of the Church yet he hath given my Seed a better mercy both my self and my children if they could speak would say We would not be under Abraham 's Covenant with our Parents nor Church-Members with our Parents as we were before Christ came for Christ hath left us Infants a better Blessing in the room As it was a great favour to the Israelites that God gave his Oracles to them Psalm 147.19 28. That God was in Covenant with them Ephes 2.12 But God will null that Covenant Heb. 8.13 It shall vanish away But God will make another Covenant new a better Covenant having better Promises in the room of that old vanishing Covenant So that if Israels eyes be opened they would say they would by no means be under the old Covenant this new is so much better Thus let the Anabaptists tell us what God hath left better for the Infant-Seed of a Jew now believing in Christ that now it would not be Church-member with the Parents nor under Abraham's Covenant nor would now be baptized as before Christ they were circumcised For my part I can conceive nothing keep to the state of the Question 9. There is so much evil in this Doctrine and Practice of the Anabaptists that we must have clearer Scriptures than ever were produced as yet to prove it and clear it from that evil As 1. For the blessed God How doth 〈◊〉 dishonour him in straitning his Love and Grace now under the Gospel over it was under the Law Moses tells the Jews Deut. 4.37 The Lord loved thy Fathers Chap. 7.8 chap. 33.3 So it appears that he would not only take the Fathers but their Children also into Covenant and constitute his Church of them also But now whatever the Gospel saith of the Philanthropie of God Tit. 3.4 and God so loving the world Joh. 16.3 when that Seed promised to Abraham is come in whom all Nations shall be blessed he nulls the Covenant with his Seed cast them out of the Church and leaves no blessing for their Infants when their Parents believe in the promised Seed come Before the Lord calls the little children under the Covenant and in the Church Mine Ezek. 16.20 21. But now the Jews believe in Christ God calls none of their Children Mine though now they do more gladly bear them unto him than they did before 2ly It dishonours Christ He took upon him indeed the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 and turned the Seed of Abraham out of the Covenant and out of the Church if the Anabaptists Doctrine be true Though he seemed to have an affection to Children and was much displeased with his Disciples when they rebuked the Parents when they came to seek his blessing for their Babes Mark 10. 13 14. and bad them bring their children to him and told them of such is the Kingdom of Heaven If our sweet Lord meant as he spake and we believe he did then they are still Members of the Church he doth not shut the Door against them now he is come But the Anabaptists tell us a contrary Tale to the dishonour of our blessed Saviour When the believing Jews now carry their children to Christ Dedicate them to him with earnest Prayer in Baptism and ingage to bring them up for him the Anabaptists forbid them and tell them the Kingdom of Heaven doth not consist of such little Ones Per absurdum vero est ut per Messiae adventum imminutum sit foedus sanctu Vossius Gen. 17.7 That the blessed and blessing Messia by his coming should null the Covenant with Abraham it is not only absurd but very absurd a great reproach is cast upon Christ Doctor Thomas Goodwin pleading the Infant 's case against the Anabaptists saith In a manner half the Church of God the purest part of it Elect Infants die in their bud and infancy and grow not up to partake of the dews and influence of any other outward Ordinance and were they deprived of this i.e. Baptism should go out of this world into which God only sent them to receive that which should make them meet for the common Inheritance of the Saints without any outward owning them or visible way of blessing from him c. yea and the other half that grow up to glorifie God in their riper years whereof many also are holy from the Womb these also should during their years of nonage want an outward badg and any outward acknowledgment of what they are even Fellow-heirs of the Kingdom with their Brethren which even in the Infancy of the World whilst all were under Tutors and Governours was their priviledge Thus this Gospel-Divine speaks and that to the purpose 3ly As to Parents be they never so godly what grief must it needs be to them if their children die out of the Covenant and visible Church what hopes can they have of their Salvation more than an Indian hath of his being both in the same state An Indian-child may be Elected as well as a sound Believer 2ly nor can a believing Parent pray for his children upon any grounds more than an Indian the Covenant and Promisies scattered in the World to the Godly and their Seed they cannot plead upon them 3ly Whereas the Covenant and the Engagement of the children to God in Baptism is the Infant 's Circumcision might be Arguments to whet upon their children and encourage them now no such Arguments are in date 4ly The Jews before Christ came in the day of their circumcising their Infants did use to give thanks to God and bless him for Abraham's Covenant and his Ordinance of Circumcision the Seal of his Covenant but when the Jews believe Christ's come now Thanksgiving and blessing of God cease for the Govenant is nulled children cast out of the Church 4ly As for the Children of believing Parents if they come to years of discretion and God bless Parents instructions so as to keep Conscience awake though they play the wretches and have cause to be humbled all their days yet I say if Conscience be kept awake and God begin to open their Eyes more and make them in earnest to mind the Salvation of their Souls then they will understand what a wretched Doctrine this Doctrine of the Anabaptists is by denying that to them by which they may take hold of God in the time of their fears Quare patet non prorsus vanum esse atque inane ex pio genere nasci saith Peter Martyn Hoc Com. p. 8. It is not a vain empty thing to be born of godly Parents this is true which he saith Here tho' it was far from my thoughts to speak much less to write what benefit I have experimentally found from a Parental-Covenant and Infant-Baptism yet because the Lord's Providence hath engaged me in this Controversie which I never intended and because it may be a help to others Children of good Parents I shall declare God blessed my godly Parents Education of me to keep my Conscience awake as
nor now do our Women put on a Shirt or any thing upon the Infant and then wash it but they apply the Water immediately to the Body I am sure it should be so in Baptism Vossius gives us large Testimonies out of Antient Writers how that Men Women and Children in those Countries were all Baptised De Baptis p. 350. I wonder the Anabaptists should be so angry with Mr. Baxter because he saith they Baptise naked the Women only had a little covering before them yea they had a Mystery in the pulling off their Clothes to shew their pulling off the Old Man some where I have read after their Dipping they were Annointed When a tumult arose in the City about Chrysolstom how the Women that were about Baptising ran away naked with other things there we may read Certainly God's Institutions are such that we may Celebrate them at Noon-day before all Men let them be Spectators and if this must be the way let them Baptise for me and Annoint too if they please So that Modesty and Life be preserved I am of Cyrian's and Austin's mind in this Point who left it indifferent so you do not absolutely tye us up to one and deny all Baptism by Dipping Cypr. 249. Aust 10.3 p. 207. Other Divines have answered this more fully and therefore I break off Here a Question falls in which I never did so much as think of till now I say Mr. Mode That Water in Baptism he saith hath no respect to the blood of Christ that it doth concur in the Mystery by way of efficacy and merit he grants but not as the thing there figured for that is the Spirit This may help as to the manner of Baptising I thought both Spirit and Blood he denies the latter and saith the Church of England doth so also as he thinks The Question is new to me I shall hardly propound my thoughts 1. If cleansing of the Soul from Sin be the thing Baptism holds out then what doth primacily properly and effectually cleanse is there signifyed but the Antecedent is true Cleansing is as much given to the Blood of Christ as to the Spirit 1 Joh. 1.7 Apoc. 1.5 Hebr. 9.14.22 Almost all things were purged by Blood 2ly We read three times Mark 1.4 Luke 3.3 Acts 2.38 that Remission of Sins is signifyed and Sealed in Baptism but how can this be if there is no respect to his Blood in Baptism Without Blood there is no Remission Heb. 9.22 Why is it called Baptism for remission of sins 3ly Why are we said in Baptism to have Communion with Christ in his Death and buryed with him in Baptism Rom. 6.3 It should rather be said buryed with the Spirit if the Spirit only be signifyed Doth not the Death of Christ comprehend in it the effusion of his Blood 4ly It is certain that in the Types of the Old Testament by Water the blood of Christ was signifyed Numb 19.9 The Water is said to be a Purification for Sin In the Hebrew it's a Sin the word often used for a Sin Offering the Dutch render it It is an Expiation Have not that Fountain Zech. 13.1 set open a respect to the blood of Jesus all the Interpreters I see respect both his Blood and Spirit Why not then so in Baptism 5ly As we are filthy are we not as guilty Is there nothing in the Ordinance to respect our guilt then it were sad yea guilt being upon us can God give out the blessing of Regeneration to us till in order his justice be first satisfied though Regeneration and Pardon are simul tempore To say it concurrs by way of efficacy and merit so it doth in any Ordinance to make it effectual But Remission of Sins being in a special manner sealed up in this Ordinance which is only by Christs Blood methinks the Element should have a respect to his Blood The utter Abolition of Sin both guilt and power is given to the Blood of Christ alone but taking away guilt is not given to the Spirit 6ly Out of the side of our Blessed Lord when he was pierced came Blood and Water Joh. 19.34 There is our Pardon and Sanctification If both these be signified in our Baptism why is not that Blood and Water of his signifyed in this Water in Baptism Hence Alcinus's Baptism was signified in the passion of Christ by the Water and Blood which came from his side Several Verses he hath upon it Cent. 6. p. 112. In That Tract which go under Cyprian's Name Baptizabantur in nube mari Hebraei jam Spiritu sancto sanguine Christi mundatur a peccatis populus Dei De Resur Chri. Hence Ambrose speaking of Baptism Ideoqque legisti quod tres Testes in Baptismate unum sunt aqua sanguis spiritusqui si unum horum detrahas non stat Baptismatis Sacramentum quid enim est aqua sine cruce Christi Deris qui c. 4. Hence Luther Baptizari nihil aliud est quum reseo illo precioso sanguine Christi lanari mundari Res significata in Baptismo est sanguis Christi Walaeu to 1. p. 84. I could produce more Authors The Application of the Blood of Christ and the renewing of the Spirit without both which our State cannot be happy I think may both be signified and these either by Dipping or powering of Water The sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus set out of old by the Ceremonial sprinkling is a famous Sentence in the Gospel Heb. 12.24 and 1 Pet. 1.2 so the powering out of the Spirit Tit. 3.5 6. Ezek. 36.25 Isa 52.15 Joel 2.28 29. Prov. 1.23 The Abolishing of Sin is the end of all Lord what a do is here before we can be delivered from the misery we have brought ourselves into what an Evil is Sin now this is not set down one way but several waies in Scripture sometimes by mortification or the Death of Sin Dipping sets out that Buried with Christ sometimes by cleansing and by purging Heb. 9.14 1 Jo. 1.9 Apoc. 1.5 But the grave do not represent that we do not use to purge and cleanse by Burying but this we do by powring Water upon our Hands upon Rooms Tables c. we can cleanse that way purge me with Hyssop Psal 51.7 How was that Levit. 14.6 7. Numb 19.18 not by Dipping Whither then you Dip or pour Water Here is 1. The same Sign or Element 2ly Here is the same thing signified the Spirit and Blood of Christ 3ly The same end aimed at the taking away or purgeing of Sin nor did I ever contend with any Man about Dipping but to deny all Baptism unless by Dipping and so set up Rebaptising and to administer Baptism only to Adult persons excluding all the Children of Believing Parents This I could never yield to To conclude though I was moved to publish my Notes by some Friends yet had I not received this Challenge for so I may call it by this Letter I think I should never have done it because I knew Men far more able than my self had done more service than I could do in the Controversie I wish the Anabaptists before they had Condemned and wrote against Infant-baptism had well studyed and well improved their Parental and Infant-baptismal Covenant followed God close for the benefits and waited though they found temptations and did not meet with all they would and reproved others for neglecting and vigorously stirred up people to the serious improvement of them Then had they done good service to Christ and his Church Whereas by the course they have taken they have increased our Divisions a thing deeply to be lamented which I shall never live to see healed I shall only desire the Anabaptists to give me answer to these two Questions clearly from Scripture Quest 1. Since God was so Gracious to make a Covenant with Abraham and his Seed and it did then consist with his Wisdom to Constitute his Church of Parents and Children while the Parents did believe in the Messiah to come why may it not consist with his Grace to continue that Covenant and with his Wisdom still to Constitute his Gospel-Church of Parents and Children the Jews now believing in Christ come If God hath plainly declared his pleasure to the contrary tell us where and we are satisfied but you must produce other Scriptures then you have done yet Quest 2. If God hath repealed his Covenant with the Believing Jews Seed turned their Children out of the Church and deny them Baptism though the Jews truly Believe in Christ come what hath God left in the room of these that carry any shew of his Blessing or good Will towards their Children during their Infant State As to their Internall and Eternal State the Infants were in as good a State then as now Christ is Yesterday to Day and the same for ever the Lamb slain for the Foundation of the World Apoc. 13.8 But as to their visible State how come they to be in the same condition that we Gentiles and our Children were in Ephes 2.12 Before Christ came and we believed in him I state the Question concerning the Jews Believing in Christ come As for the Believing Gentiles I shall let them alone till I see how you prove the casting out of the Seed of the Believing Jews FINIS
Christ obliging all that professed Faith in him to practise to hear what he would say to them judging it a silly act in him to come to oppose me in Infant-Baptism who had renounced Water-Baptism altogether but that day which he said he would come he did not About three Weeks after he did and this was all he had against me what concerned others I regard not Where did Christ give command to Baptise Infants To this I had spoken several times before that this was no New thing to the Congregation There was no such express command in those words I granted but there was a command to Baptise Infants implyed included in that command of Christ to his Apostles to Baptise Disciples Matth. 28.19 I framed my Argument but the Man could not tell which Proposition to deny but after some words little to the purpose civilly departed They who desire the Reformation of the Church do not say every thing must be expresly set down in Scripture but if it be contained in the Scripture and by necessary consequence deducted from thence we are bound to believe or practise it Our Lord taught us this in proving the Resurrection against the Sadduces A Point of infinite more consequence then the Baptising of an Infant For if there be no Resurrection to what purpose is our Religion But according to the Anabaptists Argument that Call for an express command to baptise Infants and therefore reject it our Lord did not prove the Resurrection I will personate a Sadduce and take their Argument the Question is Shall there be a Resurrection of the Dead The Sadduce denies it our Lord affirms it and proves it from Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham c. Matth. 22.29.31 v. But what is this to the proof of the Question Doth God say expresly to Moses there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead if so then we will believe it else not Thus the Anabaptist Doth Christ expresly command the Apostles to Baâ—tise Infants then we will Practise it else we Condemn it But tho' God did not expresly say there shall be a Resurrection yet he said that which by necessary Consequence will force it For tho' Jacob who died last of the three had been dead two hundred years when God spake those words yet he saith he is their God but he is not the God of the dead but of the living Mark 12.28 The people said He answer'd them well and 22 Matth. 33. They were astonished at it Yet I may say the necessity of this Consequence from that Antecedent is nothing so obvious and clear to many even good Christians as the Consequence of Infants of Believing-Parents being under Abrahams Covenant and Church-Members with their Parents But what mischief this Principle and Practice hath done and how it hath served the Devils Design we are sad Witnesses Fourthly Tho' I do not put so much stress upon this because the Argument of the Anabaptist cast out all the Posterity of the soundest Believers and holy Men as well as the most wicked out of the Church yet I believe this hath helped on with the rest to see what ignorant and debauched persons because it is the Mode of the Nation require Baptism for their Children and it is Administred to them The Anabaptists Principle is That Regenerate Persons are the only Subject of Baptism but how far is this Practice from their Principle This doth a little confirm me in it because that Man whom I mentioned in my first Page with whom we held Communion when those who are esteemed godly and he did think so had Children to be baptized he desired he might know it and would be present at the Administration though he was not clear for Infant-Baptism This I will say I had rather baptize the Children of some Heathen than of many who are called Christians their Ignorance is not more nor Conversations worse and yet these Christians have lived long under Gospel-light Had they but the knowledge required in the Catechism in the Common-Prayer-book and Conversations as civil as some Indians I have known it were tolerable but when men are asked Quest What is God Ans A good old man Qu. What is Jesus Christ Ans A courteous young Gentleman Quest How many Gods are there Ans Ten. Qu. How many Commandments are there Ans Two Qu. Which is the first Ans Salvation What the second was he forgot that stood by and shewed the three last Questions the first two were another person 's and professed to my Father-in-law when he came to have his Child baptized That he answered him as well as he could For want of Catechising and good Discipline in Church and State Into what a miserable condition is this Nation fallen That this hath helped on among these who are godly Anabaptists I do not much doubt Fifthly I cannot exclude the holy and just government of God When people come to be glutted with the precious Gospel-truths the life of a Christian these are stale and common new things would be welcome I doubt not to say God may permit some of his own dear people to fall into some Errour which in them he overlooks and pardons when others shall take up that Errour and bear up themselves in it because such godly men were of that Opinion and that Errour to them shall be an inlet to other Errours and so fall from one to another filling their heads with notions and spending time in dispute about slight matters and ruine their Souls at last I thought it was a smart and terrible speech of Tertullian Nec periclitor dicere c. Nor do I think it any danger to say The very Scriptures themselves to be so ordered or disposed by the will of God that they should minister matter to Hereticks when I read there must be Heresie 1 Cor. 11.19 which without the Scriptures could not be De prescrip adv Haeret. p. 86. And here I cannot but observe the judgment of God I can call it no other That two great Corporations I know where there were great Assemblies of Anabaptists It is the same in many other places in England the greatest number of them turned Quakers the Anabaptists Society dwindle almost to nothing Thus they who threw off Infant-Baptism throw off the Ordinance of Baptism it self the Lord's Supper and the great Gospel-truth setting up Self and a Heathenish morality being now fallen into the Mare mortuum from which few or none return Sixthly Another thing which hath prevailed to draw away some honest meaning persons not able to judge have been the great stress and absolute necessity the Anabaptists put upon Baptism and their Baptism for so they style themselves the Baptized Congregations and none baptized but themselves which strikes divers good Christians with fear and what great good things they may expect who do come into their way being Rebaptized from Mark 16. This Text Peter de Bruis a Waldensian in great esteem with my Author for his judgment against