was his prerogative alone 4. And lastly That the counsell and minde of God in circumcision was that it should be both a sign and seal of the righteousnesse of a true and unfeigned Faith i. of that kind of Faith which was in Abraham in whomsoever it should be found as well as in Abraham yea simply and indefinitely so i. whether this Faith had ever been found in any man or no inasmuch as neither mens beleeving nor their non-beleeving do or can at all alter the purpose or counsell of God in any of his Ordinances Sect. 64. Did I not judge the explication given of the Scripture lately argued abundantly sufficient to satisfie and convince any man to whom Paul being alive would not say if he be ignorant let him be ignorant that Circumcision was not a sign or seal of the righteousness of Abrahams personall or individuall Faith only but generally and universally of the righteousness of the same kind of Faith in whomsoever it should be found I should adde much more for his satisfaction in that behalf I trust the Reader will pardon the digression considering that the text of â—cripture opened herein thorowly and distinctly understood gives little lesse then a thorow light into the Question about Infant-Baptism And I am in no degree doubtfull had but Mr. Fisher and Mr. A. been both willing and able to reach the mind of the holy Ghost therein and withall quitted themselves like men in the consideration of it they had been preserved in the streight way of God and of the Gospel and not turned aside into the crooked path of Ana-Baptism But let us now return and hear what Mr. A. hath farther to say why God's design touching Repentance for the Remission of sins should be better served or answered by the Baptizing of men then of children Therefore
2. Saith he If it be called the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins because men by taking up that Ordinance do ingage themselves to the practice of repentance and mortification as the Apostle supposeth the beleeving Romans Mr. A. p. 15. 16. to have done Rom. 6. 2 to 6. By the way what need we an IF If it be called c. if the Apostle hath determined the case then this end is better provided for in the baptism of men then of Infants Surely Circumcision under the Law was an ingagement unto men to the practise of repentance and mortification as well as Baptism under the Gospel And yet God judged this end of it better serv'd and answered by the administration of it unto Infants then unto men otherwise we presume he would have prescribed the Administration of it unto men rather then unto children That men were ingaged by their being Circumcised unto the practise of Repentance and Mortification I suppose is no mans doubt or question If it be resolution in aboundance on that hand we speak of may be had Deut. 10. 16. Jer. 4. 4. Rom. 2. 28 29. Phil. 3. 3. besides some other places Therefore unless Mr. A. can give us some better reason then God himself knew any in the like case why a Baptismall engagement unto Repentance and Mortification should be better provided for by the baptising of men then of children it concerns him to retract his assertion in this behalf But 3. The reason or rather vice-reason which he gives of such his assertion is because an engagement to practise repentance supposeth 1. An end of Repentance 2. A capacity of performing that to which they do ingage neither of which are to be found in Infants c. I answer Sect. 65. 1. An engagement to practise Repentance by those who were circumcised supposed as much an end of repentance as it doth in those who are baptised and so likewise a capacitie to perform that which was engaged unto yet these neither divisim nor conjunctim were judged any reason by God why Infants ought not to be circumcised But the wisdom it seems of men re-baptized is super-infinite 2. I confesse I do not understand what he meaneth when he affirmeth that an end of repentance is not to be found in infants but in men And therefore reverencing that saying of the wise man He that answereth a matter before he heareth i. understandeth it it is folly and shame unto him I shall make no further answer at present unto it but this viz. that when Mr. A. shall enable me to understand how the end of repentance is in men and not in children I shall freely give him my sense of his notion 3. Nor is Mr. A. a friend either unto reason or to the truth in affirming that there is no capacitie in children of performing that to which they do ingage For 1. in such a sense as there is a capacitie in them to engage unto any thing there is likewise to perform Children are in as good and proper a capacitie to perform that which is or ought to be ingaged unto in Baptim as to make the engagement it self Secondly though children be not in a present actuall or immediate capacitie to perform that which Baptism engageth unto yet are they in a remote and mediate capacity hereof and which by the use of means and blessing of God upon these means may in due time become actuall Nor can I think that all those who according to Mr. A's notion are or have been duly baptized have been in an actuall and present capacitie at the time of their baptizing to perform every Luke 3. 13. thing they engaged unto by being baptized They who as yet doubted whether John was the Messiah or no were not in a present or immediate capacitie of beeleeving Christ to be this Messiah yet were they ingaged by their being baptized to beleeve this and notwithstanding their actuall incapacitie of beleeving it were lawfully baptized So likewise they who think they truly beleeve and are supposed by others to beleeve accordingly and yet both these suppositions notwithstanding do not truly beleeve may and ought neverthelesse to be baptized yet are they in no actuall capacitie to perform that to which they engage by being baptized I mean to beleeve in Jesus Christ and to persevere beleeving unto the end Yea Mr. A. himself by being baptized ingaged to a perseverance in Faith and holinesse unto the end of his dayes yet was he not at the time of his baptism in an actuall capacitie to perform that which he engaged unto in this kind For a present standing in Grace or Faith is no more an actuall capacitie of persevering in either to the end of a mans life then a present healthfull state or condition of the body is an actuall capacitie of preserving himself in health untill he dieth or then the present possession of an estate worth 1000. l. per annum is an actuall capacitie in the possessor of paying a debt of a 1000. or 2000 l. twenty years after So then the difference which Mr. A. pretends to finde in the consideration before us between men and children in reference unto Baptism is altogether inconsiderable and turns to no account at all for the support of his cause Whether this second consideration which he supposeth may be the reason why Baptism is termed the Baptism of repentance for remission of sins be consistent with the first I shall not trouble the Reader to discusse but rather desire him to consider But Sect. 66. 3. He advanceth in his supposals about the businesse in hand thus p. 16. If it be called the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins because God thereby signifies and SEALS unto men the remission of their sins upon their repentance this end and use likewise is BETTER answered in mens Baptism who do repent then in Infants who do not c. I answer 1. His conceit of any End or Vse of Baptism better answered in the baptism of men then of Infants hath been again again put to rebuke by the consideration of the Counsell of God himself in circumcision We shall not need to repeat the consideration here There was everywhit as much reason why it might have been said in the dayes of Circumcision that such such an End or Vse of Circumcision is better answered by the circumcising of men then of infants as it can be said under the Gospel that any End or Vse of Baptism is better answered by the baptizing of Men then of Children But 2. When he saith that the End of Baptism so with some regret of jealousie supposed by him is BETTER answered by the baptizing of men then of children doth he not very plainly imply and grant that this End is competently at least answered in the baptizing of children also If so then certainly the baptizing of children is neither a nullitie nor yet a thing unlawfull But this consequence the
but only somewhat that might somewhat further them in the way thereunto 1 Cor. 1. 17 11. Suppose a person truly beleeving in Jesus Christ and repenting of his sins being desirous withall to be baptized but wanted an opportunitie duly according to the light of his conscience to partake of this Ordinance as put case he were not satisfied touching the lawfulnes of the calling of any person he knoweth to baptize which either is or very possibly may be the case of many thousands in England is it Mr. A's sence that this person is all this notwithstanding in the gall of bitternesse and band of iniquity only because he hath not been nor is ever like to be actually baptized Or is not his act in refusing Baptism at the hands of those from whom he cannot with the peace of his conscience receive it of better acceptance with God then a receiving it with the violation of his conscience would have been 12. If a Declaration of a mans repentance by Baptism be required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins then was the oscitancie and forgetfulnesse of the Apostle Paul inexcusable who in all his discourses about justification or the means of the obtaining remission of sins and more especially in his Epistle to the Romans where he professedly undertakes and more at large then in any other place handleth the said most important Doctrine of justification never so much as mentioneth Baptism as any wayes or in any consideration whatsoever conducing thereunto much lesse as required on mans part to interesse him therein but only finds occasion for the mention of it in the businesse of sanctification Certainly a maid may sooner forget her ornaments and a bride her attire and a woman her sucking childe then such an Apostle in arguing a point of that transcendent nature and import as justification is forget any thing of an essentiall requirement thereunto Sect. 84. 13. The remission of no mans sins no mans justification least of all the justification of a true Beleever is by God made dependent either upon the wills or pleasures of other men or upon any such condition which possibly the person may never have an opportunitie no nor possibilitie to perform at least not without sin Now 1. no person can compell another how regularly soever qualified for the act of administring to baptize him 2 It may very possibly be that a true beleever shall or may not meeet with a person whilst he lives from whose hand he can with the peace of his conscience and consequently without sinning receive Baptism Therefore certainly a Declaration of Repentance by Baptism is not required on mans part to interesse him in Remission of sins 14. If a Declaration of Repentance by Baptism at least as Mr. A. calls Baptism as well as repentance it self were required by God of all men to interesse them in remission of sins then should he require of many true Repentants and true Beleevers that which would be sinfull in them to perform to interesse them in this high priviledg of Remission of sins For there is nothing more certain then that many who have truly repented want faith to beleeve that Mr. A's Baptism is so much as lawfull for them to submit unto And it is the expresse Doctrine of the Apostle that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14 23. Sect. 85. 15. By the same way or means by which Abraham the Father of those who beleeve was justified or interessed in remission of sins are all his children or spirituall seed justified also Upon this as a foundation not to be questioned the Apostle builds that excellent discourse Rom. 4. all along the chapter See more particularly v. 23. 24. of this chapter and v. 30. of the next precedent Chapter Now certain it is that circumcision was not required of him nor yet any other ceremonie to interesse him in remission of sins but he was interessed in this blessed priviledge whilst he was yet uncircumcised as the Apostle expresly affirmeth Rom. 4. 10 11. by means of his faith Therefore certainly the ceremonie of Baptism is not required of any of Abrahams spirituall seed to interesse them in remission of sins Yea I am horribly afraid lest they who joyn water-baptism with faith in Christ as necessary in the business of justification or remissioÌ„ of sins incur the same heavie doom with the Jews mentioned Gal. 5. 2 4. who judged it necessary for them to be circumcised in the flesh accordingly were circumcised in order to their justification For doubtlesse that which in this casc abolished them from Christ or made Christ of none effect unto them was not that the precept injoyning circumcision was now exauthorized or abolished by the death of Christ but because they judging somewhat necessary to their justification besides Faith in Christ practised accordingly For questionlesse their foot had been in the same snare had they practised circumcision even whilst it stood in greatest force upon a like account 16. The Doctrine of the great Apostle of the Gentiles is much differing from that which Mr. A. delivereth unto us in the point under preset debate He the Apostle Paul teacheth us that with the heart maÌ„ believeth VNTO righteousnesse a Ro. 10. 10 i unto remission of sins at least but Mr. A. teacheth us in effect that with the heart man beleeveth but half way towards righteousnesse and that he must march the other half of the way by water or else he will never come there For is not the tenour of his Doctrine this men are to take up that Ordinance speaking of Baptism upon their first beginning to repent and consequently to beleeve IN ORDER TO THE REMISSION OF THEIR SINS And p. 18. to the same tune thus That both Repentance and the Declaration of it by BAPTISM is required on mans part to INTERESSE HIM IN REMISSION OF SINS and sanctification of the spirit the things covenanted or promised on Gods part is too evident to be denied by any but those that will not see from Act. 2. 37 38. c. I wish for those Christian and worthy respects which in great numbers I bear unto him that being so willing himself to see as here plainly enough and somewhat more he intimates himself to be God will graciously please to give him eyes wherewith to see that so he may mistake darkness for a visioÌ„ no longer Yet until very now he had eyes to see that truth which on the suddain it seems is withdrawn from his sight For 17. The Lord Christ as was observed Sect. 18. at his first sending forth his Apostles to preach the Gospell Mat. 10. Mar. 3 Luk. 9 yea and when awhile after he seâ—t forth seventy other Disciples about the same work he spake not a word either to the one or to the other about baptizing any If Baptism had been essentially requisite unto salvation which it must needs be if it be essentially requisite to remission of sins can it
be any mans thought or imagination that Christ would not have so much as once mentioned it in neither of those solemn Commissions which he gave at severall times for the preaching of the Gospell Or was that ministerie of the Gospell which was by the Lord Christ himself committed unto men without any order or direction to baptize ineffectuall effectually to convert those unto God who should beleeve and receive it and so to save them Nor can it with any colour of reason or proof be pretended that those at least all those who were now sent forth to preach the Gospell had received a commission to baptize before the scripture no where affirming it no nor so much as overturing it of them all Nor can it upon any whit a better account be said that in the commission which Christ gave them to preach the Gospell he vertually or consequentially included a cōmission also for them to baptize For 1. this is pretended at a single peradventure neither the Scripture nor any competent reason persuading it 2. When Christ gave a cōmission for such a preaching of the Gospel which he intended should be accompanied with a power to baptize he maketh particular and expresse mention of baptizing as well as of preaching Mat. 28. 19. 3. And lastly Neither do we read of so much as any one person baptized either by the Apostles themselves or by the seventie by vertue of that mission or commission from Christ to preach the Gospel of which we now speak 18. And lastly doth not himself p. 16. of his present discourse affirm and teach that Baptism may therefore be called the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins because God THEREBY SIGNIFIES AND SEALS unto men the remission of their sins UPON THEIR REPENTANCE If God by Baptism signifies and seals unto men the remission of their sins upon their repentance then certainly men are interessed in remission of sins upon and by means of their Repentance and so before Baptism be taken up by them otherwise God should seal unto men an untruth and that which is not Again doth he not a little after in the same page suppose that Baptism may be called the Baptism of repentance because the persons who are baptized do thereby professe and declare unto the world that they look for REMISSION OF SINS FROM GOD UPON THEIR REPENTANCE And yet again that it may be called the Baptism of repentance c. because it seals and confirms the covenant or promises of God made to men touching the remission of their sins upon their repentance If it be the covenant or promise of God to give unto men the remission of sins upon their repentance certainly repentance it self by vertue of this covenant of God interesseth mē in remission of sins without the interposure of Baptism or without any contribution from Baptism thereunto Sect. 86. But if a Declaration of a mans Repentance by Baptism be nor requisite to interesse him in remission of sins as well as repentance it self what answer is to be given to those two texts of Scripture which Mr. A. useth I will not say abuseth to prove the same especially to the latter Act. 2. 38 39. Wherein if he speaks truth that Doctrine of his is too evidently asserted to be denied by any but those that will not see The former of the two is that known place Mar. 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Here saith he Beleeving and being baptized are conjoyned as relative to Salvation In which saying he seemeth to imply that Baptism in the letter and properly so called is as necessary to salvation as beleeving it self For if he will endure to be understood to speak of Baptism metonymically or synechdochically taken i. for an outward profession of Faith or beleeving which is our Saviours sence of the word baptized in the Scripture before us as we shall shew presently that which he saith is nothing to his purpose And though Baptism properly so called both in the Institution or precept of it as likewise in a regular subjection unto it or reception of it must needs be conceived to relate in one kind or degree or other unto salvation as all the Commandments of God and the creatures obedience unto every of them do and as Circumcision it self by the Apostles own acknowledgment sometimes did yet 1. It is not necessary that it should relate in one kind or other much lesse with the same kind of relation wherewith Believing relateth unto that Justification which consisteth in remission of sins or consequently that it should interesse men in this Justification For many things relate and conduce and this by way of necessitie unto salvation which are no wayes necessarie to invest a man in an estate of justification 2. Neither is it necessarie that baptizing should be relative to salvation it self upon the same terms with beleeving For Sect. 87. 1. Beleeving in persons capable is universally and indispensably in all cases whatsoever necessarie thereunto as the clause and words immediatly following those under present consideration do with the whole current of the Scriptures besides import But he that believeth not shall be damned But Baptizing though it be granted to be in ordinarie cases simply necessarie thereunto yet in the case lately mentioned and possibly in many others viz. when he that truly beleeveth is not s 〈…〉 ed in his judgment and conscience touching the regular capacitie of such persons who are willing to undertake the work to baptize Nor can I believe that in case the Eunuch baptized by Philip had after his beleeving Jesus Christ to be the son of God been prevented by death before he had come to the water wherewith he was baptized he should have perished eternally for want of it And this questionlesse if we understand our Saviour to speak in the place in hand of Baptism literally and without a figure is the reason why having in the former part of the verse included Baptism together with beleeving condition-wise in his promise of Salvation thus He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved yet leaveth it out in his opposite threatning of condemnation denouncing this not against persons who shall not be baptized but only against such who shall not believe But he that believeth not shall be damned Baptism in conjunction with Faith may be available or contributarie towards salvation and yet the want of it not necessarily exclusive of Salvation When Solomon saith wisdom is good with an inheritance he doth not imply or suppose that it is evill or not good without an inheritance So when the Apostle saith it is good for a man not to touch a woman meaning not to marrie he doth not suppose that it is evill or inconvenient for him at least in all cases to marrie He that promiseth salvation unto a meaner qualification in conjunction with a greater doth not hereby threaten this greater qualification with the losse of salvation for the want of the
intimated that whosoever is not baptized shall never have remission of sins But 3. And lastly for this the promise which Peter here saith was to them and to their children and to all those that are afarre off even as many c. is a great and generall promise of life and Salvation and consequently of all things necessarie hereunto as forgivenesse of sins Sanctification by the Spirit c. which God hath made unto all mankind but with this proviso or clause of exception that they only shall partake of the good things of this promise not who shall be baptized but who shall truly repent and believe in him For evident it is that the promise asserted by the Apostle in this place to the Jews their children to all those afarre off c. was delivered by God long before now even under the old Testament where there is frequent mention made of Faith and repentance and of Gods requiring these of men to render them capable of blessednesse from him but there is altum silentium profound silence all along and not a word spoken of Baptism To him saith Peter Act. 10. 43. give all the Prophets witnesses that thorow his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins So that the performance of the said promise could not be suspended by God either in whole or in part upon Baptism For as the Apostle Paul reasoneth for justification by faith in the promise of Grace against justification by the Law which was not given untill a long time after the said promise And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanull that it should make the promise of none effect Gal. 3. 17. so may we argue the case in hand the Law of Baptism which was given many hundred years after the promise of life and salvation unto those that should repent and believe cannot disanull this promise which notwithstanding it should do if the said terms or qualifications of Repentance and Faith could not interesse men in the said promise I mean in the good things promised without Baptism That clause in the latter end of ver 39. even as many as the Lord our God shall call to adde this by the way is not so much nor indeed at all restrictive but encouraging and extensive importing that no person or persons whatsoever to whom the word of promise or the Gospell shall come need be at all troubled or afraid that though they should repent yet they should not partake of the good things promised in as much as the promises be they never so many be they the whole world is comprehensive of them all But about this I suppose there is no difference between Mr. A. and me 5. When two severall means as here Repentance and being baptized are prescribed in order to the obtaining of such or such an end as the said two means here are spoken of be in order to remission of sins it doth not presently follow that both these means no nor yet that either of them are simply absolutely or universally necessary to the obtaining of this end or that this end is not attainable by any other means whatsoever in case either of these yea or both of them be wanting especially when one of them is but of an inferiour import and hath neither in the nature of it nor by any institution from God any essentiall or indispensable connexion with this end least of all doth such a thing follow either when a third means of a richer and fuller contribution towards the said end shall be used in stead of this latter or when the end is elsewhere declared by God himself to be attainable yea and that it shall certainly be obtained by the former means alone as remission of sins is oft in scripture secured unto Repentance where there is not the least whisper of any necessitie of Water-baptism to be joyned with it to render it effectuall in this kind See Act. 3. 19. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Luk. 15. 7 10. Luk. 24. 47. Act. 11. 18. to omit other places When the Apostle Paul saith that his hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they might be saved * Rom. 10. 1. he doth not suppose that it had been impossible for Israel to be saved without such his hearts desire prayer for them So when writing to the Corinthians he saith that they may ALL prophesie one by one that ALL may learn and ALL may be comforted a 1 Cor. 14. 31. it cannot reasonably be inferred from hence that unlesse they did ALL understand we it ALL that had the gift of prophecying amongst these prophesie one by one ALL i. the whole body of the Church and every member of it could not possibly learn or be comforted For certain it is that all might have learned so have been comforted although only some few of the prophets amogst them had prophecied So when it is said John did baptize in the wildernesse preach the Baptism of repentance FOR the remission of sins Mar. 1. 4. it cannot be concluded from hence that therefore without Johns preaching there could be or have been no remission of sins Therefore the prescribing of Baptism together with Repentance for remission of sins doth not necessarily suppose that without Baptism Remission of sins cannot be attained Sect. 96. 6. What if there be another sence which I suppose Mr. A. never thought of of this Clause or Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sins as viz. wherein the Proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not relate to any thing future or which is yet to be obtained but to something either past or present and shall signifie as much as for the sake of because of or the like and so the meaning of these words may rise thus and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS i. for the remission of sins sake which the Lord Jesus hath upon your repentance bestowed upon you This interpretation of the place 1. agreeth very well with the signification of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 2. makes a commodious and worthy sence of the passage this without any unkindnesse at all to the Context 1. The Proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the Authors in the Greek tongue sometime used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they are accordingly cited by our best Greek Lexicons which as was lately said signifieth because of or for the sake of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for therefore came I forth a Mar. 1. 38 i. for that work 's sake speaking of his preaching the Gospel meaning that the work of preaching the Gospel is of such dignitie of such transcendent consequence both for the glory of God and good of men that he thought it worthy his coing into the world to be a
witnes preacher of it according to what he speaketh else where in the same Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For this cause came I into the world that I might bear witnesse to the truth b Ioh. 18. 37 And thus the said Preposition might be rendred and perhaps better then now it is Mat. 15. 24. Col. 1. 20. c vi Redemption redeemed p. 44 and I suppose in severall other places which do not at present occurre According to this construction of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning of the exhortation be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sins ariseth to this effect Since upon and by means of your repentance you obtain so rich a priviledge as remission of sins is thorow the Lord Iesus be not ashamed to be baptized in his Name i. to own him for your sovereign Lord and master in the face of the world Now 2. That this interpretation of the clause is savourie and Evangelicall is of ready demonstration For what can be more reasonable then that men should publiquely and without being ashamed acknowledge and own him for their Gracious Benefactour for whom they have received favours of high concernment unto them and this in consideration of these worthy favours received And unlesse we shal admit of some such coÌ„struction of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this Mat. 3. 11. we must make Baptism as well required on mans part to interesse him in Repentance or make impenitents either the only or the best capable subjects of Baptism as well as in remission of sins For here Iohn Baptist saith expresly to the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. I indeed baptize you with water FOR OR VNIO REPENTANCE 3. And lastly for this the sence given no wayes disaccommodates the Context any whit more then Mr. A's interpretation it self doth Nor can there any account be given of such a dis-accommodation Sect. 97. 7. Yet once more to the Scripture in hand these words for the remission of sins may be well conceived to relate only to the word Repent in the beginning of the verâ—e and the words coming between and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus to be inserted after the maÌ„ner of a parenthesis directing the Iews what to do upon their repentance not for the procuring or obtaining the forgivenesse of their sins which as we already shewed from the current of the Scriptures is promised unto repentance not unto Baptism but for a sacred testimonie unto the world that at present they were and as a solemn ingagement upon themselves ever to remain and be the true and loyall Disciples of Iesus Christ 8. Some interpret and be baptized figuratively as if Peter by the sign understood the thing signified or professed by it of which Dialect there are many instances in Scripture According to this interpretation Repent and be baptized is no more then Repent and believe Baptism in capable subjects as all these were to whom Peter now speaks signifying and importing Faith and the profession of it 9. This clause for the remission of sins may be understood in a kind of declarative sence as many such scripture expressions likewise are and so signifie for the secureing or assuring your selves of the remission of your sins It is a true rule that words and phrases which more frequently signifie such or such spirituall priviledges at present obtained by Faith are sometimes used to signifie the actuall and reall fruition of these priviledges and their compleat manifestatiom Thus Rom. 8. 23. even we do sigh in our selves waiting for the ADOPTION c. i. for the full enjoyment or manifestation of our adoption c. So Gal. 5. 5. We thorow the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith i. for the actuall and compleat manifestation and fruition of those good things which we now expect and hope for upon the account of our justification before God by beleeving Thus also Mat. 6. 12 14. Forgivenesse of sins is put for the knowledge comfort or assurance of this forgivenesse to omit other instances of a like dialect Some such sence as this of Remission of sins in the â—cripture before us is very proper for the place because it so fitly agreeth with this part of Peters exhortation and be baptized one speciall use and end of Baptism as Mr. A. himself acknowledgeth and this more then once if I mistake not in this very discourse being to seal ratifie or insure unto men the remission of their sins upon repentance Besides in emphaticallnesse of language wherein the holy Ghost much delighteth also Remission of sins is not it self is not what it may be made unto those in whom it is vested untill it be known unto them and so enjoyed by them This construction of the place maketh not remission of sins it self which is Mr. A's sence but the knowledge comfort or enjoyment of this remission to be dependent at least to a degree upon Water-baptism in conjunction with repentance Though some of the interpretations of the passage Act. 2. 38 39. now insisted on and explained may possibly seem somewhat more hard and scant of satisfaction then their fellows yet is the hardest of them all better comporting with the generall notion and doctrine of the Gospell and no lesse with the words and phrases themselves then that sence which Mr. A. labours in the very fire to fasten on them Lastly for this suppose we that Mr. A's conceit about the meaning of the said Scripture should against Scripture light be admitted yet would neither his Anti-paedo-baptismall conceit nor his conceit about the necessitie of water-dipping receive any incouragement or credit at all hereby Not the latter because here is only mention made of being baptized nothing at all so much as hinted at the greatest distance touching the necessitie of any determinate manner of the performance or reception of it Nor yet the former because 1. from the order of the two duties as they are here exprest and named first Repentance and then being baptized nothing can be concluded for an universall necessitie of the one to precede the other in time there being scarce any thing of more common observation in the Scriptures then that the order of things as well that of time as of nature is here frequently interchanged and that mentioned in the first place which in respect of Order as well the one as the other is latter Joh 3. 5. Water which Mr. A. understands of Baptismall water is mentioned before the Spirit in the work of regeneration Baptizing Mat. 3. 6. is mentioned before confessing of sins yea and ver 11. before repentance Confession with the mouth Rom. 10. 9. is mentioned before beleeving with the heart So the Greek is mentioned before the Jew Colos 3. 11. as the Jew before the Greek Gal. 3. 28. So again joy is mentioned before peace Gal. 5. 22. and
Governours as he speaketh and Pedagogie of the Law whereas the latter Faith justifieth them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons i. as persons who have out-grown their Pupillage and received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated the adoption of sons the word here importeth the priviledge or accommodation of Sons permitted unto them by their Fathers when they come to maturitie of years and discretion which accommodation chiefly consisteth in an enlargment of their libertie and exemption from that servile subjection unto Tutours and Governours under which they were whilst children Sect. 106. 5. And lastly for this Nor can I believe that any judicious Expositor either Ancient or Modern was ever tempted with Mr. A's declarative sence of the verb substantive are in the Text before us Calvin upon the place assigns this for a reason why the Law should not alwayes detain Believers in bondage viz. because they ARE the Sons of God And further saith that the Apostle evinceth their libertie by this that they ARE the Sons of God How By faith in Christ For whosoever believe in him this prerogative is conferred upon them that they ARE the sons of God a Probat aliâ ratione iniquum esse ac minimè consentaneum ut lex perpetua servitute astringat fideles quia silicet SVNT filij Dei libertatem inde probat quod SINT filij Dei Quomodo per fideÌ„ these in Christam Nam quicunque in eum credunt datur illis haec prerogativa ut SINT filij Dei Muscâ—lus likewise upon the words is expresse for this substantive sence against the declarative b Omnes enim filij Dei estis per fidem in Christo Jesu Sensus est quotquot in Christo Jesu estis filij Dei ESTIS per fidem Grotius you who have believed in Christ as you ought and continue thus believing are the sons of God viz. adult or come to maturitie of years they who are such begin to enâ—oy their fathers goods And thus ye have received the Spirit of your Father c Vos qui in Christum credidist is ita ut oportet ac sic credere perseveratis estis filij Dei nempe adulti tales qui sunt incipiunt bonis paternis frui Sic vos accepistis Patris Spiritum d Omnes filij Dei estis c. Q d. Etiamsi per Legem sitis vexati humiliati occisi tamen Lex non fecit voâ— justos non fecit vos filios Dei sed fides Luther to name no more commenteth this notion on the words ye are all the sons of God c. As if he should say Although ye are vexed cast down slain by the Law yet hath not the Law made you righteous it hath not made you the Sons of God but Faith hath done these These things considered how importune is Mr. A's deduction from these words ver 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ From hence he concludeth fidenter satis So that the Faith what ever it is by which they were said to be the children of God in ver 26. Must be the same in effect with that which he calls the putting on of Christ in Baptism I cannot but marvell and this not a little upon what basis he should found this consequence or collection or what relation he can apprehend between the two verses ver 26. and ver 27. which should intice a considering man to this belief that Faith in the former should be the same thing in effect with putting on Christ in Baptism in the latter The aspect which the latter verse hath upon the former is plainly this The Apostle in the former having delivered this for truth unto them that they were all viz. who truly believed the Sons of God by Faith in Christ Iesus viz. without any Legall observation as we formerly expounded in the latter gives this for a reason why they should the rather believe it I mean that they were the Sons of God by Faith in Christ Iesus without the help of any legall ceremonie because many of them had submitted unto Baptism had been baptized into Christ by which act of submission they put on Christ i. solemnly professed and engaged themselves totally to conform and adhere to the Discipline of Christ in the Gospell where no Law-ceremonie hath place or is allowed much lesse imposed upon any man So that the strength of the Apostles arguing in the place in hand standeth in this principle or ground in reason what many according to the will of God solemnly and publiquely professe that they believe and ingage themselves to adhere unto must of necessitie be a truth The Apostle here supposeth or taketh for granted as well he might that all those amongst them who had been baptized into Christ had been thus baptized by or according to the will of God This interpretation of his argument in ver 27. to prove what he had affirmed ver 26. viz. that they were all the complete or adult Sons of God by Faith in Christ without the observation of Moses Law makes him to speak and argue like himself and with pregnancie of conviction Whereas Mr. A's comment puts him upon that absurditie in his discourse which Logicians call idem per idem which is when the conclusion to be proved and the medium by which this proof should be made are either formally or materially and to use his own term in effect the same If Mr. Fisher should take any of his Adversaries arguing at such a rate as Mr. A. makes the Apostle to argue here he would tell them that as the wheele-barrow goes rumble to rumble so their conclusions follow from their premises Sect. 107. By the way when the Apostle saith that as many of them as had been baptized had put on Christ he doth not necessarily suppose or imply that such of them who had not been thus baptized had in no sence or upon no account put on Christ For when a thing may be done after severall and different manners they that do it not after one manner may very possibly do it after another The same garment may be put on severall wayes and the same Christ may be put on i. publiquely professed and owned in the world by different forms of profession He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not and giveâ—h God thanks Rom. 14 6. He that came neither eating nor drinking yet came in a way of righteousness as he also did who came both eating and drinking Mat. 11. 18 19. compared with cap. 21. 32. And doubtlesse the Apostle would not have here made those of them who had been baptized the same body or Church with those who had not been baptized which I have elsewhere proved I suppose beyond all reasonable contradiction that he doth a See warer dipping pag. 85 86 if these latter had not made some publique profession of Christ and the
consequent submission in Faith unto that Baptism which was administred unto a person without his antecedent consent in this kind may be as available unto him for all spirituall ends as an Antecedent submission could have been Let me put a case to Mr. A. Suppose any one or more of his Baptismall Proselytes should at the time of their taking up Baptism deceive both him and themselves conceiting that they submit unto it and take it up out of Faith when as they know not what true Faith meaneth which I have cause in aboundance to fear is a case of very frequent occurrence among the Proselytes of his newfound Baptism and it was the case of Simon Magus who it seems deceived both Philip and himself in his taking up Baptism but should afterwards come to be convinced of their errour and hypocrisie in this kind and thorow the Grace of God be brought to believe indeed is it Mr. A's sence that their Baptism because not submitted unto and taken up out of Faith at the time of their literall reception of it can now contribute nothing towards their receiving of the Spirit or have no influence upon them this way Or is it his opinion that in this case they ought to take another voyage by water to invite the Spirit unto them If it be certain I am that there is neither precept nor example in the Scriptures nor any competent ground in reason to support it But Sect. 152. 4. We have Examples in the Scripture of edification and spirituall benefit received by men afterwards by such both words and actions which at the time of the hearing of the one and transacting of the other were not understood by those who were in time thus edified by them When Peter thought it strange that his Lord and Master should come to wash his feet Jesus answered and said unto him What I do thou knowest not NOW but thou shalt know HERE AFTER a Ioh. 13. 7 Might not God have spoken in like manner to every child which he by his precept and order in that behalf circumcised under the Law the continuance of their lives untill years of discretion only supposed What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know afterwards Or is there not the same consideration of children in their Baptism When Christ said to Joseph and his mother how is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businessâ— it is immediatly subjoyned And they understood not viz. at the present the saying which he spake unto them b Luk. 2. 49 50 but were they therefore in no capacitie of understanding it yea and of receiving spirituall benefit by it afterwards So again when Christ said thus to his Disciples The Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men the Evangelist presently adds But they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not a Lu. 44. 45 viz. at the time when it was spoken unto them Was it therefore spoken unto them in vain or did it not do worthy execution upon their judgements and consciences in due time Severall other instances there are of like consideration See Joh. 10. 6. Ioh. 12. 16. Mat. 16. 6 7 c. we formerly shewed that the end of planting is not made void by the non-fructification of the tree at the time of the planting of it See Sect 69. So that Mr. A's first Answer in this place leaves his Objection in full force strength and vertue Nor doth his second answer any whit more disable it Infant-Baptism saith he is disagreeable to the Gospel-ministration M. A. p. 36. as it is the ministration of the Spirit in this respect also viz. as it requires all worshippers in all acts of worship in all the Ordinances of this ministration to worship God in Spirit with the mind in faith fear of the Lord. I answer that to this reasoning answer hath been given over and over For 1. it hath been opened that the Gospel-ministration is by the Apostle called the ministratioÌ„ of the spirit coÌ„paratively only not with any import or intimatioÌ„ that the ministratioÌ„ of the Law was in no respect or degree a ministration of the spirit also This Sect. 133 150. 2. It hath been proved likewise that the adnistration of Baptism is no part of the Gospel-ministration but an Appendix only unto it This Sect. 146. 3. It hath been made good That Infant-baptism may be agreeable enough to the Gospel ministration though it should not agree with it in some one propertie or particularly in this as it is the ministration of the Spirit This Sect. 145. Therefore whereas he here pretends to give a reason why Infant-Baptism should be dâ—sagreeable to the Gospel-ministration as it is the ministration of the Spirit doth he not pretend to give a reason of that which is not and withall take that for granted without proof which is denied by his adversaries Sect. 153. And whereas he appropriates it unto the Gospel-ministration that it requires all worshippers in all acts of worship to worship God in Spirit with the mind c. as if the Legall-ministration required not the same this Conceit of his also hath been made to lick the dust at the feet of the Truth Sect. 1â—0 145. So that we have here nothing but braided ware soiled and foiled notions But whereas in the further traverse of this Argument he professeth his ignorance or want of understanding how children should be uncapable of the Ordinance of the Supper and yet capable of Baptism especially considering Mr. A. 37 that they both represent the death of Christ both relate to the great benefit of remâ—ssion of sins c. I suppose that this Salve in his own Rhetorique is proper for this sore and will heal it without a scarr If Mr. A. can but understand how a child may be carried ten or twenty See Mr. Rich. Baxter plain Scripture proof for Infants Church-membership c. Part. 2. cap. 4. 114. miles and yet not be able to go this journey or the like upon his own leggs did not that bane of understandings prejudice and preoccupation here intoxicate him he may as well understand how a child may be capable of the Ordinance of Baptism and yet not of the supper For Baptism is an Ordinance of such a calculation nature and condition that as to the Elementarie and literall reception of it it requireth no principle of action aâ— all in its subject but passivenesse only as Circumcision also did under the Law which among many others to mention this briefly by the way is an Argument to me of a very considerable intimation that it was and is as an Ordinance principally intended by God for such subjects of man-kind which are meerly passive and know not how to act any thing in or about their reception of it The like counsell of God is observable in his enditing of that Ordinance which he intended
So that they who truely beleeve in case they delay their Baptism not having been already baptized until afterwards commit an error at least or an oversight herein But there was no such Law imposed by God upon that Faith which was in Christ otherwise he must be supposed to have committed an over-sight in that he offered not himself unto Baptism until many yeares after this Faith had been first resident in him Therefore his Faith and the Faith required of other persons are not essentially or specifically the same Whereas Mr. A. pleads the sameness of expressions or denominations to prove both Faiths to be specifically the same and that to beleeve Jesus Christ to be the Son of God is the Faith required of all other persons to render them capable of Baptism and that this Faith was in Christ I answer That the sameness of name expression or denomination doth not alwaies prove the identity or sameness I mean not the specifical sameness of the things expressed or denominated but sometimes an agreement onely between them in some generical property or consideration Their Faith who have power given them hereupon to become the Sons of God is called a beleeving on his name Joh. 1. 12. and their Faith also to whom Christ refused to commit himself is in like manner termed a beleeving on his name Joh. 2. 23 24. Yet these two Faiths were of very different natures and considerations as sufficiently appears by the two passages compared notwithstanding their consent in name So again their Faith who because the Pharisees did not confess him lest they should be cast out of the synagogue and who loved the praise of men more than the praise of God is termed a beleeving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on him i. e. on Christ Joh. 12. 42 43. and their Faith also who beleeve to justification and salvation is expressed after the same manner a beleeving on him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 3. 16. and elswhere So again that act or series of actings by which the Saints testifie their approbation of the wisdom of God whether in the Gospel or in his providential actings is termed a justification Mat. 11. 19. as well as that act of God by which he absolveth or dischargeth sinners from the guilt of their sins upon their beleeving in Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 1 and in twenty places besides yet are these two acts of very different natures and specifically at least distinct the one from the other It were easie to levy many other instances upon the same account but these are abundantly sufficient to prove that the Faith of Christ beleeving himself to be the Son of God and the Faith of other men beleeving him to be the Son of God also are not by their agreement in name or expression evinced to be Faiths of the same consideration or kind Sect. 185. Suppose it were granted that the belief which was in Christ of his being the Son of God and the belief of the same truth in other persons were of the same nature and kind yet neither will it follow from hence that Christ was baptized upon the account of this Faith because all other persons are For 1. Other persons are not baptized simply directly or immediately upon the account of this Faith but by the interceding of their profession hereof before those who are to baptize them Whereas Christ made no profession unto Jon of that Faith by which he beleeved himself to be the Son of God neither was it proper or comly for him so to doe From whence by the way this saying of Mr. A. a little after therefore may it well be said indeed that Christ received Baptism upon the same terms as others did is manifestly evicted of untruth unless he think to salve the dishonour by those words at least in several respects of which salvage notwithstanding he bereaves himself by these words following and that in conformity to the same standing Law of righteousnesse to wit the Institution of God common to others as well as to him For doubtless there neither was nor is any such standing Law of righteousnesse nor Institution of God according to which any other person of mankind should be baptized upon the account of his Faith without any profession or declaration made of it unto the Baptizer Therefore Christ being baptized upon these terms was not baptized in conformity to the same standing Law of Righteousness or Institution of God common to others but by a Law in this respect appropriate to himself Sect. 186. 2. If John baptized Christ upon the account of his Faith whereby he beleeved himself to be the Son of God then when at first he refused or declined the baptizing of him Mat. 3. 14. either he was ignorant that such a Faith was in Christ or that this Faith was a legitimate ground of baptizing him or else it must be supposed that when â—e refused to baptize him he did against his conscience and contrary to what he knew his duty to be But all these are unworthy of John and not to be conceived of him Therefore hee did not baptize him upon the account of his Faith 3. If he did baptize him upon the account of his Faith then before his baptizing him he must be conceived to have reasoned thus within himself This man or this person surely beleeves himself to be the Son of God and since I have a compent or sufficient ground to conceive this of him viz. that he thus beleeveth therefore I will baptize him But it is loudly dissonant from all that reason saith to imagine that John reasoned after any such manner as this to strengthen his hand to the Baptizing of Christ Therefore he did not baptize him upon the account of his beleeving himself to be the Son of God The major in this argument shineth sufficiently with its own light The minor is evident from hence viz. because John knew as wel before his prohibiting him his baptism or refusing to baptize him that he beleeved himself to be the Son of God as afterwards when he yeelded to baptize him and yet as we see refused to baptize him notwithstanding the knowledg he had of such a belief in him Therefore certainly he did not baptize him upon the account of his Faith Nor did Christ in the interim I mean between John's refusing to baptize him and his admitting him unto his Baptism any wayes inform John that since he beleeved himself to be the Son of God he lawfully might or of duty ought to baptize him So that on which side soever of the businesse we look there is not so much as the least lineament of a face of probability that Christ was baptized upon the account of his beleeving himself to be the Son of God Sect. 187. If it be objected that John when he refused to admit Christ to hiâ— Baptism did as well know that he was the Son of God as that he beleeved himself to be Son of God and yet did not
upon this account baptize him Therefore according to the tenor of your late reasoning neither did he baptize him upon the account of his being in favour with God or of his relation of Sonship unto God To this I answer that although John knew Christ to be the Son of God when he declined the baptizing him as well as afterwards when he baptized him yet it seems he did not at present so wel consider that he being the only begotten Son of God and so a person in dignity infinitely transcending other men it was meet for him being a weak and sinful man to baptize him until the Lord Christ himself admonished or informed him of the meetness of the thing the transcendent dignity of his person notwithstanding Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness Mat. 3. 15. as if he should have said How true soever it be which thou alledgest against thy baptizing me as viz. that thou hast need to be baptized of me and not I of thee yet be content to do what at this time and upon the present occasion I desire of thee because it becometh me notwithstanding the peculiar dignity of my person yet in respect of my mediatory undertaking to condescend to every thing which is righteous or meet for other men to submit unto So then if it be righteous and meet for other persons who are the sons of God and because or as they stand in this relation unto him and not meerly as they are beleevers to be admitted unto Baptism then did Christ desire Baptism and was accordingly baptized as or because he was the Son of God although it be true that he was indeed the first born amongst many brethren as the Apostle speaks and so his relation of Sonship of an higher nature then other mens Sect. 188. Now that other persons are not regularly admittable unto Baptism nor ever were in the Apostles times admitted hereunto simply and meerly as or because Beleevers but as or because their faith thorough the profession of it did declare them to be the Sons of God and so iâ— special favour with him is beyond all controversie evident upon these grounds 1. If beleeving Jesus Christ to be the Son of God gives a regular capacity of Baptism as it is simply beleeving and not as it declares the Beleever to be the Son of God and in special favour with him then is the Devil himselfe or at least may be in a regular capacity of being baptized The reason of this consequence is evident because he beleeves Jesus Christ to be the Son of God or at least is a sufficient capacity to believe it The Apostle saith that he was mightily or with power declared to be the Son of God according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead Now the devil is very capable of any rational demonstration how much more of such which are pregnant and full of power to convince And though he be a lyar and the Father thereof yet being subtile and wise in his generation he is not like to lye to his own disadvantage which yet he must be supposed to have done when he said unto Christ I know thee who thou art the holy one of God Mark 1. 24. â—f he had lyed in so saying So that there is little question of the validity and truth of the consequence in the said major proposition Now that the Devil is or may be in a regular capacity of being baptized is I presume none of Mr. A's thoughts Therefore believing simply as beleeving doth not qualifie for baptisme but as it selfe being professed or declared declareth the Professour of it to be a child of God 2. If believing simply as believing inrights unto baptism then did Philip put the Eunuch upon harder and stricter termes to satisfie himselfe about his meetnesse to be baptized when upon this account he required of him or imposed on him a beleeving with the whole heart Act 8. 37. then his commission in that behalfe allowed him to do And indeed his admonishiâ—g or presting the Eunuch to believe with all his heart plainly intimated that it was such a Faith or beleeving which would render him capable of Baptisme to his own comfort by which he could approve himselfe to be a child of God If so then is it not the simple or absolute nature or act of beleeving but that relative or declarative nature oâ— property of it we speak of by vertue or meanes whereof it gives a capacity of baptisme unto men If so then it readily follows that it is the relation of Son-ship unto God which originally primarily and directly investeth with this capacity and that wheresoever and in whomsoever this may reasonably be presumed to be there is as rich as regular a capacity of baptisme as beleeving by means of the profession of it can give unto any man And that it is the property of Faith to give unto men the relation we speak of I mean of Son-ship unto God is the loud vote of the Scripture from place to place Joh. 1. 12. Gal. 3 26. and elsewhere And if Faith gives the relation of Son-ship the profession or declaration of Faith must needs give knowledge of this relation unto men Sect. 189. If it be here replyed true it is Faith professed declareth a person to be the Son of God but it followeth not from hence that therefore it qualifieth for baptisme in this consideration I answer if this be the noblest and highest consideration in Faith viz. that it gives the relation of Son-ship unto God makes a man or a woman to become a child of God which I suppose is no mans question then must it needs be the highest consideration also in the profession of it that it declares a man or woman to be the childe of God And if these things be so it undeniably followeth that either it is somwhat that it is meaner and lower in Faith and so in the profession of Faith which instates men in a capacity of Baptism or else that it is that relative declarative nature in it of which we speak which thus enstateth them Now then if Baptism be to be looked upon as a matter of favour or priviledge vouchsafed by God unto men or unto his children it is unreasonable to conceive or think that he should conferre it upon the account of that which is meaner and lesse considerable in them passing by that which is more excellent more considerable and worthy 3. If faith giveth not right unto Baptism in that declarative consideration mentioned then giveth it in some consideration relating to it as for example either as it is simply an act or as it is such or such a kind of act or as it relateth to such or such an object or the like But there is no other consideration in Faith by vertue whereof it can so much as tolerably be conceived that it should give a capacity of Baptism Therefore it
must needs be conceived to give this capacity in the consideration specified Nor can it here reasonably be pretended in opposition to what hath been said that it gives the capacity now contended about in consideration of the ordinance or appointment of God that so it should do or that by vertue of such a divine ordinance as this it gives the said capacity For 1. When we affirm that it gives the capacity so oft specified by vertue of the declarative property of it frequently likewise mentioned we do not exclude the ordinance or appointment of God in this behalfe but suppose or include it altogether We believe that faith doth not justifie or make a child of God but by vertue of the will appoyntment or ordination of God in this kind nor do we beleeve that it gives the capacity of Baptism upon any other â—erms I mean without the ordinance or appoyntment of God But Sect. 190. 2. Whensoever God by the counsel of his will or by his appointment settleth any priviledge or benefactory power upon any grace act or service of his creature he doth it stil in consideration of or with an eye unto something that is considerable in or about this Grace act or service which commendeth it unto him as meet and proper for an investiture with such a priviledge He doth not invest every Grace or every service with every priviledge but confers priviledges with an exact proportion to each Grace or service priviledged by him in respect of some thing or other considerable in them in reference to such a collation Now then when we affirm and say that faith gives a right unto Baptism as it is declarative of Son-ship unto God our meaning is that this declarative property is that consideration in it in regard whereof God judged it meet to be invested with such a priviledge as to give a capacity of or a right unto baptism unto all those in whom it should be found and hath invested it accordingly Thus then all things duly weighed and considered it fully appeareth that the device which Mr. A imagined against the argument or objection lately propounded by himselfe is too great for him to perform By the light of all these late discussion it is sufficiently evident that faith in no other considerations intrinsically appertaining to it gives a capacity of Baptism but onely as it is declarative of Sonship and that this is the original and proper qualification for Baptism and that being by any probable much more by any demonstrative argument made known unto those who have a right to baptise baptisme ought not to be denied unto it Whereas Mr. A. very operously and with the quotation of many Scriptures labours to prove the Eunuch's Faith I beleeve Jesus Christ to be the son of God was none other then the Faith of the Gospel and the common form of Beleevers confession and again that Christ had this Faith i. e. that he beleeved himselfe to be the Son of God he might to as much purpose and well nigh with as much pertinence to his cause have spent his paines in proving the Sun to be up at noon day If he could have proved First that Christ's faith was of the same nature and consideration with the Faith of beleevers And secondly that he was baptized by John upon the account of this his Faith simply and absolutely considered he had made the face of his cause to shine at least to a degree but being defective in these his labour and cost otherwise signifie nothing Sect. 191. What he speaks afterward concerning Christ making a dedication of himselfe unto the service of professing and publishing the Gospel by the solemnity of baptisme as others did and ought to do he speaks upon no steady no nor probable account in reason For Christ doubtlesse had made a dedication of himselfe to the service he speaks of long before his receiving the solemnity of Baptism yea and had professed the Gospel and declared himself the Son of God For being yet but twelve years old he was found in the Temple discoursing the things of God amongst the Doctors so called of those times And to his Parents his Mother saying thus unto him Son why hast thou dealt thus with us behold thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing he returned this answer How is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businesse Luke 2. 46. 49. So that now he both professed himselfe to be the Son of God and declared also that he had dedicated and devoted himselfe to that work of his about which he was sent whereas he was not baptized till about the thirtieth year of his life Luke 3. 21. 23. Or if Mr. A's meaning be that Christ was now comming forth into the world to professe and publish the Gospel openly when he was baptized the expresse letter of the Evangelical History riseth up against him For Christ did not thus profess or publish the Gospel untill Johns casting into prison Matth. 4. 12. 7. Mark 1. 14. which was some considerable time after his baptizing for presently after his baptizing he was led by the spirit into the wilderness and there continued forty days and forty nights amongst the wild beasts Mark 1. 13. Matth. 4. 1 2. which importeth as Theophylact well observeth that all this time he continued in such a part of the wildernesse where men were not wont to come So that all this while he did not professe or publish the Gospel openly unless it were to the wild beasts or the Devil Nor can it be proved that Johns casting into prison immediately followed the abode of Christ in the wilderness indeed the contrary appeareth from the Scriptures yet shal we not argue this at present So that M. A. is out of the way of truth at this turn also Why Christ deferred his baptism to that time when he received it may be shewed in the progress of this answer very speedily But however Paedo-baptists claim countenance to their practice from the baptisme of Christ Mr. A. hath a conceit that from it he can frame an argument against their practise and this as he saith without wresting it as if it were somewhat a singular thing with him to argue against his adversaries without wresting the Scriptures which he manageth against them His argument is a little prolix and encumbred with words yet let us give it a patient hearing as himself layeth it down If Jeâ—us Christ his being baptized at that season and upon that occasion when he began to profess and publish the Gospel and not before was in conformity to a Law oâ— righteousness in this behalf then those that are baptized who yet make no such profession as Infants are are not baptized inconformity to that Law of righteousness But Christ his being baptized at that season and upon that occasion when he began to profess and publish the Gospel and not before was in conformity to a Law of righteousness in
those that brought them 4 If Christ had blessed these children only as emblems or types of Gospel converts in case Lambs or Doves or Sheep had been brought unto him likewise he might upon such an account as well have layd his hands upon these and blessed them and have said Suffer Lambs and Doves and Sheep to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of God But is it meet to make any part of a sober mans faith to beleeve or think that the Lord Christ in the case specified would either have done or spoken according to the tenour of these things 5. And lastly because the conceit we oppose is in it self so uncouth and improbable that it is not like to ride any mans judgement unless he finds it bowed down with prejudice the reason which Christ gives for this his order that Children should be suffered to come unto him and consequently of his gracious intentions towards them upon their coming is this viz. That of such is the Kingdome of heaven This clearly proveth that the blessing wherewith hee now blessed those children that were brought unto him and intended to bless those that should be brought unto him afterwards was a blessing appropriate unto Saints or such who are subjects in the Kingdom of God But the Bread in the Sacrament is no Saint though the Papists dream it to be the King of Saints and therefore no capable subject of such a blessing which the children obtained by their coming to Christ A Table of some Texts of Scripture occasionally handled or touched in the preceding Discourse and to which some light is given besides many others cited only probation-wise GEn. 17. 1. The uncircumcised Man-child shall be cut off from his people page 349 Exod. 3. 6. I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob p. 3 12 Eccles 7. 11. Wisdom is good with an inheritance 230 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth 347 348 c. Isa 1. 11 12. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me c. 103 Mat. 3. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance 246 248 328 375 3. 15. Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness 263 390 401 12. 3. Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungry c. 12 12. 8. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath-day 323 18. 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones who beleeve in me c. 166 167 19. 13. Then there were brought unto him litle children that he should put his hands upon them and pray c. 132 161 162 344 22. 31. But as touching the resurrection of the dead have ye not read c. page 3 28. 19. Go and teach all Nations baptizing them c. 167 168 c. Mar. 1. 4. The Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins p. 246 372 c. 1. 8. I indeed baptize you with water 328 1. 38. For therefore came I forth 247 10. 13 14 c. And they brought young children unto him that he should touch them c. and he layed his hands on them and blessed them 132 159 160 161 162 344 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved 229 230 c. 373 Luke 3. 15. And all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were Christ or no 284 7. 29 30. And all the people that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the baptism of John But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves not being baptized of John 182 183 260 261 Joh. 1. 31. But that he should be made manifest unto Israel am I come baptizing with water 175 176 3. 5. Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit c. 216 333 3. 23. And Iohn also was baptizing in Enon neer Salim because much water was there 62 63 3. 32. No man receiveth his testimony 152 5. 31. If I bear witness of my selfe my witness is not true 206 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth the Son and beleeveth on him c. 331 7. 39. This he spake of the Spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive pag. 329 13. 7. What I doe thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter 202 20. 29. Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have bleee 8ed 331 Acts 2. 3. Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost 234 235 236 c. 330 376 2. 39. For the promise is unto you and your children c. 145 2. 41. And the same day there was added about three thousand souls 294. 3. 19. Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. 235 5. 14. And beleevers were the more added unto the Lord multitudes both of men and women 157 7. 25. For he supposed that his brethren would have understood how God by his hand would deliver them but they understood it not 4 8. 10. To whom they all gave heed c. 157 158 10. 47. They were baptized both men and women 152 158 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised 25 15. 10. Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples c. 85 17. 31. Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead 4 21. 5. And they all brought us on our way with Wives and children 155 22. 16. And now why tarriest thou Arise and be baptised and wash away thy sins c. 252 253 c. Rom. 2. 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision shall keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircision be counted for circumcision 294 295 4. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all men that beleeve 187 188 c. 4. 18. Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might be the Father of many nations 188 189 c. 6. 5. For if ye have been planted together in the likeness of his death ye shall also c. 280 8. 14. As many as are â—â—d by the Spirit of God these are the Sons of God 286 8. 23. Even we do sigh in our selves waiting for the adoption 249 8. 24. For we are saved by hope 303 10. 1. My hearts desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved 246 10. 10. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness c. 249 14. 22. Hast thou Faith Have it to thy selfe before God 107 1 Cor. 1. 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize but c. 128 327 3. 8. The ministration of the spirit 326 7. 9. It is