THE VIRTUE AND VALUE OF BAPTISM: In which the 

Dignity and Duty of Baptism.  
The due Right of Infants to Baptism.  
And their right above that of grown persons by Baptism.  
The degrading and destructive Principles and Practices of Baptism.    
ARE Catechetically propounded, plainly Preached, and now Published as an Antidote to the Baptism-Despising-Dictates of John Simpson.  
By Zachariah Crofton, Minister at Botolph Aldgate, London.  

Imprimatur,  
Edm. Calamy.   
London, Printed by D.M. for J. Nuthal living next door to the Dolphin in the Minories, 1658.   

To the Right Worshipful Richard Garforde, AND Robert Burdet, Esquires. And the rest of his Beloved Parishioners, late Assertors of his innocency, and Protesters against his groundless and furious Persecutions.  
Right Worshipful and well-beloved,  
TO you of all men this Treatise oweth its Dedication, and from you must needs demand its Patronage: for that in order to your good in the Instruction and establishment of you in the order of the Gospel, and Ordinances of Jesus Christ: it hath been preached once and again, and is now Printed: you cannot be insensible how you baptised Members of the Catholic Church were dispersed, as Sheep without any Shepherd; nay by the Congregational Anabaptistical principles and practices, and in order to their Schismatical Church-gathering design, you were by Rude, Rust, Foolish- Wise, and Baptism-blaspheming Simpson, paganized and proclaimed Dogs, aliens and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel: when the zealous importunity of some among you, meeting in me with a real pity of your Pagan posture, did engage me to take of you, as a Church of Jesus Christ, the care and charge. I was constrained to lay again the Foundations these wicked men had razed, and to inform you in the first rudiments of Religion, and first ordinances of worship, that you might understand the dignity and duty of your Baptism, in which I find such dulness in common capacity, that the things you heard you must hear again, and indeed Read before many will receive them. I being come among you, and (by God's blessing on my Ministry) having reduced you into some order, convinced some persons of their Rebaptised vanity, and Parents of the sinful neglect of their Infant's interest in the Covenant: have met with violent opposition, and malicious interruptions in the work of God: constraining me to preach unto you the Gospel of Truth through much contentation; wherein yet through grace I have waxed bold. You are manifest Witnesses that the Anabaptists will Baptise with fire and fury, such as they cannot Baptise with water in the way of their folly: By what clamours have they clouded my name (representing me uncivil, whilst for fear of the Law they durst not render me profane) how they have by false surmizes prejudiced present powers, by false accusations, palpable perjury, extrajudicial Process, partial and prejudiced Judges (of their own picking) and implacable fury darkened my credit, weakened my Ministry, disturbed my peace, and endeavoured 〈◊〉 stop my mouth, you and all the Churches of God cannot but know. The guilt and odium whereof you have taken from yourselves by your seasonable Attestation to my Innocence, and serious protest against their groundless cruelty, wherein I bless God I can rejoice, It is the cause that makes the Martyr, and what is the cause of all that calamity they have to me created; Let the fretting of their spirits, when your Pulpit sounded the Sacrament of Bastism is to be administered; your Reverend attendance on that Ordinance is desired: their railing speeches on all occasions uttered against Infant Baptism, their invective Letters to me written, (which I keep as Monuments of their folly and malice) their often struggling to set up Oats, Knowls, Lamb, Simpson, to blaspheme God's Ordinances; and at last violent and unjust intrusion of John Simpson into the Baptismal Season of the Sabbath, to the excluding of that Ordinance, and vilifying the same in the sight of the People, and that not only in its subjects, but in itself, openly teaching baptism is no ground of Communion with the Church visible; witness to all the world, if I suffer as an evil doer; Whose Ox or Ass have I taken? what Law have I violated? whom did I injure in word or deed? How often have I sought for competent impartial Judges, that might convict me? and proposed ways of Accommodation: admitted them, when sought by my enemies, whose Return hath been we will have no peace, no agreement, no arbitration: nay, my enemies being Judges, the ground of their quarrel and enmity, is my endeavours to return you into order; and their cry is, He will not let Simpson preach. So that because I will not suffer that woman Jezabel to teach and seduce the Lords people, I must be loaded with calumny, and followed with vexation: Well be it so, I will bless God for supporting, and wait on him for saving mercy; and pray that you may be more confident in the truths confirmed by my Sufferings, wherein you also have bo●n your share. I cannot but observe how Heretical Malice hath trampled on your dignities and gravities by Military insolency, and vulgar rudeness, yet hath God hitherto given you hearts, to adhere to me and the truths by me witnessed. Whilst you have owned my Ministry; under so great a Fight of affliction, I cannot but hope you will do it still, and be more confirmed in the virtue and value of your received Baptism, both which are here plainly and practically propounded to your view. Many eminent men have most fully debated the Controversy, and defended your Infants Right to Baptism, but of their Labours, I observe the vulgar make little use; for Practical conviction of sin, I find to be the best confutation of error, and have therefore attempted it in the ensuing Treatise for its stile and method, suited to vulgar capacity; receive it as a token of my true affection to your Souls, and Gods holy Ordinances, read it as the direction of your duty, learn by it to prise Baptism, as the high Privilege of you and yours, and in doing and suffering, show forth the virtue and value of the Covenant of God on your flesh, living as Baptised into the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to which end you may be assured as of the endeavours, so the earnest prayers of,  
Your greatly reproached and persecuted, but yet really innocent, and resolvedly zealous Pastor, Zach. Crofton.   

To the READER.  
Courteous Reader,  
THou canst not be such a stranger in our Israel, as to be ignorant of my sufferings by the intrusion of John Simpson into my Pulpit, and amongst my People: I doubt not but thou mayest well with many other inquire the reason of my resistance, the which is written in such legible Characters, that just men and zealous Christians cannot but Run and Read them; I have in a small Book, called Right Re-entered, given the world some account, as to my own personal Reasons, wherein had I been silent, can any that know John Simpson, a man subject to such wind and turn, that he cannot to his own Proselytes appear to be the same this year he was the last: A man under judicial 
* The Committee for Plundered Ministers.  Parliamentary censure for his Errors: a man by the most sage grave and pious 
* London Testimony to the truth, etc.  Ministers of his City (the place of his Residence) branded as a Seducer from the Truth of Jesus Christ; a man for Sedition (so owned by himself) imprisoned, banished, and afflicted, as an evil doer; a man of such violence, commotion, division, confusion, distraction, disorder, that Bishopsgate and Aldgate must needs lament the day of his being in the midst of them. And yet inquire why should Master Crofton so much withstand John simpson's preaching; but if he or all his Adherents were (as they never can be) able to acquit him from these Blots that must needs render him unfit for Gospel-work: yet Master Crofton hath too too just cause to withstand his Ministry, not only for his unjust intrusion, and disingenuous silence, under any propounded conveniency for the people, and malicious exercise of his pretended Ministry, to the mere humouring of an envious, profane Faction, pursuing nothing but Confusion and Disorder, not having any Assembly of his own to engage him to it. But for those Falsehoods, that in the name of the Lord he doth utter to the decrying of God's holy Ordinances, and danger of men's Salvation; herein he is frequent, and of which I should (were it not that my weak people are apt to take boldness to sit under his Ministry from my hearing him) make a full detection: Can any man think Ministerial zeal, can in the least admit an afternoons contradiction, of a forenoons Doctrine of Truth. I have before noted to the world, that he no sooner violently entered my Church, and interrupted some of God's Ordinances, but he presently vilifying, those he could not hinder, openly averred, that to learn a Catechism was not to worship God; you might as well take your children to the Market or Fair, and buy them Baubles, Rattles, and Hobby Horses as Catechisms. I well know that he did with most profane impudence in the Pulpit at Great Alhallows, and in my own Pulpit make a dreadful appeal to God, Angels and Men, that he never Preached such Doctrine; but I have offered, and do yet offer, if he will be convicted before any competent Judges, to convince him by some of his late Proselytes, and many others that heard him speak it, and after most wickedly deny that he spoke it; he must not think but we know the Serpentine wisdom of Seducers leads them to deny they spoke the doctrine they divulge, if the time and other circumstances will not defend them in it. And yet in the Sermon wherein he would deny this notion, he doth but Familistically Spiritualise, and runs into this assertion, which is yet Tantamount, That it is gross ignorance to say, or think that the teaching of Catechitical heads of Religion is the way to bring any man to the knowledge of Christ. I confess this contempt of catechising was in my ears, but a praeludium to the decrying of Infant Baptism, which engaged me to attend his Wednesday Lectures for some few days, when he was from 1 Peter 3.21. Treating of Baptism, wherein I heard many absurdities, false interpretations, and incongruous expressions uttered; but at length found him that pretends he had 
* His Book of Justification in the Epist. to the Reader.  run over the bogs of Familism, yet not to have been swallowed up in them, to have fallen up to the arm holes, if not over head and ears; for not only did he despise Poedo-Baptism by the contemptible terms of Baby-sprinkling, cozening Infants, and the like; but proclaimed Water-Baptism, the very Ordinance itself, to be nothing worth; and the spirit inward Grace, the answer of a good conscience, to be all in all, even unto communion with the Church visible; and this he did in a full Discourse, half an hour long, directed to his own Proselytes, with many invectives against such as would not admit Communion with the unbaptized in flesh; these nullifying notions of God's Ordinance, I could not bear, and resolving they should not corrupt on my stomach, or he have liberty to make a false appeal, to God, Angels and Men, in the denial of what he had delivered, or to complain, I dealt not fairly by him, publicly to render him erroneous before I had charged him personally, I did on the day on which he preached it, being the 2. of September 1657. and assoon as Sermon was ended, repair to my Study, and writ unto him this Letter following.  
Mr. Simpson,  
I did this day with no little trouble hear your Discourse, and pretermitting your incongruous, impertinent expressions, and misapplication of Scripture, with many Ordinance-degrading and Church-confounding speeches, you laid down this inference, That Baptism is not the ground of communion with the Church, but real grace the answer of a good conscience, by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead: and therefore you did declare, Though a man were altogether ignorant of the doctrine of Baptism, and had never passed under that outward Ordinance, you could own him as a member of the Church, and hold communion with him, and admit him to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ: and much to this purpose you delivered. Sir, When I consider, the answer of a good conscience is only known to God, I cannot believe God hath made it the Ground of communion with men, and outward Baptism to be the first Ordinance of God, to the Church and external Seal of the Covenant, and the very door of admission into the Church erected by Jesus Christ, and reckoned by the Apostle among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and so in all Ages of the Church made the foundation of the Church Ordinances in foro Ecclesiae; I cannot conserve to communion with such as are unbaptised, but must fear in this case, God may say to me as to them in Isa. 44.7. For though outward baptism without inward Grace can carry no man to heaven, yet the Church cannot without palpable, profaneness admininister other Ordinances of Communion to the unbaptized; I pray you tell me whether you do not in vain press me to outward Baptism, when you tell me, I may live and die in communion with the body of Christ all my days, and yet never know the Doctrine, nor pass under the Ordinance of water-Baptism? Is Baptism become an Adiaphoron? These things I thus timely signify to you to prevent mistakes (desiring your arguments for your position (for that your Cited Scripture. Rom. 15.7. doth not conclude it) but is fare wide) to which I promise you a speedy answer, unless they be convincing to  
Zath. Crofton. Sept. 2 1657.  
Though this letter was by a messenger sent of purpose, delivered into his hand, disingenuous be never returned answer to it, either in public or private, but suffered these contemptible notions to abide on the spirit of the people, as it they were Gospel truths. Having observed his silence and resolving to leave him without excuse, I wrote unto him this second Letter.  
Sir, I did this day sevenday signify my dissatisfaction in your Doctrine, and dislike of that old Familistical notion you published, I demanded your reasons but have received none. Sir, Think you not that it is your duty to convince gainsayers, or can I pass in silence, Baptisme-annilitating notions, I cannot, I will not. Sir, I once more demand your arguments, and that as you are a man of any ingenuity willing to give an account of your Doctrine.  
Sept. 9 1657. Zach. Crofton.  
This also he received, but passed it in silence, and never to this day, gave any the least answer to defend or retract his error: If therefore I find him obstinate after the first and second admonition, I hope I shall not be blamed for rejecting him as an Heretic, and withstanding him from filling my People's Heads with low thoughts of God's Ordinances, and the high Privileges of Grace, whose tongues can already speak too despicably of them: God having in his Providence brought me to the Section of Baptism in my course of Catechising, and given me a little breathing space from the violent persecutions of his Abettors, I thought it to be my duty to dictate to my people, the dignity of Baptism, and knowing that many heard his Error, who would not hear the correction of it I have committed it to the Press, and sent it into public view, submitting it and my opposition of the Seducer that occasioned it, to thy Censure, desiring thou mayest shake off prejudice, and read with seriousness and sobriety, whereby I doubt not but thou mayest find profit; for which he prays, who seethe a Divine Stamp on every ourward Gospel-Ordinance.  
Zach. Crofton.   

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A SHORT CATECHISM, BRIEFLY Propounding, and plainly showing the VIRTUE AND Value of BAPTISM.  
OR, The following TREATISE fitted to the weak capacity of such People as desire to be confirmed in the Nature and Necessity of BAPTISM, against the Contempt and Neglect thereof.  
By Zachariah Crofton, Minister at Botolph Algate, London.  
London, Printed by D.M. for J. Nuthal living in the Minories, 1658   

A Short CATECHISM, Briefly propounding, and plainly showing the virtue and value of BAPTISM.  
Q. WHat is your name?  
Ans. M.  
Q. Who gave you this name?  
A. My Parents, the natural Authors of my being, and Instruments of my Interest in the Covenant of God.  
Q. When did they give you this name?  
A. In my Baptism, when I was dedicated to God, and by the washing of my body in pure water fitted for approach to him.  
Q. What is Baptism?  
A. It is a solemn and Religious application of water by the hand of a lawful Minister to fit subjects to signify the blood of Christ, and Seal the ●ovenant of Grace.  
Q. What is the outward sign in Baptism?  
A. Water, in opposition to all other elements; and pure water without any mixture or composition; for so Christ did appoint, and his appointment doth stamp dignity on that despicable Element.  
Q. What is the inward Grace in Baptism?  
A. The blood of Jesus Christ with its properties and effects, the remission of sin, and regeneration of the soul.  
Q. Is Baptism only a sign to represent these things to our mind?  
A. No, but also a seal to ratify them to our soul; and therefore a right unto the Promise is the ground of Baptism, and Baptism a reason of our Faith in the Promise to be pleaded in Prayer for obtainment.  
Q. What is the form of Baptism?  
A. The Application of water, by Dipping, or Sprinkling; for the manner is of no moment, so it be done solemnly and religiously, as a sacred Ordinance by Divine Institution, with Prayer to God, and a Dedication of the person baptised, unto the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  
Q. Who is to administer Baptism?  
A. A lawful, and none but a lawful Minister; for Baptism is an act of Office and argument of Faith; therefore to be applied by authority; and then the Baptism of women, and private men is void and null.  
Q. Who are fit subjects to be baptised?  
A. Such, all such, and only such as are in Covenant with God; for the qualification that must guide the Church in applying Baptism, must be Interest in the Covenant; and these are two sorts. 1. Infidels converted to the Faith. 2. The Infants of one or both Christian Parents.  
Q. By what must Infidels converted to the Faith be judged, within the Covenant, and fit subjects to be baptised.  
A. By making a profession of saving faith, which may be done by men in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, not saving profession of faith, importing sincerity of grace, nor by a well ordered conversation; for God's Ministers must judge by a present visible sign, and they cannot search the heart: And Plants are to be set in the Church before we look for fruit; Baptism is a Bond unto amendment of life.  
Q. How can it be proved that the infants of Christian Parents are with in the Covenant and to be baptised?  
A. During the administration of Covenant in the times of the Old Testament, the natural issue of God's people, before they acted their faith, even as soon as they were born, were within the Covenant. The form of the Promise is, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed: Circumcision the Seal of the righteousness of faith, was set in their flesh at eight days old. God claims the natural issue of his Covenant-people as his own, when he calls them out of Egyyt, Exod. 5.1. chargeth them with duty, Deut. 14.2. complaineth of Idolatay, Ephes. 16.21. Chastiseth their sin, Amos 3.2. And Christ calls the Jews natural, the children of his Kingdom, and placeth in them the Right to the mercies he brought, whilst the Gentiles were Dogs licking up the crumbs.  
Q. But what is the interest of Infants in the Old Testament to us under the new?  
A. Very much; for whilst we see they have been in Covenant, it will direct us to see a very clear reversal and plain limitation of the Covenant before we part with such a birthright and privilege; for common Justice will not suffer us without good warrant to change a Fee-farm to ourselves and heirs, for a Lease for term of Life; and we need a clear reason to convert the Jews from the old Covenant, whereby they begot an holy seed to God, unto a straighter Covenant, that provides for the Parent, but leaves the child profane, and estranged to God. The enemies of our Baptism, cry for an express command to baptise Infants; but instead of showing any, we think we have good reason to say, we as such infants, have by a long Tenure an interest in the Covenant; show us a clear Gospel Writ of Ejection, if you think now to dispossess us.  
Q. But have you any good ground in the New Testament on which infants, as the natural issue of believing Parents may claim an interest in the Covenant?  
A. Yes, very much, when we consider little sucking Babes brought in arms to be received by the Lord Jesus to be blessed by him, to be declared members of the Kingdom of heaven, propounded as such who ought to be received in his name, as his disciples, and not to be offended; all which are the blessings of the Covenant: and that the Apostle affirms of the Gentiles engrafted in, as well as the Jews cut off, in Rom. 9 That if the first-fruits, than the whole lump is holy; if the root, than the branches are holy; and the branches do partake of the fatness of the olive: we must cast away our reasons if we see not Infant's interest in the Covenant.  
Q. But have you not yet some plai●er Scriptures to prove their title?  
A. Yes, the Apostle doth expressly say the Infants of one Christian Parent is holy, 1 Cor 7.14. of real holiness none understand it; natural holiness taking away the blot of bastardy, supposing Faith essential to Marriage is too ridiculous to be received, and then it must needs mean a foederal holiness by the extent of the Covenant, and in the esteem of the Church. And in Acts 2.38. the Apostle saith expressly, The promise is to you, and to your children: This promise cannot be of extraordinary-Gifts, because it is extended to all that shall be called; nor is it to children when culled, for that were not to them as children: the Holy Ghost doth not use to speak nonsense, and express personal qualifications by terms of relation, but tells the believer, his children as his children have a privilege in the Covenant above other men's children; so that it is plain such Infants are within the Covenant, and according to their capacity to enjoy the Seals and Privileges thereof.  
Q. But they are not capable of being baptised, because they can act nothing in the Ordinance, nor can they make a profession of Faith, and Repentance.  
A. Nor is such capacity needful; for profession gives no right to Baptism, but as an evidence of Covenant Interest: and their right to the Covenant, manifested by their descent from such Parents is as good a reason for their Baptism: and the subjects of the initiating Seal do not act any thing, as if God would thereby dictate, inability to action shall be no bar to Baptism.  
Q. But those we read of in Scripture that were baptised were at grown years.  
A. So were those who were first circumcised; but that was occasional and circumstancial: The Church is founded in grown Trees, but is to be edified by infant branches.  
Q. But there is no institution for infant Baptism.  
A. That Baptism is instituted, cannot be denied. Age or Infancy are only directions to whom to apply it, and therein the qualification of Covenant Interest is according to Scripture the clear direction. Moreover Infants may be Disciples, bearing on them the name of Christ, and are Members of Nations, and so the Institution, directing the baptising of Discipled Nations, is to them extended.  
Q. But all you urge for infant's baptism, is by way of inference and consequence.  
A. Scripture-Inference is God's word, binding man's conscience: it was the way of Christ his convincing the Sadduces of the Resurrection, and of Paul's preaching at Athens, and is your only way to warrant women's Communion at the Lords Table, and shall it not be of force to Infant's Baptism?  
Q. What benefit do you receive by your Baptism?  
A. Much, as I am baptised, and enjoy that Ordinance of God; and much as I was baptised in Infancy by the early enjoyment of it.  
Q. What is your benefit received by the Ordinance itself?  
A. A fit qualification to draw nigh to God with confidence.  
Q. What do you mean by drawing nigh to God?  
A. Not only the possession of heavenly Glory when I die, which I deny not, but such may enjoy whom the providence of God cuts off before they can be baptised: Nor only the private and personal acts of the soul, which may be presented (though not with much confidence) acceptably to God before a man can be baptised after his Conversion, he not living in contempt or wilful neglect of Baptism; but I mean an approach to God in the Assemblies of his people, to worship before him, as a Member of his Church, and one of his peculiar people, to bear his name in the world, and of his Royal Priesthood, to offer up acceptable Sacrifice, and enjoying all his Ordinances; all which I do in assurance, having my body washed with pure water.  
Q. Is then Baptism the necessary qualification for approach to God?  
A. Yes, it is so necessary that the unbaptised, may not appear in the Assemblies of his people. The way of Christ his appearance in his Church as the Messiah was prepared by Baptism; therefore John the promised Elias, is called John the Baptist. Baptism prepared Christ for his work of Mediatorship; he neither prayed (that we read of) nor was tempted, nor preached, nor received the Testimony from heaven till he was baptised; and if the head were thus sanctified, much more must the members: moreover Circumcision did sanctify such as might come nigh to the Sanctuary, and Baptism hath succeeded in the room, signifies and seals the same Grace, and in all things serve to the same end in the Christian Church, that Circumcision did to the Jews.  
Q. What is the use of Baptism, that it should so qualify with confidence in access to God?  
A. By Baptism I am visibly interested in Jesus Christ, Gal. 3.27. incorporated into his Church 1 Cor. 12.13. made a member of the household of Faith, and Commonwealth of Israel, consecrated unto God, Eph. 5.26. having holiness stamped on my flesh, being sanctified by the washing of water by the word: And in Covenant with God, having the seal of the promise, whereby God is become mine, and I am dedicated to be his in faith and obedience, to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: All which are clear grounds of Faith, to be improved unto my encouragement in approach unto God.  
Q. Are all that are baptised partakers of these privileges?  
A. All that are baptised enjoy these Privileges Visibly and Sacramentally in the judgement of the Church, by whose just censure they may be deprived of them, but not Savingly and Sincerely; for to some the inward Grace is withheld from God's outward Ordinance according to God's holy purpose: And many not acting Faith to claim, lose the Privileges sealed. Baptism is in its nature and efficacy the same to all, but by reason of the incapacity of some it is not always a like effectual.  
Q. What principles or practices are to be condemned as contrary to this use of Baptism?  
A. Many, as 1. Such as dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of access to God; teaching that Baptism is not the ground of Communion with the Church visible, but real Grace, the answer of a good conscience, and thereon do tender all the Ordinances to the unbaptized, which is directly opposite to this use of the Ordinance, and inverts the Ordinance of the Gospel, giving God cause to complain, as once in Israel, Ezek. 44.7. Ye have defiled my Sanctuary by admitting into my Sanctuary the unbaptized in flesh and in spirit.  
Q. Who are further to be condemned as contrary to this consecrating nature of Baptism?  
A. Such as disown their Baptism, in drawing nigh to God, as do some Familists, who deny all outward Ordinances and pretend to serve God altogether in Spirit, as if divided man could draw nigh to God; or the Lord would not be adored by the body he hath redeemed, or true Grace could admit a contempt of any divine Ordinance: Or the Anaebaptists who are so irrational as to renounce their Baptism, because received in Infancy, as if a corruption in circumstance (if this were one) had destroyed the essence of the Ordinance; but indeed they do it out of ignorance, or obstinacy, de●ming God's Institution Superstition, and so run into the sin of Sacrilege.  
Q. Is the denial of Infant's Baptism the sin of Sacrilege?  
A. Whilst it robs God of the children to him begotten, the Church of Members to her born, believing Parents of a ground of Faith, and reason of hope, and the Infants of their undoubted Interest in the Covenant, I cannot but deem it sacrilege.  
Q. Who else are to be blamed as repugnant to this consecrating nature of Baptism?  
A. Such as disregard Baptism in its application to others, as do Parents, who pass over their children's Baptism as a Civil Compliment, and mere Formality to please Friends, but never compose themselves to it as an act of Religion, and Ordinance of God; pray not for a blessing on it, nor praise God for the blessing of it; nor instruct their baptised children in the benefit and use of it: and people who attend with some show of reverence on other Ordinances, but rudely rush out of the Congregation when Baptism is administered, as if it were some idle action; and as if the sanctifying of a soul to God, the sealing of the Covenant, and admission of a Member into the Church were of no use to them, nor worth their attendance.  
Q. Who else are to be blamed, as contrary to the nature of Bapiism?  
A. Such as disesteem their own Baptism, neither improving it against sin, nor arguing to themselves the duty or dignity of their Baptism, so as to make Baptism an Engagement against sin to holiness and encouragement of their Spirits in holy duties.  
Q. Who also are to be blamed as contrary to the consecrating nature of Baptism?  
A. Such as deny the Baptised the liberty of access to God in the Assemblies of his people, as do the Independents who gather Churches out of Churches rightly constituted, and call the Baptised into Church way, as if they were out, and prescribe a Covenant of their own, whereby to admit Church members, & affect to distinguish themselves from others Baptised, by the term of Saints, Brethren, Church, and the like, and deny to communicate with them, as if Baptism did not incorporate into Christ his Body, and prepare for communion with him in his Ordinances.  
Q. To what course of life doth your Baptism bind you?  
A. To departed from all iniquity, to devote myself wholly to the Faith and Service of one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to whom I am dedicated, and all my days to demean myself as a member of Christ his Church, one in Covenant with God, on whom holiness is stamped, and that is sanctified for approaches to him.  
Q. You spoke of some benefit you reaped by your being Baptised in Infancy; Is the early enjoyment of this Ordinance of any advantage?  
A. Yes, ve●y much in many things to be preferred before Baptism of grown persons wherein it is more profitable.  
Q. What is the first benefit of Infant Baptism?  
A. Infant Baptism expresseth clearly the sin of nature, and engageth against it: in that we are washed, it is evident we are unclean, but being so soon baptised, doth witness our very nature is defiled; for infancy did never admit us to be stained with personal guilt as are men at years; and so Infant Baptism is an unanswerable argument of our inbred corruption against which we are bound to fight, being baptised before it had spread itself into actual sin.  
Q. What is the second benefit of Infant Baptism?  
A. It explaineth the method, and order of transmitting the Covenant, and affecteth us with the benefit of Relation to a believing Parent. That we are baptised speaks us in Covenant; but that we are so soon baptised before we have in ourselves any qualification for it, shows us as branches, we partake of the fatness of the olive, and are of the same kind with our Parents: God hath graciously become the God of the Believer and his Seed, and made grace to run through nature's channel, otherwise we had never enjoyed this Privilege.  
Q. What is a third benefit of Infant Baptism?  
A. It enlargeth the bounds, and establisheth the being of the Church. Baptism is the band of union, and Ordinance of engrafting into the Church: But Infant Baptism doth scatter the holy seed, and send forth sprouting branches, which succeeding into the room of old perishing stocks, doth not only increase the number of the Church's Members, but defend it from the wasting annihilating breaches of time.  
Q. What is the fourth benefit of Baptism?  
A. It exciteth Repentance, representing sin in its Root and Original, the pravity of nature; and its gracious object, the God of our Fathers, and the God of our youth, against whom we have offended.  
Q. What is the fifth benefit of Infant Baptism?  
A. It enforceth Faith, not only in the sealing, but also the extending of the Covenant to the seed of Believers, a ground of Parental Prayer for Posterity, and an early seizure of our souls, before Satan could possess us, or our own corrupt nature could betray us unto him.  
Q. What is the sixth benefit of Infant Baptism?  
A. It engageth duty; Parents to Christian education and instruction of those, who by their Authority are dedicated to the service of the true God, children to the obedience of the God of their Father, and of their youth, who extended to them the Covenant, and so soon set the seal of it in their flesh.  
Q. What is the seventh benefit of Infant Baptism?  
A. It encourageth under death; the knowledge of the Covenant, extended unto Believers and their seed, hath prepared young children unto Martyrdom, and interest in the Covenant can be the only ground of hope to the Parents under the death of their Infants, who are born the children of wrath, but by Baptism are put into the ark of salvation; such as let go this must cheer themselves by a dream of children's immunity from all guilt, and so cannot be damned: Or a Popish Limbus Infantum, or some unusual way of comfort the Scripture doth not warrant.  
Q. May not these benefits redound to such as are baptised in grown years?  
A. No, in no wise, for such see not the extent of the Covenant to Believers and their seed, nor the serviceableness of Relation natural in businesses of salvation, nor do they enjoy the same; and therefore it is our great happiness, that we are not only Baptised, but Baptised in Infancy, under all the advantages that either Ordinance or season can afford us.  
FINIS   

THE VIRTUE and VALUE OF BAPTISM, Delivered in a Summary Sermon at the close of the Catechetical Considerations of the Doctrine of Baptism, at botolph's Aldgate, LONDON.  TEXT. Heb. 10. ver. 22. (the last words)— And our bodies washed with pure water. 
THE Author of this Epistle intending a Confirmation of the Christianized Jews in the Faith they had received, and administration of the Gospel to which ●hey were subjected, doth assert ●esus Chrst to be the true Messiah, ●oth in respect of Person, as ●e is God-Man-Mediator, and ●is Offices, as Prophet, Priest and King, and opposeth him unto all ●hose Levitical Rites whereby he was typified, plainly declaring that the appearance of the Substance put a period to all those Shadowy Ceremonies whereby they had worshipped God; and necessitated another manner of administration of God's Covenant and Worship, fit to show that the Messiah was come, and no longer to be expected. Which having by clear Demonstrations confirmed in the 19 verse of this chapter, he enters upon the Application of this Doctrine, which he manageth by,  
1. Stating the principle proved, as granted and agreed on, v. 19, 20, 21.  
2. Special Inference of Duty, v. 22.  
In the Inference we are to note three things,  
1. The Duty Inferred, Let us draw near.  
2. The Dictated Qualifications of such as must draw near, and they are two, The heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, the body washed with pure water.  
3. The directed manner of drawing nigh to God, With a true heart, in the full assurance of Faith.  
I intent not a full Consideration and therefore shall not insist on a full Comment upon the whole verse, but confine myself only to the words propounded; and we see they are the Dictated quality of such as are required to draw nigh to God upon the account of the High Priest, and liberty of entrance into the Holy place; and therefore is to be Grammatically Read, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we sprinkled and washed, let us draw near, etc. and herein there is among Expositors no difference: but the difficulty is in the Interpretation of the words; many of our modern Expositors differing from the Ancients in the same, the last understanding the Sacrament of Baptism to be the qualification here spoken of; the former, Externall Sanctity, by way of allusion unto Baptism: the difference is not much, for if all Externall Sanctity be here intended, than Baptism, and if the order of Sanctity be to be observed, that first, as it where External Sanctity must begin, yet my judgement leads me to the interpretation of the Ancients, and such later Expositors as follow their steps; and so I understand by the body washed with pure water, the Person Baptised or qualified by due subjection to the Sacrament of Baptism, and hereunto I am guided 1. by the opposition of it, to the heart sprinkled, which intends the real Sanctification of the whole Man; and is so interpreted in the 9 ch. 14. v. whilst the washing of the body signified Externall Sanctification, always in use among the Jews, and is so used by the Apostle, Eph. 5.26. Sanctified by the washing of water; as Expositors do agree. So the opposition in this Text seems to me, to distinguish the inward grace, and outward sign in dictating the Gospel's order of access to God, to be by Baptism of water on the body and blood, or Grace on the heart: and is the same with that in 1 Peter 3.21. Baptism that now is, saves us, not the washing of water, but the answer of a good Conscience.  
2. By the occasion, which seems to me to have been the preventing answer of an objection, that might well be propounded by the Jews thus; You have put a period to all holy Rites, and laid all the Administrations of the Covenant according to Moses in the dust, and tell us positively that they which serve the Tabernacle must not eat at your Altar, (Heb. 13.10.) nor enjoy with you the Privileges of Grace; we well know God is a Holy God, and will be sanctified in such as approach unto him; and the uncircumcised in heart or in flesh may not come nigh unto him, Ezek 44.9. nor enter into his Sanctuary; what order or outward ordinance of Sanctification is then prescribed in our approaches to God? To which the Apostle answereth, in stead of Circumcision of heart and flesh under the old, you must according to the direction of the New Covenant and the Gospel's worship, draw near to God with an heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience, and a body washed with pure water, which will be to you a ground of full assurance, which all the Ceremonies of the Law could not Create unto you. So that the words seem not to me to be at all strained: but of their own selves by a genuine Interpretation, thus to speak, that the outward sign and inward Grace of Baptism are the only qualifications of such as will in full assurance of Faith draw nigh to God in Gospel administrations, and the privileges of the new Covenant; and in this sense and exposition I stand not alone, for Aretius saith expressly, Corpora Nostra debent esse abluta aqua pura, hoc est, Baptism Christi debemus esse initiati: Our bodies washed with pure water, that is, we ought to be initiated by the Baptism of Christ's appointment. And Paraeus saith Intelligimus nos intus sanguine & spiritu Christi purgari, foris quod Baptismo ablui corporibus: ad Sacramentum enim Baptismi Apostolus respicere videtur: Par. in Loc. We understand an inward sprinkling of the Conscience with the Blood and Spirit of Christ, and an outward washing the body by Baptism; for the Apostle looks on Baptism.  
The words thus explained, do plainly present to our observation, and consideration, this point of Doctrine.  
Doctr. Baptism, or washing of the Body with pure water, is a special qualification that fits us for confident approach to God.  
In the prosecution of this Doctrine, I shall explain, confirm, and apply it with all convenient brevity.  
In the explication we are to inquire what is Baptism?  
2. What 'tis to approach to God with confidence?  
For the first, I shall not stand upon the acceptations of the word Baptism, nor trouble you with the various senses in which 'tis used: but taking it in its vulgar acceptation, as it denominates a Gospel's ordinance and eminent piece of God's worship, you may receive of it this description.  
Baptism is a Solemn and Religious application of water, by a lawful Minister to a fit Subject; to the signifying of the Blood of Christ, and its cleansiing property, and the Sealing of the Covenant of Grace.  
In this description I will not trouble you with a logical distribution of it, into its parts: but propound these conclusions as helpful to your understanding of it.  
Conclusion 1. Water is the outward sign and matter of Baptism; water and no other Element; pure water without Popish mixture, or Composition with oil, cream, spittle, or the like; for this and this only Element the Lord appointed, and his appointment stamps on the use of it, Dignity and Authority, and justly checks the curiosity of such as are subject to contemn the simplicity of the Element, and advance the dignity of the Ordinance by their own dull, but daring inventions: and yet water being an Element, cooling heat, quenching thirst, of common use, and easy purchase, and cleansing all filthiness; doth fitly represent unto our minds the cooling and refreshing efficacy, the plenty and easy purchase, together with the purifying property of the Blood of Christ.  
Conclus. 2. A solemn and Religious application of the water must be the form of Baptism; That water be applied to the Subject is the essential act of Baptism, the manner of its application, by dipping or sprinkling, is to be guided by discretion and conveniency; though we deny not dipping to have been used in the Primitive Churches, in the hot Eastern Countries, where with safety and conveniency it might be used; and we grant (all other things concurring) dipping to be a lawful application of the water, yet it is not essentially and indispensably necessary, as the Anabaptists do too zealously contend: but it is both lawful and sufficient that the water be poured or sprinkled on the Subject which hath been the allowed practice of the Church; and the word Baptise, signifying any kind of washing, by sprinkling, pouring on, or dipping: and the measure, or quantity of water being no more essential to Baptism then of Bread and Wine to the Lords Supper, will allow it; and the Holy Ghost mentioneth the blood of Christ as Cleansing by sprinkling 1 Pet. 1.2. by way of allusion to this act in Baptism, as the analogy thereof: and it is more than probable that Baptism in houses, as was that of the Jailers, Act. 16.33. was Administered by sprinkling or pouring on, not by dipping; and the weakness of Children, and coldness of our climate is a just Reason for this manner of Application; so that either of these may be used without contention.  
Water what way soever, must be Solemnly and religiously applied in the holy form, and with the holy Rites which God hath appointed; for every common washing or application is not Baptism: but water consecrated by the word of institution and prayer; and as an act of worship to God, and argument of faith applied in the name (that is by the appointment, and to the dedication of the person Baptised to faith in, and holy profession) of Father Son and Holy Ghost; is the Sacrament of Baptism; so that as the Apostle doth well check the horrid profaneness of such as deemed the common eating of bread, and drinking of wine to be the Lords Supper, by declaring The Cup of blessing which we bless is the Communion of the blood of Christ, and the Bread which we break is the Communion of the body of Christ, 1 Cor. 10.16. thereby pointing unto the solemn and Religious Rites which must distinguish the Lords Supper from common eating and drinking; so the Solemn and Religious Application of water distinguisheth the Sacrament of Baptism from all other common washing.  
Conclus. 3. Baptism must be administered by a lawful Minister; this water may not be applied by every or any private hand; the Lord Jesus hath joined it in Commission with teaching and discipling, so that such only that have the Authority of the one have the Authority of the other; Baptism is on all hands agreed on to be an act of office and Authority, and not to be given by men out of office; it is a Seal which must be stamped (not by a childish impression: but) with Power and Authority, to make it valid, a ground of faith, pleadable in prayer; so that the Baptism of women and private Persons (on what pretended necessity soever it be) is wicked and profane; nay in my judgement is void and null, and not to be salved with a quod fieri non debuit factum valet, that unlawful things are valid when past and done; though I cannot with the Donatists grant that the efficacy of the Ordinance depends on the dignity of the Administrator, yet I cannot but believe that the Authority of the institutor is essential to every Gospel's Ordinance to the Church, and must be found in every Administrator; Ordained Ministers must give us Sacraments, I and preach the Word too if we will not be cheated of Salvation, and content ourselves with mock Ordinances; my muddy brains could never yet conceive the God of Order to make Office and Authority essential to political transactions in Kingdoms and Commonwealths, and yet to leave his Church in such confusion, that the great Affairs of Salvation shall be dispensed by every common hand; as if his care were more for the world than the Church, which if it be, I will never go to the House of God to behold the beauty of his Holiness, which shines more brightly in the wide Wilderness.  
Conclus. 4. Baptism must be administered unto fit subjects: all Subjects suit not the Ordinance; Creatures insensible and irrational are incapable of the Grace of God, and these holy Administrations thereof; the baptising of Bells, Churches, Fonts, etc. is a piece of Consecration, neither prescribed nor allowed in the New Testament; but to be damned as profane and superstitious; they must be the subjects of Life and Reason that will lie in the least Capacity of Grace and Holiness; and such are the Sons of men.  
Sons of men are Subjects capable of Grace and Holiness: but the special dispensations thereof in the Covenant of Grace, and its Seals, calls for special qualifications; and therefore Baptism may not be given to men as men, and merely the sons of Adam, no, they must first be the seed of Abraham, Gen. 17.13. for the Covenant of God must be in their flesh, and by Preaching they must be discipled into the Christian Church, and see that the Promise is to them and to their Children before they be Baptised Act. 2.38, 39 for Baptism must be the Seal of the Righteousness of faith, which we have being not yet Baptised, Rom. 4.11. so that the fit Subjects for Baptism must be not only men, but Faederati, such as Covenant with God, to whom the Promise may be judged to belong: they must be made Christians, and lay hold on the Covenant of God, and then be Baptised; I could drive out of your common discourse an ordinary term relating to Baptism (viz such a one is Christened) if I did not hope you well understand it: Baptism may Christianum dicere, declare and pronounce a man a Christian: but it doth not Christianum facere, make a Christian; if your Children be not made Christians by the extent of the Covenant to believers and their seed, bring them not to me to be Baptised; most cursedly profane was the cruelty of the Spanish Papists in America, who with whips and scourges drove the unchristanized untaught Indians to the Fonts to be Baptised; for that Baptism belongs to none but Christ's disciples, and Covenant People.  
Baptism belongs to all Christ's Disciples and Gods Covenant People, so that none of them may without sin, nay sacrilege be barred from Baptism; and these are resolved into two ranks, and known by two names in the Church (viz) Infidels converted to the faith, and the Infants of one or both Christian Parents: These two are the orders into which Gods faederates have been Ranked, ever since God's Covenant was established, and his Church was estated in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their seed: as to the first of them, they are on all hands consented to as fit and proper Subjects, only our over-pious age hath started the query, How and when they must be judged converted to the faith? which I must needs resolve to be by a profession of saving faith, not the saving Profession of faith, and possession of sincere Grace which the Congregating Anabaptists call for; sincere grace and saving Profession must be the soul's care, and ground of joy: but cannot be the sign that shall guide the Church in giving the Sacrament of Baptism; assoon as they professed to believe, Philip Preaching the things of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were Baptised both men and women, Act. 8.12. Philip required no more of the Eunuch in v. 37. and when I hear Peter declared Simon the Sorcerer to be after his Baptism in the Gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, as v. 23. I perceive they in whose company he was Baptised yielded no more; and when I remember Annànias and Saphira, Demas, and other Baptised Persons proved hypocrites and reprobates; I cannot believe they possessed sincere Grace, or made a saving Profession, though they professed saving Faith; I cannot yet turn Arminian and believe true Grace, may be finally and totally lost, and a man may be a child of God to day, and a child of the Devil to morrow; I have not faith enough to believe that when God made me a Minister, he made me a God, and endowed me with the property of to searching the heart: nor have I wit enough to conceive that God making me a Steward of his Mysteries, prescribes to my as my guide the qualification of subjects, which lies beyond my knowledge. I believe the gross enormities of many baptised Saints (as they call themselves) hath convinced them, that true Grace is not within their sight, but they may and have baptised hypocrites: why then do they call for that qualification God hath not directed and they can not discern? God hath made the tongue the trumpet of the heart, and I can better hope men will not play the hypocrite and make that utter an uncertain sound, than I can know the sincerity of their Grace.  
Though Infidels converted to the Faith be generally resolved within the Covenant, yet since the days of Balthasar Pacimontanus, (who pretending to have derived his fancy from Luther, constrained Luther to write against him in the year of our Lord, 1527.) The Right of Infants to the Covenant of God, and consequently their capacity for Baptism hath been called in question, and of late years hath met with most high and violent (though irrational and unscriptural opposition) wherein I cannot but admire at the erroneous industry of the Antipaedobaptists, to curtail God's Covenant, cut off their seed from the privileges of Grace, and cast away their own reasons, blinding their eyes against plain demonstrations of Scripture, and the Ancient enjoyments of the Church; wherein we must see better warrant before we strike hands with them, and be of their uncharitable belief; for if I know any thing of the method of God's Covenant, or in the least how to Reason from Scriptures, It is as clear as the Sun that the Infants of believing Parents, God's Covenant People, whilst Infants, and as their natural seed are God's faederates, and within his Covenant, and so fit Subjects of Baptism.  
In political and all civil transactions of men, we find all the world over that Covenants made from or to parents, do usually include children as their children, so that by that very relation, without any new formal contract, they claim Privileges, and stand bound to duty; and when I consider God's way of dealing to be according to man's capacity and humane method, I have no ground on which to imagine that he hath inverted the order, and cut off Relation in the conveying of the privileges of Grace, and constituting a peculiar People to himself; for God's special dispensations do ordinarily run in the same Channel, though not with the same Latitude that his General Providences do: and then when God after the manner of men assumes to himself a Kingdom, without doubt he confers Honours on and looks for Loyalty from his subjects, and their seed or offspring, who as their seed are born heirs of such Honour and duty.  
Further in all the transactions of God with man ever since he had a being, the Covenant hath extended to his seed, as his seed, without any personal qualification, all that know any thing of Gods dealing with Adam, know the Covenant of works was made to him for himself, and his seed as they were his natural seed, he received privileges for himself and them, and so he lost them, and by one man's disobedience we were all made sinners; if this were God's method in the Covenant of works, we must have good reasons to make us believe it is altered in the extent and Administration of the Covenant of Grace: but not to stand on General equity and demonstrations, the Scripture doth by plain and clear instances in both Old and New Testament evidence the children of men under the Covenant of Grace, to be also in Covenant as they are their natural issue; There is nothing plainer in Scripture then that when the Covenant of Grace was established in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, it was extended to their natural seed; their children, as their children even in infancy, and before they attained to any Personal qualifications were in Covenant, and the children of God; This is expressed in the very form of the Covenant, Gen. 17.7. I will be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee: This is evidenced by Circumcision, the Seal of the Covenant set in their flesh on this very ground, and that at eight days old, whilst infants, unable to any personal acts of Abraham's faith, and it must needs be most gross ignorance to say that Circumsion Sealed to the natural issue of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the land of Canaan and Promise thereof, but not the Covenant of Grace, whilst the matter sealed, and very ground on which every man child must be Circumcised, is expressly declared to be, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed: whilst the Holy Ghost tells us Circumcision was the seal of the Righteousness of faith, which is the Covenant of Grace, Rom. 4.11. and Circumcision was set on the flesh of the Profelyted Gentiles, who never claimed nor possessed by the virtue thereof, any portion of Canaan the land of Promise; so that if this were the only matter Sealed by Circumcision, it did to them. Seal a blank, and they had by it no benefit; again, God doth lay an eminent claim to the natural issue of the Jews, in their very Apostasies from him, when he calls them out of Egypt, he doth it with an especial claim, let my People go, Exod. 5.1. when he chargeth them with duty, he enforceth it with relation, ye are the children of the Lord your God, Deut. 14.1. when he chides their abominable Idolatry, he aggravates it by the sacrilege, owning his own title, Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters which thou hast born unto me, and sacrificed, etc. Thou hast slain my Children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire; for them in Ezek. 16.20, 21. When he chastiseth them, he comes to them as a Father, Ye children of Israel you only have I known as mine, therefore I will visit you for your iniquities, Amos. 3.1, 2. and when he comes to deliver them from afflictions, their sins provoke to continue; the Covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the only cogent reason thereunto; this is pleaded as the prevalent argument and ground of faith in prayer, Exod. 32.14. Isa. 64.9. And affectionately resented by the Lord, Levit. 26.42. Ezekiel 16.59, 60. I might deal with thee as thou hast done when thou didst despise the Oath in breaking the Covenant, nevertheless I will rememember my Covenant made with thee in the days of thy youth: when I consider this carriage of God toward Israel according to the flesh, I cannot without blasphemy but think God to be more just then to lay such a special claim under the series of his dispensation towards Israel, if by his Covenant with their Fathers he had not a clear and unquestionable title to the posterity: and it is to me a most senseless and dull evasion, to say that Israel were God's People by right of Creation as wool, and hemp, and flax are his, whilst he himself tells us, he had chosen them to be a precious People unto himself, above all people that are upon the earth, Deut. 14.2. and you only have I known above all the families of the earth. Amos 3.2. Where doth God say of any Nation they are my people Israel excepted, and is not the transmission of the Covenant to the Gentiles, that which makes them who were not a People, to be the People of the living God? and unto this it may further be added that our Saviour in the very rejection of the Jews, when he declares them to be of their father the devil denieth them not to be the children of Abraham (John 8) nay, declareth them to be Children in the Right to the Grace he brought into the world, in comparison of whom the Gentiles are called dogs, Mat. 15.26. Nay, and owns them as children of the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 8.11. And St. Paul lamenting the rejection of his Kinsfolk, aggravates their present miseries by their past mercies, reckoning up their privileges Adoption, Glory, Covenants, Oracles, the giving of the Law, the Service of God, the Promises, the Fathers, and the coming of Christ concerning the flesh, (but not a word of Canaan, the great dreamt of Privilege in Anabaptist view) and determines these belonged not to Israel heirs of Abraham's faith, but to Israel his kinsfolk according to the flesh, even the natural issue of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.  
By all this, and much more that hath been said by others, and might be by me, it is more than manifest, that during the dispensations of the Covenant under the Law, and to the Jews the children of God's Covenant People, even as their children and without personal acts of faith were in Covenant with God, and subjects capable of the initiating Seal thereof; and me thinks under the Gospel if (as undoubtedly it is) the Covenant be substantially the same, though ministerially different: men should have more reason then to release such a privilege without a very plain and clear reversal in the New Testament, and limitation of the Covenant to adult and actual believers, which my dim sight could never yet read, nor dull brain conceive: and more justice to themselves and Postesterity then, if it be at their choice, to change a Fee-farm to themselves and heirs for ever, for a Lease for a term of life, and mere personal title; sure I am my little honesty would act me with such foolish self love: more regard to the rejected Jew, who are yet the beloved of God according to Election for the Father's sake, Rom. 11.28. And in hope to be Reimplanted into the Olive from which they were cut off; can we with any confidence court them to a new Covenant with straighter terms? shall we not earnestly emulate and highly provoke them to receive the Gospel, by bidding them to their loss? will not ingenuity engage them thus to retort? why you persuade me to turn Christian? as I am a Jew I beget Children to the Lord, and bring forth an Holy seed; the Privileges of the Covenant is entailed on me, and on my Natural issue, and therefore the Covenant of God is set on the flesh of my child assoon as born; whereas if I turn Christian, I bring forth children of wrath, and beget children to the God of the world. I have indeed a Personal right to the Covenant, and am provided for during my own life, but my children are turned into the wide world, to sink or swim, & shift for themselves, without any special Divine Protection; is not a poor pittance with perpetuity better than more large enjoyments with so short a tenure? never tell me of a better Testament on such tickle terms: O the hopes the hopes of England to convert the late inlet Jew's their new inhabitants! by such narrow and Honourable treaty, and tenders of Grace and Salvation.  
Lastly, Me thinks men calling themselves Saints should have more Religion then to restrain the Grace God hath extended to themselves and feed; and curtail the Covenant that by the New Testament is conferred on the Believer and his issue natural, even as his child in infancy, and before he acts any Personal faith: when I consider little infants sucking the breasts, and brought in arms, not able to go, received by our Lord Jesus Christ by him blessed and pronouneed with others of the like kind to be of the Kingdom of Heaven, and propounded not only as examples of meekness and humility, but as objects of charity and observation, not to be offended, but awfully received because Christ's name is placed on them, and they are made his disciples, so as that the receiving such a little child must be deemed the receiving of Christ; and the offending one of these little ones, a dolour more dangerous than a millstone hanged about his neck and being cast into the Sea; Matth. 18.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Mark. 10.14. Luk. 18.16. And when I consider the Apostles position of the latitude of Sanctity, not only to the Jews the natural branches, but the Christianized Gentiles accidental branches, wild by nature, but engrafted in, and partaking of the fatness of the Olive, plainly affirming of both, if the first fruits were holy so is the whole lump, if the root be holy so is the branches, Rom. 11.16. And I here by the way observe that from these privileges the natural branches were, and accidentally may be cut off.  
Lastly, When I consider the Apostles clear and serious resolve to the case of Conscience propounded by the Corinthians concerning their children born of an Infidel (not adulterous parent) else were your children unclean, but now are they holy, 1 Cor. 7.14. The Anabaptist will not let us understand in this place Real holiness, nor do we desire it; and until that they have made it to appear that Faith is essential to Marriage (which will put marriage in a good tendency to a Sacrament, and please the Church of Rome) it is too ridiculous to understand a natural holiness, I mean Legititimacie and acquittance from the blot of Bastardy, and then I am constrained to understand a Foederal holiness in the extent of the Covenant and esteem of the Church. These things, I say, considered, I must pluck up my reason by the very root if I do not by undeniable consequence constrain my conscience to believe and preach this point of Doctrine, (viz) In New-Testament times under the Gospel-administration of the Covenant of Grace, the natural issue, or infants of believing parents are in covenant with God, and under the promises of salvation. And when I look upon Peter's encouragement to the converting Jews to believe and be baptised, for the promise is to you and to your children, even to all that are a far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call, Act 2.38, 39  
I must renounce my Grammar and little skill in reading plain English, with the least of understanding, if I do not read, Believing Jews and their children, and also believing Gentiles and their children, have that interest in the Promise that may be to them a Ground of Faith, and confer on them a Right to Baptism. And the Anabaptist gloss that the promise was of extraordinary gifts of the Holy Gh●st (for these are not extended to all that are a far off when God doth call them, nor created they any right to Baptism, for many time they follow this Sacrament) or that children, when called to the faith of the Parent, should have the right to the Promise (for that is to them as called, nor as children. And my mind is very foggy, I am much out if this term of Relation do not dictate a Privilege and Propriety by virtue of relation which children of such parents as children should enjoy, above what children of other parents did or could enjoy) is too short a Fescue to make me read otherwise.  
Thus than it doth fully and plainly appear, that under Old and New Testament administrations of the Covenant of Grace, the infants of believing parents are Foederati within the Covenant, and so fit and proper subjects of baptism to be baptised. Nor is their incapacity of making a vocal profession of Faith any bar to their baptism, for profession simply creates no right to baptism, I never read the devil was baptised, and I believe the Dipping Saints will not now baptise him; Yet he really believed, and more than once professed, That Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Profession as an evidence of Covenant-interest, was the Church's guide to baptism, and the Scripture giving another demonstration of Covenant-interest, viz Descent from believing parents; that is also regarded, and the one to be no bar to the other, but both in their place gives due direction who are federates, and to be baptised.  
Nor is the Argument of any more force because the Scripture mentioneth vocal profession and baptism upon it, but passeth the other in silence; for occasional and circumstantial actions are no binding precedents, or universal direction to the Church of God. The Church is founded in grown persons, whose Covenant-interest can be known no otherwise but by vocal profession, but it may be edified by infant Branches, who by a course of nature partake of the fatness of the Olive, having the birthright of the Covenant. Thus it was with Abraham and his issue, and so with us. 2. Where the general nature of the Covenant, with a long and particular exercise thereof doth dictate, there needs no particular explicit directions. God in his wisdom designing our right understanding and rational improvement of the Covenant, and our reverend esteem of the old Testament, in its use and necessity to the Christian Church, representing unto us the order of the administration of the Covenant and Circumcision, refers us thither for direction concerning baptism; and we must needs in reason see that the change of a mere Rite or Ceremony under the continuation of the substance and same Covenant will never admit a change of the subjects to be sealed.  
Last of all, Infant's inability to action is no bar to their baptism, because it voids not their interest in the Covenant: and the Sacrament is such wherein they are to be merely Passive. When I observe God to have appointed the initiating Seal of initiating grace to be such where men of the greatest activity are altogether Passive; he seems to me to suggest these shall not act in their admission into the Church, and receiving of my Covenant; that inability to action may be no bar or hindrance to such as have no less interest in the Covenant; and only Covenant-interest shall make capable of the Seal.  
Let not any Antipaedobaptist think to amaze us by crying, Why, Sir, on this ground infants may have a right to the Lords Supper, for we say so too; they have jus ad rem, though not jus in re, their right is not denied, though present incapacity hinders their enjoyment.  
These things considered, we must tell the Anabaptist, That infants right to the Covenant, and enjoyment of the initiating Seal, having been continued throughout the old world under the Law without the least control, and also under the Gospel for more than 1600 years, without any General interruption or the least disturbance, until within this 200 years; we must find better warrant to divest us of it, before we part with it; and our antiquity (on so clear a title) in the enjoyment, me thinks should be no mean argument to ingenuity; for we say in this case as Jephthah to the King of Ammon, Judges 11.26. When Israel dwelled in Heshbon and her towns, in Aroer & her towns, and in all the Cities of Arnon, three hundred years why did ye not then recover them in that space? so whilst infant right to the Covenant, and initiating Seal dwelled in Judea and her towns, in Asia and her towns, and in all the Cities of the Church of God, and the borders thereof 2000 years, why did you not recover them in that space? surely now you may despair of ever doing it; how much soever you disturb our peace, we will never part with this privilege.  
Conclus. 5. The signifying of the blood of Christ with its effects, and the sealing of the Covenant of Grace is the end of Baptism; Baptism is both a sign and Seal to excite our thoughts, and affect our mind with the blood of Jesus, & assure our hearts of a right unto the Privileges of the Covenant, so as to argue them to our soul as grounds of faith on which we are to urge God in Prayer: herein it agreeth with other Sacraments, and in special circumcision, into whose place and end it hath succeeded, in that it is a sign and Seal of the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4.11. And so the analogy between water in all its properties, and the blood of Christ doth clearly hold, and the Scripture doth plainly attribute Remission, Sanctification Regeneration and Salvation to the outward sign or act of Baptism, as the Graces to be brought to our minds, and made sure to our Souls thereby; Mark 16.16. Acts 2.38. Eph. 5.26. Titus 3.3. 1 Pet. 3.21. And it is not only a Seal from God to us as a ground of faith: but also from us to God as a reason of duty; our subjection to it is an actual confaederation with God, that we will be called by his Name, live as his servants in all obedience to his will; so that hereby we are bound to believe in Christ, and forsake, nay fight against sin, this the Apostle dictates when he demands of the Corinthians, directing them to joint advancement of Christ, into whose name were ye Baptised? 1 Cor. 1.13. And Peter aggravates the Apostasy of Christians, nay nonproficiency in Grace with this, They have forgot they were washed from their old sins, 2 Pet. 1.9. Baptism will be a monument of perfidy against profane Christians to all Eternity, and aggravate their misery: so that although Baptism do not convey Grace opere operato, by the mere work, or by any Physical natural power that is in itself, yet it is a moral instrument by contemplation to be rationally improved to the affecting of our hearts with our own uncleanness and the blood of Christ God's mercy to us, and our duty to him: nor is it nudum signum a mere sign to excite our thoughts, but also a Real Seal, God's holy Ordinance, Creating to all Baptised a Right to the Covenant, by rational acts of faith to be argued, to their own joy and duty, and pleaded to God in Prayer; so that these privileges being not possessed by all Baptised, springs not from any defects in the Ordinance, but neglect in the subjects: if men will not claim by a conferred title and visible Seal, they deservedly lose their interest.  
Here note that I have not wit enough to conceive that the end of the Sacrament makes against infant Baptism, for infants are capable of Right though not of claim and possession, and Baptism is given as a ground, not effect of Christian claim; I see no reason why infants may not be Sealed in the cradle as well as Crowned in the mother's belly; nor is there any force in the confaederation of the Baptised unless it must needs be actively and cannot be passively done; I conceive parental power in dedication to God, and the Sovereign nature of the Covenant imposing on the party Sealed, the condition to be by him performed as well as sealing the comforts to be enjoyed, doth fully enforce the confaederation of such as are at the present non-agents; It will be a hard matter to make me believe that God's condescension hath lost his authority any more in the Covenant of Grace then in the Covennat of Works; or that infants are not as capable of confaederation by Baptism, as they were by Circumcision.  
I have done with the first thing to show you what Baptism is, and now come to the second to show what is here meant by confident approach:  
Approach to God is the act of a Baptised soul, and it is done either by the perception of faith which is the evidence of things not seen, and substance of things hoped for: Heb. 11.1. This is that personal and private act of the soul whereby it seethe and saluteth God at a distance with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered, and receives an assent unto truth apprehended, which is or cannot be expressed, and hereby we deny not the Baptised, in extraordinary causes where the body cannot be washed by pure water; as in an Indian Country remote from the Church, or in the Church under a limited order and season of Baptising, as it was in some Churches in primitive times, when they Baptised but twice in a year, may draw nigh to God; no doubt but the Catechumeni, such as learned their Catechism in order unto Baptism, had sweet communion with God alone whilst they wanted Communion with the Church, otherwise they had never been able to endure Martyrdom.  
Or by the possession of Glory, when the Soul departing out of the body returns to God who gave it, and is received into Abraham's bosom, or eternal bliss in the presence of God for ever; and this I deny not may be, and doubt not is enjoyed by many unbaptised; I can neither with some Anabaptists grant that all that die in infancy, and before stained with actual guilt are certainly saved; I see no warrant for it: nor yet with the Papists do I think all that die unbaptised are damned; I believe Baptism is necessary by reason of God's command, and as the ordinary Ark or means of Salvation, and so the sinful contempt or neglect of it to be damnable (though I will not determine God will charge it on the helpless infant) yet I see not its necessity to be so absolute that providence superseding the Ordinance by unseasonable death sets the soul under inevitable condemnation; I have confidence to meet many an uncircumcised Israelite in Heaven, who died before the eighth day of his age; and if in any, in this case God will have mercy and not Sacrifice.  
Or by the presentation of duty: and performance of public devoir in the Tabernacle of the Lord, going up with his Scribes, worshipping in his Sanctuary, and in the Assemblies of his People in all the parts of God's Worship; this is an appearing before God in Zion, and a drawing nigh unto him in his Holy place, not to be admitted to the uncircumcised among the Jews, nor unbaptised among Christians; this unto me seems to be the drawing nigh intended in the Text, and is that I intent in the Doctrine (viz) That the levitical Rites being abolished, and the way of access to God is now by Gospel's Ordinances: they that will use them must begin at Baptism, and first have their bodies washed with pure Water, and be thereby made members of the body or Church of Christ, and be consecrated unto God; without which such as have the charge of God's Holy things must keep them from intermeddling with them.  
Confidence is the adjunct quality of this act of approach to God, and stands opposite un●o the tremble and despondency of the uncircumcised Gentiles who could expect no other but rejection and displeasure in their approach to God; for that they were aliens and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel, without God and without hope in the world, Eph. 2.11, 12. Positively forbidden approach to God and the use of his Holy thing, Ezek. 44.9. And to the terrors of the circumcised Jews, who though admitted into God's presence, were yet kept at a distance, and might not enter the Holy of Holies in their own Persons: but by their High Priest, but now such was the privileges of Believers, and the advantage of Baptism, that the Baptised might not only enter the sanctuary whence the uncircumcised were excluded, but also the Holy of Holies, not made with hands, but eternal in the Heavens: so that they who by Baptism have their body washed in the outward sign, and their hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience, the inward Grace of this Ordinance, are required to shake off all fears and doubts, and to encourage themselves to the enjoyment of all Ordinances, and discharges of all duties whereby they may walk with God and hold communion with him: for that they are the persons so qualified as that the Church must not only admit them to outward acts of Worship, but also a liberty of inward adoration (by the nearest approach they can possibly make to God) is their privilege to them is given full assurance of ready acceptance, for the way is open to, the Holiest, the Vale is rend, the High Priest gone before, and the liberty left Common to all such (though none but such) as having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and their bodies washed with pure water do draw nigh to the same; both these are necessary qualifications: for, an approach to God without an heart sprinkled must needs be diffident, and full of doubts, and without a body washed, dreadful and full of horror.  
The Text and doctrine you have had explained, and you see the point of doctrine plainly asserting, That Baptism or the body washed with pure water is the especial qualification that must fit us for an approach to God.  
The next thing to be done is to prove the doctrine, and it is in itself a truth so plain that none that understand any thing of the method of Gospel's worship, and the necessity of outward acts and body qualifications in approaches to an holy God, but do subscribe unto the truth of it; indeed the late spiritual Chemists who have by our late overlarge liberty of conscience, (I mean sinful toleration,) had the boldness to blaspheme all Gods holy Ordinances, and under a pretence of spirituality, to nullify all outward acts of worship ●nd qualifications to duty, have denied it: and the late Intruder into this place, hath openly decried the necessity of this qualification in access to God, offering the liberty of Church Communion and the privileges of the Covenant to such as never passed under water Baptism, as if the order of the Gospel were now inverted; and God's Ordinances not capable of profanation, or the answer of a good conscience, real grace, were obvious to every eye that hath the charge of holy things, and is a Steward of the Mysteries of Salvation; I shall therefore briefly enforce this plain and Generally acknowledged truth with these commonly known observations as, the reasons thereof.  
Reas. 1. Baptism prepared the way of the Messiah, or Christ his appearance in and approach to the Church: the qualification that fits the Church for Christ his approah to her, fits the Church for approach to Christ or God; for these are reciprocal, the one goes not without a return of the other, and the same qualification must be in both; for that holy Majesty is present, Holiness is in the Assembly of the Saints, when God comes to his people as well as in Heaven where his People come to him: and all that will walk in this consuming fire and meet this Messiah, and be made fit to enjoy him, must not only have the heart sprinkled but also the body washed with pure water; Baptism is the Sanctification of the People, directed to prepare them for God's appearance in Mount Zion: the voice of the Grand Herald crying in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, Mat. 3. Repent and be Baptised: The Mace of Majesty borne by the Messenger of the Messiah to strike awe in, and require subjection from the expectants of his coming, was, the Baptism of amendment of life: The levelling Engine that pulled down and made plain all mountainy and proud hearts that withstood the coming of Christ in his first appearance, was Baptism, insomuch that the Scribes and Pharisees who rejected the counsel of God against themselves not being Baptised, are all along branded as enemies, who would not have Christ reign over them: in a word, the promised and prophesied Elias, who was to come before the Lord to prepare his way, is from his preparative work (which is plainly declared to have been Preaching and Baptising) denominated John the Baptist, and the way of the Lord thus prepared is proclaimed as a ground of Confidence to the Church; Isa. 40.3.9.11. So that if the way of the Messiah his appearance must be the way of the Churches approach to him: as it is evident it must in that Baptism, did not only precede, but also follows his appearance, for John the Baptist did not only prepare for his coming, but ever since his ascension his Ministers do go teach and Baptise into the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost; Baptism hath ever been the Discipling form, method of matriculation in his School, and incorporation into his body, and solemn consecration unto communion with him of all such as were afar off, but are now made nigh, even the people of the living God; their Baptism is the qualification that fits for a confident approach to God, without which we cannot be assured of acceptance.  
Reas. 2. Baptism prepared Jesus Christ unto the work of Mediatorship: The way of access to God is the same for the people as Priest; for the Head as Members; for the Church as for Christ: the Mediator as Man must manifest himself Holy in all things; not only in an immunity from all positive acts of sin, but also a positive performance of all duty, he becomes in all things obedient unto the Father; lives in Communion with the Church, and is conform to all holy Ordinances; proclaiming himself a Member of the Church before he propose himself a Mediator for or to the Church; he is Baptised because it thus became him to fulfil all Righteousness, by his subjection to Ordinances, and thereby suiting himself for his work: he doth not only show but sanctify them to be the way of access to the Father; for he as our High Priest hath left open the same way of approach, and as the Captain hath marched in the same steps of salvation in which we are to follow him, and we shall find him Baptised, and so immediately entering on the exercise of his Mediatorship: when (and not till then) he was Baptised, he is solemnly inaugurated into his office, coming out of the water the Spirit came visibly on him, and the voice was heard, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear him. We never read of his praying preaching and combat with the Devil till he was Baptised, and no sooner was he Baptised, but, as consecrated to God, he Prayed, Luk. 3.21. as confirmed to the Combat, he was led immediately into the wilderness to be tempted. Mar. 1 12. And as one now completely fitted to transact the business of man's salvation, he preached the Kingdom of God, Mat. 4. By all which the Mediator doth plainly dictate, That acts of holiness must move in order, beginning at Baptism: and that Baptism doth fit men to prayer, for temptation and all public acts of Religion; and if any will in confidence of acceptance follow the Mediator, they must have their body first washed with pure water, and be by Baptism thereunto prepared.  
Reas. 3. Circumcision was the qualification of confident approach to God under the old Covenant: And therefore Baptism having succeeded into the place, standing in the stead, & serving to the end for which Circumcision served, must be so under the new Covenant. The administration of the Covenant may be altered, but the Covenant itself abides substantially, the same to the Church of God both in the Old and New Testament. Sacraments are permanent and inseparable adjuncts to the Covenant as grounds of Faith: and however the different administration may cause a change in the Rite and outward Ceremony, in the matter applied, or form of application, yet is there no change in their use and signification: but what was of old signified by the Seals of the Covenant, the same is now signified by such as have succeeded into their place; thus the Lords Supper supplieth the room of the Passeover, and Baptism the room of Circumcision; so that whatever Circumcision did confer on its subjects, the same privileges are by Baptism conferred on its subjects. And Circumcision was to the Jews the door of admission into the Church, the Ceremony of Consecration to such as approach to the Lord: and the Character of distinction on the people of the living God, and so the qualification that was unto them the ground of confidence in approach to God; hence Circumcision and Uncircumcision are the distinguishing terms between the Jews (the only people related unto God) and the Gentiles (that were afar off, without God, and without hope in the world, Rom. 2.26. Eph. 2.11, 12.) and the approach of the uncircumcised unto the Sanctuary of God, is declared to be a polluting and profaning of God's Sanctuary, Ezek. 44 7, 9 therefore such are forbidden the least approach to God; they may not enter the Sanctuary nor observe the Lords Passeover, Exod. 12.48. Nay, the uncircumcised must be cut off from the Lord people, Gen. 17.14. And if a stranger will come nigh to God and have a place in his Sanctuary, he must first lay hold on the Covenant of God and be Circumcised; so that by Circumcision Jews were acknowledged and Gentiles proselyted members of the Church, entitled to the Covenant, and entrusted with the liberty of access to God in his Sanctuary.  
That Baptism is the Ordinace under the New Testament answering unto Circumcision in the Old, can any that observe the order of Gospel, the cessation of Circumcision, the regular succession of Baptism into its place, believe some initial Seal essential to Gospel administration, and see none established if Baptism be excluded? and find Baptism in all things fully significant of what was signified by Circumcision, deny that Baptism is succeeded into the room, serves to the end that Circumcision did; and so confers the same privilege of confidence, and is Essentially necessary to such as approach to God in acts of worship. Unto such I would in short say, D●d Circumcision incorporate into the Church? are we not all Baptised into one Body, 1 Cor. 12.13? did Circumcision put the name of God on any? do not as many as are Baptised put on Jesus Christ, Gal. 3.27? Was Circumcision a sign of Regeneration, called the Circumcision of the heart? Are not the Baptised buried with Christ in baptism? Doth not the Apostle in this very respect note the agreement of these two distinct, but not different Seals, Col. 2.11, 12? Did not Circumcision seal the Covenant of Grace, I will be your God? is it not therefore called the Seal of the righteousness by Faith, Rom 4 11? Is not the propriety to the promise of Grace, Remission and Salvation the very ground entituling and encouraging to Baptism as the Seal thereof, Act. 2.38, 39? And is not this agreement sufficient to demonstrate, that Baptism is now what Circumcision was of old to the Church? What if in some things these two Seals do differ, is the difference so essential as to deny the succession of the one to the other? It is true, the one was by blood, the other by water; the one is to male and female, both sexes, the other to males only; the one limited to the eighth day, the other left at liberty: but do these or the like hinder either the one or other from being ordinances of Incorporation to the Church, Consecration to God, or Confirmation to our confidence in drawing nigh to God? Will not the differences be found as many and great between the Passeover and the Lords Supper, yet the succession of the one to the other will not be denied? Circumstantial differences do show they are not the same in substance and matter, but they must be essential disagreements that shall deny a succession unto the same use and end. And if Baptism be not the Ordinance that supplieth the room of Circumcision, what doth? How is it called? when and where was it instituted? and who were ever consecrated by it so as to have the boldness of access to God? Or is the Church defective under the New Testament as to an initiating Seal, so that the holy things of God lie common, no visible badge of holiness is now to describe them that may with freedom use them.  
Most rude and ridiculous is that objected bar to this succession that some Antipaedo baptists have urged and talked of among you, viz. Circumcision was a National privilege, and only sealed the promise of Canaan to the children of Israel. If so, how then came it to be used before Israel was a Nation? and how came it to be used after the land was possessed and the promise accomplished? Why doth Moses mention the Covenant of Grace, I will be your God, as the ground and reason of Circumcision? To what doth the Circumcision of heart so frequently mentioned in Scripture allude? it is often joined with the Circumcision of flesh; What was the benefit of Circumcision to the proselyted Gentiles? We never read that by the virtue of it they demanded, or the Jews divided to them any portion of the Land of Canaan. And it will be an hard matter to make me believe it did to them Seal a Blank, for that I find it in Scripture called, A laying hold on the Covenant of God; and the Uncircumcision are declared strangers to the Covenant, and without God, and without hope in the world. Why doth the Apostle define Circumcision to be the Seal of the righteousness of Faith? I find this phrase to denominate the Covenant of Grace and its Spiritual privileges; but that it ever denominated Canaan, or any National privileges, I am yet to be informed. And the limitation of it unto the personal faith of Abraham is so inconsistent to the scope of the Text, absurd in itself, and smells so much of Popish Bellarmine, that I cannot but avoid (I had almost said abhor) it. But lastly, I would Quaery whether the adversaries of Circumcision sealing the Covenant of Grace, did ever yet observe adjuncts separable from a Covenant to bear the name of a Covenant? or did ever yet discern that the Land of Canaan was an appendent on the Covenant, but not of the essence of the Covenant, which if they well study, I doubt not but they will correct their ignorance and the errors thence arising, and so with us conclude, That Circumcision sealed Spiritual privileges to the Jews as Baptism doth to Christians; and Baptism succeeding to its use and ends, must have the same subjects, and is now the special ground of confident approach to God.  
Reas. 4. The nature and order of Baptism doth dispose unto a confident approach to God: Baptism is a Seal and the first Seal to the Covenant of Grace and Salvation, and so is a ground of Faith, and an encouragement in access to God. But in the Nature of Baptism three things do dispose unto confidence in approach to the Lord:  
1. It is an Ordinance of Conjunction to the Church.  
2. Consecration to God.  
3. Confoederation with God. And every one of these are Reasons of boldness in Access and assurance of Acceptance.  
1. Baptism is an Ordinance of coojuuction to the Church. The Church is Christ's Body, and every individual Christian is the members thereof, united by Baptism as by Nerves and Sinews: None but the Church may come nigh unto God, in Zion every one must appear before God: Christ is only conversant with his Spouse, if the Gentiles will draw nigh to the God of Jacob, they must join themselves to Israel the people of the Lord: and all believers that will come nigh to God, must be added to the Church; all the promises of God are made to the Church; and all the administrations of the Covenant are in and to the Church; Ex Ecclesia nulla Salus, out of the Church no Salvation. They that will come nigh to God as his children, must be the daughters of Zion, of the household of Faith, and Commonwealth of Israel. To be cast out of the Church, is to be debarred all privileges of grace, & delivered over to Satan: for that relation to the Church is the only reason of every individual believers claim of promises and privileges, & ground of confidence in all worship unto God; and this relation is conferred by Baptism, 1 Cor. 12.13. We are all Baptised into one Body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, bond or free. Baptism is the only badge of distinction to the Lords people; the very door of admission into the household of Faith; the very method of matriculation to Christ, his Disciples; and manner of adding to the Church such as shall be saved, Act. 2.41. In a word, Baptism is the band of union to all God's servants, binding them to a constant adherency to his Name, and joint attendance on his Worship, and is the bar of division from all others that are yet strangers to the Covenant; so as that until baptised they may not communicate of the holy things of God with the Church, nor come nigh with them to the Lord. In the Primitive times of the Church the Catechumenists, who were preparing for Baptism, not having been yet Baptised, were sent from Church Communion and holy privileges with the profane and paenitentiaries by the cry of Sacra Sacris, holy things for holy men: but when by Baptism they were incorporated into the Church than they continued in prayer, breaking of bread and every act of Worship to God with confidence: so that till the Church appear our mother we see no warrant to call God Father, his children are no vagrants in the high way and hedges, and when begotten by uncorruptible seed of the Word were by Baptism, placed in the lap, and laid to the breasts of the Church, then as her children we claim all the Privileges of the Covenant and come to the throne of Grace with confidence; nor may any without a forfeiture of Baptism be judicially exacted by the Church deny our relation and liberty of access to God; I never yet could conceive any warrantable reason to deny the liberty of access to the Lords table to such Baptised souls whose horrid profaneness and obstinate spirits did not make them obnoxious to the censures of the Church in order to their excommunications and dismembering from the body, and certainly Circumcision did not more firmly incorporate unto the Church under the Law, and confer a liberty of approach unto the Sanctuary, than Baptism doth under the Gospel.  
2. Baptism is an Ordinance of Consecration unto God, God is a God of Holiness and will be sanctified in such as come unto him; none may appear before him in their profaneness; the Mass of Mankind is so profaned with sin that men in common may not appear before God, such as shall adore him must be adorned for him, and if they will hold communion with him they must be consecrated to him; God never comes nigh to Israel but he first calls to have the people Sanctified, nor comes the Messiah before his Messenger had prepared his way; Israel the only Nation that holds communion with and comes to God are called an holy Nation because consecrated by Circumcision; hence Circumcision is the term and title of a Sanctified people, but uncircumcision the title and term that denominates the profanations that might not come nigh to God: It is God's command that such as were not first sanctified by Circumcision must not touch the Passeover, and it is given in charge to the keepers of the Sanctuary that the uncircumcised enter not into it to pollute it; unhallowed things much less unhallowed persons, might not come nigh to God under the Law; the holiness of God is the same under the Gospel, and therefore such as will come nigh unto him most be consecrated, for he will have acceptable Sacrifice to be offered by a chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an holy Nation; 1 Pet. 2.5.9. Men must be brought out of the high ways and hedges and in his house be clothed with a wedding garment, that with any confidence willex pect a welcome to his wedding Super, Mat. 22. And the only Ordinance of Consecration to God is Baptism: This is the badge of distinction and bar of division between the holy and profane; if the Lord Jesus will present his Church to God he Sanctifieth it by the washing of water through the Word. Ephes. 5.26. And if ever we will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven we must be born of the water and spirit: by Baptism we are purified from the corruptions that are in the world through lust, and solemnly dedicated unto the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost, hereby we are separated from the world and added to the Church; and the Baptised continue together in the Apostles doctrine in prayer and breaking of bread, and all acts of worship, so that being thus consecrated, called out of the mass of mankind and constituted a peculiar and holy people to the Lord: Let us draw nigh in full assurance having our bodies washed with pure water.  
3. Baptism is an Ordinance of Confaederation with God; two cannot walk together except they be agreed; God is a consuming fire to man if he condescend not a Covenant, as a shreene to prevent its scorching heat; I will be your God and ye shall be my people is the only argument of encouragement to Abraham to walk with God and assurance of Believers acceptance with God; guilty man cannot come nigh offended God without some assurance that wrath is appeased and God Reconciled: none since Adam's fall can come nigh to God as a Creator, and Redemption must be transmitted by a Covenant, and the Administrations of the Covenant must be the only pledge of assurance and encouragement unto access to God; the Covenant of God with Levi is the only liberty of the Priest's entrance in the Sanctum Sanctorum, the Covenant of Mediatorship is the confidence of Jesus Christ, his intercession, and the Covenant of Circumcision the Israelites title to the Passeover and freedom of the Sanctuary, and the Covenant of Baptism Christians Right to the Lords Table and freedom of drawing nigh to God; the Baptised do confaederate with God, you have heard, before that they must be faederati, in Covenant that are subjects of Baptism, the promise is to you, is the ground and reason why any is Baptised; Baptism is the mutual act of sealing the Covenant between God and the soul, by this outward sign and pledge God assureth us he will be our God, pardon our sin, subdue our Corruption by the blood of Christ, and we answerable stipulate with God, that we will accept him to be our God in Christ, we will be called by his name and become his servants; so that Baptism is an argument pleadable in prayer for the remission of sin and Sanctification, and an engagement unto duty against all impiety to be urged under all temptation; as it is a Sacrament it is a reciprocal bond between God and the soul: when Paul would check the Corinthians schism he doth it by this query, were ye Baptised into the name of Paul? importing you are to call yourselves by his name with whom you confaederated in Baptism: so that the Baptised being God's faederates, the Covenant being in their flesh, they must needs be qualified with confidence to come nigh to God, having such a ground of faith whereupon to claim the promises as is the Seals of the Covenant; the most encouraging argument that ever God's people urged in access to God is, Lord remember thy Covenant; we are thy people.  
We see then, that if we will be guided in our drawing nigh, God by the way of Christ, his appearance to his Church, or approach to his Father as a Mediator, or if we observe the succession of Baptism to Circumcision, or nature of Baptism as an Ordinance of confaederation with God, consecration to God, conjunction to the Church of God, we must needs be convinced that Baptism or the body washed with pure water is an especial qualification that fits us for access to God. And now we proceed to the application of the Doctrine.  
The first use then that we should make of this point is of information, and that teacheth us this Lesson, Baptism is an Ordinance of exceeding dign●●y and absolute necessity to be pursued and highly prized by the people of God that will draw nigh unto him, for it is the especial qualification that fits us with confidence to draw nigh unto him, as it is an Ordinance of God, it is the object of reverence and esteem and indispensably necessary by reason of Divine command, no● to be slighted by such as profess subjection to him: but of much more value when considered as the Ordinance of incorporation into Christ's body, matriculation into the household of faith, and consecration unto an holy God, and so it doth not only call for affection, esteem honour and reverence: but also it presents itself unto our reason, and imposeth itself on our conscience as useful and indispensably necessary, whilst it appears not only as an act of worship, but Organ of Grace and instrument of much good unto the soul, the which though it doth doth not confer, opere operato by mere application as by any Physiciall power in itself, yet it is a moral instrument offering matter to the rational argumentations and discourses of a believing soul, either to the encouragement of his faith or enforcement of duty, and is by divine institution God's method and instrument whereby he hath graciously confirmed these privileges, and so it is necessary not only ratione precepti, a commanded duty: but also medii as a moral means to be managed by meditation and Divine method prescribed by the Lord, as that whereby we may claim his promise and conclude a relation to and fitness for Communion with him, and without which we cannot ordinarily expect his blessing, and be accounted his people; and what he doth in extraordinary cases where he providentially supersedeth an Ordinance, as by untimely death, and the like, doth no way abate the dignity or abstract from the necessity of washing the body with pure water by the Sacrament of Baptism; the conviction of this truth will call for a constant and reverend attendance on Baptism and conscientious use of it in all convenient opportunity that God shall give us, and check the contempt and profane neglect thereof that is not a little abounded (to our shame and with grief of heart be it spoken) in the midst of us: were men but rightly affected with the nature of Baptism, they would see in it beauty, and of it a great necessity. Was not washing of the flesh necessary and the holy Garment glorious in Israel because they fitted for approach to God and entrance into the holy place? if men were but really convinced that the body washed with pure water was a ground of assurance, because a qualification of access to God, that Baptism is the only band of union and door of admission into the Church, the formal consecration to the service of the living God, what an esteem of Baptism must needs possess their hearts, and make them not content without, but careful to pursue it, as seeing into God's presence there is no approach to such as are not sanctified by the washing of water through the Word? but a pressing unto God's Ordinances, not thus prepared, must be a presumption no less than damnable; nay how would the sense of Baptism affect the heart with joy, whilst thereby we are made Members of God's Church (an higher privilege than the Coronation of a King C.) and made fit for the worship of an holy God, the ground of all alacrity and boldness in the use of his Ordinances? How must such a soul say what a happy condition am I now in, who through Grace have my body washed with pure water, and joined to the household of faith, and sanctified for the service of that consuming fire and Holy God, whom to approach unto, it's the greatest happiness man can enjoy? whilst others are a far off, debarred the Holy things of Grace, and dare not intermeddle with the Holy things of God, nor draw nigh unto his Holy place; I come with freedom into his Sanctuary, and claim the liberty and privileges thereof by virtue of Baptism, that Covenant of God which is upon my flesh, in this therefore I will rejoice before the Lord. Nay, the sense of Baptism as a qualification for access to God would set our hearts into a reverend use and dreadful attendance on the administration of it to others; whilst the Element is weak and simple, its use and end must make it glorious and powerful; whilst common washing is contemptible, a bathing the flesh at the door of the Tabernacle in order to an entrance into the Holy place, and appearance before God is dreadful; ●●●●●gh Wax and parchment a●● poor, and viile, & base, and common Commodities most Shops afford Commodities much higher prized, yet these conjoined by the hand of Majesty to make a Patent, Deed or Magna Charta to secure some Grant, privilege or great revenue, is of much more worth and value, and received with more reverence and esteem: if we look on water, we see it is an Element as low as common; as me●n in our esteem, as ordinary in men● use; and this is ready to raise in our hearts contemptible thoughts, and make us say, what a beggarly Element and base Administration is this? What profit can be in the Application of an handful of water? But when we shall consider that water is applied by virtue of God's Command, as a most sacred Ordinance, to signify the blood of Christ whereby we are cleansed from all sin; to seal unto us the Covenant of Grace and all its privileges of Salvation, to set us in union with the Church to the enjoyment of all Gospel Ordinances, and Sanctify us as a peculiar people, that may and must draw nigh to God in assurance of faith; what lustre doth there appear in the Ordinance? what reverence doth then raise our Spirits? what high and honourable regard do we then see we owe unto this common and contemptible act of Baptism? oh what prayers for efficacy? what praises for enjoyment, what pleasure in administration? must the consecrating, qualifying and soule-encouraging assuring nature of Baptism, effect in all such as are seriously affected with God's Holiness and the order of approach to him? unto all such Baptism is no carnal beggarly and unprofitable Element, but a Glorious Spiritual Evangelicall Administration of exceeding dignity; no Church compliment and matter of indifferency that may or may not be used without any damage, but a complete duty by reason of Divine command and its own due nature, disposing man into such a devout relation to God, and so of indispensable necessity.  
Use 2. Is of reproof, justly to blame that disesteem and disregard of Baptism that is to be found among us; our age of liberty hath set us so lose to Gospel Ordinances that many can be not only content without them, but also readily run into the contempt of them; how few in the midst of us understand the nature and seek the use of Baptism as a ground of ●aith and Ordinance of Consecration, and so of confident access to God; men's principles and practice doth proclaim their palpable ignorance of such privileges possessed by the body washed with pu●e water: How many (to our shame and with grief be it spoken) do use Baptism as a mere Church compliment and convenient Ceremony? to the content of their wives, kinsfolk, friends or neighbours, bring their children to be Baptised without any awe of an Ordinance of God upon their spirit or apprehension of advantage to be by Baptism conferred, or design and intention of solemn dedication of their children to God and his service, and so to have God's name and Covenant stamped upon their flesh, and them fi●ted for access to God in the Assemblies of his people; and hence it is that they are at cost and care for the civilities that attend the Baptism of their children, but as for the Solemn praises of God, for the blessing of the Covenant, prayers for a blessing on an Ordinance, and careful instruction of their Baptised children in the consecrating nature of Baptism, the boldness it creates, and the duty of access to God it imposeth, these come not into his thoughts, cost him no care or pains, his friends gone, and work done, he thinks himself well rid of a piece of trouble, and pursues that day's enjoyments to no more advantage: nay how many sit so lukewarm in minds and affections to Baptism that they think it to be a mere Ceremony, and matter of indifferency, if their body be washed they are content, but they know no good it hath done them: and if it be not washed they are as well pleased, they see no loss they undergo by the want of it, and they can accompany with the Baptised or unbaptised in the Assemblies of God's people and Administrations of Grace; they matter not an outward Ceremony, but look after the inward and hidden Man of the heart; true and real Grace without any outward Ordinance, shall be the ground of their communion; but say Circumcision or Uncircumcision avails not to them; must it not be concluded that these men yet need to be informed in the first rudiments of the Doctrine of God, even the Doctrine of Baptisms? and to be convinced, that the body washed with pure water, is the qualification prescribed by a glorious God, to consecrate such as with confidence approach before him? and so the contempt of it must needs be profane and dangerous; nay, too many in the midst of us, open their black mouths and give their blasphemous tongues the liberty of decrying and vilifying this Holy Ordinance, envying against it as a carnal, base, beggarly Element, an Excrementious Ordinance, and Antichristian Idol, and piece of abomination; so horribly profane and impudent do impostors grow by liberty, that they will outface God, and speak blasphemously of Divine institution, and the appointed order of access to God in the assemblies of his people. Nay, what shall we say to the rude recession of people from the application of Baptism to others? or their irreverent attendance on it, as if it concerned not them, or were no part of God's worship; and of those eminent pretenders unto Saintship, who disown the relation of men Baptised to God, and themselves (as the people of God) standing at a distance from the consecrated to the Lords service, as if profane and altogether strangers to the Covenant, and many other profane carriages that are insuitable to so holy an Ordinance: But Generalia non pungunt; not to confine myself to Generals, which will hardly reach the heart and consciences. Give me leave to take notice of those principles and practices that are inconsistent with this holy use and nature of Baptism, and do indeed profanely militate against this doctrine that teacheth you, That Baptism, or the body washed with pure water, is the especial qualification of confidence in approach to God in the assemblies of his people: and I shall Rank them into this order, and make them known by these names:  
They are such who,  
1. Dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of access to God.  
2. Disown and decline their Baptism in their approaches to God.  
3. Disregard Baptism administered to others.  
4. Disesteem the privileges conferred by Baptism.  
5. Declare not to theirs Baptised the dignity and duty of Baptism.  
6. Deny the Baptised the liberty of access to God in the assemblies of his people and use of his Ordinances.  
Unto each of these this Doctrine doth speak Reproof and Blame, as we shall note in the particular consideration of them. And  
First, If the washing of the body with pure water or Baptism be the especial qualification of confident approach to God in the assemblies of his people, then Generally are they too blame, who do Dictate to the unbaptized a liberty of access to God. Many in this Remiss age of ours, can make Baptism a matter of no moment in their Communion; they can hold Communion with baptised or unbaptised, and cry out, Circumcision or uncircumcision is to them nothing, as if this Ordinance of Baptism were rendered indifferent as the nullified Ordinance of Circumcision. And they themselves complain of rigour and severity in such as impose Baptism as the ground of Communion in the Church, and decline the administration of holy things to the unbaptized; these call for inward grace, the answer of a good conscience. Real love to Jesus Christ, and then they care not whether they ever pass under the outward Ordinance or be Baptised. And herein the lukewarmness of private men is not so much to be blamed, for that the leaders of the people cause them to err; some that stand in the midst of you as guides, and profess themselves Ministers of Jesus Christ, and teachers of the truth, have not been afraid (if I may not say ashamed) positively to affirm, and (in this Pulpit) plainly to teach as the very mind of God, Tha Baptism is not the ground of Church Communion, but real Grace, the answer of a good Conscience, by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead: and therefore did offer and affirm, That although a man were altogether ignorant of the Doctrine of Baptism, and had never passed under that outward Ordinance, yet he could own him as a member of the Church, hold Communion with him, and admit him to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ; and much to this purpose, which stands in a direct contradiction to this truth, and declared use of Baptism. For if it be the qualification of access to God, the door of admission into the assemblies of God's people, and way of consecration unto Communion in the holy things of God: must it not needs be profaneness to administer the holy things of God to such as are not thus qualified? and presumption to invite such unto the participation of them? But a little to expostulate with the asserters of this Baptism-subverting notion: Will God be worshipped by outward Ordinaces? and must these Ordinances be enjoyed in order, some preparing for participation to others? Is Baptism the first Ordinance of the Gospel? Initiating Seal of the Covenant? Door of admission into the Church? and method of Matriculation into the household of Faith? and way of consecration unto Communion with God and his people? Is it not reckoned among the first principles of the Word of God, to be learned by all Disciples entered into Christ's School? And if so, must it not be horrid profaneness to decry the knowledge of Baptism and its Doctrine? To expose communion with God and his people to common hands never sanctified, and by body washing separated from the heap of mankind, on whom Baptism never stamped holiness? and gross impiety to fling open the door of God's house that dogs and swine may enter at pleasure, there being no baptismal badge of distinction between them and the children of God? Is it not great prodigality to offer the privileges of the Covenant to every hand, not having any Sealed interest whereon to claim? Is it not grievous presumption to decline the directed order of the Gospel, and dispense the holy things of God in a way and method contrary to that whereby Christ and his Apostles either enjoined or administered them? Must not this needs be Superstition, Will-worship, a laying waste Divine directions, and running from the Rule of Scripture, and due method of holy things? Must not God in his Jealousy needs arise and say to such Ministers as to the keepers of the Sanctuary, Ez●k. 44.7. You have enough of all abominations, seeing ye have brought into my house the unbaptised in fl●sh and in spirit. To what end do these men Baptise any, or urge any to be Baptised? In this assertion Baptism is proclaimed a matter of indifferency, nay, a mere nullity, an action of no advantage, administered to no end: for if it confer not outward Privileges, it will never convey inward Grace. And thus the institutions of the Lord Jesus stands charged with folly and vanity, and the Ordinances of the Gospel are made Compliments, and bootless Ceremonies; but rather the Spirit of seduction is evidenced to be profane, notoriously wicked, willingly withstanding Divine order, and in the name of God exposing the holy God to irreverent, rude approaches, and his Seals and sanctifying Ordinance to scorn and contempt.  
Nor is this guilt thus charged in the least extenuated by the qualification required and propounded as the ground of Communion; viz. R●al Grace, the answer of a go●d conscience by the Resurrection of Christ from the de●d: for I never yet found this propounded in Scripture as the ground of Church communion; not is it discernible by every eye of every common believer, who are to see such sanctified unto God to whom they do join themselves. Nay, the very Stewards of the mysteries of God have not that Spirit of infallible discerning the truth of grace. Gross hypocrites have been by the very Apostles of Jesus Christ Baptised and admitted into the Church: and so will be by all that administer holy things, for Hypocrites void of true Grace, must be found in the Church when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to Judgement. And if it could be known, yet by what authority is inward Grace divided from the outward Ordinance and opposed thereunto? Those things which God hath joined together, shall any man dare to divide asunder? and can true Grace consist with ignorance of the Doctrine of Baptism, and neglect and contempt of the least Ordinance of Jesus Christ, and inversion of the order of the Gospel? But is not this most graceless Chemistry so to spiritualise Gospel dispensation as to Deify every Minister that hath the charge of the Sanctuary? Nay, every believer that must hold communion in the Ordinances of the Gospel, by making them Searchers of the heart, and infallible discerners of Real Grace, the ground of Church Communion, and to justify the washing of the body which God hath made the ground of confidence in access to him in the assemblies of his people.  
Secondly, The second sort to be reproved as contradictory to this consecrating, faith encouraging Ordinance of washing the body with pure water, are such as Disown and decline Baptism in their drawing nigh to God in the assemblies of his pe●ple: Like Priest like People; if men that ●all themselves Ministers ●●d Teachers shall with black mouths blaspheme Baptism, it cannot but meet with people that shall profane, contemn, and cast off that holy Ordinance. If Teachers shall dare in the Name of the Lord to declare, That water-baptism is not the ground of communion with the Church visible, no marvel if men do sl ght Baptism in seeking such communion; nay, it were a marvel if some should not sinfully reject and renounce it; for he is a mean man that draweth not some Clients after him. A●e there not many in the midst of us that make their way to God by renouncing their Baptism, when once their fancy doth but dictate to them a vanity in that outward Ordinance, and their tongues are filled with vilifying invectives, calling it beggarly Element, carnal Ordinance, outward and groundless Ceremony, badge of Antichrist, Superstitious administration; their hearts are as full of joy as they can hold, now they are full of courage, can come with freedom and full assurance to God, being as they pretend baptised with the Spirit and fire; now they boldly join themselves to that assembly they call the Church of God, and despising all outward Ordinances, their formal admission must be by a full renunciation of their Baptism and all carnal acts of worship (as they phrase it) that they may serve God in Spirit.  
This generation of men must needs appear most grossly ignorant or greatly deluded as to the method of approach to God, and manner of worship to be done unto him. Unto them I would demand, If they be guided by Scripture directions (not Enthusiasms, and pretended Inspirations) whether Scripture doth not declare, That divided man must make no aprroach to God? the Spirit of all flesh will be adored with outward acts of worsh p wh●ch h● himself hath appointed. Hath God comm●nded Baptism to no use or end? May bodies not consecrated come nigh to holy Presence? Must not the Lords immediate attendants be distinguished from the rest of the world by some Livery that is obvious and to be seen by every eye? Can the Spirit and Sacred Ordinances of God stand opposite one to the other, and not consistent each with other? And must sincere Gra●e share stakes with God, giving m●n the Body and God the Spirit? The Devil may be content with the half of man, for he well knows by that means he doth possess the whole for God will have all or none: they that will draw nigh to his Sanctuary must love him with all their might, heart, soul and strength: they that will wait on him, must worship him in Body and Spirit: They that walk as the redeemed of Christ, must glorify him with Soul and Body, which is their reasonable sacrifice, Rom. 12.1. For both were bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6.20. God will part with no part of his purchase, and hath therefore prescribed outward acts of adoration to be bodily performed in the sincerity of Spirit, and appointed the washing of the body with pure water to consecrate and stamp holiness on the outward man, as well as the sprinkling of the heart for the inward: the exercise of the body ●n the outward acts of worship without the Spirit, is plain hypocrisy; and the exercise of the Spirit without the Body's subjection to outward Ordinances, is positive profaneness; such is the Souls influence on the Body, that if it awfully apprehend Majesty it will make the bodily members to express it. In vain is heart Subjection pretended where the yoke of outward Ordinances is broken from the neck: What likelihood of Loyalty from such as scorn the Livery? Sad is that Sanctity that sets at enmity God's Spirit and Sacred Ordinances: Cursed is that cry of holiness that cryeth down Divine order and Ordinances: Rebellious is that Assembly whose Incorporation is a renunciation of the matter and method of God's Worship: Dreadful must needs be God's approach to th●t people that draw nigh unto him not duly consecrated to that end by Baptism, and touch the holy things of God in his Assembly, not having the body washed with pure water I have lost my little skill in Scripture-Calcuiation, if such perish not in the gain saying of Korah, and occasion not a P●rz-vzzah in Israel  
Whilst some disown Baptism as an outward Ordinance, by the Spirit of Familism disowning all outward administrations; There are others that will join with us in condemning them, and consent that God must be worshipped by bodily acts of Religion yet they find no way of access to God, but by receding from the baptism they had received, and disowning the consecrating, Faith-encouraging use of the washing of their bodies in pure water to which they have been subject. These are our Antipaedobaptist become actual Anabaptists, who quarrelling at Infant's interest unto Baptism and the Administrators thereof, do disown all relation they have had to the Church, and the privileges they enjoyed by their Baptism; and disavowing the holiness thereby conferred, they declare themselves to have been cozened when Christened: and although they have sometime deemed themselves the people of God, sanctified by the washing of water, in Covenant with God, and sweet Communion with his people; Now they declare themselves to be aliens and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel, without hope, without God, and without Christ in the world, and therefore renouncing this baptism they seek another way of access to God, and by an imagined Baptism of their own creation, they encourage their spirits and stamp holiness upon themselves, and pretend to join themselves to the assemblies of the Lords people, declaring all others to be dogs, and only themselves the children of the Kingdom; all others to be in the highways and hedges, and themselves the only Church of Christ to whom men must be joined on p●in of Eternal Damnation. When I consider these men, I cannot but consider the impetuous viol ce of an Erroneous judgement in hurrying to irregular practice, and the giddy preposterous zeal that is produced by Reason-darkning fancy: this carriage doth plainly bespeak these men to be greatly irrational and grossly ignorant.  
First, They appear to be greatly Irrational, and that because they nullify God's Ordinances by mistaken or miscarried circumstances, which no way destroy their essence: Their ground is, Infants ought not to be Baptised, and they were Baptised in their infancy; their ignorant parents in their ignorance did superstitiously cause them to be sprinkled by some unworthy Sir John or other, and hereby they were cozened; but now they thank God they see the superstition of Baby-sprinkling, and therefore will have their bodies washed, and join themselves to the Baptised Saints. Unto this Plea of theirs, I wish they had reason enough to see the irrationality of it; for presuppose (which is not true) that infants have no right to Baptism, it w●ll not thence follow that Infant-baptism is superstitious, void and null. For Bap●●●● is God's Ordinance, Christ's own Institution; Age or Infancy are but circumstances directing the subject to whom it is applied, and is not essential to the Ordinance: if Baptism be a worship according to the mind of Christ, than Infant baptism is out of all danger or possibilty of will-worship, in case infants were not (as undoubtedly they are) within the Verge, yet their baptism can be no Will-worship, for we set not up the Ordinance we apply to them, but make application of the Ordinance Christ instituted; so that our utmost guilt is misapplication of worship instituted by God not devising any worship o our own heads; so that they do irrationally charge the corruption of an Ordinance and misapplication of an Institution with Superstition; and this corruption in a circumstance they imagine to nullify the Ordinance, and improve to a nonentit●e of their Baptism; most irrationally making the Age essential to the Ordinance, which God never did so appoint in either Old or New Testament-times, either in the initiating Seal of Circumcision or Baptism: God did indeed direct Circumcision to be applied at the Eighth day, but the direction of the Age is distinct from the institution of the Ordinance, and not of the Essence thereof, otherwise none m●g●t be Circumcised after the eighth day to have their Circumcision valid and of force: under the New Testament we have neither institution of the Age, nor subsequent direction for it, save only the qualification of the subject, as being made Disciples, brought into a propriety to the Promise, and the like, of what age soever, unless our Anabaptists will make Christ's Baptism the institution of the Ordinance and age to which it is to be applied; and then I do believe their latter Baptism will be as void as the former, for I believe they are younger or elder, very few of the just direct age of the Lord Jesus when Baptised; so that the Age can no way be made essential to the Ordinance: the corruption circumstantial will not bring upon it an nonentitie and necessity of rebaptisation, though they might have cause to bewail the fin of their parents in corruptly misapplying God's Seal, but what necessity is there of plucking it off, and Cancelling the Covenant of God to them confirmed? I cannot believe that if a Jew had been Circumcised before the Eighth day, that he would have renounced the Circumcision because misapplyed in point of time by his neglective parents: deviations from order may be profaneness to be rebuked, but cannot be destructive to the Ordinance that the privileges thereof should be lost, and it be reiterated: I do not believe that these men will Disfranchise themselves of the privileges of a Freeman of London though they were incorporated before the age directed by the Rules of the Chamber for admitting Freemen. Methinks their Reason should be a Chancery of more equity then to cut themselves off from the Congregation of God's people and cast off the liberty of access, because of their unseasonable and too early Baptism If the Church on such a miscarried circumstance should disfranchize them, or deny their relation to the household of Faith, she were deservedly censured for cruel severity, and h●r summum jus must needs be deemed summa injuri●: the greatest wrong is to punish failed circumstances with the highest severity due to the greatest crimes. Only blind zeal and irrational folly is censorious to themselves to disown their own interest on such a ground as will not warrant the Church to deprive them of it. Self-execution under the greatest guilt, differs little from murder, but must needs be sinfully violent when extended in measure beyond the nature of the fault. Self-excommunication on so slight a ground cannot but be the sting of an a wakened conscience apprehensive of t●e privileges lost: the out cry of such a conscience must needs be this, Oh wretch! my parents misapplyed the Seal, and therefore I have cast off the Covenant by my own will, and deprived myself of those blessed enjoyments the hand of justice never demanded from me. Oh cruelty! self cruelty. How ju●●ly might God say Amen to thyself, censure and blind thee under thy loss for ever.  
But to extenuate this irrationality in the rejection of their Baptism received in infancy they (endeavouring to master by number of exceptions under the want of faith) further plead, Why, but we were Baptised by some unworthy Minister, and in a superstitious manner, with the Ceremonies of the Church and sign of the Cross; and therefore we cannot make that baptism a ground of. Faith in the approach to God. And hereby they do but act their irrationality the further; for suppose ye were Baptised by an unworthy Minister, yet he was a Minister: though the Essence of the Ordinance may depend on the Authority, yet not on the Dignity of the Administrator. The wickedness of an Ambassador maketh not his Embassy concluded to be void and vain; the impression of a lawfully Commissionated Judge though he be unjust, is valid and of force; the Grant of a cruel King and profane Prince will be by these men admitted as the substantial binding Charter of the people's Privileges: we read often of the profaneness of the Priests of Israel, but never of a nonentitie brought upon God's Ordinances in their hand: If they be in Moses Chair, though we must not do as they do, we are bound to the attention and obedience of what they say. It is not impossible for a man to preach to others, and himself be a cast away. I never read that the Baptism of those Baptised by the unworthy hand of Judas was ever pronounced void or null. A pure Ordinance is unhandsome in a profane hand, but yet its essence is not impaired: it is God's Ordinance effectual to its end. So that if they were Baptised by Ministers though unworthy (wherein I w●sh charity be not violated, for that many know not who they were they do censure as unworthy; nay, some worthy men to themselves, so known, they now call unworthy) it is a corruption consistent with the essence of the Ordinance, not any way destructive to its being. The same is to be said for the annexed Ceremonies that they were profanely added but yet did not nullify the Ordinance, but it stands in full force as a ground of confidence in access to God.  
But secondly, As they appear greatly irrational in inferring more than their premises will allow, so they are Grossly ignorant; nay, I fear many wilfully shutting their eyes may be charged to be grossly obstinate: They renounce their Baptism under the notion of Superstition, not considering they run into the sin of Sacrilege; charity must persuade us these men understand not the method and ministration of the Covenant of Grace, otherwise they could never charge Infant Baptism with superstition, which is the very application of God's Ordinance to its proper subjects, and so Sacrilegiously rob God, his Church, believing parents, and their children of those holy duties and Dignities that belong unto them. Have we not before noted, that they who are in Covenant with God ought to be Baptised? and is not this the principle wherein we all agree? And if these men know any thing of the method and and ministration of the Covenant, must they not needs confess, That the natural issue of one or both believing Parents are in Covenant? as we have before proved; and so fit subjects for Baptism, that may and must be made partakers of the first initiating Seal, of which God hath made them capable in their Passive age and estate. Can any stand convinced that such infants are as soon as born the Lords Heritage, Psal. 127.3. The Lords servants, Lev 25.42. Children begotten to him, Ezek. 16.20, 21. Holy ones, Rom. 11.16. 1 Cor. 7.14. Children of the Covenant, Act. 4.25. To whom belongs the promise, Act. 2.28. Interressed in the privileges of the people of God, Mar. 10 14. and withhold the keeper of the Sanctuary and Stewards of God's household from setting of God's mark in their flesh, or withstand their dedication unto God? Must not we give Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and God the things that are Gods? Will not God account it a R●bbery t●at they which are his shall be withheld from him? Again, c●n any consider the issue of believing Parents to be the Church's Children, begotten to the Lord Ezek 16.20. an holy seed scattered for her increase, and yet snatch them out of her arms, and cast them out of her bosom into the wide wilderness of the world. Shall not the Church lament and refuse to be comforted whilst she is bereft of her babes, and as a Bear robed of her whelps Will not such robbery prove her ruise, and the drying up her seed hinder her increase and make her barren and fruitless? Again, shall the children of such believing parents be borne members into th● household of Faith and not be incorporated by Baptism? Shall Loyalty be their born duty and not God's Livery their dignity? Shall the Covenant of Grace be the Charter of their privilege and the Seals not be applied to them as t●ey are capable of receiving them? Shall they be holy in their kind and the badge of distinction be denied them? If any thing would make a new born babe to speak, sure this Sacrilege would do it: there is reason for the real demand that is fabled of one Rumball, Son to an English King, at Brack●ly in Northhamptonshire, that as soon as he was born he requested to be Baptised for that he was a Christian. I● it not a cruel Sacrilege to shut out of the Ark of Salvation such whose title to entrance cannot be denied? Yet further, is Baptism the only visible evidence God hath given to parents of the extent of the Covenant to their children, and shall any deprive them of this reason of hope, cause of joy, ground of Faith in prayer and spur to duty in dedication, to God, and education of their children for God? So that these things considered, such as on this ground of being Baptised in infancy do renounce th●ir Baptism, do out of ignorance of God's Covenant commit most horrid Sacrilege by robbing G●d of his Heritage, the Church of Children, and the benefits of the administration of Baptism to infants (which by God's grace I shall show to be great) the children of believing parents of their Seal of the Covenant of which they are capable, and their Parents of that ground of Faith the administration of the Covenant doth award them. And so they g ve us cause not only to charge them with irrationality in fancrying Gods holy Ordinance to be superstition, but in the language of the Apostle to say, Thou that abhorrest Idols dost commit Sacrilege, Rom. 2 22. So that not only Groundlessly, but even contrary to Divine method and order, they disowning the regular washing of their body in pure water, do divest themselves of that Seal of Sanctity and ve●ture of holiness by which they were fitted for a confident approach to God, and decline the assembles of God's people, in which alone the Lord is to be adored, and join themselves to false assemblies, where they are consecrated to, and come before God in a way that is not of his appointment, nor can expect his approvement, how high soever false hopes and joys may carry their spirit's. For those to whom they join are divided from the Church of Christ and void of all commission to administer the holy things of God: if you look at their constitution, you shall find it is no other than se●f-congregation, with the cry of all the Lords people are holy, and invectives against Aaron and Moses as they which take too mu●h upon them; the which I could never yet find warranted in Scripture, but is remarkably condemned in the company of K●rah that were thus constituted: Ministerial authority is no less essential to Constitute a Church of Christ, then Magistratical to constitute a Corporation or Company: my litt e skill in Politics could never see that self-congregation could constitute any body, but that which is seditious or Schi matica? And as Korah seems to have been the Counsellor of their Constitution; so Jeroboam seems to be of their Consecration, for he that will may make himself a Priest, even the lowest of the people are Ministers to the Lord, uncalled and unqualified they presume to administer holy things; which is a shadow and appearance of Divine worship, but a real building of Altars besides the Altar of the L rd; and gives just cause to the people of God (truly pious and pursuing the truth of his Ordinances) to pray as the Church in Je●obo●m● days, Tell me, O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest thy fl ck, where th' u makest them to rest at noon, for why sh●●ld I turn aside by the flocks of thy companions? (so seem and pretend to be) Cant. 1.7. So that the●r exchange of the Baptism they renounce for that they now receive, is a profaning of themselves, who once were an holy people to the Lord, and by false ways of sanctity to set themselves at a greater distance from God, and to shake, nay to rake up the Foundations of their Faith; and exchange their assurance rightly grounded on their Baptism, for a fond presumption flowing from Sacrilegious notions and false worship, which must at the last fall into the h●nds of the living God, and be found as stubble before a consuming fire, because unconsecrated in the presence of an holy God: for never to be sanctified and after to be profaned is all one in its event and issue; they that contemn and they that cast off Gods holy Ordinance shall fall into the same condemnation.  
The second sort to be reproved as carrying Contradictorily to this qualification to confide t approach to God, are such as disregard the admist●ation of Baptism unto others: These acknowledge the use and benefit of having the body washed with pure water, but by the rudeness of the●r behaviour do declare themselves ignorant or insensible of its holy nature and consecrating use. These are such as drive th● Sacrament, in its administration into corners and continue not in the Congregation in the administration of it; they think it is conv●nient children be baptised, but the solemnity thereof is to them strange a●d needless, they will call some few friends together, & call into baptise it any Minister that slubbers over the act as easily as they desire, and in a way of compliment get the work done, never considering it is a church Ordinance, and of due belongs to the whole assembly, not particular families or persons, nor with any reverence composing themselves to a solemn and Religious act of dedication to God, many in this case carry toward the Ordinance as a mere Compliment; to please wife, kinsfolk or neighbours they will have their Children Baptised, and the civilities thereunto belonging being passed they think themselves well rid of a piece of trouble, and never devote themselves to any Religion in the application of this Ordinance. Incorporation into the household of Faith, Dedication to an holy God is not in their thoughts, their praises proclaim not any sense of a Covenant pri●iledge, nor doth their Prayers pursue God for his blessing on his own Ordinance, they bre●k not through any difficulties to present their children to God in the Assemblies of his people, they think not the silent suffrages of the S●ciety of any moment in the incorporation of a Member, or supplications of any virtue to an Ordinance of sanctification, but as unaffected with these things, they get the work done, the child Baptised, they neither care where, how, or by whom, for when it's done they have done.  
And others are in this respect no less blame-worthy, who turn their backs rudely and irreverently when Baptism is administered; wh lest the Word, Prayer and other Ordinances are in hand, they sit composedly in the Congregation, but when Baptism comes in hand they post out of the Church, as if this were not worth their attendance, or tended any way to their advantage. Unto these I would say, Is not B●pti m an Ordinance of God & act of worship to his people Is it not an Ordinance of Incorporation into the body of th● Church of God, of which thou art a member? oughtest not thou to take them into society, and by thy presence to witness their relation, thou givest them little honour who hast no● patience to attend their solemn admission into the society of the Saints. Is not Baptism the Seal of the Covenant, the Sanctifying Ordinance of access to God? Administereth it not matter of Meditation concerning Man's Gild, God's G●ace, the Covenant of Salvation between God and man, whereby thou mayest be edified? Is not the Baptism o● a Christian of high concernme ●? Doth it not tie the Baptised to great and m●ny engagements? Are they not obnoxious to many t●mptations, to violate the Covenant? Is not Baptism the Ordinance of holiness? God's blessing needful to make it holy and prayers of the Church t●e way to obtain God's blessing, that thou tu nest away and followest not the Ordinance with thy prayer? Can a conscience awed by the sanctity of any Ordinance and affected with the holiness of God to be adored, dispense with the neglect and contempt of other Ordinances equally holy, nay, in order the first of, and that without which other Ordinances must not be used?  
The fourth sort of such whose practice doth militate with the consecrating nature of Baptism, are such who disesteem their own Baptism owned and adhaered unto: many have had their bodies washed with pure water, and would not be without their Baptism for all the world, but yet as for any great benefit they ever received by it, they know no reason they have to esteem it at so high a rate: They never read any thing of Divine favour in their Baptism, nor from it reaped either counsel or comfort; the reflections of duty and dignity are to them strange and unusual, Baptism having once passed on the●r bodies come● no more into their mi●ds. It is not to them engagement to, or encouragement in duty or drawing nigh to God; the which as it exposeth the Ordinance to contempt not imaginable, so it bespeaks such souls to be unspeakably ignorant or insensible of the nature, use and end of the w●shing of the body with pure water; for can any soul that understands and believes Baptism to be a pledge of Divine affection, live under it without observation of God's peculiar love to them above others who want it? Can any stand convinced, That the Seal of God is in their flesh, and not lay claim to God by so visible a ground of claim? Can any say that by Baptism ●hey are purged from the corruptions that are in the world through lust, and live in sin? Can any consider hereby t●ey are called out of the world and consecrated to the worship of one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and neglect directed acts of Adoration, the holy service that is assigned by their Lord and King? much l●sse should uld such Apostatise from the Profession of that N●me, and run into open Rebellion against him with whom they stand confederated, bound in Covenant? Can any think Baptism to be the bond of union and nerve of incorporation with the Church of Christ, and not Sympathise with her under all the changes of her condition? much less c●n such make Schisms in, or separation from her body, and forsake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is. Much is the advantage Baptism once, received may administer to a f●ul all his days if by ra●ional● acts of faith it were improved, either as a moral instrument or outward sign exhibiting matter of meditation, or as a Divine Ordinance and Seal of the righteousness by Faith, established to assure of the promises of Grace and Salvation. And yet (to our shame be it spoken) how little thereof is reaped by regardless we? Baptism is a memorial of our misery, and God's mercy; a manifest expression of that natural uncleanness which sets us at a distance from God, and eminent act of sanctifying unto an access to God; and yet how many make no use of it, nor find matter of meditation by it? God hath appointed it an instrument of Regeneration and Salvation, how few find these effects produced by it? nay, improve it thereunto. It is that Seal that assures of interest in all the promises of Grace, yet when do men propound it to themselves as a ground of Faith or plead it in prayer? How many live in such profaneness that the Church may charge them to have forgotten that they were purged from their old sin; and God may complain that they have broken their Baptismal Oath: yet Baptism is to them a mean and weak argument of conviction. W●en I consider the dulness of profane Christians under the enforcements of their Baptism, even ministerially urged, I could wish according the sometime custom used in the Primitive times of the Church, when men are Baptised they might leave behind them a white garment, as a witness of their Baptism, that so we might upbraid wicked men, as the Deacon of the Church did Elpid●phorus when revolted from the Faith, saying, O, Elpidophorus, I will ke●p this white garment as a monument against thee to all Eternity. When I consider the Scripture aggravating guilt with this circumstance▪ they have forgotten that they were purged; it dictates to my mind that the condemnation of Christians will be more grievous because of their Baptism; If this water quench not Lust, it will make Wrath burn more vehemently: Though I cannot consent to the Novatians cruel and groundless conclusion, That sin after Bap ism is unpardonable; I dare affirm, That every sin not resisted by Baptism will be more than ordinary y damnable to the Bap ized. What an answer to every temptation unto sin is the soul furnished withal, that is apprehensive that in Baptism he did renou ce the flesh the world and the devil, and devote himself to a conformity to the death of Christ, and stands dedicated to ●n holy God, in whose presence ●e may not presume defiled with sin. This Argument if improved by a Rational act of Faith is of more advantage, because it is plain and common, ready at hand to reflect, and easy to be understood, and obvious to the eye of men without and within the Church, by which we are liable to be upbraided by the very enemies of Christ: That we are Baptised the whole Church will witness, and shall not we have rec urse unto our Baptism as a b●r to our profaneness? Shall Circumcised Israel live in the vileness and vanit● of the uncircumcised Gentiles? And hath God made Baptism a badge of distinction between the holy and profane, and sh●ll we not make it a bar of divi on between their unclean Lusts and our holy Lives? to live without mortification of sin, and quickening to all holy duties, doth clearly declare we have never yet understood the nature of Baptism, nor used it to its end.  
As this Deadness in sin, so the Despondency of the Spirit in Duty, to which even the best of men are subject, doth witness a disesteem and disregard of their Baptism, of which they can sometime boast, though in it they cannot rejoice. A rig●t apprehension and real sense of Baptism as the qualification of confident approach to God would dissolve many doubts, if but duly urged by Faith. Ordinances of God are given for our encouragements, but rational acts of Faith must pass from us to enforce them to their end: What is said of the Word is true of Baptism, it profits not because not mingled with Faith in them that hear it: many a s●d soul comes tremblingly in●o God's presence and goes more troubled out, and the reason is, they do not righty husband God's Ordinances to the soul; they pass from Ordinance to Ordinance, but never consider t●e one entitles to and fits for the enjoyment of another. They suck no sweetness f●om all Sacred administrations, sometimes they abstain from, and oftentimes approach to God in his Ordinances and the discharge of holy duties, as afraid they have no right to nor fitness for these privileges, yet are sanctified by the w●shing of water; they complain they see no interest in the Covenant, and yet the Seal of the Covenant is in their flesh; they cry out they are aliens and strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel, and yet are Baptised into one body, a●d incorporated into the Congregation of the Saints; they dare not ca●l God Father, yet were children begotten unto him, bear his mark, and as soon as born were by him owned and placed in the bosom of his Church, and do wear the coat he prepared for his Jos●ph. They see many good things promised in the Covenant but know not how to claim any of them in Prayer, and they have the Broad-seal of heaven to secure th●ir title. Unto these souls let me freely say, Shall God give you a ground of encouragement? will you not use it? Shall he call for an approach in full assurance, for th●t the b●dy is washed with pure water, and will you not yield it? D●d God mock you when he gave you the dignity of Baptism, or is it not your madness that makes it not a check to your g iefs, and curb to your fears? Shall your practise proclaim the truth of that which the Papists h●ve endeavoured to charge on the Reformed Church's, viz. That ●hey make B●●tism a nudum signum, a bare empty sign of no use or advantage to the Soul. Is God's seal in vain, and sanctification by the washing of water to no purpose? and matriculation into his household a matter of no moment? that thou makest them not ground of Faith, nor encouragement to thy soul? Was not Circumcision of great benefit to the Jews? d d not God claim them by it when gone astr●y from him? and they claim God when deserting them? Is that an engagement to divine faithfulness, and may not thy Faith make it thy encouragement to appear before him? did God compliment when he annexed Baptism to the Covenant, and called it. The Seal of the righteousness of Faith? or dost not thou rather cousin thyself of the comforts the Ordinance do really and according to divine designment exhibit? It is indeed true, Salvation is not conferred op re operato, by the act done and mere application of the water, yet it is thereby assured to the Soul, that by acts of Faith shall duly argue its interest. The Privy-Seal is the clearest token of affection & to be purified, but is the Broad-Seal of no authority or advantage to be retained and improved? The outward Ordinance is not without inward Grace to be depended on as sufficient to Salvation, but inward grace duly reflects the outward Ordinance as God's great mercy and the ground of Faith and encouragement to itself. The Moral suasion of any Ordinance is too short to sanctify or solace any Spirit without supernatural Grace: but supernatural Grace comes not into any soul to convince or comfort but by a moral improvement of every Ordinance by rational meditation of its nature, use and end. Many sit under God's Ordinances and make most sad complaints they find no profit in them, when the reason is in themselves; they cry out God must do all, work in them to will and to do at his own pleasure, which is indeed true, but they consider not God's method of working grace or comfort in any souls; he always deals with men like themselves as they are reasonable creatures, and have a power of discourse, and therefore his Ordinances are moral instruments by due discourses to enforce their end. We have reason to check some under the Ordinances as the Disciples we●e checked from heaven for their posture in the Lord his ascension, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing? this Jesus that is taken from you shall so come as you have seen him go into heaven, Act. 1.11 As if the voice had said, Considerations of his return better become you, than silent observations of his present going. So I say, Why do many enjoy Gods Ordinances, and not go home and consider them? must we run so far from free will, as to run out of our wits? Let such men, as make not their Baptism a moral engagement to, and encouragement in their access to God, know, that they appear ignorant or sinfully insensible of its nature, and expose it to great contempt. Can any thing more easily cast a soul into contempt of an Ordinance, than its unprofitableness and unusefullness? The grand cause of all the blasphemy that our age doth belch out against Baptism, is the little benefit men find it brings them: not by reason of any defect in the Ordinance, but their own neglect to improve it as a ground of faith, guard against sin, and special qualification of access to God.  
The fift sort, that carry contradictorily to this consecrating nature of Baptism, are such, who declare not to theirs baptised, the dignity and duty of their Baptism. Men do with much zeal present their children to Baptism, but never mind to acquaint them of their privilege, or instruct them in the nature of so holy an Ordinance: they are careful to bring them up to some Trade or Calling; to acquaint them with all external rights and privileges, and the past ground of claim, to all future enjoyments in the world; but education in the fear and nurture of the Lord, is to them unusual; and the affecting them with baptismal privileges and Church Rites, or the acquainting them with Covenant interest and ground of claim, as to spiritual mercies and soul enjoyments, is the last and least of their endeavours. Well may we observe, the men of this world are wiser in their generations, than the children of the Kingdom. Common prudence, if Scripture were silent, would direct a more serious instruction of our children, in the nature of their Baptism: Shall they be begotten to the Lord, and not be made to know whose children they are? and how they came by that relation? Shall they be incorporated into the body of the Church, and not know the family and household to which they belong? Shall holiness be stamped upon them, and they not be made to know that they are out of the common lump and mass of mankind? Shall the Covenant of God be in their fl●sh, and they not know the Charter sealed, and Conditions to be performed? In a word, Shall they be sanctified by the washing of water, and not made sensible, that they stand consecrated unto holy service, and dedicated to the worship of an holy God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and therefore ought not to slain themselves with guilt, but carry as an holy people peculiar to the Lord? that must wait on him, because they wear his livery; and may worship in his presence with confidence, because their bodies have been washed with pure water. I did in the last branch of this Use, blame them that disesteem and disregard their own Baptism, and that was but the effect of this sin, Our progenitors neglected us, and we neglect our posterity, as to their instruction in the nature of divine Ordinances. How shall they esteem that, wherein they see no excellency; or improve that privilege, of whose nature they are ignorant. How shall they claim the promises, who neither understand what they are, or on what ground to be claimed? What conscience can they make of duty who do not know themselves under sacred obligation? What confidence can they have in access to God, who know not themselves consecrated? If men have in them parental affection to their children, and do care for their future good, we must needs conclude they sought no more in their Baptism, than friends satisfaction, and a Formal Religious compliment; and so not any special Soul saving privileges thereby conferred? for charity forbids us to think they would bring up their children in the ignorance and incapacity of claiming such high privileges, and rationally improving so holy engagements, if themselves were affected with them, or they had any sense of duty as to such Religious education, which should indeed spur their natural affection to the discharge thereof. Little do men consider that the same God that gave babes the right to the initiating seals of the Covenant, did provide catechising, as the way to make them know their privilege. He to whom they are born, hath provided milk for their nourishment, no less than meat for stronger men, and hath committed them as his lambs, to the care of his Church, and charged it, as the duty of their Parents, to educate them in the fear and nurture of the Lord: So that such Parents who do not seriously instruct their seed in the solemn Bond of their relation to God and his Church, the suitable qualification by which they are fitted for divine communion, & the seal of the Covenant, that assureth them of the high privileges of Salvation, do not only slight this holy Ordinance of Baptism, but also sinfully transgress God's command, show their natural affection to be diverted from its right channel, cure for the chiefest good, and set their children under an inevitable necessity of slighting the Ordinance, & starting aside from God, to whom they know no relation. We find it our grief, that our children are profane, when it is no other than the production of our own neglect: We can easily complain of their impiety; but where is the man, that as soon as his child is sensible, doth season him with the knowledge of his misery by sin, God's mercy in the Covenant of Grace, and his special engagement to holiness, for that he bears on him the name of God from his very birth, and that imprinted by his Baptism, when his body was washed with pure water.  
The sixth and last sort, whose principles and practice do plainly millitate against the nature of Baptism, and clearly do contradict the same, are such, who deny the baptised the liberty of access to God in the assemblies of his people. This I well know to relate unto the most eminent professors of Gospel order and pretenders unto piety, that are among us; and therefore the most tender rebuke will seem to be railing violence and bitterness: But be it what it will, sin against God's Ordinances must not pass without a zealous and serious reproof. Such among us as affect the term of Congregational Brethren, in the gathering of their Churches, run into an extreme as fare wide on the one hand, as the lose levelling Familists and Anabaptists are on the other: These dictate a liberty of access to the unbaptized, and those deny it to the baptised. We must needs imagine they agree both in one principle, that Baptism is not the ground of communion with the Church visible, nor qualification of access to God; For if it be otherwise, as we have noted, it must be profaneness to admit without it; and they have need of good warrant that will acquit themselves from impiety, in excluding the baptised from these privileges. That such are among us, who debar the baptised from their privileges, is so obvious to every observant eye of the now only cried up Church way, that I need not much urge demonstrations thereof. I well know some whose practice proclaim it, in their principles will disown it: but it is the property of that congregating way, to couch their principles until their practice have proved their truth and goodness, and proclaimed them to others. But if in the terms charged any shall deny this to be acted among us, I shall desire to understand why they declare privately and publicly men baptised, to be strangers to God and his Covenant? why do they decline communion with, and a care of baptised souls, as members of the Church? and dictate a necessity of their coming into Churchway and fellowship? and why do they direct other ways for admission of Church members? is there any terms more ordinary in the mouths of the congregated saints towards those whom they live amongst, than dogs, without, unbelievers, not in a Church way? Do not the pastors ●f these private (it may offend if I say separate) assemblies in their public ministry, speak unto their baptised hearers as aliens, strangers, to the Covenant and Commonwealth of Israel, men in the Highways and Hedges? Do they not call them into their self congregated and constituted Churches, as the only Churches of Jesus Christ? Do not the particular members of these assemblies appropriate to themselves the title of saints, believers, the people of God, the brethren? If they know or deal with a man professing the same God and Christ, baptised, and of a Godly conversation, but not in their Churchway, they cannot know him in any Christian relation; but can oppose to him a member of their private a●●sembly, by the name of brother such an one—, as if the other were no brother. Nay further, do not they decline communion with the baptised even such whom they cannot charge with any visible profaneness, and against whom the Church never proceeded in censure? Hence they withdraw themselves from public assemblies in their special administration of Church privileges, denominate themselves the Church, and decline all Church actions towards such as come not into their churchways; though their Pastors will possess the places, and make a shift to compel the (late cried down) parochial maintenance, yet of the people in common they take no charge: Brethren will not own them as objects of first or second admonition; Pastors will neither admit to the Lords table the unblameable parents, nor baptise or catechise their Children, nor exercise any act of discipline towards the disorderly, in order to their conviction and salvation; but in all things so demean themselves towards the baptised as men without the pale of the Church, mere heathen, for Church ministrations are as much reserved from them, as from such who never yet had holiness stamped on them: And if any do incline to associate with them in the holy things of God, they must be admitted Members, and enter at the door of a Church-Covenant or mutual agreement among themselves and declaration of the work of Grace upon their hearts, and their experiences of God, which these Congregational-men have set up. If this dialect and deportment do not declare that liberty of access to God, in the assemblies of his people is denied to the baptised, I know not how to judge it: And how this will consist with the nature, use and end of Baptism, I cannot discern. If by the washing of water, we were sanctified, how were we profaned and again laid common? I never yet could understand any divine rejection; I am sure it is much contrary to God's wont method and patience, to cast off a people adhering to him, though subject to many aberrations and vile actions towards him; and the extraordinary pleasure of God is yet to be manifested: And if God count us holy, and continue the liberty of our access to him in his Ordinance, they must produce a good commission that shall cast us out, as profane and unclean, if they expect we should be therewithal contented. If Baptism do incorporate into the Church of God, doth it not entitle to all the privileges of the Church, and bind us to use them, and the Church to allow us the use of them, according to our capacity? If we are baptised into one body, have we not the same relation to them that others have? Are we not all of one family, members of one body, and brethren, sons of the same father? Ought not all the Church to be the Pastor's charge? Is not the rebuke of the disorderly his duty, as well as his encouragement of the orderly? Doth not Baptism so knit us one unto another, that we are bound to watch over one another, and do all brotherly duties? Why else doth the Apostle make it an argument, there is one Baptism, Ephes. 4. we are all baptised into one body. I would fain know of what use Baptism is to them: is it not the same to others baptised? To count the baptised dogs, men without, to disown their brotherhood, and the like, must needs deny that Baptism is the door of admission into the Church, and yet this in terms they will not say, though they carry towards them as without, and call them to be members of the Church, who are members of the Church on as good a ground and as clear a method as themselves: If this be not a solecism in Christianity, I know not how to make any. As for their admission into the Church by Covenant, Agreement, or profession, it is clearly without Scripture, prescription, or primitive precedent, that ever I could yet find: and I can deem it no other than an inhuman invention (if I may not call superstition, the countenance of which it bears in my eye, whilst it stands in the place of Baptism, & is made the only way of consecration unto Church communion, whereby it plainly supplants God's Ordinance.) These things I note, but cannot stand to debate, intending a reproof, not dispute, and to let men see the sinfulness of this sacred way of independency, and gathering of Churches out of Churches, whilst it stands guilty of a contempt of God's way of access unto him, and admission into his Church of censorious uncharitableness towards their brethren invested with the reason of relation to the Lords people, and constitution of Church membership, in a way of mere humane invention. I confess I have heard it often noted, that the difference between Independents and others, is not so much as to maintain an irreconcilable distance: and I say so too: I could wish they were more friendliely united. As to the single point of Discipline, they shall have my consent for a brotherly toleration of its exercise, till they are weary of it. But as for their separation from the Churches of Jesus Christ, self congregation into a Church, and seclusion of baptised souls, from sacred Ordinances, and the like, they seem to me so repugnant to truth and order, and ruinous to God's Church and Ordinances, that I cannot, without sin, but stand a professed enemy thereunto. Let not men think that I allow the profaneness of Christians, because I allege their interest in the common administration of the Covenant; or that I think their enjoyment may not be interrupted, because I cannot consent their interest be denied them. I have learned to distinguish between right and possession; and where the one is clear, the other may be justly sometimes with held. I well know profane Christians are unseemly Saints, yet Saints; scandalous Disciples, yet Disciples; disorderly Brethren, yet Brethren; vessels of dishonour, yet vessels in the same house to the Master's use. That Church members be for a time suspended from particular privileges, may be admitted; but at private brethren's pleasure to be slighted, as no members, is not to be endured. That obstinate incurable members be cut off, is the Church her duty; but that the Church be cast off, is the congregational impiety? Is there baptised persons in works, denying the God they profess? Is there a brother, a drunkard, an adulterer, and the like? Doth not Baptism appropriate them to the private admonition of particular brethren, and public inspection of Church officers? Is not the delivering them to Satan, for the buffeting of the flesh, that the soul may be saved, their privilege by Baptism? If these holy men would talk of correcting, casting out, cutting off disorderly baptised souls, it would sound well in my ●ares; but to talk of gathering Churches, coming into Churchway, admission of members, and the like, amongst those that bears holiness in their flesh, and have on them the qualification of access to God, sounds so harshly in my ears, that I cannot but abhor it, as inconsistent with the nature of Baptism, exposing it to contempt, making it of no effect, endangering the subversion of the Church, and the ushering in of Paganism, whilst the baptised find themselves rejected, and not looked after, as of any relation to God; they cannot but resign up themselves to their own lusts, & run into an ignorance of, and estrangedness to God. It seems to me a most just plea, that is made by Christians in common. Were we baptised? why are we disowned, as to relation to God and his Church, and cast out of all the care of the Church, as if we were thereunto strangers? If the seal of God be on us, why do our brothers lift up themselves above us, and engross to themselves the titles, terms, privileges, that belong in common to all baptised souls? If we walk unworthy our relation, we are willing to be corrected; but must we needs lose our interest and be thrust out of our father's inheritance by our brethren, our forfeiture never being judicially exacted. God's Ordinances we could bear, though never so cross to our nature, because thereunto we are bound by our Baptism; but the new ways pursued by our brethren, and to us proposed, are grievous to us, because we find them not in the grand Charter of our privilege; willingly we would walk with God in duty, and draw nigh to him in the assemblies of his people, for that we are thereunto consecrated; but herein we are debarred, and driven at a distance, as if Dogs, not Children, Heathens, not Christians, Aliens to the Covenant, not Heirs of Grace. If we go astray, we think those that are set over aught to seek us as sheep, not suffer us to wander as goats. We have cause to complain, that our Shepherds feed themselves, not the flock; they feed the flock, and cloth them with the wool; kill the fat, but feed not the sheep: The weak they have not strengthened, the sick they have not healed, nor have they sought that which was lost, nor brought again, that which was driven away; but with cruelty and rigour have they ruled us: We were scattered without a shepherd; and when we were dispersed, every beast of the field devoured us: We were sheep, though wand'ring upon every high hill and mountain: God's flock, though scattered through the earth, and none sought after us. If the Lord Jesus subscribe and accept not this complaint as just and good, I know nothing of Gospel method or order.  
Thus than I have noted the vanity and vileness of those, whose carriage contradicts the nature of Baptism, and bespeaks them insensible of it, as an especial qualification for confidence in access to God in the assemblies of his people.  
The third and last use of this Doctrine, is by way of exhortation unto two especial duties.  
First, Acquaint we ourselves with the holy nature of Baptism.  
Secondly, Act we the course of our lives and carriage, as those whose bodies are washed with pure water.  
Of these give me leave to speak a word in their order, and first of the first.  
Acquaint we ourselves with the holy nature of Baptism Understand its end, use, and effects: Labour we to know the holiness it stamps on any, the privileges it confers; and how it confers them, see the divine institution enforcing the duty of subjection to it, and the dignity received by it. Ignorance is the Nursery of Error, and Guard of all Profaneness: All those Ordinance degrading, and vilifying notions that are conceived in men's minds, blasphemies belched out of their mouths, and contemptible carriage under and towards Baptism and the baptised, which we have before taxed, are no other than the mists and filthy fogs of a blind mind, to be dispersed by a right apprehension of the holy nature thereof. Ignorance is noted in Scripture as the ground of Is●aels impiety: very often doth God complain, they know not me, and are a people who will not understand; my people perish for lack of knowledge. Knowledge is the propounded cure of all profaneness and contempt of holy things: it is the principle of Regeneration to be renewed in the spirit of the mind. Our Saviour corrects the profanation of the Temple by an, it is written, my house shall be called, an house of prayer, and dispels all rude traditions, which made the Law of God of none effect, by an exposition of the Law: And the Apostle corrects the profane use of the Lords Supper, by explaining the nature, form, and use thereof; telling them sometime, this is not to eat the Lords Supper; and other times pointing to the Ordinance, by a, The Cup of blessing which we bless, is the Communion; and an, I received from the Lord, what I delivered unto you. The same is to be the cure of the profaneness of every Ordinance of God, (viz.) the understanding of its use and nature. They that know not the benefit of a Denizen of England, or a Freeman of London, must needs disesteem, disregard, and despise the privileges thereof. Is it any marvel to hear men speak, and see men carry contemptibly towards a sealed parchment, whose use and nature he doth not understand; but such as know thereof the use and value, will purchase them at a dear rate, and prize them above many things simply, and in themselves more considerable. In a word, I must say, if men knew that God's image and authority was set on Baptism, they would not dare to despise its simplicity and meanness: If they understood it to be the door of admission into the Church, incorporation into Christ's body, and method of matriculation into the household of faith, they could never scorn it, or sit indifferent to it; but must see, as ever they will put on Christ Jesus and be united to his body, they must be baptised; nay further, such as are sensibly affected with it as a seal of the Covenant of Grace and so ground of faith, as a sacred qualification of approach to God, without which we may not come nigh unto him; and as the ordained Ark of Salvation, whereby we stand separated from the world unto so great advantages, he could not but set on it an high esteem, rejoicing in his Baptism, blessing God for such distinguishing grace, and thankfully improve the same to his encouragement in, and engagement unto duty. Let it therefore be your care with all diligence, to study the nature of the Ordinance, and understand its use, virtue and value; that by ignorance you lose not its effects, or be led into erroneous notions, lukewarm affections to, and profane expressions towards so holy and necessary an Ordinance.  
The second exhortation is, To act our conversation, as sensible, that the body washed with pure water, must qualify us with confidence in access to God. Let your knowledge of the right use and nature of Baptism appear in your lives and carriage under and towards so holy an Ordinance: Take heed of profaning holy things, disesteeming high privileges, and contemning special grounds of faith and privileges of grace: and more particularly,  
1. Direct. Admit not men into communion with the Church in other Ordinances and acts of worship, that have not been baptised. Let them enter at the right door, that receive Gods alms: Call not them the Lords people, who wear not the Lords livery: communicate not the privileges of the Saints, with them who stand Aliens & Strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel: Let not them approach the presence of an holy God, who were never sanctified by the washing of water by the word: And in a word, take heed of running into the abomination of bringing into God's Sanctuary, the unbaptized in flesh: Invert not God's order and the Gospel method of approach to God. These might have seemed needless exhortations heretofore, but now do not; for that many in the midst of us do not only disown their own baptism, but bring up their Issue unbaptised: And great is the present, and greater will be the future danger of admitting to sit at the Lords table, such as never were baptised. I could hearty wish we could keep a Register of the unbaptized, as we do of the baptised: However, let the administrators of holy things, make it their first enquiry, Were you baptised? and take heed they pollute not God's Sanctuary, by admitting thereunto the men whose bodies were not washed with pure water. Be not deceived with a pretence of real grace; for grace must needs be pretended, where any of God's Ordinances are despised and Christ's prescribed order is neglected; but if it were real, it is not the Church's guide, who cannot know it: Outward qualifications must be their direction, and Gospel order in people's approach to God, is their charge, and must be their care.  
2. Direct. Attend with reverence and affection, the administration of Baptism unto others. Turn not your backs on so holy an Ordinance and eminent action; but consider it is an act of worship, and Ordinance of God, as well as preaching or prayer; and our attendance on all acts of Religion, is duty; it is a solemn and sacred action, separating persons unto God, sanctifying them for God, stamping upon men holiness to the Lord, setting them as members of Church, the body of Christ, and solemnly dedicating them to the service of Father, Son, and holy Ghost. And doth not this call for the attendance of all the Lords people? Shall not the worth of union with Christ's Church, and consecration to God, be witnessed to be of weight by the reverend attendance of the assembly? Are not all concerned in, and to be edified by the Ordinance, and shall they slight it, and turn back on it? Consider the reproof of the guilt of such neglect: let it quicken you to duty: let your presence at, and reverence in the administration of Baptism, bespeak your sense of its sacred nature and sanctifying use; making a Church Ordinance private by confining it to your houses, or running from its administration in the public place, must needs be the result of low thought Cland●stine Baptism, is the cloud of Baptism; and the rude out-●unning that Ordinance, runs it into contempt; be witnesses of their incorporation with whom you must live in communion in God's Ordinances.  
3. Direction. Argue your Baptism to your engagement to, and encouragement in drawing nigh to God. Your bodies are washed with pure water, provoke your spirits to draw nigh in the assurance of faith: Consider that by your baptism, you are singled out of the world, and set in a capacity of Salvation: You are placed in the Ark; will you perish in the common deluge of mankind? You are sanctified unto God by the washing of water; will you stand at a distance from God, as strangers to him? You are in the order of his own appointment, suited for divine society; will you live as without God, without hope in the world? You are the sealed sons and subjects of the covenant; and will you pass away your time as Bankrupts, that possess nothing? You have put on Jesus Christ his livery; will you not do him homage with all cheerful loyalty? You are entered into the household of Faith and Church of God; shall not their communion be to you comfortable? Is not Baptism a ground of faith, and encouragement; why are you then so dispondent in appearing before God? Is it not your solemn Bond unto divine service; why are you then so dull and backward unto duty? Was your baptism a mere compliment, that you do not mind it or make use of it now it is past? Is it not a moral instrument to be improved by meditation, affording matter of counsel and comfort? Nay is it not God's Ordinance, a ground of faith, pledge of love, badge of relation, to be argued into the awe and encouragement of our access to God? Is not Baptism an initiating seal, assuring us of initiating graces? hath it not planted us into the Olive, that we might extract ●p and juice to the bringing forth fruits of Righteousness? In a word, Baptism is greatly advantageous to hope and holiness, if but duly improved by acts of Faith. We find no profit in it, because we look for none from it. If right assured, be never claimed, how shall it be possessed? If sin-mortifying engines be never used, sin must needs have dominion over the soul. I would to God, I cou●d but persuade Christians to sit down, and seriously contemplate their Baptism in order to their holiness, and thus reflect it. I am baptised: Surely then I am under some more than ordinary engagement: Thereby I was washed from my old sins; shall I then live in them, or so far forget myself, as not to let virtue, knowledge, temperance brotherly kindness, patience, godliness, all the graces of God to abound in me? Is not Baptism the dew of Heaven, that waters the Garden of God? Hath it been distilled on me, and shall I be found idle and unfruitful, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9 I have been baptised into the death of Christ, buried with him in Baptism, planted into the similitude of his death, that my old man might be crucified, and the body of sin destroyed, that I should not serve sin; but as he was raised up from the dead, I should walk in newness of life: and shall sin reign in my mortal body, that I should obey the lusts thereof; or shall I give my members as weapons of unrighteousness, unto sin, Rom. 6. I have by Baptism, been consecrated unto God; and shall I not come nigh him in duty? I am incorporated into the Church; ought I not then, to be conversant in the assembly of the first born? I have stricken Covenant with God; will not my neglect of duty, and course of impiety be charged on me, as the breach of the oath of God? All the promises of grace are to me sealed; shall not I then cleanse myself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness? In a word, Baptism is the seal of the Covenant set in my flesh, and the causing me to see the evil of my ways and do, and to be ashamed and forsake them; the taking away the stony heart, and giving an heart of flesh; the putting God's spirit within me, that I may walk in his ways, are the promises of the Covenant; why then do not graceless I claim them, and by prayer plead my Baptism for the obtainment of them? For he is faithful that hath promised, but will not perform, until they be asked in faith. And as our Baptism is thus a moral argument of holiness to ourselves, it is the more helpful hereunto, because it answers all temptations unto sin. When we are saluted with the pollutions that are in the world through lust, we may answer, we are washed in pure water, and may not be again defiled: The cogencie of custom must give place to the Covenant we have made in Baptism: The violent temptations of Satan recoil upon the returns of Baptism: I am baptised, silenceth all suggestions to sin: I am baptised into the Name of Father, Son, and holy Gh●st, is the only Spell (to speak with reverence) that charms the Devil. For it imports thus much: Shall the children of God converse with his enemies? the confederates of God break his commands? the separated out of the world, be subject to the Prince of the world? O● doth malicious Satan think the sealed of the Lord, shall be so much slighted by their Lord, as to be taken captive at his will? Oh! play the man in a rational management of your Baptism, it will much advance your Christianity all your days.  
As Baptism is an help to holiness, so also to hope; to be improved by due acts of Faith, as it is an Ordinance of God, for our encouragement in access to him: many souls stand at a distance from divine Ordinances, or draw nigh with much trembling, which would be dispelled by due apprehensions of Baptism: Let such therefore consider, that under the want of special, they ought to rejoice in general expressions of God's love, and arguments of hope; and immediate assurances of divine favour are not to be expected, whilst we have mediate Ordinances on which to act our Faith. Our Hope must come into the Soul in the same way, with holiness, by a moral improvement of God's Grace, in his Ordinances to us extended; let therefore the desponding Christian, that trembles to converse with God's people, to come nigh God's table, or claim any of God's promises, sit down and seriously discourse his Baptism. I am Baptised; Was this an empty Ordinance? Shall my unbelieving heart imagine any divine Institution to be empty and in vain imposed? No, All the ways of God are Truth, he never subjected Souls to any fallacy, nor can do: Why then art thou so sad Oh my Soul? Trust still in God, in him will I hope, for he hath established a Covenant of peace extended to my Parents, and through them to me, and set the Seal thereof Baptism in my flesh; and is not Baptism a pledge of his affection to me, a badge of my relation to him? Why then do I say he knows me not, or I belong not to him? Do all the Sons of Adam wear this livery? Is there a specialty in the application of water; and hath it extended to me? shall I say I have received no favour peculiar to the Lords people, and distinct from the mass of mankind? Nay, I am by Baptism a matriculated Disciple in Christ his School, an incorporated Member of the household of Faith? Why then do I fear to feed on children's Bread? and to use those privileges that do belong to the Citizens of the new-Jerusalem? Why am I as an alien and stranger from the Commonwealth of Israel? I have by Baptism put on Jesus Christ, and shall I fear to come before the Father? is not he his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased? Is not Baptism a Seal of God's Covenant? Why then do I not claim the promises? What though I see not Gods privy Seal, the Spirit of adoption, is the broad seal of the Covenant of no force and value; doth it in vain bear on it divine authority? why then i● it called th● A●k of Salvation? why hath God said, he that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved? Shall I lose my Salvation, for not joining faith to my baptism? What though I find many rude Christians and profane persons in the Church, claiming privileges by their Baptism; can I deny in some things their claim to be good, though they be wicked? And wherein it is not good to them, breaking the Covenant, may it not be good to me, poor me, that desire to keep the Covenant of my God? In a word, hath not God sanctified me to himself, by the washing of water; and doth he call men to draw nigh to him in assurance of faith, having the body washed with pure water, and shall I be dismayed in access to him? Oh! the wickedness of my doubting, that doth spring from ignorance of God's holy Ordinances, the sin of my despondency, that de●ers me from duty and exposeth my baptism to contempt: I will sure cast off this estate, and hence forward continue with the Church in the Word, breaking of bread, and Prayer, and use of all other privileges of grace, and composedly prise the benefit of Ordinances, that by rational acts of faith in them, I may at length arrive at the fullness of assurance. Thus than Christians argue to yourselves, the duty and dignity of your Baptism, enjoy with comfort the privileges thereby conferred: Know and approve yourselves as baptised: and thereby  
Singled out of the world by Baptism, and set in a capacity of Salvation, as was Noah's family in the Ark, 1 Pet. 3.21.  
Sanctified unto God, Baptism being the solemn form of consecration, Ephes. 5.26.  
Sons and Subjects of the Covenant, invested with Christ, incorporated into his Church, the seal of which is in your flesh by Baptism.  
Suited for divine society, by the expiation of guilt, extirpation of sins power, and exact confederation with God; all which the Scriptures note, to be the effects of Baptism, or the washing of the body with pure water.  
In the apprehension and argumentation of these privileges, let me guide your judgements by propounding to your consideration, these several rules.  
1. Rule. Salvation and sanctification, and the like privileges, are naturally argued from Baptism, as it is an Ordinance of God ordained to that end. Therefore the effects are to it attributed: It in all things necessary bears an analogy with Circumcision, and propounds moral considerations to that end, to the reasonable soul of man, to be argued by contemplative acts of faith.  
2. Rule. All that will be sanctified, saved, and enjoy the before noted privileges, must be baptised. All that will in an ordinary way possess them (for extraordinary providences are beyond the reach of our debate) must be baptised: not only on the necessity of a command from God, but the nature of the Ordinance, being the means appointed rightly constituted, and readily conclusive to such an end: So that none unbaptised, can on any ground expect to enjoy, nor may warrantably be admitted to the privileges of a sanctified and saved people of the Lord.  
3. Rule. Some baptised, enjoy these privileges of salvation, sanctification, and the like, visibly and symbolically; others, really sincerely, and savingly. Some are seemingly saved and sanctified in the sight of men and esteem of the Church: These enjoy the outward Ordinance only, and that is the guide and ground of humane censure, and the judgement of the Church: Hence the term Saint, Believer, Disciple, Brother, is in Scripture given, and must be by the Church yielded to hypocrites; yea, to visible profane persons, but baptised: but others are sincerely and savingly possessed of these privileges, not only in the judgement of the Church, but by the testimony of their own conscience and spirit of adoption. These enjoy not only the outward sign, but also the inward grace of Baptism; have not only the body washed with pure water, but also the heart sprinkled from an evil conscience. The outward Ordinance and inward grace are sometimes divided, according to the visible and invisible ministration of the Covenant. Baptism is to all, the same in its nature, but not in its effects: it is in itself efficacious to all, but in some, not meeting with due capacity, acts of faith, to improve it, it becomes not effectual. Many baptised, and by the Church called heirs of Glory, lose their hopes, holiness, and heaven itself; not because Baptism did not seal it, and confer a ground or right, but because the soul acted not faith in the right unto the claim of what was conferred: None so deservedly lose their inheritance as those who improve not their sealed evidence to a due claim. Take heed lest there be among you a profane Esau, heir of his father's blessing, who for a mess of pottage sold his birth right. Men in the Church contented with Creature-comforts, claim not the privileges of the Covenant conferred by their Baptism, and so lose their birthright.  
4. Rule. The outward privileges of Baptism enjoyed visibly and in the judgement of the Church, may be forfeited, and by the censures of the Church taken away. A brother may be made as a Publican and Heathen; a member of Christ's body may be cut off; and a servant of God may be delivered unto Satan; the Citizens of Jerusalem may be disfranchised: private persons may not at pleasure disown baptised souls; but the public censure of the Church, if unworthy their received Baptism, may discharge them Church communion, and divest them of salvation, sanctification, interest in the Covenant, which clavae non errand. the Church: not Erring is ratified in Heaven as well as in the Church visible upon earth.  
5. Rule. Salvation, sanctification, and the privileges of the Covenant, may by Baptism be conferred on them who are not sensible of the Ordinance, or in a present capacity of using them. Right may be formally conferred, where it is not presently acted. The King may be crowned in the cradle, the crown be set on his head, as a token of right, before his hand can hold the Sceptre. Present incapacity of use is no bar to the laying the foundation of a future claim. Many men at years, must review the Decrees concerning their estates, which were sealed in Infancy. Infant's may have their Baptism as soon as born, whereby they must claim the Covenant, when they come to years of capacity.  
6. Rule. The baptised, not arguing joy and duty from their Baptism, do sin against the nature of the Ordinance: and either disown its institution to that end, or deny its efficacy thereunto, and disesteem its specialty, as related to the Covenant and people of God. Therefore deliver we ourselves from sin, and let us carefully improve our Baptism, as the qualification that fits us for a confidence in approach to God.  
The fourth exhortation, is to Parents, Christian Parents. With ardent care and affection, present your Infants unto Baptism, and instruct them in their baptismal privilege. Your children may, nay must, by your care, come nigh to God. Let them then be consecrated; they are, as your natural issue, an holy seed begotten to the Lord: Holy in the esteem of the Church, and extent of the Covenant; partakers of the fatness of the Olives; Heirs of the promise of Remission and Salvation; Children of the Covenant; bearing Christ his Name, as his Disciples to be received, not offended, as we have before proved. And shall not they come nigh to God, enter into his Sanctuary, be joined to the assemblies of his people? Hath not Christ said to the rebukers of such approach, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbidden them not, for such are of the kingdom of heaven, and capable of my blessing? and shall not then Infants be admitted members of Christ his body, and have the seal of the Covenant set in their flesh, and holiness stamped on them? Shall they not be consecrated to the Lord: hath not the Lord appointed the same sanctifying Ordinance to root and branches; and will you not with care and affection pursue it? Shall God give your children Covenant interest, and shall not your paternal care provide for the confirmation of it, by the seal of which they are capable? Would you not affectionately contend for their interest in a worldly estate; neglect it not in an heavenly: but when God gives you children, be careful with all convenient speed, to give them back again to God: When you have brought forth heirs of the Covenant, with due reverence bring them to God's Church, to be enrolled, and have their interest sealed by Baptism. Provoke not God to meet with you, as with Moses, for your neglect of sanctifying your seed by his holy Ordinances. Let not your children have cause to curse and complain of your neglect of their baptism. Let not your affection to your Infant's baptism be cooled, or care for it be checked by the foolish exceptions of their adversaries, whilst you see their interest is clear. What if it be objected, that all the arguments for their Baptism is by way of inference and consequence: Is not Scripture consequence God's word, binding conscience, produced by our Saviour as a ground of faith, to prove the Resurrection and his own sufferings? Is it a sufficient warrant of women's receiving the Lords Supper, and will it not prove Infants right to Baptism? and direct the subjects to whom a sacred Ordinance must be applied? I have before evidenced Infants right to Baptism, and given sufficient answer to the objections urged against it: I would now engage you Parents to make conscience of your duty to baptise your children. Contract not on yourselves the guilt of the sacrilege before noted; and the more to encourage you hereunto, let me show you some of those many advantages that attend the infant season of Baptism, wherein it is to be preferred before baptism at grown years. Reverend Mr. Ford, in his practical use of Infant-Baptisme, hath very affectionately enforced this argument, and shown many benefits. I refer you seriously to read them: And for your present help, let me wish you to consider, that Infant Baptism confers on us these several privileges, which adult Baptism leaves us without.  
1. Infant Baptism expresseth sin nature.  
2. Explaineth the benefit of Relation, and the method of the Covenant, and eminently dignifyeth the children of such parents.  
3. Enlargeth and establisheth the Church.  
4. Exciteth Repentance.  
5. Enforceth Faith.  
6. Engageth duty.  
7. Encourageth under death.  
None of these do so naturally flow from the baptism of men of grown years, as we shall plainly see by a particular consideration of them.  
The first benefit by Infant-Baptisme is, That it expresseth the sin of nature, and engageth against it: Baptism doth itself declare sin to be defiling, but the spreading property thereof is evidenced by Infant-Baptisme. They are washed, must needs witness they are unclean; but their early Baptism, must needs note their uncleanness is in their nature, not in their persons; for poor Babes, they have acted neither good nor evil: That Babes must bear the pain of Circumcision bespeaks a foreskin upon their heart, that makes them profane to God. The Baptism of men at years, doth indeed mind them that they are filthy, but that is a filthiness of their person, evidencing that they having committed many actual corruptions, that appears to them: but that they are transgressors from the womb, conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquiry, of a profane lump, and polluted in their very being; it no way at all convinceth, no, that is the language of the baptised before actual sin. The baptism and burial of our babes, hath ever been in the Church of God, two unanswerable arguments against the Pelagian fancy, that children have no imbred corruption, but sin by imitation: If we give away the first, it is just God should take away the second, by giving us barren wombs. Infant's Baptism was urged by Austin against Pelagius, to the puzzling of him in his denial of original sin: yet he never denied them to be baptised, which had been a ready answer; nor was he ever able to withstand the consequence: For if baptised before polluted in person, they must needs be unclean in nature; before actual sin pass from them, original sin must needs be upon them, before they are capable of any imitation, than they must needs be the subjects of imbred corruption: For Baptism cannot be denied to be God's Ordinance of Remission and Regeneration; and further, this evidence of hereditary sin must needs engage hereditary enmity, and so irreconcilable hatred, much more violent and implacable, than that which is personal, being enforced by the antiquity of the quarrel: it runs in a blood, and passeth from parents to children. I have observed a great aptitude in the enemies of Infant's Baptism, to embrace the Arminian fancies, and deny all original sin: And it is no marvel, whilst their principles are so near of kin; one Error will easily engender another. As ever you will make visible the sin of nature, baptise your babes before they be stained with actual guilt.  
The second Benefit of Infant Baptism is, That it explaineth the benefit of Relation and the method of transmitting the Covenant of Grace. Baptism, as a seal of the Covenant, showeth interest in the Covenant, and the benefit of personal qualification, that fits for it; but it is the Infant season, that showeth that God hath wisely ordered Grace to run in nature's channel, and parental relation, under such a qualification as believing, to engender a propriety to Baptism. He that first receives the Patent of honour can discern no benefit of relation, save what is future; but if his Patent be only personal, he seethe none at all: but hereditary honours are demonstrations of relation and its advantage; hereby a man knows what his benefit is, in being the child of a Baron or Earl, rather than of a common Knight or Gentleman. Baptism applied to men of years, doth indeed demonstrate a Covenant of Grace granted on good behaviour, unto every individual person; but wholly obliterateth the seeds interest and extent of the Covenant unto natural Issue, in order to their good behaviour. It declareth expressly, that as to the speciality of God's Grace, relation to believing Parents, is no privilege: As good be the child of Ammon, as of Abraham; of a Pagan, as a Christian: which is clearly contrary to the tenure of the Covenant, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed: The promise is to you and your children: and the ground of applying the initiating seal, is relation to such Parents. Therefore every manchild at eight days old, shall be circumcised, that thereby it may appear, the order of my Covenant is, to Parents believing and their seed, and the benefit of relation to such Children, shall be, that I will be their God. Relation to the Olive, is the reason of the branches fatness: The Jews relation to their pious progenitors, is the only remaining hope of their conversion, They are beloved of God, according to election, for the father's sake, Rom. 11.28. If we will maintain the knowledge of relative advantages in the Covenant of Grace, carefully baptise we our Babes in their infancy, as the plainest comment thereon: so when they shall consider themselves to have been sealed and sanctified to God, before they had in themselves the least of personal qualification, they will bless God for the Covenant of their fathers, and the extent of it to the seed of believers, and giving them to be born of such favourites to heaven. The great assertors of the Baptism of grown persons, to defend their notion, do in the ministration of Grace, darken all relation, and disfranchise all Posterity, interpreting the clear text of Scripture, The promise is to you and your children, by a personal qualification, when God shall call them; as if the Holy Ghost had spoken nonsense, and used a term of relation in vain, and to no purpose: But certainly when God established a Covenant of Grace, he did not invert nature's course, but provided relation to derive the privileges thereof in his Church, as well as other advantages in the world; nor did he in the least, intent Religion to be an abridgement of parental right, and power of dedication of their seed to the service of their God, as well as designation to any worldly trade: and therefore he appointed a seal of his Covenant and sacred Bond to his own service, whereby subjects merely passive (as was before noted) might be at the pleasure of Parents to him presented. And hereof Infant-Baptisme, is the only visible evidence in the whole world: Root and branches, Parents and Children, are always homogeneal: Nature makes all relations to be of the same kind; and Grace, not inverting Nature's order, will have the children, by the dignity of a sacred Ordinance, to be declared of the holy kind, with their Parents; and by this religious badge of Baptism, be distinguished from other Children of Turks, Jews, and Pagans, who like their Parents, remain profane and estranged unto God. And thus Infant-Baptisme, doth not only evidence relation and its benefit, the method and order of the Covenant to men within, but also to men without the Church, that it may be to them an encouragement, to lay hold on the Covenant of God, for that they do not only provide for their own personal term, but see Grace also extended to their issue, on the very ground of relation natural unto them, under a Christian qualification. And this is especially profitable to the Jew, who having had the Covenant of God to themselves and seed natural, as their seed, and that witnessed by the initiating seal of Circumcision, set in the flesh of their children, must needs stumble at the new Covenant, if it exclude their issue, as hath been before noted: So that the Infant-Baptisme, so clearly witnessing the order of the Covenant and benefit of relation to believing Parents, to the comfort of men within the Church, and encouragement of men without the Church, it must needs be more profitable than the Baptism at grown years, which curtails the Covenant, cuts off Posterity, casts out of the Church, all relation natural, and maketh all ministrations of Grace to be merely personal.  
The third benefit of Infant Baptism is, That it enlargeth the bounds, and establisheth the being of the Church of God; but the baptism of grown men doth much confine the borders, and hazard the being of the Church. Infant Baptism doth enlarge the Church by the spreading of it through whole Families, Countries and Nations; persons are private and perishing but posterity is public and flourishing; holy seed is the Church's nursery, whilst grown trees are fading; Lambs are the increase of Christ's Fold, when old-sheep are few and dying, and succession is the surest title and strongest ground of claim: when from generation to generation the Church of God is continued in a constant Race, from Father to Son, it is much established against hellish opposition. Nature hath made all living Creatures seminal that they might multiply and continue: the course of providence is the same to the Church that it is to the World: certainly the only wise God well knew the best way to enlarge and establish his own kingdom upon Earth; and he, though he founded his Church in an old stock, yet ordered the spreading of it by natural branches, and preservation of it by posterity: The method of God must needs be the same in the maintenance of his Church under the new, as it was under the old Testament, and he that takes up his Church from one Nation, on design to extend it through all the nations of the World, would never plant it only in personal perishing plants, but provide for their scattering an holy-seede for its increase and succession. The promise of the Church's increase in Gospel times, is noted to be by Children; the promise is express, I will lift up my Standard to the Gentiles, and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters on their shoulders, Isa. 49.22. Our own observation must needs witness the bounds of the Church is much enlarged by Infant Baptism; more are engaged to God by an early incorporation to his Church, than their own personal choice, for where we see one man take up Christianity so much as to the profession of it, on terms of choice, we see hundreds engaged therein by parental profession, and baptismal obligation in their infancy; if an essay hereof were made in America, how small would be the number of them that should own God and Christ, by being baptised in grown years, and how numerous would they be, by a timely dedication to God, and incorporation to the Church by Infant Baptism? And again, how many generations, each after other, hath succeeded in the Churches of God in our Nation; but how soon will they be extinct, this Orchard be overspread with the weeds of Atheism and Heathenism, if Anabaptists Parents do proceed to break off their branches from the Olive, and the line of the Covenant from their Posterity?  
The fourth benefit of Infant Baptism, It exciteth Repentance. Baptism in itself is hereunto an argument, but it is more enforced from the season of infancy than grown age; humiliatiation for past guilt, and future caution against sin are much enforced by the season of our Baptism, and that by pointing out unto us the inclination of our nature, and the kindness of our God, both which, meeting with an ingenuous spirit, are very moving and melting considerations; That we are washed in water, doth witness we are unclean; but in that we are washed in this Infant season, before stained with the least actual sin and personal corruption, must needs witness, that in the day of our nativity our father was an Amorite, our mother an Hittite: we were polluted in our blood, our navel not cut; we were not washed, nor salted; no eye pitied us, but we were cast out to the loathing of our persons. If Baptism be an Ordinance of Remission and Regeneration, it must needs remember its infant subjects, that in their nature there is guilt to be bewailed and pardoned, a foreskin to be violently cut off; a pravity unto evil, to be slain; an old man, to be crucified with Christ; a corrupt nature, to be watched against with all care and caution, and that not acquired by any personal act or custom of our own, as Baptism at age imports; but (the more cutting it is to consider) it is imbred in nature, hereditary to our being & therefore will more easily act in us, more closely adhere to us, and doth call for more care to keep it under: true repentance always reflects on the root of sin, in iniquity was I conceived, and in sin did my mother bring me forth, is the first complaint of pensive David, and hereunto Infant-Baptisme doth plainly point us.  
This season of our Baptism, doth not only acquaint us with our own vile nature, but also affect us with God's kindness, that will melt the ingenuous soul into mourning and much care, not to offend; for the season of our Baptism doth show us Gods love to us, as he was the God of our fathers and the God of our youth, and both of them are exceeding aggravations of guilt. God often doth charge the sin of Israel under the notion of forsaking the God of their fathers, and the pious in Scripture, did much enforce their humiliation, by the kindnesses God did show their fathers: And if we consider ourselves sealed in infancy by Baptism, we must needs see God was the God of our fathers, and struck Covenant with them, and was unto them gracious, otherwise we could not have been owned, as begotten to the Lord, and to be baptised; and therefore the sins we commit, is against our fathers, friend, and God; nay they are against the God of our youth, that owned us in the day of our nativity, and in the loathing of our persons, and said unto us, Live; that took us as his own, swore unto us, and entered into Covenant with us in our very cradle, when we could not choose for ourselves, and set the seal of his Covenant in our flesh, and placed us on the knees of his Church, brought us up at his own costs, and nourished us by his Ordinances, and hath been our God all our days. Oh! what aggravations of sin doth this kindness of God afford? How may the Ministers of God speak bitter things against them that daily break the Covenant of their youth, and deal unfaithfully with the God of their fathers? Me thinks I should hear some pensive soul sitting on its stool of repentance, thus soaking its hard heart in its Infant-baptisme, by such serious contemplations as these. I am baptised: then surely unclean guilt is on my soul; the body of corruption possesseth me; if I be not pardoned, I perish: If this old man be not buried with Christ in Baptism, I am undone. Must not the water of my baptism, set the pump of my dry heart on running tears of contrition for this defiled estate of my person: of my person; that is not all; I was baptised in infancy, before I was in the least capable of staining my person. Oh wretched man! my very nature is defiled: how can I dream of drawing nigh to God, that am the pudled stream of a polluted fountain? Sin is my natural temper, and guilt the very image of my father: In iniquity I was conceived, and in sin brought forth, how shall I be purged from this natural blemish, or withstand this imbred corruption? How am I necessitated to live in sin, for that it is naturalised to my very being? How easily must I needs be drawn to sinful action, whose very nature is sinful corruption? If ever I obtain pardon for, or power over my sin, it must needs be an act of especial Grace, the benefit of a peculiar Covenant: Sure I am, I can never sufficiently lament this sad estate of my nature. Many are the sinful actions which daily flow from this bitter root, and they sink my soul into the depth of sorrows, when I seriously consider myself baptised: For hereby I see God, the God of my fathers, and the God of my youth, to have been the object of my offences, against thee, thee only have I offended; thee, the God of my father, to whom thou show'dst favour, and called him out of darkness into thy marvellous light, with whom thou didst establish thy Covenant of Grace, and didst extend it to his seed; and madest me, miserable me, partakers of it, and so becamest my God from my very being; thou sawest me in the day of my nativity; when I lay in my blood in the loathing of my person, thy eye pitied me, thou saidst unto me, Live; thou spakest kindly unto me, swarest to me, and enterd'st into Covenant with me, and madest me thine own; layedst me in the lap of thy Church, nourishedst me by thine Ordinances: Thou by timely engaging me to thyself, didst prevent my wicked choice and Satan his malicious purpose of possessing me as a vassal of his kingdom; all my days thou hast done me good, yet wretched I, have sinned against such a God; ungrateful I, have been ready to forsake thee my God, and my father's God, and have dealt falsely in thy Covenant. It might be just with thee, to deal with me as I have dealt with thee, when I despised the oath in breaking the Covenant; but in thy mercy, Lord, I pray thee, Remember thy Covenant thou madest to me in the days of my youth, and establish it for an everlasting Covenant, that I may know the Lord, that I may remember and be ashamed, and never open my mouth any more, because of my shame, when thou art pacified towards me, for all that I have done against the God of my father, and the God of my youth: Now will I live in loyalty to so good a God, if thou wilt give me to be sanctified by the blood of sprinkling, and my old man to be crucified by Baptism, which by thy Grace shall be the awe of my soul and answer of my heart unto every temptation to sin against thee.  
This benefit cannot be effected by adult Baptism, which affords no such matter of meditation, apprehending the dispensations of God to be only personal, and therefore to be personally improved.  
The fifth Benefit of Infant-Baptisme is, that it enforceth faith towards God. Baptism, as a seal of the promise, pledge of love, and sanctifying Ordinance of God, is a ground of faith pleadable in prayer by all its subjects, but receiveth not a little force from the season of its application in infancy; whilst itself witnesseth the Covenant it seals, the season of its use witnesseth the extent of the Covenant to believers and their seed, and creates a ground, on which to claim protection, as well by early seizure, as covenant propriety, not to note how all the Graces of God, in order to salvation and good things of this life, even all things pertaining to life and godliness, are assured to the soul by Baptism, as the seal of the Covenant. The Parent can with faith thus plead from the season. Lord, my child is thine in Covenant, to thee begotten, to thee dedicated, by thy seal on his flesh: Oh! wilt thou own him: Remember him; take care of him; establish thy Covenant with him; let all the graces of thy promise be performed to him; let not Satan seduce him from thy service, to which he is so soon sealed. How much do I own to thee, that makest Grace to run through Nature's channel, my loins? Lord, let him in time know, and have faith to claim his interest: keep him from the property of profane Esau, that he despise not his birthright in thy Covenant, which thou hast sealed to him in the sight of thy people, by his baptism. And as the Parent so the person baptised, acting faith in the Ordinance, doth thus enforce it from his Infant season of enjoyment of it. God is a gracious God, in calling my parents; he had respect unto my good, before I had a being; he graciously established w th' them a Covenant, which he extended to their seed; I no sooner sprang from the womb, but he owned me as his own, and called me by his name, and set the seal of his Covenant in my flesh: as studious to forestall the choice of my corrupt will (which would never have chosen him) he challenged me, and caused me to be dedicated to his service, as sensible of Satan's malice; he made an early seizure of me, and set his mark upon me, and before there was in me the least of act or qualification; he sanctified me to himself by the washing of water. What ever doubts may deter me, I will now draw nigh unto him, and depend upon him; for he that was so soon gracious in extending and sealing to me the Covenant, will faithfully perform it: My condemnation will be most just, if I, having such grounds of faith, should be cut off by reason of unbelief: now I will walk before, and wait upon him; for he will not now forsake me, or suffer Satan to repossess me, and take me out of his house and family.  
The sixth Benefit of Infant-Baptisme is, That it engageth more to duty, than adult Baptism. Herein it is of use to the Parent and baptised child. How much of argument doth Infant-Baptisme press upon the Parent, to the due instruction and education of his baptised child. Not to speak any thing of the benefit of catechising itself, the Parent hath reason to reflect the Baptism of his child in its infant estate, to convince him, That if God hath been so gracious to extend a Covenant of Salvation to his seed; he must have so much grace as to make them know God's goodness, and understand the extent of the Covenant: If God hath caused their loins to convey grace as well as sin, their care must be that the grace of God be not received in vain. The child's ignorance of interest in conceded honours and privileges, is the baseness of education, and blot of natural affection: If by their Parental power they have dedicated them to Father, Son, and holy Ghost, it is their part to make them know to what they are devoted. And as it binds the Parents to the duty of education, so the child to careful observation: Early adoption is the greatest argument of filial observation that can be: the child taken off the Stall, is more bound to the will of Parents, than the man at years adopted to inherit; the one is the object of more pity, subject of more care, cost and charge, but of less service and obedience; therefore bound more to duty than the other. Infant-Baptism giveth cause to sing with Israel, He is our God and our father's God, we will exalt him, Exod. 15.2. and with David I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid; I will offer sacrifice, and call upon thy name, Psal. 116.16.17. We must not think as heirs of dignity to wear God's livery in our cradles, but must know, it makes us also heirs of duty, to yield loyalty to him all our days. Parental dedication to God, layeth on us the duty of observation: Shall Parents proclaim days of purim to be observed in all generations, and posterity dare to pretermit them? Whether we consider God's pity or our Parent's power sparkling in our Infant-Baptism, both impose on us duty; & the nature of our Baptism (the effect of both) binds us to fight at God's command under Christ his Banner against every iniquity and vice, to the discharge of every duty of Religion; but neither faith nor obedience can be so enforced by the Baptism of grown persons, which deny relations natural to be of any use in things of Salvation, and doth greatly darken the method and order of the Covenant of Grace and Salvation.  
The seventh and last Benefit of Infant-Baptisme is, That it encourageth under death; and that either the Child or Parents. We read in primitive times of Infant Martyrs, certainly they were thereunto prepared by a knowledge of their interest in the Covenant. In vain should the miserable mother encourage the scourged thirsty child, to remember the cup of which Isaac drank, and patiently to bear its present torments, for that it should be shortly crowned with eternal glory, if the child at eight years of age had not understood the Covenant of God, and been catechised in its baptism. Our Anabaptists will never afford us baby Martyrs, that will not allow us baby Christians. And as for Parents, if their children's interest in the Covenant and right to Baptism, do not support them under the death of their babes, I (a parent of dead children) do demand, what can? That they are by nature children of wrath, must not be denied; that they fall into a limbus Infantum, must be denied by all that abhor Popery: that they are saved there remains no hope, whilst we see them out of the Ark of salvation. What unusual way the Anabaptists run upon for their own comfort, they have not yet declared, nor will Scripture warrant any. Were it not for Infant's interest in the Covenant, sealed in their Baptism, I should mourn over my dead children, as without hope.  
You see now, that there is not only warrant in Scripture for the Baptism of your Infants, but there is much of profit by it. Whilst others are beating the controversy, do you study the practice of Infant-Baptisme. Let not seducers beguile your simple souls, by pretending Infant-Baptisme is unlawful, because unuseful: But seeing there is so much profit in the Ordinance, and so much in the season of its application, prise it, pursue it, and preserve it to the Church: Let your children be baptised in their Infancy, and catechised according to their growing capacity, that through ignorance they may not throw away their birthright, but may duly know the duty and dignity thereof, and demean themselves as baptised souls.  
The fifth and last exhortation is to Church-gathering saints, To admit the baptised into the approaches to God, in the assemblies of his people. Make no bar of division to such as we are the badge of union. If Baptism do incorporate into the Church, and consecrate unto God, why do you deny the relation of the baptised, or their fitness for divine service? either deny Baptism to be the door of admission into the Church of Christ, or throw down your Church Covenant agreement or experiences of graces, as to entrance into a Church state. Deny Baptism to be the Church constituting Bond, or talk not of gathering Churches from among baptised souls: Affect not to yourselves the terms and titles of saints, brethren, believers, Church, and the like, whilst those you despise have as good, na● (by reason of your sinful schism) a better title thereunto than yourselves. If Baptism be the ground of confidence in access to God, who are you that make it void? Is not the straitning of the Church door as dangerous as setting it wide open? Will it not be equally provoking to God to let dogs into his house, and to keep children out; to pollute his holy things by the unbaptized, and bar the baptised from his worship? If men baptised walk disorderly, endeavour by discipline to reduce them: deny not their interest: drive them not from God: make it not your design to paganize the Christians among whom you dwell, that some few of them may be brought into your Churchway. Weigh well the nature of Baptism, if it do not charge your way with wickedness, I know not how to judge. If Baptism rightly apprehended, be not the engine to batter Independency, I dare renounce my skill in militaries. Let not God say, draw near in full assurance, having your bodies washed with pure water; and you say to your baptised Brethren, stand thou further from me, I am holier than thou.  
Thus than I have noted to you the nature of Baptism, the outward Ordinance, and the duties that flow from its consecrating nature; which rightly understood, will convince much error, and correct many sinful practices: Which that it may do, God, Father, Son, and holy Ghost, in whose holy Name we are baptised, follow it with his blessing. Amen.  
FINIS.