is estimated by God limited and extended according to the good pleasure of God Isai 48.17 I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit Paul plants Apollo watereth it is God that giveth the successe and if it should stand in that sense as a preparation to baptisme in the commission it must contain a manifest falshood or prove undeniably universall grace if they shall teach with profit all nations and baptize them or at least an universall nationall acceptation of the Gospell teaching with profit can admit of no milder sense then that and if every person must be taught with profit before he be baptized then none ought to be baptized but the elect of God and it were a sin for any Minister to baptize any other but such as received profit by the word the word worketh to the hurt of the reprobate whatsoever shew of profit it may seem to have 3. Reason That doctrine that taketh away the distinction of the two Sacraments that is a false doctrine but Anabaptisme doth take away the distinction of the two Sacraments ergo the doctrine of the Anabaptists is a false doctrine That doctrine that requireth preparation to both Sacraments taketh away the difference of the Sacraments but Anabaptists require preparation to both Sacraments therefore Anabaptists take away the difference of the Sacraments The difference doth consist in this that the Sacrament of baptisme is preparative to the Lords Supper sacramentally giving that to us which we stand in need of to make us fit for the Lords Supper I say sacramentally not that God cannot or doth not take his owne time of calling sometime before we are partaker of either Sacrament sometimes after we have both Sacraments yea and after we have sinfully prophaned the Lords Supper but Sacraments have their proper use and signification and are as all other duties lyable to abuse Wee must behave our selves as men under the meanes we have our duties charged upon us of God whereof some are officiall some personall belonging to every mans person about the performance of all which we may sinne either by omission or misuse but all the good that we receive by word or sacraments is of God what we doe by way of office that lyeth charged on us by the rule that we receive from God which is to baptize all Nations and teach them the successe is of God and the account of faith must be given to God we can take some account of some workes to wit those that are externall but of faith and of such workes as are imminent the thoughts of the heart we can say nothing to them Now the communion that is between Christ and us is set downe in Scripture by Christs being or dwelling in us and we in him we must first be in Christ before he can be in us we were in Christ by election before the foundation of the world and therefore may bee received into Christ before we can have faith nay we are said to be baptized into Christ Rom. 6.3 so many of you are baptized into Christ Jesus and the grace of baptisme is said to be wrought by the Spirit by the Spirit ye are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 and Gal. 3.27 As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ Christ is never said to be conveyed into us by baptisme but by faith Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith what is instrumentally ours by faith is sacramentally ours by the Lords supper he therefore that eateh Christ in the Lords supper Christ is in him Iohn 6.56 Hee that eateth my flesh dwelleth in me and I in him but Christ is never laid to be in us by baptisme but we are baptised into Christ he is not baptized into us but he is communicated into us in the Lords supper for which faith is required as a preparation and the habitation of Christ in us is ascribed to faith as a meanes as before that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith but our birth in Christ or regeneraion is not at all ascribed to faith but to the Spirit and water John 3.5 Except a man be born by water and the Spirit and to the Word 1 Cor. 4.15 I have begotten you through the Word but never are we said either to be born or begotten by faith the acts of faith are growth life and fruits of sanctification Joh. 6.35 Those that believe and come to Christ are said to eat and drink Christ For he that cometh unto Christ is promised he shall never hunger and he that believeth in him shall never thirst And this vertue is ascribed to the body and blood of Christ from whence Divines do justly gather that he that believeth doth eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ but no intimation in Scripture from whence any man can collect that he that believeth is baptized unlesse it be à posteriori For he that doth believe must first be baptized by the Spirit before he can believe and thus are the graces offered in the sacraments kept distinct which otherwise would be the same that the grace of baptisme is initiall that of the Lords supper is perfective which may further be manisted thus our calling hath two parts the proffer of grace and the acceptance of grace proffered The first is by the Word the Spirit and Baptisme the other is by the Word Spirit Faith and the Lords supper I have here added faith because the Scripture doth so making faith an instrument by which we receive Christ but Christ must be proffered to us by his Spirit and Word before we can receive him which is expressed in the word calling as distinct from justification and goeth before justification in which we have the first act of faith Rom. 8.30 Whom he predestinateth them he also called whom he called them he also justified we are not called by faith but we are justified by faith Rom. 2.28 and 5.1 Baptisme is the seal and sacrament of Gods work in us which had need to be most cleerly manifested and confirmed unto us as having most of God and least of us that we might submit to it wherunto we are most averse therefore what hath most of us in it that pleaseth us best as works better then faith and faith as we look on it in our selves as a qualification is more delightfull to us then as it is in its own nature working humiliation teaching us to deny our selves and rest on God men do use to magnifie faith but too many under a false apprehension even of secrecie and liberty before 〈◊〉 faith is not a boasting quality nor to be pleaded before men but God and this 〈◊〉 cap. 2. doth handle at large shewing that men are very inclinable to 〈◊〉 â—â—oâ—st of faith before men and rely on works before God and herein the deceitfulnesse of our hearts is very great when we conceive we deal with an 〈◊〉 power then we finde the things of faith apprehended
to the constant declaration of the Gospel which proclaimeth it more plain and full more distinct and cleer then the cloudy weak and childish manifestations of the Law The Law saith circumcise a childe at eight dayes old in the family of Abraham or any other believer baptize all nations saith the Gospel circumcise males saith the Law males and females saith the Gospel circumcise this is my Covenant saith the Law most obscurely baptize into Christ by whom we have accesse by faith into grace Rom. 5.2 most plainly saith the Gospel The Law giveth the ceremony therein most obscurely wrapping up the promise of Christ the Gospel promiseth Christ most plainly and most rationally drawing after it the sacrament of baptisme children are in Christ by election of grace before they are born this is plainly set down in the Gospel but obscurely intimated in the Law Now sacramentally men are ingrafted into Christ by baptisme but personally to judge men faithfull and thereby in Christ before they were ingrafted into him were a contradiction in adjecto therefore are men appointed to baptize and preach the Word as being able to administer externalls only The second delusion is in that they interpret the histories of the Acts of the Aposties wherein historically is related that persons baptized did believe not that confession or profession of faith was made to the Apostles and that the persons baptized had their faith approved by the Apostles and that that was the ground upon which they baptized them which is a plain addition to the Scripture But my earnest request to Mr. Thombes and all other Anabaptists is to look on the doctrine of the Gospel in a more spirituall way then to subject it to such a grosse and carnall apprehension and finde out some means in a more satisfactory way to state the promise of the Gospel according to the Word of God then heretofore Yours in the Lord William Hussey July 1. 1646. I Have perused this Answer to Mr. Tombes his Book against Pedobaptisme or the baptizing of children and finding it to be in my judgement solid and judicious I do allow it to be printed and published Iohn Downame SATISFACTION TO Mr. Tombes his scepticall Exercitation Concerning Infants-Baptisme THe Method that I shall take in the handling this Controversie shall be first to state the Doctrine of Baptisme as it was delivered by Christ and understood by the Apostles as may appear by their practice then answer the sophismes and fallcies of Anabaptists and in particular of Mr. Tombs and lastly some arguments to prove the lawfulnesse of childrens baptisme As for the baptisme of John it was of God God sent him to baptize but as the Ministry so the Baptisme of John was personall began and ended in him he was not a Minister of the Gospel he was the greatest of the Prophets but the least in the kingdome of Heaven is greater then he he was precurser the forerunner of Christ of whose baptisme the Scripture is so silent if you consider the form and nature of it that we may quickly affirm more of it then we can be able to prove As for Christ making Disciples and his Disciples baptizing the Scripture likewise speaketh little only that Christ made Disciples and his Disciples baptized them during the time of Christs abode upon earth he did all things well but some things he did which he was not pleased to reveal to us what is written is written for our learning and so much is written as by believing we may have eternall life In things that are liable to no difficultie a greater liberty of words is used as Go preach the Gospel to every creature here men cannot easily mistake because none are capaple of the Gospel but reasonable creatures So in the Commission Christ saith Make Disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Here Christ giveth a Commission to make all nations his schollers baptizing them and teaching them what he commands Here our Saviour is plain in the manner and form of Baptisine that was new and unknown concerning the doctrine they should teach he telleth them he will give speciall command what they should teach and for the subject that being before limited to Jews is now extended to the Gentiles also but what should be the qualification of persons to be baptized is not said neither doth the Apostles any where declare or give any thing in charge to Timothy or Titus to whom St. Paul wrote as unto Ministers of the Gospel to acquaint them with their duty as matter of any difficulty wherein they might easily fail and in 1 Cor. 1. he by occasion speaking of Baptisme speaketh of that as of a thing consisting in form of words and outward rite of washing so as it is ministerially to be performed wherein no such difficulty was or danger of mistake and therefore he had little care thereof men of meaner qualifications might do that yet were the Corinthians baptized before he wrote to them and a Church In all the dogmaticall parts of Scripture not one word concerning any direction to the Minister whom he should baptize whereby it is plain that Christ did not charge his Disciples with any danger of mistake in baptizing they should teach what Christ had or should command for matter of doctrine and Christ doth referre the commission to future direction but in all the Scripture no farther explanation concerning the persons that were to be baptized The Churches were baptized no man knowes by whom To Churches and Saints men received into the Church is all the doctrine of the Apostles directed whereby it appears that they had care to teach all that Christ by his Spirit did command but so little is spoken concerning the persons to be baptized or the manner of administration more then is in the commission that it may plainly appeare no controversies were raised concerning that it was a plain case wherein they walked without dispute or it seemeth suspition of controversie though light enough be given to the truth so that Antipedobaptists without offending against plain Scripture can have no ground to oppose the baptisme of Infants by those inartificiall and groundlesse arguments which they urge against it and certainly it was long ere much was said and the strength of that which is said will appear What is gathered out of the commission Go make Disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost teaching them c. we shall consider Nations is the subject that is so cleer that Mr. Tombs confesseth it though with this limitation nations that are made Disciples which limitation can receive no colour without apparent alteration of the words First make them Disciples and then baptize them saith Mr. Tombes three words are added first and then the words plainly import make Disciples by baptizing them and teaching I have added nothing but the word by and that is implied in the participiall expression
and see just so doth Mr. Tombes baptisme doth not succeed circumcision because baptisme must be given to believers only yet confesseth that both baptisme and circumcision have a like respect to faith it is true he assigneth other differences but none of them will more disable from baptisme then from circumcision The first difference is that circumcision doth signifie Christ to come of Isaac according to the flesh but baptisme doth signifie incarnation death and resurrection of Christs doth this make the difference can children better understand that Christ shall come of Isaac after the flesh then that Christ is incamate dead and risâ—n again Secondly can Infants better understand that the Israelites were people separated from all nations then they can understand that all are one in Christ can they better understand that the Law of Moses must be kept then that it is voyd or the promise of the Land of Canaan then of eternall life The difference that Mr. Tombes putteth between circumcision and baptisme cannot make Infants differ under the Law and under the Gospel and do they differ by that which doth agree to circumcision and baptisme As for the place out of which this argument is drawn Colos 2.11 12. Mr. Tombes saith that the Text doth not say we are circumcised because we are baptized but we are compleat in him because we are circumcised in him and buried with him in baptisme I must needs suspect this mans learning or his honesty else he would never abuse his ignorant Reader thus what Mr. Tombes doth the Text say ye are compleat because circumcised Let men that can examine the Text see and they shall find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our translators have dealt more faithfully with us then so that have translated it in whom also that is we are not only compleat in him but we are also circumcised with the circumcision of the heart we have that mercy sealed unto us though circumcision be taken away and we might seem to be without that confirmation or signe of the purity of heart which our Fathers had Why saith S. Paul Christ was circumcised and that gave an efficacy to the circumcision of our Fathers circumcision ended in Christ and is not descended to us but the effect of circumcision is in the circumcision of Christ part of the body was put off in circumcision but the body of sin was signified now this Christ did in circumcision not only so but by buriall he put off that body that became sin for us of both which ye are partakers being buried with him in baptisme so that baptisme doth entitle us to circumcision of the heart by the circumcision and buriall of Christ as the circumcision of the Jewes was made effectuall by the circumcision of Christ so we have the same grace expressed by cicumcision of the heart in baptisme it could not be plainer expressed if it had been said that the benefit of circumcision by Christ is made yours by baptisme Circumcision was the seal of circumcision of the heart to the Jews circumcision of the heart is sealed by baptisme to you For it saith plainly in whom also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands in putting off the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ the means of all this conveyed unto you by baptisme no man can deny that circumcision in the flesh did signifie and sacramentally seal the circumcision of the heart which the Apostle here affirmeth of Baptisme After all this incongruous stuffe Mr. Tombes denieth that baptisme doth succeed circumcision and therefore Infants are not as capable of baptisme as of circumcision he hath confessed that faith is as requisite for one as the other in regard they stand both in the same relation to faith and thereby confesseth what he doth deny and yet no more then the Scripture doth affirm Mr. Tombes falleth out with this argument and in a metaphoricall way talketh of an Egge out of which if not restrainedly taken nothing can be gathered but that baptisme and circumcision in some things signifie the same and do so Noahs flood and the red sea yet do we not say that baptisme succeeded into their place much lesse do we inferre any right to be instituted in their steed respecting the same persons I do professe I was troubled to parallel this non-sense with any thing that might equall it if we could get these Anabaptists to speak sense a man might the better deal with them Can any man make any thing of this after Mr. Tombes hath allowed that they both signifie the righeousnesse of faith that both signifie the sanctification of the heart are they again turned into materiam primam that Noahs flood might be parallelled with baptisme as well as circumcision You bid us take heed of such argumentation you might say baptisme and speaking in some things do agree in prolatione verborum and washing pots in some thing in washing in action with whatsoever we can do Your argument to Noahs Ark is fallacia consequentiae à genere ad speciem affiâ—mativè thus Noahs Ark agreeth with baptisme in something therefore in sacramentall nature as if a man should say est animal ergo equâ—s it is a living creature ergo an horse The collection that nothing can be gathered in a restrained sense but that baptisme in some things signifie the same yes more then that they agree in some things we may gather in what they agree they agree in the nature of a sacrament in divine institution in the â—eal of faith they must be administred to all to whom the tender of grace is made not only to all that are partakers of grace The first in respect of providence limited to a narrow compasse and by the ordinance bounded within the nation of Jews though not to the persons of the Jews all nations might come in and be circumcised and offer sacrifice and eat the Passâ—over but they might sacrifice no where but at Ierusalem but now the ordinances are tendered to all nations and baptisme must be administred to all nations no assignation of persons by the commission surely the commission was not invented by man Christ commandeth his Disciples to baptize all nations here is not men women nor children we must baptize some body it must then be examined who they are that must be baptized it is no wil-worship to baptize it is no will-worship to baptize all nations to baptize whom we please and refuse others without ground out of Scripture that is will-worship Now these persons must be found à subjecto capaci from the capacity of the subject or from the judgement of the persons in commission to baptize Your part requireth that you prove Infants are unfits subjects and I will prove in due time that Ministers are unfit judges For arguments drawn from analogies I willingly grant to be invalid if you mind analogies of proportion to invent any part of Gods worship by as if we had invented baptisme by rules of proportion
instance after the resurrection is Acts 2.41 they that gladly received the Word of God were baptized and why should they not did ever any deny that such as received the Word of God should be baptized and these are they saith Mr. Tombes to whom he said vers 39. the promise belongeth to you and to your children added three thousand souls yet never a child baptized men may as well say never a man or never a woman from the word souls an Infant may be called a soul as well as men or women but saith Mr. Tombes the Text saith those that received the Word were baptized doth it say their children were not but Mr. Tombes confesseth they were the same persons that gladly received the Word of God unto whom Peter had said the promise did belong to them and their children that was the Word they gladly received And Saint Peter inferreth from this that the promise did belong to them that they should therefore be baptized because the promise did belong to them Now if this argument from the promise was good concerning them why is it not as good for their children and if they received the word of the promise gladly for themselves it is likely if it had been denied them in respect of their children they would some of them have had the boldnesse to have asked it for their children and said Peter you told us of the promise that it belonged to our children to as well as us and you told us that that was a good reason why wee should be baptized and accordingly we are baptised why should not that be a ground for our children to be baptized also we know no reason why that should be a reason for us to be baptized and not for them You tell us the promise doth belong to them as well as to us as for the limitation of as many as the Lord shall call that is to be referred to them that are afarre off not to us afarre off is opposed to them that are neare Ephesians 2 13. You that were farre off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ farre off signifieth them that are not yet called nigh them that are called to looke on the words in their originall sense we do not use to call them that are nigh already but them that are afarre off that they may come nigh and this appeareth plainly to be the sense by that here are severall subjects of the promise you are the subject of the promise and your children and they that are farre off You are not your children your children are not you you nor your children are not afarre off they that are afarre off must be called that they may be nigh that so the promise may belong to you all that so ye may all be baptized What Mr. Goodwins fancie is Mr. T. doth not tell us nor have I seen or heard but cannot be denied that the word soules doe comprehend men women and children for though there be some difference in their bodies yet they agree all in this that they be soules taken for persons though for my part I will not argue from hence that children were baptized yet I say from hence is clearly evinced that children have a right and interest to baptisme because to the promise and that as clearly as any thing can be for that which is a cause producing an effect in one subject will produce the same effect in another posita causa ponitur effectus rationale est risible is as true in children as in men he to whom the promise doth belong may be baptized is as true in children as in men if the promise doth belong to them both as the text plainly saith it doth and the pointing of the Greeke text doth plainly declare this to be the meaning of the words for there is no point between you and your children but between children and them that are afarre off to shew the promise belonged to them and their children in their present condition to them that are afarre off after their call where note that the promise is to bee understood in the externall or internall consideration according to the externall Sacraments have their administration amongst men which tearmes ye have applyed to Jews and circumcision Rom. 2.29 He is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in Spirit and not the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God the Letter saith God will be the God of Abraham and his seed but the spirit saith that he will be so to the elect and faithfull The Letter saith every male shall be circumcised the Spirit saith that circumcision is no circumcision which is outward but that which is of the heart the Letter looketh on the family of Abraham either by generation or by communion the Spirit on a remnant only according to the election of graceâ— the Letter requireth circumcision or cutteth off some say Goodwins antiq Ainsworth in locum the parent some say the child for the neglect thus externall performance hath its praise or dispraise of men but that of the Spirit hath its praise not of men but of God To this latter only faith and repentance is required or rather both circumcision of the heart and baptisme of the heart are nothing else but faith and repentance which God can judge and praise not man and thus the promise according to the Letter did belong to those Jews to whom Peter spake even before their effectuall call and this Peter urgeth to them as a motive to move them to be baptized as if he should have said upon this ground ye were circumcised and now upon the same ground ye may be baptized it is true we are not only Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit and therefore we preach faith and repentance as requisite to your baptisme of the Spirit but you must give account of that to God and not to us we can take no account of it we are not Lords and Judges of your faith we preach all the duties that belong to the inward man but administer sacraments and guide our charity towards our brethren by outward rules it must satisfie us if you will come and claim your interest to the promise both for your selves and your children we must baptize you and your children we will teach what account ye must make to God of your faith and repentance how you must bring up your children in the feare of God but we can take account of none of these things The next place of Scripture which he taketh in to this confutation is Acts 8.12 by which he proveth that the Apostles did not take in whole families at once because the whole City of Samaria we prove a personall account of all to be baptized was not required because they were taken in by whole families in the Apostles time and Mr. Tombes confuseth this by saying they were taken in by whole cities I like such confutations Next out of
is not tied to sacraments so as that he cannot fave without them though contempt of sacraments be sinfull and damnable Mr. Tombes his second argument is That which agreeth not with the Lords institution of baptisme is deservedly doubtfull but the right of Infants baptisme agreeth not with the Lords institution of baptisme Ergo. I deny the minor Mr. Tombes proveth because Infants cannot be Disciples of Christ I say they may Mr. Tombes confesseth Infants may be sanctified but it cannot be made known to us that is not Mr. Tombes his argument that it must be known to us that they are sanctified neither from the institution doth it appeare that they must be Disciples before they are baptized much lesse that it must appear The commission to the Apostles and from them to all the Ministers of the Word to the end of the world is to make Disciples of all nations baptizing and teaching them what Christ shall command The parties to be baptized are all nations without any restriction at all their commission is to baptize all nations and this in reference to that nationall covenant that then was among the Jews only the publike worship was limited to the Temple then now to no place make Disciples is no limitation of persons Their commission was to make all nations Disciples which they were to execute pro viribus to the uttermost of their power the conjunction of baptisme and teaching with making Disciples was not with respect to any personall restriction but it is conjunctio mediorum ad finem make all nations Disciples the meaning is by baptisme and teaching Now the setting down of these words making Disciples first is because that was the end of their commission first in intention and must first be proposed as in all operations is necessary as if a man will have an house built a city conquered an enemy taken the first thing that he proposeth is the thing that he will have done and after directeth or consulteth about the means though they must use the means before they get the end I have already spoken to this and shall more fully in my arguments that I intend for childrens baptisine For that which Master Tombes saith then the children of Infidels might be baptized I have already spoken of that it is not incapacity of the childe that disableth him from baptisme it is the fault of the parent that will not bring his childe nor will undertake to bring up his childe in Christian doctrine nor is he that is an Infidell herein to be believed but in Christ Jewes and Gentiles are all one and a childe as capable of Christian Religion according to his education though his father be an Heathen as if a Christian the reason why the seed of Abraham had a priviledge was the Ordinances were only in his house as many as came to have benefit of the Ordinances were circumcised though not of Abrahams seed they that were bought with money or sojourned in Abrahams house nay though they were reckoned as a family distinct from Abrahams and the males reckoned not as Abrahams males but their own males yet if they desired to eate the Passeover their males must be circumcised Exod. 12.48 Those that joyn themselves to the Ordinances and claim their interest in baptisime and relation in Christ to be his Disciples they must be baptized and their families and as many as they can undertake for to bring to the outward means if they can undertake for whole nations the commissioners may not refuse them they must be suffered to come if any will undertake to bring them though children Now that fathers by undertaking to bring their children to hearing and to learning what is the way of God do no more then their dutie and what they can readily perform and do bring their children to Church and take order for their catechizing which were the parents as carefull as they ought were a great means to promote Religion and Piety among men and is often required in the Scripture from the father That is by this Anabaptisticall tenet laid only upon the Minister which turneth into a great incumbrance and neglect of the instruction of the people whereby many have been enforced to fall into that inexcusable error that all men have the office of a Minister if baptized themselves and have gifts such as the people shall approve of But grant that the nations must be made Disciples before they must be baptized and that all nations must believe before Disciples doth it follow that every party must believe that is baptized quod convenit parti quapars convenit toti gratia istius partis that which agreeth to any part agreeth to the whole by reason of the part but not to every part the whole man seeth with his eye I speak de actu videndi but not with any other member but having gotten the knowledge by the eye the soul implieth other members more imperato to do their office So the Magistrates that are not only the sense but the understanding of the nations believing may be baptized and by the duty of their place require others to be baptized also Non quicquid totius etiam partis est in totis integrantibus a man must see before he go into the river to be washed he seeth with his eye not with his foot but when he is washed his foot may be washed also the nation believeth by the Magistrate by whose authority the whole nation is put to school to Christ and is baptized which is an externall duty and may be required by the Magistrate as for faith we have no Lords of faith here every man must give an account of his faith to the Lord of faith Jesus Christ upon his day In the mean time it is a most insolent arrogancy and contrary to Scripture for any man to judge of anothers faith Saint Paul saith not as having dominion over your faith but as helpers of your joy 2 Cor. 1.24 and Saint Peter not as Lords over the flock if therefore they are not Lords how come they to be Judges what do Lordship consist in a name or in judicature names be but weake and childish apprehensions of things natures only yeeld distinct knowledge Moses could no sooner take upon him to judge of wrong done among brethren but presently they aske Who made him a Prince a Lord a Judge intimating that judgement belongeth to a Lord Wee doe much declaime against Lordship and dominion over other mens consciences and faith yet not only Ministers but every man will take upon him to judge without scruple this man hath faith and that man hath none it is true charity doth permit men privatly to approve but not condemne the faith of another Baptisme is an externall duty such as man can take notice of whether done or not and if a man be called to an account whether he hath baptized such a person or not or whether he went or carried an Infant to be baptized who
a prophane meeting to feast together Ninthly men forget baptisme so that it hath the force of a carnall right and not a spirituall institution Tenthly it taketh away or at least diminisheth the zeal and industry of knowing the Gospell But be all these faults and are all of these flowing from Infants baptisme First I shall shew that many of these have no affinity at all with Infants baptisme First private baptisme hath nothing to do with Infants baptisme for that Infants may be baptized publikely nay Lawes may be made requiring their publike baptisme though Infants nay the Directory is at this time so penned and in all times publike baptisme was principally aimed at and desired and for the most part so performed what he meaneth by private baptisme I do not know baptisme in an house among so many as make a congregation I cannot discerne how that can well be accounted any such fault I am sure he hath not proved it 2. He telleth us that baptizing of Infants hath brought in the baptizing by women as though Ministers may not baptize children as well as women 3. The baptizing of Infants hath brought in the baptizing of children not brought to light for my part I can say nothing but wonder at such an inference 4. As for baptizing of children of uncertaine progenie I know nothing of it but that if any man that is a Christian himselfe will undertake to bring him up a Disciple of Christs such a childe may be baptized 5. They are baptized in the name of the Lord that know not the Lord what inconvenience from that It is true St. Paul saith No man can call upon him of whom he hath not heard It would indeed put on the forme of some probablity if it were referred unto the person that did call on the name of the Lord that it were something absurd but doth it follow because no man can call on him of whom he hath not heard therefore he cannot call on the name of God in the behalfe of any but such as have heard of God none can pray but those that have faith but may not a faithfull man pray for an Infidell may not a Christian parent pray for his childe because the childe doth not know the Lord this were very strange as for the childs consent I say so farre as concernes the Covenant between God and man which is sealed in Baptisme consent is not required on our part to the obligation we are bound to obedience and are under the sanction of condemnation if we consent not and this is the very reason why circumcision which had as great a respect to the circumcision of the heart as baptisme was as vaine and nothing without faith as baptisme was yet stamped on the infants of the Jewes wherein the Scripture is not silent therefore this argument is not of any force that baptisme is not to be administred to Infants because they doe not consent unlesse the consent of the party to be baptized were required to the obligation if the childe were free from those duties unto which he is tyed by his baptisme untill he had consented thereunto it were a great wrong to baptize him and thereby lay a yoke upon him without his consent from which he were otherwise free but whether he consent or not the obligation of obedience and faith lyeth on him and the sanction of wrath and condemnation attendeth on the Infidell and disobedient whether they consent or not whether they are baptized or not so that consent both to obedience and faith and baptisme whether baptisme be represented to them as already done or to be done is required of him that is adultus or of yeares as a duty not as liberty 〈◊〉 â—â—fusing to consent is a sinne and punishable both by God and man though these consist much in internalls of which only God can judge and punish faith and obedience of the heart but as for the externalls of Gods worship such as are the externall rite of baptisme that is to be performed in the sight of men and men may require him that is of yeares to consent to his baptisme laying the neglect on him as a sinne and punishing him for it as for adultery fornication or any other publike offence leaving the matter of faith which is private to the judgement of God so likewise may the Nations receive baptisme for the whole as all other externalls requiring parents to bring their children as before I have thought good to speake something to this point because it seemeth to carry some shew of reason with it that no man should be tyed to a Covenant unto which hee never gave any consent which in free covenants is true though in publike covenants we are tyed by the covenants of our Ancestors and are bound by those lawes wee are borne under made by the consent of our parents but in the case between God and us he made us and giveth lawes to us under which we must live or dye I take Lawes here in a generall sense to signifie direction for faith and repentance as well as any other rules of life not by vertue of our owne consent but Gods absolute right and authority 6. Mr. Tombs telleth us that baptizing of Infants hath brought the admission of ignorant and prophane persons unto the communion of the Church and to the Lords Supper for who can deny rightly the rite of the Church to the baptized so he To this I answer that the engagement of the parent to instruct his childe which is but his duty will certainly be a great meanes to set men upon the performance of their duty therein when men shall solemnly in the presence of God before a congregation be charged with the bringing up of their children in the feare of God that they must looke to their owne conversation that it be exemplary to their children if this be not performed by the parents yet the charging it upon them out of Gods word cannot but be a meanes rather to keep out ignorance and prophanenesse then to bring them in can any means be used by man more available then to instruct children in their tender years in the knowledge of God Certainly God hath informed us that this is the most lasting knowledge that wee learned in tender yeares and our experience doth abundantly confirme this Now what greater care can bee had by the Church then in such a solemne and sacramentall manner for a man to bee charged with the education of his childe as a Scholler of Christ as soon as he is able to learne any thing if this be a way to introduce prophanenesse and ignorance I know not what can keep it out but he implyeth as a great sinne that ignorant persons should be admitted into communion of the Church and the Lords Supper for this admittance into the communion of the Church if any thing may be argued from thence touching the unlawfulnesse of Infants baptisme a just and due tract ought to
tendered the meanes of grace As for the falling of the Holy Chost upon the Apostles in cloven tongues Act. 2. that came seasonably upon them when they had occasion to use them and after had been baptized but the Holy Ghost promised in v. 28. is promised after Peter had preached repentance and baptisme nay on many after they were baptized Repent and be baptized and ye shall receive the holy Ghost shewing that preaching and baptizing are but the tenders of grace neither the one nor the other of any force unlesse the Holy Ghost come Now though the manner of the giving the Holy Ghost be different yet the season is according to the way of Gods dispensation God will have outward means first tendered and after he will blesse it where he pleaseth among which outward meanes these are chiefe if not all can or ought to be used by way of tender baptisme and teaching which is all that is tendred in the commission whatsoever is is babbled to the contrary baptising is set before teaching the commands of Christ as I have formerly manifested and indeed it were a strange thing for the sacrament of baptisme to be tendered to men that were already clean and approved declared and manifested to be clean it is true it may be tendered to men that professe their faith because man cannot judge them faithfull notwithstanding any profession and therefore baptise them but if they could know and judge them faithfull they might give them the Lords supper in which all Christ is communicated and baptisme should not be needfull baptisme is the seal of the tender of Christ and of the purging power of his blood not of our communion or partaking of Christ that is sealed in the other sacrament Now to come to the signification it is preparative to all other graces it signifieth regeneration and therefore it is called regeneration John 3.5 Except ye be regenerate by water and the Spirit ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven Now certainly the Holy Ghost would not set forth the grace of baptisme by regeneration or newbirth if any grace had been preparative to it it is not possible that any life or motion should be imagined before regeneration It is true in John 3.5 Except ye be born by water and the Spirit unlesse ye be by water and the Spirit that which we translate born is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be and Tit. 3.5 Baptisme is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the laver of regeneration Lest men may vulgarly imagine that men are spiritually begotten by the Word and were to remain some time in their mothers belly the church before they were brought forth by baptisme during which time they were to be catechumens and made fit to be received into the Church that word which is translated born John 3. in 1 Cor. 4.15 is translated begotten I have begotten you through the Gospel For there it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indeed there can be no imagination of life before there is a being before begetting it is true adultus must have faith such as it is naturall humane before he can be baptized he must be willing by some inclination or other it were barbarous to baptize a grown man against his will which could not be gotten but by some kinde of credence though it might be just with man to punish him with death that should refuse as it is with God to punish with eternall death such as despise baptisme yet that Ministers should refuse to baptise any man that shall desire baptisme untill he hath saving faith is to require actions of life and reason from a man before he were begotten or cleannesse and purity before he were washed Again that sacrament that was administred unto all the churches of the Gentiles in the Scripture mentioned without any mention in the Scripture of any preparative grace that must it self be the symbol of the first grace and preparative of all other graces But baptisme is such therefore baptism is preparative to all other graces Let all the Epistles of the Apostles be searched and ye shall finde they were all written to baptized persons that they are full of exhortations to faith and sometimes arguments drawn from baptisme past to move them to repentance and newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 St. Paul doth indeed tell them that they were buried by baptism with Christ but what doth he collect out of that therefore repent and believe but doth he at any time speaking of faith and repentance argue from thence to baptisme and tell any of them if they would believe and repent they should be baptized which the right method of handling the doctrine of the Gospel would have required if faith and repentance had been preparatives but I am confident if any man shall take on him to teach faith and repentance as preparatives to baptisme he must either make his Text or draw that out of it that will not come he that will teach any doctrine other then so much as may make them willing to be baptized and repute them disciples and teach them as disciples of Christ unbaptized must follow no Apostolicall Precept or Example That which is drawn out of the commission is without ground that teaching must go before baptizing because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set first For first the phrase of the words is changed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas had there been a methodicall enumeration of things that ought to have been performed in order one before another the stile ought not to have been altered it should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go teach and baptize and therefore those that would gather any thing out of the order of the words must be enforced to read them so which the Text will not permit Again the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is aâ—â—â—rist in the Imperative mood which standeth for a Future whereas the words baptizing and teaching what I command are both Present Again this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall make disciples is the end and ought to be the first set down and declared to those that shall be imployed about the means as I have formerly proved and so the stile doth clearely manifest ye shall make all the world disciples baptizing them and teaching them whatsoever I command which is as much as by so doing ye shall make them disciples as if a man should say sowing in season and making good choice of your seed and land ye shall have a good crop here is plainly intended that these Participiall expressions this sowing and making good choice shall be taken up for the mean and the crop is to be expected after as the successe and event of them as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to learn and therefore some collect that it doth imply a learning with profit that is nothing to the preparation if there be any thing in that it is in the successe and it hath the vertue of a promise and
most weakly of any thing we can please our selves better in the opinion of our works then of faith but when we come to deal with man we are sure we treat of colours before blind men there we can boldly talk we may speak as freely as travellers we cannot be disproved whereby it cometh to passe often times that heart that is least upright is most bold faith is indeed in time of need very heroick in her exploits in that she acteth by the power of God but ascribeth little of her best actions to her self she is alwayes conversant with God and therefore cannot but be conscious of much weaknesse and infirmity faith is so always loaden with difficulties that she hath very little to say of her self there must be great preparation on Gods part before there can be any sense or feeling in man of the things of faith there must be the mighty operation of the Word and Spirit and God is pleased to adde baptism too for faith to work upon these things are of mighty operation and so they had need considering the sloth of heart that is in us to believe it is well if after the Word and sacrament of baptisme faith do come God layeth it as a ground and foundation for faith to work upon and accordingly all the arguments of Scripture are to raise us to walk worthy of amendment of life and to rise with Christ Rom. 6. as if it should be said God hath offered you grace in baptisme therefore accept of it ye are born anew in baptisme let it appear in your conversation Argum. 4. That which maketh the admission into the Church meerly arbitrary that is a false doctrine but the doctrine of Anabaptists maketh admission into the Church meerly arbitrary Ergo the major is plain for that nothing is more directly contrary to the service of God then will-worship but denying any that are tendred according to the mind of Christ in the Word and requiring such disposition in the party to be baptized as the Minister pleaseth without any rule from Gods Word is to make the publike service of God or at least a great part of it wholly arbytrary and this doth appear to flow from their doctrine not yet any man durst affirm what was the measure of faith to be required how much he must believe that must be baptized by means whereof the whole matter dependeth on the will of the Baptizer a thing most contrary to the nature of Religion it cannot be imagined that the Holy Ghost would have been so silent in giving rules for the Ministers to walk by in the triall of the faith of the person to be baptized if any such charge had lain upon his office He must baptize believers only saith Mr. Tombes and the Anabaptists but no Scripture directeth what or how much he must believe must it be as much as the Minister shall think fit then some Ministers will baptize with very small triall others will be very hardly satisfied some will baptize as soon as the childe can be taught to say he believeth in Christ others not till ten or twelve others twenty yeers of age wherein no man can either satisfie his own conscience or any reasonable man for that he walketh without rules neither doth this difficulty from this doctrine come from accidental misconstructions or phansies but inevitable necessity from the doctrine it self that the Minister must baptize none but believers yet cannot tell how much or what he must believe before he be fit for baptisme unlesse he walk by rules of mans making without any intimation from Scripture 5. That doctrine that giveth man that power which is divine that doctrine is blasphemous and false but the doctrine of the Anabaptists giveth man that power which is divine therefore the doctrine of Anabaptists is blasphemous and false That doctrine that giveth man power to judge of faith in another that doctrine giveth man that power that is divine but the Anabaptist giveth men power to judge of faith in another therefore the Anabaptist that power that is divine Faith is in the heart with the heart man beleeveth to righteousnesse and with the mouth he confesseth to salvation Rom. 10.10 He therefore that judgeth of faith must judge the heart which is proper to God I the Lord try the heart Jer. 17.10 Neither will it serve his turne to say that he judgeth by rules of charity if this charge lay upon his office to judge charitably it is one thing another to judge ex officio for the judgement of charity can never pronounce the person so judged to be such as he is judged by charity to be judgements of charity are not alwaies true if it be possible we have warrant enough to judge it so by charity if children may possibly be such as the Kingdome of heaven doe belong too wee may in charity judge them such but if we are tyed by our office to baptize none but beleevers it will not serve turne to say we judge them such by charity to prove that we must baptize none but such as are beleevers seeing we may by charity judge many beleevers which yet are not beleevers againe judgement of faith is denied to belong to the Apostles themselves not that we have dominion of your faith 2 Cor. 1.24 If God had appointed Ministers to have judged of mens faith before they had baptized them he would have given them some rules by which they should have been able to walke which he hath not done he hath annexed baptisme to the Ministers calling to let men know that the grace of baptisme commeth immediatly from Christ therefore he sent the seale of it by that calling that came immediately from him but hath promised those officers of his no speciall qualifications whereby they shall have abilities to discern the faith of men more then other men have the judgement of charity is not a Ministeriall qualification that belongeth to every man and is no Ministeriall qualification 6. That doctrine that denieth the interpretation of the promise made to Abraham which S. Paul maketh that is a false doctrine but the doctrine of Anabaptists denieth the interpretation of the promise made to Abraham wch St. Paul maketh therfore the doctrine of the Anabaptists is false Those that deny the blessing of Abraham and in him of all the Nations of the earth to be the Gospel preached to Abraham in reference to the Gentiles after their call deny the interpretation that S. Paul maketh of the promise made to Abraham but the Anabaptists deny the blessing of Abraham and in him of all the Nations of the earth to be the Gospell preached to Abraham in reference to the Gentiles after their call therefore the Anabaptists deny the interpretation made to Abraham which S. Paul maketh the words of S. Paul are plain Gal. 3.8 the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be