For though an Antichristian Darkness overspread the greatest part of Christendom for a long time and Infant Baptism almost crouded that true and Apostolical practise of Believers Baptism out of the Church though Lodovicus Vives says ' That the custome of Baptizing Adult Persons was yearly practis'd in Rome it self even in his time Yet he very Papists all along as they do at this time retained this as the initiating Ordinance All their Writings Canons Decrees c. cry up Baptism to be not only necessary to Church-Communion but even to Salvation Yea all the Reformers whether Lutherans Calvinists or other Forreigners The Church of England and all the Dissenting Congregations that own Ordinances exa few Persons of the Baptized way and that lately too have owned and do own That Baptism is an Ordinance of Christ yea the very first or initiating Ordinance into Church-Fellowship without which no man may be regularly admitted to the Supper So that this Opinion is not only against us but contradictory to the Judgment and Practise of all other Christians Ancient and Modern Batism was of old and not without Reason called The Gate of Sacraments Janua Sacramentorum and is to keep that Name and Nature still viz. to be the first and Primitive Ordinance If the timing and order of Instituted Worship be any thing as it is of great moment a great part of it lying in nothing else but the right and orderly Administration of Ceremonies and if the Scripture Rule and Example be any thing which is all we have to shew for any Practise than Baptism is to be the first Ordinance after Believing If the Testimony of Ancient Records and Modern Writers of all sorts unanimously makes out that there has not been any other Practise in Fact among Christians all along than what we here demonstrate though that is not brought by it self to prove the same it is certainly a very fair Collateral inâ—orcement and illustration For there is no point of Religion debated in the World that has a more clear and Universal concurrence of sixteen hundread years compleat than that no persons were received to the Communion of the Lords Supper or Church-Fellowship unless they were first Baptised Yea such a value had Antiquity for this Ordinance that such as were Baptised by Hereticks as the Arians and others that used not the name of Christ or otherwise defectively performed it were judged by the most Learned men of their times to be Unbaptized and therefore were Baptised again by such as were Orthodox when they left their Heresies which is so well known that it needs no instances To conclude this Chapter we shall give a few instances of some Modern Writers besides what are given before not so much deriving Authority from them though they deserve all due respect but because of the solidity and force of their Reasonings A very noted and Learned Author now living writes thus 1. ' If we have neither Precept nor Example in Scripture since Christ Ordained Baptism of any other way of Admitting Visible Members but only by Baptism than all that must be admitted Visible Members must be ordinarily Baptised But since Baptism was Instituted or Established we have no Precept or Example of admitting Visible Members any other way but * John 4.1 Act. 2.38,41 8.12,13,16,36,38 9.18 10.47,48 16.15,33 18.8 19.3,4,5 Rom. 6.3 c. constant Precept and Example of admitting this way therefore all that must be admitted Visible Members must be Baptised ' I know not what in any shew of Reason can be said to this by those that renounce not Scripture For what man dare go in a way which hath neither Precept nor Example to warrant it from a Way that hath a full Current of both yet they that will admit Members into the Visible Church without Baptism do so 2. ' Either Members must be Baptized at their Admission or else after they are stated in the Church or else never But the two later are false therefore it must be the former way viz. at their admission 1. ' That they should never be Baptised none will affirm but the Seekers and they that are above Ordinances that is above obedience to God and so Gods 2. ' If they say they must be Baptised after they are stated in the Church and that many years as they would have it I answer 1. Shew any Scripture for that if you can 2. It is contrary to all Scripture Example Act. 2. The three thousand were presently Baptised and the Jaylor at the same hour of the night and so of all the rest And if you could shew any that did delay it since Christs Command Matth. 28.20 It would appear to have been sinful as through Ignorance or Negligence so that then it must needs be done at their first Admittance according to the constant course of Scripture 3. ' It is evident also from the very Nature and end of Baptism which is to be Christs Listing and Ingaging Sign and therefore must be applyed when we enter his Army 4. ' If we were Jews and Gentiles c. Baptised into one Body then we are not to delay it till we are stated in the Body But we are all Baptised into one Body 1 Cor. 12 13. therefore c. For if it be the use of Baptism to ingraft and enter us into the Body or Church and into Christ as Rom. 6.3 than sure it must be used as our ingrafting and entrance Shall a Souldier be Listed two or three years after he hath been in the Army or at the first entrance whether 5. ' If all Church Members are Christs Disciples and all Disciples must be Baptised at their Admission then all Church-Members must be Baptised at their Admission but all Church-Members are Disciples and all Disciples must be Baptised at their Admission therefore all Church-Members must be Baptised at their Admission 1. ' That Disciples must be Baptised at their Admission is plain Matth. 28.19,20 Disciple all Nations Baptising them and by constant Example 2. That all Church-Members are Disciples I prove thus 1. If it be the Church which is Christs School than all the Members of the Church are his Scholars or Disciples or Members of his School but it is only the Church which is called Christs School therefore all Church-Members are School-Members or Disciples 2. And thus if all Church-Members are Christians and all Christians are Christs Disciples then all Church-Members are Christs Disciples but all Church-Members are Christians and all Christians are Christs Disciples therefore all Church-Members are Christs Disciples 1. That all Church-Members true ones are Christians that is retainers to Christ or such as belong to Christ as his own Phrase is is beyond doubt 2. That all Christians are Disciples I proved before it being the plain words of the Holy Ghost Act. 11.26 The Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch so that all Church-Members being Disciples they must regularly be Baptised at their
that the only Warrant we have as has been frequently said for the Practice of Gospel Duties must be the express Warrant or Word of God according to which we must walk and I very well remember That the Old Nonconformists who faithfully followed the Lord according to the Light they had received rather than they would kneel at the Sacrament thought it their Duty to forbear the Practice of that great Ordinance giving this as their Reason To leave say they the Practise of Christ and his Apostles in the manner of Receiving the Sacrament and to follow the Practice of Men in a posture Invented by Men is not safe but to kneel at the Sacrament is so c. therefore not safe And if the Servants of God in those times were so Cautious of doing any thing that might be an Addition to the Worship of God although but in a Circumstance how much ought Christians Now when the Matter is about the very Order of the Practise of Ordinances themselves for here in the Case in hand is a most evident leaving the Practice of Christ and his Apostles and following the Inventions of Men. 2. The Commission given by Christ Matt. 28.19 Go teach all Nations Baptizing them c. hath been an Argument of great weight in the minds of all that oppose Infant Baptism the order of the words shewing who are to be baptized viz. Such as are taught First Teach then Baptize and if it be an Argument that proves Believers baptism only It must have its Consideration That Baptism must go before the Practice of other Ordinances as Preaching goes before Baptism We find Act. 1.3 that Jesus Christ was Forty days with his Disciples speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God and doubtless he was not wanting in giving them direction concerning the order of his Worship For as the Commission Matth. 28.19 was given after his Resurrection we may see his Apostles as appears by their constant Administrations sutable thereto did Practise no other way as Act. 2.41,42 and several other places fully produced before Which Practise in order to the receiving or enjoying of Ordinances I take to be a constant and a standing direction for all Churches in all times unless any can shew a variation from it by any of the Primitive Churches afterwards which cannot be done I would fain know of him that Preaches the Gospel to men what Doctrine he is to Preach to them is it any other than to Believe and be Baptised If no other as I judg all will grant than if in case the party Believing should question whether Water Baptism be the Ordinance of Jesus Christ or if he believes it is not yet satisfied it is his duty to be Baptised but desires he may break Bread with the Church can this without a manifest breach of the Rule be Admitted The Apostle tells us Gal. 3.27 That so many of you or as some render it all yee that are Baptised into Christ have put on Christ that is they have * The Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to put on as a Garment Liegh Crit. Sacr. put on Christ as a Garment and by Baptism have put on the visible Profession of Christ plainly holding out that none have put on the visible Profession of Christ until they be Baptized the outward Sign answering to the inward Grace so Rom. 6.3 Know ye not that we who were Baptised into Jesus Christ were Baptised into his Death which Baptism is a pledge of Can it therefore be judged upon any Reasonable pretence that any man should be Admitted to Walk in the Practise of the Ordinances of Christ before he hath put on Christ in the visible Profession of his Name by Baptism From the whole of which we infer in answer to the Objection That our Practice suitable to these Precepts and Examples are a sufficient Rule and Warrant for our not admitting them to the Lords Supper and to call for Scripture Precepts or Examples for refusing them is very absurd For we may as well call for the like to Warrant our Separation from the Church of Rome by Name which can be produced no more then this yet it does not follow that Communion with that Church as now it is is Lawful Scripture Examples are matter of Fact and therefore there having been no such corrupt Practice crept into the world when the Scripture was written therefore there was no occasion for any baptized Person to disclaim Communion with the Unbaptized there being no such Cause of which to make an Example Obj. 2. But we admit none to the Supper of the Lord but those that think they are Baptised already and Judg what they received in their Infancy sufficient Answer It is certain that they who believe that the only Subjects of Baptism are actual Believers viz. such who upon a Profession of Faith received that Ordinance and esteemed no other Baptism valid cannot judg the Baptism received in Infancy to be Christs Baptism they knowing that the proper Subject appointed by Christ viz. a Believer which is the main part of the Essence of the Ordinance is wanting and certainly the Ground of Churches proceedings in admitting persons to the Supper cannot be built upon the imagination of the party desiring Communion but upon the knowledg the Church hath of it and its being tryed by the Rule which they are to Walk by For Suppose a Person desires to sit down as a Member of the Church as thinking he hath a true Faith and a Right to the Priviledge in the Church when yet he can give no satisfactory demonstration of either will any think the Church ought to receive him because he hath that good persuasion of himself when they themselves are satisfied that what he declares is insufficient by the Rule to make out his Right Or will any judgment of Charity warrant such a proceeding Certainly no and yet the Reason is the same for the latter as for the former Besides the Consequence to the party that should be so Admitted to the Supper upon his conceit that he is Baptized is very dangerous and must needs build him up in a conceit that he hath that which indeed he hath not God of old gave this charge that a stumbling-block must not be put in the way of the blind and surely a greater stumbling-block cannot be put in such mens way to hinder their inquiry after the True Baptism of Christ then to admit of that supposition which the Church knoweth is not true For having now the enjoyment of all the priviledges of the House of God they hereby are for ever careless of making any further Inquiry and I heartily wish that this may be seriously considered by those that exercise this groundless Charity Again suppose the Child of a Baptized Person of sufficient Age that was brought up in a Godly manner is Converted and become a Believer yet was never Baptized at all should propose for Communion with the Church would