but also a positive performance of all duty he becomes in all things obedient unto the Father lives in Communion with the Church and is conforme to all holy Ordinances proclaiming himselfe a Member of the Church before he propose himselfe a Mediator for or to the Church he is Baptized because it thus became him to fulfill all Righteousness by his subjection to Ordinances and thereby suiting himselfe for his worke he doth not only shew but sanctifie them to be the way of access to the Father for he as our High Priest hath left open the same way of approach and as the Captain hath marched in the same steps of salvation in which we are to follow him and we shall find him Baptized and so immediately entring on the exercise of his Mediatorship when and not till then he was Baptized he is solemnly inaugurated into his office coming out of the water the Spirit came visibly on him and the voice was heard This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him We never read of his praying preaching and combate with the Divel till he was Baptized and no sooner was he Baptized but as consecrated to God he Prayed Luk. 3.21 as confirmed to the Combate he was led immediately into the wildernesse to be tempted Mar. 1 12. And as one now completely fitted to transact the business of mans salvation he preached the Kingdom of God Mat. 4. By all which the Mediator doth plainly dictate That acts of holinesse must move in order beginning at Baptism and that Baptism doth fit men to prayer for temptation and all publick acts of Religion and if any will in confidence of acceptance follow the Mediator they must have their body first washed with pure water and be by Baptisme thereunto prepared Reas 3. Circumcision was the qualification of confident aproach to God under the old Covenant And therefore Baptism having succeeded into the place standing in the stead serving to the end for which Circumcision served must be so under the new Covenant The administration of the Covenant may be altered but the Covenant it self abides substancially the same to the Church of God both in the Old and New Testament Sacraments are permanent and inseparable adjuncts to the Covenant as grounds of Faith and however the different administration may cause a change in the Rite and outward Ceremony in the matter applyed or form of application yet is there no change in their use and signification but what was of old signified by the Seals of the Covenant the same is now signified by such as have succeeded into their place thus the Lords Supper supplyeth the room of the Passeover and Baptism the room of Circumcision so that whatever Circumcision did confer on its subjects the same priviledges are by Baptism conferred on its subjects And Circumcision was to the Jews the door of admission into the Church the Ceremony of Consecration to such as approach to the Lord and the Character of distinction on the people of the living God and so the qualification that was unto them the ground of confidence in approach to God hence Circumcision and Vncircumcision are the distinguishing terms between the Jewes the only people related unto God and the Gentiles that were afar off without God and without hope in the world Rom. 2.26 Eph. 2.11 12. and the approach of the uncircumcised unto the Sanctuary of God is declared to be a polluting and profaning of Gods Sanctuary Ezek. 44 7 9. therefore such are forbidden the least approach to God they may not enter the Sanctuary nor observe the Lords Passeover Exod. 12.48 Nay the uncircumcised must be cut off from the Lord people Gen. 17.14 And if a stranger will come nigh to God and have a place in his Sanctuary he must first lay hold on the Covenant of God and be Circumcised so that by Circumcision Jews were acknowledged and Gentiles proselyted members of the Church entituled to the Covenant and entrusted with the liberty of accesse to God in his Sanctuary That Baptism is the Ordidinance under the New Testament answering unto Circumcision in the Old can any that observe the order of Gospel the cessation of Circumcision the regular succession of Baptism into its place believe some initial Seal essential to Gospel administration and see none established if Baptisme be excluded and find Baptism in all things fully significant of what was signified by Circumcision deny that Baptism is succeeded into the room serves to the end that Circumcision did and so confers the same priviledge of confidence and is Essentially necessary to such as approach to God in acts of worship Unto such I would in short say Dâ—d Circumcision incorporate into the Church are we not all Baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 did Circumcision put the name of God on any do not as many as are Baptized put on Jesus Christ Gal. 3.27 Was Circumcision a sign of Regeneration called the Circumcision of the heart Are not the Baptized buryed with Christ in baptism Doth not the Apostle in this very respect note the agreement of these two distinct but not different Seals Col. 2.11 12 Did not Circumcision seal the Covenant of Grace I will be your God is it not therefore called the Seal of the righteousness by Faith Rom 4 11 Is not the propriety to the promise of Grace Remission and Salvation the very ground entituling and encouraging to Baptisme as the Seal thereof Act. 2.38 39 And is not this agreement sufficient to demonstrate that Baptism is now what Circumcision was of old to the Church What if in some things these two Seals do differ is the difference so essential as to deny the succession of the one to the other It is true the one was by blood the other by water the one is to male and femal both sexes the other to males only the one limitted to the eighth day the other left at liberty but do these or the like hinder either the one or other from being ordinances of Incorporation to the Church Consecration to God or Confirmation to our confidence in drawing nigh to God Will not the differences be found as many and great between the Passeover and the Lords Supper yet the succession of the one to the other will not be denyed Circumstantial differences do shew they are not the same in substance and matter but they must be essential disagreements that shall deny a succession unto the same use and end And if Baptism be not the Ordinance that supplyeth the room of Circumcision what doth How is it called when and where was it institâ—ted and who were ever consecrated by it so as to have the boldness of accesse to God Or is the Church defective under the New Testament as to an initiating Seal so that the holy things of God lie common no visible badge of holinesse is now to describe them that may with freedome use them Most rude and ridiculous is that objected bar to this
of their incorporation with whom you must live in communion in Gods Ordinances 3. Direction Argue your Baptisme to your engagement to and encouragement in drawing nigh to God Your bodies are washed with pure water provoke your spirits to draw nigh in the assurance of faith Consider that by your baptisme you are singled out of the world and set in a capacity of Salvation You are placed in the Ark will you perish in the common deluge of mankinde You are sanctified unto God by the washing of water will you stand at a distance from God as strangers to him You are in the order of his own appointment suited for divine society will you live as without God without hope in the world You are the sealed sonnes and subjects of the covenant and will you pass away your time as Bankrupts that possess nothing You have put on Jesus Christ his livery will you not doe him homage with all cheerfull loyalty You are entred into the houshold of Faith and Church of God shall not their communion be to you comfortable Is not Baptisme a ground of faith and encouragement why are you then so dispondent in appearing before God Is it not your solemn Bond unto divine service why are you then so dull and backward unto duty Was your baptisme a meer complement that you doe not minde it or make use of it now it is past Is it not a moral instrument to be improved by meditation affording matter of counsel and comfort Nay is it not Gods Ordinance a ground of faith pledge of love badge of relation to be argued into the awe and encouragemâ—nt of our access to God Is not Baptisme an initiating seal assuring us of iâ—â—tiating graces hath it not planted us into the Olive that we might extract â—p and juyce to the bringing forth fruits of Righteousness In a word Baptisme is greatly advantagious to hope and holyness if but duly improved by acts of Faith We find no profit in it because we look for none from it If right assured be never claimed how shall it be possessed If sin-mortifying engines be never used sin must needs have dominion over the soul I would to God I couâ—d but perswade Châ—istians to sit down and seriously contemplate their Baptisme in order to their holyness and thus reflect it I am baptized Surely then I am under some more than ordinary engagement Thereby I was washed from my old sins shall I then live in them or so far forget my self as not to let vertue knowledge temperance brotherly kindness patience godliness all the graces of God to abound in me Is not Baptisme the dew of Heaven that waters the Garden of God Hath it been distilled on me and shall I be found idle and unfruitfull 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9. I have been baptized into the death of Christ buried with him in Baptisme planted into the similitude of his death that my old man might be crucified and the body of sin destroyed that I should not serve sinne but as he was raised up from the dead I should walk in newness of life and shall sin reign in my mortal body that I should obey the lusts thereof or shall I give my members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sinne Rom. 6. I have by Baptisme been consecrated unto God and shall I not come nigh him in duty I am incorporated into the Church ought I not then to be conversant in the assembly of the first born I have stricken Covenant with God will not my neglect of duty and course of impiety be charged on me as the breach of the oath of God All the promises of grace are to me sealed shall not I then cleanse my self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness In a word Baptisme is the seal of the Covenant set in my flesh and the causing me to see the evil of my wayes and doings and to be ashamed and forsake them the taking away the stony heart and giving an heart of flesh the putting Gods spirit within me that I may walk in his wayes are the promises of the Covenant why then doe not graceless I claim them and by prayer plead my Baptisme for the obtainment of them For he is faithfull that hath promised but will not perform until they be asked in faith And as our Baptisme is thus a moral argument of holiness to our selves it is the more helpfull hereunto because it answers all temptations unto sin When we are saluted with the pollutions that are in the world through lust we may answer we are washed in pure water and may not be again defiled The cogencie of custome must give place to the Covenant we have made in Baptisme The violent temptations of Satan recoile upon the returns of Bâ—ptisme I am baptâ—zâ—d silenceth all suggestions to sinne I am baptized into the Name of Fathâ—r Sonne and holy Ghâ—st is the only Spel to speak with reverence that charms the Devil For it imports thus much Shall the children of God coâ—verse with his enemies the confederates of God break his commands the separated out of the world be subject to the Prince of the world Oâ— doth malicious Satan think the sealed of the Lord shall be so much sleighted by their Lord as to be taken captive at his will Oh! play the man in a rational mâ—nagement of your Baptisme it will much advance your Christianity all your dayes As Baptisme is an help to holinesse so also to hope to be improved by due acts of Faith as it is an Ordinance of God for our encouragement in accesse to him many soules stand at a distance from divine Ordinances or draw nigh with much trembling which would be dispelled by due apprehensions of Baptisme Let such therefore consider that under the want of speciall they ought to rejoyce in generall expressions of Gods love and arguments of hope and immediate assurances of divine favour are not to bee expected whilest we have mediate Ordinances on which to act our Faith Our Hope must come into the Soule in the same way with holynesse by a morall improvement of Gods Grace in his Ordinances to us extended let therefore the desponding Christian that trembles to converse with Gods people to come nigh Gods table or claim any of Gods promises sit down and seriously discourse his Baptisme I am Baptized Was this an emptie Ordinance Shall my unbeleeving heart imagine any divine Institution to be emptie and in vain imposed No All the wayes of God are Truth hee never subjected Soules to any falacie nor can doe Why then art thou so sad Oh my Soule Trust still in God in him will I hope for he hath established a Covenant of peace extended to my Parents and through them to mee and set the Seale thereof Baptisme in my flesh and is not Baptism a pledg of his affection to mee a badge of my relation to him Why then doe I say he knowes mee not or I belong not to him Doe all
have good reason to say we as such infants have by a long Tenure an interest in the Covenant shew us a clear Gospel Writ of Ejection if you think now to dispossess us Q. But have you any good ground in the New Testament on which infants as the natural issue of believing Parents may claim an interest in the Covenant A. Yes very much when we consider little sucking Babes brought in arms to be received by the Lord Jesus to be blessed by him to be declared members of the Kingdom of heaven propounded as such who ought to be received in his name as his disciples and not to be offended all which are the blessings of the Covenant and that the Apostle affirms of the Gentiles ingrafted in as well as the Jews cut off in Rom. 9. That if the first-fruits then the whole lump is holy if the root then the branches are holy and the branches do partake of the fatness of the olive we must cast away our reasons if we see not Infants interest in the Covenant Q. But have you not yet some plaiâ—er Scriptures to prove their title A. Yes the Apostle doth expresly say the Infants of one Christian Parent is holy 1 Cor 7.14 of real holiness none understand it natural holinâ—ss taking away the blot of bastardy supposing Faith essential to Marriage is too ridiculous to be received and then it must needs mean a foederal holiness by the extent of the Covenant and in the esteem of the Church And in Acts 2.38 the Apostle saith expresly The promise is to you and to your children This promise cannot be of extraordinary-Gifts because it is extended to all that shall be called nor is it to children when culled for that were not to them as children the Holy Ghost doth not use to speak non-sense and express personal qualifications by terms of relation but tels the believer his children as his children have a priviledge in the Covenant above other mens children so that it is plain such Infants are within the Covenant and according to their capacity to enjoy the Seals and Priviledges thereof Q. But they are not capable of being baptized because they can act nothing in the Ordiâ—ance nor can they make a profession of Faith and Repentance A. Nor is such capacity needfull for profession gives no right to Baptism but as an evidence of Covenant Interest and their right to the Covenant manifested by their descent from such Parents is as good a reason for their Baptism and the subjects of the initiating Seal do not act any thing as if God would thereby dictate inability to action shall be no bar to Baptism Q. But those we read of in Scripture that were baptized were at grown years A. So were those who were first circumcised but that was occasional and circumstancial The Church is founded in grown Trees but is to be edified by infant branches Q. But there is no institution for infant Baptism A. That Baptism is instituted cannot be denied Age or Infancy are only directions to whom to apply it and therein the qualification of Covenant Interest is according to Scripture the clear direction Moreover Infants may be Disciples bearing on them the name of Christ and are Members of Nations and so the Institution directing the baptizing of Discipled Nations is to them extended Q. But all you urge for infants baptism is by way of inference and consequence A. Scripture-Inference is Gods word binding mans conscience it was the way of Christ his convincing the Sadduces of the Resurrection and of Pauls preaching at Athens and is your only way to warrant womens Communion at the Lords Table and shall it not be of force to Infants Baptism Q. What benefit do you receive by your Baptism A. Much as I am baptized and enjoy that Ordinance of God and much as I was baptized in Infancy by the early enjoyment of it Q. What is your benefit received by the Ordinance it self A. A fit qualification to draw nigh to God with confidence Q. What do you mean by drawing nigh to God A. Not only the possâ—ssion of heavenly Glory when I die which I deny not but such may enjoy whom the providence of God cuts off before they can be baptized Nor only the private and personal acts of the soul which may be presented though not with much confidence acceptably to God before a man can be baptized after his Conversion he not living in contempt or wilful neglect of Baptism but I mean an approach to God in the Assemblies of his people to worship before him as a Member of his Church and one of his peculiar people to bear his name in the world and of his Royal Priesthood to offer up acceptable Sacrifice and enjoying all his Ordinances all which I do in assurance having my body washed with pure water Q. Is then Baptism the necessary qualification for approach to God A. Yes it is so necessary that the unbaptized may not appear in the Assemblies of his people The way of Christ his appearance in his Church as the Messiah was prepared by Baptism therefore John the promised Elias is called John the Baptist Baptism prepared Christ for his work of Mediatorship he neither prayed that we read of nor was tempted nor preached nor received the Testimony from heaven till he was baptized and if the head were thus sanctified much more must the members moreover Circumcision did sanctifie such as might come nigh to the Sanctuary and Baptism hath succeeded in the room signifies and seals the same Grace and in all things serve to the same end in the Christian Church that Circumcision did to the Jews Q. What is the use of Baptism that it should so qualifie with confidence in access to God A. By Baptism I am visibly interested in Jesus Christ Gal. 3.27 incorporated into his Church 1 Cor. 12.13 made a member of the houshold of Faith and Commonâ—ealth of Israel consecrated unto God Eph. 5.26 having holiness stamped on my flesh being sanctified by the washing of water by the word And in Covenant with God having the seal of the promise whereby God is become mine and I am dedicated to be his in faith and obedience to God Father Son and Holy Ghost All which are clear grounds of Faith to be improved unto my encouragement in approach unto God Q. Are all that are baptized partakers of these priviledges A. All that are baptized enjoy these Priviledges Visibly and Sacramentally in the judgement of the Church by whose just censure they may be deprived of them but not Savingly and Sincerely for to some the inward Grace is withheld from Gods outward Ordinance according to Gods holy purpose And many not acting Faith to claim lose the Priviledges sealed Baptism is in its nature and efficacy the same to all but by reason of the incapacity of some it is not always a like effectual Q. What principles or practices are to be condemned as contrary to this use of Baptism A.
succession that some Antipaedo baptists have urged and talked of among you viz. Circumcision was a National priviledg and only sealed the promise of Canaan to the children of Israel If so how then came it to be used before Israel was a Nation and how came it to be used after the land was possessed and the promise accomplished Why doth Moses mention the Covenant of Grace I will be your God as the ground and reason of Circumcision To what doth the Circumcision of heart so frequently mentioned in Scripture allude it is often joyned with the Circumcision of flesh What was the benefit of Circumcision to the proselyted Gentiles We never read that by the virtue of it they demanded or the Jews divided to them any portion of the Land of Canaan And it will be an hard matter to make me believe it did to them Seal a Blank for that I find it in Scripture called A laying hold on the Covenant of God and the Uncircumcision are declared strangers to the Covenant and without God and without hope in the world Why doth the Apostle define Circumcision to be the Seal of the righteousnesse of Faith I find this phrase to denominate the Covenant of Grace and its Spiritual priviledges but that it ever denominated Canaan or any National priviledges I am yet to be informed And the limitation of it unto the personal faith of Abraham is so inconsistent to the scope of the Text absurde in it self and smells so much of Popish Bellarmine that I cannot but avoid I had almost said abhor it But lastly I would Quaery whether the adversaries of Circumcision sealing the Covenant of Grace did ever yet observe adjuncts separable from a Covenant to bear the name of a Covenant or did ever yet discern that the Land of Canaan was an appendant on the Covenant but not of the essence of the Covenant which if they well study I doubt not but they will correct their ignorance and the errors thence arising and so with us conclude That Circumcision sealed Spiritual priviledges to the Jews as Baptism doth to Christians and Baptism succeeding to its use and ends must have the same subjects and is now the special ground of confident approach to God Reas 4. The nature and order of Baptism doth dispose unto a confident approach to God Baptism is a Seal and the first Seal to the Covenant of Grace and Salvation and so is a ground of Faith and an encouragement in accesse to God But in the Nature of Baptism three things do dispose unto confidence in approach to the Lord 1. It is an Ordinance of Conjunction to the Church 2. Consecration to God 3. Confoederation with God And every one of these are Reasons of boldnesse in Access and assurance of Acceptance 1. Baptism is an Ordinance of coojuuction to the Church The Church is Christs Body and every individual Christian is the members thereof united by Baptism as by Nerves and Sinews None but the Church may come nigh unto God in Zion every one must appear before God Christ is only conversant with his Spouse if the Gentiles will draw nigh to the God of Jacob they must joyn themselves to Israel the people of the Lord and all believers that will come nigh to God must be added to the Church all the promises of God are made to the Church and all the administrations of the Covenant are in and to the Church Ex Ecclesia nulla Salus out of the Church no Salvation They that will come nigh to God as his children must be the daughters of Sion of the houshold of Faith and Commonwealth of Israel To be cast out of the Church is to be debarred all priviledges of grace delivered over to Satan for that relation to the Church is the only reason of every individual believers claim of promises and priviledges ground of confidence in all worship unto God and this relation is conferred by Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Greeks bond or free Baptism is the only badg of distinction to the Lords people the very door of admission into the houshold of Faith the very method of matriculation to Christ his Disciples and manner of adding to the Church such as shall be saved Act. 2.41 In a word Baptism is the band of union to all Gods servants binding them to a constant adherencie to his Name and joynt attendance on his Worship and is the bar of division from all others that are yet strangers to the Covenant so as that until baptized they may not communicate of the holy things of God with the Church nor come nigh with them to the Lord. In the Primitive times of the Church the Catechumenists who were preparing for Baptism not having been yet Baptized were sent from Church Communion and holy priviledges with the profane and paenitentiaries by the cry of Sacra Sacris holy things for holy men but when by Baptisme they were incorporated into the Church then they continued in prayer breaking of bread and every act of Worship to God with confidence so that till the Church appear our mother we see no warrant to call God Father his children are no vagrants in the high way and hedges and when begotten by uncorruptible seed of the Word were by Baptisme placed in the lap and laid to the brests of the Church then as her children we claim all the Priviledges of the Covenant and come to the throne of Grace with confidence nor may any without a forfeiture of Baptisme be judicially exacted by the Church deny our relation and liberty of accesse to God I never yet could conceive any warrantable reason to deny the liberty of accesse to the Lords table to such Baptized soules whose horrid profaneness and obstinate spirits did not make them obnoxious to the censures of the Church in order to their excommunications and dismembring from the body and certainly Circumcision did not more firmly incorporate unto the Church under the Law and conferre a liberty of approach unto the Sanctuary then Baptisme doth under the Gospell 2. Baptisme is an Ordinance of Consecration unto God God is a God of Holiness and will be sanctified in such as come unto him none may appear before him in their prophanenesse the Masse of Mankind is so prophaned with sin that men in common may not appear before God such as shall adore him must be adorned for him and if they will hold communion with him they must be consecrated to him God never comes nigh to Israel but he first calls to have the people Sanctified nor comes the Messiah before his Messenger had prepared his way Israel the onely Nation that holds communion with and comes to God are called an holy Nation because conâ—ecrated by Circumcision hence Circumcision is the terme and title of a Sanctified people but uncircumcision the title and terme that denominates the prophanations that might not come nigh to God It is Gods command
they injoyed by their Baptism and disavowing the holinesse thereby conferred they declare themselves to have been cozened when Christned and although they have sometime deemed themselves the people of God sanctified by the washing of water in Covenant with God and sweet Communion with his people Now they declare themselves to be aliens and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel without hope without God and without Christ in the world and therefore renouncing this bâ—ptism they seek another way of accesse to God and by an imagined Baptism of their own creation they encourage their spirits and stamp holinesse upon themselves and pretend to joyn themselves to the assemblies of the Lords people declaring all others to be dogs and only themselves the children of the Kingdom all others to be in the high-wayes and hedges and themselves the only Church of Christ to whom men must be joyned on pâ—in of Eternal Damnation When I consider these men I cannot but consider the impetuous viole ce of an Erroneous judgment in hurrying to irregular practise and the giddy preposterous zeal that is produced by Reason-darkning fancy this carriage doth plainly bespeak these men to be greatly irrational and grossely ignorant First They appear to be greatly Irrational and that because they nullifie Gods Ordinances by mistaken or miscarried circumstances which no way destroy their essence Their ground is Infants ought not to be Baptized and they were Baptized in their infancy their ignorant parents in their ignorance did superstitiously cause them to be sprinkled by some unworthy Sir John or other and hereby they were cozened but now they thank God they see the superstition of Baby-sprinkling and therefore will have their bodies washed and joyn themselves to the Baptized Saints Unto this Plea of theirs I wish they had reason enough to see the irrationality of it for presuppose which is not true that infants have no right to Baptism it wâ—ll not thence follow that Infant-baptism is superstâ—tious void and null For Bapâ—â—â—â— is Gods Ordinance Christs own Institution Age or Infancy are but circuâ—stances directing the subject to whom it is applyed and is not essential to the Ordinance if Baptism be a worship according to the mind of Christ then Infant baptisme is out of all danger or possibilty of will-worship in case infants were not as undoubtedly they are within the Verge yet their baptism can be no Will-worship for we set not up the Ordinance we apply to them but make application of the Ordinance Christ instituted so that our utmost guilt is misapplication of worship instituted by God not devising any worship o our own heads so that they do irrationally charge the corruption of an Ordinance and misapplication of an Institution with Superstition and this coâ—ruption in a circumstanâ—e they imagine to nullifie the Ordinance and improve to a nonentitâ—e of their Baptism most irrationally making the Age essential to the Ordinance which God never did so appoint in either Old or New Testament-times either in the initiating Seal of Circumcision or Baptism God did indeed direct Circumcision to be applyed at the Eighth day but the direction of the Age is distinct from the institution of the Ordinance and not of the Essence thereof otherwise none mâ—gâ—t be Circumcized after the eighth day to have their Circumcision valid and of force under the New Testament we have neither institution of the Age nor subsequent direction for it save only the qualification of the subject as being made Disciples brought into a propriety to the Promise and the like of what age soever unlesse our Anabaptists will make Christ's Baptism the institution of the Ordinance and age to which it is to be applyed and then I do believe their latter Baptism will be as void as the former for I believe they are yonger or elder very few of the just direct age of the Lord Jesus when Baptized so that the Age can no way be made essential to the Ordinance the corruption circumstantial will not bring upon it an nonentitie and necessity of rebaptization though they might have cause to bewail the fin of their parents in corruptly misapplying Gods Seal but what necessity is there of plucking it off and Cancelling the Covenant of God to them confirmed I cannot believe that if a Jew had been Circumcised before the Eighth day that he would have renounced the Circumcision because misapplyed in point of time by his neglective parents deviations from order may be profanenesse to be rebuked but cannot be destructive to the Ordinance that the priviledges thereof should be lost and it be reiterated I do not believe that these men will Disfranchise themselves of the priviledges of a Free-man of London though they were incorporated before the age directed by the Rules of the Chamber for admitting Free-men Methinkâ— their Reason should be a Chancery of more equity then to cut themselves off from the Congregation of Gods people and cast off the liberâ—y of accesse because of their unseasonâ—ble and too early Baptism If the Church on such a miscarryed circumstance should disfranchize them or deny their relation to the houshold of Faith she were deservedly censured for cruel severity and hâ—r summum jus must needs be deemed summa injuriâ— the greatest wrong is to punish failed circumstances with the highest severity due to the greatest crimes Only blind zeal and irrational folly is censorious to themselves to disown their own interest on such a ground as will not warrant the Church to deprive them of it Self-execution under the greatest guilt differs little from murther but must needs be sinfully violent when extended in measure beyond the nature of the fault Self-excommunication on so slight a ground cannot but be the sting of an a wakened conscience apprehensive of tâ—e prâ—viledges lost the out cry of such a conscience must needs be this Oh wretch my parents misapplyed the Seal and therefore I have cast off the Covenant by my own will and deprived my self of those blessed enjoyments the hand of justice never demanded from me Oh cruelty self cruelty How juâ—â—ly might God say Amen to thy self censure and blind thee under thy losse for ever But to extenuate this irrationallity in the rejection of their Baptism received in infancy they endeavouring to master by number of exceptions under the want of faith further plead Why but we were Baptized by some unworthy Minister and in a superstitious manner with the Ceremonies of the Church and sign of the Cross and therefore we cannot make that baptism a ground of Faith in the approach to God And hereby they do but act their irrationality the further for suppose ye were Baptized by an unworthy Minister yet he was a Minister though the Essence of the Ordinance may depend on the Authority yet not on the Dignity of the Administrator The wickednesse of an Embassador maketh not his Embassie concluded to be void and vain the impression of a lawfully Commissionated Judge though he be unjust is
nature of Baptisme Understand its end use and effects Labour we to know the holiness it stamps on any the priviledges it confers and how it confers them see the divine institution enforcing the duty of subjection to it and the dignitie received by it Ignorance is the Nurserie of Error and Guard of all Prophaneness All those Oâ—dinance degrading and vilifying notions that are conceived in mens mindes blasphemies belched out of their mouthes and contemptible carriage under and towards Baptisme and the baptized which we have before taxed are no other than the mists and filthie fogs of a blinde mind to be dispersed by a right apprehension of the holy nature thereof Ignorance is noted in Scripture as the ground of Isâ—aels impiety very often doth God complain they know not me and are a people who will not understand my people perish for lack of knowledge Knowledge is the propounded cure of all prophaneness and contempt of holy things it is the principle of Regeneration to be renewed in the spirit of the minde Our Saviour corrects the prophanation of the Temple by an it is written my house shall be called an house of prayer and dispels all rude traditions which made the Law of God of none effect by an exposition of the Law And the Apostle corrects the prophane use of the Lords Supper by explaining the nature form and use thereof telling them sometime this is not to eat the Lords Supper and other times pointing to the Ordinance by a The Cup of blessing which we bless is the Communion and an I received from the Lord what I delivered unto you The same is to be the cure of the prophaneness of every Ordinance of God viz. the understanding of its use and nature They that know not the benefit of a Denison of England or a Freeman of London must needs disesteem disregard and despise the priviledges thereof Is it any marvel to hear men speak and see men carry contemptibly towards a sealed parchment whose use and nature he doth not understand but such as know thereof the use and value will purchase them at a dear rate and prise them above many things simply and in themselves more considerable In a word I must say if men knew that Gods image and authority was set on Baptisme they would not dare to despise its simplicity and meanness If they understood it to be the dore of admission into the Church incorporation into Christs body and method of matriculation into the houshold of faith they could never scorn it or sit indifferent to it but must see as ever they will put on Christ Jesus and be united to his body they must be baptized nay further such as are sensibly affected with it as a seal of the Covenant of Grace and so ground of faith as a sacred qualification of approach to God without which we may not come nigh unto him and as the ordained Ark of Salvation wherby we stand separated from the world unto so great advantages he could not but set on it an high esteem rejoycing in his Baptisme blessing God for such distinguishing grace and thankfully improve the same to his encourâ—gâ—ment in and ingagement unto duty Let it therefore be your care with all diligence to studie the nature of the Ordinance and understand its use vertue and value that by ignorance you lose not its effects or be led into erronious notions luke-warm affections to and prophane expressions towards so holy and necessary an Ordinance The second exhortation is To act our conversation as sensible that the body washed with pure water must qualifie us with confidence in access to God Let your knowledge of the right use and nature of Baptisme appear in your lives and carriage under and towards so holy an Ordinance Take heed of prophaning holy things disesteeming high priviledges and contemning special grounds of faith and priviledges of grace and more particularly 1. Direct Admit not men into communion with the Church in other Ordinances and acts of worship that have not been baptized Let them enter at the right dore that receive Gods alms Call not them the Lords people who weare not the Lords livery communicate not the priviledges of the Saints with them who stand Aliens Strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel Let not them approach the presence of an holy God who were never sanctified by the washing of water by the word And in a word take heed of running into the abhomination of bringing into Gods Sanctuary the unbaptized in flesh Invert not Gods order and the Gospel method of approach to God These might have seemed needless exhortations heretofore but now doe not for that many in the midst of us doe not onely disown their own baptisme but bring up their Issue unbaptized And great is the present and greater will be the future danger of admitting to sit at the Lords table such as never were baptized I could heartily wish we could keep a Register of the unbaptized as we doe of the baptized However let the administrators of holy things make it their first enquiry Were you baptized and take heed they pollute not Gods Sanctuarie by admitting thereunto the men whose bodies were not washed with pure water Be not deceived with a pretence of reall grace for grace must needs be pretended where any of Gods Ordinances are despised and Christs prescribed order is neglected but if it were reall it is not the Churches guide who cannot know it Outward qualifications must be their direction and Gospel order in peoples approach to God is their charge and must be their care 2. Direct Attend with reverence and affection the administration of Baptisme unto others Turn not your backs on so holy an Ordinance and eminent action but consider it is an act of worship and Ordinance of God as well as preaching or prayer and our attendance on all acts of Religion is duty it is a solemn and sacred action separating persons unto God sanctifying them for God stamping upon men holiness to the Lord setting them as members of Church the body of Christ and solemnly dedicating them to the service of Father Sonne and holy Ghost And doth not this call for the attendance of all the Lords people Shall not the worth of union with Christs Church and consecration to God be witnessed to be of weight by the reverent attendance of the assemblie Are not all concerned in and to be edified by the Ordinance and shall they sleight it and turn back on it Consider the reproof of the guilt of such neglect let it quicken you to duty let your presence at and reverence in the administration of Baptisme bespeak your sense of its sacred nature and sanctifying use making a Church Ordinance privat by confining it to your houses or running from its administration in the publique place must needs be the result of low thâ—ughts Clandâ—stine Baptism is the cloud of Baptisme and the rude out-â—unning that Ordinance runs it into contâ—mpt be witnesses
the Sons of Adam weare this liverie Is there a specialty in the application of water and hath it extended to mee shall I say I have received no favour peculiar to the Lords people and distinct from the mass of mankinde Nay I am by Baptism a matriculated Disciple in Christ his Schole an incorporated Member of the houshold of Faith Why then doe I feare to feede on childrens Bread and to use those priviledges that doe belong to the Citizens of the new-Jerusalem Why am I as an alien and stranger from the Commonwealth of Israel I have by Baptisme put on Jesus Christ and shall I feare to come before the Father is not hee his beloved Sonne in whom hee is well pleased Is not Baptisme a Seale of Gods Covenant Why then doe I not claime the promises What though I see not Gods privie Seale the Spirit of adoption is the broad seal of the Covenant of no force and value doth it in vain bear on it divine authority why then iâ— it called thâ— Aâ—k of Salvation why hath God said he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Shall I lose my Salvation for not joyning faith to my baptisme What though I finde many rude Christians and pâ—ophane persons in the Church claiming priviledges by their Baptisme can I deny in some things their claim to be good though they be wicked And wherein it is not good to them breaking the Covenant may it not be good to me poor me that desire to keep the Covenant of my God In a word hath not God sanctified me to himself by the washing of water and doth he call men to draw nigh to him in assurance of faith having the body washed with pure water and shall I be dismayed in access to him Oh! the wickedness of my doubting that doth spring from ignorance of Gods holy Oâ—â—inances the sin of my despondencie that deâ—ers me from duty and exposeth my baptisme to contempt I will sure cast off this estate and hence forward continue with the Church in the Word breaking of bread and Prayer and use of all other priviledges of grace and composedly prize the benefit of Ordinances that by rational acts of faith in them I may at length arrive at the fulness of assurance Thus then Christians argue to your selves the duty and dignity of your Baptisme enjoy with comfort the priviledges thereby conferred Know and approve your selves as baptized and thereby Singled out of the world by Baptisme and set in a capacity of Salvation as was Noahs family in the Arke 1 Pet. 3.21 Sanctified unto God Baptisme being the solemne form of consecration Ephes 5.26 Sons and Subjects of the Covenant invested with Christ incorporated into his Church the seal of which is in your flesh by Baptisme Suited for divine society by the expiation of guilt extirpation of sins power and exact confederation with God all which the Scriptures note to be the effects of Baptisme or the washing of the body with pure water In the apprehension and argumentation of these priviledges let me guide your judgements by propounding to your consideration these several rules 1. Rule Salvation and sanctification and the like priviledges are naturally argued from Baptisme as it is an Ordinance of God ordained to that end Therefore the effects are to it attributed It in all things necessary bears an analogie with Circumcision and propounds moral considerations to that end to the reasonable soul of man to be argued by contemplative acts of faith 2. Rule All that will be sanctified saved and enjoy the before noted priviledges must be baptized All that will in an ordinary way possess them for extraordinary providences are beyond the reach of our debate must be baptized not only on the necessity of a command from God but the nature of the Ordinance being the means appointed rightly constituted and readily conclusive to such an end So that none unbaptized can on any ground expect to enjoy nor may warrantably be admitted to the priviledges of a sanctified and saved people of the Lord. 3. Rule Some baptized enjoy these priviledges of salvation sanctification and the like visibly and symbolically others really sincerely and savingly Some are seemingly saved and sanctified in the sight of men and esteem of the Church These enjoy the outward Ordinance only and that is the guide and ground of humane censure and the judgement of the Church Hence the term Saint Beleever Disciple Brother is in Scripture given and must be by the Church yeilded to hypocrites yea to visible prophane persons but baptized but others are sincerely and savingly possessed of these priviledges not only in the judgement of the Church but by the testimonie of their own conscience and spirit of adoption These enjoy not only the outward signe but also the inward grace of Baptisme have not only the body washed with pure water but also the heart spriâ—kled from an evil conscience The outward Ordinance and inward grace are sometimes divided according to the visible and invisible ministration of the Covenant Baptisme is to all the same in its nature but not in its effects it is in it self efficacious to all but in some not meeting with due capacity acts of faith to improve it it becomes not effectual Many baptized and by the Church called heirs of Glorie lose their hopes holiness and heaven it self not because Baptisme did not seal it and confer a ground or right but because the soul acted not faith in the right unto the claim of what was conferred None so deservedly lose their inheritance as those who improve not their sealed evidence to a due claim Take heed lest there be among you a prophane Esau heir of his fathers blessing who for a mess of pottage sold his birth right Men in the Church contented with Creature-comforts claim not the priviledges of the Covenant conferred by their Baptisme and so lose their birth-right 4. Rule The outward priviledges of Baptisme enjoyed visibly and in the judgement of the Church may be forfeited and by the censures of the Church taken away A brother may be made as a Publicane and Heathen a member of Christs body may be cut off and a servant of God may be delivered unto Satan the Citizens of Jerusalem may be disfranchised private persons may not at pleasure disown baptized souls but the publique censure of the Church if unworthy their received Baptisme may discharge them Church communion and divest them of salvation sanctification interest in the Covenant which clave non errant the Church not Erring is ratified in Heaven as well as in the Church visible upon earth 5. Rule Salvation sanctification and the priviledges of the Covenant may by Baptisme be conferred on them who are not sensible of the Ordinance or in a present capacity of using them Right may be formally conferred where it is not presently acted The King may be crowned in the cradle the crown be set on his head as a token of right before his hand can
Proselytes appear to be the same this year he was the last A man under judicial * The Committee for Plundred Ministers Parliamentary censure for his Errors a man by the most sage grave and pious * London Testimony to the truth c. Ministers of his City the place of his Residence branded as a Seducer from the Truth of Jesus Christ a man for Sedition so owned by himself imprisoned banished and afflicted as an evil doer a man of such violence commotion division confusion distraction disorder that Bishopsgate and Aldgate must needs lament the day of his being in the midst of them And yet enquire why should Master Crofton so much withstand John Simpsons preaching but if he or all his Adherents were as they never can be able to acquit him from these Blots that must needs render him unfit for Gospel-work yet Master Crofton hath too too just cause to withstand his Ministry not only for his unjust intrusion and dis-ingenuous silence under any propounded conveniencie for the people and malitious exercise of his pretended Ministery to the meer humoring of an envious prophane Faction pursuing nothing but Confusion and Disorder not having any Assembly of his own to engage him to it But for those Falshoods that in the name of the Lord he doth utter to the decrying of Gods holy Ordinances and danger of mens Salvation herein he is frequent and of which I shouâ—d were it not that my weak people are apt to take boldness to sit under his Ministry from my hearing him make a full detection Can any man think Ministerial zeal can in the least admit an afternoons contradiction of a forenoons Doctrine of Truth I have before noted to the world that he no sooner violently entred my Church and interrupted some of Gods Ordinances but he presently vilifying those he could not hinder openly averred that to learn a Catechism was not to worship God you might as well take your children to the Market or Fair and buy them Baubles Rattles and Hobby Horses as Catechisms I well know that he did with most prophane impudence in the Pulpit at Great Al-hallows and in my own Pulpit make a dreadfull appeal to God Angels and Men that he never Preached such Doctrine but I have offered and do yet offer if he will be convicted before any competent Judges to convince him by some of his late Proselytes and many others that heard him speak it and after most wickedly deny that he spake it he must not think but we know the Serpentine wisdom of Seducers leads them to deny they spake the doctrine they divulge if the time and other circumstances will not defend them in it And yet in the Sermon wherein he would deny this notion he doth but Familistically Spiritualize and runs into this assertion which is yet Tantamount That it is gross ignorance to say or think that the teaching of Catechitical heads of Religion is the way to bring any man to the knowledge of Christ I confess this contempt of catechizing was in my ears but a praeludium to the decrying of Infant Baptism which engaged me to attend his Wednesday Lectures for some few days when he was from 1 Peter 3.21 Treating of Baptism wherein I heard many absurdities false interpretations and incongruous expressions uttered but at length found him that pretends he had * His Book of Justification in the Epist to the Reader run over the bogs of Familism yet not to have been swallowed up in them to have fallen up to the arm holes if not over head and ears for not only did he despise Poedo-Baptism by the contemptible terms of Baby-sprinkling cozening Infants and the like but proclaimed Water-Baptism the very Ordinance it self to be nothing worth and the spirit inward Grace the answer of a good conscience to be all in all even unto communion with the Church visible and this he did in a full Discourse half an hour long directed to his own Proselytes with many invectives against such as would not admit Communion with the unbaptized in flesh these nullifying notions of Gods Ordinance I could not bear and resolving they should not corrupt on my stomack or he have liberty to make a false appeal to God Angels and Men in the denial of what he had delivered or to complain I dealt not fairly by him publickly to render him erronious before I had charged him personally I did on the day on which he preached it being the 2. of September 1657. and assoon as Sermon was ended repaire to my Study and writ unto him this Letter following Mr. Simpson I did this day with no little trouble hear your Discourse and pretermitting your incongruous impertinent expressions and misapplication of Scripture with many Ordinance-degrading and Church-confounding speeches you laid down this inference That Baptisme is not the ground of communion with the Church but real grace the answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and therefore you did declare Though a man were altogether ignorant of the doctrin of Baptism and had never passed under that outward Ordinance you could own him as a member of the Church and hold communion with him and admit him to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ and much to this purpose you delivered Sir When I consider the answer of a good conscience is only known to God I cannot believe God hath made it the Ground of communion with men and outward Baptism to be the first Ordinance of God to the Church and external Seal of the Covenant and the very door of admission into the Church erected by Jesus Christ and reckon'd by the Apostle among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in all Ages of the Church made the foundation of the Church Ordinances in foro Ecclesiae I cannot conservâ— to communion with such as are unbaptized but must fear in this case God may say to me as to them in Isa 44.7 For though outward baptism without inward Grace can carry no man to heaven yet the Church cannot without palpable profaneness admininister other Ordinances of Communion to the unbaptized I pray you tell me whether you do not in vain press me to outward Baptism when you tell me I may live and die in Commmunion with the body of Christ all my dayes and yet never know the Doctrine nor passe under the Ordinance of water-Baptism Is Baptism become an Adiaphoron These things I thus timely signifie to you to prevent mistakes desiring your arguments for your position for that your Cited Scripture Rom. 15.7 doth not conclude it but is farre wide to which I promise you a speedy answer unless they be convincing to Zath Crofton Sept. 2 1657. Though this letter was by a messenger sent of purpose delivered into his hand disingenious be never returned answer to it either in publick or privat but suffered these contemptible notions to abide on the spirit of the people as it they were Gospel truths Having observed
Many as 1. Such as dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of access to God teaching that Baptism is not the ground of Communion with the Church visible but real Grace the answer of a good conscience and thereon do tender all the Ordinances to the unbaptized which is directly opposite to this use of the Ordinance and inverts the Ordinance of the Gospel giving God cause to complain as once in Israel Ezek. 44.7 Ye have defiled my Sanctuary by admitting into my Sanctuary the unbaptized in flesh and in spirit Q. Who are further to be condemned as contrary to this consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as disown their Baptism in drawing nigh to God as do some Familists who deny all outward Ordinances and pretend to serve God altogether in Spirit as if divided man could draw nigh to God or the Lord would not be adored by the body he hath redeemed or true Grace could admit a contempt of any divine Ordinance Or the Anaebaptists who are so irrational as to renounce their Baptism because received in Infancy as if a corruption in circumstance if this were one had destroyed the essence of the Ordinance but indeed they do it out of ignorance or obstinacy deâ—ming Gods Institution Superstition and so run into the sin of Sacriledge Q. Is the denial of Infants Baptism the sin of Sacriledge A. Whilst it robs God of the children to him begotten the Church of Members to her born believing Parents of a ground of Faith and reason of hope and the Infants of their undoubted Interest in the Covenant I cannot but deem it sacriledg Q. Who else are to be blamed as repugnant to this consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as disregard Baptism in its application to others as do Parents who pass over their childrens Baptism as a Civil Complement and meer Formality to please Friends but never compose themselves to it as an act of Religion and Ordinance of God pray not for a blessing on it nor praise God for the blessing of it nor instruct their baptized children in the benefit and use of it and people who attend with some shew of reverence on other Ordinances but rudely rush out of the Congregation when Baptism is administred as if it were some idle action and as if the sanctifying of a soul to God the sealing of the Covenant and admission of a Member into the Church were of no use to them nor worth their attendance Q. Who else are to be blamed as contrary to the nature of Bapiism A. Such as disesteem their own Baptism neither improving it against sin nor arguing to themselves the duty or dignity of their Baptism so as to make Baptism an Engagement against sin to holiness and encouragement of their Spirits in holy duties Q. Who also are to be blamed as contrary to the consecrating nature of Baptism A. Such as deny the Baptized the liberty of access to God in the Assemblies of his people as do the Independents who gather Churches out of Churches rightly constituted and call the Baptized into Church way as if they were out and prescribe a Covenant of their own whereby to admit Church members affect to distinguish themselves from others Baptized by the term of Saints Brethren Church and the like and deny to communicate with them as if Baptism did not incorporate into Christ his Body and prepare for communion with him in his Ordinances Q. To what course of life doth your Baptism bind you A. To depart from all iniquity to devote my self wholly to the Faith and Service of one God Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom I am dedicated and all my days to demean my self as a member of Christ his Church one in Covenant with God on whom holiness is stamped and that is sanctified for approaches to him Q. You spake of some benefit you reaped by your being Baptized in Infancy Is the early enjoyment of this Ordinance of any advantage A. Yes veâ—y much in many things to be preferred before Baptism of grown persons wherein it is more profitable Q. What is the first benefit of Infant Baptism A. Infant Baptism expresseth clearly the sin of nature and engageth against it in that we are washed it is evident we are unclean but being so soon baptized doth witness our very nature is defiled for infancy did never admit us to be stained with personal guilt as are men at years and so Infant Baptism is an unanswerable argument of our inbred corruption against which we are bound to fight being baptized before it had spread it self into actual sin Q. What is the second benefit of Infant Baptism A. It explaineth the method and order of transmitting the Covenant and affecteth us with the benefit of Relation to a believing Parent That we are baptized speaks us in Covenant but that we are so soon baptized before we have in our selves any qualification for it shews us as branches we partake of the fatness of the olive and are of the same kinde with our Parents God hath graciously become the God of the Believer and his Seed and made grace to run through natures channel otherwise we had never enjoyed this Priviledge Q. What is a third benefit of Infant Baptism A. It enlargeth the bounds and establisheth the being of the Church Baptism is the band of union and Ordinance of ingrafting into the Church But Infant Baptism doth scatter the holy seed and send forth sprouting branches which succeeding into the room of old perishing stocks doth not only increase the number of the Churches Members but defend it from the wasting annihilating breaches of time Q. What is the fourth benefit of Baptism A. It exciteth Repentance representing sin in its Root and Original the pravity of nature and its gracious object the God of our Fathers and the God of our youth against whom we have offended Q. What is the fifth benefit of Infant Baptism A. It enforceth Faith not only in the sealing but also the extending of the Covenant to the seed of Believers a ground of Parental Prayer for Posterity and an early seizure of our souls before Satan could possess us or our own corrupt nature could betray us unto him Q. What is the sixth benefit of Infant Baptism A. It engageth duty Parents to Christian education and instruction of those who by their Authority are dedicated to the service of the true God children to the obedience of the God of their Father and of their youth who extended to them the Covenant and so soon set the seal of it in their flesh Q. What is the seventh benefit of Infant Baptism A. It encourageth under death the knowledge of the Covenant extended unto Believers and their seed hath prepared young children unto Martyrdom and interest in the Covenant can be the only ground of hope to the Parents under the death of their Infants who are born the children of wrath but by Baptism are put into the ark of salvation such as let go this must
like kind to be of the Kingdome of Heaven and propounded not onely as examples of meekness and humility but as objects of charity and observation not to be offâ—nded but awfully received because Christs name is placed on them and they are made his disciples so as that the receiving such a little child must be deemed the receiving of Christ and the offending one of these little ones a dolor more dangerous then a milstone hanged about his neck and being cast into the Sea Matth. 18.2 3 4 5 6. Mark 10.14 Luk. 18.16 And when I consider the Apostles position of the latitude of Sanctity not onely to the Jewes the naturall branches but the Christianized Gentiles accidentall branches wilde by nature but ingrafted in and partaking of the fatness of the Olive plainly affirming of both if the first fruits were holy so is the whole lump if the root be holy so is the branches Rom. 11.16 And I here by the way observe that from these priviledges the naturall branches were and accidentally may be cut off Lastly When I consider the Apostles clear and serious resolve to the case of Conscience propounded by the Corinthians concerning their children born of an Infidel not adulterous parent else were your children unclean but now are they holy 1 Cor. 7.14 The Anabaptist will not let us understand in this place Real holiness nor do we desire it and until that they have made it to appear that Faith is essential to Marriage which will put marriage in a good tendency to a Sacrament and please the Church of Rome it is too ridiculous to understand a natural holinesse I mean Legititimacie and acquittance from the blot of Bastardie and then I am constrained to understand a Foederal holiness in the extent of the Covenant and esteem of the Church These things I say considered I must pluck up my reason by the very root if I do not by undenyable consequence constraine my conscience to believe and preach this point of Doctrine viz In New-Testament times under the Gospel-administration of the Covenant of Grace the natural issue or infants of believing parents are in covenant with God and under the promises of salvation And when I look upon Peters encouragement to the converting Jews to believe and be baptized for the promise is to you and to your children even to all that are a far off as many as the Lord our God shall call Act 2.38 39. I must renounce my Grammar and little skill in reading plain English with the least of understanding if I do not read Believing Jews and their children and also believing Gentiles and their children have that interest in the Promise that may be to them a Ground of Faith and confer on them a Right to Baptism And the Anabaptist glosse that the promise was of extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghâ—st for these are not extended to all that are a far off when God doth call them nor created they any right to Baptism for many time they follow this Sacrament or that children when called to the faith of the Parent should have the right to the Promise for that is to them as called nor as children And my mind is very foggie I am much out if this terme of Relation do not dictate a Priviledge and Propriety by virtue of relation which children of such parents as children should enjoy above what children of other parents did or could enjoy is too short a Fescue to make me read otherwise Thus then it doth fully and plainly appear that under Old and New Testament administrations of the Covenant of Grace the infants of believing parents are Foederati within the Covenant and so fit and proper subjects of baptism to be baptized Nor is their incapacity of making a vocal profession of Faith any bar to their baptism for profession simply creates no right to baptism I never read the divil was baptized and I believe the Dipping Saints will not now baptize him Yet he really believed and more then once professed That Jesus Christ was the Son of God Profession as an evidence of Covenant-interest was the Churches guide to baptism and the Scripture giving another demonstration of Covenant-interest viz Descent from believing parents that is also regarded and the one to be no bar to the other but both in their place gives due direction who are foederates and to be baptized Nor is the Argument of any more force because the Scripture mentioneth vocal profession and baptism upon it but passeth the other in silence for occasional and circumstantial actions are no binding precedents or universal direction to the Church of God The Church is founded in grown persons whose Covenant-interest can be known no otherwise but by vocal profession but it may be edified by infant Branches who by a course of nature partake of the fatnesse of the Olive having the birth-right of the Covenant Thus it was with Abraham and his issue and so with us 2. Where the general nature of the Covenant with a long and particular exercise thereof doth dictate there needs no particular explâ—cite directions God in his wisdome designing our right understanding and rational improvement of the Covenant and our reverend esteem of the old Testament in its use and necessity to the Christian Church representing unto us the order of the administration of the Covenant and Circumcision refers us thither for direction concerning baptism and we must needs in reason see that the change of a meer Rite or Ceremony under the continuation of the substance and same Covenant will never admit a change of the subjects to be sealed Last of all Infants inability to action is no bar to their baptism because it voids not their interest in the Covenant and the Sacrament is such wherein they are to be meerly Passive When I observe God to have appointed the initiating Seal of initiating grace to be such where men of the greatest activity are altogether Passive he seemes to me to suggest these shall not act in their admission into the Church and receiving of my Covenant that inability to action may be no bar or hindrance to such as have no lesse interest in the Covenant and only Covenant-interest shall make capable of the Seal Let not any Antipaedobaptist think to amaze us by crying Why Sir on this ground infants may have a right to the Lords Supper for we say so too they have jus ad rem though not jus in re their right is not denyed though present incapacity hinders their injoyment These things considered we must tell the Anabaptist That infants right to the Covenant and enjoyment of the initiating Seale having been continued throughout the old world under the Law without the least controule and also under the Gospell for more then 1600 yeares without any Generall interruption or the least disturbance untill within this 200 yeares we must find better warrant to divest us of it before we part with it and our antiquity on so clear a
contempt and profane negleâ—t thereof that is not a little abounded to our shame and with grief of heart be it spoken in the midst of us were men but rightly affected with the nature of Baptisme they would see in it beauty and of it a great necessity Was not washing of the flesh necessary and the holy Garment glorious in Israel because they fitted for approach to God and entrance into the holy place if men were but really convinced that the body washed with pure water was a ground of assurance because a qualification of access to God that Bâ—ptisme is the onely band of union and doore of admission into the Church the formall consecration to the service of the living God what an esteem of Baptisme must needs possesse their hearts and make them not content without but carefull to pursue it as seeing into Gods presence there is no approach to such as are not sanctified by the washing of water through the Word but a pressing unto Gods Ordinances not thus prepared must be a presumption no less then damnable nay how would the sence of Baptisme affect the heart with joy whilst thereby we are made Members of Gods Church an higher priviledg then the Coronation of a King C. and made fit for the worship of an holy God the ground of all alacrity and boldnesse in the use of his Ordinances How must such a soule say what a happy condition am I now in who through Grace have my body washed with pure water and joyned to the houshold of faith and sanctified for the service of that consuming fire and Holy God whom to approach unto it 's the greatest happinesse man can enjoy whilst others are a far off debarred the Holy things of Grace and dare not intermeddle with the Holy things of God nor draw nigh unto his Holy place I come with freedome into his Sanctuary and claim the liberty and priviledges thereof by virtue of Baptism that Covenant of God which is upon my flesh in this therefore I will rejoyce before the Lord. Nay the sense of Baptisme as a qualification for accesse to God would set our hearts into a reverent use and dreadfull attendance on the administration of it to others whilest the Element is weak and simple its use and end must make it glorious and powerful whilst common washing is contemptible a bathing the flesh at the door of the Tabernacle in order to an entrance into the Holy place and appearance before God is dreadful â—â—â—â—â—gh Wax and parchment aâ—â— poor and viile base and common Commodities most Shops afford Commodities much higher prized yet these conjoyned by the hand of Majesty to make a Patent Deed or Magna Charta to secure some Grant priviledge or great revenue is of much more worth and value and received with more reverence and esteem if we look on water we see it is an Element as low as common as meâ—n in our esteem as ordinary in menâ— use and this is ready to raise in our hearts contemptible thoughts and make us say what a beggerly Element and base Administration is this What profit can be in the Application of an handfull of water But when we shall consider that water is applyed by vertue of Gods Command as a most sacred Ordinance to signifie the blood of Christ whereby we are cleansed from all sin to seale unto us the Covenant of Grace and all its priviledges of Salvation to set us in union with the Church to the enjoyment of all Gospel Ordinances and Sanctifie us as a peculiar people that may and must draw nigh to God in assurance of faith what lustre doth there appear in the Ordinance what reverence doth then raise our Spirits what high and honourable regard doe we then see we ow unto this common and contemptible act of Baptisme oh what prayers for efficacy what prayses for enjoyment what pleasure in administration must the consecrating qualifying and soule-encouraging assuring nature of Baptisme effect in all such as are seriously affected with Gods Holiness and the order of approach to him unto all such Baptisme is no carnall beggarly and unprofitable Element but a Glorious Spirituall Evangelicall Administration of exceeding dignity no Church complement and matter of indifferency that may or may not be used without any damage but a compleat duty by reason of Divine command and its own due nature disposing man into such a devout relation to God and so of indispensable necessity Vse 2. Is of reproofe justly to blame that disesteeme and disregard of Baptisme that is to be found among us our age of liberty hath set us so loose to Gospell Ordinances that many can be not onely content wiâ—hout them but also readily run into the contempt of them how few in the midst of us understand the nature and seek the use of Baptisme as a ground of â—aith and Ordinance of Consecration and so of confident access to God mens principles and practise doth proclaim their palpable ignorance of such priviledges possessed by the body washed with puâ—e water How many to our shame and with griefe be it spoken do use Baptisme as a meere Church complement and convenient Ceâ—emony to the content of their wives kinsfolke friends or neighbours bring their children to be Baptised without any awe of an Ordinance of God upon their spirit or apprehension of advantage to be by Baptisme conferred or design and intention of solemne dedication of their children to God and his service and so to have Gods name and Covenant stamped upon their flesh and them fiâ—ted for accesse to God in the Assemblies of his people and hence it is that they are at cost and care for the civilities that attend the Baptisme of their children but as for the Solemne praises of God for the blessing of the Covenant prayers for a blessing on an Ordinaâ—ce and carefull instruction of their Baptized children in the consecrating nature of Baptisme the boldnesse it creates and the duty of access to God it imposeth these come not into his thoughts cost him no care or pains his friends gone and work done he thinks himselfe well rid of a piece of trouble and pursues that dayes enjoyments to no more advantage nay how many sit so luke-warme in minds and affections to Baptisme that they think it to be a meer Ceremony and matter of indifferency if their body be washed they are content but they know no good it hath done them and if it be not washed they are as well pleased they see no losse they undergoe by the want of it and they can accompany with the Baptized or unbaptized in the Assemblies of Gods people and Administrations of Grace they matter not an outward Ceremony but look after the inward and hidden Man of the heart true and reall Grace without any outward Ordinance shall be the ground of their communion but say Circumcision or Uncircumcision avails not to them must it not be concluded that these men yet need to be
the name of God exposing the holy God to irreverent rude approaches and his Seals and sanctifying Ordinance to scorn and contempt Nor is this guilt thus charged in the least extenuated by the qualificaâ—ion required and propounded as the ground of Communion viz. Râ—al Grace the answer of a goâ—d conscience by the Resuâ—rectâ—on of Christ from the deâ—d for I never yet found this propounded in Scripture as the ground of Church communion not is it discernable by every eye of every common believer who are to see such sanctified unto God to whom they do joyn themselves Nay the very Stewards of the mysteries of God have not that Spirit of infallible discerning the truth of grace Grosse hypocrites have been by the very Apostles of Jesus Christ Baptized and admitted into the Church and so will be by all that administer holy things for Hypocrites void of true Grace must be found in the Church when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to Judgment And if it could be known yet by what authority is inward Grace divided from the outward Ordinance and opposed thereunto Those things which God hath joyned together shall any man dare to divide asunder and can true Grace consist with ignorance of the Doctrine of Baptism and neglect and contempt of the least Ordinance of Jesus Christ and inversion of the order of the Gospel But is not this most gracelesse Chymistry so to spiritualize Gospel dispensation as to Deifie every Minister that hath the charge of the Sanctuary Nay every believer that must hold communion in the Ordinances of the Gospel by making them Searchers of the heart and infallible discerners of Real Grace the ground of Church Communion and to justiâ—â—e the washing of the body which God hath made the ground of confidence in accesse to him in the assemblies of his people Secondly The second sort to be reproved as contradictorie to this consecrating faith encouraging Ordâ—nance of washing the body with pure water are such as Disown and decline Baptism in their drawing nigh to God in the assemblies of his peâ—ple Like Priest like People if men that â—all themselves Ministers â—â—d Teachers shall with black mouths blaspheme Baptisme it cannot but meet with people that shall prâ—fane contemn and cast off that holy Ordinance If Teachers shall dare in the Name of the Lord to declare That water-baptism is not the ground of communion with the Church visible no marvel if men do sl ght Baptisme in seeking such communion nay it were a marvel if some should not sinfully reject and renounce it for he is a mean man that draweth not some Clients after him Aâ—e there not many in the midst of us that make their way to God by renouncing their Baptism when once their fancy doth but dictate to them a vanity in that outward Ordinance and their tongues are filled with vilifying invectives calling it beggarly Element carnal Ordinance outward and groundless Ceremony badg of Antichrist Superstitious administration their hearts are as full of joy as they can hold now they are full of courage can come with freedom and full assurance to God being as they pretend baptized with the Spirit and fire now they boldly joyn themselves to that assembly they call the Church of God and despising all outward Ordinances their formal admission must be by a full renunciation of their Baptism and all carnal acts of worship as they phrase it that they may serve God in Spirit This generation of men must needs appear most grossely ignorant or greatly deluded as to the method of approach to God and manner of worship to be done unto him Unto them I would demand If they be guided by Scripture directions not Enthusiasmes and pretended Inspirations whether Scripture doth not declare That divided man must make no aprroach to God the Spirit of all flesh will be adored with outward acts of worsh p whâ—ch hâ— himself hath apâ—ointed Hath God commâ—nded Baptism to no use or end May bodies not consecrated come nigh to holy Presence Must not the Lords immediate attendants be distinguished from the rest of the world by some Livery that is obvious and to be seen by every eye Can the Spirit and Sacred Ordinances of God stand opposite one to the other and not consistent each with other And must sincere Graâ—e share stakes with God giving mâ—n the Body and God the Spirit The Divel may be content with the half of man for he well knows by that means he doth possesse the whole for God will have all or none they that will draw nigh to his Sanctuary must love him with all their mighâ— heart soul and strength they that will wait on him must worship him in Body and Spirit They that walk as the redeemed of Christ must gloryfie him with Soul and Body which is their reasonable sacrifice Rom. 12.1 For both were bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 God will part with no part of his purchase and hath therefore prescribed outward acts of adoration to be bodily performed in the sincerity of Spirit and appointed the washing of the body with pure water to consecrate and stamp holinesse on the outward man as well as the sprinkling of the heart for the inward the exercise of the body â—n the outward acts of worship without the Spirit is plain hypocrisie and the exercise of the Spirit without the Bodies subjection to outward Ordinances is positive profanenesse such is the Souls influence on the Body that if it awfully apprehend Majesty it will make the bodily members to expresse it In vain is heart Subjection pretended where the yoke of outward Ordinances is broken from the neck What likelyhood of Loyalty from such as scorne the Livery Sad is that Sanctity that sets at enmity Gods Spirit and Sacred Ordinances Cursed is that cry of holiness that cryeth down Divine order and Ordinances Rebellious is that Assembly whose Incorporation is a renunciation of the matter and method of Gods Worship Dreadful must needs be Gods approach to thâ—t people that draw nigh unto him not duly consecrated to that end by Baptism and touch the holy things of God in his Assembly not having the body washed with pure water I have lost my little skill in Scripture-Calcuiation if such perish not in the gain saying of Korah and occasion not a Pâ—rz-vzzah in Israel Whilest some disown Baptisme as an outward Ordinance by the Spirit of Familism disowning all outward administrations There are others that will joyn with us in condemning them and consent that God must be wâ—rshipped by bodily acts of Religion yet they find no way of accesse to God but by receding from the baptism they had received and disowning the consecrating Faith-encouraging use of the washing of their bodies in pure water to which they have been subject These are our Antipaedobaptist become actual Anabaptists who quarrelling at Infants interest unto Baptism and the Administrators thereof do disown all relation they have had to the Church and the priviledges
valid and of force the Grant of a cruel King and profane Prince will be by these men admitted as the substantial binding Charter of the peoples Priviledges we read often of the proâ—anenesse of the Priests of Israel but never of a nonentitie brought upon Gods Ordinances in their hand If they be in Moses Chair though we must not do as they do we are bound to the attention and obedience of what they say It is not impossible for a man to preach to others and himself be a cast away I never read that the Baptism of those Baptized by the unworthy hand of Judas was ever pronounced void or null A pure Ordinance is unhandsome in a profane hand but yet its essence is not impaired it is Gods Ordinance effectual to its end So that if they were Baptized by Ministers though unworthy wherein I wâ—sh charity be not violated for that many know not who they were they do censure as unworthy nay some worthy men to themselves so known they now call unworthy it is a corrupâ—â—on consistent with the essence of the Ordinance not any way destructive to its being The same is to be said for the annexed Ceremonies that they were profanely added but yet did not nullifie the Ordâ—nance but it stands in full force as a ground of confidence in access to God But secondly As they appear greatly irrational in inferring more then their premises will allow so they are Grosly ignorant nay I fear many wilfully shutting their eyes may be charged to be grosly obstinate They renounce their Baptism under the notion of Superstition not considering they run into the sin of Sacriledge charity must perswade us these men understand not the method and ministration of the Covenant of Grace otherwise they could never charge Infant Baptism with superstition which is the very application of Gods Ordinance to its proper subjects and so Sacrilegiously rob God his Church believing parents and their children of those holy duties and Dignities that belong unto them Have we not before noted that they who are in Covenant with God ought to be Baptized and is not this the principle wherein we all agree And if these men know any thing of the method and and ministration of the Covenant must they not needs confesse That the natural issue of one or both believing Parents are in Covenant as we have before proved and so fit subjects for Baptism that may and must be made partakers of the first initiating Seal of which God hath made them capable in their Passive age and estate Can any stand convinced that such infants are as soon as born the Lords Heritage Psal 127.3 The Lords servants Lev 25.42 Children begâ—tten to him Ezek. 16.20 21. Holy ones Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 Children of the Covenant Act. 4.25 To whom belongs the promise Act. 2.28 Interressed in the prâ—viledges of the people of God Mar. 10 14. and withhold the keeper of the Sanctuary and Stewards of Gods houshold from setting of Gods mark in their flesh or withstand their dedication unto God Must not we give Caesar the things that are Caesars and God the things that are Gods Will not God account it a Râ—bbery tâ—at they which are his shall be withheld from him Again câ—n any consider the issue of believing Parents to be the Churches Children begotten to the Lord Ezek 16.20 an holy seed scattered for her increase and yet snatch them out of her armes and cast them out of her bosome into the wide wildernesse of the world Shall not the Church lament and refuse to be comforted whilest she is bereaved of her babes and as a Bear robed of her whelps Will not such robbery prove her ruiâ—e and the drying up her seed hinder her increase and make her bâ—rren and fruitlesse Again shall the children of such believing parents be borne members into thâ— houshold of Faith and not be incorporated by Baptism Shall Loyalty be their born duty and not Gods Livery their dignity Shall the Covenant of Grace be the Charter of their priviledge and the Seals not be applyed to them as tâ—ey are capable of receiving them Shall they be holy in their kind and the badg of distinction be denyed them If any thing would make a new born babe to speak sure this Sacriledge would do it there is reason for the real demand that is fabled of one Rumball Son to an English King at Brackâ—ly in Northhamptonshire that as soon as he was born he requested to be Baptized for that he was a Christian Iâ— it not a cruel Sacriledge to shut out of the Ark of Salvation such whose title to entrance cannot be denyed Yet further is Baptism the only visible evâ—dence God hath given to parents of the extent of the Covenâ—nt to their children and shall any deprive them of this reason of hope cause of joy ground of Faith in prayer and spur to duty in dedication to God and education of their children for God So that these things considered such as on this ground of being Baptized in infancy do renounce thâ—ir Baptism do out of ignorance of Gods Covenant commit most horrid Sacriledge by robbing Gâ—d of his Heritage the Church of Children and the beâ—efits of the administration of Baptism to infants which by Gods grace I shall shew to be great the children of believing parents of their Seal of the Covenant of which they are capable and their Parents of that ground of Faith the administration of the Covenant doth award them And so they g ve us cause not only to charge them with irrationality in fancrying Gods holy Ordinance to be superstition but in the language of the Apostle to say Thou that abhorrest Idols dost commit Sacriledge Rom. 2 22. So that not only Groundlesly but even contrary to Divine method and order they disowning the regular washing of their body in pure water do divest themselves of that Seal of Sanctity and veâ—ture of holinesse by which they were fitted for a confident approach to God and decline the assembles of Gods people in which alone the Lord is to be adored and joyn themselves to false assemblies where they are consecrated to and come before God in a way that is not of his appointment nor can expect his approvement how high soever false hopes and joyes may carry their sâ—irits For those to whom they joyn are divided from the Church of Christ and void of all commission to administer the holy things of God if you look at their constitution you shall find it is no other then seâ—f-congregation with the cry of all the Lords people are holy and invectives against Aaron and Moses as they which take too muâ—h upon them the which I could never yet find warranted in Scripture but is remarkably condemned in the company of Kâ—rah that were thus constituted Ministerial authority is no lesse essential to Constitute a Church of Christ then Magistratical to constitute a Corporation or Company my litt e skill in Politicks could never
claim God when deserting them Is that an engagement to divine faithfulnesse and may not thy Faith make it thy encouragement to appear before him did God complement when he annexed Baptism to the Covenant and called it The Seal of the righteousnesse of Faith or dost not thou rather cozen thy self of the comforts the Ordinance do really and according to divine designment exhibit It is indeed true Salvation is not conferred op re operato by the act done and meer application of the water yet it is thereby assured to the Soul that by acts of Faith shall duly argue its interest The Privy-Seal is the clearest token of affection to be puriâ—â—ed but is the Broad-Seal of no authority or advantage to be retained and improved The outward Ordinance is not without inward Grace to be depended on as sufficient to Salvation but inward grace duly reflects the outward Ordinance as Gods great mercy and the ground of Faith and encouragement to it self The Moral swasion of any Ordinance is too short to sanctifie or solace any Spirit without supernatural Grace but supernatural Grace comes not into any soul to convince or comfort but by a moral improvement of every Ordinance by rational meditation of its nature use and end Many sit under Gods Ordinances and make most sad complaints they find no profit in them when the reason is in themselves they cry out God must do all work in them to will and to do at his own pleasure which is indeed true but they consider not Gods method of working grace or comfort in any souls he alwayes deals with men like themselves as they are râ—asonable creatures and have a power of discourse and therefore his Ordinances are moral instruments by due discourses to enforce their end We have reason to check some under the Ordinances as the Disciples weâ—e checked from heaven for their posture in the Lord his ascension Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing this Jesus that is taken from you shall so come as you have seen him go into heaven Act. 1.11 As if the voice had said Considerations of his return better become you than silent observations of his present going So I say Why doe many enjoy Gods Ordinances and not goe home and consider them must we run so far from free will as to run out of our wits Let such men as make not their Baptism a moral engagement to and encouragement in their access to God know that they appear ignorant or sinfully insensible of its nature and expose it to great contempt Can any thing more easily cast a soul into contempt of an Ordinance than its unprofitableness and unusefullness The grand cause of all the blasphemie that our age doth belch out against Baptism is the little benefit men finde it brings them not by reason of any defect in the Ordinance but their own neglect to improve it as a ground of faith guard against sin and special qualification of access to God The fift sort that carrie contradictorily to this consecrating nature of Baptisme are such who declare not to theirs baptized the dignity and duty of their Baptisme Men doe with much zeal present their children to Baptism but never minde to acquaint them of their priviledge or instruct them in the nature of so holy an Ordinance they are carefull to bring them up to some Trade or Calling to acquaint them with all external rights and priviledges and the past ground of claim to all future injoyments in the world but education in the fear and nurture of the Lord is to them unusual and the affecting them with baptismal priviledges and Church Rites or the acquainting them with Covenant interest and ground of claim as to spiritual mercies and soul enjoyments is the last and least of their endeavors Well may we observe the men of this world are wiser in their generations than the children of the Kingdome Common prudence if Scipture were silent would direct a more serious instruction of our children in the nature of their Baptisme Shall they be begotten to the Lord and not be made to know whose children they are and how they came by that relation Shall they be incorporated into the body of the Church and not know the family and houshold to which they belong Shall holyness be stamped upon them and they not be made to know that they are out of the common lump and mass of mankind Shall the Covenant of God be in their flâ—sh and they not know the Charter sealed and Conditions to be performed In a word Shall they be sanctified by the washing of water and not made sensible that they stand consecrated unto holy service and dedicated to the worship of an holy God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and therefore ought not to stain themselves with guilt but carrie as an holy people peculiar to the Lord that must wait on him because they wear his livery and may worship in his presence with confidence because their bodies have been washed with pure water I did in the last branch of this Use blame them that disesteem and disregard their own Baptisme and that was but the effect of this sin Our progenitors neglected us and we neglect our posterity as to their instruction in the nature of divine Ordinances How shall they esteem that wherein they see no excellencie or improve that priviledge of whose nature they are ignorant How shall they claime the promises who neither understand what they are or on what ground to be claimed What conscience can they make of dutie who doe not know themselves under sacred obligation What confidence can they have in accesse to God who know not themselves consecrated If men have in them parental affection to their children and doe care for their future good we must needs conclude they sought no more in their Bâ—ptisme than friends satisfaction and a Formal Religious complement and so not any special Soul saving priviledges thereby conferred for charity forbids us to thinke they would bring up their children in the ignorance and incapacity of claiming such high priviledges and rationally improving so holy engagements if themselves were affected with them or they had any sense of duty as to such Religious education which should indeed spur their natural affection to the discharge thereof Little doe men consider that the same God that gave babes the right to the initiating seales of the Covenant did provide catechising as the way to make them know their priviledge He to whom they are born hath provided milk for their nourishment no less than meat for stronger men and hath committed them as his lambs to the care of his Church and charged it as the duty of their Parents to educate them in the feare and nurture of the Lord So that such Parents who doe not seriously instruct their seed in the solemn Bond of their relation to God and his Church the suitable qualification by which they are fitted for divine communion the seal of
an argument there is one Baptisme Ephes 4. we are all baptized into one bodie I would fain know of what use Baptisme is to them is it not the same to others baptized To count the baptized dogges men without to disown their brotherhood and the like must needs denie that Baptisme is the dore of admission into the Church and yet this in terms they will not say though they carrie towards them as without and call them to be members of the Church who are members of the Church on as good a ground and as cleer a method as themselves If this be not a solecisme in Christianitie I know not how to make any As for their admission into the Church by Covenant Agreement or profession it is cleerly without Scripture prescription or primitive president that ever I could yet finde and I can deem it no other than an inhumane invention if I may not call superstition the countenance of which it bears in my eye whilest it stands in the place of Baptisme is made the only way of consecration unto Church communion whereby it plainly supplants Gods Ordinance These things I note but cannot stand to debate intending a reproof not dispute and to let men see the sinfulness of this sacred way of independencie and gathering of Churches out of Churches whilest it stands guilty of a contempt of Gods way of access unto him and admission into his Church of censorious uncharitableness towards their brethren invested with the reason of relation to the Lords people and constitution of Church membership in a way of meer humane invention I confesse I have heard it often noted that the difference between Independents and others is not so much as to maintain an irreconcileable distance and I say so too I could wish they were more friendliely united As to the single point of Discipline they shall have my consent for a brotherly toleration of its exercise till they are weary of it But as for their separation from the Churches of Jesus Christ self congregation into a Church and seclusion of baptized souls from sacred Ordinances and the like they seem to me so repugnant to truth and order and ruinous to Gods Church and Ordinances that I cannot without sinne but stand a professed enemie thereunto Let not men think that I allow the prophaneness of Christians because I alledge their interest in the coÌ„mon administration of the Covenant or that I think their enjoyment may not be interrupted because I cannot consent their interest be denied them I have learned to distinguish between right and possession and where the one is cleer the other may be justly sometimes with held I well know prophane Christians are unseemly Saints yet Saints scandalous Disciples yet Disciples disorderly Brethren yet Brethren vessels of dishonour yet vessels in the same house to the Masters use That Church members be for a time suspended from particular priviledges may be admitted but at private brethrens pleasure to be sleighted as no members is not to be endured That obstinate incurable members be cut off is the Church her duty but that the Church be cast off is the congregational impietie Is there baptized persons in works denying the God they profess Is there a brother a drunkard an adulterer and the like Doth not Baptisme appropriate them to the private admonition of particular brethren and publique inspection of Church officers Is not the delivering them to Satan for the buffeting of the flesh that the soul may be saved their priviledge by Baptisme If these holy men would talk of correcting casting out cutting off disorderly baptized souls it would sound well in my â—ares but to talk of gathering Churches coming into Church-way admission of members and the like amongst those that bears holiness in their flesh and have on them the qualification of access to God sounds so harshly in my eares that I cannot but abhor it as inconsistent with the nature of Baptisme exposing it to contempt making it of no effect endangering the subversion of the Church and the ushering in of Paganisme whilest the baptized finde themselves rejected and not looked after as of any relation to God they cannot but resigne up themselves to their own lusts run into an ignorance of and estrangedness to God It seems to me a most just plea that is made by Christians in common Were we baptized why are we disowned as to relation to God and his Church and cast out of all the care of the Church as if we were thereunto strangers If the seal of God be on us why doe our breâ—hren lift up themselves above us and engross to themselves the titles termes priviledges that belong in common to all baptized souls If we walk unworthy our relation we are willing to be corrected but must we needs lose our interest and be thrust out of our fathers inheritance by our brethren our forfeiâ—ure never being judicially exacted Gods Ordinances we could bear though never so cross to our nature because thereunto we are bound by our Baptism but the new wayes pursued by our brethren and to us proposed are grievous to us because we finde them not in the grand Charter of our priviledge willingly we would walk with God in duty and draw nigh to him in the assemblies of his people for that we are thereunto consecrated but herein we are debarred and driven at a distance as if Doggs not Children Heathens not Christians Aliens to the Covenant not Heirs of Grace If we goe astray we think those that are set over ought to seek us as sheep not suffer us to wander as goats We have cause to complain that our Shepheards feed themselves not the flock they feed the flock and clothe them with the wooll kill the fat but feed not the sheep The weak they have not strengthned the sick they have not healed nor have they sought that which was lost nor brought again that which was driven away but with crueltie and rigor have they ruled us We were scattered without a shepheard and when we were dispersed every beast of the field devoured us We were sheep though wandring upon every high hill and mountain Gods flock though scattered through the earth and none sought after us If the Lord Jesus subscribe and accept not this complaint as just and good I know nothing of Gospel method or order Thus then I have noted the vanitie and vileness of those whose carriage contradicts the nature of Baptisme and bespeaks them insensible of it as an especial qualification for confidence in access to God in the assemblies of his people The third and last use of this Doctrine is by way of exhortation unto two especial duties First Acquaint we our selves with the holy nature of Baptisme Secondly Act we the course of our lives and carriage as those whose bodies are washed with pure water Of these give me leave to speake a word in their order and first of the first Acquaint we our selves with the holy
guilt The second Benefit of Infant Baptisme is That it explaineth the benefit of Relation and the method of transmitting the Covenant of Grace Baptisme as a seal of the Covenant sheweth interest in the Covenant and the benefit of personall qualification that fits for it but it is the Infant season that shâ—weth that God hath wisely ordered Grace to run in natures channel and parental relation under such a qualification as beleeving to engender a propriety to Baptisme He that first receives the Patent of honour can discern no benefit of relation save what is future but if his Patent be only personal he seeth none at all but hereditarie honours are demonstrations of relation and its advantage hereby a man knows what his benefit is in being the childe of a Baron or Earle rather than of a common Knight or Gentleman Baptisme applied to men of years doth indeed demonstrate a Covenant of Grace granted on good behaviour unto every individual person but wholly obliterateth the seeds interest and extent of the Covenant unto natural Issue in order to their good behaviour It declareth expresly that as to the specialtie of Gods Grace relation to beleeving Parents is no priviledge As good be the childe of Ammon as of Abraham of a Pagan as a Christian which is cleerly contrarie to the tenure of the Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seed The promise is to you and your children and the ground of applying the initiating seal is relation to such Parents Therefore every man-child at eight dayes old shall be circumcised that thereby it may appear the order of my Covenant is to Parents beleeving and their seed and the benefit of relation to such Children shall be that I will be their God Relation to the Olive is the reason of the branches fatness The Jews relation to their pious progenitors is the only remaining hope of their conversion They are beloved of God according to election for the fathers sake Rom. 11.28 If we will maintain the knowledge of relative advantages in the Covenant of Grace carefully baptize we our Babes in their infancie as the plainest comment thereon so when they shall consider themselves to have been sealed and sanctified to God before they had in themselves the least of personal qualification they will bless God for the Covenant of their fathers and the extent of it to the seed of beleevers and giving them to be born of such favorites to heaven The great assertors of the Baptisme of grown persons to defend their notion doe in the ministration of Grace darken all relation and disfranchise all Posterity interpreting the cleer text of Scripture The promise is to you and your children by a personal qualification when God shall call them as if the Holy Ghost had spoken nonsence and used a term of relation in vain and to no purpose But certainly when God established a Covenant of Grace he did not invert natures course but provided relation to derive the priviledges thereof in his Church as well as other advantages in the world nor did he in the least intend Religion to be an abridgement of parental right and power of dedication of their seed to the service of their God as well as designation to any worldly trade and therefore he appointed a seal of his Covenant and sacred Bond to his own service whereby subjects meerly passive as was before noted might be at the pleasure of Parents to him presented And hereof Infant-Baptisme is the only visible evidence in the whole world Root and branches Parents and Children are alwaies homogeneal Nature makes all relations to be of the same kinde and Grace not inverting Natures order will have the children by the dignity of a sacred Ordinance to be declared of the holy kinde with their Parents and by this religious badge of Baptisme be distinguished from other Children of Turks Jews and Pagans who like their Parents remain prophane and estranged unto God And thus Infant-Baptisme doth not only evidence relation and its benefit the method and order of the Covenant to men within but also to men without the Church that it may be to them an encouragement to lay hold on the Covenant of God for that they doe not only provide for their own personal term but see Grace also extended to their issue on the very ground of relation natural unto them under a Christian qualification And this is especially profitable to the Jew who having had the Covenant of God to themselves and seed natural as their seed and that witnessed by the initiating seal of Circumcision set in the flesh of their children must needs stumble at the new Covenant if it exclude their issue as hath been before noted So that the Infant-Baptisme so cleerly witnessing the order of the Covenant and benefit of relation to beleeving Parents to the comfort of men within the Church and encouragement of men without the Church it must needs be more profitable than the Baptisme at grown years which curtails the Covenant cuts off Posterity casts out of the Church all relation natural and maketh all ministrations of Grace to be meerly personal The third benefit of Infant Baptisme is That it enlargeth the bounds and establisheth the being of the Church of God but the baptisme of grown men doth much confine the borders and hazard the being of the Church Infant Baptisme doth enlarge the Church by the spreading of it through whole Families Countries and Nations persons are private and perishing but posterity is publique and flourishing holy seede is the Churches nurserie whilest grown trees are fading Lambs are the increase of Christs Fold when old-sheep are few and dying and succession is the surest title and strongest ground of claime when from generation to generation the Church of God is continued in a constant Race from Father to Son it is much established against hellish opposition Nature hath made all living Creatures seminall that they might multiply and continue the course of providence is the same to the Church that it is to the World certainly the only wise God well knew the best way to enlarge and establish his owne kingdome upon Earth and hee though hee founded his Church in an old stock yet order'd the spreading of it by naturall branches and preservation of it by posteritie The method of God must needs bee the same in the maintenance of his Church under the new as it was under the old Testament and hee that takes up his Church from one Nation on designe to extend it through all the nations of the World would never plant it only in personall perishing plants but provide for their scattering an holy-seede for its increase and succession The promise of the Churches increase in Gospell times is noted to be by Children the promise is expresse I will lift up my Standard to the Gentiles and they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters on their shoulders Isa 49.22 Our own observation must
their interest in the Covenant In vain should the miserable mother encourage the scourged thirsty child to remember the cup of which Isaac drank and patiently to bear its present torments for that it should be shortly crowned with eternal glory if the child at eight years of age had not understood the Covenant of God and been catechised in its baptisme Our Anabaptists will never afford us babie Martyrs that will not allow us babie Christians And as for Parents if their childrens interest in the Covenant and right to Baptisme doe not support them under the death of their babes I a parent of dead children doe demand what can That they are by nature children of wrath must not be denyed that they fall into a limbus Infantum must be denyed by all that abhor Poperie that they are saved there remains no hope whilest we see them out of the Ark of salvation What unusual way the Anabaptists run upon for their own comfort they have not yet declared nor will Scripture warrant any Were it not for Infants interest in the Covenant sealed in their Baptism I should mourn over my dead children as without hope You see now that there is not only warrant in Scripture for the Baptisme of your Infants but there is much of profit by it Whilest others are beating the controversie doe you study the practice of Infant-Baptisme Let not seducers beguile your simple souls by pretending Infant-Baptisme is unlawfull because unusefull But seeing there is so much profit in the Ordinance and so much in the season of its application prize it pursue it and preserve it to the Church Let your children be baptized in their Infancie and catechised according to their growing capacitie that through ignorance they may not throw away their birth-right but may duly know the duty and dignity thereof and dâ—mean themselves as baptized souls The fifth and last exhortation is to Church-gathering saints To admit the baptized into the approaches to God in the assemblies of his people Make no bar of division to such as we are the badge of union If Baptisme doe incorporate into the Church and consecrate unto God why doe you deny the relation of the baptized or their fitness for divine service either deny Baptisme to be the dore of admission into the Church of Christ or throw down your Church Covenant agreement or experiences of graces as to entrance into a Church state Deny Baptisme to be the Church constituting Bond or talk not of gathering Churches from among baptized souls Affect not to your selves the terms and titles of saints brethren beleevers Church and the like whilâ—st those you despise have as good naâ— by reason of your sinfull schisme a better title thereunto than your selves If Baptisme be the ground of confidence in access to God who are you that make it void Is not the straitning of the Church dore as dangerous as setting it wide open Will it not be equally provoking to God to let doggs into his house and to keep children out to pollute his holy things by the unbaptized and bar the baptized from his worship If men baptized walk disorderly endeavor by discipline to reduce them deny not their interest drive them not from God make it not your designe to paganize the Christians among whom you dwel that some few of them may be brought into your Church-way Weigh well the nature of Baptism if it do not charge your way with wickedness I know not how to judge If Baptism rightly apprehended be not the engine to batter Independencie I dare renounce my skil in militaries Let not God say draw neer in full assurance having your bodies washed with pure water and you say to your baptized Brethren stand thou further from me I am holier than thou Thus then I have noted to you the nature of Baptisme the outward Ordinance and the duties that flow from its consecrating nature which rightly understood will convince much error and correct many sinfull practises Which that it may doe God Father Son and holy Ghost in whose holy Name we are baptized follow it with his blessing Amen FINIS