both especially too seeing he bids them or affirms of them whom upon examination he admits unto that ordinance that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annunciare declare or shew forth the Lords death when they participate and it s expresly forbidden women in the same Epistle Chap. 14.34 35. to speak in the Church or Congregation And whereas it may be said again that the Epistle was writ to all the Saints in Corinth and all that call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus it might easily be replyed and truly too that all things in the Epistle are not therefore applicable to every one of them its writ to as that in chap. 1.8 That they were inriched with every thing in Christ in all utterance and knowledge and came behind in no gift seeing he says in chap. 8. All have not this knowledge and chap. 15. Some of them had not the knowledge of God Yea its plain that some things â—n it concern women and not men as about silence in the Churches and covering their heads cap. 11. 14. And other things men and not women as in the same Chapters however its evident that here is no express commandement nor practise of the Churches related in which there is express mention of womens partaking of the Supper and I think all Churches agree about it that its lawfull and good that they partake of it So that the bare want of express command in so many words or of the like express mentioning a thing as practised by the Apostles is no sufficient ground to conclude a practise sinfull they that make that their rule in approving or condemning practises might make as great disturbances in other things that are warrantable enough as well as in Infant Baptism For 3. It s to be considered further that Christ is not so circumstantiall in his precepts or injunctions of outward meer positive Ordinances as Moses was Moses or rather God to and by Moses sets down to every pin and peg in the Tabernacle how it must be made and delivers more circumstantially the commands of Circumcision and Passover as the age and time in which they were to be done how often and in what form but so doth not Christ he hath not by himself or by his Apostles set down at what certain age a man should be Baptized or eate the Supper nor in what Form whether all the body or some part of it must be dipt or washed in Baptism how often and upon what times of the year the Supper is to be taken nor in what gesture He hath not bounded the Church thus in the circumstances of his Ordinances Nay he hath not as we noted before said any where ye may or ye may not in terminis Baptise Infants or ye must not Baptise men till they have first beleeved Now whereas its commonly objected Object that this is to make Christ a less perfect and faithfull mediator and dispenser of the things of God then Moses in my minde it s ignorantly spoken and they that so object consider not in what the faithfulness and perfection of Christs ministration above Moses standeth For 1. Sure his faithfulness stands in this Sol. That he discharge al that Office that his Father hath imposed upon him be it what it will Now if his Father no where injoyned him to such circumstantiateness in his Ordinances he is not chargeable with unfaithfulness if he do not so circumstantiate them 2. Moses was a servant and amongst servants and his Law was a ministration of servitude and though to sons also yet to sons under age and nothing different from servants in respect of tutelage even the most beleeving of them Gal. 4.1 2. Heb. 3.2 5. But Christ is the Son in his house in which are sons also not under that or the like tutelage yea his people are to him in the capacity of a wife or Spouse Now whether is greater perfection to lead to and leave at more liberty in externall matters not morrall or to bind up to more servitude and with more charges Servants and Schollers may have every part of their work set them with more formality or exact mention of every punctilio especially while under none age but a wife or son more grown may be left more to liberty and their discretion and not so bound and tyed up with outward formall precepts Nor follows it thence that then we have greater liberty to sin Rom. 4.15 for where no Law is there is no transgression there is no sin in those things but whyt stands in crossing a positive Law or binding upon men that as a Law that he hath left at liberty and not bound us to these things being applyed onely to things of externall Form and Ordinance not to the things of the inside and Spirit and what flows from thence of morall practise such as the love of God and man with the branches of it which are due from us though God should not expresly by word injoyn them to us there being a Law of Nature and Grace too to injoyn us thereunto 3. But to come more up to the business In the Law was a less discovery of love and more of service in carnal things shadowing out those spiritual things in which the love of God was more brightly to be evidenced In the Gospel is more discovery of Love and therefore more spirit and less carnal service As the Sun growing higher the shadows shorten So the Gospel being now more clear the shadows of external Ceremonies or Documents are less insisted on 4. The time of the Law being as the time of Infancy and less growth in understanding and the time of the Gospel as the time of riper years as men grown can take hints of things and perceive the Speakers mind in them when little children need to be told plainly every circumstance So then the Ministration fitted to those times needed to be more circumstantial whereas now having the light and help of those former Documents some hints in Scripture may declare the Will of Christ to our understanding where there are no such exact express mentionings of it So that that Objection vanishes It 's so far from being Antichristianism and a denying of Christ come in the flesh as some would have it to say that Christ is less exact in the matters of external Forms rhat it 's rather Antichristianism and a tacit denyal of him come in the flesh to make him so exact in Forms And yet something of Form he hath left us too we being not yet come to full age to perfection in knowledg and fulness of Spirit but much carnal yet And I acknowledg and beleeve that what Ordinances he left us we are not proudly to despise slight alter and change as if needless to us or matters to be ordered meerly by our wills but it becomes us to wait upon him in them not setting up our Posts by his Posts nor yet being more holy then God and Christ Ezeck
and right to the eternal inheritance then though Baptism witnessing to Christ and pointing us to him witness to the enjoyment of that union and forgiveness through the hearty belief on Christ yet it sealeth them not to the several parties baptized outwardly as their undoubted portion and priviledge in and by coming to this Baptism and so to be profest Subjects in the Kingdom or Church-state of Christ to be enjoyed by them The sealing of that is the proper work of the Spirit of Christ as hath been noted before And thus have we also viewed these Objections But 4. In perusing Master Kendals Answer to Master Goodwin I have lately met with one other Argument which though propounded only Ad hominem and by way of Objection by him to Master Goodwin as endeavouring to shew an inconsistency in his principles and doctrines yet as I apprehend may seem to carry some shew of weight in it amongst some of the Antipedobaptists that believe the Extent of Christs Death and Ransom yea it makes me call to mind that it is a prime Argument with many of them and therefore I conceive it very needful to say something to it and shew its invalidity It is to this purpose Christ by his death and sufferings hath wholly dissolved Object 4 and taken off from all men the guilt and condemnation that was brought on all men by Adams sin and so from all Infants so as that none shall perish now but for his own personal sinning against the Government and goodness of God by Christ therefore as Tertullian says Quid festinet innocens aetas ad remissionem Seeing Infants are not in danger of perishing while such nor have any sin to be washed from no need is there of their being baptized To this purpose is Master Kendals reasoning once and again and particularly in Chapt. 17. Pag. 203. twice and again Pag. 207. To which I answer Answ 1 1. By denying the Consequence because though Christ indeed hath dyed for all and through his death the benefit is to all men to justification of life Rom. 5.18 So as that there is salvation extendible to them in the publick person and tenderable to them in the Gospel So as that They are so far redeemed from under the Law or first Covenant made with Adam as that though they have broken it in him yet they are not under a necessity of destruction but Christ hath power to forgive their sins and bring them unto God that sin and law notwithstanding And no Scripture speaks of any perishing finally for that Adam sinned but generally for their own personal rejections of the light imprisonings of the truth abuses of goodness and patience and rebellions against Spirit by and through Jesus Christ extended and afforded as witness Prov. 1.22 23 24. c. Ezek. 24.13 Josh 3.19 and 12.48 Rom. 1.18 19 20 21-28 2 Thes 1.7 2.10 Rom 2.4 5. with divers others which also seem to me Part. 2. p. 83. may be inforced from Master Kendals own concessions As when he grants That all the goodness patience mercy men enjoy they have it as the purchase and procurement of Christ no such good thing being extendible according to the Covenant with Adam broken by us for from thence will it not plainly follow That he stood in the breach stopt the course of the Law cursing us only and debarring us of all good and gave it its satisfaction for all for their breach of it and sin against it that being in it self inflexible and not otherwise diverted from accursing us and depriving us of all good but by satisfaction given to it in some other bearing its sentence for us for if the Law could upon other terms have dispensed with our enjoyment of good and suspended its sentence yea have permitted mercy to us instead of curse we do in vain put the enjoyment of of those good things upon Christs Mediation If then he hath suffered the curse of it for all and so given it its demands as that he hath power to give contrary to its sentence then are all men no longer under it as the Covenant of life and favour in the sight of God or in regard of his binding them to live by their personal obedience of it in Adam and themselves or else for ever to be accursed and perish Though in mens consciences it have this dominion unless and till their ignorant hearts be better informed Isai 42.6 and 49.6 7. Matth. 25.31 to the end and believe the truth and as a means of convincement of sin and so tending to salvation it is yet in its force as in the hand of Christ who is become the Covenant to the people according to mens subjection to whom in the light he affords or sinning against him they are now to be judged Though all this I say be so yet it follows not from thence either 1. That Infants are guilty of or have no sin in them For the death of Christ neither maketh them less guilty of having sin in Adam or of being guilty of that sin as in him nor doth it take corruption or uncleanness out of them by its self men may be guilty in themselves of that that is not imputed to them and for which being forgiven they shall not suffer Paul nevertheless charges himself with being the chief of sinners because his sin was forgiven him through the blood of Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 And it is not Christs dying for men simply renews then but the discovery of the grace and truth of God to them and the belief of it with the operations of the Spirit of God therein that cleanses both the conscience and spirit of men Children are conceived in iniquity and born in sin spring out of an unclean root and therefore are unclean in themselves Job 14.4 Psal 51.4 5. or 2. That Baptism were it so is needless for 1. The Death of Christ for a man is so far from rendring Baptism needless to that man that indeed there is no ground for baptizing any man but by vertue of and upon the account of his death for him Christ as dead and risen for us is the ground and foundation of all mercies and of all ordinances and the promise of him was the foundation of all the ordinances before his coming 1 Cor. 3.11 Ephes 2.20 as might easily be evidenced Had it not been for his stepping in we had forthwith upon breach of Gods Covenant layn for ever in death and misery without any mercy or favour to us or hope of delivery but for that Christ had not had authority and power over any man to dispense favour to him or deal otherwise with him then according to the desert of his sin and sentence of the Law nor had there been any remission of sins either to be sealed to or sought for by any person nor no way for adoring or worshipping God nor could ten thousand baptisms do or have done any man the least benefit had not Christ
Sadduces did I grant it 's true that there is no truth couched in Scripture and thence to be deduced that doth contradict or evacuate any plain express truth of Scripture any collection from Scripture contradicting the open saying of Scripture is to be rejected as not rightly deduced for the Scriptures though in some places they may seem yet in no place doth deny or contradict it self in other places But many truths are couched in Scripture that are not so openly exprest in plain sayings as some others be as we before instanced I conceive if those called Anabaptists did seriously consider this and yet this is as plain and undenyable a Truth as any can be pleaded for it would make them more sober towards others in this point of Infant Baptism and not so vainly to vapor and so proudly to insult as some of them do in their own conceptions of the undenyableness of this ground for denying it viz. that it 's not plainly exprest in any Scripture Instance or Precept And now let us in the next place see if any ground for it may be found couched in the Scriptures and therein first of all let us view the Commission given by Christ to his Apostles for Gentile-Baptism 1. That Commission we find in Mat. 28.19 20. All Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto me go ye therefore disciple ye all the Gentiles baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you c. Where first we have to be noted the ground of this Commission in Vers 18. All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth that is Though as the eternal Word I had all Power over all Creatures before they being all made by me Joh. 1.2 3 Col. 1.16 yet could I not with consistence with my Truth or Holiness order all of them or any of lost mankind as now upon the account of my Death and Resurrection I am in the nature of man impowered to do had I not dyed and risen for men I must have destroyed them all for ever but as virtually upon this account before so actually now and in the nature of man am I invested with Power and Authority as of Lordship over all Creatures to order and dispose them as I please agreeable to my Fathers Will so over Mankind to help and save them and make all things subservient to my designs about them Therefore also have I Power to make new Orders and grant out new Commissions what and to whom I please as also to protect and defend them that I employ in the execution of my said Orders and Commissions Therefore I command require and commissionate you to be my Servants and Messengers in the Work that I please to enjoyn you Go ye therefore And further For as much as by virtue of my Death and Resurrection for all men I have ransomed all men even all the Nations of the world out from under the power of the sentence to death and condemnation to which the Covenant broken by Adam as soon as made with him almost did bind them over so as that now that Sin and Law notwithstanding you and what ever Death by occasion thereof falling upon them I can save any of them in looking up to me and for so much as that is the way to their life and happiness the only way to it that they be obedient and subject to my Government and beleeve on me * God having given all Nations to me for mine inheritance Psal 28 8. Isai 49.7 Acts 4.12 1 Cor. 1.21 Joh. 1.4.5.9 and the utmost ends of the Earth for my possession and me to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth No other Name given under Heaven by which they can or may be saved and for as much also as the light of the knowledg of God by me as the eternal Word in the fulness of time to be made flesh suffer and dye held forth to them formerly in the Wisdom of God they by wisdom knew not but the light shining in darkness they do not comprehend It 's therefore my pleasure to send a plain Declaration of my Mind unto them and not only to reserve that priviledg to the people of Israel as formerly the partition wall between them and all other Nations being broken down by my sufferings Ephes 2.15 Therefore Go ye my chosen servants and Embassadours Disciple all the Gentiles baptizing them into the Name c. Here then secondly we have the Commission it self wherein baptism was first by our Saviour appointed to the Gentiles as a medium of their being discipled to him I confess baptism was practised before and that too upon all the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 3.21 people of every sort at least a word large enough to include infants too Deut. 31.12 Luke 9.13 with Matth. 14.21 Jude 5. but to our purpose this commission is more pertinent because it was given for the baptizing of the Gentiles and discipling them and so its rather to be read All the Gentiles as the same phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated in other places as Acts 15.17 Rom. 15.11 2 Tim. 4.17 and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gentiles commonly they having sufficient warrant before for discipling and baptizing the Jews in the former practising of baptism by John and themselves upon them and the commission given them Matth. 10. when the Gentiles were expresly excluded No other being to be baptized but such as were of the visible Church of God before Children of the Kingdom upon whom the name of God was called and so baptism was not to them the way of taking into the Church and Kingdom of God but for further instructing and taking in further them that were somewhat instructed in it before for that 's clear that the people of the Jews were already in the visible Church the Vineyard of God and Children of the Kingdom as in Matth. 8.12 21.42 43. The hedg was yet about them and the clouds rained upon them c. But now unto the Gentiles not fore-proselited and circumcised baptism was the way of taking them in and declaring and owning them to pertain to the Church nor do we read of any Gentile or Heathen coming into the visible Body and Company of the Church to be accounted of them by any other way or medium of outward institution after Christ's resurrection circumcision being not practised upon them and theirs in their admission as was formerly used in proseliting them Indeed that the false Apostles stood for and would have had the way of their entrance and admission still in which two it is observable that they make no mention of circumcising their infants but that they the Disciples ought to be circumcised as was the manner of Moses and Paul speaking to the Galathians says They constrain you and would have you to be circumcised Gal. 6.12 13. not
both of Gospel-preaching Ordinances now from what was then they having such as might nurture them to the expectation of the promised Seed the Son of God in his coming in the flesh we such as witness to him as already come dead risen and glorified and instruct to expect him coming in power and spirit 4. The Medium for begetting and bringing in sons to Abraham according to the Spirit was and is one and the same in substance though otherwise now then then in its declaration They were always born of the Gospel and not of the Law though nurtured under the Law both before and after And the Gospel was the same as preached to them and unto us the same in substance viz. That in Abraham and his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed not in the works of the Law but in him believed in To the which faith the Law shut them up taking away all possibility of life and blessing in and from themselves while it discovered their sins and shewed them their obligation under the curse for its transgressions Indeed then that Seed was preached as to come now as already come and perfected for saving us But always of that Gospel or Word of Gods free-grace were the true Seed begotten they were in all times the believers and not the workers for life and trusters in their works And the word of faith was always Jesus Christ or the Seed that is Jesus Christ who was yesterday to day and the same for ever These things being considered that difference before objected appears false and to spring from wrong apprehensions Thence the inference there-from follows not viz. That Baptism must be upon a spiritual Seed as Circumcision was upon a carnal both of them in their several seasons have been upon a spiritual and upon a carnal too Circumcision was upon a carnal seed in Ismael and all the natural Israelites upon a spiritual when a stranger joyned himself to the Lord in love to his Name Isai 56.3.6 1 King 8.41 42. And so Baptism was upon the natural carnal seed and not spiritual when the multitudes even the generality of the people were baptized by John chaff as well as wheat And upon the spiritual and not carnal seed in the Eunuch Cornelius and others of the Gentiles That inference springs from this wrong conception that the one and the other are seals of the Covenant as due to the parties signed with them which we have shewed before to be an errour Circumcision sealed but the righteousness of Abrahams faith held forth to them not the righteousness of each person circumcised and his enjoyment of the Covenant otherwise then upon condition of his so believing as Abraham did neither doth Baptism witness the faith of the party baptized or that he is an heir of promise but to Christ and the faithfulness of God in performing his promise in Christ that we are sinners in our selves and need cleansing otherwise not fit for fellowship with God but that there is in Christ a cleansing and propitiation made ready for us that he takes away the sin of the world and that whoso believeth in him turning from all other things to God by him shall meet with righteousness and forgiveness they are both of them Ordinances of the outward Court or of admission into the outward Regiment of Christs Kingdom in which men are to wait upon him for instructions and teachings to salvation and therefore it saith men should believe in him and having believed that they should yet go on to do so and they shall meet with a performance of the blessing of Abraham unto them The Baptism with the Holy Ghost is indeed upon the spiritual Seed only if we grant them in Heb. 6.4 5. to have been spiritually born sealing them up to the day of Redemption but the outward Baptism is not so limited it being a more carnal thing acted upon the flesh Nor say I that persons Infants or others are to be baptized upon this ground that they are in the Covenant and heirs of it in a proper sense but because Christ being Lord and Saviour hath salvation and forgiveness in him for them all and they are to submit unto him and be trained up for him that in minding and holding fast his sayings faithfully they may become heirs and inheritors of his Covenant and Kingdom as to that purpose we find John instructing the people that came unto his Baptism That they might be made meet to inherit with the Saints or to receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and be gathered into the Garner Luke 3.10 11 12 13 14. Matth. 3.9 10 11 12. And we find him baptizing Publicans Souldiers Pharisees Sadduces yea the generality of the people concerning whom he never saith That they were therefore the Heirs of the promise or Seed of Abraham according thereunto but exhorts them not to reckon themselves so because of their birth of him nor think because of their present Baptism that they were sure enough telling them his Baptism was but with water unto repentance or to instruct them that they should repent that he admitted one and other chaff and wheat that Christ to whom he witnessed and instructed them to look had the true Baptism that would indeed cleanse and renew them the Baptism of the Spirit c. The like we may observe of the Apostles baptizing the Gentiles That it was a bringing them into the house of God where the Feast is to be had into the society of those that acknowledge him come in the flesh and to be the Son of God there to attend the Kings coming to them and taking them into his banqueting Chambers Matth. 22.9 10. And he puts the difference between those that are made meet for the Feast by and in his Servants Ministration and them that are not and accordingly deals with them Indeed it s too low a conceit to think that an external Ordinance should seal an internal spiritual heirship That 's the work of Christ or Christ by the Spirit of promise When men in the Gospel hearing have believed and in attendance to such outward nurture as the external form of the Kingdom affords are brought into and made single for Christ then he seals them with his Spirit of promise and owns them for heirs as the Scripture witnesseth Tit. 3.6.5 Heirship follows his justifying by his grace which is met with and received by faith Rom. 5.1.9 and 1 Cor. 6.11 and then after that follows the Spirits sealing Ephes 1.13 14. Rom. 8.15 16. Indeed there is a double justifying washing and cleansing One Ministerial by men as when a Jew or Pagan turning in to the Doctrine of the Gospel to own it is washed by Baptism and therein ministerially acquitted and cleared from all his former idolatry so that the Church charges it not upon him as to their carriage towards him The other is Gods act when a soul in and through the Gospel throughly and cordially believing