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 exâ—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 dâ—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 thâ—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. Aâ— 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 dâ—ppiâ—gâ— 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
never in Scripture expressed by a word which properly signifieth dipping but constantly by a word or words which in common acception and when applied by the Scripture it self unto other acts signifie washing indefinitely then have we no ground to beleeve that the Sacramental transaction of baptizing essentially consists in dipping or plunging the whole body under water considering 1. That the tearm or word whereby this transaction is held forth by God in the Scripture doth not properly at least not determinately import or signifie dipping or plunging 2. That no other thing relating to this transaction mentioned in the Scripture doth enforce us to such a notion or conception of it as will be shewed ere long CONSIDERATION XXXVI THe administration of water-baptism is frequently in Scripture expressed by a baptizing with water seldom or not at all by a baptizing INTO water Proof Luk. 3. 16. John answered saying unto them all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I indeed baptize you WITH water Act. 11. 16. But I remember the Word of the Lord how he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. John indeed baptized WITH water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost And in all those places where baptism is said to be administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mat. 3. 11. Mar. 1. 8. Joh. 1. 26. 31. 33. the proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth with and is accordingly so translated in all these places and is of like signification in many others and must be so rendred likewise As for that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 1. 9. 1. The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as is else where observed frequently put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dwelt IN a City called Nazareth Mar. 2. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it was noysed that he was IN the house Mar. 2. 1. to omit many others 2. If we make any difference between baptizing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must of necessity grant that there were several ways or manners of baptizing For it is expresly said Mar. 1. 5. that all the people that came unto John were baptized of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the River Jordan Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are but the same Consectary If Baptism may be truly and properly said to be administred or performed WITH water then may it truly and properly be administred or performed without dipping or plunging as viz. by washing or any application of water to the body of the baptized Yea it is altogether uncouth and improper to say that a man is dipped or is to be diped or plunged WITH water and so to make John say I indeed baptize you with water if by baptizing be meant dipping or plunging CONSIDERATION XXXVII THe Sacramental Act of baptizing cannot be câ—mmâ—diously for the understandings of men signified or exprest by the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be supposed that it properly signifieth to dip Proof The reason of the truth of this Consideration is because dipping if this be requisite in Baptisme as it must be at least ordinarily and where the Law of mercy doth not interpose if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth to dip doth expresse but the one half of the Sacramental transaction of Baptism For he that onely dippeth a person man or woman in the water can hereby perform but one part or the one half of the Sacramental act or transaction of Baptism because this transaction is not finished or compleated until he who hath dipped hath again undipped or raised lifted the person diped out of the water Now it being certain that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie to undip or heave out of the water it is in no degree probable that the Holy Ghost should expresse that Sacramental transaction which we call by the name of Baptism by this word in case it be supposed that un-dipping or lifting out of the water be a part of it and this as material and necessary and significant as dipping it self is which I presume is the sence of those who are baptized into the conceit of a necessity of water-dipping Consectary If the Sacramental transaction of Baptisme cannot be commodiously nor with any tolerable conveniency of import signified or expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in case it be supposed that it properly signifieth to dip then cannot this be the proper signification of it or at least it cannot be the signification of it when this transaction is expressed by it For it is in no wise to be beleeved that the Holy Ghost should give a lame or defective appellation to so great an Ordinance or institution as Baptism is or such a name which should signifie or import but the one half of it CONSIDERATION XXXVIII NO part of the Baptismal Administration or transaction ought to be performed or can be performed regularly by the person himself who is Baptized but he is to be passive under the hand of the Baptist and the Baptist onely to act in the service Proof All the Baptismal Administrations mentioned and recorded in the Scriptures are here represented unto us as managed and performed upon these terms nor is it any where to be found where any party baptized baptized himself either in part or in whole but onely that they came to be baptized desired and submitted unto Baptism Consectary If no part of the Baptismal Administration can regularly be performed by the party himself who is to be baptized but the whole businesse of the Administration is to be the work or act of the Baptizer onely then cannot dipping or plunging the body all over in water be the regular form or manner of this Administration The reason is because he that is baptismally dipt dippeth a good part of his body himself by going into the water and by standing there up to the knees middle or neck before the Baptist layeth hand on him So that that which the Baptist dippeth of his body is onely a part of it and this ordinarily I suppose but a small part neither He that properly dippeth must of necessity hold some part of that which is dipped in his hand or with some instrument in his hand Therefore he that is baptized by dipping cannot be reasonably thought to be regularly baptized unlesse he be with clean strength heaved and lifted up into the air by the Baptist and so gently let down into the water the hand of the Baptizer not taken off from him all the while CONSIDERATION XXXIX THe water wherein or wherewith the Eunuch was baptized by Philip Act. 8. 36. was not so deep as wherein he could be dipped or plunged all over Proof Hierome who lived several years at Hierusalem then it seems called Aelia and was well acquainted with the country of Judea and parts round about and accordingly wrote a book intituled De Locis Hebraicis in this Book reporteth that in the Tribe of Juda
about twenty miles from Hierusalem in the Road towards Hebron there is a village or Town called Bethsoron near unto which there is a Mountain at the bottome or foot whereof there is a certain spring or Fountain where the Acts of the Apostles relate that the Eunuch of Queen Candace was baptized by Philip. a Et est hodie Bethsoron vicus euntibus nobis ab Aeliâ Chebron vicesimo lapide juxta quem fons ad radicis montis ebulliens ab eadem in qua gignitur sorbetur humo Et Apostolorum acta referunt Eunnchum Candacis Reginae in hoc baptizatum â Philippo Eusebius before him had affirmed the same and Bedâ— some hundreds of years after him reporteth the said village then remaining consenting with the two former touching the baptizing of the Eunuch in the said spring or Fountain Our Country man Mr. Sandys who travaild through these places mentioneth his passage by Bethzur being in the upper way between Jerusalem and Gaza Where saith he we saw the ruines of an ample Church below that a Fountain not unbeholding to art whose pleasant Waters are forthwith drunk up by the earth that produced them Here thâ—y say that Philip baptized the Eunuch whereupon it retaineth the name of the Ethiopian Fountain And no quâ—stion but that thâ— adjoyning Temple was erected out of devotion to the honour of the place and memory of the fact b Sandys Travails lib 3. p. 142. The Holy Ghost himself seems to point out the inconsiderableness of that Fountain or water after which we are now inquiring And as they went on their way saith he speaking of Philip and the Eunuch travelling together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They came unto ACERTAIN WATER or as our English Dialect would best expresse it unto a kind of water Act. 8. 36. The description or expression here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports the water spoken of not to have been any river much lesse any deep River nor other water known by any name but some small spring or fountain onely Consectary If the water wherein the Eunuch was baptized Act. 8. 36. was so small and shallow that he could not be dipped over head and ears in it it undeniably follows that then such dipping is of no necessity in or to a regular baptizing CONSIDERATION XL. BAptizing with water and baptizing with the Holy Ghost are expressed by one and the same Praeposition in the Scripture Proof Mark 1. 8. John speaking of the difference between his Baptism or rather of that administration of Baptism which he exercised and the administration of that Baptism which is poâ—ropriate unto Christ expresseth himself thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I indeed have baptized you WITH water but he shall baptize you WITH the Holy Ghost See also Mat. 3. 11. John 1. 33 were we find both Baptisms in like manner expressed a Tit. 3. 56. God is said to save us by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which is said to be poured out upon us following the resemblance of water poured in the washing of Baptism Nor can that phrase rationally admit another construction Act. 1. 5. when our Saviour promiseth hâ—s Disciples they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days after as John baptized with water As they were baptized by the Spirit so they were baptized with water for so the proportian requires And therefore it is an utter mistake to think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies the dipping into the water when the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most frequently with the Hebrews and generally amongst the Grammarians notes onely the cause or instrument c. Mr. â—h Hooker Survey of summe of Church Discipline Part 3. c. 2. p. 31. Consectary If both Baptisms the one with water the other with the Holy Ghost be expressible by one and the same Preposition which importeth one and the same manner of their respective transactions then is that Baptism which is with water performable as well or rather by pouring water on the baptized as by dipping into the water considering that they who are baptized with the Holy Ghost are no where said to be dipt or plunged into the Holy Ghost but to have the Holy Ghost poured on them Act. 2. 17. 18. Act. 10. 45. CONSIDERATION XLI TO pour water upon the body or flesh of the person baptized carrieth in it a more significant resemblance of the act of burying then a dipping into water doth Proof Mr. Thomas Hooker appeals unto the judgment of sence it self whether this Consideration be not a truth The applying saith he and casting the water upon the body best resembles the nature of burial as sence will suggest the dipping of the body into the dust doth no way so lively resemble burial as the casting dust and mold upon it a Suruey of the summe of Church discipline Part. 3. c. 2. p. 32. And the evident truth is that the thrusting or putting of the body under or into the Earth as suppose into the dust or into a grave hath little or nothing of the nature or property of a burial in it in comparison of a casting earth upon it A corps is not properly buried by being put into a grave but by having Earth cast upon it whether it be put into a grave or not Burial doth not consist in an application of the body to the Earth as in an application of Earth unto the body Consectary If the pouring of water upon the body of the person to be baptized carryeth in it a more significant resemblance of the act of burying then the dipping it into water doth then is that baptismal administration which is made by dipping less representative of a beleevers being spiritually buryed with Christ then that which is performed by pouring or casting water upon it CONSIDERATION XLII THe nature of Baptism and the Administration hereof answers or represents the gracious Act or work of Christ in his application of himself unto us Proof It is acknowledged on all hands at least vertually and consequentially if not formally and expresly that the great end of Baptism and of the administration of it is to confirm and seal the Covenant of grace by Christ For he that granteth that Baptism signifieth the death of Christ and so the Covenant in his blood and yet denyeth that it sâ—aleth this death or Covenant speaketh contradictions For God cannot signifie any thing unto me or any man but what hath reality and truth of being and therefore his very signifying of a thing unto me is in the proper tendency or import of it a confirmation or seal of the reality truth and certainty hereof Now if the nature and end of Baptism be to seal and confirm unto men the Covenant of grace by Christ it must needs be conceived to answer signifie or point out the gracious Act or Work of Christ in applying himself unto them And look upon what
terms how or after what manner this Covenant and the Grace in it is communicated or imparted unto us it is reasonable to conceive that it is sealed or confirmed unto us accordingly Consectary If the nature of Baptism and the Administration thereof answers and represents the gracious Act of Christ in applying himself unto us then ought water by which Christ with his washing cleansing and purging grace is represented be first applied unto the body or person of the baptized and not this to it in as much as Christ first comes in his promise and grace unto the soul and not the soul unto him So that such an administration of Baptism wherein the water is first applyed unto the body as it is in sprinkling or pouring water on the baptized is much more agreeable to the nature and import of it then that wherein the body is first applied unto the water which is done by dipping CONSIDERATION XLIII NO kind of washing if we speak properly is performed or made onely by the application of the thing to be washed unto the water but by the application of water unto it Proof A man is not said to wash his hands when he onely dipeth or putteth them into the water but when he applyeth water to the one hand with the other until the soil be dissolved whether he plungeth them into the water or no. The spiritual washing as well from the guilt as from the defâ—lement of sin is not accomplished or made by the application of the heart or soul unto Christ or his bloud but by the applying of Christ and his bloud unto these Let us saith the Apostle draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our HEARTS SPRINKLED from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Heb. 10. 22. The sprinkling of the book and the people mentioned c. 9. v. 19. and so the sprinkling of the Tabernacle and all the vessels of the Ministery v. 21. was not effected by any application of the Book People Tabernacle or vessels unto the bloud wherewith they were sprinkled but by the application of the bloud unto them by way of sprinkling Semblably when the heart is sprinkled from an evill conscience i. e. is washed or cleansed from the guilt or stain of sin this is not to be conceived as done by applying the heart unto the bloud of Christ but on the contrary by an application of this bloud unto it And to note this by the way some conceive and this not improbably that the sprinkling with bloud under the Law did typically prefigure or correspond with the Baptismal sprinkling with water under the New Testament Consectary If no kind of washing properly so called be performed onely by the application of the thing or person unto the water but of the water unto these then is that administration of Baptisme which is made by dipping onely Heterodox and unproper there being no washing of the body in or by such an administration CONSIDERATION XLIV Dipping naked and without garments especially of women by or amongst men is not onely un-Christian but uncivil also and repugnant to the Law of nature Again Dipping with garments is repugâ—ant to the Law of Health and Self-preservation Proof Nature it self teacheth us the truth of the former part of the Consideration and that it is a far greater shame for women Tum quoque cum caderet partes velare tegendas Cura fuit castique decuâ— servare pudoris Ovid. Met. to be seen of men naked then it is to be shorn or shaven Reason and frequent experience teach in like manner the truth of the latter part To persons of weak sickly and tender constitutions to be dowzed in cold water must needs be as the shadow of death unto them how much more when the coldnesse of the water shall for a time be as it were close bound unto their bodies by their cloaths full of water How many are there who cannot so much as put their hands into cold water or touch a wet linnen cloath without certain prejudice to their health And however Baptists of the new order abhominate the saying as the Jews did the imputation of murther charged upon them by the Lord Christ yet it may truly at least beyond all reasonable contradiction be said that unto many their burying under water hath hastned their burial also under earth Instances not a few may be given of persons who in all probability laid the foundation of their approaching death in the waters of a Baptismal dipping and of many more who sew the seeds of many after sicknesses weaknesses and distempers as of coughs Catarrhs Squinancies Appoplexies Consumptions c. in the same waters Nor is it pertinent here to alledge that some upon their Baptismal dipping have not onely been â—ree but freed from bodily maladies c. For 1. The common saying is true That which is one man Physick may be another mans bane or poison I easily beleeve that as the constitution and condition of the body may be going into and under water may be a natural and proper means to cure some infirmities thereof But this proveth not but that the same course or means may be threatning yea destructive to the healths and lives of others So that in respect of this different habitude of dipping in reference to bodies of different tempers and constitutions it is every whit as necessary to consult the Physitian as the Minister or Divine about the receiving it But whatever bodily cures may be wrought or rather be conceited to be wrought by Baptismal dippings certain I am that Baptism was and is non hos quaesitum munus in usus never intended by the great Founder and Father of it God to work the work either of Chirurgian or Physitian Therefore 2. The fancy or imaginative faculty in many I might say in most of those who are now upon the brink of the Baptismal waters and ready to be cast into them being extraordinarily affected raised and provoked in case some sensible alteration in the state and condition of the body whether for the better or the worse follow hereupon it is no more then what is ordinarily seen and felt by men women upon a like occasion I mean some high acting or working the imagination 3. And lastly the practise of Baptismal dipping being as was formerly argued and proved especially after Infant-Baptism superstitious and will-worship it is not otherwise like but that He who labours to uphold and cherish all the superstition in the world will stretch out his arm to the full length of it and do his best to cause signs and wonders bodily cures and other strange effects to be wrought by it or accompany it or however to be ascribed unto it Consectary If dipping naked and without garments and again dipping cloathed and with garments be both repugnant to the Law of nature in the cases and respects specified then dipping cannot be the regular or right manner of the Baptismal
Administration The reason is because God hath not subjected the Law of nature to the Law of any â—eremony or institution whatsoever but on the contrary hath subjected the respective laws of all ceremonies and institutions unto this a See §. 8. of the secâ—nd part of â—hâ— discourse and Watâ—r-dipping p. 5 6 7 CONSIDERATION XLV â—T was the manner and practise of Heathen Nations and Pagan Idolaters before Christs time to dip or wash all over the bodiâ—s of those who desired to be initiated into the superstitious and Idolatrous services of their Idolâ—â—ods Proof The truth of this Assertion is asserted by several Authors as well of the Pagan as Christian perswasion They who desire a more particular information hereof may please to consult the Commentaries of Hugo Grotius upon these words Mat. 28. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptizing them where having himself first affirmed that the custome we speak of was practised among the Jews when any person turned from the worship of false Gods unto the true and again that it was used among prophane Nations likewise of old b S 〈…〉 Ostendiâ—â—us apud Judaeos moris â—isse ut Baptiâ—â—renâ—uâ— qâ—i se à falsorum Deorum cultu ad cultum unius Dâ—i convertebant Sed apud Gentes etiam prophanâ—s usurpatum antiquitùs fuit ut qui iâ—itiari vellâ—nt toto corpore prius ablueâ—entur c. he subjoins the testimony of sundry Authors for the confirmation of this latter Consectary If Dipping Religion-wise was by the Jews practised upon their own account and without direction and command from God and much more if it were practised by Pagan Idolaters and those who worshipped the Divel and this before Baptism was practised among Christians then is it at no hand probable that God should prescribe or enjoin the same practise unto those that should worship him and beleeve in his Son Jesus Christ The reason of this consequence is because God hath never been wont to learn of men much lesse of Sathan or his followers how to be worshipped himself or what services to prescribe unto his worshippers It hath indeed been observed long since that the Divel is Gods Ape and borroweth many things from him for the regulating adorning and compleating of his own worship but it never entred I suppose into any Christian mans heart to think that God should borrow any rite or ceremony from Sathan wherewith to accomplish his worship Yea we read in the Law that God expressely forbad his people the use of several rites and practises used by Idolaters and this for this very reason because they were used by them Lâ—vit 18. 3. Deut. 12. 30 31. Deut. 18. 14. Herewith compare Mat. 6. 31. 32. CONSIDERATION XLVI IT cannot be proved from the Scriptures that any Baptismal Administration recorded there was performed by dipping but it is exceeding probable that many of these Administrations were performed without it Proof Concerning the first part of this consideration I freely acknowledge that it is the sence and opinion of many learned men both of ancient and modern times that in Christs and the Apostles days the Administration we speak of was ordinarily in Judea and the hot countries neighbouring thereunto performed by dipping the whole body under water Yet I am all thoughts made that whatever ground they have or may have otherwise for this opinion they have nothing demonstrative or firmly concluding from the Scriptures to evince it That those metaphorical expressions of the Apostle Buried with him by Baptisme Rom. 6. 4. Col. 2. 12. amount to no such proof hath in two of our preceding Consideratâ—ons been argued That neither of these expressions about the baptizing of the Eunuch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated they went down both INTO the Water And when they were come up OVT of the Water Act. 8. 38 39. prove the Eunuch to have been dipt under water in his baptizing hath been in part if not sufficiently proved already where by the testimony of more then two competent witnesses as likewise by Scripture insinuation it self we found the water wherein he was baptized to have been too shallow to entertain him upon such terms But besides when it is said they both went down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not always or necessarily in this place signifie into but sometimes unto which signification is as proper here as the other so that the clause may be rendred and they both went down to or VNTO the water i.e. to the waters side The preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oft signifieth to or unto and is accordingly translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. I am not sent but TO or VNTO the sheep c. Mat. 15. 24. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VNTO himself Colos 1. 20. So also That you may be filled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with or rather unto as Beza rendreth it a Vt impleamini A D omnem usque plenitudinem illam Dei all the fulnesse of God Eph. 3. 19. Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They went unto Lydia as Beza again translateth b Introierunt A D Lydiam Act. 16. 40. Once more every Scribe which is instructed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VNTO the Kingdome of Heâ—ven Mat. 13. 52. to omit many other places Again for the latter clause And when they were come up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OVT OF the Water the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be as as well translated FROM as out of For this signification of it is most frequent and obvious in the New Testament and our English Translation accordingly owneth it in very many places They who doubt hereof may consult the original in these Texts with many others for their satisfaction Luk. 1. 71 and again v. 7 8. Luk. 20. 4. twice Joh. 19. 12. Joh. 21. 14. Act. 14. 8. Act. 15. 21 as Beza rendreth and v. 29. Act. 17. 3. and 31. Act. 22. 6. and v. 17 Act. 27. 34. Rom. 1. 17. Rom. 4. 24. Rom. 6. 4. and v. 9. and v. 13. and v. 17. c. It would be tedious and needlesse so much as to point at all those places where the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are found in the signification import of our English particle from And being so translated in the clause in hand as very commodiously and without any hardnesse at all of construction it might be for it is as proper to say when they came up from the Water as when they came up out of the Water here would be no footing nor colour of footing whereon to argue the Eunuchs diping when he was baptized Yea own we the two English translations of both the clauses now under consideration yet can there no convincing argument be drawn from them either divisim or conjunctim to prove that Philip dipped the Eunuch when he baptized him For supposing the water to have been very shallow for the proof whereof more I beleeve hath been said then
ever will be to prove the contrary and the uppermost part of it to have been somewhat lower then the level or surface of the verge or bank about it which is not unusual in many waters there might be some necessity or at least a convenience as well for Philip as for the Eunuch to go down together into the water that so the former might take up water with his hand to put or pour upon the head or face of the other Besides it is as well said of Philip as of the Eunuch that he both went down into the water and came up from or out of the water But no man I presume imagineth that Philip at this turn dipped himself Therefore from the said phrases or expressions nothing can be concluded for the dipping of the other both expressions being indifferently used of and applied unto both these persons Again if the Eunuch went down into the water he could not be dipped all over by Philip and consequently could not regularly be baptized if it he supposed 1. That a regular baptizing consisteth in a total submersion or dipping of the whole body under water And 2. That it is wholly to be transacted or performed by another For he that goeth into the water dippeth himself in part neither can another be said to dip him all over except he first heaves or lifteth him up out of and above the water and then still holding his body in or between his hands gently convey or let it down into the water again To pretend that the Eunuch might have been duly baptized without going down into the water and without Philips going down likewise if Baptisme could have been duly administred either by sprinkling or by putting a small quantity of water upon his head or face as viz. by sending a servant to the Fountain to fetch a Bason or like vessel of water from thence c. to pretend thus I say amounts to little satisfaction For 1. It cannot be proved that either a bason or like vessel was now at hand Basons are not usually carried about in travell especially not in long journies 2. Suppose there had been the opportunity of a Bason or the like yet might there be several reasons though unknown to us why Philip being at liberty whether to baptize at or in the Fountain or otherwise might prefer the former So that there is nothing in the pretence specified nor in any thing expressed or recorded in the Scriptures about the Eunuchs baptizing which makes it so much as probable much lesse demonstrable or certain that he was dipped under water when baptized Nor is there any whit more in John's baptizing in Jordan or in Aenon near Saliâ— because much water was here Joh. 2. 23. to prove that John dipped when he baptized For 1. There is nothing recorded by the Holy Ghost touching the particular external manner according to which John baptized Which by the way is an argument of much satisfaction unto me that no one determinate external manner in baptizing or of managing ordering or using the water in Baptism is essential unto the Ordinance or the due administration thereof For it is the first-born of things incredible unto me that God should prescribe unto men so great and weighty an Ordinance as Baptism more generally at least is conceived to be yea and which our Adversaries begin of late to say is absolutely necessary unto justification and consequently unto salvation it self and yet not signifie or declare and this in the most plain explicit and distinct manner how this Ordinance ought to be administred in case it be supposed that there is onely one determinate manner of the administration which is regular and legitimate yea and which is so essential unto it that without it nothing but a meer nullity or humane device can be administred especially this determinate manner being such which the clearest and sharpest understanding of men of greatest worth in the Church of Christ and most diligently and conscienously exercised in the Scriptures have not been able for many generations together to discern or discover 2. Neither is there the least intimation any where given in the Scripture that the reason why John made his first choice of the River Jordan for his Baptismal station or residence or his second of Aenon where much water or rather many waters was that he might have water enough to dip all those that came to be baptized of him over head and ears Therefore this is but a matter of humane conjecture onely and this not very probable neither For 1. It is not like that a reason of this consequence would have been left to humane divination being so worthy of God's own pen were it or had it had been a truth 2. Though it be said that in Aenon where John last baptized there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mâ—ny waters yet this proveth not that there was any place within the compasse of these waters of a sufficient depth for the dipping of a mans body all over The expression probably importeth a confluence or meeting together of several rivelets or small currents from several springs near adjoining which it is like did over-spread a great surface of ground and yet were not so deep in any place as to reach up to the knees of a man We know there are many places not very far from the City where there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many waters in such a sence and consideration as this and more particularly in the ordinary Road to 〈◊〉 where in several places when springs are open there is a largâ— confluence of waters which spread themselves thin over a great planities or flat of ground for several furlongs together without being so deep in any place as to afford an opportunity to a travelling horse to drink But in many other places of the Nation there are such prospects of waters as those we now speak of which are to be seen all the year long and where the waters run continually Therefore many waters do not import so much as one mans dipping Mr. Fisher is much mistaken if learneder men be not in conceiving Aenon to be a river Baby-Baptism p. 334. Calvin with some Lexicographers maketh it a Town and Salim another scituate in the tribe of Manasseh Mr. J. Deodate maketh them both Cities Hugo Grotius and Junius conceive Aenon to be a Fountain But Mr. Fisher it seems though by swimming against the stream will have it a deep River lest his cause like a crasie vessel wanting water should strike upon the ground and founder Some who have travelled in those parts report this Aenon to be a little run or brook over which a man may almost step at ordinary times 3. If John dipped when he baptized either in Jordan or in Aenon he must be supposed to have dipped both men and women either naked or in their cloaths In some Authors I confesse I meet with both sexes naked in their baptizing but the greatest part of writers
judge it more Christian and meet to allow them their apparel for a covering to their nakednesse at such a time And if it could be proved that John baptized both men and women naked and both in the presence and sight of either the very retriment and dreggs of all sects at this day amongst us the Ranters I mean might take a plausible occasion to glory in a very honourable Father and Founder of their Order Nor can it reasonably be thought that John should baptize all that came unto him with their garments upon them in case it be supposed that he dipped them all under water when he baptized them For we do not read of any spare garments brought along with them by those who came to be baptized nor yet of any shifting or changing garments either before or after baptizing nor is such a thing in it self in any degree probable and yet more improbable it is of the two that men and women how weak and tender soever should travel several miles in their cloaths soaked and steeped and as wet as water could lightly make them 4. It apposeth my reason yea and imagination it self to conceive how so many thousands such vast multitudes of people as the Sciptures overtureth had recourse unto Joâ—n day after day to receive baptism from him could be baptised of him if it be supposed that they were singly and apart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man by man and woman by woman dipped by him If Andrew reasonably judged 5 Barley loaves and 2 small fishes so insufficient disproportionable a provision for 5000 men as to demand but what are these among so many much more have we reason to demand concerning John what was John among so many thousands of men and women as came unto him to be baptized if he could not baptize them without dipping them Upon this supposition the task which he performed in baptizing required the strength not of a man but of stones or of Mountains to overcome it Besides must he not be supposed to have stood deep in water from morning untill night for several days together which that he did or was able to do and yet live I must borrow the Faith of some easie Beleever to beleeve Other circumstances there are too many to be insisted upon at present which make it an invinceible difficulty to my Faith to beleeve that John put under water the whole bodies of all those whom he baptized That may be remembred by the way that neither do we read that John's Disciples ever baptized though the Disciples of the Lord Christ did nor that John in or about his entrance upon his work of baptizing when it seems his labour in this imployment lay heaviest upon him had any Disciples in that notion and relation of which we now speak at all Nor is this latter in it self so much as probable 5. And lastly we read Joh. 3. 22. that the Lord Christ continued some space of time baptizing in Judea Now if we may beleeve the Geographical descriptions of this land which are presented unto us from several hands there were few or no rivers or waters in it of any considerable depth but onely brooks or smaller rivers Therefore it is not like much lesse certain that the Disciples of Christ here had the opportunity of dipping men when they baptized them much lesse that they made the Administration by dipping Thus we see how weak and faint the conjecture is which presumeth that the reason why John made choice first of the River of Jordan and then of Aenon where many waters are said to have been for his Baptismal station was that he might have a convenience of deep waters for the dipping of those who came to be baptized Nor doth the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Christ is said to have been baptized of John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 1. 9. at all prove that he was dipped by him into Jordan For 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 9. signifieth no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. and Mat. 3. 6. where all the people that came unto him are said to have been baptized of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the river Jordan unlesse it shall be said that Christ was baptized after one manner and the rest of the people after another and so that Baptism may be administred this lawfully and without breach of any rule after more waies then one in respect of ordering or using the element of water in or about the said Administration 2. The preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very frequently and so acknowledged by Mr. Fisher himself a Mr. Fisher Baby-Baptism p. 332. used in the sence and signification of the preposition ' EN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he dwelt in a City called Nazaret Mat. 2. 23. That this is the true grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN which or wherein ye stand 1. Pet. 5. 12 Again Thou wilt not leave my soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN Hell Act. 2. 27. Yet again my children are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN bed with me Luk. 11. 7. to omit others Now John's baptizing men IN Jordan is no more a demonstration of his dipping them over head and ears in Jordan then a mans being in a bathe or in a river proveth him to be over head and ears in either So that the reason assign'd why John was drawn to baptize in Aenon by reason of the many waters there and so why he baptized in Jordan viz. that he might have sufficient dippage is a very uncertain yea improbable conjecture But 3. And lastly for this the reasons of greatest probability in my understanding why John chose to baptize where plenty of water was were these two haply amongst others the one respecting the commodiousnesse of the external work or act it self of baptizing the other to accommodate the spiritual design or purpose of God in Baptism For the first It may well be presumed that before John entred upon the work of Baptizing it was made known to him by God or otherwise that he apprehended the thing very likely to come to passe that vast multitudes of people from several parts would from day to day have recourse unto him to be baptized In this respect it concerned him to project and find out the best method and means he could to accommodate himself in so great a work as well in point of ease as of expedition or dispatch Now the work of Baptizing being to be performed with or by water and the numbers very great of persons to be baptized by him it was very proper and expedient for him to make choice of such places for this work where many persons might with convenience be so postured and disposed of that he passing along by them in the water might whether with his hand onely or with some instrument for the purpose cast water upon them In such a way as this where there are tracts of water
commodious for any considerable space together for people so to stand whether in the brink or verge of the water or else near to it that a person going along by them in the water may cast water upon them many thousands may be baptized within the compasse of a day or lesse Whereas to dip every person apart when there are several thousands to be baptized and but one to baptize is in the ordinary phrase an endlesse work The common exception which Mr. Fisher and others of his judgement insultingly make against this method or manner of baptizing in terming it a rantizing not a baptizing is pedantique and makes onely a sound without substance To argue that sprinkling with water is not a baptizing because it is a rantizing is such a kind of reasoning as this Socrates cannot be a living creature because he is a man Bucephalus is not a beast because he is an horse These are strange kinds of arguings wherein the genus is denied upon the account of the species or because the species is affirmed The Sacramental rite or Ordinance best known by the name of Baptisme is therefore in the Scriptures ordinarily thus called I mean Baptism and the administration of it a Baptizing because it is a generical term and more comprehensive then rantizing or sprinkling and importeth as hath been shewed any kind of washing whether by sprinkling or by pouring on water or by applying water to the thing or person to be washed after any other manner And washing being that externality which was chiefly minded by God in the administration of Baptism it is not material by or with what species or particular kind of washing it be performed And Calvin accordingly though his opinion be that at first it was administred with the submersion of the whole body under water yet placeth little in this modality of it and supposeth the administration of it in another manner as suppose by sprinkling pouring on water or otherwise to be no digression from the institution and rule of Christ a Ex his verbis colligere licet Baptismum fuisse celebratum a Johaune et Christo totius corporis submersione Quanquam de externo ritu minus anxie laborandum est modo cum spirituali veritate ac Domini instituto ac regulâ congruat Calvin in Joh. 3. 22. 23. But besides what the Scripture exhibiteth in favour of Baptismal sprinkling or pouring on water as the typical applications of bloud as well to persons as things under the law which were made for the most part by sprinkling it and sometimes by putting it on or anointing with it Exod. 12. 7. Exod. 29. 12. 20. Levit. 4. 7. Levit. 8. 23. 24. Levit. 14. 14. Levit. 16. 18. So again those prophetical expressions found in those two great Prophets Esa and Ezekiel the former prophecying of Christ that he should SPRINKLE many nations Esa 52. 15. the latter that God would sprinkle clean water upon the Church Ezek. 36. 25. or as the former translation read it I will pour clean water upon yâ—u which expressions are unquestionably allusive unto or rather expressive of the manner wherein Nations should be baptized into the obedience and service of Christ besides I say all the Scripture affordeth upon such accounts as these in countenance of sprinkling or pouring on water in baptizing the difficulties which attend Baptismal dippings are so insuperable and irreconcileable with the Law of nature and in this respect with the written Law of God it self at least in many cases formerly specified that either sprinkling or pouring on water must be allowed in the Administration of Baptism or else no Baptism administred at all This for the first reason why John made choice of such places for his Baptismal quarters where plenty of water was to be found Herein he consulted expedition and dispatch in his work of baptizing The latter reason of such his choice might respect as we said the spiritual and great end of Baptism which was and is to set forth commend and confirm the abundant Grace of God in cleansing men as well from the stain and filth as from the guilt of sin by Jesus Christ Now this grace of God being Sacramentally signified or represented by the element of water in Baptism the sight or beholding of a fair and large prospect of this element at the time of their baptizing might occasion or raise so much the greater and more lively apprehensions within them of the great aboundance of this grace of his towards them Whether these either one or both be the true reasons or no of John's pitching his Baptismal Tent so near unto rivers or currents of water most certain it is that both the one and the other are of a more reasonable and probable calculation then that which maketh conveniency of dipping the ground hereof This is a dull and spiritlesse conceit as hath been shewed And thus we have given a large and full account of truth in the former part of the Consideration last propounded which affirmeth that it cannot be proved from the Scriptures that any Baptismal Administration recorded here was performed by dipping For I know nothing pleaded by any man to prove the contrary beyond what hath been now answered We shall not need to insist upon any proof of the latter part of the Consideration which onely beareth that it is exceeding probable that many of the said Administrations were performed without dipping For if so be there be so little probability as hath been argued that so much as any one of these Administrations were performed by dipping there must needs be a like or rather a far greater degree of probability that some of them at least have been performed without More especially where we read of great multitudes or of several thousands baptized together or at one and the same time it is hardly reconcilable with the lowest terms of probability to imagine that they were all dipt And those arguments and reasons by which the dipping of the Jaylour and his house when they were baptized is indeavoured to be salved are not worthy reasonable or considering men It was about midnight when they were baptized Act. 16. 33. with v. 25. and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straiâ—way or immediately upon the washing of Paul and Silas their wounds or stripes It is but an hungry shift to suppose that the Jaylor might be provided with some vessel fit for bathing and washing the whole body If this be supposed it must yet be super-supposed that there was a sufficient quantity of water at hand to fill it or else the former supposition will not do the feat If this also be supposed it must yet further be supposed likewise that they were dipped either naked or with their garments on them The former of these is an hard supposition and will not I suppose down with sober men If the latter be supposed it must be supposed yet again that either they shifted themselves out of their wet garments
themselves might they not justly have denied Paul's assertion concerning their being compleat in Christ might they not have objected and said we are not as compleat in Christ or under the Gospel as we were or might be in Moses or by subjecting our selves to the Law In Moses or under the Law we had the great spiritual priviledge or accommodation of Circumcision as well for our children as our selves whereas in Christ or under the Gospel we want not onely the Ordinance of Circumcision but all other priviledges or accommodations of like import in respect of our children For the Baptism you speak of and which you make the successor of Circumcision you permit us not to administer unto them In this respect therefore we are maimed or lame in Christ not so well accommodated not so compleated in him as we were in Moses under the Law 11. Some of the greatest Defenders of Mr. A's faith in the point of Anti-poedo-Baptism acknowledge that according to Mr. A's principles touching the extent of the Grace of God in the death of Christ children ought to be baptized If saith Mr. Tombs Exercit. concerning Infant-Baptism pag. 24. it should be made known to us that Children are sanctified I should not doubt that they are to be baptized He expresseth his sence to the same purpose elsewhere as viz. pag. 19. Now according to the tenor of Mr. A's faith the Apostles did know that Children were sanctified and consequently according to the sence of the prime head of his party that they ought to be baptized And if the Apostles doubted not but that children were to be baptized how can I reasonably doubt but that they did baptize them I know some others of Mr. A's sence in the point of Rebaptism who join with Mr. Tombs in his sence touching the meetnesse of baptizing infants upon a supposal of their being in favour with God Sect. 32. 12. And lastly there â—an no probable no nor tolerable reason or account be given why any such innovation or practice as the baptizing of Infants should be brought into the Churches of Christ especially so soon after the Apostles and in those times wherein all records of Antiquity mention the use and practice of it This is another consideration pregnant of proof that Infant-Baptism was the practice of the Apostles as well as of later times If it could be supposed to be any waies gratificatory to the flesh which yet is a studied and far-fetch'd pretence yet such a motive or ground as this no waies suits with the zeal diligence faithfulness painfulness self-denial most exemplary mortification of the chief Pastors of Churches and Ministers of the Gospel in those times Non ut nunc sic olim it is a very weak and childish conceit to imagine that Tertullian Origen Cyprian Jerome Austine with many other worthy Agents for Christ and the Gospel in their times who were able and ready to be baptized in their own bloud for Christ and the Gospels sake as 〈◊〉 of them actually were should rebell against so great an Ordinance of Christ and Gospel institution as Baptism or deprave and vitiate the Administration of it thorough fear of going into cold water and of administring it in a River especially considering that in those warmer Climates of the world where they lived cool waters were rather matter of delight and refreshing unto nature then of offence or inconvenience Yea Mr. Laurence for the Treatise intituled Of Baptism is generally reputed his and is none of the worst pieces written in the cause of Anti-poedo-Baptism to salve his notion of the necessity of dipping if it may be out of the hand of the Holy Ghost recording the baptizing of the Jaylor and his houshold by Paul to have been in the night is pleased to suppose that in those Eastern and hotter Countries bathing was of great and continual use and that in this respect the keeper of the Prison MIGHT be provided of some vessel fit for bathing and washing the whole body which might serve for the use of Baptism a Of Baptism pag. 81 82. I confesse this is a pretty ingenious conceit to help a lame notion over the wall that standeth in the way but in the mean time we see how the greatest Patrons of Anti-poedo-Baptism are necessitated to Sanctuary their cause under the shadow of their wits and fancies the Scriptures ever and anon forsaking them and many times rising up against them They tell us that we build onely upon consequences and deductions from Scripture wherein we are fallible and subject to errour but certainly the weakest of our consequences are much stronger then such suppositions as this and more relative to the Scriptures Yea the very truth is that themselves hold nothing that reacheth their cause in opposition unto us but onely consequences such as they are pretended from the Scriptures They never yet produced nor ever will any Text of Scripture wherein Infant-Baptism is in expressenesse of words declared to be unlawfull Therefore they who undertake to prove it such from the Scriptures must of necessity levy consequences to serve in their warfare But the late mentioned Author to preserve dipping from drowning in the Jaylors baptism makes two suppositions like two corkes one upon another neither of which hath so much as one dust or grain of sand in the Scripture for a foundation First that the Jaylor had a Vessel in his house fit for baâ—hing and washing the whole body 2. That this vessel served for the use of Baptism by dipping If his intent was onely to affirm and say that he MIGHT have such a Vessel and again that such a Vessel MIGHT serve for Baptism he supposeth indeed nothing but what may well be supposed but withall saith nothing to his purpose But this by the way Onely evident it is upon the credit of my Author that in the hotter Regions of the earth going into the water could be no great affliction to the flesh as neither is it in these colder Climates themselves in warm seasons as well boys as men going into rivers and dowsing themselves over head and ears for their pleasure Therefore an unwillingnesse to administer Baptism in rivers is no likely motive occasion or temptation to have diverted the primitive and worthy Bishops and Pastors of Christian Churches from such an administration of it to an administration by sprinkling had they apprehended it to be the onely regular administration How otherwise the sprinkling of infants should accommodate the interest of the flesh more then the baptizing of Beleevers in Rivers is as far as I can apprehend of no easie conjecture And however no accommodation whatsoever in this kind is like either to have perverted the judgements or polluted the consciences either of Cyprian or of any other those most zealous and faithfull servants of God who both before him and after him and in the same age with him unanimously both pleaded and practised Infant-Baptism It is a memorable saying of this Cyprian and
If it be a sinful incroachment upon the Divine Prerogative to determine or bind the conscience where God hath left it free then are they inexcusable who press it upon men as matter of conscience either to withhold their children from Baptism or having themselves been infant-baptized to be baptized again or to baptize or to be baptized by a total submersion of the body under water in as much as God hath not determined any of these things by any Law either general or special Nor hath any such Law either in the one hand or the other been as yet produced CONSIDERATION XIV THe Subject of an Ordinance or Institution i. e. the person unto whom the Ordinance is administred or ought to be administred is no part of the Ordinance it self but really and essentially distinct from it Proof This Position is sufficiently evident without proof For if if the Subject of an Ordinance were a part of this Ordinance then in every administration one part should be administred unto another The child appointed to be circumcised under the Law was no part of the Ordinance it self of Circumcision For then when men were circumcised the administration should have been defective or maimed wanting an essential or requisite part of it Besides if the Subject of an Ordinance were a part thereof it could not be for example the same Baptism or the same Ordinance of Baptism which is administred unto a man and which is administred unto a woman For that which hath parts essentially differing from the parts of another cannot be essentially the same Nor upon the same ground should it be the same Baptism which is administred unto an hypocrite or pretended beleever only and which is administred unto a Beleever indeed For what communion hath light with darkness c. Consectary If the Subject of an Ordinance be not part of the Ordinance but somewhat really distinct from it then is Baptism or baptizing only the Ordinance of God not the baptizing of any determinate Subject whether Infant or Beleever The baptizing of the one or of the other according to circumstance may be the Will of God but the Ordinance of God if we take the word Ordinance properly neither the one nor the other is or can be CONSIDERATION XV. THe Law of Nature and of personal accommodation and safety is by the Will of God to super-intend and over-rule Ordinances and Institutions and all things appertaining to these and to supersede whatsoever in them shall at any time be found threatening or destructive either to the lives healths or well-beings of men Proof The truth of this Consideration we have sufficiently proved from the Scripture and otherwise partly in the latter part of this Discourse Sect. 8. partly also and more largely in a Treatise not long since published entituled Water-Dipping c. p. 5. 6. 7. of the said Treatise We shall not need to add any thing upon the account of proof here but desire the Reader to repair for his satisfaction in the point if he needs any to the places now directed unto Consectary If the Law of Nature and personal accommodation and safety be according to the Will of God to umpire and over-rule all things in any Institution wherein it is concern'd then could it be proved that the Baptismal Administration was constantly transacted by the Apostles or other Baptists in their days in the warmer Climates of Judea and the Countries adjoyning by dipping over head and ears in rivers or ponds of cool waters c. yet will not this prove that therefore the same Administration is to be performed upon the same terms or after the same manner in cold Countries or under the frozen Zone nor indeed any where when the person to be baptized is either in a way of reason or according to experience in like cases likely to suffer in his health or life by being dowz'd in the water CONSIDERATION XVI EVen in matters themselves of sacred Institution some things extra-essential to the nature and end of the Institution have been observed and done according to the tenor of the Institut on in the first Administration and haply in some few more immdiately succeeding which have been and may be not only laâ—fully but commendably and of conscience omitted in after Administrations Proof In the Institution of the Passover besides the eating of the Lamb at the time appointed these particulars were enjoyned and accordingly observed in the first Administration 1. That the Lamb intended for the Passover should be taken and brought home from the flock on the tenth day of the Month. 2. That it should be here kept till the fourteenth day of the Month. 3. That it should be eaten in their several houses dispersed in Egypt 4. That the blood of it should be struck on their door posts 5. That they should eat it in haste 6. That they should eat it with their loyns girded 7. That they should eat it standing 8. With their staffs in their hands c. But all these circumstances were appropriate to the first Administration or Observation of it only and were not required of the Jews in after generations when they they came to possess the Land of Canaan Neither were they nor could they at least the greatest part of them as is evident without proof be performed or obeyed by Christ and his Apostles at that Passover which he kept with them a little before his death * See Mr Ainsworth â—n Exod. 12. 6. 11. And yet it became him as himself acknowledgeth Mat. 3. 15. to perform all righteousness yea and most assuredly he did perform it So in the first Institution of the New Passover the Supper of the Lord only men were admitted unto it it was kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an upper loft or chamber and towards the evening yet these particulars though recorded in the Institution and observed in the first Administration being extra-essential to the main end of the Service were very lawfully all of them the first conscienciously and as matter of duty the two latter prudentially and for convenience sake waved and layd aside by Christians afterwards Consectary If in matters of Divine Institution some things have been both commanded in the Institution it self and accordingly observed in the first Administration which notwithstanding being less relative to the standing and main end of the Institution have been lawfully yea and some of them conscientiously declined or forborn afterwards then doth it not at all follow that Baptism must or ought to be always and in all places administred in rivers or with a total submersion of the body under water though it be granted that at first it was administred in rivers yea and though it should be granted which yet never was sufficiently proved nor ever will be by the Scriptures now in being that it was at first and for a time administred with such a submersion although I find this to be the judgment both of many ancient yea and
not forth the best fruit or the most fruit that is possible for a tree yea or for it self to bring forth Or were all the rest of the Apostles corrupt things because the Apostle Paul laboured more abundantly then they all a 1 Cor. 15. 10. and so promoted the end or ends of Apostolick mission above them all Or may not he truly and cordially seek to excell to the edifying of the Church who sometimes edifieth the Church lesse by his labours and indeavours in this kind then at some other time But when propositions are false proofs cannot be pertinent And thus through a manifest defectivenesse in the major proposition the glory of Mr. A's second argument against Infant-baptism is laid in the dust Neither is there any hope or possibility of releef from the minor proposition though this should be found never so Orthodox For it is a soveraign maxime in argumentation as hath been formerly said that Conclusio semper sequitur deteriorem partem the proof of a conclusion by a syllogism is never valid or strong when either of the propositions therein are weak So that we might wave the examination of the minor proposition in the argument before us without any detriment to our cause at all Notwithstanding to make it evident even to prejudice and partiality themselves if it be possible that there is no sound part in the whole body of this argument let us arraign the minor proposition also at the Bar of reason and truth The tenour of this proposition as we heard is this But that administration of baptism which is made to professed Beleevers doth more conduce to and better answer the ends of Baptism then that which is made to infants Sect. 49. That Truth is a sufferer in this proposition also is to me sufficiently evident from hence viz. because God himself who questionlesse knows much better then Mr. A. or any of his judgement what administration of an Ordinance most conduceth unto and best answers the ends of it judged the administration of Circumcision an Ordinance of like import with Baptism as shall upon occasion be shewed God willing elsewhere unto Infants more conducing unto and better answering the ends of it the principal of which was to signifie and seal the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. then unto Beleevers or unto persons of ripe years Otherwise I presume he would not have ordered the ordinary and constant administration of it unto children but rather unto men For it is very importune and burthensome to my Faith to beleeve that God should appoint such an administration of his Ordinance which should be in any degree disadvantagious or prejudicial to the ends thereof If therefore the administration of Circumcision made unto Infants under the Law did as much or more conduce unto the ends thereof as this administration made unto men could have done in like manner the administration of baptism made to infants under the Gospel must needs more or as much conduce unto the ends therof as it would do in case it were made unto men They who think write or say otherwise do they not make themselves wiser then God How and in what respect one or more that administration of Baptism which we prefer conduceth as much or more to the ends of Baptism as that administration which Mr. A. commendeth might readily here be shewed and may be in time convenient In the mean time let us consider how Mr. A. maketh his rope stand right up on the one end Sect. 50. 1. Saith he One end of Baptism is to declare Jesus Christ unto the world Joh. 1. 31. And a little after this manifestation of Christ is better made by the Baptism of Beleevers then by the Baptism of Infants whether it respects the party who is baptized or others who behold it For answer 1. The end indeed of John's sending to the Jews to baptize was that Christ should be made manifest unto Israel This the words cited by himself Joâ— 1. 31. expresly affirm But this proveth not that therefore the end of Baptism is to declare Jesus Christ unto the world Baptism and John's sending to the Jews to baptize are two very different things and so are Israel and the world Nor was Christ declared unto the world but unto Israel onely by John's baptizing Yea when John himself saith that he therefore came baptizing with water that Christ might be made manifest unto Israel his meaning is not that the manifestation of Christ no not to Israel was the proper end of that Baptism which he administred but of his administration of it the manner and terms upon which he came to administer it and according unto which he did administer it considered For had the same Baptism which John administred been administred by an ordinary person or a man ignorant who Christ was or that he was now come into the world yea or without those or the like additional discoveries which John made of Christ in his preaching it would never have produced any such effect as the manifestation of Christ unto Israel nor was there any thing in it any wayes proportionable unto such an end or effect as this Therefore certainly the manifestation of Christ unto the world is no end of Baptism or however no such end as this can be proved from John 1. 31. which text notwithstanding is our whole allowance for our satisfaction therein Sect. 51. By the way the reason I conceive why John being the messenger of Christ sent before his face to prepare his way i. e. to awaken the Jewish nation to own and entertain him being now come unto them though as yet they knew it not came baptizing with water in order to the manifestation of him unto the Jews was because this new undertaking to baptize was a proper means to occasion the generality of this people to inquire more diligently after him John I mean to examine more narrowly his Commission and authority by which he did baptize By means of which inquiry they came to understand that he was a man sent from God unto them and consequently could not but so much the more reverence and beleeve the words of his mouth the first born of which was the testimony which he gave of their Messiah as now ready to discover himself unto such of them as desired his comming Upon this account John's baptizing with water might contribute towards the manifestation of Christ unto Israel and yet the manifestation of Christ to the world be no end of Baptism simply considered or in its ordinary or standing administrations 2. Reason it self interposeth with an high hand against such a conceit which maketh the manifestation of Christ unto the world one of the ends of Baptism If Christ be in baptism he is here onely tanquam in aenigmate darkly and as in a riddle and he that doth not plough with Gods Heifer the Scripture will never know or understand this Riddle In this case it is not the Riddle but the heifer
ploughed with for the unfolding of it that maketh Christ manifest The end of shadows types figures enigma's parables c. is not to make either things or persons MANIFEST but rather to veil and conceal them at least in part or at the most to reveal them sparingly and with reservation And he said unto them to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to others in parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand Luke 8. 10. And certainly Baptism is such a mysterious and profound parable of Christ that without an Interpreter it would never be understood nor Christ be found in it Therefore the end of it cannot be his manifestation to the world Sect. 52. 3. The manifestation of Christ unto the world is the end of the Scriptures and more especially of the Gospel I mean of the writings of the New-Testament and of the preaching and publishing of these in the world a Eph. 6. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 16. Rom. 16. 25 26. Col. 4. 3 4. So that as the Apostle reasoneth against justification by works Gal. 2. 21. If righteousnesse come by the law then Christ is dead in vain so may we reason and conclude against the manifestation of Christ to the world by Baptism If Christ be manifested unto the world by Baptism which must be supposed if this manifestation of him be the end of Baptism then is the letter of the Gospel and the ministry thereof in the world in vain Yea and Paul whose great work and imploiment was to make Christ manifest unto the world should rather have been sent to baptize then to preach the Gospel if the manifestation of Christ unto the world had been the end of Baptism But this notion of Mr. A. concerning the end of Baptism is so broadly obnoxious that an over-operous refutation of it would be but an impertinency And Sect. 53. 4. Whereas he affirms that the manifestation of CHRIST is better madâ— by the Baptism of Belâ—evers then of Infants whether it respects the party who is baptized or others who behold it 1. It seems then that there is a manifestation of Christ made in or by the Baptism of infants as well as by the Baptism of Beleevers although not so good I suppose he means not so full or perfect a manifestation If then there be a manifestation of Christ in the Baptism of infants although not so pregnant rich and full as in the Baptism of men how can he judge it to be unlawfull Is any manifestation of Christ though in a lower or lesser degree unlawfull Or is the ministry of all such Pastors and Teachers unlawfull who do not haply cannot manifest Christ unto the world therein with â—â— much power and glory of manifestation as the most able and best qualified Minister or Preacher in the whole world 2. Upon what account can he suppose Christ to be manifested to the party baptized supposing him a Beleever by his Baptism I thought that his sence had been that none ought to be baptized but onely such to whom Christ was manifested before their baptizing And if Christ be manifestable to a Beleever in some further degree by Baptism it must be by the Baptism of others rather then his own at least if he be baptized by a total submersion under water For during the while of his being under water he is in no good capacity notwithstanding any former use or exercise of his understanding to receive any further information or knowledge concerning Christ being taken up with thoughts about his emersion and how to recover and come off with the safety of his life from the water Or if it be said that Christ may be said to be further manifested by Baptism to a Beleever although the effect it self of this manifestation doth not take place till after such his Baptism I answer upon this account may Christ be manifested to an Infant also by his Baptism viz. when he shall grow up to a capacity of understanding what his Baptism meaneth and what the counsell of God was or is in it Sect. 54. 3. Whereas he pleadeth p. 13. that that end of Baptism whereof he speaks i. e. that end of Baptism which is no end thereof as hath been proved is more effectuall unto Spectators when Baptism is administred unto Beleevers then when unto Infants because their Faith in Christ and repentance are visible in their willing submission unto Baptism and their example apt to quicken c. whereas there is nothing of all this in the Baptism of Infants who are meerly passive herein c. I answer 1. That when and where the baptizing of men and women under the notion of Beleevers becomes customary and in fashion which are the terms and state of it amongst us in these daies the truth is that there is a very poor and faint visibility of any mans Faith in Christ or Repentance in their willing subjection unto that Ordinance When all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and all the Region round about Jordan went out unto John to be baptized of him and were baptized accordingly what exemplarinesse was there in any particular mans subjection unto this Ordinance or what visibility of any mans faith or repentance whereas John himself notwithstanding this voluntary offering themselves unto Baptism called them a generation of vipers Luke 3. 7. and complaining of the unbeleef of the generality of them saith And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and NO MAN receiveth his testimony John 3. 32. Yea many of those who willingly offered themselves unto Baptism yea and were immediately after baptized of him were so far from beleeving in Christ that they were doubtfull whether John himself was not the Christ Luke 3. 15. Therefore there is no such visibility of Faith or Repentance in any mans offering himself unto Baptism or in his being baptized especially under such a circumstance as that mentioned It was Postquam in tanto culmine nomen coepit esse Christianum crevit hypocrisis the observation and saying of Austine long ago that When the name of a Christian began to be in honour and esteem hypocrisie increased Yea all things duly considered we have reason to judge that there is a better or clearer light in any one act of charity or mercy towards the poor to render any mans saith and repentance visible then in a willing offering himself to be baptized Sect. 55. 2. What religious affection devout carriage matter of edification quickning or the like unto spectators Mr. A. can pretend or imagine to accompany the Baptism of Beleevers may and this as seasonably as regularly proceed from them upon a thousand occasions otherwise as upon the occasion of their being baptized When any afflicting hand of God is upon them as by sicknesse losse of estate friends c. and so when God lifteth up the light of his countenance upon them blesseth or prospereth them in one
of this hard and unchristian saying against his Chrâ—stiaâ— brethren who therein dissent from him viz. that the said Doctrine is too evident from it to be denied by any but those that will noâ— see is Act. 2. 38 39. The words being these Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call I answer 1. It hath been lately proved by a cloud of impregnable arguments and demonstrations that to be baptized is not required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins I here adde and explain not in any other sence or upon any other terms however then any other act of obedience unto any the precepts of God is Therefore 2. When Peter exhorts the Jews to Repent and be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins if by being baptized he means strictly and precisely a being actually baptized with water he cannot by remission of sins mean the estate of justification consisting in remission of sins wherein a person is invested by God immediatly upon his Repenting and beleeving because then as we formerly argued there could none be lawfully admitted to Baptism but only children of wrath or such whose sins were not yet remitted For that which is necessarily required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins must of necessitie precede his being actually interessed in this priviledge and consequently persons not yet baptized how repentant and beleeving soever are not cannot be interessed in remission of sins untill baptized and so must needs be children of wrath and in a state of condemnation Sect. 90. If you ask me but what can we understand by remission of sins in this place but only such an estate of justification as that mentioned and which consisteth in remission of sins I answer We may very commodiously and without the least straining either word or context understand by it that great and solemn Act of absolution from all sin which the great Judge shall in the great day pronounce over all those who shall be found to have lived and died in the Faith of Iesus or else taking the word Remission passively which I judge the better the happy effect or coÌ„sequent of this sentence which is a state of blessednesse and of glory This interpretation fully accords with a passage of the same Apostle in the following chapter spoken to the same people the Iews and probably to some of the same persons Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. i. When the Lord Christ shall return from heaven to refresh the bowels and make glad the hearts of all those who have been sufferers for his Name in this world by investing them with a rest glorious and blessed and which shall never have end according to what the Apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonians Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them which trouble you And to you WHO ARE TROVBLED REST with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire c. a 2 Thes 1. 6 7 c. If it be here replied and said be this interpretation of the words for remission of sins admitted still it will follow there is a remission of sins and this absolutely necessary unto salvation which cannot be obtained without being baptized I answer True it is that if we speak of persons living to years of discretion and under the ministerie of the Gospell they must be baptized in one kind or other either with a baptism literally and properly so called I mean a baptism with water or else with a Baptism vertually or equivalently so called Now there are two or rather three kinds of Baptism which may be thus called viz. Vertually and Equivalently The first is an obedientiall frame or willingnesse in heart and soul actually to submit unto a water-baptism 1. upon a regular conviction of the necessitie of such a submission necessitie I mean in respect of the command of Jesus Christ 2. Upon such an opportunitie for the actuall reception of it under which it may be received without any regret or scruple in the conscience of a man as about the regularnesse or meetnesse of an Administratour about the stâ—ength of a mans bodily constitution to bear the burthen of a plunging under water in case this shall be proved or apprehended to be the only lawfull way of Baptizing c. Another kind of Baptism Vertually or interpretatively so called is an open and free profession of the Gospell and of the Faith of Iesus Christ in the world The third and last is a suffering persecution for a mans profession sake in this kind Now both these divisim but especially conjunctim may be termed Baptisms much in such a sence as John Baptist is in Scripture termed Elias viz. because he serv'd his generation with such a kind of spirit and upon somewhat the like terms as Eliah served his For a profession of the Gospell especially joyned with sufferings for the Gospell serve for all ends and purposes for which Baptism literally and properly so called serveth yea and this with an higher hand then it Insomuch that this kind of Baptism water-baptism I mean actually received is the lowest and meanest of all Baptisms Sect. 91. Now to the Obâ—ection or reply mentioned we plainly and directly answer that one or more of the three Baptisms now specified and described is indeed necessary for the obtaining of such a remission of sins as that meant by Peter in the Text before us and more particularly that mentioned and described in the first place If it be yet replied but is it not evident that Peter here spake of water-baptism it self and that he commanded them to be baptized herewith as well as to repent for the remission of sins And was it not in obedience to this his exhortation or command that they were accordingly many of them baptized with water-baptism v. 41. I answer Be it granted that he speaks of water-baptism yet it must be granted withall that he exhorteth no man to be baptized herewith but upon this supposition or presumption that they should be every wayes and in respect of all circumstances satisfied in their judgements and consciences touching the lawfulnesse of their act in yielding themselves to be baptized in this kind Therefore that Baptism which we speak of and allow viz. a readinesse and willingnesse of mind to be baptized with water when we are satisfied touching the will of God concerning us in that behalf and otherwise have an opportunitie of a like satisfaction in all points unto us for the
actuall reception of it is the Baptism unto which especially and in the first place Peter in the Scripture before us exhorteth men sin his exhortation unto them to be baptized Otherwise we must make the sence and meaning of this his exhortation to rise thus Be ye baptized whether you be convinced of the necessitie yea or of the lawfulnesse of it or no and whether you have an opportunity for it which your consciences can in every respect approve of or no I suppose that Mr. A. himself will not put such a construction as this upon the Apostles exhortation unto Baptism Therefore it is a most unquestionable and undeniable truth that Peter in the Text in hand doth not simply or in all cases no nor yet principally or primarily exhort Repentants unto the actuall reception of water baptism but only unto such a vertuall eminent and constructive Baptism as that lately described and not at all unto water-baptism but only upon the terms and conditions specified under which indeed he that shall refuse this kind of Baptism declares himself a rebell against the Lord Christ as all Anti-paedo-baptists in the judgment of that worthy Martyr Mr. John Philpot do in not suffering children to come unto Christ by Baptism and during this rebellion cannot be interessed in remission of sins Sect. 92. If it be yet objected and said that questionlesse the repenting Jews whom Peter exhorted to be baptized understood him to speak of water-baptism only and of none other and consequently submitted unto his exhortation thus understood and were actually water-baptized without any more ado I answer 1. It cannot be proved that the Jews to whom he spake understood him in such a sencc only as that specified in the Objection 2. In case this could be proved yet will it not follow from hence that either they did well in not apprehending a further sence in his words or that Peter himself did not intend a further sence some such as that represented in them 3. Nor doth their ready and speedy betaking themselves unto Water-baptism at all argue that they understood him to speak of this Baptism simply or only because they being already before they came at the water baptized with that inward Baptism of the heart we speak of and being under no scruple or doubt whether it was the mind and will of Jesus Christ that they should be Water-baptized or no or whether the opportunitie before them was in all points legitimate or no the Apostles expresse order for their baptizing either by himself or by others authorised by him being a sufficient ground for their satisfaction in all these particulars they were obliged in conscience without any more adoe to be actually Water-baptized and it is freely acknowledged that all persons whatsoever being under the same terms of satisfaction with them both as touching a necessitie as touching a compleat legitimatenesse of an opportunitie are bound in conscience to be baptized with water as well as they Only with this proviso that though persons now be as fully satisfied touching a necessitie of being baptized as they were yet if the grounds of mens satisfaction in this kind now be unsound and sandie as they must needs be in case their opinion be true who judge the date of the necessitie of Water-baptism to be now expired their submission unto this Baptism though lesse sinfull then the contrary yet is it not justifiable Sect. 93. If it be yet said that it is no waies probable that Peter himself had any other meaning in his words when he commanded them to be Baptized but simply and plainly that he would have them forthwith to be water-baptized and consequently that he had no thought of any such Baptism eminently or vertually so called which you put upon him To this also I answer as hath in part been answered already That it is somewhat yea much more then probable that though Peter did not formally or explicitly mean any thing more in the words in question then what the Objection pretendeth yet he presupposed that kind of Baptism which we plead and that he would not have exhorted them to be baptized with water unlesse he had known them to be baptized already with that other Baptism The reason is evident because had he not supposed them either already satisfied before his exhortation directed unto them or at least that they would be satisfied by it that it was the will of Jesus Christ that they should be Water-baptized and that there was an opportunitie before them every wayes legitimate for their reception of this Baptism he would in the first place rather have endeavoured to satisfie them that this was the will and pleasure of Christ concerning them and that the opportunitie before them for receiving Baptism was every wayes legitimate and approveable then have either commanded or exhorted them to be presently baptized The result of this clear and thorow Examination of Peters exhortation to the Iews to be baptized for the remission of sins amounteth to this that the said Exhortation imposeth a necessitie upon no man of being water-baptized for the remission of sins in the great day but upon such persons only who stand under the like terms of satisfaction every wayes touching the said baptizing under which he exhorted the Iews to be thus Baptized If so then Mr. A's Notion or interpretation of this exhortation must needs fall to the ground which beareth that the said exhortation maketh it evident yea too evident to be denied by any but those that will not see that a Declaration of the repentance by Baptism he means by an actuall reception of Water-baptism is required on mans part he means universally and in all cases otherwise he would have distinguished to interesse him in remission of sins he means in such an estate of justification as the Scripture so frequently appropriateth unto true Beleevers immediatly upon their beleeving Such an inference or notion as this hath no more communion with those words for whence it pleads with such an unseemly confidence legitimacie of descent then shews have with substances and meer appearances with realities and truths Sect. 94. 3. Our Protestant expositours generally leave Mr. A's confidence and conceit upon the Text in the point in hand for the Papists to gather up who fall greedily upon them and make great treasure of them Although saith Calvin in the contexture of the words Baptism goeth before remission of sins yet in respect of order it followeth after because it is nothing else but an obsignation or sealing of those good things which we obtain by Christ that they may be ratified in our consciences a Tametsi in contextu verborum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remissionem peccatorum hic praecedit ordine tamen sequitur quia nihil aliud est quà m bonorū quae per Christum consequimur obsignatio ut in conscientiis nostris rata sint Calv. in Act 2. 38. Gualter saith that Peter admonisheth them of outward Baptism which he commandeth them
witnes preacher of it according to what he speaketh else where in the same Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For this cause came I into the world that I might bear witnesse to the truth b Ioh. 18. 37 And thus the said Preposition might be rendred and perhaps better then now it is Mat. 15. 24. Col. 1. 20. c vi Redemption redeemed p. 44 and I suppose in severall other places which do not at present occurre According to this construction of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning of the exhortation be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sins ariseth to this effect Since upon and by means of your repentance you obtain so rich a priviledge as remission of sins is thorow the Lord Iesus be not ashamed to be baptized in his Name i. to own him for your sovereign Lord and master in the face of the world Now 2. That this interpretation of the clause is savourie and Evangelicall is of ready demonstration For what can be more reasonable then that men should publiquely and without being ashamed acknowledge and own him for their Gracious Benefactour for whom they have received favours of high concernment unto them and this in consideration of these worthy favours received And unlesse we shal admit of some such coÌ„struction of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this Mat. 3. 11. we must make Baptism as well required on mans part to interesse him in Repentance or make impenitents either the only or the best capable subjects of Baptism as well as in remission of sins For here Iohn Baptist saith expresly to the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. I indeed baptize you with water FOR OR VNIO REPENTANCE 3. And lastly for this the sence given no wayes disaccommodates the Context any whit more then Mr. A's interpretation it self doth Nor can there any account be given of such a dis-accommodation Sect. 97. 7. Yet once more to the Scripture in hand these words for the remission of sins may be well conceived to relate only to the word Repent in the beginning of the verâ—e and the words coming between and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus to be inserted after the maÌ„ner of a parenthesis directing the Iews what to do upon their repentance not for the procuring or obtaining the forgivenesse of their sins which as we already shewed from the current of the Scriptures is promised unto repentance not unto Baptism but for a sacred testimonie unto the world that at present they were and as a solemn ingagement upon themselves ever to remain and be the true and loyall Disciples of Iesus Christ 8. Some interpret and be baptized figuratively as if Peter by the sign understood the thing signified or professed by it of which Dialect there are many instances in Scripture According to this interpretation Repent and be baptized is no more then Repent and believe Baptism in capable subjects as all these were to whom Peter now speaks signifying and importing Faith and the profession of it 9. This clause for the remission of sins may be understood in a kind of declarative sence as many such scripture expressions likewise are and so signifie for the secureing or assuring your selves of the remission of your sins It is a true rule that words and phrases which more frequently signifie such or such spirituall priviledges at present obtained by Faith are sometimes used to signifie the actuall and reall fruition of these priviledges and their compleat manifestatiom Thus Rom. 8. 23. even we do sigh in our selves waiting for the ADOPTION c. i. for the full enjoyment or manifestation of our adoption c. So Gal. 5. 5. We thorow the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith i. for the actuall and compleat manifestation and fruition of those good things which we now expect and hope for upon the account of our justification before God by beleeving Thus also Mat. 6. 12 14. Forgivenesse of sins is put for the knowledge comfort or assurance of this forgivenesse to omit other instances of a like dialect Some such sence as this of Remission of sins in the â—cripture before us is very proper for the place because it so fitly agreeth with this part of Peters exhortation and be baptized one speciall use and end of Baptism as Mr. A. himself acknowledgeth and this more then once if I mistake not in this very discourse being to seal ratifie or insure unto men the remission of their sins upon repentance Besides in emphaticallnesse of language wherein the holy Ghost much delighteth also Remission of sins is not it self is not what it may be made unto those in whom it is vested untill it be known unto them and so enjoyed by them This construction of the place maketh not remission of sins it self which is Mr. A's sence but the knowledge comfort or enjoyment of this remission to be dependent at least to a degree upon Water-baptism in conjunction with repentance Though some of the interpretations of the passage Act. 2. 38 39. now insisted on and explained may possibly seem somewhat more hard and scant of satisfaction then their fellows yet is the hardest of them all better comporting with the generall notion and doctrine of the Gospell and no lesse with the words and phrases themselves then that sence which Mr. A. labours in the very fire to fasten on them Lastly for this suppose we that Mr. A's conceit about the meaning of the said Scripture should against Scripture light be admitted yet would neither his Anti-paedo-baptismall conceit nor his conceit about the necessitie of water-dipping receive any incouragement or credit at all hereby Not the latter because here is only mention made of being baptized nothing at all so much as hinted at the greatest distance touching the necessitie of any determinate manner of the performance or reception of it Nor yet the former because 1. from the order of the two duties as they are here exprest and named first Repentance and then being baptized nothing can be concluded for an universall necessitie of the one to precede the other in time there being scarce any thing of more common observation in the Scriptures then that the order of things as well that of time as of nature is here frequently interchanged and that mentioned in the first place which in respect of Order as well the one as the other is latter Joh 3. 5. Water which Mr. A. understands of Baptismall water is mentioned before the Spirit in the work of regeneration Baptizing Mat. 3. 6. is mentioned before confessing of sins yea and ver 11. before repentance Confession with the mouth Rom. 10. 9. is mentioned before beleeving with the heart So the Greek is mentioned before the Jew Colos 3. 11. as the Jew before the Greek Gal. 3. 28. So again joy is mentioned before peace Gal. 5. 22. and
thing may be agreeable enough with another when there is a disagreeablenesse between them in many properties and scarce a similitude in any Righteousnesse is agreeable enough with Christ and so with a regenerate soul yet in how many properties or considerations do they differ The meat which a man eats if it be wholesome though Mr. A. p. 32. 33. it be dead or without life yet may it be agreeable enough to his body which is alive So that this argument hath not so much as the face or colour of a proof in it And 3. When he saith that the Gospel-ministration is therefore called the ministration of the spirit because the worship and service which God receives from men under it is or ought to be more spirituall then that was under the Law 1. I do not very well understand what he means by the Gospel-ministration as viz. whether the publication or manifestation of the Gospell which was made by Christ and his Apostles unto the world in their dayes or whether that publishing or preaching of it which hath been made since in generations succeeding by the ordinarie ministers and Preachers of it If he means the former I confesse the ministration of the Gospel may well be termed as it is by the Apostle the ministration of the spirit for the spirit was abundantly poured out under and by this ministration But if the latter I make a great question whether the Apostle intended to stile this the ministration of the spirit considering how sparingly and for the most part imperceptibly and without observation the spirit hath been or in these our dayes is given under it This by the way 2. Neither is it so demonstratively true that the worship and service which God generally receives from men under the Gospel-ministration in the latter sence either is or ought to be more spirituall then that was in reference to many persons at least or ought to have been in respect of all under the Law For it is no great shame for any man to believe that the worship and service which Moses Aaron Joshua David with others in great numbers exhibited unto God under the Law was altogether as spirituall i. had as much of their spirit heart and soul in it as any worship or service which is noâ— at least ordinarily performed unto him under the Gospel And it is yet lesse questionable of the two that that worship and service which Moses Aaron Joshua David did perform under the Law were no works of Supererogation and consequently not more spirituall then they ought to have been or then the Law required So that this third and last proof levied by Mr. A. upon the account of his said Proposition hath lesse in it then either of the former Sect. 146. Neverthelesse Mr. A. maketh a long businesse to fill up with words an argument so empty of weight and truth as we have heard But he that pleadeth an evill cause cannot do it effectually by speaking truth and pittie it is that Mr. A's understanding should be so over-mated with an unfeasible undertaking as I find it here 1. He saith that Baptism is a part of the Gospel-ministration If it be so then is an Ordinance a piece or part of an action For certain it is I suppose to Mr. A. himself that Baptism is an Ordinance and suppose no lesse certain that the Gospel-ministration is an action But who ever notioned or conceited an Ordinance to be a part of an action If he had said the administration of Baptism is a part of the Gospel-ministration it had been more regular and proper though haply no whit more a truth For as Baptism is rather an appendix unto the Gospel then a part of it as was formerly shewed Sect. 102. so is the administration of Baptism rather an Appendix to the ministration of the Gospell then any part of it And doubtlesse if Paul had included the Administration of Baptism in the Gospel ministration when he termed it the ministration of the spirit he would have been so far from thanking God that he had baptized so few as those mentioned by him 1 Cor. 1. 14 16. that he would rather have been humbled or sorrowfull before God that he had baptized no more yea in the very next words ver 17. he makes a plain opposition between Baptizing and Preaching i. ministring the Gospell For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell Yes 2 Cor. 5. 18. he expresly saith that God had given or committed unto him with the other Apostles the ministerie of reconciliation what is this but the ministration of the Gospell again 1 Cor. 9. 17. that the dispensation of the Gospel was commitred unto him Therefore certainly had he judged the administration of Baptism any part of the Gospel ministration he would not have affirmed that Christ sent him not to baptize Sect. 147. 2. Concerning what he argues from Act. 2. 38. to prove that Baptism when duly administred and received contributes towards mens receiving the spirit c. hath been answered at large already viz. Sect. 89 90 91. c. I here adde 1. I presume Mr. A. will acknowledge that when John baptized Baptism was duly administred and received yet he did not look upon his Baptism as much contributing towards the receiving of the spirit in respect of a greater presence and operation nor did he bear his baptized ones in hand that any such thing was to be expected by it or from it but represented it unto them as a matter of inferiour concernment declaring unto them from whom they might expect another Baptism which was of a rich and high concernment indeed I indeed have baptized you with water meaning that his Baptism was of mean consequence but he viz. Christ who came after him SHALL baptize you with the holy Ghost a Mar. 1. 8. Mat. 11. 11. Luk 3 16. If upon or by means of Johns Baptism they had received the Spirit or had bin baptized with the holy Ghost he would not have said he SHALL baptize you or ye SHALL be baptized with the holy Ghost but ye have been already herewith baptized So likewise Act. 19. we read of Disciples who had been baptized by John or by some authorized in that behalf by Iohn and therefore their Baptism doubtlesse had been duly administred and received yet this notwithstanding they had been so far from receiving the Spirit by their Baptism that they professed that they had not so much as heard whether there were an holy Ghost or no. And Pauls question unto them Have ye received the holy Ghost since ye BELIEVED plainly importeth that the receiving of the holy Ghost either depended upon or was a consequent of their believing not of their being baptized according to that of our Saviour He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly b Ioh. 7. ae 8 39. shall flow rivers of living waters But this he spake of the Spirit which they that
those that brought them 4 If Christ had blessed these children only as emblems or types of Gospel converts in case Lambs or Doves or Sheep had been brought unto him likewise he might upon such an account as well have layd his hands upon these and blessed them and have said Suffer Lambs and Doves and Sheep to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of God But is it meet to make any part of a sober mans faith to beleeve or think that the Lord Christ in the case specified would either have done or spoken according to the tenour of these things 5. And lastly because the conceit we oppose is in it self so uncouth and improbable that it is not like to ride any mans judgement unless he finds it bowed down with prejudice the reason which Christ gives for this his order that Children should be suffered to come unto him and consequently of his gracious intentions towards them upon their coming is this viz. That of such is the Kingdome of heaven This clearly proveth that the blessing wherewith hee now blessed those children that were brought unto him and intended to bless those that should be brought unto him afterwards was a blessing appropriate unto Saints or such who are subjects in the Kingdom of God But the Bread in the Sacrament is no Saint though the Papists dream it to be the King of Saints and therefore no capable subject of such a blessing which the children obtained by their coming to Christ A Table of some Texts of Scripture occasionally handled or touched in the preceding Discourse and to which some light is given besides many others cited only probation-wise GEn. 17. 1. The uncircumcised Man-child shall be cut off from his people page 349 Exod. 3. 6. I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob p. 3 12 Eccles 7. 11. Wisdom is good with an inheritance 230 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth 347 348 c. Isa 1. 11 12. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me c. 103 Mat. 3. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance 246 248 328 375 3. 15. Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness 263 390 401 12. 3. Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungry c. 12 12. 8. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath-day 323 18. 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones who beleeve in me c. 166 167 19. 13. Then there were brought unto him litle children that he should put his hands upon them and pray c. 132 161 162 344 22. 31. But as touching the resurrection of the dead have ye not read c. page 3 28. 19. Go and teach all Nations baptizing them c. 167 168 c. Mar. 1. 4. The Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins p. 246 372 c. 1. 8. I indeed baptize you with water 328 1. 38. For therefore came I forth 247 10. 13 14 c. And they brought young children unto him that he should touch them c. and he layed his hands on them and blessed them 132 159 160 161 162 344 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved 229 230 c. 373 Luke 3. 15. And all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were Christ or no 284 7. 29 30. And all the people that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the baptism of John But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves not being baptized of John 182 183 260 261 Joh. 1. 31. But that he should be made manifest unto Israel am I come baptizing with water 175 176 3. 5. Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit c. 216 333 3. 23. And Iohn also was baptizing in Enon neer Salim because much water was there 62 63 3. 32. No man receiveth his testimony 152 5. 31. If I bear witness of my selfe my witness is not true 206 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth the Son and beleeveth on him c. 331 7. 39. This he spake of the Spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive pag. 329 13. 7. What I doe thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter 202 20. 29. Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have bleee 8ed 331 Acts 2. 3. Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost 234 235 236 c. 330 376 2. 39. For the promise is unto you and your children c. 145 2. 41. And the same day there was added about three thousand souls 294. 3. 19. Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. 235 5. 14. And beleevers were the more added unto the Lord multitudes both of men and women 157 7. 25. For he supposed that his brethren would have understood how God by his hand would deliver them but they understood it not 4 8. 10. To whom they all gave heed c. 157 158 10. 47. They were baptized both men and women 152 158 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised 25 15. 10. Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples c. 85 17. 31. Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead 4 21. 5. And they all brought us on our way with Wives and children 155 22. 16. And now why tarriest thou Arise and be baptised and wash away thy sins c. 252 253 c. Rom. 2. 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision shall keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircision be counted for circumcision 294 295 4. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all men that beleeve 187 188 c. 4. 18. Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might be the Father of many nations 188 189 c. 6. 5. For if ye have been planted together in the likeness of his death ye shall also c. 280 8. 14. As many as are â—â—d by the Spirit of God these are the Sons of God 286 8. 23. Even we do sigh in our selves waiting for the adoption 249 8. 24. For we are saved by hope 303 10. 1. My hearts desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved 246 10. 10. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness c. 249 14. 22. Hast thou Faith Have it to thy selfe before God 107 1 Cor. 1. 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize but c. 128 327 3. 8. The ministration of the spirit 326 7. 9. It is
abroad very credible and not without arguments otherwise to confirm the truth of them that there are cunning Emissaries of the Romish faction Jesuites and others and these not a few who secretly and in a disguise insinuate themselves with all or most of the prementioned Sects amongst us These being the most exquisite and expert Artists in the world in glosses and colours know how of plausible Arguments and Pretenses to make fair faces to set upon every Sect and by-opinion whereby to allure the fancies of injudicious and inconsiderate people unto them and to set every party agog with a conceit of their own way and notions their most wicked and dangerous design being to distract rend and tear the Nation into factions parties and sects especially all those in it who seem to pretend with any zeal to conscience or Religion that so they may upon better terms of advantage commend the Romish Church and Religion for that unity which is found in them unto the generality of weak and carnal men amongst us being the bulk of the Natioan and whose Sovereign grievance it is not to have a National or State Religion wherein all must gree and hereby have the bro ader and larger opportunity either to work the Nation back again unto Rome or otherwise to bring the misery of confusion if not ruine it self upon us 9. As the English Proverb that a rowling stone § 16. gathers no Moss importeth that persons who oft remove and change either their dwellings or imployments do not ordinarily prosper or thrive in the world so neither do the souls of such persons usually prosper who are of desultory and light dispositions easily and without great weight and evidence of argument perswaded out of one form or way of worpshiping God into another or out of one Church into another Upon this account it is that the Apostle makes an opposition between being carryed about with divers or various and strange doctrines and having the heart established with grace Be not carryed about with various 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strange Doctrines for it is good that the heart be established with grace not with meats which have not profited them who have been occupyed therein a Heb. 13. 9. clearly implying that such professors who are apt to be hurryed or carryed round from one opinion to another which are various and strange not depending on nor consistent with one the other or such wherewith the Church of Christ have not been acquainted for these are properly strange Doctrines are never like to attain the great blessing of having their hearts and consciences wel ballanced or established either with any excellent work of grace or holiness in them or with the sence or sound belief of the rich Grace of God in the Gospel The reason whereof might be given but that the Law of brevity forbiddeth it It was the confession of one who had some years before turned aside into the way of ana-Ana-Baptism at the time of his execution for the horrid sin of murther committed in this City of which confession one of you if I mistake not was an ear witness that from the time of his going under water he sensibly found God departing from him 10. If it be a duty solemnly charged by God upon § 17. you as far as lyeth in you and if it be possible i. e. if you can compass or admit of it without sinning for unto Saints all sin by the Law of their profession is made and declared an impossibility b Joh. 3. 9. Rom. 6 2. 2 Cor. 13. 8. Gâ—â— 39. 9. to have peace with all men how much more ought you to judge your selves bound by ingagements of the highest to have and keep peace amongst your selves and one with another your Church and Christian fellowship wil be as a first fruits of that New Jerusalem which is now coming down apace from Heaven unto you if you be careful and diligent to knit your selves together in love standing fast in one spirit with one mind and one judgement and so continue Be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11. your God shall be your glory and you shall be the glory of all the Churches of the Saints round about you if you shall carefully endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the band of peace Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity It is as the Dew of Hermon yea as that which descendeth upon the Mountains of Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing and life for evermore Psal 133. 1. 3. As on the contrary where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3. 16. and consequently God must needs behold persons and societics of this unworthiness a far off And to those whom he thus beholdeth misery and ruine must needs be neer at hand Therefore if differences at any time arise amongst you 1. Let every man remember that he knoweth but in part and consequently that the errour or mistake may possibly lie on his side 2. Let him candidly and with an unfeigned desire of being over-ruled though contrary to his present sence into the truth especially when love and peace are like to be gained and maintained withall weigh and consider the grounds and reasons of him or them who dissent from him 3. Let him that hath any thing suggested to him under the notion of a truth contrary to the present sence of his Brethren not over-hastily entertain it but rather suspect and expostulate with the suggestion And if he cannot thus satisfie or free his conscience let him argue and debate with himself the grounds of it upon such terms as he would oppose or counterargue the Tenent of an Adversary If this wil not yet deliver him let him by frequent and fervent prayer seek an intemerate and chast judgement at the hand of God If this notwithstanding he shall remain doubtful and unsatisfied 4. In case the matter of his suggestion supposed to be a truth be somewhat about the verge or out-works of Religion and not near the center or heart as matters of doubtful dispute amongst Christians for the most part are let him as the Apostle adviseth in somewhat a like case either have his faith to himself and not trouble his Brethren or the Church with it Or else let him declare and propose it like it self I mean with an acknowledgment that it is a point of inferiour concernment and for which he shall contend with no man to the breach of love or peace especially let him not strayn or bend himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hyperbolize or over-speak the consequence or concernment of it In which kind of misdemeanor the high Ana-Bapâ—ist is the first-born of offenders yea though his notion for rebaptizing or as himself would fain have it pass for baptizing should be yeilded unto him for a truth He
the Shew-bread which was not lawful for him to eat neither for those that were with him but for the Priests only Mat. 12. 23. And the Reason of this Conclusion is evident For if the far greater number both of matters of Faith or things to be beleeved and likewise of matters of practise or things to be done be matters of inference consequence and deduction from the Scriptures and not of literal or express assertion which is an unquestionable truth and hath in part been proved already it follows with an high hand of evidence and truth that they who are more defective less experienced less understanding then others in drawing Conclusions from Premisses must needs be more ignorant then others as well of the one as the other I mean of the mind of God as well in matters of faith as of practise Consectary If the more dull less experienced and apprehensive men are in drawing regular deductions and conclusionâ— out of their premises they must needs remain so much the more ignorant of the mind and will of God in many things and so be in the more danger also of denying them then need it not seem strange unto any man that the generality or far greater part of those who oppose Infant-Baptism should be ignorant of the mind of God as well concerning Baptism as many other things considering that they are inexpert in the Word of righteousness and have not through use their senses exercised to discern both good and evil I mean neither legitimate and sound deductions from the Scripture on the one hand nor those that are spurious and mistaken on the other CONSIDERATION VIII TO multiply precepts or bands of Conscience whether negative or affirmative above the number of those wâ—ich God himself in his Word hath imposed in either kind is constructively to deny the sufficiency of the Scriptures the perfection of the Law of God and to usurp his Authority Proof The truth of this Consideration is I presume every mans notion and sence For additionals are not wont to be made to things which are perfect but to that which is imperfect Nor if it be supposed that the conscience of a man be sufficiently bound by the Law of God in all cases whatsoever need there be any additional obligations in this kind Consectary If the binding of mens Consciences with more bands then those wherewith God himself hath bound them be a sin of that evil import which the Consideration expresseth then do they who impose it as matter of conscience upon men to refrain the baptizing of their Infants and again to baptize when they baptize with all under water transgress that great transgression in as much as God hath no where in Scripture either prohibited the baptizing of children by any Law or commanded the baptizing of any person by forcing thrusting dowzing ducking or dipping the whole body under water CONSIDERATION IX WHat is more fully and plainly taught by God and delivered unto the world in the Old Testament or which may by clearness of deduction be evinced from this is more sparingly and with less expressiveness delivered in the New Proof It is a word of soberness and of truth though found among Philosophers that Natura sicut non deficit in necessariis sic neque abundat in superfluis As Nature is not wanting in things necessary so neither is it abounding in things superfluous This regularness in Nature being neither penurious on the one hand nor prodigal on the other discovers an answerable property and perfection in him who is the God thereof and hath formed her in his own likeness So then what he hath with sufficient evidence and clearness declared unto us in one part of his Word he doth but like himself in not making a like declaration of it the second time Nor is the New Testament less perfect then the Old because such duties which are to be practised under this Testament as well as they were under the Old are not as plainly and expresly enjoyned in this as they are in that For both Testaments being parts of one and the same Scripture and of equal Authority that which equally respecteth the times of both Testaments and is plainly and without parable taught in the former only is as sufficiently and to all ends and purposes taught as if it were taught with a like plainness in the latter also Thus the qualification of Magistrates as that they be chosen out of the people viz. over whom they are to bear rule able men fearing God men of truth hating covetousness * Exo. 18. 21 being thus plainly taught and declared in the Old Testament there was no occasion why they should be again thus largely and distinctly mentioned or required in the New neither hath the Wisdom of God done it There is the like consideration of several other Subjects as concerning the punishment of Adulterers some special duties of Kings the regulation of Wars in sundry particulars Oaths before Magistrates c. Concerning which enough being delivered and this with clearness enough in the Old Testament we hear little of any of them in the New Consectary If there be no ground either in Scripture or in Reason why the mind of God about any particular subject when discernable enough by the writings of the Old Testament should be again particularly revealed in the New then is there a plain account to be given why the New Testament speaketh so sparingly concerning the mind of God touching the admission of Children into Church-membership considering that his mind herein was so sufficiently declared in the Old CONSIDERATION X. THey who reject or refuse to be satisfied with evident Consequences or Arguments drawn by reason from the Scriptures reject the Authority of the Scriptures themselves and his that speaketh in them Proof The reason hereof is plain viz. because whatsoever is substantially deducible from or out of the Scripture must needs be contained in the Scripture before the deduction of it made from thence otherwise it could not be truly and substantially deduced from hence For nothing can be drawn out from thence where it never was nor had any being Now whatsoever is contained in the Scripture is Scripture and of Scripture Authority Thus our Saviour himself teacheth us to call that Scripture not only which is expresly and in so many words either affirmed or denyed in the Scriptures but that also which is the fair and clear result of the Scripture He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters * John 7. 38. the Scripture no where affirming this but virtually or consequentially only So again he chargeth the Sadduces with ignorance of the Scriptures because they held and taught that there was no See Mr Baxter Plain Scripture proof c. p. 8 Resurrection of the dead notwithstanding the Scriptures then in being affirmed no such thing in expressness of terms especially not in that place which yet our
baptizing the children of Christians at age must needs run all into confusion Consectary If the practise of baptizing Christian 's children at age in constituted Churches be such a method or course of baptizing The third Head of Considerations which more immediately relate unto Infant-Baptism and argue the lawfulness of it yea and more then lawfulness ordinarily which is apt to fill these Churches with perpetual contentions and strife then is it not a Method allowed much less prescribed by Christ CONSIDERATION XXIV THe ordinary practise of baptizing Infants in the Church is much more edifying both to the Church and to the persons also baptized when come to years of discretion then the baptizing of men and women only Proofs This Consideration as to point of truth is demonstratively argued and asserted more then once in the latter part of this discourse and so needs no traverse here The Reader is desired for his satisfaction in this to peruse Sect. 56. 73. 159. 160. of that part Consectary If Infant-Baptism contributes more towards the edification both of the Body of the Church and of the persons themselves also baptized then the baptizing of men and women only then is it the unquestionable Will of God that Infant-Baptism should be practised in the Churches of Christ in as much as his order appointment is very express in this Let all things be done to edification 1 Cor. 14. 26. And again Seek that ye may excel to the edification of the Church 1 Cor. 14. 12. of which Scriptures in the second part of this Discourse Sect. 159. 48. CONSIDERATION XXV CHildren were admitted unto Baptism in the days of Christ and of the Apostles Proof For proof of this the Reader is only desired diligently to peruse the 22 23. and so the following Sections of the latter part of this discourse to the end of the 32 Section as also the 40. 132. 157. 158. Sections with several other passages hereof Consectary If Children were admitted unto Baptism in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles then can there no sufficient reason be given why water should be denied unto them in these dayes that they should not be baptized CONSIDERATION XXVI AS Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith under the Law so is Baptism a Seal of the same righteousness under the Gospel Proof That Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness mentioned under the Law and this simply and indefinitely and not with any appropriation unto Abraham or the righteousnesse of his faith onely is demonstratively proved in the latter part of this Treatise Sect. 61 62 63. c. That Baptism is a Seal of the same righteousnesse under the Gospel cannot reasonably be denied and is granted by the more considering persons of the adverse party The Author of the Treatise entituled Of Baptism having said pag. 4. That the righteousness which Abraham had by Faith the acceptation he had was sealed up to him by the signe of Circumcision c. immediately subjoyneth Now what Abraham had by Circumcision that the Saints have by Baptism for so the Apostle intimates in Col. 2. 11. 12. Again pag. 18. speaking of Baptism We shall find saith he beating it out as far as the Scripture gives light that as it seals and confirms our union with him so it also seals and confirms to us the most desirable thing in the world which is the pardon of all our sins Now we know that the remission or pardon of sin and the righteousnesse of faith are Termini convertibiles sive aequivalentes words importing one and the same thing And yet again the same Authour and Book pag. 20. Now for this God hath formed an Ordinance on purpose to confirm and ratifie unto us the remission of sins and this is baptism therefore be not amazed but repent and be baptized The same Author delivereth the same Doctrine in the same discourse ten times over yea Master W. A. himself in his Treatise stiled some baptismal Abuses c. as the Reader will find in the latter part of this Treatise is not tender of breaking with his Tutour Mr. Fisher in this point although in the mean time he contradicts himself as well as his Teacher herein For if Baptism be a Seal of remission of sins it cannot be required on mans part for the obtaining of remission of sins it is not the property of a Seal to procure unlesse it be the ratification and confirmation of what is already procured or done And indeed Mr. Fishers notion which alloweth Baptism to be a Signe but denieth it to be a Seal is upon the matter contradictions to it self For certainly God signifieth nothing but what hath reality and truth of being If so then by what means soever he signifieth a thing he must needs seal ratifie and confirm the being of it But for the truth of the Consideration before us were it not granted by our adversaries in which respect it needeth no proof it might be clearly argued and evinced from that known Scripture Discription of Baptism wherein it is stiled The Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins Consectary If Circumcision under the Law was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith or of the remission of sins and Baptism under the Gospel be a seal likewise of the same righteousness then must children under the Gospel needs be as capable subjects of the latter seal I mean Baptism as they were of the former Circumcision under the Law CONSIDERATION XXVII JT was a gracious priviledge vouchsafed by God unto children under the Law to be admitted members of that Church-body which was most highly favoured and respected by him and amongst whom besides many other most great and pretious promises made unto them he promised to dwell for ever Proof Neither should we need to levy any proof of this Consideration if we had to do only with reasonable and considering men For if it were not a gracious priviledge unto children to be admitted members of such a body as that described then was the Ordinance of God enjoyning men the Circumcising of their children by which they became formal and compleat members of this Body either a kind of Idol Ordinance which did neither good nor evil to those who received and enjoyed it or else such an Ordinance wherein or whereby God intended evil unto them But as well the one as the other of those conceits are the abhoring of every Christian and considering Soul Ergo If it be said that Câ—rcumcision might benefit children in some other way though not by immembring them into the Iewish Church I Answer 1. It is not easie to conceive in what other way it should benefit them 2. What way soever may be thought upon wherein it should profit them otherwise Baptism must needs be conceived to be as profitable to them in the same 3. and lastly it is very unreasonable and importune and not worthy a sober man to affirm or think that children had no priviledge or
into drie before they spread a Table and set meat before Paul and Silas or else that they performed this Christian service with their garments full of water and dropping To suppose this latter requires zeal without knowledge to suppose the former requires the faith of those that can beleeve what they please without asking any question for conscience sake For the context will hardly allow them so much time between their being baptized and the performance of this service as was necessary for their shifting However we clearly see what a long story of uncertainties yea of improbabilities must be compiled and beleeved before we can reasonably come to beleeve that the Jaylor and all his were dipped when baptized Nor is it easie to conceive where so much water should be in or about Hierusalem which might suffice for the baptizing of 3000 persons within the space of about half a day probably in a lesser time if this be a true saying no dipping no baptizing How slender and faint the appearance of truth is in that Doctrine which teacheth the dipping of the Eunuch by Philip when he baptized him was lately under consideration The amount of the whole is that it is by many degrees more probable that no Baptismal Administration mentioned in the New Testament was performed with dipping then that all the said Administrations here recorded were performed after such a manner Consectary If this be the fairer probability of the two then can there no firm argument no nor yet any competently probable be The fifth Head of Considerations rising up agaiâ—st adult Baptism ordinarily administred re-baptizing drawn from the Scriptures to prove dipping essential to baptizing CONSIDERATION XLVII THe Baptizing of the children of CHRISTIANS ordinarily at years of discretion is utterly inconsistent with the rule of the Gospel for baptizing Proof The rule of the Gospel concerning the time and season of Baptizing is that Baptism be administred without delay unto persons when they are first made Disciples This to be the Gospel rule for the regulation of the time of baptizing is so evident from many expresse and clear passages of the Gospel it self that it is I presume owned in this capacity and subscribed by Ana-Baptists themselves Or however it is abundantly evinced by others to be such a Mr. Baxter Plain Scripture Proof for Infants Churchmembership p. 126. 127. Now that that practice of baptizing which the Consideration specifieth is utterly inconsistent with this rule is above all reasonable contradiction made good by this argument viz. because it cannot ordinarily be known or however is not ordinarily known when or at what time the children of Beleevers are first made Disciples unlesse that they will grant that they are Disciples from the womb which will altogether as much and as manifestly endamage their cause That the children we speak of do ordinarily professe a beleeving in God and so in Christ long before they come to any adultnesse of years many of them at 3 4 or 5 years of age yea and some sooner is generally known to us but when or at what time a principle of Grace or Faith is first wrought in them is altogether as unknown Therefore if the children we speak of ordinarily be not baptized untill years of discretion it is impossible that the Gospel rule concerning the time of baptizing should be observed or obeyed in their Baptism The Scripture it self gives large and frequent testimony unto this argument yea and experience it self super-sufficiently ratifieth it If any man yet questioneth the truth of it he may please to repair for satisfaction to pag. 127 128 c. of the Discourse lately mentioned where there is plenty of it to be found Consectary If the Baptizing of Beleevers children ordinarily at years of discretion be utterly inconsistent with the observation of the Gospel rule concerning the time and season for Baptizing then is the practise unquestionable sinfull and displeasing unto God CONSIDERATION XLVIII THe way and practice of Re-baptizing or of baptizing upon those terms on which those who are best known amongst us by the name of ANABAPTISTS do baptize and are baptized and do most importunately injoin others to be baptized also cannot be justified or evinced so much as lawfull much lesse necessary by the word of God Proof It neither yet hath been proved nor is there in the Scriptures whereof to make any competent proof that persons once initiated or consecrated by water unto the obedience and service of Jesus Christ ought to be by water consecrated to the same service the second time That passage Act. 19. 3. 4. 5. which some would draw to such a sence as this is of quite another interpretation as hath been substantially argued and evinced by many a M. Rogers Treatise of Sacraments Part. 1. p. 13 Franciscus Junius ad Act. 19. 5. Georgius Konig Vindiciae Sâ—â—rae Disput 30. p. 534 535. Those words v. 5. And when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus are part of Paul's speech to the Ephesine Disciples in which v. 4. he openeth unto them the purport of John's Baptism which it seems they understood not although they had been baptized by him And that which he declareth to them in these 2 verses is this that John before he baptized those who came unto him for that end admonished them that his Baptism was the Baptism of repentance i. e. a baptism or washing instituted by God to ingage or oblige men to repentance and that they should beleeve not in him but in another who was immediately to follow or come after him viz. Christ And saith Paul when they i. e. the people who came to John to be baptized heard this i. e. had been instructed by John concerning the nature and intent of his Baptism they were baptized by him in the name of the Lord Jesus This to be the unquestionable sence of the passage is by sundry arguments from the context it self proved by several learned men who have laboured in the interpretation of it whose discussions are too large to be here inserted and are extant in their respective Authors And if it should be supposed that the Disciples here said to have been baptized by John or with the Baptism of John were now by Paul or by his appointment baptized it would rather have been said that they were re-baptized baptized again or the like then simply that they were baptized as the Galathians returning to Judaisme from which they had been delivered by the Gospel are said to return AGAIN to those weak and beggarly Elements and to desire to be AGAIN in bondage unto them a Gal. 4. 9. So those Professors spoken of 2 Pet. 2. 20. relapsing to the pollutions of the world which they had escaped thorough the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ are said to be AGAIN intangled therein To pretend or say that a consecration of Infants to the service of Christ especially
no firm footing for Church-communion pag. 25 26. Experience likewise informeth us that great numbers of those who walk under their Infant-Baptism onely do altogether as conscienciously both own discharge all Baptismal engagements and withall in every whit as ample manner injoy all Baptismal comforts and priviledges as those who glory and please themselves most in their way of re-baptizing Yea experience further teacheth that very many of those who have gone under water upon an hope conceived of finding more grace and peace there then their infant Baptism had conferr'd upon them have lost much of the former by the voyage and it is exceeding much to be feared have not at all increased the latter if not susteined losse in this also Consectary If Baptism received in infancy though without dipping be neither a nullity nor an institution or device of man then must after-baptism unto those who have been infant-baptized be either the one or the other I mean either a nullity or an instituted device of man The reason of this consequence is because the Scripture which onely hath power originally to declare the reality and truth of a divine Ordinance hath declared nothing in this kind on the behalf of a second or after-Baptism Postscript CONSIDERATION V. Omitted under the fifth Head BAptism as all types and typical Ordinances is one of those things which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. which have been instituted and given by God for the sake of and in reference unto some other thing of greater and more weighty concernment unto men then themselves Proof This Consideration is greater in evidence then exception or doubt even without proof For that Baptism is a typical Ordinance and according to the counsel and intention of the great father and founder of it given in subservience to ends and purposes of higher consequence then it self is I suppose the sence and joint consent of those who disturb the peace of the Christian world about it Or however the thing is fully evident from that known description of it in the Gospel wherein it is termed the Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sins of which more largely in the latter part of this discourse Now all typical Ordinances are appointed or prescribed and given by God unto men either 1. For the teaching and instructing them in something that is more spiritual and secret or 2. For the confirming and securing them touching either the certainty and truth of things already past or the injoyment of good things according to the promise of God yet to come or 3. For the reminding them of something that is absent or 4. And lastly for the ingaging them to some future action kind or course of acting There may possibly be other ends of typical institutions besides these but these onely at present come to mind However when the end or ends for which any such Ordinance as those of which we now speak was appointed be once obtained and injoied by men whether by the use of this Ordinance or without it for God is at liberty to work his good pleasure in men and for men without any Ordinance though men be not left at liberty to omit them in their respective seasons nor to neglect or despise them at any time the use or further use of such an Ordinance is not required by God nor can it in the use of it be of any consequence benefit or concernment unto men Now concerning Baptism let the ends of it be supposed what men reasonably can suppose or imagine them to be they are all obtained and enjoyed by many by means of that Baptism or Consecration unto Christ by Water which was administred unto them in their infancy and which they stil own and in the strength and conscience whereof they still walk without any other Baptism received by them afterwards as I have fully demonstrated pag 24 25 26 27. of my Discourse intituled Water-dipping c. Consectary If Baptism was not ordained by God for it self or for the bare letters sake of it but for ends and purposes spiritually beneficial unto men then cannot the receiving of it afterwards be any waies commodious unto them who by means of their Infant-Baptism or otherwaies are actually possessed of these ends nor doth God require a subjection unto it of such men The Second Part. BEING A modest Examination of Mr. William Allen's Arguments pretending clearly to prove as himself expresseth it the Invalidity of the Administration of Baptism to Infants Sect. 1. I Trust that Mr. A. notwithstanding the great disservice he hath done I presume not out of a worse Conscience then what want of light in the particular rendreth it unto God in the affaires of Jesus Christ and the Gospel by publishing his Baptismal abuses hath yet so much interest in him as to be heard by him in that Christian and worthy Petition in the close of his Premonition viz. that God will give unto his Reader so much light as to discern that which is of him from that which is but of men Nor am I without all hope but that this prayer of his will unto many of his Readers turn to a soveraign Antidote against the danger and infection of his following discourse For if God shall vouchsafe so much light unto any man as to dâ—scern that which is of God in this piece from that wâ—ich is but of men there is not much fear that his judgement will be over-ruled by the arguments to espouse the conclusion commended by them It is a saying too hard for my spirit nor of any good comportment with my respects to the Author yet was it the saying of a judicious and sober Christian both in my hearing and in the hearing of some others that they never met with so many Scriptures within so narrow a compasse more abused then those levied by Mr. A. to fight the battel of that cause which he laboureth to assert in his book But though I cannot with confidence rise up to the height of such a saying or censure yet very possibly they who spake the words might speak them with truth Sect. 2. He enters his Discourse with this Observation that That which boâ—h busies the minds and takes up much time among the servants of God in debates is that question about Baptism viz. which Administration is most agrâ—eable to the mind of God whether that which is made to Infants or whether that which not made but unto persons who either iâ—deed beleeve the Gospel or make profession so to do I confesse that the businesse of Baptism doth indeed much if not much too much busie the minds of many in these days as Circumcision also did the minds of many of old But as the great Apostle Paul though circumcised himself according to the Law of God yea and upon occasion an Administrer of it unto others yet severely rebuked yea and wished the cutting off of those that stickled for the practise
That it doth not follow because the knowledge he speaks of is not given in this place unto the world therefore it is given no where else Nor 2. That because this knowledge is not yet arrived at Mr. A's or at Mr. Fishers understanding it is not therefore sufficiently given unto the world or not convincingly enough arrived at the judgements and understandings of other men as considering and conscientious as they Nor 3. That the knowledge of Christs imbracing and blessing infants is so inconsiderable as Mr. A. seemeth to represent it unto the world because he hath no higher esteem of it Nor 4. And lastly Doth it follow that because Mr. A. makes an opposition between the giving knowledge unto the world that Infant-Baptism is an Ordinance of God and the giving knowledge that Christ imbraced and blessed infants therefore the knowledge of this latter doth not give sufficient knowledge of the former in his sence of the word Ordinance lately expressed However we shall not at present argue the case whether it be so or no but onely leave it to all considering men to judge whether his minor proposition be preferr'd to any degree of light by all he hath delivered in this third proof of it or whether the native darknesse remains not still spread round about it rather condens'd and thickned then any waies lessened or cleared by all this discourse Sect. 42. To his fourth proof we answer 1. That to argue from Answer to Mr. A's 4th proof of the minor proposition of his first Argument p. 8. what is not recorded to what was not or was not done in Christs or the Apostles dayes is extreamly weak and inconcluding It is not recorded that the Eunuch Acts 8. was baptized either naked or with his cloaths upon him Doth it therefore follow that he was baptized neither naked nor with his cloaths upon him It is not recorded that the spring or water wherein the Eunuch was baptized was so deep as to reach or come up to his ankles Doth it follow from hence that therefore it was not thus deep It is not recorded that all the members of the 7 Churches of Asia were baptized Is this a sufficient proof that therefore they were not baptized It is not recorded that John the Baptist when he executed his office and baptised those that came unto him put off either his Camels-hair garment or leathern girdle nor yet that he kept them on Doth it therefore follow that he did neither because neither is recorded Or is it a sufficient proof that no woman was admitted to the Lords Table in the Apostles daies because the admission of none is recorded But such arguings as these are the pillars of Anti-poedo-baptisme which for brevities sake and not to offend any man or to reproach the opinion from hence forth we shall call Ana-baptism Secondly Whereas he saith that the description which the Scripture every where makâ—s of persons or qualifications of such whose Baptisme it recordeth argues them to be no Infants the saying is captious and encroaching taking that for granted which is to be denied viz. that the Scripture still describeth the persons and qualifications of all such though Mr. A. craftily leaves out this particle All least his proof should appear to be too narrow and scant for the length and bredth of his position though the truth is that to those who understand the principles and rules of arguing the omission of the said particle invalidates the processe of his argument of all such I say whose Baptism it recordeth Yea himself pag. 10 11. essaying to answer that unanswerable objection about the Baptizing of housholds though with much regret and reluctancie of spirit yet yeeldeth that there is not the same account given of the qualifications he might with as much truth have added and then he had done somewhat ingenously nor of the persons of those that were baptised of the family of Lydia So that himself with speaking onely a little truth hath cut the sinews of his fourth proof Yet Thirdly Whereas he here supposeth that the Name or Title of a Disciple is incompetible unto children and cannot rationally be applyed unto them doth he not condemn the Holy Ghost himself of irrationality who very expresly Act. 15. 10. termeth children as well as their Parents Disciples unlesse he will suppose that the yoke of Circumcision in case the Parents had been perswaded by their Judaizing Teachers to subject unto it would not at all have concerned their children or been any yoke unto them I confesse Mr. Fisher Baby-baptism p. 176. out of the ingenuity and Christian meeknesse of his spirit terms the citing of this scripture to prove Infants to be called Disciples a frivolous flim flam But the best is that these wild Figtrees I mean insolent and uncomely jeers grow so abundantly in the plain of his book that ten thousand of them are not worth the price of two Sparrows But Mr. Fisher knows better how to triumph than how to conquer And if you will take his own word for it Tanquam umbrae volitant alij solus sapit ipse All other men like shaddows vain On earth flit to and fro He he alone the wise man is Truth none but he doth know Yet let me say this by the way by Mr. Fishers good leave that the yoke of Circumcision with all the burthensomnesse of the Mosaical Law attending it was indeed no yoke at all in comparison of such a Baptism as Mr. A. or at least many who rejoyce in his light violently obtrude upon the world in the name of Christ's Baptism But I hear there is one wise man amongst them whose prudence I suppose many others will follow who hath found out a way to conjure the spirit of winter out of the water by an application of fire a commendable project to reconcile winter-dipping it self with the lives of men and especially of women which without such a mediation is like to deal very severely by them He that baptiseth upon such termes as these baptiseth both with water and with fire and so in this respect administreth a more compleat Baptism than either John or any the Apostles of Christ But Mr. Fisher disdains all warming of water unlesse it be with the fire of mens zeal that are to be baptized This onely by the way But might not Mr. A. more rationally contest with Christ himself for giving the Name or Title of a man to a child new born Joh. 16. 21. and especially for giving the Name and Title of a Beleever to a little child Mat. 18. 5 6. than with us for giving the name and title of Disciple unto a child Or is it not somewhat lesse to be a Disciple than a Beleever For that our Saviour in this Scripture by one of these little ones who beleeve in me meaneth any such child as that mentioned ver 5. and now pointed at by him is evident from the context as Musculus well conceiveth and expoundeth the place
made by it viz. that the persons baptized look for remission of sins upon their repentance Therefore no such profession or declaration as this is made by baptism unto the world and consequently this is no end of baptism To what purpose then doth he pretend that it is better answered in the baptism of men then of Infants Sect. 73. Whreas he saith that men are capable of making such a profession and declaration of themselves to the world IN and BY their Baptism when as infants are altogether uncapable of doing any such thing I answer 1. That men themselves are very ill capable of making that profession he speaks of or any other in their Baptism 1. during the time of their being under water 2. As uncapable altogether are they of making either the one or the other BY their Baptism A man cannot professe or declare that BY baptism at least orderly regularly which God never intended should be professed or declared by it Now Mr. A. himself speaks doubtingly whether such a profession and declaratin as we now speak of be any end of baptism or no. If they be not a negative already proved by us as well as questioned or doubted by him then can they not by any man be made by it 3. There is very seldom much of the world for the most part nothing at all present at the baptizing of those who Mr. A. here supposeth should make the profession and declaration which he speaks of in and by their Baptism In what capacitie then are they of making them unto the world at such a time 4. And lastly for this though they who are baptized men are able to make what professions or declarations by words they please about the time of their baptism which infants at the time of their Baptism by themselves or in their own persons cannot yet he that offereth his Infant unto baptism and so he that baptizeth it may at this very time make the same whether professions or declarations with men And how or why such a profession and declaration as he speaketh of made by these persons when an infant is baptized should not as well answer and accommodate that end of Baptism if such it be which he here suggesteth at least in reference to the world as the like made by other men when they are baptized I verily understand not Truly these arguments are no honour or strength to the cause of Antipedo-baptism 5. He yet supposeth once more If it be called the Baptism of repentance c. because it seals and confirms the Covenant or promises of God made to men touching the remission of their sins upon their repentance yet this end and use Mr. A. p. 16 17. also is attained upon far BETTER TERMS in the Administration of Baptism to believers and to men of understanding then it is or can be when administred unto Infants who have neither I answer Sect. 74. 1. This fift and last IF is the same in substance and import and partly in words also with the third Wherefore to avoid Repetitions the Reader is desired to re-peruse the preceding 67 68 c. Sections where he shall find the impertinencie of the contents of it argued and discovered And 2. Whereas he here pleads that If the intent of God in making Baptism a seal of his Covenant and Promise is not to make his Covenant more sure in it self but to give it a more sure stable and unquestionable being in the minds and apprehensions of men then this end cannot be attained in infants by their Baptism because they want the use and exercise of their reasons judgements c. without which the articles and terms of Gods Covenant will never take place or have a being in the minds of any by way of beleef doth he not again put the wisdom of God to rebuke in his counsell and Ordinance of Circumcision For whatsoever Covenant or Promise it was which he intended to seal thereby it was no whit more to make it more sure in it self but only in the minds and apprehensions of men then his intent is to make that Covenant and Promise sure which he sealeth by Baptism and yet we know and it hath been oft noted that he judged his end in this kind as wel or rather better attained by the application of that seal unto Infants then unto men But God and Mr. A. it seems are divided in their respective senses upon the case 3. And lastly for this be it granted that without the use and exercise of mens reasons and judgments the Articles and terms of Gods Covenant will never take place or have a being in the minds of any c. yet this is no reason at all why such a Seal by which i. by the knowledge and consideration of which God intends to give being or a more sure being to the said Articles in the minds and and apprehensions of men should not be administred or applied but only where there is an actuall and present use and exercise of these faculties a See more of this Sect. 71. Especially this is no reason why this administration should not be made in the case mentioned when there are reasons why it should be made which is the case in Infant-Baptism as it was also in Infant-Circumcision What these reasons are I mean why the Seal of Baptism should be adminstred unto Infants we shall God willing declare in due time By the way Mr. A. seems to be a man of more then ordinary foresight in delivering himself so provisionally under the protection of so many IFS touching his sence why Baptism may be called the Baptism of repentance for the remâ—ssion of sins For hereby he seems to foresee that by that time he had travelled a little further in his discourse he should start a better reason of that Denomination then any of those now offered by the shaking hand of any of his IF 'S We shall hear of this in due time 3. Mr. A. in his progresse acquainteth us with another SEEMING end of Baptism Another end of Baptism saith he p. 17. SEEMS to be this viz. that such who are baptized might thereby signifie their acceptance of and consent unto the terms of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace But the substance of this seemingness we had lately under the conduct of the fourth IF p. 16. and in part also of the first IF p. 15. And if the Reader desires further satisfaction herein he is desired to repair back to the rifling of the two said IFS Sect. 60 61 c. and Sect. 72 73 c. Sect. 75. Nor doth he tell us any news when he addeth For the Covenant of God with men doth consist of certain articles to be observed and kept by each partie covenanting as covenants among men generally dc But this old story it may be makes way to a new Therefore he steereth on his course thus And as amongst men parties covenanting are wont to signifie their mutuall consent to
sins which is attainable by Faith in the bloud of Christ may be obtained without Baptism 3. If Baptism be required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins and sanctification of the spirit then hath God suspended both the justification and sanctification of men and consequently their eternall Salvation upon a ceremonie or carnall Ordinance as Baptism by some of the most learned of Mr. A's partie as we formerly heard is acknowledged to be as well or as much as he hath done upon Faith or Repentance themselves and thus men shall be perfected by the flesh as the Apostle speaketh Yea 4. If a Declaration of Repentance by Baptism be required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins or in Sanctification of the Spirit then is a Declaration hereof by Baptism or by submitting to an outward and fleshly ceremonie more accepted with God then a Declaration made by mortification innocencie holinesse of conversation c. The reason of this consequence is plain viz. because a Declaration of a mans Repentance by these or any of them is not required by God nor yet accepted by him upon any such account as to interesse him in remission of sins or to translate him from an estate of sin and death into a state of justification no nor yet to intitle him to the sanctification of the Spirit For he that is not a justified person before any Declaration be made by him of his repentance by such fruits or expressions of it as these will never be justified afterwards Nor can any maÌ„ bring forth any such fruits of Repentance as these unless he be interessed in the sanctification of the Spirit before hand Therefore Baptism is not required on mans part nor yet a Declartion of his repentance by Baptism to interesse him either in Remission of sinâ— or sanctification of the Spirit Sect. 81. 5. If it were so then only children of wrath and persons not yet reconciled unto God should be the regular and lawfull subjects of Baptism For if Baptism be required on mans part to interesse them in Remission of sins all they who are yet unbaptized must needs be under the guilt of their sins and so liable to eternall condemnation for them And if the case be thus Faith and repentance are but dead works untill Baptism quickens them and raiseth them up from the dead 6. If Mr. A's Position now protested were Orthodox and sound John the Baptist was in his bloud I mean in the guilt and pollution of his sins when he entered upon the work and ministerie of baptizing with water yea and for ought appears to the contrary so lived and died and consequently perished eternally for it no where appears that ever he was baptized and if he were not baptized by the verdict of Mr. A's Doctrine he could have neither part nor fellowship in the blessed businesse of Remission of sinnes and so must perish 7. If both Repentance and the Declaration of it by Baptism be required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins and Sanctification of the Spirit then according to Mr. A's judgement and notion about the truth and requisit terms of the administration of Baptism either all or far the greatest part of the antient Fathers of the Christian Church with the generalitie of Christians in their dayes all or far the greatest part of the worthy Martyrs both in latter and in former times all or far the greatest part of our late Protestant Divines whose zeal learning labour and faithfulnesse God was pleased to use about the Reformation and for the Restauration propagation of the truth of Christian Religion as Luther Calvin Musculus Bucer P. Martyr Zuinglius c. together with our own worthies Perkins Dod Hildersham Preston Sibs c. together with the generalitie of the people taught and instructed by them against all these I say we must write bitter things and conclude that whilst they liv'd they were in the gall of bitternesse and bands of iniquity and that they died and consequently perished in their sins For most certain it is that these were not baptized as Mr. A. and men of his judgement count and call Baptism and consequently could not make any Declaration of their repentance by Baptism And if so they must all to hell unlesse Mr. A's Doctrine be content to be sent thither in their stead Sect. 82. 8. If no person can make a Declaration of their Repentance by Baptism then cannot a Declaration in this kind or that which M. A. calls a Declaration interesse any man in remission of sins The reason of the consequence in this Proposition is evident That which is not cannot act nor can any such thing or Act interest any man inâ—â—remission of sinnes which may be as well found in those whose sins are not remitted as in those whose are Now that persons who are baptized may be in the gall of bitternesse and bands of iniquitie and consequently not have their sins remitted their Baptism notwithstanding is apparent in the case of Simon Mâ—gus to whom soon after his baptizing Peter said Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thine heart is not right in the sight of God For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and bands of iniquity Act. 8. 21 23. Nor is the Baptism of a very great part of those who have been of late baptized and this as Mr. A. calls Baptism amongst us any Declaration of their repentance at least not of any such repentance which hath any thing to do with remission of sinnes their unworthy wayes and actions proclaiming them aloud to be persons void as well of the knowledge as fear of God 9. The Grandees themselves of Mr. A's partie yea and I presume himself also with them beleeve and hold that amongst the Heathen unto whom the Name of Jesus Christ was never brought nor the Gospel ever preached orally or by the mouths of men and consequently who were never Baptized there are or may be found persons interessed in Remission of sins If so with what truth can Mr. A. affirm yea rather with what face can he avouch with a most unchristiaÌ„ censure of all those who shall denie it that both Repentance and a Declaration of it by Baptism are required on mans part to interesse him in Remission of sins Sect. 83. 10. In case as well a Declaration of Repentance by Baptism as repentance it self be required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins would the Apostle Paul have thanked God he baptized none of the Corinthians but Crispus and Gaius i. that he interessed none of them in remission of sins but these 1 Cor. 1. 14 Or should he have had cause so farre to underrate the office and worth of baptizing beneath the preaching of the Gospell as to say that Christ sent him not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel i. not to do all that which might interesse men compleatly in remission of sins
company of the lesser especially if in stead of this it be accompanied with another much better and greater and of higher acceptation with God then it But 2. Suppose Baptism were every wayes and in every respect as necessarie to salvation as beleeving which yet is notoriously untrue as we have proved yet will it not follow that Baptism in such or such a particular mode or Externall manner of administration should be thus necessary For certain it is that the Lord Jesus Christ hath not suspended the eternall salvation of his creature especially not of those who truly believe in him upon any modalitie or formalitie of acting not particularly and precisely determined and injoyned by himself but only coÌ„jecturally obtruded upon theÌ„ by men For what if any one man â—r any ten men should please themselves never so highly be never so confident of the authentiquenesse or legitimacie of their inferences and deductions in one kind or other from the Scriptures will their confidence in this kind amount to an infallibilitie yea or to any competent proof that either the belief or practise of what they upon such terms deduce and inferre from the Scripture is essentially necessarie unto salvation Or hath the Lord Christ any where in the Scriptures determinately enjoyned or prescribed the particular mode of dipping as essentiall unto Baptism or to the regular administration thereof Therefore however Baptism in this form cannot with any tolerable face of reason be pretended as essentially requisite unto salvation as beleeving Sect. 88. 3. Neither can Mr. A. with all his fellow-dogmatists substantially prove that the Baptizing here spoken of is to be understood of a Baptizing with water considering that there is another kind of Baptism which the Scripture from place to place makes by many degrees more necessary unto salvation then a baptizing with water This is the Baptisme of affliction or sufferings for righteousnesse sake See for this Mat. 20. 22. compared with Mar. 10. 38. Luk. 12. 50. Rom. 6. 8. 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. Mar. 8. 34 35 c. Act. 14. 22. besides many other places Besides the grounds and arguments of those who judge water-baptism at least as to the necessitie of it to have expired with the Ministerie of John the Baptist or at farthest with the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem and the dissolution of the Jewish Church have not been yet sufficiently answered not yet balanced by any arguments or grounds for Mr. A's opinion and practise extant that I know of in the world Which grounds and arguments I mean for the non-necessitie of water Baptism although I do not yet apprehend them so demonstrative as to overrule my judgement that way yet I judge them nothing so easie of solution as those which have served in the warfare of Re-baptizing hitherto 4. Suppose we the place to be understood of water-Baptism and that some kind of a necessitie hereof unto salvation is here likewise insinuated by our Saviour yet can it not upon any tolerable account be understood of the actuall or literall perception of Baptism as if this were necessary to Salvation But of an inward obedientiall frame of heart to submit unto Baptism when opportunity serveth i. when there is a conveniencie of water and a person who according to the light of a mans conscience is regularly capable of administring it and withall willing to perform the work The preparation of the heart for the performance of a duty when opportunitie serveth and requireth it as well as the performance it self is oft in Scripture injoyned in such terms or words which properly signifie the Act or performance it self See Luk. 14 33. Luk 12. 33. 2 Tim. 2. 3. Mat. 5. 25 44. For it is against the main current of the Scriptures and against the sence of all considering men that God should suspend the eternall salvation of any man especially of a true Beleever upon the will and pleasure of another man or upon the receiving of any thing especially any externall thing which may be withheld from him against his will or which possibly he may never meet with an opportunitie to receive Therefore however such a Baptism as Mr. A. and his have taken up and as he presseth from the Scripture in hand is not simply or universally but only in particularitie of case if this in any degree necessarie unto salvation But 5. And lastly the clear and unquestionable sence of the place is to understand the Baptism or Baptising here spoken of synecdochically a form of speech then which there is none more frequent or familiar in the Scriptures viz. for a profession of that Faith or beleevings which our Saviour speaks of Baptism especially in those times when and of which our Saviour now speaks being a known part or piece of this profession In this figure of speech to fall by the sword to die by the sword with the like signifies any kind of death by the hand of an enemie as well as that which is properly and literally executed by the sword the sword being an ordinarie or known weapon by which men are slain in war 2 Sam. 11. 25. Psal 44 3. This interpretation is every wayes consonant to a master-vein of texts in the body of the Gospell viz. all such which hold forth a publique and open owning or professing of the Name of Christ and of the Gospell as required of all Beleevers in order to their being saved See more particularly upon this account Rom. 10. 9 10. which two verses are a very plain and significant exposition of the clause in hand as also Mat. 10. 33 34. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Mar. 8. 38. to omit several others whereas Mr. A's sence of the place who understands it properly strictly and literally of water-baptism hath neither so much as any one text of Scripture nor any argument of weight to stand by it And how unreasonable is it to conceive or think that a true Faith in coniunction with a Christian and holy conversation on the one hand and with sufferings for righteousnesse and the Gospels sake on the other hand should not be as available for all ends and purposes with God especially for that great end Salvation as a like Faith only in conjunction with a single act of once going into water to be baptized All Protestant Expositors that I have had opportunity to consult upon the place agree in the Substance of the interpretation last asserted yea some of them parallel it with Rom. 10. 9 10. which passage as we lately hinted is a better commentary upon the clause in hand then we are like to receive from any person whatsoever in these dayes dissenting from it Sect. 89. The other Scripture which it seems hath been a snare upon Mr. A. not only to intangle him with this most dangerous Doctrine that a Declaration of a mans Râ—pentance by Baptism is required on mans part as well as Repentance it self to interesse him iâ— remission of sins but also with the guilt
must professe that his thoughts are not mine Or can he find that such a declaration and profession was ever made by any person man or woman at the time of their baptizing yea or can he find where ever the making of such a declaration or profession was required at any mans hand at the time of his baptizing For though Philip said to the Eunuch If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest be baptized this doth not amount to an injunction laid upon him to professe it much lesse actually to declare and professe it unto the world Nor did the Eunuch when he said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God actually declare this his belief unto the world unlesse Mr. A. thinks that Philip here signifies the world 2. In case it should be granted that such a declaration and profession as that specified by him was made by those that were baptized in Scripture times unto the world I would willingly learn of him 1. whether this Declaration was not made by them before their baptizing 2. whether this Declaration did not make them every which as much if not more visible Saints or members of Christ as their Baptism did If so how can Mr. A's Doctrine lately taught by him as we have heard stand viz. that no person is to be looked upon as having a visible being in Christ by any Act Endowment or Qualification preceding Baptism But 3. Gratifie we Mr. A. with this that a publique owning of Christ in Baptism by which men put him on and by and upon which they are incorporated into Christ visibly c. be one end and use of Baptism yea and that Infants neither do nor can viz. by themselves and in their own persons make such a declaration and profession to the world as that mentioned yet from all this train of premises it doth not follow that therefore the said end and use of Baptism is not to be found in the Baptism of Infants The reason of this nonsequitur besides that it is in it self apparant enough hath been formerly given Sect. 67 68 69 73 c. 4. And lastly for this Be we yet more open-handed to Mr. A. and bestow upon him the grant that the end and use of Baptism of which he speaks is not found in the Baptism of Infants yet neither would this forbid water that Infants should not be Baptized because there being according to Mr. A's own principls severall ends of Baptism in case any one of these be attainable by the baptizing of Infants Infants lawfully may yea and of duty ought to be baptized See this further argued and proved formerly viz. Sect. 67. and 98. Sect. 119. Whereas he saith p. 25. that infants cannot with any proprietie of truth of speaking be said to put on Christ in Baptism 1. I suppose that neither can men or women with proprietie of speaking be said to put on Christ in Baptism To put on Christ whether in Baptism or otherwise is a Metaphoricall or borrowed expression not a proper 2. Why may not Infants with as much proprietie yea and truth of speaking be said to put on Christ in Baptism as Infants under the Law may be said to have put on Moses in circumcision Or did not infants in their circumcision as properly and truly put on Moses as men themselves did in theirs 3. Neither doth the Apostle say that they who have been baptized have put on Christ in or by Baptism this is Mr. A's glosse not the Apostles Text. His words are only these Gal. 3. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ It is not denied but that persons baptized may with good congruitie of sence be said to put on Christ in Baptism only this is denied that Mr. A. can evince or justifie such an expression or sence from the said passage of the Apostle For they who have been baptized into Christ may very possibly have otherwise put on Christ and not by this their baptizing into him This proposition They that have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ may be as Logicians speak propositio consecutiva and not formalis a proposition wherein the consequent is predicated of the antecedent not the thing signified or typified of the thing signifying nor yet the effect of the cause As when the same Apostle saith As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom. 8. 14. he doth not suppose that men are constituted or made the sons of God by being led by the Spirit of God but only declared to be so their constitution in this kind is by another cause or means In like manner a baptizing into Christ may be an argument or sign that men have put on Christ and yet not be that act by which or in which they formally put him on Nay the truth is that to put on Christ being or importing an act it cannot be transacted or performed in or by a mans being baptized because this importeth a passion If it be said yea but a submission or voluntarie offering of a mans self unto baptism imports an action and by this or in this he may be said to put on Christ I answer If Christ be put on by a mans offering himself unto Baptism which for ought I see at present may be granted then is he not put on by Baptism but before it yea and they may as properly be said to put on Christ who never are actually baptized as they who are For evident it is that in the baptizing of men and women the offering of themselves unto Baptism alwayes precedes their Baptism it-self and as evident again it is that men and women may offer themselves unto Baptism and yet possibly never be baptized as viz. when there is no person present that is willing to accept of their offer in this kind or to administer baptism unto them Sect. 120. Mr. A. having risen up early and gon to bed late and eaten the bread of much carefulnesse to give the best complexion and colour to his second Argument against the lawfulnesse of Infant-baptism which he was capable of giving and that of receiving and being loth that what he had so carefully planted should be presently pluck'd up by the hand of an objection he prepares and arms himself to discomfit if it may be that objection which in his apprehensiō threatned him with this damage First he takes a view of and describes his adversarie and then considers where he may find the best advantage against him and accordingly encounters him Against this whole argument saith he p. 25. which concludes Infant-Baptism unlawfull because the ends of Baptism concerning which we have heard all along the said argument that he is very doubtfull what they are are better attained in the Baptism of Beleevers and consequently are attained also at least to a degree and competently in the Baptism of Infants likewise it is objected That this might have been
information I would willingly sit at Mr. A's feet to learn of him how why in what consideration or respect children under the Law should be more capable of holy things or of any part of the ends or benefits of them then children under the Gospell or what there was in the Legall ministration that did accommodate or comport with the naturall infirmitie or condition of children above what there is in the ministration of the Gospell Certain I am that Baptism is an Ordinance more indulgent unto and better comporting with the tendernesse of Infants then circumcision was and for matter of Spirituall signification upon the understanding whereof all the materiall and principall ends and benefits of both Ordinances alike depend children are as much and as soon capable of the interpretation or signification of Baptism as they could be of Circumcision Therefore Mr. A's cause is no whit beholding to those Scriptures which he hath hitherto importuned for the advocation of it Sect. 130. Nor doth 1 Pet. 3. 21. any whit more befriend him nor is his introductorie glosse to the words here so farre as he presenteth them over-ingenuous or true But saith he p. 28. the case is farre otherwise now under the Gospell how farre otherwise and how farre not we have both lately and formerly shewed which is the ministration Mr. A p. 28 of the Spirit It is not the work done but the manner of doing it in knowledge faith and fear of the Lord that entitles men to the benefit and blessing of Gospel Ordinances For so the Apostle affirms concerning BAPTISM IT SELF 1 Pet. 3 21. where he sayes that it saves us now as the Ark did some in the dayes of Noah not saith he the putting away of the filth of the flesh i. not by the externall letter of the ordinance but the answer of a good conscience towards God i. when accompanied with such a frame of mind and conscience as does answer Gods inâ—endments of Grace in that Ordinance For 1. He saith that Peter in the words cited speaks concerning BAPTISM IT SELF when he saith that it saves us now c. whereas it is evident that that Baptism to which he ascribes salvation is not Water-Baptism or Baptism in the letter of it which any reader will think that Mr. A. means by BAPTISM IT SELF but Baptism in the Spirit or the answer of a good conscience towards God as we have the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated which words notwithstanding were better rendred but the demand of a good conscieÌ„ce God-wâ—rd or towards God or as some translate the stipulatio or promise of a good coÌ„scieÌ„ce a vi Grotium in 1 Pet. 2. 21. unto God Yea he expresly rejecteth waterbaptism as insufficient to save men in these words not the putting away of the filth of the flesh Now the demand of a good conscience towards God i. of a conscience good and pure in his sight is said to save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ which clause is wholly omitted by Mr. A. because such a conscience taking the blessed advantage of the resurrection of Christ for its incouragement as it were demands claims and expects with boldnesse salvation from God as due upon promise and this made upon a valuable consideration viz. the death and sufferings of Christ This demand or claim may be said to save us much in such a sence as hope is said to save us Rom. 8. 24. For we are saved by hope viz. as it exhibits and yeilds unto men a first fruits and so a kind of possession of salvation in abundance of comfort peace and joy The reason it seems why Peter mentioneth Water-Baptism as typically saving us as the demand he speaks of saves us in part and to a degree really is because having had occasion to speak of the preservation of Noah and his familie from perishing in the generall deluge wherein all the world besides perished by means of the ark he conceived there was a kind of typical resemblance thereof in Baptism or rather a typicall overture made herein by God of such a like preservation unto Godly persons when the whole world of unrighteous ones round about should be destroyed and perish in their sins So that Peter in this place ascribes no other salvation or salvation in no other sence unto Baptism it self I mean unto Water-baptism then wherein it was altogether as ascribable unto the carnall Observations as viz. to the offering of Bulls and Goats c. under the Law For as these did overture and after a sort promise salvation by the true sacrifice of the Messiah yet to be obtained and enjoyed by those only who believe we alwaies in this case speak only of persons capable by years and discretion of believing so doth Water-Baptism hold forth pardon and forgivenesse of sins and consequently salvation as attainable by all those and those only who repent and consequently beleeve And as Baptism edifieth profiteth blesseth no man but only those who repent and believe so neither did Circumcision as we formerly heard nor other externall Observations under the Law Therefore Mr. A. hath caught nothing at all by fishing in these waters for the relief of his cause Nor needed he at all have troubled either himself or his reader with quotations from the Scriptures to prove that a baptizing with water without a baptizing with the Spirit also makes more against then for him that shall be baptized nor hath he ministred any thing to the necessitie of his cause hereby This required at his hand that which he had not to give unto it I mean a substantiall proof that the nature of the ministration of the Law was such that the literall and externall performance of the Ceremonies and carnall Ordinances thereof were without repentance or faith of better acceptance with God and more available to the salvation of the Performers then Gospell Ordinances are without the like qualifications Sect. 131. 2. Whereas he saith p. 28. that Infants as they are not capable of acting this faith or making this answer of a good Conscience so they are not capable of those blessings and benefits intended by God in Baptism in as much as he hath suspended the donation thereof upon these in conjunction with Baptism I answer 1. It hath been sufficiently proved that Infants are capable though with a mediate or remote capacitie of acting Faith as well as men See Sect. 64 65 68 69. In which respect also they are capable of making the answer of a good conscience as well as men where it was proved likewise that neither are believers themselves alwayes in a present or immediate capacitie of acting their Faith 2. Full proof hath been made likewise and the thing is evideÌ„t enough in it self that children are capable of those benefits and blessings intended by God in Baptism as well as men as the children of the Jews were capable of the blessings and benefits intended by God in Circumcision as well as men
BELEEVE on him not they who should be Water-baptized in his Name should receive b Gal. 3. 2. So again by a like question put to the Galathians by the same Apostle Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith c. i. of the doctrine of Faith the Gospell he plainly enough supposeth that the receiving of the Spirit was and is the gratious and bountifull reward of God unto mens Faith annexed by promise hereunto not of their being baptized And accordingly we read Act. 10. that all they who heard Peter preaching the Gospell upon their beleeving received the holy Ghost before there was any thing done or spoken of about their baptizing While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word a Act. 10. 44. Yea their Baptism was so farr from contributing to their receiving the holy Ghost that on the contrary their receiving the holy Ghost contributed towards their baptism Can any man saith Peter forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we b Verse 47 To the same purpose and with reference I suppose to the same thing the same Apostle declareth to the Council at Jerusalem that God gave the holy Ghost unto the Gentiles as he had done unto them upon the purifying of their hearts by Faith and by way of testimony of their beleeving God saith he made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear â—he word and belâ—eve And God who knoweth the heart bare them witnesse giving them the holy Ghost even as he did unto us And put no difference between us and them having purified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their hearts by Faith c Act. 15. 7 8 9. See â— more upon this account To these we might adde Gal. 2. 14. Eph. 1. 13. with others And though we read of severall persons and sometimes of great numbers and at severall times baptized yea oft-times of persons receiving the Spirit before their being baptized yet to my best remembrance we never read of any receiving the spirit either immediately upon no nor yet by means of their baptizing The report or mention whereof without all controversie would not have been passed over in silence by the holy Ghost had there been any such remarkable dispensation especially considering that he sometimes reports the receiving of the spirit upon the laying on of hands as Act. 8. 17. and 9. 17. and 19. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 6. So that Mr. A's Notion about the contribution of Baptism towards the receiving of the Spirit is clearly Anti-Evangelicall Therefore I adde Sect. 148. 2. That when Peter speaks thus to those Iews on whom his preaching had wrought so farre as to cause them to ask men and brethren what shall we do c Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost his meaning is not cannot be the Scripture passages lately insisted on duly considered that Baptism should contribute towards their receiving of the Spirit but Reâ—entance which is as hath been formerly shewed if my memory faileth me not or however is of ready demonstration both of the same nature with Faith and inseparably accompanying it and hath the same promises made unto it For though Baptism be joyned in the same exhortation with repentance and the promise of receiving the holy Ghost made unto those who shall be found obedient unto it yet since the same promise appertains unto repentance apart a See p. 244. from and without Baptism and hath been performed accordingly as we have both lately and formerly proved there is no ground to think that the promise made to those that shall obey the said exhortation should be made with an eye or reference unto Baptism or as not intended to be performed without this unto all those who shall repent When Christ faith And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life a Ioh. 6. 40 he doth not imply that a seeing of him is as necessary to the obtaining of everlasting life as a believing on him no nor yet that everlasting life doth in any degree depend upon a seeing of him although as well seeing as believing is mentioned in this promise Thomas saith Christ unto him because thou hast seen me thou hast believed Blessed are they who have not seen and yet haue believed b Ioh. 20. 29 Where 1. it is observable that blessedness which is by the Apostle Paul interpreted by remission of sins Rom. 4. 6 7. is annexed by promise unto or suspended upon believing without the least intimation of any necessitie of a baptismall concurrence herewith for the obtaining of it 2. That though Christ in the late cited Scripture Ioh. 6. 40 mentioned the seeing of him together with a believing on him in order to the obtaining everlasting life and consequently remission of sins yet may everlasting life and so remission of sins be obtained by believing on him only without seeing him Yea to shew that Baptism contributes neither towards remission of sins nor receiving the spirit I adde 3. And lastly that the promise which Peter here declareth unto these Iews was made to them and their children c. the matter of which Mr. A. himself interpreteth to be remission of sins and the receiving of the Spirit was an old Testament promise either expresse or resultive and consequently could not be made unto or suspended in the performance of it upon Baptism either in whole or in part c See Sect. 95. p. 244. because there was no such Ordinance in being when the promise was made nor mentioned as future in this promise Therefore it is a clear case that the promise we speak of was made unto Repentance or Faith each including other without any consideration had of Baptism But I remember somewhat of this before Sect. 95. Sect. 149. The irrelativenesse of his two subjoyned Scriptures to his purpose viz. Ioh. 3. 5. and Tit. 3. 5. hath been evicted formerly Sect. 78. Nor is there any whit more but lesse rather in his additionall Scripture 1 Cor. 6. 11. Nor doth the descending of the holy Ghost in a visible manner upon Christ so soon after his baptizing countenance his notion that Baptism contributes towards the receiving of the Spirit in respect of a greater presence or operation hereof c. Nor doth Mr. A. himself seem to place much in this in which respect we shall wave the further consideration of it at the present But whereas in the processe of this argument viz. p. 35. he saith The Promise of the Spirit is not made either to repentance or Baptism singly but to both in conâ—unction those very Scriptures pointed at a few lines before by himself being for the most part the same that we
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 theâ— 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 samâ— 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 reqâ—irea of â—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 siâ— 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 â—b â—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
and false Religion and not have been baptized before Much more might be added in confirmation of what hath been now asserted but the thing it self hath so much face as well as heart and strength of reason in it that untill I hear whether that which hath been already said will satisfie or why it should not I shall forbear any further ingagement for the proof of it Sect. 24. If children were not baptized by the Apostles or in their daies it is at no hand to be beleeved that the Holy Ghost would have cast any such snare upon the Christian world in after-times as so frequent a report of housholds and families baptized made in the New-Testament and this without any limitation or exception of persons amounteth unto especially considering that it both was and is a thing generally known that under the Divine dispensation immediately preceding I mean that of Moses children in families were the more appropriate subject of that Ordinance which was a seal of the same Covenant with baptism viz. of the righteousnesse of Faith i. e. of remission of sins upon beleving Rom. 4. 11. as we shall evince and prove in due time and did perform the same or like service in the main unto the Church of God under the Law which Baptism now performeth under the Gospel as some of the Doctors of the way of Ana-baptism themselves do acknowledge though Mr. A. following his over-confident and sufficiently-ignorant leader weeneth otherwise For what though that which Mr. A. laboureth to prove pag. 10. though his enterprize be too hard for him should be granted viz. that there were no children in those families which are reported to have been baptized by the Apostles or by their order yet from the very tenor of this expression that they baptized Housholds it is evident enough that they did baptize children or that which is every waies equivalent hereunto that the mind of the Holy Ghost is that children should be baptized For it being left upon sacred record simply and indefinitely that housholds were baptized and it being the ordinary dialect and language of the Scriptures by the word houshold and house to understand and comprehend as well children who are very considerable parts or members of an houshold where they be as persons of riper yeers a Therefore we may conclude that the Apostles did baptize children or infants and not onely men of lawful age and that the house or houshold is taken for man woman and child is manifest in the 17th of Genesis and also in that Joseph doth call Jacob with all his house to come out of the land of Canaan into Egypt Mr. J. Philpot Martyr in a letter directed unto §. 27. it cannot reasonably be thought but that the Holy Ghost did intend that housholds simply and ablolutely as well those which have children in them as those which have none yea and these children themselves being as was said parts of these housholds might be baptized And if so doubtlesse the Apostles who complied with the mind and intent of the Holy Ghost in their sacred administrations did baptize children And if Mr. A. and his from the simple and general reports of beleevers being baptized argue and conclude that therefore all beleevers may be baptized why from the like report of housholds being baptized where the grown members did beleeve may not we infer and conclude likewise that all housholds where the grown members do beleeve may be baptized also Or if the intent of the Holy Ghost had been that onely actual Beleevers in an house should be baptized would he have informed the Christian world that housholds whole housholds or all in an house were baptized without giving some intimation at least that children in every house were ought to be excepted He that is so careful and desirous above measure to way-lay and prevent every sin and every transgression in men even to the speaking of an idle or vain word yea to the conceiving or tolerating of a vain thought doubtlesse would not have neglected at that turn we now speak of especially not having done it elsewhere to insert some word or other by which so great a sin as the baptizing of children if it be a sin might be prevented much lesse would he have ministred such an occasion unto his Saints as that specified to draw and incourage them to the perpetration of such a sin Sect. 25. 5. To me it is one of the Congregation of the first born of Probabilities that the Children brought to Christ with a desire in them that brought them that he should lay his hands on them and pray Mat. 19. 13. c. had been already baptized For it is expresly said Mar. 10. 16. that he put or laid his hands upon them Now we never read in the New-Testament of the laying on of hands upon any unbaptized person unlesse haply it were in order to the working of some miraculous cure on him on whom they were laid See Mar. 5. 5. 8. 23. Mar. 16. 18. Luke 4. 40. Luke 13. 13. Acts 9. 17. Acts 28. 8. In all other cases imposition of hands was practised upon baptized persons onely Acts 6. 6. Acts 8. 17. Acts 13. 3. Acts 19. 6. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 1 6. And more usually this imposition of hands was practised on those that had either formerly or lately been baptized and this in order to the receiving of the Holy Ghost the Apostles it seems haply with some Elders of Churches besides in those daies having received this gift from God viz. by laying on of hands and prayer to obtain and impart the gift of the Holy Ghost unto Christians Yea several Churches of the Anabaptists themselves amongst us glory in the outward ceremony of laying on hands upon their proselytes newly baptized as if they were the Apostles heirs and by descent inherited all their spiritual royalties and heavenly prerogatives herein much resembling that ridiculous effeminate Emperor who out of a foolish desire to be thought Hercules or a man of strength and courage like unto him would needs attire himself with a Lyons skin But now it no waies appears nor is it in it self a thing likely that the children we speak of were brought unto Christ to obtain any cure of any malady or disease from him Besides if Christ had performed any miraculous cure upon them there is little question but that this would as well yea much rather have been mentioned by the Evangelists at least one or other of them as his laying of hands upon them Therefore in all likelihood they were baptized before they were brought to Christ to obtain the laying on of his hands upon them Or if we shall say that Christ layed hands on them that they might receive the Holy Ghost supposing them at present un-baptized yet being made partakers of the Holy Ghost by or upon the laying on of Christs hands they were hereby put into an immediate capacity of receiving Baptism according to that of
the Apostle Peter Acts 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And what other benefit or accommodation the Lord Christ should intend to these children or conferre by laying hands on them but the gift of the Holy Ghost when Mr. A. demonstrates unto me I shall demur upon the place Sect. 26. 6. It is a law or rule established by God himself repeated several times both in the Old and in the New Testament and that for the deciding of cases and questions of far greater moment then whether children were baptized in the Apostles daies I mean cases and questions about life and death that In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word should be established a 2 Cor. 13. 1 Our Saviour more briefly reports it thus speaking to the Jews It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true b Joh. 8. 17. If Mr. A. and men of his judgment wil be content to be over-ruled by this law of God and this so interpreted and understood as the Scripture it self useth and interpreteth it the Question depending about childrens Baptism in the Apostles days will soon receive a clear issue For who from amongst men can lightly be found a more competent witnesse in the case then that great and famous light of the Christian world in his daies whose testimony in matters of fact was never to my knowledge or hearing so much as questioned or suspected Augustine I mean In one place speaking of childrens Baptism he saith If any man ask for divine authority in the matter although we most rightly beleeve that what the universal Church holdeth and was not instituted by councels but hath been ever held was not delivered but BY APOSTOLICAL AVTHORITY yet we may truly conjecture what the Sacrament of Baptism performeth to Infants by Circumcision which the former pâ—ople did râ—câ—ive a Et si quisquam in hac re authoritatem divinam quaerat quanquam quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec concilijs institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolicâ traditam rectissimè creditur tamen veraciter continere potiùs conjicere possumus quid valeat in parvulâ—s baptismi Sacramâ—ntum ex circumcisione carnis quam prior populus accepit c. Aug. de Bapt. Contà Donatistas l. 4. c. 23. In another place reporting what Cyprian who lived within an 150 yeers after John with many other learned men Bishops and Pastors of Churches in his time had resolved concerning the lawfulnesse of baptizing children at any time as well before the eight day as on it which was the doubt of one Fidus a Bishop he affirmeth that Cyprian with his fellows did not in this their resolution of the case make any new decree but kept to the most constant or setled beleef of the Church b Beatus quidem Cyprianus non aliquod decretum câ—ndâ—ns novum sed Ecclesiae fidem firmissimam servans ad corrigendum eos qui putabant ante Octavum diem nativitatis non esse parvulum baptizandum non carnem sed animamidixit non esse perdendam et mox natum ritè baptizari posse cum suis quibusdam coepiscopis censuit Aug. Ep. 28. ad Hieronymum A little after he calls the practise of baptizing infants Ecclesia fundatissimum morem the best or most grounded practice of the Church This passage of Cyprian is by this famous Author reported c Quid senserit Sanctus Cyprianus de baptismo parvulorum imò quid semper Ecclesiam sensisse monstraverit paululum accipite in several places of his works De verbis Apostoli Serm. 14. Contrà duas Epist Pelag. ad Bonifacium lib. 4. c. 8. Item Epist 222. ad Marcellinum Immediately before the former of these quotations he affirms that Cyprian in that passage did not so much declare what his own judgement was about the baptizing of children as what the Church had ALWAIES held concerning iâ— Elsewhere speaking of Infant-baptism he saith that the Authority of the Church maintaineth or possesseth it the well-grounded Canon or rule of truth I suppose he means the Scripture obtaineth or evinceth it whoever runs at Tilt against this strength against this impregnable or inexpugnable wall or fortresse will be broken to pieces by it a Hoc habet Authoritas matris Ecclesiae hoc fundatus veritatis obtinet canâ—n contrà hoc robur contrà hunc inexpugnabilem muruÌ„ quisquis arietat ipse confringetur Aug. de verbis Apost Serm. 14. In another place he saith that by the ancient Canonical and most grounded usage of the Church children baptized are called faithful or beleevers b Nam ideò consuetudine Ecclesiae antiquâ canonicâ fundatissimâ parvuli baptizati fideles vocantur ibid. In another that that which made him solicitous was not the opinion it self meaning of Infant-baptism which had been now long since founded by the highest authority that is in the Catholick or universal Church but the disputes of some men which attempt the publick and the subversion of the minds of many c Solicitos autem nos facit non ipsa sententia jam olim in Ecclesiâ Catholicà summâ authoritate fundata sed disputationes quorundam quae modo crebrescere multorum animos evertere moliuntur ibid. Yet again he saith that the custome of the Church in baptizing little ones is not at any hand to be despised nor yet were it at all to be beleeved or received were it not an Apostolical tradition d Consuetudo matris Ecclesiae in baptizâ—ndis parvulis nequaquam spernenda est neque ullo modo superflua deputanda nec omnino credenda nisi Apostolica esset traditio Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 10. c 23. i. e. a practise handed over by and from the Apostles to the succeeding Church of Christ To adde onely this one testimony more from this worthy friend and Factor of Christ Jesus in his daies Let no man saith he buzze abroad any strange Doctrines This of Infant-Baptism the Church alwaies had alwaies held this it received from the Faith of its Ancestors this will it with perseverance keep unto the end e Nemo susurret Doctrinas alienas Hoc Ecclefia semper habuit semper tenuit hoc à majorum fide percepit hoc usque in finem persevâ—ranter custodit Aug. de verbis Apost Serm. 10. Much more might be cited from this worthy Author for the attestation of this truth that Infant-Baptism was practised in the Apostles times and from thence continued in Christian Churches until his daies Nor is it to be beleeved the unparallel'd integrity ingenuity wisdom and gravity of the man considered that ever he would have opened his mouth or lift up his pen to assert such a thing had he not known the truth thereof very perfectly yea and been able to give a satisfactory and demonstrative account of what he