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truth_n	heart_n	spirit_n	worship_v	4,411	5	8.9748	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85387	Cata-baptism: or new baptism, waxing old, and ready to vanish away. In two parts. The former containes LVIII. considerations, (with their respective proofs, and consectaries) pregnant for the healing of the common scruples touching the subject of baptism, and manner of baptizing. The latter, contains an answer to a discours against infant-baptism, published not long since by W.A. under the title of, Some baptismall abuses brielfy discovered, &c. In both, sundry things, not formerly insisted on, are discovered and discussed. / By J.G. a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1655 (1655)	Wing G1155; Thomason E849_1; ESTC R207377	373,602	521

11 12 13 14. Yea Solomon saith The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord. Pro. 15. 8. 21. 27. These places with many more of a like import that might readily be added unto them doe with a surplussage of evidence prove that much benefit did NOT accrue to the doers of the things specified upon the account of the deed done And yet of the two there is much more reason why benefit should accrue unto the doers of such things of the Law as these upon the work done then upon their being Circumcised For 4. Whereas he saith that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done if he speaks of those that were circumcised according to the standing Law viz. on the eight day who were farre the greatest part of the Iewish nation the work it self of Circumcision was not done by them but by others to them unknown Whereas the offering of incense and of sacrifices the observation of the new moons sabbaths and other feasts appointed by the law were works done by persons themselves Now questionlesse if there be any benefit accruing unto men upon the work done it is more like to accrue in this kind upon works done by persons themselves then upon works done totally by others and without their knowledge desire or consent Nor doth nor can Mr. A. give us any substantiall account either from the Scriptures or otherwise why the benefit of Baptism should be more suspended upon the knowledge faith c. of him who is baptized then the benefit of Circumcision was suspended upon the like qualifications of the circumcised For Sect. 128. 5. The Texts of Scripture which he cites prove no such difference as this between the two Ordinances Circumcision and Baptism nor do they either divisim or con●unctim prove or so much as colour with a proof that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done For what though the Apostle saith and this by way of contradistinction from the voyce of the Gospell or righteousnesse of faith The man that doth those things shall live by them yet is it no part of his meaning to implie or teach that by the literall performance of the Legall ceremonies men either were or might have been saved The Law of which the Apostle speaks is not the Law of Ceremonies which Mr. A. understandeth but the whole system or body of precepts and commandments delivered by Moses Nor is the Apostles doing those things the same with Mr. A's doing them The Apostle must needs be conceived to speak of such a doing of the things of the Law which includes as well the spiritualitie or perfection of the Law and of the severall precepts thereof at least in will desire and endeavour as the bare letter or externalitie of it For God never made any such Covenant with or promise unto any man that by doing externals only he should be either justified or saved which Mr. A's doing evidently supposeth Nor doth his second Scripture stand any whit closer to his cause then the first For when the Apostle saith Gal. 3. 12. The Law is not of Faith but the man that doth them shall live in them his meaning is not that the Law required not as well the conformitie and subjection of the inward man unto it as viz. in Love Faith Holinesse Humilitie c. as of the outward consisting of a meere bodily observation of so much of it as might thus be observed but that the voice purport or tenour of the Law did exact of all those who expected justification by it yea in a sense of all men simply an universall and constant obedience and subjection unto it in the whole compasse and extent of it according to what he had more plainly said a verse or two before Cursed is every one that CON●INUETH NOT IN ALL THINGS which are written in the book of the Law to do them in which respect it is said not to be of Faith i. not to promise justification unto any act of Faith or beleeving in another Whereas the tenor of the Gospel although it simply requireth as perfect and thorow an obedience unto all the precepts of it as the Law did to all the precepts thereof yet it exacteth not this obedience upon the same inexorable terms nor doth it threaten every person no nor any person with a curse who shall not con●nue in all things which are written therein to d● them in case they shall truly and unfeignedly believe in Jesus Christ So that these two Scriptures rightly understood know nothing either of reason or truth in Mr. A's cause Sect. 129. His other Scriptures levied upon the same account p. 27. 28. do scarce so much as face the design which they are brought into the field to advance For what though the ministration of the Law be called the ministration of the letter and the Ordinances thereof carnall Ordinances and such as did no● make perfect as pertaining to the conscience or again that the Apostle to shew wherein the Gospell or new Covenan● exceeds the Law or old one saith that according to this God puts his Laws in the minds of men and writes them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10 Or again that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth what is there I say in all or in any of these or in twenty more of a like import to prove that much of the benefit of Circumcision did accrue to the circumcised upon the work done or that the benefit of baptism is any whit more suspended upon the knowledge Faith c. of him who is baptized then the benefit of Circumcision was c All that can be inferred from these and such like passages are only these and such like notions That God is more communicative of the clear knowledg of himself and of the mysterie of his will concerning the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ under the Gospell then he was under the Law that the anointing of the generalitie of the Saints with the Spirit under this dispensation the Law was nothing so rich or full as it now is under the Gospel that the instituted worship especially the publique worship and service of God under the Law consisted in a farre greater number and varietie of external rites and observations then now under the Gospell that the hearts of the people yea of the people of God themselves were generally nothing so raised or enlarged to the obedience of God under the Law as they are and especially will be when the time cometh under the Gospell c. But none of these things prove so much as inshew that according to the nature of the legal ministration children void of understanding and faith were any whit more capable of holy things or of the end● and benefits of them in part upon a literall administration or reception of them then children now are under the Gospell For my better

generation of men who when they should put them out of the Synagogues yea should kill them would THINK that herein they did God good service e Joh. 16. 2. There is little question to be made but that these men had as high thoughts of that wicked thought of theirs here mentioned as you have of yours touching Rebaptizing yea and that they pretended the same divine Authority for the justification of it which you pretend for yours You have no more express Scripture for your thought then they had for theirs and as it appears that they were not infallible in arguing or concluding from the Scriptures so neither I presume will you assume to be They miscarryed because they hearkened not unto them who plainly declared the truth unto them Oh stumble not you at this stone I have detained you with somewhat an over-long Epistle but I trust there is nothing in it except it be the length that can offend you My hope is the same concerning the treatises ensuing drawn up with equal respects to the regaining at least of some of you from your errour as for the establishing of others in that way of truth wherein they stand Only I was willing to cast the honour of the Dedication if there be any such thing as honor in it appropriately upon you If you wil please to read them with a like candid and Christian minde as that wherewith they were drawn up for your service I little question but that through the blessing of God they will recompence your time and labour bestowed on them If their access to your judgements and consciences be obstructed with prejudice and conceit you will will have much more reason to complain of your selves then of them in case your reading turn to no account of satisfaction unto you Disingenuity is the great partition wall which at this day separates between a world of men and a world of truth That Mr. Baxter's book of plain Scripture Proof for Infant-Baptism should have been so long extant in the world and yet Anabaptism still alive is to me a plain demonstration that the world is sadly defective in point of Christian ingenuity Weakness of capacity slowness of apprehension darkness of understanding aversness to consider might be all at least to a very great measure redeemed by an ardent love unto the Truth But it is the coming of Daniels 1335. days that will bring this blessedness upon the world In the mean time they who through the Grace of God are prevented with the great happiness of an ingenuous spirit and have an heart given them willing to lie large and free before the truth must be content with patience to bear the heavie burthens of the importunity and waywardness of other men You are all heartily recommended to the Grace of that God who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all to be made by him like unto him according to your capacities of so glorious a similitude by Your Servant and Fellow-Servant in the Gospel JOHN GOODVVIN Coleman-street London May 29. 1655. To the Reader GOOD READER JT is a true Observation of worthy Mr Baxter that the opinion of Re-baptizing In the Preface to his Admonition to Mr Eyre c. or not Baptizing Infants hath been strangely followed with spiritual judgements The main cause hereof he supposeth to be because it openeth a door to separations contendings and so to contempt of the Ministry that is against it It is considerable likewise which he further addeth It is hard to see in the nature of the meer opinions such hainous evils as we have seen attend them Notwithstanding I conceive that the reason of the mischiefs attending these opinions lyeth not or not so much in the nature or natural tendency of the opinions themselves but rather in the unhappy conjunction between the opinions and the injudiciousness and conceitedness of the far greatest part of those who entertain them For as amongst men walking in the way of Presbyterie we find a clear ground for that distinction which divideth them into high and low or modest Presbyterians the latter being a passable and harmless generatio● at least comparatively the other next to insupportable so amongst those of the Anabaptismal persuasion some there are the illness of whose temper teacheth them to make fire and sword of their perswasion others again the soberness and sweetness of whose spirit preserveth them from annoying the world or Churches of Christ with any misuse of their opinion This obvious difference between men and men of the same perswasion as to the point of Ana-Baptism induceth me to beleeve that the great evils which so frequently attend it are not so much sourced in the nature or complexion of the perswasion it felf as in the moral constitution of the greatest part of those who are intangled with it Such of the perswasion who 1. Are inclin'd to gratifie and please others that are pre-ingaged to other tenents or practices beyond the said perperswasion 2. Who are over tender in conscience through weakness in judgement and apt to fear sin whereno sin is or to suspect duty where no duty is And 3. Who count it an honor to them to put to rebuke the gifts and abilities of worthy men by dissenting from them and pretending to see where they are to seek 4. And lastly who take pleasure in Magistrality and had rather make heads for Images of wood then arms or legs for Statues of gold all these characters of men I say being Anabaptismally engaged are apt to imagin and conceit that they hear their opinion say unto them Ascend yet higher make me but your footstool to conveigh you up to such a Throne of glory and perfection from whence you shall behold the whole Christian world under you walking but as shadows and the greatest of them not worthy to come under the Roof of the meanest of your Sanctuaries Whereas other persons free from those impressions of weakness and unworthyness although of the same Anti-pedo-paptismal faith and engagement pretend not to hear so much as the least ayr or whisper of any such exhortation from such their perswasion It is not long since my thoughts stood within me never § 2. to meddle in print with these Baptismal controversies I was deeply engaged in others which were of a much more desireable resentment with my genius and in which I judged my labours might have served the world upon terms of better advantage Nor had I I beleeve ever taken Pen in hand for the defence of Infant-Baptism had not the untimely birth of that discourse unto which I give answer in the latter part of the book now in thy hand imposed a most unhappy necessity upon me thereunto Notwithstanding herein I am a little relieved under this so un-acceptable an ingagement for the kind of it that I shall deal with my adversary Anabaptism in the glory of his strength and consequently upon sucb terms that I trust he will never be

it But I trust that he that was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil will in due time be above him in that wherein I beleeve he much magnifieth himself and build up again in this Church of his with advantage what the other hath pull'd down with both his hands But not to over-charge thy patience Good Reader with the burthen of an Epistle if it be not too much discourtesied already I here take my leave most heartily and humbly beseeching the God of all grace to anoint thee with a rich anointing of a discerning spirit and to give thee a sound understanding in all things which concern thine own peace and the peace of the Churches of Christ and the whole Israel of God that thou mayst find a way to thine eternal rest and glory without treading and trampling under thy foot as thou goest along the peace and comfort of thy Brethren partakers of like precious Faith with thee and who with much singleness of heart and soul love worship and serve the same God and the same Lord Jesus Christ whom thou servest although thou shouldst suppose that God hath not revealed unto them the truth in all those matters of doubtful disputation wherein thou presumest that he hath revealed it unto thee He that fervently prayeth this Prayer for thee is Thy assured Friend in Christ JOHN GOODWIN From my Study in Swan-Alley December 21. 1654. An Admonition to the remainder of the Flock and Sheep of Christ yet under my hand and charge DEar Souls for whom I exspect none other but to be called and this very shortly to give an account to the great Shepherd of the Sheep for the time you have already been and shall yet continue respectively under my hand that I may give this account with joy and not with grief is the sum of all that either now or ever hereafter I shall desire of you Nor do I nor shall I desire this great thing of you so much by many degrees for mine own sake as for yours For as the faithful Ministers of the Gospel are in the Apostles Doctrine unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish so is God unto them a sweet savour of reward through Christ as well for their labour care and faithfulness towards those who perish from under their hand as towards those that are saved Every man saith the same Apostle speaking of the same men shall receive his own reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. according to his own labour not according to the success or fruit of his labour Nevertheless this very Apostle was very richly apaid and highly pleased with the Christian towardliness and tractableness of those to whom he preached the Gospel and as much affected the contrary way when the children of his nurture and teaching behaved themselves frowardly and unworthy the Gospel in any kind Unto the Thessalonians he writeth these things Therefore Brethren we are comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render unto God again for you for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God a 1 Thes 3. 7 8 9. Not long before he had said unto them For what is our hope our joy or Crown of rejoycing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our glory and joy meaning in respect of their constant adhering to the Gospel as he had delivered it unto them and their conversations excellently answering hereunto On the other hand how great a sufferer in spirit was he under the weaknesses and undue deportments of the children of his Ministry Who is weak saith he and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not b 2 Cor. 11. 29. meaning that when any professor of the Gospel did bewray any doubtfulness of the truth of it in any material point or did shrink aside from the profession of it for any carnal end whatsoever he was weakened in his comfo●t and peace thereby and much pained aggrieved in his soul until they were strengthened and recovered To the same persons elswhere thus And lest when I come again my God will abase me among you and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already and have not repented c. c 2 Cor. 12. 21. importing 1. That the sinful miscarriages of this people amongst whom he had preached the Gospel were just matter of sorrow unto him and were like through the wise permission of God to turn to his great disparagement in the eyes of many To the Galathians having charged them with the superstition of observing days and months and times and years he professeth thus unto them I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain d Gal. 4. 11. Fear the Apostle John saith hath torment And though perfect love unto God casteth out the fear of rejection or condemnation by him yet th●m or e perfect and sincere our love is unto men the greater is both our fear and torment for them when we apprehend them in any great danger Concerning my self what my behaviour and conversation hath been among you from the first day of your gathering under my hand you well know and are ready I doubt not upon all occasions to testifie What my heart hath been towards you my heart it self knoweth but he that is greater then my heart knoweth much better and will declare in due time I have spent the best and most serviceable part of my days with you and have endeavoured with all my might humane infirmities excepted to train you up like Saints and Heirs apparant to an Heavenly Kingdom And now not being like long to continue with you in the world the keepers of my house in Solomons phrase beginning to tremble and they that look out at the windows to be darkned nor to publish many if any more Books then this before my change I was desirous the argument and subject matter of the work in hand so well comporting with the design to take the present opportunity whilest I am yet with you of being your Remembrancer of some few things a conscientious minding and observing whereof I question not will do you Christian and worthy service and help to bless you when I am gone 1. Remember and I say again Remember oft § 3. and seriously that it is much more easie to begin in the spirit then to continue end and be perfected in the spirit to run well for a time then perseveringly to obey the truth to interess your selves in the love of Christ then to continue in his love unto the end There were four several grounds that had good seed sown in them and three of them bare profession but onely one of them yeilded perseverance It is the observation of an Hebrew Doctor that they were six

taught to turn head upon conscience yea and upon whatsoever is commendable in Nature it self are plainly laid under the Notions and names of most worthy Truths and such wherein the glory of the Gospel confisteth The truth is that a Ranter is nothing but an Antinomian sublimated Amongst the Virgin-Livers you wil be taught or § 13. Virgin-Livers tempted to stop the course and current of Nature until it breaks over not onely the dam wherewith you shal obstruct it but even all the banks and bounds which God himself hath prefixed to it Here also if you be easie of belief and tractable under a spirit of delusion you wil be provoked to make a breach upon al the Laws and Precepts of God which concern the Christian management of Relations and this under a pretext of sovereign devotion and of signal sequestration from the world Those commonly known by the name of Seekers are a generation who think they do God a most Seekers choice service in overlooking all that is written upon pretence of looking after somewhat higher more mysterious and sacred then any thing that is writen as if God who as the Apostle teacheth us hath in these last days spoken unto the world by his Son intended to reveal unto and speak by these men somewhat beyond and of greater import then any thing he hath spoken unto the world by him Amongst these this snare of death wil be spread in your way you wil be tempted to seek after another Jesus with the neglect and contempt of him besides whom there is no Saviour of souls Amongst the Quinto-Monarchians or persons § 10. best known by the name of the fift Monarchie men Quinto-Monarchians not so much from their opinion touching the said Monarchie as by that fierce and restless spirit which worketh in them to bring it in into the world by uncouth and unhallowed methods and ways and this before the times of the other Monarchies be fulfilled you wil learn to speak evil of those that are in dignity to curse the Ruler of your people to entertain darkness in stead of a vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to advance your selves with confidence into the things which you have not seen and to please your selves most when you neither please God nor sober minded men Amongst the Behemites or Mysterialists you Behemites or Misteryal wil learn little but uncouth and affectate words and phrases under which you may intend and mean what mysteries you please but nothing to the edification of any man nor scarce of your selves together with an art or faculty to allegorize quite away the vivifique spirit power and Authority of the Scriptures and this under a pretence of teaching Repentance Mortification Humility Self-denyal Resignation c. after a new and more excellent way then hath been formerly taught or known Here though you shal meet with strange and unheard of terms and expressions in a sufficient number to fil the world with new notions and secrets of truth such as the hearts and minds of men have been strangers unto until now yet wil the whole Encyclopedy of this learning hardly bless or enrich you so much as with one distinct notion veyn or streyn of truth which is not already abroad in the world amongst intelligent men yea and this in a far more scientifical garb or habit of expression Here you wil be taught to comment upon the light with darkness Contra-Remonstrancie as it is commonly taught § 14. amongst us is a model of divinity or of Christian Contra-Remonstrants Religion drawn quite besides the platform or pattern in the Mount I mean the mind of God revealed in the Scriptures The appropriate principles of this way may reasonably be conceived to lead unto most if not all other sects and those evils whether of opinion or of practise that are found in them Amongst the sons and daughters of this Divinity you wil learn such a Faith which instead of working by love wil work by carelesness and security and which wil give such large quarter unto the flesh that its own Life and Being wil be sorely endangered if not utterly overthrown thereby besides many most unworthy and hard thoughts and sayings of him who is Grace Love Goodness and Bounty it self and who is not willing that any should perish but that al should come to repentance a 2 Pet. 3. 9. and be saved b 1 Tim. 2. 4. Among the Arians and Anthropomorhites the life of godliness in you if you carry any such thing with Arians and Anthropomorphites you unto them wil be in danger of poysoning with dunghil notions and conceits of God and of Christ For here the abominable Idolatry of the old Heathen who changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image ma●e like to corruptible man which as the Apostle informeth us God most severely punished is in the clear and plain pri 〈…〉 les o● it taught as a great and unquestionable truth And He who the Holy Ghost stileth God blessed for ever c Rom. 9. 5. I mean Christ the Lord is allowed this God-head in a diminutive sence onely and such which dissolveth the glory of the mystery of the Gospel into a piece of odd and savour-less projection without any length or breadth depth or height of wisdom in it Amongst the High-Presbyterians and men baptized into their spirit you must submit your faith to the test of men and be content to be at a classical or Synodical allowance for what you shal beleeve And yet here you wil be taught to sacrifice the peace liberties and comforts of other men and these it may be better more righteous yea and sounder in the faith then your selves upon the service of such a faith which is form'd and model'd by the fancies or weak understandings of men and these superintended for the most part and influenced by some politique or corrupted interest or other These are the principal Sects and by-ways of Christian profession at this day on foot amongst us as far as my knowledge and memory at present serve me to recount them unto you into which I mean into one or other of which if you be not throughly established with the knowledge of the truth and of the good word of God and withal watchful in prayer unto God to keep you in the good old way of truth and peace your foot wil be in danger of sliding and in so much the more danger because these ways of errours at least some of them have deceived great numbers of men and women and are at this day occupyed by many according to that of Christ to his Disciples themselves Take heed that no man deceive you For MANY shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive MANY Facilè transitur ad plures is the saying of Seneca i. A little consideration serves a man to make one in a multitude or throng Besides there are reports

is sufficient for the eviction of a truth 16 12. That way of worshipping God wherein a mans soul hath prospered and prospereth yet daily is not lightly to be forsaken or exchanged 17 18 13. To make any thing necessary which God hath not made such is to Lord it over the consciences of men and to usurp divine Authority pag. 19 14. The subject of an Ordinance is no part of this Ordinance 19 20 15. The Law of Nature and personal accommodation is to super-intend and over-rule Ordinances and Institutions 20 21 16. Some things being ex●ra-essential to the nature and end of an Institution though observed in the first administration may be lawfully yea and commendably in some cases omitted in after administrations 21 22 17. Every defect in the administration of an Ordinance doth not voyd the effect of it 23 24 18. The same ground which giveth right to an Ordinance unto any one person or persons giveth the same right unto all in whom it is found 24 25 26 19. It is not necessary that Signs Seals or Sacraments should correspond in any natural similitude 26 27 28 20. Institutions may be regularly used and observed without the observation of any circumstance not enjoyned 28 29 21. He is superstitious and a wil-worshipper who placeth Religion in any circumstance or observationont prescribed by God 29 30 22. Sacramental engagements the more early imposed or taken up are so much the more improveable binding also 30 31 23. Adult Baptism a seminary of contentions in constituted Churches 31 32 24. Infant-baptism more edifying both to the Church and to the baptised themselves when come to years of discretion 32 33 25. Children admitted unto Baptism in the daies of Christ and of the Apostles 33 26. Baptism a Seal under the Gospel of the righteousnesse of Faith as Circumcision was under the Law 33 34 27. Church-membership a gracious priviledge vouchsafed by God unto Children under the Law 35 28. The Children of the Jews were involved together with their Parents in their rejection from God 36 37 29. The Jewish children were baptized into Moses as well as their Parents 37 38 39 30. The door of entrance into the Christan Church is more easie and accommodate for children then it was into the Jewish Church pag. 39 31. The Baptism of Children born of Christian Parents was not deferred until adultness of yeares in the Apostles daies 40 41 32. Infant-church-membership was no Levitical ceremony nor abolished by Christ 42 43 44 33. Infant-baptism was practised by such Christians who conversed if not with the Apostles yet with their disciples 46 47 34. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to baptize frequently signifieth any kind of washing or rinseing even where no dipping is 47 35. The derivative verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never in the New Testament used to signifie the act of dipping but the primitive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only pag 47 48. As on the other hand the Sacramental act of baptizing is never expressed by the primitive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by the frequentative or derivative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. 36. The administration of water-baptism is very frequently expressed by a baptism with water seldom or not at all by a baptizing into water 48 49 37. No Baptismal administration can regularly be performed either in whole or in part by the person who is baptized 50 51 38. The water wherein the Eunuch was baptized was not deep enough for dipping 51 52 39. Baptizing with the Holy Ghost and baptizing with Water expressed in the Scriptures by one and the same preposition 52 53 40. To pour water on the body of the person baptized doth more significantly resemble burial then the d●pping into water doth 53 54 41. The nature of Baptism representeth the gracious act of Christ applying himself unto us 54 55 42. No kind of washing is performed or made onely by the application of the thing to be washed unto the water but of the water unto it 55 56 43. Dipping either naked or cloathed inconvenient 56 44. To dip or wash all over was the practice of Idolatrous nations 58 45. It cannot be proved that any Baptismal Administration recorded in the Scripture was performed by dipping but is exceeding probable that many were performed without it 59 60 c. 46. The baptizing children of Christians ordinarily at years of discretion is inconsistent with the Gospel rule for baptizing 70 71 47. The custom of adult Baptism amongst th●se born in the Church first entered into the Church by unhallowed door and was entertained when practised upon unwarrantable and Popish grounds 73 74 48. The generation of men commonly known by the name of Ana-baptists have alwaies been injurious to the Gospel 75 76 c. 49. The wrath of God hath been from time to time revealed from heauen against the way of Ana-baptism and those who unrepentingly have walked in it 80 81 c. 50 It hath very seldom been known that any opinion or practise though never so wicked uncouth or absurd was ever set on foot amongst Christian Professors but that it gathered a considerable number of Proselytes to it 89 51. By-opinions and practises which bear or seem to bear hard upon the flesh are apt to take with four sorts of persons 90 91 52. No kind of Sect have more generally been more hardened in the way of their errour or more un-perswasible out of it then those who have been able to pretend the plain Letter of the Scripture though misunderstood for their opinion or practise especially when a letter of like plainess cannot be produced against them 91 92 53. When men and women are inordinate in valuing or prizing an erroneous whether opinion or practise there is the less hope of reclaiming them from either 92 93 54. A● the Scripture sometimes under the word MEN comprehendeth Women as well as Men yea and sometimes Children also so under the expression MEN AND WOMEN it more frequently comprehendeth Children 94 55. It is lawful yea commendable for beleevers to devote separate and design their children whilst it is yet early with them even from the conception and the womb to the service of God and Jesus Christ pag. 95 96 56. The truth of an Ordinance or Gods approving or allowing of an Ordinance as his cannot better be estimated or known then when he blesseth it unto those who receive it 96 97 57. Baptism received in Infancy and this without d●ppi●g● is neither a nullity nor device or institution of man 97 98 58. Baptism as all types and typical Ordinances is one of those things which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. which are instituted and given for some greater things sake than themselves 98 99. The Contents of the latter part of the ensuing Discourse according to the respective Sections thereof 1. STicklers about Baptism now and about Circumcision of old compared Sect. 2 2. The present controversie not properly

any person whasoever of the favour of God in generall towards persons to be baptized Nor did they ever denie but that such a profession might be necessary for some other causes besides an information of mens being in the favour of God whether generall or speciall So that the former part of this latter Answer is a meer impertinencie 2. Whereas he supposeth and in effect saith that Baptizers have no reason to conceive persons to be in a present capacitie of Baptism it self unlesse they have reason likewise to conceive them in a present capacitie of the ends and benefits of Baptism I answer 1. if by a present capacitie he means a capacitie which is at present vested and found in the subject in this sence Children are in a present capacitie of the ends and benefits of Baptism as well as men For there is at present and whilst they are yet children a capacity of the ends benefits of Baptism vested and residing in them This hath been shewed and proved formerly Sect. 64 65 68 69. 2. If by a present capacity he means as I suppose his meaning is such a capacity which renders its subject actually and at present capable of the said ends and benefits of Baptism it hath been formerly shewed and proved once and again that such a capacitie is not necessarie to render a person capable of Baptism more then a like capacitie of the ends and benefits of Circumcision was necessary to render Children capable of this Ordinance under the Law Peruse Sect. 69 152. with others So that we have nothing but overthrown Notions and Conceits to make up this Answer But it seems Mr. A. hath been troubled with a second proof of the said minor Proposition which he lifts up his pen to disable in the next place We shall give him somewhat more then the hearing of what he hath to say to this proof also although by the way this is more then the confirmation and proof of our Argument in hand and consequently of the intire cause of Infant-Baptism requireth at our hand For when an Argument is regularly formed one sufficient proof given for the truth of either Proposition I mean both of the Major and the Minor renders the Argument as authentique and concluding as many proofs of either could do Now against the form of the argument in hand no exception hath been nor with either reason or truth can be taken However let us see Mr A. and the second proof he speaks of play together before us Whereas in the second place saith he it is said that it was upon this ground viz. of Gods loving him that Christ himself was capable of Baptism and not his Faith in as much as he had no such Faith as is required of men to render them capable of Baptism to wit a Faith in God touching the remission of sins through Christ and that yet Christ did not receive Baptism upon any terms extraordinary but upon the same terms as others do in as much as it was in conformity to a standing Law of righteousness common to others as well as him This proof is not drawn up either in terms or in substance of notion to the sence of Mr A's Adversaries as we shall shortly declare in particular however let us see whether the peny of it be not better silver then the Answers To this I answer That this Reason is built upon a mistaken ground as supposing Christ to have no such faith as MIGHT render him capable of Baptism at least such as is required of other men in order thereunto for Christ had the same faith which Mr. A. p. 47. is required all other persons in that case For what Faith was required of other men to render the● capable of Baptism save this viz. To beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God For so when the Eunuch demanded of Philip See here is water what hindreth me to be Baptised Then Philip answered and said If thou beleevest with all thine heart thou mayest And he answered Philip again and said I beleeve that Iesus Christ is the Son of God I Answer Sect. 183. Whereas Mr A. saith that the Reason which he is to Answer is built upon a mistaken ground the truth is that this is not the building of the reason but of the answer here made to it For 1. The reason he speaks of doth not speak as he makes it to speak viz. That it was upon the ground of Gods Love to Christ that Christ himself was capable of Baptism But what speaketh it it speaketh this That it was the relation of Son ship in Christ unto God that rendered him thus capable How material the difference is between these two hath formerly been opened 2. Whereas this answer saith that Christ had the sam● faith which is required of all other persons in that case it builds upon another mistaken ground For that the faith which was in Christ was essentially and specifically differing from that which is req●irea of ●ther persons in the case he speaks of is evident from hence viz. because such properties which are essential unto and do universally accompany that faith which is required of other persons in the case specified were wanting in the faith of Christ That faith which is required of other persons in the said case must be accompanied in its subject with repentance for si● perpetrated and committed This is so essential unto this Faith that without it no Faith whatsoever gives unto the persons we speak of a regular capacity of Baptisme * At least according to Mr. As. principles Yea Baptisme as we have oft heard is described by its relation unto Repentance not unto Faith as the more proper and signal qualifier of the two for its reception Therefore that Faith which is not accompanied in the same subject with repentance is not of that kind or species of Faith which is required in persons in order to their baptizing and consequently that Faith which was in the Lord Christ not being thus accompanied for he that never sinned could not repent of his sins was not could not be of the same kinde of Faith with that required in other persons Again that kind of Faith which is required of ordinary men and women upon the account before us in all and every the particular and individual actings and residings of it obtaineth remission of sins But the faith which was in Christ obtained no remission of sinnes Therefore it was a Faith of a differing kind from the Faith required of other persons Sect. 184. Yet again upon that Faith which is required in other persons c. this Law is imposed by God in all and every the residings of it viz. that upon the first coming of it unto and working of it in the soul a profession or declaration of it ●b ●eopenly made by Baptism This is Mr. A's own a vouched Doctrine in the premises and is also asserted by him in the sequel of his present Answer