TO ZIONS VIRGINS: OR A SHORT FORM OF Catechism of the Doctrine of BAPTISM, In use in these times that are so full of Questions.  
By an Ancient Member, of that long ago gathered Congregation, whereof Mr. Henry Jacob was an Instrument of gathering it, and the Pastor worthy of double honour, Mr. John Lathroppe succeeding him, now pastor in New-England; and the beloved Congregation, through God's mercies sees her teachers, waiting when God shall give more liberty and Pastors according to his own heart, praying the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth labourers into his harvest.  
Printed in the year 1644.   

To the Reader.  
Hear, and thy soul shall live; look on him whom thou hast pierced, see him crucified in the s●ales, and thou shalt be confirmed and comforted. Christian Reader, in the use of the Ordinance eye Christ; and let thy faith carry thee to that form as holds forth Christ crucified, setting him forth in his excellency: Try all things, cleave to that which is good, hast out of Babel, see where Christ is held forth in the purity of the Ordinances, eye the Congregations that abide steadfast in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship, mind where the root of Jesse is set up for an Ensign, where He reigns in the congregations that exercise the power that Christ hath left them; taking in what is serviceable, casting out what is offensive, separating the precious from the vile, choosing out from among themselves such Officers as are comely.  
Beware of the tail of the Beast, that must draw the third part after him; I wish our godly friends would mind it, that so easily embrace old errors new furbushed as new truths; it is hard to avoid an error, the godly take up for conscience and not for fear: But Antichrist coming down, the Beast will pluck hard to draw the godly; if it were possible to deceive the Elect, certainly truths are not so easily embraced as errors; for we are dull of hearing, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, and we have a spirit of fornication that easily closeth with error; mark those that make division and avoid them, the letter is a kill letter, a dead litter if it speak not Christ; the form is a dark light, if it hold not forth Christ crucified, as whole wafers and whole water, no pouring, nor no breaking. What I have received by hearing and seeing, I desire to manifest in defence of the Baptism and form we have received, not being easily moved, but as Christ shall more manifest himself, which I cannot conceive to be in the dipping the head, the creature going in and out of the water, the form of baptism doth more or less held forth Christ.  
And it is a sad thing that the Citizens of Zion should have their children borne foreigners not to be baptised; but as those that be called afar off, the Gentiles being grafted into the Jews, shall not there seed as Olive plants be round about the Table, and trained up in the house of God as it were at the feet of Christ as Paul at the feet of Gamaliell?  
But what shall we say, great stars must fall, and some of the just shall go through the flames for their purging.  
But here is our comfort, these signs shall follow believing and believers, 

1 out of their bellies shall flow rivers of waters of l●●e through Christ.  
2. They shall cast down the fiery temptations as devils through him.  
3. Thirdly, they shall remove their corruptions as mountains.  
4. And if they drink any gross errors as deadly poison it shall not hurt them, but be for their purging: wherefore take heed of railing, mocking, persecuting, for though the just fall, they shall rise again, but the wicked shall fall to destruction; Baptism declares Infante to be virgins, the Supper declares believers to be spouses.     

QVERES CONCERNING BAPTISM.  
1. QVest. Why are Infants to be Baptised?  
Answ. 

1. Because they are of the Kingdom that are dehorted from fear.  
2. Because they are of the many Nations that are to be sprinkled.  
3. Because they are of the spouse that is washed in the blood of Christ, 
Esa. 52.15.  as the Infants of old were of the vine that was brought out of Egypt, and baptised in the cloud and in the Sea. 
Psal 80.8. etc.     
Q. Who baptised Israel of old? 
1 Cor. 10.2.   
A. God shaken out a plentiful rain, whereby he did confirm his heritage when it was weary unto Moses, who was a Type of Christ. 
Psal 68 9   
Q. Why is to Baptism under the Gospel?  
A. The Spouse of Christ by her officials in the name of Christ.  
Q. Why is baptism to be done in the name of Christ, and not unto the name of Christ?  
A. Because unto, is Christ's own work; In the name of the three is the Church's work by the power of Christ, as an inferior Officer comes in the name of the King, and by his authority.  
Q. Why is it said then that they that are baptised unto Christ, have put on Christ?  
A. Yea, they that are baptised by the Spirit, which is Christ's own work hath put on Christ, but not all that are baptised by water, the work of an inferior Officer to Christ.  
Q. What form is to be used in baptism?  
A. The Minister is to dip his hand and to pour clean water, sprinkle and wash the sinner, and so it is fully baptised.  
Q. Is not dipping of the head full baptism?  
A. No, not without pouring, sprinkling, and washing, no more than giving whole wafers in the supper, there was bread, but no breaking showing forth Christ's sufferings, so whole rivers, 
Esa. 63.3.  shows not forth Christ's sufferings pouring him out like water besprinkling all his raiment. 
Psal. 22.11.   
Q What is it for the sinners to go into the water themselves, and come out themselves to show forth death and burial?  
A. A lying sign, to make a figure of the creature, for we must see Christ in the employment of the Officer and use of the water, pouring, sprinkling, washing, there must be a dipper dipping his hand, but not a dipped, but in Christ himself who by his own power puts into himself the Rock and fountain. The seeing eye and the hearing ear, God hath made them both. 
Pro. 20.12.   
Q. What do we hear in the Gospel?  
A. Glad tidings.  
Q What do we see in the Seals?  
A. Christ crucified.  
Q. How is Christ crucified in baptism?  
A. Christ was poured out like water, water issued out of his side when he was pierced, 
Psal. 22.14.  so shall he sprinkle many nations.  
Q What speaks baptism to believers? 
Esa. 52.15.   
A. It speaks better things than the blood of Abel.  
Q What speaks pouring out of water?  
A. 

1. It speak Christ poured out like water.  
2. It speaks Christ pouring out clean water upon believers washing away filth.  
3. It speaks pouring out the spirit, so that out of the belly of believers may flow rivers of water of life. 
joh. 7.38.     
Q What speaks washing?  
A. It speaks washing from filthiness and cleansing from sin.  
Q. What speaks sprinkling?  
A. 

1. It speaks sprinkling the conscience from dead works. 
Heb. 9.14.   
2. It speaks our high calling being called to the blood of sprinkling.    
Q. Why are Infants Baptised?  
A. Because they are of the Kingdom.  
Q What is it to Infants that they are baptised and so received into the visible congregation?  
A. Much every manner of way, 

1. they are under the prayer of the Church,  
2. they are under the care of the Church.  
3. of them is engrafted into Christ, so received into the visible vine to live under the dropping of the Sanctuary as growing plants in the house of God, 
Psa. 92.13, etc.  to flourish in old age as tender sprigs, 
Psal. 128.   
4. in the vine to bring forth grapes in due time,  
5. as Olive plants round about the Table, Lo thus art thou blessed that fearest God.    
Q. What may the children of the Church be likened unto?  
A. Unto the Virgins, without number. 
Cant. 6.8.   
Q. How is faith & confession of sin acted in the baptising an Infant?  
A. As the faith of others carried the Palsy man to Christ to be healed, believing his Alsufficiency, 
Mat. 92. Mar. 2.3, etc. Luk. 5.18, etc.  so the faith of the Parents carrieth the Infants to the ordinance presenting it to the congregation, 

1. confessing original sin,  
2. believing God is there God and the God of their seed,  
3. showing the need they have of Christ;   so leaving the Infant in the House of God, to grow up in his Courts at the sole of Christ's feet.  
Q. How is the faith of believers in the congregation confirmed in the washing of an Infant?  
A. Much is their confirmation, 

1. they see the need they have of Christ as the Infant,  
2. they see their inability to embrace Christ, as the infant, but as Christ embraceth them, as the infants,  
3. they remember Christ's everlasting love before the foundation of the world, washing them, pouring clean water upon them and their seed, 
Esa. 52.15.  and seeds seed to thousand generations.  
4. Believing the promise, 
Psal. 80.8, etc.  they see Christ poured out like water suffering for them and their seed.  
5. They see Christ calling us to the blood of sprinkling by sprinkling from dead works. 
1 Cor. 10.2. Psal. 68.9.     
Thus learning Christ we are to meditate upon him in the use of Baptism, what ever the Gospel publisheth the seals holds forth, so they that have a hearing ear, and a seeing eye, shall behold Christ crucified in the use of the Ordinances.  
Q. How is Christ taught in Baptism by the seeing of the eye for the confirmation of believers beholding Infants baptised?  
A. Christ is taught in his Natures, in his Attributes, in his Name and in his Offices.  
Q. How do believers see Christ's Name in baptism?  
A. Christ's Name is an ointment poured forth, seen in pouring water on the sinner, as oil on the head of his Priests running down to the skirts of the garments.  
Q. How is Christ's Attributes seen in baptism?  
A. Christ's everlasting love is seen in washing, he loved his Elect before the foundation of the world, and washed them in his blood, so is his Wisdom, Power, Mercy, and unchangeableness seen in its restoring lost mankind.  
Q. How is Christ's Nature held forth, seen in baptism?  
A. As he was man he suffered, and water issued out of his side, he was poured out like water; As he was God he washeth and purgeth us, sprinkleth us with his blood, holding his elect by the right hand of his power in Adam's fall.  
Q. How is Christ's Offices held forth and seen in baptism?  
A. As he is our high Priest he offers up himself; (seen as I take it submitting to better judgement) in lifting up the water to power it one the baptised; As Christ is a Priest, he dips his hand to wash and sprinkle, seen in pouring, washing and sprinkling water on the sinner.  
Q. How is Christ seen as our Prophet to teach in baptism?  
A. By these Rites Christ teacheth believers. 

1. What he hath done for them, washing them before time.  
2. What he hath done for them at the fullness of time, being poured out like water.  
3. What he doth in them, pouring out his spirit upon them.  
4. What he will do for them when he gives up his Kingdom to the Father presenting them without blame, having purged them, washed them for dead he will bring them to glory.   This Christ as he is our Prophet teacheth by baptism.  
Q How doth Christ show his Kingly Office by baptism?  
A. He takes the Dominion of his Elect, and receives them into his Kingdom, being received into the visible congregation by baptism.  
Q. What doth Christ teach believers seeing water and Washing?  
A. Christ teacheth believers to see their own filthiness, and their need of Christ.  
Q. What doth Christ teach believers by pouring water on the baptised Infants or other.  
A. Christ teacheth believers to power out their souls to him, he having poured out his Spirit upon them giving them power to be his Sons and Daughters, so there is great use to eye Christ in the use of the ordinance as once to be baptised.  
Q. What is held forth of Christ in dipping the Baptised?  
A. To dip an Infant there is a dim light of Christ, as in the whole wafer no showing forth Christ his suffering; but for a creature to go in and out of the water, the dipper to dip down the head is no showing Christ at all as I can see, I have not so learned Christ.  
Q. How are we buried by baptism with Christ?  
A. When he was buried by baptism sweeting water &c blood, he was buried by baptism being under the wrath of the Father all his wa●es were over him, than were the Elect buried with him having communion with him in his death, when Mary came aforehand to bury him, it being manifested to believers when they are baptised by the spirit dying unto sin, & rising unto newness of life, but when Christ was buried by Nicodemu● in the dust, there is no need of showing forth that burial, nor his resurrection seeing he was seen after his Resurrection: So by his power shall natural man rise, yea such as shall have no Communion with him in his divine death and burial as he was God and man, making satisfaction for mankind.  
On the goodness of God published in the Gospel seen in the seals let them that have a hearing ear, hear and obey, let them that have a seeing eye, see Christ crucified look one him whom we have pierced and be comforted.  
Q. Why may it be said that believers have communion in Christ's divine death?  
A. Not in that any part of Christ's divine nature died or suffered, but as he was man he died, having communion with the Father, by his divine nature he overcame death, who in the days of his flesh offered up strong cries and tears and was saved from death in that he feared. So the Elect have communion with Christ in his sufferings, manifested to them by the baptism of the spirit, being made partakers of the Divine nature they die to sin, and rise to newness of life, Christ died for sin and rose again for our justification.  
So believers die to sin and rise to newness of life, justifying themselves to others that they are risen with Christ.  
The receiving the water in Baptism, doth not show forth what Christ hath done and suffered, but the employment of the Officer dipping his hand, so flesh is dipped, and the body washed, the principal part for the whole.  
So washed by dipping the hand, baptised fully, washing, pouring, sprinkling, shows forth Christ suffers.  
The receiving bread and wine and eating doth not show forth Christ's death, no more than the receiving of the water in Baptism: But breaking bread and pouring out wine shows forth Christ's death.  
He was broken for our transgressions, his soul made an offering for sin, seen in breaking of bread, he poured out his soul for us, and sits at the right hand of the father making intercession, shown forth in pouring out wine.  
The two seals under the Gospel are of one nature, but washing makes us capable of eating.  
So Circumsition makes them capable of eating the Passover.  
Q. Then says such as be called Anabaptists, why do not children eat the Supper?  
Ans. Children were not capable of eating the  before they were capable of Instruction, ask the Parents what it meant; So the children of the Church are not capable of the supper before they can examine themselves; wherefore let such as deny Infant's baptism, and go into the water and dip down the head and come out to show death and burial, take heed they take not the name of the Lord in vain, more especially such as have received baptism in their Infancy.  
It is in vain to baptise them again, let them take heed that teach, these new truths as they call them, these new forms or newly taken up.  
Let them take heed they be not the tail of the beast, for the Prophet that teacheth lies is the tail, Esay 9.15.  
FINJS.