London and among the Gentlewomen that have been tenderly brought up and ancient People and weak People and Shopkeepers especially women that take but little of the cold ayr the dipping them in cold water in the course of nature would kill hundreds and thousands either suddenly or by casting them into some Chronical disease Answ Observe all Mr. Baxters proof is nothing but he dare say so let the Reader observe that but was there ever such a piece of Divinity seen as this Surely Mr. Baxter is much afraid of losing of Gentlewomen that are tenderly brought up and such as take but little of the cold ayr and Shopkeepers he knoweth well that such usually have the heaviest purses and if he lose them he loseth a great part of his Religion as it s well known to most men that they will preach no longer then they are paid for it nay they will be sure of it beforehand and therefore now he speaks things that he ought not for filthy lucres sake Titus 1.11 saying in effect that if they obey the Ordinance of Christ it will kill hundreds and thousands of them if not suddenly yet afterwards He could not nor dare not positively say suddenly because there are hundreds and thousands now alive not onely baptized people but also others yea of his owne judgement that can prove him a false speaker by what they have seen and known But it seems it will cast them into diseases that will kill them afterward Answ But he did not tell us how long after it may be they might have dyed as soon if they had never been dipped for all must dye afterward or else never therefore every fool may see his folly in this But he desperately proceeds like a man resolved not to take heed to his tongue which as James saith chap. 3.6 is set on fire of hell and wherein is a world of iniquity I know not saith he what trick a covetous Landlord can find out to get his Tenants to dye apace that he might have new fines and heriots likelier then to encourage such preachers that he may get them all to turne Anabaptists and covetous Physitinas methinks should no be much against them Catarrhes and Obstructions which are the two great fountains of most mortal diseases in mans body could scarce have a more notable means to produce where they are not or to increase them where they are Appolexies Lethargies Palsies and all Comatious diseases would be promoted by it So would Cephalalgies Hemicranies Phthises debelity of the Stomack Crudities and almost all Feavers Dissenteries Diarrhaeas Collick Iliack Passions Convulsions Spasmes Tremors c. all Hepatick Splenetick Pulmoniack Persons Hypocondriachs will soon have enough of it in a word its good for nothing but to dispatch men out of the world that are burdensome and to rank Church-yards And all this is proved by Mr. Baxters dare say so Sound Divinity and plain Scripture-proof even such as Mr. Baxter hath made use of all over his book But was there ever such doctrine as this preach'd by Christ or any of his Disciples would not any Rational indifferent man take Mr. Baxter for a Mountebanck rather then a Divine and that he hath more skill in curing bodies then souls And may not any man that hath read and beleived the Scriptures and desires to walk according to that blessed rule prescribed in them and to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints by them may not such say of Mr. Baxter as Paul said to Elymas the Sorcerer when he would have turned away the deputy from the faith O full of all subtility and all mischiefe thou Child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord And though I cannot say as Paul said Thou shalt be blinde for a season yet I can truly and with a good Conscience say he is spiritually blind already and to prove it to his face for Peter exhorts the Saints that have the eyes of their understanding opened to give all diligence to add to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledg and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that himself was purged from his old sins 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9 c but whether he hath shewed any of these forenamed vertues in all this Argument I leave it to the wise to judge But I leave him to stand or fall to his master and proceed to Answer a fool according to his foolishness as I am commanded Prov. 26.5 lest he be wise in his own conceit And first if it be the only way for covetous Landlords and Physations as he saith then if the Devil had not put it in their heads before yet Mr. Baxter like a diligent Servant hath done it now Secondly as concerning his new-found diseases he talks of I shall ask him two questions First Whether he can say in his conscience that he ever did know of his owne knowledge any baptized person dye of it or fell into any of these diseases afterwards I question not if he had known any such he would have put downe their names in his book although all rational people know that they may fall into some disease after they are dipped in water and yet that not be in the cause of it no more then it is to them that never were dipped Againe we have through mercy plenty of faithful witnesses both old and young Gentlewomen and Ladies wise and honourable with many other people both of strong and weak constitutions that can prove Mr. Baxter a false accuser and an inventer of evil things in this particular And as for my owne part I can boldly say with a good conscience in the presence of God to his glory that I have known many weak and sickly before that have recovered health and strength afterwards and some immediately in a few dayes yea and that when they have been so ill that all Doctors have given them over but I never knew any miscarry in my life so mightily hath God gone along with us owning his owne Ordinance If any shall be so foolish as to say that people become Ranters afterwards and that 's a sign of judgement and not of Gods owning it as his owne ordinance I answer that is after they are again gone away from the faith and deny the Ordinance of Christ which once they owned then as Peter saith It had been better for them that they had never known the way of truth then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment once delivered to them But more of this in answer to his last Argument My second Question is to Mr. Baxter Whether he be not convinced in his conscience that some or all of these diseases that he speaks of do not frequently
testimonies of the Lord. Mark 1.3.4.5 where we read first of the voice of one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight Secondly that John baptized in that wilderness and whom he baptized is evident in the following words And he preacht the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins and there went out unto him all the Land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River of Jordan confessing their sins c. Thus we see that all that were baptized of John of the Inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem were such as could and did confess their sins But little children that cannot speak cannot confess their sins therefore none such were baptized by John See also Matth. 3.5 6. Thus it being cleer by the Scriptures that John baptized men and women that could believe and confess their sins and not a word spoken of sucking children I shall now proceed to the works of the Apostles to whom Christ gave Commission as aforesaid and see what they practised Act. 2.40.41 we read that when they preached and exhorted the people with many words to save themselves from that untoward generation then they that gladly received his word were baptized and added to the Church c. But little babes of eight days weeks or months old cannot gladly receive the word of God because they understand it not therefore none such were baptized there Object But some will object from ver 39. that the Promise was to them and their children and therefore children may be baptized Answ I grant the Promise was to them vers 38 that if they did repent and be baptized in the name of Christ for the Remission of sins they should receive the gift of the Holy-Ghost and this is true also to their children if they did repent and obey the Gospel as aforesaid and so it is to us and to our children though never so far off upon the same condition of Faith Repentance and Baptism for it is to all that the Lord our God shall call but they must be called first observe that ver 39. And thus is the objection fully answered Again If ever the Apostle baptized children it must needs be now according to their Argument who say the Promise is to children and therefore But that they baptized no such children is evident because they that were baptized were such as could and did gladly receive the word and continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and Prayer all which little babes that cannot speak words nor understand Reason cannot possibly do therefore none such baptized The next place is Act. 8.12 where we read that when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women in express terms but we never read a word of little children Again ver 36 37. we read that the Eunuch said to Philip See here is water what hinders me to be baptized and Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest But such little babes as these baptize cannot believe with all their hearts therefore they may not be baptized neither do we yet in the least see that any such were baptized by the Apostles The next is Act. 10.46 47 48. in these words Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus By all which we see that no such babes were here baptized for all that were in this place baptized were such as had received the Holy Ghost as well as the Apostles and they heard them speak with tongues and magnifie God which children that cannot speak at all cannot possibly do all rational men will grant The next is Lydia and her houshould Act. 16.14 15. Now some say thus Who knows but she might have little children To which I answer if none know then all ought to be silent and not to believe and affirm things they know not for that is wickedness and folly but thus much we know 1 That Christ commanded them to baptize them which believed 2 Hitherto we have found them baptizing of none else 3 The Scripture speaks of no children she had nor yet of any husband and therefore silence gives no commands to obey nor no Promises to believe nor no examples to follow Again if she had an husband he was baptized for she and her houshoald were baptized Now if he had been baptized he would surely have born the name in the history rather then she being the head of the house Lastly we read ver 40. that when Paul and Silas came out of prison they entred into the house of Lydia and comforted the brethren and departed but little babes are not capable of such comfort therefore no such brethren in Lydia's house nor any ground at all to believe it from Scripture nor Reason The next is the Jaylor who was baptized with his houshould from whence some would draw the same Argument as from Lydia's and perswade us that there were children in his house but the Text is plain against it for it saith Act. 16.32 33 34. that they spake the word of the Lord to him and to all in his house and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straight ways and when he had brought them into his house he set meat before them and rejoyced believing in God with all his house Thus the Scripture in plain words as it saith the one that he and all his were baptized so also it saith he with all his house believed in God and therefore if Mr. Cook will evade the one by his learned Exposition in his 17 page he may as well evade the other and so conclude that none but he was baptized But consider the result of his labours when he hath laboured by all his wit and skill to pervert the Text yet he confesseth that the Syriack Translation reads it thus And he exulted and all the children of his house even all of them in the Faith of God I pray let all rational men consider what difference is between their all rejoycing and believing God and exulting even all of them in the Faith of God but that the man labours to darken the Counsel of God by these words words without knowledge As in Job 38.2 And thus the Lord taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.19.20 But one thing more I had like to have forgotten viz. his seeming sophistical answer to Act. 8.12 where the Text saith plainly that when they believed they were baptized both men and women To this he answereth in his 16 page that these words men and women are applyable to sexes
be judged for For Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is the transgression of the the Law Joh. 3.4 and where there is no Law there is no transgression saith Paul Rom. 4.15 but in such little babes there is no Law therefore there can be no transgression imputed And indeed I much wonder that men should be so wicked as to think that God who is so merciful as to forgive the worst of sinners their sins and transgressions should yet cast poor babes into hell and everlasting torments for Adams sin Obj. But hath God one way to save Men and Women and another way to save little Children Answ Yea or else Children must never be saved as I shall shew thus for the Scripture saith Rom. 5.18 that as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to justification of life And if none but men and women that can hear understand and beleive the Gospell may partake of the benefits of Christs death to life and salvation then no Infants that are capable of receiving faith which cometh by hearing the word preached could have any salvation by him But that some Infants as saved by him all will grant Therefore I conclude First concerning Infants that fell in Adam without any actuall sin or knowledge of Adams transgression even so they dying in their infancy before they know good or evill they are saved by vertue of Christs death without any actuall faith or knowledge of Christs obedience or else it is not even so as Rom. 5.18 saith Secondly concerning Men and Women that have lived to commit actuall sins against conscience and knowledge of such God requireth actuall faith in Christ and actuall obedience to Christ without which they have no promise of salvation by Christ And thus its plain according to Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one viz. Adam Judgement came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one viz. Jesus Christ the free gift came upon all to justification of life Again that God hath one way to bring Men and Women to life and salvation and another way to bring little baces to it is evident thus We find the Lord speaking words to Men and Women that are to be understood and observed by them that have Ears to hear and Hearts to understand and therefore we find the holy Ghost crying out so oft in the Scriptures to them that have Ears to hear that they should hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches see Rev. 2.7 ver 11. ver 17. ver 29. chap. 3.6 ver 13. and 22. with many more places to that purpose but we never find him calling to little babes in the flesh to hear and obey Commandments and beleive pomises Again we find the Scripture pronouncing life and Salvation to all those that beleive in Christ and obey his voice Joh. 3.15 16. with Heb. 5.9 but we never read that litte Children are promised it upon these terms Again the Scripture threatneth death and damnation to those that know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of God and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.7 8 6. But little babes of 8 daies weeks or months old cannot know God nor yet obey the Gospell of Christ for they know not their right hand from their left and yet we find them not threatned with this punishment and if it were but this it were enough to satisfy all rationall men fearing God that God hath one way to bring Men and Women to life and salvation and another way to bring little babes to it that is to say he requireth faith in Christ and obedience to Christ as necessary to salvation to those of ripe years but in Infants he requireth none let any man prove it by Scripture if he can Lastly Gods ordinary means by which he bringeth Men and Women to life and salvation is by the preaching of the Gospell which is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleiveth Rom. 1.16 and it pleaseth God by the foolishness of preaching to save them which believe 1 Cor. 1.21 for with the heart man beleiveth unto righteousness but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Rom. 10.10 But little babes that can neither speak nor understand cannot beleive with the heart unto righteousness nor confess with the mouth unto salvation for they cannot speak at all therefore they are not saved by that ordinary means that Men and Women are saved by And thus is their great and invincible objection or rather cavill answered clearly and plainly by the Scriptures of truth And the truth is they may as well debar little babes from food because the Scripture saith He that will not worke let him not eat as to debar them of salvation because they are not Church-members for it is as easie for babes to worke and get their own bread as to perform the work of a Church-member Therefore he that gives them food without labour in their non-age will also give them salvation without observing of Church-ordinances for the Scripture speaketh to Men and Women that have Ears to hear and not to babes in their nonage Thus having taken away the chief ground upon which Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter build I shall now proceed to shew the rottenness of their building by the following Arguments by which I come to shew that such infants as they baptize cannot be Church-members neither can Church-membership do them any good but rather the contrary Argument I. My first Argument is from Joh. 15.2 in these words Christ faith I am the Vine and my father is the husbandman every branch in me that beareth not fruit be taketh away c. What the fruit is is expressed in the seventh and eighth verses If ye abide in me and my words or Commandments abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit From whence I Argue If every branch in Christ must bring forth fruit and the fruit be to abide in his words that God may be glorified then infants that cannot speak nor understand cannot bring forth such fruit Therefore they are not branches in him nor members of him or if they be then they must be cut off and cast into the fire because they bear no fruit which is absurd Argument II. My second Argument is from Act. 8.1.4 where we read that the Church at Jerusalem were all scattered abroad except the Apostles and they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word Whence I argue thus If all the Church were scattered abroad except the Apostles and those that were scattered did go up and down preaching the Word then there were no infants that could not speak nor understand in the Church at Jerusalem for as for the