that it was a standing law for all Pastors and Teachers to the worlds end 1. Because it fully appeareth that water-baptisme was never intended by God but either onely or cheifly for an introductory or planting Ordinance at its first coming unto a City or Nation till it should get some considerable rooting and interest among them not for a staple Ordinance in one and the same place with many other such like Pleas as this is to render it doubtful To which I answer but with much grief of heart to find such noble parts and abilities as God hath endowed you with so desperately engaged in so bad a cause But Sir if I prove by the Scriptures that it is sinful for Disciples to remain unbaptised and that by the precept of Christ then all your farre fetcht pleas will fall to the ground To prove then by the Scriptures that it is sinful by the precepts of Christ that his Disciples should neglect Baptisme I prove from the 2. Acts 37 38. that the commandments of the Apostles are to be looked upon as the Commandments of Christ it appeareth in that they had them from Christ Acts 1.2 Vntill the day in which he was taken up after that he through the holy Ghost had given commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen Paul 1 Corinth 11.23 pleadeth what he delivered them he had from the Lord. Peter therefore 2 Pet. 3.2 saith he wrote to them meaning the scattered Disciples to stirre up their pure minds by way of remembrance that they might be mindfull of the Commandments of VS saith he the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour besides the foundation of Religion laid by Christ and that laid by the Apostles the Spirit in Scripture maketh one and the same 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ Now the same Apostle to the Ephesians Ephes 2 20. saith thus And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets So that to build upon Christs doctrine and the Apostles doctrine is the same and that for the reason specified I conclude then that if the Apostles command every one to be baptised then Christ hath commanded every one to be baptised But the Apostle Peter in the 2. Acts 38. when the Disciples that were pricked at the heart by the word preached asked him what they should do He commandeth them to repent and be BAPTISED EVERY one of them for the remission of sins So that here is a plain positive command to all and every of the persons at whose heart the Word cometh not onely to repent but to be baptised If sin then be the transgression of the Law which the Apostle saith it is and that the Apostles Commands are Christs and that the Apostle hath commanded every one that repenteth to be baptised then doth the conclusion lift up its head that there is a precept of Christ in Scripture whereby it is made sinful for some persons to remain unbaptised But it may be Mr. Goodwin will object 'T is true this was a command which lay upon those new Converts as a duty but doth that prove it lieth upon us I answer Yes if the duty of repentance lie upon us as well as on them for they are both put together by the Apostle and if the precepts of the Apostles to the primitive Churches in any thing be precepts to us then is Baptisme as well as other things for as Repentance and Baptisme are both enjoyned to the first Churches by the Apostles so are they both put together in the Commission Math. 28.19 Disciple me all Nations baptising them and Mark 16.16 Goe and preach to every Creature He that beleiveth and is baptised shall be saved and the same presence promised to the end of the world as well to baptising as to teaching Mr. Baxster saith by the end of the world to understand a period of time is a peice of impudent violence This then is my first Argument for the standing of the Ordinance of Baptisme it is joyn'd with Teaching in the Commission and Christ saith what God hath joyn'd together let no man put assunder But God hath joyn'd Baptisme and Teaching together and for any man to presume to part them what is it but to offer an affront to the great God and God will surely reckon with them for it first or last how many are there of such that for slighting Christ in his Ordinances Salt marsh and his followers which was the first stone they stumbled at have had strong delusions sent them by God that they might beleive lies and since proved forlorn wofull spectacles of Gods indignation But to set home this Argument for the standing of Baptisme as long as Teaching I shall use Mr. Goodwins own words upon which I would fix the eye of the Reader Water dip p. 12. No Authority can discharge or dis-oblige but that which is either greater than or at least equall unto that which bindeth If so then are you not bound by your own principle to find us out an Authority equall to Christs that hath discharged Baptisme which is by so great an Authority enjoyned as is Christs the Lords the great Judge both of quick and dead which I am sure is impossible for you to do and therefore Baptisme standeth in full force and vertue and all your suggestions rendring it doubtful must not nor will not go for gold but dirt except with some that in matters of Religion are neitheir hot nor cold which luke-warm temper God abhorreth and without repentance will one day spue them out of his mouth Good Reader let but thy esteem of Baptisme stand till Mr. Goodwin shew us an Authority equal to Christs that hath discharged it and I will promise thee that mine and thine shall fall together My second Argument to prove Baptisme standing is this That opinion which tendeth to the destruction of all Religion can never be the truth but to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to the destruction of all Religion That to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to the destruction of all Religion I demonstrate that thus 1. By dividing Religion into two parts 1. That which is external standing in the exercise of external Ordinances and 2. That which is internal standing in a holy frame of heart and life Now that to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to destroy the external part of Religion I prove it thus If the standing of Teaching and breaking bread and other acts of Church fellowship have no other foundation but what Baptisme hath the same then to conceive Baptisme out of date is to disparage the standing of all the rest as out of date also because the same God out of the same infinite wisodme ordained Baptisme that ordained breaking bread and all the acts of Church-fellowship may he hath cast some degrees of honour more upon Baptisme then upon some other of the Ordinances in as much as he singled out Baptisme from
acknowledge their indisposition to the obedience of it made them indulge every weak argument to the contrary and that they were never able to submit to the truth of Christ in the naked simplicity of it till God gave them the command of their own spirits Pro. 25.28 Isai 28.9 1 Cor. 3.18 Ioh. 5.44 till they became like Children weaned from the breast In a word till they were able to become fools for Christs sake and resolve to delight their soules with that honour that cometh from God onely But whether the fault of non-obedience be chargeable upon the wills of men or the want of conviction notwithstanding all good meanes used to come at it that God onely knoweth as also the truth and falshood of mens faith but however the Church is not without ground to fear the truth of that faith that boggleth at obedience to Christ in those commands which distinguisheth the Disciples of Christ from Moses his Disciples it is not obedience to the morral Law doth that that God is to be worshipped was Moses his Doctrine as well as Christs That men should be merciful and just which is the substance of the second Table was as well the Doctrine of Moses as Christ so that by obedience to the Law morral a man may as well be said to be Moses his Disciple as Christs because they are both one in that But by obedience to the iustituted Law of Christ given for the ordering us in his worship a man is truly said to be Christs Disciple in distinction from Moses whose Ordinances were far different provided it follow repentance from dead works and faith towards God without which I confess it signifieth nothing in which respect doubtless both Jewes and Gentiles are said in baptisme to put on Christ Gal. 3.27 But more especially hath the Church cause to suspect the truth of that faith that sticketh at obedience to the positive Law of Christ because it is that chiefly that putteth men to shame and casteth out their name as evill 'T is not the simple worshipping of God that bringeth men disgrace no not with carnal men that have not sinn'd away their first principles of conscience but honour rather because every man by those principles is prompted to some worship but that which offendeth is the worshipping of God after his own way which the world cannot bear if men could be content with the Religion of Christ it self corrupted they might live at Rome and be applauded So for the other part of the morral Law which consisteth in Justice and Mercy Mercy and Justice offendeth not the generallity of men but onely some particulars where their own interest is struck at by it and the reason clear because the morral Law is written in every mans heart so that he that liveth up to that liveth to the conscience of every individual soul and consequently compelleth revereate from all men that have not sinn'd away the light of nature But for the Law of institutions they being forreign to the hearts of men found onely in the written word and in themselves of a despicable complexion and withal crossing the desires of the flesh and consequently contrary to the religion of the world which is formed by her worldly wise men according to her carnallity and to fit their own worldly interests It cometh to passe unavoidably that whosoever will follow Christ in the way of worship which he hath set up in the naked plainness and simplicity of it he shall be put to shame scorned contemned disgraced persecuted at least by tongue and pen especially by the learned whose interest is struck at by an effectual following the Lamb in his own way But suppose the faith of those that refuse Baptism to be as good as the best yet I utterly deny that it giveth them an immediate right to full communion with the Church simply upon that account The reason this because Jesus Christ himself who is the God of Order hath appointed the Communion of the Disciples to be orderly so that though persons be Disciples by faith and so have a remote right to all priviledges of Church Communion yet have not an immediate right thereto till they desire it in that way which Christ hath appointed That Christ hath establish'd order for regulating the communion of the Disciples is evident from the Coloss 2.5 where the Apostle hath these words Joying and beholding your ORDER and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him or after him as the Preposition in is expounded at the 8. verse And not after Christ now that by in him or after him he meaneth after his teachings appeareth by the 7. verse Rooted and built up in him and stablish'd in the faith as you have been taught And that the teachings of Christ respected their order in worship as well as their faith appeareth by the 8. verse where he opposeth the Jewish Ordinances which he calleth the rudiments of the world to Christs and in the 12. verse mentioneth Baptisme by name where in he affirmeth they were buried with Christ Again that Christ hath established order for the regulation of the Disciples Communion appeareth by the 1 Cor. 11. where the Apostle blameth the Church for disorder in their eating the Lords Supper and that their sin of disorderly walking might appear the more hainous to them he telleth them at the 23. verse That which he dâ—livered them that is those rules which he had delivered them to order themselves by in their communion which they had sinfully transgressed he received from the Lord. And in the 1 Cor. 14 40. exhorteth them that all things in the Church be done decently and in order and that matter of order is a thing strictly to be minded appeareth by Titus 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order Now if it be askt how it appeareth a disorderly practise for persons to be admitted into the Church and sit down with them in full communion without Baptisme I shall first enforce some of my brother Allens Arguments and take off Mr. Goodwins exceptions against them and then add one or two more The substance of his first Argument is this If Baptisin was the next thing immediately to be done by the order of Christ after being discipled P. 17 Of his Answer to Master Goodwins 40. Queries about Communion then to sit down with the Church in full communion before it is a disorderly practise But Baptism was the next thing immediately to be done by the order of Christ That Baptisme was the next thing immediately to be done appeareth by the Commission Math. 28.19 Go teach or Disciple all Nations baptizing them where we see Baptisme is the next thing to be done after discipling and accordingly the Apostles practised it Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 which putteth the matter out of all doubt to all ingenious men as all the instances of the
thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest another dost the same thing Roman 2.1 If you will needs find fault with us you must repent and return to the Parish again As to your odious foul language of sacrilegious Church-breakers I answer 1 Pet. 2.20 21 22 23. hereunto are we called from the example of Christ when we are reviled not to revile again but to commit ourselves to him that judgeth righteously Your eleventh Consideration followeth and for substance this THat Baptisme is no constituting principle of a true Church yea probably no part of Churchship or the visibility thereof and that the Apostles did not so look upon it as being either 1. Because in his inscription to the Churches be mentioneth their sanctification calling to be Saints c. but not their Baptisme 2. It is not mentioned by way of commendation either of Church or person more than the observance of other Ordinances That Baptisme is so essential to a right raised Church of Christ that without it there can be none in the right order of the Gospel I have proved already in my Answer to your third Consideration To the Reasons you give why the Apostles did not look upon the Baptisme of the Churches as any part of their churchship or visibility thereof I shall now address my self to make answer Your first is because in the inscription of his Epistles to the Churches he mentioneth their faith with divers other things but not their Baptisme If this be ground to presume that the Apostles looked not upon their Baptisme as any part of their-churchship or visibility thereof then neither was their preaching or hearing the Word nor breaking bread nor watching over one another nor admonition in case of sin neither is the great duty of prayer any part of their churchship or visibility thereof for there is none of all these mentioned by name in the inscriptions of his Epistles to the Churches but I know it is farre from Mr. Goodwin to say that these duties were no part of their churchship or visibility thereof and if these were not I marvell what were This therefore is so farre from being a reason that it hath scarce the appearance of one But 2. You say it is not mentioned in Scripture by way of commendation more than other Ordinances Here Sir but with respect to your gravity and my own obligation of respects to you I must crave leave for the truth sake to say that our affirming there can be no true raised Church without Baptisme doth not force us to find that Baptisme must be commended in Scripture above other Ordinances nothing lieth upon us but to shew what service Christ hath appointed it to and not what preheminence of commendation the Scriptures give to it above other Ordinances neither doth Christs choise of this Ordinance for the service we speak of necessarily imploy the superexcellency of it above others no more than faith its justifying us and not love proveth faith to be a more noble grace in the nature of it than love love is said to be greater than either faith or hope 1 Corinth 18.13 love being a giving grace having the whole world for its object but faith a receiving yet notwithstanding the honour of that high and excellent service of our first justification is given to faith and not to love Rom. 5.1 Gal. 2.16 So here though Baptisme should be found a lesse noble act of obedience than some others yet it will not follow from thence that it s not the Ordinance of initiation into the visible body of Christ For a Souldier to behave himself worthily as a Souldier more commendeth him to God and men than his listing himself yet is he not reputed a member of the Army without it Let this therefore suffice to be spoken against all the insinuations you give throughout your book against Baptismes having the honour of entring persons into the visible body of Christ because of the meanness of it least you be found reproveable for objecting against Baptisme for the bodies visible incorporation as the Jews was against faith for justification because to them works seemed more sightly and agreeable to their reason Your twelfth Consideration for substance this VVHen the Apostle Paul instructeth Christian Churches what manner of persons they are who are unmeet for Christian communion he mentioneth fornicators 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thes 3.6 covetous railers and the like but never unbaptised persons 'T is true Paul was wiser than to write any thing in his Epistles to the Churches by which he should suppose them guilty of that wherein he knew they were not in fault doth he not write to the whole Church of Corinth 1 Corinth 1.13 Were ye baptised in the Name of Paul nay 1 Cor. 12.13 Doth he not say We are ALL baptised And doth he not praise them 1 Corinth 11.2 that for the matter of Ordinances they had kept them AS he delivered them unto them and he delivered them from Christ 1 Corinth 11.1 and we have proved already that Christs Order was to baptise all the Disciples presently without delay And if all that hath been said in answer to your third Consideration be not enough to this point I heartily desire the Reader to lay to heart that which followeth To prove that no persons were reputed of the visible body of Christ before Baptisme and consequently farre enough from sitting down in Church societies without it I prove from the 4. of the Ephesians 4 5. There is one body which at the 12. verse is in plain termes and in words at length called the body of Christ Now that by the word body he did not mean it onely of the particular Church of Ephesus or any other particular Church of Christ but of the universal body of Christ it appeareth by that which he affirmeth concerning the body which belongeth no more to the Church of Ephesus than to any single Christian yea those many things wherein they are one he affirmeth as belonging to them in common with all the Scripture Christians in the world Now to accommodate his design of peace and love in the body he proceedeth to mention the many things wherein that body is one which he delivereth as so many notable Characteristical marks whereby all the members of that body may be known from all the world upon these marks I would fix the eye of the Reader behold then the Scripture marks of all the members of the visible body of Christ 1. They have one Spirit 2. One Hope 3. One Lord. 4. One Faith 5. One BAPTISME 6. One God and Father of all who is above all and in all and hath Christ linked their oneness in Baptisme with their union in those other things yea placed it in the order of words before their oneness in respect of God who is the Father of them all as being altogether the characters of a member of that body we speak of
Answer is ready 1. It appeareth clearly these persons the Text speaketh of were baptised persons Acts 10.47 48. 2. The Communion Peter had with them was after their Baptisme for presently upon the testimony of their faith by Gods giving them the gift of the holy Ghost Peter commanded them to be baptised in the Name of the Lord which was the manner of Peter and the rest in the course of their ministry Now if Mr. Goodwin could prove Peter broke bread with them between the time of their faith and Baptisme which is the matter Mr. Goodwin would prove lawfull by it then it were something to favour his cause but not home to the point neither because an occasional act with some few persons will not justifie the constant proceedings of a Church But why doth Mr. Goodwin think that this instance will prove mixt communion lawful Because Peter in his justification when questioned for eating with Cornelius insisted onely upon Cornelius his having the holy Ghost not his Baptisme To which I answer 1. The Scriptures silence doth not prove that he did not mention his Baptisme and insist on it too because the Scriptures doth not contain all the Apostles sayings Acts 2.40 With many other words did he testifie and exhort saying So John the Baptist Luke 3.18 with many other words 2. There was no necessity upon Peter for the justification of his eating with Cornelius to mention his Baptisme by name though he could not have communion with him without it because in those dayes a beleiving person and a baptised person was presumed the same Paul proveth they all beleived because they were baptised Gal. 3.27 And that 1. Because by the Commission of Christ all Beleivers were presently to be baptised Math. 28.19 And 2. Because none but such was the regular subjects of it Acts. 8.37 And 3. Because it was the constant practise of the Servants of God to call the Beleivers to Baptisme without delay Acts 22.16 So that the Apostles and Brethren understood him sufficiently as to their Baptisme by telling them of their having the holy Ghost as a testimony of their faith If they did not take that for granted it must be either because they doubted his understanding of the Commission of Christ or else his faithfulness in executing it or else their will to be baptised but there was no cause to doubt either nor Peters understanding the Commission or faithfulness in executing it because they had experience before of Peter in the case of the three thousand Acts 2.41 who the same day that they gladly received the word were baptised not their willingness Acts 10.33 because Cornelius was so ready to obey God in every thing that he had but a few fellows so that the mentioning of his Baptisme would have been like a kind of an impertinency 3. There was no necessity upon him to mention their Baptisme by name in his justification of eating with them though he could not have communion with them without it Because it is common both in Scripture language and common converse with men to include all appurtenances in the mention onely of some cheif part see for this John 5.44 Galat. 3.23 Galat. 3.2 Roman 10.8 Mat. 21.25 Acts 10.37 Johns Baptisme put for his whole Ministry Luke 7.30 Calvin calleth Baptisme an appâ—rtenance of faith p. 207. of his Commentary of the Acts. And no doubt this language was well enough known and understoood by the Apostles and Elders so that having mentioned the holy Ghosts coming on them as a testimony of their faith what need had he to draw it out in words at length that they were baptised and thus thou seest good Reader how Mr. Goodwin indulgeth every light appearance from the Scripture being passionately desirous to make that strait which God hath made crooked Your twenty one Consideration for substance this THat Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints one or other should be perfected by them and the whole body of Christ edified then certainly they have all right to Church-fellowship inasmuch as they have their callings onely by and resident in Churches neither are they in any probable way of perfecting them but onely when and whilst they are incorporated with them in their Churches respectively Eph. 4.8 11 12. To which I answer 1. It s true that Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints should be perfected by them but it is as evident the Saints this Text speaketh of for whom they were given in speciall to serve as Officers in the Church and who had power to give them their call they were such Saints as were of the visible body of Christ who as they had other characteristical marks of the members of that body namely to have one God one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith so one BAPTISME consult the 4. and 5. verses of this 4. of Ephesians which Text Mr. Goodwin groundeth his Argument upon and you will find it so and although other persons that were discipled by the word taught but yet had not put on Christ visibly by baptisme into his Name The gifts of Pastors and Teachers were given for the perfecting of them too yet but secondarily not primarily those gifts primarily respect the body of Christ so marked as before is noted 't is plain in the 12. verse For the edifying of the BODY of Christ That unbaptised persons were not then reputed of the visible body of Christ I have proved at large already and although they might be Saints before Baptisme in the sight of God yet in the account of the Church none passe for Saints till then because their faith it self in Christ which maketh Saints could not be clear to the Church till then and that because Baptisme being one of the beginning doctrines of Christ Heb. 6.2 Acts 2.38 Mar. 16 16. and preached by the Apostles as a duty with repentance and faith and that in order to remission of sins and salvation in some sense or other should any man have stuck at it and refused Baptisme what ground would the Church have had to look upon the faith of such as sound nay had they not all the reason in the world to doubt the soundness of it because the character of a true lively saith would be found wanting namely universal obedience and they rejecters of the counsel of God Nothing in reason could appear as a ground to refuse it but the danger of the crosse following it I conclude then that though the truth of their faith made them Saints before God yet without publick profession of their faith by Baptisme they were not owned for Saints by the Church or any such persons whose faith was of the right kind let their professions otherwise be that they would be This is clearly the doctrine of the 3. Galat. 27. Ye are all the children of God by faith FOR mark as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ he proveth their
Name and wear the livery of their Lord and Master The same Apostle to the same purpose Acts 2 38. Even so did Ananias in respect of Paul ARISE WHY tarriest thou be baptised and wash away thy sins and that before he eat though he had fasted three dayes I remember Sir an observation of your own upon these words both rational and pleasant from hence that Ananias importuneth Paul to baptisme by those words Arise Why Behold saith Mr. Goodwin whosoever dâ—l yeth obedience to any of the Ordinances of the Gospel will never be able to give a reason for it WHY tarriest thou This observation who doth not tast the sweetness and goodness of the truth in it that hath not lost their cast But for those observations you now make of the like places who can cast them but with sorrow of heart or behold them with dry eyes Again as Ananias hastened Paul to Baptisme after faith so did Paul hasten the Jaylour Acts 16 33. And was baptised he and all his mark STâ—A â—WAY even before his eating of meat Paul was more set upon the Lords work than feeding his own belly HEAVENLY SOUL though it was night and he hungry for after they came from baptisme into the house the Jayler set meat before them yet he first mindeth his Lords work like Christ John 4. who whilst the woman of Sâ—mâ—â—â—a was present to preach too the Disciples would not so much as offer him meat but when she was gone the Text saith IN THE MEAN WHILE the Disciples said Master eat verse 31. but his content was so great â—n feeding soules that he fed upon that as other men did upon meat and drink verse 32. I have meat to eat that ye know not off But 3. To discover Mr. Goodwins great mistake of this Text consider this if Phillip should have preach'd Baptisme as an indifferent thing would it not have been to disparage the wisdome of Christ in ordaining it who not onely commanded it but picked it out of all the rest of the Ordinances to mention it by name with Teaching in the Commission Mat. 28 19. And 2 commanding it to be done with so great solemnity Acts 2 3â— Mar. 16.16 and ordering the Apostles to propound it wâ—th Repentance and Faith in order to remission of sins and salvation having first been baptised himself to fultil all righteousness If Phillip after all this should have preached 〈◊〉 as an indifferent thing would it not have been a great disparagement to the wisdome of Christ in thus instituting it and thus gracing it for what would the import of such a carriage have been but that Christ repented of instituting it that he had over shot himself in it as men use to doe and that experience proved it to be of no moment Confider and judge But fourthly from the Text it self it appeareth clearly enough that Phillip had other thoughts of Baptisme than as a thing indifferent by the high termes he putteth upon it for upon the question put on the Eunuchs part what hindred that he might not be baptised Phillip answereth If thou beleivest 2. With thy HEART 3. With ALL thy heart thou mayest should Phillip have propounded it as a thing indifferent THAT would have spoken it a matter of small moment to the Creature But it is plain he putteth high termes upon it for if he did not beleive and that with ALL the heart it would hinder and stop his proceedings to that Ordinance and therefore an unreasonable thing to imagine him propounding it as a matter of indifferency for doth not all men judge it a senseless thing for any man to put high and extraordinary termes upon a poor and mean commodity or doth so doing unbecome men and can any body judge it becomming the wisdome of the Spirit of God The truth is those words THOU MAYEST following those words If thou beleivest with all thy heart in answer to the Eunuchs question What hindreth being understood as Mr. Goodwin would have them that is that he might if he would or might refuse without sin would render his Answer to have no more savour than is in the white of an Egg because that sense of them is a plain contradiction to the high termes he putteth upon it Besides at the 12. verse in this 8. chapter of the Acts it appeareth Phillip was very chary of the Ordinance of Baptisme mark BUT WHEN THEY BELEIVED Phillip preaching the things concerning the Kingdome of God and the Name of Jesus Christ they were baptised both men and women BUT WHEN THEY BELEIVED not before the truth is not any one of the Apostles or Administrators of the Ordinances shewed a more tender spirit of the honour of Baptisme than Phillip most unlike therefore was he by those words THOU MAYEST to mean he might or he might not 5. Phillip insisting upon the doctrine of Baptisme as well as other doctrines of Christ at that time to the Eunuch when he had but a little time to instruct him in in all is that which mightily reproveth that conceit that by those words THOU MAYEST should be meant thou mayest or thou mayest chuse can any man imagine that Phillip should spend any part of his little time with him in the discourse of that which he might neglect without sin or dammage It seemeth Phillip opened the doctrine of Baptisme to him as well as other things and that he understood it not onely as his duty but a priviledge not to be admitted to absolutely but conditionally why else should he say WHAT HINDRETH Doth not that imply that he thought something might and withall doubted his own fitness which made him put the question But if any object that it appeareth not that Phillip insisted at all on Baptisme I confess it is not said in words at length that he did But 1. We find the question put on the Eunuchs part upon his converse with Phillip 2. We read of no other that instructed him in Christiaanity And 3. It was the manner of the Apostles to preach Faith and Baptisme together being the beginning doctrines of Christ and belonging to the foundation of a Christian man Heb. 6.2 Thus did this Phillip unto the Samaritans in the beginning of this 8. of the Acts we read onely of his preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God there is no mention made of his preaching of Baptisme by Name but no body will be so brutish as to imagine that Phillip would baptise them before he instructed them concerning the nature use and ends of Baptisme because then they could not worship God in spirit but ignorantly and carnally and where then would the difference be between the worshippers under the Law and under the Gospel herein lay a main part of the reformation by Christ that he rendereth his worshippers more spiritual than under the Law 'T is such worshippers that he seeketh John 4. In a word the Apostles admission and the Beleivers submission to Baptisme doth imply their being