ΒΑPΤΙΣΜΑΛΟΓΙΑ OR A TREATISE CONCERNING Baptisms Whereto is added a DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE Supper Bread and VVine Called also COMMUNION By Thomas Lawson Printed in the Year 167â— READER IN this following Treatise is presented to thy â—ye 1. The Temporary Baptism of John with Water 2. The Permanent or Continuing Baptism of Christ with the Spirit 3. The irrepititious Custom of Rantism that is Sprinkling of Infants Herein also thou mayst see that after the Primitive Times the Fall of the Star from Heaven was manifested Sun and Air thorow the Smoke of the Bottomless Pit Maman Wisdom Heathenish Learning Spoiling Phylosophy School Divinity was darkned thorow the steaming in of which Christ's Baptism in and with the Spirit came to be lost then Water-Baptism and Rantism came to be reassumed 1. One while baptizing or sprinkling Old People on their Death-Beds 2. Another while baptizing of People sooner as when they were capable of being catechised 3. After this Baptizing or Sprinkling of Infants 4. Some Baptized People after they were Dead and put the Sacramental Bread as 't is called in their Mouthes 5. Hence sprung in the Custom of Baptizing the Living for the Dead 6. Hence arose the Custom of Baptizing Children in the Womb before they were born 7. Some have had the Character of a Cross made in their Fore-heads with a Burning Iron which was called Christ's Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with Fire 8. Many yea almost all for Ages were Baptized Naked 9. Many Baptized Themselves every Year And these various Unscriptural Proceedings were and are cryed up by the Observers thereof to be of Divine Institution Here also thou mayst read how that in this Night of Apostacy which hath come upon the Churches professing Christianity sprung up the use of Godfathers Godmothers Gossips Fonts Exorcisms Sign of the Cross Albs Salt all which things with others are more or less touched in this following Treatise ΒΑPΤΙΣΜΑΛΟΓΙΑ Or a TREATISE concerning BAPTISM I Confess I have often been very serious concerning the Doctrine of Baptisms and have not let any thing slip from me written or spoken in Vindication of Baptism and Rantism that is Dipping and Sprinkling without serious Consideration so to answer the Desires of some sober Persons but primarily Divine Requirings I was induced to sharpen the Neb of my Pen and to commit to writing my Belief in reference thereto and to the end I may the better be understood of such as read me I have reduced the Contents of the ensuing Discourse into four Heads or Assertions which be as follow I. The Baptism of John with Water and the Baptism of Christ with the Spirit were not one and the same but two that is to say Distinct Baptisms II. John's Baptism in or with Water was a Figure or a Shadow of Christ's Baptism in or with the Spirit so thereby fulfilled and ended III. Christ's Baptism in or with the Spirit is the Baptism only to continue in the Church of Christ to the End of the World IV. Rantism that is to say Sprinkling of Infants is a Case unpresidented in the Primitive Times an irrepetitious Custom sprung up in the Night of Apostacy after the Revolt from Christ the Captain of the true Israelites the Fall from the primitive Order The First ASSERTION The Baptism of John with Water and the Baptism of Christ with the Spirit were not one but two that is to say Distinct Baptisms THE Truth of this is clear and evident to every one whose Eyes are opened by the Influence of the Almighty and I may produce a Cloud of Witnesses for the Confirmation thereof though indeed many late Writers and Teachers have and do affirm That John's Baptism and Christ's Baptism make but up one Baptism that the Spirit goes along with the Water making up one Baptism or that the Water thorough the Word of Institution hath a super-natural Virtue effectual to the Sanctification Ablution that is Washing and Regeneration of Man this is an Antichristian-Doctrine to ascribe such things to visible elementary Water which are the Effects and Products of the Blood of Christ the Water of Life John Christ and Peter make them distinct Now for the determining of this Controversie observe the Record of John the Baptist that is John the Dipper so call'd because he was authorized to Baptize in Water as also to distinguish him from John the Apostle Mat. 3.11 I indeed baptize you with Water c. saith John but he that comes after me to wit Christ he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Consider this John makes them distinct Baptisms as if he should have said I am to baptize with Water only that is my Work my Office thereto I am commissioned from Heaven even to wash the Body the Filth of the outward man but when Christ is come he shall have another Work of a more Heavenly Nature what is that he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire he doth not say he will baptize you with Water neither doth he say he will baptize you with Water and with the Spirit but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit only so that John absolutely concludes them to be distinct Baptisms he with Water Christ with the Spirit See also Mark 1.8 where the very same Record is born of John's Baptism and Christ's Baptism I indeed have baptized you with Water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit Mark this I have but he shall this denotes the two Baptisms See also Luke the third there was a great musing about John as whether he was the Christ or no people entertained high Thoughts of him as being born in an extraordinary manner and living in the Wilderness his Apparel and Diet being unusual as a Raiment of Camels Hair Locusts and Wild Honey being his Food his Baptism was new and strange these things being considered occasioned much Reasoning among the people as whether he was the Messias or no now for a removal and scouring away of such Reasonings John tells them plainly and evidently he was not the Christ Luke 3.15 16. saying I indeed baptize you with Water my Work is to wash your Bodies with the visible Element of Water that 's my Ministration but saith he Amightier then I comes after me and he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit Here John holds out his Ministration of water-Water-Baptism and the Ministration of Christ's Spiritual Baptism to be distinct See also Joh. 1.33 where the very same Record is born I with Water which reaches to the Ablution of the outward Man Christ with the Spirit which is effectual to the Ablution or Washing of the inward Man The four Evangelists who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is divinely inspired are unanimous in the distinction of the Baptism of John and of the Baptism of Christ Further In Heb. 6.2 the Apostle speaking of some of the initial Points of the true Religion makes meniton of the Doctrine of Baptisms not Baptism but
Baptisms in the plural number and that these are John's with Water and Christ's with the Spirit may be proved by a fruitful and plentiful Harvest of Testimonies So they err greatly who affirm that the Baptism of John and the Baptism of Christ made up but One Baptism it being so evident in Scripture that they were distinct which may further thus appear First They were distinct in Name for John's Baptism still kept its Name yea when the Apostles used it it was still called the Baptism of John why so because it was required of him his Office and Work by divine Institution Joh. 1.33 yea after Christ's Baptism with the Spirit came in John's Baptism with Water still retained its Name as being distinct from it Acts 18.24 25. Secondly They were distinct in Manifestation that is Christ's Baptism was to follow John's and did not go along with it at the same time as men now would jumble them together saying The Spirit goes along with the Water and both make up but One Baptism after the Resurrection of Christ before his ascending though John's Baptism had been used several years yet Christ told them that what John spoke concerning him of his baptizing with the Holy Spirit was not fulfilled but shortly to be fulfilled Acts 1.4 5. Christ being assembled with the Apostles commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the Promise of the Father which saith he you have heard of me for John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirie not many dayes hence which was fulfilled at the day of Pentecost So that Christ's Baptism did not accompany John's Baptism to make up one entire Baptism for it followed it several years after it so that the Effusion of the Holy Spirit is Christ's Baptism the great Blessing of Gospel-dayes of the Evangelical Dispensation which qualified and doth qualifie to be the Lord 's True and Living Witnesses Thirdly John's Baptism and Christ's were distinct forasmuch as those that John baptized had need of the Baptism of Christ Now if John's Baptism had been one and the same with Christ's that only had been sufficient but John's baptizing of them with Water left them in need of the Baptism of Christ John said unto Christ who came from Galilet to Jordan to be baptized of him I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou unto me Mat. 3.13 14. So that John the Baptist knew his Baptism to be inferiour to Christ's Baptism so desired more fully to partake of it See also Acts 19.1 2 3 4 5. Paul found certain Disciples Partakers of John's Baptism but they had not received the Spirit as they themselves confessed so that the Spirit and Water outward go not along to make up One Baptism Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Spirit so knew its Baptism these had John's Baptism before they received the Spirit and its Baptism which proves them distinct Baptisms Fourthly They are distinct inasmuch as the Figure and the Substance are distinct as Circumcision Outward and Circumcision Inward were not One but Two that is distinct Circumcisions so the Baptism of Iohn with Water and the Baptism of Christ with the Spiria were distinct Baptisms whereby the unfound Judgments of such appear who affirm teach and preach That the Spirit goes along with the Water and both make up One Baptism and that the Water is so influenced with a supernatural Vertue by the Word of Institution that Children damnati priusquam nati damn'd before they be born are thereby made Members of Christ Children of God and Inheriters of the Kingdom of Heaven And though since the Primitive Times to fulfil Divine Praedictions Darkness yea gross Darkness hath benighted the Professors of Christianity and the peccant Humour of Error Heresie Schism and Misapprehensions of Divine Truths hath been predominant in the infirm and crazy Body of nominal Christianity yet the Lord hath so far opened the Eyes of some as that they have dropped forth Testimonies in Vindication of that Truth here asserted that is that the Baptism of Iohn with Water and the Baptism of Christ with the Spirit without Water were distinct Baptisms and that none may have occasion to render this a groundless Flourish I shall here subjoyn a few Testimonies Augustine said in a certain place Illud manifestum est alium fuisse baptismum Johannes alium Christi that is It is clear and evident that there was One Baptism of John and another Baptism of Christ Contr. Lit. Petil. 2. Pasor paraphrasing on Heb. 6.2 of the Doctrine of Baptisms said Here the Plural Number shews forth the Outward and Inward Baptism Chrysostom saith That in the Apostles time the Baptism of Water and the Baptism of the Spirit were different Baptisms and done at different Times Magd. 5. Cent. 363. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage who lived about the year 230. said The Baptism of Iohn washed the outward Body but the Baptism of Christ cleanseth the inward Man from the Defilements of Sin Polydor. lib. 4. cap. 4. The Baptism of John gives not spiritual Grace nor Remission of Sins but Christ forgives Sins and gives the Spirit plentifully Theophylact on Mat. 3.11 Iohn was sent to baptize with Water but the Baptism of the Spirit was committed to Christ John baptized with Water inviting to Repentance Christ by his Spirit wherewith he baptizeth renews the Heart and sanctifieth by his Grace Aug. Marlolat on Acts 1.5 John the Baptist makes Christ the Author of spiritual Baptism but himself the Minister of outward Baptism only not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh the Work of John's Baptism but the Answer of a good Conscience which is an Effect of Christ's Baptism saith Aug. Marlolat on Matth. 3.11 A clear Distinction of the two Baptisms is here implyed Spark the King's Chaplain speaking of the pouring forth of the Spirit upon the Apostles saith They had before baptismum fluminis the Watry Baptism of Iohn but now baptismum flaminis the Baptism of the Holy Spirit their Tongues were touched with a Coal from the Heavenly Altar A full Distinction of the two Baptisms The Baptism of Iohn saith the same Spark doth not take away Sin but puts them in mind thereof but Christ's Baptism takes away Sin his Spirit saith he is our Iordan Forgiveness of Sins was not in nor by John's Baptism but in our Baptism all sins are blotted out saith Ven. Bed Histor Eccles Piscator on Matth. 3. speaking of 1 Pet. 3.21 saith Lest any should think that Outward Baptism saves us Peter makes a Distinction and ascribes Salvation to Inward Baptism saying Not Outward Baptism whereby the Filth of the Flesh is put off save us but Inward Baptism c. There is a two fold Baptism saith Trapp on Matth. 3.11 viz. fluminis et flaminis that is of Water and of the Spirit by John's with Water the Polution of the Flesh is put away by Christ's with the Spirit the Answer of a
be driven from the Figure Lib. 4. Cap. 16. In calling it a Sign a Figure he saith Well but his Conclusion is Carnal and Antichristian in saying if men have the Substance why should they not have the Figure by this crooked Rule of Reasoning might all the ritual Observances of Moses be imposed upon Gospel-Believers Hammond in his Paraphrase and Annotations on Mat. 3.11 calls John's Baptism a Ceremony saying John initiated Disciples with Water but Christ with Fire yea and on Mark 1.5 8. he paraphraseth saying Water is the only Signal that John used after the Jewish manner but Christ was to send down the holy Spirit from Heaven and is not Christ the End of Ceremonies Types Figures and Shadows John 's Water-Baptism as all the Shadows of Moses were but to endure for a time for as all the Prophets were until John so John was until Christ and Christ by his internal Washing the Laver of Regeneration not only fulfilled and ended Moses's Laver but John's Jordan-washing by fulfilling inwardly that which they represented outwardly Obj. Christ himself was Baptized with Water doth not that perpetuate Water-Baptism in the Church Answ Christ was Circumcised not that from thence Outward Circumcision should be continued he went into the Temple and taught there and cast out the Prophaners thereof he said to the clensed Leper Go and shew thy felf to the Priest and offer a Gift according to the Law Mat. 8. so he was baptized not that he intended thereby to perpetuate or continue these things Christ being the Substance and Anti-type owned the Shadows Types and Figures in their place and this tended to the Conviction of such who questioned the Authority of those Typical Ministrations Baptizatus est Christus a Johanne ut Johannis ministerium approbaret saith Martinius that is Christ was baptized by John that he might approve of the Ministration of John to justifie it in its Time Place and Season against such as question'd the Authority of it So 't was said The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of John Luke 7.30 And Christ put a Query to the Pharisees saying The Baptism of John is it from Heaven or of men Luke 20.4 Christ owning the Figures in their time and place proved thereby their Institution to be divine but all this was before he was offered up for when he was offered up then he blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances took it out of the way nailed it to his Cross Col. 2.14 When Christ saith Piscator on this place was nailed to the Cross even then the Ritual Observances of Moses were sore wounded yea abolished The first Covenant saith the Apostle stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings or Baptisms and carnet Ordinances imposed until the time of Reformation the Figures which could not perfect the Observers as pertaining to the conscience were to give way to the Evangelical and Spiritual VVorship brought in by the Substance Hebr. 9. The Gospel-Time is a Time of Reformation so such as stick to the Figure and will not have the black Lines of their Corruptions washed away by the Blood of the Lamb such remain unreformed Though Christ owned the Shadows before he was offered up yet when he was offered up risen and ascended and the Promise of the Father fulfilled the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizes revealed then these things were not preached up but against then Paul preached against circumcision outward Gal. 5.2 saying If ye be circumcised Christ shall prosit you nothing yea he tell them they bewitch'd them who entangled them in the droughty Desert of Ritual Observances and he preached circumcision inward Stephen bare record saying The Most High dwells not in Temples made with hands Acts 7. Yea and Paul said The Priesthood was changed Hebr. 7.12 Yea and Paul said Christ sent me not to baptize 1 Cor. 1.17 saying further There is one Lord one Faith one baptism Ephes 4.5 There had been two Baptisms John's with Water Christ's with the Spirit without Water but now the Shadow had given way to the Substance one Baptism saith he and he tells what it was by one Spirit into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit not by Water So that the Spirit 's Baptism which is Christ's Baptism is the One Baptism which he preached up in the Churches Who are of God may read here the Temporary Baptism of John laid aside and the Spirit 's Baptism preached up Shadows have no footing in Christ's Kingdom When Jesus was baptized he went straight-way out of the Water and the Spirit descended like a Dove upon him the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth and a Voice from Heaven said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. and in another place Hear ye him Not Moses with his Laver-Washing not Iohn with his Jordan-Washing hear the Son who baptizes with the holy Spirit and with Fire not with visible Water thus the Legal Rites which Christ allowed of before he was offered up the Apostles after his return in Spirit they testified against the same yet in so doing were not Transgressors of Christ's Doctrine but had his Mind These things being truly considered and weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary it cannot but appear that it shews no soundness of Judgment to plead that Christ's being baptized by Iohn perpetuates Water-Baptism or Rantism in the Evangelical Dispensation Paul said to the Collossions If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances touch not taste not handle not Col. 2.20 21. Things that had been of Divine Institution when continued beyond the Bounds of their season and time became worldly Rudiments and Doctrines of Men. Obj. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost doth not this Institution enjoyn all Ministers to Baptize Answ This Scripture hath been much abused by Translators and Interpreters and alledged to patronize the Formal Inventions of men as may appear by what follows being truly interpreted 'tis thus rendred Go ye therefore disciple all Nations baptizing or dipping them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit and it makes nothing for Water Baptism nor for Rantism for Christ having qualified his Apostles to be his Witnesses to the uttermost parts of the Earth sent them not to preach up Iohn and his water-VVater-baptism but to preach the Everlasting Gospel Christ and his Baptism which is spiritual Iohn said and bare record that he baptized with VVater but he that was to come Christ Jesus should baptize with the holy spirit Now to say Christ baptized with Water or sent his Apostles to baptize therewith is to question the Testimony and Record of Iohn who said he should baptize with the holy spirit After Christ was risen from the Dead he met his Disciples on a Montain in Galilee
first telling them that all Power was given unto him in Heaven and in Earth then he informed them what their Work should be First To Disciple the Nations that is by the Power of their Ministry to bring them to be Disciples of Christ to learn of him to know his Teaching to take up his Yoke to bear the same to learn Obedience to come into the self-denying state of Discipleship so the word â—riginally imports saith Bullenger Zwinglius Leigh Fisher c. Trapp Secondly He told his Disciples that they should baptize or dip the Nations not in the Name but into the Name of the Father c. Dell Fisher Hammon Trapp And what is it to baptize or dip into the Name of the Father Even the same that Paul spoke of when he said By one spirit we are all baptâ—zed into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 So that it is the Spirit that baptizeth into one Body as also into the Name of the Father to be a living Member of that Body whereof Christ is the Head 't is the Spirit that effects this not visible Water Furthermore Christ in these words commanded not his Disciple to turn back to John's Ministration to dip them in Jordan or in any other River or in a Bowl Bason or Font but into the Name of the Father c. which is no other thing then by the Power of the Spirit whereof they were Ministers to bring them into the Power of God to have fellowship with him through the Spirit Now the Name of God is his Vertue or Power as In my Name they shall cast out Devils that is in my Power this Zwinglius on this place observes Teachers in Sprinkling of Infants which they call Baptism use this Scripture as a Form of words saying I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which thing the Apostles did not which undoubtedly they would have done if Christ had commanded it as an absolute Form Further Zwinglius said of this place Christus Jesus baptismi formulam qua uteremur his verbis non instituit quemadmodum Theologi hactenus falso tradiderunt that is Christ Jesus did not in these words institute a form of Baptism which we should use as Divines have hitherto falsly taught This was the Testimony of Zwinglius who in his Day was a great Opposer of Anabaptists Lib de bap pag. 66. Tom. 2. oper Piscator on the same place peaks fully to the same purpose Again This place cannot be meant of Water-baptism because Paul thanked God he had baptized none but such and such for saith he Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.14 15 16 17. yet he fulfilled that Mat. 28. he preached the Gospel in a circuit from Jerusalem to Illyricum and many by his Ministry were discipled brought into the state of Disciples to learn of Christ yea and into the Name of God that is into his Power many were baptized into the Name of the Father as his Sons into the Name of his Son as his Jewels and Ransomed Ones into the Name of the Holy Spirit as his Sanctified Ones these knew the One Baptism by One Spirit into One Body Why doth Paul thank God that he baptized none but such and such 1st Because he saw them idolizing and jangling about it which he knew to be a thing not of absolute Necessity not a Command of Christ but used or born with for a season for the sake of the Weak and others in reference to Iohn's Ministry if he had commonly practised it before from his Practice they might have been strengthned in their Thoughts about it he being a great Apostle Secondly He thanks God that he baptized none but such and such And why Because he was not sent of Christ so to do Thirdly Lest some should say that he baptized in his own Name rather into his own Name as the Greek Copies and divers English Translations render it seeing from Christ in whose Name he came he had no Command so to do What Ambassadour of an earthly Prince commissioned to treat with a forreign Prince about especial Matters if he fail in reference to the Contents of his Commission and treat about Matters whereto he was not commissioned can he expect that his Prince's Favour should be unto him as Dew upon the Grass or rather that his Wrath should be as the Roaring of a Lyon So if that in Matth. 28. had been a Command obligatory to all Gospel-Ministers to Baptize with outward Water could Paul have Cause of Rejoycing in that he fulfilled â—ot the Command Consider this and judge Cbj. That in Mat. 28. must needs relate to outward Water for the Apostles could not Baptize with the Spirit Answ Who as thus reason are ignorant of the Ministry of Christ which is a Ministry of the Spirit for all that are sent of Christ through their Ministry people are turned from Darkness to Light and translated from Death to Life where Christ's Baptism is known and this they do as indued with Power from above John 17.18 As thou hast sent me into the World saith Christ even so send I them And must not Christ and his Ministers be found in one Work even to turn people from Satan's power to the Power of God where the spiritual Baptism is While Peter preached to Cornelius and his Kinsmen and near Friends the holy Spirit fell on them Acts 10. wherein Christ's Baptism is Moreover Paul laid his Hands on certain and the holy Spirit fell upon them Acts 19. even that Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth Yea and in Acts 26. Paul gave a Relation of his Call as also of his Work I saith the Lord have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a Minister And what was his Work In preaching to the Gentiles to open their Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light from the power of Satan usto God that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith in Christ Iesus Paul declared his Commission to preach and the Effects of it was glorious Conversion Faith Remission of Sins Sanctification Salvation he took not Flesh and Blood into counsel evil Counsellors for the Soul but silencing Flesh entertaining a noble Resolution he put himself into the hand of God saying in effect Te duce vera sequor To duce falsa nego Consider Paul in and through the Virtue of him that sent him opened peoples Eyes and turned them from Darkness to Light and from Satan's power unto God Were not these Witnesses of the Spirit 's Baptism Yes for without the Spirit and its Baptism none come to God nor out of Satans power Thus Paul discipled the Gentiles that received his Testimony and baptized them in and through the Spirit into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit and this was and is done not by water-Water-baptism without but by the Spirit 's
denyes Christ and his Baptism with the Spirit and sets John and his Water-baptism in his Throne thou stumblest at the Rock the Day-Star thou knowest not nor the Sun of Righteousness risen and the Shadows flown away Now if any scruple this Scripture and simply desires to be resolved whether Baptism he preaches up the Mouth of Paul in another place may inform thee 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body Here thou may'st be satisfied he tells thee there is One Baptism he also informs thee what that one Baptism is not into Iordan not into a Bowl Bason or Font but by the one Spirit into one Body So to every seeing Eye Iohn's water-Water-baptism is here laid aside his Ordinance thereto repeal'd Now it being that Paul was not sent to baptize with Water and that he preached up one baptism and that of the Spirit it necessarily follows that whom he baptized with Water he did it by Permission in reference to Iohn's Ministration Using and Instituting are two things the Apostles Condiscended where they never Commanded And whereas some alledge The Eunuch said unto Philip Here is Water what doth hinder me to be baptized Philip said If thou believe with all thy heart thou mayest Acts 8.36 37. He saith not thou must he held it not to be of absolute Necessity so condescended as before The holy Spirit which seals up to God was received without Water-baptism or Rantism where then is the Necessity of Dipping or Sprinkling Now in reference to what was last objected several Testimonies consonant to what I here assert might be produced and that of such who were not of mean Account in their Day their Works by many yet had in esteem The use of the Ceremonial Law saith Wollebius in his common places was profitabâ—e before the Death of Christ after his Death unto the Promulgation or spreading abroad of the Gospel it 〈◊〉 as indifferent but after the Promulgation or clear publishing of the Gospel the observation of Ceremonies is not only unwholsome and unprofitable but also deadly Hence Paul at the beginning would have Timothy Circumcised because of the weakness of the Jews Acts 16.3 but after that the Gospel was more fully Preached he would not yield that Titus should be Circumcised Gal. 2. And saith he ' The Observation of Iewish Ceremonies would now be nothing but a denying of the Coming and Death of Chrâ—st So there was a time say I when Iordan-washing was profitable there was a time when it was indifferent in which time the Apostles made some use of it and there is a time when it may be said to be Antichristian in pleading for the outward Washing when the Laver of Regeneration filled with the Water of Life for the clensing of the inward Man is set open and when performed in that Spirit which is at Enmity unto Christ Wilfred a Presbyter reasoning with Bishop Coleman about the time of the celebration of Easter said God forbid we shou'd accuse the Apostle of Folly when he observed the Precepts of Moses the Church as yet Iudaizing in many things neither were the Apostles on a sudden able to abolish all Legal Observances which had been of Divine Institution On this account Paul circumcised Timothy offered in the Temple purified himself allowed of Head-shaving had his Head shorn at Cencrea profitable to no other end but to avoid ministring of Offence to the Jews who being weak saw not the End of these things in the year 664. Piscator on Acts 16.3 saith After the Example of Paul and Timothy that the Weak may be gained let us not refuse to submit unto troublesome things which otherwise we might with a good Conscience forbear Paul saith Trapp on 1 Cor. 9. became all things to all men that he might save some and how not in conforming to their Impieties but in the Use of things indifferent in Bowels of Compassion to them Paul saith he harp'd much of this String out of a fervent and ardent Desire to gain Souls to the Lord. Though many Legal Types saith Gell continued some considerable time after Christ's Death yet they lost their positive and obligatory Power and were used only as Adiaphora things indifferent in Compliance with the inveterate Prejudices of new Converts lately brought over from Judaism who could not quickly lay aside that great Veneration which they had for the Rites of Mosaik Institutions Obj. Peter baptized some Gentiles after that the Spirit was fain upon them doth not this perpetuate water-Water-Baptism Answ True it is while Peter preached the Everlasting Gospel unto the Gentiles the Gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them then said Peter Can any man forbid Water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we Acts 10.44 c. The Grounds and Reasons why water-Water-Baptism John's Ministration was some time used for a season in the primitive times by the Apostles are before mentioned I do not believe that Peter had any more Command for Water-Baptism then Paul had who said expresly Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel Yea and this Paul said Acts 20.27 I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole Counsel of God It seems John's Ministration of Water-Baptism's Continuance was not of his Counsel Where did he exhort Timothy Titus Philemon or any of the Churches he wrote Epistles to to continue Water-baptism on the contrary he shews it was fulfilled ended repealed as hath before been spoken to though in Relation to Iohn's Ministration and in Compliance with the present State he baptized some few as others upon the same grounds did Paul circumcised Timothy yet in 1 Cor. 7.19 he saith Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God The same may be said of Water-baptism ' Tiâ— not Dipping or Not Dipping but the keeping of the Commandments of God this is the bonum hominis the totum hominis the one thing necessary 't was not easie to bring them from what had been commanded but as Truth discovered it self to be the Substance thereof Paul writing to the Galatians said How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements whereunto ye desire again to be in Bondage Gal. 4.9 Wâ—at is earthly and beggarly is not of power to enrich with spiritual Blessings Water is an Element appertains to the elemenâ—ary Part in man which is to pass away in the Revelation of the Substance which turns out the earthly within and earthly Rudiments without establishing a Kingdom in Righteousness and Substance out of Figures and Shadows Peter never ascribed Regeneration to outward Water neither did he preach That Children damnati priusquam nati that is damned before they be born as the Doctrine is now by sprinkling Water upon them are made Members of Christ Children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven but he ascribed Regeneration to the Eternal Word saying Being born again not of
corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which lives and abides forever 1 Pet. 1.23 Peter a Fisher of Men having caught a Draught of Gentiles was right-glad thereof so in Compliance with the present Season as others did condescended to Outward Water which washes the Outward Man and might take Occasion therefrom to exhort them to wait for an Encrease of the Spirit 's Virtue and Power the Heavenly Baptism which washeth the Inward Man for inward cleansing the Effect of the Spirit 's Baptism is a gradual Work The Third Assertion Christ's Baptism in or with the Spirit only is the Baptism that is to continue in the Church to the End of the World JOhn being the Fore-runner of Christ according to the Father 's Appointment was to baptize with Outward Water John 1.33 to wash away the Filth of the Outward Man shadowing out Christ ready to be revealed and by his spiritual Baptism to cleanse the Inward Man to make it a Habitation of God and this Water-baptism was to be of less Continuance then the Shadows of Moses as the Morning-Star though brighter then the other Stars shines less while then they because the sudden Appearance of the Sun swallows it up So John's Water-baptism though its Beginning was long after Circumcision commanded in Abraham's dayes and the Shadows of the First Priesthood commanded in the dayes of Moses yet was it to have an End with them for when as after Christ's Ascension Christ's Baptism began cleansing inwardly then John's Baptism a Figure thereof was ended and fulfilled the Shadow was to give way to the Substance the Sign to the Truth the Letter to the Spirit the Servant to the Son for as the Prophets were until John so John was until Christ and John must no more exceed his Bounds then Moses and the Prophets theirs as the Prophets gave up to John so Iohn was to give up to Christ Iohn a Creature had a Temporary Baptism but Christ who is the same to day yesterday and forever hath an Everlasting Baptism by the Spirit into one Body and Christ's Kingdom stands not in Signs Figures and Shadows but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in that Spirit wherewith he baptizeth Now after Iohn's water-Water-Baptism had continued some 4 Years then Christ's Baptism with the Spirit without Water began to be manifested as you may see Acts 1.5 Christ told his Disciples saying John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the holy Spirit not many dayes hence Confider they were not to stick in Iohn's Baptism much les in Rantism a Tradition then unheard of nor build their Tarbernacles there nor judge it sufficient but were to wait for the Promise of the Father even the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth the plentiful effusion of the Spirit was reserved as the great Blessing of Gospel-days of the Evangelical State and Dispensation which is to run parallel with the Age and Duration of the World herein the Everlasting Gospel is preached to Kindreds Tongues and Nations Tâ—is precious Promise of the Father was accomplished and fulfilled at the Day of Pentecost when the Disciples were waiting together in one Place Cloven Tongues like as of Fire sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spake with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them Utterance Acts 2.1 2 3 4. Thus it was evident and manifest that Iohn the Baptist was a true Prophet who said I baptize with Water but Christ shall baptize with the Holy Spirit and with Fire Christ Acts Chap. 1. bad them wait for the promise of the Father he told them what the Promise was even the Baptism with the holy Spirit and they received what they waited for at the Day of Pentecost Acts 20. they were filled with the holy Spirit which was Christ's Baptism without Water mark this without Water more excellent then Iohn's Baptism with Water Now Baptists and Rantists Dippers and Sprinklers for the most part are faln into that Diminution Deprivation or utter Abolution of divine Understanding as that it seems ridiculous or alâ—ogether erroneous to tell them of a Baptism without Waters This of Pentecost was the beginning of Christ's Baptism after he was ascended to this Iohn witnessed saying Joh. 7.39 He that believeth on me said Christ out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water but this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the holy Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified but as soon as he was glorified then he began to let out the Power of his Spirit even his Baptism the Progress of Christ's Spiritual Baptism was further manifested as Acts 8.17 Peter and Iohn laid their hands on the Believing Samaritans and they received the holy Spirit after this the Apostle Peter preached Christ to Correlius his family and Friends the holy Spirit fell upon them Acts 10.44 Moreover all the Saints at Pome at Corinth in Galatia in Ephesus in Philippi in Coloss in Pontus in Capadocia in Asuâ— in Bithyniae yea and all the true Churches were in their respective Measures Partakers of the Spirit of the Lord and of its Baptism which was and is the One Baptism to continue in the Church of Christ to the End of the World for in the Church the Kingdom of Christ the Apostles preached not up Circumcision nor Baptisms but one Circumcision made without Hands one Baptism by the Spirit into one Body and of the Necessity of the Continuance of the Spirit 's Baptism in the Church of Christ let the Wise in Heart who read these things consider First Without the Spirit 's Baptism none come to fee the Volumn of Corruptions in his Heart to be cancelled none escape the Bondage Slavery Darkness Defilements and Reprobate State of corrupt Nature but who walk in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned them and submit to its Guidance they encrease in heavenly Encreases they grow in the Spirit and seel its Baptism so receive a New Nature and their Thoughts Words and Works are savoury Effects and Fruits of this new and heavenly Nature Peter wrote to the Saints who were Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Here the Image of God is renewed the Life of God known Fellowship with him in his Holiness and Purity yea in his Blessednesâ— in the beatifical Presence and Brightness of his Glory this Outward Washing though a Thousand times over can never bring unto but leaves the old Nature the cursed Nature alive and vigorous in the Creature Secondly Christ's Baptism gives a New Name who hearken to Wisdom's Teaching and in the Cros of Christ see Sin crucified in their Mortal Bodies and with the Sword of the Spirit in which the Evangelical Baptism is see the Enmity slain such receive a New Name To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden Manna I will give him a white Stone and in the Stone a New Name written which no man knows
saving he that receives it Rev. 2.17 The Lord's Worthies are fed with Heavenly Manna hidden from the Wise from the Prudent from the Princes of this World they have a White Stone in which they are comforted notwithstanding all the black Coles wherewith the world seeks to besmear them this Stone may spiritually be called Ebenezer by interpretation the Stone of Help these have a New Name better then that of Son and Daughters Isa 56.5 Here not thorough Willing Runeing and carnal Conformity but through Faith the Spirit of Adoption is received wherein Christ's Baptâ—sm is witnessed and because you are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 God hath no Still-born Children the Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of Supplication to this New Name Adoption Cry of Abba Father Outward Washing cannot bring 't is a rich yea an enriching Giâ—t neceived by the Hand of Faith Rom. 8.15 Thirdly The Spirit 's Baptism must continue in the Church otherwise no true Worship without it the true Worship is not known the Woman of Samaria acknowledging Christ to be a Prophet forth-with she sought to be satisfied in a Case of Conscience concerning Worshipping in that Mountain or in Jerusalem Christ said unto her The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father for God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4.24 How In Spirit in Opposition to the carnal and idolatrous Worship of the Samaritans who worshipped God under the Representation of a Dove How must God be worshipped In Truth in Opposition to the Typical and Figurative Worship of the Jews which was but a Shadow of the Gospel-worship Paul bare record unto this Worship saying We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit as truly it may be said They are of Christs Baptism who worship God in the Spirit such as have their Luxuriances lopped of unruly Passions mortified and cast away as a superfluou Fore-skin such are inwardly circumcised inwardly baptized by the One Spirit into One Body in which the true Worship is Fourthly The Spirit 's Baptism must continue in the Church else no Translation into the Kingdom of Light 't is through the Spirit that Entrance is known thereinto so that the Doctrine of Men who preach reach and affirm that sprinkling of Infants which they call Baptism makes a Mâ—mber of Christ a Child of God an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven is an antichristian Doctrine setting outward Water in the place of the Spirit of Christ whose Work only translates into the Kingdom of God so that the Apostle Paul gave thanks to God who had delivered them from the power of Darkness and had translated them into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 So 't is the Power of God who is a Spirit that translates into the Kingdom of Christ not extrinsecal that is outward water as many erroneously teach such as truly have a Lot herein though through the Malice of the old Serpent they be cast into a dark Dungeon yet may say in Faithfulness and Verity as Oscolampadius upon his Death-bed said Hic sat lucis Here within is plenty of Divine Light Fifthly The Baptism of the Spirit makes the Heart the Lord's Temple outward Water tends not to the cleansing of the inside but in the Faith the Spirit is received which baptizes into one Body Paul wrote to the Corinthians saying Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and if any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 1 Cor. 3.16 17. And this Temple is not washed by John's Ministration of out ward Water but by Christ's Ministration of the Water of Life 't is swept by the Lord's Power 't is beautified with Holiness perfumed and sweetned with Heavenly Graces like Incease and Myrrh the Lord will dwell in a poor provided it be a pure Heart 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Sixthly The Spirit 's Baptism enables to the Work of the Gospel-Ministry not Arts nor Sciences nor Humane Endowments not Aristotle's Ethicks nor his Physicks nor his Metaphysicks makes a Minister of Christ but the Virtue of the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth The Spirit of the Lord is upon me faith Christ he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor see Luke 4 18. even the Gospel a Word of Excellency Authority Certainty and Sufficiency yea and Christ said to his Disciples John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the holy Spirit not many dayes hence and ye shall receive Power after that the holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth Acts 1.5 8 Consider this Christ himself here calls Baptism of the Spirit the Power qualifying and enabling them to be his Witnesses Yea and 2 Pet. 1.21 Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit they were acted carryed out of the Dungeon of Self whence issue Dreams Uncertainties to say do what God would have them Yea and on the Day of Pentecost Cloven Tongues like as of Fire sate upon each of the Disciples they were all filled with the holy Spirit and spake as the Spirit gave them Utterance Acts 2. Thus were they baptized with the Spirit Christ's Baptism without Water John's Baptism and they were taught both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to divide the Word aright as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feot it aright to teach well and live well so that in the sense of God's Innocency wrought in them they commended themselves as Examples for others to follow Yea and 1 Pet. 4.10 As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another at good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God Cloups when full pour down Presses over-flow Aromatical Trees sweat out their precious and soveraign Oyls so the divinely qualified Witnesses bring out rich Treasures even lively and life-giving Oracles this is through the Spirit 's Baptism not through Acquired Attainments and Accomplishments Seventhly The Spirit 's Baptism brings into the true Service of God for no Kindred Tongue Language Nation Family Man or Woman hath an entrance into the pure Service of God but inasmuch as they feel the Spirit of the Lord in them moving Heaven ward for as the Apostle said But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that vve should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 The true service of God is in the newness of that Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth in which man being kept he holds constantly a Countermotion to the course of the World to the torrent of its reigning corruptions in this Bodies are presented
a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is their reasonable service Rom. 12.1 a living Sacrifice instead of a Ram sinful Passions are here slain instead of a Goat unclean affections instead of flying Fowls vain Thoughts foaring Purposes wandring Imaginations are slain this is read in those Bodies that are this living Sacrifice Eighthly The Spirits Baptism makes all that partake of it one in and with Christ the Head Christ prayed to his Father saying John 17.11 Holy Father keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are he prayed for their Oneness who was heard of his Father and Verse 20 21. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they all may be one in us No true Unity is out of the Lords Name it is a strong Tower a Munition of Rocks here security and safeguard is known a sure and sweet Haven to have recourse unto After Christs Ascension when the Spirit was received with which Christ baptizeth the Churches were Witnesses of this Oneness so Paul told the Galatians Chap. 3.27 28. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither Bond nor Free there is neither Male nor Female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus These were clothed with the Sun these were beautiful through divine Ornaments Consider this it was not through water-Water-baptism but through the Spirits baptism that Christ was put on that Oneness was witnessed And 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body So who become living Members of that Body whereof Christ is the Head and feel themselves to be of the Corporation and Company of Believers 't is through the Spirits Baptism not through outward Water And 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit Further Paul to the Ephesians said Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Epâ—es 4.3 So the Unity and Unanimity is in the Spirit in which Christs Baptism is Ninthly The Spirits Baptism cleanseth from sin and iniquity so fulfils inwardly what John's Water-baptism shadowed forth outwardly 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Paul wrote to the Corinthians saying Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God it is an undefiled Inheritance the Unclean must not tread on that golden Pavement And this Apostle having branched out such and such Workers of Iniquity he concludes thus And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Consider this when they came to be Partakers of the Spirit to know its Baptisin then they came to be washed sanctified yea and justified also The same Apostle wrote to the Saints at Ephesus saying Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctisie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church without Blemish Spot or Wrinkle Now 't is not Water without though man were washed a thousand times therewith but the Spirit of the Lord wherewith Christ baptizeth where a Well of Water is known springing up unto eternal Life that effects these things in the Church Tenthly The Spirits Baptism makes true Christians so deny it and sweep true Christianity from off the Earth Paul writing to the Romans said He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Lettir whose Praise is not of man but of God and as truly it may be said He is not a Christian that is one outwardly neither is that Baptism which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Christian which is one inwardly and Baptism is that of the Heart and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of men but of God Gods Eye and Regard is to the inward Iew and the inward Circumcision to the inside Christian to the inward Baptism but mans Eye and Regard who knows not the Laver of Regeneration is to the out-side Christian to outward Baptism for of the many Eplscopalians Presbyterians Independents Baptists and others who have written of Baptism and Rantism that is dipping and sprinkling few if any have written of the Baptism of Christ with the Spirit which John the Baptist Christ Peter Paul c. bare witness to the Virgins Birth was by the Angel unto Joseph named Jesus by interpretation a Saviour for saith he He shall save his People from their Sins Matth. 1.21 After he was baptized of John in Jordan and the holy Spirit descended like a Dove upon him from the divine Anointing which came upon him he came to be called Messias and Christ which both signifie anointed Christ in Greek as Mesâ—â—â— in Hebrew signifies anointed because he was anointed of the Father Peter bare record of Christ saying God anointed Jesus of Nazareth wâ—th the holy Spirit and with Power who were about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him Acts 10.38 Thus Jesus was the Anointed of the Father the Christ the Messias and him the High Priests Prophets and some Kings under the Law anointed with material Oyl represented so Christians signifies Anointed Ones and none are truly Christians but as they partake of the Anointing whereby they become Members of Christ spiritually influenced by Christ their Head so become Kings and Priest unto God The Disciples as Acts 11.26 were called Christians first in Antioch called so by divine Direction as the word signifies saith Trapp on this place the same Anointing which came upon Jesus which God gave not by measure unto him Joh. 3 34. the same Anointing is given in measure to the Members of Christ of his Fulness they receive Grace for Grace these are true Christians truly Anointed Ones Hebr. 1.9 Thou hast loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows Thus real Christians partake of the Anointing in their respective Measures Christians are Christ's and they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5 24. Now such as take not up the Cross but live in the Flesh in the carnalizing Principle and in this profess the Scriptures God Christ and his Ordinances so become swel'd with historical Knowledge and Notions and hence conclude themselves Christians I say they are not really so Non re sed nomine Christiani Not real but nominal Christians in Name only even as such who said they were Jews but were not but were the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 The Tucks at
the Purity of the primitive Church through the Smoak of the Bottomless Pit darkned then Traditions and Inventions of men were multiplyed then the Necessity of Infants Baptism by Augustine Cyprian and such like was introduced and by the Ratification and Enjoynment of Popes Councils General National or Provincial Synods Kings as absolutely necessary was strengthned Johannes Bohemius saith That Baptism of old was administred to none unless upon urgent Necessity but to such as were before instructed in the Faith and catechised but when it came to be iudged Necessary to Everlasting Lâ—fe it was ordained that Infants should be baptized and that they should have Godfathers and Godmothers who should be Sureties for Infants and should renounce the Devil in their behalfs it grew to this in the Roman-Catholick-Church that at the baptizing of a Child the Priest 1. blows three times in the Infants Face 2. he anoints his Eyes Ears and Nostrils with Earth moistned with his Spittle 3. he names him and marks him with the sign of the Cross upon his Breast and Back with Hallowed Oyle 4. he dips him into the Water or pours Water upon him three times in form of a Cross 5. dipping his Thumb in the Holy Chrism as they call it he signs the Childs Forehead with the sign of the Cross 6. he covers him with a White Garment 7. he puts into his Hand a Burning Candle Lib. 2. de Gentium moribus When the primitive Purity was turned from the one Baptism by the one Spirit into one Body lost then steamed such like things out of the Bottomless Pit into the Church and to gain Estimation they must be stiled Christ's Commands or at least Apostolical Traditions Augustine as 't is said was the first that preached the Necessity of Infants Baptism and as Nations became drunk with the Cup of Abomination and Fornication idolatrous and strange Erroneous Doctrines streamed out of Apostatized Christendom About the year 402. the Milevitan Council celebrated by ninety two Bishops put out this Canon All that affirm that young Children receive Everlasting Life without the Sacrament of Baptism and will not that young Children newly born be baptized to the taking away of original Sin that they be anathematized Magdiburg Cent. 5. This Canon then sent to Rome had the Ratification of Pope Innocent the third In the 5th General Council at Carthage held in the year 416. 't was decreed That whosoever denies that little Children by Baptism are freed from Perdition and eternally saved let them be accursed Tuis was confirmed and ratified by the said Pope Innocent the third after by Pope Zosimus after by Pope Boniface Isidore saith If Children were not baptized so thereby renewed and original Sin washed away they were in a state of Damnation Madg. cent 7. Pope Hormisda ordained That Children if they be weak should be baptized the same day in which they are born Summa Concil et Pontis And what care is taken in this Nation for weak Children to make sure their Christendom as they say I may be silent About the year 692. In a King of the West-Saxons ordained That every Infant should be baptized within thirty dayes after its Birth on the Penalty of his Parents forfeiting thirty shillings and if the Child dyed unbaptized the whole Estate These Saxons received the Faith of the Church of Rome from the mouth of Austine the Monk and others About the year 816. the Council under Wolfred ordained That they should not pour Water upon the Heads of Infants but immerge that is dip them in the Font Full. pag. 109. It seems they were for Dipping not for Sprinkling In the 9th Century it crept in ' That in Exorcism the Head Ears and Nose should be salted and anointed before Baptism Magd. Cent. 9. Augustine's Doctrine That Children born or unborn were damned if they dyed within Baptism being received at a Heavenly Oracle hence Infants Baptism was enjoyned by Popes Councils and Kings and great Virtue was ascribed to it as the taking away of Original Sin and of regenerating Infants and renewing of them and freeing them from Perdition and eternally saving them and of making them Members of Christ Children of God and thaâ— it made the Receivers as pure and innocent as Adam was before his Fall these things being believed Church-men became Defenders and Propogators of it common people received it with Greediness Who would refuse an Eternal Inheritance tendred upon such terms Thus Ignorance Blindness entering Christendom the Custom and idolatrous Tradition of Infants Baptism became so epidemical and general as that in the eleventh Century it was scarce questioned in this Age it crept in That Salt should be put into the Mouth of the Baptized Magd. Cent. 11. In the Discourse between Dr. Harpsfield Arch-Deacon and John Bradford Martyr this Bradford said I dare not exclude from Christ all that dye without Baptism He placed not Salvation in visible elementary Water but the Roman-Catholicks are otherwise minded and thrust the Souls of Infants that dye without it into a Limbus infantum a place very nigh Hell and their Bodies out of Christian-burial into an Unhallowed Place and in this Nation who pretend to Reformation behind the Church so called if granted for burial to the Unbaptized must be received as a Favour And to the Decrees of Popes Councils and Kings there are several wrested Scriptures and Objections alledged for the defence and confirmation of Infants Baptism I. Obj. Whole Families were baptized so Children Answ 'T is written that whole Families believed John 4.53 Must it be inferred hence that Children not grown up to years of Discretion believed Families may be without Children they may be grown up or they might be newly married Families or their Children might be dead so 't is a wild Inference to ground Infants Baptism on this saith Optatus II. Obj. The Spirit accompanies Water in Baptism and Water so accompanied is Christ's Baptism the Spirits Baptism Answ The Scripture bears record against that the holy Spirit sell on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost this was Christs Baptism the Spirits Baptism and here was no Water made use of Acts 1 2. yea and in Acts 11.15 he call the holy Spirit falling on them the Spirits Baptism without the Element of Water as for Water that he calls John's Baptism III. Obj. Those that have right to the Promise they have right to the Seal thereof but the Children of Believers have right to the Promise ergo they have right to the Seal that is baptism Answ In Christ the Promise of the Father all the Kindreds of the Earth obtain the Blessing he is also the Covenant of Light given for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth Isaiah 43.6 and that such as have right to the Promise have right to the Seal thereof that is a real Truth but that Dipping or Sprinkling of Infants should be the Seal of the Covenant that I deny as Antichristian consider the first Covenant stood in Meats
what Water elementary shadowed out outwardly which cools cleanses quenches the Thirst makes fruitful outwardly Piscator on this John 3.5 saith very evidently Seeing that without this Water whereof Christ spake to Nicodemus no man can attain unto eternal Life it follows that Christ spake not of Baptismal Water Lombard Vossius yea a Cloud of Witnesses have showred down Testimonies to the same purpose but if notwithstanding all this thou wilt have John 3 5. to speak of material Water then Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the holy Spirit and with fire must be understood of material Fire then outward Fire must be used in Baptism which would be judged an Absurdity and a strange Doctrine Water and Fire are in these places added to shew the effectual Operation of the Spirit working that inwardly which Fire and Water represent outwardly as many have observed born of Water and of the Spirit or of Water which is the Spirit John 7.38 9. as Piscator observes so baptized with the holy Spirit and with Fire baptized with the holy Spirit which is Fire a Coal from the Lord's Altar giving light to the inward man spiritualizing him changing him into the divine Image from Glory to Glory elevates and carries the Renewed Heaven-ward purifying from the dross of Sin Polutious and Defilements uniting to the Called Faithful and Chosen separating from the World in a word who dwell in the Light of Grace these more and more receive the Spirit in which Christ's Baptism is a Coal from the Lord's Altar operating inwardly as elementary Fire outwardly Of Children in the Womb Baptized Satan the grand Adversary by Hellish Suggestions Wicked Temptations Unclean Injections by little and little after the primitive Times disjoynted and as I may fay dis-spirited many so that the pure serious Worship in Spirit and in Truth came by little and little to be departed from and a Will-Worship clouded with Ceremonies Shadows Traditions Inventions of men came to be established so that Augustin in his day taught That Children born or unborn if quickened in the Womb were Damned if they dyed without baptism hence the Necessity of baptizing Infants was concluded as before I have touched Now it being observed that many Children dyed in the Womb and according to Father Augustin's Doctrine such were damned if unbaptized the consideration of this set them to seek a Remedy for that Disease and none could be found except the Child in the Womb could be baptized but if it might then all was well in order to this concern a great Question was propounded An pueri in utero possint baptizari it a salvari that is Whether Children in the Womb could be baptized so saved yea or nay This was looked upon as a Mysterious Question and necessary to be considered and it set the most curious Wits on work and out of the Magazine of carnal Reasoning came this Conclusion If a Quickened Child in the Mothers Womb shall be in danger to dye thorough the Weakness of the Mother or of the Child or thorough hard Labour let them bless or pray for the Child and let them strengthen the Mothers Womb let them commend the Child to God with Desires to baptize it and can protest saying The Fault is not in them why that Child is not baptized the Observation of these Ceremonies upon the Child's account was judged equivalent to Baptism and the Child concluded to be saved thorough its Parents Belief Cassander de baptismo Thus after the ingress of Apostacy multitudes of Inventions were brought into the Church and to the end they might have favourable Entertainment they were stiled Decent and Doctrines of Christ or Apostolical Traditions Concerning Baptizing of the Dead Thorough the Smoak of the Apostacy after the Apostles dayes such was the Depravation of mens Understandings as that they ascribed the virtue of Renovation Regeneration and Eternal Salvation to Baptismal Water yea and not a few concluded it effectual not only for the Living but also for the Dead so that the Cataphygians and Montanists baptized the Dead Bodies of men as saith Philastrius and Georgius Ederus in his Mataeologia haereticorum There were some saith Sparke that baptized the Dead and put the Sacramental-Bread in their Mouths as their Viaticum udging it better to have such a necessary Ordinance by Proxy then altogether to go without it A Child that dyed unbaptized was taken up and Christened as 't is said and had his Fathers Name given him Magd. Cent. 7. Concerning Baptizing the Living for the Dead Thorough the Apostacy many fell into a dead Lethargy as I may say into a spiritual Sleepiness Drowsiness and Forgetfulness as Israel of old who forgot the Lord dayes without number a Custom crept in among the Marcionites and Cerinthians that when any Catechumenist dyed without Baptism that is such a one as had been instructed in the Principles of Christianity some living Person was placed under the Bed of the Deceased then the Priest came unto the Deceased Party saying Desirest thou to be baptized the Dead Man replying nothing the Party under the Bed answered for it saying I would be baptized thus they baptized him for the Dead as if they acted a Play upon a Stage Tertull. Epiphan de Cerinth haeres Goodwins Roman Jewish Antiquities Paul to the Corinthians said If the Dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the Dead 1 Cor. 15.29 a Custom saith Piscator on this place not universal nor taken up in all Churches nor among the Corinthians is here noted A Custom saith this Piscator sprung up among the ancient Christians of being baptized at or over the Graves of the Dead of the Martyrs to testifie saith he that with Christ they were dead to sin and ready to dye for him c. But the Churches who bare about in their mortal Bodies the Dying of the Lord Jesus so came to witness his Life manifest in them they knew the Ground of Rudiments and beggarly Elements cast out the End of Shadows and Figures manifested in which they left off John's typical Baptism without and all other irrePtitious Customs and Confusions about the same Of an Annual Baptism that is of such as Baptize themselves every Year The Habbasines a kind of mongrel Christians in Affrica baptize themselves every year on the day of Epiphany so called in Lakes or Ponds thereby to keep a Memorial of Christs Baptism in Jordan which was performed on the aforesaid day as many of the Ancients conjectured Trapp on Matth. 3. Of Outward Fire used in Baptism The Apostacy prevailed with and in the Church as a Consumption upon a Mortal Body which weakens the Body by little and little causeth Leanness and turns the Body to the Dust so the Apostacy crept in by little and little the Cross of Christ being turned from Weakness followed spiritual Leanness that was lost which opens Scriptures and fulfils them in men so conceits conceivings mis-apprehensions mis-interpretations got place as from that
Good Conscience purged from Dead Works to God-ward is known Trapp on Heb. 6.2 concerning the Doctrine of Baptisms makes a clear Distinction betwixt the outward Baptism of Iohn with Water and the inward Baptism of Christ with the Spirit Piscator on Mat. 3.11 saith There is a two-fold Baptism the one Outward whereby the Body is cleansed the other Inward by the Spirit whereby men are regenerated and renewed washed and purged from the Filth of Sin People were to be taught saith Wilson in his Comple at Christian-Dictonary 'to put a Difference betwixt Outward Baptism by the Minister and the Inward Baptism by the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth The Minister saith the same Wilson baptizeth by Sprinkling with water Christ baptizes by bestowing the Gifts of his spirit Prudentius holds out a clear Distinction betwixt Iohn's Baptism with Water and Christ's Baptism with the Spirit saying in his Euchirid ' Perfundit fluvio pastus Baptista locustus ' Sylvarumque savis et amistus veste Cameli ' Tinxerat et Christum sed spirit us aethere missus ' Testatur tinctum qui tinctis crimina donot John fed with Locusts and with Honey wild Clothed with Camel's Hair the Baptist stil'd He dipped Christ Christ by the Spirit 's Grace Baptizeth his and doth their Sins deface The Second Assertion John's Baptism in or with Water was a Figure or a Shadow of Christ's Baptism in or with the Spirit so thereby fulfilled and ended THE Living God made Man perfect and upright at the beginning as a Garden watered with Heavenly Drops beautified with Fruits of Righteousness according to the Nature of the noble Seed in him yet he kept not his original Station but was entangled in the Net of the Hellish Spider whereby Fruits of Unrighteousness sprung up in him the Foundation of another Kingdom was laid so that a world of Wickedness was usher'd in the comfortable Sun-shine of the Lord's Presence was lost yet in this State there issued out from the Court of Heaven a Hu-and-Cry as I may say after faln and forlorn man and it was proclaimed yea evangelized to and in his Ears that The Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's Head Gen. 3.15 Now after this in Ages and Generations this Seed was figured out by Types and Shadows whereby the Faithful were led as by the hand to look after and wait for the Promised Seed Abel in his day offered a Firstling of the Flock shadowing out the Seed of the Woman Christ Jesus the First and the Last Lord of and in his Flock who was to destroy the Works of the Devil Gen. 4. Noah after the Flood builded an Altar unto the Lord and offered clean Beasts and clean Fowl thereon unto the Lord which the Apostle witnessed fulfilled when he said We have an Altar whereof they have no Right to eat who serve the Tabernacle Hebr. 13.10 in which Altar only is offered up a Clean Heart and Holy Hands In the dayes of Abraham Circumcision outward was instituted Gen. 17.10 a Shadow of a Circumcision without hands in and through Christ Isaac burded an Altar and called on the Name of the Lord Gen. 26.25 Jacob erected an Altar and called it El Elohe Israel which is being interpreted God the God of Israel Gen. 33.20 And among the other Figures of the first Priesthood which time fails me to speak of particularly Moses was commanded to make a Laver of Braâ—â— and to put Water therein and Aaron and his Sons were to wash their Hands and their Feet therein lest they dye Exod. 30.18 c. Who are of God they read these things and see what was pointed out thereby Now when John was come who was not the Christ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fore-runner of Christ it pleased the Lord that he should not be without something in his Dispensation which might point out that which should shortly be revealed as others before him in their respective Ages and Generations had and what was that even to baptize with Water such as repented and believed to clense away the filth of the flesh outwardly figuring thereby Christ Jesus who by the Power of his Spirit should purifie wash and clense inwardly all that received him so that Christ being come who was before Abel yea before the Hills and Mountains were he put an End not only to Abel's Firstlings to Noah's Altar to Abraham's Circumcision to Jacob's Altar to Moses's Laver-washing but also to John's Jordan-washing yet I say though these things were but outward and availed nothing to the purifying of the Conscience yet inasmuch as they were divine Commands and Shadows of a future Glory they were not to be disputed but practised owned and honoured in their time and season To this purpose well said Bernard Non attend it verus obediens quale sit quod praecipitur hoc solo contentus quia praecipitur that is One truly obedient minds not what like the thing is which is commanded in this only contenting himself or acquiescing because it is commanded Now if John's Water-baptism was a Figure a Shadow a Type of Christ the Life the Glory the Treasury of the Evangelical Dispensation the Head of his Body the Church his Kingdom which stands not in Words but in Power not in Shadows Types and Figures but in Substance in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Spirit and that it was a shadow Writers have born evidence and plentifully then by Christ ended and fulfilled so bears no Evangelical Perpetuity Hugo Grotius on Mat. 3. calls Water-Baptism a Ceremony Piscator on John 1. saith When John had instituted a new ceremony those that were sent enquired of him By that Authority he did those things if he was neither Christ nor Eâ—as Repentance and Faith saith one were the Qualifications of John 's Typical Baptism which was in slain Water without Oyl Salt Spittle Cream which are Antichristian Additaments Danvers in his Treatise of Baptism calls it a Sign or a Figure of the Mystery of the Gospel Baxter calls Water-Baptism a Sign of Regeneration pag. 117. Dr. Taylor calls Water-Baptism a Shadow The Sacraments of Baptism and of the Supper of the Lord saith Juel in his Apologet we with Tertullian Origen Ambrose Augustine Jerome Chrisostom Basil Dionisius and othe ancient Fathers do call them Figures Ceremonies Signs Types Shadows Similitudes Remembrances c. And every Type hath its Anti-type by the which it is ended and fulfilled water-Water-Baptism saith one was not instituted to have Grace inseparably tyed to it but to figure out the Power of divine Grace giving these Reasons 1st That John made a Distinction I with Water Christ with the Spirit 2dly Otherwise all the Baptized should be regenerated which appears otherwise in Simon Magus Ananias Saphira c. Calvin in his Institutes calls Water-Baptism a Sign a Figure saying If men be Partakers of the thing signified that is of the Substance why shall they be with-held from the Sign If they obtain the Truth why shall they
this day stile themselves Musulmans that is The only true believers The Angel of the Church of Sardis was thus reproved Thou hast a Name that thou livest but art dead Rev. 3.1 so could neither praise nor serve the living God A Ship may be called Safeguard or Goodspeed yet may fall into the Hand of Pirats So specious Names of Christians Believers Church-members advantage nothing except the Cross of Christ be borne the Anointed received which truly makes such Eleventhly The Spirits Baptism saves is present Salvation Now who contend for Iohn's Ministry Water-baptism be it Dippers or Sprinklers their discourse is of what the Saints enjoyed in the primitive times and of what Salvation shall be in another World not waiting for Salvation and Redemption in this Life but they that live not the Life of the Righteous shall not dye the Death of the Righteous nor shall have the Reward of the Righteous but the Apostle Paul preached present Salvation not by Iohn's Baptism or Water-washing but by the Baptism of Christ through the renewing of the Spirit Titus 3.5 According to his Mercy he saved us by the Laver or Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Spirit so that so far as a man is regenerated renewed by the holy Spirit which is Christs Baptism so far he is saved from sin and from the Reward thereof this Laver of Regeneration fulfils inwardly what Moses's Laver and Iohn's Jordan-washing shadowed forth outwardly this Laver of Regeneration removes the old Nature and brings in a new Nature whence issues new Thoughts new Desires new Words and new Works he lives thinks speaks works loves and acts otherwise then he was wont the Old Man and his Deeds are put off the New Man and his Deeds are put on Outward Water is not of that virtue to effect this in man 't is a Water of a more Heavenly Nature Paul writing to the Saints at Ephesus said By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Ephes 2.8 These were Witnesses of present salvation they had known stirrings in the Womb of Grace precious unto God had persevered therein so became God's Workmanship to know the glorious Fabrick of the New Man erected in them these were truly made alive unto God who had lain rotting and stinking in the sepulchre of Corruption these knew Christ's spiritual Baptism to this purpose Peter â—are record saying The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Peter here speaks of the Ark of Noah which by Command of the Lord was made of Gopher wood Gen. 6.14 a kind of Cedar saith the old Naturalist Pliny which is not subject to Rottenness nor Worm-eatenness but endures forever a shadow of Christ Jesus who is the same to day yesterday and forever so the Ark was a Figure of Christ as it saved by Water outwardly so Christ by his Baptism the Water of Regeneration saves inwardly from the Deluge of sin from the drowning Waves of iniquity and transgression Baptism saves now saith Peter But what Baptism doth he speak of of John's with Water or of Christ's with the Spirit the Apostle answers this lest any should misapprehend his sense and intent he explains himself evidently and fully saying Not the putting away the Filth of the Flesh the cleansing of the outward man the effect of John's Baptism but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God the effect of Christs Baptism in and with the Spirit which inwardly saves and brings to know and witness the Answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.9 20 21. Piscator on Matth. 3. gives his Testimony altogether answerable to what is here written saying That the Apostle Peter here ascribes Salvation to inward Baptism not to the outward which extends no further theâ— the outward man Hammond in his Paraphrase and Annotations on the New Testament saith on the aforesaid place As the Ark in the Water kept men safe from drowning even so Baptism doth save not that of John which cleansed but the Body but that which is signified by it even the Baptism of Christ with the Spirit who saves from sin and from the wages thereof Obj. The Baptism here spoken of by Peter must needs be water-Water-baptism because he calls it a Figure for it were not proper to call the Spirits Baptism a Figure Answ I confess while I had recourse only to our English Translations this before was my own Objection but consulting the Greek Copies the thing was cleared unto me and our English Translations appeared not so sound and clear as might be desired Peter speaking of the Preservation of 8 Souls in the Ark by Water saith if truly translated Whose Antitype Baptism doth also now save us And what is this Antitype even Christ who baptizes with a spiritual and saving Baptism even Christ the Truth the Sum the Substance the Thing signified by Types and Figures Circumcision outward was a Type Circumcision inward the Antitype Moses's Laver a Type the Evangelical Laver of Regeneration the Antitype Anointing without a Type Anointing within the Antitype the Ark saving by Water without a Type Christ by his spiritual Baptism saving from the proud Billows of Wickedness and Uncleanness is the Antitype so that the Antitype comes in lieu stead place or room of the Type 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Greek word and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies pro as well as contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proconsul the Consuls Deputy one that officiates for him these things Linguists understand so that though our English Translation renders it The like Figure whereunte even Baptism doth also now save us yet it is properly truly and answerable to the nature of Truth rendred Whose Antitype Baptism doth also now save us even as the Ark saved them of old And if any say This is but a Conceit or Whimsie of my own Head let such read Gerh. on this word who saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hoc loco ipsam veritatem significat typo ac figurae respondentem that is Antitype in this place of Peter signifies the Truth it self answering to the Type and Figure Truth that is Christ the Way the Truth and the Life who baptizeth with the Spirit and saves from sin as the Ark saved outwardly Vatabalus Grotius Frafmus Capâ—dus Beza Hammond gave their Testimonies to the same purpose If chiâ— Scripture of Peter held out a Figure or Type then one Type would answer another which were improper for every shadow type or fuâ—ure rewâ—â—â— to the substance as its Fulfiller Again it were to conclude the Gospel-Dispensation to be a state of figures and shadows which is the sum and substance of all the Kingdom of God stand not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousâ—â—â—â— Peace and Joy in
and Drinks and divers Baptisms that is Washings it had a temporary Seal to wit Circumcision Rom. 4.11 but the New Covenant Christ Jesus the great Promise of the Father hath a spiritual yea an eternal Seal this is my positive Affirmation in this case that the Old Covenant standing in outward things had an outward Seal but the new Covenant the Promise of the Father hath a spiritual Seal Paul a Witness of Christ the new covenant the great Promise of the Father in writing to the Saints at Ephesus he testified on their behalf saying After that ye believed ye were scaled with the holy Spirit of Promise Ephes 1.13 He calls the Spirit the Seal of the New Covenant Christ the Promise of the Father not Baptism not Rantism dipping or sprinkling Further he exhorted them in these words Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed to the Day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 He preaches up the Spirit to be the Evangelical Seal of the New Covenant the Promise of the Father so who preach up Water-baptism to be the Seal they oppose the Apostles Testimony deny the Lord's Privy and Royal Seal and introduce another of mans making the sealed are the Lord 's Excellent Ones his Worthies And as for that Scripture Acts 2.39 The Promise is unto you and to your Children unto all that are afar off even as many as the Lord shall call This makes nothing for Water-baptism or Rantism to be the Evangelicall Seal Peter told the House of Israel that the Promise was to them to their Children yea to all the called of the Lord. Outward Water was not the Promise which they were to wait for but a thing of a more Heavenly Nature Christ told the Jews John 8.39 If ye were Abraham 's Children ye would do the works of Abraham so that such were the Children of Abraham and had right to the Promise who were found doing the Works of Abraham yea and the Apostle told the Galatians that they which were of Faith were the Children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 such Children as these have right to the Promise and know the Seal thereof IV. Obj. Infants-baptism is an ancient Custom so to be continued in the Church Answ The antiquity of a humane Tradition proves it not to be of divine Institution the spreading or over-spreading of Leprosie proves it not to be Soundness the Entrance of true Reformation thrusts out humane Inventions old as well as new what Christ received of his Father that he taught his Disciples Apostles what the Apostles received from Christ the treasury of Wisdom and Knowledge that they taught to and in the Churches and the same was to be committed and commended to faithful men in the Faith the Tongue of the Learned was their All to them and in them and in this Faith that Tongue was kept silent which afterward brought the Darkness into the Church in the Eye of divine Illumination we see to before August in was or Cyprian was or Pope Innocent the third was who as 't is said first established Infants-baptism by ratifying the Canon of the Milevitan Council by this Eye we see and feel to the Primitive Order before the Apostacy was Christ the Apostles and primitive Church in the Beauty of Heavenly Virginity taught no such thing as dipping or spriekling of Infants and in the Faith the primitive Order is to be pressed after contended for the Smoak of the Pit Inventions Traditions and Idolatious Customs inconsistent with the living Life-giving Truth are to be warred against Id verum quod prius prius quod ab initio ab initio quod ab Apostolis Tertul. contra Marcion lib. 4. That is Truth that was first that was first which was from the beginning which was from the beginning which was from the Apostles what the Apostles preached that they received from Christ who is Alpha and Omega the First and the Last the Beginning and the End glorified with the Father before the Foundation of the World Augustine Bishop of Hippo testified saying Custom is not to be preferred before Truth but ought to give place to the Truth but who plead for Infants-baptism or Rantism they would keep Custom in the Throne and exclude Truth Cyprian Bishop of Carthage bare Testimony saying Custom crept in among some people ought not to hinder Truths prevailing and overcoming for Custom without Truth is nothing but ancient Error wherefore forsaking Error let us pursue the Truth These two said well though true it is as their Writings evidently demonstrate they were guilty of mingling their traditions inventions and imaginations with the Doctrine of Christ and of the Apostles V. Obj. 'T is said Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.5 deth not this perpetuate Infants-baptism Answ Christ gave no command for Infants-baptism neither did the Apostles practise any such thing whoever alledge this or any other Scripture for it they use the Scriptures as Torturers who putting innocent men upon the Rack so force them to speak that which they never thought such are these who wrest the Scriptures to draw a sense out of them which the holy Spirit never intended so tortures and perverts them as to make them speak for maintaining those things which were not commanded nor spoken of in those dayes wherein the Scriptures were given forth After the Apostles dayes Satan made an Encroachment upon the Garden of the Lord Earthly Exaltations of Darkness fumed into the Professors of Christianity then their Judgment became carnal and being not able to savour divine things they wrested those Scriptures which spoke of the Water of Life and applyed them to outward Water ascribing inward Washing and Regeneration thereto whenas indeed external Water can contribute nothing thereunto in this place Christ preached unto Nicodemus the Necessity of Regeneration and informed him how it was brought forth not by outward Water which can reach no further then outward things but by a Water able to renew a man to make him a New Holy and Heavenly Creature to dissolve the rotten and loathsom Fabrick of unrenewed untransformed man where Belial is King and to erect a Building in Righteousness and true Holiness where Christ is Monarch sole Lord. Other Scriptures give witness to this as John 4.10 Christ said to the Woman of Samaria If thou knew the Gift of God c. thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given this living Water Mark here is a Living Water a Life-giving Water effecting a living Work and this all the Re-born know Further saith Christ Vers 14. The Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up unto Everlasting Life And John 7.38 39. He that believeth on we out of his belly shall flow Revers of living Water which Believers in him should receive there is a living Water producing a Work of Wonder in the Bodies of men making all things new this fulfils inwardly
was going to hear a Miracle viz. Infants-baptism to be proved by Scriptures Oxford Divines in a Convocation held in the year 1647. said That without the consentaneous Judgment and Practice of the Vniversal Church they should be at a loss when they are called upon for Proof in the Point of Infants-baptism Eccius acknowledges That Infants-baptism is not clear from the Scripture see his Enchiridion Monsieur Daille a learned Frenchman a great Searcher into Antiquities said That in ancient times they often deferred the Baptism of Infants and produces many Examples but whence is it saith he that the very mentioning hereof is scarce to be endured at this day Lib. 2. pag. 149. Claudius Espontius Bishop ordained at a Council at Pysoy in France about the year 1500. That Infants-baptism should be received by Tradition because it could not be proved a Command of Christ The Long Parliament which sate in the year 1647. in their Declaration in Answer to the Scots Commissioners declared thus The Opinion touching the Baptizing of Infants is such wherein former Ages as well as this learned and godly Men have differed both in Opinion and Practice and said they herein we hold it fit that men should be convinced by the Word of God with Gentleness and Reason and not be beaten out by Force and Violence It is no small Evidence saith Hugo Grotius on Matth. 19. tho Baptism of Infants for many Hundred Years was not ordinary in the Church because Constantine the Great the Son of Helena a zealous Christian was not baptized till aged By what hath been spoken the Sober mind may understand that such as dip people are relapsed into the Shadow John's temporary Baptism and not confirmed in the one Baptism the inward cleansing the Spirits Baptism into one Body and that such as rantize or sprinkle Infants have no Command from Christ nor Example among the Apostles nor the first primitive Christians for â—o doing but only the Commands of Popes Councils Kings Earthly Powers and the Examples of men deviated from the primitive Order and Ministers of Christ should not be hurried away with the heady Torrent of Times Customs Traditions Unscriptural Non-apostolical Doctrines but should have an Eye to Christs Command and the Apostles Practice for what they do I cannot but subscribe to the Testimony of Tertullian who said Id verum quod prius prius quod ab initio ab initio quod ab Apostolis that is That is Truth which was first that is first which was from the beginning that is from the Beginning which was from the Apostles Tertul. contr Marcion lib. 4. for what the Apostles preached the same they received from Christ who is Alpha and Omega the First and the Last the Beginning and Ending glorified with the Father before the Foundation of the World Now if any question in their Minds why I call Sprinkling of Infants Rantism let them consider what follows for their satisfaction The Ceremony of John's Ministration according to Divine Institution was by Dipping Plunging or Overwhelming their Bodies in Water as Scapula and Stephens two great Masters of the Greek Tongue testifie as also Grotius Pasor Vossius Miâ—ceus Leigh Casanbon Bucan Bullenger Zanchy Spanhemius Rogers Taylor Hammond Calvin Piscator Aquinas Scotus Now this Dipping or Plunging of the Bodies of such as repented and believed in Rivers or Fountains the Greeks called it baptismos the Latius call it baptismus in imitation of whom in our Orthography we call it baptism the before-cited fully agree hereunto Now as for Sprinkling the Greeks call it rantismos which I render rantism for 't is as proper to call Sprinkling Rantism as to call Dipping Baptism this Linguists cannot be ignorant of that dipping and sprinkling are expressed by several words both in Latin Greek and Hebrew 't is very evident if Sprinkling had been of divine institution the Greeks had their rantismos but as Dipping was the Institution they used baptismos so maintained the purity and property of the Language Meds in his Diatribe on Titus saith That there was no such thing as Sprinkling or Rantism used in Baptism in the Apostles dayes nor many Ages after them to sprinkle Young or Old and call it Baptism is very incongruous yea as improper as to call a Horse a Cow for Baptism signifies Dipping c. Zepperus is as clear as the Sun in this thing saying Ex ipsa vocis notatione et etymo apparet quae baptismi administrandi consuitudo fuerit initio cuâ— not pro baptismo Rantismon potius hoc est aspersionem â—unc habeamus that is It appears by the genuine signification of the word what their Custom in administering Baptism was at the first forasmuch as for Baptism we now rather use Rantism that is sprinkling Zepperus de sacramentis However Rantism hath entred into among the Professors of Christianity and to gain the more acceptance 't is called Baptism Since the Ingress of the Apostacy great hath been the Confusion of men about this Point as hath beenshewed and might further be made apparent If any Bishop or Priest saith a Canon fathered upon the Apostles do not immerge that is dip the Party to be baptized three times in the Water but content himself with one Immersion that is Dipping let him be deposed Summa Concil et Pontif. But the fourth Toletan-Council under Pope Honorius the first taught That whether an Infant be baptized with three Immersions or but with one in plain English whether the Infant were dipt thrice or but once yet he should be accounted baptized and the Priest not to be deposed Here was Canon against Canon and the Canon fathered upon the Apostles wholely or in a high measure made void but it hath been a Sleight of Antichrist to father upon the Apostles his smoaky Inventions that coming under that guise they may find Acceptance But drawing to the Haven let me seriously tell the Reader That John's Water-baptism in its season I own as an useful Shadow fulfilled and ended by Christ's Spiritual Baptism and that such as are for dipping Believers are thorow the influence of Earth within turned to Shadows without and Relapses are dangerous And as for Rantism that is Sprinkling of Infants with Godfathers Godmothers Gossips Commothers Fonts and all other Antichristian Appurtenances the same I deny Now to what I have spoken of Fonts I further say that they are usually hallowed in this manner The Priest makes two Crosses in the Water with his Right Hand c. then he takes a burning Candle and drops it into the Water in form of a Cross then cries aloud over it and prayes That the holy Spirit would descend into it and make it fruitful that it may have Power to regenerate and beget anew then he breathes thrice into the Font and puts Oyl and Cream into the Water c. Further the Council of Trent taught That at the Font a spiritual Kindred and Relation was contracted between the baptized Child its Parents and the
Baptism within Again 2 Cor. 3.6 Paul testifies That they were made of God able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit even of the Spirit in which Christ's Baptism is revealed And Paul demanded of the Galatians saying Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 As if he should have said True it is you have received the Spirit but not by the Works of the Law but by the hearing of Faith so that the Apostles preaching the Word of Faith unto them they received the Spirit even that Spirit which baptizeth into one Body So that it is clear unto me that such as alledge this Scripture Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. to patronize Water-Baptism or Rantism that is dipping or sprinkling in Gospel-dayes they are Wresters and Perverters of the Scripture and that this Scripture as many others hath in the dark Night of Apostacy been wrested perverted abused and mis-interpreted beside what hath been spoken may be more fully made apparent Zuinglius and Piscator say expresly that Christ Jesus did not in those words institute a Form of Baptism and that Divines had taught falsly who held it out as a Form One Gulielmus who was a Roman-Catholick taught That the Form of Baptism should be thus I baptize thee in the Name of the Father of the Son of the holy Ghost and of the blessed Virgin Mary Cent. 13. Mag. 419. There was a certain Priest who being a Lack Latin said in baptizing Baptizo te in nomine patria et filia et spiritu sancta which is false Latine as Latinists know about this there was no small contention as whether the Baptism was lawful yea or nay where False Latin was broached Bonifacius Bishop under Carâ—lus Magnus was of Opinion that the Party thus baptized ought to be Re-baptized upon which Pope Zacharias wrote to Donifacius That he should not be Re-baptized for that notwithstanding the False Latine it was True Baptism he also put him in mind of the Custom of the Church that if any were baptized by Hereticks such should not be re-baptized but only purged by Imposition of Hands Thus False Latin got the Day A Bishop of Paris in a Synod expressed himself thus Let Baptism be celebrated with Reverence and let the Priest be very cautious in the Distinction and Pronuntiation of Words in which all the Vertue of the Sacrament and the Salvation of Children consists Statut. Synodal Odonis Parisiensis Episcopi This is a strange yea an unchristian Doctrine denying the Virgin 's Birth Jesus by interpretation a Saviour in whom alone Salvation is and ascribing the same to Water without Formal Words Distinctions and Pronuntiation without Obj. The Apostles practised Water-baptism not only before the coming in of Christ's Baptism but after as 't is evident in the Acts of the Apostles doth not this infer the continuance of it in Gospoltimes Answ As it was said in a certain Case so may I say in this Judicis officium est ut res it a tempora rerum Quarere that is A Judge must not only enquire after things but also after their Times and Seasons True it is the Apostles for a season practised Water-Baptism not Rantism that is Dipping not Sprinkling but whether they did it by Command or by Permission hath been a point of controversie As for me and Thousands more we believe that they did it not by Command from Christ but took it up and continued it for a season in relation to Iohn's Water-Baptism as Paul said in a certain case 1 Cor. 7.6 But I speak this by Permission and not by Commandment After the Ascension of Christ some of the Apostles used outward circumcision not as by Christ's Command but in relation to Moses for their sakes for a season who were weak or otherwise affected certainly knowing that soon after the Virtue and Purity of Circumcision made without Hands would put an End to Circumcision outward for the Mosaical Shadows and Figures were the most truly put off when tâ—ey felt the Substance Christ the Life the End of such things risen in their mortal Bodies for as the Sun-light swallows up the Moon-light and as Darkness is chased away when the Sun appears and mounts up in its lustre so all outward Shadows Types and Figures from the dayes of Righteous Abel to John were to vanish as the Life of Christ came to be exalted in his Church John intimated thus much when he said I must decrease he must increase So John's Water-baptism was to decrease Iohn being a Fore-runner and his Servant was to resign up his Baptism to Christ yea and as a Servant to deliver all things into his hands as Heir and Lorâ— Iohn's Baptism reached unto Christ's Kingdom but hath no place therein yea and to bring Shadows and Figures into his Kingdom is if rightly understood antichristian for his Kingdom is wholely spiritual and in his Church he is a Bundle of Myrh yes that very thing which from Abel to Iohn was represented by outward Shadows So that those the Apostles baptized as internally I am perswaded they did it for a season in relation to John's Ministration for the sake of the Weak and of others the Day being but even dawning which was to put an End unto and fulfil the Laver-Washing yea and the Jordan-washing as all other Shadows from Abel to that very season And that they baptized on this Account and not by a Command of Christ several Grounds induce me to believe First Paul a chosen Vessel who planted many Churches yet altogether ceased from John's Ministration of Water-baptism after that he had used it twice or thrice as probably all the Apostles did 1 Cor. 1.14 15 16 17. he thanks God that he baptized none but such and such saying expresly Christ sent him not to baptize dip or plung their Bodies in Outward Water though he did is to a few yet he had no command for it Hence it necessarily follows that he did it by Permission in reference to John's Ministration for the sake of the Weak or of others and the present time till the Lord Christ the End of all Figures was more revealed in them What was he sent to do To preach the Gospel Christ and his Baptism which washes inwardly fulfilling outward Washings Secondly This Paul who had the Mind of Christ held out but one continuing Baptism in the Kingdom of Christ writing to the Saints at Ephesus he said There is one Lord one Faith one Baptism Ephes 4.5 There had been two Baptisms Iohn's with Water Christ's with the Spirit yet the one is repealed and not preached up among them So to the wise in heart I appeal whether this one Baptism he preached up was John's with Water or Christ's with the Spirit and whatever thou be that sayes that the one Baptism which the Apostle preached up was John's Water Baptism I tell thee thou
the holy Spirit wherein the Redeemed cry Abba Father Rom. 14. Visibles are temporal as Moses's Laver-washing John's Jordan-washing imposed only until the Time of Reformation but Invisibles are eternal as the Spirit of the Lord is eternal in which Christs Baptism is such as center in temporals that Eye being shut which sees into the beginning before the temporals these are but as an House without Pillars tottering with every Blast as a Ship without Anchor tossed with every Wave for the Establishment is in that which is Eternal Whose Antitype Baptism doth also now save us By this Scripture as all the wise in heart understand Peter puts an End to Baptism of the Flesh as Paul did to Circumcision of the Flesh for saith Paul Rom. 2.28 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of men but of God which in effect is this In Gospel-dayes where all shadows are fulfilled Circumcision in the Spirit puts an end to Circumcision in the Flesh in effect Peter saith as much of Baptism Baptism saith he saves but not that Baptism which puts but away the Filth of the Flesh but that Baptism of Christ in the Spirit where the Answer of a good Conscience is known Yea by this Peter intimates that Baptism in the Spirit puts an to Baptism in the Flesh for of a Truth it may be said He is not a Christian who is one outwardly neither is that Baptism which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Christian which is one inwardly and Baptism is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praife is not of men but of God For neither Moses's Laver-shawing nor John's Jordan-washing could bring inward Cleanness and Purity of Conscience therefore Christ put an end to all outward shadows figures and Types by the Power of his Spirit inwardly effecting and fulfilling that which they in an outward manner shadowed out Many bear record in Truth to the Apostles Testimony who said The Law make nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope by the which we draw nigh unto God Hebr. 7.19 Here is the perfecting of the Children of Light here they are truly joynted whom Satan had dislocated Paul who was not sent to baptize but to preach the Everlasting Gospel a more weighty and ponderous Concern he had his Call from Heaven in writing to the Church at Rome he speaks of Gifts differing and exhorts every one to be faithful but of baptizing with Water he speaks not but in other places sets up the Spirit 's Baptism as conducing to the Salvation of the Soul So who are serious in the things of God cannot but conclude from what is spoken that the Spirit 's Baptism is the only Baptism peculiar to Gospel-dayes and that the continuance thereof is of absolute necessity whatever you be that deny it to and in the Church you shut out of the Church the divine Nature the new Name the true Worship Translation into the Kingdom of God the Lords Temple the Gospel-Ministry the true Service of God true Unity inward cleansing true Christianity present Salvation and what is that Church and what are the respective Members thereof that are destitute hereof Out-sides Formalists tossed to and fro as a Feather or Froth upon the Waves hurried about with every Wind of Doctrine like Glasses blown into this or that shape at the pleasure of mans breath what are Professors that are destitute of the Spirit and its Baptism as hollow Trees in an old Wood tall but pithless sapless and unsound What are these lifeless Formalists as a Bulrush whose Colour is fresh Skin smooth Body knotless yet nothing is within but a kind of spongeous unsubstantial substance The Swan in the Law was rejected for sacrifice as some affirm because of her Black Skin under White Feathers thus it is with Unscripturalized Out-side Formalists their Performances how specious soever black Death reigning within brings them not unto divine Acceptance their most Religious Duties and Performances issue from Art and Acquired Parts not from divine In-dwellings who then touched with the sense and possession of the Lord's Presence and with the Virtue of his spiritual Baptism can be silent And not as the Lord's Worthies contend for it of the which such excellent things are spoken if Christ must have preheminence in all things if he be All in his Church beautified out of his Wardrobe why is Outward Water so much magnified in Gospel dayes Christ is sufficient to and in his Church without John though John was of use in his season to point out Christ to come so the Baptism of Christ without visible Water is sufficient in his Church without the Baptism of John with Water though the Baptism of John with Water was useful in its season being a shadow of a better thing to come even of Christs Baptism with the Spirit who said He that believes on me out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water but this spake he of the Spirit which Believers in him should receive John 7.38 39. So that Believers receive the Spirit so Christs Baptism living Water is to flow out of the Womb of their Souls they know the precious Virtue thereof its Cooling Cleansing Thirst-quenching and Fructifying Virtue they know the fulfilling of Moses's Laver and John's Jordan-Washing in their Mortal Bodies The Fourth Assertion Rantism that is Sprinkling of Infants is a Case unpresidented in the Primitive times an Irreptitious Custom sprung up in the Night of Apostacy after the Falling Away from the Primitive Order I Have already shewed the Temporary Baptism of John and have likewise spoken of the Baptism of Christ with the Spirit and that this Baptism put an end to John's water-Water-baptism as to the other shadows so that to and in the gathered Churches one Baptism was preached and that by one Spirit into one Body the shadow being left off now it remains that I inform you how Dipping which was John's Ministration came to be re-assumed and likewise how Sprinkling of Infants got entrance among the Professers of Christianity Christ being upon the Mount of Olives with his Disciples told them that False Christs and False Prophets should come Mat. 24. which John seeing fulfilling and fulfilled said expresly they were come saying Little Children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time â— John 2.18 Paul in the Spirit of Discerning sore-saw and fore-told of an Apostacy a Departure from the Faith that seducing spirits should be heeded and Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 John in the Spirit fore-saw all the world wondring after the Beast Revel 13.3 yea and he saw and fore-told of a great Whore that
should sit upon many Waters even upon Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues Revel 17.1 15. yea and he saw and fore-told that all Nations yea Kings themselves should be drunk with the Cup of Fornication Revel 18.3 Now as these things were in fulfilling Darkness entred the Professors of Christianity yea and losing the Virtue and Influence of the Heavenly Pearl Christ in them the End Fulfilling and Substance of all shadows from Abel to himself then they began to re-assume shadows and figures without them then losing the pure Graâ—n they began to magnifie the Husk losing Christs spiritual Baptism the bubling Spring of living Water purifying inwardly then they began to re-assume John's Ministration of Water-baptism outwardly yea and to call it Christ Ordinance then Divisions abounded some baptized or sprinkled Old People on their Death-beds some-baptized people in their more early Age as when they were on pable of being catechized some began to baptize or sprinkle Young Children some baptized or sprinkled people after they were Dead some baptized the living for the Dead some baptized Children in their Mothers Womb before they were born some made the Character of a Cross in their Foreheads with a Burning Iron which they called Christ's Baptism some baptized themselves every year still pretending and crying Christs Ordinance Zuinglius in his Ago taking notice of the Confusion of men in reference to Baptism bore record in this manner saying In the beginning of my Book saith he I must ingeniously profess that almost all those that have undertaken to write of Baptism even from the very times of the Apostles have which I desire may be spoken with the favour of all not in a few things erred from the Truth Yea and this Zuinglius as well as they erred also the truly illuminated Branches of the true Vine turns from such as turn from the Life of the Scriptures the End of Shadows into Shadows and Inventions 't is more honourable to joyn to the Word without Men then to joyn to Men without the Word Now of the fore-mentioned Confusion and Inventions concerning Baptism and Rantism Dipping and Sprinkling more followeth I profess I have traced the steps of Antiquity and have been diligent to search out the Original of sprinkling that if possible I might find him out to whom this Tradition Rantism that is sprinkling may cry Abba Father and what I have found thereto to relating I freely commend to him that reads me I find it recorded that about the year 230. lived one Cyprian who was Bishop of Carthage in which time the foggy Exhalations of Darkness much ascended the Hearts of the Professors of Christianity yea so much as that Christ's Baptism in and with the saving Spirit the Water of Life being much lost within they began exceedingly to magnifie Water without the visible Element thinking Water-baptism saved ascribing Washing of Souls Regeneration taking away of Original Sin freeing from Perdition and eternal Salvation to it yea and in effect the Belief of this Doctrine remains and in such as would be accounted high Sharers in Reformation that the thing is so multitudes of Testimonies might be produced Whence saith Augustine hath Water so much Virtue as that it touches the Body and washes the Heart August in Hom. 8. Through baptismal Water men pass from Earth to Heaven saith Ambrose de sacramentis As Water extinguisheth cleanseth and whiteneth above other Liquors so in baptismal Water fleshly Lusts are quenched Sin both original and actual washed away Innocency begotten saith Algerus Not particular men only but even Councils were involved in this erroneous Conceit and Misapprehension The Council of Florence taught That by Baptism we are spiritually born again and that it imprints in the Soul a Character that is some spiritual sign indeleble that is which cannot be blotted out and further That we are thereby made Members of Christ of the Body of the Church Summa Concil et Pontif. The Trent Council taught That by Baptism we put on Christ and are thoroughly made New Creatures Children dying without it are by the Roman-Catholicks accounted Heathen and must not be buried in Hollowed Mould Church or Church-Yard Protestants dancing after the same Pipe accounâ— such Heathen and wanting their Christendom so bury them behind the Church so called This ancient Error of magnifying outward Water when the the purifying Virtue of the Water of Life was lost yet remains 't is read in the beginning of the old Catechism of present allowance My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein I was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of God Is not here unspeakable Virtue ascribed to baptismal Water Mayer in his Explanation of the English Catechism paraphrasing on the before-cited words saith Outward Water makes none Partakers of such Priviledges and that the Externals of the New are of no more Vertue then the Externals of the Old Testament alledging that in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision avails any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature and the keeping of the Commandments of God Baptism saith he confers not Grace ex opere operato as the Church of Rome teaches and if not Grace neither those precious Effects of Grace neither is external baptismal Water any more effectual then the Blood of Bulls and Goats to take away sins Hebr. 10.4 But to return from this digression in Cyprian's Age though the Degeneration was not so great and general as afterwards it became yet they greatly magnified Water and ascribed Salvation to it so that converted Persons deferred their Baptism to as near their Latter-end as they could guess so that they might have an Evidence of the Remission of their sins all at once they were not willing to have it before lest by after-sinning they should lose their Evidence now in propounding this End to themselves sometimes they deferred their Baptism so long as that through Extremity of Sickness and Weakness or the like they could not be baptized that is dipped then one Magnus enquired of Cyprian What they should do in such a case Cyprian answered Seeing it could not be done as it ought without the hazard of the sick Persons Life they must do it as well as they could so that they might have the Element of Water applyed to them on their Beds sprinkled upon them alledging Ez. 36. I will sprinkle clean Water upon them yet if they were restored again they should be dipped in a River Now Cyprian allowing of sprinkling in this case people would make use of it in other cases see Cyprian's Epistle to Magnus Here you see the Author of Rantism that is Sprinkling not Christ nor the Apostles but Cyprian not in the dayes of Christ but some Two Hundred and Thirty Years after yet not Infants but Old People were sprinkled Also he pleads for the sprinkling of new converted Prisoners in the Prison-house by degrees they let in the Custom of Sick Children afterwards of All Children Cypr. Lib. 4. Epist 7.
Magdib pag. 126. For further confirmation hereof Musculus saith in his Common-Places pag. 741. Anciently very many did defer their Baptism to the very utmost term of their Life to the end that they might depart pure and blameless out of this Life and so they did not suffer themselveâ— to be baptized except in their Bed and that by sprinkling only in the very point of Death that they might dye with an Evidence for this cause these were called Clinicks that is Bed-rid and Clinick Baptism in this manner Constantine the great the Son of Helena a zealous Professor was baptized when about Sixty Five years old being sick and dyed a few dayes after Socrat. Scholast lib. 1. cap. 26. Mark this that in the coming in of Rantism that is sprinkling Old Men were sprinkled not Infants In early Ages of the Church Baptism saith Cave was deferred till old Age. Basil Bishop of Gesaria though born of believing Parents as his Father being Bishop of Nisen was not baptized till aged Osiander Cent. 4. lib. 3. Theodosius the Emperor though born of Christian Parents and instructed in the Faith yet was not baptized till aged Historia tripartita lib. 1. Further Tâ—e Bohemiaen Confession holds out that Baptism for the most part was administred to Men of riper years In Alexandria the holy Scriptures were read and interpreted by the Unbaptized as well as by them that were Baptized Which thing plainly evidences that they ascribed not that virtue to Sprinkling or Infants as afterwards men did and now do It was a Custom among the Ancients that they that were baptized were baptized Naked supposing that as they were stripped of their Garment so by baptismal Water the old man that is in-dwelling sin and corruption was put off Wolfgangus Musculus Dusanus in his Comment on the Psalms This Custom continued very long as Authors say They had a Custom in the Primitive Church saith Trapp on Col. 2.12 that the Party to be baptized clod himself with old cloaths Which he put off when he entred into the baptismal Water and at his coming out he put on new Clothes What did they signifie hereby That they conceived that by the Virtue of baptismal Water they put off the rotten Rags of Vnrighteousness and put on the Garment of Righteousness and Salvation Thus the Water of Life being much lost within which cleanseth washeth purifieth sanctifieth and taketh away Spots Blemishes and spiritual Deformity they ascribed this Work to Water without One said Ardua sacrati baptismatis aula coruscat Quo delicta Adae Christus in amne lavat After this it came to be considered that many dyed before they became old therefore it was decreed That Children when growing to years of Discretion should be instructed in Christian-Principles and then baptized Zuinglius saith in his Book of Articles That Children were alwayes openly instructed and when their Faith had made an impression in their Hearts and they confessed the same with their Mouthes then were they admitted to Baptism Here was Teaching before Baptism but now they Sprinkle Infants and many years after teach them The one Baptism by one Spirit into one Body being much lost then they re-assumed John's Ministration of Water-Baptism or an Imitation thereof Johannes Bohemius saith In time part it was the Custom to administer Baptism alone to those that were instructed in the Faith and were before Easter so called and Pentecost catechized and then upon their Confession they were baptized this was done twice a year at Easter so called and Pentecost such as were baptized put on a White Garment when they came out of the Water for the aforesaid Reason or in token of that innocent course of Life they had engaged to walk in this White Raiment being exorcized and exsuffed with sundry Ceremonies they wore till the Sunday after Easter so called and on that day put it off which Day from those White Rayments was called Dominica in Albis that is The Lord's Day in White Concerning this Lactantius said Fulgentes animas vestis quoque candida signat Et grege de niveo gaudia pastor habet White Rayments Represent Souls chast and pure The Shepherd for his Flock takes Gladness sure The same Ceremony was observed by those that were baptized at Pentecost so from their White Rayments Pentecost came to be called Whit sunday that is White-Sonday in Memorial or Imitation thereof When Infants are now baptized they have on their Heads a White Cloth called a Chrisome Johan Bohemius de gentium moribus lib. 2. Cambdens Bret. pag. 768. Cave in his Primitive Christianity Pope Siricius in the year of the Lord 389. decreed That Baptism should not be celebrated but at the aforesaid two seasons Easter and Pentecost Summa Concil et Pontif. Baptizing at these two seasons became almost Vniversal saith Cassander de Baptismo Thou hast received after Baptism saith Ambrose de sacramentis a White Rayment a Token that thou hast put off the Pleasure of Sin and hast put on the chast or pure Rayment of Innocency Luther Bullenger Erasâ—us Ludovicus Vives Melancton Beza Bucer Augustine Marlolat Chamier Hammond Field Hugo Grotius Zuinglius Taylor Parens Tertullian Origen Cyprian Eusebius Heracles Dyonysius Athanasius Hillary Basil Gregory Nazianzen Ambrose Arnobius Jerom fourth Council of Carthage the Council of Laodicea the Council of Neocesaria Balsamon Zoâ—â—râ—â— Walafridus Strabo Monsieur Daille Beatus Rhenanus and Augustine in his Book De Fide gave in their respective Testimonies that in the more early Ages of the Church Repentance Confession of Faith and Instruction in Christian-Principles was commended to people as the only Qualifications for Baptism those thus instructed in Christian Principles were called Catechumens so were admitted to Baptism which Custom saith Zuinglius I wish it were in use in our Age Augustine and others charged their Opinions if their Writings be not corrupted by the Index expurgatorius Augustine the Son of the vertuous Monica being instructed in the Faith was not baptized till about the thirtieth year of his Age as saith Nauclerus in the year 301. His Mother would not have him baptized young lest through youthful Propensity he should fall into sin which after Baptism would be greater and more perilous as she conceived White 's Apology for Kushworth's Dialogues Gregory Nazianzen born of Christian Parents his Father being a Bishop was baptized about the twentieth year of his Age Osiander Cent. 4. Lib. 3. Ambroâ—e born of Christian Parents remained instructed in Christian Principles and was unbaptized till he was chosen Bishop of Millain Paulinus in vita Ambrosij Jerom born of Christian Parents was baptized when about thirty years old Erasâ—â—us in vita Hieron Chrysostom born of Christian Parents was not baptized till the one and twentieth year of his Age Hugo Grotius on Matth. 19. Nectarius was made Bishop of Constantinople before he was baptized Vossius de baptismo pag. 100. In Northumberland is a River called Glen in which Paulinus coming into those parts
with the King and Queen and staying there some thirty six dayes baptized many all which time he spent in catechizing and baptizing being instructed he baptized them in the River Glen these were not Infants neither were they sprinkled at a Bason Bowl or Font but they were returned to the Shadow Camb. Brit. Basil said None were to be baptized but the Catechumens that is such as were duly instructed in Christian Principles Lib. 3. contra Eunomium Dr. Taylor mentioning the Canon pag. 238. saith It intimates a Practice absolutely universal in the Church of interrogating the Catechumens concerning the Articles of their Creed which is one Argument that either they allowed not of Infants Baptism or that they did prevaricate egregiously in asking Questions of them who as themselves well knew were not capable of answering Now what high Thoughts they had of Baptism what Virtue they ascribed to it how they magnified it further appears by the Canon of a Council under Pope Honorius the first who put forth that No commemoration of an holy Oblation nor the Office of Singing should be bestowed on those Catechumens that dyed without the Redemption of Baptism Concil Bacarense sub Honorio primo vide Summa Concil et Pontif. In the dayes of the Apostles when the Woman was clothed with the Sun the Church was beautified with the Garments of Christ's Righteousness and Innocency Satan operated to entangle them in the Net of Shadows Elements and beggarly Rudiments as appears by Paul's Epistles to the Galatians Collessians c. Now after the Apostles dayes as Satan the old Adversary was more and more prevalent so the purifying Faith and the blessed primitive apostolical Order was more and more departed from the one Baptism which is spiritual was in a high measure lost then they began to re-assume John's Ministration of Water-baptism without or an Imitation of it as dipping or sprinkling Aged People baptizing Middle Age Youth after they were catechized and as Darkness encreased Inventions were multiplyed and entred the Throne of the Hearts of Christianity as sprinkling of Infants Godfathers and Godmothers Chrism Chrisoms Fonts c. in this Apostacy they ascribed the virtue of Saving Sanctifying Regenerating inward Washing to Baptismal Water without as now of making Members of Christ Children of God c. John ascribed no such Virtue to his Baptismal Water but only used it as a Figure of that inward Washing which should be witnessed in the Church by the Baptism of Christ in the Spirit without Outward Water Of the Original and Progress of Paedo-baptism rather Paedo-rantism now that is Sprinkling of Infants AFter this it was considered that many Infants and Children dyed before they were capable of catechizing and instructing in the Principles of Christian Religion and being doubtful concerning the Salvation of such they wrote to Augustine the Father to have his Thoughts concerning the State and Case of such as dyed unbaptized To whom Augustine returned this Answer Infants who whether they begin to live in the Mothers Womb and there dye or being born of their Mothers depart out of the World without the Sacrament of holy Baptism they are damned being guilty of Original Sin Consider the Fury of this Uncharitable man how he plants his great Gun against innocent Children Christ told certain that they must become as Little Children which implies Children to be harmless and innocent else they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But this Augustine taught that Infants born or unborn are damned if they dye without Baptism Truly he was stiled Durus pater infantum a hard Father to Infants Again He ascribes to Outward Water the washing away oâ— original Sin and actual also so sets corruptible Water in the place of the Blood of Christ which indeed cleanseth from all Sin Cassiodor on Psal 5. thus wrote That in Baptism Original Sins and Offences are so cleansed that it restores us to that Purity in which Adam was created Consider into what a Gulf of Error this Doctrine leads such as receive it ascribing the cleansing away of Sin to outward Water yea and that it restore to that Purity in which Adam was created When such poysonous Pills as these were swallowed such pernicious Doctrines credited that Children quickened in the Womb or brought forth dying without Water-baptism were damned and that by Water-baptism they were cleansed and made as pure and innocent as Adam was before his Fall from such accompts as these the Necessity of Infants-Baptism was concluded and the Danger without it and the unspeakable Benefits of it thus were Monsters conceived brought forth out of the Womb of Ignorance and further to beget people into a Veneration Esteem of it it must have no lower Title and Denomination then of being Christ's Ordinance and those Scriptures which were spoken of Christ's Baptism in the Spirit of the Water of Regeneration must be wrested and perverted to defend Water-Baptism and Rantism yea and the Doctrine of Augustine and such like being rooted in mens Belief Sprinkling of Infants must be accounted Christ's Ordinance and all that deny the same must be branded as Hereticks and Schismaticks And that Augustine Fulgentius Leonardus Coquaeus Cassander and many of the Ancients were of Opinion That Children born or unborn if they dyed without Baptism were damned Ecclesiastical History plentifully shews August ad vicentium victorem Fulgentius Leonardus Coquaeus in August de Civit. Dei August de fide ad Patrum Diaconum Cassander de baptisme Epitome operum Augustini pag. 75. Again Some will have Poedo-baptism or Poedo-rantism that is dipping or sprinkling of Children to be of more Antiquity then Augustine for 't is recorded that about the year 248. lived a Priest called Fidus who willed people to baptize young Children according to the manner of Circumcision about which thing Cyprian with sixty six Bishops and Elders gather'd together ordained That Children should timely be baptized as well before as after the eighth day It seems the Doctrine of Fidus concerning Dipping or Sprinkling of Children was new and seemed strange to Cyprian seeing he would not ratifie nor confirm the same without the Sentence and Advice of sâ—â—â—y six Bishops had it been commanded by Christ practised by the Apostles and continued in Matter and Manner to Cyprian 〈◊〉 dayes there had not been a Necessity for the concoâ—â—â—e of so many Bishops concerning the same and though Cyprian here enjoyned Baptizing of Children yet a few years before he was for the Dipping or Sprinkling of Aged People See his Epistle to Magnus Now Cyprian and his fellow Bishops allowing of Childrens Baptism hence it got great entrance among the Churche professing Christianity so that Cassander in his Book de Infantium baptismo saith that Baptism of Infants came to be much used by the Fathers who lived some three hundred years after the Apostles He excludes it from being Christ's Command or practised by the Apostles As the Apostacy was more and more manifested Sun and Air
Professors of Christianity as hereafter may be seen This is my Body that is this betokens denotes signifies or shadows out my Body the word is is often so taken as by several Scriptural Instances it may appear Joseph said unto Pharaoh The seven good Kine are seven years and the seven good Ears of Corn are seven years that is signifieth or betokeneth seven years Gen. 41.25 26. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches Rev. 1.20 that is denotes betokens or signifies them And the seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth and the ten Horns are ten Kings that is signifies betokens or denotes these things Rev. 17.1 12. And Zech. 5.3 The flying Rell is the Curse that is signifies or betokens the Curse The Shadows of the Old Testament are said to expiate because they were Types of Expiation by Christ So 1 Cor. 10. That Rock was Christ that is signified betokened or held out Christ a Figure or Type of him As in the Flower saith Ludolphus the Fruit is foreshown so by the Shadows of the Law Christ to come was signified But the word is is never put for changed into Poole So this is my Body that is betokens or signifie my Body the outward Bread was a Figure or Shadow of Christ who is that to the Soul which outward Bread is to the Body thorow outward Bread the Body grows is strengthned comforted refreshed satisfied this Christ said should be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God in the Church how thorow his spiritual Return who is the Heavenly Bread Bread of God living Bread life-giving Bread in by and thorow which the Churches grew were strengthned comforted refreshed satisfied Moreover Christ took the Cup and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood signifies and denotes my Blood Wine quenches the Thirst increases Strength banishes Sorrow causeth Mirth gladdens the Heart adds Courage Christ said it was to be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God in the Church the primitive Churches washed in the Blood of the Lamb were Witnesses hereof thorow Draughts of the Cup of Blessing in pourings of the Quickening Spirit they made Melody in their Hearts to the Lord this Cup of Blessing made Paul and Silas sing Praises unto God though in an inner Prison and their Feet fast in the Stocks Acts 16. Further Paul put the Corinthians who were jangling and in Disorder in mind of Christ's Institution saying I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you he informs them how he took Bread and the Cup and bad them eat and drink in remembrance of him for as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye de shew the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11.23 c. Christ though he departed as touching his outward Manifestation yet he comforted them with Promises of returning so though he departed in the Flesh yet he returned in Spirit I will pray the Father and he shall give you the Comforter that he may abide with you forever Again I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Again The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your Remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 14.16 18 26. Again Christ said unto his Disciples It is expedient for you that I go away if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you and he will guide you into all Truth and shew you things to come John 16.7 13. So their eating the outward Bread and drinking the Cup was in Remembrance of him till he came and when he was returned in Spirit and revealed in them their Comforter their faithful Remembrancer their Guide into all Truth then they had that in them which the Bread and Wine represented Paul writing to the Corinthians took them from the Outward to the Inward saying Christ is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 And We have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 And The Mystery hid from Ages and Generations was Christ in them the Hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Thus Christ being in them what need was there of Bread and Wine to keep them in Remembrance of him till he came Now John a Witness of his spiritual Appearance bare record saying We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an Vnderstanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 5.20 Paul travelled in birth for the Galatians until Christ was formed in them Gal. 4.19 in the Apostles dayes and while the Church kept the Faith and primitive Order the Life of Jesus was manifest in their mortal Bodies the Heavenly Birth was brought forth in them Christ the Bread of God Bread of Life Living Bread which who eat of live forever John 6. the redeemed Churches washed in the Blood of the Lamb witnessed this so had the thing in them signified by outward Bread and Wine Further Paul writing to the Corinthians sanctified by Faith in Christ Jesus called to be Saints said I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say the Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ we are all Partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10.15 This Cup and this Bread know none but who follow Christ in the Regeneration the outward mind feeds on Husks drinks the Cup of Abomination but in the Cross a renewing is known a Hungring after the Bread of Life is known the immortal Seed is known in which the Families of the Earth are blessed he spoke of a Cup of a Bread which only the Wise in the Wisdom of God had knowledge of Now the primitive Christians living Stones being come to the the End of Shadows testified against the Shadows and did not stick in them not jangle about them the Kingdom of God stands not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit Rom. 14.17 not in Bread and Wine but in the second Adam the quickening Spirit the End of Shadows Paul wrote to the Collossians saying Let no man â—udge you in Meat or in Drink c. which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Col. 2.16 17. Bread and Wine are Shadows as well as the outward Passover and Christ is that in his People which the Shadows pointed at To him that overcomes saith Christ will I give to eat of the hidden Maenna Rev. 2.17 He promises a Food of a more spiritual nature then outward Bread Wine a Food hidden from the wise and prudent yea and from that Mind that sticks in the Shadows Further said the true and faithful Witness Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door
Disciples is undeniable Paul mentioning the Institution unto the Corinthians mentions both as 't is evident the Bread represented his Body the Bread of Life that nourishes the Soul to eternal Life the Wine his Blood which they came to witness to cleanse them from all sin as they kept to the Head thorow the Ligament of living Faith they came to the End of all Figures to partake of the one Bread one in all but in the dark reign of Apostacy they re-assumed the Shadows and divided Christendom into Clergy that is Teachers and Laity that is all others out of Holy Orders so called but all the Faithful are the Lord's Lot as Acts 26.18 translated there Inheritance but properly signifies Lot if the Greek Copies be consulted and makes nothing for but against the distinction of Clergy and Laity Leighs Crit. However the Distinction hath found continuance in the Church and in the year 1215. Pope Innocent the third did first of all as 't is recorded forbid that the Lay People should receive their Communion in both kinds he would allow them Bread but no Drink this kind of Communion as 't is said was not before the Council of Constance where in the thirteenth Session they deprived the People of the Cup yea and a Canon was put out saying in down-right and express terms If any one shall deny whole and entire Christ the Fountain and Author of all Graces to be taken under one Species of Bread c. let him be Anathema accursed Thus in this as in other things it appears that not only the Power of Godliness hath been lost but great Confusion hath followed Of Mixed Wine Alexander if I may use the Language of my Author the seventh Pope from Peter being about to consecrate was the first of all that mingled Water and Wine together Polydor lib. 5. Of taking Money for Bread and Wine I have shewed before how Pope Innocent the third and the Council of Constance denyed the Cup to the Laity so called one Eckius complying with this Doctrine gives an irrational Reason for it The Laity saith he ought to content themselves with the Bread only because equi donation sunt inspiciendi dentes that is a gift Horse is not to be looked in the Month Apud Manlium in loc com He though belike that Lay Men could not claim any Right to the Bread neither Bellarmine grants that they have Right to the Bread but adds that in eating the Bread transubstantiated by the Priest into the Body of Christ they drink his Blood also But Lombard his Master contradicts this his Doctrine saying That the Bread is not turned but into Christs Flesh nor the Wine but into his Blood Let him that is crowned with Heavenly Wisdom judge whether these Contradictions bespeak them to be Builders of Sion a City of Unity the Joy of the whole Earth or Builders of spiritual Babel a City of Confusion The Council of Constance acknowledged that Christ instituted and administred both Bread and Wine tamen hoc non obstante yet notwithstanding the Authority of the holy Canons and the Custom of the Church hath and doth deny the Cup to the Laity But to return Neither did Christ take Money for the Bread and Wine which he gave to any but as the spirit of Selfishness entred the Temple of the Church it produced other Effects surely there was occasion why the six the general Council of Constantinople decreed That no Bishop Priest or Deacon administring the Communion to people should take any Money whatever of them for the same and that who as did should be deposed Summa Concil et Pontif. Yet notwithstanding the Constantinopolitan Canon in Protestant Churches now the Parish buyes Bread and Wine and the Priest sells it them again that the Priest may have an Offering at Easter so that many otherwise zealous for the established Ministry blame their Ministers their spiritual Hosts as they call them that first the Parish must buy Bread and Wine and give it to the Minister and then the Minister give it to the People and after call for a Reckoning yea and force such as neither bite nor sup thereof to reckon and pay Let us hear the Lord's Proclamation Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters to the Water of Life the Cup of Salvation Consolation and Blessing a spiritual Thirst is called for neither Money nor Price And further He that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Here is Bread and Wine and Milk at the Lord's Hand without Money or Price Isa 55.1 2. but such as are made Ministers by the will of man through the strength of Arts Sciences Natural Parts Abilities Qualifications Endowments Acquisitions they have another Language so another Spirit forcing Money and Price not only from Receivers but from Non-receivers also so that the Practice of many I say not all bespeaks them saying We preach the Gospel tantum ut nos pascat et vestiat meerly for Food and Rayment to pick a living by Trap on 1 Pet. 5. Yea and Revel 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely Here is Communion Royal Communion Water of Life Bread of Life the Cup of Blessing freely without Money or Price But their Voice is not the Voice of the Spirit nor of the Bride nor of him that heareth nor of him that is athirst who forces Money and Price for Bread and Wine the Shadow not only from the Receiver but the Non-receiver also for where Christ's Doctrine and the Apostles is transgressed his Institution for Gospel-Maintenance violated their Voice is the Voice of Balaam who was for Gifts Rewards Wages of Unrighteousness filthy Lucre who have nothing but the Shadow which maketh not alive they make Gain of it sell it but who are Members of Christ's Body of his Flesh of his Bones as freely they have received the Bread of Life so they freely give Of the Kiss of Peace and of the Pax. David the sweet Singer of Israel exhorted Kings and Judges of the Earth to kiss the Son lest he be angry Psal 2.12 These are Greetings cordial Embraces not known but in the operating Virtue of the Seed of Regeneration and in spiritual Submission to his Heavenly Will Let him kiss me saith the Church with the Kisses of his Mouth Cantic 1.2 In the sense-restoring Life these are felt as Seals and Assurances of divine Favour and Acceptance Earnests and Fruits of the Spirit like Balm to the Wounded Paul writing to the Romans said Salute one another with an Holy Kiss Rom. 16.16 This Peter called The Kiss of Love 1 Pet. 5.14 In after Ages as Fellowship with the Lord and with one another in the Light in a high measure came to be loft then the Observation of Shadows more and more got entrance then their