was but an Obligation to the Law as a rule of Righteousness Examinat Cap. 9. §. 1. subservient to the Covenant of Grace as Baptism also is Rom. 6.3 not to the Law in the rigor of it as it was a Covenant of Works for Abraham Isaac and Jacob were not so obliged they were in the Covenant of Grace as well as we and Circumcision was to Abraham by your own confession a seal of the righteousness of Faith Christ did profit may hundreds and thousands that were circumcised in the time of the Law he was the Lamb slain from the begining of the World and they were saved by Faith in him 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. Heb. 11. but when Christians were circumcised in the time of the Gospel out of a perswasion of its necessity and their justification by it then it did bind them to keep the whole Law and Christ in that case did profit them nothing and this is all can be inferred from your Texts as to this matter As Circumcision did shew it was their duty to circumcise their hearts so Baptism shews it is our duty to wash our hearts Jerem. 4.14 Jam. 4.8 between heart circumcision and heart-washing is no great difference if any And as there was a precept for the circumcision of the heart so God promised his people that he will circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their seed of which before Chapt. 7. Though Circumcision did shew forth you say a Duty on our part as well as a Promise on Gods part yet you know Infants were then circumcised though they had no actual knowledg of either What you can gather hence if any thing against Infant-Baptism I expect to know ANABAPT CAT. Q. Was not Circumcision also a seal of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 A. Yes to Abraham only and if Abrahams believing children amongst the Gentiles should be baptized as he was circumcised then is must not be till they have the righteousness of Faith as Abraham here had at least they must have it in profession The Text saith It was the seal of the righteousness of Faith §. 2. which Abraham had being yet uncircumcised but it saith not that it was so to him only The Apostle brings it as an argument to prove the way of our Justification to be by Faith alone which were a meer inconsequence if proper to him and not belonging to others There was adult persons Believers in Abrahams Family when Circumcision was first instituted and many be-lieving Proselytes afterward which had Faith while yet they were uncircumcised as Abraham had of whom their Circumcision also was a seal of the righteousness of the Faith they had before yea Moses makes it to all a sign of the Covenant Gen. 17. which doubtless was the Covenant of Grace or to use Pauls dialect the righteousness that is by Faith Rom. 3.22 30. 10.3 6 c. cum Deut. 30.6 10 11 12. Phil. 3.9 this being the Tenor of that Covenant Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.31 Your passage implying that there are some believing children of Abraham which have not the righteousness of Faith as Abraham here had I do not understand except you make actual believing and having the righteousness of faith two things not only distinct but separable But whatsoever your meaning be I cannot see here any shew of proof that children must necessarily believe or make profession of faith before they may be baptized as Abraham did before he was circumcised Abraham could not be circumcised in Infancy nor before Circumcision was instituted no wonder therefore if he believed before had Circumcision been instituted in the days of his fathers Abraham might have been circumcised before he actually believed as well as Isaac his son was Christ could not be baptized till John did baptize which was about the thirtieth year of Christs age nor did he receive the Eucharist till the night before he suffered yet some that pretend to imitate him can be baptized and possibly preach too at 15 16 20 21 c. years of age though Christ was neither baptized nor did preach till he was thirty ANABAPT CAT. Q. Whether doth Baptism succeed Circumcision in the same Office A. No Circumcision was to every Male though reprobate but Baptism only to the Believer Matt. 28.19 There being a change of the visible Church and of the Ordinances this cannot succeed in the room thereof nor hath any dependance thereon Your Argument against the succession of Baptism to Circumcision is weak §. 3. viz. Baptism is not like Circumcision in some things therefore it is not like in any thing therefore it succeeds not in the same office By this you may prove as well That the Supper doth not succeed the Passover nor the Lords-Day the Jewish Sabbath The office of Circumcision was to shew original sin to teach necessity of Regeneration of Mortification of Salvation by Christ the seed of Abraham to sign and seal the Covenant or the Righteousness that is by Faith to distinguish Jews from others to initiate solemnly and formally into the Church And doth not Baptism also initiate into the Church 1 Cor. 12.13 Yea doth it not Circumcision being now abrogated perform the foresaid Offices Indeed it is not every way the same for then it were not a successor Add hereunto that the Covenant was the ground of Circumcision Genes 17.7 9 10 11. the equity whereof obligeth to Baptism as the equity of the fourth Commandment extends to our Lords-Day As for the positive command vers 12. it only determines the time and day which circumstance of day and time was not built upon the Covenant of Grace as Circumcision it self was and therefore is not perpetual and without such a positive determination of the time Circumcision should and might have been administred to Infants the Jews did circumcise children bought with their mony the same day they bought them though they bought them the same day they were born See Ainsw in Genes 17.12 Oft-times Circumcision was not administred the eighth day but deferred in which cases the command of circumcising the eighth day was not observed yet Circumcision was and according to right reason ought to be administred to Infants by virtue of the naked institution thereof as we contend that Baptism ought now to be both of them being as was said seals of the Covenant But you in saying Circumcision was to every Male though reprobate do imply that it Was not to Females true but both Males and Females were then baptized and so they were in the New Testament Acts 8.11 Gal. 3.28 29. which is a sufficient justification of our deserting Circumcision in that point And the Infant-females as well as the adult were counted members of the Jewish Church and though by reason of their incapacity or Gods respect to the modesty of that Sex they were not personally circumcised yet they were circumcised in the Males Hence the whole Church of the Jews
with one hand work in the work with the other hand to hold the weapon Some wise Master-builders have been valiant for the Doctrine and practise of Paedobaptism whilest others have bent their tongues like a Bow against it Some of them I have seen and made use of some I have heard of not seen others possibly there are which I have neither seen nor heard of However I desire that if any wisdom or strength be discerned in this Examination it may be esteemed first Gods then theirs the weakness hereof is not theirs much less Gods or the Causes but mine own yet I humbly hope this poor pains will be acceptable to God the chiefest Master-builder and Captain of his Hoast and also thou helping together with thy prayers profitable to thee his servant and Soldier Satan our grand Enemy would prevail if he could for such a gross renunciation of Baptism received in Infancy as Witches Wizzards his devoted Vassals and open Apostates do make but having no hope at first to prevail so far he endevors to bring-us by a pretence of purity to such denyal and renunciation of Infant-Baptism as the Anabaptists do make which hath been very advantagious to his Kingdom as well in Germany as in other places the more sad it is to see that some reputed yea possibly real Saints do in the simplicity of their hearts act and argue for him in this business as Peter did in another Mat. 16.22 23. The various turnings crooked ways and windings of the Serpent in this Controversie as I could in so short a time and piece I have endevored to discover and to make the paths of the Lord straight and plain to his people Repetitions for brevity sake I have avoyded even where they might have been somewhat useful by reason of which some parts hereof taken by themselves may seem more dark and defective then I hope they will be found if thou compare one place with another and spare thy censure of any part till thou hast read the whole I have kept close to the main matter viz. Infant-Baptism not omitting any Objection of the Catechist against it but I have purposely slighted by-matters lest this Book should be voluminous or I seem to be contentious above what is meet I have desired to speak rationally to the cause and durst not bring any railing accusation against persons My comfort is this the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity I have managed this matter not daring to talk deceitfully for God or willingly to wrong any The worst I wish to my Antagonists in this cause is that both they and I may be ready to receive every revealed Truth of God both in the light and love of it THE Catechist Catechized OR AN EXAMINATION OF AN Anabaptistical Catechism Pretended to be Published for the Satisfaction and Information of the People of God in Lancashire c. ANABAPT CAT. Q. Who are fit Subjects for Baptism A. Onely such as beleeve Acts 8.12.37 lso Acts 16.34 also 18.8 Mat. 28.19 And such as repent Acts 2.38 and Mat. 3.6 NOne of these Texts severally nor all of them joyntly Exam. Chap. 1. §. 1. do prove That only such as believe and such as repent are fit Subjects for Baptism nor do they so much as shew That any son or daughter of Christian Parents such as we baptize in Infancy did believe or repent or make profession of Faith and Repentance before they were or could be admitted to Baptism Acts 16.34 doth not evince that the Jaylors house or family rejoyced or believed as you seem to understand it for the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being of the singular number may thus be read He believing rejoyced or expressed his joy having believed in all his house by feasting Paul and Silas in his house whither he had brought them vers 34. Or if by house be meant his Family he rejoyced in or amongst his Family because of the Promise made to him v. 31. That if he did believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as now he did he should be saved and his house And if any Infants of the Jaylor might be in the number of those that should be saved as you will confess they might why might they not be also in the number of those that were baptized Besides this believing of whomsoever it is spoken is not in the Text expressed to have been before they were baptized for it is said ver 33. That he and all his were baptized straightway or immediately after which he brought them into his house set meat before them believing in God So this very Chapter v. 14 15. saith of Lydia that Paul preached to her and she heard and attended to those things that were spoken of Paul but none of these things are spoken of her house yet they were baptized as well as she It it true it is said that Paul preached to the Jaylor and to all that were in his house v. 32. and that Crispus believed in the Lord with all his house Acts 18.8 Yet this you know doth not shew that there we none but actual Believers in the houshold Abraham Gen. 18.19 is said to command his children and servants to keep Gods way and sure his house might be called a believing house And now we call godly families praying families though there be children in them not capable of understanding or obeying the Word or of actual believing and praying Now seeing the Jaylor Lydia and their and other housholds are said to be baptized as Abraham and his house were circumcised Gen. 17. and seeing children are part of the houshold and often included if not chiefly intended under that name 1 Tim. 5.8 Gen. 34.36 45.18 46.5 with Exod. 1.1 1 Sam. 20.15 1 King 17.12 13 with 15. and that there are so few families without little ones Who dare affirm and can prove That there were none in these families or that they were excluded from Baptism seeing the Scripture doth not exclude them as elsewhere upon just cause it expresly doth Gen. 50.8 Nor do we read of whole housholds admitted to the Lords Supper as we do to Baptism though your principles are as much for the one as for the other So that some Texts by you brought to overthrow Infant-Baptism do afford at least a very probable Argument for it Mat. 3.6 names confessing of sin which is oft too far from repentance §. 2. probably to God not to John or if to John not a particular confession of each of them by himself which Papists from hence urge for it was not possible for John to hear the particular confessions of so many as for their multitude deserved to be called Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan in any convenient time But whatsoever confession it was it seems it was not before their Baptism as you would have it but after for it saith they were baptized not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
THE Catechist Catechized OR AN EXAMINATION OF AN Anabaptistical Catechism Pretended to be Published for the Satisfaction and Information of the People of God in Lancashire c. ALSO SOME OBSERVATIONS Both Old and New Concerning the pretended Visibility Universality Antiquity Infallibility Unity and Purity of the present Roman Church and Religion Sent to a Gentleman upon his revolt to Popery and now published for the Churches good By RICHARD HOLLINVVORTH Mancuniens LONDON Printed by J. M. for Luke Fawn and are to be sold at his shop at the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1653. SIR THere is an Anabaptisticall Catechism that walks abroad lately directed to Lancashire when it is of age and can answer for it self you shal know the name of it it is but newly brought forth to this County and therefore not Christned If you meet with it it would be a good work to Lancashire in which you dwel to the Town of Manchester the place of your Nativity and Ministry to make some Annotations of it a few smooth stones out of soft Siloam hurl'd out of your sling might lay it dead a friendly arrow shot beyond it may give warning that there is danger I would not engage you to the contest with this A. B. C. but that Error is a springing Leprosie in contagious times Wormes in children may turn to the Plague a few vacant hours will serve the business and satisfie the earnest desire of Sir Your Brother and fellow-Labourer in the Work of Christ Richard Heyricke January 1. 52. For Mr. Richard Hollinworth with my Love These To all in Lancashire that love and seek the Lord in all his Soul-filling Ordinances especially them of the associated Churches about MANCHESTER Dearly Beloved and longed for our Joy and Crown YOu shall with more praise to God light and stability to your selves read the ensuing Treatise if you first consider and lament that for abuse of Ordinances Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light hath undermined all Ordinances of divine Light and Life The Lords-Day not moral publique solemn Assemblies turned into House-meetings publique Ministry exchanged for private Conferences publique preaching of the Word common to gifted Brethren with called Ministers no prayer but when the Spirit moves no communion in the Supper but in Churches newly gathered and no Baptism for Infants No wonder if religious Ordinances be thus undermined when the Doctrine of the holy Trinity the Deity of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost the divine Authority of the Scriptures the Obligation of the Decalogue and other Fundamentals of Faith Holiness and Righteousness are by the Ministers of the Prince of Darkness professedly overturned No wonder that Children are unchurched when so many Churches are unchurched many of them that have done the former having begun at the latter They who would not be saved by Ordinances shall perish for want of Ordinances and they that would not unite themselves to the Fountain of Life by Faith shall be separated from the streams and conveyances of Life that they may apparantly wither and dye only upon the living in Jerusalem that by the subtilty of delusion or power of interest are darkened and benummed pray and weep that the Sun of Righteousness may arise with healing in his wings But the Ordinances being the purchase of Christs blood as well as the Church the gifts of his Princely Government the Ensigns of his Victory over the Kingdom of Darkness and of his glorious Ascension he will by his soveraign Power maintain And to that end successively enoble the spirits of some with beams of heavenly light and courage that they shall discover the stratagems of Opposers and adventure upon their Armies marshalled against them and triumphantly overcome by his glorious power redeeming the captived Ordinances of their King unto a just and glorious Liberty This being so high a favor from Christ the glory of his Grace and Power it is most thankfully to be accepted and his Instruments to be had in honor by all that rejoyce in the glory of his Kingdom His Ministers he hath designed to be the Executors of his last Will and Testament to them it belongs by divine appointment to give out the several Legacies there bequeathed and to put in suit all them in the high Court of sacred Scripture who shall upon any pretence whatsoever detain any Legacy bequeathed and where will their faithfulness more appear then to open their mouth for the dumb and to sue for Childrens rights whil'st they are forcibly wronged and unable to right themselves where is greater Trust and more shining Fidelity The right of Infants to Baptism hath of late been openly impleaded in reference to Lancashire and the Bill printed to be published there in special with expectation of the concurrence of the godly but blessed be God one of the Lords Executors in Manchester where part-taking was most desired and expected hath wisely and faithfully joyned issue and by clear Evidence hath procured a determinate sentence for the setling of their undoubted right upon Infants to our great comfort and the honor of the Kingdom of Christ in the Right whereof Infants are rightly baptized And our hope in the Lord Jesus is that the questioning of the Right of Infants and the shaking of their title will have that influence upon all the godly in Lancashire especially Parents peculiarly in Manchester and the rest of the associated Churches that out of enflamed love to Christ and the Souls of their Children they will so much the more settle their Judgments in this Truth by the conscionable and diligent use of this hâ—lp provided by the Lord amongst them so seasonably in respect of danger and so suitably in respect of clearness brevity and charge that will happily lead to the believing repenting and prayerful use of this Ordinance which is the Covenant-way of conveying to their Children the sure and saving Mercies of the Covenant so shall they and others who have seen the holy Seal set on in Infancy clearly behold in their holy life the lively characters of the Spirit of the Covenant the Image of the Lord Jesus in their riper years To their own abundant satisfaction the silencing of Adversaries the increase of the Church mystical the encouragement of them that have carefully and painfully pleaded their Right and above all the honor of the Lord Jesus who in their Infancy opened unto them his Arms and Bosom in his Church that in an hidden way he might warm them with a spiritual Life to be manifested in due time In this hope we pray for you and labor amongst you that we might present Parents and Children in Covenant-obedience and blessing at that great Day This is the principal Desire and Soul-travel of The Lords unworthy Servants who in reference to Infants do rejoyce in our Ministry John Angier John Harison Nathaneel Rathband William Meek March 10. 1652. THE Authors Preface to the Christian Reader IN these times the Lords Builders are compelled while they
possibly you that published this Catechism may be of the strictest Sect of your Religion as the worst of these at their first separating from us seemed also to be and do abhor to have communion not only with these but with Drunkards Adulterers Swearers c. To you I say if there be not amongst you Drunkards Adulterers Swearers c. Satan himself is none of these but are there not seditious schiâ—matical persons that say all the Church is holy sacrilegious persons that devour that which is holy or dedicated to the service of God and his Church not by themselves which was Ananias his sin but by others Are there not Murderers Railers false Accusers Lyars proud boasters covetous traytors heady high minded lovers of themselves despisers of good men having a form of godliness c. Such an one is Satan As for the rotten members in Paedobaptists Congregations they are or should be duly proceeded against and much good is done that way in many Congregations where Government is set up and people help forward the work humane infirmities both in Rulers and ruled ever have been and will be And more good had been done had not the separation of some from us the exemption by the Civil Powers from Church-government of whosoever will not freely own it the unjust clamors of Presbyterian Rigidness and Tyranny together with the Tumults and Troubles of the Times hindred it As for Infant-Baptism §. 4. it is a consecrating of children to God and formally initiates them into the Church which is a great benefit as casting out or excommunicating out of the Church is a great censure it is an outward distinctive sign of Christians children from Pagans signifies their original sin and necessity of regeneration even before the commission of actual sin and the Salvation of Infants as well as grown men by Christ It makes Infants partakers of the Ordinances at least of the Prayers of the Church as members thereof it pre-engageth them to a Christian Course when they have the least prejudice and obstruction against it and as soon as they are capable to receive the nurture and admonition of the Lord to frequent Ordinances to own Jesus Christ by external profession it binds Parents to be more careful and conscientious of their Religions Education it comforts their hearts godly Parents may speak this experimentally to see their Children thus sealed in assurance that God is their God and the God of their seed Yea God doth sometimes yea always as we ought to judg till the contrary appear baptize them inwardly or inâ—use grace or the seed of it into the Soul of the baptized Infant These and the like were counted great benefits in the time of the Law and are they or can they be mischiefs in the time of the Gospel You assert indeed That delaying of Baptism would make men careful to get knowledg and holiness whereas now they viz. they that do not delay Baptism are careless of both But may they not be as conscientiously taught and as careful and apt to learn in Christs School in his visible Kingdom as out of it baptized as unbaptized Are not many grown persons as forgetful and careless of the Promises they make on their sick beds and other occasions as of those which were made in Infancy Are Anabaptists the only men that are careful to get knowledg and holiness Are not multitudes of persons which were baptized in their Infancy as careful to get knowledg and holiness and as good Proficients therein as any others Is it better not to put children into a lease or grant of a priviledg lest they should be secure and careless to pay rent and do homage then to put them in May not deferring of Baptism so long make them despise it when they come to age Satan may more easily keep children when grown up from receiving Christianity then work them to renounce it though he sometimes prevails with Witches and Wizzards to renounce their Baptism received in Infancy that they may be his vassals and more assured to him Keeping the children of Christians out of the Church is a strange way sure it is none of Gods ways nor is it likely to prevail to make them in love with Christianity If any good can be done by such mediums the warrantable deferring of the Lords Supper alone may do it as well as the unwarrantable delaying of Baptism As for darkening the Doctrine of Baptism experience teacheth us that the Doctrine thereof was clear enough in Scripture and competently understood as well as the Doctrine of the Lords Supper before such opposition hath been made to Infant-Baptism If it be now darkened the darkness is not from Infant-Baptism but from your opposite Opinion and Practice ANABAPT CAT. Q. But may not Infants be baptized if they be Abrahams seed A. Yes But we Gentiles are only Abrahams seed by believing Gal. 3.7 so Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.29 They that would make the children of Believers to be the seed of Abraham are mistaken for the Scripture speaketh but of three seeds of Abraham viz. Christ Gal. 3.16.2 The carnal seed 3. The Believer Jew or Gentile Gal. 3.28 And they add a fourth seed of Abraham viz. the seed or children of Believers amongst the Gentiles about which the Scripture is silent EIther you do not sufficiently enumerate Exam. Chap. 7. or not rightly understand your enumeration of the Scripture-kinds of Abrahams seed or both For 1. Christ personal is not the whole of Abrahams seed to whom though he be the whole in whom 2 Cor. 1.20 the Promises were made but Christ mystical the whole Church of Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 13. all which whether Jews or Gentiles bond or free I may add young or old are but one in their Head Jesus Christ Gal. 3.28 All that are Christs are Abrahams seed vers 29. and Infants are his as well as grown persons for he became an Infant suffered much in his very Infancy was the Head of the Church while an Infant and therefore might well have Infant-members dyed for Infants as well as for grown men bad his Disciples to suffer little children to come to him if not that he might baptize them for he baptized none at all Infants or others Joh. 4.1 2. yet that he might bless them and said that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven 2. As for the carnal seed of Abraham their fleshly relation was not sufficient to entitle them to Church-priviledges except they had a spiritual relation also Rom 9 6 8. Open Apostates and Revolters though the carnal seed of Abraham were not counted of the Church but as strangers and Heathens as David calls them Psal 54.3 59.5 That Text Exod. 12.48 prohibiting strangers did by the rule of proportion prohibit from the Passover all such Jews as did forsake the Faith The Caldee Paraphrast saith No son of Israel that is an Apostate or fallen from the Faith shall eat of it Cain and his posterity were rejected Gen. 4.15
Parents be Christian partus sequitur meliorem partem the children are not Infidels but Christian But §. 3. say you there is no command for baptizing such and you call it Will-worship forbidden Lev. 10.1 A tradition and ground-work for more traditions others call it the mark of the beast one of the strongest holds of Antichrist and what not To all which I answer 1. If Nadah and Abihu's offering strange fire fire unsanctified or not taken off the Altar Was Will-worship though the Scripture doth not call it so yet Paedobaptism suppose it be not warranted by the Word cannot be will-worship because it is not an introduction of a new Worship or Ordinance but the misapplication of an old and unquestionable Ordinance of God or if you put on it the worst name you can with any shew of reason the Profanation of an Ordinance as your self call it some of your party which have in derision and contempt of Infant-Baptism baptized Horses Cats or Dogs have been unquestionably guilty of horrible Profanation but not of will-worship 2. Infant-Baptism is grounded on and warranted by the Word of God and therefore is far enough from being a Profanation or so much as the misapplication of an Ordinance That it is so grounded and warranted needs no other proof then what hath already been produced in this Examination upon occasion of the Scriptures and Reasons brought against it 1. They that are Disciples in Scripture-sence are expressed in Christs Commission about Baptism and are to be baptized But Infants of the Church are Disciples in Scripture-sence Therefore they are to be baptized See Chap. 2. Sect. 3. 2. They that are Abrahams seed are to be baptized as you confess But such Infants are the seed of Abraham Therefore they are to the baptized See Chap. 7. 3. They that are visibly Within the Covenant of Grace are to be baptized as you acknowledg But such Infants are visibly Within the Covenant of Grace Therefore they are to be baptized See Chap. 8. 4. They that are to be judged Church-members are to be baptized But such Infants of the Church or born of members of the Church are to be judged Church members Therefore c. 5. They of Whom the Kingdom of God is are to partake of the privileges of the Kingdom of God But of Infants is the Kingdom of God Therefore c. 6. They that are Saints and holy are to be baptized But such Infants are Saints and holy Therefore 7. Christ knew that Baptism was an ancient Ceremony of initiation into the Church and applyed to the Infants of the Church as well as to adult Proselytes yet he took up that Ceremony and advanced it as he did the Postcoenium of the Passover to be a Sacrament of the New Testament without prohibition of Infants from it and therefore he did at least approve it should be administred to Infants See Cap. 2. § 1. In these alone to omit others conscientious enquirers into the mind of the Lord Jesus may find satisfactory grounds of Infant-Baptism especially when they are compared with the grounds of the contrary Opinion and Practice You cannot shew any precept at all §. 4. or president or good warrant in the Word of God that children of believing Parents should be kept from Baptism as you require them to be till they do in their own persons actually believe or make profession of Faith or that any such were baptized in riper years as you would have them now to be Yea I further say that if you can shew me in Scripture any son or daughter of believing Parents baptized I shall shew you that he or she was baptized in Infancy Surely from the time that John Baptist begin his Ministry to the writing of the Apocalyps great multitudes of Infants of Christians grew up to maturity yet amongst them all we read not of one whose Baptism was so delayed nor have we any solid ground to conceive that God at the coming of Christ took away Infants Covenant interest Church membership and Sacramental initiation and made their condition as to this as bad as the Heathen and worse then the Jewish children seeing it cannot be said that God did take these priviledges away in judgment upon occasion of Christs coming from all Infants even Elect children of Elect Parents seeing Infants in the time of the Gospel are not any way more guilty or uncapable then in former times nor can it any way appear that God did it in mercy and sure if it was done it was done either in judgment or mercy for it was a mercy to the Jewish children to have these priviledges and nothing more was conferred upon Infants which lost them then upon adult Christians which did not lose them You cannot shew a precept ' or president for your gathering Churches out of other true Christian Churches for requiring persons before they can be admitted members to give account of the truth of their graces for the Congregations judging whether they have grace or no and consequently whether they were to be admitted or no for a solemn explicite Church-Covenant for the erection of a Church without Officers for the power of such a Church consisting only of unofficed Christians to elect ordain impose hands by one or more of them on their Officers to censure or excommunicate any member yea any or all their Officers when they have them for maintenance of Ministers by Lords Day-Collections formerly urged as an Ordinance of God though of late much waved for a sentence of non-communion with Sister-Churches for Synods only consultative and not decretive for publike ordinary preaching of gifted men not so much as intending the Ministry and their receiving maintenance for their pains and yet these are asserted by men of the Congregational way in which Antipaedobaptists are generally found to be duties priviledges of the Church or Ordinances of God nor can you shew any Church consisting of unbaptized ones such as you account your selves to be your Infant-Baptism being a nullity till you be baptized upon profession und such a Church admitting members commissionating some Disciples to preach and dip nor any precept or president for admission of such which are in your opinion unbaptized to the Lords Supper not for rebaptizing such as were baptized suppose in Infancy in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost or for renouncing such Baptism nor can you shew any one Text of Scripture in which Infant-Baptism either in express words or in the interpretation of any Apostolick or Primitive Church or Father in the purest Times nor can you shew one visible Church from the beginning of the World to the time when your Opinion was lately broached which was of any long continuance and did neither admit into it nor permit in it any Infant-member Finally §. 5. Should you or I be required a Command for admission of women to the Supper as you require a Command for Infant-Baptism though you can neither shew command