why then should it stand in force against Infants in their own persons not capable of contemning and whose Parents desire it but are prevented by necessity Alas poor infants that you free from contempt in your selves and your Parents also must yet away to Hell for bare want of Baptism and yet grown persons as Papists themselves acknowledge in the same want have access to Heaven so they be free from contempt Can we imagine bare want to be more prejudicial to Infants then to grown men But what Reader if it appear that the place cannot be understood of Baptism at all I must leave it to thee to judge of what is offered to shew that 't is only Regeneration and not Baptism that is concerned in the Text for Water and the Spirit here by an Exegesis are one or if you will according to the judgement of Dr. Taylor by Water is meant the effect of the Spirit Nor is this the single judgment of Dr. Taylor but very many others who in their time were the Magna Ecclesiae lumina who so interpret it amongst whom are Calvin Beza Piscator Calvin indeed acknowledgeth the ancient Expositors followed Chrysostome that the Text was to be understood of Baptism yet professeth himself of another mind Beza in his Annotations of the place declares himself to the same purpose that he understood by Water in that place is meant rather the effect of the spirit then the Sacrament of Baptism sin verò malimus Christum cum Pharisaeo disserentem Aquae nomine ad externas ablutiones allusisse c. I rather conceive Christ reasoning with this Pharisee under the name of Water doth allude to those external washing which were useless without the cleansing of the Spirit Et Spiritus nomen sit exegesis that is a figure which signifies a dark speech made clear by another word which here is the Spirit nominis aquae sicut alibi spiritus ignis in baptismo conjunguntur By the name of Water we are to understand by an Exegesis the Spirit as elsewhere the Spirit and Fire are joyned Though the Order be inverted there and he gives the reason of it So Piscator except a man be born of Water that is ex spiritu sancto exserente quasi vim aquae Of the holy Spirit which operates in the soul as Water doth in the body and he also referrs to the same place Mat. 3.5 Of being Baptized with the Spirit and with Fire We have also the great Chamier arguing the same seeing in this sense the words bear an absolute truth without any limitation The Author concludes this with sporting himself at the different grounds upon which the Assertors of Infant-Baptism hold it out as the Fathers upon one ground the Lutherans upon another the Calvinist differing from them the Episcoparians one way the Presbyterians another and the Independents have a peculiar ground varying from them all Now thanks be to Mr. Tombes his eleventh Argument against Infant-Baptism for all this Exercitation pag. 33. The Assertors of Infant-Baptism little agree amongst themselves saith he upon what ground they may build it Cyprian and others draw it from the Universality of grace and the necessity of Baptism to Salvation Austin brings the faith of the Church others the Church of England substitute the promised surety in the place of the Faith and Repentance of the Baptized The Lutherans the faith of the Infant others the faith of the next Parent in Covenant in a gathered Church Reply This saith Mr. Geree unto him hath art I will not say Sophistry in it and what though divers men have let fall different grounds yet none of those are the main upon which they ground it for that 's the Covenant of Gods grace that takes in the Child with the Parent if saith he I should from several ways or Arguments used by the Antipaedobaptists say they did oppose Infant-Baptism on several grounds therefore their opposition were invalid you would think my answer unsolid and so do I your Argument Father I desire the Author to reflect upon his own party who oppose childrens Baptism by denying that Covenant made to Abraham was a Covenant of Grace some say it was Temporary some Typical some mixt and I know not what So they much differ in the foundation of their practice Some build it on a bare confession of sin whatever the man be as to grace some on profession of Faith some on signs of grace c. Mr. Geree saith well weakness in mens sight variety of fancy and principles carry men into different ways of defending the same truth The Author now frames his exceptions against those Scriptures which hold forth a Covenant-Right to the Children of Believeers 4. Argument from federal holiness excepted against and from whence we inferr their baptizing and thus he begins Paedobaptists being loth to part with the Tradition and yet seeing the rottenness of the ancient ground upon which 't was built found out this new foundation for it of Covenant-Holiness of which Zwinglius about 120 years for aught that he can learn was the first Founder and singular from all that went before him All this is from Master Tombes The Author a notorious Plagiary having taken all in his 43. pages following from Mr. Tombes his two Books of Exerc. and Examen I mean as to the substance of it and most in his words and method only indeed he hath two quotations out of Dr. Taylor and one out of Dr. Owen Mr. Tombes Exercit. p. 11. and so throughout to the endc of this Chapter both Arguments Authorities Scriptures and Cryticismes with this difference that he varies a little in some things and doth not speak so warily as he Mr. Tombes in his Examen part 3. pag. 35. begins the Argument as framed by us from the connexion between the Covenant and the Seal but this man ends it with that and the Scriptures are in both one viz. Gen. 17.7 Acts 2.39 I need not therefore much trouble my self for an Answer to the Author for the same which Mr. Marshall gave Tombes doth the work to a hair The Author tells us that for ought he could learn Zwinglius was the first Founder of the Argument for Baptism from federal Holiness and this indeed he learnt from Mr. Tombes his Exercitation pag. 11. whose words are Whether any in the Ages before the last past expounded it of federal holiness I am not yet certain and in the two last lines of page the 79. of his Examen he hath it thus viz. None that ever I met with expounded it of federal Holiness till the controversie of the Anabaptists in Germany To this I will seek for no other answer then what Mr. Marshal gives him the cause saith he I confess depends not upon this whether such an interpretation was then first put But it discovers some defect in your reading and then shews Athanasius one of the most Ancient Greek Fathers and Tertullian one of the most Ancient of the
we should have given precedency upon Acts 22.16 Eos qui fide in Ecclesiam Dei ingressi sunt videmus cum sua sobole in Christi Membris c. The Episcopal Divines fall in with the rest I will name but one instà r omnium and that is the famous Doctor Vsher in his Body of Divinity pag. 415. The outward Elements saith he are dispensed to all who make an outward profession of the Gospel for Infants their being born in the Church is instead of an outward profession c. Lastly the Author is at Mr. Baxter again quoting something out of his tenth Argument to Mr. Blake as if he had intended those words against Infants Church-Membership when he clears himself so fully in the point as when he stated the Thesis in the said Book of Disputations and hath written particularly a large piece whose Title is Plain Scripture-proof of Infants Church-Membership and Baptism To conclude this I cannot but pitty the Author because of that self-conceited scornful Genius that appears in what follows altogether unbecoming a Christian and I think all modest and sober spirits cannot but be extreamly scandalized to see a man pretending to be for the truth of Christ so proudly to trample upon all that differ from him Surely he must needs be furnisht with more than an ordinary measure of self-conceit that doth so Magisterially condemn not only the Ancients but those of the Protestant Reformation of latter days sparing none neither Prelate Presbyter nor Independent Have patience Reader and thou shalt hear a little of it How childishly ridiculous it was in those first Inventors of Baptism for six hundred years c. Have a care Sir since you swell at this rate least you burst Austin tells you Ecclesia semper habuit semper tenuit The Church always had it always held Infant Baptisme And Doctor Taylor a person whom you seem to honour much says there is no Record extant of any Church in the World that from the Apostles days inclusively to this very day ever refused to baptize children excepting of late amongst your selves So well to observe the Order viz. first to Baptize and then to Communicate and yet so miserably to miss it in the Subjects applying the Spiritual Ordinances to ignorant Babes This of the six hundred years giving the Communion to Infants he hath taken from Master Tombes his sixth Argument against Infant-Baptisme Exercitation pag. 29. for there it is and Tombes as is conceived took it up from Maldonate the Jesuite who reports that the giving of the Communion to Infants continued six hundred years in the Church But Master Geree well òbserves that is not nor ought to be taken of the first six hundred years for it appears by Maldonate's expression calling it Sententiam the opinion of Augustin and Pope Innocent that it had if not its rise yet its force to become common from them Not only Protestants but Papists themselves condemn that of communicating Infants as an errour yea as I remember the Councel of Trent it self And yet Doctor Taylor doth profess in his discourse of Baptizing the Infants of Believers that page 59. certainly there is infinitely more reason why Infants may be communicated then why they may not be Baptized The Protestant Reformers are more blind and do worse in his opinion then those who gave Infants the Lords Supper And how much worse saith he in the Protestant Reformers that so lamentalby miss it both in the due Order and right Subjects also which the Prelate and Presbyter doe in admitting children to Baptism and Membership but not to the Supper A little more modestly would do the Author no hurt and let him know that neither their Baptism or Church-Membership are inconsistent with the Word but so is Infant-Communion not only because God requires a particular qualification to the Ordinance which Infants are not capable of namely the exercise of actual grace in examination discerning the Lords Body and remembring the death of Christ but because they are not capable in any certain way of the Elements used in that Sacrament as to take and eat the Bread and drink Wine Lastly this Hagio-Mastix lasheth the Independents which do worse than all the rest and doth more grosly erre in point of Order in admitting them to Baptism but neither to Membership nor the Supper But I find the Proverb is true Bernardus non videt omnia even that great Doctor called Saint Bernard is ignorant of some things Wherefore I crave leave of the Author tó tell him he is ignorant of the grounds or principles by which the Independents walk And for his better information I refer him to Doctor Nathaniel Holmes his Answer to Mr. Tombes his Exercitation and Examen where he shall find the Independents Judgment jump with Master Jesseys in his discourse upon Romans 14.1 you have it reprinted at the end of Master Bunians last piece in answer to a Book entituled Some serious Reflections on that part of Master Bunyans Confession of Faith touching Church-Communion with unbaptized Believers Consider saith Master Jessey whether such a practice hath a command or example that persons must be joyned into Church-Fellowship by Water-Baptism For John Baptized many yet he did not Baptize some into one Church and some into another nor all into one particular Church And then afterward into what Church did Philip Baptize the Eunuch or the Apostle the Jaylor and his house This he speaks in opposition to those who hold that a particular Church is constituted by Baptism and formally united as Master K. did many years since in his answer to Doctor B. and is no changeling as appears by his Epistle to Master Pauls sorry Reflections lately Printed So Master Tombes of old in his sixth Argument Exercitat where he inveighs against the Independents as the Author doth here and saith That by Baptism a person is exhibited a Member of Christ and that Church To which Doctor Holmes an Independent Pastor makes this reply viz. But what Church doth Master Tombes mean If he means of the Universal Church I yield that he is exhibited a visible Christian But if he means a Member of any particular rightly constituted Church according to the platform of those in the New Testament and ancient antiquity I altogether deny it for these reasons 1. Those Baptized Matthew 3. were in no particular Christian Church there being none gathered till a good while after that Christ had given the Holy Spirit to the Disciples 2. Cornelius his and the Jaylors Families after the gathering of Churches were not by that numbred to any particular Churches or thereby made particular Churches that we read Now that which exists afore or after a thing without that thing cannot be the form of that thing 3. That which is common cannot be proper and peculiar But Baptism is common to make men only visible Christians in General Therefore it is not proper and peculiar to make them of this or that particular Church And then
something of a greater concern For the design of that envious One hath been in all Ages to sow tares of Division He it was that made the first Schism in the glorious Communion and hath ever since out of an intense hatred to the peace and quiet of mankind stirred up Emulations Wrath Strife and mutual Antipathies in the minds of men especially among Christians hath he laboured to his utmost to foment and cherish Differences to agitate Schisms and to rend and tear the Church of Christ into divers Sects and Parties and by his notable subtilty and influence upon our corrupt nature to make our very Arguings and Contendings for the Faith once delivered too often managed with Pride Prejudice and carnal Interest a means rather of widening than healing our Breaches So that in our Contests of this nature if we gain but a grain of Truth we are in danger of losing a pound of Charity There is as the Apostle James terms it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter Zeal bitter indeed in its root issuing from a root of bitterness within and bitter in its fruits accursed discords and irreconcilable distances amongst Brethren The consideration whereof hath made me even jealous of my self lest in the foregoing Responsatory-discourse any thing hath dropt from my Pen which may tend rather to the exasperating than convincing our Opposites for 't is hard in disputes both not to be provoked and not to provoke Nevertheless I hope the Godly Sobery and Ingenuous amongst them will put the best interpretation upon all and the rather because they cannot but perceive how tender I have been of them manifesting respect to such throughout all the Discourse And though I contend with what I conceive is an error in them yet I cannot but love their persons for I know there are some of that Perswasion who for their eminency in Grace ought to be had in estimation by us And I would always distinguish the Humble and Holy from the Heady and High-minded the Tender and Conscientious from the Turbulent and Factions of that Party And Oh! how much do I long to see all rigidness on every side remov'd and a sweet correspondency and complyance between God's People though of different judgments as to the Subject of Baptism I have for more than twenty years considered the point and weighed what hath been said on both sides and cannot possibly be brought to judg it a matter of that moment as to break Communion or to be prosecuted with so much Vehemency as it is by some of the Dissenters 1. It being only about a point not so expresly revealed but that Godly Persons both in Christ visibly may differ in their light about it 2. Also it being only about the right or wrong application of an external Ceremony or Solemnity of Christ's Institution for Baptism in the outward Act of it can be esteemed no more Wherefore I could heartily wish there were a reviving of the Primitive Moderation when Christians did bear one with another and allow a liberty in matters of an higher nature without breach of Communion For I verily believe the Church of Christ hath received more prejudice by contesting about this thing than is commonly thought of for it hath always produced heart-burnings amongst Christians and undermined the Power of Godliness And it would be more for the honour of Religion if our Spirits were so attempered and sweetned as to indulge each other a latitude of practice according to our light and perswasion without imposing or condemning according to the Apostolical Rule Phil. 3.15 16. Certainly the differences that are amongst us about Baptism were they put in the Ballance of the Sanctuary to try whether they bear proportion to the distances and animosities attending the same they would be found too light And if Austin did so much lay to heart the breach which was between two single persons Jerom and Ruffinus concerning which we have spoken before in our Answer that he cryed out Hei mihi qui vos alicubi simul invenire non possum c. Wo is me that I cannot find you both together I would even fall down at your feet with much love and many tears I would beseech you for your selves and for one another and for weak Christians for whom Christ died that you suffer not these dissentions to spread Oh! how much more cause have we to lament the breaches of so many thousands of God's People and to use our utmost endeavours to repair the same I wish there were more of Melancthons Spirit amongst us who professed that though he had many domestical troubles yet the publick wounds of the Church arising much from the difference 'twixt Lutherans and Calvinists about the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which Christ intended for a bond of love as he did the other of Baptism did most deeply afflict him Oh! how sad is it to behold the Staff of Beauty and the Staff of Bands Zech. 11.10 11. Zeph. 3.9 so broken amongst us And that we cannot call upon the Lord and serve him with one consent Those were Halcyon and blessed days when the multitude of Believers were of one heart and one soul when they held communion in Doctrine in Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer When the People of God could hear together and pray together and receive together Act. 4.32 When those thousands of Believers were as if they had but one heart and soul to animate and actuate them in God's service What an eminent answer was this of Christ's Prayer Joh. 17.21 That they all may be One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words are very emphatical it is not said that they may love and agree though this be intended Burges on Joh. 17.21 but those words that they may be One is as if the Church of Christ should be but as one person and as the Apostle argues none ever hated his own flesh Eph. 5.30 and we are members of his Body and of his Flesh and of his Bones On this account there should be no divisions amongst the Members of Christ for they are one Spirit as it were They should no more hate one another than a man doth his own flesh And Dionysius the Arcopagite calls the Godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is persons closely compacted into One according as the Apostle hath it Eph. 4.16 where he speaks of the Body's being compacted For they should be as the Pearl which is united in it self and is called Vnio He that is joyned to the Lord saith St. Paul is one Spirit One Spirit in himself One with God and One with all his People In order to this blessed Unon and Accommodation of the Godly I shall in all humility address my self to both Parties to them who are for and to them that are against Infant-Baptism 1. To the Dissenters in general 2. To the Antipoedobaptists in particular 1. Concerning the first of these the Dissenters in general that fear God I can with great
Paedobaptists are as Godly as your selves Sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be Saints 2. In not doing so you deprive your selves of the benefit of their Gifts and Graces and of that help which you might have from many eminent Ministers of Christ and that assistance for Conversion of Souls and Edification which in some of your Meetings you very much want and when those that are able of your way shall be removed by death you are like to be straitned for want of Men of competent and fitting parts for the carrying on the work of the Ministry as it ought to be done amongst your selves 2. Beware of Pride for where this is predominant it will not suffer men to recede from those rigid Principles and Practices they have taken up As Pride makes men unwilling to receive the Truth from others so it will keep them from retracting an Error though convinced thereof Luther confessed to Melancthon before his death that he would have retracted many things especially in those Sacramental Controversies but that he feared it would lessen the Authority of his Works So much of Pope hath every man in his own breast as to affect to be thought infallible malunt semper errare quam semel errasse videri they had rather always err than seem once to have erred But what-ever a man may lose in reputation of knowledg he shall be sure to gain in estimation of candour ingenuity and sincerity Austin got asmuch esteem by his Book of Retractations as by any other of his works 3. Take heed of a Censorious judging-Spirit do not condemn those that close not in with you to act against their light It is a very uncharitable passage which I find in Mr. Tombes his Praecursor pag. 91. Unless saith he I speak against my conscience I must needs say that it is ignorance or wilfulness holds Ministers and People in their stiff asserting Practice of Infant-Baptism But what it was that kept him so long in the practice of it in his Parish-Churches before the Assembly of Divines sate is best known to the searcher of hearts yet this very man 17 lines above in the same page hath that which amounts to self-contradiction viz. That he reverenceth many Paedobaptists as Godly Ministers of the Gospel far beyond himself The Lord banish from among you this Censorious spirit unto which some of you have been too much addicted How often have we been araigned at your bar for sinning against light for Obstinacy and Wilfulness your Censures have lighted most heavily upon Ministers sparing none neither Conformists nor Non-conformists Heretofore 't was wordly Interest Parochial Maintenance and fear of displeasing the people that blinded and corrupted them a hard Censure to be past upon the whole body of the Ministry of the Nation and how could it consist with Godliness for them to persist so many years in the Practice of that which they thought in their own consciences to be but a meer Tradition and Innovation But you have lived to see your mistake herein and tell us now if you can what the temptations are that blind the Non-conformists since their Ejection and keeps them from coming over to you They were in number as they say about 3000. and I think you cannot shew us a Catalogue of one in a County no not in ten Counties that is proselyted to you God by his inscrutable and wise Providence hath found out a strange way to clear the innocency of his Servants that were so often branded for Hirelings and there hath been an effectual course taken to clear their eye-sight had Wordly Interest blinded them They are now out of the reach of Compliances on that account 4. I would also humbly advise you to take heed of dividing Principles that are inconsistent with the Word especially in this Circumstance of the Church wherein we are in danger to be overwhelmed with other difficulties if it were tolerable and venial to divide at other times yet now the fault is irremissible and irrational Luther counselled the Synod at Norimberg to silence the Disputes until a fitter oportunity Meum Consilium est ut causam hanc sinatis ad tempus sopitam jacere hoc tempore enim animis sic affestis venenum est disputare I counsel you that in this juncture of time and when your minds are so much out of tune you would let this Controversy sleep and not dispute about it for it will prove poysonous 5. Take heed of rejecting those Overtures for Union which are made by your Brethren We are commanded to follow after those things that make for Peace and shall we run away from them You say they differ from you and do not you likewise from them We all see but in part and know but in part and therefore should bear with one another Why should you not have the like freedom which your Brethren have Their Arms are open to receive you You are straitned in your own Bowels and not in theirs O why will you not imbrace where Christ imbraceth and receive those whom God receiveth Or why do you refuse Communion with those here in Ordinances that you have ground to believe you shall have Communion with in Glory Perswasive to Peace If you say because they are not Baptized after Believing This can be no more necessary for Church-Communion than it is unto Salvation for the means cannot be more necessary to the subordinat end which is Church-Communion than it is to the Principal which is Salvation And Baptism is necessary to Salvation but by way of duty where opportunity concurs but not by way of means where opportunity is wanting And if to be Baptized after Faith were indeed the Paedobaptists duty the true reason why they do not perform it is the want of a Moral opportunity that is the want of Conviction that it is their duty they verily believing they were sufficiently Baptized in their Infancy and that it is not lawful for them to be rebaptized And all the while they remain under this perswasion they can no more lawfully receive an after-Baptizing by a voluntary submission to it than they can who desire to be Baptized but want the opportunity of health or such an Administrator as you call it as is necessary thereto And if their Right to Salvation under these Circumstances be not cut off as doubtless it is not for the reason before given then no more can their Right to Church-Communion thereby be cut off for the same reason To conclude let us all pray for the Peace of Jerusalem that our Father which is in Heaven the God of Peace would look down upon his Divided Children and create Peace among them That Christ Jesus who is the Peace-maker and Prince of Peace that prayed for it and bequeathed it to his Disciples as his last Legacy would reconcile our hearts one to another That the Spirit of Peace whose fruit is Peace would compose our differences and make up our breaches and give us enlarged hearts to embrace each other That the Blessed Trinity which hath nothing so proper to it self as Vnity would pitty Zion and raise up healing Instruments and rebuke fiery Spirits and remember the Promise that is made to the Church to be fulfilled in the times of the Gospel That all her Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the Peace of her Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 7. FINIS Errata PART 1. Page 2. line 2. for our read your P. 9. l. 3. r. only manner Chapt. 4. P. 51. l. 29. for one r. own Ch. 7. P. 4. l. 11 for not Dipping r. not only Dipping PART 2. Chap. 3. P. 152. l. 7. r. on l. 9 dele is meant ibid P. 154. l. 22. r. we idem P. 165. l. 22. Dele when Ch. 7. P. 105. l. 23. r. as idem P. 106. r. prejudic'd Ib. P. 120. l. 7 for this r. the for Kidderminster r. Beaudly c. To the Bookbinder By reason of the Author 's remote distance from the Press some great mistakes have happened so that several Leaves must be cancelled the Alphabet is also confused wherefore observe these directions The Title is a quarter of a Sheet after that place the Preface then B C. cut off 25. and 26. Pages and supply them with a leaf printed on the Title sheet D E F G. Then A a B b C c* a half-sheet then G g H h I i K k L l M m N n O o P p Q q R r S s T t a half sheet after T t place C c but cut of the 2 first leaves of the said C c D d E e F f but be sure to cut off the 4 last leaves of the said F f then G g g H h h I i i K k k a half sheet and a leaf marked K k k* printed with the Title sheet lastly L l l.