writings as we wrote them and therefore he cunningly saith that in the stating the question many things must be animadverted or changed in the minde and then he states the question according to his own minde and then falls on answering not ours but his own words and thus he darkneth the Counsel of God by words without knowledge and so deceives the hearts of the simple but he telleth us that we take it for granted that he holds that by baptizing or sprinkling of infants Churches are constituted but he denies it Answ 1 If you deny that you differ from the rest of your brethren and forefathers who all generally and with one consent till within these ten or twelve yeers at the most did conclude that children were made members of Christ children of God and heirs of heaven in their baptism witness your old Catechism which you all concluded was Orthodox till the beginning of the first Parliament 1640. and therefore out of your own mouths you are condemned for if in Baptism they were made members of Christ children of God c. then they were not so before and if not members nor children before then not constituted members and thus is your folly manifest And now if you shall for an advantage seem to disown the Common-Prayer book and that Catechism Then I answer You may as well disown your baptism which you had by it and be baptized again as we are 2 I suppose you will not be so absurd as to own any unbaptized person for a Church-member that hath an opportunity to be baptized neither do I think any of you that are zealous in your own way will have communion with any such persons in the Lords Supper or other Ordinances 3 No people in Scripture since the Resurrection of Christ and his Ascension the time that all power was given into his hands to give to his Church Laws and Commandments were ever called a Church of Christ without baptism prove it if you can by the Scriptures Therefore baptism doth constitute a true Church being done upon right subjects viz. such as can believe and gladly receive the word of God as in Act. 2 41 they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day were added three thousand souls And ver 47. the Lord added to the Church dayly such as should be saved 4 Your self saith than faith and interest in Christ constitutes a Christian Very well then but why do you baptize such as cannot believe in Christ nor yet make out their Interest in the Covenant of Grace it is cleer to all that will understand that if faith in Christ and interest in the Covenant of Grace do constitute a Christian then they that do not believe in Christ and cannot make out their interest in the Covenant of Grace are no constituted Christians but all the infants baptized into the Church of England could do neither therefore no constituted Christians What they are to God is nothing to you nor me secret things belongs to God Deut. 29. Again you say that joynt and orderly profession of faith and interest in the Covenant doth constitute them a Church Very well and I pray then is not repentance and baptism an orderly profession of faith doth not the Apostle say Act. 2 38. 1 Repent and 2 be baptized c. and 3 So many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 and is not putting on Christ profession Consider it again doth not a man that puts on a garment profess to wear it to all that behold him whilst it is upon him so likewise they that put on Christ by baptism do profess to own him before all men and Mr. Baxter calleth it a listing engaging ordinance himself I hope you will not deny his Doctrine to be Orthodox although you cavil with the Scriptures And now seeing that baptism is an Ordinance by which believers do put on and profess Christ then its evident out of your own mouth that it constitutes a Church or else you must say they are constituted before they put on Christ 5 You say that baptism is a sign or pledge of peoples admission into the Church Well then if so then it followeth that they are not in before to any mans sight and if not in the Church much less constituted and established members of the Church But you proceed to prove by instancing the Thief upon the cross to be saved without baptism Answ We deny it not because he declared openly his faith in Christ and owned him when he was disowned almost of all which sheweth plainly that if he might have had liberty to come down he would have quickly been baptized into his name and therefore the Lord accepting the will for the deed as 1 Cor. 8.12 he said unto him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise But what makes this for the baptizing of Infants to tell us of a man that was saved and was never baptized at all You might rather if you would have dealt honestly with the Text have proved that little babes may be saved though not baptized for alas they can profess no faith nor confess no sin neither hath Christ anywhere required them to obey any command before they can understand and believe the Gospel for what soever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 But you are pleased to say that we do not apply that Scripture right And why I pray because it spoyles your practice but doth not the word what soever include all matters and duties we owe to God Consider it again cannot the Scriptures be in quiet for you But because this offends you we will give you another Heb. 11.6 without faith its impossible to please God Now consider whether you please God or no when you baptize babes that have no faith in them neither have you any word of God for it Again this your president of the Thief upon the Cross will not at all help you except you finds some men in the like condition or some men upon the Gallows that would gladly come down and become new creatures then I confess as you say 2 multitude of such penitent ones might be reckoned to be in a saying condition though not baptized But sir I suppose that neither you nor I are in that straight the poor Thief was in as yet therefore it wall be no plea for us but if either of us be unbaptized we have time and liberty enough to consider our ways and to turn our feet to the testimonies of the Lord therefore let us make haste and not delay the time see Psal 119.59 60. Lastly You tell us that the Church of England was constituted in or anon after the Apostles days and by the Ministry of the word were converted from heathenism to Christianity and then persons of yeers were baptized upon profession of Faith and Repentance Answ What then what is your Church now the better for that which was done 1600 yeers agone
they come to yeers of discretion is sinful I further prove Because they by their tradition of Rantizing or Sprinkling babes before they understand and believe the Gospel do make the command of Christ which is To baptize men and women when they believe and understand of none effect and so in vain they worship God and they which take his name in vain he will not hold them guiltless See Mar. 7.7 8 9. Matth. 15.8 9. and thus they binde two sins together and in the one they shall not go unpunished Now to his Third Argument which is drawn from that which he hath spoken already as he himself confesses which he layeth down thus That practise which goeth upon meer uncertainty and hath no Scripture-Rule to guide it is not according to the will of Christ But the practise of baptizing of children of Christians at age goes upon meer uncertainties and hath no Scripture-rule to guide it Therfore it is not according to the will of Christ Answ Who would think Mr. Baxter could have chopped one Argument into so many pieces to multiply words for this Argument is the same in substance with the two former onely put downe in other words But I further answer thus 1. That to baptize men and women when they believe is not an uncertain rule but very certain both from the command of Christ and example of the Apostles as Mar. 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved And Acts 2.41 They that gladly received the word were baptized and added c. chap. 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And vers 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest be baptized Thus we see that it is guided by Scripture-rule and therefore it is most certain by Mr. Baxters grant But I must needs give Mr. Baxter his owne Argument againe thus That practice which goeth upon meer uncertainty and hath no Scripture-rule to guide it is not according to the will of Christ saith Mr. Baxter But say I the practice of Baptizing little Babes before they come to years of discretion goes upon meer uncertainties having no Scripture-rule to guide it Therefore it is not according to the will of Christ by Mr. Baxters owne confession His fourth Argument is this That practice which will necessarily fill the Church with perpetual contentions as being about a matter that cannt be determined by any known rule is not according to the minde of Christ But the practice of baptizing Christians children at age upon their profession is such as will necessarily fill the Church with perpetual contentions Therefore it is not according to the mind of Christ Answ But the baptizing of men and women when they believe is a matter that can be and is determined by a known rule in Scripture therefore no just cause of contentions because it is acccording to the will and minde of Christ as I have proved by those Scriptures quoted in the a foresaid Argument Again I shall retort his owne Argument upon himself thus That practice which will necessarily fill the Church with perpetual contentions as being about a matter that cannot be determined by any known Rule is not according to the minde of Christ But the practice of baptizing little Babes before they come to years of discretion is a thing which there is no known rule for in all the word of God Therefore it is not according to the minde of Christ and there is just cause to contend against it and that perpetually And thus Mr. Baxter I have thrown your owne Arguments upon your owne head and you are fallen into the same pit which you digged for others and thus is your folly manifested in the fourth Argument Your fifth Argument is thus That doctrine which would turn the Ordinance of Baptisme out of the Churches of the Saints or neer turn it out is contrary to the doctrine of Christ But this Doctrine of theirs that those onely should be baptized that are directly made Disciples by the preaching of men sent according to the text Mat. 28.19 20. would turn baptisme for the most part out of the Churches of the Saints Therefore it is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ To which I answer It seemes it is Mr. Baxters judgement that they which preach and baptise according to the Commandment Christ hath given to his Diseiples Mat. 28.19 20. are those which turn baptisme out of the Church and yet he will not shew us one Scripture to prove that any else ever were baptized but such as were made Disciples according to the will and minde of Christ viz. by the preaching of the Gospel But I confess such a Doctrine doth not almost but altogether turne Mr. Baxters baptisme out of the Church for we have no such custome nor the Churches of God as to baptize little Babes that can neither speak nor understand what the Gospel is 2. I shall give Mr. Baxter his owne Argument at first thus That Doctrine which would turn the Ordinance of Christs baptism out of the Church or neer out is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ But this Doctrine of Mr. Baxters and the rest of the Priests of England which is that all Children should be baptized in their non-age according to their practice doth turne the baptisme of Christ which is to baptize men and women when they believe quite out of the Churches of the Saints Therefore it is contrary to the doctrine of Christ and is to be abhorred as sinful And thus is Mr. Baxters sword turned with the edge against himself To Mr. Baxters sixth Argument which is against the manner of baptizing by dipping the which he makes a breach of the sixth Commandment Thou shalt not kill and therefore no Ordinance of God but an hainous sin and so exhorts the Magistrates pag. 134. and pag. 136. in the conclusion of his Argument to destroy the Anabaptists as well as highway-murderers To which I shall answer in order as followeth First Observe how Mr. Baxter proves it murther he useth not one Scripture therefore none can believe him that desires to make the word of God a ground of their Faith But he laboureth to prove it thus by affirming out of his owne mouth onely that its flat murder being ordinarily used And then insinuates thus It s undeniable to any understanding man for saith he again That which directly tendeth to the overthrow of mens lives being wilfully used is plain murther But dipping men over head in cold water ordinarily doth tend to the overthrow of their health and lives Therefore wilful murder Answ In all this the Reader shall do well to observe that Mr. Baxter hath used many vain words which prove nothing except we grant him that dipping people after this manner doth tend to the overthrow of mens lives which we cannot do because Scripture and experience hath taught us the contrary as I shall shew anon But he proceeds thus I dare say that in Cities like
rather then to ages and instanceth in Evah who when Cain was born she said I have gotten a man from the Lord. But what is this to our purpose for she doth not say that this man believed the things concerning the kingdom of Jesus Christ but those men and women Act. 8.12 were such as believed all these things therefore your Argument is false and your self deceitful and wise to do evil as appeareth by this your cunning craftinesse wherewith you lye in wait to deceive Eph. 4.14 Now the last Text is in Act. 18.8 that Crispus the chief Ruler believed in the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized Thus we have seen the command of Christ and the practice of the Apostles agreeing together by which the foundation of the Saints is discovered upon which they ought to build which is the words and sayings of Chirst and the practice and example of his holy Apostles but not a word that I can finde in all the holy Scriptures or sayings of Christ the Prophets or Apostles about the Baptizing in a Font nor baptizing little infants that can neither speak nor understand my not so much as the name of that abominable Idol the Font is once mentioned in all the holy Scriptures much less that the people of God should sacrifice their children to it as the children of Israel once sacrificed their Babes to Molech See Jer. 32.35 Therefore we may most safely conclude that it is none of the Councel of God for Paul saith Act. 20.27 I declare unto you the whole Counsel of God but in all Pauls writings it is nowhere declared therefore it is none of Gods Counsels nor for us to follow And now seeing there is no foundation nor footing for the Font nor Infant-baptism in all the word of God we must if we will discover it seek for it somewhere else the which I confess is not worth the doing were it not to discover and make manifest the folly of them that uncover it and guard it for infants baptism and to that end I shall do it Look into a book intituled A view of the Civill and Ecclesiastical Law written by Sir Thomas Ridley Knight and Doctor of the Civill Law printed by William Turner Printer to the University of Oxford 1634. Cum privilegio In that book pag. 176. he although an enemy to us yet confesseth that the Rites of baptisme in the primitive times were performed in Rivers and Fountaines where the persons baptized received that Sacrament and this manner of baptizing saith he the ancient Church entertained from the example of Christ who was baptized of John in the river of Jordan and some say that this was very tolerable in the of Eastern parts but saith he most certaine it is that it was most convenient for that time because their Converts were many and men of years a reason also may be saith he for that those ages were otherwise unprovided of Fonts and such conveniences as are now in use Thus he confesseth that Fonts were not then in use Againe saith he And this hath been the cause why this manner of baptizing was resumed in after-times and other places for saith he our venerable Bede telleth us of some that were baptized here in England in the river Swale which runneth through part of York-shire in the North-riding and he giveth the same reason Nondum enim Oratoria vel Baptisteria in ipso exordio nascententes ibi Ecclesiae poterant aedificari Ecclesiast hist lib. 2. cap. 14. And then he saith The days we now live in have no other remainder of this rite of baptizing in rivers and fountaines then the very name and hence it is saith he that we call our vessels that containe the water of baptisme Fonts or Fountaines From all which let the Reader consider 1. That he confesseth that baptism in the ancient times was administred in Rivers and Fountaines 2. That nothing of that is remaining but only the name 3. That from thence it is that they call those vessels they baptize in Fonts And thus we have begun to discover the foundation of the Font. But he proceedeth further and confesseth saying This custome of baptizing in Rivers and Fountaines being discontinued or left off Fonts were erected in private houses Hence let the Reader observe 1. He saith the primitive practise was to baptize is in Rivers and Fountaines which the ancient Churches received from the example of our Saviour who was baptized of John in the River of Jordan Mat. 3.13 14 15 16. 2. He saith that was left off observe They left off the example of Christ 3. They erected Fonts in their own private houses observe here is the words of the Prophet Jeremiah fulfilled Jer. 2.12 13. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be ye horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken 2. There is a being without the law that is all the true knowledge of the law as infants ignorants Atheists of which Paul himself said of himself that he was without the law and this is from the sence and understanding of it Rom. 7.9 3. There is a being under the law in the external government of it in a Commonweal and in the condition of the soul as it is in unbelief Gal. 3.23 before faith came we even Jews and Gentiles were shut up under the law 1. Those under the law internally are to be under the external form of the law to be guided and instructed thereby as by a Schoolmaster to bring them to Christ 2. Those without the law are not freed from the law though they are judged by another law Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath shut up all men under sin that is the law even all those which are without law and those under law also 3. All which prove the law of God to be the rule to judge by that it is indeed the Magna Charta Suprema Lex and Salus Populi and now only is judgement the Lords The second General to clear that that followeth is Deut. 6.1 These are the Commandments the Statutes and the Judgements 1. By the Commandments I understand the 10 words given in two Tables by God to Moses on Sinai Exod. 20. which was the ground of Statutes 2. The Statutes are the several cases depending on each Command and arising out of them and set down to direct the Judges how to Judge according unto God in the matters of God laid down in the first Tables and in matter of men in the second they being the absolute decrees of God Judges and Judged must rest in from whence is no appeal and is the ground of Judgement 3. The Judgement contains the sentence added to the breach of every law for punishment or to obedience of the law for couragement therein the promises of good and mercy and is only proper to Gods law and curses added to his law not mans which is
an empty law Third General I. That though in the 4 last books of Moses is an oft repetition of the Statutes and Judgements yet usually there is inserted in each of them some weighty distinction and not without great reason repeated which because of my necessity and brevity of time of writing with my other imployments I have omitted to observe leaving it to your selves to do as being the sole object of your study and rule of life to live by II. That as in the beginning God divided government committing some to Moses in the judicials and other to Aaron in the ceremonials 1. Moses government in the law is not destroyed Mat. 5.17 and cap. 23.2 2. Aarons Priesthood and with that his government ceaseth and in the place thereof Jesus Christ by the Fathers appointment is set up Heb. 7.11 12 15 16. 3. So that now as first there was Moses and Aaron so now there is to be to the end of the World Moses and Christ to rule and govern the World by 1. Moses in the World or State under the covenant of works also the servant of Jesus Christ ruling for him because he is not of the World 2. Christ in the Church among the Saints or believers under the new covenant of grace among whom the Lord himself is being one of them III. Those words Exod. 20.2 I am the Lord thy God cannot be said of nor applyed to any in that way as the words are delivered but to those 1. That have covenanted with God in the way of the law as the Israelites did 2. That are under the rule and goverment of the commands the Statutes and Judgements contained in that law Object That was spoken only of those God brought out of Egypt and concerns not us Resp As the Jews were under the bondage of Egypt and were restrained from Gods service and were then not in covenant with him nor had not his law to judge by so we have been under Antichrist in Babel and have been restrained from Gods service and were then not in covenant with the Lord as they were not nor is his law set up as a rule to judge by among us so that when God shall have brought us out of Babel and set up his laws and brought us into covenant with himself according to Moses it shall then be as binding to us that God brought us out of Babel as to them that he brought them out of Egypt Jer. 16.14.15 They shall no more say The Lord Liveth that brought them out of Egypt but out of the north countryes Jer. 23.7 8 9. Note Under the first covenant God was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 2.16 In the one God is as Abram to Hagar whose son she had by him was to be cast out under the Gospel-estate which was fulfilled in the casting out of unbelievers from the society of Saints they being not to inherit the promise that is Jesus Christ Gal. 4.30 which work was then done and shall be most certainly done againe in this age of ours In the other God is as Abraham to Sarah whose son Isaac being born of the free-woman signifieth the state of the Church under the Gospel under the name of Jerusalem from above which are a society of believers joyned to the Lord Jesus in the fellowship of the Gospel in whom the better promises are conferred and made over to the Saints born after the Spirit Gal. 4.30 Conclusion The covenant of works was after the covenant made with Abraham of grace but being renewed in Christ it is called new and the new old Gal. 3.17 The now first covenant though it hath not the best yet it hath many excellent promises necessary for the life annexed to it which we wanting bodily are reduced to great necessities and the breaking thereof brought ruine and desolation suddainly to the Jews And though at this time it be not in esteem among men yet the prophesie of Isaiah 42.19 21. incourageth me that after Gods servant comes who the blind world accounts blind though God saith he is his servant and perfect and which the Scripture before clearly shews was to come after the grand Apostacy of Antichrist I say after he comes the Lord will magnifie the law make it great though all the world have endeavoured to make nothing of it or of no use at all a long time when they shall againe judge by it and punish by it and rule by it c. yea and more the Lord will make it honourable also they shall never set up traditions in the place thereof again O Parliament This God will do but whether God will do this by you or not and honour you herein or not I do not know you see it is my desire if it be his will ye are witnesses and God also that the work may be yours who have dore much of the work of the Lord in the Nation that the Honour here and reward thereof hereafter may be yours and let me speak freely to you thus that if you will not do it God in few yeers will not want them that will do it upon whom and whose posterity the blessigs of God and the Nation will fall in great abundance who did that in their generation for them was never done it being then and never untill then fulfilled that of Paul Rom. 10.19 I will provoke you to jealousie by them that are not a people that is some heathens which none never yet did do should as the Jews nationally covenant with God in the covenant of Moses with which the Jews as awaked begin to thinke that people Jacob-like steal away or God gives away his birthright from him the not doing whereof delayes their call Now what Nation in all the world is like to do this as England O that it might be offered them who would not refuse it The fourth General That to the Elders Heads and Judges were other inferior subordinate officers to serve in the same rule who have their authority from the Scriptures and from God as the rest Josh 23.2 Deut. 16.18 Command the First Exod. 20.3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me Statutes DEut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. Chap. 10.20 Fear the Lord thy God him shalt thou serve and to him shalt thou cleave Exod. 34.12 Take heed to thy self that thou make no covenant with the inhabitants Verse 15. Lest thou and they go awhoring after their gods and one call thee and thou eat of their sacrifice Deut. 11.6 Take beed to your selves that your hearts be not deceived to turn aside to serve other Gods and worship them Deut. 8.19 If thou forget the Lord thy God and walk after other Gods and serve and worship them c. Deut. Thou shalt not go after other gods the gods of the people round about you Exod. 23.24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods nor serve them nor do after their
works thou shalt utterly overthrow them and quite break down their Images Judgements for serving strange Gods I. On the earth Deut. 11.17 I will shut up heaven and the land shall not give her fruit 1 Kings 17.1 This was fulfilled in the dayes of Ahab II. On the people or Nation Deut. 8.19 Ye shall perish as the Nations god destroyed before your face III. On particular persons Numb 25.3 Those joyned to Baal-peor vers 4. were hanged by the head against the Sun Dent. 4.3 Exod. 22.20 He that sacrificeth to any god save to the Lord alone he shall be utterly destroyed Deut. 17.2 lf a man or woman have transgressed the covenant and hath served other Gods and worshipped them either the Sun or Moon or any of the hoast of beaven which I have not commanded thee vers 4. If it be told thee that is the judge and thou hast heard of it and inquired diligently and behold if it be true and the thing certaine that such abomination is wrought in Israel vers 5. thou shalt bring him or her forth to the gaâ—es and stone them with stones until they dye and so shalt thou put away evil from amongst you Note so by the executing this sentence and not any other of thy own then it abides with thee for it was not the judges condemning but the peoples executing Gods command Put away evil IV. Deut. 13.12 Contains judgement on a City for idolatry unpunished 1. The inhabitants and cattel are to be smitten with the sword 2. The spoile thou shalt gather into the middest of the City and burn both City and spoile 3. There shall nought of the wicked thing cleave to thy hand V. Deut. 18.6 If thy brother son daughter wife or friend intice thee secretly saying Let us go and serve other gods which thou hast not known nor thy fathers vers 7. Thou shalt not consent hear nor pity nor spare nor conceal him vers 9. The people shall stone him with stones that he dye VI. Deut. 13.2 If a prophet or dreamer give a signe or wonder and it comes to pass and he say Let us go after other gods thou hast not known it is to try thee thou shalt not hear him he shall be put to death Deut. 18.20 If a Prophet presumes to speak on my name that I have not spoken or speaks in the name of another god he shall dye VII Naboth 1 Kings 21.13 Levit. 24.14 was stoned for and under the pretence of blasphemy Rules to he observed on the judgement 1. That God required the execution thereof onely of those that had transgressed the covenant which Moses renewed oft as appears in that statute Deut. 17.2 who were to suffer the sentence of the law and none else and so in most other eases 2. Though those were hanged joyned to Baal-peor were hanged after strangled contrary to our custome and was the most ignominious death for joyning themselves to Baal-peor or Priapus that ignomnious idol 3. The Lord being the Lord of life is not left to any to take away the life of any but as God hath appointed which for idolatry is generally stoning by the hands of all the people 4. It is observed by some that when it is said His blood be on him then stoning is meant or otherwise when the death is not expressed then strangling but usually though the death be not set down in one place it is in another 5. In stoning the people were to shew their hatred of the evil committed that they and theirs might be free of the curse and judgement threatned against them for the same one man not being able to do the same by that or any other way of putting to death Judgement 1. Jenebel and the Priests of Baal slaine 1 Kings 18.22 and 2 Kings 10. 2. Ahazia sends to Baal-zebub and dyeth 2 Kings 1. 3. Belshazzar slaine praising his gods Dan. 5.4.5.30 Numb 25.2 The Moabites called the people to the sacrifices of their gods and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods in which vers 3. they were said to be joyned to Baal-peor Statute Levit. 17.7 They shall no more offer their sacrifices to devils after whom they have gone a whoring Judgement Verse 9. Shall be cut off from among the people The command binds affirmatively Thou shalt have me to thy God Now the way of Gods calling a people and becoming a God to them nationally is by giving them laws and they taking them from him and professing subjection to them as to their Gods commands whom they ought to serve To the keeping whereof God adds by promise many blessings as David Psal 19.11 In keeping thereof is great reward To the breach whereof are added many curses of body soul goods name family earth and heaven all are shut up to men for it The which giving of laws royally to his people is the only work and prerogative royal of God and therefore is the law moral called the Royal law Jam. 2.8 and thus the Scripture saith There is but one law-giver who is able to save and destroy who art thou that judgest another Jam. 4.12 And hence are all laws of heathens said to be no laws and they without law and all the ordinances and the corrupt expositions of the law made by ancient expositors and received by their children among the Jews called traditions and they were such as made voide the law among them that had it In which it appears there is no law but Gods nor no true law-maker but God law government and judgement among Gods people especially being his Lastly As we must not have another God so we must not have other laws then Gods God will not govern by any other then his own laws Behold I pray by mens deelining Gods laws what laws have been brought out since the reforming times as in the 6 Articles in Hen. 8. time the book of Sports and many laws since repealed What is become of the Judges Justices and men made and executed those laws so contrary to the Lord and his law Solomon brings in wisdom Prov. 8.15 saying By me kings raigne and the princes that is those of the supreme councel do describe Justice that is to those judges consult with them about difficult cases without whom the difficult cases would as well be hid to them as others Now if justice be so hard a thing to be executed by men who not only have the law but use the law and the help thereof to do justice by that without wisdom or Christs help they cannot describe it how shall those describe it that use not the law to help them which ought to be their help and so tempt God not to help them extraordinarily for not using the ordinary help of God And that he speaks here of the great councel is clear they being next to the king and then he speaks of the ordinary Juges in the verse following to whom justice was to be described which is significantly set down
they were to make confession of at their baptism But that Christendom might encrease and be filled with the word of God the Church hath thought good for mortalities sake that the children of Christians should be timely baptized 20 Johannes Bohemius lib. 2. De gentium moribus saith In times past it was the custom to administer baptism alone to those that were instructed in the Faith and seven times in the week before Easter and Pentecost Catechised or asked questions and then upon Confession of their Faith they were baptized But afterwards when it was thought and adjudged needfull to everlasting life to be baptized it was ordained that new-born children should be baptized and that Godfathers or sureties were appointed who should make confession of their Faith and renounce the Devil in their behalf 21 Bilander de Trinitate Justinianus the Empererour ordained Novella institutione 144. That children should be admitted to haptism and those that are come to their full growth should be taught before they were baptized Thus have you it out of the mouths of their own Poets and by them confessed that baptizing of babes is Wili-worship which the Scripture saith shall all perish with the using after the Commandments and Doctrines of men Col. 2.22 23. and thus having discovered the foundation of the Font and having shown whence and when and by whom Infant-baptism came in I shall leave it to the view of all and proceed to the next Now for better and more full satisfaction the book is suddainly to be reprinted and will be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls and is Entituled as followeth A very plain and well-grounded Treatise concerning Baptism Wherein is very cleerly shown and out of good grounds demonstrated that Baptism was instituted and ordained by the Lord Christ for those that believe and Repent and was so taught and used by his Apostles and observed and followed by the Primitive Church As also how that in process of time the baptism of children in stead of true Baptism was brought in and received and by divers Councels Popes and Emperours commanded to be observed Now we come to answer something to the beginning of Mr. Cooks book and to Mr. Baxters 10 Positions upon which himself confesseth his whole book standeth and without which it cannot be understood See his third page before he lay down his first Position But first I shall desire the Reader to take notice that after the truth of the Gospel had a long time been preached and publickly at Stafford both by my self and others who constantly affirmed according to the Scriptures that men and women when they believed in Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins were to be baptized into his name as in Mark 1.5 with Act. 8.12 is evident with ver 37. these things being preached in the presence of many people and some Ministers to the number of seven or eight at a time who stirred up the people to oppose it as indeed they did very much we desired them lovingly to bring their Teachers that they and we might reason about it before them the which the people were very confident they should have obtained but never could insomuch as I was carryed forth to declare my earnest desires in publick before some Priests and many people divers times thinking that then they could not in Civility have denyed it but yet we could never attain ours nor the peoples desires but they rather sought to satisfie them in private using divers Reasons and Arguments to perswade them to the contrary as if they were afraid to come to the light lest their deeds should be manifest as indeed we told the people at last we judged they were because they so much incensed the people against us privately and yet would never come to speak to our faces in the open Congregation although the honourable Governour Danvers did freely offer to engage himself that not the least wrong nor abuse should be offered them yet these men were in great fear where no fear was as it s written Psal 53.5 as appeareth by Mr. Cooks Epistle in his Font uncovered to the inhabitants of Stafford Notwithstanding we divers times offered them to reason with them twenty miles from Stafford as we have done since but it would never yet be received but rather paper-conference which for my part I was always against and was then although I was perswaded by the Governour and Captain James Brown to set my hand to that paper which was then sent them which did not exceed a quarter of a sheet to which they have answered seven sheets but to what purpose I shall leave it to the Reader to consider when he hath perused my following lines in answer to Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter and first to Mr. Cooks Font uncovered Pag. 1. our words which he hath there put down are these You having avoided publike dispute by your selves so much prest for at first and since have rather desired paper-conference we to gratifie your desires therein have written these few lines hoping thereby to beget some discussion of the truth wherein we affirm that the baptism or sprinkling of infants whereby the national Churches of Spain England France and Rome are Constituted and from thence called Christians and Christendom is not the baptism or dipping of believers which Christ Jesus ordained and his Disciples practised for the right constituting of Churches under the Gospel whereby they rightly became and were truly called Christians To all which you begin to answer thus saying Cooks In this our stating the question divers things must be animadverted that we deceive not our selves and others through darkning the truth by words without knowledge for say you we take it for granted that you hold that by the baptizing or sprinkling of infants Churches are constituted but this you deny and proceed to affirm that 1 As Faith or interest in Christ or the Covenant of Grace constitutes a Christian so the joynt and orderly profession of faith and interest in that Covenant or Gods owning a people to be in his Covenant is that which constitutes them a Church 2 You say baptism is not essential to the constituting of a Church being but adventitious or additional as a sign or pledge of peoples entring or admission into the Church the penitent Thief on the cross was a true believer though unbaptized and a multitude of such penitent ones joyntly professing Christ should be a true Church though they wanted opportunity to be baptized c. 3 You tell us that the Church of England received its constitution in or anon after the Primitive times when by the Ministry of the word some were converted from heathenism to Christianity at which time you grnnt persons of yeers were baptized upon their profession of Repentance c. H. To all which I answer 1 It is to be observed that Mr. Cook can say nothing nor give any Answer in the least to our
us that we are such as the Apostle speaks of when he saith The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart a good Conscience and faith unfeigned from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling desiring to be teachers of the Law understanding not what they say nor whereof they affirm and here you think you hit us home Answ Sir I must confess now you have catched us out of our Element and in your own for we know you are scholars and have learned to contend about words to no profit which tends to the subverting of the hearers but be it as it will Seeing we erred in saying we affirm a Negative we will either confess our errour or else shew you a president which may justifie us in our practice Rom. 3.12 Paul saith There is none that doth good no not one here Paul affirmeth a Negative saying There is none for there is is an Affirmative therefore if you had been by him you might have taught him to have said I deny that any doth good no not one and then he had spoke as like a scholar as your self Again Isa 45.5 the Lord saith by the Prophet I am the Lord and there is no God besides me now Sir if you dare presume to be a teacher here it should have been thus I deny that any God is but my self And I pray shew us the word negative in the Scripture if you can Lastly to conclude Job 1.20 When they sent to John to know who he was the Scripture saith He denyed not I pray observe if he denyed not then he affirmed and what did he affirm Answ He said I am not the Christ here John affirmed a negative confessing and saying I am not c. now that I am is to affirm is evident for vers 23 he saith I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness c. And now let me shew poor souls the mystery of Mr. Cooks iniquity about the affirming a negative 1 The word negative is not to be found in all the Bible but hatched up in the schools and now is nursed by them and grown to such a stature that none must say they affirm a negative without great dishonour amongst them and yet to affirm is but to say a thing is so and to deny is also to say a thing is not so As if I should say or affirm when the Sun shines it is day and when it is down I should say or affirm it is night all honest men will understand me without prejudice Again that man that saith he will prove a Negative is among scholars much derided because they stand upon punctilioes but yet the thing may be honestly done thus If I say I will prove a man is not alive if I shew others that he is dead do not I prove he is not alive Again if I affirm or say a man is not in his house if I go and shew others his house and he is not in it do not I prove he is not in it and so prove a negative viz. that he is not there c. And now seeing you will make us offenders for a word may not we justly say that you are one of those the Apostle speaks of 1 Tim. 6.3.4 in these words If any teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine that is according to godliness he is proud and knoweth nothing doting about Questions and strife of words whereof cometh envies strifes railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes destitute of the truth supposing gain to be godliness c. And now do not you doat about words viz. the affirmative and negative whereby you gender envie strife c. And do not you count gain godlinese viz. an hundred or two hundred a yeer for Preaching and Baptizing Infants and rather then you will part with it you do dispute perversly like a man of a corrupt minde destitute of the truth as it is in Jesus I beseech you in the fear of God consider it And know also that although we have affirmed a Negative yet you cannot justly apply that Scripture to us 1 Tim. l. 5 6 7. because we desire not to be teachers of the Law and therefore Mr. Baxter saith we are Antinomians and deny the Law But I answer Both you and he desire to be teachers of the Law witness your running to Moses to prove Baptism of Infants and Church membership from Circumcision and the Old Covenant that was faulty and therefore done away Heb. 8.7 and another to be established upon better promises vers 6. and in this I am sure you nor Mr. Baxter know not what you say nor whereof you affirm therefore take the Scripture wholly to your selves and consider it well And thus Mr. Cook I shall at present take leave of you for a time and apply my self to Mr. Baxter Sir in the first place to your Positions in the first of which p. 3 you say thus It hath pleased the holy Ghost to speak of some things in the Scriptures more fully and of others more sparingly and where God spake more sparingly the thing must needs be more difficult and yet truth still Answ But he never speaks of Infants Baptism in all the Scripture neither fully not sparingly therefore none of his Truth nor ever was But you instance in four particulars but that which is pertinent to the matter in hand is your fourth wherein you say The New Testament speaketh more sparingly of that which is more discovered in the Old and say you what need the same thing to be done twice except men should question the authority of the Old and if God should reveal his minde in one part of the Scripture what use should we make of the other Therefore say you how silent is the New Testament concerning a Christian Magistracie which made the Anabaptists of old deny it And say you further Where finde you a Christian in the New Testament that exercised the place of a King or Parliament-man or Justice of Peace or the like And so of an Oath before a Magistrate of war and of the Sabbath how sparing is the New Testament and why say you because it is said enough in the Old To all which I answer You have spoken many words to no purpose except it be to deceive the hearts of the simple for whereas you say That which is spoken on in the Old Testament need not be spoken of again I answer Infants baptism is nowhere spoken of neither in the Old nor New Testament therefore you ought not for shame to speak of it 2. As for your saying Where finde we a Christian Magistrate in the New Testament I answer Surely you have forgotten the Deputy that was turned to the faith by Paul Act. 13.12 Sergins Paulm by name Likewise the Eunuch a man of great authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of
freely give Mr. Baxter leave or any man to express themselves how they can to cause men to understand and believe the holy Scriptures as they are written but this we dare not allow neither to them nor our selves viz. to put men upon believing or doing any thing as a duty that is not written in the holy Scriptures And herein lyeth the depth of all deceipts namely because Christ expounded the Scriptures of the Prophets therefore men will take in hand to expound his expositions as if we could make them plainer then he hath left them or make anything true that is not written in them Again because Philip opened the Scriptures to the Eunuch Act. 8. therefore men will take in hand to open the words of Philip so as to make them appear otherwise then they are written and therefore for the plainer manifestation of the truth I desire all impartial men to consider these following things 1 If I would prove to any man by the Scriptures that God created the heavens and the earth then I must bring a Scripture that speaks of Gods creating the heavens and the earth as Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Again 2 If I would prove that God created man upright I must bring a Scripture that saith so as Eccles 7.29 Lo this onely have I found that God hath made man upright c. 3 If I will prove that all men since Adams fall were finners I must bring a Scripture that speaks so as Rom. 3.23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God c. 4 If I would prove that God sent his son to redeem those sinners I must bring a Scripture that saith so as 1 Tim. 115. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief and c. 2.6 Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time 5 If I would prove the dead shall rise I must being a Scripture that speaks of the Resurrection of the dead and so did Christ Mar. 12.25 26. for when they shall rise from the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage c. And As touching the dead that they shall Rise have ye not read c. And what if Christ had not spoken nor named the Resurrection of the dead at all in this place if it be proved anywhere in Scripture it s enough for Christ spake many times darkly and in parables to them that were without but expounded all things to his Disciples Mark 4.33.34 with Matt. 13.10 11. and it s most plain Job 5.28 29. that Chirst faith thus The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation and â— 11.25 he saith to Martha I am the Resurrection and the life c. Thus we see how frequently Christ proveth the Resurrection in plain words And now let Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook Mr. Hall or any man else prove that either Christ Moses any of the Prophets or Apostles did ever speak one word about baptizing of infants and then we will grant it and if this be not rational and honest let even our enemies judge To conclude if I would prove that men and women should be baptized when they believe the word preached I must bring a Scripture that says so as Act. 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women and ver 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest And now if Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook or any man will prove that little babes should be baptized let them bring one Scripture to prove it and then they will do honestly otherwise I must needs conclude with all that fear God aright that they are meer deceivers of men and unjust Stewards to Christ whom they profess to serve But now a word to Mr. Cook who in his seventh page saith that we never read in the Scriptures Go Henry Haggar and James Brown teach all Nations and baptize c. nor do we read that Christ gave a command to you two to preach the Gospel c. These and such like cunning devised fables hath Mr. Cook in his seventh page To all which I answer This is but a subtile sophistry of Mr. Cook to deceive the heart of the simple but easily discovered by them to whom the Lord hath given understanding as thus we do not desire Mr. B. or Mr. C. to bring a Scripture that saith Go William Cook or Go Richard Baxter and baptize children that cannot speak nor understand what you preach neither do we desire a Scripture that saith Go Mr. Baxter and Mr. Cook and teach all Nations and baptize all the children that you can lay your hands on But we desire you or any man to prove by the holy Scriptures that Christ did ever say to any of his disciples Go and baptize children or that ever any that preached in the name of the Lord did baptize children either under Law or Gospel and we will grant it Give us command or example to shew us where it ought to be done or ever was done and you do like men but till then as I have told you before I tell you again that you are unreasonable men such as Paul prayed to be delivered from But now we can prove that Christ commanded those which he sent to preach to baptize those that did believe which was likewise practised by them as I have shewed before by these Scriptures Matt. 28.18.19.20 Mark 16.15 16. Act. 2.41 Act. 8.12 and ver 37. c. 10.47.48 c. 16.32 33 34. c. 18.8 to which I refer the Reader And what they did Saints in all ages are commanded to do for Paul saith Be ye followers of me and mark them that walk so as you have us for an example Phil. 3.17 Again those things which you have learned and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you cap. 4.9 But now we have heard and learned that Paul and the other disciples did baptize men and women when they believed therefore if we do the same the God of peace will be with us but we never heard nor learned in all the Scriptures that they baptized babes of a week or month or yeer old therefore we dare not do it left we should be counted such as transgress and abide nor in the Doctrine of Christ But I remember what Mr. Hall saith to these Scriptures in his fourth objection pag. 91. that these are the chiefest strong holds of the Anabaptists and being pursued hither we run for refuge but all in vain as he saith To which I answer It s well the Anabaptists do run to the word of God for refuge they are then sure to be safe without all question for his word is setled in heaven Psa 119.89 and Christ saith Joh. 8.31 If ye
continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free And again cap. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you ask what you will and it shall be done unto you and the word is able to save our souls Jam. 1.21 and the Lord will have respect to them that are of contrite spirits and tremble at his word Isa 66.2 but whose despiseth the word shall be destroyed but he that regardeth the Commandment shall be rewarded Pro. 13.13 And thus its evident that if we run to the word for refuge we do wisely and are safe in so doing But as for Mr. Hall he hath never a word to run to for Infant-baptism as he himself confesses pag. 30. in his fifth Argument in these words In express terms so infants baptism is not commanded nor a thousand things more which get we are bound to observe I shall now conclude with shewing some undenyable Reasons why the word of God must beunderstood and obeyed as it is written without adding to or taking from 1 Because God did never without words make known his minde to the sons of men therefore we read that God at sundry times in divers manners spake to our fathers by the Prophets but now in these last days he hath spoken by his own son c. Heb. 1.12 2 By words the minde of God is compleatly made known so that to fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.12 13. 3 Because Christ blames men for erring from the Scriptures saying You erre because you know not the Scriptures Mark 12.24 4 Because we are commanded to hear the words of Christ in all things what soever he shall say unto us Act. 3.22 5 Because they that consent not to wholsom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness are proud or fools knowing nothing 1 Tim. 6.3 4. 6 Because the Scriptures are able to make us wise to salvation through faith in Jesus and to make the man of God perfect and throughly to furnish us to all good works 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 7 Because when Paul left the Church in a dangerous condition because of deceivers he committed them to God and to the word of his grace affirming it is able to build them up and to give them an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified 8 Because if men or Angels shall preach any other Gospel then what is already preached they shall be accursed Gal. 1.8.9 9 Because those that preach are commanded to preach the word in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.12 and not their own words 10 Because Christ will judge all men by his words that he hath spoken in the last day and then they which do add to his word he will add to them all the plagues written and those that diminish from it he will take their names out of the book of life and their part out of the holy City and he will come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God and obey not his holy Gospel Joh. 12.48 Rev. 22.18 19. 2 Thef 2.7 8 9. Lastly I shall propound these following Queries with a desire to have them answered by any who will or can 1 Whether God doth require the sons of men to believe any thing in point of Justification that is not recorded in the holy Scriptures of truth 2 Whether God doth require or command us to obey any thing after believing which is not contained in the word of truth 3 Whether the Saints have any ground to believe the Resurrection from the dead and eternal life in glory but as it is recorded in Scripture 4 Whether if a man believe and obey all the known precepts and promises contained in the word of God as much as in him lyeth will God condemn and punish him at the great day because he hath believed and done no more 5 If the Scriptures be not a perfect rule of faith and obedience without the help of any mans inventions what is Or who may we trust or at whose mouth must we seek wisdom 6 If the Scriptures ought to be believed and obeyed as they are written then how dare some deny faith in and obedience to some part of them and impose things not written in the Scriptures to be obeyed in stead of the ordinances of Christ 7 Whether there be any sin or corruption incident to man that the Scriptures doth not reprove and make manifest in express terms 8 Whether there be any vertue or praise in any thing that the best of men ever did but what is expresly commanded or commended in the Scriptures of truth 9 I appeal to every mans Conscience in the sight of God whether their Consciences do not condemn them when they walk contrary to what is written in the Scripture 10 Whether every mans Conscience do not justifie him when he walks according to what is contained in the word of God Now if all these Queries be granted as they are stated to be true then it followeth that those that teach and perswade men to do any thing in matter of Justification or salvation more or less then is plainly written and expressed in the word of God are such as do add to or take from what God hath spoken to the sons of men for instruction and are guilty of those plagues pronounced Rev. 22.18 19. but infants baptism is nowhere written nor expressed in all the Scriptures as Mr. Hall Mr. Baxter and Mr. Cook do confess therefore they and all they that plead for it are guilty of the plagues aforesaid except they repent And thus have I answeâ—â—d to Mr. Baxters ten Positions which he saith pag. 3. must necessarily be well understood before we can understand the point in hand So that the Reader must take notice that if these Positions be not well understood to be true then all the rest of his book cannot be understood to be true by his own confession For saith he If people be mistaken in that which goeth before no wonder if they deny the consequents or that which followeth after c. So that if I have fully answered these Positions I need say but little to the rest of the book All which I leave to the Reader to consider of But howsoever I shall not fail by the assistance of God to speak so much to the two first parts of his book as may undermine his building and lay it in the dust As for the last part of his book from the 162 page to the end himself confesseth that they are but such vain contendings as he is like to be guilty of and Mr. Tombs also as you may see in his Epistle to the Church at Bewdley towards the latter end Likewise Mr. Cooks Arguments being the same with his the substance of both tending to prove that infants are in Covenant and that they are
day they go to Christs Schools to learn the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. may be also called the Scholars or Disciples of Christ Again as men commonly call all the Turks old and young that are born of the flesh into Mahomets Kingdome which is of this world Mahometans even so we call all converts old and young which are born again of the Spirit into the Kingdome of Christ which is not of this world Christians By old and young converts I do not mean beleivers born of the Spirit and their Children as they are born of the flesh but I mean such as are spoken of 1 John 2.13 13. in these words I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake I write 〈…〉 â—â—â—hes because you have known him that is from the beginning I wrâ—â—e to you young men because you have overcome thâ—â—â—â—ked 〈◊〉 And chap. 5.21 Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen By all which we see that the least Children that were in the Church that John wrote unto were such as had known the Father chap 2.13 and such as could understand exhortations to keep themselves from Idols Now as for Mr. Baxter's man that hired the Philosopher to teach his children he neither telleth us what man it was nor how old his children were nor what the Philosophers name was and therefore I shall pass that over as a cunning devised fable not worth the answering and proceed to the next which is That mothers can teach their children partly by action and gesture and partly by voice to take off from vices and infom in vertue And methinks saith he ye should not make an Infant less teachable then some brutes But saith he nurses witell you more in this then I can O excellent Divinity and plain Scripture proof from where we learn these two things First that if it be a piece of good Divinity to prove that litle children that can neither speak nor understand are the Disciples of Christ then Nurses are better Divines then Mr. Baxter for saith he they can tell you more is this then I can pag. 23. Secondly he saith What will you make an Infant les teachable then some bruits from whence Mr. Baxter seems to imply that some bruits are capable of being Christs Disciples or else why should he say Will you have infants less teachable then some bruits As if he should say Some brutes are teachable enough to be made his disciples and what will you deny infants to be his disciples methinks saith he we should not make an infantiess decible then some brutes I remember he crieth out against Mr. Tombs in pag. 19. for arguing ridiculously when he proveth plainly out of Psal 119.89 90. that the heavens and earth are Gods servans in his answer to his proving infants Lev. 25.41 41. and if servints then disciples saith Mr. Baxter In answer to which Mr. Tombs saith The heavens and the earth are his servants are they therefore his disciples to which Mr. B. for want of a better answer saith O what cause have we all to look to the tenderness of our Consciences in time before engagement in a sinful cause hath benâ—â—med and made the word of God to be of none effect tous But I leave it to the impartial Reader to judge whether the same sayings may not more fitly be applyed to Mr. Baxter in this place I hope Mr. Baxter is not so void of judgement as to think brutes teachable enough to be made Christs disciples but I am sure his words imply no less Indeed I remember Mr. Baxter doth say in the beginning of his book that he will not meddle with such Arguments as other men have wrote of before but new ones that never yet were handled and I must confess these are such new ones as I never heard but how much to the purpose I leave it to the Reader wisely to consider and then judge Again he hath another Argument from Act. 15.10 the which Mr. Baxter saith doth prove Infants disciples to all that will not grosly overlook the Text and pervent it Ans An heavy charge against us I confess to be perverters of the Scripture but how true it will prove you shall see by and by The whole substance of Mr. Baxters Argument in the 15 and 16 pag. of his book is this from Act. 15.10 Why put ye yokes upon the neeks of the disciples c. But that yoke was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and according to the Law of Moses children as well as parents were circumcised therefore children as well as parents are disciples But I wonder what Mr. Baxter would do with this Argument if we should give it him and answer nothing to it I confess amongst ignorant and sottish people that do pin their faith upon Mr. B. words it may be taking out amongst those that are of noble spirits to search the Scriptures before they believe as the noble Bereans Act. 17.11 12. it can have no influence nor take no impression because it s but half an Argument and so he hath done his work that he hath taken in hand but to halves If we grant him all he says that it is but half an Argument is evident thus The yoke that they would have put upon the neck of the disciples was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses but according to the Law of Moses none were circumcised but men-children therefore none else are disciples and therefore none but men-children are to be baptized by his own grant And so he hath done but half his work as I told you Secondly if Mr. Baxter please I will lead him step by step into the right understanding of this Scripture by Gods assistance thus What was the yoke Answ To be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and who was it laid upon then under the Law Answ Upon the Jews and their children And who would they have laid it upon Act. 15.10 Answ Upon the disciples as is plain in these words Why put ye a yeke upon the neck of the diseiples c. Who are disciples Here sticks the question still and it remains still for Mr. Baxter or Mr. Cook to prove infants disciples and then we grant they are those upon whom the false teachers would have put the yoke of Circumcision but the disciples of Christ are such as could deny themselves and take up his cross and follow him Luke 14. but little infants that can neither speak nor understand cannot so do therefore no disciples of Christ Lastly I shall cleer it by the words of the Text that the Apostle speaks of no children there thus Act. 15.7 we read that when there had been much disputing Peter rose up and said unto them Men and brethren you know that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and believe and ver 8. God
and Customs of it till they come to understanding to learn them and when they learn then they are scholars or disciples and to them that learn it is given to know c. So also I believe that little children according to the Scriptures do belong to the kingdom of heaven and partake of the priviledges of divine protection and likewise of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus although they know nor believe nothing of it till they be of yeers and discretion to be disciples of Christ and begin to learn of him and then To them it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom as aforesaid Argument VIII My eighth Argument is from Luke 14.27 in these words And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple Whence I reason thus If none can be the disciples of Christ but those that bear the cross of Christ and so come after him then little children that know not what the cross of Christ is nor yet what belongs to following of him as dear children in love cannot be his disciples But none can be his disciples but such as do bear his cross and follow him Therefore little babes cannot be Christs disciples Argument IX My ninth Argument is from Luke 14.33 in these words So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple From whence I reason thus If none can be Christs disciples but such as considering before what it will cost are willing to forsake all that they have yea and their own lives also for his sake then little children that can neither consider what it will cost nor yet resolve in themselves what to do cannot possibly be Christs disciples But none can be Christs disciples without they have the use of their Will Reason and Affections so far as to consider before what it will cost and to resolve after whatsoever it cost to forsake all and their own lives also as is proved by all these Scriptures Luk. 14.26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. compared with Matth. 10.37 38. and Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 25. Therefore they which say little children that can do none of these things are Christs disciples it is much to be feared that they never yet learned to know what a disciple of Christ is and are none themselves Thus having shewed the deceit of Mr. Cooks and Mr. Baxters Arguments in general by which they would prove that Infants are Church-members and Christs disciples and so fit subjects for Baptism I leave it to the view of all both friend and foe and proceed to answer Mr. Baxters eight Arguments by which he saith he proveth the Anabaptists way of Baptizing sinful His first Argument is this If there be no word of precept or example for baptizing the childe of any one Christian at yeers of discretion then to delay their baptism till yeers of discretion and then to baptize them is not the Scripture-way But there is no one word of precept or example in all the Scripture for the baptizing of the childs of any one Christian at yeers of diseretion Therefore to defer it till then and then to baptize them is not the Scripture-way Answ 1. I would gladly know whether Mr. Baxter do or dare judge Mary the mother of Jesus to be no Christian who said Luk. 1.46 47. My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour c. if he will deny her to be a Christian who rejoyced in God her Saviour then I will be bold to say he doth not know what a Christian is yea and that he is none himself Again if he confess her to be a Christian then his Argument is worth nothing for her childe viz. her Son Jesus was baptized at yeers of discretion when he was thirty yeers of age Luk. 3.21 22 23. And thus I have given him an example And our way of baptizing of people at yeers of discretion is a Scripture-way and therefore not sinful And now I shall retort his Argument upon himself that all men may see his folly thus If there be no word of precept nor example in all the Scripture for baptizing the childe of any Christian before they come to yeers of discretion then so to baptize them is not the Scripture-way But there is no word of precept nor example in all the Scripture for baptizing the childe of any one Christian before yeers of discretion Therefore to baptize them before yeers of discretion is not the Scripture-way and therefore sinful And thus is Mr. Baxter wounded with the edge of his own sword and his folly manifest Now to the second Argument which is this That practice which is utterly inconsistent with the obeying of Christs rule for baptism is a sinful practice But the baptizing of children of Christians at yeers of discretion is utterly inconsistent with obedience to the rule for baptism Therefore such baptizing is a sinful practice Answ This is the same with the first Argument therefore the same answer may serve But yet to make Mr. Baxter's folly manifest I shall give him his Argument again thus That practice which is utterly inconsistent with the obeying of Christs rule for Baptism is a sinful practice But the baptizing of children of Christians or others before they come to yeers of discretion is utterly inconsistent with the obedience to Christs rule Therefore it is a sinful practice 2. Whereas Mr. Baxter would make us offenders for doing of nothing that is to say for not baptizing children in their non-age I answer He can never make it a sin till he shew us what command we have broke in not baptizing them for all sin is the transgression of some law therefore saith the Apostle where there is no law there is no transgression But there is no law nor commandment in all the Scripture to baptize little babes that cannot speak before they come to yeers of discretion Therefore no sin to let it alone 3. There is both precept and example for baptizing men and women at yeers of discretion viz. when they believe Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and Acts 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And Acts 10.48 Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus c. And now seeing there is both precept and example for it therefore it is no sin to baptize men and women at yeers of discretion 4. That Mr. Baxters Mr. Halls and Mr. Cooks way of baptizing is sinful is evident First because they baptize little babes before they come to yeers of discretion for which they have neither precept nor example therefore utterly inconsistent with Christs rule for baptism and a sinful practice as Mr. Baxter himself hath granted in these former Arguments and thus out of his own mouth he is judged and condemned for a sinner Secondly that this their way of baptizing infants before
And we know very well that the poor Anabaptists had rich and potent Enemies wrote the stories against them for by Mr. Baxters own confession pag. 140 and 141. Zuinglius was constrained to dispute and try his strength with the poor Anabaptists and when he could not stop their mouths he had the help of the Senate who imprisoned banished and put them to death such Arguments I confess as neither Paul nor Peter nor John could answer but were forced to yeeld to them and suffer as Hereticks pestilent Fellows movers of Sedition and ringleaders of Sects see Acts 24.5 and so were these Anabaptists served at Germany for Mr. Baxter saith pag. 140. They did not suffer as Anabaptists but as men perjured disobedient and seditious and so I thought indeed for as there is no such way to have a silly sheep worried and torn in pieces as to put on a Bears skin on the top of him so these learned Divines as they call themselves know very well that the only way to have the Anabaptists prisoned or banished or hanged is to cloth them with all the filthy names and reproaches they can devise and then all people will be ready to stone them for alass they think whatsoever their Preists and Teachers say must needs be true or if any should question it he is presently suspected to be an Heretick amongst the rest And this is Mr. Baxters way pag. 136. he would by Logick prove that we are guilty of the breach of the sixth Commandement because we dip men in water and then he cries out to the Magistrate to hang us up as soon as high way-murderers and this is and hath been the practice of their fore-Fathers in the Prophets times and Christ and the Apostles Lastly You tell us that Calvin wrote a Book against them very well then it seems Zuinglius disputed with them and rendered them odious to the Magistrate and cast out their name as filth for the Son Mans sake as you do ours now Luke 6. and so the Magistrate prisoned and banished and hanged them and when they were dead and laid in their Graves Calvin falls a writing against them when he was sure they were past answering for themselves but Mr. Baxter I write to you and Mr. Hall and Mr. Cook while you are alive and may answer for your selves therefore I expect an answer from you if you have any thing to say according to truth or else you may forbear But now to Calvins Letter wherein you say pag. 141. he sheweth that the Anabaptists are divided into two sorts one of which did boast of Scripture and pleaded Scripture with great confidence for all they held Answ If they boasted of the holy Scriptures they boasted of no evil but of that which is good which we ought to make our boast of and to rejoyee in for Paul saith 2 Cor. 11.10 As the truth of Christ is in me no man can stop me of this boasting c. and in God we will boast all the day long and praise his name for ever Psa 44.8 and if you would boast of them more then you do it would be better for you But you say further they pleaded Scripture with confidence for all they held Answ I wonder Calvin and you were not ashamed to speak of these things what doth it displease you to hear men plead Scripture for what they hold are you such enemies to the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise to salvation then take heed lest while you boast your selves to be wise without them or above what is written you become not fools for the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are but vain and takes the wise in their own craftiness therefore let no man boast nor glory in man but in God and his word See 1 Cor. 3.19 20 21. but Mr. Hall and you have found out a way beyond the Scripture affirming that there are a thousand things not written in the word of God which you ought to obey to which you have a large answer to your tenth Position But to conclude this point if that be the worst you and Calvin can say of those Anbaptists namely that they made their boast of the Scripture and pleaded Scripture for all they held I shall not be ashamed to owne them for Christians before all men And as for your other sort you talk of which are above Scripture and confound all things good and bad God and Satan together I and all that own Scriptures do deny and defie them and their wayes as abominable and detestable and you do very wickedly to call them Anabaptists thereby to cast odiums upon us for your self confess pag. 141. that Calvin calls them Libertines and why then I pray are you so wicked and malicious as to call them Anabaptists I suppose all men that are impartial and rational will see your folly and wickedness for in the conclusion of all you would heap all their wickedness upon our heads pag. 142. saying No man can shew you one man of the Anabaptists that is not tainted with some of these foresaid wickednesses Answ If any one of us should say we never were lyers then we should be still lyers like your self for all men are lyers or have been and there is none righteous no not one but all are gone out of the way and with their tongues have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips their mouth ful of cursing and bitterness and their feet swift to shed blood See Rom. 3.10 11 12 13 14 15. and so are yours Mr. Baxter or else you would never perswade the Magistrates to hang up the Anbaptists as well as highway-murderers page 136. but this I confess is the condition of all men before faith and repentance for the Lord Christ saith that those 18 upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell Luke 13.2 3 4. were not greater sinners then others but except they repented they should all likewise perish and so must you Mr. Baxter and others for God is no respecter of pers ons Againe I read 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. the Apostle speaks thus to the Saints Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor thieves nor covetous nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and in the 11. vers he saith Such were some of you but now ye are washed but ye are sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Now if there were such in the Church of Corinth as had been thus wicked and yet were washed justified and sanctified from their sins by the Lord Jesus then I dare not say but such as have been gross sinners may have repented and converted and come into the Churches of the Anabaptists as you call them in these dayes for I finde that Christ came