they have him declared and are capable of listening to and believing on him and so a professed subjection to his order and to worship God by him and take content in the grace in him even as being further baptized by his Spirit in the opening the truth to their hearts and shedding his love abroad therein they more really and spiritually put him on by way of actual confidence and faith in him as their righteousness rejoycing and compleat redemption and salvation and his vertues by being conformed to him and the more yet by being also baptized with trials and afflictions Rom. 13.14 Ephes 4.21 22. Rev. 7.13 14 15. 3. To admit the baptized into the Church and Kingdom of God and so to have the Name of God and of Christ put upon them So Matth. 28.19 may also be understood Baptizing them into the Name of the Father c. So as that they may have the Name of the true God upon them be and be called the people or Church of God Christians as of old the Name of God was by Circumcision put upon Israel and so also to bring them under the protection help and blessing of that Name For where Gods Name is put upon and own'd by any people God hath respect unto them for his Names sake and for that cause often spares helps and blesses them that he might glorifie his Name upon them and make other people know that it is better to be his people worshippers and callers upon him and under his protection then any other Gods or powers whatsoever To this purpose are these Scriptures Psal 124.8 Ezek. 20.9 14. c. Jer. 14.7 Isai 48.9 Psal 115.8 9. 4. And so to distinguish them from all other peoples that are not baptized into the Name of Christ and receive not his Gospel as Acts 11.26 Isai 63.18 19. And to oblige them to unity in judgement and affection amongst themselvs as 1 Cor. 1.10.13 I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ which is but one and is upon you all that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement Not to say I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Luther I am of Calvin I am of Arminius to make and maintain Parties Sects and Factions in the Church but every one to own truth from or by any one and singly follow after it and all own themselves only obliged to Christ and his Name and to every one to each other for that Name sake whence it follows were ye baptized into the Name of Paul that ye should only cleave to him and neglect and slight all other the servants of Christ for Pauls sake and only follow and cry him up Which might be applyed to our divisions were we baptized into the Name of Luther or Calvin or the like and so to divisions nearer home The being all baptized into the Name of Christ should make us all adhere to Christ and to receive his truth by any one he speaks it by and love one another for his sake according to that also Ephes 4.3 4 5. 4. Concerning the Subject of Baptism the thing principally inquired after in this Discourse 1. I find not any Scripture in so many words say That Infants are to be baptized or instancing that the Apostles did baptize Infants 2. I find not any Scripture expresly or intimately prohibit the Baptism of Infants or denying that they were baptized For 3. I find not any Scripture say That only believers may be or were baptized or none but such as have repented do confess their sins profess faith c. 4. I find indeed that in the first practise of Baptism it being preacht to men of age and understanding with the doctrine it baptized into they being perswaded to receive that doctrine and be baptized into it did some of them confess their sins Mat. 3 6. Acts 8.38 39. others profess their faith And such were baptized having not ever before they or their Fore-fathers been instructed into that doctrine or been baptized thereinto But 5. I find not that either John or Christs Disciples ever turned away any that came to be baptized of them That Position of the Antipedobaptists That John Matth. 3. turned away the Pharisees and Sadduces is without proof It 's true that divers yea prabably most of the Pharisees contemned his Baptism and rejected the counsel of God against themselves Luke 7.30 but neither John nor any other servant of Christ is ever said to have rejected them there-from John in that Matth. 3. indeed takes them up more roughly then he did some other as more needing it and yet Luke tells us he said the same to the multitude Luke 3.7 but withall says he baptized them For so are the words I indeed baptize you Mat. 3.11.6 Thence I find too That the Subject of this Baptism was not a truly spiritual seed of Abraham born of the Spirit either as administred by John or Christs Disciples for Iohn calls them he baptized a generation of vipers an Epithite too harsh for persons truly regenerate Luke 3.7 and says he baptized them not upon their repentance or that had repented but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto repentance that they might or instructing them that they should repent Matth. 3.11 And so not upon faith but saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they should believe in him that is to come Acts 19.3 4. Thence also it 's said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not upon or after usually but for or unto the remission of sins Yea John plainly intimates that he admitted chaff as well as wheat into the floor and such as should be burnt in unquenchable sire Matth. 3.12 he baptizing such as still received the Name of Publicans yea all the people the generality doubtless of them Luke 7.29 3.21 And for Christs Disciples they baptized and discipled such as our Saviour that well knew them tells us did not believe John 6.64 yea such as were in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity after their baptism Acts 8.23 yea they brought into the house all they found good and bad Mat. 22.9 10 11 12. 13.47 48. 7. I find indeed that once the Gift of the Holy Ghost preceded Baptism viz. in Cornelius and his friends Acts 10.44 48. They being uncircumcised Gentiles in the flesh and therefore God to demonstrate that they were thenceforth amongst the Gentiles to be admitted into the Church by Baptism without Circumcision the want whereof was no impediment to him for having fellowship with them and to take away scruple from the believing Jews that they might also admit them to their fellowship without it poured forth his Spirit first on them whence Peter says Can any forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost But 8. I find that usually persons were baptized before
43.8 and more strict and circumstantial then he hath been in prescribing them to us 4. Yea I propound to Consideration that passage Rev. 11.1 2. where it 's said A Reed like a Rod was given to John and the Angel said to him Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein but the Court that is without the Temple cast out and measure it not for it 's given to the Gentiles By the Temple of God is plainly in the Scriptures meant the Church in union and fellowship with Christ by Faith and Spirit as he is the Altar and Sacrifice and they that worship in it are the particular Saints worshipping and adoring God in the Mediation and Sacrifice of Christ and in the unity of Spirit with Christ and one another that 's the Temple worshipping These are to be measured with a Reed like a Rod or Scepter these are to be cared for peculiarly and the proportion of them diligently to be taken both Temple and Worshippers God will not have an inch of them lost nor will he have any defect or redundancy in this spiritual Worship according to this men are to be reckoned of accounted and esteemed the Sion of God By the Court without the Temple is meant that into which all the people come for it 's an evident allusion to the Temple of old the external outward profession with the things of it the worship of external Services or Forms this is not to be measured with such exactness to be insisted on and proportioned to the true Worshippers as if they were to be known or men to be reckoned such by that but to be left out as given to the Gentiles the prophane Heathen in hearts it 's given to them to come in thither to have the Name of Christ and of the outward Court whence as those things that were done in the outward Court were said to be done * 2 Chro. 6.24 Psal 12 2. with Luke 1.10 in the Temple †2 Thes 2.4 Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God namely in the outward Court of external Profession yea in every various Form trampling under feet the Sion and Jerusalem of God And it 's considerable to me whether all the stir and hurly-burly about external Forms and outward Ordinances is not mens endeavoring to measure the outward Court and to take it from the Gentiles that worship not at the Altar and in the Temple to whom yet it 's given and if that be not what it is I would be willingly informed 5. I consider that things not plainly exprest in the Scriptures by way of Precept or Example may yet be couched therein and the truth and lawfulness of things may be rightly deduced from places that plainly in words affirm them not As for instance Christ proves out of the Books of Moses to the Sadduces who are said to have accounted no part of the Scripture Canonical but them that the dead shall rise again whereas in all those Books there is not one expression of the dead rising He proves it as contained in the bowels of that saying of God to Moses I am the God of Abraham Mat. 22.32 and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And so the Apostle proved from the Scriptures the needlessness of Circumcision to the beleeving Gentiles though there is not an expression openly saying it through all the Prophetical Writings but he shews it by considering the ground and end of Circumcision and some other truths of Scripture whence he deduces it The like may be said of womens partaking of the Supper and a Christian man being a Magistrate Yea the very Denyers of Infant Baptism take or pretend to take this course in what they say against it For there is not as we said before one express saying that Infants should not be baptized or that none but Beleevers actually or such as profess Faith and Repentance should be baptized or that all rhat were baptized did so beleeve or profess only they speak of some Instances of former practise of the Apostles baptizing such from whence they draw those deductions and with which they make a great noise and easily take silly women and simple people that cannot see into the Scripture depths nor well understand reason according to Scripture Though they may exclaim against deductions in others yet they are full of them themselves It 's not said in terminis Baptize Infants or that the Apostles did so therefore they may not be baptized which is but like that It 's not exprest that women received the Supper in the Apostles times or that Christ instituted it for them also therefore they ought not to eat of it Or that of the Sadduces Moses no where mentions the Resurrection of the dead in all his Writings therefore from his doctrine it cannot be proved 6. Things couched in Scripture grounds and thence deduceable are no less truths or warrantable then truths plainly expressed As it 's as very a truth couched in Moses his Writings that Abraham and so the dead shall arise as it is in the Apostle's plain saying it though not so easily by every one perceived And so that Jesus is the Christ is a truth as really couched in the Prophetical Writings as if it had been in so many words exprest though there is no such plain expression in all the Prophets The like may be said for Justification by Faith without the Works of the Law as Paul hath thence gathered and proved substantially though such an express saying is in none of them Scriptures to be found It 's true by the Apostle they are made evident to be truths but not made truths by his evidencing them they were there couched and contained before his searching them and bringing them out nay they could not rightly have been deduced thence if they had not formerly been there couched Now they that see not the truths couched in sayings nor pierce to any truth but what is plain in the saying they cry out that such things are falshoods that they cannot there see not because they are so but because they see them not as they lie there couched As the Sadduces clamored against the Pharisees that their doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead was an Error not delivered to them from God by Moses their Lawgiver because they could not see it in his Writings though there it was and there Christ found it and as the false Apostles clamored against Paul about the doctrine of Justification by Faith without the Works of the Law and Circumcision upon the like grounds and with as little reason And this Consideration might at least stop the clamorousness of men that with the fool Prov. 14.16 rage and are confident upon this ground meerly that the Scripture hath no such open and manifest expression lest by their rashness they deny truth contained more hiddenly in the Scriptures and trouble the Churches of God needlesly as the
they what follows in the Commission that they are to teach them too to observe Christ's Commands as of old the Proselites even after Circumcision were to be taught those of Moses But for seeing better into this let us consider a little the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disco we translate it to teach but not so properly as all that well have minded the force of the word confess It s to disciple to make schollers or to bring to learn so that they may become Disciples and so the Apostles were to endeavour to bring all Nations or all the Gentiles to that any of them they might bring to it and all of them ought so far to have become subject to their Ministration We find that word twice more used in the active voice but in neither place is it evident how far it was effectual in the persons acted upon It s used Acts 14.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Discipling a good pretty company They preached the Gospel there and this was the effect of it that a good many were discipled but what or who or how far it had effect upon them is not exprest It s probable there were divers thereby convinced and perswaded to joyn themselves and possibly their families too as well as in other places to the Church It s used again Matth. 27.57 of Joseph of Arimathea of whom it s said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We translate it He was a Disciple to Jesus and that 's a truth confirmed by John Chap. 19.38 But whether that be all the truth I question seeing the word is never otherwhere used in that Neuter sence I propound it to consideration whether we might not as well translate it He also though secretly discipled to Jesus that is was such a Disciple as that he also drew in others with himself to him but which way soever we read it it s neither any thing for or against the business we have in hand only I thought good to note it Once we meet with the passive word viz. Matth. 13.52 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Scribe discipled brings out of his treasure things new and old Where certainly the word Discipled signifies well instructed made a good Scholler as it were For this is a word that hath reference to School affairs teaching and learning and is comprehensive of many acts as he that puts or by perswasion prevails with another to put his son to school though but for the present to be kept in order yet with intention and design to have him learn as he grows up doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciple make him a Scholer as we use to say and he that instructs such a one so subjected to him doth also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disciple though it be but in the first Rudiments or Elements of learning and he that doth lead up such a one as in some continuance hath learned the first Elements and brings him to be proficient and Master of the Science he instructs him in doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still disciple in a higher and further act and such a one is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so certainly is that to be taken in Matth. 13.52 as our Translators also imply in rendring it Every Scribe instructed unto the Kingdom So that I conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to disciple contains all the acts from the first to the highest from the bringing to be subjected to one for learning to his bringing up to perfect understanding of the things taught and so it seems to me that in this of Matth. 20.19 it s in that capacity to be taken and that our Saviour expresses this discipling in all that follows baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that he commanded though all this could not be done in so little time as they usually took before Baptism See Act. 16 34. nor in their baptizing them though that was one act in the performance of it The very bringing them into the Church and therein subjecting them to its nurture and instructions is a discipling them as appears by Luke 14.21 where this Commission is spoken of in other terms and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here there it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring them in hither and the opening the lessons and mysteries therein to be taught is still a discipling or making further Disciples though that be done by many steps and degrees as they are able to receive it till they come to be perfect men in growth and understanding and even then they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discipled ones too as we before noted Whence it appears that the Apostles and Gospel-Preachers now have more work then the objection supposes but yet in our usual speaking the subjecting people to the School of Christ or to the Church-state Nurture and Government is a discipling of them as we call the bringing a child to school and to the care government and nurture of it the making him a Scholer And so in that Acts 14.21 it s applyed to the first subjecting men to the way of Christ as it must of necessity have that in it too in this Matth. 28. Now the Apostles were about this work of discipling in all their preaching and whole imployment they were endeavouring to disciple though yet in their teaching and holding forth the Gospel only they are not said to have discipled those that rejected it though they held it forth to them But it s called discipling as with reference to so when accompanied with this effect of bringing men into the Church of Christ and so putting upon them the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and upon such their Commission was actually and more or less effectually put in execution and practise and such were denominated usually Disciples a word too of a large latitude in its signification as the word Scholer is for we use to call him a Scholer that is put to school and him that hath begun to learn though primarily it signifies such a one as hath received understood and hath attained to ripe knowledg of the things that have been taught him So in Scripture they that professed the Doctrine of Christ and submitted to be his followers and to learn of him are called his Disciples though yet very rude and raw yea we read of some that have that Name given them who yet know not the Alphabet of Christian Religion Acts 19.3 knew not what they were baptized into viz. to believe on him that came after John nor had so much as heard by their own confession whether there was a Holy Ghost or no. And some that turned back from him when they came at an hard lesson are called Disciples till then John 6.64 Though yet a Disciple indeed is one that continues in Christs word John 8.31 32. and denies himself
Sadduces did I grant it 's true that there is no truth couched in Scripture and thence to be deduced that doth contradict or evacuate any plain express truth of Scripture any collection from Scripture contradicting the open saying of Scripture is to be rejected as not rightly deduced for the Scriptures though in some places they may seem yet in no place doth deny or contradict it self in other places But many truths are couched in Scripture that are not so openly exprest in plain sayings as some others be as we before instanced I conceive if those called Anabaptists did seriously consider this and yet this is as plain and undenyable a Truth as any can be pleaded for it would make them more sober towards others in this point of Infant Baptism and not so vainly to vapor and so proudly to insult as some of them do in their own conceptions of the undenyableness of this ground for denying it viz. that it 's not plainly exprest in any Scripture Instance or Precept And now let us in the next place see if any ground for it may be found couched in the Scriptures and therein first of all let us view the Commission given by Christ to his Apostles for Gentile-Baptism 1. That Commission we find in Mat. 28.19 20. All Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto me go ye therefore disciple ye all the Gentiles baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you c. Where first we have to be noted the ground of this Commission in Vers 18. All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth that is Though as the eternal Word I had all Power over all Creatures before they being all made by me Joh. 1.2 3 Col. 1.16 yet could I not with consistence with my Truth or Holiness order all of them or any of lost mankind as now upon the account of my Death and Resurrection I am in the nature of man impowered to do had I not dyed and risen for men I must have destroyed them all for ever but as virtually upon this account before so actually now and in the nature of man am I invested with Power and Authority as of Lordship over all Creatures to order and dispose them as I please agreeable to my Fathers Will so over Mankind to help and save them and make all things subservient to my designs about them Therefore also have I Power to make new Orders and grant out new Commissions what and to whom I please as also to protect and defend them that I employ in the execution of my said Orders and Commissions Therefore I command require and commissionate you to be my Servants and Messengers in the Work that I please to enjoyn you Go ye therefore And further For as much as by virtue of my Death and Resurrection for all men I have ransomed all men even all the Nations of the world out from under the power of the sentence to death and condemnation to which the Covenant broken by Adam as soon as made with him almost did bind them over so as that now that Sin and Law notwithstanding you and what ever Death by occasion thereof falling upon them I can save any of them in looking up to me and for so much as that is the way to their life and happiness the only way to it that they be obedient and subject to my Government and beleeve on me * God having given all Nations to me for mine inheritance Psal 28 8. Isai 49.7 Acts 4.12 1 Cor. 1.21 Joh. 1.4.5.9 and the utmost ends of the Earth for my possession and me to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth No other Name given under Heaven by which they can or may be saved and for as much also as the light of the knowledg of God by me as the eternal Word in the fulness of time to be made flesh suffer and dye held forth to them formerly in the Wisdom of God they by wisdom knew not but the light shining in darkness they do not comprehend It 's therefore my pleasure to send a plain Declaration of my Mind unto them and not only to reserve that priviledg to the people of Israel as formerly the partition wall between them and all other Nations being broken down by my sufferings Ephes 2.15 Therefore Go ye my chosen servants and Embassadours Disciple all the Gentiles baptizing them into the Name c. Here then secondly we have the Commission it self wherein baptism was first by our Saviour appointed to the Gentiles as a medium of their being discipled to him I confess baptism was practised before and that too upon all the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 3.21 people of every sort at least a word large enough to include infants too Deut. 31.12 Luke 9.13 with Matth. 14.21 Jude 5. but to our purpose this commission is more pertinent because it was given for the baptizing of the Gentiles and discipling them and so its rather to be read All the Gentiles as the same phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated in other places as Acts 15.17 Rom. 15.11 2 Tim. 4.17 and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gentiles commonly they having sufficient warrant before for discipling and baptizing the Jews in the former practising of baptism by John and themselves upon them and the commission given them Matth. 10. when the Gentiles were expresly excluded No other being to be baptized but such as were of the visible Church of God before Children of the Kingdom upon whom the name of God was called and so baptism was not to them the way of taking into the Church and Kingdom of God but for further instructing and taking in further them that were somewhat instructed in it before for that 's clear that the people of the Jews were already in the visible Church the Vineyard of God and Children of the Kingdom as in Matth. 8.12 21.42 43. The hedg was yet about them and the clouds rained upon them c. But now unto the Gentiles not fore-proselited and circumcised baptism was the way of taking them in and declaring and owning them to pertain to the Church nor do we read of any Gentile or Heathen coming into the visible Body and Company of the Church to be accounted of them by any other way or medium of outward institution after Christ's resurrection circumcision being not practised upon them and theirs in their admission as was formerly used in proseliting them Indeed that the false Apostles stood for and would have had the way of their entrance and admission still in which two it is observable that they make no mention of circumcising their infants but that they the Disciples ought to be circumcised as was the manner of Moses and Paul speaking to the Galathians says They constrain you and would have you to be circumcised Gal. 6.12 13. not
things that they ought not c. was not teaching things they ought not the way by which they subverted whole houses not that they first subverted them and then taught things they ought not but first taught things they ought not and then yea thereby subverted them so in the same Chapter describing a Bishop he says He must be blameless as the Steward of God not self-willed c. a lover of good men sober just holy temperate holding fast the words of life Will any rational man say that he must first be all those things before he hold fast the word or rather that this is the way to be all that holy blamless just c. So Heb. 12.1 2. Let us run with patience the race set before us looking unto Jesus Must men first run with patience before they look to Christ or rather is not this looking the way and means to that patient running Running with patience 2 springs from that looking to Jesus The like may be seen in Matth. 14.25 and 15.9 30. and 20.8 and 21.22 22.12.29 c. not e contra So 2 Tim. 3.13 Wiked men deceivers shal wax worse worse deceiving being deceived Deceiving being deceived is that in which by which they wax worse worse The like is in the Commission formerly given them for preaching to the Jews Mat. 10.7 Going 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach saying the Kingdom of God is at hand and ver 5. He sent them away charging or having charged them saying Into the way of the Gentiles enter not I might multiply like speeches to this purpose Ephes 5.15 16.26 and 6.14.15.16 c. but I shall only adde one or two of their own urging viz. Matth. 3.6 The people were baptized of John in Jordan confessing their sins Do they gather thence that because confessing their sins follows these words they were baptized that therefore they did not confess their sins till after they were baptized or that men ought not so to do till then or rather do they not say that they first confessed their sins and upon that were baptized and so that the Participle following the Verb holds forth an act done before the act spoken of in the Verb. So when it s said Luke 7.29 The Publicans justified God being baptized with the baptism of John say they not thence that the being baptized was the way in which they justified God I might mention also Acts 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church entring into every house haling out men and women and committing them to prison Could we not have understood such a speech as this Go proselite the Gentiles circumcising them teaching them to observe all the Law of Moses And can we not in like manner understand this Go disciple all the Gentiles baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you Disciple them in this way viz. Baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and teaching them to observe what I have commanded you So that its evident that the phrase disciple Baptizing holds forth for infers at least no such understanding of what is said as that they ought first first to be discipled by teaching and brought to actual believing that were to be baptized with water by them To the second that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not agreeing in Gender with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instructs us that only Disciples such as profess faith and repentance ought to be baptized it s very weak For the Scripture usually puts the following Adjective or Relative to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine Gender as having more respect to the nature of the thing signified viz. mankind or Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then to the word signifying as in Acts 13.48 it hath for its following Adjectives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of the Masculine Gender In Acts 15.17 we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Chap. 21. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Chap. 26.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Chap. 28.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Ephes 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rev. 2.26 and 19.15 and 20.8 in all those places its relative following it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and those are all the places save one or two in which the Relative to that word is pâ—râ—picuously discernable in its Gender so that unless we will say that the Gentiles which Paul was sent to and that had their understandings darkened and that Christ shall rule over with an iron rod and that Satan shall deceive and gather together to battel against the Saints are all people fore-discipled believers or professors of faith and repentance that observation of the change of Gender will do nothing Now these two main Fortresses of the Antipedobaptists being smitten down the Commission will not prove their assertion nor hinder the taking in of Infants unto Baptism For now it appears that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Gentiles were to be discipled by baptism and instruction So that this word is as large as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to include women to the Supper to include children to this discipling and baptism for there is no doubt but there were children too of the Gentiles and Heathen and of them there is no exception or exclusion They were to bring into the house all that they found as in Matth. 22.9.10 And it may be minded that neither here nor elsewhere it s said He that believes shall be baptized and till a man believes let him not be baptized but going disciple all the Gentiles baptizing them c. So that we may note that the Apostles had authority and commission for discipling any Gentile baptizing him into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost c. Their Doctrine and Baptism concerned all and were free for all and ought to have been submitted unto by all without exception of any one or other and to disciple all thus to the utmost of their power given them they were to endeavour And this agrees with and is confirmed by yea and in part is grounded upon that truth delivered by the Apostle in 2 Cor. 5.19 where the Apostle writes the Commission given to them of God with the reason and end of it God saith he was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses to them and hath put in us the word of reconciliation Now we therefore as Embassadors for Christ as if God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God In which we are to mind whom God was reconciling and to whom he sent his servants to bring them in and that is the world which compared with Rom. 11.12 15. appears to be Gentiles the residue of the world beyond and beside his people the Jews 2. It s to be minded wherein their
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