Text John 6. 53. Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you and from thence they gave Infants the Lord's Supper also But suppose that Baptism doth signify or is a figure of the washing of Regeneration yet sprinkling is no form of washing but all know dipping is and the safest way of washing 2dly You mention Fierâ— Baptism or the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire Mat. 3. 11. This Scripture you say was fulfilled when the Holy Ghost came upon the Disciples in the appearance of Fiery Tongues Acts 2. 3. This Baptism was not say you by plunging in Fire but by sprinkling or pouring of Fire you mean the Holy Spirit upon them which sate upon each of them which is a Fiery washing which purifieth the Soul c. I answer Tho the Baptism of the Spirit was by pouring forth of the Spirit yet they were overwhelmed or immersed with it like as Dust may be poured upon a dead Corps until it is covered all over or quite buried therein So the Baptism of the Holy Ghost at the Day of Pentecost signifies the miraculous Effusion of the Holy Ghost The Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Learned Casaubon is to dip plâ—â—ge c. in which sense saith he the Apostles might be truly said to have been baptized for the House in which this was done was filled with the Holy Ghost so that the Apostles might seem to have been plunged into it as in a large Fish-Pond Sir 't is not the sprink ing of the Spirit that is the Baptism of the Spirit for they had doubtless some sprinklings of the Spirit before they were baptized with it Moreover Oecumenius on Acts 2. saith A Wind filled the whole House that it seemed like a Fish-pond because 't was promised to the Apostles that they should be baptized with the Holy Spirit Thus you may see that this no ways helps you to make Sprinkling or Rantizing Baptism 3dly You mention the Baptism of Blood or Sufferings I will repeat your Words Baptism of Blood of this Baptism doth Christ ask the Children of Zebedee Are you able to drink of the Cup that I drink of and to be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with Mat. 20. 22. This Cup and this Baptism are the same viz. the Sufferings of Christ of which his Disciples were to be Partakers You intimate that Baptism is a Witness of our Spiritual Resurrection and of our Resurrection at the last Day you mention 1 Cor. 15. 29 c. Answ Therefore say I it must be so administred as it may represent our Rising again First from a Death in Sin to a Life in Grace And Secondly from the Dead or out of our Graves in the Earth at the last Day But Sprinkling doâ—h not this cannot do this In sprinkling a little Water on the Face there is no resemblance or representation of rising up out of the Grave of Sin or from the Dead nor out of the Grave aâ— the last Day the Baptism of Sufferings signifies great Afflictions and from the Literal Signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great Afflictions or Troubles are taken for and figurately called Baptism as Vossius shews Not every light Affliction is the Baptism of Afflictions but like that of David Psal 32. 6. He drew me out of deep Waters Hence great Afflictions are called Waves Thy Waves and thy Billows are gone over me Psal 42. 7. See Pool's Annotations on Mat. 20. 22. To be baptized is saith he to be dipped in water Metaphorically to be plunged in Afflictions So that neither of these Metaphorical Baptisms will do you any Service to justify your Tradition of sprinkling or pouring a little Water but contrariwise quite overthrows your pretended Baptism As to what you say in the next place of your three manner of ways of the Administration of Baptism in your first Chapter it doth not concern our present Purpose 't is true John the Baptist baptized into him that was to come so in that respect it differ'd from the Administration of it after the Death and Resurrection of our blessed Lord and no doubt from the Commission it appears Baptism was to be administred to the end of the World into the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit and no other ways CHAP II. Containing some Remarks upon Mr. Owen's second Chapter AS to what you have wrote in your second Chapter about the Continuation of Water-Baptism in the Church until Christ's coming the second time or to the end of the World I approve generally of your Arguments and in that matter we are of your mind tho much more might be added to confirm that great Truth but pray Sir remember 't is Christ's Baptism of Believers which he only instituted that doth remain not Infants Baptism much less Infants Rantism which was neither instituted nor allowed by our blessed Lord. And because some of your Arguments for the Continuation of Baptism mentioned in your second Chapter tend to overthrow your Infant Baptism I shall make some Remarks upon them They are taken from your 4 th Proof you argue thus viz. Water Baptism is to continue in the Church if we consider the Ends of it 1. You say Christ hath ordained Baptism to be a Sign of our Repentance and therefore 't is called the Baptism of our Repentance Mark 1. 4. Repentance is a remaining Duty therefore the Baptism of Repentance is to remain Remark If Baptism be a siâ—n of Repentance to the Person baptized then the Person baptized ought to be a Person capable to repent and when baptized to have what is signified therein but Infants as such have not the Grace of Repentance when baptized so they are not capable to repent 2dly You say It is an Evidence of our Faith in Christ Mark 16. 16. Acts 8. 37 38. and therefore it is to remain as long as Faith is to remain on the Earth Remark If Baptism is an Evidence of our Faith in Christ then it must only belong to Believers How can it be an Evidence of Faith in Infants who are not capable to believe they know not the Object of Faith nor can they exert any Act of Faith It must be an Evidence to the Subject when baptized and so the Scriptures you cite hold forth He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. it doth not say he that is baptized and believeth If thou believest with all thy Heart thou mayst Not if thou shalt believe hereafter but if thou dost believe now It appertains to such who have Faith when baptized and it evidences such a Faith to the Person nay Faith is required of them before they are to be baptized And so saith the Church of England 3dly You say It is the Bond of Holiness 1 Pet. 3. 21. the Apostle exhorts the Christians to be dead unto Sin and alive unto Righteousness There is a Virtue in the Ordinances of God answerable to
fathering that on Christ which he never said nor intended When a King say you by his Charter or publick Writing sets at liberty the Inhabitants of some Town are not the Children Partakers of the Charter altho their Names be not particularly in it So it is here the King of Heaven is through the Charter of the Gospel making of us that were Strangers and Foreigners to become Fellow-Citizens with the Saints Eph. 2. 19. and to that end commanding to receive all Nations through Baptism into the Liberty and Privileges of the City of God and will he not receive the Children into the Privileges of their Parents Answ I answer if it be so as you say in all National States Governments and Constitutions and Civil Societies what doth this prove touching the case in hand unless you dare undertake to affirm the Gospel-Church is National and not Congregational Doth the Constitution of the Spiritual Gospel-Church run as in Human and National Constitutions Prove it for I utterly deny it Besides if your Infants as such are Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and are to partake of all the Privileges of the City of God why do you deny them the Lord's-Supper your Similitude proves no more their right to Baptism to one Privilege than another I never yet could understand what Spiritual or Temporal Privileges any Infant receives in Baptism What good doth that do them that have not the Things signified in Baptism There are great Benefits received in such a Grant you speak of in an external Charter but as God hath not commanded Infants to be baptized so not any Benefits can be proved they receive thereby In this you argue as Mr. Burkit hath done before you Reader take his Similitude viz. I demand saith he whether according to the Mind of God gathered from the words of the Commission the Remedy prescribed should be administred only to grown Persons because they only are capable of understanding and believing the Virtue and Efficacy of it Sure every Rational Man among you would conclude his Child capable of the Remedy as well as himself altho ignorant of the Virtue that is in it and only passive in the Administration of it and that it would be Cruelty yea Murder in the Parent to deny the Application of it to all his Children Reply I stand amazed at such Ignorance and Folly Does it follow because Children are capable to receive a Medicine against the Plague or Bodily Distemper are they therefore capable of Baptism and the Lord's Supper If capable of one say I of the other also For as a Man is required to examine himself and to discern the Lord's Body in the Lord's Supper so he is required to repent and to believe in Christ that comes to Baptism I would know how they prove Baptism to be the Medicine appointed to cure the Soul of the Plague of Sin or as Mr. Owen says for their Salvation Is not this to blind the Eyes of the poor People and make them think that an external Ordinance saves the Soul if not thus how can it be Cruelty yea Murder in Parents to deny the Application of Baptism to their Children as Mr. Burkit says The Antient Fathers from that in John 6. 53. Unless a Man eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood he hath no Life in him gave Infants the Lord's Supper thinking our Saviour like as the Papists do meant that Sacrament when indeed he meant only of seeding by Faith on Christ crucified But however their Argument for giving Infants one Sacrament was as good as yours for giving them the other But when they are as capable to repent and believe and are helped so to do as they are and do eat Bread or receive a Medicine for a Bodily Distemper let them have both Baptism and the Lord's-Supper and till then if God's Word be the Rule of our Faith and Practice and not our own Fancies they ought to have neither yet the Remedy or Medicine which is Christ's Blood we deny not but dying Infants may be capable of tho the way of its Application we know not as to them that is a Secret as to us You know the Church of England positively affirms Repentance whereby a Person for sakes Sin and Faith whereby he stedsastly believes the Promise of God made to him in that Sacrament are required of those that are to be baptized nay and of little Babes too therefore the Sureties answer for them that they do believe and repent or forsake the Devil and all his Works c. the Child answers by Proxy The Church of England baptizes no Child but as a Believer and a true Penitent Person All that are proper Subjects of Baptism are comprehended in the Commission and must be as such whether Adult or Infants who profess Faith and Repentance But you it may be foresaw the Snake in the Grass viz. That Godfathers and Godmothers is a Tradition and none of God's Appointment nor are they able to perform those things for the Child which they promise for him and in his Name And therefore make use of another Argument and would have them baptized without Faith or upon their Parents Faith of which the Church of England speaks nothing As to your Comparison it is not worth mentioning Baptism as I have told you doth not cure the Soul of Sin or save any Person but it 's the Blood of Christ applied by Faith Not that we say no Child can have the Benefit of that Soveraign Remedy because not capable to believe by reason Men and Women must receive it by Faith or perish God as Dr. Taylor observes may have many ways to magnify his Grace through Jesus Christ to them which we know not of who die in their Infancy yet have we no Authority to baptize them any more than to give them the Lord's-Supper Pedo-baptists talk at a strange rate as if they regarded not what they say or affirm while they bring Similitudes to teach People to believe Baptism is the Balm to cure the Contagion of Sin and as if the Application of it saved a little Babe from Hell and they guilty of murdering the Souls of their Children who deny to baptize them I had thought they would not have laid greater Stress upon Childrens Baptism than on Childrens Circumcision since they would fain have them run Parallel-wise Pray what became of the Jews Female Infants were they damned and what became of their Male Infants who died before eight days old for they broke God's Law if they circumcised them tho sick and like to die if they were not full eight days old Let such blush for the sake of their precious Souls and take more care for the time to come to what they write and preach I am grieved to see my blessed Master's great Commission thus inverted and abused Suppose the King should send you with a Commission into a remote Plantation and command you to act and do exactly according to the express
signined and that Baptism was not ordained to be a Sign or Symbol of the sprinkling Christ's Blood but of his Death Burial and Resurrection It shall God assisting be further demonstrated Now let this be considered That as in the Lord's-Supper it is such a quantity of Bread and Wine that is to be used that may represent his Body broken and his Blood shed and as that Sacrament was appointed to that very end and purpose so in like manner we also say so much Water must be used as may represent the Death Burial and Resurrection of our blessed Saviour But one Mr. Burkitt a Pedo-baptist saith in his Treatise of Infant-Baptism That in the Sacraments it is not the quantity of Elements but the Significancy of them that ought to be attended to in Circumcision saith he it was not the quantity of Flesh cut off so much as the Signification of it c. and you seem to express your self to the same purpose Answ To which I returned him this Answer viz. There must be so much Bread and Wine in the Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper that may represent Christ's Body broken and so much Wine as may in Sign as well as Signification held forth the pouring forth of Christ's precious Blood or else the End of Christ is not answered in that Sacrament and so likewise must the Burial and Resurrection of Christ be in Sign as well as our Death to Sin and rising again to Newness of Life is represented in holy Baptism Should the People of Israel in Circumcision only have cut off a little bit of the Fore-skin of the Flesh and not round quite off or only have paired off the Nails of their Childrens Fingers with a little Skin with it would that have answered the Mind of God in that Rite or they have been born with in pleading it might as well answer Circumcision in Signification But the Vanity and Sinfulness of this Assertion of Mr. Burkitt's and yours will yet be now further laid open in this Chapter only there is one thing before I proceed on that I shall add a word or two unto as touching what you say concerning those Washings that were used under the Law which are called Baptisms which you say were done by sprinkling which is not true we utterly deny any of those Washings which are called Baptisms were either sprinkling or pouring of Water on them but total dipping of their whole Body And so the Reverend Mr. Ainsworth a Man very Learned in all Jewish Rites and Ceremonies affirms on Levit. 11. 31. see his Annotat. on that Text these are his words viz. All that are unclean whether Men or Vessels are not cleansed but by dipping or baptizing in Water and wheresoever the Law speaketh of washing a Man's Flesh or washing of Clothes for Uncleanness it is not but by dipping the whole Body therein And whether they be Men or Vessels there may not be any thing between them and the Water to keep them asunder as Clay Pitch or the like that cleaveth to the Body or Vessel if there be then saith he they are unclean and their washing profiteth them not He cites for this Maim Mikvaoeh c. 1. § 12. Sir what is become of your sprinkling of Cups Pots and Brazen Vessels among the Jews when 't is said they washed or baptized them it appears their way in washing was total dipping or else they were not clean And now to proceed to prove Christ's Baptism in Water is by Immersion by Dipping to represent in Sign his Death Burial and Resurrection and in Signification to hold forth our Death unto Sin and rising again to walk in Newness of Life who are baptized I shall add it in this place First From the Scripture Secondly By the Consent Agreement and Arguments of a Cloud of Witnesses both Antient Fathers and Modern Divines and worthy Protestant Writers 1. The first Scripture is Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6. Therefore we are buried with him in Baptism c. The Saints or whole Church of the Romans were to reckon themselves dead to Sin and bound to live no longer therein and that because by Baptism as in a lively Figure they held forth the same thing so that it appears Baptism hath a twofold Signification 1. There is in it when truly and rightly administred not only a Representation of Christ's Burial and Resurrection but 2. Also it signifies our Death unto Sin and our rising again to walk in Newness of Life and indeed the Apostle makes use of this as an Argument to press Newness of Life the thing signified in Baptism upon them all as if he should say As many of us as are baptized must know this that we are baptized into Christ's Death and therefore must die to Sin and live a new Life But we have all been baptized or buried with him in Baptism therefore must all of us die to Sin and live a new Life Our late Annotators on the place say thus He seems to allude to the manner of baptizing in those warm Countries which was say they to dip or plunge the Party baptized and as it were to bury him for a while under Water Cajetan upon the same Text says We are buried with Christ by Baptism unto Death by our burying he declares our Death by the Ceremony of Baptism because he that is the Party baptized is put under Water and by this carries a Similitude of him that was buried who was put under the Earth Now because none are buried but dead Men from this very thing that we are buried in Baptism we are assimilated to Christ buried or when he was buried The Assembly 〈◊〉 their Annotations on this Text of Scripture say likewise thus viz. In this Phrase the Apostle sâ—…s to allude to the antient manner of baptizing which 〈◊〉 to dip the Party baptized and as it were to bury them under Water for a while and then raise them up again out of it to represent the Burial of the old-Man and the Resurrection to Newness of Life The same saith Diodate Tilenus a great Protestant Writer speaks fully in this case Baptism saith he is the first Sacrament of the New Testament instituted by Christ in which there is an exact Analogy between the Sign and the Thing signified The outward Rite in Baptism is threefold 1. Immersion into the Water 2. Aciding under the Water 3. A Resurrection out of the Water The Form of Baptism viz. External and Essential is no other than an Analogical Proportion which the Signs keep with the Thing signified thereby For the Property of the Water washing away the Defilements of the Body does in a most sutable Similitude set forth the Efficacy of Christ's Blood in blotting out of Sin so dipping into the Water in a most lively Similitude sets forth the Mortification of the old Man and rising out of the Water the Vivification of the new Man The same plunging into the Water saith he holds forth to us that horrible Gulph of Divine
Justice in which Christ for our sakes for a while was in a manner swallowed up abiding under the Water how little time soever denotes his Descent into Hell even the very deepest of Lifelesness lying in the sealed or guarded Sepulchre where he was accounted as one dead Rising out of the VVater holds forth to us a lively Similitude of that Conquest which this dead Man got over Death In like manner saith he 't is therefore meet that we being baptized into his Death and buried with him should rise also with him to go on in a new Life Thus far And let all thinking and serious Christians carefully consider since this sacred Ordinance was appointed to be thus significant as this and other Learned Men observe what a sad and lamentable thing it is that the true Baptism should be changed from dipping into sprinkling which neither doth nor can hold forth these great Mysteries for which purpose our Saviour ordained it For 't is evident Rantism or Sprinkling doth not bear any Proportion to these Mysteries nor can they be signified thereby What Figure of a Burial of Christ or of the old Man is there in sprinkling a few drops of VVater on a Person 's Face Or what Representation is there in that Act of a Resurrection O how is Christ's holy Baptism abused by this devised Rantism and the Signification thereof destroyed the Lord open your Eyes or the Eyes of my godly and impartial Reader This shews you clearly what Christ's true Baptism is as also the true Subject But to proceed St. Ambrose saith VVater is that wherein the Body is plunged to wash away all Sins there all Sins saith he are buried We suppose he means 't is a Sign of this i. e. that all Sin is buried Moreover Chrysostom saith that the Old Man is buried and drown'd in the Immersion under Water and when the baptized Person is afterwards raised up out of the Water it represents the Resurrection of the New Man to Newness of Life and therefore concludes the contrary Custom being not only against Ecclesiastical Law but against the Analogy and Mystical Signification of the Sacrament is not to be complied with It has been too long as I have formerly noted God grant Men more Light to see their Error and abhor to do so any more Kecker says That Immersion not Aspersion was the first Institution of Baptism as it doth saith he plainly appear from Rom. 6. 3. And say I VVhere hath Christ since the first Institution instituted Aspersion or Sprinkling in the stead or room of Immersion or Dipping or given Orders to change that significant Sign into the insignificant Foppery of Sprinkling Ought not we to keep the Ordinances as they were first instituted and given to the Saints Is not God's Word to be our Rule in all Points of Faith and Practice to the End of the World Has Christ given any Men or Church a Dispensation to change his Laws and Ordinances or make them void by these Traditions or set up their Post by his Post How doth God complain by the Prophets against his People of old for presuming to change his Laws Deut. 12. 13 God gave particular Command to make an Altar of Gold to offer Incense Exod. 40. 5. and he commanded Exod. 20. 24 25. that his Altar should be made of Earth or rough Stone but in Isa 65. 3. he reproves their horrid Transgressions and Disobedience in acting contrary to his express Institution A People saith God that provoketh me to Anger continually to my Face that sacrificeth in Gardens and burneth Incense upon Altars of Brick You may think that was no great Error instead of Gold or Stone to make Altars of Brick but what saith God they for this c. provoke me continually to my Face O tremble ye who adventure to transgress God's Precept in as bad or worse a manner Who commanded you to baptize or dip Believers in the Name of the Father c. and you rantize or sprinkle Infants Aâ—as you know not how you hereby provoke God! altho he is yet silent and doth not manifest his Displeasure yet know he is a jealous God and hath the like Zeal for his Gospel-Institutions as ever he had of those under the Law and may manifest it too in his own time But to proceed and call in for more Witnesses against your Practice Daillâ— on the Fathers saith that it was a Custom heretofore in the antient Church to plunge those they baptized over Head and Eâ—…s in the VVater And saith he Tertullian in his third Book de 〈◊〉 Mil. Cyprian in his seventieth Epistle p. 211 c. and others testify it Dr. Cave saith that the Party baptized was wholly immerged or put under the VVater which was the almost constant and universal Custom of those Times whereby they did most notably and significantly express the great Ends and Effects of Baptism For as in immerging there are in a manner three several Acts the putting the Person into the VVater his abiuing under the VVater and his rising up again thereby representing Christ's Death Burial and Resurrection and in our Conformity thereupto our dying to Sin the Destruction of its Power and our Resurrection to a new course of Life So by the Person 's being put into the Water was lively represented the putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh c. by his being under it which is a kind of Burial into the Water his entering into a State of Death or Mortification like as Christ remained for sometime under the State or Power of Death therefore 't is said As many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his Death c. And then by Immersion or rising up out of the Water is signified his entering upon a new course of Life that like as Christ was raised up by the Glory of the Father so we should walk in Newness of Life Thus Dr. Cave We are said saith PaÌ„raeus to die and to be buried with Christ in Baptism And further shews that the external Act of being buried in Water is a lively Emblem of the internal Work of Regeneration St. Bernard saith Immersion is a Representation of Christ's Death and Burial Against all these Testimonies and multitudes more of the best and most Learned Writers Mr. Burkitt objects as follows and you seem to argue after the same manner these are his words viz. If Baptism administred by pouring Water on the Face representing the whole Person doth answer the Use and End of Baptism as well as when administred by aipping or plâ—nging then dipping is not essentially and absolutely necessary in the Act of baptizing but the one answereth the Use and End of baptizing as well as the other therefore the one cannot be more essential than the other What is the End and Use of Baptism but to represent to our Minds 〈◊〉 Effusion of Christ's Blood for to take away the Guilt of Sin and the pouring forth of the Spirit for the purging
they will you do not speak of any external Covenant right to Baptism but of Salvation it self 2. You do not speak of Infants as such but of all in the Family or Houshold viz. comprehending adult Sons and Daughters Men Servants or Maid Servants adult persons it appears from hence in the primitive times were baptized by virtue of the Parents Faith as well as Babes nay and were saved also by the Faith of the head of the Family 3. Doth it not also follow that your ignorance of God's Covenant with Abraham is very great for if it be as you say then all Abraham's Seed according to the Flesh must be saved because he as the Head of his Family believed but doth not the Scripture say in opposition to this that though the number of the Children of Israel be as the Sand of the Sea yet but a Remnant shall be saved 4. May not this Doctrine of yours also corrupt and tend to ruine many poor Souls both Children and Servants who live in Families where the Heads of those Families do believe and are Godly may not they say we shall be saved though we believe not because we dwell in a Family where the Head viz. our Father our Master doth believe Mr. Owen assures us we shall all be saved because our Father or Master believes be astonish'd Oh ye Heavens is this your proof for Infant Baptism Worthy Brittains this may sufficiently shew you that the Covenant that God made with Abraham namely the Covenant of Circumsion which was made with him and his natural Seed as such was no Covenant of Salvation and so not the Covenent of Grace 't is so plain you need not doubt of it because multitudes that were in that Covenant perished though Circumcision was a Seal of Abrahams Faith yet not a Seal of the Covenant of Grace to his Seed as such because if it were it would have Sealed to them all the righteousness of Faith and eternal Life which we know it never did to multitudes of them But very remarkable 't is to see how Mr. Owen doth in the very next place both conhimself and overthrow his Argument as to the purport of it he brings in this Objection Object All his Family believed vers 34. Take his Answer Ans I answer saith he so were the adult the whole House sometimes signifies those of the adult in a Family it is said of Sampson that all his Fathers House buried him that is saith he those that were of age in his Fathers House for the little Children could not go into the Land of the Philistines to bury his Body c. It is said saith he of Cornelius that he was a devout Man fearing God with all his House that is all the adult in his Houshold so the Goaler believed with all his Houshold viz. all that were of age to believe 2. And we are not to think saith Mr. Owen all these Housholds to be barren which were baptized by the Apostles there were not many Housholds in those Ages without Children in them for the greatest part of their Riches was their Bond Servants and the Children born of them and those Children were in God's Covenant even as free-born Children Gen. 17. 13 23. so are they also under the Gospel they are Abraham's Seed through the Faith of their Parents and Heirs as before Col. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 29. Ans 1. I need give no further Answer touching this argument concerning what you say of whole Housholds you have effectually answered your self you affirm that by whole Housholds or Families in the Scripture sometimes none but the adult are comprehended or meant and that Instance of Sampson doth sufficiently prove it little Children could not go to bury his dead Body though 't is said all his Fathers House buried him So say we by whole Houses that were said to be baptized none are meant but those adult Persons who believed 2. You say and confess that Cornelius and all his House feared God and that the Goaler and all his House believed that is all the adult say you believed or that were at age to believe this may serve to clear up the matter touching all the other whole Housholds that were said to be baptized God constrains you to speak the Truth here though it be to overthrow your whole Argument 2. But what you speak in the next place is not true viz. that Parents and their Children and Bond Servants and their Children were under the Law and under the Gospel times also in the Covenant of Grace through the Faith of their Parents For notwithstanding the Bond-men and their Male Children were commanded to be Circumcised that were in Abraham's Family and that were as Proselytes received into other Families of the Jews under the Law yet they were not Heirs of the Land of Canaan none but the natural Seed of Abraham could haue any possession therein according to that Covenant of peculiarality God made with the fleshy Seed of Abraham as such which typified forth that none but Believers or the elect of God who are the true Spiritual Seed of Abraham were the true Heirs of the Promise and of the Heavenly Canaan will you say that all the natural Seed of Abraham and Bond-Men and their Children as such and also all the natural Seed of Believers as such are the true Spiritual Seed of Abraham sure God will take of this Vail from your Eyes and open your understanding if you look to him by Prayer and search the Scripture with a canded desire after the knowledge of this matter 3. You will find a great difference between the Covenant that peculiarly did appertain to the natural Seed of Abraham as such and the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and his true Spiritual Seed as such 4. I have proved that neither Abraham's Faith nor the Parents Faith intitles any of their natural Seed as such to the inheritance or blessings purchased by Jesus Christ viz. Justification Adoption Pardon of Sin and eternal Life no no the Children of the Flesh as such these are not the Children of God but the Children of the promise are counted for the Seed viz. those that are the elect of God only Rom. 9. 6 7 8 9. are the Children of the premise and Heirs of Glory the promise runs Gal. 3. 16. not to Seeds as of many but to thy Seed which is Christ i. e. Christ personally considered primarily and then to Christ mystically considered that is all that are spiritually united to him therefore the Apostle saith Verse 29. if ye be Christs then are you Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to the promise or according to the Covenant of Grace God made with Abraham 5. This must be so because the Covenant of Grace is well ordered in all things and sure see once again Rom. 4. 14. for if they which are of the Law be Heirs Faith is made void and the promise of no effect no need of Faith if the legal Covenant can save
any Man but if a personal Obedience to the Law could not save the Parent besure the Faith and Obedience of the Parent cannot save the Child But observe vers 16. therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the Seed Now consider well the promise is eternal Life this all understand here and this saith Paul is sure to all the Seed 't is confirmed not only by the word of God but by the Oath of God also Heb. 6. 13 for when God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater he swore by himself to shew the Heirs of the Promise the immutability of his Counsel he confirmed it by an Oath that so the Heirs of the promise might have strong Consolation vers 17. 18. all that are the true Heirs or spiritual Seed of Abraham must be saved for 't is impossible for God to lye or fail in his Promise to any one of rhe true Seed of Abraham therefore if all the natural Seed of Abraham were in this Covenant and all the natural Seed of Believers 't is impossible that any one of them should perish eternally or miss of eternal Life They are all born of God and Heirs as Isaac was they are all chosen from Everlasting to Salvation they are all given to Christ and all Members of his mystical Body or are but one mystical Christ and are even Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone and therefore this Covenant and free promise of God cannot appertain to Abraham's natural Seed as such nor to the natural Seed of Believers as such for alass how many of them do perish eternally For though the number of the Children of Israel be as the Sands of the Sea yet but a remnant of them shall be saved as was hinted before But say you if the keeper of the Prison had no Children or if they were the adult it is the same thing the Apostle offereth Salvation to him and to his Houshold even to little Children if there were such with him and that is sufficient to confirm the present matter i. e. that by this Houshold we are to understand principally his Children as the word frequently is taken in Scripture Gen. 30. 30. and 45. 19. Num. 3. 15. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Ans It appears you question whether the Goaler had any Children or not beside you tell us that whole Housholds comprehend the Adult only some times from whence I infer according to the Scripture whole Housholds may be said to be baptized when none but the Adult in those Housholds are baptized 2. If the Apostles offering Salvation to People gives them a right to Baptism then all the World may be baptized because all the World ought to have Salvation offered to them go into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16. 15. but this offer gives none a right to Baptism simply in it self no none but such that believe as the next Words prove he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved verse 16. they must first believe or be made Disciples and then be baptized the Parents must believe and the Children must first believe not the Parents for the Children but the Children must believe for themselves before they ought to be baptized according to the Commission and the nature of the Administration of Gospel Baptism 3. 'T is strange the Apostles should preach to little Children oâ—…er Christ to them what preach Christ to the Infant in the Cradle that knows not its right Hand from it â—…t But say you the Children are the chief part of every Houshold therefore when Paul saith to the Keeper of the Prison believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt 〈◊〉 saved and thy House it is as much as if he should say if thou wilt believe in Christ the Covenant oâ— Spanâ—d and the Seal of Baptism appertaineth to thee aâ—… Children c. Ans 〈◊〉 Children I grant are part of those 〈◊〉 there are Children but not of every 〈◊〉 because there are many Housholds wherein 〈◊〉 no Children in non-age and they cannot be part of those Housholds in which there is no Infant 2. Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved that is do thou believe and thy whole House that are capable to believe let them believe also and you shall all be saved no more is intended for according to your own argument the Servants and Adult Children were under the same promise with his Infants if he had any now will you say that his Servants and Adult Children could be saved by his Faith I tell you again the Covenant of peculiarality God made with Abraham's natural Seed as such was gone and abolished when Paul preached to the Goaler and the Covenant of Grace or Covenant of Salvation God made with Abraham I have proved appertained to none but the elect only or his true Spiritual Seed 3. Besides if the Parents believing brings the Children into the Covenant of Salvation then it will follow that the Parents non-believing keeps the Children out of the Covenant and so hinders them of Salvation and if so the Children may be damn'd for their Parents Sin in not believing You proceed and say the Apostle planted the Church of the Corinthians by baptizing whole Housholds 1 Cor. 1. 16 17. as the House of Stephanas and Crispus and the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul at Corinth and accused him that he perswaded Men to worship God contrary to the Law verse 13. by how much the more would they have accused him then say you for casting out their Children from the Covenant of Abraham if he had so done c. Ans I answer how do you know but that might be one thing which they charged upon him no doubt Paul according as John Baptist did did declare that their being the Children of Abraham according to the Flesh as such now availed them nothing he 'tis plain denyed their Childrens right to Circumcision to give them a right to Baptism he received none of them to Baptism who professed not their Faith in Christ the Covenant of peculiarality with Abraham's natural Seed as such being abolished Moreover Paul told these Corinthians all things were now become anew a new Church and a new Church Membership and a new right to that Church Membership and now there is no knowing of Men after the Flesh this Doctrine he preached to these Corinthians 2 Cor. 5. 16. 17. and you force me to urge this matter often wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the Flesh yea though we have known Christ after the Flesh yet now henceforth know him no more what doth the Apostle intend here by these words but this viz. now henceforth or from the establishment of the dispensation of the Gospel we know no Man after the Flesh know to know here is to prefer or to esteem no Man above others upon the account of their fleshly descent
such they had not been baptized nor had they a true Right thereto Arg. 20. Baptism is the Solemnizing of the Souls Marriage Union with Christ which Marriage-contract absolutely requires an actual profession of consent but Infants are not capable to enter into Marriage Union with Christ nor to make a profession of an actual consent Ergo Infants ought not to be baptized The Major our opposites generally grant particularly see what Mr. Baxter saith Our Baptism is our solemnizing of our Marriage with Christ These are his very words page 32. The Minor none can deny no Man sure in his right mind will assert that little Babes are capable to enter into a Marriage Relation with Christ and to make profession of a consent and the truth is he in the next words gives away his Cause viz. and 't is saith he A a new and strange kind of Marriage where there is no profession of consent page 32. How unhappy was this Man to plead for such a New and strange kind of Marriage did he find any little Babe he ever Baptized or rather Rantized to make a profession of consent to be Married to Jesus Christ If any should object he speaks of the Baptism of the Adult I answer his words are these Our Baptism is c. Besides will any Pedo-baptist say That the Baptism of the Adult is the solemnizing of the Souls Marriage with Christ and not the Baptism of Infants Reader observe how our opposites are forced sometimes to speak the Truth tho' it overthrows their own practice of Pedo-baptism Arg. 21. If the Sins of no persons are forgiven them till they are Converted then they must not be baptized for the forgiveness of them till they profess themselves to be Converted but the Sins of no Persons till they are Converted are forgiven Ergo no Person ought to be Baptized for the forgiveness of them till they profess they are Converted Mr. Baxter in the said Treatise lays down the substance of this Argument also take his own words i. e. As their sins are not forgiven them till they are Converted Mark 4. 12. So they must not be baptized for the forgiveness of them till they profess themselves Converted seeing to the Church non esse and non apparere is all one Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus is the Sum of that Preaching that makes Disciples Acts 20. 21. Therefore saith he both those must by a Profession seem to be received before any at Age are baptized page 30 31. and evident it is say I from hence that none but such at Age ought to be baptized Philip caused the Eunuch to profess before he would Baptize him That he believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God Saul had also saith he more than a bare profession before Baptism Acts 9. 5 15 17. page 28. The Promise it self saith he doth expresly require a Faith of our own of all the Adult that will have part in the Priviledges therefore there is a Faith of our own that is the Condition of our Title Mark 16. 16. page 16. He might have added by the force of his Argument therefore Infants should not have the priviledges For I argue thus viz. Arg. 22. If there is but one Baptism of Water left by Jesus Christ in the New Jerusalem or but one condition or manner of Right thereto and that one Baptism is that of the Adult then Infant Baptism is no Baptism of Christ but there is but one Baptism in Water left by Christ in the New Testament and but one Condition and manner of Right thereto and that one Baptism is that of the Adult Ergo Infant Baptism is no Baptism of Christ Mr. Baxter saith Faith and Repentance is the condition of the Adult and as to any other condition I am sure the Scripture is silent The way of the Lord is one one Lord one Faith one Baptism Eph. 4. 4. If profession of Faith were not necessary saith Mr. Baxter Coram Ecclesia to Church Membership and Priviledges then Infidels and Heathens would have Right also saith he the Church and the World would be confounded He might have added but Infidels and Heathens have no Right to Church Membership c. Ergo. 'T is a granted case among all Christians saith he that profession is thus necessary the Apostles and Antient Church admitted none without it page 21. And if so why dare any now a days admit of Infants who are uncapable to make profession He adds Yea Christ in his Commission directeth his Apostles to make Disciples and then Baptize them promising He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. page 27. Furthermore he saith If as many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his Death and are Buried with him by baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised from the Dead so we also should walk in newness of Life c. Then no doubt saith he but such as were to be baptized did first profess this mortification and a consent to be buried c. In our Baptism we put off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ being buried with him and raised with him through Faith quickened with him and haveing all our Trespasses forgiven Coll. 2. 11 12 13. and will any Man says he yea will Paul ascribe all this to those that did not so much as profess the things signified Will Baptism in the Judgment of a wise Man do all this for an Infidel or say I for an Infant that cannot make a profession that he is a Christian page 31 32. he proceeds Arg. 23. The baptized are in Scripture called Men Washed Sanctified Justified they are called Saints and Churches of Saints 1 Cor. 1. 2. all Christians are Sanctified ones page 33. now let me add the Minor But Infants are not in Scripture called Men Washed Sanctified Justified they are not called Saints Churches of Saints Christians nor Sanctified ones Ergo Infants ought not to be baptized If any should say why did you not cite these assertions of Mr. Baxters whilst he was living I answer more then Eighteen years ago I did recite and Print these assertions and many other Arguments of his to the same purpose to which he gave no answer Arg. 24. If there is but one way for all both Parents and Children to be admitted in the Gospel Church to the end of the World and that it is upon profession of Faith to be baptized then both Parents and Children must upon the profession of their Faith be baptized and so admitted c. But there is but one way for all both Parents and Children to be admitted into the Gospel-Church to the end of the World and that is upon the profession of their Faith to be Baptized Ergo. Arg. 25. That cannot be Christ's true baptism wherein there is not cannot be a lively Representation of the Death Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ together with our Death unto Sin
and vivification to a New Life but in the Rantizing or Sprinkling of an Infant there is not cannot be a lively Representation of Christ's Death Burial and Resurrection c. Arg. 26. That pretended Baptism that pretends to frustrate the glorious end and design of Christ in his Instituting of Gospel Baptism or cannot answer it is none of Christ's Baptism but the pretended baptism of Infants tends to frustrate the glorious end and design of Christ in Instituting of Gospel Baptism Ergo. The Major will not be denied As to the Minor all generally confess the end and design of Christ in Instituting the Ordinance of Baptism was in a lively Figure to represent his Death Burial and Resurrecton with the Persons Death unto Sin and his rising again to walk in newness of Life that is baptized as the Sacrament of the Supper was ordained to represent his Body was broke and his blood was shed But that a lively Figure of Christs Death Burial and Resurrection appears in Sprinkling a little Water on the Face I see not and as done to an Infant there can no Death to sin and rising again to walk in Newness of Life be signified and therefore Christs design and end therein is frustrated Arg. 27. If Baptism be Immersion as to the proper and genuine Signification of the word Baptizo as also of those Typical and Metaphorical Baptisms and the Spiritual Signification thereof then Sprinkling cannot be Christs true Baptism But Immersion is the proper and genuine signification of the word Baptizo and also of those Typical and Metaphorical Baptisms spoken of and the spiritual signification thereof Ergo Sprinkling is not Christ's true Baptism 1. That the proper and genuine signification of the word Baptizo is Immersion or to Dip c. We have fully proved which is also confessed by all Learned in that Language 2. That the Typical Baptism viz. that of the Red Sea wherein the Fathers were buried as it were unto Moses in the Sea and under the Cloud appears from Pools Annotations 1 Cor. 10. 2. Others saith he more probably think that the Apostle useth this Term in regard of the great Analogy betwixâ— Baptism as it was then used the Persons going down into the Waters and being Dippâ—d and the Israelites going down into the Sea the great receptacle of water tho' the water at that time was gathered on heaps on either side of them yet they seemed buried in the water as Persons in that Age were when they were baptized c. The second was that of Noahs Ark See Sir Norton Knatchbul who I before Quoted and shall here again recite his words The Ark of Noah and Baptism saith he were both a Type and Figure of the Resurrection not the Sign of the washing away of Sin tho' so taken Metonymically but a particular signal of the Resurrection of Christ Of this Baptism is a Lively and Emphatical Figure as also was the Ark of Noah out of which he returned as from a Sepulchre to a New Life 3. Metaphorical Baptism is that of the Spirit and of affliction The first signifies not a Sprinkling of the Spirit but the great Effusion of the Spirit like that at Pentecost Acts 1. 4 5. Shall be Baptized c On which words Causabon speaks thus See Dr. Du Veil on Acts 2. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to Dip or Plungâ— as it were to die Colours in which sense saith he the the Apostles might be truly said to have been baptized for the House in which this was done was filled with the Holy Ghost so that the Apostles might seem to have been plunged into it as into a large Fish-Pond Also Decumentus on Acts 2. saith A wind filled the whole House that it seemed like a â—iâ—h-Pond because it was promised to the Apostles that they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost And the Baptism of afflictions are those great depths or overwhelmings of afflictions like that of our Saviours magnis componere parva no part free Mat. 20. 22. where you have the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and like that of David who saith God drew him out of deep waters 4. The spiritual signification thereof is the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ and of our Death to sin and vivification to a New Life This being so it follows undeniably that Sprinkling cannot be Christs true baptism it must be Immersion and nothing else And in the last place finally to confirm that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to Dip both from the â—…teral and spiritual signification thereof as also from those Typical and Metaphorical Baptisms mentioned in the Scripture I might add further that this evidently appears from the practice of John Baptisâ— and the Apostles of Christ who baptized in Rivers and where there was much water and also because the Baptizer and Baptized are said to go down into the water not down to the water and came up out of the water John Baptist is said to baptize them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ordan as the Greek renders it which shews it Dipping and not Sprinkling Would it be proper to say he Sprinkled them into Jordan The Lord open the Eyes of those who see not to consider these things Sir I expect your answer to these Arguments particularly if you make any reply to what I have said in confutation of your Treatise and see you do your business better the next time for as yet you have not proved Infant Baptism to be from Heaven as I hope the unprejudiced Reader will conclude I shall say no more at present but leave all I have said to the blessing of God hoping in a little time he will vanquish by the light of his sacred word your Scripture less practice of Infant Baptism out of the World clear up the Truth of his own despised Ordinance That Wisdom may 〈…〉 of her Children and God may be Honoured to whom be Glory now and for ever more Amen FINIS †Worthy Britains see how Mr. Richard Baxter hath out down Infant Baptism with his own Sword can Infants shew their consent to be married to Christ or profess Faith in him ☞ * Read the Table of the Authors at the beginning of this Book Mr. Daniel Williams in his Book called the vanity of youth page 131. Mr. Williams Worthy of blame as well as Mr. Burkit The danger of Infants Baptismal Covenant layd open * Perkins on Gal. c. 3. p. 256.