Signified when he speaks of baptizing with the Holy Ghost or baptizing with the Spirit for so says the Apostle again By one Spirit we are all Baptized 1 Cor. 12.13 I add That it is no new thing for the Holy Spirit to be figur'd or represented by Water for thus in the Prophet of Old when God had said I will pour Water on him that is Thirsty He interprets himself immediately I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed Isai 44.3 and again when he had said in Ezekiel I will Sprinkle Clean Water upon you he adds as the meaning of it I will put my Spirit within you Ezek. 36.25 27. And again with allusion to Water is the promise of the Spirit express'd by pouring out I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh Joel 2.28 and to clear this matter from all doubt St. John quoting these Words of our Saviour He that Believeth in me out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water This he spake says that Evangelist of the Spirit which they that believe in him should receive John 7.38 39. Sir If you would see more and larger proofs of this you may read Mr. Mede's Discourse upon Titus 3.5 Indeed I cou'd hardly have thought that there cou'd have been any difference among Catechetical Writers as to this matter only I find in that same discourse of Mr. Mede that some would have the Blood of Christ to be the thing signified by the Water in Baptism as it is by the Wine in the other Sacrament To which he replies That the Blood of Christ is not once mention'd by the Fathers of the Primitive Church as the inward part of this Sacrament of Baptism no more than it is in our Liturgy and he further adds That the Opinion is Novel and That the Lutheran Divines make it peculiar and proper to the Followers of Calvin But now Sir give me leave to observe to you That Calvin himself seems not to have been always of this Opinion nay but he plainly asserts That the Holy Spirit is the Thing signify'd by the Baptismal Water For complaining of the Church of Rome for feigning Confirmation to be a Sacrament by which the Spirit of Regeneration is conferr'd he adds That they transferr'd to Confirmation what was proper to Baptism meaning that they made the Spirit of Regeneration which is the Inward part of Baptism to be the Thing signifi'd by the laying on of hands in Confirmation Calv. in Heb. 6.1 2. And here Sir if I was minded to enlarge I could confirm this Matter with abundance of Testimonies out of the best Writers and Fathers of the Primitive Church but I forbear being pretty confident that there is no great need of their Evidence in so plain a Case And now my good Friend are not your Eyes open Don't you clearly see from what I have said of the Inward part of Baptism how rightly the Outward part may be administred by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water The Gift of the Holy Spirit the thing signified in Baptism is exprest by Sprinkling or Pouring on And is there or can there be any Reason given why the Thing Signifi'd should be exceeded by the Sign God himself thought it not necessary but makes Sprinkling or Pouring on Water sufficient to represent and signifie his giving or pouring on the Spirit for when He I say promises his Holy Spirit he does not no not so much as once in the whole Bible say I will dip or plunge into Water but I will sprinkle or pour on Water Isa 44.3 and Ezek. 36.25 Dr. Towerson who had once said something which was a little too harsh as himself confesses against this way of Baptizing by Sprinkling whose very words our Adversaries have catch'd hold of and have boasted of him as a brave Man on their side yet when he came to enquire more narrowly into the Matter he industriously defends it and amongst other Arguments uses this very Text Ezek. 36.25 and proves from Maimonides That the Words were spoken with reference to the Times of the Messiah and affirms That they cannot be better interpreted than of the Water of Baptism applying them as I have here done as very well expressing the Outward Sign of that Sacrament And shall Men be wiser than God Or think it any Wit to mock at and deride his Words And be at the pains of making a Greek word English to make their mockery the plainer Sprinkling forsooth out of Sport and Rallery must be call'd Rantizing and Baptism when administer'd by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water must be nicknam'd Rantism But let me tell you Sir and you may tell the Author of your little * A little Book call'd The Reason why not Infant-Sprinkling but Believers Baptism ought to be approv'd c. Book you boast of That when he so merrily calls our way of Baptizing Rantizing and our Baptism Rantism He makes a mock of the very Words of God himself and according to his reproachful way of Speaking when God promises to Sprinkle clean Water upon his People he must not then promise to Baptize but only to Rantize This puts me in mind how I had once the misfortune to hear a wild Wretch call the Lord's Supper He seem'd to quarrel with my Friend for calling that Sacrament the Supper of our Lord A Supper said he A Bite and a Sip you mean And he had as much to say for the Profane expression as any one can have for calling our Baptism Rantism Why Sir He urg'd that a Supper ought to be a full Meal that to Signifie our receiving the Body and Blood of Christ we ought to eat a piece of Bread as big as his Body and to drink as much Wine as he shed Blood And is it not at a like Rate that some plead against Baptizing by Sprinkling You have heard the reason why That profane Wretch call'd our way of Receiving the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper a Bite and a Sip and is it not for a very like reason that our way of Baptizing is by some call'd Rantizing I will not here say with the Psalmist What shall be done to the false Tongue but rather with our most charitable Lord Father forgive them for surely they know not what they say or do But this 't is to be so Zealous for Externals when Men think that they can never have enough of the outward Signs of the Sacraments when yet perhaps the thing Signified which is the main and principal thing is as much neglected But Sir When we receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper if we Spiritually eat his Flesh and drink his Blood which is the inward part of this Sacrament as to the outward part it will not matter much how little Bread we eat or how little Wine we drink So when any are baptized if their Souls are purifi'd and cleans'd with the Holy Spirit which is the Inward part of this Sacrament as to the outward part it will not matter much how little Water
p. 398. And the same Learned Author after a very Nice and Critical Enquiry into the various Modes of Washing and Baptizing used among the Jews he concludes concerning the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Baptized namely That it was very frequently and ordinarily made use of to signifie That Washing which was performed by Pouring on Water Quod forsan contra illos qui vim verbi ubi de Baptismi Sacramento disputatur morosius urgent non inutile erit observare And this says he may be observ'd with great Advantage against those who when they dispute of the Mode of Baptizing do with too much Stiffness and Obstinacy urge the Word as if it did always signifie to dip into Water Idem p. 402. And again The Apostle says of the Israelites that came out of Egypt that they were all Baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea but they were not Dipt into the Cloud or into the Sea they were only Sprinkled or Dashed upon with the Waters of the Cloud and of the Sea 1 Cor. 10.2 I know 't is said that this is but a Metaphorical Expression but still I hope that 't is a pertinent Metaphor and shews the signification of the Word Baptizing viz. That it does not always signifie Dipping which is all that I am Enquiring after at present Once more Were not the Holy Apostles Baptized with the Holy Ghost But how The Holy Ghost was poured down upon their Heads in streaks of Fire like unto Cloven Tongues The Holy Ghost did not descend like a River of Flame for the Apostles to be Dipt into but was only poured upon their Heads in streaks of Fire and yet 't is said that they were Baptized with the Holy Ghost And tho' the Expression in 1 Cor. 10.2 be but Metaphorical yet I hope that this Baptism with the Holy Ghost is a real Baptism 't is I am sure the Chief and Principal Baptism and of which the Baptism with Water is but the Outward Sign And here give me leave to add That the Primitive Fathers call'd Sprinkling with Water Baptizing with Water as in the Case of Clinic Baptism of which you shall hear more by and by here I shall only tell you of the Clinics that they were Baptized as they lay upon their Beds of Sickness and 't is well known that they were only sprinkled with Water and yet were said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptized upon their Beds And now I hope 't is pretty plain as to the signification of the word That Baptizing does not always signifie Dipping nor consequently does it exclude all other Modes of Baptizing But notwithstanding all this we the Ministers of the Church of England it seems amongst some Folks must be great Dissemblers and Hypocrites And why I pray Why Because when we Baptize by sprinkling we dare not speak as we act we dare not say I sprinkle thee in the Name of the Father c. Alas for us poor Men that we are no such daring Blades as some others are But is it so indeed When they Baptize by Dipping dare they say I Dip thee in the Name of the Father c. I am sure we may with as good Reason and Authority say I sprinkle thee as they say I dip thee Our Saviour's words are Go teach all Nations Baptizing them Our Adversaries ask us Dare you Translate the words Go Teach all Nations Sprinkling them and to be even with them we think it enough to ask them again Dare you Translate the words Go Teach all Nations Dipping them But Sir I 'll endeavour to strike more light into this matter by a parallel Case Suppose then that our Blessed Saviour had said to his Apostles Go Hire all Nations into my Vineyard paying them such a Sum in my Name And suppose further that some of them had paid the Sum in Silver and some in Gold Can it be imagin'd that ever these different ways of paying the same Sum would have proved a matter of Controversie Truly according to the aforesaid way of Contending and Arguing They who paid in Silver might have quarrell'd with the others for paying in Gold and might have disputed their Quarrel after this manner Our Saviour has said Go Hire all Nations into my Vineyard paying them such a Sum in my Name but dare you Translate the Words Paying them so much Gold in my Name How then dare you pay in Gold when you dare not Speak as you Act Now to this Argument might not the others have reply'd and disputed on the other hand against paying in Silver Our Saviour has Commanded us to Hire all Nations into his Vineyard paying them such a Sum in his Name but dare you Translate the words Paying them so much Silver If not How dare you pay in Silver when you dare not Speak as you Act This Case I think sufficiently shews the Folly of our Adversaries in daring us to use the word Sprinkling for Baptizing Nay and further We may suppose our Saviour giving this Command to his Apostles to Hire all Nations into his Vineyard paying them such a Sum in his Name we may farther suppose him I say at the same time to have been in the Indies where Payments for the most pâ—â—â— are made all in Gold And Consequently we may suppose that the Apostles hiring these India Nations into Christ's Vineyard did pay them all in Gold according to the General usage of these Countries Well but then even upon this supposition that none of the Apostles had ever paid the aforesaid Sum in Silver but had paid all in Gold yet their practice in this Case would not have made a general Rule or made it unlawfull to pay the Sum in Silver No but their Successors and other Ministers of Christ notwithstanding this Apostolical Practice of Paying the Indians in Gold might yet in other places have paid the Sum in Silver Yea and woud have been constrain'd and oblig'd so to do had they come to hire such Nations into Christ's Vineyard where Silver is the Current Coyn and they could not have paid in Gold without great and manifold Difficulties and Inconveniencies And thus when Christ Commanded his Apostles to Baptize all Nations in his Name he was then in those Eastern-Countries where by reason of Excessive heat Washings and Bathings were very frequent and a Customary practice and therefore when the Apostles Baptiz'd in these hot Nations tho' we suppose them to have Baptiz'd there by Dipping yet their Practice in those hot Countries cannot reasonably be urg'd as generally obliging us to the same way of Baptizing or making it unlawful to Baptize any otherwise no but their Successors and other Ministers of Christ may yet in other places Baptize by Sprinkling yea and are even Constrain'd and Oblig'd so to do when they Baptize in Cold Countries where they cannot Baptize by Dipping without great and manifest dangers and inconveniencies In short as in the aforesaid Case had our Saviour Commanded such a Sum to be
or Commanded to be so Baptiz'd and not otherwise Yes say they Our Saviour himself was Dipped when he was Baptized of John in Jordan for the very Original Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be Translated He was dipped of John into Jordan Mark 1.9 To this it has been rightly answer'd that the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not necessarily signifie He was Dipped as I have clearly shewn you in my last Letter and then as for the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Adversaries would fain translate into Jordan they have been shewn from several the like Expressions in the New Testament That they may as well be translated at Jordan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated at Jordan says Mr. Horn just as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated at Azotus Acts 8.40 and just as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated at the City Mat. 2.23 and just as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated at Capernaum Mat. 4.13 and as the like Instances may be seen in Acts 4.5 and 20.16 and 21.13 and 25.15 See Mr. Horn's Cause of Infants Maintain'd p. 70. But 't is further Objected That our Saviour when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water Matth. 3.16 and Mark 1.10 Sir I wonder not that these Texts are urg'd by the Common People of our Adversaries as an Argument to prove our Lord's being Dipp'd but that any Man who has Learning enough to interpret our English Bibles as they ought to be interpreted so as to agree with the Original that any such Learned Man should take an Advantage from the English Words which he must needs know the Original will not bear This to me indeed is very wondrous But who then can sufficiently wonder at the Author of your little Book for his wild Note upon Matth. 3.16 Our Lord went down so far and deep into the River says he that the Text is express when he was baptized he went up straightway out of the water Mark He went up Out of the Water is the Curious Penning of the Matter by the Holy Ghost to shew the Considerable depth our Lord went into the Water to be dipt Thus your Author But Sir I will leave it to others to say That his wrested Observation belyes the Holy Ghost I will only tell you That he ought to have look'd into the Original before he had presum'd to make his Remarks upon what the Holy Ghost did Pen for the Greek Words were the Curious Penning of the Holy Ghost And I do affirm That the Greek Words in both these Texts Matt. 3.16 and Mark 1.10 only signifie That our Lord went up From the Water as every Man does who goes from the Water-side only And thus our Saviour's being in or dipt into the Water cannot be prov'd from these Texts by any one who can consult the Original Words which in Matth. 3.16 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He went up from the water and in Mark 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coming up from the water which I say can never prove him to have been in but only by the Water-side for he who goes but from the Water-side goes up from the Water because I think that Rivers do always run in the lowest Ground But granting that our Blessed Lord went into the River to be Baptiz'd it will not yet follow that he was dipt For good Sir I cannot here but observe both of our Lord and of the Eunuch which is your next Objection and of the many thousands we read of to have been Baptiz'd that we never find the least hint of any of their Cloaths being put off Certainly if they were dipt Naked as some say which I can hardly believe because Men and Women were baptiz'd together or if they put off but some of their uppermost Garments as others contend we shou'd have heard something of it for we are told of our Lord 's laying aside his Garment upon a far less occasion John 13.4 And therefore I say that we never hearing one Syllable about their Cloaths whether any part of them or all or none were put off is a good Argument ad hominem that they were not dipt And now let me appeal to you Sir whether we may not give a good Account of this Matter by supposing them to have been baptized only by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water Why you very well know That it was their Custom in those Countries to go bare up to the Knees only with Sandals upon their Feet so that they might conveniently enough step into their shallow Rivers to be baptized by having Water sprinkled or poured upon their Faces without putting off or laying aside any part of their Garments and therefore I say considering that we never read of any such thing not one Tittle about putting off or altering their Garments 't is as good an Argument against their being dipt and as strong for their being sprinkled only as we can desire against our Adversaries In short That when they were Baptized they were stript and dipt naked I cannot believe for the aforesaid Reason because Men and Women were Baptized together or supposing that they were Baptized distinctly and separately the Men by themselves and the Women by themselves yet still they were Men who Baptized and had this been put upon the Apostles to Baptize Women naked what brave sport wou'd their Enemies have made of it To be sure the Devil with the spightful Jews and Gentiles would have rais'd from such a practise as this a whole Volume of Lewd stories as the Learned know they did from the Celebration of the other Sacrament upon a far less Occasion But if the Baptized were dipped in their Garments then what becomes of their Objection which we hear of from Heb. 10.22 where there is Mention made of our Bodies being wash'd with pure Water For how our Bodies can be wash'd with our Cloaths on I do not well understand But Sir I shall here add by the by that in that Text to the Hebrews there is no allusion to Baptism No but that it plainly alludes to the Washing of the High-Priest mentioned Levit. 16.4 is even demonstrated by Mr. Sydenham in his Exercitation on Infant-Baptism Cap. 16. And for a Conclusion of this whole matter I will here set down some of the very Words of that Learned Author If says he The Person Baptized be not Naked then this Baptism by Dipping is rather a Baptizing Mens Cloaths and upper Garments than their Bodies but if he or she be Naked how odious a Custom wou'd this be I cannot but think that that part which is Baptized ought to be naked that the Water may immediately fall upon that place or else something else must be Baptized primarily and the Flesh only secondarily and by Consequence And this says he is the Reason why we only pour Water on the Face because it is the most Principal part wherein the Image of God most appears and the Soul shines forth most Eminently on
SOME PLAIN LETTERS In the DEFENCE of Infant Baptism And of the Mode of Baptizing Now generally used in the Church of England By Sprinkling or Pouring on Water Which may serve For â—â—â—TUTATION of a small Treatise INTITULED The Reason why not Infant-Sprinkling but Believers-Baptism ought to be Approved c. When you bring your Children to be Baptized see that you do most sincerely give them up to God and devote them to his Service with firm Resolutions to bring them up in his Fear if God spare your Lives and theirs and earnestly pray for his Grace to be given into their Souls Christian Monitor Pag. 37. LONDON Printed for R. Wilkin at the King's Head in St. Paul's Church-yard 1699. TO THE JOINT-PARISHIONERS OF March Doddington Wimblington and Benwick IT will not my Brethren it will not concern you to know the particular occasion of these Letters nor am I Licens'd to Publish his Name who gave the occasion but this I will say That he did very Fairly and very Ingenuously and as it became a wise Man and a good Christian to do For he did not as some have indiscreetly and loosely done listen with both his Ears to the Objections against Infant-Baptism and so rashly condemn it without any more a-do No but he was very Concernedly desirous and forward to hear what could be said in the Defence of it too As I remember I have read of that fam'd Conqueror Alexander the Great that when a Friend of his was Complain'd of to him he stopt one of his Ears he lent but one Ear to the Complaint that was made against his Friend and kept the other to hear what his Friend cou'd Reply in Answer to it And thus should we constantly do in the Case of Religion when ever any Point or Doctrine of our Religion is call'd in Question we should always reserve one Ear to hear what may be said in its Vindication and Defence And indeed the greatest and plainest Truths are liable to be spoken against and even Jesuits Socinians Antinomians and the other Adversaries of our Faith will raise such Objections against the clearest Articles of it as are not to be Answer'd by every one amongst us at the first hearing It was a Witty Fiction of Old that once upon a time Truth came down to this Earth from Heaven but here among the Sons of Men being but coldly received and finding no very welcome entertainment she e'en took wing and was flying to Heaven again but in her flight she chanc'd to drop down her Mantle which Error immediately finding took up and put on and has worn it ever since This is the Fable and the Moral of it is That no Error does ever appear in the World but 't is clad in Truth 's Mantle and the disguise is not always so thin or so easily and readily to be seen through as never to escape a discovery No But indeed my Brethren you ought to think more Modestly than to think every Objection unanswerable which you cannot Answer it is not expected from you that you should be able to Defend every point of your Religion against all Gain-sayers But then Will you presently Condemn what you cannot Defend Or immediately let go a Truth because of an Objection which you cannot Answer Will any one among you part with an Acre of Land upon the same account Namely because he is not himself able to Defend his Title to it And shall we not hold the profession of our Faith as fast as we do a clod of Earth shall we not take advice and counsel before we be perswaded to quit any part of our Religion as well as we shall be sure to do before we be perswaded to quit our Interest in the least parcel of an Estate But how then will they answer it to God and to their Consciences who in the great and weighty Cause of Religion have taken the Advice only of her Adversaries And without any further Examination or Tryal have forthwith condemn'd whatsoever it has pleased these Adversaries to pass their Sentence upon Was this fair Dealing Was it to judge righteous Judgment Or does it look like Sincerity or any real concern for Religion when the bare accusation of an Enemy has been taken for good proof against her My Brethren I doubt not but our Adversaries have told you that the Baptism which you receiv'd in your Infancy was no Baptism because Baby-Sprinkling as they vainly term it is no Baptism but pray be so just to your selves as to enquire of them whether any Person who has been twice Baptiz'd be not a perfect Anabaptist Nay be plain be plain and ask them if you have not Sinn'd by your second Baptism if it be prov'd that your Infant-Baptism was a right Baptism if they dare to confess the Truth they must tell you that you have and that you ought to Repent of that Sin of that second Baptism if your first Baptism was rightly administer'd Well but then certainly you ought to have been very sure that your Infant-Baptism was no Baptism before you had run the hazard of Sinning by Anabaptism or by your being Baptized a second time I have some hopes and earnest desires that if you will give these following Letters a fair reading you may Consider what you have done and what you ought to have done and what you ought now to do But I forbear because I would not here be thought to reflect too much upon any Person or Persons among us no more than I have done in the following Letters God is my Witness that I bear ill-will to none of their Persons whose opinions I have here oppos'd to confess the Truth I have no cause Nay but I will take this opportunity publickly to acknowledge that I have found very great respect and civilities from the most and the best of them that I know Besides I always endeavour to bear in mind the Apologue of the Sun and the Wind contending for the Travellers Cloak The Wind made a great bluster and would have forc'd it from him But this mad way of contending was so notoriously in vain that the stronger the Wind blew it made the Man but hold his Garment the faster But then the Sun shone forth and Saluted him with a chearful Ray and warm'd him with a gentle Gleam and so indeed was the Man prevail'd upon to suffer his Garment to fall from him And thus the Sun did by fair means what the Wind with all it's Bustle and Rage could not The meaning is That Men will sooner be perswaded out of their Mistakes and Errors by Candidness and fair Respects than hector'd out of them with Noise and Roughness I have not I hope been Guilty of any such Roughness or Clamour or Bitterness or Evil-speaking in these Papers I have been careful not to give any such offence And let me add that I have studi'd to speak plain too Yea I will not be ashamed to confess that it is for their plainness
only that I have been perswaded to make these Letters publick I have not so much as made the Style gawdy with any high-flown Strains Ornament and Rhetoric was none of my aim but Sincerely Faithfully and to the utmost of my mean Abilities to shew the naked truth and whether I have hit or miss'd my Aim you may now be pleas'd to examine and Judge I am My very good Friends and Brethren Your very much obliged and most humble Servant T. Hewerdine From March 7 Aug. 1699. LETTER I. SIR YOURS of the Third Instant has just now surpriz'd me wherein at the very first dash of your Pen you somewhat bluntly require and charge me as I will answer it at the dreadful Day of Judgment when the Secrets of all Hearts shall be disclos'd to tell you freely and plainly whether I do in my Conscience believe That the way of Baptizing now used in the Church of England namely by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water is a good and justifiable way of Baptizing Good Sir You have known me some hundreds of times Baptize after this manner and I wou'd sain hope that I have not by any practice of mine given you the least just Cause to suspect me of Hypocrisie I don't say this with any intent to give the Go-by to your Request and Charge but since you have put me to 't I do here solemnly protest and wou'd enter the same Protestation tho' I was immediately to appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ That I do in my Conscience believe that the Mode of Baptizing now used in the Church of England by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water is a good and justifiable way of Baptizing And thus far I 'm sure I am in the right My Conscience bearing me Witness But Sir You next pretty flatly put it upon me to inform you how this Mode of baptizing is to be defended and justified Now in good Truth I cou'd be very well contented to save my self this Trouble by referring you to those Books and Pages of Books wherein this Matter is industriously debated and the Mode of baptizing which you now seem to call in Question sufficiently defended and justified so as not to be gainsay'd but by the stiffest Obstinacy But lest you should construe this as a giving up the Cause I will here venture to say what you so earnestly desire to hear from me namely upon what Grounds it is that I my self am perswaded in my own Conscience concerning the Validity and Lawfulness of this way of Baptizing I will be very brief and yet go to the Bottom and rise by such Steps and Degrees as shall help to carry us over all difficulties and shew us the truth of the Matter in some light And therefore I begin at our Catechism in which we are well and truly taught that in the Sacrament of Baptism there 's The outward Sign and The Thing Signified The outward Sign is Water wherein the Person is Baptized in the Name of the Father c. And Sir I will not here spend either Ink or Paper in the Proof of this presuming that we are still agreed thus far But then The Inward part of this Sacrament or the Thing Signified is the Holy Spirit or the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit such as these mention'd in our Catechism A Death unto Sin and a New Birth unto Righteousness c. for you must know that wheresoever we read in Scripture of God's giving or of Man's receiving the Holy Spirit by the Holy Spirit must be meant The Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit and This I say is the Inward part or Thing Signified by the Water in Baptism And this was represented by the Descending of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviour at his Baptism Matth. 3.26 and there seems to be a plain Evidence of this in those Words of John the Baptist I indeed Baptize you with water but He speaking of Christ shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost The Baptist and I add all the Ministers of Christ do but baptize with Water 'T is Christ himself who does the Inward part and baptizeth with the Spirit and so says ours Saviour himself A Man must be born of Water and of the Spirit For as it is said of Circumcision That the outward Circumcision of the Flesh is as no Circumcision without the Inward Circumcision of the Heart too Rom. 2.28 29. So to compleat the Sacrament of Baptism there must be the Inward part as well as the Outward For except a Man be Born of Water and of the Spirit He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.5 And thus St. Paul in his description of Baptism not only speaks of the external Washing of Regeneration but of the Internal Renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 And so again putting some of his Corinthians in mind of their being baptiz'd Ye are Washed and Sanctified says He that is not onely Washed with Water but Sanctified with the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.11 And to mention but one place more for all Be Baptized and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost says St. Peter Act. 2.33 From whence 't is very plain That when the Ministers of Christ baptize with Water Christ himself baptizeth with the Holy Ghost which as I have said before is the Inward part or Thing Signified by the Water in Baptism And with great Reason therefore do we pray in the Office of baptism Give O Lord thy Holy Spirit to this Infant that He may be Born again and also Wash him and Sanctifie him with the Holy Ghost For to clear this Matter to the most Vulgar Capacity As when we pray in the Communion-Service Hear us most merciful Father we most humbly beseech thee and grant that we receiving these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine may be Partakers of Christ's most blessed Body and Blood 'T is as much as to pray that we may not only be Partakers of the outward Part of that Sacrament the Bread and Wine but also that we may be Partakers of the Inward part or thing Signified likewise which is the Body and Blood of Christ So when we pray for the Baptized That He may have the Holy Spirit given him and that he may be Sanctified with the Holy Ghost 't is as much as to pray That he may not only be baptized with the outward part of Baptism which is Water but also that he may be baptized with the Inward part or thing Signified by Water which is the Holy Spirit And hence it is likewise that as the other Sacrament is sometimes express'd with allusion to the Outward part when we speak of receiving the Bread and Wine and sometimes with allusion to the thing Signified when we speak of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ so Baptism is sometimes express'd with allusion to its outward part when we speak of baptizing with Water and washing with Water as the Apostle calls it and sometimes with allusion to the Inward part or thing
paid it might certainly have been rightly and well paid in Silver notwithstanding the Apostles had paid all the Indians in Gold so considering the various significations of the Word Baptize Baptism may well and rightly be Administred by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water in Cold Countries tho' it be suppos'd and if it may please our Adversaries even granted that the Apostles in Hot Nations Baptiz'd all by Dipping And indeed I must here observe that our Blessed Saviour using this Word Baptize in an illimited signification has thereby discover'd to us not only his great Wisdom but his great Love and Tenderness to Mankind for thus he has Accommodated the Ordinance of Baptism to all Ages to all Sexes to all Dispositions and to all Climates And truly the Apostles were to teach all Nations Baptizing them as well the Coldest as the Hottest Countries But now shou'd an Apostle have Travell'd into the most Northern parts of the World where the Climate is extreamly Cold and should have Preach'd the Gospel and Exhorted them all to take Christ's Yoke upon them and should have told them for their Encouragement That his Yoke is easie and his Burden light And in Answer to their asking him how That Yoke was to be put on shou'd have reply'd Why you must all be Dipp'd or Plung'd in some Pond or River Certainly such a piece of hardship in the extremity of their Cold Regions cou'd not have been well thought on nor wou'd they readily have believ'd that Yoke to be easie which was not to be put on without endangering their Limbs and their Lives with Cold. And so again Shou'd a Turk upon his Death-bed be converted to Christianity and earnestly desire Baptism How cou'd it be safely done if there was no other way of Baptizing but by Dipping Nay but the aforesaid Clinic-Baptism which we hear so much of in the Primitive Writers was most certainly receiv'd by Aspersion or Sprinkling The Clinici were they who receiv'd Baptism upon their Sick-beds and their Baptism by Sprinkling is sufficiently Vindicated by St. Cyprian Ep. ad Mag. 76. I know what some are bold to say that God in such Cases is oblig'd to preserve us and to look to 't whatever the danger of Dipping may seem to be that no real harm shall come on 't But I Answer That I never look'd upon Baptism as a Charm either against Colds or Diseases nor wou'd I dare to Baptize a very sick Man by Dipping him in a Pond or River upon this Presumption that God will save him from all harm by it by a Miracle 'T is not safe to trust to Miracles or to tempt God out of the ordinary ways of his Preservation I Love not harsh Expressions but Mr. Baxter says This was the Devil's Trick who wou'd have drawn Christ to have cast himself into danger of Death by encouraging of him to trust to a Miraculous preservation Well but then say some if a state of Infirmity or a cold Season may make it a little dangerous to Baptize by Dipping may not a more Convenient and less dangerous Opportunity be waited for And this indeed speaks the general practice of our Adversaries you seldom hear of a sick Man Dipt or of any Dipt by them in the Frost and Snow time of Winter But to such delay of Baptism upon any account whatsoever you may be pleas'd to hear what is said by the aforesaid Mr. Baxter 'T is he says quite contrary to the constant Rule and Example of Scripture and so he proves that the 3000 were Baptized without delay Act. 2. and the people of Samaria Act. 8. and that the Eunuch was Baptized in his very Journey Act. 8. That Cornelius and his Friends were presently Baptized Act. 11. and that so were they in Act. 19.5 and the Jaylor Act. 16. and that so were the Corinthians Act. 18. And said Ananias to Paul why tarriest thou Arise and be Baptized Act. 22.16 But Sir If Baptism was not delay'd upon any account whatsoever no not tho' 3000 were Baptized at once what think you of those who when they have a few Persons to be Baptized after their way by Dipping will one wou'd be tempted to say out of Vain Glory or Ostentation make as long work of it as they can and will hardly Dip above One or Two at a time that by their more frequent Dippings they may make a greater Noise and Bustle in the World You Sir know what I mean and therefore I will not rub any harder upon this Sore place but will leave you at present to consider awhile of what I have said to your first and great Objection rais'd from the signification of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptizing You shall not be long without an Answer to your other Objections from Sir Your very hearty and humble Servant T. H. June 13. 1698. LETTER III. SIR YOUR First and great Objection against the Mode of Baptizing by Sprinkling was Answer'd in my last and this comes to assure you that I have not been forgetful of your other Objections but have thought on 'em again and again and considering the Men's Principles who have taught you the Objections I find that they 'll be Answer'd in a Few Words For the Objectors you know are upon all occasions very Loud and Clamorous for plain and positive Texts of Scripture Deductions and Consequences will by no means down with them and therefore their Objections will be sufficiently answer'd to them if I shew that the Scripture which they ground them upon will not maintain them after their own positive manner And Good Sir Let it be remember'd that I do in this Letter argue upon our Adversaries own Principles and in their own way For thus I need not tell you that their great Objection against Infant-Baptism is this Where do you read in Scripture that any Infants were Baptized or Commanded to be Baptized Which Objection in its due time and place shall have its full Answer but here Sir you must pardon me if I make use of this their own Weapon against themselves and ask them Where did you read in Scripture of any that were Baptized by being Dipt or Commanded to be only so Baptiz'd and not otherwise 'T is true you once indeed reply'd to this that whether the Scripture was so or no yet that Antiquity was clear for Dipping and I shou'd be glad to hear the same kind word drop from the Mouths or Pens of our Learned Adversaries I shou'd be glad I mean to hear them appealing to true Antiquity in any case whatsoever and willing to submit to such good Authority for then I shou'd hope that they wou'd have some regard to it in the Case of Infant-Baptism yes certainly if they will plead Antiquity for Dipping they must allow the Plea to be good when it is made for Infant-Baptism likewise And therefore to bring the Controversie before Antiquity I wou'd have them to know that they do not read in Scripture of any that were Dipt
afraid to enquire into the meaning of them Nay but the greatest Strength of that Book is spent against our Mode of Baptizing by Sprinkling Your Author has a Throw at this where-ever he meets with the Word Baptize and takes it for granted all along That to Baptize signifies always to Dip which I think has been sufficiently disprov'd and therefore if all that he has said and repeated again and again to this purpose in his little Book was taken out his Forty Texts wou'd dwindle into a far less number and there wou'd not be many of them left standing against Infant-Baptism Well but in Answer to the first part of your Objection That you no where find in Scripture that any Infants were Baptized First I 'll make an Impartial Enquiry what I can find in Scripture to have been done in this Case of Baptizing by Christ and by his Disciples in his Life-time And Secondly What I can find to have been done by his Apostles after his Ascension into Heaven I. We have no very large account in the New Testament of Christ's or of his Disciples Baptizing in his Life-time not one word more than what you may see in these few Texts John 3.22 26. John 4.1.2 The First of which Texts says that Jesus Baptized but says not whom not a Syllable to exclude Infants John 3.22 The Second Text says that Jesus Baptized and all Men came to him John 3.26 But here Sir that our English Translation may not lead you into a mistake I must inform you that there is no particular word in the Original that signifies Men only but the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Baptized and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all came to him All without Exception And here I will do so much Right to the Author of your little Book as to suppose he had observ'd this to be the sense of the Original words in this Text and therefore he passes it over as rather making for than against Infant-Baptism He does not I say mention this amongst the Forty Texts in his Book because he knew the Greek Word here Translated All Men signifies as well All Children even all without Exception All of all Ages I proceâ—d therefore to the Third and Last Text which says That Jesus made and Baptized more Disciples than John tho' Jesus himself Baptized not but his Disciples John 4.1 2. And here the Author of your little Book wou'd fain gather from the word Disciples that no Children were Baptiz'd but all that he say's is grounded upon a Gross Mistake which supposes them to have been Disciples before Baptism whereas the Text says plainly That they were made and Baptized Disciples That is they were by Baptism made Disciples and accordingly that Baptism is the only ordinary way of making Disciples I shall take occasion hereafter very largely to prove to you And thus I have particularly and Impartially Consider'd those few Texts which yet are all we find in Scripture which speak of Christ's or of his Disciples Baptizing during his Life-time and the Sum of them is this That Jesus's Disciples Baptized and made by Baptizing them more Disciples than John The Words are not They were Baptized all that Believed or all that Repented Nay nor all Men only but all in general not a Child of Man excepted And now Sir whether the Scripture be thus far against or for Infant-Baptism judge you And here I will add one thing more which wou'd be a great Satisfaction to my own mind in this Case of Baptizing Infants tho' there was nothing more to be said for it Know then Sir and I tell it you from undoubted Authority that Children were Baptized as well as Circumcised in the Jewish Church long before our Saviour's Coming in the Flesh The Jews report says Dr. Taylor That the World took up the Doctrine of Baptisms in Remembrance that the Iniquity of the Old World was purged by Water Great Exemp P. 175. And indeed Noah and his Families being saved by passing through the Waters of the Flood in the Ark did Typifie and Pre-figure our being saved by passing thro' the Waters of Baptism in the Ark of the Church for so St. Peter In the Ark says he were Eight Souls saved by Water The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us 1 Pet. 3.20 21. And as for that Infant-Baptism which was practised of Old in the Jewish Church 't is by their own best Writers made as Ancient as Moses and deduc'd by them says Dr. Towerson from that Command of God whereby Moses was Enjoyned to Sanctifie the Israelites and cause them to wash their Cloaths against that time that God declared from Mount Sinai That Legal Covenant which they were then to enter into Dr. Towerson of the Sacrament of Bapt. Pag. 13. And the Apostle himself tells us of these Israelites That they were all Baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea 1 Cor. 10.2 They were all Men Women and Children so Baptized And you know Good Sir that when God did safely lead these Children of Israel thro' the Red-Sea he thereby figured his Holy Baptism And therefore as they Men Women and Children were Baptized into Moses by the Cloud above and the Sea beneath so says Dr. Taylor are all Persons now Men Women and Children to be Baptized into Christ by the Spirit from above and the Water below and the same Excellent Author most truly adds That it was the design of the Apostle in that Discourse 1 Cor. 10. To represent that the Fathers and We were equal as to the Privileges of the Covenant and that as we do not exceed them so neither do they exceed us nor their Children ours Great Exemp Pag. 176. And in short When our Saviour first Instituted his Baptism amongst that very People who had then such an Ancient Custom to Baptize Infants had he made any Exception against that their Custom had he excluded such Babes from his Baptism as they admitted to theirs we should certainly have heard something of it I am sure that their Infant-Circumcision was not laid aside without great Noise and Struggle and therefore that their Infant-Baptism should be so easily quitted without so much as one word said either for or against it is what I profess to you I cannot easily believe Nay but I am hereby very much confirm'd in my Belief that Infants were as well admitted to our Lord's Baptism when he Baptized in Judea as they then were and for a long time before had been Baptized in the Jewish-Church And thus Sir I have Briefly shewn you what was done by our Lord and by his Disciples in his Life-time in this Case of Baptizing And II. I will God willing enquire again what we find in Scripture to have been done in this Case by the Apostles after our Lord's Ascension But of this in my next which shall be hastened from Sir June 26. 1698. Your c. T. H. LETTER V. SIR I Proceed to enquire
what I can find in Scripture to have been done in the Case of Baptizing by our Lord's Apostles after his Ascension into Heaven Now the first that we read of to have been Baptiz'd by them were the Three thousand Converts Acts 2.41 But that none of these were Children is most confidently affirm'd because 't is there said of them that they gladly receiv'd the Word c. which indeed is a very plausible way of Arguing but yet 't is a very ill way and not to be allow'd of in our Interpretations of such Scripture-Passages For there is nothing more common than for the Scripture to speak of Children together with adult Persons and yet to add such things as the Children will not be thought capable of As for Example St. Paul speaks of Infants as well as of Men and Women when he assures us that We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ and every one of us receive for the good or evil done in our bodies I say St. Paul speaks of Infants among the rest tho' one half of what he there speaks cannot be understood of them namely That they shall receive for the good or evil done in their bodies who never liv'd in their Bodies to do either Good or Evil. Sir you argue that none of the Three thousand baptiz'd Acts 2. were Children because 't is said of them That they gladly received the word and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine which are things that Children could not do And just at the same rate it may be argu'd That no Infants shall appear at the last Day before the Judgment-Seat of Christ because 't is said of them that shall then and there appear that they must receive for the good or evil done in their bodies which are things that Infants could not do And again I have not the least doubt but there will be Children and Infants at the Last Day placed among the Blessed Saints at the Right-hand of the Judge and yet I know what the Judge will then say to those on his Right-hand I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. But now as you are pleas'd to reason the Case That there were no Children among the Three thousand baptized Acts 2. because such things are immediately added to have been done by them as no Children could possibly do viz. That they continu'd stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine c. just after the same manner it may be reason'd That there shall be no Infants among the Saints at the Right-hand of the Judge at the Last Day because such things will immediately be added to have been done by them as no Infants could possibly do viz. I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. But good Sir Infants will certainly make up a great part of the Blessed Train at the Right-hand of the Judge though the Judge cannot say to them I was an hungred and ye gave me Meat And so there might be many Infants among the Three thousand that were baptized tho' it cannot be said of them that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine For so you plainly see that Infants may be spoken of together with adult Persons though some things may be added which the Infant-part of the Company are no ways capable of And accordingly that there were Infants or Children among the Three thousand baptized as aforesaid we have yet this further Reason to convince us because when they were there perswaded to be baptized with this Promise of having the Holy Ghost given them 't is expresly added The promise is to you and to your Children Acts 2.38 39. But of this more largely before I have done I proceed therefore to the next that we read of to have been baptized and They were the Samaritans baptized by St. Philip Acts 8.12 and there indeed it is said that They were baptized both Men and Women and therefore surely say you had any Children been then baptized it would have been added That they were baptized Men Women and Children No Dear Sir there was no need of any such Addition for consider I beseech you the Scripture-way of speaking Even all Ages of both Sexes Children and Infants together with the Elder Sort are express'd in Scripture by Men and Women as Mr. Horn has particularly noted in Joshua 8.25 26. and Judges 9.49 51. which Texts you may consult at your Leisure and I will take leave to go on The next we meet with in the Acts of the Apostles to have been baptized was the Eunuch baptized by St. Philip Acts 8.38 and from their going down to the Water is there a great Objection rais'd against our Mode of Baptizing by Sprinkling or Pouring on Water but this I have already answer'd In the next Chapter was St. Paul baptized by Ananias and I think he was baptized in the House of Judas and you will not I hope from hence conclude that he also was Dipt In the next Chapter again we find St. Peter commanding Cornelius and them that were with him to be baptized but pray Sir Observe the Reason Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Acts 10.47 48. And may it not as well be argu'd Can any man forbid Water that Children shou'd not be Baptized who receive the Holy Ghost as well as we But of this more hereafter In the next place we read that Lydia was Baptized and her Houshold Acts 16.14 15. Where I observe that whatever qualifications are mention'd to have given Lydia a right to Baptism yet we read not any thing of any of her Houshold but that they were Baptized Nay and after their Baptism says Lydia to the Apostles If ye have Judged Me faithful to the Lord c. She says not if ye have Judged Us faithfull but only ME which implies according to our Adversaries best way of reasoning That only Lydia and that none of the rest were Believers So that thus far I am sure here is nothing against Infants being a part of her Family But Sir I must admire the Author of your little Book and the profound discoveries he has made in his Notes upon this Text to convince us that Lydia had no Husband and Consequently no Children But this wou'd not follow unless he cou'd prove her to have been no Widow neither and therefore by dint of mighty Argument he 'll make us farther know that she was no Widow And I must not conceal his All-convincing Reason which is this She cou'd be no Widow because she is called a Woman whereas Widows in Scripture are called Widows as the Widow of Sarepta c. A most wonderful Argument indeed But Sir When I think on 't again The wonder ceases because I find the very Widow of Sarepta call'd a Woman 1 King 17.17 24. Yea I find in Scripture one call'd a Woman who had been seven times a Widow for after she had Buried no fewer than Seven Husbands 't
every ways alter'd for the better but what is all this to any ones privilege of entering into it Nay but certainly as Children were admitted into the Church before that Reformation so are they to be admitted still unless it be a part of the Reformation to exclude them And thus upon the whole matter 't is very plain that unless our Blessed Saviour has FORBIDDEN Infants to be admitted into his Church they are still to be admitted whether he has COMMANDED their Admission or no. And here I might fix the Controversie and justifie their Admission till you can prove that our Lord has Forbidden it which I dare venture to say you will never be able to do Nay but our Lord has not only not forbidden their Admission into the Church but he has expresly Taught and Commanded it For First That Children ought to be admitted into his Church he has expresly taught in that Celebrated Text Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Which Text was spoken by way of Reprimand to his Disciples who wou'd have kept Children from him and therefore when he reprov'd them and said Suffer little Children to come unto me he must needs mean such Children as they wou'd have kept from him but these were such as were brought unto him and such as he took up in his Arms and were therefore little Children in a literal Sense The words indeed are Suffer little Children to come unto me and therefore say some let them stay then till they can come But if this was our Saviour's meaning might not his Disciples very readily have answered Lord we have not hinder'd any such from coming that cou'd come all that we have done was only to Rebuke those that brought their Children And thus if Children might not be brought to Christ but if they were to be kept back till they themselves cou'd come to him I cannot see what the Disciples had here done for our Lord to be displeased at and yet the Text says positively That he was much displeased and said suffer little Children to come unto me Mark 10.14 And therefore unless we have no more Grace or Wit than to say that he was displeas'd at nothing we must allow that the Children whom he wou'd have suffer'd to come to him were such as his Disciples would have kept from him and these were such as were brought unto him and such as he took up in his Arms. But perhaps you 'll say What then is the meaning of the words TO COME UNTO ME Suffer little Children to come unto me Sir I find an Answer made to this by Mr. Walker viz. That to come unto Christ signifies to become a Disciple of Christ for so when our Saviour saith Come unto me all ye that Labour his meaning is become Disciples to me Mat. 11.28 And again when it is said Behold Jesus Baptizeth and all Men come to him The meaning is that they all become his Disciples John 3.26 And again Ye will not come to me said our Lord That is ye will not become my Disciples John 5.4 The same excellent Author has observ'd from Dr. Hammond that we may read the word Proselyte in the very Original Text Mat. 19.14 For there the Original words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which turn'd into English do even Compose and make up the word Proselyte and so in St. Matthew I say the Original words are Suffer little Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be Proselytes to me or to be my Disciples For to be a Proselyte and to be a Disciple is the same thing As when our Lord said to the Scribes and Pharisees that they had Compass'd Sea and Land to make one Proselyte the meaning is that they had compass'd Sea and Land to make one Disciple And thus has our Lord very plainly taught us that little Children must be suffer'd to become his Disciples yea and he farther adds that they are not to be forbidden and then gives such a Reason for it as may put the matter beyond all Dispute For of such is the Kingdom of God That is little Children are not to be forbidden becoming his Disciples because of such even of such as were brought unto him is the Kingdom of God both the Kingdom of Grace which is the Church Militant here on Earth and the Kingdom of Glory which is the Church Triumphant in Heaven And thus we have a plain Scripture Text wherein our Blessed Lord has very clearly taught us that little Children are to be suffer'd and not to be forbidden being admitted into his Church And this is according to that ancient Prophecy foretelling the Conversion of the Gentiles to Christianity Thus saith the Lord God I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my Standard to the People and they shall bring thy Sons in their Arms and thy Daughters shall be carryed upon their shoulders Isa 49.22 And this is no more than what our Lord himself did fortell when he so plainly intimated that there should be Lambs in his Flock as well as Sheep John 21.15 But Sir if you wou'd see more and larger Proof of this matter you may consult Mr. Baxter's Book called Plain Scripture-proof of Infants Church-Membership and Baptism wherein he has proved that Children ought to be admitted into Christ's Church by no fewer than Six and twenty distinct Arguments Well But then the next Question is How are they to be admitted I Answer by Baptism for ordinarily there is no other way of Admission as I shall prove by and by But here I will take notice of an Objection that I find has been often started upon this occasion If little Children are to be admitted into Christ's Church and if there be no other way of admitting them but by Baptism Why then did not our Lord Baptize those Children that were brought unto him I answer Because our Lord never Baptized any with Water But then it may be ask'd again Why did he not Command his Disciples to Baptize them I Answer again Because his Hour was not yet come for he never that we read of Commanded his Disciples to Baptize any or any to be Baptized by them till after his Death and Resurrection But Sir Give me leave briefly to remind you of what I have observ'd in my first Letter concerning the outward and the inward part of Baptism for I therein shewed you that the Ministers of Christ do but Baptize with Water which is the outward part of that Sacrament 'T is Christ himself who Baptizeth with the Holy Ghost or with the Spirit which is the inward part And here I will farther observe that our Lord has not so ty'd up himself to the use of outward means but he can if he pleases and will for just and wise Reasons perform the inward part without them For thus should an Infidel or a Jew be Converted to Christianity and earnestly desire Baptism and should
the Ministers of Christ to whom he has the opportunity of applying himself for that purpose be all so unfaithful as to refuse to Baptize him yea tho' he sought and begg'd of them so to do with Tears In such a Case as this where the outward Baptism with Water was so far from being slighted that it was earnestly desir'd and yet cou'd not be had upon any terms whatsoever In such a Case as this I say I cannot think that the unfaithfulness of Christ's Ministers in dispensing the outward part of the Sacrament would hinder our Lord from doing the inward part which is to Baptize with the Spirit And this seems to have been the Case of the little Children brought unto him His Disciples rebuked those that brought them and wou'd not by any means have had them come unto Christ or become his Disciples And for this our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was very much displeased And in this great displeasure he seems to have intimated thus much to them That tho' they or any other of his Ministers should at any time refuse to admit such for Disciples whom he would have admitted and should therefore refuse to do the outward solemn part of Admission as they ought to do yet this wou'd be no reason with him that he should refuse to do that inward part which he does himself perform And accordingly he took up those very Children in his Arms and blessed them viz. with Spiritual Blessings and may therefore in some Sense be said to have Baptized them I mean to have Baptized them with the Spirit which is the inward part of Baptism and the only part that Christ ever did or does But 2. As our Lord himself Received and Commanded Children to be receiv'd into his Church so likewise has he plainly taught us that they are to be admitted by Baptism yea and that ordinarily they cannot otherwise be admitted For except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.5 In which Text By the Kingdom of God taken in its lowest Sense must be meant the Christian Church for so is the Christian Church very frequently call'd in the New Testament The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven And this is that Kingdom of God viz. The Church of Christ into which there is no entrance ordinarily but through the Gate of Baptism The Text makes no exception for tho' the English words are Vnless a Man be born again yet by Man must be understood Mankind no Sex or Age excluded for the Original word Translated Man signifies any one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except any one be Born again c. Whosoever or of what Age soever they be except they be Born again of Water and of the Spirit that is except they be Baptized they cannot enter into that Kingdom of God which is the Christian Church And so says the Apostle very expresly Namely That we are all Baptized into that one Body of Christ which is his Church 1 Cor. 12.13 And so again we read of being Baptized into Christ that is into Christ's Body his Church Gal. 3.27 Yea it is there said that so many as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ that is are incorporated into that Body whereof Christ is the Head And accordingly I have observ'd that there is nothing more usual in Antiquity than for Baptism to be called Ecclesiae janua the Gate of the Church Baptism says our very Learned Bishop is the Door whereby we enter into the Church the Gate that lets us into Christ's Fold and the first step to Fellowship with God and with his People and hence it was that the Font was used to be placed at the Door or entrance of the Church to signifie that by this we come into the Congregation of Christ's Disciples Aqua Genitalis p. 447. But I 'll say no more of this both because it is so plain and because that it is not that I know of deny'd by our Adversaries Mr. Tombs wou'd not deny it in all that Controversie between him and Mr. Baxter Nay but in his Apology p. 58. I grant says he that Baptism is the way and manner of Solemn Admission into the Church and says Mr. Grantham in his Friendly Epistle Baptism is an Ordinance of Christ necessary to the Admission of all Men to the privileges of his Church p. 31. And the Author of your little Book notes upon 1 Cor. 12.13 that we are by Baptism added to the Bride the Lamb's Wife as he there calls the Christian Church And again in his Note upon Heb. 6.1 2. He says that Baptism is an Ordinance for the Solemnization of the Soul 's visible Marriage-Union with Christ that is we are united and wedded to Christ by Baptism as we are thereby incorporated into and United to that Church which is his Spouse But now it being so very plain our Adversaries themselves not denying it That there is no other visible way of Admitting into Christ's Church but by Baptism it necessarily follows that if Children ought as I have before prov'd to be admitted into that Church then they must be Baptized into it Sir Should the King Command you to carry your pretty little Child into his Presence-Chamber you wou'd not I think once ask or question whether you must carry him in at the door you wou'd not I am sure be thought over-wise shou'd you say My Lord O King Your Royal Command is that I shall bring my Son into your Presence-Chamber but pray does your Majesty mean that I shall bring him in at the Door Just so Our Lord having Commanded that Children shall be received into his Church shou'd any one question whether they must be received in at the Door which is acknowleg'd to be Baptism what Answer could he reasonably expect but to be laugh'd at And thus Sir wonder not that there is no such express Command in Scripture as this That Infants shall be Baptized For Christ's Command to receive them into the Church is sufficient and there was no need of any such second Command to receive them in at the door or to Baptize them In short Our Lord has plainly taught us that little Children must be admitted into his Church Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.14 And he has plainly taught us that there is no other way of being admitted into his Church but by Baptism Except any one be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.5 And from hence I frame this Argument There is no other way of Admission into Christ's Church but by Baptism But little Children must be admitted into Christ's Church Therefore they must be Baptized And this I am perswaded is very good Proof because 't is such Proof as our Lord made use of against the Pharisees to convince them of a Resurrection and such
Proof as the Learned Defenders of our Faith are forc'd to make use of against the Macedonians to convince them that the Holy Ghost is God And thus I have enquir'd how Infant-Baptism was taught by our Saviour in his Life-time I should now in the Second Place Enquire whether Infant-Baptism was taught by him after his Death and Resurrection before he Ascended into Heaven But this shall be the Subject-matter of my Next which you may expect by the next opportunity from Good Sir July 9. 1698. Your c. T. H. LETTER VII Sir I Go on as I engag'd my self in my Last to enquire Secondly Whether infant-Infant-Baptism was Taught or Commanded by our Saviour after his Death and Resurrection before he Ascended into Heaven And all that he Taught or Commanded concerning Baptizing with Water at that time may be readily found in these two Texts Mat. 28.19 and Mark 16.15 16. Both which it is my design at this time very particularly to Consider Now the Words of the first of these Texts are these in our English Bibles Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost But Sir Be pleas'd to know that the Word Translated Teach expresly signifies Disciple Go ye therefore Disciple all Nations c. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same thing and are rightly render'd to make Disciples John 4.1 For the understanding of which you must know that our Lord as himself has told us was not sent but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel Mat. 15.24 His first endeavours were to Disciple the Jews and accordingly it was only in Judea that any were Discipl'd and Baptiz'd by him or by his Disciples during his Life-time as you may see by Comparing John 3.22 with John 4.1 Well But now that he was a leaving the World Now that the Partition-Wall was to be broken down he enlarges his Commission to his Disciples and they were not for the future to Disciple and Baptize in the Land of Judea only but they were now to Disciple and Baptize all Nations even the whole Gentile World Go ye therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all Nations Baptizing them c. Which Command and Commission was first given to those Eleven Apostles Mat. 28.16 who were all by Nation Jews or as St. Paul expresses it Israelites according to the Flesh Rom. 9.3 4. But pray now good Sir Let us here Consider what then was and had always been the way of Discipling or Proselyting these Gentiles to the Jewish Church Truly 't is most certain that when any of these Gentile Nations were converted to Judaism that not only themselves but their Children together with themselves were also Circumcis'd and receiv'd into that Ancient Church when the Door was open'd to take in the converted Parents not the least of their Infants being but Eight Days old was excluded Nay but no sooner was the Gentile Proselyte Circumcis'd and made a Member of the Jewish Church but by the very Law of Circumcision were all his Male-Children at eight Days Old to be Circumcis'd and made Members likewise Thus stood the Case between the Jews and Gentiles then the Gentile-Children together with their Parents were Discipl'd and Receiv'd into that Church of Old But then certainly the Apostles who had so lately been of that very Church and knew no other way of Discipling the Gentile Nations but this of Discipling their Children together with their Fathers Certainly I say these Apostles could not otherwise understand the Command to Disciple and Baptize all Nations than as obliging them to Disciple and Baptize the Children as well as the Fathers For here was no exception to exclude them The Command was general Go Disciple all Nations Baptizing them c. All Nations without exception and Children are a part of the Nations Yea and a very great part too and therefore why they should not be Discipl'd and Baptiz'd as well as any others for my part I can see no Reason Nay but certainly unless it was the will of our Lord that Children should be Discipl'd and Baptiz'd with the rest of the Nations he would have said something to except them he would have told his Apostles that they must not Disciple or Receive such Infants into the Christian Church as were Receiv'd and Discipl'd into their Jewish Church No he would have said you must not mistake me tho' I have commanded you to Disciple and Baptize all Nations yet I hardly mean one half of the Nations for I do not mean so much as one Child or Infant belonging to them And thus Indeed must our Lord be supposed to have Interpreted his Command to his Apostles had he excluded Infants out of the Command And then again had they been thus taught to Disciple and Baptize no Infants not one of all the Nations but the Adult and grown Persons methinks some Charitable Body or other in the Name of the Poor Children should thus have lamented and condol'd their Case And is it the Christian Church that is now the true Church of God Time was when the Jewish Church was only so and then was the the happy time for us Poor Babes and Children For had our Gentile Fathers been then Converted Circumcis'd and Receiv'd into that old Church of God We their little Infants must not have been left behind No but the Door into which our Fathers must have enter'd then would likewise have stood open for us their Children too But now in the Christian Church it seems 't is otherwise Alas the Door is now close shut and barr'd to keep us poor Infants out There is no place for us in this New Church of God No but tho' our Fathers are Baptiz'd and Grafted into the good Olive-Tree as the Christian Church is call'd Yet We God help us We must remain Branches of the Wild Olive still as the Heathen World is term'd And thus when the Apostles Discipl'd and Baptiz'd the Gentile Nations into the Church of Christ had they excluded such Infants and Children as with their Parents were receiv'd into the Jewish Church of Old the Case of these Infants and Children might justly have been thus Condol'd But our Lord who was once an Infant himself and as such receiv'd into the Jewish Church he has not indeed forbidden Infants now to be receiv'd into his No he has given no such occasion of Complaint against him for the Command is Plain and Clear for the Discipling and Baptizing all Nations not an Infant excepted that I can find But Sir The grand Objection follows in the next Verse Teaching them to observe all things Whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28.20 And from hence our Adversaries very confidently argue That none are to be Discipl'd and Baptiz'd but such as are Capable of being taught too which Infants and Children they boldly say are not But to this I answer First 'T is said of