page 273. and said it was of dangerous consequence And indeed I think it so still For I think it will follow that except a Magistrate can shew his commission from Christ that he is an usurper and then none is bound to him but to suppresse him then no infidel is a lawfull Magistrate who denies Christ and it will be questionable whether this will not extend to a non-churchmember or an excommunicate person then a Magistrates doing of right to an infidel against a believer or to one believer against another as putting him to death is an act for Christ as Mediator and if because all power is given to him in heaven and in earth therefore magistracy so as that all power must be derived from Christ as Mediator then a Fathers power over his child but sure that is in a Father by nature nor do I think it any part of the curse then ruling Presbyters should do the acts of civil Magistrates as having plain title to rule under Christ. Nor do I think Mr. B. hath answered these arguments or the rest but that however he proves Magistracy to be from Christs appointment and to be subordinate to his laws and accountable to him and ought to act for him yet not that the commission of every lawful Magistrate is from him as Mediator I think it will follow if Mr. Bs. position be true that supposing Christ had not been Mediator there had been no lawfull Magistrate and that Dominium fundatur in gratia which was heretofore denied And sith Christ is heir of all things and believers onely are Christs and all theirs 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. it would be considered whether by parity of reason the Saints might not intitle themselves to all power and all mens estates which was charged on Anabaptists at Munster But I find I digresse and therefore stop till more liberty draw me to a fuller handling of it SECT XX. Many learned men with the Oxford Convocation of former and later times take Infant-baptisme onely for an unwritten tradition MR. B. proceeds to answer my Antidote termes it a Corrective for a circumforaneous Antidote but the Antidote will appear to be good if taken notwithstanding his disgraceful term of Corrective without vertue Page 299. He prints two passages of Dr. Whitakers for the late Oxford Convocation to reade and referres to the like in Davenant But whatever Doctor Whitaker thought yet that the Antients did take Baptism of Infants to have been an Apostolical tradition unwritten seemes to me from that which is said in my Examen part I. sect 5. not avoided by Mr. Ms Defence In the Council of Basil in the oration of the Cardinal of Ragusi it is asserted Item nusquam legitur in canone Scripturae S. quod parvulus recenter baptizatus qui nec corde credit ad justitiam nec ore confitetur ad falutem inter fideles crudentes computetur Et nihilominus Ecclesia it a determinavit et statuit c. And in principip hujus Sacramenti baptizabantur solum illi qui per se sciebant fidem interroganti respondere To which purpose Walafridus Strabo many hundred years before and Vives about that time whose words are alleged in my Exercitation the title page and sect 17. Erasmus resp Archiep. Hispal ad artic object 61. Sunt et alia innumera quae prisci non ausi sunt definire sed suspensae pronunciatione venerabantur quod genus est an parvuliessent baptizandi And commonly the learnedst Papists do instance in infant-Infant-baptism as an unwritten tradition in force and whereas it is objected that Bellarm. and others do bring Scripture for it Becan manual lib. 1. c. 2. sect 24. answers aliqua possunt probariex Scriptura quando constat de vero legitimo Scripture sensu So he saith it is concerning Infan-baptism which is proved from John 3. 5. but that the sense whereby to prove it is onely manifest by tradition Which is confirmed in the Canon law and Schoolmen an Infants-baptism was not reckoned perfect till the Bishop laid on hands which act was called Confirmation to wit of the imperfect Baptism in infancy Molinaeus in his Vates l. 2. c. 7. cites the canon dist 5. de consecratione as determining that without the Sacrament of Confirmation no man is a full Christian. Can. omnes et Can. ut jejuni Thomas 3. parte summae q. 72. art 9. dicit hoc sacramentum esse perfectionâ—m Baptismi innuens Baptismum esse imperfectum nisi accesserit Confirmatio Lumb l. 4. sent dist 7. A. omnes fideles per manus impositionem Episcoporum post Baptismum accipere debent in Confirmatione Spiritum sanctum ut pleni Christiani inveniantur Bellarm. tom 3. de sacr confirm c. 12. confirmatio est complementum perfectio baptismi Lib. 2. de effec Sacram. c. 8. est Confirmatio quaedam perfectio consummatio Baptismi Jewel Defence of the Apolog. page 218. allegeth it as Caistans tenet that an Infant for that he wanteth instruction in faith therefore hath not perfect Baptism Consonant hereto is the conceit of the common people that they have not their full Christen dome all they be Bishopped But that it may appear even learned Protestants speak near the same I will cite some of their speeches Among which I will forbear to recite the speeches of the Lord Brook and Mr. Daniel Rogers alleged by me in my Exercit. sect 18. and cleered in my Apology from Mr. Rogers his latter glosse nor the opinion of Mr. Bedford who judged with the Romanists that the Scripture gives us proof onely of the reasonableness of Infant-baptisme as I gather by Mr. Bs. I answer to him page 305. Dr. Field of the Church fourth book chap. 20. The fourth kind of inadition is the continued practise of such things as are neither contained in the Scripture expressely nor the examples of such practise expressely there delivered though the grounds reasons and causes of the necessity of such practise be there contained and the benefit or good that followeth it Of this sort is the Baptism of Infants which is therefore named a tradition because it is not expressely delivered in Scripture that the Apostles did baptize Infants nor any expresse precept there found that they should so do Yet is not this so received by bare and naked tradition but that we find the Scripture to deliver unto us the grounds of it Doctor Prideaux fasci Controv. Theol. loc 4. sect 3. q. 2. Paedobaptism rests on no other Divine right then Episcopacy Doctor Jeremy Taylor in his Liberty of prophesying sect 18. num 34. after he had ventilated the point on both sides saies there is much more truth then evidence on our sides meaning Paedobaptists To all which I will adde the words of Theophilus Philakyriaco Loucardiensis that is Mr. Young as I am informed an eminent man in the late Assembly and Mr. Marshals friend that holp him in the first part of his Defence in his Dies Dominica lib. 1. c. 10.
the third conclusion and had some purpose of printing a part of it by it self because of the difficulty in printing and sale of large things Yet afore I did it by reason of the neighbour-hood of Mr. B. I imparted some sheetes about 1 Cor. 7. 14. to him out of which he took notes as he pleased and quickly returned them to me without animad versions on them which I hoped he would have done of his own accord as the manner of Schollers of acquaintance is in such cases After some of my Auditors beginning to enquire after the duty of being baptized it was propounded by one to have recourse to Mr. B. and by me if they did so to get his arguments in writing for infant-baptism but our endeavours not succeeding I yielded to a dispute though much against my mind presaging from the knowledge I had of Mr. Baxters quicknesse and my own slownesse in answering an argument not under my eye the favour of the most to Mr. Bs. tenet and a verseness from mine and other accidents Mr. B. likely to gain the fame of a victory and to put back the work of reformation of that corruption yet hoping Mr. B. would after have imparted to me his arguments in writing that I might as Dr. Raynolds permitted Hart mend my answers afore printing But Mr. B. denying it and venting the passage in his Saints everlasting rest wherein he speaks of grosse absurdities I was driven to I was forced to print my Antidote since which he hath printed a large book in which he hath raised much dust to darken the truth and to asperse my person which I am necessitated to answer and to stay or order the review of the dispute between my self Mr. M. and others as there shall be cause SECT II. That the title of Mr. Baxters book is a mock-title MR. Bs. Book is intituled Plain Scripture-proof of Infants churchmembership and baptism which is true only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the contrary and might have been moretruly intituled no plain Scripture-proof for infants baptism Let any man but view his texts which are these Mat. 28. 19. Acts 15. 10. Levit. 25. 41 42. Luke 9. 47 48. with Mat. 18. 5. Mark 9. 41. Rom. 11. 17 19 20 24 25 26. Mat. 23. 37 38 39. Revel 11. 15. Heb. 8. 6. 7. 22. Deut. 29. 10 11 12. Rom. 4. 11. Exod. 20. 6. Josh. 7. 25 26. Deut. 13. 12 13 14. Exod. 20. 5. Num. 31. 17. Dan. 6. 24. Deut. 20. 16 17. Deut. 28 4 18 32 41. Mal. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Mark 9. 36 37. 10. 13 14 15 16. being not prepossessed with his Chymical extractions but using his own wit or ancient Commentators yea or modern except about three or four of these texts and I should as soon expect he should conclude a new world in the moon as Infant-baptisme from them The very first and only text which speaks a word of baptism is so plain against infant-baptisme that Paedobaptists in their Commentaries and disputes think it enough if they can avoid the force of it against them Yea is not Mr. Bs. own confession contradictory to the title of his book page 3. posit 1. He tells us of some things plainly determined in Scripture others have no such determination And saith Such is the case of infant-baptisme And page 301. If the very baptisme of infants it self be so darke in the Scripture that the controversie is thereby become so hard as we finde it c. And if it be so dark in Scripture and found so hard by him me thinks that he might not be thought to delude people he should have altered the title and forborne to talke as he doth in his book of bringing plain Scripture-proof to them that call for them If I might be allowed to passe my censure on him as he doth on me I would not stick to say that laying aside his Rhetorick his exclamations interrogations admirations expostulations misapprehensions of my actions and answers invectives against Anabaptists and two or three quirkes of wit there 's as little matter to his purpose that hath the likenesse of solidity in his book as I have met within a book so specially set forth and so much cried up and that he doth onely magno caenatu nugas agere endeavour much to trifle much and that he had done better with the Oxford Convocatior Mr. Bedford as he cites him page 301. with many others to have rested on tradition unwritten then to bring such impertinent texts as he hath done for infant-baptisme But I must remember I am an Antagonist He saith he was constrained thereunto unavoidably by my importunity Answer Ti 's true I was importunate to have his arguments in writing but never that he should print them much lesse print my answers taken onely from my mouth either relying on anothers pen or his own memory Doctor Rainolds dealt not so with Hart the Jesuit nor will I think an ingenuous scholler conceive his dealing candid who knowes the difference of answering in verbal conference and writing where the argument is before the respondent If I were so importunate he might have conceived it was for my satisfaction which he denies to have been manifested to him page 281. or if it were onely for my neighbours there had been some love in it if we had had them without printing them specially with such asperity and foule descirptions of me as he makes But now he hath printed let 's look upon them SECT III. Mr. Baxters citations from Fathers advantage him not AFter he comes to the arguments which were desired 20. leaves in quarto are spent in sentences Epistles and History and 5. more in a very small letter in 10. positions and 3. propositions to usher in his arguments with state or rather to prepossesse his Reader First he sets down 2. texts which are alleadged in his 26. argument to prove his 2d main argument and there I shall meete with them Then sundry of the Ancients speeches The first of Origens is examined in my Examen part 1. sect 5. and my answer vindicated in my Apology sect 16. page 81. The speech of Augustin de bapt cont Donat. l 4. c. 23. it should be 24. shewes he found no Divine authority for infant-baptisme but the conceit he had that what the universal Church holdeth came from Apostolical authority and circumsion of infants The former is no good rule as appeares by the tenets of the ancients about Episcopacy Easter Millenary opinion infant-Communion I will recite some speeches of men very eminent Salmas appar ad libr. de prim Papae page 86. Eutychio idem usu venit quod omnibus fermè scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis Craecis Latinisque ut dum morem sui temporis spectant à principio sic semper fuisse existimârint Molin vates lib. 2. c. 13. page 133. Dâ—nique Satan jampridem orsus primula initia mysterii iniquitatis tam densas tenebras offudit Historiae Ecclesiasticae
are not guilty of schisme and demolishing the Church by division and contempt and reproach of the godly Ministery and disobedience to those in government further then they please them and covenant-breaking and neglect of the Lords day c. you would credit the particular society if you make it good In the meane time I see them rolling down the hill so fast that I think many have but one step lower to go Answ. Schisme was imputed to Protestants by Papists for their not joining in their corruptions with them by Prelatists to non-conformists for not yielding to ceremonies of Bishops Covel in his preface to his answer to Burges accused the most moderate of them as making a rent in the Church and breaking from the Bishops even in that where in they were very passive choosing rather to for sake their function and calling then to yield conformity to the ceremonies of the Church Allen and Shepherd answer to Mr. Ball page 27. Advert to the Read say truly Scarce truth or error can now adaies be received but it is maintained in a way of schism I confesse it is too true that it is hard to name any society of Anabaptists or Infant-baptists that are not in a schisme and commonly both parties guilty of making the breach I am conscious to my selfe of using what meanes I could for reformation without schisme if possible but I find it as mens spirits are impossible yet Mr. B. is not ashamed to tell the world in print that he hath as good evidence that I am a Sect-Master as that I am a Christian. I made to Mr. M. in the Epilogue of my Examen as faire notions as I could devise yea such as a holy sweet-spirited man and understanding did much rejoice to reade and blessed God for it afore I sent it to Mr. M. Yet Mr. M. and Mr. Ley interpreted them as the challenge of a braving Goliath I was desirous to see Mr. Bs. arguments in writing He would not but prints in a way that proclaimes to the world that he loo es on me and all the societies of Antipaedobaptists as persons intolerable Infant-baptisme we see to be a manifest corruption we know it hath no precept or example expresse or virtual in Scripture that it with infant-communion began some ages from Christs birth upon the conceit of necessity to save an infant from perishing we know it is a duty to be baptized yea by Christ made a concurring requisite to salvation with believing Marke 16. 16. and so a fundamental by Mr. Bs. rule in his addition to the preface of the second part of his Saints everlasting rest where he defines Fundamentals Those things which God hath made the conditions of salvation Infant-baptizers will not baptize believers yea they inveigh abhorre both the opinion and practise we conceive a necessary important duty We can scarce come to their meetings but we must heare the truth bitterly declaimed against persons that hold it reviled error published infant-baptisme practised if we be silent we are judged to consent if we speake it makes an uproare we are painted out so deformed as that men are almost afraid to have speech with us or to hear us or to joine in communion with us Magistrates are by writings and Sermons incited against us I know not what we can do lesse then be baptized as Christ appoints and receive the Lords Supper Mr. B. page 341. counts the error of the old and new Socinians denying the continuance of baptisme as a standing ordinance in the Church nothing so bad as my opinion upon a frivolous pretence as if I made void the end of baptisme in that where in the true end of baptisme is preserved which is that the baptized engageth himself to be Christs disciple So that even as the rigid Lutherans for their Consubstantiation had rather joine with Papists then Calvinists Mr. B. is more willing to comply with that Antichristian and I had almost said Atheistical way of living above ordinances then favour Anabaptists In this case if there be schisme in our practise let all the world judge whether we be not passive rather then active and whether the true cause of it be in us or Mr. Bs. and others invectives and actings against us We make not schisme but suffer it Mr. B. by this last book hath done more to promote it then any Anabaptist I know and how farre the wayes of other Antagonists have been from peace the intelligent will perceive though I be silent Contempt and reproach of Godly Ministers by men of opposite parties is very frequent and mutual I have often endeavoured but cannot expresse it yet that societies of Anabaptists as they are a body do so I do not find As for obedience to Governours further then they please them the moderne so called Anabaptists in England and Holland may vye with their adversaries The accidents of this year in England which I am unwilling to mention may serve to wipe away the reproach of Anabaptists in this respect Covenant-breaking till instance be given wherein is so general a charge that an answer cannot be given I know men are taken to break Covenant who conceive they keep it Neglect of the Lords day I think cannot be charged on the societies of Anabaptists however it may be on some members Some of the leaders of them appear sound in this point Mr. Blackwood Apostol bapt The Jewish Sabbath being put to an end Col. 2. 16. we observe the Lords day from the Apostles example and the morality of the fourth Com. which requires one day in seven Mr. Edward Harrison Paedobapt oppugned page 4. makes the rule for one day in seven moral and natural and the altering the day simply Evangelical from Apostolical example which having not meerly temporary reason is enough to prove an institution from Christ which sort of proof we have Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Mr. B. knowes the Protestant Churches beyond-sea more guilty of loosenesse in opinion and practise about the Lords day then English Anabaptists When Mr. B. speaks of their rolling down the hill so fast in placing their religion in full mouth'd oathes and blasphemies c. it is very hard for Mr. B. to charge that upon them which is the act of some particular persons whom they condemne and warne others of and whereof not a few have been of other societies then theirs My second instance 500. years ago I have vindicated before My third instance is of societies at this day in the Low Countreys and Mr. B. answers about them of whom Bullinger and others wrote who were dead afore they were borne which is not to the businesse Yet Mr. B. might consider that it is confessed that even then Menno Simonis detested Muncer Becold as Becman Exercit. Theol. 21. page 359 362. acknowledgeth that even then there were aliqui innocentiâ vitae commendabiles commendable for their innocency of life as Heresbachius relates Histor. Anabapt monast c. 8. and
the book of Gods judgements on Sabbath-breakers he is jealous lest it be from no good will to the doctrine of the morality of the Christian Sabbath as being against the scope of the book though the occasion shew it was onely to prove the uncertainty of relations that men may not rest on them as proofes of a truth But I perceive as Mr. B. is very prone to have hard thoughts of me so both he and Mr. M. seek advantage to create prejudice against me about this point of the Lords day which makes me more full in my clearing my self in this thing and in other things not so much regarding my own personal esteeme as desirous to prevent that indirect way of wounding the truth through my sides I would have no man adhere to my tenet because it 's mine nor would I have any to reject it because it is mine I know too much evil by my self yet not in the things in which I am accused at least not in that degree in which Mr. B. accuseth me Mr. Bs. telling me in print this manner of crimes not proved but imagined is no whit justified by the rules and examples he brings his ranking me with seducers I defy and know that I shall better be able to prove it against him then he against me SECT XVI The ground of my opposing infant-baptism is confirmed by Mr. B. himself PAge 205. He tells me all the Ministers and schollers that he can meete with that heard my disputes did think I had silly grounds to build my confidence in and though I boast much of my answers by writing he thinks my writings have little to be boasted of Answ. I have some experience of Ministers and Schollers and I sind few fit to judge of controversies and of those few not many willing to search impartially into a point that 's against the streame and likely to expose them to hard measure some that talk much study little nor is it a new thing to find some that wrangle in dispute for such a sense of a Scripture as when they are out of the heat of dispute they themselves expound otherwise The Ministers and Schollers at the dispute such as they were weigh but little with them that know them best My writings are not boasted of by me yet men equal to Mr. B. or any auditors of the dispute have said more of them then I am willing to speak of My imployment in this argument seemes to me to be part of my work God hath allotted me though I am known not to be idle in other work What Mr. B. calls fallacies passing from me will be proved verities My arguments from Mat. 28. 19. Marke 16. 15 16. are to be found in my Exercit. sect 15. Examen part 4. sect 1. to which Mr. Ms. replies are insufficient as I shall shew in my Review In the worship of God it was wont to be accounted a certain rule that Gods worship should be observed according to his appointment and no otherwise And so Protestant Divines argue from 1 Cor. 11. 28. selfe-examiners are appointed to eate Ergo no infants or younglings though young ones ate the Passeover Yea Mr. B himself page 221. If Christ never sent any but Ministers to baptize then no others may do it If there be no example of any but Ministers that have baptized though parenrs did circumcise then no others may do it For the Apostles established the Church according to Gods mind and the Scripture is a sufficient rule page 222. if there be no command or example in Scripture of any but Ministers administring the Lords Supper then no others may do it Page 342. If we have no warrant by word or example in all the New Testament since the solemne institution of baptisme Mat. 28. to admit any member into the Church without baptisme but both percept and example of admitting them by it then we must not admit any without it ordinarily I take his own medium mutatis mutandis and thence inferre If we have no warrant by word or example in all the New Testament since the solemne institution of baptisme Mat. 28. to admit any member into the Church by baptisme but believers by profession but both precept and constant example of admitting them by it then we must not admit any without it ordinarily I use his own words and texts But the Antecedent is evident John 4. 1. Acts 2. 38 41. and 8. 12 13 16 36 38. and 9. 18. and 10. 47 48. and 16. 15 33. and 18. 8. and 19. 3 4 5. Rom. 6. 3. c. the Consequent is undoubted to those that take the word for their rule If Mr. B. will stand to his own argument he must make good my arguing from Mat. 28. 19. Marke 16. 15 16. unlesse he have some such strange shift as Mr. Cotton puts in the mouth of Silvanus who personates himself in his book intitled The grounds and ends of baptisme in the Preface page 3. where he intimates that the urging against childrens baptism this main principle of purity and reformation to wit that no duty of Gods worship nor any ordinance of religion is to be administred in the Church but such as hath just warrant from the word of God is from Satan but from God when it is urged against the Prelatists and Papists so Mr. B. thinks his medium good against Socinians but not though it be the same for the Anabaptists He addes All your confident words shew me not the least ground for your conclusion no more then thus Scripture requireth faith to justification therefore none but believers are justified which is false yet like yours if I know what you would thence deduce Answ. He now I hope knowes what and how I deduce or rather how Mr. B. deduceth my conclusion from Mat. 28. 19. Marke 16. 15 16. not onely in my words but also his own though I had often long before deduced my argument in the places before quoted and elsewhere in my writings of the validity of which deduction I am the more confident because it is in Mr Bs. own words justly brought by me against himself If the Scripture requireth saith of all to justification then it is not false that none but believers are justified Yet infants may be justified by habitual faith or actual by operation in an extraordinary way But the Scripture requires profession of faith afore any be baptized ordinarily As for what may be done extraordinarily elsewhere I have expressed my self and have vindicated my self from the wrong inferences made thence Postscript sect 15. and elsewhere Page 206. The People of Kederminster did not heare from my mouth in the dispute Jam. 1. How little Anabaptists could say in the hardest point of baptisme for I used no such wordes nor any thing I said or omitted to say can infer it and when they have read my answer me thinks they should believe I could say more then I did say then and see the reason why no
separating all infants of believers barely for their parents faith to be visible members of the Christian Church is Mr. Bs. dream as I shall shew with Gods assistance in examing his second argument SECT XI About Mr. Bs. 4. texts urged impertinently to prove infants visible Church-membership PAge 183. he saies it is a palpable untruth which I say he four texts in his Epistle Levit. 25. 41 42. Deut. 29. 11 12. Act. 15. 10. 1 Cor. 7. 14. with Rom. 11. 19. were all he concluded any thing from meaning in the dispute at Bewdley and saies the hearers know it and is to be seen before But to my best remembrance with search into the notes I took after and the notes which were communicated to me it is no untruth Mat. 28. 19. I think he alluded to but I remember not it was urged or any other text besides the forenamed as a medium from which to conclude any proposition to be proved Then he saies I have been fully answered before but yet addes concerning Levit. 25. 41 42. 1. The Jewes infants were infants and the dispute between us was of the species Answ. 1. Though Mr. B. and before him Mr. Cobbet usually call the sort or ranke of men that are infants the species yet other Logicians usually call man the lowest species or kind and say age and sex make not another kinde 2. But allowing Mr. B. and Mr. Cobbet their language I say the dispute is not about the species or kind to wit infants as infants but infants of believers who are particular persons and the question as it was rightly stated between me and Mr. M. was Whether the infants of believers were to be baptized with Christs baptisme by a lawfull Minister according to ordinary rule without extraordinary revelation or direction And if Paedobaptists will maintain their practise they should make good this proposition That all the infant-children of professed or inchurched believers are to be baptized with Christs baptisme by the law full Minister according to ordinary rule Though Mr. Baillee and Mr. B. for some advantage set down this as their proposition to be proved That some infants are to be baptized M. B. saies he had proved our priviledges greater then the Jewes and that I deny it not and that this to wit to be Gods servants was not peculiar to them Whereas I had proved the contrary from ver 55. and the whole chapter is about lawes peculiar to the Jews and ver 38 39 40. going before shew plainly that this law was peculiar to the Jewes that they and their children should return from servitude under which they were for poverty at the year of Jubilee and ver 45 46. plainly restraines it to the children of Israel allowing them to take the children of strangers so journing among them and therefore proselytes as an inheritance And therefore in whatever sense it is meant that they are Gods servants it is meant onely of Hebrews as Exod. 21. 2. is expressed I do not conceive nor any interpreters that I meete with do expound this of a proselyte but onely of an Hebrew borne If Cornelius had children they had not been Gods servants in the sense there meant which is clearly this that they were his servants in this respect only in that place in that they were to be disposed of not as men would but as he onely would who had right to them by his purchase in bringing them out of Egypt and therefore none can get soveraigne Dominion over them no not by their voluntary selling themselves to prejudice his as Deodat annot in Levit. 25. 42. Whence I infer that it is a most grosse abuse of this Scripture in Mr. B. to urge it to prove that the infants of Gentile believers now are servants to God related to him as a peculiar people separated to himself from the world which is spoken meerly in respect of the Hebrew children and their corporal servitude which was to be at Gods disposing by reason of his redemption of them out of Egypt When he tells me of my accustomednesse to mistakes it is more true of himself as I have often shewed yea though the words were written before him And in this very thing he calls my mistake that he argued thus Whosoever is called Gods servant may be baptized whereas he might have seene if he had taken any care to set down my words rightly that my words were as his own notary took them and he hath printed them If this be a good argument Infants are called servants of God therefore they are disciples and must be baptized which was his argument either in words or substance As for the conclusion and argument as he sets it down page 182. I think it was not urged in the dispute and I have proved that Levit. 25. 42. is meant onely of Hebrew children not of Gentiles nor in the sense Mr. B. would prove that they are relatively separate to God from the world in the sense as God 's servants is equipollent to a disciple of Christ. Page 184 he calls my answers to his allegation of Deut. 19. 11 12 vain senselesse reavils and then breaks out into words of pitty to people that take their opinions on my word To which is I say that my answers are not vaine senselesse cavil will appear in my reply to Mr. B. about that text And as he pitties them that take their opinion on my word so I pitty them that take their opinion on his word or any meer mans word contrary to Christs priviledge Mat. 23. 1. Page 184. in my words adoption is printed for doctrine Page 185. he repeates his frivolous charge of our accusing our children as no disciples of Christ and therefore no Christians and therefore no ground to believe or hope they are saved thus calumniating me when I have often said they may be both Disciples and Christians invisibly and so have salvation and we have great reason to hope they are in Gods election by reason of the general indefinite promises of the Scripture and Gods usual dealing with his people though there is no certainty either from Mr. Bs. grounds or mine sith Mr. B. will not say that every visible Church-member is saved All the difference between us is about their visible Church-membership whether the denying that takes away ground of hope of their salvatien Mr. B. saith it doth because there 's no hope of that persons salvation that doth not seeme to be of the invisible Church but he that is not of the visible Church doth not seeme to be of the invisible Ergo But the Minor is not true as he takes the word seem and by Gods assistance I doubt not to shew when I examine ch 27. of part 1. his mistake concerning the terme visible as if it were as much as to appear such in the judgement of probability though not descernad by sense by which defini-nition the opposite termes visible and invisible may be confounded and the terme visible
is holy and that this intitles to baptisme The Jewes hereafter to be called are holy Rom. 11. 16. by election Mr. Cobbet Just vindic chap. 3 sect 1. page 37. The Jewes yet to come were in Pauls time holy federally Rom. 11. 15 16. not actually but intentionally yet not then baptizable the Medeâ— sai 13. 3. are called Gods sanctified ones yet not to be admitted visible Church-members I further add that in his general sense Legitimate might also signifie a state separate to God as being that onely posterity he allowes of according to his institution of marriage Mal. 2. 15. which is very frequently called holy by Divines And therefore letting passe his jocular tale my exception or answer to his reasoning from 1 Cor. 7. 14. deserves a better refutation then he hath yet given Then he makes me say that no Scripture speakes of holinesse in his sense whereas my words as above were more wary Mr. B. I think cannot shew c. And then tells me that the Jewes infants are called the Holy seed and that by covenant or law which is his sense and then chargeth me with laying by conscience and common modesty having little tendernesse of conscience in accusing his will in charging him with a grosse falshood that he was willing to carry things in generals and not to tell distinctly how infants are holy and in a state separated to God whereas he told me he meant holy by law or Covenant Notwithstanding which I may yet conceive him willing to carry things in generals sith this very explication is in generals the law or Covenant as he calls it being not distinctly named and shewed where it is and upon what conditions that state of separation to God which infants have is ascertained whether upon their own act or parents and if upon parents whether immediate or mediate whether to the truth and reality or profession nor wherein that state of separation to God consists or what is the benefit of it all or of some which perhaps I apprehend Mr. B. rightly in now yet not till I had read over his book again and again and pickt out his meaning by comparing many passages together which because he did not then nor since in his printed writings put together as others do in their theses they maintaine I guessed he was willing to carry things in the general and if I did say so which Mr. B. and I must take on his Scribes word in my Sermon without any caution Mr. B. might have imagined that I meant it with this caution which is ordinarily allowed in constructions of such speeches where thematter leades us to conceive them intended that I conceived him unwilling which might be the more allowed to me in that speech which I had not a word written when I spake it which of all other Mr. B. is least fit to except against me for having in print offended in this way in worse manner page 185. But to the matter now we conceive his meaning I still say the same that I think he cannot shew one place where holy is taken for separated to God in his sense He alleadgeth that the Jewes infants are called the holy seed though he name not the text which had been fit yet I guesse by his words page 83. he meanes Ezra 9. 2. in which place onely and Isaiah 6. 13. I find this terme in Scripture But Ezra 9. 2. doth not speak of infants but such a holy seed as mingled themselves with the people of the land which was in marriage which will not be said of infants nor is holy seed there meant of a state separated to God in Mr. Bs. sense by Covenant promising it to believers that their infants should be visible Church-members For this holinesse was a state of difference or separation onely by legal descent from Israel not by the faith of next parents and it did intitle them to a peculiar priviledge of being reckoned in the genealogy of Israel or in full communion with the Common-wealth of Israel in respect of inheritance marriage c. though they fell to Idolatry as Jeroboam Ahaz Manasseh c. did But proselytes though believers were not the holy seed there meant they were not forbidden to marry the daughters of the people of the land Yea the children of the holy seed begotten upon prohibited women as the daughters of the Nations there mentioned were with their mothers to be put away as unholy according to the law Ezra 10. 3. contrary to the resolution af the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 12 13 14. which evidently shewes that the Jewes are called the holy seed by their descent according to the law of Moses and that the term holy seed Ezra 10. 2. is all one with Legitimate and if the Apostle did allude to that place in Ezra it serves more for my sense then Mr. Bs. and the sense may be conceived this If the unbelieving husband were not as sanctified to his wife so as that they might lawfully live together then the children should be unclean that is illegitimate as those in Ezra but now that is it being determined that the law of Moses concerning prohibiting marriage with some people is voided and unequal marriage is not dissolved your children are holy that is legitimate His evasion page 188. about a judgement of charity will be found insufficient to avoid my exception against his exposition which is mistaken by him nor will it at all smite me my exception being not as he imagines that upon a judgement of charity concerning the sincerity of a persons profession he is not to be taken for a real believer But that Mr. B. determining that the unbeliever is sanctified onely to the believer who is not onely such according to the judgement of charity but also really such before God and the Apostles consequence including this Proposition according to his exposition that the children of such onely are holy that is after Mr. B. visible Church-members and baptizable of necessity all other by his exposition are prohibited to be baptized and therefore of necessity he that will follow the rule according to Mr. Bs exposition must know the reality of the parents faith which being impossible to be known without special revelation he may baptize none without it Now Mr. B. answers not at all to the main thing how by his exposition a man can go upon certainty that he doth his duty but how without respect to his exposition a man may take a person for a sincere believer and so baptize him But this serves not his turne in this case For it is the duty of the baptizer to baptize onely visible Church-members this Mr. B. will not deny now of infants who can make no profession their visible Church-membership is known onely by their parents believing but according to Mr. Bs. exposition of the Apostle those infants onely are visible Church-members whose parents are real believers before God no hypocrite if Mr. B. rightly expound the Apostle
Cor. 7. 14. of infants Covenant-holinesse in his sense before Luther and Zuinglius and then askes is this irue I answer I think it is and if he can produce any one me thinks he should have done it in his book If he do he will do more then Mr. Ms. friend better versed as I conceive in Antiquity then Mr. B. hath done though attempting it page 21. of Mr. Ms. Defence of his Sermon Two places he cites one in Tertullian which I have answered in my Apology page 85. The other in Athanasius qu. 114. ad Antiochum as teaching infant-baptisme by vertue of federal holinesse from 1 Cor. 7. 14. But 1. The Author is confessedly spurious by Rivet Critic sac l. 3. c. 6. Scultetus part 2. Medul Patr. l. 1. c. 42. Perkins Preparat to the Demonstr of the probleme The works falsely imposed on Athanasius are these The book of divers questions of the Holy Scripture unto King Antiochus for therein great Athanasius is cited Yet Mr. M. or his friend hath these words ubi supra These wordes then which are safe and sound grounded upon tho same Scripture which I have much insisted on are read in the works of Athanasius where the question is about infants dying requiring a resolution that might clearely set whether they go to be punished or to the Kingdome The answer is seeing the Lord said Suffer little children to come unto-me for of such is the Kingdome of heaven And the Apostle sayes Now your children are holy observe the Gospel-ground the same that I build upon it is manifest that the infants of believers which are baptized do as unspotted and faithfull enter into the Kingdome This assertion is owned by all the reformed Churches But had Mr. M. or his friend recited the words fully then it would have appeared how impertinently the words are alleadged to prove the baptizing of infants by vertue of federal holines from 1 Cor. 7. 14. that none of the Reformed Churches would own the doctrine of that Author being built on no Gospel-ground but Popish opinion of Limbus infantum For the entire words are these Qu. 114. ad Antiochum Whither go dying infants to punishment or the Kingdome and where are the infants of believers dying unbaptized disposed with the believers or unbelievers Answ. The Lord saying Suffer little children to come for of such is the Kindome of heaven and again the Apostle saying But now are your children holy it is manifest that the infants of believers baptized go into the Kingdome as unspotted and believing but the unbaptized and Heathenish neither go into the Kingdome nor into punishment for they have done no sin Which answer plainly determines that infants of believers if baptized enter into the Kingdome but neither the unbaptized infants of believers or Heathens enter into the Kingdome or punishment for they have done no sin Not a word of federal holinesse but the plain Popish doctrine that infants dying unbaptized go to limbus infantum but the baptized into the Kingdome of heaven which is the same with the doctrine father'd on fustin Martyr qu. 56. ad orthod Now this is contrary to what the reformed Churches assert even from 1 Cor. 7. 14. that the children of believers are federally holy afore baptisme and go into the Kingdome though they die unbaptized Nor doth the alleadging 1 Cor. 7. 14. prove that the Author observed the Gospel-ground more truly Antievangelical or Jewish which Mr. M. buildeth on For the holinesse in that Author is meant either of holinesse in possibility in being likely to be baptized because believing parents would likely breed them up in Christianity and they be baptized in which sense Tertull. de anima c. 39. expoundes the Apostle as calling them holy not in act barely by descent from a believer but because designati sanctitatis or as Hierome Epist. 153. ad Paulinum alledging Tertullian de monogamia quod candidati sint fideiet nullis idololatriae sordibus polluantur which Erasmus in his glosse on Hierom renders thus quodvelut ambiunt et exspectant baptismum or else of actual holinesse in being baptized believers being wont to baptize their infants when neare danger of death not by reason of Covenant-holinesse but the giving of grace by baptisme and the necessity of it to save an infant from perishing I am still confident that neither Father nor Interpreter preceding the sixteenth century did interpret 1 Cor. 7. 14. of holinesse of separation to God as visible Church-members by Gods Covenant to them Nor doth Chamier panstras Cathol tom 4. l. 5. cap. 10. bring any though he purposedly sets down the various opinions about the holinesse there meant and sayes omnes complecti conabor examinare sententias Sure I am Augustin tom 7. l. 2. de pecc mer. remis c. 26. saith Ac per hoc illa sanctificatio cujuscunque modi sit quam in filiis fedelium esse dixit Apostolus ad istam de baptismo de peccati origine vel remissione omnino non pertinet nam conjuges infideles in conjugibus fidelibus sanctificari dicit eo ipso loâ—o c. Unto which I think good to adde that whereas Mr. M. in his Defence page 10. 58. brings in the Pelagians acknowledging that infants were baptized secundum sententiam Evangelii which he imagines to be the Gospel-ground as he calls it of federal holinesse from the Covenant to the believer and his seed in Aug. tom 7. l. 2. contra Pelag. Coelest c. 5. That he hadadded the next words quia Dominus statuit regnum Coelorum non nisi baptizatis posse conferri it would have appeared that the Gospel he meant was John 3. 5. which with Rom. 5. 12. was elleadged in those dayes as a reason of the Churches tradition of infant-baptisme and no other reason can I finde for infant-baptisme nor in any the exposition of 1 Cor. 7. 14. in Mr. Ms. or Mr. Bs. sense till Zwinglius his dayes The eighteenth absurdity is that I said the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken many hundred times for authority and askes is that true To which I answer This was spoken in the dispute when I had not time or means to collect the number of times wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for authority in Scripture and therefore spake at adventure and if I did Hyperbolize it might be neitheir absurdity nor untruth so to speak as is frequent in speakers writers without imputation of falshood Nevertheless I find it used above an hundred times in the New Testament in Matthew 10. and 6. of them it is traslated authority and in most places where it is translated power it might be translated authority and if it be used for liberty in any of these places yet it is no where used for a veile but one 1. Cor. 11. 10. and I doubt not but it is used for authority or power or liberty many hundreds of times in the Lxx Greek of the old
drink of that cup and this example 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one body and one bread for we are all partakers of that one bread But for command or example that an ordained Presbyter onely should administer the Lords Supper by breaking bread c. let them that say there is shew it Mr. B. goes on But by this time you may see whither Mr. T. would reduce the Ministerial office 1. Others may baptize 2. And administer the Lords Supper 3. And then preaching is all or almost all that is left for he gives them far lesse in government than I do And how well he defended the Ministerial privilege of publique preaching in his disputes with Captain Bray is too well known And what need the people allow so much of their meanes then to maintain Ministers is not this next to the utter extirpation of them acoording to the doctrine of their learned Martin-Marpriest Answ. Pastors and Teachers or Presbyters to teach and govern the Church of God I am assured are a Divine institution and a very merciful gift of Christ Ephe. 4. 11 12 13. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Acts 14. 23. 1 Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 2. 5. to whom people should yield obedience Heb. 13. 17. and yield maintenance liberally 1 Cor. 9. 14. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. If any go about to extirpate them let him be accursed as an enemy to Christ and his Church The railing bookes of Martin-Marpriest and such like on the one side and the slanderous books of Mr. Edwards Mr. Baillee c. on the other side I abhorre Yet I fear more danger to the Ministry by the pragmaticalnesse of the Ministers especially their meddling with State matters then either by Martin-Marpriests libels or my assertions Would Ministers keep to their studies and the work of Christ in preaching in season and out of season it would better establish their maintenance and Ministry then the asserting such a juridical government and power of dispensing the seales as they are called as they do I ascribe as much to the Ministry as the Scripture gives them Though the office of preaching whether publique or private be proper to the Minister so as to be his constant imployment and he ought not to be hindred in it sith he is to be accountable to God for it yet publique or private preaching I do not annex to ordained Presbyters as a peculiar priviledge to them so as none else may be said to be sent or called of God to preach in Scripture sense but they Notwithstanding what Mr. Thomas Hall in his Pulpit guarded or my quodam scholar and worthy friend Mr. Giles Workman in his better temper'd book intitled Private men no pulpit men have said I still conceive that not onely for trial of expectants but also upon other occasions persons not ordained may be permitted yea desired to preach in the pulpits I find these words in Bilsons Difference between Christian subjection and Antichristian rebellion part 4. Strangers also if they were in place were suffered both to teach and blesse in the Church as well as others that were tied to their cures by reason that many were sent by the Apostles and by the Holy Ghost to visite the Churches and comfort the Christians as they travailed and such were according to their knowledge and gift not onely permitted but also desired to exhort the people and to give thanks to God in other mens charges Grot. annot in Mat. 4. 23. Mansit is mos aliquandiu in Ecclesia Christiana ut concessu Episcoporum Scriptur as interpretarentur non presbyteri tantum aut diaconi sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Eusebium qui Origenis aliorumque exemplo probat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spectant quae leguntur 1 Cor. 24. 19. Neverthelesse I am against the courses of many Souldiers and others who against the denial of able teachers to whom the teaching of the people is committed love to get into the pulpits of the ablest men to vent their peculiar conceits and oft-times their pernicious errors not reguarding to preach to the ignorant the clear truths of faith and a holy life in places where they have no Preacher but to new converts to pervert them and withdraw them from their able Teachers and to disquiet them and their congregations by frivolous exceptions And for this reason I was unwilling Captain Bray should preach at Bewdley when I was there and when he would preach and bent himself to assert a liberty to all that had Gods sanctifying spirit and could expresse their minds to take upon them to teach publiquely what 's the meaning of the Scripture and what doctrines are true and what false without any skill in arts yea though he taught error I did oppose him Which if it were not so skilfully and happily done as Mr. B. better acquainted with such mens way might have done yet me thinks my good will might have been accepted But I see very little I do is well taken and therefore see it necessary to wait patiently on God till my words and actions though intended for the furthering of reformation and good of the Ministry in my Examen part 2. sect 7 in my Apology and elsewhere be better resented and considered The fourth and fifth error Mr. B. chargeth me with as dangerous and the root of my error about baptism will more fitly come into the body of the dispute in which I doubt not but I shall shew that both himself and Mr. Blake however he esteem his writings do recede from the Scripture and other approved authors in their making the New Covenant common to elect and reprobates in making reprobates interest in the Covenant a fruit of Christs death denying the absolute promise to be most fitly called the Covenant of Grace hold that a person may not be baptized that is not known to belong to the Covenant of Grace that God actually seals the Covenant of Grace to reprobates with sundry other mistakes about Sacraments in general as if their essence were in being seals of the Covenant of Grace and deriving thence a right to baptism for believers Infants though the Covenant be conditional and common to all The fith error of mine he confutes is about the Magistrates not being an officer of Christ as Mediator And he excepts against me for saying in pulpit at Bewdley it was of dangerous consequence which he held though he named not me at any time and he wrote to me and I would not dispute it with him To which I answer It is true preaching on Mat. 28. 18. the argument leading me to it I did oppose that doctrine that the Magistrate is an officer of Christ the Mediator and because Mr. Bs. book was in some of my Auditors hands did reade the passage in his Aphorismes
page 54. where he confesseth ingenuously thus Anabaptistas Paedobaptismo oblainantes apertis testimoniis ferire non possumus vesaniam his teles comprimimus 1. ex parallelo praecepto de Circumci sione 2. ex praxi Apostalica quae quum aliquanda fit obscurior consuetudinem totius Ecclesiae à primaevis historicis temporibus adjicimus juae licet praefractos Anaboptistas non movebunt apud prudentes morigeros aejuos renum aestimatores valebunt So that according to him the main weight lies on the custome of the Church which is falsely imagined to have been from the Apostles as in some measure is proved in my Examen part of the first not yet shaken by Mr. Ms. friend with all his insight Antiquity From which I inferre that the Antients and learned afore Zuinglius did account infant-Infant-baptism to have been an unwritten tradition having reason from Scripture not evident of it self but to be received for the determination of the Church and that because it was not fully perfect therefore Confirmation was added which was retained in the English Liturgy as necessarily previous to the Lords Supper nor do many of the best learned Protestants speak much otherwise out of the heat of dispute against Anabaptists They are farre from Mr. Bs. audaciousnesse to assert it as having plain Scripture proof for it The very hesitant resolution of the most learned and considerate is enough to represse his vain attempt and to awaken those that depend on his proofes and rest on their Infant-sprinkling and neglect the practise of being baptized after profession of faith being so expressely enjoyned in Scripture as a prime important duty for their salvation SECT XXI Many things are cleered about my conformity Anabaptists necessity to be baptized the manner of dipping used by them their standing to their confession of faith c. Page 241. he saith I begin with a complaint of my sufferings whereas my words were a gratulation for the change of my condition and for my sad complaints Mr B. makes them more then they were and misrepresents me in the time and reason of them I let passe his jerkes about my health and my grievance of removing from Bewdley his way to heaven and mine Mr. B. page 242 would vindicate his passages I cite in the Epistle to the people of Bewdley but he passeth over that which goeth before in my Epistle and makes no answer to any of these three things 1. That he assignes no sufficient note whereby to discerne the visible Church-membership of Infanrs of which he speaks 2. That there is no connexion between his visible Church-membership of Infants and the initial seal without institution of the rite to be so used 3. that in the positive rites of the New Testament there 's no reason to be a rule to us but the appointers will in some precept or practise And to shew the precept to be against him his own words are alleged and that rightly however he interpret or interlace them His interpretation agrees not with his own passage Appendix page 56. which saith neither are the seals usefull till the accepting and entring of the Covenant where he placeth accepting before entering the Covenant and in both his passages speakes of accepting and entering with consent which Infants cannot do page 243. he saith I seem to speak as if I had some of my old Episcopal ceremonious spirit though he hoped and believed verily that I did not turn meerly to the times though with the times To which I answer Mr. B. was a stranger to me till a little afore these times and therefore is not fit to charge me with an Episcopal ceremonious spirit Were it worth while to trouble the world with it I could shew how I examined as well as at those years I could the points in difference about which I was to subscribe and conforme and however I was carried away with the stream yet my subscription was according to Doctor Burges his explication and my conformity upon Mr. Spruits grounds I was no promoter of either and in the worst time I think none can say but I stuck fast to the main the propagating the Gospel and Conjunction with the Godly And my opposing the Bishops began with the soonest afore this Parliament began as soon as ever I deprehended the Bishops to be wholly for their own rule and adversaries to the preaching of the Gospel And for my non-conformity reasons were given with some of the first in a Sermon at a visitation at Lemster November 24. 1641 since printed And what I said the ceremonies were more excusable then Paedobaptism is true 1. They were not at first urged otherwise then as indifferent things Paedobaptism is urged as of Divine appointment and yet the chief principle of non-conformists doth more strongly plead against it then the ceremonies 2. Paedobaptism not withstanding the palliating salves of Mr. M. Mr. B. I find farre more pernicious then the ceremonies it being 1. The great occasion of the soul-destroying presumption whereby a great part of men perish and the genuine hinderance of the reformation of the Lords Supper and Church-communion 2. it quite perverts the end and use of baptism which the ceremonies did onely in some sort disorder I justifie not the ceremonies and therefore I need not answer the men he names but their writings yield strong arguments for me against Paedobaptism and better for me then for themselves Mr. Bs. questions page 243. are upon a mistake as if I counted all Pedobaptists meer formal teachers whereas what I speak was in tendernesse to Bewdley lest they out of averseness to my doctrine should rest in a meer formal teacher which I had reason to fear was the aime of some whom perhaps Mr. B. may find though I wish he may not he hath mistaken for godly men Who perhaps might tell him what was not true that the power of godliness is much diminished since my comming to them and their profitable converse turned into heart-burnings jealousies and fruitlesse contendings His argument pag. 244. is vain for were it supposed that Infants of believers were Church-members which his whole book proves not and it were true that baptizers cannot otherwise have knowledge when those that are piously educated begin to be Church-members yet the practise of baptizing the children of Christians ordinarily at years of discretion overturnes not the true end of Baptism For whether the true to which he addes principal in a parenthesis as if true and principal were all one end of Baptism be to be Christs sign for solemn admission of Church-members or Disciples or to be an engaging seal as elsewhere yet both these ends are preserved if they be baptized many years after their being Disciples It is untrue that it is my usual artifice to work on the affections of people when I mistrust my strength to work on mens understandings it may be more truly said of himself who usually fills up the vacuity of proofs with childish
exclamations admirations c. What I said and preached from Acts 3. 23. is right people do indanger their being cut off from Gods people who disobey Christ in not being baptized when their duty is told them as the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected or made void the Counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of John Luke 7. 30. I preach against popish necessity of Baptism and yet hold a necessity of precept for believers to be baptized yea and an ordinary necessity of means according to Christs doctrine Marke 16. 16. I threaten no man for not yielding to my opinion but not yielding to a plain command of Christ Mat. 28. 19. and his Apostle Act. 2. 38. c. acknowledged by all my Antagonists except Socinianized from which Mr. Bs. observations concerning the backsliding of some cannot acquit him Were my words of any weight with him I should advise him more seriously to consider whether this his writing be not a perverting the right wayes of the Lord. Page 245. that Mr. B. did not at least mainly direct the passage of his Epistle against me he will hardly believe that takes notice of the passage the time when the texts produced the accusation it self the naming me yea or his own words so often in his book as page 167. that he used the speeches to preserve his friends from the danger of my error that being a dying man he might have no opportunity after to warne his people that a fire being at Bewdley he had reason to provide for Kederminster And what though it were intended against all that take my course yet it might be directed mainly against me whom he singled out for commendation but yet in such a manner as I may say with King James in his answer to Cardinal Perons oration I defie the prayses that ascribe ability and moderation to me and charge me not only with grosse absurdities but also with little tender conscientius fear of erring playing the Devils part besides other imputations which if not directed against me solely yet he might have conceived would be taken as chargeable upon me with others By officiating Priest I meant not any other then meer reading Ministers by whom most were baptized and it was not scornfully used by me nor like the language of Martix-Marpriest which I abhorre but to in imate that in that respect as well as the manner of sprinkling and defect of profession of faith the Anabaptists so called had reason not to content themselves with Infant-baptism It is true our English prelatical Divines do account Baptism sufficiently administred that is so done yea though it were by a popish Priest or a Midwife and I think Presbyterians and Independents do agree with them for they do not question their Baptism nor seek any other though it 's likely many have been so baptized Yet I find Spondanus in his Auctar. Chronol ad annum 1604. reporting that in France at Vapincum in the Daulphinate a Synod wherein famous Chamier was President determined according to a former Synod at Poictiers that Baptism administered by expectants of ordination was of no value and to be iterated by Ministers themselves Whether this relation be true or not yet my end in my expression being to give reason why Anabaptists content not themselves with their pretended Infant-baptism Mr. B. doth ill to interpret my words as scornfull I do now professe as I did not long since at Coventrey to Mr. William Swayn who I perceived since upon his misconstruction hath also alleged this passage in the end of Mr. Stephens book intitled a precept for Baptism of Infants out of the New Testament that I do reverence many Paedobaptists as godly Ministers of the Gospel farre beyond my self Yet still I say that they most injuriously inveigh against Anabaptists for being baptized at years of discretion and thereby necessitate them to associate themselves when the Baptism of Infants is confessed by the most considerate not to have cleer proof without help of Tradition unwritten which yet learned men contradict the sprinkling they have received is not Baptism nor appointed by Christ nor the person adminstring it to many Infants a Preacher of the Gospel and many learned men have made Baptisme of Infants imperfect without Confirmation and Churches have thought it necessary to retain it yea Mr. B. would have something like it which but for the dipping in cold water is to the same purpose as rebaptizing page 119. 120. which to me discovers the imperfection and insufficiency of infant-Infant-baptism to its end and though Mr. B. in answer to Mr. Bedford holding baptizing but once onely a tradition unwritten undertakes to prove it fully from Scripture page 305. whose performances I find very short of his undertakings yet Theophilus Philokyriaces in the book forenamed page 54. sayes sacrum baptismum non repetendum semper statuit Ecclesia de quo tamen interdicto in sacris tabulis nihil occurrit and therefore unless I will speak against my conscience I must needs say that it is ignorance or wilfulness holds Ministers and people in their stiffe asserting and practise of Infant-baptism and the violent opposition they make to their practise who are baptized or baptize believers upon so great reason He tells me it is an untruth that he said dipping in cold water is murther and adultery about which I not contend whether he used those very termes onely but so farre as my memory retaines and the notes I could get relate those words were used by him without addition of the ordinary practise or naked But my meaning in my denial of his speech was to justifie dipping as used by those termed Anabaptists whose baptizing so farre as I have known it hath been seemly with coverings fit to be quickly put off when they come out of the water and with meet provision for the health of persons not tying persons to cold water in the open aire or any other inconvenient thing to health and modesty but onely requiring the person to be under water resemhling Christs burial and resurrection according to Rom. 6. 3 4. Col. 2. 12. as the stream of the expositors do conceive the allusion And therefore I cannot be of opinion that the ordinary practise of baptizing by dipping the whole body in cold or warme water openly or privatly is either a breacb of the sixth or seventh Commandment unless he condemne Christ and his Apostles as appointing and practising a rite contrary to Gods commands and be of an opinion which is refuted by frequent experience of aged weak persons men and women baptized in cold stormy times in the open aire in cold running water without detriment to their health to mine one knowledge Neverthelesse were it that any person did conceive that he ought to be baptized naked as vossius Thes. Theol. and Hist. disp 1. de baptismo thesi 6. 7. 8. shewes in the first ages men women and Infants were yet he may find there how provision was made against
Tribe young or old men and women are gathered by the Apostles and other Preachers as Moses did gather together the Jewish Nation Exod. 19. Deut. 29. But saith Mr. B. 1. Hath he noi commanded to Disciple Nations I answer yes to make Disciples of all Nations by Preaching the Gospel to every Creature as it is Marke 16. 15. but no where by civil authority to gather a whole City Countrey or Tribe and to draw them into a National or City Covenant together old and young but to offer Christ and to baptize so many as are willing to embrace him 2. Saith Mr. B. Hath not the Father promised to give the Heathen or Nations for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal. 2. and that Nations shall serve him Answ. He hath and it is fulfilled but not in Mr. Bs. sense as if one whole Nation City Countrey or Tribe were gathered together in the manner Moses brought into Covenant all the Jewish Nation but as the Apostle speaks by ministring the Gospel Rom. 15. 16. the Gentiles that is believers among them are an offering to God glorifie God ver 9. praise him trust in him ver 11 12. so as it was foretold in Abraham all Nations should be blessed which is expounded Gal. 3. 7 8 9. Rom. 4. 17 18. believers of all other Nations as well as Jews 3. And that the Kingdoms of the world shall become the Kingdomes of the Lord and his Christ Ans. I reade those words Rev. 11. 15. but I find the time of fulfilling to be when the seventh Angel hath founded which some say is not till the world to come So Mr. Seager of the world to come part 1. sect 8. And this is not improbable from ver 18. and Revel 10. 6 7. The New Annot faith thus Antichrist is weakened and Christ hath begun to take the Kingdome out of his hand and shall have a visible Church like an Empire in all the known world and that to the end but that it is not yet 4. And do you not see it fulfilled before your eyes Are not Bewdley Kederminster c. and England till of late as fully Christs Disciple and so Church-members as the Jews were in Covenant with God and so Church-members Answ. If by it be meant the prophecies Psal. 2. 8. and 72. 11. I see them fulfilled though not in Mr. Bs. sense but the prophecie Revel 11. 15. I see not yet fulfilled I see at Bewdley Kederminster in England people who generally are called Christians but I do not see that all old and young are Disciples or Church-members or ought to be so accounted or that they were ever brought into such a Covenant as the Jews or-ought to be accounted Church-members by vertue of such a Covenant There is not a word in my writings to that effect Mr. B. chargeth me that I would not have Princes and Masters do what Abraham and Moses did in bringing the people of Israel into ' Covenant with God but I say that should they do so yet the Infants are not thereby to be accounted visible Church-members in a Christian Church The commission to gather the Christian Church was not given to the Emperour but Apostles The Apostles it is true were sent to proselyte them that were no Chuch-members and yet they were sent to proselyte or in the phrase of Scripture to Disciple the visible Church-members of the Jewish Church as well as the Gentiles What I said I still say that the different Church-call of the Jewish and Christian Churches is enough to shew a different Church-state and consequently the argument is not good from the Jewish Infants visible Church-membership to ours If Mr. Bs. judgement be not so commandable as to assent to what I say it is so much the lesse commendable The speech of Mr. Herle and the jest out of Matthiolus are misapplied When he saith why may we not write plainly against one anothers judgement by a loving consent He may know that it was my desire it should have been so that it was not so was from himself He that believes he hath shewed love in this his writing is very credulous For the rest if Mr. B. will have the patience and indifferency of judgement which is meet he may see an answer to his allegations about Gods mercy to Infants and the repeal of their visible Church-memship If he remain in his opinion which I much fear knowing him sowell as I do and I in mine we must leave our writings to others to judge especially to that day which shall declare every mans work being revealed in fire In the mean time sleighting his vain curse which is page 217. my prayer for him as my self is that we may do nothing against the truth but for the truth FINIS Cyprian and the other Collegues which in the Council were present to the number of 66. to brother Fidus greeting MOst dear brother we have read thy letters in which thou hast signified concerning one Victor a Presbyter that Therapius our Collegue in a time not ripe and with overmuch haste hath granted him peace before he had done full penance and satisfied the Lord God against whom he had offended Which thing hath enough moved us that he hath departed from the authority of our Decree that before the allowed and full time of fatisfaction and without the asking and privity of the common sort no infirmity urging nor necessity compelling peace should be granted to him But upon counsel weighed long with us it was enough to chide Therapius our Collegue in that he rashly did this and to have instructed him that for hereafter he do no such thing Yet we have not thought that the peace however once granted by a Priest of God should be taken away and for this cause we have permitted Victor to use the Communication granted to him But for what belongeth to the cause of Infants whom thou hast said should not be baptized within the second or third day in which they were born and that the law of antient Circumcision is to be considered so as that thou shouldest not think him that is born should be baptized and hallowed within the 8. day it seemed farre otherwise to all in our Council For unto this which thou thoughtest should be done none of us have agreed but all have rather judged that the mercy and grace of God is to be denied to none that are born of mankind For when the Lord in his Gospel saith The son of man came not to destroy mens souls but to save them as much as in us lies if it may be no soul is to be lost For what is wanting to him who is once formed in the wombe by the hand of God For to us and in our eyes they which are born do seem to receive growth according to the course of secular dayes but what ever things are made by God are perfected by the Majesty and work of God the Maker Lastly
the faith of Divine Scripture declares to us that there is one evenness of the Divine gift to all whether Infanrs or elder in age When Helisaeus upon the Infant son of the Shunamite widow which lay dead so laid himself when he prayed to God that head was applied to head face to face the members of Helisaeus spread over were joyned to each of the members of the little one and the feet to its feet Which thing if it be thought on according to the quality of our birth and body an Infant cannot be equalled to a person grown and come to full stature neither could he close and fit little members to greater But their Divine and Spiritual evenness is expressed that all men are even and equal when they are made By God and our age may have difference in increase of bodies according to the world not according to God unless if the grace also which is given to the baptized be given lesse or more according to the age of receivers where as the holy Spirit is equally given to all not by measure but out of tendernesse and fatherly indulgence For God as he accepts not a person so neither doth he accept of age sith he affordes himself alike to all with a ballanced equality for the obtaining of heavenly Grace And for what thou hast said the footstep of an Infant made in the first dayes of his birth is not clean because every one of us as yet is afraid to kiss him neither do we think this to be a hindrance to the giving of heavenly Grace for it is written all things are clean to the clean neither ought any one to be afraid to do that which God hath vouchsafed For although the Infant is yet new from the birth yet it is not so that one in giving grace and granting peace ought to be afraid to kiss him sith in the kiss of an Infant every one of us according to his religion ought to think of the very hands of God as yet fresh which we in some sort kiss in man now formed and newly born when we embrance that which God hath made For as for what was observed in Jewish carnal Circumcision the 8. day is a Sacrament foregoing in a shadow and in an image but is now compleat in the truth Christ being come For because the day in which the Lord should rise and quicken and give us Spiritual Circumcision was the 8. day that is the first after the Sabbath this 8. day that is the first after the Sabbath and the Lords day went before in an image which image ceased the truth after â—â—â—ing upon it and the Spiritual Circumcision being given us For which reason we think none ought to be hindred from obtaining the grace of Christ nor that the Spiritual Circumcision ought to be hindred by the carnal but that every man altogether is to be admitted to the grace of Christ sith Peter also speaks and sayes in the Acts of the Apostles The Lord hath said to me none is to be said to be common and unclean But if any thing might hinder men from the obtaining grace more grievous sins might hinder grown men and commen to full stature elder in birth But moreover if to most grievous offenders and those that sin much before God when after they believe remission of sins is given and no man is withheld from Baptism and from grace how much more ought not an Infant to be withheld who being new born hath sins no whit but that being born according to Adam carnally he drew on him in his first nativity the contagion of death of old who in this respect doth more easily come to receive remission of sins because not his own sias but anothers are forgiven him And therefore most dear brother this was our sentence in the Council that none by us ought to be prohibited from Baptism and the grace of God who is mercifult and kind and tender to all Which as it is to be observed and held concerning Infants themselves and newly born who in this respect do deserve more of our help and ' Divine mercy because in the first beginning their birth presently crying and weeping they do nothing else but pra We wish to thee most dear brother alwayes health For Mr. Richard Baxter at Kederminster Sir some of my neighbours conceived it would be their best way to resolve their doubts about Baptism to know what arguments you could bring for Infant-baptism and against their being baptized notwithstanding the pretended Baptism they had in Infancy Whereupon with my privity one came to you upon whose relating to me your answer I wrote to you and upon receipt of your letter to me think good to let you understand that I said not I utterly refused open dispute but that I affected it not it being fit for Schools and not common auditors entered into usually with animosities and eagernesse to obtain a supposed victory mannaged with heat and multitude of words with answers and replies not so delibrate as were requisite to settle any ones judgement they being misapprehended by Auditors who commonly take him to have the better who speaks the most ending usually in wrangling or something like it followed with misreports accompanied wâ—â—â— disorders and inconveniencies insomuch that except in case of betraying truth by declining a dispute I can hardly bring my self to yield to it And howsoever you conceive of my advantages you may if you will and perhaps do know that you have such advantages in your ready wit and speech and the favour and general acclamation to any thing that is said for the superstition of Infant-baptism as to bring things so to passe that the event shall be crying down truth and disgrace of my person Nor have your disparaging speeches of my writings without animadversions on them communicated to me or your carriage at or not long after the receipt of my letter encouraged me to hope for all candour from you in this matter For preaching sith it belongs to you to maintain the Divine institution of Infant-baptism I shall be willing to examine what you say when you have said what you think good for it if I may obtain a copy of your Sermon which you will own and if it satisfie me I shall confesse it if not in a Sermon in the same place or elsewhere I shall give a distinct and plain answer to it Foâ— writing which I like best I desire not to put you to any tedious or voluâ—â—nous way but in the most compendious way of syllogisms yea if it may â—â— that you put in one medium the strength of all you can Of the shoâ—â—â—ispatch you desire you may assure your self who are to be the opponent in â—â—â—oint my answer will be as short as your argument will permit and â—â—â—â—â—e you conttact it keeping to the point the more satisfactory it wil 〈◊〉 I am Yours in our Lord JOHN TOMBES Bewdley Sept. 10. 16 Tertullian l. de baptismo Laicis jus est baptizandi