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
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
TRUTH prevailing against the fiercest Opposition OR An Answer to Mr. Iohn Goodwins Water-dipping no firm footing for Church Communion Wherein the invalidity of his twenty three Considerations against withdrawing from those Societies that want Baptisme by the bodies burial in water is manifested and the separation from such Societies justified by the Word of God Together with the discovery of his great mistakes in the exposition of eight cheif Scriptures wherewith he fighteth to overthrow Mr. Allens Answer to his forty Queries about Church Communion By THOMAS LAMBE Merchant once belonging to the Congregation whereof Mr. JOHN GOODWIN is Pastor now a Servant to the Church of CHRIST meeting in Loathbury It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should EARNESTLY CONTEND for the Faith which was ONCE delivered to the Saints Jude the third As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord SO walk ye in him rooted and built up in him Col. 2.8 Beware 〈◊〉 any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and NOT AFTER CHRIST Col. 2.8 I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after my own heart which shall fulfil ALL my will Acts 13.22 Hebron therefore became the Inheritance of Caleb because he WHOLLY followed the Lord God of Israel Josh 14.14 London Printed by G. Dawson and are to be sold by Francis Smith at his Shop in Flying-horse-Court in Fleet-street near Chancery-lane end 1655. TO THE READER GOOD READER GOD knoweth with what regret of spirit I publish this answer to Mr. Goodwins Book called Water-dipping no firm footing for Church Communion as pure conscience at first separated me from that Society of whom he is Pastor so now compelleth me to make answer to that Book written for our reproof not onely to defend the truth therein opposed but also to vindicate my self with some others from the heavy charge therein given to the whole world against us of Faith and Trust betrayers Promise breakers sacrilegious Church breakers c. 2. To make the world Judges whether we are as Mr. Goodwin representeth us persons of a misused and â—â—stempered fancy of stupified judgements to whose understanding common sense is a mystery inaccessible with abundance more to the same purpose 3. To let the world see that our Baptism hath not metamorphosed us from Lambs to Wolves Tygers or Serpents which strange insinuations uttered in his hast we hope confute themselves in the eyes of all rational unprejudiced men that know us but since books for the most part live longer than men I thought it my duty to make our Vindication as publick as Mr. Goodwins Aspersion except he had prevented us and truly not for our own name sake but for Christs sake whose cause we plead and least the blessed truth of the New Testament sealed in Christs heart bloud should suffer by our total silence Had not the truth been dearer to me than any man I had rather chose to loose my right hand than set it to a book that frowneth on him whose credit alwayes was and still is right dear and pretious in my sight so unhappy a thing it is for good men to be yoked with error in the things of Christ that it maketh the most intimate friends by opposition look like bitter adversaries for the truth sake Thus did Paul in respect of Peter 2 Cal. 11. when before the whole Church of Antioch he withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed he who spotteth the beautiful face of truth though ignorantly must expect a stain in his own credit and be content to suffer so much as to make the truth whole And he that contendeth FOR the truth must be like to Levi Deut. 33.9 Who said unto his Father and to his Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowlegde his brethren nor knew his own children that he might observe Gods Word and keep his Covenant To acknowledge the good received from Instruments agreeth both to grace and nature but to baulk pleading the truth because thereof argueth a distemper in the affections The same person deserving at the same time both thanks and reproofs to return the one is a point of gratitude to administer the other in love and in the majesty of Gods Word a point of faithfulness And if in this contest thou findest any passages on my part savouring of too much sharpness though in answer to Mr. Goodwins highest provocations look upon me as disowning them and mind onely the reason of the place Christs counsel is not to resist evil Math. 5 39. But whoso shall smite me on the right cheek to turn the other to him But besides it becometh me to bear much evill from that hand by which I have received so much good And so I commend thee to the serious consideration of the ensuing discourse praying with all my soul the Father of lights to vouchsafe thee the spirit of discerning that what therein is of God may be obvious to thy understanding and readily embraced by thy will and what is not of God if yet there be any thing may utterly perish from thy soul this is the prayer of Thy faithful Friend to serve thee to my power THO LAMBE To my Worthy Friends and Brethren of like pretious faith walking with Mr. Iohn Goodwin in the right Faith though not in the right order of the GOSPEL Holy and Beloved I Have been long your debtor it is fit I should now pay you your own with interest which here I present you by answering the substance of Mr. Goodwins Water-dipping no firm footing for Church Communion which if you will in the fear of God and without prejudice consider I make little question but the riddle of my departure from you whose Society I prized not a little will be unfolded That strange action of our Saviours so contrary to his natural genius mentioned John 2.15 mightily affected the Disciples and made them to cast about to find a ground for it perhaps it may be so with some of you in respect of me because of my suddain breaking off from your Society wherein you know I took much delight I can say more than in Corn Wine and Oil and where I had no want but a surplusage of respects above what I was able to merit at your hand In a word where my content was so great that it made departing from you more grievous to me than death it self would have been And how contrary it is to my Spirit to make trouble or cause breaches I need not tell you I take it for granted that it is upon all your hearts how much I abhorre it So that I conclude it cannot lightly but be a matter of some wonder to you that I should thus break off from you as well as Christs strange action in the Temple was to the Disciples Now whilst they were casting about to find a ground for this astonishing action of our Saviour and searching in the right
was dark and so hard to find 12. As Beleivers Baptisme agreeth to particular Churches gathered out of the world by the Word so doth Infant-baptisme agree to the National Church and Communion therein which you have renounced because by Baptisme they are immembred into the Church and so capable of Church Communion yea 't is their right if their Baptisme be reckoned valid because according to Scripture Acts 2.42 All baptised persons were added to the Church and continued in the Apostles fellowship breaking bread and prayer by what rule then can the Parishes be withdrawn from when they are esteemed duly baptised persons till legally proceeded against for disorderly walking If then you will reject their Church state as good as you do by withdrawing from them you must not allow their Baptisme because their Baptisme if good giveth right to it Indepency then rejecteth the fruit but letteth the tree stand that beareth it If it be objected that some though not all of the Independents disallow the Baptisme of some children namely such whose Parents beleive not T is true in words but not deeds where is there one man in all the Independent Churches the truth of whose Baptisme was ever called in question 13. Infant-baptisme agreeth to the carnal interest of those men who take up preaching for filthy lucre whereas Beleivers Baptisme altogether frowneth on it Infant-baptisme taking in high and low rich and poor into the Church maketh both more and richer Customers to the Minister Beleivers both fewer and poorer because they are but few that beleive comparitively and for the most part of the poorer sort so that which way soever I looked on Infant-baptisme I found the signes of a plant which the heavenly Father never planted and on the contrary Beleivers Baptisme every way answering the breathings of the Spirit of God in Scripture and consequently that it became me as a friend to Truth and for the honour of Jesus Christ not onely to obey Christ by submitting to the Ordinance my self but to strive the restoring it to its primitive puritity to which I take my self obliged 1. By the Scripture Jude 3. It was needfull for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith ONCE delivered to the Saints 2. By the example of holy men of old that when they set upon reformation in the worship of God Neh. 10.19 2 Kings 23 25. Jer. 6.16 Mal. 4.4 2 Châ—on 33.8 had respect to ALL the Law in reforming both before and after the Captivity which also was according to the express Command of God 3. By Gods high approbation of such his Servants who did accordingly as you may see in the instance of Josiah 2 Kings 27.25 David is called a man after Gods own heart Acts 13.22 because a fulfiller of all his will and Caleb so highly dignified Josh 14. from 8. to the 14. because he fully followed the Lord his God Solomon is disparaged by this 1 Kings 11.6 That he went not FVLLY after the Lord as did David his Father 4. By the Covenant that the whole Church entered into with the rest of the Nation to reform both in doctrine and discipline according to the Word of God But you cannot think Baptisme any part of Christs Law and so the practise rather a piece of will-worship than fully following of Christ To which I answer When the doctrine of universal Redemption first sounded in your ear it was as hard to bear as Beleivers Baptisme is now and as farre from your thoughts to be the mind of Christ but that which was hard then is easie now that which was darkness then is light now and that which was wood hay and stubble then is gold and silver and pretious stones now yea those doctrines that when time was in your hast you were ready to say he deserved to loose his eyes that preacht them now for your joy could almost be content to pluck out your own eyes in gratitude to him that brought them Is it not true And again concerning the Church way mind Mr. Goodwins words to Mr. Thomas Goodwin when he was in Holland Your authority graces learning parts judgement and example have made the stone of separation amongst us so massie and heavie that we are constrained to be at double paines and labour in removing and rouling it from the consciences of men A great part of our imployment is to stanch the issue of that fountain of bloud which you have opened in the womb of our Churches here But yet since Mr. Goodwin hath found cause to build up that which then he threw down with so much zeal and industry and I verily beleive if a man should have said to Mr. Goodwin at that time Sir the time may come when you may find cause to separate from the national Church and gather a particular he would have said Am I a Dog that I should do this great thing Oh how he sweat at it then to roul that heavy stone of separation from the consciences of men at last found it too heavy to be done at all and so thought fit rather to lie under the weight of it than heave any longer at it I write not these things to shame Mr. Goodwin it is no shame to a man that he knoweth but in part and that he is not Master of all knowledge at one and the same time The path of the just being as the shining light Prov. 4 18. which shineth more and more to the perfect day If more spiritual light shine not into the judgement if it not a sore sign that the path of such men is not the path of the just And if when it is come into the judgement if it shall not appear in practise then it is a sign of a heart glued to some carnal worldly interest or other which causeth the person to withhold the truth in unrighteousness T is not changing simply that the Scriptures find fault with but being GIVEN to change Changing as the case may be is so farre from being a fault Prov. 24.21 that it is a sign of a growing soul in grace of walking after the Spirit of a self denying upright soul that lieth naked before the truth unmarried to any secular interest Truths faithful friend that so truth may get up careth not though it self go down This therefore is the glory not the shaâ—e of Mr. Goodwin that when the truth came into his judgement as it is in Jesus he consulted not with flesh and bloud but with Paul preacheth the faith which once he destroyed for which many glorified God in him I beseech you therefore let no man mis-judge me in the ground of tâ—is relation as if I intended hereby to cast the least disparagement upon him whom for the good I have received from God by his hand I am bound above many to love and honour But if you ask wherefore then serveth this story I answer that you should not think of
with Teaching in the Commission without the least hint of parting them Math. 28. 2. By promising the same presence to the end of the world as well to Baptising as Teaching 3. By the singular use of Baptisme to all Beleivers in all ages of which more hereafter which I suppose maketh Mr. Baxster call Baptisme a great Ordinance P. 302. Of plain Scripture But for persons that are baptised to sit down in a Church body with unbaptised will make Baptisme sleighted I prove thus If unbaptised Disciples enjoy all the self same priviledges of the Church that baptised persons do which they do if they sit down together in a Church body then must the reputation of Baptisme needs be in danger 1. Because it admiteth to no priviledge of the Church but what may be had without it 2. Because the act of Baptisme is irksome to the flesh which if not ballanced by some considerable advantage will upon that account suffer if this be not reason set them to judge that are least esteemed in the Church 4 That practise which consulteth the loss and spiritual dammage of the Disciples can never be an orderly practise But for baptised Disciples to admit of unbaptised into full communion is to consult their losse and spiritual dammage That to admit Disciples to full Communion before baptisme is to consult their loss I prove thus If they are not baptised before joyning in probability they are not like to be after because such confused joyning secretly whispereth a low esteem of the Ordinance even by the baptised themselves otherwise they would not hold their communion without it having no such president in the Word 2. Because the act is unpleasing to the flesh 3. because they are in possession of the priviledges of the Church without it and consequently one great Argument of considering the grounds of it is as it were over so that it is a rare thing if ever they be brought to submit Now not to obey every Ordinance of Christ must needs be a losse to the Creature because in their institution as well as in the creation In wisdome he ordained them all aiming as well at the Creatures good as his own glory Therefore the Pharisees that reject Baptisme Luke 7.30 are said to reject the Counsell of God AGAINST themselves 5. That practice in the worship of God which in reason is like to lay the foundation of jâ—rrs discentions and discords in the Church can never be of Christs ordering because jarrs and discentions in the Church standeth in direct enmity to his interest wherefore he would not have the Church onely be at peace amongst themselves but as much as in them lieth live peaceably with ALL men But for persons that are baptised to sit down in Church bodies with unbaptised in all reason will breed jarrs Can two walk together except they be agreed I suppose he meaneth that they cannot walk comfortably together for otherwise they may walk together after a fashion besides such Interrogations in Scripture affirm with Emphasis the matter Interrogated So that when he saith CAN two walk together he would insinuate not onely some degrees of improbability but that it is next to an impossibility that they should maintain sweet communion but those words except they be agreed must be understood warily not of every light difference in opinion for then there would be little sweet communion in the Church at all there being few that agree in every thing But in matters of moment as this will easily be apprehended to be by any indifferent person that weigheth it it cannot lightly be but there must be jarrs discentions to the embittering their fellowship That difference about meats and dayes what trouble did it work in the Church at Rome Roman 14.3 Let not him that eateth DESPISE him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not JVDGE him that eateth yea at the 10. verse Why dost thou judge thy Brother why dost thou set at NOVGHT thy Brother So that despising judging and setting at nought followed that poor difference about meats and dayes What difference then in reason would this about Baptisme work when that one party namely the unbaptised shall look upon the other as practising will-worship and making their Religion ridiculous and adhering to a generation of men scarce worthy to live as now Mr. Goodwin thinketh of them And on the other hand the baptised they shall look upon their brethren sprinkling childrens faces presuming to call that the Ordinance of Baptisme which in their judgements is a meer mockery and doing it too in the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit which in their apprehensions is little less than blasphemy How should these two parties of Beleivers walk together without sore differences and the more by how much the more zealous they are for the pure worship of God a luke-warm Spirit will best befit Churches of that constitution this is so plain a case that I think I need not proceed further in the demonstration 6. That practise which in the worship of God is not onely beside the custome of the first Churches which was settled by the Apostles but directly contrary can never be an orderly practise 1. Because they did what they did therein by special Commission 1 Cor. 11.23 2 Cor 10.8 2. We have no reason to doubt the faithfulness of the Apostles in excuting it for though they had frailties as other men yet in what they did in settling the religion of Christ they did by special direction and extraordinary assistance Math. 28.19 and so their example is as Lawes to us Excellent is Mr. Baxster to this point Moses being appointed to the forming of the old Church and Common-wealth of the Jews Saints Rest 212. to the building of the Tabernacle his precepts and examples in these works though we could not find his particular direction are to be taken as divine so also the Apostles having commission to form and order the Gospel Churches their doctrine and examples therein are by their general Commission warranted and their practise in stablishing the Lords day in settling the Officers and Orders of Churches are to us as Lawes still binding with those limitations as positives onely which give way to greater The ground of this position is because it is inconsistent with the wisdom of God and faithfulness too to set men to a work and promise to be with them and yet to forsake them and suffer them to erre in the building of that house which must endure to the end of the world That practise then in the worship of God which is directly contrary to Apostolical custome can never be orderly And Sir if I mistake not very much you have heretofore said as much to this point as any man in the world can say for you have these words in your fourth Caution for Reformation The best patternes and examples under heaven are but seducers in what they fall short of or besides the Word of
God the injunction from heaven is very particular and express See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount Heb. 8.5 And Ezek. 43 10. Thou Son of Man shew the house to the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquity and let them measure the pattern viz. to build say you mark with ALL POSSIBLE EXACTNESSE according to it Now whether the Disciples sitting down in Church bodies before Baptisme be not directly contrary to the pattern and consequently a disorderly practise let the world judge 1. By the Scriptures where we have Christ commanding baptisme presently upon discipling Math. 18.19 which we see the Apostles practised with much faithfulness in the whole story of the Acts to which we have spoken already 2. Where we find the erection of the first famous Gospel Church the manner is thus reported Acts 2.41 1. They gladly received the Word 2. Were baptised And 3. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking bread and prayer but first you see they were baptised behold then the pattern in the Mount and must not he be next to willingly ignorant that doth not see this that is so plainly written that he that runneth may read it Why then if all other patterns be but seducers and that our duty is to build with all possible exactness according to the first pattern have you not justified our separation from you for resusing to build according to this pattern 2. Let the judgement of the learned Mr. Baxster Saints rest p 179 from Doctor Preston touching the primitive practise be taken This food we call the Eucharist saith Justin Martyr one of the most ancient Fathers from the practise of the primitive Church to which â—o man is admitted but onely he that beleiveth the truth of our doctrine being washed in the laver of Regeneration for remission of sinâ— which washing he expresseth thus Then meaning after faith and prayer they are brought to the Water and are BORN AGAIN OR BAPTISED in the same way as we our selves were born again for they are washed with water In the Name of the Father Son and Spirit But that which is home to my point is that no Disciple touched the Eucharist as he calleth it till first baptised indeed after Baptisme then he sitteth down with the body in full communion but not before 3. As we have the Scriptures of our side and the judgement of the learned on our side that this was the Primitive practise so we had you your self on our side at this point when you writ your letter to Mr. Tho. Goodwin p 7. Covenanting is not lawful before Baptisme is is evident because it is not lawfull for a Church to receive the unbaptised into fellowship with them as Members of that body neither is there example or APPEARANCE of warrant in Scripture for such a thing And at that time you were as confident as Confidence it self could make you Pag. 1. of what you then wrote as you there affirm or if you were not of other things yet of this because you say and that according to truth That there is neither example nor appearance of warrant in Scripture for such a thing Yea in that letter p. 5. Evident it is that those that were added to the Church were baptised before this is affirmed of them So that upon Principles of your own which is that we ought to build with all possible exactness according to the pattern you are condemned 1. By the Scriptures 2. By the learned 3. Out of your own mouth all which speak Baptisme to goe before Church-fellowship and consequently to walk otherwise a disorderly practise answer who can And the truth is if we are not to follow the customes of the Primitive Churches in worship in every thing that we can follow them in with this limitation Positive giving way to Morral which they did under the Law how are they a pattern to us how shall we understand where to follow them and wherein to leave them Upon the whole matter then I conclude that though by faith men become the Sons of God and that Christ owneth all true Beleivers for brethren yet they have not thereby a present immediate right to full communion with the Church simply upon that account because the same God that ordained faith the meanes of adoption hath ordained Baptisme to goe before visible membership into the Church of Christ much more before a constant sitting down in full Church Communion they then that walk otherwise cast off the Rule and so reproach the wisdom of Christ complain of the Rule as imperfect and become Judges of the Law Your fourth Consideration being of one heart and soul with the third I shall have the lesse to say to it it is for substance this THat persons that have fellowship and Communion with God are thereby immediately fittted for communion with the Church without Baptisme otherwise it is not against us This Proposition Mr. Goodwin supposeth proved by the 14. Rom. 1 2 3. Him that is weak in the faith receive you Again let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not the reason why he must be received and not despised is For God hath accepted him But how Mr. Goodwin or any man else can make this follow from thence that therefore all persons that have fellowship with God have a present right to Church communion without Baptisme I understand not For 1. The weak in faith that this Text speaketh of were baptised persons which appeareth by the sixth chapter where he useth their Baptisme as an argument to mortification and a new life That the words in the third verse So many of us is not partitive of the Disciples amongst themselves which Brother Allen hath proved unanswerably from the scope to which Mr. Goodwin hath made no reply and to the further clearing whereof I shall speak something in due place 2. Mr. Goodwin supposeth that the object of receiving is into Church communion when the Text saith Him that is weak in the faith receive you which I humbly apprehend is an ungrounded conjecture because the Apostle writeth to an establish'd Church whereof those weak ones were a part which by vertue of their membership were already in full communion with the Church Besides is it a reasonable thing to imagine that such a thought would enter into the heart of the Church to cast brethren out of fellowship with the Church of Christ that was regularly immembred because they were more self denying than others by eating hearbs which they did unto the Lord Rom. 14.6 Surely the Church wanted no exhortation to that so that this caution therefore serveth some other design as I humbly apprehend namely the common respect of Christians which strong ones can hardly vouchsafe to the weak for as the weak are apt to judge the strong so the strong to slight and despise the weak which is the words of the Text Rom. 14.3 Let
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.