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
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
this Doctrine of thus baptizing Infants overthrows your practice of baptizing onely Children grown though born of baptized Christian Parents when they can give a reason of their Faith I say Infant-Baptism overthrows this your Man Baptism in a setled planted Church and you have not one Text to raise or lift it up or hold up your selves But I remember you joyned with Infant-Baptism overthrowing its preventing also the Baptism expresly commanded in those Scriptures alleged by you What mean you Sir by such a conjuntion of overthrowing and preventing for if that overthroweth this then it doth more than prevent and if that doth but prevent this it doth not so much as overthrow it For my part I think the one doth not prevent the other but both were joyned together both in the Precept Baptise the discipled Nations the believing Parents and their children as also in the practice The Apostles having converted Pagan Nations and Houses I mean the grown Parents unto the Faith baptized them and their children at the same time or left them baptizeable and to be baptized of others if they were in haste of their preaching the Word like as Abraham the Believer and Ismael his Son were both circumcised upon one and the same day Sure if any one prevented the other it was the old Administration as you call it in this place the Baptism of Believers that prevented the other the Baptism of Infants and not the other back way as you affirm for the Believers both of the Jewish and Heathenish Nations were first baptized and then their Infants were afterwards baptised as Abraham was first circumcised and then the self-same day was Ismael circumcised But let me hear and reade your Reason You say likewise Insant-Baptism prevents the old ministration of this expresly commanded baptizing of Believers because most of persons look upon themselves as baptized in their infancy and so never look after the command of Christ to be baptized when they believe What a Reason is here given of Infant-Baptism preventing another Baptison expresly commanded namely the baptized persons imagination of himself or looking upon himself as baptized in his infancy and so never look after the command of Christ to be baptized when they believe To let go the irrationality of this Reason I must say again that there is no such old or new ministration of an expresly commanded Baptism of Believers grown after they have been once baptized in their Infancy Your cannot wring or wrest it out of the mouth of any one of your cited Texts so far are you from deducing and leading it fairly by the hand as I may so say out of them or any one of them This of yours savours too rankly of the old Heresie and new Schisme of Rabaptization ever condemned in the Churches of God both of old and of late as I have formerly proved from the Apostles casting up this account and bringing all Baptismes to this as the total summe that there is but one Baptism and therefore once baptized are not to be baptized any more And therefore not onely most of the persons but all of the persons baptized are to look upon themselves as baptized sufficiently and never to look after any other Baptism commanded them of Christ when they believe for there is none commanded Do you Sir express it as if it were a fault or a fancy that most of persons look upon themselves as baptized in their infamcy and never look after to be baptized when they believe Stop your ears Oye baptized men women and children at the voice of the chaarmers for they charm neither wisely nor foundly nor sweetly as to you and your good and benifit not wisely for you but subtlely for themselves and their party who having forsaxen their first love and renounced their first Baptism now compass about to make your their proselytes and so two-fold more the children of Hell than themselves if ye after so many strong Reasons and so fair a warning will also renounce your Baptism wherein ye renounced the Devil and all his works A chief one of the DXevils works is to draw people to renounce their Baptism the mark and Seal of their Covenane with God Gods with them as he useth to do with Wirches and Sorcerers before he entreth into Covtract with them and give them a mark and Seal of their Langue with him and his with them Not soundly or truly for you but hypocritically and falsly for themselves do they thus charm as who onely do pretend the Word and Commandement but can shew you none nor example for any Christian once baptized who ever was baptized again The desire to have you baptized again as the Impostors would have had the baptized Galathians circumcised That they may glory in your flesh Galat. 6.13 a most vain and shamefull glory and make you tread under foot the Son of God and to count the blood of the Covenant wherewith ye were sanctified an unholy thing and do despite unto the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.19 at least to grieve the holy Spirit of God wherewith ye were sealed unto the day of redemption if ye belong to the Election of God Such a grievous hainous and unsound thing tit is to renounce your Christian Baptisms Look therefre diligently to your selves as the Authour to the Hebrews hath it lest any man among you fall from the Grace of God even that Grace offered in the Sea crament of Baptism ot you and it may be received by you therein lest any root of bitterness springing up in you trouble you lest there be any profane person amongst you as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right Heb. 12.15 16 thus Esau despised his birth-right Genesis 25 34. Is not Baptism your birth-right also is not your renouncing of your Infant-Baptism a despising of your Infant Birth-right and a breaking or pulling off or a trostrating or evacuaring the Seal either way a despising it and a profaning of the Covenant of Grace and will ye thus part with your Birth-right first Baptism and sell it as it were to these supplanting Jacobs and all for a mess of twice sod pottage such is second Baptism or rebaptization Will you leave your Manna that came down first from Heaven loathing it to lust after and hunt after these Quails and listen to their Quail piper who say What is this Manna nothing before ouer eys but this Manna Remember that whilest the flesh of the Quails eaten in cintempt of Manna was yet between their teeth ere the Quails were chewed the wrath of God was kindled amongst the people to the smiting of them with a great plague besides that the flesh afterwards came out at their nostrils and was loathsom unto them and so fear ye left while the water of the new Dippers or second Baptism received in contempt of your first Baptism is yee upon your heads and ears and faces the wrath of God which ever attends upon the
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
him for the future 1 Cor. 10.2 But I will not stand upon this Discipling the Nations by baptising them and their Children Though the word disciple them be a general word comprehending in it both kinds of conversion both by the preaching of the word and the initiation of baptism This is that though which I can presse hence That all Disciples of Christ are to be baptised there is a Command for this Go Disciple the Nations and baptise them And that this discipling the Nations was a making them Scholars and Disciples of Christ not as taught but to be taught of him as before the force and energy of the word in the original importeth as much as may farther be declared in Matthew 27.57 Where Joseph of Arimathea discipled himself the same word is there that here is entred himself to be of Christs school and out of John 9.27 Where the blind man saith to th Pharises Will ye be also his Disciples and be initiated to learn of him and may be farther instanced from the manner of the Jewes amongst whom to become a Disciple was to be initiated into a Master to be taught of him and therefore the very day any one initiated themselves to learn they were called Disciples as Christs were and so called his Disciples from the first day he called them and said Come follow me And like as men are called the Souldiers under such a Captain from the time of their listing them though they be not as then taught the skill of Armes Now then Sir are not Children may they not be called Disciples Acts 11.26 you may as well deny 〈…〉 be Christians as to be Disciples For I take 〈…〉 and Christians are Synonymas that is lest you 〈…〉 symony in that word words of the same name and 〈◊〉 fixation so that all Christians are Disciples of Christ and ano … Disciples of Christ they are Christians and howsoever Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch they may be so called after in any place and Christians wheresoever may be called and are Disciples of Christ In the mouth of two witnesses this word may stand to bear you down for Acts 15.10 Children upon whose necks those false Teachers would have put the yoak of circumcision are called Disciples I say they would have put it upon the Infants of beleevers as well as the beleeving Parents for they would have done it after the manner of Moses Law pressing it still to be of force And why not Disciples I pray do they not visibly belong to the family and school of Christ yea and his Kingdom and so why not subjects also are not the little Children of a kingdom subjects thereof though they know not the Lawes of the same is not the promise made unto our Children and the Covenant of God upon them and do not we Parents offer them to God giving up our Names to God both for our selves and all our Families and undertake for them and their instruction and education in christianity and will this work nothing to the declaring them Disciples I will shut up all these interrogatories with this Assertory that because if children of Christian discipled parents be also discipled why then they are within this commandement of Christ and may and ought to be baptized and so you have a commandement for their baptizing out of that word Go disciple the Nations our children are as capable of being Disciples Or if you will not go from your English of being taught as the children of the Jewish Parents were which if you yeeld unto as you cannot do otherwise then shew me some reason why our children are not as capable of Baptism without such teaching as the Jews children were of Circumcision without the same Besides that I will minde you of this that though they be not capable of receiving actual teaching from men they are not uncapable of Gods own teaching even in their infancy no more than children of the Jews were that hereupon you should debar ours from Baptism when as theirs were not kept from Circumcision upon any such account 6. The same or rather another Commandement for our Infant Baptism may be fetched out of those words Baptizing them for whom doth our Saviour design here for the Subject of Baptism or persons to be baptized why the Discipled or taught Nations Parents and Children they have a right to the Gospel preached as Nations but a right to Baptism Parents and Children as discipled taught and brought into Covenant So that when Christ commanded the Apostles to baptize the Nations so discipled and taught he did not look onely to the time then being but to the continuation of a Christian Progeny and Posterity of Believers upon earth So that as S. Paul saith 1 Tim. 1 16. For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting so these Nations obtained mercy that in them first Jesus Christ might shew forth Baptism for a pattern to them who should hereafter be discipled and taught of him in the everlasting Covenant namely that Baptism belongeth to them all other Nations so far forth as they consist of discipled Parents and Children Parents professing Christ in their own persons and their Children under their Christian Education both together make up a discipled Nation commanded here to be baptized as the proper and adaequate Subject of Baptism So that if I can shew that the Children are contained in the word Nations the work is done a commandement here is for their baptizing I shall do it briefly yea it is done to my hand already 1. It is a general rule in Scripture That children are alwaies included in every administration whether of promises or threatnings mercies or judgements privileges or burdens unless they be excepted and in the very constitution of it children make a great part of a Nation 2. In this particular of these all Nations here some think it to be spoken emphatically in opposition to the one Nation of the Jews and so it is in a sense this was the onely taught and discipled Nation but now go and teach and disciple all Nations I should rather or as well think it to be spoken in apposition and relation unto the one Nation of the Jews that like as the Nation of the Jews hath been a long time discipled and taught in the Covenant and circumcised the parents with their children so now all Nations are commanded to be likewise discipled and taught in the same Covenant and baptized the parents with their children the which S. Paul sheweth clearly Gal. 3.8 9. namely that the Doctrine of the Gospel delivered to Abraham in the nature of a Covenant was preached now to all Nations and so the blessing of Abraham's family was here conveyed to the believing families of the Nations and so the Promise and the Seal Baptism were here applied to the same families
plainly and directly evinced Infants Faith and Salvation by it which is all one Doth not David say and testifie Psal 8.2 out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained or founded strength or perfected praise and doth he not Psal 148.12 call upon and exhort old men and children to praise the name of the Lord the which you cannot expound of spiritual children onely as sometimes it may and somewhere for Mat. 21.15 16. they are real and bodily children that cried Hosanna to the Son of David and fulfilled Davids Speech now if these had no Grace Knowledge or Faith in Christ how could they so glorifie and praise Christ and rejoyce and even Triumph in Christ I ask again are any Infants in Christ or ingrafted into Christ or the Children of God if so as you cannot deny it for we are all one in Christ Jesus whether bond or free male or semale old or young Father or Children And God the Father hath given to Christ Infants and Children as well as Parents and Fathers and to those that Christ hath received his Father he gives eternal life But now they are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus and if they be Christ then are they Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise Galat. 3.26 28 if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 and he that is none of his Christ Baptizeth not But Christ Baptizeth with the inward Baptism also unto Remision of Sins many Infants these are some of his as who hath taken them into Covenant to be the God of them and them to be the Children of God And surely if Christ should not impart unto some Infants Knowledge and Faith according to their measure Competent to Salvation but only to the Adule and grown persons he might seem to be an Acceptor both of Ages and personages which he is not Deut. 10.17 Rom. 2.11 See John 6.35 and 37. He that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall not thirst immediately Christ addeth whatsoever the Father giveth me shall come unto me or beleeve in me I ask you now and Quaere you hath not the Father in his everlasting Counsel and Bounty given to Christ all his Elect Infants and appointed them to be Christs when Psal 2.8 the Lord said unto him thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession if so why then they also Infants being somewhat of that whatsoever given unto Christ shall come and do come continually unto him or beleeve in him whatsoever you say or write to the Contrary that they neither shall or do believe See Galat. 3.22 The Scripture hath shut up all things under sin that the promise by Faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those that believe you hear the disease of sin in Adam is spread over all things that is all men and whatsoever is of and in man even Infants therefore the Remedy of Faith in Christ must be spread over them too that this may be as generall and large as that so Infants who are saved must and do believe in Christ See 17. John 3. This is life everlasting to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ Here is a General and universal Rule given by Christ himself the Author of Salvation without any inkling or tinkling of exception for everlasting life to be atteined namely by knowing and believing for that is also included in it as is specified and more enlarged in the 1 John 5.10 11 12 He that hath the Son hath life this life is in the Son and he that believeth hath this witness in himself c. Now I Quaere you again Have any of the Elect Infants the Son of God have they eternall life you cannot deny it and therefore you cannot deny them some spark of Knowledge and Faith See 2 Cor. 5.7 We walk by Faith and not by sight and 1 Cor. 13.12 now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face whence it appeareth there is but one way of joyning us all to Christ and of our enjoying of Christ which is Sight of him in Heaven or Faith in him upon earth to which Sight our Faith now is answerable being of the same nature and quality onely differing in the measure for Faith is nothing else but a sight of him John 12.44 and 4. Now I Quaere you again do not you think but the same way which serveth for all the rest of Gods Elect doth serve for Children also to joyn them to Christ and that there is but one life begun here which is perfected in heaven according to that He that believeth in me hath eternal life John 6.47 Then also must Infants have some light of the mind to see and behold Christ now here as in a looking glase so hereafter face to face See Rom. 4 6. To all Abrahams seed the promise is firm by Faith and his Title is the Father of the Faithfull the Scripture maketh him the Father of us all and all the Children of the promise i.e. The whole number of Gods Elect for of that Primary cause of our Salvation Gods holy Election Saint Paul there disputeth Rom. 9 8. which is observable against the Anabaptists who impute the Salvation of Infants solely to Gods Election which is acknowledged of us to be the Primary cause whereas in that very place he mentioneth a secondary cause of their Salvation that they are the Children of the promise and so reckoned in Abrahams seed because of that Interest they have in that blessed Seed in whom Abraham and all his posterity are partakers of the holy inheritance Now I Quaere you again here do you or dare you exclude Infants from being Abrahams Seed you must then also bar them from having interest and part in Christ if not why do you or dare you to deny them Faith seeing that in the same manner as Abraham obtained the Blessing which was by Faith so must all Nations of the world Jews Gentiles and every particular person all and as many as lay under the curse before even Infants therefore obtain the Blessing by Faith according as it is Gal. 3.8.13 14. What should I run on thus your self will prove as much for me anon and agaiost your self for in your confutation or rather consideration following upon Acts 2.39 there you say That nothing but Faith answereth the promise and I shall tell you that Faith answereth it as the condition If then there be no other way or means for Infants to come by Righteousness or Salvation but by Faith or believing the condition of the Covenant of Grace and the Gospel as works and doing was of the Covenant of Nature and the Law you must either grant some Infants to believe and have Faith or else
their being in Covenant must needs be the ground of Gods commanding the Seal of Circumision It is acknowledged there was a special Commandement for circumcising in the time of Infancy but do not you blame God for his such Command by the same reason you blame us for our practice Infants of Jewes were as much in the state of Nature as ignorance blindness and under the same defects that Infants of Christians are and why do ye not charge the wisdom of God with folly for Commanding the Infants of Jewes to be circumcised or excuse us who being under the same Covenant do Baptize the Infants of Christians In imitation of God Commanding Circumcision and also in obedience of God and that Command which was in part also Evangelical For That Commandement was for the Circumcising of such Infants in their Infancy whose Parents were under Gods seal but there is no such command for Infants whose Parents were not for these Profession of Faith was needful Abraham in whom the Church of the Jews began therefore had Faith before hee took the Seal but no such thing was afterward required of Abrahams Seed but the contraty Commanded namely that their Seed should be circumcised in their Infancy And so I deny not but God Commanded Circumcision but this that by vertue of Gods Commandement onely they were Circumcised I deny for it was also and chiefly because of the foregoing Covenant in the 7. and 8. verses to which the words refer saying Thou shalt keep my Covenant Therefore what Covenant vers 10. Circumcision is so named He doth not barely Command it but with an Inference or reference therefore to shew that they being in Covenant were therefore to have the Seal thereof Circumcision which did but put the Covenant under Seal in which Covenant those Children were before by Birth being born of Parents with whom God had stricken Covenant But I shall go neer to make use of it anon for the Baptizing of our Children like as they and you do now for the circumcising of the Jewes Chrildren Though the Truth is that was nothing but Gods word of Institution whose incommunicable property it is to appoint Sacramental Signs The Covenant then especially was the ground of Circumcising the Seed of the Jewes and the same is the ground of Baptizing the Infants of Christians and so Christian Parents being in Covenant their infants are in Covenant with God and therefore Baptizable for Gods Covenant written upon Children of Parents in Covenant is no Blank to seal too but a just Title or writ as I may so say for the Seal and a very Commission given out by the Holy Spirit for the Baptizing Infants of Christians in their lofarcy and so these things appearing to the Churches of God That Infants of Christians are entred in Covenant with God They ought to put the same under the Seal of Baptism as the Infants Due and the Churches Duty More briefly and Syllogistically thus take it as I recollect it All persons within and under the Covenant of Gods Grace are Commanded of God to have the Seal of Covenant put upon them which in the Gospel-administration thereof is Baptism But all Infants of Christians are within the Covenant of Gods grace Therefore all Infants of Christians are Commanded of God to have the Seal of the Covenant put upon them which in the Gospel-Administration thereof is Baptism The first Proposition is clear from Gen. 17. and God Commanding all Jews in Covenant to be Circumcised and from Matth. 28. and Christ Commanding all Gentiles or Nations in Covenant to be Baptized The second Proposition is the very Tenour of the Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed and so I have reasoned the Baptism of Infants and Terms into a Command of God before I intended it A third Warrant is this Reason If the Infants of Jewish Parents were capable of Circumcision the initial Seal of the Covenant which was Circumcision and were Circumcised though they could shew no Right they had unto it but their Birth of Parents in Covenant Then also may and must the Infants of Christian Parents be Baptized and receive Baptism the initial Seal though they can shew no other Right to it but their Birth of Parents in Covenant This Warrant is Reasoned out or this Reason is warranted out of Heb. 13.9 Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Jesus Christ ministred is the Covenant which is as I said the same for ever in sabstance and in relation to theeternal welfare of souls Though the ministrations of him be different of him as to be exhibited and to come unto the Jewes and of him as come and exhibited unto Christians And though some Ceremonial and Circumstantial matters be changed yet the substantial and that which was purely a Covenantall or Sacramental Part abides as being an everlasting Covenant made with Abrahams Seed all true beleevers they differ not the Two Sacraments in any substantial thing or in any spiritual effect necessary to salvation or in any use to confirm the Covenant of Grace and further a man in the way to Heaven and so as an Initial Seal of the Covenant they differ not nor as a Sacrament of entrance into the Church and so Circumcision was a Seal of the same Righteousness by Faith as Baptism is to us Rom. 4.11 and Circumcision signified the mortification of the flesh and the renewing of the mind and did bind over the Jewes unto the obedience of Gods will Rom. 2.28 c. Gal. 3.21 and so doth Baptism the same to us now as Rom. 6.3 and 11. 1 Pet. 3.21 Insomuch that Baptized Christians are called circumcised Christians and Baptism is called by the name of Circumcision Col. 2 11. and 14 4. Though we Christians are not to follow the Jews in things peculiar to his own dispensation which was Legal and Ceremonial yet those actions that were done by them upon such grounds that are of moral perpetual and common concernment to one person as well as another in one Church as well as another for one age as well as another none can deny such actions to be binding and obligatory to all as a standing Rule for after Generations by which may be answered that which is usually objected by those that except to our Analogy of Baptism with Circumcision as why do ye not plead a Baptism of Males onely and that particular of the eight day and so carry on the whole Analogy together and in order why because these were but circumstantial things the two Sacraments may be one in substance for all these besides they were not of common but peculiar use to the Jews that Church those ages as for the eighth day it was both a Ceremonial and Physical reason as to life and health of the infant that thefore skin was not cut off till then and for the Females not Circumcised it is enough against you and your opinion if the proportion betwixt Circumcision and Baptism
a vain thing to demand it as who baptized none as I have told you formerly out of the Evangelist And for the Apostles they baptized but a few as whose business and work was especially and lay for planting Churches and raising of foundations out of grown persons converted by them out of Judaism and Gentilism as is expresly set down 1 Cor. 1.13 17. And therefore if Christ sent them not to baptize but to preach the Gospel not to baptize either especially in reference to preaching and converting or generally all whom they preached unto or converted it was not part of their commission to do so nor any violation of Christs command for them not to do so for then S. Paul would and should rather have asked God pardon than given him thanks as here he doth for that he baptised none of the Corinthians whom notwithstanding in Christ Jesus he begate through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 save some few here also named and mentioned by him This I acquaint you with at first to let you understand the reason of so frequent mention of the Baptism of believing Converts and of so much silence in Scripture of Infant-Baptism and to shew you further the irrationality of your demand who as your friends and father Jesuites were wont to call upon us for Names Names of Protestants before Luther's daies now clamour me for Examples Examples of baptized Infants in the Apostles time Yea to present to you the invalidity of your reason so frequently urged the Apostles did not practise constantly the baptizing Infants and therefore it is not to be so done For besides that for you to reason negatively from the Scripture in a matter of fact as here from the not-practice of the Apostles to the unlawfulness of our practice and fact sheweth you are indeed averse not onely to humane but even Divine Arts and Sciences there being no Divinity little humanity in such arguments fitter for children than men for the scales of a Higler than the Schools of a Disputer I have shewed you good reason why the Apostles yea the Apostles own reason which I suppose you will not deny to be good did not baptize all either grown persons whom they converted or their Infants by name and sometimes did not baptize at all when they had converted people And may not I now turn the same Argument upon and against your self and put the same yoke upon your neck There is no practice of any Apostle to be seen or read of in the whole Gospel or Acts of the Apostles of their baptizing any Christians child when he was grown up to years and therefore your practice in doing so is unlawfull and unwarrantable you I believe would think this but mad arguing but you know the man and his communication 1 Kings 9.11 From the Acts of the Apostles there may be but from the non-Acts of the Apostles there may not be made or drawn a good reason to enforce or unforce a practice There is recorded no practice of any Apostle admitting women to the Lords Supper or example of any woman receiving the Lords Supper more then of Infants receiving Baptism and the Apostles admitting them thereto will you therefore hence conclude the practise of Womens receiving the Lords supper is to be omitted yes will say there is for doth not Christ say Drink ye all of this And I say Christ also said Teach baptise all Nations therfore Infants will as well follow here As therefore women will follow there you will say again was not the Lords supper administred to the whole Church of Corinth and therfore to the Women therein and so say I was not Baptism administred to the whole Church of Corinths and to whole families there and therefore to the children therein You will say again that in Christ Jesus there is neither Male nor Female Gal. 3.28 And may not I say that in Christ Jesus there is neither Old nor Young Father or Child Thence indeed you may prove and deduct that Women are not to be kept back from the Lords supper but there is nothing expresly set down or mentioned of their receiving the Lords supper or the Apostles giving them it And so may I prove hence and have proved many wayes that Christian-Infants are not to be kept back from the Lords Baptism Though there should be nothing mentioned explicitly of the Apostles practise of baptising children or childrens examples of receiving baptism in the Gospel For your fuller Understanding in this poynt look back to what I have discoursed formerly about our imtation of the examples of th Apostles and their practises To which I add that their practise and example is and ought to be in all Morall and material acts of Religion an affirmative and Positive Rule to the Churches of God as thus and herein they baptised such and such and therefore we may do the like But it is no negative or exclusive rule They baptised not such and such That therefore we may not baptise such for the reason is plain that they possibly might not meet with all persons and occasions and their practise is not a full rule though a good rule but the reason I gave before is a playner one for that they were altogther in a manner or chiefly taken up with the preaching to the Nations converting people and planting Churchs that they could not nor did attend so much upon Baptising and therefore their Practise and example in not baptising such or such is no rule for the Churches to walk by now But yet Sir notwithstanding all this there are fair footsteeps and prints of the Apostles feet to be seen walking in this though not so much beaten way of baptising beleevers and their infante which the scriptures have traced and tracked out for us to take after them As in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 16 15. Lydia she and her houshold was baptised and verse 33. The Gaoler He and all his houshold was baptised Acts 18. chapter verse 8. Crispus with all his house and many of the Corinthians with their housholds for so it is meant were baptised So in the Acts of Paul the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.4 5.6 Where is repeated again the baptising of Crispus and Gaius and the houshold of Stephanas And I know nothing to the contrary or contrary to the Analogy and proportion of faith but rather it may be agreeable to the Harmony of the scripture and these scriptures If I should say that those persons who are mentioned but single are meant to be baptised them and their housholds as Gaius here by Paul So Cornelius by Peter yea the Eunuch baptised alone by Philip might procure his children if he had any to be baptised by some or other Evangelical minister coming into those coasts and so where the houshold of Aristobulus and the houshold of Narcissus are mentioned as Romans 16.10 And the houshold of Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 4.19 Baptised housholds are there meant Now when it is said such and
such were baptised and all their housholds such a one and All his by the Apostles is your imagination so strong and wide as to shut out the children first out of doors of those housholds that so next you may exclude them from the Apostles Baptism You must do so if there were any within doors or tell us that the Apostles passed by them in their baptisings or you must shew us that all the Women in those housholds were barren not a Mother of a Child or a young one amongst them all For though there should not have been in them Infants or Sucklings yet if but a youngling and a Child of some years all would have been but as one as to their Understanding and confessing Or you must thus divide the housholds as you are good at dividing houses and households setting the Husband against the Wife and alienating the Children from Father Mother which is a very bad practice and say that not all the Houshold was baptised whereas the Text saith expresly He and all his houshold were baptised but some major part or the most considerable part of the house and when it is said the house of Israel was circumcised its meant not of a part either major or most considerable but of the whole house as to the Parents and Children and Servants also or Proselytes under their education and instruction I do not wonder you cannot abide our University Arts and Sciences These cannot abide you and such reasonings and interpretations the Apostles baptised such and all their housholds that is the greater part the people of Growth for though sometimes such a word may be so taken where all are not capable of the thing done or spoken of you must prove it to be so here meant in all the places where the Apostles baptised such and all their housholds which you can never doe the express Letter which you are so for is expresly against you such and all their housholds of which many times also children are not onely some of all and a part of the whole but in your Tearms one of them at least the major part I say not the most considerable but I say a capable part too but if in all or any of these housholds there was but one infant or any one young stripling you are gone as to the Apostles practice who baptised the beleever and all his houshold and incapacity here is none to hinder either our interpretation or the Apostles ministration for if there had been any in the houshold uncapable The Apostle would not have baptised the whole houshold or the beleever and all his houshold and I have abundantly shewed before from the Apostle that Infants of Beleevers are capable of baptism Verse 32. Now if be said that the Apostle preached and spake the word to the Gaoler All that were in the Gaolers house so all might beleeve and be baptised it is true the Apostle did so speak the word to all capable of it but yet at the 31. Verse he speaks of the salvation of all the house upon the tearms of the Gaolers beleeving for that the promise and Covenant being so made at first held still to beleevers parents and their children and here also servants because it is said he and all his were baptised in the 33. verse So it appears to me that the Gaoler himself onely beleeved and had an inward work of Faith wrought in the heart upon some special evidence he received of Christ come in the flesh whereupon he and his of whom the other Pagans of his family there is nothing said as to their faith whether servants of growth or children under age the whole houshold were baptized immediately in relation to the Fathers and Masters undertaking and engaging for themselves and their housholds And indeed to keep to my particular if such in these or our housholds as did or do actually beleeve and professe were and are to be baptised onely why was the houshold as of the Gaoler before who onely there beleeved as I have shewed so the houshold of Lydia of whom onely it is said that the Lord opened her heart to beleeve in Christ baptised Surely the Apostles would not bring in a different Administration now in the housholds of beleeving Christians whether out of Jewes or Pagans from that which ever was in use and practice amongst the housholds of beleeving Jewes at first and therefore went here according the common custom formerly used in time of circumcision and where they baptised any beleeving Father of a Family there they did baptise or others for them the children of the same houshold or might have done Otherwise how could they the Apostes when they preached the Gospel to all Nations and so to their housholds how could they bring the blessing of Abraham into all Nations and their housholds according to the prophecy and promise thereof by God if they did not apply the Covenant and the Seal generally to them and theirs in the same manner as it was to him and his so that the children of beleevers might now be baptised as formerly they were circumcised And lastly I may add this That when men in those dayes were converted from Judaism or Pagainism they did probably at their admittance into the Church by baptism make an open and solemn League and Covenant with God before some people present to professe the Faith of Christ they and their housholds which Saint Paul may seem to put some of them in mind of Ephesians 6.4 Fathers bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord And therefore when the Apostles did baptise housholds of beleevers they did it in relation on to the Parents or others in their stead undertaking and ingaging for themselves and the children therein And thus now at last and at length too as all other point I have asserted unto you this Point also of Apostolical Practice and Examples for the baptizing of the children and Infants of believing Parents I have answered all your Quaeres and I hope have informed and setled your judgement better by my answers than you could do it by our Quaeres for I cannot yet forget how that at the end of them you say these your Quaeres are your judgement I proceed now to what you have more in your Letter of two sheets but do not mean to proceed as I have begun either to transcribe all your words of the second sheet all have done your words of the first or to bestow twenty and five sheets closely written in answering of your second sheet but loosely written as I have done upon your first sheet for I have dispatched hitherto but the one first sheet of your Letter and there is good reason for it For the first sheet for the most part put Quaeres to me in your number twenty one and they contained in them some material and substantial things to be answered of a large extent and great depth and therefore I thought
what great difficulties and intricate Objections are laid upon the Point as pleaded and held to be derived from the faith or holiness of Parents and Ancestors the which for my part I have not found so easie to extricate and shake off though I have said something for it and enough against my Antipoedo baptist hare I do therefore refer this to better Confideration whether our Plea for Infant Baptism would not be stronger cleerer and more consonant to the Truth not that I any way do implead the other as weak dark or dissonant if it be made directly and primitively from the Covenant it self and the saith of which before much is said and the holiness of children themselves thereby I see indeed our worthy Divines do interpret and call the derivative holiness from Parents to their children a federal holiness too and so we all agree together in our general meanings but would it not be more properly and rightly called a federal holiness if it were said to be derived from the Covenant of God as to Parents so to children to both joyntly equally and indifferently made And methinks the Text above cited speaks clear for it somewhat clearer in the Original than in the Translation as to the former part but if the first fruit be holy And or so the lump is if the root be holy And or so the branches are And thus we shall not need to fly to Parental holiness as sometimes we are driven or faith of which before for the upholding of holiness in children seeing we may have federal holiness for them the which I know not but that it may be called a personal holiness sure it is not an abstract Metaphysical Metaphorical or an aerial imaginary notion I say a personal holiness being in or upon the persons of children as the Covenant is and as other relative privileges and the imputative righteousness of Christ are If I erre in any thing here I will not be either Hereâ—ique or Scismatique for I am ready to retract if convinced noâ— willing to divide from the differing Either way it will be still a federal holiness and good either way against you Sir And therefore also some of those our Divines do Expound the holy Root and first fruit in St. Paul to be the Covenant and in a good sense and sounding to that I have said it may be so upon which Abraham and his seed and so along all believing Parents and their children do grow together as holy lumps and branches and it is by vertue of such Covenant that Abraham and every believing Parent is called and meant the holy root and first fruits and their children or posterity the holy branches or lump For the holy Covenant stayed not and determined in Abraham and his seed Isaac and Jacob as some say because the Covenant runs in their names onely the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob as if that were meant when God Covenanted I will be thy God and the God of thy seed God often renewed this his Covenant with that people even after those Patriarchs were deceased and the Covenant entered into with Abraham was an everlasting Covenant and comprehended under it all Nations as the Jews even the Gentiles as many as the Lord our God should call to the saith of Abraham had a share therein and in the eternal privileges thereof both Parents and children and were both holy thereby before the Lord as in others and the Churches account For not onely the Jewish children the natural branches of their father Abraham if he be the holy root as he is but by vertue and in respect of the Covenant are holy and partakers of holiness and the other privileges thereof but even so Gentilish children the natural branches of their converted Parents or Parent being also a holy root as it s said the root of Jesse Esa 11. still by vertue and in respect of the Covenant are holy and partakers of holiness and other privileges thereof But to derive the Pedigree as I may so call it of holiness of children to its first original and root I think I may safely say that all Parents and their children both Gentilish and Jewish even up to Abraham and his seed Isaac were holy branches and partakers of holiness and other privileges from the Covenant it self as the first original and root of their holiness Another Text there is that doth eminently hold out the holiness of Christian infants by Covenant which is Gal. 2.25 We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles of which because I have had a former occasion to say something I shall need to adde but a little there Jews by nature or birth are put in opposition to sinners of the Gentiles just as heâ—e the holy children are to the unclean And these two Texts seem to be parallel As therefore Jews by nature or born Jews in contradistinction to sinners of the Gentiles were holy federally by being born in and under Covenant and of Parents in and under Covenant so Christians by natures or born Christians in contradiction to born Heathens are holy federally by being born in Covenant and of Parents in Covenant our children must be one of the two holy or unclean Christians by nature or birth or sinners of the Gentiles but unclean they are not or sinners of the Gentiles or Pagans therefore tâ—â—y are born Christians and holy with the holiness external of the Covenant and also the holiness particular of the Parents and the chosen Nation in Covenant Besides that they are dedicated and consecrated to God and designed to holiness as Candidates thereof as some of the Fathers were wont to call the infants of Christians and therefore are holy as the Temple is holy the Sabbath is holy the Priests were holy Again Moses and the Prophets every where call the Jews a holy Nation and holy people in respect and by vertue of the Covenant and shall not the children of that Nation and people being also in Covenant be holy federally too yea in therefore called a holy seed Ezra 9.3 in Ezek. 36.38 a holy flock is the flock of Jerusalem and shall not the little Lambs a great part of the flock be holy too The visible Catholique Church is holy and so are particular visible Churches and all the members of the same are federally holy and therefore also little children are so who are members of the same even as the little finger is a member of the body and partaker of the bodily external cleanness Lastly is not the external Covenant it self holy why then sure all who are taken and assumed into it are Covenantly holy and they are Parents and their children And so now lastly I will shut up this Point as I have done often before even all along before with this Syllogism to bring you still into more love and liking of our University Arts and Sciences one whereof is Logical syllogising and it shall be this All
hurtful neither is it prejudicial to the baptized party whether it be once or thrice dipped and immerged but so much I have said to shew the vanity of your boast of the good old way of your dipping insomuch as you have thrice digressed from Antiquity therein as is hitherto proved Yea you are gone from the present way of your Mother and not onely Brother-church of Rome which hath lately sided with you gone cheek by joyl with you sided said I nay rather headed you and the other Sects amongst us for so she hath given over her old way of the Trine-immersion and is upon the new path of Trine-aspersion and you have left her also in both both in the number of Trine or thrice as also in the matter of aspersion or sprinkling in this your once dipping and immerging and thus you forsaking your friends walking alone by your selves yet going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it yea compassing sea and land to get proselytes your friends may perhaps at last forsake you and leave you to your selves and your bad new way to walk alone and wilder your selves But I come to a fourth and last difference 4. The Ancients dipped and immerged and though they made it mysterious and significant yet they the learnedest of them thought it not absolutely necessary but adiaphorous and therefore held it but as an Ecclesiastical custom and tradition as Hierom. dial adver Lucif whom I cited but even now expresly calls it such morem traditionem Ecclesiae and so Basil lib. de Spiritu sancto cap. 27. by way of Question demands this of the thrice dipping how came it to us and that other of renouncing the devil and his angels from what Scripture have we it and then answereth it by an affirmative in a negative interrogation have we it not rather from an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a private and secret instruction or tradition for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the liberty of it and no necessity hereof being a consequence hereupon I shall say more afterwards As for those that owned and held this dipping and especially the thrice dipping to be either a Divine precept or an Apostolical tradition unwritten and nonscript they were either minoris vel nulliusfidei as the Canons of the Apostles as they are called Can. 50. and Basilius is cited by the Papists in the Book before alledged by me for making the thrice dipping an Apostolical and necessary tradition but it 's answered by Whitakers desc cont 1 quest 6. and so also by Rivet in his Criticus cap. 20. who both acknowledge they had it from Erasmus in Epist aa Johannem Episc Culmensem that that Book de Spiritu sancto is not any true and genuine work of the great Basil but a spurious and supposititious one especially in the later half thereof by some one that would be great in Basil and therefore though I cited a testimony a little before out of the 27 Cap. of that Book de Spiritu sancto bearing the name of the great Basil like as Vessius and others do yet I will not stand upon it as I need not having another Authentique one standing by him which is that of Hierom for that I hear of it by those learned above mentioned and read also my self in that 27 Chapter for though the words that I have cited thereout may bear a good sense by themselves yet finding the drift of that 27 Chapter being to equal or to adjoin Traditions of which a great many are there named and this amongst the rest unto the written word of the holy Spirit as Apostolical and necessary I do suspect those words before of private and secret or hidden doctrine as I rendred them to bend and incline that way Others lesse credible Ancient Authors there are who make this Trine immersion and Apostolical tradition yea precept as Pelagius Papa Anno 510. who is cited by Gratian de consec dist 4. can 10. makes it a precept in those words because of the three Persons named in the Precept Go baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and Theodoretus l. 4. haeret Fabular Which book is thought to be none of his by reason of some fabulous things in it and so this way generally the opinion of the later Roman Church whilst they held to the Trine-immersion that it was a necessary Apostolical tradition and the like I beleeve they are as ready to say now they have left that of their Trine aspersion to which they have be taken themselves now at last And you also and yours are of the same opinion for your once dipping and immerging that it is of Divine prescription and Apostolical tradition who adhere so peremptorily to it disallowing and condemning all of us and other Churches who practise aspersion and sprinkling for heretical and antichristian and our baptism for unlawful and invalid And therefore I shall now also give you a little of Antiquity to 〈◊〉 for our sprinkling and aspersing of water with the hand upon the party baptized or our pouring or laying on of water upon some part head or face of the same whereby it shall be made to appear to be also a good and old way of baptizing But shall I need to add any more of this I have given you already the Testimonies of some of the Ancients for the same in the third difference I made 'twixt your and the Ancients dipping and immerging and the Example of Laurentius so baptizing Lucillus by pouring water upon his head and so also he baptized one of the Souldiers who brought Vrceum cum aqua and took his time and offered it to St. Laurence that so he might be that Souldier baptized of him which could be no otherwise then by taking water out of the Pitcher or Pail or Kettle with his hands and pouring it upon him even his head and this was much about Cyprians time in year 250. And therefore sure it was the practice in Cyprians time yea and it was his very judgement given hereupon to one by name Magnus Epist 76. who propounded the Question to him whether the weak and sick who could not be dipt but were onely perfusi sprinkled or aspersed with water were truly Christians and obtained grace He answered Let it not move any quod aspergi vel perfundi videantur aegri that the sick are aspersed or poured upon with water at their Baptism for that also they partake of the Lords grace seeing the holy Scripture by the Prophet Ezekiel saith I will sprinkle upon you pure water and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness of which Text I have made use before to the same purpose So likewise I have shewed the Antiquity thereof from Eunomius and the Eunomians who living about the year 360. did wet the head down to the breast in their baptizing and I have pressed it out of the Greek word which