men Mat. 1. 5. 9. And thus you make the Commandments of God of none effect by your traditions ver 6. I say if this be permitted to draw consequences from Scripture to overturn commands it is the most dangerous way that ever was invented to usher in Heresie and Errour and upon that account its easie to turn out almost all the truth of God in Scripture and set it at variance against it self we grant consequences rightly grounded but we deny consequences to overturn Commands and Gospel and all As for all that you say from pag. 31. to 34. it is nothing but a reiteration of what hath been said before either in this or your former Arguments And notwithstanding you are pleased to say pag. 33. That Infant-Baptism is clear enough to those who have eyes to see or hearts to believe it To see and believe what you say and take your word for all for there is neither Scripture nor Reason for it Page 34. You say Since the Anabaptists call and cry so much for a literal Command By the way Sir Are you such an enemy to literal Commands will you make void literal commands to set up your own inventions or do you envy against them because they overturn your practises You say They may do well to give you Commands for many of their practises As first what express command they have to deny the Moral Law to be a rule of life Answ They deny not the Moral Law to be a rule of life to believers in its essence but they deny it to be a rule of life as an administration in the hands of Moses But Christ having taken it into his own hands and fulfilled the righteousness of it he gives it anew unto them and it ceaseth to be any more the Law of Moses but is the Law of Christ this is cleared abundantly 1 Joh. 2. 7 8. First It is no new Commandment but the old Yet secondly It is a new Commandment which is true in him and in us because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth So that notwithstanding it is the substance of the old yet it is new because in Christ and from him to us and in us If this will not satisfie see 1 Cor. 3. 11. compared with 1 John 2. 7 8. 2. You Querie What express command against the coercive power of the Magistrate I suppose you mean in the things of Jesus Christ 1. I suppose if Magistrates command any thing contrary to the mind of Christ we are not to obey they have nothing to do to make use of their coercive power there if they do they sin and all men are commanded not to sin That it is a sin is clear That which contradicts the command of God is sin Which shall we obey God or man judge ye Acts 4 19. There was the command of God and the command of man in opposition each to other and there the command of man was sinfull 2. Jesus Christ is King of his Church Rev. 15. 3. and it s his work to make use of a coercive power to bring in souls to his Kingdom Psal 110. 4 In the day of his power his people shall be a willing people and unless you can produce any Scripture in which Christ hath resigned his power to the Magistrate I suppose he is still King of his Church and those who make use of a coercive power in his Kingdom are at best but Usurpers 3. Christ hath entrusted and impowered none but his Ministers with that work of gathering souls into his Kingdom and this they are to do in his power in his authority and in his way And those who pretend themselves to be the Ministers of Christ yet want the coercive power of the Magistrate declare themselves to be none of his not serving the Lord Jesus but their own bellies c. 4. There is the substance of an express command Rom 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own master he standeth or falleth c. And Jam. 4. 12. There is one Law giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another It s clear that none have power to judge and determine coercively but he that hath a power to save and destroy And the Reason is drawn from ver 11. that none hath power to judge of the Law and give sentence but he that is above the Law and if any will go about to judge others by a coercive power they are not doers of the Law but Judges This is meant only in Cases of Conscience relating to Jesus Christ not but that Magistrates may and ought to take cognizance of Civil things and sinfull actions flowing from the corruptions of men but matters Spiritual and Divine tending to Worship there it s the prerogative of God alone to judge 3. You querie What command we have to separate from the Churches which hold the foundation pure I answer None at all that I know neither do we separate from any such Churches but from Babylon and Egypt which hath been and is a cage of every unclean and hatefull birds not true or pure either in its Constitutions Members Ministery or Ordinances and we have a Command for what we do See and well consider 2 Tim. 3. from the first ver to the fift and Rev. 18 4. 4. You querie What command we have for Rebaptizing Ans I know no such thing as rebaptizing there is a command for baptizing believers and that which you call baptizing viz. sprinkling the faces of your Infants we take no knowledge of it you rantize them and say you baptize them so speak an untruth So that the just judgment of God is upon you that having changed the Subject from a Believer to an Infant you must change the very Ordinance it self from baptizing to rantizing from dipping to sprinkling So that you are wholly besides and have not the least ground to say we rebaptize for we baptize those you have rantized before it may be Thus have I endeavoured to giue you a brief account of things you desired and so I pass to your Sixth Argument p. 35. From Act. 2. 38 39. your Argument is To whomsoever the promise of grace belongs to them Baptism belongs But the promise of grace belongs to believers and their children Ergo Baptism belongs to them both This is but the same you have said before your Arguments being six in number are but two in substance Yet I shall see what you say to the business for your Minor is denied yet you are pleased to say p. 36. in confirmation of your Minor That the Minor flows from the Text the Parents believing and repenting he expresly commands them to be baptized both believers and their children Oh unheard of falshood is there ever such a word in the Text as and their Children He saith Repent and be baptized every one of you that is every one of you that are pricked in your hearts You
THE Font-Guard Routed OR A brief ANSWER to a Book written by Thomas Hall superscribed with this Title The Font Guarded with 20. Arguments Therein endeavouring to prove the lawfulness of Infant-Baptism WHEREIN His Arguments are examined and being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary are found too light The most considerable of Mr. Baxters Arguments for Infant-Baptism being produced by Tho. Hall are here answered likewise To which is added A Word of Reply to Tho. Halls Word to Collier And another to John Feriby's Appendix called The Pulpit-Guard Relieved With an Answer to Richard Sanders's pretended Balm to heal Religious wounds in answer to the Pulpit-Guard Routed With an humble Representation of some few Proposals to the Honorable Committee appointed by the Parliament for Propagation of the Gospel Written by Tho. Collier If ye love me keep my commandments Joh. 14. 15. If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Joh. 8. 31. LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black Spread Eagle neer the West-end of Pauls 1652. Some few Proposals to the Honorable Committee for Propagation of the Gospel Honoured Sirs GOD having been pleased to bring us forth in such an Age of the world wherein we have seen through mercy not only his work of power in dethroning of unrighteous men but likewise in a measure the arising of the Son of Righteousness with healing in his wings and I trust to take to himself his great Kingdom and to reign The business committed to you by and next to the Supreme Authority of the Nation being of very great concernment and indeed that which relates to him who is the most Supreme He who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Notwithstanding I find there have been many Proposals unto your Honours it might be altogether needless for such a one as I to propose any thing unto your Wisdoms yet not doubting your willingness to hear what the weakest may propound in this great business though by it nothing be added to you I providentially and occasionally coming to this City could not with good conscience depart from hence without presenting something unto your Honours as to the thing in hand If in it to you or any others I do appear a fool let me be excused I have performed in this my duty both to my Lord and you My desire is that the former presidents of miscarriages in changing times may be a warning unto us viz. The plucking up of one Form and planting of another by the Magisterial power Every plant that the Heavenly Father hath not planted must be plucked up My desire is not to be tedious but in a word out of tenderness to the honour of the Lord Jesus and the Authority of the Nation that there may be given to GOD those things that are his and to Caesar those things that are his have I humbly presented these following Proposals unto your Honours 1. Whether or no Jesus Christ be not the alone Spiritual King in and over all Cases of Conscience relating to Worship Psal 2. Rev. 15. 3 4. Act. 3. 22 23. Mat. 28. 18. 2. Whether he hath surrendred up any part of this Authority to any Civil Magistrate under the Gospel Jam. 4. 11 12. Rom. 14. 4. 3. Whether because the Jewish Magistracie according to the command of God took cognisance of such things they with all the rest of their Ordinances being typical in their anointing power and rule c. it being all swallowed up into Christ the substance he being the alone King of his people be any ground for Magistrates now to do the like 4. Whether to do the like be not to deny Christ to be come in the flesh and to deny his Kingly Authority 5. Whether the work of the Magistrate as a Magistrate do not primely relate to the bodies of men and things of this world that so they may be for the praise of them that do well and for the punishment of evil doers Rom. 13. 6. Whether it be not the work whereunto God hath called them to protect all that live peaceably and civilly in obedience to the Civil Law of the Nation and to encourage and protect the Servants of the Lord alike in the Preaching and professing the Gospel though differing in their apprehensions leaving the judgment of Cases of Conscience unto Christ as before 7. VVhether a State-maintenance for the Ministery of Christ be agreeable to any Rule in the Gospel 8. VVhether it hath not been and is a way to make men rather State-Ministers then Christs Ministers 9. VVhether this hath not proved dishonorable to Iesus Christ and the Truth having drawn so many into the worldly Ministery for love of gain 10. VVhether it be not the duty of the Magistrate to permit the Jews whose Conversion is promised and we pretend to expect it to live peaceably amongst us FINIS The Epistle to the Reader Reader I Having so suddenly and almost unexpectedly brought forth this Treatise to publique view Plainness and brevity thou mayst find in it though but little of that excellencie which mans wisdom teacheth yet something of the truth of Jesus mayst thou find there in the plain evidence of the Spirit and power of truth And whereas thou seest many differences in the world about the worship of God it behoves thee so much the more to querie after it for it is the duty of those who have an interest in Christ to do his will If ye love me saith Christ keep my commandments Joh. 14. 15. and that is the way to attain an increase in the knowledge of the will of God viz. a doing of what we know Joh. 7 17. I have here presented to thy view several Replies unto several Men and Things First to the Font-guarded wherein you have gathered up all the Arguments of former Writers especially Mr. Baxters and drawn into 20 Arguments To all which I have given a brief Reply and although brief yet I question not but with such plainness and clearness as that he that runs may read and in it through mercy thou mayst come to see the clear difference between Moses and Christ the Covenant of the Law and the Covenant of the Gospel the ordinances ministry and worships of the one and of the other and because God hath made me publike in the profession of his truth I judge my self bound in conscience and duty to Jesus Christ to vindicate that truth I profess every command and truth of Jesus being to a lover of the truth more precious then that of gold and although hither unto I have and may still expect to pass through many reproaches for the sake of Christ through good and bad report yet I weigh it not none of these things trouble me it was the portion of Christ himself and if they called the master of the house Beelzebub what will they not do to the servant I trust that notwithstanding the rudeness and rage of those
It s true there is grace in this Covenant yet it is not the Covenant of grace there is grace in this for it is grace for God declaratively to be a God to a People And secondly there was the everlasting grace included typically in this Covenant for it relates in the mysterie unto Christ as all outward Covenants Services and the Land of Canaan it self did Gal. 3. 6 Col. 2. 17. Heb. 4. from ver 3. to the 8. That it was an outward Covenant will appear 1. The thing promised in the Covenant was outward i. e. The Land of Canaan Object He promised to be a God unto them in an everlasting Covenant Answ 1. This was a promise in an outward Covenant as will appear Isa 10. 22 23. compared with Rom. 9. 29. Though the Children of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet a remnant of them shall be saved Now if God had been a God unto them in the Covenant of grace they must have been all saved and have continued in that Covenant unto this day but it being but an outward and typical Covenant relating to Christ the antitype and substance when Christ was come that Covenant was dissolved into Christ and is given forth upon the true spiritual account to the spiritual seed Gal. 3. 16. with 29. 2. It s said to be an everlasting Covenant either 1. because it was to continue its appointed time so called Everlasting as usually the old Testament Ordinances were so God promised in this Covenant to give the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession yet they are and have been many hundreds of years turned out of it and if they had not yet that could but have been a poffession for them in their generations till the end of the world But the Covenant of grace reaches to eternity without end Psal 103. 17. Hence the Priesthood of the Law was called an everlasting Priesthood Exod. 40. 15. Num. 25. 13. Or secondly it s called Everlasting upon the account of Christ who was the substance and the Covenant it self when he came ending all other Covenants and Services Isa 42. 6. So Davids Kingdom was said to be Everlasting upon the account of Christ who was and is the true spiritual King of whom David was a type 2 Sam. 7. 16. Ps 89. 35 36. compared with Ezek. 37. 24 25. David was dead long before yet David viz. Christ must be their King for ever Thus it appears first from the Covenant it self on Gods part that it was not the Covenant of grace though grace was darkly and typically included in it only the enlightened renewed soul saw into it and partaked of Christ the substance But secondly it will appear likewise if we consider the second part of the Covenant on Abraham and his childrens part Every man-child shall be circumcised at eight dayes old v. 10. 11 12. Here is an external obedience suitable to an external covenant God promiseth the land of Canaan in lieu of this they must be circumcised which shall be a sign of their obedience and to God of his Covenant as the Rain-bow in another case 2. The Covenant being thus considered it followeth that notwithstanding this Covenant was to Abraham and his seed natural yet it is not to Believers now and their seed natural This denies your Minor and this Scripture produced by you doth not prove it Your other Scripture Act. 2. 39. I shall answer in its place when I come to your Argument drawn from it And whereas you say That there are some Infants in the Covenant of grace I deny it positively that there are Infants in the Covenant of grace upon your account viz. the account of nature because born of believing parents all fleshly boasting being taken away Rom. 3. 27. As the Covenant to Abraham and his seed was outward and typical so the Covenant of Christ or Christ the Covenant is to the spiritual seed and that only those who are of the saith of Abraham who do the works of Abraham they and they only are the seed of Abraham Joh. 8. 39. He is not a Jew that is one outwardly but he is a Jew that is one inwardly Rom. 2. 28 29. where as the outward Covenant so the natural seed are cut off and only the spiritual stands And whereas you say there is an outward being in this Covenant c. Ishmael was circumcjsed I say so too for in it self it was wholly outward this and all other Covenants and services were outward and typical except the first promise Gen. 3. The Covenant of grace now in the dayes of Christ is wholly spiritual Those then that were enlightened which were but few saw and enjoyed the substance in the shadow and form We first the substance and with it the form They were first brought by works to Christ we first to Christ and then to works as fruits of faith And whereas you conclude Baptism to be a Seal of the Covenant of Grace you are as much besides the truth in this as in the Covenant it self Because you have heard others say it therefore you affirm it too as children use to speak by tradition but where is your Scripture for it Did you ever read of any New-Testament seal besides the Spirit of Christ Ephes 1. 13. ch 4. 30. But I suppose because that it 's said Rom. 4. 11. that Abraham received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of his faith which he had before he was circumcised that therefore Baptism is a seal of the Covenant of grace Oh gross mistake Abraham believed God when he first promised him the land of Canaan and commanded him to forsake all and go into it and that he would keep him and bless him Gen. 12. Here Abraham believed God and obeyed and went out not knowing whither and v. 17. God gave him Circumcision a sign and seal to confirm his faith which he had before in this promise And as Circumcision was given a seal of Abrahams faith in Gods promising him the land of Canaan so the Spirt of grace is the seal of faith to every believer of his interest in the spiritual land the substance of the outward the Lord Jesus So you are lost both in Covenant in Seal in the Subjects of the Covenant and all You mention Gal. 4. 28. I say upon the Gospel-account its truth as Isaac was heir to that Covenant so all true believers are heirs of the true promise and none else Whereas you say pag. 11. in way of answer to an objection That theirs is old and ended c. you answer That to make that old none but carnal Anabaptists will do it Your mouth is wide but let it pass I answer To make that Covenant which was of an outward land the same as ours which is of a spiritual land to bring in the natural seed upon that account when it is only to the spiritual seed none but a carnal and blind generation of men dare to do Christ saith
therefore no ground to receive them to Baptism though Christ received them and blessed them I shall answer the Scripture more at large by and by As to the third Those that Christ invites the Church may not refuse Where doth Christ invite Infants Those Infants are gone long since He saith Suffer the Infants not all Infants 2. The Church are to receive those Christ hath given rule and command to receive viz. Believers Christ may receive some Infants because he knows them The Church doth not know them therefore the Church may not receive them 4. You say They that are capable of the Kingdom and Blessing which is the greater are much more capable of Baptism which is the lesser But Infants are capable of the greater Ergo. Ans Some Infants by vertue of Election may be capable of the greater yet not capable of the lesser 1. Because not capable to understand the lesser 2. Because we are not capable to understand and know them 3. Because there is no command for it for that is it we are to walk by and that capacity in which we are to judge 5. You say If the Kingdom of heaven receive them the Church may not exclude them Ans The Kingdom of heaven of glory receives none but the elect of God the Church doth not know them therefore the Church cannot receive them c. Now to your Scripture Mar. 10. 14. Suffer the little Children and forbid them not Note he saith not suffer little children but suffer the little children not all little children but the little ones that is those that were then brought unto him You draw a Conclusion from hence to have all p. 3 4 5. It 's evident in that that he would have them to come to him that so he might take an occasion to discover a Gospel-mysterie viz. That of such is the Kingdom of Heaven that is so qualified spiritually as they were naturally meek humble teachable helpless c. This is cleer compared with v. 15. Verily I say unto you whosoever doth not receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child he shall not enter therein that is as I said before so qualified spiritually as little children are naturally Hence 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word c. that is not as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word but as new born babes desire the milk of the breast so do you desire the milk of the word Mat. 18. 2 3 4. cleers the whole Except a man be converted and become as a little child he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven So that the substance of the whole in every Scripture mentioned by you to this purpose directly presents us with the same truth viz. the humble child like qualifications of his servants and not to fill up the Church with Infants contrary to Christs command and the practise of all his servants which is to be our alone rule and president In a word the Scriptures produced for proof of your Arguments have not a word of baptism in them nor the least hint that way and for you to draw consequences from such grounds especially those consequences overturning precepts and presidents is very dangerous and unsafe and that which we are bound in duty and conscience to renounce Christ knew what he had to do and hath left us a rule for what we should do he that forsakes this rule and will not hear Christ is to be cut off from amongst his people Acts 3. 22 23. They that will draw conclusions into practise from what Christ did contradicting what he hath commanded will be found enemies not permitting Christ to reign over them and what the danger will be of such conclusions see Luke 19. 27. The summe of all is this that although Christ knows the Elect Infants and receives them yet we do not know them it 's Gods secret and we are to walk by revealed rules and are to receive none before the manifestation of faith Mar. 16. 16. Act. 8. 37. and it 's evident the Church did receive none but such Act. 2. 41 42. The Apostle in his Epistles writing to the Churches cals them Saints not Infants 1 Cor. 1 2. 2 Cor. 1. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 23. If the whole Church be come together into some place and all speak with tongues the unlearned will say ye are mad but if all prophesie c. Where note the whole Church meets together and they may being thus assembled all prophesie and were here Infants think you They might all prophesie none excepted that had the gift but women And 1 Cor. 12. 27. The Church is the body of Christ and members in particular and this body is made up of many members v. 28 29 30. and Infants are none of them Apostles Prophets Teachers gifts of healing helps in government miracles interpreters c. There is never a true member in the Church of Christ but hath some one or other of these gifts more or less here are no Infants see v. 13 14 15 16 17. The fourteenth Argument From Rom. 12. 26. you say but I say 11. 16. If the first-fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches The sum of all you say is That by the root and first fruit is meant Abraham Isaac and Jacob. p. 62. If it appear that there is no truth in this assertion then your Argument fals to the ground But there is no truth in this assertion Ergo. I shall make it appear 1. In the Covenant made with Abraham his posterity stood not by faith but outward observation Circumcision keeping the Law If thou be willing and obedient thou shalt eat the good of the Land if thou be disobedient thou shalt be destroyed with the sword Isa 1. 19 20. But when Christ the true root Isa 11. 10. Rom. 15. 12. Rev. 5. 5. 22. 6. and first-fruits 1 Cor. 15. 20 23. was come they not believing were broken off because not by faith graffed upon the true root For when Christ the true spiritual seed was come the natural seed and membership was broken off and only that of saith was graffed in That as the natural seed stood members upon the account of the first Covenant and promise made with Abraham so the spiritual seed viz. the seed of faith Christ being come and is the substance of that Covenant they are ingraffed into that root he being holy they are also holy according to the words of Christ Joh. 15. 1 2. 2. That this is the truth intended will more cleerly appear if you consider v. 18. Boast not against the branches i e. against the branches broken off for thou bearest not the root but the root thee Now Thomas Hall what root is it that bears the believing branches Natural parents or Christ the true root Is not he the foundation upon which they are built and the true root and stock into which they are