AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST ANABAPTISM IN A Reply to the Plea for Anabaptists OR ANIMADVERSIONS On that part of the Libertie of Prophesying Which Sect. 18. p. 223. beareth this Title A Particular Consideration of the Opinion of the ANABAPTISTS Together with a Survey of the controverted points Concerning 1. Infant-baptism 2. Pretended necessitie of Dipping 3. The dangerous practice of Rebaptizing By IO. READING B. D. and sometimes Student of Magdalen Hall in OXFORD LACTANT LIB V. CAP. I. Quid igitur operám ne perdemus minimè Nam si lucrari hos à morte ad quam concitatissime tendunt non potuerimus si ab illo itinere devio ad vitam lucemque revocare quoniam ipsi saluti suae repugnant nostros tamen confirmabimus LONDON Printed by Tho. Newcomb for Simon York and Richard Barley dwelling in Dover 1654. Collegium S. S. et Individuoe Trinitatis in Academiâ Cantabrigiensi To the Right Worshipful Sir WILLIAM BROCKMAN KNIGHT And to his truly vertuous Lady The LADY ANNE BROCKMAN THIS Antiphrastical age perverting terms to contrary meanings calling Truth Falshood Falshood Truth Vertue Vice and Vice Vertue c not only minds us of Ephesian Wolves and spekers of perverse things but evidently shews that the time of which the Apostle warned is not instant but extant The deaf Addâ—rs will not be charmed or hearing endure sound doctrine that 's bitter to the wicked but after their own lusts heap up to themselves Teachers like Ieroboams Priests of the lowest of the people having itching ears We have so much experience hereof that we cannot but know that for the loud-crying sins of this Nation proceeding from contempt of his Word and Ministry the Lord hath smitten many tongues and ears with a worse then Egyptian plague a spiritual botch scab incurable itch madness blindness and astonishment of heart so that they hate the light and learning because they would have all like themselves that their ignorance might lie hid in one common darkness unreproved undiscovered all which like a shril Trumpet from the clouds of heaven sounding lowder and lowder gives the alarm to all faithful Ministers to take heed to themselves and to all the flock over which the H. Ghost hath made them overseers spiritually furnished like those repairers of the Temple both for building and defence taking to them the whole armour of God that they may be able to stand I may safely say no one age ever felt such various oppositions of truth Satan seeming in former times but to skirmish but now to storm the beloved City and Tents of the Saints with all his Legions of errours drawn up into one body of all which none more infeâ—t or hinder our work then those Moabites and Ammonites who contrary to Gods ordinance have intruded into the work of the Temple pretending to build with us saying with those enemies of Israel We seek your God as ye do Now the noon-tide Devil is on the Stage in his last scene whose part is if it were possible to deceive the very Elect. To which no ordinary dress can now fit him or his Ministers it must be and so is some close semblance of sanctimony in which the Saints delight without which Satan could not easily take them with which he often doth whilst incautiously credulous they are deceived by those whom they esteemed good The hunters of Ostriches used to dress themselves up with their feathers imitate their motions and scatter grains of seeds before them so the false Apostles deceitful workers seduce by transforming themselves into Apostles of Christ Ministers of righteousness scattering out of their delightful bags seeds of dangerous Heresies and Schisms Why I undertook this polemical task you know who were present at my first imbarquing in this controversie as also many of my reverend brethren who afterwards importuned me to the first part hereof If any ask why it comes out so late to publike view let the false Zibaes answer I can conjecture but not resolve it is now about two years since it was much desired fairly promised and accordingly sent to one Press where the children were come to the birth and there was no strength to bring forth Why I write after so many so much more able to defend the truth might possibly put me to the Oratours quaere What is left for me to do but new adversaries arising giving fresh assaults and impudently affronting and challenging me in my publike charge to answer them what could I have answered the Lord if seeing the Wolf coming into the fold I had withdrawn or betrayed the souls of my Auditors who might possibly have thought our cause deserted for which none durst plead All lovers of truth owe it respective defence and too much caution cannot be in things of so great moment as salvation of souls No man rationally asketh What need we two eyes who can see with one I am far from pleading universality for defence or multitudes for Patronage of truth let our adversaries reckon themselves many and think that Illâ—s Defendit numerus junctaeque umbone Phalanges They have many Writers but if the cause be weighed by Scripture and solid reason then as Elisha said they are more with us then with them yet I heartily wish that many more would shew themselves on our part and neither betray the truth by their silence who can seasonably and ably speak in its defence nor encourage the adversaries thereof by such a Laodiceâ—â—-like lukewarmness as shews a dangerous symptome of neutralitie For my part I cannot but be conscious of much disabilitie yet dare not but endeavour to defend the truth for this let whoso will condemn or acquit me God is all-sufficient Such as these endeavours are I submit to the judgment of the Church of God the pillar of truth and dedicate them to you who love the truth and by Gods assistance will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things though you know them and be established in the present truth yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle God alone gives the encrease To him be glory in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men to you and yours constancie in the truth and happiness temporal and eternal which is the daily prayer of Decemb. 8. 1653. Your faithful and affectionate Servant in the Lord Iesus JO. READING The Preface to the Christian and Candid Reader GGood reader know that 〈…〉 was 〈◊〉 myself to 〈◊〉 â—or â—â—iting something in â—â—swer â—o ceâ—tâ—in Objections made against Paedobaptism there came to my hand from a friend a Treatise undâ—â— this Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Liberty of Prophesying c. in the 18 section whereâ—â— I finde A pâ—â—ticular consideration of the opinion of the Anabaptists In which part of this 〈◊〉 or flowers and selected
but only one and once suffered Indeed it is said of the other seal as oft as ye do this 1 Cor. 11. 26. but not one word in Scripture can be found for more then once baptizing but the Apostle mentioning baptism joins it with things incapable of multiplication or pluralitie one Spirit one body of Christ the Church one hope of our calling metonymically put for the thing hoped for that is eternal life which is essentially but one one Lord one Faith that is one doctrine of faith Gal. 1. 6 7 8. Iud. 3 or objectively one truth of God one Christ shewing that there ought to be no more baptisms then faiths Christs or Gods if therefore said Optatus you give another baptism give another faith if ye give another faith give another Christ if ye give another Christ give also another God c. You see to what damnable absurdities rebaptizing drives unto That whereby men crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame may by no means be done But to rebaptize or to be willingly rebaptized in the Apostles sense is to crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and to put him to open shame therefore it may by no means be done This point the Apostle layeth down Heb. 6. 4 5 6. It is impossible for those who were once enlightned saith our Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who have been once baptized saith the Syriac to renew them again to repentance c. that is baptismal repentance the baptism of repentance as it is called Act 19. 4. and so Heb. 10. 12. Call to remembrance the former dayes in which after ye were illuminated Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Syriac the best and nearest Interpreter of the New Testament rendreth in which ye were baptized So the Greeks were wont to call baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination possibly because persons converting from darkness of Idolatry were ordinarily enlightned by being taught the doctrine of the Gospel see Mat. 4. 16. Luk. 2. 32. Act. 26. 18. so the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one signification importing taught is rendred by the LXX illuminated or also in respect of extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost in the knowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel and unstudied tongues with other admirable enlargments of heart then flourishing in the Church Now those who are described v. 4 5. who have been once baptized and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away saith our Translation Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and falling away which and the Syriac omittetâ—â— rendring the sense as others also non possunt iterum peccare ut denuò renoventur ad resipiscentiam denuò crucifigant c. they cannot so sin that is unto death that they should again be renewed to repentance and crucifie afresh c. that is in a second baptism where note by the way that this place of Scripture so much wrested by the enemies of truth against the comfortable doctrine of the Saints perseverance maketh mainly for it for the Apostle saith not that those who are described v. 4 5. do or may fall away but that it is impossible isto supposito to be renewed because in such a supposition the merit of Christs Cross being abolished and made void by which they were renewed it must needs follow that so Christ should be crucified afresh and be put to open shame that they might be renewed by a second and new merit of his Cross which seeing it is impossible to be the Apostle will inferr that it is impossible that these here described v. 4 5. should finally fall away The foundation of the Lord remaining sure and having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his whose prescience cannot possibly be deceived in electing any who shall fall away But to return to our purpose the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to themselves is very considerable The Son of God they cannot now possibly crucifie afresh nor put him again to open shame who sitteth at the right hand of the glory of the Father had they the malice of the Jews and power of the Romans who once crucified him to help them yet in iterating on themselves baptism the sign of their implantation into the similitude of his death they crucifie to themselves that is as much as in them is the Son of God Chrysostome excellently expresseth it Baptism saith he is the Cross for therein our old man is crucified with him Again we have been planted together in the likeness of his death as therefore Christ may not be crucified again for that were to put him again to open shame so neither may we be baptized again for if death have no more dominion over him if he be risen in his resurrection a conqueror over death c. and should again be crucified then all these things were meer fables and mockeries therefore he that rebaptizeth himself doth again crucifie him But what is crucifying again As Christ died on the Cross so do we in baptism not in the flesh but to sin therefore there may be no second washing for if there be there may be a third and a fourth for the first is made void by the second and that by another even to an infinite Where there are all the essential parts of baptism rightly administred according to the commission given by Christ to his Apostles there baptism cannot be made void or no true baptism by any thing accidental circumstantial or less then essential neither expresly nor by any necessary consequence any where in holy Scripture forbidden But in baptizing of Infants of Church-priviledged Parents by sprinkling or washing with water in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy Ghost there are all the essential parts of baptism according to Christs commission given to the Apostles to wit the Element and the Word which constitute the Sacrament Therefore that their baptism is not neither can be made void or no true baptism by or in respect of Infant-age or of only washing or sprinkling them with water which are things circumstantial accidental less then essential and no where expresly or by necessary consequence forbidden in holy Scripture So that whatever Anabaptists pretend in their eager pursuit of their opinion that they do not rebaptize supposing that there preceded no essential or true baptism in regard of the persons being baptized in their Infancie or because they fancie dipping the whole body to be essential to baptism and so necessary that without it they think there can be no true baptism neither of which have any ground in Scripture and whereas Christ is the Saviour of every age sex and condition therefore male and female aged and Infants have right to the seal as hath been shewed it highly concerneth them seriously to
his act whereby he not onely made his own person guilty but also corrupted his nature so are they by regeneration saved in Christ God mercifully imputing his merits to them for their justification so that as they were condemnable for that they did not in their own persons commit so shall they be saved by that which Christ not they did freely without the works of the Law but of what consequence is solemnity Would you have our fall in Adam and repair in Christ run literally parallell even to circumstances But what manner of arguing this were we have often said How many ridiculous consequences would you thence inferre concerning a man a woman and a Serpent and no more in the Scene a garden a fruit c. But remembring that we are speaking of sacred things we resolve that a Sacrament which is instituted of God to this end that it may be a solemn receiving into the Church and a severing or sign of distinguishing the whole Church all her parts from all other Sects ought to be ministred solemnly that others may take notice of the same and that it may be the stricter bond to the baptized when they come to years to hold them into faith obedience renunciation of the world impious desires and carnall affections into which condition they were solemnly and before many witnesses admitted by baptism And it is you say too narrow a conception of God Almighty because he hath tied us to the observation of the Ceremonies of his own institution that therefore he hath tied himself to it We never had that conceit you mistake the matter we say not that God is tied to his own Ordinances as if he could no otherwise save any but that we are tied to Gods Ordinances because they are the revealed will of God which man is bound to obey And though God be the most free Agent and not tied yet it doth not hence follow that baptism is not the ordinary means of regeneration to which we are tied God hath not in your sense tied himself to the baptism of persons in years as may appear in the penitent thief who unbaptized was saved Luke 23. 43. It is so in his other ordinances It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1. 21. Therefore ordinarily faith is by hearing the word Rom 10. 17. yet God hath not so absolutely tied it to preaching but that he could at his pleasure convert Saul breathing threatnings Acts 9. Neither is he tied to the Eucharist would you conclude hence that men and women of years are not tied to be baptized hear the word or receive the Lords Supper because God and his free grace are not tied to these externall and ordinary means If not what meaneth that your medium Go â— hath not tied himself and what can it more conclude against Infants baptism then against the baptism hearing receiving the Eucharist by persons of years Yet we affirm that when God made the promise to Abraham being willing more abundantly to shew to the heirs of promise the immutability of his councell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God tâ— lie we might have a strong consolation c. Heb. 6. 17 18. In which sense God hath bound himselfe to make good to us all that which the Seals of his Covenant by himself appointed hold forth unto us But you add Many thousand ways there are by which God can bring any reasonable soul to himself We answer The admitting of the one is not always the excluding of all other and we question not Gods power herein but his will here is an Ignoratio elenchi What think you of the validity of that Argument which is from Gods power to his will He can open the eys of the blind and convert the hearts of temporizers and professed enemies of his Church and Truth I would I were assured that he would now do so But you say nothing is more unreasonable then because â—e hath tied all men of years and discretion to this way therefore we of our own heads shal carry infants to him that way without his direction Here is again a fallacious arguing You take the thing in question for your medium The question is Whether baptism of Infants be a divine or humane institution upon which dependeth wholly whether we ought or ought not to baptize Infants Now you would prove that we ought not to carry infants to Christ by baptism because he appointed or directed us not so to do but as you say we do it of our own heads Nay but confining sacramentall administrations 〈…〉 or other circumstance by Christ never limited or enjoyned is will-worship and mans invention This your conceit is so poor and low that a puny Sophister would be ashamed of it Onely this you say that God hath as great a care of Infants as of others c. Here is another argument as feeble as the fore-going What because God hath as great a care of them as of others therefore we must have no care of them in the application of the ordinary means so hath he a care for their bodily preservation and â—ustenance doth that prove that we ought not to feed or cloath them God reâ—â—â—ctively careth for all the Creatures he giveth to the beast his food Psal. 147. 9. Were it good Georgicks to say Trouble not your self to fodder your cattle or loose them from their stall that they may drink Who knoweth not that God hath appointed ordinary means although he can do it without such means and though he say not that he will not otherwise preserve them but leave them to the dictates of common reason to conclude God you say will by his own immediate mercy bring them thither where he hath intended them but to say that therefore he will do it by an externall act and ministery is no good Argument c. Prove that one Assertion That God will by his own immediate mercy save Infants and have no means used thereto and you have the Cause but Christ hath appointed baptism for the ordinary means to bring people into his visible Church that they may be saved that he doth otherwise that is by an immediate act of mercy save some to whom his all-disposing providence hath not given time or means as in Infants dying before they were or could be baptized this varieth not the Rule for our question is not concerning them and to say that therfore he will do it by an external act because he will save them or bring them thither wâ—â—ther he hath intended them by his own immediate mercy is no good Argument you may lay your life on 't Immediatly signifieth without means so that Immediately by means is a contradiction in the adject this were to my sense so farre from a good argument that I should doubt whether such a Disputant were awake or not Immediatly by an external