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<DATE>2012-10-31</DATE>
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<NAME>Pip Willcox</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
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<P>A TREATISE OF BAPTISME: Wherin is clearly proved the lawfulne&s;&s;e and u&s;efulne&s;&s;e of Believers Bapti&s;me; As al&s;o the &s;infulne&s;&s;e and vanity of Infants Bapti&s;me. With many u&s;efull In&s;tructions, concerning the &s;ame matter.</P>
<Q><BIBL>Grounded upon Ephe&s;. 4.5.</BIBL>
<P><HI>One Lord, One Faith, One Bapti&s;me.</HI></P></Q>
<P>By ROBERT GARNER.</P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>PROVERBS 10.9.</HI></BIBL>
<P>He that walketh uprightly walketh &s;urely: But he that pervert|eth his wayes &s;hall be known.</P>
<BIBL><HI>PSAL. 119.126, 127, 128.</HI></BIBL>
<P>It is time for thee, Lord, to work: they have made void thy Law. Therefore <HI>I</HI> love thy Commandements above gold, yea, above fine gold. Therefore, <HI>I</HI> e&s;teem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right: <HI>I</HI> hate every fal&s;e way.</P></Q>
<P>Printed in the Year, 1645.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
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<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Churches of JESUS CHRIST, in <HI>London,</HI> and el&s;ewhere, in all places.</HEAD>
<P>BEloved in the Lord: My hearts de&s;ire to the Fountain of grace is, that you may receive abundantly from thence a multiplica|tion of grace and peace, and a mo&s;t rich enjoyment of the full a&s;&s;urance of under&s;tanding, to the acknowledgement of the mi|&s;tery of God, and of the Father, and of Chri&s;t: and that in every thing ye may be &s;trengthened by him with all might, and enriched by him with all utterance, and with all knowledge, and repleni&s;hed from him with that wi&s;edome which is from above, and enabled by him to walk in ho|line&s;&s;e, love, and unity, and to &s;tand &s;tedfa&s;t in the Truth as it is in <HI>Je&s;us:</HI> that in all things he may be glorified by you. Beloved, our Lord and Saviour <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> (who&s;e <HI>I</HI> am, and whom <HI>I</HI> &s;erve, in whom al&s;o <HI>I</HI> am your Brother and Servant in the Faith and fellow&s;hip of the Go&s;pell) having brought to my hand &s;ome under&s;tanding and enjoyment of the doctrine of Bapti&s;me, and the u&s;efulne&s;&s;e thereof as it concernes Believers, unto whom onely he hath alloted it: <HI>I</HI> did account my &s;elf bound in duty to make you partakers of his grace given to me, by recommending the &s;ame to your con&s;ideration, as it is propounded in the following Treati&s;e. And the rather <HI>I</HI> was willing to do &s;o, becau&s;e (although <HI>I</HI> have &s;een the precious labours of &s;ome of my dear bre|thren, to my edification, clearing the truth of the doctrine of Believers bapti&s;me, and di&s;covering the fal&s;ene&s;&s;e of infants bapti&s;me, in way of an&s;wer to &s;uch, or the arguments of &s;uch who pleaded &s;o earne&s;tly (though carnally) for the &s;ame) yet <HI>I</HI> have &s;een no Treati&s;e po&s;itive|ly and directly declaring the doctrine of Believers bapti&s;m, with the End and u&s;e thereof unto them. <HI>I</HI> be&s;eech the &s;tronger Brethren not to account this undertaking arrogancie or pre&s;umption in me, who am the unworthie&s;t among&s;t the Saints. <HI>I</HI> have writ it, and &s;ent it e&s;pe|cially for the in&s;truction and confirmation of the weaker: having con|fidence (through the Lord) that it will be of &s;ome &s;uch u&s;e and advan|tage to them. Some things in this Treati&s;e do not &s;o directly concern you my Brethren, as others, who upon &s;everall grounds (though but Sandy) are otherwi&s;e minded: as will be manifest to &s;uch as reade
<PB REF="3"> with under&s;tanding. Neverthele&s;&s;e &s;uch things will not be u&s;ele&s;&s;e un|to you my Brethren. And &s;o it may plea&s;e the Lord that they may not be without fruit among&s;t tho&s;e, among whom more e&s;pecially they do concern: if the Lord in bringing this Treati&s;e to their hands, bring it to their hearts al&s;o. It is their in&s;truction that <HI>I</HI> de&s;ire. If any man think him&s;elf to be a Prophet or &s;pirituall, let him acknowledge, that the things that <HI>I</HI> write unto you, are the Commandements of the Lord. But if any man will be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Brethren pray for me: Be mindfull of the Brethren among&s;t us: Study to advance the Kingdome of Chri&s;t in the&s;e parts: for there is a generall back|wardne&s;&s;e to ca&s;t off humane traditions, and to clo&s;e with the Lord <HI>Je&s;us</HI> in his pure Ordinances.</P>
<P>The grace of our Lord <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> be with you. My love be with you all in <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us.</HI> Amen.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Brother in the love and &s;ervice and riches of the Go&s;pell; ROBERT GARNER.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
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<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB N="1" REF="3">
<HEAD><HI>A Treati&s;e of</HI> BAPTISME: Wherein is clearly proved the lawfulne&s;&s;e and u&s;efulne&s;&s;e of Believers Bapti&s;me: As al&s;o the &s;infulne&s;&s;e and vanitie of Infants Bapti&s;m. <HI>With many u&s;efull In&s;tructions concerning the &s;ame matter.</HI> Grounded upon Ephe&s;. 4 5. <HI>One Lord, One Faith, One Bapti&s;m.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_WHich Scripture holdeth forth to us this truth: to wit, <HI>The Lord</HI> Je&s;us <HI>hath given and commanded One Bapti&s;m of water under the Go&s;pell to be admini&s;tred unto Believers onely.</HI></P>
<P>In holding forth this truth, it is needfull to clear up the&s;e things: to wit,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> Fir&s;t, by Bapti&s;me in this Scripture, we are to under&s;tand the Bapti&s;m of water.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> Secondly, This Bapti&s;me of water is an Ordinance of the Lord Ie&s;us.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> Thirdly, This Ordinance of the Lord Ie&s;us is properly and pe|culiarly belonging vnto Believers: Or, it is given and command|ed unto believers onely.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> Fourthly, What is the end and u&s;e of bapti&s;me unto believers. And this I &s;hall &s;hew by laying downe what are tho&s;e Priviledges or benefits which the Lord Je&s;us gives to believers in this Ordinance.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> Fifthly, What is the duty of believers, in and after their par|taking in this Ordinance.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="6"> Sixthly, Whom the Lord Ie&s;us hath appointed to be the Di&s;|pencer or Admini&s;trator of this Ordinance unto believers.</P>
<P>The&s;e things (through the helpe of God) being cleared up will afford to us &s;ome v&s;efull in&s;tructions, as flowing from thence; and will &s;erve for a Touch&s;tone to make tryall of that which is commonly called Infants Bapti&s;me.</P>
<PB N="2" REF="4">
<P>What In&s;tructions will naturally ari&s;e to us from the&s;e gene|rall heads, I &s;hall annexe them thereunto as I goe forward.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t thing to be cleared up is this: to wit, By bapti&s;me in this &s;cripture we are to under&s;tand the bapti&s;me of water. There is indeed a threefold bapti&s;me which we reade of in &s;cripture. The bapti&s;me of water, Acts 8.36. and 10.47. The bapti&s;me of the holy Spirit or fire, Mat. 3.11. Mark. 1.8. And the bapti&s;me of afflictions, Math. 20.23. Mark. 10.39. The fir&s;t of the&s;e was ad|mini&s;tred to all believers we reade of in the Go&s;pell. The &s;econd was given by Chri&s;t, more e&s;pecially to &s;ome per&s;ons, either be|fore or after the admini&s;tration of the bapti&s;me of water, in what mea&s;ure the Lord Chri&s;t was plea&s;ed to di&s;pen&s;e the &s;ame. And this is called the gift or gifts of the holy Spirit. Acts. 10.45. and 19.5.6. The la&s;t of the&s;e is one time or other the portion of all &s;uch as will live godly in Chri&s;t Je&s;us: though indeed &s;ome by the appointment of God drinke deeper of the Cup, and are plun|ged lower and longer in afflictions then others are; yet &s;o, as God alwayes proportioneth richer mea&s;ures of grace and &s;trength to greater mea&s;ures of tryals and afflictions.</P>
<P>What hath beene &s;poken concerning this threefold bapti&s;me may &s;erve (as I conceive) to give &s;ome light to Heb. 6.2. Where mention is made of Bapti&s;mes: not one onely in the &s;ingular num|ber, but bapti&s;mes, in the plurall number. This by the way.</P>
<P>Now the main Scope or Argument of the Apo&s;tle in the fore|mentioned Scripture. (Ephe&s;. 4.5.) will fully prove that the bapti&s;me of water is chiefly and onely intended there. He gives this exhortation to the Saints, ver&s;e 3. endeavour to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He pre&s;&s;eth this exhorta|tion from the con&s;ideration of certaine Unityes or Onene&s;&s;es which were the common lot or portion of them all and &s;o are of all &s;uch as walke in the paths of the Go&s;pell. Saith he, you are all One body, and one &s;pirit, and you are all called to one and the &s;ame hope: ye have all one Lord, and ye all profe&s;&s;e one faith in the &s;ame Saviour: ye are all baptized with one and the &s;ame bap|ti&s;me: you have all one God and Father, who is above you all, and through you all, and in you all in a way of grace and power. And therefore do you pre&s;erve an Onene&s;&s;e of heart and Spirit a|mong&s;t your&s;elves keep or pre&s;erve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Now this one bapti&s;me which the Apo&s;tle makes u&s;e of whereby to &s;trengthen his exhortation, mu&s;t of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> be
<PB N="3" REF="4"> one of tho&s;e three bapti&s;mes above mentioned; but fir&s;t, it was not the bapti&s;me of the holy &s;pirit or fire: for it is evident, all the&s;e believers were not baptized with the powring out of the gift or gifts of the holy &s;pirit upon them: they did not all pro|phe&s;ie nor all &s;pake with tongues: but he gave &s;ome Apo&s;tles, and &s;ome Prophets for the edifying of the Body, ver&s;. 11.12.13. And &s;econdly, it was not the bapti&s;me of afflictions: for we do not reade of any notable afflictions which all the members of this body did for the pre&s;ent meet with. And therefore that exhor|tation could not be, or not &s;o &s;trongly pre&s;&s;ed upon them from either of the&s;e bapti&s;mes. And therefore this One bapti&s;me here mentioned, is without doubt the bapti&s;me of water, wherewith all the members of that one body, upon profe&s;&s;ion of one faith, according to the commandement of that one Lord, were baptized.</P>
<P>And from this One bapti&s;me of water, whereof they were all partakers, as al&s;o they were of many other Onene&s;&s;es, he exhorts them to keepe or pre&s;erve the unity or Onene&s;&s;e of the Spirit in the bond of peace.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;tru|ction.</NOTE> That u&s;efull In&s;truction which flowes from hence, is to teach all the Saints, who are under the profe&s;&s;ion of this one bapti&s;me, ac|cording to the commandement of One Lord, upon the profe&s;&s;ion of one faith, to endeavour at all times,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 13.11.</NOTE> by all meanes to keep or pre&s;erve the unity of the &s;pirit, the onene&s;&s;e of heart and minde, in the bond of peace.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tryall.</NOTE> And this that I have &s;aid, may &s;erve as the fir&s;t Touch&s;tone for the tryall of Infants bapti&s;me, whereby the unwarrantablene&s;&s;e and counterfeitne&s;&s;e of the &s;ame will be di&s;covered: for if this one bapti&s;me ingage all (without exception) who are under the profe&s;&s;ion of it, to keep or pre&s;erve the unity of &s;pirit in that Bo|dy whereof they are members; to walk in a gracious, amiable, wi&s;e, and peaceable manner in the Body: then &s;urely Infants have no admittance by the Lord to this Ordinance. Doth the Lord any where lay &s;uch an ingagement as this is upon Infants? Or are they capable of &s;uch an ingagement as this is? Or doth the Apo&s;tle intend them in this Scripture? wherein he &s;aith, ye are one body, and one &s;pirit, and ye are called to one hope: ye have one Lord, one faith, and one Bapti&s;me: therefore do ye keep the unity of the &s;pirit in the bond of peace. Whereby it is evident that not Infants or Infants of believers, but believers
<PB N="4" REF="5"> onely have entrance and admittance to the Lord to this ordi|nance.</P>
<P>And this remains now to be further proved in clearing up the two next particulars, to wit; The bapti&s;me of water is an Ordi|nance of the Lord Je&s;us; which is one of them; And this Or|dinance of the Lord Je&s;us is properly and peculiarly belonging unto believers, which is the other of them; The&s;e two, I &s;hall now prove joyntly <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> in the mouth of two clear and faithfull witne&s;&s;es wherein this is e&s;tabli&s;hed, and &s;hall prevail a|gain&s;t all gain-&s;ayers. The&s;e two witne&s;&s;es are; Fir&s;t, the com|mand of the Lord Je&s;us and of his &s;ervants from his mouth. Se|condly, the example of the Lord Je&s;us, and of the Saints in Scri|pture, who have walked before us in the pathes of the Go&s;pell.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t witne&s;&s;e is the command of the Lord Je&s;us, and of his &s;ervants from his mouth. And who &s;hall contradict his comman|dement, unto whom all power in heaven and earth is given? It is thus written, Matthew 28.18, 19, 20. And Je&s;us &s;pake to his Di&s;ciples &s;aying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and make Di&s;ciples all Nations, (for &s;o the words are to be read) baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy &s;pirit: Teaching them to ob|&s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="3 letters"> all things what&s;oever I have commanded you. Wherein ob|&s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="2 letters">e this Order, to wit, fir&s;t make Di&s;ciples, and then baptize them, and then teach them to ob&s;erve all other things that I have commanded you. And let another Scripture witne&s;&s;e to the truth of this interpretation, Ioh. 4.2. Je&s;us made and baptized more Di&s;ciples then <HI>Iohn.</HI> Fir&s;t he made Di&s;ciples, and then they were baptized. And the very &s;ame Commi&s;&s;ion of our Lord Je&s;us as it is expre&s;&s;ed by <HI>Mark</HI> in the 16. chapt. ver&s;. 15.16. Doth put the matter out of all doubt, and is &s;ufficient to convince &s;uch (if the Lord plea&s;e) as make, I know not what &s;trange interpretations of that place of Matth. 28. And he &s;aid to them, <HI>Go ye into all the world, and preach the Go&s;pell to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptized &s;hall be &s;aved.</HI> That is, &s;uch as are made believers through the power of God in the preaching of the Go&s;pell, let them be baptized; and he that believeth and is baptized &s;hall be &s;aved. Thus we &s;ee <HI>Matthew</HI> and <HI>Mark</HI> explaining each other concerning the minde of the Lord Je&s;us in this Ordinance. Make them Di&s;ciples &s;aith one, and then baptize them. Let them be believers &s;aith another, and be baptized. And doubtle&s;&s;e the
<PB N="5" REF="5"> Scripture fore-&s;eeing what contradictions would afterward ari&s;e again&s;t this Ordinance of Chri&s;t (thus to be di&s;pen&s;ed) through that &s;elf-love, carnall feare, pride and worldline&s;&s;e, which too much po&s;&s;e&s;&s;eth the hearts of many: and what oppo&s;itions would be rai&s;ed again&s;t the Saints for the practi&s;e of it: did thus provide to clear up and confirm this truth to them who&s;e hearts God doth per&s;wade to receive in the love of it. To the&s;e Scri|ptures may be added divers others concerning the minde of the Lord Ie&s;us in the mouths of his Servants, Acts. 2.38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. Acts. 10.47, 48. Can any man forbid water that the&s;e &s;hould not be baptized which have received the holy Spirit as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. Acts. 22.16. And now why tarrie&s;t thou? (It is the command of the Lord Je&s;us by <HI>Ananias</HI> to Saul, after that he appeared to him in a way of grace.) Ari&s;e and be baptized. Thus we have the fir&s;t witne&s;&s;e &s;peaking clearly, plainly, and fully to the matter,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 15.14</NOTE> without any Deceitfulne&s;&s;e, Darkne&s;&s;e, or inticeing words of Mans Wi&s;edome.</P>
<P>The &s;econd witne&s;&s;e (agreeing with the former) is the exam|ple of the Lord Je&s;us, and of the Saints in Scripture, who have walked before us in the paths of the Go&s;pel. We will &s;et the Lord Je&s;us in the fir&s;t place. Matthew 3.13.14.15. Then commeth Ie|&s;us from Gallile to Iordan unto <HI>Iohn</HI> to be baptized of him: but <HI>Iohn</HI> forbad him, &s;aying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comme&s;t thou to me? And Ie&s;us an&s;wering, &s;aid to him, &s;uffer it to be &s;o now: for thus it becommeth us to fulfill all righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e. Then he &s;uffered him. The Lord Je&s;us is herein an example to believers in tho&s;e or the like re&s;pects: fir&s;t in his paines, He tra|vaileth from Gallile unto Iordan to be baptized. He is willing to take paines to fulfill his Fathers will. Secondly in his forward|ne&s;&s;e, and that is implyed in the word then. Then commeth Ie&s;us. That is, when <HI>Iohn</HI> had entred upon the admini&s;tration of bap|ti&s;me: Then, when the worke was now in hand commeth Ie&s;us. He doth not delay, but makes ha&s;te to fulfill the will of his Fa|ther. Thirdly in his humility. He cometh to Iohn. He di&s;daineth not, nor neglecteth the Ordinance of God, although to be admi|ni&s;tred to him by one much inferiour to him&s;elfe. Fourthly in his holy and firme re&s;olution. He breaks through all oppo&s;itions which did lye in his way to hinder him in his Obedience to his
<PB N="6" REF="6"> Fathers will. <HI>Iohn</HI> forbad him. But the Lord Ie&s;us overcomes that oppo&s;ition with this con&s;ideration, that it is an act of righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e, and therefore it behoveth or becommeth him to fulfill the &s;ame. To his example, we &s;hall add the practi&s;e of the Saints in Scripture. Acts. 2.41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. Acts. 8.12.13. But when they believed <HI>Philips</HI> preaching the things concerning the Kingdome of God, and the Name of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, they were baptized, both men and Wo|men. Then <HI>Simon</HI> him&s;elfe believed al&s;o, and was baptized: And ver&s;es 36.37.38. of the &s;ame chapter, the Eunuch &s;aid, &s;ee here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? And <HI>Philip</HI> &s;aid, if thou believe&s;t with all thine heart, thou maye&s;t. And he an&s;wer|ed and &s;aid, I believe that Ie&s;us Chri&s;t is the Sonne of God. Then they went into the water, both <HI>Philip</HI> and the Eunuch, and he baptized him. Acts 9.18. After that the Lord Ie&s;us had appeared in a way of Grace to <HI>Saul,</HI> and had &s;ent him to <HI>Anamas,</HI> It is &s;aid, He received &s;ight forthwith, and aro&s;e and was baptized, Acts. 18.8. Many of the <HI>Corinthians</HI> hearing, believed, and were bap|tized. And we reade further of foure hou&s;holds of believers who were baptized, <HI>Lydia</HI> and her hou&s;hold, Acts 16.14, 15. The Iaylor and his hou&s;hold, ver&s;. 33, 34. of the &s;ame Chapter. <HI>Cri|&s;pus</HI> and his hou&s;e, Acts 18.8. The hou&s;hold of <HI>Stephanas,</HI> 1 Cor. 1.16. Now if &s;ome &s;hall yet continue to &s;ay, (as many have al|ready &s;poken upon their own imagination) that it is probable, there were Infants in the hou&s;hold of <HI>Lydia,</HI> as well as them of grown yeares, and therefore Infants were baptized as well as them. I give this twofold an&s;wer; to wit, Fir&s;t, there is but one bapti&s;me of water: one in re&s;pect of that One Lord, who hath commanded it; and one in re&s;pect of that one &s;ubject, to wit, believers; &s;uch as make profe&s;&s;ion of one faith, upon whom one|ly that One Lord hath commanded it to be admini&s;tred. And therefore we may boldly affirm, that upon the &s;ame ground <HI>Ly|dia</HI> was baptized, upon the &s;ame ground al&s;o her hou&s;hold was baptized; that was upon their diligent attention and &s;ubjection unto the Go&s;pell which <HI>Paul</HI> preached. And how this will agree with Infants, let the wi&s;e judge. Secondly, it is much &s;afer and more agreeable to the rule of heavenly wi&s;edome, and godly equi|tie to interpret this one Scripture, wherein there is &s;ome &s;eem|ing darkne&s;&s;e (and yet but &s;eeming) by other clear Scriptures of the like nature, rather then to intangle and lo&s;e our &s;elves, and
<PB N="7" REF="6"> wrong the Te&s;timony of the Lord Ie&s;us with our own imagina|tions. Let us then compare &s;pirituall things with &s;pirituall. Let us try the bapti&s;me of <HI>Lydia</HI> and her hou&s;hold, by the bapti&s;me of tho&s;e other three hou&s;holds mentioned above. The Iaylor and his hou&s;hold who were baptized, were &s;uch to whom <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Silas</HI> did &s;peak the word of the Lord, Acts 16.32. and &s;uch as believed and rejoyced in God, ver&s;. 34. He rejoyced and belie|ved in God with all his hou&s;e. And of <HI>Cri&s;pus</HI> and his hou&s;hold, it is &s;aid, Acts 18.8. <HI>Cri&s;pus</HI> believed on the Lord with all his hou&s;e, and they were baptized. And the hou&s;hold of <HI>Stephanas</HI> whom <HI>Paul</HI> baptized, 1 Cor. 1.16. He witne&s;&s;eth of them in the 16. chapter of this Epi&s;tle ver&s;. 15. they were the fir&s;t fruits of Achaia, and have addicted them&s;elves to the mini&s;tery of the Saints. Now whether any of the&s;e Scriptures teach to us either directly or by way of con&s;equence, the bapti&s;m of Infants; let the wi&s;e judge. And doubtle&s;&s;e, <HI>Lydia</HI> and her hou&s;hold will &s;peak as little for that bapti&s;me: for &s;uch as were the&s;e hou&s;holds, &s;uch was <HI>Lydia</HI> and her hou&s;hold al&s;o.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11.1.</NOTE> Thus we have the &s;econd witne&s;&s;e agreeing with the former, (as the Lords witne&s;&s;es alwayes do) &s;peaking clearly, plainly, and fully to the matter al&s;o. And in the mouth of the&s;e two witne&s;&s;es, we have the &s;econd and third general heads clearly and fully proved: to wit, Bapti&s;me is an Ordinance of the Lord Ie&s;us which he hath given and commanded, as properly and peculiar|ly belonging unto believers, di&s;ciples, or repentant ones. And this Te&s;timony, which is from heaven, &s;hall &s;tand immoveable again&s;t the imaginary and counterfeit te&s;timony of all gain-&s;ay|ers. If we receive the witne&s;&s;e of men, the witne&s;&s;e of God is greater.</P>
<P>That which I have &s;aid for the clearing and proving of the&s;e two generall heads,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;tru|ction.</NOTE> is u&s;efull to in&s;truct us concerning the nece&s;|&s;itie of believers bapti&s;me; &s;ome &s;ay, it is of no nece&s;&s;itie: And they charge us that we put a greater nece&s;&s;ity upon it then is meet. To &s;uch I may an&s;wer; Of what nece&s;&s;itie is any of Gods Ordinances? For what nece&s;&s;itie there is of others, the &s;ame ne|ce&s;&s;itie there is of this. And truly we put no greater nece&s;&s;itie upon it, then the Lord Ie&s;us him&s;elf hath put upon it. Now I conceive, there is a threefold nece&s;&s;itie which the Lord hath put upon this, as upon other Ordinances. Fir&s;t it is of nece&s;&s;itie to obey the Lord in this as in all other Ordinances. Secondly it is
<PB N="8" REF="7"> of nece&s;&s;itie to &s;hew forth the prai&s;e and honour of the Lord in this, as in all other Ordinances. Thirdly, it is of nece&s;&s;itie to &s;eek the face, and &s;trength, and ble&s;&s;ing of Chri&s;t in this, as in all o|ther Ordinances. That the Lord Ie&s;us hath commanded it to believers (and in that re&s;pect therefore it is nece&s;&s;ary) I have al|ready proved: And that the Lord Ie&s;us doth manife&s;t his grace and &s;trength to believers in it, I &s;hall prove afterward, when I come to &s;hew of what end and u&s;e bapti&s;me is (through Chri&s;t) unto believers. I &s;hall therefore reque&s;t &s;uch per&s;ons to con&s;i|der, that what nece&s;&s;itie the Lord Ie&s;us hath put upon a Church relation, upon hearing the Word, prayer, breaking bread, and the like: the &s;ame nece&s;&s;itie he hath put upon the bapti&s;me of believers al&s;o. I &s;hall be&s;eech &s;uch to take heed, that in charging us with folly, they charge not the Lord Ie&s;us al&s;o, Others there are (whether through ignorance or malice; I leave to the Lord, and their own con&s;ciences) who endeavour to make this way of the Lord odious, and believers odious in the practice of it. But believers may an&s;wer &s;uch (as <HI>David</HI> did <HI>Michal</HI> when &s;he re|proached him for dancing before the Ark:) It is before the Lord Je&s;us, who him&s;elf was baptized, and hath commanded all be|lievers to walk in this way; Therefore I will glory in this way, and account it a Crown to me: And I will yet be more vile then thus (as you account it vile) and I will be ba&s;e in my own &s;ight: And though you reproach me, yet of the Lord Ie&s;us and of his &s;ervants, of them &s;hall I bee had in honour. 2 Sam, 6.20.21, 22.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tryall.</NOTE> And further; This may &s;erve as a &s;econd Touch&s;tone or tryall of Infants Bapti&s;me: For if the Lord Ie&s;us hath given and com|manded this Ordinance of bapti&s;me, as properly and peculiarly belonging unto believers, or di&s;ciples, as hath been proved by two witne&s;&s;es; then this doth manife&s;tly di&s;cover Infants bap|ti&s;me not to be of God, but of men onely. Search and try if this One Lord do any where command Infants to be baptized: Or if he appoint bapti&s;me to any, but upon profe&s;&s;ion of this One faith in their own per&s;ons onely. Or if you have any clear ex|ample in Scripture for Infants Bapti&s;me, or the bapti&s;me of any but believers onely. Mr. <HI>Mar&s;hall,</HI> in his Sermon upon bapti&s;me, &s;eemes to grant that none but the di&s;ciples of Chri&s;t &s;hould be baptized, but then he turneth a&s;ide from the truth, by affirming that Infants in Scripture are called Di&s;ciples. He alledgeth onely
<PB N="9" REF="7"> Acts 15.10. In the fir&s;t ver&s;e it is &s;aid, There were fal&s;e teachers came from <HI>Iudaea,</HI> and taught the brethren, <HI>Except ye be cir|cumci&s;ed after the manner of</HI> Mo&s;es, <HI>ye cannot be &s;aved.</HI> Now &s;aith Mr. <HI>Mar&s;hall,</HI> To be circumci&s;ed after the manner of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> is for infants to be circumci&s;ed as well as men. And the&s;e &s;aith he, as well infants as men, are called Di&s;ciples, ver&s;e 10.</P>
<P>In an&s;wer to this, I &s;hall &s;hew the mi&s;take of Mr. <HI>Mar&s;hall</HI> and others who follow him herein; from a twofold con&s;ide|ration.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, The&s;e words (after the manner of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI>) re&s;pects not per&s;ons but things: to wit, the keeping of the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> an|nexed to circumci&s;ion. And &s;o the words are thus to be under|&s;tood: Certain men which came from <HI>Iudaea</HI> taught the Brethren, Except ye be circumci&s;ed and keep the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> ye cannot be &s;aved. And ver&s;es 5. and 24. will confirm this interpretation and this onely: where the &s;ame thing being repeated, it is thus &s;aid to wit, It is needfull for you to be circumci&s;ed and keep the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> ver&s;. 5. Ye mu&s;t be circumci&s;ed and keep the Law, ver&s;. 24. So that the manner of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> re&s;pect, not per&s;ons but things; to wit, the ob&s;ervation of the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es:</HI> which thing the fal&s;e teachers required of the &s;ame per&s;ons at the &s;ame time, whom they commanded to be circumci&s;ed: which how it will agree with Infants, let the wi&s;e judge.</P>
<P>Secondly, the very &s;ame per&s;ons whom the fal&s;e teachers com|manded to be circumci&s;ed, are &s;uch whom <HI>Iames</HI> in the 19. ver&s;e &s; ith, are turned to the Lord and &s;uch whom he with the Church writes unto to ab&s;tain from the pollution of Idols, and from for|nication, and from things &s;trangled, and from bloud, ver&s;e 29. and &s;uch whom they call brethren, ver&s;e 25. and &s;uch who upon the reading of the Epi&s;tle rejoyced at the con&s;olation; The&s;e and the&s;e onely are <HI>Peters</HI> Di&s;ciples, ver&s;e 10. And how the&s;e will agree with Infants which are Mr. <HI>Mar&s;hals</HI> di&s;ciples, let the wi&s;e judge. The Lord teach him likewi&s;e to judge rightly. I would hope that upon further con&s;ideration, he will be otherwi&s;e min|ded: e&s;pecially, if the Lord teach him to con&s;ider what is writ|ten, Luk. 14.26, 27, 33. <HI>Who&s;oever doth not bear his cro&s;&s;e and come after me, cannot he my Di&s;ciple.</HI> I do therefore (upon re|newed con&s;ideration) bring back Infants bapti&s;me to the fore|mentioned Touch&s;tone, which is faithfull and precious, and we may tru&s;t to it: for it con&s;i&s;ts of two faithfull witne&s;&s;es, where|in
<PB N="10" REF="8"> are no deceit: whereby it is evident that the bapti&s;me of In|fants, is meerly and onely a device of man: &s;eeing the&s;e two witne&s;&s;es do agree in one, that the bapti&s;me of water is properly and peculiarly belonging unto believers or di&s;ciples, upon pro|fe&s;&s;ion of knowledge, faith, repentance, and holine&s;&s;e, in their owne per&s;ons onely. And therefore, as tho&s;e two witne&s;&s;es do require, ju&s;tifie and commend the bapti&s;me of believers: &s;o they di&s;allow and di&s;approve Infants bapti&s;me.</P>
<P>I &s;hall now proceed as the Lord gives &s;trength, to &s;hew what is the End and U&s;e of bapti&s;me unto Believers: and this I &s;hall do by declaring what are tho&s;e priviledges or benefits which the Lord Ie&s;us gives to Believers in this Ordinance: (for all the Ordinances of Chri&s;t are (through Chri&s;t) gainfull to believers) And indeed here is the marrow of the matter.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, One priviledge is this: to wit, Believers (in &s;ubmitting to this Ordinance) have the name of the Father and of the Sonne, and of the holy Spirit called upon them therein. This is expre&s;ly commanded by our Saviour, Mat. 28.19. Make Di&s;ciples all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Spirit. And another &s;cripture &s;aith, They were baptized in the name of the Lord Ie&s;us. And againe, He commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. All which commeth to one and the &s;ame thing: for through the Lord Ie&s;us, believers have a glorious intere&s;t in the Father, and in the holy Spirit. And this is expre&s;&s;ed el&s;ewhere, by being baptized into Chri&s;t. Rom. 6.3. Gal. 3.27. Now to be baptized into Chri&s;t, or into the Name of Chri&s;t, or in the Name of Chri&s;t, have one and the &s;ame &s;en&s;e and &s;ignification in Scrpture. The meaning of all is this: to wit, Let them be baptized in the Name of the Lord; that is, Let the Name of the Lord be called upon them in bapti&s;me. Now his Name holds forth unto believers, e&s;pecially two things: Authority, and Grace: as &s;uch know to whom the Lord giveth under&s;tanding. And to have his Name called upon them in bapti&s;me, implyeth two things. Fir&s;t, the Lord declareth or promi&s;eth to them, that he Calleth or Putteth his Name, that is, his Authority and his Grace, upon them in bapti&s;me: for the&s;e words, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Spirit, carry the force of a promi&s;e in them: for in that the Lord hath commanded his &s;ervants to baptize believers in his Name, to Put or Call his
<PB N="11" REF="8"> Name upon them in bapti&s;me he &s;aith Amen to it, he confirm|eth the word of his &s;ervants, he performeth what he promi&s;eth to them; Agreeable to what he &s;aith by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Numb. 6.27. They &s;hall put my Name upon the Children of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> and I will ble&s;&s;e them. Now the &s;umme of what the Lord promi&s;eth, or &s;aith Amen to, and which his &s;ervants declareth in his Name un|to believers in bapti&s;me is this, to wit, The Lord is your Father, and Ma&s;ter, and Lord, requiring honour, and feare, and &s;ervice, and Obedience from you: there is his Authoritie, And not onely &s;o, but likewi&s;e promi&s;ing loving kindne&s;&s;e, mercy, truth, peace, ble&s;&s;ing, &s;trength, teaching, and pre&s;ervation to you: there is his Grace. And indeed, as his Name alone is excellent in re&s;pect of Authority, &s;o in re&s;pect of Grace al&s;o. The &s;econd thing which is implyed is this, to wit, Believers in bapti&s;me do profe&s;&s;e to put or call the Name of the Lord, that is, his Authority and Grace upon them&s;elves: for in bapti&s;me, there is, as it were, a promi&s;e on their parts; And it is as much as if they &s;hould open|ly declare before the Lord and his &s;ervants, thus we do now pro|fe&s;&s;e the Lord alone to be our Lord, our God, our Father, and our Ma&s;ter: and our &s;elves to be his Children, his &s;ervants, his peo|ple and that we give up our &s;elves wholly and onely to him, to &s;erve him, to love him, to feare him, to honour him; there is an acknowledgment of his Authority: and not onely &s;o, but like|wi&s;e to depend upon him, and to tru&s;t in him onely for mercy, righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, peace, ble&s;&s;ing, &s;trength, Wi&s;dedome, pre&s;erva|tion, and all good things; there is an acknowledgment of his Grace. And thus, or to this purpo&s;e, believers are &s;aid to put on Chri&s;t in bapti&s;me: as it is expre&s;&s;ed by the Apo&s;tle, Gal. 3.27.</P>
<P>And thus as the Lord hath taught me, I have &s;hewed you what it is for Di&s;ciple or Believers to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. And therein, I have briefly declared to you, one of tho&s;e glorious priviledges which the Lord Je&s;us gives to Believers in bapti&s;me. And indeed, &s;uch to whom the Lord gives a &s;pirituall under&s;tanding, will acknowledge that this is a glorious pri|viledge.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;tru|ction.</NOTE> That which I have &s;aid for the clearing up of this priviledge, is u&s;efull to in&s;truct believers, who are under the obedience of this Ordinance as believers, to look upon their bapti&s;me nei|ther as &s;hamefull nor beggarly, but as honourable and precious through Chri&s;t, who&s;e Name is called upon them in the &s;ame.
<PB N="12" REF="9"> Therefore be not a&s;hamed of your bapti&s;me, but own it conti|nually, and before all men, as an honourable and rich priviledge to you through the Lord Je&s;us.</P>
<P>And again, let Believers be in&s;tructed to walk an&s;werably to this priviledge which the Lord Je&s;us gives them in their bap|ti&s;me. Let them in all things and at all times, be &s;ubject to him as their Lord and Ma&s;ter: let them be &s;ubject to none other in the things of Chri&s;t, but Chri&s;t only; who&s;e Authority only they have profe&s;&s;ed in bapti&s;m to be &s;ubject to. Let them in all their ways &amp; relations, walk according to the Lord Chri&s;t, who&s;e commande|ments they have profe&s;&s;ed to be &s;ubject to. Let them likewi&s;e look for all &s;upply of Grace from the Lord Ie&s;us, that in his grace and &s;trength, they may &s;erve him in all things, and at all times, that in all their conver&s;ation they may &s;hew forth the prai&s;e and honour of their Lord and Ma&s;ter, who&s;e Name is called up|on them.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tryall.</NOTE> Again, This priviledge which Believers have in bapti&s;me through Chri&s;t, may &s;erve as a third Touch&s;tone of Infants Bap|ti&s;me: for I thus conclude. Bapti&s;me may lawfully be admini|&s;tred to none but unto &s;uch onely, whom the Lord hath made meet to be partakers of &s;uch a priviledge, as to have his Name called upon them in Bapti&s;me. And who are the&s;e? But fir&s;t &s;uch as know the Lord; &s;uch as know the Father, and the Sonne, and the Holy Spirit: &s;uch as know the Authority and Grace of the Lord Ie&s;us: &s;uch as know what the Lord declareth and promi|&s;eth to them, and what they promi&s;e or profe&s;&s;e before the Lord and his people in bapti&s;me: as I have above &s;hewed. Secondly, &s;uch whom the Lord hath inabled in &s;ome mea&s;ure, to walk an|&s;werably to &s;uch a priviledge, and &s;uch a profe&s;&s;ion, as the Lord puts upon them, and they take upon them&s;elves in bapti&s;me: from thenceforth to walk as the &s;ervants of the Lord, who&s;e Name therein is called upon them, being &s;ubject in all things to him, and depending for all things upon him onely. Now then the bapti&s;m of Infants being wi&s;ely and &s;incerely applyed to this Touch&s;tone, it will evidently appear, to all di&s;cerning, humble &s;pirits, not to be of God, but of men onely: for hath the Lord made them to be meet partakers of this Ordinance? Do they know the Lord? Do they not want this nece&s;&s;ary thing? How then &s;hall his name bee called upon them? How &s;hall his Authority and Grace be declared to them in Bapti&s;me,
<PB N="13" REF="9"> and they promi&s;e and profe&s;&s;e before the Lord and his people, from thenceforth to be &s;ubject unto him, and depend upon him, &s;eeing they do not know him? Do not therefore &s;uch as com|mand and practi&s;e Infants bapti&s;me goe a direct contrary cour&s;e from the mind of the Lord Je&s;us? I leave it to the con&s;ideration of the wi&s;e.</P>
<P>And heare I may take occa&s;ion to deale with &s;uch in a word or two, who plead &s;o earne&s;tly for the bapti&s;me of the Infants of believers, upon this ground becau&s;e they are holy: to wit, &s;ay they, with a foederall holyne&s;&s;e, by vertue of their Parent or Pa|rents being believers: which holyne&s;&s;e, &s;ay they, gives them a Right to bapti&s;me. Their alone ground is from the Apo&s;tles words, 1. Cor. 7.14. el&s;e were your children uncleane, but now are they holy.</P>
<P>I might an&s;wer, fir&s;t that not &s;uch a holyne&s;&s;e, neither any other but a naturall holyne&s;&s;e, contrary to a naturall uncleane&s;&s;e, is there intended by the Apo&s;tle, as will evidently appeare to &s;uch to whom the Lord gives a di&s;cerning Spirit.</P>
<P>Secondly, I might &s;ay, the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks not the la&s;t word concerning bapti&s;me, (neither was it to his purpo&s;e) in that Chapter.</P>
<P>But Thirdly, if I grant to them (&s;eeing they are &s;o earne&s;t upon it) that the Infants of believers are foederally holy, yet this will be no advantage to them concerning the bapti&s;me of the&s;e Infants: &s;eeing, I may affirme from the Lord Ie&s;us, according to cleare &s;cripture, that no holyne&s;&s;e what&s;oever can admit any to bapti&s;me but a profe&s;&s;ed holyne&s;&s;e, or knowledge, or faith, or re|pentance in their owne per&s;ons onely. Yea, I may boldly affirm, that if the Lord &s;hould witne&s;&s;e from heaven to our knowledge, that &s;uch an Infant of &s;uch Parents was an elect ve&s;&s;ell, one or|dained to eternall life, an heire with the Lord Je&s;us of the King|dome of glory (which is more then a foederall holine&s;&s;e) yet it was in no wi&s;e warrantable or lawfull to baptize &s;uch a one, till afterwards in time, the Lord did teach him to know him&s;elfe, and he did profe&s;&s;e and declare him&s;elfe to believe in the Lord Je&s;us. And this likewi&s;e may in part give &s;atisfaction to &s;uch who plead for Infants bapti&s;m from tho&s;e words of our Saviour: Of &s;uch is the Kingdome of God. I conclude therefore, that it is nece&s;&s;ary that all &s;uch doe know the Lord, and know their duty and ingagement, and priviledge, who are to be baptized in the
<PB N="14" REF="10"> Name of the Lord. And &s;o much for this Touch&s;tone and this priviledge.</P>
<P>A Second priviledge which believers have by Chri&s;t in their bapti&s;me is this, to wit, by bapti&s;me they do enter into the fel|low&s;hip of his Body, that is his Church, with all the priviledges and liberties of the &s;ame. Bapti&s;me is that onely orderly entrance which God hath appointed for believers into the fellow&s;hip of the Church of Chri&s;t. 1. Cor. 12.13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body, whether we be Iewes or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drinke into one Spirit. In which words we have the&s;e two things proved, to wit, fir&s;t that believers bapti&s;me is their entrance in|to one particular Body, Church, or Congregation of Chri&s;t. By one Spirit (&s;peaking of Believers) we are all baptized into one Body. That is, We that are Members in particular, diver&s;ely gif|ted and fitted, by that one &amp; the &s;elf-&s;ame Spirit, are all baptized into one body or fellow&s;hip, for the mutuall profit and benefit of each member, according to the proportion of grace given, and divided to us by that one Spirit.</P>
<P>And &s;econdly, as Believers by bapti&s;me do orderly enter into the Body or Congregation of Chri&s;t, &s;o likewi&s;e into all the pri|viledges of that body. And that is expre&s;&s;ed in the latter clau&s;e of this ver&s;e, and in the ver&s;es following. In this ver&s;e (&s;aith He) <HI>We have been all made to drink into one &s;pirit.</HI> That is, We as Mem|bers of One body, are all made to drink into one &s;pirituall bene|fit, or into one &s;pirituall Communion, which believers have from Chri&s;t in his Supper; According to that 1 Cor. 10.16. <HI>The Cup of ble&s;&s;ing which he ble&s;&s;e, is it not the communion of the bloud of Chri&s;ts?</HI> And in the ver&s;es following of the 12. Chapter, He mentioneth other priviledges of the Body, which all the Members thereof do &s;hare in, &s;aith he, they are all helpfull to each other, and do all take care of each other: they &s;uffer and re|joyce one with another. And as this Scripture holds forth this priviledge which believers have in bapti&s;me. So doth that like|wi&s;e in Act. 41.42. <HI>Then they that gladly received his Word were baptized; and the &s;ame, day there were added about</HI> 3000. <HI>&s;oules.</HI> Where it is clear, that the entrance of all the&s;e believers, into the union and fellow&s;hip of the body, was by bapti&s;m: they were added by bapti&s;me or in bapti&s;me. And &s;o we are to under|stand. Acts 2.47. and 5.14. and 12.24. For God hath appointed
<PB N="15" REF="10"> but one way, for the joyning or adding of believers unto his Bo|dy. Which &s;ometimes is called an adding to his Church, and &s;ometimes an adding to the Lord; both which commeth to one and the &s;ame thing: for to be added to the Church of the Lord, or the body of the Lord, is to be added to the Lord him&s;elf, in a my&s;ticall externall union. And the &s;ame Scripture likewi&s;e de|clareth, that as they entred by bapti&s;me into the union and fel|low&s;hip of the body; &s;o likewi&s;e unto the enjoyment of all the priviledges of the body. For &s;o it followes; <HI>And they continued &s;tedfa&s;tly in the Apo&s;tles Doctrine and fellow&s;hip, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;tru|ction.</NOTE> Hence I may take occa&s;ion to in&s;truct believers, who have en|tred into the Lords body in the Lords way, that they endeavour to walk clo&s;ely with the body in all love, helpfulne&s;&s;e, careful|ne&s;&s;e, tenderne&s;&s;e, and u&s;efulne&s;&s;e, as becommeth the Members of Chri&s;ts body.</P>
<P>Secondly, hence I may take occa&s;ion to &s;atisfie &s;uch (if the Lord plea&s;e) as are oppo&s;ites unto believers bapti&s;me, and their entrance into the Church by bapti&s;me, and contend much for their entrance into a Church-e&s;tate by Covenant or Contract, without bapti&s;me. Indeed there ought to be a &s;weet and firm con&s;ent, harmony, agreement or contract, both in judgement and affection, according to the Lord, among&s;t all tho&s;e who are one body in the Lord; and as it is unque&s;tionable: &s;o it is a de|&s;irable, a good, and plea&s;ant thing: and I &s;hall plead for it as much as any. But that &s;uch a con&s;ent or covenant among&s;t per|&s;ons, is an entrance according to Chri&s;t, into the body of Chri&s;t, without this one bapti&s;me, upon profe&s;&s;ion of this one faith, in this one Lord Je&s;us, is not clear to me from the Lawes and Sta|tutes of this Law-giver. That Scripture, E&s;ay 56.4. and 6. ver|&s;es, &s;o much alledged for that purpo&s;e by men of that way (whom in other things I much e&s;teem) where the Lord &s;aith to the Eu|nuches, and the &s;onnes of the &s;tranger that &s;erve him, and keep|eth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of his Cove|nant, that he will give them a glorious &s;etled Name in His hou&s;e, &amp;c. Where they under&s;tand an entering into a Church-e&s;tate by Covenant onely. I &s;ay, I conceive, this Scripture (which is indeed a Go&s;pell-Scripture) will without any violation admit of other interpretations, more &s;pirituall, and more &s;weetly a|greeing to the Go&s;pell of Chri&s;t, then their interpretation is.
<PB N="16" REF="11"> Why may we not &s;ay, without wrong to this or any other Scri|pture, that by taking hold of the Covenant here, may be under|&s;tood in part, believers obedience to Chri&s;t in bapti&s;me? For what&s;oever Chri&s;t commandeth to his &s;ervants, may in a true &s;en&s;e, according to the Scripture, be called his Covenant. But if we come up to the &s;piritualne&s;&s;e of this Scripture, I conceive, that by Covenant in this place, we are to under&s;tand Chri&s;t him&s;elf. For as I &s;aid, this Scripture is a Go&s;pel-&s;cripture. There|fore by Sabbath here, we are to under&s;tand the Lord Ie&s;us only, who alone is the Sabbath or Re&s;t of Believers under the Go&s;pel. And to keep this Sabbath from polluting it, is to believe in him onely unto righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e. For to do any work, I mean to &s;eek righteou&s;nes, or peace, or reconciliation with God by any work, is to pollute this Sabbath or this Re&s;t; by whom alone, &s;uch as believe in him, do and &s;hall enjoy a glorious, an everla&s;ting re&s;t. So likewi&s;e by Covenant here, we are to under&s;tand Chri&s;t him|&s;elf; and &s;o he is called in the &s;ame Prophet. E&s;ay 42.6. I will give thee (&s;peaking of Chri&s;t) for a Covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles. And chapter 49.8. I will pre&s;erve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people. Therefore, to take hold of his Covenant, is to believe in Chri&s;t onely, to embrace him, to cleave clo&s;e to him, to obey him in all things, and to make open profe&s;&s;ion, or confe&s;&s;ion of him. And to &s;uch indeed the Lord will give a glorious and everla&s;ting Name, which &s;hall not be cut off, even a Name in his hou&s;e, better then of Sons and Daughters. And this I conceive to be the &s;peciall meaning of the Holy Spirit in this Scripture; which is in no wi&s;e pertinent and proper for them, to bear them out in their Church-cove|nant, and their entrance into the Church by it only. Thus much I conceived nece&s;&s;ary to &s;peak by the way.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tryall.</NOTE> Againe, This that I have &s;aid concerning this priviledge which believers have in bapti&s;me, through Chri&s;t, may &s;erve as a fourth Touch&s;tone for the tryall of Infants bapti&s;me, whereby it is di&s;covered not to be of God, but of men onely. For if all bap|tized per&s;ons according to the Scripture, were baptized into one body, to wit, the Church of God, and all the priviledges thereof, as hath been cleerly proved, from the 1. Cor. 12.13, and Acts. 2.41, 42. (And doubtle&s;&s;e, there is but one and the &s;ame rule for all the Churches of Chri&s;t to walke by) Then &s;urely the un|lawfvllne&s;&s;e of Infants bapti&s;me is hence al&s;o proved. Are they
<PB N="17" REF="11"> meet &s;ubjects to be joyned or added to the Lords body, who neither knew the Lord, nor his body, nor the priviledges of the &s;ame? Are they meet to be added unto the body in bapti&s;me, who are no wayes meet to partake in the priviledges and liber|ties of the body? Who are no wayes meet to walk with the body in doctrine, in fellow&s;hip, in breaking of bread, in prayers, and in other liberties? And &s;urely according to the &s;cripture, tho&s;e who are added unto the body, are added unto the pre&s;ent partaking and enjoyment, of all the priviledges of the body. Are they meet to be added to the body, who are no wayes u&s;efull, helpfull, and profitable unto the body? Such who cannot care for the body, nor &s;uffer with it, nor rejoyce with it, nor per|form any office of love or duty to the body? Surely, the body of Chri&s;t, according to the &s;cripture, is not made up of &s;uch une|quall, unu&s;efull, unhelpfull, unprofitable Members. Hath the mo&s;t wi&s;e God made all the Members of the naturall body pro|portionable and u&s;efull? And hath he not made the my&s;ticall body, the Church of Chri&s;t glorious, in the proportion and u&s;e|fulne&s;&s;e of all the members? I &s;peak not now concerning the &s;al|vation of Infants: for that Infants dying in their infancie may belong to the Election of Grace, and be &s;aved, even the Infants of believers, and unbelievers, of Turkes, and Indians, who can deny it? But the wi&s;e will under&s;tand what I &s;ay. I leave the u&s;e of this Touch&s;tone to their con&s;ideration. And &s;o much for this Touch&s;tone and this priviledge.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Another priviledge is this; to wit, Believers in bap|ti&s;me, through the faith of the operation of God, have fellow&s;hip with Chri&s;t, in his death and re&s;urrection: by the power of which the &s;trength of the body of &s;inne is more &s;ubdued, and they are more enabled to walk in newne&s;&s;e of life. Rom. 6.3 4, 5. Know ye not (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) that &s;o many of us as were bap|tized into Je&s;us Chri&s;t, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by bapti&s;me into death, that like as Chri&s;t was rai&s;ed up from the dead, by the glory of the Father: even &s;o al&s;o we &s;hould walk in newne&s;&s;e of life. And agreeable to this is, Col. 2.12. Buried with him in bapti&s;me, wherein al|&s;o you are ri&s;en with him, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath rai&s;ed him from the dead. In which two Scri|ptures, acccording to the matter in hand, I pray you take notice with me of the&s;e four things: to wit;</P>
<PB N="18" REF="12">
<P>Fir&s;t, that in or by bapti&s;me, beleevers have a great ingage|ment lyeth upon them, to walk like &s;uch as are dead to &s;inne, to the world, and to all humane traditions what&s;oever in point of wor&s;hip, and to live to God in holine&s;&s;e, and righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and &s;pirituall wor&s;hip, according to Chri&s;t in all things. Seeing that in bapti&s;me they profe&s;&s;e them&s;elves to be dead with Chri&s;t, and to live with him, they ought from thenceforth, and from that time to be more diligent to live accordingly. Thus the Apo&s;tle expre&s;&s;ely &s;peaketh, Rom. 6.6. Where having relation to Be|lievers burying and ri&s;ing with Chri&s;t in bapti&s;me, in the 4, and 5. ver&s;es: He &s;aith in this ver&s;e, that henceforth we &s;hould not &s;erve &s;inne. Minde that expre&s;&s;ion <HI>(Henceforth.)</HI> And to to this purpo&s;e is that exhortation to the &s;ame believers (and in|deed concernes all profe&s;&s;ing or confe&s;&s;ing Chri&s;t) Let not &s;in therefore reign in your mortall body, that ye &s;hould obey it in the lu&s;ts thereof. And as they have a great ingagement upon them from thenceforth not to be &s;ubject to &s;inne and the lu&s;ts therof: &s;o likewi&s;e not to be &s;ubject to any human traditions in point of wor&s;hip: you may under&s;tand &s;ome difference betwixt what I call &s;in, and what I call humane traditions in point of wor&s;hip, though the&s;e are &s;infull al&s;o. I &s;ay, Believers bapti&s;me ingageth them from that time, or from thenceforth, to ca&s;t off all the&s;e things. Thus the Apo&s;tle rea&s;oneth, Colo&s;&s;. 2.20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Chri&s;t, that is, &s;eeing ye are dead with Chri&s;t from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye &s;ubject to Ordinances, after the Commandements and Doctrines of men. Where he layeth down this conclu&s;ion, that they are dead with Chri&s;t from the rudiments of the world, that is, from all tho&s;e things which were but Types and &s;hadows of the Lord Je&s;us: And he proves this from their profe&s;&s;ion in Bapti&s;me, ver&s;e 12. (for unto that it is mo&s;t evident he hath rela|tion) ye are buried with him in Bapti&s;me: And from this con|clu&s;ion he pre&s;&s;eth this exhortation by way of rea&s;oning; Why, as though living in the world, are ye &s;ubject to the Ordinances, &amp;c. It is a di&s;honourable thing, and altogether unan&s;werable, for &s;uch as have the Name of Chri&s;t called upon them in Bap|ti&s;me, and therein profe&s;&s;e them&s;elves to be buried with Chri&s;t, from thenceforth to &s;erve any &s;inne in the lu&s;ts of it, or to be &s;ub|ject to Types and &s;hadowes of Chri&s;t, or any Ordinances which are after the commandements and doctrines of men. Whereas
<PB N="19" REF="12"> on the contrary, it is an honourable and a glorious thing for be|lievers to walk up to that engagement, which the Lord Je&s;us hath laid upon them, and they have taken upon them&s;elves in that Ordinance.</P>
<P>Secondly, by bapti&s;me, believers have a great ingagement lyeth upon them to &s;eeke after, and &s;et their affections upon things which are above, where Chri&s;t &s;its at the right hand of God. Col 3.1.2. If ye then be ri&s;en with Chri&s;t, that is, Seeing then ye are ri&s;en with Chri&s;t, &s;et your affections upon things which are above, where Chri&s;t &s;its at the right hand of God. He here al&s;o layeth downe this conclu&s;ion that they are ri&s;en with Chri&s;t; for &s;o much the words imply. And this he proves like|wi&s;e (as he did the former concerning their being dead with Chri&s;t) from their profe&s;&s;ion in bapti&s;me, ver&s;. 12. of the &s;econd chapter: (for unto that it is mo&s;t evident he hath relation) Buri|ed with him in bapti&s;me, wherein al&s;o, you are ri&s;en with him, through the faith of the operation of God, and from this conclu&s;i|on, he pre&s;&s;eth this exhortation upon them. Seek after, and &s;et your affection upon tho&s;e things which are above, where Chri&s;t &s;itteth at the right hand of God. As if he &s;hould &s;ay, &s;eeing ye profe&s;&s;e your &s;elves to be ri&s;en with him, you mu&s;t a&s;cend up with him al&s;o in your affection, &s;etting your mind upon tho&s;e things which are above. It is a di&s;honourable and an unan&s;wer|able thing for believers who profe&s;&s;e them&s;elves to be ri&s;en with Chri&s;t in bapti&s;m, to &s;et their affection upon things on the earth. Whereas on the other &s;ide, it is a glorious, and an an&s;werable thing for &s;uch to &s;et their mind, their joy and delight upon things which are above: to live and conver&s;e with the Lord Je|&s;us, in the bo&s;ome of his Father.</P>
<P>Thirdly, the Lord puts forth a glorious power to Be|lievers in bapti&s;me, giving in unto their hearts (in what pro|portion he plea&s;eth) the power of the death and re&s;urre|ction of JESVS CHRIST, acting faith in them to receive the &s;ame, whereby they are in &s;ome mea&s;ure enabled to perform that which their bapti&s;me doth engage them unto: Rom. 6.4. We are buried with him by bapti&s;me into death, that like as Chri&s;t was rai&s;ed up from the dead by the glory of the Father: even &s;o we al&s;o &s;hould walke in newne&s;&s;e of life. This Scripture hath much in it for the comfort of believers; Wherein this is layd downe for a certaine truth, to wit, that like as Chri&s;t was
<PB N="20" REF="13"> rai&s;ed up from the dead by the glory of the Father: even &s;o (marke that expre&s;&s;ion, even &s;o) we al&s;o &s;hould walke in new|ne&s;&s;e of life; that is, like as the glory of the Father was put forth in ray&s;ing his Sonne from the dead: even &s;o, the glory of the Fa|ther is put forth unto believers in bapti&s;me, crucifying the pow|er of &s;in in them, and ray&s;ing up their heart and minde as it were into heaven to &s;it with Chri&s;t, to walke with him in a holy and heavenly conver&s;ation, to live a new life, which the Scripture, calleth a newne&s;&s;e of life. And therefore tho&s;e words; even &s;o we al&s;o &s;hould walke in newne&s;&s;e of life, doth not onely hold forth what is our duty, but what is our priviledge al&s;o, for they carry the force of a promi&s;e in them, and are to be thus under&s;tood, to wit, even &s;o we al&s;o through the glory of the Father acted in us in our bapti&s;me, &s;hall walke in newne&s;&s;e of life. And &s;o it will a|gree with the 5 and 6 ver&s;es of the &s;ame chapter. For as we are planted together with him in the likene&s;&s;e of his death, we &s;halbe al&s;o planted together in the likene&s;&s;e of his re&s;urrection. And this is a greeable to that other place, Col. 2, 12. Buried with him in bapti&s;me, wherein al&s;o, you are ri&s;en with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath rai&s;ed him from the dead. Wherein, I ob&s;erve, that the &s;ame operation of God which was put forth in ray&s;ing Chri&s;t from the dead, is put forth unto be|lievers, in bapti&s;me (in &s;uch proportion as the Lord plea&s;eth) acting faith in them, through which they ri&s;e with Chri&s;t, or pertake with him in the power of his re&s;urrection, in a glorious mea&s;ure. And this is &s;o cleare a truth, that <HI>Peter</HI> is bold to &s;ay, (&s;peaking unto believers) Bapti&s;me doth al&s;o now &s;ave us (not the putting away of the filth of the fle&s;h, but the an&s;wer of a good con&s;cience towards God) by the re&s;urrection of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. That is the bapti&s;me of believers mu&s;t not be looked up|on with a fle&s;hly and carnall eye, as a wa&s;hing of the fle&s;h: but with a holy and &s;pirituall eye, as a holy and pretious Ordinance of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t: in which Ordinance, he puts forth the power of his re&s;urrection unto believers, through faith &s;aving them more richly then before, from the power of an inward pollution or filthyne&s;&s;e, even a filthy polluted con&s;cience with the accu&s;ati|ons of it: and working in them more abundantly an enlightned, holy, good con&s;cience: which an&s;wers or &s;peakes good to them towards God. And whether that Scripture in Heb. 10.22. may not agree much to this purpo&s;e, I leave to the con&s;idera|tion
<PB N="21" REF="13"> of the wi&s;e. Neither doe believers enjoy this fruit and be|nefit in the pre&s;ent admini&s;tration of bapti&s;me onely: but this grace and power of Chri&s;t in bapti&s;m, hath an influence into af|ter times al&s;o, even &s;o long as they continue in the e&s;tate of mortality.</P>
<P>The 4th. and la&s;t thing con&s;iderable to my purpo&s;e in the two Scriptures above named, is this; to wit, Bapti&s;me thus con&s;i|dered, is part of that compleatne&s;&s;e which believers have in the Lord Ie&s;us. Col. 2.10. Where the Apo&s;tle &s;peaking to believers, he &s;aith. And ye are compleat in him. If ye ask in what manner, or in what re&s;pects? he tells us in all re&s;pects, as it appeares in the following ver&s;es of this chap. and the beginning of the next. And among&s;t the re&s;t this is one; ye are buried with him in Bapti&s;me, wherein al&s;o, yeare ri&s;en with him. And to the &s;ame purpo&s;e is that, Rom. 6.5. Believers in bapti&s;me are planted to|gether with Chri&s;t (mark that expre&s;&s;ion, planted together with him) in the likene&s;&s;e of his death, and in the likene&s;&s;e of his re&s;urrection al&s;o. And &s;urely, herein is the compleatne&s;&s;e of a be|liever, to be planted together, and grow together, and live toge|ther with the Lord Je&s;us. And therefore &s;uch do in part come &s;hort of their compleatne&s;&s;e in Chri&s;t, who do yet come &s;hort of being baptized as believers in the Name of Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Thus much concerning the explication of the third priviledge which believers have in bapti&s;m; Wherein I have been the lar|ger, that &s;o I might (as the Lord hath helped me, and not with|out much comfortable experience, through Chri&s;t) cleare up the minde of God in it, partly for the in&s;truction, con&s;olation and incouragement of believers; partly to be an Apologie for them; and partly to be another Touch&s;tone or tryall of Infants bapti&s;me.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, partly for the in&s;truction and incouragement of belie|vers, who are under the injoyment of this Ordinance upon pro|fe&s;&s;ion of faith in their owne per&s;ons. Much hath been &s;poken to this purpo&s;e in the explication of this priviledge, as tho&s;e that are &s;pirituall may under&s;tand.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Exhor|tation.</NOTE> I &s;hall pre&s;&s;e this forward upon my &s;elfe and them, with a word of exhortation; I be&s;eech you in the Lord that you receive not this Ordinance of CHRIST in vaine. En|deavour to walk up to that ingagement which lyeth upon you by bapti&s;me. Let not any &s;in therefore reigne in your Mortall
<PB N="22" REF="14"> bodyes, that you &s;hould obey it in the Lu&s;ts thereof. Be not you &s;ubiect to Ordinances, after the commandements and doctrines of men. Be not ye in bondage to the rudiments of the world, to &s;uch things that are but &s;hadowes of the Lord Je&s;us: for ye are buried with him in Bapti&s;me. Endeavour to walk in newne&s;&s;e of life, in a holy and heavenly conver&s;ation at all times. Walk like &s;uch as are ri&s;en with Chri&s;t. Do you a&s;cend up with him into heaven in your affection. Set your affection upon things which are above, and not on things on the earth. Walk an&s;werable to your profe&s;&s;ion, that this Ordnance of the Lord Je&s;us be not ju&s;t|ly blamed. And for your incouragement, be a&s;&s;ured, you &s;hall have a renewed &s;upply of &s;trength from the Lord Je&s;us. The glo|ry of the Father, the operation of God &s;hall be put forth; as need is on your behalf. Therefore, act faith daily in the death and re&s;urrection of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, which is &s;o richly made over to you in this Ordinance, not for pre&s;ent u&s;e onely, but for future profit and benefit al&s;o, during the time of your &s;ojourning in this pre|&s;ent world. Account your &s;elves in all things to be compleat in Chri&s;t, and that your Bapti&s;me in his Name as Believers, is part of that compleatne&s;&s;e which you have in him. Endeavour in the &s;trength of Chri&s;t to walk an&s;werable to the&s;e priviledges, that the Name of the Lord Je&s;us may be exalted by you.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Apolo|gie.</NOTE> Secondly, The explication of the former priviledge, is partly to be an Apologie for baptized Believers (reproachfully called Anabapti&s;ts, truly called Chri&s;tians) again&s;t all tho&s;e hard &s;pee|ches, and grievous accu&s;ations, which ungodly men, and many who are accounted religious al&s;o, do fal&s;ly &s;peak and charge a|gain&s;t them: and that not privately onely, but in publike al&s;o, How are they accu&s;ed before authority! How are they openly charged to be movers of &s;edition, troublers of the State, and &s;uch as the Land cannot bear! Yea &s;ome are not a&s;hamed to &s;ay, and that openly, that they are &s;en&s;uall per&s;ons, walking after the lu&s;ts of the fle&s;h, and many &s;uch like things as the&s;e are. Surely, if &s;uch men did know what an ingagement lyeth upon Believers in bapti&s;me, to ca&s;t off the &s;ervice and obedience of &s;infull lu&s;ts, and to walk in newne&s;&s;e of life, having their conver&s;ation as becommeth Saints: As al&s;o what &s;trength they receive from the death and re&s;urrection of Chri&s;t in bapti&s;me, which hath an in|fluence into their whole life; I &s;ay, if they did rightly know the pretiou&s;ne&s;&s;e of Believers bapti&s;me in the&s;e and other re&s;pects:
<PB N="23" REF="14"> they would be &s;o far fro~ &s;peaking again&s;t them, that they would &s;peak for them, &amp; would &s;ay to the~, we wil go with you, &amp; walk with you: for we have heard that God is with you. Truly, I will not deny but &s;ome who take this profe&s;&s;ion upon them, do hold forth and maintain &s;ome things very erronious. As free-will, and power in corrupt nature to come to Chri&s;t: As al&s;o a falling a|way from Chri&s;t, after they have once received him, or believed in him; with other opinions al&s;o very dangerous. But there are but few &s;o erronious who are under this profe&s;&s;ion; Neither dare the Churches of Chri&s;t under this profe&s;&s;ion, hold communion with them: For we utterly di&s;claim the&s;e opinions. Neither will I deny but that &s;ome who are under this profe&s;&s;ion, do walk &s;can|dalou&s;ly, loo&s;ely, &s;infully, and altogether unan&s;werably to &s;uch a profe&s;&s;ion. But we abhor their practi&s;es, and di&s;claim fellow|&s;hip with them who walk &s;o; yet not mentioning &s;uch things without grief. But if <HI>Iudas</HI> prove a Traitor, let not the eleven Apo&s;tles be &s;o accounted. If <HI>Ananias</HI> and <HI>Saphyra</HI> prove di&s;&s;em|blers and lye to the holy Spirit, let not the re&s;t of the Church (who were of one minde and heart in the Lord) be accounted di&s;&s;emblers. If &s;ome branches in the Vine prove fruitle&s;&s;e, let not all the branches be thought &s;uch. If &s;ome Profe&s;&s;ors make &s;hipwrack of that faith which they once profe&s;&s;ed, let not all Profe&s;&s;ors be judged to be &s;uch. Thus much for this Apologie.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tryall.</NOTE> Thirdly, the Explication of this third Priviledge, may &s;erve partly to be as a fifth Touch&s;tone of Infants bapti&s;me: whereby the unlawfulne&s;&s;e and vanity thereof will be further di&s;covered. For according to this priviledge of bapti&s;me through Chri&s;t, I make this conclu&s;ion, to wit; Bapti&s;me may lawfully be admi|ni&s;tred to none, but &s;uch whom the Lord Je&s;us hath made meet to be partakers of &s;uch a priviledge in bapti&s;me, to have fellow|&s;hip with him in bapti&s;me, through faith, in his death and re&s;ur|rection: that they may walk an&s;werably in &s;ome mea&s;ure to &s;uch a profe&s;&s;ion, and &s;uch an ingagement as they take upon them|&s;elves in bapti&s;me: having their conver&s;ation from thenceforth more holy and heavenly, as becommeth &s;uch who profe&s;&s;e them|&s;elves to be buried and ri&s;en with Chri&s;t in bapti&s;me. Let then the bapti&s;me of Infants be skilfully and &s;incerely tried by this Touch&s;tone. Are Infants made meet to have fellow&s;hip with Chri&s;t in his death and re&s;urrection, in this or any other Ordi|nance? Do they know Chri&s;t, or believe in him? Do they
<PB N="24" REF="15"> know any thing concerning the death and re&s;urrection of Je&s;us Chri&s;t? How then &s;hall they have fellow&s;hip with Chri&s;t in this or any other Ordinance, who neither know CHRIST, nor believe in him? Are any per&s;ons meet to have fellow&s;hip with Chri&s;t in any Ordinance, but &s;uch as know him and be|lieve in him? I may therefore firmly conclude, that as the know|ledge of Chri&s;t, and faith in him, are nece&s;&s;ary to a worthy par|taking in the Lords Supper, and a fellow&s;hip with Chri&s;t in that Ordinance: So al&s;o they are nece&s;&s;ary to a worthy and warrant|able receiving of bapti&s;me, and a fellow&s;hip with Chri&s;t in that Ordinance. And further, are Infants made meet to have &s;uch an ingagement laid upon them, as bapti&s;me layeth upon all tho&s;e who are under the profe&s;&s;ion of it according to Chri&s;t? From thenceforth and from that time, to &s;hew forth Chri&s;ts death and re&s;urrection? To walk like &s;uch as have profe&s;&s;ed them&s;elves to be dead, and ri&s;en with Chri&s;t in Bapti&s;me? Doth not this Touch&s;tone (with all the former) cleerly di&s;cover Infants bap|ti&s;me, to be onely a device and commandement of men? Thus much concerning this Touch&s;tone, which I leave to the con&s;i|deration of the wi&s;e. And &s;o much concerning this Privi|ledge.</P>
<P>The fourth priviledge (which is the la&s;t I &s;hall name) which the Lord Je&s;us gives to Believers in this Ordinance, is this; to wit, In this Ordinance, the Lord Je&s;us by his Spirit acting in a believers heart, doth more richly &s;eal up or confirm to him the free and full remi&s;&s;ion of all his &s;innes, through the bloud of Chri&s;t. And therefore, ob&s;erve it; Not onely the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, but of the holy Spirit al&s;o, is called up|on believers in this Ordinance. And this is the proper grace or work of the holy Spirit, to witne&s;&s;e or confirm to us (by acting faith in us, more a&s;&s;uredly to believe) the remi&s;&s;ion of all our &s;ins by Je&s;us Chri&s;t. In bapti&s;me, as well as in the Lords Sup|per (although in another manner) the pretious death and re|&s;urrection of Chri&s;t, is my&s;tically, yet clearly &s;et forth before believers. And the Spirit of God acting faith in them, in this Ordinance, doth not onely clear up to them more &s;weetly, the pretiou&s;ne&s;&s;e of the death of Chri&s;t, but al&s;o confirm to them more richly, their intere&s;t in the &s;ame: to wit, the remi&s;&s;ion of all their &s;innes, and their peace with the Father, through Je&s;us Chri&s;t. Hitherto, I conceive, tends that of <HI>Peter</HI> to his perplexed
<PB N="25" REF="15"> hearers, Acts 2.38. <HI>Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the Name of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, for the remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes.</HI> He doth not &s;ay, neither dare I &s;ay that bapti&s;me is a remedy to remit &s;innes: for then I &s;hould run into the mi&s;take of &s;uch, who pleading for their Infants bapti&s;me, do &s;ay: Bapti&s;me is a remedy to take a|way that &s;inne, which they as the &s;ons of <HI>Adam</HI> have conveyed to them. But this Scripture, I conceive, holds forth to us e&s;pe|cially two things. Fir&s;t, that repentance and remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins are preached &amp; given only in the Name or through the Name of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t. There is &s;ufficiency of grace and &s;trength in the Lord Je&s;us, and in him onely, to give you repentance and remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes. And &s;o it will agree with what is written by <HI>Luke,</HI> 24.47. <HI>And that repentance and remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes &s;hould be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Ieru&s;alem.</HI> Secondly, that the Lord Ie&s;us doth in bapti&s;me confirm or witne&s;&s;e unto Belie|vers, in &s;ome comfortable mea&s;ure, the forgivene&s;&s;e of their &s;ins in his Name. And therefore he commands them to be baptized, partly for this end, that in bapti&s;me he may confirm to them in &s;ome mea&s;ure, by his Spirit, acting faith in them, the remi&s;&s;ion of their &s;innes. For when a Believer is baptized in the Name of Chri&s;t, and the Spirit of God acts faith in him in his bapti&s;me, then is his heart more &s;weetly a&s;&s;ured, that through this Name all his &s;ins are remitted, and he is at peace with God. And to this purpo&s;e, I conceive, we are to under&s;tand that Scripture, <HI>Acts</HI> 22.16. <HI>Ari&s;e, and be baptized, and wa&s;h away thy &s;ins, calling on the Name of the Lord.</HI> Not that bapti&s;me doth wa&s;h away &s;innes: for it is the bloud of Chri&s;t onely, received by us through the faith of the operation of God, that wa&s;heth or clean&s;eth us from all &s;innes. But thus; Be baptized, and in thy bapti&s;me call on the Name of the Lord: that is, act faith in the Lord Ie&s;us, in who&s;e Name thou art baptized, that through faith in his Name in this Ordinance, thy heart may be further confirmed in this a&s;&s;urance, that all thy &s;innes are wa&s;hed away in his pretious bloud. And to this purpo&s;e, I conceive, we are to under&s;tand, Mark. 1.4. and Luk. 3.3. concerning <HI>Iohns</HI> bapti&s;me: Only <HI>Iohns</HI> bapti&s;me did point at Chri&s;t yet to come, and that which Chri&s;t after gave in Commi&s;&s;ion, did hold forth Chri&s;t already come. And this priviledge or benefit, believers have doubtle&s;&s;e found in bapti&s;me. Hence it is, that the Eunuch after he was baptized, went on his way rejoycing, Acts 8.39. He had found &s;omething
<PB N="26" REF="16"> of Chri&s;t in this Ordinance, which gave him occa&s;ion of rejoy|cing. It was not a u&s;ele&s;&s;e, but a gainefull Ordinance through Chri&s;t to him. And &s;o it was &s;aid of the Iaylor and all his hou&s;e after they were baptized: He rejoyced, believing in God with all his hou&s;e. Some increa&s;e of faith, and &s;ome witne&s;&s;e of the Love of Chri&s;t, they had found mini&s;tred to them by the Spi|rit in this Ordinance. And as it was given to our Lord Ie&s;us &s;traightway after his bapti&s;me to &s;ee heaven opened, and to heare the love of the Father witne&s;&s;ed from heaven to him by the holy Spirit: Even &s;o, the like mercie, in a le&s;&s;e mea&s;ure, is given to believers in and after their bapti&s;me. Neither is this fruit onely to be found in the pre&s;ent admini&s;tra|tion of bapti&s;me: but in re&s;pect of this benefit (among&s;t others) bapti&s;me hath an influence into the whole life of a believer. And truly, the grace of God is very ob&s;ervable in this re&s;pect: for by bapti&s;me or &s;traight way upon it, believers are called out to wre&s;tle with Satan, as it were in the open feild: they are &s;et as a But for Satan and the world to &s;hoot again&s;t; and therefore they had need be Armed with the &s;trength and love of Chri&s;t, given into their hearts by the holy Spirit in this Ordinance. Thus much concerning the explication of this priviledge.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;tru|ction.</NOTE> Hence believers may be in&s;tructed, to act faith dayly in the Lord Ie&s;us, in this Ordinance: and to expect a renewed power of the Spirit of God inabling them in the faith to looke often upon Chri&s;t therein. As al&s;o witne&s;&s;ing afre&s;h to their hearts in &s;uch actings of faith, the remi&s;&s;ion of all their &s;innes through him, in who&s;e Name they are baptized; for bapti&s;me is not one|ly u&s;efull to believers in the pre&s;ent admini&s;tration of it, but for future times al&s;o. The comfort and benefit of it, through the power of the holy Spirit (who&s;e Name is called upon them therein) hath an influence into the whole life of a believer. Therefore let believers account their bapti&s;me to be of great u&s;e and comfort to them through Chri&s;t, by the operation of the ho|ly Spirit in them therein.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tryall.</NOTE>Againe, the clearing up of this priviledge, may &s;erve as a fixth Touch&s;tone for the tryall of Infants bapti&s;me, whereby the unlawfulne&s;&s;e thereof will be further di&s;covered. I lay downe this conclu&s;ion: to wit, Bapti&s;me may be lawfully admini|&s;tred to none but to &s;uch whom the Lord Ie&s;us hath made meet in &s;ome mea&s;ure to be partakers of &s;uch a priviledge in bapti&s;me;
<PB N="27" REF="16"> to have the remi&s;&s;ion of their &s;innes, through the Name of Chri&s;t, confirmed or witne&s;&s;ed to their hearts, by the power of the holy Spirit, who&s;e Name is called upon them in this Ordi|nance. Are Infants meet to have repentance and remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes preached to them through the Name of Chri&s;t? and to be baptized in his Name for the remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes? are they meet to have remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes, through Chri&s;t, witne&s;&s;ed to their heart in bapti&s;me, by the holy Spirit, who neither know their &s;innes, nor know Chri&s;t, nor know the holy Spirit, in his grati|ous and comfortable operation? Therefore the bapti&s;me of In|fants is not of God: for I affirm (as I &s;aid before) that bapti&s;m can lawfully be admini&s;tred to none but &s;uch whom the Lord Je&s;us hath made meet in &s;ome mea&s;ure to receive remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes in bapti&s;me; I meane to have the remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes, through the Name of Chri&s;t, witne&s;&s;ed and confirmed to their hearts, in &s;ome comfortable mea&s;ure, by the holy Spirit, work|ing gratiou&s;ly in them in that Ordinance. And Surely at the lea&s;t, it is needfull that they know their &s;innes, and know Chri&s;t, and know the holy Spririt, and know his operations, when he puts forth his grace and power in them. Now how the&s;e things will agree to Infants, I leave to the Iudgement of the Wi&s;e.</P>
<P>Thus much concerning the priviledges or benefits which the Lord Ie&s;us gives in a gratious and meet proportion, unto belie|vers in their bapti&s;me.</P>
<P>What I have &s;aid concerning the&s;e priviledges (which are the &s;um of the fourth generall head which I propounded in the beginning of this Treati&s;e) may &s;erve partly for in&s;truction to &s;uch as de&s;ire to know what is the end, and u&s;e, and profit of bapti&s;me unto believers: which is a thing to be con&s;idered; and partly to blame &s;uch who (yeilding to ignorant and carnall rea&s;onings) do account believers bapti&s;me to be a burden; and (&s;ay they) Chri&s;t hath taken away all burthens from believers under the Go&s;pel. That Chri&s;t hath taken away believers burthens, is a holy and &s;weet conclu&s;ion: but that believers bapti&s;me is a bur|then, it is a carnall excu&s;e, or a &s;infull Inference drawne from that conclu&s;ion. We have not &s;o learned Chri&s;t. We account his yoke ea&s;ie, and his burthen light. I now proceed to cleare up the fifth generall head, to wit, What is the duty, or what ought to be the carriage of believers in and after this Ordinance. This I
<PB N="28" REF="17"> &s;hall be brief in. It is recorded of the Lord Je&s;us that in or upon his bapti&s;me, he prayed, Luke. 3.21. And the &s;ame coun&s;ell was given to <HI>Saul</HI> concerning his bapti&s;me. Acts 22.16. Ari&s;e, and be baptized, and wa&s;h away thy &s;innes, calling on the Name of the Lord that is, praying to the Lord, and acting faith in the Lord in this Ordinance. What their duty is after this Ordinance in the whole cour&s;e of their life, I have before &s;hewed, in declaring what Ingagements lyeth upon believers by their bapti&s;me.</P>
<P>What I have &s;poken concerning this head, is u&s;efull to direct believers in their duty, both how to enter upon the Ordi|nance, and how to behave them&s;elves after it according to Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>This likewi&s;e may &s;erve for a Seventh Touch&s;tone of Infants bapti&s;me, whereby the unlawfulne&s;&s;e thereof is further di&s;cover|ed. I lay downe this conclu&s;ion: to wit, Bapti&s;me can lawfully be admini&s;tred to none, but &s;uch whom the Lord hath made meet to pray to him, and call upon his Name, in or upon the admini&s;tration thereof: and whom the Lord al&s;o hath fitted in &s;ome mea&s;ure to walk an&s;werable to tho&s;e Ingagements which bapti&s;me requireth of us, from the very time that we are under the profe&s;&s;ion of it. But how the&s;e things will agree with In|fants, I leave to the Iudgment of the Wi&s;e.</P>
<P>The la&s;t generall head to be cleared up is this, to wit, Whom the Lord Ie&s;us hath appointed to be the Di&s;pen&s;er or Admini|&s;trator of bapti&s;me to believers. The Scripture teacheth us, that whom the Lord Ie&s;us hath authorized and appointed to preach the Go&s;pell, them al&s;o in the very &s;ame Commi&s;&s;ion, and accord|ing to the &s;ame time, he hath authorized and appointed to bap|tize &s;uch as believe the things concerning the Kingdome of God, and the Name of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t. Mat. 28.19. Mark. 16.15.16. Acts. 8 12. and as it follweth in the 35.36.37.38. ver&s;es of the &s;ame Chapter.</P>
<P>If it be objected that the admini&s;tration of bapti&s;me to be|lievers was tyed to Apo&s;tles onely;</P>
<P>I An&s;wer. Fir&s;t, It is eviedent, Di&s;ciples did baptize before A|po&s;tles were cho&s;en. Iohn. 3.22.23.24. When the Di&s;ciples of Chri&s;t were there baptizing, it is &s;aid, Iohn was not yet ca&s;t into pri&s;on. Now by comparing Mat. 4.12 with Math. 10.2.3 4. We &s;hall finde that it was &s;ome-while after <HI>Iohn</HI> was ca&s;t into pri&s;on, before the Lord Je&s;us called the Twelve, under the denominaton of Apo&s;tles.</P>
<PB N="29" REF="17">
<P>Secondly, after Apo&s;tles were cho&s;en, yet Di&s;ciples did bap|tize who were no Apo&s;tles: as is evident by Philips baptizing of the Eunuch, Acts 8.3.8. and Ananias baptizing of <HI>Saul,</HI> Acts, 9.10. compared with the 17. and 18. ver&s;es of the &s;ame chapter.</P>
<P>Thirdly, the comm&s;&s;ion to preach and baptize given by Chri&s;t to his &s;ervants, was not given to them only or &s;imply un|der the denomination of Apo&s;tles, but Di&s;ciples. Math. 28. ver&s;e 16. compared with 19. And thus the promi&s;e of Chri&s;t to be with his &s;ervants in the di&s;pen&s;ation of the&s;e Ordinances, hath an In|fluence into all times, even to the end of the world.</P>
<P>Fourthly, The Scripture declares that the &s;peciall or chief bu&s;ine&s;&s;e which Apo&s;tles are called to, is to preach the Go&s;pel. 1 Cor. 1.17. Chri&s;t &s;ent me not to baptize, but to preach the Go&s;pel, that is; The &s;peciall or chief work which Chri&s;t called me to do, was not to baptize but to preach the Go&s;pel. From whence we learn, that Apo&s;tles are not chiefly tyed unto the ad|mini&s;tration of bapti&s;me, neither is the admini&s;tration of bap|time tyed onely unto them.</P>
<P>Fifthly, The things of Chri&s;t were committed by the Apo&s;tles, according to the will of Chri&s;t to faithfull men, who &s;hould be able to teach the &s;ame to others al&s;o. 2 Tim. 2.2. And doubtle&s;&s;e, tho&s;e who have a calling to teach them to others, have a calling to di&s;pence them to others al&s;o.</P>
<P>If any &s;hall object, that for along time under the raign of An|tichri&s;t, the holy and pure admini&s;tration of bapti&s;me according to Chri&s;t was lo&s;t, &s;o that believers have it not by way of &s;uce&s;&s;i|on from baptized per&s;ons, and therefore their practi&s;e herein may &s;eem faulty.</P>
<P>I an&s;wer. Fir&s;t, Was not al&s;o the Ordinance of preaching the Word, in the &s;implcity and purity of it according to Chri&s;t, lo&s;t for a long time under the raign of Antichri&s;t? And yet what wi&s;e and humble man will refu&s;e to heare the Go&s;pel preached in &s;implcity, and in a holy order, from &s;uch whom God hath gifted and called to di&s;pence the &s;ame? And &s;urely, tho&s;e whom God doth call to preach the Go&s;pel, tho&s;e he al&s;o calleth to baptize believers.</P>
<P>Secondly, we finde that when the book of the law of God, and the pure and holy admini&s;tration of all Gods Ordinances was lo&s;t, under the Idolatrous reigne of <HI>Mana&s;&s;eh,</HI> (which was
<PB N="30" REF="18"> long) the &s;ervants of God in <HI>Io&s;iah</HI> his reigne finding the &s;ame, and under&s;tanding the minde of God therein: they did not now lay a&s;ide the book of the Law and the Ordinances of God, conceiting that they mu&s;t looke for another <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> (by whom the Law was fir&s;t given) from whole hands they &s;hould againe receive the Law, and the Ordinances appointed in it: but with|out delay, they read the booke, &s;et them&s;elves to &s;eek God, re|news the Covenant which was found in the book, keepes the Pa&s;&s;eover, purgeth out all Idolatry, and reformes all things which concerned the wor&s;hip of God; as we may read at large 2. Kings. 22 and 23. chapters. And in Nehemiah 8.1. We find the Children of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> after their returne from <HI>Captivity,</HI> being gathered together with one con&s;ent, they require <HI>Ezra</HI> to bring forth the book of the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> which the Lord had commanded to <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> They look not now for a new <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> to give the Law againe to them: but they look at the Lord, and look at his Law which he had commanded to all <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> and their onely care was now to under&s;tand the mind of God in it; and therefore they require <HI>Ezra</HI> to read it and to give the &s;ence of it. And it is ob&s;ervable, among&s;t other things, They found it written in the Law, that the children of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> &s;hould dwel in Boothes, ver&s;e 14. Which Ordinance of God from the dayes of <HI>Io&s;hua</HI> to that time had been neglected of them: but they now under&s;tanding the will of God in it, pre&s;ently &s;et them&s;elves to the practi&s;e of it. They do not lay a&s;ide the book of the Law, and continue in the neglect of what was written therein, &s;ay|ing, the&s;e things belonged to our fore-fathers, or may concern future generations: but they look at the Law of God, and all things written therein as concerning them&s;elves al&s;o. And &s;urely it is a thing not blame-worthy, but commendable in be|lievers (finding the Law of Chri&s;t, and the things he hath there|in commanded to all I&s;rael) &s;peedily without delay, to &s;et them|&s;elves to put the &s;ame in practi&s;e.</P>
<P>And for believers in &s;ome ca&s;es to be baptized by an unbelie|ver, the Scripture is not with out warrant in this al&s;o. <HI>Iohn Bap|ti&s;t</HI> an unbaptized per&s;on, be baptized others. Yea the Lord Je&s;us came from Galile to Jordan, to be baptized of <HI>Iohn.</HI> The Sonne of God came to be baptized of <HI>Iohn,</HI> a mean per&s;on, an unbaptized per&s;on, And as it was in the fir&s;t admini&s;tration of bapti&s;me, &s;o al&s;o in the fir&s;t recovery of the pure admini&s;tration
<PB N="31" REF="18"> of bapti&s;me out of the darkne&s;&s;e of &s;uper&s;tition, Believers may warrantably receive the Ordinance of Bapti&s;me from an un|baptized per&s;on, whom they &s;hall with one con&s;ent chu&s;e to this work, being one gifted, and blamele&s;&s;e; e&s;pecially if he hath in&s;tructed them in this and other things, concerning the Kingdome of God, and the Name of Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>And if &s;ome &s;hall &s;ay, The Church is in the Wilderne&s;&s;e, and therefore all the Ordinances of God do lye as it were lo&s;t, be|ing hidden from us, untill the recovery of the Church out of that e&s;tate. Their opinion being grounded chiefly upon Revel. 12.6.14.</P>
<P>I &s;hall propound by way of an&s;wer, what I conceive, in a few words. Her wilderne&s;&s;e condition, doth not figure out or denote her darkne&s;&s;e, hiddenne&s;&s;e, or not appearing, or the lo&s;&s;e of her Ordinances during that &s;pace of time, to wit, a thou&s;and two hundred and three&s;core dayes: but it teacheth us chiefly, a certain middle &s;tate or condition, wherein the Church was to continue for &s;uch a &s;ea&s;on, &s;omewhat like that of the I&s;raelites wandring in the Wilderne&s;&s;e, after their deliverance from the face of that Serpent, or red Dragon <HI>Pharaoh,</HI> untill their en|trance into the Land of Canaan: for I conceive the allu&s;ion is chiefly, if not wholly taken from the dealings of God with I&s;|rael in tho&s;e times. This wilderne&s;&s;e condition therefore of the woman, is &s;ome middle &s;tate which God hath appointed to her, and prepared for her to continue in, untill the time be ex|pired when &s;he &s;hall enter into Canaan, all oppo&s;itions being troden under foot. And concerning this matter, there are two or three things in this Scripture, worthy of our con&s;ideration.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that during her condition in the wilderne&s;&s;e &s;he is called the Woman, or the Church: That Name or Relation is neither lo&s;t nor hidden: but agreeing herein to the e&s;tate of the I&s;|raelites in the Wilderne&s;&s;e, being called the Church in the Wilderne&s;&s;e, and enjoying many pretious Ordinances and pri|viledges of the Church of God; and yet not come up to that Glory and re&s;t which was before them.</P>
<P>Secondly, God appointed this Wilderne&s;&s;e condition, this Middle State to her, partly for &s;afety, that in that condition, during that time, &s;he might be pre&s;erved from the face of the Serpent, ver&s;e 14. Even as God &s;ent I&s;rael into the Wilderne&s;&s;e to pre&s;erve them from the rage of <HI>Pharaoh,</HI> that red Dragon,
<PB N="32" REF="19"> untill &s;uch time as the promi&s;ed Land was to be given to them: So God appointed &s;uch a wilderne&s;&s;e, (as it were a wandring, un&s;etled, wayfaring, travailing) condition to the Church for &s;uch a time, that &s;he might be pre&s;erved from the overwhelm|ing power of the red Dragon, untill &s;he come unto that glo|rious, &s;etled, peacefull condition of re&s;t, which &s;hall ere-long be given to her.</P>
<P>Thirdly, God doth graciou&s;ly provide that the Church &s;hall be fed and nouri&s;hed during her wilderne&s;&s;e condition: ver&s;es. 6.14. even as he did graciou&s;ly provide for <HI>I&s;rael</HI> in the wil|derne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>Fourthly, During her wilderne&s;&s;e condition, &s;hee hath ma|ny faithfull children, children of the youth, &s;tout warriers, like Arrowes in the hand of a mighty man, who maintaine the truth and honour of the Lord Je&s;us again&s;t &s;uch as joyne them&s;elves unto &s;uper&s;titious and erronious practi&s;es. The&s;e are called the remnant of her &s;eed, which keepe the commandements of God, and have the Te&s;timony of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. vers. 17. I de&s;ire that this may be well noted, that during her wilderne&s;&s;e condition, &s;hee hath a &s;eed, a remnant who keepe the commandements of God, and have the Te&s;timony of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. And who can warrantably &s;ay that the&s;e commandements of God are not the Ordinances of God, and the Ordinance of believers bapti&s;me a|mong&s;t other Ordinances? And who therefore can &s;ay upon good ground, that during her wilderne&s;&s;e condition the Te&s;ti|mony of Chri&s;t is lo&s;t, and the commandements and Ordinan|ces of Chri&s;t are lo&s;t? &s;eeing this remnant of her &s;eed do keepe the commandements of God, and have the Te&s;timony of Je&s;us Chri&s;t: that is, they practi&s;e his commandements, and hold forth his Te&s;timony. And thus they maintain the truth and ho|nour of the Lord Je&s;us, again&s;t &s;uch as joyne them&s;elves unto &s;u|per&s;titious practi&s;es: even as the valiant ones of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> did of old (during their wilderne&s;&s;e e&s;tates) mantaine the Lords honour a|gain&s;t tho&s;e who made them a God of their own Ear-rings, and gave honour to it. Exod. 32.26.27.28.29.</P>
<P>Fifthly, during her wilderne&s;&s;e condition, the woman and the remnant of her &s;eed, meets with much warfare and with many oppo&s;itions from the Dragon, for keeping the commande|ments of God and the Te&s;timony of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. vers. 17. yet the&s;e oppo&s;itions are not &s;o directly from the Dragon mentioned
<PB N="33" REF="19"> in this chapter, as from the Bea&s;t mentioned in the next, who hath the Dragons power and venome in him, but yet would &s;eem to be very devout: even as <HI>I&s;rael</HI> in the wilderne&s;&s;e, after their deliverance from the Rage of the red Dragon, did meet with many oppo&s;itions and many troubles: and not onely from &s;uch as were more manife&s;t enemies, but from &s;uch al&s;o as would &s;eem to be very zealous. Numb. 16.1.2.3.4 5.</P>
<P>Sixthly, the holy Spirit makes no mention in this Scripture of the not appearing of the Church, nor the lo&s;&s;e of her Ordi|nances: neither will it agree to the condition of the Church of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> in the wilderne&s;&s;e, from whence (as I &s;aid) I conceive the allu&s;ion to be chiefly taken.</P>
<P>Wherefore I &s;ee no rea&s;on why &s;uch a conclu&s;ion &s;hould be received: to wit, that the Church is lo&s;t, and her Ordinances are lo&s;t, and therefore that we can neither know, nor do any thing untill the con&s;ummation of that time of the churches being in the wilderne&s;&s;e. Surely &s;uch an opinion doth ari&s;e, and is main|tained from the policie of Satan, and not from the teaching of the holy Spirit. Other things might have been &s;poken by way of an&s;wer to that objection, but what I have &s;aid (I conceive) may &s;uffice.</P>
<P>Thus much concerning the explication and clearing the la&s;t generall head. What I have &s;aid concerning this head is u&s;efull thus farr: to wit, As well to confirme and e&s;tabli&s;h the hearts of the Saints who are under the practi&s;e of this truth, that they through the Lords help, may &s;tand &s;tedfa&s;t herein again&s;t all the wiles of Satan, unto the pray&s;e of God: As al&s;o to give &s;atisfacti|on (if the Lord plea&s;e) to &s;uch who &s;eeme to make &s;cruple at &s;uch like things as the&s;e, to hold them off from the practi&s;e of this bapti&s;me, which they are convinced to be a truth of Chri&s;t. But let &s;uch take heed of dallying with the truths of the Lord Je&s;us.</P>
<P>And thus as the Lord hath helped me, I have cleared up tho&s;e &s;ix generall heads, which I propounded in my entrance into this matter: As al&s;o have layd downe in brief what u&s;efull in&s;tru&s;tions are to be learned from each of them.</P>
<P>To conclude: It was not my purpo&s;e to an&s;wer all argu|ments particulerly, which are alledged by many for the mantai|nance of Infants bapti&s;me. &s;eeing that is profitablely and &s;weet|ly done by others of the Lords witne&s;&s;es. But what I intended
<PB N="34" REF="20"> and propounded, I have (through the Lords help) in &s;ome com|fortable mea&s;ure performed. Being fally per&s;waded that what I have written is the mind of Chri&s;t, and may &s;erve to convince all gain&s;ayings, and overthrow all arguments what&s;oever, which are alledged for infants bapti&s;me: and to &s;atisfie all &s;uch, who have not a prejudice again&s;t the truth, and preferre other things above the truth.</P>
<P>I do therefore exhort all &s;uch who profe&s;&s;e to love the truth, and &s;ay they de&s;ire to know and obey the truth: that they lay a|&s;ide all prejudice, wordly re&s;pects, &s;elf-ends, carnall rea&s;onings, and que&s;tions about words, which are not to edification: and &s;peedily, without delay, to give up them&s;elves to the obedience of the truth in this and all other things. And let them con&s;ider what the Lord Je&s;us &s;aith, Iohn 14.21. He that hath my com|mandements, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me &s;hall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manife&s;t my &s;elfe to him.</P>
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<PB REF="20">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
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