thee as it were a Shipboard or into the Ark sealing Christ with his benefits unto thee which shall not be pulled off and made Null and therefore need not to be iterated and set to again the first being still of force and efficacy to all true believers in Christ and repenters of sin Thus I have shewed you Sir how most men yea all men who have been Baptized in their Infancy may and ought to look upon themselves as Baptized in their Infancy which you seem to condemn and that to very good purpose and benefit and whereas you adde as the other part of your condemning them for their not looking after the Command of Christ to be baptized when they believe will you have them look after that is not to be seen or found nay have you seen or found out such a Commandment I pray Si lend or sell no some of your eye-salve to annoint our eyes for by and from that eye-salve in the 3. of Rev. 18. wherewith we have anointed our eyes according to Christs Council there given we cannot see from the one end of the New Testament to the other any such Commandement for persons baptized in their Infancy to be baptized when they believe And yet as if you had revealed and brought to light some rare matter of Salvation you have a very scrious and devout epilogue that it your considerations should be considered without a selfiish prejudicial Spirit a Spirit willing to he guided by the Spirit of the Lord according to his word of truth and the Scriptures truly red and interpreted by the Spirit of the Lord which are quoted to prove the Assertions It will appear to every honest and unbyassed Spirit that Infant-Baptism is a great and dangerous errour for ever to be rejected of every Soul that expects Salvation by Christ Jesus What a Cackling is here made upon the laying of an addle egge or rather what a Crowing is here upon the Treading out of a few idle considerations you have the faculty of entitling upon the Spirit and the Scriptures that which they being the Spirit and Scriptures of Truth own not your considerations and interpretations though very seldom you give interpretations them you leave for me to make quotatious and considerations enough you bring and those to no purpose or proof as I have particularly demonstrated where you cite them I leave it to the Honest and unbyassed Spirits to judge and determine whether the Texts you have cited were pertinent to your Consideration or according to your meaning or interpreting if you have given any whether Infant-Baptism be a great and dangerous errour for evewr to be rejected because now opposed of you which ever was a good and Religions Truth ever practised amongst the Saintt because recommended of Christ and the Apostles whether youts or mine be a selfish and prejudiciall Spirit I confess my Spirit is prejudiciall to yours your opinions as your Spirit is prejudicate to mine and thoughts Lastly whether your considerations be not as inconsiderate in the writer so inconsiderable to the Reader However you think so well of them that you go on to more of them when its time to have done with such selfish things and in the next place offer to me some of your considerations upon Act. 2.39 The which if I thought they were no more considerate nor considerable than your former I would consider a while upon it whether or no I should take them into consideration at all or pass by them as inconsiderable And such indeed they seem to be and upon the General view I find them so for in them all there are nothing but answers and solutions made to objections not set down Refutations and denyals of a sense before it be any where mentioned is not this Cart before the Horse which a Carter methinks should not do a consideration without consideration which a Consideratour I am sure should not do we had before your judgment setled out of Quaeres this is as bad your answers to no objections your refuting no Exposition of ours Well as all the way hitherto I have ordered your matters for you so I see I must do so still or else we shall make no work of it at least have no orderly proceeding in it First therefore let the sense of that Text be given and the argument drawn out of it for Infant Baptism which I will do for you and then after let the refutation of that sense and the Answers to that Argument be added or subjoyned the which you shall do for me Peter having preached here unto the Jess and laid to their charge the death and crucifying of Jesus Christ and brought them to some apprehension of their horrid sins at the 38 Verse exhorteth them to repent and be baptized into the Name of the same Jesus Christ and to accept him for their Messias the which he doth upon this reason and ground mentioned in the 39 Vers and drawn from the benefit that should redound not to the mselves onely but to their Children by their believing in Christ The which he proves from the Promise made to them and their Children In plainer and larger words thus it is God hath remembred his Covenant in sending that blessed Seed in whom he promised to be the God of Abraham and his Seed know ye therefore that as God made the Promise of Grace in Christ to come and to be exhibited unto Abraham upon his believing and took also his Children and Posterity into Covenant with him not onely the natural Jews but even amongst all Nations whoever became followers of Abraham's Faith should by vertue of the same inherit Abraham's Promise That he would be their God and the God of their Seed also which should also be taken into the same Covenant so now this blessed Seed in whom the Promise was founded being now come and exhibited would make it good to you all Jews and Gentiles who would believe in him and notwithstanding your cruel practises against him and your crucifying of him if you will believe in this Lord of life and your Messias you shall thereby be in as good or better condition under this last Administration for your selves and your children as in the former therefore deprive rot your selves by your impenitency and infidelity of so great a benefit as may come to your selves and Posterity for the Promise is made to you and your Children c. what Promise or the Promise of what for so I will clear the Text of some exceptions the Promise of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost so say some of you that you may the better turn this off from Infants of Believers baptized It is true they are promised also in the Verse before and I acknowledge they were Appendants to the Primitive Baptismes of the adult and peculiar to the first times for the more abundant confirmation of their Faith as Act 10 11. who were converted to it from Paganism and
before the Truth and stoop to it now that that I have brought it unto your house and set it before your face and eyes and if you would but rise up betimes in the morning and admit in of the light of Christ that true morning Star you might see your Dagon fallen down before the Ark and the truth standing up over your errors I doubt not but there will be those for Sir if you will be reled by your friend never meddle more with any controversie of Divinity I had almost said Text of Scripture that will take up Dagon again and set him in his place again but I may foretell them it will be labour lost for when they rise up the next morning they will behold Dâ—gon fallen again upon his face to the ground before the Ark of the Lord and in worse case than before with his head and both the palmes of his hands cut off upon the threshold and onely the stump of Dagon to be left him But why should I lie down before and stoop to your Quaeres Considerations and Interpretations and the Truth of them that will appear at that great day and now appeareth proved by Scriptures For that now I am enformed informed and so cannot plead ignorance before the Lord at his appearing when he will reward every own according to his work I am now informed you write and must mean by your self your Letter and I am glad to finde you here in form though now you are out of matter for when you had matter to Quaere and Propound then I am sure you had no form to proceed or order it in I was then fain to inform you that is to put your matters in form which are so deformed and disordered that so I might inform you in the matters which were material and of moment for if otherwise you mean of the matter I pray let me know wherein I am now informed by you not by your Quaeres these rather put doubts than bring any matters of Informations from you or themselves nor by your Considerations for they were so inconsiderable in themselves and so inconsiderately delivered by you that I never considered them farther than to refutation of them they never got within me and took any place in me to form or inform or conform or transform into or unto any thing in them nor by your interpretations of any Texts of Scripture for you never had the spirit you have so talked of to give a right interpretation of the Text but still as you broached it for my information it seemeth the Text of the Spirit informed me to the contrary that it was not the meaning of the Text nor minde of the Spirit I acknowledge I am not too old to learn nor so much a Scholar but I may be informed but I think I am too old a Bird to be caught with such your chaff and too long a Scholar and a Minister to be taught by such your stuff What is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord by Jeremiah Jer. 23.28 If Sir you spread out any more shrapnets and send out any more Letten of Information to me let them be more literate and better baited with wheat else I shall not come down to them as who care not for pecking amongst such light and chaffy Quaeres and Considerations though I like well of sound solid and wheaty Reasons and Argumentations Again what are the resuse fish to Soles and Salmons now that you have toiled all this night for I see you fished in the dark night and have caught nothing of worth if you launch out into the deep again of controversies and let down your Net again of another Letter for a draught of Objections or Answers I pray be carefull to enclose a multitude of good fish Salmous and Soles of solid Objections and Reasons salving Answers and Distinctions or else I shall not be beckoned to to come in as who cannot though I love Fish well such as are sound and whole as a fish should be as I have mentioned feed upon poor John and fresh Herrings Minna-Quaeres and sprat-Sprat-Considerations and such other refuse fish you will never fatten me or inform or immatter me with such but I shall still be lank lean and ignorant and may plead ignorance before the Lord at his appearing for any thing of knowledge I have found in you and when he will reward every one according to his work you are not like to be rewarded for your informing me or for your interpreting Scripture or for your denying Baptism to Infants or for your dipping again the baptized or for your reviling the Church of Christ and his Ministers or for presuming to preach in Pulpits without Ordination and Authority for there shall be no reward to the evil man Prov. 24.20 Therefore take heed of having an evill eye or evil tongue against little Infants and their baptising or against the great God and his Church and Ministers and bringing and evil report or interpretation upon the good Word of God and the Scriptures lest God reward you according to your work and your evil work be rewarded with an evil wages of punishment for David's prayer is still with God Psal 94.2 Lift up thy self thou judge of the earth render a reward to the proud But now again Sir why do you follow And if you can answer these Quaeres and Considerations by plain Scripture I pray do or else hold your peace and leave your unwarrantable practices Did you not tell me but even now that I was informed now by your Quaeres and Considerations so that I could not plead ignorance and what will you have me answer them when as I am fully informed by them and have gotten full knowledge by them shall I answer against my information and dispute against my knowledge of your truths you even here contradict your self and your own spirit and speech as it often falls out to them that have such speeches and such a spirit of contradiction of others But if I can answer them and that by Scripture it is possible it seems or otherwise why do you pray me to do it then sure you have not rightly informed but rather mis-informed me and mis-interpreted the Scriptures and therefore I may more justly set upon the answoring them to inform you better in the knowledge of the truth and to infirm in you the grounds of your errours which I have done by plain Scriptures and by Arguments also proved by direct and plain Scriptures rightly interpreted And now that it is done I will command my self to hold my peace and enjoyn my self silence You boldly enough prayed me to do it or else hold my peace and I kindly enough have done it and do hold my peace Isa 62.1 It was for Zions sake that I held not my peave and for Hierusalems sake that I did not rest until the reighteousness thereof went forth as brightness or rather some little glympse brighter by my enlightning some
your last line lovely and amiable though the first leaf was hatefull and detestable I embrace you in your last line so also in your Subscription speak it again and write or subscribe again your self that in the hand of two witnesses or the double witness of your hand this word may stand and be more confirmed To be the Lord Jesus's devoted Servant as also mine and the rest the meanest of Christs Servants and Ministers Servants for Jesus sake which I take onely according to the Apostles limitation Galath 5.13 in or by love for which also I thank you being ready also to serve you in and by love for Jesus sake but with another of the same Apostles limitations 2 Thess 2.10 by an in love of the truth the which because some have not received God hath sent them strong delusions that they should believe a lye as it followeth in the Apostle ver 10 11. But we are bound to give God thanks for you Brethren and Nâ—ighbours and Parishioners and your selves are boundmuch more to do the same to God for that he hath called you unto the belief of the truth by our Gospel and something also by this my Answer to you 2 Thessalonians 2. verse 14. Therefore Brethren and Neighbours stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle verse 15. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort and â—stablish you in every good word and work verses 16 17 And now also Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up Acts 20.32 Consider what I say and have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 Let every soul that is understanding be subject to the higher powers of the word and captivate every thought to the obedience of the truth Let every Saul who is ignorant admit of the light of the Word and Truth to shine round about him that the scales by the Ministry of Ananias may fall away from their eyes that in seeing they may see and understand the truth of all the matters and mysteries of Salvation Acts 9.15 But if any man be ignorant and will be ignorant let him be ignorant and still be ignorant 1 Cor. 14.38 Or Let them hear and say reade and see It is truth Isa 43. verse 9. And so Sir because I will be answerable to you in all things I do now subscribe my self as in relation to my Master and Lord Jesus Christ His the least of his Servants and Ministers not worthy to be called a Servant and Minister of Christ so in reference unto you my Antagonist and Opponent Your the greatest of your friends worthy to be called a friend of yours for am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 4.16 When you have tried all your Brethren and Friends Truth will be your best Friend and your best Brother will be Jeffry Watts From Muchleigh's Parsonage July the 1. 1656. Now I proceed from a Scribe and his Letter answered and a Pharisce or Separate churched to a hypocrite or Dipper sprinkled but first of all to be questioned and catechised and so to the Narration of a dipping to be censured according to my Promise in the Title and Frontispiece of this Treatise Onely first Courteous Reader I Must desire of thee that in the reading over if so thou art intended this Narration of a Dippping with a Censure thereupon which followeth now Thou wouldst not mind a Passage or Paragraph of the Former Epistle to thee which goeth before the Answer and Instruction of a Scribe and his Letter as wherein I apologized for my omitting to cite and call into the several Points I handled the venerable Testimonies of the ancient Doctors and Fathers of the Church in their own learned Languages This I excused unto thee partly because I was confined and tyed up by the Scribe and his queres onely to Scripture Commands and Examples for my Answer and partly for that I intended my Answer should go no farther then in a reciprocal and interchangeable Letter returned unto him who first occasioned and provoked it Though afterwards by reason of the larger extent of my Answer then I expected The Desk refusing a transcription of it to which I had offered it I was even compelled to make my refuge unto the Presse for an Impression of the same otherwise all the labour must be lost on both sides the Queres and Letter unanswered the Scribe uninstructed the Pharisee uncharged and Truth unvindicated as to and by my self This beingdone the Answer finished dismissed and sent away for the aforesaid prupose There fell out and was practised in my Parish and it may be for the more affront to me at a house of mine there This Dipping of two new Sisters in a Pond of the Yard The which being in publick upon the Lords-day and betwixt the Morning and Evening Worships drew away much people thither and was discoursed of by many mouthes and so famed about in these parts that I resolved and could do no less to get a full Narration of the business and to pass my censure upon the same And so having first preach it down in my Pulpit to my own Parish as a New business of ill consequence I next have written it down in my Study to thee the Reader and have sent up also this my censure after the former my Answer to be Impressed or Imprinted together into the same Tractate as handling both of them matters very agreeable and consonant So then here intending the Presse and having now no confinements or restraints upon me I have taken my full Liberty to produce and bring in much of the Learned Antiquity and to write out and transcribe their weighty Words and Speeches in their own Languages as many of them as I had by me for the fuller Confirmation and firmer Attestation of this my censure upon that Dipping that it was and is as I have said a New business and a very Novelty Yea this I have done as for the convincing the Anabaptists their Dipping and Immerging Baptism so called to be of Novelty so for the Confirming the Orthodox their Sprinkling and Aspersing Baptism as it is to be of Antiquity by the evidences of the ancient Fathers and Doctors brought forth and shewed on both sides and farther I have ascended up to the Highest Antiquity of all even to the Ancient of dayes and the Primogenit of every Creature and have probably at least shewed that Christ Jesus himself manifested in the flesh was but Aspersed or Superfused with water and not Dipped and Immerged under the water certainly not in their way and manner at his Baptism by S. John the Prime baptist nor other Christians after him by S. Peter and the other Primitive Baptizers And as to raâ—fi
kept and maintained in these Northern parts of the world where the Churches of God cannot practise or use it I speak of dipping and immerging with safety to our Infants healths and lives But to the other part of the objection or doubt I answer and that from Antiquity First I gave you but even now four several Testimonies out of four Ancient Fathers and Writers of the Church how in their times they poured water upon the heads of those who were baptized so I gave you good probabilities and more then so of John the Baptists manner of baptizing of Christ and Christs Apostles most of them if not all and the great multitudes that resorted to his baptism by pouring water upon their heads were not all those as amply and sufficiently baptized as those who had their whole bodies dipped and immerged under water and were they not as fully partakers of all the benefits and effects of Baptism In the Ark were the eight souls the Epilogue of the World and the Epitome of the Church saved by water The like figure whereunto even baptism doth now also save us 1 Pet. 3.20 21. Now then as the Ark being washed with water but in a part of it whether that which was immerged under the water or that which was aspersed with the rain that fell saved the Church then so baptism doth the Church now though but a part of the body as the head or face or fore-head be either immerged and dipped or aspersed and sprinkled with the water in baptism And good reason for it because by and from the Divine Institution the Baptismal-water is blessed sanctified and impowred of God and his grace to be the ablution and washing of the whole man body and soul though it be applied in the out ward Element but to a part onely of the body and so received but of a part it being so in this mystical as it is in some physical soveraign Doses and Receipts which being taken onely at the mouth and into the stomach diffuseth its healing vigour and vertue unto the whole body though not here in baptism by any natural and self-operation in this but a gracious and the spirits dispensation so then though the water which in baptism is poured onely upon the fore-head or face doth reach to or flow down to all the whole body in the external liqucur to wash and wet it yet in the internal vertue and efficacy which the same hath from the Institution and Benediction of God it extendeth to a total ablution of the party baptized so that it goeth over all body and soul too even to an internal ablution of the soul chiefly as being principal in sin and all this still by the force and vertue of the Divine Ordination of the water hereunto See it also from the Analogy that Baptism hath with Circumcision I know you are never willing to hear of that Circumcision but you shall hear of that whether willing or not In Circumcision there was but one part of the flesh the fore-skin was touched and cut off with the Knife yet it was and is so called the putting away the filth of the flesh the whole body and soul for that the vertue and efficacy of that which was done but to a part redounded also by Gods appointment to the whole even to the Circumcision in heart and ears and lips as the Scripture every where speaketh Now in Christ Jesus also we are circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands in puting off the body of the sins of the flesh Coll. 2 11. that is we are baptized with the baptism of Christ to the washing away the sins of the body and soul and therefore though but some one part and the fittest part the head or fore-head or face be onely externally sprinkled washed with the water thereof yet the baptism is valid and effectual to the ablution internally of the soul also and all the body also virtually some way according to his ordination Lastly I think not the meaner of our Baptism by reason of our but handful of water and our but sprinkling or pouring on of it upon the face and fore-head or the better of yours by reason of your Pond-full of water and your immerging and dipping of the whole body therein No Ordinance of God is to be esteemed more or lesse effectual for either the more or the lesse of the Instrument or Element for God usually and more usually saveth with a few then many 1 Sam. 14 6. with little then with great that so all power might be known to be of him so all glory might be to him Rom. 11.36 as who is the God of the Valleys as well as of the Mountains 1 Kings 20.28 This is true especially in mystical and spiritual Ordinances and proceedings which have his Inslitution and Benediction upon them as I have shewed in Circumcision and may do the like in the Lords Supper where a smal portion of bread and a little pittance of wine a morsel of the one and a spoonful of the other are as sâ—gniâ—cant as effectual to a spiritual and internal refection of the Communicant as if a whole loaf of the one and a full Cup of the other should be given and taken So also in baptism a few drops of water or a little handfull of it sprinkled and poured on the face or forehead of an Infant or other is as representing of and as working to a spiritual and internal ablution of the baptized as if a whole pailfull of water should be poured on or the whole body of the Infant dipped and immerged into a River full of water after the custome of the Eastern Churches I will onely add to this point a Testimony or two of Antiquity Chrysostom writing in his 6 Homil. upon the 2 Chapter of the Coloss and those words in the 11 Verse In whom ye are circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands in putting off the sins of the body c. buried also with him in Baptism He hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall not stand to English all the effect of all is this that both in Circumcision and Baptism though the hand in the one doth but cut off a part of the flesh as the fore-skin with a small knife and in the other pour on a little water but upon some part of the body as the fore-head the whole body of sin may be and in the Elect is cut off put off in the Apostles phrase and washed away in both Sacraments by a spiritual operation of Christ So also for the other Sacraent the Lords Supper it being one of the Popish evasions for their not giving the wine unto the people by reason of the great quantity of wine would be spent upon the numerous multitudes of them that would then the rather come and drink great draughts which should not have been thought upon here by them seeing at other ordinary seasts and banquets they stand not upon such
that a man should go to School and learn his Accidence and Grammar and so to a Scrivener to write a good hand to cypher and cast account commence a shop-keeper or Grocer and set up shop and sell by the pound Figs and Currens being never brought up to the trade in the parish they nilling willing to make a living to the value of he knows what more or less and there stile himself a Brother and Teacher of Jesus Christ but this is nothing Look about you all Apprentices How dare you say you embrace the truth as it is laid out in Jesus did ever Jesus lay down that a man should go up to London binde himself to such a Trade for seven or eight years and after a Trade learned and his years of Apprentiship served out to get himself made a Free man and then to Commence Merchant or Trades master after that to come to be Warden of his Company and so Deputy of a Ward at last to rise to be an Alderman and Lord Major of the City and get a great estate there amongst the Citizens to a value of 1000 l. per annum more or less they nilling willing and then stile himself a Citizen of London Once more look about you Lawyers How dare you say you embrace the truth as it is laid out in Jesus did ever Jesus lay down that a man should go to the Inns of Court learn the Latine and French tongue and there read Magna Charta the Reports and Cases and so Commence Barrister and Councellor and so Serjeant of the Coife and lastly a Judge of Assize and so take Fees from the Clyents for Causes to the value of divers 100 l. per annum more or less they nilling willing and there stile himself a Councellour at the Law But why do I intermeddle here The Narrator or Relator meaneth not me sure for that he speaketh of some Doctor of Divinity who might therfore do well to doctrine a little better yea and discipline the Indoct young-man But if he be not indocible also me thinks my self but a Batchelor of Divinity and but an ordinary Pastor or Minister could do the one doctrine him sufficiently to go to no higher degrees for this and leave the other of disciplining him to the higher Powers Nay even a Batchelor of Art to go so low nay I believe some Sophisters of a Colledge not to trouble any of the degrees at all of the University in so mean a work can tell you and will tell you in answer to your Audacious bold fac'd daring interrogations 1. That as there are in Scriptures laid out by Jesus Christ orders and degrees of Truth so also a Truth of orders and degrees even such as are in our Church and Universities See for your learning Eph. 4.8 11 12. When he Jesus ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men diversities of gifts and therefore he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers or Doctors diversities of degrees for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come unto a perfect man c. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers or Doctors c There is that whole Chapter 1 Cor. 12 to this purpose to shew the diversity of gifts and degrees of Officers in the Church from the foot hand eye head of the natural body and the diversity of the parts thereof insomuch that the same Apostle saith 1 Tim. 3.13 They that used the office of a Deacon well purchased to themselves a good degree that is a Presbytership and howsoever you think otherwise of it Jesus himself as he was present at the marriage in Cana of Galilee John 2.1 to countenance that estate and degree of Matrimony so he sate in the midst of the Doctors Luke 2.46 both hearing them and asking them questions whereby he also Authorised that degree also and all other inferior and subordinate degrees tending thereunto So it is laid out by Jesus both in Nature and Grace also as that one Text sheweth Mark 4.28 The earth bringeth forth fruit of her self first the blade then the ear after that the full corn in the car and then when the fruit is ripe he putteth in the sickle because the Harvest is come Are there not mentioned in the Psalm 62.9 Men of high degree and men of low degree and doth not James bid the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted Jam. 1.9 Will not you do the like who are now but a Brother of low degree rejoyce when you are exalted to be a Preacher and then a Dipper who is with you a Brother of bighest degree You have been a Surveyour in your own Parish and then Overseer and now having a little better regulated your house may hope to be a Constable to rule the Town and also you may rise to be a Church-warden but that you have forsaken your Church and the Church if that will exempt you and now then why are you so against our being Batchelor of Art and then Master and so Batchelor of Divinity and then Doctor which are our degrees of the University like as the other are your degrees of the Countrey 2. He can tell you that Jesus indeed hath laid down expresly and absolutely in particular Texts words That a man must serve and worship God onely in Spirit and Truth and place his faith confidence in his promises and repent of all sinful habits and acts and what are his duties to God and man in the place and calling that he is of with all other particular and general matters necessary to salvation and of Moral concernment But for other things that are of an inferior alloy and but of Ceremonial or Temporal Circumstantial nature he hath laid them down onely inclusively and respectively in some general rules and dictates of good order and comeliness upon a just occasion or need unto edification and for good and so left them to common Christian reason and humane prudence to undertake and prosecute according to the same amongst which things are those that you except too education in the University study of the Greek and Latine reading Philosophy taking Degrees Titles of discrimination getting Preferments diversity of Orders c. of which you may read more particularly and largely in my book before if you desire to be a Scribe instructed to the Kingdom of heaven in such particulars Onely I will either add here or repeat here fearing you will scarce be at the pains for so it will be to you pains to read it that the learning of the Latine and Greek tongues you might have put in the Hebrew too if you had been a true Israelite and the studying of Philosophy and other Arts and Sciences and the taking of the several Degrees which are the honours and garlands of the Universities which they give to Proficients accordingly to make
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
vain and needless thing yet I say fear not for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people nor will the Lord forget you his servant for his gracious Covenant sake which he hath also sealed to you in your Baptism because it hath pleased him to make you his servant Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and right way Onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart Ver. 23 24. And Let my counsel be acceptable to you break off your sins by repentance and by righteousness and your iniquities by turning unto the Lord and calling for mercy upon your poor soul and by shewing mercy unto the poor people if it may be a lengthning of your tranquility Dan. 4.27 Sir without any ifs or ands do you so seriously and uprightly and it will be a lengthning of your tranquility and a stablishing of you in peace of your conscience notwithstanding your former breach of it and of the Covenant of Grace in your despising your Birth-right your Infant-baptism For Behold Gods hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear though your iniquities might have made a perpetual separation 'twixt you and your God Esay 59.1 2. especially those iniquities of separation from Gods Church and Baptism His Covenant of Grace is an Everlasting Covenant the seal of it your Baptism though but once administred loseth not its strength and force and is yet of vertue and benefit for you if you will make use of it yea it will be of continual use and benefit to you if you will return to it and reflect upon it by your faith and lay hold upon the precious things and promises thereof In a word Though you have departed away from your Covenant by breaking of the Seal thereof and slighting your Baptism yet God is not gone from either but what he hath Covenanted and Sealed is and will be ever ready to make good Come therefore and return unto the Lord for you have torn and he will heal you have broken and he will binde up yea and he hath torn and he will heal he hath broken and he will binde up in all your sins and transgressions which are your breaches of the Law and the tearings of Gods Covenant in all his afflictions and chastisements which are his breaches upon you and his tearings of you in your estate nay in all your fears and doubts return unto the Lord and his Covenant of Grace and Mercy look back to your Seal of it your Baptism and lay hold on it by Faith even but now renew your Faith in the Promises therof renew also your Repentance for breach of Covenant and Promise on your part you shall find the effect of that you never saw and feel actual comfort even present benefit thereof Once more Have now recourse and go with all speed to your first Infant-baptism and remember and believe that God hath therein sealed up unto you his love and favour to you in Christ and that his everlasting Covenant of Grace and Peace and Reconciliation to be your God in Christ for ever and will never fail you seeking and having recourse to him his Covenant and Seal This will fill you full of heavenly comfort in the midst of sorrow and upon Repentance give you good assurance of the pardon of all your sins whatsoever even of this none of your least sins your causless Revolt and Separation from the Church Ministery and Baptism appointed and approved of God A Communion with which if you will truly re-enter into and seriously return unto pleading as you may even yet your Right and Interest in the Covenant of Grace sealed unto you in your first Infant-baptism once for ever you doing the Condition thereof God also will then remember his Covenant entred into with you then once for ever and will have compassion on you and run out and meet you fall on your neck and kiss you Luke 15.20 21. so that you shall not onely have a clear and full Remission of this and all other your sins washed away in the blood of Christ the substance of the Covenant but also enjoy the sweet and comfortable fruits and benefits of that your Baptism the Seal of such Covenant even an assurance of God his being â—our God and the God of your seed and that for ever and of your being one of his people and a member of Christ Jesus and that also for ever So that you may say as the Spouse of Christ for so the â—oul is contracted unto Christ by the Covenant and it is espoused or the espousals are solemnized and ratified in Baptism I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine Cant. 6.3 And now Sir am I become your enemy because I have told you and others the Truth and shewed unto you the good even the good old Way If so then the God of Truth who set me a work be my friend as Abrahams and deliver me out of your hands and the hands of all mine enemies and if God and the Truth be on my side I care not much who be against me nor do I fear what man and error on the contrary side can do Magis amica veritas maximè amicus Christus qui est ipsa veritas vita But Sir by that time you have sadly thought upon and considered what I have said fully digested ruminated that over which I have written you and they but you especially I aim at will see me a real cordial soul-friend of yours as who have endeavored to come unto you as a Pillar of fire rather then a cloud not to darken you with obscure discourses but to enlighten you with clear evidences so to lead you out of your by-wayes of Errors into the plain Path of Truth and rather to Convert you then confound you I say your soul-friend for seeing once your soul also belonged to my Curam Animarum and you were formerly one of the sheep of my Pastor-fold one of the souls that were numbred into my Pastoral charge you see I count you so still though you have broke loose and separated your self from my flock and feed yet I have not let you so go nor have I released to you though you have remised to me nor have I discharged you though you have dismissed me yea you may see me your soul-friend yet farther in that I have not run away or lien hid in a corner as the Hireling but as a loving Pastor have followed after the Wolf and the Fox running away with you like as also David did go after the Lion and the Bear taking a Lamb out of his fold yea and when the Wolf also turned head against me and came upon me as the Lion did arise and ramp upon David I caught him
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