only that I have been perswaded to make these Letters publick I have not so much as made the Style gawdy with any high-flown Strains Ornament and Rhetoric was none of my aim but Sincerely Faithfully and to the utmost of my mean Abilities to shew the naked truth and whether I have hit or miss'd my Aim you may now be pleas'd to examine and Judge I am My very good Friends and Brethren Your very much obliged and most humble Servant T. Hewerdine From March 7 Aug. 1699. LETTER I. SIR YOURS of the Third Instant has just now surpriz'd me wherein at the very first dash of your Pen you somewhat bluntly require and charge me as I will answer it at the dreadful Day of Judgment when the Secrets of all Hearts shall be disclos'd to tell you freely and plainly whether I do in my Conscience believe That the way of Baptizing now used in the Church of England namely by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water is a good and justifiable way of Baptizing Good Sir You have known me some hundreds of times Baptize after this manner and I wou'd sain hope that I have not by any practice of mine given you the least just Cause to suspect me of Hypocrisie I don't say this with any intent to give the Go-by to your Request and Charge but since you have put me to 't I do here solemnly protest and wou'd enter the same Protestation tho' I was immediately to appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ That I do in my Conscience believe that the Mode of Baptizing now used in the Church of England by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water is a good and justifiable way of Baptizing And thus far I 'm sure I am in the right My Conscience bearing me Witness But Sir You next pretty flatly put it upon me to inform you how this Mode of baptizing is to be defended and justified Now in good Truth I cou'd be very well contented to save my self this Trouble by referring you to those Books and Pages of Books wherein this Matter is industriously debated and the Mode of baptizing which you now seem to call in Question sufficiently defended and justified so as not to be gainsay'd but by the stiffest Obstinacy But lest you should construe this as a giving up the Cause I will here venture to say what you so earnestly desire to hear from me namely upon what Grounds it is that I my self am perswaded in my own Conscience concerning the Validity and Lawfulness of this way of Baptizing I will be very brief and yet go to the Bottom and rise by such Steps and Degrees as shall help to carry us over all difficulties and shew us the truth of the Matter in some light And therefore I begin at our Catechism in which we are well and truly taught that in the Sacrament of Baptism there 's The outward Sign and The Thing Signified The outward Sign is Water wherein the Person is Baptized in the Name of the Father c. And Sir I will not here spend either Ink or Paper in the Proof of this presuming that we are still agreed thus far But then The Inward part of this Sacrament or the Thing Signified is the Holy Spirit or the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit such as these mention'd in our Catechism A Death unto Sin and a New Birth unto Righteousness c. for you must know that wheresoever we read in Scripture of God's giving or of Man's receiving the Holy Spirit by the Holy Spirit must be meant The Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit and This I say is the Inward part or Thing Signified by the Water in Baptism And this was represented by the Descending of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviour at his Baptism Matth. 3.26 and there seems to be a plain Evidence of this in those Words of John the Baptist I indeed Baptize you with water but He speaking of Christ shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost The Baptist and I add all the Ministers of Christ do but baptize with Water 'T is Christ himself who does the Inward part and baptizeth with the Spirit and so says ours Saviour himself A Man must be born of Water and of the Spirit For as it is said of Circumcision That the outward Circumcision of the Flesh is as no Circumcision without the Inward Circumcision of the Heart too Rom. 2.28 29. So to compleat the Sacrament of Baptism there must be the Inward part as well as the Outward For except a Man be Born of Water and of the Spirit He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.5 And thus St. Paul in his description of Baptism not only speaks of the external Washing of Regeneration but of the Internal Renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 And so again putting some of his Corinthians in mind of their being baptiz'd Ye are Washed and Sanctified says He that is not onely Washed with Water but Sanctified with the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.11 And to mention but one place more for all Be Baptized and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost says St. Peter Act. 2.33 From whence 't is very plain That when the Ministers of Christ baptize with Water Christ himself baptizeth with the Holy Ghost which as I have said before is the Inward part or Thing Signified by the Water in Baptism And with great Reason therefore do we pray in the Office of baptism Give O Lord thy Holy Spirit to this Infant that He may be Born again and also Wash him and Sanctifie him with the Holy Ghost For to clear this Matter to the most Vulgar Capacity As when we pray in the Communion-Service Hear us most merciful Father we most humbly beseech thee and grant that we receiving these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine may be Partakers of Christ's most blessed Body and Blood 'T is as much as to pray that we may not only be Partakers of the outward Part of that Sacrament the Bread and Wine but also that we may be Partakers of the Inward part or thing Signified likewise which is the Body and Blood of Christ So when we pray for the Baptized That He may have the Holy Spirit given him and that he may be Sanctified with the Holy Ghost 't is as much as to pray That he may not only be baptized with the outward part of Baptism which is Water but also that he may be baptized with the Inward part or thing Signified by Water which is the Holy Spirit And hence it is likewise that as the other Sacrament is sometimes express'd with allusion to the Outward part when we speak of receiving the Bread and Wine and sometimes with allusion to the thing Signified when we speak of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ so Baptism is sometimes express'd with allusion to its outward part when we speak of baptizing with Water and washing with Water as the Apostle calls it and sometimes with allusion to the Inward part or thing
Signified when he speaks of baptizing with the Holy Ghost or baptizing with the Spirit for so says the Apostle again By one Spirit we are all Baptized 1 Cor. 12.13 I add That it is no new thing for the Holy Spirit to be figur'd or represented by Water for thus in the Prophet of Old when God had said I will pour Water on him that is Thirsty He interprets himself immediately I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed Isai 44.3 and again when he had said in Ezekiel I will Sprinkle Clean Water upon you he adds as the meaning of it I will put my Spirit within you Ezek. 36.25 27. And again with allusion to Water is the promise of the Spirit express'd by pouring out I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh Joel 2.28 and to clear this matter from all doubt St. John quoting these Words of our Saviour He that Believeth in me out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water This he spake says that Evangelist of the Spirit which they that believe in him should receive John 7.38 39. Sir If you would see more and larger proofs of this you may read Mr. Mede's Discourse upon Titus 3.5 Indeed I cou'd hardly have thought that there cou'd have been any difference among Catechetical Writers as to this matter only I find in that same discourse of Mr. Mede that some would have the Blood of Christ to be the thing signified by the Water in Baptism as it is by the Wine in the other Sacrament To which he replies That the Blood of Christ is not once mention'd by the Fathers of the Primitive Church as the inward part of this Sacrament of Baptism no more than it is in our Liturgy and he further adds That the Opinion is Novel and That the Lutheran Divines make it peculiar and proper to the Followers of Calvin But now Sir give me leave to observe to you That Calvin himself seems not to have been always of this Opinion nay but he plainly asserts That the Holy Spirit is the Thing signify'd by the Baptismal Water For complaining of the Church of Rome for feigning Confirmation to be a Sacrament by which the Spirit of Regeneration is conferr'd he adds That they transferr'd to Confirmation what was proper to Baptism meaning that they made the Spirit of Regeneration which is the Inward part of Baptism to be the Thing signifi'd by the laying on of hands in Confirmation Calv. in Heb. 6.1 2. And here Sir if I was minded to enlarge I could confirm this Matter with abundance of Testimonies out of the best Writers and Fathers of the Primitive Church but I forbear being pretty confident that there is no great need of their Evidence in so plain a Case And now my good Friend are not your Eyes open Don't you clearly see from what I have said of the Inward part of Baptism how rightly the Outward part may be administred by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water The Gift of the Holy Spirit the thing signified in Baptism is exprest by Sprinkling or Pouring on And is there or can there be any Reason given why the Thing Signifi'd should be exceeded by the Sign God himself thought it not necessary but makes Sprinkling or Pouring on Water sufficient to represent and signifie his giving or pouring on the Spirit for when He I say promises his Holy Spirit he does not no not so much as once in the whole Bible say I will dip or plunge into Water but I will sprinkle or pour on Water Isa 44.3 and Ezek. 36.25 Dr. Towerson who had once said something which was a little too harsh as himself confesses against this way of Baptizing by Sprinkling whose very words our Adversaries have catch'd hold of and have boasted of him as a brave Man on their side yet when he came to enquire more narrowly into the Matter he industriously defends it and amongst other Arguments uses this very Text Ezek. 36.25 and proves from Maimonides That the Words were spoken with reference to the Times of the Messiah and affirms That they cannot be better interpreted than of the Water of Baptism applying them as I have here done as very well expressing the Outward Sign of that Sacrament And shall Men be wiser than God Or think it any Wit to mock at and deride his Words And be at the pains of making a Greek word English to make their mockery the plainer Sprinkling forsooth out of Sport and Rallery must be call'd Rantizing and Baptism when administer'd by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water must be nicknam'd Rantism But let me tell you Sir and you may tell the Author of your little * A little Book call'd The Reason why not Infant-Sprinkling but Believers Baptism ought to be approv'd c. Book you boast of That when he so merrily calls our way of Baptizing Rantizing and our Baptism Rantism He makes a mock of the very Words of God himself and according to his reproachful way of Speaking when God promises to Sprinkle clean Water upon his People he must not then promise to Baptize but only to Rantize This puts me in mind how I had once the misfortune to hear a wild Wretch call the Lord's Supper He seem'd to quarrel with my Friend for calling that Sacrament the Supper of our Lord A Supper said he A Bite and a Sip you mean And he had as much to say for the Profane expression as any one can have for calling our Baptism Rantism Why Sir He urg'd that a Supper ought to be a full Meal that to Signifie our receiving the Body and Blood of Christ we ought to eat a piece of Bread as big as his Body and to drink as much Wine as he shed Blood And is it not at a like Rate that some plead against Baptizing by Sprinkling You have heard the reason why That profane Wretch call'd our way of Receiving the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper a Bite and a Sip and is it not for a very like reason that our way of Baptizing is by some call'd Rantizing I will not here say with the Psalmist What shall be done to the false Tongue but rather with our most charitable Lord Father forgive them for surely they know not what they say or do But this 't is to be so Zealous for Externals when Men think that they can never have enough of the outward Signs of the Sacraments when yet perhaps the thing Signified which is the main and principal thing is as much neglected But Sir When we receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper if we Spiritually eat his Flesh and drink his Blood which is the inward part of this Sacrament as to the outward part it will not matter much how little Bread we eat or how little Wine we drink So when any are baptized if their Souls are purifi'd and cleans'd with the Holy Spirit which is the Inward part of this Sacrament as to the outward part it will not matter much how little Water
be receiv'd and therefore as their Children were to receive it as well as themselves it follows that their Children as well as themselves were to be Baptiz'd that they might receive it And so says the Apostle Be baptiz'd every one of you and ye shall receive c. But here perhaps you may be ready to ask whether Baptism be necessary to our Receiving the Holy Ghost or whether none else do receive it but they who are Baptiz'd To which I answer that Baptism is as necessary to our receiving the Holy Ghost as a diligent Hand is necessary to make one Rich. The Diligent hand maketh Rich says Solomon And therefore as Riches do sometimes indeed by God's over-ruling Providence fall to the share even of the Lazy and the Slothful So by God's extraordinary Mercy is the Holy Ghost sometimes indeed given even to the Vnbaptiz'd But what then shall a Man hope to be Rich without Diligence because the Lazy are sometimes so In like manner shall any one hope for the Spirit without Baptism because the Unbaptiz'd do sometimes receive it It would not be wisely argued should a Man thus dispute Solomon tells us indeed that a Diligent hand maketh Rich well and it may be so but let them be ty'd up to his Rule that will for my part I shall hold my self excus'd hoping that Riches may be had in an easier way even as I sometimes see the Slothful have them And yet just such is his Argument who thus disputes 'T is the Apostles rule indeed Be baptiz'd and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost well and it may be so but let them be ty'd up to his Rule that will for my part I shall hold my self excus'd hoping for the Holy Spirit without any such Condition even as I sometimes see that the Unbaptized receive it But still further 'T is objected on the other hand that if the promise of the Holy Ghost was so annext to Baptism methinks we should see more and better Fruits of it in those that are Baptiz'd To which I answer That tho' it be very true that a diligent Hand maketh Rich yet it is not every diligent Man that becomes Rich for want of a good Use and wise Improvement of what his diligent hand acquires and gives him a just Title to So tho' Baptism has the promise of the Holy Ghost made to it yet the Baptiz'd do not all bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit for want of a good Use of that Spiritual grace and Influence which their Baptism acquires and gives them a Right and Title to But tho' the Diligent do not all become Rich for the aforesaid Reason yet Diligence is still to be Exhorted to as a great and necessary means of becoming Rich and so tho' the Baptized do not all bring forth the fruits of the Spirit for the like Reason aforesaid yet Baptism is still to be Exhorted to as a great and necessary means of receiving the Spirit Be baptized says St. Peter and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit And this indeed seems to have been the great and standing Argument of this Apostle It was his usual way to Argue from the Inward part of this Sacrament to the Outward For When the Holy Ghost fell upon Cornelius and them that were with him Can any Man forbid Water said our Apostle that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Act. 10.47 So here in this Text The promise of the Holy Ghost says he is to you and to your Children and therefore be Baptized every one of you that you may receive it But Sir Here is one Difficulty more to be Encounter'd still for here it is that our Adversaries have started an Objection to which they Boastingly say that we can give them no Answer but truly Sir the Reason is because they will receive no Answer and we cannot help that And therefore to deal fairly both with you and them you shall first hear their Objection in its full force and then our Answer and you shall Judge between us Their Objection is this That Children are not capable of Receiving the Holy Ghost and that therefore 't is all folly to Baptize them upon that account And farther St. Peter's saying to that great Assembly Act. 2.38 Be baptized every one of you and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost makes it very plain that he Exhorted none to be Baptized but such as were capable of receiving the Holy Ghost but of this the little Children were not Capable and therefore were not to be Baptized This Sir is their mighty Objection and I am pretty Confident they will acknowledge that I have not minc'd the matter but have set it before you with all its strength And now then to give a satisfactory Answer to it I shall make it my business to prove to you that even Infants and Children are capable of receiving the Holy Ghost and this I shall endeavour to do with all the plainness and brevity and closeness that I can And therefore First we hear it very often from our Adversaries in a Challenging and Triumphant way that if we could but shew in all the New Testament any one Infant to have been Baptized they would no longer dispute that Case with us But Sir we can shew them an Infant in the Old Testament yea and an Infant in the New Testament too that receiv'd the Holy Ghost And why then will they dispute this any longer We know that it is the Holy Ghost that Sanctifies us and yet we read in the Old Testament that the Prophet Jeremy was Sanctified even before he came out of the Womb Jer. 1.5 And if we will take an Angel's word for it we are assur'd in the New Testament that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mother's Womb Luke 1.15 And here I will add what I before observ'd of the little Children who were brought unto Christ and whom he took up in his Arms viz. That he blessed them with Spiritual Blessings and therefore 't is evident that even these little Children did then receive the Holy Spirit for we must mean nothing else by receiving the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit but receiving the Graces and Blessings of the Holy Spirit Secondly The Holy Job has most truly taught us That a Clean thing is not to be brought out of an Vnclean Job 14.4 No but all are conceived and born in Sin as well as he who said Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me Psal 51.5 But then if all our Children are so conceived and born and cannot be brought clean out of an unclean thing I am ready to tremble at the thought what would become of them if they were not capable of some Spiritual Cleansing certainly Dear Sir they are or else 't is most certain that no unclean thing can enter into the Kingdom of God Again Our
Lord has told us That that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh sinful Flesh of sinful Flesh John 3.6 and there he also teaches us that what is only so born cannot see the Kingdom of God for says he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except one be born again that is born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God And this therefore would be another hard saying for our Children if they were not capable of being born again of the Spirit And further If Children are Holy they must be made so by the Holy Ghost For it is that Holy Spirit which Sanctifies or makes Holy and therefore must the Children needs be so Sanctified who are said to be Holy 1 Cor. 7.14 And indeed unless they are so tho' their Angels may behold the Face of God yet how shall they themselves ever come to see that Blessed Sight Since we are expresly told that without Holiness no one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Original word and signifies no one be it who it will Man or Child Without Holiness no one shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Thirdly Dr. Fuller has observed That the great cause of Men's mistakes in this matter is this They make the Body the Standard of the Soul and are apt to think that the Soul grows bigger as the Body does even as if our Souls were very little things when we are Infants in comparison of what they are when we become Men Which is a very gross mistake indeed for our Souls are not capable of any such growth but as to that are the very same when first infused into our Bodies that they are ever after the same in our Infancy that they are in our Old Age and therefore why our Souls which as to their Substance are the same in every period of our Life why they should at any time be incapable of receiving the Holy Ghost or of being Sanctified thereby Let them give you a Reason who can find out a Reason to give for I can find none But some there are who will not yet believe the Spirit of Sanctification to be in Infants no not in Baptized Infants because they can see no Sign or Expression of it To which I farther Answer with the admir'd Bishop Taylor That it is no good Argument to say Here is no Seed in the bowels of the Earth because there is nothing green upon the face of it Nor is it a good Argument to say That an Heir so long as he is a Child is no Heir because so long as he is a Child he differeth nothing from a Servant or we see no sign of his being Heir and Lord of all as the Apostle speaks Nay and further When a Branch is Engrafted into the good Olive-Tree it receives from it a kind of new Life and Nourishment tho' we do not immediately see any fruits of its doing so Even so when Infants are grafted into Christ by Baptism and made Members of that True Vine as he calls himself John 15.1 they are thereby made Partakers of a new Spiritual Life and Nourishment tho' we do not presently see the good fruits of their being so Again Christ's Body is his Church and the Soul of that Body is the Holy Spirit and when Infants are Baptized and Incorporated into that Body they are thereby put under the Communications and Influences of the Spirit as every the least Part or Cubit added to our Statures is thereby put under the Influences of our Souls For thus Baptism says Dr. Sherlock is our Regeneration or New Birth the Beginnings of a New Life because it Incorporates us into Christ's Mystical Body which puts us under the Influences and Communications of his Life and Spirit as when a Branch is Engrafted into a Stock it receives nourishment and life from it Discourse concerning the Nature of Vnity c. p. 24. And says Dr. Scott another of your justly Admired Authors It is by his Blessed Spirit that Christ hath promised to be with us to the end of the World Mat. 28.20 And Christ himself hath assur'd us that upon his Ascension into Heaven He would pray his Father and he should give us another Comforter meaning this Holy Ghost that he might abide with us for ever Joh. 14.16 And accordingly the Holy Ghost is vitally united to the Church of Christ even as Souls are united to their Bodies For as there is one Body or Church so there is one Spirit which animates that Body Eph. 4.4 So that when by Baptism we are once Incorporated into this Body we are Entituled to and do at least de Jure participate of the vital Influence of the Holy Ghost who is the Soul of it Christian Life Part 2. Vol. 2. Chap. 7. p. 76 77. Indeed we know not how every particle of Flesh that grows to our Bodies is immediately enliven'd by our Souls and yet so it is And just so tho' we know not how every Member that 's added to the Body of Christ is quickned by that Holy Spirit which as the Soul of that Body Communicates all its Spiritual Life to it And Lastly That the Holy Spirit may be where we see no signs or expressions of it is plainly taught by our Saviour himself The wind bloweth where it lifteth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 And so is every Infant that is born of the Spirit The Spirit comes upon it though thou canst not tell how nor whence And all this I hope is very sufficient Proof that even Infants and Children are capable of receiving the Holy Spirit and then according to St. Peter's Argument who can forbid Water that they should not be Baptized who can receive the Holy Ghost as well as we Act. 10 47. And in short Our Adversaries great Objection is this when St. Peter said Be baptized every one of you and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost he plainly taught that none are to be Baptized but such as are capable of receiving the Holy Ghost But of this say they little Children are not capable and therefore are not to be Baptized To which I will now Answer That when St. Peter said Be Baptized every one of you and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost he plainly taught that all are to be Baptized who are capable of receiving the Holy Ghost But of this I have now prov'd little Children to be capable and therefore they are to be Baptized And thus I am perswaded that the Baptism of Children is most certainly taught by St. Peter in this very Text Repent and be Baptized every one of you for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the Promise is to you and to your Children The plain sense of which Text is this The promise of the Holy Ghost is to you and to your
they are baptized with And if you good Sir resist not the Holy Spirit of God nor receive his Grace in vain but be thereby renew'd in the Spirit of your Mind and cleansed from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit My Soul for yours if you enter not into the Kingdom of God tho' you was but sprinkled with Water when you was baptized Whereas they whose hearts are not purified whose Conversations are not cleansed who wallow in foul Sins I must and will pronounce them too unclean to enter into the Kingdom of God tho' they were never so much Plung'd or Dipt into Water never so deep when they were baptized But I must remember my self that I am not now writing a Book but only a Letter and therefore I shall only further tell you that I design'd but in this to open the way to a fuller Vindication of the thing in Question And so I conclude at present with this promise That you shall God willing very speedily hear again of this matter from Dear Sir June 6. 1698. Your very Humble Servant T. H. LETTER II. SIR THO' I concluded my Last with a Promise to let you hear from me again very speedily about the Matter in Debate viz. Concerning the Validity and Lawfulness of our way of Baptizing by Sprinkling yet I had hardly time to breath or to take a little Air before I was alarm'd with your second Letter wherein you call out to me in great heat and haste to let you hear what I have to say to such and such Objections And dear Sir I 'll be your humble Servant here again and attend your Motion nor shall I be much out of my own intended way for in answering the Objections which you say seem to wound our Cause I doubt not but to blunt or to turn their Edge so as to make them defend it which is the very thing I aim at But First You say that the very Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptizing always signifies Dipping yes and so they 'll very confidently and peremptorily say too who yet never understood one Syllable of Greek in their Lives and above all the rest the Author of the little Book you sent me is almost perpetually saying so from one end of That book to the other But now to this I can give you a very short Answer and such an Answer as I believe will to you be very satisfactory and convincing For I know you dare depend upon Dr. Patrick now Bishop of Ely whose Writings you so justly admire for the signification of a Greek Word and therefore I will observe to you what he has noted in the Margin of his most excellent Discourse concerning Baptism Mr. Pocock says he hath largely shewn That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Baptized does not always signifie among the Jews the Washing of the whole Body which is to be observed against those who now make it necessary I may have occasion before I have done to consult Mr. Pocock himself and then you shall hear more from him And Sir if I might be Sophistical and play with Particles as it is the manner of our Adversaries to do I might here observe of our Pious and Learned Translators to whom we are obliged for our English Bibles that they do not seem to understand Dipping by Baptizing for in our English Bibles which they have put into our hands we usually read of Baptizing with Water But now Good Sir in all those places where we read of Baptizing with I can hardly think that they would have us there by Baptizing to understand Dipping because Dipping with is not good Sence to Dip in or into Water is good Sence but to Dip with Water is not And therefore I say I might be perswaded that it was not the meaning of those Translators that we should always understand Dipping by Baptizing or that we may read Dipping with Water which is not good Sense where they have Taught us to Read Baptizing with Water Yea to Baptize with Water is the common Language of all English Authors even of our Adversaries themselves but that they mean to Dip with Water when they say to Baptize with Water we may no more believe I say than we may believe Dipping with Water to be good Sence But 'T is true we Read that there is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Baptism Ephes 4.5 which is an unanswerable Argument indeed for the only once Administration of it directly against Anabaptism but then we are also told that there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diverse Baptizings for so the Original word signifies tho' translated Diverse Washings Heb. 9.10 which undeniably shews that the Ways and Modes of baptizing are various and different Yea and by the Diverse Baptizings here mention'd must certainly be meant among the rest those Sprinklings which we read of Numb 8.7 and Chap. 19.18 19. Again 'T is said of the Jews that when they come from Market they Eat not except they Wash Mark 7.4 The Original Words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They Eat not except they are Baptized where by Baptized we are not necessarily to understand Dipped for as Mr. Pocock has abundantly prov'd Lavantes à foro totum Corpus non Mersabant The Jews at their return from the Market did not always Wash or Dip the Whole body Not. Miscel c. 9. p. 390. And again Luke 11.38 where we read that the Pharisee wonder'd at Jesus that he did not Wash before Dinner the Greek Words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he was not first Baptized But now by Baptized in this Text we cannot possibly understand Dipped for there was no such Custom among the Jews as to dip themselves before their common Meals no not so much as to dip their Hands into Water For Even in the Case of washing their Hands Non Lavant Manus nisi è vase affusâ aquâ They wash not their Hands by Dipping them into any Vessel of Water but by having Water poured upon them says Mr. Pocock from their best Authors Not. Mis c. 9. p. 365. and again p. 371. Non Lavant Manus says He quoting Maimonides c. They wash not their Hands but with Water poured upon them And tho' some of their Authors allow of dipping their Hands into Water yet 't is only urgente necessitate in Cases of necessity for to do so ordinarily they all forbid them And so in this Text where it is said that the Pharisee wonder'd at Jesus that he was not first Baptized before Dinner says Mr. Pocock tho' it be meant according to Grotius's Note that the Pharisee wonder'd that Jesus did not first wash his Hands before Dinner yet he disagrees with Grotius as to the reason of the expression and adds That if our Lord's Hands had but been Washed aquâ affusâ by having water poured upon them there had been no cause for the Pharisee's wonder because the Pharisees themselves did not otherwise wash their Hands upon the like occasion Idem
every ways alter'd for the better but what is all this to any ones privilege of entering into it Nay but certainly as Children were admitted into the Church before that Reformation so are they to be admitted still unless it be a part of the Reformation to exclude them And thus upon the whole matter 't is very plain that unless our Blessed Saviour has FORBIDDEN Infants to be admitted into his Church they are still to be admitted whether he has COMMANDED their Admission or no. And here I might fix the Controversie and justifie their Admission till you can prove that our Lord has Forbidden it which I dare venture to say you will never be able to do Nay but our Lord has not only not forbidden their Admission into the Church but he has expresly Taught and Commanded it For First That Children ought to be admitted into his Church he has expresly taught in that Celebrated Text Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Which Text was spoken by way of Reprimand to his Disciples who wou'd have kept Children from him and therefore when he reprov'd them and said Suffer little Children to come unto me he must needs mean such Children as they wou'd have kept from him but these were such as were brought unto him and such as he took up in his Arms and were therefore little Children in a literal Sense The words indeed are Suffer little Children to come unto me and therefore say some let them stay then till they can come But if this was our Saviour's meaning might not his Disciples very readily have answered Lord we have not hinder'd any such from coming that cou'd come all that we have done was only to Rebuke those that brought their Children And thus if Children might not be brought to Christ but if they were to be kept back till they themselves cou'd come to him I cannot see what the Disciples had here done for our Lord to be displeased at and yet the Text says positively That he was much displeased and said suffer little Children to come unto me Mark 10.14 And therefore unless we have no more Grace or Wit than to say that he was displeas'd at nothing we must allow that the Children whom he wou'd have suffer'd to come to him were such as his Disciples would have kept from him and these were such as were brought unto him and such as he took up in his Arms. But perhaps you 'll say What then is the meaning of the words TO COME UNTO ME Suffer little Children to come unto me Sir I find an Answer made to this by Mr. Walker viz. That to come unto Christ signifies to become a Disciple of Christ for so when our Saviour saith Come unto me all ye that Labour his meaning is become Disciples to me Mat. 11.28 And again when it is said Behold Jesus Baptizeth and all Men come to him The meaning is that they all become his Disciples John 3.26 And again Ye will not come to me said our Lord That is ye will not become my Disciples John 5.4 The same excellent Author has observ'd from Dr. Hammond that we may read the word Proselyte in the very Original Text Mat. 19.14 For there the Original words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which turn'd into English do even Compose and make up the word Proselyte and so in St. Matthew I say the Original words are Suffer little Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be Proselytes to me or to be my Disciples For to be a Proselyte and to be a Disciple is the same thing As when our Lord said to the Scribes and Pharisees that they had Compass'd Sea and Land to make one Proselyte the meaning is that they had compass'd Sea and Land to make one Disciple And thus has our Lord very plainly taught us that little Children must be suffer'd to become his Disciples yea and he farther adds that they are not to be forbidden and then gives such a Reason for it as may put the matter beyond all Dispute For of such is the Kingdom of God That is little Children are not to be forbidden becoming his Disciples because of such even of such as were brought unto him is the Kingdom of God both the Kingdom of Grace which is the Church Militant here on Earth and the Kingdom of Glory which is the Church Triumphant in Heaven And thus we have a plain Scripture Text wherein our Blessed Lord has very clearly taught us that little Children are to be suffer'd and not to be forbidden being admitted into his Church And this is according to that ancient Prophecy foretelling the Conversion of the Gentiles to Christianity Thus saith the Lord God I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my Standard to the People and they shall bring thy Sons in their Arms and thy Daughters shall be carryed upon their shoulders Isa 49.22 And this is no more than what our Lord himself did fortell when he so plainly intimated that there should be Lambs in his Flock as well as Sheep John 21.15 But Sir if you wou'd see more and larger Proof of this matter you may consult Mr. Baxter's Book called Plain Scripture-proof of Infants Church-Membership and Baptism wherein he has proved that Children ought to be admitted into Christ's Church by no fewer than Six and twenty distinct Arguments Well But then the next Question is How are they to be admitted I Answer by Baptism for ordinarily there is no other way of Admission as I shall prove by and by But here I will take notice of an Objection that I find has been often started upon this occasion If little Children are to be admitted into Christ's Church and if there be no other way of admitting them but by Baptism Why then did not our Lord Baptize those Children that were brought unto him I answer Because our Lord never Baptized any with Water But then it may be ask'd again Why did he not Command his Disciples to Baptize them I Answer again Because his Hour was not yet come for he never that we read of Commanded his Disciples to Baptize any or any to be Baptized by them till after his Death and Resurrection But Sir Give me leave briefly to remind you of what I have observ'd in my first Letter concerning the outward and the inward part of Baptism for I therein shewed you that the Ministers of Christ do but Baptize with Water which is the outward part of that Sacrament 'T is Christ himself who Baptizeth with the Holy Ghost or with the Spirit which is the inward part And here I will farther observe that our Lord has not so ty'd up himself to the use of outward means but he can if he pleases and will for just and wise Reasons perform the inward part without them For thus should an Infidel or a Jew be Converted to Christianity and earnestly desire Baptism and should
the Ministers of Christ to whom he has the opportunity of applying himself for that purpose be all so unfaithful as to refuse to Baptize him yea tho' he sought and begg'd of them so to do with Tears In such a Case as this where the outward Baptism with Water was so far from being slighted that it was earnestly desir'd and yet cou'd not be had upon any terms whatsoever In such a Case as this I say I cannot think that the unfaithfulness of Christ's Ministers in dispensing the outward part of the Sacrament would hinder our Lord from doing the inward part which is to Baptize with the Spirit And this seems to have been the Case of the little Children brought unto him His Disciples rebuked those that brought them and wou'd not by any means have had them come unto Christ or become his Disciples And for this our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was very much displeased And in this great displeasure he seems to have intimated thus much to them That tho' they or any other of his Ministers should at any time refuse to admit such for Disciples whom he would have admitted and should therefore refuse to do the outward solemn part of Admission as they ought to do yet this wou'd be no reason with him that he should refuse to do that inward part which he does himself perform And accordingly he took up those very Children in his Arms and blessed them viz. with Spiritual Blessings and may therefore in some Sense be said to have Baptized them I mean to have Baptized them with the Spirit which is the inward part of Baptism and the only part that Christ ever did or does But 2. As our Lord himself Received and Commanded Children to be receiv'd into his Church so likewise has he plainly taught us that they are to be admitted by Baptism yea and that ordinarily they cannot otherwise be admitted For except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.5 In which Text By the Kingdom of God taken in its lowest Sense must be meant the Christian Church for so is the Christian Church very frequently call'd in the New Testament The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven And this is that Kingdom of God viz. The Church of Christ into which there is no entrance ordinarily but through the Gate of Baptism The Text makes no exception for tho' the English words are Vnless a Man be born again yet by Man must be understood Mankind no Sex or Age excluded for the Original word Translated Man signifies any one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except any one be Born again c. Whosoever or of what Age soever they be except they be Born again of Water and of the Spirit that is except they be Baptized they cannot enter into that Kingdom of God which is the Christian Church And so says the Apostle very expresly Namely That we are all Baptized into that one Body of Christ which is his Church 1 Cor. 12.13 And so again we read of being Baptized into Christ that is into Christ's Body his Church Gal. 3.27 Yea it is there said that so many as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ that is are incorporated into that Body whereof Christ is the Head And accordingly I have observ'd that there is nothing more usual in Antiquity than for Baptism to be called Ecclesiae janua the Gate of the Church Baptism says our very Learned Bishop is the Door whereby we enter into the Church the Gate that lets us into Christ's Fold and the first step to Fellowship with God and with his People and hence it was that the Font was used to be placed at the Door or entrance of the Church to signifie that by this we come into the Congregation of Christ's Disciples Aqua Genitalis p. 447. But I 'll say no more of this both because it is so plain and because that it is not that I know of deny'd by our Adversaries Mr. Tombs wou'd not deny it in all that Controversie between him and Mr. Baxter Nay but in his Apology p. 58. I grant says he that Baptism is the way and manner of Solemn Admission into the Church and says Mr. Grantham in his Friendly Epistle Baptism is an Ordinance of Christ necessary to the Admission of all Men to the privileges of his Church p. 31. And the Author of your little Book notes upon 1 Cor. 12.13 that we are by Baptism added to the Bride the Lamb's Wife as he there calls the Christian Church And again in his Note upon Heb. 6.1 2. He says that Baptism is an Ordinance for the Solemnization of the Soul 's visible Marriage-Union with Christ that is we are united and wedded to Christ by Baptism as we are thereby incorporated into and United to that Church which is his Spouse But now it being so very plain our Adversaries themselves not denying it That there is no other visible way of Admitting into Christ's Church but by Baptism it necessarily follows that if Children ought as I have before prov'd to be admitted into that Church then they must be Baptized into it Sir Should the King Command you to carry your pretty little Child into his Presence-Chamber you wou'd not I think once ask or question whether you must carry him in at the door you wou'd not I am sure be thought over-wise shou'd you say My Lord O King Your Royal Command is that I shall bring my Son into your Presence-Chamber but pray does your Majesty mean that I shall bring him in at the Door Just so Our Lord having Commanded that Children shall be received into his Church shou'd any one question whether they must be received in at the Door which is acknowleg'd to be Baptism what Answer could he reasonably expect but to be laugh'd at And thus Sir wonder not that there is no such express Command in Scripture as this That Infants shall be Baptized For Christ's Command to receive them into the Church is sufficient and there was no need of any such second Command to receive them in at the door or to Baptize them In short Our Lord has plainly taught us that little Children must be admitted into his Church Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.14 And he has plainly taught us that there is no other way of being admitted into his Church but by Baptism Except any one be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.5 And from hence I frame this Argument There is no other way of Admission into Christ's Church but by Baptism But little Children must be admitted into Christ's Church Therefore they must be Baptized And this I am perswaded is very good Proof because 't is such Proof as our Lord made use of against the Pharisees to convince them of a Resurrection and such