taught to turn head upon conscience yea and upon whatsoever is commendable in Nature it self are plainly laid under the Notions and names of most worthy Truths and such wherein the glory of the Gospel confisteth The truth is that a Ranter is nothing but an Antinomian sublimated Amongst the Virgin-Livers you wil be taught or § 13. Virgin-Livers tempted to stop the course and current of Nature until it breaks over not onely the dam wherewith you shal obstruct it but even all the banks and bounds which God himself hath prefixed to it Here also if you be easie of belief and tractable under a spirit of delusion you wil be provoked to make a breach upon al the Laws and Precepts of God which concern the Christian management of Relations and this under a pretext of sovereign devotion and of signal sequestration from the world Those commonly known by the name of Seekers are a generation who think they do God a most Seekers choice service in overlooking all that is written upon pretence of looking after somewhat higher more mysterious and sacred then any thing that is writen as if God who as the Apostle teacheth us hath in these last days spoken unto the world by his Son intended to reveal unto and speak by these men somewhat beyond and of greater import then any thing he hath spoken unto the world by him Amongst these this snare of death wil be spread in your way you wil be tempted to seek after another Jesus with the neglect and contempt of him besides whom there is no Saviour of souls Amongst the Quinto-Monarchians or persons § 10. best known by the name of the fift Monarchie men Quinto-Monarchians not so much from their opinion touching the said Monarchie as by that fierce and restless spirit which worketh in them to bring it in into the world by uncouth and unhallowed methods and ways and this before the times of the other Monarchies be fulfilled you wil learn to speak evil of those that are in dignity to curse the Ruler of your people to entertain darkness in stead of a vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to advance your selves with confidence into the things which you have not seen and to please your selves most when you neither please God nor sober minded men Amongst the Behemites or Mysterialists you Behemites or Misteryal wil learn little but uncouth and affectate words and phrases under which you may intend and mean what mysteries you please but nothing to the edification of any man nor scarce of your selves together with an art or faculty to allegorize quite away the vivifique spirit power and Authority of the Scriptures and this under a pretence of teaching Repentance Mortification Humility Self-denyal Resignation c. after a new and more excellent way then hath been formerly taught or known Here though you shal meet with strange and unheard of terms and expressions in a sufficient number to fil the world with new notions and secrets of truth such as the hearts and minds of men have been strangers unto until now yet wil the whole Encyclopedy of this learning hardly bless or enrich you so much as with one distinct notion veyn or streyn of truth which is not already abroad in the world amongst intelligent men yea and this in a far more scientifical garb or habit of expression Here you wil be taught to comment upon the light with darkness Contra-Remonstrancie as it is commonly taught § 14. amongst us is a model of divinity or of Christian Contra-Remonstrants Religion drawn quite besides the platform or pattern in the Mount I mean the mind of God revealed in the Scriptures The appropriate principles of this way may reasonably be conceived to lead unto most if not all other sects and those evils whether of opinion or of practise that are found in them Amongst the sons and daughters of this Divinity you wil learn such a Faith which instead of working by love wil work by carelesness and security and which wil give such large quarter unto the flesh that its own Life and Being wil be sorely endangered if not utterly overthrown thereby besides many most unworthy and hard thoughts and sayings of him who is Grace Love Goodness and Bounty it self and who is not willing that any should perish but that al should come to repentance a 2 Pet. 3. 9. and be saved b 1 Tim. 2. 4. Among the Arians and Anthropomorhites the life of godliness in you if you carry any such thing with Arians and Anthropomorphites you unto them wil be in danger of poysoning with dunghil notions and conceits of God and of Christ For here the abominable Idolatry of the old Heathen who changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image maâ—e like to corruptible man which as the Apostle informeth us God most severely punished is in the clear and plain pri 〈…〉 les oâ— it taught as a great and unquestionable truth And He who the Holy Ghost stileth God blessed for ever c Rom. 9. 5. I mean Christ the Lord is allowed this God-head in a diminutive sence onely and such which dissolveth the glory of the mystery of the Gospel into a piece of odd and savour-less projection without any length or breadth depth or height of wisdom in it Amongst the High-Presbyterians and men baptized into their spirit you must submit your faith to the test of men and be content to be at a classical or Synodical allowance for what you shal beleeve And yet here you wil be taught to sacrifice the peace liberties and comforts of other men and these it may be better more righteous yea and sounder in the faith then your selves upon the service of such a faith which is form'd and model'd by the fancies or weak understandings of men and these superintended for the most part and influenced by some politique or corrupted interest or other These are the principal Sects and by-ways of Christian profession at this day on foot amongst us as far as my knowledge and memory at present serve me to recount them unto you into which I mean into one or other of which if you be not throughly established with the knowledge of the truth and of the good word of God and withal watchful in prayer unto God to keep you in the good old way of truth and peace your foot wil be in danger of sliding and in so much the more danger because these ways of errours at least some of them have deceived great numbers of men and women and are at this day occupyed by many according to that of Christ to his Disciples themselves Take heed that no man deceive you For MANY shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive MANY Facilè transitur ad plures is the saying of Seneca i. A little consideration serves a man to make one in a multitude or throng Besides there are reports
not unto justificâ—tion or remission of sins 86. 87 68. Salvation not suspended by God upon any modality of acting not expresly and precisely determined by himself but obtruded by men 87. 69. Mr. A. cannot substantially prove that baptizing Mark 16. 16. is to be understood of water-Baptism 88. 70. What remission of sins understood Act. 2. 37. § 90. and what Baptism § 91 92 93. 71. Protestants generally against remission of sins by Baptism Papists generally for it 94. 72. A particular or personal injunction under some circumstance not generally obliging upoâ— the same terms or in order to the same end 95. 73. The promise of remission of sins was made unto faith and repentance long before Baptism was in being and so could not be suspended upon it 95. 148. 74. The prescription of one means for the obtaining of an end is not exclusive of this attainment by all others 95. 75. The order of things as well that of time as that of nature is oft interchanged in the Scriptures 97. 76. No mans publique assent unto the terms of the Gospel is entred by Baptism 98. 77. The justification of God in the sight of the world is no effect of Baptism 99. 100 78. Infant-Baptism contributes as much or more to the justification of God in the world as the baptizing of men and women 101. 102. 79. Baptism no part of the Gospel 102. 80. Gal. 3. 24 25 26 opened 104. 105 c. 81. Faith under the Gospel different from that under the Law 105. 82. When a thing may be dont after donâ— after different manners they that do it not after one manner may dâ— it after another 107. 83. Baptism doth not characterise men to be truly Christs 108. 84. Whether or how Baptism makes visible Saints 109. 113. 52. 85. Baptism is no partition wall between Saints and the world 112. 86. Saints visible before baptized 113. 114. 87. Mr. A's similiâ—ude to prove that men and women receive a relative being â—n Christ by Baptism lame and halting right down 115. 116. 88. To put on Christ in Baptism dâ—th not signify to make an actual declaration or profession unto the world that men own and acknowledge Christ to be come in the flâ—sh c. 118. 89. Infants â—ith as much propriety and truth of speaking may be said to put on Christ in Baptiâ—m as men 119. 90. It cannot bâ— proved â—rom the Scriptures that men put on Christ â—or are said to put on Christ by Baptism 119 91. The Analogy or proportion between Infant-Baptism and Infant-circumcision maintained 120. 121. 122 c. 92. Whether the remaining of circumcision in the flesh any ground of a disproportion c. 121. 122 c. 93. The validity of the testimony of Parents Neighbours c. concerning mens Baptism 123. 124. 94. The Jews had no knowledge of their being circumcised but from their Parents or others c. 123. 95. Little or no inconvenience in being deceived by Parents or others touching a mans having been baptized 124. 125. 96. Mr A's children left at more uncertainty touching their Baptism in case of their parents death c. then those baptized in their Infancie according to the received manner of the Churches where they were born 125. 97. Circumcision not profitable without keeping the Law 126. 127. 98. The Gospel requireth as strict and absolute obedience as the Law but exacteth it not upon the like terms 128. 99. Children void of understanding not more capable of holy things or of the ends or benefiâ— of them under the Law then under the Gospel 129. 100. How the Answer or rather demand of a good conscience towards God saveth us 130. 101. The services of the Law of no better acceptance with God without Faith and Repentance then the services of the Gospel 130. 102. That which is promised and given upon the Antecedent cannot be suspended upon the consequent 131. 103. Circumcision was not therefore weak or less spiritual because administred unto children 132. 104. Weakness and unprofitableness comparatively onely imputed to the Law 133. 105. Infant-Baptism as well reacheth the ends of Baptism as Infant-circumcision the ends of circumcision 134. 106. What is less edifying is not therefore more sutable to the Legal ministration 136. 107. The principal Arguments for Infant-Baptism are not deducted from the example of circumcision 137. 108. Mr. A. buildeth as well upon the rudiments of the world as Pedo-Baptists 137. 109. Circumcision ordered by God in the administration of it to the best advantage for the Churches edification that such an Ordinance or service could be 110. In what respect the Gospel-Ministration before the Legal 139. 111. The guidance of the Holy Ghost whether or in what sense at any time or in any person fallible 141. 112. Christ and his Apostles are to be imitated in the methods and grounds of their arguings 142. 113. Things of a moral consideration and of ready perception from the Scripturâ—s need not the voucher of the extraordinary Authority of the Speaker 143. 114. Baptism supposed with the ends of it the baptizing of Infants is of a moral consideration 144. 115. Whether Infant-Baptism be agreeable or disagreeable to the Gospel-Ministration 145. 116. Whether Baptism be a part of the Gospel Ministration 146. 117. Baptism no contributer towards the receiving of the Spirit 147. 118. The mention of two things for the obtaining of a third doth not allways suppose a necessity of both for this attainment 148. 119. The promisâ— of receiving remission of sins and the Spirit is an old Testament promise and so not made at all unto water-Baptism 148. 149. 120. A comparative sence oft expressed in a positive form 150. 121. A subsequent consent as valid to all ends and purposes as an Antecedent 151 164. 122. Whether men baptized in unbeleef ought to be rebaptized in case of their beleeving afterwards 151. 123. Words and actions at present not understood may do service and obtain their ends afterwards 152. 124. Why and how children capable of Baptism and yet not of the Lords I able 153. 125. Faith not put Gal. 3. 23. 25. for the whole Ministration of the Gospel 154. 126. Infant-Baptism to whom an apparent breach of the Laws of the Gospel miâ—istration 155. 127. That none ought to be baptized but such who appear voluntarily willing c. refuted by sundry arguments 156 157 158 c. 128. Imposition of hands in what respect a greater Ordinance then Baptism 157. 129. Infant-Circumcision was more edifying then men-circumcision would have been 159. 160. 130. Infant-Baptism how comporteth with the exhortation Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth 161. 131. Baptism in respect of the baptized no action or service performed though a submission unto Baptism may be 163. 132. Profession of Baptism and perseverance herein more rewardable by God then the act of being baptized or of once submitting unto Baptism 164. 133. No argument of any pregnant import to disable Infant Baptism 167 171. 134. Any
Baptism was delivered by God Thus also Moses is said by Stephen to have RECEIVED the lively Oracles to give unto them Act. 7. 38. In this sense also Christ is said to have RECEIVED of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost which he shed forth Act. 2. 33. And if Abraham's RECEIVING Circumcision in this place signified his being circumcised in the flesh it must follow that all his posterity receiving circumcision in this sense as well as he should at least in part all of them be Fathers of them that believe as well as he in as much as this prerogative is manifestly by the Apostles suspended upon that receiving of Circumcision which is here spoken of not upon the end for which he received it 2. By the Faith which Abraham is here said to have had being yet uncircumcised and of the righteousnesse of which he is said to have received Circumcision as a sign and seal is not meant that individuall Faith whether act or habit which was in Abraham but the species or kind of Faith which he had In such a sense as this the Apostle saith that that Faith which was in Timothie dwelt first in his Grandmother Loïs 2 Tim. 1. 5. meaning the same species or kind of Faith i. as himself also expresseth it of Faith Unfeigned When I call to remembrance the unfeigned Faith that is in thee which first dwelt in thy Grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also In like manner by the Faith of Abraham twice in this very chapter Rom. 4. 12 16. is meant that species or kind of Paith which Abraham had 3. For the cleare understanding the Scripture before us it is diligently to be observed that the Apostle doth not say that Abraham received circumcision as either sign or seal of his Faith but of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had i. of that justification or justified estate wherein by vertue of the counsell will and decree of God in that behalf he was invested or instated by and upon his beleving Circumcision was neither sign nor seal of Abrahams Faith nor of any other mans Faith how like soever unto Abraham's but of the righteousnes of his Faith yet not as his but as true and unfeigned 1. such as unto which God by covenant and promise had annexed the Grace and blessednesse of Justification From whence it follow 's 4. That circumcision could not be a sign or seal of the righteousnesse of Abrahams Faith only individually or personally considered but must needs be this sign and seal of the same righteousnesse of the like Faith in what person or persons soever it should be found Yea it was a sign and seal of the righteousness of Faith simply and indefinitely considered i. as promised or covenanted by God unto man-kind So that whether any person among the Jews had been circumcised or not and so whether any circumcised person had beleeved or not yet was Circumcision a sign and seal of the righteousnesse of Faith unto them as well as unto those who were both circumcised and believed i. As God made this covenant with the world or man-kind in generall that whosoever truly believed in him should hereby become righteous or which is the same be justified so likewise upon the same generall and unlimited terms he gave the Ordinance of circumcision by the hand or ministerie of his servant Abraham for a sign and seal of his truth and faithfulnesse in this covenant i. that he would justifie all those without exception who should truly beleeve This is evident from these words in the fall of the verse in their dependance upon the former that righteousness might be imputed unto them also unto them i. unto all that should believe whether circumcised or uncircumcised as if he should have said Therefore Abraham received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousnes of that kind of Faith which he had being yet uncircūcised that so all those without exception who should beleeve as he did might have the same assurance with him that righteousnesse should be imputed unto them also as it had been unto him i. that they should be as certainly justified by God as he had been Mr. Fishers notion denying Circumcision of old and Baptism now to be any sign at all unto children is very childish and unworthy a Considering man Circumcision was the same i. the same sign unto children which it was unto men nor was there any difference change or alteration in it or in the signifying nature or propertie of it when it was actually apprehended and understood by these children being now become men But the present inability or incapacity in children to understand the language or signification of a sign doth not prove that that which is really a sign is no sign unto them it onely proves that it is not apprehended as a sign or in the signifying relation of it by them If signs be no signs unto children because they do not at present understand their signification it will follow that there are none at all in the world unto men whilst they are asleep or whilst thorow any ingagement of their minds or thoughts otherwise they do not actually mind or attend the significations of them A sign is not therefore called a sign because it alwayes actually signifies one thing or other unto any man but because it is apt to signifie such or such a thing unto those that are in a capacitie whether more immediate or more remote to understand it and withall actually mind the signification But the conceit we now speak of is so waterish that there is no tast either of truth or reason in it Sect. 62. 5. By the premises levied in the consideration of the Scripture before us duly considered it clearly appeareth that when Abraham's said to have RECEIVED the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FATHER OF ALL THAT BELIEVE the meaning is that God by casting this peculiar honour upon Abraham to make him from amongst all the men in the world the Receiver of and as it were his Great feoffee in trust for his Great Ordinance of Circumcision which he intended for a sign and seal of that blessed Covenant of Grace made with him and his seed and in them with all the world did characterise and commend him unto the world as the Father of all that should ever after beleeve i. for the most exemplarie and signall Beleever that ever the world had seen the worth and transcendent excellency of whose Faith was enough to replenish the earth with a generation of beleevers The meaning of this expression That he might be the Father of c. according to the frequent use of the verb substantive in the Scripture is that he might be declared or made known to be the Father in the sence mentioned of all that believe That ye may be the
witnes preacher of it according to what he speaketh else where in the same Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For this cause came I into the world that I might bear witnesse to the truth b Ioh. 18. 37 And thus the said Preposition might be rendred and perhaps better then now it is Mat. 15. 24. Col. 1. 20. c vi Redemption redeemed p. 44 and I suppose in severall other places which do not at present occurre According to this construction of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning of the exhortation be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sins ariseth to this effect Since upon and by means of your repentance you obtain so rich a priviledge as remission of sins is thorow the Lord Iesus be not ashamed to be baptized in his Name i. to own him for your sovereign Lord and master in the face of the world Now 2. That this interpretation of the clause is savourie and Evangelicall is of ready demonstration For what can be more reasonable then that men should publiquely and without being ashamed acknowledge and own him for their Gracious Benefactour for whom they have received favours of high concernment unto them and this in consideration of these worthy favours received And unlesse we shal admit of some such coÌ„struction of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this Mat. 3. 11. we must make Baptism as well required on mans part to interesse him in Repentance or make impenitents either the only or the best capable subjects of Baptism as well as in remission of sins For here Iohn Baptist saith expresly to the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. I indeed baptize you with water FOR OR VNIO REPENTANCE 3. And lastly for this the sence given no wayes disaccommodates the Context any whit more then Mr. A's interpretation it self doth Nor can there any account be given of such a dis-accommodation Sect. 97. 7. Yet once more to the Scripture in hand these words for the remission of sins may be well conceived to relate only to the word Repent in the beginning of the verâ—e and the words coming between and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus to be inserted after the maÌ„ner of a parenthesis directing the Iews what to do upon their repentance not for the procuring or obtaining the forgivenesse of their sins which as we already shewed from the current of the Scriptures is promised unto repentance not unto Baptism but for a sacred testimonie unto the world that at present they were and as a solemn ingagement upon themselves ever to remain and be the true and loyall Disciples of Iesus Christ 8. Some interpret and be baptized figuratively as if Peter by the sign understood the thing signified or professed by it of which Dialect there are many instances in Scripture According to this interpretation Repent and be baptized is no more then Repent and believe Baptism in capable subjects as all these were to whom Peter now speaks signifying and importing Faith and the profession of it 9. This clause for the remission of sins may be understood in a kind of declarative sence as many such scripture expressions likewise are and so signifie for the secureing or assuring your selves of the remission of your sins It is a true rule that words and phrases which more frequently signifie such or such spirituall priviledges at present obtained by Faith are sometimes used to signifie the actuall and reall fruition of these priviledges and their compleat manifestatiom Thus Rom. 8. 23. even we do sigh in our selves waiting for the ADOPTION c. i. for the full enjoyment or manifestation of our adoption c. So Gal. 5. 5. We thorow the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith i. for the actuall and compleat manifestation and fruition of those good things which we now expect and hope for upon the account of our justification before God by beleeving Thus also Mat. 6. 12 14. Forgivenesse of sins is put for the knowledge comfort or assurance of this forgivenesse to omit other instances of a like dialect Some such sence as this of Remission of sins in the â—cripture before us is very proper for the place because it so fitly agreeth with this part of Peters exhortation and be baptized one speciall use and end of Baptism as Mr. A. himself acknowledgeth and this more then once if I mistake not in this very discourse being to seal ratifie or insure unto men the remission of their sins upon repentance Besides in emphaticallnesse of language wherein the holy Ghost much delighteth also Remission of sins is not it self is not what it may be made unto those in whom it is vested untill it be known unto them and so enjoyed by them This construction of the place maketh not remission of sins it self which is Mr. A's sence but the knowledge comfort or enjoyment of this remission to be dependent at least to a degree upon Water-baptism in conjunction with repentance Though some of the interpretations of the passage Act. 2. 38 39. now insisted on and explained may possibly seem somewhat more hard and scant of satisfaction then their fellows yet is the hardest of them all better comporting with the generall notion and doctrine of the Gospell and no lesse with the words and phrases themselves then that sence which Mr. A. labours in the very fire to fasten on them Lastly for this suppose we that Mr. A's conceit about the meaning of the said Scripture should against Scripture light be admitted yet would neither his Anti-paedo-baptismall conceit nor his conceit about the necessitie of water-dipping receive any incouragement or credit at all hereby Not the latter because here is only mention made of being baptized nothing at all so much as hinted at the greatest distance touching the necessitie of any determinate manner of the performance or reception of it Nor yet the former because 1. from the order of the two duties as they are here exprest and named first Repentance and then being baptized nothing can be concluded for an universall necessitie of the one to precede the other in time there being scarce any thing of more common observation in the Scriptures then that the order of things as well that of time as of nature is here frequently interchanged and that mentioned in the first place which in respect of Order as well the one as the other is latter Joh 3. 5. Water which Mr. A. understands of Baptismall water is mentioned before the Spirit in the work of regeneration Baptizing Mat. 3. 6. is mentioned before confessing of sins yea and ver 11. before repentance Confession with the mouth Rom. 10. 9. is mentioned before beleeving with the heart So the Greek is mentioned before the Jew Colos 3. 11. as the Jew before the Greek Gal. 3. 28. So again joy is mentioned before peace Gal. 5. 22. and
If the relation of Son-ship unto God and not Faith or repentance be the originall or first ground or qualification in persons which render them capable of Baptism then may Infants lawfully be Baptized But this relation and not Faith or Repentance is the originall or first ground in persons qualifying them for Baptism Ergo. Had M. A. propounded the Argument in these terms he had had no colour at all or a very faint colour only for his latter by the way For though it be supposed that all men whether Christian or Pagan have or rather have had that sin of which they were guilty in Adam remitted unto them for it may be some doubt whether this guilt after remission returneth not again with the guilt of actuall sinning though this be a point that I shall never much controvert and in that respect sometimes were or let it be at present are alike partakers in the love of God with Infants yet doth it not follow from hence that therefore they are equall with them in the relation or priviledge of Son-ship or in that love of God which accompanieth this relation He that committeth sin saith John is of the Divell a Ioh. 3. â— See also ver 9 10. And the reason why Infants are the Children or Sons of God is not only or simply because they have the sin whereof they were guilty in AdaÌ„ remitted unto them but because in conjunction with this they are free from sinning against the Covenant of Grace and so from cutting themselves off from that salvation which is by Christ Whereas men and women who have actually sinned and not repented and belelieved remain in the gall of bitternesse and bands of iniquity and are children of Sathan not of God This for answer to Mr. A's latter by the way being a purchase made by him with the one half of the wages of that disingenuitie which he practised in concealing the true Argument of his Adversaries and substituting in the place thereof a Changeling of his own Concerning his former by-the-way I answer Sect. 170. 1. If his meaning be that the one Argument of his Adversaries that against which he is now buckling on his armour contradicts that other argument of theirs which he mentioneth as one part of a contradiction contradicteth the other he hath made a very bad bargain for his cause by the way For it is a generall rule without any exception that altera pars contradictionis semper est vera one part of every contradiction is alwayes true Now if either of those Arguments which he saith contradict the one the other be true his Doctrine of Anti-paedobaptism must needs be false because they are both contradictions to it For 1. if it be true that the children of Beleevers and these only ought to be baptized then must it needs be false that no children at all ought to be baptized Or 2. if it be true that all children are capable of Baptism or ought to be baptized then it is much more apparantly false that no children ought to be baptized Therefore I do not believe that when Mr. A. challengeth the one Argument of his Adversaries to contradict the other he would be understood to speak of a contradiction strictly and properly so called but only of a coÌ„tradictioÌ„ by way of contrarietie as Logicians speak in which kind both parts of the contradiction may possibly be false but never true Therefore 2. I answer further that if he judgeth it any matter of prejudice to the cause of Infant-baptism that some of those who maintain it are in some things relating to it differently-minded amongst themselves herein also he consulteth disrepute to his own cause For it is well known that the Peter and the Paul the two great Apostles of Mr. A's Re-baptismall Faith I mean Mr. J. Tombs and Mr. S. Fisher resist one the other in their respective Doctrines about the the state and condition of children God-ward Yea the former professeth in effect that if he were of the judgment of the latter about the said point he would give hostages to his Paedobaptismall Adversaries and baptize children with them His words in his exercitation about Infant-baptims p. 24. are these Nor do I doubt but that the Elect Infants dying in their infancie are sanctified yea if it should be made known to us that they are sanctified I should not doubt that they are to be baptized remembring the saying of Peter Can any man forbid water that these should baptized who have received the holy Ghost as wel as we Not long before viz. pag. 19. of the same Exercitation he had delivered his sence to the same purpose in these words I answer the major Proposition is true if it be understood of thâ—se whose is the kingdom of Heaven when it appears that the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them Now the mâ—jor Proposition which here he grants to be true upon the terms specified was this They may be baptized whose is the kingdom of heaven Now Mr. Fishers judgement declared over and over is that unto children yea unto all children doth belong the kingdom of Heaven I believe saith he all Infants as well as some dying Infants and before they have deserved exemption and damnation by actuall rebellion to have according to the generall declaration of the Scriptâ—re right of entrance into the kingdom of Heaven Baby-baptism p. 301. with much more of the same notion in that which followeth and elsewhere Nor do these two Grandees only digladiate between themselves about a businesse of such a main import and so neerly relating unto the Question about Infant-Baptism as Mr. Tombs in the passages now cited plainly enough supposeth but the Churches themselves of the Ana-baptismall perswasion are accordingly divided one from another thorowout the Land one crying out I am of Paul another I am of Cephas some of them siding with Mr. Tombs in his judgement others imbarqueing with Mr. Fisher in his Nor are these Shepherds and flocks scattered from one another in their judgements about the point mentioned only they are at variance amongst themselves about many others Yea notice hath been taken somewhere in the premises that Mr. A. himself contradicts Mr. Fisher himself in his sence about the sealing nature and propertie of Baptism So that if he looks upon contradicting assertions amongst those who are joyned in the defence of the same cause as an argument of the badnesse of their cause as he seems in his first by the way to do certainly his own cause must needs be very bad whose Assertours have no communion in judgment about many things But Sect. 171. 3. And lastly what if Mr. A. be quite mistaken in his supposall that the one Argument he speaks of contradicts the other then sure this by-the-way will be found out of the way aswell as the other He that affirms on the one hand that all children are capable of Baptism and he who on the other hand affirms that the children only of
children of your Father c. 1. that ye may be known to be so Mat. 5. 45. And the man whom the Lord shall chuse shall be holy i. shall be owned or acknowledged for holy Num. 16. 7. So again And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great 1. appear or be discovered to be great Num. 14 17. That sin might BE out of measure sinfull by the commandement 1. might appear or be known to be so Rom. 7. 13. Besides many the like a This interpretation of the verb Substantive BE Mr. Fisher himself attesteth affirming that Circumcision was a seal to Abraham to honour the greatness of the Faith he had and to NOTIFIE him to be the Father of the Faithfull as is plainly expest Rom. 4. 11. Baby-Baptism p. 153. As God by chusing Moses out of all the children of Israel yea out of the whole world to be the first and immediate Receiver from himself of those lively Oracles as Stephen expresseth them Act. 7. hereby declaclared and commended him both unto the nation of the Jews and then to all the world besides for a Great Prophet Person highly interessed in his favour c. and did the like by John Baptist in making choice of him from amongst all the holy worthy persons in the world to be the first imediate Receiver of Baptism from his hand that sâ— by and from him it might be propagated unto all those to whom it was intended in like manner by singling and chusing Abraham out from amongst the generation of men spread upon the face of the whole Earth to be the first and imediate Receiver of the Great Ordinance of Circumcision intended and given for a sign and seal of the Righteosness of such a Faith or kind of Faith as he had being yet uncircumcised by and from him to be derived unto all those that should desire or be found meet to partake thereof he did I say hy casting the Spirit of this glory upon him recommend and set him forth unto the world as the Father of all those that should believe i. for a person whose Faith he so highly esteemed that he invited the world to follow his steps herein So that Abraham was not properly or formally constituted or made the Father of all that believe in the sence declared by his receiving the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse os the Faith which c. but by that great and worthy spirit of Faith acting and shewing it self from time to time so exemplarily in him in severall cases upon occasion as appears Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many a See Rom. 4 18 19 20 21. Heb. 11. 8 9 17 c. nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy seed be c. Onely the honour of this Father-hood which was Abrahams equitable right upon the account now specified before his receiving Circumcision God was pleased to attest and set his seal unto in the sight and presence as it were of Heaven and Earth by revealing that his mysterious and great Ordinance of circumcision first unto him as for his own personall accommodation and heavenly securitie in matters of highest concernment unto him so likewise for the like benefit and blessing unto his posteritie and all those who should incorporate and make one nation and people with them And that the world might understand and know that the consignment of this great Ordinance unto Abraham was intended by God as an honourable cognizance of that signall Faith which was in him he was pleased to impose this sence and signification upon the said Ordinance viz. that it should be a seal or means of confirmation unto the world that in whomsoever that kind of Faith which was in Abraham should be found he should with Abraham be justified in his sight Rom. 4. 11 22 23 24. Gal. 3. 6 7 8. 9. Sect. 63. 6. And lastly for this evident it is 1. that Abraham his being circumcised or his receiving this Ordinance in the flesh is not in this Scripture so much as mentioned or intended but only his receiving the first discovery and command of it from God as a Feoffee in trust for his posteritie and those who should desire to incorporate with them 2. That Circumcision the Ordinance whereof Abraham thus received was not intended or given by God as either a sign or seal either of Abrahams Faith or of the Faith of any other person nor yet as either sign or seal of the righteousness of Abrahams personall or individuall Faith as such but of the righteousness of the same kind of Faith in whomsoever or in how many soever it should be found during the time assigned by God for the continuance in it in the world 3. That Abraham was very notably and solemnly declared by God unto the world to be the Father of all that believe not by any kind of receiving Circumcision in his flesh wherein all his posteritie were equally priviledged with him but by receiving the Ordinance and commandment of it immediately and before any other person from God which was his prerogative alone 4. And lastly That the counsell and minde of God in circumcision was that it should be both a sign and seal of the righteousnesse of a true and unfeigned Faith i. of that kind of Faith which was in Abraham in whomsoever it should be found as well as in Abraham yea simply and indefinitely so i. whether this Faith had ever been found in any man or no inasmuch as neither mens beleeving nor their non-beleeving do or can at all alter the purpose or counsell of God in any of his Ordinances Sect. 64. Did I not judge the explication given of the Scripture lately argued abundantly sufficient to satisfie and convince any man to whom Paul being alive would not say if he be ignorant let him be ignorant that Circumcision was not a sign or seal of the righteousness of Abrahams personall or individuall Faith only but generally and universally of the righteousness of the same kind of Faith in whomsoever it should be found I should adde much more for his satisfaction in that behalf I trust the Reader will pardon the digression considering that the text of â—cripture opened herein thorowly and distinctly understood gives little lesse then a thorow light into the Question about Infant-Baptism And I am in no degree doubtfull had but Mr. Fisher and Mr. A. been both willing and able to reach the mind of the holy Ghost therein and withall quitted themselves like men in the consideration of it they had been preserved in the streight way of God and of the Gospel and not turned aside into the crooked path of Ana-Baptism But let us now return and hear what Mr. A. hath farther to say why God's design touching Repentance for the Remission of sins should be better served or answered by the Baptizing of men then of children Therefore
After five severall accompts lately given in by him as we have heard with the Imprimis of an IF in every of them respectively why Baptism should be called The Baptism of repentance for the forgivenesse of sins now as IF he had but dallied and plaid fast and loose with us in these he delivereth us in a sixth accompt of the truth whereof he seems to be more confident then of any then of all the former and yet we have this also tendered unto us somewhat tenderly though with an especially viz. with an I conceive In this respect especially I CONCEIVE it is that c. But 2. Doth not his Comparative term especially relating to all his five former accounts suppose that all these had done vertuously though this last surpasseth them all And yet are not some of them at least one of them if not more altogether inconsistent with this The tenor of this sixt and highest-priz'd accompt being this because men are to take up the Ordinance upon their first beginning to repent in order to the remission of their sins renders it very hardly consistent with that before delivered in the third place which as we heard was this because God thereby signifies and seals unto men the remission of their sins upon their repentance If Baptism be therefore called the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins because men are to take it up in order to the remission of their sins God cannot thereby either signifie or seal unto men the remission of their sins upon their repentance The reason of the inconsistencie is plain If God seals unto men the forgivenesse of their sins upon their repentance Baptism cannot be taken up I mean regularly according to the mind of God in order hereunto because Baptism is not to be taken up according to Mr. A's own principles but after repentance and consequently after remission of sins if this be given by God upon repentance If the remission of sins precedes Baptism which it must needs do if it be given upon repentance then ought not Baptism to be taken up in order thereunto Or if it be taken up by any person in order hereunto the intention represents the action hatefull and abominable in the sight of God Therefore another IF would better have become this sixt accompt also then an ESPECIALLY How ill consistent it is with some other of his former accounts I judge it beneath the Readers edification to examine But Sect. 78. 3. How lamely doth he plead the cause of his beloved Conceit that Baptism should especially be therefore called the Baptism ef repentance for c. because men are to take it up upon their first beginning to repent IN ORDER TO THE REMISSION OF SINS For like reason saith he I suppose it is called the washing of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. because men upon c. So again Hence it is likewise as may well be conceived but much better not conceived nor once thought that mens being born of water and of the Spirit c. What can a man reasonably imagine that he should see or notion in any one of or in all these passages to countenance his notion that Baptism shoud be taken up in order to Remission of sins The clause which in face would best have befriended him at this turn he suppresseth notwithstanding it was at his pens end For having cited these words Act. 22. 16. And now why tarriest thou arise and be baptized immediately followeth And wash away thy sins Why being to act the part he had now in hand he should keep these words behind the Curtain is a secret that I know not how to enter All that can with any face or colour of reason be proved from the scripture passages as yet produced is nothing but what will be granted unto him without proof viz. that Baptism by persons adult and beleeving and not formerly baptized ought to be taken up upon the first opportunity after their beleeving But this Mr. A's principles considered according to which he was not baptized till many years after his beleeving putteth him to rebuke but concerneth not us who judg our selves to have been baptized in our Infancie But for the countenancing of the darling notion mentioned it is like we shall hear somewhat to more purpose ere long Mean while 4. It may not be amisse to observe by the way how full of stonds Mr. A's faith is or at least seems to be about the particulars argued in that part of his discourse which is under present consideration and how lightly he treads the ground on which he is now walking First he only conceives it is as he saith In this respect especially I CONCEIVE it is c. Next he supposeth it is For like reason I SUPPOSE it is c. Thirdly he tells us that it may well be conceived that it is Hence it is likewise as may WELL BE CONCEIVED c. Lastly his doubtless it was though according to the grammaticall import of the particle doubtless it seems to imply confidence yet according to the more passable sence of this word in ordinarie construction it notes some degree of hesitance or question-making I do not make this observation as blaming in the least Mr. A's modestie or dubitative manner of expressing himself in things questionable and obscure Only herein I judge him to be in no better case then Peter was when Paul said of him that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be condemned Gal. 2. 11. viz. that he should trouble the world rend and teare Châ—istan societies upon the account of such â—otions or apprehensions of the truth whereof himself hath no better assurance then conceit or dubitation 5. And lastly His respective sences and expositions of Joh. â— 5. born of water and of the spirit and so of Tit. 2. 5. the washing of regeneration are so much his that our best Expositours do not own them nor do either the words themselves nor yet the scope of the Context in either place require them Concerning the former of these places Calvin expresly professeth that he can at no hand be perswaded that Christ speaketh here of Baptism adding that it had not been seasonable for him so to do a Quantumveâ—ò an hunc locum attinet nullo modo adducor ut Christum de Bâ—ptismo verba facere credam hoc enim fuisset intempestivum Calv in Joh. 3. 5. And not long after this The water saith he of which Christ here speaks is nothing else but the inward purgation and vegetation of the holy Ghost subjoyning this rule for the confirmation of his exposition that it is noâ— unusuall that the copulaâ—ive particle should be taken Exegetically when the latter member is an explication of the former b Ergo nihil est aliud quam interior Spiritus sancti purgatio ac vegetatio Ibid. a Adde quòd non est insolens copulam exegetioâ— sumi quum scilicet posterius membrum est explicatio priâ—ris Ibid Mr.
of this hard and unchristian saying against his Chrâ—stiaâ— brethren who therein dissent from him viz. that the said Doctrine is too evident from it to be denied by any but those that will noâ— see is Act. 2. 38 39. The words being these Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call I answer 1. It hath been lately proved by a cloud of impregnable arguments and demonstrations that to be baptized is not required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins I here adde and explain not in any other sence or upon any other terms however then any other act of obedience unto any the precepts of God is Therefore 2. When Peter exhorts the Jews to Repent and be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins if by being baptized he means strictly and precisely a being actually baptized with water he cannot by remission of sins mean the estate of justification consisting in remission of sins wherein a person is invested by God immediatly upon his Repenting and beleeving because then as we formerly argued there could none be lawfully admitted to Baptism but only children of wrath or such whose sins were not yet remitted For that which is necessarily required on mans part to interesse him in remission of sins must of necessitie precede his being actually interessed in this priviledge and consequently persons not yet baptized how repentant and beleeving soever are not cannot be interessed in remission of sins untill baptized and so must needs be children of wrath and in a state of condemnation Sect. 90. If you ask me but what can we understand by remission of sins in this place but only such an estate of justification as that mentioned and which consisteth in remission of sins I answer We may very commodiously and without the least straining either word or context understand by it that great and solemn Act of absolution from all sin which the great Judge shall in the great day pronounce over all those who shall be found to have lived and died in the Faith of Iesus or else taking the word Remission passively which I judge the better the happy effect or coÌ„sequent of this sentence which is a state of blessednesse and of glory This interpretation fully accords with a passage of the same Apostle in the following chapter spoken to the same people the Iews and probably to some of the same persons Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. i. When the Lord Christ shall return from heaven to refresh the bowels and make glad the hearts of all those who have been sufferers for his Name in this world by investing them with a rest glorious and blessed and which shall never have end according to what the Apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonians Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them which trouble you And to you WHO ARE TROVBLED REST with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire c. a 2 Thes 1. 6 7 c. If it be here replied and said be this interpretation of the words for remission of sins admitted still it will follow there is a remission of sins and this absolutely necessary unto salvation which cannot be obtained without being baptized I answer True it is that if we speak of persons living to years of discretion and under the ministerie of the Gospell they must be baptized in one kind or other either with a baptism literally and properly so called I mean a baptism with water or else with a Baptism vertually or equivalently so called Now there are two or rather three kinds of Baptism which may be thus called viz. Vertually and Equivalently The first is an obedientiall frame or willingnesse in heart and soul actually to submit unto a water-baptism 1. upon a regular conviction of the necessitie of such a submission necessitie I mean in respect of the command of Jesus Christ 2. Upon such an opportunitie for the actuall reception of it under which it may be received without any regret or scruple in the conscience of a man as about the regularnesse or meetnesse of an Administratour about the stâ—ength of a mans bodily constitution to bear the burthen of a plunging under water in case this shall be proved or apprehended to be the only lawfull way of Baptizing c. Another kind of Baptism Vertually or interpretatively so called is an open and free profession of the Gospell and of the Faith of Iesus Christ in the world The third and last is a suffering persecution for a mans profession sake in this kind Now both these divisim but especially conjunctim may be termed Baptisms much in such a sence as John Baptist is in Scripture termed Elias viz. because he serv'd his generation with such a kind of spirit and upon somewhat the like terms as Eliah served his For a profession of the Gospell especially joyned with sufferings for the Gospell serve for all ends and purposes for which Baptism literally and properly so called serveth yea and this with an higher hand then it Insomuch that this kind of Baptism water-baptism I mean actually received is the lowest and meanest of all Baptisms Sect. 91. Now to the Obâ—ection or reply mentioned we plainly and directly answer that one or more of the three Baptisms now specified and described is indeed necessary for the obtaining of such a remission of sins as that meant by Peter in the Text before us and more particularly that mentioned and described in the first place If it be yet replied but is it not evident that Peter here spake of water-baptism it self and that he commanded them to be baptized herewith as well as to repent for the remission of sins And was it not in obedience to this his exhortation or command that they were accordingly many of them baptized with water-baptism v. 41. I answer Be it granted that he speaks of water-baptism yet it must be granted withall that he exhorteth no man to be baptized herewith but upon this supposition or presumption that they should be every wayes and in respect of all circumstances satisfied in their judgements and consciences touching the lawfulnesse of their act in yielding themselves to be baptized in this kind Therefore that Baptism which we speak of and allow viz. a readinesse and willingnesse of mind to be baptized with water when we are satisfied touching the will of God concerning us in that behalf and otherwise have an opportunitie of a like satisfaction in all points unto us for the
lately argued against him are abundantly sufficiently to refute him The Scriptures are Ioh. 7. 39. Act. 15. 7 8. and 19. 2. Gal. 3. 14. Eph. 1. 13. See upon this account Sect. 147. where it is made evident that the promise of the Spirit is made unto Repentance either explicitly or implicitly I mean as included in Faith apart from or otherwise then in conjunction with Baptism The rule which he subjoynes if rightly understood is right and straight and thus understood and applyed accordingly may do good service Where things saith he are promised upon severall conditions or upon condition of severall things in conjunction it is not the performance of one of these conditions that can put a man into a due and well grounded expectation of the promise But M. A. hath lately learned or I am certain might have learned that every thing which is inserted in a promise or in reference to the obtaining of a promise condition-wise i. in the forme of a condition hath not therefore the matter or force of such a condition without which the performance of this promise cannot be obtained And this explication or limitation of Mr. A's rule alwayes taketh place in such cases and possibly in some others where the blessing promised uÌ„der the specification of two conditioÌ„s or more in one place is expresly insured upon the performance of one of these conditions only in another a See more of this Sect. 95. p. 244 245 c. and Sect. 96 97. p. 24â— c. An instance hereof we lately gave from Ioh. 6. 40. in the preceding Section Unto which may be added Ioh. 3. 5 as being of somewhat alike consideration Except a man be born of water the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Water seems here to be joyned conditioÌ„-wise with the spirit as necessary together with the spirit to put a man into a capacitie of seeing i. injoying the kingdom of God Yet it appears from the 3. verses immediatly following where this capacitie under the notion and name of a new birth is attributed unto the Spirit only as likewise from the generall â—urrent of the Scriptures that the Spirit by the word is the sole worker of this capacitie in men See 1 Cor. 6. 11. and 2 Cor. 3. 6. 2 The. 2. 13. 1 Pe. 1. 2 22. Sect. 150. Whereas he further adds p. 135. that Infants are in no present or actuall capacitie of believing whilst such and makes a solemn businesse of the proof of it doth he not make himself a companion of those who are wont to disquiet themselves in vain For though there be some as full of their own sence to the contrary as he can be of his to whom neither this his assertion nor yet his proofs of it are any wayes satisfactorie yet were he gratified with a peaceable assent unto both his cause would be little gratified hereby For Though the ministration of the Law or rather of the Gospell under the Law was as the Apostle notioneth it a ministration of the letter as we formerly heard yet his sence herein was comparative only not simple or absolute as we largely proved Sect. 133. For The Spirit of God was in some measure and degree given under by this dispensation though the proportioÌ„ of this gift in respect of the generalitie of men was very little considerable compared with the rich effusions of this spirit under and by means of the ministration of the Gospell especially about the first entrance of this ministration into the world as not long since viz. Sect. 145. we distinguished And there is nothing more familiar or frequent in the Scriptures then to expresse a comparative sence in words of a positive or absolute 1 Cor. 1. form Christ sent me not to baptize c. i. not so much to baptize So Labour not for the meat which perisheth Ioh. 6. 27. but c. i. labour not so much for this meat Receive my instruction and not silver i. Be more ready Prov. 8. 10 and willing to receive my instruction then silver besides many the like Now if the ministration of the Law was simply absolutely a ministration of the Spirit though not comparatively and God himself notwithstanding judged Infants in a sufficient yea in the best capacitie to partake of a principall part of this ministration I mean of the administration of Circumcision evident it is that the present incapacitie in children under the Gospel to receive the spirit is no barr in their way against their admission to participate in Baptism only because this is a part of the Gospell ministration and this ministration is the ministration of the spirit For he that thus argueth what doth he lesse then put God himself to rebuke who judged Infants such an incapacitie notwithstanding capable enough of the initiatorie part of such a ministration which was a ministration of the Spirit also Sect. 151. Mr. A. was not it seems aware of this answer to his argument in hand but he was jealous of another which he seeks to way-lay by proposing it Objection-wise and so to shape an answer to it Nor can it saith he reasonably be supposed here that M. A. p. 36. such a notion as this will salve this sore viz. that Baptism may be received by Infants in order to their receiving the Spirit when they come to believe and so their Baptism come to be agreeable to the Gospel-ministration as it is a ministration of the Spirit notwithstanding it be received in Infancie Because Baptism hath no influence this way as it is a work done in which respect only Infants are capable of it but as it is done submitted unto and taken up out of Faith and in obedience unto God as hath been already proved in part c. I answer 1. That the sinews of this Answer were lately cut insunder where we proved that God himself judged Infants notwithstanding their actuall incapacitie of receiving the Spirit capable of communion and fellowship in a principall part of such a ministration which was a ministration of the Spirit as well as the Gospel-ministration it self though much inferiour in this consideration unto it see Sect. 133. Yet 2. Whereas he saith that Baptism hath no influence this way he means to or about the receiving of the Spirit as it is a work done in which respect only Infants are capable of it but c. I answer neither had Circumcision any such influence as he speaks of as it was a work done in which respect only Infants were capable of it yet did God judg them meet to partake of the administration of it 3. Whereas he saith that Baptism hath no such influence as he speaks of but only as it is submitted unto and taken up out of Faith c. I answer that as there oft is a subsequent consent to things done as well as an Antecedent and that as valid to all ends and purposes as this in like manner a
consequent submission in Faith unto that Baptism which was administred unto a person without his antecedent consent in this kind may be as available unto him for all spirituall ends as an Antecedent submission could have been Let me put a case to Mr. A. Suppose any one or more of his Baptismall Proselytes should at the time of their taking up Baptism deceive both him and themselves conceiting that they submit unto it and take it up out of Faith when as they know not what true Faith meaneth which I have cause in aboundance to fear is a case of very frequent occurrence among the Proselytes of his newfound Baptism and it was the case of Simon Magus who it seems deceived both Philip and himself in his taking up Baptism but should afterwards come to be convinced of their errour and hypocrisie in this kind and thorow the Grace of God be brought to believe indeed is it Mr. A's sence that their Baptism because not submitted unto and taken up out of Faith at the time of their literall reception of it can now contribute nothing towards their receiving of the Spirit or have no influence upon them this way Or is it his opinion that in this case they ought to take another voyage by water to invite the Spirit unto them If it be certain I am that there is neither precept nor example in the Scriptures nor any competent ground in reason to support it But Sect. 152. 4. We have Examples in the Scripture of edification and spirituall benefit received by men afterwards by such both words and actions which at the time of the hearing of the one and transacting of the other were not understood by those who were in time thus edified by them When Peter thought it strange that his Lord and Master should come to wash his feet Jesus answered and said unto him What I do thou knowest not NOW but thou shalt know HERE AFTER a Ioh. 13. 7 Might not God have spoken in like manner to every child which he by his precept and order in that behalf circumcised under the Law the continuance of their lives untill years of discretion only supposed What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know afterwards Or is there not the same consideration of children in their Baptism When Christ said to Joseph and his mother how is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businessâ— it is immediatly subjoyned And they understood not viz. at the present the saying which he spake unto them b Luk. 2. 49 50 but were they therefore in no capacitie of understanding it yea and of receiving spirituall benefit by it afterwards So again when Christ said thus to his Disciples The Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men the Evangelist presently adds But they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not a Lu. 44. 45 viz. at the time when it was spoken unto them Was it therefore spoken unto them in vain or did it not do worthy execution upon their judgements and consciences in due time Severall other instances there are of like consideration See Joh. 10. 6. Ioh. 12. 16. Mat. 16. 6 7 c. we formerly shewed that the end of planting is not made void by the non-fructification of the tree at the time of the planting of it See Sect 69. So that Mr. A's first Answer in this place leaves his Objection in full force strength and vertue Nor doth his second answer any whit more disable it Infant-Baptism saith he is disagreeable to the Gospel-ministration M. A. p. 36. as it is the ministration of the Spirit in this respect also viz. as it requires all worshippers in all acts of worship in all the Ordinances of this ministration to worship God in Spirit with the mind in faith fear of the Lord. I answer that to this reasoning answer hath been given over and over For 1. it hath been opened that the Gospel-ministration is by the Apostle called the ministratioÌ„ of the spirit coÌ„paratively only not with any import or intimatioÌ„ that the ministratioÌ„ of the Law was in no respect or degree a ministration of the spirit also This Sect. 133 150. 2. It hath been proved likewise that the adnistration of Baptism is no part of the Gospel-ministration but an Appendix only unto it This Sect. 146. 3. It hath been made good That Infant-baptism may be agreeable enough to the Gospel ministration though it should not agree with it in some one propertie or particularly in this as it is the ministration of the Spirit This Sect. 145. Therefore whereas he here pretends to give a reason why Infant-Baptism should be dâ—sagreeable to the Gospel-ministration as it is the ministration of the Spirit doth he not pretend to give a reason of that which is not and withall take that for granted without proof which is denied by his adversaries Sect. 153. And whereas he appropriates it unto the Gospel-ministration that it requires all worshippers in all acts of worship to worship God in Spirit with the mind c. as if the Legall-ministration required not the same this Conceit of his also hath been made to lick the dust at the feet of the Truth Sect. 1â—0 145. So that we have here nothing but braided ware soiled and foiled notions But whereas in the further traverse of this Argument he professeth his ignorance or want of understanding how children should be uncapable of the Ordinance of the Supper and yet capable of Baptism especially considering Mr. A. 37 that they both represent the death of Christ both relate to the great benefit of remâ—ssion of sins c. I suppose that this Salve in his own Rhetorique is proper for this sore and will heal it without a scarr If Mr. A. can but understand how a child may be carried ten or twenty See Mr. Rich. Baxter plain Scripture proof for Infants Church-membership c. Part. 2. cap. 4. 114. miles and yet not be able to go this journey or the like upon his own leggs did not that bane of understandings prejudice and preoccupation here intoxicate him he may as well understand how a child may be capable of the Ordinance of Baptism and yet not of the supper For Baptism is an Ordinance of such a calculation nature and condition that as to the Elementarie and literall reception of it it requireth no principle of action aâ— all in its subject but passivenesse only as Circumcision also did under the Law which among many others to mention this briefly by the way is an Argument to me of a very considerable intimation that it was and is as an Ordinance principally intended by God for such subjects of man-kind which are meerly passive and know not how to act any thing in or about their reception of it The like counsell of God is observable in his enditing of that Ordinance which he intended
only I have given sufficient hostages unto the world that I shall never war upon it or be troublesome unto it for neglecting me or laying my honour in the dust He who it seems believeth that I was tempted into a way of Schisme by mens intemperate zeal against my Treatise of Justification is a stranger unto me and thinketh accordingly But that which he calleth Schisme is schisme only so called unless to separate from iniquity be schism But however the most intemperate zeal of men against me Person Name or Books is a temptation of a very faint influence upon me to turn me out of any way of Truth yea or to make me their enemy Only when the Truth is offended I confess I burn and in case I find any strength in my hand to redress the injury done to it I have no rest in my spirit until I have attempted the Vindication By Truth I do not mean mine own opinion as you seem frequently to understand the word in reference unto yours for as for that which is no more then so I shall neither trouble my self much nor any other man at al about it But by Truth I mean such a doctrine or notion one or more which I certainly know that I am able to demonstrate either from the Scriptures or from clear principles and grounds in Reason or both to be agreeable to the mind of God And of this sort is the Doctrine concerning the subject of Baptisme and the mode of the administration thereof avouched in the Aphorisms and vindicated in the Answer ensuing against the most plausible Arguments I believe that have yet appeared on your side Some particulars there are relating to your judgment §. 6. and practise about Baptisme which as you desire to be judged loyal and faithful unto Jesus Christ true to the dear interest of your own comfort and peace friends to the comforts and peace of the Churches of Christ throughout the world I earnestly desire you will please to take into your closest and most Christian consideration As 1. Whether in your rejecting all children from the Baptisme of Christ you do not forsake the ducture and guidance as well of the fair and goodly stream of religious and learned Antiquity as of the main current of the signal abilities gifts parts judgment piety zeal practise of modern times to turn into the by-notions conceits and ways of men who are and still have been children in understanding at least comparatively inexpert in the word of righteousness through the weakness of their sight not able to see things afar off or to discern or discover the minde of Christ if it be but spiritually expressed I mean in such phrase or words wherein the holy Ghost delighteth and not put into terms and words of their prescription and such as they judge meet it should have been had he intended to convey it unto men by the Scriptures Or whether any one man of any considerable note or name for might in the Scriptures in all the golden Regiment of Reformed Divines or amongst persons of any other capacity since the Reformation hath given the right hand of fellowship unto you in the way of your judgement such only excepted who upon second and better thoughts withdrew it again from you yea or hath so much as at unawares or in any traverse or debate of any other subject in Christian Religion asserted any thing or let fall a word in countenance of that your judgement of which I speak Yea whether they have not generally upon occasion most solemnly and seriously declared against your opinion and practise shewing and proving the inconveniences and evil consequences of them And whether the affirmative in all their demands supposed it doth not plainly argue 1. That your opinion about Baptisme is of a very ignoble and obscure race and parentage 2. That it carrieth nothing at all in it standeth upon no principles or grounds any ways necessary or useful either for the proof illustration or clearing of any Doctrine in Christian Religion 2. Whether Errors and Heresies have not their § 7. certain seasons of growth and infection as wherein they are with greater diligence and industry dispersed and more readily learned and drunk in by the generality of people even as some hurtful Plants See Patrimony of Christian Children by M. Robert Clever with the joynt consent of M. John Dod Printed an 1624. in the Preface to the Reader have their set moneths for springing up budding blooming seeding whereas before they lay hid in the earth and afterwards have their stalks dryed up and withered Or whether mens minds are not in this case subject to be seduced as their bodies are to be infected with contagious maladies some yeers and in some places the small Pox raging in others the Pestilence somtimes one disease being general somtimes another And whether the errors and heresies of the Nicholaitans of Cerinthus Manes Macedonius Arrius Eutyches and others both of former and of later times have not prevailed respectively in those times and ages for which the righteous Providence of God judged them meet tryals and scourges for his Churches And further whether as once the Christian world was on a sudden and to its own admiration under a deluge of Arrianisme Miratus est Orbis se factum Arrianum which notwithstanding was through the gracious Providence of God not long after dryed up again so it be not extremely probable that the face of these parts of the Christian world at present overspread and covered with a Land-flood of Anabaptisme to the wonderment not only of intelligent and considering men but I suppose of the persons themselves also led aside with the error will notwithstanding the great prevailing of these unwholsome waters hitherto through the merciful Providence of God towards his Churches and Servants in this Nation be discharged of them and that he will cause them to return and fall back again into that Mare Mortuum or lake from whence they and all other waters of like danger and annoyance with them issue forth into the world 3. Whether the generality or far greater part of § 8. those who take upon them to be guides and teachers in your Congregations and Assemblies be not utterly incompetent and unmeet for such an undertaking as being deplorably ignorant of the mysterie of Christ not able to divide the word aright nor to wield and manage the Scriptures especially where the deep things of God are treasured up but with unspeakable detriment and loss to the Faith and Holiness and consequently to the solid peace and comfort of those who depend upon them 4. Whether the Doctrines or at least the greatest part of the Doctrines that are handled and taught in your Congregations be not rais'd upon mistaken senses and perverted meanings of the Scriptures unto which they pretend yea and managed upon weak irrelative and impertinent grounds and either wholly mis-applyed or else so weakly and loosely applyed that they
leave no weighty no effectual or lively impression of their truth or import upon the spirits and consciences of the hearers 5. Whether the now-named deficiences with § 9. several other disorders too frequent amongst you considered there be any great presence of Jesus Christ at any time in your holy Assemblies or such as is frequently manifest in the assemblies of other Churches or whether you have any countenance from heaven either in gifts or graces comparable to other Churches of the Saints And whether the principal if not the only cement and band that keeps and holds your Churches and Congregations together be not the simple conceit that you are by means of your new Baptisme gotten neerer to God and deeper in his favour then other men how holy or worthy soever otherwise above your selves 6. Whether the bulk and main body of persons whether men or women for I hope better things of some of you and which accompany Christian sobriety and true mortification but whether the generality or far greater part of persons of your judgement and practise in the Nation be not so far from that Christian sweetness humility and meekness of spirit which becometh those who profess themselves baptized into the death of Christ buried with him in Baptism towards all men that they scarce retain the moral principles of common Civility but are heady rash fierce despisers of others yea of good men self-conceited arrogant quarrelsome clamorous captious vain boasters unjust defamers of men dissenting in judgement from them still upon all disputes between men of their judgement and others about Baptisme how weakly soever their cause hath been pleaded by her Patrons and how potently and manifestly soever overthrown by her Adversaries yet ringing the great Bell of Ephesus for joy of the victory Great is Diana of the Ephesians Great is the Doctrine of Ana-baptisme and prevaileth a Cumque passim isti Anabaptistae de victoriâ ab Oecolampadio reportatâ gloriarentur edidit ille Colloquii cum Anabaptistis habiti acta Scultet Annal. Dec. 1. An. 1625. Vt primum Constantiam venit Balthasar Anabaptista apud ministros verbi sic nos calumniatus est victoriamque suam de Catabaptismo jactavit ut nesciam an nillos in odium nostri traxerit Ibid. In disputatione autem suprà modum erant vehementes parati mori potius quà m cedere Balthazar quidam Anabaptista literis ad Senatum Tigurinensem pollicetur se Zuinglium suis Scripturis superaturum de Baptismo Ibid. Anabaptisme it seemeth being more hardy then God supposed the King of Tyre would be Ezek. 28. 9. and daring to say in the hands of him that slayeth her I am God I am a divine Truth 7. Whether any person man or woman who § 10. have turned Proselyte to your way hath ever given or at this day can give any competent satisfaction unto men by any sensible growth in grace in knowledge in faith in love in humility in fruitfulness c. that their Proselytism in this kind hath added so much as one cubit nay so much as one hairs bredth to their spiritual stature or that their souls have prospered to any degree by means of their new Baptism Nay 8. Whether a very great number at least of those who have done homage to your way and have bowed down their judgements and consciences unto it have not been spiritual losers by the change sensibly declining and decaying in their graces in those Christian and worthy principles and dispositions which at first they brought with them unto your way waxing much worse after their new Baptizing then they were before as if their new Baptisme had not been into Christ or into his death but rather into old Adam and into his life And whether you your selves in several of your Congregations are not experimentally sensible of such a frequent declining and putrifying of your Members as this casting out and cutting off great numbers of them from day to day I was somwhat more particularly re-minded to put you upon consideration of these two particulars last mentioned by occasion of some of my acquaintance formerly who since have stumbled in the dark into your way These I confess are not many only this I have observed concerning them and must needs upon this occasion testifie that not any one of them as far as an estimate can be made by what is visible or discernable in point of conversation profecit hilum hath gained so much as the making of one hair either black or white by the exchange of his Baptisme but sundry of them have lost many degrees of that sweet Christian savour and love wherewith they excellently adorned the Gospel before I will not positively say by but upon after and since the translation of their judgements into your way 9. Whether amongst men and women whose § 11. Consciences have at any time been surprized with a conceit of more goodness in your way then in the contrary and so have betaken themselves unto it such who have been either the most Christianly meek and humble on the one hand or the most judicious sober learned and best composed on the other hand have not upon a little experience of your way grown cool and very indifferent in their thoughts about it yea and many repented of their weakness and surprisal and forsaken your tents as about Luthers time Oecolampadius Johonnes Gaster Pfistermeierus Johannes Denkius persons of great learning worth and humility with several others and of late yeers many of like character among our selves whom if I judged it convenient I could name Only I may be free I presume to mention that concerning Mr. Richard Baxter a man as like as any man I know to make a crooked generation streight if it be possible which himself hath published of himself viz. that his foot was once very neer to be taken in this snare Huldericus Zuinglius a man of most signal worth likewise in his times maketh the like acknowledgement in these words Wherefore I my self that I may ingenuously confess the truth some yeers ago being deceived with this error thought it better that childrens Baptisme should be delayed until they came to full age 10. Whether since the first invention and practise of your way in later times which according to Sculâ—etus who wrote the History of the Reformation of Christian Religion by Luther and other his Assistants partakers of the same grace with him therein was in the yeer 1521. a Origo fanaticae â—nabaptistarum sectae â—â—ic Anno debâ—tur Scultet Annal. Dec. 1. in Anno 1521. Nicolaus Ciconia Marcus Stubnerus Martinus Cellâ—rius Thomas Muntzerus primi hujus sectae nominantur Authores Ibid. men of your judgement wherever almost they have come have not obstrustructed the course and proceedings of the Gospel opposed troubled defamed the most faithful and worthy Instruments of Christ in the work of Reformation and upon this account been complained of by them b Cursum Evangelii