Conference Answ If Baptism belong but to one Infant it is enough to confute them who deny it to all becaus they are Infants 2. And if it belong to som Infants why not to all for who shall judg which are elected and which are not It concerns not us to know who are and who are not Elected becaus the Sacraments do belong to the Elect not as Elect but as visible members and Professors upon which account S. Peter baptized Simon Magus And Abraham by God's appointment circumcised Ismaël though a reprobate Esau and all the children of the flesh were circumcised 3. Lastly by your reason Men of years should not bee baptized becaus wee cannot tell whether they bee Elected or not Object 2 But where have you any Example of children baptized Answ There is no need of example when wee have the Doctrine of the holie Ghost for it which is of greater Autoritie and force then bare Example Howbeit the practise of the Apostles may go for an Example their baptizing of whole housholds is an Example of baptizing all within the hous old and yong that are not excepted Even as under the name of Abraham's houshold are comprehended his Infants Abraham and his houshold were circumcised so the Jailor and his houshold were baptized the phrase is the same the case the same and why not the persons Object 3 Yea but the Scripture saies Go Teach and Baptize and they that gladly received the Word were baptized and again they were baptized confessing their sins therefore men must bee capable of teaching of Faith and repentance before they bee baptized Answ T is true When wee first bring the Gospel to a People they must bee first Taught confess their Faith and their Repentance and then bee baptized But it as true that when the Parents have received the Faith and are baptized their children also are taken into Covenant Thus Abraham was first taught and then circumcised But his Infants were first circumcised and then taught This one Error doth much bemist your understandings you conceiv that the Covenant take's in onely actual Believers That is indeed a part of the Covenant but not the whole extent of it as hath been proved For as wee by deeds do purchase and convey Lands holden in Leas or Copie to our children yea to children which shall bee born as well as to them that bee already born and though our children at that age knew not what their Fathers did for them yet when they come to age they claim those Lands by virtue of the land-Land-Lord's Grant and Seal annexed paying their Rents and doing their covenanted Services and Homage So doth the great Land-Lord of Heaven put both us and our children into the Copie of Heaven and confirms it by Seal of Baptism And when our children com to have Faith they may claim the good things covenanted by virtue of God's Grant and Covenant made with their Fathers they performing the conditions of their Father's Covenant From Scripture I proceed to som Reasons for Infant-Baptism Reasons 1 Infants are capable of the thing signified in Baptism viz. of the blood of sprinkling therefore of Baptism it self If they have the thing signed which is the greater why should they bee debarred the Sign which is the less It cannot bee denied them upon any just ground of Faith or Reason Object Yes Say they becaus Infants have not Faith nor Repentance Answ You must add 1. that have not Faith nor ever will com to have Faith 2. You must add that they have not Faith nor any other means of applying Christ's blood els your exception is not sufficient In men of years it is applied by the Spirit of God and by Faith in Infants by the Spirit alone which is given unto them It is the Application of Christ's righteousness that justifieth us not our Act of apprehending it the thing applied not our Act of applying God by his Spirit in Infants doth all things on our part which Faith should do Joh. 3.8 the wind bloweth where it listeth thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is everie one that is born after the spirit i. e. As the power of God is seen in the wind moving the aër so it is in the changing and renewing of us though the manner bee bid from us Thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child Eccles 11.5 Thus much wee know from Christ's own mouth that Infants are blessed for hee blessed them Mar. 10.16 Shall wee denie it becaus wee know not the manner how they are blessed Or shall wee deny them to bee reasonable creatures becaus wee cannot discern in them the use of reason Or shall wee deny them to bee sinners becaus they know not what the Law is nor what the transgression of the Law is Wee need not trouble our selvs about the manner how Christ's righteousness is applied to them seeing God is as gracious to apply unto them the righteousness of the second Adam as in justice hee did the sin and condemnation of the first Adam 2. That Exception about Faith and Repentance is no more a barr against the Baptism of Infants then against the Circumcision of Infants forasmuch as in Circumcision were required all the same qualifications which you say are required to Baptism viz. the inward Circumcision of the heart Little children must bee brought unto Christ and none forbid them and by Baptism they do com unto him where the Minister in Christ's stead receiveth them and blesseth them and the Lord sealeth up unto them their receiving into his favor and grace for his own mercies sake without any merit of ours Reason 2 Christ confirmed the Covenant made unto the Fathers Rom. 15.8 Hee bettered it and no way worsted it And when hee commanded a new Seal to bee set in stead of Circumcision hee did it without altering the substance of the Covenant in the least degree but now the very substance of the Covenant would bee altered to the wors if som persons formerly received into Grace should by Christ bee excluded yea and Believers children are in wors condition then in the Jewish Church which to affirm were not onely derogatorie to Christ's Grace but against Scripture it self which saith Ephes 3.6 that the Gentiles are Fellow-heirs with the Jews and of the same bodie and partakers of his Promise in the Gospel of which they are not partakers nor Fellow-heirs if so great a part of the Gentiles as their children should bee excluded The Infants of Jews and Proselyts at the coming of Christ had interest and right to the Covenant of Grace And if that right bee taken away then their condition after Christ is wors then before Shall they bee loosers by becoming Christians This no sober man will affirm Neither is this a complaining against God but against them who would exclude whom the Lord hath not
by their unwearied diligence the Orthodox after sound Confutation of their Heresie sitting down content with that discharge of their dutie And surely if ever our glorious lights of the sanctuarie bee put out and new ones set up in their stead next unto God's wrath penally inflicting such a judgment for a Peoples unthankfulness it will bee ascribed to our laziness and their unwearied diligence rather then to any truth of their Caus or excellence of their Arguing For they do not or will not know when they are confuted but after their Arguments answered ten times over they are as brisk to offer new disputation insisting upon their old bald Arguments as if never uttered before their diligence should provoke us to the like if not their diligence yet love to their souls should 2 Tim. 2.25 remembring that of Paul in meekness instructing those that oppose themselvs if at any time God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that they may recover themselvs out of the snare of the Divel wee must not give over a Patient while there is hope no not though they oppose themselvs but with long-suffering they must bee instructed becaus as the gift of grace so the time of grace is in God's hand alone It is a great skill to discern who are to bee forborn and who to bee opposed they that make Divisions and parties in the Church and scandalize the Doctrine are to bee avoided Rom. 16.17 others that walk humbly and peaceably under that weakness and dissenting Opinion from their brethren are to bee forborn loved and cherished till wee meet in heaven where Luther and Calvin and all whose Faith and hearts do center in the Lord Christ shall for evermore bee fully agreed To his Grace I commend you who is able to establish you and rest Yours and the Churches servant in the Gospel of Jesus Christ WILLIAM LYFORD AN APOLOGIE FOR Our Publick MINISTERIE TOuching the Office and Calling of Ministers and Lay-men's preaching the Question is not Whether Christians may and ought privately to edifie one another by admonitions counsels reproofs repetition of Sermons reading of good Books and other Christian conferences all this I grant and commend to practice from these Scriptures Heb. 3.13 1 Thes 4.8 1 Thes 5.11.14 Rom. 15 14. But the whole state of the controversie may fitly bee reduced to these three heads Quest 1. Whether the work of a Minister in the Administration of the Word and Sacraments bee a Calling Office and work distinct from the rest of the people Whether there bee any such Calling or Office for that holy work in the New Testament Affir 2. Whether Ordination of Ministers for Administration of Word and Sacraments bee an Ordinance of Christ in the New Testament Affir 3. Whether it bee lawful for men uncalled and unordained to Take upon them the preaching of the Word in the Name and with the autoritie of the Lord Jesus or the Administration of the Sacraments Neg. The answer and determination of these three Questions will clearly state the Caus which I shall do in three Conclusions Concl. 1 1. The Ministerie is a distinct Calling and Office which they are bound to attend unto and None but they can or ought to perform Concl. 2 2. Ordination of Ministers by imposition of hands of other Ministers for the Administration of the Word and Sacraments is an Ordinance of Christ in the New Testament Concl. 3 3. No man uncalled and unordained can with good Conscience intrude or enter upon that Work and Office it is a great sin so to do Of these I will speak in order The first Conclusion in Answer to the first Question viz. that the Ministerie is a distinct Office and Calling is proved 1. By express words of the Text 1 Tim. 3.1 if any man desire the Office of a Bishop hee desireth a good work The Text tell 's you that Bishop or Presbyter is an Office a good Office and hee that is made a Bishop is a man in high Office even to take care of the Church of God ver 5. and in him there are required manie qualifications which are not required in other Believers Again Paul writing to the Philippians doth plainly distinguish the Bodie of Saints from the Officers To all the Saints which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.1 By Bishops there all understand Ministers of the Gospel in Office of Teaching distinct from the people who were Saints but not Bishops So in the Church of Ephesus the like distinction between Pastor and People in respect of Office and Calling is obferved Act. 20. Paul called for the Elders of the Church vers 17. Hee minde's them of their Office vers 28. Take heed to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers or Bishops to feed the Church of God for so did Christ ordain and set in the Church som Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministerie Ehes 4.11.12 e.i. to bee Guides to the Flock to feed them with wholsom Doctrine Heb. 13.7 17. Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God and submit your selvs for they watch for your souls In which places you see that Ministerie of the Word is a name of Office given to certain men designed and singled out to that work as a special work not common to others take one clear place more viz. 1 Thes 5.11 Comfort and edifie one another there 's the peoples mutual dutie in private But vers 12. know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you there 's the Pastor's Office and dutie who though they may bee but even with you in respect of Gifts and Graces yet they are over you in the Lord in respect of their Office and Work they are over all even over them which were able Concl. 1 privately to admonish one another and the people's dutie is to know i.e. to acknowledg them as such and to esteem them very highly for their work 's sake becaus God hath set them over you in that Office By all which places of Scripture it is evident that in the Churches of Christ Som are Pastors and Elders to feed Some are Guides and Rulers Som are Sheep the flock to bee fed Som are Guided and Ruled Som are single Saints Som are Bishops over them in the Lord. There is a work wholly to bee attended and men appointed to attend that work wholly Names of Office without an Office are meer mockeries the Names of a King of a Steward Pastor Bishop Guide c. without their respective Offices are not given in Scripture In the places now cited you finde those distinctive Titles and Names joyned with the work it self I demand then with the Apostle Are all Teachers 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom. 14.4 are all Bishops are all Guids and Pastors The Minister and his Work are as precisely distinguished by the
Priest is in danger to die as Korah did vers 13. But what is this to us In the Old Testament God had precisely limited the Priests Office to one Tribe how doe's this reason hold in the New Testament Answ The application hereof is made by S. Jude vers 11. To the times of the New Testament Wo unto them for they have ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and are perished in the gain-saying of Korah Hence I thus argue If the sin of Korah is and may bee committed in the New Testament then it follows undeniably that in the New Testament it is a sin to level Church-Offices or intrude into the actions of sacred Ministerie whereto one is not Called least hee perish in Korah's sin The Apostle S. Jude fore-telling what Sectaries then were and should bee in Christ's Church and setting them out by certain characters by which they might bee known among others hath this vers 11. That they are guiltie of Korah's gain-saying In which words I note three things First that the sin of Korah is and may bee committed in the New Testament Secondly That none can commit the sin of Korah under the New Testament if there were not a Distinction and reservation of ministerial Offices and Autorities to men set apart for that work as in Korah's time Thirdly That those of whom Jude speaks are therefore guiltie of Korah's sin becaus they invaded the Office of the Gospel-Ministerie for now wee have no proper Priests nor sacrifices as Korah did the Office of the Priesthood under the Law That old Priesthood is changed Christ hath erected another Ministerie in their stead which must bee preserved inviolable from all invaders as that of Aarons was for els the sin of Korah could not bee committed in the times of the New Testament But seeing the sin of Korah is committed under the New Testament our conclusion stand's good that it is a sin for men uncalled to exercise Concl. 3 the Office of the Gospel Ministrie or of a Prophet being bred up to feed Cattel c. Add hereunto for close of all that of the Apostle Heb. 5.4 5. No man taketh this honor to himself but hee that is Called of God as Aaron was 1 Kin. 12.35 with c. 13.33 It was a sin in Jeroboam to make Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the Tribe of Levi When Jeroboam revolted from the Hous of David hee changed the worship and the Ministerie 1 Chron. 11.13 the honest Ministerie were not for his turn least the people should return to their dutie but God cursed this devillish policie for this thing became sin to the Hous of Jeroboam to cut it off and destroy it from the face of the earth As then so now it is a sin for any man to take that honor to himself The Apostles words are general and Argumentative to this sens becaus no man ought to intrude into this holy Office without a Calling therefore neither might Christ if a man take an Office not appointed of God thereunto it is no honor to him Res No man can make himself a Steward or Embassador no man can do any thing in God's Hous as his Steward or Embassador to preach his Covenant and set thereto God's seal but they that have Commission from God Now a Commission is the imparting of a power to us which before wee had not By virtue of God's Commission wee are Stewards of God and Embassadors for Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.20 Christ hath committed to us the word of reconciliation and wee in his Name and with his Autoritie do tender and seal God's Covenant Without God's Commission all sacred actions are meer nullities and mockeries like a Judgment without a Jurisdiction of no more Autoritie then if a private person should give sentence upon the Bench or Mid-wife Baptize your Children The Pharises questioned John for baptizing Job 1.25 And Christ for Preaching Mat. 21.23 The Priests and Elders of the people came to him as hee was Teaching and said by what Autoritie dost thou these things and who gave thee this Autoritie Christ doe's yield the challenge to bee just if hee could not have shewed his Autoritie and therefore in his Answer Christ doth avouch both Johns and his own Ministerie to bee from Heaven vers 2.25 The Apostle is clear that God is the Autor who sel's the ordinarie Pastors and Teachers in the Church 1 Cor. 12.28 as well as the Apostles and Prophets and without his setting wee can no more do the Office of Pastors and Teachers then of Apostles Wee must attend God's Calling to God's imploiment Concl. 3 For the premises I conclude in the words of Mr Hooker Hooker Pol. 5. § 77. The Ministerie of Divine things is a function which as God did himself Institute so neither may man undertake the same but by Autoritie and Power given them in lawful manner They are therefore Ministers of God not onely by way of Subordination as Princes and Civil Magistrates are whose execution of Judgment and Justice the supreme hand of divine providence doth uphold but Ministers of God as from whom their Autoritie is derived and not from men For in that they are Christ's Embassadors and his laborers who can give them their Commission but hee whose most inward affairs they manage Is not God alone the Father of spirits Are not souls the purchase of Jesus Christ What Angel in Heaven could have said to Peter Feed my sheep preach baptize do this in remembrance of mee whose sins yee retain they are retained and whose yee remit they are remitted What think yee are these terrestrial souls the power of the Ministerie of God translateth out of darkness into glorie it doth dispose of that flesh which was given for the life of the World and it poureth malediction upon the heads of the wicked The things wee do shew that wee are and can bee Commissioned by none but Jesus Christ All the Princes of the world cannot give us this Autoritie and Commission wee cannot bee Deputies in these Divine things becaus themselvs have not the chief power to dispence the things in person nor to bestow the blessings and curses at their will and command whereof wee are made the Instruments What impudence then is it for Mechanicks who have received Commission neither from God nor man to intrude into this Office Object Som have said What evil is it for gifted men to preach though uncalled mee thinks they do well better then your drie dunces of the Clergie they hold forth Jesus Christ c. Answ Wee envie no mans gifts wee diminish them not onely wee plead for Christ's Ordinance Let them submit to Christ's Ordinance to bee tried and Ordained and then Preach and spare not els there 's evil enough in such under-takings judg with equitie 1. What evil is it for a private man to execute the office of a Constable to pull a Judg from the Bench