Christ And so of his dying for our sins and rising for our justification and offering himselfe a Sacrifice to God for us and sitting in Heaven to appeare before God and mediate for us as but a Figure a Type a Shadow and of no farther profitable use to us And with this a slighting of all the operations of the Spirit that testified of him and effected Faith Love Union Conformity from that appearance of him All which they count but fleshly and knowing Christ after the flesh how neer this is to that sinne mentioned Heb. 10.29 the very mentioning it doth declare And for those that after knowledge and warning persist in this evill they soon come to deny the very being of the body of the man Christ and the resurrection of the bodies of men that dye I suppose all that have any spark of grace remaining will look at this as a fearfull evill and it might warn to shun that practise which gives occasion of 〈◊〉 But in this I desire none to mistake me as if I affirmed such as receive a second Baptisme are necessitated to this nor yet all such as renounce the first to accept the second or that only such doe fall into this evill Not so far be it from us so to thinke or judge But in observation this some discerne that for the most part such as fall into this evill are of those that were never baptized into the knowledge and acknowledgement of the Death Resurrection and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the extent and vertue of it for all men and so were either zealous opposers of it or if in some sort acknowledging it a truth yet counting it but a common and light matter which yet is the Foundation as is shewn pag. 18.19 Yet mostly those of these that fall into this evill are such as before they fall into it come to renounce their first baptisme and accept a second though when they fall into it they count themselves above all ordinances and so slight their second also in respect of themselves or else such as in their judgment come to be snared with that practise and to approve it as good But conceiting Miracles of right to be done by such as Baptize they wait and seek for such like things till they conceit themselves above ordinances and then not needing it both sorts of them still approving such a practice for others it being the way to set them loose from that name into which they were at first Baptized that so slighting Scripture they may beleive them And yet still farther I desire to be noted that there are two sorts of men that maintain this practise of renouncing the first Baptisme and taking up a second First such as doe not beleeve Jesus Christ to have dyed and given himselfe a Ransome for all men or that there is any gracious life in him for them all But that Christ did this only for a certain company elect in Gods hidden Counsell from Eternity and that shall infallibly beleeve on him in time and so oppose the testimony of Scripture that saith He gave himself a ransome for all men These I know not how they can with a good conscience walking in their Faith baptize any till upon good grounds they be perswaded that they doe in heart beleeve in Jesus Christ and so are apted for renouncing their first Baptisme and taking a second though being brought to beleive they might enjoy the use of their first Baptisme and have no good grounds to renounce it and take up a second But it is meeter to reason with them and informe them about the truth of the Scripture in the extent and vertue of the Foundation Acts 18.2.3 than to contend with them about the ordinance of Baptisme in which it is no marveil though they be mis-led But there are some that doe professe to beleeve and hold forth the extent of the Ransome Oh that they would seriously without prejudice or offence-taking consider the things written for it is marveilous to me and others that any rightly understanding that businesse should deny the Baptizing of Children by Gods gracious providence put into the Tuition of such as beleeve and professe Jesus to be the Christ But yet more marveilous that any I hope there are not many will say A horse may as well be baptized as an Infant surely they will deny that to be true for a horse that they will acknowledge to be true for an Infant that Jesus Christ took their nature and dyed for their sinnes and rose for their justification and that such as we treat of are by gracious providence put under the Tuition of Christians to be brought up for God in his feare And that as John 13. They may be instructed after in this ordinance they now understand not all or any of which I hope none will say of a horse And thus have I shewn the cause of feare and griefe in such a practise yet not to cast aspersions on the person of any but to shew the evils that are so incident to such a practise neither yet to unbrother any because of such a practice unlesse such in whom the last mentioned occasionall evils appeare 1 Cor. 16.22 For it belongs not to me or others to judge any in observance of an outward Ordinance who through some appearance in Scripture to their understanding Doe that which they doe unto the Lord Rom. 14 1. to 10 Yet this I wish that in this businesse the Tenour of the Gospel and the Commission of Christ be considered and that in reasoning they would state the question right not whether Beleevers may be baptized for that none denyes but whether Beleevers that were fore-baptized in the name of the Lord are after they come to beleive to be baptized with water in the name againe and then whether children in Beleevers Tuition may not he so baptized and till they can prove the one and disprove the other by that Gospel and without taking the foresaid evill wayes cease pressing their practise on others And such as are not yet entangled to consider what is said and not suffer themselves to be snared If any say we doe and may run into as many evils I confesse we are as weak as others and so I will neither justifie my selfe nor judge them but pray for the healing of their follies and mine But whatsoever evils through weaknesse or violence of temptation I or others may be overtaken withall yet this I affirme that the remembring minding and retaining the Lords Baptisme we have received leadeth not to but preserveth from such evils For it leadeth us to acknowledge the great Love and mercy of God in the gift of his Son and testified and tendred to us in the Gospel of his Sonne into whose name we were baptized and so to count our selves engaged as by vow and solemn Covenant which since we came to use of understanding we have accepted To be the Lords to live to him to beleeve his sayings and wait for his Spirit and walk in his wayes as is fore-shewn pag. 23.24 If any say we plead thus to save our selves from trouble among men I answer what through frailty we may doe we desire to acknowledge and seeke preservation from or if overtaken healing of it But it will be no comfort to suffer for that we have no command in the word for but in our apprehensions much against it But although wee shun that practise yet if we hold forth the word of life in word and conversation acknowledging the sayings and ordinances of Christ and our Brethren witnessing against the Idolatry and evill wayes of men we shall suffer as much as they yea and with them while we acknowledge that truth which some of them with us doe hold though we urge not a second Baptisme as of old some did Circumcision to glory in the flesh and boast of another mans line withall which in our judgments would befall us in that practise Wherefore I say no more to this but the Lord make us so mindfull of him in whose name we were baptized that we may in beleiving his sayings attending his Ordinances and accepting to beare his reproach wait on him for his spirit to baptize us more and more into union and conformity with Jesus Christ in his Death that we may experiment more the vertue of his Resurrection So shall we be more separate from the world in the Idolatry Pride carnall Reasonings Superstitions Customes Fashions Vncleannesse Covetousnesse and Oppressions thereof and be found more Loving Tender and Faithfull to one another and fruitfull to the Spirit And so will our differences be healed which God of his mercy grant that we may not bite one another that so there be not a devouring nor turning any out of the way But that we may all grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Your Loving though Vnworthy Brother THOMAS MOORE FINIS
12. 15. 17. And so the setting him forth in Types Sacrifices and Prophesies of which Circumcision was a witnesse yet so as but one Nation partooke of those priviledges Psal 147.19 20. And the Ordinances given them made a partition wall between that Nation and other Nations in respect of nighnesse to partake of the priviledges But now is Jesus Christ set forth as he hath already come in the flesh and hath done and compleated all that fore-mentioned concerning him and so slain the enmity made peace for all Nations and made them nigh by his bloud and in the Gospell came and preached peace In which Gospel the Lord Jesus with the things in him concerning our peace are more fully set open than ever before the ascension of Jesus Christ in our nature and more abundance of grace and spirit promised to all that beleeve on him and this to be declared without difference to all Nations Mat. 28 19. Mark 16.15 And this that Jesus Christ hath done by his Death Resurrcteion and Ransome-giving and Mediation-making for all men is rendred in the Gospel as the ground and reason of all his Lordship over all Rom. 14.7 8.9 Acts 2.36 And also as the ground reason and proofe of the Resurrection of all men 1 Cor. 15. to the end And also as the ground reason and proofe that God will at the last day judge all men by Jesus Christ and cause all to confesse him Lord Acts 17.31 Phil. 2 10 11. And this given as the reason why God hath made him a Prince and a Saviour and filled him with spirit to give repentance and remission of sinnes and to rule all John 5.27 Isa 53. to the end Phil. 2.7 to 11. Acts 5.30 31. And indeed this is the foundation of repentance and that whereby all are admonished to repent Luke 24.46 47 Acts 17.30 31. And the foundation of Faith and that which men are callssd on to beleeve and there-through to beleeve on him Acts 13.38.48 16.31 And all this appeares plainly to be meant Heb. 6.1 2. if it be considered with Chap. 5.12 and other places of Scripture as Acts 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 3.11 And so likewise that the very same word of the beginning of Christ is the foundation of the Doctrine of Baptismes or of teaching Baptismes or the Foundation Ends and Vses of the Mediums of Baptizing and so Baptisme it selfe the Doctrine and End of all being one and tending to one Baptisme and so 1. As the knowledge and belief of the death resurrection and ransome giving of Christ to have been for all men is the ground why the Apostles did preach remission of sinnes to all in his name and beseech them to repent and be reconciled c. Luke 24.46 47. 2 Cor. 5 14 15 19.20 Act. 13 32-37 38 48. So likewise it was the ground of their baptizing with the word and so discipling by the Word all such as were hearing and did not turn away from the tender of the Gospell 2 Cor. 3.14 Acts 16.31.32 2. The same knowledge of the redemption wrought by Christ for all men and his lordship over them and having spirit to send forth to them was the ground of their baptizing with water in his name and so discipling those that refused not the Gospel when brought to them Acts 2.41 and 16.14.31 32. 3. The same knowledge and belief concerning Jesus Christ was the ground of their acquainting men with the baptizing with the holy Ghost and directing men to look up to and wait on Christ for that and to yeeld to the Spirit as in the means he should be vouchsafed to them Mat. 3.11 Acts 2.39 Mat. 28.20 John 14.16 26. and 16 7-16 4. And on the same ground did they exhort to receive correction from the hand of God and to be willing to bear the Crosse of Christ directing them to look to Christ and consider his sufferings in patience to possesse their souls and wait on him for profitable use and issue assuring them they shall so receive it from him Heb. 12 2-12 1 Pet. 1 5-7 and 2.21 And thus did they teach all these as Mediums of baptizing tending to one Baptisme even into Christ But they never taught these meanes or mediums of baptizing to be either the foundation on which men were to be built or to ground their hopes nor yet to be the end in respect of attainments as if life were had and the true baptisme effected where ever these mediums are For they alwayes set forth Jesus Christ to have dyed for our sinnes and risen for our justification to be the foundation and thereupon built and bottomed their exhortations to repentance faith love and use of the ordinances of Christ and accepting of and yeelding to the mediums of baptizing as is seen in the places fore-quoted and throughout their writings And they have put the mediums of baptizing in their right place as Posts and Gates to be waited at and waies to be walked in to meet with God according to that Exod. 20.24 Prov. 8.34 35. Isa 64.5 Mat. 18.20 and 28 20. Heb. 10.25 But union in and with Jesus Christ and conformity to him have they set forth as the true effect and compleating of Baptisme and that in which life is had Rom. 6 3-6 1 Cor. 1.30 John 15.1 John 5 10-12 and without which life is not enjoyed nor Baptisme indeed received and enjoyed what mediums soever passe on a man 1. A man may be baptized with the Word the Ministers instructing and he hearing it and yet not partake of life unlesse united with Jesus Christ The Word that is preached by faith in him Heb. 4.2 2. A man besides his hearing the Word may be baptized with water in the name of the Lord Jesus and so have the filth of the flesh in the stain of Gentilisme put away and yet is not purged in conscience by the spirituall application of the blood of Christ so as there be in him the answer-of a good conscience to God-ward by the Resurrection of Christ he is yet short of spirituall and eternall salvation 1 Pet. 3.21 3. A man besides his hearing the Gospel and being outwardly baptized by the Servants of Christ may also have from Jesus Christ some supernaturall illumination and inspiration with spirituall force in reproving perswading and moving so knocking and calling for entrance with promise of farther favour yet if the heart be not overcome at his reproofs and open not at his knocking 's to let go other holds and accept of and rest on him the man remains in danger still Rev. 3.20 Prov. 1.23 24. Ezek. 24.13 Gen. 6.3 whence that Ephes 4.30 4. A man besides his hearing and receiving outward Baptisme and partaking of some motions of spirit so as in some sort he beleeveth and maketh profession of Christ may also come to suffer some things for the name of Christ and yet if he abide not till Christ be formed in him that he may be perfected by Christ and his
A Brief DISCOURSE ABOUT BAPTISME By THOMAS MOORE For his Friends LONDON Printed by Gar Dawson for Tho Brewster and G Moule at the Signe of the three Bibles under Mildreds Church in the Poultry 1649. TO THE READER CHristian Reader whoever thou art that takest so much pains as to peruse these ensuing lines I pray thee take not any thing in it as leading to contention it being writ to avoid it and with a desire to move all to union in minding that one Baptisme which is Baptisme indeed and so to a right understanding estimate and use of all the mediums or meanes of it by which it is effected and whereas three of them are of continuall and frequent exercise in the acting receit and usefulnesse and one of them but once done or acted and the use after in minding of it And that being it about which so much difference is fallen out among Brethren I having before writ a Treatise something large about it which hath been in the hands of many friends In which also I discoursed of the New Testament whose in-comming made the first old and decayed The unacquaintednesse wherewith as also of the extent and vertue of the Death and Ransome of Christ I conceive to be the cheif cause of manies miscarriage in conception of the right use of the Ordinance of baptizing with water and there also I gave ground of answer for all the Objections I had met with in books and for that cause and because divers have learnedly answered their Arguments I have forborn in this all such reasoning and have only applyed my self to the Scripture the Tennor of the Gospel and Commission given by Jesus Christ and touched upon the answer or faulting of nothing but what mine eares have heard from divers and in divers places yea even from such as I love and reverence or else of that I have in manuscripts sent to my self by some others of the same outward practice And in this I have avoided to go in a contentious way and as in love and with desire to prevent evill I have writ so I leave it to be tryed by the Scripture Consider it so and the Lord give us understanding in all things So prayeth thy Well willer in Jesus Christ THO. MOORE Wisbich Sept. 5. Anno 1649. Octob. 15. 1649. Imprimatur IOHN DOWNAME Of Baptisme commended since the Resurrection of Iesus Christ in the Evangelical and Apostolical Writings as that which hath great priviledges in it and promises to it TWo things are meet to be considered 1. What this Baptisme is 2. What the medium or by which effected 1. What this Baptisme is It is a Baptizing into Jesus Christ and so into his Death that one patrake of his resurrection through the faith of the operation of God Rom. 6.3 4. Gal. 3.27 Col. 2.12 And for the clearing of this to be Baptisme indeed and that it may more fully appeare what it is to be baptized into Jesus Christ foure things are considerable viz. 1. What Baptizing into Jesus Christ signifieth in Scripture language 2. What this Baptisme comprehendeth in it according to Scripture 3. Why or upon what occasion this name Baptisme is put upon this work of God and how long it hath been so called 4. That this gracious work of God in and upon a man is the Baptisme indeed and that which hath the special priviledges in and promises of life to it 1. For the first It apeareth by the Scripture that Baptizing into Jesus Christ signifieth A bringing into the knowledge belief and acknowledgement of Jesus Christ according to that great name of him set forth in the Gospel That one may in that belief and acknowledgement of Jesus to be the Christ and of that great name of his be humbled in himself and comforted in and renew'd by Christ and so washed or cleansed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God and so made one in Christ and conformed to him and when this is done a man is baptized indeed and though God in sending Gospel and Spirit enlightning convincing and bringing to an acknowledgment of Jesus to be the Christ and make profession of him may be truely said to have baptized men unto Christ yet if they have not yeilded to the operations of his grace so as that it come for be not effected They may also be truly said not to be baptized into Jesus Christ as of old when God gave his Word Oracle and statutes with such presence of his Spirit as he made the scum to come aloft he is said to have purged them yet they not yeelding up to his will and operations so as to have the scum cast off they are said not to be purged Ezek. 24.13 And this the Apostle would not have us ignorant of but gives us to learn thus much from our types that were and are recorded for our instruction namely That 1 Cor. 10.1.2 All our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea Moses was the man that God had appointed to be their Deliverer Leader Ruler Prophet And he by whom he would deliver the Law or first Testament to them and he also to be the Mediator of that Testament But the people did not at first understand and acknowledge Moses to be such a one When God first put it in Moses heart to visit his Brethren and that he slew the Aegyptian that wronged an Israelite Moses supposed They would have understood this but they did not understand but refused him yet God did afterward send him to them to be a Ruler and Deliverer Acts 7.23 25-35 And when he did come with the Lords Message to them and shewed some signe among them They beleeved and bowed their heads and worshipped Exod. 3. 4.31 But when they came under some triall by sore affliction they altered their minds and chod Moses and Aaron as having done them great wrong Exod 5.20.21 And though by the mighty works of God they were overcome to keep the Passeover and follow Moses out of Aegypt and had the cloud going before them yet it appeares they were not brought to a right understanding and acknowledgment of Moses and that appears not onely by their fears when Pharaoh and the Aegyptians pursued them but by their words faulting Moses and declaring what had been their own saying to him in Aegypt Exo. 14.10.11.12 But when Moses from God quieted them and that God divided the Sea for them and put his cloud betwixt them and the Egyptians and had his people safely through the Sea to the shore and gave them to see the Egyptians drowned in the same sea Then they feared the Lord and beleeved the Lord and his servant Moses Exod. 14.31 And so from that time forward Moses was acknowledged a man of God though only such as yeelded up to the minde of God made known by him were the
children to keep Christs commands by engaging them thereto by Baptisme So that as the Gentiles come to be fellow-heires with the Jewes and as children have formerly been a part of the Jewish Nation and Church and are now a part of the Nations according to the scope of the Gospel and the words of the Commission given by Christ there is an expresse command for the baptizing of them 12. But yet as the Gospel is rightly understood beleeved and in the heart of any there is yet more to be said for little children as namely 1. That though they be conceived and borne sinners yet while they are not come to the use of understanding so as they have chosen no Idol nor are yet capable of the meanes that should bring them to beleeve he that is the father of the helplesse hath them in his protection and he that will not gather where he hath not sown will not charge them with unbeliefe and so not with their other sinnes And so in a sense of Christs account they may be said to beleeve Mat. 18.2.6 with 19.13.14 And though beyond our understanding how yet it s as beleivable as that there should be an carnest expectation of the creature Rom. 8.19 But if God will accept it as so who are we to fault him and if he will account our bringing our children to him their comming let us accept of it 2. That it flowes from the word of grace in the heart of a beleever and the Law of God and commands of Christ written therein to disciple their children for the faith they have in beleeving the love of God to them and the Redemption wrought for them leads them to take them as the price of bloud put in their hands to bring up for God as Jacob took his children And the love that hath sprung up from Gods love in them leads them to love and accept whom God accepts and to reckon according to his judgement and so to receive them by Baptisme into his Family to bring up for him having his allowance And thus much about this medium of baptizing As for objections against baptizing children I have purposed to avoyd contention and so shall meddle little farther then what is already done As for the demand of an example of children mentioned to be baptized they are enclusively mentioned in the word Nations the word Housholds in types mentioned But it s enough it is commanded and was fore-mentioned and there was reason of small mentioning them because the writings were at the first calling of the Churches And it would have broke the Jewes in peices to have seen their Circumcision at first to thrown downe which they yet so esteemed and even the Apostles saw not the largenesse of the extent of their Commission at first Acts 10. and 11. As for that is said Children understand it not It s answered As much as they did curcumcision and though they doe not understand it when baptized yet as Christ said to Peter they may afterward John 13.7 The pervertings of the Text abuse of single examples to limit with c. I will omit nor will I presse any to more speedy baptizing their children then according as by the light they have in the Gospel they see cause As for such as beleeve not the report of the Gospel in the extent of it I pitty them because I see not how they can go upon any certaine grounds to baptize any children at all seeing they are not certain whether Christ dyed and rose for them or not but though I see not I hope some of them do or else they would not do it But I will proceed no farther in this beleeving it already proved that all of as that were baptized in our infancy in the name of the Father and of the Sin and of the Holy Ghost professedly we have been baptized and had there been some more errors then were of mens mixtures in the administration thereof though they were evill and to be repented yet they made not the Lords Baptisme null as is shewn pages 9 10 11 16 17 18. So that I looke at my selfe and all so baptized as engaged in the very acceptance of this Baptisme as in the greatest and most solemne row To beleeve and yeeld to the sayings of Christ to wait for and yeeld to his spirit for conforming to the Douth of Christ that we might not live to our selves but unto Christ So that other baptizing with elementary water we need not but such a remembrance of Gods mercy and our engagement in that Baptisme that we yeeld to all the operations of his grace in his sayings in afflictions and motions of his that the Baptisme into onenesse with and conformity to Christ may be more effected in us But for men that have been baptized in the name of the Lord in their infancy after they come to beleeve to be pressed again to be baptized with water I cannot but look at as evill and sinfull because there is nothing in Christs Commission for it no precept or example for it nor promise to it in all the Scripture nor yet have I ever met with any place aledged for a baptizing again with water any that were once professedly baptized so in the name of the Lord Jesus before but only that one place Acts 19 4 5. Where if that were true as they conceive and granted as they would have it namely That those twelve were fore-baptized with water to Johns Baptisme and then baptized again by Paul in the name of the Lord Jesus Yet makes it nothing for their purpose for then it would follow That those who formerly baptized them did not themselves understand what Johns Baptisme was though they named it and baptized unto it and so they were not before in words or professedly baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus or in the Name of the Father of the Son and Holy Ghost And then it was not baptisme that is the ordinance of the Lord and so it Paul did baptize them in the Name of the Lord Jesus It was because they were not so baptized before at all as we in our infancy were and so it makes nothing for baptizing again any that were professedly baptized in that name But indeed there is no such saying as that either Paul baptized those Twelve or that they were baptized again the contrary rather appears For Luke in his story telling of Pauls journey to Ephesus And that he found certain Disciples there In the second verse tells us of Pauls Question and their Answer And in the third verse of Pauls Reply to or Demand on their Answer Vnto what then were ye baptized and their returne of Answer unto Johns Baptisme And then Luke tess us again of Pauls returne of Answer and instruction therein to them verse 4 and 5. And then of his Action towards them in verse 6 In verse 4 Paul first justifieth Johns Baptisme as our Saviour Acts 1.5 John verily baptized with the