Proselytes in regard of the Common matter sealed or admitted to by Circumcision and thus it is still by the Apostles arguing there the Gentile Converts became branches of that stock of Abraham not naturally but by insition by which insition their children come to branchship in that Olive too and not by nature in respect of the root and natural stock of the Abraham to which that distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural and against nature refer as is evident to any judicious Reader So that that difference of phrase makes no more for the denying believers Infants of the Gentiles a branchship in this tree by vertue of their parents insition then it doth to the Infants of Proselytes in former times a branchship I say till by unbelief broken off for then the case is altered again with them as with the children of the Jews broken off for the same reason Which reason is also worth the minding viz. That those of the natural branches which were broken off were broken off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by or for unbelief and not otherwise Well then if so then the children of believing Jews were not broken off in Infancy having neither their own or parents unbelief to break them off by not their own for we never find that God charges Infants with unbelief in themselves nor doth the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree to them unless we shall say they are all damned Mark 16 16. Luke 12.46 Indeed the unbelieving parents that reject the Gospel and its Ordinances do of necessity deprive their Infants too thereof unless anew graffed in again but that those believing parents laid not in their way Now if their natural Infants were natural branches of the Olive and had a standing in the branchstate till rejecters actually then they must have the ordinary badge of branches that is the external Baptism Of which I have yet met with no colourable plea to deprive any branch not yet by actual refusing and unbelief breaking off himself there-from nor by others before off-broken for I think all grant that that whosoever is of the Church visibly as to his right to him Baptism may not be denyed by us To which if we adde that the partition wall being broken down between Jew and Gentile especially the believers of both that which appertains by way of priviledge to the one as to matter of church-Church-state appertains equally to the other We shall conclude that their Infants are branches too by vertue of their parents naturalizing or insition Ephes 2.19 and so have the like right to Baptism For that this branch-state is the state of visible Churching unto God and of right to the priviledges flowing there-from in union with the root thereof laid in Abraham and not as is imagined by some the inward invisible state of union with Christ and election we have in part shewed before and shall because that 's the main thing that can colourably make against what is here said be further proved For to what hath been said it may be added That if the state of branchship here spoken of was a state of eternal choice and election to eternal life which the Gentile branches are affirmed to have here then might they rejoyce against the Jews as in a less fearful case of standing the Jew stood so as to be broken off but the Gentile is in no capacity to that that is indeed ingraffed in whereas the Apostle tells us That their standing in this branchship is by faith so as if they reject that God would break them off too Nay he uses it as an Argument of aw and fear That they were branches beside nature and the Jews by nature for if God spared not the natural branches take heed that he spare not thee ver 21. And again he tells us ver 28. That as pertaining to the election they are beloved for their fathers sakes and are shut up under unbelief that he might have mercy upon them all But it s for the Gospel in regard of their not accepting that that they are now enemies to him as if he should directly tell us that he speaks not here of them according to election but according to their carriage toward the Gospel and so they being now thrown off from the priviledges of those that receive and own it those they are broken off from which otherwise they should have now had also Such a state of faith and election as some Antipedobaptists put this branchship in could they not be broken off from I know against this they have this silly conceit that they are said to be broken off that seemed to be branches in that stock or to be ingraffed though they were never branches indeed but this is a contradiction in adjecto to talk of breaking off that that was never in Nay to speak of natural branches as those that were so according to nature and yet to say they were never at all branches sure such an argument would have no terrour nor shew of reason they that seemed to be branches but never were so were thrown by then take heed lest thou that standest by faith beest thrown by also And that in ver 20. of the ingraffed branches should rather be Thou mayest happily have neither faith nor standing at all therefore be not high minded Then thus Thou standest by faith be not high-minded but fear The like fond conceit they have upon John 15.4 Every branch in me that bringeth not forth fruit shall be taken away c. That is say some that pretends to be in me but is not so at all As if Christ spake according to the lying apprehensions or dissimulations of men and called them branches in him which only belyed themselves and were no way in him indeed not considering that there are degrees and gradations and diversity of implantings As one into the trunk and stock of the tree another step into the very sap spirit or life of it The former is the mean and way to the latter and in the latter too there may be gradations some partake of spirit so far in the Doctrine they are brought into as to bear leaves only others fruits also Matth. 13.20 Heb. 6.5 6. But I shall not spend time and paper about answering so fond a conceit But in the next place consider briefly of that of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 7.14 where the Apostle says That the children who have one of their parents a believer are not only clean as all the Gentiles were made by the breaking down the partition wall but also holy Acts 10.28 Sure as to the more special care of God and propriety challenged in them by God then in other children whose parents were both unbelievers they being as it were born to God The wife that believeth not being sanctified in the Husband namely Vide Beza in locum that believeth For of such its plain the Apostle
of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Where it s to be minded first that he says not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for of these is the Kingdom lest we should perceive some peculiar occasion not ordinary or common to Infants but peculiar to these only some secret thing known to Christ alone and so should say it was to be stretched no further but to them or them that we can discern to be elected c. Nor is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that are like these the Kingdom of Heaven belong though many would conceive it so for that could be no greater ground for children then for Doves and Lambs coming to him the general word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally signifies of that kind that 's spoken of these and such as these whether it be applyed to things or persons not such in an Allegorical similitude So Rom. 2.2 The judgment of God is against those that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things that is those very evils and such like So ver 3. and chap. 1.32 Gal. 5.21 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against such things there is no law that is against those vertues and fruits of the Spirit and whatsoever else is of the same stamp or nature So also 1 Cor. 7.15.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such shall have trouble in the flesh that is such as he had spoken of before viz. they that marry c. Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven what 's that I answer The Kingdom set up by the God of Heaven in which he is King and reigneth by Jesus Christ prophesied of long since to be established in the house of David A Kingdom of which the Jews were the children it was preached to and the promise of it set before them yea they were educated under its Ordinances in part and to the expectation of it in the more Heavenly things The Kingdom more fully preached by Christ and in its priviledges rise and growth and its administration by Christ in the humanity in a more heavenly way then nigh at hand and ready to be revealed though not in its heighth of glory and large spreading lustre This is the Kingdom of Heaven of which there are divers stations and degrees of entrance into it and divers manifestations of it viz. 1. There is the outward Court the Church visible as visible or as outwardly priviledged by God and distinguished from other people not in it or if ye will the Government that Christ exerciseth in administration of his Heavenly Ordinances and Rites over men as visibly subjected to the profession of him the church-Church-state with its outward Ordinances the Oracles of God and his Statutes and Appointments So the Church-state of old among the Jews was part of that Kingdom that God through Christ and for him erected The Wisdom of God had there his House and Pillars Ordinances and Provision though less heavenly and more carnal then as now it s ordered by Christ come in the flesh and therefore rather called the Kingdom of God then of Heaven Matth. 21.43 This Government in the hand of Christ come being more properly both because as of God so more heavenly and less carnal then that before 2. The inward and invisible uniting with Christ by faith and so the Government of the Spirit writing the Law in the heart The power and priviledges injoyed in the inner man in forgiveness of sins peace joy conformity to God c. And this also is the Kingdom of God the more inward more heavenly and spiritual part of it and this also is held forth in the first and the right receipt of the first with all the documents thereof and spiritual operations afforded therein is the way to enter into this step of it For this is it into which men enter not but by regeneration Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost And 1 Cor. 4.20 That consists in power c. Into this the believer is translated out of the power of darkness Col. 1.15 The other step is more visibly upon men that are in it this more properly in them They that are but in the former Regiment may be cast out and often are for their unfruitfulness not receiving its instructions and operations of Spirit therewith as a little child so as to enter into this more spiritual Government Matth. 8.12 and 21.43 that or the Kingdom of God in that part of it for it s but one Kingdom in all its Regiments as the Temple of old was but one in all its Courts being like a Net gathering all sorts and like a man sowing good seed in the field wherein also the envious man soweth tares out of which all things that offend shall be gathered Matth 13.24.41.42.47 And like to the wedding made by the King for his Son to which the bidden guests refusing to come all that could be met with in the high-way and hedges were called and brought Matth. 22.1.9 10. yea to that all have liberty to come as the way to enter into it in its higher steps or more inward Government and Dominion But now this second step is yet more holy and into it may none enter but they that so have received the grace of God in what is held forth in the former as to be made an holy Priesthood unto God The former hath Laws for its Ordering and Government and in it is the power of Christ to order it which all ought to obey and be subject to in their several places and stations as in other Kingdoms but these are more visible and outward as Baptism the Supper Exhorting Teaching Hearing Prayer Communion Censures c. As also subordinate Officers Bishops or Elders Deacons c. Its Keys of Doctrine and Censures its Publick Register and Notary Book the Scriptures wherein its Laws and Orders are written and recorded This latter hath its Laws the same for substance with the other but written also more inwardly in the heart where the Spirit is more immediately Governour and Ruler and supplies all grace to the soul also These have fellowship with God and with Christ in spirit and heavenly things as well as one with another in outward Ordinances which these also have the inner Regiment being in these who are under the outward though not in all of them These have the inward true spiritual Baptism in the blood and price of Christ 1 Cor. 10 17. sprinkling their consciences and making their hearts pure and they feed spiritually upon Christ himself eat all of that one bread and partake all of that one spirit in him So as to be really and inwardly though mystically and spiritually one body being baptized into it by the Holy Ghost and made meet for the inheritance as well as outwardly baptized and outwardly eating the Memorials of Christ as the outward Regiment more generally do 3. There is also beyond both these a third step
secret purposes and intentions in Christ But will you say all Infants belong to it Object 7 then the Infans of Turks and Heathens may be admitted into it too To this what my answer is may be seen by what is said before Matth. 28.19 Answ I wish that since God hath enlarged his Kingdom and Grace to us Gentiles and that we have put on the Name of Christians we have not forgot our selves or rather the grace of God that admitted us and put on the Jewish Pharasaical principles to count the Indians and Turks as common and unclean as their Pharasees counted us Surely so far as God hath cleansed we ought not to account common Yea God hath shewed us that we ought not to call any man common or unclean that is As the Son of God Christ Jesus died for all and risen again that they that live should live to him and as God hath to that end also made him Lord of all and hath given all Nations to him even the utmost ends of the earth for his possession and hath given forth Commandment to publish in his Name glad tidings even the Gospel of his Kingdom to all and sent his servants in as much as in them lies to disciple all the Gentiles without exception baptizing them into his Name c. so bringing them into the obedience of his faith So did the whole world yeild to his gracious Proclamation they might be into his Kingdom received but such as refuse it refuse their own mercy and chusing to follow Satan do abide in his Kingdom and are out of Christs And their Infants are kept out with themselves not that they may not be discipled and brought into the Kingdom or as if the Kingdom was prohibited to them but because they are not brought or come not to it their parents and those that have the tuition of them hindring them and God for and by their refuseal lets them go and theirs with them and lye in the darkness of the world which they prefer before his Kingdom otherwise did even Turks or Indians yeild up their children to Christians to be brought up by them in the Christian way or did God by his providence bring any of them to be under their tuition they may yea ought to disciple them baptizing them and training them up in the instruction of the Lord notwithstanding that their Parents were or are Turks or Pagans Christs Kingdom is free for Infants to come into any Infants and those that come are to be entertained in it and not forbidden They do well that bring them to it to be made Disciples to Christ and they do evilly that prohibit them Object 8 By this then children of unbelievers as well as others may be admitted to Baptism But that your best Reformed Churches will not allow Answ It s not the inward reality of faith in the Parent that intitles his children to the Kingdom for of that here it is uncertain whether those that brought these children or that were Parents to them did believe with their hearts in him and were Disciples to him though its probable they were such as had an high esteem of him as a Prophet at least and so listened to his Doctrine But it s the grace of God in Christ to mankind that opens the Kingdom to them and gives liberty of admission into its outward Court to all that come to it and tells us Infants appertain to it also whence the Kingdom now gathers good and bad but the end of the world when the Net is drawn to the shore will put a difference Professed subjection to it is enough for our acting towards men of years For even such as but professed that were by the Apostles evidently admitted and that without staying to see the truth of that profession as is plain in Simon Magus and in those that were baptized in the same hour Act 16.33 that they heard the word first in or very presently upon it they and their houses for any that profess that themselves will as it may be charitably conceived be willing to bring up theirs in the same way with themselves Only this we are to mind that whom we admit we take in to be under Christs Regiment and to be trained up in his Name and so in his Fathers and Spirits in and with him otherwise we should not disciple baptizing them according to the Commission and therefore they that will not yeild their children up to that and endeavour it by themselves or yeild them up to the care and endeavour of such as will their children are deservedly to be refused in this business because they should not thereby be discipled or taken rightly into Christs Kingdom And yet herein the servants of God are to beware of rashness in judging mens intentions and ought seriously to admonish and instruct men even as John did the Pharisees and Sadduces that came to his Baptism And as the Apostle wishes those that profess themselves believers to bring up their children Ephes 6.4 When the Lord and King comes to take view of his Church he will separate the good from the bad in his baptizing and admitting into the more inward states of his Kingdom Gathering the wheat into his Garner and casting out the chaff into unquenchable burning But some object yet further Object 9 That Christ acted here as an extraordinary Prophet and so it was no work of ordinary Ministry nor rule for baptizing To which I answer 1. That it s said without preof Answ 1 or colour of proof Laying on hands and Praying was a work of Ministry yea of ordinary Ministry at least it was so in the institution of the Christian Church and therefore it is by the Apostle mentioned with other ordinary doctrines and practises Heb. 6.1 2 3. 2. The rule and ground of baptizing must come to us and hath done so from the great Prophet of the Church Jesus Christ and is to be searched for in his words and actions All that he did and said were the deeds and sayings of an extraordinary Prophet yea in his Ministration he acted and spake usually as an extraordinary one and yet in those his doings and sayings lie all the grounds of our Religion 3. We do not so much look upon and urge his action though that a so is considerable and testifies his good will to children as at his Doctrine and Instruction left for us upon that action as we said before But it s said further Object 10 That this place rather affords ground for Episcopal Confirmation then for Baptism Answ If for Episcopal Confirmation then for Baptism much more as presupposed for laying on of hands with prayer used in confirmation was evidently a customary Observation of the ancient Ordinance or Custom of laying on hands on persons baptized And we read not of laying on hands with prayers and blessings upon any but fore-baptized ones in the Church of Christ as instituted upon his Ascension If then it warrant
in justifying sanctifying owning peculiarly and absolutely as his people and making out himself to them as their God to eternal life 2. Such as were brought under the tenders of the Covenant with whom God was dealing and whom he was instructing to hear and listen to him and so conditionally holding forth the Covenant to them but not overcome as yet to be of his spiritual Seed to believe and walk in faith as Abraham did Yet to them he granted the liberty of his Ordinances and the Instructions held forth therein and therewith and such a dispensation of his presence and operation of his Spirit with them as in yeilding to which and following on after him therein they might be brought to the true Circumcision of heart in the spiritual knowledge of God and so to be of that spiritual Seed with much patience and goodness towards them with protection and defence of them against those who for their profession sake would harm them Psalm 81.9 10 11 Isai 48.17 18. and 5.3 4 5. The latter of these many of them not being by the operations of the Spirit vouchsafed brought to believe and to be circumcised in heart but contenting themselves with an outward profession after many rebellions of themselves and Fore-fathers were broken off from those ordinantial priviledges and operations and protection of God therewith afforded them and so from the way and means of participating of that juice and sweetness peculiar to the spiritual Seed much more from the enjoyment of those things themselves As many of them in their particular persons had been before-time more secretly and indiscernably for their miscarryings in the receipt of and subjection to the Doctrine held forth from Abraham and in his house broken off from liberty to the former who yet possibly might continue in the external profession and society of the Church owned by God unto their deaths so now after many desires to gather them and after their many resistings of the Holy Ghost the generality of them or the greatest part of their present springing branches with multitudes of their dependant twigs that is their posterity were broken off and unbodyed from the latter also his servants with their message being sent from them to whom God used formerly to send his Prophets to the Gentiles and not only the promises held forth to them but the church-form-Church-form-state and priviledges delivered to them And this is to be minded that the thing most evidently spoken to in this business of breaking off and graffing in is that church-Church-state which is more visible and outward with that presence and operation of Spirit that is suited thereto and not as some say The invisible state of the highest favour by election for that those broken off never had nor could those graffed in been in possibility to have lost as is intimated in that expression If thou that art grafted in dost not continue in his goodness thou shalt also be broken off But doth not that distinction of Branches that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object and others graffed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural and contrary to nature imply that there is a difference put between Jews and Gentiles as to their childrens having right of branchship the Jews were under the Covenant as they sprang up naturally from Abraham but the Gentiles only by election and inward gracious implanting by faith and spirit into Christ otherwise believing Gentiles children should be natural branches too Answ 1 The Covenant-state which the Jews naturally sprung up under was not that election to eternal life for to that only spiritual-birth intituled them they being in that regard by nature children of wrath as well as others and therefore concerning that the distinction into natural and preter-natural is not made 2. It s true that no Gentile or his children hath so immediate right by nature to branchship in this root as Abraham's natural Seed had No Gentile is of this tree or stock but by insition nor ever was in the times before Christ which insition is not tyed up to election and an inward gracious implanting there-from springing as the Objection sayes for as to the branchship in Church-state the Jews rather had that by election then any other people they being in that respect called an Elect people Deut. 7.6 7 8. and 10.15 And as for the eternal Covenant-state none are more or less naturally in that then other it being meerly by grace in which there is no room for fear lest they be broken off if the Doctrine of Election be not mainly mistaken It s plain that that which the one were broken off from the other were graffed in into and that from that there is supposed a possibility of some of those graffed ones to be broken again and its plain that unto that branchship in standing in actual and visible fellowship with Abraham in the institution and profession of the faith delivered to him as to its substance and so to the external Church-state and priviledges some came according to nature as born of him and brought up from their beginning therein as out of the true Olive spring naturally many branches that never were brought from other whereunto it though even of those branches all may not prove fruitful and so many be lopt and cut off and others by natural growth or birth spring not out of that root and stock but are taken out of other wild Olives and are implanted into this fellowship and thereby have union with and partake of the sap of the root Now those twigs which naturally shoot up from these latter are also in the same root with them from which they spring by vertue of their insition into it till some way broken off though neither they nor their branches from which they spring are originally natural branches to the root but branches by insition which this root naturally and originally did not produce And so in all ages the Gentiles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ingraffed preter-naturally When a man became a Proselyte he became of that stock by faith by first believing the Doctrine either really or professedly and so by insition or adoption into that society or tree and by vertue of that insition all his children that sprung up from him while in that Stock or Church-fellowship at least became branches of it too but yet inasmuch as they sprung naturally from an ingraffed branch and not from the natural they were originally ingraffed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have it naturally to be branches of that ingraffed branch and so they should have been had it stood in the wild Olive and never been translocated but they have it not by nature to be branches of this tree and such or so disposed as now that they have by vertue of their being twigs or branches of an insition between which and the natural branches as to right of participation of the juice and fatness of the root there is now no more difference Thus it was with the Gentile
prayers and blessings of the Church of God put up for all of it which otherwise they should share in we deny them much so far as lies in our power to deny or grant to them But it s said again 2. That Tertulliaen an Ancienter Writer who was in Cyprians account his Master argues rather for delaying Baptism except in case of necessity till they come to riper years To that I answer 1. That Tertullian and after him Nazianzen doth so indeed but then it s to be minded that they neither deny Infant-baptism to have been practised in the Church in and before their times or in the Apostles times Nor 2. That its lawful to be practised for in case of necessity they both allow it Yea it s to be noteds 2. That it was practised in those more ancient times even within 140 years after Christ without any known beginning for Tertullians arguing for their delaying their Baptism implies as plainly that there was then an use to baptize them as in far latter times Barnards noting some to have denied Infant-baptism proves That there were Antipedobaptists in those latter Ages in or before Bernard's time yea it s to be noted also Non minori de causa innupti quoque procrastinandi in quibus tentatio per parata est tam virginibus per maturitatem quam viduis pervagationem donec aut nubant aut continentia corroborentur Tex de Bapt. 3. That by the same reason we may as well deny Baptism to young men unmarried and widdows though they profess faith in Christ for even their delaying Baptism too till either they be married or are confirmed in chastity that is in a resolution of a single life the same Tertullian endeavours to perswade in the same place And indeed there is as little positive mention of young unmarried persons being baptized though of twenty years of age or upward that were not single all their lives after it at least as there is of Infans being baptized and yet I think no Antipedobaptists in the world will deny that such unmarried persons though not resolved against marriage may lawfully be baptized It s no rare thing to find the ancient Writers regarding some reasonings of their own to grow superstitious in delaying or denying Gods Ordinances as is evident again in Tertullian denying the lawfulness of second marriages and what other but superstition was Constantines and others putting off Baptism till towards their end Sure we can find no one Scripture instance for putting off persons that come to be baptized till a greater knowledge attained or more exact walking testified or the like That practise rather sprung from a conceit that Baptism cleared them of all their sins and so they thought it good wisdom to act out what sins they had a mind to act or thought they should act before Baptism rather then after and so they deferred Baptism the longer Besides we may note 4. That Tertullian is as weak to the full in his arguing against Infant-baptism as any in arguing for it For 1. He takes for granted That that Speech of Christ to his Disciples Suffer little children to come to me speaks of coming to Baptism But answers it thus Viniat dum adolescant c. Let them come when they are grown up let them be made Christians when they can know Christ Were not these or some such like the thoughts of the Disciples with whom Christ was offended And can that be the meaning of Christ when he rebuked them for not letting them come at the present when as yet they were not grown up and when he in their very Infancy blessed them and said Of such is the Kingdom But would Tertullian indeed have them come then when they are grown up No they must stay a little longer too till they be married or setled in their resolution of chastity And whereas he says further Why should innocent Age hasten to the remission of their sins It appears he thought that Baptism gave remission as well as they that reasoned for it And indeed that being granted his reasoning must needs be the worse of the two for he speaks as if they were so innocent as that they needed no remission whereas the truth is They also are by nature so polluted with sin and under the guilt of it as that they also need washing and remission or else they cannot be partakers of eternal salvation This seems to savour rather of the fore-mentioned ground for their delaying Baptism till they have committed many sins that so therein they might receive the forgiveness of them all together and not with the Scripture-grounds of Baptisme Though that God doth hold forth to men the forgiveness of their sins in Christ and seals or testifies it in Baptism I believe viz. That they submitting to his Government by Christ for the future shall have remission of what is past yea by believing in him shall meet with eternal salvation And the Church so receiving remits all that was past reckoning them no longer as in the unbaptized state in the world but as Subjects unto Christ till after-follies appearing bring them under new censures The practise we find then without any known beginning in Ecclesiastical Record but the warrantableness of that practise we must have in the Scriptures Now what warrant there is for it in the Scriptures I have before shewed To which I know not what more can be added except we should take in that Prophecy too that speaks of the Gentiles bringing in children to the Church of God on their shoulders and in their arms Isai 49.22 Which why it may not be as literally to be verified as the 23d That Kings shall be their nursing Fathers and Queens their nursing Mothers I think is hard to shew Except we will jurare in verba take this or that mans bare saying it s otherwise for sufficient proof of it Christ being a child born to the Jews and born in Bethlehem-Judah and his coming meekly riding on an Ass his being pierced in his hands and feet their giving him vinegar to drink and parting his garments and for his vestment casting lots all these with many other passages had their literal fulfilling and why this may not be so understood too is not sufficiently proved by those that deny it But as of it self it hath not cleanness enough in it to satisfie an inquisitive heart in the point in hand so is the very Commission for discipling and baptizing so full and general in its expression and other considerations before laid down seem to be so convincing as that there may be no further need of it and therefore I shall pass it and come to the last point objected or to be considered viz. 3. The Form of baptizing in water what it is whether dipping plunging or washing with water Concerning which I consider 1. That there is no express command tying us to any of them or expressing whether the whole body or some part or what part is