same Spirit which enriched them with those gifts mentioned they became enabled to stoop to the yoak of Chtist and put him on by Baptisme by which both Jews and Gentiles receiving the Gospel became incorporated into the mystical body of Christ and so though many members yet became now but one body As with persons in civil Corporations who of many individuals become one body by solemnizing the rite of entrance without which no man is counted a Member But now not to understand the words By one Spirit and Baptised the one as the cause the other as the effect would be to sense these words By the Spirit differently from the sense of the same words divers times in the preceding verses and enforce a metaphorical use of the word Baptised without any necessity But fourthly to make it clear that by Baptisme here he meaneth it not of the baptisme of the Spirit it appeareth by that which is attributed to it namely the entring of all persons into the mystical body of Christ he saith it is â—NTO ONE BODY and we are ALL baptised into one body So that it is the meanes sanctified by God for all the members entrance into that body It cannot therefore be meant of the baptisme of the Spirit because then working of miracles and speaking with tongues and prophesying extraordinary which the Scripture meaneth onely by the baptisme of the Spirit should be the initiating Ordinance into the body of Christ for all Church members which I suppose every one will say is absurd to imagine I have onely to prove for the making good this Argument that when the Scripture speaketh of the Baptisme of the Spirit it would alwayes be understood of working miracles speaking with tongues and the like and not of common and ordinary gifts as faith and love c. It appeareth thus 1. In that the holy Spirit never giveth to faith or love or any common gifts of the Spirit the name of baptisme for men to do so is unscripturall 2. Because Christs speaking to his Apostles who had a good degree of faith and love yet he did not deem them for the present baptised with the holy Spirit but onely telleth them Acts 1.4 5. they should be so baptised and adviseth them to wait at Jerusalem for it whereupon they were baptised with it accordingly upon the day of Pentecost Acts 2.3 4. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate And they began to speak with other tongues c. Now in the 11. Acts 16. Peter calleth Cornelius his speaking with tongues the baptisme of the holy Ghost which Christ promised Then remembred I the word of the Lord meaning when he heard them speak with tongues Acts 10 46 John indeed baptised with water but ye shall be baptised with the holy Ghost So that the meaning of John the Baptist Math. 3.11 and Christ Acts 1.4 where they speak of the baptisme of the Spirit must needs be of such a being filled with the Spirit and pouring forth of the Spirit as whereby persons do speak with tongues and the like because the Scriptures so interpreteth it and to judge otherwise were to be wise not onely above but against that which is written But thirdly and lastly to put it out of doubt you shall find the Scriptures putting abroad difference between that enjoyment of the Spirit which the Scripture calleth the Baptisme of the Spirit and that by which persons come to abound with faith love joy peace c. as to the wayes of attaining the one and the other To attain ordinary fillings of the Spirit in respect of these common fruits we are exhorted to the use of meanes to get them and blamed if we have them not Eph. 5 18. Luke 24.25 So that the largeness of the possession of them dependeth ordinarily upon the Creatures industry and in that way attained and according to mens industry or sloath they ordinarily have more or less of the Spirit But as for the Baptisme of the Spirit it is immediately conferr'd by way of extraordinary gift Consult the Scriptures where the Baptisme of the Spirit is mentioned and you shall find it so The first place is the 2 of Acts 2 3 4. verse â—nd suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting And there APPEARED unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them And they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Now the Apostle Peter â—â—lleth â—his â—he 〈◊〉 of the Spirit Acts 11.15 16. and also expresseth their attaining it by the falling of the boly Ghost upon them As I â—egâ—â—â—o speak the holy Ghost FELL on them as on us at the beginning So also in the 8. of Acts 16. Who when they were come down prayed for them that they night receive the holy Ghost meaning principally the holy Ghost in that way which they had not before for they had the holy Ghost to enable them to beleive as appeareth at the 12. verse but they had not the Baptisme of the Spirit which now Peter and John came to be instruments in by prayer for them with laying on of hands though not exclusive of a further presence of the Spirit in a common way But now how doth the Spirit express this kind of attaining the Spirit Mark at the 16. verse For as yet he was FALLEN upon none of them onely they were baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus So in the 19. of Acts 6. And when Paul had laid his hands on them the holy Ghost CAME upon them and they spake with tongues and prophesied Doth the Sun shine clearer at noon-day than this truth that the common fruits of the Spirit are one thing and the baptisme of the Spirit another namely the gifts of speaking with tongues extraordinary prophesying and working miracles and if that be granted and who can with reason deny it It followeth then unavoidably that the 1 Corinth 12.13 speaketh not of the Baptisme of the Spirit because then speaking with tongues and working miracles should be the Ordinance of entrance into the visible Church of Christ for ALL Church-members for it is plain whatever is meant by Baptism in that Text that is the use of it we are all baptised INTO ONE BODY Fifthly and lastly to prove that by the word baptised in the 1 Cor. 12.13 is meant reall baptsme and not the baptism of the Spirit The scope and drift of the Apostle in mentioning it saith a good say to it Which is to make an argument of it 1 Cor. 1â— from 1â— 10 25. to perswade to Christian love care and tenderness one of another as one may easily see that will consult the place Now for proper reall Baptisme we find the Apostle make use of that often to the same purpose Once before in the beginning of this Epistle
because his opinion cannot look them in the face without blushing there being no sign of Death Buriall or Resurrection or any such like thing in sprinkling Oh that Mr. Baxster would lay to heart this one consideration and consider once again the high and holy design of Christ in Baptisme which considered evinceth against all contradiction that the form can be no other but by dipping or burying the body in water his design what is it but to make the Gospel word and the Gospel figure to answer one another as face answereth face in the water and to be brother Preachers of the same doctrine 1 Cor. 15 3 Rom. 4.25 Compared with Rom. 6.2 3 4. Col. 2.12 Col. 3.1 namely the death of Christ for sinners and the sinners duly to die to sin and to suffer for and with Christ Christs resurrection for the sinners justification the sinners duly to rise to Christs life here because of the blessed assurance of a glorious resuâ—rection to eternal blisse with Christ hereafter all which holy doctrine which is the substance of the Gospel is preached in baptisme P. 177. Cases of Conscience as well as the Word which maketh Mr. Perkins say thus The preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments are all one in substance for in the one the will of God is SEEN and in the other HEARD Now where is the will of God touching Christs Death Buriall and Resurrection and our death buriall and resurrection with him seen in the sprinkling of childrens faces Oh that we had an impartiall Judge The Apostle affirmeth of the Gospel 2 Coriâ—â—h 3.18 That we all with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord. And doth not the Apostle chiefly intend the Sacraments of the Gospel by the metaphor of a glass because they respect the eye as a glass doth whereas the Word preached respecteth the care And if we do but consider why Christ would have the Gospel preached namely to affect the hearts and soules of men with the goodness thereof It will easily appear that the form of baptisme can be no other but by dipping because in any other way the sign will no way answer the thing signified and so the glass being defaced the heart is not affected by the eye for want of a resemblance whereas otherwise the Ordinances being administred according to the last will of Christ where there is a full correspondence between sign and thing signified they goe hand in hand with the Word excellently aiding and assisting the holy design of the Word preached when administred upon the right Gospel subject namely a converted Disciple to Christ which Mr. Baxster p. 301. of plain Scripture proof calleth the most fully capabâ—e subjects the most eminent subjects the most excellent subiects and of whom the Scripture fully speaketh In the same place complaineth of Infant baptisme as dark in Scripture and hard to find notwithstanding his flourish of plain Scripture proof for it Be astonisht therefore oh ye heavens and horribly afraid oh earth that such a silly Worm as Man is such a thimble full of dust should dare to change Christs Ordinances and deface that glasse which representeth Christs glory and blurre the last will of him before whose judgement seat they must all appear to be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 and receive according to all the deeds done in the body Are ye stronger than he Your sixth Consideration being the very self same in substance with the first I referre the Reader to my Answer to that in which thou shalt find the Answer to this also onely there is a remarkable passage in the beginning of it which I shall have occasion to speak to when I come to answer the 18th Consideration Your seventh Consideration for substance this THat in the 6. of Hebr. 2. the word Baptismes which is there reckoned amongst the foundations or beginning doctrines of Christ being in the plurall number it is not easie to determine whether by it be not meant variety of formes in baptising or a variety of subjects of Baptisme rather than a variety of Baptismes To which I answer why should that be hard to you or any man else which the Scripture hath made easie As for variety of subjects the Scripture is silent we read of no subjects but discipled persons made so by teaching For variety of formes of baptising Disciples where is there any such thing so much as whispered But as for variety of Baptismes that the Scripture speaketh fully too though but one proper reall Baptisme namely that with water Math. 3.11 Luke 12 5â— which is the Ordinance of the Church the other namely that of the Spirit and afflictions being metaphorical and by way of Analogy to that which is reall and proper is called Baptisme yet Dr. Lusâ—ington upon the place saith that the Siriac Translation rendreth the word Baptisme in the singular number but be it otherwise why should we take hedge and ditch when the Kings high-way lieth just before us Your eighth Consideration for substance this THat with-drawing upon this accompt is a schismatical practise and a sin of a high nature I confess with all my heart that Scripture Schisme is a sin of a high nature and of deep demerit and that for the reason you give but that ours is that which the Scripture condemneth I utterly deny Where ever Schisme is there is separation but it doth not follow where ever separation is that there is Schisme 2 Corinth 6.17 Come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord God and I will be a Father unto you No body will say this separation of the Text is sinfull Schisme Sinful separation cannot be but from a body regularly united according to the direction of Christ and the example of the Primitive Churches because we have a positive Command to with-draw from every brother that walketh disorderly in the Church 2 Thes 3.6 much more every Society that is not built upon the principles of the doctrine of Christ I mean those which by Christs order concern orderly joyning but yours is such a one and therefore separation can be no schisme which onely respecteth Churches of a regular constitution such as the Church of Corinth was and the rest of the Churches mentioned in Scripture Sir when you can shew us a rule from Christ to gather Churches without Baptisme in all the new Testament then what you say corcerning us will come home to us and we shall be found guilty of that hainous sin But Sir if no such rule appear from Christ nor any such Church appear in all the Word of God then will not our separation from you be found that which the Scripture calleth Schisme but a conscientious with-drawing to perfect the work of reformation according to our solemn vow to the most High which yet would have been our duty whether we had vowed it or no. But 2. Why should our separating from you be counted Schisme more
to meet on munday nights to edifie one another in faith and love Amongst other discourse which I cannot now remember I affirmed that the sight of them meaning our friends was a greif and burthen to me which following some words of easie misconstruction he concluded they proceeded from an absolute fall of affection to them and so presented them to others of the brethren that were wont to meet there which conceit got further rooting in the minds of the brethren by another unhappy circumstance The brother appointed to speak the next meeting before he began his Sermon began with this story making it the ground of no more meeting at my house To which I answer 1. Those words The sight of the Church was a greif and a burthen to me I said but the principle of them was not the want but the abundance of affection to them I say again the abundance of affection to them God is my witness who had indeed obliged me much which made parting with them the more grâ—â—vous and the necessity of that made me willing to be estranged from them that I might the better undergo the burthen this is the perfect truth which God the searcher of all hearts knoweth and this also was one main reason amongst others why I estranged my self from Mr. Goodwin afterwards But if it be ask'd why I did not reply to the brother who understood just contrary I answer I intended to do it after he had done his Sermon for it was before his Sermon that he began to speak of it but after his Sermon falling upon some discourse with Mr. Goodwin relating thereto I quite forgot being pressed with trouble and grief at some high words Mr. Goodwin then gave me This is the truth which the righteous God of heaven and earth knoweth for whose sake we now suffer by Mr. Goodwins unmerciful Pen To be injured by a common enemy 〈◊〉 no matter of wonder but to be wronged by ones father as it is a matter of more strangeness so of harsher recentment But it may be God hath bid you to cuâ—se me to take me off all glorying in men that I may be the more intire to himself me thinks I now find that Scripture hath a fresh edge upon my spirit Cease from man whose breath is in his nâ—strils Isaiah 2.22 for wherein is he to be esteemed 1 Cor. 3.21 Therefore let no man glory in man Your three and twentieth Consideration is THat there is no substantiall Argument produced to justifie such a practise nor you beleive ever will be Whether we have not given Arguments to justifie it more than one and that grounded upon the Scriptures and your own principles and indeed the principles of all the learned I referre to the judgement of the Reader As for that which you say by way of reply to my Brother Allens answer to your fourty Queries about Church communion I shall leave him to answer or be silent as he findeth cause onely it lieth much upon my spirit to shew unto your self if may be if not to your self yet to the unprejudiced Reader the palpable suffering of many of the Scriptures engaged in that service The first is the 2. of Acts 41. which Text my Brother Allen urgeth to prove addition to the Church and fellowship in it to follow Baptisme not goe before it and that 1. Because the Text saith they gladly received the Word 2. Were baptised 3. Were added to the Church 4. Continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship Now Mr. Goodwin will have it that Baptisme might be left out of the chain and yet they might have been Church members notwithstanding 1. Because those who are said to have been baptised in the former part of the verse are not said in the latter to have been added to the CHURCH but simply they were added or added unto Mr. Allen understandeth the Relative to those words added to to be Them according to the present translation and whereto both he and the Translators are guided 1. By the mention of the hundred and twenty Disciples in the Chapter before at the 15. verse to which these that were now converted were added which in the 47. verse of this 2. chapter are called the Church in plain English And the Lord added to the CHVRCH dayly c. And that the Relative to those words ADDED to were the Church or the hundred and twenty Disciples spoken of before Mr. Goodwin himself in his fourty Queries which I do not think were written above half a year before this Water dipping so understood it mark his words It cannot be demonstratively proved from the Scriptures that those hundred and twenty Disciples unto which it is here said P. 6. Of 40 Queries Acts 1.15 that three thousand were ADDED c. which a little before he himself calleth the Church in the same page But now all of a sudden Mr. Goodwin altereth his mind and will not let the 47. verse expound the 42. though the context as faiâ—ly leadeth to it as heart can wish but runneth us to the 11 of Acts 24. to know the Relative to the words added to in the 2. Acts 41. because there it is thus written And much people was added to the Lord. Here again you insinuate a difference in sense between those words added to the Lord and those added to the Church whereas in your Letter to Mr. Tho. Goodwin p. 5. you expound the joyning to the Lord spoken of Acts 11.24 of immembring into the Church your words these There is mention made of many that were added or joyn'd to the LORD i. e. say you were immembred into the CHVRCH Now what construction can any rational impartial considerate man make of this your shifting too and fro in this manner but as an evident demonstration that in fighting against us you labour to engage the Scriptures in a warre they have no mind too and so you loose your way and know not well where to set your foot not what ground to stand on The Lord make you sensible of it But again you say 2. It is said Acts 2 47. And the Lord added to the Church WHO saith Mr. Goodwin such as were baptised No but such as should be saved or were saved which was not by being baptised but beleiving Here Mr. Goodwin saith two things 1. That those that the Text speaketh of that were added to the Church were not such as were baptised but c. If this be not a strange proposition and as contrary to the Scripture as light to darkness I am under the enchantment Mr. Goodwin upbraideth me with so often for though it be true that those that were added to the Church were such as should be saved yet it followeth not that those that were added to the Church were not baptised nay it is plain they were by the 41. verse Then they that gladly received his word were baptised and the same day that is that they received the Word and were baptised there
do without the joynt concurrence both of God and the Creature So also in the new Testament Acts 26.17 18. Delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Is not here much more put into Pauls Commission than he was able without God to do or will any body say that Paul acted short of his Commission or falsified his trust if he did not actually open all the eyes of the Gentiles and turn them from the power of Satan to God But Sir to convince you that there is more included in the Commission than was in the Apostles power to effect supposing the word Teach should signifie onely what you apprehend namely the speaking such things which are proper to make Disciples Consider this They are charged to baptise all they taught and was that in their power could they baptise any more than were willing to be baptised or should they have been judged falsifiers of their trust or acting short of their Commission for not baptising all those that should take horses and ride away from them when they had heard the Word It appeareth therefore undeniably that the very principle whereupon you found the absurdity is not good and consequently no force in your argument but this being all you have levied against my Brother Allens Argument built upon the Text and being found weak his conclusion lifteth up its head and that is that it is disorderly for persons to hold Church-Communion before Baptisme because Baptisme by Christs order was the next thing to be done after discipling and that immediately Secondly A second Argument to prove it a disorderly Practise for the Disciples to hold Church Communion before Baptisme is this If the Scripture maketh Baptisme the gate or entrance into the visible Church or Body of Christ Then is it a most disorderly practise for persons to sit down in Church-society without it But the Scripture maketh Baptism the gate or entrance into the visible Church or Body of Christ Mr. Goodwin denâ—eth now in effect that Baptisme is the Ordinance of entrance into the visible Body of Christ yea he is so far from thinking so P. 61 Of his Water dipping that he thinketh the injunction of it is but after the manner of the free-will offerings under the Law so that men may either obey or not obey without sin yea P 48 Water dipping that a Church may be of as sound and worthy a constitution without Baptisme as with it Now before I make particular answer to Mr. Goodwins Exception to the interpretation of the Scripture alledged to prove it I desire to make one observation which I would commend to the serious consideration of the Reader which is this That notwithstanding the vast variety of differences in the judgement of Professors about other matters of Christian Religion both learned and unlearned in so much that setting aside some few famous fundamentals it is a hard matter to find two men universally agreeing Yet for this opinion that Baptisme is the Sacrament of entrance into the visible Church of Christ all the Professors of Christian Religion hath met in it as one man as far as I ever yet heard or read of whether Papal Prelatical Presbiterial or Independant or Anabaptist except some few persons lately the most whereof are given to Seekerisme And is not that opinion justly to be suspected for an error that crosseth the judgement of almost all the world reputed Christian as well those that are under no temptation by worldly respects to baulk the naked truth as those that are This Argument I confess amounteth not to a demonstration but it justly provoketh an eye of jealousie over that opinion that singleth a man out from all his brethren of like pretious faith and rendreth him like the Widdow Paul speaketh of desolate I shall now proceed to establish this truth by shewing the invalidity of your great exception to the interpretation of the 1 Corinth 12.13 which Text my Brother Allen insisteth on to prove it the words these By one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body my Brother Allen understandeth with Mr. Baxster and the generally reputed Orthodox the word baptised properly of water Baptisme P. 342. Of plain Scripture Mr. Goodwin will needs understand it just now of Spirit Baptisme but why P. 68 72. Of his water dip because the Text saith By one Spirit we are baptised and as for water it is not mentioned To which I answer 1. The not mentioning of water is no Argument that the Text is not to be understood of water Baptisme because the word water is not mentioned in the Commission it self for baptising which yet notwithstanding is plainly enough interpreted by the Apostles to be meant of water Baptisme because of their practising it by vertue of their Commission So also in the 1 Corinth 1.13 14 15. the word water is not set down but no body in their right wits will understand the words otherwise Were you baptised in the Nume of Paul I thank God I baptised none of you But you say the Text speaketh of another Element P. 342. Of Insânts Châ—rch-Membership namely the Spirit 'T is true it doth mention the Spirit as a concurrent cause saith learned Baxsten but the Text speaketh of reall Baptisme 2. How frequently are effects attributed to the Spirit in Scripture in this sence Is not Baptisme the Doctrine of the Spirit as well as other duties Acts 1.2 Acts 2.38 Act. 8.29.38 Act. 1.48 and that which the Spirit exciteth to amongst other acts of obedience did not the Spirit send Phillip to the Eunuch as well to baptise him with water as preach to him and did not the Spirit inspire Peter to command Cornelius to be baptised and is not the proper office of the Spirit to excite men to and guide men in the performance of all dutie why then may not reall Baptisme with water being an act of obedience be attributed to the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 as well as any other acts of obedience whatsoever 3. To understand these words By the Spirit as a working cause and Baptisme as the effect agreeth to the context from the first verse to the 12. At the first verse No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost and is not that by the agency and working of the Spirit upon the heart perswading it to think so honourably of Christ as to call him Lord. The Spirits work is to raise the esteem of Christ in the soul The soules calling him Lord is the effect of that work In the like sense I humbly apprehend all the gifts spoken of to the 12. verse are attributed to the Spirit namely as so many effects of his operation as the cause producing them Which having treated on at large he cometh in the 13. verse to tell them that by the
Answer is ready 1. It appeareth clearly these persons the Text speaketh of were baptised persons Acts 10.47 48. 2. The Communion Peter had with them was after their Baptisme for presently upon the testimony of their faith by Gods giving them the gift of the holy Ghost Peter commanded them to be baptised in the Name of the Lord which was the manner of Peter and the rest in the course of their ministry Now if Mr. Goodwin could prove Peter broke bread with them between the time of their faith and Baptisme which is the matter Mr. Goodwin would prove lawfull by it then it were something to favour his cause but not home to the point neither because an occasional act with some few persons will not justifie the constant proceedings of a Church But why doth Mr. Goodwin think that this instance will prove mixt communion lawful Because Peter in his justification when questioned for eating with Cornelius insisted onely upon Cornelius his having the holy Ghost not his Baptisme To which I answer 1. The Scriptures silence doth not prove that he did not mention his Baptisme and insist on it too because the Scriptures doth not contain all the Apostles sayings Acts 2.40 With many other words did he testifie and exhort saying So John the Baptist Luke 3.18 with many other words 2. There was no necessity upon Peter for the justification of his eating with Cornelius to mention his Baptisme by name though he could not have communion with him without it because in those dayes a beleiving person and a baptised person was presumed the same Paul proveth they all beleived because they were baptised Gal. 3.27 And that 1. Because by the Commission of Christ all Beleivers were presently to be baptised Math. 28.19 And 2. Because none but such was the regular subjects of it Acts. 8.37 And 3. Because it was the constant practise of the Servants of God to call the Beleivers to Baptisme without delay Acts 22.16 So that the Apostles and Brethren understood him sufficiently as to their Baptisme by telling them of their having the holy Ghost as a testimony of their faith If they did not take that for granted it must be either because they doubted his understanding of the Commission of Christ or else his faithfulness in executing it or else their will to be baptised but there was no cause to doubt either nor Peters understanding the Commission or faithfulness in executing it because they had experience before of Peter in the case of the three thousand Acts 2.41 who the same day that they gladly received the word were baptised not their willingness Acts 10.33 because Cornelius was so ready to obey God in every thing that he had but a few fellows so that the mentioning of his Baptisme would have been like a kind of an impertinency 3. There was no necessity upon him to mention their Baptisme by name in his justification of eating with them though he could not have communion with them without it Because it is common both in Scripture language and common converse with men to include all appurtenances in the mention onely of some cheif part see for this John 5.44 Galat. 3.23 Galat. 3.2 Roman 10.8 Mat. 21.25 Acts 10.37 Johns Baptisme put for his whole Ministry Luke 7.30 Calvin calleth Baptisme an appâ—rtenance of faith p. 207. of his Commentary of the Acts. And no doubt this language was well enough known and understoood by the Apostles and Elders so that having mentioned the holy Ghosts coming on them as a testimony of their faith what need had he to draw it out in words at length that they were baptised and thus thou seest good Reader how Mr. Goodwin indulgeth every light appearance from the Scripture being passionately desirous to make that strait which God hath made crooked Your twenty one Consideration for substance this THat Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints one or other should be perfected by them and the whole body of Christ edified then certainly they have all right to Church-fellowship inasmuch as they have their callings onely by and resident in Churches neither are they in any probable way of perfecting them but onely when and whilst they are incorporated with them in their Churches respectively Eph. 4.8 11 12. To which I answer 1. It s true that Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints should be perfected by them but it is as evident the Saints this Text speaketh of for whom they were given in speciall to serve as Officers in the Church and who had power to give them their call they were such Saints as were of the visible body of Christ who as they had other characteristical marks of the members of that body namely to have one God one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith so one BAPTISME consult the 4. and 5. verses of this 4. of Ephesians which Text Mr. Goodwin groundeth his Argument upon and you will find it so and although other persons that were discipled by the word taught but yet had not put on Christ visibly by baptisme into his Name The gifts of Pastors and Teachers were given for the perfecting of them too yet but secondarily not primarily those gifts primarily respect the body of Christ so marked as before is noted 't is plain in the 12. verse For the edifying of the BODY of Christ That unbaptised persons were not then reputed of the visible body of Christ I have proved at large already and although they might be Saints before Baptisme in the sight of God yet in the account of the Church none passe for Saints till then because their faith it self in Christ which maketh Saints could not be clear to the Church till then and that because Baptisme being one of the beginning doctrines of Christ Heb. 6.2 Acts 2.38 Mar. 16 16. and preached by the Apostles as a duty with repentance and faith and that in order to remission of sins and salvation in some sense or other should any man have stuck at it and refused Baptisme what ground would the Church have had to look upon the faith of such as sound nay had they not all the reason in the world to doubt the soundness of it because the character of a true lively saith would be found wanting namely universal obedience and they rejecters of the counsel of God Nothing in reason could appear as a ground to refuse it but the danger of the crosse following it I conclude then that though the truth of their faith made them Saints before God yet without publick profession of their faith by Baptisme they were not owned for Saints by the Church or any such persons whose faith was of the right kind let their professions otherwise be that they would be This is clearly the doctrine of the 3. Galat. 27. Ye are all the children of God by faith FOR mark as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ he proveth their
place namely the Scriptures at last they met with it John 2.17 And they remembred that it was written namely in the 69 Psalm 9. The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up In like manner Do you wonder and are you casting about for a ground to fix my departure upon then take the Disciples course judge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgement do as they did plough with the heifer of the Scriptures and you will easily understand this riddle hearken not to Satan the great enemy of all righteousness who will suggest unto you some ignoble root or other to fix it upon it was his way of old when Christ cast out devils the devil suggesteth he did it not by the power of God but of Beelzebub the Prince of devils The Apostle Paul himself notwithstanding all his zeal and faithfulness and unparalell'd self-denial yet there was some even in the Church of Corinth who he so dearly loved who judged him as a man walking according to the flesh in all 2 Corinth 10.2 I think to be bold against some which THINK of us saith he as if we walked according to the flesh Heavenly John that bundle of love met with a proud hungerstarved close fisted Diotrephes prating against him with malitious words 3 Epistle John 10. T is an old trick of the Devil to bespeak the rejection of the truth by working an ill opinion of them that maintain it If this hath been the portion of such green trees t is not for me to complain that am comparatively dry my weaknesses are many and no doubt but hath afforded many appearances of evil to you but these heavenly soules were judged where there was neither evil nor appearance of any the consideration whereof is no small consolation to me under all your mis-judgings But for the matter it self of my departing from you as my record is on high that no worldly thing should have separated me from the Church so I have the witness within my self that no carnal consideration whatsoever hath contributed to it to the value of the least hair of my head and how cometh any body to dream any such thing When mens business lieth in the East do men use to set out full West or do men use to take up meanes in full contestation to their end Alass alass I considered beforehand that this way is every where spoken against and the generality of the Professors of it of small esteem for learning parts or any thing that commendeth men to the world their garb and cast that of the Disciples Luke 6.20 Blessed be ye poor Now that they were exclaimed on by the learned in their writings and frequently in Pulpits at this day their name cast out as evil and hated in a manner of all men that if times of persecution for conscience come they are like to be the first sufferers So that I had many struglings and wrestlings with the flesh before I could get the victory to submit to it nay the truth is had not the truth concerning it struck my conscience and the light shone into my judgement with that clearness that I could by no meanes avoid it with peace I had never forsaken my old standing which was more honourable easie and every way more acceptable to the outward man Now what those Considerations are that command my judgement to that point whereat it now standeth in the business of Baptisme which is that onely thing which separated between me and you you have scattered up and down in this my Answer to Mr. Goodwin But yet I think good to give you the sum thereof under a few heads 1. I considered the excellency of Jesus Christ above Moses Hebr. 1. Heb. 3.3 Heb. 1.3 from thence argued to the ungodliness and danger of slighting him in any of his Commands 2. I found Baptisme with Water to be one of his Commands Mat. 28 19. Acts 2.37 and joyn'd with Teaching by name in the Commission of Christ and the same presence of Christ promised joyntly as well to Baptisme as Teaching to the end of the world Mar. 16.16 and serving the grand interest of Remission of sins and salvation in some sense and commanded by Christ to be done upon all discipled persons Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.16 and that with huge solemnity In the Name of the Father Son and Spirit and that too amongst the last words he spake on earth 3. I found that he intended not the reiteration of it by the same person and that therefore there ought to be all due care of practising it without corruption 4. I found the design of Christ in the Ordinance it self to be exceeding rich and spiritual namely amongst many other ends 1. To oblige the Disciples unto Christ that as Circumcision bound men to keep the Law of Moses so doth Baptisme to keep the Gospel of Christ therefore the Spirit borroweth the word Baptism which respecteth Christ to express the obligation of the Jewes to the Law of Moses 1 Corinth 10.2 And were all baptised unto Moses Further the design of Christ is to affect the heart by the will of God seen in the Ordinance of Baptisme as well as heard in the Word preached therefore to present in a figure the substance of the Gospel to the eye as the Word preach'd doth to the ear namely the washing away of sin by the bloud of Christ the death Acts 22.16 Col. 2.12 Rom 6.34 burial and resurrection of Christ for sinners and the sinners death to sin suffering with Christ resurrection to all newness of life here and glory hereafter 5. This being the plain design of Christ in the Ordinance I considered Infant-sprinkling which ordinarily goeth for Baptisme and found the great design of Christ in a manner frustrate by it because there is no sign or figure of any such thing as death burial and resurrection and consequently not that Sermon of the Gospel which Christ intended to make by it as is most evident by the Scriptures which palpably discovereth it to be a humane invention 6. I found that as Baptisme was by Christ instituted and the Apostles practised namely upon discipled persons made so by Teaching as the Acts of the Apostles abundantly prove The form being by burying the body in water which Calvin and others honestly confess to be the old way The worthy design of Christ therein is excellently served The party being a Beleiver is capable of fellowship with God in the Ordinance and voluntarily submitting thereto out of conscience of duty and knowledge of the intent of Christ in it is like to feel their obligation to Christ by it into whose Name they themselves desired to be baptised whereas Infants are neither capable of desiring it knowledge of the meaning of it faith about it or any such thing as fellowship with God in it and when grown up can onely tell by hearsay that ever any such thing was done at all upon them most unlike therefore to
feel the like obligation to Christ by it Then for the form it being by burying the body in water and raising it out again thereof there is a most exact representation between sign and thing signified which Christ intended in this sign as appeareth by the Scriptures though not in all signes which heavenly projects of the Lord Jesus Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.4 in the Ordinance are totally frustrate in childrens sprinkling 7. I find the Scriptures in all expressnese of letter are in many places for Beleivers Baptisme whereas there is not one such Text for Childrens nor any instance of the Baptisme of so much as one Child in all the new Testament though the firmament of the Scriptures are filled with the stars of Beleivers Baptisme so that many learned men have acknowledged Infant-baptisme is not in Gods Word and those who go about to found it on Scripture build all on consequences ifs may bees and why nots which Argument Mr. Goodwin hath often used to confirm the doctrine of general Redemption and to draw the contrary opinion under the suspition of error 8. I found the unregenerate world naturally falling in with Childrens baptisme which is a shroad sign it is a device of her own The world loveth her own John 15.19 And on the contrary hating Beleivers Baptisme with an inveterate hate as she doth every Ordinance of Christ administred in the naked plainness and simplicity of it 9. Infant-Baptisme disagreeth to the spiritual state of the Church under the new Testament because Baptisme being the initiating Ordinance into the Church it letteth in a sort of members which the new Testament knoweth not namely such as cannot worship God in Spirit whereas the Scripture saith John 4 23. That God now seeketh SUCH meaning onely such because he maketh the Churches growth unto an holy Temple to be by the meanes of the building its being fitly framed together Ephes 2.21 and again he maketh the encrease of the body unto its edification and its growth up into the head to be partly at least by the meanes of the WHOLE body its being FITLY joyn'd together and compact and mark according to the effectuall working in the measure of EVERY part whereas Infants are altogether uncapable of such effectual working or of any fit conjunction with Beleivers And though children might be Church members under the old Testament when also wicked persons might if Abrahams carnal seed not so under the New it is plain from the Scripture that Christ will have the matter thereof be the spiritual seed of Abraham manifested by repentance and faith Math. 3.9 Therefore 1 Corinth 1.1 giveth the matter of the Church by due constitution to be called Saints and commandeth that if any prove themselves otherwise by disorderly walking to withdraw from them 2 Thes 3.6 14. 10. I find the sharpest adversaries this way hath even in their writings on purpose to disgrace it and to magnifie the contrary namely Infant-baptisme God maketh them to let fall such expressions as justifie it and condemn their own As for instance Mr. Rich. Baxster speaking of the full and proper ends why God instituted the Ordinance of Baptisme he saith they are rather to be fetcht from the Aged than Infants and that because MARK The Aged 1. They are the most FVLLY CAPABLE SVBJECTS 2. THE MOST EXCELLENT SVBJECTS 3. THE MOST EMINENT SVBJECTS 4. OF WHOM SCRIPTVRE FVLLY SPEAKETH 5. THE GREATER PART OF THE WORLD WHEN BAPTISME WAS INSTITVTED who were to be partakers of it But on the contrary as for Infant-baptisme he acknowledgeth in the same place P. 301. Of plain Scripture Proof that the Scripture speaketh darkly of it yea that it is SO dark in the Scripture that the controversie is thereby become not onely hard but SO hard c. as he saith he findeth it Now if this learned and holy man hath not in a few words said more for our way than in his whole book against it and that upon pure principles of reason and Religion let the world judge for if Infants baptisme be dark in the Scripture and so dark as he complaineth 1. How doth this agree with the Title of the Book and the superscription of every page Plain Scripture proof for Infants c. Doth not plain Scripture proof and dark Scripture proof directly oppose And however Mr. Baxster thinketh he seeth such a thing though it lie darkly he knoweth many learned quick-sighted men that profess they cannot see it there at all no more than we But if the case be indeed thus as it is by Mr. Baxsters own confession that of Infants Baptisme the Scripture speaketh darkly but of Beleivers or the Aged that the Scripture fully speaketh and besides that they are the most capable eminent and excellent Subjects with what conscience either of duty to God or comfort to the soul can any Christian man cleave to Infant-baptisme and despise Beleivers If Infant-baptisme be a dark way and so hard to find is he a wise man that chuseth that way when he may walk in the light Doth any honest man in his right mind chuse untroden paths when the beaten rode lieth just before him and doth not Christ say he that walketh in the dark stumbleth John 11.10 or doth it become the people of God to be so indifferent in matters of Religion as not to care whether they walk in the light or in the dark or can any man think to please God by chusing a dark way hard to find when a lightsome path beaten by the feet of Christ and the Saints looketh him full in the face Or where is that man in all the world that will give as much for land that the title too is dark as for that which is clear and unquestionable Doth not every one say of Titles not clear I le not meddle Hath not Mr. Baxster said to Mr. Bedford it is good going the surer side of the hedge p. 303. of Plain Scripture proof and is not Beleivers Baptisme the surer by his own confession Or doth it become men to be more solicitous about their temporal estates than their spiritual Or can leaving the light and walking in the dark be thought the way to the Saints everlasting rest 11. It agreeth not to the wisdom and goodness of Christ that Baptisme should be so dark in the Scripture as Mr. Baxster saith it is not to his wisdom because it is appointed for babes and because he expecteth obedience who that expecteth obedience will leave their Lawes hard to find Not to his goodness because he hath put the Disciples under a sore penalty in case of disobedience to whatsoever he hath commanded Now the way of Baptisme after faith is clear and manifest as Mr. Baxster acknowledgeth most like therefore to be the Statute of Christ for his Babes to submit too and not that which is dark Besides would it not be a good excuse at Judgement for the neglect of any Law of Christs if men could say the Command
acknowledge their indisposition to the obedience of it made them indulge every weak argument to the contrary and that they were never able to submit to the truth of Christ in the naked simplicity of it till God gave them the command of their own spirits Pro. 25.28 Isai 28.9 1 Cor. 3.18 Ioh. 5.44 till they became like Children weaned from the breast In a word till they were able to become fools for Christs sake and resolve to delight their soules with that honour that cometh from God onely But whether the fault of non-obedience be chargeable upon the wills of men or the want of conviction notwithstanding all good meanes used to come at it that God onely knoweth as also the truth and falshood of mens faith but however the Church is not without ground to fear the truth of that faith that boggleth at obedience to Christ in those commands which distinguisheth the Disciples of Christ from Moses his Disciples it is not obedience to the morral Law doth that that God is to be worshipped was Moses his Doctrine as well as Christs That men should be merciful and just which is the substance of the second Table was as well the Doctrine of Moses as Christ so that by obedience to the Law morral a man may as well be said to be Moses his Disciple as Christs because they are both one in that But by obedience to the iustituted Law of Christ given for the ordering us in his worship a man is truly said to be Christs Disciple in distinction from Moses whose Ordinances were far different provided it follow repentance from dead works and faith towards God without which I confess it signifieth nothing in which respect doubtless both Jewes and Gentiles are said in baptisme to put on Christ Gal. 3.27 But more especially hath the Church cause to suspect the truth of that faith that sticketh at obedience to the positive Law of Christ because it is that chiefly that putteth men to shame and casteth out their name as evill 'T is not the simple worshipping of God that bringeth men disgrace no not with carnal men that have not sinn'd away their first principles of conscience but honour rather because every man by those principles is prompted to some worship but that which offendeth is the worshipping of God after his own way which the world cannot bear if men could be content with the Religion of Christ it self corrupted they might live at Rome and be applauded So for the other part of the morral Law which consisteth in Justice and Mercy Mercy and Justice offendeth not the generallity of men but onely some particulars where their own interest is struck at by it and the reason clear because the morral Law is written in every mans heart so that he that liveth up to that liveth to the conscience of every individual soul and consequently compelleth revereate from all men that have not sinn'd away the light of nature But for the Law of institutions they being forreign to the hearts of men found onely in the written word and in themselves of a despicable complexion and withal crossing the desires of the flesh and consequently contrary to the religion of the world which is formed by her worldly wise men according to her carnallity and to fit their own worldly interests It cometh to passe unavoidably that whosoever will follow Christ in the way of worship which he hath set up in the naked plainness and simplicity of it he shall be put to shame scorned contemned disgraced persecuted at least by tongue and pen especially by the learned whose interest is struck at by an effectual following the Lamb in his own way But suppose the faith of those that refuse Baptism to be as good as the best yet I utterly deny that it giveth them an immediate right to full communion with the Church simply upon that account The reason this because Jesus Christ himself who is the God of Order hath appointed the Communion of the Disciples to be orderly so that though persons be Disciples by faith and so have a remote right to all priviledges of Church Communion yet have not an immediate right thereto till they desire it in that way which Christ hath appointed That Christ hath establish'd order for regulating the communion of the Disciples is evident from the Coloss 2.5 where the Apostle hath these words Joying and beholding your ORDER and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him or after him as the Preposition in is expounded at the 8. verse And not after Christ now that by in him or after him he meaneth after his teachings appeareth by the 7. verse Rooted and built up in him and stablish'd in the faith as you have been taught And that the teachings of Christ respected their order in worship as well as their faith appeareth by the 8. verse where he opposeth the Jewish Ordinances which he calleth the rudiments of the world to Christs and in the 12. verse mentioneth Baptisme by name where in he affirmeth they were buried with Christ Again that Christ hath established order for the regulation of the Disciples Communion appeareth by the 1 Cor. 11. where the Apostle blameth the Church for disorder in their eating the Lords Supper and that their sin of disorderly walking might appear the more hainous to them he telleth them at the 23. verse That which he dâ—livered them that is those rules which he had delivered them to order themselves by in their communion which they had sinfully transgressed he received from the Lord. And in the 1 Cor. 14 40. exhorteth them that all things in the Church be done decently and in order and that matter of order is a thing strictly to be minded appeareth by Titus 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order Now if it be askt how it appeareth a disorderly practise for persons to be admitted into the Church and sit down with them in full communion without Baptisme I shall first enforce some of my brother Allens Arguments and take off Mr. Goodwins exceptions against them and then add one or two more The substance of his first Argument is this If Baptisin was the next thing immediately to be done by the order of Christ after being discipled P. 17 Of his Answer to Master Goodwins 40. Queries about Communion then to sit down with the Church in full communion before it is a disorderly practise But Baptism was the next thing immediately to be done by the order of Christ That Baptisme was the next thing immediately to be done appeareth by the Commission Math. 28.19 Go teach or Disciple all Nations baptizing them where we see Baptisme is the next thing to be done after discipling and accordingly the Apostles practised it Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 which putteth the matter out of all doubt to all ingenious men as all the instances of the
Acts of the Apostles proveth Act. 18.8 If you could shew any saith Mr. Baxster that did delay Baptisme he meaneth to Disciples since Christs Command P. 24. Of plain Scripture proofs Math. 28.19 it would appear to have been sinfull as through ignorance or negligence Again That it is Christs rule that persons shall be baptised without delay when they are first made Disciples P. 126. Of Scripture proof I have fully proved already both from the Commission for baptising and from Scripture example explaining that Commission and from the end and use of Baptisme If any should be so impudent as to say it is not the meaning of Christ that baptizing should immediately follow discipling they are confuted by the constant example of Scripture So that I dare say this will be out of doubt with all rationall P. 127. considerate impartial Christians If this be so clear a truth as every one with half an eye cannot lightly but see it then is it not a plain case that they that shall attempt to sit down with Church-bodies before Baptisme or those Churches that shall admit unbaptised Disciples into full communion that they all depart from the rule of Christ and walk by a rule of their own devising and instead of Law-obeyers take the boldness to be Law-makers Mr. Goodwin objecteth p. 64. of his water-dipping that His proof meaning my Brother Allens is built upon a clear mistake of the word Teach in the Commission Math. 28.19 for to teach doth not signifie to teach men so as to make them wiling to obey which is my Brother Allens sense but to do that which is apt to make Disciples whether any he actually made Disciples or no. That this sense of the word Teach is a part of the truth I deny not but that it is all that is contained in the word Teach that I deny for these reasons following 1. Because then all persons whatsoever to whom the Gospel was at any time preached by the Apostles were upon their bare hearing of it whether they beleived or blasphemed to have been baptised by them For you say the word Teach doth not imply an actually discipled person to Christ but onely the having instructions proper to make men so If that were all the sense then the Apostles were bound by their Commission to baptise in the Name of the Father Son and Spirit all they preached the Gospel unto though they knew neither Father Son nor Spirit or beleived a word they said yea those that commanded them to teach no more in that Name and beat them for it and imprisoned them being filled with indignation Acts 5.18 Secondly To shew that this sense of yours hath not all the truth in it it appeareth by the 2. Acts 41 which saith not that all that heard the Word were baptised but they that gladly RECEIVED the Word which sheweth clearly enough what is meant by the word teach in the Commission namely such whereby persons became glad receivers of the Word why else did he not baptise every body that heard him Sir you say truly it is a loud untruth to say there is not one example of a person baptised barely upon his hearing of the Gospel preached unto him but I pray Sir whose cause do you plead by saying so your own or ours and here I heartily desire the Reader to consider whether you have not in a few words destroyed your own sense of the word Teach and established my Brother Allens for if there be not one example throught the Acts of a person baptised barely upon his hearing the Gospel but all examples speak of their being Beleivers or Disciples first Why then surely the Apostles understood by the word Teach the making them actual Disciples which is our sense and not onely the saying such things to them which were proper to make them so which is Mr. Goodwins or else they practised contrary to their own judgement But thirdly that by teaching is meant actual discipling is the judgement of our Adversaries Mr. Baxter giveth this for the sense of the word Teach in the Commission very frequently in his plain Scripture proof p. 15. Go ye teach is go make me Disciples in which exposition of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Baxter confesseth to agree with Mr Tombes I say as he saith Mr. Baxter that the verb signifieth make ye Disciples Vrsinus upon these words Go teach all Nations baptising them The word which Christ useth saith he properly signifieth make Disciples thus it is expounded saith he by John Note well John 4.2 The Pharisees heard that Jesus made and baptised more Disciples than John and what Vrsinus meaneth by Disciples appeareth plainly p. 414. of his Catechisme Teach all Nations baptising them that is all who by your doctrine come unto me and p. 420. That unto the use of baptisme faith is required and in p. 415. these discipled persons he calleth converted persons So that in this learned mans judgement by teaching in the Commission is meant discipling by Disciples Beleivers commers unto Christ converted persons and not as Mr. Goodwin that to teach signifieth not to make them actual Disciples but onely the saying such things to them which are apt to make them so But fourthly and lastly the reason Mr. Goodwin giveth why by the word teach must be meant as he saith and not according to the common consent of Interpreters I humbly apprehend to be invalid his reason is this because if we understand the word Teach of actual discipling these absurdities will follow First He must be conceived to commissionate them to do that which was not in their own power to do Secondly It would follow that though they preached never so faithfully yet they had falsified trust and acted short of their Commission if they had not at all times made those to whom they preached actuall Beleivers To which I answer This Argument standeth upon an unsound bottom which is this That it is an absurd thing to conceive that God should put more into a Commission given to Men then is in the Creatures own power to do What is more frequent in Scripture than to put that into the Commission both of Prophets and Apostles which was not in their own power to effect Isaiah 6.9 10. Ge make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes least c. is not here more put into the Prophets Commission than was in his own power to do could he make their hearts fat or make their eares heavy or shut their eyes Nay are not these effects attributed to God though put in the Prophets Commission John 12.40 He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes yea these effects are attributed to themselves in Math. 13.15 Their eyes they have closed least they should c. So that though these effects are put in the Prophets Commission yet altogether out of his own power to
than your separating from the Parish Churches is not our ground the very self same which yours then was And what can you say to Mr. Baxster who chargeth you with Schisme for with-drawing from the Nationall Church P. 193. Of his Scripture proof which we cannot answer you with He calleth you Church-Renter as you do us and an undone person amongst others upon that account that are as pillars of Salt in his eye And is it not strange that Mr. Goodwin should be so busie with the word Schisme schismatick and schismatical as to use them eight times in 30. lines against his freinds for doing that which himself hath given them an example in upon the same ground But 3. and lastly As the fatall Apostasie from the pure Ordinances of Christ and the example of the Primitive Churches in worship was graduall so hath the recovery of primitive purity been now a little and then a little as it hath pleased God to communicate light to his upright ones that he hath used in the reformation but it hath been won as it were by inches and still been made costly to the Names at least of the Instruments they all bear this burthen which now Mr. Goodwin chargeth us with of schisme The Pope crieth Schisme and Heresie after the Church of England for renouncing communion with the Church of Rome The Pishops cry Schisme after some of the Pres byterians The Presbyterians cry Schisme after Mr. Goodwin and all Separatists from the National Church which withdrawings have been so many steps towards primitive purity Now Mr. Goodwin crieth Schisme pretty liberally too after us who have gone a few steps farther in the same path which as yet his heart serveth him not to proceed in that we may reach the things we have heard from the beginning Which Rule Calvin confesseth the Church took liberty to depart from 1 John 2.24 That we may stand compleat in ALL the will of God Colos 4.12 And walk in ALL the Ordinances and Commandments of God blameless as Zachary and Elizabeth did Luke 1.6 And keep the Ordinances as they were delivered to the Churches of old by the Apostles from Christ which was matter of praise to the Church of Corinth as long as they so kept them 1 Cor. 11.2 Which that we may doe we find the same cause to renounce the National Baptisme which Mr. Goodwin hath done to renounce the National Church which is the very basis and foundation of it and that without which it is not easie to conceive how it could come to passe at first or how it should stand long Well Sir it s not long ere your work and ours will be tried you have judged early but our comfort is that this is but mans day Christ is not farre off whose cause we plead 1 Cor. 4.3 and then not he that commendeth himself is approved but he whom God commendeth then shall every man have praise of God Come Lord Jesus come quickly 1 Cor 4.5 Your ninth Consideration is THat it is but a carnal Ceremony and so acknowledged by Mr. Lawrence now Lord President whom you stile one of the gravest Authors of the Antipaedâ— baptisticall faith But Sir though Mr Lawrence hath stiled Baptisme a carnal Ceremony I pray Sir where hath the holy Spirit called any of the Ordinances of the New Testament carnal Ordinances 'T is true the Ordinances of Moses are called carnal Ordinances by the holy Spirit Hebr 9.10 which lasted untill the time of reformation saith the Text or Christs time wherein the Church hath new Ordinances given by Christ himself whereof Baptisme is one and given by Christ as a Reformer of what was carnal therefore to call Christs Ordinances carnal I humbly conceive agreeth not to the form of wholsome words and the rather because beginning with the Gospel as the Galatians did who beleived it and put on Christ in Baptisme they are said to begin in the Spirit Galat. 3.3 unto which the carnal Ordinances of the Law are opposed under the word flesh Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh But 2. When Mr. Lawrence calleth it a carnal Ceremony it is onely in regard of the outward act which respecteth the flesh or outward man abstract from the spiritual design of Christ in it but otherwise in his judgement as well as ours an Ordinance very spiritual and full of the wisdome and Spirit of God for proof of this I referre the Reader to his book of Baptisme but especially to his Discourse from p. 101. to 113. 3. And lastly That the want of it rendreth beleivers unfit for any spiritual communion I am farre from thinking so but that it rendreth them unfit for that full communion which a Church of Christ in the right order of the Gospel enjoyeth that I do beleive and have given a full account of it already in answer to your third Consideration And as for making work for a second Crucifixion of Christ I suppose Sir that which made it at first is most like to doe it the second time and that was sin and disobedience not righteousness and full walking with Christ according to the rules received of him Your tenth Consideration for substance this IGnorance in some things concerning the mystery of Christ found either in a Church or particular persons hindreth not their lawful communion in a Church way for then there would be none fit because the best know but in part therefore not to be looked for that they should be practised in full If by the word Church be meant an orderly joyn'd Church made of fit matter according to the Command of Christ 't is most true that you say that Ignorance in many things will not render their communion unlawfull and your reason good and sound But this will not prove that baptised Disciples may lawfully sit down in Church bodies with unbaptised because such conjunctions are disoderly as I have proved at large and consequently sinful and so not to be indulged but corrected and set strait according to the Rule But why doth Mr. Goodwin tell us so often of judging our brethren unclean for communion Is it we that judge you Col. 2.6 or is it not rather the Rule of the Lord Jesus All Christians are commanded to walk after Christ and that in matter of Ordinances as well as faith and if so doing judge you it is not we that judge you but Christ T is true in a sense we judge you Heb. 11.7 as Noah by obedience judged the old world but it is our grief that there is occasion for it But have we judged you any otherwise than you have judged the godly Presbyterians of Coleman-street if we be sinners herein you cannot be righteous except the same action may be grace and holiness in one man which is sin and unworthiness in another and that too when done under much the like circumstances Therefore thou art inexcusable oh man who ever
and doth he speak according to the form of wholsome words that saith men may be visible members without it or will Christ hold that man guiltless that striveth to break this chain which he in wisdome hath linked together That the Text speaketh of reall proper Baptisme with water and not of metaphorical it appeareth 1. As for that which some conceive though untruly the Baptisme of the Spirit namely the common fruits of the Spirit such as faith that he spoke of before as that wherein they were one in distinction from Baptisme Secondly As for that which is in truth the Baptisme of the Spirit namely speaking with tongues and the like that cannot be meant because the Baptisme here is affirmed of all the members of the body of whom that cannot be truly said I understand therefore by Baptisme in the fourth of the Epesians the Church Ordinance of Baptisme with water by which the Apostle affirmeth both Jewes and Gentiles put on Christ Gab 3.27 And further how can any one imagine with any shew of reason that in the primitive times there was any such confusion as the sitting down of baptised with unbaptised Disciples Since its plain 1. That Christ commanded their baptisme presently after discipling 2. That the Apostles so practised it as we find in every example 3. Where any backwardness appeared the Servants of God hastened the Disciples to Baptisme Arise Acts 22.16 why tarriest thou saith Ananias to Paul And truly it is a remarkable thing that though Paul had fasted three dayes yet after his discipling he is hastened to Baptisme before he is permitted to eat meat Acts 9.18 4. We read not of one discipled person that ever refused Baptisme 5. Considering the judgement of the Spirit of God concerning those Rabbi men that did refuse Baptisme or Johns Ministry whereof Baptisme was a part which was Luke 7.29 that they rejected the counsell of God against themselves I say considering all this with what is offered in Answer to your third Consideration it is I humbly apprehend one of the most unreasonable apprehensions that ever was founded upon the Scriptures And now let the world judge whose building is Babel whether ours that answereth the Rule to a hairs breadth or yours which is quite besides it and here Sir we challenge you to make out your opinion and practise from the Scripture as we make out ours or else your great words rhetoricall flourishes angry invectives being in a manner the best of your strength wherewith you fight with us must all goe for tubbish and dirt But you say in case you should releive the poor and grant us that the Sun shineth at noon-day that in the Primitive times was no such confusion of baptised Disciples holding communion with unbaptised yet how we know that in case there had been any unbaptised brethren whether the Apostle would have prohibited communion with them as well as with fornicators To this I answer if by communion be meant that full communion which orderly Churches enjoy I make little doubt but he would 1. Because he was so full of this point of advising the Disciples to punctuality in the point of order Col. 2.6 1 Cor. 14.40 2. Because he praised the Church of Corinth for keeping the Ordinances AS he delivered them unto them 1 Cor. 11.2 3. Because order he looked upon as a beautiful thing and rejoyced to behold it in the Church of Colosse Colos 2.5 4. Because he cautioneth the Church to take heed of Philosophers that through vain deceit would bring them to disorder Col. 2.8 5. Because when any disorder grew in the Church he took such care to have them corrected Titus 1.5 6. Because he saith his word was not yea and nay 2 Cor. 1.18 as fallible mens are now being guided in his orders by an infallible spirit So that to ask whether Paul would not have prohibited the Churches to hold communion with unbaptised persons is to ask whether Paul would not pull down with one hand what he buildeth up with another But good Reader Mr. Goodwin asketh us one question and I would ask thee another and it is whether thou dost not think in thy conscience Mr. Goodwin hath the wrong end of the staffe in this controversie and whether the putting this question do not discover it and who it is that buildeth upon light conjectures loose suppositions presumptuous self-imaginations Mr. Goodwin or his poor brethren of the dip as he calleth them Your thirteenth Consideration for substance this BAptisme is at some seasons offensive burthensome and grievous to the flesh and that for Men and Women especially being weak and tender of constitution to submit to it in winter and cold seasons is as expresse a tempting of God as passing through the fire would be To which I answer 1. Experience hath proved this to be the vainest insinuation of all the rest there being not one person that I ever yet knew since we came into this way young or old though baptised in the depth of winter that ever suffered any thing in their health to the value of the least hair of their head yea some that have been aged and weak in body have professed that since the time of their obedience to Christ in this Ordinance of his they have not found those weaknesses that formerly they were troubled with no question but in case of sickness God will have mercy and not sacrifice and God will accept the wills of such for their deed but will that excuse those that are in health or doth Mr. Goodwin think that scores of persons I might say hundreds of aged and weak persons that have been baptised without dammage might have pass'd through the fire with as little hurt or if indeed Mr. Goodwin hath reason to judge the danger to be so great Then 2. Is it not a notable Argument to perswade Mr. Goodwin to cast in his lot with these men because these God knoweth above all the Professors of Religion in the world besides because though miracles are ceased and dead as to others yet it seemeth are alive to them and they daily find the manifestation of Gods out-stretched arm for their preservation that as God took care of the Jewes when they went up to worship at Jerusalem that it should not enter into the heart of their enemy to invade their Land so doth he order the element of water that the worshippers of Christ by being born of it shall have no losse their bodily health shall not be invaded by it But 3. It is very true that the spiritual design of Christ in Baptisme being partly to represent Christs death for â—s and to oblige us to the death of all sin it hath pleased him and that in great wisdome to order the buriall of the body in the element of water that the bitter sufferings of the Lord Jesus for sinners may be remembred by the help of that sensible sign wherein Nature hath a gentle taft of some suffering though
some others and put it in the Commission by name with Teaching and ordained it in some sence or other to serve the grand interest of remission of sins and salvation Acts 2.38 Mar. 16.16 Mat. 28.19 and gave such a particular charge to have it done with so great solemnity even In the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit Now what is the foundation of the standing of any of the Ordinances but the unrepealed Word of God which as much respecteth Baptisme as any other therefore disparage Baptisme and disparage all they live they die they stand they â—all together But 2. That to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to the destruction of the more spiritual part of Religion namely that which consisteth in a holy frame of heart and life I prove thus If the use of Ordinances be the soules edification then to dis-use them is the way to make havock of all our spiritual treasure but to conceive Baptisme out of date is the way not onely to disuse that Ordinance but all others because they all stand upon the same bottome as I have proved already Now that the use of Ordinances is the edification of the soul appeareth by many Scriptures Ephes 4.11 12 13 14 15 16. and that Baptisme by name hath a rich tendency to edification I have proved already at large by shewing the design of God in it which is to affect the heart by the death buriall and resurrection of Christ in that Ordinance SEEN as well as in the Gospel preached those truths are HEARD with other respects of edification which I shall not now mention But for more full satisfaction at this point let me give Mr. Goodwins judgement concerning the edifying nature of Baptisme p. 26. of his water dipping 1. That it is operative to the engaging the judgement and conscience to become the loyall Disciples of Christ And 2. the building up of the inward man in grace and peace If so how cometh so many suggestions from you rendering the standing of Baptisme doubtful Hath Christ appointed more wayes of teaching the Gospel and building up the inner man in grace than needs and might you not as well think that God intended to make darlings of the Christians in the first times and but step-children of all the rest of Beleivers to the end of the world as to think that he would take from them any part of the meanes of their edification and spiritual comfort and not give them others in the room I conclude then and I hope with evidence clear enough that Baptisme was not onely intended by God for an introductory Ordinance to last for a time but for a staple standing Ordinance with Teaching to the end of the world and that too ordained for the Creatures good and consequently as sinful a thing to neglect it as it would be to neglect ones daily bread If all that hath been said be not enough to satisfie the Reader concerning the standing of Baptisme I referre thee to Mr. Baxster P. 542. Of plan Scripture proof who hath in his book of Baptisme offered ten Arguments all grounded upon the plain Text of Scripture to prove it and in the end concludeth thus I will add no more because it is but on the by and because this is sufficient to those that can judge of Scripture evidence when they hear it and will be ruled by it when they know it and for others it is not many words that can cure their disease And if any body think me over zealous in this matter let them consider the words of Calvin p. 208. of his Commentary upon the Acts though he doth most ingenuously confess that since the beginning the Church did grant liberty to her self to CHANGE the Rites meaning from putting all the body into the water to sprinkling Now the use saith he is to sprinkle the body or the head But though they took the boldness to do that which Calvin justifieth the Church in yet for the continuance of Baptisme it self we ought rather saith he to fight a hundred times to death for the ceremony it self of Baptisme in as much as it was delivered us by Christ then that we should suffer the same to be taken from us But I say that there is the same reason to fight a hundred times to death for the right subject and the right form of administring it 1. Because God is wiser than men and because any body with half an eye may see that the change from dipping to sprinkling frustrateth the great design of Christ in the Ordinance it self as I have shewn already and in a manner maketh it useless and because changing of the Ordinances we find to be a hainous provoking thing to God of old Isaiah 24.5 The earth mourneth and fadeth away the earth also is defiled with the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Lawes CHANGED the Ordinance Mark not for a totall laying aside of them onely but for transgressing the rule and changing them yea the 29.16 Mark how hainously God taketh the wise mens turning things upside down I say mark all yee wise men and consider Surely your TVRNING things upside down shall be esteemed as the Potters clay yea he threateneth at the 14. verse for this very reason that their FEAR that is their worship was taught after the precepts of men The WISDOME of their WISE men should perish and the understanding of the prudent should be hid And if any one ask why God was so severe upon this account the conclusion of the 16. verse telleth all Shall the thing framed say of him that framed it HE HAD NO UNDERSTANDING This then is the account God maketh of mens changing the Ordinances that it is a reflexion upon God as if he wanted understanding changing Gods Lawes is no other but a charging God with that weakness which poor fallible men are subject unto which maketh them many times upon experience to change theirs Come close then oh world and discern the difference between us and our adversaries and judge whether our brethren that hate us and cast out our name as evill have any just ground for what they doe the difference is easily seen they have changed the great Ordinance of Baptisme thou seest Calvin honestly confesseth it whereas we think Christ wiser than Calvin or the Church he speaketh of and have we not reason for it and that instead of changing his Laws it becometh us to be humbly obedient to his Lawes and do not we do well in it They think they have mended the Ordinances we think they have spoiled them and do plainly see the ground of their first tampering with them was pomp profit and ease and that it is our duty Jude the 3. on Christs behalf to endeavour with all our might the recovery of them to their primitive purity As I have given thee good Reader the judgement of Calvin as to the form of baptising of old so take his words about the subject p.
faith in Christ to be true by this that they were not ashamed to put on Christ to bear his Name publickly whatever it should cost them And then 2. Whereas he saith AS MANY OF YOU as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ They and onely they that were baptised into Christ were judged by the Churches as persons that had put on Christ in distinction from Moses and that had now embraced the Religion of the Lord Jesus And although it be very true that beleiving persons are not in so-good a way of perfecting by the gifts of Christs pastors and Teachers out of Churches as in Churches yet that will not justifie the Church in breaking any of Christs rules for their admission their suffering is through their own fault the mouth of God being open and his heart enlarged towards them And thus good Reader how easily maist thou see that the Scriptures complain of the yoak wherein Mr. Goodwin forceth them to draw Your two and twentieth Consideration hath many parts and for substance thus FIrst we understand by books and writings of such authority and credit that we have no ground as all to question their truth that the generation of men whose judgements have gone wandring after dipping and re baptising have from the very first originall and spring of them since the late reformation been very turbulent and trouble some in all places where they have encreased to any numbers considerable and wiser men than I are not a little jealous over the peace of this Nation lest it should suffer as other places have formerly done from the tumultuous and domineering spirit of this sort of men so numerously prevailing as they doe There is a strong tide of report both from Ireland and Scotland that as farre as the interest and power so far the insolency also and importune haughtiness of that generation we speak of extendeth in both these Nations and that all persons of what integrity or worth soever who are not enlightned with their darkness about their dipping are trodden under foot like unsavoury Salt and judged unmeet for any place of trust or power with them being allowed onely the preferments of drawing water and hewing wood One of this faction or party in England and he no small beggar neither speaking of a person who though not of his judgement about the necessity of dipping yet otherwise a man that had very well deserved of that way in severall respects yet speaking of this person he said in the presence of several persons of quality that He deserved to be hanged an Aphorisme consonant to a latter saying of a Preacher of that way about the City who in discourse with a person walking in communion with me about his judgement and being as it seemeth worsted in the skirmish at last recovered the lost ground with this or the like Epiphonema that she might find her Church at Tyburn and the Gallows These words I regard but as muck notwithstanding it may concern others to look after the fire But surely these men when they come into their Kingdome of authority and power will execute judgement without partiality if so then he that deserveth to be hanged must expect no better quarter than that of the halter and if Justice be administred without partiality all that are in the same condemnation of anti-dipping with him may bear him company in the same expectation Before I make particular answer to this Consideration I must say it cannot passe my observation how strangely Mr. Goodwins zeal in opposing us transporteth him how it maketh him forget his old brave sayings wherein he certainly had the Spirit of God with him he once said The truth would never be made great by the suggesting of morral imputations against the enemies of it Ye a in his Cautions for Reformation he beginneth as well he may thus They who intend a reformation according to the Word of God must take heed of admitting humane passions into their consultations For in James his divinity The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God that is saith he MARK subjecteth a wan to an incapability of doing that which is truly agreeable to his will And doth not these words come home to Mr. Goodwin for hath he not left calm reasoning from Scripture ground and betaken himself to wrath and the weapons of reflexion his spirit being as it were of a light fire no marvell then if he manage this controversie upon termes so disagreeable to Gods will and that he come to shake hands with the old enemy of the truth Gangrena in many of his methods and will heaven or earth like of it He once said Gangrena would be found a strumpet of the race and lineage of the great scarlet whore that the vine of the Author was as the vine of Sodome and his grapes grapes of gall his clusters bitter his wine the poyson of dragons and the cruell poyson of aspes And hath not Mr. Goodwin now justified it But if the question be How Mr. Woodwin hath justified Gangrena The answer is by doing himself just as that Author did which hath made some lift up their eyes to heaven and say LORD WHAT IS MAN THAT THOU ART MINDFUL OF HIM If the question be wherein it is answered 1. By taking up disparaging reports against his brethren that never did him harm and publishing them to disgrace their religion by This was the great fault of Mr. Edwards for which Mr. Goodwin reproveth him thus p. 4 of Cretensis The form of those accusations Mr. Edwards hath levied against his brethren is much more inexcusable than the matter of them We do not read that either Cham or Doeg though sons of much unworthiness ever traded with Satan for these black commodities or compassed the earth too and fro with their Eves-droppers Agents or Factors to gather up and furnish themselves with the sins or infirmities of the Saints no nor that they ever took up a report into their lip against any man upon either the loose or malitious suggestion of others BVT ONELY mark that RELATED and informed what themselves SAW WITH THEIR OWN EYES and that casually without any waiting the opportunity But Mr. Goodwin hath not onely taken up a report against a man but against many even the generation as he calleth them that he is now writing against 2. He hath not onely taken up these reports into his lip but like Mr. Edwards he hath published them to the world in print to be an everlasting monument of dishonour to them which hainous sin of yours against the royal Law of love will he found agravated by these two notorious circumstances 1. The matter of the story it self being utterly untrue though you did not think so And 2. Against persons many whereof have had honourable thoughts of you and much love for you Secondly To convince you that the same spirit or a worse acted you in writing this book that inspired Mr. Edwards in his Gangrena
it appeareth by your drawing sore conclusions from words upon suppositions that are utterly false viz. from hence that a baptised person said of an unbaptised he deserved to be hang'd though it is not affirmed for what much lesse is it affirmed that he said he deserved to be hang'd for not being baptised and how unreasonable such a conceit is I leave to any body to judge Yet you conclude sorely against the Baptists upon that uncharitable presumption thus in these words if so then he that deserveth to be hang'd must expect no better quarter than that of the halter and if justice be administred without partiality all that are in the same condemnation of ANTI-DIPPING with him may bear him company in the same expectation which cruell conclusion that if the baptised were in power the undipt may look for the halter all men may see you draw from that wrested supposition that the baptised person should say of the unbaptised he deserved to be hanged for not being baptised the conclusion otherwise being no wayes drawable from the premises Oh Sir Truth is too noble a thing to desire such weapons to fight its battels 3. Your likeness to Gangrena appeareth in this that the faults of some that were the most unworthy of the Independents he charged upon the generality of them for which you belabour him thus Doe not all men know that the composition of the world it self and of all the parts of it consisteth ex flore faece of what is excellent and what is excrement for Mr. Edwards to judge of Indepency by the miscarriages whether in practise or opinion of some few that should make an estimate of Cheap-side by the channel that runneth in the midst of it and give sentence against the holy and elect Angels by what is found in sin and wickedness in the devill The most accursed hypocrites that ever the earth bare have been of the profession of Christianity and yet Christianity the best of all professions with a great deal more to the same purpose both rationall and pleasant to read But yet as if no such words had ever proceeded from Mr. Goodwin or else that he had repented of them he can now find in his heart to argue against the Generation as he calleth them of the Baptists upon the account of the wild expressions of two persons instanced in But surely THESE MEN Again let no man think I doe not walk charitably to THESE MEN Again My conscience bears me witness I have been freindly to THESE men Well Sir the time will come when you shall look upon these men whom you have peirced and mourn 4. Mr. Edwards stirreth up the Magestrate to suppress the Independents which you do not in so many words but you foment jealousies against them and endeavour a frowning brow towards them by your bitter insinuations let all the world judge else by the words following That wise men are not a little jealous over the peace of this Nation least it should suffer as other places have done formerly from the tumuliuous and domineering spirit of this sort of men and also after your two instances of persons here at home thus These words I regard but aâ— muck notwithstanding it may concern others to look after the FIRE Whereas amongst all the professors of Religion in the Nation they are found to be as peaceable spirited if not more than any other sort of men witness the Declaration of the Messengers and Elders of many Congregations met in London from many if not most parts of the Nation published about eight or nine moneths agoe speaking their peaceable disposition as all the world may see that will read it besides let but experience speak to it what fire have these men kindled for this many yeares that the Nation hath had experience of them wherein hath their turbulency domineering and tumultuousness of spirit appeared nay are they not branded this day by some for dulness in their generation work upon this very account because they are not of a more stirring spirit 5. Your similitude to Gangrena appeareth in this that as he urged the writings of other men against the Independents to disgrace their Religion so doe you against the Anabaptists p. 64. of his Gangrena being part of a letter to him sent out of the Country We have a few Independents in our Town but we are more troubled with them than some are with many they are so TURBULENT and VIOLENT Just what Mr. Goodwin writeth from other men concerning the Anabaptists the same doth Mr Edwards write from men concerning the Independents which was that they were proud turbulent and every wayes stopping the progress of the work of Reformation But Sir will not after ages give as much heed to the writings of Mr. Edwards and Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Walker in your disparagement as you now do to the writings of Luther and the rest c. to the disparagement of the Anabaptists if they do what manner of man will you be in the thoughts of future generations Doth any of those Authors say worse of the Anabaptists than these men do of you Doe not these men strive to render you one of the most odious men living not onely a Schismatick but an Heretick in grain yea a Blasphemer But are you ever the more so for all that and would you hold them excused that should beleive the reports of cruel professed adversaries To come a little closer I look upon your self as a man of as good a conscience as the most if not as the best of those famous Writers you speak of yet so transcendent is your prejudice against us that every light appearance you have taken for a reality as if your were greedily desirous to beleive some ill of us insomuch that you your self have given as unrighteous judgement of us and printed it too to the perpetual infamy of our persons and way as the worst of them have done of you I am sure what I say is true and that you will find one day I conclude then that the testimony of professed adversaries though good men is not to be depended on And if Mr. Goodwin hath not as much need of the truth of this proposition as the poor Anabaptists let the world judge To conclude then the truth is this two and twentieth Consideration in most of the nine parts of it is so like Gangrena that one would think Mr. Goodwin had consulted that book in drawing it up as the Reader may easily perceive which being made up of such dirty stuffe without the least breathing of the Spirit from any word of Gods I think I may take my leave of it without blame and the rather because of that floud of contempt which he let in upon the Author of Gangrena for using such weapons to fight the Lords battels Onely what he saith in the ninth and last place I take my self bound to make some answer too because I suppose I am principally aimed at
judge righteous judgement and not take face for heart shadow for substance what our gain is we think it becommeth us to speak modestly of that and to strive to make it good by actions wherein oh mighty God help us rather than words And now good Reader to convince thy conscience that we were not like to doe any such strange things soon after our Baptisme that should render us such savage beasts Thou must know that Mr. Goodwin and the Church were the dearly beloved of my soul our relation thereto and fellowship therein I reckoned one of the cheifest comforts of my life I wanted not but abounded with respects from them above what my conscience told me I deserved and who that knoweth me knoweth not this to be true I doe profess in the fear of that God whose I am and whom I serve that if I know my own heart no body could have hired me from the bosome of that Church with hundreds a year And when the time came that for pure conscience I must be seperated from the embraces thereof teares was my meat day and night my greif was such at that time that it made the thoughts of death sweeter to me than ever they were in my life before my study and secret workings of heart were how to make my withdrawing as little offensive to Mr. Goodwin and the Church as I could devise how to do with a good conscience I perceived they were not able to bear any publick discourses to the point in difference Mr. Goodwins teares at the mention of something relating thereto went to my heart and weakened my hand to those further applications which I had thought to have made to them The truth is my high indeed undue respects to Mr. Goodwin kept me in a kind of bondage that I was not at that perfect liberty to discharge all the parts of that duty which their respects obliged me unto So great was my respects to Mr. Goodwin and the Church that besides my own frequent addresses to the Lord for the communication of that light to them which he had vouchsafed to me and some others I got some time solemnly set apart by some godly friends and for his cause cheifly did we bow our knee this was the frame of heart we were in honest Reader soon after our baptising and whether then we were like to perpetrate any such unworthy things as Mr. Goodwin writeth of I leave to thy conscience to determine or rather whether this Water dipping therefore be not the very monster of ingratitude Mr. Goodwin hath indeed calumniated us stoutly supposing that something will stick on us and I beleive doth which if it cost him not teares here I am sure will shame hereafter from that God that vindicateth the innocent and then Mr. Goodwin will find the vanity of sporting himself with the ruine of the good names and reputations of the people of God which are as much his interest as their estates health or any dear injoyment they possess and as much against the law of love to violate I consess the pleasantness of Mr. Goodwins wit-in writing is so lushious that it is marvellously apt to tickle and please the flesh but as the soul of any man groweth seasoned with the salt of heavenly wisdom it is affected more with sollid matter than enticing words it is ready to cry what will great words do good at the judgement day yea I bless God I have lived to that day to value more the breathing of Gods Spirit in a holy humble gratious soul than the greatest words of the gallantest Rhetorician in the world and that I have got since my Baptisme I confess for Mr Goodwin set aside these controvertal writings and consider him in the tenor of his conversation I think him nay I know him to be a pattern of patience humility meekness temperance neither do I remember one Sermon that ever he made to the point of Tythes or any consideration for preaching in all his dayes though I lived under his ministry almost twenty yeares and more than all this all the Arguments of the Gospel and out of the Gospel to preferre holiness and close walking with God I beleive there are not many men in his time if any at all that hath managed them with more authority life and power I say it I say it again and delight to speak it and will persist in it to my last breath though he grind us to pouder with his mill stone language Some change Mr. Goodwin may find in my Genius I confess it for heretofore having his person in admiration it was to some degree a snare upon me to call him Master in that sense wherein the Lord Jesus dehorteth from it Math. 23. whereas now that by the help of Gods Spirit and my own experience I see clearly that in the communication of light in the things of God God tieth not himself to this or that man I consult with Christ and lean not to the understanding of any man I see by experience that God taketh liberty to reveal to babes the truth which at some time he hideth from the wise and prudent Math. 11. And the more self-sufficient any man groweth in knowledge of the reason of things the lesse is he led by examples 'T is more noble for a man to eschew evill and do good because 't is evill and good then because such and such men that are good do so And though I was apt enough to leane that way and to those opinions Mr. Goodwin leaned too that under God had been the great meanes of any spiritual comfort and edification yet I blesse God I was not so rankly guilty of that evill but when Mr. Goodwin came to open that text Math. 28.19 and to give it for truth that by the word Teach in the Commission was meant not actuall discipling but the saying such things onely which was proper to make men so I palpably discerned the Text wronged and the interpretation was like gravell in my mouth and not onely mine but that persons also of whom Mr. Goodwin said at his buriall his worth was so great that it was a temptation on him to break promise to speak of it and enough to cast a man into an agony of sorrow to think of his death I say he was as much distasted as I at that stroke of the Text. Except in these respects or some others like these I know no change in my Genius nor I am sure no body else doth But I confess there was one unhappy mistake of a word of mine by one of the brethren which gave me a visit soon after my baptisme which hath more appearance of evill in it of my part than any or all the things can be laid against me I am sure to which I desire to give both you and all the Church satisfaction and that was this That brother spoken of before giving me a visit at my house where some part of the Church was wont
Name and wear the livery of their Lord and Master The same Apostle to the same purpose Acts 2 38. Even so did Ananias in respect of Paul ARISE WHY tarriest thou be baptised and wash away thy sins and that before he eat though he had fasted three dayes I remember Sir an observation of your own upon these words both rational and pleasant from hence that Ananias importuneth Paul to baptisme by those words Arise Why Behold saith Mr. Goodwin whosoever dâ—l yeth obedience to any of the Ordinances of the Gospel will never be able to give a reason for it WHY tarriest thou This observation who doth not tast the sweetness and goodness of the truth in it that hath not lost their cast But for those observations you now make of the like places who can cast them but with sorrow of heart or behold them with dry eyes Again as Ananias hastened Paul to Baptisme after faith so did Paul hasten the Jaylour Acts 16 33. And was baptised he and all his mark STâ—A â—WAY even before his eating of meat Paul was more set upon the Lords work than feeding his own belly HEAVENLY SOUL though it was night and he hungry for after they came from baptisme into the house the Jayler set meat before them yet he first mindeth his Lords work like Christ John 4. who whilst the woman of Sâ—mâ—â—â—a was present to preach too the Disciples would not so much as offer him meat but when she was gone the Text saith IN THE MEAN WHILE the Disciples said Master eat verse 31. but his content was so great â—n feeding soules that he fed upon that as other men did upon meat and drink verse 32. I have meat to eat that ye know not off But 3. To discover Mr. Goodwins great mistake of this Text consider this if Phillip should have preach'd Baptisme as an indifferent thing would it not have been to disparage the wisdome of Christ in ordaining it who not onely commanded it but picked it out of all the rest of the Ordinances to mention it by name with Teaching in the Commission Mat. 28 19. And 2 commanding it to be done with so great solemnity Acts 2 3â— Mar. 16.16 and ordering the Apostles to propound it wâ—th Repentance and Faith in order to remission of sins and salvation having first been baptised himself to fultil all righteousness If Phillip after all this should have preached 〈◊〉 as an indifferent thing would it not have been a great disparagement to the wisdome of Christ in thus instituting it and thus gracing it for what would the import of such a carriage have been but that Christ repented of instituting it that he had over shot himself in it as men use to doe and that experience proved it to be of no moment Confider and judge But fourthly from the Text it self it appeareth clearly enough that Phillip had other thoughts of Baptisme than as a thing indifferent by the high termes he putteth upon it for upon the question put on the Eunuchs part what hindred that he might not be baptised Phillip answereth If thou beleivest 2. With thy HEART 3. With ALL thy heart thou mayest should Phillip have propounded it as a thing indifferent THAT would have spoken it a matter of small moment to the Creature But it is plain he putteth high termes upon it for if he did not beleive and that with ALL the heart it would hinder and stop his proceedings to that Ordinance and therefore an unreasonable thing to imagine him propounding it as a matter of indifferency for doth not all men judge it a senseless thing for any man to put high and extraordinary termes upon a poor and mean commodity or doth so doing unbecome men and can any body judge it becomming the wisdome of the Spirit of God The truth is those words THOU MAYEST following those words If thou beleivest with all thy heart in answer to the Eunuchs question What hindreth being understood as Mr. Goodwin would have them that is that he might if he would or might refuse without sin would render his Answer to have no more savour than is in the white of an Egg because that sense of them is a plain contradiction to the high termes he putteth upon it Besides at the 12. verse in this 8. chapter of the Acts it appeareth Phillip was very chary of the Ordinance of Baptisme mark BUT WHEN THEY BELEIVED Phillip preaching the things concerning the Kingdome of God and the Name of Jesus Christ they were baptised both men and women BUT WHEN THEY BELEIVED not before the truth is not any one of the Apostles or Administrators of the Ordinances shewed a more tender spirit of the honour of Baptisme than Phillip most unlike therefore was he by those words THOU MAYEST to mean he might or he might not 5. Phillip insisting upon the doctrine of Baptisme as well as other doctrines of Christ at that time to the Eunuch when he had but a little time to instruct him in in all is that which mightily reproveth that conceit that by those words THOU MAYEST should be meant thou mayest or thou mayest chuse can any man imagine that Phillip should spend any part of his little time with him in the discourse of that which he might neglect without sin or dammage It seemeth Phillip opened the doctrine of Baptisme to him as well as other things and that he understood it not onely as his duty but a priviledge not to be admitted to absolutely but conditionally why else should he say WHAT HINDRETH Doth not that imply that he thought something might and withall doubted his own fitness which made him put the question But if any object that it appeareth not that Phillip insisted at all on Baptisme I confess it is not said in words at length that he did But 1. We find the question put on the Eunuchs part upon his converse with Phillip 2. We read of no other that instructed him in Christiaanity And 3. It was the manner of the Apostles to preach Faith and Baptisme together being the beginning doctrines of Christ and belonging to the foundation of a Christian man Heb. 6.2 Thus did this Phillip unto the Samaritans in the beginning of this 8. of the Acts we read onely of his preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God there is no mention made of his preaching of Baptisme by Name but no body will be so brutish as to imagine that Phillip would baptise them before he instructed them concerning the nature use and ends of Baptisme because then they could not worship God in spirit but ignorantly and carnally and where then would the difference be between the worshippers under the Law and under the Gospel herein lay a main part of the reformation by Christ that he rendereth his worshippers more spiritual than under the Law 'T is such worshippers that he seeketh John 4. In a word the Apostles admission and the Beleivers submission to Baptisme doth imply their being
the want of circumcision or being uncircumcised is nothing to hinder the Gentiles acceptation with God but now under the Gospel or in Christ Jesus as we have it in this Galat. 5.6 that which now heareth sway is FAITH Gal. 6.15 THE NEW CREATURE And in this 1 Corinth 7.19 THE KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD meaning the Commandments of the Gospel now in being which is the character of the new Creature in that 6. Galat. 16. As many as WALK ACCORDING TO THIS RVLE peace be on them So then of the doctrine of these Scriptures this is the sum That however Circumcision was a great priviledge heretofore and a matter acceptable to God and the want of Circumcision did debarre men from many priviledges which the Jewes enjoyed yet now neither will the one doe the Jew any good nor the want of it doe the Gentile any hurt but now Jew and Gentile meeting in faith the new Creature and keeping the Commandments of God now in being shall both meet in the self same priviledges and respects from God according to the 3 Galat. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither mal nor female mark for ye are ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESVS Upon the whole matter then I conclude that by those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in all these three places Galat. 5 6. Galat. 6.15 1 Corinth 7.19 the Apostle intendeth not the exclusion of any thing but onely to note that being uncircumcised or the want of circumcision would doe the Gentile no dammage no more than the presence of circumcision would doe the Jew no good now under the Gospel and my reason for this apprehension is grounded upon the 19. verse of the 1 Corinth 7. where those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION are given for the reason why if any Gentile was converted to the faith they should not be circumcised which words could be no reason why converted Gentiles should not be circumcised but upon supposition that being uncircumcised would not prejudice them 2 To understand the words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION of the shutting out of any thing as it must be of some priviledge of the Gentiles so it must be of some they had in distinction from the Jewes because he includeth all belonging to the Jewes under the word Circumcision but they had none in distinction from the Jewes therefore none to shut out as for the Ordinances of the Gospel they had them in common with the Jewes upon beleiving and before the Gospel they had none at all but lived without God in the world Ephes 2.12 To the Jewes onely were committed the Oracles of God not any to the Gentiles Romans 3.2 3. The scope and drift of the Apostle in this Epistle is to inveigh against the standing of the Jewish religion ONELY and that because the converted Jewes were very apt to be intangled with a conceit of the old Religion its being of force under the Gospel Galat. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again with the yoak of bondage meaning the Jewish Ordinances to which they were inclinable he was not troubled with their over esteem but their under esteem rather of the Ordinances of the new Testament therefore farre enough from offering any thing to their disparagement but on the contrary every thing to encrease their esteem of them that they might the more easily be brought off the old 4. The words as they lie doe not enforce us by those words Nor UNCIRCUMCISION to understand the shutting out of any thing consider them In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision He doth not affirm the same thing of uncircumcision that it doth not avail any thing as he doth of circumcision He saith indeed nor uncircumcision after his affirming that circumcision did not avail which at first sight doth tempt to that understanding of them but by comparing this Text with that other mentioned namely 1 Corinth 7.18 19. where we have the same words used by the Apostle to another Church and by a narrow inspection into them it appeareth plainly enough that his mind is not to suppose the Gentiles possess'd of any thing to exclude as available but onely to affirm that as Ciroumcision now under the Gospel would not avail so neither on the other hand would being uncircumcised unavail as hath been proved already If any one think that the supplying of these words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in the Text with the addition of these DOTH NOT UNAVAIL OR HINDER to compleat the sense that this is harsh To such I answer it is a most frequent thing in Scripture for the holy Spirit to express himself so that there is an absolute necessity of making such supplies which notwithstanding the scope context and clear reason of the thing leadeth to but I shall instance onely in these words in the 1 Corinth 7.19 Circumcision is nothing here is the same reason indeed necessity of supply to compleat the sense by these words DOTH NOT AVAIL as there is to supply the next words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION with these DOTH NOT UNAVAIL He then that complaineth of harshness in the one may as well complain of it in the other But if it be objected No because the 5. Galat. 6. giveth the sense of the words IS NOTHING in the 1 Corinth 7. to be availeth nothing or doth not avail any thing I answer so doth the Apostle his making those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in the 1 Corinth 7.19 the reason why converted Gentiles should not be circumcised clearly give the sense of the words in the 5. Galat. 6. to be DOTH NOT VNAVAIL because thereby is a full reason given why new Converts should not be circumcised to which we have spoken at large already By all which it appeareth the Apostle intended not the exclusion of any thing by those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION so farre was he from shutting out any of the Commands of Christ by them or setting some of them against others but this untrue supposition being the foundation of Mr. Goodwins Argument from the Text his whole building falleth to the ground with all his scoffes at the end of it The eighth and last Scripture that complaineth of the service P. 81. Of Water dip is Galat. 3.27 For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ You say questionless the Apostles meaning plainly and directly by the particle As many As is to part the Beleivers amongst themselves and consequently noteth a mixture of baptised with unbaptised persons in full Church communion This cannot be the meaning of the place that the words As many As doth not import All because such a construction of them spoileth the sense they being given as an account why he presumeth them ALL the children of God by faith Now for him to go about to prove them ALL the children of God by faith because of what was done but to a part of them had been to fall short
in his demonstration and consequently to loose his Argument so that parting the Disciples amongst themselves can never be the design of the Spirit in those words AS MANY AS 2. To confirme the Reader therein I referre thee to that proof we have made in answer to Mr Goodwins third Consideration by which it fully appeareth that there was no such thing in those dayes as Church-fellowship before Baptisme where I hope thou wilt have full satisfaction as in divers other places of this Book 3. Consider this the same persons that in the 27. verse are noted under the words As many As in the 28. verse are called ALL as well as in the 26. verse for YE are ALL one in Christ Jesus that the object of the word YE is not a part of the Churches but the whole as well in the 28. verse as in the 26. there is no question because there is nothing affirmed between to enforce nay not to invite to a restrain'd understanding them But if any one ask what the reason should be that the Apostle chuseth such words as these which for the most part are partitive and yet by them intend all and every individuall I answer For variety the scope and context necessitating them to be understood universally yea the word MANY is upon that account as I apprehend often put in Scripture for ALL as in the 9. Hebr. 28. He was once offered to bear the sins of many Now the 1 Timot. 2.6 saith He gave himself a ransome for ALL and Mr. Goodwin understandeth the word ALL largely as well he may So in the 5. Romans 15. If through the offence of one many be dead but by the 12. verse it appeareth by this word MANY he meaneth the whole posterity of Adam for he saith Death passed upon ALL men Now the words As many As served the Apostles design in this place with as much advantage every jot as the word All would do There being two sorts of persons become proselites to Christian Religion namely Jewes and Gentiles and the Gentiles being apt to think that they should not be the children of God upon so good termes as the Jewes because of the high respect God bear from the beginning to the Jewes more than the Gentiles and that therefore onely so many of the Church as were Jewes should become heires of that priviledge through beleiving the Apostle for their comfort doth assure them that not onely so many of the Church as were Jewes became the Sons of God by faith and put on Christ by Baptisme but AS MANY as were baptised into Christ though they were never so many and of what rank sex condition soever whether they were Jewes or whether they were Gentiles and though they were like the starres in the skie for multitude they had all put on Christ and were all members of the same body according to the next words verse 20. There is neither Jew nor Greek nor bond nor free nor male nor female but ALL one in Christ Jesus So that there is a strain of Elegancy in the Apostles varying the word All to As many As so farre are they from necessitating us to understand them parting the Disciples amongst themselves So I have done with the Scriptures which Mr. Goodwin useth to overthrow my Brother Allens Arguments levied to prove the unlawfulness of mixt communion of baptised and unbaptised persons in Church-fellowship besides these eight I doe not find any he useth to found any Argument on to answer him if then it appear that the Scriptures Mr. Goodwin buildeth on like not the service but in truth bitterly complain of it and whether they doe not so I referre to the judgement of the judicious Reader and let him judge of Mr. Goodwins whole building accordingly And whether Mr. Goodwin find that heaving at my Brother Allens Answer to his fourty Queries be but like the heaving at a feather P. 55. Of Water dip which he saith is too childish a posture for a man or rather whether the truth in it be not like a mountain rather which the greatest Giant heaving at though Mr. Goodwin himself cannot make to stir And now let all the world judge between us and Mr. Goodwin 1. Whether we are as lie representeth us Persons of a maimed fancy P. 4. Of Water dip having our reasons judgements and understandings stupified distraught and confounded that all reason opposing us is a Barbarian to us that common sense is a mystery in accessible to our understandings men of sound intellectuals are as men that speak to us in a strange tongue P. 41 42. that if they speak any thing against our way we know not valleys from hills nor hills from valleys rivers from trees trees from rivers halfes from wholes nor wholes from halfes precepts from promises nor promises from precepts ceremony from substance nor substance from ceremony every distinction that attempteth to shew us the error of our way Ipso facto becometh a Chaos and confusion On the other hand for the maintenance and defence of our way the shadowes of mountains seem valiant and arm'd men stubble and rotten wood are turned into weapons of steel and iron before us letter becometh spirit face becometh heart promise becometh precept ceremony becometh substance Apostles become ordinary men and women disputables become demonstrations and peradventures become all Yeas and Amens in respect of these marvellous and sad distempers in our fancies and understandings to reason with us about our way or to endeavour our conviction seldome turneth to any better account than a beating of the air or their Diogenes his begging applications to the statues of men 2. Whether these expressions may not be justly numbred amongst those cruel mockings which the cruel persecutors of old tried the worthies of the Lord with Hebr. 11.36 even those of whom the world was not worthy 3. Whether such contemptuous revilings be not the way to harden fallen persons in their sin there being no sign of charity in them but hatred rather than recover them and as directly contrary to the rule as flesh is to spirit 2 Timothy 2.24 And the Servant of the Lord MUST NOT STRIVE but be GENTLE TO ALL MEN apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill So also Galations 6.1 If a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESSE considering thy self least thou also be tempted 4. Whether these expressions are not directly contrary to the advice of the Spirit of God in these Scriptures following Phillip 2.3 In lowliness of mind let each esteem other BETTER than themselves Romans 12.9 In honour preferring one another Titus 3.2 Speak evill of no man Colos 3.12 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness