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
him as the Pharisees did upon our Saviour and have said thou bearest witness of thy self for thy self thy witness is not true they would have given a check or denyal to such a Custom accused it of Novelty or but of Yesterday and so have turned off easily that Argument which of all other lay most heavily upon them the Ancient Churches Custom and Practice in Baptizing Infants But they never did that as who could not deny this And so that other exception against Augustine as if he should utter and urge this in Heat and Passion against Pelagius his Adversary in point of Baptizing of Infants and speak more of the Custom and Practice of the Church than was true falleth of it self For they differed not in that point of Infant-Baptism no nor in the matter of the Custom of the Church herein For so Augustine affirmeth both in his first Book of the Merit and Remission of Sin The Peloagians themselves do grant that little Children are to be Baptized as who cannot come in or stand up against the Authority of the Vniversal Church delivered without doubt or Traditioned by our Lord and his Apostles And again in the eleventh Book against Caelestius and Pelagius He affirms and cites that Caelestius in a Book of his written at Rome acknowledged that Infants in a Book of his wirtten at of sin according to the Rule of the universul Church and according to the sense and meaning of the Gospel and Therefore Pelagius not daring to deny though otherwise impudent enough the General Practice of the Ancient Church in Baptizing Infants as who then and that way might have slipt his neck out of the Collaror Yoke Augustine held him to was feign to shist off that Fathers Argument as well as he could but very poorly and pittifully That the Church Baptized indeed Infants but not for the washing away of original fin which he denyed in Infants but for the better bringing them to the Kingdome of Heaven which Christ said was of such as theirs And truly this makes a great Addition to the Truth of this The Custom and Practice of the Universal Ancient Church in Baptizing lnsants that Pelagius so great a Schollar and Travellour who had seen the Customas and Practices the manners and fasthions of the Affricane and Asiatiqne yea and Europaean Churches being also himself a Brittish born should not as indeed he could not make any denyal or take any exception thereto as who by his own eyes and experience saw found it to be most true and uniform and so I may say our Baptism of Infants is a true Baptism and the Ancient Churches Practice hereof is a true Practice even our enemies themselves being Judges as Deut. 32.31 〈◊〉 why then was not Augustine himself Baptized in his In … y who was such as strong Advocate for the Baptism of Infants the Reason is plain and makes nothing against our Infant Baptism or the General Practice of the Church for neither his Father nor Mother were Christians or Believers when himself was born and they continued so untill a little before their death Augustine himself was not converted from his Manichean Haeresies and other vices untill the 31. year of his age who two years continuing a Catechumen and in the mean time writing somethings to give proof and testimony of the truth of his conversion or of his conversion to the Truth was Baptized himself and his Son Adeodate together like as Ahraham was circumcised with Ismeal his Son on the self-same day These things may be seen in His Confessions I shall need to adde no more for the shewing Infant-Baptism to have been the Custom and Practice of all the former Ancient Churches Augustines Testimony of the same is to me instead of all and as Goliahs Sword to David there is none like that Give it me 1 Sam 21.9 I have taken it and I give it thee not as a single Testimony of one Father for it but as a Quadruple witness of the Universal Church and its Custom and Practice for the point of Paedobaptism being four times expresly deliveced though by one and the same Father Saint Austin Yet I may for more perspicuity sake follow up this General Testimony by one Father unto its Particulars I mean the Covattestations of other particular Fathers in their several ages You have heard what Augustine hath said and written as for that Century For the year 390. 384. and those years wherein he lived Hierom In his Epistle ad Laetam having told her that the good and the evill of little once are imtured much to their Parents he addeth in the middle of that Epistle unless perhaps you think the Sons of Christians is they receive not Baptism They onely are guilty of sin and that the wickedness also thereof is not to be referred or to redound to the Parents who would not give it especially at or in such a time wherein they could not contradict who were to receive it In his Book against the Pelagians towards the end he is for Infant-Baptism and confirms it by allerdging the Authority of Cyprian and his Colleagues In the same third Book against Pelag it is thus Crito i.e. Pelagian saith grant me thus much at lest that they are without sin who cannot sin speaking of Infants To whom Atticus i.e. Hieronimus Answereth I will Grant it if they have been Baptized in Christ and again They are without any Sin through the Grace of God which they have received in Baptism Chrysostom Arch-Bishop of Constantinople For the year 382. in his Homil. to the Neophytes is for the Baptism of Children and in his 40. Homil upon Genes calls Baptism our Circumcision His being not Baptized untill he was 21. years of age doth not prejudice here as whose Father and Mother were not Christians at his birth and who himself was brought up under Libanius an enemy to and a scoffer at Religion but after he was instructed in the Divinity knowledge by Miletus a Bishop and Baptized of him In his Homil ad Neoph having spoken of the Honours and Benefits of Baptism he saith a little from the beginning For this cause we Baptize the little Infants that they may not be defiled with sin that to them may be added Sanctity Righteousness Adoption Inheritance Fraternity of Christ That they may be all his Members and the Habitation of the Spirit In his 40. Homil upon Genes having spoken of Circumcision appointed to the Children of the Jewes and the pain of the Incision he addeth but our Circumcision or the grace of our Baptism brings the medicine without without such dolour and Innumerable benefits with it It hath indeed no definite time set down for it as that hath but it is lawful to receive both in the first and in the middle and in the last age this not made with hands Circumcision in which there is susteined no great pain but the weight of sins are put off and Remission of them is
in your first Leaf with the good and old way of the Baptism of believers stand now therefore in the way and see ask for the old pathes where is the good way and walk therein such a one I have shewed you without your asking even this the Baptism also of Infants walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Soul as there it followeth but if ye say still as there it followeth also we will not walk therein then I shall look upon you as Saint Austins myracle and wonder that I may end with him with whom I began this who believed not when the world believed Practice not when the world Practiseth Seeing then you care not for looking behind you to Antiquity look before you and see the Reformed Churches in France Dutchland Scotland why not England if Infant-Baptism be not now in present the practice and Custom and so hath been of old of these and other Reformed Churches what then is your Church if you have any but a deformed one but a New upstart one who oppose this so General Custom both Ancient and Modern and have quite cast it out of your doors introducing instead thereof and setting up the Man-Baptism and Infant Rebaptism crying out daily for these your Great little Nothings Diana's of the Ephesian first love and first Baptism forsaking Anabaptists Let the advise you to lay your hand upon your mouth and cease declaiming and clamouring against this infant-Baptism for therein you reproach God and his Church God for appointing Infant-Circumcision and his Church for using Infant-Baptism yea to lay your hand upon your heart and in love to the Truth to return unto your First Love and Truth to enter again into Communion and fellowship with your Mother-Church of England and those other her Sister-Churches of the Protestants giving unto us the Right of Fellowship who are ready to reach forth the same to you and also to embrace you And if this be any Blook you stumble at in the way to our Churches that there are Rents and Divisions still amongst us whom may we thank for them even about this infant-Baptism I answer you in a word that our differences are not about Baptizing Infants but about Infants to be Baptized and so in the Point of Paedobaptism or Infant-Baptism we are all agreed and agrieved only at your Schism and Division which you have made in our Churches which are all against you therefore our care must be if we cannot hold fellowship with you to keep our Communion notwiststanding with all Christian Churches and if you will separate and depart from us and them we must let you depart a Brother or a Sister is not under Boadage in such Cases But God hath called us to peace peace as Christs Legacy left to his Church we are willing to have with all man so we may withall retain Truth And seeing whil'st we speak of peace you are still for dissention whil'st we propound truth you will still hold errors our care must be and shall be I hope in our particulars to maintain and preserve our peace and Truth and our Communion in both withall the Reformed Churches abroad in this point of Infant-Baptism which Churches as ours at home God hath blessed in this way with great increase of heavenly gifts and infinite numbers of renouned professours and Saints of those that have bin baptized in their Infancy And that knowing the time that now it is high time for you to awake out of sleep Ro. 13.11 to repent of those sinful Scismes and Rents and Separations you have made between your selves and us and other true Churches to give over your charging us and them with iniquity wherein we shew piety and your putting a divine restraint upon Infant Baptism wherein God hath given them and us liberty and in excluding Christian poor Infants those privileges and helps to heaven which Christ hath indulged them And thus I have answered your last Quaere shewing unto you what warrants we have out of the word for our Baptizing of Infants namely the six warrants reasoned out of the word which are six Reasons warranted out of the word Now joyn all these reasons together with the Scripture out of which they are deduced and will they not make that Analogy or proiportion of Faith as to this point of Infant Baptism according to which we are to proceed nay may they not all arise to a Tantamount Command or a virtual or implicite Command or a consequential Command of the same yea I have made two or three of them to be such in their particulars I have been so used to give you Commands out of the word for our former practices being called ever upon by you for such Commands which so ring still in my ears that though the word warrant do not put me upon such a hot service as a Command which I believe notwithstanding you meant your Tongue either out-running or short-running your wit I shall interpret your challenge or Quaere to aim at what Command out of the word have you for Baptizing Infants And first what Command have you out of the word against Baptizing Infants of Baptized Parents if none Then you deny Baptism to those to whom Christ denyed it not and so in a manner you deny Christ to be your Master and if you deny him you deny also him that sent him if none then you have no authority to infring or Counter-command the liberty of the Church herein ye take too much upon you Sone of Muncer Secondly What Command would you have out of the word for our Baptising Infants of Baptised Parents do you mean an express and praticular Command in calling for this you grant an explicite Command for it and a general one I am glad of this and will make much of it as to my purposes for as general propositions are enough to infer their particular all Children of the Church and in Covenant are to be baptised and therefore the Infants of Baptised Parents are to be baptised So implicite Commands which are but folded up and wrapped in good reasons or good consequences are sufficient for all true Subjects and Disciples of Christ to do a work and this of Baptising the infants of baptised Parents as if it had been more expressed The words intimation or a deduction from the Word is to me and ought to be to you the Words Expression and an injunction from the Word For if you be so streit girdled and queasie-stomacht or narrow throated that nothing will down with you or can be digested but onely expresse Commands in so many Words Letters and Syllables as Infant-baptism doth consist of Then I pray produce such an expresse Command out of the Word for Children of Beleevers when they are grown to be instructed and baptised upon the Confession of Faith or for Baptism of Believers onely in Christian Churches to use your own words or for Woemens eating the Passeover and receiving the Lords Supper or for the first
day of the week to be the Christian Sabbath or for divers other such things that I name not And yet I have something more to shew you than a Rational and Consequential Command for Infant-Baptism There is also an Analogical I had almost added Typical Command for the same our Infant Baptism For Go a Command to Abraham and the Jewes to circumcise their Infants the Seal then in force and for that time of the Law The same Command binds us Christians to baptise our Infants the Seal now in force and for this time of the Gospel binds us I say by the just Analogy and Proportion that is between the two Sacraments and Seals of one and the same Covenant especially the one Baptism succeeding the other Circumcision Suppose a Jesuit who is of late in many poynts Anabaptised like as you Anabaptis are in as many Jesuited should oppose you and deny your Baptism of Beleevers onely to be a Seal as indeed he doth so denies both your and our Baptismes and the Lords Supper to be Seals or Signes will you not look back to Circumcision in the Old Testament where it is called a Seal and Sign for in the New Testament they are no where called either and thence fetch an Analogical proof that ours are also Seals our Baptism ard their Circumcifion agreeing in the General-Nature of a Sacrament By the like Analogy being questioned by you for a Command of Infant Baptism in the New Testament if there be none there I may go over to the Command of Infant Circumcision in the Old Testament and thence prove ours also our Infant-Baptism to be commanded and us therein bound and obliged to put the Initial Seal of the New Testament upon our Children Once more Do you think that Gods Command to Abraham and the Jewes to train up their Children in manner of worship which was then in force doth also command and bind us Christians to train up our Children in conformity to such Ordinances as are now in force I beleeve you think so and therefore I think you will beleeve at last that Gods Command to Abraham and the Jewes to Circumcise their Children and to give them the Seal of Circumcision then in force is also a Command upon us Christians binding us to baptize our Infants and to minister unto them the Seal of Baptism now in sorce And so now this is the use I told you besore I was like to make of your answering That the Jewish Children were circumcised onely by vertue of a particular Commandent of God for the same I say this use I may and shall make of it that by Vertue or Vice of such you answer I infer also there from yea therein a particular Command for baptising Christians Children there being such an Analogy and proportion between the two Sacraments of one and the same Covenant in the Essentials of it and the Rationals of it unto the eternal good of Souls This might be good enough against you because it answers you in your kind and meets with you in your own way howsoever my self still hold that the Jewish Infants were circumcised Circumcision being the Seal thereof and so both inforced by a Commandement or Word of Institution as I have said before But romember this also that Gods Commandement being out for Circumcising Infants whose Parents were under the Seal and no farther by the same reasons you blame our practice of baptising Infants you blame God for such a Command which you plead for the Circumcising Infants because Infants of Jewes were as much under state of Nature as Infants of Christians are and Infants of Christians are as much under the state of Grace as the Infants of Jewes If God were wise and good in commanding circumcising of Infants then we cannot be evil and foolish in practising Baptism of Infants commanded also here But because you New-light men regard not much the Old Testament for that it holds forth the Old-light of the command for circumcising of Infants by the which walking there may be proportioned out or Analogised a command for Baptising of Infants I will set upon a Text or two of the New Testament and that famous one first wherein you much delighted of old and from whence you would seem to have your New light it is Matthew 28.19 and 20. Methinks I hear you saying already with Nathaniel Can there come any good thing out of 2 Nazareth John 1.46 7. Chap. any command out of these words for Infant Baptisms Come and see and hear and whilest I am as Philip bringing forth some good thing hence for poor Infanrs be you as Nathaniel An Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile and not an Ishmaelite indeed in whom there is nought but mocking at young Isaacks devotions and young Childrens Baptisms Gen. 21.9 1. I may safely say here in this command of Christ is nothing meant or minded by him about your taking Children of Beleevers already baptised in our Church where the Gospel is planted and your rebaptising them again after your teaching them and their professing For the Baptism here commanded and to be executed was onely of Nations where the Gospel was not yet planted to be taught and baprised once 2. I may as safely say That the state of those Pagan Gentiles being not the same in poynt of Religion as is the state of us Christian Gentiles as is said above how can their as yet untaught and ungospelised their uncovenanted unbaptised condition and be a rule and precedent to a Taught Guspelised Covenanted baptised Nation already So Christs command here doth not infringe or counter command our Infant-Baptism yes you may say for doth not Christ command all Nations to be taught before they be baptised He doth so all pagan Nations who were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise Ep. 2.12 Without God in the world being carried away to dnmb Idols 1 Cor. 12. What is this to us but yet 3. I must tell you That this Commandement of Christ placing teaching before baptising doth not pronounce Christian Infants unbaptisealbe because unteachable if there be any such force of Argument from the order and placing of words I pray argue so out of Mark 1.1 Where Repentance is placed before faith and out of John 3.5 Where the Water is set before the Spirit Saint Peter will tell you that the Spirit goeth before the Water Acts 10.47 and you can tell your self that Repentance followeth after Faith as the fruit thereof again it is not to be read here first teach then baptise Christ doth not shew here which ought to go first and which last but leaves both to be done according to the condition of the Church for if it ba a Church planted and Christian as ours it then they are to be baptised and after instructed if a Church to be planted Heathenish then they are to be first taught then baptised Now the condition of
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
father and children as the promise and seal Circumcision were to the particular families of Abraham father and children and so here came the Nations to be blessed in Abraham and Abraham here began to be the father of many Nations The which may be yet made more to appear if the time be looked upon when the Apostles were sent to teach or disciple these Nations just when Circumcision lay a dying as I may so say and expiring or ceasing to be a seal of administration unto the Jewish Church a very fit time the very time for the Lord to appoint Baptism and to enlive it for the seal to come in place of the other and perform the same office in the Churches of the Gentiles as the other did in the Churches of the Jews namely to let in the believing parents with their children Look again into Rom. 11.23 24. these Gentile and Pagan Nations were to be taken into the place of the Nation of the Jews now upon this their cutting off and casting out and these wild olives were to have the same engraffing into the good Olive as the natural branches had but they and their children were graffed in and now they and their children are cut off so these and their children of the Nations here were in the like manner here engraffed and implanted into Christ and therefore baptized Rom. 6.5 like as the other circumcised Lastly what a great change would there have been else in the heart and love of Christ if now he who rebuked the Apostles for hindring the little children of the Jews to come unto him yea who embraced them in his arms laid his hands upon them and blessed them should now himself in this commandement unto his Apostles to teach disciple and baptize the Nations not minde them the children of these Nations in the like manner as to Baptism as he did the children of Abraham as to Circumcision but leave them out or forbid them to come or be brought unto him as if he had now no delight or took no pleasure in the Infantry of the Gentiles whereas himself long before spake of this very time Isa 49.22 Behold I will lift up my hands to the Gentiles and set up my standard unto the people and they shall bring thy sons in their arms or bosoms and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders But why did not Christ here put in baptize the Nations and their seed as he did in the first administration Circumcise the Jews and their seed The Answer is made in the very Question Because he did it in the first administration of Circumcision there was no need of doing it again and besides children having once a right to be accounted as belonging to Christs Church and to be reputed visible Members thereof and no forfeiture made thereof on their part or bar put In by Christ or any other person of authority they are alwaies so to be reckoned of yea they are here put in again and mentioned in the discipled Nation and comprehensively included in Them baptize them the Nations discipled which consist of parents and their children which make them up Again if the children had not been included here in these Nations what a great change had here bin made in the latitude and extent of the Covenant as to the subject thereof I mean this particular of children and that without warning given whereby some other provisions or course might have been sought for and supplicated at Gods hands for the good of their souls for by this your rule of shutting out children from Baptism by the power of this commandement according to your interpretation if a Jew should convert to Christ and become a Christian and believe in Christ come in the flesh he should be in a worse condition as to his child than before as who may not be baptized whereas before he might be circumcised and the parents faith in Christ will be a loss and prejudice to his child and both parent and child may think it to be a worse Covenant than the former whereas it is but one and the same and therefore when he was a Jew his child was circumcised so when he becomes a Christian his child is to be baptized And thus I have out of this Text of Matthew 28.19 wherein your party glorieth so much though I forgate to tell you that herein is not described the primary Institution of Baptism but onely an enlargement of the Apostles Commission I have evinced a commandement for baptizing of Infants of Believers you perhaps looked for a command exprest in so many letters and syllables Go baptize the children of Believers but is it not good and effectual it ought to be if included in the sense and meaning of the words are not Magistrates and Ministers too by your leave meant in that commandement Honour thy Father are not envie and hatred likewise comprised in that command Thou shalt do no murder yet neither those nor these are expresly literally or verbally commanded where is the Bishop of Rome mentioned in the Revelations yet he meant and his universal headship by the Beast there and his mark I could give you many more instances And why not Infants also comprised in this command Disciple the Nations and baptize them though not set down there by name amongst the Nations and Disciples to be baptized But I have writ enough of this Point before I will onely as formerly now also for a conclusion of this Point leave with you another Syllogism supposing that now having been used to them Syllogisms I mean you will not be much afraid of them though you think them the bug bears of the Universities and limbs of humane Arts and Sciences fear not for unless you come nigh them which I believe you will not or dare not they will not bite you otherwise they have teeth in their mouths The sixth Syllogism is this The discipled or taught Nations and so brought into Covenant are commanded by Christ to be baptized Mat. 28.19 But the Parents and their children are the discipled or taught Nations and so brought into Covenant Therefore the Parents and their children are commanded to be baptized The first Proposition is the letter of the Text as is said The second is largely proved before and who need doubt but that children are included in the word Nations being a part and a great part of them and comprehended in every administration of grace and mercy especially And now leaving the commandement of Christ for Infant Baptism I proceed to the second kinde of Warrants you call for namely the example of Christ and his Apostles for so these two you yoke together in your Quaeres and impose upon my neck to bear up and carry out in this and all points Commands and Examples when your self as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke neither do nor can shew either of the two for your wild untamed and untaught opinion As for the example of Christ it is
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-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
your flesh Interperate what 's that is it not Intemperate or interprate sure it is not to interpret Scripture No marvel indeed if you would have me To confider of these things you have written with an unbiassed spirit and a self-denying humble spirit such as those spirits are that are guided by the spirit of the Lord For surely then your spirit hath not been guided by the Spirit of the Lord as which is or hath been in your Letter a byassed spirit and an all other besides your self denying proud spirit and therefore without any just ground you arrogate those words of the Apostle to your own practise saying as he 2 Cor. 2.17 We are not as many which corrupt or deal deceitfully with the Word but as of seneâ—rity sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ What you speak when you are teaching and expounding or praying I know not this I know by the experience you have given of your self to me that in your writing and citing Scriptures in your Letter you are the most corrupter and the most deceiptful dealer and wrester also of Scripture that ever I read I do not know many scarce any that go beyond you except your Masters and Tutours you know whom I mean and your sincerity is as false spoken as written of you if as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God you shall speak in Christ it will be acceptable as to God so to man and my self if renouncing the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness not handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth you commend your self to every mans conscience in the sight of God as you add of your selfe 2 Cor. 4.2 Comparing spiritual things with spiritual but so you did not when you compared the holy and legitimates together and the unclean with bastards to go no farther backward And Scripture with Scripture for Scripture is the best Interpreter of Scripture neither did you so when you could finde no Scripture to compare with 1 Cor. 7.14 that either did interpret or intimate bastards to be unclean and much less fignified by this word there or legitimates to be holy and much less meant by this word there For that in the close of your Letter which concerneth my self in particular as That you should gladly see better fruits from me If I knew what fruits you mean I should soon tell you whether or no I should ever glad you so much as to see them but if they relate to which immediately goeth before them the wresting of Scriptures by Humane learning I must tell you that the root that I am graffed into and which beareth me shall ever I hope bring forth better fruits though I question your gladness in seeing them as being opposite to your fruits who throughout your whole Letter have been gathering yea pulling and enforcing thornes of grapes and thistles of figs divers errorneous Tenets from Texts that will not nor can bear them the which I am sorry to see from you And for your intreating me to lay aside all selfe-ends and by-respects you must pardon me herein for I took up the defence of my self and my Ministery and Infant-Baptism as well as of others making both my end next unto Gods glory and the truth without any other by respects which I must not upon your request lay aside but for that which followeth I have seriously considered the things and words of God spoken by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures which were all written for our learning and imitation yea moreover have enformed you in particular how far forth all which were written for our learning were written for our imitation some of them and some of them not which you indistinctly and confusedly jumble together yea and according to your farther intreaty I have turned to and looked into all those Scriptures you have but quoted and named and not written out for want of time as you say and have writ out all the words of most of them as who never want time to search out the Truth of the Scriptures if I want not health Your self best know whether it was for want of time or for want of truth you did not transcribe the words as making most an end nothing to the purpose or Point for which you set down and multiplied Chapters and Verses by their figures onely and whether this was Not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceiptfully but by a manifestation of the Truth a commending your self to every mans Conscience whether this was of sincerity as of God as in the sight of God spoken or written judge you but judge righteous judgement for God will who trieth the heart c. For that in the close still of your Letter which concerneth your self it is your desire that wherein you have erred I would inform you by plain Scripture It is done to your hand but I fear it is not gone to your heart whose heart was and is I surmise resolved before hand as your hand laid upon your heart to that purpose of not acknowledging any error or submitting to information for what hope or likelihood is there hereof when as presently you adde You are confident heare here is nothing aserted asserted nor queared but will now appeare a truth proved by Scriptures and likewise will appeare at the great day Wherefore then do you intreat me to weigh things seriously and if you have erred in any thing to inform you when as you are confident here is nothing asserted or quaered but will now appear a truth just as the man in the Gospel professed to follow our Saviour Christ and went away presently about other matters of no such consequence you likewise say you will be informed by me wherein you have erred and in the next words you are confident of nothing asserted or quaered by you here but the very Truth I am perswaded the work will be much alike the informing you to the laying down of any error of yours and the washing of a Leopard to the putting off any of its spots But I should gladly see better fruits from you than such a non resolution and brasse-forehead which for the most part is in most of the Revolters from our Church and the Truth as not to be conformed and converted when informed confuted notwithstanding Though I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God Isa 49.4 But Sir are you confident that there is nothing â—sserted or quaered but will appear a Truth what that which is asserted by you may appear let passe buâ— sure that which is quaered by you here will not now appear a Truth neither now nor never will it be a Truth no not at the great day that which is quaered onely your Quaeres were your judgement as you affirmed before now you affirm they are a
aswel as his tongue ran too fast in the Pond The Fourth Catechistical Quaere is about the place where the Dipping was done Q. 4. What warrant have you of precept or example of sacred Scripture or succeeding primitive Antiquity for your dipping of your Sisters other your Proselytes in Ponds at your Baptizing This to be done I understand from all present there It was your modesty and humility not to make any Relation or mention of it for that it was your own Pond of your yard and so not to glory of it that the Dipper should make choice of your Pond your common ordinary pond where your Ducks and Geese do wash themselves dayly to honour it with a solemn dipping of two special Sisters therein at their Baptism I speak not this as if I took exception to common and ordinary water used in Baptism yea I acknowledge that God therefore also made choice of the vulgar and common Elementary water to set forth as the purifying and cleansing of souls from sin by the blood of Christ which water that washeth doth well represent so the general offer and benefit of the grace of Christ thereby to all rich and poor even the meanest and vulgars which the commonness and copiousness of water every where to be had doth also intimate And therefore that question about the necessity of water unto baptism so that in decay and defect thereof there can be no Baptism in wine or milk or other liquor needed not either to have been first raised or after so hotly pursued by Hunnius and his party for that water is so common a liquor as every where to be had and at all times as there will be no need nor hath been that ever I read of running out for wine or other liquor to minister the same in Baptism Yea and so long as water may be had wine or other liquor is not to be used out of a luxury of pride or pride of luxury lest they be called Vinarii or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of us winy and windy men too like as some who used water instead of wine in the Lords Supper when this might also be had under a pretence of abstinence but not abstinence of pretence were called by the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Aquarii watry and washy Hereticks as Augustine witnesseth Haeres 64. But yet this I add that if there be such an invincible want and unavoidable scarcity and privation of water for Baptism and wine for the Lords Supper so as to water can be procured but onely wine may be had where baptism cannot with edification and ought not in duty to be delayed so also no wine can be gotten but onely water where the Lords Supper cannot with edification and ought not in duty to be delayed there the one may be supplied by the other in each Sacrament the water by wine in baptism and the wine by water in the Lords Supper And if there be no affectation of novelty in either no contempt of either of the elements no neglect of inquisition or acquisition of the proper element to either I suppose there can be no charge of Heresie or breach of institution in such administrations where the peculiar and proper common elements as I may so call them of wine and water proper to the Lords Supper and commonly in use proper to Baptism and commonly in use cannot be had and procured where such administrations ought to be done and performed If any shall here ask what need all this seeing water is every where to be had for baptism and also wine for the Lords Supper I answer either is not so every where to be had and therefore it is not a needless discourse for there is no use of wine in America where there where brethren that wrote to Calvin hereabouts as Beza in his 25 epistle relateth and there are besides a sort who were are so called Abstemious who cannot endure the very smell or least tast of wine but they will swoon away as we speak and fall down for dead what shall these be done to They must either not receive the Lords Supper at all which they cannot well answer if they ask not for it nor we if we deny it them or else we must give it and they receive it but in one kinde for neither can they away with it if diluted and mixed with water and then we shall do as the Papists would have us and Bellarmine propoundeth as the wise way of the Roman Church to heal up this inconvenience namely the withholding of the Cup from such people lib. 4. de Sacr. cap. 24. And how and if the Priest also should be so Abstemious its readily replied none of these are ever taken with such a disease What remains then but that they must and may take this Sacrament in water or other drink usuall and familiar unto them like as Philip Malancthon tells the Ruthins that they may do well to take the same in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ordinary Mede for the scarcity of wine amongst them lib. de usu integri sacramenti And if there had been no water in that Desart where the Eunuch was converted and earnestly desired Baptism as in many desarts there is none and he had said See here is wine in my chariot in stead of See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized I doubt not but Philip would have baptized him therein and the absence of water would not have hindered it but the providence of God disposed it otherwise and better too there Lastly I should not have touched upon this discourse but that I finde Hunnius and Bellarmine and another Jesuit Jacobus Gualterius coursly handling Calvin Beza Melancthon hereabouts whom I ought to defend in the way of truth as being three great Lights of the Protestant Religion To let the first of these alone Hunnius the third I named Gualterius calleth this a Diabolicall mutation of the Eucharisticall matter lib. 1. Tabulae Chronol The second Bellarmine roundly asketh Quis dedit Philippo authoritatem mutandi sacramentorum materiam somewhat like my Scribe and Pharisee By what authority doest thou these things and who gave thee this authority he speaketh of Philip Melancthon I answer Christ gave it unto him and the other two in the cases mentioned and that upon good reason For a good reason hereof may be given that this being the mind and meaning of our Saviour Christ by setting forth the signes of those things by which our bodies are washed and cherished as the water and wine thereby to present our spiritual ablution and augmentation by his blood we do no way swerve or go from that his mind and meaning if without any wantonness of innovating in the want of the one we substitute another as wine for water in baptism or water for wine in the Lords Supper or any other common and ordinary liquor that may have though not an equal yet alike analogy
some used the one in their Dioceses some the other manner of baptizing in their Divisions and both sorts with an opinion of indifferences of the thing in it self and with liberty of practise left each unto other as the affairs and the occasions of the Church required of changing and altering Who can justly challenge or rebuke our Church of England and the guides thereof for holding and retaining either the one or the other or both as she doth in some way and case but betaking her chiefly and most usually to aspersion and pouring on-water and that but once so leaving both the Ancient Fathers of old some of them and the younger Fathers of Rome all of them in the number of the Trin or thrice for that the Trinity is sufficiently enough set out in the very form of our baptizing In the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost why should any impose upon us or require of us either the Trine immersion at all or immersion at all constantly and continually considering we are not of the Eastern Churches where the Clymate being hot parties to be baptized might the better undergo the waters and be dipt but we are of the Church Western and our Church of the more Northerly side were the air waters clymate being cold the tenderer bodies of our infants cannot be immerged or dipt without evident danger to their healths and lives Have we not power to lay down and old custom as well as Gregory and Augustine and Cyprian or I onely and Barnabas the Ministers of the Church of England have we not power to forbear dipping and immerging especially where it may be sodangerous prejudicial What though some ancient Churches had such a custom of old we have no such custom neither the Churches of God now a dayes 1 Cor. 11.16 and when they had it it was but for a time Temporary it was but for an use upon an occasion Arbitrary it was not under a necessity for but with a liberty to other Churches It is a part of the former Gregory his words in the same Epistle worthy notice taking In eadem fide nihil officit sanctae Ecclesiae consuetudo diversa where there is the same faith and an unity in it a different custom in things indifferent nothing burteth or prejudiceth the Church of God as which hath power and authority to enact and to abrogate such things to be observed or omitted to all her Church children and members And therefore Sir I have not nor do censure and condemn you absolutely for the one and simple immersion nor for immersion simply and onely but for your immersion your simple one an immersion that hath almost nothing of Antiquity being such as is every way distant and different from the ancient immersion in all things but in this that your dipping was but once and simple and also for that it was a rash and presumptuous undertaking of a few private Plebeians and vulgar people without any Law or Licence or order of Church or State so far is it from any precept or prescript or President of the Word and Scripture I will be briefer in the next Corrollary for it is time to have done about this matter Coroll 3. §. 3 The nature of baptism is but this the cleansing and washing away the guilt and filth of sin by the application of waters according to the appointment of Christ signifying and exhibiting the blood of Christ that purgeth and purifieth that way and all the outward Sacramental actions thereof are but onely to represent and set out more lively the inward grace of baptism which is still but the ablution of sin This indeed ablution and washing of sin is necessary as being of the nature as I said and Essence of Baptism for this is called therefore the very washing of regeneration by which we are saved through the mercy of God Tit. 3.5 and so the washing of water by the Word with which Christ doth sanctifie and cleanse his Church Ephes 5.26 and so St. Paul tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you soul sinners but ye are washed but ye are sanctified c. in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God But the manner and way of washing and ablution of sin either that way by dipping and immerging the whole body into and under the water or by aspersion or perfusion or rather superfusion of water upon some part of the body this is not necessary but as I said Indifferent and Adiaphorous and Arbitrary and so not of the essence and form but of the accidence and formality rather or solemnity of Baptism so then if the ablution of sin washing off the guilt and filth thereof may be as well if not better represented by aspersion and sprinkling and pouring on of water upon some part of the body and gently rubbing on the same by the moving of the hand thereupon as by the dipping immerging and plunging of the whole body into and under the waters and holding it some while thereunder as it must be I add also if it the aforesaid aspersion or perfusion be as effectual to the good spiritual ends and purposes of baptism as the aforesaid immersion I see no reason to the contrary but that both the ancient and modern or present aspersion and perfusion or superfusion of water is as warrantable and allowable in baptism if not still more as the somewhat ancienter immersion dipping and diving in and under water for as for any such modern or present immersion dipping or diving under water as yours is I acknowledge it not we have no such custom nor the Churches of God as I said but now It is true the body must be washed and wetted with water in baptism either one way or another and that 's enough for the truth and nature of baptism now this may be and is done when we baptize with sprinkling and pouring water upon it or part of it and gently rubbing the flesh therewith as well as by dipping and immerging And therefore we do not speak falsly when but sprinkling and pouring on water we say we do baptize and do not dip that 's your false speech for though we dip not into the water we lay on water and wash and therefore do baptize Oh but were it not far better more agreable to Antiquity and the benefit from baptism more ample and large if the whole body were dipt and immerged then onely some part thereof the face forehead or head aspersed and washed This is answered already that our way of superfusion or aspersion with water is as significant as effectual as the other and as ancient within a sew years if any as the other way yea was in force and life amongst the Ancients when the other was dead and gone and besides we are freed from it where we will plead our freedom because we live out of the Hot Countreys where it was bred and born and was to be
cloud was a Pillar of fire and light to let you see if you be not wilfully blind that education of men at Schools and Universities in the knowledge of the Arts and Sciences as also Tongues and Languages is so far from being a way shut up by Christ as an Impertinency or Impediment to his Ministery that it hath been and is still a way laid open by him even in the times of his best and purest Ministery as a great furtherance and promotion thereof and that his Humane learning which you so vilifie is instrumental and subservient so it ought to be as Hagar to Sarah to the better propagation and profection of the Divine truth But Sir what is the reason you and yours are so much out of charity with Scholars and University Learning Sure it is because you are too much in love with your selves and the Countrey ignorance and like not those who are not like you in ignorance or whom you cannot be like unto in knowledge Like as it is said that Hierom wrote somewhat against Bishops and the Episcopal order because he could not be made a Bishop himself And yet I have heard and partly know it that you had natural wit enough to have been a Scholar though God never gave you the gracious will thereto and I have heard you discourse a great deal more rationally then now you do which makes me think you were dipt in some shallow Pond and not over head and ears otherwise you would not after such declaiming writing against the learning of Latine have within a line or two spoken and written Latine your self as you sililly do in those words of my taking a Living from them to the value of 100 l. per annum yea and have spoken false English too like a bad English Scholar also for I never took a Living from them the people neither from them as the owners nor from them as the Doners and so no way from them I hope that hereafter you will love Latine the better now your self begin to speak it But I have done with that which concerneth my self solely in your Letter for as to those other Queries or Interrogatories Did ever Jesus lay down my sprinkling of water in Baptism upon the childs face it is answered as being the subject of this my last piece written to you my being Master and Lord over Gods Heritage my taking a Parish Church my giving the Lords Supper to no better then dogs These have been answered as being a part of the Subject of that my former piece written to your brother Thus When the Jews had married wives of Ashdod their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod and could not speak in the Jews Language Neh. 13.23 24. so you having made a separation and divorce from your Mother Church of Jerusalem and entred into a Communion and match with Ashdod or Samaria this your Letter as your childe and off-spring speaks wholly I may say and not half the speech of the Separation or Ashdod for in all these particulars which you have mentioned you plowed with your Samsons Heifer and there is no more difference betwixt that he first vented and you now have added then betwixt Ephraim his Shibboleth and Gilead his Shibboleth You tell me of some no better then dogs that I give the Sacrament to and of your self having been not so good as a dog yet I see you are good at gathering up the scraps and eating the crumbs which fall from your Masters Table your Master Brothers Table to whom you have committed your soul and in whom you have put your trust for your soul as I have heard you should say to him and so like a Parrat or Pie as I said you speak no other but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Language of your Master and Teacher brother In answering therefore him first I have answered you also who are but his second nay but the very first again now also I will answer my own question before of Quis expedivit Psittaco suum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely Magister artis ingeniique largitor venter When he began to be in want he went and joined himself to one of the Citizens or Farmers in that Countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as now so then Citizens had their Farms in the Country and were Farmers also as well as Citizens and so he filled his belly with the very same Husks the Swains or Swines do eat Luke 15.15 And so I come to that in your Letter which you speak first Of my Parishioners to be no better then dogs and secondly of your self to have been one not so good as a dog till the grace of God appeared plucking you out of your wicked wayes to the knowledge of the Truth which you say I fear you have not owned but the day will discover and God will judge betwixt you and us Sir it is true I wrote so that I feared it and do still fear as I wrote that you owned not the Truth for you own not the Scriptures in the right sense which are the Word of Truth but wrest the Letter to prove your own Errors nor do you own the Church but have forsaken it which is the Pillar of Truth and betaken your self to a Synagogue of your own and not onely this National Church of England but the Universal Church in the world as who have withdrawn your self from the publick Ministery of the Truth in the Word and Sacraments Yea and have renounced one of its true Sacraments your Infant-baptism these things have been clearly and largely set forth already in my answer to your Brother and I must not tyre my Reader or trifle away paper with needless repetitions And therefore though I yeeld you that the grace of God hath appeared plucking you out of your wicked wayes which I am glad to see as it appeareth yet I cannot say as you follow on that it hath pluckt you to or into the knowledge of the Truth for I find you not there but rather which both your Letter and life make to appear in the ignorance and that wilful ignorance of the Truth which makes me doubt somewhat of the truth also of the grace of God you so boast of for where true grace appeareth it not onely sanctifieth and plucketh out of wicked wayes but it illuminateth and setteth in the knowledge and path of Truth Yea and usually the grace of God doth first enlighten the soul and teacheth it the knowledge of the Truth before it pluck him from his wicked wayes as in the Prodigal and Saul more apparently There shined round about him a light from heaven and a voice thereout taught him the knowledge of the Truth even Jesus whom he persecuted in ignorance and so there fell from his eyes immediately as it had been scales and he received forthwith his sight and so after arose and was baptized Acts 9.3 18. and became a new creature and was plucked out of his evil and
good old Way into a new by and bad path from the publick Ministery or Steeple-houses be it so to private mysteries or smokeries rather of their Chimney-houses from your first true Baptism at a Font. to a second vain Dippism in a Pond They have been rather instrumental to your Confusion then your Conversion Yea I say further God doth not use them the Anabaptists as Anabaptists andtheir doctrine as any ordinary means or instruments of his to the Converting fouls to the Faith and Truth I promised to give you a Particular of them and their Doctrines and this it is wherein they differ from us and have forsaken the Truth of our Church and the Word of God and which doth denominate and constitute an Anabaptist They reject all Infant-baptism renouncing their own Baptism they took in Infancy and therefore Re-baptize themselves and others and keep their children from Baptism till years of discretion and ability of profession and so in a manner deny the Seal of the Covenant of Grace to Infants with whom also God hath entred into it saying I will be thy God and the God of thy seed They hold all stinted and set forms of prayer unlawful to be used in Church or House and even so also the Lords prayer That there is no distinction betwixt Clergy and Laity That the taking of Oaths before or by the Authority of a Magistrate is unlawful That the office of a Magistrate is neither lawful nor necessary with abundance more for why should I stir the whole dunghil to infect the Air of coherent and coincident Errors and Lyes as the Prophetical Scriptures call them Are such Teachers and Tenets like to pluck you out of your wicked wayes and to bring you to the knowledge of the Truth whether private or publick who hang so fast in the Bushes and Thickets of Errors and stick so deep in the Bushes and Thickets of Erros and stick so deep in the mire of Vices dipt in both up to the chin and mouth yea over head and ears especially seeing such were never called or sent about the work of Converting souls to either For my part I am of Paul and I am of Jeremiah and so should you be of both too the Apostle and the Prophet But first I am of Paul the Apostle who saith indeed Faith cometh by hearing for how shall they believe in whom they have not heard But it is hearing of a Preacher for how shall they hear without a Preacher And it is of a Preacher sent for how shall they preach except they be sent The Apostle is clear of the opinion that onely sent Preachers who have Mission and Commission from God can bring hearers to the Faith and seems to wonder at those in his vehement and frequent Interrogatories who say or think otherwise This Text I may call Faiths Clymax or Ladder with its steps and gradations which none of your Lay-brethren could ever yet climbe up to or come down by if they begin at the lower end as they ought being the ground and foundation of the work and so offer to go and climbe up they mâ—ss of their first step and footing because they are not sent and so must climbe no farther or higher for want of Mission they cannot go up the Ladder in the Right way of preaching and begetting faith in the Hearers or your self And if they begin at the upper end and top of this Ladder as indeed presumptuously they use to do and heap to themselves at first a multitude of Hearers and so come down along to their preaching yet they fall off the Ladder at the lower staffe or step again because still they be not sent and so can do no missive or ministerial good upon their Hearers nor your self as to Faith It is Gods great mercy to them and you that they cast not themselves down head-long or that they are not cast down by him that took them up into the Pulpit and set them on that Pinnacle of the Temple to the breaking of their necks as well as making shipwrack of Faith for they tempt the Lord their God and are not in their wayes which words must not be left out by you as they are left out by the devils citing of that Text and therefore God hath given his Angels no charge over them being out of their wayes to bear them in their armes or hands that they dash not their foot against the stones Yea they do dash not onely their feer but their tongues also against the stone the Head-stone of the corner which these builders refuse in ascending Pulpits or stepping into chairs and preaching without his sending or Commissioning them according to his Prerogative given unto him of which this is a part All power is given me in Heaven and in Earth as my Father hath sent me so send I you Mat. 28.18 19. John 20.2 So also I am of Jeremiah who is so frequent and fervent in the point that I shall onely name the Texts and make the proofs out of all together Jer. 14.14 23.32 21. 27.14 28.8 9. where I observe that six or seven times the Lord by the Prophet saith that he sent them not and thereupon it 's said thrice they prophesied lyes once otherwise then the word is once deceits and dreams once their Errors and lightness false visions and divinations things of naught and the deceits of their own hearts enough one would think to keep off people from hearing of them and yet in plain terms therefore they are forbidden thrice to hearken to them or their words And if for all this they will be hearing of them as they have now very itching ears and give themselves much to hearing new men as news-men the Prophet tells and foretels them more plainly They shall do no good on it at the 32. verse of the 23. Chapter I sent them not nor commanded them Therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord. Hear you this Sir and hearken to this all ye separate people of England those of God unsent uncommanded Preachers false Teachers of the Anabaptistical separation for are they not so that teach you the Doctrines and Practices I have particularized but even now and now may assimilate unto the lyes dreams deceits vain visions of those false Prophets those false Teachers of the Anabaptisticall separation I say nay saith the Lord shall not profit you at all therefore they have not nor any Grace of God appearing in by or from them for God doth not give Converting ministerial Grace to them whom he doth not send nor Commission them plucked you or any of our people nor shall pluck them or you from your wicked wayes to the knowledge of the Truth for this is and will be a great deal of profit they have not turned and converted you or any of our people nor shall unto the Faith and unto God for this is and will be the greatest profit of all that can be You
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
by the Beard and mouth and slew him for all his roaring quirks and howling quaeries and so have delivered you if you will be delivered from the spirit of bondage and love not your chain and fetters of their Errors more then the Freedom and Liberty of Truth for if the Truth or the Son of God who is the Truth have made or shall make you free then you are free indeed Now then and lastly Sir shew your self a true Israelite come and hear the Truth and know your friends the soul-truth which is the sole-truth and your soul-friends which are your sole-friends and come away from those Task-masters that lay heavy burthens upon your bodies and dip them under water over head and ears for their own gain more then yours and for their advantage to an evil cause Forego your bondage and darkness of Aegypt which goeth under the name of New-light and Liberty forget your garlick Onions and Flesh-pots which they call The Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit run from their hot furnaces and rash fires which they tearm Zeal keep away from their Ponds cold waters which they call Dipping Baptizing depart from the Tents of those that practice Rebellion under pretence of Religion Holines shake off your fellowship with their unfruitful works and words and as you have heard unprofitable Preachings and Teachings presumed upon under the Title of a gifted Brother-hood and Fraternity leave the Citizens or Farmers field and the Husks there and arise and go to your Fathers house the Church of God where is bread enough and to spare for the servants and much more for the Sons Get loose from those Bushes and Brambles where you are are entangled before you lose all the wool off your back and be fleeced by them Come now then and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be red like crimsom they shall be as wool If you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the Land but if you refuse and rebel you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Esay 1.18 19 20. Yea come and return as to the Lord so to your Pastor Here 's the right hand of fellowship and true Brotherhood I offer unto you to set you free and to help you out and to defend you against them yea and now that I have been long going after you as a lost sheep and one of my hundred fold and have found your at last I will lay you on my shoulders to bring you home again and wil undergo any labour and pains for your Reversion Reduction bearing also with your former defects or defaults with patience and meekness as the Apostle bids we should bear one anothers burthens Gal. 6.2 yea and I shall call together our friends and neighbours to a publick rejoycing and thanksgiving bearing also the Burthen of the Song or Psalm my self and saying Rejoyce with me for I have found my sheep which was lost yea and the blessed Angels above will be of the Quire and there will be joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth as your self yea and Christ Jesus the Great shepheard of all the sheep and of all souls will embrace your returning delight in you Who his own self bare your sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 For you was as a sheep going astray but if you shall return unto this Shepherd and Bishop of your soul When the chief Shepherd shall appear you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away whereby you will be glorified in heaven and in the mean time he will put a Crown of Righteousness upon your head that falleth not off whereby you shall be both justified and sanctified also Nay your self will thus become a Crown of rejoycing to us all my self especially For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming Yea you are our glory and joy 1 Thes 2.19 Therefore my brother dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown Phil. 4.1 return unto the Lord the Lords Church and Flock the Lords Ministery and Pasturage the Lords Covenant with Parents and their Children the Lords Baptism and Sheep-mark and so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work of righteousness and word of truth working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13.20 21. If yet notwithstanding all this friendly invitation and fair warning you will not hear and hearken to come in but will go still astray My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eyes shall run down with tears because the Lords flock and your self for one amongst them is carried away captive Jer. 13.17 Wherefore I take you to record this day in which you have read over what I have written to you that I am pure from the blood of you all you and all for what I say unto you I say unto all for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God Acts 20.26 27. in these particulars that he hath out of his Word revealed unto me And so I have delivered my soul as to you and them by foretelling and forewarning you of the truth as a Watchman set over you Ezek. 33.9 if you will not deliver your soul by obeying the truth and submit thereunto when it is held out to you by him who hath the rule or guide and oversight of you and watcheth for your soul and must give account and would do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 Then you will die in your iniquity and obstinacy your blood will be required at your own hands and will lie upon your own head who can help it unless God forbid it the which also God forbid I pray God Yea once more also I call heaven and earth to record this day against you Deut. 30.19 or for you that I have set before you life and death Blessing and Cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may live and that thou mayest love the Lord thy God and that his Covenant that he made to be thy God and the God of thy seed and that thou mayest obey his voyce and that command for the baptizing of the Parent and his Seed That thou mayest cleave unto him and not forsake your God in Covenant with you sealed in your Infancy by renouncing your Baptism then and now running after other unprofitable Dippings for he is thy life and the length of thy dayes that thou mayest dwell here on earth a while and also be in Heaven for ever And now to him that is of power to establish you according to the Gospel and preaching of Jesus Christ and the Revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandement of the Everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of Faith To God onely wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever Amen Rom. 16 25 26 27. To which onely wise God and his Providence committing my self and what I have written here as likewise to the same onely good God and his blessing commending you and what you shall read here even to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up who are fallen from that of Baptism and to establish all that stand therein I take my leave and give you farewel resting your affectionate and inseparate Pastor and Friend Jeffry Watts FINIS ERRATA EPistle to the Reader page 2. l. 8. read Printer p. 11. l. 22. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 19. l. 16. r. word p. 24. l. 27. r. even p. 25. l 13. r. Hypocriticab p. 27. l. 18. r own p 32. 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Running title for honour r. beware p. 256. l. 31. r. devising p. 273. l. 28. r. brethren p. 274 l. 31. r. comb p. 276. l. 37. r. so p. 278. l. 2. r. have made p. 290. l. 1. add you Of Baptism Page 24 line 31 read with p 56 running Title r not practical p 61 l 3 r or p 72 l 33 r your p 73 l 24 for Chap r Verse p 74 l 3 blot out and p 87 l 30 add iâ— p 100 l 28 blot out in p 103 l 21 r they p 117 l 19 r alwayes p 131 l 16 r she l 17 blot out of p 140 l 16 r Apostle p 142 l 38 r the p. 145 l 35 r procreating p 151 l 37 r these p. 157 l 11 r friend p 163 l 35 for can r you p 164 l 7 add was p 198 l 32 r Apostles l 34 for yet are r were l 35 for to r doe The Dipper Sprinkled Page 13 line 6 read fruit p 19 l 39 r naughtiness p 27 l 26 r sicca p 28 l 18 add as p 30 l 2 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 37 l 8 blot out die p 48 l 14 r. four p 81 l 18 r potissimum