upon their own score And now let us see whether their then practice was agreeable to the Scripture delivered to us by Christ his Apostles I have delivered seven Arguments grounded upon the Gospel for the defence of Infant-baptism which are so invincible that I believe all the Ana baptists are not able in so few words to answer them which Arguments you shall finde in my book called The Eccho to the Voice from Heaven besides it is evident that the promise is aswel to their children as to the believing parents Act. 2. 39. and therefore the Apostles upon the confession of a master or head of a family baptized all persons both great and small in the house Act. 10. 33 47 48. Act. 16. 14 15 30 31 32 33. according to the saying of our Saviour to Zacheus Luke 19. 9. Salvation is come to this house that is to all in this house both great and small Infants being not excepted nor exempted for our Saviour counts them the purest Luk. 18. 15 16 17. Now to prove that Infants were baptized by their sureties or upon their account some Authors do ground it upon the command of God Isa. 8. 1 2 3. and the example Luk. 1. 57 58 59. These types indeed being well considered are very forcible and a sufficient warrant for it and the Apostles command bindes us to do it saying Rom. 15. 1. We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak And again Gal. 6. 2. Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfil the law of Christ Infants are most weak and we ought in charity to help them in what concerns their souls as we do in what concerns their bodies All by nature are born children of wrath Eph. 2. 1 3. that Infants are not onely dead in sins and trespasses but are also so dead that they know not wherefore they are plunged in water-baptism they know not what their washing signifieth though indeed they have Faith in Christ Mat. 18 6. and a dependency upon the supream power that brought them forth into the world far above that of the young Ravens which cry to God for their sustenance Job 38. 41. Psal. 147. 9. yet Infants are not capable of entring into atonement with God through Christ in baptism and if without it they depart this life they cannot be saved Mar. 16. 16. Jahn 3. 5. Therefore in charity we ought to help them and be sureties for them until they come to age Now Infants being dead in regard of original sin and in regard of speech and understanding what Baptism is 1 Cor. 14. 20. in the Apostles time there were some that did answer for them and perform that part in Baptism for them which they themselves being unable could not do and this is clear by the Apostles words 1 Cor. 15. 29. Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead that is if Infants do not awake to live righteously that God may be all in all their sureties must answer for it 1 Cor. 15. 28 34. and by these dead ones here is meant Infants for to what purpose shall any be baptized for them that are corporally dead as if that would raise them again And therefore the Church of England is right in this point for in the book of Common-prayer the question is not put to the Infant but to the suretie saying wilt thou be baptized in this Faith the surtie answereth That is my desire so that accordingly the surtie is more properly said to be baptized then the Infant though all is for the Infant's sake and the Infant if he by his washing perform the external part in Baptism that is all and that is but the ouside of it as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 3. 21. For Re-baptizing also you shall finde that it was put in practise in the Apostles time Act. 19. 1 2 3 4 5 6. for them Disciples being found ignorant were baptized again and if you compare Act. 10. 47 48. with Act. 19. 5. you finde they were baptized with water and to clear it further saith he Tit. 3. 5. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Hence I conclude that here he spake of Re-baptizing mark the words regeneration and renewing it signifieth to make an old thing new again and as the renewing of a covenant cannot be done to him that never was in covenant nor can you renew your friendship with him that never was you friend so the renewing of baptism here intimated cannot be said to be done to them that never were baptized and it must needs argue from this place Tit. 3. 5. that in some measure when they were Infants they had baptism and that now being defiled by the sins of their youths they were rebaptized washed and had the Spirit renewed on them again and as David after he went in to Uriah's wife and by sin defiled his holy Spirit he desired God to wash him and to renew a right spirit within him Psa. 51. 2 7 10 11. yet David then had the holy Spirit though in a weak measure because of his sin therefore he desireth God not to take his holy Spirit from him but to wash him and renew the holy spirit he had by giving him a greater measure of the same spirit so in like manner them now that are rebaptized should not despise the holy spirit which they received in their infant-Infant-baptism but with David desire God to renew that holy Spirit within them by giving them a greater measure of the same spirit Again from these Texts Heb. 10. 22. 1 Pet. 3. 21. we must needs understand the rebaptizing for how can Infants be said to come to baptism with full assurance of faith having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and their bodies washed with pure water whereas Infants understand not what conscience is and how can they have the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ seeing they are not able to know these things surely this baptism meant here is not to Infants but it belongs to them that are of ripe age to receive it And therefore from hence it is evident that those who are to be saved notwithstanding their baptism in their infancy ought to be baptized again As for them that died in the former times of ignorance which God winked at Act. 17. 30. doubtless God was merciful to them but now it will be required if you refuse rebaptizing for Infant-baptism is but as that of John which is appointed to prepare a people for the Lord and truely the holy Ghost is in some measure in John's baptism for our Saviour had the holy Ghost descended on him at his baptism Mat. 3. 16. but the fulness of all is in Christ's baptism who had not the spirit by measure John 3. 34. And St. Augustine understood it thus for speaking to God as if
in his infancy he had had John's baptism and confessing when he was sick what then he had done saith confes. lib. 1. ch. 11. Thou sawest O my God! for thou wert my Keeper with what earnestness of minde and with what faith I importuned the piety both of my own mother and thy church the mother of us all for the baptism of thy christ my Lord God Mark the baptism of thy christ And observe for here he makes a distinction betwixt John's Baptism which he had received when he was an infant and the baptism of Christ which now being sick he would have had for he thought it not meet to term that Baptism which infants receive It was a wonderful providence that brought me to maintain this point by any thing out of S. Aug. and it was thus When I was about to write this two learned men the one a Minister the other a great student being at my house together and I perceiving they would be my great antagonists in it to hear what they would say I broke my minde unto them they began to oppose me in it with might main I held it forth against them both so that at last the student said Now I call to mind I think S. Aug. speaks of such a thing And he having the book in his pocket drew it out and it silenced them very much yet they would give me no encouragement nor would they tell me plainly what S. Aug. said in it Upon this I went into Pauls Church-yard to see if I could finde S. Aug. and hear him speak by means of some Latine Scholar but being there I found him to speak English and I brought him home with an intent that before he and I part to be better acquainted with him Thus Gods providence helps forward his own work that men may see that the practice of the ancient Church was agreeable to the New Testament and that by their practice we may the better understand the Scripture specially in the mysterious great Controversie about Baptism the foundation of Christianity to end and reconcile the difference of Christendom in that point of Rebaptizing commonly called Anabaptism which opinion being weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary hath as much truth in it yea more then the contrary yet the Ana baptists follow not the footsteps of the Ancients in Christning their infants and acknowledging the holy Spirit in their infants baptism to be of value but seeking another spirit in baptism and not the renewing of that holy Spirit which they had in their infants baptism for their punishment and to bring them home God sends them an evil spirit 1 Sam. 16. 14. that puffeth and vexeth them and sets them one against another so that there is no peace among them and though they do mighty things for a time prevailing yet at last they come to nothing because they deny and pitifully reproach the breathing of Gods Spirit upon them in their infancy On the other side because the Church of Engl. at the first appearing of the Anab. did not admit Rebaptizing it being Gods way take those people into the Church they confessing the Church and their infants baptism as the most eminent part of it the difference grew greater and they became a scourge so that all Heresies broke out in the Church upon its refusing condemning such a truth warranted by Scripture and Fathers which truth is the means appointed to bring men into communion with God for none ought to come to the Lords table before they themselves being at yeers of discretion do confess their sins repent and be baptized upon their own score And good reason for we see if a man himself be bound to pay a debt he oweth he will take special care to pay it lest his adversary cast him into prison but if sureties be bound for it the principal careth not but lets them suffer this is common among men So infants in baptism are not bound but their sureties and as they are bound to or promise nothing so they are as careless to perform any thing promised for them or in their name for pray where is any doth forsake the devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of the wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh that doth believe all the Articles of the Christian faith that doth keep Gods holy will and commandments all the days of their lives Here are mighty things promised who performeth them Take heed God will not be mocked Gal. 6. 7 8. Now if Ministers had prest men to renew their Covenant with God and caused them with their own mouthes to promise such obedience as above said and rebaptized them upon that account shewing such as would not come in upon such terms their damnable condition and that their infant-baptism was but a figure to save them if they had died in the time of their ignorance surely men would not have been so careless in keeping Gods Word as now they are Therefore I give this as a Rule of truth to the Church for time to come which Rule is grounded as abovesaid on Scripture the best Fathers practice Reason and on the confession of our Church of England in the book of Common-Prayer as you have it afore Baptism in the Rubrick 1. I say that Infants ought to be by their sureties baptized in water as we formerly did in the church of England 2. That they should be catechized and educated in the faith and by all means perswaded to leave their sins 3. That they being come to the age of discretion should repent and confess their sins and shew their resolution to amend their lives before they come to renew their baptism 4. That they be re-baptized in water and then the Bishops to lay their hands upon them and all this to be done to them afore they be admitted to come to the Lords Table 5. That those Heathens or Jews that are perswaded to the faith converted and baptized they being of full age refraining from sin and stedfast in the faith need not be rebaptized but if they have young children or servants that are subject to youthful vanities notwithstanding they be baptized with their masters or fathers they ought to be rebaptized as abovesaid 6. That whosoever after re-baptizing opposeth the faith or breaketh the commands of God be excommunicated and not received in again until he repent and be willing to suffer a shameful penance If he will not come in but goeth about to seduce the people of Christ then shall the King put him to death speedily that others may fear the Lord and King 7. That the King and all keep holy the Sabbath not onely by forbearing servile work but by praying reading bearing speaking Gods word meditating on it and deeds of charity And let me tell you in the name of God that Gods Covenant in baptism is that perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten Jer. 50. 5. It is the quarrel of that Covenant
people it is for their liberty but the people by following their disorderly wayes have brought and do bring themselves into bondage dayly There are too many such instruments in this Land and chiefly the Fathers of them are that withered Poet consulting with his Muses and that whited wall Lily consulting with his Stars or worst Angels and that double-tongu'd Walker consulting with his false Hebrew who shall have his reward as his brother had 2 Sam. 20. 1 21 22. the three unclean spirits Rev. 16. 13. which have brought such a confusion by striking at all Governours and Government in this Nation that it is almost past recovery The first comes like Faux with his dark Lanthorn to plot and blow up all in which he tells us of a rebellious perpetual Parliament that should continue for ever comparing it to the River of Thames But Gaffer Withers what is become of your Parliament now I believe God's providence by his Highness the Lord Protector hath dried up your infernal River Rev. 16. 12. Rev. 9. 14 15. that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared and Collen where those Kings or Wisemen Matth. 2. 1. were buried from hence is eastward and will they not now be raised up in warlike bodies to help King Charls to his throne Merlin saith as much not Lily's false Merlin nor the Scots Merlin but the true Britain Merlin which cannot be translated into English or any Speech verbatim nor cannot be understood but by some few Welsh-men which had the traditional rule to understand it from hand to hand ever since Merlin's time And about three yeers agone when the King was in France as I was saying That the King would come in an ignorant Welsh-man hearing me answered and said Not yet a while Why said I. Said he The King must first go to Collen and be saluted of the three Kings there who shall say thus unto him Art thou come thou art welcome Brother Said I How do you know this Said he I heard it from some that had skill in Merlin and Merlin doth not speak doubtfully to them that understand him Therefore how that welcome was to be performed whether by the Princes congratulating of the King there or by some Vision he was to have there or whether he is to be rebaptized there I leave that to a further manifestation Some think that Merlin meant that the King should die and be buried at Collen with those three Kings and that his Brother Duke James should reign and be that great King Merlin mentioneth yet Merlin saith nothing of the King's death but saith he shall be buried there and that is to be understood that he shall be buried in water-Water-baptism Rom. 6. 4. and then be raised into glory for the Spirit of God that moved upon the Waters and created the Light Gen. 1. 2 3. which Spirit was upon those three Kings that lie buried there who came to our Saviour Jesus Christ Matth. 2. 1 2. is to rest upon our KING when he is rebaptized then shall he prosper victoriously and his wisdom shall be glorious in setling the affairs of the whole Earth I heard another say who was acquainted with an old man that had skill in Merlin had foretold him many things which he found come to pass The old Man said That he understood the time of things coming to pass by the golden number which by Merlin's Rule consisted of twenty eight yeers And said to him further That the Book of Merlin would be out of date and of no use within this three yeers for before the end of 1657. all that he said is to be fulfilled And this Merlin though long before spake truer concerning the King then Withers did of his Thames-River-Parliament And what doth Lily but like a Monkey barke at the Moon he knows nothing nor never did know any thing but as the Parliament directed him to write for they consulted with him knowing him to be a cunning sophister and an enemy to the King and gave him notice of their designs and bid him that he should write in such a Month so and so and in such a Month so and so and they having Men and Money at command brought their wicked designs to pass and fulfilled his wicked sayings until Lily was looked upon as a rare Simon Magus that the Souldiery and others by his means were much encouraged against the King but when the Parliament got all to themselves and began to slight Lily he began to encourage the Army against them saying That they should fall Then the Parliament send for him imprisoned him and would have condemned him as a Witch or Conjurer and ever since Lily could foretel nothing but as a blinde man which throweth stones fast about him perchance may kill an unhappy Crow so he speaking much for and against the Power something of his words must needs come to pass and for his Book called Monarchy or no Monarchy who knows not that every one can tell that England must be either a Kingdom or no Kingdom that is no news and all that he doth in that Book is but spitting his venome against the Truth by perverting confounding and wresting some ancient prophesies And when all is done he can make out nothing himself but in the later end of his Book he directs you to enquire at a company of pictures of dumb beasts and other images which he hath pourtrayed saying to you That that is the ancient Aegyptian way of prophesie Truely it is the Aegyptian Bondage he would lead you in and he the beasts and their Pictures are all alike in their knowledge and expression being all void of any instruction therefore believe him not It is a wonder to see what mysteries there by God's providence that ye might avoid them is in these mens names all that are possest with Withers's Opinion may be called Witherds and all that are possest with Lily's Opinion may be called Lilyes as we call Lutherans and Calvinists after the names of Luther and Calvin who were the first of those Opinions but see how Christ hath designed by name both Withers and his party with Lily and his party to the fire Matth. 6. 28 29 30. John 15. 6. as for Walker that man of â—â—lial and son of Bichri he is designed to fall by the wisdom of a woman of Abel 2 Sam. 20 1 15 16 17 18. 19 20 21 22. for the Blood of King Charles like the Blood of Abel crieth against him Gen. 4. 10. because that he stirred up most against him when he wrote that wicked Pamphlet in 1641. entituled To your Tents O Israel to stir the people to rebellion and withal did fling it to the King as he went in his Coach using all the despite he could against him when all others at that time seemed to reverence him until that wicked Walker broke the way of rebellion to them and then they followed him like so many mad-men For my part I hate
not these men but I hate the evil Spirit that is in them and loving them I discover their wickedness if so be by it they come to repent and amend for a flock of Geese teacheth better doctrine then such men do And if you observe their goings their chief going before the rest following with their mutual chattering without division you shall finde that in all their wayes there is better order among the Geese then Withers Lily and Walker would have to be among men in the World Therefore God is pleased to judge such rebellious men by those Creatures which we count most foolish as we commonly say of one that is silly He hath no more wit then a Goose speaking as if a Goose had no wit but one Goose hath more wit then them three The Author's judgement touching Baptism BUt why do I trouble my self with these men it is onely to warn them to repent and to warn you not to believe such seducing Spirits that would divide the head from the body in Churches Kingdoms and Families for the end of my discourse is to bring all men to godliness order and unity under one visible Head or King as Jesus Christ hath said John 10. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 13. And now I must tell you That through the darkness which came upon the Church some hundred yeers agoe by reason when the corrupted Clergy who were without conscience or honesty got the power and records of antiquity into their own hands they destroyed Records which shewed the ancient Apostolical Custome of the Church that they might put upon us such a seeming Divine Law as pleased them and made most for their lazy ends and profits and through the malice and subtilty of the Serpent wrought much mischief by the corruption of the Popish Clergy for the destruction of mankinde yet unawares to them God hath reserved so much of the Records as clearly confuteth their practice in the Fundamental Point of our Religion even Baptism about which controversie begotten by the laziness of the Clergy many thousands lost their lives and themselves will come to ruine I finde that though Infants were baptized in old times by their sureties undertaking for them or christened which is a more proper word for them as I shall make it appear by St. Augustines own confession yet I finde that that which now we call confirmation or bishoping by the ancients was called The Baptism but our late Prelates being Lordly minded though they unjustly raised their hire above their Predecessors yet thought it too much labour and abasement for such as they were to baptize their flock again in Water being content to let that stand for Baptism which they received in their Infancy and onely to lay their hands upon them using a few words over them and so let them go making as though they could create a new Sacrament without its Element which properly is Water which is as if they should invite men unto the Communion-Table and then use the same Words as if they gave them Bread and Wine but give them nothing or just as Saint James saith Jam. 2. 13 14. If one see a man naked and destitute of daily food and say unto him Depart in peace be thou warmed and filled yet he gives him neither clothing nor meat and what is the poor man the better for his good words so your bishoping in like manner was unprofitable and the people finding it so did not esteem it nor did they care whether they had it or not for without Water it was but a starving of their souls And if the Bishops being ancient durst not for fear of danger go down into the water they might have commanded others to baptize the people Act. 8. 14 15 16 17. Act. 10. 48. Jeremiah fore-seeing the darkness that came upon the Church sends us to seek the good old way and bids us walk in it saying Then we should finde rest to our souls Jer. 6. 16. And when the Church had lost the way of Christs worship she enquir'd of him how she should come to his Saints rest he answereth her saying If she knew not the way to finde out their rest she must follow their foot-steps and so come to finde out their rest Cant. 1. 7 8. and this method is taker from shepherds which in time of snow finde out their sheep by following their foot-steps Therefore I say we must search the Scripture withal because we cannot agree in the understanding the Scripture for to help our understanding we must take notice how the Church did walk in those ages after the Apostles time when it came to its highest perfection by so doing we shall rightly understand the meaning of the Scripture which is the Apostolical rule of worship And I finde that Saint Augustine mistrusting the knavery of the Clergy that should follow in his discourse by God's providence did hide some things in secret which secret being now opened may shew us what they then did in what is most considerable and greatest in question now among us for so you shall finde it in the matter of Baptism if you observe Saint Augustine Confession 1 lib. chap. 11. saith he speaking of his Christening I was then signed with the sign of his cross and seasoned with his salt so soon as I came out of my mothers womb Whence it is clear this was his Infant-Baptism for you shall finde in the same Chapter that being come to some discretion and falling sick how earnest he was to have Christ's Baptism and speaking of Pontitianus Confession 8 lib. chap. 6. saith he He was both a Christian and baptized too Hence you may draw this conclusion that then they were called Christians from their Christening in their Infancy but not baptized Christians until they were manifest Believers and that they were baptized by their own consent and their Baptism was in those times deferred until men came to sobriety and that the heat of youthful lust and sin was almost overcome and commonly until they were married otherwayes though they were never so learned except they believed and were tempered or were in dying they were not admitted to have it as you may see if you will read and observe Saint Augustine's Confessions and the Rubrick that goeth before the Baptism in the book of Common prayer you shall finde that they say that in the old time the people were baptized at Easter or Whitsuntide and at no time in the yeer besides and if we compare this with Saint Augustine this must needs be their rebaptizing for Infants were not kept so long without it as you see by St. Augustine and see he was rebaptized at Easter and I am sure he was then about 30 yeers of age for he had a son was then 15. Confes. 9 lib. chap. 6. Here it is clear that the ancient Church though they baptized or christned their Infants by their sureties yet after they came to be men then they were baptized