Now then if no generall Counsell which is accounted to represent the whole Church upon earth hath any such power then no Nationall Synod of what sort soever hath any such power and if neither of these then much lesse a Covocation of Priests hath any seeing our late experience yet prompts us of a monstrous issue produced by that Generation soil savoured and unsevoury that the corruption therof might soone have poysoned our whole Land if by the mercy of our good God the wisdome of our State had not soone strangled that birth Object Rut a Nationall Synod might be chosen of learned godly Divines that may do better and preseribe such a forme of worship so agreeable to Gods word that no mans conscience may be offended Answ They can no more do this then make one laast serve every mans foote besides God only can and already hath prescribed rules in his word for his own worship so absolute and perfect that none may adde or diminish or vary from it in the least without incurring eternall Piagues bringing down judgements upon themselves Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Iosh 1. 7. 8. Pro. 30. 5 6. Rev. 22. 18 19. Gal. 3. 15. First Because all men knowing but in part have erred 3 by Rease may erre and the reason is further rendred in the 21 Article of the Church of England which saith even of generall Councells thus That for asmuch as they be an Assembly of men whereof all are not governed by the Spirit and ward of God they may erre and have erred even in things appertayning to God Because we can be saved only by our own Faith and that Reason 2. grounded upon the word and truth of God alone apprehended and seene by our own judgements and not by any others nor built upon the Testimony of any man or men for all such can produce no divine but a humane Faith and which like the house built upon the Sands Matth. 7. 26 27. will at last utterly faile us All this these men know to be true and therefore it cannot be Object thought that they seeke to have any such unlawfull power or having it would use it so unlawfully as to compell any in matters of Faith or worship knowing what the Spirit of God saith That the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle towards all men apt to teach patient in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God at any time will give them repentance That they might acknowledge the truth 2 Tim. 2. 24 25 26. That these men will prove persecutors as I will not accuse â—nsw them all so yet conceiving that no unlawfull power can support it selfe but by unlawfull meanes I cannot but suspect the best of them in this case especially discerning the malignant Spirits of some already this way breaking out like little sparks from a great flame against such as concurre not in judgement with them as is evident by their revilings both in Pulpits and private for the attaining of which rayling Rhetorick they needed not to have spent much time in the Vniversities seeing herein they might become sufficient Graduates by conversing but a while at Billings-gate amongst the eloquent Oyster-women there to whom for answere to all such their Arguments I wholly referre them And also discerning their murmurings and complaints against some for their exercising among themselves edifying one another out of Gods word according both to their liberties and duties they being but Lay-men as they call them and without orders as if they feared least truth should too soone breake forth and shake their buildings in the very Foundation thereof and as if they thought the Spirit of God was only at a Bishops dispose to blow when where and upon whom he pleased to breath his Holy Ghost and hence hope they that some fiery Law will speedily come down from the heavens and Hemispheere of our teâ—rene Gods at once to devour all these their adversaties not considering of what spirit they are so different from that in Moses which wished that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them Numb 11. 49. And so quite contrary to that sweet and blessed Spirit of Christ which breathes in the Scriptures and which there also tells us of an Antichristian Spirit that should both raign and rage in the world make warre with the Saints and prevaile against them yea to the overcoming and killing of them And wherefore is all this only for not conforming themselves to a worship meerely set up by the wills and traditions of men Rev. 13. 4. to the 16. Dan. 7. 21 25. And now least I should be thought to shoote at Rovers I will instance in one particular and late carriage of a learned Divine as they would be stiled in the West who frequenting the company of strangers part of three daies together under pretence of unfained love and friendship and then and there reasoning with them upon certaine points of Religion wherein they and he differed in judgement did afterward take leave of them and pretended to be sorry he could stay no longer with them and immediatly hasted and raised most soule and false accusations against them as being Blasphemers Hereticks and what not and did in fine procure them to be apprehended by Constables Behold here a true Sonne of a Butcher a Bonner a Bishop Ioh. 8. 40. 44. and brought publiquely like Thiefe's before the civill Magistrate and this Priest being there ready on the bench as if he would be both accuser and judge lay's these his false accusations against them all which not taking such effect as he desired he then instigated the Magistrate after their taking the oath of Allegiance to put them also to the Oath of Supremacy which the Magistrate contrary to Law meerly to satisfie the will and pleasure of this Priest did which oath they scrupling to take desired some time to consider of that as duty bindes them they might give to Cesar the things which are Cesars and to God the things which are Gods wherupon being committed and to be carried to to the Jâ—yle they were constrained with sureties to be bâ—uâ—d over and are yet to be prosecuted accordingly Now faine would I know whether this be any meet Spirituall weapon for this Spirituall mans use to convert men by and whether this Sword was ever intended to lie ready in the Magistrates hands to be drawne forth and be disposed of by such a Scholasticke Ignoraâ—â—us in defect of better Arguments to confute his opposites by and therewith to kill and Skinne them and all for not subjecting their judgements to his in some doctrines vainely received and taught by him from the vaine traditions of men and in particular for their not granting with him that the God head of Christ was begotten which for any to affirme as I conceive is no lesse then grâ—sse Blasphemie inasmuch as thereby he denieth the Lord Jesus Christ
we must therefore of necessity here Sophisticate the matter by some distinction though never so absurd to bleere the eyes of the Nation and stop the Clamors of those that thus persue us to whom if we say nothing but let them alone in short time as it is said of the Samaritans Act. 8. 10. when Philip preached the Lord Jesus Christ unto them that all the people from the least unto the greatest will give eare unto them and then our Kingdom is at an end for which purpose some of them have improved their skill and thinking to silence the controversie as it is here stated thus to distinguish neither absolutly affirming that they are regenerate in Baptisme nor granting that they are not but that they are in the charity of the Church only so esteemed neither are any required to beleeve them to be regenerate as an Article of their Faith but in the judgement of charity In answere to which I desire them to informe me in the ground of this their charity for if it hath no ground in the word of God which is the rule of charity It cannot be termed charity but folly and presumption so to beleeve like unto that of the wicked who beleeve they shall have peace when as there is no peace to them Isa 48. 22. for hath God any where in his word spoken or Christ promised or the Apostles taught that hee will give his Spirit to Infants to regenerate them in Baptisme surely not a word no more then he hath said that he will destroy them in hell Therefore as it would be rash and censorious for any to judge they shall be damned in regard the Lord hath no where so declared so on the otherside it must needs be great folly madnesse and presumption for any to beleeve their Regeneration in Baptisme forasmuch as the Lord hath no where so promised Therefore for shame leave off this kinde of jugling and give glory to God in acknowledgeing the truth and then with me you will say It is no more the charity of your Church to beleeve thus but the presumption yea the craft and subtiltie of the Prelates and Priest hood of your Church for their bellies sake thus to delude and seduce the people But it after all this they shall object and say That Infants Object are elected and therefore may be Baptized To that I answere that all Infants are not elected and therfore Answ all Infants ought not to be Baptised But they will reply That in regard some Infants are elected Object and none can say that this or that particular Infant is not elected therefore Baptisme must be administred to all because we may not denie the elect their priviledges for feare of giving to others that which belongs not to them To this I answere That if it be a warrantable ground for Answ us to administer Baptisme to all Insants because that some particular Infants are elected then by the same reason it will follow That Baptisme may lawfully be administred to every man and woman in the world because amongst them also we may judge that some â—â—e elected But this contradicteth the order and rule of Christ laid downe in the commission Matth. 28. 19. where he saith Gâ—e teach all Nations and Baptise them and Mark 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is Baptised shall be saved first teach them that is make them Disciples or beleevers and then Baptise them and not before Therefore this reason brought for the Baptizing of all infants because that some infants are elected must be ranked amongst other of their Sophismes before detected 2. This being granted which is not true that Baptisme is to be administred upon the elect before they manifest faith then except we could know the elect from those that are not elected we ought to administer it to none at all for we may in noe case do evill that good may come thereon Rom 3. 8. Therefore whensoever the Lord commandeth us a duty or for biddeth us any evill he alwaies prescribeth unto us some rules that in the observation thereof we may answere â—im in what he requireth of us and never for want of instructions leaves us in such straites that we cannot obey him in one but of necessity we must offend him in the other And therefore we see when he commandeth us in Mat. 7. 15. to shun and beware of false Prophets he presently directeth us how to know them from his true Ministers whom hee requireth us very highly to love and esteeme 1 Thessa 5. 12 13. And so likewise doth he in point of Baptisme not only command the duty but also appoints the persons whom he would have Baptized Mat. 28. 19. else he would come farre short of Moses 〈…〉 faithfull in all Gods house Numb 12. 7. but Christ was as faithfull as Moses Heb. 3. 2. Therfore this objection which granteth that the Lord intendeth his Baptisme only for the elect and yet layeth an absolute necessitie to administer it to all others to whom he intendeth it not is most vaine and frivolous and therefore to be rejected of all And were it possible for us to know and distinguish the elect from the other as it is not yet I would faine see these profound Clarks make it appeare by the authority of the Scripture that they might lawfully upon that ground only administer Baptisme unto them I denie it utterly and affirme that its true faith only manifested and made knowne by confession with the mouth that gives the elect admission to Baptisme Act. 8. 37. Rom. 14. 23. And thus this objection is vanished away and so I shall proceed to the second particular The manner in which Baptisme is there administred 2. which is by sprinckling or casting a little water upon the head or face of the child Baptised wherein they shew themselves as contrary to Christ as in the former particular forasmuch as the institution of Christ requireth that the whole man be dipped all ever in water For the manner of the use of water in Baptisme must be either by infusion or by dipping But Iohn the Baptist or dipper according to the Dutch Version did use the water by putting the party in the water and not by infusing or sprinkling water upon the party as is proved Mat. 3 11. Ego men baptizâ— humas en hudati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I indeed Baptize you in water Mark 1. 8. ego men ebaptisa humas en hudatâ— I indeed have Baptized you in water also Iohn 1. 26. Acts 11. 16. All these poinâ— ouâ— a Baptisme in water but not a Baptisme with water Obj. But the word En doth somtimes signifie with as in Rev. 19 21. Kai Hoi Loipoâ— apecteathesan en teromiraia A. Never after this word Baptize which signifies to dip for if it should then it would be no sense to say dip with water Therefore either the word Baptizo must signify to sprinkle or else the word En must not
and an Inheritor of the Kingdome of Heaven but Scripture cited in the former point declares the contrary Object But they will say That the Sureties promise that the Infants shall beleeve and repent and forsake the Divell and all his works so soons as they come to yeares of discretion Ergo c. Answ To this I answere that this is monstrous and to be abhorred for it is no lesse then to cause men to assume and arrogate to themselves the Prerogative of the most high who is the author and finisher of Faith the giver of every spiritrall gift and ability by whom we overcome Satan and all his power and this he giveth to whom hee listeth Ioh. 3. 8. Seeing then that Faith and Repentance is only from him and given to or wrought in whom he listeth how dare any to be so presumptuous as to cause any to promise that another shall beleeve or repent or forsake the Divell and all his works dare they presume to cause any to undertake that which appertaineth only to the Lord this argueth therefore great impiousnesse for they by this either would beare the world in hand that men can worke Faith and Repentance when and in whom they please or else that they have the Lord at their beck to performe their wills or last of all which I rather thinke that they cause that to be promised which they regard not whether ever it be performed or not for this cause let them read Eccles 5. 4. 5. Thus having brought the point to this issue I shall now proceed no further therein having said sufficient to discover the grossenesse of this their only and last shift and if any shall yet assirme that the Faith and Repentance of others may give Infants which have none of their own right to Baptisme they must be such who by their arts and sophistries can clude any truth and colourably justifie any Error though never so grosse and absurd such as this of regenerating Infants by Baptisme grounded upon the Faith and Repentance of Sureties is which though they teach others thus to beleeve I cannot judge them to be so ignorant as to beleeve it themselves for if they did then must I needs admire their great uncharitablenesse and the uncharitablenesse of all Christendome as they call it this 1600 yeares in that they have not in all this time sent two beleeving men and two beleeving women with a Minister or Priest into all the Heathen and Pagan Countries in the world to Baptize and Regenerate their Children Object If it be objected That the Parents being Pagans will was suffer them to Baptize their children Answ I answere though some would not yet in all likelyhood many would Secondly By their converse there in a small time they no doubt might have opportunity to Baptize their Children without the privity of the Parents Object Although this might be done yet afterwards if Christians have not the bringing up of such Children this laber would be lost Ans Not so seeing they are thereby Regenerate made the members of Christ the children of God and the Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven And shall any be so wicked as to thinke that Christ would want meanes to save his own members or that God would not finde out meanes to save his own Children God forbid Now then to conclude all seeing the Baptisme whereof we treate is administred to a false end in a false manner by a false power from a false ground and upon a false subject as hath bin proved then the Baptisme it selfe must likewise be false and unlawfull Again for the lawfull administred of every Ordinance of God there must besome institution of God to warrant the same but there is no institution of God to warrant the administration of Baptisme upon Infants therefore the administration of Baptisme upon Infants is unlawfull And againe that administration of Baptisme which hath no expresse command in Scripture and which overthrowes or prevents that administration of Baptisme which is expressely commanded in Scripture is a meer devise of mans braine and no Baptisme of Christs but the administration of Baptisme upon infants hath no expresse command in Scripture and yet it overthrowes of prevents the administration of Baptisms upon Disciples or beleevers which is expresselv commanded in Scripture Matth. 28 19. Mar. 16. 16. Job 4. 1. 2. Act. 2. 38. 8. 37. Therfore the Administratio◠〈◊〉 Baptisme upon Infants is a meere device of mans braine and no â—aptâ—â—â—e oâ— Christ Object If they here object that they hold and maintaine hath the Baptisme of Beleevers and the Baptisme of infants also as in the 27 Articl of the Doctrine of the Church of England is expressed and therefore denie that their Baptizing of Infants doth prevent the Baptisme of beleevers for of any Pagan Tuike or Heathen be converted to the faith they allow them Baptisms Answ I answere first that it is affirmed by the Spirit of Goe that there is but one Lord one faith one baptisme Eph. 4. 5. Now if there be but one Baptisme then either the baptisme of beleevers or the baptisme of Infants destitute or faith must needs be that one true baptisme and not both son to affirme that both is that one true baptisme is a â—â—â—t contradiction Secondly the baptisme of Infants as it is by authority ordained in this Kingdome doth thus farre prevent the baptizâ—ng of beleevers that hereby no native can be baptized upon â—aâ—th seeing all are to be baptized in their Infancy when they are destitute of faith wherefore if all other Kingdomes and Nations did the same then the commandement of Christ for the baptisme of Disciples or beleevers would be quite prevented and destroyed out of the whole world as well as it is out of this Kingdome And therefore notwithstanding this objection it is apparent that herein they have at least so far as in them lies like the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 15 6. made the commandement of Christ of none effect by their owne traditione And inflany shall here object and say the discovering of the evill of this forme of baptizing is needlesse seeing divers persons see it already to be so frivolous and naught that they much dislike it and will not have their children baptized with Godfathers but upon other grounds namely from the Covenant made with beleevers and their children upon which ground also they of the Separation use to baptize their children wherefore their arguments should have bin likewise answered To which I answere 1 Although some few see this forme of baptisme to be sinfull and naught yet what is this to the rest of the whole Nation who yet make conscience of that Idole to this day 2. Although they of the Separation and some others do mend the matter as they thinke in the baptizing of their Children otherwise and upon other grounds yet what is all this to their own baptisme being naught by their own consession and anullitie also even from their own grounds