baptism shewing by the Scriptures I. Why Infants that cannot speak nor understand cannot be Church-members under the Gospel II. Why they cannot be Christs Disciples 6. To Mr. Baxters 8. Arguments by which he saith he proveth the Anabaptists way of baptizing sinful 7. Lastly I shall shew the reasons of our separating from the Church of England which standeth upon these four Legs viz 1. Infant-Baptism 2. Humane learning 3. Tythes their wages of unrighteousness 4. The Magistrates sword which they have used 1. to support themselves 2. to persecute and pull down others ERRATA Page 71. line 4. for send nothing can speak no salutations read speak nothing can send no salutations NOw according to the method propounded I shall proceed to shew First What foundation the Saints ought to build upon which Foundation is Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 for other foundation no man layeth then that which is layed which is Christ Jesus and the Apostle saith Eph. 2.20 that we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets of which Christ himself is the chief corner-stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth to an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit To this also agreeth the words of Peter 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5. If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices holy and acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And again it is also plain in the words of Christ to Peter when Peter said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God then saith Christ to him Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Observe upon what Rock not Peter as the Papists say for Peter is called a stone but Christ is called a Rock 1 Cor. 10.4 for they drank of that Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ and who that is a Christian knoweth not that the Church of Christ is built upon the Rock Christ and therefore David saith 2 Sam. 22.2 The Lord is my Rock fortress and deliverer and verse 47. The Lord liveth and blessed be the God of the Rock of my salvation c. All which I suppose will not be denyed by any that own Christ But the 〈◊〉 Question is How the Saints may or ought to build upon this Rock Christ Which is cleerly answered by these following Scriptures Mat. 7.24 in these words Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will lâ—ken him to a wise man that built his house upon a Rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not because it was founded upon a Rock c. From all which we learn that to build upon the Rock Christ is to hear his sayings and do them and those that hear his sayings and do them not are likened unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand c. and to this agreeth the saying of the Apostle Act. 3.22 23. for Moses truly said to the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all all things whatsoever he shall say unto you and it shall come to pass that every soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people and that destruction is an ever lasting destruction from the presence of God and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.8 9. Now seeing these things are so it standeth every soul in hand to search after the sayings of this great Prophet Christ Jesus and in searching they shall finde that he sharply reproveth all those that call him Lord Lord and yet do not the things which he saith Luke 6.46 and so saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 2.4 He that saith I knew him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyer and the truth is not in him and all Lyers shall have their part in that Lake which burreth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21 8. And thus we see the imminent danger that all those are in which say or think they are Christians and that they know Christ and will call him Lord Lord and yet not do the things that he hath commanded them nor keep his sayings the which danger to prevent I shall briefly endeavour by putting down his Commandments and sayings in order as they were spoken by him and practised by his Apostles and Saints in that generation And first The sayings of the Lord Christ after his Resurrection when he had obtained of God the Father all power both in heaven and earth are as followeth Mat. 28.18.19.20 And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even to the end of the world To this agreeth his words in Mark 16.15 16. And he said unto them Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned c. These are the words sayings and Commandments of the Lord Christ which we ought to hear and obey as aforesaid From all which words we observe 1 That he commanded the Gospel to be preached to every creature or all Nations 2 The end was that they might believe it 3 That those which did believe it should be baptized into his name 4 That those baptized believers were after to be taught to observe all other things whatsoever Christ had commanded his Apostles to teach them 5 To this practice viz. to a people thus walking according to this rule hearing his sayings and doing them the Lord Christ hath promised his presence saying And lo I am with you always even to the end of the world but the end of the world is not yet therefore Christ is still with those baptized believers which do thus walk Thus have I shewed the order of the words as they were spoken by the Lord himself I shall now proceed to the example of the Apostles and see whether they did act accordingly or whether they baptized children as well as believing men and women or whether John the Baptist did baptize any children And if it can be proved by any word of God that any baptized little babes that cannot speak or understand then I confess they that practise it may be born with and they which cry it down as Antichristian superstition and mans traditions may be to blame now therefore to the words and
day they go to Christs Schools to learn the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. may be also called the Scholars or Disciples of Christ Again as men commonly call all the Turks old and young that are born of the flesh into Mahomets Kingdome which is of this world Mahometans even so we call all converts old and young which are born again of the Spirit into the Kingdome of Christ which is not of this world Christians By old and young converts I do not mean beleivers born of the Spirit and their Children as they are born of the flesh but I mean such as are spoken of 1 John 2.13 13. in these words I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake I write 〈…〉 â—â—â—hes because you have known him that is from the beginning I wrâ—â—e to you young men because you have overcome thâ—â—â—â—ked 〈◊〉 And chap. 5.21 Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen By all which we see that the least Children that were in the Church that John wrote unto were such as had known the Father chap 2.13 and such as could understand exhortations to keep themselves from Idols Now as for Mr. Baxter's man that hired the Philosopher to teach his children he neither telleth us what man it was nor how old his children were nor what the Philosophers name was and therefore I shall pass that over as a cunning devised fable not worth the answering and proceed to the next which is That mothers can teach their children partly by action and gesture and partly by voice to take off from vices and infom in vertue And methinks saith he ye should not make an Infant less teachable then some brutes But saith he nurses witell you more in this then I can O excellent Divinity and plain Scripture proof from where we learn these two things First that if it be a piece of good Divinity to prove that litle children that can neither speak nor understand are the Disciples of Christ then Nurses are better Divines then Mr. Baxter for saith he they can tell you more is this then I can pag. 23. Secondly he saith What will you make an Infant les teachable then some bruits from whence Mr. Baxter seems to imply that some bruits are capable of being Christs Disciples or else why should he say Will you have infants less teachable then some bruits As if he should say Some brutes are teachable enough to be made his disciples and what will you deny infants to be his disciples methinks saith he we should not make an infantiess decible then some brutes I remember he crieth out against Mr. Tombs in pag. 19. for arguing ridiculously when he proveth plainly out of Psal 119.89 90. that the heavens and earth are Gods servans in his answer to his proving infants Lev. 25.41 41. and if servints then disciples saith Mr. Baxter In answer to which Mr. Tombs saith The heavens and the earth are his servants are they therefore his disciples to which Mr. B. for want of a better answer saith O what cause have we all to look to the tenderness of our Consciences in time before engagement in a sinful cause hath benâ—â—med and made the word of God to be of none effect tous But I leave it to the impartial Reader to judge whether the same sayings may not more fitly be applyed to Mr. Baxter in this place I hope Mr. Baxter is not so void of judgement as to think brutes teachable enough to be made Christs disciples but I am sure his words imply no less Indeed I remember Mr. Baxter doth say in the beginning of his book that he will not meddle with such Arguments as other men have wrote of before but new ones that never yet were handled and I must confess these are such new ones as I never heard but how much to the purpose I leave it to the Reader wisely to consider and then judge Again he hath another Argument from Act. 15.10 the which Mr. Baxter saith doth prove Infants disciples to all that will not grosly overlook the Text and pervent it Ans An heavy charge against us I confess to be perverters of the Scripture but how true it will prove you shall see by and by The whole substance of Mr. Baxters Argument in the 15 and 16 pag. of his book is this from Act. 15.10 Why put ye yokes upon the neeks of the disciples c. But that yoke was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and according to the Law of Moses children as well as parents were circumcised therefore children as well as parents are disciples But I wonder what Mr. Baxter would do with this Argument if we should give it him and answer nothing to it I confess amongst ignorant and sottish people that do pin their faith upon Mr. B. words it may be taking out amongst those that are of noble spirits to search the Scriptures before they believe as the noble Bereans Act. 17.11 12. it can have no influence nor take no impression because it s but half an Argument and so he hath done his work that he hath taken in hand but to halves If we grant him all he says that it is but half an Argument is evident thus The yoke that they would have put upon the neck of the disciples was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses but according to the Law of Moses none were circumcised but men-children therefore none else are disciples and therefore none but men-children are to be baptized by his own grant And so he hath done but half his work as I told you Secondly if Mr. Baxter please I will lead him step by step into the right understanding of this Scripture by Gods assistance thus What was the yoke Answ To be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and who was it laid upon then under the Law Answ Upon the Jews and their children And who would they have laid it upon Act. 15.10 Answ Upon the disciples as is plain in these words Why put ye a yeke upon the neck of the diseiples c. Who are disciples Here sticks the question still and it remains still for Mr. Baxter or Mr. Cook to prove infants disciples and then we grant they are those upon whom the false teachers would have put the yoke of Circumcision but the disciples of Christ are such as could deny themselves and take up his cross and follow him Luke 14. but little infants that can neither speak nor understand cannot so do therefore no disciples of Christ Lastly I shall cleer it by the words of the Text that the Apostle speaks of no children there thus Act. 15.7 we read that when there had been much disputing Peter rose up and said unto them Men and brethren you know that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and believe and ver 8. God
Separates and Anabaptists you say are your enemies therefore you cannot in conscience expect any from them because you war not for them but against them All you can have from that Scripture is that you should have charges of them you fight for and if they judge the quarrel good that you have in hand it s but reason they should maintain you in it but it must be freely or else if you force them you fight not for them but against them and make them your enemies and lose your priviledges Again You will say Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof Answ It is true but you never planted the Vineyard of the Separates and Anabaptists as you call them therefore you may not eat of the fruit of their labours except you buy it or take it from them wickedly by force nay you say we are not the Lords Vineyard but rather an accursed people like the ground that brings forth thornes and thistles therefore you cannot possibly expect any fruit of us for men cannot gather grapes of thornes nor figs of thistles Again you will say Who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk thereof Answ Truth but you do not feed the flocks of the separated people and Anabaptists nay you will and do say they are not the flock of Christ but Wolves and Tygers therefore if there be milk to be had amongst them you have no right to it because you feed them not neither can you in the second place expect any from them because you deny them to be a flock Lastly You will say We must not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn I answer It is not true but what is that to the other beasts that tread out no corn but rather destroyeth it and will not suffer it to grow till the Harvest but will pull up Wheat and Tares together contrary to the command of the Lord of the Harvest Mat. 13.28 29 30. and this is one reason of our dissenting or departing from all those Churches whose Ministers do thus covet after the wages of unrighteousness whose Priests teach for hire and whose Prophets divine for money and yet are so impudent as to lean upon the Lord and to say Is not the Lord amongst us and no evil can come upon us 2 Pet. 2.14 15. with Micah 3.11 The second reason is their pride because they plead humane learning to be the glory of their Ministry as appeareth by their slighting of all those that have not served an apprentiship at Cambridge or Oxford calling themselves Orthodox Divines and the other illiterate mechanick men and sometimes when you are so put to it that you have nothing to say for your selves then you will confess that learning is but the hand-maid and grace is the Mistress But I pray what part of Scripture do you finde this saying written in or is not rather one of your cunningly devised fables which Peter saith he never followed 2 Pet. 1.16 But doth any wise Christian think that grace being in the heart of a man or woman cannot do her own work without a maid or did any man ever read in the Scripture that humane learning was graces hand-maid if there be such a place let us see it but if there be not for shame leave this idle fantastical reasoning and know that it is but to set up self and flesh and the Devil in mens hearts for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.15 15. if they indure to the end Mat. 24.13 and Christs sheep are those that hear his voice and follow him and he give will them eternal life and none shall pluk them out of his band John 10.27 28. but he doth not say If they have humane learning or if they were educated at Cambridge or Oxford or at some University nay God is so far from taking delight in the words that mans wisdome teacheth that he saith he will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1.19 and he chuseth not many wise men after the flesh nor many mighty nor many noble but God hath chosen as James saith chap. 2.5 the poor in this world rich in Faith and heirs of the kingdome promised to them that love him and God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things and things that are dispised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are and this he doth that no flesh should glory in his presence See 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. and yet you will glory in your humane leaning saying at least it is graces handmaid when the truth is if grace be truely in the heart of a man it is able to do its work without an handmaid for the Lord saith My grace is sufficient and his strength is made perfect in weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 and the Lord is so far from setting up learned men above unlearned that Christ saith Luke 10.21 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to Babes even so O Father for so it seemed good in thy sight And it was alwaies Gods way or for the most part to chuse his Prophets out of unlearned men and honest labouring men that knew what it was to get their living by the sweat of their brows and not such as were brought up idly so that they cannot dig and are ashamed to beg and therefore prove unjust Stewards These are not fit to be Ministers of Christ because they must preach for hire or else they cannot live therefore they must please men and have mens persons in admiration because of advantage as Jude saith ver 16. or else men will give them little or no wages but the Lord chose other manner of persons as Moses a Sepherd Exod. 3.1 2. Elisha a plow-man as he was plowing 1 King 19.19 20. David a shepherd as he followed the Ews great with yong Psal 78.70 71. Amos an herds-man and one that gathered Sycomore The Lord took him as he followed the flock and said Go prophesie to my people Israel Amos 7.14 15. and Fishermen as they were about their honest callings and mending their nets like people that intended still to follow their callings them Christ called to follow him and to preach the Gospell he did not say to them as the learned Priests now a daies to honest tradesmen You must abide in your calling you must not preach but leave that to the learned Divines that have been brought up to it you must not presume to take such a work upon you c. but Christ was not of their minds as you may see Mat. 4.18 19 20 21 22. Likewise he chose ignorant and unlearned men as Peter and John yea and
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
freely give Mr. Baxter leave or any man to express themselves how they can to cause men to understand and believe the holy Scriptures as they are written but this we dare not allow neither to them nor our selves viz. to put men upon believing or doing any thing as a duty that is not written in the holy Scriptures And herein lyeth the depth of all deceipts namely because Christ expounded the Scriptures of the Prophets therefore men will take in hand to expound his expositions as if we could make them plainer then he hath left them or make anything true that is not written in them Again because Philip opened the Scriptures to the Eunuch Act. 8. therefore men will take in hand to open the words of Philip so as to make them appear otherwise then they are written and therefore for the plainer manifestation of the truth I desire all impartial men to consider these following things 1 If I would prove to any man by the Scriptures that God created the heavens and the earth then I must bring a Scripture that speaks of Gods creating the heavens and the earth as Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Again 2 If I would prove that God created man upright I must bring a Scripture that saith so as Eccles 7.29 Lo this onely have I found that God hath made man upright c. 3 If I will prove that all men since Adams fall were finners I must bring a Scripture that speaks so as Rom. 3.23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God c. 4 If I would prove that God sent his son to redeem those sinners I must bring a Scripture that saith so as 1 Tim. 115. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief and c. 2.6 Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time 5 If I would prove the dead shall rise I must being a Scripture that speaks of the Resurrection of the dead and so did Christ Mar. 12.25 26. for when they shall rise from the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage c. And As touching the dead that they shall Rise have ye not read c. And what if Christ had not spoken nor named the Resurrection of the dead at all in this place if it be proved anywhere in Scripture it s enough for Christ spake many times darkly and in parables to them that were without but expounded all things to his Disciples Mark 4.33.34 with Matt. 13.10 11. and it s most plain Job 5.28 29. that Chirst faith thus The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation and â— 11.25 he saith to Martha I am the Resurrection and the life c. Thus we see how frequently Christ proveth the Resurrection in plain words And now let Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook Mr. Hall or any man else prove that either Christ Moses any of the Prophets or Apostles did ever speak one word about baptizing of infants and then we will grant it and if this be not rational and honest let even our enemies judge To conclude if I would prove that men and women should be baptized when they believe the word preached I must bring a Scripture that says so as Act. 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women and ver 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest And now if Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook or any man will prove that little babes should be baptized let them bring one Scripture to prove it and then they will do honestly otherwise I must needs conclude with all that fear God aright that they are meer deceivers of men and unjust Stewards to Christ whom they profess to serve But now a word to Mr. Cook who in his seventh page saith that we never read in the Scriptures Go Henry Haggar and James Brown teach all Nations and baptize c. nor do we read that Christ gave a command to you two to preach the Gospel c. These and such like cunning devised fables hath Mr. Cook in his seventh page To all which I answer This is but a subtile sophistry of Mr. Cook to deceive the heart of the simple but easily discovered by them to whom the Lord hath given understanding as thus we do not desire Mr. B. or Mr. C. to bring a Scripture that saith Go William Cook or Go Richard Baxter and baptize children that cannot speak nor understand what you preach neither do we desire a Scripture that saith Go Mr. Baxter and Mr. Cook and teach all Nations and baptize all the children that you can lay your hands on But we desire you or any man to prove by the holy Scriptures that Christ did ever say to any of his disciples Go and baptize children or that ever any that preached in the name of the Lord did baptize children either under Law or Gospel and we will grant it Give us command or example to shew us where it ought to be done or ever was done and you do like men but till then as I have told you before I tell you again that you are unreasonable men such as Paul prayed to be delivered from But now we can prove that Christ commanded those which he sent to preach to baptize those that did believe which was likewise practised by them as I have shewed before by these Scriptures Matt. 28.18.19.20 Mark 16.15 16. Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 and ver 37. c. 10.47.48 c. 16.32 33 34. c. 18.8 to which I refer the Reader And what they did Saints in all ages are commanded to do for Paul saith Be ye followers of me and mark them that walk so as you have us for an example Phil. 3.17 Again those things which you have learned and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you cap. 4.9 But now we have heard and learned that Paul and the other disciples did baptize men and women when they believed therefore if we do the same the God of peace will be with us but we never heard nor learned in all the Scriptures that they baptized babes of a week or month or yeer old therefore we dare not do it left we should be counted such as transgress and abide nor in the Doctrine of Christ But I remember what Mr. Hall saith to these Scriptures in his fourth objection pag. 91. that these are the chiefest strong holds of the Anabaptists and being pursued hither we run for refuge but all in vain as he saith To which I answer It s well the Anabaptists do run to the word of God for refuge they are then sure to be safe without all question for his word is setled in heaven Psa 119.89 and Christ saith Joh. 8.31 If ye
Church-members and Disciples of Christ and therefore ought to be baptized for which cause I shall now come to Answer to their Arguments in general and to shew by the Scriptures why infants that cannot speak words nor understand Reason cannot be Church-members under the Gospel nor Christs Disciples the which being cleered it will plainly appear they are not fit subjects for baptism by their own grant For the cleering of which I shall first speak something concerning the Covenant that God made with Abraham upon which Mr. Cooke and Mr. Baxter do pretend to build making the Covenant with Abraham and his natural seed under the law all one with the Covenant made with Abraham and his spiritual seed born of the spirit under the Gospel In answer to which I thus Reason 1 That there is two Covenants is evident Gal. 4.24 in these words for these are the two Covenants Now if there be two Covenants then either we are under the old Covenant still or else the new is come in place but that we are not under the old Covenant still is evident because Christ is come whose blood is the blood of the new Covenant which is everlasting Heb. 13.20 and Luke 22.20 he saith This cup is the New-Testament in my blood giving us to understand that as the old Covenant or Testament was sealed with the blood of Bulls and Goats and Calves Heb. 9.19 20. So the new Covenant that is established upon better promises is sealed and confirmed by the blood of Christ the Son of God who hath obtained a more excellent ministery in that he is the Mediator of a better Covenant Heb. 8.6 for finding fault with the first he saith Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Judab not according to the former c. ver 7 8 9 10 11. what is that he will put his Laws in their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people which Covenant the Saints are now under and are heirs of these better promises upon which it is established therefore Paul applyeth the same to the Saints 2 Cor. 6.16 saying as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people c. And thus have I proved that we are not under the old Covenant which did properly belong to the fleshly seed which had but the promise of an earthly Canaan under the curse and Jerusalem which is in bondage with her children See Gal. 4.24.25 but believers are under the new Covenant which hath better promises viz. that they shall inherit that new Heaven and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteonsness and that new Jerusalem which is above and is free and is the mother us of all see 2 Pet. 3.13 with Gal. 4.26 Againe I believe Paul knew as well the intent and meaning of the Covenant of God made with Abraham as Mr. Baxter or Mr. Cooke and yet he applieth it not to a fleshly seed as appeareth thus Gen. 17.7 God said unto Abraham I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and thy seed c. Now the Question is who are the seed to whom the Covenant and promises do belong which Paul answereth Gal. 3.16 saying Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made be saith not to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Chrst Thus we see that it is not every one that is born of the flesh to Abraham that had right to the Covenant and priviledges thereof but as he saith ver 29. If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise as it is written Rom. 4.13 The promise that Abraham should be the heir of the world was not to him nor his seed according to the Law but according to the righteousness of Faith as Rom. 9.7.8 Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy seed be Called that is saith the Apostle They that are the Children of the flesh are not the Children of God but the Children of the promise are counted for the seed Now if the Children of Abraham were not the Children of the Covenant nor heirs of the promise by fleshly birth much less can the Children of beleeving Gentiles that are inferior to Abraham be in Covenant for that which is born of flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 Likewise the Apostle doth not say that it was Esan though he was the elder that was in Covenant but Jacob though the younger who beleeved in the God of his Father Isaac And indeed I do much wonder how the Preachers of the Chureh of England dare affirme that beleevers Children are in Covenant before beleeving by vertue of their Parents faith and yet they hold that God did hate and had reprobated Esau before he was born or had done good or evill and so notwithstanding his Parents Isaac and Rebecea were both precious beleivers yet Esau their own Child was never in Covenant before he was born nor after by their own grant Thus all men may see how they confound their own principles no marvell then although they labour to confound other mens and if this very thing were but well weighed and rightly considered it is sufficient to discover the folly and falshood of all Mr. Baxters and Mr. Cooks arguments Againe If beleivers Children be in Covenant because they are beleivers Children then grace comes by generation and not by regeneration the which to affirme is absurd Againe If beleivers Children be in Covenant by vertue of their beleiving Parents then all the World ever since righteous Noah must needs be in Covenant for they and we all came of righteous Noah But Mr. Cooke saith in his Font uncovered pag. 45. That he doth not hold falling from the inward efficacy of grace and true sanctification justification and adoption Answ So then it seems by his own confession it s not true and then it must needs be false and it s well if they fall from false grace and false sanctification and false justification and false adoption for they that fall from false must needs fall to true as certainely as they which fall from true must needs fall to false or else they fall from nothing but abide as they were But to make the folly of these wise men manifest I pray consider with me 1. what the new Covenant is and then 2. you shall judge whether Infants are or can be in it or no Heb. 8.8.9 10 11. The Lord saith The daies come when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers when I tooke them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt
man in the Lord. And Act. 9.36 There was at Joppa a certain Disciple whose name was Dorcas a woman full of good works By which we see women were Disciples And Rom. 16.1 Paul writes of Phebe our sister a servant of the Church likewise Priscilla the wife of Aquila and 2 Joh. 13. Now whether it be proved by all this that women are members of the Church which is the body of Christ I leave it to the godly wise to judge and if members of the body then all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.17 Now as concerning the word man in the Text it is no more then that in Gen. 5.1 2. where it is said that God created man in his own image male and female created he them and called their name Adam c. by which it appeareth that the word man doth include both man and woman and so in this place Let a man examine himself c. as scholars do also confess it in the Greek to be Anthropos and in the Latin homo which is a common name for all men or both sexes Argument VII My seventh Argument is from 1 Cor. 12.25 26. where we read that there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another But infants that can neither speak nor understand can cannot have the same care that Church members ought to have over one another for they have no care at all Therefore no visible members of the Church which is the body of Christ If they be then they are to be dealt with and reproved for not having that Christian care as aforesaid Argument VIII My eighth Argument from Eph. 2.23 where Paul speaking to the Church of Ephesus saith that they All had their conversation in times past according to the course of the world in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the minde c. But little infants that can neither speak nor understand being a month or a yeer old could not have their conversation in times past after such a manner for they know not what belongs to the lust of the flesh nor the desires of the minde till they come to speak and understand the practises of others all that can be laid to their charge before is but original sin But the Church Ephesus had all their conversation thus in times past Therefore no little infants were Church-members amongst them Argument IX My ninth Argument is from 1 Thess 5.2 4 5. where the Apostle saith ver 2. that they All knew perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night That he speaks of all is evident ver 4 5. in these words But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief ye are all the children of the light and of the day c. But little children that cannot speak nor understand are no such children of the Light as to know perfectly or in part of the coming of the day of the Lord for they know nothing at all of it Therefore no such infants were members of the Church at Thessalonica Argument X. My tenth Argument is from 1 Thess 2.11 where we read thus you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you to his kingdom and glory c. whence I argue thus If Paul did exhort and charge every one of the Church to do these things then indeed it must needs follow there was no infants that could neither speak nor understand amongst them for they are not capable of exhortation nor comfort nor any charge a man can give them But Paul did exhort comfort and Charge every one of the Church ver 11. Therefore no such Infant amongst them Argument XI My eleventh Argument is from Heb. 6.11 12. where we read thus And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end that you be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises But little Children of 8 or 10 days or weeks of age can shew no such diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end neither can they shew such diligence in following of them who through faith and patience did inherit promises for they have no undetstanding in earthly things how then can they understand heavenly John 3.12 Therefore no such babes were Church-members in the Church of the Hebrews Obj. If any one shall object and say The exhortation was not to all and therefore not to Children I answer The text Heb. 6.11 saith We desire that every one of you may shew the same diligence c. Argument XII My twelfth and last Argument is from Philip. 4.21 22. where we read thus Salute every Saint in Christ Jesus and the brethren that are with me salute you all the Saints salute you cheifly them of Caesars house From whence I argue thus If all the Saints at Rome whence this Epistle came did send salutations to the Saints at Philippi then there was no little Children amongst them that could neither speak nor understand for they that can send nothing can speak no salutations all rational men will grant But all the Saints with Paul did send salutations to the Saints at Philippi Therefore Secondly I argue thus If Paul himself with all the Saints at Rome did send salutations to every Saint in Christ Jesus that was at Pilippi then every Saint in Christ Jesus was capable of receiving salutations the which babes of 8 weeks or months old are not But Paul did send salutations to all the Saints at Philippi and so did all that were with him at Rome By all which it appeareth plainly that all the Saints at Rome were capable of sending salutations and every Saint at Philippi was capable of receiving salutations from them but little Children that can neither speak nor understand are capable of neither Therefore its evident that there were none such neither at Rome nor Philippi Church-members Obj. If any shall object and say that children are not concerned in these salutations I answer Then they are not visible Saints in Christ Jesus nor visible members of his body the Church as Mr. Baxter saith they are for the text saith plainly Phil. 4.21 Salute every Saint in Christ Jesus c. There yet remaineth many probable Arguments by which it might be made manifest to every impartiall Reader that Infants which can neither speak nor understand cannot be visible Church-members upon the earth but there would I know be many seeming answers made to them which would take much with those that have their faith set in other mens wisdoms and not in the power and wisedom of the word of God as we read 2 Cor. 2.4 5. Therefore I shall omit them because these are undeniable having not only the word Church in