be judged for For Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is the transgression of the the Law Joh. 3.4 and where there is no Law there is no transgression saith Paul Rom. 4.15 but in such little babes there is no Law therefore there can be no transgression imputed And indeed I much wonder that men should be so wicked as to think that God who is so merciful as to forgive the worst of sinners their sins and transgressions should yet cast poor babes into hell and everlasting torments for Adams sin Obj. But hath God one way to save Men and Women and another way to save little Children Answ Yea or else Children must never be saved as I shall shew thus for the Scripture saith Rom. 5.18 that as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all to justification of life And if none but men and women that can hear understand and beleive the Gospell may partake of the benefits of Christs death to life and salvation then no Infants that are capable of receiving faith which cometh by hearing the word preached could have any salvation by him But that some Infants as saved by him all will grant Therefore I conclude First concerning Infants that fell in Adam without any actuall sin or knowledge of Adams transgression even so they dying in their infancy before they know good or evill they are saved by vertue of Christs death without any actuall faith or knowledge of Christs obedience or else it is not even so as Rom. 5.18 saith Secondly concerning Men and Women that have lived to commit actuall sins against conscience and knowledge of such God requireth actuall faith in Christ and actuall obedience to Christ without which they have no promise of salvation by Christ And thus its plain according to Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one viz. Adam Judgement came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one viz. Jesus Christ the free gift came upon all to justification of life Again that God hath one way to bring Men and Women to life and salvation and another way to bring little baces to it is evident thus We find the Lord speaking words to Men and Women that are to be understood and observed by them that have Ears to hear and Hearts to understand and therefore we find the holy Ghost crying out so oft in the Scriptures to them that have Ears to hear that they should hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches see Rev. 2.7 ver 11. ver 17. ver 29. chap. 3.6 ver 13. and 22. with many more places to that purpose but we never find him calling to little babes in the flesh to hear and obey Commandments and beleive pomises Again we find the Scripture pronouncing life and Salvation to all those that beleive in Christ and obey his voice Joh. 3.15 16. with Heb. 5.9 but we never read that litte Children are promised it upon these terms Again the Scripture threatneth death and damnation to those that know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of God and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.7 8 6. But little babes of 8 daies weeks or months old cannot know God nor yet obey the Gospell of Christ for they know not their right hand from their left and yet we find them not threatned with this punishment and if it were but this it were enough to satisfy all rationall men fearing God that God hath one way to bring Men and Women to life and salvation and another way to bring little babes to it that is to say he requireth faith in Christ and obedience to Christ as necessary to salvation to those of ripe years but in Infants he requireth none let any man prove it by Scripture if he can Lastly Gods ordinary means by which he bringeth Men and Women to life and salvation is by the preaching of the Gospell which is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleiveth Rom. 1.16 and it pleaseth God by the foolishness of preaching to save them which believe 1 Cor. 1.21 for with the heart man beleiveth unto righteousness but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Rom. 10.10 But little babes that can neither speak nor understand cannot beleive with the heart unto righteousness nor confess with the mouth unto salvation for they cannot speak at all therefore they are not saved by that ordinary means that Men and Women are saved by And thus is their great and invincible objection or rather cavill answered clearly and plainly by the Scriptures of truth And the truth is they may as well debar little babes from food because the Scripture saith He that will not worke let him not eat as to debar them of salvation because they are not Church-members for it is as easie for babes to worke and get their own bread as to perform the work of a Church-member Therefore he that gives them food without labour in their non-age will also give them salvation without observing of Church-ordinances for the Scripture speaketh to Men and Women that have Ears to hear and not to babes in their nonage Thus having taken away the chief ground upon which Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter build I shall now proceed to shew the rottenness of their building by the following Arguments by which I come to shew that such infants as they baptize cannot be Church-members neither can Church-membership do them any good but rather the contrary Argument I. My first Argument is from Joh. 15.2 in these words Christ faith I am the Vine and my father is the husbandman every branch in me that beareth not fruit be taketh away c. What the fruit is is expressed in the seventh and eighth verses If ye abide in me and my words or Commandments abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit From whence I Argue If every branch in Christ must bring forth fruit and the fruit be to abide in his words that God may be glorified then infants that cannot speak nor understand cannot bring forth such fruit Therefore they are not branches in him nor members of him or if they be then they must be cut off and cast into the fire because they bear no fruit which is absurd Argument II. My second Argument is from Act. 8.1.4 where we read that the Church at Jerusalem were all scattered abroad except the Apostles and they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word Whence I argue thus If all the Church were scattered abroad except the Apostles and those that were scattered did go up and down preaching the Word then there were no infants that could not speak nor understand in the Church at Jerusalem for as for the
that knoweth the hearts bare them witness giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did to us ver 9 and put no difference between them and us purifying their hearts by believing Now therefore saith the Apostle ver 10. why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples c. But now who were these disciples Answ v. 7. those that heard the word of the Gospel by the mouth of Peter and believed to whom God also gave the Holy Ghost and purified their hearts by faith as is plain ver 89. but little infants that can neither speak nor understand could not hear the word of God and believe by Peters preaching therefore they are not at all concerned in this place Another Argument that Mr. B. hath to prove infants disciples is in pag. 18 19. thus If infants are capable of being Gods servants then they are capable of being Christs disciples And he proves them servants from Levit. 25.41 42 where the Lord commandeth the children of Israel in the yeer of Jubilee to set free all their brethren with their little ones for they are my servants whence he concludes his Argument thus If God calls them servants why may not we call them disciples To which I answer Methinks its very strange he should take upon him to prove children disciples and when he cannot find such a word in all the Scriptures then he would turn us off with the word Servant and presume to call it Disciples and then say If God call them one thing why may not we call them another It seems Mr. Baxter will take leave in this thing to walk contrary to God and therefore I dare not trust him in another But I will shew him not onely in things but also in persons that we must not call them Disciples of Christ which God calleth Servants for in Jer. 25.9 chap. 27.6 chap. 43.10 in all these places God calleth Nebuehadrezer his Servant the King of Babylon an Enemy to the house of Israel whom the Lord made use of to destroy it and make it an astonishment and an hissing but yet I hope Mr. Baxter will not take leave to call him Christs Disciple if he doth I think his folly will be manifest to all men as it is now to me Another such Argument he hath page 21. where he reasons thus If Infants be capable of being Christs subjects then they are capable of being his Disciples A learned Argument and I will endeavour that all men may see the depth of it thus All the Children in this Nation are capable of being Subjects of this Common-wealth therefore they are capable of being University-Scholars This is the same with Mr. Baxters Argument but what truth is in either I leave to the wise to judge That Infants are capable of being subjects here or in any Kingdome upon earth Mr. Baxter affirms page 21. and therefore I need not prove it Thus having answered I proceed to his third Argument page 22. which is this If Christ would have some Children received as Disciples then they are Disciples but Christ would have some Children received as Disciples Therefore All the question saith he is of the Antecedent namely whether Christ would have some Infants received as Disciples or no the which he seems to prove by these Scriptures in his 22 page Luke 2.47 48. compared with Matth. 19.5 and Mar. 9.41 the which Scriptures I shall set downe at large to the view of all that they may see and consider whether they prove such things as he brings them for or not The Scriptures speak thus Luke 2.47 48. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers when they saw him they were amazed and his Mother said unto him Son why hast thou so dealt with us behold thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing Mat. 19.5 And said For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they twain shall be one flesh Mar. 9.41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drinke in my name because ye belong to me verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward Now what the two first Scriptures are to the purpose I leave to all that can read and understand Eaglish to judge But it may be he will say the Printer hath done him wrong I answer Then I have done him none as all may see that read the place and consider the quotations page 22. and I looked also in his Errata but there is nothing spoken of it and truly I dare be no interpreter of his meaning without his words therefore it remaineth that I onely speak to that Mar. 9.41 and Luke 9.47 Which I find after were quoted in that page thus And Jesus pereeiving the thoughts of their hearts took a Child and set him by him and said Whosoever shall receive this Child in my name and whosoever shall give a cup of water to you to drinke in my name shall not lose their reward To which I answer First Let the Reader take notice that the word Disciple is not to be found in the Text therefore it cannot prove Infants Disciples for if we prove the resurrection and the eternall judgement we must bring a Scripture that speask of the word resurrection and eternall judgement and so did Christ to the Saddnees he saith That the dead shall rise is evident and his sayings we take for as good Scripture as any is in the Bible although Mr. Baxter saith we would not in his tenth position to the answer of which I refer you Secondly To that in Mark 9.41 it s evident he speaks to the twelve saying Whosoever shall give you a cup of water c. And that he spake of actuall believers is evident ver 42. in these words And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleive in me c. Now that little Infants that can neither speak nor understand are beleivers in Christ I utterly deny and let Mr. Baxter or any man prove it by Scripture if they can for Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 therefore he speaks of such little ones as John writes to 1 John 2.12 which had known the Father Thirdly To that in Luke 9.48 Whosoever receiveth this Child in my name receiveth me c. I answer The Lord Christ himself answereth or rather cleareth this to purpose as you may read Mat. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6. at large Now that Matthew and Luke do speak of one and the same thing is clear by comparing Luke 9.46 which words are these Then there arose a reasoning among themselves which of them should be the greatest with Mat 18.1 which words are these At the same time came the Disciples unto Jesus saying Who is the greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven by this we see it is all one thing Now to the following words of Christ which are these And Jesus called a little Child unto him and set him in the midst of
freely give Mr. Baxter leave or any man to express themselves how they can to cause men to understand and believe the holy Scriptures as they are written but this we dare not allow neither to them nor our selves viz. to put men upon believing or doing any thing as a duty that is not written in the holy Scriptures And herein lyeth the depth of all deceipts namely because Christ expounded the Scriptures of the Prophets therefore men will take in hand to expound his expositions as if we could make them plainer then he hath left them or make anything true that is not written in them Again because Philip opened the Scriptures to the Eunuch Act. 8. therefore men will take in hand to open the words of Philip so as to make them appear otherwise then they are written and therefore for the plainer manifestation of the truth I desire all impartial men to consider these following things 1 If I would prove to any man by the Scriptures that God created the heavens and the earth then I must bring a Scripture that speaks of Gods creating the heavens and the earth as Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Again 2 If I would prove that God created man upright I must bring a Scripture that saith so as Eccles 7.29 Lo this onely have I found that God hath made man upright c. 3 If I will prove that all men since Adams fall were finners I must bring a Scripture that speaks so as Rom. 3.23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God c. 4 If I would prove that God sent his son to redeem those sinners I must bring a Scripture that saith so as 1 Tim. 115. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief and c. 2.6 Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time 5 If I would prove the dead shall rise I must being a Scripture that speaks of the Resurrection of the dead and so did Christ Mar. 12.25 26. for when they shall rise from the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage c. And As touching the dead that they shall Rise have ye not read c. And what if Christ had not spoken nor named the Resurrection of the dead at all in this place if it be proved anywhere in Scripture it s enough for Christ spake many times darkly and in parables to them that were without but expounded all things to his Disciples Mark 4.33.34 with Matt. 13.10 11. and it s most plain Job 5.28 29. that Chirst faith thus The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation and â— 11.25 he saith to Martha I am the Resurrection and the life c. Thus we see how frequently Christ proveth the Resurrection in plain words And now let Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook Mr. Hall or any man else prove that either Christ Moses any of the Prophets or Apostles did ever speak one word about baptizing of infants and then we will grant it and if this be not rational and honest let even our enemies judge To conclude if I would prove that men and women should be baptized when they believe the word preached I must bring a Scripture that says so as Act. 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women and ver 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest And now if Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook or any man will prove that little babes should be baptized let them bring one Scripture to prove it and then they will do honestly otherwise I must needs conclude with all that fear God aright that they are meer deceivers of men and unjust Stewards to Christ whom they profess to serve But now a word to Mr. Cook who in his seventh page saith that we never read in the Scriptures Go Henry Haggar and James Brown teach all Nations and baptize c. nor do we read that Christ gave a command to you two to preach the Gospel c. These and such like cunning devised fables hath Mr. Cook in his seventh page To all which I answer This is but a subtile sophistry of Mr. Cook to deceive the heart of the simple but easily discovered by them to whom the Lord hath given understanding as thus we do not desire Mr. B. or Mr. C. to bring a Scripture that saith Go William Cook or Go Richard Baxter and baptize children that cannot speak nor understand what you preach neither do we desire a Scripture that saith Go Mr. Baxter and Mr. Cook and teach all Nations and baptize all the children that you can lay your hands on But we desire you or any man to prove by the holy Scriptures that Christ did ever say to any of his disciples Go and baptize children or that ever any that preached in the name of the Lord did baptize children either under Law or Gospel and we will grant it Give us command or example to shew us where it ought to be done or ever was done and you do like men but till then as I have told you before I tell you again that you are unreasonable men such as Paul prayed to be delivered from But now we can prove that Christ commanded those which he sent to preach to baptize those that did believe which was likewise practised by them as I have shewed before by these Scriptures Matt. 28.18.19.20 Mark 16.15 16. Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 and ver 37. c. 10.47.48 c. 16.32 33 34. c. 18.8 to which I refer the Reader And what they did Saints in all ages are commanded to do for Paul saith Be ye followers of me and mark them that walk so as you have us for an example Phil. 3.17 Again those things which you have learned and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you cap. 4.9 But now we have heard and learned that Paul and the other disciples did baptize men and women when they believed therefore if we do the same the God of peace will be with us but we never heard nor learned in all the Scriptures that they baptized babes of a week or month or yeer old therefore we dare not do it left we should be counted such as transgress and abide nor in the Doctrine of Christ But I remember what Mr. Hall saith to these Scriptures in his fourth objection pag. 91. that these are the chiefest strong holds of the Anabaptists and being pursued hither we run for refuge but all in vain as he saith To which I answer It s well the Anabaptists do run to the word of God for refuge they are then sure to be safe without all question for his word is setled in heaven Psa 119.89 and Christ saith Joh. 8.31 If ye
THE Foundation OF THE Font DISCOVERED To the view of all that desire to behold it AND The baptizing of Men and Women when they believe in rivers and fountains proved to be a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ to the end of the world By plain Scripture-proof In Answer To Mr. Cook 's Font uncovered for Infant-baptism And To Mr. Baxter's Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and Baptism With a word sometimes upon occasion to Mr. Hall's Font-guarded which is more fully answered by Thomas Collyer BY HENRY HAGGAR A servant of Christ and the Congregations of his Saints And they were all baptized of John in the river of Jordan confessing their sins Mark 1.5 And whom they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women Acts 8.12 And John also was baptizing in Enon neer to Salim because there was much water there and they came and were baptized Joh. 3.23 And the eunuch said See here is water what hinders me to be baptized And Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest c. Act. 8.36 37. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-eagle at the west-end of Pauls 1653. To the Reader Courteous Reader BY this I give thee to understand that I should not have troubled thy patience with these ensuing lines knowing there are so many books extant but that many whose judgements are not rightly informed in the truth would still have thought as they have many times said that the things which I here write against are not nor cannot be answered although they were answered even before they came forth both by the holy Scriptures which they seem to lean upon and also by other mens writings gathered out of the Scriptures yet a great number of men remain very confident that these books viz Mr. Cooks Font uncovered for Infant-baptisme and Mr. Baxters Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and baptism do still remain unanswered unanswerable For which cause I thought my self in conscience bound being also concerned in one book by name and challenged to answer to use the talent that God hath given me for his glory the vindication of his truth and people and also for the good of those which as yet are not the people of God that so I may remove the reproaches and slanders cast upon my self and others falsly for the truths sake and take away those stumbling-blocks which are laid before those which as yet walk in darkness and know not whereat they stumble because the God of this world hath blinded their eyes so by setting their Faith in the wisdome of men and not in the power of God that the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ doth not yet shine into their hearts neither do they believe what is written in the holy Scriptures for their instructions but do turn aside their eares from the truth and are turned unto Fâ—bles 2 Tim. 4.4 therefore I have resolved in the strength and wisdome of the Lord once more to present my self publickly in Print to the view of all men whether friends or enemies not questioning the courteous loving acceptance of the one nor fearing the subtilty and malice of the other but do earnestly desire the good and happiness of all being also fully assured that the Lord will not fail me of a blessing upon these my weak endeavours for he dispiseth not the day of small things Furthermore I give thee to understand that the persons I have to deal with in particular are two viz. Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter as aforesaid their volumes together no less then sixty two sheets therefore let not the Reader think me too tedious in eighteen sheets neither let any think me too short for these following reasons 1. Because in their writings there is abundance of superfluous words by which they darken the counsel of God and labour to subvert them that read and hear them but we are commanded to lay aside all superfluity of naughtiness and to receive the ingrafted word of God which is able to save our souls James 1.21 2. Because in the multitude of words there wants no sin Prov. 10.19 therefore I shall take heed of using any more then need 3. Large Volumes are in danger never to be read over because some will not and others are poor and cannot spare time or money for them 4. Because I am commanded not to answer a fool according to his foolishness lest I be like him Prov. 26.4 Now if these men have spoken many words wherein there wants no sin and have not consented to wholsome words even the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness then they are fools knowing nothing as they ought to know 1 Tim. 6.3 4. but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envie strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposing that gain viz. an hundred or two a year is godliness from such we are commanded to turne away and withdraw our selves therefore none can justly take exception at these words for if it doth appear still when the Reader hath perused my lines that there is no folly in their words then my folly will returne upon my self and they and their cause will be exalted Thus have you the reasons why I will be as brief as may be And if any shall say that I have been so briefe that I have not answered the matter I took in hand I answer to all my Antagonists It s the better for them if I come short of a full answer and they will have the greater advantage against me and let them take it and spare not therefore I desire all whom it may concern to read and consider wisely and try it by the holy Scriptures of truth judge impartially asking the Lord for wisdome to discerne between things which differ and the Lord give you all understanding in all things that concern his glory and your comfort which is and shall be the prayer of me his unworthy servant who desires to remain to the utmost of my power Yours in the service of Christ Jesus my Lord till death Henry Haggar The Method and Order of this Book is a followeth 1. I Shall shew what foundation the Saints ought to build upon 2. I shall discover the foundation of the Font and shew whence and how it came to be in use and that by the confession of those which make use of it 3. Concerning Infant-baptism I shall shew whence it came and by whom it was brought into the Church 4. I shall answer to the beginning of Mr. Cooks Book and to Mr. Baxters 10 Positions upon which himself saith his whole Book standeth and without which he confesseth it caneot be understood in his 3 pag. 5. I shall answer in general to their Arguments about Infants Church-membership and
testimonies of the Lord. Mark 1.3.4.5 where we read first of the voice of one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight Secondly that John baptized in that wilderness and whom he baptized is evident in the following words And he preacht the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins and there went out unto him all the Land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River of Jordan confessing their sins c. Thus we see that all that were baptized of John of the Inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem were such as could and did confess their sins But little children that cannot speak cannot confess their sins therefore none such were baptized by John See also Matth. 3.5 6. Thus it being cleer by the Scriptures that John baptized men and women that could believe and confess their sins and not a word spoken of sucking children I shall now proceed to the works of the Apostles to whom Christ gave Commission as aforesaid and see what they practised Act. 2.40.41 we read that when they preached and exhorted the people with many words to save themselves from that untoward generation then they that gladly received his word were baptized and added to the Church c. But little babes of eight days weeks or months old cannot gladly receive the word of God because they understand it not therefore none such were baptized there Object But some will object from ver 39. that the Promise was to them and their children and therefore children may be baptized Answ I grant the Promise was to them vers 38 that if they did repent and be baptized in the name of Christ for the Remission of sins they should receive the gift of the Holy-Ghost and this is true also to their children if they did repent and obey the Gospel as aforesaid and so it is to us and to our children though never so far off upon the same condition of Faith Repentance and Baptism for it is to all that the Lord our God shall call but they must be called first observe that ver 39. And thus is the objection fully answered Again If ever the Apostle baptized children it must needs be now according to their Argument who say the Promise is to children and therefore But that they baptized no such children is evident because they that were baptized were such as could and did gladly receive the word and continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and Prayer all which little babes that cannot speak words nor understand Reason cannot possibly do therefore none such baptized The next place is Act. 8.12 where we read that when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women in express terms but we never read a word of little children Again ver 36 37. we read that the Eunuch said to Philip See here is water what hinders me to be baptized and Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest But such little babes as these baptize cannot believe with all their hearts therefore they may not be baptized neither do we yet in the least see that any such were baptized by the Apostles The next is Act. 10.46 47 48. in these words Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus By all which we see that no such babes were here baptized for all that were in this place baptized were such as had received the Holy Ghost as well as the Apostles and they heard them speak with tongues and magnifie God which children that cannot speak at all cannot possibly do all rational men will grant The next is Lydia and her houshould Act. 16.14 15. Now some say thus Who knows but she might have little children To which I answer if none know then all ought to be silent and not to believe and affirm things they know not for that is wickedness and folly but thus much we know 1 That Christ commanded them to baptize them which believed 2 Hitherto we have found them baptizing of none else 3 The Scripture speaks of no children she had nor yet of any husband and therefore silence gives no commands to obey nor no Promises to believe nor no examples to follow Again if she had an husband he was baptized for she and her houshoald were baptized Now if he had been baptized he would surely have born the name in the history rather then she being the head of the house Lastly we read ver 40. that when Paul and Silas came out of prison they entred into the house of Lydia and comforted the brethren and departed but little babes are not capable of such comfort therefore no such brethren in Lydia's house nor any ground at all to believe it from Scripture nor Reason The next is the Jaylor who was baptized with his houshould from whence some would draw the same Argument as from Lydia's and perswade us that there were children in his house but the Text is plain against it for it saith Act. 16.32 33 34. that they spake the word of the Lord to him and to all in his house and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straight ways and when he had brought them into his house he set meat before them and rejoyced believing in God with all his house Thus the Scripture in plain words as it saith the one that he and all his were baptized so also it saith he with all his house believed in God and therefore if Mr. Cook will evade the one by his learned Exposition in his 17 page he may as well evade the other and so conclude that none but he was baptized But consider the result of his labours when he hath laboured by all his wit and skill to pervert the Text yet he confesseth that the Syriack Translation reads it thus And he exulted and all the children of his house even all of them in the Faith of God I pray let all rational men consider what difference is between their all rejoycing and believing God and exulting even all of them in the Faith of God but that the man labours to darken the Counsel of God by these words words without knowledge As in Job 38.2 And thus the Lord taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.19.20 But one thing more I had like to have forgotten viz. his seeming sophistical answer to Act. 8.12 where the Text saith plainly that when they believed they were baptized both men and women To this he answereth in his 16 page that these words men and women are applyable to sexes
us that we are such as the Apostle speaks of when he saith The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart a good Conscience and faith unfeigned from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling desiring to be teachers of the Law understanding not what they say nor whereof they affirm and here you think you hit us home Answ Sir I must confess now you have catched us out of our Element and in your own for we know you are scholars and have learned to contend about words to no profit which tends to the subverting of the hearers but be it as it will Seeing we erred in saying we affirm a Negative we will either confess our errour or else shew you a president which may justifie us in our practice Rom. 3.12 Paul saith There is none that doth good no not one here Paul affirmeth a Negative saying There is none for there is is an Affirmative therefore if you had been by him you might have taught him to have said I deny that any doth good no not one and then he had spoke as like a scholar as your self Again Isa 45.5 the Lord saith by the Prophet I am the Lord and there is no God besides me now Sir if you dare presume to be a teacher here it should have been thus I deny that any God is but my self And I pray shew us the word negative in the Scripture if you can Lastly to conclude Job 1.20 When they sent to John to know who he was the Scripture saith He denyed not I pray observe if he denyed not then he affirmed and what did he affirm Answ He said I am not the Christ here John affirmed a negative confessing and saying I am not c. now that I am is to affirm is evident for vers 23 he saith I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness c. And now let me shew poor souls the mystery of Mr. Cooks iniquity about the affirming a negative 1 The word negative is not to be found in all the Bible but hatched up in the schools and now is nursed by them and grown to such a stature that none must say they affirm a negative without great dishonour amongst them and yet to affirm is but to say a thing is so and to deny is also to say a thing is not so As if I should say or affirm when the Sun shines it is day and when it is down I should say or affirm it is night all honest men will understand me without prejudice Again that man that saith he will prove a Negative is among scholars much derided because they stand upon punctilioes but yet the thing may be honestly done thus If I say I will prove a man is not alive if I shew others that he is dead do not I prove he is not alive Again if I affirm or say a man is not in his house if I go and shew others his house and he is not in it do not I prove he is not in it and so prove a negative viz. that he is not there c. And now seeing you will make us offenders for a word may not we justly say that you are one of those the Apostle speaks of 1 Tim. 6.3.4 in these words If any teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine that is according to godliness he is proud and knoweth nothing doting about Questions and strife of words whereof cometh envies strifes railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes destitute of the truth supposing gain to be godliness c. And now do not you doat about words viz. the affirmative and negative whereby you gender envie strife c. And do not you count gain godlinese viz. an hundred or two hundred a yeer for Preaching and Baptizing Infants and rather then you will part with it you do dispute perversly like a man of a corrupt minde destitute of the truth as it is in Jesus I beseech you in the fear of God consider it And know also that although we have affirmed a Negative yet you cannot justly apply that Scripture to us 1 Tim. l. 5 6 7. because we desire not to be teachers of the Law and therefore Mr. Baxter saith we are Antinomians and deny the Law But I answer Both you and he desire to be teachers of the Law witness your running to Moses to prove Baptism of Infants and Church membership from Circumcision and the Old Covenant that was faulty and therefore done away Heb. 8.7 and another to be established upon better promises vers 6. and in this I am sure you nor Mr. Baxter know not what you say nor whereof you affirm therefore take the Scripture wholly to your selves and consider it well And thus Mr. Cook I shall at present take leave of you for a time and apply my self to Mr. Baxter Sir in the first place to your Positions in the first of which p. 3 you say thus It hath pleased the holy Ghost to speak of some things in the Scriptures more fully and of others more sparingly and where God spake more sparingly the thing must needs be more difficult and yet truth still Answ But he never speaks of Infants Baptism in all the Scripture neither fully not sparingly therefore none of his Truth nor ever was But you instance in four particulars but that which is pertinent to the matter in hand is your fourth wherein you say The New Testament speaketh more sparingly of that which is more discovered in the Old and say you what need the same thing to be done twice except men should question the authority of the Old and if God should reveal his minde in one part of the Scripture what use should we make of the other Therefore say you how silent is the New Testament concerning a Christian Magistracie which made the Anabaptists of old deny it And say you further Where finde you a Christian in the New Testament that exercised the place of a King or Parliament-man or Justice of Peace or the like And so of an Oath before a Magistrate of war and of the Sabbath how sparing is the New Testament and why say you because it is said enough in the Old To all which I answer You have spoken many words to no purpose except it be to deceive the hearts of the simple for whereas you say That which is spoken on in the Old Testament need not be spoken of again I answer Infants baptism is nowhere spoken of neither in the Old nor New Testament therefore you ought not for shame to speak of it 2. As for your saying Where finde we a Christian Magistrate in the New Testament I answer Surely you have forgotten the Deputy that was turned to the faith by Paul Act. 13.12 Sergins Paulm by name Likewise the Eunuch a man of great authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of
her treasure who beleeved and was baptized by Philip Act. 8.27.37 38. and what say you to Erastus the Chamberlaine of the City Rom. 16.2 3. and likewise of those Saints of Caesars houshold Philip. 4.22 And for an Oath did you never read in the New-Testament Heb. 6.16 that an oath for confirmation is an end of all strife And for War did you never read Luke 3.14 that the souldiers came to John and asked what they should do and he did not bid them lay down their arms but be content with their wages and do violence to no man And did you never read of Cornelius a Censurion of the Italian band Act. 10. and doth not the Apostle Peter put us in mind to subject Magistrates 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. Likewise Paul to Tit. ch 3.1 and 1 Tim. 2.1.2 and Rom. 13. Is not the Scripture full of these things and yet do you call for Scripture Surely you read so many other books that you forget to read the Scripture For I well remember in your third position you say that some 8 years agoe you had read some hundreds more then most of them you call Godly Christians and thought yourself as wise as most of them and some thought you wiser you say but it seems you are not yet wise enough to lay aside those hundreds of books and give your self wholly to read and study the Scriptures which are able to make you wise to Salvation if you were you would be better acquainted with the matter contained in them And thus I proceed to your second position finding your first so frothy and full of superfluous words In your second you say that The great difficulty of a point is no proof that it is not truth and a thing is not therefore to be rejected as not of God because it is not easie to understand You affirm also that multitudes of silly ignorants do the same In all which I shall not oppose you But your next considerable is this you say If a subtill Pagan should come amongst the people and dispute that the Scripture is not the word of God and that Christ Jesus is not the Son of God he would silence them more then the Anabaptist con do Answ Here Mr. Baxter makes himself very suspicious and his words very unsavory in that he rather sideth with Pagans and Atheists that deny both God and Christ and the holy Scriptures then with those which are falsely called Anabaptists though we honestly own God and Christ and the Scriptures and desire to plead nothing else for our practise for which cause he crieth out against us in his 10. position calling us brute beasts and nothing but because we call to him for Scripture for to prove his practice and yet now he makes as if the Atheists and Pagans had more to say for themselves then we all which I leave to God and the impartial Reader to judge Again Mr. Bextar speaks a great swelling word of vanity saying he will hazard all the reputation of his understanding on it that there is ten times more to be said for free-wil then can be said against Infants baptism yea it is twenty times more difficult and yet you offer to dispute it with any man and must it therefore be true say you Answ 1. Sir as for the reputation of your understanding I will not say what I judge its worth 2. If you had said there is ten times more to be said for free-will then is to be said for Infants baptism you had hit it right Lastly whereas you say free-will is such a difficult point I am not of your judgement in that for I beleive its easie to them that will understand to know that no man in himself or of himself without God hath any free-will or power to think or do that which is good for In him we live move and have our being Act. 17.28 in and through God that gives all men life and breath and all things to the end they may seek him Act. 17.25 26 27. Even the wickedest and Hypocrites the worst of men have a will and power to do more good then they do and that 's one cause of their just condemnation Moreover its evident that wicked Balaam had a will and desire to dy the death of the righteous and that his latter end might be like unto theirs Numb 23.10 And Paul saith plainly To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I know not Rom. 7.18 by all which it is evident that free-will is not such a difficult point as you would make it but it s an easie matter with you to call Light darkness and darkness light Isa 5.20 But I leave this at present and proceed to your fourth position wherein you say That if never so clear evidence of truth be produced yet it will still be dark to them that are uncapable of discerning it for its Gods work to make people understand And then you instance in the Author to the Heb. cap. 5.11 12 13 14. who had many things to say to them concerning Melchisedec which were hard to be uttered because their ears were dull of hearing Answ We grant you all this I That though there be never so cleer truth for a thing yet it will still be dark to some But however let us see some cleer evidence of truth first and shew where it s written that babes must be baptized and then if we do not believe it be it upon us We know it is Gods work to perswade the heart but its mans work to declare the truth by which the heart is perswaded The Apostle often preacht very plainly that men should Repent and be baptized but there were many that heard them which rejected their words though very plain as they are still upon record but you bring us no Scripture for what you affirm about Infant-baptism but call us unreasonable men and bruit beasts for requiring Scripture of you for your practice and yet you would bear the world in hand in this your Position that you have proved cleer evidence of truth for it but we will not believe it but I say once more shew us but where it s written in the word of God which alone is able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. and then if we will not nor cannot believe it our blood be upon our selves but till you shew us something written we have nothing to believe As for your saying we had need study the controversie at least seven yeers I answer What Rule have you for that Did the three thousand in Act. 2.41 42. study this controversie seven yeers or seven days either Consider it again and those men and women Act. 8.12 that believed Philips preaching and were baptized and the Eunuch in the latter part of the chapter and Lydia and the Goaler Act. 16. and Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue with his houshold and many of the Corinthians who did not
stand reading other books seven yeers but hearing and believing were baptized Act. 18.8 You say further that men think they can understand plain Scripture if they hear it but they cannot and then you cry O that pride would let men know that they cannot understand the plainest Lecture of Geometry or Arithmetick that a man can read unto them and read the Grammer to a boy in the Primer and be understandeth not a word you say Answ Is it possible you would make men believe they cannot understand plain Scripture if they hear it but I pray try us with some first and see I confess we cannot understand this book of yours to be Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and baptism because you have packt it so full of such whimsies as these Geometry Arithmetick Grammer c. But Sir we would have you to know that the word of God is of another nature for it giveth light to the blinde and understanding to the simple Psal 19.7 8. Yea it makes men wiser then their enemies and gives them more understanding then all their teachers yea more then the Antients Psal 119.98 99 100. All which I believe you will finde to be true before we have done You say Pos 4. When the cause is so difficult we must follow the most probable way So then it seems its very difficult for you to prove that Infants ought to be baptized by your own confession and indeed so I believe for that must needs be very difficult to prove that there is not one word of God in all the Bible for I cannot blame you for saying its difficult to prove But you say we must follow the most probable way come on then that we will Now whether is it most probable that that practice which is nowhere commanded nor written in Scripture should be of God or of Satan Judge ye Now that Infant-baptism is such a practise as is not written in Scripture both Mr. Hall and your self confess and therefore in your 10 Position you do abuse us and call us bruit-beasts for demanding a plain Scripture for it therefore it s not of God and it s most plain that if that which is written in the word of God be the way of God then that which is not written in it and yet practised as an ordinance of God must needs be of Satan In your 5 Position in short you tell people that if any have taken up this opinion and have not Read and studyed Mr. Cobbet and Mr. Church and other chief books and been able to confute them they have but discovered a seared Conscience which either dare venter on sin without fear or else do count error no sin To all which I answer How now Mr. Baxter Are you grown to this height what must not men obey what they finde written in the holy Scripture till they have asked Mr. Cobbet and Mr. Churches counsel I pray where learned you this divinity at Rome I thought all this time the holy Scriptures had been able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus but it seems they are not if you say true but we must be beholding to Mr. Cobbet and Mr. Church But I pray how did men before Mr Cobbet and Churches books were written and how do those now that cannot come by their books or never heard of them if it be as you say you may do well to send some men up and down the Country to sell them But I believe this is but one of your scare crows with which you use to affright silly souls that set their faith in your wisdom and not in the power of God but your folly is a making manifest and light and freedom is breaking forth to them which you have kept in darkness and bondage Now to your 6 Position wherein you say That you will discover a most frequent cause of mens falling into errors which you say is this All men in the beginning do receive many truths upon weak or false grounds and so hold them a while till they are beaten out of their old Arguments and then presently they suspect the cause it self and you are perswaded this is Mr. Tombs his own case Ans As for Mr. Tombs he is of age and able to answer for himself I question not and as for your saying that men receive Infant-baptism and other Truths upon weak grounds at first I answer I never knew any receive Infant-baptism upon any ground at all weak nor strong neither can they for they are not capable of what they do because they want understanding when they receive it therefore you may well say they are or may be quickly beaten off it again when they come to reason with themselves or others about it But you say Alas there is far better grounds which they are not aware of Answ That is it may be because you baptize them so soon if you would let them alone till they are men and women before you baptize them as you have example in Scripture they might receive baptism upon better grounds In your 7 Position you confess some Divines have reasoned very weakly for Infant-baptism and used unfit phrases and misapplyed Scriptures and to these some have wrote three or four books and easily answered and seem to triumph and yet the truth is not shaken but it may be all the best Arguments and Plain Scriptures have never been answered say you Answ I desire to answer the Plain Scriptures no way but by faith and obedience by believing and doing of them therefore if you know of any that speaks of Infants-baptism bring them forth and I will be silent The first I see but as for your best Arguments you talk of I look upon them but as so many cunning devised fables wherewith you lye in wait to deceive simple souls by speaking things you ought not for filthy lucre sake Tit. 1.14 You say Pos 8. one sound Argument is enough to prove any thing true Answ Then either the great number of yours in the book of plain Scripture are not sound or else you need not to have brought so many by your own grant But you say What if all the Texts were put by save one Were not that enough Answ Yes it s enough if you can shew us but one but I pray where is that one I cannot finde it in all your book but it seems you are afraid that all should be put by save one therefore you make this apologie but I suppose all will do you little good In your 9 Position you say The former and present customs of the holy Saints and Churches should be of great weight with humble Christians Answ If the present customs of Churches now be according to the Primitive pattern I grant it else not But I am sure the customs of the Churches in the Apostles days was to baptize men and women when they believed with all their hearts and gladly received the word Act. 2.41 c. 8.12 v.
36 37 38. c. 10.47 c. 16.33 34. c. 18 8. therefore I pray let this custom be of weight to your self and do not baptize little babes that cannot believe nor understand what they do especially because you say there was weight in that Argument when Paul said We have no such custom nor the Churches of God Again you say that you can prove that Infants-baptism was used in the Church as high as to the Apostle as there be many sufficient histories extant inform us and that the deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery upon popish or heretical grounds Answ O Sir have I now found you out truly seeing I have I must not conceal your wickedness lest I become guilty with you of the blood of souls and therefore I do by this declare to all men that you are both a deceiver and a blasphemer the which charge I now come to prove I That you are a deceiver it is evident in that you have entituled your book Plain Scripture-proof for Infants Church-membership and baptism by which you perswade many hundred souls that there is plain Scripture indeed in the Bible for Infants-baptism when there is no such thing but your self confess in your 9 Position that your proof is from some histories extant which you judge sufficient O that poor ignorant souls would but see and consider your cunning craftiness wherewith you lye in wait to deceive them before it be too late 2 That you are a blasphemer is plain if the Scriptures may be heard to speak for you say deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery Answ But Sir do you not know that our glorious Lord Jesus Christ deferred his baptism till he was thirty yeers of age Luke 3.21 22 23. and yet he was the child of believing parents I think you dare not deny And now do you not see your wickedness in affirming that deferring of baptism came in with the rest of Popery or do you think wickedly that Christ brought in any part of popery take heed Again doth not the Commission of Christ defer baptism till believing Mark 16.15 16. saying He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and doth not Philip defer baptism upon the same account to the Eunuch Act. 8.36 37. when the Eunuch said to him See here is water what hinders me to be baptized Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest shewing by these words plainly that if he did not believe it was to be deferred and that unbelief would hinder And thus is your folly made manifest though I fear you will not see it but however I leave it to the consideration of all rational men desiting that the Lord will give them wisdom to consider how you delude poor souls by this means perswading them that there is very plain Scripture for infants-baptism when at last you confess there is none but some histories which you judge sufficient and thus have you made proselytes and when they are made they are sevenfold more the children of Satan then they were before for before they were forced in their non-age to receive the mark of the beast spoken of Rev. 19.20 which was not received by a few despised people as you say the Anabaptists are but he caused all both free and bond rich and poor small and great to receive it yea and that none may buy or sell save he that had the mark c. See Rev. 13.16 17. and this is most properly applyed to you for there is never a small child in the Nation if it were but eight days old but you would look it should be Rantized and in that receive the mark on its forehead namely to be signed with the sign of the cross in token c. and this was so universal throughout England that if any did but stand up to oppose it they must neither buy nor sell amongst you but must be imprisoned banished or hanged So that all both rich and poor free and bond small and great were glad to be and suffer their children to be baptized or rather Rantized or else they could not be suffered to live for to buy and sell amongst you to get a livelihood And thus I have presented you a glass to look in that you may behold what manner of persons you are Again its impossible that you should apply these Scriptures to those you call Anabaptists because now they have their liberty to declare their minde freely they do not desire small and great to receive the mark of baptism which they practise but onely great ones which can understand what they do and give a resson thereof even as we read Act. 2.41 They that gladly received the word were baptized and added to them c. and Act. 8.12 when they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And Act. 11.8 Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed in the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized And thus you may sue that the more we do look in the glass of the Gospel which is the perfect Law of liberty to them that fear God Jam. 2.12 the more we see our selves conformable to the image of Christ and walking according to the Primitive pattern and we are so far from compelling rich and poor that we would have neither rich nor poor to be baptized until they believe the truth of the Gospel and amend their lives and can give an account thereof to those that ask them a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness Again you say Position 10. Evident Consequences or Arguments drawn by Reason from Scripture are as true proof as the very express words of a Text and if we have the words without the meaning and reason we have no proof at all for the devil used the words of the Scripture to Christ To all which I answer As for your saying that Consequences or Arguments drawn from Scripture are as true proofs as Scripture this is but one of your untruths for most certain it is that what the Scripture saith we need not prove by Consequence for that would be but darkening the Counsel of God by words without knowledge as for example Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and earth now what need you prove this by Consequence again ver 3. God said Let there be light and there was light And what can any Consequence do in this case And again ver 7.8 And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament and it was so And this I do believe without any Consequence and if you will deny it because it is plain Scripture without any Consequence you may if you please but your folly will be manifest as it is to me already When you say if we have the word without the meaning and reason we have no proof at all I answer
Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.15 16. And repent and be baptized c. Act. 2.38 But you know well that little Babes know not what repentance is And ver 41. They that gladly received the word were baptized but you know well or else you have lost your sences that such Children as you baptize cannot gladly receive the word Again If thou believest with all thine heart thou maist Act. 8.37 And when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdome of God and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women Act. 8.11 37. But you know that there is no Children in the Text and you know also if you be not wilfully blinde that they cannot believe with all their hearts but yet notwithstanding all this you are so impudent as to do the works of Satan and as he tempted Christ and would have had him cast himselfe downe before Gods time was come to send his Angells to take him downe and to that end would have applied a promise falsly saying It is written He shall give his Angells charge over thee to keep thee leaving out in all thy waies even so do ye tempt men and women to baptize their Children before Gods time is come of his own will to beget them by his word of truth James 1.18 That they might be born againe not only of Water but also of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 And to that end you tell them it is written they are Disciples and Church-members and they were circumcised under the Law and therefore they must be baptized under the Gospell and thus you misâ—pply and wrest the Scriptures putting in and leaving out what you please and then when poor Souls aske you for plaine Scripture for Infants baptisme and would gladly see where it is written then you tell them the Divell brought the words of Scripture to Christ and if they will have the words without the reasons and consequences they have no proof and thus you labour with your consequences and reasons and words without knowledge to darken the Counsell of God Job 38.2 But I hope by this time your folly is made more manifest But you proceed and tell us that if we have the meaning and reason we have enough for evidence for words are but to express sence To which I answer Then it seems the meanings and reasons you talke of without the word are without sence by your own confession for you say If we have the meanings and reasons we have enough c. As for the words they are but to express sence therefore it seems if we be without the words of Scripture we are without sence And thus you see or may see that God by weak instruments can take you wise ones in your own craftiness But good Sir consider once againe are not the words of the Scriptures which were given by the inspiration of the Spirit as good and better sence and reason then any words and reasons you can speake or give if you deny this upon your second thoughts I must needs conclude that you are far gone and very high flowne But you are pleased to say further Would it not make a man pitty such senceless ignorant wretches that will call for express words of Scripture when they have evident consequences Is Scripture-reason no reason Answer Sir methinks you are very pitifull but yet you are a miserable comforter for when you have done you fall a railing on us calling us senceless ignorant wretches that will call for express words of Scripture when we have your consequence But Sir I have told you already why we dare not trust your consequences But you say Is Scripture-reason no reason I answer Yes its goodreason and it s that we would have from you but you call us ignorant senceless wretches for so doing But there may be a mistake betwixt us for we call Scripture reason written reason now if you would but shew us where your reason is written in the book of God the holy writings the controversie were at an end but till then you have done nothing But you might inform the ignorant wretches that the holy Scriptures in English are holy writings for Scriptures are writings and holy Scriptures are holy writings and thus the people might learn to know what you mean by Scripture-reasons which are in plain English written reasons Further You are pleased to say that we disclaim Reason and therefore not to be reasoned with and if we once renounce Reason we are brute beasts and who will go to plead with a beast its Reason that differeth a man from a beast c. Answ Sir truly you do put me in minde how like one of your forefathers you are for to my best remembrance you speak his very words and I question not but if you had an opportunity you would do his deeds The man I speak of was Doctor Story to Mr. Philpot the Martyr who suffered for what he saw in that dark age The place where you may finde it is in Fox his book of Martyrs pag. 1972. in these following words Philpot After this Doctor Story came in to whom I said Mr. Doctor you have done me great wrong and without Law have straightly imprisoned me more like a dog then a man and besides this you have broke promise with me for you promised I should be judged the next day after Story I am now come to keep promise with you Was there ever such a fantastical man as this is Nay he is no man he is a beast yea these Hereticks be worse then brute beasts for they will upon vain singularity take upon them to be wiser then all men being indeed very fools and Asse-heads not able to maintain that which of an arrogant obstinacie they stand in Philpot. I am content to abide your railing judgement now say what you will yet I am no heretick neither shall you or any other be able to prove that I hold any jot against the word of God but as a Christian man ought Story The word of God forsooth the word of God! it s but a folly to reason with these hereticks for they are incurable and desperate but as I may reason with thee not that I have any hope to win thee But whom wilt thou appoint to be Judge of the word whereunto thou standest Philpot. Verily the word it self Story Do you not see the ignorance of this beastly heretick he will have the word to be judged of the word can the word speak Philpot. If I cannot prove what I have said by good authority I will be content to be counted an heretick or ignorant person or what you please Story Let 's hear what wise authority you can bring for it Philpot. It s the saying of Christ Joh. 12.48 The word that I have spoken the same shall judge you in the last day and if in the last day much more now our doings ought to be judged by it I
c. but this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest c. This is the new Covenat of grace Now that Children that cannot speak nor understand cannot be in it is evident by the following reasons 1. Because they that are in this Covenant have the Laws of God put in their minds and written in their hearts but little babes that cannot speak nor understand have not the Laws of God in their minds nor written in their hearts therefore they are not in this Covenant Now that such little Children are not in a capacity to know the mind and Laws of God is most plaine Isa 7.14 15 16. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel butter and hony shall he eat that he may know how to refuse the evil and chuse the good for before the child shall know how to refuse the evil and chuse the good the Land that thou abherrest shall be for saken of both her Kings Thus its evident that even the Lord Christ as he came in the flesh of the seed of David there was a time in which he was not capable of discerning between things which differ and therefore it is said againe that he grew and waxed strong in spirit and the grace of God was upon him Luke 2.40 And againe Jesus increased in wisedome and stature and in favour with God and man ver 52. From all which I conclude that if it were thus with the Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh as he was man much less do other Children understand the Laws of God in their non-age to have them written in their hearts and minds and therefore not in Covenant Obj. But it may be some for want of wisdome will object that upon this account Christ will be excluded the Covenant in his infancy Answ To which I answer Such people know not what they say for the Lord hath given him for a Covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles Isa 42 6. chap. 49 8. And he is the Mediator of the new Covenant Heb. 12.2.4 And his blood is the blood of the everlasting Covenant chap. 13.20 with Luke 22.40 And he is the seed to whom all the promises were made and in him they are yea and in him amen Gal. 3.15 with Cor. 1.20 and without him could be no Covenant of life and peace for he is the substance and life of the Covenant Therefore vain and foolish it would be for any man to make such an objection Again those that are in the new Covenant shall know the Lord from the greatest to the least Heb. 8.11 but little babes born of the flesh of a week or a month old cannot know the Lord for they know not their own parents nor their right hand from their left Jonah 4.11 therefore the Lord saith plainly that children are innocent yea the children of those which worship and do sacrifice to the devil Psal 106.37.38 in these words They sacrifice their sons and daughters to devils and shed innocent blood even the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan therefore little babes though innocent are not nor cannot be in Covenant for that which is born of flesh is flesh but the new Covenant is a spiritual Covenant and they which enter into it must be born again for those that worship God must worship him in Spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 Thus have I plainly proved that little babes that cannot speak words nor understand Reason cannot possibly be in the new Covenant Obj. But now followeth that great and unanswerable objection as Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter supposeth which is this If children be not in Covenant they cannot be saved therefore saith Mr. Baxter in his 21 and 22 Arguments pag. 71 72. that Doctrine that leaveth us no sound grounded hope of the justification and salvation of any dying infants in the world is certainly false Doctrine But that Doctrine which denies any Infants to be members of the visible Church doth leave us no sound grounded hope of the justification and salvation of any Infants in the world therefore it is certainly false Doctrine The same saith Mr. Cook in his 13. Argument pag. 44. That Doctrine and practice is to be abhorred as most contrary to the Covenant of God which puts the Infants of Christians into the same condition with the children of Turks and Infidels and leaves them in the visible kingdom of the devil as no visible members of the Church c. But the Doctrine of the Anabaptists is such therefore to be abhorred To all which I answer first denying that any children are saved by vertue of visible Churth-membership or being in the Covenant as believers are and let Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook or any for them prove it by the Scriptures if they can Secondly I answer there is no difference between the children of believers and unbelievers in their non-age for the children of believers are but innocent when we make the best of them and the children of unbelievers also are innocent Psal 106.37 38. yea though their parents be such as worship and do sacrifice to the devil yet the Lord hath pronounced them innocent ver 38. saying They shed innocent blood even the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed unto the Idols of Canaan Thus it is plainly proved by the word of the Lord that the children of the murtherers and Idolaters that worshipped and sacrificed to the devil as ver 37. were innocent and those that are innocent God will not destroy See Exed 23.7 with Job 22.30 and Prov. 6.16 17. Again there can be no difference between the children of believers and unbelievers because no such children have actual sin and the best of children of men have that which is called original sin viz. the sin that came by Adams transgression for which they must all dye and return to their dust even the best of Saints as well as the worst of sinners for it s appointed for all once to dye and after that cometh judgement but the Scripture doth not say that any shall be judged according to their original sin or condemned for Adams transgression but it saith They shall be judged according to their works Rev. 20.13 and that every one shall receive according to that he hath done in his body whether it be good or bad 1 Cor. 5.10 therefore no ground to fear the salvation of children dying in their non-age for although they must dye for Adams sin yet Christ is become their Resurrection and they have no actual sin to
day they go to Christs Schools to learn the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. may be also called the Scholars or Disciples of Christ Again as men commonly call all the Turks old and young that are born of the flesh into Mahomets Kingdome which is of this world Mahometans even so we call all converts old and young which are born again of the Spirit into the Kingdome of Christ which is not of this world Christians By old and young converts I do not mean beleivers born of the Spirit and their Children as they are born of the flesh but I mean such as are spoken of 1 John 2.13 13. in these words I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake I write 〈…〉 â—â—â—hes because you have known him that is from the beginning I wrâ—â—e to you young men because you have overcome thâ—â—â—â—ked 〈◊〉 And chap. 5.21 Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen By all which we see that the least Children that were in the Church that John wrote unto were such as had known the Father chap 2.13 and such as could understand exhortations to keep themselves from Idols Now as for Mr. Baxter's man that hired the Philosopher to teach his children he neither telleth us what man it was nor how old his children were nor what the Philosophers name was and therefore I shall pass that over as a cunning devised fable not worth the answering and proceed to the next which is That mothers can teach their children partly by action and gesture and partly by voice to take off from vices and infom in vertue And methinks saith he ye should not make an Infant less teachable then some brutes But saith he nurses witell you more in this then I can O excellent Divinity and plain Scripture proof from where we learn these two things First that if it be a piece of good Divinity to prove that litle children that can neither speak nor understand are the Disciples of Christ then Nurses are better Divines then Mr. Baxter for saith he they can tell you more is this then I can pag. 23. Secondly he saith What will you make an Infant les teachable then some bruits from whence Mr. Baxter seems to imply that some bruits are capable of being Christs Disciples or else why should he say Will you have infants less teachable then some bruits As if he should say Some brutes are teachable enough to be made his disciples and what will you deny infants to be his disciples methinks saith he we should not make an infantiess decible then some brutes I remember he crieth out against Mr. Tombs in pag. 19. for arguing ridiculously when he proveth plainly out of Psal 119.89 90. that the heavens and earth are Gods servans in his answer to his proving infants Lev. 25.41 41. and if servints then disciples saith Mr. Baxter In answer to which Mr. Tombs saith The heavens and the earth are his servants are they therefore his disciples to which Mr. B. for want of a better answer saith O what cause have we all to look to the tenderness of our Consciences in time before engagement in a sinful cause hath benâ—â—med and made the word of God to be of none effect tous But I leave it to the impartial Reader to judge whether the same sayings may not more fitly be applyed to Mr. Baxter in this place I hope Mr. Baxter is not so void of judgement as to think brutes teachable enough to be made Christs disciples but I am sure his words imply no less Indeed I remember Mr. Baxter doth say in the beginning of his book that he will not meddle with such Arguments as other men have wrote of before but new ones that never yet were handled and I must confess these are such new ones as I never heard but how much to the purpose I leave it to the Reader wisely to consider and then judge Again he hath another Argument from Act. 15.10 the which Mr. Baxter saith doth prove Infants disciples to all that will not grosly overlook the Text and pervent it Ans An heavy charge against us I confess to be perverters of the Scripture but how true it will prove you shall see by and by The whole substance of Mr. Baxters Argument in the 15 and 16 pag. of his book is this from Act. 15.10 Why put ye yokes upon the neeks of the disciples c. But that yoke was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and according to the Law of Moses children as well as parents were circumcised therefore children as well as parents are disciples But I wonder what Mr. Baxter would do with this Argument if we should give it him and answer nothing to it I confess amongst ignorant and sottish people that do pin their faith upon Mr. B. words it may be taking out amongst those that are of noble spirits to search the Scriptures before they believe as the noble Bereans Act. 17.11 12. it can have no influence nor take no impression because it s but half an Argument and so he hath done his work that he hath taken in hand but to halves If we grant him all he says that it is but half an Argument is evident thus The yoke that they would have put upon the neck of the disciples was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses but according to the Law of Moses none were circumcised but men-children therefore none else are disciples and therefore none but men-children are to be baptized by his own grant And so he hath done but half his work as I told you Secondly if Mr. Baxter please I will lead him step by step into the right understanding of this Scripture by Gods assistance thus What was the yoke Answ To be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and who was it laid upon then under the Law Answ Upon the Jews and their children And who would they have laid it upon Act. 15.10 Answ Upon the disciples as is plain in these words Why put ye a yeke upon the neck of the diseiples c. Who are disciples Here sticks the question still and it remains still for Mr. Baxter or Mr. Cook to prove infants disciples and then we grant they are those upon whom the false teachers would have put the yoke of Circumcision but the disciples of Christ are such as could deny themselves and take up his cross and follow him Luke 14. but little infants that can neither speak nor understand cannot so do therefore no disciples of Christ Lastly I shall cleer it by the words of the Text that the Apostle speaks of no children there thus Act. 15.7 we read that when there had been much disputing Peter rose up and said unto them Men and brethren you know that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and believe and ver 8. God
they come to yeers of discretion is sinful I further prove Because they by their tradition of Rantizing or Sprinkling babes before they understand and believe the Gospel do make the command of Christ which is To baptize men and women when they believe and understand of none effect and so in vain they worship God and they which take his name in vain he will not hold them guiltless See Mar. 7.7 8 9. Matth. 15.8 9. and thus they binde two sins together and in the one they shall not go unpunished Now to his Third Argument which is drawn from that which he hath spoken already as he himself confesses which he layeth down thus That practise which goeth upon meer uncertainty and hath no Scripture-Rule to guide it is not according to the will of Christ But the practise of baptizing of children of Christians at age goes upon meer uncertainties and hath no Scripture-rule to guide it Therfore it is not according to the will of Christ Answ Who would think Mr. Baxter could have chopped one Argument into so many pieces to multiply words for this Argument is the same in substance with the two former onely put downe in other words But I further answer thus 1. That to baptize men and women when they believe is not an uncertain rule but very certain both from the command of Christ and example of the Apostles as Mar. 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved And Acts 2.41 They that gladly received the word were baptized and added c. chap. 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And vers 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest be baptized Thus we see that it is guided by Scripture-rule and therefore it is most certain by Mr. Baxters grant But I must needs give Mr. Baxter his owne Argument againe thus That practice which goeth upon meer uncertainty and hath no Scripture-rule to guide it is not according to the will of Christ saith Mr. Baxter But say I the practice of Baptizing little Babes before they come to years of discretion goes upon meer uncertainties having no Scripture-rule to guide it Therefore it is not according to the will of Christ by Mr. Baxters owne confession His fourth Argument is this That practice which will necessarily fill the Church with perpetual contentions as being about a matter that cannt be determined by any known rule is not according to the minde of Christ But the practice of baptizing Christians children at age upon their profession is such as will necessarily fill the Church with perpetual contentions Therefore it is not according to the mind of Christ Answ But the baptizing of men and women when they believe is a matter that can be and is determined by a known rule in Scripture therefore no just cause of contentions because it is acccording to the will and minde of Christ as I have proved by those Scriptures quoted in the a foresaid Argument Again I shall retort his owne Argument upon himself thus That practice which will necessarily fill the Church with perpetual contentions as being about a matter that cannot be determined by any known Rule is not according to the minde of Christ But the practice of baptizing little Babes before they come to years of discretion is a thing which there is no known rule for in all the word of God Therefore it is not according to the minde of Christ and there is just cause to contend against it and that perpetually And thus Mr. Baxter I have thrown your owne Arguments upon your owne head and you are fallen into the same pit which you digged for others and thus is your folly manifested in the fourth Argument Your fifth Argument is thus That doctrine which would turn the Ordinance of Baptisme out of the Churches of the Saints or neer turn it out is contrary to the doctrine of Christ But this Doctrine of theirs that those onely should be baptized that are directly made Disciples by the preaching of men sent according to the text Mat. 28.19 20. would turn baptisme for the most part out of the Churches of the Saints Therefore it is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ To which I answer It seemes it is Mr. Baxters judgement that they which preach and baptise according to the Commandment Christ hath given to his Diseiples Mat. 28.19 20. are those which turn baptisme out of the Church and yet he will not shew us one Scripture to prove that any else ever were baptized but such as were made Disciples according to the will and minde of Christ viz. by the preaching of the Gospel But I confess such a Doctrine doth not almost but altogether turne Mr. Baxters baptisme out of the Church for we have no such custome nor the Churches of God as to baptize little Babes that can neither speak nor understand what the Gospel is 2. I shall give Mr. Baxter his owne Argument at first thus That Doctrine which would turn the Ordinance of Christs baptism out of the Church or neer out is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ But this Doctrine of Mr. Baxters and the rest of the Priests of England which is that all Children should be baptized in their non-age according to their practice doth turne the baptisme of Christ which is to baptize men and women when they believe quite out of the Churches of the Saints Therefore it is contrary to the doctrine of Christ and is to be abhorred as sinful And thus is Mr. Baxters sword turned with the edge against himself To Mr. Baxters sixth Argument which is against the manner of baptizing by dipping the which he makes a breach of the sixth Commandment Thou shalt not kill and therefore no Ordinance of God but an hainous sin and so exhorts the Magistrates pag. 134. and pag. 136. in the conclusion of his Argument to destroy the Anabaptists as well as highway-murderers To which I shall answer in order as followeth First Observe how Mr. Baxter proves it murther he useth not one Scripture therefore none can believe him that desires to make the word of God a ground of their Faith But he laboureth to prove it thus by affirming out of his owne mouth onely that its flat murder being ordinarily used And then insinuates thus It s undeniable to any understanding man for saith he again That which directly tendeth to the overthrow of mens lives being wilfully used is plain murther But dipping men over head in cold water ordinarily doth tend to the overthrow of their health and lives Therefore wilful murder Answ In all this the Reader shall do well to observe that Mr. Baxter hath used many vain words which prove nothing except we grant him that dipping people after this manner doth tend to the overthrow of mens lives which we cannot do because Scripture and experience hath taught us the contrary as I shall shew anon But he proceeds thus I dare say that in Cities like
Paul Acts 24.1 2 3 4 5 6. with 13. But I have proved all what I have here wrote by good authority the which I suppose they will not nor dare not deny but if they do the books remain still to be seen and now seeing these things are so I shall desire the impartial Reader seriously and in the fear of God to consider whether this generation of men although some of them more transformed into Angels of light and Ministers of righteousness then others as the Scripture saith 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. yet whether these be not those spoken of 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. in these words This know also that in the last daies perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankfull unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers for they accuse us and are in fault themselves incontinent fierce dispisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof and from such we are commanded to turn away for of this sort are they that creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knwledge of the truth and as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth Men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith but the Lord hath promised they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest to all men as theirs also was 2. Whether they be not like their forefathers of old that are spoken of Jer. 23.14 15 16 17. in these words I have seen also in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lyes they strengthen also the hands of evil doers that none return from their wickedness they are all of them unto me as Sodom and as the inhabitants of Gomorrha therefore saith the Lord of hosts concerning these Prophets that cause my people to err Behold I will feed them with wormwood and make then drink the water of Gall for from these Prophets is Prophaness gone forth into all the land therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesie unto you they make you vaine they speak a vision of their own hearts and not out of the mouth of the Lord but they say still to them that despise me Ye shall have peace and to every one that walketh after the imaginations of his own heart No evil shall come upon you 3. Thirdly Whether they be not like those which the Lord speaks of by Ezekiel chap. 22.26 27 28. in these words Her priests have violated my law and prophaned mine holy things they put no difference between the clean and unclean and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am prophaned by them her princes in the midst of them are like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood and to destroy souls to get dishonest gaine And the cause of it was Her prophets had daubed them with untempered morter seeing vanities and divining lies saying Thus saith the Lord when the Lord hath not spoken And it is not unknown how some of them did daube up Charles the first deceased with his princes and nobles that followed him with their untempered morter till they made him such a King as Salomon speaks of Eccles 4.13 in these words Better is a poor and wise childe then an old and foolish King which will no more be admonished The same did another party of them by Charles the second though more strict and zealous but not according to knowledge and would have drowned this land in blood and then cryed out the Anabaptists are the cause of it had not the Lord in mercy discovered their plot and turned all their councels into foolishness insomuch that some of them were branded and putsued with Gods eminent Judgements which Master Baxter speaks of therefore let him remember Master Love and his party 4. Whether they be not like thos e that the prophet Micah speaks of Chap. 3.11 when he saith The priests teach for heir and the Prophets Divine for money and yet they will lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us and no evil shall come upon us 5. How like the men Paul speaks of Phil. 3.18.19 when he saith Many walk as I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are enemies to the cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame who minde earthly things 6. Consider how the words of the Apostle Peter are verified in these men 2 Pet. 2.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. which are these The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise goverment presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities whereas the Angels which are greater in power and might bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these as natural bruit-beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruptions and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness as they count it pleasure to ryot in the day time Spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sin beguiling unstable souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practices Cursed Children which have for saken the right way and gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bozor who loved the wages of unrighteousness but was rebuked for his iniquity the dumbe Ass speaking with mans voice forbad the madness of that Prophet These are wells without water clouds that are carried with a tempest to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever For when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lust of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them that live in error while they promise others liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption c. So that we may say with Jer. 5 30 31. A wonderful horrible thing is commited in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof And now in all that I have written none can justly say that I have wronged or abused them at all for 1. I do but repeat what is recorded and that by the consent of those then in Authority of their words and actions and 2. I compared them with these forenamed Scriptures to the end that we might know and