THE Foundation OF THE Font DISCOVERED To the view of all that desire to behold it AND The baptizing of Men and Women when they believe in rivers and fountains proved to be a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ to the end of the world By plain Scripture-proof In Answer To Mr. Cook 's Font uncovered for Infant-baptism And To Mr. Baxter's Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and Baptism With a word sometimes upon occasion to Mr. Hall's Font-guarded which is more fully answered by Thomas Collyer BY HENRY HAGGAR A servant of Christ and the Congregations of his Saints And they were all baptized of John in the river of Jordan confessing their sins Mark 1.5 And whom they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women Acts 8.12 And John also was baptizing in Enon neer to Salim because there was much water there and they came and were baptized Joh. 3.23 And the eunuch said See here is water what hinders me to be baptized And Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest c. Act. 8.36 37. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-eagle at the west-end of Pauls 1653. To the Reader Courteous Reader BY this I give thee to understand that I should not have troubled thy patience with these ensuing lines knowing there are so many books extant but that many whose judgements are not rightly informed in the truth would still have thought as they have many times said that the things which I here write against are not nor cannot be answered although they were answered even before they came forth both by the holy Scriptures which they seem to lean upon and also by other mens writings gathered out of the Scriptures yet a great number of men remain very confident that these books viz Mr. Cooks Font uncovered for Infant-baptisme and Mr. Baxters Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and baptism do still remain unanswered unanswerable For which cause I thought my self in conscience bound being also concerned in one book by name and challenged to answer to use the talent that God hath given me for his glory the vindication of his truth and people and also for the good of those which as yet are not the people of God that so I may remove the reproaches and slanders cast upon my self and others falsly for the truths sake and take away those stumbling-blocks which are laid before those which as yet walk in darkness and know not whereat they stumble because the God of this world hath blinded their eyes so by setting their Faith in the wisdome of men and not in the power of God that the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ doth not yet shine into their hearts neither do they believe what is written in the holy Scriptures for their instructions but do turn aside their eares from the truth and are turned unto Fâ—bles 2 Tim. 4.4 therefore I have resolved in the strength and wisdome of the Lord once more to present my self publickly in Print to the view of all men whether friends or enemies not questioning the courteous loving acceptance of the one nor fearing the subtilty and malice of the other but do earnestly desire the good and happiness of all being also fully assured that the Lord will not fail me of a blessing upon these my weak endeavours for he dispiseth not the day of small things Furthermore I give thee to understand that the persons I have to deal with in particular are two viz. Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter as aforesaid their volumes together no less then sixty two sheets therefore let not the Reader think me too tedious in eighteen sheets neither let any think me too short for these following reasons 1. Because in their writings there is abundance of superfluous words by which they darken the counsel of God and labour to subvert them that read and hear them but we are commanded to lay aside all superfluity of naughtiness and to receive the ingrafted word of God which is able to save our souls James 1.21 2. Because in the multitude of words there wants no sin Prov. 10.19 therefore I shall take heed of using any more then need 3. Large Volumes are in danger never to be read over because some will not and others are poor and cannot spare time or money for them 4. Because I am commanded not to answer a fool according to his foolishness lest I be like him Prov. 26.4 Now if these men have spoken many words wherein there wants no sin and have not consented to wholsome words even the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness then they are fools knowing nothing as they ought to know 1 Tim. 6.3 4. but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envie strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposing that gain viz. an hundred or two a year is godliness from such we are commanded to turne away and withdraw our selves therefore none can justly take exception at these words for if it doth appear still when the Reader hath perused my lines that there is no folly in their words then my folly will returne upon my self and they and their cause will be exalted Thus have you the reasons why I will be as brief as may be And if any shall say that I have been so briefe that I have not answered the matter I took in hand I answer to all my Antagonists It s the better for them if I come short of a full answer and they will have the greater advantage against me and let them take it and spare not therefore I desire all whom it may concern to read and consider wisely and try it by the holy Scriptures of truth judge impartially asking the Lord for wisdome to discerne between things which differ and the Lord give you all understanding in all things that concern his glory and your comfort which is and shall be the prayer of me his unworthy servant who desires to remain to the utmost of my power Yours in the service of Christ Jesus my Lord till death Henry Haggar The Method and Order of this Book is a followeth 1. I Shall shew what foundation the Saints ought to build upon 2. I shall discover the foundation of the Font and shew whence and how it came to be in use and that by the confession of those which make use of it 3. Concerning Infant-baptism I shall shew whence it came and by whom it was brought into the Church 4. I shall answer to the beginning of Mr. Cooks Book and to Mr. Baxters 10 Positions upon which himself saith his whole Book standeth and without which he confesseth it caneot be understood in his 3 pag. 5. I shall answer in general to their Arguments about Infants Church-membership and
testimonies of the Lord. Mark 1.3.4.5 where we read first of the voice of one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight Secondly that John baptized in that wilderness and whom he baptized is evident in the following words And he preacht the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins and there went out unto him all the Land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River of Jordan confessing their sins c. Thus we see that all that were baptized of John of the Inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem were such as could and did confess their sins But little children that cannot speak cannot confess their sins therefore none such were baptized by John See also Matth. 3.5 6. Thus it being cleer by the Scriptures that John baptized men and women that could believe and confess their sins and not a word spoken of sucking children I shall now proceed to the works of the Apostles to whom Christ gave Commission as aforesaid and see what they practised Act. 2.40.41 we read that when they preached and exhorted the people with many words to save themselves from that untoward generation then they that gladly received his word were baptized and added to the Church c. But little babes of eight days weeks or months old cannot gladly receive the word of God because they understand it not therefore none such were baptized there Object But some will object from ver 39. that the Promise was to them and their children and therefore children may be baptized Answ I grant the Promise was to them vers 38 that if they did repent and be baptized in the name of Christ for the Remission of sins they should receive the gift of the Holy-Ghost and this is true also to their children if they did repent and obey the Gospel as aforesaid and so it is to us and to our children though never so far off upon the same condition of Faith Repentance and Baptism for it is to all that the Lord our God shall call but they must be called first observe that ver 39. And thus is the objection fully answered Again If ever the Apostle baptized children it must needs be now according to their Argument who say the Promise is to children and therefore But that they baptized no such children is evident because they that were baptized were such as could and did gladly receive the word and continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and Prayer all which little babes that cannot speak words nor understand Reason cannot possibly do therefore none such baptized The next place is Act. 8.12 where we read that when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women in express terms but we never read a word of little children Again ver 36 37. we read that the Eunuch said to Philip See here is water what hinders me to be baptized and Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest But such little babes as these baptize cannot believe with all their hearts therefore they may not be baptized neither do we yet in the least see that any such were baptized by the Apostles The next is Act. 10.46 47 48. in these words Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus By all which we see that no such babes were here baptized for all that were in this place baptized were such as had received the Holy Ghost as well as the Apostles and they heard them speak with tongues and magnifie God which children that cannot speak at all cannot possibly do all rational men will grant The next is Lydia and her houshould Act. 16.14 15. Now some say thus Who knows but she might have little children To which I answer if none know then all ought to be silent and not to believe and affirm things they know not for that is wickedness and folly but thus much we know 1 That Christ commanded them to baptize them which believed 2 Hitherto we have found them baptizing of none else 3 The Scripture speaks of no children she had nor yet of any husband and therefore silence gives no commands to obey nor no Promises to believe nor no examples to follow Again if she had an husband he was baptized for she and her houshoald were baptized Now if he had been baptized he would surely have born the name in the history rather then she being the head of the house Lastly we read ver 40. that when Paul and Silas came out of prison they entred into the house of Lydia and comforted the brethren and departed but little babes are not capable of such comfort therefore no such brethren in Lydia's house nor any ground at all to believe it from Scripture nor Reason The next is the Jaylor who was baptized with his houshould from whence some would draw the same Argument as from Lydia's and perswade us that there were children in his house but the Text is plain against it for it saith Act. 16.32 33 34. that they spake the word of the Lord to him and to all in his house and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straight ways and when he had brought them into his house he set meat before them and rejoyced believing in God with all his house Thus the Scripture in plain words as it saith the one that he and all his were baptized so also it saith he with all his house believed in God and therefore if Mr. Cook will evade the one by his learned Exposition in his 17 page he may as well evade the other and so conclude that none but he was baptized But consider the result of his labours when he hath laboured by all his wit and skill to pervert the Text yet he confesseth that the Syriack Translation reads it thus And he exulted and all the children of his house even all of them in the Faith of God I pray let all rational men consider what difference is between their all rejoycing and believing God and exulting even all of them in the Faith of God but that the man labours to darken the Counsel of God by these words words without knowledge As in Job 38.2 And thus the Lord taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.19.20 But one thing more I had like to have forgotten viz. his seeming sophistical answer to Act. 8.12 where the Text saith plainly that when they believed they were baptized both men and women To this he answereth in his 16 page that these words men and women are applyable to sexes
36 37 38. c. 10.47 c. 16.33 34. c. 18 8. therefore I pray let this custom be of weight to your self and do not baptize little babes that cannot believe nor understand what they do especially because you say there was weight in that Argument when Paul said We have no such custom nor the Churches of God Again you say that you can prove that Infants-baptism was used in the Church as high as to the Apostle as there be many sufficient histories extant inform us and that the deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery upon popish or heretical grounds Answ O Sir have I now found you out truly seeing I have I must not conceal your wickedness lest I become guilty with you of the blood of souls and therefore I do by this declare to all men that you are both a deceiver and a blasphemer the which charge I now come to prove I That you are a deceiver it is evident in that you have entituled your book Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and baptism by which you perswade many hundred souls that there is plain Scripture indeed in the Bible for Infants-baptism when there is no such thing but your self confess in your 9 Position that your proof is from some histories extant which you judge sufficient O that poor ignorant souls would but see and consider your cunning craftiness wherewith you lye in wait to deceive them before it be too late 2 That you are a blasphemer is plain if the Scriptures may be heard to speak for you say deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery Answ But Sir do you not know that our glorious Lord Jesus Christ deferred his baptism till he was thirty yeers of age Luke 3.21 22 23. and yet he was the child of believing parents I think you dare not deny And now do you not see your wickedness in affirming that deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery or do you think wickedly that Christ brought in any part of popery take heed Again doth not the Commission of Christ defer baptism till believing Mark 16.15 16. saying He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and doth not Philip defer baptism upon the same account to the Eunuch Act. 8.36 37. when the Eunuch said to him See here is water what hinders me to be baptized Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest shewing by these words plainly that if he did not believe it was to be deferred and that unbelief would hinder And thus is your folly made manifest though I fear you will not see it but however I leave it to the consideration of all rational men desiting that the Lord will give them wisdom to consider how you delude poor souls by this means perswading them that there is very plain Scripture for infants-baptism when at last you confess there is none but some histories which you judge sufficient and thus have you made proselytes and when they are made they are sevenfold more the children of Satan then they were before for before they were forced in their non-age to receive the mark of the beast spoken of Rev. 19.20 which was not received by a few despised people as you say the Anabaptists are but he caused all both free and bond rich and poor small and great to receive it yea and that none may buy or sell save he that had the mark c. See Rev. 13.16 17. and this is most properly applyed to you for there is never a small child in the Nation if it were but eight days old but you would look it should be Rantized and in that receive the mark on its forehead namely to be signed with the sign of the cross in token c. and this was so universal throughout England that if any did but stand up to oppose it they must neither buy nor sell amongst you but must be imprisoned banished or hanged So that all both rich and poor free and bond small and great were glad to be and suffer their children to be baptized or rather Rantized or else they could not be suffered to live for to buy and sell amongst you to get a livelihood And thus I have presented you a glass to look in that you may behold what manner of persons you are Again its impossible that you should apply these Scriptures to those you call Anabaptists because now they have their liberty to declare their minde freely they do not desire small and great to receive the mark of baptism which they practise but onely great ones which can understand what they do and give a resson thereof even as we read Act. 2.41 They that gladly received the word were baptized and added to them c. and Act. 8.12 when they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And Act. 11.8 Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed in the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized And thus you may sue that the more we do look in the glass of the Gospel which is the perfect Law of liberty to them that fear God Jam. 2.12 the more we see our selves conformable to the image of Christ and walking according to the Primitive pattern and we are so far from compelling rich and poor that we would have neither rich nor poor to be baptized until they believe the truth of the Gospel and amend their lives and can give an account thereof to those that ask them a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness Again you say Position 10. Evident Consequences or Arguments drawn by Reason from Scripture are as true proof as the very express words of a Text and if we have the words without the meaning and reason we have no proof at all for the devil used the words of the Scripture to Christ To all which I answer As for your saying that Consequences or Arguments drawn from Scripture are as true proofs as Scripture this is but one of your untruths for most certain it is that what the Scripture saith we need not prove by Consequence for that would be but darkening the Counsel of God by words without knowledge as for example Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and earth now what need you prove this by Consequence again ver 3. God said Let there be light and there was light And what can any Consequence do in this case And again ver 7.8 And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament and it was so And this I do believe without any Consequence and if you will deny it because it is plain Scripture without any Consequence you may if you please but your folly will be manifest as it is to me already When you say if we have the word without the meaning and reason we have no proof at all I answer
reign upon a multitude of persons in London or elsewhere that never were dipped in cold water let him or any man deny if they can Now if Mr. Baxter do know none of his own knowledg that have perished or are like to perish by dipping by any of his aforesaid strange diseases and is also convinced in conscience that thousands in the Nation do dye of them that were never dipped in cold water then let all impartial people judge whether Mr. Baxter be a good tree by the fruit he bringeth forth If his intentions seem in his owne eyes to be good and that he aymeth hereby to undelude some souls and keep others from being deluded yet he must needs be one of those Paul speaks of in Rom. 3.8 which do evil that good may come thereof whose damnation is just The next thing Mr. Baxter speaks of is Mr. Tombes his salving up all this with saying that they may be baptized in warm water I answer I am not of his Judgement in that for I believe it s his weakness But then Mr. Baxter saith we cannot agree among our selves and therefore people have no reason to believe us I answer We do not desire people to believe us if we did agree never so well but to search the Scripture to see whether the things we speak be so or no like the noble Bereans Acts 17.11 and therefore to believe we would not have them hanged out of the way because they believe not us as Mr Baxter would have us because we believe not him but we know the Wheat and Tares must grow together in the field which is the world until the harvest according to the commandment of Christ 2. What if we do not agree together in every thing doth it follow therefore that the truth must not be believed and practised I hope not for its easie to prove that the Disciples of Christ in the first Churches did differ in their judgements although it was not their wisdome nor yet to the glory of God when one was of Paul and another of Apollo and another of Cephas and another of Christ 1 Cor. 1.12 c. and I believe that Paul and Barnabas were not of one minde when the contention grew so sharp between them that they parted and walked no more together Acts 15.39 and likewise Paul and Peter when Paul withstood him to the face 3. It is no marvel he telleth us of this because Mr. Baxter and his brethren the Ministers of England agree so well doth not one hold for baptisme with the sign of the Cross and another against it for Baptism in a Font and another in a Bason one for baptizing children of believers onely and others for the baptizing of all one for Railes and bowing at the Altar and others against it one for the Common-prayer-book and others for the Scotch Directory nay do not they persecute one another to Prison Banishment even death it self sometimes If Mr. Baxters Argument be good then let all people take good heed how they believe him and his brethren and so I desire they may do however except they bring plainer Scripture-proofes then Mr. Baxter hath done in his book for Infants Church-member-ship and baptisme The next remarkable thing of Mr. Baxter is denying of dipping of believers to be the custome of the Church in the primitive times and he is not ashamed to give the Scripture the lye before all men saying It is not proved by any Answ And why is it not proved I pray it may be because our Translators have not put the word Baptize into English and called it Dipping therefore he will not grant it but yet I question not the proving of it by the Scripture notwithstanding his subtil evasions of the truth saying They might well be said to go downe into the water because the country was mountainous To which I answer If this be all that Mr. Baxter have to prove it was not dipping in those dayes I think I have more to prove it was dipping and first I shall take what Mr. Baxter and his Brethren have granted me for Mr. Baxter in his 135. page saith the word signifieth as well to wash as to Dip so that by his owne words it signifies Dipping as well as Washing And in the Catechisme made by the learned of the Land when they question what is the outward form in baptisme their owne answer is Water wherein the person baptized is dipped c. thus much as Paul saith to the Atheniens Acts 17.28 their owne Poets confess From whence I argue thus If the word do signifie Dipping as well as Washing then they can no more blame us for practising dipping then we may blame them for practising washing Secondly If the word signifie Dipping and Washing one as well as another as Mr. Baxter and others say it doth then how are they to be blamed that do neither but onely sprinkle a few drops of water upon the face of a child for if the word signifie both Dipping and Washing and sprinkling be neither Dipping nor washing then they have deluded the People all this while and at leaft there quarters of the People of this Nation are still unbaptized And what an horrible thing is this that a whole Nation almost should thus be deceived by a company of learned self-seeking Men who profess themselves to be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame and to teach others that they should not deceive and as yet have not taught themselves Thirdly If the word signifie both washing and dipping then it must needs be washing by dipping or wetting all over for who can wash a thing that is not wet As for Mr. Baxters objection that Christ saith Ye need not but wash the seet and ye are Clean every whit I answer If Christ had spoken that about baptisme as he did about washing the Disciples feet to teach them humility it had been a good proofe but he did not therefore it s none but for to shew their humility and make them clean every whit from pride the washing one anothers feet did shew it as well as if they had washed their whole Bodies but now Christ when he speaketh of baptizing believers Mar. 16.16 he doth not say He that believeth and is baptized on his Feet shall be saved every wit but He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and Philip and the Eunuch went both down into the water and he baptized him and not his feet only for then they should not have needed to have both gone down into the water Again If the word him or them includes the whole man or men as all that have understanding will confess it doth if they be not partial in this case then whole man or men and women were baptized of John in the River of Jordane confessing their sins and of Philip Acts 8.12 and the Scripture saith Mar. 1.10 that when Christ was baptized he came up out of the water which plainly sheweth that he
Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.15 16. And repent and be baptized c. Act. 2.38 But you know well that little Babes know not what repentance is And ver 41. They that gladly received the word were baptized but you know well or else you have lost your sences that such Children as you baptize cannot gladly receive the word Again If thou believest with all thine heart thou maist Act. 8.37 And when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdome of God and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women Act. 8.11 37. But you know that there is no Children in the Text and you know also if you be not wilfully blinde that they cannot believe with all their hearts but yet notwithstanding all this you are so impudent as to do the works of Satan and as he tempted Christ and would have had him cast himselfe downe before Gods time was come to send his Angells to take him downe and to that end would have applied a promise falsly saying It is written He shall give his Angells charge over thee to keep thee leaving out in all thy waies even so do ye tempt men and women to baptize their Children before Gods time is come of his own will to beget them by his word of truth James 1.18 That they might be born againe not only of Water but also of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 And to that end you tell them it is written they are Disciples and Church-members and they were circumcised under the Law and therefore they must be baptized under the Gospell and thus you misâ—pply and wrest the Scriptures putting in and leaving out what you please and then when poor Souls aske you for plaine Scripture for Infants baptisme and would gladly see where it is written then you tell them the Divell brought the words of Scripture to Christ and if they will have the words without the reasons and consequences they have no proof and thus you labour with your consequences and reasons and words without knowledge to darken the Counsell of God Job 38.2 But I hope by this time your folly is made more manifest But you proceed and tell us that if we have the meaning and reason we have enough for evidence for words are but to express sence To which I answer Then it seems the meanings and reasons you talke of without the word are without sence by your own confession for you say If we have the meanings and reasons we have enough c. As for the words they are but to express sence therefore it seems if we be without the words of Scripture we are without sence And thus you see or may see that God by weak instruments can take you wise ones in your own craftiness But good Sir consider once againe are not the words of the Scriptures which were given by the inspiration of the Spirit as good and better sence and reason then any words and reasons you can speake or give if you deny this upon your second thoughts I must needs conclude that you are far gone and very high flowne But you are pleased to say further Would it not make a man pitty such senceless ignorant wretches that will call for express words of Scripture when they have evident consequences Is Scripture-reason no reason Answer Sir methinks you are very pitifull but yet you are a miserable comforter for when you have done you fall a railing on us calling us senceless ignorant wretches that will call for express words of Scripture when we have your consequence But Sir I have told you already why we dare not trust your consequences But you say Is Scripture-reason no reason I answer Yes its goodreason and it s that we would have from you but you call us ignorant senceless wretches for so doing But there may be a mistake betwixt us for we call Scripture reason written reason now if you would but shew us where your reason is written in the book of God the holy writings the controversie were at an end but till then you have done nothing But you might inform the ignorant wretches that the holy Scriptures in English are holy writings for Scriptures are writings and holy Scriptures are holy writings and thus the people might learn to know what you mean by Scripture-reasons which are in plain English written reasons Further You are pleased to say that we disclaim Reason and therefore not to be reasoned with and if we once renounce Reason we are brute beasts and who will go to plead with a beast its Reason that differeth a man from a beast c. Answ Sir truly you do put me in minde how like one of your forefathers you are for to my best remembrance you speak his very words and I question not but if you had an opportunity you would do his deeds The man I speak of was Doctor Story to Mr. Philpot the Martyr who suffered for what he saw in that dark age The place where you may finde it is in Fox his book of Martyrs pag. 1972. in these following words Philpot After this Doctor Story came in to whom I said Mr. Doctor you have done me great wrong and without Law have straightly imprisoned me more like a dog then a man and besides this you have broke promise with me for you promised I should be judged the next day after Story I am now come to keep promise with you Was there ever such a fantastical man as this is Nay he is no man he is a beast yea these Hereticks be worse then brute beasts for they will upon vain singularity take upon them to be wiser then all men being indeed very fools and Asse-heads not able to maintain that which of an arrogant obstinacie they stand in Philpot. I am content to abide your railing judgement now say what you will yet I am no heretick neither shall you or any other be able to prove that I hold any jot against the word of God but as a Christian man ought Story The word of God forsooth the word of God! it s but a folly to reason with these hereticks for they are incurable and desperate but as I may reason with thee not that I have any hope to win thee But whom wilt thou appoint to be Judge of the word whereunto thou standest Philpot. Verily the word it self Story Do you not see the ignorance of this beastly heretick he will have the word to be judged of the word can the word speak Philpot. If I cannot prove what I have said by good authority I will be content to be counted an heretick or ignorant person or what you please Story Let 's hear what wise authority you can bring for it Philpot. It s the saying of Christ Joh. 12.48 The word that I have spoken the same shall judge you in the last day and if in the last day much more now our doings ought to be judged by it I
London and among the Gentlewomen that have been tenderly brought up and ancient People and weak People and Shopkeepers especially women that take but little of the cold ayr the dipping them in cold water in the course of nature would kill hundreds and thousands either suddenly or by casting them into some Chronical disease Answ Observe all Mr. Baxters proof is nothing but he dare say so let the Reader observe that but was there ever such a piece of Divinity seen as this Surely Mr. Baxter is much afraid of losing of Gentlewomen that are tenderly brought up and such as take but little of the cold ayr and Shopkeepers he knoweth well that such usually have the heaviest purses and if he lose them he loseth a great part of his Religion as it s well known to most men that they will preach no longer then they are paid for it nay they will be sure of it beforehand and therefore now he speaks things that he ought not for filthy lucres sake Titus 1.11 saying in effect that if they obey the Ordinance of Christ it will kill hundreds and thousands of them if not suddenly yet afterwards He could not nor dare not positively say suddenly because there are hundreds and thousands now alive not onely baptized people but also others yea of his owne judgement that can prove him a false speaker by what they have seen and known But it seems it will cast them into diseases that will kill them afterward Answ But he did not tell us how long after it may be they might have dyed as soon if they had never been dipped for all must dye afterward or else never therefore every fool may see his folly in this But he desperately proceeds like a man resolved not to take heed to his tongue which as James saith chap. 3.6 is set on fire of hell and wherein is a world of iniquity I know not saith he what trick a covetous Landlord can find out to get his Tenants to dye apace that he might have new fines and heriots likelier then to encourage such preachers that he may get them all to turne Anabaptists and covetous Physitinas methinks should no be much against them Catarrhes and Obstructions which are the two great fountains of most mortal diseases in mans body could scarce have a more notable means to produce where they are not or to increase them where they are Appolexies Lethargies Palsies and all Comatious diseases would be promoted by it So would Cephalalgies Hemicranies Phthises debelity of the Stomack Crudities and almost all Feavers Dissenteries Diarrhaeas Collick Iliack Passions Convulsions Spasmes Tremors c. all Hepatick Splenetick Pulmoniack Persons Hypocondriachs will soon have enough of it in a word its good for nothing but to dispatch men out of the world that are burdensome and to rank Church-yards And all this is proved by Mr. Baxters dare say so Sound Divinity and plain Scripture-proof even such as Mr. Baxter hath made use of all over his book But was there ever such doctrine as this preach'd by Christ or any of his Disciples would not any Rational indifferent man take Mr. Baxter for a Mountebanck rather then a Divine and that he hath more skill in curing bodies then souls And may not any man that hath read and beleived the Scriptures and desires to walk according to that blessed rule prescribed in them and to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints by them may not such say of Mr. Baxter as Paul said to Elymas the Sorcerer when he would have turned away the deputy from the faith O full of all subtility and all mischiefe thou Child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord And though I cannot say as Paul said Thou shalt be blinde for a season yet I can truly and with a good Conscience say he is spiritually blind already and to prove it to his face for Peter exhorts the Saints that have the eyes of their understanding opened to give all diligence to add to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledg and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten that himself was purged from his old sins 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9 c but whether he hath shewed any of these forenamed vertues in all this Argument I leave it to the wise to judge But I leave him to stand or fall to his master and proceed to Answer a fool according to his foolishness as I am commanded Prov. 26.5 lest he be wise in his own conceit And first if it be the only way for covetous Landlords and Physations as he saith then if the Devil had not put it in their heads before yet Mr. Baxter like a diligent Servant hath done it now Secondly as concerning his new-found diseases he talks of I shall ask him two questions First Whether he can say in his conscience that he ever did know of his owne knowledge any baptized person dye of it or fell into any of these diseases afterwards I question not if he had known any such he would have put downe their names in his book although all rational people know that they may fall into some disease after they are dipped in water and yet that not be in the cause of it no more then it is to them that never were dipped Againe we have through mercy plenty of faithful witnesses both old and young Gentlewomen and Ladies wise and honourable with many other people both of strong and weak constitutions that can prove Mr. Baxter a false accuser and an inventer of evil things in this particular And as for my owne part I can boldly say with a good conscience in the presence of God to his glory that I have known many weak and sickly before that have recovered health and strength afterwards and some immediately in a few dayes yea and that when they have been so ill that all Doctors have given them over but I never knew any miscarry in my life so mightily hath God gone along with us owning his owne Ordinance If any shall be so foolish as to say that people become Ranters afterwards and that 's a sign of judgement and not of Gods owning it as his owne ordinance I answer that is after they are again gone away from the faith and deny the Ordinance of Christ which once they owned then as Peter saith It had been better for them that they had never known the way of truth then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment once delivered to them But more of this in answer to his last Argument My second Question is to Mr. Baxter Whether he be not convinced in his conscience that some or all of these diseases that he speaks of do not frequently
went first down into the water or else how could he come out of it and the Scripture saith John 3.23 that John baptized in Enon neer to Salem because there was much water there c. But Mr. Baxter hath given a learned answer to that Scripture viz. That Travellers report that the River Enon where John baptized is but a little Brook that a man may almost step over and that he had from some lying Traveller or other for the Proverb is that Travellers may ly by authority O fearfull wickedness and surely want of the fear of God and love to the truth of his word that a Divine a professed teacher of others should turn aside his eares from the truth of the Scripture that saith there was much water there and that was the cause that they carried there to baptize I say that he should turn aside his ears from such plain Scripture to believe a Man nay a travelling Man who are suspected of all Men to be lyers in many things A desperate afrront to the word of God which is true from the beginning Why may not Mr. Baxter as well believe Sir John Mandevil as well as another that telleth us of Men that are born with but one foot and yet go as fast with it as we can do with two and it is so big that in the heat of the day they can lay them down on their backs and hold up their foot against the Sun and it shades their whole Body and of other Men that have no head at all but their eyes and their mouth stand in their Brests This is Travellers news if Mr. Baxter will believe it and Sir John was to believed be for ought I know as soon as the Taveller that told Mr. Baxter that the River Enon was but a little Brooke that a man might almost step over But it s a good turn the almost is in but is this Mr. Baxters plain Scripture-proof Then the Lord be praised that hath delivered my Soul from believing of him and such as he is and let every poore Soul labour to save themselves as Peter saith Acts 2.40 out of the hands of such an untoward generation which speak things they ought not and believe Travellers reports rather then the truth of the word of God and all for filthy lucres sake But again What if we grant that the Travellers words are true will it therefore follow that the River Enon is no bigger in no place then it was where the Traveller could almost step over Are there not many Rivers in England that are very little in some places and yet in other places very large I cannot think but Mr. Baxter doth know that it is so and if so then Enon might have much water in another place though but a little where the Traveller was Further He saith the Jaylor in the night in his house was baptized but the Scripture saith that He tooke them the same hour of the night and washed their Stripes and was baptized he and all his straightway and then he brought them into his house and seâ— meat before them and rejoyced believing in God with all his house Now if the Jayler took Paul and Silas it implies they took them out and the next words prove it plainly for it saith He brought them into his house His next is this Mr. Baxter saith that we desperately conclude that if it be Gods way he will save our lives how probable soever the danger may seem to be to which he answereth four things 1. He saith this is to beg the question nay he saith he hath shewed and is a shewing that it is not Gods way Answ 1. If he hath shewed any thing already in these six Arguments which do prove baptizing of believers not to be Gods way I leave it to the Reader to judge when he hath considered his Arguments and my Answers and compared them both with the word of God by which we ought to try all things Againe He saith he hath shewed and is a shewing that it is not Gods way by which the Reader may take notice that Mr. Baxter is conscious to himself that he hath not yet proved it to any purpose and therefore he saith he is a shewing that it is not the way of God Answ Well then we will take notice how he proves it hereafter for by his owne confession it seems he hath not proved it yet 2. He saith God must not be temped This was the Devils trick to have drawn Christ under pretence of Scripture and of trusting God to have cast himself into danger of death Answ But therefore that way which the Devil tempted Christ to walk in was never the way of God but baptizing men and women when they do believe hath been and is the way of God Act. 8.12 Again whereas you say the Devil tempted Christ by pretending the Scripture I answer it is true he did so but there was no Scripture that said Cast thy self downe nor yet that said He shall keep thee at any time as I have shewed you already at large in answer to your tenth Position And so likewise when you tempt men and women to baptize their little children you also pretend Scripture but you have none that say they should or ought to be baptized nor any Scripture that sheweth that ever they were baptized in all the word of God and therefore I well remember how angry you are with us in your 10 Position for asking you for a Scripture to prove baptisme of Infants calling of us bruit beasts c. Therefore whose practice is most like the tempters yours or ours I leave it to the impartial Reader to judge 3. You say we might have said to the Disciples That if it were Gods command to keep the Sabbath then they needed not to rub the ears of corne for God could sustain them without Answ So we might if it had been Gods command so to keep the Sabbath as not to eat on the Sabbath day but it was not for they might eat and did eat on the Sabbath dayes Exod. 16.22 23 24 25. although they were not to kindle files to bake or seeth or rost on that day and therefore this your Objection is worth nothing for there is both command and example to baptize men and women when they believe all the world over See Matth. 28.19 20. Mark 16.15 16. with Act. 10.48 and chap. 8.12 but there is no command nor example to compel or perswade men to fast on the Sabbath day more then of another day therefore your Argument is frothy and vain 4. You say If it were a Duty yet when it is inconsistent with a greater duty it is at any time sinful for it is alwaies a sin to prefer a less duty before a greater But the duty of self-preservation is a moral duty and baptizing is but positive therefore it is a sin to prefer it before self-preservation Answ Now I hope Mr. Baxter hath laid himself open to
purpose so that all men may know him to be one of those that Paul speaks of 2 Tim. 3.1 2. in these words This know also that in the last daies perillous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers c. Now whether it doth not appear that Mr. Baxter is a lover of his owne self more then of Christ when he prefers self-preservation before obeying the command of Christ and following the example of Christ I leave it to them that fear God to judge for Christ saith If ye love me keep my commandments John 14.15 and He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me vers 21. But he that loveth Father and Mother Wife or Children yea or his one life better then me saith Christ is not worthy of me and He that will save his life shall lose it Mat. 10.27 38 39. And truely if Mr. Baxter make so much of following Christ into the water how will he follow him through the fire if he should be called to it It is very probable he would write as big a book against suffering with Christ as he hath now done against obeying of Christ in this Ordinance of baptisme of which Christ saith thus It becometh not onely him but also us to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3.15 and yet for all this it is Mr. Baxters judgement that self-preservation doth become us better then fulfilling of righteousness in obeying this command or following this example of Christ as aforesaid Lastly I desire the Reader may diligently and in the fear of God consider how like Mr. Baxters counsel to us is unto Peters counsel to the Lord Christ Mat. 16 21 22 23. When Christ began to shew to his Disciples that he must suffer many things of the Elders and chiefe Priests and Scribes and be killed c. Then Peter began to be rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee even so doth Mr. Baxter say to us and especially to Gentlewomen old and weak People and Shopkeepers and women that take but little of the cold ayre then he tells them O be it far from you this shall not be unto you for I dare say in the course of nature it will kill hundreds and thousands of you either suddenly or by casting you into some Chronical disease c. Thus we see how Mr. Baxters counsel and Peters do agree in these cases therefore let all that truely fear God learn of Christ to answer Mr. Baxter as he answered St. Peter verse 23. in these words Get thee behind me Satan for thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men And thus I leave what I have written to the judgement of them that fear God and proceed to his seventh Argument His seventh Argument as he saith is against another wickedness in the manner of baptizing which he saith is our dipping of Persons naked as is usual with the modestest that he hath heard of which he saith further is a breach of the seventh Commandment which saith Thou shalt not commit adultery and therefore is intolerable wickedness and not Gods Ordinance To all which I answer Answ 1. I am sure it is an intolerable wickedness in Mr. Baxter and a breach of the ninth Commandment which saith Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour for him to say we baptize people naked and a thing which he never saw with his eyes as he confesseth when he saith he hears so It may be indeed that some which he accounts Christians have so little grace and of the fear of God in them as to tell him such lies as these and he is willing to belive them although for my part I believe I have baptized and been at the baptizing of many hundreds if not a thousand and never saw any baptized naked in my life neither is it allowed nor approved of amongst any that I know of But suppose that some men have been baptized naked when there were none but men together would this be such an unheard-of wickedness as Mr. Baxter talks of or can it be a breach of the seventh Commandment for men to see each other naked or if it be such an immodest thing as Mr. Baxter speaks of then the Disciples of Christ were immodest and broke the seventh Commandment for they were together a fishing and Peter was naked amongst them the Word saith expresly John 21.7 therefore if at any time any should have baptized a man naked being none but men together it is not such an offence as Mr. Baxter would make it to be I do not think but Mr. Baxter will allow that men may go into the water together to bathe them and yet not sin But Mr. Baxter doth confidently charge us with baptizing Maids naked as if he took it for granted that it were certainly true and therefore he breaks out into these words and saith If Mr. Tombes could baptize all the Maids in Bewdly naked and think it no immodesty he hath lost his common ingenuity and modesty with the truth Answ I confess if he doth such things I should think he had lost his modesty indeed but Mr. Baxter should first prove that Mr. Tombes or any man else did ever baptize any Maid or Women naked in any place in England he should prove this first and then he did something and had some ground to reason thus but till then he doth but wickedly labour by saying all manner of evil sayings on us falsly as Mat. 5.11 to cast dirt upon the truth of Christ 1. by supposing the thing to be so without proof saying If Mr. Tombes could do such things c. 2. by insinuating into the affections of men and women perswading them that it is so without question and saying Is not every good man sensible of the deceitfulness of his owne heart and that he needs all helps against it c. and would it be no tempation to Mr. Tombes to be frequently imployed in baptizing Maids naked let him search and judge Methinkes saith he the very mention of it could I avoid it is immodest Answ I wonder why Mr. Baxter saith If he could avoid it what could he not avoid speaking of untruths Is he predestinated to be a Lyer and insinuate into peoples hearts as if the things were certainly true which are but his owne suppositions And then he saith again Methink Ministers should have regard to themselves and not go so frequently into the cold water so often to baptize others Answ Truely they are careful enough for they never meddle with so good a work but I know Mr. Baxter is a lover of his own self and can give others of his brethren the same counsel and great need for good men are scarce they had need take heed they do not kill themselves in the service of Christ But it is very like that the zeal
of Gods house will never eat up nor destroy Mr. Baxter nor his Brethren the Priests of England for I never knew any of them go into the water to baptize either men or women for it is against their principle therefore he might well hold his peace in that thing and if the Anabaptists do it and it be so dangerous as he saith it his best way is to let them baptize as many as they will and then they will kill themselves the sooner if it be as he say and then he shall be quit of them But to conclude 1. We finde that in the daies of Christ and the Aposties they baptized both men and women in Rivers See Mark 1.5 with Acts 1.12 vers 37 38. and in AEnon near to Salem because there was much water there John 3.23 all this was allowed of and practiced by Christ and his Apostles Now if they baptized men and women in Rivers where there was much water we will be bold to follow their good holy and righteous Example notwithstanding Mr. Baxters foul mouth who doth not onely reproach slander and bely us but also the Lord Christ and his Apostles therefore we can through mercy well bear it knowing that the Servant is not greater then his Lord and if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of his houshold Through mercy we can rejoyce that we are counted worthy to suffer any reproaches for the name of our Lord Jesus But let Mr. Baxter and his Brethren know that they must one day give an account of all their words and actions to him that is ready to judge the quick and dead at his appearing 1 Pet. 4.5 who will come with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon and to convince all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him And then all Mr. Baxters serious protestations for the truth in one place of his Book chap. 1. pag. 2 3. and his cunning insinuations against the truth almost all over his Book will do him little good for then those which now are so zealous that they thinke they should do God good service if they should kill us John 16.2 will see their error But I heartily desire Mr. Baxter and the rest of his Brethren may see theirs before if possible And now to your eighth Argument which is as followeth That party and practise which hath been still branded and pursued with Gods eminent Judgements but never evidently with his blessings is not likely to be the way of God But the Anabaptists way and practice is such Therefore not likely to be of God The same saith Mr. Hall in his 19. Argument in his Fontgaurded To all which I answer If this Argument be good then thus the Amorites were followed on with blessings and enjoyed the best of the Land of Canaan 400. yeers together while the People of Israel were in bondage and in misery will you therefore conclude that the Amorites were the Children of God and that the Children of Israel were not the Children of God And likewise remember the poverty and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Disciples and how they were branded as much for Hereticks and wicked persons and such as knew not the Law and were accursed John 7.39 as you now brand us but dare you say that they were not Goods People Truly I remember the Prophet saith Psal 73.3 4 5. that when he saw the prosperity of the wicked and that they were not in trouble nor plagued like other men that he had like to have stumbled at their prosperity and to have said that they were Gods People but it seems ye have stumbled and are fallen so as to speak evill of Gods People because of their sufferings You further say What an hinderance the Anabaptists were to the Gospel in Germany by resisting the most painefull godly Ministers there be few Divines of note who do not bear witness of it frequently in their writings as Luther Melancthon Illyricus Zuinglius Bullinger Leo Juda Calvin with multitudes more and in pag. 140. you tell us Zuinglius was constrained to resist them with all his strength but it seems that was too little for you tell us presently that the Senate was fain to deal with them with banishments prison and death and then you tell us that Calvin did write a Treatise against them wherein he sheweth page 141. that the Anabaptists were divided especially into two Sect one more moderate and simple that did boast of Scripture and pleaded Scripture with confidence for all they held but the other was a sort called Libertines which were above Scriptures and these you say pag. 142. are such as forsake their Wives and Children and laying by all labour do live idly and feed on other mens labours and when they abourd with filthy abominable lust they say its the command of their heavenly Father perswading Women and honest Matrons that its impossible they should be partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven unless they filthily prostitute their Bodies alledging that we must renounce all things we love best and that all kinds of infamy are to be swallowed by the godly for Christs sake and that Publicans and Harlots go first into the Kingdom of Heaven and of the treachery lying and sedition wherewith these People everywhere do abound there is no end nor measure And I pray say you are these your vertues do you yet thinke they designe nothing dishonest or can you deny the truth of these things no you say nor can any man shew you one of the Anabaptists who is not blemished with some of these forenamed wickednesses c. And now I hope by this time you have vented your deadly poyson that lay under your tongue against the Anabaptists To all which I answer first If all these things should be true that Mr. Baxter hath said as they are not yet it seems Mr. Baxters Religion is so tottering and ready to fall that he is faine to underprop it with the Anabaptists failings or rather with the grossest wickedness of those that have Apostatized from us and is glad to discover the gross darkness of the worst of men or else his own light is so small that it will not shine and when he hath reckoned up the worst of all wickedness that those that have apostized from us have committed he would lay it all upon us and wickedly affirmeth that there is none of us free from it And when he should prove what he promiseth namely that the Anabaptists hindred the preaching of the Gospel in Germany his proof is nothing but telling us most writers of those times do testifie it To which I answer He might as well have asked his fellow-Preists if it had been lawfull to take Tythes and he had been sure to have had the testimony both of their words and writings for it as he hath now against the Anabaptists
they were so when he had left them in the judgement of the learned Priests and Rulers as appeareth Act. 4.13 Thus all men may see how contrary the Priests of this Nation do walk to Christ and his Disciples Object But Christ was able to teach them all wisedome and did give them extraordinary gifts for the perfecting of his work but now there is none such therefore men must get abilities by humane learning Answ This is a gross mistake for we have nothing else to do but to beleive and obey that word which was by them preached when they were so indued with those gifts aforesaid And now if any man preach he must preach that word 2 Tim. 4.2 3 4. for that is able to do all the work of conversion and sanctification and to make us wise to salvation through faith in Jesus and to make the man of God perfect and throughly to furnish him unto all good works chap. 3.15 16 17. And if men or Angels preach any other Gospell then what they preached let them be accursed see Gal. 1.8 9. and therefore we are commanded to stand fast and hold the traditions which they have taught us whether by word or epistle see 2 Thess 2.15 and the Lord Christ prayeth for all those that shall believe in him through their word John 17.20 therefore they are the Preachers by whom I do believe and the word is already preached that I must believe and obey therefore no need of a little dirty humane learning to make a man a preacher of that which is so plainly preached already but every English man may declare it to his Native Country-Men and so may Men in all Nations 2. Whereas you say Christ taught them then himself I answer so he doth now teach those that desire to be taught of him and I question not but some are so well taught by him that they are able to stop any of your mouths by sound Doctrine that shall oppose them And thus have I given you another reason of our dissenting from the Church of England The third reason is their lying deceit even when they are exercised in the holy ordinances of Christ as I shall make appear by shewing the depth of their deceits concerning their baptizing of Infants which they have no word of God for but have successively brought it along with them from Rome as appeareth thus When Luther and others separated from Rome they were not baptized againe after they separated but brought Romes baptisme along with them notwithstanding they confess that it is a false antichristian Church a den of theeves a cage of unclean and hatefull birds from which all Gods people are commanded to separate and touch no unclean thing and then he will receive them 2 Cor. 6.17 yet they will and do still touch their baptism which is the ground and root from whence all other branches do spring for without baptism there is no visible Church all will grant that own ordinances but they being thus far charged they presently fly from the Church of Rome and plead their own innocency and purity in separating from them the which I deny so long as they retain the Popes or Divels baptism But they will tell that the Ministers of England have given us great satisfaction in shewing the reasons why Infants ought to be baptized which are as followeth in the Sacraments or things so called Quest What is required of persons that are to be baptized Answ Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Quest Why then are infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform it namely this faith and repentance Their owne answer again is this Answ Yes They do perform it by their sureties which promise and vow both that is to say both faith and repentance in their names Well thus far we have drove the matter and now we will hear what the Scriptures say for themselves and the children they answer for thus When a poor Child is to be Christened as they call it or rather cozened as I call it then the Minister doth demand of the Godfathers and Godmothers as they call them these ensuing questions 1. Dost thou forsake the Devil and all his works the vain pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh so as thou wilt not follow or be led by them Answ I forsake them all I say It is well if they do Quest 2. Dost thou believe all the Articles of the Christian faith c. Answ All this I stedfastly believe I say it is well if they understand them first Quest Wilt thou be baptized into this Faith saith the Priest to the sureties Answ It is my desire say they when they never intended it because according to their owne judgement they were baptized in their infancie before they knew it Thus all rational men may see what abominable lyes they tell when they are about baptizing infants the God-Fathers and God-mothers saying it is their desire to be baptized into that faith when there is no such thing intended and then they take the poor child that knew nothing of what they said or did together and sprinkle a few drops of water upon its face putting to or taking the name of Christ in vain over it and then they say it is a Christian and fall a praying that it may lead theremaining part of its life according to this beginning And now let all that fear God judge whether there be not wickedness lying and deceit used in them baptizing or ingrafting members into the Church of England yea such lying and deceit as all men may see if they be not wilfully blinde Therefore now let all men take heed henceforward how they satisfie themselves with such frothy stuff with such lying and deceit instead of the truth of Jesus Christ which is able to save their souls that cleave to it and contend earnestly for it but all lyers whosoever doth either love or make lies shall have their part in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death See Rev. 21.8 with chap. 22.15 But now the great Objection by which men think to save themselves from the guilt of all this evil is this O say they but we have laid aside the Common-prayer-Book and we will no longer owne the things therein contained Answ Then it seems you grant that it was not of God but of Satan and therefore you have laid it aside for if it were of God it is your grievous sin to lay it a side and not practice it for you and I and all Christians ought to lay down our lives for the truth of Christ rather then let it be laid aside 2. But have you laid aside your baptisme that you had by the Common-prayer-Book I speak to all you that are 16 or 20 years of age and upwards if you have not