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 ?Vwtervi 
 
 
 

 

 Imprimatur. 
 
 Oftob. 8, 
 1692. 
 
 Geo. Royfe R. R mo . in ChriRo 
 Patriy ac Dom. Dom. Johanni 
 Ar chief. Cantuar. a Sacris Do~ 
 wefticis. 
 
 
P&DOBAPTISMUS 
 
 V I N D I C A &J S: 
 
 O R, 
 
 INFANT-BAPTISM sf^TED. 
 
 In an Effay to evidence its Lawful* 
 nefs from the Teftimony of Holy 
 Scripture ; 
 
 Efpecially St. Matthew, XXVIII. 19. The 
 Grand, if not Sole Place fo much infifted 
 on by the Antipadolaptifts , to prove 
 their miftaken Principle. 
 
 Handled in a different Method from other 
 Tracts on the Subjed, as appears in the 
 Contents. 
 
 With an Account of a Conference publickly held 
 with an Amiptdobaptift of no fmali Fame. 
 
 By J* % A - M. A Presbyter of the 
 Church of England, 
 
 Prov. IX. 9. Former part. 
 
 Give InflruEiion to a wife Man, and he 
 
 will be yet jptfm 
 
 Aei/Tt^v iy&Sov to <xlcyJ\'iSrx.i. 
 
 L N D ZV, 
 
 Printed for John Damon at the Raven in the 
 Ptolttfy M DC XCIIL 
 
To the Truly Worfliipfut, my 
 very highly Honoured Friend, 
 WILLIAM ST<H0£ig 
 Efqj one of Their Majefties 
 Commiflioners for the EX- 
 CISE. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I Was willing to take this Opportunity 
 of an Addrefs, that 1 might make 
 my grateful Acknowledgments for 
 the obliging Favours I have received 
 from you. Wloileyou were in a private 
 Capacity you Were ajfiftant to your 
 Friends and Relatives j and have not 
 forgot them, fince you Were in a public 
 Concern, wherein you have been fofer- 
 Viceable to the Kingdom, that if I have 
 not been mif informed, you have been e* 
 fteemed, and honoured by fever al Trin* 
 
 A 3 ces 9 
 
The Epiftlc Dedicatory. 
 ces, and in a particular manner by our 
 gracious JQng and Queen : And poffi- 
 blyfelo fperfons have ferVed the <1?ub* 
 lie fo long with fo little advantage to 
 their olon private Intereft as you have 
 done j Ithich demonftrates the Great- 
 nefs of your Spirit, and a generous 
 Contempt of the World. J have had 
 the Happinefs of an intimate Converfa* 
 tion whyou, and been ojt with Satis- 
 faction entertain d by you with Excel- 
 lent Difcourfes, That I can without a 
 flattering Complement, fay , I have 
 thought you a great SMafier of ${eafon. 
 jind lohenyou have been in an hurry of 
 Affairs, and under the fatigue ofbufi* 
 nefs upon others Account more than your 
 own, you have appeared fo calm and 
 ferene , that there hath no Wrinkle 
 beenfeen in pur Brow, nor (paffton in 
 your Breafl, to ruffle and difcompofe 
 you. You have not had the leaH Emo- 
 tion of SWind, but have been asfedate, 
 
 and 
 
The Epiflle Dedicatory. 
 and tranquill {like the pure iEther) 
 as tho/e that have bad no Concern of their 
 own, or others upon them. And this 
 laft Character makes you as Qreat a 
 t!Mafler of Empire, as the moft VtElo* 
 riom Conqueror , ifloe may believe one 
 of the moft excellent Poets. 
 
 Latius regnes avidum domando "crat. 
 Spiritum 5 quamfi Libyam remotis ^.2, 
 Gadibus jungas ; & uterque Pcenus 
 
 Serviat Uni. 
 
 Which the Tbifeft ofMonarchs properly 
 tranflates, when he faith, He that is P rov - xv ^ 
 flow to Anger, is better than the 32% 
 Mighty ; and he that ruleth his 
 Spirit, than he that taketha City. 
 <But he fides the Obligation of Qratitude y 
 1 have another Reafon why 1 pre fume on 
 this Dedication, becaufeyou have a pier- 
 cing Judgment, and can well judge of a 
 rational Conjequence from Holy Scri- 
 A 4 pture. 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 pture, or a true DeduBion from %ea* 
 fon } and feeing 1 have from thefe two 
 Topicks undertaken a Defence of one of 
 the main DeSlrines of the Qmrch of 
 England (whofe Principles 1 have 
 heard youheartily ejpoufe, and rationally 
 maintain) 1 fubmit it to your Cenfure, 
 which tho 7 it may deferVe, yet 1 dread 
 not ; hecaufe your natural Goodnefs 
 willy 1 doubt not, mix fo much Candour 
 therewith, that it will inftruB, rather 
 than affright j and 1 had much rather 
 have a Qenfure with a ^eajon, than 
 an Approbation without it, becauje the 
 one may make a JMan wife, when the 
 other may be a Temptation to Tride. 
 <But I will not trouble you long, hecaufe 
 the Minutes of Public (Perfons are not 
 to be difturbed. Norfrall I need, be- 
 caufe lam not fo well able {as others to 
 Whom 1 rejerV that Province) togiVe a 
 true QiaraBer of your Worth : 2S[pr 
 am 1 willing if 1 were able, hecaufe I 
 
 have 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 have known you long endued tyith fuch a 
 flock of the Vertues of Humility and 
 Modefky, you had rather do well than 
 hear of it ; and are much better plea fed 
 in the tf^efieftiom of your cMxn^ than 
 Ivith the Eulogies of the best Men. And 
 lam Very confident you never did a Ser* 
 Vice for the public , or a Kindnefs for 
 a Friend, hut it was as great a Satis- 
 faction to your felf as it was to them 
 who received the (Benefit, and reap'i 
 the Advantage. Great Spirits that are 
 endued with ftrength of (F^ea/or^ and 
 have obtained a ConqueU over unruly 
 tpafjions, are B erf on s fit for the Me- 
 nage of Publick Employments : And 
 that you have a Urge proportion of thele 
 Qualifications as not only my judgment y 
 {Tfrbich pofsibly may not be Valuable) but 
 the ObjerVation of thofe that hdVc 
 known ho^v faithfully you hale tranj- 
 aBed a Trust for the 'Tublick : And 
 therefore by giving this ykcount, I 
 
 cannot 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory, 
 cannot in the leajl be fu/peBed guilty 
 of Flattery. Men that are qualified 
 for public Service may be /aid in a 
 true fenfe to anfwer the Ends, promote 
 the Condufl, and carry on the Dejigns 
 of a ivije Providence in his Admimftra* 
 tion of and government over, the World, 
 jind fttch (perfons who by their Pru- 
 dence {with the lAan after Qods o*ton 
 heart) JerVe their (feneration , fhaU 
 inhabit more glorious Manftons in 
 the Regions of (Blifs above , fhall 
 receive greater Compenfations in the 
 apartments of Glory. I will con- 
 clude with the fame Option the Poet 
 puts up for his great Mecrnas, Cav- 
 iar Auguftus. 
 
 Herat. Serus in Coeium redeas, diuque 
 
 Cann Lib. ^ i 
 
 i. cjc 2. L<Ttiis mteriis Populo. 
 
 Which 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 Which St. Paul may Engli(h y 
 when he faith, Though he had a de- phiLI * 2 3» 
 fire to depart, and to be with Chrifi ; 
 yet ntVerthelefs to abide in the 
 Flefh , i. e. to continue longer in 
 the World, loos more needful for 
 the Public. 
 
 And he that (halt refleft upon 
 your indefatigable Pains for the Ser- 
 vice of others may without OUen* 
 tation believe that what St. Paul 
 faid fts a MiniHer of the Church, 
 you may fay as a JMinifler of the 
 State-, That you will gladly fpend, *cor. xil 
 and be fpent for the Publick. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 That after many years expended in 
 the tpublick Service for the Good of 
 the iQngdom, you may leave behind 
 you the Honourable ]S(ame of a Pa- 
 triot 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 triot of jour Country ; And that the 
 7* B^liov, the Prize , the Crown 
 of Glory that hangs at the end of your 
 %ace -may he more Luminous, and 
 {Bright, have a greater Q{ejulgency and 
 Splendor, is, andjballbe the fine ere 
 Prayer of, 
 
 Greatly Honoured Sir, 
 Your moft Humble Servant, 
 And ever Obliged Relativ, . 
 
 f.R. 
 
 A 
 
, , 
 
 A 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 To all dif-interefted, and unprejudiced 
 Perfons ; efpecially thofe among the 
 Antipaedobaptifts, that love Truth a- 
 love Inter eft or Humour , and are 
 defirous upon rational Convitlions to 
 embrace it , and lead their Lives 
 according thereunto. 
 
 Candid Reader s y 
 
 IBefeecfa you out of Love to your Souls y 
 call not afide this Traft after you light 
 on a Matter that difpleafes, but ponder 
 why you are difpleafed. If your Senti- 
 ments in Religion are charged to be againft 
 Evidence of Reafon, and Teftimony of Holy 
 Writ, you ought to be offended, becaufe you 
 entertained fuch high Thoughts of your Abi- 
 lities *, but if you will not afiume or take fo 
 much Confidence, proceed, and confider if 
 the Author hath, or hath not goodcaufe to 
 
 oppofe:, 
 
II A Preface. 
 
 oppofe youi& whatever theRefultbe on a due 
 Trial, you will have no Caufe to be troubled 
 at your labour in the Inquifition or Search : 
 For if there be no caufe to oppofe your Sen- 
 timents, you may think you have ground to 
 continue them : If the Author hath ground 
 for what he writes, you may with Satisfa- 
 ction alter them. It is probable a word may 
 be too jocofe or too (harp ; but let not fuch 
 Expreffions caufe the Argument to be curfo- 
 rily orhaftily read, but weighed without the 
 lett of Paffion, or byafs of Intereft to hinder 
 that Conviction the Author aims at. I de- 
 clare with fincerity I bear not any Bitternefs 
 towards any, nor was I under an emotion or 
 heat of iMind, when I ftudied or preached on 
 this SubjeCt. The Author knows how hard 
 it is to remove a prejudice, and withal be- 
 lieves it no eafie thing to change Sentiments 
 (how impertinent foever)born and bred with 
 us. For fuch Reafons as thefe, I cannot ex- 
 prefs Indignation againft my Adverfaries-, but 
 truly pity them, becaufe they fubdue not 
 that intemperate Zeal by which they appear 
 for Novel Opinions againft Pritrntiv Ca- 
 nons and Eccleiiaftic Eftahlifliments. I have 
 endeavoured to exprefs my felf as moderate- 
 ly as I could, not defigning to provoke a Paf- 
 fion, but work a Conviction. I have treated 
 my Adverfaries with refpeft, designing only 
 to reduce them from Error to Truth, not to 
 boaft of Vidory, or proclaim a Triumph. If 
 you have other thoughts of him, than he de- 
 clares., 
 
A Preface. Ill 
 
 clares, he importunately entreats you, if 
 you meet with any thing may feemingiy raife 
 aPaflion, efteem itaflip of his Pen, andcon- 
 fider rather the reafon is offered, than the 
 Drefs it appears in. I will now acquaint 
 you with the Reafon engaged me in this Con- 
 troverfie.' You may believe me (who know 
 my own Mindbefl) it was a charitable De- 
 fign onfuch deluded Perfons, as havefincere 
 Intentions for what is true, (but through the 
 fmallnefs of their Underflanding, have fuch 
 narrow Capacities as not to attain the know- 
 ledge of Truth,)and a Zeal to promote Chri- 
 ftian Doctrine.His Adverfaries may entertain 
 what thoughts they think fit ; his natural 
 Temper is not wafphh nor contentious ; nei- 
 ther ishedifpleafedwithany,becaufe he doth 
 not think as he doth : He knows not of any 
 Quarrel he hath with any on the Account of 
 Religion : He neither affe&eth Differences, 
 nor is maintained thereby : He hath pofilbly 
 more Efteem than he deferves •, but if not, 
 what he isfatisfied with, as much as may pre- 
 ferve him from being tempted to envy o- 
 thers, and the unworthy Arts of purchafing 
 Credit by leffeninghis Neighbour. And as he 
 publifhesnot this for popular Applaufe, fo is 
 he at no lofs for what he oppofts ; but it is 
 the Interefl of Religion, and a Love for 
 Truth have engaged him in thisbufinefs; for 
 he apprehends them greatly endangered by 
 Error. Many Perfons have not time to en- • 
 quire into the Caufes of Matters of Moment, 
 
 nor 
 
IV 4 Preface. 
 
 nor are they without great Importunity en- 
 gaged therein : Buc believe as fuch act, for 
 whom they have an Admiration-, and though 
 they know not the Reafon of things, they oft 
 outvy thofe they follow. That the Truth 
 of Religion be difcovered,tends much to the 
 quiet of the World, and the welfare of Man- 
 *VifeL8rd kind. Men cannot but believe it neceflary 
 Bacon* Religion (houid be clearly underftood ; and 
 
 Afr*Mat-* certainiv fucn Mens Travels deferv Praife, 
 thews, p. who endeavour to make perfons know its 
 69. cited Principles, that their practice may be dire- 
 bythe Au- died. I can with fincerity own I have ufed 
 t v° r °^// 3e m ^ ^ nc ^ eavours t0 ^ et cn * s Controverlie in as 
 
 Delate cIear a Li ^ ht 3S the Revelation or " Ho ty Scri- 
 
 p. 176.* pture, and the Dictates of Reafon could dif- 
 Part4th. cover, which are the belt Inftru&ors of our 
 Mind in the knowledge of Truth, and the bell 
 t Vide Dr. Directors how to lead our Lives accordingly. 
 Sherlock'* But I may wi(h for Succefs on this charitable 
 Preface to Deflgn, rather than expect it, if there be 
 MeTianfe Truch in the excellent *Lord BMon'sOb&rva- 
 due to So** tion, That there is little dry Light in the 
 -vereign World, but it is all moift, being infufed and 
 Powers fteeped in Affection, Blood, and Humours. 
 ftated t and The Reafon of Men is made to ftoop to Inte- 
 
 acordf re ^> anc * l ^ J ac *£ e accorc ^* n § t0 tne Current 
 to°Scri- S oftheir Inclinations, lean make thefameDe-* 
 pture and claration the Excellent -\ Dean of St. Pads 
 Reafon, doth, and with the fame iincerity I doubt not 
 andthe he doth*, That one occafion of publishing this 
 
 ^fTbe^ 65 Bo °^ ' s ' Tliat lt is extorced fr° m me by tn€ 
 
 cLirch of V[X fe Glamors and unchriftian Cenlures of 
 England. , fome, 
 
A Preface. V 
 
 fome,aod the earned Importunity of others : 
 For an Antipadobaptift told me I dare hot piib- 
 li(h my Conference with Mr. M. C. for if I 
 did, he would fo expofe mel fhould not dare 
 to look him in the Face. I have, for once, 
 accepted his bold Challenge, to evidence the 
 flercenefs he delivered himfelfwith did noe 
 put me in a fright \ and that their Coryph&w 
 in that Country where I am concerned, may 
 have an Opportunity of (hewing his Art. 
 And as for Importunity, though it be a trite 
 Apology for the Publication of a Book ^ yet I 
 had more than was ufual, fo much that I was * v " Icle &* 
 tired therewith. Whereupon from a di- "^^1 
 ftruft of my felfjihewed my Argument to fe-f„^ J :e 
 veral Perfons, eminent for their Learning a- Arch-Bi- 
 mong the Clergy: (even fome of the higheftfhops and 
 Station) Some (aid 1 was bound in Confcience, Bi/hops, 
 out of Obligation to the Catholick Church in a ^J e 
 general, and to the Church of England in c i er „y f 
 particular, to print it } which I would not both Pro- 
 be fo conceited as to believe faid on Account vinces. 
 of the Argument * but from this Confidera- Printed, 
 tion^ The Defence of a Fundamental Truth I 5 62 - Art: 
 is a Publkk Service. Infant- Baptifm being 
 not only an Article of the Church of England ' s , , M 
 Faith (as fhe declares in thefe words, * The Walked' 
 Baptifm of young Children is in any wife to be re- mo deft 
 tained in the Churchy as nwfl agreeable with the Plea far 
 Inftitution ofChrifi) but likewife island hath Infant- 
 been a Dodtrin of the Catholic Church in all **(**&*'.., 
 Ages,as the excellent Mr.fttWfer hath made *™ *'**' 
 appear. Others would peifuade me to ir, bridge. 
 a from 1*577. 
 
VI A Preface. 
 
 from a likely profpect of Succefs it might 
 have on the adverf Party \ becaufe they faid, 
 tho others had done it in a rational way ; 
 (and in particular Mr. Walker in his modeft 
 Plea for Infant-Baptifm) yet none had hand- 
 led it in fuch a Scriptural Way by Teftimo- 
 nies from Holy Writ; which manner of 
 treating this Chriftian and comfortable Do- 
 ctrine, might be moll effectual on the Minds 
 offuchasoppofed this Truth ; becaufe the 
 jlntiffidobaftifts will not admit any Proof but 
 from the direct Words of Holy Scripture, 
 or an Expofition fo plain, that may be equal 
 to a literal fenf : And this way I have en- 
 deavoured to prove this momentous Subject 7 
 and for this Reafon fome thought it might 
 be fuccefsfui on thofe of that Party that have 
 teachable Minds , and this Conilderation, 
 the Confcience,and realdeiire of doing good, 
 was the ftrongeil Motive to expofe it to the 
 Public. And truly if it may be inflrumental 
 to the convincing any that are not too far gone 
 by Intereft or Humour,it will be a greater fa. 
 tisfaction than the Eulogies of the wifeft 
 Men; and I fhall think my Labour fuffici- 
 ently compeniated. If any admire this Sub- 
 ject is methodized, and worded fo like the 
 way of Preaching \ it is, becaufe I believed 
 it would have the flronger Impreflion on the 
 people it was preached to, if it were prin- 
 ted as they heard it \ and I had rather be fub- 
 fervient to my People's Good, than comply 
 with the capricious Humour of the niceft 
 Critick. 4* 
 
VII 
 
 An Account of the Conference with Mr. M. C. 
 upon the Subjetl of Infant- Baptifm , and the 
 Occafion of it. 
 
 AFter this, I hope ufeful Introduction, I 
 come to perform the Obligation of my 
 Promife, which was to give a Relation of a 
 Conference publicly held with an Antipado- 
 baptiftoi nofmali Fame on the Subject, and 
 of the Occafion } and this I will endeavour 
 todo withall imaginable Sincerity, and take 
 all poflible Care not to commit any volun- 
 tary Error, or wilful Miftake. 
 
 In the Month of Oftober 1 686.1 was collated 
 to a Living by my reverendDiocefan: After a 
 Year I received Information that anAntiptdo- 
 baptift had perverted one of my Parifh* But 
 I hope without a reproachtul Reflection I 
 may fay of fome that pervert tru Dodlrin, 
 what the Holy Jefus faid of the glozing Pha- 
 rifeesJVo unto yon Scribes , and Phm fees \ Hypo* 
 crites-j for yon compafs Sea and Land to make 
 one Profelyte y and when he is made , you make him ^ att ^. 
 two- fold more the Child of Hell than before. llU% 
 The firft Intelligence I had (as I remember) 
 was from my Parifnioner's Neighbour, of • 
 whom he held a confiderable Farm : the Gen- 
 tleman was firm to the Church of England ^ 
 and though he is no Loquacious, Talkativ 
 Perfon, yet I have heard him give good Rea- 
 fon for his Principles. From 'the Account 
 he gave, I found- him in Chriilian Charity 
 a % eon^' 
 
VIII An Account of theConference, &c. 
 
 concerned for his Tenant, whereupon he de- 
 fired me todifcourfe his Tenant \ and becaufe 
 he thought he would be unwilling to give me 
 a Meeting , he told me the next time he 
 came he would fend for me to difcourf him, 
 to make a Tryal if I could reduce him to the 
 Church. Accordingly he did, and I readily 
 went, where I treated him with all the Civi- 
 lity he could look for, and difcourfed what I 
 thought proper i and 1 fpoke with all the 
 kindnefs and plainnefs was poflible, that what 
 I faid might have an Influence on him : Eut I 
 vas difappointed in my hopes \ for I found 
 )im weak, and (which isufually the unhappy 
 -ate of fuchj obftinate, fo that though I 
 poke plainly ; yet he either did not under- 
 stand me, or would not be convinced by what 
 i offered. So true is the Obfervation of the 
 pertiftaciae, wife Lord Bacon, That God hath appointed 
 Hominum no Remedy for the Qbftinacy of Men : And if 
 
 Rc 1U «H- ^ e ^ ave a PP°i ntec * none > ll w ii* De in vain to 
 
 um pofuit endeavour to find any. All I could get, was 
 
 Deus. The a " importunate Requeft I would permit him 
 
 Lord Ba- to bring onetodifpute with me: 1 was much 
 
 con. againil it at firft \ becaufe ufually fuch De- 
 
 figns come to no good, nor feldom have their 
 
 defired end, but are attended with noife and 
 
 clamour , and generally there is a greater 
 
 Conteftation for Victory than Truth, and a 
 
 Man's Reputation is more confulted than 
 
 their Satisfaction on whofe Account the 
 
 Meeting is appointed. 
 
An Account of the Conference^ &C, IX 
 
 The Anfwer he gave, was, He" was no 
 Scholar, and ib not able to difcourfe with a 
 Man of Learning, as he fuppofed me to be : 
 I replied, whatever my Stock of Learning 
 was, 1 would make no ufe of it with him , be- 
 caufe I charitably intended his Good \ but 
 this inileadof fatisfying, engaged him to re- 
 new his Importunity, there might be a pub- 
 lic Difputation, which he pretended would 
 be much to his Satisfaction ; but 1 believe it 
 was but a pretence. For on the Account of 
 fome after- Circumftances, I have reafon to 
 conjecture that his Importunity for fuch a 
 Meeting, was not fo much to be convinced, as 
 from a Confidence that the Advocate he 
 pitch'd on (for he was in Vogue with his 
 Party for his Difputatious Faculty \ and as i 
 have heard, hath often travelled many Miles 
 to difpute with a Clergy man) would io far 
 baffle me, it would give a Reputation to his 
 Caufe, and confirm him in his Principles : 
 But becaufe he could not prevail for a 
 Confent , his Neighbour joined , deii- 
 ring I would comply : Upon which , 
 out of refpect to him I condefcended j 
 but on this Condition, there might be but a 
 few at the hearing of our Difcourf ; and if he 
 would name how many he would bring, I 
 would endeavour to equal his Number, or 
 be content with fewer: For 1 told him, 1 
 believed three or four judicious Perfons of a 
 fide, might better underftand the Reafon 
 and Truih of an Argument than a Multi- 
 a 3 tude 
 
X An Account of the Conference ', &c. 
 
 tude. For I had for many Years been of the 
 fame Mind with the ingenious Mr. Matthew 
 Clifford, who hated Crowd and Noife. 
 
 A little after, I had notice my Parifhio- 
 ner would bring his Man on December the 
 thirteenth, 1687. And becaufe I would be 
 juft to my Word, I acquainted (to the beft 
 of my Knowledge) only two Perfons \ viz.. 
 my Parifhioner's Neighbour, and his Father : 
 But he on the other fide dealt unfairly with 
 me •, for, contrary to his Promife, he fent his 
 Man to Church (the Sunday before the Day) 
 to acquaint my People, when Sermon was 
 done , there was to be a Difpute between 
 Mr. M.C. and My felf. Some time before 
 which, I addrefled my felf to a Confideration 
 of the Doctrine of Baptifm, and the Holy 
 Gofpei Covenant, and what Perfons are to 
 be admitted thereto, and to enjoy the Pri- 
 vileges by receiving theSign thereof.Ihad only 
 by me one Book on the Subject, that treated 
 of the Nature of the Covenant \ and whe- 
 ther Perfons that were not capable of under- \ 
 ftanding the Articles thereof, could by the 
 external fign be admitted to the Privileges. 
 
 But I had a belief he would not, or cared 
 not to manage the Controverfy from that 
 Principle; and thereupon I laid the Book 
 afide, and for lome time confulted thtf Holy 
 Scriptures, and addrefled my felf by impor- 
 tunate and fincere Prayers to the Throne of 
 Grace for the Divine Afliftance, not in the 
 leafttruftingto my felf but carneftly beg- 
 ging 
 
An Account of the Conference ', &o XI 
 
 ging the Aid of Heaven, that the God of 
 Truth would enable me to maintain what 
 was true: And this I the rather did, becaufe 
 I believed this one of the Doctrins of Faith 
 once delivered to the Saints, St. Jude ex- St -^ 
 horts Chriftians earneftly to contend for. ver f, 2 / 
 When the Day was come, I waited till about 
 ten or eleven of the Clock before my Anta- 
 gonift appeared, about which hour he came, 
 and knock'dat door \ which when I opened, 
 I faw him and a great Crowd, I let in as ma- 
 ny as my room I intended for our Difpute 
 would hold -j for fo many crowded in. There 
 were fome fcores. After I let him in, he 
 walked fomewhat briskly, and with a fort of 
 Smile fas if I were to be led in Triumph, as 
 the Roman Victors dealt with their conquered 
 Slaves,) at the end of my Hall, attacks me 
 with a Challenge to difpute in the Church. 
 I told him there feemed fome Vanity in the 
 Requeft, as if he defigned Noife more than 
 Argument. 
 
 Whereupon I deflred him to look into my 
 Parlor, which 1 told him was large enough 
 for as many as were fit to hear us : Belide, 
 I told him to difpute in the Church* might 
 be accounted a Rioc \ and I asked him, if he 
 would fecure me from the damage I might 
 fuftain, by undergoing the Penalty afligned 
 for the TranfgrefTion of the Laws? Where- 
 to he anfwered, he thought the Act for Li- 
 berty of Confcience was my Security : To 
 which I reply ed, though I had the ufe of my 
 a 4. Church 
 
XII An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 Church for Preaching, as he his Meeting- 
 place to Hold-forth in \ yet I did not be- 
 lieve the Law allowed the Church to be a 
 place for Difputation,nor was it fit it mould, 
 becaufe it was improper, where the Holy 
 Gofpel of Peace was Preached, there Con- 
 tention or Controverfie mould be managed. 
 However, if he would go to my Reverend 
 Diocefan, and requeft his leave, upon Li- 
 cenfe from him 1 would comply. After 
 which he walked into my Parlour to enter 
 into Difcourf: J told him, being fo many 
 were gathered together, we fhouldact with 
 good Intentions, deligning the People's Satis- 
 faction, that they might be convinced which 
 of us had Truch on his fide, being our Prin- 
 ciples were diametrically oppolite, and di- 
 re&l*; contrary; not confuking our Credit, 
 as if we contended for Victory more than 
 Truth j and being we of the Church of Eng- 
 land had the Laws on our fide for what we 
 profeiled, and as we thought Truth in Pof- 
 feffion, he ought by ftrong Reafons to fhew 
 our Title was not Good, before he attempt- 
 ed to dif-feize us of the Truth, we hoped 
 we juftly pofleiled: But before we begun, 
 I deiired one thing, which I thought was rea- 
 sonable , becaufe for the Good of the Audi- 
 tors \ and that was, I had a Licenfe from my 
 Lord Bilbop to teach School, and on that Ac- 
 count I had an Ufher, that did write a fair 
 and fwift hand, anddefired he might write 
 the Argumentative part of our Difcourfe, 
 
 and 
 
An Account of the Conference , &c. 2pff 
 
 and fuch Collateral Proofs we urged to 
 ftrengthen our Arguments ; and after our 
 Conference was done, the Writing might be 
 viewed by fuch as heard us, and they have 
 Liberty to judge which had fpoken moft 
 Truth *, and that he might be fure he (hould 
 not be impofed on, 1 told him, the Man that 
 wrote what he fpoke fhould read it, and ask 
 him if it were his Words and his Senf , or 
 if he could read Written- hand, he fhould 
 read it himfelf} which I had not faid, but 
 he moved me, by asking an impertinent 
 Queftion before*, but he anfwered, he would 
 have nothing writ on either fide. That Pro- 
 pofal being denied, 1 had another to make, 
 which was as reafonable, viz.. That 1 might 
 • propofe two or three Cafes, that (hould in- 
 clude the greateft part of what wasneceffary 
 for folving the Doubts, and anfwering the 
 Objections againfl Infant-Baptifm ; and if he 
 would allow any of his Party to underftand 
 the Principles of j4ntip*dobaptifm better than 
 himfelf, 1 would appeal to him, whether 
 they did not •, or if he thought 1 impofed 
 too much by fuch a Propofal, (for I had re- 
 folved before his coming to treat him with 
 civility,) I would dlow him the Liberty 
 Idefiredtotake} provided the Queftions he 
 fliould ask were as proper as mine ; for i 
 am of the Poet's Mind, 
 
 Dumm fctimufqne vicijfim. 
 
 The Anfwer 1 had, was, He (hould not ask 
 me a Quefl ion, nor fhould 1 ask him one j 
 
 upon 
 
XIV An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 upon which I repiyed, That his coming was 
 to wrangle, not ciifpute ; and I was forry 
 the People were fo difappointed \ however, 
 I was willing they (hould hear what he had 
 to fay, on which Idefired him to begin} but 
 1 perceived (which he ought not to have 
 done, for a Realon I have hinted) he expect- 
 ed I ihould begin; whereupon I did: But 
 before 1 give an Account of what was (aid, 
 I will give you the three Cafes, propounded 
 for a refolution of. 
 
 Ohj. The Antif&dobaftifts Object, Baptifm is 
 only to be adminiftred to the Addt, and thofe 
 of years of Difcretion. 
 
 For the making out of which (in Anfwer 
 to what is objected) it is defired thefe things 
 appear. 
 
 f Wtlt if Children are to be Baptized, then it' 
 feems neceflary, there (hould be an exprefs 
 place of Holy Scripture to enjoyn it, though 
 the former part of the Proportion be al- 
 io wed, iyet the Confequence follows not ; and 
 therefore is defired to be proved. 
 
 \ r w i ^ a P artv be admitted into Covenant, then 
 
 ' J ' it feemeth needful the Party (hould under- 
 ftand the Articles of the Covenant he is ad- 
 mitted to j but in fome Cafes, this is as in. 
 confequent as the former i and therefore it 
 is defired, that the Confequence of this Hy- 
 pothetic, or Conditional Propofition, be e- 
 vinced, or made out, to beuniverfally true 
 in all Cafes, and in all Times, 
 
 If 
 
j4n Account of the Conference, &c. XV 
 
 If there was an exprefs place of Holy Anfw. 5. 
 Scripture for the Circumcifing of Children 
 under the Law, then it feems reafonable there 
 ihould bean exprefs place of Holy Scripture 
 for Baptizing Children under the Blefled 
 Gofpel j and this likewife is defired to be 
 made evident \ and becaufe according to the 
 Logicians Rule, The Proof lies on his fide that Ajfirman- 
 sljferts j and the Amipadobaptifts do affirm ** incimt- 
 thefe things, it is defied they make proof, hlt 1 roh * m 
 or elfe they have no Reafon to expect we tl0% 
 fhould entertain a Belief of them. 
 
 And now (being I was engaged to begin) I 
 will give as true an Account as 1 can of what I 
 offered,and he anfwered. I told hira,l thought 
 it as reafonable Children (hould be admit- 
 ted into Covenant under the Holy Gpfpel, as 
 under the Law, there being nothing more 
 in the Holy Gofpel- Covenant to debar them 
 an admiffion thereto, than there was in that 
 under the Law ; befides, it adds flrength to 
 the Argument, if we confider, that the Co- 
 venant made with Abraham, and the Holy 
 Gofpel Covenant, are for fubftance one and 
 the fame, as St. Paul tells us exprefsly, and Gal. iii. 8. 
 as we have made appear in the Book j and Vi ^ 
 certainly the Holy Apoftle underftood the 9 %. oTthis" 
 Nature and Difference of Covenants, better Book. 
 I believe than any Antip&dobaptift in England. 
 To all which he made no return; but after 
 fome Paufe, and an Harangue to the People, 
 he told me he would not be fatisfied unlefs I 
 brought him an Example out of the Holy 
 
 Scriptures 
 
XVI An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 Scriptures of the New Teftament, for any 
 Child being Baptized % or a Command for his 
 admiflion into Covenant that way. To which 
 I urged the probability of Children being 
 . « . Baptized, when it is faid, That Lydia was 
 j- Baptized, and her Hoafhold - 7 and of the Jay- 
 
 lor, That he was Baptized, and all his ftrajt. 
 way \ and when St. Paul faith, 1 Baptized al- 
 16 0I " fothc Houfoold of Stephanas j and to fpeak in- 
 genuoufly, the only thing confiderable he 
 faid, was the proving the probability there 
 were no Children in thofe Families. I am 
 very forry I have forgot what he faid ; but 
 iff could remember it, I would do him that 
 Juftice, as to relate it ^ for I would pay my 
 Adverfary that refpett, as to declare all the 
 Truth and Reafonof him that his Caufe will 
 bear, or that he can with good ground de- 
 fire*, but that which is but probably true, 
 may notwithftanding be falfe. However, 
 that I may allow my Adverfary all he can 
 reafonably ask, fuppofing there were no 
 Children in thofe Houfes mentioned, Allow- 
 T>xto, fed - %n g^ y Ht mt granting it, (as we lay fometimes 
 ceffo°dif m tne Schools,) for difp rotation- fake \ yet the 
 futandi Argument is not weakned, becaufe the Holy 
 gratia. Apoftle fpoke thofe Words not with the 
 coniideration of there being Children in thofe 
 Families; but in allufion to known Cuftoms 
 among the Jewsjn their receiving Profely tes 
 of Righreoufnefs, as we have made appear in 
 the Book. Afterwards he urged the necefli- 
 ty of a direct. Command, in the Holy Scri- 
 ptures 
 
An Account of the Conference, &C. XVII 
 
 ptures of the New Teftament, for the Bap- In m ^ 
 tizing Children, in fo many Words j where- dem veY , 
 upon I asked him, If he believed fuch a Cora- ^ ttm 
 mand neceflary; to which he replyed, He 
 did : I returned upon him, I thought it was 
 undccent , if not abfurd , fo positively to 
 afTert a thing neceflary, and offer no Reafon; 
 befide, I faid if he would give a Reafon why- 
 he believed it neceflary, I would do that 
 which by Rules of Difputation he could not 
 oblige me to, (for no Man is bound to prove 
 a Negative,) viz., prove it not neceflary: 
 Hereupon he made a longer Paufe than be- 
 fore, and after he recovered himfelf, made 
 fo long an Harange to thofe prefenr, 1 was 
 forced to pull him by the Sleeve, and defire 
 him not to make my Houfe a Meeting- place, 
 and aflume, or take, fo much Confidence, 
 as to inftrud my People, unlefs he thought 
 me not able for fuch an Employ mentj which 
 if he did, I defired him to make proof, and 
 when he had done, to make his complaint to 
 my Reverend Diocefan : Upon which, with 
 a fort of flattering fmile, he complemented 
 me, and told me he thought me able for my 
 Office, and faid, he and I might agree well 
 ! in all points but ore, viz.. Infant Biptifm \ 
 for he heard I was an Arm'wian^ and fo was 
 he; Whereupon I told him, I fomewhat 
 doubted j whet her he underftood^4r4e--Quic- 
 quarticular Controverfie, managed at the 
 Synod of Don, and knew what an Armbmn 
 was j but whether he did or no, was not 
 
 mate 
 
XVIII An /4c count of the Conference^ &c. 
 
 material now ^ but I acquainted him I dellred 
 not to pafs under any Character, but that 
 of a Chriftian-, nay, that Honourable Name, 
 (for the beft things may be abufed,) in fome 
 Cafes and Circumftances ( if 1 underftand 
 St. Pad right, where it is ufed for a Faction 
 in oppofition to Chriftian Peace) is blame 
 worthy : Now this I fay., that every one of yon 
 faith , / am of Pan! , ah d J of Apollos, and I of 
 i Cor. I . Cephas , and I ofChri (I-, Is Chrift divided^ was 
 1 z, 1 3 . Paul Crucified for yon, or were yon Baptized in 
 the Name of Pad: So that there were four 
 Parties in the Church of Corinth : And there- 
 fore did I affect to be called by a Name that 
 fhould prefer ve llniverfal Charity, 1 would 
 efpouie that of a Re'ormed Catholique 
 (without renouncing the Name, Chriftian. 1 ) 
 And then I offered a Reafon, why there was 
 no neceflicy for an exprefs Text of Holy 
 Scripture, in the New Teftament, for the 
 Baptizing Infants } becaufe it was fo long 
 known in the Jewifh Church before our 
 Blefled Saviour's days j and as he took the 
 other Sacrament from the Jews Pofi-ccen'mm^ 
 or After-Supper \ fo he took this from their 
 way of admitting Profelytes of Righteouf- 
 nefs, before they Lircumciied them: And 
 why fhould we not for the fame Reafon de- 
 bar Women from the Lord's Supper, as 
 Children from being admitted by Baptifm in- 
 to the Covenant, feeing there is no more 
 Command for one, than for the other ; So 
 that ChrifFs not faying, whether Children 
 
 were 
 
An Account of the Conference, &c. XIX 
 
 were admitted to Baptifm, is Co far from be- 
 ing a cogent Proof, that weighing the former 
 Jewijh Cuftoms, it is the ftrongefl: Motive 
 to believe it. But flill (notwithstanding ail 
 I faid to fhew the abfurdity of his Requeft, 
 and the Arguments 1 offered to fignifie the 
 unreafonablenefs of fuch a Demand, without 
 anfwering one of my Reafons) my Adverfary 
 importuned me for an exprefs place of Holy 
 Scripture, in the New Teftament, for the 
 Baptizing Children \ whereupon I asked him, 
 if I brought a place of Holy Scripture r 
 whofe Sence could have no other tolerable 
 meaning, but the allowance of Infants to be 
 Baptized, it were not the fame, as if I 
 brought exprefs Words for Baptizing Chil- 
 dren? which be yielded: Upon which it 
 pleafed God (as if he would aflift the defence 
 of his Divine Truth \ for I thought not on 
 it before*, this I own becaufe I am not wil- 
 ling to afcribe any thing to my felf ) to fug- 
 , geft to my Mind that place of St. Pad, For 
 \the unbelieving Husband is [anciified by the vn 
 
 Wife^ and the unbelieving Wife is fiwtlified by f 
 the Husband, elfe were your Children unclean, 
 but now are they Holy : Where Interpreters 
 underftand, by the unbelieving Husband or 
 Wife, an Infidel i and by the Wife or Hus- 
 band that fandtifies,a Chriftian^ from whence 
 I drew this Argument, That if Children, 
 as foon as born, had a right to the Covenant 
 by the Parents Faith, where but cue of the 
 jParents is a ChriftiaD, then Baptifin being 
 
 the 
 
XX An Account of the Conference^ &c. 
 
 the Sign of the Covenant, and not the Co- 
 venant, (as the j4ntip<zdobaptifis own ,) It 
 follows [by the Argument, a Majori ad Mi- 
 niu^ from the greater to the left"] it the Child 
 when born hath a right to the Covenant, he 
 hath a right to the Sign i for according to 
 jus^imh- ^ e logical Maxim, The greater includes the 
 dit infi kf s i anc * ne tnat faould deny this, would 
 minus. be as abfurd, as he that flibuid fay, he that 
 receiveth Ten Pounds receives not Five. 
 And then I told him there were but two forts 
 of Holinefs, with reference to Men, (though 
 there may be a Relativ Holinefs, with re- 
 fpect to things,) a Perfonal, and a Fcederal 
 Holinefs , at which he flared on me, as if he 
 underftood me not*, on which I told him I 
 would fpeak more intelligibly, and that by 
 Fcederal , I meant a Covenant Holinefs : 
 Now Children, antecedent to exercife of 
 Reafon, are not capable of a Perfonal Holi- 
 nefs, (which is a comprehenfive Word for 
 all the Graces of Chriftian Religion. ) 
 Object Buc Rere tne <dntip*dob*ptifts object, We 
 
 read of mo Pcrfons endued with Holinefs before 
 they came to the ufe of Reafon^ the Blefftd Jefa, 
 and St. John the Baptift. 
 Anfw. To which I anfwer, We do not find that 
 either of them a died any Divine Grace ante- 
 cedent to Years of Difcretion, though they 
 were fan&ified from the Womb. After I 
 had given this Scnce, 1 was told the reverend 
 Dr. ttammo'd\\zc\ given the fame Interpreta- 
 tion: Upon which I was pleafed I had the 
 
 eon- 
 
An Account of the Conference, See: XXI 
 
 concurring Judgment of fo learned a Man. 
 (Though I had not read it in[him, or any elfe 
 to my remembrance ; but it was purely the 
 fuggeftion of my own Mind, aflifted by the 
 Divine Spirit, who is never wanting with 
 his Grace to help thofe that are fincerely em- 
 ployed in the Inveftigation of, and Enquiry 
 after Truth.) This is the main Subftance 
 (fofaras my Memory will reach) of the ma- 
 ny hours Difcourfe we had : If I had had an/ 
 Thought of printing it, I would have tran- 
 fcribed it while frefh in my Memory, and 
 then poffibly might have given a more par- 
 ticular Account ; but I hope this. may be fa- 
 tisfactory, being as much as I can remember* 
 Toward the end of our Difcourfe I told him, 
 if he could make appear he had anfwered any 
 Argument of mine, or properly ftated any 
 for his Principles, I dare promife to yield 
 theCaufej but to this fas 1 remember) he 
 returned no Anfwer. 
 
 After this was brought from i Cor. VII. 14. 
 I remember not 1 had any Anfwer * but he 
 did as he ufed,make an Harangue to the Peo- 
 ple : And when he could neither anfwer my 
 Argument, nor date any proper for his Prin- 
 ciples, be diverted to another Subject, and 
 would needs enter into a Difpute againll 
 Tiths : Upon which I defired we might 
 come to a better Conclufion about the Do- 
 ctrine of Infant- Baptifm, but I could have 
 no further Difcourf on that Subject : But he 
 rcquefted me to (hew him a place of Holy' 
 b Scripture^ 
 
XXII An Account of the Conference fcc. 
 
 Scripture, in the New Teftament, for Tiths ; 
 which I told him was unreafonable to de- 
 mand, feeing our dear Redeemer, and his 
 bleffed Difciples lived under Heathen Go* 
 \ vernors, that were Enemies to Chriftianity ; 
 | and it could not be expe&ed fuch as were 
 Gentile Rulers fhould make Laws in Favour 
 of the ChrifUan Religion: Yet St. Paul af- 
 ferts the Reafonablenefs of Minifterial Main- 
 i Cor. IX. tenance, when he faith, He that freacheth the 
 *4- G of pel, fiould live of the G of pel. But when 
 
 Conftantine made Profeflion of Chriftianky, 
 he adopted Tiths into the Laws of the Em- 
 pire ^ and then Tiths were to be paid under 
 as high an Obligation of Confidence, as the 
 Jews were under by virtue of their Judicial 
 Law, which was a part of their Theocracy, 
 or the Government of God himfelf: So that 
 a Man, who after fuch an Obligation de- 
 frauds his Minifter, either in whole or part, 
 may be faid to be guilty of the Sin of the 
 Jews which they committed, (and it is well 
 Mai. III. 8. if none commit it in our days) who are faid 
 dire&ly to rob God \ which they that love 
 their Souls, believ a God, and a future Judg- 
 ment, may tremble at the Confideration of : 
 Which made me wonder Mr. M. C. mould 
 tell me, he paid Tiths to a certain Clergy- 
 man, (I think he faid one of the Refidentia- 
 ries of Chichefter) but he did it (as he faid) 
 againft his Confcience. Whereupon I told 
 him he could not be an honeft Man ^ becaufe 
 hep3id that voluntarily, which was againft 
 
 his 
 
An Account of the ConferencefiiC. XXIII 
 
 his Confcience : For any Man that payeth 
 what he thinketh he ought not to do, with- 
 out force, doth it voluntarily, becaufe he 
 is under no Compulfion ; and he that con- 
 fentsto that which he believes a Sin, though 
 it be not, yet is a Sin to him ; as the Author 
 of The Whole Dmy of Man informs us : (the D.-.Tillo^ 
 bed of Books, as our learned, and moft ra fon,i»A*> 
 tional Arch-bifhop calls it) Becaufe God % m ^l 
 judgeth according to oar Wills, not ac- r ai fMr. 
 cording to our Underftandings. And now Gouge. 
 to pay my Adverfary all the RefpecT; he may 
 look for, and to do him all the Juftice he 
 can expect, 1 believe from the Fame I have 
 heard, he could have difputed like a Scho- 
 lar, more coherently, and congruoufly, ar- 
 gued more clofely and properly \ but with- 
 out breach of Charity, I think I may fufpect 
 he talked impertinently with a Defign to put 
 me in a Paffion, (which I was fomewhat a- 
 vvare of, and therefore ftood on my Guard j 
 and that I might not be guilty of felf- confi- 
 dence, I implored the Divine Afliilance to 
 prevent my failing into the Indecencies, and 
 Difadvantages of Paffion, becaufe 1 knew 
 from my natural Temper I had fame incli- 
 nation thereto) and that makes me think 
 he did not believ the Character I have been 
 told, he heard that Morning he came: For 
 enquiring, whether I was a [Vjan of Ppffion, 
 he was anfwered I was not eafliy difturbed f 
 on which I was told he fnook his Head. But 
 I believe by his roving Talk he thought to 
 
 b 2 raife 
 
XXIV An Account of the Conference^ &c. 
 
 raife a PaflJoir, (for nothing difturbs a Man of 
 Senf more than impertinent Talk) and when 
 that would not do, he fell to the mean Art of 
 Flattery ,by commending myPatiencejand told 
 me,after three hour'sDilcourfe^he had oft tal- 
 ked with Men of my Coat, but before fo long 
 time had been turned out of Doors : Upon 
 which I told him, his impertinent Difcourie 
 defervedfuch ufage^ but I would not give 
 himoccafionagainft me : For then I fuppo- 
 fed he would go into the Town, and boaft 
 what a Victory he had obtained. But being 
 he was there, I would inflict that Penance 
 on my felf , as to difcourfe till Bed-time, if 
 he would ftay , and then leav him } but I 
 would have the Courage to meet him next 
 Morning : For I now found where his 
 Strength lay , which was more in evading 
 an Argument, than in rightly Hating one, or 
 Handing to it ^ and learnedly defending it. 
 After this Day's tedious Work (becaufe of 
 the Impertinency I was troubled with ) I 
 faw him no more till New-Year's Day, which 
 hapnedto be on a Sunday , the Feftival en- 
 gaged me to fay fomething of Infant- Bap- 
 tifm. When Evening- Prayer was done, I 
 lent to Mr. M. C. where he held forth j and 
 I think it was the firft Day he did fo in my 
 Parifh : He was fo kind as to come , and 
 brought two of my Neighbours of his Opi- 
 nion. I treated them civilly, and after a 
 while defired them to withdraw *, (becaufe I 
 had aMind to fpeak with my Antagonift alone) 
 
 which 
 
An Account of the Conference^ &c. XXV 
 
 which they did } when they were gon, and 
 none but he and my felf, 1 told him, He 
 might have the fame fufpicion of me', I 
 had of him, that when he and I difcourfed 
 before a Company, we might be tempted 
 more to purchafe Reputation, than to main- 
 tain Truth , but now it was not in the De- 
 vil's power to lay out fuch a Temptation, 
 there being none but he and 1 ; and there- 
 fore I defired he would allow me to pro- 
 pofe fomething calmly to him, which fince 
 refulted to my thoughts; for I was willing to 
 be his Profelyte, if he could convince me to 
 be in an Error,and as willing he mould be my 
 Profelyte, if 1 could prove him in a Miftake : 
 For though 1 loved the Church of England 
 well, yet I loved Truth better \ and if he 
 could evince or prove fhe had not Truth on 
 her fide, I would forfake her } but I could 
 have no Anfwer \ for he diverted to other , 
 difcourfe, and faid we had fpoke enough on 
 the Argument. He hath fince been with me, 
 and delired a Difpute in the Church \ I told 
 him, I would meet him in any Church, if he 
 would fubmitto two Conditions, which I 
 thought reafonable \ the one was, That he 
 would get my Reverend Diocefan's leave, 
 or fecure me from any Penalty the Bilhop, 
 or the Law, might lay on me : The other 
 was, That he would be at the Charge to 
 hire an Amamienfis^ to write down the Ar- 
 gumentativ part of his Difcourf, and I 
 would be at as great a Charge to hire one 
 b 3 that 
 
XXVI An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 that fhould write down what I offered, and 
 then at the end of our Conference, the Pa- 
 pers fhould *^e expoied to the confederation 
 of the moft Judicious Auditors, to examine 
 which fpoke moft according to the true Senf 
 of Holy Scripture, or the dictates of right 
 Reafon ; but this offer he refufed, and faid 
 he would have nothing writ on either fide : 
 And the caufe why 1 would engage him there- 
 to, was, becaufe it would be a kindnefs, in 
 that it would be a great Caution, we fhould 
 fpeak properly, and would oblige us to cir- 
 cumfpeclion and care, from the confideration 
 and fear cf that fhame and reproach we 
 (hoild be expofed to , by delivering our 
 &faes inconfiftendy and incoherently, and 
 it would be a fatisfadtion to the People, be- 
 caufe the-, we mould ufeour endeavours to 
 fpeak Truth, and to confirm it by Reafon, 
 which, if we did, it might have a good effect 
 on the People that heard it, to underftand 
 who fpoke moft properly, according to the 
 lenfeofHoly Scripture, and foconfequently 
 who had the cleareft Truth on his fide; but 
 no Argument would prevail with him to 
 fubmit to fuch reafonable terms \ and then 
 I told him, I would allow him to tell, I re- 
 fufed to accept his Challenge : But then I 
 defired him to tell on what terms I denied 
 to comply ; or if not, I fnould take care to 
 do it ; and then he would have caufe not to 
 be fatisfied with, butafnamed of the Report. 
 When he was with me, on New-years-day, 
 
 1688, 
 
dn Account of the Conference^ &c XXVII 
 
 1688. I told him 1 underftood that was the 
 fir ft day he Held- forth in his Meeting-place, 
 and I fuppofed he fpoke againft our Princi- 
 ples j and truly the Fefti val engaged me to fay 
 iomething ia defence of our declared Do- 
 ctrines. I faid, I doubted he trufted to fuch 
 an Extemporary EjfHfiw> and fuch an extra- 
 ordinary Meafure of the Holy Spirit, that I 
 thought he could give little Account of whaE 
 he faid after he concluded \ but I told him, 
 I hoped I trufted as much to the Holy Spirit 
 as he, in a rational way \ for I ftudied for 
 what I delivered, and then I implored the 
 Divine Bieffingon what I ftudied, which I 
 thought as much as I ought to truft to-, for 
 I believe, fince the Miraculous Aids of the 
 Holy Ghoft are ceafed, the Divine Spirit 
 doth afford his Blefling in the ufe of means, 
 and not in an extraordinary manner •, and 
 then I read what I fpoke in reference to In- 
 fant- Baptifm, which 1 defired him tocenfure 
 as feverely as he pleafed, provided he would 
 give me a Reafon: The Account whereof is 
 as followeth, Preaching that day on the In- 
 ftitution of Circumcifion, from Gen.xVil. 
 9.15. I made this Obfervation, That Hea- 
 then Profelytes, and their Infants, were 
 made Partakers of God's Covenant \ whence 
 1 thus argued in the General for Infant-Bap- 
 tifm : If this be underftood, it will afford a 
 ftrong, though not ufually brought- Argu- 
 ment, for Baptizing of Infants'. For if this 
 be true, as may be made appear by Jewifi ' 
 b 4 Cuftoms, 
 
XXVIII An Account of the Conference^ &c. 
 Cuftoms, it is plain not being of the SeecJ 
 of Abraham, but being of the Faith of Abra- 
 ham y gave a Perfon a right to the Covenant, 
 and to the Sign of it, Circumcifion ; or elfe 
 no Profelytes could be made from Heathe- 
 nifm, and fo admitted into Covenant by that 
 Sign } and then by Parity of Reafon, the 
 Faith of the Chriftian Parent fhall be imputed 
 to the Child ; And if the Faith of the Parent 
 gives a Title to the Covenant , or being a 
 Chriftian, (Baptifm, like Circumcifion, be- 
 ing only the Sign of the Covenant J by Pa- 
 rity of Reafon, the Faith of the Parent (as I 
 have hinted) gives a right to the Sign, be- 
 caufe the Sign is lefs than the Privilege. Re- 
 jfides, there is no being a Difciple of Chrift, 
 without being Baptized into his BlefTed 
 Name, that being the Sign of the Holy Go- 
 fpel Covenant, and made as necefTary as Cir- 
 cumcifion, which was the Sign of the Cove- 
 nant under the Law \ not that I would be fo 
 uncharitable, as to Damn all that die un- 
 bapcized \ becaufe it is here as in Circumci- 
 fion, the Infant can be in no fault, as not 
 being capable of Obedience to the Command, 
 or tranfgrefling the Law by contempt *, and 
 fo cannot be faid to break the Covenant, that 
 doth nothirg belonging to the keeping it i 
 Ezod. IV. anc i though the Child did not, yet Mofes the 
 ?^* Father of the Child went in danger of his 
 
 Life, whom the Lord met by the way in the 
 Inn, and fought to kill % which, if duly con- 
 sidered, might make all Chriftian Parents, 
 
 that 
 
An Account of the Conference^ &c. XXIX 
 
 that neglect the bringing their Children time- 
 ly to Baptifm, tremble for fear of forae fe- 
 vere punifhment falling on themfelves - 7 
 which may be one reafon, why our excel- 
 lent Church declares in the Rubrick of Pri- 
 vate Baptifm, and enjoyris the Pallors and 
 Curates of every Parifh, oft to admonilh the 
 People, that they deferr not the Baptifm of 
 their Children longer than the firfl or fecond 
 Sunday, or other Holyday, next after the 
 Child be born: Vnlefs on a great and tea- 
 fonable Caufe declared to the Curate , and to 
 be by him approved. Moreover, iftherebeno 
 enjoying the Benefitsof the Covenant, with- 
 out the Sign, this makes the Sign neceflary ^ 
 and the wilful neglect of neceflary means en- 
 dangers any Perfon's Salvation, without the 
 Interpofition of an extraordinary Mercy }and 
 that which is above, or beyond means, is ever 
 miraculous: And if fuch a miraculous pro- 
 portion of Mercy were indulged, as oft as 
 fuch a wilful neglect gave occafion, it would 
 ceafe to be miraculous } becaufe a Miracle is 
 not only an extraordinary act of Power , but 
 a rare contingency, and therefore cannot oft 
 happen *, otherwife the Sun's daily motion 
 about the Earth, would be as great, if not a 
 greater Miracle, than its once* ftanding ftili, 
 or once Retrograde Motion. Laftly, let it *Jofli x. 
 be confidered, that our Adverfaries think I2 ?*3- 
 Chriftian Inltruction neceflary, before the g^^* 
 admiflion of the Party to Baptifm, and we io ' ll ' 
 think it neceflary afterward , fuppcflng the 
 
 Party 
 
XXX An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 Party liveth to years of difcretion ; and if 
 not, we have more reafon to rely on an ex- 
 traordinary adt of Mercy, that have given 
 the Sign, and all the Party is at prefent ca- 
 pable of, (and being alfo what the Party was 
 commanded to fubmit to, under a previous 
 difpenfation , and which was never prohi- 
 bited ; and alfo fuch an one as was Typical 
 of the Difpenfation we are under,) than 
 they have to depend on a miraculous pro- 
 portion of Mercy, who will not ufe what 
 the Child is capable of, nor give it that Sign 
 to which the Benefits of the Covenant are an- 
 An Apo- n€xec l> anc * without which they are not to be 
 ftrophe to enjoyed. Alas ! poor helplefs Children,that 
 unbapti^ their Parents mould be fo unmerciful., as not 
 edchiU to allow them as much Pity, as God vouch- 
 dren. f 2 f e th Mercy \ and refufe that Sign of the 
 Covenant, God hath appointed as the only 
 conveyance of the Advantages thereof; and 
 deny them thofe means God hath inftkuted, 
 as the Title to make over the Bleflings of 
 Heaven, and convey that Happinefs that is 
 only to be enjoyed in the Manfions of Glory 
 above. A great parr, if not moft, of this, 
 hath been urged in a Conference for the^ila- 
 blifhing this conflderable, becaufe comfor- 
 table, Truth , the necefTity of Baptizing In- 
 fants; which if it had been weighed, and the 
 force of its Reafon examined, (as the im- 
 portance of the matter required,) there had 
 been no caufe for that which I have been 
 more than once told of, I mean unreafonable, 
 
 be- 
 
jin Account of the Conference, &c. XXXI 
 
 becaufe undecent finging Io Potans^ and mak- 
 ing boafling Triumphs 'bef ore the Victory, 
 by Men that had rather ferve aFa&ion, and 
 an Intereft , than promote that Religion 
 that is tru, becaufe rational, and love their 
 Reputation more than their Confcience , 
 and value their Credit and Honour more 
 than the Truth in Sincerity \ or to ufe an 
 Holy Scripture Phrafe, (and an Expreffion 
 by them much delighted in, and as much 
 abufed, and wrefted to the deceiving the 
 unthinking manyj The Truth as it u in Jefas. 
 This I read, and asked what he had to fay : 
 He gave me no other Anfwer than this, 
 that he thought I was a Man underflood my 
 Principles. I thanked him for his Candor*, 
 and told him I was not fit to be a Public 
 Inflructor if 1 did not : And then I added I 
 would make fome Enlargements to the Pa- 
 per I (hewed him, and would print it if he 
 would give me a Civil and Rational Anfwer. 
 
 To which he returned, I might do as I 
 pleafed *, but he would have nothing to do 
 with me in Print, becaufe fas he faid) I 
 underflood my Principles ; which was an 
 Intimation he would have nothing to do 
 with any in Print, but fuch as he thought 
 he could confute. 
 
 But to do Juflice *, When I read the 
 Paper, I told him of the Boaftings 1 heard 
 he made of the Victory he had obtained. He 
 allured me he had not faid any fuch thing *, 
 but pretended a refpeft for me : Yet I have 
 
 Kafon 
 
XXXII An Account of the Conference > &c 
 
 reafon to fufpect he might under- hand en* 
 courage fuch Reports (for I am inclined to 
 believe he is not a Man of that Perfection, 
 but he may be tempted to , and without 
 breach of Charity, I may fuppofe him fome- 
 times to entertain with a fort of Pleafure 
 fome little Titrations of the Animal 
 Life , to ufe the Platonic Phrafe , which 
 the belt Men may be too propenf to) 
 if what I have heard be true ; for i was told 
 by a Neighbour- Minifter , that one in his 
 Parifh who was an Antiptdobaytift) told him 
 he had an excellent Gift of Praying : And he 
 hoped to have an excellent Gift of Preaching. 
 Whereupon he asked, if he had heard 
 of me , and the Conference I had with 
 * their great Man, and reputed Bifhop. He 
 anfwered, yes,, and faid 1 was a Man of 
 great Noife, but little Senf: I am content 
 for once that pert Fellow (hould make a Tri- 
 al of Skill on me , and employ his little 
 Learning and Art about me \ and if he can 
 prove his Charge, 1 will be fatisfied patient- 
 ly to bear the reproachful Accufation. He 
 added, Their Goliah, their great Champion 
 had fo baffled me, that i had not the Courage 
 to appear before him. But I will entertain 
 fiich candid Thoughts of Mr. M. C. as to 
 believe he will not give fo mean a Character 
 of me as this Thrafonic Fellow hath. How- 
 ever I was a little after at a Market-Town, 
 where I heard he was-, and when 1 found 
 him, 1 told him I would give him any thing 
 
 the 
 
An Account of the Conference, &c. XXXIII 
 
 the jHoufe afforded, (for I had a Mind to 
 acquaint him what his wife Admirer faid of 
 him and me) if he' would be fo kind as to 
 allow me a little Difccurf with him} but 
 he anfwered he could not then fpare time. 
 Thus I have given as tru and fair an Account 
 as pofllbly 1 could of the Conference, as 
 my Memory would ferve to relate of what 
 was done fome Years ago. if any ask why 
 I did not publifn it fooner \ the Reafon is, 
 becaufe I was willing to preach it to my 
 People before I published it. 
 
 And that I did not, nor could do it till 
 this Summer , there were fome Reafons I 
 think not neceflary to publifn. I find a 
 Poet tells of an Author who was fo exact in 
 the compofing a piece of Work, that he 
 was nine Years before he publiihed it. 
 
 — Nonnrnqne frematur in Annum. Horat. 
 
 I muft confefs I was not fo exact as to 
 fpend half the time in thecompofure of this 
 Treatife,tho' it hath not appeared till now. I 
 have endeavoured to treat ray Adverfary with 
 Refpedt j for I had much rather perfuade 
 and convince the Judgment by Arguments of 
 Reafon, than exafperate an angry Humour, 
 orraifea Paflion by a petulant Exprefiion. 
 If any of the Adverf Party (hall judge them- 
 felves obliged, in vindication of a weak and 
 almofl baffled Caufe , to make a Return : 
 If they will do it candidly and ingenuoufly, 
 like Scholars or Gentlemen , they (hall be 
 
 encer- 
 
XXXIV An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 entertained with the fame Civility in my 
 Reply. But if they (hail anfwer with Noife 
 and Nonfenfe, impertinently, or in a Bur- 
 lefque way, I acquaint them I affett not 
 Domitiaris Employment *, and time doth not 
 fo hang on my Hands, that I have any to 
 expend in catching Flies \ and I had rather 
 bear with their buzzing, than be fo diverted 
 from Bufinefs. And truly I was willing to 
 treat my Adverfaries kindly , and manage 
 this Controverfie with Plainnefs for the 
 Vide Mr. R ea fons the learned Mr. Walker gives , to 
 
 Yxcelknt whom 1 refer m ? R^rs. 
 
 Preface to And as I have not committed any voluntary 
 his mo- Error in this Relation \ ib I have taken 
 d*fi Plea Care in the Book it felf to write with fo 
 for infant- mucn Plainnefs, that if perchance I have ufed 
 a pijfn. a diffi cu it Term, I have adjoined a Synony- 
 mous Word to explain my meaning. And 
 becaufe fome of my People have defired I 
 would print all I preached on the Subject of 
 Infant Baptifm, 1 will here tranfcribe one or 
 two Papers which I ufed before I came to my 
 main Argument } and then with this Pre- 
 face, and what is in the Book, I (hall have 
 delivered what not only my felf, but others 
 of far greater Judgment (if they do not flat- 
 ter me) think necelfary to be faid on the 
 Subject , according to the Method I have 
 handled it in, and the Topicks I have pro- 
 ved it by. What I faid next, was, when 
 I had occaflon to preach on that former 
 Ttxt, and quoted i Cor. VII. 14. I thus de- 
 livered 
 
An Account of the Conference^ &c. XXXV 
 
 livered my felf : Give me leave now to fay 
 fomething in defence of Infant- Baptifm ; be* 
 ing willing to feize on any Opportunity that 
 inviteth me to fpeak thereof. For being 
 there is a Sect of Men called Antipadobaptifts^ 
 that have fct up a Meeting in this Parilh 
 to feduce Men from the Ancient Truth, I 
 think it my Duty (outofkindnefs to your 
 Souls Heakh)to preferveyouin the true and 
 Catholic, becaufe Chriftian Doclrin of Bap- 
 tizing Infants, that you may, by defending 
 your Orthodox Principle of the Church of 
 England^ be able to Anfwer fome of their 
 weak (though they imagine them flrong) 
 Arguments. 
 
 If then that be true, which I do not in the 
 leaft doubt, (having no reafon for it,) that 
 the Learned Rabbins among the Jews acquaint 
 us with,(who bell underftood their Ufages,) 
 That one Reafon of Circumciflon, was to 
 teach the derivation of God's Covenant to 
 the Seed of the Faithful. This place of 
 St. Part's will hint us a feemingly unanfwe- 
 rable Argument for Infant- Baptifm, which 
 with an allowable confidence, and without 
 too much conceitednefs of my felf, (for I 
 have laboured to mortifie fuch Inclinations,) 
 I may challenge the moft Learned Antiy&do- 
 baptifi in this Country, or pofllbly rn the 
 Kingdom, to give any tolerable Anfwer to, 
 or to offer any Senfof this Text, different 
 Ifrom what I (hall now deliver, as its true 
 meaning, provided it be according to the 
 
 Tcfti 
 
XXXVI An Account of the Conference&c. 
 
 Teftimonyof Holy Writ, the Connexion of 
 Sacred Scripture, the Analogy of found Faith, 
 and the clear Dictates of right Reafon. I 
 call this Ipottrine an Ancient Pra&ife, be- 
 caufe I do hot in any meafure Queftion, but 
 it was ufed in that Age of Chriftianity next 
 x to the Holy Apoftles, which is as foon as we 
 
 could expeft it to be ufed } becaufe in the 
 Holy Apoftle's time, there was no one Na- 
 tion brought over to the Chriftian Faith ; 
 but becaufe of the fwift propagation of the 
 Chriftian Dodtrin, we may reafonably fup- 
 pofe there was fuch a Converfion by the end 
 of the firft Century, or Hundred years after 
 Viri Apo tne ^°*y Apoftles death \ and the Fathers 
 s ftolici. of that Century were called Apoftolic Men ; 
 and if you will not allow fuch a Tradition 
 tdbe Apoftolic, I know not what Tradition 
 can claim thatAncient and Honourable Name. 
 And now 1 will give you the plain Senf of 
 that place of St. Paul's above-mentioned, 
 fuch as may confirm what 1 have before offe- 
 red, as its meaning, in a Conference on this 
 Subject : For the unbelieving Husband is fan Shi- 
 fted by the Wife \ and the unbelieving Wife is 
 fantttped by the Husband j ;. e. the Paganifh 
 Husband is fan&ified by the Wife that is a 
 Chriftian, I mean her Fcederal or Covenant 
 Holinefs is imputed to the Husband, that the 
 Children begotten and born after fuch a Mar- 
 riage, may be Holy, or Partakers of a Fce- 
 deral or Covenant Holinefs : For a Perfonai 
 Holinefs cannot be conveyed, (as fome Men 
 
 of 
 
An Account of the Conference, &cXXXVlt 
 
 of ill Principles, particularly the Amino- 
 tnians think, for they believ thePerfonal Ho- 
 Hnefs of God and Chrift may be tranfmitted, 
 and therefore they declare a Man may be 
 Godded with God,and Chrifted with Chrift.) 
 And fo the Paganilh Wife is fan&ified by the 
 believing Husband. That no other fenf can 
 be the proper meaning of this Text, I ap- 
 peal so the Context, which is the belt way 
 to have a right underftanding of Holy Scri- 
 pture, (or any other Book or Author,) as 
 will appear by two verfes preceding, // any 
 Brother hath a Wife that believeth not^ and fhe 
 be p leafed to dwelt with him, let him not put her 
 away ; and the Woman which hath an Husband 
 that believeth not, if he be flea fed to dwell with 
 her, let her not leave him. And then the Holy 
 Apoftle, as an encouragement for Co-habit 
 (tat ion, and a Reafonwhy the Husband (houid* 
 not Divorce the Wife, or the Wife forfake 
 the Husband, adds the following Words, for 
 the unbelieving Husband is fanBified by the Wife, 
 and the unbelieving Wife is fanEiifedby the Hus- 
 band; which being fo great a Priviledg 
 fhould be a Motive to dwell together, and 
 not by reparation to forfeit fo confiderahle 
 an Advantage \ and when there is fo plain 
 Senf in Holy Scripture for the Baptizing 
 Infants, it is unreafonable in the Amip&do- 
 baptifts to demand a polkiv Precept of Holy 
 Scripture in exprefs Words ; and therefore 
 having fo much Reafon on our fide, grounded 
 on the plain fenf of Holy Scripture, Why 
 c may 1 
 
XXXVIII An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 may not we, with as much Reafbn retort on 
 them, and demand a pofitiv Prohibition in 
 exprefs terms ? And ask, whether they can 
 ifcew any Text in the whole Sacred Book of 
 God, that faith, Infants fhall not be Bap- 
 tized? Having therefore fo much Reafon 
 for our Principles, we may rationally pre- 
 fume we have the Holy Scriptures, feeing 
 they never contradict Reafon, though they 
 may in fome things tranfcend Reafon j but I 
 fhall need fay no more from this Text, ha- 
 ving fpoken fo fully to it in the Book, to 
 which I referr my Readers, 
 
 An obj. * know k ut one Objection, I fhall need to 
 take notice of here (ieeing I have anfwered 
 fo many in the Book, and in particular This, 
 and therefore fhall be the fhorter in the Ac- 
 count 1 now give* and what I fay, /hall not 
 be the fame with that in the Book,) and this 
 I am the more willing to, becaufe I know 
 fome of the Amipddobaptlfts think it may 
 have fome force in it, againft our Principle, 
 though few of them know how to manage 
 ic ; and I confefs it hath been ftarted to me 
 by one that knew not how to ufe it ; and this 
 they think che ftronger, becaufe drawn from 
 cor acknowledged' Principles •, I mean from 
 one of our authorized Books *, aud fo they 
 take it to be like the Logicians Argument urn 
 ad Homineht, as flrong as a Dilemma, and fo 
 hope to gore us with our own Horns, and 
 expect wcihould fay as the Apellate Empe- 
 ror 
 
An Account of the Conference^ &c. XXXIX 
 
 ror of the Chriftians in his Age, when he was 
 overcome by the Chriftians, with Argu- Pr ^ 
 ments drawn out of his own Quiver, We pennis 
 are wounded with the Arrows feathered from con figi- 
 our own Shafts. The Objection is drawn from mur. 
 an Anfwer to a Qneftion in our Church Ca- 
 techifm : To that Queftion, What is required 
 ofPerfonsto be Baptized? the Anfwer is, Re- 
 pentance> whereby they for fake Sin ; and Faith , 
 whereby they ftedfafily believe the Promfes of 
 God made to them in that Sacrament, 
 
 To which I Anfwer, the Repentance here 
 fpoken ofcconfifts in forfaking Sin, which is 
 the fame with that Abrenunciation they make 
 at their Baptifrn, by their Coni-promifers 
 and Undertakers ; by whom, and by certain 
 Conditions promifed by their Sponfors and 
 Sureties, they are admitted to an Holy 
 Gofpel-ftate, by tht fame Reafon as a Child 
 may be admitted to a Worldly Inheritance 
 by Guardians, who undertake for certain 
 Conditions the Child muft perform when he 
 arriveth at years of Difcretion , and for 
 Faith that the Child hath in the right of his 
 Parent, becanfe the Parents Faith giveth 
 him a Title to the Covenant, and fo by con- 
 fequence tothe Sign of it, Baptifm , beflde, 
 that Faith may be thus imputed from fome 
 Inftancesin the Holy Gofpei we fee, where 
 we find that Chrift makes the Parents Faith 
 neceiTary to the recovery of the fick Child : 
 Bat there is na neceffity of faying ^ny more 
 c a 10 
 
XL An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 to this, there being a much larger Anfwer 
 in the Book. And now I have but one Ac- 
 count more to give of what I delivered be- 
 fore I come to my main Argument* and 
 that I am willing to tranfcribe, becaufe it 
 will the better prepare the way to thofe 
 Holy Script ure- Proofs I have offered in the 
 Book, for evidencing the neceffity of Infant- 
 Baptifm. Preaching at the Feflival of the 
 Nativity of the Holy Jefus, on that Text, 
 J fat. VI L 14. Therefore the Lord of Hofts 
 Jhall give you a Sign, behold a Virgin jhall con- 
 ceive and bear a Son, and fljalt call his name 
 Immanuel , I had an Occafion to quote 
 St. Matth. XXVIII. 19, 20. Go you therefore, 
 and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the 
 Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy 
 Ghoft ', teaching them to obferv all things 
 whatfoever I have commanded yon : And, Lo, 
 I am with you always^ even to the end of the 
 World. Amen. I thus addrefled my felf 
 to my People i I beg leave to give you the 
 tru Senf of this Text, that you may not be 
 feduced from any important Truth of the 
 Chriftian Religion : And this I am willing 
 to do, becaufe the dmip&dobaptifts do fo 
 much triumph in, and boaft thereof, as if 
 it contained an unanfwerable Argument a- 
 gainfl Infant-Baptifm ', but I will evidently 
 fhew , it ha^th no force for their purpofe. 
 And now I will clearly evince, and make 
 out, That this Text they fo much infill on, 
 hath nothing in it againit our Principles: 
 
 And 
 
An Account of the Conference^ &C. XLI 
 
 And this I will do by fhewing what the Co- 
 herence of this Text (they think fo much 
 for them) is , and the Defign of Chrift's 
 Commiflion to his BlefTed Difciples in thefe 
 ' Words, which is the only proper way of 
 coming to the knowledge of their truSenf, 
 whereby you may underftand this place 
 doth not in the leaft countenance their er- 
 roneous Principle. Their Argument is % 
 becaufe it is faid in the Commiflion, Teach 
 before they Baptize : Now how could Men 
 underftand a Religion , that coujd not 
 be known bat by Revelation, before they 
 had a knowledge of the Revelation ? That 
 being the only way of making a difcovery \ 
 and therefore it was necenary the Holy 
 Apoftles Commiflion (hould be fo worded, 
 that they might by their Inftru&ions preach 
 to the Heathen World that Holy Doctrin 
 the BlefTed Jefus came from Heaven to 
 reveal \ and which could not be known but 
 by fuch a Publication : For it is impoflible 
 that Men could be made Partakers of the 
 fign of the Covenant, till they owned, and 
 were admitted into the Covenant. For as 
 the Covenant fuppofeth fome Promife on 
 God's part, fo it engages to fome Service on 
 ours^ and we have no Reafon to expect 
 the Priviledg, if we will not undergo the 
 Service. So that with relation to the Con- 
 text , and; the Defign of the Commiflion, 
 Cwhich as 1 haveinfinuated, is the only way 
 of comjng to the knowledge of their cru 
 c 3 meaning) 
 
XLH An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 meaning) the Senf is.' plainly this: All 
 Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth, 
 Go you therefore, and teach all Nations, Bap- 
 tizing them -, t. fc feeing fo great Power 
 is delivered to me by the Father, I impart 
 to you fo much of that Power ss is fit to be 
 communicated , and as is neceflary for the 
 MefTage I fend you on , and the bufinefs 
 1 have entrufted you with, which is to tra- 
 vel all the World, and inftruct all Nations 
 in the Holy Do&rine I came from the Man- 
 sions of Glory to acquaint you with. Now 
 that this is the tru Senf, appears from the 
 following Words of the next Verie, Teach- 
 ing them to obferv all things whatever I have 
 commanded you -, and then encouraging them 
 wich hopes that Succefs fhculd never be 
 wanting to the diligent performance of their 
 Duty, And, Lo^ 1 am with you always even 
 to the end oj the World. A'pieJtl Now I do 
 not at all queftion, but if the Law had 
 been as exienfive a Difpenfation as the 
 Holy Golfed, Mofes their Legiflator would 
 have given fuch a Commiflion to Twelve 
 Elders of the Twelve Tribes of Jfrael, as 
 our dear Saviour gave his Bleffed Apoftles, 
 andifatd, Go teach all Nations, Circumcifing 
 them: But becaufe the Law was confined to 
 Jndea, and the Jews, Gcd's Axes $&&to& ? 
 ■ his peculiar People -, therefore that could 
 not be done: Hut fuppofing it might have 
 been, 1 fay fuch a Commiflion would have 
 been no Argument againft the Circu red ring 
 
 the 
 
ji* Account af the Conference, &c XLIII 
 
 the Jewifh Children * 7 and by a rational con- 
 fequence, this Commiflion of Chrift to his 
 Blefled Difciples, can be no Argument a- 
 gainft Infant- Baptifm, becaufe it is directed 
 only to thofe that were not in Covenant, 
 and had not the leaft Instruction in that 
 Holy Do&rin that was now revealed. For 
 they that were in Covenant, had a Power of 
 tranfmitting their Title and Ineereft in 
 the Covenant to their Children , and it is 
 not only uncharitable, but irreligious, to 
 believe that becaufe the Holy Gofpel was 
 a more extenfiv Difpenfation than the 
 Law, it was not as merciful an one. For 
 our Adver fanes allow (and from Evidence 
 of Revelation are forced ) Children under 
 the Law were admitted into Covenant 7 and 
 then by Parity of Reafon, why may they 
 not under the Holy Gofpel f 1 am certain 
 St. Paul (who I believe underftood Reli- 
 gion much better than any of them ) faith 
 fb inexprefs Words , for he rnaketh Chil- 
 dren holy as foon as born , tho' but one 
 of the Parents were a Chriftian, as I hope 
 I have made unanfwerably appear from 
 i Cor. Vii. 14. For the unbelieving Husband 
 is fantlified by the Wife, and the unbilieving 
 Wife is fantttfied by the Husbivd , elfe were 
 yonr Children unclean, but now are they holy ^ 
 and if fo, they muft have a Right to the 
 Sign that conveyeth the Privileges' of the 
 Covenant, becaufe they actually have a Right 
 to the Covenant by their Birth. 
 
 c 4 And 
 
XLIV An Account of the Conference , &c. 
 
 Oty. And this may anfwer a feemingly ftrong 
 
 Objection of the Antiptdobaptifts, That it is 
 unreasonable to admit thofe into Covenant that 
 art not capable of underftanding the Terms. 
 
 But not to fay this Objection is a Re- 
 flection on the Righteoufnefs of God's 
 Difpenfations * which I might do, and 
 protfe it. 
 
 Anfm, It is a fufficient Anfwer to this their great 
 
 Objection , That this Method of Difpen- 
 fation is reafonable, becaufe according to 
 the Laws of Heaven and Earth too. For 
 all that understand Snflituted Religion, own 
 God did by Circumcifion admit Children 
 into Covenant under the Law : And St. Paul 
 faith, He that is c'trcumcifed be comet h a Debtor 
 to keep the whole Law j which the Jewifli 
 Children were as uncapable of keeping, as 
 Chriftian Children are of the Holy Gofpel ; 
 and fo the Obje&ion lieth as ftrong againft 
 Circumcifing, as Baptizing Children. And 
 it is reafonable according to the Laws of 
 Men too : For it is well known to ail Law- 
 yers, that it is a common thing to admit a 
 Child to an Eftate by Guardians and Tutors, 
 under feveral Conditions, which the Child 
 cannot undertake the Performance of, till 
 he come to that Age wherein he can exercife 
 JbisReafon; And is it not full as reafonable 
 *o admit Children, on certain Terms, to an 
 IJoly Gofpel Eftate , as to a fecular one, 
 
 on 
 
An Account of the Conference % &c. XLV 
 
 on Conditions they are uncapable of execu- 
 ting. And thus we have the Laws of 
 Heaven, and Men too, againft our Adver- 
 fades : Nay , we have three ftrong Wea- 
 pons to defend the Truth, if we know but 
 how to wield and manage them. 
 
 i. The Holy Scripture, which is the 
 Sword of the Spirit. 
 
 2. Reafon, which I may call the Sword 
 of Nature. 
 
 3. The Law , which I may name the 
 Military Sword. 
 
 And being thus fecured with fpiritual, 
 natural, and material Armour, we may be 
 fo courageous as not to fear the moft vio- 
 lent Attempts that (hall be made againft us \ 
 and may believ according to an Holy Scri- 
 pture Phrafe , very proper to our Cafe i 
 that againft Truth, and us too, while we 
 hold the Truth and ftick to found Principles, 
 no Weapon formed (hall profper, or have 
 its intended effect j and when I had [deli- 
 vered thefe three Accounts from the Pulpit 
 in defence of Infant- Baptifm, I was think- 
 ing that if I could make the Senf of this 
 laft Text, viz.. St. Matth. XXVUI. 1 9. Go 
 teach all Nations , baptizing them : I fay, if i 
 Could prove thofe Words to be not only 
 not for the Antifadobajtifts^w againft them, 
 
 and 
 
XLVI An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 and for us, I did believe I fbould fay all 
 was fufficient to prove its Lawfulnefs from 
 Holy Scripture. And meditating one Mor- 
 ning , I employed my Thoughts to give 
 the Words fuch a Senf, and to juittfie it 
 when 1 had done : And in order thereto I 
 did humbly , and fervently implore the 
 Divine Afliflance, and God (who is never 
 wanting to help them, who with Humility 
 and Faith addrefs themfelves to him ) fug- 
 gefled this Account of the Text to my 
 Mind, that I have offered in the following 
 Papers ^ which when I hnd compofed, I 
 penn'd down , becaufe I was not willing 
 to forget what my Thoughts had delivered 
 as the proper meaning of the Text, accor- 
 ding to my Judgment ; and I made ufe of 
 no Book, but the Greek Teftament, to fa- 
 tisfie my felf in the Account the Original 
 giveth of Jltts ||. 39. which with 1 Cor. 
 Vil. 14. 1 made ufe of, as collateral Proofs, 
 to confirm the Senf given : For I did be- 
 liev the comparing of one Place of Holy 
 Scripture with another, one of the bed ways 
 of coming to its tru Meaning; which when 
 I had drawn out, it made about two Sheets 
 of Paper, which was all at firft I did de- 
 iign to print. 
 
 But the Occasion of enlarging it , was 
 this:. A Neighbour-Clergy-man(with whom 
 1 difcourfed about the Senf given of St. Mat. 
 XXVIII. 19. and the Confirmation 1 brought 
 from thofe two other Places of Holy 
 
 Scripture 
 
jin Account of the Conference, &c. XLVII 
 
 Scripture beforementioned ) acquainted me 
 he had a Book of an ingenious Amipotdo- 
 baptift y that did feem to invalidate any- 
 Proof for Infant- Baptifm from thofe two 
 Texts j which I defired to read , and he 
 lent me, When I came home, I did without 
 prejudice perufe what he had wrote, and at 
 the firft fight I was fomewhat furprizcd ; 
 but on confederation, and retiring into my 
 Mf, I did find his Arguments againfl the 
 Senf I offered, were but weak, as I hope 
 will appear to any impartial Reader by the 
 Anfwer I have given. After I had done this, 
 I refolved to ufe all Means 1 could think 
 of, or remember , to eflablifh the Senf I 
 had given of the Text , and accordingly 
 read over fome ufeful Treatifes upon 
 the Subject} and becaufe as Pliny fome- 
 where faith, An ingenious thing it is to own Ingenuum 
 by whom we have profited, I will give an eft profi- 
 Account to whom I am obliged, and more ten per 
 particularly I ftand engaged to the re- faeris* " 
 verend Dr. Hammond , in his Refolation p/ /wz ^. 
 of Six Queries , one whereof is about 
 Infant- Baptifm*, the other is the Excellent 
 Author of the Cafe of Infant-Baptifm, 
 Which was one of thofe cafes the Reve- 
 rend LordBifhop of London did,cut of a pious 
 and excellent Defign,engage his City Clergy 
 to ftate and refolve for the fatisfa&ion of 
 Diflenters, and to reduce them to theChurch 
 pf Lr aland. 
 
 As 
 
XLVIII An Account of the Conference , &C. 
 
 As for Dr. Hammond , I have ufcd his 
 words in a manner } and for the other, I 
 have in mod, if not in ail places, altered his 
 words, and taken his fenf, that I might adapt 
 it to my own ftyle, that the Work might 
 look the more alike, and feemingly appear 
 all of apiece. Something I have borrowed 
 from Mr. Ellis, in his Book called, Paftor 
 and Clerk? or a Debate (real) concerning In- 
 fant- Baf tijm. 
 
 As to the Authorities I have ufed to con- 
 firm f he fenf delivered, I have not taken 
 things on Truft * but perufed and examined 
 good Editions of the Original Authors, and 
 have been careful neither to mif report their 
 words, nor mifreprefent their fenf, and ha- 
 ving made this Ingenuous Acknowledgment, 
 I cannot be accufed of Plagiarifm } becaufe I 
 give my Authors ail the Reputation they 
 candefire, by owning what I have taken. 
 
 And now, lhope, I may without any con* 
 ceitednefs, fay, 1 ha\\ufed all the proper 
 Methods for reducing tjainfayers into the 
 Paths of Truth and Peace : For befides 
 three Rational Arguments fot 4nfant-Bap- 
 tifm, I have endeavoured to prove it from 
 that place of Holy Scripture the Adver- 
 saries think againft it *, and to engage the 
 belief of the moll averfand pre-poffeiTed, I 
 have offered all the proper methods of Con- 
 viction. 
 
 I 
 
An Account of the Conference, &c. XLIX 
 
 i. I have given a clear Expofition to con- 
 firm the meaning. 
 
 2. I have much enlarged that Expofition. 
 
 3. I have proved the Senf by the Cohe- 
 rence. 
 
 4. I have confirmed the meaning by the 
 Original *, for in fome places of Holy Scri- 
 pture, no Tranflation cometh up exadtly to 
 the Original ; for in every Language there 
 are fome peculiar Idioms that cannot well be 
 tranflated into another Tongue. 
 
 5. I have ftrengthened the Senf by two o- 
 ther places of Holy Scripture •, for the Holy 
 Spirit, by comparing one place with ano- 
 ther, doth befl; interpret his meaning. 
 
 6. I have given fome general Obfervations 
 to eftablifh the Senf of the three Texts de- 
 livered. 
 
 7. I have defended the Expofition given 
 by an Allufion to Jewijh Cuftoms, without 
 which Account it is impoffible to come to an 
 underftanding of fome places of Holy Scri- 
 pture in the New Teftament. 
 
 8. I have confirmed what I have offered, 
 as the fenf of the three places of Holy Scri- 
 pture, 
 
Ah Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 pture, from the Authority of fome of the 
 Ancient Fathers, who living neareft the 
 times of the Holy Apoftles, may reaibnably 
 beprefumed beft to know the fenf of their 
 Writings \ and I could have produced more 
 in defence of Infant-Baptifm \ but I was not 
 willing to fluff my Book with Quotations 
 from the Ancients \ but only thought good to 
 ufe thofe, that might eftablifh the meaning 
 of thefe Texts I quoted. 
 
 p. I have endeavoured to Anfwer three 
 ftrong Objections of the Jntipadobaptifts 
 againif, the fenf delivered. 
 
 Afcer I had done, I (hew'd it to fome of 
 the Clergy in the Country, and I was told 
 by one, it had been done in part this way by 
 others - 7 1 faid poflibly it might fo, but I had 
 never fe$n it in any Book or Author : Ifpeak 
 not this to put any value on, or affume, or 
 take any thing to my felf *, but only to own 
 a Gracious Return to my importunate Pra- 
 yers, while I was employed in the Invefti- 
 gation and Search after Divine Truth, and 
 to implore his Bleffing, that it might have 
 tfyat good effect 1 (incerely defignedin the 
 * . compofure of it. And if it (hall work a 
 *Dominll" Conviction on ar »y that have erred from the 
 non nobis; way of Truth, 1 will fay in the Words of 
 fid Ncmi- the Pvoyal Prophet, Not who us, Lord, 
 ni tuofit riot unto us ; but unto thy Holy Name be the fole 
 Praife, Honour , and Glory given, and tfcribed. 
 
 And 
 
 Nonnobis. 
 
 Gloria. 
 
An Account of the Conference, &c. LI 
 
 And indeed it is almoft morally impoffible 
 for a Wife Man to be Proud, if he duly con- 
 sider what St. Pad faith, Who maketh thee to 
 differ from mother f And what haft thou, that 2. Cor, IV. 
 thou didfi not receive J Now if thou didfi receive 7* 
 it. Why dofi thou Glory, as if thou hadft not re- 
 ceived it ? I have fo far confulted the fatis- 
 faction of the Vulgar Readers, that 1 have 
 placed almoft all ray Quotations in the Mar- 
 gin, (except where I had occafion to give an 
 Account of the Original, as to St. Matth. 
 XXVIII. 19. and Aft. II. 39. which I could 
 not well do •, and if the candid Reader (hall 
 skip thofe two Chapters, and what I could 
 not well put into the Margin, I hope the un- 
 prejudiced Perfon may receive fatisfa&ion 
 from the reft of the Book.) And that the 
 meaneft Capacity may nnderfland the 
 ftrength of my Argument, and the fenf of 
 what I have wrote, where I have ufed any 
 Greeks or Latin, I have fet in the Book, and 
 could not place in the Margin, I have put 
 it between thefe two Marks [ ] and made 
 the Senf entire without the underflanding, 
 or reading, what is fo written. Nay, fome 
 of the Antip&dobaptifts are defirous to adorn 
 their Books with the Authorities of Learned 
 Men, and to make ufe of Tradition, if it be 
 of their fide: In truth it is ufually feen that 
 hardly any oppoie Tradition, but thofe 
 that fuppofe it is not of their fide, or call; 
 off Authority, but fuch as believ it againft 
 them. And I fuppofe for this Reaion, Colonel 
 
 Danvers 
 
LII An Account of the Conference&c: 
 
 Vanvcrs, a great Patron of, and Advocate for 
 their Caufe,and a Principal Head of their Par- 
 ty hath flour ilhed his Book with many Quo- 
 tations of the Authorities of the Ancients ; 
 But I doubt not if his Book be examined, it 
 will appear he hath either mif-quoted hisAu- 
 thors,or mif-reprefented rtieir Senf ; and this 
 Mr Wal- t ^ le learned Mr. Walker hath in part already 
 ker'i Mo- evidenced, in the Poftfcript to his excellent 
 deft Plea Book ; and in particular tells us, that St. Cy- 
 for Infant prjarfs Epiftle to Fidtts, hath not yet been 
 Baptifm. demonftrated to be illegitimate •, and faith 
 
 nenT t ^ iat l ^ s Autnor * even Mr. Dan<vers ^ owns 
 not it is yet made out, no not fo much as by 
 Monfieur .Daille\ who hath given the World 
 the greatefl: difcovery of that kind * and we 
 have good reafon to belie v it to be genuine ; 
 and good ground we have for fuch a Belief 5 
 feeing it is allowed by TwoLearned Doctors 
 of the Church, St,/4#£0/7i#e,and St.Hieromej 
 as My Walker hath evidenced towards the end 
 of his Book by two Quotations from them, 
 to which I referr my Readers. And truly, 
 I have been told by fome of the Learned, 
 that fome worthy Perfons of our excellent 
 Church, have challenged the Ampadobaptifts 
 to Hand to the Tryal of Antiquity, and to 
 appear for their Principles no farther than 
 fuch Authority will allow j but I have heard 
 they have refufed to fubmit to fuch a Tell 5 
 and pretend they will not be convinced 
 by any other Arguments (how ftrong fo- 
 ever they may not only appear, but really 
 
 be) 
 
An Account of the Conference ^ &C. LIU 
 
 be) than the plain Words, or literal Ex- 
 preffions of Holy Scripture, or its direct 
 Senf -j and the making out the Truth, by this 
 way, is the hearty Endeavour, and fincere 
 Defign of this Book 5 and how far it is done 
 according to fuch a Rule, is fubmitted to 
 the Judgment of the candid and judicious 
 Readers. 
 
 And now, on the whole matter, I hope I 
 may venture to fay, if I have given the true 
 fenf of drift's Commiffion to this Blefled 
 Difciples for the Adminiftration of this Holy 
 Sacrament of Baptifm, and confirmed it by 
 proper Proofs i and anfwered the ftrongeft 
 Objections brought by the Adverfaries, a- 
 gainft the fenf delivered, in defence of the 
 Orthodox and Chriftian Dottrin of infant- 
 Baptifm, than he who refills fuch Evidence . 
 renounceth his Belief of the SacredScriptures 5 
 the Revelation of the Holy Will of Heaven, 
 and forfeits hisTitle to the honourable Profe- 
 ffion ofChriftianity.And trulytheLearnedand 
 Judicious Mr. Walker hath given the World 
 fuch a rational Difcourf in defence of this 
 Principle, in his Modcfi Plea for Infant Bap- 
 tifm, and hath proved by fuch ftrong Argu- 
 ments, the Infants Need for it, Benefits by idem Ibi- 
 it, Capablenefs of it, and Right to it, that dem, In 
 whofoever will not believ the comfortable the Title 
 and Chriftian Doftrin of Infant- Baptifm, p ^ e * 
 upon the Teftimony he bringeth for its 
 proof, renounceth his Title to Reafon, and 
 forfeits his right to the Noble Eftate of Hu- 
 rt manityy 
 
An Account of the Conference fee. 
 
 inanity, and with Nebnchadrtezar degenerat* 
 eth into the Nature of a Beaft : Nay, I think 
 I may without too much boldnefs fay, Mr. 
 Walker hath fo undeniably proved their 
 Claim and Title to it, that in a Spiritual and 
 Evangelic Senf, he makes it Sacriledg, and 
 in a Temporal and Legal one, Robbery, to 
 debar them of admiffion to it ; all, or a great 
 part of which hath been made manifeft and 
 apparent, confequentially and implicitly, 
 from the method we have pitched on, and 
 the Arguments we have made ufe of: fo that 
 there is no need of borrowing any thing from 
 him, he having done it in his way fo plainly 
 and fully : But they that would have a more 
 particular Account, than I have thought fit 
 to give, may have plenary and full fatis- 
 faction from his excellent Book before- men- 
 tioned, to which I referr them. I have en- 
 deavoured to anfwer all the Objections that 
 I ever heard of,or read in any of their Books 
 that were ftarted by the Amp&dobaptifts r 
 that were material ; and I know not any I 
 have palled by unanfwered for their difficul- 
 ty, but may have omitted foine that were 
 fo triffling, they either needed not, or de- 
 ferved not any Anfwer. 
 
 As for that Objection of the Annp&dobap- 
 ttfts^ thatour wayisnotBaptifm, or Baptiz- 
 ing ; buc Raniifm, or Rancizing, 
 
 I An- 
 
An Account of the Conference, &c. LV 
 
 I Anfwer, Though our Church alloweth Anfw. 
 dipping in fome cafes and circumftances, as 
 fuppofing the Parents dellre it, and the Par- 
 ty's health is not in the leafl endangered, (and 
 of that there may be much greater hazard 
 in our cold Northern Climate, than in thofe 
 hot Eaftern Countries where Baptifm was 
 firft ufedO and of the Party's health our 
 excellent Church taketh fuch care in her 
 Rubric, that (he Orders, if it be done at all, 
 it (hall be done with great difcretion and See the 
 warinefs, and not without the Sponfors and Utur V 
 Undertakers certifying the Child may with o^Jof 
 fafety endure it} but if the Party's health Public^ 
 may in the leafl: meafure be endangered Baptifm. 
 thereby, there cannot by any means be a ne~ 
 ceffity for it, for this good Reafon, becaufe Hof.vt.6- 
 the God of Heaven will have Mercy , and not s>.Matth." 
 Sacrifice, i.e. The Almighty God and belt of IX. 13. 
 Beings difpenfeth with his own Inftitutions, XII. 7. 
 in fuch cafes as is plain from the Inftance of „ , 3 -4- 
 David eating the Shew-bread, when he was ^i" e 
 well an hungred, and they that were with Levit. 
 him, which was not lawful for him to eat, XXIV. 9. 
 neither for them which were with him, be- 
 caufe it was lawful for none but the Priefl's 
 alone : So that for the Reafon I have offered, 
 the Obje&ion lienh not dire&Iy againft the 
 Church of England , or any that own her 
 Rational, becaufe Scriptural Principles; 
 yet the Judicious Mr. Walker hath made it de- 
 monflrabiy, and therefore unanfwerably, 
 appear from Divines, Grammarians, and 
 d 2 Lexl* 
 
LVI An Account of ifo Conference, &c. 
 vide Mr. Lexicographers, that neither the Primittv 
 wW- X Wor / d b ^^j nor the Derivativ Word 
 (&v Ba7rTi^6), fignifie only to dip ; and that 
 £Jk$ y Bouf\i<r/uxx; doth not always fignifie a total 
 or the Do- Immerfion, and that the Word Ba7r7i£6> 
 d:nne of \ s not yeftrained to a total Immerfion among 
 whilh chri ft ia " s S by the praftife of the Jems : 
 whole Na y> farther he hath clearly evidenced, that 
 Booliwith fprinkling was ufed in the earlieft Centuries, 
 his Mo- or firft Ages of the Primitiv Churcfybefideshe 
 deft Plea ^^ gi ven probable Arguments, to incline, if 
 Baptifm) f I10t en & a & e an y unprejudiced Man's Belief,that 
 is very fprinkling was the Cuftom in the Holy Apo- 
 wellwor- ftolic times, even in thofe early days, when 
 thy any the firft commiflionated Teachers went forth 
 
 Mans pe- j nt0 the f evera l p arts f t h e World to publiftl 
 
 rH * a ' the Sacred Gofpel*, and more than all this he 
 
 s M &* vcs S reat probability of believing , that 
 
 WalkerV our ' ever BlefTed Saviour, the Holy Jeftu, 
 
 BatIkf- w ^n he was Baptized by St. John the Baptift 
 
 fwv ^ in the River Jordan, did not undergo a total 
 
 «&fe#\ Immerfion. 
 
 ddneof°" And this l think is abondantl y Efficient, 
 Baptifms. if not more than enough, to Anfwer, if not 
 Chap. x. for ever filence that Objection \ but they 
 that would have a more ample and larg 
 Account, may receiv a full and clear fatis- 
 fsdtioi) from what that excellent Man hath 
 faid on that Subject, to whom I refer r the 
 Readers. 
 
 I know but one Objection (that is any 
 thing at all confiderable, for 1 would not 
 
 willingly 
 
An Account of the Conference, &c. LVII 
 
 willingly negled any that are worth an- 
 fwering) I hav not mentioned; and that I 
 find flarted by Mr. Walker, in his late ex- 
 cellent Book 1 have fo oft quoted. It may 
 be met with in his Preface ; and becaufe he 
 hath ftated it fo fairly, and anfwered it fo 
 ftrongly , I will give it you in his own 
 Words, becaufe I cannot better exprefs it, 
 either as to Senf, or Words. 
 
 Becaufe there is no one prejudice holds °^ 7 * 
 a flronger pofleffion of our Antiy&dobaptifts, 
 than what fprings from that bright Evi- 
 dence they have of Baptizing Adult Per- 
 fons in all Ages of the Church, and of Per- 
 fons deferring either to be Baptized them- 
 felves, or to Baptize their Infants in feve- 
 ral Ages of it , and thofe efpeciaily that 
 were neareft the Primitiv Times \ and 
 the removal of that Prejudice , and an- 
 fweringthat Objection, may be a fair In- 
 troduction to their depoliting and laying 
 down all the reft. 
 
 Therefore I will endeavour by way of Anfw. 
 Conclufion, and Anfwer, to remove that, 
 and if I can fhew the delays of Baptizings, 
 which the Amip&dobaptifis fo greatly infill 
 on in the ancient times, were on other 
 Grounds from thofe they alledg in the 
 Cafe, and plead for a defence of their er- 
 roneous and miftaken Principles ; then that 
 d 3 Plea 
 
LVIII i An Account of the Conference^ &c. 
 
 Plea of theirs from the Practice of Bapti- 
 zing the Adult in the early Ages of the 
 Church , and deferring the Baptizing In- 
 fants, will neither ferve their Hypothecs, 
 or Principle , nor diflerve ours. The 
 Grounds, as I underftand, on which our 
 Amptdobaptifts refuie Baptizing of their In- 
 fants, and deferr their Baptifm till they 
 come to full Maturity, or Ripenefs of Age, 
 are , becaufe as they fuppofe, there is no 
 Command in Holy Scripture for it , and 
 becaufe there is no Example in Holy Scri- 
 pture of its practice * either of which if 
 there found, our Adverfaries would hold 
 it lawful \ and becaufe they find neither of 
 them, they hold it unlawful. Now if it 
 appear the llnlawfulnefs of Baptizing in- 
 fauts for the want of an Holy Scripture- 
 Command , or Example, was none of the 
 Grounds on which the Ancients did delay 
 their Baptizings. And if it be Jikewife evi- 
 dent, that never any fuch thing was in the 
 Primitiv Times pretended, or pleaded by 
 any Perfons to jaiiifie or excufe that delay , 
 then 1 hope the Cafe will be clear, that 
 their delays of Baptizing, on other Grounds, 
 can afford no Protection to, or Defence for 
 the Hypothecs, or Principle of our Ami- 
 f&dobaftifts^ who deny Baptifm to Infants on 
 the Account of its llnlawfulnefs. That ne- 
 ver any fuch Plea was made by any in the 
 Primitiv Times (even for Five hundred 
 
 years) 
 
An Account of the Conference^ &c. LIX 
 
 years) againft Infants being Baptized, I ra- 
 tionally prefume, becaufe I find none yet 
 produced by any of the moll learned of 
 our Amptdobaptifts , who, I believe, have 
 fearched through all the Writings of the 
 Ancient Fathers, and Eccleiiaftic Hiflo- 
 rians, and ranfacked every Page, and rifled 
 every paflage in them, for fome Patronage 
 to their Hypothecs, or Principle. And as 
 they are quick- lighted enough to have efpi- 
 edit, if there had been Quotation, or Au- 
 thority from them to have produced it in 
 their behalf - ? foon the moft curious and di- 
 ligent Enquiry I have been ever able to 
 make, I profefs I have not been able to find 
 any. 
 
 And then learnedly from Terttillian , 
 St. Gregory Nyffcn , St. Bafil , St. Gregory 
 Naz.ianz.en , and St. Chryfofiome , he gives 
 Eighteen or 'Nineteen lnftances of feveral 
 Cafes for the deferring of Baptifin j and af- 
 terward brings in three or four other Cafes, 
 which are all I think could be reckoned up. 
 Upon which he faith, (that I may draw to a 
 Conclulion) and now fo many Reafons being 
 alledged for the delaying of Baptifm, fo 
 many fhifts ufed for the putting it off in the 
 Primitiv Times , and yet the Lawfuinefs of 
 its being adminiftred to Infants never once 
 quelHoned, the Unlawfulnefs of it never 
 urged, it is a plain Cafe, that thofe Times 
 had no fuch Thoughts of infant- Baptifm, 
 d 4 as 
 
LX An Account of the Conference y &c. 
 
 as the Antif&dobaf rifts in our Days enter- 
 tain : For had they thought Baptizing In- 
 fants unlawful, for want of an Holy Scri- 
 pture Command or Example , when any 
 Perfons had been exhorted to an early Bap- 
 tizing their Children , how eafie an Anfwer 
 had been at hand? The Holy Jefus never 
 commanded fuch a thing as Infant-Baptifm ; 
 the BieiTed Apoftles never pra&ifed fuch 
 a thing as the Baptizing Infants : There 
 is neither Precept, nor Example in Holy 
 Scripture; and therefore it is unlawful, 
 and we dare not do it. 
 
 But in regard there is in all thofe times 
 not the leaft appearance of any fuch Ob- 
 jection, or of any fuch Plea pretended for 
 the delay ; it is evident, they thought there 
 was either Precept, or Example, in Holy 
 Scripture, or both } or elfe that the want 
 of either or both, did not make it unlawful j 
 and fo did not delay it on the Account of the 
 Unlawfulnefs thereof: And fo all our Amu 
 ptdohaptifts boafting of Antiquity for the 
 Baptizing only Adult, Believing Perfons, 
 and againft the Baptizing Believers Infant- 
 Children , affords them little Soaft - 7 
 there is not the leaft ftrength added to 
 their Caufe , nor weaknefs brought on 
 ours. 
 
 I hear- 
 
An Account of the Conferencejkc. LXI 
 
 I heartily wifh thofe ignorant People that 
 are deluded, and cozened with the great 
 Noife and gay Shew of Antiquity, to take 
 notice hereof that they be no longer de- 
 ceived, and impofed. 
 
 And now this grand prejudice is (as I 
 hope) fully removed, and all Objections 
 I can imagine any way confiderable , have 
 been endeavoured to be rationally and clear- 
 ly anfwered in the following Book, I (hall 
 now heartily defire my Readers to join 
 with me in the pious and devout Suffrage of 
 our excellent Liturgy in the Office of the 
 Litany. 
 
 That it may f leafs thee to bring into the 
 way of Truth all fitch as have erred 1 and arc 
 deceived. 
 
 We befeech thee to hear us, Good Lord. 
 
 And now as I begun this large Preface 
 with fome of the Senf of a Learned Bi- 
 fhop of our Church, in fome of his Prefaces 
 to his Books \ fo I will conclude this large 
 Account, not only with fome of the Senf, 
 but in the Words of the fame Reverend Bi- 
 fhop, I mean the Lord-Biihop of Ely. In 
 (hort then, to tout up all j if it had not been 
 to fill up fome vacant Pages (and to be juft 
 to the performance of the Promife 1 made in 
 
 the 
 
LXH An Account of the Conference, &c. 
 
 theTitle-Page,of giving a Relation (fo fai 
 as my Memory would ferve) of a Conferenc 
 publicly held with an Antip&dobaptift of n> 
 fmall Fame) I had made almoft as fhort 
 Preface, as thofe Words of the Son of Sy 
 rach (according to which 1 exped the Succef 
 of my Labour) Ecclnf.XXl. 15. If a tfetfiA 
 Mad hear a wife Word, he will commend it, ant 
 add to it: But as foon as one of no Vnder- 
 flanding heareth it, it difpleafeth him, and h 
 cafteth it behind his Back? 
 
 Examine all things, and judge righteouj 
 Judgment. 
 
 July, 26. 
 1 dp 2. 
 
TABLE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAR I. 
 
 A .AT Introduction unto the Suhjeft 
 difcourfed upon. Pag. i 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Some Rational Arguments offered for In- 
 fant-Baptifm. z 
 
 CHAP, 
 
The Contents. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The tru Senfof the Holy JefusV Co\ 
 miffwn unto his Bleffed Difciples^ j 
 the Administration of Baptifm i 
 corded, St.Mztth XXVIII. 19. mc 
 tthjor the Baptizing of Infants. 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 An Expofition, whereby the Senf dd 
 veredof St. Matth. XXVIII. 19. 
 farther cleared. i 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 The Expojition for clearing the Se 
 of St. Matth. XXVIII. 19. farth 
 enlarged. 2 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 The Senf of St. Matth. XXVIII. 1 
 proved by the Coherance and Co 
 nexion of the Words. 3 
 
 cha: 
 
The Contents. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 be Senf of St. Matth. XXVIII. 19. 
 farther evidenced from the Origi- 
 nal. 40 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 he Senf of St. Matth. XXVIII. 19. 
 confirmed by an Expojition of AcSts II. 
 39. in general. 48 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 farther Confirmation by a particular 
 Exposition of A&s II. 39. 5*3 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 he Senf of St. Matth. XXVIII. 19. 
 flrengthened by an Expojition of 
 1 Cor. VII. 14. 57 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 ome General Obfervations upon the 
 Senf and Expofitions given. 61 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 ]jf defence of the Expofitions delivered 
 from Jewifh Cufloms* 68 
 
 H CHAP, 
 
The Contents. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Authorities of the Ancient Fathers u 
 eflablijh the Sen f of the Three Text: 
 of Holy Scripture* 7 2 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 The \uft Complaint of the Jews // thh 
 Doftrin be not tru. y6 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 An Anfwer unto an Ohjeftion that would 
 overthrow the Senf given of St. Mat- 
 thew XXVIII. 19. 79 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 An Anfwer unto an Objection that would 
 undermine the Senf offered for A&s 
 II. ?9- • 91 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 An Anfwer unto an Objection that lvoula 
 overturn the Senf delivered of i Cor 
 VII. 14. 115 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 An Account whence Infant-Baptijm re- 
 
 fults. 137 
 
 CHAP. 
 
The Contents. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 An Appeal unto the Reafon of Man- 
 kind. 140 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 the Condujion. 14% 
 
 A Prayer ufed at the end of theje Di- 
 courfes, by way of Humble and Im- 
 portunate Addrefs unto the God of 
 Truth, fit ting upon his Throne of Grace 
 (his Mercy-Seat], the [true Schei- 
 nah, or] Symbol of his Divine Pre- 
 fence) to implore the Defcent of the 
 Heavenly Bleffwg upon this charitable 
 and well-intendedDefign. 1 4 y 
 
 CHAP. 
 
CO 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 An Introduction to the Subjeft dif- 
 courfsd upon. 
 
 SEeing fome Men of ill Principles, and 
 Separatifts from our excellent Church, 
 have, with an evil defign, fet up a 
 Meeting in this Parifh , as we may 
 reafonably conje&ure, without breach of 
 Charity ; Lthink ^ my moft indifpenfible 
 Duty*) coWirm and fettle you in thole ne- 
 ceffary and fundamental Truths our Church 
 holds by the clear Teftimony of Holy Scrip- 
 ture, and the evident Diftates of Reafon, 
 that you may not be (educed into dange- 
 rous Errors by weak or cunning Men, that 
 lie in wait to deceive. I have formerly 
 made appear, I hope, to the fatisfadion of 
 unprejudiced, becau(e dif interefted Perfons, 
 that the Place of Holy Scripture, the Ene- 
 mies of Infant-Baptifm fo much infill up- 
 on, and boaftof; vitt. §x..Matth.KW\\\. 19. 
 Co teach all Nations , baptizing them , is no 
 more again ft the Comfortable and Chriftian 
 Doctrine of Infant-Baptifm, than Gen. I. 1. 
 In the beginning God created the Heaven, and 
 the Earth. And now I will endeavour to 
 B prove, 
 
CO 
 
 prove, That that Place of Holy Scripture, 
 if rightly underftood, is not only not againft 
 us, but for us, and againft them: And this 
 I will attempt to evince and make appear 
 by the Evidence of Reafon, and the Tefti- 
 mony of Divine Revelation. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Some Rational Arguments for Infant- 
 Baptifm. 
 
 THE Argument I offer, in fhort, is 
 plainly this, whi^h I wilTreduce into 
 the form of a plain and prop» Syflbgifm ; 
 That Principle which hinders the Propaga- 
 tion of Chriftian Religion, can be no Chri- 
 ftian Dottrine : But the denying Baptifm 
 to Infants, hinders the Progrefs of the Chri- 
 ftian Religion ; Therefore fuch a Principle 
 can be no Chriftian Do&rine. The Major ^ 
 all Chriftians, even our Adverfaries, allow, 
 but the making out the Minor is the Diffi- 
 culty ; for which I offer this Proof. That 
 Principle which makes the Covenant of 
 Grace lefs beneficial and extenfive, than the 
 Covenant of Works, hinders the Propaga- 
 tion of Chriftian Religion ; But the former 
 Principle does fb ; Therefore fuch a Princ^ 
 pie hinders the Progrefs of Chriftianity. 
 The Major is undoubtedly fo, and I will 
 
 endea- 
 
CO 
 
 endeavour to make the Minor to be fuch by 
 this One Argument : That Principle which 
 allows not as great Immunities, Benefits and 
 Privileges to the Covenant of Grace, as to 
 the Covenant of Works, makes the Cove- 
 nant of Grace lefs Beneficial and Extenflve 
 than the Covenant of Works: But the Prin- 
 ciple that denies Baptifm to Infants does fb; 
 Therefore it makes the Covenant of Grace 
 lefs Beneficial and Extenfive than the Cove- 
 nant of Works. And the Judicious Mr. Cat- S ja U iderti 
 vin, in his Inftitutes, feems to fpeak the &tt& evidentip- 
 fence with this laft Argument ; for after hefimum eft, 
 had faid, " It is moft clear, that God entred quodfemet 
 " once into Covenant with Abraham, \\q tells c ^f^' 
 tc us, That that Covenant had a refpeft and Jf™^ f~ m 
 <c regard to Chriftian, as well as Jewifli Peo- dwpercuf- 
 u pie ; unlefs peradventure we mould fup-fit,non mi- 
 " pofe,that Chrift by his Advent,or Coming, "f h ° die 
 " had diminifh'd,or curtaii'd the Grace of his ^gf* 
 "Father, which would be execrable ^^auimolim 
 " phemy to imagine. 'judaico 
 
 ■populo: a- 
 deoque verbum iftud non ■minus Chriftianos refpicere , quam 
 Judaos turn re/piciebat. Nifi forte arbitramur , Cbriftum fuo 
 adventu Patris gratiam imminuijfe aut decurtajfe , quod fine 
 execrabili blafphemia non vacat. Galv. Infticur, lib. 4. cap. 1 6. 
 Par. 6. 
 
 b % c a A P. 
 
(4) 
 
 CHAR III. 
 
 The true Sence of the Holy Jefuss Com- 
 mlffion unto hu Bleffed Dlfctples for 
 the Admtn'tfiratton of Baptifm. 
 St. Matth. xxviij, 19. makes for the 
 Baptizing of Infants. 
 
 AN D now I will endeavour to confirm 
 thefe Arguments by the Authority of 
 Holy Scripture ; and prove, in particular, 
 That that Text of St. Matth. xxviij. 19. 
 muft have fuch a fence, as to evidence, That 
 the Covenant of Grace ( or elfe it would 
 not be fuch a Covenant , and fo forfeit its 
 Title ) is full as (or rather more) beneficial 
 and extenfive than the Covenant of Works; 
 and confequently, that the Baptizing Infants 
 is a Chriftian, as well as a Comfortable Do- 
 ctrine, which is the Truth to be proved ; 
 and then it will plainly appear^ this Text, 
 our Adverfaries fo much Glory in, and 
 Vaunt of, is on our fide. For if there had 
 been as General a Commiffion given by 
 Mofes to Twelve Elders of Ifrael, as the 
 Blefled Jefus gave to his Difciples , and it 
 had been (aid to them, Go teach all Nations, 
 circumcifing them, this had been no Prohibi- 
 tion to the Circumcifing the Jewifli Chil- 
 dren , becaufe there was a Pofitive Com- 
 mand 
 
( 5 ) 
 mand given them by Divine Revelation , 
 and no After-Commiflion eould difcharge 
 from Obedience to fuch a Command ; And 
 where the fame Reafon holds for the fame 
 Obfervation, under a different Difpenfation, 
 there is no neceffity for the Publication of a 
 New Command to enjoyn its Obfervance. 
 Now there never was, fince the Creation 
 of the World, but two Inftituted Religions 
 that had Truth on their fide, the Jewifh, 
 and the Chriftian. And the Biefllngs that 
 were conferred by either of thefe Religions, 
 and the Duties and Services required to 
 enfure and confign the Biefllngs from the 
 Party that was to beftow them, to the Par- 
 ties that were to enjoy thera, were tran£ 
 a&ed, tranfmitted and conveyed in a Cove- 
 nanting way. Now the Evangelic Dif- 
 penfation being in a Covenanting way as 
 well as the Legal one ; thofe that had a 
 right to the Covenant under the Holy Go- 
 fpel, had a right to the Sign, Seal, or Sacra- 
 ment of the Covenant, as well as thofe un- 
 der the Law. Hereupon that Children 
 under the Holy Gofpel had a right to the 
 Covenant, is not very difficult to prove 
 from St. Mark x. 14. Suffer little Children to 
 come unto me, and forbid them not, for of fuch 
 is the Kingdom of God \ i. e. the Kingdom of 
 Grace : For in that fence is that Phrafe of 
 the Kingdom of God, in feveral places of Holy 
 Writ, to be underftood ; and it plainly fig- 
 nifies,that his Holy Gofpel-Difpenfation(by 
 
 B 3 which 
 
CO 
 
 which the Kingdom of God is meant) was 
 as ex ten five and mercifull as the Legal Dif- 
 pcniation, and of which they were capa- 
 ble of being Members ; and having the Be- 
 nefits and Bleflings therein communicated, 
 configned to them ; which is true not only 
 in refped of their Innocency and Meek- 
 nefs; (for by reafon of their Infantile State, 
 they were not capable of actual and volun- 
 tary Sins, and fo might, in fome fence, be fit 
 for his Kingdom of Glory ; ) but becaufe 
 alio they were to be allowed an admifHon 
 into his Covenant, by virtue of an Imputa- 
 tion of their Parents Faith, as the Jewifli 
 Children were upon that account capable 
 of being Members of the Covenant, and of 
 receiving the Sign thereof, Circumcifion. So 
 that by this Argument, which I doubt not 
 is (urEciently founded upon this place of 
 Holy Scripture, whereby Chriftian Children 
 have as true a right to Baptifm under the 
 Holy Gofpel, as the Jewifli Children had 
 to Circumcifion under the Law ; It may 
 appear there is no neceifity for an exprefs 
 ifituiim Place of Holy Scripture, (in fo many 
 verbis. * vvords) for the Baptizing Children , when 
 the reafon of the thing is founded in 
 Circumcifion , for which there was a Po- 
 fitive Command. Now our Blefled Sa- 
 viour fubfiituted Baptifm in the room of 
 Circumcifion, for thefe two Reafons, as 
 may probably be conjectured. 
 
 (i) Be- 
 
(7) 
 
 (i.) Becaufe he was the Author of a 
 more Mercifull Difpenfation ; and that 
 That might not be laid of the Chriftian Pa- 
 rents, which Zipporah faid to Mofes, Exod. 
 iv. 25. Surely a bloody Husband art thou to 
 me. 
 
 (2.) Becaufe he was the Author of a 
 more extenfive Difpenfation ; and therefore 
 he appointed a Sacrament, or Seal of his 
 Covenant, that Females, as well as Males, 
 might undergo : Whereas under the Legal 
 Difpenfation, Females were not capable of 
 the Sign of the Covenant ; and becaufe it 
 was a more narrow Difpenfation, and like- 
 wife, for St. Paul's reafon, the Man being 
 the Head of the Woman, {he was included 
 in, or comprehended under the Man, 
 which there was no need fhe fhould be 
 under the Evangelic Difpenfation, that 
 admitting a Sign, or Seal of the Covenant, 
 fhe was as capable of as the Man Thus, 
 as t)ur BlefTed Saviour took his Holy Sup- 
 per from the Poftcomium, or After-fupper, 
 after the Paffover, ( which as I have found 
 in fome Authors was only a Sallad of En- 
 dive, Lettuce, and Succory,) fo he took 
 Baptifm as the Sacrament of Initiating, or 
 Entring Difciples into his Evangelick Dif- 
 penfation, ( being well known among the 
 Jews, becaufe it was the Ceremony for ad- 
 mitting Profelytes into their Church ; ) 
 That by taking both Sacraments from 
 known ufages among the Jews, he might 
 B 4 the 
 
(8 ) 
 the moreeafily and powerfully redijce,and 
 bring over his own beloved Cpuntry-men, 
 the Jeivj, to his Holy Gofpel ; and this be- 
 ing a more gentle way of Entrance into 
 his Church, might have a better Influence, 
 and be more probably fuccefsfull to the 
 gaining the Gentile World to his New Di£ 
 penfation, and to be profeflbrs of his Sacred 
 Inftitutions, and obedient Subjects to his 
 excellent Laws. And this did more fuitably 
 anfwer his Advent, or Coming into the 
 World, who came to be an Univerfal Savi- 
 our for all Mankind. For Mofes was but a 
 Legiflator to the Ifraelhes, and Jojhita a Sa- 
 viour to the Jews only ; and yet on tha,t 
 account called Jefw, becaufe he delivered 
 that People from their Enemies, and entred 
 them into Canaan : But he that was to be 
 an Univerfal Redeemer, and fo the true Je- 
 fus in the moft extenfjve fjgniftcation of the 
 word, thought fit to appoint fuch a Sacra- 
 ment of Admiffion into his Kingdom, as 
 might work upon, and prevail with the 
 whole World , even all Mankind 
 
 Now from what hath been laid (and 
 from a cuflom among the Jews concerning 
 Profeytes of Juftice, which all lqarned Men 
 know to be fo, and Men of Senfe among the 
 Antifadobaftifis acknowledge, that after fuch 
 a Profeiy te wasBaptiz'd and Circumcis*d,and 
 had thereby a Right to eat of the Paflbver, 
 his Child born after fuch an Ad million into 
 the Covenant, had a Right to Circijmcifipn 
 
 at 
 
CO 
 
 at Eight days old, as well as a natural-born 
 Jew,) it may appear, that denying Bap- 
 tifm to Infants now, is an Hindrance to the 
 Propagation of the Holy Gofpel both as to 
 Jews and Pagans. As to the Jew, becaufe 
 he might lay to an Amipadobappfi, offering 
 Arguments to perfwade him to become a 
 Chrifiian, He would not be of his Religion ; 
 becaufe, after he was in Covenant, and had 
 received the Sign of the Covenant, his Child 
 was not in Covenant, and ib had no Right 
 to the Sign, which he had in his Way by 
 virtue of his Faith , and (o confequently 
 the Benefit and Privilege lefs in ours, than 
 in his Way. And fo the Pagan might fay 
 to an Antipadobaptifi , perfwading him to 
 embrace Chriftianity ; I will rather be a 
 Jew, than a Chrifiian, becaufe as fbon as I 
 own and profefs their Faith, my Child, af- 
 ter fuch a Declaration , is in Covenant as 
 well as my felf, and hath a Right to the Sign, 
 So that, by this account, it plainly appears, 
 that the denying Infants Baptifm, is an Hin- 
 drance to the Progrefs of the Holy Goipel 
 from Evidence of Reafon. From whence it 
 may feem rationally to follow, That he 
 who holds any Principle that derogates 
 from, and diminishes the Honour of Chri- 
 ftianity, and impedes the Propagation of 
 the Religion of our dear Redeemer, hath no 
 true and proper Right to the Honourable 
 Name and Title of a Chriftian , which is 
 .the, natural and pernicious confluence of 
 
 Antiyaihh 
 
Cio) 
 
 'Antipadobafufik Tenets. So that how 
 General foever the Commiffion the Holy 
 Jefus gave to his Blefied Difciples for con- 
 verting the Heathen Nations, was, the fence 
 muft be plainly this ; (which,if I can fecure 
 by two other Texts of Holy Scripture, con- 
 firm by Allufion to Jewifli Cuftoms, and by 
 the Coherence, eftablifh by the Authority 
 of the Ancient, Primitive Fathers, and an- 
 swer the ftrongeft Obje&ions of our Adver- 
 faries, I fhall fay all that can be thought 
 neceflary by Men of Reafon in defence of 
 Infant- Baptifm, ) Go teach all Nations, Bap- 
 tizing them ; /. e. When you have fuffici- 
 ently inftru&ed the Pagan World in, and 
 convinced them of the Excellency of my 
 Holy Gofpel, and thereby perfwaded them 
 to embrace my Divine Religion, my Spiri- 
 tual Worfhip ; and then, after a publick 
 Profeflion, they have declared themfelves 
 my Difciples and Followers, afcertain them, 
 that they are admitted into my Covenant 
 of Grace, and receive them into, and give 
 them a poiTeifion of my Covenant by the 
 Sign and Seal of Baptifm ; and then afliire 
 them, that their Children fhall have the 
 fame Right to my Covenant that the natu- 
 ral-born Children of Jews have, and the 
 Children of the Proiely tes of Righteoufnefs 
 or Juftice had after their Parents were con- 
 verted to the Je Aifh Religion. The Natu- 
 ralifts have learn'd, by diligent enquiry, 
 That if a Pearl have a foulnefs, and hap- 
 pen 
 
( « ) 
 
 pen to fall into the Womb of a Dove, and i Pet.ij.2. 
 continue fome rime there, the Dove will ff**!*" 
 return it fair and clear: So Do&rines fhould Q^is. 
 be proved in the Womb of the Holy Spirit, Vid. Mr. 
 the true Holy Scripture- Dove, which Womb Carpen- 
 is the fmcere Word of Truth, (the *ri *A>~ /«•* Ana- 
 xov yLh&,) and if the Doctrine be true Pearl, ^j and 
 the Holy Spirit will fpeedily deliver it for waiht^and 
 fuch, and cleanfe it from any Foulnefs or (hrunk in 
 Impurity it hath contracted in this naughty the wafh- 
 World. This Interpretation is fuitable to in j£> P* 1 5> 
 the Nature of Baptifrn , becaufe it was ap- 
 pointed for all that need it ; and all fhould 
 have Baptifrn, that ftand in need of Bap- 
 tifmal-Grace ; and all ftand in need of Bap- 
 tifmal-Grace, that would be clean fed from 
 Original Pollution ; and all ftand in need 
 of being cleanfed from Original Defilement, 
 that are Polluted therewith. It is a true Kque ccr- 
 Maxim, That Matters are alike fure, and tafunt,ae 
 clear, which are alTuredly and evidently ev ™ ent ** 
 drawn from Holy Writ, as the Matters ^rVlitetk 
 which are read there in their own proper evidemer, 
 terms and phrafes. Or the fame Obferva : *c certe 
 tion may be thus worded : Confequenc^s deducu^ir 
 are as true as the Principles they are drawn l™'*^ 1 ** 
 from, if truly and properly deduced : The J^/"*. 1 ^ 
 ground of this is as certain as Truth it felf. prefse, & 
 From Truth proceeds nothing , but what p c »7w^» i*% 
 is fo, if drawn by a right Confequence. adverbum. 
 And another Ground may be, becaufe the J^J '|£ 
 Confequenxe fo drawn is, in a manner, as henm. 
 true as the Principle \ and Truth fo drawn, Exvmm$ 
 
 is niji varum. 
 
C n) 
 
 Principia is the fame with that from whence the De- 
 fidei, vel du&ion fprings and rifes. Upon this account 
 aua ex its we obferve, That the Dodtrines of Faith, 
 tmfuntin anc * w ^ at * s deducible therefrom, is contain- 
 Scrittura. e d in Holy Writ. And again, Every Do- 
 Omm di- ftrine that is the Difcovery and Birth of 
 vinaHeve- Heaven 5 is eirher exprefly, or by a needfull 
 lath eft m and unavoidable Conciufion, in Holy Writ: 
 vdTrelte, And on ^ IS accoun t we declare, That he 
 vel fer ne- who believes a Truth, believes all the De- 
 ceffariam, du&ions that can properly be drawn there- 
 
 (3 inevi- from. 
 tabilem 
 
 confequen- — , __ 
 
 tiam, 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 An Expofition of £/.Matth. xxviij. 19. 
 Whereby the Sence delivered is further 
 
 cleared. 
 
 IF Chriftian Children, from the Sence I 
 have delivered of this Text , be not as 
 capable of Baptifm, as the Jewifh Children 
 of Circumcifion ; Upon what account ari- 
 fes the Diftin&ion ? Not from the Nature 
 of Abrahams Covenant, for that, as to the 
 material part, was the fame with ours made 
 over to us by the Holy Jefus ; Nor from 
 the manner of Conveyance, for Circumci- 
 fion did fignifie the fame thing under the 
 former Difpenfation , as Baptifm under the 
 latter : And hereupon, feeing thp two Co* 
 
 venant$ 
 
vcnants were, for the Nature of them, alike, 
 and only a diftinftion in the manner of 
 Conveyance , why fhould any barr lie a- 
 gainft the Admiflion of Children now, more 
 than formerly ? Is Baptifm an higher fpiri- 
 tualized Rite, than Circumcifion ? That is 
 not poffible, becaufe Circumcifion is an 
 Evangelic Inftitution ; I mean an Inftitution 
 of that Doctrine which was to Abraham 
 delivered of old. And if the Spirituality of 
 outward Ordinances is to be drawn from 
 the defign of their Appointment, then Cir- 
 cumcifion was as much fpiritualized as Bap- 
 tifm, becaufe it truly fcals the fame Cove- 
 nant, and allures the fame Grace, and was 
 a Rite of Admiflion for the fame fpiritual 
 ftock of the Father of the FaithfulJ, as Bap- 
 tifm is among us. Hereupon,if Circumcifion 
 as a Sacrament was the fame formerly that 
 Baptifm is now , it muft be confequent, 
 That Infants now are as capable of the 
 One (provided there is no Precept [de novo] 
 (or a new) to exclude them) as formerly 
 they were of the Other. If it were not 
 abfurd that Children then were allowed to 
 be Members of the Church, why fhould it 
 be fo under the Holy Gofpel ? If the Al- 
 mighty allowed them under the former Dif- 
 penfation to be imbodied into the Church, 
 ( without a Precept to forbid them,) there 
 is reafon they fhould be allowed the fame 
 favour now : Nay, if Children were made 
 Members of the Church when the Admif- 
 
 fion 
 
Cm) 
 
 iion was more harfh , how irrational is it 
 not to allow them an Entrance now, when 
 the way of Admiffion is more fuitable to 
 the Tendernefs of an Infant ? Surely, if 
 Jewifh Children were Circumcifed by blood 
 made with hands, Chriftian Children (with- 
 out a Prohibition of Holy Scripture) fhould 
 be allowed the Spiritual Oreumcifion, which 
 is Baptifm. Whom the Lord hath admit- 
 ted an Heir to the Glory above, and given 
 an Intereft in his Church below, no Man 
 fliQuld dare to hinder bis Title that feals 
 the Inheritance, and offers the Privilege. 
 But yet fo impertinent and cenfbrious have 
 ftd. Cafe fome Antipadobaftifts been, as to fay, Chil- 
 t>f infant- dren are as unfit for Baptifm as the OfF- 
 Baptifm, fp r j n g f B rU tes ; and that it is as nugacious 
 and trifling to Invocate our Heavenly Fa- 
 ther for the Defcent of his Divine Spirit, as 
 to befeech him to enlighten a Stock , or a 
 Stone. So that upon this Hypothecs , or 
 Suppofition,That Children afe not fit to be 
 Baptized , the Antipxdobapifts generally af- 
 firm 9 That admitting Children to it is a 
 reproach to the Sacrament, a very Nothing, 
 an uncommanded Duty, and thereupon^ 
 in contempt, term it Baby-Bapifm, as I have 
 heard, fbme of them phrafe it ; ( though, in 
 truth, the frrongeft Arguments I have heard 
 from them, or met with in their Bocks, 
 may~ more properly be called, a Baby, than 
 a Manly Defence of their miftaken Princi- 
 ples j) Not remembrin& at the fame time, 
 
 that 
 
G*0 
 
 that Circumcifmg Children was no Re- 
 proach to the Sacrament of Admiffion into 
 the Jewifh Church, but had a proper fence 
 and fignification ; lb that the dntijtado-, 
 bapifts might as well fay there was Baby- 
 Circumcifion, and Baty-Bapifm, under the 
 Mo fak Difpenfation , both being ufed to 
 Children among that People. 
 
 Obj. The main Argument they offer a- 
 gainft it is drawn from Childrens unfitnefs 
 for fbme Purpofes of that Ordinance, which 
 can be performed by none, but fuch as are 
 Adult, who have the ufe of Reafbn to know 
 the terms of the Covenant they are admit- 
 ted to, and to exercife the Graces proper 
 for that Ordinance, and to confirm thole 
 Graces by fuch an Exercife ; but Children 
 cannot undertake thefe things , and there- 
 fore mould not be allowed the ufe of that 
 Ordinance, whofe defign is io much difap- 
 pointed in the Application thereof 
 
 Anfw. But this Argument, or Objedion, 
 how pleafing loever at firft fight, is not 
 good. 
 
 (i J Becaufe it is deceitfull in its Confe- 
 quence , and therefore the Conclufion will 
 not hold. 
 
 O) Becaufe it is a refle&ion upon fbme 
 of the former Difpenfations of the Wifeft 
 Being. 
 
 (i.) Becaufe it is deceitfull in its Confe- 
 
 quence , and therefore the Conclufion will 
 
 ej not hold $ and that for a Reafon 1 find ur- 
 
 t ged 
 
C iO 
 
 ged by a Learned Man in his Excellent 
 Tradr, called The Cafe of Infant-Baft'tfm ; 
 which is fo ftrong, that if well undefftood, 
 would fully anfwer, if not for ever filence 
 this Objection. His Reafbn is this : Becaufe 
 this way of arguing takes away the diffe- 
 rence between a ftrid Inftitution , which is 
 appointed to anfwer one or more Purpofes, 
 and particularly for perfbns of one kind ; 
 and an Inftitution of Latitude, which is ap- 
 pointed for feveral Purpofes, and for diffe- 
 rent kinds of Perfbns differently qualified for 
 thofe feveral Purpofes. Of the firft kind 
 was the Inftitution of Fringes, which could 
 only be worn properly by thofe that were 
 Adult, becaufe they alone were fit to per- 
 form the defign of their appointment, viz* 
 To look upon them, and remember the 
 Commandments of the Lord : And thefe 
 you may fuppofe were thofe Phylafteries 
 the Pbarifees did wear ; and becaufe they 
 were Oftentatious Men , affe&ed to make 
 them broader than others ; which Hypo- 
 crifie and Diffimulation our BlefTed Saviour, 
 the Holy, Jefus, did feverely reprove in 
 them, and tartly upbraid them for and with. 
 And of the other kind is the Sacred Infti- 
 tution of Matrimony, which was Inftituted 
 by Heaven for feveral Purpofes , and for 
 thofe that are differently qualified and fit- 
 ted for thofe feveral Purpofes , inafmuch as 
 Perfbns that are not fit for fome Purpofes * 
 may yet lawfully enter into that State of 
 
 Life, 
 
C*7) 
 
 Life, becaufe they are fitted for other ends 
 thereof. All the Purpofes for which it was 
 Inftituted, cannot be performed, but by 
 fuch as are paft the Age allowed by all for 
 the begetting Infants ; yet fuch as have 
 out-grown thofe years, are not wholly un- 
 fit for that State ; Nor is their Matrimony 
 of no force, or an Impeachment of the Sa- 
 cred Inftitution of Matrimony, becaufe they 
 are only fitted for one Purpofe, for which 
 Matrimony was Inftituted \ and that is the 
 laft End for which our Excellent Church 
 tells us Marriage was Ordained, m. th© 
 mutual fociety, help and comfort the one 
 ought to have of the other in profperity and 
 adverfity. This one Inftance declares how 
 deceitfull our Adverfaries Argument is a- 
 gainft the admitting Children to Baptifm , 
 becaufe of their unfitnefs for fome Purpofes 
 for which it was Inftituted, they fhould firft 
 offer a Proof for what they would have al- 
 lowed ; but have no reafon to expett, t>/s. 
 That it was a Sacred Appointment of the 
 former kind , which I term a ftri& Inftitu- 
 tion, and then their way of arguing would 
 hold: But this I am well fatisfied they can 
 never do, becaufe that Ordinance came in 
 the place of Circumcifion, which was a Sa- 
 cred Appointment of the fecond kind ; and 
 becaufe the Blefied Jefus underwent Bap- 
 tifm , in whom there was more unfitnefs 
 than there could be in Children. The Bap- 
 tip, in truth, ufed the Baptifm of Repen- 
 
 C tance, 
 
C 18 ) 
 
 tance, and thereupon aflured the World 
 of the Pardon of Sins ; and on that ac- 
 count , knowing our dear Saviour ftood 
 in no neceflity thereof, was not willing 
 to admit him to it. St. -Matth. iij. 14. 
 But John forbad him, faying, I have need to 
 be baptized of thee, and comeft thou to mel 
 But our BlefTed Saviour returned fuch an 
 Anfwer as fatisfied him, in the next Verfe ; 
 Suffer it to be fo new : for thus it becometh m 
 to fulfill all Righteeufnefi : i. e. It is juft and 
 equitable that I ( who being now Thirty- 
 years old, and fo qualified by Mofes's Law 
 to Preach , fhould enter upon my Public 
 Minifterial Office, and being I intend Bap- 
 tifm as the Sacrament to admit Members 
 to my Church) fnould undergo that Ordi- 
 nance my felf, being the Head of my 
 Church , which may be a good Reafon 
 why our mercifull Redeemer would not be 
 Baptized before, and may fatisfie fuch of 
 the Antifadobaf tifts (for fome of them have 
 urged it to me) as would from thence draw 
 an Argument againft Infant-Baptifm ; and 
 befides, [it is like the Logicians Argumentum 
 ad hominem^] it is againft themfelves ; for it 
 is well known, that fometimes they Baptize 
 perfons before that Age. And this Account 
 plainly fignifies. That the Ordinance of Ad- 
 miflion into the Chrifrian Church, is a Sa- 
 cred Appointment of Latitude ; and that in 
 fuch Appointments, the unfitnefs of the Par- 
 ty, as to fome Purpofes, doth not unfit him 
 
 for 
 
C 19 ) 
 
 for the Ordinance, when he is qualified 
 for others. 
 
 j 2.) Becaufe it is a refie&ion upon fbme 
 of the former Difpenfations of the Wifeft 
 Being : For it was the Appointment of Hea- 
 ven that Infants fhould undergo Circum- 
 cifion, though all the Purpofes of that Or- 
 dinance could not be performed but by fuch 
 as were grown to years of difcretion, who 
 were only fit to know the Meaning of the 
 Appointment , and the Obligation of the 
 Covenant they were admitted unto. So 
 that this Argument is as much againft Cir- 
 cumcifing, as Baptizing Children ; becaufe 
 Circumcifing them was appointed for the 
 fame Purpoies,as that ufed in our Church : 
 And hereupon, when Men were by that 
 Sacrament received into the Church, they 
 were to believe in God, and repent of any 
 breach of his Laws, and openly to difbwn 
 any Idolatrous Belief, or Pra&ice, and even 
 ro forfake their Idolatrous Relatives and 
 Acquaintance ; and yet, on the Requelt of 
 thofe Profelytes, their Children were Bap- 
 tized and Circumcifed, and thereby admit- 
 ted into their Church, though they were 
 wholly ignorant of thofe duties their Parents' 
 undertook the performance of. Hereupon 
 fuch who oppofe Baptizing Children, be- 
 caufe it agrees not to all the Ufes of that Or- 
 dinance, vilifie the Wifdom of God, and 
 undervalue the Wifdom of the Eccleiiaftic 
 Governors among the Jews , not weighing 
 C 1 with 
 
with themfelves, that Circumcifing Chil- 
 dren then, and Baptizing them now, is an 
 Appointment of great Latitude, -intended 
 by Heaven for Infants, in whom there is a 
 a fitnefs for fome ; nay, the principal ufes 
 of that Ordinance, as well as for grown 
 Perfbns, to whom all are 
 Hem prcecipuam in Baptif- fit. They neither regard, 
 
 mo nan attendant, vi K . tefti- nor con fJder the chief thing 
 
 ficationem divm<e benevoien- • t>„^-/v ju<± two.; 
 
 tU infedus y &tutelamfuam f Baptifm, J**, the Teftl- 
 
 fujeipentis, & gratiam con- ncation, or Witnefs, of the 
 
 ferentis,&c.Nam in Baptifeno Divine Benevolence, taking 
 
 frarfpua res eft divina Gra- them into his Covenant , 
 
 ^IZZf/lZZTonfTd' Protea:ion and Patronage, 
 %7oZ^7Jrl%TaT^Tl and conferring and beftow- 
 tem<e> cujm fane grati* in- ing Grace upon thesa : For 
 fames (3 indigenes, (3 ca- in Baptifm, the chief thing 
 paces funt. Cafland. de Bapt. \ s tnc Divine Grace, which 
 Infant - confifts and ftands in the 
 
 Remiflion,Pardon,and For- 
 givenefs of Sins ; in Regeneration, or the 
 New-birth ; in Adoption, or Son (hip; and 
 in a Right and Title to the Inheritance of 
 Eternal Life ; of which Grace Infants ftand 
 in need , and are as capable as the Adult, 
 and full-grown Perfbns, as the Judicious 
 Cajfander obferves in his Excellent Treatife 
 of the Baptising of Infants. Children are 
 fitted for all the Purpofes of Baptifm, as it 
 is appointed by Heaven for a Sign to us to 
 convey unto us the Advantages of the New 
 Covenant. For their Infancy is no barr, 
 but they may be accounted Parts of the 
 
 Church, 
 
Church, as well as Members of any different 
 Company, or Society, of congregated Per- 
 sons ; Nor does it any more hinder them 
 from being the adopted Sons and Daughters 
 of Heaven, than it denies them a Right to 
 any Earthly PofTeffion ; nor of being the 
 Inheritors of Everlafting Happinefs by force 
 of fuch Adoption, than by force of any o- 
 ther Civil Adoption, the Inheritors of an 
 Earthly Eftate. For Infants are fitted for 
 all Teftimonies of Honour and Favour from 
 God and Men, and of having a Title to the 
 Benefits of any Company, though they are 
 not able to difcharge the Services thereof, 
 nor know the leaft matter of them. Since 
 therefore Infants are as fit to receive, and 
 do as greatly want almoft all the Advanta- 
 ges of the New Covenant, and the Immu- 
 nities of Church-fociety as grown perfbns ; 
 Is it not as reafonab'e that the Seal, which 
 confirms thofe Advantages and Immunities, 
 fhould be given to one, as well as the other? 
 If a Monarch adopts the meaneft Man's In- 
 fant, and Embody him into his own Fami- 
 ly, and make over to him fome of his Re- 
 venue and Empire ; and to eftablifh and 
 ilrengthen to him this, fhould, in allufion to 
 Circumcifion, take away a piece of his flefli \ 
 or in refemblance to Baptifm, fhould order 
 him by Water to be purified and cleanled ; 
 who would reckon this a Ceremony of no 
 fignification, or declare the Infant not fit 
 for the Sign, when he was fit for the Prin- 
 C j cipal 
 
( *1 ) 
 
 ci pal matters, of which the Rite was a fig- 
 nification ? Or to give you another Simili- 
 tude, that may more properly fuit our pre- 
 fer! t Cafe : Imagine a King fhould order an 
 Attainted Traytor's Infant to be brought 
 before him , and before many people ga- 
 thered for that intent, fnould thus deliver 
 hilBielf : Ton under ft and the Blood of this In- 
 fant is Attainted by his Parent \Crime ; the Ti- 
 tle to his Father s Honour and Po/Jejftons is con- 
 fife ate d by L.-np, and he is wholly ruined ', though 
 he under ft and not his mferable Eft ate, My Pity 
 for him is great, and here I give htm a Title to 
 his Blood and forfeited Eft ale ; and for the fu- 
 ture he fliall have as proper a Right as if his 
 Anceftcr had not been Attainted : I heartily 
 pardon him, and hereby publijh, that I take him 
 into my Favour ; and that no ftain may be im- 
 puted to him,- I do in the prejence of you, called 
 together, fprinkle him -with clean Water, tofliew 
 that he is purged from all Guilt upon his ovjn, 
 or his Father s account. Now imagine this 
 tranfacled for an attainted Infant ; Will any 
 declare, that what is done fignifieth nothing, 
 and is of no force, becaufe the Infant un- 
 derftands it not? or that he was not fit for 
 the Sign, when he was fit to be cleanfed 
 from the Guilt tranfmitted to him by his 
 Parent, and had his Eftate re-convey'd to 
 him, which was the Principal matter there- 
 by fignified ? What I have now offered, 
 ought to be ferioufly weighed by thofe that 
 are Adverfaries to the Baptizing cf Children, 
 
 to 
 
C>3 D 
 
 to whom I might propofe the Precedents 
 of Gircumcifion and Baptifin ufcd among 
 the Jews, both which (as I {hall (he w here- 
 after) were ufed for Children, as well as for 
 the full-grown under Mofeis Law : And 
 hereupon, though the Father of the Faith- 
 full did believe, and openly own that his 
 Belief before Circumcifion ; yet I prefume 
 the Antifadobaptifts will not acknowledge, 
 That the Wiieft Being did imprudently in 
 laying Circumcifioa upon Ifaac t before he 
 knew the Intent of the Ordinance, or could 
 Actuate Faith, or make declaration o\ it. 
 He was by Sacrament admitted to the Co- 
 venant, before he knew the terms thereof ; 
 yet I hope the Antifadobaptifts will not de- 
 clare hisCircumciiion to no purpofe, though 
 he was as unfit to underftand why he was 
 Circumcifed then, as Children are, in our 
 days, why they are Baptized now. 
 
 Obj. If any of the Adverfaries to this 
 Principle fhall fay, All that I have offered 
 doth not amount to a Command for Bapti- 
 zing Children, or in exprefs words 
 
 4nfw. To which I will give a (hort (yet 
 I hope full) Anfwer : There is no need (af- 
 ter! what hath been already fetid to prove it) 
 there fhould be a Command, or Example, 
 to approve the Ufage of admitting Children 
 to Church-memberfhip in the New Tefta- 
 ment ; but it is enough to make it practica- 
 ble under the New Difpenfation, that it is 
 not any-where in Holy Scripture prohibited. 
 C 4 ' Nay, 
 
Cm) 
 
 Nay, as I may poflibly take occafion to (hew 
 hereafter, there is greater ground to believe, 
 that Chriftians ought to have had a direct 
 Precept to let alone the Cuftom of admit- 
 ting Children into the Church ; Becaufe it 
 was exprefly enjoyned by God in the Cir- 
 cumcifing Children, and had his Approba- 
 tion in the Baptizing Children ( which the 
 Jews fuper-added unto their Circumcifing 
 Children) under Mofes's Law: Precepts 
 are ordinarily delivered, when a New Cu- 
 ftom is introduced, which was not formerly 
 ufed to be done ; But to vindicate the con- 
 tinuance of a formerly-appointed, or practi- 
 fed Cuftom , it is enough, That the Autho- 
 rity which did appoint and allow it, doth 
 not prohibit or revoke his former Injuncti- 
 ons. And this being the Original Cafe of 
 allowing Children a Right to the Covenant, 
 and by a Sacramental Rite admitting them 
 to the Pofleffion of the Benefits of that Co- 
 venant, the Admiffion of Children into the 
 Church under the New Difpenfation by- 
 Baptizing them, muft by a neceflfary Confe- 
 rence be enjoyned, or approved of. And 
 if the Cafe be thus, as undoubtedly it is, 
 then Fathers, Guardians, and Undertakers 
 for Children, are obliged by indifpenfible 
 Duty to offer them to be Baptized in fub- 
 miffion to the Church's Authority. For 
 the Church is a Company of perfbns in 
 Covenant with Heaven ; and in this Com- 
 pany, as in Humane Societies , there are 
 
 fuch 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 fuch as give forth Rules, and fuch as pra&ife 
 thofe Rules; fuch as enjoy n , and (uch as 
 fubmit : And hereupon , if the Univerfal 
 Church, or any part thereof, enjoy neth her 
 Members, the practice of any Doclrine, not 
 forbidden by an higher Power, which muft 
 be the God of Heaven, they are obliged 
 by the known Rules of all well-governed 
 Societies, and by the Commands of the New 
 Difpenfation ( which hath a refpe& unto 
 Church-Government ) to fubmit to, and 
 pracYife her Precepts, as the Author of the 
 Epiftle to the Hebrews afferts, Chap.xiij. 17. 
 Obey them that have the Rule over yau^ and 
 fubmit your [elves ', for they do watch for your 
 Souls. And for this end it was that we find 
 the Holy Apoftle of the Ge??nles, when he 
 travelled the Grecian Countries, giving un- 
 to the Ghrifiians the Orders which the Holy 
 Apoftles had decreed at Jerujakm to be ob- 
 ferved. But there is no neceffity of fpeaking 
 further to Evidence this Truth , which all 
 Separates from our Excellent Church do 
 allow : For though they difagree amopgft 
 themfelves, as well as diflent from us, as to 
 the fubjecl: of true Ecclefiaftic Jurifdi&ion ; 
 yet they all own there is fuch an Authority ; 
 and that all Precepts enjoyned thereby, if 
 not contrary to the Laws of Heaven, mould 
 be fubmitted unto ; which will force our 
 Adverfaries (from their own acknowledged 
 Concefllons ) to allow the Lawfuinefs of 
 Infant-Baptifm , or recede from, and re- 
 nounce 
 
(zS) 
 
 nounce one of their owned Principles ; nei- 
 ther of which, I fear, they will be willing 
 to do, though, in Reafon, thev ought to do 
 one of them. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 the Expofition for clearing the Sence of 
 St. Matthew xxviij. 19. further En- 
 Urged. 
 
 A ND now I will offer fome further Ac- 
 * ^ count to firengthen the Sence I have 
 
 $! Y ™ J^F oly J<&* Commiffion to 
 his Blefled Difciples in St. Matth. xxviij. 19 
 From the Expofition I have delivered, it is 
 not a proper Queftion for the Antipxdobap- 
 ttfis to ask, Whether the Holy Jefus hath 
 appointed Children to be admitted unto 
 Baptifm; but, Whether they are by him for- 
 bidden, or denied it : Becaufe upon a con- I 
 ^deration, that the Mofaic Difpenfation al- I 
 lowed Children to be not only Circumcifed, I 
 but Baptized, it will neceffarily follow, That 
 a Precept delivered by the BlefTed Jefus to 
 admit Difciples from all Parts of the World, i 
 to his Holy Inftitution, will, without a Pro' I 
 hibition.be interpreted to include Children, 
 to well as the Adult. As for inftance : ; 
 Imagine our dear Redeemer had not altered 
 the Sign, but in the room of Baptifm had de- 
 clared .] 
 
 ;i 
 
C*7) 
 clared to his Followers, Go, teach all Nations, 
 Clrcumcifing them. Now I make appeal ro 
 the Confcience of any confidering Perfon , 
 whether by fuch terms it can be fuppofed 
 the Children of fuch as were Profelyted 
 \ from Heathenifm, could be denied Circum- 
 ciiion ; and then what ground is there from 
 fuch Expreffions, tbat/^r rnertifull Saviour 
 defigned the Children of fuch as were con- 
 verted from pagarrifm, the being Baptized? 
 This is fo reafonable, that it was necsfiary 
 the Commiffion mould be fo exprefied : For 
 who can fuppofe, but that they who were 
 Enemies to the Institution of the Holy Je- 
 j?fs, were to be fir ft inilrucled, and made 
 Difciples before they were admitted to Bap- 
 tifm ? For imagine a Commiffion mould be 
 given ro certain Men , among whom Bap- 
 tifm is cuftomary, Go, and teach the Indians, 
 baptising them. Can any one believe the 
 defign of it was to barr the Children of thofe 
 Indians from being Baptized , when Bapti- 
 zing Children was an ufual Cuftom among 
 thofe to whom the Commiffion was deliver- 
 ed r* So that this being the clear fence of 
 the Commiffion, the Bleffed Jefuf could not 
 well exprefs it in words more plain, and 
 eafie to be understood by his own People, 
 to whom he fpake ; for they muff neceffa- 
 rily apprehend thofe capable of Church- 
 feJlowfhip under the New Covenant, that 
 were allowed it under their own Difpenfa- 
 tion. Common fence would oblige them 
 
 to 
 
C>8) 
 
 to interpret the words according to their 
 known Cuftom. Moreover, with what 
 fence can any perfon fuppofe, that he who 
 drew feveral Appointments from the Jews, 
 fhould leave out this, and in this alone vary 
 from what the Jews pra&ifed, when there 
 was Reafon for the Continuance : Children 
 are as capable of the Seal of Divine Grace, 
 and of the Advantages thereof now, as they 
 were under the former Difpenfation ; There 
 is as much Reafon for the Baptizing them 
 now, as for the Circumcifing and Baptizing 
 them formerly ; Their Admiffion under the 
 Law, and Holy Gofpel, have fomething a- 
 like Reafon in it; and though the Seal be 
 changed, the Covenant continues. In fhort, 
 there was no engagement on our merciful! 
 Redeemer to difufe the Cuftom of Baptizing 
 Children , as being difagreeable to the In- 
 genuous, Catholic and Generous Notion of 
 his Divine Inftitution. And furely thefe 
 things, being duly weighed, there is much 
 greater ground to inferr our Bleffed Savi- 
 our would have forbidden Children being 
 Baptized, had it been hisDefign not to have 
 had them admitted thereunto ; than that 
 he would have enjoyned that Holy Ordi- 
 nance, if it had been his Defign ( as un- 
 doubtedly it was) the Cuftom thereof 
 fhould be ufed, and allowed under his New 
 Difpenfation ; For there was no neceffity to 
 enjoy n his Difciples to obferve what with- 
 out a Command they would pra&ife, unlefs 
 
 he 
 
C*9) 
 he had forbad them ; and that he did not 
 forbid them the ufe of this Holy Ordinance, 
 is plain, in that he did not forbid Children 
 being Baptized : For if he forbad Children 
 that Holy Ordinance, he either did it by a 
 direct Injunction, or by Confequence, by 
 confining the ufe of that Holy Ordinance 
 only to Adult perfons ; That he never did 
 debarr them by a dired Injunction, all 
 Antipadobapifts of fence allow, becaufe we 
 read it not in his Sacred Gofpel. 
 
 Obj. But they fay it was hisPurpofe,tbat 
 thole alone that were Adult were to be ad- 
 mitted thereunto, becaufe antecedent to 
 Baptifm Men were to be inftru&ed to be- 
 lieve, and to repent ; which they feem to 
 prove from this Text of St. Matth.xx\\\].i9. 
 and St. Mark xvj. 15. and Alls ij. $8. Now 
 they alledge thefe are only fuited to thofe 
 that are Adult ; and therefore they only 
 fliould be admitted to Baptifm. Thefe are 
 the Texts by which the Antipadobaptifiji.- 
 would evidence that Chrift did fo far con- 
 fine that Holy Ordinance as to debarr Chil- 
 dren its ufe. 
 
 Anf-w. But I Anfwer, They herein no- 
 torioufly err, for thefe Places do no more 
 evince or prove, that only thofe that are 
 Adults fhould be Baptized, than what 
 St. Paul faith, 2 TbeJJ'.W}. 10. will inferr that 
 the Adult only fhould eat : For even when 
 we were with you, this we commanded you, 
 that if any man would not work, neither fhould 
 
(3°) 
 
 he eat. On which account, in a fallacious 
 manner, this Argument might be drawn ; 
 becaufe St. Vaul faith, Thofe that eat mujt 
 work , but now the Adult only can work ; 
 therefore they only ^//eat, whereby we 
 ihould ftarve Children, and infirm People, 
 that cannot work, and Aged perfons that 
 are pail it. I have given this Example to 
 fignifie how impertinent the Arguments a- 
 gainfr. Baptizing Children are ; and that it 
 can never be evinced, cr made out, from 
 any place of Holy Scripture , that That 
 Ordinance is limited only to the Adult, 
 becaufe fuch only can be inftru&ed , can 
 believe, and can repent. The falfenefs of 
 this way of arguing will appear from an 
 eafie Similitude, ( that, as I remember I 
 have read in the Learned Cajfanders Excel- 
 lent Trad of Infant- Baptifm, ) which the 
 weakeft Man may apprehend. " Imagine 
 " there was a mortal and infe&ious Diftem- 
 " per in a populous City , and Heaven 
 "mould appoint a fett number of perfons 
 " to acquaint them with an Infallible Re- 
 " medy that fhould cure this Diftemper,and 
 " it fhould be declared to them ; Travel to 
 " fuch a City, and afiemble the Inhabitants, 
 "and acquaint them' with the good this 
 "Remedy will do; and afcertain them , 
 " That whofbever hath Faith to receive it 
 " from you, for that purpofe mail recover ; 
 " but he that doubts the truth of what you 
 " lay, (hail periih. Upon this allowance, 
 
 ( which 
 
(30 
 
 which is reafonable to allow) I ask any 
 Anttyadobaftifi if the terms of fuch an Or- 
 der were enough for thofe that had it ; or 
 any elfe to inferr, That it was the Defign 
 of Heaven that they ought to communicate 
 this Remedy only to the Adult, becaufe 
 only fuch could be affembled to know its 
 Worth, have Faith in its Efficacy, or doubt 
 of its Power? Surely fuch a conclufion 
 would not be allowed, becaufe Infants 
 would be as fit to receive the Remedy as 
 the Adult, though they did not at all know 
 the Advantages thereof. Now then, becaufe 
 Infants were fit to receive the Advantage 
 of that Holy Ordinance, and the Difciples 
 to whom the Order was v imparted fo under- 
 itood it, and were not unacquainted with 
 its Wage under the Old Law; how was it 
 poffible to fuppofe, but that it was the Holy 
 Jefm's defign, that Children fhould be ad- 
 mitted to Baptifm as well as thofe that were 
 Adult. That which was really true, is this: 
 Their Order was an Inftruction how they 
 fhould Difciple the Enemies to the BlefTed 
 Jefta, Je7vs and Pagans to his Holy Infti- 
 tution, according to the manner of Publifh- 
 ing a New Difpenfation in Foreign Parts. 
 Hereupon they were Commiffionated to 
 Profelyte grown Perfons by Preaching to r 
 and Baptizing fuch as fhould thereupon be- 
 lieve and repent ; but notwithstanding that 
 according to Order they fhould do fo, as 
 the Jews ufed to do with thofe that they 
 
 Profelyted 
 
C30 
 
 Profelyted to their Religion ; and this was 
 no barr to their admitting the Children of 
 fuch Profelytes according to their known 
 Cuftom. 
 
 Obj. The Antiptedobaptifts lay great 
 weight in one Phrafe, relating to the Com- 
 miflion, as it is expreiled by another Evan- 
 geliit, St. Mark, Chap. xvj. 16. He that be- 
 lieveth, and is baptized, Jhall be faved. 
 
 Anfw. To which I anfwer. Now if they 
 did but ferioufly ponder what follows, they 
 might thereby underftand that Children 
 are not thence to be denied the Right of 
 being Baptized , becaufe it is afterwards de- 
 clared in the fame Verfe ; But he that be- 
 lievetb not, Jhall be damned. So that what 
 takes away the Right of being baptized , 
 takes away the Right of being faved ; and 
 therefore not to be applied to Children , 
 except they will declare with the Petrobru- 
 Vid. Caf- P am * t ^ le Foundation of the Antipadobap- 
 tifiic Sedt; That the fame want of Faith that 
 unfits for being baptized, unfits for being faved. 
 So that it is clear from that place, That the 
 having, or wanting Faith, is to be applied 
 to thofe that are able to undcrftand> and 
 by Faith embrace the glad-tidings of Sal- 
 vation. Thus much I have (aid to make 
 appear how impertinent and unconcluding 
 the Arguments of our Adverfaries from Ho- 
 ly Scripture are, to deny Children a right 
 of being Baptized ; becaule all the places I 
 have mentioned, or they infift upon, do fig- 
 
 nifie 
 
(33) 
 nifie the Duties, Vertues and Graces of thofc 
 that are Adult-, before they are admitted 
 to Baptifm. Having laid ' thus ■ much, for 
 the Neceffity of Baptizing Infants , I need 
 not fay any thing as to the Benefirs there- 
 of, to make appear how ufefull it is : For 
 if it be necefiTary, it will abfolutely, and by 
 unavoidable confequence follow, that it is 
 ufefull. However, tbey thas defire to re- 
 ceive an Account thereof, may be fully and 
 excellently fatisfied from the Learned Au- 
 thor of the Lafe.of Infant- Baptifm, who ac- 
 quaints us with five or fix Benefits; and 
 from the Reverend Bifliop Taylor, who Bp.Xp&r s 
 reckons up eight ErTeds or Bleffings of Bap- *£* °^ 
 tifm in his Grand Exemplar ; and likewife oy ' eJ ~, 
 from the Judicious Mr. fFalker, who gives Mr. WaU 
 an account of ten Advantages thereof;. toner's Mo- 
 whom I referr my Readers. And now ha- deft Plea 
 ving given you the true fence of this Text, g a r ^^ nt * 
 and a large Expofition to confirm ic, let me 
 make this one Observation : Our dear Sa- 
 viour, in the Tranllation of his Church 
 from the Law to the Holy Gofpel, did not 
 annul or revoke the old Cuftom of Bapti- 
 zing Children , but he defigned the Admt- 
 niftration of it as large as under the Law , 
 otherwife he would not have been fo mer* 
 cifull and extenfive a Saviour, as Mofes was 
 a Legiflator ; and fo confequently had not 
 been fo faithfull in his Houfe as Mofs. was, 
 which he certainly was, as the Author to 
 the Hebrews plainly infinuates, Cbap.n). 5,6. 
 If therefore it be fo, (as undoubtedly it is,) 
 D then 
 
( 34 ) 
 then it wilt follow , There is as great an 
 engagement upon Fathers and Tutors (fe- 
 parated from the Church's Authority ) to 
 brjng their Infants to be Baptized, as for 
 thofe that are Adult, and full-grown, to re- 
 queft for it. Now feeing Chrift did not 
 revoke the Old former Cuftom , it is an 
 evident Declaration to the World, That it 
 was his Will it mould remain as it was, 
 and had been formerly uffed ; and that, be- 
 ing Children were .admitted into Covenant, 
 under the Law, by a Sacramental Sign, they 
 fhould be admitted unto Covenant under 
 the Holy Gofpel by a Sacramental Rite like- 
 wile. It was the Cuftom of the Jews before 
 our Blefled Saviour's Advent, or Coming ; 
 and the Cuftom of his Followers within a 
 while after his Uluftrious Afcenfion unto 
 the Manfions of Glory. Arid there being 
 an agreeable Harmony between the former 
 and the latter Cuftom, we may reafonably 
 believe, that what was Antecedent to, and 
 Consequent upon, his Advent, or Coming , 
 was ufed in the Interval ; I mean in the 
 Holy Apoftolic Age, as his fuppofed defign 
 and defire , who never 1 declared or atfted 
 any matter (that can with tolerable Reafon 
 be urged ) againft the Old Ufage of recei- 
 ving Members into Eccleiiaftic Society. So 
 that his and the Holy Gofpers not faying 
 any thing whether Children were Baptized 
 or no, is fo far from being a cogent Proof 
 againft it, that weighing the former Cuftom, 
 it is the ftrongeft Motive to believe it, as the 
 
 rnpft 
 
C 35 J 
 tnoft Excellent Dr. Lighfoot doth irrefraga- Nam cum 
 bly make appear in his Commentaries on p<€ ^ oba P' 
 St. Matthew, Chap. iij. 6. called Her* He %™ r J n 
 braica in Matthaum ; which, became it is fudaica 
 in Latin, and the Account large, I xvittmadmif 
 give you the £lain fence of it in Englijh fionc Pro- 
 " For when Infant-Baptifm, in the Jewifh f?b*°™ 
 " Church , in admitting Profely tes , was ^"^ 
 
 tatus &frequens, ut nihil fere notius, ufitatius, i3 frequentius : 
 
 (i.) Non opus erat ut aliquo pracepto roboraretur [cum Baptifmus 
 
 jam in $acr amentum evader et Evangelicum] nam ChriftusBap- 
 
 tifmum in manus fuai at que in ufum Evangelicum jufcepit, qua- 
 
 icminvenit, hocfolum addito, quod ad digmerem finem atque lar- 
 
 giorem ufum promoyeret. Nov it fat is gens univerfa parvulos foli- 
 
 tos bdpti^ari. Iliud pracepto opus non bkbiiti; quod communi ufu. 
 
 femper invaluerat. Si prodiret jam editlum regale in h<sc verba, 
 
 Hectpilit fe unufquifque die Domini co ad publicum conventum in 
 
 EccUfia infaniret certe ilk,quicunque ohm hinc argueretjion ale- 
 
 brandas effe die Dominicoin publicis conventibus preees^onciones^ 
 
 pfalmodidi, eo quod nulla in EdiHo de its mentio. Nam canit E- 
 
 diBum de celebratione diet ■ Dominica ' inpiibtrcu conventibus in 
 
 genere, de particularibus dutem Divini cuttns fieciebus ibidem ce- 
 
 icbrandis non opus erat, ut ejjl-t mentio, cum ifta ante datum e- 
 
 dutum, & cum dare tur Jumper, & ubique notce efjent, (3 in ufu 
 
 affiduo. ipfijfmo koc-modo res fehabuit cumBaptifmo ; Chriftus 
 
 eum infiituit in'Sdcr amentum Evangelicum quo inprofefjionem 
 
 Evarrgelii cmnes admit teremur ut olim in Pfaftlyhfinum ad Rg- 
 
 ligionem 'Judaic dm. Farticularia eo fpancrantia, modus fcihcet 
 
 bapti\andi,jetdi bapti^andorumJexus-Vapt-i^andusS^c. Regula £? 
 
 Definitions opus non habuerant , eo quod hacc vel lippis, @ tonfo- 
 
 ribus fatts nova erant ex communi ufu. (i ) E contra ergo vlanar 
 
 (3 apertaprohibitione opus erat ut infantes, & par vuli nun bapti- 
 
 ^arcntur, fi cos bapti^andos nollet Servaror. Nuvi cum per omnia 
 
 frtcula precedent i a ujitatiffimum ejfet, ut bapti^.irentur parvuli, 
 
 fi aboleri tftam confuetudinemvellet Chriftus, aferte prohibuiffet . 
 
 Silent ium ergo ejus, (3 Scriptura hac in re P<edobaptiJmum firmat \ 
 
 (3 propagat in omnia fecula. Dr. Light/pot Horae Hebraicae in 
 
 Mattlixum, Cap, iij. ver. 6. 
 
 D 2 " known, 
 
( 50 
 
 " known, ufual and frequent, fo that no- 
 " thing was more known, ufual and fre- 
 " quent, there was no need of a particular 
 " Precept to ftrengthen it ; For Chrift took 
 " and tranflated it into his Holy Gofpel, as 
 " he found it, only with this addition ,That 
 " he employed it to a larger ufe, and ex- 
 " aired it to a more noble End ; For the 
 " whole Nation of the Jews knew very 
 " well that little ones were wpnt to be 
 " Baptized , fo that there was no need of 
 " a Precept to eftablifti that which was 
 " grown into ufe by common Cuftom. If 
 " a Royal Edift (hould be publiihed in 
 " thefe words, Let every one repair on the 
 . " Lord's Day to the Public Ajfemblies "in • the 
 " Church : Certainly that Man would be 
 " diftra&ed thatfhould argue, Prayers were 
 " not to be offered in the Public AfTemblies 
 " on the Lords Day, nor Sermons preach- 
 " ed, nor Pfalms fung, becaufe there was 
 " no mention of them in the Edift , when 
 " antecedent to the publifhing the Edift 
 " thefe things were known to be in com. 
 " mon ufe and cuftom. It is the very fame 
 " thing wirb Baptifm, when Chrift made 
 cc it an Evangelic Sacrament, whereby all 
 a fliould be admitted to the Profeffion and 
 " Privileges of his Holy Gofpel, as formerly 
 " Profelytes, were to the Jewifh Religion. 
 " There was no need of Rule, or defining 
 " the particular manner of Baptizing, as 
 " what Age (hould be Baptized , or what 
 
 " Sex, 
 
(37 
 €C Sex, e^r. becaufe thefe things were by 
 common ufage known to the weakeft un- 
 cc derftand^ng : So that there was a necefli- 
 " ty for all exprefs and open Prohibition 
 " that Infants and little ones fhould not be 
 " Baptized, if our BlefTed Saviour would 
 " not have them Co to be admitted into his 
 " Covenant. If then Chrift would have 
 " had that Cuftom abolifhed , he fhould 
 " have openly prohibited it ; His and the 
 " «Holy Scripture's filence therefore doth 
 <c for ever confirm and maintain the Bap- 
 " tizing of Infants. So that if Baptizing 
 Children be not only needfull, becaufe the 
 Church hath inftituted it; but the Church 
 hath inftituted it, becaufe it is needful], and 
 by all means to be continued 5 then this 
 preceding Needfulnefs is the greater Mo- 
 tive to Fathers and Guardians to bring 
 them thereunto , as correfpondent to the 
 Cuftom of the firft Planters of the BlefTed 
 Gofpel, and the defign and defire of our 
 merciful] Redeemer; becaufe it may rea- 
 fbnably be believed it had their Allowance, 
 or Command, being it was uied in the times 
 immediately fucceeding to the Holy Apo- 
 ftles; and alfo, if it had been difagreeable 
 to the Mind, of Chrift, it is very probable 
 he would have forbid it, or.fbme way or 
 other declared his Averfion, or Diflike. In 
 fhort, ro conclude the Expofition of the 
 Sence I have delivered of this Text: No- 
 thing can more difparage the Wifdom of 
 D % Heaven, 
 
(38) 
 Heaven, and the long-approved Cuftom of 
 ftik Jews, than to affirm Children unfit by 
 Sacramental Seal to be admitted to Cove- 
 nant under the Holy. GofpeLf that were 
 Admitted" under the Law, and which Hea- 
 ven and the Jews allowed them ; For 
 Heaven enjoyncd Circumcifion for Infants, 
 and the Church of the Jews enjoyned 
 them Baptifm as well as full-grown Profe- 
 ly tes ; and under the Law they were al- 
 lowed both. It is highly Dnreafonable then, 
 that under the Holy Gofpel the-y fhould 
 be denied one, or any other Token of Ad- 
 miffion into the Covenant,' as they muft 
 necelfariiy be by Antipadobaptiftk Princi- 
 ples. 
 
 " C H A P. VI. 
 
 the Sence of St. Matthew xxviij. 19. 
 proved by the Coherence and Con- 
 nexion of the Words. 
 
 AND now that I may engage you to 
 tlL believe the Sence I have offered , I 
 cvill prove it by the Connexion of the 
 Words. Whereas the Antipadobaptifis fay, 
 Children are to be Inftrudted before Bapti- 
 2ed, I will endeavour to evince, That the 
 Coherence of tbiaText feems to be of our 
 fide, and that Children are to be baptized 
 before taught. Obj. I 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 Obj. I know the Antipadobaptifts, by the 
 placing of the Words in the Commiflion, 
 would infinuate, that Infants muft be In- 
 ftrudted before Baptized. 
 
 Anfvt. To which I return, That if the 
 placing of the Words be a fufrkient Obje- 
 ction againft our .Practice , we have the 
 fame Argument, byway of Retortion, to 
 urge againft their Cuftorn of Teaching fir ft ; 
 and if they do not like our Argument in 
 that Cafe, we have the fame Reafbn not 
 to like theirs : For we find in St. Mark i. 4. 
 John did baptize in the fplldernejj, and preach 
 the Baptifm of Repentance for the remijfton of 
 Jins. Where we may obferve Baptifm pre- 
 cedes, and Preaching is fubfequent there- 
 upon : The fame we may find in our Text, 
 with refped to the Verfe before ; and that 
 which follows, ver. 18. Andjefm came, and 
 [fake to them, faying, All Power is gi-ven to 
 me in Heaven, and in Earth : i. e Now I am 
 exalted to the right hand of God , I am 
 the great King of all the World, the Su- 
 preme Paftor and Head of my People , the 
 High-Prieft of my Church ; Go you there- 
 fore, and teach all Nations ; or, as St. Mark 
 expreffes the Commiflion, Chap, xv j 15. And 
 hd f aid unto them, Go you into all the World', 
 1. e. Travel into all the World , and from 
 every Nation gather me Sheep into my 
 Fold , make Subjects to my Kingdom, and 
 then by Baptifm receive them as Members 
 of my Church : And this is your Office of 
 D 4 • Difci- 
 
(4°) 
 Difcipling all Nations \ and then the In- 
 ihuclive part follows, ver. 20. Teaching 
 them to obferve all things, whatsoever I have 
 commanded you. 
 
 C HA P.* VII. 
 
 The Sence of St. Matthew xxviij. 19. 
 further evidenced from the Origi- 
 nal. 
 
 IN truth the Term it (elf, if ferioufly con- 
 fidered, will not conclude what they 
 would have it do; for the Word in the 
 Greek hath a peculiar fignification , and is 
 not properly translated , Q^ShtscWs is the 
 Word, i. e.j make Difciples, or receive into 
 Difciplefljip all. Nations, baptising them : And 
 let this Form of Baptizing be the Rite for 
 their Admiilion into my Church ; you may 
 lind the Word fo rendred in another place 
 of the Holy Gofpel, not unlike hereto, 
 St.- John iv. 1. When therefore the Lord knew 
 hew the Fharifees had heard that Jefus made 
 and baptised more Difciples than John ; where 
 to Baptize, , and make Difciples, is the fame 
 thing [with ^^TaWs^'x^on-^,] where 
 the Baptizing being immediately annexed 
 to the making, or receiving Difciples ; and 
 the making Difciples not granting any fore- 
 goipg Teaching, but looking to it as a con- 
 
 fequent 
 
(4i ) 
 fequent Duty, ( in like fort as in the next 
 Verfe, w. 20. AJtiewfe, [Teaching] fubfe- 
 quent to @tf7rn£w1e{, Baptising , which muft 
 iignifie different from what he ufed for Dif- 
 cipling, elfe why mould he not continue 
 the fame word } . ) muft needs inferr rhe no 
 neceflity of Teaching before Baptizing ; fo 
 that all that are thus admitted [dd Difcipu- 
 latum, or] to Difciplefhip to be taught and 
 improved in the Religion of the Holy Jefa, 
 and fuch that.fhall and will be inftrucled 
 for the future, may certainly, by being 
 Baptized, be admitted into the Church, 
 the Rite appointed and inftituted, whereby 
 Difciples may have a Reception and Enter- 
 tainment in his Family the Church. 
 
 Obj. And now give me. leave to offer 
 fomething further to an Objection of the 
 Antipadibaptifis, in reference to the Com- 
 milfion. Their Objection ( as I have already 
 hinted ) is from the Order of Words, be- 
 caufe Teaching is fct before Baptizing ; 
 Therefore none but the full grown can be 
 admitted to Baptifm. 
 
 Anfw. Now all that I fhall fay, or need 
 to fay, in return to the placing of the 
 Words, is this : Teaching, according to the 
 fence we have given, may go before Bapti- 
 zing , as in the Adult ; and Baptizing be- 
 fore Teaching, as in Infants : So that with- 
 * out altering the Order of the Wcrds s there 
 is nothing in the true fence of the Commif- 
 fion that condemns the Baptizing of -Chil- 
 dren ; 
 
dren ; and I may fay of Teaching and Bap- 
 tizing, or Baptizing and Teaching, as it 
 may be faid of Faith and Repentance : Di- 
 vines do generally (ky y Repent a?ice is, the fruit 
 of Faith ; and yet in the Holy Gofpel it is 
 faid, Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel, St.Mark 
 i. 15. And now what I have faid of the 
 Order of Teaching and Baptizing, the fame 
 may be faid of Faith and Repentance; 
 There may be a Faith that may go before 
 Repentance, and a Faith that may follow 
 it ; That which precedes, may be faid to be 
 that Faith that fills the Head, and informs 
 the Judgment ; That Faith which may be 
 faid to be fubfequent ; is the Faith that in- 
 fluences the Heart , and faves the Soul ; 
 The one may be called a found Faith , the 
 other a faving Faith. My meaning, in 
 fhort, is this : f muft firft believethe great 
 Love of Chrift, which is a found Faith, or 
 elfe I cannot fo truly grieve for thofe Sins 
 that pierced the Holy Jefm's fide, and put 
 him to death 3 and fo Faith precedes Re- - 
 pentance : But theft I cannot exercife the 
 other fort or kind of Faith, until! i really 
 deteft, and hate v and fully purpofe to relin- 
 quifii and forfake- thofe Sins that put nay 
 dear Lord and Mafter to fa much fhame 
 and pain ; and $hen I may fafely and com- 
 fortably make an Application of Chrift's 
 Merits to my felf for my Salvation : And 
 this is that which, is properly called a fa- 
 ying Faith ; and this is that which may be 
 
 faid 
 
(43) 
 
 (aid to be confequent upon , and follow 
 true Repentance. And this I do think may 
 fufficiently (atisfie us , that the ordering or 
 placing the words deftroys not, nor eva- 
 luates the fence I have given of. the Com- 
 million. And now feeing the Antipadobap- 
 'tifis are fo peremptory, pofitive and (riff for 
 an exprefs Command out of Holy Scripture 
 for the Baptizing of Infants, ( though there 
 can be no Reafbn given tor fetch a requeft 
 or cjemand ; for what need of direct words, 
 when we have plain fence againft them,) 
 Why may not we with equal Reafon, and 
 with the fame Importunity, return upon 
 them by way of Retortion, and ask where 
 they find any Command for the Baptizing 
 Elder perfbns ? If they fhall reply, that is 
 included in the Commiflion , St. Matthew 
 xxviij, 19. Go, teach all Nations , baptising 
 them, we may with equal ftrength of Ar- 
 gument return upon them again, Children 
 are included as well as the Adult, they be- 
 ing by all Men of Sence acknowledged and 
 owned to be a part of the Nations, to whom 
 the Commiflion is directed ; and whatfo- 
 ever they are upon the account of the 
 fmallncfs of their Number, or weaknefs of 
 the'iF Upderftanding, they are a confidera- 
 ble part of a Nation. 
 
 Obj. But if the Antipadobaptifis fhall ob- 
 ject, that Childrea are in the Commiffion, 
 as foon as capable of Teaching. 
 
 Anfw. I 
 
(44) 
 
 Anfiv. I Anfwer : The Commiffion in- 
 tends thofe fhould be taught that are capa 
 ble , but excludes not thofe from the Sealj 
 of the Covenant, that have a right to thei 
 Covenant , as Children have : Befides, if 
 the placing of the Words be for them in, 
 St. Matthew, the Order of Words is for us] 
 in St. Mark, where we read the Baptifi did 
 Baptize before he Preached. So that the 
 Methodizing the words is neither for, nor 
 againft them or us. So then, feeing Chil- 
 dren are not by any necefTary and rational 
 Confequence (hut out of the Commiffion, 
 let the moft Learned Antipadvbaptift of the 
 whole Chriftian World fhew the leaft paf- 
 fage of Holy Scripture that excludes them; 
 and if they cannot produce any fuch place 
 of Holy Writ, they are bound by the Ob- 
 ligations and Principles of Confcience (un- 
 lefs they will renounce Reafon and Truth 
 too) to confefs the Children of Chriftian 
 Parents, having a right to the Covenant, 
 have as undeniable and unquefrionable a 
 right of being admitted to the Holy Sacra- 
 ment of.Baptifm as the Adult and Full- 
 grown. 
 
 Obj. But if the Antiptfdobaptifts fhall 
 urge, That we have Inftances and Exam- 
 ples in Holy Scripture of Elder perfons Bap- 
 tized. 
 
 Anpw. To that I Anfwer, That an "Ex- 
 ample, or Inftance of Holy Scripture , is 
 not as of the fame Force, Co not of equal 
 
 Autho- 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 Authority with a Pofitive Command : And 
 further, I obferve in anfwer to this Ob- 
 jection , That there was no need of a Pre- 
 cept, or Example, for the Baptizing of Chil- 
 dren j and my Reafbn is this, Becaufe there 
 was an Inftitution of the Abrahamic Cove- 
 nant, and alfb of the Sign or Token for 
 admitting Members thereunto, and a Con- 
 veyance of the Privileges thereunto be- 
 longing. Surely the fence of thofe Texts 
 in the Holy Gofpel, that enjoy n a Decla- 
 ration of Faith, and an Exercife of Repen- 
 tance, before the Adult were baptized, was 
 known to the Primitive Doctors of the 
 Church, they unqueftionably had ferioufly 
 weighed, and fully underftood the Ufage of 
 Baptifm in the Apoftolic Acts related bv 
 St. Luke ; but yet they never inferred this 
 unreafonable Conclufion from them, That 
 becaufe Faith and Repentance were to pre- 
 cede the Baptifmal Sacrament (which is an 
 Inftitution of Latitude ) in full-grown Peo- 
 ple , that therefore Baptizing was not to 
 precede Faith and Repentance in Infants, 
 and little ones , as Circumcifion and Bap- 
 tifm did under the Jewifh Difpepfation : 
 They underftood a Diftin&ion between 
 Actual and Potential Believers ; and like- 
 wife underftood it was very abfurd to draw 
 Conclufions from the Graces and Vertues 
 nf thofe to the excluding thefe. Befides all 
 his, to be fbmewhat more particular: 
 
 (i.) There 
 
" C 4O 
 
 (1.) There are different ways of In 
 
 ftrudtion, as well as different methods o 
 
 Faith or Believing ; and the Holy Jefn 
 
 doth not declare, inftrud each Party perfo 
 
 pally, and .that prefently on the place 
 
 ( which may be almoft Morally impoffible 
 
 for it is not probable that though ther 
 
 were Three thoufand Souls converted bj 
 
 St. Pcte/s firft Sermon, and immediately 
 
 baptized, that he could perfonally inftrud 
 
 lb many in fo (hort a time, as we may iup 
 
 pole between his Preaching and their Bap 
 
 tizing;) it is enough if they be inftru&ed 
 
 though in their Fathers, as Levi paid Tyth< 
 
 in Abrahams Loins, as the Author to th< 
 
 Hebrews acquaints us, Bebr. vij. 9. So Chi] 
 
 dren are by the Blefled Jefus dire&ly term 
 
 ed Believers, St. Matth.xvvt]. 6. ( which, b] 
 
 the Coherence, cannot be underftood 
 
 the Adult, as the word fometimes is, parti 
 
 cularly St. John xxj, 5.) But wbofoevcr Jha, 
 
 effend one ofthefe little ones that believe in mt 
 
 Infants are fuppofed to believe by their Fa 
 
 ther's Faith ; fo that as they fell from th 
 
 Divine Life in their Forefathers the Troto 
 
 plaft y s or firft Adams Loins, fo they may b< 
 
 inftru&ed by their natural or legitimate Fa 
 
 thers to be Difciples to the Holy Jcpis. 
 
 w , w , j, A . Obi. But I have read ai 
 
 i^/S&SSS ObjekntotheScBce I hav 
 
 two ftrong Holtb, Com. oiifer'd, ftarted by a feemmg 
 
 puifion of Confcience arid ]y Ingenious Ant if a dob apt ijt 
 
 infant.Baptifm. w h would make thefe littli 
 
 one 
 
(47 
 ones tofignifie fuch as are little in their own 
 Apprehenfions. 
 
 Anjw. But to this I Anfwer : It is im- 
 poffible that this can be the meaning; for 
 it plainly is meant not of fuch as are little 
 in Underftanding, but of fuch as are little 
 in Age and Stature : For in St. Mark, Chap. 
 ix. ;6. the BleiTed j*/*& who beft under- 
 ftood the Divine Writings , expounds it of 
 fuch an one as he took up in his Arms. 
 Now it is not ufual to take up Youths that 
 are arrived at years of Difcretion ( which 
 is about the Age of Sixteen years) in our 
 Arms. 
 
 (2.) They were to teach them all things, 
 whatfbeve.r their Lord and Matter had com- 
 manded them. Now our BleiTed Saviour con- 
 tinued in the World after his miraculous Re- 
 furre&on,fometime above a month /pea king. 
 of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of 
 God , as St. Luke acquaints us, Mis i. 3. 
 And how know we but this Doclrine of 
 Baptizing Children he then inftru&ed them 
 in, if he had not done it in the time of his 
 public Miniftxatioji upon Earth, before his 
 Paffion and Sufferings, becaufe the nature 
 of the Dodrine may feem to imply and re- 
 quire it ; and in all likelihood fbme, if not 
 all the Holy Apoftles did ufe it : For it is 
 probable that it begun in their Age , feeing 
 in the Times immediately fucceeding them, 
 we are by Ecclefiartic Hifrory allured of its 
 Practice: 
 
 CHAP. 
 
C.48) 
 
 C H A P. VIII. 
 
 The Sence of St. Matthew xxviij. 19. 
 confirmed by an Expofition of A&s ij. 
 39. in General. 
 
 AN D now that this Expofition may be 
 the more firmly believed, and readily 
 embraced, I will confirm and ftrengthen it 
 by the confequential Sence of two places of 
 Holy Scripture ; The one from St. Peter, 
 the Holy Apoftle of the Circumcifion, or 
 the Jewifh Church ; and the other from 
 St. Paul, the Holy Apoftle of the Uncircum- 
 cifion, or the Gentile World. I come now 
 to the Expofition of the fir ft place, that of 
 St. Peter, the Holy Apoftle of the Circum- 
 cifion , or the Jewifh Church, for the con- 
 firming the Sence I have given of the Holy 
 Jefztfs Commiffion, to his Blefled Dilciples, 
 for the bringing whole Nations over unto 
 Ghriftianity. And that I may fpeak fully 
 hereto, I will give, (1.) A General • and, 
 (2.) A Particular Account. * Firft then in 
 General ; The Text is Atts ij. 39. -For tU 
 pfomife is to you, and to your Children, and to 
 all that are afar off, as many as- the Lord our 
 Ood flail call. That is true, faith the An- 
 tipYedvbaptift, As many as the Lord our God 
 
 (hall 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 fhall call by the public Miniftry of his holy 
 Word ; fo that they would iniinuate, that 
 Children are not to be admitted into Co- 
 venant, or the Sign thereof, till convert- 
 ed. But hereto 1 anfwer, This is plainly Anfa. 
 falfe, becaufe the word [Many] cannot 
 refer to Children, feeing it mould have 
 been °**> not «ffei becaufe the Greek 
 word for Children is in the Neuter Gen- 
 der wTiKvoy. So that the fenfeis plainly 
 this, The Promife is to you and to your 
 Children, i. e. after you have forfaken 
 the beggerly Elements of Mojes^ and em- 
 braced my holy Religion, my more excel- 
 lent Difpenfation, your Children (while 
 Children) fhall (after fuch a public Pro- 
 feflion of your Faith in me, and my hea- 
 venly DottrinJ be made capable of being 
 Members of my Covenant of Grace - and 
 by the Sign and Seal of my Covenant, 
 Baptifm be admitted and received into the 
 fame , and to all that are afar off (a ufuai 
 Phrafe in holy Scripture, to exprefs and 
 flgnifythe Heathen Nations byj as many 
 as the Lord our God (hall call, i. e. as ma- 
 ny of the Gentile World as fhall be con- 
 verted by the public Miniitry of the holy- 
 Word, fhall have the fame Priviledges 
 which the Profelites of Righteoufnefs or 
 lattice had, in your Church *, i. c. after 
 fuch a Converfion and public Profeffion of 
 the Chriftian Faith, your Children like- i 
 wife fhall be received into my Covenant of 
 E Grace, 
 
( 5°) 
 
 Grace, and by the baptifmal Seal have a 
 Right and Title thereunto ; and now that 
 any other Interpretation muft diftort the 
 Words from their proper meaning, and 
 that this I have now given, muft be the 
 true Senfe of them, will clearly appear 
 from the Original. For what the Antipe- 
 dobaptifts would make the meaning of 
 this Text is true in one fenfe, tho** not to 
 their purpofe; u e. That Children cannot 
 be called or converted to the Chriftian 
 Faith ( becaufe of their natural Incapaci- 
 ty) by the public Preaching of the holy 
 Gofpel} and therefore it could not be 
 &r*, but muft be fanf. So that the ho- 
 ly Apoftle, St. Peter makes this comfor- 
 table Promife to thofe of years of difcre- 
 tion in the Pagan World, that mould em- 
 brace the Chriftian Faith, upon the Con- 
 viction they received in their minds from 
 the public Miniftry of the holy Apqftles. 
 And St. Peter ufes a word of the Mufculine 
 Gender, becaufe that -jgrees with a Greek 
 word of the fame Gender, that lignifies 
 Men (I mean 'Av£&f*f) and that being the 
 more noble Sex, includes the Feminine, 
 and fo takes in the Female \ and that when 
 Perfons of Difcretion were brought over 
 into the Chriftian Religion, their Child- 
 ren fhould have the fame Priviledge with 
 natural born Jews, or the Children of 
 the Profelytes of Righteoufnefs (who had 
 publicly owned and been converted to the 
 
 Re- 
 
( v ) 
 
 Religion of Mofes) may appear plainly 
 and evidently from the Literal and Gram- 
 matic fenfe of another Phrafe in the 
 Text, where there is a Dative Cafe appli- 
 ed to the Pagan World in the fame fenfe 
 that he applies two words to the Jewifh 
 Nation, that have the fame Cafe in the 
 Original Cwhich are ***■/ ™? «'* ^'jce^, 
 which do anfwer unto "r$f «* **»? -n^ms 
 vp*p 9 i. *?.] the Promife is to all that are a 
 far off, muft have the fame fenfe with the 
 words preceeding in that Verfe, The Pro- 
 mife is to you and to your Children • which 
 no Antipedobaptift that hath fenfe, but 
 muft own that they refer to the Jewifh Na- 
 tion, other wife the words could have no 
 force upon thofe to whom St. Peter fpoke 
 them : So that when St. Peter faith, The 
 Promife is to yon and to your Children^ the 
 meaning muft neceflarily be this, if you 
 will have him fpeak confidently and with 
 any tolerable good fenfe. If you of the 
 Jewifh Nation will embrace the Chriftian 
 Religion, and own and fubmit to the Faith 
 of the Holy Jefus, the Benefits, Immuni- 
 ties and Priviledges of the New Covenant 
 of Grace, are by us Apofties promifed to, 
 and fhall by the power of the holy Ghoft 
 ( the Gift of which for the ufe of the 
 Church is communicated to us) be convey- 
 ed and made over, conferred and beftow- 
 ed upon you and your Children * and the 
 fame Promife Stt Peter makes to the Jew- 
 E % ifh 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 ifh Nation ; and their Children he alfo 
 makes to the Heathen World, and their 
 Offspring, which enlarges the fenfe I have 
 given : And that this mult be the fenfe, 
 may appear from the Original Word ufed 
 for Promife C E,a W*KJ which is of a like 
 found, and of the fame derivation, and of 
 a near fignification with 'Eu*}'}*'*/^, which 
 is the Greek word for the holy Gofpel ; 
 which is as it were the counterpart of the 
 new Covenant, or the Covenant, of Grace, 
 that contains all the Parts and Articles 
 thereof. So that by virtue of your Faith, 
 the Tide and Bleflings of the Covenant 
 ihall be imputed to your Children, that 
 thereby they may be made as capable of 
 Baptiffft (the Sign of Ad million into the 
 Chriifcian Church) under the holy Gofpel, 
 as your Children are now by vertue of 
 your jewiih Faith capable of Circumciiion 
 (the Seal that gave a Title to the old Co- 
 venant under the Law) and if you will 
 not allow the words this fenfe, what St. Pe- 
 ter fpak-e nvail rather confirm and harden 
 the jews in their own way, and thtir t Mo- 
 faic obfervations then perfuade, and bring 
 them over to Chriftianity ; and upon this 
 undeniable fenfe of the former part of the 
 Text, the latter mull be allowed the fame 
 Exposition } becaufe any other Senfe and 
 Interpretation will be an impediment, bar 
 and hindrance- to the Progrefs of chrifti- 
 an Religion. So that if we have a,ny loye 
 
 for 
 
( SJ ) 
 
 for the bleffed Jefus, and defire exactly to 
 obferve his divine Institutions, this Phrafe 
 [ And to all that are afar off] muft be ex- 
 pounded and interpreted from unquefti- 
 onable parity of Reafon ; according to the 
 fenfe we have already given of the former 
 part of the Text [The Tromife is to yon and 
 to your Children] which anfwers the true 
 meaning of our bleffed Saviour'sCommiffion 
 to the holy Apoftles, according to the Ac- 
 count we have offered , and may be called 
 a Logical Demonftration ; as convictive to 
 Reafon, as a Mathematic Demonftration 
 is to the Senfes of Mankind. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 A further Conformation by a particular 
 Exp fit ion of Ads ij. 39. 
 
 BUT Secondly, I will give you a more 
 particular Account, that I may offer 
 all that is neceffary to be faid upon this 
 Text : And here that I may deal fairly 
 with our Adverfaries, I will give them 
 two Cbnceflions, which I think is all they 
 can reaionably ask. (1.) We will allow 
 that St. Peter defigned to fupport their Spi- 
 rits, as to their Infants, upon their outcry 
 (when the Roman Prefident declared him- 
 E 3 felf 
 
( 54) 
 
 felf innocent of the Blood of that jufl: Per- 
 st. Mittk. f on • upon w hich they exclaimed ) His 
 xxvij.25. gi 00( i y e u p m us ^ arJe i u p on m . children. 
 
 2 (2.) We will allow, that it is !>ot impof- 
 fible, but that by Children, here, may be 
 underftood adult Perfons, yet in the words 
 are feveral particulars fo clear as, will be 
 ftrong enough to defend our Orthodox 
 
 1. Principle. (1.) That the Promife here 
 offered to them and their Children, was 
 the New Difpenfation the Holy Jefus was 
 Author of , and the fame Difpenfation , 
 which (tho' in obfeurer terms and times) 
 had been declared to the Father of the 
 Faithful, which Difpenfation alfo included 
 
 Zm Father and Son. (2.) That except St. Peter 
 did in this Promife include their Children, 
 they had not been ftrongly fupported under 
 the Curfe they wifhed For themselves and 
 their Ojfsfring^oxi fuppoftc ion they (hould 
 depart this World before attnal Repentance. 
 
 3. (3-) They had no reafon to believe their 
 Infants included in the Promife, except 
 they had been qualified for the Sign and 
 Sacrament under the New Difpenfation, 
 as they were of the Sign of the Old Co- 
 venant ^ for all vifible Confirmation is by 
 Seal, and by this account we may under- 
 itand the full fenfe of what is faid, Ver. 41 . 
 And the fame day were added to them about 
 three thou/and Souls, viz. Matters of Fami- 
 lies, becoming Chriftians, Infants, and all 
 in their Houfe, according to the Terms of 
 
 the 
 
( 55) 
 
 the Covenant and Ufage of the Jews, were 
 admitted and received to Baptifm, other- 
 wife how (hould three thoufand Souls be 
 particularly taught; for it is not proba- 
 ble, that St. Peter's Sermon did reach the 
 ears of all that were there prefent ^ and 
 moreover, (as our Adverfaries would per- 
 fwadeus) they muft every one be treated 
 with, and fpoken to, which was morally 
 impoflible for io few Apoftles, as may pro- 
 bably be conjectured to be there, and info 
 fliort a timers we may reafonably fuppofe 
 they flayed where they were. But to all this 
 our Adverfaries gainfay, becaufe the Text 
 tells us not, they and their Children were An obj. 
 receiv'd to Baptifm, but they only, that 
 gladly receiv'd his Word. To which I ^,/ w# 
 make this return: (i.) This Text doth i. " 
 not fo evidently conclude the thing done, 
 that Children were then received to Bap- 
 tifm (tho* it may properly enough infer 
 it from what hath been offered in the ge- 
 neral Account) as their Title to it by force 
 of heir being adopted into Covenant by 
 virtu * of their Parents Faith. (2.) That 2 
 the Ii. "ants were receivM to Baptifm, is 
 not fp" ified, becaufet here was no necefli- 
 ty for doing that which might be reafonably 
 fuppofed. (3.) Becaufe the Covenant, for 
 fubftance , was the fame with that deli- 
 vered to Abraham of old time , the Ad- 
 miniftration made the fole difiinction. 
 (4O There being three thoufand Souls ad- ^ 
 E 4 ded 
 
( 5* ) 
 
 ded to the Church, they could not be ad- 
 mitted Members thereof without Bap- 
 tifm } and this being all done in one day, 
 it is not in the leaft probable they could 
 all be adult Men ; or it they were, it is as 
 highly improbable, fo few as the Holy A- 
 poftles then ware, could have time (which 
 our Adverfaries think necefTary) to treat 
 with, and difcourfe every perfon. (%.) Be- 
 caufe all is not exprelTed in Holy Writ that 
 was tranfatted •, and when an Hiftorical Ac- 
 count is rehearfed, fome Particulars are 
 inferted not named in the prior, or former 
 Declaration, As for irftance, In the Sto- 
 ry of the Holy Apoftle of the Gentiles, 
 his miraculous Call is taken notice of three 
 times, and his being baptized more than 
 once 9 and yet in the fecond Relation, con- 
 cerning his. Baptifm, there is fomething ad- 
 ded to the Mr/I Account, >#?* xxij. 16. Arife^ 
 smd be baftiz*td , and wajli away they fins, 
 j on the Name of the Lord y declaring 
 the Scope and Defign of Baptifm, as well 
 as how neceflary it was ; and it is proba- 
 ble had there been reafon to rehearfe this 
 Account related Acts ij. as there was of 
 St. Paul's other matters, poffibly this of 
 admitting Infants to Baptifm had been in- 
 ferted. (6 J By way of Retortion , to 
 return their own Argument upen them, be- 
 caufe Women are not named neither in the 
 Commiflion , St. Matth. xxviij. 19. nor 
 A3s ij. 41, to be baptized , both being 
 
 ren- 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 rendred by the Greek in the Mafculine 
 Gender - 7 I may therefore, according to 
 their way of arguing, urge, becaufe it is 
 not declared in the Sacred Text, that 
 they who gtedly received the Word with 
 their Wives were baptized, I might there- 
 fore, according to their manner of difpu- 
 ting, fay, no Women had as yet received 
 Baptifm 5 for it was after this time, that 
 we read in Samaria, Women were bapti- 
 zed by St. Philip. So that tho' the Defign A $ s 
 of the Covenant be known, yet not al- j 2 . 
 ways declared in Holy Writ, and the bap- 
 t-wit- j f infants may verily be believed to 
 Be of this kind. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 The Senfe of St. Matth. xxviij. 19, 
 ftrtngthntd by an Expojition of 1 Cor. 
 vij. 14. 
 
 THE fecond place is that of St. Paul, 
 the Holy Apoftle of the Uncircum- 
 cifion or the Gentile World, 1 Corinth. 
 vij. 14. For the unbelieving husband is fan- 
 ttified by the wife , and the unbelieving wife 
 is fanttified by the husband, elfe were your 
 children unclean, but now are they holy. This 
 place of St. Paul is a ftrong confirmation 
 
 of 
 
 vuj. 
 
( 5* ) 
 
 of the Senfe , and a clear conviftion of 
 the truth-of the Interpretation I have gi- 
 ven of the firft Text of the iaft quoted 
 p*ace of St. Vet er. St. Pad was a Phari- 
 fee, (the moft learned and ftri&eft Sed a- 
 mong the Jews) and was fo well inflruft- 
 ed in the Chriftian Religion, that he him- 
 felf faith, he was not a whit behino^any 
 (the beft, and mod knowing) of the Ho- 
 ly Apoftles, and for the encouragement of 
 the Pagan World to embrace Chriftianity, 
 he publickly declares, and allures them, 
 that the believing Paganifli Husband, or 
 Wife, (hould have a Power and Priviledge 
 to tranfmit and convey their Faith to their 
 Seed } fo that their Children, after fuch a 
 converfion of the Parent, (hould be ca- 
 pable of a Federal , or Covenant-Holi- 
 nefs, which (hould be of fuch efficacy and 
 vertue, as to impute and make over to them 
 a Right to the Covenant, and then, by the 
 Seal of Baptifm , to be receivM into the 
 Church, admitted to the favour of God, 
 and made Heirs of Heaven by virtue of 
 their Memberfhip in the Covenant of 
 Grace. Thus we plainly fee, by the Tefti- 
 mony of Holy Scripture, and by the Evi- 
 dence of Reafon, (a Reafon fo infallible 
 and unerring, that it is conducted by the 
 Light of Divine Revelation,) what is the 
 plain, natural, and proper fenfe of the 
 Holy Jefus's Commiffion to his Blefled 
 Difciples, St, Matt\\ xxviij, 9. Go teach 
 
 all 
 
( 59) 
 
 % H Nations , baptizing them] So that he 
 who (hall from a miftaken fenfe of that 
 place of Holy Scripture ,• deny Bap- 
 cifm unto Infants, hinders the Propaga- 
 tion and Progrefs of Chriftian Religion, 
 makes the Covenant of Grace lefs benefi- 
 :iai and extenfive than the Covenant of 
 Works j and fo confequently doth not al- 
 low |s great Benefits, Priviledges and Im- 
 munities to the Covenant of Grace which 
 tie doth to the Covenant of Works, all 
 which are the dangerous Confequences of 
 (Vntipedobaptifm, as I hope I have fuffi- 
 :iently proved, and convincingly made 
 jut ; and in the evincing, or proving this 
 Argument, I have plainly (hewed, that we 
 tiave the proper meaning of three Texts 
 of Holy Scripture, which I think to any 
 Man of fenfe is as clear a Proof, and 
 is powerful an Evidence to engage our 
 belief to the truth of any Do&rin pro- 
 pounded to us, as if we had brought the 
 pofitive and exprefs Words of Holy Scrip- 
 :ure, which is as ftrong a convi&ion as any 
 Man can with the leaft (hew of reafon de- 
 Ire. So that if the true fenfe of the Holy 
 [efus's Commiflion to his Bleffed Difciples 
 3e duly confidered, and that no other mean- 
 ing can tolerably be put upon them, being 
 backt with the Authority of two other 
 places of Holy Scripture, (and a threefold 
 Cord is not eafily broken) no Antipedo- 
 bapfcift, that is a Man of fenfe, will here- 
 
 after 
 
<6o) 
 
 after prefs for a pofitive and direft plac 
 of Holy Writ, becaufe he hath no reafo 
 to expe& a Tautology in Sacred Scripture 
 to pleafe an Humour, or ferve an Interefl 
 and becaufe he will thereby weaken hi 
 Caufe, and then have great reafon to be a 
 ftamed of, if not repent for the Injury h 
 doth his Principles, and he will fee th 
 vanity of demanding exprefs words fo 
 a confutation, when he hath plain fenfe a 
 gainft him ; for the Holy Scriptures an 
 to be expounded and interpreted by theii 
 Senfe, and not by their Sound j by theii 
 Spiritual Meaning , and not by the ban 
 Words, Syllables, and Letters - 7 for thej 
 are belt underftood by their proper Defigr 
 and Purport, or a true Relation to theii 
 Coherence and Connexion with what pre- 
 ceeds,and follows after. And now give me 
 leave to offer one thing that will confirm 
 the fenfe of the Texts I have delivered, 
 and will alfo further fhew how unreafon- 
 able, and abfurd, weak, and trifling, the 
 Antipedobaptiils are, for being fo pe- 
 remptory and pofitive in demanding an ex- 
 prefs place of Holy Scripture for the bap- 
 tizing of Infants, and this I will endeavour 
 to evince from Cuftoms among the Jews, 
 well known to all learned Men. Three 
 things were required by the Jews to make 
 3 Male Profelyte of Righteoufnefs, Cir- 
 cumciiion, a kind of Purification by Wa- 
 ter ( which was an Allufion to Baptifm) 
 
 and 
 
(6i ) 
 
 andOblation,whichwascommx>nly twoTur- 
 ties,or Pidgeons ; To a Femak Purification 
 by Water, and Oblation. Now becaufe the 
 Jews, fince their Difperfion, have neither 
 Altar nor Sacrifice, they fay. For the Male, 
 Circumciiion, and Purification by Water, 
 arefufficient : For the Female, Only Puri- 
 fication by Water, In David's time, they 
 tell us many Thoufands were added to the 
 Church without Circumciiion, by Purifica^ 
 
 {jtion only. Hence we may cbferve, that a 
 kind of Admiffion by Water into the 
 Church, was long in ufe among the Jews, 
 tho n it were not Sacramental till the Blef- 
 fed Jefus's Inftitution , therefore it may 
 feem to be ufed by them, becaufe they 
 looked for it as a Sacrament at the co- 
 ming of the MefTiah, as is evident by their 
 coming to St. John the Baptisl , not fo 
 much fcrupling his Baptifm, as his Autho- 
 rity, by what Power he baptized : St, John 
 i. 25. And they asked him y and [aid unto him , 
 Why baptizefi thou then^ if thoa be not that 
 Chrifi , nor Eli as , nor that Profhet ? By 
 which three different words they meant 
 the MefTiah, becaufe he was well known to 
 the Jews by thofe Terms or Phrafes to be 
 Forefignified ; fo that had he owned himfelf 
 for fucb, they would not have doubted his 
 Sommiffion ; bat Chrift being plainly pro- 
 zed the MefTiah, he was Lord of the Sa- 
 .rament, as well as of the Sabbath, and 
 o had a fufficient Power to inftitute a New 
 
 I Sacra- 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 Sacrament, and fo fubftttuted Baptifm ir 
 the room of Circumcifion, which whofo- 
 ever believes not to be as exrenfive as the 
 other, is fo irrational as to make the holy 
 Jefus not fo merciful a Legiflator as Mofes \ 
 which fliews the unreafonablenefs and ab- 
 furdity of demanding an exprefs Text oi 
 holy Scripture for Infant Baptifm, which 
 was the Truth to be cleared ? and I hope 
 is fufficiently made apparent and mani- 
 feft. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 Some general Obfervations upon the 
 Senfe and Expojitions delivered. 
 
 E T me now offer fome general Ob- 
 fervations upon the Senfe and Expo- 
 fitions of thofe Texts I have brought for 
 the Proof hereof j and I will begin with 
 the Obfervation of Chmmtins, in his Pies 
 * Ego fane he makes againfl: the Antipedobaptifts oil 
 quijimpU- Germany : * I do fo truly love Simplicity 
 chatemamo 2n ^ T rut h that alt ho' I cannot tell how 
 
 ettamfi nee 
 
 intelligam nee explicate pofim quomoio Infantes , qui Bapti^antw 
 credant ; judico tamenfuffiiirefirmiJJImaiUateJiimoniaexpUcata ln\ 
 fames ejfe Bapti^andos, nepe enim abillis propterea difeedendum, et\ 
 ft non pojfim vet intelligere 9 vel expiicare quomodo credant Uf antes 
 Chemnit. Exam. Cone. Trid. part 2. Tit. de Baptifmo ac 
 Canon. 13. 
 
 Child- 
 
(6? ) 
 
 Children who are baptized believe, yet I 
 judge the Teftimonies from Holy Scripture 
 above-named, moft ftrqng Evidences, and 
 a fufficient Proof for this Chriftian Pra- 
 ctice ; neither ought Chriftians to depart 
 from this Truth, tho' I cannot underftand 
 or explain how Children believe. In fome 
 things ,we fhould take St. Paul's Advice, 
 And become Fools that we may be wife, i Cor. 
 iij. 1 8. Obedience being more acceptable than 
 burnt Offerings, i Sam. XV. 22. And we 
 fhould offer up our Underftand ings to di- 
 vine Revelation, where there is clear Rea- 
 fon to fubmit to it. Faith is the wifeft, 
 and moft well- pleating Service we can offer 
 to God LNefcire ea qu& docere non *vult Ma- 
 gift er maximus erudita eft infcitia*} not to 
 know thofe things our great Mafter would 
 have us ignorant of, is (if I mayfofpeak 
 without a Solecifm) a learned Ignorance. 
 But praisM be Heaven, I have yet met with 
 no Arguments of the Adverfaries fo ftrong, 
 as to need fuch an Apology or Plea. 
 We fkid not any Accufation laid to the 
 Charge of Chriftianity, by the Jewifh or 
 Pagan World upon this Account, which 
 certainly would have been done by fbmeof 
 the Enemies of our holy Religion, if the 
 Jewifh Believer had not enjoyed the fame 
 Immunities, when Chriftian, that he did 
 before: Or if the firft Planters of Chrifti- 
 anity had preached the fame Dodtrin the 
 Antipedobaptifts do now, how would the 
 
 Ene~ 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 Enemies of our holy Religion have decern- 
 ed againft us, and declared the Doctrin 
 they preached, was not the fame Covenant 
 God offered to the Father of the Faithful, 
 and the People of Jfrael, becaufe that in- 
 cluded Father and Son, as to the Covenant 
 and the Sign that conveyed the Benefits 
 Anobj. of the Covenant. Now becaufe the Anti- 
 pedobaptifts call upon us for an Example 
 of any baptized in a gathered Church with- 
 out Faith, and that herein the holy Scri- 
 r ptureis filent: To which I will give a full 
 njw ' Anfwer j and for which, I fhall in great 
 vidMt.El- part, be obliged to the Judicious Mr. Ellis. 
 called Pa^ 1 '^ ^ am not °bliged to make any return, 
 ftorand" ( 2 ») This is a per iilous Method of arguing 
 Clerk; or to Religion. (3.) That it doth not fur- 
 a Debate ther their Gaufe. (1.) I am not obliged to 
 C rea J]c°n- make any return: For we may well con- 
 inantBap- t ^ ue £he Cuftom, feeing we have foftrong 
 tifm, Reafons from holy Writ for it-, and fee- 
 p. 182,— ing we have fo long enjoyed and ufed it, 
 *95- by fo many Inftances from the Primitive 
 times (as may be proved 5) fo that we 
 have Prefcription to plead, and that Law- 
 yers tells us, in fome Cafes, is a good Bar 
 againft all other Titles. It is upon thefe 
 Accounts your duty, that contradict it, 
 to declare any one Inftance or Proof, that 
 thefe Reafons, and this continued Cuftom 
 of all times fince the holy Apoftolick Age, 
 fhould not be continued $ which lamfatis- 
 fied they will not be able to perform, if 
 
 they 
 
(6 5 ) 
 
 they fliould be fo eouragious as to under- 
 take it, and therefore it will be in vain to 
 make any attempt that way. (2.) This 2 . 
 method of demanding pofitive Words 
 from Holy Writ for all that Men are to be- 
 lieve, or do, is extream hazardous to Re- 
 ligion, where there is fufficient reafon with- 
 out fuch an Authority to engage our Faith. 
 (1.) As to Doctrin, it would cenfurethe 1. 
 Method of arguing ufed by our BlefTed Sa- 
 viour and his Holy Difciples, and fo make 
 way for a falling from the Truth, and gi- 
 ving entrance to the moll pernicious Here- 
 fies ; and therefore he that believes fuch a 
 Doctrin can be no good Chriftian: and 
 pcflibly for this Reafon feveral have gone 
 from one Sect to another, till they came 
 to be of no Religion at all, and looking 
 for what is not to be had in Holy Writ, 
 nor (hould be expected from any fort of 
 arguing, they have thereupon caft off all. 
 (2.) As to cuftomary Practices, what a 2 . 
 door of entrance would there be for ftrange 
 Doctrins,and ftranger Practices ? there is 
 no Command for, or Inftance of a Woman 
 partaking in the Holy Communion^we read 
 not of the baptizing of the Holy Difciples j 
 no Command or Inftance of one that isnoE 
 a Clergyman may not have more Wives 
 than one, whereupon 1 have read of one 
 in EJfex, that married more than one at a 
 time,and as it wasfuppofed for that Reafon. 
 (3 ) It doth not further their Caufe,becaufe 3 •' 
 where there is a good Reafon for us to be- 
 E lieve 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 lieve or do, we are not to flop or ftay 
 our belief, or defer acting, till we have an 
 Iriftanec from Holy Scripture: What Com- 
 mand or foreknown J^Uance had the Holy 
 Apoftle of the Circiionciiion to admit the 
 Centurion of the Italian Band and his Fa- 
 mily to Baptifm, feeing they were not cir- 
 cumdfed, oniy that he collected it, that 
 becaufe he had a Title to the Covenant, 
 ( by the miraculous Gift of the Holy 
 Ghoft) he had ri^htto the Sign that con- 
 veyed the Priviledge of the Covenant. 
 The Commiflion the Holy Jefus gave to his 
 Bleiled Diicipies at his leaving the World, 
 in relation to the perfons, is in the Mafcu- 
 line. Gender, and the Account of St. Pe- 
 terh baptizing his fir-ft Converts was in the 
 
 i fame Gender ; Why then did St. Philip ad- 
 mit to baptifm, Women as well as Men, 
 d§s viij. 12? And why do the Antipedc- 
 bapiiils, as well as we, admit Women to 
 
 I the Communion , when there is neither 
 Command nor Rule toenjoyn it ? To con- 
 clude all, i (hall need to fay by way of Ex- 
 po fitiqn upon thefe three Texts, 'As the 
 Obligatory Power of the Ceremonies and 
 Pvites among the Jews was aboliihed, be- 
 caufe they did not agree with the ingenu- 
 ous temper of the ChriFcian Inititution ♦, 
 fo more principally was it taken away, as 
 being disagreeable, to the Notion of its 
 being an Univerfa! Society , for it would 
 have impeded the Propagatifta of the Re- 
 ligion of the B. Jefos, } md it been burden* 
 
 ed 
 
( 6 7 ) 
 ed with the Ceremonies and Rites of the 
 Jews, which were grown hateful, as well 
 as naufeous to the Heathenifli part of Man- 
 kind ; and, to name no other Inftance, he 
 was upon this account engaged to alter the 
 Sacrament for Admiflion into his Church, 
 or the Sign of the Old Covenant Circum- 
 cifion, I mean, whereby the People of If 
 rael (excepting fome few Nations, as the 
 ancient Egyptians , Ethiopians, Ijhmaelites , 
 and Cokhians) were differenced frGm fche 
 reft of Mankind : They were, I fay, grown F # # Cafe 
 naufeous and hateful to the World for the of Infant- 
 ufe thereof; as it is infinuated by feveral Baptifnv 
 of the Poets,- as Martial* Horace* Vetroni- Pi 9 2 °* 
 ,«*, and JitvenaL Is any man called, being cir- 
 ctimcifed, let him net become uncircumcifed ; 
 i. e. Let him not ufe means to attract the i cot. vij. 
 \Vr<zpM'mm,ox~\ Foreskin, which the Jewifli lS '« 
 People were frequently wont to do, tolhun 
 reproach, and to deliver themfelves from 
 Perfecution in Paganifh Kingdoms. And 
 upon this account it would have been a 
 great hindrance to the propagation of the 
 New Difpenfation , fhould the Heathen 
 World have been admitted to the New Co- 
 venant by that way 7 no Sacred Ceremo- 
 nycouldbe more unacceptable to Mankind 
 in general ; and hereupon the Wifdom of 
 our Merciful Redeemer, as well as New 
 Legiflator, is to be commended ia alter- 
 ing the old antiquated Sign into a more 
 gentle, pleafant way of admiflion by Wa- 
 ter, which was as of a more universal ufe, 
 F 2 to 
 
C 68 ) 
 
 fo of a more general iignification, becaufe 
 the Heathen World, as well as the People 
 of Ifrael ufed it, (For Heathenifm was lit- 
 tle elfe but the Jewilh Religion abufed by 
 the Prince of Darknefs, and Father of Lies, 
 as Chriltianity was little more than pure 
 Natural Reafon exalted, and improved by 
 the King of Light and Purity.) 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 A Defence of the Expositions delivered 
 from Jeivi/b Cnftoms. 
 
 Dr. Ham- 
 mond's 
 Cafe of 
 Infant- 
 ftaptifm 
 inhisRe- 
 folution 
 of- fix 
 Queries. 
 
 AND now, that I may engage yoa 
 to the belief of the fenfe I have gi- 
 ven of thefe three Texts of Holy Scrip- 
 ture, I declare the Account I have offered 
 is according to Jewilh Cuflom, and the 
 fenfe of things well known among them \ 
 which is the only true and proper way of 
 coming to their right meaning, and with- 
 out fuch an Expolltion or Ailufion, it is 
 impoflible to underftand feveral Phrafes 
 and Places in the New Tefhment. And 
 this may appear from an excellent Account 
 given by the Reverend Dr. Hammond , in 
 eight Particulars, which I will only men- 
 tioi}, but not enlarge upon, referring you 
 to the Account he give?, and then add 
 one memorable Inftance to confirm this way 
 
 of 
 
<*9) 
 of expounding H. Scripture, (i.) In the i. 
 
 calling and receiving Difciples. (2.) In the 2. 
 Donation of the Keys of the Kingdom of 
 Heaven. (3.) In the BlefTed Sacrament of 3. 
 the Lord's H. Supper. (4.) In Impolition 4. 
 of Hands. (5.) In the Title of Apoftles. 5. 
 (5.) In the Name and Office of Btfhops. 5, 
 (7.) In the Title of Deacons. (8.) In the 7 . 
 word [EKKAviCTct, or ] Church, in both No- 8. 
 tionsof it, for the People, and the Rulers 
 thereof, (or Church-Reprefentative) and 
 when he complied info many Cuftoms,why 
 (hould we believe he varied in this only ? 
 But I will give one remarkable Example^ 
 and fo conclude this way of confirming the 
 Senfe and .Expofitions I have given and the 
 Senfe of what I (hall fay, (for his words I 
 cannot give you, it being fo long fmce I 
 read him) I (hall borrow from the Reve- 
 rend Dr. Lightfioty a Man of the greatefi: 
 knowledge in underftanding the Cuftom of 
 the Jews and Rabbinic Learning ; The 
 Text is St. Matth, xvij. 20. If yon have 
 faith, as a grain of muftard*feed, yon Jhallfay 
 unto this mountain , Remove hence to yonder 
 flace^ and it frail remove , and nothing jha/I be 
 impojfible unto yon. Now this is naturally 
 impoflible in a literal fenfe, but to fuch as 
 are acquainted with a cuftomary Saying a- 
 mong the Jews, this feemingly difficult 
 place hath an eafie and intelligible mean- 
 ing ; fork was an ufual Saying among them, 
 of a learned Rabbi, (that had a skilful Fa* 
 pulty in the expounding hard places of Ho- 
 t 3 ' ly 
 
( 7° ) 
 
 ly Scripture) That be was a Man of fuch 
 Learning-, be could remove Mountains. Now 
 this Phrafe the H. Jefus applies to a true, 
 found, faving Faith, (of which it is pro- 
 perly meant, and not of the Faith of Mi- 
 racles, as fome perchance may believe^ and 
 his fenfe is plainly this , (as may appear 
 by the lad words of the Text, And nothing 
 fiatlbe impojfible to you.) Aright, orthodox, 
 ftrong Faith inthe Almighty God, will be 
 of fuch power and efficacy, as to fupport 
 and bear you up under the foreft PrefTures 
 of Human Life ♦, and when your Faith and 
 Patience are fufficiently tried and exerci- 
 fed, your Belief in the fame God (hall work 
 a deliverance, and no difficulty 'or diftrefs 
 Jfhall be infuperable to, or conquerable by 
 fuch a Faith, becaufe fo great a Faith (hall 
 { like Jacob, when he wreftkd with God Al- 
 mighty, prevailed with, if not overcome 
 Gen&tx]). Omnipotence it felf ) obtain what it de- 
 23. fires, as the Canaanitifh Woman's importu- 
 
 nate Faith did with the B. Jefus, when he 
 Mat. 15. laid unto her, O wonian, great is thy faith ; 
 2§. be it unto thee as thou wilt. And, to encou- " 
 
 rage to the exercife of fuch a Noble -Act of 
 Faith , St. Paul fpeaks the fame fenfe with 
 that Ex pofkion I have given of that place 
 3 Cor.x. °f St. 'Matthew 1 when he faith, There hath 
 3 '). no temptation taken you, but fuch as is common 
 
 to man ; but God is faithful^ who will not fuf- 
 fer you 'to be tempted above that you are able, 
 but will with the temptation make a way to 
 efcape y that you may b$ able to fatfr it* And 
 
 that 
 
( 7* ) 
 
 that I may the better engage your belief 
 to the fenfe I have given of thefe three 
 Texts, I have interpreted them according 
 to Jewifh Cuftoms and Phrafes. As to the 
 firft, I have explained it according to the st.Mattb. 
 fenfe it muft have, if Mofes their Legifla- xxviij. 19. 
 tor had given fuch a CommifTion to twelve 
 Elders of Jfrael, as the H.Jefusgave to his 
 B. Difciples. As to the fecond place, Atts 
 ij. 39- we have fo expounded it likewife ; 
 for it is well known, [_By thofe that are 
 afar off] the jews conftantly meant the 
 Heathen Nations, or the Gentile World. 
 Laflly, For the third place, 1 Cor. vija 14. 
 we have interpreted the word Holy, accord- 
 ing to the Jewifh cuftom and manner, who 
 always underftood the word Holy fd, and 
 applied that Phrafe to any Thing or Per- 
 fon that was dedicated and peculiarly fet 
 apart to the Service of God } and there- 
 fore, neither according to the coherence 
 of the place, nor the JewiJh way of inter- 
 preting H. Scripture, can that word be un- 
 derftood of a Matrimonial Legitimacy, that 
 fhould render the Children clean after fuch 
 a Marriage, and free them from the odi- 
 ous Character of Baftardy, as we (hall make 
 more fully and clearly appear* when I come 
 to anfwer a feemingly ftrong Objection of 
 the Antipedobaptifts againft the fenfe of 
 that Text, which we have given as its pro- 
 per meaning, 
 
 F 4 CHAP. 
 
(70 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 [Authorities of the ancient Fathers to eftablifh the 
 Senfe of the three Texts of Holy Script are. 
 
 A 
 
 N D now, that I may engage you 
 
 to believe the Senfe J have given of 
 
 thefe three places of H. Scripture, 1 will 
 
 confirm it by the beft Authority, theTe- 
 
 ftimony of three of the moft ancient Prir 
 
 mitive Fathers, who lived near the Age of 
 
 the H. Apoftles, and therefore may berea- 
 
 fonably fuppofed beft acquainted with their 
 
 mind. The firft fhall be the Authority of 
 
 'Agtivnu Juftin Martyr \ Children are allowed to en- 
 
 «$7w?JW Joy the good things that come by Baptifm, 
 
 B*«w- by the Faith of them that bring them to 
 
 i $follfyi Baptifm. Punctually correfpondent to the 
 
 $» T? miii fenfe (and fo fit to eftablifh the meaning) 
 
 wires- we have given of i Cor. viij. 14. where 
 
 trpiqpT&v upon the Account of the believing Huf- 
 
 ft y 7» ?W hanrl'c 1* wirier t*r't + U +ht* nnhplimrinrr \X7ifo 
 
 ft*77 
 
 band's living with the unbelieving Wife, 
 and' the reafon allowed, that one may build 
 xtfp'dd or- up the other in the Chriftian Do&rin, and 
 thod, or accordingly chriftianly educate their Chil- 
 
 whofoever j , ° >,. ., , ri i - 1 
 
 was Author dren, the Children are Holy, /. e. vouch- 
 ^t. 113 ^" fafed the Priviledge of Baptifm, and the 
 Benefits thereupon confequenf. Next we 
 find Ireritm fpeaking to the fame fenfe, who 
 ftouriihed in the firft Century after fuch as 
 had an occular view of the H. Jefus, who 
 declares the Mefliah to be an Univerfal Sa- 
 viour ; and mentioning Infants, L&P*- 
 
(7$ ) 
 
 vhIos~] fraall Children, as well as [Pueros, Jw 
 vexes, and Senior es, Boys, Youths, and Elder 
 Perfons] faith further, all, who by him are omnes /«- 
 reborn to a Divine Life, where Children be- $g£j&: 
 ing renewed, or reborn, mu ft needs be ex- nafcuntur fa 
 pounded according to theH. Scripture- phrafe ?™\l™' 
 of n*>Ktyy.vw* 9 being renewed or reborn by haerer.c.39. 
 the Laver of Regeneration , and all that 
 are acquainted with the Primitive Fathers, 
 know they thereby mean Baprifm, (Dominica 
 & Apoftolkaphraji, according to the fenfe of 
 H. Scripture, as delivered by the B. Jefus, 
 and. his dear Followers) and as he concludes 
 thetQ,Sanc~lificat Infantes he renders,Children 
 holy,according to the Interpretation we have 
 given of that place of St. Paul, i O.vij. 
 14. Laflly, Tertullian, who flour ifhed much 
 about the fame time, gives a much like ac- 
 count} for fpeakingof the iFidelmm filit](Xhe 
 Sons of the Faithful) he affirms , * They * san&ratis 
 are Candidates of Holinefs, and Holy, as up- £S|' 
 on different regards, fo from the Preroga- Apo&s ex 
 tive of their Birth, punctually adequate to s ^mT 
 the fenle we have given of the Text to the &»» San( ? os 
 Corinthians, and according to our Expofition Knd! tain 
 thereof ^ and as it is a Teltimony, it was fo ex feminj# 
 ufed by the Chriftians then, fo it's an Evi- JJ^JEffe 
 dence of the Cuftom of the H. Apoftles in feffirotiows 
 that Age, to allow the Infants of Chriftian % Q rm^ 
 Parents to be baptized. And now to conclude l«- deAni- 
 the Authorities,! will add tvto more, with the ?*■ c ' **' 
 Canon of a Provincial Council j and the firft 
 of the two I will bring , (hall be that of 
 the famOHS Biftiop of Carthage^ §t. Cyprian, 
 
 who 
 
(74) 
 
 who lived at the end of Origin's time, who 
 flourilhed about fifteen Years after Tertnllian\ 
 what he writes is in that which he fends to 
 his Friend Fidus, and in it there is fo clear a 
 proof for baptizing Children, that it is fuf- 
 ficient to fatisfte any perfon in whom pre- 
 poiTeflion and Inter eft do not Rule } Fidn$ 
 had fent to him to acquaint him, that he did 
 not think fit that Infants^hould be admitted 
 untoBaptifm before the eighth day, as the 
 Jews were under Mofes\ Difpenfation ; 
 
 t centum ad caufai infan- whereupon he fent this Return ; 
 
 tium perriner, quos dixiiti in- f That he an4 the Councel , 
 
 tra fecundum vel tertinm di- .. T u««.«:„ ...„««, ** n;n, ft _. ..^ 
 
 em quo nati funt conditio wherein were 66 Bilhops, were 
 
 Bapnzan non oportcre, & of a different Judgment, having 
 
 SS^^SSS declared, that as the Lord had 
 
 o&avumd»em eum qui nams no refpect of Perfons, fo no re- 
 
 SfSS?SSfi3SS s ard for A s e > but tha£ chi!dren 
 
 iaConciiionoftroviTumcft; might be admitted to Baptifm 
 
 }^%l£ a t&&: Prefently after their Birth, ; to 
 
 fit, fed univerfi potfu? judica- cleanfe them from their Origi- 
 
 *&££&&'&& Ml Guilt. The fecond (hall be 
 
 depegaqdam, st Cyprian , from St. Angnfiin^ the Reverend 
 
 Ep. 5 S.adFid. Bi(hop of Mppo ^ whjch j wi] j 
 
 the rather do, becaufe the Pelagians have 
 la"io Ba c p- " been miftakenly fuppofed by a Confe- 
 titmatispar quence from their Dodtrin, to deny the 
 SiTa- baptizing of Infants for the Remiflion of 
 doptionedo- Sins, (which they that did, have been cen- 
 alTemTea^ fured b y the Church far Herettcks in all A- 
 dicerenti ges) as may appear both by St. Ambrofe *. 
 SL^ FrofflP %^ s Do&rin follows the evacua- 
 Ub.^De- ting or making void the baptizing of In- 
 %™ dl fants, who would by his Opinion be faid to 
 
 be 
 
(75) 
 
 be adopted, but not abfotved from any guilt. |l Pr °P ter 
 And in nice manner, by the definition or the i am fidd, 
 Councel of Milevis, where, fpeaking of the & ui Pa n r i [ l -} f 
 H. Catholic Church's underftanding, Origi- wccatorum 
 nalSin, we have thefe words j || Upon this i;j? m ^ m . 
 Rule of Faith (the fenfe of the H. Catholic miaere po- 
 Church {ub:q\femfer} every-where, always) ^ eru «v'deo 
 it is that Infants are baptized for the remif- nmircmifi 
 fion of fins,that what they have contracted by ^ I,e * VCK ^ 
 
 ^ • I 1 I r» • Citer Ba P" 
 
 Generation may be purged by Regeneration- tizan ur, ,,t 
 Now the words ofCaleftim^s quoted QyS.Au- %f ™° ent ~ 
 gnftin^xz thefe; *Tbat Infants are baptized munderur, 
 f&t Remiilion of Sins, according to the Rule ^^f/";"; 
 of the Univerfal Church, and the appoint- zefiAuyc^i 
 ment of the H. Gofpel, whereby it is pro- ^*- 
 bable, that be meant this Text of the H. Go- 
 fpel, according to the fenfe we have given of * l! $tf** 
 it, becauie none can be admitted into Cove- rcmiffionem 
 riant with the guilt of their fins upon them, Jg^^ 
 and to fignifie, that he muft make abfolute reguiamuni- 
 and fincere renunciation of them ; which may JHSp* E , c " 
 be one reafon why the H. Church appoints Erangetfi 
 Sponfors and Undertakers to make fuch Pro- ^jj^^j 
 mifes in the behalf of the Child. I will now c<m?petfo 
 finifh my Proofs from the Teftimony of the c **< c - s- 
 Ancients by the Authority of a Councel : 
 the Provincial Councel of Mlevis. The 
 Church of Afric was one of the moft famous 
 Churches of the Primitive Times, for Piety 
 and Learning, and the determination of the 
 Council, (which, as St. Auguftin obferv\i an Cate or i.n- 
 ioo Years after, was not a New Decree, [^^2. 
 \_Novnm DccretHm] feems to allow baptizing 
 Children irj (hai Church,to be a long and un- 
 
 ifl- 
 
(7*) 
 
 fitempiacu- interrupted Cuftom. This Council was held 
 queVwIm?" about the middle of the third Century, about 
 ios reeeates j ^ Years after thedeceafe of St. John. This 
 nigrum Councel, in its fecond Canon, thus declares, 
 baptizandos It is decreed by tjie Council,*, e. [FUcuitSpi- 
 diafin r a e ut ritfti Santlo, & nobis~] it is decreed by the H. 
 miffionem Ghoft, and by us \ f That whofoever will not 
 c 3 U tor e i^i Pec " allow Children to be baptized prefently after 
 baptizari, they come out of their Mothers Womb, or 
 Ada'ntia- faith the/ate baptized for remiffion ofSins in- 
 hereor; gl - deed,but draw nothing of Original Sin from 
 "uod re"-" -ddam, which is to be expiated by the Laver 
 nerationis of Regeneration (whence it doth follow, that 
 pjSr; unde that form of Baptifm for the remiffion of Sins 
 fit confb- in and to you, is underftood not to be true, 
 eisTorma" bat falfe) let him be declared Accurfed ; and 
 baptizmans this I think Proof enough from Antiquity, 
 oncmpecca- however they that defire more may be excel- 
 * oru ™ n ™ lehtly fatisfied from the learned Mr. WalfySs 
 ftioteUiga- Modefl: Plea for Infant Baptifm, where he not 
 tur Anathe- only aflerts, but proves its ufage for about 
 
 malic. Sl'H- r-rj ,-. V ° 
 
 od. Mii/vi- fifteen Centuries or years. 
 
 tana. Can. 2. 
 
 apud Car a- ' — ; 
 
 %am. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 77?* juft Complaint of the Jevos^ if this Do- 
 ttrin be not true, 
 
 AN D now what Reafon can be offered 
 why thofe Chriftians that were con- 
 verted fromJ*^M/^,who were fcandalized at 
 the omiffion of Circumciflon, mould not have 
 been more highly fcandalized, if the firft 
 Planters ofGhriftianity had deniecfan admif- 
 
 fioa 
 
( 77) 
 fion of Infants unto Covenant under the H. 
 Gofpel Difpenfation, when they had been 
 ever allowed it under the Mofak Oeconomy ? 
 Is it not rational to imagine, that they 
 who made fo great Complaints, only becaufe 
 theH. Difciples inftrutted the jewifh People 
 that dwelt in Heathen Countries, that they 
 were not bound to ufe Circumcifion, would 
 not have made greater Complaints if they 
 had not admitted them and their Children 
 untoBaptifm, but wholly (hut them out, like 
 the Children of Infidels,and not allowed them 
 to be Members of Chrift's Myftical Body ? It 
 certainly, in all likelihood, would have been 
 a fore Grief to them, to obferve their Infants 
 ufed as bad as the Infants of Pagans and Fo- 
 reigners, and to have no clear diftinttion be- 
 tween fuch Children, whofe Parents received 
 the H. Gofpel, and fuch as withftood Chri- 
 ftianity. For they ever efteemM Heathen In. 
 fantsas unclean andcommon^ but the Infants 
 of Believers they reckoned Holy and Confe- 
 crate, according to the Expofition we have 
 given of i Cor. vi j . 1 4. But now had the H. 
 Difciples publicly preached that the Infants 
 of fuch as were admitted into Covenant with 
 God, had no other Title to an admiflion into 
 the Church by Baptifm, than the Infants of 
 Pagans, who were not in Covenant; they had 
 preached a Dottrin, which would aiTuredly 
 have been a higher Scandal than whatever 
 they had preached againft the neceflity of cir- 
 cumcifing Males, and the obfervation of Mo~ 
 /rj's Law of Ceremonies : Whereupon fince 
 
 wc 
 
(7» ) 
 
 we do not find among their grievous Accufa- 
 tions on the change of the Jewifh Ufages, that 
 they murmured or repined that tiieir_ Infants 
 were not baptiZed,andfomade capable of the 
 Benefits of the new Covenant of Grace \ It is 
 a much more probable Reafon to believe, 
 that the firfl Planters of Chriftianity and 
 their AiTociates, admitted Infants to Baptifm, 
 than the not (hewing a plain Example or di- 
 rect Precept for it under the H. Gofpel Dif- 
 penfation, is that they were not at all baptiz- 
 ed. And now having given fuch Reafons and 
 Authorities for this laudable and chriftian 
 Ufage, before I v come to anfwer the Objecti- 
 ons, which is the laft part of my Undertak- 
 ing, give me leave to make one Obfervation. 
 Menno^ who was one of the greateit Scholars 
 of the Adverfe Party, who lived about ico 
 . years fince, was fo clofe put to it by this fort 
 
 find. adv. °f Argument from Authority, that he owned 
 Anahapt. ' the Ordinance of baptizing Children as anci- 
 Cafe of ent as the H. Apoftolic Age, but then decjar- 
 infents ed it came from counterfeit Pallors of that 
 p 3 ^' o A g e i b ut iff°» how happens it, we find not 
 p ' 47> 4 ' any thing recorded of it in the facred Epiftles, 
 nor in the Books of any of that Age ? fuch as 
 S. Clement , S. Ignatius and S. Polycarp ? How 
 happens it that S. John % who lived the longefl; 
 of all the H. Apoftles, mentions it not ? Or 
 how happens it that the Inditer of the Ap- 
 calypfe^ that cenfured feveral Errors of that 
 Age, (hould take no notice hereof? lit is very 
 wonderful that none of the infpired Writers, 
 fuch as affifted them »* i u '~ Y - T^vejs, {hould 
 
(79) 
 
 not mention fo reproachful a practice,that would flock 
 the Church with counterfeit Profeflbrs, and in a fhort 
 time Unchurch it. In the fame fort if it hapned by er- 
 roneous Guides in the times immediately after the fcL 
 Apoftles, how came it to pafs that none of the Uluftri- 
 ftious Confefibrs that lived in that Age contradicted it, 
 as a Doclrin that might endanger the overthrow of 
 Chriftianity, nor told us any thing in the Jeaft of.it ? 
 They publifhed Books againft the trrors of Simon Mz- 
 £«$, Menander, Saiurninus, Cerintbus, Ebion, Valentines, 
 Bdftlides, Mar cion^c, but we read not any thing in their 
 Writings againft baptizing Children, tho' we are af- 
 fured from Iramus and Tertullian, that it was ufedin 
 their times, as we have made it appear. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 An Anfwer to an ObjeHion that would overthrow 
 
 the Sen fe given of St. Mat. XXViij. 19. 
 
 THe Antipedobaptifts do object,that the Command 
 for baptizing all Nations doth not help the caufe An Ohj, 
 of Infant.baptifm, becaufe there are fome places of H. 
 Writ of a like fouad, are not to be interpreted as if 
 they took in all indefinitely, but only fuch as have a 
 capacity to act the Duty,as worlhip God,and fingtohim 
 all you Nations. To which I return (1 .) Suppofing (dato j n fa u 
 fed non concetfo, as the Logicians fpeak) that the Text, 
 S.Mzt.xxviij. 19. doth not conclude(thQ it do not forbid) 
 that Children mould be brought to Baptifm, I fay this 
 Allowance being given, tbeAntipedobaptift can never 
 prove his Principle from it. (2.) This Text being no 
 more than a Command, can be no Evidence in matter 2 * 
 of Fact, nor have I urged this Text as matter of Fact, 
 but necedity of Duty. ( 3.)The Example that is brought 
 to overthrow the force drawn from the Senfe we have 3* 
 given of the Text, is mighty weak; For tho' in the Pre- 
 ept,Worfhip God.and fing to him ail youNations, they 
 that are not able to do either cannot be believed tobe 
 obliged (For iiemotenetur ad lmpcJfibUe y none is bound to 
 Impoflibilities, as the CivirLawers fpeak) yet in a 
 
 Precept ■ 
 
( So ) 
 
 Precept in afting that for others, of which all are alike 
 able to whom the Precept is delivered (ascertain!) 
 there was no more difficulty for the commiffionatec 
 Teachers to aclminiffer Baptifrn to Children than tc 
 adult Perions) there is no ground to limit or confine it: 
 And that this is the truth may appear,becaufe the Pre 
 cept is not delivered to all Nations, to fit and qualify 
 themfelves for Baptifm, but to the H. Diidplestodifci 
 pie them,andariminifter Eaptifm to them; and of being 
 brought to the Church,and admiflion inro the number 
 of the Members of Chrift's Myftical Body. And oi 
 cleanfingby the Eaptifmal Waters, the Infant .is capa- 
 ble, tho' not of worfhipping God, or Singing (at leaft 
 
 An Obi. Mufically and Harmonically.) Again another Objt&ion 
 they fetch from the Original [Bet-Trrl^ouT.i dvfcs e}j 
 toopo««] baptizing them into the Name; becaufethe 
 baptized fchould not only catch for themfelves the Pro- 
 feffion and Name, but alfo be deeply immerfed in the 
 
 Anfw. thing named and profcfTed.To whichl returniTheSpon- 
 fors promife for the Children, out of a regard to the 
 Profeflion, but the name and thing themfelves take 
 They are fantlified and wsfhed in the Name of Chrift, 
 and are thereupon termed Chrift;ans, outward Commu- 
 nication being needful to a Member of the vifible 
 Church,but not Profefilon perfonal.and outward in this 
 matter, the Party being not fit for it, and the profeflion 
 
 An Obi of others equivalent for thofe Parties. But ftill they 
 objeft againft [_'Air*i] them, and perceiving it to be 
 of another Gender, ana not the fame with /mv-m ru 
 ldvv> they find cut a word to lav it on, which them- 
 felves have chofen, and that is [Ma,*niruc~] Difciples, 
 and thus they would have ['Aut^] them, not applied 
 Rev xx % to Nations, but to the Difciples ot the Nations. To 
 ' • ' 'which I return, v. e have the fame Conjunction in H. 
 Writ, I mean of L'E-^", and'Av7» ? ] Nations and 
 them , and they are both mentioned in one verfe, 
 with relation to one another: And why may not 
 we more naturallv draw a Companion from the 
 common Ciiftom of Speech , and rather -fubftitute 
 at&paT.Kf, a word appliable to all Ages Men, Women 
 and Children, and bind up all in the end of the Con- 
 ftru&ion with Lh xv.vtzo? riv e$i »."J out of all Nations. 
 
 Neither 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 Neither is the Conjun&ion of *E0?» and 
 'Aw*, Nations and Them, improper, be- 
 cause Af9f*V«f is molt exprefiive in the 
 Original Tongue, and fo fit to make the 
 Conftru&ion perfed j Nations being made 
 up and compofed of Men, Women, and 
 Children: And feeing now we are criti- 
 cizing upon the Text, let me offer fome- 
 thing fliould have been brought in at the 
 Coherence, G& teach all Nations , baptizing 
 them. If we correft our Tranflation by the 
 Original, it will runthus, [MdLfrn'wn t« 
 Wm 'IQyri] Difcifle yon aU Nations , not 
 £A/JfeVjis7i3 Teach, yon them : The meaning 
 of the Term is, Separate fuch and fuch 
 Perfons from the reft of Mankind, and by 
 initiation admit them to be my Difciples, 
 or dedicate them to the Service of Heaven, 
 and then by Baptifm fet a Mark upon them, 
 that they may be known to be my Difci- 
 ples, and let them be afterwards inftrutt- 
 ed, who in refpeft of their prefent unfit- 
 ness cannot immediately become Difciples 
 by perfonal Inftru&ion \ and the ground 
 of this Interpretation is ftrongly laid, be- 
 caufe an A&ive Verb of Injunction fhould 
 be allowed fuch a meaning ; for being made 
 to People, and Nations, it muft have fuch 
 a fenfe as mull extend it fell" to all, to whom 
 it is made , and afTuredly little ones on 
 account of their Number are a larger Por- 
 tion of People , and Nations, than they 
 are upon account of their Stature ; and 
 G that 
 
2. 
 
 ( 82 ) 
 
 that Infants may by this way be made Dif- 
 ciples 5 is out of doubt *, Bccaufc, (i .) They 
 are by their Fathers, or the Church, pre- 
 fented to Heaven, who confecrate them to 
 God, and are thereby enrolled in theRe- 
 gifter of the Holy Jefus. (2.) The Spon- 
 sors, or Undertakers, promife upon their 
 account, that correfpondent to their En- 
 gagement exprefled in the Form of Bap- 
 tifm, (which is declared in the following 
 Charge) they are to be inffru&ed in the 
 true Service of God : Hereupon they be- 
 come Difcipies in Fieri, (3.) They have 
 the Regal Seal ftampt upon their Spirits, 
 whereby they are fet apart for the Service 
 of Heaven, and become Chriftians and Dif- 
 cipies in Fafto ejfe, not as being perfbnally 
 inftru&ed, but as being placed fo as to 
 be reckoned the Servants and Scholars of 
 the blefled jefus, and fo really looked up- 
 on, and accounted his Difcipies : We put 
 little ones to places of Inflruction not fb 
 much for their growth in Knowledge, as 
 to be fecured from Mifchief. And after this 
 manner Infants are kindly admitted into 
 the loftitution of our great Matter from 
 the hazard of their departing out of the 
 World without the Seal of the Covenant, 
 and for fear, becaule they have not the 
 Divine Mark, either they or our felves may 
 undergo -punifhment. To all this I may 
 add, (which is fufficient to flop the mouth 
 of.Gainfayers) That the placing Inftru- 
 
 ftion 
 
( h ) 
 
 ction before Baptifm) doth not any more 
 infer, that Inftruction fhouJd go firft, and 
 (hould have the preference, than that Re- 
 pentance, as being enjoyned before Faith 
 by St. Mark) Recent you, and believe the Go- st Math 
 ffel^ ought to challenge the precedence, i.i$« 
 which is the proper product of Faith. Faith 
 in this place being confequent upon Re- 
 pentance by an elegant 'i&pkoy'*. Such 
 Tranfpofitions in Holy Writ have caufed 
 this Obfervation to be made j There is not Nbn datur 
 a former or a latter allowed in Holy Scripture, P rift * w* 
 And now I pity mine Enemy, being fo be- *°£ e S mtn 
 fet that he cannot ftir out of the Circle ; ptu \ 
 which calls to mind the Obfervation of one Quidefimj- 
 ofthe ancient Fathers, What is more rife-f^™jfc 
 rabU) than for a miferable Man not to com- rme r e L* 
 miferate kimfdf. But ftill the Antipedo-/M W ,s.Aug. 
 ba pt ills object: and fay , The altering theConfeff. 
 placing of the words, inverts and difcom- An oh]. 
 pofes the Method of the Holy Jefbs's Com- 
 miflion, becaufe that principally relates to 
 the adult , and i'uch as have entertained 
 Chriftianity. To which I make* his Re- Anfa 
 turn, It ihutteth not out little ones, as we 
 have (I hope) abundantly proved. Let 
 them produce any one fingle Inftance in 
 the whole Bible of the Infant of one that 
 had received the Faith, either Jew or Chri- 
 flian, that was denied being baptized and 
 circumcifed, and I think I may venture to 
 give our Adverfaries the Caufe , tho' we 
 find mention of fuch as had Mothers and 2 Tim, u 
 G 2, Grand- 15. 
 
(84) 
 
 Grandmothers. If we were to Preach un- 
 to per fed Infidels the fame that Chrift 
 commiflionated his holy Difciples to go un- 
 to, thofe that were adult before they em- 
 braced Chriftianity, we muft fir ft inftrud 
 thenijand then Difciplethem j which word 
 in the Original the Antipedobaptifts are 
 very fond of j and yet I fuppofe, with due 
 fubmiffion, I have made clear proof, that 
 the true fenfe of it doth not in the leaft air- 
 lift or ftrengthen their Principle : The 
 phrafe Difcipling is the principal word in 
 the Ccmmiflion, and Baptizing and Inftru- 
 dion the formal modification of the Com- 
 miflion *, tho* if the words were otherwife 
 placed, and Inftrudion in exprefs words 
 had preceeded Baptifm, their turn would 
 not have been ferved thereby j for the 
 Commiffion naming no Sex: or Quality, nei- 
 ther for Age, nor on any other account, 
 muft ncceflarily take in whatfoever parti- 
 culars can be comprehended under that 
 PhnfeH aR d the Antipedobaptifts cannot 
 poflibly make a difference from the words 
 themfelves. Hereupon it is clearly evident, 
 that if the blefled Jefas intended all Capa- 
 cities, when he ufed the Phrafe, all Na- 
 tions^ then it is all one as if he had declared 
 all Capacities of Reafonable Beings, both 
 as to Sex and Age, fliould be admitted unto 
 Baptifm, the fign of admiffion into his ho- 
 ly Gofpel Covenant. New that this Ge- 
 neral Commiffion takes in each feveral Ca- 
 pacity 
 
(8 5 ) 
 
 parity of Reafonable Beings, we will evi- 
 dence from three things, (even the feve- 
 ral Circumffances neceflary to any Human 
 A&ion) the Place where, the Time when, 
 and the Parties concerned in the Action, 
 (i.) The Place where: This Commiffion i. 
 was not delivered out in any Foreign Coun- 
 try, but in the Land of J*dea t where it is 
 acknowledged by all Parties, that the U- 
 fage of admitting all forts of Gentiles, 
 that embraced the Jewifh Religion unto 
 Baptifm was conltantiy practifed. (2.) This 2. 
 Cornmiflion was delivered when the Peo- 
 ple of Ifrael were moft Uriel: and exacl: in 
 the obfervation of their ancient Rites and 
 Ufages. (3.) This Commiflion was given 3 , 
 out by our Median, born in Judea 9 to his 
 immediate Followers and Attendants, his 
 dear Friends, that were Natives of the 
 fame Country, and thereupon it is not in 
 the Ieaft improbable, but that they well 
 knew the conftant and general Ufages then 
 tranfacted by the Jews, . Now upon thefe 
 Accounts it is evident, that Chrift's Com- 
 miflion for Difcipling all Nations was as 
 genuine and clear, as if he had defcended 
 unto Particulars. For he that gave the 
 Commiflion, and they unto whom it was 
 granted, fully underftood what Perfons 
 were capable of the Ordinance of Admif- 
 iion into his Holy Church ; and hereupon 
 an Univerfal Ufage and an Univerfal Com- 
 miffion were moft proportionable and 
 G 3 cor- 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 correfpondent to the Wifdom, Goodnefs, 
 and Power of our Great Legiflator. It 
 was a conftant and uninterrupted Ufage 
 with the Jewifli People to admit unto Bap- 
 tifm whole Houfliolds (wherein we may 
 reafonably fuppofe Men, Women, and Chil- 
 dren contained) of Gentile Profelites *, fo 
 that it being the ufage to leave none un- 
 baptized, there was no neceffity for a par- 
 ticular Order, or mentioning who mould 
 be baptized ; fo that if there were need of 
 exempting any, we may well imagine the 
 Holy Jefus would have excluded them j 
 but we read of no fuch Exception in Holy 
 Scripture : So that the Queftion ought to 
 be thus Hated, Whether Infants are pro- 
 hibited Baptifm, and in what Place, or at 
 what Time ? We appeal to all the Chri- 
 ftian World, if this be the fenfe, as is mofi: 
 probable, whether the Commiflion is in 
 the.Ieaft obfcure, or more obfcurely pub- 
 lifhed for Infants, than for thofe that are 
 adult, can be no Exception , becaufe no 
 particulars are named. Three Thoufand 
 Converts are baptized in the Name of the 
 #12.38, Lord Jefns. Then Peter fat d unto them, Re- 
 1. fent, dndbe baptized every one of you in the 
 
 Name of Jefut Chrisl, for the remijfion offins, 
 and you ffi all receive thp gift of the Holy Ghoft. 
 Which no whit difagrees from the Com- 
 mand, Go you therefore , and teach all Na- 
 tions, baptizing them in the Name of the Fa^ 
 ther 7 and of the Son 7 and of the Holy Ghoff. 
 
 For 
 
(87 ) 
 For the Form of Baptifm in thofe firfl: days 
 of the Holy Gofpel (of which the New 
 Teftament giveth the Story ) may be 
 confidered under a threefold Condition, 
 (ii) St. John the Baptifi baptized in the *• 
 Name of Mefliah, or Chrift, that was then 
 ready to come, but that Jefus of Nazareth 
 was he, he himfelf knew not until he had 
 run a great part of his Courfe } And I knew 
 him not , but that he jhctsld be mzde manifeft $t.$ob % i, 
 mto Ifrael , therefore am I come, baptizing^ 1 * 
 with water. (2.) The Holy Difciples bap- 2 . 
 tized the Jews, baptizing in the Name of 
 Jefus for this reafon, becaufe the great 
 Point of Controverfie then in the Nation 
 about the Mefliah was, Whether Jefus of 
 Nazareth were he, or no ? All the Nati- 
 ons acknowledged a Mefliah, but moft of 
 them abominated that Jefus of Nazareth 
 (hould be thought to be he - 7 therefore 
 thofe that by the preaching of the Holy 
 Gofpel came to acknowledge him to be the 
 Mefliah were baptized in his Name, as the 
 Critical Badge, (the Kenietoy) or Chara- 
 fteriftick Mark of their embracing the true 
 Mefliah. (3) Among the Gentiles, where 3. 
 that Queflion was not on foot, they bapti- 
 ze din the Name of the Father, and of the Son 9 
 and of the HolyGhofi ; fo that the baptizing 
 in the Name of Jefus was but for a feafon, 
 for the fetling of the Evidence of his 
 being the Mefliah. And when that was 
 throughly eftablilhed, then thofe Gifts cea- 
 G 4 fed 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 fed for ever. It is faid, A&s 2.44. All 
 that believed were together ^ and had all things 
 common. The Children of thofe that be- 
 lieved muft come under the Title of Belie- 
 vers too, or they muft famifh, (which af- 
 fords no weak Argument, that the Parents 
 Faith is imputed to the Child i and if for 
 the ufe of the Body, why not for the fer- 
 vice of the Soul, by an Argument [a mi- 
 nori ad majta^ from the lefTer to the grea- 
 ter ? ) For this Community of Goods being 
 for the relief of the Poor, the Children, 
 Babes and Infants of believing Parents muft 
 betaken in under this Expreffion, Z.AU 
 that believe*] or elfe how did they for fup- 
 port ? If the Community of Goods reach- 
 ed them as well as their Parents, the Title 
 muft reach them too. The Community 
 of Goods may be confidered under th'efe 
 two Animadverfions, (which, becaufe it 
 may be ufeful, I hope will not be thought 
 too impertinent a Digreffion). (1.) That 
 altho' Perfecution as yet for the Holy Go- 
 fpel had brought none to poverty for the 
 Holy GofpePs fake, for if they were poor 
 before they received the Holy Gofpel, then 
 the Synagogue (of which they were) pro- 
 vided for them, but now they were ,defti* 
 tute of that provifion, they having forfa- 
 ken the Synagogue, or at leaft the Syna- 
 gogue them, becaufe of their forfaking 
 their Judaifm •, for the Evangelick Church, 
 that was now beginning to provide for 
 
 her 
 
(8 9 ) 
 her Poor,it had not only the Synagogue for 
 an Example, but would have had it for a 
 Reproach, if they had neglected fo needful 
 a Duty, which that took care for fo con- 
 conftantly and tenderly. (2.) This ha- 2 
 ving of all things common, therefore was 
 not an Extin&ion of Propriety, Qand of 
 Mmm & Tuum~] as if one rich Man ihould 
 have as good intereft in another rich Man's 
 Eftate as himfelf, but it was intended main- 
 ly for the relief of the Poor, not to bring 
 any that had Eftates, to voluntary Poverty, 
 nor to level Eftates, (as fome Fanatick 
 People among us, the Fifth-monarchy-mW) 
 (whofeVrinciylQisDomimiimfundatiirmGra- 
 tia, Power is founded in Grace^ and fo the 
 Saints muft have the Riches, and Rule the 
 People of the World) would perfwade the 
 World unto) but to relieve thofe which 
 ftood in need \ for it is faid,that they fold a$s2. 45, 
 their PofTeffions and Goods, and parted 
 them to all Men, as every Man had need ; 
 and again we are told, they laid them down 
 at the Holy Apoftles Feet, and diftribution — - 4. 35» 
 was made unto every Man, according as he 
 had need. Diftribution then,I fay,was made 
 to them that preached the Holy Word for 
 their maintenance , and to the Poor for 
 their relief. When a Mafter of a Family 
 was baptized, his Children, were they ne- 
 ver fo young, were baptized with him ; 
 and hence the mention of the baptizing 
 whole Houftiolds, And when Jhc was bafti- ~. ml $ tl ^ 
 
 zed, 
 
(9° ) 
 
 z.cd y and her houfhoid, fee be fought *#, faying^ 
 If yon have judged ?ne to be faithful to theLord y 
 come into my houfe , and abide there, And^ 
 
 ABs 16.33. again, he tookjhem the fame hour of the night r 
 and wafted their firipes , and was baptized 
 ftrahway^ he, and all his. They that,plead- 
 
 An obj. jng againft Infant-Baptifm, do cavil, That 
 it may be there were no Infants in thofe 
 Families that are mentioned, bewray that 
 they little underftand the manner of admi- 
 niftring Baptifm in itsfirfiufe; and there- 
 fore to give fatibfadtton to fuch of the An- 
 tipedobaptifts as ftart this Objection , 1 
 Anfrv. anfwer ; The ftrefs of the bufinefs lieth 
 not in this, Whether it can be proved, 
 that there were Infants in thofe Families 
 where it is recorded, whole Houfliolds were 
 baptized \ but the truth of the Cafe is this, 
 That in all Families whatfoever ( were 
 there never fo many Infants ) they were all 
 baptized when their Parents were bapti- 
 zed. This was the conftant Cuftom among 
 the Jews for admitting of Profelites; and 
 the New Teftaraent giveth fo little evi- 
 dence of the altering this Cuftom at thofe 
 firft Baptizings under the Holy Gofpel, 
 that it plainly on the contrary (hews the 
 continuance of it, when it fpeaks of the 
 Holy Apoftles baptizing whole Houfholds. 
 
 CBAR 
 
( 9* ) 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 An Anfwer to an ObjtBion that would 
 fore-undermine the Senfe offered A&s 
 
 2. J 9. 
 
 NO W that the Senfe I have given of 
 JEIS2.59. may be the better fecu- 
 red and confirmed, I will endeavour to 
 anfwer an Objedtion made againft it,^.J^jnhis 
 which may be of fome feeming ftrength, ^ r ^ c *"~ 
 until duly weighed and confidered, and p J rt j tb ' e 
 then I hope it will appear to be of no great vanity and 
 force ; and this I find to be ftarted by an cbiWjhnefs 
 Ingenious Antipedobaptift, a Man of Come °£ In f* nt ' 
 Learning : And therefore that I may do *W"* 
 the Party juftice, I will ftate the Objetti- b*ob). 
 on in his own words, that our Adverfa- 
 ries may fee I deal fairly with them. He 
 argues from the Coherence and Senfe of 
 the 15, 16, 17, and 33- Verfes of Atts 2. 
 and recites Verf 38. And that by you and 
 your Children, are meant the fame which 
 are mentioned, Verf\q. under the term 
 of Sons and Daughters. To all which I Anfvt. 
 anfwer, This cannot be the Senfe fo as to 
 exclude Infants from Baptifm, if they 
 have a Right unto the Covenant ( which 
 
 the 
 
(92 ) 
 
 the Holy Scripture feems plainly to affert, 
 and hath been fufficiently, convincingly 
 and undeniably proved by Learned Men, 
 which may fuperfede any Attempt of mine 
 to evince it, or make it plain and evident,) 
 becaufe it was Repentance and Baptifm, 
 gave a Title to the Promife ; and till they 
 did Repent and Believe, i.e. Embrace the 
 Holy Gofpel, they had no Right to the 
 Promife; foritisfaid, Repent, and be Bap- 
 fined, and yon (hall receive the Gift of the 
 Holy Ghoft. Bat they were to be in Cove- 
 nant by Repentance or Faith, before they 
 enjoyed the Priviledges of the Holy Gof- 
 pel, and until then were in the fame Cafe 
 with them afar off, who were noc in Co- 
 venant y and fo had no right unto the Pro- 
 mife, until they did Repent or Believe. 
 An oh]. But here it may be further obje&ed by the 
 Antipedobaptifts , that the gentile Con- 
 verts of Cornelius's Family, had this Gift 
 of the Holy Ghoft antecedent unto Bap- 
 tifm, fo that that was not neceflary unto 
 ^#.10.44. the Gift • For it is faid, While Peter /pake 
 the fe words , the Holy Ghofi fell upon all them 
 which heard the word, i> e. that Relieved ; 
 and upon their hearing, St. Peter was con- 
 vinced of the Truth of his BlefTed Doftrin, 
 and thereupon embraced the Faith of the 
 Holy Jefus, and became Chriftians. So 
 that the fame Qualificat ion that fitted them 
 for the reception of the Holy Ghoft, ca- 
 pacitated them for Baptifm, as appears 
 
 three 
 
(9J) 
 
 three Verfes after, Can any forbid Water ^#.10.47. 
 that thefe Jliould not be Baptized that have 
 received the HclyGhofi as well as we? To Anfvr. 
 which I anfwer, Suppofing the Proraife to 
 relate to the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, it 
 neither excludes the neceflity of Baptifm, 
 nor Children from coming, or being 
 brought to receive the benefit of that Holy 
 Ordinance, according to the rational and yu, C h. §, 
 true Exposition we have already given of 9. pag.45. 
 that Text, in this Book, to which I refer 5 1 - 
 my Readers. But here, like the mon- Antffy*. 
 ftrous Hydra, another Objection fprings 
 up and arifes. It's true, faith the Antipe- 
 dobaptift, tho' we own by the Promife the 
 Gift of the Holy Ghoft, yet we do not 
 believe that Gift excludes from Baptifm, 
 but we deny Baptifm unto thofe that are 
 not qualified, as thofe firft Converts were, 
 i. e. endued with the Gifts and Graces of 
 Repentance and Faith. This I acknow- fw 
 ledge true in thofe Subjects that are capa- '"' 
 ble of acting thofe Graces, but not necef- 
 fary in thofe that have a natural, as well 
 as moral incapacity to act thofe Graces, 
 as the Cafe with Children is, becaufe they 
 are in Covenant, as hath been already 
 declared and proved. And being Baptifm 
 is not the Covenant, but the Seal of the 
 Covenant, he that is in Covenant hath a 
 right to the Seal that enfures the Benefits 
 and Priviledges of the Covenant, by the 
 fame Rule and Reafon as he that is the true 
 
 Heir 
 
( 94) 
 
 Heir unto an Eftate, hath a Right and Ti- 
 tle unto the Inftruments that convey that 
 Eftate. Moreover add to this, Children 
 have one of thefe Graces, tho* not the 
 other ; and if one be fufficient, the other 
 is not necsflary ; I mean Faith, which in 
 fome, and a true Senfe, they may be faid 
 to have (otherwife the Blefled Jefus would 
 Mat 18 not ^ ave caut * one d Perfons againfl; offend- 
 ing little Ones that believe in him, by 
 whom he meant fmall Children, as I hope 
 
 vid ch we ^ ave mac * e ^ u ffi c * ent ^y t0 appear. And 
 P»42> 43, ^ at ^is was a true Faith, we maybe aflli- 
 *red not only becaufe it was fpoke by Truth 
 it felf, who would not therefore impofe 
 upon Mankind,but alfo becaufeChrift is the 
 proper Object of Faith, and him the Text 
 exprefly tells us, they believed in ;) and for 
 Repentance it is not indifpenfably necef- 
 fary, which I fhall thus endeavour to 
 prove : I may fay of Hatred as is ufually 
 faid of Love \_Ignoti null a. Cnfido} for that 
 which is unknown we have no Defire or 
 Affection. So of Hatred the odioufnefs 
 and deformity of that I am wholly igno- 
 rant of, I cannot properly be faid to 
 hate: Now before Hatred, there ufually 
 preceeds Grief and Sorrow; and 1 cannot 
 be faid truly to lament or mourn for a 
 Thing, if I underfland not any lofs or 
 damage I thereby fuftain. Now to apply 
 this to our prefent Cafe, there may be a 
 Sin pardoned in fome Cafes, and in fome 
 
 Per- 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 Perfons without Repentance, as that word 
 imports Grief and Sorrow, Deteftation 
 and Hatred, Derelidion and Forfaking ; 
 by all this I mean Original Sin of which 
 Infants are guilty as well as the Adult Per- 
 fon, by the imputation and tranfmiffion of 
 the ProtoplahVs or firft Adam\ Guilt. 
 Now Children by reafon of their Infantile 
 capacity are not allowed the ability of ex- 
 ercifing thefe Paffions,and cannot be faid to 
 be afflidted and grieved, to deteft and hate, 
 to abandon and forfake that which was 
 not their own proper and voluntary Adt. 
 So that upon this Recount, Repentance is 
 not neceflfary for their ftate and condition, 
 becaufe of their Incapacity to adt the pro- 
 per parts of Repentance ; and becaufe 
 they lye not under fuch a Perfonal Guilt, 
 as may be faid in a more efpecial manner 
 to be proper and peculiar to the exercife of 
 fome parts of Repentance. But for Faith, 
 fo far as it is necelTary, that Children in 
 fome fenfe may be faid to have it, as they 
 hatfe the Benefits of their Parents Faith 
 derived to them. But that Faith and Re- 
 pentance are not always, and in all Cafes 
 indifpenfabiy necelTary unto Bapitifm, may 
 appear plainly from the Inftance of the 
 Holy Jefus Cwho was NhIUhs VosnitentU 
 Debitor'} in him was no Guilt, and fo con- 
 fequently noneceffity of Repenting ; there 
 was was no neceilky of Faith in him ; For 
 of Faith he was the Author arid .Finifher ; 
 
 as 
 
(9$ ) 
 
 as the Author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews 
 HebAi.i. acquaints us , and yet he fubmitted to 
 St. Johns Baptifm, which was in order to 
 Repentance, and therefore called the Bap- 
 tifm of Repentance ; and hereupon it is 
 that Faith and Repentance are not always 
 abfolutely and indifpenfably needful to the 
 being baptized. And this may fufficiently 
 An ob\ t folve an Objection lately made to me a- 
 gainft Infant Baptifm, by an Antipedobap- 
 tift, from our excellent Church Catechifm, 
 (who promifed me, upon conviction, to re- 
 turn to our Church , which Promife he 
 is obliged in Confcience to perform, if 
 he give not a Rational Anfwer to what 
 I have faid, and fhall offer, for the fo- 
 lutionof this feeming Difficulty.) What 
 is required of Perfons to be baptized f Re- 
 pentance, whereby they forfake Sin •, and 
 Faith, whereby they ftedfaftly believe the 
 Promifes of God made unto them in that 
 Anfpf. Sacrament. That is, (for anfwer hereun- 
 to) Thofe that are baptized, when adult, 
 are indifpenfably obliged thereunto ; and 
 Infants when they come to years of difcre- 
 tion, and thus our Church Catechifm ex- 
 pounds her fenfe, which Promife (or Gra- 
 ces) Children , when they come unto Age , 
 art bound to perform. It is a good Rule in 
 the Civil Law, XJSlemo tenet ur ad Impejfi- 
 bile^] No Man is obliged unto the perfor- 
 mance of that which is impoffible to be 
 done by any human power.And then we can- 
 not 
 
( 97 > 
 
 not believe, that he who is the God of 
 Reafon, as well as Truth, will oblige his 
 Creature to a Duty, which he is net able 
 to perform by any Powers he hath created 
 him with ; and fuppofe God (hould infufe 
 into a Child an extraordinary and miracu- 
 lous meafuf e of Grace as well as Reafon, 
 as he did into our bleffed Saviour and 
 St. John the Baptifi , who were fanctified 
 from, or in the Womb; yet we read not 
 (tho* they had fo great a proportion of the 
 Gifts of the Holy Spirit) that during the 
 ftate of their infancy they magnified God, 
 and fpake with Tongues, (antecedent to 
 the ufc of Speech) the manifefhtion of 
 which Miraculous Power, and the difco- 
 very of which Divine Gift, the Jews at 
 the Feafl of Pentecoft, and thefirft Gentile ^2.4, 
 Converts fhewed. But to return , Thp*.^ 1 ^ ^ 
 thefe Graces are not needful to all in sll"" 
 circumftances, for where there is not a 
 capacity to act: them, there can be no ob- 
 ligation to their exercife ; yet that the 
 Children of Believers have a right to the 
 Covenant as foon as born , and fo have a 
 right to the Seal that conveys the Title, 
 and are obliged to its life, if they will en- 
 joy the Priviledges of the Covenant, I 
 hope, hath been made appear beyond con- 
 tradiction, yet they are needful for fome 
 that are admitted unto that Holy Ordi- 
 nance^ and this Diftinttion ought to be 
 well underftcod and weighed. If Baptifiri 
 H be 
 
( 98 ) 
 be allowed to thofe, who have not the pro- 
 per Qualifications, then thofe Qualifica- 
 tions are not abfolutely needful unto the 
 Undertakers of that Holy Ordinance 5 
 Faith is fometimes needfu! , when Repen- 
 tance is not fo ; fometimes Faith and Re- 
 pentance conjoyned, and otherwife fome- 
 
 ABs 8.37. times. When St. Philip admitted the £- 
 thiopan Eunuch to Baptifm, he only en- 
 
 — 2. 41, joyned Faith, not Repentance ; St. Peter, 
 38. when he made three thoufand Converts 
 at his firft Sermon, enjoyned Repentance 
 only. In fhort, It is as the condition is, 
 or the needs of the Party require. In In- 
 fants, the matter is plain as to Repentance, 
 the non-performance whereof cannot hin- 
 der their being baptized ; becaufe they 
 (having committed no fin) are not obli- 
 ged unto the Duty } and yet this is as 
 needful for being baptized as Faith : So 
 that this evidences they are not abfolutely 
 needful, not to all, not to Children, but 
 only accidentally fo \ and if they may be 
 baptized, if they want one, why not if 
 they want the other, is a Myftery .that will 
 not (nay, I am inclined to believe, can- 
 not) bedifcovered by thofe that (becaufe 
 they think the contrary) are engaged to 
 make the Revelation. Befides, I add, A- 
 ctusl Faith is needful not to the underta- 
 king, but to the fubfequent Products of 
 that Holy Ordinance ; becaufe the firft 
 Planters of Chriftia-nity admitted fome 
 
 (tho* 
 
(99 ) 
 
 (tho* adult) to Baptifm, who had no 
 Faith, but were only formal Profc (Tor's, 
 and of this fort were Simon Magu6 y A- 
 Uxander the Copperfmith , Demos , and 
 Diotrephes, and Jndas^ (if baptized) and 
 alfo the Gnoftic Hereticks: For the Effect 
 is from the Searcher of Hearts, who knows 
 our fecret thoughts , but the External Or- 
 dinance may be performed and undertaken 
 by thofe who know not fuch Secrets. And 
 this is a clear Proof, that that Faith which 
 is needful to the product of the Holy Or- 
 dinance, is not needful to its undertaking; 
 and if formal Profeflbrs may be partakers 
 of kj much more Children ; if to fuch as 
 actually impede or hinder the product, 
 much rather to them that do not fo. If it 
 be objected by the Antipedobaptifts, The An ob]. 
 Church cannot tell but that thofe that fay 
 they have Faith may have it, but (he cer- 
 tainly knows Children have not. I an- 
 fwer, The Church cannot tell but Hypo- Anfix* 
 crites Hop the Produdt, and oppofe the 
 Grace of Baptifm, but (he C3n tell Chil- 
 dren do not, nor can make hindrance or 
 oppofition '-) there is a poflibility one may 
 partake of the Grace, but the fecond can- 
 not [top its effe&s Moreover, Children 
 have Faith, becaufe they believe in the 
 Holy Jefus, as we are told in Sacred Scri- St. m#b. 
 pture, in exprefs words, recorded by- two if'^,', 
 Evaogeli(rs 5 if one be not enough ] (And ^'^^ 
 that this is a iatisfa&ory and fufficient 
 H 2 Proof, 
 
( I ?° ) 
 Proof, the Holy Scriptures do aflure us, 
 St. fob. 8. when they tell us, that the Teftimony of 
 ?7- two Men is true^) and this witnefs and evi- 
 
 dence (it appears) we have for the truth 
 of this Do&rin, that Children have Faith ^ 
 and that this their Faith was true, found, 
 and fuch as God will accept, we may with 
 good reafon believe, becaufe he that is 
 truth, and will not therefore deceive us r 
 doth feem fo to aflure us,(as we have alrea- 
 vid. pg.\ dy made appear in this Chapter) Whofo- 
 89. everjhalt offend one of tbefe little ones that be- 
 
 lieve in me ; and therefore fit for his Blef- 
 fmg, which is Divine. Theexercife of our 
 underftanding is no more necefTary to make 
 us fit for Grace than for Reafon ; but we 
 have feeds of Reafon congenite and innate, 
 antecedent to the exercife of our under^ 
 {landings, otherwife there would be no di-. 
 ftinction between a Rational Creature and 
 a Brute, when firft produced into being 
 and brought to light. Sparks and Seeds 
 then of Reafon there may be, to ufe the 
 Per fr fan- words of the great African Father, The 
 its mrain Sod of an Infant hath Reafon^ but as yet not 
 nonubi ra-\ capable cf itfe^ like Fire raked together in the 
 
 latled 'hi Emhers - So likewifc there is a poffibility 
 Tdhucfcpu °f G ra ce being infufed by the Divine Spi- 
 u erau rit, as is clear in the fore-quoted Inftance 
 St. Aug. of the blefled Jelus , and his [Praenrfor^ 
 Ep.23.ad or -j .Fore-runner, St. John the Baptisl, who 
 nomfcc. were faQjggfl j n or from the Womb. Or 
 elfe they may be faid to believe by the 
 
 Faith 
 
( ioi ) 
 
 Faith of thofe that prefent them unto the 
 Holy Ordinance in the Sacred Place j For Fide ge* 
 to this I may add, the Child hath the Faith ^^w. 
 of the Parent imputed to it, and that the jj Jem ibi " 
 Faith of the Parent is imputable to the em " 
 Child, and available for gre3C purpofes, is 
 apparent, becaufe we read in the Holy Go- 
 fpel, That the BlefTed Jefus makes the Faith 
 of the Parent neceflary unto the Healing of 
 the Child. From whence I argue thus, 
 That if the Faith of the Parent may be 
 imputed for the recovering of the Bodily 
 Difeafes, why may not the fame be impu- 
 ted for the curing the Diftempers of the 
 Soul, I mean Sin ? And is it not as reafonr 
 able, that feeing the Guilt of another's 
 Sin is imputed to us to make us miferable, 
 the Faith of another mould be conveyed 
 and made over to us, to qualifie and fit us 
 •for a participation in fuch an Ordinance as 
 mould procure cur Pardon, and deliver us 
 from our Guilt, and thereby make us Hap- 
 py, which is done by being warned in the 
 iLaver of Baptilm , which is called by 
 St. Paul, \_teTfjv 7su\rf/wiricti] the Wafting Tims i^< 
 or Lower of Regeneration. And this is a pro- 
 per Term, it being rational, that we, who 
 have the imputation of our Fore-fathers 
 guilt, fhould have an imputation of our 
 Fathers faith, to bathe us in that Foun- 
 tain , that was fet .open to warn away 
 the defilement of fuch an imputed Guilt 
 and Uncleannefs. And that there is reafon 
 for fuch an Imputation, may appear from 
 H 3 the 
 
( 102 ) 
 
 the relation Children have to their Father' 
 which is that of Members with the Head, 
 and of Parts with the Whole, the Father 
 and Son, both in Holy Writsnd Cuftoma- 
 ry Ufage, (upon fome Accounts) being ta- 
 ken for one. Hereupon the Covenant made 
 with the Vroto j>laft y or fir II; Man, was trans- 
 mitted unco his Posterity, and the Deluge, 
 or Noah\ Flood, the deftrudlion of Sodom 
 arc Gewprmk, the perifhing of the Rebels 
 St. fudc in the gainfaying of Core, included Infants, 
 ih as well as the adult and full-grown. Now 
 
 Reafon as well as Religion in this matter, 
 reqnireth help for Children; for if the Son 
 be reckoned one with his Father, and fo 
 obnoxious to punifhment , without any 
 seeing by theconfentof his own will, fole- 
 ly by the tranfmiflion of his Father's guilt, 
 certainly then, when the Father is one of 
 the Faithful, they ought fo far to be reckon-- 
 ed one with him, as upon that account to 
 receive fome advantage, and fo to be al- 
 lowed an Imputation of the Fathers Faith, 
 which may render them fit for a reception 
 of the Benefits of the Covenant, and the 
 Seal that enfures them. Hereupon the Co- 
 venant given to Abraham is the fame with 
 Gen .17.7. that rranfaded with Adam ; / will eftablijh 
 my Covenant between me and thee , and thy 
 feed after thee, in their generations^ for an 
 everlaping Covenant , to be a God unto thee^ 
 and uMq thy feed after thee. But here the 
 An ob). Antipedobaptifts object, That this Cove- 
 
 . ' nant 
 
( loj ) 
 
 riant is not the Holy Gofpel-Govenant , 
 but the Jewifh Covenant made with Abra- 
 ham - 7 becaufe it is Md^a Covenant between me 
 and thy Seed^ and this Covenant to continue 
 to him and his Seed after him,and that in their 
 Generations i i.e. in the Generations begotten 
 by his Seed, I have thus ftror-gly Hated 
 the Objection, that the Antipedobaptifts 
 may fee I deal fairly with them, and give 
 their Argument all the ftrength it can have, 
 and poiTibly more than fome of them would 
 or could afford it. But (for Anfwer here- Anfa 
 unto) if you will allow St. Paul to under- 
 flandthis Text, (which I believe he did as 
 well and better than any Antipedobaptilt 
 in England) he in exprefs terms makes this 
 Covenant with Abraham to be theHply Go- 
 fpel it felf, and then it mull needs be the 
 Holy Gofpel-Covenant ; and the Scripture Gal 3.S. 
 forefeeing that God would juftifie the Hea- 
 then through Faith preached before the 
 Gofpel unto Abraham, faying, in thee frail Gen. 12/30 
 aR Nations be blejfed ; which is a Quotation 
 from the Book of Get/efes, which mult needs 
 be more extenfive than the Covenant tS 
 Abraham and his carnal Seed, the Posteri- 
 ty of the Jews, which was fo fmail a part, 
 that it could not include all the Families 
 of the Earth, and comprehend all Nations. 
 And therefore Abraham's Covenant mu/t 
 certainly be the fame with the Holy Go- 
 fpel-Covenant, becaufe it was that which 
 was to be publifhsd to all the World, and 
 H 4 take 
 
( io 4 ) 
 
 take in all Mankind. But if any Antipedo- 
 An ob). baptifl: (hall object and fay, The Covenant 
 made with Abraham whenGircumcifion was 
 infiituted, is not the fame with the Gofpel 
 St. Paul mentions in his forecited Epiftle, 
 becaufe that is a Quotation tvomGen. xij. 3. 
 Anfw. To which I anfwer, It is the fame Cove- 
 nant, becaufe God faith, 1 will e flab It jh my 
 Covenant between me aid thee } fo that it 
 plainly lignifies, it was the Confirmation 
 of a former Covenant, not the Inftkution 
 of a new one; and that this is true, may 
 appear by the Coherence, for it is fald but 
 three Verfes before, As for me, behold my 
 Covenant is with thee, and thou fhalt be a Fa- 
 ther of many Nations •, or, as the Original, 
 Gen* xvij. and the Margin of the Bible hath it, Thou 
 4» foalt be Father of a multitude of Nations } 
 
 which Abraham could not be as a Father of 
 the Jewifh People, Jewry being fo fmall a 
 Continent of the Earth,and fo little a Part 
 of the World, that it could not comprehend 
 a multitude of Nations. So that by vir- 
 tue of this Covenant, Abraham was to be 
 comldered, as the Father of all Chriftians, 
 as well as Jews, being the Holy Jefus, that 
 was to be an liniverfal Saviour, for the 
 whole World proceeded, and came forth 
 from his Loins. Hereupon we may ftrong- 
 ? ow -v.i2. ly prefs home St. ?aid\ Argument , and 
 fay, Becaufe the BleiTed Jefus and his Holy 
 Difpenfation convey a greater meafure of 
 Divine AffiSance, and promife higher Re- 
 wards 
 
( i°0 
 
 wards than the ProtoplafTs, or M^Ws 
 Fall did Evil and Punifhment ; If the Pa- 
 rents Guilt be tranfmitted unto Father and 
 Son for Death and Condemnation, both 
 (hall have intereft in the favour of the Ho- 
 ly Jelus, the firlt unto Juftification and Life, 
 the fecond fo far as to take him into the 
 Covenant , and consequently by the fign 
 thereof to give hrm a right and title unto 
 the Benefits and Advantages of the Cove- 
 nant. So that we may declare the Holy 
 Apoftle's words and fay , Can any forbid A&s x. 47. 
 Water , that thefe fhould not be baptized $ 
 Which St. Peter fpoke not only becaufe the 
 Gift of the Holy Ghofi: was fallen upon 
 them, but becaufe that Gift was a Proof 
 of their Title to the Covenant \ and if by 
 any different method a Man can prove his 
 Title to the Covenant, he hath a Right to 
 the Sign that enfures the Benefits thereof. 
 And therefore being the Holy Gofpel- Co- 
 venant now preached is the fame with that 
 made unto Abraham^ is there not a true 
 confequential Implication, that the fame 
 Priviledge is now to be enjoyed that was 
 under the former old Oeconomy or Di- 
 fpenfation, viz,. That upon the account of 
 the Faith of the Principal of the Houfe, 
 each of that Houfe that did not contraditt 
 or gainfay was included, and by Sign ad- 
 mitted in Covenant ? And if this be not 
 allowed, Chriftian Doctrin will be very 
 hard, and there may feem a fort of Im- 
 peachment 
 
( io6 ) • 
 
 peachment to lye againft the Divine Ju- 
 itice; for by the ProtopIaiTs , or firfl 
 Man's Faf{ , Sin imputed was enough to 
 damn the Child; and (hall not the Father's 
 Faith in the BiefTed Jefus and his New Di- 
 fpenfation be available fo far as to put him 
 into a ftate of falvation ? Now chat the 
 Promife is imputed to the Children, may 
 i, appear, Becaufe, (i.) The firft thing in 
 every fort is the Rule for the reft, that are 
 confequent upon it ^ but to Abraham, as 
 the prime Guard iap, the Holy Gofpel-Co- 
 venant was given, and the Sign of it ap- 
 plied to infants } hereupon the fame mull 
 be to all that believe, and their OfT-fpring. 
 For all that believe (hall inherit the Pro- 
 mife, and be Heirs as well as the Father of 
 the faithful. This St. Paul fpeaketh* clean- 
 ed.! ij. 29. ly in exprefs words ; And if yon be Chrifis, 
 then arc y on Abraham s feed, and heirs accord- 
 2. tig to the promife. (2.) That which* was 
 granted to Abraham was not a particular 
 Priviledgetohim alone, or to his People, 
 the Jews, but it was the Holy Gofpel-Co- 
 venant, that all Nations were to be in- 
 tereikd in, and concerned with ^ what it 
 was to Abraham , it was to be unto the 
 whole Race of Mankind, and therefore cal- 
 led a Covenant of Grace, as may appear 
 by the forequoted place of the Holy Apo- 
 
 S. ftle St. Paid \ and from St. Matthew we are 
 
 St. Math, allured, that the Heathen World (hall lit 
 jriij, 2. down in the Kingdom of Heaven, as equal 
 
 unto 
 
( io7 ) 
 
 unto Abraham , becaufe they are fellow £/>JUj.i9- 
 Citizens with the Saints, and of the Houf- 
 hoJd of God. Now the Covenant made 
 with Abraham, included Father and Son, as 
 I have (I hope) proved, and upon this ac- 
 count, poffibly, it might be the Holy Jefus 
 called the Chief of the Publicans a Son of 
 Abraham, and fo confequently a Son ot x { x ^ s 
 God ; for it was ufual to call the People 
 that worlhipped any God, the Children of 
 that God, whether the God they worlhip- 
 ped were true or falfe. Now that there is Mul. ij. 2. 
 a neceffity of Baptifm, this Confideration 
 may prove it, That Children as foon as 
 born (by reafon of Adam's tranfgreflion) 
 are under the Sentence of Death and Dam- 
 nation, except fecured from it, even while 
 Children; if they dye without (according 
 to any outward means yet revealed) they 
 cannot ordinarily be happy ; and except 
 this be cleared, the Fathers can have little 
 comfort in them. Now there is no other 
 Method appointed by Heaven for the Par- 
 doning and Purging of Guilt, but the 
 Blood of Jefus , and the Covenant that 
 Blood gives a Title unto ; and there is no 
 other external \_MedUim,ox~] Means disco- 
 vered to us by God to make this Blood fo 
 efficacious as to procure us psrdon and 
 peace , but. only the being baptized. 
 St, Paul tells us, thatthofe that are bapti- 
 zed into Jefus Chrift, are baptized into his 
 Death. So that if we are not cleanfed by x$my) 5, 
 
 this 
 
( i°8) 
 
 this external Baptifm, fuppofing the neg- 
 lect to be with our own confent, (which 
 cannot be the condition of Children) we 
 have no intereft in his Merits. When we 
 thus declare, we intend only the external, 
 common, appointed Means of Salvation. 
 The Holy Ordinance of Baptifm is the In- 
 strument that fues out and purchafes, 
 through ChrilFs Blood, a Pardon to our 
 felves and our Infants. How far Heaven 
 extends its Mercy to thofe that are with- 
 out Means and cannot ufe them, is a My- 
 ftery hid from us and known only unto 
 God. But now to return to a. more par- 
 ticular defence of u4Ets ij. 39. Befides, this 
 particular and exprefs Gift of the Holy 
 Ghoit was only in the infancy of the 
 Church, and then that Gift was indifpen- 
 fabiy necelTary to enable the Bleffed "Apo- 
 ftles to perform the Holy JefusVCommif- 
 ilon, which he gave to them prefently af- 
 ter his Miraculous Refurrection, and not 
 long before his lllufhious Afceniion unto 
 the Manfions of Glory, which was to teach 
 and publifh his Holy Gofpeltoall Nations, 
 which they could not do without this Gift 
 of Tongues*, becaufe they knowing no more 
 than their own Native Language, had been 
 Barbarians to a great part of the Gentile 
 World, and therefore could not have fpo- 
 ken fo intelligibly as to be understood ; 
 and this appears by the effufion of the 
 Holy Ghoit on the firft Jewifh Converts in 
 
 this 
 
( *°9 ) 
 
 this Chapter, and upon thofe of the Gen- 
 tile World, as appears eight Chapters af- 
 ter this, they heard them fpeak with A&sx. 46. 
 Tongues, and magnifie God, which Chil- 
 dren were incapable of, not being arrived 
 to the ufe of Reafon or Speech , which 
 might be for the greater encouragement of 
 the Gentiles, becaufe the Holy Gofpel- 
 ftatfc allures a more plentiful effbii on of the 
 Holy Spirit than the weaker Oeconomy or 
 Difpenfation of the Law- Befides, feeing 
 the Antipedobaptifts object and fay, In- 
 fants are excluded from Baptifm by this Anofy", 
 Text, becaufe this Gift refers to Sons and 
 Daughters, mentioned Verfe 1 7. To which 
 I do anfwer, I may fay Children are not Anfo. 
 excluded for a like reafon j becaufe Sons 
 and Daughters may in reafon be fuppofed 
 to mean more adult and full-grown per- 
 form, and becaufe this Promife referring to 
 the Gift of Tongues, could not belong m> 
 to Children capable of Baptifm } for they 
 had not the ufe of Speech- Infufed Ha- 
 bits muft fuppofe the Subject capable of 
 . them, or by the Infuiion render them fo , 
 as in this Inflanceof the Gift of Torjgue*, 
 when it is fupernaturally infufed, it InuH: 
 either fuppofe the Subject predifpof d 
 with undemanding, or muft make hlmib 
 by that Infufion. Now we read no where, 
 that this Gift of Tongues was beftow; 
 but it found the Subject predifpofed with 
 underftanding ; for upon all, on whom this 
 
 Gift 
 
( no) 
 
 Gift was conferred, it is faid they fpake 
 A&s\). 4, w ith Tongues > i.e. in different Langua- 
 6 &> l u gesj which we never yet read, or heard 
 x ' 4 'any Infant- Children did, which evidences 
 beyond denial , to you and to your Children? 
 rouft be meant of Sons and Daughters, that 
 were adult and of full-grown Years. Laftly, 
 1 may urge this defcent of the Holy Ghoft, 
 was the Baptifrn of the Holy Ghoft, and of 
 Fire , prophecied of and forefignified by 
 St. Mmb. S.John the B apt i ft #nd that he who was £Pra- 
 curfor Chrifti^] the Fore-runner of the Mef- 
 fiah,(houId be the fvlinifterof, and difpenfe 
 and deal forth to the World \ and this 
 may appear true, becaufe when St. Luke 
 defcribes this Advent, or Corning of the 
 Holy Ghoft, he tells us he defcended in 
 cloven Tongues, like as of Fire, k e. ha- 
 0s ij. 3. ving a refemblance like unto Fire ; and this 
 t. Mark St. Mark calls cxprefly the Baptifrn of the 
 • 8 - Holy Ghoft. And this doth not vacate or 
 make* void the other Baptifrn of Water, 
 rS/ij.38. becaufe St. Peter makes it the afTurance of 
 the Meffiah's Baptifrn, Repent and be bapti- 
 zed every one of you, in the Name of Jefus • 
 Chrift, for the Re mi ffi on of fins , and you pall 
 An Ob}, receive the gift cf the Holy GhosJ. And tho** 
 it is. objeded and raid by the Antipedo- 
 Aiifio. baptifts, that the Gentiles had this Gift 
 before Baptifrn } Yet in anfwer hereunto, 
 they had the Grace of" Faith, that qualified 
 them for Baptifrn ; becaufe the Holy Ghoft 
 fell upon all them that heard the Word, 
 
 i. e. 
 
( I" ) 
 
 #. e. by Faith embraced and received tt\ 
 and yet this doth not exclude Infants from 
 Baptifm, as appears from the reafon -al- 
 ready offered. To all this, let me add in 
 fhort, what is meant by the Promife as re- 
 corded by Joel, and cited by the Text; i. 
 and it is double, (i.) The Pardon of Ini- 2. 
 quity, (2 ) The Gift of the Divine Spi- 
 rit, whereby was not always intended a 
 miraculous Gift, but the comfort and fup- 
 port of the Divine Spirit in their Soul?, 
 by his Holy Infpirations and Breathings, 
 his powerful Aid and Afllflance ; for it is l Cof - xi i- 
 clear by St. Paul, the Gift of Miracles was 29 ' 3 °* 
 not imparted to fome, and the Kingdom 
 of God, or Grace, that good Chriftians 
 enjoy in this World, confifts in Righteouf- K»m.xW. 
 nefs,and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft • 6 « 
 and that thefe very perfonshad this Com- 
 munication of the Holy Spirit, appears at 
 the latter end of this Chapter, for this 
 reafon, Becaufe they did eat their Meat A8s ij. 46. 
 with gladnefs and finglenefsof Heart. And 
 further, Another Communication of the 
 Holy- Spirit they had, in that they were 
 willing to leave their PofMions, and de- 
 liver them to be difpofed of as the Holy 
 Apoftles thought mod ufeful for the good - : 
 and benefit of the Church \ which wc 
 clear and great Teftimonjes, that the Di- 
 vine Spirit refided and dwelt in their 
 Souls. I know a great and learned Man 
 faith he will not defend the Arguments 
 
 from 
 
( H2 ) 
 
 from this Text, becaufe he thinks it incon- 
 cludent , for this reafon , becaufe he be- 
 lieves the word Children, there ufed, is 
 really the Pofterity of the Jews, and not 
 their Infant-Children. And I believe fo 
 too : And yet, with deference to my Su- 
 periors, and with fubmiffion unto better 
 Judgments, I take the Argument to be con- 
 cluding upon this account,becaufe it would 
 be a great Incentive to incourage the pro- 
 pagating Chriftianity , and a Motive to 
 both Jews and Gentiles, to embrace and 
 come in and own themfelves Profeflbrs of 
 the Holy Gofpel , and Difciples of the 
 BlefTed Jefus. And it is very prcbable, 
 in his firft Sermon, St. Peter would ufe the 
 molt prevailing Argument with the Jews, 
 that he might remove the Prejudice that 
 la T y upon their Hearts, to hinder them from 
 believing in a crucified Saviour ; and it is 
 not improbabfe his numerous Auditors un- 
 - derftood him in this fenfe, becaufe we read 
 in the latter part of this Chapter, the fame 
 Acls ij. 4.1 . day were added to the Church about three thou* 
 [aid Souls. So that when St. Peter faith, 
 the Promife is to you, and mho- your Children, 
 it is as much as if he had faid thefe words, 
 O you Jews, that now hear me, if you will 
 repent, and be baptized , you, and your 
 Pofterity, and the Children of ycu, and 
 your Pofterity, if you will repent, i.e. 
 own your Guilt, in crucifying the Lord of 
 Life and Glory, and embrace his Holy Go- 
 
( ."J ) 
 
 ipel, and live according to the Rules there^ 
 of, and be baptized, i. e. receive the Sign 
 of Admiflion into the New Covenant of 
 Grace, you and your Children (hall have 
 the fame Priviledge you had in your own 
 Difpenfation under the Law , i. e. your 
 Children fhall be in Covenant, as well as 
 your felves, and equally with you be ad- 
 mitted to the Sign of the Covenant, Bap- 
 tifm, as your Children are now admitted 
 to Ctrcumcifion, the Sign of the antiqua- 
 ted Covenant in your way; and this might 
 be a great Argument to the Gentiles to 
 become Chriftians, becaufe they mould not 
 only enjoy the fame Priviledge as the Jew, 
 if one of their Profelytes, but much grea- 
 ter by being a Diiciple of the BlefTed Je- 
 fus ; as much greater as the Holy Gofpel 
 did exceed the Law, as appears by St. PauPs 
 Argument. But if the Miniftration of 
 Death, or the Law written and engraven 
 in Stones was glorious, fo that the Chil- 
 dren of lfrael could not ftedfaftly behold 
 the Face of Mofes^ for the Glory of his 
 Countenace, which Glory was to be done 
 away, how (hall not the Miniftration of 
 the Spirit or Gofpel be rather glorious ? 
 For if the Miniftration of Condemnation, 
 or the Law , be Glory , much more doth 
 the Miniftration of Righteoufnefs or the 
 Gofpel exceed in Glory ; for even that 
 which was made glorious, or the Law, had 
 no Glory in this refpecl: , by rwfon of 
 I the 
 
( "4) 
 
 the Glory or Gofpel that excelleth ; for if 
 that which was done away, or the Law was 
 glorious, much more that which remain- 
 2€or.u). eth, or the Gofpel is glorious. Thus, I 
 7- I2 'hope, I may fay, without affuming or ta- 
 king too much to my felf, 1 have refcued 
 tfeis Text from the Antipedobaptifls Ob- 
 jections, and drawn a concluding Argu- 
 ment from it for Infant- Baptifm ^ but be- 
 caufe the Reverend Dr. Hammond thinks 
 he hath founded the Practice upon a bet- 
 ter Bafis, giye me leave to mention it, be- 
 caufe it will corroborate and confirm what 
 I have faid, and when 1 (hall have anfwered 
 the Objections brought againfl: the other 
 place of Holy Scripture, I hope I (hall for 
 . everfilence the Objections of any Antipe- 
 dobaptift from Holy Writ, from having 
 any influence .or prevalency on unpreju- 
 diced mrnds, that love Truth better than 
 Intereft, and had rather comply with the 
 Sacred Inflitutions of the Holy Jefus, than 
 carry on and promote any Faction againfl 
 him and his Holy Religion. The Argu- 
 ment is this, Baptifm, or Wafhing, was a 
 known Rite, folemnly ufed among the Jews 
 (as it is now among Chriftrans) for the 
 initiating or entring Jews and Profelytes 
 into the Covenant of the Lord, and fo into 
 the Congregation of the Jews, as among us 
 it is into the New Covenant, and into the 
 Church of Chrift. Mnny Branches of that 
 Cuftom there were, I fhall briefly gather 
 
 them 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 them . together , and farther teftifie the 
 truth of thofe Affirmations,which any way 
 feem queftionabJe to any. (i.) Baptifm, le 
 or Wafhing the whole Body, wasajewifh • 
 Solemnity, by which the Native Jews were 
 entred into the Covenant of God made with 
 them by Mofes. This that learned Dp&or 
 makes appear by feveral Quotations from 
 their great Rabbins, and tells us, nothing 
 can be more' clearly affirmed by them. 
 (2.) As the Native Jews were thus entred %, 
 into Covenant by Bapfcifm, fo the Profe- 
 lytes of the Jews that were taken in as Pro- 
 felytes of Juftice or Righteoufnefs, as pro- 
 feffing or undertaking ail their Law, (and 
 not only as Profelytes of the Gate to live 
 among them) were received into their 
 Church by Baptifm likewife. This alfo 
 the fame excellent Doctor proves by feve- , 
 ral Authorities and Teflimonies of their 
 learned Men in all Ages* whenfoever any 
 Gentile was willing to enter into Cove- 
 nant, and to be gathered under the Wings 
 of the {Schecinqhi or] Divine Majefty, and 
 to undertake the Yoke of the Law, he was 
 bound to have Baptifm, Circumcinon, and 
 a Peace-Offering \ and if it were a Wo- 
 man, Baptifm and Sacrifice. And again, 
 the ftcanger that is circumcifed, and not 
 baptized j or baptized, and not circumci- 
 fed , is not a true Profelyte until he be ArtiAnm . 
 both. A clear Teftimony we have of this £^ am m 
 in Jrriaijus, the Stoic Philofopher, where 1,2. «,q. 
 I j the 
 
( u6 ) 
 
 the Jewifh Profelyte is by him called 
 \^\Qtumv&'~] Dipped j and he that is fo 
 only in (hew, not indeed, is termed Q^«- 
 'fa*1i'hi} a countetfeit baptized Perfon. So 
 that it is obfervable, that the Baptifm of 
 tte Native Jews, was the Pattern by which 
 the Baptifm of the Profely tes was regula- 
 ted, and wherein it was founded. By all 
 this it appears how little needful it will 
 be to defend the Baptifm of Chriftians 
 from the Law of circumcifing Infants a- 
 mong the Jews, the Foundation being far 
 more fitly laid in that other of Jewifh Bap- 
 tifm, a Ceremony of Initiation or Entrance 
 for all, (efpecially for Profelytes,whowere 
 by Water to be cleanfed from the Pollu- 
 tions and Defilements of Heathenifm, be- 
 fore they were to be admitted into Cove- 
 nant, by the Token thereof, Circumcifion) 
 as well as that of Circumcifion ^ and where- 
 as that of Circumcifion belonged only to 
 one, the other was common to both Sexes ; 
 and yet from that Example of Circumcifion 
 among them, thus milch -muft needs be 
 gain a to our prefent Defign , that the 
 Child's not being able to underfland the 
 Vow of Baptifm, doth no way prejudice 
 the baptising of fucb, for if it did, it muft 
 neceiTariiy be an Objettion againft circum- 
 cifing the Jewifh Child at eight days old, 
 who could then no more underftand the 
 Covenant, of which that was made the 
 Sign, nor the Wickednefs that the En- 
 trance 
 
trance into the Covenant obliged to abftain 
 from, than the Chriftian-Infant now can, 
 and yet (under pain of Excifion, or cut- 
 ting off) was commanded to be circumci- 
 fed, which being fo far vindicated from 
 being unreafonable and incongruous, by 
 the Example of Circumcifion, (which is al- vid - D r« 
 allowed by. all Diflenters) there will be^Tkin. 
 little ground to fear the Objections from f S - ]X 
 Reafon, or upon that fcore, to doubt of the Queries, 
 Pra&ice of that which is fo reafonable, (whereof 
 when it hath, befides this, the Example of J?^: . 
 Baptifm among the Jews, (from which it ^f£ £ 1S 
 is immediately deduced) fo adequately pro- 179,'---- 
 portionable, and dire&ly parallel unto it. i8i,C?f.' 
 And here I fhall found Christian- Baptifm, l8 ?> J 9o* 
 rather than in Circumcifion \ but if any 
 fhall overthrow the Argument commonly 
 taken from Circumcifion, my Return is, 
 That it may be made ufe of by the Rule of 
 Proportion, and tho' it may not direttly 
 prove, yet it clearly illuftrates the truth ; 
 for, according to the excellent Lord Ba- Argument*, 
 con's obfervation, fuch Arguments do ra-^ mboJica 
 ther illuftrate than prove. Yet it niaybefc^ 
 reafonably inferred from the Judgment q J m pr l ' 
 of Heaven, (in a Cafe exactly like) that batm. 
 fuch may be admitted in a Sacramental 
 way, to be partakers of a Covenant, who 
 do not, at their admiflion into itj clearly 
 apprehend the terms of it, as is evident in 
 the circumcifing of the Infant. Now a- 
 gaimt this Account of Circumcifion, tr^e 
 I 3 Anti- 
 
( "8 ) 
 
 Antipedobaptifts Argument or Obje&ion 
 
 An ob). infers, and proves nothing, As that Types 
 
 infer nothing , unlefs a Precept attend 
 
 them , or the fignifieation of fomething 
 
 M w - that hath fuch a tendency. To which I re- 
 turn, 1 do not fey, CircumcifionisaType 
 of Baptifm, nor do 1 infer any thing from 
 it ; Baptifm was fubftituted .inftead of 
 Circumciiion, not as the Antitype comes 
 in the room of the Type, but as one efta- 
 bliihed Appointment comes in after a for- 
 mer, that is difufed and laid afide-, and 
 this is needful Men fhould be acquainted 
 with, becaufe the Antipedobaptifts would 
 weaken the flrength of fome Reafons, 
 • which, without the allowance of this Hy- 
 pothecs, orSuppofition, are noteafily an- 
 
 An obj. fwered by objecting and affirming, that the 
 Circumcifion ufed in Jbrahatn\ and Mo- 
 fes's days, was a Type of the Sacrament 
 ufed in Holy Gofpel-times. Now, to evi- 
 dence, that the Jewifh SacramenE of Ad- 
 miffion, was not a Tipeof the Holy Go- 
 fpel one, we mult (by way of Anfwer) ob- 
 
 Anfa. ferve (if we will fpeak pertinently) there 
 was a like diftin&ion between the thing 
 typifying, and what was typified, as be- 
 tween a living perfon, and his refemblance 
 drawn with a Pencil, that what was fub- 
 Itantial in the Antytipe , and of a true 
 force, virtue, and value, was ufually, by 
 way of reprefentation in the Type, and 
 did prefigure fomewhat which did in an 
 
 higher 
 
( »9) 
 
 higher and more exalted Senfe apper- 
 tain to the Antitype, than to it felfv 
 Accordingly the Mqfak Offerings that had 
 a tendency to cleanfe the outward Man, . 
 were but weak Reprefentings of the more 
 powerful force, and greater value of the 
 Blood of the Holy Jefus, the Sacrifice of 
 whofe Blood was of fuch great Efficacy, 
 (as the Author to the Hebrews tells us) that jfctox.14.' 
 it was able to purge the Confcience from 
 dead Works to ferve the living God. But 
 it is not thus with the Old and New Sacra- 
 ment, becaufe the former had not fuch a 
 Refemblanceunto the latter, nor any thing 
 the fame with it, which doth not as truly 
 appertain to it, as to Baptifm. Is Baptifm 
 an Ordinance of Admiflion into the New 
 CovenanE of Grace in our times? So was 
 Circumcifion in the days of Abraham and 
 Mofes. Is not Baptifm what St. Paul calls Rom. iv.ij. 
 Circumcifion, a Seal of the Righteoufnefs 
 of the Faith ? So that what Baptifm doth 
 now, Circumcifion did then ; Circumcifion 
 was then a Sacrament, as well as Baptifn^ 
 is now ; the one did as truly admit Mem- 
 bers into the Covenant, as the other did. 
 Moreover if we look back unto the firffc 
 rife of baptizing, as a Mofaic appoint- 
 ment, we (hall be fatisfied Circumcifion 
 could not be a Type thereof: Becaufe a 
 Type in its genuine Notion is a repre- 
 fentation, or a prefiguring of fomewhat 
 that is to come. A Type, fo far as that 
 I 4 word 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 Typuqia- word hath a Theological Senfe or Divine 
 ?fL M f J0 ?. 'Acceptation, may feem thus to be defined, 
 blltTkt Tnat ltis a certain reprefentation of forte- 
 hgicumm thing future, or a refemblance ordained 
 definiripof by God, that by his inftitution and ap- 
 fe videtur, pointment mould plainly prefigure fome- 
 
 %u£T n thin s future > or to come : what is r ° p re * 
 
 fymblhim, figured, is that which is wont to be called 
 W ixsm- the Antitype. But baptizing was an infti- 
 . plum its a, tution or appointment under Mofes's Dif- 
 peo compi- p e nfation , and therefore Circumcifion 
 /SSSt f ould not be a T yP e and Reprefentation of 
 inftnutio IX \ becaufe it was for fome Ages admini- 
 futurum iU fired at the fame time therewith : I allow 
 Judprtfou- Circumcifion to be a Divine Inftitution, a 
 
 ZmT/™' Rite °* entrin S J ews and tneir !nf an ts into 
 
 fiquramril- Abraham? s Covenant : And I allow Baptifm 
 
 lud Amity, in this to be the like, by a correfpondency 
 
 pm did Jo- therewith of entring us into the Holy Gof- 
 
 Uu outra- pel-Covenant \ that it is a Riteof Entrance 
 
 Z%% Sa ' for the Pr ofelytes of Cbriftians and their 
 
 I. I#C| \$ t Infants into the Covenant of Grace, not 
 
 after the way of Circumcifion, but the Jew- 
 
 ffh Baptifms. For the making out of 
 
 which Principle, if I had only the proof 
 
 of the Circumcifion of the Infants of the 
 
 Jews, and the concurrent ufage of the firft 
 
 Planters of Chriftianity and their Succef- 
 
 fors, in the early times of the Church that 
 
 followed their Example, I fhould not infer 
 
 it from the Jews circumcifing Children ; 
 
 kecaufe tho r by the inftance of circumcifing 
 
 hildfen under the old Layv, it hath been 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 defended from feveral Obje&ions brought 
 to difprove it •, Yet I underftand there is 
 not a proper and infallible Confequence, 
 that whatsoever is not Irrational muft in- 
 ftantly be \ that a thing is therefore true, 
 becaufe a poflibility it may be fo, accord- 
 ing to the old Logical Maxim [_Abe{fead 
 pojfe non valet Confequentia ; or,] that what 
 is allowed muft therefore have an Inftitu- 
 tion. But when the Antipedobaptifts ob- An ^ a 
 ject and ailedge, That tho** there be a 
 correfpondency of Analogy between Cir- 
 cumcifion and Baptifm, yet is there no cor- 
 refpondency of Identity. Tho 1 (byway 
 of Anfwer ) I own with the Learned ^r Wu 
 Dr. Hammond^ I know not the Senfe of 
 this latter Term, and therefore under- 
 ftand not why they ufe it 5 yet I own the 
 agreeablenefs doth not fuic with all Cir- 
 cumftances, efpecially in one particular ^ 
 becaufe i find Females were not, nor could 
 
 ! be citcumcifed (there being no Foreskin, 
 of which there could be an abfciffion ) 
 which is no more an Objection againfl v 
 Chriftian Baptifm, than the Jewifh one. I 
 think it fitter to fix the agreeablenefs, 
 
 ! where there is greater reafon for it j and 
 feeing, as the Author, to the Hebrews faith, 
 He tafted death for every Marty it was fit £r c ^ -a ^ 
 that he, who upon that account was an 
 univerfal Saviour for all Mankind, fhould 
 make choice of fuch a Sacrament of admif- 
 Hon iflto his Church, as (hould be corre- 
 
 fpondejat 
 
( «n ) 
 
 fpondent with, and agreeable unto both 
 the Sexes. But under this Head I meet 
 An '* with another Objection of the Antipedo- 
 baptifts, which 1 am very willing to re- 
 move. They feem to offer an Argument 
 why circumciiing fhould be more proper for 
 Infants than baptizing them ; becaufeCir- 
 cumcifion left a Character in the Flefh, 
 which being impreffed on Children did its 
 work, when they were Aduit, and baptiz- 
 ing left no remanent Character. But (in 
 jhfw. Anfwer hereto) this hath no force, if we 
 lay the Foundation of the Ghriftiag Sacra- 
 ment in that which was ufed to Jewifh Pro- 
 felytes, which had no outward Mark on 
 the Body (for Water being fluid, though it 
 hath a Dew, leaves no Impreffion or Sign, 
 but what is immediately tranfient) and not 
 in Circumcifion which hath} yet I will 
 not wholly neglect it, but if it be of any 
 feeming ftrength, own it to be allowed in 
 fome meafure againffc our Principles ; but 
 in truth I believe it hath not ; for though 
 * there be a fmall diftinction in reference to 
 Circumcifion and Baptifm, the firfl Maims, 
 the iecond Cleanfes - r the firft Hurts, the 
 iecond Wafhes only \ yet that Objection 
 is of no great (Irength in this concern ; 
 for upon different Accounts ( but folely 
 in refpedt of the Infants) in regard of 
 God and the AfTembly, there is nothing I 
 that differs; for in regard of both, both 
 are alike Signs of theCovenant. And j 
 
 where- 
 
( 12? ) 
 
 whereas it differs in regard of the Infant, 
 fure it is that at the feafon of Adminiftra- 
 tion it fignifies not at all ^ becaufe then the 
 Child haEh not the power or faculty of 
 underftanding the Character } and that he 
 knows when he becomes Adult, arifes from 
 Teaching and Difcipline : For the Chara- 
 cter imprinted, when he is circumcifed 
 hath no iignification by Nature, but only 
 by the will of him that appoints ic, or 
 becaufe it isinftituted \ elfe Jjhmatl was in 
 Confederation and Covenant with God, as 
 well as Ifaac, and confequently the Infant 
 can never know it by the force of natural 
 Principles, but as he is taught when he is 
 at Age, how he was ufed in his Infancy, 
 and the reafon of it ; and therefore the 
 Law that enjoyned Circumcifion, enjoyned 
 Inftruction > and of that the Chriftian 
 that hath Baptifm, when a Child, is as ca- 
 pable as a Jewifh Child that hath Circum- 
 cifion in its Infancy $ and the diligence of 
 the Church may be as exact in our days, as 
 the care was great in the Synagogue for- 
 merly. As for tfie Objection the Antipe- An ob\. 
 dobaptifts make , That Chrift baptized 
 none : I Anfwer thereunto, That will hold M**- 
 againft baptizing at all ; for the Text is 
 clear, Chrift baptized not, but his DifcipUs. $ t# ^ n 
 (i.) The negative Argument holds on our iv. 2. 
 fide, that his Holy Difciples (fo far as we 1. 
 can knowj never denyed the baptizing 
 any. (Nor is it like they would, when 
 
 they 
 
( i2 4 ) 
 
 they were once reproved for doing fome- 
 thing of fuch a Nature, as you may read 
 • in the Holy Gofpel) as it can be reafona- 
 bly fuppofed they did not Baptize any, 
 but indeed neither is conclufive. How- 
 ever (2. ) That in the Holy Apoftolic 
 Age, Infants did receive Baptifm is more . 
 than probable by the Senfe we have given 
 of i Coy* vij. 14 and then there will be 
 no imaginable ground left, but that the 
 Holy Apoftles did adminifter Baptifm 
 unto fueh, or at leaft ( which is much 
 the famej did well like h; and by fuch 
 their approbation did ftrer»gthen the 
 fame: And that we may confirm the Senfe 
 we have given of thac Text of Holy Scri- 
 pture, and prove, and make appear, that 
 what we offered is its true and proper 
 meaning, we come with our endeavours to 
 give a iatisfattory Anfwer unto the ftrong- 
 eft Objection that ever was ftarted by 
 the moft Learned of the Antipedgbaptitts? 
 or any of the Adverfe Party. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 An Anfwer to an Objection that would 
 overturn the Senfe delivered of I Cor. 
 vij. 14. 
 
 THE fame Ingenious Antipedobaptift - 
 makes this Objeftion to the Senfe * nuP >' 
 we have given of 1 Cor. vij. 14. That the 
 word Holy, there ufed, is only fuch an 
 Holinefs as is oppofite to fome kind of Un- 
 cleannefs, which (faith he) I take to be 
 this, as if when they are faid to be Holy, 
 it is no more than to fay they are not Un- 
 clean, viz.. no Baftards. To which I an- 
 fwer, |If r Cor. vij. 14. may feem ratio- JW ' 
 nally to be interpreted of MatrimonialLe- 
 gitimacy, and thereby a Priviledg of free- 
 ing from Ballard y, then [a fortiori] with 
 more ftrength it may fignifie a federal Ho- 
 linefs, that gives them a Title unto the 
 Sign of the Covenant, and thereby makes 
 them the Legimate Sons of Heaven by A- 
 doptioB, which is a greater Priviledg than 
 a Matrimonial Legitimacy ; and this 
 might be a greater Motive unto the Gen- 
 tile World to be profelyted to Chriftiani- 
 ty, as much as the Spiritual Legitimacy is 
 
 to 
 
( i *S ) 
 
 to be preferred before the Matrimonial 
 one, and the Holy Scripture is to be taken 
 in the more favourable and exalted fenfe, 
 rather than in an inferior or fubordinate 
 one^and befides this is agreeable to the Jew- 
 ifh Cuftom, where when any married to an 
 Heathen, the Male-Children after fuch a 
 Marriage were circujneifed, (whether the 
 Children were born before or after fuch a 
 Marriage) which caufed the Holy Apoftle,in 
 allufion thereto, to ufe that Phrafe of Bap- 
 tizing whole Houfholds (which mskes the 
 Argument concluding, whether there were 
 any Children in thofe Families mentioned or 
 no) by virtue of one of the Parents Faith. 
 And without the allowance of this fenfe, it 
 is impoffible to come to the right interpre- 
 tation of this and many other places of 
 Holy Scripture in the New Teftament. 
 Add to all this, that tho T thisHypotbefis, 
 or feemingly fair Principle of the Matri- 
 monial Legitimacy, may feera plaufible to 
 the mconfiderate Many, yet it cannot be a 
 true Interpretation, as will appear unto 
 any judicious conlidering perfon, for this 
 reafon, becaufe it oflfereth no greater en- 
 couragement to the Gentile to become 
 Chriftian, than what he enjoyed in his 
 Heathen tote. For I doubt not but it may 
 be proved from feveral Teftimonies taken 
 from the Authorities of good Claffic Au- 
 thors among the Greekand Roman Writers^ 
 that where a Man or Woman were law- 
 fully 
 
( "7 ) 
 
 fully married , according unto the Rites 
 and Cuftoms of their feveral Countries, 
 their Children were legitimate, and if that 
 ihould be the fenfe, they might be Holy in 
 their Heathen (late, which may feem to 
 be [contradiftio in adjetto] (to ufe the Lo- 
 gicians Phrafe) the higheft abfurdity being 
 a contradi&ion in terms ; whereas our In- 
 terpretation offereth a confiderable Privi- 
 ledge, fo far that it cannot be interpreted 
 of a Matrimonial Legitimacy, as is evident 
 byfer* 1 6. For what knoweft thou, O wife^ 
 whether thou jkalt fave thy husband ; or how 
 krioweB thoiij man, whether thoa fhalt fave 
 thy wife ? Which fhews, that the preceed- 
 ing Coherence cannot contradict the fub- 
 fequent Connexion \ and the Holy Apoftle, 
 doubtlefs, would not have faid this, if his 
 meaning in the 14th Verfe, had carried on- * Anc3t jj'. 
 ly the fenfe of a Matrimonial Legitimacy, may ^ a u 
 to free the married Couple from the great fuffident 
 and crying guilt of Adultery *■ Anfwer to 
 
 the two 
 Obje&ions ftarted againft A$s ij. 39. and 1 Cor. vij. 14. by A. R. 
 in his Traft , called , Ike Second Fart of the Vanity and Cbiliifc* 
 nefs of Infant- Baptifm, Printed May 3. 1642. 
 
 And truly I was the better fatisfied with 
 the account my thoughts fuggefled of this 
 Text, when I found it fupported by the 
 concurrent Judgment of the very reverend 
 and molt learned Dr. Hammond, who I 
 think, beyond exception, hath evinced, 
 that the Antipedobaptic .fenfe of a Ma- 
 trimonial 
 
(.1*8.) 
 
 trimonial Legitimacy, cannot be the true 
 and proper meaning of this place ; and be- 
 caufe I cannot better exprefs it, I will give 
 it you in his own words, as I find them in 
 yid. Dr. one of his excellent Books, A Remain^ or 
 HammnA's Foot ft ep of the Holy Apoftles Pratt ice^ is the 
 
 SLSPf" Re 4 onin g °f St - Paul > l Cor ' vij. Which 
 fuppofes it then received, and known in 
 the Church, (at the writing of that Epi- 
 ftJe) that Chriftian Children were recei- 
 ved unto Baptifm \ the fum of which will 
 be belt difcerned by the fetting down a 
 "few Verfes, and a brief Paraphrafe upon 
 them, (whereby the preceeding Connexion 
 appears to be as little for them, as I have 
 made the fubfequent Conherence to be.) 
 
 Verfe 12. // any ' i.e. If any Chri- 
 Br other hath a Wife ftian- Husband hath 
 that believeth not, and an Heathen- Wife, 
 pie be p leafed to dwell and fhe be delirous to 
 with him, let him not continue with him* 
 put her away. he ought not to put 
 
 her away, Unbelief 
 being no fufficient caufe of Divorce by 
 the Law of Chrift. 
 
 Verf. 13. Andthe i. e. And fo in 
 
 Woman which hath an like manner for the 
 
 Hmband that belie- Chriftian- Wife tha| 
 
 veth net, and if he be is married to an In- 
 
 pleafed to dwell with fidel , if he be de- 
 
 her % let her not leave firous to live with 
 
 him. # her, 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 her, let her by no means feparate from 
 him* 
 
 Verf. 14. For the i. e. For ( befide 
 unbelieving Hmband the Command of 
 [»;/<*?»/] hath been Chrilt , St. Matt h. 
 fanttifiedby the Wife, v. 32. who obliges 
 and the unbelieving to this ) other ad- 
 Wife hath been fan- vantages there are 
 tlifiedbythe Husband^ to the believer's li- 
 elfe were your ChiU ving with the unbe- 
 dr en uncle An^ but now liever worth confi- 
 are they Holy. dering, for by this 
 
 means it has oft come 
 to pafs, that the unbelieving party has 
 been brought to the Faith by the Company 
 and Converfation of the believer. 
 
 And confidering the efficacy of good Ex- }&* ?*** 
 ample, and feafonable Exhortation, and 11 ^- 1 ' 
 Inftrudtion, on preemption of the great 
 Zeal, (and confequent Endeavours and Di- 
 ligence) that by the Laws of Chriftiani- 
 ty the Husband will have to the eternal 
 good of any fo near him as a Wife, there 
 is great reafon to hope, that it will be fo, 
 that their living together may produce 
 this effect in the unbeliever, and the intui- 
 tion and profped of that (more than pof- 
 fible, becaufe highly probable) effecl: may 
 move the Chriftian Party not to forfake 
 the other voluntarily 5 and this one pro* 
 bability, that the converfation of the be- 
 
 K liever 
 
( *lo) 
 
 liever fhould gain, that is, bring the un* 
 believer to the Faith, and the reafonable 
 preemption, that it will befo, is the rea- 
 fon why the young Children of Chriftians 
 which cannot as yet be deemed actual be- 
 lievers, are yet admitted to Baptifm ; be- 
 caufe by their living in the Family with 
 Chriftian Parents, they probably, and by 
 the Obligation lying upon the Parent, 
 ought to be brought up in the Faith, and 
 kept from Heathenifh Pollutions, (and the 
 Church requiring and receiving Promife 
 from the Parents) it may be reafonably 
 prefumed they will ^ and upon this ground 
 it is, that tho* the Children of Chriftians 
 are, the Children of Heathens ate not ad- 
 mitted unto Baptifm : That this is the true 
 importance of the Holy Apoftle's words, 
 and force of his arguing, doth for the 
 
 i t former part of it appear evident, (i. By 
 the word [>V'^0 hath been fandified, 
 which isuft needs refer to fome paft known 
 Example and Experience of this kind, or 
 elfe there could be no reafonable account 
 given of the Holy Apoftle^s fetting it in 
 
 2> the PfeterperfecT: - Tenfe, (2.) By the 
 Phrafe Z** 7 ?w**sm''} by or through the 
 Wife.. This the Greek Prepofkion B«l fo 
 ordinarily Signifies, that it canaot need to 
 be further teflified , (arid in this Notion 
 it is that we here take it) whereas the 
 Notion which by the Oppofers (the Anti- 
 pedobaptifis I man) is here affixed to it, 
 
 thai 
 
( I?I ) 
 
 that it mould Jignifie to (that to which is 
 the fign of the Dative Cafe) [fanclified 
 to the Wife ( as Meat to the Believer ) 
 made lawful to live with] is never once 
 found to belong to it in the New Tefra- 
 ment, nor can with any tolerable congrui- 
 ty or Grammatic Analogy be affixed to it 5 
 (whereby the Antipedobaptifb Argument 
 for Matrimonial Legitimacy is totally o- 
 verthrown) And that the Greek Prepofi- 
 tion is thus to be accepted , the learned 
 Dr. Hammond proves from the Original, 
 in no lefs than five particular places of the 
 New Teflament, and fo ftill the rendring 
 it [to the Wife] will be without any one 
 Example, and the turning it into quite 
 another phrafe, as if it were wittf* with- 
 out £", which to do, without any neceffity 
 or reafon, (faveonly D^ty*** v**pi<m} to 
 ferve the oppofers turn upon ,the place, 
 and fupport his falfe Opinion) muft needs 
 feemto be very unreafonable. (3.) This 
 appears moft irrefragably by the exprefs 
 words added on this Argument, Ferfe Td. 
 where [the unbeliever having been fan&i- 
 fied by the believer] ufed as an Argument 
 (why they fhould live together) is farther 
 explained by thefe words, of an undoubted 
 perfpicuous fenfe , For what hwweft thon f 
 O wife y whether thou Jhak fave thy hwhand t 
 Or how knoweft thou , husband , whether 
 thou (halt fave thy wife .* Where the word 
 f>'£«jT| [fag j w hich ordinarily Sgnifies* 
 K 2 to 
 
( IJ* ) 
 
 to reduce (or as it is i St* Vet. iij. r 
 lu^v~\ to gain) to Repentance from Hea- 
 thenirm or wicked Life, is fee parallel to 
 [>>*£*'] fandtifying, and maketh it clear 
 what was meant by it , which being once 
 yielded to be the true meaning of the firfl 
 part , there will then be little reafon to 
 doubt but that this of the Admiflion of 
 Chriftian Children to Baptifra on this 
 fcore, is the improvement of the latter 
 part, that and no other being it, which 
 exattly accords with the former reafoning, 
 and it being not imaginable that this mould 
 be here added in that argumentative ftyle, 
 [kmt l%a , whereas,(or for) elfewhere^c.j 
 if it were not an enforcing of the fore- 
 going Pofition, thus proved by him. For 
 the confirming of this fenie it may bere- 
 membred , ('i.> What U>©-] Holy is 
 known to fignifie in the Sacred Dialed; not 
 only an fnherent, but a relative Holinefs, 
 being feparate, or fet apart to God, dif- 
 crimicated from common ordinary things 
 or peribns •, and as that belongs to higher 
 degrees of feparation , the Office of a 
 Prophet, or the like, fo the loweft degree 
 of it is that of being received to be Mem- 
 bers of the Church , into which all are 
 initiated, or entred by Baptifm, and ac- 
 cordingly all vifible Profeflbrs, and not 
 only thofe that are fincerely fuch are in 
 Ezra ix. 2. the Holy Seed, and in the Epi- 
 ftles of the Blefled Apoftle called t'<>3 
 
 Holy, 
 
Holy, and reafonable it is Children fhould 
 have an imputed or relative Holinefs ; be- 
 caufe they have the [Vrohibem, or] Ob- 
 ftacles , which kept the Holy Jefus from 
 them, or them from the Blefied Jefus, (I 
 mean Original Guilt) taken away with 
 this referve, when they fhail be able to 
 perform the Terms of the Covenant they 
 are admitted to, as [the i*^'* *■&??*> vU. Dr. 
 as Arrianm calls it] the Promifeof every Hammond's 
 reafonable Creature, when he hath firfl; Q"?ry of 
 leave to become fuch, [the °f*©- iiwiaytt- J? fa "£ 
 vB-^ the Oath confubftantiate with us, the ap 
 Engagement that our Creation ties every 
 Son of Man to, is actually required of 
 thofe only that are of age to praftife it, 
 but may in the mean time be prefumed 
 even in the Womb of the Parent, to be 
 undertaken by us ; this by our being in 
 tended for the ufe of Reafon , as Holi- 
 nefs from our being made Profelytes unto 
 the Chriftian Religion. And (2.) That the 2 ; 
 word W<$&t'fw] unclean, isufedbySt. ?*- aSsx-hi 
 ter for thofe that muft not (as he concei- 
 veth) be received into the Church, as 
 [God's having cleanfed] is God's repu- 
 ting them fit to be partakers of that Privi- 
 lege, whereby it appears how fitly recei- 
 ving, and not receiving them unto Bap- 
 tifm, may be exprefled by thofe Phrafes* 
 (3) It is known of the Jewifh legal tin* 
 ckannefles contrary to their Sanftificati- 
 K3 ons, 
 
( i34) 
 
 ons, that they were the caufe of remov- 
 ing from the Congregation, they that 
 were fo C*3gs&*j?I«0 Unclean might not 
 partake of the priviledge of the Temple, 
 till they were warned and fan&ified ; end 
 that is proportionable to the Notion here 
 given of it, That the Chriftian Children 
 are Holy, i. e. not inherently (they are 
 not capable of that) but in the Account 
 of God and Man, capable of reparation 
 for the fervice of God, of being entred 
 into the Church, into Covenant, which 
 denominates Men Holy (as the Gentiles, 
 * Eum qui 3S long as they were out of it were Un- 
 n® us . e fi clean and Unholy, AEls xj Now are 
 ^3^. they Holy, i. e. it is the prefent practice 
 tiificandum of the Church , that Holy Apoftojic 
 5. J Cypr. Church of St. Pad's time, to admit to 
 Ep. W- Baptifm fuch Infant Children of Parents, 
 ^HpeTWof whom one is Chriftian, though not of 
 *wa*aifa others } and the ancient Bathers who cer- 
 ytrit'wa's tainiy knew the Sacred Dialect called, 
 &*/£" B^ptiifo; San&ification. So St. Cyprian, 
 9&*t&. * He that is Born, muft be baptized and 
 g - c?ti- fanttified : So St. Gregory Naz,ienz«en, -\ It 
 A?crf, is better to be fandtified without fenfe of 
 jfcGreg. j^ \ t Ct baptized in Infancy, when they 
 orat.40. are not feiffi&le of it, than to depart or 
 f / " ' dye without the Seal of Baptifm: And 
 n ' « . again, || Let him be baptized from the 
 jkW *" Infancy , i. e. baptized then ; and many 
 pae/64§.the like. This Paflage being thus inter- 
 preted 3 
 
( «35 ) 
 
 preted, is a clear- proof of the point in 
 hand. Were not this the Import of it, 
 there were no Priviledge imaginable, no 
 Sandity could be attributed unto Chri- 
 stians, which would not belong to the 
 Infants of Heathens alfo, which yet is 
 here diredly affirmed of the one, and de- 
 nied to the other by the Holy Apofrie \ and 
 as this evidently concludeth fuch a Cu- 
 ftom known and acknowledged among 
 Chriftians at that time, fo it is diredly 
 the thing that the Jewifli pradice ( in 
 which Ghrift founded his Inftitution) hath 
 laid the foundation of in baptizing Profe- 
 lytes and their Children, and to which 
 the primitive Church conformed : And fo 
 though that Judaic practice taken alone 
 were not deemed any demonftrative evi- 
 dence, that Chrift thus inftituted his, 
 Baptifm for the ©entile World \ yet be- 
 ing taken in conjundion with this Holy 
 Apoftolic pradice, and the primitive uf- 
 age, it brings all the weight with it that 
 a divine Teftimony, interpreted by pra- 
 ctice, can afford, which is as great as an/ 
 fuch matter can be capable of. And thus 
 I have fufficiently, I hope, anfwered the 
 Objedion that would overthrow the true 
 Senfe I had before given of this place 
 of St. Paul y and offered Reafons fo ftrong 
 and fo plain, as may fatisfie any unpre- 
 judiced reafonable Man. For Reafons 
 K 4 mull 
 
( itf ) 
 
 muft be plainer than the Matters they 
 are brought to give a Proof of $ becaufe 
 when we go about to prove a Matter that 
 is queftionable, we muft do it by fuch 
 (Mediums and) Methods that are appa- 
 rent as well as cogent. And now from 
 this Text of St. Paul, I have made it evi- 
 dently appear , That Children have a 
 right unto the Covenant , under the new 
 Difpenfation, as our Adverfaries own and 
 acknowledge they had under the old one ; 
 and then let the molt learned of our Adver- 
 faries make appear at what time, or when 
 they were excluded and (hut out, and we 
 will acknowledge and own our felvss in a 
 Miftake : And if they cannot do that , 
 they ought to confefs and declare, we have 
 Truth on our fide, and that they are in an 
 error -, which though Men (out of love 
 to their Reputation or a miftaken Inte- 
 reft) they are unwilling to come to, 
 yet I am certain it is their Duty to 
 do it. 
 
 CHAR 
 
(*?7) 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 An Account whence Infant-Bapifm 
 refults. 
 
 AN D now the bufiners may be deter- 
 mined in this one Enquiry, Whe- 
 ther the baptizing of Infants do appear 
 to be a divine Inftitution and holy Apo- 
 ftolic ufage ? And if it do, we have all we 
 can deiire in the Cafe $ but if it do not, 
 we are obliged and bound to difown the 
 Method we have taken for the aflerting 
 our Principle, or drawing from it what 
 we would conclude thereupon; and be- 
 caufe the bell Method for the folving of 
 this doubt is the urging home what we 
 have faid, laying the foundation upon a 
 divine Inftitution, and the ufage of the 
 holy Apoftles : Therefore give me leave 
 to prefs it clofe upon the Confciences of 
 fuch Men as love the Truth, and value 
 their Souls above all Worldly Confidera- 
 tions, in fix Particulars. ( 1 . ) Whether 
 by the holy Jefus's laying the Inftitution 
 of this blefled Sacrament in the Jews 
 ufage of baptizing Profelytes, which hath 
 been evidenced to appertain unto the In- 
 fant 
 
( ij8 ) 
 
 fant Children of fuch Profelytes, (2.) By 
 his bsing fo far from reje&ing the Age 
 of Children, as an impediment of coming 
 unto him (•*„• e. unto their Profelytifm) 
 that he affirms them to be the Pattern of 
 thofe. of whom his Kingdom confifts ^ and 
 though he be not affirmed in the holy Go- 
 fpel to baptize fuch (when indeed the 
 f ohn bkded J-fus baptized not at all, but his 
 ho] v r Duci pies') yet he tool^ them in his 
 Armsy and {**$ his Hands uyon them y and 
 bkjfalthem (which being the Rite cuftoma- 
 ry in the holy Church, for thofe that were 
 qualified for Baptifm, and diredtly pre- 
 parative to it ) they that were by the 
 Chrifi: allowed, that cannot be efteemed 
 by him lefs fie for Baptifm than for that. 
 (3.) By the exprefs words of the holy 
 Apollls, that their Children are holy ex- 
 pounded by. the coherence and connexion 
 of the Text (as we have already made 
 evident and apparent, by giving its pro- 
 per fenfe, and anfwering the ftrongeft 
 Objeftion againft: what we have offered 
 as its true meaning) fo as to conclude 
 from the reafon of the holy Apoftle's Dif- 
 courfe, that it was the ufage of the days 
 Apoftolic to admit the Infants of Chrifti- 
 an Parents unto Baptifm, and fo expound- 
 ed by the Chriftian Authors of the earli- 
 eft Centuries. (4. ) By the Authorities of 
 the ancient primitive Fathers that treated 
 
 of 
 
( i?9) 
 
 of this Do&rin , without the leaft pre- 
 tence of theirs fwho were beft acquaint- 
 ed with their Cuftoms) that this was not 
 an holy Apoftolic ufage, and therefore 
 continued in all the times of the ancient 
 Church fucceflively. (5.; By the Tefti- ?# 
 mony of Councils, when the obftinacy of 
 falfe Teachers contradicted, refilled and 
 gainfaid it. (0*.) At laft enjoyned by the <j t 
 holy Church, whence I believe with the 
 other Accounts already given, the need- 
 fulnefs of its ufage and continuance ari- 
 feth, and not from any other Grounds, 
 Now all I urge, with due fubmiffion of 
 my Self and the Caufe unto the Opinion 
 of unbyaffed Perfons (any Man of Candor 
 and Ingenuity, that is freed from Paflion, 
 Prejudice and Interefl) is this, Whether 
 thefe fix Particulars being duly andferi- 
 oufly confidered ( the Truth of all which 
 is well known unto any learned Man) it be 
 not clear enough, that admitting Infants 
 to Baptifm, is a divine Inftitution and an 
 holy ApoftoMc ufage? If it be not, I 
 would willingly underftand, what is more 
 needful for fatisfadtion in a bufinefs of 
 this Concern ? And whether by any other 
 ( or more properly ) convincing Argu- 
 ments, the contrary can be proved to be 
 an holy Apoftolic cuftom, or that they de- 
 nied the Infants of Profelytes the holy 
 Sacrament of Baptifm ? 
 
 CHAP. 
 
C *4° ) 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 An Jppeal unto the Reafon of 
 Mmkind. 
 
 A 
 
 N D now I have one Confideration 
 to offer by way of Appeal, unto 
 all difinterefted and unbyaffed Perfons, to 
 engage their Belief unto fuch a comforta- 
 ble and chriftian Do&rin, as well as fo 
 neceflary and ufeful a Practice : That 
 whatfoever appointment or precept hath 
 God the Father for its Author ( whether 
 difcovered by the Revelation of the holy 
 Prophets, or by the fervice of thofe 
 (A«T*p W s nv'w&tm) Miniftring Spirits 
 above, that are fent forth into all the 
 Parts of the World to Minifter for 
 them, who (hall be the Heirs of Salvati- 
 
 ticbi. 14, on ( as tne Autnor of the Epiftle unto 
 the Hebrews acquaints us ) or the Holy 
 Jefus for its Inftitutor (whether dire- 
 ctly from himfelf , or mediately by his 
 SuccefTors the holy Apoftles, and thofe 
 that fucceeded them , holy Apoftolic 
 Men ) is not of Infallible Obligation un- 
 to 
 
( *4! ) 
 
 to all to whom it was given ( and fo 
 each Inftitution of Chrift unto all Chri- 
 fthns ) and that the peculiar way of 
 its Derivation unto us, whether by 
 the Infpired Difcoveries of the Law 
 or Holy Gofpel , or any different Me- 
 thod, is but of an extrinfic Confideration 
 to any fuch Divine Appointment or 
 Command ; I fay, upon this Confidera- 
 tion, I have, I hope, in the Judgment 
 of all fober and rational Men ( for the 
 full clearing of this Doubt, and fatisfy- 
 ing this Cafe of Confcience, concerning 
 Infant Baptifm) by proper, and the 
 moft highly probable Arguments mani- 
 felted , That by appointing Baptifm as 
 a blefled Sacrament to be uled amongfl: 
 Chriflians, the blefled Jefus and his im- 
 mediate Followers, did not deny Child- 
 ren the life of that comfortable and ho- 
 ly Ordinance, but freely and willingly 
 admitted them thereunto. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
( H2 ) 
 
 CHAR XX, 
 
 The Conctajion of the whole Matter. 
 
 AN D cow I have one Prcpofal to 
 make, (by way of Importunate Re- 
 queft) which I hope is reafonable for me 
 to defire, That none of the Antipedo- 
 baptifts will look upon, or account me as 
 their Adverfary, becaufc, according unto 
 the Doty of jny Place, and the Obliga- 
 tions of my Conference, I declare unto 
 them what I verily believe, to be true, and 
 have no different: purpofe or intention in 
 the management or this Controverfie, but 
 to bring Men to a Great Regard,and Reve- 
 rend Efteem for,and an humble and dutiful 
 Submfffion to the Holy Jefus's Ordination 
 and Appointment. Upon the whole Matter 
 then, and an impartial and ierious Con- 
 fideraticn of whst hath been offered, I 
 cannot imagine what Plea (except fuch 
 as is condu&ed by Iniereft, Humour, or 
 Covetoufnefs ) any understanding Man 
 can with the lead probability ufe to throw 
 off the concording Agreement of fo ma- 
 ny Teftimonies and great Authorities for 
 fo neceffary a Practice, as well as com- 
 fortable 
 
( 14? ) 
 
 jfortable a Do&rin :lAnd I (ball with 'all 
 Hearty Affection and Brotherly Love con- 
 clude, and prefume no farther than thefe 
 Arguments and Teftimonies will allow 
 me to do, (furely not be fo Cenforious 
 as the Antipedobaptifts, and Anabaptifts 
 are, when they declare hainous Matters 
 of us, and affirm, that we, by Baptizing 
 Infants, Pollute the Blood of the Ever- 
 lalting Covenant) God forbid,, that we 
 who heartily Pray in our Public Liturgy, 
 (which all Clergymen are obliged and .ei>- 
 gaged unto the daily ufe of) That it would 
 fleafe thee y good Lord, to bring into the way 
 of Truth , aH fuch as have erred , and are 
 deceived. The fenfe of which is , That 
 all Separatifts from the Holy Catholic 
 ( or any Orthodox National ) Church , 
 that is a true Pari, or found Member 
 thereof, may return home unto Chrifl^s 
 Fold , and be received into the Bofom 
 of the Holy Church , and cannot be 
 thought , without breach of Charity , 
 to have the profpett of any other pur- 
 pofe, but the Everlafting Happinefs and 
 Welfare of Mens Immortai Souls ; 1 fay, 
 that we mould ever entertain a thought 
 of perfecting, killing, or damning thofe 
 that differ from us, while they profefs 
 the Holy Name of the BlefTed Jefus : * Ti< m . 
 Our Mind is the fame with St. Ignatius *, c&"u»l 
 that Holy Martyr, to foften the ftarp £*;*"* 
 
 Hu 'St.Ignat, 
 
( 144 ) 
 
 Humour , by tender and skilful Applica- 
 tions of the Gentle Word , (iike pour- 
 ing Oyl into the Samaritan's Wounds) 
 I mean to heal by Embrocation, or the 
 moll tender Methods, and not by Scari- 
 fications, and Cauftics , (to ufe the Chi- 
 rurgion's Term of Art) and I do efteem 
 it my Obligation, to deprecate that de- 
 ceitful Prosperity , that fhould be ftrong 
 enough to breath into the Spirits of per- 
 yid. Dr. fons any higher meafure of fharpnefs in 
 gw"^' 8 the Fathers, or Sons of the Holy Church, 
 Infant- t ^ ,an w ^ at I now believe to be a power- 
 Baptifm, ful Engagement to bring Men to the 
 *<g.3i2> Church. 
 
 THE END. 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 A P RAYER ufed 
 
 by the Author after the 
 publick Preaching and 
 Delivery of thefe Dif- 
 courfes. 
 
 OTboH holj) ever-blejfed and 
 illuminating Spirit , the Fotm- 
 tAtn of Wifdom , who was fent by 
 God the Father , and promifed by 
 God the Son to conduct and guide Men 
 into all necejjfary Truths who wouldeft 
 not the Deflru&ion of any of the Sons 
 of Men, but art really and truly defirons 
 that all Per/bns Jbould come unto the 
 faving knowledge of thy revealed Will, 
 and haft formerly Commifjionated pecu* 
 liar Meffengers ; and at laft didft fend 
 the beloved Son of thy Bofom to reduce 
 all People from dangerous Miftakv and 
 Errors, and to lead them into the Paths 
 ef divine Truth ; that at the end of 
 L their 
 
. ' - C '40 
 
 their days they may arrive at, and be 
 placed in the Manfions of Glory and 
 Happinefs above, to live^ an immortal 
 and never-dying Life, with thee the befl 
 of Beings : Give thy Bleffing, we hum- 
 bly beftech thee f unto thefe Difcourfes, 
 and render them ferviceable unto thofe 
 excellent Purpofes unto which they are 
 fincerely intended Prepare and qualify 
 the Spirits of thofe that have, or /hall 
 hear them, to embrace whatfoever is dif- 
 covered in them according to thy reveal- 
 ed Will, with a Spirit of Love and 
 Metknefs : Mollify and [often all obdu- 
 rate hardned Souls, all callous hrawny 
 Confciences that are feared, as it were 
 with an hot Iron ; enlighten the dark- 
 fghted that they may dij cover and un- 
 der (I and thine h?h Will, when it (hall I 
 be powerfully offered unto them \ and 
 give them the Alfiflance of thy divine 
 Grace, and the Aids of thine holy Spi- 
 rit to live according to fuch Convicli- 
 ons : Take away from all Men Conceit- 
 ednefs and (Irong Prepofftffions, fecnlar 
 Intere (Is and fond Humours, or whatfo- 
 ever may put the leafl (lop unto the Ope- 
 rations and lYor kings of thy divine «&r| 
 
( 147 ) 
 rit 9 in the Propofal of thine holy Will 
 unto the Sons of Men ; and make theft 
 Difcourfes ufeful unto fuch as know and 
 are acquainted with thine heavenly Do- 
 t~lrin, unto the Conviction of thofe that 
 fcruple the Truth, and are therefore un- 
 willing to own and acknowledge it, and 
 unto the recovery of fuch as are afofla- 
 tized and fallen therefrom ; and if thou 
 jhouldeB be fo merciful unto me, as to 
 make me the unworthieft of thy Ser- 
 vants, in the leaft meafure an Instru- 
 ment for the advancing thine Honour 
 and thy Churches good, by curing our 
 Divifions, and reducing any wandring, 
 Jlraying Sinner from the Error of his 
 Way ; deliver me from any Tumours or 
 Swellings of Spirit, any undecent Ex- 
 altation of Thought or Mind, any af- 
 fuming or taking the leaft thing unto my 
 felf \ and grant I may afcribe and re- 
 turn all Laud and Praife to thee, who 
 art the Fountain of Light, and the 
 Author of Truth ; and that I may ac- 
 knowledge that the Improvement as well 
 as the Talent proceeds from thee, who 
 art the Giver of every good and every 
 perfect Gift. Grant thefe Requefts for 
 
 tin 
 
( 148 ) 
 
 the Merits an >d Mediation of thy dear 
 Son, who is not only the Way and the 
 Life, hut alfo that bright Day-ftar, 
 who by his irradiating Beams lightens 
 every Man that comes into the World, 
 even our only merciful Saviour \ and moft 
 powerful Redeemer the Holy Jefus, 
 Amen. 
 
 Now to God the father, God the Son, 
 and God the Holy Ghoft, be given and 
 paid all Honour and Glory, as is moft 
 due from Angels and Men, henceforth 
 and for evermore, Amen. 
 
 finis: 
 
Errata Corrigenda. ■ 
 
 IJ>J the Vv&r» Pfg. t ?. Marg. Lin. 7, 8. read, P. 
 103, 1*04. P. 241 1 7. r. been. P. 53. 1. 1 1 . r. &>. P. 
 60. L26. t. R<?a/?. P. 62. 1. 8. r. Man. 
 In the Contents. Pag. 5. Lin. 8,9. read, Schecinah. 
 In the Bbok. Pag. 3. Marg. Lin. *8. ddejtne. P. 17. 
 1. 4. r. as are nop. P.. 3 5. Marg. 1. 22. r. cavit. P. 50. 1. 
 25. r. 'Av&zams. • P. 58. 1- 3. del. of. P. 70, 1 20. r, 
 frevaih. P. 75. Marg. 1. 2 5. r. Baptizari in. P. 8 o. I. 
 
 14. x.Uarmonioufly. P. 91. 1. 3. del. fire, and in the 
 fame line, r. tffered for. P. 92. 1. 27. r. were. # P. 93. 
 Marg. 1. 4, 5."r. 48. 53. P. 94-Marg. 1. 3. r. 46,47- 
 P. too. Marg. 1. 4. r-94. P. .120. Marg. 1. 16. r. /«- 
 fiitutt % P. .127. 1, «/*. r. Mtipadobaptiftic. P. 133 I. 
 3,4. r.Obflatic, P 136. I.21. del f>p. P..13S. I. 
 
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