VII Mat. 21.25 26 27. 25. The Baptism of John whence was it from Heaven or of Men And they reasoned among themselves saying if we shall say from Heaven he will say unto us why did ye not then believe him 26. But if we shall say of Men We fear the People for all hold John a Prophet 27. And they answered Jesus and said we cannot tell I Note That some Men tho in the days of Christ disowned the Doctrine of baptism upon Repentance and John the first Preacher and Administrator of it Because there was as they thought a peculiar saving Priviledge unalterably annexed to the Children of Abraham tho when grown up were impenitent Joh. 8.33 but it was but a pharasaical thought Many that are not in love with Christ discover it by not being in love with his Ordinance for his sake And some again are willing their own Invention may serve for his Ordinance And it appears John 2.23 that this baptism of John was in much Water and therefore he abode and preached in a place near much Water but if a little Water would have done then he might have Travel'd and Preached and Sprinkled in the Hill Countrey all over the Land but to baptize or Dip he must be where is much Water and therefore abode at Enon a place by the River Iordan because there was much Water there Behold our Jesus indisputation sheweth that Diping after repentance is from heaven but Sprinkling before signs of Repentance is of Man's invention CHAP. VIII Matth. 28.19.20 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptiking them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the World Amen I Note That here is the Commission of Believers Baptism given by our Lord Iesus Christ King of Saints and Law-giver to his Church And that the Ministers of his Gospel are to preach first upon the success of their Ministâ—y baptize only those who believe the Gospel Therefore unless Infants hear the Word preached and become thereby convinc't of sin and the excellency of a Saviour they are not within the reach of the commission for baptism but that Infants do not do and therefore they that sprinkle or baptize before preaching set up their own folly against the wisdom of God by doing the last first just contrary to the Commission Moreover to baptize either Infants or Men or Women before they believe is to make all seem Church and no World or rather continue all World and make no visible Church but our Saviour will have a Church out of the World And therefore he saith to his Church Ioh. 15.19 I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you and accordingly believers are appointed to be baptized to distinguish them from the World See more pag. 15. Again This promise of Christ's presence with his people is upon condition of observing the method of baptizing after preaching for preserving his visible Church from mixing with Unbelievers CHAP. IX Mark 1.4 5. 4. John did baptize in the wilderness and preach the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins 5. And there went out to him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River of Iordan confessing their sins I Note that this Evangelist also relates that baptism was administred not at a river but in a rivâ—â— by dipping of persons that went out not carried out and upon confession of sins which Infants cannot do Again Tho the Pharisees that thought they knew the Law did not receive Baptism yet God found a people that did upon confession of sins and therefore let not us that are sincere for Christ and his Gospel be afraid of the reproach of some Ecclesiastical Persons but value the love of God for the text saith Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulitrous and sinful Generation c. Mark 8.38 Matth. 10.32 Again I wonder how the Infant Sprinkling Ministers dare say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost I baptize thee c. When they do but Rantize or Sprinkle and not Baptize or Dip. If they will sprinkle in some bodies name and not in their own it is then to my understanding more proper and safe for them to say In the Name of the Fathers Popes and religious Men I spriâ—kle thee according to the declared Will of the Milevetan Council in this case It is our Will that c. and of the 5th Council of Carthage An. 416. We will that c. but this is not God's Will and then they 'l put no fallacy upon God's Ordinance of baptism nor speak untruth in the name of the Trinity And let me here speak directly to some Christians that are for Infant Sprinkling what tho you believe personal Election is there therefore a necessity that you must sprinkle your Infants believing that that election runs only in your Line by natural Generation Tho it may be you can say as a great many can That truly I do not know whether there be another christian of my Generation or no for they all by their Lives discover Ignorance and Unbelief of the Lord Iesus or at most make but a Laodiccan profession and then my brethren what incouragement have you to reckon that Election will run to your Generation after you and that your Infants should be sprinkled Moreover personal election is a secret residing only in God then how can you personally apply Election before their personal believing Furthermore election gives no right to baptism until the elect person be taught or called according to the commission of preaching baptizing God's order of working about the salvation of a sinner is God elects and his Ministers calls and the spirit going with the Word regenerates and upon that comes a bending to obedience and profession Or thus God elects and Man preaches and then God regenerates and Man baptiseth God works first First Is the decree of salvation 2dly The publishing of it 3dly The change made in the soul 4thly The sign thereof and a profession which by the will of God ought to be done by dipping see p. 27. as a lively Emblem of cleansing in the merits of Christ the River of Water of Life As God in order of time hath placed Election before Sanctification so he hath placed teaching before baptizing CHAP. X. Mark 1.9 10 11. 9. And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordan 10. And straight way coming up out of the Water he saw the Heavens opened and the Spirit like a Dove descending upon him 11. And there came a Voice from Heaven saying thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased I Note That the Evangelist Mark as well as
Signs of Repentance which John saw was wanting in some persons and those he rejected as not intended in his Commission And therefore Infants are not intended Again The Infants of believing Gentiles cannot be concerned in baptism because not so much as the Infants of the Jews or Israelites were for John required Signs of Repentance before admittance to baptism because only the true believers are the New Testament Israelites and not Infants They are not all Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9.6 Rom. 2.28 29. Again If some will make the Infants of believing Parents Church-members by baptism or by Sprinkling because they reckon them in the Covenant why will they not continue them Church-members when they are grown up as If their growing up to Maturity were a growing out of the Covenant And indeed these in the Text being a generation of Vipers shew that believers Children are not in the Covenant so much more than others as to be baptised for John hear sets that Covenant aside from giving right to baptism CHAP. III. Mat. 3.9 And think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father For I say unto you that God is able of these Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham I note That Parents being believers do not entitle their Children to baptism For God hath neither so confined himself by promise or the ordinary dispensation of his Grace as Experience teacheth Tho' he had promised many things to Abraham and his Seed by natural Generation yet none could by that Generation claim a peculiar priviledge in Gospel things For instance this of baptism is now denyed them they being without Repentance an effect of another Generation A being born again born of God And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to promise Gal. 3.29 And you hath he quickned who were dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2.1 And therefore let none reckon themselves better than others because they were born of believing or professing Parents For we are all by Nature the Children of Wrath as well as others Eph. 2.3 Again If our right to this Ordinance as some would have it be founded in our believing Parents Rom. 4.4 how is it that an awakened Soul that hath been sprinkled in its Infancy sees it self in an utter lost condition by nature having no right to the Covenant of promise or the signs of it by any natural inherent Qualification or birth-priviledge And when by Faith it comes to have a view of the Lord Jesus then it sees that all religious visible priviledges are injoyed in the way of believing in him CHAP. IV. Mat. 3.11 I indeed Baptize you with Water unto Repentance But he that cometh after me is mightion than I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire I Note That Repentance is such an essential qualification for Baptism that God in gathering his Gospel Church Commissionates his prophet John to preach it to prepare fit Members for that Visible Church and that also upon signs of Repentance to admit them by Baptism And that without those Signs Baptism should not be administered whereby it appears that God hath made Repentance as the root or Tree and Baptism as the Branch and so Gospel Baptism cannot actually have a being without signs of Repentance God hath ordained that Gospel Baptism should be the Fruit on the Signs of Repentance If you rake away the cause the effect ceases and accordingly John Baptized none but them in whom he found the cause Again John foreseeing the coming of the Lord Jesus and considering the manner of Baptising to be over-whelming in Water takes occasion from thence to foretell of the abundance of the Holy Ghost that the Saints should be endewed with so it was fulfill'd Acts 2.2 3 4. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost c. CHAP. V. Mat. 3.13 14 15. 13. Then cometh Iesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be Baptized of him 14. But John forbad him saying I have need to be Baptised of thee and comest thou to me 15 And Iesus answering said unto him suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all Righteousness then he suffered him I Note That baptism is of divine Institution for the son of God himself submited to it as to Righteousness that he might fulfill all the will of God notwithstanding that the Prophet Iohn the Adminstrator thought that the dignity and innocency of the Person of Christ was above that Administration yet Jesus saw his duty as man standing in the room of the sinner to give for him a perfect Obedience to divine Justice and therefore submitted to Baptism or Dipping leaving an Example for our imitation Mat. 28.19 Acts 2.38 Acts 10.48 Again It was first Jesusâ—s choice to be baptized and not Iohn the Administrators to baptize him and so in the choice Jesus was Active and Iohn Passive but Infants are altogether passive and not at all active for sprinkling but rather by crying shew their dislike Again Jesus to fulfill his Fathers righteous Will of baptizing came where was much water tho it was many miles to it but if a few drops would have done then that might have been had where he was and Iohn might have come to him CHAP. VI. Matth. 3.16 17. 16. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straitway out of the Water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him 17. And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased I Note That the Lord Jesus in his baptism had not water brought to him neither did he withdraw to a Rivolet nor stand by the River-side nor did a little water suffice nor did he it in private but he went down so far and deep into the River that the Text is express When he was baptized he went up straight way out of the water Mark he went up out of the water is the curious penning of the matter by the Holy Ghost to shew the considerable depth our Lord went into the water to be dipt that it may appear much water is necessary for the right Administration of baptism This was his solemn Entrance into his publick Ministry Again God the Father the Creator of all things the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity gives his Testimony to this his own ordinance of baptism or dipping by the Holy Ghost's glorious and miraculous appearing from Heaven in a visible descent and the Father approving his Son's submiting to his righteous Will Never was any Church-Ordinance usher'd in with more Glory than the Ordinance of believers baptism CHAP.
Matthew is imployed by the Holy Spirit of God to let us know That our Lord Jesus Christ at Man's Estate submitted to dipping notwithstanding the Dignity of his Person being God manifest in the Flesh Immanuel God with us behold this mighty person bears a Testimony too and puts a glory upon baptizing or dipping of visible Saints by being himself baptized in the River Jordan at Thirty years of Age Luke 3.23 If God hath appointed Dipping why should Man pretend to sprinkle as if Man was wiser than his Maker or had a Soveraignty over God's Worship I think none but Papists claims that Prerogative tho others practice it But sensible Christian do thou choose believers Dipping and reject Infant Sprinkling For the Lord Jesus chose to be so baptized and He hath dignity and soveraignty to command thy Obedience and this sort of Obedience even believers baptism in much water CHAP. XI Mark 11.30 30. The Baptism of Iohn was it from Heaven or of Men Answer me I Note That also the Evangelist Mark mindeth that our Saviour himself put the Question for us that profess believers baptism Was it from Heaven or of Men This Question being close to the point pusled the great Men of that Day that opposed Dipping so that they seemed to stand as it were speechless therefore our Saviour closes upon them again saying Answer me Answer the Question And then they set their carnal Reason to work to find out some sophistical Answer and preserve their Reputation among the People and the Learnedst Answer that they could find was a subtil one We cannot tell See their Policy in the Text And they reasoned with themselves not with the Scriptures if we shall say from Heaven he will say Why then did ye not believe him If we shall say of Men they feared the People would be in a rage for pretending to Divinity and yet deny Dipping a Heavenly Institution for all men counted that John was a Prophet indeed and they answer'd and said unto Jesus We cannot tell c. Mark 11.31 32 33. And thus our Lord Jesus shews That Dipping after signs of Repentance is an undeniable Doctrine God will accept nothing in his Worship but what he hath appointed and that 's sufficient to constrain me to submit to the great Gospel Ordinance of believers baptism tho many cannot tell CHAP. XII Mark 16.15 16. 15. And he said unto them go ye unto all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned I Note That this Promise he that believeth is baptised shall be saved seems to carry a great force in being baptised as well as in Believing But unquestionably it carries that believing is essential to saving and it is to go before baptizing and not baptizing before believing for that is just contrary to the Text Man's Will for God's Heb. 11.6 John 4.23 Believing and baptizing you see are joyned in the Text and therefore what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder And were it indeed that Infants were dipp'd which is the right Mode of baptizing it would not further their salvation they not belitving God having reserv'd the way of their salvation as a secret peculiar to himself even by the unsearchable Riches of Christ Then how can Infants have any thing to do with Baptism for Baptism here in the Commission is not annexed to a natural birth but to Preaching believing Again To secure dipping from supposed danger all the World in the Text signifieth cold Countries as well as hot and the Promise Lo I am with you preserves yea I never heard of any believer that had hurt in Baptizing Again Here 's a Commission for believers baptism but where is any Commission for Infant Sprinkling And they that act in the Kings Name without's Commission are invaders of the Kings prerogative Royal and instead of obeying they set themselves in the Throne CHAP. XIII Luke 3.2 3. 2. The word of God came unto John c. 3. And he came into all the Country about Jordan preaching the baptism of Repentance for the remission of Sins I Note That the Evangelist Luke also bears a Testimony to believers baptism upon signs of repentance and not to Infants nor sprinkling for they can give no signs nor can a little water serve for in the text it was done in a River Consider God's â—anger with Israel for among other things changing his Altar of Earth Stone or chittim wood into an Altar of Brick Isa 65.2 3. but Infant sprinklers say Why is not Sprinkling as good as Dipping seeing it will as well represent the thing signifyed by Baptism But that 's their mistake and God can tell best Why not and 't is best for us to obey and Dip when God saith Dip. So Naaman the Assyrian thought that God's choice and order was too precise and that therefore another place was better as now of Infant sprinkling some think t is better than believers baptism Said Naaman Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Iâ—rael May I noâ— wash in them and be clean So he â—â—rned and went away in a rage but his servants advised him to obey 2 Kings 5.12 No repenting no baptiziâ—g If the Question be put Tho is to be baptized Why the answer is He that repenteth For the Gospel is to be preached only to such as are capable of believing and repenting and consequently of being baptised there upon Again Iohn preached in all the Country near the River because of much water CHAP. XIV Luke 3.7 8. 7. Then said he to the Multitude that came forth to be baptized of him O generations of Vipers who hath warned you to fly from the wrath to come 8. Bring forth therefore Fruits worthy of Repentance and begin not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father for I John say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up Children unto Abraham I Note That being the natural Children of believing Parents tho grown persons doth not intitle them to this holy Ordinance for God is able by his Spirit in the Call of the Gospel to raise up Children unto Abraham and as he was counted the Father of the Faithful so his Children of the promise must be believers for of the Race of the Gentiles as we in England are we cannot be the seed of Abraham but as we are believers and faithful and so Abraham becomes our Father and then comes in our claim to the promise to Abraham and to his Children And accordingly hear Iohn the Baptist rejects natural generation and calls for regeneration Fruit c. for 't is not Abraham to our Father but believing that gives right to baptism Moreover every days experience teacheth us that tho multitudes of Infants are sprinkled yet but few very few of them when at maturity shew signs of Faith and Repentance And on
THE Reason Why Not Infant Sprinkling BUT BELIEVERS BAPTISM Ought to be approved Is because the Lord Jesus Christ his Fore-runner and Apostles preach't it and practic'd it As hereby will further appear By Scripture Authority In about Fourty TEXTS With Notes on every TEXT To which is added How Infant Sprinkling came in Fashion The Evil Tendencies of Infant Sprinkling Answers to Objections Differences betw Believ Baptism and Inf. Sprink With several other things By a Believer Baptiz'd He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 The Eunuch said to Philip I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God And they went down both into the Water both Philip and the Eunuch and Philip baptized him Act. 8.36 37 38. London Printed 1694. My Friend IF you are sincerely inquisitive about the Worship of God and desire the Reasons Why Believers Baptism ought to be approved and Infant Sprinkling rejected then be pleased to consider this small Treatise which as my Vnderstanding I commend to you and that in sincerity and love to our Lord Jesus Christ his Gospel and your Information Wherein you may observe that the method taken to discover right Baptism by is the clearest from deceit that could be because every Text about Baptism is taken in order as Recorded in Holy Scripture that thereby it may fairly and clearly appear to you as well as to me That 't is indeed Believers baptism that is the Gospel Ordinance requiâ—ed by Jesus Christ and that it is not Infant Sprinkling Besides if you as I have been are rightly in love with your own Salvation and consequently the Lord Jesus Christ then you will find an aptness in your Soul to be obedient to the Ordinances of Christ as parts of the Will of God According to the Apostles saying We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works Eph. 2.10 and all from a principle of Love to God Christ his Gospel and goodness and the delight of them begotten in the Soul of the Regenerate This Soul considering redeeming Love desires it may glorify God according to John 15 8. Herein is my Father glorifyed that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And again If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his Love John 15.10 And therefore it is that many in our Age that have an effectual work of Grace upon their Souls have had also some Workings about Obedience to this great Gospel Ordinance of Believers Baptism Tho' some of them by Master save thy self Mat. 16.22 have been baffled off and their Light put out and those Motions stifled whereby they have turned their back upon it But the Lord preserves this Light in some and hath so in me and therefore I submitâ— to the prescribed Rule God hath given tho' thereby I converse among a poor dispised People according to the Apostle's observation of the Corinthian Saints 1 Cor. 1.26 To follow a Religion because it is in Fashion is not my Rule I have four sorts of People to deal with and they require four sorts of considerations to convince them and therefore I give variety 1. The Ignorant World that do not like believers baptism because it is commonly spoken evil of 2. The superstitious World that don't like it because it condemns part of their splendid way of worship 3. The Professor that dissents from that ignorance and superstition and zealously pursues a Reform'd yet a political way 4. The Converted that admires the Love that work'd about the Salvation of the Sinner and yet is somewhat blind about baptism c. But those among whom I expect the Doctrine of believers baptism should be effectual are all those that the Crucified Risen Jesus 's Lo I am with you shall give it success to The Sinner that 's fallen in Love with the Lord Jesus taketh him at his Word and in that hear of first Love dare do any thing for God Luke 7.47 This Soul is just touched with a Coal of holy Fire from the Altar and is all in a flame and takes the Glory of the World for Stubble And as by Revelation from the Father Mat. 11 27. Mat. 1.17 It Believes that the mighty Jesus is the Son of God so it Believes that this Sovereign Will ought to be obeyed And accordingly with the Fortitude that contemned Nebuchadnezzars Golden Image in the Face of a Fiery Furnaco Dan. 3. Resolves to be Baptized or Dipped Saying I must by baptism ingage in my Lords Service to fight the good fight of Faith and lay hold on Eternal life thro good report and evil report for what am I that I should pretend to a better way of obedience then my Saviour hath appointed Your Christian Friend C. D. London 1693. Yet for those of my Christian Brethren that â—re resolved upon their way of Infant Sprinkling 〈◊〉 in peace leave them to the Lord to their â—houghts and way and keep the Scripture Reason â—f Believers Baptism for as many as shall â—ave the grace to receive it And so as I began â—n Love to our Lord Jesus Christ I desire to end â—n love with all that love our Lord Jesus Christ CHAP. I. Matth. 3.1 2 5 6. 1. In those Days came John the Baptist preaching in the Wilderness of Judea 2. And saying Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the Region round about Jordan 6. And were baptised of him in Jordan confessing their Sins I Note That as soon as this first Evangelist Matthew had by direction of the Spirit of God given a Relation of the Birth and preservation of our Lord Jesus Christ he presently tells us of John the Baptist preaching and baptizing thereby signifying That Faith in Christ hath the preference and that Obedience and Profession of Faith by baptism comes next in order Again The Persons to be baptized were such as confest their Sins but not Infants carried thither and senseless of Sin Agâ—in They were baptized or dipped in a River which they went to of their own Will but not sprinkled with a little Water out of a bâ—son or such like brought to them or they carried to it whether they would or no. Again Repentance was first preached and then upon Signs of Repentance the people were afterwards baptized So that the Subjects of and manner of baptism neither were Infants nor Sprinkling CHAP. II. Matth. 3.7 8. 7. But when he John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptism he said unto them O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to fly from the wrath to come 8. Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Repentance I Note That those Persons that gave not Signs of Repentance were rejected from baptism or thus No Persons were admitted to baptism but upon