their unbeleif were dis-covenanted with them for want of faith in their own persons Besides want of Faith in Mr Fishers sence in Infants is no sin how then should God punish it or deprive of any priviledge inconsideration of it So that what he subjoyns for proof of his assertion is extreamly impertinent And children saith he when at yeers are the natural seed of their Parents I hope as well as in Infancy it self if being the children of such or such Parents alone would either ingraft or exclude if I say unbeleeving Jews children do beleeve the promise is so made to them that their Parents unbelief cannot exclude them c. Quorsum haec The question between him and his Adversaries neither is whether children at years be not the natural seed of their parents as well as in Infancy or yet whether the promise be so made that the unbeleeving Iews children when they come to beleeve shall notwithstanding be excluded through their parents unbelief but whether the unbeleeving Iews children in their Infancie were not together with their parents excluded through these their parents unbelief Mr Fisher gives this question ago-by as being too hard for him to resolve with the honour and safety of his cause 3. Another Notion or ground by the Authority § 8. whereof he sentenceth Mr Bs Book for being a three-footed stool the legs of which are all lame and decreped a Pag. 419. is this that the greater depth of Hell men fall into that fall from them proves the height of their Churches to be neerer Heaven then that of those Churches which Mr Ba. or any other Anti-pedo-baptist approveth But this principle or Notion that the greater wickedness found in an Apostate argueth the greater height of excellency in that Order or way from which he Apostotizeth is a Notion or ground like unto the rest on which the Anâ— baptismal faith is founded Or if it were true the height of that Christian Church of which Iulian was a member before his Apostacy whether it was the Church of Constantinople or of Nicomedia for of both these the Ecclesiastical History makes him a member though of the latter more immediately before should have been neerer to the Heavens then Mr Fishers or any the Anabaptismal Churches for that either of these were in Julians days Anabaptismal I suppose was never yet so much as dream't by any man So also the height of that way and of that order of men from which Nero fell when of a sober and moral Pagan Idolater he became the first born Son of Belial and justified all the workers of abominations under the whole Heavens in his days must needs be supposed according to Mr Fishers principle to have been much neerer the Heavens then his way of Baptism or any of those Churches to which he signs his Magnificat For I cannot think that any who have fallen from him or his way of Churchship have fallen into a greater depth of Hell then these Monsters of men For my part I have both read of some and know some others who have fallen from his way that I presume took no spiritual harm at all by their fall however they might inconvenience themselves in worldly respects hereby Yea I wish for the honour of the Gospel and prosperity of the souls of the persons themselves that the generality of those who at present continue walking in his way were as neer to Heaven as many that have fallen from it § 9. Such Notions and principles as these are the Oracles which strengthen Mr Fishers hand against Mr Baxters Doctrine of Infant-Baptism Doubtless there was never ab urbe conditâ nor yet ab orbe condito a generation of men in whom confidence upon such contemptible terms ever raged at that tedious and importune raâ—â— and height as it doth in these men for the asserting 〈◊〉 appropriating of all Baptismal glory and acceptation â—â—to themselves and their way of baptizing All th 〈…〉 yet they have proved substantially from the Scriptures or I fully beleeve ever will be able to prove from them against Infant-Baptism is 1. That such Beleevers who had not been baptized in their Infancy were baptized at more maturity of yeers 2. That ordinarily the Scripture Baptists did admonish those who came unto them to be baptized to repent and beleeve But neither of these are denyed by their adversaries nor have either of them the least shadow of an inconsistencie with the lawfulness of Infant-Baptism Their conjectures that no children were baptized in Christs Iohns or the Apostles days are so inconsiderable that even before they be weighed in the Ballance they may be discerned to be too light although if this also were given in unto them they could make small earnings of it for their cause as I demonstrate in the second part of the ensuing treatise § 15. 16. c. Reader I might acquaint thee with more of the crazy and shaken pillars of Mr F s Anabaptismal faith amongst which he layeth the greatest stress and upon the matter the whole weight of his cause upon this that circumcision under the Law was neâ—ther signe nor seal of the righteousness of faith unto any man but unto Abraham onely * Pag. 18. 19 24. 154. 369. The crookedness of this principle I detect in the ensuing Treatise by applying to it a streight rule a Part 2. § 61. 62. 63. c. He makes a like treasure of this Notion that Baptism is indeed a signe but not a seal b Pag. 154. 155. 156 c. The absurdity and self-inconsistencie of this conceit together with the fiery contradiction it carryeth in it to the general sence of the wisest of his own party I likewise make evident in the ensuing discourse Sundry other the Apochryphal secrets of his faith and § 10. practise in the point of Baptism are discovered briefly and discussed in the tract now in thy hand especially in the latter part of it where I have to do with several the best colours I beleeve with which the face of that cause hath yet been painted and set forth unto the world In the former part of the discourse I do not levy a Methodical or formal dispute either for the necessity lawfulness or validity of Infant-Baptism nor yet against the Tenet or practise of Ana-baptizers many discourses of this nature being already published but onely lay down and briefly prove certain Theses or Considerations which I conceive are of a leading import towards satisfaction in and about the Baptismal controversies However as when several hills lye round about a City there is no part or quarter of this City but may be viewed from one or other of them In like manner I suppose the intire prospect of the Baptismal controversie in all the respective parts or branches of it may be taken from one or other of these Considerations I have digested them under six several heads according to the notice given in the Margeâ— against
baptizing the children of Christians at age must needs run all into confusion Consectary If the practise of baptizing Christian 's children at age in constituted Churches be such a method or course of baptizing The third Head of Considerations which more immediately relate unto Infant-Baptism and argue the lawfulness of it yea and more then lawfulness ordinarily which is apt to fill these Churches with perpetual contentions and strife then is it not a Method allowed much less prescribed by Christ CONSIDERATION XXIV THe ordinary practise of baptizing Infants in the Church is much more edifying both to the Church and to the persons also baptized when come to years of discretion then the baptizing of men and women only Proofs This Consideration as to point of truth is demonstratively argued and asserted more then once in the latter part of this discourse and so needs no traverse here The Reader is desired for his satisfaction in this to peruse Sect. 56. 73. 159. 160. of that part Consectary If Infant-Baptism contributes more towards the edification both of the Body of the Church and of the persons themselves also baptized then the baptizing of men and women only then is it the unquestionable Will of God that Infant-Baptism should be practised in the Churches of Christ in as much as his order appointment is very express in this Let all things be done to edification 1 Cor. 14. 26. And again Seek that ye may excel to the edification of the Church 1 Cor. 14. 12. of which Scriptures in the second part of this Discourse Sect. 159. 48. CONSIDERATION XXV CHildren were admitted unto Baptism in the days of Christ and of the Apostles Proof For proof of this the Reader is only desired diligently to peruse the 22 23. and so the following Sections of the latter part of this discourse to the end of the 32 Section as also the 40. 132. 157. 158. Sections with several other passages hereof Consectary If Children were admitted unto Baptism in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles then can there no sufficient reason be given why water should be denied unto them in these dayes that they should not be baptized CONSIDERATION XXVI AS Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith under the Law so is Baptism a Seal of the same righteousness under the Gospel Proof That Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness mentioned under the Law and this simply and indefinitely and not with any appropriation unto Abraham or the righteousnesse of his faith onely is demonstratively proved in the latter part of this Treatise Sect. 61 62 63. c. That Baptism is a Seal of the same righteousnesse under the Gospel cannot reasonably be denied and is granted by the more considering persons of the adverse party The Author of the Treatise entituled Of Baptism having said pag. 4. That the righteousness which Abraham had by Faith the acceptation he had was sealed up to him by the signe of Circumcision c. immediately subjoyneth Now what Abraham had by Circumcision that the Saints have by Baptism for so the Apostle intimates in Col. 2. 11. 12. Again pag. 18. speaking of Baptism We shall find saith he beating it out as far as the Scripture gives light that as it seals and confirms our union with him so it also seals and confirms to us the most desirable thing in the world which is the pardon of all our sins Now we know that the remission or pardon of sin and the righteousnesse of faith are Termini convertibiles sive aequivalentes words importing one and the same thing And yet again the same Authour and Book pag. 20. Now for this God hath formed an Ordinance on purpose to confirm and ratifie unto us the remission of sins and this is baptism therefore be not amazed but repent and be baptized The same Author delivereth the same Doctrine in the same discourse ten times over yea Master W. A. himself in his Treatise stiled some baptismal Abuses c. as the Reader will find in the latter part of this Treatise is not tender of breaking with his Tutour Mr. Fisher in this point although in the mean time he contradicts himself as well as his Teacher herein For if Baptism be a Seal of remission of sins it cannot be required on mans part for the obtaining of remission of sins it is not the property of a Seal to procure unlesse it be the ratification and confirmation of what is already procured or done And indeed Mr. Fishers notion which alloweth Baptism to be a Signe but denieth it to be a Seal is upon the matter contradictions to it self For certainly God signifieth nothing but what hath reality and truth of being If so then by what means soever he signifieth a thing he must needs seal ratifie and confirm the being of it But for the truth of the Consideration before us were it not granted by our adversaries in which respect it needeth no proof it might be clearly argued and evinced from that known Scripture Discription of Baptism wherein it is stiled The Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins Consectary If Circumcision under the Law was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith or of the remission of sins and Baptism under the Gospel be a seal likewise of the same righteousness then must children under the Gospel needs be as capable subjects of the latter seal I mean Baptism as they were of the former Circumcision under the Law CONSIDERATION XXVII JT was a gracious priviledge vouchsafed by God unto children under the Law to be admitted members of that Church-body which was most highly favoured and respected by him and amongst whom besides many other most great and pretious promises made unto them he promised to dwell for ever Proof Neither should we need to levy any proof of this Consideration if we had to do only with reasonable and considering men For if it were not a gracious priviledge unto children to be admitted members of such a body as that described then was the Ordinance of God enjoyning men the Circumcising of their children by which they became formal and compleat members of this Body either a kind of Idol Ordinance which did neither good nor evil to those who received and enjoyed it or else such an Ordinance wherein or whereby God intended evil unto them But as well the one as the other of those conceits are the abhoring of every Christian and considering Soul Ergo If it be said that Câ—rcumcision might benefit children in some other way though not by immembring them into the Iewish Church I Answer 1. It is not easie to conceive in what other way it should benefit them 2. What way soever may be thought upon wherein it should profit them otherwise Baptism must needs be conceived to be as profitable to them in the same 3. and lastly it is very unreasonable and importune and not worthy a sober man to affirm or think that children had no priviledge or
children unto him viz. because of such was the Kingdom of God Mar. 10. 14. or the Kingdom of Heaven Mat 19. 14. sufficiently declareth that they were brought unto him upon a spiritual account or in order to the obtaining of some spiritual benefit or priviledge rather then for any bodily cure 5. The general order of Christ directed unto the Disciples and in them unto all men to suffer not those little children in particular that were now brought unto him but little children in general to come unto him Suffer saith he little children and forbid them not to come unto me Mat. 19. 14. this general order I say and injunction of Christ plainly shews that his will was that little children should be brought unto him whether they had any bodily ailment upon them or no inasmuch as there is nothing more certain then that all little children have not bodily ailments or diseases And if his will be that little children in general and whether diseased or no should come or be brought unto him doubtlesse the reason or end why he ordereth their comming to him must needs be the receiving of some spiritual grace benefit or priviledge from him and this by means of such their comming 6. It is said Mar. 10. 16. that Christ did not onely lay his hands upon these children but that he blessed thâ—m also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. prayed for them as the word frequently signifies and the best interpreters understand it in this place Now though Christ frequently prayed and sometimes preparatively as it were and in order to the working of some great miracle as before the raising of Lazarus from the dead c. yet we never find that he wrought any bodily cure by prayer simply or onely but very oft by words of a divine-like authority and command I will be thou clean Mat. 8. 3. As thou hast beleeved so be it done unto thee Mat. 8. 13. See also Mat. 9. 29. Arise take up thy bed and go unto thy house Mat. 9. 6. Stretch forth thine hand Mat. 12. 13. Be it unto thee even as thou wilt Mat. 15. 28. Lazarus come forth Joh. 11. 43. to omit many the like 7. Mr. A. himself giving this account why the Disciples rebuked those that brought these children viz. that they thought it an impertinent thing to trouble Christ with them plainly enough supposeth that they were not brought to receive any bodily cure from Christ for then they the Disciples could not have thought it an impertinent thing to trouble Christ with them more or otherwise then they judged it impertinent for any others to come unto him upon the like occasion And doubtlesse Mr. A. himself doth not judge it an impertinent thing for him to trouble the Physician by repairing or sending unto him when he is sick and standeth in need of his help So then by the fortified light of this great constellation of circumstances it fully appeareth that Mr. Fisher casteth out his net on the wrong side of the ship when he affirmeth that these children came to Christ for another kind of imposition of hands then that asserted by us which â—aith he p. 141 is otherwise called Touching I confesse that Touching is another a new a strange kind of imposition of hands but Anabaptism can now sail with any wind And whereas to salve his opinion he saith this Ordinance of laying on of hands he means which we plead for was not LIKELY yet in use and being although he qualifies the magistrality of the assertion a little with the term likely yet is it ventrous and daring enough to march in the retinue of such notions as these That Baptism is onely a signing or signifying not a sealing Ordinance * Baby-baptism p. 154. 193. that Circumcision was neither sign nor seal of the Covenant of grace that it was a seal of the righteâ—usnesse of Faith unto Abraham onely * Baby-baptism p. 153. with twenty and ten more of a like unhallowed inspiration confederate in the same warfare against the truth with it Sect. 41. Whereas Mr. A. bestows the greatest part of his seventh page upon the probat of this that the children spoken of in the passage represented by him were not brought to Christ to be baptized although all he saith upon the account falleth short of such a sum he laboureth in the fire to make a â—old purchase and raiseth a great dust of contest for that which he might have had of me and I suppose of others also onely for the asking But whether the children brought to Christ were brought to be baptized or no I shall I question not God assisting me in due time manifestly evince the lawfullnesse of Infant-baptism from the said passage In the mean time I shall take notice of these words towards the close of Mr. A's third proof of his minor that if the baptizing of Infants had been AN ORDINANCE OF GOD the knowledge of it wâ—uld have been of as great or greater use unto the world then the knowledge of those other things are touching Christs imbracing and blessing of infants c. In the first clause of this passage doth he not plainly enough charge or challenge his adversaries as if they held the baptizing of Infants to be an Ordinance of God How some of them may at unawares expresse themselves I know not but they can with no more truth in propriety and strictnesse of phrase affirm the baptizing of Infants to be an Ordinance of God neither do they I suppose ordinarily so speak or affirm then their Opposers do affirm the baptizing of un-baptized beleevers to be the Ordinance of God Well may the baptizing of the one or the other be the precept or will of God but certainly the subject of an institution or Ordinance or the person to whom an Ordinance is according to the will of God to be administred is no part of the Ordinance it self Neither Abraham nor Isaack were any essential part of circumcision This is Mr. Fishers Doctrine it self who Baby-baptism p. 211. complains of the Priests I know not well whom he means at least extensively for adding other subjects to Gods Ordinaces In which expression he plainly enough makes an Ordinance a thing by it self and the subject another by it self In which respect he is no more consistent with himself then with the principles of Christian modesty when he thus rates his opposers for their conjectural sin of Infant-baptism will you imagine and suppose and dream and dote and fancy and fame a Baptism which the Scriptures and first Churches never knew For may they not imagine c. the baptizing of Infants and yet not imagine another Baptism then the Scriptures know if Infants be no part of the Ordinance administred unto them See also pag. 312. 314. Again whereas Mr. A. saith that had infant-baptism been an Ordinance of God the knowledge of it would have been of as great or greater use to the world then c. I answer 1.
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
by others as by arguments perswasions and the like willing or whether such who are very intensly or more then ordinarily willing whether this intense degree of willingnesse in them be from themselves or from others For that by voluntarily willing he should mean nothing but simply and meerly willing especially in a presse and close Syllogism or Argument is not easie to be believed Now taking the Phrase voluntarily willing in either of the two former significations the said Proposition is apparantly untrue For not only they who appear willing of themselves and of their own accord or who appear extraordinarily and without any the least regret or degree of unwillingnesse willing but even they who appear willing in any such degree as to require Baptism may be Baptized at least if other things required in those who are or desire to be baptized be not wanting This I suppose will not be gainsaid by Mr. A. himself 2. When the said Proposition saith That none ought to be baptized but such who appear voluntarily willing c. If it desires to be understood of persons capable of the appearance it speaks of it may passe But thus understood it prevaricates with the Conclusion which it undertakes to protect and prove and doth it no service Therefore I make no question but the Authors meaning in it is rightout this That none i. no person whatsoever of what capacitie or incapacitie soever ought to be baptized but such only who appear willing to be baptized The Proposition then in this sence understood we absolutely deny Sect. 157. The Reasons of this our deniall are 1. and principally because the Scripture no where exacteth or requireth any such appearing as the Proposition speaks of in order to receiving of Baptism but only of such persons who are capable of making or exhibiting it Therefore for men to make it a requisit in all persons whatsoever and without the exception of any to capacitate or qualifie them for Baptism is to make themselves wise above that which is written 2. Circumcision being a Sign and Seal of the righteousnesse of Faith as the Apostle affirmeth Rom. 4. 11. and this in such a sence as we Argued and proved formerly Sect. 61. 62 c. it must needs be an Ordinance of a very neer affinitie and comportment with Baptism as we have formerly likewise declared and made good a Sect. â—1 If so God himself having judged such persons meet subjects of it who did not indeed could not appear voluntarily willing to receive it in obedience unto God who are we that we should exclude persons from Baptism upon the meere account of such a weaknesse or infirmitie Similium similis est ratio 3. Imposition of hands at least during the times of Christ and his Apostles when it was practised câ—m effectu with some visible effect and particularly as we lately shewed with the gift of the holy Ghost was in this respect a greater Ordinance then Baptism which we never find accompanied with the like testimonie from heaven in the practise thereof which we also shewed and proved Sect. 147. yet were children judged capable and meet subjects of this Ordinance by the Lord Christ himself Mat. 19. 15. Mar. 10. 16. Now then as the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. concludeth the Corinthian Saints capable of inferiour judicatures from their capacitie of greater in like manner from that capacitie in children testified by Christ himself of a greater Ordinance viz. inposition of hands we cannot but judg them much more capable of a lesser I mean Baptism and consequently that the Proposition contested cannot stand Sect. 158. 4. The Lord Christ being much displeased as the Text saith with his Disciples for discouraging and rebuking those who brought little children unto him Mar. 10. 14. upon the occasion makes this generall Order gives this in charge unto all men that they suffer little children to come unto him viz. in such a sence as those came unto him who were now before him who properly came not but were brought unto him by others and not to forbid them Now 1. it cannot be conceived that Christ made this Order for mens suffering childâ—en to come unto him in reference to his oâ—n time only and to his corporall presence on the earth for we do not find that any more children were at any time brought unto him during his abode in the flesh nor could he be ignorant that there would no more come or be brought unto him in this kind Therefore the said Order must of necessitie be supposed to respect principally at least the times after his death and ascention and to enjoyn and charge that such children who should come unto him in the sence formerly declared i. should be brought unto him should not be opposed in their coming at any time unto the worlds end 2. My understanding is not as yet able to comprehend or conceive how or in what way or respect childâ—en should come or be brought to Christ either in these our dayes or in any other since his Ascention but by baptism only or consequently how such a coming or bringing of them unto him as this can be denied or opposed but with a manifest breach of the said Order of Christ made in their behalf The Reader is desired to reperuse upon this account what hath been formerly argued Sect. 25. and especially Sect. 40. The import of these things duly considered by us render us very bold and strong in our deniall of Mr. A's Proposition under debate Sect. 159. 5. The Apostles Order is that all things in the Church should be done to edification a 1 Cor. 14. 26. Doubtlesse his meaning is that all things ought to be done to the best advantage for the best and highest promoting of this end Now that the constant administration of Baptism unto children makes much more for the edification of the Church then the administration of it unto persons of years only hath been demonstratively asserted formerly Sect. 56. 73. Yet for the further confirmation and clearing of the businesse other considerations may be added to what is delivered in those Sections .1 There is little question to be made but that God intended the edification of his Church under the Law and this upon the best terms not only or simply or by Circumcision or by the administration thereof but in and by his Election of and precise order about the more appropriate and standing subject hereof This for for the matter and substance of it hath likewise been already proved Sect. 138. If the truth of it yet stick in the throat of any mans judgment and will not down pleasantly he may be relieved by this consideration If God did intend the edification of the Church of the Jews by Circumcision and the administration thereof and did not likewise intend the edification of this Church in his choice and appointment of the ordinarie standing subject of this administration then was he divided in and against
and preached unto men and women only these only being of capacitie to understand it therefore is Baptism described and set forth in the scripture as it relateth unto them and their conditions viz. as a sacred pledg from God to assure them of the high priviledg and blessing of remission of sins upon their repentance But this no more proveth that the administration of it belongeth not unto Infants because they do not repent then this saying He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved proveth that salvation belongeth not unto Infants because they do not believe Upon alike account because the Doctrine of Circumcision and of the counsell of God in it was to be declared and preached only unto persons of understanding therefore the scripture describeth it and frequently speaketh of it under that relation and concernment wherein it related unto men as where it is described to have been a seal of the righteousnesse of Faith See Sect. 61 64. even as Baptism is termed or described the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sinnes which two descriptions we formerly scanned and compared Sect. 61. so again where God saith to the Jews Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts Jer. 4. 4. and again it shall be a token of the Covenant between me and you Gen. 17. 11. to omit other places These and severall other like passages and sayings notwithstanding which represent Circumcision upon no other terms nor in any other consideration then as appropriable and appliable unto men yet children we know were the more appropriate subject of the administration thereof In like manner though it should be granted that Baptism be described under such a consideratioÌ„ wherein it is only serviceable appropriable unto men and women who are capable of Repentance and of RemissioÌ„ of sins hereupon yet this no way proveth nor so much as lightly intimateth that therefore Infants are not the regular yea or not the more proper and convenient subject hereof ordinarily Sect. 177. And let me here adde this one thing further that men altogether as judicious and learned in the Scriptures and I believe as narrowly and throughly vers'd in the controversie as Mr. A. conceive the sence and mind of the holy Ghost in calling Baptism The Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins is as well to signifie and hold forth that remission of sins shall be obtained upon Repentance future as that it is obtained or injoyed by means of Repentance past or at present in being Calvin in answer to an Objection made of the very same notion of which Mr. A's answer now in examination is made viz. that Baptism is a Sacrament of Repentance and Faith and therefore is not competible to Infancie having first said that such darts as these are rather thrown against God then against him or other Infant-Baptists in processe of his answer saith For although Infants in that moment of time wherein they were circumcised did not comprehend the meaÌ„ing or intent of the sign yet were they truly circuÌ„cised for or unto the mortificatioÌ„ of their polluted corrupt natâ—re which being come to years of discretion they were to meditate and bethink themselves of And to conclude the Objection may receive a ready answer viz. that children are baptized in order to their FUTVRE REPENTANCE AND FAITH which although they be not as yet form'd in them yet by the secret work of the holy Ghost there is a seed of both lying hid in them a Subnectunt Baptismum poenitentiae ac fidei sacramentum esse Quare cum neutra in â—tenellam infantiam cadat cavendum ne si in Baptismi communionem admittatur inanis evanida reddatur significatio At enim haec tela in Deum magis quà m in nos diriguntur Siquidem circumcisionem fuisse poenitentiae signum multis Scripturae testimoniiâ— compertissimum est Et paulò post Nam etsi Infantes quo circumcidebantur momento quid sibi vellet signum illud intelligentiâ non comprehendebant verè tamen circumcidebantur in naturae suae corruptae ac contaminatae mortificationem quam adulti posteà meditarentur Denique nullo negotio solvi potest objectio haec baptizari in futuram poenitentiam fidem c. Calvin Institut l. 4. c. 16. Sect. 20. Baptism saith Musculus is the laver of regeneration but not so or in such a sence that only they who are already regenerate should be sealed with it but those also who are yet to be Regenerated b Baptismus est lavacrum regenerationis at non ita ut regenerati tantùm illo debeant obfignari sed etiam regenerandi Mus in Mat. 22. 41 42. c. The Scripture it self very much favours the judgement of these learned men now touched I indeed saith John to the people who came to be baptized and were accordingly baptized by him baptize you with water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards or unto Repentance Mat. 3. 11. And accordingly Luk. 3. 7. he sharply reproveth them as persons at present not ingaged in any way of repentance but exhorteth them hereunto for the future Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath that is to come Bring forth therefore fruits worthy Repentance and think not to say c. Luk. 3. 7 8. Had he judged them truly penitent at the present it is not like he would have stiled them a generation of vipers or admonished them as he doth See more to this point Sect. 35. Nor is it probable that the Apostle Peter did look upon those as having already truly repented whom he exhorted to Repent and be baptized Act. 2. 38. nor yet that because in the first place he exhorteth them to repent and in the second to be baptized he therefore diswaded them or took them off from being baptized untill they should have first repented For to repent being a farre greater duty then to be baptized it may well have the precedencie of mention in the same exhortation and yet this not necessarily imply that to be baptized was no duty to be performed by them until they had first repented When two duties are required in the same exhortation the obligation unto the latter is not necessarily suspended upon a mans obedience unto the former so that he shall be in conscience bound to forbear or not to practise the latter untill he hath first performed the other And though it should be granted that so many of the persons exhorted by Peter to repent and be baptized as were soon after baptized did indeed truly repent before they were baptized though neither is this sufficiently proved by their recceiving of his word gladly ver 41. See Mat. 13. 20. Mar. 6. 20. Joh. 5. 35. Eze. 33. 32. yet this proveth not that therefâ—re they should have sinned in case they had been baptized without this qualification However whether this
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
about Bapâ—ism it self sect 3 5 3. The present contest relating unto Baptism better laid aside by the party 's contesting then weak consciences disturb'd with it 5 4. Mr. A. doth nâ—t state his question clearly so much as to his own sence 6 5. Mr. A. and his Scripture-proofs divided about the way to satisfaction 7. 9 6. God hath authorized the Lâ—w of Nature to over-rule administrations of Institutions 8 7. Persons not truly repentant may be duly baptized 10 8. Primitive practises may be lawfully varyed from upon exigencie of circumstances 11 9. 〈…〉 eer matter of fact no good foundation to prove eithâ—r the lawfulness or unlawfulness of a practise about an instituted Ordinance in all cases 13 10. Conclusio sequitur deteriorem partem 14. 48 11. No particular Administration of an Ordinance can answâ—r the whole mind or counsel of God in or about the said ordinance 14 12. Wâ—y the Apostles might omit though not neglect the baptizing of children notwithstanding they might lawfully have done it 15 13. How the reasons upon which the Apostles might forbear Infant-baptism may and may not be binding to the like forbearance now 16 14. Two reasons why the Pastors of Churches now may be in a better capacity of baptizing Infants then the Apostles or their Assistants were 18 19 20 15. How Christ and the Apostles to be imitated in what they did and did not sect 21 16. The total silence of the Scriptures about baptizing Infants what kind of proof and how it may be construed 22 23 17. How the baptizing of Housholds in the Scripture proveth Infant-baptism 24 18. How Christ's laying on hands on Children c. proveth Infant-baptism 25 40 132 157 158 19. Augustin a frequent and constant assertor of Infant-baptism from the Apostles 26 20. The testimony of Antient Writers for the practise of Infant-baptism by the Apostles upon what grounds authentique 27 21. No History recordeth the original of Infant-baptism 28 22. Auxentius an Arrian the first opposer of Infant baptism and Ludovicus Hetzer another Arrian and somwhat worse the first reviver of the opposition in Germany 29 23. Mr. A's Baptism a nullitie according to his own principles 29 24. No contests heard of from the Jews against the Apostles for excluding their Children from Baptism an argument that they were baptized 30 31 25. No reason imaginable why the Precept or Ordinance of Christ about the subject of Baptism should be changed by the Primitive Fathers 32 26. Practise of Ana-baptism standeth â—onely upon foundations that are either loose or irrelative 33 27. A submission unto Baptism no argument of the great successe of the Gospel 35 36 38 39 28. The Holy Ghost at libâ—rty in drawing up his own records 36 29. Vnder the expression of Men and Women in the Scriptures children also are sometimes comprehended 37 30. Baptizing of Men and Women no proof of the success of the Gospel 38 39 31. Suffer little children to come unto me how proveth that Infants were baptized in the Apostles daies 40 41 158 32. A non-scriptum proveth not a non-factum 42 33. Neither the qualifications nor the persons described of all that were baptised 42 34. No firm arguing from order of expressing 43 35. To teach and to make Disciples how widely differ 44 36. When a mans grounds for his opinions are insufficient and so evicted answering of some objections though never so substanâ—ially will not relieve them 45 168 37. Mr. A's second argument as much against the counsel of God in circumcision as against the opinion of his Adversaries in the point of Baptism 46 49 38. The greater serviceableness of a thing in one case proveth not the unlawfulness of it in all others 47 48 53 118 39. The manifestation of Christ to the world no end of Baptism 50. 51. nor yet to the baptised themselves 53 40. When Baptizing is customary and in fashion it is no sign or proof of any mans Faith or Repentance 54 41. Infant-baptizing as much or rather more instructing edifying quickning c. unto spectators as men-baptizing 56 73 159 160 42. How the Priests and Elders rejected the counsel of God against themselves not hauing been baptized of John 57 58 43. Persons duly baptized do not alwaies take up the Ordinance out of a principle of Repeâ—tance 60 44. Remission of sins to be looked for upon Repentance without or before Baptism 61 131 175 45. Circumcision not a sign and seal of the righteousnesse of Faith unto Abraham only 61 46. The Verb substantive oft used in a declarative sence 62 47. What it was that properly constituted Abraham the father of all that beleeve 62 48. Rom. 4. 11. thoroughly understood gives a great light into the Question about Baptism 64 49. Children in a capacity of engaging to the practise of Repentance as wel as men 64 65 68 69 182 50. One end of Baptism better answered or provided for by mens-baptism doth neither prove the baptizing of children unlawful nor yet that another end thereof may not be better provided for hereby 67 98 51. The end of planting not made frustrate by the non-fructifiâ—ation of the tree immediately upon the planting of it 69 152 52. Baptism how needfull for children Sect. 71. 53. No profession or declaration made unto the world by Mr. A's Baptizing 72. 75. 73. 54. Profession made by Parents at their childrens baptizing aâ— available unto others as by other men at their Baptism 73. 55. A person duly baptized is not an Agent but a patient in his Baptism 76. 56. Whâ—ther a man be to sign and seal the Articles of his Covenant with God at the time of his entring hereunto before witnesses c. 75. 76. 98. 57. Baptism not to be taken up in order to râ—mission of sins 77. 61 58. Mr. A most unchristianly taxeth the whole Christian world 79. 59. Arguments proving that a Declaration of a mans Repentance by Baptism is not required on his part to interess him in remission of sins 80. 81. 82 c. 60. Faith and repâ—â—tance according to Mr. A but dead works until Baptism quickeneth them 81. 89 61. Submission to a carnal commandment is not of more accepration with God then unto a spiritual 80. 62. Mr. A. adjudgeth the whole generation of Christians a very fâ—w only excepted both ancient and modern as well Fathers Martyrs and Reformers as others unto eternal condemnation 81. 63. Baptism can be no Declaration of any mans Repentance 82. 52 64. The Apostle Paul no where interesseth Baptism in justification or in the obtaining of remission of sins 83. 65. The remission of his sins who truly repenteth or beleevâ—th is not suspended upâ—n what another man may possibly refuse to do unto him § 83. 18. much less upon what would be sinful in himself to yeeld unto 84. 88. 66. Abrahams spiritual children are justified after the same manner â—ith him 85. 67. Baptism may relate unto salvation as some other of the Commandments of God may do and yet
not forth the best fruit or the most fruit that is possible for a tree yea or for it self to bring forth Or were all the rest of the Apostles corrupt things because the Apostle Paul laboured more abundantly then they all a 1 Cor. 15. 10. and so promoted the end or ends of Apostolick mission above them all Or may not he truly and cordially seek to excell to the edifying of the Church who sometimes edifieth the Church lesse by his labours and indeavours in this kind then at some other time But when propositions are false proofs cannot be pertinent And thus through a manifest defectivenesse in the major proposition the glory of Mr. A's second argument against Infant-baptism is laid in the dust Neither is there any hope or possibility of releef from the minor proposition though this should be found never so Orthodox For it is a soveraign maxime in argumentation as hath been formerly said that Conclusio semper sequitur deteriorem partem the proof of a conclusion by a syllogism is never valid or strong when either of the propositions therein are weak So that we might wave the examination of the minor proposition in the argument before us without any detriment to our cause at all Notwithstanding to make it evident even to prejudice and partiality themselves if it be possible that there is no sound part in the whole body of this argument let us arraign the minor proposition also at the Bar of reason and truth The tenour of this proposition as we heard is this But that administration of baptism which is made to professed Beleevers doth more conduce to and better answer the ends of Baptism then that which is made to infants Sect. 49. That Truth is a sufferer in this proposition also is to me sufficiently evident from hence viz. because God himself who questionlesse knows much better then Mr. A. or any of his judgement what administration of an Ordinance most conduceth unto and best answers the ends of it judged the administration of Circumcision an Ordinance of like import with Baptism as shall upon occasion be shewed God willing elsewhere unto Infants more conducing unto and better answering the ends of it the principal of which was to signifie and seal the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. then unto Beleevers or unto persons of ripe years Otherwise I presume he would not have ordered the ordinary and constant administration of it unto children but rather unto men For it is very importune and burthensome to my Faith to beleeve that God should appoint such an administration of his Ordinance which should be in any degree disadvantagious or prejudicial to the ends thereof If therefore the administration of Circumcision made unto Infants under the Law did as much or more conduce unto the ends thereof as this administration made unto men could have done in like manner the administration of baptism made to infants under the Gospel must needs more or as much conduce unto the ends therof as it would do in case it were made unto men They who think write or say otherwise do they not make themselves wiser then God How and in what respect one or more that administration of Baptism which we prefer conduceth as much or more to the ends of Baptism as that administration which Mr. A. commendeth might readily here be shewed and may be in time convenient In the mean time let us consider how Mr. A. maketh his rope stand right up on the one end Sect. 50. 1. Saith he One end of Baptism is to declare Jesus Christ unto the world Joh. 1. 31. And a little after this manifestation of Christ is better made by the Baptism of Beleevers then by the Baptism of Infants whether it respects the party who is baptized or others who behold it For answer 1. The end indeed of John's sending to the Jews to baptize was that Christ should be made manifest unto Israel This the words cited by himself Joâ— 1. 31. expresly affirm But this proveth not that therefore the end of Baptism is to declare Jesus Christ unto the world Baptism and John's sending to the Jews to baptize are two very different things and so are Israel and the world Nor was Christ declared unto the world but unto Israel onely by John's baptizing Yea when John himself saith that he therefore came baptizing with water that Christ might be made manifest unto Israel his meaning is not that the manifestation of Christ no not to Israel was the proper end of that Baptism which he administred but of his administration of it the manner and terms upon which he came to administer it and according unto which he did administer it considered For had the same Baptism which John administred been administred by an ordinary person or a man ignorant who Christ was or that he was now come into the world yea or without those or the like additional discoveries which John made of Christ in his preaching it would never have produced any such effect as the manifestation of Christ unto Israel nor was there any thing in it any wayes proportionable unto such an end or effect as this Therefore certainly the manifestation of Christ unto the world is no end of Baptism or however no such end as this can be proved from John 1. 31. which text notwithstanding is our whole allowance for our satisfaction therein Sect. 51. By the way the reason I conceive why John being the messenger of Christ sent before his face to prepare his way i. e. to awaken the Jewish nation to own and entertain him being now come unto them though as yet they knew it not came baptizing with water in order to the manifestation of him unto the Jews was because this new undertaking to baptize was a proper means to occasion the generality of this people to inquire more diligently after him John I mean to examine more narrowly his Commission and authority by which he did baptize By means of which inquiry they came to understand that he was a man sent from God unto them and consequently could not but so much the more reverence and beleeve the words of his mouth the first born of which was the testimony which he gave of their Messiah as now ready to discover himself unto such of them as desired his comming Upon this account John's baptizing with water might contribute towards the manifestation of Christ unto Israel and yet the manifestation of Christ to the world be no end of Baptism simply considered or in its ordinary or standing administrations 2. Reason it self interposeth with an high hand against such a conceit which maketh the manifestation of Christ unto the world one of the ends of Baptism If Christ be in baptism he is here onely tanquam in aenigmate darkly and as in a riddle and he that doth not plough with Gods Heifer the Scripture will never know or understand this Riddle In this case it is not the Riddle but the heifer
11 12 13 14. Yea Solomon saith The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord. Pro. 15. 8. 21. 27. These places with many more of a like import that might readily be added unto them doe with a surplussage of evidence prove that much benefit did NOT accrue to the doers of the things specified upon the account of the deed done And yet of the two there is much more reason why benefit should accrue unto the doers of such things of the Law as these upon the work done then upon their being Circumcised For 4. Whereas he saith that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done if he speaks of those that were circumcised according to the standing Law viz. on the eight day who were farre the greatest part of the Iewish nation the work it self of Circumcision was not done by them but by others to them unknown Whereas the offering of incense and of sacrifices the observation of the new moons sabbaths and other feasts appointed by the law were works done by persons themselves Now questionlesse if there be any benefit accruing unto men upon the work done it is more like to accrue in this kind upon works done by persons themselves then upon works done totally by others and without their knowledge desire or consent Nor doth nor can Mr. A. give us any substantiall account either from the Scriptures or otherwise why the benefit of Baptism should be more suspended upon the knowledge faith c. of him who is baptized then the benefit of Circumcision was suspended upon the like qualifications of the circumcised For Sect. 128. 5. The Texts of Scripture which he cites prove no such difference as this between the two Ordinances Circumcision and Baptism nor do they either divisim or conâ—unctim prove or so much as colour with a proof that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done For what though the Apostle saith and this by way of contradistinction from the voyce of the Gospell or righteousnesse of faith The man that doth those things shall live by them yet is it no part of his meaning to implie or teach that by the literall performance of the Legall ceremonies men either were or might have been saved The Law of which the Apostle speaks is not the Law of Ceremonies which Mr. A. understandeth but the whole system or body of precepts and commandments delivered by Moses Nor is the Apostles doing those things the same with Mr. A's doing them The Apostle must needs be conceived to speak of such a doing of the things of the Law which includes as well the spiritualitie or perfection of the Law and of the severall precepts thereof at least in will desire and endeavour as the bare letter or externalitie of it For God never made any such Covenant with or promise unto any man that by doing externals only he should be either justified or saved which Mr. A's doing evidently supposeth Nor doth his second Scripture stand any whit closer to his cause then the first For when the Apostle saith Gal. 3. 12. The Law is not of Faith but the man that doth them shall live in them his meaning is not that the Law required not as well the conformitie and subjection of the inward man unto it as viz. in Love Faith Holinesse Humilitie c. as of the outward consisting of a meere bodily observation of so much of it as might thus be observed but that the voice purport or tenour of the Law did exact of all those who expected justification by it yea in a sense of all men simply an universall and constant obedience and subjection unto it in the whole compasse and extent of it according to what he had more plainly said a verse or two before Cursed is every one that CONâ—INUETH NOT IN ALL THINGS which are written in the book of the Law to do them in which respect it is said not to be of Faith i. not to promise justification unto any act of Faith or beleeving in another Whereas the tenor of the Gospel although it simply requireth as perfect and thorow an obedience unto all the precepts of it as the Law did to all the precepts thereof yet it exacteth not this obedience upon the same inexorable terms nor doth it threaten every person no nor any person with a curse who shall not conâ—nue in all things which are written therein to dâ— them in case they shall truly and unfeignedly believe in Jesus Christ So that these two Scriptures rightly understood know nothing either of reason or truth in Mr. A's cause Sect. 129. His other Scriptures levied upon the same account p. 27. 28. do scarce so much as face the design which they are brought into the field to advance For what though the ministration of the Law be called the ministration of the letter and the Ordinances thereof carnall Ordinances and such as did noâ— make perfect as pertaining to the conscience or again that the Apostle to shew wherein the Gospell or new Covenanâ— exceeds the Law or old one saith that according to this God puts his Laws in the minds of men and writes them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10 Or again that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth what is there I say in all or in any of these or in twenty more of a like import to prove that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done or that the benefit of baptism is any whit more suspended upon the knowledge Faith c. of him who is baptized then the benefit of Circumcision was c All that can be inferred from these and such like passages are only these and such like notions That God is more communicative of the clear knowledg of himself and of the mysterie of his will concerning the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ under the Gospell then he was under the Law that the anointing of the generalitie of the Saints with the Spirit under this dispensation the Law was nothing so rich or full as it now is under the Gospel that the instituted worship especially the publique worship and service of God under the Law consisted in a farre greater number and varietie of external rites and observations then now under the Gospell that the hearts of the people yea of the people of God themselves were generally nothing so raised or enlarged to the obedience of God under the Law as they are and especially will be when the time cometh under the Gospell c. But none of these things prove so much as inshew that according to the nature of the legal ministration children void of understanding and faith were any whit more capable of holy things or of the endâ— and benefits of them in part upon a literall administration or reception of them then children now are under the Gospell For my better
173. Administred by un-baptized a nullity 143. To be taken up for future repentance 186. Asign to children 191 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to wash as well by any other kind of washing as by dipping 47. Never used in the New Testament to signifie to dip 48. However it doth not signifie to un-dip 50 Baptizing Never expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to dip 48. To baptize a business of Inferiour consequence compared with the preaching of the Gospel 123 124. The baptizing of many no argument of the success of the Gospel 152 153 Basil 75 Mr. Baxter 16 32 39 42 78 84 86 88 89 Beza 77 L. Brook 138 Bulinger 78 82 83 85 256 C Calvin p. 67 76 77 186 216 217 241 257 265 268 352 374 377 Children Their righâ— to Baptism 26. As capable of Baptism as they were of Circumcision 34 35. Baptized into Moses 37 38. Children of Gentile beleevers not inferiour to the children of the Jews 37. In the same capacity of holy things under the Gospel in which they were under the Law 196 197 c. 304. How in a capacity of ingaging to the practice of repentance 195 196 c. 384. How stand in need of Baptism 204. As capable of the benefit or the ends of Baptism as the ends of imposition of hands 307. 308. Why not capable of the Lords Table 338. How and why the children of God 360. Whether and how all children are capable of Baptism 363. Jews children involved in the rejection of their parents 36 37 Christ His Faith not of the same kind with the Faith of other beleevers 386 387. Whether baptized upon the account of his faith and what Faith 388 389 c. Whether consecrated himself to the service of the Gospel by Baptism Not baptized in conformity to the common Law or rule of baptizing 388 389. c. May be put on several waies 270 Church-membership a great priviledge to children under the Law 35. So under the Gospel also 36. No Levitical ceremony nor abolished by Châ—ist 42 43 Circumcâ—sion with all the burthen of the Mosaical Law atding it no yoke in comparison of Baptism as it is now obtruded 166. The end and use of it better serv'd by the the circumcising of children then of men 174 196 199 208 308. A sign or seal of no mans Faith 194 195. The use and end of it the same in substance with those of Baptism 187. Why the fierce Advocates of it so severely censured by the Apostle 102 103. The end of it 174. Ingaged to the practise of Repentance as well as Faith 194 195. The remaining of it in the flesh 289 290 c. The visibility of it not insisted upon by the Scriptures 290 c. Not profitable without keeping the Law 297. Not a seal of righteousnesse of Abrahams Faith onely 33 188 189 c. Intended primarily for children yet first administred unto men 112. Profited not upon the meer deed done 297 298 c. How it abolished from Christ 226. The Circumcision of men more spoken of in the old Testament then of câ—ildren and why 1â—9 c. The administration of iâ— unto inâ—â—nâ—s a paâ—â— of the wisdom and strength of the Law 309. Theâ—r sons of Infant Circumcision Evâ—nâ—eâ—ical 315 â—â—quired onâ—y a regâ—laâ— pâ—ssiveness in â—tâ— prâ—pâ—r suâ—jâ—ct 339. More edâ—â—ying in being administâ—ed unto children 345. The want of it why thrâ—atned with cutting â—ff 349. Though â—ot râ—ceived voluntarily ye profited afterwards 3â—1 Circumstance Diffâ—rent circumstaâ—ces may justified dâ—fferent actions 113. may suspend lawful yea in some caâ—es necessary actions 123 Conscience Reverence is due to the consciences of the Saints 172 Consent Subsequent and Antecedent 335 Conâ—equences from Scripture are Scripture 15 16. Tâ—â— mâ—re unablâ— or in â—xpert mâ—n are to raise conâ—equences regularly they must needs be so much the more ignorant of the mind of God in the Scriptures 112 c. Contra-Remonstrants magnifie tâ—eir opinions 10 Contraries One contrary â—emoved placeth not the other 184 Cyprian oft cited by Austin for Inâ—ant-bapâ—iâ—m 134. ciâ—ed 148 D Deodate 217 Dâ—â—piâ—g with garments or without very inconvenienâ— 56 57 64. Was the Devils ceremony 58 59 Dâ—natists 9. E 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—metimes used for ad unto 60. Sometimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 65 66. Sometimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because or for the sake of 247 Ex sometimes signifieth fâ—om 60 Errour is apt to propagate 89 90 Est us 265 Eugenius Pope 241 Eunomius 9 Eunuch Act. 8. not dipped 51 52 61 62 Examples of Christ and the Apostles do not bind universally 116 117. In what cases they bind 127 F Fact Meer matter of fact no meet pillar to build any mans Faith upon 116 117 Faith and Repentance dead works according to Mr. A. untill Baptism quickeneth them 221. Faith under the Law how differs from Faith under the Gospel 266. How it qualifieth for Baptism 391 c. It investeth men with the prerogative of Sonship 391 392 c. Mr. Fisher 34. acknâ—wledgeth the Jews doting on the Circumcising of their childâ—en 144. His hard hap 150. His misunderstanding Christs imposition of hands on the children 160. His daring assertions 162 163 166. His mistaken construction of Abrahams receiving Circumcision 188 189. His true interpretation of the verb substanâ—ive 193. His error that Baptism is no sign unto children 199 200. Knoweth better how to triumph then to conquer 166. Resisteth Mr. Tombs 361 G Godfathers Godmothers thâ—ir origiâ—al recorded in Church History not the original of Infant bapâ—ism 140 Grotius 217 265 268 Guaâ—ter 241 H Hands Laying on of hands a mean of receiving the Spirit not Baptism 329 330. Chilâ—ren why capable of laying on hands 339 Dr Holms 136 149 Mr Th. Hooker 53 Houshold and house commonly signifie children in an house aâ— well as others 131 I Jaylor and his house whether dipt when baptized 69 70 147 Idolatrous usage prohibited by God 59 Jews their zeal for their câ—ildren 45. yet never complained of their not being baptized 45 Imitating Christ and the Apostles in their arguing how necessary 320 321 322 Infant-baptism yeeldth all the real fruits of true Baptism 97 99. May be proved from the Scriptures to have been practised in the Apostles daies though not from the History of the Scriptures 115. Proved by many arguments that it was then practised 122. to p. 150. Asserted from the Apostles by more then two or three witnesses 138 139. If forborn by the Apostles it was neither out of their own private spirits nâ—r by any Scripture restraint 122 c. There may be other reasons now for it 124 125. The original of it not recordeâ— in any Church-history 149 141. No reason or likelyhood that it should be inâ—râ—duced into the Church contrary to the practisâ— of it in the Apostles daies 147. The first opposers of it both in former and latter times were wicked men and unsound in the Faith 142 143.
CATA-BAPTISM OR New Baptism waxing old and ready to vanish away In Two Parts The former Containes LVIII CONSIDERATIONS With their respective Proofs and Consectaries Pregnant for the healing of the common scruples touching the subject of Baptism and manner of Baptizing The latter contains an Answer to a Discours against Infant-Baptism published not long since by W. A. under the Title of Some Baptismall Abuses Briefly Discovered c. In both sundry things not formerly insisted on are Discovered and Discussed By J. G. a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ And were all Baptized into Moses c. 1 Cor. 10. 2. I indeed Baptize you with water Unto Repentance Mat. 3 11. Baptismus est lavacrum regenerationis sed non ita ut regenerati tantùm illo debeant obsignari sed etiam Regenerandi Musc in Mat. 22. 41. 42. Baptizantur Infantes in futuram poenitentiam fidem Calv. Instit lib. 4. c. 16. §. 20. London Printed for H Cripps and L. Lloyd and are to be sold at their shops neer the Castle in Cornhil and in Popes-head-Alley 1655. To the Sons and Daughters of God walking in the Way best known by the Name of Ana-Baptism growth in Grace and the knowledg of Jesus Christ our Lord. BELOVED I speak it as in the §. 1. sight of God I am in a great straite how to temper my speech for your best advantage in this my solemn address unto you Very loth I am on the one hand to deal so unfaithfully or un-Christianly with you as upon such an opportunity not to speak the truth unto you in such things wherein I either certainly know or else have weighty grounds to judge that it most neerly concerns you to know and to consider it and on the other hand very unwilling I am also to speak any thing for which either weakness or uncharitableness it self shall be able to judg me your enemie I well know it becomes me not to say of you as Nabal'â— servant spake of his Master He is so wicked that a man cannot speak to him a 1 Sam. 25. 17. meaning without offending or provoking him yet my Experience importunes me to speak this that some of you yea some of those whom I have cause to judge the strongest amongst you are so weak that words as innocent as inoffensive as the greatest Christian tenderness or caution can lightly indite have notwithstanding been a burthen and offence unto them I could readily instance in sundry particulars as well of words phrases and passages of this harmless import as of persons among you who nevertheless have turned their innocencie into guilt and made themselves agrieved at them but that I fear lest this also should be an offence unto you I call God for a record upon my soul that I have §. 2. not the least touch of any malignancie or frowardness of spirit against any of you but can freely serve the meanest of you in love yea and stoop to loose the latcher of his shoe who is the most jealous amongst you of the candor and simplicitie of my heart towards you Yea I have upon occasion and this more than once given a very passeable account of my unpartiall respects unto all of your way and practise worthy the repute of godliness by girding my self and ministring with all my might to some particulars of you But I know how hard a thing it is not to be offended with him that shall touch the Apple of a mans eye or that shall attempt to change the glorie and height of his confidence into the shame of guilt and errour And the truth is that you have much obstructed the way of your return and regainment unto the Truth by an importune and undue magnifying of your errour If you could have been content in estimating your new Baptism and the want or non-practise of it in others to contain you selves within those bounds of Reason and Truth which the Holy Ghost prescrib's in a like or rather indeed in a far better case saying That Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping the Commandments of God a 1 Cor. 7. 19. and again In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love b Gal. 5. 6. and yet again If the circumcision keep the righteousness of the Law his un-circumcision shal be counted for circumcision c Rom. 2. 26. See these passages argued and opened Water-Dipping p. 78. 79. 80. c. If I say you could look upon your Baptism as availing you nothing without Faith working by Love and keeping the Commandments of God and again upon the want of your Baptism as no wayes prejudiciall unto those who under another Baptism beleeve unfeignedly in Jesus Christ and walk holily and humbly with their God this would be an effectual door of hope opened unto me that you were yet within call and might be reduced and brought back again in your judgments unto the truth as some of the best of those who through humain frailty and immaturity of consideration had embraced your way from time to time have done What a man moderately or soberly valueth may §. 3. be purchased of him at a reasonable rate But whilst God's Nothing yea that which is less then that Nothing of his we now speak of is your All things whilst you judge your tything of mint anise and cummin or rather indeed of nettles thistles and unprofitable weeds to be the practise of mercy and judgement and the weighty things of the Law your reconcilement with the Truth though advancing in the front of my desires yet keeps in the reer of my expectations For when a man prizeth any thing he possesseth at an unreasonable rate he is so much the more like to keep possession of it still unless haply the thief digs through the house and violently takes it away Some of your Churches esteem all others no better then Heathen and Publicans who refuse to cast in their lot with them in their venturous practise of new Baptism a Ad forum fâ—cto concurcu clamorem tollunt omnes non baptizatos jubent interfici tanquam paganos impios Joh. Sleidan de Anabaptistis Comment lib. 10. refusing all Christian communion with them though otherwise they be the glory of Christ and of the Gospel when as many of themselves are the shame and reproach of both And if my intelligence faileth me not other of your Churches are lifting up their hearts to a like zealous exaltation of your way as by proscribing or evacuating all the Faith Love Zeal Holiness Meekness Humility Wisdom and Knowledge shining in the Christian world which shall not approve themselves unto you by falling down before the golden image which you have set up But in this your humour of making such sacred § 4. treasure of your new Baptism you declare your selves to be the true heirs and successors of those in all ages who
themselves might they not justly have denied Paul's assertion concerning their being compleat in Christ might they not have objected and said we are not as compleat in Christ or under the Gospel as we were or might be in Moses or by subjecting our selves to the Law In Moses or under the Law we had the great spiritual priviledge or accommodation of Circumcision as well for our children as our selves whereas in Christ or under the Gospel we want not onely the Ordinance of Circumcision but all other priviledges or accommodations of like import in respect of our children For the Baptism you speak of and which you make the successor of Circumcision you permit us not to administer unto them In this respect therefore we are maimed or lame in Christ not so well accommodated not so compleated in him as we were in Moses under the Law 11. Some of the greatest Defenders of Mr. A's faith in the point of Anti-poedo-Baptism acknowledge that according to Mr. A's principles touching the extent of the Grace of God in the death of Christ children ought to be baptized If saith Mr. Tombs Exercit. concerning Infant-Baptism pag. 24. it should be made known to us that Children are sanctified I should not doubt that they are to be baptized He expresseth his sence to the same purpose elsewhere as viz. pag. 19. Now according to the tenor of Mr. A's faith the Apostles did know that Children were sanctified and consequently according to the sence of the prime head of his party that they ought to be baptized And if the Apostles doubted not but that children were to be baptized how can I reasonably doubt but that they did baptize them I know some others of Mr. A's sence in the point of Rebaptism who join with Mr. Tombs in his sence touching the meetnesse of baptizing infants upon a supposal of their being in favour with God Sect. 32. 12. And lastly there â—an no probable no nor tolerable reason or account be given why any such innovation or practice as the baptizing of Infants should be brought into the Churches of Christ especially so soon after the Apostles and in those times wherein all records of Antiquity mention the use and practice of it This is another consideration pregnant of proof that Infant-Baptism was the practice of the Apostles as well as of later times If it could be supposed to be any waies gratificatory to the flesh which yet is a studied and far-fetch'd pretence yet such a motive or ground as this no waies suits with the zeal diligence faithfulness painfulness self-denial most exemplary mortification of the chief Pastors of Churches and Ministers of the Gospel in those times Non ut nunc sic olim it is a very weak and childish conceit to imagine that Tertullian Origen Cyprian Jerome Austine with many other worthy Agents for Christ and the Gospel in their times who were able and ready to be baptized in their own bloud for Christ and the Gospels sake as 〈◊〉 of them actually were should rebell against so great an Ordinance of Christ and Gospel institution as Baptism or deprave and vitiate the Administration of it thorough fear of going into cold water and of administring it in a River especially considering that in those warmer Climates of the world where they lived cool waters were rather matter of delight and refreshing unto nature then of offence or inconvenience Yea Mr. Laurence for the Treatise intituled Of Baptism is generally reputed his and is none of the worst pieces written in the cause of Anti-poedo-Baptism to salve his notion of the necessity of dipping if it may be out of the hand of the Holy Ghost recording the baptizing of the Jaylor and his houshold by Paul to have been in the night is pleased to suppose that in those Eastern and hotter Countries bathing was of great and continual use and that in this respect the keeper of the Prison MIGHT be provided of some vessel fit for bathing and washing the whole body which might serve for the use of Baptism a Of Baptism pag. 81 82. I confesse this is a pretty ingenious conceit to help a lame notion over the wall that standeth in the way but in the mean time we see how the greatest Patrons of Anti-poedo-Baptism are necessitated to Sanctuary their cause under the shadow of their wits and fancies the Scriptures ever and anon forsaking them and many times rising up against them They tell us that we build onely upon consequences and deductions from Scripture wherein we are fallible and subject to errour but certainly the weakest of our consequences are much stronger then such suppositions as this and more relative to the Scriptures Yea the very truth is that themselves hold nothing that reacheth their cause in opposition unto us but onely consequences such as they are pretended from the Scriptures They never yet produced nor ever will any Text of Scripture wherein Infant-Baptism is in expressenesse of words declared to be unlawfull Therefore they who undertake to prove it such from the Scriptures must of necessity levy consequences to serve in their warfare But the late mentioned Author to preserve dipping from drowning in the Jaylors baptism makes two suppositions like two corkes one upon another neither of which hath so much as one dust or grain of sand in the Scripture for a foundation First that the Jaylor had a Vessel in his house fit for baâ—hing and washing the whole body 2. That this vessel served for the use of Baptism by dipping If his intent was onely to affirm and say that he MIGHT have such a Vessel and again that such a Vessel MIGHT serve for Baptism he supposeth indeed nothing but what may well be supposed but withall saith nothing to his purpose But this by the way Onely evident it is upon the credit of my Author that in the hotter Regions of the earth going into the water could be no great affliction to the flesh as neither is it in these colder Climates themselves in warm seasons as well boys as men going into rivers and dowsing themselves over head and ears for their pleasure Therefore an unwillingnesse to administer Baptism in rivers is no likely motive occasion or temptation to have diverted the primitive and worthy Bishops and Pastors of Christian Churches from such an administration of it to an administration by sprinkling had they apprehended it to be the onely regular administration How otherwise the sprinkling of infants should accommodate the interest of the flesh more then the baptizing of Beleevers in Rivers is as far as I can apprehend of no easie conjecture And however no accommodation whatsoever in this kind is like either to have perverted the judgements or polluted the consciences either of Cyprian or of any other those most zealous and faithfull servants of God who both before him and after him and in the same age with him unanimously both pleaded and practised Infant-Baptism It is a memorable saying of this Cyprian and
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
it self Therefore if the uncircumcision shall keep the righteousnesse of the law shall not his uncircumsion be counâ—ed for circumcision i. shall he not be equall in account with God with him that is circumcised though as righteous as he Rom. 2. 26. in like manner if he who verily thinks he hath been baptized shal as really coÌ„scieÌ„tiously perform all the ingagemeÌ„ts which Baptism imposeth upon men shall not his non-baptism be counted Baptism unto him and for any matter of benefit which Mr. A. can pretend should accrue unto a person actually baptized by means of this his Baptism the same or as much questionlesly shall be conferred by God upon him in whom he findeth a willing heart ready mind to be baptized and who refraineth from being actually baptized only out of conscience towards God and fear of offending him Sect. 125. Whereas Mr. A. pretendeth that opportunitie of satisfaction by the means specified touching mans having been baptized may be cut off by the death or other removal of such from whom it is to be received or else by the removall of such Infants themselves into places faâ—re remote before they come to age c. answer in part hath been made already where it was shewed that little or no inconvenience accrueth unto any man by his not having been baptized in case he be verily perswaded that he hath been baptized and with all is inwardly and cordially willing and readie to be baptized in case he deemed himself unbaptized I here adde 1. That in case the generall usage and custome of the Church or People of God in any place be to baptize their children though all ocular witnesses as Parents neighbours kindred c. of the baptizing of any person should be cut off by death or however yet the known custome of the place is securitie in abundance to such a person that he hath been baptized Therefore Mr. A's supposall in the case before us is impertinent and slight And 2. The course which Mr. A. himself steers with his children I mean in not causing them to come unto Christ in Baptism the more generall practise of the Churches and people of God in the Nation which stands for baptizing children considered is farre more likely in case of his removal by death or of his childreÌ„s removal into places far remote before they come to age to deprive them of all means of satisfactioÌ„ touching their baptizing then the baptizing of children in a coÌ„currence w ith the generall practise of the Saints where they were born is to draw them into a snare of uncertaintie whether they were baptized or no whatsoever may befall to disadvantage them in this kind For in case the Parents of Mr. A's children shall be both dead before they the said children come to age what means is there for them to receive satisfaction whether they were baptized or no 3. And lastly according to M. A's own principles it is little or nothing materiall wheither a person being come to years of understanding knoweth that he was baptized in infancie or no. For in case he were baptized this Baptism with Mr. A. was but a nullitie and consequently the person remains notwithstanding this Baptism unbaptized and in case he were not then Baptized he is but in the self same condition Sect. 126. All these particulars duly weighed and considered it is too evident to be denied by any but those that will not see that Mr. A. had very small reason to affirm that there is not as good reason for the baptizing of Infants as there was for their circumcising only because circumcision was no transient thing but permanent in the flesh whereas Baptism is transient and leaves no visible impression in the flesh of the Infant and that he might with as much reason argue thus there was not the same reason why Matthew should be an Evangelist which there was for Luke because Matthew had sometimes been a Publican whereas Luke was a Physitian or thus there is not the same reason why Maâ—y should be saved which there is why Lazarus should be saved because Lazarus is a man whereas Mary is a woman These are very genuine parallels of Mr. A's reasoning in the first point of difference assigned by him between the Circumcising of Infants and their baptizing Nor doth he quit himself any whit more like a man in his second the tenour hereof being this p. 27. 2. I answer yet further that the end of Circumcision though administred to infants was better attained then the end of Baptism can be when it is so applied because much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done without respect to any inward qualification or endowment whereas the benefit of Baptism doth not accrue meerly upon the work done but is suspended upon the knowledge faith c. of him that is baptized This somewhat also being cast up amounts to just nothing For 1. The main hinge upon which this peiece of discouse turneth is crazie and crakt quite thorow For it is a not orious untruth that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done Against such a notion as this the Scripture riseth up like an armed man For Circumcision saith the Apostle verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision Rom. 2 25 If much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised meerly upon the work done Circumcision would have profited them and that to a considerable degree whether they had kept the Law i. the rest of the Law or no. And Circumcision would have been not only that in the heart but that which was outward also in the flesh which notwithstanding the Apostle ver 28. 29. denieth it to be Yea 2. It is so far from being true that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done that without righteousnesse and worthy walking it rendered the Circumcised so much the more obnoxious to the displeasure and judgement of God And shall not uncircumcision saith the Apostle which is by nature if it fulfill the Law judge thee who by the letter and Circumcision dost transgresse the Law Rom. 2. 27. Yea Sect. 127. 2. Such observations of the Law from whence there is much more reason and likelyhood that much benefit should have accrued to the observers upon the work done then from Circumcision upon these terms were yet so farre from being beneficiall unto them upon any such account that they were an hatred and abomination unto God To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices When you come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands to tread in my courts Bring no more oblations incense is an abomination unto me The new moons and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth c. Isa 1.
for that wherein he is meerly passive he saith nothing either to help his own cause or to harme the cause of his adversaries For who ever said on the one hand or proved on the other that Baptism was or is rewardâ—d by God unless the word be taken actively or for the act of baptizing which I know is not Mr. A's â—nce here NotwithstaÌ„ding it may be some question amongst wiser men then either he or I whether God in some cases may not reward his creature man for that wherein he is only passive and particularly whether he will not reward Rachels children as they are called Mat. 2. 18. for the losse of their lives by Herods murtherous crueltie although they were only passive herein But concerning Baptism there being nothing in it simply as such afflicting or grievous to the flesh but as it may be administred and received rather pleasing to it I know no ground why any man should look upon it as rewardable by God Only when as Mr. A. speaketh it is submitted unto in obedience to God I judge it to be rewardable by God according to the line and measure of other acts of obedience commensurable in difficultie of performance unto it But as I judge the obedientiall perseverance and continuance in the profession of baptism in those who were baptized when believers as much or more rewardable by God as their momentanie act in their first submission unto it and receiving it so I judge a conscientious owning and profession of their Baptism in those who were baptized Infants when they come to years of understanding and their perseverance in this profession unto the end altogether as rewardable by God as the voluntary taking up of the Ordinance in conjunction with the like perseverance in the other When Mr. A. shall offer unto me a considerable reason for the contrary I shall demurre untill this his reason and my understanding have conferd together about the case In the mean time I cannot but judg a conscientious owning of a mans Baptism whensoever received aswell and as much yea and as worthy a morall action as the receiving or taking it up at any time and consequently that the good things annâ—xed unto Baptism I mean unto a willing and obedientiall submission unto Baptism by way of a promissorie recompence may upon a very good ground be expected though not by Infants whilst such yet by persons who were baptized Infants when they come to be men and women and shall professe such an acceptance of or submission unto their Baptism Sect. 165. The third and last reason which Mr. A. offereth upon the account lately specified uttereth it self in these words 3. I have proved before in another Argument that now under the Gospel-ministration there is no benefit comes either Mr. A. p. 39 40. by Baptism or any other Ordinance but by means of his Faith who partakes thereof Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. i. e. in any service to approve ones self acceptable unto him For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. I answer 1. That I also have proved that neither did there any benefit come either by Circumcision or any other Ordinance under the Legal-ministration but by means of his Faith who did partake of them and yet God judged it meet that Infants should be circumcised Peruse Sect. 127 130 145 163. 2. It hath been lately shewed likewise that though children did not approve themselves unto God in their being circumcised yet God did approve of their Circumcision yea and they who Circumcised them did or might approve themselves unto him in the service What then hinders but that God may approve of childrens being baptized though children at the time of their baptism cannot approve themselves unto him And if Circumcision profited those who were circumcised â—nfants by means of that Faith which was found in them when they came to be men as we lately heard why may not the Baptism received in Infancie benefit the receivers of it by means of that faith which by the Grace of God comes to be wrought in them afterwards So that here is nothing in in this reason but what hath been out-reasoned over and over Yea Mr. A. himself it seems was aware that this Reason of his was Obnoxious to the Answers which have been given unto it but excuseth himself thus I shall not here again answer the case of Infant-Circumcision Mr. A. p. 40 which possibly may again rise up in the minds of some against what hath been now laid down in this Argument also but shall referre the Reader for satisfaction herein to what hath been already done about that subâ—ect in answer to another Objection as judging it sufficient at this turn also I answer that the Sanctuary unto which he sends his Reader to secure him from the force of the Objection which he feareth hath been polluted since the building of it and is razed to the ground See Sect. 120. to the end of Sect. 134. Sect. 166. Before he comes to grapple with that Objection or Argument of his Adversaries with the conquest and overthrow of which be thinks it honourable to sound a retreat and to ungird his armour he interlaceth this discourse I shall not proceed further to leavie more Arguments to Mr. A. p. 40. serve in this Controversie unlesse occasionally though many more of like import with the former might perhaps readily be formed and drawn up as judging these already insisted on abundantly sufficient to detect the vanity of Infant-baptism For answer remembring the Latine Proverb Suum cuique pulchrum every mans own is lovely in his own eyes I look upon Mr. A's conceit of an aboundant sufficiencie in his Arguments for the purpose he speaks of but as a strain of that weaknesse which is much incident to men It is the wise mans observation Every way of a man is right in his own eyes a Pro. 21. 2. Upon the account hereof it is no great matter of offence to me that Mr. A. pleaseth himself with a supposall that he hath detected the vanity of Infant-baptism By way of recompence I trust it shall be no great offence unto him that I am confident that instead of detecting the vanity of Infant-baptism he hath detected the vanity of his undertakeing against it and hath confirmed the doctrine and practise which he opposeth by letting the world see how little weight either of reason or truth there is in such Arguments which are leviable against them and how there is nothing to be found in the Scriptures rightly managed and understood that condemneth or discountenanceth them But hear we the processe of this his by-discourse Nor shall I apply my self to answer those many contrary Arguments which are wont to be mustered up in defence M. A. p. 40. of Infant-Baptism not because I count them or any of them impregnable or of hard or difficult attempt but partly because in those Arguments I
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
better to marry then burn 108 9. 9. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn 4 10. 1 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud c. 37 38 11. 28. But let a man examine himself c. 25 26 14. 12. Seek to excel to the edifying of the Church 173 14. 26. Let all things be done to edifying 345 1 Cor. 14. 31. They may all prophecie one by one that all may learn c. 246 2 Cor. 2. 16. And who is sufficient for these things 23 13. 1. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established 133 138 Gal. 3. 12. For the Law is not of Faith but the man that doth them shall live in them 299 3. 24. Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith 266 267. 3. 25 26 27. But after Faith is come we are no longer under a Schoolmaster For ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Iesus For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ 265 266 c. 286. 3. 29. If ye be Christ ' s then are ye Abraham ' s seed 271. 272 5. 5. We thorough the spirit wait for the hope of the righteousness by Faith 249 7. Ye are all partakers of my grace 276 Philip. 1. 16. The one preach Christ of contention not sincerely suppossing to adde affliction to my bands 24 Col. 2. 8. After the rudiments of the world 318 319 2. 11 12. In whom also ye are circumcised Buried with him in Baptism 145 256 1. 5. The unfeigned Faith which is in thee which first dwelt in thy Grand mother c. 190 2 Tim. 4. 3. For the time will come when men will not endure sound Doctrine but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves Teachers having c. 2 Heb. 12. 14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord page 373 Iam. 3. 2. For in many things we offend all 212 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like figure whereto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh c. 256 302 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophecie c. 322 1 Joh. 3. 10. Whosoever doth not righteiusness is not of God c. 373 A Table of the particulars contained in the preceding Discourse A ADminâ—stration No administration comprehendeth or expresseth the whole mind of God in or abouâ— the Ordinance administred 110 111 118 Agreeableness may stand in the community of one property only 325 Mr. Allen his Petition p. 101. His discourse how censured by some p. 102. His abuse of Baptism the greatest 104. His question not properly about Baptism nor the administration of Baptism 104 111. Not stated in opposition to his adversaries 108. His prescription how to come to satisfaction in it 111. Makes the night overseer of the day 111. Takes no notice of a want of a Baptismal Institution ibid. His late opinion about anoynting with Oyl 113. He turns aside from his business 123. Alters the state of the question 261. Differs from his Master Fisher 34 199. Cites Scriptures against himself 154. Rends Christian society upon had-I-wist 216. Alloweth not the holy Ghost the liberty of his own understanding to draw up his own records 152. Maketh himself wise above what is written 151. Offereth sacrifice to an unknown God 185. Contradicteth himself 228 198 214 265 305 340 371. Most heavily censureth the whole Christian world 218 221 222. Blameth in Paedobaptists what himself practiseth 314. Citeth Scriptures impertinenâ—ly 306. Triumpheth without a Conquest 278. Mispropoundeth the argument of his adversaries 359. In his citations of Scripture he somtimes putteth in wâ—rds that make for him and sometimes leaveth out words that make against him 181 182 260 302 Ana-baptism can sail with any wind 162. Not so termed by way of disparagement or disgrace 165. Not justifiable by the Scriptures 72 73. The wrath of God hath been from time to time revealed from heaven against it and this in several kinds 80 81 82 c. An harbinger to erroneous wild and fond opinions 81 82 83 c. Anabaptists Some Samaritanâ—ze better Jews then themselves 9. No good consequeâ—tialists 13. Multiply bands of conscience without Scripture 14. Improvident in exchanging their Infant-baptism 18. Superstitious and Will-worshippers 30 41. Make the entrance into Christian Churches more dangerous and grievous then the entrance into the Jewish Church was 39. Act beside and without Scripture warrant or example 42. Former and latter compared 86. Two sorts of them 88. Their Churches divided 362. They have alwaies been injurious to the Gospel 85 86 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it sign fieth 25 Augustin for Infant-Baptism from the Apostles 133 134 c. 140. Accounteth for the original of Godfathers c. 41 B Baptism A seal of the righteousness of Faith page 34 190 191. Not to be administred with danger 20 21. May be performed without dipping 29. Questions about in like to be endless 104. and little advantageous to the Gospel 107. Contendings about Baptism now and Circumcision of old compared 102 103. Idolized by Mr. A. ibid. Never expressed by the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to dip 47. Typifies Christs applying him â—lf unto men 55. not given for bodily cures 57. Manifestation of Christ to the world no end of it 175 176 c. 283. Justifying God in the sight of the world no end of it 259 260. compared with Circumcision 187. When it is common it is no argument of Faith 178 179 c. It is not unlawful when some one end of it only is not attained 258. It is not a part of the Gospel 263. Is no Scripture test oâ— visible Saintship 274. 275 276 c. 281. No declaration or profession of Christ made by it unto the world 283 284. c. Administred in Rivers and in cold seasons prejudicial unto health yea and life it self 39. Three kindâ— of Baptism besides Water-baptism 236. Whether Christ be put on by Baptism 285 286. How it saveth 302 303. Whether it be a part of the Gospel ministration 327. Whether it contributes towards the receiving of the Spirit 327 328 c. Requireth no active principle in the subject in reference to the reception of it 241 338. It is still in force 349. although the arguments to the contrary have not been well answered by any Anti-pado-baptist 231 232. Why called the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins 380 381. Whether and how rewardable 353. Why described as relating onely unto persons of discretion 372 373. How rewardable without Faith 153. What it must be that qualifieth for it 380 Adult baptism a seminary of confusion in Churches constituted 32. Amongst persons born of Christian Parents not consistent with the Gospel rule of Baptizing 70 71 72 c. Baptism administred to non-beleevers 112. 113