for they grant that no children save only beleevers Children are in the Covenant or have right to baptisme then most of themselves had no right to baptisme then most of themselves had no right to baptisme their Parents by their own acknowledgement being ungodly whence it will follow that they themselves being baptized in their Infancy had not the baptisme of Christ and so by consequence are yet unbaptized persons thus is their own baptisme clearely made voyd even from their own grounds and how then can their children be now baptised in the right of such Parents who are yet unbaptised themselves But the grounds which SEPARATISTS and others do urge for the baptising of INFANTS shall be further examined and answered if God will in another Treatise And if any shall thinke it strange and unlikely that all the godâ—iest Divines and best Churches should be thus deceived in this point of baptisme for so many yeares together Let them consider that all Christendome except here and there one or some few or no considerable number was swallowed up in grosse Popery for many hundred yeares before Luthers time which was not untill about 100 yeares agone Let them also consider how long the whole nations of England and Scotland have bin deceived in the point of the Hierarchy untill of late and yet they now for the most part do see it to be Antichristian and abominable and why may they not like wise be deceived in this point of the Baptisme of Infants especially seeing that the Hierarchy hath asmuch warrant from Scripture as this and the Baptisme of Infants as little as that Yea and much lesse in the judgement of Bishop Hall who Episc Jure divino par 2. p. 127. in this point expresses himselfe in these words viz. Jam for my part so confident of the Divine Institution of the Majority of Bishops above Presbyters that I dare boldly say that there are waighty points of faith which have not so strong evidence in holy Scripture and then he instanceth in two particulars The power by sacred orders given to the Ministers alone for the Consecration and distribution of the holy Eucharist and the receiving of Infants to holy Baptisme which saith he is a matter of so high consequence that wee justly brand the Catabaptists with Heresie for denying it yet let me with good assurance say that the evidences of this truth come farre short of that which the Scriptures have afforded us for the superiority of some Church Governors over those who otherwise indeed in a sole respect of their Ministeriall Function are equall and then he shuts up the point in these very words vizâ— He therefore that would upon pretence of want of Scriptures quarrell at the Divine institution of Bishops might with much better colour cavell at these blessed Ordinances of God And after in an other booke he challengeth his opposites to try their skill by entring into a serious contestation with Answ to Smectymnuus pa. 98. him to see if they could produce more clearer evidence from Scripture for the Baptizing of Infants then he could for the Hierarchie which challenge of his may easily be maintained for indeed and in truth the Scripture ownes neither of them And as one of note not long since in defence of the Hierarthy c. alledging altogether hymane authority and being urged by me either to make good his position by Scripture or else to say nothing â—e replyed to me thus If you will beleeve nothing in Religion but what may be proved by Scripture then must you renounce your Christendome and turne Turke for you cannot prove your own Baptisme not the baptisme of Infants by Scripture wherein the man spake nothing but reason for if I will beleeve one point in Divinity upon the authority of mâ—n or tradition of the Church why not another and another and so to multiply them beyond number upon one and the same reason and authority 3. And let them likewise consider that there is no marvaile at all in this seeing there is nothing nor more herein then was foretold by the Spirit of God should come to passe in the world vizt That men should depart from the Faith and give heed to the Spirit of error 2 Thessa 2. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 1. That all the world should wonder follow after and worship the Beast Rev. 13. 3. 4. 15 16. And that the Inhabitants of the earth should be made drunke with the wine of the fornication of the whore Rev. 17. 2. And in no place it is told us of any one Nation that should cleave to the truth before the calling of the Iewes but that untill then this only was and is to be looked for that all that will live Godly in Jesus Christ must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. be brought before Kings and Rulers yea to the losse of their liberties and lives for his cause and truth Mat. 10. 17 18. 24 9. And that all the rise of all our glory and happinesse in the world to come is from our being made conformable to him in his death and sufferings in this world Mat. 5. 11 1â— Lu 6. 22 23. Phil. 3 10. 2 Tim. 2. 12. And if any shall thinke that any of the Expressions concerning the Ministry in this Treatise be too harsh seeing many in that Office are Godly and worthy men 1. Let them know that I esteeme not lesse of divers of them their worth and honesty being well known to me yet never the lesse the Office and ministry which these men have is no whit the truer for their worth or honesty for the honesty of a man in a false Office cannot make the Office any truer or lawfuller then it is in it selfe 2. Let them also consider that I speake not against any goodnesse in any man but against the evill and against the unlawfulnesse of the Office wherein he is for this being derived from one and the same power in one and the same manner to one and the same end unto them all must needs be one and the same Office and no better or lawfuller then the power from whence it is derived for no man can convey unto another any better or truer right or power then he hath in himselfe besides if I should speake evill of the vertues of any man in that Office for that Office sake I should then be as foolishly ignorant and as liable to the curse of God as he is that speakes good of that Office being evill for the goodnesse or sake of the man in that office for both these are abhominable and alike accursed in the sight of God Isa 5. 12. 3. Let them likewise consider that if the Godliest and best Minister upon Earth were made Arch Bishop of Canterbury or Yorke yet that Office would still be the same and as bad as before and in some respects far worse then if a worse man had it for an evill Office gets credit by the goodnesse of the man in it and thereby deceives and keepes the people in blindnesse and error the more and puts them the further off from seeing their sinfulnesse in submitting to it And hence is the proverbe verified viz. The better the man the worse the Bishop the very same is the case of the Ministry and Priesthood here treated of Jer. 23 11. Both Prophet and Prlest do wickedly yea in my House have I found their wickednesse saith the Lord. Jer. 5. 31. The Prophets prophecy lies and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so 2 Thess 2. 11. 12. Wherefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies that they all might be damned who beleeve not the truth FINIS ERRATA PAg 8. line 23 for apecteathesan read apectanthesan and for romiraja read romphaja and line 35. for ebaaptisthe read ebaptisthe
De Triâ— Eloh Lib. 7. c. 1. effect of the Holy Ghost upon the waters which Moses describeth Gen. 1. to be a resemblance of that which the Holy Ghost performeth in the water of Baptisme for as there he rested upon those waters that he might cherish and prepare them for the producing of living creatures and for the Generation of all things So the Holy Ghost sits upon the waters of Baptisme and sits as it were abrood upon them and blesseth them and thence doth cherish regenerate and animate the Elect c. PETER MARTYR In Infants who by reason of their Loc. com â—â—as 4 Cap. 8. Sect. 2. tender yeares cannot beleeve the Holy Ghost supplieth the roome of Faith AUGUSTINE cited by Bishop JEVVELL Def. ch 11. saith Infants have Faith of their own because they have Baptisme the Sacrament of Faith For saith he as the Sacrament of Christs Body after a certaine manner of Speech is Christs body so Baptisme is Faith because it is the Sacrament of Faith Dr. WHITAKER Infants are purged by the Spirit Treatise of the Sacraments seeing they are in the Church and of the Church Christ sanctifieth his Church The end for which Infants are Baptized in the Church of England is to regenerate them and that they may be borne a new and accordingly it is concluded in the Catechisme and confirmed by all these Authors and divers others well knowne to our Ministers the maintainers of this doctrine That in Baptisme they receive the Holy Spirit that they are regenerate and borne a new that they are made the members of Christ the childâ—en of God and heires of the Kingdome of Heaven In answere to all which I shall say nothing but only reason this with some other of their own principles and practise and thereby I doubt not but it will appeare to all how unfaithfully they have and do delude the Nations in this particular They are regenerate and borne againe in Baptisme they are then made the members of Christ the Children of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven Why then they are all saved No not so for the Ministers twenty yeares after if the Children live so long preach Râ—generation Repentance and conversion to them and tell them that they must then be regenerate and borne againe or else they cannot enter into the Kingdome of God for without holynesse no man can see the Lord. Why but what needs this were they regenerate and borne againe in their Infancy when they were Baptized and must they yet be regenerate and born again the second time or have they lost their first generation new birth and of the children of God and members of Christ become the lâ—mbs of Satan and children of the Divell No not so neither for the Ministers of the Church of England both have will defend and maintain the Doctrin of perseverance in the Regenerate and members of Christ both against Pelagians Arminians and Papists or whosoever else shall oppose or question the same What then were they in their Baptisme regenerate and borne againe made the members of Christ and children of God c. and have they not nor can they not fall away from that estate and yet shall they not be saved will God lose his children or Christ his members doth not Christ say except a man be regenerate and borne againe he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 5. thereby assuring us that if a man be regenerate and borne againe he shall enâ—er into the Kingdome of Heaven Here now these these learned Divines are at as great a straight to defend their proposition and to avoyd the Arminians and others consequents that will necessarily follow thereupon as their predecessors the Priests and Elders were to justifie themselves in their rejecting of the counsell of God Luke 7. 30. When Christ demanded of them whether the Baptisme of Iohn was from heaven or of men Mat. 21 25. And therefore in all likelyhood they thus reason and debate the matter amongst themselves If we should say that Infants are not regenerate and borne againe in Baptisme then our adversaries the Anabaptists as we use to terme them will say that then our forme of Baptizing of Infants before laid down together with the Testimonies of our learned Fathers to whom both in this point and divers other we are more beholding then either to Christ himselfe or to any of his Apostles are nothing but meere conceits of mans foolish braine first invented to make all the world wonder after the Beast which otherwise never had nor possibly could have bin brought to passe besides this we our selves shall be found false witnesses of God and false Prophets to the people in pronouncing before God and them and bearing them in hand all the time of our raigne over them even unto this day that God hath regenerate and begotten againe their Infants in Baptisme when there is no such matter yea and how impudent and audacious shall we be judged to be in that we have solemly given thanks to God for regenerating their Infants in Baptisme requiring the people also to joyne with us therein exhorting them not to doubt but confidently beleeve the truth thereof If now we should acknowledge that they are not regenerate and borne againe therein Moreover if we should grant that Infants are not regenerate and born againe in Baptisme then it will follow that our Church hath a false constitution not being constituted of Christians beleevers Disciples Sonnes and Daughters of God but contrariwise of persons borne in sinne dead in trespasses and sinnes the children of wrath even of such persons as we declare Infants to be before we Baptize them and then our own definition of a true visible Church in the 19 Article where it is said that every true visible Church consisteth of beleeving men and women will rise up against us and declare us not to be the true Church of Christ Againe on the other side if we shall stand to it and maintaine that they are Regenerate and borne againe in Baptisme then first it will follow that the greatest part of our preaching might very well be spared for the whole Nation are regenerate and borne againe before we preach at all unto them namely in their Baptisme And also secondly it will follow that we convert none by our Ministry and then the Seale and marke of â—ur Ministry whereby we use to prove the same true against the Brownists will utterly faile us And thirdly we shall justly be impeached as abbettors of that Popish Tenet that Sacraments convey Grace Exopere operato by the worke done And last of all it will undeniably follow as the Arminians use strongly to inferre againstus from this ground That either the whole Nation is saved or that the Children of God and members of Christ persons regenerate and borne againe may finally fall away and be damned Now Sirs by this craft yee know we have our wealth Acts 19 25.
we must therefore of necessity here Sophisticate the matter by some distinction though never so absurd to bleere the eyes of the Nation and stop the Clamors of those that thus persue us to whom if we say nothing but let them alone in short time as it is said of the Samaritans Act. 8. 10. when Philip preached the Lord Jesus Christ unto them that all the people from the least unto the greatest will give eare unto them and then our Kingdom is at an end for which purpose some of them have improved their skill and thinking to silence the controversie as it is here stated thus to distinguish neither absolutly affirming that they are regenerate in Baptisme nor granting that they are not but that they are in the charity of the Church only so esteemed neither are any required to beleeve them to be regenerate as an Article of their Faith but in the judgement of charity In answere to which I desire them to informe me in the ground of this their charity for if it hath no ground in the word of God which is the rule of charity It cannot be termed charity but folly and presumption so to beleeve like unto that of the wicked who beleeve they shall have peace when as there is no peace to them Isa 48. 22. for hath God any where in his word spoken or Christ promised or the Apostles taught that hee will give his Spirit to Infants to regenerate them in Baptisme surely not a word no more then he hath said that he will destroy them in hell Therefore as it would be rash and censorious for any to judge they shall be damned in regard the Lord hath no where so declared so on the otherside it must needs be great folly madnesse and presumption for any to beleeve their Regeneration in Baptisme forasmuch as the Lord hath no where so promised Therefore for shame leave off this kinde of jugling and give glory to God in acknowledgeing the truth and then with me you will say It is no more the charity of your Church to beleeve thus but the presumption yea the craft and subtiltie of the Prelates and Priest hood of your Church for their bellies sake thus to delude and seduce the people But it after all this they shall object and say That Infants Object are elected and therefore may be Baptized To that I answere that all Infants are not elected and therfore Answ all Infants ought not to be Baptised But they will reply That in regard some Infants are elected Object and none can say that this or that particular Infant is not elected therefore Baptisme must be administred to all because we may not denie the elect their priviledges for feare of giving to others that which belongs not to them To this I answere That if it be a warrantable ground for Answ us to administer Baptisme to all Insants because that some particular Infants are elected then by the same reason it will follow That Baptisme may lawfully be administred to every man and woman in the world because amongst them also we may judge that some â—â—e elected But this contradicteth the order and rule of Christ laid downe in the commission Matth. 28. 19. where he saith Gâ—e teach all Nations and Baptise them and Mark 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is Baptised shall be saved first teach them that is make them Disciples or beleevers and then Baptise them and not before Therefore this reason brought for the Baptizing of all infants because that some infants are elected must be ranked amongst other of their Sophismes before detected 2. This being granted which is not true that Baptisme is to be administred upon the elect before they manifest faith then except we could know the elect from those that are not elected we ought to administer it to none at all for we may in noe case do evill that good may come thereon Rom 3. 8. Therefore whensoever the Lord commandeth us a duty or for biddeth us any evill he alwaies prescribeth unto us some rules that in the observation thereof we may answere â—im in what he requireth of us and never for want of instructions leaves us in such straites that we cannot obey him in one but of necessity we must offend him in the other And therefore we see when he commandeth us in Mat. 7. 15. to shun and beware of false Prophets he presently directeth us how to know them from his true Ministers whom hee requireth us very highly to love and esteeme 1 Thessa 5. 12 13. And so likewise doth he in point of Baptisme not only command the duty but also appoints the persons whom he would have Baptized Mat. 28. 19. else he would come farre short of Moses 〈…〉 faithfull in all Gods house Numb 12. 7. but Christ was as faithfull as Moses Heb. 3. 2. Therfore this objection which granteth that the Lord intendeth his Baptisme only for the elect and yet layeth an absolute necessitie to administer it to all others to whom he intendeth it not is most vaine and frivolous and therefore to be rejected of all And were it possible for us to know and distinguish the elect from the other as it is not yet I would faine see these profound Clarks make it appeare by the authority of the Scripture that they might lawfully upon that ground only administer Baptisme unto them I denie it utterly and affirme that its true faith only manifested and made knowne by confession with the mouth that gives the elect admission to Baptisme Act. 8. 37. Rom. 14. 23. And thus this objection is vanished away and so I shall proceed to the second particular The manner in which Baptisme is there administred 2. which is by sprinckling or casting a little water upon the head or face of the child Baptised wherein they shew themselves as contrary to Christ as in the former particular forasmuch as the institution of Christ requireth that the whole man be dipped all ever in water For the manner of the use of water in Baptisme must be either by infusion or by dipping But Iohn the Baptist or dipper according to the Dutch Version did use the water by putting the party in the water and not by infusing or sprinkling water upon the party as is proved Mat. 3 11. Ego men baptizâ— humas en hudati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I indeed Baptize you in water Mark 1. 8. ego men ebaptisa humas en hudatâ— I indeed have Baptized you in water also Iohn 1. 26. Acts 11. 16. All these poinâ— ouâ— a Baptisme in water but not a Baptisme with water Obj. But the word En doth somtimes signifie with as in Rev. 19 21. Kai Hoi Loipoâ— apecteathesan en teromiraia A. Never after this word Baptize which signifies to dip for if it should then it would be no sense to say dip with water Therefore either the word Baptizo must signify to sprinkle or else the word En must not
qualifications make a Minister as some vainely imagine but only makes him fit to be chosen into Office by the Church for if gifts or qualifications were a call to the Ministry then should Judges Counsellors Lawyers and others in the Land be reputed to be Ministers because many of these have abilities to be Ministers yet not called of God to be Ministers no more then an able Citizen is called to be the Major of the Citie by his abilities without his being lawfully chosen and placed into that Office by the Citizens and therefore qualification is no such inward call of God as is dreamt of for the call and choice of the Church of Christ by the authority given unto it by Christ is now the only ordinary true call of God to this Office and Ministry and yet not debarring the exercise of any other mans gifts either within or without the Church Object But some may object That surely these Ministers issued not from the Bishops for if they did then would they plead for their authority and not against it as most of our good Ministers now doe Answ Surely these issued from the Bishops for if they did not then would they have pleaded against their authority and not for it as most of our good Ministers did but two yeares agone and therefore seeing that their authority was unlawfull then as now and these Ministers the very same men and as learned wise and Godly then as now and the Gospell the same eternall and unchangeable Truth then as now whence then cometh this great change in these great Clerks but only from the change of the times as the reasonable motion doth informe us wherefore it is most reasonable for all men to be no longer deluded by relying and tying their Faith upon the judgements of these or any other men in the world nor upon ought else save only upon the naked truth of Gods word seene and apprehended by their own eyes and judgements and not by others nor to follow any man not Paul himselfe any further then they or he follow Christ but to accompt all the holiest men upon earth holyest Angels in heaven to be accursed if they teach any thing to be beleeved or practised in the worship of God but that which may clearely be proved by the word of God or if they go about to detain the in any false way of worship or debar them from trying all things conducing to their finding out of the truth or enjoying the just liberty purchased them by Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 7. 23. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Gala. 5. 1. If it be objected that they being no Masse-Priests are not Object Antichristian I answer they have the same Office as Masse-priests Answ though reformed in many things and this both the doctrine and practise of the Church of England pleading for succession from Rome as the Booke of Ordination and place formerly quoted doth evidently confirmeâ— All the Masse-priests in Queene Maries dayes for that purpose were upon their submitting to the Service booke continued Ministers in their severall Congregations in Queene Elizabeths dayes by vertue of their former Ordination and so are such Masse-priests at this day although Ordained at Rome received and continued in the Church of England upon the aforesaid conditions without any new Ordination And seeing it is their own constant affirmation that Ordination as they terme it makes a Minister it must follow that no new Oâ—dination no new Minister but they remaine still the old Masse-priests only reformed from that kinde of Massing and therefore Antichristian But all are not so made Ministers because some are chosen by Object the parish Assemblies 1. There be very few so chosen Answ 2. The Parish Assemblies are not such Churches to whom the power of Christ is committed Acts 2. 41. 44 47. 1 Cor. 1. 2 Rom. 1. 7 8. Philip. 1. 7. 3. These are Ministers before the choyce and after their leaving the Parish nor can the Parish choose any but such as are Ministers ordained by the Bishops and are not therefore made Ministers by their choyce Object But these seeke that all Episcopall power and Antichristian Lording it over the Faith and consciences of any might be utterly taken away that none other of like natur might be set up to compell men to any forme of worship prescribed by the variable Lawes and precepts of men but that the just liberty of conscience herein might be enjoyed and that the sole authority and insallible rule of lesus Christ already set up and established by his own blood might take place Answ That this is their intentions is too good to be true and too true I feare to be thought good by them But is not this rather their aymes they having bin long kept in servitude and bondage under their Fathers and now desiring a freedome would only like undutifull Sonnes be rid of their Fathers that they might divide the Inheritance and dominion amongst themselves and to set out the same power in nature only in another edition and character Object But ought not we being Lay-men and unlearned beleeve our learned and Godly Divines and relie upon their judgements in divine matters and worship before our own private opinions Ans We are herein neither to relie upon our own private opinions nor upon the judgements of all the most Godly man in the world no not though they should all concurre in one but only upon Gods word alone and this I will prove first by Scripture secondly by the Doctrine of the Church of England Thirdly by reason First by Scripture we are not to relie upon men for our bodily much lesse for our spirituall safety he is pronounced blessed that trusteth only in God Ier. 17. 5. and cursed that puts trust in man ver 7. It is the Saints practise and duty to trust only in God Psal 62. 7 8. we are commanded to beleeve God and blamed if we do not Joh. 4. 21. 8. 45 46. And in respect of divine matters no man upon Earth is to be called Father Master or Doctor but Christ only and our Father which is in Heaven Mat. 23 8 9 10. Herein are we not to be servants to any into or men 1 Cor. 7. 23. but to serve God only Mat. 4. 10. And herein are we not to feare any man no not the wrath of Princes Mat. 10. 28. Heb. 11. 26 27. Dan. 3. 16 17 18. Secondly by the Doctrine of the Church of England who 2. will not assume any such authority over the faith of any man as to tie him to beleeve or practise any thing in Religion upon her credit or upon the credit of any man or men in the world in asmuch as she hath declared expressely in the 21 Article of her Doctrine That generall Counsells even these in things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority unlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of the Scripture