THE STORMING OF THE ANABAPTISTS GARRISONS, With a brief discovery of the weakness of the same, & of the inconsiderableness of the Sconces and Forts of all the other Sectaries, in despite and contempt of all the which, any Christian Soldier may safely march to Heaven, without the least danger;  
The serious thought of the which alone, may for ever serve for the settling of his judgement, and for his comfort in life and death, and therefore worthy of his most deliberate consideration.  
In a word, In the ensuing discourse, the vanity of all novel opinions is discovered, the ignorance of all the which can no way hinder any man's happiness: And the Baptism of little Children borne of Christian Parents, whether jews or Gentiles, is proved by the word of God, to be lawful, and that there are both Precepts and Precedents, and as good authority for the Baptism of little Children borne of believing Parents, as for the baptism of grown persons, and that from the Commission and practice both of John the Baptist, and Christ's Disciples, who Baptised both men, women, and children, as the following Treatise will declare, which was written at the earnest desire of a wellwisher to the truth, and in answer to the Letter following.  john 3. 22, 23. 
After these things came Jesus, and his Disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and Baptised. And john also was baptising in Anon near Salim, etc. And they came and were baptised.  2 Cor. 13. 8. 
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.  
By John Bastwick, Doctor in Physic.  
LONDON, Printed by T. W. for Joshua Kirton, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the sign of the white Horse in Paul's Churchyard. 1647.   

To his much honoured friend Mr. john Bastwick, Doctor in Physic, at the Golden Ball in great Woodstreet.  
Worthy Sir,  
HAving read over your Book entitled, The Utter Routing of the whole Army of the Independents and Sectaries, etc. And found in your answers plenary satisfaction to whatsoever was objected against your arguments in your former Book entitled, Independency not Gods ordinance; I could not so content myself without signifying unto you the same, and returning you many thanks for the great pains and indefatigable diligence you have used therein, being persuaded if all those who are staggering between Independency and Presbytery, would but read it ever with an impartial eye, it would fully settle their judgements. Nay if those of the Congr●gations called joined Members, would but read it without prejudice, I am confident they would not only harbour a better opinion of the Presbytery, but see such failings in their own way, as justly to relinquish it. But I behold not that charity in them, that they would persuade the world they are endowed with, nor that love to their brethren that is to be desired in those th●● make profession of the Gospel, and speak so much of love and charity as they do. The time was that they bade honourable thoughts of you to my knowledge, and spoke as much in your praises as in any man's now living, before you declared your judgement for the Presbyters: but since that, their hatred it sufficiently known, for their language and practice do manifest it, not only by all shameful revi●ing of you, and by disparaging both you and your books, by all manner of contumelies, but by pulling down the Titles of your Books wheresoever they are set up, 〈◊〉 hindering the publishing of them by all their abilities, which apparently 〈◊〉 their inveterate malice against you, which dealing of theirs, as it is very unchristian, so it shows what liberty of Conscience we might expect at their hands, if they were once our masters. Neither may they pretend that you aid provoke them by your writings: for before ever you had put Pen to paper, or writ any thing against their opinion, they only understanding that you were of a contrary judgement, did then as despitefully use you in all manner of scurrilous language as now they do as can sufficiently be proved. It is only your opinion, in that you differ from them that makes you odious to them, for they liked your merry humour at other times against the Prelates: But they seem to have some ground for it if they may be believed, for th●y have been often heard to affirm, that you were once one of them, and it was told me by many, that those women that accompanied J●hn L●lburnes Wife to the Parliament upbraided you to your face before all the people that you had been once one of them and called you an apostate, and persecutor of the saints. This information makes me the more bold to request a small favour from you which is this, that I might have it under your hand whether you were ever in your opinion an Independent, Sectary or Anabaptist, etc. that I may satisfy others about it; for I heard they were all such that did abuse you. Now, if you were not. I shall desire you with as much brevity as so weighty a business will suffer you to use, to give me your judgement, what you conceive of all those new opinions lately hatched amongst us: and as you have largely writ against the Independents, so that now you would furnish me with some arguments against the Anabaptists, which is now become one of the chief Sects, and for multitude (if they may be credited) the greatest and most prevalent in the Kingdom; for I know you will deal candidly in the whole business, and so good an opinion I have of you, that you will do nothing for disputation's sake, but for truth and conscience sake. Withal, I shall desire you in the whole discourse to use no humane authority, but as you have in all your writings confirmed your opinion by the word of God you would still use the same weapon to defend the truth, and oppose error, which I shall take for a singular Christian kindness, and according to my ability, if it satisfies my expectation, I shall labour that others may also partake with me in the truth, and be preserved from the errors of the times. I wish from my heart, that ●●●ry family in this City, nay in the whole Kingdom, that desires to know the state of the controversy between us and the Independents would downplay some of th●se 〈◊〉 they usually sp●●d in their retreat 〈◊〉 in the reading of your ●●st Book, 〈◊〉 the Utter Routing &c. that so both they and their 〈◊〉 ●ight b●● preserved from the cunning craftiness of those that lie in wait to deceive. I having read no Book since the broaching of this new tenant of Independency, that comes so near and full to the business. Neither would I disparage 〈…〉 this; but I speak according to what I have experience of, and from the benefit that others have received by perusing of it▪ who have acknowledged that the reading your Book did not only seule them, but many hundreds of others that have from it. And which is yet more some Independents have acknowledged, that they were convinced by reading of your Book which I conceive, to be one of the principallest causes that makes them so much malign you, and hinder the publishing of it. And others of them upon the reading of your book, have writ out of the Country to some of their fraternity here in London, telling th●m▪ that they had read your Book, saying moreover, that they could witness that you had writ nothing of them and their practices, but what they could witness to be true and therefore earnestly exhorted them to mend their manners, and carry themselves so as beseemed the Gospel, all this can be abundantly proved which induces me to believe, that if that Book were but known amongst the people they would either speedily be undeceived if they were seduced, or be preserved from the errors of the times. All that I have now to say unto you besides my good wishes is this; You have had great experience of God's love unto you, who hath hitherto preserved you, and delivered you out of so many dangers and from so many deaths, and from the fury of so many enemies and preserved you in the truth; who with all their fury, rage, and reproaches, have never in any thing been dismayed; I shall therefore earnestly desire you to consider that you serve the same master still, who is the same All sufficient Jehovah, be constant therefore to maintain his cause and truth to the death, and be not discouraged with any thing any enemy can do unto you; which words I utter not as in the least doubting of your resolutions, but out of my hearty desire of your honour and happiness which your s●ability and constancy will crown with a L●●rell of immortal praises manger all enemies. I pray sir, fail no● with the s●●nest to let me receive th●se Arguments I desire, and to hear of your health and happiness, and the welfare of all your●, and you shall ●●ch 〈◊〉 and rejoice 〈◊〉 who is  
Sir, Your assured Friend in What I may in the Lord's quarrel. RICHARD SMART. From my house in Scalding Alley, at the Hand and Pen, this 25 of March, 1647.   

To his Christian friend Mr. Richard Smart, at his house in Scalding Alley, at the hand and Pen.  
SIR,  
IF in the very day of the Apostles, when truth was so prevalently and powerfully taught, and confirmed with so many wonders and Miracles, errors did then so abound, that Saint in john in his Epistle to the elect Lady, greatly rejoiced to find any walking in the truth; It is now no wonder that in these latter and perilous times, so many revolt from the same and embrace errors, and therefore it is exceeding matter of joy to all the lovers of the truth, to meet with any that continue constantly in the same; and truly it doth much rejoice me to find you, against so many temptations, persevering in the love of it, which will ever be for your honour here, and real comfort in life and death.  
For your good opinion of me, and of the Book I sent you, and for your kind acceptance of the same, I return you many thanks, and withal, for your farther satisfaction, I do here in the presence of the great God that shall judge both quick and dead, profess unto you, that I never was in my judgement and opinion an Anabaptist, Brownist, Independent, or any Sectary. And as I have formerly in almost all my books manifested to the world, that I differed in nothing from the doctrine of the Protestant reform Churches beyond the Seas, as those of France, Germany, and the Netherlands, in any dominative or Principle point of Religion, saving in the doctrine of the Sabbath or Lords day, which in my judgement ought wholly to be employed and kept, both privately and publicly in all duties of piety and charity, and that with as much care, diligence, and reverence, as ever it was amongst the Jews, saving I say, in this point only, I speak it again in the presence of God, I never differed in any thing concerning faith, or any fundamental point of doctrine from any of those Churches; nor never approved of any separation from God's ordinances celebrated in them, or allowed of the leaving of their public Assemblies, and therefore whatsoever either the Anabaptists or any of the Sectaries have formerly published, or do now speak of me, intimating that I was once one of them, it is a mere calumny and foul reproach: and what I now say, I shall be able to prove by a cloud of witnesses, and those of their own party, who have formerly been of my acquaintance and familiarly intimate with me, who are ready, as they have lately told me, to witness for me, that I was ever against their several separations from any of God's ordinances in our public Assemblies here in England, and that in the worst times, and therefore the Anabaptists and Sectaries do use me very injuriously to persuade their followers, or any others, that I was once one of them.  
But before I come to declare my opinion concerning the baptism of Children of Christian Parents, which is my theme at this time, and to prove that there is very good warrant for it in the word of God▪ I think it fit in this place to declare my judgement which you desired in your Letter I would do, concerning all Separatists, whether Papists or Sectaries, which is this, that I am so fare from favouring their ways (especially in these times of our so happy begun reformation) that I am able by God's blessed assistance, ever to make it good, that whatsoever either of them (by what names soever they are called) hold or believe concerning Christian religion more than what is believed and embraced in the Protestant reform Churches, that it is either blasphemous impious, or at least superfluous; so that a man may die either in the ignorance or contempt of it, and yet go safely to heaven. And as for the vanity, impiety, and falsity of all the popish tenants I have sufficiently declared it in many Books and in that my discourse between me and Mr. mountain, called the Church of England's true Church, and for all the several opinions of the Sectaries, wherein they differ from the Protestant reform Churches, they are if not as impious, yet as vain and needless as those of the Papists, so that a man may as safely go to heaven without the knowledge of them, as either the glorious Prophets or blessed Apostles, who knew none of them, and yet were all saved: for nothing keeps men out of heaven, but sin and the transgression of the law of God. Now I desire any rational creature to declare unto me, what law of God I or any man transgress, and what sin I commit, if I believe and practise no more than the written word of God hath taught me to believe and do, and if I die in the ignorance of Independency, Anabaptism, Antinomianisme, etc. yea, let any of them show me what sin I commit in rejecting all such opinions as neither Christ, not the Prophets, nor the Apostles, or any of the penmen of holy Scripture have taught us. The Scripture hath sufficiently taught us, that this is life eternal to know the only true God, and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ, john the 17. ver. 3. the knowledge of which any may attain unto without the knowledge of them and their tenants. And Paul disired to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him Crucified, and counted all things as dung and dross, in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ the Lord, and left us for the ordering of our lives, to follow the example of Christ, in doing and suffering, and the rule of the word, Phil. 3. And the Scripture hath abundantly declared, Acts the 2. that the City, of people that receive the Word of God gladly, and continue steadfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of Bread and prayer, are the Disciples of Jesus Christ, and a true Church, as that of jerusalem; yea, a true form Church, as the Independents themselves hold, as is manifest in their Writings, although at that time, that they say it was a true form Church, it had neither Deacons nor Elders, nor distinction of Members nor officers, nor discipline or excommunication, but they were all said and governed by Pastors and Teachers in common, as all the Primative Churches we read of were. Now than what sin or error is it in me or any at this day, to believe that wheresoever amongst any people, or in any City, the Gospel is truly and faithfully preached, embraced, and believed by them, whether by particular Ministers set over them severally, which incertain freemen or bonds, or by Ministers in Common, and where the Sacraments are duly administered, and amongst whom there is the true invocation of God, that that people so qualified, is a true Church or Churches, though there be amongst them neither distinction of members or officers, nor that perfection of Discipline as is to be wished; I desire I say any man to show me what error or sin it is in me to believe that any such people so qualified is a true Church: for we have the prime and Mother Church, the Church of Jerusalem for a pattern of a true Church, and so called in the holy Scripture, and so esteemed of by the Independents themselves, at that time when they only believed, and embraced the Gospel and were baptised, and when they continued steadfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in breaking of Bread, and in prayers, although then they had neither distinction of Officers or Members and wanted that part of discipline of casting out of corrupt Members, as the Independents themselves, and Anabaptists in their writings have taught us; Now, if the Church of Jerusalem, I say, at that time was a true form Church, and from the which they ought not to separate. I can see no reason that it should be a sin or error in me or any other in these our days, to believe that in what City or Country soever the people embrace the Gospel, and partake in all those, ordinances that made them a true form Church, though they be forced and ruled with Ministers in common, should not be a true form Church or Churches, as that was, or any of the primitive Churches, where they were all fed and governed by Ministers in common, in their several bounds and cohabitations, as all the story of the New Testament sufficiently declare. And I would very gladly also be informed, what sin I commit in not separating from such Assemblies, although there should be some failings both in Members and Discipline; then seeing we have neither Precept and Precedent allowed o● for any such separation in any of the Primitive and Apostolic Churches, nor in the whole word of God, where we read not only of ordinary errors, but of such heresies as razed the very foundation, and of such maliversation amongst them in respect of manners, as we shall sc●rce read of greater in profane histories; Now if for neither errors in doctrine, discipline, or in manners, those glorious Christians made no separation from the public Assemblies of the Saints, I see no warrant we have now for less matters, to make rents and Schisms from the true Churches of Jesus Christ: neither do I believe that any of them shall ever be able to make it sinful in any Christian now not to separate upon such occasions: for if separations from the public Assemblies were by the Author to the Hebrews so blamed and found fault with as a sin in them, it is sinful now, and no virtue but a grand error; and in this faith will I live and die, that whosoever do make needless separations from the Assemblies of those that are as good Christians, and as true believers as themselves, do that which is highly displeasing unto God, and that which will bring down his judgements amongst us, especially When they do it at such times, as when all those things are taken away as might in any respect be accounted scandalous or offensive unto them, and when for substance there is nothing that they differ from them.  
Again, if I or any Christian steadfastly believe unto the death, that there were more Assemblies or Congregations of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem then one, because we find it recorded that they met daily in several houses to communicate, and that they were all combined together, and subordinate to one Presbytery within that Precinct and were to be governed and ruled by them in common, and for ever reject the opinion of Independents, who hold there were no more Christians at first and last in that Church or City, than did or could ordinarily meet in one place, and that their Officers did nothing, nor could do nothing in that Church without the consent of the whole Congregation, and that that particular Congregation was Independent, and from which there might be no appeal. I say, if I or any man reject this their opinion, can it hinder me or them from salvation? or is it any sin in me or them so to believe? If they shall say it, they must first show me what law in so believing I have transgressed, without which there is no sin.  
Again, if I believe and persevere in this faith, that it is sufficient for any that will be made a member of any Christian Church, to repent, believe and be baptised, and reject all those novel opinions of the Independents, concerning their walking sometime with the Congregation, and their making a particular confession of their faith, and bringing in the evidences of their conversion, and their taking of a particular explicit Covenant, and coming in by the consent of the people; what transgression I pray is in this my belief? or what law of God do I violate? if I peremptorily to the death persevere in this my opinion, that faith, repentance and Baptism is all that God requires of any for their admission into Church fellowship and communion, and if I steadfastly to the last period of my life hold, that all the conditions of the Independents are mere novelties and their own inventions, and that any Christian may die either in the ignorance or contempt of them without the transgression of the law of God?  
The same may be said of all the anabaptistical opinions, and of all the other erroneous doctrines of all the other Sects. Yea, the rejecting of them all is so fare from sin, or depriving men of happiness and peace of conscience here, and eternal felicity hereafter, as it is a great virtue to contend earnestly against them, for the faith once delivered to the Saints, Jud. 3. Yea, which is yet more, it is a great sin in any that shall embrace any of those doctrines, and approve of those Novelties in Religion; for they are all no better than the traditions of men, which our Saviour Christ so often warns his Disciples to take heed of, Math. 15. Mark 7. telling them that they worship him in vain, who serve him after the precepts of men; and confirms that his doctrine not only by his own testimony, but out of the holy word of God, Isa. 29. And surely, those that offer God a vain worship, sin, and that in an elevated nature, and greatly provoke God by it, which all the Sectaries do, that serve him after their own inventions and traditions.  
But had it been so, that I had indeed been either a Brownist, or an Anabaptist, or any Sectary: or had I at any time been carried about with every wind of doctrine, or run after every new light as some daily do, it had been my sin so to have transgressed the commandments of God: but it would have been my glory and honour upon better information, and more mature deliberation and judgement to have renounced all those errors, and to have embraced the truth. Yea, it hath been ever thought praiseworthy in any to change either their manners or judgements for the better, and to relinquish the byways of sin and error, and to receive the truth in the love of it, which because many have forsaken, it is the just judgement of God to give them over to strange delusions, according to that in the se●ond of the Thessaly. 2. and this I conceive is one of the chief causes of the great wrath of God that is now come upon the world, and the principal occasion not only of all those miseries and calamities we are now embroiled with, but of all those monstrous errors, and blasphemous opinions that are now swarming every where. And therefore I say, if I had at any time been formerly misled, and had renounced error, and embraced the truth, and so have changed my opinion for the botter, I had in that done nothing but what God commands, and all solid Christians cannot but allow of, and in so doing I should have brought glory to God, and procured peace to my own soul, and been a good example to others of doing the like, and have given an occasion to all such as truly fear God of praising his Name, which all those will do that leave the error of their ways, and the by-paths of sin, and turn their feet into God's commandments.  
But I constantly affirm, God and my conscience bearing me witness, that I never was in my judgement one of them, as they falsely calumniate me, not only behind my back but to my face reviling me, and and that in an odious manner in the open streets, calling me an Apostate, a persecutor of the Saints, an enemy of the people of God, and a stirrer up of mutiny against the faithful of the earth, all the which charges they themselves are most guilty of. But this is their ordinary language both in private and public concerning me who never wronged them, except to speak the truth, and in their own language be to hurt them, with which reproaches that rabble rout of the Sectaries that were John Lilburnes followers a year and a half since, abused me in the next chamber to the Committee of Examinations; and with the which those impetuous women that accompanied his wife to the Parliament with her Petition the last year, which you heard of, most unchristianly bespattered me, where they behaved themselves in such uncivil manner towards the very Parliament men, as the honourable House was forced to order, that they should be kept our of that room, which before their insolency, was common not only for all Petitioners, but to all such as were civil, to the great dishonour of God, and the shame of their sex, and of their holy profession.  
And as they do upon any occasions most barbarously rail on me, wheresoever they meet me, though I know them no● by face; so they use all possible mean's they can to disparage me by railing and fomenting calumnies against me, and that against all the laws of God and humanity, vilifying my books, especially the Utter routing of all the Independent Army, hindering by all they might the publishing of it pulling down the Titles through Town and Country wheresoever they were set up, so that in one night and day they destroyed and defaced no less than three hundred through the City, and as often as any of them again were pasted up, they pulled them down, to the number of eleven hundred at times; all which their proceed show the sinfulness of their ways: for whereas it is the duty of all good Christians to contend for the truth against error, and with all their best endeavour to propagate it, and spread it abroad, for so we are commanded, Jud. 3. they hinder it what they can, which manifestly proclaims to the world that they fight against the truth: for our Saviour saith, John the third, That they that do the truth, come to the light, that their deeds may be seen, and they that eat the light, it is because their deeds are evil. This I say, hath ever been the method of the truly godly, and of the Saints indeed to publish the truth against error, and to come to the light and touchstone the word of God for the discovering of error, and proving and declaring the truth: but these men being conscious to themselves, that their deeds and doctrines are evil, eat the light, and labour by all their abilities to extinguish whatsoever glimiring of it should discover them, and therefore have conspired together to hinder the devulging of my Books, especially the utter Routing, and my Postscript, because they do apparently hold forth the truth, and disolay and discover both the errors of their opinions, and their deceitful deal in deluding the poor people, and in withholding the truth from them in unrighteousness, which is not only to their eternal dishonour, but one of the most horrid wickednesses, that can be perpetrated against God and men: for it is an open fight against God, and a hindering of the salvation of the people, which was one of those great sins the Jews were guilty of, 1 Thess. 2 16. by which they filled up the measure of the wrath of God against themselves to the full, to their own damnation, as the Apostle there speaks. And truly the practice of these men is not far from that of the Jews it being a sin against their own knowledge: for if they were not convinced that their ways were erroneous, they would come to the light, and they would exhort all men to read my books, and to buy them up; yea, they would themselves lay out their moneys as they promised, and send them freely abroad through Town and Country to breed Independents, for they gloried exceedingly what store of Independents I had bred, and engaged themselves in the hearing of others, that when my last book was once printed (for they heard it was then in the press) that they would buy fifty pounds worth of them, and publish them every where for the increasing of Independents.  
Now then, if their way be the way of God, as they pretend, and if men by reading of my books, (as they boast) be made Independents, why do they not publish them, and procure that they be spread abroad? why do they not bring the people to the light? yea, why do● they every where disgrace them, and to the uttermost of their power hinder the publishing of them, both by pulling down titles in all places, they dissuading all men from reading of them? These their proceed do sufficiently declare unto all the world the sinfulness of their deal, and that they wilfully withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousness, and by that means hinder their salvation, and keep them still in blindness and error, in as much as in them lies: for they say my Books breed Independents, and they are the only saints in their dialect, and yet they will not endure the publishing of them for the breeding of saints, but let them (as they brag) lie as waste paper. All these their actions do declare, that they are very injurious and malicious men, and that of all men (if the power lay in their hands) they would never grant unto the Presbyterians liberty of Conscience, nor suffer them to enjoy a Toleration, or an Indulgence for their Religion: for if now in word and deed, they reproach, revile, and maliciously abuse them, and hinder the very publishing of their Books: and if now they spend their best abilities by slanders and all indirect means (as can sufficiently be proved by their daily practices) to suppress the truth, and light of the everlasting Gospel, and preaching of the same, and labour to set up erroneous teachers in all places, and publish through the Kingdom, and that at their own charges all erroneous and seducing Pamphlets, though destructive to the government of Church and State, and to the disturbance of both, and hinder as much as in them lies the publishing of all such books as may discover their errors and juggle to the world, all these their indirect deal abundantly manifest, that they are not only persecutors (which they accuse their brethren to be though falsely) but that they would never give a Toleration to the Presbyterians, or suffer them to use the liberty of their consciences, whatsoever they now pretend, and howsoever they plead for it amongst us: for all men may well gather, that if they will not endure our Books to be read by the people in which the truth is maintained, and error confuted, they would never suffer the preaching of it publicly.  
But in all these their practices, as in many other, they are like the Papists and Jesuits, who as the world knows, hinder the spreading of all orthodox Books amongst the people, and make it death to all such as either divulge them, or have them in their houses, where they have power in their hands. And where they have not the Inquisition, there in all disgraceful manner they disparage the orthodox Writers, and vilify their books, dissuading all their party from reading of them, telling them that it is not only a misspending of their precious time, but an animating of Heretics; yea, a very great sin, and a tempting God: and by such proceed as these they delude the poor ignorant people, especially the women, devouring Widows houses, and leading captive silly creatures to their own destruction. And therefore for my part, when I behold the practices and deal of all the Sectaries compare them with those of the Jesuits and Papists, I can discern no difference between them. And truly, they that shall read my utter routing, but with deliberation, will soon perceive there is very little difference between them and the Papists in divers of their opinions as well as in their practices, so that a man may without any sin conclude, that they are a company of Papists in a new dress, whatsoever they pretend to the contrary, which will the better appear if things be duly considered: for it is well known, that the holding of any one dominative or principal point in any Religion or Sect, makes one to be called by the name of that Religion or Sect; As for example, if any one hold that men ought to be circumcised after the manner of Moses, though in all other points he be a Christian, yet all men call a man this Jew. And so if any one hold but any one principal point of popery: as that the Pope is head of the Church, and Peter's successor, or that the Mass is a sacrifice appointed by Christ, though in all other points he be a Protestant, yet all men will say, he is a Papist. So if any amongst the Papists, hold but one opinion of the Protestants, though in all other of his tenants he be a right down Papist: as for instance, if he hold that the Pope is not head of the Church, but is Antichrist, or if he hold that the Mass is an Idol, or that the word of God is sufficient without traditions, or that it ought to be had in the vulgar tongue, and to be read by the people, any one of these opinions, though in all other things he be of the Papists judgements, is enough for ever to take away his life where the Inquisition dwells, and for such a one to be branded with the name of an Heretic, or a Calvinist. And so it is in all other Sects, he that holds but any one of the Antinomian opinions, is accounted and called by all men, an Antinomian: And he that holds that Children of Christian Parents ought not to be Baptised, though in all other points he be orthodox, yet he for this will be reputed and called an Anabaptist. Now then when the Sectaries hold so many of the Papists tenants, as that of , and falling away from grace, and that the word of God cannot be known to be the word of God but by the testimony of men, etc. and hinder as much as in them lies, the publishing of all orthodox Books and further the divulging of all erroneous Pamphlets for the deceiving of the ignorant people, by these their opinions and practices, they proclaim themselves to be Papists, and without any injury done unto them, may so be called if their own practice and the practice of all times and Nations may be an authentic rule to go by, who from the holding of any one principal point of any Religion or Sect, makes them to be denominated from that Sect, either Papists, Presbyterians, Independents, or Anabaptists etc.  
But now Master Smart to the matter in hand, for farther satisfaction to you and all men, as I have according to your desire declared unto you, that I was never any Sectary or Anabaptist, and what my opinion and judgement is concerning them; So at this time I will briefly make known my opinion unto you concerning that point of difference, passing by the rest between us and the Anabaptists, who as you well know, hold the baptising of Infants borne of Christian Parents unlawful upon these suppositions, that there is neither Precept nor Precedent for it in all God's word, and in regard (as they say) there is no manifestation of faith and repentance in Infants, and in regard also that the children of Christian parents (as they affirm) are no more within the Covenant, than the children of Turks and Infidels, and therefore in all these regards they assert they have no more right to Baptism then Colts and Dogs, etc. In which their assertions I differ from them, as in all their other tenants wherein they declare themselves divers from the doctrine received in all the reformed Protestant Churches.  
And as for the Baptism of Infants born of Christian Parents, I not only believe that they have as much & as good right to it, as the children of the Jews had to Circumcision, but that they being once baptised by our Ministers, ought not to be rebaptised, being better Christians then any Anabaptists, and I not only believe that children of Christian Parents ought to be baptised, but hope to prove that there is both Precept and Precedents, and most excellent grounds for it in the word of God, (notwithstanding all the cavils of the Anabaptists) and that not only under the Ministry of John the Baptist, and the Apostles, and Christ's seventy Disciples before Christ's death and Ascension, but after, and that they are all within the Covenant, as well as the children of the Jews were. Which if I can by the word of God make good, I am confident that those that will be guided by that rule will be satisfied: and for such as will follow their wild opinions, I shall leave them to the righteous Judge.  
But before I come to dispute this question, I will take the liberty to say something by way of Preface to the following Discourse, which will give some light to the whole business. Therefore I shall desire you seriously to consider the Covenant that God made with Abraham and his seed, and not only with Abraham, but with all such strangers as should embrace the faith and doctrine of Abraham. And to begin with Abraham in the seventeenth of Genesis, God there established his Covenant with Abraham, and with his seed after him in their generations, to be a God unto him and his seed after him, ver. 7. and in the ninth ver. he charges Abraham to keep his Covenant, both he and his seed after him, and in ver. 10. he declareth what that Covenant is, viz. that every manchild amongst them should be circumcised, which the Lord, ver. 11. calls a token of the Covenant, betwixt him and Abraham, which Saint Paul Rom. 4. ver. 11. calls the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had being yet uncircumcised, etc. And in the 12. 13. 15. verses, God commands that every male child at eight days old should be circumcised, he that is borne in the house, or ●ought with money of any stranger, which was not of his seed, and that the soul should be cut off that brake that Covenant. And in the eighteenth chapter speaking of him, he saith, Shall I hid from Abraham the thing that I now do? for I know that Abraham will command his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord etc. God knew well, that Abraham would command his children and family to observe his Covenant, and would not leave it to their own wills whether they will keep it or not.  
And in the twelfth of Exodus we shall find that God gave the same law to strangers, and those that should become Proselytes, and embrace the Jewish Religion, that he gave to Abraham himself, the words are these, ver. 48. And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passeover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it: and he shall be as one that is borne in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall ●ate thereof. One law shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth amongst you. By which it is apparently evident, that the same way of admission into the Church, that was used for the engraffing of those that were grown men, ●nd converted from the heathenish religion, should be used to those that were their children, and of their household, and under their command, which lesson the people of God, had well learned as we may see in Joshua 24. who for himself and his family promised, that he and his house would serve the Lord, ver. 15. Yea, God made many laws unto all Parents, and Masters of Families to look unto their children, and those that were under them, that they kept the commands of the Lord, and did as he had b●d them, as in the twentieth of Exodus, where he enjoins all in authority, that they and their sons and daughters, and men servants and maid servants, should keep the commandments of God. And in the fourth of Deut. and in the sixth Chapter of the same book, and in the eleventh chapter, and in many other places, he commands all parents that they should teach their children at their rising up, and lying down, and upon all occasions, the statutes and ordinances of the Lord; And this was practised not only by men, and people of inferior rank, but by Kings themselves, as we may see in David, Prov. 4. ver. 3. Who taught Solomon his son, when he was tender and young. And Solomon likewise carefully instructed his son and family, as we may see through all the Proverbs. And in the 22 chapter ver. 6. he gives this law to all Israel, to train up their children in the way they should walk, showing the benefit of such education for the future, saying that when they were old, they would not departed from it. Yea, in many places he commands them, if their children be refractory stubborn and disobedient to good counsel, not to spare the rod. Yea, God made a special law to all Israel, Exod. 34. ver. 23. and Deut. 16. ver. 16. saying, Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose: in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of Tabernacles, etc. And this law God enjoined all his people to observe for the instruction of their children, and bringing them up in the knowledge and worship of the true God, so careful was the Lord, that their children should be brought up in the fear of his name, which law of God is still in force to all Christian Parents, as is evident in the sixth of the Ephes. ver. the fourth, where they are enjoined to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And that law of God was observed in succeeding ages to the times of the New Testament; Many instances of the which are recorded in holy Scripture, I shall only at this time produce a few precedents or examples by which the truth of this doctrine may yet more illustriously appear, that in all their solemn Feasts, Fasts, and Covenants, children were joined with their parents as actors and partakers in them, as well as they, and that by special command from God, by all which it will be the more evident, that their children and little ones were as well of the family and Church of God, and in covenant with him as their Parents, and that they had as much right to partake in all these public ordinances and solemn assemblies, and that by the command of God, as they.  
And first I shall desire you to look into the tenth of Exodus, ver. 8 9 10. 11. where when Moses and Aaron were brought before Pharaoh: and he said unto them, go serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go? And Moses said, we will go with our young, and with our old: with our sons, and with our daughters: for we must hold a feast unto the Lord. And he said unto them, let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones. Look to it, for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord, for that you did desire: and they were driven out from Pharaohs presence. By which place alone it appeareth, that the Lord was as well the God of their little Children, as of their Parents, and that he would be served as well by them in their sacrifices and solemn assemblies, as by their Parents, as being all in covenant with him, as their parents and consecrated to him by covenant as well as they. Neither did Moses stir without them, as the story declareth. And if we look into the 29. of Deut. ver. 9 10. 11. 12. 13. etc. The Lord saith there to all the people, Keep therefore the words of this Covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; your Captains, and your tribes, your Elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, your little ones, and your wives, and the stranger that is in thy camp, etc. that thou shouldest enter into a covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day, etc. Here we see that the little children were not only in Covenant with the Lord, as well as their parents, but that they by name entered into a covenant with the Lord as well as they. And in the second of the Chronicles and the 20th (to omit many other instances) it is related there, that Jehoshophat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast through all Judah: and Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord, even out of all the Cities of Judah, they came to seek the Lord. Now, if we look but into the thirteenth verse of the same chapter, we shall find, who they were out of all Cities, that thus sought the Lord, where it is related, that all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, their wives and their children. By all which testimonies, and many more that might be produced, it affirms that the very little children of the Israelites, were as well of the family of Abraham, and in covenant with God, and had as good right to all the Ordinances as their Parents, if by the mouth of many Witnesses this truth may be confirmed. Yea, it was the practice of the Jews into what Country soever they were scattered, to bring up their children in the knowledge of God, and of the holy Scripture, and that from their childhood, as we may learn by the example of the Grandmother, and mother of Timothy, who knew the holy Scriptures from a child, by their industry and godly care. And this was God's method, that after any had relinquished their Idol gods, and turned to the living God, that God would have them to be Circumcised, and all their Males in their family under them, after one and the same manner, ever using the same way of admittance of their children that were tender and young, that was used for the receiving in of their parents: professing that he would be a God of their side, as of them, taking them all in like manner into Covenant with him by the same way of admission.  
Now God is the same God to believing Christian parents and their children, that he was to the Israelites and their children, as I hope sufficiently to prove in the sequel of this discourse. Neither do I ever read that God changed his method of taking in, and of admitting them into Covenant with him by any new law: and therefore I will not fear to believe, and for ever to conclude, that as the Parents of the believing Jews were admitted under the new Covenant, so were their children after one and the same manner, for they were all equally in covenant with him, as well as their Parents: and therefore when john the Baptist and Christ's Disciples were sent unto his people then in covenant with him, and had all of them their Commission to Preach and Baptism, as we may see in Math. the third, Mark the first Luke the third, and Luke the 10. and 11. john the first, & john the 3. & 4. and as they preached Repentance and Faith in the Messiah, whom john the Baptist declared and showed unto them to be the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world; so they were neither of them limited in respect of sex or age, but commanded to Baptism all that come to their Ministry, without any restriction; for they were all his people in covenant with him, as well the children as their parents, and by virtue of that, capable as well as they of that ordinance of Baptism: for they were sent to baptise all the Jews without limitation, as I said before, as well their children and women, as men; neither do we read in all the New Testament, that either john or the Apostles refused to Baptism Children or Women, or any, but the Saducees, Pharisees, and Lawyers, Math. 3. & Luke the 7. which wilfully rejected the counsel of God against themselves, which is recorded to their eternal shame and ignominy: Now I say, I read of none that were exempted from their Baptism, but such as rejected the counsel of the Lord, which children could not do, neither did the women, as fare as I have been taught, and therefore I may without any danger from the commission given unto john the Baptist and Christ's Disciples thus argue for proof of the lawfulness of children in Baptism, first beginning with john the Baptists commission.  
He that by his Commission from God, Baptised in jerusalem, and all Indea, and all the region round about jordan, and all people that followed his mnistery, the Sadnces, Pharisees and Lawyers only excepted, Baptised both men, women, and children.  
But John the Baptist by his Commission from God baptised Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about jordan, and all the people that followed his ministry the Sadnces, Pharisees & Lawyers only excepted.  
Ergo, he Baptised both men▪ women, and children.  
For the minor of this Argument it is sufficiently cleared from the concerning the major, which places above quoted, all the doubt is being proved the conclusion will ever stand firm, and therefore for further illustration of this truth, I will add a few words more for the proof of that, because a great Anabaptist not long since pretended that this was but a supposition, or at least an argument by consequence that children were then Baptised which if it were, it is then but an argument by consequence likewise for the baptism of men and women, as well as of children, for there is not any mention made of any man by name, (Christ only excepted) or of any women that were baptised no more than there is of children, for in the third of Math. and in the third of Luke and in the seventh chapter of the same book the text is clear that all the people, and the multitude were Baptised, the Saducees, Pharisees, and Lawyers only excepted. Now when the Scripture is so full in this business, that all the people that heard him (the  only exempted, were baptised that women and children were as well baptised as men, by john the Baptist; and as for men the Anabaptists deny not their baptism, and I by the same Law and Word, may as well prove the Baptism of women and children, as of men: for jerusalem saith the Scripture, and all judea, and all the region round about Jordan & all the people that came unto his ministry heard him were baptised. Now Jerusalem and Judea, and all the regions round about consisted of women and children, as well as of men, who were included in the multitude of people, and they were also in covenant with God and his people, and were to be brought to the ordinances as well as men, neither is there any mention made, that any were excepted but the Pharisees etc. yea, it is expressly said all the people were baptised therefore what the word of God holds out unto us, that we ought to believe. Neither will that evasion help the Anabaptists, when they say▪ that it is called the Baptism of repentance▪ and that they were baptised confessing their sins; which, say they, intimates they were grown persons, which is indeed but a mere cavil: for those expressions do no more exclude children of Christian Parents from Baptism, than the preaching of the Prophets, when they say, Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous his thoughts Isa. 55. and turn unto the Lord, do exclude the children of such from Circumcision, because Faith and Repentance, and confession of their sins are required first in the Parents, of all that turn from their sins and Idols, to serve the living God, before their admittance into the Church.  
But should it be granted, that all the men and women that came to john's Baptism did in their own persons, and for themselves make an oral and audible confession of their sins punctually before they could be baptised, which had been almost an impossible thing for such multitudes to do, yet it would not follow that their children were excluded from Baptism, for they were as well in covenant with God as their Parents, and as well his children as they, and the Scripture says expressly that Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan, and all the people were baptised, and therefore children are as well included as they: and their Parents did as well include their children as themselves in their confessions, (if they made any publicly) as the Prophets and people of God under the law in their public confessions, as well included all the people, both men women and children as themselves, and as all the Congregations with the Ministers and their Parents now daily do at the baptism of any, whether men, women, or children; but I speak this by the way, not that I shall ever be of that judgement to believe or think, that all that were baptised by John the Baptist, or the Apostles, did make each of themselves a public confession of their faith, before their admittance into the Church, for the Scripture is clear for the contrary both in the third of Luke, and in the second of the Acts, where it is related, that they only came to John and asked him what they should do? and in the second of the Acts they said unto the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? And in both the places it is recorded that they were all at that instant of time baptised without making any confession of their sins severally, which such multitudes of people could not have done without infinite toil and much time to both Ministers and people.  
But I conceive under reformation, that those expressions are set down by the Penmen of holy writ, to show the difference between the Baptism of the people, and Christ's baptism; for the people yielding and submitting themselves unto the ceremony of Baptism, which was as a hand writing against them and intimated unto them, that they were conceived in sin, (though they were not as the sinners of the Gentiles, and out of Covenant) and that they had need of washing and purifying in the blood of the Messiah, and that they should daily repent and die unto sin, and rise to newness of life. I say, in this regard by the acceptance and embracing of this ceremony, they declared and acknowledged that they were by nature sinful, and had need of cleansing, and were for ever bound all their life long, to mortify the old man, and put on the new man, upon which conditions Christ was not baptised and therefore for distinction, and making a difference between the Baptism of the people, and Christ's baptism, and for the grounds above specified as I conceive, it is called the Baptism of Repentance, and they are said to confess their sin; which all people tacitly do when they are baptised Christ only excepted; for Christ was not baptised under the notion of a sinner or believer, or of one that confessed his sins (as some suppose) for he was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world, and he knew no sin, he was the holy Child, (which is a sufficient argument also, that all that were baptised by John, did not make an oral confession of their sin for here is an other exception) and therefore it is manifest that Christ was not baptised under the notion of one that confessed his sin as the rest of the people were, but only as he was of the seed of Abraham, and borne under the Law, and being in covenant with God (as his Genealogy sufficiently declares) he had a right unto Baptism by virtue of that, and challenged his privilege, Matth. 3. telling John that it behoved him to fulfil all righteousness: for he was sent to Baptism all in covenant with God, without any limitation, both men, women, and children, if they refused it not and it was his work, and it had not been righteousness in john the Baptist to refuse Christ or any of the children of the Jewish Nation then in covenant with God: and therefore I conceive it is great unrighteousness in all those, that now refuse Baptism to Children borne of Christian Parents, and such as are in covenant with God: So that were there no other Precedents of Baptism without public confession but this one example of Christ's baptism, it may appear that all those that were baptised by the Baptist, were baptised as well by virtue of their Covenant as any confession of sin, and that they had right unto it as being then the people in Covenant with God and could not be hindered from it, except they excluded themselves as the Pharisees and Lawyers did, and therefore in that it is called the Baptism of Repentance, and that the people are said to confess their sins, I conceive it is for the reasons above specified.  
And for my part, I shall ever believe not only that all the Children of the believing Jews had as much right unto Baptism, the seal of the Covenant of the New Testament, as they had unto the promises, and the Gospel itself, but that they were really baptised as well as their Parents, the which Gospel when they (amongst them that were obstinate and resisted the Spirit of God, as their fathers had done, Acts the 7.) rejected and regarded not, yea▪ put it from them as we may see Acts the 13th ver. 46. Paul and Barnabas turned unto the Gentiles, who embracing the faith, they with their children were made partakers of all and the same privileges the Jews were, as we shall see afterward and therefore I verily believe that for all such of the Jews in john the Baptists time as embraced the Gospel, and heard him, that both they and their children were baptised, Matth. 21. ver. 32. and Luke the 7. ver. 29. for any thing that can be alleged to the contrary, for jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about jordan and all that heard him were baptised saith the Scripture, now children as well as their Parents heard John the Baptist, who preached through all judea, and in jerusalem▪ whither all people were bound thrice a year to bring up their children to the Feasts, at which times both Christ himself, and all his Apostles, in regard of the great concourses of the people that resorted thither went up to preach, taking those opportunities of publishing the Gospel, as Christ himself declareth john the 18. ver. 20. where he saith answering to his enemies, I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple, whither the jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing. So Saint Ioh● the Baptist taught publicly there also, for Herod himself heard him gladly; yea the children themselves at jerusalem were so well instructed by his and Christ's ministry in the mystery of the Gospel, and the knowledge of Christ, that they cried Hosanna to the highest, and gave testimony before all men that they were well taught, whose witness concerning Christ, when his enemies were offended at, Christ himself owns, and approved of, so that it is apparent that their parents brought them according to command, to wait upon the ordinances, and not only so, but that they had learned their lesson as well as their Parents, and durst make a public profession of Christ, when they were afraid, and Christ had taught them▪ that they that confessed him before men, those would he confess & own before his Father in heaven; by all which it is evident that their children were as well the children of Abraham & Moses Disciples, and in covenant with God as well as their Parents, and by virtue of their Covenant, had been as well baptised as they: for saith the word of God, jerusalem and all judea, and all the Region round about, and all that heard john were baptised, but those children heard him, and confessed Christ as well as their Parents Ergo. Yea, which is more, the Anabaptists do acknowledge, that all such as can make a profession of their faith in Christ, have right unto Baptism; now it is apparent that the little children in Jerusalem publicly professed Christ, to the great indignation of the Rulers, therefore did not the Scripture say, that all that heard him were baptised, which children and women did as well as men, yet by their own confession, and according to their own principles it is abundantly evident, that the Children in Jerusalem were baptised as well as their Parents, for they cried Hosanna when they durst not; but the Scripture says that jerusalem was baptised by the Baptist. What a wickedness therefore is it in the Anabaptists to exclude the children of the believing Jews, from the Baptism of john when the word of God itself, and all reason is so clear for it; seeing his commission was without limitation to the whole Nation of the Jews to baptise them, as the people of God in Covenant with him.  
But because an Anabaptist not long since being in conference with me, seemed to make nothing of john's Baptism, and looked only at the Apostles Baptism; I shall now also prove that the Apostles and Disciples Baptised both men▪ women and children and that before Christ's death and Ascension: for their commission was as large as john's▪ who were confined within the limits of judea, and Israel and commanded not to go to the Gentiles, but only to the Cities of the Jews. And it is related of them that they Baptised all that came to their Ministry▪ and followed Christ, and that they baptised more than john, and this the very enemies of Ioh● and Christ knew very well, as is evident john the 3. ver. 22 23. After these things (saith the Evangelist) came Jesus and his Disciples into the land of judea, and there he tarried with them and baptised. And john also was baptising in Anon near to Salim, etc. and they came and were baptised. Here we have this witness▪ that a●l that came unto the ministry of Christ and John, none excluded were baptised. And in the 26. ver. the Jews say there unto john Rabbi he that was with thee beyond jordan to whom thou barest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him. And in the fourth chapter, ver. 1. 2. it is recorded there When the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that jesus made and baptised more Disciples than john (though Jesus himself baptised not but his Disciples) he left Judea. Out of which places this truth is sufficiently apparent▪ that all that came unto Christ and waited upon his ministry, and that of John the Baptist, and Christ's Disciples were all baptised, and that the Disciples baptised more than John.  
And as it is apparent by these places, and those testimonies that went before that all that waited upon John and Christ's ministry, the Pharisees etc. only excepted, were baptised. So the Scripture in many places relates what great concourses and multitudes of men, women, and children waited upon john's and Christ's ministry: for there followed him saith the Scripture▪ Math. 4. ver. 25. Great multitudes of people from Gallilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea and from beyond Jordan. And in the 12th of Luke, ver. 1. When there were gathered together an innumerable multitudes of people etc. And to pass by many places to prove this truth, I shall only make use of two more as that in Math. the 14th. 13. etc. where it is recorded that the people hearing of Jesus his departure, they followed him on foot out of the Cities, and it is there said, that when Jesus saw a great multitude, he had compassion towards them, and he healed their sick, and fed them. Christ Preached to them and healed the sick and refreshed them▪ he was their Physician for soul and body, and the Apostles Baptised them. Now in this great multitude there were women and children, as well as men that waited upon Christ ministry as the 21. verse proves: for saith the Evangelist and they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. And in the 15th of Math. which is the other place, I shall now satisfy myself with, it is related at large, ver. the 30th. that great multitudes came unto him▪ and that Christ after the curing of an those that were diseased called his Disciples unto him and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way,; And in this great multitude also there were women and children, as well as men and grown persons, for it is said ver. 37. that they did all eat and were filled, and ver. 38. they that did eat, were four thousand men besides women and children; from all the which places of holy Scripture, I shall now prove that the Apostles also as well as John Baptist, baptised both men, women, and children.  
They that baptised all that came unto Christ, and waited upon his ministry, amongst the which there were women and childrn as well as men, yea that baptised more than John they baptised both men, women and children.  
But the Apostles baptised all that came unto Christ, and followed his ministry, amongst the which there were women and children as well as men, yea they baptised more than John the Baptist.  
Ergo, they baptised both men, women, and children.  
For the major and minor of this Syllogism, they are sufficiently clear from the places above quoted, if by the mouths of many witnesses any truth may be confirmed; and therefore the conclusion will necessary follow: for most certain it is, that those great multitudes that followed Christ, and waited upon his ministry, consisted of women and children, as well as of men, and they were as well in covenant with God as they, and Christ had equal compassion of the women and children as of the men, and did as soon cure the children of those Parents and Rulers that had faith in him; as he did those that did actually believe in him themselves, as we may see in the Noble man's son, and the daughter of the Canaanitish woman whose Parents believed: and he ever relieved and preserved as well their children as their parents, as in the places above cited, where it is recorded that the women and children were as well fed by Christ, as their Parents, and that he had as well compassion on them, and care towards them, as towards men. And the places out of St. John, the second and third declare, that Christ's Disciples baptised all that came unto Christ, and followed him, and the Apostles ministry, and the  Scriptures evidence also, that women and children waited as attentively upon Christ's ministry as the men: for it is said that they had all been attending upon him three days without eating: and therefore it must necessarily follow, that if the Apostles baptised all that followed their Master, that they baptised women and children, as well as men, which the Anabaptists exclude not from their baptism.  
Now, the holy Scripture being so clear in this point, it is sufficiently evident▪ that they were all baptised, both men, women and children: for the Apostles had their Commission from Christ, and were sent to Baptism all the people of God, then in Covenant with him, without any restriction or limitation, either of sex or age, and women and children were as well in covenant with God as men, neither doth the Scripture any where before Christ's death record any thing to the contrary, or relate any thing of the baptism of men more than of women and children, or exclude children more than men or women from Baptism: therefore when the Scripture says nothing to the contrary, we are no more to exclude the children of the jews from the ordinance of Baptism, because they preached Faith and Repentance to those that were of years, than the children of the jews or Profelites were to be excluded from Circumcision, because Faith and Repentance were first preached to their Parents: for God had declared in his holy Word, and by his practice from the calling of Abraham his friend out of the Land of the Chaldeans, and all strangers under the old Covenant, that the same way and manner of admitting the Parents into Covenant with him, and the same law of admission was to be used in all succeeding ages towards their children for their admittance▪ and for the admittance of those that were of their household: and God changeth not to be the Father, and God of the children of believers under the Gospel, as well as he was the God and Father of his people and their seed under the old Covenant: neither are the children of Christians, whether jews or Gentiles inseriour to those of the jews in any privileges, as I shall by & by make appear. So that when Christ after his Resurrection, and before his Ascension, when he instructed his Apostles for forty days in all things▪ belonging to the Kingdom of heaven and when he said unto them Math▪ 28. 19 Go and Disciple or teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy Ghost, etc. And when he saith, Mark. 16. ver. 16. He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned, etc. By this his Commission, he doth not exclude the children of believing Parents, whether jews or Gentles, and their families from Baptism, any more than they should have been excluded from Circumcision, if Christ had said, Go and teach all Nations, circumcising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, and he that believeth, and is circumcised, shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. Which expression if the Lord jesus had used, all the people that should have embraced the doctrine of the Gospel, would have believed that all the male children that had been borne of their Ioines, and all that had been in their several families, aught to have been circumcised: for that was ratified by God for the manner of their admission: neither would any have scrupled it, as is easily to be perceived by the practice of the jews, who although the terms of the Covenant were changed and that in stead of Circumcising Baptising is put in the place of it, yet many Zelots amongst the jews, exceedingly urged Circumcision of believers children, after the manner of Moses as necessary to salvation, until the Council at Jerusalem, Acts 15. decreed against it amongst the Gentiles.  
Now, if they had supposed that the Children of those that were made Christians, had not been still within the Covenant, they would never have been so zealous for the Circumcising of them, after the manner of Moses, neither do we ever read that any of the Apostles refused Baptism to the children of Christian Parents, converted from heathenism, or thought them not within the Covenant. Yea, the contrary is evident from the counsel of the Apostles in the 15th of t●e Acts, where Peter in the 8. and 9 verses declareth that the believing Gentiles were equal to the believing Jews in all privileges: his words are these God made choice amongst us, that the Gentiles by my mouth, should hear the word of the Gospel and believe. And God which knoweth the hearts, hear them witness, giving them the holy Ghost as he did unto us: and put no difference between us and them: purifying their hearts by faith. And in the second chapter of the Acts the same Apostle speaking unto those that had crucified Christ▪ and exhorting them to repent, believe, and be baptised, that they might be saved, useth this argument unto them for their encouragement to embrace the Gospel saying, that the promise is made unto you, and to your children and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call. By which we may see, that as many of the Gentiles as should believe, to them and to their children the Promises as well belonged and all the seals and privileges thereto annexed, as well as they did to the Jews and their children, as by their Baptism is sufficiently manifest: for God said he put no difference between us and them: and therefore whatsoever prviledges the children of the Jews could challenge, the same may the Children of Christian Parents, and they are by the law of God due unto them▪ as well as the promises. And Saint Peter writing to all the believing Gentiles in their dispersion for the comforting and strengthening of them in all their persecutions, saith in his first Epistle. Chap. 2. ver. 9 Ye are a chosen generation▪ a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation a peculiar people, etc. confirming it from Exod. 19 ver. 5. 6. where the Lord saith unto his people; Now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my Covenant, than you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of Priests, and an holy nation, etc. by which testimony of Peter for the comfort of those distressed Christian Gentiles that were scattered here and there, he proclaims them equal in privileges with the Jews, and that they and their seed were in Covenant with God, as well as they and were as chosen a generation to him as they, and as royal a Priesthood, and as holy a Nation, and as peculiar a people as they. Now they that are equal by Peter's witness to the Jews, and between the which Nations if they believed God had made no difference, than their children are equal in privileges, and no way inferior to the children of the Jews and therefore as the parents of believing Jews and Proselytes, and their children and families were admitted after one and the same way and manner of admission into the Church of God, so ought the children of Christian parents under the Gospel, and their children ought as well to be baptised as they. And Saint Paul confirms the same doctrine in many places, as in his Epistle to the Rom. chap. 3. ver. 2. Where occasionally speaking of the privileges of the Jews above the Gentiles, in respect of their Circumcision, and being within the Covenant, he saith they are very great every way, chief, because unto them were committed the Oracles of God. And in the ninth chapter of the same Epistle, ver. the fourth, he saith unto them, did pertain the adoption, and the glory and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises, etc. which were all exceeding great privileges above the Gentiles then out of covenant. Yet after the Gentiles had received the Gospel, he equalizeth the believing Gentiles with them in all privileges, for he saith in the eleventh chapter of the same Epistle verse seventeenth, that the believing Gentiles were ingraffed in among the believing Jews, and with them did partake of the Root and fatness of the Olive tree. So that by this he declareth that they were equal in privileges, and were inferior to them in nothing. Which he further confirmeth in his Epistle to the Ephesians, the second chap. ver. 11. saying, wherefore, remember, that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision, by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ jesus, ye who were sometimes fare off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ: for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us▪ etc. saying ver. 18. that through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father, and that we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, etc. In which words again with saint Peter, he maketh no difference between the Christian Jews, and Christian Gentiles, saying that Christ hath made both one, and therefore as the Jews, and their children had right to the Covenants of promise, which were the seals of the covenant, so now the believing Gentiles and their children had right unto the Covenants of promise, and were equal in all privileges unto them as being made both one: and therefore as the parents of the Jews and Proselytes and their children were admitted after one and the same way by circumcision into the household of God, so ought the Christian Gentiles and their children to be admitted after one and the same way into the Church by Baptism: for if they partake not in the same privileges, than there is a great difference between them, and they are not made both one, which overthroweth the doctrine of both Peter and Paul, and gives the Spirit of God speaking in them, the lie. Yea, Paul to the Galathians, chapter the second▪ ver. 15. saying, We who are Jew's by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles; sufficiently declareth that they by being Christians lost nothing of their pri●iledges, but that they were in covenant still with God, and Timothy was circumcised by virtue of his mother being a Jewesse; and Titus might have been by the same law, if it had been thought convement: Neither was it yet ever supposed by any well grounded Christian, that any of the converted Jews lost any privilege to themselves or their children by embracing the Christian Religion and if the Jews should have lost that privilege to their children, that by becoming Christians, they must have been out of the covenant, the Gospel had not been good tidings to them, and they would very hardly have been induced to embrace the faith; but they knew very well, that they by receiving the Word should better their condition both to themselves and their children, if either of the parents were believers, for in this doctrine they were sufficiently instructed by all the Apostles, and Saint Paul 1 Cor. chap. 7. ver. 15. affirmeth, that the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband, else were your children unclean, but now (saith he) they are holy; Which is not to be understood of Matrimonial cleanness or legitimation, as the Anabaptists groundlessly pretend, but of a faederall and covenant cleanness, which must necessarily be understood of some spiritual prviledge to the child; for the Apostle there doth not speak to the Saints of any earthly privileges who only instructs them about divine and heavenly matters and of the great benefits they enjoy by being Christians above the other men of the world, which is sufficiently evident by that he saith, that by either of the Parents believing, their children are holy and clean, and therefore fit to be consecrated, and offered unto God, which the children of the unbelieving Gentiles were not, no more then unclean beasts, neither could they be, for they were by Christ called dogs, which was in regard they were without the Covenant, not in regard of Matrimony, or their Marriage; for the same Apostle had taught his Country men, Heb. 13. saying, that marriage was honourable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled Whether they were Jew's or Gentiles; and their children begotten in wedlock, were both by the law of God, and Nations, as well legitimate and lawfully begotten, and had right to their father's inheritances and estates as well as Christians children; And if Paul should have taught such doctrine to the people, that all children that had not been born of Christian Parents had been bastards or had no true right to their father's inheritance, he would have gained the hatred of the world against himself, and taught contrary doctrine to himself, who said that Marriage was honourable amongst all men, therefore it made not their children illegitimate, which was a dishonour unto them, yea, he should then have taught against all the Prophets, and the whole law of God, which gives to all people a propriety and lawful right, to that they had lawfully gotten, & forbids all men to covet it, and therefore there was no such pollution in their Marriages, as made their children illegitimate, though they were heathens, or Infidels, as the Anabaptists fond imagine: from all which it must necessary follow, that by that expression calling their children holy, his scope and intent in this was, to show the difference between the children of believing parents, or either of them, and unbelieving parents, and that in respect of spiritual and heavenly things, proclaiming the children of unbelieving parents unclean as without the Covenant, and the children of believing parents clean and holy, as fit to be offered up unto God, as being then within the Covenant, by which expression he doth equalise the believing Gentiles, with the believing Jews in all privileges, for the comfort and joy of all such as were then unequally yoked, who might otherwise have had many sad thoughts and doubts concerning their children, as if they had not been within the covenant: therefore I say, the Apostle for the consolation of all such Christians, whether men or women, as were joined to unbelievers whether Jew's or Gentiles, he saith unto them, that the believing husband sanctifieth the unbelieving wife, and the believing wife sanctifieth the unbelieving husband, so that their children are clean and holy; Now that which God calleth holy and clean, none may call common or unclean▪ for so said the vision to Saint Peter, Acts the 10. ver. 15. What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common, etc. And Saint Peter by this vision sufficiently defended himself against those that were of the Circumcision, and contended with him, that he went into men uncircumcised, and did eat with them, Act. 11. telling them, that the Spirit of God bade him go with the men that came from Cornelius, nothing doubting, and related unto them farther, that when he spoke unto Cornelius, and those that were with him, the holy Ghost fell on them, as on the Apostles at the beginning: forasmuch therefore (saith he) as God gave them the like gifts, as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand God? when they heard these things (saith the Scripture) they held their peace and glorified God, etc. And in the 15th chapter, ver. 9 saith he, God put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. And therefore they were within the Covenant as well as the Jews, and were pure, and their children pure, holy and clean, according to that of Saint Paul Rom. 11. Who affirmeth if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy so are the branches. Now these were the first fruits of the Gentiles that Saint Peter was sent unto, and they were graffed in amongst the Jews, and with them did partake of the root and Olive tree. And therefore were as holy as the Jews, and their children, as holy as their children, as being branches of that holy root, and within the Covenant as well as they, which doctrine is confirmed in many more places of holy Writ, as in that above cited out of the 1 Cor. 7 ver. 14. where the Apostle telleth them, that if either of their Parents be believers, their children are clean and holy. Which manifesteth clearly to all men of understanding, that the children of Christian parents, are not only within the Covenant, as well as the children of the Jews, but that they also are to be consecrated unto God, as well as the Jews children were, as being holy and clean, which was by the Sacrament or right of Circumcision amongst them, and therefore aught to be by Baptism amongst us, the Seal of the Covenant of admission: For the same way of admission of the Father into the family and household of God was used to their children before the Law, and under the Law, therefore the same way of admission of the Parents is to be used of admitting their children under the Gospel, which is by Baptism: they being as well in covenant and holy, as well as their Parents; But for farther proof that children of Christian Parents, are still as well in covenant as the Jews were, I shall desire you to learn what Saint Paul writeth in his 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians chap. 4. ver. 13. where he saith unto them that did overmuch sorrow for the death of their Christian friends and Children, I would not have you to be ignorant brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope, Meaning those that were without, that were not in covenant with God: asserting by these words, that the Thessalonian Christians were in a blessed condition, as being within the pale of the Church, and in covenant with God: for such as were without the Covenant, were without hope, and without God in the world, as the Apostle saith, Ephes. 2. ver. 12. which believers and their children are not, and therefore equal in all privileges with the children of the Jews, and in Covenant as well as they were, with the which words he greatly comforted the Thessalonians, and animated them against the immoderate sorrow and grief for the death of their friends. What a great wickedness is it therefore in the Anabaptists to affirm, as they daily do, that the children of Christians are no more within the Covenant than the children of Turks and Infidels, which is a mere fight against God, and a giving the Spirit of God the lie, and an overthrowing of the Scripture, which proclaims them clean and holy, and within the covenant, which might be enough for ever to satisfy any sober-minded Christian, should I not add a word more to what I have spoke. But because that it is a received opinion amongst all the Anabaptists, that children of believing parents are no more within the Covenant than Turks or Infidels, and that they have no more right to Baptism then cats or dogs: for so they have been heard speak, I shall add an argument or two more to the former, for the preserving of those that are yet in the truth from their wicked errors, and for the confirming of others, and for the convincing of all gainsayers, and for the comfort of all Christian parents and their children: that they may all see, that they are equal in privileges with the Jews and their children and thus I argue.  
Those that are undr a better Covenant, and more sure promises by being Christians whether Jew's or Gentiles than they were before by being Jews, they and their children are inferior to the Jews and their children in no privileges belonging to heaven and happiness, but far above them.  
But the Christian Jews, and believing Gentiles are under a better Covenant, and more sure promises by being Christians, than they were before by being Jews.  
Ergo, They and their children are inferior to the Jews and their children in no privileges belonging to heaven and happiness, but fare above them: And therefore if the Jews and their children were within the Covenant under the old Testament, and received the seal of the Covenant, which was Circumcision for the admission into their Church, than all the Christians and their children under the Gospel, ought likewise to receive the Seal of the Covenant, which is Baptism for their admission.  
For the conclusion of this Syllogism, and the consequence from that, they will stand undeniable, if the major and minor be proved: and they are sufficiently evinced by the Apostle, writing to his Countrymen, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, where he labouring to set forth their dignity now they were Christians, and to show they lost nothing in any of their privileges by it, and comparing them together, proves by many arguments through the whole Epistle, that they being now Christians were in a much better condition, then when they were Jew's, and therefore that they should not be discouraged, or think themselves in a worse estate than they were , and in express terms asserts, they were under a better covenant, and more sure promises. His words are these, Heb. 7. ver. 20. 21. 22. And in as much as without an oath, he was made a Priest (meaning Aaron) (for those Priests were made without an oath, but this with an oath▪ mearing Christ) by him that said unto him, the Lord swore, and w●ll not repent, thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedech) by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And chapter the 8. ver. 6. But now, saith the Apostle, hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is a Mediator of a better Covenant, which was established upon better promises. Here we find the words twice reiterated for the more sure ratification of this truth. And what Saint Paul writes to them, he writ to all other Christians, as we may see in the second Epistle of Peter, chapter the third, ver. 15. 16.  
Now then, if the believing Jews and their children were all in covenant with God, and had equal right with their parents to the Seal of the covenant which was Circumcision in their admission to the Church, and if the Christians whether believing Jews or Gentiles are not with their seed still within the covenant, and have not right to the Seal of the same, which is Baptism, in their admission; then they are inferior to the Jews in Privileges, and under a worse covenant, and not under a better and more sure promises, which is to give the Spirit of God the lie, and to overthrow indeed the doctrine of the New Testament: for the whole Scriptures of the New testament, witness that in all respects they that embrace the faith are in a fare better condition than the Jews were, whose necks were under such a yoke (by Saint Peter's testimony Acts the 15th, ver. 10.) as neither they, nor their forefathers could bear: whereas Christ's yoke is easy, and his burden light, ●f Christ himself may be believed, Math. 11. ver. 13. and therefore being Christians, they are now in a fare better condition, and under a better covenant, and more sure promises than they were before, which is yet more evident from the Apostle Paul in the second of the Cor. chap. the third, who saith, God hath made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter▪ but of the Spirit, for the letter killeth (saith he) but the Spirit gives life. And then comparing the Covenants together, the Old and New, though they were both glorious, as he asserteth, yet he affirmeth that the covenant of the New Testament is fare more glorious, that being the ministration of the Spirit, the other the ministration of death, and concludes in the ninth verse, if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory, and in the 18th verse he saith, We all (now) with open face beholding, as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. So that if we did but duly consider the whole scope of the Apostle in this chapter, and in all his other Epistles, we should find that he laboureth to set forth the great honour and dignity of Christians above the Jews, not only in regard of the more clear manifestation of the will of God under the Gospel, and freeing them from all those burdensome and painful, yea, and costly ceremonies, but in that they are in many respects preferred before them: for whereas before the male children only and the males in families were to receive the Seal of Circumcision, and that at a limited time: Now by being Christians that difference is taken away, and all the families of Christians both young and old, men, women, and children are to be admitted after one and the same way, according to that of Saint Paul, Gal. the 4. ver. 27. 28. 29. For as many of you (saith he) as have been baptised into Christ, whether young or old, have put on Christ, there is neither jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Out of which words it is easy to gather, not only that the believing Gentiles exceed the jews in many respects, but that they are still in covenant with God, and Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise. That is, they have right to all the promises, and are in covenant with God, as well as Abraham's children were, and therefore in all the former respects, and from the very testimony of Saint Paul, it is most evidently manifest, that Christians and their children are under a better covenant, and more sure promises by being Christians than the Jews were: but if according to the doctrine of the Anabaptists, the children of Christians are not in covenant still with God▪ and are not to be baptised, they are inferior to the Jews and their children, who were all baptised into Christ by Moses in the cloud, and in the seas, as Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 10. ver. 1. 2. 3. asserteth, whose words are these; Brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the Sea, and were all baptised by Moses (into Christ) in the cloud, and in the sea, etc. Now that children were there as well as men and women (which some of the Anabaptists lately denied) it is apparent from the first of Exodus, and from the 10th chapeer of the same Book, where it is related, that Moses told Pharaoh, that they must have their children as well as their men, to go to sacrifice in the Wilderness, and would not departed and leave Egypt, without their children which from many more places may be proved: as in the 14th of Numbers ver. third, where the people said, Wherefore hath the Lord brought us to this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey etc. For which their wicked and rebellious murmuring against God, in the 30th verse, the Lord saith unto them, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of jephunnieth and joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised, etc. Out of all the which places it sufficiently appeareth that their little children were in the sea, and in the cloud, and were baptised by Moses as well as their men and women, which the Anabaptists stiffly deny Withal, it may here be taken notice of, that Baptism or washing doth not always signify a dipping over head and ears; For all our fathers were baptised into Christ by Moses in the Sea, and yet they passed through the Sea on dry land, as the story at large declareth, the which also might be proved from many other witnesses of holy Writ, but this I speak only by the way. The main thing in hand is to prove, that Christians whether Jew's or Gentiles and their children, are in no privileges inferior to the Jews and their children, which was ratified by all the places above quoted and that of Saint Peter, Acts the 15th, where he saith, God put no difference between the believing jews, and the believing Gentiles, and that of Saint Paul Cor. 1. chap. 7. where he asserteth, that the children borne though of but one of the believing Parents, are clean and holy and out of the places in the 7th and 8th chapters of his Letter to the Hebrews, where he saith, they are under a better Covenant and more sure promises; better therefore every manner of way, which it could not be, if Christians and their children were not still in covenant with God as well as they, and if they had not, they and their children equal right to Baptism as the Jews and their children had to Circumcision and if they did not indeed exceed them in all privileges, which to deny, is no better than to deny the Scripture, and give the Spirit of God the lie, for the Scripture saith, that Christians and their children are within the Covenant and are both made one, are holy and clean, and that there is no difference between the believing Gentiles and the very Apostles, yea that Christians are under a better covenant, and more sure promises, all which truths the Anabaptists stiffly deny, and spend all their strength to fight against. Now I appeal to any understanding Christian, whether it be not great flattery in any man to style the Anabaptist a harmless people? If any amongst us should but rob his neighbour of a Calf, or a Sheep, or of some of his Lambs or should but cause his cattles to wander and stray to their destruction, or should but raze the names of his children and progeny out of his evidences, and assert they had no right to their father's estates, or say they were unlawfully begotten or were bastards, or should really endeavour to rob their Parents of their children or steal away the affections of their wives from their husbands, or the husbands from their wives and their children, or servants from their Parents or Masters, is there any man, I say, of sound understanding that would think such a generation of people, a harmless company of men, much less call them the harmless men, when they do all the injury to people ●hat men possibly can do? How therefore can any man call the Anabaptists a harmless people, when they not only thrust the children of Christian parents out of covenant with God, and raze out their names out of the divine records, telling them, that their children are no more in covenant with God then Turks and Infidels▪ and that they have no more right to Baptism then cats and dogs, proclaiming them to the world, an unclean and unholy generation▪ labouring to seduce the people, and to lead them into damnable errors, and b● that means rob the Parents and Masters of their children and servants, and steal away the affections of those that are joined together in most relations, and that against all the laws of God and Nations, which is indeed the greatest robbery and unrighteousness that can be perpetrated against God or men, for it not only robbeth God of his honour and glory by making nothing of his holy Word, but parents likewise of their children, and the comforts of their children whom their parents according to the doctrine of the Anabaptists cannot look upon, but as on a company of Infidels, and when they die, can have no more hope of their eternal happiness then of the happiness of a heathen, which must needs sad the hearts of all such as bear any real affection to their children when they cannot behold them, but with such thoughts as that dying without the Covenant they are damned.  
If when Christ came towards jerusalem, he wept over it, foreseeing their misery, how must those Parents that dearly love their children, weep over them when they die, of whom they have no hope? Yea, it must needs exceedingly sad the hearts of such Parents, and make them greatly to mourn, and be over-sorrowfull at the death of any of their children, if they have any tender affections towards them, if they believe the principles of the Anabaptists, who account children of Christian Parents no better than Infidels and Heathens. But Saint Paul in the first of the Thessaloniaxes and the 4th, hath taught all Christians not to mourn as those without hope, knowing that they and their children are within the Covenant, and therefore all these tenants of the Anabaptists make them not only an hurtful people to all good Christians and their children, but a company of fighters against God, and such as must one day give a dreadful account (if they speedily repent not) for all these their unchristian, and unrighteous proceed.  
But say ●ste Anabaptists, these are arguments by consequent, which are not binding. But had we only arguments by consequence they would be sufficiently binding, being grounded upon the holy Scripture, and divine authority and taken from Precedents of the like nature: for Christ himself hath taught us so to argue, who in the 22. of Matthew, to prove one of the greatest points of the Christian saith against the false teachers of his time, viz. The Resurrection of the dead, he evidenceth it from this, that Abraham, Isaac and jacob were living▪ and therefore by consequence that there should be a Resurrection: which the Saduces excepted not then against, alleging that it was but an argument by consequence, and therefore not binding, they poor ignorant souls were not so learned as our Anabaptists.  
Saint Paul also in the first of the Cor. and the 15th chap. proves the Resurrection of the dead with many arguments by consequence, as is there to be seen at large. Now if arguments by consequence will stand good from both Christ's and Paul's example and doctrine to prove the fundamentallest point of religion, without which all preaching is vain, and our faith is vain, as the Apostle affirms, had we no better arguments, they upon the same grounds would ever hold good for the confirmation of our faith in any point of religion of less consequence. But we have not only arguments by consequence to prove that the children of the believing Jews were Baptised and therefore that the children of believing Gentiles ought also to be baptised, but express Scripture, as I proved before from the Commission of john the Baptist's and Christ's Disciples, before Christ's death, and from their practice who were sent to baptise the Jews without distinction or limitation, either of age or sex, and who as the Scripture recordeth▪ Baptised all that came unto their ministry▪ they only excepted that rejected the counsel of the Lord against themselves) which neither women nor children, nor none of the people did but the Saduces Pharisees, and Lawyers and their complices, who neither entered into the Kingdom of heaven themselves, nor would suffer others to enter, by their good wills▪ though the Publicans and harlots believed john and were saved, Math. ●1. ver. 31. 32. and all the other people were baptised, both men, women and children for jerusalem and all judea, and all the region round about jordan were baptised by the Baptist, and all that waited upon Christ's ministry, and the world that followed him were baptised, for the Disciples baptised more than john, and all that attended upon their ministry, for we read of none that were exempted but the , amongst which women and children are not included.  
And even after the Ascension of Christ, we read that in the City of Samaria Acts the 8th, from the greatest to the least, both men and women were baptised; and we read that Cornelius his whole Family, and all his friends there with him, were baptised, Acts the 10. ver. 48. and of Lydia and her household Acts the 16. ver. the 15th and the Gaoler and all his household ver. 33. and of Stephanus and his household▪ 1 Cor. the 1. ver. 16. who were all baptised; which is more than if they had said, that they baptised all the men and women in those families, for Household includes all, young and old, of all sects and ages, and therefore all the children as well as grown persons in the several families of those that then embraced the Faith were baptised, and made partakers of the Seals of the Covenant, and of the Promises according to the old manner of admission under the Old Testament as well as the Parents, and masters of those families. Seeing therefore we have such pregnant proofs out of the holy Scripture, and such a cloud of witnesses for the confirmation of this truth, that children of christian Parents are as well in covenant as their Parents, and that they were also baptised; for their whole households were baptised with them, it must needs be a great fight against the truth, and an exceeding wrong to all Christian Parents to exclude their children, not only from the Seals of the Covenant of Grace, but from the Covenant itself, which the Anabaptists most impiously and injuriously do, affirming they are no more now in Covenant, than the children of Turks and Infidels, nor have no more right to baptism then cats or dogs, which if it be not the greatest unrighteousness that can be committed. I know not what unrighteousness is: for if we compare the children of those that are in covenant with God, with their Parents and the Privileges that both God in his Word grants unto them, and Christ himself did afford unto them, with those that are given to their Parents, we shall find no difference between the children and their Parents, but that they are all equal in favour with God, and equal in privileges, and we shall find also as many significations of Gods and Christ's love unto them, and as many ways to express it, as to their Parents, and therefore they are as dearly beloved of God, and as well in covenant with him, and have as much right unto the Seal of the Covenant as they, and equal every way in privileges with them: and for proof of what I now say, I shall briefly declare it by some instances, I will begin with the covenant of God made with Abraham Genes. the 17. where God equally engages himself to the children of Abraham, as to Abraham himself, promising that he would be his God, and the God of his seed, and enjoins him to Circumcise all his children, and those in his family, as well as himself, and makes it a Law for ever with him, and with all strangers, Exod. the 12. ver. 48. that should embrace the doctrine of Abraham to do the same, and commands through all generations, that the male children should as well be circumcised as their Parents, they being as well in covenant with him as their Parents. And God hath in all Ages as equally preserved their children from the fury of their enemies as their Parents, and kept their little children from destruction and drowning in Pharoahs' time, Exod. 1. as well as their Parents, and so in all their Perigrinations in the Wilderness. Yea, he destroyed their Parents and saved their children, calling their children his children, though their Parents were rebellious: Now therefore when God showeth equal care and affection to their children, that he did to their Parents, and equalizeth them equally in their Privileges, what a madness is it in any to make a difference between them?  
And Christ himself reproves his Disciples for hindering little children to come unto him▪ and commands them, to suffer them to be brought unto him, and giveth reasons why they should be brought unto him, saying, that they were of the Church as well as they, and that they belonged unto the Kingdom of heaven as well as they; The words are these, Matth. the 19th, ver. 23. 24. 25. Then (saith the Evangelist) were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them and pray: and the Disciples rebuked them: but Jesus said, suffer little children, and forbidden them not to come unto me: for of such is the Kingdom of heaven and he laid his hnads on them. And Saint Mark chap. the 10. ver. 14. saith, that Christ was much displeased with his Disciples because they forbade them, and adds moreover, ver. 16. That he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Greater significations and testimonies of favour, Christ shown to none: which is a sufficient argument to prove that he loved them with equa●l love to their Parents, as being as well in covenant with him as they. And if it be duly weighed and considered what Christ there speaks concerning them, and what he doth to them, it will be a sufficient confirmation to us, that they had a right to the Baptism of water as well as they had to circumcision: for he blessed them with a spiritual blessing, and shown as much love to them as to any that came to him: for he took them up in his arms and laid his hands upon them, and blessed them: Now this was a spiritual blessing, which argues they were spiritual persons; neither were ever any cursed that God blessed. Baalam had learned that lesson, Numb. 23. ver. 19 20. Yea God told Abraham that he would bless them that blessed him and curse those that cursed him therefore those little children that Christ blest, they were blest for ever: and that it was a spiritual blessing that Christ bestowed upon those little children, it is evident, for they were not brought unto him as sick or weak, or lame, or blind, or as laden with any infirmities, but only that he should put his hands on them, & pray for them, which was a spiritual favour, and the children's bread which he bestowed upon them, laying his hands upon them, and blessing them, reproving his Disciples for hindering them of his prayers, and commanding them for ever after to suffer little children to come unto him, saying, that of such are the kingdom of heaven, that is, that they were spiritual persons, and that they were as well of the Church as themselves, and belonged to heaven, and were of the household of God as well as they they being members of the Church, and of the family of Abraham as well as themselves, yea, Christ putting his hands upon them and blessed them, which are children's bread and the peculiar priviledgs of his people. Now, when Christ himself the Mediator of the New Covenant graces little children with as much favour, as he did any that came unto him, and blesseth them with everlasting blessings, and with blessings of the highest price and rank, it sufficiently declares that they had right to blessings of inferior a●ay, and that they had right to the Baptism of Water as well as their Parents, as being the children of Abraham, and his people in covenant and holy persons. And for aught any thing can be said to the contrary, those little children might formerly have been baptised by the Disciples, as others were, and therefore they being no way infirm, the Disciples might think they had no need to come to their Master, and therefore forbade them: but, I say, how ever it were, that Christ reproves his Disciples for it, and commands them to suffer little children for the future to come to him, and in that he prays for them, and bestowed a spiritual blessing and favour upon them, saying, that theirs was the kingdom of heaven, it abundantly proveth to me that they had a right unto Baptism, and being as dearly beloved of Christ, as any other of the Nation. Which a great comfort to all Christian Parents and their children, when they consider Gods and Christ's love towards them.  
But if we consider other passages and duly weigh Christ's actions, and expressions towards little children at other times, and what he says and testifies of them▪ the truth will yet more perspicuously appear, viz, that children of Christian parents have a right to Baptism, and that the children of the Jews as well as their Parents were equal in Privileges, and were as well baptised as they. When our Saviour Christ reproved his Disciples for their dispute, which of them should be greatest: it is related Mark the 9 ver. 36. 37. That Christ took a child, and set him in the midst of them, and when he had taken him in his arms he said unto them: Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my Name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. And ver. 42. he saith. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and and he were cast into the sea. And in the 17th of Matth. it is recorded there, that when there was a dispute amongst the Disciples who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Christ to decide this controversy, ver. 2. called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, except yea be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And who so shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me, but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea, and ver. 10. speaking unto his Disciples, he saith unto them take heed ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven there Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven, etc. These words of our blessed Saviour concerning little children borne of the Jewish Nation, than his people in Covenant with him require a deep consideration; and truly if they be rightly weighed▪ they may be an excellent means, if not to put an end to the controversy between us and the Anabaptists, yet of convincing many gainsayers▪ who have mean and low thoughts of little children: for Christ in these words doth greatly magnify the dignity of little children, where he proclaims the same blessings to such as shall in his Father's name receive them, as he doth to any that shall receive his Disciples or a Prophet: affirming that they that received them, receive himself, and him that sent him, and they that shall offend any one of them, it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were cast into the midst of the Sea. And he pronounces no greater judgements against the greatest enemies of his Church. Moreover, Christ in terminis saith, they believe in him. If any shall ask me how that can be that little children believe? I answer that Christ hath said it who is the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12. the true witness who cannot lie, and who can as well work faith in little children, who doth whatsoever he will in heaven and earth Psal, 115. as to put into the heart of good Josiah when he was young▪ and but eight years of age▪ to seek after the God of David his father, and to do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, 2 Chro. 34. ver. 1. 2. 3. And who found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the little child a wicked Jeroboam▪ 1 King. the 14. ver. 13. Which good God himself wrought in him. And all reason will dictate unto any man, that God can as well work faith in little children, as fill John Baptist with the holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb, Luk. the 1. ver. 15th. according to that of Christ, John the 3. ver. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth; the Spirit of God can as well work his graces in little children, as in grown persons, who hath ordained strength out of the months of babes and sucklings to still the enemy and avenger, Psal. 8. ver. 2. and as Christ saith to perfect his praise, Matth. 21. ver. 16. I say therefore in regard of the great power of God, and in regard of so many Precedents of his wonderful working of grace and good in little children, and in regard that Christ himself hath said, that the little children of the Jews did believe in him, I do believe that they had faith in Christ, and by virtue of that had right unto Baptism, as well as their parents.  
But which is yet more, Christ saith not only little Children believe in him, but that the offending of the least of them, not only exceedingly displeaseth him, but excludes the despisers of them out of heaven; and for further terror to such as should offend them, he saith, that their Angels behold his Father's face in Heaven, intimating that little children have a guard of Angels, to protect and defend them, and to punish their enemies; so that whatsoever can make any of the most eminent servants of God, to be in esteem amongst men, and whatsoever Privileges they are graced with▪ the same things are to be found in the little children of believing Parents, and such as are in covenant with God: for they by Christ's testimony, have humility and faith, and a guard of Angels to attend them, as well as men and women, and God is their Father as well as theirs, and Christ is their Redeemer as well as theirs, Who saith ver. 11. that he came to save those as well as they; asserting moreover they that received such little children, receive with them Christ and God, and they that offend them are accursed. Now then when little children partake in all the eminentest privileges, which the ancientest believers are graced with, and are in as high esteem in God's account as they, by all reason they are not only capable of Baptism, but have a right unto it as well as their Parents, as being in the covenant as well as they. And truly it may not be passed over slightly, which addeth something yet to the dignity of little children, Jesus Christ sends his Disciples to school to those little children, and makes them his Disciples masters, and from them bids them learn their first ●esson of ●u●ility and self-denial telling them that unless they become like one of them, they should never enter into the kingdom of heaven; which is as great a dignity as can almost be conferred upon the sons of men, to be made, the masters and teachers, to those that were to teach the world: for in some respects Christ equaliseth those little children with himself, for Matth. the 11th. ver. 28. he saith unto all such as would be saved Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. And here he so dignifieth little children, that he sends his Disciples to school to them, which I affirm is as eminent a favour as he shown to any men, when he was up●n eatth: and therefore doubtless those that Christ so graced in all respects are worthy of Baptism, and have a right unto it: and all such as despise little children borne of Christian parents, and count them Infidels highly offend.  
Yea there are other passages yet not to be passed by concerning little children. It is related Math. 21. ver. 14. 15. 16. That the blind and the lame came unto Christ in the Temple, and he healed them: And when the chief Priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the Temple, and saying Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased and said unto Christ, hearest thou what they say? And Jesus saith unto them, yea: have ye not read out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, thou hast perfected praise? Here we see, that when Christ's enemies were offended at the acclamation of the children, Christ allowed of their witness, and confirms it by Scripture, teaching all men that they did well, and their duty, and that God was honoured by it, and that in all age's God would be glorified by the very mouths of babes and sucklings, who should set forth his praises as they did: so that by the words of Christ, it is sufficiently manifest, that they confessed him before men, and were not ashamed of him, and he had taught his Disciples and all men, that they that confess him before men, he would confess them before his Father in heaven, and here he approved of them, and owned them as his witnesses, which is also as high a dignity as is conferred upon any of Christ's followers, and therefore I will never doubt to conclude, that those children had right to Baptism that Christ so honours, and that they were baptised by John and Christ's Disciples amongst the other people, and world that followed Christ; for Jerusalem, and all judea, and all the regions round about jordan were baptised, and Christ's Disciples baptised more than john, and children by Christ's testimony believed in him, and confessed him as well as others, Ergo, they were baptised. And therefore in all these regards, I may use the same words to all the Anabaptists that Saint Peter used, when the Holy Ghost fell on them in Cornelius his house. Can any man (saith he) forbidden water, that these should not be baptised, that have received the holy Ghost as well as we▪ Acts 10th, 47. I say in all these regard▪ I may say unto the Anabaptists, Who can forbid water, that the children of those that are borne of such parents as are in covenant with God as the Jews children than were, and Christians children now are should not be baptised, God having graced them with such eminent significations of his favour, and owning them so often to be his children, and having put no difference between the Christian Jews and their children, and Christian Gentiles and their children; yea, they being now under a better Covenant, and more surer promises? Surely all those that do forbidden water, that the children of Christian Parents should not be baptised, are such as withstand God, which Saint Peter durst not do, Acts 11. ver. 16. and for my part I never will do, who by God's assistance shall live and die in this faith, that children as well as women and men amongst the Jews, had not only right to Baptism as well as their Parents, but that they were really Baptised: and that the children of the Christian Gentiles were as well baptised in their several families as their Parents, and that they ought still to be, till the coming of Christ, and in this faith by the grace of God I will live and die.  
This Mr. Smart, to gratify your desire. I thought fit to write unto you, whom I truly love in the Lord that you may know not only my opinion concerning this point of controversy, but have by you my reasons for the same. All that I have now to say unto you, is this; The times in which we live are perilous times, in respect of the many dangerous and desperate opinions that are now abroad destructive to the life of godliness, which our Baptism ties unto, and tending to the ruin of Christian Religion, and disturbing of Church and State if the Lord from heaven by his mighty power doth not rebuke this spirit of error that is now gone out into the world, yea, it is sad presage that great Judgements hang yet over this Land for the preventing of the which, we ought cortinually to be put upon the duties of fasting and prayer, and all watchfulness in them, the means that God himself hath appointed for the diverting of his wrath, and to these duties we ought to the uttermost of our power to join a godly life, and a holy conversation, as we have covenanted by our baptism, that so we may set forth the praises of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light; knowing that the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, which that you and I, and all such as fear his Name may do, and for ever persevere with all constancy in the truth, is the daily prayer of him  
April this 27. 1647. That loves you for our Master's sake, JOHN BASTWICK.   

Errata.  
PAge 6. line 33. for Mountain, read Montague. P. 7. l. 32. for which incertain freemen and bonds, r. within certain Precincts and bounds. P. 8. li. 16. for forced, r. fed. P. 8. l. 24. for and, r▪ nor. P. 14. l. 24. for a man this, r. this man a. P. 20 l. 27. for in jerusalem, r. jerusalem. P. 20. line ult. for the concerning, etc. read, the places above quoted all the doubt is concerning the Major which being.  
FINIS.