thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest another dost the same thing Roman 2.1 If you will needs find fault with us you must repent and return to the Parish again As to your odious foul language of sacrilegious Church-breakers I answer 1 Pet. 2.20 21 22 23. hereunto are we called from the example of Christ when we are reviled not to revile again but to commit ourselves to him that judgeth righteously Your eleventh Consideration followeth and for substance this THat Baptisme is no constituting principle of a true Church yea probably no part of Churchship or the visibility thereof and that the Apostles did not so look upon it as being either 1. Because in his inscription to the Churches be mentioneth their sanctification calling to be Saints c. but not their Baptisme 2. It is not mentioned by way of commendation either of Church or person more than the observance of other Ordinances That Baptisme is so essential to a right raised Church of Christ that without it there can be none in the right order of the Gospel I have proved already in my Answer to your third Consideration To the Reasons you give why the Apostles did not look upon the Baptisme of the Churches as any part of their churchship or visibility thereof I shall now address my self to make answer Your first is because in the inscription of his Epistles to the Churches he mentioneth their faith with divers other things but not their Baptisme If this be ground to presume that the Apostles looked not upon their Baptisme as any part of their-churchship or visibility thereof then neither was their preaching or hearing the Word nor breaking bread nor watching over one another nor admonition in case of sin neither is the great duty of prayer any part of their churchship or visibility thereof for there is none of all these mentioned by name in the inscriptions of his Epistles to the Churches but I know it is farre from Mr. Goodwin to say that these duties were no part of their churchship or visibility thereof and if these were not I marvell what were This therefore is so farre from being a reason that it hath scarce the appearance of one But 2. You say it is not mentioned in Scripture by way of commendation more than other Ordinances Here Sir but with respect to your gravity and my own obligation of respects to you I must crave leave for the truth sake to say that our affirming there can be no true raised Church without Baptisme doth not force us to find that Baptisme must be commended in Scripture above other Ordinances nothing lieth upon us but to shew what service Christ hath appointed it to and not what preheminence of commendation the Scriptures give to it above other Ordinances neither doth Christs choise of this Ordinance for the service we speak of necessarily imploy the superexcellency of it above others no more than faith its justifying us and not love proveth faith to be a more noble grace in the nature of it than love love is said to be greater than either faith or hope 1 Corinth 18.13 love being a giving grace having the whole world for its object but faith a receiving yet notwithstanding the honour of that high and excellent service of our first justification is given to faith and not to love Rom. 5.1 Gal. 2.16 So here though Baptisme should be found a lesse noble act of obedience than some others yet it will not follow from thence that it s not the Ordinance of initiation into the visible body of Christ For a Souldier to behave himself worthily as a Souldier more commendeth him to God and men than his listing himself yet is he not reputed a member of the Army without it Let this therefore suffice to be spoken against all the insinuations you give throughout your book against Baptismes having the honour of entring persons into the visible body of Christ because of the meanness of it least you be found reproveable for objecting against Baptisme for the bodies visible incorporation as the Jews was against faith for justification because to them works seemed more sightly and agreeable to their reason Your twelfth Consideration for substance this VVHen the Apostle Paul instructeth Christian Churches what manner of persons they are who are unmeet for Christian communion he mentioneth fornicators 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thes 3.6 covetous railers and the like but never unbaptised persons 'T is true Paul was wiser than to write any thing in his Epistles to the Churches by which he should suppose them guilty of that wherein he knew they were not in fault doth he not write to the whole Church of Corinth 1 Corinth 1.13 Were ye baptised in the Name of Paul nay 1 Cor. 12.13 Doth he not say We are ALL baptised And doth he not praise them 1 Corinth 11.2 that for the matter of Ordinances they had kept them AS he delivered them unto them and he delivered them from Christ 1 Corinth 11.1 and we have proved already that Christs Order was to baptise all the Disciples presently without delay And if all that hath been said in answer to your third Consideration be not enough to this point I heartily desire the Reader to lay to heart that which followeth To prove that no persons were reputed of the visible body of Christ before Baptisme and consequently farre enough from sitting down in Church societies without it I prove from the 4. of the Ephesians 4 5. There is one body which at the 12. verse is in plain termes and in words at length called the body of Christ Now that by the word body he did not mean it onely of the particular Church of Ephesus or any other particular Church of Christ but of the universal body of Christ it appeareth by that which he affirmeth concerning the body which belongeth no more to the Church of Ephesus than to any single Christian yea those many things wherein they are one he affirmeth as belonging to them in common with all the Scripture Christians in the world Now to accommodate his design of peace and love in the body he proceedeth to mention the many things wherein that body is one which he delivereth as so many notable Characteristical marks whereby all the members of that body may be known from all the world upon these marks I would fix the eye of the Reader behold then the Scripture marks of all the members of the visible body of Christ 1. They have one Spirit 2. One Hope 3. One Lord. 4. One Faith 5. One BAPTISME 6. One God and Father of all who is above all and in all and hath Christ linked their oneness in Baptisme with their union in those other things yea placed it in the order of words before their oneness in respect of God who is the Father of them all as being altogether the characters of a member of that body we speak of
because his opinion cannot look them in the face without blushing there being no sign of Death Buriall or Resurrection or any such like thing in sprinkling Oh that Mr. Baxster would lay to heart this one consideration and consider once again the high and holy design of Christ in Baptisme which considered evinceth against all contradiction that the form can be no other but by dipping or burying the body in water his design what is it but to make the Gospel word and the Gospel figure to answer one another as face answereth face in the water and to be brother Preachers of the same doctrine 1 Cor. 15 3 Rom. 4.25 Compared with Rom. 6.2 3 4. Col. 2.12 Col. 3.1 namely the death of Christ for sinners and the sinners duly to die to sin and to suffer for and with Christ Christs resurrection for the sinners justification the sinners duly to rise to Christs life here because of the blessed assurance of a glorious resuâ—rection to eternal blisse with Christ hereafter all which holy doctrine which is the substance of the Gospel is preached in baptisme P. 177. Cases of Conscience as well as the Word which maketh Mr. Perkins say thus The preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments are all one in substance for in the one the will of God is SEEN and in the other HEARD Now where is the will of God touching Christs Death Buriall and Resurrection and our death buriall and resurrection with him seen in the sprinkling of childrens faces Oh that we had an impartiall Judge The Apostle affirmeth of the Gospel 2 Coriâ—â—h 3.18 That we all with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord. And doth not the Apostle chiefly intend the Sacraments of the Gospel by the metaphor of a glass because they respect the eye as a glass doth whereas the Word preached respecteth the care And if we do but consider why Christ would have the Gospel preached namely to affect the hearts and soules of men with the goodness thereof It will easily appear that the form of baptisme can be no other but by dipping because in any other way the sign will no way answer the thing signified and so the glass being defaced the heart is not affected by the eye for want of a resemblance whereas otherwise the Ordinances being administred according to the last will of Christ where there is a full correspondence between sign and thing signified they goe hand in hand with the Word excellently aiding and assisting the holy design of the Word preached when administred upon the right Gospel subject namely a converted Disciple to Christ which Mr. Baxster p. 301. of plain Scripture proof calleth the most fully capabâ—e subjects the most eminent subjects the most excellent subiects and of whom the Scripture fully speaketh In the same place complaineth of Infant baptisme as dark in Scripture and hard to find notwithstanding his flourish of plain Scripture proof for it Be astonisht therefore oh ye heavens and horribly afraid oh earth that such a silly Worm as Man is such a thimble full of dust should dare to change Christs Ordinances and deface that glasse which representeth Christs glory and blurre the last will of him before whose judgement seat they must all appear to be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 and receive according to all the deeds done in the body Are ye stronger than he Your sixth Consideration being the very self same in substance with the first I referre the Reader to my Answer to that in which thou shalt find the Answer to this also onely there is a remarkable passage in the beginning of it which I shall have occasion to speak to when I come to answer the 18th Consideration Your seventh Consideration for substance this THat in the 6. of Hebr. 2. the word Baptismes which is there reckoned amongst the foundations or beginning doctrines of Christ being in the plurall number it is not easie to determine whether by it be not meant variety of formes in baptising or a variety of subjects of Baptisme rather than a variety of Baptismes To which I answer why should that be hard to you or any man else which the Scripture hath made easie As for variety of subjects the Scripture is silent we read of no subjects but discipled persons made so by teaching For variety of formes of baptising Disciples where is there any such thing so much as whispered But as for variety of Baptismes that the Scripture speaketh fully too though but one proper reall Baptisme namely that with water Math. 3.11 Luke 12 5â— which is the Ordinance of the Church the other namely that of the Spirit and afflictions being metaphorical and by way of Analogy to that which is reall and proper is called Baptisme yet Dr. Lusâ—ington upon the place saith that the Siriac Translation rendreth the word Baptisme in the singular number but be it otherwise why should we take hedge and ditch when the Kings high-way lieth just before us Your eighth Consideration for substance this THat with-drawing upon this accompt is a schismatical practise and a sin of a high nature I confess with all my heart that Scripture Schisme is a sin of a high nature and of deep demerit and that for the reason you give but that ours is that which the Scripture condemneth I utterly deny Where ever Schisme is there is separation but it doth not follow where ever separation is that there is Schisme 2 Corinth 6.17 Come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord God and I will be a Father unto you No body will say this separation of the Text is sinfull Schisme Sinful separation cannot be but from a body regularly united according to the direction of Christ and the example of the Primitive Churches because we have a positive Command to with-draw from every brother that walketh disorderly in the Church 2 Thes 3.6 much more every Society that is not built upon the principles of the doctrine of Christ I mean those which by Christs order concern orderly joyning but yours is such a one and therefore separation can be no schisme which onely respecteth Churches of a regular constitution such as the Church of Corinth was and the rest of the Churches mentioned in Scripture Sir when you can shew us a rule from Christ to gather Churches without Baptisme in all the new Testament then what you say corcerning us will come home to us and we shall be found guilty of that hainous sin But Sir if no such rule appear from Christ nor any such Church appear in all the Word of God then will not our separation from you be found that which the Scripture calleth Schisme but a conscientious with-drawing to perfect the work of reformation according to our solemn vow to the most High which yet would have been our duty whether we had vowed it or no. But 2. Why should our separating from you be counted Schisme more
into with hands lift up to the most high God wherein we vowed to go one before another in the work of reformation mark well TO GO ONE BEFORE ANOTHER not to stay one for another till all were satisfied and that both in doctrine and discipline according to the Word of God Now that it was Mr. Goodwins own sense as well as ours that every man was to judge for himself what was according to the Word of God and not another for him appeareth by his own practise upon it shortly after for notwithstanding all the obligations of love and friendship which the Parish of Coleman-street had put upon him to continue fellowship with them in that old way and notwithstanding all the promises of service on his part made to them upon their fetching him from Norfolk to Coleman street yet because of this solemn Vow to the most high God with other reasons in conjunction he thought himself bound in conscience to withdraw from them and actually did so and made this solemn Vow and Covenant one argument that induced him thereunto And did this solemn Oath before the most High justifie him in the like practise and will it fail us Or will Mr. Goodwin be so monstrously disingenious as to construe any after promise to walk with the Church in contradiction to this solemn Oath And yet thus he dealeth with us for which God forgive him that we may look like normous transgressors Our after promise to walk with the Church in the way we then was must either be understood conditionally that we found not the Word of God reproving it or else we supposed to make promises that should disable us from performing the matter of our solemn Vow attended with so many dreadful circumstances which a very little before we entred into which surely no ingenious man that considereth will ever imagine either that we did so or that it was the sense of the body we should do so And how unreasonable a thing it is and destructive to the honour and glory of God that any such engagement should be understood absolutely appeareth by the grosse absurdities that follow upon it for then Men should be locked up from any further progress in the work of reformation let the light shine never so bright and the call of the Scriptures be never so loud and that upon the penalty of promise breaking Nay if Mr. Goodwin himself hath not at another time said enough and more than enough to justifie our practise and condemn himself in this rash and hasty charge of us let the world judge In his fifth caution for Reformation according to the Word of God he hath this passage They who would have this golden Motto written as well in the heart as in the face of their Reformation must be FREE from all collaterall engagements unto other patterus besides the Word of God Mark Mr. Goodwin saith they must be free and yet calleth us faith breakers trust betrayers promise breakers because we use our liberty against a collateral engament to another pattern He addeth further in these words They meaning hearty reformers must not encline not so much as a dust in the ballance amounteth unto to any Reformation of any Church whatsoever further than they are reformed according to the same Word Further thus Doubtless no man ever covenanted to reform according to the example of any Church whatsoever in opposition to the Word of God or if they did they have cause to abhorre themselves in dust and ashes for it Why then do you force upon us such a sense of promising which standeth in such direct opposition to it Nay in the Margin thus To violate an abominable and accursed Oath out of conscience to God as surely that would be that kept persons from following Christ fully and held them in a half reformation is a holy and blessed perjury Good Reader this is Mr. Goodwins Text I leave thee to make the interpretation and give judgement whether we by his own principles deserve to bear the heavy burthen of faith and trust betrayers which he loadeth us with not onely in the beginning of his book but very frequently almost to the end thereof as if he took a kind of secret delight to mention us with dishonour Or whether Mr. Goodwin by making the charge proveth not himself inexcusable altogether both in the sight of God and Men and guilty to a high degree of breaking the royall Law of love to his Neighbour yea his friends and brethren of like pretious faith that ever had him in double honour and sought his good and comfort as their own and that too while he passionately complaineth of us for breaking the morrall Law His second Consideration for substance this THat supposing our way to be the sole Baptisme Ordinance of Christ the Churches which are not actually baptised with our very Baptisme are yet according to the estimate of God baptized our way with our very Baptisme and ought so to be estemed by us because they have a willing mind so to be To which I answer First it is a great and clear mistake that the Churches which are not actually baptised with our Baptism are yet notwithstanding esteemed to have been so baptised by God upon the accompt of a willing mind so to be Doth the righteous God of heaven and earth judge contrary to the truth doth he judge men to have actually done that which they never did 'T is one thing for God to deal gratiously by men as if they had been obedient because of a willing mind another thing for him to judge them actual obeyers of that command which they never did obey because thereof Though God accept the will in some cases for the deed where doth he judge the will to be the deed In the 2 Corinth 8.12 It is indeed thus written as Mr. Goodwin alleadgeth If there be first a willing mind a man is accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not But what then Doth Gods accepting a man according to that he hath prove him judging a man to have actually done that which he never did which yet is the conclusion Mr. Goodwin maketh to follow these premises For his other instance Math. 5.12 where he saith VVho so looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery Christ saith it is onely in his heart that is desire Yet because there wanteth nothing but opportunities for actual adultery the demerit of that sin may be imputed to him but the sin of actual adultery in a formal proper sense is not imputed to him In the Phil. 2 11. he saith God worketh in you both to will and to do therefore to will is one thing and to do is another and are they two things in themselves and doth God esteem them to be but one But secondly Though it should be granted that a through desire to obey a Command which yet is not obeyed for want of conviction that it is a
do without the joynt concurrence both of God and the Creature So also in the new Testament Acts 26.17 18. Delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Is not here much more put into Pauls Commission than he was able without God to do or will any body say that Paul acted short of his Commission or falsified his trust if he did not actually open all the eyes of the Gentiles and turn them from the power of Satan to God But Sir to convince you that there is more included in the Commission than was in the Apostles power to effect supposing the word Teach should signifie onely what you apprehend namely the speaking such things which are proper to make Disciples Consider this They are charged to baptise all they taught and was that in their power could they baptise any more than were willing to be baptised or should they have been judged falsifiers of their trust or acting short of their Commission for not baptising all those that should take horses and ride away from them when they had heard the Word It appeareth therefore undeniably that the very principle whereupon you found the absurdity is not good and consequently no force in your argument but this being all you have levied against my Brother Allens Argument built upon the Text and being found weak his conclusion lifteth up its head and that is that it is disorderly for persons to hold Church-Communion before Baptisme because Baptisme by Christs order was the next thing to be done after discipling and that immediately Secondly A second Argument to prove it a disorderly Practise for the Disciples to hold Church Communion before Baptisme is this If the Scripture maketh Baptisme the gate or entrance into the visible Church or Body of Christ Then is it a most disorderly practise for persons to sit down in Church-society without it But the Scripture maketh Baptism the gate or entrance into the visible Church or Body of Christ Mr. Goodwin denâ—eth now in effect that Baptisme is the Ordinance of entrance into the visible Body of Christ yea he is so far from thinking so P. 61 Of his Water dipping that he thinketh the injunction of it is but after the manner of the free-will offerings under the Law so that men may either obey or not obey without sin yea P 48 Water dipping that a Church may be of as sound and worthy a constitution without Baptisme as with it Now before I make particular answer to Mr. Goodwins Exception to the interpretation of the Scripture alledged to prove it I desire to make one observation which I would commend to the serious consideration of the Reader which is this That notwithstanding the vast variety of differences in the judgement of Professors about other matters of Christian Religion both learned and unlearned in so much that setting aside some few famous fundamentals it is a hard matter to find two men universally agreeing Yet for this opinion that Baptisme is the Sacrament of entrance into the visible Church of Christ all the Professors of Christian Religion hath met in it as one man as far as I ever yet heard or read of whether Papal Prelatical Presbiterial or Independant or Anabaptist except some few persons lately the most whereof are given to Seekerisme And is not that opinion justly to be suspected for an error that crosseth the judgement of almost all the world reputed Christian as well those that are under no temptation by worldly respects to baulk the naked truth as those that are This Argument I confess amounteth not to a demonstration but it justly provoketh an eye of jealousie over that opinion that singleth a man out from all his brethren of like pretious faith and rendreth him like the Widdow Paul speaketh of desolate I shall now proceed to establish this truth by shewing the invalidity of your great exception to the interpretation of the 1 Corinth 12.13 which Text my Brother Allen insisteth on to prove it the words these By one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body my Brother Allen understandeth with Mr. Baxster and the generally reputed Orthodox the word baptised properly of water Baptisme P. 342. Of plain Scripture Mr. Goodwin will needs understand it just now of Spirit Baptisme but why P. 68 72. Of his water dip because the Text saith By one Spirit we are baptised and as for water it is not mentioned To which I answer 1. The not mentioning of water is no Argument that the Text is not to be understood of water Baptisme because the word water is not mentioned in the Commission it self for baptising which yet notwithstanding is plainly enough interpreted by the Apostles to be meant of water Baptisme because of their practising it by vertue of their Commission So also in the 1 Corinth 1.13 14 15. the word water is not set down but no body in their right wits will understand the words otherwise Were you baptised in the Nume of Paul I thank God I baptised none of you But you say the Text speaketh of another Element P. 342. Of Insânts Châ—rch-Membership namely the Spirit 'T is true it doth mention the Spirit as a concurrent cause saith learned Baxsten but the Text speaketh of reall Baptisme 2. How frequently are effects attributed to the Spirit in Scripture in this sence Is not Baptisme the Doctrine of the Spirit as well as other duties Acts 1.2 Acts 2.38 Act. 8.29.38 Act. 1.48 and that which the Spirit exciteth to amongst other acts of obedience did not the Spirit send Phillip to the Eunuch as well to baptise him with water as preach to him and did not the Spirit inspire Peter to command Cornelius to be baptised and is not the proper office of the Spirit to excite men to and guide men in the performance of all dutie why then may not reall Baptisme with water being an act of obedience be attributed to the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 as well as any other acts of obedience whatsoever 3. To understand these words By the Spirit as a working cause and Baptisme as the effect agreeth to the context from the first verse to the 12. At the first verse No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost and is not that by the agency and working of the Spirit upon the heart perswading it to think so honourably of Christ as to call him Lord. The Spirits work is to raise the esteem of Christ in the soul The soules calling him Lord is the effect of that work In the like sense I humbly apprehend all the gifts spoken of to the 12. verse are attributed to the Spirit namely as so many effects of his operation as the cause producing them Which having treated on at large he cometh in the 13. verse to tell them that by the
God the injunction from heaven is very particular and express See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount Heb. 8.5 And Ezek. 43 10. Thou Son of Man shew the house to the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquity and let them measure the pattern viz. to build say you mark with ALL POSSIBLE EXACTNESSE according to it Now whether the Disciples sitting down in Church bodies before Baptisme be not directly contrary to the pattern and consequently a disorderly practise let the world judge 1. By the Scriptures where we have Christ commanding baptisme presently upon discipling Math. 18.19 which we see the Apostles practised with much faithfulness in the whole story of the Acts to which we have spoken already 2. Where we find the erection of the first famous Gospel Church the manner is thus reported Acts 2.41 1. They gladly received the Word 2. Were baptised And 3. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking bread and prayer but first you see they were baptised behold then the pattern in the Mount and must not he be next to willingly ignorant that doth not see this that is so plainly written that he that runneth may read it Why then if all other patterns be but seducers and that our duty is to build with all possible exactness according to the first pattern have you not justified our separation from you for resusing to build according to this pattern 2. Let the judgement of the learned Mr. Baxster Saints rest p 179 from Doctor Preston touching the primitive practise be taken This food we call the Eucharist saith Justin Martyr one of the most ancient Fathers from the practise of the primitive Church to which â—o man is admitted but onely he that beleiveth the truth of our doctrine being washed in the laver of Regeneration for remission of sinâ— which washing he expresseth thus Then meaning after faith and prayer they are brought to the Water and are BORN AGAIN OR BAPTISED in the same way as we our selves were born again for they are washed with water In the Name of the Father Son and Spirit But that which is home to my point is that no Disciple touched the Eucharist as he calleth it till first baptised indeed after Baptisme then he sitteth down with the body in full communion but not before 3. As we have the Scriptures of our side and the judgement of the learned on our side that this was the Primitive practise so we had you your self on our side at this point when you writ your letter to Mr. Tho. Goodwin p 7. Covenanting is not lawful before Baptisme is is evident because it is not lawfull for a Church to receive the unbaptised into fellowship with them as Members of that body neither is there example or APPEARANCE of warrant in Scripture for such a thing And at that time you were as confident as Confidence it self could make you Pag. 1. of what you then wrote as you there affirm or if you were not of other things yet of this because you say and that according to truth That there is neither example nor appearance of warrant in Scripture for such a thing Yea in that letter p. 5. Evident it is that those that were added to the Church were baptised before this is affirmed of them So that upon Principles of your own which is that we ought to build with all possible exactness according to the pattern you are condemned 1. By the Scriptures 2. By the learned 3. Out of your own mouth all which speak Baptisme to goe before Church-fellowship and consequently to walk otherwise a disorderly practise answer who can And the truth is if we are not to follow the customes of the Primitive Churches in worship in every thing that we can follow them in with this limitation Positive giving way to Morral which they did under the Law how are they a pattern to us how shall we understand where to follow them and wherein to leave them Upon the whole matter then I conclude that though by faith men become the Sons of God and that Christ owneth all true Beleivers for brethren yet they have not thereby a present immediate right to full communion with the Church simply upon that account because the same God that ordained faith the meanes of adoption hath ordained Baptisme to goe before visible membership into the Church of Christ much more before a constant sitting down in full Church Communion they then that walk otherwise cast off the Rule and so reproach the wisdom of Christ complain of the Rule as imperfect and become Judges of the Law Your fourth Consideration being of one heart and soul with the third I shall have the lesse to say to it it is for substance this THat persons that have fellowship and Communion with God are thereby immediately fittted for communion with the Church without Baptisme otherwise it is not against us This Proposition Mr. Goodwin supposeth proved by the 14. Rom. 1 2 3. Him that is weak in the faith receive you Again let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not the reason why he must be received and not despised is For God hath accepted him But how Mr. Goodwin or any man else can make this follow from thence that therefore all persons that have fellowship with God have a present right to Church communion without Baptisme I understand not For 1. The weak in faith that this Text speaketh of were baptised persons which appeareth by the sixth chapter where he useth their Baptisme as an argument to mortification and a new life That the words in the third verse So many of us is not partitive of the Disciples amongst themselves which Brother Allen hath proved unanswerably from the scope to which Mr. Goodwin hath made no reply and to the further clearing whereof I shall speak something in due place 2. Mr. Goodwin supposeth that the object of receiving is into Church communion when the Text saith Him that is weak in the faith receive you which I humbly apprehend is an ungrounded conjecture because the Apostle writeth to an establish'd Church whereof those weak ones were a part which by vertue of their membership were already in full communion with the Church Besides is it a reasonable thing to imagine that such a thought would enter into the heart of the Church to cast brethren out of fellowship with the Church of Christ that was regularly immembred because they were more self denying than others by eating hearbs which they did unto the Lord Rom. 14.6 Surely the Church wanted no exhortation to that so that this caution therefore serveth some other design as I humbly apprehend namely the common respect of Christians which strong ones can hardly vouchsafe to the weak for as the weak are apt to judge the strong so the strong to slight and despise the weak which is the words of the Text Rom. 14.3 Let
207. of his Commentary upon the Acts If Baptisme be given without faith whose seal it is It is BOTH A WICKED AND TOO GROSSE A PROFANING 't is true for reasons which were so to himself he was for Infant-Baptisme notwithstanding but the reason he giveth is no more a proof to us than Abrahams begetting Isaack proveth we shall have new heavens and a new earth Learn'd Vnsin advising when Baptisme is rightly and lawfully used faith It is P. 414. Catechis when the Rites instituted by Christ in Baptisme are not CHANGED And saith further that the Sacraments are no Sacraments where they are unlawfully administred Now compare these two learned men together Calvin saith the Church hath changed the Rite from dipping to sprinkling and Vrsin saith that where there is change the Sacraments are no Sacraments If then Calvin say true whereof there is no doubt that is that the primitive practise was dipping then in Vrsins judgement the Ordinance being changed to sprinkling it ceaseth to be any thing and so all sprinkled persons are unbaptised Further as to the subject P. 414. Of Catechis This condition is added speaking of beleiving unto the promise for they who are baptised cannot receive that which is promised and sealed in Baptisme but by faith so that without faith neither is the promise ratified nor the Baptisme AVAILABLE he goeth on In these words is noted breifly the right use of Baptisme in which right use the Sacraments are ratified to them which receive them with a true faith but in whatsoever corrupt and unlawful use and administration the Sacraments are no Sacraments Note well BVT ARE SACRAMENTS TO THEM ONELY WHO RECEIVE THEM WITH A TRVE FAITH But if any body say why but yet Vrsin was for childrens Baptisme as well as Calvin yes he was but mark the ground Whereas they say P. 420. Câ—techis Mark the 〈◊〉 slippeth out aâ— meaning the Antipaedo Baptists that unto the use of Baptisme faith is required We grant it but yet distinguishing of faith so that we say saith he actuall faith is required in those of understanding but in Infants is required an inclination onely to this actuall faith afterwards thus Faith is in Infants potentially and by inclination Thus by the help of this distinction he hooketh in the baptisme of Children But will this satisfie the conscience of any considerate Christian where is an inclination to beleive made the condition of Baptisme for any body young or old in Scripture Is there such a word and if there be none as surely there is not are these men ruled by the Word or rather do not they rule it Or is there any such thing in Infants as an inclination to beleive Is it not the judgement of these men that all Infants are born children of wrath by nature dead in sins and trespasses as dead to any thing that is spiritual as a dead man is to natural if so how come they to conceive of such their inclinations to beleive which is a spiritual thing and who can tell of any inclinations in Infants no one thing or other can any body tell by experience of any inclinations they had in infancy What a woful ground is this to administer Gospel-Ordinances upon Or is the next any better though they have not faith actuall yet they have potential faith and is that any more than to say they may beleive one day and is not that the condition of Pagans and Infidels and shall they be baptised upon that ground doth not this arguing savour of that Philosophy and vain deceit Paul warneth the Colossians of by which they were in danger of being carried after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Good Reader dost thou not perceive it I know that thou perceivest it But this is too great a digression I should now return to Mr. Goodwins pleas which render the standing of Baptisme doubtful but that labour is saved because I have proved already the continuation of Baptisme with Teaching I hope to the satisfaction of all unprejudiced minds and because my Brother Allen hath lately published a Book called Satisfaction for Seekers where the case touching an Administrator of Gospel-Ordinances in these times is handled with many other questions thereabout of near affinity to these pleas of Mr. Goodwins or rather the Seekers which Mr. Goodwin hath espoused and put so great a countenance upon them as if they had so much weight in them as to make the matter difficult whether the Ordinance of Baptisme be standing or no. Consider his words We do not intend that any thing hitherto argued P. 31. Of Water dip should be taken for a demonstrative or positive proof that the Ordinance of Baptisme is now extinct or not administrable without sin in the world He confesseth they are not a demonstrative proof of the death of Baptisme but it seemeth they goe a great way and say a good say to it the truth is Sir you fear not to make great adventures to come into your end you seem willing not onely to be content to part with Baptisme which Calvin saith one would fight to a hundred deaths rather than loose but to hazard the reputation of all the Ordinances rather than the true Baptisme of the New Testament should advance in the minds of men though the deceit of sprinkling be detected that it can scarce look the light of this day in the face what else meaneth your countenancing of the Seekers Arguments which lie as well against all the Ordinances as Baptisme and which heretofore you have trampled on like dirt Sir you say to Mr. Edwards that his Gangrena made great joy in hell whatever his Gangrena did in hell I know not but I beleive upon good grounds that your water dipping especially this eighteenth Consideration hath made more joy on earth amongst the Seekers Ranters and all sorts of non-Churchers than ever they had in all their lives before by how much you excell the most in parts learning wit c. by so much the more is their consolation that you seem to feel weight in their Arguments HEARK HOW THEY CLAP THEIR HANDS AND SING But to conclude Sir may not Baptisme say to you as Christ to the Jewes for which of my good workes doe yoâ— stone me Hath not God made the Scriptures concerning Baptisme upright why then doe you seek out so many inventions Your nineteenth Consideration being of one heart and soul with the eighth I shall wholly passe it over referring the Reader to the Answer of that in which he shall find the Answer to this also Your twentieth Consideration for substance this PEter being questioned for holding communion with Cornelius and his Company by the Brethren of Jerusalem he justifieth it by telling them they had received the holy Ghost as a testimony of their faith and doth not so much as hint any thing of their Baptisme in his justification and with that account they were satisfied To which the
Answer is ready 1. It appeareth clearly these persons the Text speaketh of were baptised persons Acts 10.47 48. 2. The Communion Peter had with them was after their Baptisme for presently upon the testimony of their faith by Gods giving them the gift of the holy Ghost Peter commanded them to be baptised in the Name of the Lord which was the manner of Peter and the rest in the course of their ministry Now if Mr. Goodwin could prove Peter broke bread with them between the time of their faith and Baptisme which is the matter Mr. Goodwin would prove lawfull by it then it were something to favour his cause but not home to the point neither because an occasional act with some few persons will not justifie the constant proceedings of a Church But why doth Mr. Goodwin think that this instance will prove mixt communion lawful Because Peter in his justification when questioned for eating with Cornelius insisted onely upon Cornelius his having the holy Ghost not his Baptisme To which I answer 1. The Scriptures silence doth not prove that he did not mention his Baptisme and insist on it too because the Scriptures doth not contain all the Apostles sayings Acts 2.40 With many other words did he testifie and exhort saying So John the Baptist Luke 3.18 with many other words 2. There was no necessity upon Peter for the justification of his eating with Cornelius to mention his Baptisme by name though he could not have communion with him without it because in those dayes a beleiving person and a baptised person was presumed the same Paul proveth they all beleived because they were baptised Gal. 3.27 And that 1. Because by the Commission of Christ all Beleivers were presently to be baptised Math. 28.19 And 2. Because none but such was the regular subjects of it Acts. 8.37 And 3. Because it was the constant practise of the Servants of God to call the Beleivers to Baptisme without delay Acts 22.16 So that the Apostles and Brethren understood him sufficiently as to their Baptisme by telling them of their having the holy Ghost as a testimony of their faith If they did not take that for granted it must be either because they doubted his understanding of the Commission of Christ or else his faithfulness in executing it or else their will to be baptised but there was no cause to doubt either nor Peters understanding the Commission or faithfulness in executing it because they had experience before of Peter in the case of the three thousand Acts 2.41 who the same day that they gladly received the word were baptised not their willingness Acts 10.33 because Cornelius was so ready to obey God in every thing that he had but a few fellows so that the mentioning of his Baptisme would have been like a kind of an impertinency 3. There was no necessity upon him to mention their Baptisme by name in his justification of eating with them though he could not have communion with them without it Because it is common both in Scripture language and common converse with men to include all appurtenances in the mention onely of some cheif part see for this John 5.44 Galat. 3.23 Galat. 3.2 Roman 10.8 Mat. 21.25 Acts 10.37 Johns Baptisme put for his whole Ministry Luke 7.30 Calvin calleth Baptisme an appâ—rtenance of faith p. 207. of his Commentary of the Acts. And no doubt this language was well enough known and understoood by the Apostles and Elders so that having mentioned the holy Ghosts coming on them as a testimony of their faith what need had he to draw it out in words at length that they were baptised and thus thou seest good Reader how Mr. Goodwin indulgeth every light appearance from the Scripture being passionately desirous to make that strait which God hath made crooked Your twenty one Consideration for substance this THat Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints one or other should be perfected by them and the whole body of Christ edified then certainly they have all right to Church-fellowship inasmuch as they have their callings onely by and resident in Churches neither are they in any probable way of perfecting them but onely when and whilst they are incorporated with them in their Churches respectively Eph. 4.8 11 12. To which I answer 1. It s true that Pastors and Teachers were given by Christ that all Saints should be perfected by them but it is as evident the Saints this Text speaketh of for whom they were given in speciall to serve as Officers in the Church and who had power to give them their call they were such Saints as were of the visible body of Christ who as they had other characteristical marks of the members of that body namely to have one God one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith so one BAPTISME consult the 4. and 5. verses of this 4. of Ephesians which Text Mr. Goodwin groundeth his Argument upon and you will find it so and although other persons that were discipled by the word taught but yet had not put on Christ visibly by baptisme into his Name The gifts of Pastors and Teachers were given for the perfecting of them too yet but secondarily not primarily those gifts primarily respect the body of Christ so marked as before is noted 't is plain in the 12. verse For the edifying of the BODY of Christ That unbaptised persons were not then reputed of the visible body of Christ I have proved at large already and although they might be Saints before Baptisme in the sight of God yet in the account of the Church none passe for Saints till then because their faith it self in Christ which maketh Saints could not be clear to the Church till then and that because Baptisme being one of the beginning doctrines of Christ Heb. 6.2 Acts 2.38 Mar. 16 16. and preached by the Apostles as a duty with repentance and faith and that in order to remission of sins and salvation in some sense or other should any man have stuck at it and refused Baptisme what ground would the Church have had to look upon the faith of such as sound nay had they not all the reason in the world to doubt the soundness of it because the character of a true lively saith would be found wanting namely universal obedience and they rejecters of the counsel of God Nothing in reason could appear as a ground to refuse it but the danger of the crosse following it I conclude then that though the truth of their faith made them Saints before God yet without publick profession of their faith by Baptisme they were not owned for Saints by the Church or any such persons whose faith was of the right kind let their professions otherwise be that they would be This is clearly the doctrine of the 3. Galat. 27. Ye are all the children of God by faith FOR mark as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ he proveth their
to meet on munday nights to edifie one another in faith and love Amongst other discourse which I cannot now remember I affirmed that the sight of them meaning our friends was a greif and burthen to me which following some words of easie misconstruction he concluded they proceeded from an absolute fall of affection to them and so presented them to others of the brethren that were wont to meet there which conceit got further rooting in the minds of the brethren by another unhappy circumstance The brother appointed to speak the next meeting before he began his Sermon began with this story making it the ground of no more meeting at my house To which I answer 1. Those words The sight of the Church was a greif and a burthen to me I said but the principle of them was not the want but the abundance of affection to them I say again the abundance of affection to them God is my witness who had indeed obliged me much which made parting with them the more grâ—â—vous and the necessity of that made me willing to be estranged from them that I might the better undergo the burthen this is the perfect truth which God the searcher of all hearts knoweth and this also was one main reason amongst others why I estranged my self from Mr. Goodwin afterwards But if it be ask'd why I did not reply to the brother who understood just contrary I answer I intended to do it after he had done his Sermon for it was before his Sermon that he began to speak of it but after his Sermon falling upon some discourse with Mr. Goodwin relating thereto I quite forgot being pressed with trouble and grief at some high words Mr. Goodwin then gave me This is the truth which the righteous God of heaven and earth knoweth for whose sake we now suffer by Mr. Goodwins unmerciful Pen To be injured by a common enemy 〈◊〉 no matter of wonder but to be wronged by ones father as it is a matter of more strangeness so of harsher recentment But it may be God hath bid you to cuâ—se me to take me off all glorying in men that I may be the more intire to himself me thinks I now find that Scripture hath a fresh edge upon my spirit Cease from man whose breath is in his nâ—strils Isaiah 2.22 for wherein is he to be esteemed 1 Cor. 3.21 Therefore let no man glory in man Your three and twentieth Consideration is THat there is no substantiall Argument produced to justifie such a practise nor you beleive ever will be Whether we have not given Arguments to justifie it more than one and that grounded upon the Scriptures and your own principles and indeed the principles of all the learned I referre to the judgement of the Reader As for that which you say by way of reply to my Brother Allens answer to your fourty Queries about Church communion I shall leave him to answer or be silent as he findeth cause onely it lieth much upon my spirit to shew unto your self if may be if not to your self yet to the unprejudiced Reader the palpable suffering of many of the Scriptures engaged in that service The first is the 2. of Acts 41. which Text my Brother Allen urgeth to prove addition to the Church and fellowship in it to follow Baptisme not goe before it and that 1. Because the Text saith they gladly received the Word 2. Were baptised 3. Were added to the Church 4. Continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship Now Mr. Goodwin will have it that Baptisme might be left out of the chain and yet they might have been Church members notwithstanding 1. Because those who are said to have been baptised in the former part of the verse are not said in the latter to have been added to the CHURCH but simply they were added or added unto Mr. Allen understandeth the Relative to those words added to to be Them according to the present translation and whereto both he and the Translators are guided 1. By the mention of the hundred and twenty Disciples in the Chapter before at the 15. verse to which these that were now converted were added which in the 47. verse of this 2. chapter are called the Church in plain English And the Lord added to the CHVRCH dayly c. And that the Relative to those words ADDED to were the Church or the hundred and twenty Disciples spoken of before Mr. Goodwin himself in his fourty Queries which I do not think were written above half a year before this Water dipping so understood it mark his words It cannot be demonstratively proved from the Scriptures that those hundred and twenty Disciples unto which it is here said P. 6. Of 40 Queries Acts 1.15 that three thousand were ADDED c. which a little before he himself calleth the Church in the same page But now all of a sudden Mr. Goodwin altereth his mind and will not let the 47. verse expound the 42. though the context as faiâ—ly leadeth to it as heart can wish but runneth us to the 11 of Acts 24. to know the Relative to the words added to in the 2. Acts 41. because there it is thus written And much people was added to the Lord. Here again you insinuate a difference in sense between those words added to the Lord and those added to the Church whereas in your Letter to Mr. Tho. Goodwin p. 5. you expound the joyning to the Lord spoken of Acts 11.24 of immembring into the Church your words these There is mention made of many that were added or joyn'd to the LORD i. e. say you were immembred into the CHVRCH Now what construction can any rational impartial considerate man make of this your shifting too and fro in this manner but as an evident demonstration that in fighting against us you labour to engage the Scriptures in a warre they have no mind too and so you loose your way and know not well where to set your foot not what ground to stand on The Lord make you sensible of it But again you say 2. It is said Acts 2 47. And the Lord added to the Church WHO saith Mr. Goodwin such as were baptised No but such as should be saved or were saved which was not by being baptised but beleiving Here Mr. Goodwin saith two things 1. That those that the Text speaketh of that were added to the Church were not such as were baptised but c. If this be not a strange proposition and as contrary to the Scripture as light to darkness I am under the enchantment Mr. Goodwin upbraideth me with so often for though it be true that those that were added to the Church were such as should be saved yet it followeth not that those that were added to the Church were not baptised nay it is plain they were by the 41. verse Then they that gladly received his word were baptised and the same day that is that they received the Word and were baptised there
were added unto them or the Church about three thousand soules who continued in the Apostles fellowship But by this doctrine of Mr. Goodwins Baptisme should be a crime rather than an act of obedience because he maketh the Church not to consist of such persons as have been baptised is this doctrine according to the form of wholsome words Doth not the Apostle write to the CHURCH of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.10 13. Rom. 6.3 4 Col. 2.12 Gal. 3.27 and CHURCH at Rome and Church at COLOSSE and the CHURCHES of Galatia and were they not made up of baptised persons But 2. Mr. Goodwin saith The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved which say you was NOT by being BAPTISED but beleiving Here Mr. Goodwin opposeth Baptisme to beleiving in reference to salvation but it is not by vertue of this Text He that beleiveth and is baptised shall be saved And by vertue of what Text of Scripture he doth it I know not for though Baptisme should not be looked upon as a condition of absolute necessity to salvation as faith is yet sure it is some way necessary to salvation it is plain in the Text and therefore not to be put in opposition to faith in reference thereto what a wide difference there is between making Baptisme equaâ— with faith as conditional of salvation which is the judgement of many learned men as you know and making it stand in opposition to faith in reference thereto as you doe Sir will that God that ordained Baptisme to be Faiths companion to serve the same interest of the pretious soules of men will he take it kindly that you toil thus to make them look like enemies rather than friends In a word Sir this doctrine is altogether unscriptural and as pleasant to the tast of a healthful soul as vinegar to the teeth But 3. and lastly you say though it should be read thus Then they that gladly received his word were baptised and the same day there were added to the Church yet the recording their addition to the Church after their Baptisme doth not prove their addition was BY their Baptisme The cause doth not require it neither doth my Brother Allen affirm it from this Text but onely that addition to the Church followed it and did not goe before it which was your own words heretofore as I have shewn already and we think it is safest to follow the Scripture pattern partly because of what you said heretofore that all others were but seducers but cheifly because of the express Word of God But whatever the matter is you think now one may goe another way and doe as well The second Scripture which in my apprehension suffereth under your pen is Math. 28.19 which I have proved at large already p. 13 14 15 16. of this book where I have laid down my Brother Allens Argument from the words and answered Mr. Goodwins objections against it in doing which the Reader will easily perceive that Text complaining of hard usage The third is the 1. Corinth 12.13 which I have also discharged the service Mr. Goodwin employed it in p. 18 19 20 21 22 23. of this book because the truth is it is not pleased with it The fourth which doth not onely whisper but cry out of injury is the 8. of Acts 27. And Phillip said if thou beleivest with all thy heart thou mayest The words its evident are an answer to the Eunuch who asked Phillip upon the sight of water what hindred that he might not be baptised Mr. Goodwin supposeth by these words THOU MAYEST he not saying to him THOU MUST is noted a liberty which he calleth an Evangelicall liberty concerning external Ordinances implying he might be baptised if he would he should not sin or he he might refuse without sin This I take to be the most unnatural unkindly and indeed injurious stroke of the Text of any that hath been touched Gird up therefore the loines of thy mind and consider good Reader that thou beest not hurt by this dangerous gloss of the Text. 1. If Phillip should have propounded Baptisme to the Eunuch upon such slight termes not as a duty on him but a thing indifferent he should have done that he had no warrant for from Christ Christ gave all his Commands to be obeyed not to be trifled with John 15.14 Ye are my friends if you doe WHATSOEVER I command you Revel 22.12 14. Blessed are they that DOE his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life Acts 3 22. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you him shall you hear in ALL things WHATSOEVER he shall say unto you And it shall come to passe that every soul that wil not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people that by hearing is meant obeying in this Scripture is your own sense Luke 6.46 Why call you me Lord Lord and DOE not the things that I say So that if Baptisme be one of the Commands of Christ Mat. 28.19 Acts 2.37 Mar. 16.16 as I have proved from Acts 2.37 and might do it from many others And 2. that Christ gave all his Commands to be observed John 15.14 Rev. 22.14 Acts 3.22 And 3. that he counteth those no friends of his that baulketh any of them 4. That he threateneth them with destruction that observeth him not in whatsoever he commandeth without exception of any thing yea that he distateth any ones calling him Lord that doth not obey him Then I think it followeth roundly enough that if Phillip should have propounded Baptisme to the Eunuch upon such termes of indifferency he should have betrayed his trust Reader what thinkst thou 2. To evince that Phillip by those words THOU MAYEST did not intend them by way of indifferency as to the Eunuchs obedience appeareth by this because then he should act by a differing Spirit from all the rest of his brethren the Servants of Christ that were imployed in the Lords work But he was acted by the same Spirit I shall take that for granted that the Spirit that said unto Phillip Goe near and joyn thy self Acts 8.29 that it was the Spirit of the ever-living God which acted Phillip thorough that negotiation he had with the Eunuch Now that Spirit inspireth Peter to COMMAND Cornelius and his Company to be baptised after faith Acts 10.47 Peter did not say you may or you may chuse but though they were deeply baptised with the Spirit yet Peter commandeth them to be baptised with water for all that In the Name of the Lord Jesus which was in full pursuit of his Commission which also is a clear interpretation of it that when Christ saith Disciple me all Nations baptising them his meaning was that they should having discipled them command the Disciples to be baptised In the Name of the Lord Jesus that they should lay it home to the consciences of the Disciples and a duty to be baptised into his Name and so bear the
the want of circumcision or being uncircumcised is nothing to hinder the Gentiles acceptation with God but now under the Gospel or in Christ Jesus as we have it in this Galat. 5.6 that which now heareth sway is FAITH Gal. 6.15 THE NEW CREATURE And in this 1 Corinth 7.19 THE KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD meaning the Commandments of the Gospel now in being which is the character of the new Creature in that 6. Galat. 16. As many as WALK ACCORDING TO THIS RVLE peace be on them So then of the doctrine of these Scriptures this is the sum That however Circumcision was a great priviledge heretofore and a matter acceptable to God and the want of Circumcision did debarre men from many priviledges which the Jewes enjoyed yet now neither will the one doe the Jew any good nor the want of it doe the Gentile any hurt but now Jew and Gentile meeting in faith the new Creature and keeping the Commandments of God now in being shall both meet in the self same priviledges and respects from God according to the 3 Galat. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither mal nor female mark for ye are ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESVS Upon the whole matter then I conclude that by those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in all these three places Galat. 5 6. Galat. 6.15 1 Corinth 7.19 the Apostle intendeth not the exclusion of any thing but onely to note that being uncircumcised or the want of circumcision would doe the Gentile no dammage no more than the presence of circumcision would doe the Jew no good now under the Gospel and my reason for this apprehension is grounded upon the 19. verse of the 1 Corinth 7. where those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION are given for the reason why if any Gentile was converted to the faith they should not be circumcised which words could be no reason why converted Gentiles should not be circumcised but upon supposition that being uncircumcised would not prejudice them 2 To understand the words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION of the shutting out of any thing as it must be of some priviledge of the Gentiles so it must be of some they had in distinction from the Jewes because he includeth all belonging to the Jewes under the word Circumcision but they had none in distinction from the Jewes therefore none to shut out as for the Ordinances of the Gospel they had them in common with the Jewes upon beleiving and before the Gospel they had none at all but lived without God in the world Ephes 2.12 To the Jewes onely were committed the Oracles of God not any to the Gentiles Romans 3.2 3. The scope and drift of the Apostle in this Epistle is to inveigh against the standing of the Jewish religion ONELY and that because the converted Jewes were very apt to be intangled with a conceit of the old Religion its being of force under the Gospel Galat. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again with the yoak of bondage meaning the Jewish Ordinances to which they were inclinable he was not troubled with their over esteem but their under esteem rather of the Ordinances of the new Testament therefore farre enough from offering any thing to their disparagement but on the contrary every thing to encrease their esteem of them that they might the more easily be brought off the old 4. The words as they lie doe not enforce us by those words Nor UNCIRCUMCISION to understand the shutting out of any thing consider them In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision He doth not affirm the same thing of uncircumcision that it doth not avail any thing as he doth of circumcision He saith indeed nor uncircumcision after his affirming that circumcision did not avail which at first sight doth tempt to that understanding of them but by comparing this Text with that other mentioned namely 1 Corinth 7.18 19. where we have the same words used by the Apostle to another Church and by a narrow inspection into them it appeareth plainly enough that his mind is not to suppose the Gentiles possess'd of any thing to exclude as available but onely to affirm that as Ciroumcision now under the Gospel would not avail so neither on the other hand would being uncircumcised unavail as hath been proved already If any one think that the supplying of these words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in the Text with the addition of these DOTH NOT UNAVAIL OR HINDER to compleat the sense that this is harsh To such I answer it is a most frequent thing in Scripture for the holy Spirit to express himself so that there is an absolute necessity of making such supplies which notwithstanding the scope context and clear reason of the thing leadeth to but I shall instance onely in these words in the 1 Corinth 7.19 Circumcision is nothing here is the same reason indeed necessity of supply to compleat the sense by these words DOTH NOT AVAIL as there is to supply the next words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION with these DOTH NOT UNAVAIL He then that complaineth of harshness in the one may as well complain of it in the other But if it be objected No because the 5. Galat. 6. giveth the sense of the words IS NOTHING in the 1 Corinth 7. to be availeth nothing or doth not avail any thing I answer so doth the Apostle his making those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION in the 1 Corinth 7.19 the reason why converted Gentiles should not be circumcised clearly give the sense of the words in the 5. Galat. 6. to be DOTH NOT VNAVAIL because thereby is a full reason given why new Converts should not be circumcised to which we have spoken at large already By all which it appeareth the Apostle intended not the exclusion of any thing by those words NOR UNCIRCUMCISION so farre was he from shutting out any of the Commands of Christ by them or setting some of them against others but this untrue supposition being the foundation of Mr. Goodwins Argument from the Text his whole building falleth to the ground with all his scoffes at the end of it The eighth and last Scripture that complaineth of the service P. 81. Of Water dip is Galat. 3.27 For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ You say questionless the Apostles meaning plainly and directly by the particle As many As is to part the Beleivers amongst themselves and consequently noteth a mixture of baptised with unbaptised persons in full Church communion This cannot be the meaning of the place that the words As many As doth not import All because such a construction of them spoileth the sense they being given as an account why he presumeth them ALL the children of God by faith Now for him to go about to prove them ALL the children of God by faith because of what was done but to a part of them had been to fall short
in his demonstration and consequently to loose his Argument so that parting the Disciples amongst themselves can never be the design of the Spirit in those words AS MANY AS 2. To confirme the Reader therein I referre thee to that proof we have made in answer to Mr Goodwins third Consideration by which it fully appeareth that there was no such thing in those dayes as Church-fellowship before Baptisme where I hope thou wilt have full satisfaction as in divers other places of this Book 3. Consider this the same persons that in the 27. verse are noted under the words As many As in the 28. verse are called ALL as well as in the 26. verse for YE are ALL one in Christ Jesus that the object of the word YE is not a part of the Churches but the whole as well in the 28. verse as in the 26. there is no question because there is nothing affirmed between to enforce nay not to invite to a restrain'd understanding them But if any one ask what the reason should be that the Apostle chuseth such words as these which for the most part are partitive and yet by them intend all and every individuall I answer For variety the scope and context necessitating them to be understood universally yea the word MANY is upon that account as I apprehend often put in Scripture for ALL as in the 9. Hebr. 28. He was once offered to bear the sins of many Now the 1 Timot. 2.6 saith He gave himself a ransome for ALL and Mr. Goodwin understandeth the word ALL largely as well he may So in the 5. Romans 15. If through the offence of one many be dead but by the 12. verse it appeareth by this word MANY he meaneth the whole posterity of Adam for he saith Death passed upon ALL men Now the words As many As served the Apostles design in this place with as much advantage every jot as the word All would do There being two sorts of persons become proselites to Christian Religion namely Jewes and Gentiles and the Gentiles being apt to think that they should not be the children of God upon so good termes as the Jewes because of the high respect God bear from the beginning to the Jewes more than the Gentiles and that therefore onely so many of the Church as were Jewes should become heires of that priviledge through beleiving the Apostle for their comfort doth assure them that not onely so many of the Church as were Jewes became the Sons of God by faith and put on Christ by Baptisme but AS MANY as were baptised into Christ though they were never so many and of what rank sex condition soever whether they were Jewes or whether they were Gentiles and though they were like the starres in the skie for multitude they had all put on Christ and were all members of the same body according to the next words verse 20. There is neither Jew nor Greek nor bond nor free nor male nor female but ALL one in Christ Jesus So that there is a strain of Elegancy in the Apostles varying the word All to As many As so farre are they from necessitating us to understand them parting the Disciples amongst themselves So I have done with the Scriptures which Mr. Goodwin useth to overthrow my Brother Allens Arguments levied to prove the unlawfulness of mixt communion of baptised and unbaptised persons in Church-fellowship besides these eight I doe not find any he useth to found any Argument on to answer him if then it appear that the Scriptures Mr. Goodwin buildeth on like not the service but in truth bitterly complain of it and whether they doe not so I referre to the judgement of the judicious Reader and let him judge of Mr. Goodwins whole building accordingly And whether Mr. Goodwin find that heaving at my Brother Allens Answer to his fourty Queries be but like the heaving at a feather P. 55. Of Water dip which he saith is too childish a posture for a man or rather whether the truth in it be not like a mountain rather which the greatest Giant heaving at though Mr. Goodwin himself cannot make to stir And now let all the world judge between us and Mr. Goodwin 1. Whether we are as lie representeth us Persons of a maimed fancy P. 4. Of Water dip having our reasons judgements and understandings stupified distraught and confounded that all reason opposing us is a Barbarian to us that common sense is a mystery in accessible to our understandings men of sound intellectuals are as men that speak to us in a strange tongue P. 41 42. that if they speak any thing against our way we know not valleys from hills nor hills from valleys rivers from trees trees from rivers halfes from wholes nor wholes from halfes precepts from promises nor promises from precepts ceremony from substance nor substance from ceremony every distinction that attempteth to shew us the error of our way Ipso facto becometh a Chaos and confusion On the other hand for the maintenance and defence of our way the shadowes of mountains seem valiant and arm'd men stubble and rotten wood are turned into weapons of steel and iron before us letter becometh spirit face becometh heart promise becometh precept ceremony becometh substance Apostles become ordinary men and women disputables become demonstrations and peradventures become all Yeas and Amens in respect of these marvellous and sad distempers in our fancies and understandings to reason with us about our way or to endeavour our conviction seldome turneth to any better account than a beating of the air or their Diogenes his begging applications to the statues of men 2. Whether these expressions may not be justly numbred amongst those cruel mockings which the cruel persecutors of old tried the worthies of the Lord with Hebr. 11.36 even those of whom the world was not worthy 3. Whether such contemptuous revilings be not the way to harden fallen persons in their sin there being no sign of charity in them but hatred rather than recover them and as directly contrary to the rule as flesh is to spirit 2 Timothy 2.24 And the Servant of the Lord MUST NOT STRIVE but be GENTLE TO ALL MEN apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill So also Galations 6.1 If a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESSE considering thy self least thou also be tempted 4. Whether these expressions are not directly contrary to the advice of the Spirit of God in these Scriptures following Phillip 2.3 In lowliness of mind let each esteem other BETTER than themselves Romans 12.9 In honour preferring one another Titus 3.2 Speak evill of no man Colos 3.12 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness