good to give unto them a full and proportionable answer what pains and time soever it should cost me But that which you propound in your second sheet to me is nothing but certain Considerations of your own against baptism of Infants and about some Texts of Scripture the very froth and barmings of your own head the which if I should let alone unreplied to as once I was resolved would of themselves sink disperse and fall to nothing But lost you should swell and be puffed up in any conceipt of these your considerations as the Bladder is with its own winde I will as briefly as I can with my short breath by reason of my old age blow away your froth and let out your winde that so the hollowness and shallowness of them may appear to the Reader The Title you set over your first Consideration is this More particularly about the Doctrine of Babtism Baptism consider these Arguments proved by clear and plain Scripture Sir this is a false Title to your Tractate for if you would have done here more particularly it should have been and you should have said about the Doctrine of Infant-Baptism for if you bring not Arguments not onely about Baptism as you say but against Infant baptism and these proved by clear and plain Scripture I shall not consider them neither have you considered well of our difference 1. You bid me Consider that the Doctrine of Infants Babtism overthrows the nature of the Covenant of grace and the whoe whole Gospel of Christ why so because the Covenant of grace and Gospel of Christ stands upon the account of faith actual in there one heir own persons as uppears in John 3.36 and John 5.24 But Infants Babtism stand upon the account of the faith in there their Parents or Surtie Sureties although they have none for themselves and so makes faith void and unnesesery unnecessary to the perticipation participation of the Covenant Rom. 4.13 Gal. 3.17 8. But what do I did I not say I would not transcribe your words of your second sheet but I see I must do it for there is so much false-written English in them that I must of necessity do it lest if inscribed to my Answer that may be thought mine But to the matter Baptism of Infants of Believers doth not overthrow but establish the Covenant and Gospel of Grace because it sealeth and executeth it Neither doth the Covenant of Grace and the Gospel stand upon the account of actual Faith in all mens own persons but onely such as being grown in years are converted from Paganism these must make profession of faith before they can come into the Covenant and be sealed But actual faith is not a Condition required as to the Covenant or Seal in Infants Your Text therefore of John 3.36 is not to the purpose as which onely sets everlasting life upon to use your phrase the account of actual faith which I grant and so doth the next Text John 5.24 as appears for that he begins with and speaks of such as do hear the Word of God and beleeve in Christ which is not appliable to Infants but grown men And as to your Inference The baptism of Infants stands upon the account of their being in Covenant together with their Parents and not upon the account of the Faith in their Parents or Sureties but only so far as the Faith of the Parents serves to shew them a seed of the faithful and the Faith of the Sureties undertakes for their education in and profession of Faith afterwards How strangely also do you pervert that Text Romans 4.13 For it is there said the promise was made to Abraham that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the Righteousnesse of Faith Which he had yet being uncircumcised to whom God upon this account of this faith made the Promise both to himself and his Seed you would have the faith there spoken of to be the faith of the Seed or Infant as holding it necessary to the participation of the Covenant and so falsifie both Covenant and Text which both together with your last Gal. 3.17 do quite overthrow your first overthrowing Consideration for Argumentation here is none More of this you shall have hereafter Your second Consideration because it hath a Narration yea a repetition of what you set down in your first Page about the nature of the state so you speak whereas rather you should say the state of the Nature of Christs true visible Church under the Gospel to the shewing of which you here onely describe Christs true invisible Church and therefore cite the Texts you did before and add some more that speak onely of invisible Members such as you call Saints made so by the immortal Seed new Creatures by the benefit of Regeneration I shall therefore say nothing to that here but refer you and especially the Reader to what I have largely before discoursed about the state and nature for I will correct my self too of the Church both visible and invisible for though you may perhaps have no such care of me I must and will be carefull that I dead not the Reader by any tedious and vain repetitions and Tautologies Yet this I say in anser to it That Infant-Baptism in the Church is so far from overthrowing as you argue the nature and state of Christs true visible Church that it is rather much confirmed and established increased and enlarged thereby because thereby more are admitted in present members visible and are engaged to be for the future visible professors and confessors of Christ yea and the invisible Church also is not overthrown but upheld and augmented by our Baptism of Infants as whereby many Infants are not onely dedicated and consecrated unto Christ but are also by Baptism as a Seal and Means as I have shewed regenerated and so fitted and prepared the better for Heaven and happiness And whereas you add That Infants Baptism is grounded upon the Relation they have to the Church by generation onely or by the meer pro ession of faith and repentance in the Parents and Sureties I see you are corrupted in your Principles and grounds of Divinity Once more I tell you I pray learn it now for I will teach you it no more for the Readers sake that Infants Baptism is grounded and foundationed upon the Covenant of God made with the believing Parents for himself and Infants and that which you call Generation doth but raise up the ground and foundation-foundation-Covenant to bring it into some act of visibility in relation to the Church for the Seal thereof And so also Infants have not their relation unto the Church by generation rather by this they have relation to the world nor by the meer faith and repentance of the Parents and Sureties but by the Covenant and the Seal thereof in both which Infants are interessed together with their Parents have they their relation
partakers of the Covenant that other way by obedience to the Law if it could it should have been done that way Adam though made perfectly Righteous and able did not answer it and if God had tryed Adam the second time he would not have answered in obedience to it but would have broken it again and so should we Therefore it must needs be by Faith embracing the promises and so amswering them that the Covenant of Grace must be made sure unto us which otherwise could never have been done But all this maketh nothing against the exposition of the Text above of Infants being in Covenant with their faithfull Parents and included yea they are expressed in the promise for God looked upon the Faith of Abraham when he entred into Covenant with him and his Children and made the promise to be the God of him and his seed and hereupon himself was Circumcised and his seed And where God pleaseth and when he pleaseth as he doth give sanctity the Spirit and other Graces to Infants as to the Innocents Jeremy John the Bap. so the habit of Faith infused it being the Condition on mans part yet wrought in every Elect Infant by God whereby they answer the promise as to the good and benefit of the Covenant if they dye before or soon after the Sealing thereof by Baptism besides that Infants being born of Parents in Covenant and themselves also in Covenant with God and others as sureties and sponsors in the name of the Infants answering for their Faith and promising for their education in the Faith and the Churches charitable opinion or judging them to have Faith are sufficient to answer the promise as for the outward visible seal which is Baptism to be conferred upon them But you make an answer to an objection which will make also an answer to the promise If any will say say you that the Parents may believe for their Children and so their Faith will answer the promise I answer 1. That the Text doth not say the promise is made to you in the behalf of your Children but to you and to your Children and therefore you must believe for your selves and they for themselves or else neither you nor they do answer the promise Somewhat of this before Sir whilest you are about this promise I wish you would observe the precept of using no vain repetitions as here you do so that I must either wholly omit or repeat vainly with you 1. Though the Text saith not so much in so many words yet it meaneth so much The Promise is made to you in the behalf of your Children also that word added it is the same with The Promise is made to you and your Children both together and joyntly the one being in promise as well and as soon as the other and thus the Text neither saith or denyeth your objection nor your answer For the promise may be truly made and is to believing Parents and their Children whether the Parents do believe for their Children also or the Children for themselves 2. Whereas you say Parents must believe for themselves and children for themselves or neither answer the promise it is truly meant according to the inward and spiritual part thereof so as to partake of Remission of sin Justification and Salvation But yet the Faith of Parents in Covenant may be and is so far beneficial to their born Children that thereby they are declared to be also in Covenant with themselves and to have a Right and Title unto the Seal of the Promise and the external Ordinances and outward Privileges of the Church and in respect of these may be said to answer the promise For the promise is the whole Covenant and the dispensations of it in outward Ordinances as well as saving Graces and it s your constant errour and mistake never to speak distinctly of this promise but usually and onely strictly of the saving Graces thereof belonging to the Elect whereas there is an answering of this promise also by visible profession and external Church-membership and privileges which is done both by the Parents and Children whether the inward Graces thereof be known or not Concerning Infants Faith and their inward Graces whereby you will have them also and they may be answerable to the inward promise I refer you to what I have said before 3. You Sir must own the Child above and it must be laid at your doors I mean the objection there made That Parents may believe for their Children and so answer the Promise I do not believe you can find out a Father for it nor did I ever reade the words as I remember it is true as I have related before that Parents did answer for the Faith of their Children presented to Baptism when the Child was asked dost thou believe the Parent in the Name and place of his Child answered I believe but this is far off from your Parents believing for their Children for it was onely Parents professing of their Childrens Faith or the Childrens professing their Faith by or in the mouth of their Parents as I have largely shewed And as for those Divines who though contesting for Infant-Baptism because they could not be perswaded of Infants-Faith made their refuge to Parents-Faith yet they did it not in such words as Parents believing for their Children nor to such purpose that their Faith might answer the promise but to shew that the Parents Faith gave unto their Children a proof of being born under the Christian Covenant and a Plea for the Seal of Baptism notwithstanding the supposed privation of Faith in Children Though therefore Infants as to their inward state before God of Justification and Salvation are not relieved and helped forward either by profession of Sponsors and Parents or by the acts and habits of their Faith because as I said the just shall live by his Faith and as you say the Parents must believe for themselves and as the Errors and Heresies of the Parents do not hurt the Children no more do their Faith and Truth help them as giving nothing from themselves unto their inward and eternal condition Yet are they beneficial to their Children otherwayes 1. It s from their Faith that the Children are brought out to Christ and offered and dedicated to him in Baptism Psal 206.37 whereas the Infidels offered their Sons and Daughters unto Devils 2. And as in their dedication so by their supplication the Faith of the Parent is helpful towards the obtaining of their Childrens regeneration and many graces of the Spirit God being ready to hear and do accordingly 3. If original sin did hurt Infants which without any fault of theirs they drew according to the flesh from their Parents why may not the Faith of the Parents profit the Children so as that sin be not imputed to them for Christs sake to whom they are offered and dedicated purposely and willingly by their Parents seeing grace is more abundant than Condemnation and the
margent wherewith they made Baal And so you do not or did not know that Gods first Covenant of Grace in Christ I will be thy God and the God of thy seed sealed unto you in your Infant-baptism your first Infant-baptism sealing unto you the Covenant of the Grace of God in Christ gave you your knowledge of the Truth your Conversion from your evil wayes your Repentance your Faith and increased these and other Graces in you which you and they prepare for and ascribe to their and your Anabaptism and wherewith they and you would make Anabaptism leaping upon the Altar that they have made and dousing in the Ponds that you go to crying O Baal hear us or Great is Diana of the Ephesians the dipping of the Anabaptists Why halt ye or how long O ye people halt ye between two opinions or two Baptisms 1 Kings 18.21 if your first Infant-baptism be the Seal of Gods Covenant of Grace to you follow it but if the Anabaptists second Dippism be the Seal then follow it Therefore I say farther to them the people and you not I even I onely but we even we also thousands of us remain the Ministers of the Lord and your Prophets are a great many more for every one that will with you may consecrate himself and be a Prophet we as we do will still bring our children and Infants of believing Parents unto Baptism in our Churches pouring on or sprinkling water In the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost with invocation or calling on the Name of the Lord and do you as you use go out with your grown but born Christians men and women whom you have with-held from their Baptism in their Infancy or with other grown persons formerly baptized whom you have seduced into your by-wayes and carry them to your dippings and diving them over head and ears body cloathes in your Ponds of the field the Baptism or washing that answereth by fire I mean the Spirit 1 Kings 18.24 and spiritual Graces bringing after to Repentance from evil wayes and unto the knowledge of the Truth let that be the right washing and Baptism indeed All the people I know will and yur selves also must needs answer The word is good and it is well spoken Now then I propose and it s my major proposition most true That washing with water or Baptism which answereth by fire cavil not at the phrase God in or by Baptism I mean and hath the Graces of Gods Spirit Faith Repentance Conversion answerable and following thereupon is that and that onely which is mentioned in the Scriptures as of Gods Institution so conjunction Mat. 3.11 Mark 1.8 Acts 2.38 John 3.6 and in a great many other places which formerly I have brought shewing the correspondence or accompanying the one of or to and after the other the Baptism and the Spirit But I assume and it is my minor proposition yet no less true That neither of your two dippings I call them two in respect of the Subjects which are of two sorts some formerly baptized and some not are to be found in any part of Scripture throughout the whole Bible either instituted of God or conjoyned with fire or the Spirit as my whole Book and this annexed Treatise or Censure hath cleared demonstrated And therefore I may conclude Negatively against your diping by Anabaptists that it answereth not by fire and so you have received from them and it nothing but water no fire no Spirit no Grace no Regeneration no Conversion no plucking out of your evil wayes into the knowledge of the Truth What you have of these Goods or Graces in present you have and received as sparks at your first Baptism in your Infancy which being according to the Scriptures and to Gods Ordinance and Institution answereth by Fire in all Gods elect children as who are inwardly also baptized of the Spirit whch is the fire I mean and speak of which answering also by fire in them afterwards sheweth their Baptism in Infancy to have been according to the Scripture Gods Ordinance and Institution To come up yet closer to you If you Sir be one of those that belong unto the Election and Covenant of Grace as I in charity judged of you as I ought to do when I baptized you and gave you Baptism as the seal of the Covenant then were you baptized with fire i. e. the Spirit as well as water the inward Grace being united to the outward Sign unto such and the Spirit as truly and really and actualy applying the merits and blood of Christ in the justifying and sanctifying vertue unto your soul as I did the water to your body or bodily part of your face or forehead and the invisible Grace of the Sacrament was conveyed to you by such visible means so that if you had dyed in your Infancy this your Baptism had been to you supposing you still an Elect Infant as a seal of the Righteousness of Christ extraordinarily applied by the holy Ghost to your Justification and Salvation God hath now suffered you to live to years of discretion I must therefore put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift or Grace of God which is in you as Paul speaketh to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 I cannot say by the putting on of my hands but I may by the pouring on of that water with my hands The word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stir up that fire of the Spirit I spake of and to quicken up the grace of Baptism that hath lien under the ashes throughout your youthful and sinful dayes of ignorance that so now it may kindle and burn brighter in you You are now to bestir your self in reading the Word and hearing it preached by such Ministers as God sendeth into the Church and amongst them him especially who baptized you at first that so you may come to Faith by such means and by Faith now actually lay hold on the promises of the Covenant of Grace touching Justification Remission and Adoption and enjoy them to your use and comfort which were but made and sealed in your Baptism as to every Elect Childe of God and estated upon you on Gods part as to your Right and Title I do not say that your Baptism properly did give you or primarily the Right and Interest you have unto God and Christ Gods free Covenant and promise did it but it sealed up onely and mainly confirmeth that Right and Interest which you had already even then in Gods Govenant and Promise Gods Word is as good as his Bond and his Promise as effectual as his Seal your Baptism as the other Sacrament was not for the strengthning or effectualizing of Gods Covenant but to the confirming and supporting your faith in apprehending it I would make this very plain to you hoping it may be for some good to you Suppose an Estate made over unto you in your Infancy by a Will and Testament under Seal you
and effects thereof to comfort and support you upon your faith and repentance and all this for impotent element and beggarly rudiment as the Apostle speaketh Col. 2.22 for I may add your Affirmative of Dip again to their Negatives Touch not taste not which all are to perish with using ordinances after the commandments of men having indeed a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and Humility and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh or sanctifying either flesh or spirit or which is neither seal of any Covenant by Gods institution neither leaves any benefit behinde it in the present act nor carrieth any good before it to the future life as you will see when the scales fall off from your eyes which now hang upon them In this you did but run along with the Papists if you did not out-run them they teach that Baptism of Infants taketh away all sin that goeth before it as Original sin but for sins commited after as actual ones they must be taken away by their devised Sacrament of Penance or Repentance And your masters have taught and told you that they must be taken away and that after Repentance hath taken them away by their forged Sacrament of Re-dipping and so both of you do though in several wayes destroy the true nature and use of Baptism which is the Laver for all sins past present and to come to be washed in and away as to the guilt and filth of them True that Repentance is also another good way to take off sins committed and to procure the remission of them according to Gods Promise and Covenant but it must not thrust out Baptism to bring in it self to be a Sacrament of Pennance as the Papists would have it nor lay aside your Infant-baptism to carry you out to a Man-dippism as the Anabaptists have served you For that your Infant-baptism being the Seal of the eternal Covenant is ever effectual and of force and upon the repentance of your actual sins at any time whatsoever will doth comfortably assure and seal unto both the pardon and remission of them so that there will need no new Sacrament to be set up by them of penance nor any second dipping to be practised by you as a Sacrament of profession as I may call it Nay more Repentance Faith c. Conversion Sanctification are all but as the fruits and effects of the Covenant of Grace offered and sealed to on Gods part by his Spirit of Grace and also but the parts and conditions of the same Covenant of Grace entered into and sealed to on your part to do and perform by the operation of the same Spirit in the use of the means of Grace so that therefore those and all other such like do continue and demonstrate both to Papists and Anabaptists the efficacy of the first Infant-baptism which runneth along and even liveth in them And Sir as to your self take it from me and be no longer mistaken from those who make but merchandice of your soul as they do of the Word Whatsoever things are true in you to use the words of St. Paul Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are honest in you whatsoever things are just in you whatsoever things are pure in you whatsoever things are lovely in you whatsoever things are of good report in you if there be any vertue in you and if there be any Grace of God appearing in you plucking you out from your wicked wayes unto the knowledge of the Truth they sprang all and are derived to you from that first Covenant of Grace with your believing Parents and your self I will be thy God and the God of thy seed and from the initial Seal of that Covenant your Baptism which was imprinted upon you in your Infancy and which still remaineth in the force and efficacy thereof if you will mind it and embrace it and practise it and none of all these Goods or Graces have been wrought in you or communicated to you by the Spirit of God in or by your late dipping as being none of the Signes or Seals of Grace appointed of God Do men gather Grapes of thorns or Figs of thistles Mat. 7.16 you are not nor will be any whit the better thereby as to the salvation of your soul and I perceive you have been somewhat worse thereby as to the health of your Body The which I somewhat wonder at seeing your two Sisters who were dipped at your House said as I am rightly informed in your chamber as they were shifting off their wet clothes and putting on dry The one of them I have been these many years in a Consumption and now by this I finde my self even cured now yea and I indeed Sister replyed the other do find and feel much comfort in this Why Sir how came this about that you went farther and fared worse had it not been better for you to have been dipped in your own Pond at home then to ride out and be dipped in a strange Pond abroad Are not Adgors and Kettring's Ponds of Much-leighes better then all the waters of either of the Lavers 2 Kings 5.12 might you not have washed in those and have been clean sure your own Pond and water would as well have cured you of a Consumption and comforted your heart as it it did your two Sisters But the reason was The vertue and operation of Kettrings waters was not then known when you were to be dipt as now they are and are famous even as the Laver waters whither you went and were dipt onely now there is this difference The Laver Pond and Waters are for the dipping of the Brothers and they do sometimes well and sometimes ill upon it witness your self but Kettring Pond and waters are for the dipping of the Sisters and they do alwayes well upon it and are cured of Consumptions and cheered up with comfort after which may redound to your credit and glory and the reputation of your waters Nay this hath fallen out very happily to your profit and advantage also and may be very helpful to the paying of your Rent more then either the returns of your Crop or the Retail of your Shop if you would know how I shall tell you First make it to be more publickly known abroad in this County and Secondly give notice hereof to Mercurius Politicus to Print it in his weekly Intelligences to be communicated to all other Counties and the whole Common-wealth that at Kettring's House in Much-leighes of Essex there is a Pond wherein upon once dipping two Sisters have been instantly the one cured of a Consumption the other much filledwith Comfort And you will have out of hand all the sorrowful souls and Consumptious bodies in the Nation at leastwise this County come flocking to your House as the blinde and the halt did to the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5.2 3 4. and then I hope you know how to deal with them and to make your gain of your Pond
vain and needless thing yet I say fear not for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people nor will the Lord forget you his servant for his gracious Covenant sake which he hath also sealed to you in your Baptism because it hath pleased him to make you his servant Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and right way Onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart Ver. 23 24. And Let my counsel be acceptable to you break off your sins by repentance and by righteousness and your iniquities by turning unto the Lord and calling for mercy upon your poor soul and by shewing mercy unto the poor people if it may be a lengthning of your tranquility Dan. 4.27 Sir without any ifs or ands do you so seriously and uprightly and it will be a lengthning of your tranquility and a stablishing of you in peace of your conscience notwithstanding your former breach of it and of the Covenant of Grace in your despising your Birth-right your Infant-baptism For Behold Gods hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear though your iniquities might have made a perpetual separation 'twixt you and your God Esay 59.1 2. especially those iniquities of separation from Gods Church and Baptism His Covenant of Grace is an Everlasting Covenant the seal of it your Baptism though but once administred loseth not its strength and force and is yet of vertue and benefit for you if you will make use of it yea it will be of continual use and benefit to you if you will return to it and reflect upon it by your faith and lay hold upon the precious things and promises thereof In a word Though you have departed away from your Covenant by breaking of the Seal thereof and slighting your Baptism yet God is not gone from either but what he hath Covenanted and Sealed is and will be ever ready to make good Come therefore and return unto the Lord for you have torn and he will heal you have broken and he will binde up yea and he hath torn and he will heal he hath broken and he will binde up in all your sins and transgressions which are your breaches of the Law and the tearings of Gods Covenant in all his afflictions and chastisements which are his breaches upon you and his tearings of you in your estate nay in all your fears and doubts return unto the Lord and his Covenant of Grace and Mercy look back to your Seal of it your Baptism and lay hold on it by Faith even but now renew your Faith in the Promises therof renew also your Repentance for breach of Covenant and Promise on your part you shall find the effect of that you never saw and feel actual comfort even present benefit thereof Once more Have now recourse and go with all speed to your first Infant-baptism and remember and believe that God hath therein sealed up unto you his love and favour to you in Christ and that his everlasting Covenant of Grace and Peace and Reconciliation to be your God in Christ for ever and will never fail you seeking and having recourse to him his Covenant and Seal This will fill you full of heavenly comfort in the midst of sorrow and upon Repentance give you good assurance of the pardon of all your sins whatsoever even of this none of your least sins your causless Revolt and Separation from the Church Ministery and Baptism appointed and approved of God A Communion with which if you will truly re-enter into and seriously return unto pleading as you may even yet your Right and Interest in the Covenant of Grace sealed unto you in your first Infant-baptism once for ever you doing the Condition thereof God also will then remember his Covenant entred into with you then once for ever and will have compassion on you and run out and meet you fall on your neck and kiss you Luke 15.20 21. so that you shall not onely have a clear and full Remission of this and all other your sins washed away in the blood of Christ the substance of the Covenant but also enjoy the sweet and comfortable fruits and benefits of that your Baptism the Seal of such Covenant even an assurance of God his being â—our God and the God of your seed and that for ever and of your being one of his people and a member of Christ Jesus and that also for ever So that you may say as the Spouse of Christ for so the â—oul is contracted unto Christ by the Covenant and it is espoused or the espousals are solemnized and ratified in Baptism I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine Cant. 6.3 And now Sir am I become your enemy because I have told you and others the Truth and shewed unto you the good even the good old Way If so then the God of Truth who set me a work be my friend as Abrahams and deliver me out of your hands and the hands of all mine enemies and if God and the Truth be on my side I care not much who be against me nor do I fear what man and error on the contrary side can do Magis amica veritas maximè amicus Christus qui est ipsa veritas vita But Sir by that time you have sadly thought upon and considered what I have said fully digested ruminated that over which I have written you and they but you especially I aim at will see me a real cordial soul-friend of yours as who have endeavored to come unto you as a Pillar of fire rather then a cloud not to darken you with obscure discourses but to enlighten you with clear evidences so to lead you out of your by-wayes of Errors into the plain Path of Truth and rather to Convert you then confound you I say your soul-friend for seeing once your soul also belonged to my Curam Animarum and you were formerly one of the sheep of my Pastor-fold one of the souls that were numbred into my Pastoral charge you see I count you so still though you have broke loose and separated your self from my flock and feed yet I have not let you so go nor have I released to you though you have remised to me nor have I discharged you though you have dismissed me yea you may see me your soul-friend yet farther in that I have not run away or lien hid in a corner as the Hireling but as a loving Pastor have followed after the Wolf and the Fox running away with you like as also David did go after the Lion and the Bear taking a Lamb out of his fold yea and when the Wolf also turned head against me and came upon me as the Lion did arise and ramp upon David I caught him
in force and vigor and by a pious recordation thereof the Penitent may confirm his Faith as Peter did and by vertue of the same once established Covenant God receiveth such to mercy and grace otherwise the infidelity and impiety of man would frustrate the goodnesse and good will of God the matter testified in baptism which it cannot because it is constant and changeth not and therefore it is a horrible prophanation of it to reiterate baptism In a word Second baptism was ever abhorred in the Orthodox Church as a kind of incestuous Birth and if you iterate it and baptise your beleevers again upon their profession of faith you must be able to make their former baptism void and no baptism which you can never do as having all things therein which God requireth unto Infant baptism Though Faith a positive and actual Faith as you call for should not be there which is not required of God and therefore is denyed of us to be a necessary condition requisite to be found manifest in every one that is to be baptised indeed in an Aethiopian Eunuch an elder Gentile it is and therefore when he said see here is water what doth hinder me to be baptised Philip answered If thou beleevest with all thine heart thou maist who answering I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and so Philip baptised him Acts 8 36 37. The onely Argument the Anabaptists triumph in I shall here give a short answer to Infants of Gentiles are not of Abrahams seed either according to the flesh because not Iowes or according to the promise because not beleevers therefore not to be baptised whilest Infants or if they be to be baptised again when beleevere But I answer First The consequent is denyed for Simon Magus and thousands more even of them that you baptise are neither 2. Nor is it true that onely Iewes are Abrahams seed according to the flesh for that part of the Gentile Galatians who pleaded for Justification by the works of the Law and thereby lay under the bondage and curse of the Law are called the children of Hagar and said to be born of the Bond-woman Sinai and Hierusalem upon earth as it is to be seen Gal. 3. 4. The Apostle applying that part of the distinction to them like as the other part the Children of Sarah to those Gentile Galathians who were justified by faith Nor 3. Is it true that onely beleevers actually beleevers as you speak are the Children of the promise for thus they do not onely at this one blow beat down all Christian infante from all interest in Christ and title to heaven and make them like as the Heathens and Pagans who yet are not wont to strike so hard yea and which is more all Jewish Infants Isaack Iacob and Ioseph these must not be with them nor were by this reason Children of the promise in their Childhood but only according to the flesh untill they did actually believe and so became Children of the promise And more absurdity yet doth follow hence that those Patriarks whom I named Abraham is to be here excepted by their infant-circumcision had no promise of grace sealed unto them but were under a Covenant of works and until the years of discretion and actual fiath were incapable of any interest in the Covenant of grace If onely true beleevers and the Elect persons be under the covenant of grace have right to the Sacraments why is the same Covenant of grace inthe outward administration thereof both in preaching the promises and applying the Seales of the Sacraments to be propounded by Gods appointment to all the outward visible members of the Church And why was Simon Magus baptised as I said 'T is true the inward saving grace of the Covenant in both Administrations is by the Holy Ghost conferred onely upon the invisible members of Christs mysticall body which are the true beleevers and elect But we not able to discern of these give the outward baptism to all those I mean all outward members of the visible Chruch You must do so for the Text before alleged out of the Acts sheweth that all they who have any degrees of Faith may and ought to be baptised But Sir will you stand to your own Tackling The baptising of beleevers hereby you think and intend to exclude Infants of Christians What then will you make of them Infidels or Beleevers can you shew any Text of Scripture old or new where any Infant of Iew or Gentile in Covenant with God is so stiled or can you give any reason of it That which makes an Unbeliever must be a positive habit of unbeleef to justifie this in an Infant will be a task too hard for you and to say that Infants do not beleeve in act or have not the habit of faith onely negatively will not in the Language of the Scripture denominate an Unbeleever Indeed those that are made Christians of heathens they must give some positive and actual expressions of their faith before they be baptised so Philip required of the Eunuch and not till then are they to be accounted beleevers but for such as are born Christians of Christians as our infants are being entred into and under a gratuitall Covenant with God we admit them unto the Initial Seal of that Covenant which is baptism without any such Testimonial Act of Fath as you require for they are not Infidels or Unbeleevers but beleevers and within the compasse of your words though not your sense the baptism of beleevers Seeing you can produce no scripture against their Faith I will see what I can do for their Faith Matth. 18.5 6. Turn to the Chapter and Verses and read them and look to your Neck in that Verse it is a Neck verse Whose shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve on me it were better for him that a Mistone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Lord what shall become of those that offend all thy little ones by dobarring and excluding them from their birth-privilege and their Right-baptism But that I aim at as to you Sir is that you would take notice that our Saviour Christ who best knew knowing the very secrets of the heart pronounceth of some little ones little Children such as he took out one of them set down in the midst of the Apostles for a pattern of Humility and Harmlesseness That they did beleeve in him its apparent that howsoever sometimes and elsewhere spirituall Children are meant by little Children such as are of a meek spirit little in their own eyes here and at this time very natural Children in age and little in growth or statute are spoken of as the very context and Antithesis do shew They who do so interpret this place do make this not the same story with that which followeth in Matth. 19.13 Where little Children are said tob e brought to Christ it may be in their
their being in Covenant must needs be the ground of Gods commanding the Seal of Circumision It is acknowledged there was a special Commandement for circumcising in the time of Infancy but do not you blame God for his such Command by the same reason you blame us for our practice Infants of Jewes were as much in the state of Nature as ignorance blindness and under the same defects that Infants of Christians are and why do ye not charge the wisdom of God with folly for Commanding the Infants of Jewes to be circumcised or excuse us who being under the same Covenant do Baptize the Infants of Christians In imitation of God Commanding Circumcision and also in obedience of God and that Command which was in part also Evangelical For That Commandement was for the Circumcising of such Infants in their Infancy whose Parents were under Gods seal but there is no such command for Infants whose Parents were not for these Profession of Faith was needful Abraham in whom the Church of the Jews began therefore had Faith before hee took the Seal but no such thing was afterward required of Abrahams Seed but the contraty Commanded namely that their Seed should be circumcised in their Infancy And so I deny not but God Commanded Circumcision but this that by vertue of Gods Commandement onely they were Circumcised I deny for it was also and chiefly because of the foregoing Covenant in the 7. and 8. verses to which the words refer saying Thou shalt keep my Covenant Therefore what Covenant vers 10. Circumcision is so named He doth not barely Command it but with an Inference or reference therefore to shew that they being in Covenant were therefore to have the Seal thereof Circumcision which did but put the Covenant under Seal in which Covenant those Children were before by Birth being born of Parents with whom God had stricken Covenant But I shall go neer to make use of it anon for the Baptizing of our Children like as they and you do now for the circumcising of the Jewes Chrildren Though the Truth is that was nothing but Gods word of Institution whose incommunicable property it is to appoint Sacramental Signs The Covenant then especially was the ground of Circumcising the Seed of the Jewes and the same is the ground of Baptizing the Infants of Christians and so Christian Parents being in Covenant their infants are in Covenant with God and therefore Baptizable for Gods Covenant written upon Children of Parents in Covenant is no Blank to seal too but a just Title or writ as I may so say for the Seal and a very Commission given out by the Holy Spirit for the Baptizing Infants of Christians in their lofarcy and so these things appearing to the Churches of God That Infants of Christians are entred in Covenant with God They ought to put the same under the Seal of Baptism as the Infants Due and the Churches Duty More briefly and Syllogistically thus take it as I recollect it All persons within and under the Covenant of Gods Grace are Commanded of God to have the Seal of Covenant put upon them which in the Gospel-administration thereof is Baptism But all Infants of Christians are within the Covenant of Gods grace Therefore all Infants of Christians are Commanded of God to have the Seal of the Covenant put upon them which in the Gospel-Administration thereof is Baptism The first Proposition is clear from Gen. 17. and God Commanding all Jews in Covenant to be Circumcised and from Matth. 28. and Christ Commanding all Gentiles or Nations in Covenant to be Baptized The second Proposition is the very Tenour of the Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed and so I have reasoned the Baptism of Infants and Terms into a Command of God before I intended it A third Warrant is this Reason If the Infants of Jewish Parents were capable of Circumcision the initial Seal of the Covenant which was Circumcision and were Circumcised though they could shew no Right they had unto it but their Birth of Parents in Covenant Then also may and must the Infants of Christian Parents be Baptized and receive Baptism the initial Seal though they can shew no other Right to it but their Birth of Parents in Covenant This Warrant is Reasoned out or this Reason is warranted out of Heb. 13.9 Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Jesus Christ ministred is the Covenant which is as I said the same for ever in sabstance and in relation to theeternal welfare of souls Though the ministrations of him be different of him as to be exhibited and to come unto the Jewes and of him as come and exhibited unto Christians And though some Ceremonial and Circumstantial matters be changed yet the substantial and that which was purely a Covenantall or Sacramental Part abides as being an everlasting Covenant made with Abrahams Seed all true beleevers they differ not the Two Sacraments in any substantial thing or in any spiritual effect necessary to salvation or in any use to confirm the Covenant of Grace and further a man in the way to Heaven and so as an Initial Seal of the Covenant they differ not nor as a Sacrament of entrance into the Church and so Circumcision was a Seal of the same Righteousness by Faith as Baptism is to us Rom. 4.11 and Circumcision signified the mortification of the flesh and the renewing of the mind and did bind over the Jewes unto the obedience of Gods will Rom. 2.28 c. Gal. 3.21 and so doth Baptism the same to us now as Rom. 6.3 and 11. 1 Pet. 3.21 Insomuch that Baptized Christians are called circumcised Christians and Baptism is called by the name of Circumcision Col. 2 11. and 14 4. Though we Christians are not to follow the Jews in things peculiar to his own dispensation which was Legal and Ceremonial yet those actions that were done by them upon such grounds that are of moral perpetual and common concernment to one person as well as another in one Church as well as another for one age as well as another none can deny such actions to be binding and obligatory to all as a standing Rule for after Generations by which may be answered that which is usually objected by those that except to our Analogy of Baptism with Circumcision as why do ye not plead a Baptism of Males onely and that particular of the eight day and so carry on the whole Analogy together and in order why because these were but circumstantial things the two Sacraments may be one in substance for all these besides they were not of common but peculiar use to the Jews that Church those ages as for the eighth day it was both a Ceremonial and Physical reason as to life and health of the infant that thefore skin was not cut off till then and for the Females not Circumcised it is enough against you and your opinion if the proportion betwixt Circumcision and Baptism
holds but in the Males for that will infer the state of infancy capable of the Initial Seal of the Covenant of Grace under the Gospel and again under the Law because of the inconveniency and unfimess of the thing it self to be done upon them the Females were Circumcised in the Males as the Church is circumcised in Christ the Males bearing the Type of Christ upon their flesh and the Males and Females in Matrimonial conjunction representing Christ and his Church to which the Apostle alludes Eph. 5 22 and 33. but now such a typical discrimination of Sexes being removed Christ exhibited puts no difference in Baptism between Males and Females Gal. 3 27 and 28. Nor yet do we Argue for Infant-Baptism from the bare Analogy of Infantcircumcision but from the force of the reason that lyeth in the performance which holds not in the circumstances of the eighth day and the Females as it doth in this of Infancy Namely that as Infants of the Jews were circumcised though they declared no right they had unto it but their birth so may the Infants of the Christians be Baptized though they make no manifestation of their Faith c. but shew their birth as Children of Parents in Covenant with God Yea the Foundation and occasion of both Circumcision and Baptism were one the same of common concernment to all to adde somewhat left out before wherein they differ not namely Gods free eternal Love to his Elect and mans misery by his fall in the loynes of Adam and his birth in pollution from the loynes of his immediate Parents derived to them from the loynes of Adam whence also I may argue the original sin and the clensing of Nature by the Spirit of Christ are of Common concernment to Jewish and to Christian Infants Therefore Christian Infants ought to the made partakers of the Seal of Regeneration in their Infancy as the Jewish Infants were and so there lyeth as much necessity in substance yea morality in the duty for believing Christians to Baptize their Infants as for believing Jewes to circumcise theirs but of this particular I shall say more presently 5. If now for all this you shall deny and withold Baptism from the Infants of covenant-Christians in their Infancy notwithstanding that God granted yea commanded Circumcision to the Infants of covenant Jewes in their Infancy but by reason of the covenant which God made with the Parents and their Seed You must of necessity do one of these absurdities yea Impieties i.e. either you must deny Gods covenant of Grace under the Law and the Gospel to be one and the same for substance and these circumcision and Baptism to be the Initial Seales of it according to the diversities of the administeations of the same which is unreasonable and unwarrantable as is shewed 2. Or you must charge God with want of wisdom and discretion in managing his affairs for choosing such unfit and uncapabie parties as Infants to make a covenant with and to Seal too which is Irreligious and Impious to do 3. Or you must prefer the Typical Administration before the Evangelical and so advance Moses above Christ and the shadow before the Sun-light by denying the Infants of Gods covenanted people under the Gospel and since Christs comming the Initial Seal of the Covenant and so making the Grace of less extent than that which Moses allowed the Infants under the Law and before the comming of Christ which is unchristian and un-Gospel-like to do 4. Or you must put our Children born in the bright day of the Gospel and of more abundant Grace into a worse estate and Condition as to the meanes of their Salvation if they be passed by the Seal and not baptised then the Children were who were born in the Twi-light of the Law who were admitted to the Seal Circumcised which is envious and malicious to do 5. Or you must shew that a manifestation of Faith and some personal Righteousnesse is now more requisite Which was onely required of such whose Parents were not under the Faederal Seal unto the baptism of our Infants than it was unto the Circumcision of their Children or that their Children gave at their Circumcision such Testimony of their Faith and Righteousnesse more than ours Which is even foolish and childish to think This Warrant of our Infant-baptism from its Analogy with this Infant-Circumcision lyeth as such a Block in your way as neither you nor any of yours could ever get over as Christ crucified on the Crosse was unto the Jewes a stumbling Block So Christ ministred in Circumcision unto the Jewes in Covenant and their Infants is to you and all Antipaedobatists a very stumbling Block which whilest they have endeavoured to lift at and leap over they have strained and stretched and wrested Scriptures more than their Armes and have broken their shins I mean their first Faith and a good Conscience making shipwrack of both whilest they slit upon this Rock or stumble upon this Block But Sir I hope better things of you and I have better things for you as my Friend and Neighbour I will not leave you in the maze of the five-went way of the Anabaptists that they must walk in I have a single path and a plain way for you if you please to take it and it is this or none 6. You must yeeld in Modesty and Humility at it becomes you to beleeve such parties Infants of both Testaments to be inabled by God with some proportionable Grace for the Covenant and Seals in a way acceptable to himself Though you cannot see it nor have Capacity I will not say Inpenuity to acknowledge it and to clear off all Clouds of Doubts and Quaeres which you or others have raised up and gathered together about the manner and manifestation thereof and for this purpose read Esay 40.13 14. Esay 55.8 and 9. Rom. 11.34 35. Ro. 12.3 16 And of this I have largely before discoursed more briefly and Syllogistically thus take it as I recollect it If all Infants of Jewes are commanded in Scripture to be circumcised and their Parents thereupon bound to bring them to Circumcision Then also all Infants of Christians are commanded to be baptised and their Parents bound to bring them to baptism But all Infants of Jewes are commanded in Scripture to be circumcised and their Parents bound to bring then to Circumcision Therefore all Infants of christians are commanded to be baptised and their Parents bound to bring them to baptism The first Proposition is clear from the cited Texts of Hebrews 13.9 and Colossians 2.11 and from the Analogy of Circumcision and baptism and the samenesse or identity of the Covenant of both Administrations in the substantials as to the good of Souls The second Proposition is the very Letter of the Text in the seventeenth of Genesis and elsewhere as hath been shewed and so I have reasoned Infant-baptism into a command before I intended it A fourth Warrant is this
Judaism But no doubt Peter here aimed and even pointed at that grand and fundamental Covenant of Grace made to Abraham In thy seed shall all families of the Earth be blessed Such a Promise as this of Grace and the free remission of their sins by that blood of Christ though shed by some of them sealed in the Sacrament of Baptism comes seasonably to them to pacifie their troubled consciences and cheer up their drooping spirits whereas the other Promise of receiving the Gifts of the Spirit that is the extraordinary ones of speaking divers Languages c. would nothing so properly and effectually have done it as that was the thing then in hand to be done And besides the Promise here spoken of being a Gospel Promise was to extend to all also that were afar off as many as the Lord shall call and so it did pass on in the general Tenders Privileges and Effects to the Believers of the Gentiles and their children from that time and so shall unto the end of the World But you will not say I dare say That according to this Promise the believers of the Gentiles and their Children have received and shall receive those Gifts of speaking divers and strange Languages throughout all Ages and Generations Such a Promise was never made and ought not to be challenged of God But it may be the Promise made to Abraham was but a personal and peculiar one to him and his seed to be taken Into Covenant and to become a visible Church I will be thy God and the God of thy seed i.e. Isaac Jacob and their children No it extended we see to the Proselytes of other Nations also and to all followers of Abraham's faith both Jews and Gentiles and therefore the same Promise was frequently renewed in Scripture many hundred years after those Patriarchs deceased both to Jews and Gentiles as Isa 30.6 Isa 44.2 3. and so shall continue unto the end of the World Isa 59.21 to as many as the Lord our God shall call until the very last calling in of the Jews it being as I said a Gospel-Promise Yea say you it is granted when any of the Children of Believers come to be called and do believe this Promise shall be made good to them But thus saying you make the Promise to hold forth no more comfort or benefit to the children of Believers than the children of Pagans and thus even Isaac and Jacob should have no external privilege by this Promise until they actually believed yea thus all the Jews but such as were Elect and truly faithfull were cut off as well as the Gentiles from having any visible communion in external privileges thereof The Call here is either inward or outward if inward can none partake of the outward privileges as Baptism but such as have that We know those are common to the Elect and Reprobate If of an outward Call why the Infants of Believers enjoy this Call with their Parents and so partake of the Promise And what if Peter here required repentance of such as were in Covenant before baptism are therefore Infants not to be baptized so Ahraham was in Covenant and an actual Believer and justified in Uncircumcision and received Circumcift on as a seal of righteousness of Faith and Proselytes turned to the Jews were first to make profession of faith were therefore none but such to be circumcised But if being under the Covenant besufficient to give a proper right to the seals of it and the privileges of it as I said why-doth Peter keep such a do with these Jess being already in Covenant to repent and believe before they were baptised and why were none of them being in Covenant baptized but such as gladly received the Word and believed It is no where so said that none but such were baptized amongst the three thousand souls And as for the Jews who receiving the Word gladly were baptised you must know they were not now before it in Covenant so as to acknowledge Jesus Christ the Son of Mary to be the Messias and Saviour of the World as who denied that holy One and killed the Prince of life True they were born Jews under the Covenant in the first Ministration of it and were circumcised and had the seal of their faith in Christ to come But this being now antiqunted and out of date by the coming of Christ in the flesh and these Jews having renounced Christ and deposed themselves and their children from the Title they had to Christ as Matthew 27.25 they so renounced the Covenant they had Title to by birth and were now in a condition little better than Pagans Christians to be made and therefore they were not to have the new appointed seals of entrance which was Baptism to assure them that Jesus was Lord and Christ until they embraced him by faith confessing that he was come and that Jesus was he and repented of their crucifying him And thus having cleared the interpretation of the Text I will give you a Consideration of mine upon it before I come to your Considerations without any interpretation given of you My Consideration upon it is this That here is a good warrant for me and for Infant Baptism against you and so as Solomon said of Adonijah 1 Kings 2.33 That be had spoken a word against his own life I may say you have brought in this Word and Text against your self and the life of your Cause said I a warrant yea a very Command The words Be baptized every one of you you will not deny I suppose to be a word of command from Peter in Christs stead and so from Christ by Peter But the Command is To baptiae Father and Child I prove thus Because the Promise is to the Father and Child The Promise is made to you and your Children and therefore the Command is Be baptized every one of you and your Children For if the Children of Believers have a right to be baptized by the word of Promise they must have a right to be baptized by the word of Command and so the other way also these two being convertible Terms the word of Promise and the word of Command having mutual relation each to other So it s in the general nature of Covenants there must be a convertibility betwixt the two parts that do contract as the mutual Indentures shew and so also it must be in the Sacramental Covenant betwixt God and man and betwixt the word of Promise which is Gods part and the word of Command that contains the duty of man in the Sacramental Action And so particularly it was in Circumcision in which Institution there was a mutual neer relation and convertibility between the word of Promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed and the word of Command Every man-child among you shall be circumcised so that as many of them that had a right to be circumcised by the word of Promise had a right to be circumcised
by the word of Command and so also the other way turn it and it s as true Sir my hand is now in and I will give you another Syllogism Whosoever are expressed in the Promise Verse 39. are contained in the Precept before Verse 38. Be baptized every one of you But believing Parents and their Children are expressed in the Promise Verse 39. The Promise is made to you and your Children Therefore believing Parents and their Children are contained in the Precept and so both are commanded to be baptized There is no difficulty but in the first Proposition and in it there is none by reason of the mutual relation and reciprocal convertibility that is betwixt a Promise and a Precept in Covenantal and Sacramental matters as hath been shewed And whereas it may be said That a Promise may be without a seal and this here doth not infer Baptism It is true but when men have once put their seal then there needs must be a correspondence and relation between that Seal and the Covenant So here though it was not absolutely necessary the word of Promise or Covenant of Grace should be set forth by outward seals appearing to the senses yet God having once anpointed them to signifie the inward grace it is now necessary there should be such a mutual relation between the word of Promise and the word of Command and the Seal also But I come now to your Consideration upon the Text of Acts 2. verse 39. Consider that such a being in the Covenant as maketh Faith void is no true being But that being in the Covenant which is concluded from the Faith of the Parents is such a being as maketh Faith void therefore no true being That this is so I prove That Title whereby any person hath once a being in the Covenant by the same he may remain in it for ever now then if any one hath such a Title as to be within the Covenant by being the seed of the faithfull he may remain in it for ever and so needs no faith of his own and so by the same reason one may all may and seeing all be the children of Abraham or Noah which were faithfull all are in the Covenant and so Faith needless in the wordl 2. Consider that such on Expositionas overthroweth the Promise that cannot be a true Exposition of the Text but such as expound a being in the Covenant from faithfull Parents overthrow the Promise Therefore this Exposition is no true Exposition for the Promise is upon account of faith in our own persons and not in our Parents as appears in Hab. 2.4 compared with John 3.36 And that it doth overthrow the Promise I farther prove because nothing answereth the Promise but faith and if faith be needless then the Promise is needless Sir I can write no farther being sorry I writ out so much of your needless stuff for to what purpose is all this are these Considerations upon Acts 2.39 they might have been upon any other Text as well which makes any mention of Promise Faith Children And what is it but such an Exposition as overthroweth the Promise Why did you not set it down the Exposition at first and then consider upon it you alwaiet love to shuffle with shadows and fight with fancies and strange Chymaera's Your purpose is to except to the children of Believers being in Covenant with their Parents for so I must still be working upon your earth which is without form and void and darkness upon the face of it like a Chaos and you say it is a false being as concluded from the faith of Parents and so maketh faith void First I must tell you that the being of children in the Covenant of Grace with their Parents was concluded by God jointly and together in that Promise I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed both were in the Promises and concluded together not one from another both in the Promise and confederate together not one from another Your expressions are uncouth unheard in the Church yet we may conclude thus That if the Parent be in Covenant with God then also his seed and children are in Covenant not so much from as for the faith of the Parents God accepting of it so as to Covenant with them and their Seed But grant your Conclusion in your own terms what then Such a being in Covenant as is concluded from the faith of the Parents maketh Faith voyd say you and say I what Faith or whose Faith do you mean Not the Faith of the Parents I suppose for the Baptizing of the Child or the being of it in Covenant from the Faith of the Parents as you speak doth rather confirm establish and bring it into effect than make it void nor can you mean the Faith of the Children for you holding them to have no Faith of their own as here you expresly say how can you say it is here made void any way which was or is no where extant at all nor is Faith required of them as to any manifestation of it for their being in Covenant or taking the Seal though these do require it of them afterwards But the Proof that you bring it being of I know not what nothing asserted before of you or denyed of me deserveth to be answered in its kind that is by a Reproof for thus you prove That Title wherby a person hath once a being in the Covenant by the same he may remain in it for ever I must cast in a grain of Salt here without which it is too fresh yea unsavoury that is so long as he lives and renounce not before whether he be one of our Infants or one of your grown Baptized ones Now then if any one hath such a Title as to be within the Covenant by being the seed of the faithful he may remain in it for ever and so needs no Faith of his own Here 's a rope of Sand for my grain of Salt I grant he may with the former limitation and he that hath such a Title as to be within the Covenant by being converted from Paganism may do so too and as one so all may And he needs no Faith of his own I hope you remember your self no Actuall Faith expressed as elsewhere you write it as to this purpose to give him Title unto the Covenant or Seal which his being the seed of the faithfull doth yet he needs Faith to give him Title to the benefits of the Covenant Justification and Salvation and he must be also a faithful seed himself And so by the same reason one may all may and seeing all be the Children of Abraham and Noah which were faithfull all are in the Govenant and so Faith needles in the world Sir you rise apace but to no preferment of a Proof before it was but He needs no Faith of his own and now it should but have been they need no Faith of their own because by the same reason one may
all may as you say but instead of such you fly high and far and say And so Faith needles in the World because all the children of Abraham and Noah which were faithful are in Covenant I never met with a man that made or called Faith a Cost needless in the world that is and may rather be called that one needfull thing in the world for though actual Faith be not needful in all to entitle them unto their external part of the Covenant and the Seal as in the Baptism of Infants of believers for whom it is sufficient that they are born in and under the Covenant of grace yet it is needful for the partaking of the inward part and benefits of the same and their being in Covenant is an obligation unto them to believe afterwards c. as a part of their Astipulation Now then if I should reckon up the Company of your And so and so and so which are the Formals of your proofs I shall not need to go out into Lanes or Streets and fetch in the Blind and the Halt and the Maimed to fill up the Room so long as your Reasons Proofs and And soes are in presence for they supply us fully as thus The Children of John and Thomas who were Loyall are joyned in the same Copy of Court-roll and so Fealty is needless in the Mannor or thus your Plough lyeth in the Field with its whipple-trees and so rain is needless in the County And a man may see you understand very well the Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed to be a Gospel Covenant of Grace for the Remission of Sins and Salvation of Soules in and through Christ promised who joyn thereto together Noab and his Covenant without any distinction or difference made whereas the Covenant God made with Noah was but a Covenant of Nature as I call it for distinction sake for the Continuation of the world and preservation of the Creatures and fruits of the Earth to which he also annexed as his sign his Bow in the Clouds That Rain bow Are you of the mind of those some of your Cut and Size who when they are put to it and pent up by our Reasons for Infant Baptism from Infant-Circumcision stick not to say that God meant no farther in his Covenant with Abraham and his seed than that he would give him and them a visible standing in the promised Land of Canaan and Circumcision should be the seal of it if Therefore you joyned Abraham and Noah together in your proof and discourse you thereby shewed that you are not of Abraham your Father nor as Noah a Preacher of Righteousness But you call of me to Consider that such an Exposition as overthroweth the promise that cannot be the True Exposition of the Text it is granted but where what is that Exposition such as expound a being in the Covenant from faithful Parents overthrows the promise it seems you are got up again and come to overthrowing again But how do you prove that Exposition overthroweth the promise First By reason taken out of a Text out of Habakkuk because the promise is upon the Account of Faith in our own persons and not in our Parents And secondly because nothing answereth the promise but Faith and if Faith be needless then the promise is needless and this I must take upon your bare word without any Text. Most of this is answered already if you will read back You bid me here compare Habakkuk with John I pray compare your Exposition and the Promise together The Text saith the Promise is made to you and your Children and to all a far off I will be thy God and the God of thy seed where you see Children are Covenanted joyntly and together with the Parents you frame an Exposition and would put it upon us Childrens being in the Covenant is from faithful Parents as if severally and a part faithful Parents were taken into Covenant and then from them their Children should because born of them and when born of them come into Covenant for Abraham believed whil'st he was in uncircumcision but that Faith of his gave no being in that speciall Covenant either to himself or children whereof Circumcision was the Seal but yet God so well accepted of Abrahams Faith that for its sake he was pleased to enter into Covenant with him and with his children at one and the same time and to assume them together into Covenant with himself So there the childrens being in Covenant is not from faithful Parents simply and absolutely as I have shewed but from faithful Parents in Covenant or rather to speak properly and fully from the Covenant God made unto both Parents and Children so that not so much their being in Covenant as their being born in Covenant is from their Faithful Parents in Covenant But neither way doth it overthrow this Promise for the childrens being in Covenant by vertue of the promise made supporteth and supposeth the promise and their being in the Covenant from faithful Parents as you speak doth not overthrow the promise seeing even their being so is from them by reason of the promise made to them for their Children also which rather establisheth and confirmeth than overthroweth and evacuateth the promise You had need add another Exposition to your Exposition and put better light to your New light and into your dark Lanthorn or else none will see to walk by it but your self and so you have done For it overthroweth the promise you say because the promise is upon account of Faith in our own Persons and not in our Parents See how you forget your self in forgetting the Children of whose being in the promise you are discoursing you let them alone and put your self and would joyn me with you but that I will not in their place saying the Promise is upon account of Faith in your own person and not in your Parents True now you are a grown man the promise will be and must be accounted to you upon the Faith in your person as to the vertue efficacy and effects of the promise Now you are become a man you must put away Childish things as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.11 to which purpose onely your Texts are out of Habakkuk and John where Justification and everlasting life are set upon the account of Faith in a mans own person speaking of such onely as are grown to be tall proper men like your self able to account and give a reason of them But why did you single out John 3.36 where the words of the Prophet Habakkuk are not repeated and bauk those other Texts in the Margent Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 and Heb. 10.38 in all which the very words of the Prophet The just shall live by his own Faith are repeated and applyed is it to shew in your own person that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light you turned onely to John for Name sake out of self-love yet
baptized or unbaptized is saved she hath no judgement of certainty but only of charity and this may have though there should be none of those particulars saved 4. That inward saving grace doth not alwayes attend the Covenant largely and comprehensively taken of which before nor the Seal but only in such as belong to the election of grace Yet the Church may in charity think so as to particulars in Covenant and under Seal till the contrary appear though she have no certain knowledge of it 5. Elect Infants Baptized and dying in their Infancy have no outward means of Salvation but their Baptism the Seal of the Covenant but there is an inward invisible grace which the Holy Spirit before in at or by Baptism doth truly really and actually impute or impart to them applying Christ in his Justifying and Sanctifying vertue unto the souls of such Infants This the Church holdeth not only as of Charity but as of certainty 6. Such Elect Infants Baptized and so dying are capable of and do attain to such saving inward graces not by the usual and ordinary way of Believing upon hearing and conceiving for such actual Faith is not of absolute nececessity to all Gods Elect but only to those to whom God affords the means of it it is the application of Christs Righteousness that justifieth them which is done to them either by some habits of Faith infused of God into their hearts or by Gods Spirit in a secret and unknown way to us supplying all defects in them and doing all things on their parts and this he holdeth most in charity with some though not full of certainty because it is secret 7. Such Elect Infants Baptized and living to the Use of Reason and Understanding the seeds of Grace and Faith infused before or in Baptism do grow up by the ordinanry means unto an actual apprehension of Christ and his Righteousness yea areall possession and comfortable fruition of Christ and all his benefits which were in Baptism truly and effectually sealed before unto them whensoever they should be capable to make use of them and this she affirmeth both out of certainty and charity 8. Because the Church and all this while I speak of the Church of old England hath no certain knowledge of particulars who are Elect Infants and who not but only a charitable opinion of this and that and so every particular one born in the bosome of the Church for that she not only charitably holdeth but certainly knoweth that all Infants born of Christian Parents are also inexternal and professional Covenant of God together with their Christian Parents Therefore she is carefull as she ought that all such in convenient time and with the soonest may be Baptized and receive the Initial Seal of the Covenant so as none as much as may be depart out of this life without Baptism not as if she certainly thought Infants having been true partakers of Baptism must needs without doubt be saved but because she will not be wanting in her charity and duty to God and such Infants which being once baptized and dying soon after she thinks them saved in her judgement of charity in which she thinketh the inward grace may accompany the outward Ministration but for any judgement of certainty and verity herein she disclaimeth and referreth the same to the God Omniscient Now to what end you add these last words Jesus saith Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mat. 22.29 I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Verse 32. unless it be to shew a kinde of fatality of errour falling upon you and following you wheresoever you go not knowing but pretending ever the Scriptures which still you cite as heretofore and speak words against your own life the life of your Cause and cut your own throat with your own knife or run your self thorow with your own Sword even the Sword of the Spirit the Texts of Scripture as you cite and apply them as here For by virtue of Abraham's saith which God so well accepted of did not God enter into and make a Covenant both with Abraham and his Seed Isaac and Jacob and all other both Jews and Gentiles who should be followers of Abraham's faith and God being the God not of the dead but of the living Abraham liveth still in the children of Abraham who are of the same saith with him and so the Covenant made with Abraham lives still in all believing Parents for themselves and their children In that saidest thou truly John 4.18 And for your last words hereabouts Consider these things with a single eye aiming at Gods glory and thy Neighbours good and answer these Considerations by plain and direct Scriptures if you can or eise leave off wresting the Scriptures to your own ends if not your destruction I have done it you see considered your Considerations which I wish you had better considered of that so they might have been truly Considerations and that not onely with a single eye as you speak but with a twofold eye so I must if aiming at both Gods glory and my Neighbours good even your good also as well as Parents and their children whereas your Considerations did neither but rahter obscured Gods glory in his Covenant and diminishing your Neighbours good the good of Infants especially which God hath enlarged to them And God hath enabled me for I can do nothing of myself to answer your Considerations by plain and direct Scriptures and Reasons drawn from them yea and such Scriptures as you have wrung wrested and wronged I have vindcaged by explaining them and directing of them to their right end and construction And so I shall not need to leave off that I never began But truly it is time for you to give over that which you have practised all along your Letter to me the wresting of Scriptures and that to your own ends if not destruction yea I must tell you though you may wrest the Scriptures to your own destruction unless you see your errour and repent you do not wrest them to your own ends I am sure for they do not come up or attain either to your own end the destruction of our Infant-Baptism or to your other end for both these are your own ends the justification of your Adult Baptism of persons before baptized I will not be my own judge herein but refer it to the indifferent Reader if any shall peruse this my Answer I proceed to that which followeth of yours An Exposition according to the minde of the Holy Ghost in that Scripture 1 Cor. 7.14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband else were your children unclean but now they are holly holy or clean which is opposite to uncleanness What a Mountebank are you alwaies thus to mount up your low bank and to elevate
return and reversion to the Faith who were before baptized nor the children of Professors though baptized by Hereticks or heretical Ministers if rightly according to the Ordinance but rather condemned it and pronounced it a Heresie to hold it or to practise so a Rebaptization For the Sacrament of the Eucharist there is a Quotiescunque it should be received as oft of the same Person as may be conveniently for that our growth and augmentation in grace ought to be daily and continually whereof the Eucharist is the Sacrament But I never read of above a semel of the Sacrament of Baptism that it should be received above once of the same person because our Spiritual Birth and incision into Christ is but once whereof Baptism is the Sacrament The thing is acted but once and therefore is signified but once I acknowledge indeed that it is no where expresly written that baptism should not be irerated and received the second time so it s no where said there are three Persons of the Deity though the word of persons is no in sacred Writ yet the will of God about the things signified by the Word is revealed and expressed in the same So the Will of God that baptism should not be iterated and once baptized should not be re-baptized or baptized the second time appears partly out of what I have alledged 1. That Circumision was never iterated none ever circumcised twice and Baptism succeeds Circumcision 2. That there is mention made of an Iteration or often Receiving the Lords Supper but not a syllable of Intimation there or elsewhere of the like of Baptism 3. That in the very Place and Scripture where Christ instituted Baptism which yet had been the very proper place for it there is no order at all for re-baptizing or iterating baptism 4. That among all the many examples of persons baptized There is not one recorded to have been re-baptized no not Simon the Sorcerer nor Demas the Revolter not one of the Cormthians nor of the Galathians relapsed but onely were called upon to Return to the Grace of the Covenant sealed in their first Baptism by Repentance and Faith I suppose the grand reason of your re-dipping and re-baptizing in elder age is this for that you hold your first dipping and baptizing to be vain Invalide frustrate which was transacted in your infancy for so one of your Sect told me the other day that when he was a Child he was Christened but he was then also but cozened As I warned him so I wish you to take heed unto your wayes that you offend not in your tongue or thought so as in either of them to reproach the Living God or blaspheme his holy and effectual Baptism by thinking and calling this a Cozenage and him a Mocker Did God cozen the whole Church and People of Israel when he appointed and commanded their children even but of eitht days old to be circumcised how then doth he cozen the Church and people of the Gentils in our Infants baptized seeing baptism is the Circumcision made without hands Col. 2.11 Nay seeing both Circumcision and Baptism are the signs and seals of that one and the same Everlasting Covenant of Grace they neither are nor can be any cozenage or frustrate things to the right Partakers of them until they be frustrated by themselves the Partakers as by Esau was his birth-right and also his circumcision and them God is rather mocked and cozened then a Mocker and Cozener but they are valide and of force to the spiritual good ends and purposes of either and therefore being rightly once imprinted are of vigour and vertue of frait and efficacy during life and so long as the Covenant lasteth which is everlasting as I said and so need not to be repeated and reiterated but are often to be revolved and revived in our mindes memories and meditation and the Tenor of the Covenant daily to be studied and practised and the Conditions thereof on our part to be observed and performed accordingly Rather your self Sir and your two Sisters were cozeded and cheated and never so much in all your lives as when you renounced that your first Christian Infant baptism and received this your second novel youthful Dippism Nor can that be any good reason of your re-dipping or rebaptizing your defect of Faith in the time of your Infancy or sithence days of age your Eccess of sins such as have vacated the gracious Covenant and vitiated a good Conscience For you must consider that the Covenant is sealed in Baptism or Baptism is added to the Covenant on Gods part as well as mans God promising there Grace and Eternal life and man stipulating for Faith and new Obedience Though therefore you might or did fly from the performance of your Promise by Hypocrisie or Apostasie and upon such default on your part lost your right and claim of eternal life God notwithstanding stood and standeth still firm to his Promise on his part as who never breaketh Covenant with any nor ever loseth his right to any party baptized by any default made on his side These things if they be true as they are most true God being not as man that be should change and alter to what purpose was it that you should or did entâ—r anew into a Covenant with God and reiterate the seal thereof Baptism and so be rebaptized and re-dipped which was but will-worship of yours fruitless and a tradit on of men needless no where commanded you of God no where exemplified to you by the men of God the Saints This rather you should have done as that one and onely necessary thing you should have repented of your evil ways and works and so have returned unto God in Covenant already and still with you sealed in your Infant-Baptism though forfeited on your part yet not released on Gods part This you should have earnestly pleaded with God confessing your sins and by Faith firmly embracing it through Christ your Advocate and Mediatour Thus you would have set your former Baptism on work and your self too in performing the conditions thereof and so you should have recovered and received all the fruits and benefits of the Covenant of Grace sealed to you by Baptism in your Infancy This every where in Scripture do the Prophets call upon Covenant-breakers on their part and his revolting and relapsed people to repent and to return to their first Covenant with God sealed in their Circumcision not to any re-circumcision as you may see Jeremy 3.1 12. Hos 2.7 and 6.1 And so the Apostle cals to the Corinthians and the Galathians who were far gone from God yea fain from Grace not to put off their old baptism and to put on a new but to put off the old man and to put on the new to Repent of sin and to return to the Grace of the Covenant to perform the condition of their baptism and to grow up in the fruits of the Spirit minding them
namely none to step in until the Angel go down first and move the water so make way for him or her for I believe the water is as good for a him as a her the man as the woman And to encourage you the more hereunto I shall not take any occasion or advantage to raise your Rent hereupon one penny in the year so that you will keep the Pond in good Repair and in its vertue and efficacy by scouring and fencing about so as it may continue therein unto my Heirs and Executors onely I pitty the loss and damage if not undoing that will hereby come to Tunbridge waters in Kent and Barnet water in Hartford-shire and the Bath waters of Sommerset-shire and the waters of the Spaw beyond Sea may be somewhat endamaged hereby and Ebesham waters in Surrey I but here 's comfort You and this Town may be benefited hereby But I will onely tell you at this time how much worse you are and will be in your soul salvation and the peace of your conscience but this your new business of being Re-dipped unless you repent of it timely and truly and turn again to God and his Covenant and the Seal thereof your Infant-baptism and renew them to your benefit and comfort by faith laying claim and hold of them and never let your first Right and Title to them and the grace of them go and so they will never let their hold and tenure go of you and your soul I know not whether I said it before or no for my papers are now out of my sight and so out of my mind but if I did I will say it again after the example of the Apostle Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. I marvelled you were so soon moved away from him my self who called you unto the Seal of Grace Baptism and to the hearing of the Gospel unto another Baptism and Gospel which is not another there being but one Gospel and Baptism But there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel-Covenant and Gospel-Baptism of Christ But though we I think we shall not or they they do it indeed or an Angel from Heaven neither will any Angel preach any other Gospel unto you or any other Gospel-Baptism preach it or practise it then that which we have preached and practised unto you let him be accursed And now here as the Apostle addeth As I said before so say I now again If any man from Earth transforming himself into an Angel of light preach any other Gospel unto you preach or practice any other Gospel Covenant or Baptism then that ye have received let him be accursed Let him be onely of me accused he may be both of you and yours both accused and accursed Sir I have been the bolder with you and the larger in my discourse for that I fear you have not been sufficiently taught and yet even in this point of Baptism I have also formerly catechized you with the other young men of my Parish when for three years together I made it my Afternoons business on the Lords day by your Parents or those who did as Sponsors or Sureties undertake for you the meaning and Doctrine of your Infant-baptism when you came to years of understanding unfolding unto you Gods precious Promises therein made to you and your strict Engagements stipultated to God by them and if so it be then also you ought so much the more now you know their default and understand your self to be more earnest serious and laborious in learning it out and teaching your self the same For thou which teachest another as my self you assayed to do in your Letter teaches thou not thy self Rom. 2.21 But if also you are not either able or willing of your self to do either then be content another and amongst others my self who being your Minister and Pastor notwithstanding your separation have as much right and authority to do both for your good as any other yea and have shewed the more love and integrity towards you in so doing by this piece and my whole Book then any other I add but a few words and I also shall have done teaching you and I hope at leastwise learning of you if not learning you I will not say to you He that is ignorant let him be ignorant still but if you have been ignorant learn now to know and if you have been slighting of your Infant-baptism have hereafter a high esteem of it not as of humane Custom and Formality of the Church but an honorable Ordinance and appointment of God who never imposed upon his people any Service or Order in vain wherein the covenanted Blood of Christ was and is still mysterially and ministerially sealed up unto you for the purging away of that pollution you brought with you into the world by which Grace of Gods Covenant and the Seal thereof in your Baptism you have stood hitherto in your relation to God as a member of Christ under Gods protection and favor and in discrimination from the Heathen world as a Christian of the Church under the fruition and use of all its saving and sanctifying Ordinances And is this a matter to be vilified difesteemed rejected and renounced If the uncircumcised through a wilfull and voluntary refusing of that Seal was to be cut off from Gods people and was called and accounted a breaker of the Covenant surely you can be no less then the same Covenant breaker or more a Covenant dispiser and may fear some heavy visitation if not an utter rejection from Gods people which is in part already faln upon you in your separation from a visible Church by this your voluntary peremptory rash and resolute slighting and renouncing of your Infant-baptism as a Seal thereof conferred and imprinted upon you He that despised Moses law and even that of circumcision which was also Gods law dyed for it Heb. 10.28 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose you shall he be thought worthy who hath troden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit and Covenant of Grace in slighting the Seal thereof your Infant-baptism Sir do not the words sound unto you as a Thunder-clap with Lightning in it and make your ears to tingle and your heart to tremble and your conscience to trouble you 1 Sam. 12.19 20 21. For you have added to all your other sins this evil to renounce your Baptism yet I say fear not you have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart and turn not aside for then should you go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain And so you have done in turning aside from your Infant-baptism and going after that vain thing of your Anabaptist Dipping which cannot profit you nor deliver you from any one sin the guilt or filth for it is a
OF BAPTISME Your Quaeres about Baptism are three and these 1. What warrant you have from the words of Christ for your baptising of Infants before they do actually believe 2. Whether Baptism maketh a Man or Woman a Christian without Faith and following of Christ in all his Commands and steps left upon Record for our Imitation 3. Whether the baptising of Beleevers is not the Command of Christ practised by the Apostles yea or no and left upon Record for us to follow and Imitate till his second comming I Will begin with this your Last Quaere For I perceive that the baptising of Beleevers doth keep such a buzzing in your ears that till it be granted you nothing will be heard Sir for quietnesse and brevity sake I grant it and this is all my answer to this your Quaere Yea I granted as much to you in the beginning if you remember and so thus also briefly and quietly I have answered almost a side of your second sheet wherein are four Considerations brought to prove the lawfulnesse the usefulnesse the necessity of this practise of Baptising Beleevers with these solemn words at the end of every consideration four times repeated Judge ye and Judge Righteous Judgement for God will Section I. Of Baptisme of Infants I hope you will think me to judge Righteous Judgement if I Judge according to your Judgement That the Word of God doth allow and authorize baptising of Beleevers but then I must differ from your judgement in another That the Baptising of Beleevers doth not disallow or exauthorate the Baptising the Infants of Beleevers and that the one leadeth in the other as it were by the Hand if you had no more to say and dispute against the Baptising of Infants of beleeving Parents than against the baptising of beleevers the difference betwixt us had never begun If I speak Parables unto you it is because you know not the Scriptures not the very Scriptures your self doth here quote Matth 28.19 Acts 238. Acts 8.38 Acts 10 47. Acts 22.16 c. What do they all import but that Those Jewes or Heathens who were grown persons aliens from the Covenant had embraced the Gospel and became beleevers were presently baptised or became baptiseable And now that this is no barr or contradiction to the Baptising of Infants appears for that the Infants of those beleevers baptised and entred into Covenant if they had any had likewise a right unto baptisme being in the same Covenant with their beleeving Parents and either were in present baptised or were of right baptiseable So that the baptisme of beleevers makes way and gives ground for the baptisme of their Infants whence in other texts such and such beleevers were baptised they and all their House which is according to the Tenor of the Cov nane in which God is the God of the beleever and his seed so that the one hath as good right to the Seal thereof as the other by vertue of the Covenant God having Covenanted with both together I have formerly suggested unto you the only word that must help you here to make the baptisme of beleevers strong against the baptisme of Infants and it is the Word only for if there were such a precept or practice to be found in Scripture of Baptising Beleevers only then you would write something near the matter but yet should not so carry it away to the overthrowing of the baptising of the Infants of beleevers the Scripture no where calling them unbeleevers But none of the Scriptures you cite none of your considerations you mention do so much as mention much lesse infer the baptising of Beleevers onely Therefore now Judge you but Judge Righteous Judgement even as Good doth you see in your own Texts Or do you mean another matter as I ghesse it That Infants of beleevers born within the Church and Covenant and baptised in their minority when afterwards they attain to some ripenesse of knowledge and profession of faith of Christ should then as beleevers themselves be baptised again Then I must tell you that which you call the first and great Ordinance of the New Testament is neither great nor first nor Ordinance namely such Baptising of Beleevers Nay then I must tell you such baptising of beleevers is not only to be neglected and omitted but slighted and rejected yea preached against and confuted as now in present it shal be For what is this your baptising of beleevers but a rebaptising of them who were baptised before rightly and for any thing you know beleevers also For first God having given the Infants of beleeving Parents Right unto the Sacrament of Baptisme by speciall priviledge of their Birth within the bosome of the holy Church and the Minister having administred the Sacrament of Baptisme unto such in the true Element of Water with the Evangelical words In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost according to Christs institution Containing in them the matter form and so the very essence of outward baptism such baptism is good sufficient effectual and avayleable to Gods Children and they ought not to be rebaptised especially there being the devout invocation made to God for his blessing also a serious application of both the Element and Word unto the party who receiveth both and that secret reference which this action hath to life and remision of sins by vertue of Christs own compact made solemnly with his Church there is not any thing more required to the mysticall perfection of baptisme outwardly within the Church of God constituted and planted Now that such Baptisme is not to be reiterated that Infants thus baptised are not to be rebaptised I shall prove unto you both by the Word of God and some reasons thence deduced Eph. 4.5 There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Baptisme not onely 1. Because it hath every where one and the same substance consisting in one and the same matter one and the same form for we are not to use any other Elemental matter but Water if it may be had nor any other verbal form but this I baptise thee in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost not onely 2. Because it offreth unto all men one and the same grace even one saith of one Lord into which we are baptised but One also for that it ought not to be received of any one man above once even as we serve that Lord which is but one because no other can be joyned with him imbrace that faithwhich is but one because it admiteth no inovation so we receive haptism which is but one because it cannot and must not be received often Thus all the Pious Learned and Primitive Professors have interpreted this Text and conceived of this matter the Iteration of Baptisme once given to be a manifest contempt and violation of this Apostolical axiom and Aphorisme insomuch that though the baptising minister were a Scismatick or Heretick or a
you have done fighting with the Papists that we are agreed about them two to be but one and the same baptism I could tell you that the Apostle here writing to the Hebrews alluded to their old Legal Washings Ablutions and Baptismes minding them of thens but wishing them withall to lay them by and mind the one Evangelical baptism and the sprinkling of Christs blood the which they did but typifie or look at So still but one baptism I could tell you that the baptismes here meant are those I must speak three words more of Human Latine for the words sake because of the elegancy of them Fluminis Flaminis Songuinis But I will turn them into divine English words for yoru sake of Water Fire Blood For there as I said before is an outward baptism which is the washing of the flesh with Water by the Minister and there is an inward baptism which is washing of the Soul with the blood of Christ by the Holy Ghost these are baptismes indeed and here meant but in all Gods true Children they meet in one baptism and they come from God as one baptism entirely made up of these two sorts the outward and inward for that baptism which is of blood mentioned by Christ and mentioned to his two Disciples are ye able to be baptised with the baptism I am baptised with and resolved for them ye shall indeed be baptised with such baptism Matth. 20.22 It is nothing but a constant suffering and conflicting in Christs cause even unto Blood and the suffering of Martyrdom for his sake But I will call in again for Beza whom as before I stiled an interpreter of Luke and that Text Acts 19.5 according to his heart Though he confessed he learned the interpretation of Marnixius so here also I may stile him an interpreter of Luke again and of this Text Heb. 6.2 according to his heart the which interpretation also he learned of Calvin who saith to this purpose an interpreter of those Apostles and Prophets he commented upon according to their hearts though here Beza doth not acknowlege so much There was a right and Custom in the Church Primitive of administring many baptismes upon certain set dayes which set dayes were after appoynted to be Easterday and Whitsunday especially when many Catehumens and New Converts were wont to meet together for baptism These therefore were called Dayes of Baptismes as appears out of the writings of the Antient both Greeks and Latines so still it was but one and the same baptism was conferred upon every one though called baptismes because so many received baptism together upon one day like as sometime in London six seaven and more Children partake of baptism together at one time And now Sirs are you Masters in Israel and know not these things are you Dippers and know not these Baptismes and wheras for the time ye ought not to be Teachers for that ye have need that one Teach you which be the first Principles of the doctrine of Christ learn that this doctrine of Baptismes is the third of them the principles and that it containeth nothing of two Baptismes our baptising Christians born in their infancy and your baptising Christians born in their grown age and least of all for your rebaptising our baptised Infants when you have made them your Proselytes upon a confession of Faith What though our Children be baptised in ignorance of God they are yet baptised in Covenant with God if that be a reason with you they must be dipt again and rebaptised when they come to knowledge why were not the Apostles so when better instructed who were ignorant of the Messias and his kingdom the death the resurrection of Christ will you put your self Sir or your learned Dippers themselves upon the tryall and if you be found ignorant of divers principles of the doctrine of Christ and even fundamental poynts will you be instructed and Redipped Alasse Sirs if as often as God shall shew you the errors of your Minds and the enormities of your lives you must be dipping redipping dripping redripping every Year Moneth and Day No there is another baptism to be used in these cases eyē the washing the soul with the tears of repentance dip re-dip drip re-drip in these and renew your repentance dayly With what a bold face high hand dare you Sir be either dipt your self now twice as I hear or be a dipper of others again as you intend of those whom you have inveigled seduced away into your Scism Heresie being before rightly validly baptised is not this a multiplying so a vilifying of that ōe baptism What example have you in all the Word of God of any Infant Jew re-circumcised when he came to an ability of professing Faith and will you tempt God to put a yoak upon the neck of the Disciples of Christ which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear Telling us it is needful to baptise baptised Christistians again when they come to be believers whē it was not needful yea sinful to circumcise Jewes circumcised when they came to be the like Even when Ziphorah a Woman had circumcised her child Exod. 4. Moses himself allowed it for good and lawfull and never did he or any other iterate that circumcision in present or afterwards upon the profession of its faith and when any went over from being Samaritans who worshipped they knew not what as who knew not Jesus Christ to become Jews John 4. or came over to Christ and to the faith of him none of them were ever baptised again as Beleevers Your duplicate of baptism doth not only oppose the one and single baptism of the Apostle but brings Christans under a Tax and layeth a new yoak upon their necks as I said before Besides To be baptised is to be born anew into the Church no man naturally can be twice or often born every Nicodemus can say Can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born Iohn 3. Why then twice baptised being once baptised sufficiently and truly By baptism Children are admitted into the heavenly society of Saints and no man civilly can be adopted often into any ones stock or family Genesis 48. Ephraim and Manasses were but once adopted and assumed by Iacob into his stock for his Children and why then twice baptised When of Married Persons one forsakes another returns again into Love both are reconciled they do not enter into a new conjugal Covenant by any solemne Celebration of new espousals because the first conjunction stands firm the reconciliation made The baptism of Christians is as the celebration of the Contract betwixt them and Christ the Bridegroom when such a one through open abnegation or other hainous sins departing away from Christ returns again with and by a serious repentance there will be no need of being baptised again and so a new sealing of that Covenant which being once entred into is still
Mothers armes and so might be lesser Children than these But the word in the original for little Children is the same in both Chapters the like also in Marke 10.13 and its acknow ledged by all that both in Mathew 19. and Marke 10. Little Children in age and stature are meant and besides such little Children in age and stature were fittest to be examples of Humility and Innocency the thing intended to the Apostles than either greater Children or grown men who many times are stubborn and harmfull And though in Verse 6. where they are said To beleeve in me little ones be mentioned without little Children it is to me an exegesis or further explication of the word Children that they were little ones and small oner though such as could come to Christ upon his calling of them which maketh no difference in point of the one or the others beleeving in him Lastly when Christ saith Who so shall receives one such little Child in my name receiveth me But who so shall offend one of these little ones c. The very Antithesis or opposition sheweth that he speaketh not of divers sorts of little Children but one and the same And so forewarneth in this 18th Chapter his Disciples that they should not be as he foresaw they would be in the 19th Chapter offensive unto suchdd little Children who were so notwithstanding But if this be not a Text evident enough for their Faith as I will not be contentious but subject my Spirit to the Spirit of the Prophets let another witnesse speak Acts 18.8 Crispus beleeved on the Lord with all his house If there was any Infant there or youngling as most likely it is said to beleeve Yet our Saviour Christs singling out of Children to be examples of Humility and Innocency his accepting of savor shewed to them as done to himself his prohibiting any offence to be done to them all in this 18th of Saint Matthew together with his checking and rebuking of his Disciples for forbidding them to be brought to him or to come to him his taking them up in his Armes laying his hands upon theâ— and blessing them Do not all these shew a great deal of Complacency that Christ had and took in them and that these little Children pleased him very well and therefore sure were not unbeleevers For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Besides that he pronounceth that of such also little Infants in age and stature is the Kingdom of God but the Kingdom of God is not of unbeleevers Sure some of these little Children nay more some of our little Infants dying before they are baptised are saved and received of God into his Kingdom whither no unbeleever nor unclean can come or enter Lastly I read of two Examples one in the old Testament of Jeremy 1.5 Of whom the Lord saith Before thou camest out of the VVomb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet Another in the new of John the Baptist who being but a Babe in the Womb of Elizabeth leaped for joy of the approach of Christ then also in the Womb of the Virgin which joy thereof was an act of the Spirit in him Add hereto Jacobs holding of Esau by the heel which the Prophet Hos 12.3 interpreteth to be a kind of striving with him for the Grace and Blessing We cannot think these in the Womb were in Christ and so sanctified one way and when they came to years of understanding by another way If Chidlren of Beleevers may thus have the Spirit of Grace and Faith and that before the Seal of the Covenant then they are not unbeleevers but beleevers Howsoever there are some things extraordinary in these two examples yet I have shewed that the Spirit of God is an internal ordinary Agent and means in the Church of God and as to the Infantile nature and condition which from the two former examples appears to be capable of it doth where it pleaseth infuse Faith and other Graces as before Humility Meeknesse Innocency Patience whereof little Chnildren were also set for examples by our Saviour Christ I do not say that any Infants now have the Spirit and Graces of the same in so ample and large a measure as those above named as who were sanctified and consecrated in a more speciall degree for a more speciall work nor do I say that all Infants now under Covenant have the Spirit and this Grace of Faith and other but that they who are the Elect of God and ordained to eternal life of which there are many have Faith and the Spirit so far forth as is sufficient for their Salvation Acts 13.48 But I will fall upon this poynt more closely and if as I have in part already out of the Texts all ged I can evince this of Infants-Faith I mean and so must you of Infants in speciality or in kind some of them such as he purposeth to save and not of Infants individually and in particular every one Infants Baptism must needs be also evinced As Paul saith to Agrippa about the Resurrection of the dead so may I to you Why should it be thought a thing Incredulous with you that God should give Faith unto Christian Infants They have knowledge and other Faculties of the Mind and the Soul and why may not they have supernatural Grace and so some seeds of the habit of Faith according to their modell and measure for the apprehending of Christ and so Faith it self in a kind and in a like kind unto that is in grown persons Faith wheresoever is alike and but one in kind the which how small soever sufficeth to Salvation What doth the weakness of the Organ of Body or Soul make it impossible for God to work supernaturally even in the little Children at least so much illumination of the Mind more than is ordinary for that age as may be fit to receive the Grace of Christ I shall tell you more Sir than I beleeve you know and I know you will beleeve Such Infants whom deceasing God taketh up into heaven for of such also is the Kingdom of Heaven as Christ said he filleth in a moment and at an instant with an inundation of knowledge and understanding of Christ for they come to sight and vision of him more than you and I have nay more than all the Prophets and Apostles had whilest they lived upon earth And now cannot the same God immediatly before sprinkle their Souls with one jot of the knowledge of Christ or one grain of Faith though but as Mustard-seed and make them to touch Christ though but with the Tip or Fingers and of that hand of the soul which is Faith whom they shall immediately have the full fruition of like as many as touched the Hem of his Garment were made perfectly whole But I remember me you must have plain direct Scriptures for this point one you have had and so you shall have more Scriptures out of which it may be
plainly and directly evinced Infants Faith and Salvation by it which is all one Doth not David say and testifie Psal 8.2 out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained or founded strength or perfected praise and doth he not Psal 148.12 call upon and exhort old men and children to praise the name of the Lord the which you cannot expound of spiritual children onely as sometimes it may and somewhere for Mat. 21.15 16. they are real and bodily children that cried Hosanna to the Son of David and fulfilled Davids Speech now if these had no Grace Knowledge or Faith in Christ how could they so glorifie and praise Christ and rejoyce and even Triumph in Christ I ask again are any Infants in Christ or ingrafted into Christ or the Children of God if so as you cannot deny it for we are all one in Christ Jesus whether bond or free male or semale old or young Father or Children And God the Father hath given to Christ Infants and Children as well as Parents and Fathers and to those that Christ hath received his Father he gives eternal life But now they are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus and if they be Christ then are they Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise Galat. 3.26 28 if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 and he that is none of his Christ Baptizeth not But Christ Baptizeth with the inward Baptism also unto Remision of Sins many Infants these are some of his as who hath taken them into Covenant to be the God of them and them to be the Children of God And surely if Christ should not impart unto some Infants Knowledge and Faith according to their measure Competent to Salvation but only to the Adule and grown persons he might seem to be an Acceptor both of Ages and personages which he is not Deut. 10.17 Rom. 2.11 See John 6.35 and 37. He that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall not thirst immediately Christ addeth whatsoever the Father giveth me shall come unto me or beleeve in me I ask you now and Quaere you hath not the Father in his everlasting Counsel and Bounty given to Christ all his Elect Infants and appointed them to be Christs when Psal 2.8 the Lord said unto him thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession if so why then they also Infants being somewhat of that whatsoever given unto Christ shall come and do come continually unto him or beleeve in him whatsoever you say or write to the Contrary that they neither shall or do believe See Galat. 3.22 The Scripture hath shut up all things under sin that the promise by Faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those that believe you hear the disease of sin in Adam is spread over all things that is all men and whatsoever is of and in man even Infants therefore the Remedy of Faith in Christ must be spread over them too that this may be as generall and large as that so Infants who are saved must and do believe in Christ See 17. John 3. This is life everlasting to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ Here is a General and universal Rule given by Christ himself the Author of Salvation without any inkling or tinkling of exception for everlasting life to be atteined namely by knowing and believing for that is also included in it as is specified and more enlarged in the 1 John 5.10 11 12 He that hath the Son hath life this life is in the Son and he that believeth hath this witness in himself c. Now I Quaere you again Have any of the Elect Infants the Son of God have they eternall life you cannot deny it and therefore you cannot deny them some spark of Knowledge and Faith See 2 Cor. 5.7 We walk by Faith and not by sight and 1 Cor. 13.12 now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face whence it appeareth there is but one way of joyning us all to Christ and of our enjoying of Christ which is Sight of him in Heaven or Faith in him upon earth to which Sight our Faith now is answerable being of the same nature and quality onely differing in the measure for Faith is nothing else but a sight of him John 12.44 and 4. Now I Quaere you again do not you think but the same way which serveth for all the rest of Gods Elect doth serve for Children also to joyn them to Christ and that there is but one life begun here which is perfected in heaven according to that He that believeth in me hath eternal life John 6.47 Then also must Infants have some light of the mind to see and behold Christ now here as in a looking glase so hereafter face to face See Rom. 4 6. To all Abrahams seed the promise is firm by Faith and his Title is the Father of the Faithfull the Scripture maketh him the Father of us all and all the Children of the promise i.e. The whole number of Gods Elect for of that Primary cause of our Salvation Gods holy Election Saint Paul there disputeth Rom. 9 8. which is observable against the Anabaptists who impute the Salvation of Infants solely to Gods Election which is acknowledged of us to be the Primary cause whereas in that very place he mentioneth a secondary cause of their Salvation that they are the Children of the promise and so reckoned in Abrahams seed because of that Interest they have in that blessed Seed in whom Abraham and all his posterity are partakers of the holy inheritance Now I Quaere you again here do you or dare you exclude Infants from being Abrahams Seed you must then also bar them from having interest and part in Christ if not why do you or dare you to deny them Faith seeing that in the same manner as Abraham obtained the Blessing which was by Faith so must all Nations of the world Jews Gentiles and every particular person all and as many as lay under the curse before even Infants therefore obtain the Blessing by Faith according as it is Gal. 3.8.13 14. What should I run on thus your self will prove as much for me anon and agaiost your self for in your confutation or rather consideration following upon Acts 2.39 there you say That nothing but Faith answereth the promise and I shall tell you that Faith answereth it as the condition If then there be no other way or means for Infants to come by Righteousness or Salvation but by Faith or believing the condition of the Covenant of Grace and the Gospel as works and doing was of the Covenant of Nature and the Law you must either grant some Infants to believe and have Faith or else
leave them destitute of the ordinary way and means or shew from Scripture some other of their Righteousness and Salvation Yea if Infants be saved without Faith they must then be saved without Christ for as there is none other name or person under Heaven given amongst â—â—en whereby we must be saved than the Lord Jesus Act. 4.12 So there is none other means or grace under Heaven given amongst men whereby we may apprehend the Lord Jesus save Faith Matth. 3.16 and Heb. 11.6 Remember your own words nothing but Faith answereth the Promise If Infants have no Faith to answer the promise nor works to answer the precept how shall they do for the answer of a good conscience towards God or a saving Baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 Or what shall they do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall they answer him Job 31.14 If he will contend with them they cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9.3 unless in Christ by Faith they be and then all is answered I could wish some others of a more vigorous body and brain would prosecute these and many other Scriptures to the proof of Faith in Infants Elect and saved the which as I take it would best stop the mouthes of the gainsayers of Infant-Baptism who now not satisfied with their being in Covenant with God also or his giving of spiritual grace to them never leave calling for Faith Faith in Infants so would it set opener and wider the way of Infants to their Baptism even in the opinion of the adversaries thereof If you question how such could believe in Christ Christ who tells you so gave them to do so and so may give to others Is thine eye evill because he is good may he not do with his own as him pleaseth Take that thine is and go thy way it may be he will give unto this least even as to thee Though Intants want the outward Means of Faith which they are not capable of as the Hearing of the Word by which Faith ordinarily is gotten yet there are other besides what you will say extraordinary and so you will fly now your self to extraordinaries who have taxed us of extraordinaries no such matter for besides the ordinary outward Menas of Faith in the Church which an Infant wanteth and is not capable of there are ordinary inward Means of the same Faith which it may find and of which it is capable namely Christ the Author of Faith and the Spirit of Faith both these are internal but ordinary Means of Faith in the Church and avaylable when the outward are wanting and the outward unavay leable where those inward are wanting But you can discern no such matter of Faith in Infants these shew no such thing as Faith what then what evidence of expression do you see or they shew of a reasonable soul in them by this reason you may conclude them unreasonable as well as unbelievers Even Childrens souls are equal and like as yours and mine are in the essentials which are as large and ample to all intents and purposes though pent up for want of room as our souls are and are capable of Grace They are Rational Creatures Seminally and in the inward Principle of human Nature which is a reasonable Nature though through defect of age they are not Rational Productively and in the fruits or external proceedings or operations of reason and so they may be Believers as to the Root and Fountain of Faith the Spirit of God in the first act though they may want the second act thereof which is the increase of it in themselves and the deriving the knowledge of it to others So then Infants in the Church may have Faith and all the Elect of them have fot it is called the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 and you as you cannot descry it in them so you cannot decry it Therefore by your own Tenet and Rule they going for Believers and Elect may be Baptized yea all ought to go so out of a charitable perswasion and opinion that ought to be in us and you howsoever it goeth with them as to the Truth and Reality and therefore all should be Baptized for by the same reason you Baptize any of those you call Believers we Baptize all Infants of Believers and unless it were so none at all were to be Baptized Those that come to you one by one in a profession of Faith you have but a good and charitable opinion of his Faith and Election you can have no sure and certain knowledge of the same For this and that Person may be an Hypocrite and Reprobate yet you Baptize him and him Now therefore may not we do the like there comes presented to us this and that Child one and another in the evidence of Gods Covenant engraven as it were upon them by their birth of Parents in Covenant we have also a charitable perswasion of their Faith and Election and can have no more for there are also Infants born in the Church that are Reprobates and so we Baptize them But if onely the true Beleevers and Elect were to be Baptized then you and we must have a certain knowledge of every Infants and every mans Faith and Election as the ground of our and your Baptizing them the which because neither we nor you can have in any ordinary way neither of us by this Rule must Baptize any at all You hope the best of all and so do we your old Limitation may do well here so far as man can judge which in this case is just nothing and that 's all can be said on both sides but still I must prompt you that it is not knowledge of the Infants being in Election and the signs of it or being in the Faith and the prosession of it but the being in the Covenant and a relation to it that is and ought to be the ground of Baptism in the Church of God now because we find and know all Infants born of Christian Parents within this Covenant Relation know not which of them is Elect or not for if we knew who were Reprobates we neither would nor ought to Baptize them we do therefore Baptize all of them lest otherwise we should and might deny the Seal of the Covenant to some of the Elect Children of God Me thinks you who assume so much of the Spirit to your selves Take heed you do not presume too much of your selves therein there be they who separate themselves having not the Spirit Jude 19. should not be so Covetous or Envious and it may be refistous and then it is blasphemous as to deny some degrees of the Spirit and the graces thereof to Infants when as the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and thou canst not tell whither it goeth when as also the Dove-like Spirit of God hath a neer compliance with and a great complacency in Child-like meekness mildness humility patience of which graces he is pleased to stile himself the Spirit more
than with your manly or rather unmanly pride envy uncharitableness roughness and presumption whereout it is that you so despise and offend the little ones withholding them from their due of Baprism rail and revilethe Churches of God and the Ministers of Jesus Christ These things I tell you grieve the good and mild Spirit of God and send it away sad from such hearts and at last if presevered in will quench its holy fervours And I wonder very much that any people should run after you as they do who leave their Infants and Children under no better a condition or denomination than of Infidels and unbelievers for so you tell them that their condition by nature and their seed is the same which Pagan-Gentiles and till they know God and believe in him open and professed enemies of God whereas upon their and our nature that is natural Generation or Procreation of Seed there is the Covenant of Grace established and set up which you see at large Ephes 2.3 and 4 c. That we were by Nature the Children of wrath as well as others when out of Covenant You profess much Scripture Learn to speak in that Holy Language and to call Children of Christians Christians by Nature and not sinners of the Gentiles or Pagans for so Saint Paul speaketh Gal. 2.15 We who are Jews by Nature and not sinners of the Gentiles How Jewer by Nature because they were the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant born under it Act. 3.25 So are our Children Christians by Nature how not sinners of the Gentiles because born Jewes had not their sins imputed to them though born in original sin as the Gentiles the Covenant being a remedy appointed against it and a means to bring them into Gods favour again and so are our Children not sinners of the Gentiles You that are Parents and are carefull enough to keep sure your inheritances and joyntures of earthly things to you and your Children suffer not your Children to be wrangled out of their birth-right and joynt inheritance they have with your selves in the Covenant of Grace under the name and notion of unbelievers when as the Scriptures never calleth them so but a holy Seed and God hath made you and you Children joynt-partakers of the Covenant and the Seals thereof I have been the longer in this for that I would lay therein some ground-work for something to follow I will be very short in your next Quaere Section II. Of Baptism making Christians and how YOu ask whether Baptism maketh a man or woman a Christian without Faith and following of Christ in all his Commands and Steps left upon Record for our imitation This is a short Quaere and therefore shall be soon answered as not seeing to what purpose it is for you or against me I shall therefore briefly answer something to it out of Rom. 2.28 and 29. distinguishing of the sorts of Christians and the parts of Baprism as he doth of the sorts of Jews and parts of Circumcision As Circumcision which was outward in the flesh made though I do not here approve of this your word and therefore I will use another shewed or declared the Jew outwardly or the outward Jew so Baptism which is outward in the flesh sheweth or declareth the Christian outwardly or the outward Christian And both may be without Faith and following of Christ in all his Commands c. as in Esau and Simon Magus the one Circumcised the other Baptized Again As Circumcision which is of the heart in the Spirit not in the Letter made for here your word may go a Jew inwardly or the inward Jew So Baptism which is of the heart in the Spirit not in the water onely maketh a Christian inwardly or the inward Christian neither of these can be without Faith which parifieth the heart or the fruits of Faith in following of Christ c. Now as the Apostle saith surther He is not a Jew and that is not Circumcision so may I He is not a Christian and that is not Baptism namely approved of God and avaylable to Salvation which are outward onely and literal and therefore every true Jew or Christian must indevour after Faith and Following Christ to speak as you do and to find and get the inward and spiritual substance and nature of these Sacraments which is to worship God in Spirit to believe and rejoyce in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 to put off the sinsull body of the flesh Col. 2.11 That we may draw neer with a true heart in full affurance of Faith having our hearts sprinckled from an evill Conscience and our bodies washed in pure water Heb. 10.22 and may have the washing of Regeneration and the Sprinkling of the Blood of our Lord Jesus within us as Tit. 3.5 and 1 Pet. 1.2 Again There are Made Christians and there are Born Christians or a Proselytical or Parental Christianity As for such who are of the Pagan and Heathen world by Nature They can no otherwise be made Christians or Members of the Church but by a lawful Baptism upon their accession unto the Church and expression of their Faith so the Proselvtes of old were and did whom Baptism made Christians and outward members of the visible Church upon their Confession of Faith like as their Faith if true made them Saints and inward members of the Invisible Church But for them Infants who are in the Church and within the Covenant descended of Parents and in Covenant these are Born Christians and Church-members visible I mean not as born of Christian Parents but as born in and under the Christian Covenant so that their Baptism doth not so much make them to be Christians but only shew and declare them to be such as I said and seal them as Covenanters And howsoever a Positive expression of Faith explicitely be necessary unto a Heathen Born for his Admission unto his Christianity or Church-membership yet it is not so unto a Christian Born for their Christanity or Church-membership is their Birth-Privilege and Baptism is but their Instalment or inrolment and is but as the Inauguration or unction unto a Prince Born Faith I confess and I mean saving and justifying Faith and so must you seeing you joyn thereto the following of Christ in all his Commands and Steps left upon Record for our Imitation is absolutely requisite unto Born Christians as a Condition to their partaking and enjoyment of the Benefits and Fruits of Baptism but not absolutely required as the condition to their comming and engaging to the Covenant to the which they have a good Title and Right without present actual Faith unless you will affirm that all the Jewes who came to Circumcision had the like and all the whole Congregation of Israel man woman and child who Deut. 29. entred into Covenant with God had a saving and a justifying Faith In a word Baptism without Faith may declare a visible Christian but incompleatly
is a great deal of distance and difference twixt a Warrant out of Gods word and a Command or Precept out of the same I shall I hope bring you forth some warrants out of the word for our Baptizing Infants but for a Precept or Command for the same I am not engaged no nor required to give by this your Quaere Warrants enough and those from the word I shall serve upon you for though a Warrant from a Justice be a Precept Missive yet a Permissive will of God which is no Precept for it may be a Warrant of an Action and such are and may be any solid Reason or good Consequence or like example drawn there from which though it will not be admitted for a Precept may serve for a Warrant A. first Warrant shall be this Reason which is but a recollection or recapitulation of somewhat immediatly said before If Infants of Christians are all of them capable and some of them partakers of the Spirit and Faith and other inward Graces Then they may and ought to be Baptized This is warranted out of the word and those Texts Act. 8.36 Act. 10.47 The one warranting Baptism to a believer the other to him who hath received the Holy Ghost whether young or old Infant or grown person If Thou believest saith Philip thou mayest be Baptized when the Eunuch asked what doth hinder me so Faith it was that made him capable and removed the hindrance though upon his confession of his Faith it being not otherwise discernable he having no other right pleadable he being one o' the Gentiles He was actually Baptized So can any man forbid water that these should not be Baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as we and so he Commanded them to be Baptized That particular Hypothetical if thou believest c. thou may'st be Baptized may and must be resolved into this general Categorical whosoever Believeth may be Baptized Man or Child Young or Old and howsoever Cornelius and the rest their receiving of the Spirit was in the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit then manifesting it self that way yet any other manifestation of the Spirit any word or act of God declaring that Persons do belong to Gods Covenant as some or other way the Spirit doth manifest it self in all that do belong to Gods Covenant is to us and ought to be to you a sufficient Warrant without any danger of will-worship to account them such and therefore to Baptize them be it this pouring out of extraordinary gists as here upon Cornelius and others or the Consession of Faith as in Philip or Repentance as in those that came to John the Baptist or be it a promise to believing Parents-and their Seed to be their God or Gods owning them as Persons belonging to the Church or any other ordinary Gifts and Graces of the Spirit or the Spirits supplying their infirmities in these cases can any man forbid water that these should not be Baptized This Interrogative and quaestionipropounding Speech may and must be resolved into a Nagative-Answer absolutely No man can forbid water rightly for that 's done that is rightly done or done of Right anless he will forbid that which God hath Commanded and some of these we have abundantly for the Infants of believing Parents where no man can forbid there God Commands that they who have received the Holy Gholst should be Baptized The resule also out of this is this general Proposition whoseever whether Infant or grown Person hath received the Holy Ghost whether apparently or secretly ordinarily or miraculously whether in sight or Faith hath a right to Baptism no man can forbid it and in one of the particulars Peter here Commands it See how I have gratified you beyond a Warrant with a little less than a Command for the Baptizing of Infants if having Faith and the Spirit as many yea all the Elect of them have whom we not able to know one from the other particularly do therefore Baptize all under the Covenant with God More briefly and syllogistically thus take it as I recollect it All Persons who have received the Holy Spirit or have Faith are Commanded by God in Scripture to be Baptized as appears by the two Texts here cited But some Infants of Christians have received the Holy Spirit or have Faith as appears by many Texts formerly cited Therefore some Infants are Commanded by God in Scripture to be Baptized A Second Warrant is This Reason It Infants of Christian Parents be in the Holy Covenant of God and have the same engraven upon them and established with them Then they are to be Baptized and to receive Baptism as the initial seal thereof This Reason is warranted or this warrant may be reasoned out of the word Gen. 17.9 c. and Rom. 4.11 for it s there apparent and the light there shining dazzles all Antipaedobaptists they cannot abide to look thereon that as Abraham and his Proselytes grown men upon their profession of their Faith were Circumcised so the seed or Children of Abraham and those Proselytes were Circumcised as Children of Parents in Covenant and joyned together with them in covenant and both these are there expresly Commanded and so this also that the seed of Abraham and his Proselytes should be Circumcised by vertue and reason of Gods Covenant with them which was to be sealed unto them by Circumcision Now as the Being of Infants in Covenant under the Law made them capable of and gave them a due Right to Circumcision the Initial seal of that Covenant under the Law so the being of Infants in Covenant under the Gospel makes them capable of and gives them a due or Right to Baptism the Initial seal of the Covenant under the Gospel The Covenant being the same for substance and in relation to the eternal wel are of the Soul as in the nâ—x I shall shew which being so if Anabaptists passing by this reason from the Covenant will insist still upon the meer and sole Commandement of God I must tell them the Text saith not Thou shalt keep my Command but thou shalt keep my Covenant implying that this Command of Circumcision had reference to the Covenant and was part of it For here God is to be considered not in his absolute Prerogative commanding but as God in respective mercy Covenanting with his people and all his Commands are to be taken as branches of his Covenant and all prounded upon his Free-grace in Jesus Christ therefore Gen. 17.10 and 13. God calls expresly Circumcision by the name of his Covenant to teach you and all others that will learn that the Covenant made Infants capable of the Seal and not Gods meer Commandement as you and your notional and metaphysical Masters do abstract who love to play with your own Fancies and Imaginations whereas the Seal is nothing but the confirmation of the Covenant and appointed and commanded so to be of God But the Covenant in order of Nature going before the Seal thereof
a Seal of the inward washing by his Spirit which is also called the washing or Laver of Regeneration Titus 3.5 Because the inward washing of the Spirit in Regeneration is sealed with the outward washing in Baptism Therefore I find it in the Ecclesiastick Histories That in those ages and places where and when the vilenesse of original pollution was best understood of Parents of Children as most preached of by the Fathers of the Church as in Augustins dayes what running there was od Parents with their Children in their armes to Baptism and why not there being no other visible ordinance appointed of God in the Church but Baptism for the washing away the guilt and filth of that Birthfin and pollution And was it not so of old wherefore did God command the Infants of the Jewes to be circumcised and wherefore were they so circumcised in the fore skin of their flesh but to shew tht the very nature was defiled which they received by carnal generation from their Parents and which they were like to traduce and conveigh to their Children and to testifie what need they had to have such original Corruption and uncircumcision of the flesh to be done away by the clensing and Regeneration Spirit of Christ sealed in their outward Circumcision And that Circumcision in the former as Baptism in the latter dispensation do both poynt at this one and the same thing the Cleming away of the pollution of the natural birth by the Spirit of Christ there is a clear Text Colossians 2.11 12 13. We now are fallen into those days wherein there have been not only shaken but rased many foundations and principles of the Doctrines of Christ especially two of those six in Hebrewes 6.2 Which are Repentance from dead workes a chief of which is original sin and the doctrine of Baptism and wherein a Spirit of Pelagianism hath entred into many and goeth about preaching unto Parents a freedom from original sin pollution in their Infants as derived from Adam and so proclaming a liberty from baptifing of them just as the impostors foretold of by Saint Peter whilest they promise them liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 It concerneth us therefore so much the more who are Master-builders in the House of God or but Repairers of the breaches to uphold and maintain these two foundations of the Christians Faith and to teach the people first that as themselves were so their Children are defiled with original sin and pollution by their natural birth and then next that there is no other ordinary way of clensing and washing them but by the regenerating and purifying Spirit and Grace of Christ Signified Sealed and Exhibited in andby the outward washing of Water in Baptism as pleaseth God Again I say not that Baptism doth all this from or by the deed done or work wrought which is their Popish phrase but as our Protestants say either as it is a means to give exhibite Christ with his benefits the which it doth by signification as a particular Certificate assuring forgivenesse of sins or as a token or pledge of the Grace of God confirming it Or as an instrument because in and with the right use of Baptism God confers Grace where and when he pleaseth for it is no Physicall but a Moral Instrument and sets his image or mark of Regeneration upon the party whence Baptisme is called the Laver of Regeneration God is at liberty and may when and how he pleaseth let his Grace accompany his ordinance of Baptism Which way soever God doth work these great things by or in Baptism Methinks it is a potent and invincible reason and warrant for the bringing Infants upon Baptism the onely outward ministerial remedy in the Church for the abating and abolishing the malady of original sin of which even Infants stand guilty born and conceived in it unlesse you would involve Parents in another guilt of neglecting the meanes and cure of that disease which they were instrumental to the bringing their Children into or else that you are of the opinion of the Pelagian Hereticks who held no original sin at all in Infants but actual which they also contracted by Imitation of other wicked whereupon all the Antient and Orthodox Divines urged and pressed them with the Baptism of Infants and made it a foundation and proof of original sin in Infants like as I now go the other way and urge and presse original sin in Infants as a proof and plea or warrant as you call it for the Baptism of Infants as being the only outward ordinary way to begin their cure and Rogeneration more briefly and syllogistically thus take it as I recollect it If Baptism be commanded of God in the Gospel for the washing away the guilt and filth of original and birth sin then all Infants who are Partakers of these are commanded Baptism But Baptism is commanded of God in the Gospel for the washing away the guilt and filth of original and birth-sin Therefore Infants who are Partakers of these are commanded Baptism The first proposition is not questionable the light of Nature and Reason commandeth the use of meanes and medicines to the end and for maladies the sick need the Physician c. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden c. The second proposition is the matter of the Texts Rom. 6.3 and 4. and Acts 22.16 as hath been declared and so I have reasoned baptism of Infants into a command before I intended it Sirs I speak to you Parents are you willing your little pretty babes should be saved you should be very willing and desirous of it and the rather in that you have been means of conveighing into them a corrupt seed you should labour they might be born again of the incorruptible seed by the Word of God and the Seales thereof one whereof which is fit for them in their Infantile Estate is this Baptism I am speaking of and for If you would have them saved it must be either without or with Regeneration without Regeneration they cannot be saved For Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh a degenerate sinful corrupt thing neither can corruption iherit incorruption Therefore they must be saved with Regeneration for except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit John 3.3.6 He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit a Regenerate sanctified and clean thing If so the Sirs bring forth your Infants and Babes unto the Laver and means of Regeneration present them to the Water of Baptism and wati and pray for the Spirit of God that it would move upon the face of the Waters as it did in the first Generation and so form a spiritual Light out of or in a natural darknesse That the Baptismal Water may be effectual by and through that Spirit of God as Waters of Jordan were
the Church of God which the family of Christ chiefly was in the Apostles times at the beginning of their preaching the Gospel to and throughout the world was much after the manner of the Family of Abraham which was then the onely Church representative As therefore Abraham in his family had both adult and Infants himself being circumcised at 100. years old Ishmael at 14. years the Proselytes at other several ages Isaac at 8. dayes and so taught Ishmael and the Proselytes of his house of this covenant and the Sacrament thereof before he circumcised them but forthwith baptised Isaac before without any foregoing instruction just so doth our Saviour Christ appoint to be done in his family the Church which was now to be raised in the greater part and gathered out of the Nations So as the adult Heathens aliens from the Covenant void knowledge were first to be taught before they were baptised but the Children of such taught and baptised Heathens were forthwith to be initiated by the Sacrament of Baptism before they were taught in the heads of Religion Now the condition of our Churches is a constituted and planted Church already formed and therefore according to the intention of this Text the baptising of Infants is to precede and the teaching them to follow when by reason of years and capacity they can hear the word 4. Christ indeed gave Command that whom his Disciples had taught they should be baptised but that none should be baptised but suchf as were first taught that is your Addition or Tradition wherein you resemble the old Separates of the Jewes the Pharisees as I have told you the name of a Pharisee is in English a Separate For as they transgressed the Commandements of God by their Traditions of the Elders Matthew 15. So do you corrupt this Commandement of Christ by your Additions and the inventions of your Youngsters But in vain did they worship God Teaching for doctrines the Commandements of men and in vain do you worry us bringing in for proofes the glosses and expositions of Children But look again upon the Text in Matthew and see if Teaching do not also follow close after Baptising and Baptising so goeth before Teaching thus with your own Argument retorted I have slain you as Goliah with his own Sword But sure our Saviour Christ being the God of Order and the Wisdom of God did not thus place the words and order them up and down to no purpose Yea I conceive that in so doing he purposed to give a full and universal Precept or Command for Baptism both to the Apostles and others the Pastors of the Church unto the worlds end that so when they ceased committing their converted Churches unto these succeeding them these might proceed where they left to build upon their foundations To Baptise and Teach where they had taught and Baptised And thus the words are very orderly placed and ranked the first file as I may so speak being of Teaching and Baptising where the Apostles wâ—â—â— as Ambâ—ssidours in Extraordinary Teaching the Cown Men and Women of the Nations and Pagans the Gratuital Covenant of God and baptising them or giving them the initial Seal thereof The next file or order is of Baptising and Teaching where went either they also as Pastors in Ordinary or other Ordinary Pastors Baptising the Children and Infants of such converted Nations and Pagans being in Covenant with their Parents and teaching them afterwards to observe whatsoever Christ commanded c. So that here seemes to be Christs Commandement in this Text both for Adult-Baptism and also Infant-Baptism or if you will for Parental-Baptism upon their being taught the Covenant and their embracing and professing Christ and also for Filial Baptism upon their being in Covenant as being Children of baptised Professors after which is to follow teaching and instructing of them as they are able which is punctually observed by us who do or should having baptised them by order Catechise them afterwards that so they may be fitted in due time for that other Sacrament the Lords Supper according to that of Hebrews 6 2. Where the Apostle speaks of Baptisms The Baptisms I mentioned which are plural or Two in respect of the subjects capable the grown men of the Nations converted and their Infants or Children but yet but one and the same Baptism as formerly I have shewed Baptisms I say and imposition of hands and alludeth to the practice then and since in use with the Church That such Children as were baptised in their Infancy should afterwards openly in their own persons and with their own mouth own the Covenant confirm an ratifie the promise and condition make Profession of their Faith and so be by imposition of Hands farther confirmed and admitted to the Lords Supper Now you Sir quite contrary to the order of these prinicples of the doctrine of Christ as they are called in the 1. verse of Heb. 6. You begin at imposition or laying on of Hands before Baptism or the laying on of Water and so do but impose upon us as the Children Impostor-like requiring first Confession of Faith from them before they have from you Administration of Baptism as if your Children born Christians had no more privilege were in no better condition than the Pagans and Nations Christ sent his Apostles unto 5. I shall tell you that the word translated Teach all Nations in which lyeth all the force of your arguing against Childrens Baptism it signifieth see your want of skill in and your folly in declaming and clamoring against University and human learning in the divine languages for so are the original ones signifieth in the original not onely to Teach but to make Disciples of the Nations to admit them to be Scholars to be taught This is the end wherefore the Apostles were sent out namely to make Disciples and the Actions whereby they were to attain this end were Baptising and Teaching and if it were not thus there would be found a Tautology in Christs words and you must read them thus Go teach all Nations baptising them Teaching them Such an Exposition as this would put you to your shifts Go ye make Disciples to me out of all Nations by Baptising and Teaching and such a one may do well enough very well against you who when you come to this or any Text do but shift up and down for your self but sift not at all for the sense And therefore to puzzle you a little for there is no farther hopes of any of you I fear I will tell somewhat more that our Divines have added to justifie this Exposition Christ saith not go make Disciples and baptise them but make disciples baptising them implying that by baptising them they made them Disciples Like as it is said that John did baptise in the Wildernesse and preach as though he did baptise first and then preach So all Israel is said to be baptised into Moses not as already taught but to be taught by
such were baptised and all their housholds such a one and All his by the Apostles is your imagination so strong and wide as to shut out the children first out of doors of those housholds that so next you may exclude them from the Apostles Baptism You must do so if there were any within doors or tell us that the Apostles passed by them in their baptisings or you must shew us that all the Women in those housholds were barren not a Mother of a Child or a young one amongst them all For though there should not have been in them Infants or Sucklings yet if but a youngling and a Child of some years all would have been but as one as to their Understanding and confessing Or you must thus divide the housholds as you are good at dividing houses and households setting the Husband against the Wife and alienating the Children from Father Mother which is a very bad practice and say that not all the Houshold was baptised whereas the Text saith expresly He and all his houshold were baptised but some major part or the most considerable part of the house and when it is said the house of Israel was circumcised its meant not of a part either major or most considerable but of the whole house as to the Parents and Children and Servants also or Proselytes under their education and instruction I do not wonder you cannot abide our University Arts and Sciences These cannot abide you and such reasonings and interpretations the Apostles baptised such and all their housholds that is the greater part the people of Growth for though sometimes such a word may be so taken where all are not capable of the thing done or spoken of you must prove it to be so here meant in all the places where the Apostles baptised such and all their housholds which you can never doe the express Letter which you are so for is expresly against you such and all their housholds of which many times also children are not onely some of all and a part of the whole but in your Tearms one of them at least the major part I say not the most considerable but I say a capable part too but if in all or any of these housholds there was but one infant or any one young stripling you are gone as to the Apostles practice who baptised the beleever and all his houshold and incapacity here is none to hinder either our interpretation or the Apostles ministration for if there had been any in the houshold uncapable The Apostle would not have baptised the whole houshold or the beleever and all his houshold and I have abundantly shewed before from the Apostle that Infants of Beleevers are capable of baptism Verse 32. Now if be said that the Apostle preached and spake the word to the Gaoler All that were in the Gaolers house so all might beleeve and be baptised it is true the Apostle did so speak the word to all capable of it but yet at the 31. Verse he speaks of the salvation of all the house upon the tearms of the Gaolers beleeving for that the promise and Covenant being so made at first held still to beleevers parents and their children and here also servants because it is said he and all his were baptised in the 33. verse So it appears to me that the Gaoler himself onely beleeved and had an inward work of Faith wrought in the heart upon some special evidence he received of Christ come in the flesh whereupon he and his of whom the other Pagans of his family there is nothing said as to their faith whether servants of growth or children under age the whole houshold were baptized immediately in relation to the Fathers and Masters undertaking and engaging for themselves and their housholds And indeed to keep to my particular if such in these or our housholds as did or do actually beleeve and professe were and are to be baptised onely why was the houshold as of the Gaoler before who onely there beleeved as I have shewed so the houshold of Lydia of whom onely it is said that the Lord opened her heart to beleeve in Christ baptised Surely the Apostles would not bring in a different Administration now in the housholds of beleeving Christians whether out of Jewes or Pagans from that which ever was in use and practice amongst the housholds of beleeving Jewes at first and therefore went here according the common custom formerly used in time of circumcision and where they baptised any beleeving Father of a Family there they did baptise or others for them the children of the same houshold or might have done Otherwise how could they the Apostes when they preached the Gospel to all Nations and so to their housholds how could they bring the blessing of Abraham into all Nations and their housholds according to the prophecy and promise thereof by God if they did not apply the Covenant and the Seal generally to them and theirs in the same manner as it was to him and his so that the children of beleevers might now be baptised as formerly they were circumcised And lastly I may add this That when men in those dayes were converted from Judaism or Pagainism they did probably at their admittance into the Church by baptism make an open and solemn League and Covenant with God before some people present to professe the Faith of Christ they and their housholds which Saint Paul may seem to put some of them in mind of Ephesians 6.4 Fathers bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord And therefore when the Apostles did baptise housholds of beleevers they did it in relation on to the Parents or others in their stead undertaking and ingaging for themselves and the children therein And thus now at last and at length too as all other point I have asserted unto you this Point also of Apostolical Practice and Examples for the baptizing of the children and Infants of believing Parents I have answered all your Quaeres and I hope have informed and setled your judgement better by my answers than you could do it by our Quaeres for I cannot yet forget how that at the end of them you say these your Quaeres are your judgement I proceed now to what you have more in your Letter of two sheets but do not mean to proceed as I have begun either to transcribe all your words of the second sheet all have done your words of the first or to bestow twenty and five sheets closely written in answering of your second sheet but loosely written as I have done upon your first sheet for I have dispatched hitherto but the one first sheet of your Letter and there is good reason for it For the first sheet for the most part put Quaeres to me in your number twenty one and they contained in them some material and substantial things to be answered of a large extent and great depth and therefore I thought
you say nothing seeing there is a Christian World or a World of Christians even all that professe the Gospel and embrace Jesus Christ for if you mean by Church the elect true beleevers and by the World the Reprobate and false Beleevers within the same neither our Infant-baptism nor your baptism of beleevers as you call it confessing Faith when grown in years can make such a distinction for as amongst our Infants so amongst the grown Beleevers baptised there may be and are undoubtedly many Reprobates Hypocrites and Falsehearted Professors such of both sorts come to Baptism without any distinguishing by us and go from baptism without any distinction of such by it And therefore 4. Is a pittiful reason you add and I pitty you for it that Infant-baptism doth not distinguish the true Church from the World because all are admitted in by it True all of the Church are admitted in by it What need a distinction in the Seal where there is a conjunction in the Covenant and this very admitting all of the Church professing Christ or born of those that professe Christ upon both which termes the Covenant runneth doth evidently prove that we hold strictly and uphold strongly the distnction of the Church from the World of Pagans and Heathens whom we exclude-and keep off from baptism untill they learn and beleeve the Gospel and make profession And now 5. Consider that your Non-baptism of your Infants until they be grown to great years able to profess faith c doth overthrow the end of bapttism and a chief one the distinguishing of the true Church from the World for that none of them are admitted into the true visible Church by it for tell me what 's the distinction and difference betwixo the World-Infants I mean the Infants of Pagans and Heathens and the Church-Infants the Infants of Christians and Professors but this onely of baptism admitting these into the visible participacion of the Covenant and Communion with the Church of God for want of which the others are kept out as aliens and strangers until they by faith and confession come to claim the same Seal of admittance I say again consider this and lay it closely and seriously to your heart that during the years you detain uyour Infants and Children from baptism which is their birth-privilege and their Covenant-Seal and their distinction-mark you leave them in a Heathenish and Gentile state as Aliens and strangers from the XCommom wealth of ChrisTians and Covenants of Promise Them I say you leave without Hope as being without the Seal of the Promise and your selves in doubt about them The revealed things belong to you and your Children The Promise and the Promise to be sealed belongs to you and your Children to your Children upon their birth as their Privilege and due Let them have it and leave the secret things to God to whom they belong their Salvation by Election for he that elected them to such an end hath elected them to the means And thus you have been thrice overthrowing of Infant Baptism yet have you not given is any fall For though in words you seem to make is the great overthrower as if it overthrew the Covenant and Gospel the visible Church the ends of true baptism yet Infant-baptism and all these stand ver well together each upholding the other and though you would indeed seem as the great Goliah and overth over to little David and so have given these three retches and girds at Infan shaptism it s rather to your own overthrow and of vour own baptism and yet I perceive you have another stroke to come in the 21 of Ezekiel 27. God said of Jerusalem purposeing to destroy it I will overturn overturn overturn and it shall be no more but in your design for the ruine of Infant-baptism you exceed the wrath and indignation and have gon beyond that threefold Ingemination saying I will overthrow overthrow overthrow overthrow the doctrine of Infant-baptism But as curst Cowes have short horns so strong words have most an end weak hands you have done but little yet by your three highly and strongly conceited considerations and I beleeve the fourth will be like the sormer Which because there are so many In and outs and round abouts in it I will reduce it to a short form The baptising of Beleevers or Deciples is onely expresly commanded in Scripture as in Matthew 28.19 Mark 16 15. John 4.12 Acts 2.38 and 41. Acts 8.37 and 38. But Infants baptism overthroweth and prevents that babtism which is onely expressly commanded in Scripture Therefore what you infer nothing lest it should be a Syllogism a Limm of the profane University human Learning but I know your meaning onely mend in your copy at home Deciples and Babtism as you write here and make it Disciples and Baptism lest your friends think you call the baptism of beleevers onely a babism and derive your Disciples from Deciples decipients or deceivers You must pardon me for not turning to your Texts some of them I have already handled shewed they were nothing to your purpose and others I shall meet within in a fitter place I know them without book that none of them all do expresly command the baptising beleevers onely Which they must do if you cite them for your purpose For who ever denyed the baptising of beleevers as I have formerly written Again as these Texts do command some of them expresly the baptising of beleevers as Acts 2.38 So some other doth but condition for and propound Faith unto baptism of grown persons as Acts 8.37 And another mentions faith and baptism as a joynt requisit to Salvation as Mark 16.16 And another hath nothing at all in it either of faith or baptism or command as John 4 12. And for the last place in your paper the first look back where it s largely handled and you shall see you might have seen it in the Text it self there is no expresse command for baptism of beleevers but of Disciples and therefore you did well to add to beleevers or Deciples and are not Children of beleeving Parents Disciples too if not beleevers you shall find if upon your first reading you did not Them also to be commanded there under the Notion of Disciples or a discipled Nation of which they are a portion to be baptised and much more to that purpose And lastly your Texts that do speak of Baptism of Believers mean it of Believers being grown persons and Heathens converted newly not of Believers born and living within the Precincts of the Church But how I pray doth the Baptism of Infants within the Church overthrow the Baptism of believing Heathens and Pagans grown persons they stood up together both in Apostles General and National Commission by which the children of believing and baptized Heathens were to be also baptized and in Apostles domestical and special Dispensation when they baptized whole Housholds of believing Parents and their children It is true
thee as it were a Shipboard or into the Ark sealing Christ with his benefits unto thee which shall not be pulled off and made Null and therefore need not to be iterated and set to again the first being still of force and efficacy to all true believers in Christ and repenters of sin Thus I have shewed you Sir how most men yea all men who have been Baptized in their Infancy may and ought to look upon themselves as Baptized in their Infancy which you seem to condemn and that to very good purpose and benefit and whereas you adde as the other part of your condemning them for their not looking after the Command of Christ to be baptized when they believe will you have them look after that is not to be seen or found nay have you seen or found out such a Commandment I pray Si lend or sell no some of your eye-salve to annoint our eyes for by and from that eye-salve in the 3. of Rev. 18. wherewith we have anointed our eyes according to Christs Council there given we cannot see from the one end of the New Testament to the other any such Commandement for persons baptized in their Infancy to be baptized when they believe And yet as if you had revealed and brought to light some rare matter of Salvation you have a very scrious and devout epilogue that it your considerations should be considered without a selfiish prejudicial Spirit a Spirit willing to he guided by the Spirit of the Lord according to his word of truth and the Scriptures truly red and interpreted by the Spirit of the Lord which are quoted to prove the Assertions It will appear to every honest and unbyassed Spirit that Infant-Baptism is a great and dangerous errour for ever to be rejected of every Soul that expects Salvation by Christ Jesus What a Cackling is here made upon the laying of an addle egge or rather what a Crowing is here upon the Treading out of a few idle considerations you have the faculty of entitling upon the Spirit and the Scriptures that which they being the Spirit and Scriptures of Truth own not your considerations and interpretations though very seldom you give interpretations them you leave for me to make quotatious and considerations enough you bring and those to no purpose or proof as I have particularly demonstrated where you cite them I leave it to the Honest and unbyassed Spirits to judge and determine whether the Texts you have cited were pertinent to your Consideration or according to your meaning or interpreting if you have given any whether Infant-Baptism be a great and dangerous errour for evewr to be rejected because now opposed of you which ever was a good and Religions Truth ever practised amongst the Saintt because recommended of Christ and the Apostles whether youts or mine be a selfish and prejudiciall Spirit I confess my Spirit is prejudiciall to yours your opinions as your Spirit is prejudicate to mine and thoughts Lastly whether your considerations be not as inconsiderate in the writer so inconsiderable to the Reader However you think so well of them that you go on to more of them when its time to have done with such selfish things and in the next place offer to me some of your considerations upon Act. 2.39 The which if I thought they were no more considerate nor considerable than your former I would consider a while upon it whether or no I should take them into consideration at all or pass by them as inconsiderable And such indeed they seem to be and upon the General view I find them so for in them all there are nothing but answers and solutions made to objections not set down Refutations and denyals of a sense before it be any where mentioned is not this Cart before the Horse which a Carter methinks should not do a consideration without consideration which a Consideratour I am sure should not do we had before your judgment setled out of Quaeres this is as bad your answers to no objections your refuting no Exposition of ours Well as all the way hitherto I have ordered your matters for you so I see I must do so still or else we shall make no work of it at least have no orderly proceeding in it First therefore let the sense of that Text be given and the argument drawn out of it for Infant Baptism which I will do for you and then after let the refutation of that sense and the Answers to that Argument be added or subjoyned the which you shall do for me Peter having preached here unto the Jess and laid to their charge the death and crucifying of Jesus Christ and brought them to some apprehension of their horrid sins at the 38 Verse exhorteth them to repent and be baptized into the Name of the same Jesus Christ and to accept him for their Messias the which he doth upon this reason and ground mentioned in the 39 Vers and drawn from the benefit that should redound not to the mselves onely but to their Children by their believing in Christ The which he proves from the Promise made to them and their Children In plainer and larger words thus it is God hath remembred his Covenant in sending that blessed Seed in whom he promised to be the God of Abraham and his Seed know ye therefore that as God made the Promise of Grace in Christ to come and to be exhibited unto Abraham upon his believing and took also his Children and Posterity into Covenant with him not onely the natural Jews but even amongst all Nations whoever became followers of Abraham's Faith should by vertue of the same inherit Abraham's Promise That he would be their God and the God of their Seed also which should also be taken into the same Covenant so now this blessed Seed in whom the Promise was founded being now come and exhibited would make it good to you all Jews and Gentiles who would believe in him and notwithstanding your cruel practises against him and your crucifying of him if you will believe in this Lord of life and your Messias you shall thereby be in as good or better condition under this last Administration for your selves and your children as in the former therefore deprive rot your selves by your impenitency and infidelity of so great a benefit as may come to your selves and Posterity for the Promise is made to you and your Children c. what Promise or the Promise of what for so I will clear the Text of some exceptions the Promise of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost so say some of you that you may the better turn this off from Infants of Believers baptized It is true they are promised also in the Verse before and I acknowledge they were Appendants to the Primitive Baptismes of the adult and peculiar to the first times for the more abundant confirmation of their Faith as Act 10 11. who were converted to it from Paganism and
I tell you the Evangelist John is against the the Anabaptist John even herein in that very thing for which you cited him as I have shewed you but if for Truth sake out of love to the Truth you would have compared Habakkuk with Paul in any of the three Texts the Margent directed you to yea the whole Books and Epistles to the Romans and Galathians they would have given you a cleer Elucidation if you would lay aside your own Spectacles and look with theirs that your Justification and everlasting life is there in the Prophet set upon the account of Faith in your own person applying to your self the Righteousness of Jesus Christ which contains rather the Execution of the Promise But what 's all this to the Promise it self here mentioned and of old made to the believing Parents and their Children in their Infancy Sure when you were a Child you spake as a Child you understood as a Child you thought or reasoned as a Child you reckoned and accounted as a Child I pray now give me some account because you make an instance in your self passing by the Faith in your Parents of the Faith was in your own person when you was a Child and went to Baptism by which you lived or instance now again in the Children of faithful Parents amongst the Jews what account of their Faith did any of them make in their own persons when they were Circumcised in their Child-hood or here in the 2. of Acts which you have taken upon you to expound what word or syllable or the least intimation is there of any account of faith to be made of Children in their own persons And yet the Promise and Covenant is both here said to belong to the Children and the Children before and so likewise to your self Sir all the while before you could or did give an account of Faith in your own person you would be loth to be accounted all that while to be without Christ and an alien or stranger from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world and if you should think or say so of your self yet I will not so account of you and you would be very ungrateful unto God Covenanting and Promising and ungracious to your Parents bringing you into the world and to Baptism in so thinking or saying It is as cleer as the light at noon day that Feter to perswade those enemies and Crucifiers of Christ to Repent Believe and so to be Baptized and to come under the New administration of the Covenant of Christ exhibited in the Gospel whom they had renounced useth this as a main argument the Benefit also that should redound to their Children that they should also be accepted into Covenant and be made partakers of the external Privileges of the Church as to be Baptized and Counted Gods people like as before they were Circumcised and so reckoned which he proveth for the Promise is made to you and your Children as to them and their Children to you indeed upon account of your actual Faith in your own persons but unto them upon account as I have given before of their being taken of God into the same Covenant with you their believing Parents But for all this Though Children without account of Faith in their own persons by their Birth of believing Parents in Covenant and Promise have Right and Title to Baptism by vertue of the Promise and Covenant made to them both Thy God and thy Seed yet Children when they come to enjoy the Benefits of the Covenant in their Justification and Salvation they must have these upon the account of Faith in their own persons or some grace of the Spirit answerable applying Jesus Christ and his Righteousness unto them Your other Reason is Because nothing answereth the Promise but Faith and if Faith be needless then the Promise is needless You did well to add no Text here having abused enough already but let us look upward and see what it s you prove And that it doth overthrow the Promise what is it the Exposition of the Text Act 2.39 of Childrens being in Govenant from Faithfull Parents that it overthroweth the promise I prove farther because nothing answereth the promise but Faith thus then it must be reasoned if nothing answer the promise but Faith then Childrens being in Covenant from Faithfull Parents overthroweth this promise I am sure This is a needless consequence because the promise stands up still and is of so ce notwithwanding though there were no Faith in some to uphold it and much more though no Faith in some to answer it I will give you a Text here though you give me none Rom. 3.3 and 4. What if some did not believe shall their urbelief make the Faith of God the Faith made and given of God i.e. this promise without effect God forbid yea let God be true and every man a lyar Let Gods promise stand though some mens faith fall yea though none in the world had believed yet God would have fulfilled his promise in sending and exhibiting the Messias a Christ and therefore much less is the promise overthrown because there may want Faith in some for some while to answer it If indeed there were no Faith at all extant or to come any where to answer the Covenant and promise this might seem to endanger the overthrowing of it as to the taking effect and benefit in men and then your reason would be of some seeming consequence or your consequence carry some shew of Reason But it is not so here for here is Faith in the faithfull Parents as you acknowledge embracing and holding up the promise and here are Children in Covenant upholding also and enjoying the promise by birth of Faithfull Parents by grace and indulgence of God and for any thing you know by Faith or other influence of the Spirit Look again into the Text of Act. 2.39 See if the promise there be not standing fast and firm to the believing Parents and their Children though there is no mention made of Faith to answer the promises but only called for of those grown men that were to be and were Converted But which way do you mean Faith answereth the Promise For one thing may be said to answer another many wayes as the Antitype doth the Type the thing signified the Sign a thing regulated the Rule the consideration a bargain performance a contract or a Condition a Covenant I suppose it is this later way that Faith answereth the Promise For as the old Covenant with Adam stood all in Preceps Do this Live and so works as the Condition were to answer that Precept so the new Covenant stood all in Promiser I will be thy God if thou wilt trust to me and Faith as the Condition is to answer the promise else no proportion or agreement betwixt them For nothing but Faith it is that answers the promise it being impossible to have made the Sons of men
gift greater than the fault 4. Rom. 5. 1 Cor. 7.14 Rom. 11.16 It is from the Faith of the Parents in Covenant with God that their Children born of them are not unclean but Holy and if the Root be Holy so are the Branches So also for the obtaining of Temporal blessings upon their Children the Faith of Parents is avaylable How often is God said to bestow such and such good Temporal things for Abrahams and for Davids sake Jesus seeing their Faith Matth. 9.2 who brought him lying on a bed Healed the sick man of the Palsie So Christ said unto the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed be it unto thee â—â—t 8.13 and his servant was healed the same hour that he believed will Christ do so much for a sick servant because of his Masters Faith who brought him to a sick man because of his friends Faith that brought him and will he not do the like or more for Children because of their Parents Faith who bring them and offer them to him in Baptism Matth. 15.28 John 4.50 Yes he healed the daughter that was grievously vexed with a Devill for the Mothers great Faith the woman of Canaan and healed a Son that was at the point of death for the Fathers Faith a ruler in Capernaum In a word one mans Faith may profit another as the Parents the Children towards both Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Salvation by way of intreaty and impetration but not by way of conveyance and application For this the Application of Christ and his Benefits is not another mans work of Faith but it is every mans Faith to work it and now Sir you that have thus slighted the Faith of Parents as to the good and benefit of their Children Go you and learn what this meaneth Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy House Act. 16.31 And so you suppose it ware were so that the promises ware were made unto the faithful in the behalf of their Children and they concluded to be in the Covenant thereby Then either God doth perform his promise in saving all the Children of faithful Parents according to his Covenant or else he breaks his Covenant made to those Parents and doth not perform it his promise either of which particulars no man which is in his right wits will dare to affirm and therefore this Exposition that Children have any right to the Covenant by vertue of the Faith of their Parents or to any privilege of the Covenant by vertue of the same is a falce false Exposition of the Text and a wresting of it Jesus saith ye do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Matth. 22.29 I am the God of Abraham and of Isaack and of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living vers 32. I thought it it would come to this at last that after your Railing upon the Church of God in England for worse than naught even no Church and after your baiting the Ministers of God there and by your good-will ill-will your quaerying and tearing Gods portion of Maintenance from them your Quarrelling at their Ministrations of the Sacraments of God this especially of Infant-Baptism besides abundance more of Gods institutions and allowances that you have been Quaerulous at you would at last ascend above the height of the Clouds and fall to Questioning of God himself about the performing and breaking his promise about his saving all or not saving all the Children of faithful Parents Either of which particulars if you had been in your right wits you would not have dared yet what is it you will not dare in matter of Interpretation of Scripture or argumentation of reason to have drawn and enforced so inconsequently and inconsiderately from that though but supposed proposition For suppose it again that the promise was made to the saithful in the behalf of the Children and they concluded to be in Covenant thereby yet neither of the particulars you mention doth follow that all their Children must be saved according to that Covenant that so God may perform his promise or if not God must be a breaker of his promise and seeing you have not proved the consiquence I will prove the Inconsequence of it by the reason I have touched before the Promise and Covenant made to the faithful in the behalf of the Children and concluding these in the same I must here use your words containeth not only the inward saving graces and the spiritual benefits of the same such as are Justification Regeneration perseverance and glorification freely promised in Christ if so taken only then indeed all in Covenant must be saved or else God be a breaker of Covenant But it containeth in it also the outward administrations in visible Ordinances and Church Privileges which are many as to be Gods people and the Children of Gods invisible League to have the Oracles of God c. and thus taken God is no breaker of promise if all in Covenant with him be not saved by him for God made no such Covenant with all faithful Parents to save all their Children but to put them under the way and means of Salvation by taking them also to be the God of and owning them for children in Covenant and appointing them a Seal thereof This may be called the Covenant of Administration or rather that part of it which stands in administrations of external Ordinances and Privileges the which hath belonging to it all visible and external professors as also a visible Seal which all that are in this Covenant ought therefore to be partakers of you as it appears allow none to be under the Covenant of Grace but only such as are inwardly believers Justified Sanctified and partakers of the saving Graces of the Covenant The which error and mistake as I told you before I tell you again hath seduced you into these inconsequent consequences and mislead you into your Anabaprismal Baptismes for as many are called but few chosen so many are to be reputed to belong to the Covenant of grace and to be Covenanters though they have not inwardly and effectually the saving graces of the Covenant Besides I could prompt you that the Covenant is but conditional not absolute And now for a conclusion because you have made mention of such a thing the Salvation of Infants born in the precincts of the Church I will leave with you a few Propositions to consider off 1. That the Church of God determineth nothing positively and peremptorily about the Salvation of Infants dying either with or without Baptism for she knoweth that secret things belong to God and onely revealed things belong to her and her children 2. She judgeth that Infants in the general Baptized or unbaptized are saved that is some but not all for this she hath a judgement of certainty an charity both both the charity and certainty of such a judgement 3. That this and that particular Infant
them and Prayer to worke down Gods blessing upon them and then also in the fourth verse Thanksgiving to send up glory to God for them all which the Heathen and unbeliever were not capable of or able to and this Sanctification is not their lawfull use of the Creature but a peculiar holy use of them which the Believers and Saints have And so this Exposition of Paul to Timothy makes the other of Paul to the Corinthians clear and stronger for some of your Sect hold That the Sanctification of the unbeliever here in the Corinthians is such a Sanctification as is parallel with that there in Timothy and therefore I may infer that as the sanctification in Timothy is peculiar onely to Believers and more than a lawfull use of the Creatures which Heathens are also capable of so the Sanctification in the Corinthians is a holy use of the unbelieving Consort unto the Believer and more than a lawfull or Matrimonial Chastity which the unbelievers may and do enjoy amongst themselves This that I have set down is the same in effect with that which our latter Divines call Instrumental Sanct fication they mean and so would have the Apostle to mean when he saith that the unbelieving Consort is sanctified by or to the believing Consort that is sanctified instrumentally to the precreating of issue or children which the believing Consort doth sanctifiâ—â— and so both together the unbeliever sanctified by or in the Believer do make a holy root to produce a holy branch For its evident that this sanctifying by the believing party here mentioned respects the issue as the Apostles reason sheweth else were your children unclean but now they are holy And you and your Sect acknowledge as much by your grounding and building a legitimation of issue thereupon Briefly the Infidel party is sanctified by and in the other both for a holy Conjugal Society and for raising up of a holy Seed unto God so it is but relatively for absolutely all are sanctified onely in Christ Jesus And so I should and would have come to the Corinthians second Scruple or Case of Conscience about their children but that I remember a parcel or Clause of your third and last Consideration reserved hither because it was clapt in there disorderly and impertinently and it is this as you deliver it Again if it ware ment were meant otherwise then might the unbelieving wife be saved and enjoy any Church-privilege by the faith of the husband or the husband by the faith of the wife as well as the child by the faith of the Parents and that by the Apostles rule in this Verse If it were meant otherwise you mean I suppose if the being sanctified of the unbelieving Consort by or to the Believing one were not meant of your natural holiness or cleanness or others Matrimonial Chastity and Sanctity for I will give you in this as an overplus but of our either the Believers holy use of his unbelieving Consort or his unbelieving Consorts being instrumentaly sanctified to the procreation of children together with the Believer What then then might the unbelieving wife be saved and enjoy any Church-privilege by the faith of the husband and the husband by the faith of the wife as well as the child by the faith of the Parents For the General it s a non-sequence and then a non-sense Once more I must tell you of your non-sense of natural holiness or cleanness you did well to joyn them together otherwise were it not for your cleanness you were clean gone as to your holiness and must go off uncleanly from your natural holiness for the Apostle never intended any of your natural holiness or cleanness nor the others Matrimonial but either a Moral or Ceremonial or rather Instrumental or Sacred-usual if I may so speak And another non-sense of yours is your putting of Salvation and enjoying of Church-privileges together when as many are saved that enjoy none of them and some enjoy many of them and yet are not saved yea and putting Salvation before enjoying of Church-privileges when as ordinarily Church-privileges and the enjoying them go before saving and Salvation These things carry not sense in them besides they are not according to the sense of the Apostle and his Text which speak onely a word of sanctifying and not of saving a syllable And now again from being sanctified especially the unbelieving husband or wife's being sanctified to their being saved whilest unbelieving is one of your greatest non-sequences you have made in your two sheets though you understand it of any of the sanctifyings mentioned mine or yours Once more and lastly The unbelieving husband or wife though sanctified by and in the believing Consort any of the waies yet may not be saved and enjoy Church-privileges as well as the born child of a believing Parent because this child hath present capable Right and real Title to a Church-privilege which is Baptism and all other Privileges of the Covenant as he shall grow up to them yea and to salvation it self whereas the unbelieving husband or wife hath not just plea in present to any of these until forsaking their unbelief they embrace Christ and make preofession of their faith and so come into Covenant with the believing Consort and its child or children Therefore I say not so well as a Christian child may an unbelieving husband or wife be saved or enjoy Church-privileges by the faith of the believing Consort and you did not as well as you might to say so especially seeing children born of Christian Parents are not unbelievers or Infidels but Believers rather as I have formerly shewed as also how and in what way and sense such children may be said to enjoy Church-Privileges and to be saved by the faith of their Parents to which I refer the Reader and your self You write something of the Apostles rule in this Verse by which it would follow which you presume of but whilâ—st you apply it ill here it begins to be your rule and you being the Authour of the misapplying are also the Master of misrule I know no rule here but the Proposition and Resolution of the Apostle that the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband and the unbelieving husband is sanctâ—fiâ—d by the wife The Apostle saith not as you is saved or enjoyeth Church-privileges by or in the believing Consort whilest he is an unbeliever and yet so it may fall out that the unbelieving Consort may be brought off from its infidelity by the believing Consort and so may enjoy all Church privileges and in the end be saved for so Verse 16. What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband he speaks to the believing wife of her unbelieving husband Or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife so he speaks also to the believing husband of his unbelieving wife The which Text may be a satisfying reason for the comfortable and hopeful continuance of marriage-society and cohabitation as which
you follow this better But some others whose opinion I rather think you follow than they yours they drive it on to another design as thus Because the Infants of the Jews did eat the Passeover as well as they were circumcised Therefore the Infants of Christians should eat and drink the Lords Supper as well as be baptized This structure is soon pulled down standing upon a false foundation even as the house fell built upon the slippery sand and therefore I shall but touch it and it sinks or slides Because the Infants of the Jews did not eat the Passeover but were onely circumcised Therefore the Infants of Christians are not to eat and drink the Lords Supper but onely be baptized So taking off the Argument against Infant-Baptism from its false and ruinous foundation of the Jewish children eating the Paschal Lamb you were best set it upon its own proper Basis and build Baptism upon the Lords Supper thus or rather pulâ— it down by the Lords Supper thus If Infants of Christians may be partakers of Baptism then also they may be partakers of the Lords Supper for why of one Seal of the Covenant more than another and if Infants may not be partakers of the Lords Supper why then not of Baptism no more of one Seal than the other besides they are capable of the spiritual part of the one Sacrament as well as the other So I have made the Argument as strong for you as I can if you can for t fie it yet more do it quickly for I am in haste to answer as desirous to make an end of these wearisom skirmishes as to my self and tedious discourses as to the Reader What! will you become of Antipaedobaptists now Propaedocoenists and grant Infants sometimes and sometimes deny them in Argument the Lords Supper that you may deprive the of the Lords Baptism You shall never do it by such ambidextrous inconsequences to which the Answer and Reason is very obviouâ— 1. Your own Reason and Answer will do it that from the one Seal ordered and appointed for Infants to another Seal not enjoyned or instituted for Infants the Consequence is vain and invalid the former I have largely proved and disproved the latter clearly let but the Argument rest till can can disquiet or disturbe it and I desire no more 2. From Baptism which is the Seal Initial and of Admission due to Infants to infer the Lords Supper which is the Seal Progressional and of nourishment to be also due in present and partaked of in infancy like as the other is as inconsequent an absurdity as to infer time to come from present or perfection from beginning or a man from a child and to joyn them in one moment state and age Can a man enter into his mothers womb and be born a babe again or as soon as he is born a babe can he run over the ages and become a man presently When I a child saith the Apostle I spake as a child and understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things I mean Infants may be initiated by the Seal of Baptism into the Church and are fitted to have the Graces and Benefies of the Covenant sealed unto them but that they are presently perfitted to have the nourishment and growth of the same Graces sealed and confirmed unto them by the Lords Supper passeth mine and your as much as their capacity It is true that both Baptism and the Lords Supper do seal the same and the whole Covenant and the Graces of the same but both in their place order and time so as the prime and main use of Baptism is to be the Seal of Initiation and Reception into Covenant and the Lords Supper is the Seal of Augmentation and Confirmation of the same as to the main and prime use of it so as that Baptism seals the Infants entrance and admission thereinto which the Lords Supper doth not properly and principally but onely by way of supposition and testification of a spiritual life and entrance such doth the spiritual food of the Lords Supper imply and require aforehand So also as that the Lords Supper seals the growth and nourishment of the same Graces of the Covenant which Baptism doth not properly and primarily but onely by way of infusion of a seed or laying a foundation of such growth and nourishment such doth the spiritual life of Baptism tend and proceed to afterwards Lastly Though Infanrs may and ought to be partakers of Baptism yet may they not nor ought to be partakers of the Lords Supper in their infancy because the Lords Supper belongs onely to such as can spiritually examine themselves and discern the Lords Body as the Apostle expresly and directly saith 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29. whereas Baptism belongs unto Infants of Christians by right of their being in the holy Covenant of God and birth of baptized Parents for more is required to the Lords Supper than unto Baptism of Church-members by nature and birth whereas of Aliens and Strangers more is required of them unto Baptism than of Church-members unto the Lords Supper a publick profession of faith is necessary for the admitting of a Heathen into the visible Catholick Church by Baptism and his entring into the gospel-Gospel-Covenant for himself and his Seed and he may presently after be partaker of the Lords Supper upon the examination of his faith for the confirmation of the same But Infants being in Church-Covenant by birth have a just Title and Right to all the external Privileges in the Church as being free-born to them all in due time and order as to Baptism in their infancy because born members of the Church so to the Lords Supper when by reason of full age and use they have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil and this their Covenant-right remains until it be forfeited by a renunciation of Baptism on their part or by excommunication from the other the Lords Supper by the Churches power when they are either wilfull violaters of the Conditions of the Covenant or hate to be reformed by wholsom Censures If any farther reply He must be a better replyer than you That the Infant baptized can no more discern the Lords Body and Blood in Baptism than in the Supper nor the sign it self in the act of Administration of either Sacrament and therefore Baptism is as vainly given it as the Lords Supper I re-joyn That our Infants can and do as well discern the Sacramental Sign and the thing signified in Baptism as well as the Jewish Infants did discern the same in Circumcision So that if our Baptism be in vain to ours their Circumcision was also in vain to their Children and the Replyer doth but open his mouth against Heaven and chargeth God himself with vanity and folly for appointing Circumcision of Infants and also Baptism of Infants whereas the Axiom is God and Nature doth nothing in vain or foolishly As
Gentiles that are in Covenant with God and enjoy the Ordinances of his grace and mercy do also by vertue of Gods Promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed convey to their issue and posterity a state and privilege and so rather it is the joynt Covenant made by God with both together the Parent and his issue and posterity to be reputed of a holy and clean society and Congregation before God from the other Pagan and heathenish world and so the child or children born of such Parents in Covenant to be truly holy like as the Parent because of the Covenant Not that insants have any real personal qualitative holiness in them which is and must be in all true believers whither Parents or children to make them acceptable to God as to justification and Salvation whom I confess though born within the Church and of believing Parents to be born in sin naturally and be unclean children of wrath by nature as well as others the children of Pagans without the Church But I say they have a federal and parental so it may be called by a savory mouth and relative or imputative holiness put upon them by the Covenant of God and brought forth or executed on them by or at their birth of believing Parents which is sufficient and enough to make them passe in the eyes of God and in the face of the visible Church for clean and holy or if not their professions of the faith of Christ for you will not deny them to be professors of Christ and members of the Church in part and in kinde at leastwise by the mouth of their Sureties presenting them and speaking for them this will bear them out to be holy likewise And what if I should tell you in your ear that Christian infants in Covenant with God are holy too by an inward holiness also are not all inward sanctifying graces effects of Gods Covenant and who knoweth when God as where he effects them you perhaps would stop that ear cry out Then grace which onely maketh holy cometh successively and is derived by nature and Parents shall be the authors and conveighers of grace and holiness to their children No such matter Sir For the children are primitively holy with the Parents by the Covenant as co-partners and confederates with them therein I will be thy God and the God of thy seed not derivatively holy from the Parents as solely or first partners and prefederates without these Christian Parents and children are both joynt confederates I say and do both draw and derive together their holiness as other privileges from the Covenant and Tenour of grace therein and not successively from one another children from Parents derivatively as you fondly fansie to your self and erroniously imagine The which truth may also serve much to clear off those cloudy difficulties so much pressed by the Anabaptistical party from the Jesuitical side about infants being Baptized sanctified saved by the faith of their Parents as they use to blate and bâ—â—e abroad You like enough before you will believe any holiness in them would have them shew some such thing either in words before they can speak and whilest they are infants that is nonfants or indeed before they have any idoneity of instruments and ability to act Have patience a while and you may hear them speak the words and see them do some acts of holiness What! are you so sensual all for sense and so altogether lead by sense that nothing but a sensative or sensible manifestation of holiness in children will be believed by you I had thought you had walked by faith and not by sight you believe a holiness in other things in Faith in the Word in the Sacraments in the Church of God and in all things which the holy Scriptures the oracles of holiness have pronounced holy though you have not a visible and sensible demonstration of holiness in them you walk by faith there and not by fight and why cannot you believe a holiness in children of Christian Parents in Covernant with God though they shew forth no sensible effects of such holiness seeing also the same holy Scripture doth call them holy and not unclean and so supplying their defect of speech and action giveth you what you ask even a sensible manifestation of their holiness and speaks them holy unto your ears not declares them holy to your eyes so you may now walk by sight and hear say not by faith and hope limping and halting therein for except you shall see in their hands and tongues the prints of holiness in works and words and perhaps thrust your fingers into their fides to feel the holiness of their hearts too in affections and thoughts you will not believe What and if our Saviour Christ should now as once take one of our little children in Covenant with him and set it before you and say whosoever humbleth himself as a little child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven would it not be strange for you to tell him you see no such yet you hear of such humility lowliness meakness mildness innocency in children and is it not a like to tell him you see no such holiness here when you hear of it from the mouth of Christ his and this Apostle Paul here saying They are holy But that I have said it before and already I would say that even children shew themselves more bumble lowly meek mild and innocent and so more holy than a great many of your grown Professors and grand Pretenders unto holiness and all those graces let their holiness and other graces rest but a while as seed hidden up in their hearts or wrapped up in Gods Covenant with them and see if afterwards they do not shew it and their holiness break not forth as the light at noon day that was within the cloud or as the seed in harvest that was within the clod and in the mean time shew me thy faith by thy works and thy holiness by thy words and learn to speak better of childrens holiness and to do better with children for their holiness even so well as to let them be Baptized But besides this in hand there are two eminent Texts that hold out infants of Christians their holiness by Covenant the one is Rom. 11.16 If the first fruit be holy the lump also is holy and if the root be holy so are the branches I know the stream of our Divine Advocates for Infant-Baptism run altogether and out of this Text upon a derivative holiness from the Parents or Ancestors to their children which notwithstanding they call and make a federal holiness I am not willing in my old and infirm daies to strive or swim against a stream onely I will be bold to venture and wade so far as to hint again and mention unto those akilful steersmen now especially that the waters of strife about Infant-Baptism are risen high
your errors then you cite the Text onely but write not the words for want of time and truth too and so feed their senses onely with figures and numbers onely sending them away to search out the words for their satisfying their understandings as the Egyptians did the Isaelites to finde out straw for their burning the Brick But I remember your last Text you cited wherewith you think you have hit us home was that off the Scribes and Pharisees laying heavy burdens upon mens or the peoples shoulders and not moving them with one of their fingers I have put by the blow as of all the other your Texts alleged against us so of this and the Scribism of the same and have made them to recoil-back fly in your own face because you overcharged and had no kill to charge aright you hold as great if not a greater correspondency with the Pharisees than the Scribes Few of you are Scribes more are Pharisees for you are like unto them in your name the word Pharisee signifying Separate as formerly I said so in your corrupting and false interpreting of Scripture this I have shewed throughout this Discourse so in your high conceipt of your own righteousness and holiness this you manifest in your scornful and supercilious looâ—s and speeches so in your compassing the Land to make you Proselites and ambitious seeking the people and their applause this all men see and you will not deny I adde lastly which makes the wonder that people run after you in your laying heavy burthens and grievous to be borne upon the shoulders of men and women This latter is the thing I will shew out off Act. 15. where ver 5. There arose up certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which believed or professed Jesus to be the Messia saying it was needful to Circumcise the newly converted Brethren c. the matter is decided in the 10. ver 28. ver Now therefore why tempt you God who put a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear And it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary thing c. Out of which I gather and deduct this one General Proposition leaving out the particular of Circumcision Things laid upon Christians or Disciples more than necessary are a burden and yoke and seemeth not good to the Holy Ghost but is a tempting of God Joyn we issue now in brief Here the Pharisees of the old separation said it was needful to Circumcise the new converted Chirstians or Disciples and you of the newer separation say it is needful to re-Baptize grown and professing Christians or Disciples upon a particular confession of their Faith are not you now agreeable to the Pharisees in laying on a burden and a yoke upon the necks and shoulders off the Disciples and Christians But how do I shew this latter to be a burden or yoke why from the Proposition here because the re-Baptizing of Christians or Disciples who were Baptized formerly in their Infancy is more than needful or necessary andthat it is so my whole last part of this Discourse which now I am finishing hath amply Demonstrated yea your own Rule given to me at first doth joyntly attest the same the which is this of all things necessary to Salvation the Scripture hath either a Command or an Example or both Now shew me for that your practise any Command of God Expresse or Implicite or by Consequence for such your re-Baptizing Or any Example of any grown person or Christians formerly Baptized so re-Baptized if you cannot hold you your peace they are your own words I will speak you a Pharisee laying upon mens necks and shoulders a yoke and a burden and moreover by doing so a tempter of God and doer of that which seemed not good unto the Holy Ghost and the Apostles Again for you to require of Infants born in Covenant with God and of Parents in Covenant with God an external confession or profession of Faith before you will put them under the initial Seal of that Covenant and in the mean while to with hold this from them until they shall do that is a putting a yoke and burden upon their necks and shoulders to hinder them in their Christian progresse it is to tempt the Lord and to put him upon other means for Infants Salvation than Baptism and its a doing of that which seemeth not good to the Spirit and the Apostles assembled and determining the case in a holy Synod for that it is a requiring more of Infants than is necessary to needful for their Baptism Yet once more The leading of grown Christians Baptized before into some deep Pond and therein re-Baptizing them plunging and holding them some while there under water over-head and ears body and cloaths too is a yoke upon the neck and a burthen put and laid upon the head and shoulders heavy and grievous to be borne especially of the aged infirm and sickly and a doing of more than is necessary unto the administration of Baptisin unseemly and superfluous if not ridiculous and so more than seemeth good un to the Holy Ghost and the Apostles met in Counsel yea it is an tempting of God and some as I have heard have sickned and died soon after thereupon of which I shall discourse at large in my Narration censure of a late dipping which followeth Now see Sir by this whether we Ministers of the Church of England or you Separates from the same be like to the Pharisees And so I have retorted all your Texts and returned them to you again to apply them to your selves or to apply your selves to them I shall therefore onely give you the like friendly farewel at the end of my Letter as you gave me in yours namely a few Texts of Scripture to consider of and seriously to weigh some for your self and others that take upon you to be Preachers of the Separation to consider of and that not slightly as you use Numb 16.11 and 12. 2 Chron. 26.18 Jer. 23.21 31 32. 2 Corinh 11.13 14 15. 2 Tim. 3.5 6 7 8 9. Tit. 1.10 and 11. Heb. 5.4 and 5 2 Pet. 2.18 19. 2 Pet. 3.16 Some for your followers and others that hear you and if any of my people be amongst them for them also to consider of and that not lightly 2 Chron. 36.15 16. Jerem. 2.13 Matth. 24 23 24 25 26. Mark 12. 38 39 40. Luke 21.1 with Mat. 16.6 and 12. Rom. 16.17 18 Gal. 4.16 17 18. Gal. 5.7 8 9 10. 2 Tim. 4.3 and 4. Heb. 10.23 and 24 Heb. 13.9 2 Pet. 2.12 Jude 17 18 19. 20. And this one for all and every one of you 1 Tim. 6.3 4. 5. You see Sir I do not as you did for whereas in the matter of Proof I have written out the words of every Text to the full here in point of Reproof I onely name the Texts and no
3. The case of necessity in state of Person I scarce understand unless it be this When as he or she earnestly desireth and imploreth for the same whether by its speech or its need and there is no Minister to give it Baptism here the Lord will have mercy and not sacrifice and men are not to stand upon this ordination but the persons salvation Let but your Brother or your self stay and expect such cases of necessity before you or he dip any more or baptize again and then though you be not nor he set a part for the administring that Ordinance but are meer Lay men you shall hear nothing from me against the same I assure you But if in a well ordered and already planted and constituted Church and that when there are no such cases or states of necessity but that lawfully ordained Ministers may easily be procured you and your Brethren will go on still to dip and baptize and that publiquely being no better ordered or set a part then you have related I shall say though again Ye take too much upon you ye sons of Gad for I shall not hold you of the Tribe of Levi Num. 16.7 or Issachar rather couching down between two burthens Genes 49.14 your Laical and Ministerial Callings And it shall come to pass as Zacharias saith Zach. 13.4 5. that such Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision which he hath prophesied and every one of his Division that he hath made and set a partition yea of his Dipping also that he hath ministred and Baptisin and he shall say and confess at last I am no Prophet I am an Husbandman for man taught me to keep cattel from my youth God never ordained me to dip Christians from my birth Distinctly Take this a Presbyter or Priest in respect of his Ministerial Character and Order I mean onely a sacerdotal gift power and commission is primarily and principlally the publick and ordinary minister of Baptism A Deacon may baptize also and that publikely so it be at the appointment of the Bishop or Priest but a Priest by his own right may baptize ex officio as we say by vertue of his sacerdotal office even in the presence of a Bishop But a Layman may not baptize publickely but onely privately neither privately in the presence of a Priest or Deacon but onely in their absence neither alwayes in their absence but onely in case of necessity Then it hath been permitted according to the good old way and new way also of true Churches some such times to Laymen to baptize so he intend to do that which the Catholick Church doth in that kind of administration The second Catechistical Quaere is concerning the Persons Dipped Quaere 2. What warrant of precept or example have you from the Sacred Word or Prim tive Antiquity for your Dipping and Anabapâ—izâ—ng Christians washed before or members of the visible Church baptized once in their Infancy by lawful Ministers so as the two Women and Sisters were whom your Brother Dipped Ask now of the days that are past which were before since the day that God created man and woman upon Earth and commanded circumcision in the eldest Chruch of the Jews and appointed Baptism in the younger Church of the Gentiles ask from the beginning to the end of both whether there hath been any such thing as this that a person circumcised or baptized in their infancy were ever recircumcised or rebaptized at growth or yeras after when they could render a Reason or make confession of their Faith c. Instance in one if you can and be instant upon it as you will and is not then your dipping the formerly dipped a new business As for that example of Joshua upon Gods command Circumcise again the children of Israel the second time Jos 5.2 This doth not intimate any Repetition or Reiteration of that Sacrament in or to the same particular Israelitish person circumcised as if he should be now circumcised again but onely relates the Restauration and Renovation of that Sacrament unto the people of Israel in general amongst whom Circumcision was a long while intermitted and discontinued by reason of their frequeut yea continual journals and removings up and down as the 4 5 6 Verses do evidence the same As for that Acts 19.5 of St. Pauls practise the example of the Ephesian Disciples in the Acts it is abundantly answered in my Instruction of your Scribe to which I refer you and I add this for a plainer and shorter Resolution for you 1. That it maketh nothing for your Re-dipping and Re-baptizing 1. Because St. John's Baptism being there spoken of and you or your Sect being Popish in your opinion of Re-baptizing and so holding from hence that the Baptism of John and Christ are two different Baptisms and that in the substance and not onely in the Degree of their signification and efficacy Here was no iterat on of one and the same but the ministration of a diverse Baptism and so is not to your or my purpose 2 For that there is no Baptism of water spoken of much less there laid to be reiterated that the Ephesian Disciples had long before received from some of Johns Disciples but onely the Baptism of Fire i.e. of the Spirit and the miraculous gifts of the same is there mentioned which they confess they had not so much as heard of namely that they unsually as then accompanied the other Baptism of water And so that the former was that they were baptized with and was poured upon them there in the Name of Jesus namely the gifts of the holy Spirit which were miraculous If you shall produce as somewhat you must say for your selves the example of Saul Cornelius and the Eunuch baptized in their elder years upon their conversion to and cofession of Christ and the commands of God to Ananias Peter and Philip c. to baptize them thereupon All this and as much more which you might have alledged of the same sort brings no advantage to your practice no age to your new business of Rebaptising the second time for that the mentioned above were their first and onely baptizings they being some of them Pagans born others aliens from the Covenant of Christ adverse and opposite to ignorant at leastwise of the Christian Faith were then frist of all baptized upon their embracing of it and never after baptized again No not the Black Aethiopian amongst them was ever dipped the second time And what is all this to your Redipping of two Women baptized before in their infancy as being born Christians and within the Covenant of Grace and Christ Yea more if the Pope of Rome should come over into England and turn Protestant or become one of your Sect a separate nor we would nor should you of right baptize him again having been baptized before rightly as to the Element and Words of Institution Therefore the Ancient Orthodox Church never Re-baptized Hereticks themselves upon their
them first Students then Graduates all these are very useful and beneficial not onely as the present aliments and encouragements of those Arts and Sciences but those Arts and Sciences and Languages are good fortifications of the understanding and the enabling of Reason yea and of Faith too to encounter with Atheists Hereticks and Schismaticks strong preparatives to the expounding of the Text of Scripture being written in two of those Languages and a fuller qualification unto the work of the Ministery to do it so as not to be ashamed through ignorance and say the book is sealed and he cannot read Sect. 3. But particularly for the learning of the Greek and Hebrew Tongue did not Jesus lay down that a man I mean an interpreter and dispenser of the Scripture should learn them he laid it down in the whole Scripture for that he caused the whole Scriptures to be written in those original Languages besides that the Title and Superscription which Pilate wrote and put on the Cross Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews was writen in Hebrew and in Greek and in Latine John 19.19 20. guided therein even by Jesus and confirmed in it that what he had written he had written and would not alter And again for the learning of Philosophy and the Arts and going to the Universities to do so and that in order to the Ministry did not Jesus lay it down in Scripture when as Saul for so he was then is called by Jesus a chosen vessel to bear his name before the Gentiles and to the children of Israel and in praevison of and provision for that calling was by the same Divine mercy ordered to be trained up from his childhood in the famous City and Vniversity too of Tarsus where he learned both Languages fitting him to bear the name of Christ to both Nations the Jews and Gentiles and likewise the Arts as Philosophy and the rest enabling him to disputation with and confutation of all the learned Philosophers of the Stoicks and Epicureans of another famous Vniversity of Athens Yea and Paul himself maketh it as an honourable mention of himself that he was beth born in Tarsus a City in Cilicia where there being also a University he learned the grounds and principles of Arts as also brought up in the City of Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers Acts 22.3 I shall desire the learned Readers patience a while not much caring for your or any others impatient ignorance that I may here also bring in a short Historical proof of University-learning from the persons and practice of the ancient Fathers and Divines in their times and successions as I have done before produced their practice and custome for Infant-baptism in their dayes and ages I will select out of them but some the most remarkable and that briefly Fulgentius an Affrican by birth was brought up first by his mother in the knowledge of the Greek and Latine Tongue wherein he was excellent and after though but young got to be admitted into a Cloyster or Monastery of which Faustus a French Bishop had the oversight and there lead a Students life a good while and being driven thence by the Vandals persecuting the Christians he got into another Cell where one Felix governed and driven thence by the Barbarians he went to Rome and into Sardinia where he setled himself and taught and instructed Christians resorting to his Cell in great store But Faustus the Bishop called him from that his privater life and made him Priest and not long after Bishop of Ruspa a great and populous City Once for all I shall say that Monasteries and Cloysters were such as our Vniversities and Colledges are for use I mean where many Bishops had their Seats and the oversight of them for the training up of Students in the Arts and Sciences and so also Divinity and Theology Augustine an Affrican also by birth was singularly well learned in the liberal Arts so that he taught Grammar in his own City of Thagasta and Rhetorick in the head City Carthage after going to Millain he was appointed to instruct the Emperor Valentinian being the fifth of that name and being somewhat tainted with the Heresies of the Manachees he by the wisdom of Ambrose Bishop there and by his Sermons and Disputations in publick of which he was a diligent hearer was converted from it and Baptized by the said Bishop and after he was ordained a Priest by Valerius Bishop of Hippo and so after a while with the consent and desire of Valerius being old was in the life of Valerius created Bishop of the same Hippo. Chrysostom a Graecian born at Antioch was brought up in humane learning under Libanius the Sophister or Philosopher spent some time in secular affairs and after entred into the Priesthood at Antioch was made Governor of the Church there and upon the death of Nectarius was made Governor or Bishop of Constantinople The Historians say of him that Holiness and Scholarship were joined in him that he was excellent and powerful and judicious in Morals or moral learning Gregory Nyssen a Graecian brother to the other Gregory Nazianzen addicted himself much to the study of Rhetorick and was eminent therein above all of his time who for the furthering of himself in the study of the Arts and all learning embraced a Monastical life highly respected in the Ancient times for the cause above mentioned that he might also join Theology to his other knowledge and after he was made Bishop of Nyssa of which City he took his name and even after that also addicted himself much to his former study of the Arts especially Rhetorick until his brother Gregory Nazianzen in an Epistle to him reprehended him for so long sticking upon the same Ambrose a French-man by birth was brought up at Rome then a Nursery of the Arts and learning where he gained wonderful knowledge in the liberal Arts that place being then as the Academy of the world giving himself to that study Probus then Praetor taking notice of him and the same of his learning made him Governour of Insubria Liguria and Emilia after going to Millain and Auxentius an Arrian Bishop deceased He was cryed up both of the Arrian faction as well as the Orthodox to be and was created or made Bishop there Epiphanius a Phoenician born learned the Hebrew Tongue of one Tryphon a Jew and was put to School to Hilarion to learn the Arts proved acerrimus haereticorum oppugnator and was made Bishop of Salamine Gregorius Nazianzen a Greaecian born was bred up in Humane literature at the Vniversity of Athens and spent thirty years in those Studies proved a great Philosopher and the most eloquent Orator of his time and was surnamed also of the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theologus or the Divine He was Bishop first of Sasima then of Nazianzen both in Cappadocia and lastly of
have not indeed during your minority any sensible use and benefit thereof because of your incapability but yet the Right and Title is not vain but true and real and stands firmely secured unto you to be claimed and enjoyed to your use good and benefit what time soever you come to be capable of it so that you shall not need to look after a new Will or sealed Conveyance thereof the first being in force and effectual Even so God by Will and Covenant hath made over as it were Christ with all his Merits Righteousness and all Graces accompanying Salvation to you as still supposed an Elect child born of believing Parents in those words I will be thy God and the God of thy seed and sealed the same in Baptism unto you and you have made little or nothing of it for a long while as to your comfort and benefit thereby by reason of your uncapableness of them by your ignorance and want of knowledge faith c. yet your Right and Title to Christ and all his Merits was and is good and real and stood and stands firmely secured unto you and sealed in your Baptism and whensoever you come to understand what grant God hath sealed to you in Baptism and do actually lay hold upon by Faith and resolve to come out of your sins as it seems lately and you say The Grace of God appeared bringing you to the knowledge of the Truth and plucking you from your evil wayes then you may lay claim to them all and shall have the comfortable benefit and finde and feel the effectual fruit of your Baptism so that you needed not have looked out after another new Will or Covenant or another new Seal of the same Covenant the old being still in force and in effect to the slighting of God in his own Ordinance and to the introducing of a new Business and so in a maner setting your posts to Gods post Ezek. 43.8 and setting altar against altar yea Baal before God Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron 2 Kings 1.6 so was it not because there was no Baptism in our Church or your baptizing of our Church was not as you thought in force and efficacy that you ran out to the Anabaptist to be dipt and laver'd in a Pond or to be ponded and plunged at Laver This indeed was occasioned through great ignorance and profaneness in part that you had so mean and base opinion of the outward Sign and Seal of your Infant-baptism and the vertue and efficacy thereof as if it were a meer mysterial Ceremony and sacramental Complement for the present time to give the Childe a Name and there an end and no farther matter or benefit for the future Know then and I pray mark it seriously that you may know it and I may not beat onely the air and your ear but also the heart and the fire in you if you be of Gods Elect that your Infant-baptism was of vertue and effectual to the taking away of the guilt of sin and to the furtherance of your salvation not onely in that hour it was taken and received by you from me in your Infancy but it is and may be and will be if you be not the hinderance thereunto and to your self of force and powerful to the same good ends for the time future and to come yea throughout your whole life time as also in all other such as are elect children of God truly and inwardly baptized or regenerate The which truth as being of grat moment in and against this new business of yours I will prove both by Scripture and Reason and both briefly for I confess I am too tedious and long but it is that I might do you the more good and Baptism the more right St. Mark 16.16 saith He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved is baptized in present for the act and some present benefit but it extendeth its vertue farther to time future for he shall be saved Col. 2.12 They are buried with Christ in baptism and are risen with him They are so now a long time after finding the vertue and effects thereof who were long before baptized as to the act and some initial fruits thereof 1 Pet. 3.21 Even Baptism doth now also save us now in our latter dayes it saveth us though in former times received by us So in reason it must be so for Baptism is and was to you the Sacrament of your insition and ingrafting into Christ sealing up your setting into Christ the which you needed but once and never after to be done again for the force thereof goeth on and continueth for all times as a grafted Crab-stock holdeth on and continueth bearing also fruit if it be not broken off Once engrafting though often nourishing once regenerating and alwayes increasing is the Grace of Christ and the life of a Christian and if it were not so that the force of our once being baptized did continue and reach to the washing off all the sins of our whole time why then you would have upon every sin which is a separation of you from God a new ingrafting and so a new seal of it Baptism or somewhat else Secondly because as long as the Covenant it self is of force and effectual so long is Baptism of force and effectual that being the foundation and substance of this as every promise or covenant is of the seal in which God promiseth and covenanteth to and with the party baptized inwardly to be their God and the God of their seed But this covenant of the Grace of God to you and all his Elect children is eternal and so effectual at all times so Esay 54.10 The mountains shall remove and the hills shall fall down but my mercy shall not depart away from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord who hath compassion on thee And so Jeremy 32.40 I will make saith the Lord an everlastingcovenant with them that I will never turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So hence may fairly be inferred and concluded That he Covenant of Gods grace with you being eternal the Seal of this Covenant which is Baptism is also eternal for the efficacy thereof not limited to any time much less the time it is in taking and therefore being imprinted upon you in your Infancy according to Gods Covenant with you in your Infancy the God of thy seed it is of force and vertue to you throughout all your life time yea to all eternity Now then Sir did you not very evil to obscure the Grace of God appearing to you and to plunge your self into such an evil way and shew such ignorance of the word as to renounce and lay aside an effectual and powerful Christian Baptism ready and present at all times in the fruits