God the injunction from heaven is very particular and express See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount Heb. 8.5 And Ezek. 43 10. Thou Son of Man shew the house to the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquity and let them measure the pattern viz. to build say you mark with ALL POSSIBLE EXACTNESSE according to it Now whether the Disciples sitting down in Church bodies before Baptisme be not directly contrary to the pattern and consequently a disorderly practise let the world judge 1. By the Scriptures where we have Christ commanding baptisme presently upon discipling Math. 18.19 which we see the Apostles practised with much faithfulness in the whole story of the Acts to which we have spoken already 2. Where we find the erection of the first famous Gospel Church the manner is thus reported Acts 2.41 1. They gladly received the Word 2. Were baptised And 3. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking bread and prayer but first you see they were baptised behold then the pattern in the Mount and must not he be next to willingly ignorant that doth not see this that is so plainly written that he that runneth may read it Why then if all other patterns be but seducers and that our duty is to build with all possible exactness according to the first pattern have you not justified our separation from you for resusing to build according to this pattern 2. Let the judgement of the learned Mr. Baxster Saints rest p 179 from Doctor Preston touching the primitive practise be taken This food we call the Eucharist saith Justin Martyr one of the most ancient Fathers from the practise of the primitive Church to which â—o man is admitted but onely he that beleiveth the truth of our doctrine being washed in the laver of Regeneration for remission of sinâ— which washing he expresseth thus Then meaning after faith and prayer they are brought to the Water and are BORN AGAIN OR BAPTISED in the same way as we our selves were born again for they are washed with water In the Name of the Father Son and Spirit But that which is home to my point is that no Disciple touched the Eucharist as he calleth it till first baptised indeed after Baptisme then he sitteth down with the body in full communion but not before 3. As we have the Scriptures of our side and the judgement of the learned on our side that this was the Primitive practise so we had you your self on our side at this point when you writ your letter to Mr. Tho. Goodwin p 7. Covenanting is not lawful before Baptisme is is evident because it is not lawfull for a Church to receive the unbaptised into fellowship with them as Members of that body neither is there example or APPEARANCE of warrant in Scripture for such a thing And at that time you were as confident as Confidence it self could make you Pag. 1. of what you then wrote as you there affirm or if you were not of other things yet of this because you say and that according to truth That there is neither example nor appearance of warrant in Scripture for such a thing Yea in that letter p. 5. Evident it is that those that were added to the Church were baptised before this is affirmed of them So that upon Principles of your own which is that we ought to build with all possible exactness according to the pattern you are condemned 1. By the Scriptures 2. By the learned 3. Out of your own mouth all which speak Baptisme to goe before Church-fellowship and consequently to walk otherwise a disorderly practise answer who can And the truth is if we are not to follow the customes of the Primitive Churches in worship in every thing that we can follow them in with this limitation Positive giving way to Morral which they did under the Law how are they a pattern to us how shall we understand where to follow them and wherein to leave them Upon the whole matter then I conclude that though by faith men become the Sons of God and that Christ owneth all true Beleivers for brethren yet they have not thereby a present immediate right to full communion with the Church simply upon that account because the same God that ordained faith the meanes of adoption hath ordained Baptisme to goe before visible membership into the Church of Christ much more before a constant sitting down in full Church Communion they then that walk otherwise cast off the Rule and so reproach the wisdom of Christ complain of the Rule as imperfect and become Judges of the Law Your fourth Consideration being of one heart and soul with the third I shall have the lesse to say to it it is for substance this THat persons that have fellowship and Communion with God are thereby immediately fittted for communion with the Church without Baptisme otherwise it is not against us This Proposition Mr. Goodwin supposeth proved by the 14. Rom. 1 2 3. Him that is weak in the faith receive you Again let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not the reason why he must be received and not despised is For God hath accepted him But how Mr. Goodwin or any man else can make this follow from thence that therefore all persons that have fellowship with God have a present right to Church communion without Baptisme I understand not For 1. The weak in faith that this Text speaketh of were baptised persons which appeareth by the sixth chapter where he useth their Baptisme as an argument to mortification and a new life That the words in the third verse So many of us is not partitive of the Disciples amongst themselves which Brother Allen hath proved unanswerably from the scope to which Mr. Goodwin hath made no reply and to the further clearing whereof I shall speak something in due place 2. Mr. Goodwin supposeth that the object of receiving is into Church communion when the Text saith Him that is weak in the faith receive you which I humbly apprehend is an ungrounded conjecture because the Apostle writeth to an establish'd Church whereof those weak ones were a part which by vertue of their membership were already in full communion with the Church Besides is it a reasonable thing to imagine that such a thought would enter into the heart of the Church to cast brethren out of fellowship with the Church of Christ that was regularly immembred because they were more self denying than others by eating hearbs which they did unto the Lord Rom. 14.6 Surely the Church wanted no exhortation to that so that this caution therefore serveth some other design as I humbly apprehend namely the common respect of Christians which strong ones can hardly vouchsafe to the weak for as the weak are apt to judge the strong so the strong to slight and despise the weak which is the words of the Text Rom. 14.3 Let
duty will render men judged obeyers of that command by God yet will not any such desire to obey when yet obedience is not performed justifie MEN in any such judgement because Christ hath no where given to the Church any such rule to judge by Besides except men could try the reines and the heart as well as God and know who willeth sincerely and who not as God doth it is unreasonable to conceive that mens willing things should be any rule for mens judgement though it should be conceived a rule for Gods judgement And further the heart of man being deceitful above all things it is not so easie as it may be some think to know themselves whether they will sincerely or no the obedience of such commands which they cannot but see taketh them off the chair of publick esteem and setteth them upon the dunghil of disgrace and scorn and whether obedience to Gospel-baptism doth not so let the world judge by your cruel mocking them that submit to it and bitter insinuations against them To which we shall speak fully in the due place But thirdly and lastly if we ought to judge you to be actually baptised our way because you have a willing mind so to be though indeed and in truth you are not Why then surely by the same rule you ought to judge us still walking with you every one in his place though indeed and in truth we are separated from you because we also have a willing mind upon Christian termes to walk with you And have you not as much reason to judge us sincere in our profession of willingness as we have to judge you so I am certain you have much more reason so to judge because your submission to baptism in Christs way and Pauls way which is our way would be a pure piece of self denial to you As Peter and John was by the High Priest and Elders Act. 4.13 Ignorant and unlearned men And John 7.49 and that in many respects you would be numbred amongst those poor brethren of the dip which want releif that petty handful of less knowing and less considerate men as you call them those ignorant Creatures the generallity of whom know not what the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that for ought they know upon their own account it may signifie to ride or to run or to build as well as to dip which are your scornful expressions concerning them Every man can find a will to seek the face of the Ruler Pro. 29.26 but who findeth will to seek the face of the poor But for us to have continued still in fellowship with you in that way was and would be again if we returned to it matter both of honour and ease in comparison whereas now with Christ and the holy Apostles we are sooles for Christs sake then we should be wise in Christ now weak 1 Cor. 4.10 then strong now despised then honourable So that we have more cause by farre to doubt your wills of COMING DOWN to us though you should say never so much how much you willed it then you have to doubt our wills of GOING Up to you if we did but whisper it And yet you have declared us no Members of your Body and pour contempt upon us for Church breakers and Church deserters and trust betrayers and what ever you think may bring our persons and Christs holy way which we profess into dis-repute because we have separated from you though we have often affirmed what trouble and sorrow it was to us to withdraw from you and our own conscience is as a thousand witnesses how careful we were to make it as little offensive to you as we could devise how to do our obligation to you as an instrument of much spiritual good to our soul being alwayes before our face How untrue therefore have you been to your own principles in thus dealing with us Rom. 14.12 Happy is the man that condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth Your third Consideration for substance this THat by faith Men become the Sons of God That Christ owneth all true Beleivers for brethren Therefore such of the Beleivers who are in the right order of the Gospel ought to receive them into the full Communion of the Church upon that account simply That Men become the Sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus is plain in the Scriptures as you say but that any ones faith would have pass'd with the Churches in the primitive times for the faith of Gods elect that should have been found sticking at obedience to any of the commands of Christ appeareth not in the Scripture but much to the contrary James 2.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and offend in one point he is guilty of all John 15.12 Ye are my friends if you do WHATSOEVER I command you VVhy call you me Lord Lord and DOE not the thing that I say Luke 6.46 VVhat doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and hath not works Can faith save him And although now in these days we have an honourable opinion of the faith of very many persons that are unbaptised yet it is much to be feared that farre the greater part of those that are so pretending want of conviction that it is a duty do not neglect it upon that ground but the foolishness of the act it self which to the earnal eye that discerneth not the holy design of Christ in it maketh it as offensive to them now as the Gospel was at first to the Greeks 1 Cor. 1.23 In conjunction with that disgrace that attendeth it And ought not every one to be jealous over their own hearts whether something of this nature do not bribe the judgement that it is not at liberty to give sentence according to the merit of the cause or at least whether it doth not indispose the soul to the impartial weighing those grounds which serve to evince it to be a duty That in disposition to things hindreth the true genuine working of the intellectual senses appeareth by Christs words to the pharisees John 8.43 Why do ye not understand my speech Christ answereth himself in the next words EVEN because you cannot hear my words So that their disability to obey which is the sense of the word hear in this place indisposed them to understand Christs words in the 30. Deut. 17. But if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear If the heart be against a thing no wonder if the ear turn away from all the meanes of proving it to be the mind and will of God and we are the rather induced to beleive that this is the true ground of the non-conviction of many that are unconvinced of the duty of baptisme because we find by experience that all the persons that are of any degree of eminency in worldly respects either for learning parts or estate that God hath perswaded to own the truth do
thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest another dost the same thing Roman 2.1 If you will needs find fault with us you must repent and return to the Parish again As to your odious foul language of sacrilegious Church-breakers I answer 1 Pet. 2.20 21 22 23. hereunto are we called from the example of Christ when we are reviled not to revile again but to commit ourselves to him that judgeth righteously Your eleventh Consideration followeth and for substance this THat Baptisme is no constituting principle of a true Church yea probably no part of Churchship or the visibility thereof and that the Apostles did not so look upon it as being either 1. Because in his inscription to the Churches be mentioneth their sanctification calling to be Saints c. but not their Baptisme 2. It is not mentioned by way of commendation either of Church or person more than the observance of other Ordinances That Baptisme is so essential to a right raised Church of Christ that without it there can be none in the right order of the Gospel I have proved already in my Answer to your third Consideration To the Reasons you give why the Apostles did not look upon the Baptisme of the Churches as any part of their churchship or visibility thereof I shall now address my self to make answer Your first is because in the inscription of his Epistles to the Churches he mentioneth their faith with divers other things but not their Baptisme If this be ground to presume that the Apostles looked not upon their Baptisme as any part of their-churchship or visibility thereof then neither was their preaching or hearing the Word nor breaking bread nor watching over one another nor admonition in case of sin neither is the great duty of prayer any part of their churchship or visibility thereof for there is none of all these mentioned by name in the inscriptions of his Epistles to the Churches but I know it is farre from Mr. Goodwin to say that these duties were no part of their churchship or visibility thereof and if these were not I marvell what were This therefore is so farre from being a reason that it hath scarce the appearance of one But 2. You say it is not mentioned in Scripture by way of commendation more than other Ordinances Here Sir but with respect to your gravity and my own obligation of respects to you I must crave leave for the truth sake to say that our affirming there can be no true raised Church without Baptisme doth not force us to find that Baptisme must be commended in Scripture above other Ordinances nothing lieth upon us but to shew what service Christ hath appointed it to and not what preheminence of commendation the Scriptures give to it above other Ordinances neither doth Christs choise of this Ordinance for the service we speak of necessarily imploy the superexcellency of it above others no more than faith its justifying us and not love proveth faith to be a more noble grace in the nature of it than love love is said to be greater than either faith or hope 1 Corinth 18.13 love being a giving grace having the whole world for its object but faith a receiving yet notwithstanding the honour of that high and excellent service of our first justification is given to faith and not to love Rom. 5.1 Gal. 2.16 So here though Baptisme should be found a lesse noble act of obedience than some others yet it will not follow from thence that it s not the Ordinance of initiation into the visible body of Christ For a Souldier to behave himself worthily as a Souldier more commendeth him to God and men than his listing himself yet is he not reputed a member of the Army without it Let this therefore suffice to be spoken against all the insinuations you give throughout your book against Baptismes having the honour of entring persons into the visible body of Christ because of the meanness of it least you be found reproveable for objecting against Baptisme for the bodies visible incorporation as the Jews was against faith for justification because to them works seemed more sightly and agreeable to their reason Your twelfth Consideration for substance this VVHen the Apostle Paul instructeth Christian Churches what manner of persons they are who are unmeet for Christian communion he mentioneth fornicators 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thes 3.6 covetous railers and the like but never unbaptised persons 'T is true Paul was wiser than to write any thing in his Epistles to the Churches by which he should suppose them guilty of that wherein he knew they were not in fault doth he not write to the whole Church of Corinth 1 Corinth 1.13 Were ye baptised in the Name of Paul nay 1 Cor. 12.13 Doth he not say We are ALL baptised And doth he not praise them 1 Corinth 11.2 that for the matter of Ordinances they had kept them AS he delivered them unto them and he delivered them from Christ 1 Corinth 11.1 and we have proved already that Christs Order was to baptise all the Disciples presently without delay And if all that hath been said in answer to your third Consideration be not enough to this point I heartily desire the Reader to lay to heart that which followeth To prove that no persons were reputed of the visible body of Christ before Baptisme and consequently farre enough from sitting down in Church societies without it I prove from the 4. of the Ephesians 4 5. There is one body which at the 12. verse is in plain termes and in words at length called the body of Christ Now that by the word body he did not mean it onely of the particular Church of Ephesus or any other particular Church of Christ but of the universal body of Christ it appeareth by that which he affirmeth concerning the body which belongeth no more to the Church of Ephesus than to any single Christian yea those many things wherein they are one he affirmeth as belonging to them in common with all the Scripture Christians in the world Now to accommodate his design of peace and love in the body he proceedeth to mention the many things wherein that body is one which he delivereth as so many notable Characteristical marks whereby all the members of that body may be known from all the world upon these marks I would fix the eye of the Reader behold then the Scripture marks of all the members of the visible body of Christ 1. They have one Spirit 2. One Hope 3. One Lord. 4. One Faith 5. One BAPTISME 6. One God and Father of all who is above all and in all and hath Christ linked their oneness in Baptisme with their union in those other things yea placed it in the order of words before their oneness in respect of God who is the Father of them all as being altogether the characters of a member of that body we speak of
TRUTH prevailing against the fiercest Opposition OR An Answer to Mr. Iohn Goodwins Water-dipping no firm footing for Church Communion Wherein the invalidity of his twenty three Considerations against withdrawing from those Societies that want Baptisme by the bodies burial in water is manifested and the separation from such Societies justified by the Word of God Together with the discovery of his great mistakes in the exposition of eight cheif Scriptures wherewith he fighteth to overthrow Mr. Allens Answer to his forty Queries about Church Communion By THOMAS LAMBE Merchant once belonging to the Congregation whereof Mr. JOHN GOODWIN is Pastor now a Servant to the Church of CHRIST meeting in Loathbury It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should EARNESTLY CONTEND for the Faith which was ONCE delivered to the Saints Jude the third As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord SO walk ye in him rooted and built up in him Col. 2.8 Beware 〈◊〉 any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and NOT AFTER CHRIST Col. 2.8 I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after my own heart which shall fulfil ALL my will Acts 13.22 Hebron therefore became the Inheritance of Caleb because he WHOLLY followed the Lord God of Israel Josh 14.14 London Printed by G. Dawson and are to be sold by Francis Smith at his Shop in Flying-horse-Court in Fleet-street near Chancery-lane end 1655. TO THE READER GOOD READER GOD knoweth with what regret of spirit I publish this answer to Mr. Goodwins Book called Water-dipping no firm footing for Church Communion as pure conscience at first separated me from that Society of whom he is Pastor so now compelleth me to make answer to that Book written for our reproof not onely to defend the truth therein opposed but also to vindicate my self with some others from the heavy charge therein given to the whole world against us of Faith and Trust betrayers Promise breakers sacrilegious Church breakers c. 2. To make the world Judges whether we are as Mr. Goodwin representeth us persons of a misused and â—â—stempered fancy of stupified judgements to whose understanding common sense is a mystery inaccessible with abundance more to the same purpose 3. To let the world see that our Baptism hath not metamorphosed us from Lambs to Wolves Tygers or Serpents which strange insinuations uttered in his hast we hope confute themselves in the eyes of all rational unprejudiced men that know us but since books for the most part live longer than men I thought it my duty to make our Vindication as publick as Mr. Goodwins Aspersion except he had prevented us and truly not for our own name sake but for Christs sake whose cause we plead and least the blessed truth of the New Testament sealed in Christs heart bloud should suffer by our total silence Had not the truth been dearer to me than any man I had rather chose to loose my right hand than set it to a book that frowneth on him whose credit alwayes was and still is right dear and pretious in my sight so unhappy a thing it is for good men to be yoked with error in the things of Christ that it maketh the most intimate friends by opposition look like bitter adversaries for the truth sake Thus did Paul in respect of Peter 2 Cal. 11. when before the whole Church of Antioch he withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed he who spotteth the beautiful face of truth though ignorantly must expect a stain in his own credit and be content to suffer so much as to make the truth whole And he that contendeth FOR the truth must be like to Levi Deut. 33.9 Who said unto his Father and to his Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowlegde his brethren nor knew his own children that he might observe Gods Word and keep his Covenant To acknowledge the good received from Instruments agreeth both to grace and nature but to baulk pleading the truth because thereof argueth a distemper in the affections The same person deserving at the same time both thanks and reproofs to return the one is a point of gratitude to administer the other in love and in the majesty of Gods Word a point of faithfulness And if in this contest thou findest any passages on my part savouring of too much sharpness though in answer to Mr. Goodwins highest provocations look upon me as disowning them and mind onely the reason of the place Christs counsel is not to resist evil Math. 5 39. But whoso shall smite me on the right cheek to turn the other to him But besides it becometh me to bear much evill from that hand by which I have received so much good And so I commend thee to the serious consideration of the ensuing discourse praying with all my soul the Father of lights to vouchsafe thee the spirit of discerning that what therein is of God may be obvious to thy understanding and readily embraced by thy will and what is not of God if yet there be any thing may utterly perish from thy soul this is the prayer of Thy faithful Friend to serve thee to my power THO LAMBE To my Worthy Friends and Brethren of like pretious faith walking with Mr. Iohn Goodwin in the right Faith though not in the right order of the GOSPEL Holy and Beloved I Have been long your debtor it is fit I should now pay you your own with interest which here I present you by answering the substance of Mr. Goodwins Water-dipping no firm footing for Church Communion which if you will in the fear of God and without prejudice consider I make little question but the riddle of my departure from you whose Society I prized not a little will be unfolded That strange action of our Saviours so contrary to his natural genius mentioned John 2.15 mightily affected the Disciples and made them to cast about to find a ground for it perhaps it may be so with some of you in respect of me because of my suddain breaking off from your Society wherein you know I took much delight I can say more than in Corn Wine and Oil and where I had no want but a surplusage of respects above what I was able to merit at your hand In a word where my content was so great that it made departing from you more grievous to me than death it self would have been And how contrary it is to my Spirit to make trouble or cause breaches I need not tell you I take it for granted that it is upon all your hearts how much I abhorre it So that I conclude it cannot lightly but be a matter of some wonder to you that I should thus break off from you as well as Christs strange action in the Temple was to the Disciples Now whilst they were casting about to find a ground for this astonishing action of our Saviour and searching in the right
feel the like obligation to Christ by it Then for the form it being by burying the body in water and raising it out again thereof there is a most exact representation between sign and thing signified which Christ intended in this sign as appeareth by the Scriptures though not in all signes which heavenly projects of the Lord Jesus Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.4 in the Ordinance are totally frustrate in childrens sprinkling 7. I find the Scriptures in all expressnese of letter are in many places for Beleivers Baptisme whereas there is not one such Text for Childrens nor any instance of the Baptisme of so much as one Child in all the new Testament though the firmament of the Scriptures are filled with the stars of Beleivers Baptisme so that many learned men have acknowledged Infant-baptisme is not in Gods Word and those who go about to found it on Scripture build all on consequences ifs may bees and why nots which Argument Mr. Goodwin hath often used to confirm the doctrine of general Redemption and to draw the contrary opinion under the suspition of error 8. I found the unregenerate world naturally falling in with Childrens baptisme which is a shroad sign it is a device of her own The world loveth her own John 15.19 And on the contrary hating Beleivers Baptisme with an inveterate hate as she doth every Ordinance of Christ administred in the naked plainness and simplicity of it 9. Infant-Baptisme disagreeth to the spiritual state of the Church under the new Testament because Baptisme being the initiating Ordinance into the Church it letteth in a sort of members which the new Testament knoweth not namely such as cannot worship God in Spirit whereas the Scripture saith John 4 23. That God now seeketh SUCH meaning onely such because he maketh the Churches growth unto an holy Temple to be by the meanes of the building its being fitly framed together Ephes 2.21 and again he maketh the encrease of the body unto its edification and its growth up into the head to be partly at least by the meanes of the WHOLE body its being FITLY joyn'd together and compact and mark according to the effectuall working in the measure of EVERY part whereas Infants are altogether uncapable of such effectual working or of any fit conjunction with Beleivers And though children might be Church members under the old Testament when also wicked persons might if Abrahams carnal seed not so under the New it is plain from the Scripture that Christ will have the matter thereof be the spiritual seed of Abraham manifested by repentance and faith Math. 3.9 Therefore 1 Corinth 1.1 giveth the matter of the Church by due constitution to be called Saints and commandeth that if any prove themselves otherwise by disorderly walking to withdraw from them 2 Thes 3.6 14. 10. I find the sharpest adversaries this way hath even in their writings on purpose to disgrace it and to magnifie the contrary namely Infant-baptisme God maketh them to let fall such expressions as justifie it and condemn their own As for instance Mr. Rich. Baxster speaking of the full and proper ends why God instituted the Ordinance of Baptisme he saith they are rather to be fetcht from the Aged than Infants and that because MARK The Aged 1. They are the most FVLLY CAPABLE SVBJECTS 2. THE MOST EXCELLENT SVBJECTS 3. THE MOST EMINENT SVBJECTS 4. OF WHOM SCRIPTVRE FVLLY SPEAKETH 5. THE GREATER PART OF THE WORLD WHEN BAPTISME WAS INSTITVTED who were to be partakers of it But on the contrary as for Infant-baptisme he acknowledgeth in the same place P. 301. Of plain Scripture Proof that the Scripture speaketh darkly of it yea that it is SO dark in the Scripture that the controversie is thereby become not onely hard but SO hard c. as he saith he findeth it Now if this learned and holy man hath not in a few words said more for our way than in his whole book against it and that upon pure principles of reason and Religion let the world judge for if Infants baptisme be dark in the Scripture and so dark as he complaineth 1. How doth this agree with the Title of the Book and the superscription of every page Plain Scripture proof for Infants c. Doth not plain Scripture proof and dark Scripture proof directly oppose And however Mr. Baxster thinketh he seeth such a thing though it lie darkly he knoweth many learned quick-sighted men that profess they cannot see it there at all no more than we But if the case be indeed thus as it is by Mr. Baxsters own confession that of Infants Baptisme the Scripture speaketh darkly but of Beleivers or the Aged that the Scripture fully speaketh and besides that they are the most capable eminent and excellent Subjects with what conscience either of duty to God or comfort to the soul can any Christian man cleave to Infant-baptisme and despise Beleivers If Infant-baptisme be a dark way and so hard to find is he a wise man that chuseth that way when he may walk in the light Doth any honest man in his right mind chuse untroden paths when the beaten rode lieth just before him and doth not Christ say he that walketh in the dark stumbleth John 11.10 or doth it become the people of God to be so indifferent in matters of Religion as not to care whether they walk in the light or in the dark or can any man think to please God by chusing a dark way hard to find when a lightsome path beaten by the feet of Christ and the Saints looketh him full in the face Or where is that man in all the world that will give as much for land that the title too is dark as for that which is clear and unquestionable Doth not every one say of Titles not clear I le not meddle Hath not Mr. Baxster said to Mr. Bedford it is good going the surer side of the hedge p. 303. of Plain Scripture proof and is not Beleivers Baptisme the surer by his own confession Or doth it become men to be more solicitous about their temporal estates than their spiritual Or can leaving the light and walking in the dark be thought the way to the Saints everlasting rest 11. It agreeth not to the wisdom and goodness of Christ that Baptisme should be so dark in the Scripture as Mr. Baxster saith it is not to his wisdom because it is appointed for babes and because he expecteth obedience who that expecteth obedience will leave their Lawes hard to find Not to his goodness because he hath put the Disciples under a sore penalty in case of disobedience to whatsoever he hath commanded Now the way of Baptisme after faith is clear and manifest as Mr. Baxster acknowledgeth most like therefore to be the Statute of Christ for his Babes to submit too and not that which is dark Besides would it not be a good excuse at Judgement for the neglect of any Law of Christs if men could say the Command
him above that which is meet to let you see that Mr. Goodwin is but a man and subject to like mistakes that others are and therefore his present superabounding confidence though it rise to that height as to think all others little better than mad that is not of his opinion is no demonstration that he is in the truth t is so far from that that if a man may judge what is like now to be by what hath been now is the time that Anabaptisme should arise life up it self and be exalted in Mr. Goodwins judgement because heretofore in other cases not long after such high expressions of confidence he gave up the bucklers and the truth took possession of his heart which it never could get before I cannot therefore be out of all hope that Mr. Goodwin may one day fall down at the foot of that truth which he now trampleth on without mercy And though our Arguments seem weak and frothy to him for the present and the fruit of a distempered fancy it doth not follow that they are so but this onely that Mr. Goodwin is fully perswaded in his own mind which he is wont to be as well when he is out of the truth as well as in it The scope hereof is threefold 1 To shew that though you are not now of our mind it doth not follow you never will be 2. To prevent rash and hasty judging 3. To admonish you against having not onely Mr. Goodwins but any mans person in admiration The snare of admiring men is great both to the admirers and admired To the admirers 1. It maketh them swallow what the admired say without due chewing and so their faith will stand more in the wisdom and judgement of such men who they deifie than in the power of God 2. It issueth an under esteem of and scornful slighting of others 1 Cor. 1.12 compared with 1 Cor 4.6 who yet are worthy instruments in the Lords work this was the case of many in the Church of Corinth To the admired the snare is great upon them also even to puffe them up and make them swell against their brethren and so also to procure the displeasure of God against them Acts 12.22 Oh what care therefore doth Paul take to keep both the World and the Church from undue attributions to him Acts 14.11 upon his cure of the Creeple The people lift up their voices saying The GODS are come down in the likeness of men and much ado they had to keep the people from sacrificing to them which made the Apostles Barnabas and Paul rend their clothes run in among the people crying out and saying Sirs why do ye thâ—se things we are men of like passions with you much after this manner is it with persons that God useth in converting and edefying soules Gal. 4.15 especially when also found able in the warrs of Christ for truth so that if such men do not run in upon the people and disown all undue reverence they will have much ado to keep within the bounds of those respects due to Instruments They will be more apt to say what such a man saith than what Christ saith or Paul or Peter or James or John saith nay in a manner to beleive what such a man beleiveth in every thing Now indeed we read of eminent persons great benefactors and that withall have served in warrs to conquest the people have made them judges in civils But this is too much to give to any mortal man in spirituals There the Command is express Math. 23.9 10. Call no man Master or Father not in the besotted Quakers sense by denying such titles to men but Christs sense which is by accepting men for lords over our faith which Paul disowneth as to himself in respect of the Churches in the 2 Corinth 1.24 Nor for that we have DOMINION over YOVR FAITH and that which Paul took such great to prevent in the Churches 1 Corinth 2.5 That their faith should not stand in his wisdom though he doth own being their Father 1 Cer. 4.15 in a sense and Master too 2 Thes 3.12 14. in subordination to Christ But I fear I shall be too tedious in my Epistle my heart being greatly enlarged towards you I have much ado to stop the progress of my pen but least my Epistle prove to o bulky I shall here break off though abruptly assuring you that it s not the want of love to you but the conscience of duty to Christ who loved me and gave himself for me that separateth between you and me As for your hard thoughts and speeches concerning my departure as on the one hand I am provided against the dint of them by the conscience of my own perfect innocency and integrity in that matter and who is he that can make my glorying void On the other hand my prayer is they may never work to disaffect me to you but to the doubling of my requests to God to enlighten your judgements in the truth and so make way for our meeting again never to part more Yours unfeignedly in the right way of the Gospel to serve you faithfully according to my measure in the things of Jesus Christ THO LAMBE ERRATA PAge 14. line 12. leave out the word not p. 33. line 10. readâ— my for which p. 33. line 20. read or for besides p. 39. l. 2. before p. 135. adde yet p. 39. line 7. for Psalme read Isaiah p. 40 line 30. and 32. for duly read duty p. 41. line 31. leave out the words hard to find p. 50. line 21. for imploy read imply p. 64. line 18. beginning of the line add the word But. p. 113. line 11. read Ordinance for Ordinances p. 113. line 24. read institution for instituting An Answer to Mr. Iohn Goodwins Considerations against forsaking the embodied Societies of Beleivers Notwithstanding the want of true Baptisme His first Consideration for substance this THat the Morall Law hath a superintendency over the Law of Institutions so that whilst the positive Law of Christ cannot be practised without breaking the Morrall Law In such case the Law of Institutions must give place which he proveth by many Scriptures This Doctrine is true but ill applied as to us in our case because our separating is no breach of any part of the Morral Law Mr. Goodwin indeed supposeth it is and that by so doing we are guilty of promise breaking covenant breaking c. To which I answer That we â—â—â—â—ised to walk together with Mr. Goodwin and that Society in the worship of God according to the light given we deny not But that our withdrawing from that Society is any sinful breach of promise or Covenant that we utterly deny yea so farre from any such thing that it is indeed and in truth the performance of a most solemn Vow and Covenant which Mr. Goodwin At the time of the Nations cutring into the solemn League and Covenant with my self and divers of the Church entred
acknowledge their indisposition to the obedience of it made them indulge every weak argument to the contrary and that they were never able to submit to the truth of Christ in the naked simplicity of it till God gave them the command of their own spirits Pro. 25.28 Isai 28.9 1 Cor. 3.18 Ioh. 5.44 till they became like Children weaned from the breast In a word till they were able to become fools for Christs sake and resolve to delight their soules with that honour that cometh from God onely But whether the fault of non-obedience be chargeable upon the wills of men or the want of conviction notwithstanding all good meanes used to come at it that God onely knoweth as also the truth and falshood of mens faith but however the Church is not without ground to fear the truth of that faith that boggleth at obedience to Christ in those commands which distinguisheth the Disciples of Christ from Moses his Disciples it is not obedience to the morral Law doth that that God is to be worshipped was Moses his Doctrine as well as Christs That men should be merciful and just which is the substance of the second Table was as well the Doctrine of Moses as Christ so that by obedience to the Law morral a man may as well be said to be Moses his Disciple as Christs because they are both one in that But by obedience to the iustituted Law of Christ given for the ordering us in his worship a man is truly said to be Christs Disciple in distinction from Moses whose Ordinances were far different provided it follow repentance from dead works and faith towards God without which I confess it signifieth nothing in which respect doubtless both Jewes and Gentiles are said in baptisme to put on Christ Gal. 3.27 But more especially hath the Church cause to suspect the truth of that faith that sticketh at obedience to the positive Law of Christ because it is that chiefly that putteth men to shame and casteth out their name as evill 'T is not the simple worshipping of God that bringeth men disgrace no not with carnal men that have not sinn'd away their first principles of conscience but honour rather because every man by those principles is prompted to some worship but that which offendeth is the worshipping of God after his own way which the world cannot bear if men could be content with the Religion of Christ it self corrupted they might live at Rome and be applauded So for the other part of the morral Law which consisteth in Justice and Mercy Mercy and Justice offendeth not the generallity of men but onely some particulars where their own interest is struck at by it and the reason clear because the morral Law is written in every mans heart so that he that liveth up to that liveth to the conscience of every individual soul and consequently compelleth revereate from all men that have not sinn'd away the light of nature But for the Law of institutions they being forreign to the hearts of men found onely in the written word and in themselves of a despicable complexion and withal crossing the desires of the flesh and consequently contrary to the religion of the world which is formed by her worldly wise men according to her carnallity and to fit their own worldly interests It cometh to passe unavoidably that whosoever will follow Christ in the way of worship which he hath set up in the naked plainness and simplicity of it he shall be put to shame scorned contemned disgraced persecuted at least by tongue and pen especially by the learned whose interest is struck at by an effectual following the Lamb in his own way But suppose the faith of those that refuse Baptism to be as good as the best yet I utterly deny that it giveth them an immediate right to full communion with the Church simply upon that account The reason this because Jesus Christ himself who is the God of Order hath appointed the Communion of the Disciples to be orderly so that though persons be Disciples by faith and so have a remote right to all priviledges of Church Communion yet have not an immediate right thereto till they desire it in that way which Christ hath appointed That Christ hath establish'd order for regulating the communion of the Disciples is evident from the Coloss 2.5 where the Apostle hath these words Joying and beholding your ORDER and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him or after him as the Preposition in is expounded at the 8. verse And not after Christ now that by in him or after him he meaneth after his teachings appeareth by the 7. verse Rooted and built up in him and stablish'd in the faith as you have been taught And that the teachings of Christ respected their order in worship as well as their faith appeareth by the 8. verse where he opposeth the Jewish Ordinances which he calleth the rudiments of the world to Christs and in the 12. verse mentioneth Baptisme by name where in he affirmeth they were buried with Christ Again that Christ hath established order for the regulation of the Disciples Communion appeareth by the 1 Cor. 11. where the Apostle blameth the Church for disorder in their eating the Lords Supper and that their sin of disorderly walking might appear the more hainous to them he telleth them at the 23. verse That which he dâ—livered them that is those rules which he had delivered them to order themselves by in their communion which they had sinfully transgressed he received from the Lord. And in the 1 Cor. 14 40. exhorteth them that all things in the Church be done decently and in order and that matter of order is a thing strictly to be minded appeareth by Titus 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order Now if it be askt how it appeareth a disorderly practise for persons to be admitted into the Church and sit down with them in full communion without Baptisme I shall first enforce some of my brother Allens Arguments and take off Mr. Goodwins exceptions against them and then add one or two more The substance of his first Argument is this If Baptisin was the next thing immediately to be done by the order of Christ after being discipled P. 17 Of his Answer to Master Goodwins 40. Queries about Communion then to sit down with the Church in full communion before it is a disorderly practise But Baptism was the next thing immediately to be done by the order of Christ That Baptisme was the next thing immediately to be done appeareth by the Commission Math. 28.19 Go teach or Disciple all Nations baptizing them where we see Baptisme is the next thing to be done after discipling and accordingly the Apostles practised it Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 which putteth the matter out of all doubt to all ingenious men as all the instances of the
Answer is ready 1. It appeareth clearly these persons the Text speaketh of were baptised persons Acts 10.47 48. 2. The Communion Peter had with them was after their Baptisme for presently upon the testimony of their faith by Gods giving them the gift of the holy Ghost Peter commanded them to be baptised in the Name of the Lord which was the manner of Peter and the rest in the course of their ministry Now if Mr. Goodwin could prove Peter broke bread with them between the time of their faith and Baptisme which is the matter Mr. Goodwin would prove lawfull by it then it were something to favour his cause but not home to the point neither because an occasional act with some few persons will not justifie the constant proceedings of a Church But why doth Mr. Goodwin think that this instance will prove mixt communion lawful Because Peter in his justification when questioned for eating with Cornelius insisted onely upon Cornelius his having the holy Ghost not his Baptisme To which I answer 1. The Scriptures silence doth not prove that he did not mention his Baptisme and insist on it too because the Scriptures doth not contain all the Apostles sayings Acts 2.40 With many other words did he testifie and exhort saying So John the Baptist Luke 3.18 with many other words 2. There was no necessity upon Peter for the justification of his eating with Cornelius to mention his Baptisme by name though he could not have communion with him without it because in those dayes a beleiving person and a baptised person was presumed the same Paul proveth they all beleived because they were baptised Gal. 3.27 And that 1. Because by the Commission of Christ all Beleivers were presently to be baptised Math. 28.19 And 2. Because none but such was the regular subjects of it Acts. 8.37 And 3. Because it was the constant practise of the Servants of God to call the Beleivers to Baptisme without delay Acts 22.16 So that the Apostles and Brethren understood him sufficiently as to their Baptisme by telling them of their having the holy Ghost as a testimony of their faith If they did not take that for granted it must be either because they doubted his understanding of the Commission of Christ or else his faithfulness in executing it or else their will to be baptised but there was no cause to doubt either nor Peters understanding the Commission or faithfulness in executing it because they had experience before of Peter in the case of the three thousand Acts 2.41 who the same day that they gladly received the word were baptised not their willingness Acts 10.33 because Cornelius was so ready to obey God in every thing that he had but a few fellows so that the mentioning of his Baptisme would have been like a kind of an impertinency 3. There was no necessity upon him to mention their Baptisme by name in his justification of eating with them though he could not have communion with them without it Because it is common both in Scripture language and common converse with men to include all appurtenances in the mention onely of some cheif part see for this John 5.44 Galat. 3.23 Galat. 3.2 Roman 10.8 Mat. 21.25 Acts 10.37 Johns Baptisme put for his whole Ministry Luke 7.30 Calvin calleth Baptisme an appâ—rtenance of faith p. 207. of his Commentary of the Acts. And no doubt this language was well enough known and understoood by the Apostles and Elders so that having mentioned the holy Ghosts coming on them as a testimony of their faith what need had he to draw it out in words at length that they were baptised and thus thou seest good Reader how Mr. Goodwin indulgeth every light appearance from the Scripture being passionately desirous to make that strait which God hath made crooked Your twenty one Consideration for substance this THat Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints one or other should be perfected by them and the whole body of Christ edified then certainly they have all right to Church-fellowship inasmuch as they have their callings onely by and resident in Churches neither are they in any probable way of perfecting them but onely when and whilst they are incorporated with them in their Churches respectively Eph. 4.8 11 12. To which I answer 1. It s true that Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints should be perfected by them but it is as evident the Saints this Text speaketh of for whom they were given in speciall to serve as Officers in the Church and who had power to give them their call they were such Saints as were of the visible body of Christ who as they had other characteristical marks of the members of that body namely to have one God one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith so one BAPTISME consult the 4. and 5. verses of this 4. of Ephesians which Text Mr. Goodwin groundeth his Argument upon and you will find it so and although other persons that were discipled by the word taught but yet had not put on Christ visibly by baptisme into his Name The gifts of Pastors and Teachers were given for the perfecting of them too yet but secondarily not primarily those gifts primarily respect the body of Christ so marked as before is noted 't is plain in the 12. verse For the edifying of the BODY of Christ That unbaptised persons were not then reputed of the visible body of Christ I have proved at large already and although they might be Saints before Baptisme in the sight of God yet in the account of the Church none passe for Saints till then because their faith it self in Christ which maketh Saints could not be clear to the Church till then and that because Baptisme being one of the beginning doctrines of Christ Heb. 6.2 Acts 2.38 Mar. 16 16. and preached by the Apostles as a duty with repentance and faith and that in order to remission of sins and salvation in some sense or other should any man have stuck at it and refused Baptisme what ground would the Church have had to look upon the faith of such as sound nay had they not all the reason in the world to doubt the soundness of it because the character of a true lively saith would be found wanting namely universal obedience and they rejecters of the counsel of God Nothing in reason could appear as a ground to refuse it but the danger of the crosse following it I conclude then that though the truth of their faith made them Saints before God yet without publick profession of their faith by Baptisme they were not owned for Saints by the Church or any such persons whose faith was of the right kind let their professions otherwise be that they would be This is clearly the doctrine of the 3. Galat. 27. Ye are all the children of God by faith FOR mark as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ he proveth their
where affirm any such thing Now whereas Mr. Goodwin supposeth as much may be drawn from the 4. Galat. 1 2 3. That the Text doth signifie a farre different state of the Church is plain and clear but that that difference should lie in a less obligation to any of the Commandments of Christ then the Church then was to the Ordinances of Moses this is not in the Text nor indeed in any other 'T is true 1. This Text saith We when we were children were in bondage to the elements of the world which at the 9. verse he calleth weak and beggarly but they were no other but the carnall Ordinances of the Law of Moses those slavish customes of the Jewish Law which he calleth the rudiments of the world or beginnings of teaching sutable to their dark state but to argue from their redemption to those Ordinances to our liberty from obedience to Christs in his which Mr. Goodwin doth or else where is the countenance this Text giveth his cause but in my poor apprehension it is a horrid consequence Again 2. The Text saith further That we are redeemed from under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons But that the receiving the adoption of sons signifieth any such thing as a less tie to obey the great Prophet in his Ordinances than was on the Jews to obey their lesse Prophet in his or that to suppose us to stand equally bound to Christ in his Ordinances as they were to Moses in his that this will confound the difference of the two states of the Church is onely said by Mr. Goodwin not proved nor attempted to be Now as I have shewn already that the difference of the two states cannot lie in this that Christs Disciples are lesse bound to Christs Ordinances than Moses was in his by Acts 3.22 Hebr. 2.1 Hebr. 12.25 Mark 8.38 But for the further clearing of this point I shall offer breifly wherein the difference of the two states of the Church doth lie and particularly 1. In the matter of the Church the matter of the old Testament Church was Abrahams carnall seed without respect to morrals Acts 7.38 The whole posterity of Abraham are called the CHURCH in the wilderness But now under the new Testament the matter of the Church is the spiritual seed of Abraham such as follow him in faith and holiness Math. 3.9 John 4.23 24. 1 Peter 1.5 The Churches of the new Testament are or ought to be by constituation called to be Saints sanctified by Christ Jesus 1 Corinth 1.2 and if any other be admitted and prove otherwise such are not to be endured in communion 1 Corinth 5.13 2 Thes 3.6 14. Revel 2.2 Christ affirmeth it in the honour of the Church of Ephesus that they could not bear them that did evil 2 In respect of the Ordinances The Ordinances of the old Church exceeding many The Gospel sew 2. The old ones costly and afflictive The new comparatively not so 3. The old ones carnal the new comparatively spiritual Gal. 3.2 especially Baptisme which betokeneth the reward of duty namely resurrection to glory with Christ as well as our duty now and present state of death and burial with Christ Colos 2.12 compared with Colos 3.1 3. In respect of a more abundant pouring forth of the Spirit Luke 11.13 2 Corinth 3.8 the consequence whereof is 1 More boldness in approaches to God Galat. 4 6 Romans 8.15 2. More light and knowledge touching the good will of God to sinners and the way of their reconcilement to God 2 Tim. 1.10 Ephes 1.9 Titus 2.11 2 Corinth 5.19 21. 4. The Churches under the new Testament have richer grounds whereupon to raise holiness conformity to God Titus 2.11 12 13 14. Hebr. 2.3 Rom. 8. from 32. to 39. 2 Corinth 3.18 1 Peter 1.16 17 18. 5. They have richer grounds of comfort because clearer ground for faith and hope 1 Peter 1.21 Rom 8 21. Rom. 4.25 therefore 1 Pet. 1.8 Rom. 5.2 3 they rejoyced with joy unspeakable and full of glory 6. More peace of conscience Hebr. 7.19 Hebr. 9.9 14. Hebr. 10.1 7. More full communion with God the Father and the Son 1 John 1.3 By all which it appeareth that there are respects in abundance to shew wherein the difference of the two states of the Church lieth and consequently no necessity to conceive that if the Disciples of Christ be as straitly bound to obey him in all his Ordinances as the old Church was to obey Moses in his that then the difference of the two states of the Church would be confounded I shall conclude this with the words of Mr. Baxster If when Gods worship was so much ceremonious he yet layeth a charge to DOE WHATSOEVER he commandeth and to ADD NOTHING THERETO NOR TAKE OVGHT THEREFROM That is saith he not to or from the words commanding onely but also THE WORK COMMANDED Is it likely then that he will be lesse jealous in this now Sixthly A sixth Scripture complaining of wrong is the 1 Corinth 11.24 25 26. There is an eye of Evangelical liberty concerning external observations P. 61. Of Water dip saith Mr. Goodwin in the institution it self of the other Ordinances also as the Apostle rendereth it 1 Corinth 11 25 26. THIS DO YE AS OFT AS YE DOE IT in remembrance of me for as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come Here is no injunction how oft but a plain intimation of liberty touching this onely the termes for the manner of doing it is set down which is the direct calculation or manner of sanction of the institution concerning the free-will offering under the Law this kind was imposed on no man as of necessity To which I answer Your inference from the word I humbly conceive to be just contrary to the design of our Lord Jesus in the instituting you suppose he intended a liberty as to the use of the supper by not determining the time how oft they should eat that bread whereas in truth the undetermining of the time how oft following the positive command of its use This doe ye noteth rather the frequent use of it upon all convenient occasions as supposing the determining of time for the performance of commands is onely necessary where the matter commanded doth not nearly concern the party that doth obey he supposeth principles of self-love will carry men to frequent diligently the meanes of their comfort and safety which also I take to be the reason why 't is not set down punctually how oft we shall pray or hear or frequent the assemblies of the Saints That precept saith Dr. Ames of an undeterminate time Doe this admitteth no other limitation but want of opportunity or some just impediment But Vrsinus more plain from the words AS OF T The Supper therefore saith Vrsin is often to be reiterated and that 1. Because of the words of the institution and 2. Because of the end of the
the want of circumcision or being uncircumcised is nothing to hinder the Gentiles acceptation with God but now under the Gospel or in Christ Jesus as we have it in this Galat. 5.6 that which now heareth sway is FAITH Gal. 6.15 THE NEW CREATURE And in this 1 Corinth 7.19 THE KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD meaning the Commandments of the Gospel now in being which is the character of the new Creature in that 6. Galat. 16. As many as WALK ACCORDING TO THIS RVLE peace be on them So then of the doctrine of these Scriptures this is the sum That however Circumcision was a great priviledge heretofore and a matter acceptable to God and the want of Circumcision did debarre men from many priviledges which the Jewes enjoyed yet now neither will the one doe the Jew any good nor the want of it doe the Gentile any hurt but now Jew and Gentile meeting in faith the new Creature and keeping the Commandments of God now in being shall both meet in the self same priviledges and respects from God according to the 3 Galat. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither mal nor female mark for ye are ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESVS Upon the whole matter then I conclude that by those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in all these three places Galat. 5 6. Galat. 6.15 1 Corinth 7.19 the Apostle intendeth not the exclusion of any thing but onely to note that being uncircumcised or the want of circumcision would doe the Gentile no dammage no more than the presence of circumcision would doe the Jew no good now under the Gospel and my reason for this apprehension is grounded upon the 19. verse of the 1 Corinth 7. where those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION are given for the reason why if any Gentile was converted to the faith they should not be circumcised which words could be no reason why converted Gentiles should not be circumcised but upon supposition that being uncircumcised would not prejudice them 2 To understand the words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION of the shutting out of any thing as it must be of some priviledge of the Gentiles so it must be of some they had in distinction from the Jewes because he includeth all belonging to the Jewes under the word Circumcision but they had none in distinction from the Jewes therefore none to shut out as for the Ordinances of the Gospel they had them in common with the Jewes upon beleiving and before the Gospel they had none at all but lived without God in the world Ephes 2.12 To the Jewes onely were committed the Oracles of God not any to the Gentiles Romans 3.2 3. The scope and drift of the Apostle in this Epistle is to inveigh against the standing of the Jewish religion ONELY and that because the converted Jewes were very apt to be intangled with a conceit of the old Religion its being of force under the Gospel Galat. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again with the yoak of bondage meaning the Jewish Ordinances to which they were inclinable he was not troubled with their over esteem but their under esteem rather of the Ordinances of the new Testament therefore farre enough from offering any thing to their disparagement but on the contrary every thing to encrease their esteem of them that they might the more easily be brought off the old 4. The words as they lie doe not enforce us by those words Nor UNCIRCUMCISION to understand the shutting out of any thing consider them In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision He doth not affirm the same thing of uncircumcision that it doth not avail any thing as he doth of circumcision He saith indeed nor uncircumcision after his affirming that circumcision did not avail which at first sight doth tempt to that understanding of them but by comparing this Text with that other mentioned namely 1 Corinth 7.18 19. where we have the same words used by the Apostle to another Church and by a narrow inspection into them it appeareth plainly enough that his mind is not to suppose the Gentiles possess'd of any thing to exclude as available but onely to affirm that as Ciroumcision now under the Gospel would not avail so neither on the other hand would being uncircumcised unavail as hath been proved already If any one think that the supplying of these words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in the Text with the addition of these DOTH NOT UNAVAIL OR HINDER to compleat the sense that this is harsh To such I answer it is a most frequent thing in Scripture for the holy Spirit to express himself so that there is an absolute necessity of making such supplies which notwithstanding the scope context and clear reason of the thing leadeth to but I shall instance onely in these words in the 1 Corinth 7.19 Circumcision is nothing here is the same reason indeed necessity of supply to compleat the sense by these words DOTH NOT AVAIL as there is to supply the next words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION with these DOTH NOT UNAVAIL He then that complaineth of harshness in the one may as well complain of it in the other But if it be objected No because the 5. Galat. 6. giveth the sense of the words IS NOTHING in the 1 Corinth 7. to be availeth nothing or doth not avail any thing I answer so doth the Apostle his making those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in the 1 Corinth 7.19 the reason why converted Gentiles should not be circumcised clearly give the sense of the words in the 5. Galat. 6. to be DOTH NOT VNAVAIL because thereby is a full reason given why new Converts should not be circumcised to which we have spoken at large already By all which it appeareth the Apostle intended not the exclusion of any thing by those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION so farre was he from shutting out any of the Commands of Christ by them or setting some of them against others but this untrue supposition being the foundation of Mr. Goodwins Argument from the Text his whole building falleth to the ground with all his scoffes at the end of it The eighth and last Scripture that complaineth of the service P. 81. Of Water dip is Galat. 3.27 For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ You say questionless the Apostles meaning plainly and directly by the particle As many As is to part the Beleivers amongst themselves and consequently noteth a mixture of baptised with unbaptised persons in full Church communion This cannot be the meaning of the place that the words As many As doth not import All because such a construction of them spoileth the sense they being given as an account why he presumeth them ALL the children of God by faith Now for him to go about to prove them ALL the children of God by faith because of what was done but to a part of them had been to fall short
in his demonstration and consequently to loose his Argument so that parting the Disciples amongst themselves can never be the design of the Spirit in those words AS MANY AS 2. To confirme the Reader therein I referre thee to that proof we have made in answer to Mr Goodwins third Consideration by which it fully appeareth that there was no such thing in those dayes as Church-fellowship before Baptisme where I hope thou wilt have full satisfaction as in divers other places of this Book 3. Consider this the same persons that in the 27. verse are noted under the words As many As in the 28. verse are called ALL as well as in the 26. verse for YE are ALL one in Christ Jesus that the object of the word YE is not a part of the Churches but the whole as well in the 28. verse as in the 26. there is no question because there is nothing affirmed between to enforce nay not to invite to a restrain'd understanding them But if any one ask what the reason should be that the Apostle chuseth such words as these which for the most part are partitive and yet by them intend all and every individuall I answer For variety the scope and context necessitating them to be understood universally yea the word MANY is upon that account as I apprehend often put in Scripture for ALL as in the 9. Hebr. 28. He was once offered to bear the sins of many Now the 1 Timot. 2.6 saith He gave himself a ransome for ALL and Mr. Goodwin understandeth the word ALL largely as well he may So in the 5. Romans 15. If through the offence of one many be dead but by the 12. verse it appeareth by this word MANY he meaneth the whole posterity of Adam for he saith Death passed upon ALL men Now the words As many As served the Apostles design in this place with as much advantage every jot as the word All would do There being two sorts of persons become proselites to Christian Religion namely Jewes and Gentiles and the Gentiles being apt to think that they should not be the children of God upon so good termes as the Jewes because of the high respect God bear from the beginning to the Jewes more than the Gentiles and that therefore onely so many of the Church as were Jewes should become heires of that priviledge through beleiving the Apostle for their comfort doth assure them that not onely so many of the Church as were Jewes became the Sons of God by faith and put on Christ by Baptisme but AS MANY as were baptised into Christ though they were never so many and of what rank sex condition soever whether they were Jewes or whether they were Gentiles and though they were like the starres in the skie for multitude they had all put on Christ and were all members of the same body according to the next words verse 20. There is neither Jew nor Greek nor bond nor free nor male nor female but ALL one in Christ Jesus So that there is a strain of Elegancy in the Apostles varying the word All to As many As so farre are they from necessitating us to understand them parting the Disciples amongst themselves So I have done with the Scriptures which Mr. Goodwin useth to overthrow my Brother Allens Arguments levied to prove the unlawfulness of mixt communion of baptised and unbaptised persons in Church-fellowship besides these eight I doe not find any he useth to found any Argument on to answer him if then it appear that the Scriptures Mr. Goodwin buildeth on like not the service but in truth bitterly complain of it and whether they doe not so I referre to the judgement of the judicious Reader and let him judge of Mr. Goodwins whole building accordingly And whether Mr. Goodwin find that heaving at my Brother Allens Answer to his fourty Queries be but like the heaving at a feather P. 55. Of Water dip which he saith is too childish a posture for a man or rather whether the truth in it be not like a mountain rather which the greatest Giant heaving at though Mr. Goodwin himself cannot make to stir And now let all the world judge between us and Mr. Goodwin 1. Whether we are as lie representeth us Persons of a maimed fancy P. 4. Of Water dip having our reasons judgements and understandings stupified distraught and confounded that all reason opposing us is a Barbarian to us that common sense is a mystery in accessible to our understandings men of sound intellectuals are as men that speak to us in a strange tongue P. 41 42. that if they speak any thing against our way we know not valleys from hills nor hills from valleys rivers from trees trees from rivers halfes from wholes nor wholes from halfes precepts from promises nor promises from precepts ceremony from substance nor substance from ceremony every distinction that attempteth to shew us the error of our way Ipso facto becometh a Chaos and confusion On the other hand for the maintenance and defence of our way the shadowes of mountains seem valiant and arm'd men stubble and rotten wood are turned into weapons of steel and iron before us letter becometh spirit face becometh heart promise becometh precept ceremony becometh substance Apostles become ordinary men and women disputables become demonstrations and peradventures become all Yeas and Amens in respect of these marvellous and sad distempers in our fancies and understandings to reason with us about our way or to endeavour our conviction seldome turneth to any better account than a beating of the air or their Diogenes his begging applications to the statues of men 2. Whether these expressions may not be justly numbred amongst those cruel mockings which the cruel persecutors of old tried the worthies of the Lord with Hebr. 11.36 even those of whom the world was not worthy 3. Whether such contemptuous revilings be not the way to harden fallen persons in their sin there being no sign of charity in them but hatred rather than recover them and as directly contrary to the rule as flesh is to spirit 2 Timothy 2.24 And the Servant of the Lord MUST NOT STRIVE but be GENTLE TO ALL MEN apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill So also Galations 6.1 If a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESSE considering thy self least thou also be tempted 4. Whether these expressions are not directly contrary to the advice of the Spirit of God in these Scriptures following Phillip 2.3 In lowliness of mind let each esteem other BETTER than themselves Romans 12.9 In honour preferring one another Titus 3.2 Speak evill of no man Colos 3.12 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness
of mind meekness long suffering c. 5. Whether there be not as palpable a breach of the royall law of Love without which all profession of Religion is vain 1 Corinth 13.1 2. James 1.26 which Christ calleth the new Commandment 1 John 3.14 His Commandment John 15.12 The scope of the Gospel 1 Timothy 1.5 The Character of Christs Disciples John 13.35 The mark of translation from death to life 1 John 3.14 as any can be imagined considering what Paul saith Galat. 5.14 15. where he opposeth biting and devouring one another to the great law of Love All the Law is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self BUT IF YE BITE AND DEVOUR c. Again considering what he saith 1 Corinth 13.4 5. Charity suffereth long and is kind Charity VAUNTETH not it self doth not behave it self unseemingly is not easily provoked THINKETH NO ILL 6. Whether these contemptuous rebukes be not condemned by the 14. Romans 10. But why dost thou judge thy brother or why dost thou SET AT NOUGHT thy brother and whether such that use them can expect to stand with comfort before God at the great day without repentance since the Apostle sub-joyneth these words We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ to those Why dost thou set at nought thy brother And considering the words of our Saviour Math. 5.22 But whosoever shall say THOU FOOL shall be in danger of hell fire And Math. 10.3 4 6. Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven whosoever shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the Kingdome of heaven verse 6. But who so shall offend one of these little ones which beleive in me it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about HIS NECK and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea 7. Whether then the good Spirit of God which all good men are exhorted to be filled with Ephes 5.18 had any thing to do with Mr. Goodwin in the drawing up this book which not onely in this one page but frequently even to the end thereof is stuft with reproaches either of the morrals or intellectuals of those he writeth against and that without all bounds and that too of such that not long before he lift up as high towards heaven as now he throweth them down towards hell 8. Whether such like Arguments are ordinarily fled too but in cases of extream necessity when the cause is barren of Scripture evidence and demonstration and lastly whether Mr. Goodwin may not as soon prove the lawfulness of this way of writing from the holy Scriptures as baptised persons sitting down in Church societies with unbaptised HEAVENS EARTH Judge FINIS POSTSCRIPT THere is one thing further observable in Mr. Goodwins Answer to my Brother Allen which I take my self bound to give the Reader-notice of least he erre through the ignorance of it that is that he doth with my Brother Allen just as the six Book-sellers did with him p. 64. by leaving out the very word SUCH though I suppose through oversight whereupon the stresse of the Argument lieth Consider else My Brother Allens Argument runneth thus If one Person may be admitted without Baptisme why not two if two why not ten and so a hundred or a thousand and consequently SUCH Gospel order laid totally aside meaning Baptisme Mr. Goodwin answereth thus If a hundred P. 64. Of Water dip or a thousand or ten thousands should be admitted to Church Priviledges upon a manifestation of their faith which may be otherwise done and so farre better satisfaction then by being baptised with an exclusion of all others who are able to give no such accompt of a work of faith in them would this be a totall laying aside of Gospel order Good Reader consider and judge My Brother Allen saith not that it would be a totall laying aside of Gospel order but a totall laying aside of SUCH Gospel order which he was speaking of namely the great Ordinance of Baptisme as Mr. Baxster calleth it and if the Reader be indeed good and will obey your summons to consider first and judge after he must needs judge the truth in Mr. Allens Argument shining with its own light
judge righteous judgement and not take face for heart shadow for substance what our gain is we think it becommeth us to speak modestly of that and to strive to make it good by actions wherein oh mighty God help us rather than words And now good Reader to convince thy conscience that we were not like to doe any such strange things soon after our Baptisme that should render us such savage beasts Thou must know that Mr. Goodwin and the Church were the dearly beloved of my soul our relation thereto and fellowship therein I reckoned one of the cheifest comforts of my life I wanted not but abounded with respects from them above what my conscience told me I deserved and who that knoweth me knoweth not this to be true I doe profess in the fear of that God whose I am and whom I serve that if I know my own heart no body could have hired me from the bosome of that Church with hundreds a year And when the time came that for pure conscience I must be seperated from the embraces thereof teares was my meat day and night my greif was such at that time that it made the thoughts of death sweeter to me than ever they were in my life before my study and secret workings of heart were how to make my withdrawing as little offensive to Mr. Goodwin and the Church as I could devise how to do with a good conscience I perceived they were not able to bear any publick discourses to the point in difference Mr. Goodwins teares at the mention of something relating thereto went to my heart and weakened my hand to those further applications which I had thought to have made to them The truth is my high indeed undue respects to Mr. Goodwin kept me in a kind of bondage that I was not at that perfect liberty to discharge all the parts of that duty which their respects obliged me unto So great was my respects to Mr. Goodwin and the Church that besides my own frequent addresses to the Lord for the communication of that light to them which he had vouchsafed to me and some others I got some time solemnly set apart by some godly friends and for his cause cheifly did we bow our knee this was the frame of heart we were in honest Reader soon after our baptising and whether then we were like to perpetrate any such unworthy things as Mr. Goodwin writeth of I leave to thy conscience to determine or rather whether this Water dipping therefore be not the very monster of ingratitude Mr. Goodwin hath indeed calumniated us stoutly supposing that something will stick on us and I beleive doth which if it cost him not teares here I am sure will shame hereafter from that God that vindicateth the innocent and then Mr. Goodwin will find the vanity of sporting himself with the ruine of the good names and reputations of the people of God which are as much his interest as their estates health or any dear injoyment they possess and as much against the law of love to violate I consess the pleasantness of Mr. Goodwins wit-in writing is so lushious that it is marvellously apt to tickle and please the flesh but as the soul of any man groweth seasoned with the salt of heavenly wisdom it is affected more with sollid matter than enticing words it is ready to cry what will great words do good at the judgement day yea I bless God I have lived to that day to value more the breathing of Gods Spirit in a holy humble gratious soul than the greatest words of the gallantest Rhetorician in the world and that I have got since my Baptisme I confess for Mr Goodwin set aside these controvertal writings and consider him in the tenor of his conversation I think him nay I know him to be a pattern of patience humility meekness temperance neither do I remember one Sermon that ever he made to the point of Tythes or any consideration for preaching in all his dayes though I lived under his ministry almost twenty yeares and more than all this all the Arguments of the Gospel and out of the Gospel to preferre holiness and close walking with God I beleive there are not many men in his time if any at all that hath managed them with more authority life and power I say it I say it again and delight to speak it and will persist in it to my last breath though he grind us to pouder with his mill stone language Some change Mr. Goodwin may find in my Genius I confess it for heretofore having his person in admiration it was to some degree a snare upon me to call him Master in that sense wherein the Lord Jesus dehorteth from it Math. 23. whereas now that by the help of Gods Spirit and my own experience I see clearly that in the communication of light in the things of God God tieth not himself to this or that man I consult with Christ and lean not to the understanding of any man I see by experience that God taketh liberty to reveal to babes the truth which at some time he hideth from the wise and prudent Math. 11. And the more self-sufficient any man groweth in knowledge of the reason of things the lesse is he led by examples 'T is more noble for a man to eschew evill and do good because 't is evill and good then because such and such men that are good do so And though I was apt enough to leane that way and to those opinions Mr. Goodwin leaned too that under God had been the great meanes of any spiritual comfort and edification yet I blesse God I was not so rankly guilty of that evill but when Mr. Goodwin came to open that text Math. 28.19 and to give it for truth that by the word Teach in the Commission was meant not actuall discipling but the saying such things onely which was proper to make men so I palpably discerned the Text wronged and the interpretation was like gravell in my mouth and not onely mine but that persons also of whom Mr. Goodwin said at his buriall his worth was so great that it was a temptation on him to break promise to speak of it and enough to cast a man into an agony of sorrow to think of his death I say he was as much distasted as I at that stroke of the Text. Except in these respects or some others like these I know no change in my Genius nor I am sure no body else doth But I confess there was one unhappy mistake of a word of mine by one of the brethren which gave me a visit soon after my baptisme which hath more appearance of evill in it of my part than any or all the things can be laid against me I am sure to which I desire to give both you and all the Church satisfaction and that was this That brother spoken of before giving me a visit at my house where some part of the Church was wont
to meet on munday nights to edifie one another in faith and love Amongst other discourse which I cannot now remember I affirmed that the sight of them meaning our friends was a greif and burthen to me which following some words of easie misconstruction he concluded they proceeded from an absolute fall of affection to them and so presented them to others of the brethren that were wont to meet there which conceit got further rooting in the minds of the brethren by another unhappy circumstance The brother appointed to speak the next meeting before he began his Sermon began with this story making it the ground of no more meeting at my house To which I answer 1. Those words The sight of the Church was a greif and a burthen to me I said but the principle of them was not the want but the abundance of affection to them I say again the abundance of affection to them God is my witness who had indeed obliged me much which made parting with them the more grâ—â—vous and the necessity of that made me willing to be estranged from them that I might the better undergo the burthen this is the perfect truth which God the searcher of all hearts knoweth and this also was one main reason amongst others why I estranged my self from Mr. Goodwin afterwards But if it be ask'd why I did not reply to the brother who understood just contrary I answer I intended to do it after he had done his Sermon for it was before his Sermon that he began to speak of it but after his Sermon falling upon some discourse with Mr. Goodwin relating thereto I quite forgot being pressed with trouble and grief at some high words Mr. Goodwin then gave me This is the truth which the righteous God of heaven and earth knoweth for whose sake we now suffer by Mr. Goodwins unmerciful Pen To be injured by a common enemy 〈◊〉 no matter of wonder but to be wronged by ones father as it is a matter of more strangeness so of harsher recentment But it may be God hath bid you to cuâ—se me to take me off all glorying in men that I may be the more intire to himself me thinks I now find that Scripture hath a fresh edge upon my spirit Cease from man whose breath is in his nâ—strils Isaiah 2.22 for wherein is he to be esteemed 1 Cor. 3.21 Therefore let no man glory in man Your three and twentieth Consideration is THat there is no substantiall Argument produced to justifie such a practise nor you beleive ever will be Whether we have not given Arguments to justifie it more than one and that grounded upon the Scriptures and your own principles and indeed the principles of all the learned I referre to the judgement of the Reader As for that which you say by way of reply to my Brother Allens answer to your fourty Queries about Church communion I shall leave him to answer or be silent as he findeth cause onely it lieth much upon my spirit to shew unto your self if may be if not to your self yet to the unprejudiced Reader the palpable suffering of many of the Scriptures engaged in that service The first is the 2. of Acts 41. which Text my Brother Allen urgeth to prove addition to the Church and fellowship in it to follow Baptisme not goe before it and that 1. Because the Text saith they gladly received the Word 2. Were baptised 3. Were added to the Church 4. Continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship Now Mr. Goodwin will have it that Baptisme might be left out of the chain and yet they might have been Church members notwithstanding 1. Because those who are said to have been baptised in the former part of the verse are not said in the latter to have been added to the CHURCH but simply they were added or added unto Mr. Allen understandeth the Relative to those words added to to be Them according to the present translation and whereto both he and the Translators are guided 1. By the mention of the hundred and twenty Disciples in the Chapter before at the 15. verse to which these that were now converted were added which in the 47. verse of this 2. chapter are called the Church in plain English And the Lord added to the CHVRCH dayly c. And that the Relative to those words ADDED to were the Church or the hundred and twenty Disciples spoken of before Mr. Goodwin himself in his fourty Queries which I do not think were written above half a year before this Water dipping so understood it mark his words It cannot be demonstratively proved from the Scriptures that those hundred and twenty Disciples unto which it is here said P. 6. Of 40 Queries Acts 1.15 that three thousand were ADDED c. which a little before he himself calleth the Church in the same page But now all of a sudden Mr. Goodwin altereth his mind and will not let the 47. verse expound the 42. though the context as faiâ—ly leadeth to it as heart can wish but runneth us to the 11 of Acts 24. to know the Relative to the words added to in the 2. Acts 41. because there it is thus written And much people was added to the Lord. Here again you insinuate a difference in sense between those words added to the Lord and those added to the Church whereas in your Letter to Mr. Tho. Goodwin p. 5. you expound the joyning to the Lord spoken of Acts 11.24 of immembring into the Church your words these There is mention made of many that were added or joyn'd to the LORD i. e. say you were immembred into the CHVRCH Now what construction can any rational impartial considerate man make of this your shifting too and fro in this manner but as an evident demonstration that in fighting against us you labour to engage the Scriptures in a warre they have no mind too and so you loose your way and know not well where to set your foot not what ground to stand on The Lord make you sensible of it But again you say 2. It is said Acts 2 47. And the Lord added to the Church WHO saith Mr. Goodwin such as were baptised No but such as should be saved or were saved which was not by being baptised but beleiving Here Mr. Goodwin saith two things 1. That those that the Text speaketh of that were added to the Church were not such as were baptised but c. If this be not a strange proposition and as contrary to the Scripture as light to darkness I am under the enchantment Mr. Goodwin upbraideth me with so often for though it be true that those that were added to the Church were such as should be saved yet it followeth not that those that were added to the Church were not baptised nay it is plain they were by the 41. verse Then they that gladly received his word were baptised and the same day that is that they received the Word and were baptised there