any thing in the world be so and no man can profess to be maried to Christ that doth not profess to take him for a husband Therefore for my part I never intend to baptize any without profession of saving faith Amen And let the Lord God say so too that Mr. Bâ—xter may baptize no more Infants nor defend so palpable an abuse but may wipe away the reproach he hath cast on Gods people and ordinance He goes on thus Pag. 100. Argum. 10. If Paul account all the baptized Saints or Sanctified men dead with Christ and risen with him such as have put on Christ sons of God by adoption Abrahams seed heirs according to promise and justified then they did all profess a true justifying faith But no Infant did profess a true justifying faith if they did let it be shâ—wed when and where and to whom therefore no Infant was then baptized nor are now to be The antecedent Master Blake confesseth and I shall prove it by parts The consequence is that which lyeth chiefly on me to prove and I shall do both together The Apostle in the beginning of his Epistle to the Corinthians and in many other places calls the whole Church Saints 1 Cor. 6. 11. He saith to them but ye are washed ye are sanctified That part of the antecedent then is certain the consequene I prove thus There are none called Saints in all the New Testament but onely such as were in heart devoted to Christ by a saving faith or professed so much therefore the word Saint in this case must signifie onely such If any will prove a third sort of Saints viz. such as profess a faith not saving they must do that which I never saw done The first and most famous signification of the word Saints or Sanctified in the New Testament is onely of them that are in heart devoted to Christ by true faith therefore the borrowed or Analogical or less proper signification call it what you list must be of that which hath the likeness or appearance of this and that is onely the profession of it Profession maketh Saints visible or by profession as hearty dedication to God by faith maketh real or heart Saints Master Blake addeth we read of Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. 33. And they were taken to be Church-members as soon as they made profession as they ceased to be Jews or Pagans and took them to the way of Christianity as we see Acts 2. Acts 8. 12. 13. 38. Answ. 1. They renounced the way of ungodliness and wickedness in general by a profession of repentance as well as the way of Paganism and Judaism in particular There were no Christians that professed not repentance towards God from dead works 2. We believe that there were Churches of the Saints and therefore that none should be of the Church that profess not to be true Saints But prove if you can that there was ever either Church or Church-member called Saints in Scripture that had not either special sanctity or a profession of it And as for those Acts 8. you cannot prove that any of them were either called Saints or baptized without a profession of a justifying faith as shall further be shewed afterwards The Galatians I find not called Saints but to call them a Church of Christ or believers is equipollent and what Saints were they Why they were all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus having been baptized into Christ and put him on and were all one in him and were all Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise Gal. 3. 26 27 29. A Church in Scripture sense is a society of men professing true saving faith And thus we see what a Church was and what Saints were and what believers and Disciples were supposed to be by the Apostles and what is the signification of these words in Scripture for they are all of the same extent Thus much I have said to prove that all the baptized are accounted Saints and therefore professed a saving Sanctity The second title which I mentioned follows of which I shall be more brief All the baptized are accounted to be dead and risen with Christ even dead to sin and risen to newness of life therefore they all profess a saving faith The proof of this is full in the two Texts already cited Rom. 6. and Col. 2. 11 12. Rom. 6. 3. c. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walk in newness of life For if we have been planted together into the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that hence forth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Here is a full report of the use of baptism and the profession of all that are baptized and the state they are supposed to be in So that I cannot speak it plainlyer then the words themselves do So Col. 2. 11 12. which I shall not stay to recite because it is to the same purpose and before cited The third title mentioned in the argument is this All that are baptized have professedly put on Christ therefore they have professed saving faith The Antecedent is expressed Gal. 3. 23. for as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ the consequence is proved in that to put on Christ heartily is to be made true partakers of him and living members of him therefore to profess this is inseperable from the profession of saving faith yea by that faith he is truly put on Putting on Christ is the same with putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness being renewed in the Spirit of our minds Ephes. 4. 20 21 22 23 24. Col. 3. 10. It is putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him that created him and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ is put for the state of Sanctity in opposition to a fleshly life Rom. 13. 13 14. Saith Calvin on this Text induere Christum bic significat virtute spiritus ejus undique nos muniri qua idonei ad omnes sanctitatis partes reddamur sic enim in nobis instauratur imago Dei quae unicum est animae ornamentum Respicit enim Paulus ad vocationis nostrae finem quia Deus nos adoptans in corpus unigenti filii sui inserit
Blake which though it was intended onely to overthrow his tenet yet indeed the middle terms and proofs of his Arguments do beat down his own tenet of Infant Baptism and direct into the right way of restoring believers Baptism To demonstrate which that those who have adhered to Mr. Baxter may see how ill Master Baxter hath dealt with them and may if God give them wisdom to discern the truth be brought into the right way of believers Baptism is this writing framed in which thou hast presented to thee a remarkable instance of Gods providence in clearing truth by the Pen of its most eminent adversary and of his heâ—â—â—leâ—â— writing not observing how his own Arguments against another sight against himself The urging thereof is that way which Logiciansâ—â—prove of and against the person is ever counted a good plea to Argue for his own condemnation out of his own mouth and in this matter is good as to the thing it being not onely asserted by him but also largely proved In the publishing hereof theâ—e is no more wrong done to him then was done by Bishop Morton in his Apology in aliedging the Romanists words in their writings as an Advocaâ—e for the Protestants against themselves but much right to the truth and Church of God nothing iâ—â—ere set down as his but his own words what is added be may discern'd by the different letor some other mark His caution that he means his propositions in the case of Baptism of adult persons and that he hath elsewhere proved Infant Baptism are without wrong to him left out sith his Arguments do as strongly prove there should be none but Adult Baptism as that none should be Baptized upon the profession of a bare Dogmatical Faith for though his aim be onely to prove that the faith professed which intitles to Baptism must be justifying yet his Arguments to prove this prove more that none but such as profess such faith are to be Baptized and that this profession is to be by each Baptized in his own person and no other to be Baptized Not one Text he brings proves that a Parents or Proparents profession doth intitle to Baptism what he hath disputed elsewhere for Infant Baptism is all now answered and published in the three parts of my Review no where doth he prove though that is it be should chiefly have proved that in order to Baptism a Parents or Proparents profession is by God allowed as the Infants own but still be supposeth it which is the main point to be proved which Logicians know is of all fallacies the grossest to wit the begging of the question Yet lately Master Baxter hath Printed a book about Confirmation in which he dictates many things which he should prove of Infant visible Church-members and their priviledges and repeats his olâ— Arguments for Infant Baptism and acknowledging onely his sorrow for provoking words saith he will give some account and in his preface to his book of Justification tells the Reader he shall yet vindicate his Papers written to me where he gives some reason also of Printing my Animadversions on his Aphorisms of Justification His sorrow for his provoking words is some good sign of Gods touching his heart and so far as belong to my person I heartily forgive him though they have been extreamly injurious to me to the trâ—th and Church of God And for my Animadversions he hath now Printed he may understand that I intend if God vouchsafe me life and strength and leisure to shew the insufficiency of his answers If he give an account and vindicate his Papers I expect he should do it otherwise then he did in his Praefestinantis Morator and his usual fashion is Let him do that which becomes a Replicant set down mine own words to which he answer and answer them fully and distinctly without interrogations exclamations proving such distinctions definitions assertions expositions as I deny and making good by solid proof his Arguments which that learned man mentioned in my preface to the third part of my Review counted not like an Argument for Infant Baptism and allows me to tell him that if he will choose his best Argument he is ready to demonstrate his censure of his book to have been just In the mean time I judge it necessary that this book be Printed that if God shall vouchsafe him such mercy he may understand his error from his own writing and the Reader may judge whether the Lord doth not now abundantly refute Infant Baptism and require him to practise that command of Christ of being Baptized after believing which however now reproached was by all Christians observed heretofore with much zeal and conscience of their duty and honor and is commended to him from Christ and his Apostles Remember the words of Christ John 14 15. If ye love me keep my commandments Luke 6. 46. And why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Matth. 15. 9. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Farewel LONDON 12th Moneth the 21. day 1658. Thine in our Lord JOHN TOMBES Felo de Se. MAster Baxter of right to Sacraments disp. 2. pag. 53. Argum. 1. If we must not baptize any who profess not true repentance then must we not baptize any Infants but the antecedent is true Therefore c. The consequence of the major is manifest sith this proposition on which it depends Infants profess not true repentance is manifest by sense The antecedent is easily proved from Scripture and I know not whether any Protestant deny it I prove 1. that Repentance 2. and such as is proper to the effectually called is necessary to be professed by all that we may baptize I will joyn the proof of both together Argum. 1. If John Baptist required the profession of true repentance in men before he would baptize them then so must we but John did so therefore the consequence is clear 1. For either Johnâ— baptism and Christs were the same as most of our Divines against the Papists do maintain though Zanchy and some few more follow the judgement of the ancient Doctors in this or as Calvin Institut saith the difference seems to be but this that John baptized them into the Messiah to come and the Apostles into the name of the Messiah already come 2. Or if the difference be greater we may argue a fortiori from the more forcible if Johns baptism required a profession of repentance then much more Christs for certainly Christ required not less then John not did he take the impenitent into his Kingdom whom John excluded The antecedent I prove 1. From Mark 1. 3 4. He preached {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins And doubless that repentance which is in remissionem pecatorum unto the remission of sins is true special repentance One of our Divines and many of the Papists have sound another evasion That is that
be Crowned so fully a King or a man and woman so fully maried till it be solemnized in the congregation in this sense they say the same that I am proving men must be first Disciples by the professed consent before they are declared such by the seals or publick sacramental solemnization And that onely the professors of saving saith are Disciples may appear by a perusal of the texts of Scripture that use this word and it will not onely by found that this which I maintain is the ordinary use of the word which should make it so also with us but that no Text can be cited where any others are called the Disciples of Christ For the major and minor both observe Piscators definition of baptism on Matth 28. 19. Baptismus est sacrimentum novi testamenti quo homines ad ecclesiam pertinentes ex mandato Christi cultui veri Dei qui est Pater Filius Spiritus sarctus per ministros verbi consecrantur in fide remissionis peccatorum spe vitae aternae confirmantur Baptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament by which those men who belong to the Church by the command of Christ are consecrated to the worship of the true God which is the Father Son and Holy Spirit by the Ministers of the word and are confirmed in the faith of remission of sins and of hope of eternal life And he proveth this description per partes by parts 1. That is a Sacrament 2. That it belongeth to those that pertain to that Church and that onely must be baptized qui ecclesiam fuerit ingressi ac fidem Evangelii prosessi who are entred into the Church and have professed the faith of the Gospel Which he proveth from Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Vult ergo saith he ut prius constet de alicujus fide quam baptizetur unde Act. 8. Philippus Evangelista non prius baptizare voluit eunuchum illum Ethiopem quam is professus esseâ— fidem Christi He wills therefore that his faith be manifested before he be baptized whence Acts. 8. Philip the Evangelist would not baptize the Ethiopian Ennuch before he had professed the faith of Christ Calvin in loc. upon the place saith Baptiâ—â—ri Jubet Christus qui nomen Evangelii dederint sâ—que professi fuerint discipulos partim ut illis baptismus siâ— vitae aeternae tessera coram Deo partim apud homines externum fidei signum quem ad modum gratiam suam Deus hoc sigillo nobis confirmat ita quicunque se ad baptismum offerunt vicissim quasi data syngrapha obstringunt sâ—am sidem Christ commands them to be baptized who have given up their names to the Gospel and have professed to be his Disciples partly that baptism might be to them a sign of eternal life before God partly an external sign of Faith before men and as God confirms his grace to us by this seal so whosoever offers himself to baptism doth reciprocally engage his faith as it were by his bond And after verum quia docere prius jubet Christus quam baptizare tantum credentes ad baptismum vult recipi videtur non rite administrari baptismus nisi fides pracesserit But because Christ commands first to teach then to baptize and onely will have believers to be received to baptism it seems that baptism is not rightly administred unless faith doth precede So that it is Calvins judgement that this very Text which is the most notable copy of the Apostolical commission for the baptizing of the Disciple nations doth appoint that saving faith be professed before men be baptized Paraeus in locum from Mark 16. 16. sheweth that the order is â—redere baptizari to believe and to be baptized I agree with him and the rest in the main that justifying Faith must be an act of the Will embracing or accepting an offered Christ as well as of the understanding and that the profession of it must go before baptism But I shall further prove the minor from some other texts of Scripture viz. that they are not Christs Disciples that profess not saving Faith Luke 14 26 27 33. If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brothers and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple This is spoken of true Disciples in heart the first significatum by him that knew the heart From whence I argue thus If none are Christs Disciples in heart nor can be but those that value him above all and will forsake all for him if he require it then none can be his Disciples by external profession but those that profess to esteem him above all and to be willing to forsake all rather then forsake him But the former is proved by the Text the consequence is clear in that the world hath hitherto been acquainted but with two sorts of Christians or Disciples of Christ the one such sincerely in heart and the other such by profession and the later are so called because they profess to be what the other are indeed and what themselves are if they sincerely so profess And it is the same thing professed which makes a man a professed Christian which being found in the heart doth make a man a hearty Christian John 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Here Christ giveth a certain badge by which his true Disciples may be known If onely those that love one another are true Disciples in heart then onely those that profess to love one another are Disciples by profession Joh. 8. 31. If ye continue in my word then are ye that is you will approve your selves my Disciples indeed If onely those are Christs Disciples indeed as to the heart that have the resolution of perseverance then onely those are his professed Disciples that profess a resolution to persevere But therefore all this I have said is no more then we have ever practised when in baptism we renounced the world flesh and devil and promised to fight under Christs banner to our lives end Saith Piscator in John 13. 35. Si pro Christianis id est Christi Discipulis haberi volumus oportet ut nos mutuo quam ardentisaime diligamus c. If we will be accounted Christians that is Christs Disciples we ought most ardently to love one another Object Any one is a Disciple that is willing to learn of Christ Answ. No such matter in an improper sense you may so call them but not in Scripture sense where 1. A Disciple and a Christian are all one Acts 11. 26. but every one that is willing to learn of Christ is not a Christian therefore not a Disciple 2.
the Son by which they cry Abba Father So Tit. 3. 5 6 7. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us c. that being Justified by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life The heirs then are regenerate justified and have the hope of eternal life So Ephes. 3. 6. The Gentiles being made fellow-heirs and of the same body are partakers of the promise in Christ by the Gospel even the unsearchable riches of Christ Heb. 6. 17. The heirs of promise have their salvation confirmed by Gods oath And Heb. 1. 14. they are called the heirs of salvation And Heb. 11. 6. 9. It is true justified believers that have that title and James 2. 7. They are called heirs of the promised Kingdom and 1. Pet. 3. 7. they are called coheirs of the same grace of life So that to be heirs in the first and proper notion is to be Sons that have title to the inheritance of glory and therefore to be heirs in the second analogical notion is to be such as seem such by profession of that Faith which hath the promise of that glory The last title that I mentioned in the Argument was Justified Paul calleth all the baptized Church of Corinth Justified None that profess not a justified Faith are called Justified therefore none such should be baptized The major I proved to Master Blake out of 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Master Blake doth not at all deny the major or the sense of the Text alledged to prove it but darkly in generals intimateth a denial of the minor silently passing over that particular title justified as if he durst not be seen to take notice of it I confess its sad that good men should be so unfaithful to the truth which is so precious and is not their own and which they should do nothing against as Master Baxter hath done but all they can for it Having gon thus far about titles let me add another the title Regenerate Christ hath instituted no baptism but what is to be a sign of present regeneration But to men that profess not a justifying faith it cannot be administred as a sign of present regeneration therefore he hath instituted no baptism to be administred to such The major I have proved already in the first Argument and its plain in John 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And so in Tit. 3. 5. where it is called the laver of regeneration In both which though I am of their minde that think that the sign is put for the thing signified yet it may thence plainly appear what is the thing signified even regeneration or the new birth Yea so commonly was this acknowledged by all the Church of Christ that there is nothing more common in the writings of the Fathers then to take the terms regenerate illuminate c. and baptized as signifying the same thing or at least spoken of the same person which occasioned one of our late Antiquaries so stifly to plead that regeneration in Scripture signifyeth meer baptism and that all the baptized are regenerate I grant that it oft falls out that baptism being misapplied sealeth not regeneration at present and that the same person may afterward be regenerate and his remembred baptism may be of use to him for the confirmation of his faith But this is not the institutes commanded use of it to be so administred at first if the party profess not saving faith though this review of it is a duty where it was so abused at first The minor I shall take for granted while regeneration in Scripture stands so connexed to salvation I know no regenerate ones but the justified or those that profess to have a justifying faith nor hath he proved any more Pag. 118. Argum. 11. All that are meet subjects for baptism are after their baptism without any further inward qualification at least without any other species of saith meet subjects for the Lords Supper But no Infant is a meet subject for the Lords Supper as is acknowledged therefore no Infant is a meet subject for baptism Or thus Those whom we may baptize we may also admit to the Lords Supper But we may admit no Infants to the Lords Supper as is acknowledged by baptizers of Infants therefore we may baptize no Infants The major Master Blake will easily grant me and if any other deny it I prove it thus 1. It is the same covenant that both Sacrament seal one for initiation the other for confirmation and growth in grace therefore the same saith that qualifieth for the one doth sufficiently qualifie for the other for the same covenant hath the same condition 2. They are the same benefits that are conferred in baptism and the Lords Supper to the worthy receiver Therefore the same qualification is necessary for the reception The antecedents is commonly granted Baptism uniteth to Christ and giveth us himself first and with himself the pardon of all past sins c. The Lords Supper by confirmation giveth us the same things it is the giving of Christ himself who saith by his Minister Take Eat Drink offering himself to us under the signs and commanding us to take himself by faith as we take the signs by the outward parts He giveth us the pardon of sin sealed and procured by his body broken and his blood shed 3. A member of Christs Church against whom no accusation may be brought from some contradiction of his first profession must be admitted to the Lords Supper but the new baptized may be ordinarily such therefore if he can but say I am a baptized person he hath a sufficient principal title to the Lords Supper Coram Ecclesia before the Church I mean such as we must admit though some actual preparation be necessary unless he be proved to have disabled his claim on that account either by nulling and reverting that profession or by giving just cause of questioning it 4. The Church hath ever from the Apostles dayes till now without question admitted the new baptized at age to the Lords Supper without requiring any new species of faith to intitle them to it I take the major therefore as past denial I must confess as much as I am against separation I never intend to have communion with Master Blakes congregation if they profess not saving repentance and faith And if he exact not such a profession I say still he makes foul work in the Church and when such foul work shall be voluntarily maintained and the word of God abused for the defilement of the Church and ordinances of God it is a greater scandal to the weak and to the schismsticks and a greater reproach to the Church and sadder case to
considerate men then the too common pollutions of others which are meerly through negligence but not justified and defended Let Master Baxters own words judge him who makes the same foul work in the Ordinance of baptism by admitting Infants to it upon a Parents or Proparents as he terms them profession when all his proofs of the necessity of profession to go before baptism are of the profession of the party himself to be baptized and this device of a Parents or Proparents profession instead of the Infants is his own invention that hath not any intimation in Scripture and by his own proofs makes Infants capable of the Lords Supper and perverts the nature of Sacraments which his own words do fully express thus Pag. 123 124. The first Argument of Master Gillespies 20. is from the nature of Sacraments which are to signifie that we have already faith in Christ remission of sin by him and union with him The sense of the argument is That seeing Sacraments according to Christs institution are confirming signs presupposing the thing signified both on our part and on Gods therefore none should use them that have not first the thing signified by them Though I undertake not to defend all the Arguments that other men use in this case yet this doth so much concern the cause of baptism which I am now debating that I shall give you this reply to it What Divines are there that deny the Sacraments to be mutual signs and seals signifying our part as well as Gods And how ill do you wrong the Church of God by seeking to make men believe that these things are new and strange If it be so to you it is a pity that it is so but sure you have seen Master Gataker's Books against Doctor Ward and Davenant wherein you have multitudes of sentences recited out of our Protestant Divines that affiâ—m this which you call new It is indeed their most common Doctrine that the Sacrament doth presuppose remission of sins and our faith and that they are instituted to signifie these as in being It is the common Protestant Doctrine that Sacraments do solemnize and publickly own and confirm the mutual covenant already entred in heart as a King is Crowned a Souldier Listed a Man and Woman maried after professed consent So that the sign is causal as to the consummation and delivery as a Key or Twig and Turff in giving possession but consequential to the contract as privately made and the right given thereby so that the soul is supposed to consent to have Christ as offered first which is saving faith and then by receiving him Sacramentally delivered to make publick profession of that consent and publickly to receive his sealed remission Master Cobbet cited by you might well say that primarily the Sacrament is Gods seal but did he say that it is onely his and not secondarily ours And in the next words you do in effect own part of the Doctrine your self which you have thus wondered at as new and strange saying I confess it is a Symbol of our profession of faith If you mean as you speak taking profession properly then 1. you yield that the Sacrament is our symbol and so declareth or signifieth our action as well as Gods 2. And it is not onely a sign of our profession but a professing sign and therefore a sign of the thing professed for the external sign is to declare the internal acts of the mind which without signs others cannot know As therefore the words and outwards actions 〈◊〉 â—wo distinct signs of the same internal acts so are they two wayes of professâ—â—â— My signal actions do not signifie my words which are plainer signs the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore need not darker to express them but they both expre 〈…〉 mind So that they are not only symbols of our professiâ—â— as you spea 〈…〉 t professing symbols 3. And if so then they must be signs and professions of those internal acts which correspond with them The Fourth Argument of Master Gillespy is from Rom. 4. 11. Circumcision was a seal of that righteousness of faith therefore so is baptism therefore it belongeth onely to justified believers He that maketh it the instituted nature or use of circumcision to be a seal of righteousness of faith which the person had before doth make his circumcision a proof of his foregoing righteousness of faith Pag. 133. You cannot shew where ever the wicked are commanded to communicate with the Church in the Sacrament but in this order First to be converted and repent and so baptized and so communicate Gillespy Aarons rod blossoming pag. 514 515. The assumption that baptism it self is not a regenerating ordinance I prove thus 1. Because we read of no Persons baptized by the Apostles except such as did profess faith in Christ gladly received the word and in whom some begun work of the Spirit of grace did appear I say not that it really was in all but somewhat of it did appear in all Baptism even of the aged must necessarily precede the Lords Supper Pag. 144. My Twelfth Argument is from Matth. 22. 12. Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment and he was speechless To come in hither is to come into the Church of Christ By the wedding garment is undoubtedly meant sincerity of true faith and repentance so that I may hence argue If God will accuse and condemn men for coming into his Church or the communion of Saints without sincere faith and repentance then it is not the appointed use of baptism to initiate those that profess not sincere faith and repentance But Infants profess not sincere faith and repentance as is manifest by sense therefore it is not the appointed use of baptism to initiate Infants Pag. 145. The Thirteenth Argument is this We must baptize none that profess not themselves Christians But no Infants profess themselves Christians as is manifest by sense therefore we must baptize no Infants The major is certain because it is the use of baptism to be our solemn listing sign into Christs Army our initiating sign and the solemnization of our mariage to Christ and professing sign that we are Christians and we do in it dedicate and deliver up our selves to him in this relation as his own So that in baptism we do not onely promise to be Christians but profess that we are so already in heart and now would be solemnly admitted among the number of Christians the minor I prove thus 1. No man is truely a Christian that is not truly a Disciple of Christ that is plain Act. 11. 26. No man is truly a Disciple of Christ that doth not profess a saving faith and repentance therefore no man that doth not so profess is truly a Christian The minor I prove thus No man is truly a Disciple of Christ that doth not profess to forsake all contrary Masters or Teachers and to take Christ for his chief Teacher consenting to learn of him the way
shall take liberty to say It is this to one but not to another when the Scripture saith no such thing but speaks of the nature and use of it without distinction Else when it saith circumcision is a seal of the righteousness of faith we may say with the Anabaptists it was so to Abraham but not to all others And when the Lords Supper is said to be appointed for the remembrance of Christ we may say That is but to some and not to others when as the Text plainly speaks of the stated use of the ordinances to all 2 And in the type it is clear for it was not some onely but all that entered Noabs Ark that entered into a state of salvation from the Deluge therefore so it is here as to the commanded use 2. When baptism is said to save us it s plainly meant of the state of salvation that baptism entereth us into and not of baptism ex opere operato by the work done effecting our salvation And so baptism comprehendeth the state into which we are solemnly by it initiated As a woman that is maried to an Honourable man or a Souldier listed under an Honourable Commander is said to be honoured the one by mariage the other by listing Where antecedent consent is the foundation on both sides of the honourable relations and the subsequent state is the condition or state it self which is honourable but the solemn signation is but the expression of the former and passage to the later 3. Hereby it is apparent that though the answer of a good conscience be the principal thing intended and that saveth yet the external baptism is here included as the sign and solemnization so that when the Apostle saith not the putting away of the filth of the flesh he means not the bare outward act of washing alone or as such but baptism as it is entire having the thing professed on ouâ— part together with the professing sign 4. It is therefore but by way of signification obsignation and complemental exhibition that baptism saveth it being neither the fast or principal efficient or condition of it but is valued as it is conjunct with the principal causes and condition for the attainment of these ends 5. It is not a meer remote means leading towards a state of salvation that baptism is here affirmed to be but an enterance or means of entrance into that state of salvation it self As the heart-covenant or faith doth it principally so baptism signally and complementally This is plain 1. Because it is not said to help us towards a state of salvation but expresly to save 2. Because the type which is here mentioned viz. the Ark was such a means that all that entered into it for preservation from the Flood were actually saved from it All this laid together doth confirm both the antecedent and consequence of my Argument Calvins words on the Text signifie 1. that no baptized men are excluded from salvation but Hypocrites 2. That they that are excluded from salvation for all their baptism are such as did depâ—ave and corrupt it and not justly use it Yet another Argument may hence be raised thus Argum. 2. If according to the institution the answer of a â—ood conscience must be joyned with baptism for the attaining of its end then we must admit none that profess not that answer of a good conscience But no Infant doth profess that answer of a good Conscience as is manifest by sense Therefore we must admit no Infant to baptism But the former is certain from the Text for baptism is said to save that is its appointed use yet not the external washing but the answer of a good conscience doth it therefore this is of necessary conjunction and without it baptism cannot attain its end but it is to be administred and received onely in order to the attainment of its end and therefore never in a way by which the end is apparently not attainable What this answer of a good conscience is we shall further enquire anon Both the common expâ—sitions fully confirm the point which I maintain The assemblies Annot. recit both thus Hence by the answer of a good conscience we may understand that unfeigned faith whereof they made confession at their baptism and whereby their consciences were purified and whereby they received the remission of their sin c. Some understand by the answer of a good conscience that covenant whereinto they entered at their baptism the embracing whereof they testified by their unfeigned confession of their faith viz. such a faith as is aforesaid Pag. 160. Argum. 18. No one may be admitted to baptism who may not be addmitted a member of the Church of Christ No one may be admitted to be a member of the Church of Christ without the profession of a saving faith therefore no one may be admitted to baptism without the profession of a saving faith But no Infant doth profess saving faith as is manifest by sense therefore no Infant may be admitted to baptism I speak of such admission to Church membership as is in the power of the Ministers of Christ who have the Keys of his Kingdom to open and let in as well as to cast out The major is past question because baptism is our solemn entrance into the Church who were before entred by private consent and accepted by the covenant of God All the question is of the minor which I shall therefore prove 1. It is before proved that all the members of the Church must be such as are visibly solemnly or by profession sanctified from former sin cleansed justified persons of God the heirs of the promise c. But this cannot be without the profession of a saving faith therefore c. 2. This is also before proved where it was shewed that no other are Christians or Disciples 3. In Acts 2. 41 42. c. The many thousand that were added to the Church were such as gladly received the doctrine of saving faith and repentance and continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer and so far contemned the world as to sell all and make it common And doubtless no man continued in those ways of doctrine fellowship prayer c. without the profession of saving faith and repentance for the very use of these is such a profession of which saith Calvin in Act. 2. 42. quaerimus ergo veram Christi ecclesiam Hic nobis ad vivum depicta est â—jus imâ—gâ— ac initium quiâ—em facit a doctrina quae veluti ecclesiae anima est not as barely heard but as professed and received nec quamlibet doctrinam nominat sed Apostâ—lorum hoc est quam per ipsorum nanus silius Dei tradiderat ergo ubicunque personat pura vox Evaâ—gelii ubi in ejus professione mâ—â—nent homines ubi in ordinario ejus auditu ad profectum se exercent illic indubio est ecclesia c. Quare non temere