r*! » AP 9684 . » J^ rt CO ^ f ^ P4 i <5 <* % c 8 £ ^ CL ? Sq ^ It), ■ .J^farftc^ A Juft Vindication Of the Do&rine and Practice Of JOHN theBaptift, CHKISC and his APOSTLES, Concerning Water - Baptifm. Occafioned by a Book, Entituled* Some pain Letters in the Defence of Infant* Baptifm; * And of the Mode of Baptizing , By Sprin- liag, &c. which was Written by Mr. Hewer- dine of March' : And is now- examined and and confuted , By WillianyftMcl , M. D. ex Acad. Cantabrig. A lover of Primitive Chriftianity. I do believe and know, that there is neither Precept nor Example in Scripture for Pado-Baptifm , nor any juft Evidence for it ,. for above 200 Years after Gn rift, ty.Barlort, lateBifhop of Lincoln, in his Letter to Mr. Tombes. The outward Rite in Baptifm is Threefold, i. Immer- fien into the Water. 2. Abiding under the Water. 3 Refurreftion out of the Water. Tilenm , Difput. Pag. 886*. &c. Baptifm is a Greek Word, it may be tranflated a Dipping, when we Dip fomething iw Water, that it riiay be co- vered with Water. Luther de Btpiifmd, Tern. 1. Fol. 7 1. There was no fuch thing as Sprinkling ufed in Baptifm in the Apoftles time , nor many Ages^zhet them. $of. Mede, on Tit. 3. 5. LONDON: Printed in the Year 170 1 i? 1 1 ■•■ ■■ T O T H E MC Joint^Pariihoners O F March, Doddington, Wimblington and Benrvick^ 5 Is this enfuing Treatifc Humbly Dedicated ~^His Dedication if occaftoned by a Booh of Mr. Hewerdine'/, direfted unto yon, to whom he -J *" vouchsafed i0 Write a Preface, and therein to give you camion againft itftbracinv our Dotlrine and. Pratlice about Holy Baptifm ; lejfvy fo doing you be- come Anabaptilfe , by being Baptised a fecond time. For y he tells you it mti/i needs be fo 9 ifyourfirft Bap- tifm was rightly Adminijired. But in the cloje of his Preface , he commits this matter to your Examination and Judgment , upon which I {hall make thefe Re- marks. i. He doth hereby allow us , That it is d Duty to be once truly Baptised , and that fuch Perfons are not Anabaptijis. A 2 2. That The Epiftle Dedicatory. 2. That thofc upon whom Baptifm hath not been ■rightly Adminijlred , may he Baptised afterwards, jtnd not be accounted Anabaptifis. And to this agrees the Order and Diretlion of the Church of England about private Baptifm > that is Adminiflred iu danger of Death. For they fay , that if he do afterward live , it is expedient that he be brought into the Church, and then the Minijler of the Parifh /hall examine and try whether the Child be lawfully Baptized or no. And if upon Examina- tion he find that all things were not done as they -onght ; and that he was not lawfully and perfectly Baptized; fome of the EfTential Parts of Baptifm having been wanting therein. Then (they give this Diretlion ;) Let t Be Prie/i Baptize it in form above- Written concerning publick Baptifm , faving that at the Dipping of the Child in. the Font, he fhalt ufe this form of Words. If thou be not already Baptized, N. I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father, &c. 3.7 do further obfervefrom hence, Tha' the PfMs of the Church of England (who follow this Diretlion') are mort liable by this Vratlice of theirs , to make Anabaptifts than we can be ; becaufe they exprefs their doubtrulnefs in the very aft. And if they do dip the Child a ficond time, and he was rightly Dip- ped hefore fitch a Child muft needs be an Anabapt- 4. It is apparent from hence, That in the Judgment of the Fathers of your Church , Baptifm maybe re- iterated, if it hath oat been rightly performed the firfi time. 5. But The Epiftle Dedicatory. J, But feeing we deny Infants to be the proper Sub- jects of Baptifm • and alfo the Mode your Priefis ufe qf Sprinkling (inf}e ad of Dipping) thofe they pre- tend to Baptise. We fay they are not Baptized at all, hut only Rantized , which is not Baptifm : And therefore till they can prwe that Chrifi hath any where required in his Word , that Infants are to be Ranti- 'zed, we muft continue to teach them, when they come to Tears of Under/landing , to repent of their Sins , and believe in the Lord Jefus Chrifi \ and then to be Baptized according to Chrifi s Commifflon, Mutth. 28. ip> 20. Mark 16. 15, 16. For info doing, he hath promifed to be with us alveay, even to the end of the World. . Having now removed this Stumbling Block out of your way , J /hall proceed to give you an account of tny Method, in anfwer to Mr. HewerdineV Book. After IhUve confidered his Allegations to prove that Infants are the Subjetls of Baptifm, I have made it appear, that he hath not proved what he un- dertook : For it doth not follow from any thing he hath J aid, That Our Blejjed Saviour did ever com- mand his Apoffles to Baptize Infants, either in the time before, 'or after his Refurretlion', or that they did at any time, either teach or pratlice it after his Afcenfion ; therefore he was forced to confefs in p.tg. 63. We find not in Scripture any fuch exprefs Com- mand as this, That Tnfants {hall be Baptized. And then he fie s to the old Popijh Plea of Apo folic ai Tra- dition, and therein I have alfo fuffciently confuted him, from the Pens of divers Learned Men , both Dotlors and Reverend Bifhops of your own Church , who do tefife , that there is no jufi Evidence of any fuch Tradition, and that it doth not appear from any Amhentick Hijhry, that any Infants were Baptised A 3 during The Epiftle Dedicatory. daring the fir ft 200 Tears from the Birth of Ottr- Sa- viour. And certainly the Apoftles would not have wholly omitted it , if they had received a Commtffwn from their Lord , both to have taught and pratttfed it : For they were faithful to the truft repdfed in them, and kept back nothing that was profitable for the Church of God , but did declare unto them all the Counfel of God, Acls 20. 20, 27. So that its not being taught or praBifed at all for fo long a time, is a full Demonftration, that the Baptifm of little' Infants h no part of the Counfel of God , nor is it at all pro- fitable for the Church of God. And to fuppofe other- wife {as Mr. Hewerdine does) is to charge the Apoftles, and their immediate Succejfors with unfaith- fulnefs. ! As touching his 3 fir/? Letters abont the Mode of Baptising, I have coh/idered them alfo ; and do find that he hath not been able by himfelf, or by the help of others ( whom he hath called into hh affiftance ) to prove that Rantifm is Baptifm , that Sprinkling is Baptising : But is forced to contradiB himfelf , by confefjing that all thofe in thofe Eaftern hot Coun- tries, as in Judea, and the Neigbouring Nations, were all Baptised by Dipping. And his Pica againft 'Dipping in our climate, is very infiped , and as cold- ly all edged as the coldnefs of the Climate it felf Sure- ly he has forgot that the Church of England , com- mands that the Priefl (hall take the Child in his hands, and naming the Child , fhall Dip it in the Water ; and he is (by them) *xcufed from Dipping it, only in cafe the Child be weak. And for that pv.rpofe they had formerly large Fonts fct up in their Churches, on purpofe to Dip the Children therein. And this Pr all- ice was continued till about jo Tears jince : For 1 I Imw the' Son of a Mini ft er, that did ajfure me he was fb Baptised by his Father. And the Learned know that The Epiftle Dedicatory. that the Ruffians and Muscovites ( whofe Climate is much colder than ours) do dip the Gldren three times when they Baptize them. Hear therefore what Mr. Daniel Rogers faith , both again/} Sprinkling, and for Dipping , in his Treatife of the wo Sacraments , Part I. Chap. 5. and 8. None of old were wont to he Sprinkled, and I confefs my felf (faith he) un- convinced by Demonjlration of Scripture for Infants Sprinkling. It ought to be the Churches part to cleave to the Inftitution, which is Dipping. And he be- trays the Church whofe Officers he is, to a difbrder- cd Errors if he cleave not to the fa/fiwmx which is to Dip. That the Minifler is to Dip in Water , as the meete/l- aB ; the Word JZ*vri£a notes it : For the Greeks wanted not other Words to exprefs any other aft. be fides Dipping, if the Inftitution could bear it. What refemblance of the Burial or RefurreBion of Chrifl is in Sprinkling * All Antiquity and Scrip- ture confirm that way. To Dip therefore is exceed- ing material to the Ordinance $ which was the ufage of old, without exception of Countries, Hot, or Cold. Thus far he, who hath (you fee ) born a noble Tifti- . mony for our PraBice of Dipping, and again/} yours rf Sprinkling ; which I have alfo fully demon/crated from the Pens of divers of your orvn Learned DoBors, Bifhops, and others ( as you will find in the Second Part of this Treatife , to be agreeable to the Holy Scriptures , and the PraBice of both the Greek and Latin Fathers , for many Hundreds of Tears ; to which I refer you. As for Mr. Hewerdine'j impertinent Cavil about the hazarding of our Health , con/lam Expert- euce to the contrary, is a fufpeient Confutation. And of the fame Complexion is that foolijh Harangue a- bout Baptizing Naked, or with their Cloaths on , a- gainfr either of which he could (by the help o? Mr. A 4 Syden- The Epiftle Dedicatory. Sydenham) male ObjeBions to invalidate the Scrip*- turi Teftimony for Holy Baptifm, which 1 have alfo, aonfidered- althd to /peak freely , neither of them de- ferve any folid anfwer, being fo light and trivial' in thentfdves. But as for that long-winded Difcouzfe of his about Od-Fathers , and Od- Mothers \ J have. fhewedyou the reafon why J have not concerned my feif- about it ; becaufe it doth not in the leafl concern us to take notice of it, being wholly foreign to the Controvert fe betwixt him and us. 1 fhould here have do fed this Epi/lle, only 1 do not know but this Book may fall into the Hands of your Di- ecefan, Dr. Patrick, Bifhop of Fly. And if fo, I have this to Advertise his Lord/hip of ; That when I wrote an anfwer to what Mr. Hewerdine quoted out of his Bool of Baptifm ; / had not the Bool by me, nor had I ever fee n it , therefore I was not capable to fay otherwise than I did about that paffage in the Margin thereof, out of Mr. Pocock'x Not. Miicel. cap. g. But after that, be fore, my Bool was alt Print- ed of, I did procure it • and by that /perceive he hath wronged Mr. Pocock, and consequently h s Lordfhip by leaving out the Hebrew Word ^2H Tabal (which is the root it (elf, and figniftes ', He Dipped) and is rendred by the Septuagint , in 2 Kig. 5. 14. from p^H 71KW, «fi ijSa^iWro ♦* t£ IopJWw, and by Arias Montan. & Immerfit fe in Jarden ; and Tr. Junius* Immerfit ie in Jardanem. And he dipped temfelf'm (or into) Jordan. And, his Lordfhip alfo in the fame place , where he reckons up fiveral forts of ■wafhings among the Tews , as the wafhing /of their Hands, and their daily wafhing , which (be faith)* upere introduced by the Phanfees. So alfo he faith^ there were their Baptifms or Jmmerftons of the whole Body into Water , which all the Jews were bound unto in their Confejfions. As alfo, the bathing of their Wo>~ \ men* The Epiftle Dedicatory. men, &r. All which, as it might have been improv- ed to my great Advantage, had I but feen the Bi/Jpd6t Book before my anfwer to that Paffage was Printed off; So I do hereby a fare his Lord /hip, 1 fioxld have giv- en him hi* )ufl praife , for that candid and Jijfinty account he hath given thereof-, and fbouli have trie n particular notice of it in my anjwer to Mr. Hewer- dine. And feeing I have mentioned this, there is arm-hex thing to be oh fervid , which is prafe worthy in &j?$ Lordjhip, and (hews him to be a Man of a bet: y temper than Mr. Hewerdine. For , as Air. tf$? werdine Writes with that confidence , as if he n H placed in the Chair of Infallibility : On the contrary y His Lordfhip expreffes himfelf in fich a modi} and humble Stile, that is to me very affe^ling. I ,• ill re- cite one Paffage which may be inftar omnium. jn\ his Aqua Genitalis, Edit. 4th. pagr 446. He ash this Queflion, Who are the Perions to be Baptized > His anfwer is; The next will not let us doubt, but all thofe who are willing to embrace Jeius as the Chrift, and the Son of the living God, and to* ^ive themfelves up tchhis Inftru&ion and teacup ing , are thus to be initiated and entred into his* Religion. Only it is fcrupled , whether thofe that* cannot exprefs fetch a willingnefs , nor make any Signs, of if, are fo to be admitted ; and therefore all Infants;. are by fome excluded from thefe Waters, as Subietls mcapable, either to male any fitch Profeffton and En- gagement, or receive from God any fetch benefit. This point (faith he) h ath been fo [if ted, even to the very Bran, that I cannot think mine Eyes fo acme ' as to difcern any little Argument, to lie frill ncvlebl- >: ed that I fhould be able to boh oat. The fflmm 'of' the Church hath been pleaded, which ft;attO'qf?d ffir hefi Interpreter of. a doubtful Law ; '-"^ni^rhe ^crip-' tures. The Epiftle Dedicatory. tures luve been fe arched in thefe late times (ttiorzl think than ever) by many Learned Authors in every ones hands, and to fuch excellent pur pofe ; that if I were fibh to plead the Infants Title firongly , my defenee might be /pared. And then briefly difmiffes it with pur Conftderations ; upon the firfi of which he modeiT- lyfays, That if there were any Infants in the Jay- lors Family, it is certain they were Baptized ; for he was Baptized, he, and all his. But (he adds) It is doubtful indeed ? whether there were any or no. Now 04 this [hews the Excellency of his Spirit, fo it needs no Remarks of mine upon it , becaufe what I might fay , is of it felf obvious to every Intelligent Reader, that under ft ands this Controverfie , I am not unjenfuble of the good temper of divers of the pre Jem Bifhops and Doctors of your Church , and cf their great Moderation in this Point, and the fin- cere Charity they have towards us ; and therefore am willing to acknowledge it in this publick manner : But I am troubled thatjome of the inferior Clergy, wha have lefs Judgment and Learning, and are unskilled in this point in difference betwen us, fhould mdke us Jo much trouble as they do, without any jufi Provoca- tion given them. I think the Controverfie hath been fufficiently fpoken to, as much as the matter will bear, en either fide ; and therefore there is no need for Men that have nothing to offer that is new, to blot innocent Paper to no purpofe, except it be to fhcw their weak- ness, whir/i they defign to [hew their Wit. And 1 hope we do not dejerve a jufi Cenfure from Mnf, to Write in our own defence, when we are attack- si fo. often by fuch Aden. Tor, till any of them can zoYw'vace us of any Error in Baptising true Penitent • 'Believers ; we mufl (in the anfwer of a good Confci- znce towards God) vindicate that which we believe in our The Epiftle Dedicatory. pur very Souls , to be according to the Doflrine and Pratlice of John the Dipper, Chrifi , and his Holy Apoflles. 'But if thofe that oppofe themfelves againfl 'us, would forbear fo doing ; we fhould he as forward as any , to follow after thofe things that make for - Peace, and things wherewith one might edifie ano- ther. I am Jure, both they, and we , had more need to bend our united force, againfl thofe Herefies of the Arians, Socinians, and Eutychians , &c. that abound in our Land- and fortifie the Minds of our People againfl them , by a more thorow InflruBing them in the fundamental Principles of our Holy Re- ligion : And by that they would alfo receive the heft of Antidotes againfl that of Deijm, and Immorality^ wherewith this Generation are Jo ?mch leavened and corrupted. I fhall add no more , but commend what I have Written to the ferious Confider ation of all concern d , and more particularly unto you ; begging that the Father of Lights , would be gracioufly plea fed to open your vtnderflandings , that you may be enabled by his Spirit to judge between things that differ ; and may have a Spiritual difcerning about Divine things ; and may be made willing to obey the Will of God from the Heflrt, fo far as it is , or may be made know to you ; that thereby you may obtain Peace with God here, and Glory hereafter ; which is the unfeigned deftre of him } who Subfcribes him f elf , Your Servant, For Chrifl's fake, WILLIAM RUSSEL T Q To the Reader. - ConnecHS Reader, HAVING this Opportunity, I am willing to let all Men know, wherefore we do ib ftifly adhere to the Doctrine and Practice of John the Baptift, Chrift 3nd his Apoftles, about Holy Baptifm ; as we find it recorded in the New Teftament : That none may put a Milconftru&ion upon our io doing, or charge us with Obftinacy -therein. i. Becaufe we believe Chrift to be the only Head and Lawgiver to his Church, in all Matters of Di- vine WoriTiip; and that his Laws and Ordinan- ces are ratified by his Death, Heb. p. 16, 17. And therefore, no Man is to difanul or add thereunto, Gal. 3. 15. we being Charged to teach no other Doctrine, 1 Tim. 1.3. 2. Becaufe we do believe the Scriptures to be the only Certain and Infallible Rule, left to diredt us in matters of Faith and Worfhip ; and that (agree- able to the Sixth Article of the Church of England) whatfoever is not to be found therein, or to be pro- ved thereby, is not to be received by any Chriftian Man as an Article of Faith. 3. Whereas it is objected by fome, That the Scrip- tures do not tell us of all that was done by Chrift and his Apoftles. We aniwer, But they do tell us of all (the Credenda and Agenda) the things to be belie- ved and done by us. So that there is neither Sin, nor Duty, but only what is declared lb to be in the Holy Scriptures • and we have no need to have re- To the Reader. recourfe to Tradition unwritten, becaufe the Scrip- tures are able to make us Wife to Salvation, and to furniiri the Man of God throughly to every good Word and Work. 4. Becauie thoie Perfons are highly commended who did keep the Ordinances, as they were deli- vered unto them by Chriit and his Apoftles, 1 Cor. 11. 1, 2. 5. Becaufe we are exhorted, To contend earnefily for the Faith which was once delivered Pinto the Saints, 'Enift. of Jade, v. 3. And we do not expect any New Oracles to be delivered, either by the Pope, or any other. 6. Becaufe we are under a gracious Promife of Chrifts Preience, if we Teach and Obferve all thoie things which were commanded by him to his A- poftles, Alan. 28. 20. But there is no fuch Pro- mife to thoie, whofe Fear towards God is taught by the Precepts of Men. 7. Seeing, therefore, we find fuch Full and Plain Teftimony in Holy Scripture, of the Baptifm of Adult Perfons, That when they believed the things that were taught them, concerning the Kingdom of Cod and the Name of J ejus Chri/I, they were Bapti- zed, both Men and Women, Afts 8. 1 2. 36, 37, 3S, &c. And this alio being confeifed by our Anta- gonists, and no mention made of anyone Infant that was ever Baptized by the Apoftles. We do, with good Reaibn, conclude, That our Lord (and only Lawgiver) did never Teach, or Command them fo to do. 8. The Reaibn why we thus Conclude, is, be- cauie the Apoitles were Faithful Stewards of the Myfreries of God, and did not keep back any thing from the Church of God that was profitable fcr them to know or pra&ifc ; but did declare un- to To the Reader. to them all the Counfcl of God, Ms 20. 20, 27. And therefore, without Men will be fo hardy as to affirm thofe Holy Men to be Unfaithful, they muft agree with us, That Infant-Baptifm-- was never Commanded by Chrift, becaufeit was never Taught nor Pra&ifed by any of his Apoftles. 9. Becaufe, as we could never find any mention of it in the Holy Scripture; fo we alfo perceive, that the greateft Contenders for it have been forced (after all their moft diligent fearch> to make this open Confeflion, That they find it to be a hard Controverfy to prove Infant- Baptifm, itisfo dark in the Scripture ; as Mr. Baxter i and others, have acknowledged. And Mr. Bewerdine himfelf corifeffes, It's no where faid in Scripture, that In- fantijhall be Baptised. And the Bilhop of Ely acknow- ledged, (as I have fhew'd) That it is a doubtful Law. And whatever his private Opinion was concerning it, yet he feems unwilling to enter the Lifts of Contention about it. And this is the Cafe of divers others, as well as his Lordlhip ; efpecially thofe of the greatcft Parts and Learning, who have (hew'd (from time to time^ their great Moderation therein. 10. As touching the Moda of Baptizing, I have faid (o much to it, in my True Narrative of the Portfmouth X>ifputation y and in my Epiftle to the Inhabitants of Afh- ford, Qte. that all, who will examine and compare it with the Holy Scriptures, muft be forced to acknow- ledge,That Dipping is the right way of Baptizing; and that the Learned do bear Witnefs to this Truth, That John, and the Apoftles of our Lord, did ft prattife it ; as I have alfo fhew'd in this Treatife. And to this, I have Mr. Bewerdine's Teftimony alfo, That the Apoftles, to whom Chrift gave his Commiffton for Holy Bapifm, they did Baptise at in thofe Countries by Dipping, Befides, the Church of England do not only approve of Diping, as the right way of Baptizing 5 but have (in their Publick Liturgy) commanded it to be done by Dipping : And do alfo command the Prieft, when he Dips the Child , to fay, / Baptise thee, &c So that they do own our Practice of Baptizing by Dipping, to be a Good 7\> the Reader. Good and Lawful Mode of Baptizing. And therefore, when' we contend about it, it's not with the Church, butfomeof her Ignorant amlPeevifh Sons, who give us needlefs Trouble about this part of the Controverfy : For their Bufmefs is to prove their own Mode to be Lawful, and not to dhproveours ; becaufe,in fo doing, they wound their own Mother, in oppofing what fhe allows, rt ,. n. I hope, none of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church of England, will put any wrong Conftruclion upon the Defence we make for our felves againft tbofe of their Communion, who do fo frequently Print againft us. We are only upon the Defensive Part, and therefore cannot be charged as AgrefTors. Our Inten- tions are Good and Holy, and our Defign Charitable. We have no Prejudice in our Minds againft their Pet- ions, nor do we envy their Greatnefs, nor defign Co difmount them, that our felves may be exalted. We covet not their Benefices, whatever others may do 5 for we had rather be under Epifcopal, than Presbyteri- an Government. All we defire, is only the Enjoyment of our Liberties and Properties as Men and Chriftiana* and for that (I hope) they (hall always find us thankful both to God and our Governours. We are deiirous im be freed from this troublefome Contending with them. and mould rejoyce if they would be fo kind to ceafe their Oppofitioo. And we mould thereby obtain 1 double Advantage. i ft, That precious time wefpend in this Pubtfck Way, might be improved in Inftructing our People in tic Grounds and Reafons of the Chriftian Religion, as to the moft Important and Sublime Duties and Myfteries contained therein, and fo the better prepare and di- fpofe them to the Practical Duties of Piety ani Holinefs. 2dly, We might then be at leifttre to joyn with yon more effectually againft the Socinian Herefy, and Ami- monun Error; as alfo to reform and put a Hop unto thofe enormous Evils of Prophaneneu and Immorality -that 7 o the Reader. ♦ that abound amorigft us, to the great Diihonour of our Holy Pcofeflion. 12. An4 aUho' we cannot have Communion with the Church of England, becaufe we do not believe them to be rightly Constituted according to the Rule and Order of the Gofpel, as a true Vifible Church ought to be ; as thinking her EfTentially Defective, therein : Yet, w^ defire to maintain fas far as we may) I Friendly Correfponderice with thofe that are Sober and Pious among them : And are Very far from thinking (with the Church of Rome) that none can be Sarfcd out of the Communion of our Church. For we are taught by the Word of God, to diftinguifh betwixt the Effentials oF Salvation, and Church Communion. 13. Laftly, We do folemnly declare, That the Fear we have of dilpleaiing God (whofe Favour is to us more valuable than our prefent Eafe or Worldly Ad- vantage ; yea, than Life it felf) it is that which makes us refufe to comply with you in the Cafe of Infant Rantifm : For, our Coufciences are fully p rfwaded, from the Word of God, that we do walk as we have John the Baptift, our feleffed Saviour, and his Holy Apoftles, for our Authority and Example; and we ought to obey God, rather than Men, th^ 9 never fo highly Dignified above their Brethren. I have no more to add, but my Heart's Defire and Prayer to God> That the Light of Truth may Jhine with greater Ckarnefs and Evidence in each of our Souls • and that be would baften the time, when all his People fhall have one Heart and one Way, and Jhall all cab upon the Name of the Lord, andferve him with one Confent, And let all that love our Lord Jeiiis in Sincerity, fay, Amen. W. R. ERRATA. pAge 10. line 2-8. read in the whole Bible. P. 28. I. 28. for * now fen fe r. non-fenfe. P. 48. 1. 3. for caprble, r. capable., V. 53. 1. 11. for fubjeftm, r. fubjeflum. P. 54. \. 16. for yoU, T. it. P. 6z. 1. 11. for . icls 3. r. .Att> z. and in ; 1. 19. for Clnidren^r. Children. P. 103. I. 16. for Baptize, X. /Bdpt'tTi: V.izZ.l.zo. for Authority f.Jnthorities.V .41.L1Z turnl inro "I. And" if there be other Faults that have efcaped our Notice, the Reaieris alio deiirei to Correct them with his Fen* : JUST Vindication OF THE Do&rine and Practice OF JO H N the Baptift, Chrift and His Apoftles, CONCERNING Water-BaptifiiL Occafion'd by a Book Entituled, Some plain Letters in the Defence of Infant- Baptifm, &c. w H E N I firft faw this Book, I did not fuppoic that any of our Perforation were concern d to take fiich publick Notice of it ; becaufe I did not find B any CO any folid Argument, or Proofesfrom Holy Scrip- ture contained therein : And therefore did not apprehend that any Man of a found Judgment could be deceived thereby. But being informed, that it had a different Effect upon fome in that Country where the Author lives; it was thought anecefTary to give fome Anfwer to it, to remove thofe Prejudices that may be begotten therebr, in the Minds of fome who are unskilfd in the Con- trover fie depending. I being therefore importun'd to take that Task upon me, did at length confent thereunto (akbo' unwillingly) that it may not be thought by the Author, or his Friends, that his Book was unan- fwerable. The reafon of my unwillingnefs, did arife from lience, becaufe I did not find any thing of Moment in it, but what hath been fufficienly refuted by- divers learned Men of our Way, long before he let Pen to Paper : And therefore if Mr. Hemrdine had firft confulted their Writings; he might have laved himfelfand me this needlefe Trouble. For, there is no end of writing, if Men wilT perflft in writing on about Controverfies, without the lcaft regard to what hath been faid about it; notwith- fhnding all they can fay, is already anfwered ; be- yond any reafonable Contradiction. But as this Author himfelf confefTes, the greateft and pi aineft Truths, are liable to be fpoken againft. Of which his own Practice in oppofing Believers Baptifm, is a clear Proof. For, I know not of anything more plainly deliver'd in Holy Scrip- ture. His Three Letters in the beginning I fhail pals by, until I have difpatch/d the other part cf this Book. For they being about the Mode ofBaptiz- (3) ing Infants, I think it an improper begining. For unleis he can firft prove that Infmts are to be Bap- tized ; it's in vain for him to fhew us how it's to be done, fuch a Method as his, in the management of his Diicourie, bears ibme analogy with what hath been reported concerning two Perfbns, that contended (till they had heat themfeves) about the degrees of heat in the Fire of Purgatory : Where- as they fhould firft have agreed there had been fiich a purging Fire, as the Papifts vainly imagine: For, till that be done, there is no room for Difpu- tation about a Non-entity. For, what is not, cannot be proved to have any other Being, than what is only imaginary. And this is our very Cafe, in the Controverfie depending. And when we came to page. ^. he faw his Error; for there he brings in his Friend faying, he was forry for his begin- ning at -the wrong end of the Controverfie. If therefore I fhould follow his Example,I fliould alfo make work for Repentance as he hath done. Firft, This Gentleman, when he comes to Dif- courie of the Subjects, he States two Objections : And then proceeds to give Anfwers. thereunto. Object, i. You find not in Scripture that any Infants were Baptized. Object. 2. Neither do you there find, that any Infants were commanded to be Baptized. To both which (faith he) I lhali endeavour to return a very plain and full Aniwer. Here the Reader may again Obferve, how il- logical and unmethodical he hath been in dat- ing the Objection. For, if the latter be not firft proved (by his own Confeffion) there can be no pretence for the Former. 'For, in page 117. he fpeaks thus. Who, I fay, dares take this power upon him, unlefs it be B 2 given (4) • * given him from above. It infinitely concerns 115 * to be throughly fatisfied, by what Authority we * do this, and who gave us this Authority. You * muft needs understand this fays an excellent Au- c thor, that they who Ihall pretend to Act in any 'Office by the King's Authority, without a true * CommifTion ; the King will be fo far from reck- * oning himfelf obliged to confirm what they fhall c A& in his Name, that he will punilh the Pre- ' fumptionof fuch Officers, and thole that adhere c to them. To ajl this we readily agree. And therefore, as you have hereby laid your felf under a ftrict Obli- gation, to produce a CommifTion from the King of Kins;s commanding you to Baptize Infants ; e- ven fo it fhews your undertaking to be Prepofte- rous, to feek for an Example in Holy Scripture of lbme Infants being Baptized : before you had prov- ed a CommifTion from Chrift. for their fo doing. For that is to lay a heavy charge upon the Apoftles of our Lord, that they had run before they were lent, had acted without any CommifTion fro:n their Lord ; been guilty of Will-worfhip ; and (to ufe your own Words) Chrift would then have been fo far from reckoning himfelf obliged to con- firm what they fhall Mk in his Name ; that he will punilh the Prefumption of fuch Officers- and thofe that adhere to them. His fir ft work therefore had been to prove, that Chrift had commanded any Infants to be Baptized. And if he do that, 1 will give him the Caufe. It's my bufmefs therefore to attend his Anlwer. ' In page 60. he pretends to give a particular * Anfwer to this part of the Objection. '.I; I will (faith he) enquire from Scripture, whether Infant-Baptifm was taught by our Savi- our in his Life-time. '2/7. Whe- (5) 1 2ly. Whether it was taught or commanded by ' him after his Death and Refurre&ion, before he 'afcended into Heaven. And, < tfy. Whether it was taught by any of his A- 4 potties after his Afcention. The firftText he brings is Marl. t2. 26. about Gods appearing to Mofis in the Bufh. But you muftknow, this is only Brought in by a fide Wind; not to prove that mir Lord taught the Ad- duces to Baptize Infants : but to prove the Refur- redtion of the Dead by Confequence. And he tel Is his Reader, 'tis to let you fee, that there may be Scripture-proof of a thing, tho 5 every Eye can- not difcern it. And therefore he hopes we will allow him to prove Infants Baptilm by Confe- quence. And in page 63. Tho' (faith he) we find not in Scripture any iuch exprefs Command as this-; That Infants fly all be Baptized, What! doth the Man dilpair already ? For, if it be no where faidin all the Scripture, That Infants /hall be Baptized : How is it poffible for him to prove from Scripture, that our Saviour taught it in his Life- time ? Why (faith he) I will prove it by Confequence, To that I Anfwer. If Mr.H 'will but prove what he hath aflertcd,* by a right and genuine Confequence as our Saviour proves the Reiurre&i- on, I will allow it: But I would defire him to oblerve by the way, that altho' our bleffed Lord, to confute the Sadduces in their other corrupt Opi- nions of denying the exiftence of Angels, and the Souls of Men in their feparate State, tezAEls 23. 8. did in his great Wifdom make choice of this Por- tion of holy Writ, that they might fee their Error in them all : It doth not thence follow, that there was no plain and fullTeftimonv in the Writings B'3 of CO of Afofes and the Prophets, to prove the Rcfur- redtion fa m the Dead. For, its to be proved with great plainneis in many places therein 3 as he may fee, mE/ay. 26. 19. Thy Dead Men (hall live, to- gether with my dead Body iliall they arils • awake and frng ye that dwell in Daft ; for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs, and the Earth fhall caft out the Dead, &c. Hofia 13. T4. I will ranfom them from the power of the Grave, I will redeem them from Death, &c. Job 19. ?-„ 26, 27. Where that holy Man pofitivefy declares it, with the gre:ieft AiTurance.' And that the royal Prophet did de- clare the RefurrecYion of the Dead, I will not in- flit on thofe particular places where he hath af- firm 5 d it, but content my .elf with the Teftimony of the Apoftle Peter , AHs 2. 31. Where he af- firms that David fprke of theRefurre£tion ofChrift, fee Pfal. 16. 10. And alio VauTs Teftimony, Atls 1 3. 3 2, 3 3, 34. &c. Where he doth not only allert that God had promifed it to the Fathers that Chrift fhould be raifed from the Dead, but had declared it in particular by David. And in Dan. 1 2. 2. Its as plainly declared as words can well exprcis it, and many of them that Sleep in the Duft of the Earth fhall awake; fbmeto everlafting Life, and fome to Shame and everlafting Contempt. And the fame is promifed to Daniel in particular,^?*. 13. But go thy way till the end be : for thou (halt reft, and ft and in thy lot at the end of the days. So that it was not fir want of plain Teftimonies, that our Savi- our did confute the Sadduces from this Text, Exod. 3. 6. buttherebyhe confuted their other Errors alfb. For, 1. This confutes their Error in faying their were no iuch Creatures as Angels : Becaufe in ver. 2. It's faid, the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Mofes. And if fo, then there muft be fuch Crea- tures turcs as Angels ; or elfe this Angel could not hare appeared unto him. 2. They muft needs err, in faying that the Souls of Men did not live when their iBodies were Dead: Because God declares by his Angel unto Afofes, who lived lbme hundreds of Years after thofe Holy Patriarchs were Dead ; that he was then their God. / am the God of thy Fathers, &c. Now our Lord argues thus, if God is the God of the living, then Abraham , Ifaac and Jacob did then live {p God in the days of Mofis : But they did not then live in their Bodies, therefore they muft then live to God in their Souls. And by this he doth furflcient- ly confute their Error of denying the Souls exift- ence after this Life. But fome may fay, how doth our Lord from hence prove the Refurredlion of the Bodies of A- braham, Ifaac and Jacob, Sic. I Anfwer, God's being their God (in this fpecial and peculiar Sence) is to underftand him as a God in Covenant with them : The learned Jofeph Mede in his Diatriba?, page 559. upon this Text faith. < The Words muft be understood with fup- c ply of that they have Reference unto; which is c the Covenant that the Lord made with Abraham, i Ifaac and Jacob; in refpect whereof he calls him- 1 ielftheir God. This Covenant was to give unto ' then, and to their Seed, the Land wherein they ' were Strangers : mark it ; not to their Seed or Oft- \ iprings onlv, but to themfeives, vide loca, to c Abraham , Gen. 13. 15. and 1$. 7. and 17. 8. ' To Ifaac, Gen. 26. 3. To Jacob, Gen. 35. 12. ' to ail Three, Exod. 6. 4. 8. Dut. 11. 21. and 30, ' 20. in which places its promiied to them, as well c as to their Pofterty. B 4 Now (8) Now that Abraham did not PofTefs it in his own Perion (yi±. the Land of Canaan) is evident from Alls 7. 5. And he govt him none Inheritance in it, no not fo much as to fa his foot on ; yet hepromifed that i he would give it to him for a Pofjejfion, and to his Seed \ after him ; when as yet he had no Child. And the i fame is alfo true of Ifaac and Jacob, the Heirs with . him of the fame Promife, Hob. 11.8, 9,13. Thefe all died in Faith, not having received the Promife s, hut having feen them afar off, &c. And thefe Pro- mifes were not fully (but typically) accompliihed in their Pofterity enjoying Canaan by Jojhua ac- cording to the Law, appears, becauie the Apoltle Paul faith Rom. 4. 13. The promife that he [Jpould be the Heir of the World, was not to Abraham or to his Seed through the Law, but through the Righteoufnefs of Faith. Mr. Aiede's Conclufion from the former Pre- mifesisthis, if God then make good to Abraham, &c. this his Covenant, whereby he undertook to be their God, then mutt they needs one day live again to inherit thepromifed Land ; which hither- to they have not done. For he Covenanted with them, not to make his Promife good to them Dead, but living. This is the ftrength of the Divine Ar- gument, and irrefragable ; which otherwife would not infer any fuch Conclufion. And that this was our Saviours meaning may appear ; in that the Jews at that time ufed from thefe very places thus underftood, to infer the Refurre&ion againft the Sadduces out of the Law. And cites the Words of Rabbi Simai, and Rabbi Gamaliel, upon Exod. 64. and Bent. n. 21. The fum (faith he) of what I would fay, is this. God Covenanted to give to Abraham, lfaac, and Jacob in their own Perfons, (as well as to their CO their Seed) the Land diCanaan for an Inheritance ; but this was not performed to them while they lived : Therefore rnuft they one Day Live again, that they may be partakers of this Pro- mife, and Confequently the Saints fhall Live on Earth after their Reiurrection. Thus far Mr. Mede, with much more to the fame pur pole ; As you may fee at your leifure, See Eztf. 37. 12, 13. 19. to the End, 'when that time is come, then will God open their Graves, and bring tbemuo out of their Graces, o nd make the Seed Abraham one Nation upon the Mountains of 7/ner/, and Chrift fhall be King; over them ; and they fhall dwell in the Land God gave to Jacob, wherein their Fa- thers have dwelt. Then will God give them the Accomplishment of all thofe Promiies he made to their Fathers, and he will let his Sanctuary in the midft of them, and make a Covenant of Peace with them,and will be their God, and they fhall be his People ; and they fhall fit down \s\x\\ Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the King- dom of God. Then fhall that Promife be ful- filled, The Meek /hall Inherit the Earth, and fhall delight themfelves irith the abundance of Peace. And thefe things being yet unfulfilled, muft be enjoy'd in the Kingdom of Chrift, to all thofe that are already Dead after the Reiurrecti- on : For, the Scripture cannot be broken, nor a Tittle of them pafs away unfulfilled : God will keep Covenant and Mercy with his People to a 1000 Generations. So that its a moft Convincing; Proof of the Refurrection. But why Mr. H. fhould trouble the World with this Text, when he had undertaken to Prove from Scripture, that Chrift Taught Infant-Baptiim in his Life time (as he Words it) feems to me a want of Proof, which C io ) which he endeavours to fiipply by an undue Ci- ting of this Text, which hath not one Syllable in it, to Prove that Infant-Baptilip was Taught by Chrift; but is wholly Forreign to it. And! was willing to Note it in this Place, that I may not be thought to neglect any thing he faith that hath but a fhew of Probability in it to hispurpofe, when I fhall pals over his Impertinent Allegati- ons of the like kind, in other Places of his Book, leafl: I alfo Incur the lame Cenfure, by troubling the World with Impertinencies as he hath done. But before I pals this, I cannot but take No- tice ; that this Man, rather than he will part with his Baby-Baptiiin (altho 5 heConfeftes he finds not in Scripture any luch Exprefs Command as this, that Infants lhal I be Baptized) he will venture to call in Queftion the Divinity of the Holy Choir, and let the Proof of that upon an equal Level with Inrant-Baptifm ; giving thereby too great Countenance to the Socinian Herefie : By his Ma- gifterially putting this Queftion, where do you Read in Scripture that the Holy Ghoft is God ? His Aniwer is Page 62. I do allure you Sir, that it was truly Confels'd, that there is no fuch Scrip- ture Text, no iuch Exprefs Words in the whole Bible, &c. that the Holy Ghoft is God. But .(faith he) what then ? Sir, I will tell you what then, if I did not Read the whole Bible that the Holy Ghoft is God ; I would not Believe it : For the Scripture only is the Rule of my Faith. And if you will not make it fo to you, I cannot help it. But I do utterly deny your AiTertion ; and mult lay as our Lord did to the Saduces, ye Err not Inomng the Scriptures. For, if you did but Under ftand thole Sacred Languages in' which they were (") were Written ; you might often in the Hebrew of the Old Teftament, find the Holy Spirit called God. And in the New Teftament it is fo Manifeft, that I wonder how you iliould mils it ; but not to Multiply iexts, I will (to ufe your own Words) give one Inliance of a Hundred, yik> Acts 5. 3, 4. hta Peter /aid, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine Hi art to lie to the Holy Ghofi, v. 4. Thou haft not Ued unto Men, but unto Ged. Is not the Holy Ghoft here called God, in as plain and jExpreis Terms as any thing can be fpoken ? How then come you to prcfumc thus boldly to deny it ? Sir, the Original will give you no Relief, for the Greek Reads it thus, ?t&»64d) ctvftprJrriK etna ra Q.co. JSIon es Men" it us hominibus fed Deo, thou haft not lied unto Men, but unto God. - Now feeing the Spi- rit hath given this full Teftimony for himfelf ; I pray Sir, learn more Modefty for time to come, than thus to Sin againft the Holy Spirit any more. And for your better InftrucYion herein, let me Intreat you to beftow a few Minutes in Compa- ring iTim. 3. 16.- with 2Peter 1. 20, 21. And then Confider whether you have not made Work for Repentance. I come now to Confider Mr. H. $hs- Allegations, He faith p. 63. To give you &lL&atisfa£tion in this Matter, I will here undertake briefly to prove, thatour Blefled Lord and Saviour did in his Life time Teach, both that Children are to be admit- ted into his Church, and that they are to be ad- mitted by Baptifm. And the firft Thing he of- fers at to prove them Church Members now, is this, becaufe the Jewifh Children were made c «o xnade Church Members under the Old Covenant >by Circumcifion. Sir, Have you not forgot your felf ? Doth this Prove that Chrirt in his Life time did Teach that Children are to be admitted into his Church, and that by Baptifm ? If you can perfwade your Au- ditors to fwallow fuch Impertinencies by whole Mouthfuls, you may make them Believe any thing. But you Proceed as you began, as if your ipfe Dixit were fufncient ; not only without, but con- trary to Scripture Testimonies : And iniiiltingly ask this Queftion, and what, I pray is the Chrirti- an Church, but th.it Old Church reform'd ? Sir, In this you offer too great an Occafion to have your Skill in Divinity fufpeded. If you had but Read and confider'd, Htb. 2. 2, 3,4, 5, 6. You might know the diftincYion oetween the Houfe ofMofes, and the Houfe of Chrift, and the latter as comra-diftintl from that Old Fabrick. And in Chap. 7. 12. The Prieft-beod being Changed, there is made of neceffity 4 Change alfo of the Law. See alio, Chap. 10.9. and 8. 6. 13. Gal.q. 21. to the end, that you may prevent your being Split upon this Rock of Confufion, by jumbling thofe two Covenants and Church-States together for time to come. I could fay much upon this Head, but I fhall deliver my Sentiments herein, in the Words of that Worthy and Learned Perfon Sir Charles Wolfley, Barronet, &c. in his Mount of Spirits ; f. 131, 132. Our BlefTed Redeemer in his own Perfon, having iiiftered all the Penalties the Law infli&ed, the whole Power of Legiflation and -giving Laws to the World, is henceforward put into his Hand j all Power in Heaven and Earth henceforth (i3) henceforth is his ; the Mediator is now the only Legiflator, and no Law is in Force, but what he Promulgeth ; and thereupon as 'it was delivered upon Mount Sinai to the Jews, 'tis by; him Dif- fblv'd, and we come under Obligation to it r not only as it is the Law Natural, but by Vertue of a New Edition of it in the Laws of the Gof- pef, with which it is incorporated, and now en- joined, and becomes Obligatory upon the Graci- ous Terms thereof, ana 1 no other ; And mp.iy^. By this New Covenant, we are wholly diichargd from any Obligation to the Old, God found Fault with it ; and it being in its Nature and Defign- ment to prepare for a better Covenant, it grew Old, and upon the Publication of the GofpeI ? if quite vanilhed away. Sir, I heartily wifh you had attain'd to the fame Meafure of Knowledge in thefe Matters ; and then you would lee no more Reafon to introduce an Old Abrogated Church-State, than an Old Abdicated King, and to make him an Equal Legi-^ flator with the New. And till h? hath proved by Scripture Evidence, that any Infants were Vifible Church Members before Circumcifion was given to make them lb ; or, that any were Commanded to admit them af- ter there was a Period put to that Legal Difpen- fation that gave Being to it : All he faith is with- out Foundation, and requires no further Anfwer, And therefore, whereas Mr. Hewer dine faith, p. 65. Tis very plain, that unlefs our bleffed Sa- viour has forbidden Infants to be admitted into his Church, they are ftill to be admitted, whe- ther he has commanded their Admiffion or no* And glories in it as fulflcient for their Admiffion, till we can prove our Lord has forbidden it. X H) I Anfwer, feeing I have already proved that the Covenant of Circumcifion is aboliiried, the Law changed and vanihYd, upon which their Admii- ilon did depend ; unlefs he can fhew us where its fo Commanded in the New Teftament by the Lord Jefus, who is our only Lawgiver ; all that he hath laid vanishes into Smoak. And to fuppofe, that whatfoever is not forbid- den in Termims may be done ; then you may ule Salt and Cream, and Spittle in Baptiiiu, and Bap- tize Bells, and Waxen Puppet?, as the Pope and his followers do : For thefe Things are not for- bidden in Terminis in the Holy Scriptures ; and therefore they may be done, if this Conceit were True. Its this corrupt Notion, that hath brought ill all that Trumpery into the Popifh Worfhip ; and this is that which was fb vigorouflv oppofed by our firft Reformers, in their feparation from the Church of Rome ; who a&ed then againft Romify Traditions, from the fame Principle that we Op- pofe our ielves againft Infant-Rantifm. For the rejected their Mais and Do6trine of Merits, Pur- gotary and Invocation of Saints departed, &c. be* caufe they were not Commanded by Chriit, nor Taught by his Holy Apoftles, nor found Writ- ten in Holy Scripture. And if they are to be juftify'd in Oppofing the Papi/h upon this Topick, we alfo mu ft be Juftify'd in Oppofing you ; and if thofe firft Reformers were right in this, then you are wrong. But Sir, I perceive that (upon fecond Thoughts) you were not iatisfy'd to depend upon this Rot- ten Corrupt Notion ; and therefore you leave that, and Advance to a new Topick, viz,. That our Lord has Exprefly Taught and Commanded it. But C 15) But where is it fo Written ? Mr. H. kith, it i s Expreflv Taught in that celebrated Text, Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of fuch is the Kingdom of Heaven. Verily, He hath better Eyes than mine, or makes uie of fuch Spectacles when he Reads it, that I am wholly^ Stranger unto, if he can fee in this Text an Expreis Command for the Ministers of Chrift to admit fuch little Children into the Vifible Church of Chrift, and that by Baptifin. But feeing he calls in Mr. Walker for his Afliftant, by Quoting a Paflage out of his Modeft Plea for Infint-Baptifm : I will Confider that alfb. But by the way, let it be obferved, that feeing Mr. Walkers Book was fully A nfwer'd about 23 Years ago, by that Learned Eaptifi Mr. Thomas Delaane ; Mr. H. would have done better, if he had made an EfTay to have Anfwer'd his Book^ before he had troubled the World with Printing that over again which was fumciently Confuted* io long fmce. And left it be thought Prefumption in me to think I could mend "what fo Great a Man as Mr. Belaune hath already done ; I ihall give you his Anfwer to Mr. Walker in his own Words^ which may a'fo ferve as an Anfwer to Mr. Hewer- dine. The Text (faith Mr. Delaune) whereon Mr. Wal- ler Grounds his Difcourfe, is Luke 18. 16. Suffer little Children to come unto me, &c. From whence he Infers, that little Children are to be fuffer'd to come unto Chrift, and ought not to be forbidden coming unto him, &c. And be it Noted by the way, that Dr. Hammond fays, the Arguments from this Text are imperfect ways of Probation, Sett. 2^. of his Refol. to 6 Qiieries about Infant Bap- tijm ; C iO tifm ; • whole Words fhould do much with Mr. Walker (as alio with Mr. Herverdine) He that would Evince that this Text is a fufficient Foun- dation for the Fabrick of Pa?do-Baptifm, iliould have proved that there is no other way of coming unto thrift but by Baptifm ; or that thrift, or his Difciples actually Baptized thefe Children : or that the Blefling in the Text is Baptizing. Tis true, we have an ipfe dixit from Mr. W. p. 19. that there can be no other way of their Coming to Chrift, but by Baptifm ; but he cannot blame us if we rely not upon his Authority in io Material a Point. Now if thofe things be not clearly Demonftra- ted, no certain Confequence will flow from this Text, that Infants ought to be Batpized; and if it will not certainly follow, what Rational Man dares Build his Belief upon a Foundation fo un- certain, and that in Oppofition both to that plain Precept and Example we have for Adult-Baptifm.. But this is io far from certainty, that there is not the leaft lliew of Probability that our Saviour did (or intended to) Baptize them. That Chrift hath no other way to bring In- fants to himfclf, but by Baptifm, is a Speech too Harfh, if not Bordering upon Blafphemy ; there- fore Mr. W. iliould recall what he fays that is lia- ble to fuch an Interpretation : For if it were fo, then doubtlefs our Saviour would have ordered thoie Children to be Baptized, for whofe Ap- proach unto him v he was pleafed to Exprefs fo much willingnefs.' So that as Dr. Taylor Notes very pertinently, p. 230. Lib. Proph. we may fay, that from the Adion of Chrift's BlefGng Infants, to Infer that they were Baptized, Proves nothing lb much as that there is a want of better Argu- ments : (»7) rrients,- for the conclufion would with more pro- bability be derived thus: Chrift blefled Children, and fb difmifTed them , but Baptized them not j therefore Infants are not to be Baptized. That Chriftdid not Baptize them, is an Argument fuf- ficient that he hath other Ways of bringing them to Heaven than by Baptifm. Many thoufand way s there are by which God can bring any realbnable Soul to Him, but nothing is more unreafbnable then, becauie He hath tyed all Men of Years and Difcretion to this way ; therefore we of our own Heads uVouId carry Infants to Him that way with- out His Direction. The Conceit is poor and low, and the Action confeqtient to it , bold and ven- turous; let Him do what he pleafes with Infants, we muft not. Tis a molt Rational Conjecture , that if it had been the practice of that Age to Baptize Infants, as well as the Adult ; and they had been the true , lawful, and wonted Subjects of Baptifm. The Difci- ples could not have been fb ignorant of, and con- tradictory to their own known cuftom, as to for- bid them, or reprove their forwardnefs, but would have rather encouraged them thereunto. But thiS Circumftance difcovers that P^do-Baptifm was at that time none of the Difciples Employment : But that the Ground of their Rebuke to. thole that brought thofe Children was their imwillingnefs to have Chrift too much pre/}, and fo they reprovd Others when they thrbng'd fo faft upon him, that thev had no lei/are fo much as to eat Bread. Bcfides in the istn. verf we have the end noted, for which thefe Children were brought to Chrift, viz. that he would touch them (and that doubtlefs) in order to their Cure from Bsdily Infirmities, which are as incident to Mams as Mtn\ which is very G proba- ( i8 ) probable, if you compare this Paflage as it is in Matth. 19. 14. with the 2d. verfe, where 'tis laid, that he heale d great Multitudes. And Luke fays , That they brought little Children alfo ; which term [aljo] fhews that others were brought too , becaufe they heard that Venue went out of him , and that as many as touched him, wiere perfectly made whole. Matth. 1 4. 3 6. And this might have ferved as a plain anfwer to his plain Letter, had he not followed it with Mr. Walkers Notion, a- bout coming to Chrift, and (by the way) I per- ceive, he hath picked up thefe Notions from him, only wanting that learned Mans skill, he hath put them info a mif-fhapen Drefs, But herein I have further occafion given me to complain againft him; for if he would but have beftowed the pains to have Read over Mr. Delaune's Anfwer to Mr. Walkers Book, he had then been anfwered about 23 Years fince : And I excufed from this trouble of Tranfcribing it. Doth he think we have no 0- ther bufmefs upon our 'hands than to anfwer a Book fo many times over ? But to give him a reaion to what he faith Pag* 66. Sir , faith Mr. H. I find an anfwer made to this by Mr. Walker^ viz. That to come unto Chrift, fignifies to become a Difciple of Chrift ; for fo when Our Saviour faith , Come unto me all ye that labour ; his meaning is, become Difciples to me. Matth 11.28, &c. . I cannot think how thefe Gentlemen fhould pofllbly believe themlelves, unlefs that Prophefie be fulfilled in them, that God will turn the wife Men backwards; and make their knowledge fool- iftwefs. For, How could it ever enter into the Heart of Mr. W. or Mr. H. to imagine that thefe Two Texts fhould intend the fame coming to' Ghn/t. For, i.Tbcfc* C 19) i. Thefe little Children were brought toChrrit by others. - But thefe Perfons in Matth. 11. 28. are commanded to come themielves. , 2. -The defien wos different, for thofe Children (as Mr. Dtlaun? hath ilhew'd) were brought to be cured of Bodiiv Difeafes or Infirmities. But thofe in Matth. 15, 2%. were invited to come that they might h'nd relt for their Soul?, verf. 29. •3. Thofe in Matth, n. 28. are invited to come as iuch that were fenfible of, and wearied with the heavy burden of a Conscience loaded with Guilt, and very defirous to be rid thereof. But this can no ways agree with New-born Infants. 4. Thofe in Matth. n,. 28. are commanded to learn of Chriit. Doth. this any ways agree with iuch Infants, who can neither underf-tand ChrihVs Do&rine, nor be any way iuppofed capable to be- come hisDifcipIes by Teaching. 5 They are commanded to take ChrinVs Yoke upon them. But fuch Infants are uncxpable, ei- ther to underfknd what that Yoke is, or to take it upon them. So that if I grant him that fuch as are intended in Matth. n. 28. did come to Chriit. to learn of him , and take his Yoke upon them , and fo become his Difciples; I fee not how this will do him the lealt fervice to prove that all this is included in thofe Words, Lu\. iS. 16. Suffer little Children to come unto me ; When thofe Chil- dren were brought to him for another purpofe (as hath been lTiew'd) and were wholly uncapableof performing thofe things required, Matth. n. 28. And if this Man cannot diftmgu'fh between com- ing to Chnil perfonaliy when he was upon Earth (as many ungodly fmners then did) and coming to him by Faith: it's a hen he hath not much ac- quaintance with the Holy Scriptures, and knows C 2 %>\ not how to diftinguiih between things that dif- fer. But further, We cannot fo bring our Children to Chrift now as they did then , by way of perfo- nal approach, becaufe he is gone into Heaven, and dwelleth in that Light which no Man can ap- proach unto. We are willing to bring our Chil- dren to Chrift as far as we are able, and he hath prefcribed ; We pray for them, and endeavour to bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord : And we know no other way to bring them to Chrift now, but by teaching and inftru&- ing them in the. Faith of Chrift,. fo foon as they are able to learn what it is for them to fear him, love him , believe in him , and obey his Laws. But to prove that Chrift hath appointed in any part of his Word, that the way for us to bring our Infants to Chrift and make them his Difciples, is by Baptifm ; and that before they are capable to be taught either the fign, or the thing fignified thereby ; hie labor, hoc optu (as Mr. Delaune hath told Mr. Walker) is the rh \$y>v of this difpute. This hath never been done by any others , and I defpair of Mr. Hewerdine's performance therein : For what is not, can never be proved to be : And lam fure the Holy Scripture faith no fuch thing* and therefore we cannot admit of it , for we dare not add to the Word of God, left he reprove us, and we be found liars. To conclude this Point, Mr. Hewer dine tells us, Pag. 68. And thus we have a plain Scripture Text, wherein Our BlefYed Lord has very clearly taught us, that little Children are to be admitted into his Church, I. I ( 31 ) ' i.I deny that there is the leaft Syllable menti- oned of the Chnrch Militant here on Earth, as he Phrafes it in the foregoing Words, and then it's nothing to his purpofe. 2. I deny it to be any. part of their intent, who brought them toChrift, to have them made vifi- ble Members ; for they had been made vifible Members by Circumcifion (if Males) upon the Eighth Day, according to God's Commandment : which was not aboliuhed till the Death of Chriit. And (if he believes himfelf) he hath no reaion to object the Difference between the Church then, and afterwards; for faith he, in Pag. 63. What, I pray, is the ChrHtian Church but that Old Church reformed? And from thence concludes Pag. 65. 'tis very plain, that unlefs Our BlelTed Saviour has forbidden Infants to be admitted into his Church, they are (till to be admitted, whether he has com- manded their Admiflion or no. All which I have already fpokeh unto ; and fhewed his miftake therein, and therefore I do (till conclude as before, That this is fo far from being a plain Scripture Text to prove that little Children are to admitted Members in the vifible Church of Chrift, that it's no Proof at ail, but a meer Pretence, without the leait fhadow of Scripture Authority for the fame. As for his Citing Efay 49. 22. It only refpe&s the furtherance the" Gentiles {"hall give to the Jews in their return to their own Land, which is yet unfulfilled. But any thing (with this Man) will ferve to iupport his Caufe j altho' it be nothing to the purpofe : If it be but the Gentiles carrying" the Jews Daughters a pick-pack. I hope that is not a Baptifm. - C 2 But But faith he , This is no more than what .Our Lord himielf did foretell, when he io plainly in- timated, that there fhould be Lambs in his Flock, as well as Sheep, Job. 21. 15. Now if this Man would know who Chrifts Sheep are, Job. 10. 27. Will refolve him. If he; would know why ibme of his Flock are compa- red to- Lambs, it is becaufe they are either newly come to the Faith, or weak Believers in his Fold. I take it for granted, he knows it to be a Metapho- rical ExprefTion, or elfe he is not fit to be a Teach- er. But why he lriould fancy that Chrift fhould command Peter to feed little New-born Infants, I can't imagine : For if he thinks our Saviour intend- ed that Peter ihould fet up for a Nuns-keeper, and attend upon fucb Infants to feed them with White-bread mid Milk, and give them Water-pap when they are hungry and cry to be fed , it's a very mean and unbecoming thought. But if he had pleafed to have examined the Holy Bible, he might have found that Men and Women who were true (but weak) Believers are by a Metaphor called little Children and New born Babes, as well as Lambs. For in Gal. 4.. 10. Paul calls the Church- es in Galatia, little Children, and yet they confin- ed of none but Men and Women, .as the body of the Epiflle in general , and Chap. 4. 8, 9. doth fhew in particular. For, before they were con- verted to the Faith of Chrift, they had been Ido- laters, and done fervice to them, which by Na- ture are no Gods; and were ibme of them diipof- ed to return again thereto, and others of them to JudaUe : Neither of which can agree with little Children in his feme. And in Joh. 2. 1. My lit- tle Children, thefe things write J unto you, that ye fin not. Verf. 12. / write unto little Children. Verf. 13. / (*3) 1 write unto you little Children, becanfe ye have known the Father. Verf 18. Little Children, it is the la/} time, and as ye have heard that Antichrifi fhdl come , &c. ye know all things. Verf 20. and in verf. 21. He tells them that they knew the Truth, and that no Ik is of the Truth, &c. Chap. 2 7. Lit- tie Children , Let no Man deceive yon. Chap. 4. 4. Te are of Cod , little Children , and have overcome them, 1. e. the falfe Prophets that were gone out into the World, having the Spirit of Antichrift , as he declares in the foregoing Verfes. Chap. 5. 2 1 . Little Children, keep your / elves from Idols. And audio* thefe words little Children, doth denote the Lambs in Chrift's Fold , yet there is not thereby fignified or intended lb much as one of Mr. Fle- werdines little Children that he fprinkies with cold Water to make them Chriftians. For, the Apo- ftle John divides the Chriftians into three Ranks, viz,. Little Children, Young Men, and Fathers; as in Chap. 2. 13. to diftinguiili the different de- grees they had attained to in Grace and Know* Jedge. And if where he reads the Word Chi Idren he will have it meant in his tenfe, then there were no Men nor Women among the whole Congrega- tion of Ifrael, becaufe they are all called Children of Ifrael. But further., Both Paul and Peter, compare them to little Children , The Fir ft calls the Church at Corinth, Babes in Chrift, 1 Cor. 2.1. The latter, calls the Saints to whom he Writes, Ncw-borjn Babes, 1 Pet. 2. 2. Now the Command was given to Peter, to fczl Chrift's Lambs , i.e. thefe Babes in Chrift. But what were they to be fed with ? Peter tells yon , with the fincere rational Milk of the Word, 'that they might grow thereby. And thus Paul fed the C \ Corinth- (H) Corinthians, I Cor. 3. 2. I have fed you with Milk , , 16. to which he confines himielf. Matth. 28. 19. He faith, Is thus read in our Engliih Bibles, Go ye therefore and teach all Nan- vrtSy Baptizing them in the Name of the Father -ard of the Son and of the Holy Ghofi. But it feems this Reading doth not pleafe him, for., he faith, Sir, be plcafkT to know, that the Word Tranflated , Teach, exprefly fignifies , Go ye therefore , Difdple all Nations, &c. For, /u«d*lJV5«y and /u*9t»T«k *uf- *tr are the lame thing, and are rightly rendered to make Difciples, Job. 4. 1. Pag.y6. And \\\Pag. 77. He reads it thus, Go ye therefore .fAtt^liu-nlA , JDifciple all Nations , Baptising them , &e. I have looked over all he iaith, from Pag. 7.6. tpj&gj&t. where he begins with Mark j-6. 15^ 16. And I cannot find the leaft Proof im3e;inr/hk affi^nsd bv D 2 * * him ( ¥: ) him to prove, that Infants are included m this Commiition. It's only fo many Pages filled up with a parcel of idle and impertinent Stories about Prclelites to the old jewifr Church*, and making his Congy of Condolance, by Perforating the poor In- tents, lamenting that they are delivered from that Old Jewlfli Yoke of Bondage, which neither they, nor their Fathers (if you will believe the Apoftle Peter) were able to bear, which is all tooling, and defences to be laught at, in (lead of giving it the countenance of a iolid Aniw cr. The like may be (aid of that invented Whir, about the Sheep and Lambs, as 'tis here applied, and that the Sheep are to bcclipd, but the Iambs no:. Doth Our Lord deliver his Commiflion , think yOii, to be thus fhamefully handled by you? Doth ihis protre'jthat Infants are commanded to be Baptized in this Commiffion? If it doth, fhew us the command ; if it doth not , the Word clipd will not do it. For wc make no Exception to the CommiiTion, and it's only a whimiey of your own Brain , to milreprefent us to the poor igno- rant People that know no better than what you teach them. But Sir, it is not fair for you to put us into Bears. Skins, and then fet your Shep-. hards Dogs at us, to worry us : Winch feems to be your defign. After you have done with this Tale of the Shephard, The next thing you do is to fhr up the poor People againfl us, as if by our way y oor of the Parifh, at my co{? and charge , teaching them the Duties of poor People. Now according to our Adveriaries way of arguing, I ought not to feed or cloath io much as one poor Child in the whole Panfn , becaufe Children are not to be fraught the Duties of poor People. But really , Sir , I ihould not io narrowly interpret your Command , nor io much as once doubt but your Will was, that the poor Children fhould all be fed and cloathed as well as their Parents, tho 1 they could not then be fb well taught their Duties. And in (liort, you., Sir, may try me with the command if you pleafe, and I will cer- tainly feed and cloath all the Poor of the Parifh, even the {mall and great together : Yea, and I will not only teach all that are then to be taught the Duties of poor People, but I will teach them in due time to teach their Children the fame, and fb in effect. I {hall tench as well as feed and cloath all the Poor of the Paritri , 10 as to fulfiill your command hi the feveral parts of it. And this is lo very plain, that you mull needs fee how the Apofcles in like manner, were to ful- fill our Lord's Command , to Difciple, Bapttfhj and TeactiaU Nations, juft as I have now (hewed you J fhould fulfil your Command, To Feed, and Cloath, and Teach all the Poor of the Parifn with- out any exception, as to Children or Infants. E 2 To C 3») To this long Tale , I flia.fi give the following Aniwer. i. I do folemly declare, That neither my fehy nor any other of our Perlwafion, that I ever heard of; do in the leaf! make any Icruple or doubt of Baptizing a nv ofthoie whom Chrift hath com- manded us to Baptize in this Commiifion, let them be never lb many, 2. We never yet did enter our Exceptions a- gainft any part of this Commiflion ; we under- Hand it in as large and univerfal a ienfe as any of the Words, according to the true Signification thereof will poflibly bear, in the full extent and Latitude, according as they are delivered by Our Lord, without any" Addition or Subf traction. 3. It is (trange you fliould charge us with nar- rowly interpreting this Commiflion; whereas, if we may judge of your Opinion by your Practice, it's you that are guilty of fb doing. For whereas all Expofitors agree, and the Scripture pofitively affirms, that Men and Women were Baptized af- ter they believed ; you ieldom , or never Baptize iucfr, but only Infants , who are not at all men- tioned in the Commiflion , nor were ever Bapti- zed ( as we read of) by any of the Apoitles to whom that Commiflion was given. And that they to whom it was foil given, and had the advantage of converting with him Forty davs . after his" Refurrecuon : And had the Holy Spi- rit pox:vcd down upon them to lead them into all Truth , and teach them all things whatso- ever he had laid unto them, fliould never teach ^the People to bring their Infants to be Baptized, JBMcave any thing behind them upon Record, to teffifv (39) teftify to after Ages , that they did at any time Baptize fo much as one finale Infant, This doth openly proclaim to all the World, that thofe Holy Apoltles did not believe that their Mailer ever in- tended it ; for if they had understood this Com- miffion as Mr. Hemrdine doth , they were itich faithful Diipenfers of the Word of God, that they would have both taught and praCtifed it : For they (as well as Paul) were faithful, and did not iliun to declare all the Counfel of God , tho' it coft them their lives for (o doing. From hence I conclude, that thole Holy Apoltles did not un- derhand that Chrift did intend by that Commit fion , that any one Infant fhould ever be Bapti- zed. I will now confider the CommifTion it (elf, a- bout which I fhallobferve thefe few things. I . Who gave this CommifTion. And that was the Lord Jems, Matth. 2%. 18. . 2. Who it was given unto. And that was his Apoltles, who were Men, 3. What they are commanded thereby ; and that is three things. 1. To make Difciples. As Mr. Hmerdine (yoii fee) allows , from the proper Signification , and Scripture ufe of the Word (f*x^7$uwjnr) Mathe- ten fate 2. How they were to make them Difciples ; and that was by teaching them the Doctrine of Chrift, which our Trantlators allow, and therefore render the Word Teach. And this doth fully appear from the account given of this Commiflion, Mark. 16, 15. Go ye into all the World, and Preach the Go/pel D 4 t9 C 40 ) 10. every Creature. And then it follows , He that believeth (i. c„ by their Preaching) and is Baptized, (hall he faved. -. If Mr. H. be of the mind of his Friend Mr. W. That Children are made Difciples to Ghrift by being Baptized ; .and that without being firft taught : As I conceive he is , by his (lory of the Sheep and Lambs, and alio by this of the Chil- clr-en of the Poor; who he faith, are to be taught afterwards, althoV they cannot at that time be taught , but may be afterwards. Then his Ob- jection in .fhort, is this , That there is no fuch thing as their Teaching, and the Peoples learning what is taught, intended by the Word Mathe:e%- fate, to make Difciples ; but if the Subjects are Baptized , tho' never inftrucfed before hand, they are actually, Difcipled. And therefore concludes from this, That Infants are made Difciples of Chrift by being Baptized, altho' they are not firfl taught, but (as he confefTes) are incapable fo to be. And thus (I fuppofe) I have truly reprelented what he intends by this long Harangue. For he faith in Pag. 82. It is not necefTary that all fhould be io taught, who are Difcipled and Baptized. 1. I would therefore know what the realbn is, that he faith fo often Difcipiing and Baptizing Infants ? If it be the fame thing intended by both. . 2. Why doth our Lord uk thofe Words in the Commiffion ? Doth he think that W 7 ifdom it fclf would be guilty of iuch a Tautology? - But to invalidate fuch a Supposition, I inall (new him, that Diicipling is a difhndt Act from that of Baplizi ng. And if he had obferved the An- JLwcr giyen b.v.tjic Learned JDrLmnc, in aniwer to i.. his ( 4i ) his Friend Mr. Walker, Written about 2r Yean f nice ; he need not put me to die troub le of Being it now/ And to fliew his unreaibnablenels in reprint- ing that, which- had been io welianfwered before, I ihall give it him in the Words of Mr. Delamc > only changing the name. . To affirm (as Mr. Hewerdine does) that Baptifm makes one a Diiciple, is to contradict all the Ex- perience in the World: For, if we reipecV the Signification of the Word in its proper and genu- ine Notion (if being t&Smti » Difcfytdw, of &av- 3*W, dtfeo, and that of the Root -p 1 ? didicit) it fignifies a Scholar , or ovg that learns of another , which necenarily implies a juil ripenefs and Mi- vity of Organs j inward and onward, which all In- fants want ; therefore what can thev learn by Bap 1 tiim , who want the Exercife of Understanding^ and in whom Realon is ( as it were an Ewbrio ) not yet come to a Capacity of acTmg? And if we life the Word according to die conftant Scripture Acceptation of it , 'tis certain, that though Difci- -pling and Baptiz,inr, go together in the Adult, the term is no where appliel to Infants, but always tb itich as learnt the Doctrine ofChrift, who iayr,. Aiatih. n. 29. fjA^in *V i.vSf, learn of me, &c. bxk. 6. 40. We have the term (lukfa-nii) which is a Relation, in the fame Propofition with its Cor- relate (£&*&*& , a Doctor, or Teacher.) And Reafon teacheth us, That where there is Difciple- Ihip , there muft of neceiiity be MatteruSip or Doctor! nip , according to that Rule inLogick, Rclata jmit fimul Natura ( nempe qmtehm ret That is, Relations (as they are iuch) are together in Nature; for though the FMber] be before the Child, yet he is not a Father till he has a Child; nor cm one be a Matter , or Doctor, before -he tea (42 ) teaches, nor a Scholar or Difciple before he learns, So that Baptifm having no fuck Efficacy in it felf, nor any fuch Vertue conferred upon it by a- ny Word of God , as to make one a Scholar or Difciple of Chrift by the bare action. We may fafely conclude , That Difciples are made fb by- teach'ing, not by Baptizing which is further evi- denced from Job. 4. 1. iti^urmt w*a?^^*T7I^, oh\ Jefus made and baptised more Difciples, Sic. where note, that it is/»jfaid, Made or Baptized, for then the Greek fhould be, (/a^nra* *$£ £ 0«*7if«, but 'tis a Conjunction Copulative (*}) denoting two diftin£t Actions, viz,. Difciplin?, and Baptizing. And hence it will undeniably follow, that it was the method of Our Lord Jefus, to make Difciples^ firft by Teaching and then Baptize thein. And what Warrant Mr. Hemrdine lias to wreft this Word out of the Signification the Holy Ghofl conftantly puts upon it , to countenance fuch a pifcipleinip as is no better than a meer Conceit , is more than I can imagine, unlefs to ferve a Turn. But further, If Mr. Hewer dim's Interpretation of his Celebrated Text , for Infant-Baptifrn, be true j (and he would have us think jfo, becaufe Mr. Wal- ker faith fo) then the meaning of thole Texts that fpeaks of coming to Chrift, is this, That to come unto Chrift, fignifles, to become a Difciple of Chrift, Pag. 66,J>j. Then this cannot be true that is feigned by him from Mr. Walkr, that Bap- tifm makes them Difciples without being firft taught ; for Our Lord faith, Job. 6. 45. It is Whi- ten in the Prophets, And they /halt be all tost? ht of God. Every Man therefore that hath heard, and hath learn- ed of the Father , cometh unto me. Here you may- note, t. That thofe who come to Chrjft, io as to be his Difciples, muft firft be taught of God. 2'dh. They (43 ) They muft'be fuch that do hear that Teaching, -r^dly. That do learn the things that are taught. And every Man that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father , cometh unto Chrift , and believeth in him, as in Verf. 35. and 40. and fo becomes his Difciplc. So that there muft be Teaching, Hear- ing and Learning, to make any one a Diiciple of Chrift. Againft this Opinion of Mr. Hewer dines , the Learned Dr. Buryp Bifhop of Sarum , hath oppo- sed himfclf ; in his Expofition of the %$ Articles of the Church of England-, where in Pag. 302. He thus faith , The nature of a Ritual Action, even when commanded, is fuch, that unlefs we could imagine , that there is a Charm in it , which is contrary to the Spirit and Genius of the Goipel, which defigns to fave us by reforming our Natures, we cannot think that there can be any thing in it, that is of it £df effeihial as a Mean ; therefore it muft only be confidered as a Command that is given us, which we are bound to obey, if we ac- knowledge the Authority of the Command. And he goes on Bifcourfing very Learnedly about the Nature of Baptifm, and concludes thus. But af- ter all, this is not to be believed, to be of the Na- ture of a Charm , as if the very A 61 of Baptifm carried always with it an inward Regeneration, And after this goes on to bhm&Anfiin and others, for their forced Interpretation of J oh. a. «J. and the ill Confequences that attended that Opinion: As Mr. Heveerdine may iee at large, in his Expo- fition of the 27th. Article, by which he may fee both himfelf, Mr. Walkr, and alfo Aufiin hirnfclf* moft learnedly confuted : So that my pains there- in may be ipaied. (44) hall now give liim that Learned Bifhops Ex- pedition of. Our Lord's ^Cpmmiflion- Matth. 23. Ip.- Where in Pag. 302. he hath obicrved what #>me lay about Baptii; a Jewith Rite, yet (iaithhe) the ImYitution ofBatiiim, as it is a Fe- deral Aetof theChriiiian Religion, mint be taken from theCpmmiiliou that Cur Saviour gave to big Dilciples, Mattb. 23. : 0. to go Preach and make Diiciples to him in all Nations (for that is the ftrict Signification of the Word) BJfatbcwg them in the ■;• of the F. . ..'hi of the Holy : Tcachr. all things .wBatfotn/er in comma. By the firit fetching , or making of Drfciples, that miifc .go before Baptiiin : is to be. meant the convincing the World, tha ithtChrifk, the trm M: (JjaSy Attainted of God. » i/h a fyJnejs of Grace, : the Spirit without me a [fare \ and J nt to be the Saviour and Rede: • World.- And when any were brought to acknowledge this, then thev were to- Baptize them, to initiate them to this Religion , by obliging them to re- nounce all Idolatry raid Ungollineis, as well as all fecular and carnal Luits : ( And touching the -Mode of Baptizing them, who were thus prepared, he faith:) And then- thev led them into the Wa- ter j and with no other Garments but what might cover Nature, they at fir ft laid them down in the Water, as a Man is laid in the Grave , and then thev laid thole Words, 1 Baptu* (or Waflfj thee in the Name o' : 'the Father -, Son and Holy Gha/r: Then thev railed them up again , and clean Garments were put on them : From whence came the Phra- fes of being Baptized into ChrrFs Death , of being Buried with him by tixfttfm,\hto Death : Of our be- ing nfen wtth Chrift, and of our putting on the Lord Jcfus ivy . JefusC 7 the Old Man, end pitting on the I\ '. . After Baptii 1 , the bapti- zed P ved in all the Sped; : : : And in all |bc Rules ofLifetbatCl tily Sub- art of the Article) hich I Sul llified for a Preacher,, according I rlia- -i And I do greatly rejoyce , t great a Man it as his fenfe alio , of that part of the Article which we have by fuch our Subfcflptibh, given r': for by it cur fincerity d the laft C .ins Article, which . .'the laic orfecep- : to thank this i. his Note upon it: For he iaiil;. tie hfi: Head in this Article relates to the Baptism of ch is ipoken of with that modera appears very eminently through the whole Articles of our Church, on this Mead. It is cnlv iaid to be molt agree Inftitution of Chrift, , and theref ways re- d in the Church. And he is fo far from pre- tending that this is ii. in the Cornrnirfion/ h. 28. 19. That be en refe, there is no Ex- Precept or Rule given in tl N _ . Teftamcnt P r the Baptilm cf Wants, reeds upon 6- icks, as ci] :eof. Anel ludes. thu they may be 1 Next, I fhall give 1 niOn . Our Lord's Ccmmi you have made (40 made him One of your Authdrs.) This is not like fome occafional mention of Baptifm; but it is the very Commiffion it felf of Chrift to his Diiciples for Preaching and Baptizing, and purpofely ex- prefieth their ftverd Works, in their feveral Places and Orders. Their Firft task is to make Diiciples, which are bv Mark called Believers. ' ' The Second Work is to Baptize them. , whereto is annexed the promife of their Salvation. The Third Work is to Teach them ail other things, which are after to be learned in the School of Chrift. . „_ , . To contemn this Order, is to contemn a* Rules of Order- for where can we expect to find it, if not here.' I profefs (faith he) my Confcience is fully fatisfied from this Text, that it is one fort of Faith, even Saving, that mutt go before .Baptifm. the Profejfwn whereof the Mimfter mult expect, Bixter's Second Difputation of Might to Sacrament, Paz 149.150. Arg. 16. SeealfoMr.7W^sBook, called Fedo le fe. And Mr. Darners Treanfe of Baptifm : where you may fee much more of this kind concerning Mr. Baxter. A Reverend Doctor of the Church d England, taking notice of a faying, ufed by the Author of the Reafonablenefs ofCkriftianity, Saith,Whereas then this Author challenges all the Syftematical Divines, Par. 192. to {hew that there was any other Doct- rine -(v«,befides this, That Jems was the Mfiab) upon their AiTent to which, or Disbelief of it, .'Men were pronounced Believers or Unbelievers, and accordingly received into the Church of Chriit, as Members of his Body, as far as meer believing could make them fo or elfe kept out of it.; This I (hall undertake to (hew, 1 . From ( 47 ) i. From the exprefs Words of Chrift, who re- quires of all his Difciples, in order to their Ad- miflion into the Church by Baptifm, Faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, Matth. 2$. 19. Saying, He that bclieveth ( this) and is Baptized, ./hall be faved : He that believeth not, [hall be damn- ed , Mark. 16. 16. &c. See Dr. Whitby s Para- phrafe, &c. upon all the Epiftles of the New- Tcftament, Pag. 6ij. Thus I have given you what I conceive, to be the true meaning of Our Lord's CommiiTiony Mat. 28. 1 9. And M,irk 1 6, 1 5 , 1 6. And unlefs you can eltabliib another, and a better fenfecf the Words, it is plain, from this Expofition , that Neiv-born Infants are not in the leaft intended thereby. And to evince this more fully , I fhall give you this Argument. If Infants are not capable to fo: made Difciples of Chrilr, by the Miniftry of Men, then they can- not poilibly be the Subjedts of Baptifm intended in this Commifnon : But Infants are not capable to be made Difciples of Chrift by theMiniftry of Men. Ergo. They cannot poffibly be the Subjects of Baptifm intended in thisCommiiTion. The Major Propofrtion cannot be denied , be- caufe it was the Apoftles , who were Men , that were commanded to make them Difciples by teaching them, and Preaching the Gofpel to them ; as appears by comparing, Mat. 28. 19. with Mark 16. 15. The one commanding them to go and make Difciples; the other commanded them to Preach the Goipel to that End And to fay, That, •ltho' they are not capable to be made Difciples there- C 48 ) by r , yet they may be there intended.;, is to a3itlit-t)f facri a Contradiction, as to fay, they are capable to do that, which they are not caprble' to do. Ifyoufnall deny the Minor , I ilia It prove it thus/ If Infants hare no knowledge to difcern between Good and Evil, then they are not capable to be made Diiciples of Chrift by the Miniftrv of Men. But Infants have no knowledge to difcern be- tween Good and Evil. Ergo r They are not capable to be made Difci.- ples of Chrift by the Miniitry of Men. Th'e Major is not to be denied, unlefs you wi;; fay, that there is neither Good nor Evil to be learn- , cd by the Preaching of the Gofpel : And that thole who are devoid of all Exercife of Reaion, and have no Knowledge, fhoiild notwithftandin^be able, by outward Inftruftion, to know Chrift,- and him Crucified; which, I iiippofc, no Man in the right Exercife of his Reafon will affirm. The Minor, I ihall prove from the Word of God, Dcv.t. 1. 39. Moreover your little onei , whic-h ye [aid- fbould be 4 prey, And your Children, which in that day bad no knowledge bctneen good and evil : Here you fee, that the great Jehovah who made them, and perfectly . knows what their Capacity is- expredy declares they have no knowledge, &c. And eer- teinlv, he that gives Underftahding, mull know the rtate of Infants better than we can do. And vet we know, that they are fo void of Knowledge in thefe outward things-, that they do not know their Right-hand from their left : We cannot. there- fore without betraying our own ignorance, luppofc them to be skilled in thofe great Myfteries of the- Chriftian Religion. And it would render any Man ridiculous ... (49 ; Io\is, that ftiould undertake to Preach the Goipci to New-born Infants. The Conceit is fo mean and trifling, to imagine that fuch as they are ca- pable to be mule Difciples of Chr ft by outward Preaching;; that if Men had not a great Prejudice agiinft our way of Diicipling Men, and Baptizing fueh as do pro'fefs Faith in thrift , and were not very fond of their own way, in which they have been Educated • and as unwilling to part with their Profits , as they are to become Fools for Chrift's fake, that they may be wife: It's hard to conceive how (bine of them, who are otherwavs Men of great Parts and Learning ; lhould fuflfer themfelves to continue under Co grand an Infatua- tion. I may fiv to them , as the Apoftle PaM, faith to the Galatians , Chap. 3. 1. tU uua.f i&xt fwr«i &c. But Mr. Hewerdine goes on in his con- fident way of talking, in Pag. 36. I will add (laith he) one very plain caie more out of Scrip- ture, which he hath already taken notice of upon another occafion. Tis faid, Afatth. 25/32. That all Nations [hall be gathered before the great Judge at the laft day, &c^ Before I ^0 any further, I muff take notice how fifty he reprefents thole Words of Our Lord to his Reader : For thofe Words the Day , are not in the Text. The Words are thefe; When the Son of Man (halt come in his Glory, and all the Holy Angels with him, then fhallhe fk tip- on th", Throne of his Glory, verf. 3 t . And before him /ball be gathered all Naeions , and he [hall feparate them one from another, as a Shephard divide his Sheep from the Goaes, verf. 32. Now, in neither of thefe is thefe Words, La/l'Day. And if by Lafl Day he intends the general Judgment , after the ico:> Years Reign. He is greatly ignorant of the de- fign of Our Lord in Matth. 25^ For in that whole E Chap. c 50 ; Chap, where he fpeaks of his Coming the fecond time: As in the Parable of the Virgins, &c. And here in this Text, he is foeaking only of thofe who ihall beraifed in the firft ReliirreCtion, at his nr# appearing to fet up his Kingdom. And the reft of the Dead are exprefly faid in Rev. 20. 5. not to live again till the thoufand years are fimfhed. This (faith the Spirit of God) is the fir /I RefurreBion. And in verjf 12. there it's faid, I faw the Dead fmatl and great ftand before God , which is the laft Day of Judgment: But as it is Written, 1. Cor. 15/23, 24, 25. (after the Apoftle had afTerted the Refurrettion of all Men from the Grave.) But (faith he) every Aian in his own Order, Chrift the fir ft Fruits, afterward they that are Chrifls at his Coming, Then cometh the End, when he [hall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father for he muft . Reign, till he hath put all his Enemies under his feet. See~alfo 1 Thef. 4. 1 6. The fame Apoftle affirms, 'That the Dead in Chri/l jhall rife firfi. And he tells us alio the time, when the Lord himfelf [hall defcend from Heaven. Now from hence it appears, There will be a confiderable diftance of time, between the firft and fecond ReiiirrecTion. And whereas, upon another occafion he is p leafed to Cite the Learned Mr. Jof. Mede , if he had took time to have confuited him, he might have been inftruct- ed more fully in this Matter j to which I refer him. But before I leave Matth. 25. 1 would defire him to confidcr that in verf. 1. The Kingdom of Hea- ven is likened unto Ten Virgins. Veii! 2* Five of them were wife, and five -were foolifb. By Kingdom of Heaven, is meant (here) the vifible Church on Earth , for the fbolilh Virgins were (hut out of drift's Heavenly Kingdom, ver£ 12 ( 5i ') 12. Andfo hkewife m the Parable of the Ta- lents, they are all called his own Servants, verf. 14. ft) whom he- delivered his Goods. And J n ver* 19. After a long time, the Lord 4 thofe Servants cometb and nchneth with them. Thofe that had improved their Talents, he reward eth. ■ Bur m Verf 30. The Mth) Cafi ye the ^profitable Servant mo outer (taHmfa Sic. . And then he immediately fubjoms thole Words I have before cited, mf**i 32 and continues his Difcourfe npon it ,- to' -the end of the Chapter. I here are therefore divers things Mr. Hwrdine is to prove, before he can be able to evince the truth of what he hath .affirmed ,. that Infants are here intended. As : 1. That this is the laft and great Judgment Day which isfpoken of y Rev. 20. 1 2 wherein the fmaV and gre# fhall fond before God: For then indeed alt the Dead fhall be raifed , Infants as well as o- thers. 2. That any others are to be raifed at Chrif?s ippcanng m the'firft Remrrection, befides thofe* j-hohavc been Members of his viilble Church on iarth. . 3. As a consequent upon that, he muit then u-ove, that any one Infant was ever a Member of he vifible Chinch of Cbrift ; and admitted to that jnviledge by Bapnfin, . which he faith, is the onlv 3oor into the vifible Church , as I have already loted. .For, if he cannot, altho- all the Member »i the viiiole Church [hall then be railed and jud<*- d ? it doth not thence follow , that any Infuits ha then be either raifed or judged, alio' they hall after wards. 4- Heconfefieth in the feme Par. S6. That none" f this can be laid to Infants. "Yet in 'p& £7 * He ( 50 He faith, But mod certain it is, that Infants are meant by all the Nations to be gathered before the fudge, Matth. 25.-32. Tisfucn a confufed piece of non-ienfe which he hath faid about this Mat- ter, that I am troubled to think that Men's pre- cious time ihould be no better employed; and that it Iriould be my hard Lot to be prefTed with Importunity, to confute fuch bold and daring Im- pertinencics'as are uttered by this ignorant Man; who neither knows where to begin, nor how to end : And is guilty of fuch a Multitude of Tau- tologies and confufion throughout the whole Book, 'that I never thought it deferved any iuch notice to be took of it , as to have any publick anfwer given thereto. I will gather up the fum of what he faith, as well as I can, And I take it to be this. That al- tho' Infants are not at all capable to do what is required in Chrift's Commiflion, Matth. 28. and Marl 16. namely, to be made Difciples by out- ward teaching , and thereby brought to repent , and believe the Gofpel , and thereupon be Bapti- zed with Water) the Adult only being capable of that: Yet they may be intended by thefe Words, All Nations. And lb are to be Baptized notwith- fbnd. And then he brings, Matth. 2^. 32. to prove his Aflertion. And I am alTurcd I do not wrong him: For he faith in Pag. 87. Our Adver- saries will not have Infants to be meant by the Nations to be Baptized, becaufe thefe Nations are to be taught too, which ffaith he) Infants cannot be. And ib it may be argued, That Infants are hot to be meant by the Nations to be gathered be- fore the judge; becaufe it mult be laid to thefe Nations, When I was an hnrgred, yon gave me Meat, or (53) or yc gave me no Meat ; which to Infants cannot be laid. Well, Suppofe I allow you all you have here faid to be true, I pray, what will you infer from hence to prove Inftnts to be meant in this Com- million ? I do not fee but it proves the diredt con- trary, i. e. that therefore they are not intended either in Matth. 28. Mark 1.6. or Matth. 25. 32. For we fay, that the Words in the Cgmmiflion cannot be fpoken of any Infant, beeaujfi he is not SttbjeEtm cap ax , a capable Subjcdt ; even as your own Church Catechifm declares, That by reafon of their tender Age they cannot perform thofe things there required. And touching Matth. 25. 32., you your fclf fay, That it cannot be (fo) faid to Infants. And Jo by your own confeflion they cannot be there intended : So that we are agreed in this matter. But in the very next Words , you contradict your felf in faying : But moft certain it is, that Infants are meant by Matth. 25. 32. Why then it feems by your Logick they are meant , and yet they are not fpoken to ; and yet none can be meant there that are not fpoken to,' unlefs you will fup- pofe that fbme of them fhali be laved, and the reft damned ; without my Sentence pafled upon them by the Judge. But you fav further, from Matth. 28. The Command is plain enough : For if all Nations are to be Baptized, then are Infants and Children to be Baptized among the reft. What he means by diftinguiihing here between Infants and Children, I neither know, nor care; and I fancy he knows as little reaion for his fo do- ing as I do. 3 But C 54 ) But if all Nations are to be Baptised without any previous Qualifications to fit them for it, (which muftbe his fenfe of the Words, or die its mon-ienie) then 1 may thus retort his own Argu- ment upon him. If all Nations are to be Baptized, then all Un- righteous Perfons, whether Thieves or Murthe- rers, Drunkards or Revilers, Fornicators or Ido- laters j Be they Turks or Heathens , Jews or Infi- dels ; yea the moft profligate Wretches in the World they are commanded to be Baptized by this Commiflion. And feeing: you fay that Bap- tifm is the Door to let them into the Church, if you follow your own Interpretation of Our Lord's Ccmmifllon, what a Church will you have, will you not be filled with the Subjects of the Devil? And avoid this Inference, by taking off the Retor- tion, or for ever beafhamed to urge inch an Inter- pretation any more upon our Lord's Commiffion. Sir , Had you but obferved the Doctrine and Practice of the Learned Bifhops and Doctors of your own Church, who will not admit of any Adult Perfons to Baptifm, that are Turks, Jews, or Infidels, till they have firft been inflrucled in the Chrifhan Religion ; you might have known, that they did not in the lean 1 imagine that this Commiffion, Mattb. 28. was to be underftood in an unlimitted ftnfe, as you do here urge it upon us. Befides, had you but minded the fenfe of the 27th. Article of the Church of England, and Bi(h®p fo^zf/'sExpofjtion thereon, as alio upon the Com- miflicn it ielf, asl have before truly recited it, you might have known better. For he faith, That Cur Saviour did thereby require his- Difci- pies, to eo Preach and make Difcipfes to him in all ' ( 55 ) all Nations; for that (faith he is the ftric.~t Signifi- cation of the Word. And he tells you that this firft teaching muft (according to that Commiffi- on) go before Baptiim: And that latter Teach- ing, verf. 20. go after Baptifm. And this may alfb ferve to confute that fooli£h Conceit of yours (contrary thereto) whxh fuppofes, that, becaufe they muft be taught fbmethings before they arc Baptized (as we believe) therefore (you would fancy) they muft be taught every thing whatfb- ever that is at any time to be learned by any Chriftian Man , during the whole courfe of his life. Which is fo contrary to all thofe Exhortati- ons in the Holy Scriptures to the Baptized Chrift- ians, to grow both in Grace , and in the Know- ledge of Our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift; that I wonder you were not ailiamed thus to expole your Ignorance in Print. Having faid more than enough to this Point , I (hall proceed to anfwer , what you fay further upon it , in Pag. 44. 45. which you refer to in this place. Your Words are thele, St. Pad fpeaks of Infants 3s well as of Men and Women, when he affures us , That we muft all appear before the Judgment Seat of Chrift, and every on.' of us receive for the good or evil done in our Bodies. He doth not 'tell you the place, but the Words he refers to (tho J not truly recited by him) are in 2 Cor. 5. 10. Now I muft deny what you lay to be true ; and do affirm that there is not fo much as one Angle Infant, either expreft or. intended in thefe Words, And (to ufe your own Phrafe) I will leave others to tell you that you have belied the ApoftleiW, in affirming that he fpeaks of Infants. For, if you confidcr that he Writes this Epiftle to tfie Church of Corinth , who are entirely ours E 4 (and (and not yours) for they were Baptifis y and made fo by that very Method, by which our Churches are planted • (for we took our Pattern from them) For in Acts 18. we find that Paul taught them (according to his Mailers CommiiTion.) And in veri. 8. there is an account of the fuccels of his Miniftry in thefe Words. And many of the Co- rinthians hearing, believed , and n ere Baptised: Which Infants are not able to do. 2. If you do but obferve it, that Paul doth not fcem fo much as to fpeak of this Church here, (al- tho' he ipeaks to them) for he ipeaks of himlclf, Silvanus and Tmotheus , who were Minifters of Chrift. by whom they had believed: See 2. Cor. 1. 1,19. Chap. 2. 14. to the end : And in Chap. 3. 6. They are called, able Minifters of the New- Teftament. Chap. 4 I. Therefore feeing rve have this Minijlry (veri. 5.) We Preach not: our jelves, bat Chrift Jefus the Lord. And goes on to treat of their Sufferings for {0 doing to the end of that Chapter. And expreiTeth their aflurance of Heaven, as the reward of this their iervice'On Earth, Chap. 5. And in verf 9. tells them thereafon why they did and furTered all this : Wherefore we labour that vrhether prefent or abfent, vee way be accepted of him. For we muft all appear before we judgment Seat of Chrifi, Szc. So that thofe Minifters are the Peribns Primarily (if not only) intended in this Text: » and not little Infcnts as he imagines. But if I al- low him that thePerfbnsto whom he fpcaks, and all Other Chriitians ;:re included, as Paul feems to ufe the Phrafe in fome other places; unlefs he could prove that Infants (hall be railed in the Firii Refurrec"tion, wherein the Apoftle Paul and thole ether Miniikrs ihall be railed at Chriftfs appear- ing C 57) ng and Kingdom , when the Dead in Chri/t /haft & •ije fir/}, it doth not at all prove what he brings t for. However \£\Asipfi dixit may pafs for Proof, I ay (iaithhe) St. Paul fpeaksof Infants among the eft. And I fay he doth not, and my ipfs dixit is )etter than his , becaule I have demonstrated the :ontrary. But when he hath fo confidently affirmed it, \terum atque iterum 7 he ieems to have iome doubt )[ the Truth of what he hath afTerted : For in the lext JVords he faith , Tho' one half of what he :herefpeaks, cannot be underitood of them, name- y , That they inall receive for the good or evil lone in their Bodies , who never lived in their Bodies to do either good or evil. Now upon this I would know of Mr. Hewerdine, whether he doth believe in his Conlcience , that :he Holy Apoftle would ipeak at iuch a carelels md looic rate as he makes him do , to apply that to Infants, which cannot be applied to them? And whether he can imagine, that Paid would have us underftand that of Infants, which cannot be underftood of them ? And upon iecond thoughts perhaps he may change his Sentiments. And now Sir, having fully enervated your Pre- tences from this Text , I hope you will fee your error and weaknefs (not to fay Wickednefs ) in endeavouring to corrupt the pure Wt>rd of God, by your falle Gloiles : And will humble your Soul before God, for thus abufing the Commiifion of Our Lord (that you may preierve your gain from your Quarter) and applying it to wrong Subjects. But lcaft any ( through we tknefs ) fhould miftake my meaning , and iuppoie , that becaule I lay that Infants are not intended, either in (58) •in Matth. 25. 32. or in 2 Cor. 5. 10. as thofe tha are laid to appear before the Judgment Seat c Chrift at that time; that I iiippoic they fhall ne ver appear : This is in fatisfie fuch, That I do be Jieve that there fhall be a Relurrection both of th< Juft and Unjnft of ill the Men , Women and Children that have been, are now, or ever fhal be in the World (except thofe living ones whe ihall be changed, mentioned in 1 Cor. 15. 51,52. I Thef. 4. 15, 16, 17.) And (hall all appear be fort the Judgment Seat, both fmall and great. Rev. 23. 1 2. * But every Man in his own order, as I have noted before. And upon this occafion , I will (once for all] declare -my Opinion about the State of Infants in the Life to come. I do believe that all Infants dy ing- in their Infanxy, before they have done ei- ther good or evil in their own Perfons, fhall cer- tainly be eternally laved , by Vertue of that Re- demption that is wrought out for them by the Lord Jems. And this agrees with the 31. Arti- cles of the Church of England y which faith, That the offering of Chrift once made , \s that perfect Redemption, Propitiation, and Satisfaction for all the Sins of the whole World , both Original and Actual : And there is none other Satisfaction for Sin, but that alone. If you ihall fay ( as you feem to do in divers places of your Book) that Baptilm is necenary to their Salvation. (Which was Avftins Opinion, &c.) and therefore mud be applied to them in that Infant State , or elfe you fay , Pag. 79. you la- ment and condole their cafe. And in Pag. -88. /you argue from Mark 16. 15, 16. That if they have no Faith according to the meaning of that Text > and therefore are -not Baptized : You ^ask> what (59) what" you thsM fay then? Your anfwer is , Een the I/x-d have mercy upon them, that they may not die in that faithi'fs Infant State ; for the Text lays po- fitivelv, That he who believeth not (ball be damned. And you conclude they have Faith, and io may be Baptized. . I anfwer. i. That you do here contradict what you have brought your long Story for, name- ly, ' to prove that Infants may be Baptized before they- can be taught. And yet here you tell us, they mutt have Inch a Faith as is begotten in them by the Preaching of the Gofpcl ; for that is the Fajth herefpoken of: And therefore a greater con- tradiction you cannot well be guilty of. 2. It's contrary to all Experience, that Infants fliould be made to believe by Preaching to them : And if they be not Preached unto, and do not be- lieve when they are. io taught, by your Logick, they muft be damned. Can you periwade your Pariflioners to iwallcw inch Doctrine as this > without chewing the Cud upon \tJ 3. If this be true , then your Church is mifta- ken; for (he faith in her Catcchifm, That Infante by reafon of their tender Age, can neither repent,. nor believe. And how you will anfwer this to your Diocefin I know not. 4. In Pag. 49. You do not on!v lift at it your felf, but bring in Mr. Horn to lift with you , to contradict what you lay fit this place: For there you two Gentlemen make it your buiinelsto prove (that which will never be done) that tho' all the Jay lor 's Houfhold were Baptized , yet there was never a Believer among them but himfelf. Sir, if this be true , then thcie unbelieving Infants and Family (according to your Suppoiition) were ni I State of Damnation, when they were Baptized, and (6o) and remained in that Curfed State after they were Baptized; untefs you imagine that Grace is con- veyed to them by the outward act only. And that feems to be your fenfe , or elfe I know not what you mem in Pag. 104. where you tell us, they are ingrafted into Chriit by Biptifm , and made Partakers of a new Spiritual Life ; they are thereby, put under the Communications and In- fluences of the Spirit. Baptifm is our Regenera- tion or New-birth. And alfo in Pag. in. you further lay. And riow Sir , I hope you fee the neceiTity of Baptilm. And Pag. pi. Baptifm is generally ncceiTary in order to Salvation. Now I iliall fhew him his miftake in this, by reciting the Words of Dr. Burnet, Bifhop of Stir urn, inhisEx- pofition of the 39. Articles, Pag. 294. where he obferves, That the effects of the Sacraments, comes only upon the worthy receiving of them. The pretending that Sacraments have their effect any other w r ay, is the bringing in the Doctrine and Practice of Charms into the Chriftian Religion:* And it tends to dinolve all Obligations to Piety and Devotion, to a Holinefs of Life, or a Purity of Temper; when their being in a Paflive, and perhaps infenfible State, while the Sacraments are applied, -is thought a Dilpofition furricient to give them their Vertue. And this may ferve for a full anfwer, to what Mr. Henerdine hath fo confidently boalted of up- on this fecond Head. But %dly. The next thing he undertakes to prove in Page. 92. is this, That Infant-Baptifm was taught -or commanded by the Apojtles of Our Lord, after his Afcenfion into Heaven. The Text of ( 6i ) of Scripture he infifts upon, is Atts. 2. 38. Repent and he Baptized every one of yon in the Name of Jefus Chri/l, for the remiffion of Sins , and ye /hall receive the fjft of the Holy Ghofl. And faith, he may very- well be fuppoied to have fpoken to Infants. I anfwer, It may with better Reafon (than he or any others hath yet given) be concluded, that the Apoftle Peter did not ipeak to Infants, if we confider but theiefew things. 1. Who he had been Preaching to : And the Text faith, they were devout Men, oat of every Na- tion under Heaven, verf 5. They heard the Apo- ftles ipeak, every Man in their own Tongue, verf 8. They underflood what they fpake in thofe many different Languages , and were amazed and mar- velled laying, we do hear them /peak in our own Tongues the wonderful Works of God : Saying one to another , What meaneth this i verf 1 1 . 12. None of which can be applied to Children. 2. When Peter ipeaks , he doth not direct his Speech to Children, but to Men : For he iaith, Te Men of Judea, and all ys that dwell at jeruialem, ved. 14. And in verf. 22. Te Men o/Ilrael, hear thefe Words. And indeed it were a great diipa- ragement to that great AponMe, to think he fhould be fo filly to ipeak iuch things to little Infants , and that as loon as they are born : As Mr. H. would perfwade us, if we were fo weak as to be- lieve him. 3. He charges them to whom he ipeaks, with that horrid Fait of Crucifying the Lord Jcius, verf 36. which little Infmts were not capable to do. 4. When they heard this, they were pricked in their hearst, and faid unto Peter, and to the ref: ohhe Apo- [Hes C 62 ) files, A fen and Brethren, What /ball we dof When Mr. HeKerJine's little Children of eight dav old can do all this, then he may fay to them (as P . r did to thole) Repent , and he Baptised every o yon , Szc. And not before, from any Expfeiii in this Text. But for a final anfwer to this, I (hall recite the Words of Dr. Taylor, late Bifhop of Down, in his Book, Enti tilled , The Liberty of Prophejying, the " Third Edition, in Folio,* Corrected and enlarged; ' Seel:. 18. Pag. 104^. where upon 'Afts aj. $% 38. He faith thus, The Words mentioned in St. Pettrs Sermon (which are the only Record of the Pro- mife) are Interpreted upon a weak mifbke. The Promote belongs to you, and to your Children, therefore Infants are actually receptive of it in tljat Capacity : That is the Argument. But the Rea- fbn of it is not yet difcovered, nor ever will • for, ■toy oh and to your. Children, is to you, and your Po- fleritv ; to you and to your Children, when they are of the fame Capacity, in which you are effect- ually receptive of the Promife, &j. But he that, whenever the Word Children is ufed in Scripture, (hall by Children lihderRand Infants, mtift needs believe, that in all Ifra-l there were no Men, but all were Imams : And if that had been true, it had been the greater wonder they lnould overcome the Jtw&inS} and beat the King "of Moab , and, march fo fir , 2nd Di'icoiirfe fo well j for they were ail called the Children of JJ r ad. And as the proinilc appertains not ( for ought appears) to Infants in that Capacity and confid- ence, but only by the Title of their being realona- b|e Creatures, and when they come to that acl: of which bv Nature they have the Facuitv; fo if it did,- c 6 3 ; iid, yet Baptifm . is not the means of conveying « he Holy Ghoft. For that which Peter {ays, Be jfptfeed , ani ye fhall receive the Holy Ghojt, fjg- liries no more than this : Fir ft be Baptised , and hen by Imposition of the Awftles hands ( which was another Myftery and Rite ) ye /hall receive 'he promife of the Faihtr. And he goes on to tell us, That it is to this fenfe expounded, by divers Ancient Authors; and inordinary Minifrry the erred of it is not beftowed upon any Unbaptized Perfons; and it is in order next after Baptiim. And concludes thus, But then from hence to ar- zqe, That whereever there is a Capacity of receiv- ing the fame Grace, there alfo the fame fign is to be Miniftred; and from hence to infer Pa?do-Bap- tifm , is an Argument very fallacious upon feve- ral Grounds. .. i . Becaufe Baptifm is not the Sign of the Holy Ghoft ; but by another Myftery it was conveyed Ordinarily, &c. meaning laying on of Hands, as before exprefTed. And fo as he faith , the Argu- ment goes upon a wrong Suppofition. 2. If the Suppofition were true, the Proporti- on built upon it is faiie ; for they that are capa- ble of the fame Grace, are not always capable of the fame Sign : For Women under the Law of Mo- fes, although they were capable of the Rightcous- nefs of Faith, yet they were not capable of the Sign of Circumcifion. For God does not always convey his Graces in the fame manner , &c. and there is no better in (ranee in the World of it, than the Gift of the Holy Ghoft ( which is the thing now inftanced in this Conteftation :) For it is cer- tain in Scripture, that it was ordinarily given by bxpojition of Hands, and that after Baptiim, &c. Now ( *0 Now feeing there hath not yet been a tolerable anfwer given by this Author , or any other (as 1 have yet feen ) I defirc Mr. Hewer dim to aniwci this Plea , this Bifhop made for us, lo as to dis- prove the Allegations therein , or for ever be fi- Jent, and never pretend his Authority from hence, at; if Peter and the reft of the Apoltles did in this Text teach or command Infants to be Baptized • for they cannot with any Colour of Reafbn, be iuppofed to be here intended : And we are lure they were not then Baptized , becaufe it is only iuch who gladly received the Word ,, that are laid to be Baptized, verf 41. which Infants could not do. • As for the Objection in Tag. too. about In- fants being uncapable of receiving the Holy Ghoft, which he calls our mighty Objection : I deny it to' be any Obje6tion of ours, and do affirm it to be a Figment of his own Brain, to amufe his poor igno- rant Admirers, and then beftirs himfelf, and laics about him to beat down the Man of Straw he hath fet up. For none of thofe that have Written in defence of our Practice, ufeto talk at that Iooie rate. For feeing we believe that all Infmts, dy- ing in their Infancy, fhall be laved by the Ln\l Jcfus, we doubt not ; but lo fir as thev have anv need of Sa notification, to ^,t them for Heaven, the Spirit will do it: And that they Hand in no need .of Holy Water to be iorinkled upon them by any Prieft in Europe; is evident, became Chri/t hatli not required anv fuch tiling to be done in order to that, or any other end. And it's a fool \fh Ima- gination, to uippofe that the Sprinkling of a little Water wfkre there is no Faith nor Knowledge in the Subject , lhould fave them ; unleis it be a Charm, or Conjuration, and it is the more won- frrfiill (6 5 ) derful if it iliould be 16, when done by a Proteft- nt Pried, bccaufe he doth not conjure the Water, as the Popiili Priefts do before they practice it. As is recited in a Difcourie of Popery , Printed Anno 1677. I will give you iome Remarks out of it, as they are noted by a Minifter of the Church of England, from their own Authors. He tells us in pag. 148. of 22 Ceremonies they life about Baptizing an Infant, 12 before they do it, five at, and as many after Baptifm : But Bellar- toine tell us one is now out of ufe. 1. One is, The Prieft eonjuresthe Devil out of the Party to be Baptized. No matter whether he be there or no ; tis good to be lure. 2. Another (annexed to the former) is Ex-fuf- flfation. This is a Puffing hard upon the Party to be Baptized , in token of outing the Evil Spirit, and getting in the Good, in the room thereof. 3/ A putting Holy Salt into his Mouth. And touching the Preparation of this Salt, he faith, pag. 148. I conjure thee , thou Creature of Salt, by the Living God, by the True God, by the Holy God, &c. that thou mav'it become a Conjure! Salt, for the Salvation of Believers, and may' (I be Health of Soul and Body to all that do receive thee, ore. and every unclean Spirit may be charm- ed. With a Prayer' made to bids and landtirie this Salt, to thele Holy Ends and Purpoies. And now (faith he) here is a Conjured or Bewitched Salt for the Salvation of the Faithful. Oil ! but the whole Receipt : When the Water (alio) (hall be Blevytfl, and have this BleiTed Salt mhet with it te • ; What a Bteffed Composition fliall we have ! Sec how that is done. F I (66) I Cdrijure thee, thou Creature of Water, Id the N?.me of God the Father Almighty , and in the Name of jefus Crrrift his Son Our Lord, and in the ■Power of the Holy Ghoft , that thou become a Conjured Water, to drive away all Power of the Fnemy ; and that thou may 'ft be able to root up the Enemy himielf, with his Apoftate Angels, by the Power of the lime Our Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall come to Judge the Quick and Dead, and the World by Fire. Amen. Then follows a Prayer for the Water , that it may do all thofe Feats. After this, follows the Dire6tion to mix the Holy Salt , and the Holy Water together in thefe Words. Let the^ Prieft throw the Salt into the Water af- ter the manner of a Crofs, without making the Sign thereof, Let them be mixed together ; In the Name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. And then follows one Prayer to blefs them both together. ; Now thefe Men may well pretend as they do, that this Sanctified (pickled) Water may ( with the reft of their Ceremonies) drive out all un- cleanncfsfrom the Infant, and convey in the Holy Spirit to the Party fprinkled with it (as you pre- tend your Water does, by a fhortcr cut.) For they have the Authority of the Council of Trent for what they fay, Sefi^. Deer.*,. De Baptifm, /. i.e. 13. Baptijmo reipj'a tollit omnia peccata : Ita pit non folum non impute mr, fed nee (it quod imputari poffu ad culpam. And Bellarmine exprefty faith , That a Baptized Perfon (for a while at leaft) inuft mcefkrily be a fmlefs Perfon. ' And (faith lie) the ncceffity they lay upon it i- Very marvellous. For their Doctrine is (and io is Mr. Hmerdine'sy as I have before fhcw\l) That thole { e>7 ) thole who die without Baptifm (ordinarily) arb in a loll Condition. Poor Infants that have no adtu^l Sin to aniwer For, and who arc not capable of conn tanning or neglecting Chri It's Ordinance, but mils it only by default of Friends, &c. rauft in their Opinion ltirely periih. And upon this they found the liberty tor any one to Baptize (Men or Women) in cale of necellity. I thought good to note this by the way, to let you fee, that as this pretence of conveying the Spirit, and the Graces thereof in the Papiils, is counted ridiculous by your own Party « it's more ridiculous in you, who ule no Confecrated Salt, nor Confecrated Conju- red Water, to forinkle upon your Infants, when (you fay) you Baptize them. Sir, to be plain with you, you do like a Con- jurer that walks in a Circle. For you plead at one time, that they have the Spirit, and therefore they may be Baptized; and at another time, that they are to be Baptized, , that the Spirit may be conveyed to them by the Water of Baptifm. If this been't a Circle , I know not what is ; and whil'ft you are Dancing about in it, you tuppofe you arc iecure ; Whereas it's nothing elie butMy- iterious Non-fenfe, without any Authority from Scripture, Re.ibn, or the bell of Antiquity; but only from A^in, and his Followers, and the Mo- ther of Ha riots, the Church ot Rome. And un- lefs it be that I find it directly in my way, in anv other part of your Book, I (hall trouble my felf no farther with it. I perceive you Prieils need not trouble your felve?, whether the Infants you fpeik to, hear or undcrlland ; when you ask them one by one, Wile thou be Baptized into this Faith? For ycu Lave herein Example of as Learned Blockheads F 2 ai (68) as you can be, That fpeak to the Water and Salt, which they know can neither hear nor under- ftand. But I have not done with my Author yet, for he goes on and faith, What an amazing and ri- diculous Subject is found for Popifli Baptiim ? Not reafonable Creatures only ; but fenielcis , lifelefs things alio. And thofe" are Bells forfooth, that ule to hang in Steeples. And when they have Chriitned them , they will do greater Feats than Aarons Bells ever did. They'll cleanfe the Air of Devils, prevent the milchief o r Lightnings , and iave from other Calamities that arilc frbm Tern- pelts. This was complained of by the Princes of Germany, to the Popes Legate, at the Diet of 7VV rimberg. (Pope John 14. being the firft Author of this Holy Chriftning.) The Suffragans (fay they) have invented , that only themieives, and none other Prieft £hall Baptize Bells for the Laity. And tells a long Story about their Godfathers, &c. who make anfwer, as is wont to be done in Bap- tizing Children ; and after name the Bell , pag. He alfo Shews how the Matter Conjurer , the Pope, Baptizes pieces of Wax, with the Figure of a Lamb upon them. This Agnus Dei ( or Lamb of God) ufeth to be Confecrated by the Pope in the firft Year of his Pbpefhip, and every ieventh Year after, whifit he liveth : Which being pre- iented to the Pope in Boxes, he (drefted up in all his Ponificdibtis) fets upon a moft prophane, and paganifn j and plain Conjurers Baptifm of the fame: They call it Coniecration. And firft the Water in fome great VefTel there prepared, is charmed thus: And delcribes the manner of it: too tedious here to relate. In his Prayer fie hath theie C*9j> thefe Expreffions, G Lord' God, who commanded the Waters ipringing out, &c. wherein thy only begotten Son was Baptized , and commanded his Dilciples to Baptize all Nations therein — - Let us obtain, that thofe things winch we have purpoied to Dip in this VejTel of Waters , to the glory of thy Name, that thou blefe, and' having plefTed, lancfcifie; fo as by the honouring and wor- fhippine of them, we thy Servants may have our •Crimes Vaflied off. (O hond prophaneis !) The Snots of our Sins wipd away, Pardons may be procured, Graces beltowed , &c. Then he puts B.Ifom crois-wife into the Water, and then ufes this Spell: Vouchfafe, OLord, to Confcerate and "SanCtirie thefe Waters by this Unction ofBalibm, and our Benediction:. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. AfKrii After this, there' is fuch another Spell faid, for the Chrifme, with 3 CrofTes , with abundance of vain Expreffions ; and alfo another Prayer for the Wax- work it leftt, where among other things, the Pope prays to God , thus : W r e humbly beleech thee, that being prevailed with, by the Service of our Speech, thou would'ft blefs the Waxen Shapes that have the Image of the mod Innocent Lamb upon them; and by the Invocation of thy Holy Name , vouchfafe to fanctific them , that by tfce touch and fight thereof, the faithful may be in- vited unto Praifes, the noifc of Hail, the ruffling of Whirlwinds, the violence of Tempefts, the raging of Winds, mifchicvous Thunders may be laid; Malignant Spirits may fly and tremble be- fore the Banner of Holy Crofs Imprinted there- on, &c. And when he hath ufed a fecond and third Charm , with 3 CrofTes c\ch : Then ifee F 3 Pope (7o) Pope Baptizeth them , The Prelates take care to dry them with clean Towels : They have after this, two Spells , and five Crofles more beftc On them , to enable them againtt all nr Men and Devils, and to help Women in Travel, and a many other fine Feats • too long here to recite. And now Reader, nfter all this Popifh Vanity in the life, or rather abufe of Baptifm. Let thee and I confider what Spiritual Advantage we may reap thereby. i. It fhewsus the danger Men are in when they vary never io little in the uie of Ordinances. For tho;e Men, who firft cbariaed the Subjects of Ho- ly Baptifm , and brought in Infants in the room of Believers: Did (after a long Tra& of time) al- ter the manner alio, from Baptifm to Rantiim, from Dipping to Sprinkling. 2. They did not reft here, but they took upon them ( as you fee ) to Baptize Bells and Waxen Puppets. A mod horrid impiety ! 3. Confidering that Infants were not capable of being inftructed in the Faith of Chrift, by the Mini/try of Men ; and by a Miiapplication of thofe Texts to Infants, which only concern the Adult, as Matth. 28. 19. Mark. 16. 15, 16. they fuppofing that they rnuft be Regenerated in order to Salvation, and mult believe, without which they could not be laved. Av.fiin and his Follow- ers through a miftake of the true lenfe of John 3. 5 v and Chap. 6. 53. did affirm, That both Bap- tilm and the Supper were necefTary to Salvation, and that being Adminiftred to Infants, they would of themfelves convey Grace and Regenerate them, and (71 ) and put them in a ftate of Salvation (which they were indeed in before ) and all this by their 'opks cperatum, the Work done, without either Repent- ance or Faith , or love to God in the Subjects thereof. 4 From hence they proceeded further ,to prefume to convey Grace and excellent Endowments to Inanimate Creatures, as Bells and Waxen Pup- pets, &c. And where this Extravagancy will end , God only knows. Now the only w y to have preven cd all this, had been. xept clofe to the Hrft Institution of Holy Baptism, both as to manner and Subjects, and thcfe fooleries had never iecn the Light. For if no Man had ever preiumed to have Baptized o- ther than the Adult ; nor any of them, but fuch as in the Judgment of Charity, were true, penitent Believers , and always practiced it by covering the Perlon with Water, and bringing him up a- gain out of the Water, as a Similitude bBa Burial and Refurredhon, according to- Rom. 6. 4. Coll. ?. 12. and if this and other Ordinances had never been thus abufed to bafe and corrupt Ends , We had not been put to this great trouble to reduce this corrupt Generation to the Primitive Practice, as now we are. But I have exceeded my intend- ed limits, and ihall therefore confider Mr. Haver- Aims fecond General. The next thing in order to be fpoken to, is this , That he iuppofes fome Infints were Baptized by the ApouMes. And he attempts to prove it, in the fidt- place from Aft* 2. 3%. 39. Now fbralinuch as I have aniwered that furficicntly already, I ihall not need to repeat it here. V 4 2] He C 72 ) ?. He cites Atls 8. 12. And there indeed (faith he) it is laid , that they were Baptised both Men and Women.' And he futrher adds , that we lay, That if any Children had been then Baptized , it would have been laid they were Baptized , both Men, Women and Children. Well , and what fays he to that? No, Dear Sir, there was no need Or any ftich Addition : But what confideration hath moved him thus to think? Why lie faith, Confider, I befeech yen, the Scripture way of fpeaking. Well, what doth he fay that is ? Wftvi Even all Ages, of both Sexes, Children and In- tents, are exprefTed in Scripture by Mm and Wo- men. But, How doth he prove this? Why he produces a Horn' fox his Author : Ac, Mr. Hon particularly noted in Jofb. 8. 25, 26. and Jtdp 0. 49, 51. which Text^3 T ou may confult at your ieifure, and I will take leave to go on. But, Sir, I will not give you leave till I have examined your Texts. And fo it was, that all that fell that day , both of Men and Women we're twelve thou/and, even all the Men of Au For Jofluia drew not his hand back, whernvith he frretched out the Spear, until he had. utterly deflroyed all the Inhabitants of Ai. Now if you look into the Text, and view it without prejudice, you will find, that not only the Men and Women, but all the red of the In- habitants of Ai were deflroyed alio. And fup- poic I prove , that by all the Inhabitants be meant the Young as well as Old , then his Horn hath given an uncertain found : And I prove it thus. In Jofb. 6. 2T. it is iaid of Jericho. And they ut- terly deflroyed all that was in that City, both Man and Woman C 73 ) ■ •'. • Woman, Young and Old. And in verf 17. Jofhaa {aid, The City fhcdl be accurfed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord : Only Rahab the Harlot (hall live , She , and all that are with her in the fiotife > becauje fhc hid the Me ffe timers that- we Jent. Which was accordingly done. '•":.' Now if I prove, that by the command of God the iame was done to At, as to Jericho, then the matter is evident, that the Children were intend- ed by all the Inhabitants, exprefly diftinguifhed from the Men and Woman (as you have heard) and therefore not included in them, as he faincth. Jojhua 8. 1, 2. In the firft verf. we have God's Command to Joflr/.a, to arije and go tip. to Ai : And (in verf 2.) thou [halt do to Ai and her King , as thou did ll unto Jericho and her King. And you fee before, that they utterly deftroyed all that was in that "City, both Man and Woman , Young 3nd Old. And whereas there they deftroyed Ox, and Sheep, and Afs , with the edge of the Sword: There they were now permitted to take for a prey to themieives. And this Text he hath cited, verf 2>, 26. is the Execution of this command: So that it's moft evident that the Children and In- fants (as he fbolifhly words it) were alfo all of them deftroyed, as well as the Men arid Women. So that this founding of the Horn, bath bl Mr. Hcwerdine to give a falfe Interpretation of the text, and render Jvfhtta unfaithful in not doing what God commanded him. But it's no matter who are reproached, if their beloved Baby- Rantilm can but be kept up; for by this they get their gain, every one from his Quarter. For without this Trick of State, let • them maintain .a National Church if they can: Yor , if they did not make them Members by this fooiifh and Unfcriptural wav (74) way, Thoufands of thorn (I amfatisfied) wouk never be Members o£ their Church, when the] come to Years of Diicretion : But be Baptized up on Profefilon of Faith , according as thefe Samari were : for when they believed Philips Preach- ing the things concerning the Kingdom of .and the Name of Tefiis Chriff, they were "". j J zee both Men and Women. But not one little In fant, became thev could neither understand what Philip i laid, ncr believe what he taught; as al thefe Men (both could and) did, as the Scripture poll tively affirms. Anc Relent to inva- lidate his Proof for Infaiit-Baptifin from hence. But left he fhould th -lorn gave a truer found from Judg.9.^9, si. I mine that a Kb, verf. 49. So that ail th* Men of the Toner, of Shcchem dud alfo, about a tkottfand A/en and Wo- men. And verf 51. Bat there was a fyrong Toner v'uhin the City ( not of Shcchem, but Thebez.) and thither fled all the Men and Women, and all they of the City, and [hut it to them, and gat them up totht top o f the Toner. Now why he lriould think thatlnfants are ex- prefs'd by Men and Women in this Text ; I can- not imagine. For here is all the reft diftinguifhed from the Men and Women by thefe Words, And all they of the City. And herein his Horn midead him again , and it doth not from hence appear .(certainly ) that there were any Infants Baptized in j0s 8. 1 2. But the contrary is evident from the Text it felf: For, 1. They heard Philip Preach. 2. They *ave heed to thofe things which he /pake, hearing ml feeing the Miracles which he did ) verf 5,6. 3. They rejbyced with great Joy, verf S. 4. They believed the things that Philip Preached unto (75) unto them, concerning the Kingdom of God, and the Name of Jems Chrift. 5. When they had thus believed , They r.ere Baptized bo:h Men and Women. And till Mr. Havttdine meets with a Company of New-born Infants that can do all thefe things, he mult not pretend any Authority to Baptize them, from this Text, vert 12. And this may fufrice tor an anfwcr to what he hath from thence. touching the cafe of Philips Baptizing the Eunuch, Atls%. 38. He does not pretend him to be an Infant, find therefore I fhall paf c it. What he faith about /Ws Baptifmbv^?2.?w>.r, doth alfo refpe&the Manner, and not the Subjects ; and therefore doth not concern me here to take notice of it. For he cannot fuppoie Paul to be 1 New-born Infant, when he was Baptized. The like may belaid of his next Inftanoe, be- cauie I have taken off the force of that already, and to it doth not concern me here to ipeak further to it. In the next place we Read (lakh he) that L was Baptized and her HooiTiold, Acts 16. 14, 15. where he obferves, That whatever Qualifications are mentioned to give LydU a Right to Baptiim ; yet we Read not any thing of her Houlhold, bur that they were Baptized : And from thence con- cludes thus. So that thus fir, I am fare here is nothing againft Infants being a part of her Fami- And I am furc there were no Infants ; for in verf 40. Paul and Silas entred into the Houie of Lydia; and when they had feen the Brethren, they comforted them , and departed. B\ r this r pears, that all the Perfbns of' Lyiias Hoi: (which he here calls Brethren) were comfor: the ( /O the ApoiMes , which little Infants are not capable to be ; but Perfons of grown Years are. And it they were all Impenitent Unbelievers, having no Divine Qualifications in them , as Mr. H. would perfwade his Reader : I do not fee any Ground he hath to conclude , that the Apoftle would Ad- mini/ter Comfort to them in that State. And therefore we have Reaion to conclude they w r ere all Believers ns well as Lydia. But I thought it had been Mr. H. bufmeis to have proved there had been Children in this Houfhold, but this he hath wholly omitted. Indeed it is impofiible for him to do that, until he hathfirlt proved that ever ihe had a Husband; unleis heiuppofes that fhe w r as a Harlot. I do therefore defire him (if he Writes again ) to prove that lire was ever Married to a Husband • and till he hath done that, I will con- clude that ihe had no Child , and therefore this is no inftance to prove Infant-Baptifm. I have given io full an aniwer to this el few here, that J fhallnot repeat in this place; fori fee no occafion for it. As for what he reflects upon the Author of the little Book, That fhe could be no Widow, be- caufe fhe is called a Woman , and makes fport with it in prejudice to him. I anfwer. i. That the Reafon (I conceive) of your lb doing , is be- caufe you were not able to take off the force of what he had laid. But, 2. I do not find any liich Words in his Book. But he only tells you, That it's very likely it would have been laid (if fhe had a Husband.) Lydia the Wife of fuch a Man ; for which he quotes, Jndg. 4.4. (where you will find that Deborah, who, altho' fhe was fimous in her Generation , as being a Propheteft , and i~he judged Ijretel at that time; yet it is alfo toll us, That ihe was the Wife of Lapiioih .*) Or, had fhe * been (77) been a Widow , he fuppofes it likely , that flu would have been called io, as the Woman of Sa- rep?a\x2.s called, a Widow; and that Woman in LmL 7. i 2. Now, Sir, VV"as this to fay as you charge him ? Surely no. I will conclude this in your own Words', Sir I fhould have defpifed to take notice of fuch Childiili Reafonings as yours, had I not obferved with what confidence they are Written , to impofe upon vulgar Underftand- ings. But Mr. Hmerdine further faith , That in AEls 16. 33. we Read of the Jay lor. that he vas Baptized and all his. The Original Words are 0/ « vpi %**• fUf j&\\ that were of him, or in other Words his Ofl-fpring. Sir , the Greek Words are thefe, <** \&a.inUfa tiiTci n*} ot av7v tivTis rrapcLXpniJ.a> which are rend- red in Latine , & Baptizatus eft ipfe & ejus omnes continuo. And are truly rendred by our Transla- tors, and was Baptized , he and all his flraightwav.' Therefore ycur confining the Words to his Off- spring, is an abufe. For it includes all his, whe- ther VVife, Children or Servants: Even all his Houfe, asinverf 34. And the Queftion betwixt us, is not how they were related to him, but whe- ther they were Believers , or Unbelievers , when they were Baptized. And that they were all Be- lievers, is aferted veff. 34. where it's faid, He re- joicrdj believing in God with all his Houfe : as your ic\£ have noted. But you are not fatisfied with theTeftimony of the Holy Ghort, as not allowing him to uncier- ftand it. And therefore you found your Horn a- gain to deafen the Ears of inch that would other- wife have believed the Divine Tcftimcny ; and bririg in a Humane Tcfximony to contrad.icr. the Divine, C/-8) Divine. For you fay, To which Mr. H. has an- fwered , that the Original Words may be Inter- preted, as (peaking of none but the Jay lor himielf, and may fignifie word for word that he rejoycel Houfe-wholiy (tmoho ) he having believed . in God. To this I anfwer, Firft, it's a very uncouth Ex- preflfion, to fay he rejoyced Houfe-wholly, if what you fay be true, that it was only himfelf that re- joyced. Secondly, I deny that to be the fenfe of the Greek Word, and muft juftifie our Transla- tors , in frying , He believed in Cod with all his HoMJe. And in Evidence thereof, I (hall a Hedge, Arias Mont anus upon the place, he renders it thusj cum omni domo credent Deo. And the Learned Le- u/den, in the lame Words. And Leigh in his Critic a Sacra, upon the fame Word, Tra.vct>d> cam tota domo, At\. 16/34* The flrft two you fee ren- der it, believing in God with all his ffoup : And the laft Reads it, with his whole Hoyfe : And ourTran- flators agree thereto. Now if you can take the li- berty to pervert the fenfe of the 34 \ erf why may not I take the lame- liberty to do io about the 33; verfe? And fay, that he only was Baptized and none of his Family; as you to fay upon the 34.. verf that he believed, and none of his Family? VVouId not this be to make very bold with the Word of God? But, Sir, what need you have expofed your lelf thus? Could not you have laid as you do c!ie where, that Infants have Faith, and fo have eluded the Evidence of their being Adult Perfons, not with (landing they were all Believers. But I iuppofe vou are not firmly periwaded that Infants have Faith, and io you dropt it at this time. And indeed you have wholly loft your Caufc ; for you have not been able to give us one nngle (79 ) fingle inflance as yet, that there was any one In- fant, in any of thoie Families you have mentioned. And that there were no Infants in the Jaylor's Houfe is evident; for Paul and Silas fpake unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that wtre in his Houfe , verf 32. And certainly they did not Preach to little Infants. And, 'idly. He and all his believed , verf. 34. as hath been already {hew- ed. And therefore Mr. H. ieeing his Labour was in vain to attempt, to prove there were feme little Children among!! them. He therefore to ihew his prejudice againn 1 our Practice in Baptizing Be- lievers, would" needs perfwade his Reader that all this Houiliold were Unbelivers; altho' the Word of God faith the direct contrary. His next Text, to prove that fome Infants were Baptized by the Aooftles, \%Atls 18. 8. Andun- Jefs the Man were Infuriated, he can never believe himfclf. I will only recite the Words, and leave the Reader to judge whether thefe were Infants , or Perfons of grown Years. And Crifyus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his Houfe : and many of the Corinthians , hearing, believed, and were Baptized. His next is, Atls 19. 3. ^. But he anfwers that himfelf, and faves me the Labour. Thefe laft in- deed (faith he) were about twelve Men. Then it leems in his own Opinion , there was no Chil- dren among them. And as touching what fol- lows, it's grounded upon a falie Supposition, which I have before confuted. And for the Houlliold of Stephanas , he confef- fes there were no Children mentioned : Yet he would inGnuate as if there were lome , notwith- iranding it is not io Written. But iuppole I prove all he faith of them upon li\s Hypotlxjis to be falfe, Viz.. (8o) m*>. That they bad no Faith, no Repentance, nor any fuch thing as fome contend for, to qualifie for Baptifm : For he lays, there is no mention made of any fuch thing. Now to confute all he fays upon this (which is fo ridiculous, he may be a- fhamed of it.) I fhall only trouble the Reader to confider what Paul (who was their Baptizcr) faith of them; and then let him be judge, whe- ther it was as Mr. Hemrdim hath iaid: See i Cor. 1 6. i«5, 1 6. Te hiorv the Houfe of Stephanus, that it is the fir ft Fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicl- ed themselves to the Miniflry of the Saims. That ye fubmityo'trfchi's unto fuch, and to every one that help- eth with us and labour eth. Now when Mr. H. can find thefe Qualifications in New-born Infmts, he may Baptize them, but not till then. And where- as be denies there is any fuch thing mentioned ; Is it not iaid that they were famoufly known to that Church, not only for the Grace of God that was in them, but for 'Gifts alio? For they had addicr- ed themielves to the Miniitry, and were appprov- ed on as fuch by the Apoftle, and the Church ex- horted to fubmtt to them as inch. And can M. H. think after ail this is faid of them, that they had no Fvepentance, no Faith, nor any fuch thing to qualifie- them for Baptifm , mentioned in Holy Scripture ? Surely he knows very little of the Mind of God in his Word, if he be but as pro- foundly ignorant as he pretends to-be. But I lee he is come to his Ne plus ultra • for he faith, This is all he finds in theNewTeftamcnt, to have been practifed by the AporTles in this caie of Baptiz- - ing, &o. and faith, We have as clear hints of their Baptizing Children as can well be expected: And'- if he will take my Opinion upon it, He hath iaid nothing to tl;c puupoic. And whereas you would * e'xeuie" (Si ) iscufe yoiir not proving Infants to be the Subjects >f Baptifm by Scripture; in telling us, That all ;ou find in the New Teftament, is (in this Cafe >f Baptizing) what you have already told us : and h.Jt in io naort an account as this is, we have as :Jcar hints of their Baptizing Children, as can well )c expected* Then in your own Opinion (it eeins) you conclude, there is no one plain Exam- >le, but only hints: and you might have faid ib n the beginning, and laved your' felf and. mc all his labour. However , feeing Scripture Examples fiil you , ton are for rinding out another way to do the eat ; and that is either by Hiftory , or Tradition. S*fff you lay, Pa?. 51. You, Sir/ may venture to ifiure your lelf, that the Scripture hath acquainted is but with little , very little in companion of -vliat was really done bv the Apofties in this cafe, jyen by thole very Apofties, who had received the Command to Baptize all Nations, and inp& 52. n this cafe of Baptizing, we do not in all the ^ew-Teftament find the Hunderedth Dart of what he Apofties did ; fo that if we muft believe no nore in this matter, than what the Scriptures tell .is of the AEls of the Apofties, we believe but very lttle. with much more to the fame purpofe till he :omes to pag. 59. Here I had thought to have found "omc Hiftories mentioned by this Gentleman to lave proved that, which is not to be found in "folv Scriptures, viz,. That Infant Baptifm was ^raci'ied by the Apofties of our Lord ; Xxk I rind iot fo much as any one Hiftory refer'd to : So that king he cannot find one Example for it in Scrip- ure, he is relolved his Reader ftaall be directed to io Hiftory to fatisfie him therein. And yet at he lame time lets us know (if we will take his G ' bare (80 bare word for it) that he hath as good Authority for Infant-Baptiim, as we have for the Authority of the Alls of the Apoftles. I doubt Mr. H. is an- gry that there is fuch a Book as the ABs of the Apo- ftles , becaufe it gives fo many Examples of Aden and Women, that" did believe and were Baptized, even many Thousands, and yet it fliould not give any inftance therein , of any one New-born-In- fants that was Baptized. But 1 fhall put a high Value upon it, and blefs God for it ; notwith- standing all he hath faid in the Difparagement thereof But he did very prudently not to name any one Hiftory, left he lhould have been confut- ed from his own pretended Authority. As for what he fays in Pag. 56. to prove Infant- JSaptifm to be an Apoftolical Practice ; we have (iaith he) the Univerfal Church of Chrift bearing Witnefs thereto in all places; yea, and at all times, for the firft Fifteen hundred years after Chrift, without Exception, This is bravely faid, if it were but as well prov- ed ,• but in that he is altogether deficient, and hath not afligned one Inftance from Hiftory to prove this bold AfTertion. I fhall confront this bold Diminutive Parifh- Prieft, with a great and learned Bifhop of the Church of England, the late Dr. Barlow, Bifhop of Lincoln, in his Letter to Mr. Tombs, Printed in his life-time ; whofe words are theie. I do believe and know that there is neither Precept nor Exam- ple m Scripture for Paedo-Baptifm ; nor any juft Evidence for it /or above 200 Yeats after Chrift, That Tertullian Condemns it as an Unwarrantable Cuftom , and Naz.ian^en a good while after him diflikcs it to : Sure I am that in the Primitive time* they wereOf*rk<»><72/,thcn Jlluwanati or Bap+ tizati;. c 83 ;. liz^ti ; and not only Pagans,an& Children of Pagans Converted, but Children of Chriftian Parents,' &c. I have Read, what my Learned and Worthy Fiends Dr. Hawond, Mr. Baxter , and others fay i ; n defence of. it. And I, confers, I wonder not a little, that Men of fuch great Parts fhould fay fo much to fo. little purpofc ; for I have not yet feen any thing like, an Argument for it. And I hope Mr. H. will allow his skill in Hiflory, to be bet- ter than his own : however thofe that knew that Learned Bifhop, will give it on his fide, let Mr. Hcvcerdiw value him as he pleafes. But to proceed ,- if Mr. H. had been fb kind to him (elf r and his Reader , as to have confidered what Mr. Dclaxne had aniwered Mr. Walker to this, he would certainly have had his confidence weakened. long fince. His words are thele, Pag. 25. Mr. Walkers urging the cuftoin- of the Catho- lick Church to Baptize Infants, &c, ferves to lit- tle more purpofe than to fill up his Paper ; for that will not prove that it ought to be fo; for the Univerlality of an Error renders it- not Authen- tick. Therefore though I could produce feveral Exceptions againft Mr. Walkers claim to ibme of .thole Authorities he produces ; yet I fhail only glance upon what he fays about the three Riil Centuries. And truly , if we inquire into the ytialky of the WitneiTes produced for thefe times, it will be found that Pado-Baptifm leans upon a broken Reed. For the earlieft they pretend to, is -JvShn Martyrs Refpoufes^ which is a fpurions piece ; as is evidently and unanfwerable made out by %h. Danvers Treatife, pag. 140. infomuch that $lr. Walker in his Poftfcript makes no defence to 4t, lave to lay,, that it is acknowledged a very an- .cient piece. But by his leave it is not fo ancient G 2 neither. (8 4 ) neither; for 'tis certain jt was forged after the third Century : For mention is made, Oue/l. 1 27. of the Manlchecs (a Sect) who iprung not up till about 130 Years after Jufline , and he w t rote his two Apologies 150 Yea'rs after Chrift; and lb this Witnefs (of theirs) is Cafhiered. There are ma- ny Reafons to be feen in Senium in Annal. Jtiftin, cap. 11 . to detect this Forgery '; and the Learned Daille, Vojjlm, Rivet, Perkins, Sic. reject it; there- fore no Argument from iuch a Cheat, is valid a- gainlt us. As for the Confutations afenbed to Clemens Ro- manm , and Dionyfms the Areopag. Ecclef. Hicrar. I wonder Mr. Walker would fill up lo many Pa- ges from fuch a Rhapfody of Forgery, after all the imanfwered Arguments given againft them by Mr. Danvers Treadle, pag. 140. Rep. pag. So. 8 1 , &c. Which were fo much to Mr. Wills % Con- viction , that he confefTes them to be a cheating Tribe, pag. 127. Infint-Baptifin. And they are not only difowned by us, but by Learned Paedo- Baptifts alfo; as by Vcffms, Tbej.Theol. pag. 432. Edit. 1628. who though he took great pains to prove the Antiquity of'Pxdo-Baptifm , yet flights Jtdins Refpotifes , the Eccl. Hier. and thefe Con- ftitutions, as Suppofitions — Mitto {eos) nee trim libri ijh eorum fmit , qutbus trihv.ntur vyjgo I make no account of them (lays he) for the Books commonly afcribed to them, are none of theirs. The fame this Learned Man demonftrates, from fufficient Teftimonies, to be true of all the reft of - his Quotations, out of the pretended Testimonies of Irenes, Cyprian, and Origen , and ihews that they are corrupted, and are invalid, &c. And he concludes thus } Thefe are all the Antiquities pre- tended ( 8 5 ) tended from the firft 3C0 Years. And Jet the Ja- dicius and Impartial Reader confider, whether that Caufe be not in a forlorn and languishing cafe, that has no better, than fuch a rotten baps to reft upon. They that defire further Satisfaction, in this matter, may perufe the Works of ttdoftm :, Danvers, Fifhcr, Tombes, Grantham , and others pf our way, where they may be directed to thole Learned Authors which they have taken their Test- imonies from .; and I doubt not, but they may find caufe to conclude, That there is no juft Evidence from the Fathers, nor any Authentick Hiftory in the World to be produced , that any Infant was Baptized, for the fpace of about 200 Years after Chrift. And then they will fee that Mx.Hensr- dine was greatly miftaken in affirming, that In- fant-Baptifm was practiced in a 11^ places: yea, and at all times, for the firft ] soo Years after Chrift, without Exception. I will add the Teftimonies of Bifhop7W0>, in his Book, Entituled, Liberty of Prophcfyinv, pap 1 047. Folio, who faith thus, But Tradition by all means muft lupply the place of Scripture, and there is pretended a Tradition Apojh- lical , that Infants were Baptized. But we who rely upon the Written Word of God , as fufficient to eftablifh all true Religion, do not value the Al- legation of Traditions : And however the World goes, none of the Reformed Churches can pretend this Argument agairift this Opinion, becaule they who reject Tradition when 'tis againft them, muft not pretend it at all for them. But if we Iliould al- low the Topick to be good, yet, how will it be verified? For lb far as it can yet appear, it relies wholly upon the Teftimonv of Ori^en , for from him Auftin had it. For as for the Teftimonv pre- . tended out of Jnftin Martyr , it is to no purpole, G 3 becauie C 86 ) becauie the Book 'from whence the Words are cit- ed is not JujlinSy who was before Origen, and yet he cites O'ngen and Irenes (and this is fuch a rea- fon to prove it a cheat, that cannot be confuted ; for the Author of that Book to cite Men for his Authority, who had then no Being in the World.) But (iaiththe Bii"hop) who pleaie, may fee it iiif- ficiently condemned by Sixtus Scmnfis Bibliotb , Sanft. I. 4. Vsrbo Juflinm. And that it will be a great Argument that he is credulous and weak, that fhall be determined by fo weak Probation, in matters of fb great Concernment. And the truth of the bufinels is , as there was no command of Scripture to oblige Children to the Sufception of it , fo the necefllty of Paedo-Baptilm was not de- termined in the Church till in the Eighth Age af- ter Chrift; but in the Year 418, in the Milevitan Council, a Provincial of Africa, there was a Ca- non made for Pasdo-Baptiun , never till then And after tells us , That it was not practifed of-. ten there, nor at all in other places. For which (he faith) we have the Teftimony of the learned Paedo-Baptift Lndovicm Viva , who in his Anno- tations upon St. Attflin de Civit, Dei. /. 1. c. 27. affirms, neminem nift aduhum Antiquum folere Bap- tiz,ari. And then affirms , That befides this , as the Tradition cannot be prov'd to be Apoftolical ; we have very good Evidence from Antiquity, that it was the Opinion of the Primitive Church, that Infants ought not to be Baptized, as he there proves at large. I would therefore defire Mr. Htwerdine, before he troubles us any more with his pretended, ly- ing, and corrupt Hiftorians, and falfe accounts of this matter, to anfwer thole many learned Men of his own Church and perfwaficn $ and then, and not (8 7 ) not till then may he expect any further reply to fiich iham pretences for his Unfcriptural, and Un- traditional practice of Infant-Baptifm. For as Curcellms in his Infiit. I. i. cap. 12. faith, P&do- Baptifmus, duobus primis a Chrifio Nato fecvlis fuit incognitus , in tertio vero & quarto a panels eft approbates, in qu'into demum & fequentibus paffim ob-> tinere cxpit. Here you fee that this learned Man doth affirm, That for 230 Years from the Birth of (Thrift, Infant-Baptifm was unknown; in the third and fourth, it was approved of by a few; And that it was in the fifth and following Cen- turies, that it began to obtain more generally. I could cite divers Authors to the fame purpoie were it needful. There is one thing more which I muft ftiew your miftake in, and that is this: You affirm that Infant-Baptifm was pradiifed of Old in the Jewilh Church ; and that it was as Ancient as Mofes: and pretend the Authority of their beft Writers, without naming one of them. And yet affirm in pag. 40. after your confident manner, Know then , Sir, and I tell it you from undoubted Authority , that Children were Bap- " tized as well asCircumcifed in the Jewinh Church, long before our Saviour's coming in the Fifth. And this alone, you fay, is a great Satisfaction to your mind in this cafe of Baptizing Infants, tho there was nothing more to be laid for it. To which I anfwer, you are a Man (I perceive) very credulous about Error , but hard to be per- fwaded to believe the truth, as it is in Jeilis. Sir, do you know of any Authority for this , befides the Jews lying Talmud ? If you do , produce it. For your citing of fome that have told the lame- lying Story after them, will avail you nothing. G 4 t tithe (88) i. The Holy Scripture faith not one Word, of any fuch Practice among them : Therefore if it be a Tradition, it's an unwritten one. 2. If they had took up inch a Practice, it had been without any Authority from God ; it had been wholly 'jure humano , and muft have been reckend amongft the other parts of their Superfti- titons, and vain Worship. But, 'idly. I deny th:it it was ever praclifed in the World , from the beginning thereof, until 200 years .after the Birth of Chrift, either by Jars or Gentiles, notwithstanding your confident Ai- fertion. But I pray attend to what Mr. Delaune faith to this, pag, 27. what Mr. Walker urges from the ly- ing Talmud (as the learned Sir Norton Knatchbull calls it, in his Animadverfions, pag. 315.) to e- vince that Baptifm was ufed by the Jews in the Initiation of Profelytes, is of no force again ft us, who receive not their Cuftcm as Gofpel ; nor durft we pracTife Infant- Rantifm, which is no Baptifm, from JewiSh Principles , it having been never ap- pointed by Chrift, or his Apoftles, but corruptly arofe with Infant-Communion, from a conceit of neceffity. But I refer you to the Book of that learned Knight, which is Sufficient to fatisfie any Man, that there was no fuch Practice amongft the }ews, as either the Baptifm of Infants, or Adult Perfons. And as he fays wery well, that the Book from whence this frror is fetched, /'. e. the Talmud, was not finished till about 500 years af- ter Chrift, when the Jews had a bitter Enmity in their Minds againft the Lord Jems, and his Fol- lowers L and would do any thing they could to difpa- (8 9 ) [Mfpar3ge the Chriftian Religion, by their lying Fable?.' And yet (as he notes) there is but one fin- ale Rahlv, viz,, Rabbi Jo/hita, that affirms it, and that was after the Birth of Our Saviour. Where- is others that Writ profefTedly about the Rites and Cufroms of the Jews, at that time, ?&Jofcphus in particular, is altogether filent in this Matter; ivhich is an Argument, that he knew of no fitch Practice , as the Baptizing of Infants among the Jews. And for Rabbi E(kzxr, he exprefly con- tradids R^bbi Jo/baa, and laith, that Profelytes were not Baptized. You may lee more of this in Mr. Grantham** Truth and, Peace , pag. 10, 20, 21. where he further obferve?, That thtTalmttd is call- ed a Labyrinth of Errors, and the Foundation of tewifh Fables. I may add to this, that which is to me of great weight, That a Learned Jew, who turned Chritu- tn, and became a Dr. of Divinity (whole Works praile him in the Gate) was wholly ignorant of this Pradtice , and juftifies Sir Norton Knatchbttll n what he fays in the Confutation of it, and at: the clofeofit exprelTes thus, HaBenas vlr Hndiqua- me doctiffimus & de facris Uteris optime merittts , Nor tonus Knatchbxll Equ?s B.rronettxs. ' See the La- tine Edition of Dr. Du P r etl , S. T. Doctor. AJt* SviHor. Apoftol. ad liter am Evplicata, nag. 4S, 40, «p, yt-i And furely inch a Learned Jew, fnouid know this Matter much better than Mr. Hwr- iine : Therefore I conclude (upon the whole) that Infint-Baptilin ys built upon a Jewifh Fable, md is a Fable it felf; having no Authority either from Holy Scripture, or Tradition to lupport it « ind as fuch I fliall leave it, and proceed to con- Rder the Second Part, aboi.it the Mode cf, Bap- tizing. The (90) The Second Part. • Being an Answer to Mr. Hewer- dineV three jirji Letters , Writ- ten (as he faith in his Title Page ) in the Defence of the Mode of Baptising (now gene- rally ujed in the Church of Eng- land ) by fprinkling or pouring on Water. r ~T"^ H E firft Proof he brings, is their Chnrch ;I Catechifm, pag. 2. in which (he faith) -**- we are well and truly taught in the Sa- crament of Baptifm , there's the outward fign , and the thing fignified. The outward Sign is Water, wherein the Per- fon is Baptized, in the Name of the Father, &c. And there he leaves us, as he found us; without faying one word to prove fprinkling to be the right way of Baptizing. And in pag. 3. &c. "He faith, The inward Part of this Sacrament , or the thing fignified, is the Holy Spirit, or the Gifts and Graces thereof; iuqh as a Death to fin, and a New-Birth unto Righte- oufne&j &c. And this I fay, is the inward Par§> * orr (90 or thing fignified by the Water in Baptifm. And this he calls by divers Names, ns the inward Cir- cumcifion of the Heart, a Being iandified with the Holy Ghoft, the renewing of the Holy Ghoft, a Being born of the Spitit. And to let us know what he means by all this, he faith, it's the Bap- tiim of the Holy Ghoft. For this he cites, Job. 3. 5. Acls. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Now, iuppoleldeny that Regeneration, Con- verfion, the Circumcifion of the Heart, &c. is the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft; then all he hath faid is infignificant , till he proves it fo to be , which he hath not yet done. I would ask him a civil Queftion , Whether the Apoftles of Our Lord were not converted before his Alcenfion into Hea- ven? If he faith they were not, then he mull con- clude that Our Lord did imploy a company of wicked, unconverted, and unianCtified Men ; to Preach tpe Goipel for the Converfion of others: And how unfit would they have been for fiich an undertaking? And we know he ordained them Apoitles, and tent them forth to Preach , before the time of his Death , and therefore before his Afcenfion. But if he will allow they were converted before his Alcenfion, as furely he mult (for they could not have been his Difciples indeed : much lels lit to make him Apoitles, to act as they did in his Name, if they had not been converted) then it will follow that Converfion is not the Baptiiin of the Holy Ghoft. For, it's plain from Atts 1. 4, 2. What is the Rea(bn that Men's being at the pains of making a Greek Word Englifh, is to make a their mockery the plainer? . Sir, This is to charge all the.Tranilators in the World , that ever had a hand in Tranflating Greek into any Language , as well as into Eng- liili (theReafon being the fame, vizL that it might be underftood ) with making their mockery the plainer ; and that they have done it ( to life your Rhetorick) out of Sport and Rallery. I fuppofe you mean Railery, if you , or your Printer had known how to have fpelt the Word. 3. You lay that he Nick-names Sprinklings Rantifm. Now, Sir, That I utterly deny; for there is no difference betwixt thofe two Words, but only one isEnglifh, the other Greek. Andean I nick- name a thing by calling it by its right name ? I fay again, and will abide by it , That none of thofe you fprinkle, are Baptized, for fprinkling is not Baptifm in any fenfe, but only Rantifm; It's no Ordinance of Chrift , but a meer Human In- vention, and was never eftab lifted by anyCoun- H 2 • fit C 100 ; ctl for 1 300 Years after Chrift, as your own Au- thprs teftifie; as I iliall have occafion hereafter to (hew you. So that this is alio a breach of the 9th. Commandment. Having faid more than I intended to this firft, empty, infignificant Letter, I will conclude with his own VVords, which are moft aptly to be ap- plied to himfelf , and fiich falle Acculers :is he , Pag. 10. I will not here fay with the Piulmift, Whatjhall be done to the falfe Tongue* But rather with our moft charitable Lord , Father forgive them, for furely they know not what they fay, or do. Remarks upon Mr. HewerdineV fecond Letter. SI R , I find your fecond Letter is (pent about the Signification of the Greek Word in our Lord's Commi (Hon, Matth. 28. 19. BW]i£wra> Baptizing : See pag. 1 2. and pag. 25. you call it our firfVand great Objection, &c. To this you fay, pag. 13. you know your Que- rent dares depend upon Dr. Patrick y now Bp. of Ely ( whofe Writings he fo juftly admires) for the Signification of a Greek Word. Here I expected to have met with lbme defini- tive Sentence of this Bifhops , that might have determined this Controverfie : but inftead thereof you flap us in the Mouth with a Citation of one Mr. Pocock, noted in the Margin of the Do&or's Book. So that according to your loole way of Writing, we may conclude, that in your Opi- nion < 101 ) nton) the Bp. had not skill arid learning enough to pvt us the meaning of this Greek Word him- felt, but fends his Reader to one Pocod, a Man of an inferior Order , to refolve it for him : Surely your Diocefan hath no caufe to thank you for this; for you to fend your Querent to the Biihop to be refolved, and make us believe that the Bp. turnd oft' the Refolntion to Mr. Pocock , and faid not one word to it himfelf; altho' the Querent would (as fou fay ) have depended upon the Dr's Word. Here we meet with a great difappointment from you, in the very beginning of this Letter; and both your felf and Querent are difappointed alfb. How ftrangely doth this weak-headed Prieft re- prcfent this' Learned BilTiop to the World , as if he had took a (canting of his Abilities by his own! I pray, Sir, let me prevail with you for the fu- ture, either to let the Writings of fuch Learned Men alone (if you do not underftand them ) or elfe fpeak that of them, which becomes the Reve- rence you owe to their Perfons and Order, left you meet with a Caftigation, inftead of thanks. The B's Words (you fay) are thefe , Mr. Po- cort hath largely fhewn, That ( %wTi ? j&tu ) to be Baptized, does not always fignifie among the Jews the wafting of the whole Body. There are divers things to be noted from hence, i. That the inftance is impertinent: For we are not difputing about Jewjfh Ceremonies , but about that Gofpcl Ordinance of Chriftian Bap- tifm. 2. If you mean thofe Jewilh Waitings that are commanded in the Law of God, it's to me un- accountable why you ufe a Greek Word : when H 3 God X l02 ) God gave forth his Law to Ifrael in the Hebrew Tongue. And they could never ufe any Word to exprefs a practice which was never commanded by God, nor practiced by rhem, as Ibavealready fhew'd you : For this Ordinance of Baptiiin had no beginning till the days of John the Dipper, who was fent of God to dip fiich that confeiled their Sins, in the River of Jordan. See Sir Nor- ton Knatckhull, as cited before. 3. Whereas, you lay, This is to be obferved againft thofe who now make it necefiary. If by this you intend that the Word Baptized (which lignites Dipped) be not at any time, or in any place to be underflcod , of any part Jefs than the whole Body ; wherecver it's fpoken of in Holy Scripture, and fuppofe us to be the Men that a£ fert it ; you are greatly miftaken. For, we know that it is applied to the wafhing of their hand?, when they were dipt into the Water up to the Elbows. 'As our late Annotators upon Marl 7. 3. do affirm, and cite alfo Theophilacl, faying, up to the Elbow. And Dr. Hammond upon Marl 7. 4. faith , That the WauSing or Baptizing of Cups, Veil-els, Beds, &c, was no' other than a putting them into the Water all over, rinfingthem.- Yea, we further fay, That if a part of a Mem- ber be dipt in Water , it may be fo called , as in Luk. 1 6. 24. Send Lazarus that he may j2*4w, in- tingat , dip the tip of his Finger in Water. And as Our Lord ufes it , He that dippeth with me in the T)ifh 7 &c. But we never yet were fo fenflefs to imagine , that when the hands, or feet, or tip of the Finger were dipt into the Water , that the whole Body was then faid to be dip'd ; or that iacji a diping of thofe parts of the Body only , ' were C 103 ) were to be efteernd the due performance of that Holy Ordinance of Water-Baptifin commanded by Chrift. You Baptize your Fingers (I grant) when you dip them into the Water ; but you on- ly Rantize the Children, and not Baptize them. But , Sir , I do alio affirm , That there is no -olace in Holy Scripture, where the Ordinance of Baptilm is fpoken of, but the Perlons were cove- red all over with the Element of Water, and that appears from the ConfefTion of the Pcedo-Baptifts themlelves , and from your own confeflion alio. For you fay, mpag. ill Tho' it be iuppofed, and if it may pleafe our Adverlaries, even granted , that the Apoftles in hot Nations Baptized all by Dipping. And in the fame Page you tell us, there wasexcedive heat in thole Ealtern Countries, where Chrift was when he gave forth his CommiiTion to his Apoftles , to -Baptize all Nations, This is all I dehre you ihould grant, for this will utterly ruin your Mode of Sprinkling, and prove it to be no Baptilm, For, 1. You have allowed, that Chrift commanded his Apoftles to Baptise all Nati- ons, pag. 21. And if there be no other Word in the Greek to exprefs this by, then only B*VJi£o«'- t«*. And the Apoftle3 purluant to this command, did Eaptize all the Churches in Judea, andall the -Creek Churches, and others in thofe Eafterri parts, of which we have an account in the Acis of the Apoftles and their Epiftles , and that they Bapti- zed all of them by Dipping (as you confels) then it follows by an undeniable Demonstration , that the Word IW]i£am<, in the Commiflion figniflcs Dipping. And therefore we are commanded bv Chrift to Baptize by Dipping. And to this agrees the Words of Dr. pr. Taylor, late Bifhop.of I , H 4 . i;: ( ?°4 ) in W\$ Dul~lor Dubitantixw, lib. 3. Cap. 4. The Cu- stom of the Ancient Church was not Sprinkling , but Immerfion, in purfuance of the Senfe of the Word ciotwIi^o^TStf, both in the Commandment and Example of Our BlelTed Saviour. And Dr. GabriA Tonerfon, in his Explication of the Church Catechifm, laith, what the Command ofCbrift was in this particular, cannot be well doubted cf 7 by thole who fhail conilder: Firft, the Words of Cnrift, Matth. 28. 19. concerning it, and the Practice of thole time?, whether in the Baptifin of John or Our Saviour : for the Words of Chriit are, that they lbould Baptize or Dip thole whom they had made Dilciples to him ; for lb no doubt the Word E*t7i£o*t€« properly fignifies. And this, Sir, with much more which I could give you from your own Authors, will anfwer that needleis Queftion of yours \x\pag. 26. where you ask us; where did you read in the Scripture of 3ny that were Baptized by being Dipt, or commanded fo to be? Sir, here is the command in Our Lord's Commiilion , as I have iriew'd you , lb that you need leek no further for it. But Mr. Htwerdine faith, our Adverfaries ask us, Dare you tranflate the W T ords, Go teach all Nations fprinkling them} Sir , your Anfwer is a meer Evafion ; for you fay to be even with them* we think it enough to ask them again, Dare you tranflate the Words, Go 7 teach all Nations Dipping them f Yes, Sir, we do, and lb do alb learned Men that undcrftand Greek : But if you fhall tranflate it Sprinkling, it will beafalie and corrupt Tranfla- tion. And now what is become of your vain Flourish ? And if you can lriew me but one place >n ail the New-Tcftament, where pur Translators • have C «>5 ) hare rendred Baptizo, to Sprinkle, or Baptifmdr, Sprinkling, I will contend no further; But T know you cannot. The Dutch Bible renders it thus, defelve doopende , Dipping them. And is it not as lawful &r us to render it dipping ," as for them ? They were honeft, and tranilated it out of Greek into their own Language, that their Peo- ple might underhand it , and if our Tranflators had done fo, the Controverfic about the Mode of Baptizing had been at an end. And now I have mentioned the Dutch Bible, I will lhew you divers places where there is a command for Dipping , Aits 2. 38. And Peter laid to them, Repent (ende ecn yegelick van u wer- de Gedoopt in den name Jefu Chrifti) and >be dipt ivery one of yon in the name of J ejus Chrijl. And in AEls p. 18. Its faid of Paul (ende flondt op, e-nde men Gedoopt.) And he arofe and was dipt. And this was done by the Command of the Lord Jefus, AUs 9 6. where Our Lord bid him go into the City, and it fhould be told him what he mujl do. And in Ails 22. 10. which are appointed for thee to do. And in Acls g. 17. Ananias told Pad, that the Lord Jeins had ient him. And in AEls 22. 16. when he was come, he faid to Paul, And why tarrieft thou* (Staet op, ende laet uDoopen, eu~ ■ de uwe fonden afwaffchen) Arife, and be Dipped, and. wafh away thy Sin. Here you fee is alfo a com- mand for Dipping. And in Alls 10. 47. Can any Man forbid Water (dat defe niet Gedoopt eu fonden worden) that thefe fhould hot be Dipt f And in verf. 48. It's faid of Peter, And he commanded (dat fy fonden Gedoopt worden in den name des Hecren) that they /honld be Dipped in the name of the Lord. Thus , Sir, you fee we have Authority fufficient to tranflatc ip Dip- c wo but you have none to translate it Sprink- And I defie you to Chew meiuCh aTranfla- tion in the whole World; and till you can, and prove it to be Authentick > we ihall not mind your ipfe dixit. Erajmus , in his Paraphrafe, reads the Com- miflion thus ., Go and teach all Nations , and when they have learned, dip them. And finely his skill in Greek was not ynean. Poofs Annotations upon Itfatth. 2S, 19. lhe firft Baptifms of which we read in Holy Writ; were by Dipping of the Pcr- fbns Baptized. The Learned Mr. Jofeph Mcde, hi Ins Diatribe, onTiUis 3. 2. faith, That there was no iuch thing as Sprinkling ufed in Baptifm in the Apoftles Days; nor many Ages after them. If you have a mind to iee more of this kind from. Authors, you may find it in my Epiftle to the Inhabitants r>i\4fi/ord concerning Baptifm. And in my true Narrative of the Portfmmth Deputation 5 to which I refer you. 2. That it fignifies Dipping- Mr. H. allows, but (he faith) 'tis pretty plain that Baptizing does not always fignifie Dipping. And tells us, that the Primitive Fathers called Sprinkling wkh Water, Baptizing with Water ; as in the cafe of Glinic Baptifm. I will, give this double anfwer, 1 . If the Word of God doth not call it fo (as I am fure it doth not) we do not vdluc what Men call it. By the fame rule that Mr. H. takes his Authority from thofe before him ; another may quote Mr. H. for his Author, but what doth all this fignifie ? 2. I will anfwer in the Words of Bifliop Tay- lor, jn his P.u]e of Conscience > B. 3.C 4. P. 6\\.&c. And C 107 ) And this of Immcrfion , was of \o facred an ac- count in their citeem (meaning the Fathers of that time, when Clinic Baptifm was ufed by fome) that they did not efteem it lawful to receive him into the Clergy, who had been only Sprinkled in Baptifm, as- the Epiftle of Cornelius to Fabianusq£ Antioch, as in Euftb. lib. 6. c. 43. It is not Lawful that he who is Sprinkled in his Bed by reafon of Sicknefs, il.ould be admitted to Holy Orders, doubting whether fuch a Sprinkling fhould be called Baptifm. And thcrfore Magnus in his E- piflle queftions, whether they are to be efteemed right Chriftians, who arc only Sprinkled and not Dip'd in Water. The nrft that I find ever flatt- ed it was Cyprian, and it was (you fee) oppofed })y Magnus , as fben as mentioned : So that this will do you no Service to uphold your Baby-Ran- tilln. For Baptizing is Dipping , and nothing fhort of fuch a Dipping as covers the whole Body, can be called Baptifm , as it is an Ordinance of Chrift: And therefore your Rnntifm (or Sprink- ling) is no Baptifm at all. The Children are as much Unbaptized, as they were before yen pra&- ifed Rantifin upon them. For you (like the Jews of old) have laid afide the command of Chrifl, that you may keep the Pope's Tradition ; and are (in this) deceivers of the People, and tell lies in the name of the Lord, in laying to the Child (a pretty Subject to talk to) I Baptize thee , when, you fhould fay, I Rantize thee, and then you would fpeak truth ; which now you do not. And as to that little caff of your Office, in di- ft inguifhing between with, and in, you 11 flier in your Rhetorical flourifli thus: Sir, if I mi^ht be Sophiftical, and play with Particles as it is the manner of our Adverfarics to do 5 I might here obferve C «o8) pbfcrvc , that in our Enslifh Bibles we ufually readof Baptizing with Water; and Mr. //. think* if the Tranflators had intended Dipping , they would not have ufed the Word Wtth y but In. i. Here (as in many other places) his Reve- rence is pleafed to call us Adverfanes. I know no rcaibn he has for it , unlefs he efteems us his Enemies, becaufe we tell him the truth. 2. He affirms, that it is our manner to play , with Particles. I fuppofe he fpeaks this by Hear- fay, and not of his own Knowledge ; and there- fore his Evidence cannot be allowed. 3. Let him play the Sophifter, if he knows how, and make the belt of a bad Caufe, that all his lit- tle Stock can enable him to do, but if he exercile his Weapons to no better purpoie than he hath done already, it will not avail him. 4^ Sir, I obferve you do not tell us how it is in the Greek , but how it's in the Englilh. Prav how come you to quarrel with C. D. in Pag. 2$. when he brings our Engliib Bible to prove Our Lord came up out of the Water.; and yet allow it here as a Proof for your ielf , that he was not Dipt, nor any body elfe? Why, your Reafbn is, you cannot believe that we can think fo, becaufe your Soph i (try leads you to think that it is not good fenie. Really. Sir, you are miftaken , for I think it's good fenfe to fav, that thofe who are Dipped in Water, arc Baptized with Water, being covered all over with that Element: And I do not think that you can with all your Sophiftical Inventions, make a Man in his right Wits believe, that any Man can be Baptized with Water, and not make rue C 109 ) ufc of it, but be Baptized without it, I am lure thuie that we read of in Scripture to have been Baptized by Dipping in Jordan, and other places where there was much Water; were Baptized with (and not without) Water. This is only a perverfe way of talking. But, Sir, Why may not we interpret the En- gliih by comparing it with the Greek , as well as Vou? And then you will find thefe Words fhould be read in Water; and if io, you allow its good fenfe to Dip in, or into Water, and then it might be performed by Dipping in all thole places , by your own grant. Now, Sir, if you will but take the pains to fearch;, you will find , that in Matth 3. 6. It is h t£ 'hpAvr,, in Jordane , in Jordan. Now in Jkbrk 1.8. it is %t\Jk% in **- qua y J indeed Baptise you in Water. Job. I. 31. %v 7» 'Malt, in aqua, therefore cm 1 come Baptizing in Water. And mvcrf. 33. John declares that he was lent to Baptize («v »'«/kfi > in aqua , in War ter. That which I obferve from hence, is this, That m the firft of thefe places our Translators render ir, In ; and in ail the reft they render it With ; al- tho 5 the Particle is the fame , as I have iliewed you. So that we are warranted by the Original to read it dipping in Water. And this is the true ienie of all thofe places; altho' it be not non- fenfe fas you fuppofe) to read it as it is in our Engliili Tranflation; feeing it can't be performed without Water. As for your Aflertion, pag. 1 4. That the divers Walhings in Heb. 9. 10. is intended thole Sprinklings we read of Numb. 8. 7. and Chap. 19. 18, 19. I utterly deny it, and demand of you to give the leaft colour of Reafon for it , if you arc able. As for the 1 Cor. 10. 2. They were all Unpriced' t no ) Baptized unto Motes in the Cloud, and in the Sea. It muft needs be ib , for the Word ftaptizanto, be- ing from BaptOy mergo, immergo , fignifies iuch a. Dipping , by which the Pcrion dipped is over- whelmed with the Water, fb as to have ajl his* Body covered therewith. Now this being only Metaphorical , and the Sea being a Wall to them on each fide, and the Cloud covering them, they muft of neceffity be overwhelmed in the Cloui and in the Sea. And if our Tranilators had ren- dred it fb, who, I pray, would ever have dream- ed of a Baptiiin from hence ? The like I may fay , about the Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft, Atls 2. ' For the Houfe being filled' with the Spirit , where the Apoftles were fitting, as of a mighty ru\hing Wind j they were as much envi- ron d with the Holy Ghoft, as a Perfon is that is dipt in Water, as aforefaid. So that neither of thefe will in the leaft give countenance to your Mode of Sprinkling. But before I pafs this, I muft reprove you, for faying that the Cloud and Sea did fprinkle and dafli them as they went through it : For this is to deceive your Reader by adding to the Word of God , for it is not fo W T ritten therein. As for that i nadequate Metaphor, he begins with pag. ip. and fills up feyeral Pages with it, about hireing of all Nations into a Vineyard, &c. All I fhall fay to it, is this, If the Sum be paid, it s. all one tome whether it be in Gold or Silver, if neither be fpecified « but if inftead of giving a Man 10 Guineas, you fhall give him only one fingle Penny in Silver , I iliall not think that an Equivalent. And feeing you have run the Parallel betwixt that of Gold' and Silver, and that of Baptizing by Dip- ( *,**; Dipping; (which you confefs the Apoftles pra<5H- icd) and compare that to Gold; and the other of Sprinkling to Silver ; I would know of you there- fore , whether a Silver Penny doth not hold as great ' Proportion to 10 Guineas, as Sprinkling a few drops of Water from the Fingers ends only Upon the fvee , doth hold in Proportion to that Water that is neccfary for a Man to be dipt in, ib as to be wholly cover Yl therewith ? Sir, we rind fault with your Practice," not be- eaufe you do not Baptize in iome particular Mode, as backwards, forwards, fide-ways, &c. for we can bear with that, if the Party be really Bapti- zed. But this is that we complain againft you for, that you do not Baptize at all : nor keep up any form of Baptifm among vou ; but have whol- ly laid it afide, and brought in Rantifm, ue. Sprinkling in the room thereof ; and by that means the Members of your Church want this Ordinance wholly, and are a Company of Un- baptized Perfons , notwithrhnding you plead for Baptifm as an initiating Ordinance; and thereby have Unchurch'd your felves at once. As for your reproachful Expreflions , as if we delay 'd Baptifm in Winter, &c. I deny the A£- iertion, for we Baptize in the coklcft, as well as the hoteft Seafons of the Year. I my felf was Baptized in Frofty Weather, in December 1654. And do never delay to Baptize any, that I judge to be true Penitent Believers (when they tender themfelves) at any Seafbn of the Year : Nor do I know of any contrary Practice herein, by any of my Brethren in the Miniftry. And as for your pretending danger to our Bodies by iuch a Pract- ice. I can allure you, long experience hath taught me and other? the contrary. For I could give Vou C ft* ) you divers inftances (were it needful) of Sick Per- ions ('both Men and Women?) that have been Baptized by Dipping both by me and others j and inftead of receiving damage, they have been blef- led with a better {late of Health than they had before; God having been gracioufllv pleaied to own that* and another Ordinance of his, for the encouragement of his poor defpifed little Flock, that they have had great caufe to be filled with Joy and Admiration. And if you dare not truft God, there are thofe in this Nation that have fiich experience of his meeting , and owning them in his own Ordinances , that they dare venture to commit the keeping of their Souls and Bodies to his Care and Bleflmg- knowing that he is faithful who hath promiied. And this is all I think fit to fay to your fecond Letter, concluding with the \Vdrds of Dr. Cave, in his Primitive Chriftianity , pag. 320. That the Party Baptized, was wholly immerged , or put under Water. And Mr. Baxter, who laith, Ar- gument 3. againft Mr. Blake. It is commonly confefled by us to the Anabaptifts (as our Com- mentators declare) that in the Apoftles time, the Baptized were dip'd over Head in Water. Memarks C »3) Remarks upon Mr. HewerdineV Third Letter , wherein thofe Scriptures he mentions therein, are cleared front thofe Objections he makes , to render our Pratt ice of Dipping doubtful. THE Texts of Scripture are thefe, Mark. r. 9, 10. Matth. 3. 16. Job. 3. 23. Heb. 10. 22. Mr. H. faith , pag. 27. I would have them to know, that they do not read in Scripture of any that were dip'd \ or commanded to be fo Baptized, and not otherwife. As for thofe words , and not otherwife ; they concern not us, but himfelf. It's fufficient for us to prove our own Practice from the Word of God : and if he pretend it's to be done otherwife than as it is Written , it's his bufmefs to prove it. For, every Man is to prove his own Work. But if that were my bufiriefi , I could prove it with as great certainty, as he is able to prove any Negative Pro- portion, that Baptifm was adminiftred by Dip- ping in the days of the Apoflles, and not by Sprinkling. But I need not do. tliis to Mr. H. be- caufe he faith, That the Apoflles Baptized all by. Dipping, &c. as I have already fhewed. Arid if their Lord had commanded them to do it. by Sprinkling, they would certainly have obeyed him therein. So that their not doing it, doth fumci- ently evince, that it is not fo to be performed. As to the other part of the Objection, he an* fivers it for us. Yes, fay they, Our Saviour him- ielf wis Dipped, when he was" Baptized of John in I Jr- C»4) Jordan, for the very Original Words (i£*7#i«&w Arm "W>Ktf ih t 'Iojc/kVxu) may be Tranflated, He w Dipped of John into Jordan. To this he (aith, The Word ej8*^i^-H, does not neceiTarily fignifie, He was Dipped, as I have clear- ly uhewn you in my laft Letter. As to that, I have demonftrated the contrary in my Remarks upon it , to which I refer the Rea- der. But he adds , As for the Words *U r'UoJXvlw, which our AdverfariesVould fain Tranflate into Jordan , They have been ftiewn from leveral the like Expreflions in the New-Teftament, That they may as well be Tranflated at Jordan. i . I perceive he doth not deny but we Tranflate it rightly, when we lay in, or into Jordan. And we mull: needs bejuftifled in fo doing, becaufeall the Latin Tranflations , that render the Greek Words in their Ariel: Signification ( that I have feen) do render it fo As, Arius Mont anus reads it, in Jordanem, into Jordan. And the Learned LeuJ- den in Jordanem , into Jordan. And Be&a , in Jordane, in Jordan, And Caftellip , alfo renders it, in Jordane, in Jordan. And the Dutch Tran- flation hath it, Ende trier t van Joanne, Gedoopt in de Jordaen. And was dipped of John in the Jor- dan (i. e. the River Jordan?) And our own Tran- flators read it, and was Baptized of John in Jor- dan. And iurely it's very warrantable for us (after the Example of thefe great Criticks in the Greek Tongue ) to render : it in , or into Jor- dan, as they have done before us. And if you find fault with it, let the blame light upon them : , and not upon us; for you fee we have the Learn- ed on our fide, who give their Testimony for us. 2. Where* C "5 ) 2. Whereas you fay, The Words may as well be Tranflated , at Jordan ; That I deny. And till you iliew us fuch aTranflation of them ; ap- proved by the Learned in that Language , we ihall not receive it. For the Queluonis, how thofe Words are to be underftood in this place? And I have already fhew'd you that the Learned render them, not at, but in , or into. But in oppofition to all others, you oppofeyour beloved Horn, who hath furnifhed you with lome inftances, where ek, is Tranilated at: As eh A£y- Tor, at AzAtm , Acij 8. 40. and e)<, vro\tv, at the City, Matth. 2. 23. And at Capernaum, Matth. 4. 13. Afh 4. 5, 20, 16, 21, 13. and 25, 15. See (faith he) Mr. Horn, &c. 1. I do allow that sk, in, or into, is in all thofe places, 2. That they have rendred it at in ibmeof them, but not in all as he faith. Butfo, as that no confiderate Reader can be mifguided thereby , as to doubt whether they did go into thofe places they were faid to be at: For that is evident from the fcope of the places, he hath re- cited, As AEls 8. 40. But Philip was found at A^otPts. Now if he was found there, he mud: needs have come into that place , or rather brought thi- ther by the Spirit, or elfe he could not have been found there. This Az,otus ( as the Learned ob- ferve) was Afhdod, a large Tracl: of Land belong- ing to one of the five Lords of the Philifhnes, as you may fee, if you will examine the Septuagint who render Ajhdod by A^otm. And Pool's Anno- tat. lay the fame, thefe Ryq Lords had both fen- ced Cities and Country Villages belonging to them, as you may fee, 1 Sam. 6. 17, 18. And I 2 we ( nO vre read of Afhdod, and the Coafts thereof, Chap. 5. 6. Now Philip rnuft be underftood to be with- in that Tra<5t of Land, or elfe he could not be laid to be at Azjotas. Surely it had been as intelligi- ble to have read it, in Azjotm, and altogether a- greeable to the Greek ; For Arms, Montanns, and Js&flen do both render it, in A^otum. But Phi- lip was found in A^otns. And he muft go, or be carried into it, before he could be found in it. Is it not our common way of fpeaking to ufe at for in? As when we would, fignifie thatfuch a Man hath been in Paris, w r e fay he hath been at Paris. And if I fay, that I bought fuch a thing, or did fiich an A6t, when I was at Amfierdam ; I intend thereby, when I was in that City. So that nei- ther Mr. Horn, nor Mr. Hewerdene have any rea- fonto think, that our Tranllators doubted of Phi- lip's being in Az,otm, when they fay, he was at Azjotus. But why fhould I ufe more words, read but the whole verfe and he will find our fenfe eftablifhed , beyond contradiction. And Philip was found at Azotus: And patting through , he Preached in all the Cities ,- till became to fcelarea. What doth this Man found his Horn fo loud a- bout ? Is it poffible forrfcimj or his Horn to ima- gine , that a Man can pals through a City , or Country, and be only at it, and not in it? I am afhamed of fuch trifling Divinity as this. Pray, Mr. Hemrdine, who plays the Sephifter with Par- ticles now, we, or you ? The fecond Text you cite, is Matth. 2. 23. which , you fay , is Tranflated at the City. Sir, if you had but read the place , you might have feen your felf confuted. For our Tranflators ren- der it in, and not at, as you fa Illy accufe them. Their Words are thefe, And he came and dxelt in' a City called Nazareth. The C »7) The third Text, is Matth. 4. 13. which you fay, is Tranflated at Capernaum. Sir, here you dp alio falfly accufe our Tranflators, for they read it, thus. And leaving Nazareth , he came and dwelt in Capernaum. See how fubjeft you are to be deceived, when you prefer an Author before the Word of God, and will believe him, before your own eyes. Are you a fit Man to find fault with others, and err thus egregioufly your felf ; and to blame them for being in the right, becaufe your lying Horn gives a fa lie found?' I hope you will take better heed next time. The fourth Text, is ABs 4. 5. But in our lafi Tranflation , I find the Words in the 6th. verfe at Jemfalem. But I muft tell you , that they could hot intend thereby , any other than being in Jemfalem. For in Chap. 3. 1. we have an ac- count, that Peter and John went up together, fit to hfo>\ ( the fame Word) into the Temple, io that here they have rendred it as we do, \x\Mar\ 1. p. into Jordan. And when they had Preached to the People in Solomons Porch, Chap. 3. 11, 12. We have an account, Chap. 4. 12. That the Cap- tain of the Temple, with others, came and feized them, and they were committed tocufbdy until the next day. And then we find in verf 5. and 6. That theRulers, and Elders, and Scribes, and Annas the High Prieft, &c. were gathered toge- ther at Jemfalem. Now he that can denv the Temple" to be in Jemfalem , and that the Rulers of the Jews did not hold their Council in Jemfa- lem <, may alfo deny that when they were "met at Jemfalem, they were not in Jemfalem : But this cannot be fiippofed , without fwal lowing contra- dictions by whole-fale. Sir , unlefs' you have a Licenfe to fpeak as you lift, I know no reafon why I 45 you, ( "8) you, and your Horn, mould make fucha rtqife. meerly becaufe our Tranflators make ufc of art Anelicifrn. The 5th. 6th. and 7th. Texts , being the fame words j at Jerufalem, I mall confider them toge- ther, Acls 20. 16, 21, 13, and 25. 15. For the flrft, we have an account that Pad hafted, if it were pofTible, to be at 'Jerufalcm the day or Pen- tecofi. It's faid Chap. 21. 13. That he was ready not to be bound only, but alfo to die at JerufaUm. And in verf. 15. that he went up to 'Jerufalem. Verf 17. tells us, he was come to JewptUm, and received gladly. Verf 26. tells us, he entred in to h}ov r (the fame Word) into the Temple. And after all this , if Mr. Hemrdine will not believe, that he was either in Jerufalem, or in the Tem- ple, I cannot help the weaknefs of his underftand- ing. As for Fefiu/s Words in Atls 25. 15. who faith, when I was at Jerufalem. Thofe that be- lieve, that Fefius intended they mould underftand that he was only at the Wall, but not within the City, or that our Tranflators mould, intend fo : I think they deferve no anfwer. But whoever derflands Greek, knows that it mult there "figriifij; in, becaufe there is no other tolerable ConftrUeli- on to be put upon it. For , in verf. f. it's faid Fefius aicended from Cefarea to Jerusalem. In verf 2. and 3. The HighPrieft and chief of the Jews befought him , that he would fend for Pad to Jerufdem. And in verf. 7. the Jews came down from Jemjdem. Verf. 9. Wilt thou go up to Je- rufalem, and there be Judged. And when King Agrippa and Bernice made a Vifit to Fefius, as in verf 13, 14. Fefius tells King Agrippa Pauh Caufe. And in verf 15. he faith, about whom, when I was at Jerufalcm, the chief Priefts and the Elders C»0 Elders of the Jews informed me, defiring to have Judgment againft him. All which fully demon- . ftrates, that? he was not only at , but in Jerttfk\ lent. Having thus difcharged my hands of this Ob- je£tion, we may (I hope (more ouietly , for the future, affirm as we have done, That Our Savi- our himfelf was Dipped of John (in or ) into the; River of Jordan. And now I would appeal to Mr. Hswrdine , whether it be not good fenfe to fay, he was Dip- ped into Jordan : and non-fenfe to affirm, that he was Sprinkled into Jordan. And, Sir , before I pais this , let me acquaint you, for your better inftru6Yion, That ik\ isren- dred by, into in a Multitude of places in the New- Teftament. And if it be not allowed to be the fenfe of the Word, I will force you to deny fome of the moft important Truths of theGofpel. As, i. That the Father fent the Son into the World to fave the World, as John 3. 17. Chap. 17. 18 2. That Chrift came into the World to fave Sin- ners. 1 Tim. 1 . 1 5. in all which places the Words, in roy '/.ovfioiv, are Tranflated (and that truly) in- to the World. 3. That Chrift fent his Apoftles into all the World, to Preach theGofpel to them. John 17. 18. Mark 16. 15. for they are the very iame Greefc Words in all thofe places. 4. That Chrift is gone into Heaven, and is on the right hand of God. 1. Pet. 3. 22. for the Words are there, tU cvpavbv, vc\cdy.m, into Heaven. 5. That we fhall enter into our Mafters joy , or go into Life Eternal, according to Chtift's promife, Mai. 25. 21, 23, 46, where in each verfe the Word fft into, is uled, and in verf. 46. the Words are, &h ■^t\vamtov into Life (Eternal. 6. That the mcked I 4 ( I2 ° ) fall go into tverlafting Pmifhment, Matth. 25:46. for its the lame Word, eiV, into, and that they ' fhall be caft into Hell, as in Mark 9. 43, 45,47. in all which places it is, €i< -rh y'avvay , in Ge* hennam, into Hell, with many other places, where «'<, is Tranflated into, in our Englith Bibles. Now if Mr. Hewerdine will have it to be rendred at y and not in , or into , in all thofe places ; he will not only be guilty of Non-fenfe, butofBlaf- phemy, and grand Herefie. For he muft be forc- ed to deny all thefe great and important Truths, to be proved from any of thofe places, if he de- nies this Particle tu, to fignifie into. And by this time (I hope) I have gamed this point, as to force him to acknowledge , that we are in the right in our Expofition of Mark 1. 9. That Our lord was Baptized, by being Dipped of John in- to Jordan. The next Scripture he t3kes notice of (as alledg- edby us) is Matth. 3. 16. and Mark 1. 10. upon which he faith, in fag. 28. But 'tis further Ob- je6fced, That Our Saviour when he was Baptized, went up ftraitway out of the Water. Sir, faith Mr. H. I wonder not , that thefe Texts are urg- ed by the common People of our Adverfaries, as an Argument to prove Our Lord's being Dipped. Then (it ieems) if our Tranflators were honeft Men, and have given us the true meaning of the Words, there is an Argument to be deduced from thefe Texts, to prove that Our Lord was Dipped into Jordan. Now I dare engage for their hon- cfty therein, as you lliall fee, before I have done with you ; and then it will appear, that our com- inon People (as you call them) are in the right, and you are in the wrong, by your own acknow- Jodgment. But ( 12! ) But you proceed , But that any Man who has. Learning enough to Interpret our Engliiri Bibles (as they ought to be Interpreted ) fo as to agree. , •with the Original, that any fuch Learned Man fhoiild take an advantage from the Englifh Words, which he muft needs know the Original will not bear; This to me indeed is very wondrous. Sir, you know it is common for Perfons that are ignorant, to admire thofe things they do not underftand; and this (by your own confeflion) is your prefent cafe ; for this is to you very won- drous. But I pray be patient a little, and I doubt not but (by the help of God ) to couch . your Cataract, and then you may fee as clearly as our common People. But to proceed, I am afraid, Sir, that you arc as unskilfd as thofe you complain of, in Inter- preting our Engliiri Bible as it ought to be. , For, if I may meafure Herculesby the print of his Foot, I mult judge, that if you have no better skill in Interprettin°: other Parts of Holy Writ, than thofe . . you have tried your. Learning upon in this Book: I muft needs conclude, that you are not of a Gi- > gantick understanding in Divine things , what- . ever you may be in Mundane Affairs; and there- fore have the lcfs reafon to complain of others. But what is the reafon, Sir, that you are ib hardy to charge us with adting againft our Know- Jedge ? For , you lay , we muft needs know the Original will not bear it. Now that I am lure is not true , for I know it will bear that lenle into which it isTranfiated in our Engliiri Bibles. But, Sir, have not you greatly forgot your &k\ with refpeel to that deference you owe to the Bi {hops, and learned Clergy of the Church of £«£-* lan4 C 122 ) laniy who were the Tranflators of our Englifh Bi- bles; That you flaou Id Charge them with fuch a falfe Tranflation, which they know the Original would not bear. For our common People take it as they find it Tranflated ; and therefore if thofe Learned Men were fo wicked, as wilfully to Tran- slate it wrong , they have ( as much as in them lie?) deceived many Thoufands of poor ignorant Souls thereby , and have laid a Foundation for Anabaptifm, as you would make the World be- lieve. Really, Sir, this is a heavy charge you have laid them under • but the beft on't is, they are not guilty, and io it muft return upon your own Head, to your fhame and reproach. And it feems to me to be no lefs than a great degree of Arrogance, for a diminitive Parifh Prieft, to take upon him at this rate, to ufe the Rod of Correcti- on againft fuch Worthy and Learned Men ( as thofe Bifhops and others) who Tranflated the Bible ; as if he were their Pedagogue , and they his Pupills and Schollars. But (I doubt) if the Truth were known, this Man is angry with them, for turning the Bible into Engliih at all. But what is all this anger occafioned by ? Why truly, by this one little Word, 0?4t, which verifies what the Apoftle James faith, Behold how great a matter a little Fire kindleth. Jam. 3.5. You muft know that C. D. in his little Book of Bap- tifm, Recites Matth. 3. 16. 17. and then faith, I note , The Lord Jefus in his Baptifm , had not Water brought to him, neither did he withdraw to a Rivolet, nor ftand by the River fide, but he went down fo far and deep into the River , that the Text is exprefs, when he was Baptized, he went up flraitrvay out of the Water. Mark, he went up out of the Water , is the curious penning of the m atter C 1^3 ) matter by the Holy Ghoft, to [hew the confide- rable Depth Our Lord went into the Water to be Dipt ; that it may appear, much Wateris necei- iary for the right Adminiftration of Baptifm. Upon this Mr. Hewer dine is in a grand Paffion, calls it his wild note, and faith, who can fuffici- ently wonder at him ? Looks upon him to be guilty of Blaiphcmy, in belying the Holy'Ghoft. Calls it a wrcfted Obftrvation, and. affirms, tkat the Greek Words in both thofi. Torts, fignifie only that he went tip from the Water, and that he was not in the Water, but only by the Wa'ter- fide. That he will leave it to others to fay, That' his wrefted Obfervation belies the Holy Ghoft. Here I may anfwer him in his own Words, pag. 8. 9. Shall Men be wiier than God , or think: it any W'rro mock and deride his Words , and be at the pains of making a Greek Word Englifh, to m t mockery the plainer? It is riecefta- ry foi its to enquire into the meaning of the Word Baptifm, became it is not Tranflatcd', but where it is; (as in the Dutch Tranllation ) we do not quarrel with it, but allow it. But, Sir, you da here quarrel with our making me of a Word that is honeftly Tranflatcd into Englifh ? and we take it as it is Tranflatcd, and not otherwise : And therefore I defire all to take notice, that aH this you have charged upon C. D. about the Word' Oat, out of the Water ; fills upon the Learned Tranflators. And I hope. Sir, you will allow the Holy Scriptures, altho' Tranflatcd, to be the. Word of God. Butfuppofe , I prove , that the Greek muft be fo underftood, then (I hope) you will allow that CD. hath not belied the Holy Ghoft. (And be fides hed'd hot tell you that the Hoi y Ghoft pen-' ned ( i=4) ned it in Englifh :) And furely we may fay , the Holy Ghoft iaith-, as in Heb. 3. 7, 8. aid™ we fpeak it in Englifh, and not in Greek or Hebrew. All thofe Texts that are recited in the Epiftles, Written to the Greek Churches, out of the Old Teftament, muft then be denied to be the Words of the Holy Ghoft , becaufe , being turned into Greek, they were not the Words, in which they were penned by the Holy Ghoft , for they were firft Written in Hebrew. But further, Our Savi- our, and his Apoftles did approve of the Septuagint (as the Learned have fhewn) and yet in Mr. He- werdinis fenfe, that was not the curious penning of the Holy Ghoft. Sir, thisfhifting off the plain Words of Holy Scripture, is a plain Argument to me, that you are a very weak Man in your Intel- lects, or, elfe you are confcious to your ielf, that you have a rotten Caufe , and are forced to han- dle it tenderly, left it burft forth through the Paint you have put upon it, and thereby diico- ver it's Corruption,, and become unfavory in the 'Noftrils of your prefent Admirers. But to come to the Point, Mr. Hemrdlne fays, The Original Words in Matth. 3. 16. are 'Aj/mCm ew> t* C'JtirQ-j which he Englifhes thus, He went up from the Water. Sir , I muft needs correct you here, for taking away part of the Words of the Holv Ghoft ; for you have left out st>0y*. For the Greek Words are theie k&i € &c. doth plainly {hew that he was (not only at, but alio) in the River of Jordan. But Mr. H. faith in his very next Words, But, granting that Our Blefled Lord went into the Ri- ver to be Baptized , it will not yet follow that he was Dipt. Then it feems , Our Lord loft, his Labaour , if he went into the River on purpofe to be Baptized, (/'. e . Dipped ) and came* out again before it was done. How will he then prove that he was Bap- tized at all? And if not, then we have loft that great Example for this Holy Ordinance. But let us hear what your Learned Doctors and others lay about it. Dr. Hammond in his Annotat. upon Matth. 3. faith , John put the Perfons whom he Baptized into the Water ■ Dipped them all over, and fo took them out again. And in his Paraphrafe lipr- on Mark I. He faith , Johns Baptifm was done- in Jordan , a River convenient for that purpofe. And Pools Annotat. upon Matth. 3. were Bapti- zed, that is Lipped in Jordan. And upon Matth, 28. 19. it's true, the firft Baptifms of which we read in Holy Writ, were by Dipping of the Per- fons Baptized. And Dr. Taylor , Duclor Duhh , faith, We have both, the Commandment and Ex- ample of Our BleiTed Saviour for Immerfiorh And Doitor Tilkfon, late Arch-Bifhop o£ Canter- bury , upon 2 Tim. 2. 19. faith , They were Tm- meried, and Buried in the Water. And Bifliop Nicholfon y in his Expofition of the Church Cate- chifm, faith, mpa?. 174. That the Ancient man- lier C 126 ) ner ofBaptifiri, was the putting the Perlbri Bap- . tized under the Water, and then taking him out .again. And the Ajfembly of Divines , upon Alls 8. 38. fay, They went both down into the Wa- ter. And further fay , They were wont to Dip the whole Body, or go down into the Water as here, and Matth. 3. 16. And upon Rom. 6. they fay, The ancient manner of Baptifm, was to Dip the Parties Baptized , ahd ( as it were) to bury them under the Water for a while ; and then to draw them out of it, and lift -them up. And Mr. Baxter , .in his Paraphrafe upon Matth. 3. faith, We grant that Baptifm then, was by wait- ing the whole Body. Again , Baptifm was in Johns time , by walhing the whole Body. And upon Rom. 6. 4. Therefore in our Baptifm , we are Dipped under the Water. And the prefent Billion of Gloucefler, faith, upon Rom. 6. 4. That Chrirfians were plunged into the Water in Bap- tifm. And Dl Cave, in his Primitive Chrijlianity fas I have already lliewed) tells us, itipag. 320. That the Party Baptized, was wholly immerged, or put under Water. Luc a* Brugenfis , upon '"the place, faith thus, Chrift afcended upon t':e Land, for he had defcended into the River ( after the manner of others that were Baptized ) as deep as his Thighs, or his Navel ; for the reft of his Body was Dipt by John , and not Sprinkled only with , VVater. The "Learned Cajetan , alio faith, 'Chrift afcended out of the Water , therefore Chrift was Baptized by John, not by Sprinkling, nor by pouring Water upon him , but by immerfioif, that is, by Dipping , or Plunging into the Wa- fer. If all thefeTefti monies will not be fumrient to fatisfie any intelligent Reader, that Our Lord went C «7 ) went into the River, and when he came there, was Dipped- of 'John the Dipper , and after that, afcended om of the Water ; as our Tranflators have declared; and all tbeie Learned Rifhops and Doctors of the Church of England have terrified : I fhall then defpair of curing his Obflinacy and Infidelity. And this may alio ferve as an anfwer to all that vain, perverfe , and malicious Babling, ufed by him , and his ridiculous Author, Syden- ham , about Baptizing Naked. For we do not Baptize any, but with decent and becoming Ap- parel upon them. But then this perverfe Man , Mr. Hewerdine , finds out two Objections againfi Baptizing Perfons with their Cloaths on. So that that if we Pipe, he will nor Dance, if we Mourn, he will not lament. i. OhjeB. If faith he, the Baptized were dipt in their Garments, then what becomes of their Objection which we hear of, from Heb. 10. 22. For how our Bodies can be walhed with our Cloaths on, I do not well underftand. And, 2. He objects, in the next Page he brings in Mr. Sy- denham , faying , If the Perfon Baptized be not Naked, then tnis Baptifm by Dipping, is rather a Baptizing Mens Cloaths and upper Garments than their Bodies. To this, I anfwer, That it fcems to me, that if this Text doth not prove Dipping, unlels it be done Naked,; I am fure it doth not prove Sprink- ling, becaufe that is not wafhing. And this Text ipcaks of wafhing their Bodies with pure Water. But whereas you lay (by the Pen of Mr. Syden- ham) that this alludes to the wafhing of the High Priefr, mentioned, Levi?. 16. 4. where it is (aid, he C »8) he [ball wa/h his Fle/h in Water. Now I utterly deny his Expofition, and do lay, that the Subjects here fpoken of,, is the Apoftle Pad, and the Church of the Hebrews ; for the Words are theie. Let m draw near, with a true Heart, in fall affuance of Faith ; having our Hearts Sprinkled from an evil conscience ,. and ovir Bodies wafhed with pure Water. Let us hold fafl the Profe/fion of our Faith, &c. So that it was them, and not the High Pricft under the Legal Difpenlation (which was then abolish- ed) that is here intended. idfa. I anlwer. That the prime Signification of the Word Baptizing, is to Dip, io as to cover the Body of the Baptized under Water, to fignifie, or reprefent the Burial and ReiurrecYion of Chrift, and our dying to Sin, and being Buried with him in Baptiim , and rifing again to newnefs of Life, by our being railed up again out of the Water, and that of walbing only in a fecpndary fenfe. And for this I could quote many Autho- rity of the Learned, but that of the famous Cri- tick Alfted'ms , in his Lexicon Theohgicum , fhall iuflFiCe: Where he faith, verbum B«?#i{*- whether thofe Bodies that he buries in their Graves, are not wrapt up in Flannel according to the A6t of Parliament ? If fo ; whether they "are not as properly faid to be buried . as if they had been put into their Graves Naked?' Certainly this muft be allowed. And then it will as roundlv follow , that we are as truly Buried with Chrift by Baptifm in our Cloaths, as the Dead are really Buried, altho 5 in their Shrouds. But to put this matter to an ifTue, I (hall dole this with the Words of thar Eminently Learned Bilhop of Sarum. Dr. Burnet, in his Expofition of the 39 Articles. Upon Article the 27th. {peak- ing of the Mode of Baptizing (as I have noted in pag. 44.) He faith, And then they led them into the Water; and with no other Garments, but what might cover Nature, they at firft laid them down in the Water, as a Man is laid in the Grave, and then they faid thofe Words, 1 Bap* tiz^e for waih) thee in the name of the Father, Son 9 and Holy Ghod. Then they raifed them up as;ain, and clean Garments were yet put on them : From K whence ( i!JO ) whence came the Phrafes of being Baptized into Chrift's Death, of being buried with him by Bap- tifm into Death, of our being rifen with Chrift, and of our putting on the Lord Jefus Chrift : of putting off the Old Man, and putting on the New > Here you may obferve, That altho' his Lordlhip calls this Act of Baptizing by Dipping, Wafhing : And iiippoies the Minifter may iaw- fully fay, / rvafi thee; yet he tells us, that they had Garments upon them to cover Nature, when they were fo Baptized ; and yet allows it to be called a Walking, a? well as a Burial. And whilft t have fo great a Man, to juftifie our Mode of Baptizing, I matt not value what fuch a little Man as Mr. Hewerdim faith in contradiction there- unto; as well as in contradiction- to himfelf. For mpag. 21. he grants, That the Apoltles in hot Nations Baptized all by Dipping: And in the fame Page , he faith, in thofe Eaftern Countries, we fuppoie them to have Baptizd there by Dip- ping. Then furely our Saviour was fo Baptized. And then (to ufe his own Words) how odious a cuttom would this be to be Baptized Naked. And then faith he ( from Mr. Sydenham) this Baptifm by Dipping , mult rather be a Baptizing of his Cloaths than of his Body. And by thefe Mens arguing thus triflingly (to fay no worfe) this Sa- cred Action, performed by the Son of God , for our Example , in being Dipped by John in Jor- dan; hath been miftaken by the Learned in all Ages, who affirm, that Chrift was Baptized : For if what thefe Men infinuate be true, it was only his Cloaths that were Baptized , and not him- felf. There is one Text more, that I muft take pains to defend our Tranflators in, againfthis noifeand great C *|i ) great (welling Words of Vanity, viz,. Job. 3. 23. to which this is his Introduction. And now, Sir, I come to your laft and grind , .Argument, with which you make lo much raoife and cry, and in which you do really bo:il and triumph ; with what Heat and Bravery do von repeat it to be Demonftration, perfect Demonstra- tion, that John Baptized by Dipping: And why. Sir, I pray? Why, fay you, don't we read that John was Baptizing in Enon near Salem, becaufe there was much Water there ? Well , and what then ? You add that the much Water there, does certainly imply, tlvt all that John Baptized in that Water, were certainly Dipped; very good: And before I aniwer you as to this, I mutt here rejoyce with you a little, that your Stomach (till ferves to iwallow Confequences , yea, and very luftv ones too. Well, much good may it do him with his Joy 5 for we always allow true and genuine Confequen- ces,* and the more Nervous (or lufty) they are, the better we like them : But fuch as are languid, weak, and infipid, that vaniiri intoSmoak, when they are brought to be tried by the Fire of Gods Word (which is the Touch-ftone to try all Doct- rines by.) If we find they- have no other Autho- rity than jus Humanum , our Stomachs do reject them as vain Worfhip , and we cannot fwallow fuch Confequences. But what is there in all this goodly Harangue- and Rhapfody of Words? WuTthis prove, that Baptifm ought to be Adminiftred by Sprinkling , which is his bufinefs to do, if he knew but how? But all this noife will neither do that, nor dis- prove our way of Baptizing by Dipping. K 2 I ( 1 3 2 ) I thall therefore attend to what follows. But now (faith he) Good Sir, This your high and mighty Argument, fo confidently and hotly pro- posed , is by no means to be faintly and coldly anfwered, but I muft e'en force my ielf to put on a little warmth too, and be bold to challenge all our Learned Adverfaries to contradict me, whilft I fay, that the Original Words in that Text figni- fle, That John was Baptizing mEnon neat Salem, becaufe there were many Waters there. So that we muft understand the much Water in our En- glish Bibles, in no other fenfe than as it may be underftood by the many Waters, (u'efk-ru wohha) which are the Original Words. Sir, Here is a bold Challenge made , and there- fore I fhall confider it, before I enter the Lifts with you about it ; and the rather , becaufe you tell me you are in a heat. For when a Man's Pafllon is up, it may be dangerous to provoke him; and therefore I will give foft Language , to fee firft, whether I am able to bring you into a more fedate frame of Spirit ; for the wife Man faith, A foft an- fmr turns away Wrath. And we are exhorted, that in meeknefs we inftrucl: thofe that oppofe them- felves. ^ I do therefore befeech you, fweet Sir, to hear with patience what I have to fay. i. Therefore?, I will allow you all I can, viz* That there might be many Waters there j and becaufe you are in a Heat, I will take your Word for it at this time, without contradi&ing you. But then, good Sir, I hope (with SubmifTion) vou will alfo allow me, that if there was many Wa- ters, there might alfo be much Water : And then our Learned Tranflators fpoke truth, when they • laid, there was much Water there. 2. I C 133 ) i. I befeech you alio to confider, wheth er the reafon given by the Holy Ghoft , is not feeming- Jy at leaf! in favour of our Tranflators 5 ieeing John made choice of that place to Baptize in, be- Cauie there was many Waters there ; and being many , there might be much Water. For they concluded he had occafion for much Water to perform that Work in , or elfe they would not (as I conceive) have rendred it fo, if that be true which you fay. 3. I would intreat you to fatisfie me (if you can) whether thofe many Waters in the plural as you render it ) were many deep Rivers ? Or whether there was a confluence of many fmall Rivolets that were united into one great and deep River near to Salem} And if fo, then our Tran- flators are ftill in the right. And I befeech you, Sir, if you have been there, and took a view of it, and founded its depth, that you would let me know it. But now I think better of it , That will not be full Satisfaction , becaufe there may have been a great alteration in near 1700 years; for God is pleafed fometimes to turn Springs of Water into dry Land, and a Fruitful Land into Barren- nefs, for the wickednefs of them that dwell there- in, I do therefore in the 4th place befeech you to confider, whether it be not belt for you and I, to agree upon fome one that was then alive, and law John Baptize, and knew thofe many Waters you ipeak of,- ( if we can but find him out) and he will be able to refolve us , whether there was much Water in thofe many Waters; or whether thofe many Waters did contain only a little Wa- ter. K 3 And C 134) And, Sir, if it may not be offensive to you, I will propofe the likelieft Man I can think of, which was then alive, and one that took notice of the Action fo far, as to Write a Hi (lory of it : And that is the ApofHe John, that beloved Dii- ciple of Chrift. And T would further propofe tfaaltj before we engage in his Examination, we may al- io agree to be determined by the moft Learned Men from Age to Age, both before and fince that time if we fhould haopen to differ betwixt our felves, about the meaning of any of his Words that are given in Evidence. And by that means there may be an amfekbfe ronclufon, and a good agreement rh the Truth , if you are but become cool, and willing to be taught. Let us therefore without any more Tergiverfation, hear what the Apoftle John faith about it. John 3. 22, 23. After thefe things, came Jefus and his Difiiples into the Land of Judea, and there he tarried viith them and Baptised. And John alfo was Baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, hecaufe there was much Water there 5 and they came and were Bap- tised. Sir, I am of Opinion, that there was much Water there , as our Tranllators have rendred v'Jk-m irohhtt, you are not fatisfied with it, but will have a new Tranflation of your own; and you fay it is many Waters. I looked over what you have Written, and find not one Authority produe'd by you ( either Di- vine, or Human) to prove your NewTranflation to be Authentick : We mutt therefore take it up- on your own skill and credit 5 And your Evi- dence is not to be allowed, becauie you bear Witnefs of your fel£ C 135 } I fhall now produce my Evidences to juftifje our Tranflation: And I will produce very credi- ble Witnefles, As 1. The Septuagint, who understood it as we do. 2. The Holy Evangelifts and Apoftles who liv- ed in that time. 3. Divers Learned Men in the feveral Ages liic- cceding them. And if this be made good , it will out-weigli Mr. Hewerdims fingle Teitimony. Our Work is not great, for its only thole two Words we differ about, v'Jccrt ircKh*d yptK.£ y Bez^a, Quoniam aqua mult & erantillic?) The reafbn why John chofe that place to Dip in, was becaufe there was much Water there, as our Tran- flators have rendred it. And. to clofe this Point, I could in the third place, give you the Testimony of divers, Eminent- ly Learned (in the fucceeding Ages ) to prove that John and Chrift (by his Dilciples) did Bap- tize by Dipping: And then they mult chufe fuch places to do it in, where there was plenty of Wa- ter, otherwife they could not have Baptized thofe that came unto them. And feeing Mr. Hewer- dine doth acknowledge , that all thofe in thofe Eaftern C 137). Faftcrn Countries were Baptized by Dipping;; John did Baptize fo, or not at all : And his Con- feflTion may in a great meaiure excufe that task. However I (hall give you a few Teftimonics, in the room of many. Pifcator, upon the place fays, tTJW to***, fig- nirles many Rivers, as v'JV in the finfiular num- ber, fi^nified the River Jordan: This, kith he, is mentioned to fignirie trie Ceremony of Baptiftn which John uied, immergen^fcil. totum Corpus, &c. Dipping ,• or Pluniging the whole Body of the N Manftanding in the River; whence Chrift being Baptized of John in Jordan, is laid to afcend out of the Water, Matth. 3. the fame manner Philip obferved, Ails 8. 38. And in his Obfervations upon that place, fays, that the ancient manner of Baptifm was, that the whole Body was Plunged in- to the Water, and thence drawn out again. Cornelius a Lapide, upon the place, From hence (faith he) you may gather that John fo Baptized, as he wahYd not only the Head in Water (for a little Water would have ferved for that) but the whole Body. Calvin , alio faith , From this place , you may gather, that John and Chrift Adminiftred Bap- tifm, by Plunging the whole Body into the Water. And upon Ails 8. 38. we fee here what Falhion the Ancients had to.Adminifter Baptiim, for they Plunged the whole Body in the Water. Pool's Annotatians upon Matth. 3. 6. were Bap- tized, that is, Dipped in Jordan. And upon J oh. 3. 23. There John was Baptizing , becaufe this Enon was a Brook or River that had much Water. It is from this apparent, that both Chrift and John Baptized by Dipping the Body in the Water ; elfe they need not have fought places where had been 7(tcL7&, we are Buried with him in Baptifm , by being buried under Water • and the Argument to oblige us to a Conformity to his Death , by dying to Sin , being taken hence ; and this Jmmerfion being religiouity obferved by all Chriftians for Thirteen Centuries , and approved by our Church, and the change of it into Sprink- ling , even without any allowance from the Au- thor of this Inititution, or any Licenje from any Council of the Church, being that which the Ro- mamft (till urgeth to mftifie hisrefufal of the Cup to the Laity , it were to be wifhed that this cu- ftom might be again .of general ule, &c. I {"hall dole this with the .Words of Dr. Patrick, Bifhop of Ely , in his Aqua Genitalis; A Difcourfe con- cerning Baptifm, pag, 436. he faith , We receive hereby a promt fe of Refurreflxoa unto Life: Though we by going intoxht Water, profefs that we are willing to take up the Crofs, and die for Chrift's fake; yet on God's p .rt, this action of going into, and coming out of the Water again , did ngnifie that he would bring fuch Perlons to live again. And in pag. 437. He tells us, That the Minifters putting them in, and taking them out of the Wa- ter, is a fign of their defcending into the State of the Dead , and their afcending_ up from thence. And (in pap. 421. he faith) It is further manifeft from all the Circumftances of Baptifm. For they put off their old Cloaths, and ftript themfelves of their Garments; then they were Immerfed all 0- z-er 3 and Buried in the Water, which notably fignified fignified the putting oft the Body of the Sins of the Flefh, &c. And I hope what I have faid, may be fatisfa&o- ry to others (whatever it may be to Mr. Hewer- dine) that our Tranflators sre in the right, in fay- ing there was much Water there , and he in the wrong in pretending there was but little, and making it doubtful , whether there was Water enough to Baptize in, although the Spirit of God idith, That John was alfo Baptiing. in Enon , near to Salim , becaufe there was much Water there • and they came and were Baptised. And if he will not give credit to any of the reft of thofe Learned Au- thors I have produced in Evidence ; yet he will have that deference and refpecl (I hope) to his own Diocefan, as to prefer his Judgment and Skill before his own : For I am fure that Reverend Perfon , the prefent BikSop of Ely , doth not in the leaft doubt, but doth firmly believe, that our Tranflators have herein a6ted the part of honeft Men ; and that John the Baptift did Baptize Per- ibns , by Plunging them into the Water. And therefore to ufe Mr. Hewerdine's own method, I will fend him to that Reverend Bifhop (whofe Writings we lb juftly admire ) for Satisfaction ; and I have no reafon to doubt but he will give him an aniwer , that may be to him very fatis- faCfcory and convincing , if he be but capable of receiving it. As for what he fays about Od-Fathers andOd- Mothers, which he fills divers Pages with, if I had as much leifure for Scribling, as lie hath, I would detect the Ignorance and Folly that appears fo manifeftly therein. But until he be able to piove that Infants are to Baptized , there is no need of any Contention about it betwixt him and us; us ; and if he defigned thereby a Quarrel againft the Presbyterians (who are for Infmt-Baptiim, but oppole him in the bufinefs of Sureties) Jet them contend with him if they think it worth their while; but for my part, I intend (through the Grace of God) to employ my time about fuch Matters wherein the Glory oY God, and the Pro- fit of Men's Souls is more concerned, and ftrive no further about Words to no Profit, but to the fub- verting of the Hearers: And therefore fkill fhut up this Difcourie in the Words of the Prophet Je- remiah, Chap 6. 16. Ask for the old Paths , where is the good way, and walk' therein, and ye (hall find reft for your Souls t But take heed when God calls upon you by his Word, that you do not anfwer as they did , for they laid, we will not walk there- in. p I n i s. POSTSCRIPT. BEing requefted by a worthy Friend to look over Mr. Samuel Weflcys fhort Difcourie of Baptilin, Printed. 1700. And finding no new Argument in it , I had thoughts to have pa ft it by in filence ; but having thefe two fpare Pages, I lhaFl note what may be obferv* ed in fudi a. narrow compais. I could have wiilied this Gentleman had pro- ceeded upon lome other Topick, than that in Sect. 1 5. Pag. 27. For, altho 5 it was Atifliris Opinion, that Infants were damn d without Baptiim • yet he may very well know, there are many Learned Pxdo-Baptffts, that are as far from agreeing there- to , as we can pombly be. And fuch an Argu- ment C HO incnt can have no force upon us, whifft vrc be- lieve the 31ft. Article of your Church, viz. Thes the offering of Chrifi once made , is that pTfeft Re- demption , Propitiation and Satisfatlion fo~ all the Sins of the whole World , both Original and Actu- al, Sic. And feeing our Bleffed Lord faith, of fuck (little Children) is the Kingdom of Heaven. And Mr. Wefley ( I perceive) in Pag. 34. 35, 36. doth under (tand it to be meant of Infants Indefi- nitely, we cannot underftand why he thould tells us in Pag. 5 1 . That the Benefits conferred to them in Baptifm, are no lefs than wafhing away the damning Guilt of Original Sin, and weaimng the Power of it by the Application of our Saviours Merits, Sic. For, if this ihouldbeio, it's to brine; a Charm into the Chriftian Religion , as the Bifhop ofSarzm hath 1 well noted, in his Confutation of this Opinion. 2. As for his Allegation, That Infants are in- cluded in the Evangelical Covenant , let him but diftinguifh betwixt the Duties of the Covenant,. and the Priviledges thereof, and he may aniwer himielf. . 3. That about the Capacity of Infints coming toChrift, is (as I conceive) a miltake of his, both with refpect to the Subjects themfelves, and the manner of their coming. 4. What he faith about the Jewifh Baptifoi; as it is in it felf Frivilous, io the Fact is not allow- ed to be true; as I have already lnewed , in my aniwer to Mr. Henerdine. 5. I fuppoie it may be long enough before he will be able to prove irom the Alls of the Apoftles? either the certainty, or probabilty of their having Baptized any Infants. 6. Neither is there any certainty from any thing he hath yetfaid, that there were any Infants Bap T tized in the Age fucceedine the Apoitles. But C x 44 ) But feeing I have occafionally fpoken to thefe thicgs in my aniwer to Mr. Hemrdine • I muft re- fer him thither for Satisfaction. And altho'I know not this Learned Perfon. o- therwiie than by his Writings, I am p leafed to hear him lav, That he doth not Might in Controver- fie with any Chri/tian, nor to provoke any , but only to Love and to good Works: And I will not enter the Lifts of Content! on any further with him, butde- fire in all modefty and ieriousnefs to acquaint him. That althoYto the grief of our Souls) there are fbme (as he faith) that have left the Communion of the Church of England, and yet cleny not to commu- nicate with thole that hold dangerous and damna- ble Herefies; who denv the Lord that bought them, t>y denying the Divinity of our Saviour; Vet feeing all the Churches of our Communion have born the higheft Teftimony againft thole Curfed Doctrines, and do conftantly refufe to have any Communion with the Perlbnsthat hold them ; I hope he will not charge us with other Mens Er- rors. And as for that Doctrine (he mentions) of the Soul's fleeping till the Refurre&ion ; we dif- own it as much as he doth, and affirm it to be an Error, tho' not of (6 pernicious a Confequence as the other. I have no more to add, but my grate- ful acknowledgment of that Favour he hath done me in Pag. 51. in Elbb lifting (both with Learn- ing and Judgment) that ienfe I gave of M*3»7it- .«*'*» in Matth. 28. 19. in oppouYion to the Pref- byterians, in the Port/mouth Difputation : And do heartily willi, that this prelent Controverfie be- ing laid afide, we might unite together, to put a flop to thofe Herefies and Immortalities that a- bound in our Land ; that lo Peace might' run down our Streets like a River, and Truth and Righteoufnefs like a flowing Stream. INFANT-BAPTISM I S VViil-worfhip. BEING A CONFUTATION O F Mr. Beraulfs Anfwer to the True Narra- tive of the Portfmoutb Difputation. v By Dr. WILLIAM RVSSEL. Tu Ifraelitarum doff or y Confequence. Now if Monfieur had took regard to the Queftion between us, he would have teen, that whereas my Antagonifts did grant me that Adult Believers were the proper Subjects of Baptifm according to Chrift^ Commiilion, that which only remained for them to prove (upon that Queftion) is this, That according to the Commirlion of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, Infants are the proper Subjects of Baptifm. To this he faith, his firft Proof is taken from %hz Covenant of Grace in the Old Teftament ' wherein <3 ) -God makes appear >t&e eternal Rihe receives no bod v into that holy Covenant without receiving their Children likewiJe, % which 'he cites Gck i% ,7. and fays no more to it. How Atopfiettr fhould imagine Gen, 17.7. %okt a part of Chrift\ Gommiffion tor by the fame Name, Mat 22. 3.3. Ic Serpents j ye Generation of Viper s, how can ye ej cape the damnation of, Hdl? Juft thus hadi Mbnfteur dealt by his unwary Rea- der here and elfewhere. For, 1. He hath left out thefe words in the begin- ning of the ifith Verfe, Repent, and. Was not this to hinder his- Reader from confidering, that Repen- tance being required before- Baptifm, then Infants could not be tie, Subje&s of it ? and that might have fpoiled his whole Defign. 2. He hath left out thefe w&rds 'in the' end of the fame Verfe alfo, And ye Jhall receive the 6 1 ft of the 7 Holy Ghofi. Now this that He, Jeaves out is the only thing pro- rnifed in the Text, which he omits on purpofe to per- fwadehis Reader, that Baptifm is the thing intended by that Promife. But whoever allows themfelves the liberty to confider, that Water-Baptifm is a Duty commanded, and not a Promife,. will- readily (Jifcern that Baptiim in Water cannot be intended in thofe Words, The Jjromife ps-to you and,t,o yyonr Children. Befides, by Children areonly meanfcfuch.of their Fofteritv, that being.called by the Gofpel* (hould repent, believe* and be baptized, and; not little .In- fants,, who are not capable, of fo doing. And. this is not my Ojamcm only,, but^ many* others, and even thofe (7) thofe of your Cliarch : Two of which I (hall re- cite. Dr. Harmnwd, taking notice or the afe (bme have made of this T&xA&s 2. 39. faith, '* If any. have iC made ule of that inconcludent Argument, . I have a - nothing to. fay in defence of them -The word " Children there is really the Poftericy of the Jew, * c and not particularly their Pnfant-Chilrfren. Ham- mond's, Resolution concerning Tnfant-Baptifm, ScttSi. And Dr. Taylor late Biiftop of Down, upon this Scripture faith, png. 223. u The words are interprc tc ted upon a weak Miftake : The Prornife belongs to cc you and your Children, therefore Infants are ac%i.- mcirCHtncifedy that he might be the Father of all them that belkve r &c. #^7.4.10,11, 12. which, as Dr. Cor in his Book of the Covenants bath demonftratively; evinced, was peculiar to Abnhant^ and cannot, be ap- plied to any other. But if this flioulld be granted them, that it is both a Sacrament and a Seal in their own lenfe, it will ruin their beloved Caufe. For, as it cannot be a fign of Regeneration to them that have neither Faith nor Repentance, fo it's wholly infigni- ficant to fet a Seal to a Blank. And if ibme of the Children are in the Covenant of Grace, and others not, 'tis flill attended with the, greater difficulty, becaufe they a,re no ways able to dittingiiim them one from another. Rut, 3. That it is art outward and vifible Sign of our being dead to Sin, becaufe we are buried with Chrift by; Baptiim.^ (and we ule not to bury: Per/fans, till they are dead ) And alio of the walking away of our Sins by Faith in the Blood of Chrift, even as our Bodies are: walhed with pure Water in the Ordinance of Baptifm, we do not deny : But this the Apoftle Peter tells us is done by the Anfwer of a goodCon- fcience towards God, by the Refirrre&ion of Jefus Chrift. Now r this being fo, ( it follows that Infants are not the Subjeds of Bapciim, becaufe they are not capable of the Prerequiiites thereof. For Monfieur. Eeradt tells us, their original Sin is remitted, and that they are not capable of a&ualSin : That therefore there is no Duty lies upon them to re-, pent of that they never didv or to die to Sin, who never liv'd in it - r nor to believe, becaufe (as he lays ) they have not the uie of Realbn •, nor by Faith to ap- ly the Blood of Chrift for the Pardon of their Sins, ecaufe (he faith) they never yet fmnedv neither need they to be baptized that they may be faved, becaufe I ( II > becaufe (he (ays), they are laved without Bapttfm ; neither can it be in them the Anfwer of a good Con- ference towards God, becaufe tbofe poor innocent Babes know nothing of the matter, and therefore they are not to be baptized. And by this time Mon- j\ear may perceive I have taken awav his ground from under, his feet. But ( perhaps ) he was aware o| that, and therefore Jet us fee how he hath mended hicnfelf, by drifting Scene in his other Argument. Arg, 2. Unto whom the Piomife is made, thofe ought to be baptized, as it appears by thefe words of &{*?& A> The Children ought to be baptized. Anfto* Here Monfieitr is faulty again in divers re- fpefts, ; but particularly as he doth not tell us what Age thefe Children are to be of,, or whether they mufc ftay till- they arer grown up to years of maturity, and believe before they are to be baptized, and (o come, under the Rromife, and that they have only a remote right till that time. So neither doth he tell us in any part of his Argument what this Promife is,: The Pro- mife of the Gift of the holy Spirit he hath excluded from the Text, and therefore cannot mean that-, and there is no other Promife mentiond there : How then muft we know his meaning? He faith 'tis con firord "by Mat. 2& : iq. Gay/ rqach all Nation < r baptizJ?tg' u them- &c. But young Children are of the number , " of the JSTataons. Erga 7 unto them belongs Bap- " tiftn:, £r#>, they are to be baptized. Well, MonfmiY, now you may think you have done thebufmels, for here is Ergo upon Ergo. But if this be your meaning, that the Promife is Baptifra, you cannot intend 7 Baptifm in Watef, for that is com- manded, not promifect If therefore there be either Truth ( 12) Truth or Senfe in thefe Expreflions of yours f for what fort of Argumentation this is, you fliould Deft know) then it's the Baptifm of the Spirit, for that was promited to the A pottles, as appears, Mat. 3. 11. jitts 1.5. and was fulfilled to them, Afts 2. beginning. But if that be your meaning, you have fhirted Scene with a witnefs, and when you have done, faid nothing to the purpofe. But if it be Water-Baptifm, you may cafily perceive your Miftake about the Subje&s, for Infants cannot be at all concerned in it \ much lefs can this Text give any countenance thereto, becaufe the Promife here intended, is not made to them as unbaptized Perfons, but only upon the account of their being baptized upon Repentance and Faith in the Name of Jefus Chrift for the remiffion of their Sins (and you fay Children have no Sins to be re- mitted): but to fuch penitent Believers baptized here is the promife of the Spirit. And Infants ( as fuch ) are wholly excluded herefrom by the laft Claufe, even as many as the Lord our God Jball call\ they be- ing uncapable to be called by the preaching of the Gofpel: And there was no Infant oaptized among thofe three thoufand there fpoken of, for they gladly received the Word and were baptized, which Infants are not capable to do, ver. 41. And that Promife of the Gift of the Spirit was receiv'd by them that did therein obey the Lord Jefus, A£ts$. 31. fo that it in- tended only fuch of their Children that came ( in time) to be obedient as they were. And you know I have made this Interpretation evident by the Tefti- mony of two of your own learned Doctors, to which I refer you. But you fay, young Children are of the number of the Nations. Anfw. So are all the Tnrh 9 Jews, and Infidels in the World, mull they therefore be baptized? Surely no. For ( *3 ) For when your Mother, the Church of England, puts the Queftion in her Catechifm, What is requiredoj Perfons to be baptised? (he tells us, Repentance, where- by they forfake their Sins*, and Faith, whereby they ftedfaftly believe the Promifes of God made to them in that Sacrament: And doth further afliire us, that In- fants by reafon of their tender Age cannot perform thefe things, but muft have Sureties to do it for them. If this be (b, then (he muft (at leaft) be underftood to exclude all ignorant, idolatrous, and impenitent Infidels. And the Practice of the moft Reverend Fa- thers of that Church may fufficiently inform you of her meaning herein, becaufe they will not admit of Turks, Jews, and other Infidels to Baptilm, until they have renounced their Infidelity, and are inftru&ed in the Chriftian Religion : And yet thefe are of the number of the Nations, as you phrafe it. So that you are fencing againft your new Mother, and arc heedlefly wounding of her, whilft your defign is to oppole us. But I need not trouble my felf further about this^ for you have confuted your felf in the very next that follows: For thefe are your words, "That we ought u to teach them that are able to be taught, and baptize u them that are able to be baptized. Repentance 8 and Teaching are required in Adult Perfons, I " grant it. Very well, Mimfienr, then till fuch time as they are taught and have repented, by your own grant, they are not to be baptized : And yet you mult needs al- low that the Impenitent and Ignorant make up a great part of the Nations of the World j and yet fuch ( by your own Conceflion 1 are not to be baptized till they have repented, and been inftruded in the Chrifti- an Religion. What is now become of your Confe- quence, is it not fufficiently confuted by your own Pen ? But ( H ) Itet adtwithftanding all this, you flill continue to lay that young Children are to befcapiked, and you give two Reafons for it. 6 I. Otherwaifeit would follow that the new Law, " which is a Law of Grace, would be&fe favourable u than the old, which was a Law of Rjigor \ and ate " Jefus Chriit was come to le$en tihe Favours of God, " and not to increafe them, feeing in the old I>aw " young Children were circumcifed. jinfo. I perceive, Monfieirr y you have a bad Me* mor*y f, for, in the -laft Page yori told us, that ymx firft Proof was taken from the Covenant of Grace in the Old Teitament, axid directed jos to "Gen, 17. now that was the Covenant of CircumciSon, as it's there called by God hknfelf -, fee (8pm 17.9,, 10. And here you acknowledg, >chat by that old Law young Chil- dren were circamedfed, and call the new Law (sthe Gofpei of Chriit ) a Law of Grace, and the otjher an old Law, a Law of Rigor .^ Then it ieems you have quitted it now as a Law of Grace j and fo all your former Reafonings upon tibat Sunpofition fall to the ground at once : And that if Qirift had continued Circumcifion to Infants, it had been to them a Lav? of Rigor, and not fuitaibie to the Law of Grace. Will it not froen hence follow, that Chriit bath been more favourable to infants now, than he was to them under the old Law, in that he hath by his Death aboli (bed tlhe Covenant of GrCumcifion, Gen. ij. which (with its attendants) was fiich a Yoke of Bondage, that neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear? Afts 15. 10. His fecond Reafon is this, " Now fince Baffin is " in the place of Qrcuoicifion, We are to baptize " young Children fince they were circumciied. \}£fa>: If Monfimr can (hew the like expre'fs Com- mand for the baptizing of young Children under the Gbfcel, ( '5 ) Golpel, together with the time when it is to .he per- formed, as there is under the old Law for the cif- cumcifing of the Male-Children, we will allow it him. But there is no fitch Precept to be found in the huly jScripture by his own Confe'fiion, and therefore young Children are not to -be baptized ', becaufe the main foundation for fuoh a Pra&ice ( viz.. xhe Authority of God requiring it) is wholly wanting. Befides., doth not hej^now that no Females were commanded to kt circumcifed, and yet he is for baptizing tlhem as well as the Males? What pretence can sherebe for this from the Law for Circumcifion ? But Monfiem further tells us, " That Baptifin came cc in the place of Circomcifion. Jnfw. If he means that Circumcifion was a Type of Baptifm, I utterly deny it, and he can never prove it, and therefore his Suppofition from thence is ground- lefs. He mufi: have been a Man of profound Saga- city, that had feen Jbrabam cut off the Fore-skin of the Fleth of his Son Ifaac, that could have thence in- fer'd that in the days of the Goipel young Children ihould have been baptiz'd in Water. For there was nothing in the Pra&ice of the one, that could poflibly lead to the other. But having fo fully taken off this. weak Pretence in my Aniwer to Mr. Michad Bar- rifw, that it's altogether needlels to infift further up : on it *, I (hall refer Menfienr thither for his full Satii : fadion. But Monfieur tells us, that this is confirmed by the words of St. Matthew^ chap. 19. 14. that of fuch In- fants is the Kingdom of God. From whence he thus argues. To whom the Things fcrnified belong, unto them the Signs belong alto-, as the Grown which is the fign and mark of Royalty, belongs to him to whom the Kingdom belongs. But But unto little Children belongs the Kingdom of God, as it is written in Mat. 19. 14. Ergo r Unto them belongs the Baptifin, whichls the Sign of entering into that Kingdom. Anfw. To fuppofe the fimple Ad of Baptifm a Sign that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them, with- out any Qualifications to fit them for it, is no better than the opus operatmn of the Mother of Harlots, and to be rejected by all true Proteftants. And Monficur himfelf ( whatever mov'd him to write thus ) doth alfo rejed that Notion. For he faith, that the Bap- tifm of young Children is not neceflary neceffitatc ntediij as the Church of Rome teaches : both becaufe the Grace of God doth not always depend upon Ele^ ments, which are not in our power at every time ; but alio becaufe the Baptifm that (aves us muft be the Anfwer of a good Confcience. So that in this he hath more than confuted himfelf. Moreover, doth not he know there is a remote as well as a near right to a Kingdom ? And if he would pleafe to confider, that tho the Dauphin has a right to the Kingdom of France, yet if he Ihould put Monfienrs Logick into pradice, during the Life of his Father, and put the Crown on his Head, and take upon him ail other the Regalia of the Kingdom, and exercife Regal Authority, becaufe he hath a remote right thereto, as being Heir apparent to the Crown *, he hath reafon to conclude the prefent PofTeflbr would count it no lels than High Treafbn againft- him. I hope he is not ignorant of the like Treaibn in Abfa- lon againft his Father David. But why Ihould I add more to a Fable ? For it's an inadequate Metaphor, and nothing to the purpofe for which he brings it, as himlelf confefleth. As touching what he faith about Chrift's laying hands on the little Children that were brought to him: ( 17) him : There is no reafbn to conclude it to be that the Church of England calls Confirmation, becaufe thofe Children (he faith) were not baptized. I mould have thought him a better GuefTer^ if he had told us it had been to cure them of bodily Infirmities, be- caufe it was the Practice of our Lord to lay hands upon the Sick, and they recovered. But Monfienr is at liberty to think as he pleafes : I know ( as well as he ) our Saviour did not do it without good realbn. But I hope Monfieur will not prefume to take upon him to cure People that Way : And yet for all this confufed and uncertain found, he would have Mini- sters confer on their Children the Ceremony of Bap- tifm from this Practice of laying on of Hands, be- caufe Chrift laid hands on them, and did not baptize them. This is his French Confequence : But we Englift]- Men rather conclude, that becaufe Chrift difmiit thefe Children and did not baptize them, we muft not pre- fume to do it, contrary to his Example, and without his Command, who is the only Lawgiver under the Gofpel. Next, we have a new Argument, (uch as it is \ take it in his own words. Arg. And fmce our Fathers and their Children were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea, as it is evident by St. Paul, i Cor. ic. 2. Ergo, To the end that which is by them figured be accomplifhed, the Children now are to be baptized in the Baptifm of Jefus Chrift. Anfvo. i. We may note that Monfienr is a 7 Verily verily I fay unto thee, Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. It is not faid, Except a little Infant be born- again \ neither did Nkodemvu understand it fo \ for he faith, How can a Man be born when he is old f And therefore (it's plain) he did not underftand it in your fenle *, neither did our Lord lb intend it : For, as Pool's Annotations tell you upon very, what our Sa- viour had laid in the general before, that a Man muft be born again, he now particularly applies to Nicode~ mm, with thofe of his Order, Te muft be born again* And indeed no other could poffibly be intended but (uch as were capable Subjeds \ and thole are Perfons of grown years ', he being fuch a one to whom he (peaks, and thofe of whom thefe words are Ipoken. And therefore this can be nothing to your purpole. O ! but faith Monfieur, I will prove it by an Ar- gument. Whofoever is not born again of the Water, he ihall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. But the Children of Baptilts that die young, are not born again of Water. Ergo, The Children of Baptifts that die young, Ihall (32) (hall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Anfiv. By the Kingdom he means (I perceive) the Kingdom of Glory hereafter *, and by Water, he in- tends Baptifm in Water. If the firrt be true, the fecond muft be falfe, as is evidently demonftrated at large in Pooh Annotations : For they fay, there is a great difference among Inter- preters about the meaning of being born in Water. The Romanifls and rigid Lutherans underftand the Water in a proper fenfe for the Element of Baptifm, and from hence infer the abfolute neceffity of Baptifm for Salvation \ but the Expofition and Conclufion are both evidently contrary to the Truth. And a little after, they do give this reafon (among others) for that (as they demonftrate) many have been faved without Baptifm. i. But why doth Monfiewr leave out the Spirit ? for that is in the Text as well as Water. And furely to be born of the Spirit is more nece/Tary to Salva- tion than to be born of Water, even in his own Opi- nion, when he fpeaks in earner!. 2. What moves Monfieur to think that the moft merciful and gracious God (hould put it into the power of fmful Parents to damn their innocent Babes, and that they muft needs be damned if their Parents omit or refufe to have them baptized ? Sure I am it's no where fo written in the holy Scriptures. 3. But if Monfieur had put this Interpretation upon the Text, that by Kingdom of Heaven had been in- tended the vifible Church, as it is often taken in the New Teflament, and then had applied the Water to Baptifm, he had avoided this Rock which he hath now fplit his Ship upon : For then inftead of making Bap- tifm neceflary to Salvation, and damning poor little In- fants to the pit of Hell that were not baptized, he had only made it necefiary to Church-Communion, as an initi- ( 33 ) initiating Ordinance, which is very agreeable to the •Opinion of Proteftants in general, and of the Church of England in particular, whereof he pretends to he both a Member and a Minilter.. For in the Admi- niitration of Baptiim there are tnefe words, 4C Then f the Prieft, naming the Child, (hall flip it in the u Water, &c. And after this he is directed to make a Crofs upon the Child's Fore-head, faying, We re- ceive this Child into the Congregation of Chrift's Flock : And then he is required to teil the People that it's grafted into the Body of Chriil's Congregati- on, .&c. . But to confirm his Expedition ( wherein he agrees with the Papilfs, and diifents from the Proteftants) he brings the Authority of two Fathers-, his words are thefe : This Text, from which I have inferred this Argument, is the reaibn why St. Cypriap and St. Au- fiin have fo often declared the Baptifm of young Chil- dren to be nece'Tary to. Salvation. Anfiv. That Axftin Bifnop of H'.ppo (whom the Pope hath fainted) wasfuch a cruel Father to Inlanis, remains as a Brand upon him to th.s day. And alio it is further to be remembmi, that from Jwr, 6. 53. Except ye eat the Flejh of tic Son id d ink his Blood, ye have no Life in yon, he did affi m, that altho they were baptized, if they bad not the Bread and Wine given to them alfu in the Supper, they could not befaved. And there was a joiiv parcel of erring Fathers (whom he with the Church of Rome calls Saints) did continue the Practice thereof fjr a long time. And if their Authority be of fucti great validity in his efteem, why doth not this trifling Ercnch-Man give the Supper to Infants as well as Baptifm, if their Opinion be fufricient for him to build his Faith and Practice upon ? ,.c 1 ( 34) I fhal! therefore proceed to anfwer his other Alle- gation, and then examine him, whether he doth be- lieve this Expofition himfelf. i. He faith :, If there were no other reafon to bap- tize Children, but to remove the trouble of Mind in many-, who fear their Children (hall not be faved unlefs they be baptized *, this Reafon mould be fufrl- cient to confer Baptifm unto them. Then it feems the vain Conceits that are got into the minds of ignorant People, altho there be neither Precept nor Precedent for it in the Word of God, is a (uffcient ground for Minifters of the Gofpel to pra&ife an Ordinance upon in the name of the blefled Trinity : Then there can be no Will-worfhip in the World. But I perceive thefe A4en are like fome foolifh Con- jurers, who have raifed a Devil they cannot lay again. Pray who was it that put this ftory into their heads? It was not we that did it, but your felves : And what, cannot all the Skill and Learning you have conjure it out again ? Muft they be bolfter'd up in an Error, becaufe you have taught it them ? But ( faith he ) I think I have proved by clear and neceffary Confequences that Infants are to be bap- tized \ Ergo, I have Satisfied Dr. Rnjfel , Ergo, he is now to allow the Baptifm of Infants. Anfw. Now to oppofe my Judgment to his thoughts, I do here tell him, I am quite of another mind : For he hath not proved what he undertook either by clear or necefTary Confequences : Ergo, I am not fatisfied : Ergo, I do not allow the Baptifm of Infants: Ergo^ The poor Irerick-mm hath loft his labour. But feeing he hath told us, that the Children of Baptifts that die young before they are baptized, iljall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven j let us try whether he believes himfelf : for if he doth not, he hath ( 35 ) hath no reafon to exped that we fhould believe him, when his Arguments are not fufficient to con- vince himfelf. Truly, to do the Man right after all this noife, he began ( I perceive ) that excellent work of Self-exa- mination j and then his Confcience being awakened, he fpeaks out freelv, and contradicts what his ( fup- pofed ) Intereft had led him to fay before *, and theft he very honeftly confutes his own Argument, and affirms the direcS contrary in a Poftfcript written for that very purpoie, which is as follows. Wherein it is (hewn (faith he) that all the Chil- dren that die without Baptifm are faved. And he proceeds to prove it thus. The young Children before they can ufe their Rea- fon are not able to commit Sin, and confequently ought not to be punifhed ( for God hates and puniihes no- thing but Sin ) and confequently if they die without Baptifm are faved. He faith, it's true, that the young Children have incurr'd the original Sin *, but it is true alfb, it is forgiven unto them. For, as by the Offence of one, Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation \ even fo by the Righteoufnefs of one y the free Gift came upon all Men to Juftification of Life : Rom. 5. 18. Jer. 3 1. 29. The original Sin is now remitted, not as concerning Temporal Death, and other Afflictions in this Life, which are the Conlequences of that Sin, but as concerning eternal Death, and other Torments in Hell deferved by that Sin. If any is now damned, it is for his own Sin. Suffer little Children to come unto me, faith Chrift, and forbid them not. for of Juch is the Kingdom of 'God„ Mark (faith he) that Chriftfpoke to Children not baptized j of fitch, faith he, is the Kingdom : There- fore they are fayed tho they die without Baptifm. To ( 3*) To clofe ill, whereas he faith, if Dr. Ritffel cafi clearly mew, that the Confequences I have brought for the Infants Baptifm are of no force, we will quick- ly agree about the manner, and he will greatly oblige him, who for the Truth's fake left his Friends and Country, P. Berault. ■ Anfro. I hope I have anfwered his defire, and if he be willing ( upon Convi&ion ) to renounce his Infant Rantifm, and own the Baptifm of Repentance for the Remiffion of Sins, with a fincere Refolution to lead a holy Life for time to come } and agree with us, that Dipping is the right manner of performing that holy Ordinance (which I perceive tie is not averfe to) I (hall freely confent to baptize him in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, according to the Commiflion of our Lord and Sa- viour Jefus Chrift: To whom be Glory given by the Churches, throughout all Ages, World without end. Amen. FINIS. i .,. >" {u %