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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/ofsacramentofbapOOtowe 
 
Imprimatur. 
 
 Apr. , . ,68*. £« £>« n^/Jbe/mo ^cfcie/j. Dn< 
 
 ... tuarienfi a Sacrls Vomefiich. 
 
 " s *%efy 
 
^ — * 
 
 OF X H F 
 
 SACRAMENT 
 
 OF 
 
 BAPTISM' 
 
 In Purfuance of an 
 
 EXPLICATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CATECHISM 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Church of England. 
 
 ~7y ^~C 
 
 G A B R I E I/T O W E R S O N 3 D.D. 
 
 and Re&or of Welwpne in HArtferd(hlre % 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for Warn C&OtoeH, at the Rofe and Crown 
 inS.iWs ChurA-Yard MDCLXXXVIL 
 
 - , f r ' ■ ---■- , ■ - „ - ____^_^^^^^_ 
 
\ 
 
. 
 
 
 
 TO THE ^o'^^ c - 
 
 Right Reverend 
 r A T H E R in UCD >' 
 
 FRANCIS 
 
 Lord Bimop of ELY, 
 
 AND 
 
 LORD ALMONER 
 
 T O 
 
 His Ma jelly. 
 
 *Vfc 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 YOURLordfliips 
 favourable accep- 
 tance of my Di£ 
 courfe of the Sacraments 
 in General^ with the defire 
 
 A 2 I 
 
The Epftle Dedicatory. 
 
 I have, if it may be, to 
 •ut an end to the whole, 
 lath prompted me to 
 make the more haft to 
 jwrefent your Lordihip , 
 and the World with 
 this of Baptifm in parti- 
 cular. 
 
 Two things there are 
 in it , which I thought my 
 felf moft concernd to clear, 
 and which therefore I 
 have employ 'd all requifite 
 diligence on, the Do&rine 
 oi Original Sin, and Infant- 
 Baftijm : The former be- 
 ing in my opinion the 
 
 fouh- 
 
The Efiflle Dedicatory. 
 
 foundation of Chriftiani- 
 ty, the latter of our inte- 
 reft in it. For if there 
 be no fuch thing as Ori- 
 'inal Sin , I do not lee 
 »ut lome perlbns here- 
 tofore might, and may 
 hereafter live with fuch 
 exadfriels, as riot at all 
 to Hand in need of a 
 Saviour. And I lee as 
 litde , if InfanuBapifm 
 be null 3 what intereft 
 any of us can have in 
 him , according to the 
 ordinary difpenlation of 
 the Golpel , who have 
 for the moft part been 
 A 4 ' ' 
 
Tke Epftle Dedicatory. 
 
 baptized in our Infancy , 
 or at leaft have been 
 baptized by thofe that 
 were. 
 
 Throughout the whole 
 Treatife I have endea- 
 vour'd to retrive the 
 antient notion of Bap- 
 tifirij to fhew what ad- 
 yantages are annexed to 
 it ; and what duties it 
 either involves , or obli- 
 geth to. To either of 
 which if I have given 
 any light , or ftrength j 
 I ihall hope I have 
 done fome fmall fervice 
 to the Church , ... and 
 
 which 
 
 . 
 
The Epftle Dedicatory! 
 
 which your Lordfhip in 
 particular will take in 
 good part from 
 
 Your Lordfliip's 
 
 Wellwyne 
 
 *Sd?' Moft obliged 
 
 Maft obedient, and 
 Moft humble Servant; 
 
 (Gabriel Towersok. 
 
 THE 
 
% T fX 
 
 
 ni 
 
 .V 
 
 
4fc; 
 
 / 
 
 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FIRST PART. 
 
 Of the Rite of Baptifm among the 
 Heathen, and the Jews. 
 
 THe Heathen themfelves not 
 without the knowledge of an- 
 other World y and of the in- 
 efficiency of natural Religion to 
 bring them to the happinejs there- 
 of Occafwn taken by them from 
 thence to enquire after other ways of 
 obtaining it, and by the Devil to fug- 
 gejl the myfteries of their refpeffive 
 Deities as the only proper means of 
 comparing it. Thofe myjleries every 
 where initiated into by the Rite of 
 Baptifin ; partly through Mens con- 
 . fcioufnefs of their pajl fins, and which 
 
 they 
 
The Contents. 
 
 they judged it but meet they fhould 
 be- fome way purged front) And partly 
 through the policy of the Devil, who 
 thereby thought to procure the greater 
 veneration to them : That as it was a 
 Rite, which was in ufe among God*s 
 own people, fo naturally apt to repre- 
 fent to Mens minds their pafjing from 
 a, ftnful to a holy Eflate. Of what 
 Service the Heathens ufe of this Rite 
 is- toward the commendation of the 
 thriftians Baptifm, and a transition 
 from thence to ths ufe of it among 
 the Jews. Which is not only proved 
 at Urge out of the Jewlfh Writings, 
 and fever al particulars of that Bap- 
 tifm remark* d y but that uf age far- 
 ther confrnfd by fever al concurring 
 proofs ; juch as is in particular the 
 no appearance there is otherwife of 
 any initiation of the Jewijh Women, 
 the Baptizing of the whole Nation 
 in the Cloud, and in the Sea, and a 
 remarkable allufion to it in our Sa- 
 viour s Difcourfe to Nicodemus. 
 The filence of the Old Teftament 
 concerning that Rite fhewn to be of no 
 force, becaufe though it take notice 
 of the frjl Jews being under the 
 Cloud, and pajfing through the Red 
 
 Sea, 
 
The Contents. 
 
 Sea, yet it takes no notice at all of 
 their being Baptized in them, or of 
 their Eating, and Drinking that fpi- 
 ritual Repaji whereof S. Paul fpeak- 
 eth. The Baptifm of Chrijtians co- 
 pied by our Saviour from that of the 
 - Jews, and may therefore y ( where it 
 appears not, that he hath made an 
 alteration} receive an elucidation 
 from it. p. i. 
 
 The Contents of the Second Tart. 
 
 Of the Baptifin of the Chriftians, 
 and the Inftitution of it. 
 
 THe Inftitution of the Chriftian 
 Baptifm more antient , than 
 the Command for it in S. Matthew 
 28. 19. though not as to the ge- 
 nerality of the World, nor it may be 
 as to the like explicit Profeffion of 
 the Trinity. As is made appear from 
 Chrijl, or his Difciples baptizing in 
 Judea, not long after his own Bap- 
 tifm by S. John. Enquiry thereupon 
 made, whether it were not yet more 
 \ antient, yea as antient as Chrifi s 
 
 execution 
 
The Contents. 
 
 execution of his Prophetical Office. 
 Which is rendred probable from our 
 Saviours making Difciples before, and 
 the equal re af on there appears to have 
 been for his making them after the 
 fame manner with thofe of Judea ; 
 From ChriJPs reprefenting to Ni- 
 codemus the necefjity of being born 
 again of water, and the fpirit, which 
 isfhewn at large to be meant of a 
 true and proper Baptifm ; As y in 
 fine, from ChrijFs telling S. Peter, 
 when he asPd the washing of his 
 Hands i and Head, as well as Feet, 
 that he, who had been wafhed, 
 needeth not faveto wafli his feet. 
 An anfwer to thefuppofed filence of 
 the Scripture concerning fo early a 
 Baptifm , and that jhewn to be nei- 
 ther a perfeff filence ', nor an unac- 
 countable one. "■ p. 2J. 
 
 The 
 
The Concents. 
 
 Tlx QonterUs of the Third Tart. 
 
 Of the outward vifible Sign 
 of Baptifm. 
 
 Tfie outward vifible Sign of the 
 Chrifiian Baptifm fbewn to be 
 the Element of Water , and enquiry 
 thereupon made wherein it was in- 
 tended as a Sign \ Which is fiewn, in 
 the general, to be as to the cleanfing 
 quality thereof more particularly as 
 ?o the ufe it was put to toward new- 
 born Infant s y and that application of 
 it which was firji in ufe y even by an 
 immerfion , or plunging the Party 
 baptized in it. Occafion taken from 
 thence to enquire farther , how it 
 ought to be applyedy more especially 
 whether by an immerfion, or by that y 
 or an afperfion, or effufion. Evidence 
 made of an immerfion being the only 
 legitimate Kite of Baptifm y fss/t 
 where neceffity doth otherwije require \ 
 And enquiry thereupon made \ whether 
 neceffity may jufiifie the Application 
 of it by an Jfperfwn, or Effufion , 
 
 and, 
 
The Contents. 
 
 and, if it may, whether the cafe 
 of Infants be to be looked upon as 
 fuch a neceffity. What is to be 
 thought of thofe additions y which 
 were antiently made, or continue as 
 yet in being in the outward fdlem- 
 nities of Baptifm. Where the fign 
 of the Crofs in Baptifm is more par- 
 ticularly confideredy and anfwer made 
 to thofe Exceptions that dre made 
 againjl it as a Ceremony y as an addi- 
 tion of Men to the Injlitution of 
 Chrifiy and as a fuppofed Relique of 
 Popery, or giving too much counte- 
 nance to the Papijis abufes of it. p.43 .;' 
 
 A Digreflion concerning Ori- 
 ginal Sign, By way of Preparati* 
 on ID the following Difcourfes. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 OF the ground of the prefent Di- 
 greffion concerning Original Sin, 
 and enquiry thereupon made, what 
 Original Sin is. Which is fhervn in 
 the General to be fuch a corruption 
 
The Contents. 
 
 of the Nature of every Man, that 
 is naturally engendered of the off* 
 firing of Adam, whereby it becomes 
 averfe from every thing, that is good, 
 and inclinable to every thing , that 
 is evil. The nature of that corrup- 
 tion more particularly enquird in- 
 to, and {hewn by probable Arguments 
 to be no other, than a Privation of 
 a Supernatural Grace. That there 
 is fucha thing, as we have before de- 
 fcribed, evidenced at large from the 
 Scripture, and that evidence farther 
 firengthned by the experience we have 
 of its effects, and the acknowledg- 
 ments of the wijer Heathen. En- 
 quiry next made from whence it 
 had its beginning, which is {hewn 
 to have been not from any evil Spi- 
 rit, or D#mon, the pravity of mat- 
 ter, or the evil habits the Soul con- 
 . traded in a fr£exifient Jlate , but 
 from the gravity ofourfirfi Parents. 
 This lajl at large confrmd out of 
 the Doitrine of the Scripture, and 
 followed by fome light reflections up- 
 on the means, by which it is con- 
 veyed^ A more jujt account from 
 the Scripture of its being truly, and 
 properly a fin, partly from its having 
 (a) the 
 
Tbe Contents. 
 
 the title of a fin, but more efpecUlly 
 from its being reprefented as fuch y 
 upon the account of our Obligation 
 . to the contrary. A eonfideration of 
 thofe Objections, which are common- 
 ly made againjl the Doctrine ofO- 
 riginal Sin ; Which are fbewn either 
 not to be of that force ^ whereof they 
 are ejieem^dy or however not to be 
 a fufficient bar to what the Scripture 
 hath dec lard concerning it. p. %<y 
 
 ■ - 
 
 
 
 Tl?e Contents of the fourth TarL 
 
 Of the things fignified by Saptifin on 
 the part of God, or 3fi$ inward and 
 fpiritual Grace, 
 
 "*HE things fignifed' by B apt if m 
 are either more ^neraly -or par* 
 ticnlar : More general^ as that Co- 
 venant of Grace ^ wh'uh paffeth -£e- 
 iween God, and Man, and that body 
 of Men, ivhish enter into Covenant 
 with him ; More particular, what the 
 fame God doth, by vertne ef that 
 Covenant^ oblige him f elf to beftow 
 upon the Baptized^ and r^h^t thofe 
 
 Baptized 
 
The Contents. 
 
 Baptized cnes do on their part ##• 
 dertake to perform. Thefe Utter 
 ones prppofed to be confideredj and 
 entrance made With the consideration 
 of what God oblige th him f elf to be- 
 flow upon the Baptized , totted by 
 the Churchy An inward, and 'fpi-. 
 ritual Grace. Which inward, and 
 fpiritual Grace is {bewn to be of two 
 forts j to wit, fitch as tend moreim* 
 mediately to our fpiritual) and eter- 
 nal welfare, or fitch as only qudlifie m 
 for thpfe Graces, that do fo. To 
 the former fort are reckon d that in- 
 ward , and fpiritual Grace , which 
 tends to free &s from the guilt of 
 fin, called by the Church forgi Vc- 
 fiefs of fin; That which tends- to 
 free us from the pollution of fin, called 
 by oiir Catechifm A death unto it; 
 And that, which tends to introduce 
 the contrary purity r j and hath the 
 name of a New birth unto righte- 
 oufhefi. To the latter fort is rec- 
 koned our union to that Body, of 
 which Chrifl Jefus is the Head, and 
 by means whereof he difpenfeth the 
 former Graces to m. Each of thefe 
 refumd y nnd confidered in their or- 
 det) nnd fhewn to be y what the) are 
 (a 2) if u ally 
 
The Contents. 
 
 afuaHy JliPd, the inward, and fpiri" 
 
 tval Graces of B apt if m, or the things 
 
 fignified by the outward viable Sign 
 
 thereof. p. 10$ 
 
 The Contents of the Fifth Tart. 
 Of Forgivenefs of fin by Baptilhu 
 
 OF the relation of the fign of Bap- 
 tifm to its inward* andfpiritual 
 Grace, and f articular Py to forgive- 
 nefs of fin ', Which is either that of 
 a means fitted by God to convey it, 
 or of a pledge to ajfure the Baptized 
 per [on of it. The former of thefe 
 relations more particularly confide- 
 red, as that too with refpecJ to For- 
 givenefs of Sin in the general, or 
 the for give nefs of all Sin whatfoever, 
 and Original Sin in particular. As 
 to //><? former whereof is alledged firft 
 the Scriptures calling upon Men to be 
 Btpiiz!d for the remiffton , or for- 
 . givenefs of fin, Secondly the Churctis 
 making that Forgivenefs a part of 
 her Belief and Do:hine, Thirdly 
 fhc agreeing opinions or practices of 
 
 thofe, 
 
The Contents^ 
 
 thofc , who were either unbound 
 members of it) or Separatifts from 
 it , And Fourthly the Calumnies 
 of its enemies. The like eviden.cc 
 made of the latter from the Scrip- 
 ture's propofing Baptifm , and its 
 Forgivenefs as a remedy againfi the 
 greatejl guilt s, and infpecial agatnjl 
 that wrath) which we are Children of 
 by Nature. From the premifes is 
 (hewn^ that the fign of Baptifm is 
 a pledge to affure the Baptized of 
 Forgivenefs y as we/las a means fit- 
 ted by God for the conveying of 
 it. p. 20 1 
 
 The Contents of the Sixth Tart. 
 
 Of Mortification of fin, and Rege- 
 neration by Baptiftn. 
 
 OF the relation of the fign of Bap- 
 tifm to fuch inward, and fpiri- 
 tual Graces, as tend to free us from 
 the pollution of fin y or introduce the 
 contrary purity ; And that relation 
 fhewn to be no lefs than that of 4 
 meaos, whereby they are convey d« 
 \ (a?) This 
 
The Contents. 
 
 This evidenced as to the former, even 
 our death unto fin ( which n dfo 
 cxplairfd) from fuch Texts of Scri- 
 pt ure r as make mention* of our being 
 baptised into-. it y and buried by J$ap- 
 tifm in # 5 or from fmh as def tribe 
 us as cleanfed by the ivafoing of it. 
 The like evident d from the fanre 
 Scripture concerning the latter , even 
 our new birth unto righteoufhefe ; 
 As thai again farther clear d as to 
 this particular by the confentknt Do* 
 ctrine y and practice of the Church, 
 by the opinion the ^ew had of that 
 %aptifm, which was 'a Type, and ex- 
 emplar of ours, and the exprefjions 
 of the He tit hen concerning it* The 
 Doctrine of the Church more largely 
 infijied upon, and exemplified from 
 Juftin Martyr, Tertullian, and 
 $• Cyprian* p. 217 
 
 2fo 
 
The Contents. 
 
 llie Contents of the Seventh Tart. 
 
 Of our Union to the Churclj - 
 by Baptifm. 
 
 j: 
 
 OF the relation of the fign of Bap- 
 iifihtbbtit Union to the Church] 
 and thdt relation foewH to M no lefs 
 thatifktit of a mtms-y whereby that 
 1)nhti is made. This evidencd in 
 fhefftu plice from the detlardtwns 
 ef the Seripture, more particularly 
 from its affirming dlChnftiansto be 
 bapttgd itii d that &ody, ds thofe , 
 who &We pfi baptized after the de- 
 fcint of the Holy Ghdjt ttpdti the 
 Afoftkiy to batfe been thereby added 
 f& their comfdtiy, and hUde partakers 
 ivifh the rep iii flfe Afofiles Do- 
 Urine , dtid felloivfhipj in breaking 
 of B ready and in Prayers. The like 
 evidence of the faihe Union to die 
 Church fy Baftifm ffM the decla- 
 rations of the Ghurch it felf and 
 the confequences of that Union ft enw 
 to be* fttch) as ioniake that alfo to be 
 teedtinted one of the inward, andfpi- 
 ( a 4 ) ritual 
 
The Contents]! 
 
 ritual Graces of that Baptifm, by 
 which it is made. p. 237 
 
 Tk Qontents of the Eighth Tart. 
 
 Of the Profeffion that is made by 
 the Baptized Perfbri. 
 
 THE things fignified by Baptifm on 
 the part of the baptized brought 
 under consider at ion y and (hewn from 
 fever at l former difcourfes (which are 
 •alfo pointed to) to be an Abrenunci- 
 ation of fin, a prefent belief of the 
 Doctrine of Chriftianity, and, par- 
 ticularly of the Trinity, and a re- 
 fblution for the time to come to 
 continue in that belief, and a£t a- 
 greeably to its Laws. Our refb- 
 lution of atting agreeably to the haws 
 of Chriftianity more particularly con- 
 sider \d, and the Profeflion thereof 
 Jhewn by fever al Arguments to be the 
 intendment of the Chrijlian Bap- 
 tifm. What the meafure of that 
 conformity is, which we frofefs to 
 pay to the Laws of Chriftianity^ and 
 what are the coniequences of the 
 Violation of that Profeflion. p. 249 
 
 the 
 
The Contents. 
 
 The Contents of the Ninth fart. 
 
 Of the right Adminiftration 
 of Baptifm. 
 
 r j\ Ft era fbort account of theFoun- 
 j\ dation of the Baptifmal relatir 
 On, and reference made to thofe places 
 from which a larger one may befetctid ; 
 Enquiry is made touching the right 
 Adminiftration of Baptifm, as there- 
 in again, Firjl, Whether Baptifm 
 ought expreflyto be made in the name 
 of the Father y Son, and Holy Ghoft y 
 Secondly whether Schifmaticks, and 
 Hereticks are valid Adminijlratours 
 Of it. Thirdly y to what y and what 
 kind of per font it ought to be admi* 
 niftred, Fourthly, Whether it may 
 be repeated. The two fir ft ofthefe 
 fpoken to here, and frft, Whethfr 
 Baptifm ought to bee xpre fly admini- 
 ftred in the form proposed. Which 
 is not only {hewn to be under obliga- 
 tion from the exprefs words of the 
 Inflitution, but anfwer made to thofe 
 
 Texrs t 
 
The Cmtetks: 
 
 Texts, which feem to intimate it to 
 be enough to baptize in the name of 
 the Lord Jefus eniy. The Bdprifm 
 of Schifmaticks, and Hereticks more 
 largely jhewnto be v£id f mlefsrtherc 
 they baptize into a counterfeit Faith, 
 and the f ever at objections agttihft it 
 anfwerd. p. 265 
 
 ^-T|-'-- ■■ ■.■—.■■■-, -— -— . :- — '-*-* a , ,^ % 
 
 The Contents' tf the Tenth Tart. 
 Of the Baptifm of thofe df riper Years. 
 
 TO fthaf, and &hdt kind 6f fer- 
 foM Baffifm Might tt> beadmi- 
 
 mfiredj Which f & to thofe of riper 
 fearf, is fk&»& fO be #Mo ally that 
 €&me duly q&dijied for it. What 
 \ fhofe salifications are, upoti that ac~ 
 Man? en quii d into, and Repent atite y 
 And faith fh&wfrom the Scripture , 
 as rtell as from out own Catechifm 
 U fa they. That' Repentance , and 
 Faith more particularly conftdered , 
 fhe definitions given of them by our 
 Chutefp explain 7 dy and ejtdlifhed. 
 
 The 
 
The Contents; 
 
 The former whereof is effected, by 
 f/cumng vehat Repentance doth fre* 
 fttppofe, what it imports r, and to 
 what it doth naturally difpvfe us : 
 The Utter by flmv&g what thofepro* 
 mtfes are, nhieh by the Catecmfm 
 grt tvsde the djetlef jour Faifh, or 
 Belief what that Belief of them doth 
 frefufpfe r what is maw by it fled- 
 faft Belie f of them, *$d wh#e evi- 
 dence there is of that 'being the Faith, 
 $9 Belief nqttwd t$ the receiving of 
 \ifm-* p# 287 
 
 ■ . 
 
 ■ 
 
 tm ■'■[■■^ 
 
 "the Contents ef the Eleventh Part. 
 
 ■ 
 
 . . Of the Baptifin of In&ff^ 
 
 w 
 
 Hat ground Infant-Baptifin hath 
 in Scripture, and particularly 
 in what it fuggejls concerning ChrifPs 
 commanding his Difciples to fuffer 
 little Children to come unto him. 
 S\ Paul 7 j- giving the Children of 
 the faithful the title of Holy, and 
 the Circnmcifion of Infants, The 
 
 con- 
 
The Contents.' 
 
 Concurrence of Antiquity therein 
 with the Dottrine of the Scripture, 
 and that concurrence fart herftrength- 
 ned by the Pelagians/?/ reely admit* 
 ting of what was ur£d againjl them 
 from thence. A brief account of that 
 remifpon , and regeneration^ which 
 Infants acquire by Baptifm, and a 
 more large confederation of the Qb- 
 \eBionSy that are made againji it; 
 More particularly of what is nrgd 
 againji the Regeneration of Infants 
 in Baptifm y or their ability to anfwer 
 what is prerequir } d to it on the fart 
 of perfonsto be baptized, or is to be 
 performed by them in the reception 
 of it. Where the Regeneration of 
 Infants is more largely confidered , 
 and what is promts d for them by 
 Oithersjhewn to be both reafonable y and 
 fufficient. p. J09 
 
 7he 
 
The Contents.^ 
 
 3 
 
 - 
 
 The Contents of the Twelfth Tart. 
 Whether Baptifin may be repeated. 
 
 WHat the true Ji ate of the pre- 
 fect quefiion is, and that it 
 is not founded in any fuppos d itte- 
 gitimatenefs of the former Baptifm y 
 but upon fuppofition of the baptized 
 perfons either not having before 
 had , or forfeited the regeneration 
 of it y or fallen off from that Re- 
 ligion , to which it doth belong. 
 Whereupon enquiry is made y whe- 
 ther if fuch perfons repent and re- 
 i turn , they ought to be baptizd a- 
 new , or received into the Church 
 without. What there is to per- 
 fwade the repeating of Baptijm ^ 
 and what the Church hath alledgd 
 againji it. The Churches argu- 
 ments from Eph. 4. 4. and John 
 15. 10. propofedy but wavd. The 
 Churches opinion more firmly ejla* 
 blijbed in the no direction there is 
 
 in 
 
The donteats. 
 
 in Scripture for re-baptizdtion in 
 thofe cafes , but rather the contra- 
 ry> and in the no neceffity there U 
 of it. The Arguments for rebapti- 
 z at ion anfwer*d. p* 365 
 
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 In the Title over the Pages. 
 
 T} Ag. 2 5 j. for Btptifm, r. Bipti\td. 
 
 TEXT. 
 
 Pag. $7. 1. 16. after do add not. p. 154. 1. II. after of 
 addffrrf. p.228.1.17. corruption, p.244. !. pen. embodied, 
 p. 262. 1. 22. idolaters, p. 306. 1. 14. for ooyl r. fr^ff. 
 p. 324. Ly. for force r.face.j*. 33Q. 1. 24./kfrfcj«/.p.354. 
 1. 18. r. as was. 
 
 Margenc. 
 
 Pag. 6. 1, penulc. Moaa><t* p. 7. 1. i7.«>wjK.p.io.!. 
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 *A7c.p. 291. 1. tf.ang/r.p. 33^. ]. 4. ipffctaTS&fPttri 
 
 -*- 
 
< I ) 
 
 O F THE 
 
 SACRAMENT 
 
 O F 
 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 Part 1. 
 
 Of the <%tie of Baptifiri among the 
 Heathen, and the Jews. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 The 'Heathen t them) elves not without 
 the knowledge of another World ? 
 and of the insufficiency of natural Re- 
 ligion to bring them to the happinefs 
 thereof Occafion taken by them 
 from thence to enquire after other 
 ways of obtaining it, and by the De- 
 vil to fuggefi the myfteries of their 
 
 B refpe- 
 
% ) Of the <%ite of Baptifm 
 
 *W -H.) 
 
 refpeclive Deities as the only paper 
 means of comparing it. Thofe my- 
 Jleries every where initiated inta by 
 the Kite of Baptifm ; partly through 
 Mens confcioufnefs of their pafi 
 fins , and which they judged it hut 
 meet they fhould he fame way purged 
 from, and partly through the policy 
 of the Devily who thereby thought 
 to procure the greater veneration to 
 them : That as it was a Rite y which 
 was in ufe among Gorfs own people , 
 fo naturally apt to reprefent to Mens 
 minds their faffing from a fwful ta 
 & holy Eft ate. Of what Service the 
 Heathens/*/^ of this Rite is toward 
 the commendation of the Chrifti- 
 ans Baptiftn, and a transition from 
 thence to the ufe of it among the 
 jews. Which is not only proved at 
 large out of the fewijh Writings, and 
 feveral particulars of that Baptifm 
 remartfdy but that uf age farther con- 
 firmed by feveral concurring proofs ; 
 Juch as is in particular the no appea- 
 rance there is otherwife of any initia- 
 tion of the Jewijh Women, the Bapti- 
 zing of the whole Nation in the 
 Cloudy and in the Sea, and a remark- 
 able allufion to it in our Saviour s 
 
 Difcourfe 
 
among the Heathen y and the Jews* 
 
 " Difcourfe to Nicodemus. The fa- 
 ience of the Old Teftament concern- 
 ing that Kite (hewn to be of no force \ 
 becaufe though it take notice of the 
 firfi Jews being under the Cloud , 
 and faffing through the Red Sea, 
 yet it takes no notice at all of their 
 being Baptized in them^ or of their 
 Eating, and Drinking that spiritu- 
 al rep aft, whereof S. V&ul/peaketh. 
 The. Baptifm of Chrifiians coped by 
 our Saviour from that of the Jews, 
 and may therefore, ( where it ap- 
 pears not y that he hath made an al- 
 teration ) receive an elucidation 
 from it* 
 
 \ Hough the Bap if m of Chri- 
 fiians be my proper bufi- 
 nefs, and ought accord- 
 ingly to be made the iuh* 
 je£t. matter of my Difcourfe ; yet I 
 think it not amifs to premife feme- 
 thing concerning the ufe of the like 
 Rite among the Heathen,and(which is 
 of much more confideration ) among 
 the people of the Jews : Partly becaufe 
 Chriftianity may feem to have bor-* 
 rowed her Baptifm from the Baptifm 
 of the latter,and we therefore may bor- 
 
 B % row 
 
 % 
 
r 
 
 Of the <%ite of Baptifm 
 
 row fbrrie light from it toward the 
 clearing of our own ; And partly be- 
 caufe it may appear both' from the 
 one, and the others Baptifm , that 
 Chriftianity hath laid no other ira- 
 pofition on us, than what the gene- 
 ral reafbn of Mankind, or a more 
 early Tradition prompted others to 
 the imbracing of. 
 
 For the linderftanding whereof we 
 are ' to know , that as the Heathen 
 themfelves were not without a pfe- 
 fenfion of another World, wherein 
 the Souls of Men fhould be treated 
 according' to their demeanour here ; 
 So they alike faw^ or at' leaft fuf 
 pefted, that they could not expe£t 
 a happy futurity by a bare compli* 
 ance with thofe rules, which natu- 
 ral Religion fuggefted to them .• 
 Partly, becaufe they faw but too 
 wxll that they could never arrive at 
 a perfect compliance with them, by 
 which means they fhould always 
 ftand in need of the divine favour , 
 and forgivenefs ; And partly , be- 
 caufe they knew it to be in the 
 power of their offended Deities to 
 prefcribe what ways , and means 
 they thought good for Men's obtain- 
 ing 
 
among the Heathen^ and the Jews. 1 
 
 ing a reconciliation with them. 
 This therefore being the general , 
 and indeed natural ienfe of Man- 
 kind , and not a little quickned at 
 the firft by what they might learn 
 from God's own people concerning 
 the Sacrifices, and other Rites., 
 whereby he appointed them to a- 
 tone him*; Men began to look out 
 every where for proper means to ob- 
 tain the favour of their Gods, and the 
 Devil, who was willing by all means 
 to precipitate them into deftru£ti- 
 on , did either by himfelf 9 or his 
 Agents fuggeft fuch, as might grati- 
 fie thofe their hopes, but withal not 
 only no way profit them, but de- 
 bauch their minds 15 much the more. 
 Only left too grofs a deceit fhould 
 come to be difcerncl, he took care , 
 among other things, that what he 
 fuggefted fhould be concealed from 
 the generality of Men, and indeed 
 even from thofe, who vrere defirous 
 to underhand them, till they had 
 approved themfelves by a long ex- 
 pectation, and the undergoing of 
 all thofe tilings, which were prepa- 
 ratory to them. From hence it was, 
 that ths myfter its of the feveral Hea- 
 
 B 5 then 
 
6 Of the (Rite of <Baj>tifm 
 
 then Deities came to have their be- 
 ginning, and name ; Thofe of the 
 Mother of the Gods in Samothracia y 
 and of Hecate in many places. Hence 
 thofe famous^ ones of Ceres and Pro- 
 ferpwa at Eleufis in Attica, of Bac- 
 chus in Bceotia, and of Mithras in 
 Afia. In fine, hence thofe of Or- 
 fhews almoft all over Greece, and of 
 Ifis in &gyp> and many other places : 
 *cicmdeieg. They*, who were not without a 
 l mtmammuu dueefteemof piety and vertue making 
 u tximia, di- the erid of thofe myfteries to have 
 linaqutvidm- been the procuring ' to thofe that 
 
 tur Athen<e tux . . . . r , . ° 1 -.. . 
 
 peperijfe , at- were initiated into them a poflibi- 
 aKhi&m Hty of living happily in the other 
 
 hommum attu* , T / T * * ma. l- i 
 
 fc, t««j»- World, whilit nothing but extre 
 
 humeiius iihs me ft mifenes attended the negle&ers 
 
 busex^refti Of them. 
 
 immaniqu? vita 
 
 txculti ad humanimem, & mitigatl fhmtu^ iritiaqut, ut appilUntur > 
 
 it a revera principia iAt£ cognovimusy neque [slum cum UtitU> zivendi 
 
 rationtm aecepmui, ftd etiam cum fpe melton mox'undu 
 
 Sophocles— ■ a>* 7ei7th@iu 
 
 lAoKCdS i$ tt<T« * 7&/V</V jb [A.0VGJS c*u7 
 VV OCl 70/* cT Af^QtOl 7TUVT C«H J(#JJ0. 
 
 But becaufe myfteries of this na- 
 ture were not to be communicated 
 to all, no nor yet to any before they 
 
 were 
 
among the Heathen, and the Jews. 7 
 
 were purged from their paft iins ; 
 Therefore care was ta- 
 ken firft of all ( as we t Strom. lib. 5. p. 424^ 
 learn from Clemens A- y< ^ VK *jw*w «p* ^ 
 Uxandrinus % ) that they *f /^^ #f d»" v Ea- 
 fhould pafs through cer- *""' *m ^ «»**' 
 tarn purgations, or wafh- ^ „. ^ . J 
 ings, and which though „„-,. ^jjj ^ W5 ^„- 
 C as Tertullim * fpeaks/ «£<«, &c. 
 perform'd vidtiis aquis , 
 that is to fay, with fuch, * De Ba ^ m - '*• 5- 
 as had not the incubati- w Jtt cme msA(ott;Ml _ 
 
 tlOn 01 God S Spirit y bus , & Eleujmiis tingunw , 
 
 vet were, as he after- i d * u ?$ in r&w* 9 "** & 
 wards (if) aftirms, both agmprxfumm. 
 adminiftred, and receiv'd 
 as efFe£fcual Symbols of a bfc^ JS/>^ 
 and a freedom from the punifhment 
 of their offences. It was thus in 
 particular, that Men were initiated 
 into the myfteries of Eleujis, evea 
 the leffer ones, andfiich as were pre- 
 paratory to the greater, and he who 
 initiated them into them entitled 
 •r/jwfc (£)orthe Waterer.lt was thus, (&)Hefych. 
 as we learn from Tertullian (c), that 'r/p^aV, • 
 they initiated Men into the rites of fw&ifF. 
 
 QO D* Bapt. c. |. ito 3f /irli c$n$tfr per lavacwa mtiantxr, 
 ipdx aiicnjns 7 & jmtfc 
 
 B 4 $itk*s> 
 
& Of the %te of Baptifrn 
 
 Mithras, and fb too into thofe of 
 
 Ms: The Chief Prieft of that God. 
 
 (;d) A?Hejt.ii. dels ( as Afuleius (d) defcribes his 
 
 ff ' h 5f U T own initiation ) leading the party , 
 
 defuteefj.ad ■ i • • j • i r ^ J y 
 
 Uz.Hfik.c. that was to be initiated, in theCom- 
 **• pany of that Religious band to the 
 
 next Bath. Where having firft de- 
 livered him to the ufual wafhing, 
 and ask'd pardon of the Goddefs, he 
 Iprinkled him all about, and bring- 
 ing him back to the Temple, after 
 two parts of the day were fpent , 
 placM him before the feet of the 
 Goddefs. 
 
 How this way of initiation by 
 Baptifm came to prevail fb general- 
 ly, is hard to fay , and I will not 
 therefore be over poiitive in defining. 
 That, which feems to me to be the 
 moft probable, is, that thole myfte- 
 ries, to which this way of initiati- 
 on belonged , came all out of the 
 lame forge, even the contrivance of 
 the Devil, and his dependants, to 
 whom, though ignorantly, the Hea- 
 
 ({) i Cor. t ' ien °^ re d (/) Sacrifice; That he 
 fuggefted fuch an initiation to them, 
 partly in imitation of thofe Baptilms^ 
 or wafhings 1 ', which God had appoin- 
 ted among his own people, and part- 
 ly 
 
 10. 20. 
 
among the Heathen, and the J e w s . q 
 
 ly as a Symbol, which did mod na- 
 turally reprefent to their minds their 
 paffing from a finful to a holy E? 
 ftatc : Sin, by reafbn of the odiou£ 
 $efs thereof, coming to have both 
 the efteem, and name of Pollution, 
 and that therefore, which profelTed 
 to do it away , beft reprefented by 
 that Element, which was moll: pro- 
 per to purge away the natural one ; 
 In fine, that they, to whom that 
 form of initiation was propos'd , 
 being thereby poffefs'd with a good 
 opinion of the facredpels of thofe 
 myfteries , to which it led, and a 
 hope of its alio purging them from 
 their former guilt, greedily embra- 
 ced it, and made it-as lacred in their 
 own efteem, as it feemed to be in 
 the defign of thofe, that inftituted 
 it. Which moreover they were more 
 eafily perluaded into , becaufe they 
 found it much more eafie thus to 
 walh away their Sins, than to purge 
 their Confidence (g ) from dead (^)Kebp.i 4v 
 \vorks by repentance, and amend- 
 merft. By thefe degrees, I fuppofe, 
 if was, that Baptifm came, even a- 
 mong the Heathen, to be the gene- 
 ral form of initiating them into thei^ 
 
 refpe- 
 
to Of the <%ke of (Baptifm 
 
 refpeftive myfteries ; And had thofe 
 myfteries been as facred, as their ini- 
 tiation into them was fpecious , it 
 might have ferv'dto them for a per- 
 petual monument of that inward , 
 and far better purity, which it be- 
 comes all thofe to put on, who hope 
 for approbation from the Divine 
 Majefty. But as that initiation of 
 theirs had for its Inftitutor fbme 
 falfe God, or other, or rather fbme 
 Evil Spirit, who afted the part of 
 one ; As it was moreover an Intro- 
 duction into abominable myfteries, 
 as well as into unprofitable ones ; 
 Witnefs in particular thofe fb much 
 (h) Amb. talk'd of myfteries of Eleufis {h) y and 
 ^ v &ct f" which I will favour chaft Ears in 
 Alex. u&- concealing : fb I have infilled on it 
 •*?€#. <9os for no other reafbn, than to fhew, 
 "EMvvat how willing the Devil was to pro- 
 Hio. cure cre ji t t0 hi s myfteries by it , 
 
 and how eafily Men were prevailed 
 upon by the fpecioufhefs thereof to 
 engage themfelves in the purfuit of 
 them. Which, though it were no 
 commendation to thofe myfteries, 
 to which it was applyd, yet is a 
 fiifficient one of the Rite it felf, and 
 will add yet more luftre to that 
 
 Baptifiij 
 
among the Heathen, and the Jews. i i 
 
 Baptifin of ours j which leads to 
 a Religion , that is as fpotlefs as it 
 felf. 
 
 From the Baptifin of the Hea- 
 then pais we to that of the Jews , 
 and fo much the rather, becaufe if 
 fuch a Baptifin can be prov'd, it will 
 not only be a farther commendation to 
 our own, but it may be alio give light 
 to it : He, who came not to deftroy 
 the Law, and the Prophets, but to 
 Fulfill them ( as Chrift himfelf de- 
 clar'd (/) in the very entrance upon CO Mat. $. 
 his Miniftry ) being likely enough 7 * 
 to have had a regard to their Bap- 
 tifin alio, and to have copied out 
 his own Baptifin by it. And indeed 
 if any credit may be given to the 
 molt Authentick writings the Jews 
 now have, and to one (k) of the CO^mwj& 
 moft ibber Rabbins, which that Na- 
 tion hath ever produc'd, there will 
 be no reafbn to doubt of the Jews 
 having , even from Antient times , 
 the lame way of initiating Men in- 
 to their Religion, which Chriftiani- (q Stidm dt 
 ty doth now prefcribe. For from J»* Nat. 
 their Writings it hath been obferv'd, t2.T2.scc. 
 ( and the exprefs words of their re- Hm. in Us ' 
 fpedive Authors alledged (/) for it) ^S^ 
 
 that 
 
\% Of the %ite of Baptifin 
 
 that the Males of the native Jem 
 were of Old initiated into that Re- 
 ligion by Baptifin , or wafhing of 
 the whole body, as well as by Cir- 
 cumcifion, and an Oblatiqn, .and the 
 Females by Baptilm, if not alio by an 
 Oblation ', That the Males of their 
 Profelytes of Juftice ( futably to the 
 Males of thofe native Jews, into 
 whole R ehgion they were admitted) 
 were initiated by Baptifin, and an 
 Oblation, as well as by Circumcifi- 
 on , and the Females by Baptilm, 
 and an Oblation ; That the Baptifin 
 of Profelytes was to be performed in 
 a natural receptacle of Waters, as in 
 a River, a Pool, or a Fountain, and 
 the whole body wafhed in it ; That 
 there were three Men appointed to 
 prefide over their Baptifin, and who, 
 as the Baptifed perfons ftood in the 
 water, were to lean over them, and 
 twice explain to them fbme of the 
 more weighty, and lighter precepts 
 of the Law ; That where the Pro- 
 lelyte was a Female, fhe fhould be 
 encompalfed with other Women to 
 preferve her from being feen by the 
 Triumviri, and they to depart, when 
 She was to come out of the water ; 
 
 Thai' 
 
r 
 
 among'tbe Heathen, and the Je w s? i i 
 
 That this Baptifin being rightly per- 
 formed was not to be repeated, and 
 that in what condition Profelytes 
 were baptizM, that is to fay, whe- 
 ther in a fervile or free condition, 
 ( for that was then to be profelsM ) 
 in that they were to abide ; That, 
 from the time of their being thus 
 profelyted, they were for the main 
 accounted of as Jews , and had the 
 title of fuch, that they were accoun- 
 ted of as perfbns new born , yea fo 
 far, that after that time they were 
 not to own any of their former Re- 
 lations ; In fine, xnat that new birth- 
 was looked upon as fbfingular, that 
 it gave occaGon to their Cabaliflical 
 Do&ors to teach, that the old Souf 
 of the Profelyte vanifhed, and a ntw 
 one fucceedsd in its place. For all thefe 
 particulars have been obferv'd con- 
 cerning that Baptifin whereof we 
 {peak, and the Baprifm it felf not on- 
 ly made as antient as MofeSy but de- 
 duced by them from that command of 
 God(W),whereby Mofes was enjoynM W Exod - *?• 
 to fanftifie the Ifraelites, and caufe 
 them towafh their Cloaths, againft 
 the time that God declared from 
 Mount Sinai that legal Covenant, 
 
 which 
 
?4 Of the Q^ite of fBaptifm - 
 
 which they were then to enter 
 into. 
 
 Whether the Jewijb Writers might 
 not fbmewhat overlafh in making 
 their Baptifin fb very ancient , or 
 err in afligning the former Com* 
 mand as the Original thereof, is a 
 thing I mean not to difpute , and 
 much lefs will I concern my felf fb 
 far in it, as to vindicate them againft 
 all oppofers. But as it is hard to 
 believe , they would attribute fb 
 great an antiquity to that , which 
 was not atleaft fomewhat antienter 
 than our Saviour's time, which is all 
 we are concerned to afTert \ So it 
 will be much more hard to detraft 
 altogether from their teftimony, if 
 it hath any concurring proofs, and 
 be otherwife fairly defenfible againft 
 the adverfaries thereof. Now that 
 the teftimony of the Jewifh Writers 
 is not without fbme concurring 
 proofs, and fiich as will at leaft 
 add to the probability thereof, will 
 appear if we confider fit -ft , that 
 though Circumcifion both was, and 
 was intended as a means of initia- 
 ting the Jews, yet it was fuch a form 
 of initiation, as was competible only 
 
 to 
 
among the Heathen] and the Je ws. i j 
 
 to the Males. By which means, if 
 there had been no other form of ini- 
 tiation, all of the Female Sex, who 
 were undoubtedly as much in Co- 
 venant with God , as thofe of the 
 other, muft have been debar'd of any 
 yifible Sacrament to allure them of 
 their intereft in it. Which though 
 it be not fb great an inconvenience, 
 as to enforce altogether the ufe of 
 fbmewhat befide Circumcifion, be- 
 caufe the Females might be initia- 
 ted in their Fathers, yet will make 
 it reafbnable enough to believe, that 
 God, with whom there is no refpeft 
 of Sexes, appointed fome form of 
 initiation, by which they might be 
 alike admitted. I fay Secondly y . that 
 as Circumcifion was not competi- 
 ble to thofe of the Female Sex, and 
 not unlikely therefore that there 
 might be fbme other ceremony for 
 their initiation ; So it is appa- 
 rent from S.Paul (#), that how- DOrCarao* 
 ever God might deal with the Jews 2 * 
 before, or after, yet all of them, in 
 their palTage from JtLgyft unto CV 
 nam, were baptized into Mofes in the 
 Cloud, and in the Sea. For being 
 fo, it is not difficult to believe, that 
 
 the 
 
t6 Of the (Rite of&aptifm 
 
 the fame form of initiation might af- 
 terwards have force in thofe , who 
 were not capable of Circumcifion , 
 yea even in them, that were capa- 
 ble of it, after the Rite of Circum- 
 'Cifion was over, if it were only to 
 put them in mind, of that delive- 
 rance they receivM by it : Efpecial- 
 ly, when their Euchariftical Manna, 
 though thence forward not enjoyn'd 
 to be us'd, becaufe it ceafed from a- 
 mong them, was yet laid up in the 
 0) Exod.32. Ark of God (0) to put them in mind 
 \6. &s. f G ds nourishing them by it. I 
 lay Thirdly , that though Baptifm 
 might not be enjoyned at the firft, 
 or at leaft enjoyn'd only for theufe 
 of thofe, who were not capable of 
 Circumcifion, yet it might by the ad- 
 vice of their Governors, and the ap- 
 probation of thofe Prophets whom 
 God raifed up among them, be af- 
 terwards added to Circumcifion, both 
 upon the account of their Fore-fa* 
 thers being commanded to fanftifie 
 themfelves, and wafh their Cloaths 
 \vhen they appear 'd before God at 
 Mount Sinai, and as a farther decla-^ 
 ration to them of the impurity of 
 their Nature, and of that pure, and 
 
 holy 
 
 
among the Heathen, and the Je ws. i f 
 
 holy eftate, which they entred into. 
 For if their forefathers were, even by 
 the command of God, to fanftifie 
 themfelves with wafhings toward 
 their entring into Covenant with 
 God at Mount Sinbl, what fhould 
 hinder fuch of their pofterity , as 
 prefided over that Nation, to make 
 an addition of the like Baptifm? EC- 
 pecially , when all was little enough 
 to admonifh them of their own 
 natural impurity, and of the neceP 
 fity that lay upon them ' of purging 
 themfelves from it. I obferve Fourth- 
 ly, that though there be not any ex* 
 prefs mention in the Scripture of that 
 Baptifm whereof we fpeak, nor in- 
 deed of any like it befide that of 'John 
 the Baptift, which being immediately 
 from Heaven ought not to. be drawn 
 into example ; yet is it fufficiently 
 intimated by our Saviour, where, upon 
 NicodemuSs wondring how a Man 
 could be born of Water, and the 
 Spirit , he with equal wonder de- 
 manded (/>), -Art thou a Mafter of QO Joh.^.to. 
 Ifrael, and knowefi not thefe things ? 
 For as that is a fufficient, indication, 
 that the notion our Saviour ad vane a 
 was no ftranger to the Ifraelites , 
 
 C and 
 
iS Of the %ite of Baptifm 
 
 and therefore neither fuch a Baptifm, 
 as was the fubjeft of it ; So it be- 
 came yet more clear by the Jewiffr 
 Writers reprefenting the Baptifm of 
 a Profelyte as giving a new birth 
 unto him : That as it is the fame 
 ineffeft with the product of Chrift's 
 Baptifm, fb making it yet more rea- 
 fbnable to believe, that our Saviour 
 had an eye to it, when he wondred 
 io much at Nicotkmus for ftum- 
 bling at that property in his. All 
 which put together, becaufe tending 
 toward the fame things will make 
 it yet more reafbnable to believe ? 
 that the Jewifh Writers fpake not 
 at adventure, when they reprefen- 
 ted the Rite of Baptifm as a Rite 
 of their own Nation, and by which 
 both themfelves, and their Profelytes 
 had been of old initiated, no lefs 
 than by the Rite of Circumcifion. If 
 there be any thing to hinder the ad- 
 miffion of it, it muft be the filence 
 of the Old Tefinment concerning it , 
 or at leaft concerning the Inftitution 
 of it. But as we find no great men- 
 tion , even of Circumcifion it felf 
 after the five Books of Mofes , and 
 may therefore the lefs wonder at the 
 
 no 
 
amort* the Heathen, and the Je wsi t o 
 
 no mention of Baptifm, efpecially if, 
 
 as it might be,inftituted after his time ; 
 
 As we find as little mention , even 
 
 where it might have been more rea- 
 
 lonably expefted, of the fir ft Jews 
 
 being baptized into Mofes in the 
 
 Cloud -y and in the Sea> or of their 
 
 Eating, and Drinking that fpritual 
 
 repaft, whereof S. Paul fpeaketh (q): r q \ icor.ic. 
 
 So there is as little reafbn therefore 3? 4. 
 
 to wonder at its filence concerning 
 
 this Rite, efpecially confidering, what 
 
 is notorious enough from thence I 
 
 that God from time to time fais'd 
 
 up Prophets among them. For 
 
 their Authority , and Preaching 
 
 might fuffice to conftitute, or con* 
 
 firm a matter of greater moment \ 
 
 than the Rite of Baptifin, as added 
 
 to Circumcifion, can be fiippofed to 
 
 have been. 
 
 There being therefore no great 
 doubt to be made of a Baptifm among 
 the Jews antecedent to that of John 
 the Baptifi, and- our Saviour, it will 
 not be difficult to believe frft, that 
 our Saviour had an eye to it, when 
 he appointed the fame Rite to initi- 
 ate Men into his Religion : Partly 
 becaule it was his avowed Profeffion ? 
 
 C 2 ' that 
 
zo Of the <%ite of Baptifm 
 
 that he came rather to reform, than- 
 deftroy their former Oeconomy ; and 
 partly becaufe he might the more 
 realbnably hope to bring them over 
 to that faith,- which it was an initi- 
 ation into. It wiil be as eafie to 
 believe r Secondly, upon the fcore of 
 the fame condefcenfion, and compli- 
 ance, that Chrifl: departed as little as- 
 might be from their manner of Admi- 
 nistration of it, or from the ends , 
 which it was appointed for among 
 them ; liich a compliance being equal- 
 ly necelTary to carry on his defign 
 of bringing them over to his Religion* 
 The confequence whereof will be 
 thirdly , that where it doth not very 
 plainly appear that Chriftianity hath 
 made an alteration in it, we interpret 
 the Baptifm thereof conformably to 
 that of the Jews, from whence it ap- 
 pears to have been tranfcrib'd. How 
 much more then, where there are 
 any fair hints in Chriftianity of its 
 fymbolizing with the Doflrine of 
 the other? Therefiilt of which will 
 be fourthly , our having recourfe 
 upon occafion to the Baptifin of the 
 Jews for the better clearing, or efta- 
 blifhing the Doftrine of our own,. 
 
 Which* 
 
among the Heathen, and the Jews. ft* 
 
 Which as I fhall therefore not fail 
 to do as often as their Writings fhall 
 furnifh matter for it ; fb having {aid 
 thus much concerning their Baptifin, 
 and that of the Heathen, I will pais on 
 to the Baptifin of the Chriftians, and 
 confine my felf yet more ftri&ly to 
 the confideration of it, 
 
 C i PART 
 
n 
 
 — p. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 
 Of the Baptifm of the Chrljlwis 
 and the Injiitution of it. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 The Injlitution of the Chriflian Bap- 
 tifm more antient^ than the Com- 
 mand for it in .8. Matthew * y * Matc.zBa^ 
 though not as to the generality of 
 the Worlds nor it may be as to the 
 like explicit Profefflon of the Tri- 
 nity. As is made appear from Chr if ^ 
 p$ his Difciples baptizing in Judea, 
 "not long after his own Baptifm by 
 8. John. Enquiry thereupon made^ 
 whether it were not yet more anti- 
 £ntj yea as antient as ChriJPs ex- 
 ecution $f his Prophetical Office. 
 Which is rendred probable fro?n our 
 Saviours making Difciples before , 
 and. the equal reafon there appears 
 C 4 to 
 
#4 Of the Baptijm of the Chrl films y 
 
 to have been for his making them 
 after the fame manner with thofe 
 of Judea ; From ChriJPs repre fen- 
 ting to Nicodemus the neceffityof 
 being borp. again of water, and 
 the fpirit, which is fhewn at Urge 
 to be meant of a true, and p roper 
 H apt if m J Jsy in fine , fromChrtfPs 
 telling S. Peter, when he astfd the 
 wafhing of his Hands, and Head , 
 as welt ~ar Feet y that he, who had 
 been wafhed, needeth not fave to 
 waflh his feet. An anfwer to the 
 fuppofed flence of the Scripture con- 
 cerning fo early a Baptifm, and that 
 [hewn to be neither a perfect file nee, 
 nor an unaccountable one* 
 
 NO W the firft thing to be en- 
 quired after is the Inftitution 
 6f it, and fb much the rather, be- 
 caufe though there is no doubt as 
 to the thing it felf 7 yet there is as to 
 the firft beginning of it. For there 
 are, who have thought this Sacra- 
 ment to have been firft inftituted 
 by oar Saviour immediately before 
 Kis Afcenfion , and when lie gave 
 *Matt.28.ip. command to his Difciples * to go, 
 4nd teach y or dilciple all JN at ions s 
 
 baptizing 
 
and the Jnftitution of it. i j 
 
 baptizing them in the name of the 
 father , and of the Son^ and of the 
 Holy Ghoft. And I willingly grant 
 ( becaufe our Saviour was Jent only 
 •f" to the loft /beep of the Hotfe of fMatci 5. 24. 
 Ifrael ) that that was the firit in- 
 ftitution of it, as to that more ge- 
 neral extent it wa$ to have in the 
 World, and it may be too a$ to that 
 clear, and explicit profeflion of the 
 Trinity , into the Names of which 
 our Saviour afterwards commanded 
 ■ to baptize : Becaufe fuch Doftrines 
 as that were to be poured into the 
 Difciples t>y dgrees, and according 
 as they mould be able to receive 
 them. But that the Sacrament it 
 felf had a more early Inftitution, will 
 appear from the mention there is 
 of our Saviour s baptizing long be- 
 fore, or at leaft of his Difciples do- 
 ing it by his Commifiion, and Ap : 
 pointment. 
 
 For the clearing whereof we are 
 to know, that whatfbever he may 
 be thought to have done, before he 
 firft palTed into Judaa after his own 
 Baptifm by John the Baptift, yet 
 there he t , or his Difciples (V) bap- fjph. §. 22 . 
 tized ; yea to fo great a number , W~4- - 
 
 that 
 
2, 6 Of the Baptifm of the Chrlfthns] 
 
 COJcM- *& that Johns Difciples (b) affirmed to 
 their Matter, that all men came to 
 him, and it ; and news was after- 
 
 (V>— 4.1. wards brought to the Pharifees (c), 
 that he made, and baptized more 
 Difciples, than John himfelf. Into 
 what profeflion is not difficult to 
 Conje£ture from our Saviour's being 
 
 (ij— -4. 1. faidto make (d) Difciples by it, and 
 from the BaptifFs affirming in 
 allowance of our Saviour's Bap- 
 tifm , that he that believed on the 
 
 CO — 3- 3^- Son (e) , fhould have everlafting 
 Life, but he, that believed, not the Son y 
 fhould not fee life, but^ on the con- 
 trary, have die wrath of God abi- 
 ding on hm. For what could that 
 aflertion have fignified toward the 
 legitimating of our Saviour's Bap- 
 tifm, efpecially when John himfelf 
 admonifh'd Men by his to believe on 
 
 (f) Afts 19. him, that fhould come after him(f),that 
 
 jf • is, on Chrijl Jefus ? Were it not, that 
 
 our Saviour, or his Difciples did ex- 
 prefly baptize Men into the belief of 
 him , and of that Augufl: Authori- 
 ty, and faving power, which was 
 veiled in him as the Meffiah. 
 . ^ Which makes me wonder fb much 
 
 cVnl _^ U the more, thztTertullian (£) fhould 
 
 make 
 
and the faftitution of it. 27 
 
 make that Baptifin of the Difciples 
 
 but of the fame nature with that of 
 
 John , but above all at his asking , 
 
 how Chrift could be fuppofed to k&p- 
 
 tiz>e into himfelf y when he at that time 
 
 made it his bufwefs to conceal who > 
 
 and what he was. For as John the 
 
 Baptift was not wanting (ti) to dif W J°h> u 
 
 cover what he was ; fo our Saviour 2 ? ? &c# 
 
 was fb far from being referv'd as to 
 
 that particular, that the very firft 
 
 of thofe Difciples, that came to him, 
 
 did both acknowledge him (/') as (0—41.4$. 
 
 the Mejfiah immediately, and repre- 
 
 lent him as fuch to other Men. 
 
 But let us rife yet higher , than 
 Chrift's baptizing in Judaa, though 
 that be not far remov'd from his 
 firft fetting up for Difciples, becaufe 
 whilft John was yet t baptizing, t.^S? 2 *?* 
 which is the time, from whence 
 the Scripture (£) makes our Savi- (04 a * 1,22- 
 ours preaching to commence. Not Ic ' 3> 
 that there are any exprefs proofs be- 
 fore that time of his baptizing any 
 Difciples , but that it may be fbme 
 probable proofs may offer themfelves 
 for it, and fuch as we cannot rea- 
 fonably refufe e Of which nature I 
 reckon firft his" making Difciples be- 
 fore 
 
x:8 Of the Baptifm of the Q?rijiians y 
 
 fore that time, and particularly thole 
 Difciples, whom he made ufe of to 
 baptize in the Land of Jury. For 
 if our Saviour made Dilciples before, 
 why not after the lame manner , 
 wherein he made thofe of JudaaZ 
 He had to induce him to it the cu- 
 ftptii, that then prevailed among-the 
 Jews, of making Difciples by that 
 folemnity, as appears both by their 
 fo admitting Profelytes, and the Bap- 
 tifm of his Forerunner. He had to 
 induce him to it the greater likeli- 
 hood there was thereby of inviting 
 others to the lame Baptifm, than if 
 thofe, who were the firft, and chief, 
 and moreover made ufe of by him- 
 felf to baptize , had not firft been 
 baptiz'd themfelves ; Becaufe fo there 
 could have been no pretence to refufe 
 the Baptifm he proposed, whereas 
 Oxherwife they might have rejedted 
 it as a thing unneceffary to be had, 
 or fcrupled it as proceeding from 
 incompetent Adminiftrators of it. In 
 fine, he had to induce him to it 
 that, which prevailed with himfelf 
 (0 Matt. 3. (/) to receive the Baptifm of John , 
 .**« even their fulfilling all righteotifnefs , 
 
 who were not only the firft of his 
 
 Difciples, 
 
dndthe InjTitution of if. %p 
 
 Dilciples , but ordained by himfelf 
 to be a pattern unto others. Which 
 inducements as they are of no fmall 
 force to perfuade his baptizing from 
 the beginning, becaufe but fuitable to 
 his own proceedings, or the common 
 reafbnings of Mankind ' 7 fb will no 
 doubt be accounted fuch, if there be 
 not equal probabilities to the contra- 
 ry, as which are the only things-, 
 that can take off the edge of them* 
 Now what is there of that nature^ 
 that -can perfwade ChrifFs omiffion 
 of Baptifm, unlefs it be either the 
 Scripture's filence, which fliall be af- 
 terwards confidered,or his willingnefs 
 thereby to intimate, that he had not fb 
 tied his own Graces to an external 
 Kite,but that he could, and would up- 
 on occafion conferr them without it ? 
 But befide that there was a like fear 
 thereby of Men's neglefting his ap- 
 pointments upon a prefiimption of 
 their receiving his Graces as the A- 
 poftles did ; This may feem to have 
 been too early a feafbn for fuch an 
 intimation, becaufe before Men were 
 well confirmed in his Authority, or 
 ability to conferr them, even by the 
 ordinary folemnities. For if they 
 
 were 
 
o Of the Baptijm of the Q?rijlians 7 
 
 were not as yet well confirm'd in 
 that, how fhould they dream of 
 a greater power, yea not rather be 
 thereby tempted to queftion altoge- 
 ther his Authority, becaufe depart- 
 ing lb far even from the example of 
 
 OOMact. 21. folm the Baptifi^ whom all Men (m) 
 
 2< *° accounted, as a Prophet ? 
 
 But befide that our Saviour made 
 Difciples before, and may therefore 
 not improbably be thought to have 
 made them after the fame manner \ 
 We find yet farther, that before he 
 baptizM thole of ?ud*a 7 he reprefen- 
 ted the fblemnity of Baptifm as a 
 thing neceffary to enter Men into 
 that Kingdom of God, to which he 
 invited them : Our Saviour not only 
 ttWmgNicodemuSy that except a Man 
 
 tfi\ Toh. 3. 3, %vere ^ orn a gM& (*0> he could not fee 
 the KJngdom of God, but yet more 
 plainly, that except he were horn again 
 
 '(<£— 5- of Water (0), and of the Spirit y- he 
 
 could not poffibly enter into it. For 
 how could Chrift reprefent that as 
 neceffary,- which he himfelf had not 
 afforded to his firft, and chiefeft DijP- 
 ciples, nor, for ought that doth ap- 
 pear, ever after did ? For if he did, 
 he would certainly have done it be- 
 fore 
 
and the Inflitution of it. 3 f 
 
 fore he made ufe of them to bap- 
 tize others ; Partly becaufe they 
 were the firft Difciples he had, and 
 partly becaufe lb they would have 
 been more apparently qualified to 
 have adminiftred the fame Baptifin 
 unto others. If therefore Chrift re- 
 prefented Baptilm as neceffary, even 
 before his baptizing in fudaa , it is 
 not unreafbnable to think he had 
 both inftituted , and adminiftred it 
 before : Efpecially, when the Difci- 
 ples he before had cannot well be 
 thought to have had it afterwards, 
 as in reafbn they muft have had it, 
 if it were fb neceffary as our Savi- 
 our affirm'd it. And poffibly nei- 
 ther would they, who are otherwife 
 perfwaded , have in the leaft fu£ 
 pe&ed the force of this argument 9 
 had it not been for ah opinion of 
 theirs , that our Saviour fpake not 
 in this place of Baptifm > but of 
 Men's being born again of that fpi- 
 rit of God , which hath the fame 
 cleanfing quality with water : So 
 making ! that fpeech of our Saviour 
 to be that, which the Rhetoricians 
 call an h fta, fvoh, and confequently 
 refolvable into a watery, or cleanfwg 
 
 Spirit, 
 
2 x Of the Baptifm of the Chtifiims] 
 
 Sprit, as Virgil 7 s pater is libamus & 
 auro, is into pateris aureis f or golden 
 Difoes. Even as they fiippofe the 
 (p) Mace. 3. Scripture (f) meant when it affirm'd, 
 "• that Chrift fhould baptize with the 
 
 Holy Ghojl, and with fire, that is to 
 lay, with that Holy Ghoft, which 
 hath the purifying , and warming 
 qualities of that Element. I will 
 not now fay, though I might, that 
 that figure might have been more al- 
 lowable here , if that fpeech of 
 Chrift: could have been fb fairly re- 
 fblv'd into a watery Spirit, as pateris 
 & auro may be into pateris aureis ; 
 Which that it cannot be is fuffici- 
 ently evident from Golds being the 
 proper Material of thofe Difhes, 
 whereof the Poet {peaks, which iva- 
 ter to be fiire is not of the other. 
 But neither will I any more than 
 fay, that Chrift's baptizing with the 
 Holy Ghoji y and with fire doth not 
 make at all for this figure, becaufe 
 it is certain that at the day of Pente- 
 coft, which was the molt notorious 
 defcent of the Holy Ghoft, and par- 
 ticularly referred to by that Bap- 
 (q) Ad. 1. 5. tifra (j), Chrift baptized his Difci- 
 pies with a material fire, as well as 
 
 that, 
 
and the hftitution of it I ? i 
 
 that. But I fay, which is more ma- 
 terial , that there is great reafbn 
 to under (land our Saviour here of 
 that Baptifm by water, which we 
 have affirmed his words to import. 
 For fo firft ( as Mr. Hooker (*) did (p BdjL Pol, 
 long fince obferve ) the Letter of the ' * 5 ' ' 5 * 9 
 Text perfwades, and which we are 
 not lightly to depart from, unlets we 
 will make the Scripture a very un- 
 certain Rule, and indeed to prove 
 any thing, which wanton wits would 
 have it. So fecondly ( as the fame 
 Hooker Cf) obferves jthe Ant tents* £Q £ ld ' 
 without exception underitood it , tyr. Apoi. t. 
 yea he f, who makes the Baptifm p : n-TenuL 
 now under confideratiori, evei; the cyffimEfifc 
 Baptifm of Chrift before his Afcen- ?$• 
 fion, to be but of the fame nature } u fr^ uLuh 
 with S. Johns. So thirdly, we have 
 caufe to underftand Chrift here, be« 
 caufe expreffing. what lie here in- 
 tended by a new birth from water , 
 which is the property (Y) of that $lii$§* 
 Baptifm, he afterwards commanded 
 theApoftfes to adminlfter. In fine, 
 lb feveral circumftances .both' of the 
 Text, and Context perfwade, and 
 fome too, that are not fb ordinarily 
 taken notice of Of which nature 
 
 D 1 vee* 
 
34 Of the BaptifmoftheChrljlianS) 
 
 I reckon as none of the leaft that, 
 which gave occafion to them, even 
 Nicodemm's coming to Jefus by 
 (») Joh. 5. 2. night (u) and there, and then ac- 
 knowledging to him, that he was a 
 teacher come from God, and that he 
 himfelf was induced to believe it by 
 the miracles our Saviour wrought. 
 For that fecret confeffion of his be- 
 ing not only , not agreeable to that 
 (W) Matt. 10. more publick one (w) , which our 
 3 2 « Saviour required , but ( as appears 
 
 by the anfwer he returnM to it) 
 intimated by him to be inefficient, 
 becaufe letting him know, that ex- 
 cept he was born again of voMer^ and 
 the ffirit., he could not enter into 
 the Kingdom of God 5 Nothing can 
 be more agreeable to our Saviour's 
 mind, than to underftand thole Words 
 of his of Men's making a more pub- 
 lick confeffion of him in order to 
 their Salvation , if the Words can 
 with any reafbn be thought to admit 
 of it. Which that they may is evi- 
 dent from hence, that , whatever 
 our Saviour now underftood by them y 
 (*) Tit. 5. 5. t ] le Xijfee expreffion (.*) became af- 
 terwards an ufiial periphrafis of Bap- 
 tifm, which was a publick confefli- 
 
 on 
 
and the Jnjiitution of it* t'i 
 
 on of our Saviour. I fay fecondly ? 
 that as the occafion of the words doth 
 naturally lead to fuch a fenfe, as will 
 make them import a more publick 
 Confeflion of our Saviour ; So it 
 will confequently prompt us to un- 
 derstand them of fuch a new Birth, 
 as is per formed by Water, and the 
 Spirit, rather than of that$ which is 
 performed by the Spirit alone i That, 
 as it is a Birth, which manifefts it 
 felfto the Eyes of others, which this 
 cannot he fuppofed to do, fo be- 
 ing a JJirth therefore , which may 
 publickly declare our Confeflion of 
 him, by whole appointment we are: 
 born again. Agreeable hereto thirdly 
 is the fenfe of the words themfelves, 
 if thofe Jewess of whom Nicodemus 
 was fbmetimea Ruler ? may be lift- 
 ned to in this affair ; They not on- 
 ly affirming their own Profelytes to 
 have been admitted by Baptiftn, but 
 that Baptifm alio reprefented as a 
 thing, which gave them a new birth, 
 yea fo far, as to make them put off 
 their old relations by it, For what 
 then can be more reafbnable, than 
 to think, that our Saviour, when 
 be fpake to a Jew, fpake the fame 
 D 2 Language 
 
\ 6 Of the tBaptifm of the Chriftiam y 
 
 Language with them ^ and confe- 
 quently, that, as he fpake of being 
 born of Water , as well as the 
 Spirit, he meant a like Baptifin by 
 it. Efpecially , when it is obferva- 
 ble, fourthly, that our Saviour ask'd 
 Nicodemus, not without feme amaze- 
 ( .y) Joh.3. ment, (j ) , Art thou a Mafier in 
 re. * Jfrael, and knoweft not thefe things ? 
 
 For what was this, but to intimate yet 
 more, that the new Birth, whereof 
 he fpake , was no ftranger to them- 
 felves, and confequently, becaufe he 
 fpake of being born of Water, that he 
 meant a Baptifm by it ? Add here- 
 unto, fifthly, our Saviour's affirming 
 himfelf in the former Difcourfe to 
 
 qq 12. have fpoken of earthly {£) things, 
 
 and (as one would think ) therefore 
 of fuch a Birth, which though in- 
 fluenced by God's Spirit , yet had 
 ibmething of earthly, as that is op- 
 posed to heavenly , adhering to it : 
 As, in fine, the Evangelift's fubjoyn- 
 ing to this Difcourfe of a new Birth 
 by Water the mention of our Sa- 
 
 •<*j~22. viour ' s (*) Puffing into Jud*a, and 
 there baptizing ; There being not a 
 fairer account either of that connexi- 
 on , or our Saviours profceedings , 
 
 than 
 
and the Inftitution of it. 37 
 
 than that, agreeably to what he 
 had laid concerning the neceffity of 
 Men's being fo born again , he 
 went into Jitd<ea, and baptized, and 
 lb made way for their entrance into 
 GotCs Kjngdom. Such evidence there 
 is of our Saviour s meaning a proper 
 Baptifin, when he fpake of the ne- 
 ceffity of Men's being born again of 
 water, and of the Sprit ; And if our 
 Saviour meant fuch a Baptifin, there is 
 as little doubt of his having before 
 both inftituted , and adminiftred it 9 
 yea even from the time of his let- 
 ting up for Difciples ; There be- 
 ing not the leaft appearance of 
 Chrift's baptizing thofe firft Difci- 
 ples afterwards, which yet he muft 
 have done , confidering the necef- 
 fity thereof, if they had not been 
 baptiz'd before. 
 
 I will conclude what I have to 
 fay concerning the earlinefs of our 
 Saviour's Baptifin, when I have 
 added from a paffage of Cfarift to 
 S* Peter the farther probability there 
 is of hti , and the other Apojlles * 
 having received it, and therefore, if 
 they did fb, of their having receiv'd 
 it from the beginning of their Difcir 
 D 3 plefhip c 
 
% Of the <B(ij>tijm of the Chriftums, 
 
 plefhip : That I mean , whereup- 
 on S. Peters begging of Chrift to 
 wtfh not only his feet^ but his hands, 
 and his head , if (as our Saviouf 
 had told him ) he could have m 
 ■part in him , unlefs he rvajFd him , 
 ih.13.10. Chrift is faid to have made anfwerf, 
 that ht\ that had been rvaftfd 7 even 
 by a more general wafhing , needed 
 not fave to rvafh his feet. For as 
 our Saviour intimates by that ex- 
 predion, that he, and the reft had 
 palled under the former wafhing , 
 and confequently did not need fuch 
 a general wafhing a fecond time ; 
 ib he may not improbably be thpught 
 to have meant the wafhing of Bap- 
 tifm, and which though in it fclf 
 an outward purification , yet was 
 attended with an inward , and {pi- 
 ritual one : Partly , becaufe it is 
 certain that our Saviour had before 
 this time made ufe of the Baptifm 
 of Water to purine Men unto him- 
 ielf ? ' and may therefore be well 
 enough fuppofed to allude unto it ; 
 And partly 5 becaufe that Baptifm, 
 or wafhing will be more dire&ly 
 oppofed to that y which our Savi- 
 bur intended , and which though 
 
 defign'd 
 
and the hflltution of it. $$ 
 
 defign'd by him to fignifie a more 
 fpiritual purgation, even that of 
 the affe£fcions 7 or actions, yet was 
 performed by him by an outward" 
 wafhing. For why then fliouid we not 
 think, that the Apoftles had that more 
 general wafhing of Baptifin ? Especial- 
 ly when we know that about this time 
 Chrift adminiftred to them the Sa- 
 crament of the Eucharift , and which 
 as it is in order of nature after that 
 of Baptifm, and may therefore not 
 unreasonably be thought to have 
 been preceded by theirs, fb is an 
 evidence that Chrift meant, infbme 
 meafure at leaft, to conduct them 
 by the iame Rites , and Ceremonies , 
 wherewith he intended to bring other 
 Men unto himfelf. 
 
 One only thing there is, which 
 can any way prejudice the former 
 Difcourfe , even the filence there is 
 jn the New Tejlament of any Bap- 
 tifm by Chrift before that in Jud<ea , 
 yea the filence there is of it in that 
 very Evangeliji y who takes fuch par? 
 ticular notice of the other. And 
 fiirely fuch a filence would have been 
 of no fmall force , if it had been 
 cither a perfect filence, or an unac- 
 D 4 countable 
 
48 Of the Baptijm of the QoriJlianf y 
 
 countable one. But#$ that ftory 
 cannot be look'd upon as perfe&ly 
 filent, which affords fb many pro- 
 bable proofs of what it is pretended 
 to be filent in ; fb there mayberea- 
 fbn enough given of its attending no 
 higher in its Account of Chrift's 
 adminiftration of Baptifm, than that, 
 which was performed by him inju- 
 daa : Partly, becaufe the Author of 
 it had before acquainted his Readers 
 with Chriflfs reprefenting it as ge- 
 f Joh. g. $. nsrally heeeflary \ to Salvation, and 
 from which; and the folio wing pra- 
 ctice of our Saviour in making Difc 
 ciples, Men might reafbnably enough 
 colled his having fb riiade the for- 
 mer ones; And partly becaufe he 
 knew , that what was defective in 
 his account of our Saviours Bap- 
 tifm, might be abundantly fiipplied to 
 pofterity ( to whom he, and the o- 
 ther Evangelifts principally wrote ) 
 0) Matt. 28. by what thofe other Evangelifts fa) 
 *9- . 6 had faid concerning Chrift's giving 
 t $l ' command to his Apoftles of bapti- 
 zing all Nations in the name of the V fa- 
 ther •> and of the Son, and of the Ho- 
 ly Ghofi. For that, together with 
 his own account of our Saviours 
 
 Baptifm, 
 
and the Injlitution of til 4 1 
 
 Baptiftn , was enough to let them 
 know (and therefore enough for 
 their own purpofe) that as,Chrifl 
 himfelf initiated Men by Baptifm, 
 yea reprefented it as neceflary to Sal- 
 vation, Co it was his ablblute will , 
 and pleafure, that thofe , to whom 
 his Apofties/ and their Succeflfors 
 publifhedhis Goipel, fhould be initia- 
 ted by the fame means, if they meant 
 to enter into the Kingdom of God. 
 
 PART 
 
45 
 
 PART III. 
 
 Of the outward <vifible Sign of 
 fiaptifm. 
 
 The Contents, 
 
 The outward vifible Sign of the Chri- 
 Jlian Baptifm {hewn to be the Ele- 
 ment of Water ^and enquiry thereupon 
 made wherein it was intended as a 
 Sign \ Which is fhewn, in the genc- 
 ral, to be as to the cleanfing quality 
 thereof more particularly as to the 
 ufe it was put to toward new-born In- 
 fant s, and that application of it which 
 was fir 'fl inufe^ even by an immer- 
 fwn y or plunging the Party bapti- 
 zed in it. Occaftoh taken from 
 thence to enquire farther ', how it 
 ought to be applyedj more efpecially 
 whether by an immerfion, or by that, 
 or an afperfion y or ejfufion* Evi- 
 dence 
 
44 Of the outward vifible Sign 
 
 dence made of an immerfwn being 
 the only legitimate Rite of Baptifm, 
 fave where neceffity doth otherwife re- 
 quire ; And enquiry thereupon made, 
 whether neceffity may jufiifie the Ap- 
 plication of it by an Afperfwn, or Effu- 
 fion, and y if it may, whether the cafe 
 of Infants be to be looked upon as fuch 
 a neceffity. What is to be thought \ of 
 thofe additions, which were ant lent" 
 ly made, or continue as yet in being in 
 the outward folemnities of Baptifm. 
 Where the fign of the Crofs in Bap- 
 tifm is more particularly confidered, 
 and anfwer made to thofe Exceptions 
 that are made againfi it as a Ceremony, 
 as an addition of Men to the Instituti- 
 on ofChrif, and as afuppofed Relique 
 of Popery, or giving too much counte- 
 nance to the Papifls abufes of It. 
 
 Queftion. 
 
 WSMiat is 
 r^eout&arti 
 Stffkfe ftp 
 o; fo;m tu 
 SSaptifm ;' 
 
 Anfwer. 
 
 OTatec , 
 
 ucrftm fe 
 iiagtty a in 
 t\)t name of 
 *1* iFatljffc 
 
 fee. 
 
 BUT becaufe whatever doubt 
 there may be of the fir ft In fti- 
 tution of the Chriftian Baptifm , 
 yet there neither is, nor can be any 
 doubt of our Saviour's inftituting it 
 then , when he was about to take 
 his leave of his Difciples ; Therefore 
 pals we on to the Sacrament it felf, 
 which ( agreeably to the procedure 
 
 of 
 
of Baptifm. 4 j 
 
 of our own Catechifm, and the me- 
 thod before obferved, when I en- 
 treated of the nature of a Sacrament in 
 the general) I will confider, 
 
 I. As to its outward and vifible 
 Sign. 
 
 II. As to its inward and Spiritu- 
 al Grace, or the thing fignified by 
 it. 
 
 III. As to that relation , which 
 its outward , and vifible Sign bears 
 to its inward , and Spiritual Grace. 
 
 IV. As to the Foundation of that 
 Relation. For as the nature of the 
 Sacrament of Baptifm will be found 
 to lie within thtfc four, fb I no way 
 doubt we (hall be able to reduce 
 to one, or other of thefe generals 
 whatfbever is any way neceifary to 
 be known concerning it. 
 
 Now there are four things to be . 
 enquir'd concerning the firftofthele, 
 even the outward and vifible fign of 
 Baptifm. Firft, what that outward 
 and vifible fign is. Secondly, wherein 
 it was intended as a fign. Thirdly, 
 how it ought to be applied. Fourth- 
 ly, what is to be thought of thole 
 
 additions, 
 
4 6 Of the outward Yifibk Sign 
 
 additions , which were anciently 
 made, or continue as yet in being 
 in the outward fblemnities of Bap* 
 tifm. 
 
 i . As touching the outward, and 
 vifible fign of Baptifm, there is no 
 doubt it is the Element of Water, 
 as is evident from the native figni- 
 fication of the word Baptifm, which 
 fignifies an immerfion^ or dipping in* 
 to fome liquid thing, from the mat- 
 ter of thofe Baptifm?, which were 
 in ule among the Jems, and which 
 our Saviour ( becaufe making ufe of 
 the fame word to exprefs his own 
 Baptifm by ) is in reafbn to be fup- 
 pos'd to have fo far conformed it to, 
 but more efpecially from the account 
 we have of the Adminiftration of it, 
 both whilft our Saviour eontinu'd 
 here, and after his Afcenfion into 
 Heaven. For thus after S. John 
 
 *Joh. 3.22. had faid *, that our Saviour, pre- 
 fently after his entring upon his 
 Prophetick Office , came into the 
 Land of Judaa, and there baptized, 
 
 t~ 2$; he immediately fubjoyn'd f, that 
 John the Baptift alfo was then bap- 
 tizing in ALnon near to Salim, be* 
 caufe there was mmh water there. For 
 
 as 
 
of IBaptifnu 47 
 
 as it is evident from thence, as well 
 as from other places *, that the Bap- * Matt. $.6. 
 tifin of John was a Baptifm by ~ —13- 
 Water ; fo the Evangelift mention- 
 ing John the Baptift as pra&ifing 
 the lame thing with our Saviour, 
 {hews the Baptifm of , our Saviour 
 to have been lb far like it, and con- 
 lequently to have had Water fof tte 
 Instrument thereof. The fame is 
 yet more evident as to thepraftiteof 
 our Saviour's Difciples, after his more 
 general Command (a) of Baptifm, and ^ 2 2 g. , 5# 
 his own Alcenfion into Heaven. For 
 thus we find Philip and ther Eunuch 
 going down into a certain water (£) , (b) Ad. 3. 3$. 
 by which theypa&d in order to the 
 Baptifm of the latter ; As that too , 
 after the Eunuch had admonifhed 
 him (/)) fee here is water, what doth (0 — 3^. 
 hinder me to be baptized. And thus 
 too we find S. Peter (d), befor e he f O —-10.47, 
 gave order for Cornelius, arid his 48, 
 companies being baptized in the name 
 of the Lord, demanding of thole of 
 the Circumcifion , that came with 
 him, whether any Man could forbid 
 water, that thefe fhould not be bap* 
 tizedy which had received the Holy 
 Ghoft, as well as themf elves \ There- 
 by 
 
4 8 Of the outward yijtble Sign 
 
 by intimating, or rather exprefly 
 declaring, that our Saviour's Bap- 
 tifm was, as to the outward, and 
 vifible fign, the fame with that of 
 John the Baptift, and other the Bap-* 
 tifms of the Jews. 
 
 2. Water therefore being no doubt 
 the outward and. vifible fign of Bap- 
 tifin, and fb declared to be by the 
 manner of its Adminiftration ; The 
 next thing to be enquired into is , 
 wherein it was intended as a fign, 
 which will appear to have been in 
 thele three particulars : Firft in re- 
 fpe&ofthatcleanfing quality, which 
 is natural to it, fecondly in refpe£t 
 of that life which it was put to a- 
 bout new-born Infants, thirdly in 
 refpefl: of that manner of Applica- 
 tion of it, w T hich was firft us cl, and 
 no doubt generally intended, I mean 
 the dipping of the Party baptized 
 in it. 
 
 That th$ Water of Baptifin was 
 intended as a fign in refpe£fc of the 
 firft of thefe , will need no other 
 proof, than Ananias s admonifhing 
 Paul to arife and be baptized, and 
 (t)A&.22.i6. wajb (*) away his fins, calling upon 
 -' the name of the Lord> For it ap- 
 pearing. 
 
pearing, on the one hand, that the 
 Baptifm, to which Paul was invited, 
 even the Chriftian one, was a Bap- 
 tifin by Water, and , on the other 
 hand, that it was at leaf} ordained 
 for the rerniffion (/) of fins, and fo (/)a&2.33. 
 the putting away their guilt ; No- 
 thing can be more reafbnable, than to 
 think, that when Ananias fiibjoyird 
 to the precept of being baptized that 
 of wafting away his fws y he meant his 
 wafhing them away by Baptifin, and 
 consequently that the Water of Bap- 
 tifin was both a fign of fbmething re- 
 lating to the putting away of his 
 fins, and a fign too in particular iii 
 refpe£t of that cleanfing quality , 
 which is natural to it, becaufe that 
 Baptifm, to which it belongs, is de= 
 Icrib'd as wafting away the other. 
 
 But befide that Water was in- 
 tended as a fign in refpeffc of that 
 cleanfing quality , which is natural 
 to it ; There is equal realbrt to be- 
 lieve, that it was alio intended as 
 liich in refpeQ: of the ule it was 
 then put to about new-born Infant s y 
 even the wafhing away of tnofe 
 impurities, which they contra£ied 
 from the Womb. We have (as 
 
 E Mr* 
 
50 Of the outTPard <vijible Sign 
 
 CO vifi, on Jv5 r . Mede did long fince obferve (g) 
 ' " 3 ' 5 * an allufion to this cuftome in the 
 defcription, which God gives of the 
 poor and forlorn condition of Je- 
 rufalem, when he firft took her un- 
 to himfelf , under the parable of an 
 expofed Infant. For as for thy Nati- 
 (h)E?i.i6.$. vity 9 faith he, (/?) in the day that 
 thou waft born , thy Navel was not 
 cut , neither waft thou washed in 
 water to fupfle thee , thou waft not 
 faked at ally nor fwadledat all: There- 
 by intimating what was then done 
 to Infants in their Nativity, and 
 particularly the wafhing them from 
 their impurities. And how general- 
 ly received this cuftom was, even a- 
 rnong the Heathen, may appear ( as 
 (1 l Vbl J:fi' ^ ie ^ me Mr. Mede (J) hath obfer- 
 mmmv** vec * ^ om w ^at was done to the 
 cm. v<?ce}7KT{A.ci , or <hv7ie}7TjTu-oi^ who were 
 
 iffi perfons . (*), to whom the Rites 
 ftacimabini- of Burial had been performed as 
 tio. Tlv lv^ dead, but did afterwards appear again 
 'AeisW » i n t h e World. For as thefe were 
 r n « look d upon as born anew P) into 
 
 ttVTvif aJTng i& etp^jK TiwiitjA ycy T'yjv&i%lv urrroKoii '<jw/, >y <?tml%- 
 ytvconu, & Sua*/? 6fa*giVj x7&> 71 Sfziv, ^ Tin) ctMou? ctmy- 
 
 57'yy 7oCt« }iv*3ut nsfefr 1 it&vsB&Trirpxij £ 73 $3vi» »y«w 
 
ofBaptifml 51 
 
 the World , fo like new-born In- 
 fants they were to be wafliM with 
 Water before thejr could be admit- 
 ted to the converfation of Meri, or 
 allowed to enter into the Temples 
 of their Gods. But fo that the Wa- 
 ter of Baptifin was intended for ^a 
 fign , is evident from its being ftil'd 
 the laver (J) of regeneration , or d (0 Tit. 3. $> 
 new Birth y and from the addition , 
 that was made to it in after times 
 of giving milk * and hony to the *^4<& 
 new-baptized perfons, as that too to /X[nd^e 
 declare their Infancy f. For this evi- port immerfi- 
 dentlyfhews this fecond Birth to re- S^fe 
 late to the firft , and confequently , conmdUm 
 that the Element of Water, arid the %%*£%£- 
 Regeneration by it, though borrow- MmUnAi.u 
 edmore immediately from the Bap- c.i^stdiih 
 tifm of the Jews, yet was intended tnncZc%m 
 by our Saviour (as I noway doubt njtfctte'ffi* 
 it was alfo by the Jem) as ofiike £^ 
 u(e with that, which was apply d to Hmcjuofnosun- 
 new-born Infants, andtoreprefent a- ggggj 
 like waiting away of natural pollu- mlm^qms 
 
 tions. fiostnfantafi 
 
 One other particular there is, 
 wherein I have faid the Water of 
 Baptifm to have been intended as a 
 fign, and that is in refpect. of that 
 
 E 2 mannit 
 
5 £ Of the outward njljtble Sign 
 
 manner of application, which was 
 lometime us 7 d, I mean the dipping, 
 or plunging the party baptized in it. 
 A iignification, which S. Paul will 
 not fiifrer thofe to forget, who have 
 been acquainted with his Epiftles. 
 For with reference to that manner 
 of Baptizing we find him affirm- 
 ed Rom. £.4. ing (jn), that we are buried with 
 Chrijl by Baptifm into death, that like 
 as Chrijl was raifed up from the dead, 
 by the glory of the Father, even fo we 
 alfo fljould walk in newnefs of life ', 
 (jfo.'Wg">y And again (n), that if we have been 
 planted together in the likenefs of his 
 death, we Jha/l be alfo in the likenefs of 
 his refurrettion. To the lame pur- 
 pole , or rather yet more clearly , 
 doth that Apoftle difcourie , where 
 (OCel. 2.i2c he tells us (6), that as we are buri- 
 ed with Chrijl in Baptifm, fo we do 
 therein rife alfo with hi?n through the 
 faith of the operation of God, who hath 
 rtifed him from the Dead. For what 
 is this but to lay, that as the defign 
 of Baptilm was to oblige Men to 
 conform ib far to Chrift's Death, and 
 Refurre£tion, as to die unto Sin, and 
 live again unto Righteoufhefs , lb it 
 was performed by the ceremony of 
 
 immer- 
 
of (Bap if m. 53 
 
 immerfion, that the perfbn immers d 
 might by that very ceremony, which 
 was no obfcure image of a Sepul- 
 ture, be minded of the preceden 
 death , as in like manner, by his 
 coming again out of the Water , 
 of his rifins: from that death to life, 
 after the example of the Inftituter 
 thereof? For which caufe, as hath 
 been elfe where (p) obferv'd, the An- GOExpLdftfre 
 tient Church added to the Rite of <£*?' £*? 
 
 r i i- rr t words 4lW 
 
 lmmeruon the dipping of the party Wutizfy 
 three feveral times to reprefent the 
 three days Chrifl: continued in the 
 Grave ( for that we find to have 
 b^en the intention of forae) and made 
 the Eve of ' Eafier one of the fclenm 
 times of the Adminiftration of it. 
 
 j. The third thing to be enquired 
 concerning the outward vifible fign. 
 of Baptifm is, how it ought to be 
 apply'd, where again thefe two things 
 would be considered. Firft, whe- 
 ther it ought to be applyed by an 
 immerfion, or by that, or an afperfi- 
 on, or effufion. Secondly, whether 
 it ought to be applyed by a threefold 
 immerfion, or afpertion, anfwerably 
 to the names into which we are bap- 
 tiz'd, or either by that, or a fingle oae, 
 
 E 3 The 
 
Vi Of tfa outward <viftbk Sign 
 
 The former of thefe is, it may 
 be, a more material queftion, than 
 it is commonly deem'd by us, who 
 have been accuftomed to baptize by 
 a bare effufion, or fprinkling of water 
 upon the party • For in things, which 
 depend for their force, upon the meer 
 will , and pleafure of him, who in- 
 stituted them, there ought, no doubt, 
 great regard to be had to the com- 
 mands of him , who did fb ; As 
 without which there is no reafbn to 
 prefume, we fhall receive the benefit 
 of that ceremony, to which he hath 
 been pleafed to annex it. Now , 
 what the command of Chrift was 
 in this particular, cannot well be 
 doubted of by thofe who fhall confi- 
 . der firft the words of Chrift (^) con- 
 
 i|. <•■ 2 • cerningit, and the pra&ice of thofe 
 times, whether in the Baptifm of 
 Job/?, or of our Saviour. For the 
 words of Chrift are, that they fhould 
 Baptize, or Dip thole, whom they 
 made Difciples to him (for lb, no 
 doubt, the word B&TTjfrv properly 
 fignifies) and, which is more, and 
 not without its weight , that they 
 fhould baptize them into the name 
 of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 
 .of 
 
of Baptifin. 55 
 
 of the Holy GhofL- Thereby inti- 
 mating fuch a wafhing, as fhould 
 receive the party baptized within 
 the very body of that Water, which 
 they were to baptize him with. 
 Though , if there could be any 
 doubt concerning the fignification of 
 the words in themfelves,. yet would 
 that doubt beremov'd by confidering 
 the practice of thole times, whether 
 in the Baptifin of John or of our Sa- 
 viour. For fuch as was the praftice 
 of thofe times in Baptizing, fuch in 
 reafen are w r e to think our Saviours 
 command to have been concerning 
 it, efpecially, when the words them- 
 felves incline that way ; There be- 
 ing not other wife any rueans either 
 for thofe, or future times to dis- 
 cover his intention concerning it. 
 Now what the practice of thofe 
 times was as to this particular, will 
 need no other proof than their re- 
 ferring to Rivers , and other fuch 
 like receptacles of waters for the per- 
 formance of that ceremony, as that 
 too becaufe there was much Water 
 there. For fo the Scripture doth not 
 only affirm concerning the Baptifin £0 Matt - 3-5> 
 of John (r), but both intimate con- John 3. 22, 
 E 4 ceming 
 
5 6 Of the outward Vifihle Sign 
 
 cerning that, which our Saviour ad- 
 miniftred in Judta ( becaufe making 
 Johns Baptifin, and his to be fo far 
 (/)Joh. 3. 2 2, forth of the fame fort (/) ) and 
 25> exprefly affirm concerning the Bap- 
 
 tifin of the Eunuch , which is the 
 only Chriftian Baptifin the Scripture 
 is any thing particular in the de- 
 fcription of : The words of S. Luke 
 (0 AM. 38. (i) being, that both Philip and the 
 Eunuch went down into a certain wa- 
 ter which they met with in their 
 journey, in order to the baptizing of 
 the latter. For what need would 
 there have been either of the Bap- 
 tiffs referring to great confluxes of 
 Water, or of Philip, and the Eunuch's 
 going down into this, were it not 
 that the Baptifin both of the one, and 
 the other was to be performed by an 
 immerfion? A very little Water, as we 
 Know it doth with us, fufficing for an 
 cfrufion, or iprinkling. But befide the 
 words of our Blefled Saviour, and the 
 concurrent practice of thole times , 
 wherein this Sacrament was inftitu- 
 rcd ; It is in my opinion of no lefs 
 conlideration , that the thing figni- 
 fied by the Sacrament of Baptifin , 
 cannot otherwife be well reprefei> 
 
 ted. 
 
cf Baptifm. j? 
 
 ted , than by an immerfion , or at 
 leaft by fbme more general way of 
 purification, than that of effufion , 
 or fprinkling. For though die pour- 
 ing, or fprinkling of a little Water 
 upon the Face may liiffice to repre- 
 fent an internal wafhing , which 
 feems to be the general end of Chrift's 
 making ufe of the Sacrameat of 
 Baptifm ; yet can it not bethought 
 to reprefent fuch an entire wafhing, 
 as that of new-born Infants was, and 
 as Baptifm may feem to have been 
 intended for, becaufe reprefented as 
 the Uver (») of onr regeneration : 0) Tic - 3- 5- 
 That, though it do require an im- 
 merfion, yet requiring fiich a gene* 
 rd wafhing at leaft, as may extend 
 to the whole Body ; As other than 
 which cannot anfwer its type, nor 
 yet that general , though internal 
 purgation , which Baptifm was in- 
 tended to reprefent. The fame is to 
 be faid yet more upon the account 
 of our conforming to the Death , 
 and RefiirreQrion of Chrift, which 
 we learn from S. Paul to have been 
 the defign of Baptifm to fignifie* 
 For, though that might, and was 
 Well enough reprefented by the bap- 
 ' - tized 
 
5 3 Of the outward <vifible Sign 
 
 tized perfbns being buried in Bap- 
 tifm, and then rifing out of it ; yet 
 can it not be laid to be fb, or at 
 leaft but very imperfe£tly by the 
 bare pouring out, or fprinkling the 
 Baptifinal Water on him. But there- 
 fore as there is fb much the more 
 rcafbn to reprefentthe Rite of im- 
 merfion , as the only legitimate Rite 
 of Baptifki , becaufe the only one , 
 that can anfwer the ends of its In- 
 ftitution, and thole things , which 
 were to be fignitied by it ; fb efpe- 
 cially if (as is well known, and 
 undoubtedly of great force ) the 
 general practice of the Primitive 
 Church was agreeable thereto, and 
 the pra&icc of the Greek Church 
 to this very day. For who can 
 think either the one , or the other 
 would have been fb tenacious of fb 
 troublefbme a Rite , were it not 
 that they were well aflured, as 
 they of the Primitive Church 
 might very well be , of its being 
 the only inftituted, and legitimate 
 one. 
 
 How to take off the force of 
 thefe Arguments altogether,is a thing 
 I mean not toconfider ; Partly, be- 
 caufe 
 
of Baptijml < « 
 
 caulc our Church (w) feems to per- (*0 Seethe 
 fuade fuch an immerfion, and part- ^office oX 
 ly, becaufe I cannot but think the Baptifm be- 
 forementioned Arguments to be fb S 1 !^?^ 
 far of force, as to evince the necef- t ^ t ^ & Cf 
 fity thereof, where there is not fbme 
 greater neceffity to occafion an al- 
 teration of it. For what benefit 
 can Men ordinarily expeQ: from 
 that , which depends for its force 
 upon the will of him, that inftitu- 
 ted it, where there is not fuch a com- 
 pliance at leafl: with it , and the 
 Commands of the Inftituter, as may 
 anfwer thofe ends, for which he ap- 
 pointed it ? And indeed , whatever 
 may have been done to Infants , 
 which I no way doubt were more or 
 lefs baptized from the beginning , 
 the firft mention we find oiAfpez? 
 [ton in the Baptifm of the Elder 
 fort, was in the cafe of the Clinici, or 
 Men who received Baptifm upon 
 their fick Beds ; and that Baptifm 
 reprefented by S. Cypim * as legiti- * Epifr. ad 
 mate upon the account of the necef jpPh i 6 : $ 
 lity, that compel d it, and the pre- fauamkas, \ 
 
 mejjitate co~ 
 lente, & Veo indnlgentkm foam Urgunte, totm endmibw confergrtt 
 t>ivina compendia. 
 
 fumption 
 
6o Ofithe outward Ytfible Sign 
 
 flimption there was of God's gracious 
 acceptation thereof becaufe of it. By 
 which means the lawfulnefs of any 
 other Baptifm, than by aa immer- 
 fion, will be found to lie in the ne- 
 ceflity there may fbmetime be of an- 
 other manner of Adminiftration of 
 it ; and we therefore only enquire, 
 whether the neceffity of the party 
 to be baptiz'd can juftifie fiich an alte- 
 ration , and what is to be look'd 
 upon as fuch a iaece0ity. And in- 
 deed though that Magnm 9 to whom 
 S> Cyprian direfited the foremention- 
 ed Letter, feemed to queftion the 
 lawfulnefi of fuch a Baptifm, and 
 that Father, as his manner is, fpake 
 but modeftly concerning it ; yet 
 there is not otherwile any appear- 
 ance of the Antient Churches dis- 
 approving the Baptifm of the Climcks, 
 becauie they were not loti, but per fu(i y 
 as S. Cyprian expreffeth it. For even 
 he himielf doth there intimate, that 
 
 !!!££* t] ?y & who Iiked not the Ba P tifm 
 
 m nihil confe- of the Clinicks , did not yet care to 
 
 aitoS) eo quod 
 
 aqua, fautan t ant am perfnji Junt , Zcc.nondtcipiantur, ut ft incomttodum 
 l&nguoris evaferint, & convaluerint, bapti^nfur. Si auttm bapti^ari 
 non poffunt, qui jam Baptifma Ecrtefiaftico fanftificati funt> cut in fide 
 fat, & DominiindHlgMilfcajidalixmtHY $ Cypr. ubi fnpra. 
 
 baptize 
 
of Btiptifm. 6 1 
 
 baptize them again. He adds far- 
 ther , that they who had been fb 
 baptizM , were known to have 
 
 been delivered there- 
 by frsm that unclean *&^&^ipfi**P{ri>mr, 
 
 £ . J . i ■ 1 i r ht n ece(Jitate -urgent e 9 m agntndine 
 
 jftrtt , Which before fyfa\at% & gratiam confecuti, 
 
 polfefs^d them * , and careant immmdo fpiritu, que ante* 
 
 r 'i ■ movebantxr, & laudMles ac pro* 
 
 after their recovery , bMts Z EccUJik vivant § fa 
 
 gave as good proofy AS que per dies fingitlos in augments!* 
 
 any bv their holv tiv- **&** f!**WJM,?f**m 
 any , vy rneir noiy ivu tm ^ ro f cUnU cm% ibi ^ 
 
 tng> or their bemgfan- 
 Bified by that Baptifm. In fine, 
 that they, who differ d from him y as 
 to the rsbaptization of Hereticks , 
 ( which was the founder part of the 
 Church in that particular) did, with- 
 out any difference, admit thofe , who 
 had been baptizd by Hereticks \, nei- fEtmmhs* 
 ther were j crapulous in enquiring, whe- nor h&haw 
 ther they were 'tvajFd or fpr inkle d y Cli- inde venientes 
 mcks or Peripateticks. Which paffa- nonhtmogm- 
 ges alone are a fufficient proof,' that utijfcTpr* 
 the generality of the Church look'd M uvfumu 
 upon fprinkling as enough , where pf^fjfy™ 
 there was any juft neceffity to con- cypr.ibid. ' 
 ftrain it. But fo (to omit other 
 proofs ) we may be fatisfied even by 
 that Canon (x), which was made -x)CoLEcci. 
 againft fome of the foremention d ^£%3£ 
 Clinic ks j The utmoft, that Canon 
 
 pretended 
 
6z Of the outward Yijtble Sigri 
 
 pretended to do againfl: them, being 
 the hindring them from being -promo- 
 ted to the Priejlhood , as that too , 
 not becaufe of any unlawfulnefs in 
 thq manner of their Baptifm, but 
 becaufe there was fbmetime a pre- 
 fumption y that that Baptifm proceed" 
 ed rather from neceffity, than choice , 
 <y) De Pewit, or that they had ( as Tertullian (y) 
 &p. 8. /peaks , defend the receiving of it , 
 
 that they might in the mean time in- 
 dulge to their fins, as nothing doubt- 
 ing , hut their future Baptifm would 
 wipe off all. There being therefore 
 no doubt to be made ( fb far as the 
 judgment, or pra&ice of the Church 
 can warrant us) that necelEty doth 
 juftifie a bare Jfperfwn in Baptifm ; 
 Enquire we, for our farther confir- 
 mation in it, what there was in the 
 Scripture to induce them to it, or 
 eftablifh us in the belief of it* 
 Which I conceive to be their under- 
 (0 1 Pet. 3. flanding from thence (£), that though 
 2l - Baptifm was the thing, that fav'd, 
 
 yet it was not fb much by its wash- 
 ing away the filth of the flefh, as from 
 that anfwer of a good Confcience , 
 which it did involve; That, though 
 the external wafhing was aifb necef 
 
of Baptifm* 6$ 
 
 iary inks kind, and, where it might 
 be had, in thofe circumftances alfb, 
 wherein it was inftituted, yet fince 
 God had declared *, That he would * Macc.12.7* 
 have mercy , and not facrifice , there 
 was reafon enough to believe , 
 that he required no farther a 
 compliance in this particular, than 
 was confiftent with the fafety of 
 Mens lives to afford*, efpecially, 
 when what was wanting in the ap- 
 plication of the outward vifiblefiga 
 might be made up by the form of 
 words j wherewith it was admini- 
 ftred, and Men admonifhed thereby 
 of thofe fignifications of Baptifm, 
 which the vifible fblemnities thereof 
 did not fiiggeft. For, the feverai 
 ends of Baptifm being thus fecur'd, 
 there was ftill the left reafon to be 
 fcrupulous about the means , or think 
 God would be rigorous in exafting 
 them. But lb they might be yet 
 more affurM ( as it appears St. Cy- 
 prian f was) by what the Prophet f ubifupra, 
 Ezekiel * brings in God as fpeaking ^ k - 
 concerning the times of t\\zMeffiah\ 25 , e 
 Even that he would fprinkle clean 
 Water upon them^ and they Jbottld be 
 dean from all their ftthinefs , and 
 
 from 
 
^4 0/ ^ e Q utmr d Yifible Sign 
 
 from their Idols. For as it ap- 
 COtt 2 "^. pears from what follows ( * ) , e- 
 ven that God would £/W the per- 
 Ions there fpoken of a new heart , 
 And a new Sprit , tafe 48?^y //w 
 7%$ £^r£ from them^ and put 
 his ownffirit within them y that this 
 whole paflkge was fpoken more par- 
 ticularly with reference to the times 
 of the Meffiah, Maimonides himfelf 
 (b)Expik. (J?) fo applying this, and the like 
 Tratf. sanh. c paffages ; So we cannot therefore 
 cock! Port. better interpret the J prink ling of clean 
 Mo)is,p.i6o.i. Water upon them in order to it, 
 than of the Water of Baptifm, and 
 which the Spirit of God exprefling 
 by the term of fpr inkling of Water 
 fhews it to have forefeen a neceffity 
 of its being fo adminiflxed often- 
 times, and his own allowance of it* 
 All which things whofbever fhall 
 confider, will, I doubt not, fee rea- 
 fbn enough to think, that neceffity 
 may juftifie an Afferfion in Paptifm, 
 and nothing more therefore left to 
 enquire upon this Head, than what 
 may be look'd upon as fuch a necefc 
 fity, which will bring the queftion 
 yet nearer to our felves. Now as 
 there can be no doubt of ficknefs be- 
 ing 
 
offBaptifrri* 6 5 
 
 ing fuch, and particularly fuch a 
 ficknefs , as fattens Men to their 
 Beds) So we fhall therefore have 
 nothing more to confider of, than the 
 cafe of Infants, and to whom as 
 Baptifm is generally adminiftred, lb 
 it is alio performed by an effufion , 
 or iprinkling. With whatneceffity* 
 is the thing we are to enquire, and 
 lb much the rather becaule the Greek 
 Church uleth irrimerfion, or dipping 
 to this very day, and the Mufcovi- 
 ti(h Church after its example. For 
 if the coldnefi of any Clime may be 
 thought to make that Rite dange- 
 rous to fuch- tender Bodies , one 
 would think they of the Utter ihould 
 find it to be fiich , and therefore fee 
 a neceflity of changing it. For the 
 clearing whereof we are to know , 
 that as they, who life the Rite of 
 immerfion , even in warmer Coun- 
 tries, are fo fenfibie of the tendernels 
 of Infant Bodies , that they make 
 ule of warm Water to baptize 
 them ; So the Mufcovites making uft 
 of it without any danger ( if yet 
 they always do fo ) will not make 
 it ceafeto be fuch to Infants of other 
 Countries : There being , as every 
 
 F one 
 
6'6 Of the outward -vifible Sign 
 
 one knows, no final! difference be- 
 tween the Bodies of Infants, as well 
 as thole of Men , and to fbme of 
 whom therefore, and in lome Coun- 
 tries that may be exceeding dange- 
 rous, which Infants of other Coun- 
 tries find no fuch inconvenience by, 
 And indeed as fuch an Immcrfion of 
 Infants, efpecially in thefe Northern 
 parts, cannot generally be thought tb 
 be without its hazard, how warily 
 and carefully ibever managed ; As 
 it may be yet more hazardous to 
 weaker Infants, and whom, as it 
 would not be thought fit to deny Bap- 
 tifm to, fo as little, to do any thing 
 to fend them out of the World ; 16 
 I am apt to believe upon fecond 
 fe) Ey.pl of thoughts (for I have elfewbere (c) 
 me Creed, in fpoken more hardily concerning it ) 
 oS.^k? that that Rite came to be difufed here 
 rteo. alter a iufncient proor or the mcon- 
 
 veniencies thereof; Becaufe (as£- 
 (dyuLPamL rafmus notes (d), it was in ufe among 
 
 innot.adCyfu u$ even [ n \^ s t [ me anc J t he LitUf- 
 
 epifi. aii Mag- / , , , - r r 
 
 mm. g&h r ^ at * iave ^ en in * orce * ince 9 
 
 not excepting the prefent one, feem 
 
 rather to perfwade the ufe of it. For 
 
 our Fore fathers being fb drangely 
 
 tenacious of that Rite, and both they, 
 
 and 
 
ofBaptifm* > 67 
 
 and their pofterity not without a ve- 
 nerable opinion of it, it cannot well 
 be thought they fliould come at length 
 lb generally to difufe it, but that 
 they found by experience, that it 
 was not without its hazard 9 and 
 fb more prudently omitted. How- 
 ever it be, our Church hath acquit- 
 ted it felt' from all blame , becaufc 
 manifeftly licenfing (e) the [prink- (e) See the 
 Urn of Infants with refpeft to the £ ll r br ofB apt. 
 
 o r - . . n a lTt before the 
 
 weakneis ot their State ; And 1 nave words, 
 the more carefully noted both that, 3j baptise 
 and the ground of our practice, the U)C£ * ^ c ' 
 better to defend our feives from a 
 retort of the Romanifts, when we 
 charge them with Sacrilege in the 
 matter of the Eucharifi for taking 
 away the Cup from the Laity. For 
 why not (as they fometime anfwer) as 
 well as change the Ritt of Immerfion 
 in Baftifm into that of fprinkling ? 
 Efpecially, when a great part of the 
 Symbolicalnefs of that Sacrament lies 
 in the manner of the application of 
 its fign. Which Anfwer of theirs 
 were not in my opinion eafie to be 
 repefd, were it not, that we have that 
 neceflity to juftifie our practice, which 
 they cannot pretend for their own. 
 
 V 2 Having 
 
68 Of the outward rvijtble Sign 
 
 Having thus faid enough concern- 
 ing the applying of the outward fign 
 of Baptifm, whether by an Immerfion, 
 or Afperfion , which was the firft 
 thing I had to confider ; Enquire we 
 in the next place how often that ap- 
 plication ought to be made, that is 
 to fay whether as many times as 
 there are perfbns in the God-head , 
 into which we baptize, or once for all 
 into the three. The ground of which 
 queftion is not only that diftintt 
 profeffion of the Trinity, which Bap- 
 tifm w r as intended to declare, but the 
 appearance there is of the Churches 
 ufing a threefold immerfion from 
 the beginning. For, not to mention 
 any other proofs, Tertullian, who 
 flourished within an hundred years 
 * Tert. de a- a f te r the laft of the Apoftles, doth 
 Erll'qt*- not on ty mention the threefold im-, 
 rmnu an& merfion , as a thing in uie in his time, 
 reditu nifi ^ ut as a ^ino; which was derived to 
 
 fcnpta nonde- j=> . 
 
 hq rmfijpu- them from * I radition, and which, 
 
 ne negabimus 
 
 recipiendam, fi nulla exempli prsjudicsnt aliarum obfervatiomtm, mas fine 
 uttiusfcriptura inftrumento, folius tradition! s titulo, & txinde coifuetudinis 
 Patrocijiio zindicamus. Denique, ut a Baptifmo ingrediar, Aquxm adi- 
 tm ibidem, fed & [aliquant o prius in Ecdefia, fnb Antifiitis mam contf-, 
 ftamur , nos renmiare D'ubolo, & pomps , & angelic ejus. Dtbivt 
 ter mergitamnr 9 amplins illiquid refpondentes, qnkn Vnminm in Evat- 
 £?Uq detemhavit. Jam adv. Fraxeam e, 26. 
 
 confider- 
 
ofSaptiftn, £9 
 
 confidering the time wherein he liv'd, 
 cannot well fall iliort of an Apofto- 
 lical one. And thus much certain- 
 ly ought to be allow'd to this, and 
 other teftimonies , that in or near 
 the Apoftolical Age, the more fully 
 to exprefs that diilinction of perfbns, 
 into the Faith of which Chrift com- 
 manded to baptize, Men were with 
 the command, or allowance of thole 
 who prefided in the Church, plung- 
 ed into the Baptifmal Water at the 
 mention of each perfbn's name. But 
 as that threefold immerfioh cannot 
 be collected from the command of 
 Chrift, becaufe fimply enjoyning to 
 baptize into the Faith of the Trini- 
 ty, and which one immerfion may 
 declare as well as a threefold one ; As 
 there is as little appearance ©f fuch 
 a threefold immerfion from the ac- 
 count we have in the Scripture cf 
 the administration of it t So it is but 
 reafonable to think, that as ancient 
 as it was, yet it was poftnate to the 
 fingle one, and had its rife from fbme 
 Men's beginning to call the Do- 
 Qxine of the Trinity in queftion 
 / as we find by Tertullian they did 
 very early ) and, the. better to colour 
 
 F I their 
 
7o 
 
 Of the outfpdrd Yfihk Sign 
 
 their own errour, as well as to over- 
 throw the other, admoniihing Men 
 from St. Paul, that Baptifm was pe- 
 culiarly intended to baptize Men 
 into ChrifPs death. For befide that 
 they , who confider the primitive 
 face of Chriftianity , will need 
 no other proof than that to perfwade 
 them to believe, that the more Am- 
 ple any Rite is, fo much the more 
 ancient it ought to be 
 
 f ''e/ 77* cn&oLtikfS nrpr&vT*- thought to be ) That 
 
 zps P» Tei'ct 0&in7<rfjUL-mjju£* jtvoftolick Canon \ > 
 
 pvncnas &nTi>X<s* , irti %; which commands the 
 
 3*irv<rt**€i< ttevawnw- depofim of him y who 
 
 j*Mu»owto&*»-h* jhonltnot ufe a three- 
 
 nmv o yjjei(gr.&{ T da yam]/ J r i i - r J 
 
 „ / _ i '% fold immersion , out a 
 
 ^75f, &c. fawTiZomtti* \mgle one, doth not lo 
 "izovo^a re mTpfoy ^ 7s ij«j £ much as preterr tne 
 n*w*Try<&(Ae.T©'. Can. 50. threefold immerfion to 
 
 the fingle one '(imply , 
 and abfolutely confidered, but as oppo- 
 fed to th'dt Jingle one, which was made 
 ufeof to baptize Men into the death 
 of our Lord, and not into the Faith 
 of the Trinity. Thereby not only 
 not condemning the fingle immerfion 
 confidered in it felf, but alio intima- 
 ting the triple one to have been ra- 
 ther inftituted at firft to obviate that 
 ' • 2 here* 
 
of SapL/pn, y* 
 
 heretical opinion. And if this were 
 the rife of the triple Xmmerfion, as 
 is probable enough from the pre- 
 miums ; The fingie one , /abk-'a&ing 
 from any command oftheCh .:■■"'■ to 
 the contrary, will atleaft be as law* 
 ful as that , and nothing therefore 
 left to us to enquire, butwhatisto 
 be thought of thoie additions, which 
 were anciently made, or continue as 
 yet in being in the outward Ibiem- 
 nities of Baptifin. 
 
 4. As touching the additions, 
 which were anciently made in this 
 particular, and concerning which 
 they , who defire an- account, may 
 meet with an ample one in Dr. Cave's 
 Primitive Chrijliamty ( / ') J They (£) Pare i.c» 
 were either fuch, as they thought IOt 
 more peculiarly warranted to them 
 by an Apoitolical Tradition , of 
 which nature till better information 
 I muft needs think the triple Im- 
 merfion to have been , or fuch as 
 were brought into the Church by 
 thofe, who prefided in it, thq.more 
 effe£iually to declare the intention of 
 that Sacrament, to which they were 
 added by it. Which they thought 
 they might moft affaredly do, if 
 : . F -4 they 
 
Y% Of tie outward njifible Sign 
 
 they' made ufe of fuch farther Rites, 
 as did reprefent yet more to their 
 fenfes what that Sacrament was in- 
 tended to declare. And indeed, as 
 that way of Inftru&ion was in part 
 warranted by the Sacraments them- 
 felves, becaufe profeffing by fenfible 
 things to teach Men Spiritual ones ; 
 As it became yet more neceflary by 
 the grofnefs of the Vulgar fort, and 
 that infinity of Ceremonies, to which 
 they had been before accuftomed : 
 So that, which afterwards made them 
 faulty, was either the exceeding mul- 
 titude thereof (and which experience 
 allures us doth rather obfcure , yea 
 overwhelm the thing fignified by 
 them, than help toward the decla- 
 ration of it ) or their advancing by 
 degrees into the fame repute, or ne- 
 ceffity with the figns of Chrill's own 
 Inftitution. Which is fb true, that 
 they came in fine to be reprefented, 
 as means, and conveyers of Grace, 
 as well as fignificative thereof ; 
 Thereby making them Sacraments, 
 rather than appendages of fuch ; and 
 which whofoever goes about to do, 
 muft neceffarily ufurp the place of 
 God, and Chrift, as to whom alone 
 
 it 
 
of (Baptifml j -> 
 
 it doth belong (becaufe the only 
 givers of Spiritual Graces ) to make 
 any ceremony the conveyer of them. 
 But as that Church , whole Cate- 
 chifm I explain, hath been fb far 
 from multiplying Rites in Baptifm, 
 that ihe hath contented her felf 
 with one fingle one, even the Sign 
 of the Crofs ; So fhe hath fb explained 
 her own meaning in it, both in that 
 form of words (g), wherewith fhe fe)intheO& 
 appointeth it to be made, and in a ficeofBa P c - 
 Canon (Jj) deviled exprefly for that 0) Can. 30. 
 purpofe, that it will not be eafie for 
 confiderate Men to believe, that fhe 
 reprefents it as a Sacrament, or indeed 
 that fhe may not require the confor- 
 mity of her Children to it. Only, 
 becaufe they, whofeparate from the 
 Church, have made the injunction 
 of that Ceremony one of the parti- 
 cular reafbns of their feparation 3 
 and occafion may well be taken from 
 thence to fhew the ground both of 
 that, and others, which are as yet re- 
 tained in the Church oiEngUnd^ I will 
 fet my felf to confider the exceptions, 
 that have been made againft it, and 
 return a particular anfvver to them. 
 Now there are three forts of char- 
 
 ges 
 
7 A ®f ^ ?e mtwur ^ ^' l fi^ e Sign 
 
 ges , which are brought againft this 
 Ceremony, and which therefore it w 11 
 be necefTary to confider ; Its being a 
 Ceremony, and lb lels agreeable to 
 a fpiritual, and fubftamial Reli r ion ; 
 Its being an addition to the Inftim- 
 tion of Chrift, and therefore imply- 
 ing fbmething of imperfection in 
 that ; As laftiy, its being; a relique of 
 Popery, or giving too much counts, 
 nance to the errors of it, 
 
 The Jfirft of thefe is .certainly one 
 of the moft unreafbnabie" charges , 
 that weie ever advanced again 
 Church by the Adv.erlaries theifeojS 
 As will appear if we confider the 
 nature of thole, for whole educati- 
 on that, and the like Ceremonies were 
 intended, The ufe fuch things are 
 of to procure refpeft to thole Inftitu- 
 tions, to which they are annexed, And 
 the nature of that Religion, with 
 whole Offices they are intermixed. 
 
 That I alledge as one ground of 
 this , and the like Ceremonies the 
 very nature of thole Men, for whole 
 edification they were intended,is their 
 being compoled of Flefh, as well as 
 Spirit, and confequently the need 
 they {land in of fuch fenfible helps 
 
 to 
 
of Saptifm. j*j 
 
 to awaken their underftandings to con- 
 iider, and their affe£tions to embrace 
 what they were defigned to reprefent. 
 For being fo fram'd, it is not eafie to 
 believe, that, if there were not feme- 
 what in all actions of moment to 
 affefl: Men's fenfe, they would in- 
 tend them as they ought, or be du- 
 ly affefted with them. Of which 
 yet if any doubt be made, we have 
 the conftant practice of the World 
 to juftihe it, becaufe rarely, if ever, 
 filtering that , which was fuch 
 ( though there wanted not words to 
 exprefs their meaning ) to pais with- 
 out feme vifible folemnities. Thus, 
 as Mr. Hooker (J) did long fince ob- (f) EccLPoi. 
 ferve, Abraham proceeded' with his li. 4-§- 1 - 
 Servant, becaufe not only obliging 
 him to take a Wife for his Son out 
 of his Kindred , but to accompany 
 that Oath of his , with the putting 
 of his Hand (£) under his Matter's CO Gen. 24, 
 Thigh. And thus too Ifrael made jjj : 2 '" 9 ' 
 feph fwear (/), that he would not CO— -47-29*. 
 bury him in Egypt : Both of them, 
 as is not unlikely, from feme recei- 
 ved cuftom of that time, becaufe as 
 they fay (/»), yet obferved in feme (m^Vatabi. 
 of the Eaftern parts, and as a token in Gen. 24, 2; 
 
 of 
 
7 6 Of the outward <vlfible Sign 
 
 of the homage the Party fwearing owM 
 tothofe to whom they fwore, and of 
 their readinefs to execute it in the 
 thing fworn to by them. In like 
 
 (») Vbifupra. manner, as the fame Mr. Hooker (#) 
 hath alfo obfervd, it was an Ancient 
 manner in Ifrael concerning redeeming, 
 and exchanging for the Man, who 
 refus d to redeem, to pluck off his Shoe, 
 
 0) Ruth 4. 7. and (0) give it to him, that would; 
 As among the Romans, when they 
 made any Man Free, not only to 
 declare before the Magistrate, that 
 they inrended to make him fuch , 
 but to Strike him on the Cheeky to 
 turn him round, and have his Hair 
 flhav'd off, the Magistrate, after that, 
 touching him with a White Rod , 
 and bellowing a Cap , and a White 
 , Garment on him. Of which, and 
 i {.inrtQ other inftances, that might 
 be produced, what account can be 
 give :i, but that Men have generally 
 thought fuch fblemnities but requi- 
 site to imprint the things, to which 
 they were annexed, upon the minds 
 of thofe, that were concerned, and 
 procure a due eftimate thereof? But 
 to it appears, that they themfelves 
 were in a great meAfiire perfwaded, 
 
 who 
 
of Haptlfm. 77, 
 
 who fhew'd themfelves the greateft 
 Enemies of the Ceremonies of the 
 Church ; Becaufe obliging thole ? 
 that took their folemn League , and 
 Covenant, to fwear to the Contents 
 thereof with their hands lift up to 
 the mojl High God, as is exprefTed in 
 the very entrance of it, For why that 
 Ceremony of lifting up of the hands y 
 efpecially in a Covenant, that was in- 
 tended to beat down the fuppofed 
 fiiperftition of the Church of England, 
 were it not that they themfelves 
 found it in a manner neceffary to 
 awaken the minds of Men to intend 
 the Religion of it ? 
 
 But befide. that humane nature 
 doth, by the very contexture of it, 
 require fiich kind of fblemnities to 
 awaken their minds, and affections ; 
 It is not a little to be confidered of 
 what ufe they are to procure refpeci 
 to thofe Infkitutions , to which they 
 have been at any time annexed* For 
 may not Men obferve that ufefulnefs 
 in the fblemnities of all civil affairs ? 
 and particularly in thofe fblemni- 
 ties, which are obferv'd in Courts of 
 judicature ? Doth not the very rai- 
 fing high of thofe Benches, on which 
 
 the 
 
7 8 Of the outward Viftble Sign 
 
 the Judges fit, admonifh Men of 
 their Superiority over them? Do 
 not thofe Robes, whereby they are 
 differenced from other Men, draw 
 the Eyes of the Vulgar to them, yea 
 mind them of that greater difference 
 there is between the Judges , and 
 themlelves, as to that power, where- 
 with they are alfb inverted ? Have 
 not the fame perfbns therefore (what- 
 ever clamour hath been raisM againft 
 things of that nature) kept up them, 
 and the like folemnities among them ? 
 Have they not done it in thofe very 
 inftances, which have been fcrupled at 
 in the Church $ For how fuperfti- 
 tious a thing in a Bifhop, or other 
 Clergy Man hath the ufe of that Cap 
 been, which thefe earthly Gods the 
 Judges , and when they are about 
 their great Mailer's work , do not 
 only not icruple at, but diligently 
 retain? As knowing, thatfhchmatks 
 of diftinction do naturally lead Men 
 to confider thofe perfbns, or things , 
 to which they are apply 'd, as of a 
 peculiar nature, and accordingly, if 
 they deferve it, to refpeft them. 
 And if fuch be the ufefulnefs of ex- 
 ternal folemnities in other matters , 
 
 why 
 
of Bdptifin. 79 
 
 why fhould they be excluded from 
 our Religion ? Nay, why fhould they 
 not ( confidering the momentoufc 
 nefs thereof ) be rather applied 
 to it? 
 
 Efpecially if we confider thirdly 
 the nature of that Religion , with 
 whole Offices they are intermixed * 
 by us. For though that do more 
 peculiarly call us to the intending 0^ 
 fpiritual things ; Though it do loud- 
 ly proclaim the abrogation of the ' 
 Ceremonial Law of Mofes 7 and not 
 obfcurely condemn the fubftituting of 
 any the like burdenfbme one : Yet 
 as it no where condemns fuch a num- 
 ber of Ceremonies, as may ferve the 
 better to lead Men to the contem- 
 plation, and regard of fpiritual things, 
 lb it' gives a fufficient countenance to 
 1 them by the Sacraments I am now 
 upon , and by thofe other ufances , 
 which were in vogue with the firft 
 ProfeiTors of it. For how can that 
 Religion be look'd upon as an enemy 
 to Ceremonies, which requires Men 
 to be initiated into it by the water, 
 and immerfion of Baptifm f Yea to 
 keep up their intereft in it by par- 
 taking of the Bread, and Wine of the 
 
 Eucharijij 
 
8o Of the outward Yiftbk Sign 
 
 Eucharift, thofe figns of our Saviour's 
 Crucified Body, and of the fpiritual 
 benefitswe reap by it ? And though 
 we do not find that our Saviour 
 inftituted any other Ceremonies, or 
 at leaft not with a defign of giving 
 them the fame lafting obligation ; 
 Yet as we find our Saviour giving 
 command to his Difciples, when he 
 firft lent them out to Preach , to 
 (/>) Mark 6. (hake off the dufi of their Feet (p ) 
 lu againft thofe that would not hear 
 
 them, as a teftimony of their con- 
 tempt of Gods word , and of their 
 own refblution not to have to do 
 with them in the like kind, which 
 was a kind of Excommunication of 
 them ; So we find that Paul , and 
 Barnabas ( though under no obliga- 
 tion from the former command , 
 becaufe but a temporary one ) {hook 
 ($)A2si3. off the duff of their feet (q) againft 
 5i- thofe Jews of Jntioch, that reje&ed, 
 
 and expelled them , as the fame 
 S. Paul after that, when the Jews of 
 Corinth oppofed themfelves, and blafc 
 phem'd , {haking hU raiment at 
 CO'—- 18. *. them (r), as a teftimony of his re- 
 jecting them, in like manner, and 
 leaving them to go unto the Gentiles, 
 
 For 
 
ofBaptifmi 8t; 
 
 Vor what was this but to declare by 
 a fignificant Ceremony, that as they 
 had rejected the Counfel of God to- 
 ward themfelves , lb God had r£je- 
 £ted them in like manner, neither 
 would that his Mihifters fhould make 
 the like propofals to them ? The 
 fame is yet more to be laid upon the 
 account of Imp o fit ion of hands , and 
 which, though from no Command 
 of Chrift, was either ufed, or ap- 
 proved by the Apoilles themfelves , 
 bothmthzOrdinationofMimttersCf^ ill 2Tm! * 
 and receiving penitent Sinners to Ab- 
 folution (0,° and pardon. For thefe [2 l Tm * 
 being noted Acts of that Religion , 
 which we profefs, and yet by the 
 allowance of the Apoftles themfelves 
 tranfa£ted by the Ceremony of Im- 
 position of Hands, make k evident, 
 that our Religion doth rather com- 
 mend , than reject fuch vifible fb- 
 lemnities, where they are fparingly, 
 and difcreetly apply "d. 
 
 That firft charge agairift the fign 
 of the Crofs being thus wip'd off, 
 even that which pretends to dif- 
 card it upon the account of its be- 
 ing a Ceremony '; Let us fee, whe- 
 ther it be likely to fuffe-r any more by 
 
 G the 
 
$2 Of the outward mnfible Sign 
 
 the pretence of its being an addition of 
 Men to the Infiitution of Chrijf, yea to - 
 one 3 that is not without vifible solem- 
 nities of his own anointment : Such ad- 
 ditions feeming to imply the imper- 
 fection of that, to which they are 
 made , and which there is the lefs 
 reafbn to believe in the pretent affair,, 
 becaufe care hath been taken by our 
 Saviour as to the outward form of 
 its Adminiftration , as well as to 
 more material things. And furely 
 fb fiich Additions might very well 
 be thought to do, if either they were 
 reprefented as of the Ejfence of the 
 Sacrament, or our Saviour had pro- 
 feffed to prefcribe, or direfl; the whole 
 form of the Adminiftration of it. 
 But as it is notorious enough, that 
 the Church of England doth not 
 repretent the fign of the Crofs as 
 pertaining to the ElTence of the Sa- 
 crament 5 becaufe adminiftring it 
 after Baptiim firft given, yea after 
 the mention of the Minifter's recei- 
 ving the baptized perfon into the 
 Congregation of ChrijPs flock ', So our 
 Saviour isfb far from prefcribing the 
 whole external form of its Admjni- 
 ftration ? that he hath left us to the 
 
 general 
 
ofBaptifvu #3 
 
 general tenour of his DoQxine, and 
 the directions of our own reafbn, 
 even for thofe things that are more 
 material , yea for fuch as are dire- 
 cted (ji) by thofe very Men, who 00 See the 
 cry out againft us for adding to ^AdSnS 
 Chrift s Inftitution. • For where , ftrarion of 
 I befeech you , is there any pre- Ba P clfm ' 
 fcription of other words concerning 
 Baptifm, than what is imply'd in 
 that fhort belief, into which he com- 
 mands to Baptize ? Where to admo- 
 nifhall, that are prefent, to look back 
 to their own Baptifm, and to repent of 
 the violations of the Covenant they 
 made with God in it ? Where any 
 directions for requiring the Parent of 
 the Child to bring him up in the 
 nurture of the Lord, yea to require 
 the Parents fblemn promife for the 
 performance of it ? Nay where, which 
 is of all others the moft material > 
 any Prayer to Almighty God for the 
 ian&ifyirig of the Water he is going to 
 make ufe of, and which 1 no way 
 doubt is neceffary to the Coniecra- 
 tion of it ? All, that the Inftitution 
 of Baptiiln reprefents to us, being 
 the baptizing thofe, that offer them- 
 felves to it, in the name of the Fa- 
 
 G 2 ther, 
 
$4 Of the outward nviftbk Sign 
 
 ther, and of the Son, and of the Ho- 
 ly Ghoft. Now if our Saviour hath 
 not profeffed to prefcribe, even as to 
 the things before directed,- but left 
 Men to the general condu£fc of his 
 Do&rine , and the guidance of their 
 own reafon ; What appearance is 
 there as to his prefcribing after what 
 external form, and order, all thefe 
 things were to be done, and which if 
 he hath not, there is no doubt the 
 Gaveraours of the Church may or- 
 der, as they fhall fee fit, yea do fb 
 without any fear of being thought to 
 charge his Inftitutions with imperfe- 
 ction? They being not to be thought 
 to do ib T tvha prescribe rules concern- 
 ing thole things, w T hich the Inftitu- 
 tions of Chrift profefi not to give per- 
 fect directions in. The only thing, 
 which hath occafion'd Men's mifap- 
 prehenfions firft, and then their pafc 
 fing fb fevere a Cenfurc uppn hu^ 
 mane prefcriptions in this kind, is an 
 hafty opinion they have taken up of 
 ChriJTs being as particular in direct- 
 ing the external management of fa- 
 cred Duties, as Mofes appears to have 
 been as to the fervices of the Law. 
 ?or which yet they have had no-o- 
 
 thcr 
 
■of'Baptifm. %< 
 
 ther pretence, than a mifapplied Text 
 of the Author to the Hebrews (rv) , (w} Heb. 3.2. 
 even ChrifPs being as faithful in that 
 koufe of God, which was committed 
 to his charge , as Mofes was in his. 
 But befide that there appear not any 
 fuch particular directions from God 
 to our Saviour, as there were Pome- 
 time given to Mofes •, and our Saviour 
 therefore not to be look'd upon as un- 
 faithful , for not reaching out fuch 
 particular directions to us ; Befides 
 diat, if our Saviour did not furnifh 
 fuch particular directions, yet he 
 hath furniflied his Church with 
 a far greater portion of his Spirit , 
 and which may ferve to it as a guide 
 to fit thofe Services for its refpeCtive 
 members ; Befide laftly that the Ser- 
 vices he enjoynd, becaufe to be exer- 
 eifed among people of feveral Nati- 
 ons, and humours, were not capable, 
 as to circumftances, of fuch ftriCfc li- 
 mitations, as that , which was to be 
 cxercifed in one fingle Nation only ; 
 There is nothing more evident to 
 thole, that read the Scriptures, thaa 
 that Chrift hath given no fuch par- 
 ticular directions, and all Arguments 
 from Chrift's fidelity therefore of no 
 
 G 3 more 
 
$6 Of the outfbard y'tfible Sign 
 
 more avail in this affair, than thofe, 
 which the Papifts are wont to draw 
 from the wifddm and gocdnefs ofGod y 
 toward the proving of an Infallible 
 Guide. For as no wife Man will be 
 perfwaded by fuch Arguments againft 
 the Teftimony of his own fenfes , 
 which affure him of the errours of 
 thofe j whom they would have to be 
 Infallible; So no considering Man 
 . will be perfwaded by the other into a 
 belief of thofe particular directions , 
 which are not any where to be feen , 
 nor which they themfelves , who 
 maintain thofe directions, have yet 
 been able to fhew. For when thev 
 have faid all they can toward the e- 
 vincing of their Conclusion, the ut- 
 moft they are able to prove is, that 
 Chrift hath given fbme general cu- 
 reftions concerning the Adminiftra- 
 tion of religious Offices, and which 
 as it doth not prejudge the giving 
 of more particular ones, fo doth 
 much lefs make them to reflect any 
 imperfection upoa the Inftitution ot 
 Chrift, becaufe pretending not to con- 
 cern itfelf about them. 
 
 One other Charge there is, which 
 is more peculiar to the fign of the 
 
 Crofsy 
 
■tfBaptifm. 8^ 
 
 Crofs, and that is its being a reliqite of 
 tPoperyj ox: giving too much countenance 
 to the Ptfijls . abufes of it. But as 
 .they, who advance the former of 
 thefe, make Popery much more A n- 
 tient, than it is for the advantage of 
 Protefiantifm to allow ; It being cer- 
 tain from Tertullian (x), that this CO^ttrwl 
 
 cup °. 
 
 Ceremony was in life in his time in 
 almoft all the aftions they fet about ; 
 So our Church hath taken care 
 to prevent in its own Members all 
 mifapplications of it , or the giving 
 the leaft encouragement to thole, 
 <that are made of it by others ; Part- 
 ly by confining the ufe of it to the 
 Adminiftration of Baptifm, and part- 
 ly by reprefenting it as only a token 
 of Men's being not afhamed to own 
 the Faith, and reproaches of him., 
 who differed upon it, Which is cer- 
 tainly a more proper courfe to diP 
 countenance Popery , than it can be 
 thought to be to remove the ufe of 
 it altogether : Becaufe at the fame 
 time we di(avow,the errors of that, 
 we fhew by our Praftice our allow- 
 ance of the Ceremony it felf, and y 
 together therewith, our accordance 
 
 G 4. with 
 
18 Of the ouftoard rvifible Sign, 8cc. 
 
 with the Primitive Church, which 
 is the only plaufible thing the Papijis 
 Have to boulfter up their own caufe, 
 or reproach us with the negleft of. 
 
 f.u 
 
8p 
 
 ■*»■— >^m r- 
 
 A 
 
 DIGRESSION 
 
 Concerning 
 
 ORIGINAL SIN, 
 
 By way of 
 
 PREPARATION 
 
 TO THE 
 
 Following Difcourfes. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 Of the ground of the prefent Digref 
 fion concerning Original Sin, and 
 enquiry thereupon made, what Ori- 
 ginal Sin is. Which is (hewn in the 
 General to be fuch a corruption of 
 the Nature of every Man y that U 
 naturally engendered of the off-fpring 
 of Adam, whereby it becomes averfe 
 from every things that is goody and 
 inclinable to every things that is 
 
 eviL 
 
A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 eviL The future of that corrupti- 
 on more particularly enquird into, 
 nndjhewn by probable Arguments to 
 he no other, than a Privation of a 
 Supernatural Grace. That there is 
 fuch a thing? as we have before de- 
 fcribed, evidenced at large from the 
 Scripture, and that evidence farther 
 Jlrengthned by the experience we 
 have of its effects, and the acknow- 
 ledgments of thewijer Heathen. En- 
 quiry next made from whence it had 
 its beginning, whkh is fljewn to have 
 been not from any evil 'Spirit > or 
 D^mon, the pravity of matter, or 
 the evil habits the Soul contracted 
 in a prxexiflent (late, but from the 
 pravity of oar firfi Parents. This 
 lajl at large confirm d- out of the 
 Doctrine of the Scripture, and fol- 
 lowed by [ome light refections upon 
 the means, by which it is co?iveyed. 
 A more jufi account from the Scri- 
 pture of its being truly , and pre- 
 fer ly a fin, partly from its having^ 
 the title of a fin? but more efpeci al- 
 ly from its being reprefented as fuch, 
 upon the account of our Obligation 
 to the contrary. A confiderationof 
 thofc Obje£tions, which are common- 
 
Original Sin* 
 
 iy made again ft the Doctrine ofO- 
 riginal Sin ; Which are foewn either 
 not to be of that force, whereof they 
 are efteemd, or however not to be 
 a J efficient bar to what the Scripture 
 hath dec lard concerning it. 
 
 N account being thus given Queftioh. 
 
 of the outward vifible Sign ^Hffiftat ts 
 of Baptifin , which is the StSSi 
 firft of thole things I propofed to al^ace* 
 entreat of ; Reafon would, (as well Anfwer. 
 as the method before laid down) , wtfoliLt 
 that I fhould confider the things fig- auD a neVa 
 nified by it : Which, 'on the part -of fcnslitmto 
 God, and Chrift, are an inward and "jg**"*' 
 opiritual (jrace, as, on tne part or hcinff hv 
 the baptized , an Abr enunciation - of nature fcojtt 
 their former fins, and a refolution to Vi } ^Sg?^ 
 believe > and aB y as Chriftiamty ob- ^n df 
 ligeth them to do. But becaufe both a^atij, te 
 the one, and the other of thefe lup- are tyuty 
 pofe the baptized perfbns to have 55312? rf 
 Deen before in a linrul mtate, and ^ace, 
 our Catechifm in particular to have 
 been bom in it, and by that, as well 
 as by the fins they afterward con- 
 tracted, to be made the Children of 
 wrath ; Therefore it will be but ne- 
 ceffary for us to premife fbmething 
 
 con- 
 
yz A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 concerning that finfli! Eftate, as 
 which Baptifm both prefuppofeth,and 
 profefleth to provide a remedy for. 
 
 Now as that finful State, wl^pre- 
 of we fpeak , is beft known by the 
 name of Original Sin, and will there- 
 fore moft commodioufly be deicri- 
 bed by it ; So I will make it my bu- 
 finefs to enquire What that is, and 
 what appearance of the being of it , 
 from whence it had its beginnings and 
 by what means it is conveyed, whether, 
 as it hath for the moft part the name 
 ofatS7#, fb it be truly, and properly 
 ftich, and what is to be laid to the 
 Objections, that are made againft it. 
 
 I. To begin with the /fry? of thefe, 
 even what Original Sin is, and 
 which, in the general , may be de- 
 fined to be fuch a Corruption of the 
 nature of every Man, that is natural- 
 ly ingendred of the ojff-fpring of Adam, 
 whereby it becomes averfe from every 
 thing , that is good, and inclind to 
 every thing, that is evil. I call it a 
 Corruption of nature to diftinguifh it 
 from nature confidered //* it J elf, and 
 as it was in the firft formation of it; 
 Partly, becaufe Nature being, as fuch, 
 
 the 
 
Original Sin. pi 
 
 the work of God , cannot be fup- 
 pofed to be corrupt ; And partly be- 
 caufe the Scripture allures us, that 
 whatsoever it now is, God made it 
 upright*, and fb free from all cor- *W-\7* 2 * 
 ruptions whatfoever. But fo alfb do 
 I entitle it the Corruption of the 
 Nature of every Man, th.xt is natu- 
 rally ingendred of the ojf-fpring of A- 
 dam : Tartly, becaufe the Scripture, 
 where it entreats of it, reprefents 
 all Men as under the Contagion of 
 it, and partly to exempt our Lord 9 
 and Saviour from it, who was ingen- 
 dred after another manner , and 
 whom the fame Scripture affures to 
 have been free f from all fin, yea to f 20*5.21. 
 have been Jo % from his Birth. I * Luk< 
 call it laftly fuch a Corruption of hu- 
 mane Nature, whereby it is averfe 
 fro?n every thing, that is good, and 
 inclind to every thing, that is evil. 
 Which I do upon the account of 
 the Scripture's representing it as a 
 finful (a) one, and which, as fuch, (^Pfa.51. 5, 
 will make thofe in whom it is, a- 
 verfe from good, as well as inclinable 
 to evil, yea averfe from all, that is 
 good, and inclinable to allzvil : Be- 
 caufe good, yea. a!] good is ppofite 
 
94 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 to fuch an eftate, and evil, yea all 
 evil connatural to it. If they > in 
 whom that corruption of nature doth 
 as yet abide, be not always a&ually 
 prevailed upon to reject that good 7 
 from which we have affirmed them 
 to be fb averfe , or to purfue that 
 evil , to which we have affirmed 
 them to be inclinable , it is not 
 becaufe they want any averfenefs for 
 the one, or inclination to the other, 
 but for fbme other collateral consi- 
 derations : Such as is, for example , 
 the reputation, or advantage, that 
 may accrue to them from the efpou- 
 iing of any thing, that is good, or 
 the omiffion of any thing, that is evil. 
 For all good, and all evil being of one 
 uniform nature, becaufe becoming 
 good or evil by the conformity they 
 bear to the divine Laws, or by 
 their deviation from them ; where 
 there is an inclination to any thing, 
 that is good, there muft be an incli- 
 nation to all, that is of the fame na- 
 ture ; as on the other fide where an 
 averfenefs from any thing , that is 
 evil, an averfenefs for all that, which 
 is alike a tranfgreffion of the Divine 
 Laws, But as therefore nothing can 
 
 hinder 
 
Original Sin. pj 
 
 fiinder us from reprefenting natural 
 corruption as making Men averfe 
 from all tliat is good, and inclinable 
 to every thing that is evil \ So neither 
 can any thing oblige us to extend 
 the force of it fb far, as to make it 
 to determine them in all their actions, 
 and accordingly to carry them to an 
 aftual rejeftion of all, that is good, 
 or a purfuance of all , that is evil ; 
 Partly becaufe Men may, and often 
 do a£t contrary to their natural aver- 
 iions, or inclinations, where there 
 is hope of temporal advantage, or 
 fear of any temporal evil ; And part- 
 ly, becaufe we do not only find few 
 natural Men proceeding to the ex- 
 tremity of Impiety, but find alfb great 
 variety among them in the omiffion 
 of good Atcions , or the commiilion 
 of thofe that are eviL Of which 
 variety what account could be given, 
 when the Corruption of Nature is, 
 and muft be equal, becaufe all Men 
 were alike in, and are alike defcended 
 from Adam j were it not that even 
 that Corruption leaves place for the 
 performance of many good, and the 
 avoiding of many things, that are 
 evil ? For to afcribe that variety ei- 
 ther 
 
y6 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 ther wholly, or principally to the 
 different degrees of God's reftrain- 
 ing Grace, is not only to fpeak with- 
 out all Authority, that I know of, 
 but to take away all diverfity be- 
 tween the evil demerits of natural 
 Men, and, together therewith, all 
 different degrees of punifhment ; 
 yea to make the Corruption of Na- 
 ture the only proper ground of pu- 
 nifhment. For as, if there be no- 
 thing but God's reftraining Grace to 
 take off natural Men from falling 
 into the worft of fins, the greateft 
 a&ual finner cannot deferve more 
 punifhment, than he who offends in 
 a far lefs degree ; Becaufe all demerit 
 arifeth from the pravity of the will, 
 which is not more or lefs for the 
 meer abfence, or pretence of God's 
 reftraining Grace : So the greateft 
 aftual finner cannot become obnoxi- 
 ous to punifhment upon the fcore of 
 any other Corruption than that of 
 Nature ; That as it makes all his 
 aftual fins to be neceffary, and there- 
 fore in reafbn to bear the whole 
 blame, and punifhment, fo receiving 
 no new aggravation from the want 
 of that reftraining Grace , which 
 
 might 
 
Or'mnal Sin. 
 
 97 
 
 might have withheld the party from 
 them, in as much as that want ( if 
 it be a fault) is no lefs the refultof 
 his natural corruption, than his actu- 
 al offences are. But therefore alio 
 ^s we cannot look upon nacurai cor- 
 ruption as determining Men to all 
 their attual errours, without taking 
 away all diverfity between the ae° 
 merits of natural Men, yea making 
 natural Corruption the only proper 
 ground of t:ieir punifhment ; lb 
 they, who do fb, will be found to 
 contradifl: the declarations of the 
 Scripture, as well as the allowed pra- 
 ftice of the World. For why, if there 
 be no difference between the deme- 
 rits of natural Men, fhould thofe$ that 
 are in Authority , mete out different 
 punifhrnents to them according to 
 the different degrees, or kinds of 
 thofe offences, which they commit ? 
 Nay, why fhould the Scripture af- 
 firm , that it fhall be more tolerable . 
 for ibme finners (£), than for others (h)iMiiih 
 at the great day of judgment ? That, 22 > 2 4- 
 as it is a judgment of righteoufhefs, 
 lb being coniequently to mete out 
 equal punifhrnents to all finners, if 
 there be but an equality in their de- 
 li merits, 
 
9 8 A Digreffion concerning 
 
 merits. Again, if natural Corrup- 
 tion be upon the matter the only 
 . proper ground of puniflimcnt, as it 
 muft of neceffity be , if it be the 
 unavoidable cauie of actual fins ; 
 How comes the Scripture to declare, 
 that God will reward every Man ac- 
 (ORom.2.£. cor( n n g t0 his works \c ), yea the 
 
 f d \ 8# wicked (d) according to his works , 
 
 as well as the righteous according to 
 theirs ? For if natural Corruption 
 be the only proper ground ofpunifh- 
 ment, the works of Men in proprie- 
 ty of Speech can have no concern- 
 ment in it, and much lefs fas the 
 Scripture declares) be the principal 
 objeft of judgment , and therefore 
 of that punifhment, which it fhall 
 award. The utmofl: in my opinion, 
 that can be {aid in this particular, is 
 that as Men by the Corruption of their 
 Nature are averfefrom every thing, 
 that is good, fo that averfenefs will in- 
 difpole thofe,in whom that Corruption 
 abides, to all good actions whatsoever, 
 and infallibly take them off from them, 
 where either feme work of God up- 
 on their minds doth not thruft them 
 on to them, or the comelineis, or pro- 
 fitablenefs thereof fhall not more 
 
 ftrongly 
 
Original Shu < 
 
 Itrcrigly impel them to the pradtice 
 of them. The former whereof will 
 make the confent of fuch perfbns 
 even to thofe good adtions, which 
 they perform, incomplete, and im- 
 perfedt ? and indeed a confent to 
 them rather as expedient, than good ; 
 whence it is that our Church (e) (0 &*.-*!■ 
 reprefents them as having the nature 
 of fins : The hfter caufe them to 
 negledt all fuch, as are not in a man- 
 ner thruft upon them by God, or 
 have not one of the former motives 
 to incite them to the pradtice of them, 
 yea prefent to their minds \ when 
 thev ought to make ufe of them. 
 
 J CD 
 
 "Which will occafion fuch perfbns 
 for the mod: part to negledt all 
 good actions , where there is not. 
 place for ferious thoughts, as in cafes 
 of furprife , or where they have 
 not been habituated to the pradtice 
 of vertue, or to the confideration of 
 the comelinefs or profitablenefi there- 
 of. But as where there is place 
 for ferious thoughts, there may be 
 place alfo for the former motives to 
 impel Men to the pradtice of that, 
 from which they are otherwife fuf- 
 ficiently averfe ', So it is not unlikely 
 
 H 2 that 
 
I CO A Digreffwn concerning 
 
 that the minds of thole, who have 
 been before habituated to the pra- 
 ctice, or contemplation of Vertue 9 
 may be thruft on by the former mo- 
 tives to purfue many things, that are 
 good, yea acquit themfelves Angu- 
 larly in them. Of which yet if any 
 doubt be made, we have the lauda- 
 ble example of leveral Heathens to 
 convince us thereof, and who, be- 
 caufe Heathen, cannot be fuppofed 
 to be free from the power of natural 
 Corruption, or to be thruft on by 
 other motives, than the former, to 
 the doing of fuch a&ions , from 
 which they are naturally lb averfe. 
 In like maimer, As Men by the Cor- 
 ruption of their Nature are inclined 
 to every thing that is evil, as well as 
 averle from every thing that is good ; 
 So that inclination will difpole thole, 
 in whom it is, to an allowance of 
 all evil a£tions, and infallibly betray 
 them, into them, where God's re- 
 ftraining Grace doth not withhold 
 them, or the indecency, or dangerous 
 confequences of the other do not a- 
 like keep them back. The former 
 whereof will make their abftainins 
 even from thole evil aftions, which 
 
 they 
 
Original Shu 10F 
 
 they avoid, to be but an imperfeQ: 
 abftinence from them, and indeed 
 an abftinence from them rather as 
 inexpedient, than evil y The latter 
 caufe them to fall into all fuch, from 
 which they are not reftrain'd by 
 God, or by a prefent, and intenfe 
 confideration of the indecency, or 
 danger of them. Which will occa- 
 fion fuch perfbns for the moft part 
 to fall into all evil aftions, where 
 there isnotroomforferious thoughts, 
 as in cafes of furprife, or where they 
 have not been habituated to the a- 
 voiding of vice , or the confiderati- 
 on of the indecency, or dangeroufc 
 nefs thereof. But as, where there is 
 room for ferious thoughts, there may 
 alio be place for the former reafbns 
 to take them off from the practice 
 of that, to which they are other wife 
 fuffiqently inclined ; So it is not un- 
 likely, that the minds of thofe, wha 
 have been before habituated to the 
 avoiding of Vice, or the confiderati- 
 on of the indecency, or dangeroufhefs 
 thereof, may be taken off by the 
 former reafbns from the purluit of 
 evil things, yea acquit themfelves 
 
 H 5 fingu- 
 
jp% A Vigrcffwn concerning 
 
 Angularly in it. As is farther evident 
 from the refinance, that hath been 
 made by feveral Heathens to all the 
 temptations of fin , and who, be- 
 caufe Heathen, cannot be fuppos'd 
 either to have been free from natu- 
 ral Corruption, or to have been ta- 
 ken off by other means , than the 
 former, from the doing of thofe evil 
 a£tions,to which they were fo ftrong- 
 ly inclined. 
 
 ]iut becaufe what we have hither-: 
 to faid concerning the Corruption of 
 our Nature doth rather tend to fbew 
 what effects it hath upon us , than 
 what that Corruption is ; And be- 
 caufe that word y whereby we have 
 c'hofen to exprels it, is butzMeta- 
 p;. .rial one, and will therefore lerve 
 yet left clearly to declare the thing 
 intended by it ; Therefore it may 
 iccm but reafbnable to enquire yet 
 farther, what it &, and wherein it doth 
 confijl) as without which we fhall di£ 
 courfe but imperfectly concerning it. 
 Now as that queftion cannot other- 
 wife be fblv'd, than by the knowledge 
 of that Eft ate 5 of which it is af- 
 firmed to be a Corruption ; So I fhall 
 
 therefore 
 
Original Sin. 
 
 e> 
 
 io 3 
 
 therefore enquire again what that 
 Eft ate was, and then what relation 
 this Corruption beareth to it. As 
 touching that eftatc, wherein God 
 did at firft create our Nature, moft 
 certain it is firft (for fb Solomon (/) QfyEccl^: 
 affirms it to be) that it was an e- 2 9* 
 ftate of uprightness, that is to fay fuch 
 an eftate as fitted Man for the obe- 
 dience of all thofe Laws, which God 
 had obliged him to perform. That, 
 as it is the moft ufual fignification 
 of the word we render upright, and 
 accordingly rendred by the Chaldee 
 Paraphraft right, and innocent before 
 God, fb beft anfwering the account 
 before given concerning the depra- 
 vation of humane Nature, and par- 
 ticularly in thofe of the Female Sex. 
 For Solomon fpeaking in the 26th 
 verfe of the deceitf ulnefs of that Sex, 
 and of the influence that deceitfulnefs 
 of theirs would have upon finful 
 Men ; Affirming afterwards becaufe 
 reprefenting the event of his fearch 
 as contrary to the deiires of his Soul, 
 that though he could find one Man 
 Among a thoufand of a better temper , 
 yet he could not find One fuch Woman 
 among them all ; He muft confe- 
 H 4 quently, 
 
I 04, A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 quently, when he comes to fay that 
 he found only that God made Man 
 upright, be thought to mean flich 
 an uprightnefs, - as was oppofite to 
 that general depravation, whereof 
 he beiore complained. There being 
 therefore no doubt to be made that 
 God created our Nature in a ftate 
 of upright nefs, even in fuch a one as 
 fitted Man for the obedience of all 
 tho fe Laws, which he was obliged to 
 comply with ; Enquire we in the fe- 
 cond place wherein that ftate of up- 
 rightnefs confifted,but which we (hall 
 not find to be of fb eafie a refblution, 
 as the former : Becaufe there is feme 
 prefiimption of its confifting in a 
 right difpofition of our natural fa- 
 culties ; And there is fome prefiimp- 
 tion of its confifting in a fupernatu- 
 ral Grace over-ruling, and direfting 
 thofe natural faculties to thofe pious 
 purpofe, for which they were chief- 
 ly defign d. We have to perfuade 
 the former of thefe the natural abi- 
 lity of the underftanding to difcern 
 the invifible things of God by the 
 things , which he hath made , and 
 the natural propenfion of the Will 
 to embrace that r which is good , 
 
 and 
 
Orizinal Sin. 
 
 and therefore alfb the chiefeft good, 
 where that is clearly apprehended , 
 and where there is no depravation 
 in the Will ( as to be fare there was 
 not at firft) to draw it to leffer 
 ones. In fine, we have to perfwade 
 it the power die fuperiour faculties 
 of the Soul have even now over the 
 Inferiour ones, and which we may 
 well believe in that ftate of Inno- 
 cencv to have been of fiifficient force 
 to keep them within thofe bounds , 
 which God , and Nature had let 
 them. This, I lay, we have to per- 
 fwade that uprightnefs, wherein our 
 firft Parents were Created, to have 
 confuted in a right difpofition of 
 their natural faculties \ And we are 
 not without reafbn on the other hand 
 to perfwade the fame uprightnefs of 
 Nature to have confifted in its being 
 over-ruled, and directed by a fuper- 
 natural Grace : Becaufe without fuch 
 a fupernatural Grace our firft Parents 
 could not have come to the know- 
 ledge of God, but by the knowledge 
 of Created Beings, and the excellen- 
 cies thereof, and (what that know- 
 ledge would have produc'd ) a love, 
 and affe&ion for them. Which 
 
 woirfd 
 
 IOJ 
 
io6 A Digreffion concerning 
 
 would not only havt made God to 
 be lovM after his Creatures, who as 
 being the firft, and ctiiefeit good 
 ought to have the precedency there- 
 of, but endangered alfo the diminu- 
 tion of our affeftions to him by the 
 prepofTefiion of them by the other. 
 To which of thefe two reafonings 
 to give the preeminency is hard to 
 lay, and I will not therefore be o- 
 ver pofitive in determining concern- 
 ing the force of them, nor therefore, 
 whether Original Righteoufhefs were 
 a right difpofkion of our natural 
 faculties , or a fupernatural Grace 
 over-ruling, and directing them. But 
 as how equal fbever thole reafon- 
 ings may be in themfelves, yet no- 
 thing will hinder our inclining rather 
 to the one, than the other, if the 
 Scripture, which is the beft judge of 
 things of that nature, feem to favour 
 fuch an inclination ; So I muft needs 
 (£)Gen.i. fay that the Scripture (£) leems to 
 28, &c favour thofe reafonings, which makes 
 Original Righteoufhefs to be a Su- 
 pernatural Grace : Becaufe not only 
 rep^efenting Adam as imbued from 
 the very firft with the knowledge of 
 God, which yet he could not be 
 
 without 
 
 2.I5,&C. 
 
Original Smi 107 
 
 without a revelation from him, but 
 as moreover freely converging with 
 God, and receiving both Laws, and 
 priviledges from him. For as it ap- 
 pears from thence, that God did im- 
 mediately fhine upon his mind, and 
 fb far forth therefore influenced 
 him by a fupernatirral Grace, fb it 
 is not unlikely that he, who fb fhone 
 upon his mind, did as immediately 
 influence his will, and affeftions, and 
 fb difpofe him to a compliance with 
 thofe Laws he imposed upon him : 
 That, as it was but agreeable to the 
 immediate illumination of his undem- 
 anding, fb becoming yet more neceP- 
 fary by the different inclinations of his 
 Flefh, and Spirit, and which the pre- 
 tence of a Supernatural Grace may 
 feem but requifite to bring to a due 
 compliance with each other, and with 
 thofe Laws, which God had im- 
 posdupon them both. Andlfhall 
 only add, that if that uprightnefs , 
 wherein our Nature was at firft Cre- 
 ated, were no other than a Super- 
 natural Grace, as is at leaft highly 
 probable from the former reafbnings, 
 and the declarations of the Scripture ; 
 We {hall* need to afliga no other 
 
 relation 
 
108 A Digrejfton concerning 
 
 relation of that Corruption of Na- 
 ture, whereof we fpeak, than that 
 of a fimfle privation of the other. 
 For if the deiires of the Flefh could 
 fb far prevail even under a fuperna- 
 tural Grace, as to carry our firft Par 
 rents to the eating of that fruit , 
 which God had fb feverely forbidden 
 them ; The fimfle privation of that 
 fupernatural Grace may well fiiffice 
 to give birth to all our evil inclina- 
 tions, and confequently pafs for a 
 fiifficient account of that Corrupti- 
 on of our Nature , whereby , as I 
 laid before, we become inclinable to 
 Evil, as well as averfe from Good , 
 and which what evidence we have 
 of the being of, is in the next place 
 to be enquir'd. 
 
 II. Now as we cannot certainly 
 better inform our felves concerning 
 the prefent ftate of our Nature , 
 than from him who, as he was the 
 Author of it y fb is intimately pre- 
 lent to it > So I will therefore begin 
 with that account, which he hath 
 given us of it, and which we fhall find 
 to bear an ample Teftimony to that 
 Corruption, whereof we fpeak. For 
 die evidencing whereof I will fhew 
 
 Firft, 
 
Original Sin. 1 ^ 
 
 Firft, that it affirmeth all Men what- 
 fbever to be under fin, yea under a 
 perpetual courfe of it. Secondly , 
 that it affirmeth them to be fb from 
 the time they begin to be in a capa- 
 city to offend. Thirdly, that they are 
 fb from a principle bred in them , 
 and derived to them from their 
 birth. 
 
 i. That all Men are under fin 
 S. Paul doth fb fully declare, that 
 we fhall need no other Teftimony 
 than his to evince it ; More parti- 
 cularly, where he affirmeth that both 
 Jews and Gentiles (Ji) are all under fin ; (j>)Rom. 5. £ 
 That though the former may feem 
 of all others to have been moft free 
 from it, yet the Law (i) had not (Q — j 9 , 
 ftuck to affirm, that there was none 
 (Jz) righteous j even among them, no CO— io/&c, 
 not one ; That there was none that 
 under flood, none that fought after God ; 
 That they were all gone out of the way,, 
 they were altogether become unprofitable^ 
 that there wis none •, that did good ', no 
 not one ; In fine, that all the World 
 
 muft thereby (/) be look'd upon as (/) t $ 
 
 guilty before God, becaufe, as he af- 
 terward (jn) fpsaks, all have finned, (m)~ m2 $ 
 and come fbort of the glory of God. 
 
 But 
 
 4 - 
 
no A jbigrejfion concerning 
 
 But fb the fame Scripture did long 
 before declare, with an addition of 
 - ' all Men's being under a per- 
 petual courfe of fin, as well as in 
 fbme meafure tainted with it ; It 
 being not only the voice of God 
 concerning that part of Mankind , 
 that liv'd before the flood, that every 
 
 00 Gen. 6* $. imagination (n) of the thought of their 
 heart was only evil continually, but a- 
 like intimated by him concerning 
 that part, which was to follow, 
 even to the end of the World. For 
 
 (0 — 8. 21. affirming* as he doth (o) , that he 
 would not any more drown the World, 
 becaufe the imagination of Mans 
 heart is evil from his youth, he both 
 fuppofeth that Mankind would again 
 give occafion to it by their evil ima- 
 ginations ( as without which o- 
 therwife there could be no occafion 
 for God's fufpending it ) and that 
 Mankind would do fb alio in every 
 individual, and Generation of it : The 
 former , becaufe he fpeaks of the 
 imaginations of Mankind in the ge- 
 neralj and which are therefore to be 
 extended to all the individuals of it ; 
 The latter, becaufe if any Generati- 
 . on of Men were likely to be free from 
 i » thofe 
 
Oririyial Sin. 1 1 1 
 
 CD 
 
 thofe imaginations, there would fo 
 far forth have been no need of his 
 declaring, that he would not drown 
 the World, becaufe no ground for 
 bringing it on the Inhabitants there- 
 of. But therefore, as we have rea- 
 lon to believe from the places before, 
 recited, that the World always was, 
 and will be under fin, yea under 
 a conftant courfe of it ; So we flhail 
 be yet more confirmed in it, if we 
 compare the latter place with the 
 former , as the likenefs, that is be- 
 tween them, will oblige us to do : 
 There being not a more apt fenfe 
 of that latter Speech of God , than 
 that he would not again drown the 
 Earth, becaufe he knew the imagi- 
 nations of Men would be as evil as 
 they had before been,and he therefore, 
 if he were difpos'd to take that ven- 
 geance, to bring a flood often upon it, 
 to the no profit of thofe, that inhabi- 
 ted it, as well as to the defacin^of the 
 Earth itfelf Which will make the 
 condition of Man to be fb finful, that 
 it cannot be otkerwife, unlefs by fbme 
 powerful means delivered from it. 
 
 2. But lb alio may we inferrfrom 
 thence, which was the fscond thing 
 
 to 
 
II % 
 
 A Digrejfim concerning 
 
 .to be prov'd, that all Men are un- 
 der fin from the time they begin to 
 be in a capacity to offend : That, as 
 it affirms the imagination of Mens 
 heart to be evil, fb to be evil from 
 their Touth, and, as I fhould there- 
 fore think, from the time they be- 
 gin to be in a capacity to be guilty 
 of it. Not that that Age, to which 
 we are wont to give the denomina- 
 tion of Youth) is the firft wherein 
 Mankind begins to be in a capacity 
 to offend ( for there is but too much 
 evidence of that in the riper years 
 of Childhood) but that we cannot well 
 underftand that Text of any other 
 youthful Period, than that wherein 
 Mankind begins to be in a capacity to 
 reafbn, and confequentiy alfb to of- 
 fend : Partly , becaule the word we 
 render Touth is fcmetime us'd even 
 /p) judges for infancy (p), and ought not there- 
 is- 7- fore without manifeft reafbn to be 
 
 Exod. 2. 6. removec l t00 f ar f rom i t j B ut more 
 
 efpecially becaule it is the manifeft 
 defign of God in the place we fpeak 
 of to aggravate the evil of Men's 
 imaginations from the earlinefs there- 
 of, and that ear line fs therefore to be 
 carried as high, as the capacity Men 
 
 are 
 
Original Sin. 1 1 1 
 
 ape in to imagine evil will fuflfer the 
 doing of it. 
 
 j. Now as nothing therefore can 
 be wanting toward the proof of Ori- 
 ginal Corruption, than that they, 
 who are fb univerfally, and ft early 
 under fin, -are fd alfb from an in- 
 ward principle, and fuch an inward 
 principle too, as was derived to them 
 from their birth ; fb we fhall not it 
 may be need any other proof of that, 
 than their being fb univerfally, and 
 early under the other : The former 
 of thefe perfwading Men's being 
 under fin from fbme inward princi- 
 ple, the Utter from fuch an inward 
 principle, as is deriv'd to them from 
 their Birth. That I make Men s be- 
 ing fb univerfally under fin, an argu- 
 ment of their being fb from fbme 
 inward principle , is becaufe as fo ge- 
 neral an effeQ: mult be fuppofed to 
 have fbme general Caufe , fb no 
 external Caufe, how general fbever, 
 can be fuppofed to produce it with- 
 out the afiiftance of the other. As 
 will appear if we confider the force 
 of example , and which as it is the 
 molt general, and the moft effeftu- 
 al external Caufe, that can be aflign'd, 
 
 i 
 
114 d. Digreffwn concerning 
 
 fb is that, into which they who de- 
 ny the Corruption of Nature, are 
 wont to refblve the univerfality of 
 fin. For neither firft is even Ex- 
 ample of fb great force, as infallibly, 
 and univerfally to draw Men to the 
 imitation of it ; For fome Men are 
 Vertuous, even when they have an 
 ill example before them, and others 
 as Vitious, where they have a good. 
 Neither fecondly hath it any force , 
 but vvhat it receives from Men's apt- 
 nefs to imitate thole, with whom 
 they converfe. Which as it will 
 make it neceiTary for us to have re- 
 courfe to an inward principle, even 
 for thofeeffe£ts, which are produced 
 by the mediation of example, lb 
 make our very aptnefs to imitate the 
 evil examples of others, a branch of 
 that inward principle, which we af- 
 firm to be the caufe of fb univerfal 
 an impiety. Only becaufe we are 
 yet upon Scripture proofs, and which 
 the more exprefs they are, fb much 
 the more conviftive ; Therefore I 
 fhall yet more particularly endeavour 
 to evince. from thence, that as all 
 Men are under fin, fb they are fb by 
 an innate principle. But fb S. Paid 
 
 g gives 
 
Ordinal Sin. 
 
 c^ 
 
 1 1 j 
 
 gives us clearly enough to underftand, 
 becaufe both afferting fuch a princi- 
 ple, and that all aftual fins are the 
 iffues of it : The former, where he 
 reprefents even the Mas, who was 
 under the conviftion of the Law 
 f and who therefore might be fup- 
 posM to be moft free from the con- 
 tagion of fin ) as Carnal , yea fold 
 under it (of) , as one, who had fin (ji)kom.j. 
 dwelling in him ( for lb he affirms no I4j 
 
 lefs than twice (rj) and as one too, CO — — — ■■?. 
 who had a law in his members (f) ~ ~" 2 °* 
 that warred againjl the law of his 
 mind , or ( as he afterwards entitles 
 it ) a law of fin ; The latter, where he 
 reprefents that carnality ', and fmful ca- 
 ptivity, under which the Jew was, as 
 the caufe of his doing what he would 
 
 not (f), and omitting what he would , CO *5« 
 
 That fin, which dwelt in iiim, as do- 
 ing all the evil (V) he' committed, (u) — 17.20. 
 And that law, that was in his mem- 
 bers, as warring againjl the law of his 
 
 mind (w), and bringing him into Capti* 0*0 -23. 
 
 vity -unto the law of (in. For what more 
 could be faid on the one hand to fhew 
 the thing S. Paul there fpeaks of to 
 be an inward evil principle, and which, 
 becaufe even in thofe, who were un- 
 
 I 2 der 
 
 4 
 
\y6 A Digreffion concerning 
 
 cfcr the Law, is much more to be fup^ 
 poled in the Gentiles? Or what more 
 oa the other to flhew that evil principle 
 to be the parent of our a:inalfws, yea 
 tha: which rives bein^; to them all. And 
 I know nothing to take oif the force 
 of it, but a fuppofitiori of St. Pants 
 fpeaking in that place of Evil habit s,. 
 and which as they mull: be confeP- 
 led to be of the. fame pernicious effi- 
 cacy with Original Corruption, fo 
 to have been for the moft part the 
 condition both of Jew, and Gentile, 
 before they came to be overtaken by 
 the GofpeL But how firft fuppofmg 
 the Apojlle to have fpoken only of 
 evil habits (for nothing hinders us 
 from affigning them a part in that 
 Body of fin ) Ho\V firft, I fay, dotli 
 that a^re^witli the account he be- 
 fore gave concerning fins ehfring tn 
 ( x ) Rom. 5. (jc) by Adam, and our being confti- 
 J2. tuted (j) fi/wets by him. For 
 
 though Original Corruption may 
 come from him, yet evil habits can 
 be only from our fefves , and coil- 
 fequently thofe fins, that flow from 
 them ? How fecondly fuppofing none 
 but evil habits to be here intended , 
 Can we make that Body, or taw of 
 
 4 fi"> 
 
 (j>-— ip. 
 
Crkinal Sou 
 
 **7 
 
 fix, whereof S. Paul {peaks, to be the 
 portion of all, that are under an ob- 
 ligation to Baptifm, as that Apoitle 
 plainly fuppofeth, when he makes 
 the defign of BaptiCn (£) to be the CO— •*•*• 
 deft ruction of it ? For to fay nothing 
 at prefent concerning the cafe of in- 
 fants, becaufe the belt evidence of 
 their Obligation to Baptifm is the 
 Corruption of their Nature, and that 
 Obligation therefore rather to be 
 prov'd from Natural Corruption , 
 than Natural Corruption from it ; 
 Neither can it be deny'd, even from 
 the Commandment *, that our Sa- f Mat 28,T ^ 
 viour gave concerning .Baptifm, that 
 all adult perfbns are under an. Obli- 
 gation to it, nor therefore but that 
 they carry about them that body of 
 fin, which Baptifm was intended for 
 the deftruftion o£ But fo all adult 
 perfbns cannot be fuppofed to do, if 
 that body of iin be no other , than 
 evil habits; Becaufe it mult be fome- 
 time after that maturity of theirs 
 before they can come to thofe evil 
 habits, or therefore j;o be under an 
 Obligation to that Satrament) which 
 is to deftroy it. In tine, how iup- 
 pofing none but; evil habits to b$ 
 
 I 5 intended 
 
B 1 8 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 intended by that body, or Uw of fw, 
 whereof the Apoftle lpeaks, can we 
 give an account of fo holy, andjufi 
 a LaWj as that of Mofes is, Jlimng 
 tj- Rom, 7.9. \ Concufifcence in thole, that are un- 
 der it, and not rather hindring it 
 from coming to effeft. For as 
 nothing hinders the propofing of that 
 Law before inch perfbns come to 
 any evil habits, and therefore alio 
 before there is any thing in them to 
 ftir them up to fuch a Concupifcence ; 
 go nothing can hinder that Law , 
 when duly propofed to them , from 
 preventing all fuch Concupifcence, as 
 it was the defign of the Lawgiver tg 
 forbid : Becaule as the perfons we 
 fpeak of muft be fuppofed to be 
 without any contrariety in their Na- 
 ture to the matter of that Law , 
 which is proposed ; So they muft alio 
 be fuppos'd to be in that ftate , 
 wherein God had fet them, and ( be- 
 came God cannot be thought to 
 place Men in any other eftate, than 
 that of uprightness) in fuch a ftate, as 
 wi make them willing to liften to 
 the di s Laws,and receive their dire- 
 ftiG: vomthem. By which means 
 the d;virie Laws flhall rather keep 
 
 Men's 
 
Original Sin. 1 19 
 
 Men s Concupifcence from coming 
 to efreft, than give any occalion for 
 the ftirring of it. I conclude there- 
 fore from that, as well as the former 
 arguments , that the evil principle 
 fpoken of by S. Paul cannot be evil 
 habits , and confequently nothing 
 more left to us to demonftrate, than 
 that it is derived to us from our 
 Birth, or rather from our Concepti- 
 on in the Womb, which is all, that 
 is affirmed concerning Original Cor- 
 ruption. Now that that evil prin- 
 ciple, whereof we (peak, is derived 
 to us from our Birth, will become 
 at leaft probable from what was be- 
 fore faid concerning the earlmefs of 
 Men's being under fin, yea their be- 
 ing fb , as the Scripture inftru&s 
 us, even from their Touth. For as 
 it is hard to believe, that all Men 
 fhould be fb early under fin, if it 
 were not from fome inward princi- 
 ple, that was antecedent to that Age 
 ( For what fhould otherwife hinder 
 fome of them at leaft from prefer- 
 ving their integrity for fome time , 
 efpecially fuppofing, ( as that tender 
 Agemaketh itreafonable tofuppofe) 
 a more peculiar watchfulnefs of the 
 
 I 4 Divine 
 
120 
 
 A Vkveffton concerning 
 
 Divine Providence over it? ) So it 
 will be much more hard to be- 
 lieve , fuppofing that evil principle 
 to be antecedent to their Youth , 
 that it fiiould not be derived to them 
 from their Conception, and Birth : 
 The Ages preceding that being not 
 in a capacity to produce in them- 
 felves fuch an evil principle, and there- 
 fore to be fupposM to have had it 
 tranfmitted to them together with 
 their Nature, and fo alio by the 
 fame means, and from the fame time, 
 in which that their Nature was. 
 And indeed , as even the tendered 
 age falls under death, and not unrea^ 
 fbnably therefore concluded to be 
 fbme way, or other under fin, if (as 
 
 f Rom. 5. $2. S. Paul f fpeaks ) death enter d by it, 
 and fo fafPd upon all Men, for that 
 all have finned ; So there want not 
 fbme places of Scripture, which do 
 yet more direftly evince, that the 
 firft beginnings of our Nature are 
 tainted with that, of which we fpeakt 
 
 (4) job. 14.4. Of this fort I reckon that of Jot? (a), 
 which is fb commonly apply'd to this 
 affair, even his demanding of God , 
 
 H>y~~M, &c, with reference to himfelf (£), and 
 all other Men, who could bring a 
 
 clean 
 
Original Sin. 1 1 1 
 
 clean thing out of an unclean ? and 
 thereby therefore intimating that it 
 was not to be done. For as it is 
 manifeft from his alledging that the 
 better to countenance his own expo- 
 stulation concerning Gods bringing 
 him into judgment , that by the una- 
 voidable uncle annefs there intimated 
 muft be meant a finful one, as which 
 alone cpuld either difpofe him to 
 fuch actions, as could be a proper 
 matter for judgment, or be alledged 
 in bar to a fevere one : So it is a- 
 like manifeft from Job's asking, who 
 can bring a clean thing out of an un- 
 clean, that Men are not only fo un- 
 clean in their Nature, but that they 
 become fo by thofe evil principles , 
 out of which they are brought, and 
 fb alio from the time that they were 
 feparated from them. Of the fame 
 Nature is that of our Saviour, where 
 he afferts the neceflity of Men's be- 
 ing born again of water , and the Spi- 
 rit ^ upon the account of their being 
 before but flejhic), becaufe bom offiefh. ^ j oh 6 
 For as we cannot well underftand 
 our Saviour of any other flejb y than 
 flefh corrupted, or rather of the whole 
 Nature, that is fo ; Partly becaufe 
 
 of 
 
ill A Vigrejfion concerning 
 
 of the oppofition , that is there made 
 (d)ibid. (W)' between a flefhly, and fpiritual 
 temper, and partly becaufe that is 
 the moft ufiral notion of it in the 
 CO Rom. 7 . New 00 Teftament : So neither 
 Gal. 5? 1 p, 24. therefore but conclude all Men to 
 become fuch flefh by tho& flefhly per- 
 fbns, from whom they are born, and 
 fb alfb from the time that they re- 
 ceive their being from them. But 
 of all the Texts of Scripture, which 
 are commonly alledged in this af- 
 fair ( even the earlinefs of that evil 
 principle , wherewith we have faid 
 all Men to be imbued ) there is 
 certainly none of greater force, than 
 C/)H&$i.$. ^e profeffion, that David makes (/), 
 that he was {bapen, or born in ini- 
 quity ', and conceived by bis Mother m 
 fin ; That, if it entreat of the Cor- 
 ruption of humane Nature, making 
 it as early as the firft beginnings of 
 it, becaufe fpeaking as manifeftly of 
 (g) mm. its Conception (g), and Birth. And 
 Amot.inio- i nc i eec J as W e have noreafbn to be- 
 lieve from any thing the Scripture 
 hath faid concerning David, or his 
 Parents, that what he fpake of his 
 own formation was to be underftood 
 of that alone ; fo we have much lefs 
 
 rea- 
 
Original Sin. 123 
 
 reafbn to believe, that he intended 
 any other thing by the fin, and ini- 
 quity thereof, than that Original 
 Corruption, whereof we fpeak. For 
 befide that the letter of the Text is 
 moft agreeable to that notion, and 
 not therefore without manifeft reafbn 
 to be diverted to another ; Befide 
 that that fenfe is put upon it by the 
 moft eminent Fathers (Ji) of the r h \ Vo rr tPtU 
 Church, and the Doftrine contained mft. 1. 2. e ' 
 in it confirmed by the concordant (f) f*{^ ~^*" 
 tefiimonies of them all ; Befide that ^ ' ' ^ J,d * 
 that fenfe hath the fuffrage of one 
 of the moft learned (k) of the Jewifh >U „ „ » 
 Writers, as the thing it ielr the con- fyr* 
 fentient belief of all the reft ; Aben 
 Ezra refblving the meaning of the 
 Pfalmifi to be, that in the hour of 
 his Nativity the evil figment was 
 -planted in his heart , even that Con* . 
 cufifcence ( as he afterward interprets 
 himfelf ) by which he was drawn into 
 fin : Befide air thefe , I fay, it is no 
 left agreeable to the fcope of the 
 whole Pfalm, and particularly to the 
 care he takes in the Verfe before to 
 condemn himfelf for his offences, and 
 fo juftifie the feverity of God, if he 
 fhould think good to take vengeance 
 
 of 
 
124 d Dtgrcffion concerning 
 
 of them. For what could be more 
 futable to that, than to lay open, to* 
 gether with his afrual fins, that poU 
 luted Fountain from whence they 
 came , and fo fhew himfelf to be 
 vile upon more accounts, than one, 
 and God to have as many reafons 
 to chaftife him? ^nd I lhall only 
 add, that as that fenfe cannot there- 
 fore be fairly refused, becaule con- 
 formable to the defign of the Pfal- 
 mifly as well as to the letter of the 
 Text it (elf, and to the interpreta- 
 tion of the AntientSj as well as ei- 
 ther ; So they feem to me to add no 
 fmall confirmation to it , who can 
 find no other means to elude it, thaa 
 by making the words of the fame 
 fence with that hyperbolical expreGion 
 of the fame Author, where he af* 
 (/)Pfa!.58 9, firms (/), that the nicked are ejt rang- 
 ed from the Womb 7 and that as foon 
 as they are born^ they go aftrayfpeak-* 
 tng lies. For as it cannot be deny'd 
 that there is a very wide difference 
 between Men's being conceive d^ and 
 born in fin, and their going ajlray from 
 their Mother* s Womb, and their own 
 birth y This latter expreffion import* 
 ing that iniquity, which follows af- 
 ter 
 
Origbial Sin. 1 15 
 
 ter it , whereas the former denotes 
 the condition of the Conception , 
 and Birth it felf : So it is evident 
 from what the Plalmift adds in the 
 place alledged concerning the wick* 
 ed's f peaking lies, that he there en- 
 treats of attu&l fins , which as no 
 Man denies to require a more ma* 
 ture Age for the perpetration of, lb 
 make it neceffary to allow an Hyper* 
 bole in it ; Whereas the place we in* 
 lift upon hath not the leaft urn* 
 brage of aftual fins, and is there- 
 fore under no neceflity of being in- 
 terpreted conformably to it. 
 
 But becaufe it can hardly be ima- 
 gined, but if there be fuch a thing 
 as Original fin, it will produce futa- 
 ble effects in thofe, in whom it is ; 
 And becaufe it can as little be thought, 
 but that thofe effe£ts will lye open 
 to the obfervation of all, that fhall 
 take the pains to reflect upon them ; 
 Therefore enquire we in the next 
 place , whether that Original Sin , 
 whereof we fpeak, doth not difcover 
 it felf by f tit Me ejfeffs, and fb add 
 yet farther ftrength to what the 
 Scripture hath affirm'd concerning 
 it. A thing not to be doubted of, 
 
 if 
 
1 1 6 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 if we reflect upon the behaviour of 
 Children , as foon as they come to 
 have any ufe of reafbn. For do 
 not fame of thofe , as the Pfalmiji 
 fa) ibid. Ipeaks (m), go aft raj from their Mo- 
 thers Womb , freaking lies ? Do not 
 others difcover in their a&ions as 
 much of malice, and revenge ? Are 
 not a third fort as refra£bory to the 
 commands of their Superiours ? Doth 
 not a fourth equally pride it £elf in all 
 it s fuppofed excellencies ? Now from 
 whence, I befeech you, proceeds all 
 this untowardnefs of behaviour, but 
 from as untoward a principle, and 
 fuch a one too, as is interwoven with 
 their very Being, and derived to them 
 with it ? For fhall we fay from the 
 force of Example ? But experience 
 allures us of the contrary , becaufe 
 vifible in fuch Children, as have no 
 fuch examples before them, and who 
 moreover do not want a fevere edu- 
 cation to prevent, or correft it. 
 Shall we then fay from fbme previ- 
 ous habits ? But the fame experience 
 allures us of the contrary, becaufe 
 it is antecedent to any evil habits , 
 and therefore not imputable to them. 
 Shall we fay laftly ( and more than 
 
 that 
 
Original Sin. 
 
 that we cannot fay) that it pro- 
 ceeds from their natural tempera- 
 ment ? But as I no way doubt, and 
 fhall not therefore ftick to confefi , 
 that the Corruption of our Nature 
 runs out that way, which our na- 
 tural temperament leads it ; So I 
 lee no neceflity to grant, that that 
 natural temperament hath any other 
 intereft in our untowardnefs , than 
 by inclining our natural Corruption 
 to that particular evil, to which we 
 are carried. For to make it any o- 
 ther way the caufe of that untoward- 
 neis is to charge it upon God , be- 
 caufe he muft be confefsd to be the 
 Author of all that is purely natural in 
 us. Only if it be faid, that that na- 
 tural temperament may incline Chil- 
 dren, before they have any free 
 ufe of reafbn, to thofe untoward- 
 nefles , whereof we fpeak, and fb 
 at length by the means of thofe un- 
 to wardneffes produce fuch an habitu- 
 al inclination to them, that their 
 more free reafbn, when they come 
 to it, fhall not be able to lurmount 
 it ; I anfwer, that that indeed might 
 well enough be granted, if we had 
 no reafon to believe, that God would 
 
 fo 
 
 127 
 
12 8 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 fo watch over them by his providence^ 
 as to hinder their natural tempera* 
 ment from having fuch an influence 
 upon them. But as we have reafbn 
 enough to believe, from the love God 
 bears to his own Workmanfhip, as 
 well as to Piety, and Vertue, that 
 he would not be wanting in that 
 particular to the eftate of Children, 
 if it were no other than fuch as he 
 himfelf had placed them in ; So we 
 muft therefore believe alfb, that that 
 temperament of theirs is not the caufe 
 of their mifearriages, but fbmewhat 
 clfe that is not from God, and which, 
 becaufe not from him, he doth not 
 think himlelf under any neceffity to 
 provide againft. 
 
 And indeed though fbme, who call 
 themfelves Chriftians, havenotwith- 
 ftanding the former evidences, op- 
 posed themfelves againft that, which 
 we have offered as the Original caufe 
 thereof; Yet have the more fober 
 Heathen, though ignorant of the oc- 
 cafion of it, both acknowledged, and 
 lamented it, and lb furnifh'd us with 
 / >^ n c a farther argument for the belief of 
 his works, it* vor thus ( as Dr. jackjon (n) 
 Book io. ch. did long fince obferve ) we find one 
 
 of 
 
Original Sin, 'lio 
 
 of them affirming that the nature of 
 h is pone to lufl 7 and another , 
 t nal tire cannot feparate jufl from 
 knjnfi. Thus a third (as the fore- 
 mentioned Author remarks) that to 
 Man of all the creatures is for row gi~ 
 ver $ p rtion, to him luxury in 
 
 .i me r able fafljions > and in every 
 Limb 7 To him alone ambit ion , and a- 
 varict, to him alone an unmeaf>irable 
 deftre of living \ In fine, that whilfl 
 it is given to other creatures 7 yea the 
 mofl favage ones , to live peacea- 
 bly 7 and orderly together, Man is na- 
 turally an enemy to thofe of his own 
 flock. To the fame purpofe are thofe, 
 tohich are quoted by Grotius ( o ) 7 g^J'pae 
 if they are not alfo yet more worthy ii i2 .c. 20. ' 
 of our remark ; Such as are 9 that fi&'*$ & ® 
 
 * 7 , . . r Annotan loam. 
 
 among the other incommodities of 
 
 mortal nature there is the darknefs of 
 
 Mens mindsy and not only a neceffi- 
 
 ty of erring y but a love of err ours ; 
 
 Tr.at vpg have all finned , fome in 
 
 Weightier inflames, others in lighter , 
 
 fome of jet purpofe and defign 7 others 
 
 it may be carried away by other Men s 
 
 wickednefs 7 That we do not only of* 
 
 fendy but we (hall offend to the end of 
 
 our livesy and although fome one may 
 
 K have 
 
M° 
 
 A Digreffwn concerning 
 
 have Jo furgd his mind, that nothing 
 {hall any wore diflurb , or deceive him, 
 yet he comes t'o innocency by offending \ 
 That this evil difpoftion is Jo natural 
 to Men, that, if every one be to be puni- 
 {bed, that hath it, no Man /hall be free 
 from puniftment \ That there is there- 
 fore a necefjity upon thofe, who are 
 entrusted with the power of Chaftife- 
 ment 3 to wink at fome err ours ', He, 
 who punifteth Men, as if they could 
 be free from all fin , exceeding the 
 meafure of that correction , which is 
 according to nature, or (as another 
 hath expreffed it ) {hewing himfclf in- 
 jurious to the common infirmity of 
 Men , and forgetful of that infirmi- 
 ty, which is humane, and univerfaL 
 For as it is evident from theie, and 
 the like pafTages, that they , from 
 whom they fell, had the fame opi- 
 nion of the State of Nature, which 
 Chriftianity obligeth us to take up ; 
 So that opinion of theirs cannot but 
 add to the confirmation of our own, 
 and to the belief of that depravation^ 
 which it is the defign of this Dif 
 courfe to evince : Becaufe not taken 
 up either in whole, or in part from 
 prejudices imbib'd from Books, but 
 
 from 
 
Original Sin. 
 
 from the experience they had of its 
 effeds, and which as they themfelves 
 could not but feel, and acknowledge, 
 fb we have no reafon to queftion, 
 becaufe confcious of the like effe&s 
 of it in our felves. 
 
 III. There being therefore no 
 doubt to be made, but that there is 
 fixch a thing as Original Sin, be- 
 caufe fufficiently attefted by the Do^ 
 £trine of the Scripture, and our 
 own, and other Men's experience ; 
 It cannot but be thought reafbnable 
 to enquire, from whence it had its 
 beginning , and fb much the rather 
 becaufe both Scripture, and reafon 
 affure us, that it cannot be thought 
 to have had its Original from God. 
 Now there are but four things, from 
 whence it can be fuppofed to pro* 
 ceed, and within the confideration 
 whereof therefore this Enquiry of 
 ours will neceffarily be bounded ; 
 fbme evil D#mon 7 or Spirit; which 
 concur rs with God to our produ£Uon, 
 or the natural gravity of that matter, 
 which God makes ufe of in order 
 to it ', Some evil habit s\ which Souls 
 contracted, before they were fent 
 
 K 2 into 
 
 m 
 
f $1 r A Digreffion concerning 
 
 into their prefent bodies , or fbme 
 fravity in t h of e from whom they fir ft de+ 
 fcended, and which is transmitted 
 from them to particular fouls , and 
 perfons. The firfl of thefe opinions 
 is attended with this great inconve- 
 nience among many others, that it 
 chargeth God either with maligni- 
 ty, or impotency ; With malignity, 
 if willingly fuffering any evil fpirit 
 to mix it felf in his produfHons ; 
 With impotency, if not able to hin- 
 der it, though he would. The fe- 
 condj as it is alike injurious to the 
 power of God , becaufe fubjefting 
 that power of his to the indiipofiti- 
 on of the matter , fb it makes Ori- 
 ginal Sin to be natural, and unavoid- 
 able, and confequently alfb thofea- 
 ffcual fins, that flow from it. By 
 which means it not only renders all 
 our endeavours againft them ufelefs, 
 but cafts a blemifli upon thofe di- 
 vine Laws, which pretend to forbid 
 them, and upon thofe divine judg- 
 ments, which pretend to punifh them. 
 For neither can God without great 
 unreafbnablenefs forbid what is not 
 to be avoided, nor punifh it without 
 the imputation of injuftice. But it 
 
 may 
 
Original Siril (if 
 
 ° r 
 
 may be though Original Sin had not 
 its beginning either from fbme evil 
 fpirit, or the gravity of the matter , 
 which are the two firfl: opinions , 
 which pretended to give an account 
 of it ; yet it might, as is fiiggefted 
 in the third , anfe from fuch evil 
 habits, as Men's fouls contrafted be- 
 fore their defcent into this World , 
 and into thole bodies, wherewith 
 they are in veiled. That indeed might 
 yet more reafbnably be believ'd , 
 that I lay not alio ( abftra&ing from 
 the Authority of the Scripture) much 
 more reafbnably, than the account, 
 that is given of it from Adam y if 
 there were but equal reaibn to be- 
 lieve, that Men's Souls had any fe- 
 parate exiftence antecedently to their 
 conception in the Womb, But as 
 that is a thing for which there is 
 not any lolid ground either in rea- 
 fbn, or Scripture, and the fuppofiti- 
 on of it therefore the meer iffue of 
 fancy, and conje£ture ; So it is fuffi- 
 ciently confuted by the ignorance 
 Men's Souls are under of any fuch 
 previous eftate. For why, if Men's 
 Souls,had any fuch previous exiftence, 
 Ihould they not be confcious of it , 
 
 K ? and 
 
 3J 
 
jrj4 ^ Digrejfion concerning 
 
 and of the things, that were per- 
 formed by them in it ? Nay> why 
 fhould not God take care to fix 
 fuch a remembrance in them, that fb 
 what was wanting in their former 
 eftate might be fiipply'd by them in 
 their following one ? For as it is not 
 eafie to fuppofe, that the corrupti- 
 ble body fhould fb far ftupefie the 
 Soul, as to hinder it from emerging 
 in time out of fleep, in which it may 
 feem to have been caft, and accor- 
 dingly from calling to mind what 
 had been before tranfa&ed within it ; 
 Becaufe though the Body may be 
 fbme hindrance to the faculties of 
 the Soul, yet it doth not hinder them 
 from coming in time to exert their 
 proper operations : So it is much lefs 
 eafie to fuppofe, that God fhould 
 not however bring to it's memory 
 its paft State, and Aftions, by which 
 it offended againft him ; Partly to 
 make it fenfible of its former guilt , 
 and God's choofing to puniflh it by 
 thrufting it into a Body, and part- 
 ly to make it fb much the more care- 
 ful to break off from thofe fins, by 
 which it had before offended him ; 
 Thefe, as they are the only imagi- 
 nable 
 
Original Shi: I j f 
 
 nable ends, why God fhould thruit 
 an o^ending Soul into fiich a Bo- 
 dy , fo being perfectly loft to that 
 Soul, in which there is no confcioup 
 nefs of it's former ftate, and of thofe 
 enormities, which were contracted 
 in it. I conclude therefore, that what- 
 ever may be faid as to this particular 
 concerning Original Sin, yet it did 
 not take its rife from the evil a&s, or 
 habits of the Soul in any prasxiftent 
 • eftate, and nothing therefore left to 
 us toreiblveit into, but the depraved- 
 nefs of thofe ', from whom we all defcend- 
 ed, and from whom it is tranfinitted 
 to particular Souls, and Perfbns. 
 
 I deny not indeed, that even this 
 Account is not without its difficul- 
 ties, and fuch as it will be hard , if 
 not impoffible perfectly to affoile. I 
 deny not farther, that thofe difficul- 
 ties are much enhanc'd by the igno- 
 rance we are under concerning the 
 Original of humane Souls, and which 
 whilft v/e continue under , it will 
 not be eafie for us to fhew, how 
 that depravednefs of Nature fhould 
 pais from them to us.But as thofe diffi- 
 culties are no ways comparable to the 
 difficulties of t wo of the former, even 
 
 K 4 thofe, 
 
■% 1 6 A Vigreffton concerning 
 
 thole, which refblve Original Sin in* 
 to the malignity of fbme evil fpirit, 
 or the pravity of matter ; So they 
 can much leis be thought to be of 
 force againft the teftimony of the 
 Scripture, if that (as I fliall after- 
 wards fhew ) favour its arifing from 
 the pravity of our firft Parents :■ 
 Partly becaufe the thing in queftioa 
 is a matter of faft, and therefore to 
 be determin'd rather by teftimony , 
 than the force of reafbn, and partly I 
 becaufe the teftimony of Scripture is 
 the moft Authentick one, as being 
 no other than the teftimony of God. 
 Now that there wants not fuffici- 
 ent evidence from thence, that that 
 Original Sin , whereof we fpeak y 
 arifeth from the pravity of thofe , 
 from whom we firft defcended, will 
 appear if thefe three things can be 
 made out ; Firft, that the fin of all 
 mankind enter'd in by Adam \ Se- 
 condly, that it enter'd in by Adam not 
 meerly as the firft that committed 
 it, or tempted other Men by his ill 
 example to do the like, but as more, 
 or lefs the caufe of all their fins by 
 his own ; Thirdly that he became 
 the caufe of all their fins through 
 
 his, 
 
Original Sin, 157 
 
 his, by depraving thereby his own 
 Nature, and then communicating 
 that depravation to thole, that de- 
 fended from him. 
 
 That the Sin of all Mankind enter'd 
 in by Jdam, will need no other proof, 
 than that known Text of S. Paid if), (/ORom. *. 
 even that by one Man fin enter din- I2 * 
 to the World, and death by fin, and 
 fo death pajfed through unto all Men 7 
 for that all have finned. For as we 
 cannot well interpret the word fin 
 of any other, than the fin of all Men, 
 becauie there is nothing in the Text 
 to limit it to any particular Man's, 
 lb much lefs, when S. Paul doth af- 
 terwards affirm 7 that that death , 
 which enter 'd in by it,pafTed thorough 
 unto all Men, for that, or becaufe 
 all had finned by the means of him ; 
 That as it makes death to pafs upon 
 all Men with relpeft to their feveral 
 fins, and confequently their feveral 
 fins to be the immediate door by 
 which it enters, fb making thofe fe- 
 veral fins therefore to be included in 
 that fin, which he before affirmed to 
 be the caufeof that death, and, toge- 
 ther with it, to have entered in by 
 Adam. 
 
 t But 
 
138 d jDigreJfion concerning 
 
 But becaufe among thofe at leaft , 
 by whom the Scripture is acknow- 
 ledged, the queftion is not fb much , 
 whether all fin enter'd by Adam , 
 but after what manner it enter'd by 
 him ; And becaufe , till that be 
 known, we cannot fpeak with any cer- 
 tainty concerning the derivation of the 
 corruptnefs of our Natures from that 
 of our firft Parents or Parent ; There- 
 fore pais we on to fhew, according 
 to the method before laid down, that 
 as the fin of all Mankind enter d in 
 by Adam y fb it entered in by him , 
 not ( as Ibme have vainly deem'd ) 
 meerly as one, who firft committed 
 it, or tempted others by his exam- 
 ple to do the like, but as one alfb, 
 yea efpecially, who by the malig- 
 nant influence of his fin was more 
 or left the caufe of all thofe fins , 
 that followed it. That the fin of 
 all Mankind entered not in by Adam 
 either meerly, or principally as one, 
 who firft committed it, will need no 
 other proof than his being not the firft 
 committer of fin even in this fublu- 
 nary World, but that Serpent, who 
 tempted our firft Parents to it. For 
 as he, and his fellow Angels finned 
 
 before 
 
Original Sin. i >p 
 
 before them in thofe glorious leats , 
 in which they were firft beftow'd ; 
 So he finned alfb before them here 
 by that temptation, which he fug- 
 gefted to them, and without which 
 they had not fallen from their inte- 
 grity. Which as it is an evidence of 
 fin's not entring in by Adam in that 
 fenfe, and confequently that that 
 was not the fenfe intended by S. Paul ; 
 So is the more to be confidered, 
 becaufe S. John attributes this en- 
 trance of fin to the Devil (q), yea (^ Joh^.s. 
 makes all the committers of fin to be 
 therefore of him. But befides that A- 
 dam was not the firft of thofe that fin- 
 ned, and we therefore not lb to under- 
 stand S.Pauly whendeferibing fin as 
 entring by him ; Neither was he 
 the firft of humane kind that finned, 
 which will be a yet farther preju- 
 dice to the former furmife. For (as 
 we learn from the ftory of the Fall(r), 00 Gen. 3.^ 
 yea from this very Apoftleelfewhere) 
 (/} Adam was not deceivd^ that is rn LThn.2. 
 to fay, was not the firft that was 14. 
 fo, but the Woman being deceivd was 
 in the tranfgreffion. Which what is 
 it but to fay, that fin did not enter 
 in by Adam, in that fenfe, and con- 
 fequently 
 
j 40 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 fequently that that was not the fenfe 
 intended by the Apoftle in it ? On- 
 ly if it be faid (and more than that 
 cannot be faid in it j that we are 
 not lb to underftand S. Paul, when 
 defcribing fin as entring by Adam, as 
 not alfb to fuppofe him to connote the 
 Partner both of his Bed, and of his 
 tranfgreflion ; As I will not be for- 
 ward to deny the fuggeftion alto- 
 gether, becaufe believing them both 
 to have contributed to the producti- 
 on of our tranigreflions, as well as 
 Nature, fb I cannot forbear to fay 
 upon the account of that which fol- 
 lows, that we ought to confider Adam 
 as the more efpecial inftrument in 
 it. Becaufe S. Paul not only repre- 
 (fjRom.5.14. fents him (/) in particular as the 
 Type, or Figure of him, that was 
 to come, but both defcribes him all 
 along under the notion of one 
 (u) — 12 . Man (#), yea makes a great part 
 i$,i6.&c. f t j ie Hkenefs, that was between 
 him and Chrift to confift in it. 
 Which could by no means have 
 been proper , if he had meant no 
 other by fin's entring in by Adam, 
 than entring in by him as one of the 
 firft committers of it. For in this 
 
 fenfe 
 
Original Sin. 14^ 
 
 fenfe Eve muft neceffarily have had 
 the preeminence , becaufe not on- 
 ly offending befofe her Husband , 
 but tempting even him to do the 
 lame. From that firft fenfe there- 
 fore pafs we to the fecond , and 
 which^indeed is both more antient, 
 and plaufible, than the former. For 
 as it is as old as that Velagius (rv) 7 (rfvid. y /r 
 who firft calPd Original Sin in que- Mft'Mig. 
 ftion, fb it allows the fin of Adam rhtlTJ ** 
 to have had an influence upon other 
 Mens fins, as well as to have given 
 beginning to the being of it. But 
 that it hath as little fblidity, or per- 
 tinency to the words, whereunto it 
 is apply'd, will appear if we reflect 
 upon the fequel of S. Paul's Difeourfe, 
 or the fubjed matter of that, which 
 is offered as the interpretation of it. 
 For is there any reafbn to think 
 ( without which that interpretation 
 can be of no avails that Adam by 
 his fin tempted all his posterity to 
 offend? Nay, is there not reafbn 
 enough to believe, taat that exam- 
 ple of his contributed little to Men's 
 following fins, yea contributed no- 
 thing at all to man}' of tLem ? For 
 how many Men have there been, 
 
 to 
 
r i^i A DigreJJlon concerning 
 
 to whom the knowledge of his fin 
 never reachM ? How many are there 
 yet, who are under the fame igno- 
 rance, or may hereafter be ? And muft 
 not thefe therefore be look'd upon 
 as exempted from the influence of his 
 ill example, and confequently, if their 
 fins entred in by Jdam, be acknow- 
 ledged to have entred fbme other wa^y ? 
 And though the lame be not to be laid 
 of thofe, to whom the Scriptures have 
 come, becaufe thofe are not without 
 the knowledge of his fin, nor incapa- 
 ble of being influenced by his example ; 
 Yet is -there as little reafbn to think, 
 that that example of his contributes 
 much to their fins, or indeed ever did 
 to theirs, who lived nearer to him, 
 and lb were more likely to have been 
 infli&edbyhim. Forbefide that a fin 
 fb chaftis a, as that was, was not ve- 
 ry likely to draw their thoughts to- 
 wards it, and therefore as little likely 
 to tempt them to the imitation of it ; 
 Befide that many of them might have 
 no a&ual confideration of it, as no 
 doubt many now have not , even 
 when they offend in the like kind ; 
 They might have been influenced , 
 and no doubt were by other fins of 
 
 his, 
 
Original Shu 14* 
 
 his , as much, or more than by his 
 firft tranfgreffion, or by the ill ex- 
 amples of thole, that were nearer 
 to them, rather than by any of his. 
 In fine they might have been, and 
 no doubt often were influenced by 
 the baits of pleafure, or profit, and 
 thereby drawn afide from their in- 
 tegrity ; Thele having been as apt to 
 influence them, as the example of 
 that fin, by which their feveral of* 
 fences are fuppos'd to have entred 
 into the World. And I fhall only 
 add, that as that fenle cannot there- 
 fore be reafonably imposed, if we re- 
 gard, as no doubt we ought, the 
 fubje£t matter of it ; So we fhall 
 find as little encouragement for it 
 from the fequel of his Difcourfe , 
 whole words are now under confi- 
 deration. For befide that he him- 
 felf may feem fufficiently to obviate 
 it by affirming prefently after (jc), (*)Rom. 5. 
 that there were many of thole, that * 4, 
 finned, that did not, nor well could 
 fin after the fimilitude of Adam's tranf 
 greffion^ becaufe knowing nothing at 
 all of any fuch pofitive law, as he 
 tranfgrelsM ; It is the main defign 
 of his Difcourfe to compare the good^ 
 
 that 
 
144 d Digrejfion concerning 
 
 that Chrift brought by his obedi- 
 ence, with the hurt which that type 
 of his did by his tranfgreflion. Which 
 companion had been but a frigid one, 
 if all the hurt* that Adam did us, was 
 by the force of his ill example : Be- 
 caufe it is certain that Chrift's obedi- 
 ence was of a much more efficacious 
 influence in the kind of it, as well as 
 in the degree, and would therefore ra- 
 ther have been vilified, than any way 
 illuftrated , or commended by the 
 companion , if the malign influence 
 of Adams fin had reached no farther, 
 than that of an example. I con* 
 elude therefore, that what ever was 
 meant by fin's entring in by Adam, 
 yet fbmething more was meant by 
 it, than its entring by him either as 
 the firft committer of it, or as one, 
 who by his ill example tempted o- 
 thers to do the like. And indeed 
 as the inftance but now alledg'd, e- 
 ven the likeneis , that is between 
 Adams fin, and thrift's obedience , 
 makes it but reaibnable to look up- 
 on all fin as entring alfb by Adam 7 
 as more, or leis the caufe of it, fb 
 it ftands yet more confirmed by what 
 S, Paul affirms in the ninteenth verle, 
 
 elpecially 
 
Original Sin. 
 
 efpecially as it lies in the Original: The 
 purport thereof being, that Men are 
 constituted finners by his difbbedience, 
 yea that they are fb confiituted finners 
 by it, as Men are conftituted righteous 
 by the obedience of Chrift. For though 
 the words r&Tt&i&iow dp*pn>Kot m&y in 
 themfelves be capable of a fbfter fenfe, 
 and accordingly fignifie no more, than 
 Mens being reputed, and us 7 d as fin- 
 ners upon the account of that trant 
 greflion, which Adam committed; 
 Yet I fee not how that fenfe can be 
 thought to fit them here, or indeed 
 any other than that of conftituting, or 
 making Men finners : Partly becaufi 
 their being conftituted finners by A- 
 dams difobedience is rendred by S.Paul 
 (y) asthereaibn of their condemnati- Cy)Roia.$. 
 on by it, and ought therefore to be ox- l *> l - 9 " 
 ftinguifhed from it; And partly be- 
 caufe they are laid to be conftituted 
 finners by Adams difobedience , as 
 they, who belong to Chrift, are con- 
 ftituted righteous by his obedience. 
 For the obedience of Chrift procuring 
 Men's being really righteous, as well 
 as their being reputed fuch, yea pro- 
 curing their being really righteous 
 in fbme meafure, that they may be fb 
 
J 46 A Vigreffwn concerning 
 
 accounted of, and us'd , What can 
 be more reafonable than to think, 
 that that dif obedience of Adam, which 
 is affirmed to be like it, is of the fame 
 cAufality, and accordingly constitutes, 
 or makes Men finners, as well as ac- 
 counted of as fuch. 
 
 One only thing remains towards 
 the clearing of the matter in hand , 
 even the derivation of the corrupt- 
 ive fs of our Nature from that of our 
 firft Parent, or Parents ; And that 
 is, that as all fin entred in by Adam 
 as more, or Iefs the caufe of it by 
 his ow n, fb he became thp caufe of it 
 by his own by thereby depraving his 
 own Nature firft, and th^n commu- 
 nicating that depravation to thofe , 
 that defcended from him. V Of the 
 former whereof as there can'hot well 
 . be any doubt, confidering the hai- 
 noufhefs of that fin, which he com- 
 mitted ( That as it could not but 
 occafion the withdrawing of the Di- 
 vine Grace from Adam, fb neither 
 but draw after it the depravation of 
 his Nature , as which received all 
 its reftitude from the other) fb 
 there will be as little doubt of the 
 latter, if we compare what S. Paul 
 
 here 
 
Original Sin . 
 
 & 
 
 ! 47 
 
 here faith concerning Adams being 
 the caufe of all our fins by his own, 
 with what he afterward faith* con- * R °m-7-i7* 
 cerning Men's falling into aftual fin 
 by vertuc of an evil principle, that 
 dwelleth in them. For if all aftual 
 fin proceed immediately from fuch 
 an evil principle, that evil principle 
 muft be alfb from Adam, as with- 
 out which otherwife he could not be 
 the caufe of our fins by his own, nor 
 conftitute us finners by it. 
 
 IV. I will not be over pofitivein 
 defining by what means this evil fr in* 
 ciple is convey 1 d, becaufe I am not 
 well affurM how our very Nature 
 is. It fhall fuffice me to reprefent 
 ( what may tend in fbme meafure 
 toward the clearing of it ) That Ori- 
 ginal fin, cleaving to our nature 
 from the firft beginnings of it, muft 
 confequently be conveyed to us by 
 the fame general means, by which 
 our nature is, even by natural genera- 
 tion, yea that the Scripture teach- 
 ethus fb toreafbn, where it affirms fo)paut;* 
 Men to be conceived in fin (<&), to f job. 3.5. 
 become fte/h by being born f of flefh, * job. 14.4. 
 and unclean * by being brought out u 
 
 L 2 of 
 
£48 A Digreffion concerning 
 
 of thole Parents, that are fo ; That y 
 though the more particular means , 
 by which Original Sin is convey'd , 
 cannot with any certainty Be aflign'd, 
 becaufe it is alike uncertain, whe- 
 ther thole Souls, in which it is moft 
 reafbnable to place it, be either tra- 
 duced, or immediately created, yet 
 there would not be any uncertain- 
 ty as to this particular, it we believM 
 the Souls of Men to be traduc d, as fe- 
 f nd. Voft. veral of the Antients f , and not a 
 ul l%%u few of the Moderns have believ'd 
 $.htf.i. (For lb it would not only not be 
 difficult to apprehend the particular 
 v means of the others conveyance, but 
 almoft impoflible to overlook them, 
 becaufe making it to pals together 
 with thole Souls, to which it ad- 
 heres, and diffufe it felf from thence 
 to thole Bodies, to which they are 
 united ) That, though the traducti- 
 on of Souls be not without its diffi- 
 culties, and fiich as I fhall not be lb 
 vain as to attempt the Iblution of, 
 yet it is in that particular but of the 
 fame condition with the immediate 
 Creation of them, that I lay not al- 
 fo lets exceptionable, as to the bu- 
 finefsof Original Sin j In fine, That, 
 
 as 
 
Original Si?u 
 
 <±> 
 
 M9 
 
 as it hath nothing from Scripture to 
 prejudice the belief of it, as appears 
 by the felutions, which have been 0)#^Ws 
 long fince 0) given to the Objedi- aSSpiSS 
 ons from it ; So it feems to me much phy. 
 more agreeable to that account, which 
 it gives of the Creation, and indeed 
 to the Nature of a "Parent. For 
 what can be more clear from the 
 Story of the Creation, than that God 
 defigned once for all to Create all 
 the Beings, which he intended, leav- 
 ing them, and particularly Man, to 
 carry on the Succeflion by thofe pro- 
 ductive principles, which he had plan- 
 ted in them ? For if fb, what fliould 
 hinder us from believing, but that 
 Men produce their like after the 
 lame manner, that other Creatures 
 do, and by the fame Divine Bene- 
 diction, and concurrence. Sure I 
 am, as they will otherwife fall fhort 
 of the powers of inferiour beings , 
 as well as be wcmomdik in the Crea- 
 tion, fb they will be but very imper- 
 fectly in the condition of Parents , 
 becaufc contributing only to that 
 part, which is the leaft confiderable 
 in their Pofterity. Only as I lift not 
 to contend about any thing, of which 
 
 L j I my 
 
f 5 o A Digreffion concerning 
 
 I my felf am not more ftrongly per- 
 fuaded ; So I fhall leave it to thofe, 
 whom the immediate creation of 
 Souls better pleafeth, to make their 
 advantage of it, and fatisfie them- 
 felves from it concerning the means 
 of Original Sin's conveyance. Which 
 if they do, they fhall do more, than 
 the great S. Jugujlin could after all his 
 travails in this Argument ; Becaule 
 profeffing that he could not find either 
 (f>)Ep. 157- by redding or praying, or reasoning (P)> 
 * how Original Sin could be defended with 
 
 the opinion of the Creation of Souls. 
 
 V. I may not difmifs the Argil* 
 gument that is now before us , or 
 indeed ib much as attend to the con- 
 federation of thofe Objections , that 
 are made againft it, before I have 
 alfb enquired, whether that , which 
 hath the name of Original Sin , be 
 truly % and properly fuchj and not ra- 
 ther fb ftiled in refpeQ: of that firjl 
 Jin, from which it proceeded, or in 
 refped of thofe fins , to which it 
 leads. For belide that that Churchy 
 whole Catechifm I have cholen to 
 explain, leads us to the confedera- 
 tion of it, becaufe both there , and 
 
 elfe- 
 
Orkinal Sin. i 5 * 
 
 dfewhene (V) affirming it to have W& of 
 the /**tar* of a Sin, to make us the 
 Children of Wrath , and to ^/Jrr* 
 GWj Wrath and Damnation ; Tlie 
 refpfution of it is of no frtia.ll mo- 
 ment toward the right ftatilig of 
 our duty, and the valuablenefs of 
 that remedy, which Cliriftianity hath 
 provided for it. For neither other- 
 wife can we look upon Original Sin 
 as any proper matter for oar Re- 
 pentance, whatfoever it may be for 
 our lamentation, nor upon Baptifm 
 as bringing any other pardon to In- 
 fants, than that of the Sin of their 
 firft Parents, and which. they who 
 look upon Original Sin as rather our 
 unhappinefs, than fault, are gene- 
 rally as far from charging them with. 
 This only would be premis'd for 
 the better understanding of it; that 
 by Sin is not meant any actual traiil- 
 greffion of a Law (for no Man was 
 ever fo abfurd, as to affirm that 
 concerning Original Sinj but that 
 which is contrary to a Law in the 
 nature of an evil habit, and both im- 
 ports an abfence of that Righteouf- 
 nefs, which ought to be in us, an4 
 an inclination to thole evils, from 
 L 4 which 
 
jcj A Vigreffion concerning 
 
 which we ought to be averfe ; This, 
 as it is no left the tranfgreffion of 
 a Law, than any actual fin is , fb 
 making the perfbn, in whom it is, 
 as obnoxious to punifhment , and 
 confequently to be look'd upon as 
 yet more properly a fin. Now that 
 that, which we call Original Sin , 
 is really fuch in this latter notion , 
 will appear if thefe two things be 
 confidered ; Firft, that the Scripture 
 gives it the title of fin,Secondly,that it 
 reprefents it as iuch upon the account 
 of our being obliged by the Law 
 of God to have in us a contrary tem- 
 per. That the Scripture gives that, 
 whereof we fpeak, the title of fin , 
 is evident from thole Texts, which 
 we before made ufe of to prove the 
 being of it ; More particularly from 
 ($fb.$i.$? that (d), which reprefents David as 
 (^Rpm.7.17- conce'wdy and born in fin, andthofe (e\ 
 2C ' which repreient us all as havingjfo 
 dwelling in us. For thefe having 
 been before (hewn to fpeak of Origi- 
 nal Sin make it evident that the 
 Scripture gives it the title of Sin , 
 becaufe in the former places repre- 
 {enting it under that notion. And 
 though I will not from that only To- 
 
 pick 
 
OrigiJial Sin. 152 
 
 pick conclude it to be properly fuch, 
 becaufe the Scripture makes ufe of 
 figurative expreflions, as well as pro- 
 per, yea doth fo in this very particular 
 whereof we fpeak ( for thus it fbme- 
 times gives the title of (in to that , 
 which is intended only as the punifh- 
 ment thereof^ yet as we may law- 
 fully inferr from thence, that there is 
 more caufe to believe Original Sin 
 to be properly j than figuratively fuch, 
 till the contrary thereof be made 
 appear , The proper fenfe being 
 otherwife to be preferred before the 
 figurative ; So that there can be no 
 place for the figurative ienfe, if that, 
 which is there reprefented as a fin , 
 be elfewhere reprefented as fiich up- 
 on the fuppofition of our being ob- 
 liged to have in us the contrary tem- 
 per. Which that it is will appear 
 from fuch Texts , as do more im- 
 mediately affirm it, or fuch as affirm 
 thofe things, from which it may by 
 good confequence be deduced. Of 
 the former fort I reckon that, which 
 is immediately fubjoyn'd by David 
 to the mention of his being conceived 
 in fin, andby 'ought forth in iniquity (/*). Cfi ?&•£*«£> 
 'Behold thou requirefi truth in the in- 
 
 ward 
 
154 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 ward parts j and Jhalt, or rather halt 
 made me to under ft and wifdom fecretly. 
 For as we cannot but look upon 
 what is there (aid concerning God's 
 requiring truth in the inward parts 
 as fpoken with relation to that Jin, 
 whereof he before complains , and 
 to the mention whereof he fubjoyns 
 the mention of the other ; So nei- 
 ther ( confidering it to have been his 
 intent to aggravate his finfulnefs be- 
 fore God ) but look upon it as alio 
 his intent to aggravate the finfulnefs 
 of his frame by that piety which God 
 required of him. Which fupposM , 
 Original Sin will not only be found 
 to be fb entituled by the Scripture, 
 but to have had that name beftowed 
 upon it upon the account of Men's 
 obligation to the contrary, and con- 
 fequently to be truely and properly 
 fiich. And though there be not it 
 may be many more Texts of that 
 ntture , or which therefore can be 
 thought lb direftly to affirm , that 
 it becometh the fin of thole, in 
 whom it is , upon the account of 
 their obligation to the contrary ; Yet 
 will it not be difficult to find others, 
 which do as clearly aflat thole things, 
 
 from 
 
Original Sin, i j j 
 
 from which it may by good confe- 
 quence be deduced. Such as are 
 thofe which make Original Sin to be 
 a proper matter for confef/ion> yea 
 to induce a guilt upon the perfon , 
 in whom it is. But fb thelYophct 
 David doth plainly fuppofe in that 
 very Pfalm, which we but now made 
 ufe of; Becaufc not only conf effing 
 (g) the finfiilnefs of his Nature to- (^)Pu. 5 t. $. 
 gether with that of his external a- 
 ftions, but begging of God, imme- 
 diately after that confeflion of his, 
 that he would purge him (//) with (*}*^5'-7- 
 Hyffop from it, For as we have no 
 reafbn to exclude that from the mat- 
 ter of the defir'd purgation, which 
 immediately precedes the Prayer that 
 is put up for it ; So much left rea- 
 fbn to doubt, after that Prayer for 
 the purgation of it, of its inducing 
 a guilt upon the perfon, in whom 
 it is : The ufe of Hyffof in the Old 
 Law (as appears by feveral places 
 (/) in it, and a confentient Text in 0Emi2. 
 the Epiftle to the Hebrews (£)) be- Uv l 6 * 2 ' 
 ing to fprinkle the Blood of the (^)Heb. 9, 
 Sacrifices upon thofe, who were any 1 9> &C - 
 way obnoxious to its cenfiires, and 
 {b deliver them from the feverity 
 
 thereof, 
 
ijtf A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 thereof. For what other then could 
 the Pfalmift mean by that Prayer of 
 his, than that God would purge him 
 from that, and his other fins by the 
 blood of an expiatory Sacrifice ? Or 
 fb meaning be thought to intimate 
 more clearly, than that that , from 
 which he defir'd to be purg'd, flood 
 in need of fiich a Sacrifice, and con- 
 fequently was no more without its 
 guilt, than his aftual tranfgreflions 
 were. Only, if that notion may not 
 be thought to be of fufficient clear- 
 nefs to build fb important a Con- 
 clufion on, it will not be difficult to 
 fixengthen it yet more by the word 
 the Hebrew makes us of for purge , 
 and thofe Prayers, which the Pfal- 
 mift fubjoyneth to it ; By the former 
 f/y^Kisrjn becaufe literally (/) fignifying a pu~ 
 rification from ftn y by the latter, be- 
 caufe importing it to be his de- 
 0»)Pfal. 51. fire (m) y that God would rvajb him 
 ?> 8» 9- f rom [ t j that fa would caufe thofe 
 
 bones, that had been broken by it y to 
 re Joyce j and in fine, that he would 
 hide his face from his Jins, and blot 
 out all his iniquities : Thefe, as they 
 are known and ufual expreffions for 
 the remiffionof finsy and confequently 
 
 im« 
 
10. 
 
 Original Sin. 157 
 
 importing the guilt of thole, to whom 
 
 they are apply d, and their purification 
 
 from it, fb with this farmer reafbn to 
 
 be fb taken here, becaufe the Pfalmift 
 
 afterwards begs (#), that God would (n) Pfal. 51. 
 
 purifie him from the filth of them, 
 
 and renew a right fpirit within him. 
 
 V I. Now though from what 
 hath been faid it be competently e- 
 vident, that the Do&rine of Origi- 
 nal Sin is not without good Au- 
 thority to warrant it, yet becaufe 
 that Doftrine hath been impugned 
 by the Pelagians of Old, and fince 
 that by the followers of Socinus, 
 therefore it may notbeamifs for the 
 farther clearing of it to confider their 
 Objections againft it, and either re- 
 turn a direft , and fatisfa&ory an- 
 fwertothem, or at leaft fhew, that 
 they ought not however to be ad- 
 mitted as a bar againft what the Scri- 
 pture hath faid concerning it. To 
 begin with thofe Obje&ions which 
 refpeft the being of it, or rather 
 tend to fhew that it hath no being 
 in the World ; Which are either 
 fuch, as confider it as a fimple cor- 
 ruption of humane Nature , or iuefa 
 
 as 
 
1 5 8 A D'tgrejfion concerning 
 
 as do alfb confider it as a finful one* 
 Of the former fort are thofe, which 
 reprefent it as a thing unconceivable, 
 how it fhould come into humane Na- 
 ture, which the better to perfuade , 
 they alledge plaufible reafbns againft 
 all thofe means , whereby it may 
 be fiippos'd to find admittance. For 
 thele being deftroy'd, they think 
 they may lawfully inferr, that there 
 is indeed no fuch depravation up* 
 on humane Nature. Of what force 
 thofe reafbns are will be then more 
 feafonable to enquire, when I confi* 
 der what is obje&ed againft thefoun* 
 tain of Original Corruption, or the 
 means by which it is conveyM. At 
 prefent it may fuffice to fay, that 
 of what force foever they may be 
 thought to be, yet they are not of 
 fufficient force to deftroy the being 
 of Original Corruption, which is the 
 thing for which they are here al- 
 ledgM ; Partly, becaufe many things 
 may be, yea be affund to us, of the 
 original, or conveyance whereof we 
 our felves are perfectly ignorant (for 
 who doubts of the being of humane 
 Souls, though he neither knows, nor 
 well can, whether they be tradue'd, 
 
 or 
 
Original Sin. i rp 
 
 or infusM) and partly becaufe the 
 teftimony of Scripture, with the ex- 
 perience we have of its effe&s, is a 
 much more forcible argument of the 
 being of it, than all the former rea- 
 fbns are of the other : Thefe being 
 direft, and immediate proofs of its 
 exiftence, whereas the other are on- 
 ly indirect, and mediate. Fromfuch 
 objeftions therefore as confider Ori- 
 ginal Sin as a fimple Corruption of 
 humane Nature, pals v/e to thole , 
 which confider it alio as /#/#/, and 
 which indeed feem moft hardly to 
 prefs upon it : Such as are, that all 
 fin is the tranfgreffion of a Law , 
 which Original Sin feems not to be ; 
 That it requires the confent of the 
 will of him, in whom it is, which 
 cannot w r ell be affirm'd of that ; As 
 ifv fine, that the Scripture it felf may 
 feem to make that, which we call 
 Original Sin, rather the Parent of 
 Sin, than fin it felf, becaufe making 00 Jj m « x- 
 fin to arife (o) from the conception , ** 
 and parturition of it. As to what is 
 objected from the forementioned 
 Scripture, it is either nothing at all 
 to the purpofe, or very much againft 
 die purpofe of thofe, that alledge 
 
 it : 
 
160 A Digrejfion concerning 
 
 it : Partly becaufe by the fin there 
 Ipoken of can be meant no other , 
 than aifual fin, and nothing therefore 
 to be concluded from thence, but that 
 all a£tual fin is the produft of Men's 
 Lujly and partly becaule that Text 
 makes even afliual fins to be the pro- 
 duct of Men's Luft, yea of fiich a lull 
 as draweth them afide, and enticeth 
 them. For who can well think the Pa- 
 rent of fuch Children to be of a better 
 Nature, than the Children them- 
 felves, efpecially when fhe is defcri- 
 bed as giving birth to them by falfe, 
 and deceitful Arts? Such Arts as 
 thofe refle£ting no great honour up- 
 on the Mother, but on the contra* 
 ry making her to be altogether as 
 criminal, as the other. 'If therefore 
 they, who impugn Original Sin as 
 fuch, would do it with any advan- 
 tage , it muft not be by Arguments 
 drawn from Scripture, which will ra- 
 ther hurt, than profit them, but by 
 Arguments drawn from reafbn, and 
 particularly by fuch as reprefent O- 
 riginal Sin as no tranfgreflion of a 
 Law , and therefore no fin properly 
 lb call'd , or as a thing which hath 
 not the content of the will of him, 
 
 in 
 
Original Sim |£i 
 
 in whom it is, and therefore yet far- 
 ther removed from it. As concern- 
 ing the former of thefe, even that 
 which reprefents Original Sin as no 
 tranfgfeflion of a Law > I anfwer 
 that they, who fb fpeak, mull deny 
 it to be 1 uch, either becaufe it is no 
 Aft, or becaufe there is no Law j 
 which it can be fuppos'd to be a, 
 tranfgreflion of. If the former of 
 thefe be their meaning, I willingly 
 grant what they alJedge, but I lay 
 withall, that it will not from thence 
 follow^ that it is no fin at all. For 
 if Men are obliged by the divine 
 Law to a pious, and innocent tem- 
 per, as well as not to fwerve from it 
 in their aftions, the want of that 
 happy temper, or the having a con- 
 trary one will be as much the tran£ 
 greffion of a Law , as the want of 
 the fame piety in their actions. 
 Which will confequently devolve the 
 wholfe force of that Objeftion upon 
 the fuppofition of there being no fuch 
 Law of God , which requires the 
 former temper, or which therefore 
 Original Sin can be thought to be a 
 tranfgreflion of. But as I have al- 
 ready made it appear in fbme niea- 
 
 M fure^ 
 
f6t d Vtgnffion concerning 
 
 fore, that there is in truth fuch a Law, 
 as requires a pious, and innocent 
 temper, fb I fhall now endeavour 
 to flrengthen it by fbme more par- 
 ticular proofs , and by anfwering 
 thofe exceptions, that are ijiade a-- 
 gainft it. 
 
 In order to the former whereof 
 we are to know , that as the Lam 
 we fpeak of muft be fuppofed to 
 have been given to Adam , as 
 that too not only in his private^ 
 but fublkk capacity, and as he 
 may be thought to have been the 
 nprefentative of all Mankind ( there 
 being no other Law, which can be 
 iiippos'd to concern us , before we 
 come to be in a capacity to appre* 
 hend, and obey it ) fb I fliall endea- 
 vour to make it appear fir ft , that 
 there was fuch a Law given to A- 
 dam, arid then that it was given to 
 him not only in his private, but -pub* 
 //^capacity, and as he maybe 
 thoiight to have been the reprefenta- 
 Hue of all Mankind. Now that 
 there was a Law given to Adam 9 
 requiring a pious, and innocent tem- 
 per, as well as the preferving that 
 piety and innocency in his aftipns, 
 
 will 
 
Original Sin. \6\ 
 
 will need no other proof than GocPs 
 creating him in it, and the love he 
 may be fuppofed to bear unto it. 
 For as we cannot think God would 
 have ever intrufted fuch a Jewel with 
 Adam, if it had not been his inten- 
 tion that he fhould preferve, and ex- 
 ercife it, fb much lefs, when the ho- 
 linefs of the divine Nature perfuades 
 his love to it, as well as the declara- 
 tions of his word. For what were 
 this, but to make God indifferent ± 
 what became of his moft excellent 
 gifts , which no wife perfbn j and 
 much lefs lb hearty a lover of them 
 can be fuppofed to be ? If therefore 
 there can be any doubt concerning ' 
 the Law we fpeak of, it muft be as 
 to its having been given to Adam 
 in his publick capacity, and as he may 
 be fuppos'd to have been the repre- 
 fentative of all Mankind. Which I 
 ihall endeavour to evince firft by 
 fhewing what I mean by his publick 
 capacity , fecondly by fhewing that 
 Adam was let in fuch a capacity j 
 and thirdly that the Law we fpeak 
 of was given to him as confidered in 
 it. By the fublick capacity of Adam 
 I mean fuch a one , whereby as he 
 
 M 2 was 
 
164 A Digreffion concerning 
 
 was defignM to be the Father of all 
 Mankind, fo God made him a kind 
 of Truftee for it ; In order thereun- 
 to both giving him what he did for 
 their benefit, as well as his own , 
 and obliging him for their fakes, as 
 well as his own, to lee to the prefer- 
 vation of it, and aft agreeably to it. 
 Which if he did, his Polterity as well 
 as himfelf fhould have the benefit 
 thereof, and God's favour together 
 with it, but if not, forfeit together 
 with him what God had lb beftow'd 
 upon him, and incurr the penalty of 
 his difpleafore.- Now that Adam 
 was let in fuclt a capacity ( which 
 * is the fecond thing to be demonftra- 
 ted ) will appear from the Scriptures 
 making him the catife of all Men's 
 death by his offence,; and diibbedi- 
 ence. For the effefts of another di£ 
 obedience being not otherwife charge- 
 able upon any Man, than as that 
 other may be fuppos'd to be ap- 
 pointed to aft for him ; If the ef- 
 fefts of Adams dilbbedience were 
 to fall upon all his Pofterity, he alfb 
 muft be fiippofed to have been ap- 
 pointed to aft for them, and confe- 
 quently to have been fet in that/w£- 
 
 lUk 
 
Original Sin. \6* 
 
 lick capacity , whereof I fpeak. 
 Which will leave nothing more for 
 us to Ihew upon this Head, than 
 that that Law, which requires a pious 
 and innocent temper was given to 
 Adam in that capacity. But as we 
 can as little doubt of that , if his 
 contracting a contrary temper was 
 as fatal to his Pofterity, as to him- 
 ielf ; So that it was, will need no 
 other proof than his producing the 
 like temper in them, and that tem- 
 per's proving as deadly to them. The 
 former whereof is evident from what 
 I before (aid to fliew, that Original 
 Sin had its beginning from Adam , 
 
 O O 7 
 
 the latter from S.Paul's (f) calling (*) Rom 
 
 it a Body of Death, or a JtJody that 24. 
 
 brings it : The Genitive Cafe (q) /- > GyqU k 
 
 among the Hebrews, and H:llenifis y tec. 
 
 being ufiially let for fuch Adjectives, 
 
 as betoken a caufality in them ; Even 
 
 as the Savour of Death is us'd for 
 
 a deadly one, or that which bringeth 
 
 death, and the Tree of Life for a 
 
 life -giving one, or that which was 
 
 apt to produce, or continue it. 
 
 I deny not indeed ( that I may 
 now pals to thofe Exceptions that are 
 commonly made againft it J that it 
 
 M j may 
 
1 66 r A Vigrejfion concerning 
 
 jnay leem hard to conceive how A- 
 dam fhould be let in fiich a capacity, 
 as to involve all mankind in happi- 
 pinefs, or mifery, according as he ei- 
 ther continued in, or fell from that 
 integrity, wherein God created him. 
 I deny not therefore , but that it is 
 equally hard to conceive how God 
 fhould give him fuch a Law , the 
 obfervation, or tranfgreffion whereof 
 pn his part fhould redound to the 
 account of his Pofterity. But as e- 
 very thing, that is hard to be con- 
 peiv'd , is not therefore to be d<s- 
 ny'd, if it be otherwife ftrengthen'd 
 with fufficient proofs ; So it would 
 fee confider'd alio, whether it be not , 
 much more hard to conceive, hbw 
 God fhould otherwife involve In4 
 fonts, and Children in thofe calami* 
 ties, into which they often fall, ef- 
 pecially in National Judgments : It 
 being certainly more agreeable to the 
 divine Juftice, to conceive thofe to 
 have fome way, or other offended , 
 and consequently thereto to have fal- 
 len under the difpleafiire of it, than 
 to conceive them to fuffer it without 
 any offence at all. For why then 
 fhould we not think, efpecially when 
 
 the 
 
Original Sin. \&y 
 
 the Scripture hath led the way, that 
 God obliged them in Ad Am to a pious, 
 and innocent temper, and which 
 they lofing in him , they became 
 obnoxious with him to the lame lad 
 effects of his difpleafure ? And 
 though it be true, that there is this 
 great imparity between the cafes , 
 that the effect of God's difpleafure 
 upon occafionof Original Sin is made* 
 to reach to eternal mifery, as well as 
 to a temporal one , whereas the cafe 
 we before inftancM in concerns only a 
 temporal punifhment : Yet as they do 
 thus far agree, that a punifhment is 
 inflifted, where there is no a£hial fin 
 to deferve it, which is fufficiently 
 irreconcileable with the underftand- 
 ing we otherwife have of the divine 
 Juftice ; So that great imparity may 
 be much abated by considering, that 
 God hath provided a Plafter as large 
 as the Sore , ( even by giving his 
 Son to dye for all Mankind ) and 
 appointed the Sacrament of Baptifm 
 to convey the benefit of it. For as 
 the confequents of Original Sin will 
 be thereby taken off from fo many 
 Infants at leaft, as are admitted to 
 that Sacrament, fb that mercy of his 
 
 M 4 to 
 
6,% A Qigreffton cmcenimg 
 
 to thofe, and the affurance we have 
 from the Scripture of his giving his. 
 Son to dye for all may perfwade us 
 to believe, that though he hath not 
 reveaPd the particular way to us , 
 yet he hath fbme other way to con- 
 vey the benefit of that death to 
 thofe, who are not admitted to the 
 pther. 
 
 But it will be faid it may be 
 ( which is a no lefs prejudice againft 
 the being of Original Sin ) that all 
 fin, to make it truly fuch, muft have 
 %he confent of the will of thofe, in 
 whom it is., as well as x be the tran£ 
 grefoon of a Law. A tiling by no 
 m^ans to. be^ffirm'd concerning that, 
 whiphwecall Original Sin, becaufe 
 not only contrafted before we had a 
 being, and therefore alio before we 
 had fb much as the faculty of willingy 
 but moreover conveyed to us, when 
 \ye had neither reafbn to apprehend it, 
 nor any power in our wills either to 
 admit, orreje&it. And indeed how 
 altogether to take off the force of that 
 Objection is beyond my capacity to 
 apprehend, or fatisfie the underftand- 
 ings of other Men : Becaufe as I can- 
 fiot fee how any thing can be a (in , 
 
 wheih 
 
Original Sin. 169 
 
 which hath not alio the confent of 
 the will of thofe, in whom it is, fo 
 I am as little able to conceive how 
 Original Sin fhould have the confent 
 of ours, either when it was firft con<- 
 tra&ed , or when it was tranfmitted 
 to us. But as I am far lefs able tp 
 conceive how Infants, and Children 
 fhould come to be fo feverely dealt 
 with without any offence at all, or 
 therefore without having ibme way, 
 or other contented to one ; So I think 
 firft, that that difficulty may well 
 be laid in the ballance againft the 0- 
 ther , yea alledged as a bar to the 
 fuppofed force of it. For why fhould 
 my inability to apprehend how In- 
 fants, and Children could confent 
 to Original Sin , prevail with me 
 to deny the being of it, when a far 
 greater inability to apprehend how* 
 the fame perfbns fheuld come to be 
 fb feverely dealt withal without it, 
 doth not prevail with me to deny 
 that fevere ulage of them . ? Neither 
 will it avail to fay ( which is other- \ 
 
 wife confiderable enough ) that we 
 have for the belief of this laft the 
 teftimony of our fenfes, which is 
 not to he alledged as to the other. 
 
 For 
 
\yo A T>igreffion concerning 
 
 For the queftion is not now whe- 
 ther the fevereufage of Infants, and 
 Children may not more reafbnably be 
 believ'd, than their Original Sin, up- 
 on the account of the greater evi- 
 dence there may be of it ; But whe- 
 ther we can any more deny the Ori- 
 ginal Sin of Infants, and Children 
 upon the account of our inability to 
 apprehend, how they fhould confent 
 unto it, than we can deny the fevere 
 ufage of the fame perlbns upon the 
 account of our inability to appre- 
 hend , how they fhould come to be 
 fb dealt with without the other. 
 Which that we cannot is evident 
 from hence, that we are equally at 
 . a lofs in our apprehenfions about the 
 one, and the other, that I fay not 
 alfb more at a lofs about the latter, 
 than about the former. And indeed, 
 as we find it neceffary to believe 
 many things notwithftanding our ina- 
 bility to apprehend how they fhould 
 come to pafs, and ought not there- 
 fore to deny the being of any one 
 thing upon the fble account of that 
 inability ; So our apprehenfions are 
 fo fhort as to the modes of thofe 
 things, of the being whereof we are 
 
 moft 
 
Original Sin. \y\ 
 
 molt aflured, that it will hardly be 
 deemed reafbnable to infift upon the 
 fuggeftions of them, againft the af- 
 firmations of the Scripture : Partly 
 becaufe of the Authority of him ? 
 from whom it proceeded, and part- 
 ly becaufe we cannot lb eafily fail 
 in our apprehenfion concerning the 
 due fenfe of the affirmations of it , 
 as in the deduftions of our own rea- 
 Ibn concerning the things affirmed ; 
 Nothing more being required to the 
 underftanding of the one , than a 
 due consideration of the fignification 
 of the words, wherein they are ex- 
 preffed ; whereas to the right order- 
 ing of the other, there is required a 
 due underftanding of the Nature of 
 thofe things about which we reafbn , 
 which is both a matter of far grea- 
 ter difficulty, and in many cafes im- 
 poflible to be attained. Whatever 
 difficulty therefore there may be in 
 apprehending how Original Sin could 
 have theconfent of thofe, in whom 
 it is fuppofed to be, and conlequent- 
 ly how it fhould be truly and pro- 
 perly a fin ; Yet ought not that to 
 be a bar againft our belief of it , if 
 the Scripture hath reprefented it as 
 
 fuch, 
 
\yt A Digrejf ion concerning 
 
 fuch, and which whether it hath, 
 or no, I fhall leave to be judgd by 
 what I have before obferv'd from it. 
 From fuch Objections , as are le- 
 veled more immediately againft the 
 being of Original Sin, pais we to 
 thole which impugne the derivation 
 of it from Adam, and from whom 
 we have affirmed it to proceed. 
 Which Objeftions again do either 
 tend to fhew, that it had its Origi- 
 nal from fbmething die, or that it 
 cannot be fiipposM to have its Ori- 
 ginal from Adam, An opinion hath 
 prevailed of late years, that that y 
 which we call Original Sin , took 
 its rife from the fins of particular 
 Souls in fomz fr&xifient eftate, and 
 from thofe evil habits, which they 
 contracted by them. And certainly 
 the opinion were reafbnable enough 
 to be embraced, if the praxiftence of 
 Souls were but as well proved, as it 
 is fpecioufly contrived. For, that 
 fuppos'd, it would be no hard matter 
 to give an account of the rife of that 
 Corruption, which is in us, nor yet 
 pf God's afflicting thofe on whom 
 no other blame appears • That cor- 
 ruption, as it is no other than what 
 
 particular 
 
Original Sin. xyi 
 
 particular Souls have themfelves con* 
 tra&ed, fo making them as obnoxi- 
 ous to the vengeance of God, as any 
 after fins can be fuppofed ft> do. But 
 do they, who advance this byfotbefis^ 
 think the plaufiblenefs thereof a fuf- 
 ficient ground to build it on ? Or 
 are problems in Divinity no other 
 way to be determind, than thole of 
 Aflronomjy or other fuch conjectural 
 Arts are? I had thought that for the 
 relblution of thefe we ought rather 
 to have had recourfe to that word 
 of God, which was defign'd to give 
 usanunderftandingof them, to have 
 examined the feveral affertions of it, 
 and acquiefced in them, how diffi- 
 cult ibever to be apprehended. I 
 had thought that we ought to have 
 done fb much more, where the Scri- 
 pture profeffeth to deliver its opinion, 
 and doth not only not wave the thing 
 inqueftion, butlpeakstoit. Which 
 that it doth in the prefent cafe will 
 need no other proof than the account it 
 giv^s of the Original of Mankind, and 
 then of the Original of Evil. For as it 
 profeffeth to {peak of Adam not only 
 as created by God, but as appointed 
 byhim(r)togive being by the way of (OGcn.i.28< 
 
 natural 
 
^74 ^ & l g re Jf m cwtwnwg 
 
 » ■ 
 
 natural Generation to all, that aftet 
 him fliould replenifh the Earth 
 ( which how he fliould be thought 
 to do, if he were only to be a means 
 of furnifhing them with a Body, 
 who had the better part of their be- 
 ing before, is paft my underhand- 
 ing to imagine ) fb it profeffeth . to 
 Ipeak of the fame Adam as one by 
 whomJ?#, and death (/) entered in- 
 to the World, as well as^ the per- 
 
 (/)Rom.5. jf ons of thofe,. on whom it feizeth. 
 
 jCom5.2 2 i, And can there then be any place for 
 22. a precarious hyfot hefts about the Ori- 
 ginal of Mankind, or the evils of 
 it ?' Can there be place for advan- 
 cing that hypothefis not only befide, 
 but againft the determinations of the 
 Scripture ? Do not all fuch hypothefes 
 proceed upon the uncertainty of the 
 matter, about which they are con- 
 verfant? Do they not come in as a 
 relief to the underftandingjs of Men, 
 where they cannot be fatisfied any 
 other way ? But how then can there be 
 place for inch aon^ wnere the Scri- 
 pture hath deteribm'd ? How can there 
 be any pxace even ftr the moil fpeci- 
 cus, andplaufiDle ? For as that cannot 
 be fuppos'd to be uncertain , which 
 
 the 
 
Original Shu £«*f 
 
 the Scripture hath determined; So 
 no plaufibility whatfoever can come 
 in competition with the determinati- 
 ons of God , fuch as thofe of the 
 Scripture are. But fuch it feems is 
 the reftlefnefs of fome Men's minds > 
 that if they cannot fatisfie their icru- 
 ples from what the Scripture hath 
 advanced , they will be letting up 
 other Hypthefes to do it by* Where- 
 in yet they are for the moft part fb un* 
 lucky, as to advance fiich things them- 
 felves, as have nothing at all of pro- 
 bability in them. For who can 
 think it any way probable, that , if 
 mens Souls had an exiftence antece* 
 dent to their conception in the Womb* 
 they fhould not in the leaft be confei* 
 ous of it, nor of any of thofe things 
 which were trania&ed by them in 
 it? Is it (as one hath obferv'd, who 
 leems to have been the firft broacher 
 of it in this latter Age ) is it, I tity, 
 for want of opportunity of being re- 
 minded of their former tranfa£tions» 
 as it happens to many, who rife con- 
 fident that they flept without dream- 
 ing, and yet before they go to bed 
 again recover a whole fcries of re- 
 prefentations hy Ibmethiog that o& 
 
 curr'd 
 
\?6 A Digrejfion concernmg 
 
 curr*dto them in the day ? But whd 
 can think, when the Souls of Men 
 muft be fuppofed to carry in them 
 the lame evil tendencies* and incli- 
 nations, that they fhould never light 
 upon any one thing, which might 
 bring ba£k to their minds what they 
 had formerly tranla&ed, or but id 
 much as that they had a being ary 
 tecedent to their pfefent one? For 
 whoever was lb forgetful of his 
 dreams, as ilot to remember he was 
 fbmetime in a dreaming condition > 
 yea that he a&ually dreamed in it ? 
 Is it fecoiidly ( as the lame Learned 
 Man goes on) by a defuetude of 
 thinking of their former aftions, and 
 whereby it lometimes comes to pals, 
 as he there obfefvesj that what 
 we have earneftly meditated i la- 
 boured for, and pen'd down with 
 our own hands, when we were at 
 School, becorrtes lb loft to our me- 
 mories, that if we did not lee our 
 own handwriting to it, we Ihould 
 not acknowledge it to be our own ? 
 But doth this come home to the pre- 
 fent cafe ? Doth it perliiade fuch a 
 forgetfulnefs in the Souls of Men , 
 as not only not to remember their 
 
 par* 
 
Original Sin. i*# 
 
 particular anions, but not fb much 
 as that they were in a condition to 
 a£t any thing, or a£ted any thing 
 under it ? For though a Man may 
 forget the particular exercife he did 
 at School, yet can any Man (though 
 he flept an Age, and never fo much as 
 dream'd in all that time of being at 
 School, or any other thing, be fup- 
 pofed, if he awoke in his right wits, 
 to forget he was fbmetime in fuch a 
 place, and performed fbme exercifes 
 in it ? Is it laftly by means of fbme 
 diftemper, that happens to the Soul 
 by coming into an earthly Body , 
 and by which the foremention'd per- 
 fbn conceives the Soul may fuifer in 
 its memory, as we lee it fbmetime 
 doth in its prefent ftate by cafualties, 
 and difeafes, yea fb far as to make 
 the perfbn forget his own name ? 
 But. though the Soul fhould be fiip- 
 pofed to fall into flich a forgetfulnefs 
 by entring into a body ( as we fee it 
 is a long time before it comes to exer- 
 cife its refpe&ive faculties) yet is there 
 any reafbn to think it fhould conti- 
 nue in it after it hath gotten above 
 the infirmities of the other, yea fb 
 far as to reafori with that clearnefs, 
 
 N where 
 
i^8 A Vigreffwn concerning 
 
 wherewith this Author doth in ma- 
 ny things, and with great plaufibili- 
 ty in all others ? For though Men 
 may happen to be lb ftricken by a 
 difeafe , as to forget even their own 
 names, yea have undoubtedly fiif- 
 fered in that nature \ yet is there no 
 evidence from ftory that I know of, 
 or indeed prefumption for the fiip- 
 pofition of it,, that though the parties 
 did again recover the free ufe of 
 their faculties, yet they were unable 
 to look back to their priftine ftate,* 
 or call to mind any of the paffages 
 thereof. So much more Ipecious , 
 than ftrong are the reafbns that Au- 
 thor alledgeth to fhew the Soul to 
 be in a natural incapacity to call to 
 mind its priftin ftate, and a£tions, 
 And yet if they prov'd what they 
 intended, they would hardly make 
 it credible, that it fhould be without 
 all knowledge of them : God, who 
 thrufts it down into its prefent ftate 
 by reafbn of its former errours, be* 
 ing likely enough to bring them to 
 its mind, though it fhould be other- 
 wife ignorant of them. Otherwife 
 he fhould neither make it fenfible 
 of its own guilt, and his choofing 
 
 thus 
 
Original Sin. \yo 
 
 thus to punifh it, which is one fup- 
 pofed end of his thrufting it down , 
 nor careful to break off from it > 
 which is another. And I fhall only 
 add, that as we cannot therefore be in 
 any great danger from thofe Objecti- 
 ons, which pretend to derive Original 
 fin from another principle ; So fhall 
 we not now be much incommoded 
 by the force of thole Objections, 
 which profefs more direCtly to im- 
 pugn the derivation of it from Adam. 
 For as thole Objections are princi- 
 pally founded upon the incompeten- 
 cy of Adam to involve all mankind 
 in the guilt of his tranfgreflion, fb 
 I have not only made it appear al* 
 ready, that Adam was no way in- 
 competent for that purpofe , btcaufe 
 appointed by God as the reprefenta- 
 tiveof all mankind, but laid enough* 
 though not to anfwer, yet to filence 
 what is objected againft it from the 
 fuppofed want of our content to his 
 tranfgreflion. Which will leave no- 
 thing more for us to do , than to 
 confider what is objected againft the 
 means , we have before affign'd of 
 the conveying of that Original 
 Sin whereof we fpeak. But as I 
 
 N 2 have 
 
i8o A £>igre[fion concerning 
 
 have not been pofitive in affigning 
 the particular means of its conveyance > 
 and muft therefore be the lefs con* 
 cern'd to anfwer what is objefted 
 againft them , So I fhall oppofe to 
 all thofe Objettions the affurance we 
 have from the Scripture of our ha- 
 ving it in us from our Conception, 
 and Birth, yea contra&ing it from 
 thofe flefhly, and unclean perfbns , 
 from whom we are defcended : That, 
 as it is enough to fhew that it is con- 
 veyed to us by the fame general means, 
 by which our very nature is, lb ma- 
 king it at leaft probable that it pat 
 feth from them to us together with 
 our Souls , and from thence diffufeth 
 it (elf unco our Bodies. And how 
 far a probability fb founded ottght to 
 prevail againft all the Arguments, 
 which are opposM to the traduction 
 of Souls, efpecially when the Scri- 
 pture feems to favour that traduction 
 alfo, will be no hard matter for him 
 to judge, who fhall confider on the 
 one hand the fhortnefs of our own 
 reafbnings, and on the other what 
 difficulties attend the Creation, and 
 Infufion , as well as the tradu- 
 ction of Souls. For as thofe very 
 
 dif- 
 
Original Shu 1 8 i 
 
 difficulties will oblige us to fit down 
 after all with a probable a (lent in 
 this affair , fb the fhortncfs of our 
 own reafbnings to guide that aifent 
 rather by probable teltimonies of Scri- 
 pture, than by probable arguments 
 from Reafbn : Becaufe as we are more 
 affur'd of the truth of thofe teltimo- 
 nies, than we can be of the truth of 
 any of thofe arguments, which we 
 ground our felves upon in this affair ; 
 So we cannot fb eafily fail in our 
 apprehenfions concerning the other ; 
 Nothing more being required toward 
 the apprehending the force of the 
 former , than the due consideration 
 of the fenfe of the words, wherein 
 they are expreiTed, whereas to the 
 apprehending of the force of the lat- 
 ter we mull: have a clear knowledge 
 of the nature of thofe things, about 
 which they are converfant, which is 
 certainly a matter of far greater dif- 
 ficulty , and wherein therefore we 
 may more eafily miftake. Only if 
 what is laid in this particular may 
 not be thought to be fatisfa&ory , 
 becaufe rather a bar to what is obje- 
 cted againft the traduction of Souls 
 
 N ? ( 
 
1 8 1 A tyigreffion concerning . 
 
 C and confequently of Original Sin) 
 than any dire£t anfwer to it ; I lhall 
 defire thofe , who are diffatisfTd with 
 it, to give fuch an anfwer, as they 
 themfelves demand to what is obje- 
 cted by the other party againft the 
 immediate Creation , and infufion of 
 them : It feeming not fb eafie to 
 imagine ( that I may not now prefs 
 them with any other inconveniencies) 
 that God fhould create a Soul on 
 purpofe to infufe it into fuch ince- 
 ftuous conceptions, ashehimfelfcan^ 
 not but be thought to abhor. For 
 my felf, as I can with equal eafe 
 digeft the traduction of Souls with 
 all its inconveniencies, or rather ac- 
 quiefce in that evidence, which the 
 Do&rine of the Scripture, and the 
 fimple nature of a generation do 
 feem to fuggeft ; So I lhall hardly 
 think it reafbnable to quit it , till 
 they , who affert the Creation of 
 Souls , free it from the former in- 
 convenience , and other fuch diffi- 
 culties , wherewith it is alike en* 
 eumbred. For till that be done, the 
 tradu&ion of Souls will not only be 
 of greater probability , but ferve 
 
 more 
 
Original Sin: I 8} 
 
 more clearly to declare how that 
 corruption , which our firft Parents 
 contracted , patted from them unto 
 their Children, and lb on to fucced* 
 ing Generations. 
 
 N 4 PART 
 

185 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 Of the things fignified by Bap* 
 tifm on the part of God , 
 or its inward and fpiritual 
 Grace. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 The things fignified by Bap tifm are ei- 
 ther more general , or particular : 
 More general^ as that Covenant of 
 Grace j which paffeth between God , 
 and Man, and that body of Men y 
 which enter into Covenant with him ; 
 More particular ■, what the fame God 
 doth, by vertue of that Covenant y 
 oblige himfelf to beftow upon the 
 Baptized, and what thofe Baptized 
 ones do on their part undertake to 
 ferform. Thefe latter ones propo- 
 fen i» be confidered) and entrance 
 
 made 
 
jn6 Of the inward, and fpiritual 
 
 made with the confederation of what 
 God obligeth himfelf to beftow up- 
 on the Baptized, called by the Churchy 
 An inward, and fpiritual Grace. 
 Which inward^ and fpiritual Grace 
 is fhewn to be of two forts, to wit , 
 fuch as tend more immediately to 
 our fpiritual , and eternal welfare, 
 or fuch as only qualife us for thofe 
 Graces, that do fo* To the former 
 fort are reckon d that inward, and 
 fpiritual Grace, which tends to free 
 us from the guilt of fin, called by 
 the Church forgiveneis of fin ; 
 That which tends to free us from 
 the pollution of fin, called by our 
 Catechifm A death unto it.; And 
 that, which tends to introduce the 
 contrary purity, and hath the name of 
 a New birth unto righteoufhefs. To 
 the latter fort k reckoned our union 
 to that Body, of which Chriftje- 
 f us is the Head, and by means where* 
 of he difpenfeth the former Graces to 
 us. Eachoftheferefumdy and con f- 
 dered in their order, and {hewn to be, 
 what they are ufually flitd, the in- 
 ward, and fpiritual Graces of Bap- 
 tifm, or the things fignifed by the 
 
 outward vijible Sign thereof* 
 
 But 
 
Grace of Baptifm. 187 
 
 U T to return to that, from 
 which I have diverted, even 
 the things fignified by the out- 
 ward vifible fign of Baptifm, which 
 are either more general , or particu- 
 lar : More general, as that Covenant 
 of Grace, which paflfeth between 
 God, and Man, and that Body of 
 Men , which enter into Covenant 
 with him ; More particular, what 
 the fame God doth by vertue of that 
 Covenant oblige himfelf to beftow 
 upon the Baptized, and what thofe 
 Baptized ones do on their part make 
 profefiion of. Of thole more general 
 things I have given fbme account al- 
 ready *, and (hall have occafion, as *oftheSa« 
 I go, to add yet farther light to %£$* m 
 them ; I will therefore proceed forth- Part 2. 
 with to the confideration of the more 
 particular ones , fiich as are on the 
 part of God an inward and Spiritual 
 Grace , and on the part of the Bap- 
 tized an abrenuntiation of their former 
 fins, and a relblution to believe, and 
 a£t , as Chriftianity obligeth them 
 to do* 
 
 Now 
 
1 88 Of the inward, and fpirkual 
 
 Now the inward and Spiritual 
 Grace of Baptifm is of two forts , 
 to wit, fiich as tend more immedi- 
 ately to our fpiritual, and eternal wel- 
 fare, or fucn as only qualifie us for 
 thofe Graces , that do fo. Of the 
 former fort again is that inward and 
 Spiritual Grace, which tends to free 
 us from the guilt of fin, beft known 
 by the name of forgivenefs, or that 
 which tends to free us from the 
 pollution of fin, called by our Ca- 
 techifm a death unto it , or laftly 
 that which tends to introduce the 
 contrary purity, and hath the name 
 of a new birth unto Right eoufnefs. Of 
 the latter fort is our union to that 
 body, of which Chrift Jefus is the 
 head, and by means of which he di£ 
 penfeth the former Graces to us. 
 For that each of thefe is fignified 
 on the part of God by the outward 
 vifible fign of Baptifm, and confe- 
 quently is a part of its inward and 
 Spiritual Grace , will appear if 
 we defcend to particulars, which 
 therefore I will q.pw fet my felf 
 
 to do, 
 
 To 
 
 
Grace of Baptifyn. 1 89 
 
 To begin with thofe inward, and 
 Spiritual Graces , which tend, more 
 immediately to our fpiritual , and 
 eternal welfare \ Among which as I 
 aflignM the firft place to forgivenefs 
 of fin, fo I fhall make it my bufi- 
 neis to fhew firft , that that is a 
 Grace which is fignified by the out- 
 ward vifible fign of Baptifin, and Se* 
 condly give a more particular ac- 
 count of the nature of that forgive- 
 nefs, which I have laid to be figni- 
 fied by the other. 
 
 That forgivenefs of fin is a Grace 
 fignified by the outward vifible fign 
 of Baptifin, will appear if thefe two 
 things can be made out ; Firft, that 
 the outward vifible fign of Baptifin 
 hath a relation to the forgivenefs of 
 fin, and Secondly that it hath the 
 relation of a fign unto it. For it 
 the outward vifible fign of Baptifin 
 hath the relation of a fign to the 
 forgivenefs of fin, Forgivenefs of 
 fin, as being its correlatum, muft be 
 look'd upon as fignified by it. That 
 the outward vifible fign of Baptifin 
 hath &r elation to the forgivenefs of 
 fin,S. Peter will not fuffer us to doubt, 
 becaufe admonifhing f the Jews to f a& 2 . ^. 
 
 be 
 
i6. 
 
 i 9° Of the inward, and fpiritual 
 
 be baptizd for the remijjion of fins } 
 And as little doubt can there well 
 be of its having the relation of a 
 fign unto it, which is the only thing 
 we are at prefent to confider ; Part- 
 ly, becaufe Baptifm hath been be- 
 *oftheSa- fore * fhewn to have been intended 
 cramentsin by God as a fign of many things , 
 fart*!.' and why then not as a fign of that 
 forgivenefs, to which I have fhewn 
 it equally to relate, and partly be- 
 caufe it is proposM to us as washing 
 0)Afts22.^ away (^) the fins of thofe, that are 
 fprinkled with it. For as if the Wa- 
 ter of Baptifm be to be confidered 
 as washing away Mens fws, it muft 
 be upon the account of its being a 
 fign of that inward Grace thereof , 
 that doth fb, as which alone can be 
 a juft foundation of attributing fuch 
 a property to it (for neither can 
 the Water of Baptifm put away 
 Men's fins, but by means of that 
 Grace, which it conveys, nor with 
 any propriety even fb be faid to wajh 
 them away , but upon the account 
 of the likenefs there is between its 
 own natural property, and that of 
 the divine Grace, which will make the 
 Water of Baptifm a fign, or reprefen- 
 
 tation 
 
Grace of tBaptifen. i p i 
 
 tation of it)So if the Water of Baptifin 
 be to be confidered as wafting away 
 Mens fins, it will equally lead us 
 to believe, that it ought to be con- 
 fidered in particular as a fign of that 
 forgivenefs , whereof we fpeak : 
 Partly, becaufe that forgivenefs is an 
 undoubted correlatum of Baptifin , 
 and partly becaufe the term of wash- 
 ing away Men's fins is moil frequent- 
 ly made ufe of to denote the for- 
 givenefs of fins, and that outward 
 fign therefore , to which fuch a 
 wafhing is attributed , intended as a 
 fign of the forgivenefs of them. I 
 conclude therefore that whatever 
 elfe may be thought to be excluded 
 from the fignification of the Water 
 of Baptifin, yet it hath the relation 
 of a fign to the forgivenefs of fin , 
 and that forgivenefs therefore to be 
 look'd upon as one of the Graces 
 fignified by it. And I fhall only 
 add, that this was always fb acknow* 
 ledg'd in the Church, that even the 
 Pelagians themfelves , though they 
 deny'd all fin in Infants, and confe- 
 quently left no place for the forgive-* 
 nefs of fin in them, yet did allow 
 of their being Baptizd for the remif- 
 
 f 
 
i p 2 Of the inward, mi fpiritual 
 
 fion of fins According to the rule of the 
 Vniverfal Church, and the tenour of 
 the Gofpel, as appears from the words 
 
 xllftu!' of ? eU & ius himfelf ( h \ and thofe of 
 8.2. part. L his Scholar Coeleftius. 
 rhtf. 4. There being therefore no doubt 
 
 to be made, that forgivenefs of fin is 
 one of thofe inward, and Spiritual 
 Graces, which are fignified by Bap- 
 tifm, it may not be amifs for the far- 
 ther clearing of that Grace, to lay 
 fbmewhat concerning the nature of 
 it, both as to thofe fins it pretends 
 to affbile, and the meafure of its for- 
 givenefs. But becaufe I have elfe- 
 M Expi. of where (f) given no contemptible ac- 
 the Creed, count thereof, and lliall have occafi- 
 2C^e fo:* on t0 refiime it, when I come to fhe w 
 gtiienefs of what farther relation the outward 
 Un% vifible fign of Baptifm bears to this, 
 
 and its other inward Graces ; I fhall 
 content my felf to obferve at pre- 
 fent, that as that forgivenefs, which 
 is fignified by it, hath a relation to 
 all our paft fins, fb it relates in par- 
 ticular to Original Sin, and confe- 
 quently tends alike to the cancel- 
 ling of its Obligation. Witnefs not 
 only the Churches applying this fign 
 of it to Infants, as that too, as was 
 
 before 
 
Grace of Baptifm. \yi 
 
 before noted for the remiflion of fins, 
 but S. PauPs making that quick- 
 ning(/), which we have by Baptifhij pjEpMi 
 to lave us as well from that wrath , *• &c * 
 which we were the Children of by 
 Nature, as from our own vsm con*> 
 verfation, and the punifhment there- 
 of. For other fenfe than that as the 
 generality of the Latins (e) did not 0) vu Voj. 
 put upon the Apoftles words, fb nei- t [ } Ug - **$ 
 ther is there indeed any neceffity for, im 2 . 
 or all things eonfidered any probabi- 
 lity of: Partly becaufe the Apoitle 
 might intend to aggravate the fin ful- 
 nefs of Men's former eftate from 
 their natural, as well as contracted 
 pollutions ( even as David aggrava^ 
 ted his (/) where he deplores his 0}Pfal. ^r, 
 Adultery, and Murther ) and partly f 
 
 becaufe there is fafficient evidence 
 from other Texts of Mens being 
 finful by their birth, as well as pra- 
 ctice, and which as S. Pauts Chil- 
 dren of wrath by Nature is more 
 ftriftly agreeable to, fb is therefore 
 more reafbnable to be interpreted of. 
 And I haveinfifted fb much the long- 
 er both upon this particular , and the 
 Text I have made ufe of to confirm 
 it, becaufe as Original Sin is one 
 
 O main 
 
Vp4 Of thehiuwrd, and ffintual 
 
 main ground of Baptifm, and accor- 
 dingly in this very Catechifm of ours 
 reprefented by our Church as fiich, 
 fo fhe may leem to make ufe of that 
 very Text to evidence the being of 
 Original Sin , and the efficacy of 
 Baptifm toward the removing of it : 
 Her words being, that as we are by 
 nature born in Jin, and the Children 
 of wrath, fo we are by Baptifm made 
 the Children of Grace. 
 
 From the Grace of forgivenefs of 
 fin pafs we to that, which tends to 
 free us from its pollution, entitled by 
 our Church a death* unto it. A 
 grace , which as the corruption of 
 our Nature makes neceffary to be 
 had, fb cannot in theleaft be doubted 
 to be fignified by the outward fign 
 of Baptifm : It being not only the 
 affirmation of S. Paul that all true 
 
 f£)Rom.$. Chriftians are dead {£) to fin, but 
 
 Qb) 4, ' that they are buried by Baptifm (//) 
 
 into it y that they are by that means 
 
 q) ~5, planted together into the like nefs (/) of 
 
 ChrijFs death , and that their Old Man, 
 
 {JO — * 6 * even the Body of Jin, is crucified (£) 
 with Chrijl in it. For as that, and 
 
 (OCJ. 2.12. other fuch like Texts (/) of Scri- 
 pture are a fufficient proof of Bap- 
 
 tifm's 
 
Grace of Baptifm. j p j 
 
 tifms having a relation to our death 
 unto fin, as well as unto the death 
 of Chrift ; So they prove in like 
 manner, that it had the relation of a 
 fign unto it, and confequently make 
 the former death to be one of the 
 Graces fignified by it: Becaufe not 
 only defcribing the Rite of iaptifm 
 under the notion of a death, and Bu- 
 rial, which it cannot be laid to be,. 
 but as it is an image of one , but . 
 reprefenting it as a planting of the 
 Baptized perfbn into the likenefs of 
 that death of Chrift, which is the 
 exemplar of the other. For wliat is 
 this but to fay, that it was intended 
 as a fign, or reprefentation of them ; 
 both, and both the one, and the o-. 
 ther therefore to belook'd upon as 
 fignified by it. The fame is to be 
 faid upon the account of thofe Texts 
 of Scripture, which reprefent the 
 Water of Baptifm as lvajhing (m) '(m)A$&iii 
 away the fins of Men, or (if that ex- - 
 
 predion may not be thought to be 
 full enough, becaufe referring alfb , 
 
 to the forgivenefs of them ) as fan- 
 edifying, and cleanfwg (n) the Church, OO^ph-S^, 
 to the end it may be holy, and with- 
 out blcmiflj. For as that fhews the 
 
 O 2 Water 
 
i<?6 Of the 'award , and fylritud 
 
 Water of Baptifm to have a relation 
 to that grace, which tends to free 
 the Church from finful blemifhes , 
 fb it fhews in like manner, that it 
 was intended as a figrn of it, and of 
 that inward eleanfing, which belongs 
 to it: There being not other wife any 
 reafbn why the freeing of the Church 
 from fin by means of the Baptifmal 
 water fhould have the name of elean- 
 fing, but upon the account of the ana- 
 logy there is between the natural pro- 
 perty thereof, and the property of 
 that Grace, to which it relates. 
 
 One only Grace remains of thofe, 
 which tend more immediately to 
 our fpiritual welfare, even that 
 which our Catechifm entitles a new 
 birth unto right eoufnefs. Concern- 
 ing which I fhall again fhew ( be- 
 caufe that will be enough to prove, 
 that it is a Grace fignified by it ) that 
 the Water of Baptifm hath a relation 
 to it, and then that it hath the re- 
 lation of a fign. I alledge for the 
 former of thefe S. Pads entitling it 
 (o) Tic 3.5- the laver of regeneration (0), as our 
 O) J oh « 3-5- Saviour's affirming (p) before him , 
 that we are born again of that, as well 
 as of the Spirit , For the latter what 
 
 hath 
 
Grace of Baptifm. 1 97 
 
 hath been before fhewn in the general 
 concerning its having been intend- 
 ed as a fign of the things, to which 
 it relates. For if the Water of Bap- 
 tilm were intended as a fign of thole 
 things, to which it relates, it muft 
 confequently have bin intended as a 
 fign of our new birth, becaufe by 
 the former Texts as manifeftly re- 
 lating to it. But lb we fhall be 
 yet more fully perfwaded, if it car- 
 ry in it a representation of that new 
 birth , to which it doth relate. 
 Which that it doth will need no 
 other proof, than its being an apt re- 
 prelentation of that fpiritual purity , 
 which the Soul puts on at its firft 
 conversion, and wherein indeed its 
 new birth ($) confifts. For fo it is (<7) E P h -4- , 
 in part by that cleanfing quality, 
 which is natural to it, and which indu- 
 ceth a purity in thole bodies, to which 
 it is applied ; But elpecially by the 
 ule that was formerly made of it to- 
 ward the wafhin^ of new-born In* 
 fants from thole impurities ? which 
 they contracted from the Womb : 
 This laft lerving to fet forth the 
 firft beginnings of our fpiritual pu- 
 rity, as well as the former doth that 
 
 O 1 purity 
 
I p 8 Of the inward, and fpiritual 
 
 purity it felf. And I fhall onlyadd ? 
 that as a refurre&ion from the Dead 
 is alfo a kind of new Birth, and ac- 
 cordingly ib reprefented by the Scri- 
 ptures themfelves ( witnefs their en- 
 tkuling our Saviour upon the account 
 of his Refurreftion the fr/t-begotten 
 (V)Col. lis. ( r ) f rom t f je dead, yea making that 
 
 Refurreftion of his to be a comple- 
 (7)Aasi$. tion (/) of that fignal prediction of 
 
 O) Pfal. 2 5 7." ^°^ ^) Tkw art my Son this day 
 have I begotten thee) So the fame 
 Scriptures do not only repreient our 
 new birth unto Rkhteoufhefs under 
 the notion of a Refurre£tion , but 
 fuflkiently intimate that whether 
 Birth or R efurreftion to be a Grace 
 fignified by it : Becaufe not only ad- 
 monifhing us to look upon our felves 
 
 (^)Ro^: os a li^ pnt0 q £ by ]?aptifm (u), 
 
 as well as dead unto Jin in it, but as 
 (V)Col.2i2. r lf en ( JV ) with Chriji therein through 
 the faith of the operation of him, who 
 raifed him from the dead. For how 
 come Men by reaibn of their being 
 alive unto God through Baptifin to 
 be affirmed to have rifen with 
 Chrift in it, but upon the account 
 of that Baptifm of theirs being a 
 reprefentation of that new life, or 
 
 birth* 
 
Grace of&aptiftnl 199 
 
 birth, which we have by the means 
 of it, as well as of the Refurre&ion 
 of our Saviour ? 
 
 I will conclude what I have to 
 lay concerning the inward , and Spi- 
 ritual Grace of Baptifin, when I 
 have taken notice of that, which 
 though it do not immediately tend 
 to our fpiritual, snd eternal wel- 
 fare, yet qualifies us for thole Graces, 
 that do ; Even our union to that Bo- 
 dy , of which Chrift Jefus is the 
 Head, and by means of which he diP 
 penfeth the other graces to us. For 
 that that is alio fignified by the out- 
 ward vifible fign of Baptifm , will 
 appear if we confider that vifible 
 fign as having a relation to it, and 
 then as having the relation of a 
 fign. Of the former whereof as 
 S, Paul will not fuffer us to doubt, 
 becaufe affirming all (#) whether (*)iCor.r 2 . 
 Jews or Gentiles to be baptized in- 
 to that body ; So there will be as 
 little doubt of the other from the 
 general defign of its inftitution, and 
 from what S. Paul intimates in the 
 former place concerning it : That 
 expreflion of being baptized into the 
 body of Chrift importing our be- 
 
 4 ing 
 
too Of the inTfrdrc( y and Jpiritual 
 
 ing receivM by Baptifm within it ^ 
 as the body of the Baptized is with- 
 in thole waters, wherein he isim- 
 merfed. Which will consequently 
 make that Rite a true , and proper 
 fign of Our Union to Chrift's Bo- 
 dy, and that union therefore a thing 
 fignified by it. 
 
 Such are the things , which are 
 by Baptifin fignified on the part of 
 God, and Chrijl , or ( that I may 
 fpeak in the language of our Church) 
 the inward , and fpiritual Graces 
 thereof. It remains that I alfo 
 fhew the things fignified by it o® 
 the fart of the Baptized , even an 
 Abrenunciation of their former fins* 
 and a refolution to believe , and 
 a£t , as Chriftianity obligeth them 
 to do. But becaufe both the one , 
 and the other of thefe will be more 
 clearly underftood, if they be hand' 
 led apart, and whatlbever is to 
 be known concerning each of them 
 laid as near together as may be ; 
 Therefore having begun to entreat 
 of the inward and fpiritual Grace 
 of Baptifm, I will continue my Dif 
 courie concerning it, and accor- 
 dingly go on to enquire what far- 
 ther 
 
Grace of IBaptifm. 201 
 
 ther relation the outward vifible fign 
 of Baptifm hath to its inward and 
 Spiritual Grace, or Graces, and firft 
 of all to Forgivenefs of fin» 
 
 PART 
 
20 
 
 PART V. 
 
 Of Forgivenefs of fin by Bap 
 tifm. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 Of the relation of the fign of Bap- 
 tifm to its inward , and fpiritiiai 
 Grace j and particularly to Forgive- 
 nefs of fin \ Which is either that of 
 a means fitted by God to convey it v 
 or of a pledge to ajfure the Bapti- 
 zed per [on of it. The former of 
 thefe relations more particularly con- 
 fidered) as that too with refpetl to 
 Forgivenefs of Sin in the general , 
 or the Forgivenefs of all Sin whatfoe- 
 ver y and Original Sin in particular. 
 As to //tf former whereof is a/ledge d 
 firft the Scriptures calling upon 
 Men to be Baptized for the remiffion y 
 or forgivenefs of fin ? Secondly the 
 
 Church's 
 
Z04 Of Forgivemfs of Sin 
 
 Churches making that Forg'ivenefs 
 a fart of her Belief, and, Do^rine, 
 Thirdly the agreeing opinions or pra- 
 ctices of thofe, who were either un- 
 lound members of it, or Separatifts 
 from it, Jlnd fourthly the Calum- 
 nies of its enemies. The like evi- 
 dence made of the latter from the 
 Scripture 1 s fropofmg Baptifm, and 
 its Forgivenefs as a remedy again]} 
 the greatejl guilts, ani in f fecial 
 againfi that wrath , which we are 
 Children of by Nature. From the 
 premifes is /hewn, that the fign of 
 Baptifm is a pledge to affwe the 
 Baptized of Forgivenefs, as well as 
 a means fitted by God for the corr 
 v eying of it. 
 
 NOW as the outward vifible 
 fign of Baptifm hath, beCde 
 that of a fign, the relation 
 of a means fitted by God to convey the 
 inward, and fpiritual Grace, and of a 
 pledge to allure the Baptized perlbn 
 of it ; So being now to entreat of 
 its relation to that of the Forgive* 
 nefs of fins, we muft therefore confi- 
 der it under each of them, and firft 
 as a means fitted by God for the con- 
 veying of it. In 
 
by fiaptifm. 205 
 
 In the handling whereof I will 
 proceed in this method ; Firft, I 
 will fhew that it hath indeed fuch a 
 relation to Forgivenefs in the general, 
 Secondly, that it hath fuch a relati- 
 on to the Forgivenefs of all fins 
 whatfbever, and particularly of O- 
 riginal, 
 
 That the outward vifible fign of 
 Baptifm hath fuch a relation to For- 
 givenefs in the general , will appear 
 from the enfuing Topicks. 
 
 I. From the plain, and undoubted 
 Do&rine of the Scripture. 
 
 II. From the confentient Do&rine, 
 and Belief of the Church. 
 
 III. From the whether practices, or 
 opinions of the unfbund members of 
 it, or Separatifts from it. 
 
 IV. From the Calumnies of the 
 open Enemies thereof. 
 
 I. What the Do&rine of the Scri* 
 pture is in this affair cannot be un- 
 known to any, who have reflected 
 upon what S. Peter {aid to thofe 
 Jews, who demanded of him, and his 
 fellow Apoftles what they fhould do 
 to avert the guilt they hadi contra- 
 
 £ted ? 
 
2o 6 Of Vovgiyenefs of fin 
 
 cted, and what Jnanias faid to Paul, 
 who was remitted to him upon the 
 lame account. For to the former 
 S.Peter made anfwer among other 
 
 * Aas2. 38. things that they fhouldbe baptiz'd * 
 for the remiffion of fins ; Which 
 fhews what Baptifm was intended 
 for, and what therefore, if they were 
 duly qualified , they might certain- 
 ly expe& from it : To the latter Ana- 
 nias, that he fhould arife , and ke 
 
 f — 22, 1 5. baptized , '\ and wajh away his fins. 
 Which effe£t as it cannot be thought 
 to referr to any thing but the pre- 
 ceding Baptifin, and therefore neither 
 but make that Baptifm the proper 
 means of accomplishing it ; So can 
 much left be thought to exclude, or 
 rather riot principally to intend the 
 wafhing away the guilt of them : Part- 
 ly becaufe (as was before obfer/d J 
 that is themoft ufualfenfe of waging 
 away fins, and partly becaufe moft a- 
 greeable to the difconfblate condition 
 Paul was then in, as well as to the 
 foregoing declaration of S.Peter. 
 
 II. To the Do£trine of the ! Scri- 
 pture fubjoyn we the confentient 
 Do&rine, and belief of the Church, 
 
 as 
 
by (Baptifm. loy 
 
 as which though it cannot add to 
 the Authority of the other, yet will 
 no doubt conferr much to the clear- 
 ing of its fenfe , and of that Do- 
 ctrine, which we have deduced from 
 it. Now what evidence there is of 
 fiich a content will need no other 
 proof than the Doftrine of her 
 Creed, f, and the ufe fhe made of the iCreedm 
 fimple Baptifm of Infants toeftablifh theCommu 
 againft the Pelagians the being of w° n " ferv ' 
 that Original Sin they call'd in que- 
 ftion. For how otherwife could the 
 Church call upon Men to declare, 
 that they believ'd one Baptifm for 
 the remiffion of fins ? Yea , though 
 {he thought it otherwife neceflary 
 to inculcate Baptifm, as well as re~ 
 miffion , and the Jingle adminijlration 
 of it, as well as either. For be- 
 fide that both the one, and the other 
 might have been declared by them* 
 felves, as well as in the tenour, where- 
 in they are now exhibited ; Had it 
 not been a thing otherwife certain 
 that remiffion of fins was an effefl: of 
 Baptifm, to have fubjoyn'd it to 
 Baptifm, as it is now, would have 
 been a means to render it uncertain , 
 and confequently all the hopes of a 
 
 Chri- 
 
2o8 Of Forgivenefs of Sin 
 
 Chriftian together with it» Again, 
 if there had been any the leaft doubt 
 in the Church concerning this rela- 
 tion of Baptifm, I mean as a means 
 to convey remiflion of fins to the Bap- 
 tized party ; How could fhe have 
 {a)Vojf. mft. made ufeof the fimple Baptifm (4) 
 
 j££. 4J °f In ( mts t0 e . ftablifh a § ainf t . the 
 
 titkf/^ Pelagians the being of that Original 
 fin, which they call'd in queftion ? 
 For that Argument of hers proceed- 
 ing upon the fuppofition of remifli- 
 on of fins by Baptifm, as that again 
 upon the fuppofition of fbmething 
 to be remitted in the party baptized, 
 which in Infants could be no other 
 than that Original Sin, which fhe 
 afferted ; If Baptifm had not been 
 certainly intended for the remiflion 
 of fins, that argument of hers had 
 been of no force^ yea rather weak- 
 ned, than any way ftrengthened that 
 Original Sin, which fhe maintained ; 
 Efpecially, when it was a like cer- 
 tain, and accordingly reply'd by the 
 QX& BW- Pelagians, (J?) that Baptifm had other 
 *** 4 * ufes, and for which it might be flip- 
 posM to have been conferr'd upon In- 
 fants, though they had nothing at all 
 of finful in them* 
 
 III, 
 
by Baptifm. ieg 
 
 til. But befide the fuffrage of the 
 Church of God, which both publifh'd 
 this DoQxine in her Creed, and ar- 
 gued others from it ; It is farther 
 tobeobferv'd, that thofe, who were 
 none of the fotwdejt members of it, 
 nor indeed as yet perfect ones, con- 
 firmed it by their opinions, and pra- 
 ctices, as they alfb did in fbme mea- 
 ftire, who yet feparated from it in 
 this affair. Witnefs, for the former* 
 their deferring their Baptifm to their 
 death beds ; Whether (as the Fathers 
 (<r) fometime charg'd them) that fafeMJi 
 they might fin fb much the more pmitm.c.ii 
 fecurely in the mean time, or ( as I 
 rather think for the moft part ) be- 
 ca\ife they were not well aflur'd Of 
 the like efficacious means for the for- 
 givenefs of them. For which fbever 
 of thefe two were the occafion of 
 that delay, manifeft it is even from 
 thence, that they had a high opinion 
 of the forgivenefs of fin by Baptifm, 
 but much more from the hazard 
 they ran of going out of the World 
 Without it, and the contrariety of 
 that their delay to the pra&ice ot the 
 firft Christians (d), as we'll as to the^ (i)Aasi4^ 
 
 P fenti- 
 
no v Of Forgive nefs of fin 
 
 (e)cod.Ecd. fentiments (e) of their own times 
 ?/ concerning it. It being not to be 
 thought, that Men of ordinary pru- 
 dence would run upon fb great an 
 irregularity , as well as danger, un- 
 lets they alio believed, that if they 
 hapned to obtain Baptifm, they fhould 
 obtain together with it fb plentiful 
 a forgivenefs, as would make ample 
 amends for the other. And though 
 we cannot fb reafbnably expert the 
 like evidence from hereticksj and 
 much lefs from thofe, whole bufinefs 
 was in a great meafure to depredate 
 the value of Baptifm, as it is certain 
 the Pelagians was ; Yet as even they 
 (/)Expi.of fas was before (/) obferv'd) al- 
 Bapt.Parc4. \ ov f& the Baptizing of Infants into 
 the fame rule of Faith with thofe 
 of riper years, and confequently into 
 remiffion of fins ; So they denyed 
 (fiVoff.mjt. not, as to Men of riper years (g)> 
 peiag.n.2^ that Baptifm was efficacious toward 
 ' Hj '^ it, and that as they were baptizd 
 into the belief of remiffion of 
 fins , 16 they received that remiffion 
 by it. 
 
 IV. In fine, fb notorious as well as 
 prevalent was the Doftrine of for- 
 givenefs of fin by Baptifm, that the 
 
 adver- 
 
by Baptifm. m 
 
 adverfaries of the Church , and of 
 Chriftianity took occafion from thence 
 fco calumniate them for it, and made 
 that Doftrine of theirs one of their 
 greateft crimes. Of which, to omit 
 others, we have a remarkable proof 
 in Julian (h), who makes Conftanti- ^Orated; 
 us, or rather Chriftianity in him, ^ ' ^ At<m M 
 thus to befpeak the World. Whofo- 
 ever is a corrupter of Women, or a 
 Murtherer, or impure, or Abominable , 
 let him come with confidence. For 
 having wajhrd him with this water, I 
 will make him prefently clean ; And 
 though he be aft erwa-rd guilty of the 
 like crimes , yet 1 will take care to 
 cleanfe him from them, if he will but 
 fmite his breaft, and knock his head. 
 The former part whereof is a mani- 
 feft allufion toBaptifm, and its ef- 
 fects, the latter to the penitential ''$& 
 icipline of the Church. And it 
 ought the rather to be taken notice 
 of, becaufe as it bears witnefs to that 
 forgivenefs of fin by Baptifm, which 
 hath been hitherto our defign to ad- 
 vance, lb it will contribute in part 
 toward the proving, what comes next 
 in order, even 
 
 P 2 That 
 
ill Of Forghmefs of fin 
 
 That the outward vifible fkn of 
 
 - CD 
 
 Baptifm hath that relai ion, whereof, 
 we fpeak, to the forgivenels oiallfws 
 whatfbever, and particularly of Oru 
 ginal Sin : There being little doubt 
 as to the former of thele, if (as Chri- 
 ftianity is there made to fpeak ) aduU 
 tery'-, and mart her were wafl/d away 
 by the waters of it. But fb that 
 Chriftianity it lelf taught, as well as 
 was affirmed by this its adverfary 
 to do, is not only evident from what 
 (QExpLof hath been elle where laid (/') concern- 
 xhe Creed. J n g its tendering forgivenels of fins 
 tomliti* whfateh* and particularly in the 
 of fi#£« /aver of Baptifin, but from the qua- 
 lity of thole criminals, whom it in- 
 vited to forgivenels by it. For thus 
 we find it to have done thole 
 (O AAs 2 - Jews (£)> whom it before charg'd (/) 
 (/) -—.-- \{. with the murther of our Lord, and 
 ijn) Afis 22. him in particular (*»), who elfe- 
 (s^iTim. 1 !.* where (n) confelfeth himlelf to have 
 *3« been a blaftbemer, a perfecuter, and 
 injurious, yea was intent upon that 
 execrable employment at the time he 
 was firft invited to forgivenels. But 
 therefore as I cannot either conceive, 
 or allow of any other abatement in 
 this forgivenels, than that which is 
 
 to 
 
by B'apti/in. 2 r 5 
 
 to be made upon account of the (in 
 again ft the Holy Ghoft , and which 
 what it is, hath been elfewhere (<?) 0>)E*P|-°f 
 declar'd ; So I fliall need only to take Art K,\j'e 
 notice of the reference it hath to that fejgifccnefsi, 
 Original Sin, which is the unhappy &c * 
 parent of all the reft. Not that 
 there can be any great doubt as to tllQ 
 pardon of that, where it appears that 
 the moft heinous actual fins are par- 
 doned, but becaufe Baptiftn hath 
 been thought by our Church (f) to (?) See the 
 have a more peculiar reference to it, oflfceofBapc 
 and becaufe if it can be prov'd to G hifm. e 
 have fuch a reference to its forgive- 
 nefs, it will be of fignal ufe to fhew 
 the neceffity of baptizing Infants, 
 in whom that fin doth alike predo- 
 minate. Now though it be hard to 
 find anyone Text of Scripture, where 
 that forgivenefs, whereof we fpeak, 
 is exprefly attributed to Baptifm ; 
 Yet will it not be difficult to deduce 
 it from that (q) y which I have be- fy)Eph.^T. 
 fore fhewn to entreat of our becoming &c - 
 the children of wrath by nature , as 
 well as by the wickednefs of our 
 conversions. For oppofing to the 
 corruption, or rather deadnefs, which 
 accrues by both, the quickningrve have 
 
 P 3 together 
 
 * 
 
%x^ Of Forgfvenefs of Jin 
 
 together 9 with Chrijt,. and which quick* 
 (V) Co!. 2. 12. wnghz elfe where if) asexprefiy af- 
 firms to be accomplifhed in us by 
 Baptifm ; Affirming moreover that 
 (/)Eph. 2. qtkkning to bring fa 'h at ion (/), and 
 
 rtWu-i* t' ace ^)' auc * recon ciliation (u) (for 
 ^«j_,. — .-i^. i6 he difcourfeth of it in the follow- 
 ing Verfes of that Chapter ) he muft 
 confequently make that quickwpg, and 
 the means of it to tend to the forgive* 
 nefs of both, and particularly oi na- 
 tural corruption : Becaufe as that 
 quickning is by him opposed to 
 both , fo it muft in this particular 
 be lookd upon as more peculiarly 
 oppofed to the latter, becaufe that 
 is more peculiarly affirmM to make 
 Men the Children of wrath, and ven* 
 geance. 
 
 Such evidence there is of the out- 
 ward vifible fign of Baptifm being 
 a means fitted by God to convey that 
 forgivenefs, whereofwefpeak; And 
 we fhall need no other proof than 
 that of its being alfb a fledge to a£ 
 fure the baptized perfbn of it. For 
 fince God cannot be fuppos'd to fit 
 any thing for an end, which he doth 
 not on his part intend to accomplifh 
 by it j He, who knows himfelf to par- 
 take 
 
by Baptifm. 
 
 take of that, which is fitted by God 
 to convey forgivenefs of fin \ may 
 know alike, and be aflur'd as to the 
 part of God of his receiving that for- 
 givenefs , as well as the outward 
 means of its conveyance. For which 
 caufe in my Difcourle of its other 
 inward, and fpiritual Graces I fhall 
 take notice only of that outward , 
 and vifible fign as a means fitted by 
 God to convey them, becaufe its be- 
 ing alfb a pledge may be eafily dedu- 
 ced from it. 
 
 21 5 
 
 P 4 PART 
 
217 
 
 PART VI. 
 
 Of Mortification of fin, and 
 Regeneration by Baptifm. 
 
 The Contents* 
 
 Of the relation of the fign of Baptifm 
 to fuch inward, andfpiritual G races, 
 as tend to free us from the pollu- 
 tion of fin j or introduce the contra- 
 ry purity ; And that relation {hewn 
 to be no lefs than that of a means, 
 whereby they are convey d. This 
 evidenced as to the former, even our 
 death unto fin (which is alfo ex- 
 plain d ) from fuch Texts of Scri- 
 pture, as make mention of our being 
 baptized into it> and buried by Bap* 
 tifm in it y or from fuch as defer ibe 
 us as cleanfed by the rvajhing of it. 
 The like evidenced from the fame 
 Scripture concerning the latter, even 
 
 our 
 
% i 8 Pf Mortification of fin, and 
 
 ear new birth unto righteoufhefs ; 
 As that again farther cleared as to 
 this -particular by the-confentient Do- 
 ctrine y and practice of the Church , 
 by the opinion the Jews had of that 
 Baptifm, which was a Type, and ex- 
 plar of ours , and the exprejjtons 
 of the Heathen concerning it. The 
 Doctrine of the Church more largely 
 inftjled upon, and exemplified from 
 Juftin Martyr, Tertullian, and 
 S. Cyprian. . 
 
 Have confidered the fign of Bap- 
 tifm hitherto in its relation to For- 
 givenefs, that Grace, which tends 
 to free men from their guilt, and 
 is for that purpofe convey'd by Bap- 
 tifm to us ; I come now to confider 
 it in its relation to thofe, which ei- 
 ther tend to free them from the pol- 
 lution of fin , beft known by the 
 name of a Death unto it y or to intro- 
 duce the contrary righteoufnefs, and 
 is call'd a new birth unto it. Where 
 again I fhall (hew in each of them, 
 that as the outward work of Bap- 
 tifm hath the relation of a (ign 
 unto them, fb it hath equally the re- 
 lation of a mews fitted by God to 
 
 convey 
 
Regeneration by Hapiifm. 1 1 $> 
 
 convey them, and where it is duly re- 
 ceiv'd,doch not fail to introduce them. 
 
 To begin ( as is but meet ) with 
 that, which hath the name of a Death 
 unto fix, becaufe fin muft be firft fub- 
 dii'd, before the contrary quality can 
 be introduced ; Where firft I will 
 enquire what we are to underftand 
 by it, and then what evidence there 
 is of the fign of Baptifins being fit- 
 ted to convey it. 
 
 For the better underftanding the 
 former whereof we are to know, that 
 as Men by the corruption of their 
 nature are inclined unto fin, and yet 
 more by the irregularity of their 
 conversions, fb thole inclinations 
 are to the per Ions in whom they 
 are, as a principle of life to a living 
 Creature, and accordingly do both 
 difpofe them to a£t futably thereto , 
 and make them brisk, and vigorous 
 in it. Now as it cannot well be 
 expected, that where fuch inclina- 
 tions prevail,Mea fhould purfue thofe 
 things, which piety, and vertue 
 prompt them to, fb it was the bufi- 
 nefs of Philofbphy firft, and after- 
 wards of Religion, if not wholly to 
 deftroy thofe inclinations, yetatleaft 
 
 to 
 
% 20 Of Mortification of fin , and 
 
 to fubdue them in fuch fort, that 
 they fhould be in a manner dead , 
 and the peribns, in whom they were, 
 fb far forth dead alfo ; Thev neither 
 finding in themfelves the like inclina* 
 tions to aftuai fin, nor hurried on by 
 them, when they did. How little 
 able Philofbphy was to contribute 
 to fb bleffed an efteft: is not my bu- 
 finefs to fhew, nor indeed will there 
 be any need of it, after what I have 
 *Exi>iofthe elfe where * faid concerning the ne- 
 S r £«ii£'i!t ceffity of the divine Grace in order 
 ttie 1|fip to it. But as Chriftianity doth every 
 <55Ijolt where pretend to the doing of it , 
 and ( which is more ) both reprefents 
 that efFe£t under the name of a death 
 unto fin, and compares Men's thus 
 dying with that natural death, which 
 our Saviour underwent, fb it may the 
 more reafbnably pretend to the pro- 
 ducing of it, becaufe it alfb pretends to 
 furnifh Men with the power of his 
 Grace, to which fuch an effedt can- 
 not be fuppos'd to be difproporti- 
 onate. The only thing in queftion 
 as to our prefent concernment is , 
 whether as the outward work of 
 Baptifm hath undoubtedly the rela- 
 tion of a fign unto it, fo it hatha!-*. 
 
 fo 
 
Regeneration by { Baptifm. 221 
 
 fo the relation of a means fitted by 
 God for the conveying of it, and what 
 evidence there is of that relation* 
 
 Now there are two forts of Texts, 
 which bear witnefs to this relation, 
 as well as to its having that more 
 confeffed relation of a fign. Where-' 
 of the former entreat of this Grace 
 under the title of a death unto fin y the 
 latter of a cleaning from it. Of the 
 former fort I reckon that well known 
 place to the Romans , where S. PjuI 
 doth not only fuppofe all true Chri- 
 ftians i" to bs dead to fin, and accor- f Rom. 6. \. 
 dingly argue from it the unfitnefs of 
 their living any longer therein, but 
 affirm all, that are baptized into Jefus 
 
 Chrijl*, to be baptized into that death, * 3 . 
 
 yea to be buried by Baptifm (a) into 00 -4> 
 
 it ; to be planned together (b)by (b) 5, 
 
 that means in the likenefs of Chrijls 
 
 death, and to have their old Man(c), (d) 6. 
 
 or the body of fin crucified with him. 
 For lhall we fay that S. Paul meant 
 no more by all this, than that the de- 
 fign of Baptifm, and the feveral parts 
 of it was to reprefent to us the ne- 
 ceffity of our dying, and being buried 
 as to fin, and that accordingly all , 
 that are baptized into Chrift, make 
 
 profef- 
 
2 21 Of Mortification ofjin y and 
 
 profeffion of their refblution fb to do, 
 but not that they are indeed buried by 
 Baptifm as to that particular. But 
 beiide that we are not lightly to de- 
 part from the propriety of the Scrip- 
 ture phrafe, which muft be acknow* 
 ledg'd rather to favour a real death, 
 than the bare fignification of it ; 
 That Apoftle doth moreover affirm 
 thole, whom he before defcrib'd as 
 
 (dy—->}.i%. destd, to be freed (d) from fin^ yea lb 
 
 CO ***• far (e) as to have paffed over into 
 
 another fervice, even that of right e* 
 oufnefs, and to have obeyed from the 
 
 (j^ , 7# heart (/*) that form of Doctrine, in* 
 
 to which they had been delivered. 
 Which fuppos'd ( as it may, becaule 
 the direft affirmation of S. Pm/) 
 will make that death, whereof we 
 fpeak, to be a death in reality , as 
 well as in figure , and accordingly 
 f becaufe Men are affirmed to be bap- 
 tized into it) fhew that Baptifm to 
 be a means of conveying it, as well 
 as a representation of it. Agreeable 
 hereto, or rather yet more exprefs is 
 that of the fame Apoftle to the Co- 
 
 ££jCol.2.u. lojfians (g) though varying a little 
 from the other, as to the manner of 
 expreflion* For having affirmed them 
 
 through 
 
(Regeneration by Baptifm. 223 
 
 through Chrift to have put off the 
 body of the fins of the flefh h a cir- 
 cumcifion not made with hands, and 
 confequently by a fpiritual one, he 
 yet adds ( left any ihould fancy that 
 fpiritual Circumcifion to accrue to 
 them without fbme ceremonial one) in 
 the Circumcifion of Chrift, even that 
 JB^/y5»,which,conformably to the cir- 
 cumcifion of the Jews, he had appoin- 
 ted for their entrance into his Reli- 
 gion by, and wherein he accordingly 
 affirms, as he did in the former place, 
 that they were not only buried with 
 him , but had rifen together with him by 
 the faith of the operation of God> who 
 raifed him from the dead. From 
 whence as it is clear, that the putting 
 off the body of the fins of the flefh 
 ( which is but another expreffion for 
 a death unto them) is though ac- 
 complifhed by a fpiritual Grace, yet 
 by fuch a one, as is conveyed to us 
 by Baptifm, fb it becomes yet more 
 clear by what he adds concerning 
 Men's rifing with him in the fame 
 Baptifm, even to a life contrary to 
 what they had before depofited , 
 through the faith of the operation of 
 Gods For as we cannot conceive of 
 
 that 
 
H4 Of Mortification of fin, and 
 
 that fifing with Chriji as other than 
 a real one, becaufe there would not 
 otherwife have needed fueh a faithy 
 as thatj to bring it about ; So neither 
 therefore but think the like of that 
 death, which it prefiippofeth i and 
 confequently that that Baptifm , to 
 which it is annex'd , is a means of 
 conveying it, as well as a reprefenta- 
 tion of it* But fb we may be yet 
 more convinc'd by fuch Texts of 
 Scripture, as {peak of this death unto 
 fin under the notion of a cleaning 
 from it. Of which nature is that Id 
 OjEph. *< often alledged one (/?) concerning 
 25, 27. ChrifFs fanclifying, and cleanfing his 
 Church with the wafinng of water by 
 the word. For as it appears from 
 what is afterwards fubjoynd as the 
 end of that cleanfing, even that the 
 Church might not have any fipot, or 
 wrinkle , but that it Jhould be holy , 
 and without blemifh ; As it appears, I 
 fay, .from thence, that the Apoftle 
 fpeaks in the verfe before concern- 
 ing a cleanfing from the filth of fin , 
 which is but another expreffion for 
 the putting off the body of fin, or a 
 death unto it; So it appears in 
 like manner from S. Paul's attribu- 
 ting 
 
^generation hy JSaptifml i i j 
 
 ting that cleanfing to the waflnng of 
 Mater, that the outward fign of Bap- 
 tifm is by theappbintmentj andpro- 
 vifion or Godj a means of convey- 
 ing that fpirimal Grace, by which 
 that cleanfmg is more immediately 
 effedted , and that death unto fin 
 procurM. 
 
 From that death unto fh there- 
 fore pais we to our new birth unto 
 right eoufntfs) that other inward, and 
 fpiritual Grace of Baptifm, and the 
 complement of the former. A G race 
 of whole conveyance by Baptifm we 
 can much lefs doubt, if we confider 
 the language of the Scripture con- 
 cerning it, or the Do&rine, as well 
 as praftice of the Church ; The opi- 
 nion the Jews had of that, which 
 feems to have been its type, and ex- 
 emplar, or the expreflions even of 
 the Heathen concerning it. 
 
 For what left can the Scripture 
 be thought to mean, when it affirms 
 us to be born of the water (i) of it, as CO Joh. 3. i 
 well as of the fpirit, yea fb, as to be 
 as truly fpirit (£), as that, which is (£>-=■ — ~c 
 born of the fleflj, is flefh ? What left 
 can it be thought to mean, when it 
 entitles it the laver of (/) Regenera- (7) Tit. 3. £ 
 
%%6 Of Mortification of jm 9 and 
 
 tion, and which is more, affirms us 
 to be faved by it, as well as by the 
 renewing of the Holy Qhofil What 
 left, when it requires us to look up- 
 
 (*ORcm.6. on Ur jfel ves as a /i ve Qjfy unt0 Q l 
 
 (n) 4 ! by it, as well as buried (n) by it into 
 
 the former death, or ( as the fame 
 Apoftle elfe where exprelTeth it ) as 
 
 (*} toL 2.12. rifen with Chrifi in it (o) through the 
 
 faith of the operation of God , who 
 
 raifed him from the dead ? In fine , 
 
 what lets when it affirms us to be 
 
 C;)Eph. s .a$. f an aified with the wajhing (/>) of it, 
 as well as it elfewhere doth by the 
 influences of God's Spirit. For thefe 
 exprelfions iliew plainly enough, 
 that Baptifm hath its fhare in the 
 producing of this new birth, as well as 
 the efficacy of God's Spirit ; And 
 confequently that it is at lealt the 
 conveyer of that Grace, by which it 
 is more immediately produced. 
 
 And indeed as, if men would come 
 without prejudice, they would ibon 
 , fee enough inthofe exprejfions to con- 
 vince them of as much as I have 
 deduced from them \ So they might 
 fee yet more ( if they pafs'd fb far) 
 in the doctrine ', and language of the 
 Churchy to confirm them in that In- 
 terpretation 
 
Regeneration by jBaptifml i if 
 
 terpretation of therii. For who ever 
 even of the firft, andpurefl: times 
 fpake in a lower ftrain concerning 
 Baptifin ? who ever made lefs of it, 
 than of a means, by which we are 
 regenerated ? I appeal for a proof 
 hereof to their fb unanimvujly (cj) un- (?) Sce Part & 
 derftandirig of Baptifin what our Sa- 
 viour fpake to Nicodemus concern- 
 ing the neceffity of men's being born 
 *gain of water, and of the fprit \ For 
 as all men whatfbever interpret that 
 of our new birth unto righteoufnefs , 
 and, fb far, as the fpirit of God is 
 concerned in it, of the means, by 
 which it is produced \ So they muft 
 therefore believe, that if the Antients 
 underftood it of Baptilm, they al- 
 lotted that its fhare in it, and eonfe- 
 quently made it at leaft a conveyer 
 of that Grace, by which this new 
 birth is produced. I appeal farther 
 to the particular declarations of fbme 
 of the moft eminent among them j 
 and which whofbever fliall ferioufly 
 confider, will wonder how itfhould 
 come to fall back to a naked, and 
 inetfeftual fign. For Jujlin Martyr 
 (rj fpeaking concerning thofe, who fr) Apology 
 had prepared themfelves for Baptifin, t- n* 9¥ 
 
 (^ £ affirms 
 
22 3 Of Mortification of fin y and 
 
 affirms them to be brought by the bre- 
 thren to a place, where water is, and 
 there to be regenerated after that way 
 of regeneration , wherewith they them" 
 fehes were. Which what it was > 
 and of how great force he afterwards 
 fhews, by affirming them thereupon 
 to be wafFd in the name of tloe Father, 
 Son y and Holy Ghoft, as that too con- 
 formably to what our Savt urfpake con- 
 cerning the necejjity of mens being bom 
 again , To what the Prophet Ifaiah 
 meant, when he faid, Wajh you, make 
 you clean, put away wickednejfes from 
 your fouls \ And in fine, to procure 
 their deliverance from that, whether 
 natural, or habitual corruptions they 
 were under the power of. For thefe 
 things fhew plainly enough, that as 
 he fpake of the Baptifmal regenera- 
 tion, fp he {pake of it too as a things 
 which procured, as well as figured 
 the internal regeneration of them. 
 To the fame purpofe doth Tertulli* 
 An difcourfe, and particularly in his 
 Traft de Baptifmo ; Witnels his cal- 
 ling it, in the very beginning there* 
 of, that happy Sacra?nent of our wa- 
 ter, wherewith being wajh d from the 
 faults of our prefent blindnefs, we are 
 
 freed 
 
Regeneration hy Baptifm. 229 
 
 freed into eternal life His affirm- 
 ing prefently after, that we the lef 
 fer f/hesj according to that i;£9»V, 
 or greater one Refits Chrifl, are born 
 in the water, neither can continue fafe y 
 nnlefs we abide in it \ That we ought 
 not to wonder , if the waters of Bap- 
 t if m give life, when that Element was 
 the firjty that brought forth any living 
 creature ; That, as the Spirit of God 
 moved at the beginning upon the face 
 of waters , fo the fame fpirit of God, 
 after the invocation of his name y doth 
 defend from Heaven upon thofe of 
 Baptifm 9 and having fanffified them 
 from himfelf gives them a power of 
 fanffifying others. For thefe and the 
 like paffages fhew as plainly , that 
 that Authour look'd upon the out- 
 ward fign of Baptifin as contributing 
 in its place to the production of our 
 new birth, or fan£tification, as well 
 as to the reprefentation of it. But 
 of all the Antient Fathers, that have 
 entreated of this affair, or indeed of 
 that Sacrament, which we are now 
 upon the confideration of, there is no 
 one, who hath fpoken more , or 
 more to the purpofe than S. Cyprian. y 
 or whofe words therefore will be 
 
 Q^3 more 
 
22 q Of ^fortification of fin, and 
 
 more fit to confider. Only, that I 
 may not multiply teftimonies with- 
 out neceflity, I will content my {elf 
 with one fingle one, hut which in- 
 deed for the fulneft thereof will ferve 
 inftead of many , and be moreover 
 as clear a teftimony of our dying un- 
 to [in by Baptilm, as of our regene- 
 (f)Epifl. ad ratzonbyk. For when (faith he (/) ) 
 J lay in darknefs, and under the ob- 
 fcurity of the Night ', When uncertain 
 and doubtful I floated on the Sea of 
 this t offing World, ignorant of my orv& 
 life, and as great a ft ranger to, truth r 
 J thought it exceeding difficult, as the, 
 manners of Men then were, that any, 
 one jhould be born again, as the dhvine 
 mercy had promised , and that being 
 animated to a new life by the laver of 
 falutary water, he jhould put off that 
 "which he was before, and whiljl the 
 frame of his body continud the fame, 
 become a new Man in his heart , and 
 mind. Tor how ( laid I ) is it ftojfible, 
 that that Jhould be fuddenly put off, 
 which either being natural is now grown 
 hard by the natural fituation Gf the 
 matter, or contracted by a long cuflom 
 hath been improvd by old Age, &c. To 
 thefe, and the like pur f of es I often dif 
 
 coursed 
 
(Regeneration by Baptifm. %*% 
 
 coursed with my felf\ Tor as I was at 
 that ti?ne entangled with many err ours 
 of my former life, which I did not then 
 think it was pofjible for me to put off; 
 So I willi/jgly gave obedience to thofe 
 vices, that fuck to me, and through 
 a. defpair of better things, I favour d 
 my evils, as though they had been my 
 proper, and domejltck ones. But after 
 that through the tffijlance of this gene- 
 rating water the blemijhes of my former 
 life were waflfdoff, and my mind thus 
 purged had a light from above pour* 
 ed into it ; After that the fecond 
 birth had changd me into a new Man 
 through the force of that fpirit , or 
 breath, which I fueled in fro?n above ; 
 Then thofe things, which were before? 
 doubtful y became exceeding certain f 
 and manifefl ; things, which were be-* 
 fore /hut, were then laid open , and 
 dark things made light. Then thaf % 
 which before feemed difficult, appeared 
 to help, rather than hinder, and tkffo 
 which fometime was thought impofflble^ 
 as poffible to be done. So that it was nop 
 difficult to difcern, that that was earth- 
 ly, which being carnally horn did before 
 live obnoxious to fault s y and that tftaf 
 began to be Gpis, which t lu HokGhoft 
 
 Q_4 vw 
 
% It Of Mortification of Jtn y and 
 
 now Animated. Tou your felf verily 
 know, and will as readily acknowledge 
 with me, what was either taken from^ or 
 befow 1 d upon us by that death of crimes y 
 and'lifeofvertues. Which as it is an 
 illuftrious teftimony of the force of 
 Baptifin in this particular, and with 
 what reafon wc have affirm'd it to 
 be a means of procuring the former 
 death , and birth ; So I have the more 
 willingly taken notice of it, becaufe 
 it comes fo near even in its expref- 
 fioii to what our Catechifm hath re- 
 prefented ^s the inward and ffiritnal 
 Grace thereof ; There being no great 
 diference between a death ofcrimes>and 
 life of vert ues y which is the expreflion 
 of that Father ', and a death unto fin, and 
 a new birth unto right eoufnefs, which 
 is the others. And I fhall only add, 
 that as the Dottrine of the Church 
 rnuft therefore be thought to bear 
 fufficient teftimony to Baptifin's be- 
 ing a means of our regeneration ; So 
 its practice is in this particular an- 
 fwefable to its Doftrine, and though 
 in another way proclaims the fame 
 thing, Witnefs what hath been 
 elfe where qbfervM concerning its 
 (OSeepart?. giving Milk, and Horn (f) to the 
 
 new 
 
Regeneration by (Baptifm. 233 
 
 new Baptized perfon, as to an In- 
 fant new-born , its requiring him 
 prefently after Baptifm to fay O) (OP^? * 
 
 rx t 1 o r n- J ri • the Lord's 
 
 Our rather^ ore, as a teltimony or his p»yer in the 
 Son-fhip by it ; And in fine its ma- ^otds ®ut 
 king ufe of the word regenerated to ifatljer* 
 fignifie Baptized : As is evident for 
 the Greek Writers from what was 
 bur now quoted out of Juftin Mar- Dg vh « a Bt 
 tyr, and from Sulphites Sever us a- Martini a. 
 mono; the Latins, Which things put Nudm Jf™ 
 
 o % or regenerate in 
 
 together make it yet more clear, that cbrifa agebat 
 whatever it may be now accoun- 9*&*b** 
 ted, yet the Church of God ever tfinaL cTai- 
 look'd upon the Sacrament of Bap- datm. 
 tifm as a mean of our internal rege- 
 neration. 
 
 And indeed as it is hard to believe, 
 that it ought to be otherwife efteem'd, 
 confidering what hath been alledg'd 
 either from Scripture, or the decla- 
 rations of the Church \ So it will ap- 
 pear to be yet harder, if we confider 
 the opinion of the Jews concerning 
 that, which may (eem to have been 
 both it's Type j and exemplar. For 
 as I have made it appear before (V), (w)vm u 
 that even they were not without 
 their Baptifm, and fiich a one , as 
 was moreover intended for the fame 
 
 general 
 
2 24 Of Mortification of fin , and 
 
 general ends, for which both their 
 Circumcifwn was, and our Baptifm is ; 
 
 (x) ibid. So I have made it appear alio ( x) y 
 that the perfbns fb baptiz'd among 
 them were accounted as perfbns new- 
 born, yea fb far, that after that time 
 they were not to own any of their for- 
 mer relations ; In fine, that that new 
 birth was look'd upon as fb lingular,, 
 that it gave occalion to their Caba- 
 liftical Doctors to teach, that the old 
 foul of the Baptized Profelyte vani- 
 flisd, and a new one fucceeded in its 
 place. For if this was the condition 
 of that Type of Chriftian Baptifm , 
 how much more of the Antitype 
 thereof ? Efpecially when it is far- 
 
 (7) Part 2. ther probable fas hath been alfb (j) 
 noted from the difcourfe of our Savi- 
 our to Nicodemus) that he both allu- 
 ded in it to, that Baptifm of theirs, 
 and intimated the conformity of his 
 own Baptifm to it in that parti- 
 cular. 
 
 And though after fb full an evi- 
 dence of this relation of Baptifm to 
 regeneration it may feem hardly 
 worth our while to alledge the expret 
 fions of the Heathen concerning it ; 
 Yet I cannot forbear, for the con- 
 formity 
 
Regeneration by !Baptifnu ltf 
 
 formity thereof to the prefent argu- 
 ment, to take notice of one remarka- 
 ble one of Lucian £$) , 
 who brings in one Trie- ft) Lucian. Philopacr.p.99^ 
 jfho thus difcourfing af- 'w'w <M (">* yt\t\cu<& 
 ter his fcoffing manner. **tm& &v*t***™*s,to'h 
 But when (faith he J/Atf *?&*." **?\ *?**" 
 Galilean lighted upon me, UfU ^J^ v j 3jkrQ . 
 tvho had a bald Pate, a %£? dytvtnW) \$i* 
 great Nofe, who afc ended ^yj^ay %%in& mtfH<m& , 
 up to the third Heaven, $ Ik ffi <Lai$wv %>l®* 
 and there learn d the moft *f*** tenfpfain, 
 excellent things ( mean- 
 ing, as is fuppos'd S. Paul) he renewed 
 us by Water, made us to tread in the 
 footfteps of the blejfed, and deliver d 
 us from the Regions of the ungodly. 
 In which paffage under the title of 
 renewing men by water he perlbnates 
 the Chriftian DoQxine concerning 
 their being regenerated, or renewed by 
 Baptiftn, and accordingly makes it 
 the fubjeft of his reproach. 
 
 PART 
 
*37 
 
 PART VII. 
 
 Of our Union to the Church 
 by Baptifm. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 Of the relation of thefign of Baptifm 
 to our Union to the Church, and 
 that relation {hewn to be no lefs 
 than that of a means, whereby that 
 Union U made* This evident d in 
 the firft place from the declarations 
 of the Scripture, more particularly 
 from its affirming aU Chriflians to 
 be baptizd into that Body, as thofe> 
 who were frfi baptizd after the de- 
 fcent of the Holy Ghofi upon the 
 Apofiles, to have been thereby added 
 to their company, and made par- 
 takers with the refi in the Jpofiles 
 Doctrine, and fellowfhip, in break- 
 ing of Bread, and in Prayers. The 
 like evidence of the fame Union to 
 
 the 
 
i}8 Of our Union to the Church 
 
 the Church by B apt ifm from the 
 declarations of the Church it felf 
 and the cotifequences of that Union 
 /hewn to be fuch y as to make that 
 alfo to be accounted one of the in- 
 ward, and fpi ritual Graces of that 
 Baptifm, by which it is made. 
 
 HAving thus given an account 
 of liich inward, and fpiritu- 
 al Graces of Baptifin , as 
 tend more immediately to our Spiri- 
 tual, and eternal welfare ; It remains 
 that I lay fbmewhat of that, which 
 though of no fiich immediate ten- 
 dency, yet is not without all , be- 
 caufe qualifying us for the reception 
 of the other : That Union I mean , 
 which we thereby- obtain to Chrift's 
 ntyftical body the Church, and by 
 which we, who were before Aliens 
 from it, as well as from God> and 
 Chrift, become members of the 
 Church, and partakers of the feve- 
 ral priviledges thereof. Which Uni- 
 on if any Man fcruple to reckon a- 
 mong the inward j and fpiritual 
 Graces of Baptifm properly fo call'd, 
 I will not contend with him about 
 it i Provided he alio allow of it as a 
 
 thing 
 
by Baptifm. 2^ 
 
 thing fignified by it on the part of 
 God, and Chrift, and as moreover a 
 Grace, and favour to the perfbn, on 
 whom it is beftow'd. For as that 
 is all I ask at prefent concerning 
 the Union now inqueftion ; So what 
 I farther mean by it's being an in- 
 ward, and Ipiritual Grace (hall be 
 clearM in the procefs of this Di£ 
 courfe , and receive that eftablifh* 
 ment, which it requires* In order 
 whereunto I will fhew the outward 
 and vifible fign of Baptifin to be a 
 means y whereby that Union is made^ 
 and then point out the conferences of 
 that Union. 
 
 That the outward vifible fign of 
 Baptifin is in the nature of a means ^ 
 whereby we are united, to the Church 7 
 will appear if we refleft upon what 
 the Serif ture hath faid concerning it ; 
 or the agreeing declarations of the 
 Church it felf. For what clfe (to 
 begin with the former) can S. Paul 
 *be thought to mean, v/here he*iCor.ia. 
 affirms all whether Jews, or Gen- l $* 
 
 tiles, or of what ever other outward 
 differences, to have been baptizd by 
 one fpirit into one body ? For as it is 
 plain from the foregoing f verfe, t~^ w * 12 
 
 or 
 
v ? y j a* 
 
 or verles , that S. PW entreats of 
 Chrifl's Body the Church, and con- 
 fequently that the baptizing here 
 fpoken of mull be meant of our Bap- 
 tizing into it ; So it is alike plain 
 from what it was defigned to prove, 
 as well as from the natural force of the 
 expreflion^ that it was let to denote 
 alio our being united to it thereby. 
 For as we cannot impole a more na- 
 tural lenle upon Baptized into that 
 body j than our being receiv'dby Bap- 
 tifin into it, as the Baptized perlbn 
 is within the water, and conleqent- 
 ly lome way united to it ; So much 
 lels if we confider what it was in- 
 12. tended to prove, even* that Chri- 
 ftians , how many Ibever ^ are but 
 that one body. For how doth their 
 being baptizd into it prove them to 
 be that one Body, but that that vi- 
 fible fign, by which they are lb^ uni- 
 tes them to one another, and to the 
 whole ? A tneer fign of Union, though 
 it may Ihew what the partakers 
 thereof ought to be $ yet being no 
 juft proof of what they are , and 
 much lels ( as S. Paul leems to ar- 
 gue ) that they are fo by the means 
 • of it. And indeed, as it will there- 
 fore 
 
by Baptifml 24 i 
 
 fore be hard to make the fign here 
 fpoken of to be any thing lefs than a 
 means of our Union to the Church \ So 
 efpecially, if we confider what iselfe- 
 where faid concerning thofe ,- who firffc 
 after the defcent of the Holy Ghoft, 
 were baptized in the name of Chrift i 
 S.Luke not only affirming of thofe new 
 baptized ones, that they were added 
 to (a) the Apoftles, and their other ^)A6ts2.4i. 
 company, ( which he afterwards ex~ 
 
 prefleth (£) by added to the Church J (b) 47, 
 
 but that they were partakers (c) ^ 42c 
 
 with the reft in the Apojlles Dotfrwe, 
 and fellowship , and in breaking of 
 bread , and in Prayers. For this 
 fhews their having an intereft in all 
 the priviledges of that Body , arid 
 therefore much more their being uni- 
 ted to it. But fo it appears that 
 the Antient Church efteemed of it, 
 whole determination is of the more 
 force, becaufe it is only about the 
 fuppofed means of Union to its own 
 Body ; Juftin Martyr, after he had 
 fpoken of the baptizing of fuch as o£+ 
 fer'd themfelves to the Chriftian 
 Church f which he himfelf expreffeth t 
 when fo baptizM, by avyn^Trtn^t^ 
 v*$ ; or conjoyned with themf elves ) 
 
 R affirming 
 
24* Of our Union to the Church 
 
 affirming that they were immediately 
 brought where the brethren were affem- 
 bled, there to partake with them of 
 the common Prayers, that were then 
 offered up, of the kifs of peace, and 
 cf the Lords Suffer. Which laft 
 particular I have the more confident- 
 ly reprefented the new baptized per- 
 fbns as then admitted to., becaufe the 
 fame Father doth not only make no 
 diftinftion between .them, and the 
 other brethren in it, though he fub- 
 joyns the bufinefs of the Eucharift 
 to the former Prayers, and kifs of 
 pace, but affirms the fame Eucha- 
 rift prefently after to be lawful to 
 none to partake of, but thofe that be- 
 lievd their DoQxine, receiv'd the la- 
 ver of regeneration, and livd as Chrijl 
 delivered. For as he intimates there- 
 by the admiffion of thofe that be- 
 lieved, and were baptiz'd, if they 
 were alfo fiich as liv'd as Chrift de- 
 livered, which the new baptized were 
 in reafbn to be accounted, till they 
 «bad given proof to the contrary; 
 So there is reafbn to believe from 
 the ufe of Excommunication in the 
 Church, that that addition of living 
 #s Chrijl deliver d was .not made to 
 
 bar 
 
by Baptifm. ±4J 
 
 bar the new baptized from it , till 
 they gave farther proof of fuch a 
 life, but to intimate the exclufion of 
 thofe, who, after they had been admit- 
 ted to it, liv'd otherwife, than Chrilti- 
 anity prefcribM : So making the per- 
 Ions excluded the unbaftiz?d y or ill liv- 
 ing Cbrijlims y and confequently the 
 contrary thereto admitted. I deny not 
 indeed, that the Rite of Confirmati- 
 on , did very antiently come between 
 the receiving of Baptifm, and the Eu- 
 charift. I deny not farther, becaufe 
 of what was before (d) quoted from (d) Expi. of 
 Jttflin Martyr cpaceHimg the parti- theSacramenc 
 cidar Pnyer that was made for til© p ar t 4, 
 new bapazed perfba, that the fab- 
 ftance thereof was then in ufe, even 
 prayer for grace for htm to live as he 
 had but now profefi d. But as the 
 defign of Confirmation appears to 
 have been /to procure for the new 
 baptized a more plentiful .eflfufion of 
 God's Graces, which is no intimati- 
 on at all of his having been before 
 no pei feet Christian, or not per- 
 feftly united to the Church , lb Bap* 
 thin may for all that be look'd up- 
 on as the means of our Union to the 
 Cnui'ch; which is all , that I have 
 
 R 2 taken 
 
Cr 6. 
 
 144 Of our Union to the Qnirch 
 
 taken upon me to affert. For the 
 farther evidencing whereof I will in 
 the next place alledge a palTage of 
 C0fr£4fc Tertullian (i) , which will, though 
 not (b direttly, prove the fame thing ; 
 That I mean where lie faith , that 
 vph'en the frofejjion of our faith, and 
 fponfion of our falvation are fledged 
 under the three witneffes before fpo- 
 fcen of, there is necejfarily added there* 
 to the mention of the Church, becaufe 
 where thofe three are, even the Fa- 
 ther, Son, and Holy Ghofi, there is 
 alfo the Church, which u the body of 
 the Three. For as it is evident from 
 thence, that Men werfc even from 
 his time baptiz'd exprefiy into the 
 belief of the Church, as well as in- 
 to the belief of the Trinity ; So it 
 will not be difficult to inferr, that 
 they were alfb baptizM into the uni- 
 ty thereof, and made members of 
 the Church by it i Becauft as he af- 
 firms the Trinity to become Spon- 
 fors of our Salvation in Baptifm, as 
 well as either Witneffes, or objefts 
 of our Profeffion ; So he affirms 
 thofe Sponfors to be as it were em- 
 boyed in the Church, and confequent- 
 \y to exert then* faving influences 
 
 with- 
 
ly Baj)tifm. 24 y 
 
 within it, which fuppoleth Men's 
 being united to it by Baptifin in or- 
 der to their partaking of the faluta- 
 rinefs of the other. And indeed , 
 though in that fo r m, which our Sa- 
 viour prefcrib'd (f) for Baptifin, there C/) **"***• 
 is mention only of baptizing in the * 9 ' 
 
 name of the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghoft, yet inafmuch as he prefcrib'd 
 that very form for the making of Dip 
 cifles(g) by, hemuft confequently be (i)M*> 
 luppos'd to propofe it for the aggre- 
 gating them to that body , which 
 he had already begun to frame, and 
 making them alike members of it. 
 
 There being therefore no doubt to be 
 made of the outward vifible fign of 
 Baptifin being a means of our Union to 
 ChrifFs myftical body the Church, it 
 nuy not be amifs (if it were only to . 
 manifeft the great advantages thereof, 
 as to that particular) to fliew the con- 
 fequences of that Union, Which we 
 fhall find in the general to be a right 
 toallthofe priviledges, which Chrift 
 liath purchased for it ; More ■particu- 
 larly to the partaking of its Sacred 
 Offices ; and in, and through the means 
 of them of thole inward, zndfpiritu- 
 4/ Graces, which thofe Sacred Offices 
 
 R j were 
 
%^6 Of our Union to the Church 
 
 were intended to procure , or con- 
 vey. For every member of a Soci- 
 ety being by that memberfhip of his 
 entituled to ail the p < iled^es, that 
 belong to it as fuch ; He, who be- 
 comes a member of Chrift s Body ? 
 the Church ( as every Man , who 
 is united to it by Baptifm , doth ) 
 muft in his proportion be entituled 
 to all thole priviledges, which Chrift 
 hath purchased for it, and particu- 
 larly to the priviledge cf partaking 
 of its facred Offices, and in, and by 
 the means of them, of thole inward 
 and fpiritual Graces, which thole fa- 
 cred Offices were intended to pro- 
 cure, or. convey. . Which how great 
 a commendation it is of cur Union 
 to that Body, and conlequenily of 
 that Baptifm, by which it was made, 
 will need no other proof than the 
 Scripture's alluring us that Chrift is 
 £fc)Eph.$.2$". the Saviour (ft) of that Body, and the 
 (Q Matt. 1 8. promiles it makes to thole Prayers (/'), 
 _ I 9> 2 °« that are made by it, and to that Eu- 
 * 26^ Ice.' charift (ir), which is adminiftred in 
 it ; The purport of thole promiles 
 being no other, than the granting 
 what is asked by it, and particular- 
 ly all thole benefits., which Chrift's 
 
 Body 
 
ly (Baptifm. 247 
 
 Body and Blood were intended for 
 
 the procuring of. .And if thefe be, 
 
 as no doubt they are, the conlequen- 
 
 ces of our union to the Church by 
 
 Baptifrn, yea fb far fas I have elfe- 
 
 where (I) fhewn ) that they are not CO E *pi- of 
 
 ordinarily to be attained out of it ; ^ c ^f di 
 
 That very Union may not impro- %i)t fo:* 
 
 perly be ftil'd one of its inward and fffoeneft cf 
 
 fpiritual Graces, becaufe leading to ^* 
 
 thole , that are moft ftri£tly fuch , 
 
 and indeed the only ordinary means 
 
 of obtaining them. 
 
 R4 PART 
 
*49 
 
 PART VIII. 
 
 / ? * f 
 
 Of the Profeflion that is made 
 by the Baptized perfon. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 The things pgnified by Baptifm on the 
 part of the baptized brought under 
 confederation, and {hewn from feve- 
 ral former difcourfes ( which are alfo 
 pointed to) to be an Abrenunciation 
 of fin, a prefent belief of the Do- 
 ctrine of Chriftianity, and parti- 
 cularly of the Trinity, and a refb- 
 lution for the time to come to 
 continue in that belief , and aft 
 agreeably to its Laws. Our refb- 
 lution of aSting agreeably to the 
 Laws of Chrifttmity more particu- 
 larly confider d y an%<the Profeflion 
 thereof {hewn by feverat\Arguments 
 t0 be the intendment of the Qhri*> 
 
 fiian 
 
2 5 o Of the Trofeffion that is made 
 
 Jlian Baptifm. What the meafure 
 of that conformity is, which we pro- 
 fefs to pay to the Laws of Chriflia- 
 ■ mfy'i and what are the confluences 
 of the Violation of that Profeffion. 
 
 Aving thus confider'd the 
 things fignifi ;d by Baptifm 
 on the part of Gjd, andChriJf y 
 beft known by the name of its in- 
 ward, and fpiritual Graces ; it re- 
 mains that 1 give the like account 
 of the things fignified by it on the 
 part of the baptized, .or the things 
 the baptized perfon maketh Profeffion 
 of by it. Which, as was before ob« 
 ferv'd, are an Abr enunciation of fin > 
 zprefent belief of the Dotlrine ofChti- 
 • fiianity, and a refoltttion for the time 
 to come to continue in that belief 
 ■ and ad7 agreeably to its Laws. 
 
 That fbmething is fignified by 
 
 Baptifin on the part of the baptize d y 
 
 as well as on the part of God> and 
 
 Chrijly is evident from what was be- 
 
 *oftheSa- fore laid * concerning the nature of 
 
 eenerT m a $ acrAment in the general, and Bap- 
 
 Part 2.' tifm's f relating as well to fbme- 
 
 fikd. thing to be performed by the bap_- 
 
 tiz/d, as to thofe divine Graces, or 
 
 pri^ 
 
by the Baptised ptrjon. 251 
 
 priviiedges which we expe£t from 
 the other. 
 
 That the things before mentioned 
 are the things thus fignified by it, 
 hath alfb been elfewhere * declared , *Expi.ofche 
 and fo, that \t would not be diffi- ^ cs 
 cult' for a diligent Reader to fa- 
 tisfie himfelf from thence. But be- 
 caufe what I have laid concerning 
 them lies difperfedly in my former 
 Difcourfes , and would therefore 
 require more pains, than I ought to 
 impofe upon my Reader, to find it 
 out, and apply it to the prelent Ar- 
 gument ; I will here, though ve- 
 ry briefly, confider them anew, and 
 if not ('which would be too tedious) 
 repeat all that I have laid concern- 
 ing them, yet point him as I go to 
 the particular places, from whence 
 they may be fetch'd. 
 
 That Ahr enunciation of fin is one 
 of the things fignified by Baptifm is 
 not only evident from the manner 
 of adminiftring it in the Primitive 
 times, and which together with the 
 form of their Abrenunciation, and 
 our own are let down in my account 
 of the Preliminary quefiions^ and an- 
 fwers of the Catechilm, but alfb from 
 
 the 
 
2 5 1 Of the TrofeJJion that is made 
 
 the general tenour of that Religion, 
 which Baptifm is an initiation into ; 
 That requiring the renouncing of all 
 fin, and wickednefs, and therefore 
 fiippofing the baptized perfbn to do 
 fb, when he takes that Religion up- 
 on him. For which caufe asanex- 
 prefs Abrenunciation was heretofore 
 required, and continues fb to be to 
 this very day ; So it was fignified , 
 as by other Rites, and particularly by 
 the baptized perfbns putting off his 
 cloAths in order to his Baptifm, as 
 putting off together with them the 
 Old Man, and his deeds, fb by the 
 Rite of Baptifm it felf : He , who 
 fubmits to that , implying thereby 
 his looking upon fin as a Moral im- 
 purity, and which therefore for tfie 
 future he would not have any thing 
 to do with. 
 
 The feeond thing fignified by Bap- 
 tifm on the part of the baptized is 
 his frefent belief of the Doffrine of 
 Chriftimity, more efpecially of the 
 Doftrine of the Trinity. As is evi- 
 dent from that Baptifm's being com- 
 manded by our Saviour to be made 
 in, or into the name of the Father % 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 For 
 
by the 'Bajtifrfi per/on. 252 
 
 For to be baptized into the name of 
 thofe perfbns importing the owning 
 of thofe perfbns as our Majlers (aj, (a) Exp!. 
 and our felves as the DiJ rifles of ° f th * 
 them ; To be fo baptized moreover 3 ggftefce tit 
 importing the owning of thole per- the j$olv 
 fons as alike (b) Mafiers of us, and ??*?• 
 confequenil y, becaule the Father can- ^ 
 not be own'd in any lower relation , 
 as partakers of the fame divine Na- 
 ture, and Authority ; Laftly, to be 
 fb baptiz'd importing the owning of 
 them in particular by a belief of the 
 Chriftian Doftrine, that being the 
 moft fignal inftance of that Difeiple- 
 fhip, we receive by it ; The belief of 
 the Do&rine of Chriftianity , and of 
 the Trinity in particular muft be 
 look'd upon as fignified by Baptifm 
 ort the part of the baptized, and thofe 
 baptized ones confequently as ma- 
 king profeflion of that belief by it. . 
 For which caufe as the rule ofFaith, 
 or the Creed (/) was given to thofe (V) imroi 
 to learn, who were willing to be cacecnr" 8 
 initiated into Chriftianity, fb they & c . 
 were particularly interrogated (d) as Cf^p X P L ^ 
 to their belief of the Articles thereof, queft.^nd 
 and then, and not till then baptiz'd Anfwcrs. 
 into it, and the priviledges thereof* 
 
 The 
 
2 54- Of the Trofeffwn that is made 
 
 The third and laft thing fignified 
 on the part of the baptized is a re- 
 folution for the time to come to con-* 
 tinue in the belief of Chrifiianity^ and 
 aff agreeably to its haws. Both which 
 will receive a fiifficient confirmati- 
 on from S. "Peters affirming Baptifin 
 to be the Anfwer y or fiip.ulation of 
 a good confcience toward God , and 
 CO Md. from what I have elfewhere (i) faid 
 concerning it. For as it is evident 
 from thence , that Baptifm fignifies 
 on the part of the baptized a flipu- 
 lation, or : promife of lomewhat to 
 be done by him ; So it will not be 
 difficult to inferr from thence , that 
 it fignifies alio a ftipulation, or pro- 
 mife to continue in that belief of 
 Chriftianity, into which he is bap- 
 tized, and aft agreeably to its laws. 
 As will appear, whether we confider 
 that ftipulation as having a good con- 
 fcience toward God for the ob}e£fc of it 
 (in which fenfe I fliould think S.Peter 
 ought to be underiiood J or, as I find 
 many others to do, as proceeding from 
 fitch a confcience. For a good confci- 
 ence having a due regard to tleleve- 
 ral parts of that Religion, which it 
 makes profeiion to efpoufe \ He , 
 
 w ho 
 
by the 'Baptised perfon. 255 
 
 who with relation to Chriftianity 
 ftipulates from a good confcience, or 
 makes that god confcience the ob- 
 ject of his ftipuiation , rauft confe- 
 quently be thought to ftipulate , or 
 make a promife of anlwering the fe- 
 veral parts of it, and therefore alio 
 ( becaufe they are parts of Chriftia- 
 nity) of continuing in its Faith, and 
 afting agreeably to its Laws. And 
 hence, (as was before (/) obleiVd) C.P Ex pi- 
 this, and the other Inftitution of our crmentTa 
 Religion had of old the name of Sa- general, 
 craments, as importing a Vow , or Parc *• 
 promife to Chritt of believing in him, 
 or obeying him. And hence al- 
 fo, that the Antients argued (g) the (g) ML 
 unlawfulnefs of f up er inducing an hu- 
 mane, or military Sacrament upon a di- 
 vine one, and anfwering to another Ma- 
 fier after Chrijl. Which we Ihall the 
 lelsneed to wonder at, if we remem- 
 ber that that Baptifm, whereof we 
 {peak, was copyed from the Baptilm 
 of the Jews (Jj)^ and particularly from 0)ExpL 
 that of John the Baptift. For con- f**f? mi 
 cerning the former of thefe it hath 
 been obferv'd (i), that thofe three /.,^, 
 men, that prefded over it, lean a, over 
 the baptized perfons as they flood in 
 
 the 
 
1 5 6 Of the tProfeJfion that is made 
 
 the water, and twice explain d to theni 
 fome of the more weighty , and lighter 
 precepts of their Law. For what reafon 
 think we , but to let them know , 
 that they were baptizM into the obe- 
 dience of the one, and the other, and 
 that they accounted that Baptifm of 
 theirs as a Profeflion of it? And 
 though we do not find the like af- 
 firmed concerning the Baptifm ofjoha 
 the Baptifi, which beeaufean extra- 
 ordinary one, and immediately from 
 Heaven, I have diftinguiihed from 
 the other ; Yet, which will come all 
 to one^ we find it entituled the Baf- 
 (£)Marki. tifm of Repentance (k), and (which 
 
 Aasig.u. 4 ' * s more ) that Baptift enjoining up- 
 (OLuk/3. 12, on thofe Publicans (/), who came to 
 be baptized by him, to exacl no more 
 than was appointed them, as upon thofe 
 Souldiers, that came upon the like er- 
 rand, to do violence to no man, to accufe 
 no man faljly, and to be content with 
 their wages : Such affirmations as thefe 
 being pregnant proofs, that a relbluti- 
 on of living pioufly, and vertuoufly 
 was a thing fignified on the part of 
 the baptized, and that their taking 
 upon them the former Baptifins was 
 a profeflion of it. Now if that Pro- 
 feflion 
 
 &c. 
 
by the Baptised per foil. i - 
 
 feffion were the intendment of the 
 former Baptifms, and particularly 
 of that of John the Baptifl, why not 
 alfo of the Baptifm of Chrift ? Ef- 
 pecially , when Johns Baptifm of 
 Repentance was to prepare men for 
 the Kjngdom of Chrift, and to which 
 therefore we may fuppofe a ftrifter 
 piety to belong, and they, who 
 were baptiz'd into that Kingdom, 
 plung'd more deeply into the Pro- 
 feffion of the other, I will conclude 
 this affair, when I have added, that 
 it appears from the Inftitution of 
 Baptifm, that the defign, and end of 
 it was to make Difciples (m) un- («0Mafe£& 
 to Chrift. For it appearing from o- l 9* 
 
 ther words of his i that they , and 
 they alone can be his Difciples, who 
 take up their Cr of s (n), and follow him, (yjLuk.ii. 
 for fake all (p) for him, and in fine abide 2J1 
 
 (p) in his words ; If the defign, and £fcj7 H\ 
 end or Baptilm were to make men 
 Difciples unto Chrift, it muft con- 
 fequently oblige thofe, who take it 
 upon them, to take upon them al- 
 io the performance of the other, as 
 .to which that Difciplefhip obligeth 
 them, 
 
 S Now 
 
258 Of the (Profefjion that Is made 
 
 Now though therefore there can 
 be no great doubt concerning the 
 baptized perfbn's making profeffion 
 of afting agreeably to the Laws of 
 Chrift, yet there may be as to the 
 meafureof that conformity to them, 
 to which his Baptifmal Profeffion ob- 
 iigeth him ; That imperfed ftate , 
 wherein we are , and the baptized 
 (q) ExpL of perfbn's being from the beginning (q) 
 hmertthe taught to pray for the for -give nefs of 
 words, £Dur his Trefpaffes feeming to require an 
 i?atf;er, abatement" of it ; Arid becaufe too I 
 have more than once oblig d my felf 
 to enquire , what keeping of Goas 
 holy Willy and Commandments, is in- 
 cumbent upon us from our Baptif- 
 mal Profeffion, and that Chriftianity, 
 which it enters us into \ Therefore 
 for the farther clearing this part of 
 our Baptifmal Profeffion, as well as 
 for the anfwering my own obligati- 
 ons, I will now fet my felf to en- 
 quire, what the meafure of that con- 
 formity is, which we frofefs to pay 
 to the Laws of Chriit , and what 
 are the conferences of the violation of 
 that Profeffion. 
 
 As concerning the former of thefe 
 I fhall not doubt to affirm it to be 
 
 ada^ 
 
hy the Baptised perfon. 2 en 
 
 adequate for the matter of it to the 
 kyevalfpec/es of thofe Laws, which 
 Chriftianity obligeth us to : S. Paul 
 having exprefly told us (r), that (0 Tit. 2. in 
 tjhat Grace, which bringeth falvation, 
 teacheth men to deny all ungodly, and 
 worldly tufts, and to live righteoufly , 
 godlily and foberly in thefrefent World. 
 I fhall not ftick to affirm, Secondly, 
 that that Conformity , which we 
 make profeflion of, ought to anfwer 
 fb far as we can carry it, the feveral 
 particularities of the Chriftian Laws, 
 as well as the feveral fpecies there- 
 of : Lefs than that being not to 
 be fuppos'd to be the Profeflion of 
 thofe, who make profeflion of a 
 good Confcience toward God ; A 
 good Confcience, as fuch, prompt- 
 ing him in whom it is to conform 
 fb far as he can to every particular 
 of his Law, to whom lie profeffeth 
 an obedience. But neither Thirdly 
 fhall I ftick to affirm, that that con- 
 formity, which we make profeflion 
 of, ought to be fb entire, and full , 
 as not to be interrupted at any time 
 by a wilful violation of any Law j 
 or a violation of them in fcandalous 
 inftwces ; Such as thofe are, concern- 
 
 S 2 ing 
 
2 6o Of the <Prof ejf ion that is made 
 
 (fyk.$ 21. i n g which S. PWhath affirm'd (/), 
 that they, which do fuch things, fhatl 
 not inherit the Kjngdom of God : He 
 anfwering not the divine law, fo far 
 as he can, who proceeds to either of 
 thofe, becaulethe Grace of Baptifm, 
 with a moderate care, mull be fup- 
 pos'd to be of fufficient force to pre-- 
 ferve men both from the one, and 
 the other. Such I take to be the 
 Conformity, which Chriftianity ob- 
 ligeth us to, and which conlequent- 
 ly the baptized perfbn muft be fup- 
 pos'd to make profeflion of. And 
 I would to God, that as all Chrifti- 
 ans make profeflion of fucli a one , 
 fo their lives, and conventions were 
 more anfwerable to it, than the ex- 
 perience both of our felves and ci- 
 thers aiTures us it is. But as the 
 contrary thereof is too apparent to 
 need any farther proof, fb I think 
 it therefore but reafbnable, for the 
 better awaking of thofe baptized 
 ones, to fet before them in the next 
 place the confeqtiences of the violati- 
 on of their profeffion. 
 
 Whereof the firft, that I fliall at 
 fign, is, that fb far as they depart 
 from that Profeflion of theirs, fo far 
 
 forth 
 
by the BApti^ed fry [on. l6 
 
 forth they fin againft that very Bap^ 
 tifm of theirs, which was intended 
 for their recovery from fin, and a- 
 gainft that laving Religion , into 
 which it admits them ; That Bap- 
 tifm, which enjoyns upon them the 
 making profeflion of a good Con- 
 ference, enjoyning confequently the 
 anfwering that profeflion by z fu- 
 table piety, as without which that 
 Profeflion would be but an hypo^ 
 critical one. From whence as it 
 will follow, that there will be little 
 realbn to believe, that they fhall 
 enjoy the benefits of Baptifm, who 
 anfwer not the Profeflion of it 5 So 
 much lels if we confider what that 
 was, that made their Profeflion to 
 be of any avail at the firft, even the 
 frefumftion it gave, that the perlbn , 
 that made it, would (as occafion offer 'd 
 it lelf ) give futable demonftrations 
 of it. For if that prefumption were 
 the thing, which made the Profef- 
 lion of a good Conference to be of 
 any avail at the firft ; Thole de- 
 monftrations failing , thole benefits, 
 muft be fuppos'd to fail , which, 
 were collated upon the prefumpti- 
 on of them. But from thence it 
 
 S 3 will 
 
% 6% Of the (profejfion that is made- 
 
 will follow Thirdly , that they, who 
 anfwer not their former profeffion , 
 can much lefs promife to themfelves 
 farther fpiritual bleffings here, or 
 an intereft in the other World : 
 TThey, who could not be admitted 
 to the firft priviledges of Baptifm 
 but upon a prefumption of their 
 future piety, being much lefs like- 
 ly to be admitted to the partici- 
 pation of others , after that pre- 
 fumption appeareth to be null. It 
 will follow Laftly, that they who 
 anfwer not the Profeffion of Baptifm 
 by a piety futable to it, muft confe- 
 quently fail altogether of the bene- 
 fits thereof, if that Christianity, in- 
 to which it entred them, had not 
 provided them of a remedy againft 
 the violations of their Profeffion. 
 Which , though it will not make 
 the cafe of thofe violatiors dejfpe- 
 rate, yet will fhew it to be lb dan- 
 gerous, as to oblige all, who have a 
 care of their Salvation, to prevent 
 what they may fuch violations of 
 it, or endeavour to repair them 
 afterwards by a fpeedy , and fevere 
 repentance, and a more fixed , and 
 ikied piety .* Left , as it may fbme- 
 
 time 
 
by the Baptised pnjotu z 6 l 
 
 time happen, they be cut off before 
 they can make ufe of the remedy 
 proposed, or by reafbn of their for- 
 mer violations have not the grace 
 given them to do it. 
 
 S 4 PART 
 

i6$ 
 
 PART IX. 
 
 Of the right Adminiftration of 
 Baptifm. 
 
 The Contents, 
 
 After a jhort account of the Founda- 
 tion of the Baptifmal relation, and 
 reference made to thofe -places from 
 which a larger one may he fetctid ; 
 Unquiry is made touching the right 
 Adminifiration of Baptifm, as there- 
 in again Firjl , Whether Baptifm 
 ought exprefly to be made in the 
 name of the Father, Son, and Ho* 
 ly Ghojly Secondly whether Schifma- 
 ficks, and Hereticks are valid Ad- 
 minijlratours of it ? Thirdly , to 
 what, and what kind of per f on s it 
 ought to be adminifired, Fourthly , 
 Whether it may be repeated. The 
 two firjl cf thefe fpoken to here , 
 
 and 
 
2 66 Of the right Adminlftration 
 
 * 
 and fir ft, Whether Baptifm ought to 
 he exprefly adminijlred in the form 
 proposed. Which is not only [hewn 
 to he under obligation from the 
 exprefs words of the Inflitution , 
 but anfwer made to thofe Texts y 
 which feem to intimate it to be 
 enough to baptise in the name of the 
 Lord Jefus only. The Baptifm of 
 Schifmaticksy and Hereticks more 
 largely /hewn to be valid , unlefs. 
 where they baptize into a. counter- 
 feit Faith, and the fever al objedti- 
 ons againft it anfwer d* 
 
 Have hitherto entreated of the out- 
 ward vifible fign of Baptifm, of its 
 inward and fpiritual Grace, or the 
 things fignified by it, and the farther 
 relation that outward fign beareth to 
 them. It follows that I entreat of the 
 foundation of that relation, the Fourth 
 thing proposM to be confider d. 
 Now as the Foundation of that 
 * Expi. of relation hath been fhewn * to be no 
 the Sacrament ther, than the Inflitution of Chrift, 
 ^genera, ^ ^ at again not fb much as deli- 
 vered by him, as applied to that wa- 
 ter in which it is fubje&ed ; So I 
 t ibid. Part have in the lame difcourle faid f fb 
 & 3 * muck 
 
of Baptifm. 167 
 
 much concerning the Iriftitution of 
 this, and the application of that In- 
 ftitution to the outward vifible fign 
 thereof, that I (hall need to lay the 
 lefs here. It may fiifficc briefly to 
 obferve from thence, that when the 
 Minifter hath pfepard the water of 
 Baptifin by a declaration of the end 
 of its Inftitution, and by imploring 
 the Holy Spirit On it, Chrift, who 
 hath promifed to be with him in 
 that miniftration of his, gives it the 
 relation of the Sacrament of Baptifm, 
 and confequently makes it apt to 
 convey the feveral graces thereof to 
 thofe, who aire to partake of it. 
 Which will leave little more for us 
 to confider, as to the Sacrament of 
 Baptifm, than the right Adminiftra- 
 tion of it , or what may without 
 any violence be reduced to it. 
 
 Now there are Four things, which 
 are efpecially to be enquired in order 
 to the clearing of that, which is now 
 before us. 
 
 I. Whether Baptifm ought expref 
 ly to be adminifterM in the 
 name of the Father , and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 XL Whe- 
 
3,68 Of the right Jdminiftration 
 
 II. Whether Schifmaticks , and 
 Heretic ks are valid Adminiftra- 
 tours of it. 
 
 III. To what, and what kind of 
 perfbns it ought to be admi- 
 niftred. 
 
 IV. V\ hether it may be repeated. 
 
 I. The ground of the firft of thefe, 
 even whether Baptifm ought exprefc 
 • ly to be adminiftred in the name of 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghofl, is not any ths leaft 
 doubt of thofe being the exprefs 
 words of the Institution, or of their 
 not admitting, confider'd in them- 
 lelves , of any variation from it, but 
 the accounts we have from the Scrip- 
 ture of the adminiftration of that Sa- 
 crament either by the hands, or at 
 the command of the Apoftles, and 
 other fuch infpired men : Thofe 
 feeeming to intimate it to be enough 
 to baptize in the name of the Lord 
 Jefus , as comprehending within it 
 an acknowledgement of the other 
 two perfbns, and indeed of all other 
 the fubftantial Articles of his Faith, 
 in whofe name we are fb baptized. 
 For thus when thofe Jews, to whom 
 
 S. Peter 
 
of (Baptifnl. 269 
 
 S. Peter PreachM on the day of Pen+ 
 tecojl, were wrought upon fb far, as 
 to ask what they ought to do in or- 
 der to their Salvation; S. P^r'san- 
 fwer was f that they fhould be bap- t Afts2. $g, 
 tizd in the name of the Lord Jefus : 
 Which accordingly we may believe 
 to have been done by thole, that 
 gladly receivd the rvord^ becaule it is 
 
 afterwards (a) laid of them, that GO 41. 
 
 they were baptizd, that is , as one 
 would think, in that, and that on- 
 ly name, which had been prefcrib'd. 
 Thus again it is faid (F) of thofe , (OAfts 8.x& 
 who had been baptiz'd by Philip at 
 Samaria, that they were baptized in 
 the name of the Lord Jefus, without 
 any the leaft hint of their being bap- 
 tized in any other name : As in like 
 manner (V), that S. Peter gave order CO-— x °»47* 
 for the baptizing of Cornelius , and 
 his company , after that the Holy 
 Ghoft had by his preaching defend- 
 ed upon them. In fine thus we find, 
 that the Difciples of Epkefus (d) were, r d \ ^ m 1%% ^ 
 who it feems till that time had not 
 only no gifts of the Holy Ghoft up- 
 on them, but not fb much as any 
 knowledge, whether there were any 
 Holy Ghoft, or no. Which place is 
 
 the 
 
2?® Of the right Jdminiftration 
 
 the more to be flood upon, becaufe 
 thole Dilciples having before lb lit- 
 tle knowledge of a Holy Ghoft , 
 one would think he that told the 
 ftory of their taking upon them the 
 Chriftian Baptifm at the nearing of 
 what was laid to them by S. Paul, 
 fhould have exprefs'd that Baptifm 
 of theirs by their being baptized in- 
 to the belief of the Trinity, and par- 
 ticularly of that Holy Ghoft, which 
 they feem before to have been igno- 
 rant of. But as we are not lightly 
 to think, nor indeed without an ir- 
 refragable realbn, that thole firft Dis- 
 ciples of Chrift made ufe of, or coun- 
 tenanced any other form of Baptifm, 
 than what their Matter had lb clear- 
 ly, and exprefly prefcrib'd ; So there 
 is nothing of any fiich moment in 
 the places before alledg'd to perfuade 
 their making uft of, or giving coun- 
 tenance to any other. On the con- 
 trary the Text laft mentioned, if ta- 
 ken in all its parts, feems rather to 
 perfuade thole Dilciples having been 
 baptiz'd in the very words of the In- 
 ftitution , than only in the name of 
 t*he Lord Jefus. For S. Paul asking, 
 as by way of wonderment, unto 
 
 what 
 
 
of Baptifm. i? I 
 
 what they had been before baptized, 
 if they had not (as they faid) fo 
 much as heard of any Holy Ghoft, 
 feems to intimate that all, that then 
 received the Chriftian Baptifm, could 
 not but know from the very form of 
 it, that there was fuch a thing as a 
 Holy Ghoft. Neither will it avail 
 to fay, as was before objected, that 
 if that had been S. Paul s intention , 
 or the certain form of Baptifm, 
 S. Luke, who tells the ftory, fhould 
 in reafbn have exprefs cl it by their 
 being baptiz'd into the Trinity, and 
 particularly into the name of him , 
 whom they were before fb ignorant 
 of. Becaufe S. Luke's bufinefs was 
 not fb much to give an account of 
 the form of their Baptifm, as to ac- 
 quaint us, that whereas before they 
 had been only baptiz'd into Johns 
 Baptifm, upon their understanding 
 from S. Paul, that John himfelf dire- 
 cted thofe, that came to it, to believe 
 on him that jhould come after him , 
 that is on Chrijl Jefus, they were 
 then exprefly baptizM into the Bap- 
 tifm of Chrift, qr (asS. Luke there 
 exprefTeth it J into the name of Jefus 
 Ghrift : So oppofing the baptizing 
 
 into 
 
%yi Of the right Mminift ration 
 
 into the name of Jefus Chrijl not to 
 the baptizing in any other form , 
 and particularly into the name of all 
 the three perlbns, but to the Baptifm 
 of John only, and as the name of 
 Jefus Chrijl might difcriminate their 
 prefent Baptifm from it. And though 
 it be true, that the like is not to be 
 faid as to the foregoing Texts, be- 
 caufe there is no opposition in them 
 between the Baptifm of John, and 
 that of Chrijl. Yet may a fair ac- 
 count be given, without fuppofing 
 that to have been the form of Bap- 
 tifm , of the Scriptures expreffing 
 thole primitive Baptifms by bapti- 
 zing into the name of Jefus only ; Be- 
 cause our Saviour was the immediate 
 Author of that Religion, into which 
 thole Baptifms were made, and the 
 baptizing into his name therefore no 
 improper expreffion of a baptizing 
 into the whole of it, and into every 
 part, and particle thereof. I will con- 
 f 'Ev Wo- elude this affair, when I have added 
 {>m,t<&- pS ■& that as it appears from Jujlin Martyr * 
 
 Tn/ivf4a]Q- d}<* to ca> ted vJkn tote A«*7f op Tnfivm. Apolog. 
 ?. p. 94. 
 
 ono 
 
of Baptifm. ry\ 
 
 one of the Antienteft Writers the 
 Church hath, that Baptifm was in 
 his time adminiftred ifa the name of 
 the three peribns ; So all, that have 
 mentioned the Creed, have reprefen- 
 ted it as a thing given to thofe, who 
 were to be baptized, and into which 
 therefore we are to think , that if 
 men were not minutely , and par- 
 ticularly baptiz'd , yet they were 
 at leaft into the capital Articles 
 thereof. 
 
 II. It appearing from the premi- 
 fes, that Baptifm ought exprefly to 
 be adminiftred in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghoft, which is the firft of 
 thofe things we propofed to confr 
 der ; Pafs we on to enquire , who 
 are valid Adminiftrators of it, or ra- 
 ther whether Schifmaticks, and He- 
 reticks are. A queftion which will 
 beff. be voided by confidering ,the 
 force of thofe Arguments, which 
 the condemners of their Baptifm have 
 produced , and particularly which 
 S. Cyprian their chiefeft Champion 
 hath. Now thofe are , that Schif- 
 maticks and Hereticks, are by that their 
 
 T Schifm^ 
 
ipfi nonhabeat ? ant quomodo po* 
 reft fpirkalia agere, qui ipft 
 amiferit fpiritum Sanctum ? Ad 
 Jamarhm. Ep, 70. 
 
 * Nam cam dicimus, Credis. in 
 lit am aternam, &'remi(fionem 
 peccatornm per Sanctum Eccle* 
 fiam,intrtligimus remiffionem pec* 
 cat or m non nifi in Ecclefla dm, 
 apud Htretkos auttm ubi Ecck* 
 fia non fit, non pofje peccatadimitti. 
 Cypr. ubi fupra,& alibi pajfim. 
 
 274. Of the right Adminifiration 
 
 Schifm 7 and- Here fie deprived of the 
 Sprit of God ihemf elves ^ 
 
 \ aiiis auum potefi dare quod anc j cannot therefore be 
 
 fuppoled r [ to conferr it 
 upon others. That Schifc 
 maticks, and Hereticks, 
 as fuch, are out of the 
 Churchy and confeqitently 
 cm neither them f elves en~ 
 joy any priviledges that 
 belong * to it , nor he in* 
 firumental toward the pro* 
 curingof them for others ; 
 That by their Schifm and 
 Herefie they are finners \ 
 before God , and whom 
 therefore wtcannot fuppofe 
 that God will hear for 
 other ferfons ; In fine , 
 that Hereticks in particular deprave 
 that Faith *, into which Baptifin is 
 required to be made, and confequent- 
 ly muftbe fuppos'd to baptize into a 
 afalle, and counterfeit one. But how 
 little force there is in thele Argu- 
 ments , as to the invalidating the 
 Baptifin of Schifmaticks > or Hereticks, 
 will appear upon a more narrow in- 
 (pe&ion into them. 
 
 * Sed & Baptist quampre* 
 tern pot eft jacere facer dos facri* 
 legits, & peccator 1 Cum foip* 
 turn ft, Den* peccator em non am 
 dit, fed qui earn coherit^ c> 
 voluntatm ejus fecerit^ Mm 
 1Hdit.Cypr>tt. 
 
 * Vid. Cypr. 
 fid Jubaian. 
 
 For 
 
of {Baptifm* 17 y 
 
 For be it firft that Schifma ticks and 
 Hereticks are by that Schifm, or He- 
 refie of theirs deprived of the Spirit 
 of God themfelves j Be it that they 
 cannot therefore be fuppos'd tocon- 
 ferr it upon others : Yet will it not 
 from thenee follow , but they may 
 be valid Adminiftratours of Baptifnij 
 and they > who receive it from them, 
 receive the Spirit of God with it. 
 Becaufe that Spirit of God, which 
 goes along with Baptifm, is not con- 
 ferred by them, but by him,whofe In* 
 ftitution Baptifm is, and confequent- 
 ly no way depending upon their ha- 
 ving the Spirit of God themfelves. All, 
 that the Mimfter confers on his part 
 toward the procuring of that Spirit^ 
 is co prepare that Baptifmal Water ^ 
 which it is by the Inftitution of ChrifE 
 to accompany, and to adminifter it, 
 when lb preparM, to thole who are 
 to be baptized with it. Which if 
 the Minifter doth according to the 
 Inftitution of Chrift, there is n.0 
 doubt the Spirit of God will follow 
 of courfe, whether he, who admi- 
 nifters Baptifm, partake of that Spi- 
 rit , or no. Otherwife a finful Mi- 
 nifter would be as invalid an Adrni- 
 
 T 2 niftrator 
 
ty6 Of the right Adminifiration 
 
 niftrator of Baptifm , as the moft 
 Schifmatical, or Heretical one. 
 
 But it may be there is more of 
 weight in Schifmaticks, and Here- 
 ticks being out of the Church, and as 
 fuch in no condition either of enjoy- 
 ing in themfelves thofe priviledges , 
 that belong to it, or being inftrumeri- 
 tal toward the procuring of them for 
 others. And fb no doubt there 
 would, if they were fully, and perfect- 
 ly out of the Church, nor retained in 
 any meafure to it. But how firft , 
 if Schifmaticks, and Hereticks were 
 fully, and perfectly out of the Church, 
 0) Ad Quir* could S. Cyprian (i) himfelf allow 
 tum, Ep. 70. ^ receiving f f uc h without a new 
 
 Baptifm, who had after their Baptifm 
 in the Church fallen into Schiftn, or 
 Herefie ? Thefe, as they were no lefs 
 Schifmaticks , and Hereticks than 
 thole, that were baptiz'd by Here- 
 ticks, and confequently alike out of 
 the Church ; So being, if to be re- 
 ceived again, to be received after the 
 fame manner , that is to fay by a 
 new Baptifm. Neither will it avail 
 CD m -] to fay (as that Father (/) pleads 
 for himlelf) that thole, who have 
 been baptized in the Church, are to 
 
 be 
 
of Baptifm. ryj 
 
 be lookM upon as wandring fteep ,- 
 and as fuch, when they return , to 
 be received into the Fold, whereas 
 the other are wholly aliens, and pro- 
 fane. For if Schifmaticks, and Here- 
 ticks be fully, and perfectly out of 
 the Church, thofe alio, what ever 
 they before were, mult ceafe to be 
 look'd upon as Sheep , and confe- 
 quently, if admitted , be admitted 
 as aliens, and profane, as well as thofe, 
 who were baptized out of the Church. 
 And indeed as it appears by the fame 
 Father (V), that thofe who oppos'd M Ad ^- 
 him, and the Bilhops that took part 
 with him, argued the validity of the 
 Baptifm of Hereticks from the 
 Churches receiving thofe without a 
 new one, who had fallen after her 
 Baptifm into Schifm or Herefie ; So 
 if we will allow the Baptifm of the 
 latter, we muft allow the Baptifo 
 of the former, or find out fbme other 
 reafbn to overthrow it, For if the 
 .rightly baptized Schiimatick , or 
 Heretick were a Sheep , though a 
 wandring one , notwithftanding his 
 Schifm, or Herefie ; The Schifma- 
 tick, or Heretick, whom that wan- 
 dring Sheep ran after, might as well 
 
 T 3 be 
 
%f% Of the right Jdminijlration 
 
 be a Paftor, though a wandring one 
 too, and confeqently be in a conditi- 
 on, following the order of the Li- 
 ft itution, to bring new Sheep to the 
 great Shepherd, and Bifhop of our 
 Souls. That, which I fuppofe oc- 
 cafiond that Fathers miftake (for 
 fb I hope I may now have leave to 
 call it, becaufe the Church of God 
 hath generally done fb fince ) but 
 that I fay, which occafionM S. Cy- 
 frians miftake, was his not diftingui- 
 fhing between heing fully, and per- 
 feftly out of the Church ( which I 
 fhould think none but Spoliates can 
 be, if they alfo are ) and being only 
 partly, and imperfeftly fb, as Schii- 
 maticks, and Hereticks are. For as 
 Schifmaticks , and Hereticks muft 
 be fuppos'd to retain fb far to the 
 Church, as they do not feparate 
 from it in Communion, or belief ; 
 So it is but a juft piece of charity to 
 think that Chrift who knows men's 
 infirmities, ancf prejudices, will pot 
 invalidate fiich a£fo of theirs, as arc 
 purely charitable ones, and wherein 
 moreover they confent with the 
 Church of God ( whatever they 
 may do as to other things ) and with 
 
 his 
 
of *Baptifm] 270 
 
 his own blefled Inftitution. I deny 
 not indeed, but that to be even 10 
 out of the Church, as Schifinaticks, 
 and Hereticks are, is a very dangerous 
 thing, and doth without a ipecial 
 mercy of God make them liable to 
 Damnation. But as I do not there- 
 fore think , that we ought to look 
 upon it as a defperate one ; So there 
 may be fo much of honeft fimplici- 
 ty of mind even in them, and a rea- 
 dinefs to embrace the tru:h, when- 
 soever they are convinced of it, that 
 Chrift, who laid down his life tor 
 the worft of men ? may 10 far at 
 leaft confider them , as to give his 
 blefling to thofe afts of theirs, which 
 are both charitable in themfeives y 
 and manag'd with a juft content to 
 his own inftitution, and the practice 
 too of that Church, from which in 
 other things they have departed. 
 
 And this anfwer, with a little va- 
 riation, will furnifhone to that ob- 
 jection, which represents Sclaifma- 
 ticks and Hereticks as firmer s before 
 God, and whom therefore we can- 
 not fuppofe God will hear for the 
 perfon to be baptizAL For though I 
 grant that fuch perfons are (inner* 
 
 T 4 before 
 
280 Of the right Jdminijlration 
 
 before Gpd , yea that whatever 
 they do by way of feparation from 
 the Church is to be look'd upon as 
 of the fame nature , and conlequent- 
 ly that their very baptizing alfb may 
 be ; Yet as I do n&t think that every 
 thing, that is finfully done, is there- 
 fore invalid ( for fo for ought I know 
 many true Churchmens good aftions 
 alio might be ) So Chrift may hear 
 even fiich perfbns, when they a£t 
 agreeably to his own Institution , 
 both for the regard he bears to that, 
 and for that honeft fimplicity, and 
 good meaning, which is, if not in 
 them that adminifter Baptifm, yet 
 in thole that joyn with them, and 
 whofe Minifter I have before laid 
 (7>)Expi.of (Ji) the Conlecratour to be in that 
 
 theSacram. fh\ r 
 m geru Part. 2 ** 11<lli • 
 
 One only Objection remains on 
 the part of Hereticks , and that is 
 their depraving that Faith , into 
 which Baptifm is required to be made, 
 and confequently thereto, £s is fup- 
 pos'd, baptizing into a falle , and 
 counterfeit one. And I no way 
 doubt that, if Hereticks baptize into 
 a falle, and counterfeit Faith, their 
 Baptifm is null, becauie contrary to 
 
 that 
 
of Baptifm. 281 
 
 that Inftitution, which gives validi- 
 ty to all. Upon which account we 
 muft look upon the Baptifm of thofe 
 perfbns as null, who have baptized 
 in any other form, than in the name 
 of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. 
 Of which fort was that of the He- 
 reticks fpoken of bylrenaus (/), who (i)Adv. 
 inftead of baptizing according to the H « n f- lu I ^- 
 form of the inftitution, did baptize 
 their Difciples into the name of the 
 unknown Father of all things, into truth 
 the Mother of all things, into him 
 that defended into J efts for the uni* 
 on , and redemption, and communion of 
 powers. To which others it feems 
 added certain Hebrew names, the bet- 
 ter to amufe thole, that were initio 
 ated by them. The like may rear 
 Ibnably enough be thought of the 
 Baptifm of many other of the Anti- 
 ent Hereticksj although we have not 
 it may be lb certain grounds from 
 Antiquity for their depraving the 
 very form of Baptifm. For being , 
 as appears from their tenents, 
 Chriftians in name, rather than in 
 reality , and befide that advancing 
 fuch uncouth) and monftrous ones, it 
 is not eafie to think they flhould have 
 
 fuch 
 
3S ovmawcns ^/$?y <&&? 
 
 1%t Of the right Adminiftratton 
 
 fuch a regard to Chrift, or his Infti- 
 
 tution , as to keep to that form , 
 
 which he prefcrib'd. Which fuppos'd, 
 
 there is not the leaft dif- 
 
 * 'Ematomy, » *p«0#ifas- ficulty in giving an ac- 
 
 & v itprtw* Ago/line count of thofe 46 * and 
 
 fAmriM, J frJdv *$**• ^ Canons of the 
 
 P*^, ww*. ?<* Apoftles i which do fo 
 
 far reprobate the Bap- 
 tifin of Hereticks, as to 
 require a reiteration of 
 it. For if the Hereticks 
 there intended werefiich 
 as are before defcribed 
 ( as is not unreafbnable 
 jtahfri, K9&ut«fro y &c. to believe even from the 
 
 words of the Canons 
 themfelves ) there is no doubt their 
 Baptifin was, and ought to be lookM 
 upon as null, becaufe deviating from 
 that Inftitution , which gives vali- 
 dity to all. But becaufe it 
 (O caterm qnk nifdt mn ej[e appears from a paffage of 
 
 Ba^mmCMfiUurba Evan- S.J UJ ruftwe(k),that what- 
 gehca, ambus fymbolum conftat , « 7 N r 7 r _ 
 
 uiic defmixt* Stifuiim in- ever the antienter Here- 
 vkimm haretici 9 qui omnino ticks did, yet later ones, 
 
 verbis mn baptist. De Baft. or at Ieaft for the moft 
 
 mtraD0nat.iL6.c2s. part kept to the words 
 
 of the Inftitution ; There- 
 fore we muft go on to enquire, whe- 
 ther 
 
 %QVTa> QcLw-nffjUt lav a,va$xv 
 
of Baptifm. 283 
 
 ther Hereticks may not however, be 
 prefiim'd to baptize into a falfe, and 
 counterfeit Faith, even that which 
 they themfelves advance, and confe- 
 quently give fuch a Baptiffn as is 
 null, and voido Andtolpeak my mind 
 freely,though with fubmiflion to bet- 
 ter judgments, I conceive fuch Here- 
 ticks may be prefiim'd to do it, who 
 advance a Herefie , that dire£tly , 
 and manifeftly contradicts the Faith 
 of Baptifin , and particularly the 
 Faith of the Holy Trinity. Which 
 I do in part upon the Authority 
 of the Nicene Council ( / ) , and (Q Can. 1$ 
 in part alfo upon the Authority of 
 Realbn. For though there be not 
 the leaft prelumption, that the fol- 
 lowers of Paulus Samofatenus made 
 ule of any other form of Baptifin , 
 than the Catholicks did ; Though 
 there be fbme preiumption on the 
 contrary, that they made ufe of the 
 very fame form, becaufe though 
 they deny 'd a' Trinity of Perlbns, yet 
 they afferted one, and the lame God 
 to be rightly entitled by the names 
 of Father , Son, and Holy Ghoft ; 
 Yet did the Nicene Council notwith- 
 standing, (becaufe of their direct, 
 
 and 
 
a 84 Of the right Jdminiftration 
 
 and manifeft denial of the Trinity , 
 and their affirming Chrift to be a 
 meer Man ) fb far difallow their 
 Baptifm, as to require the reiteration 
 of it. As indeed why fhould it not, 
 when thofe Pauliamjis did fb direct- 
 ly and manifeftly contradict the fenfe 
 of that form , whereby they preten- 
 ded to proceed? That direct, and 
 manifeft contradiction of theirs pro- 
 claming to the World , that though 
 they baptized in the fame form of 
 words with the Orthodox, yet in a 
 perfectly different fenfe, and confe- . 
 quently departed alike from that In- 
 iiitution, which was to give force to 
 it. I fay not the fame of the Baptifin 
 of the Avians, where they made ufe 
 of the fame form of 
 
 * De Ariants, qui propria fit* words, which the Infti- 
 Icg? utuntur, ut baptiyntur pla- tut ' nrp fr r ;hVJ ac if lc 
 cult. Si ad EccUjiam aliqui de tUtlOll preiCHDO, as It IS 
 
 hac k*rffi veneris; intenogent certain that many * of 
 
 eos fidei nufvfa famdotes fymbo- f i i;i . X>~ rt U T U P 
 
 Urn. Etfipervidemt in Patre, Cnei i 1 Q1Q > tartly De- 
 
 Filio,& Spiritu fanfto eos bap- Caufe the Church re- 
 
 tivtos,manixastantmimp- j y thof tfaat had 
 
 natur^nt acchpiant fpintumfan- , r t • 11 1 
 
 &c. condi. ArtU c. 8. been 10 baptized by them 
 
 without any new Bap- 
 tifin ; And partly becaufe neither 
 fb dire&ly, and manifeftly contra- 
 dicting the DoCtrine of the Trinity 
 
 by 
 
 ctum 
 
of (Baptifnn 28^ 
 
 by their own, nor varying from the 
 prefcribed form , as fome other of 
 them did, they may be realbnably 
 prefum'd to have left the form by 
 them us'd to its proper fenfe, what- 
 ever that was, and to what he, who 
 prefcrib'd it, did intend it. Which 
 fuppos'd, what fhould hinder Chrift: 
 from giving force to that Baptifin , 
 which is fo adminiftred by them? 
 Thefe, as they do not at all vary from 
 the Inftitution of Chrift, fb in this 
 particular, even in the application of 
 the Baptifmal water to the Baptized 
 parties, adting not in their own, or in 
 their peoples names, but in the name 
 of Chrift, and who therefore may the 
 rather be fiippofed to give force and 
 vertuetoit. Therefiiltofthepremifes 
 is this. A Heretick is indeed obliged to 
 baptize into the truly Chriftian Faith, 
 neither can any man other wife promife 
 force from that aft of his. But if he 
 baptize into that faith (as he may even 
 whilft he continues fuch) his Baptifin 
 is valid, neither can any man doubt of 
 a blefling from it , who comes pre- 
 pared for it, and , when he comes 
 tov know in what company he hath 
 
 been 
 
%%6 Of the right Adminijlyation, Sec. 
 
 been engag'd , renounceth that , 
 and their Herefie^ and both fubmits 
 himfelf to the difcipline of the 
 Church , and keeps to the communi- 
 on of it. 
 
 PART 
 
287 
 
 PART X. 
 
 Of the Baptifm of thofe of 
 riper years. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 To what , and what kind of perfons 
 Baptifm ought to be admini fired ; 
 Which, as to thofe of riper years , 
 is fbewn to be unto all , that come 
 duly qualified for it. What thofe 
 qualifications are, upon that account 
 enquired into, and Repentance, and 
 Faith fhewn from the Sripture , as 
 well as from our own Catechifm to 
 be they. That Repentance , and 
 Faith more particularly confidered , 
 the definitions given of them by our 
 Church explain d, and ejlablifbed. 
 The former whereof is effected, by 
 /hewing what Repentance doth pre- 
 fuppofe, what it imports, and to 
 
 what 
 
a88 
 
 Of the Baptifm 
 
 what it doth naturally difpofe us : 
 The latter by jhewing what thofe 
 promifes are y which by the Cate- 
 chifm are made the object of our 
 Faith, or Belief, what that Belief of 
 them doth pre fuppofe, what is meant 
 by a Jledfafi Belief of them , and 
 what evidence there is of that being 
 the Faithy or Belief requird to the 
 receiving of B apt if m. 
 
 Queftion. 
 
 wtmt te 
 reqanrea of 
 perftmg to 
 
 Anfwer. 
 
 Repentance 
 fcrfjerebp 
 tljep fojfake 
 ^m, anfi 
 Jfattl) , 
 iu|jcrebp 
 tljep (to* 
 fafflp fce* 
 itefee tlje 
 gjomtfejs 
 m*M to 
 tftem in 
 tijat m* 
 twnmu 
 
 w 
 
 III. 1 Eing now to enquire, ac- 
 cording to the method 
 before laid down, to 
 hat , and what kind of perfons th£ 
 Sacrament of Baptifm ought to be 
 adminiftred, for my more advanta- 
 geous refblution thereof I will con- 
 sider it firft as to thole of riper 
 years, and then as to Infants , and 
 Children. 
 
 That I give the precedency to 
 thofe of riper years, though fuch Bap- 
 tifins as thofe are little known a- 
 mong us , is becaufe there is no 
 doubt Baptifm began with them, 
 and could not indeed have found 
 any other entrance into the World ; 
 The Baptifm of Infants, in the opi- 
 nion of thofe, who do moil ftrong- 
 
 1/ 
 
of t hofe of riper Tears. i 8 £ 
 
 ly . aflert it, depending upon the Bap- 
 tifin of their Parents, or of thole ,, 
 who are in the place of them. Of 
 whom , if fbme had not been bap- 
 tized in their riper years, thofe In- 
 fants, that claimed by them, could 
 hot with reafbn have pretended to it; 
 Of thofe of riper years therefore I 
 mean firfl: to entreat, and fhew to 
 what, and what kind of peribns among 
 them the Sacrament of Baptifm ought 
 to be adminiftred. 
 
 Now as it is clear from our Sa- 
 viour's injunction * of dif rip ling, and * Mate. 28.1 9; 
 baptizing all Nations, that none of 
 what condition fbever are to be ex- 
 cluded from it, who are qualified , 
 as Chriftianity requires, for the re- 
 ceiving of it ; So the only thing 
 therefore farther neceflary to be en- 
 quir'd into on this Head^ is how 
 men ought to be qualified for it^ of 
 ( as our Catechifm expreffeth it ) 
 what is required of them. For fup- 
 pofing thole pmrequifttes of Baptifm , 
 he who enjoyns the difcipling i and 
 baptizing all Nations, muft conle- 
 quently be fizppos'd to enjoyn the ad ; - 
 miniftring of it to all fuch* in whon* 
 thole pmrequifites are. 
 
 IJ No* 
 
29° • Of the Baptifm 
 
 Now there are two things again, 
 as our Catechifm inftrufts us, which 
 are required of all thofe, that arc to 
 be baptized ; Repentance , whereby 
 they forfake fin, and Faith, whereby 
 they ftedfaftly believe the promifes 
 made to them in that Sacrament. 
 And for thefe two things at leaft it 
 hath the aftipulation of the Scrip ure, 
 and I may add alio of that Profeffion, 
 which is made by the baptized per- 
 fbn in Baptifm, and which having 
 before eftablifh'd, I may now the more 
 fecurely argue from. Witnefs, for 
 
 f Ads 2. $3. the Scripture, S. Peter's f enjoyning 
 thole Jews, ( who demanded of him, 
 and the reft, what they ought to do 
 in order to their falvation) to repent, 
 and fb be baptized in the name of 
 the Lord Jeftts ; And Philip's re- 
 plying upon the Eunuch, who ask'd 
 what did hinder him to be baptized y 
 
 *- 3. 37. that if he believd* with all his heart, 
 
 he might : Thereby more than inti- 
 mating that, if he did hot, he could 
 not be bapdz/d at all, though all other 
 things concurred to the receiving of 
 it. And indeed, what lefs can be fup- 
 
 •f Expi. of pos\i to be required of fuch peribns, 
 
 BaocPart 8. when ( as was before f obferv'd) the 
 
 baptized 
 
of thofe of riper Tears. idi' 
 
 baptized perfbn makes Profeflioh iri 
 his Baptifm of renouncing all fin, and 
 wickednels , and of a belief in that 
 Jefus, into whole Religion he is ad- 
 mitted ? That Profeffion of his flip- 
 pofing Repentance, and Faith to have 
 bsen before in him, as without which 
 otherwife he could not there make 
 a fincere Profeffion of renouncing 
 fin, or of believing in the name of the 
 Lord Jefus. But fb ( that I may 
 'add that by the way) the Antient 
 Church appears to have required , 
 before fhe admitted men to the par- 
 ticipation of Baptifm ; Jufiin Martyr ', 
 where he profeffeth to „ 
 
 give a fincere account W 0i,/ ,*' w3 f ri i % 
 or her doings in this , lV L t ~ u jw^a . 
 affair, telling thofe he *&&* &*** $ #g 
 wrote his Apology to, that tv™$ tiv&Smx v-m<%£vm ti 
 fueh as were perjuadedj and iv^^u 7^ $ Mlv vfcwtp* 
 believed that the things ffi 0£# ** ^ ^ <&&- 
 taught and f aid by the Ghri- ?#?# \ **** *&* 
 (lianswere t rue (&) and more- u^:^ "^T owtv%v*vavj 
 overtook upon them Jo to > imi7Zl £>i¥TU - ^ , 
 
 and ask cf God with fajling AVAy*vvticna$ y %v x) ypMs 
 the for give nefs of their for- <* V7 * 1 *v*y&yn§vitMv ava-^v 
 mer fins, and then , and K%™ A P oL 2 -P* ?3> 
 not till then brought by them to the 
 
 U % phti 
 
Ip i Of the <Baptijm 
 
 ylace of Baptifm 7 and there regenera** 
 ted after the fame manner with them* 
 f elves. Which is fo clear a proof of the 
 Ancients believing Repentance, and 
 Faith to be prerequifites of Baptifm, 
 that nothing need to be added to it. 
 
 For the clearing of the firjt of 
 which we are to know, that though 
 Repentance, in ftriQ: fpeech , be no- 
 thing elfe than a forrow of mind for 
 thoje fins we jiand guilty of before God ; 
 Yet as even ib it prefuppofeth a right 
 apprehenfion of thofe fins, as with- 
 out which we could never be brought 
 to a due forrow for them, fb taking 
 Repentance ( as our Catechifm, and 
 the Scripture alfb fometime doth ) as 
 one of the two prerequifites of Bap* 
 
 (jo) Ads 20. tifin ( For S. Paul in one place (£) 
 makes that Repentance, and Faith 
 the fum of his Preaching to the Jews, 
 
 (f)Heb. 6.1. and Greeks, and in another (/) the 
 foundation of our Chriftianity) it will 
 be found to imply in it whatfbever 
 that forrow for fin doth naturally 
 difpofe men to, as well as that forrow 
 it felf : The fame S. Paul elfewhere 
 profeffing that he /hewed both to the 
 Jews, and Gentiles, that they fhouli 
 turn unto God , as well as Repent ; 
 
 and 
 
of tbofe of riper Tears. 29 j 
 
 and do works meet for Repentance , 
 as well as either. To attain there* 
 fore a due underftanding of this Re- 
 pentance, as well as to clear that de» 
 finition of it, which our Catechifm 
 hath given us , it will be neceffary 
 for us to enquire what this Repen- 
 tance doth prefuppofe, what it import s y 
 and to what it doth difpofe us. 
 
 That, which Repentance doth 
 moft manifeftly prefuppofe, is a right 
 apprehenfionof that//?, about which 
 it is to be converiant ; A nd may be 
 fetched in part from the dictates of 
 our own reafbn, but more efpecially 
 from the declarations of Chriftiani- 
 ty concerning it. Such as are, that 
 fin is the tranfgreflion of a Law , 
 and particularly of that of God, and 
 that, as fuch, it juftly expofeth us 
 to his wrath, and indignation : Part- 
 ly, as it is a violation of his Au- 
 thority, to whom we are naturally 
 fubjeft, and partly as an equal affront 
 to his goodnefs, who gives us our 
 being, and all things elfe, and who 
 therefore ought more diligently ta 
 have been attended to . In fine, that 
 it hath for its wages Death both 
 temporal, and eternal, and under 
 
 U j each 
 
.p4 Of th OBaptiJm 
 
 each of which, without the mercy 
 of God in Chrift, the finner mult 
 neceffariiy fall. For as thefe are 
 known in part, from the dictates of 
 pur own reafon to he the proper^ 
 ties of that fin, whereof we fpeak ; 
 So they are much more known to 
 be fo from the DoQxine of Chri« 
 ftianity, and confequently to be 
 known by us toward a right appre- 
 henfion of that, which ought to be 
 the matter of our fbrrow. 
 
 But from hence it will be eafie tQ 
 polleft, w r hat that forrow for fin doth 
 import} which is required of all. thole, 
 that take upon them the Proteffion of 
 (phriftianity. Even that it importeth 
 luch a farrow of mind, as hath a re- 
 gard to the violation of God's Autho- 
 rity and Goodneis by it, as well as to 
 the evils which are like to arife to it 
 from our felves ; Our fbrrow being in 
 realon to be fuited to that, which is 
 pioft confiderable in theobjeft of it. 
 And indeed, as other wife it will be 
 rather a fbrrow for punifhment, than 
 fin, becaufe fin, as fuch, is a tranf* 
 greflion of God's Law , and confe- 
 quently our forrow for it to have 
 £ more efpecial regard to the affront, 
 
 that 
 
of thofe of riper Years. 205 
 
 that is ofifer'd him thereby ; So it 
 wiH much lefs deferve thofe tides , 
 which are given it by the Scripture 
 of being a forrow, or repentance to- 
 ward (d)God (forfbit is lometime r a )Aets2o. 
 ftil'd ) and a for row (i) according, to 21. 
 
 God, or a Godly one, as it alfo is : That c ° 2 Cor * 7 ^ 
 being neither toward God, nor accor- 
 ding to God, which hath not a regard 
 to that affront, which is offer'd to him 
 by fin, as well as to the evils, which 
 are like to accrue unto our felves. 
 
 But becaufe even fuch a forrow 
 will not qualifie us for Baptifm, unlefs 
 We add thereto what the lame forrow 
 doth naturally difpofe us to ; There- 
 fore to make out more fully the true 
 nature of Repentance, as well as to 
 clear our Churches definition of it, 
 I will proceed to that , and fhew 
 what thofe things are. Of which 
 nature I reckon firft an ingenuous 
 confeffion of fin, and earneft prayer to 
 God for the pardon of it ; Sorrow for 
 fin, when confidered only with re- 
 ference to its appendant punifhment, 
 being likely enough to difpofe us fb 
 to confefs, and ask pardon of it, if 
 it were only to unburthen our {hives, 
 and free our felves by that, and pray- 
 
 U 4 er 
 
-$,$6 Of the Baptifm 
 
 er from the punifhment we have de- 
 ferv'd. How much more then, when 
 confider'd as a forrow for that affront, 
 which we have by means of our fin 
 offer'd toGod^sboth Authority, and 
 Goodnefs ? He , to whom fuch an 
 affront is matter of forrow , being 
 likely enough to be thereby difpos'd 
 fb far to acknowledge that Authori- 
 ty, and goodnefs , as to own them 
 upon the poftfaftby confeffion, and 
 prayer for pardon : He who confef- 
 fethy and asketh pardon of God, ac- 
 knowledging that God had , and 
 hath an Authority to command , 
 and punifh him, as he , who doth 
 the Utter, that God is of equal good- 
 nefs, as of whom otherwife it would 
 be in vain for him to ask pardon 
 for his offences. Whence it was , 
 that when the Church proceeded by 
 ftrid, andfafe meafures, fhenoton- 
 lv taught thofe , that offer'd them- 
 felves to Baptifm, to ask of God with 
 fafiing the forgivenefs of their fore- 
 part offences, but ( as we learn from 
 [fj&ftp* Jujiin Martyr '(/) added her own 
 prayers, and fajis to theirs, fb the bet- 
 ter to encourage, and give force un- 
 to the others. I reckon of the fame 
 
 nature 
 
of thoje of riper Years. 297 
 
 nature fecondly, a refolution to for- 
 fake fin , and purfue the contrary 
 vermes. Which I do not only upon 
 the Authority of the foremention'd 
 Father, who reckons that (g) alfo (?) Locophs 
 as a prerequifite to Baptifm, but as it ntat0m 
 is a thing, to which fbrrow for fin, 
 doth alike naturally difpofe us ; He, 
 to whom fin is fo irkfbme, needing 
 no other motive, than that irkfome- 
 nefs, to oblige him to forfake it, and 
 pay a more perfe£t fubmiffion to 
 that Authority, andgoodnefs of God, 
 which he hath before ib fhamefully 
 violated. I reckon thirdly, as a thing, 
 to which fbrrow for fin doth equally 
 difpofe us, a pefent for faking of thofe 
 fins, which we are under a tempta^ 
 tion to commit, as well as a refolution 
 to do fb for the time to come ; There 
 being the fame force in a due fbrrow 
 for fin to difpofe men to that , as 
 there is to a refolution of afterward 
 forfaking it. For which caufe the 
 Antient Church did not only refufe 
 fuch perfons Baptifm, as were of any 
 unlawful Profeffion (A), till they a&u- W feud- 
 ally abandon'd it, but made proof (/) jj$j t & c * 
 alfoforaconfiderable time of the refo- CO m i* 
 lutiQns of others, and, till they had gi- 
 ven 
 
^y% Of the Baptiftn 
 
 ven her fuch proofs, did not admit 
 them to it. They finding no doubt by 
 manifold experience, that many that 
 offered themfelves to Baptifm, made 
 little Conference afterward of avoid- 
 ing thofe fins, which they had be- 
 fore fb folemnly refolv'd againft, and 
 made publick profeffion of abandon- 
 ing. And though it do not appear, that 
 the Apoftles themfelves took this 
 courfe, they baptizing men immedi- 
 ately upon the bare profeffion of their 
 Repentance, and a refblution after- 
 ward to bring forth fruits meet for 
 it ; Yet as the reafon of that poffi- 
 bly might be, either becaufe of that 
 exuberance of Grace, which was then 
 beftow'd upon their new Converts 
 or becaufe, by means of their Am- 
 bulatory life , they could not well 
 deferr the Baptifm of thofe, that of- 
 fer'd themfelves, till they had made 
 lbme confiderable trial of them 
 ( which will exempt fuch Churches 
 from their example, where there is 
 no fuch exuberance of Grace, and 
 where moreover they .have fetled 
 Paftorsto intend the affairs of them) 
 So we cannot think the Apoftles 
 would have ever given Baptifm to 
 
 fuch 
 
of thofe of riper Tears. 299 
 
 fiich perfbns, as fhould before that 
 Baptiiln of theirs have fallen into 
 thofe fins, which they erewhile made 
 profeflion of abandoning : Sorrow 
 for fin, where it is hearty, and real, 
 no doubt difpofing men as well to 
 a prefent forlaking of it, as it doth to 
 a refolution concerning it. Which 
 will make the Repentance pre-requi^ 
 red to Baptifm to be ( as our Gate* 
 chifm expreffeth it ) a Repentance , 
 whereby as occafion offers, we actual- 
 ly forfak'e fin, as well as refblve for 
 the future to abandon it. 
 
 An account being thus given of 
 the firji thing pre-requir'd to Baptifm, 
 and our Churches definition of it 
 both explained, and eftabliflhed ; Pafs 
 we on to that, which is alike pre-re- 
 quired to it, even that Faith, where- 
 by we ftedfaftly believe the promifes 
 made to us in that Sacrament. Where 
 again I will enquire* 
 
 I. What thofe promiies are, which 
 we are (b to believe. 
 
 II. What that belief of themdoth 
 pre-fiippofe. 
 
 III. What is meant by a ftedfaft 
 belief of thole promiies. 
 
 IV. 
 
joe Of the Sdptifm 
 
 IV. What evidence there is of 
 that being the Faith, or belief, 
 which is pre-requir'd by Chri-> 
 ftianity to the receiving of that 
 Sacrament. 
 
 I. Now though that Catechifm , 
 which I have chofen to explain, give 
 no other account of thofe Promifes, 
 than that they are liich as are made 
 to us in that Sacrament ; Yet is it 
 not difficult to colled from thence, 
 and from what is before faid concern- 
 ing the Parts of a Sacrament , that 
 the Catechifm means no other pro- 
 mifes, than thofe which make a ten- 
 der of its inward^ and fpiritual Graces. 
 For a Sacrament being before divi^ 
 ded into an outward, and vifible fign, 
 and an inward, and fpiritual Grace 
 as the only proper parts of it ; And 
 the outward, and vifible fign being 
 in like manner reprefented in it as 
 no farther of value , than as condu- 
 cing to poffefs us of the other : No 
 other promifes can be fuppos'dtobe 
 intended here, than fuch as make a 
 tender of thofe inward, and fpiritu- 
 al Graces, as which indeed are the 
 only things confiderabje in it. Which 
 
 will 
 
of thbfe of riper Years. 30 
 
 will confequently make the promifes 
 here intended to be thole , which 
 make a tender for the prefent of remit 
 ffion of fins, and fanftification, and 
 in the end of everlafting life. 
 
 II. Thofe therefore being the pro- 
 mifes, which are to be the objeft of 
 the Catechumens Faith , and which 
 accordingly he is ftedfaftly to believe ; 
 It will not be difficult to fhew y what 
 that belief of them pre-fuppofeth , 
 which is the fecond thing to be en- 
 quir'd into. For that belief of them 
 muft ac leaft pre-fuppofe a belief of 
 all that, which is neceflary to bring us 
 to the belief of the other. More 
 particularly it pre-fuppofeth, as to 
 our [elves y that we believe our felves 
 to be naturally under a ftate of fin, 
 &nd death, as without which there 
 could be no place for that fan&ifi* 
 cation, and remiflion, which is pro- 
 miied in Baptifin ; And that we are 
 yet farther off from any title to Ever- 
 lafting life, as which if we had, 
 there would have been no need of a 
 Promife in Baptifin of 'rtr--~Tt pre- 
 fuppofeth again as to Chrijl, in whom 
 all the promifes of God are Yea, and 
 Ameny a like ftedfaft belief that there 
 
 was 
 
30* OftheBaptifm 
 
 was fuch a peribn as Jefus Chrift 5 
 and that he was appointed by God to 
 convey fuch graces to us ; That j 
 agreeably to the predictions of the 
 Scripture, and the will of God con- 
 cerning him, he took upon him our 
 nature, and fuffer'd in it to purchafe 
 thofe Graces, and that he ever fince 
 intends the exhibiting of what he 
 hath fb purchased ; The belief of thele, 
 and the like Articles of our Faith be- 
 ing as manifeftly prefuppos 7 d to the 
 belief of thole Promifes, which in this 
 place we are required to intend. 
 
 III. That which will it may be 
 more concern us to enquire, is what 
 our Catechifm means by zftedfaft be- 
 lief of them. For my more or- 
 derly refblution whereof I will en- 
 quire firft what it means by belief, 
 and then by zjledfaft one. 
 
 Now by belief may be meant ei- 
 ther a fimfle affent of the mind, and 
 in which ienle there is no doubt it 
 is oftentimes taken in Chriftian 
 Writers ; Or there may be meant 
 alfo a belief with affiance, and fuch 
 as befide the affent of the mind, or 
 underftanding to them, doth alfo con- 
 note a truft in them, or in God be- 
 
 caufe 
 
of thofe of riper Years. 302 
 
 caufe of them. By vertue of which 
 (as I have elfe where difcours'd^con- CO Expi. of 
 cerning the grace of trait ) the heart, coL u ' 
 or will is prompted to defire, as well Part 3. 
 as affent to the matter of the divine 
 promifes, and acquiefce in thofe for 
 the obtaining of it. And indeed if 
 we may judge anything by our Ho- 
 milies, (to which the Articles (/) (/)Art.u. 
 of our Church do alio particularly 
 referr us in the point of juftifying 
 Faith) this latter belief muft be here 
 intended ; Becaufe a belief, " which 
 hath for its end the remiflion of ilns 
 in Baptifm, and confequently a jufti- 
 fying one. For the right , and true 
 Chrifiian Faith ( faith one of our (m) (m) Homily 
 Homilies ) is not only to believe that ^Salvation, 
 the Holy Scripture ', and all the fore- 
 cited Articles of our Faith, are true, 
 but alfo to have a fure trufi, and con- 
 fidence in Go£s merciful promifes to 
 be faved from everlafiing damnation 
 by Cbrijl. And it is not only, faith 
 another (/?), the common belief of the r n ^ Horn> Qr 
 , Articles of our Faith, but it is alfo a Faith. 
 fure trufi, and confidence of the mercy 
 of God through our Lord Jefus Chrijl, 
 and a Jledfafi hope of all good things 
 to be receivd at God?s hands. In 
 
 fine, 
 
304 Of theSaptlfm 
 
 00 Ibid - line, faith the fame (0) Homily, the 
 very fur e j lively Chrijlian faith is not 
 only te believe all things of God y which 
 are contained in holy Scripture , hut 
 alfo to have an earnejl trujl, and confi- 
 dence in God, &c. Which fuppos'd 
 ( as we may, becaufe we can have 
 no more Authentick interpretation of 
 it ) to be the fenfe of the belief here 
 intended, it will not be difficult to 
 fhew, what our Catechifm means by 
 a fiedfafi one* 
 
 For confidering the belief of thefe 
 Promifes as an Anent of the mind to 
 them, fb a ftedfaft belief will im- 
 ply that , which is free from all 
 doubts, and which the mind of man 
 gives to thofe Promifes without any 
 the leaft fear of their being any Col- 
 lufion in them ; Which the mind of 
 man may well give , confidering 
 whofe thofe Promifes are, and that 
 they have both God, and Chrift for 
 the Authors of them. On the other 
 fide, if we confider the belief intended 
 as including in it alfb an affiance , 
 or trujly and by vertue of which the 
 heart, or will is prompted to defire , 
 as well as believe the matter of thofe 
 Promifes, and acquiefcein thofe Pro- 
 
 mifes 
 
of tbofe of riper Tears. j d 5 
 
 miles for the attaining of it ; So this 
 Jledfajl belief will alio imply fuch a 
 one, as is firmly rooted in the hearty 
 or rvillj and can no more be rooted 
 out of it by the force of temptati- 
 ons, than the other by doubts, or 
 fcruples. And indeed, as I do not 
 fee how any other belief, than that, 
 can anfwer fuch glorious promifes 
 as are made to us in the Sacrament 
 of Baptifm ; lb I fee as little realbn 
 to doubt, 
 
 IV* What evidence there is of that 
 being the Faith, or belief, which is 
 pre-requir'd by Chriftianity to the 
 receiving of it. For though S. Luke 
 may ieem to intimate by the account 
 he gives of the Baptifm of the Sa- 
 maritans (/>), that they were baptiz'd O0 Aasg -* 2 < 
 upon a fimple belief of what Philip 
 preached concerning the things of the 
 Kjngdom of God ; Yet he doth much 
 more clearly intimate afterward , 
 that Chriftianity requir'd another 
 fort of belief, and fuch as was ac- 
 companied with an adherence of the 
 will unto them ) He making it the 
 condition of the Eunuch's Baptifm 
 afterward, that he fhould believe with 
 
 X all 
 
306 Of the <Baptifm 
 
 (q) 2 7 . ggfoi heart (^) j Which is an expref 
 
 lion, that in the language of the 
 Scripture referrs rather to the rviU , 
 and affections, than to the under fi ant- 
 ing y but however cannot well be 
 thought not to include them there , 
 where the believing with all the 
 heart is required. And indeed, as I do 
 not fee, confidering the DoQxine of 
 our Firjl Reformers, why this noti- 
 on of Faith fhould be fb exploded , 
 as it feems to me lately to have been ; 
 As I do much lefs lee why men 
 fhould fo boyle at that Jtt/lification, 
 which was wont to be attributed in 
 an efpecial manner to it i So, if 1 
 live to finifh the work I am now up- 
 on, I will in a Comment upon the 
 Epiftle to the Philippans ( which I 
 have almoft gathered fufficient ma- 
 terials for) endeavour to clear both 
 the one , and the other , that men 
 may neither take occafion from 
 thence to difcard good works as un- 
 necelTary, nor yet ftay themlelves 
 upon any other, than the promifes 
 of Chrift, and on which the holieft 
 men upon earth, when they have been 
 approaching near God s tribunal , 
 have found themlelves oblig'd to call: 
 
 them- 
 
of thofe of riper Tears. 307 
 
 themfelves. In the mean time a lit- 
 tle to reprefs the youthful heats of 
 thofe, who can hardly forbear fmi- 
 ling at fuch antiquated notions, I. will 
 let before them the advice , which 
 was orderM to be given to lick per- 
 fons, when good works to be lure 
 were not without their juft repute. 
 It is among the Interrogatories , 
 which are laid (r) to have been pre- 0) Fie ^ ^ 
 fcrib'd by Anfelme Archbifhop Qf* e ^ r ^' 
 Canterbury , and . particularly after thc^d.Bcek 
 that, which prompts the Prieft to p a «3°3* 
 ask, Dojl thou believe^ that thou canji 
 not be favd ^ but by the death of 
 Chrijly and thefick peribns Anfwer., 
 that he did fo. Go too therefore ( as 
 the Prieft was taught to proceed ) 
 and whilft thy foul re?naineth in thee, 
 ■place thy confidence in this death alone, 
 and in no other thing , commit thy 
 felf wholly to it, cover thy felf wholly 
 with it , immerfe, fix , and wrap thy 
 felf wholly in it. And if the Lord 
 God will judge thee j fay , / put the 
 death of our Lord J efts Chrijl between 
 me, and thy judgment, other wife I con- 
 tend not with thee. And if he fay 
 that thou art a finner^ fay , Lord I 
 put the death of our Lord Jefus Chrif 
 
 X 2 between 
 
308 Of the Baptifm, &c. 
 
 between me, and my (ins. If he fay 
 to thee thou haft defervd damnation, 
 fay, Lord, I put the death of our Lord 
 Jefns Chrijl between me, and my evil 
 deferts, and I offer the fame death for 
 that merit, which I ought to have had, 
 and have not. If he continue as yet 
 to fay, that he is angry with thee, fay, 
 Lord, I oppofe the death of our Lord 
 Jtfus Chrift between me, and thy dif 
 pleafure. Words, which fhew what 
 kind of Faith was lometime thought 
 to be a juftfying one, and what ftrefs 
 was laid upon it, before ever Fanati- 
 cifm, or any thing of that nature was 
 heard of in the World, 
 
 PART 
 
3 op 
 
 PART XL 
 
 Of the Baptifm of Infants. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 What ground, Infant-Baptifm hath in 
 Scripture, and particularly in what 
 it fuggefis concerning Chrift's com- 
 manding his Difciples to fuffer little 
 Children to come unto him. 
 S. PaulV giving the Children of 
 the faithful the title of Holy, and 
 the Circumcifion of Infants. The 
 concurrence of Antiquity therein 
 with the Dotfrine of the Scripture, 
 and that concurrence farther 
 ftrengthned by the Pelagians fo 
 freely admitting of what was urgd 
 againfi them from thence. A brief 
 account of that remiffionj and rege- 
 neration which Infants acquire by 
 X 3 Ba$tifm % 
 
3*o 
 
 Queftion. 
 
 are Infants 
 
 $aptt?e&, 
 fcjljen bp 
 icafon cf 
 tljetr tenner 
 age tijep 
 cannot per* 
 fo^m ti;rm s? 
 
 Anfwer, 
 
 315cca«re 
 tfjep p?o^ 
 nttfe tftem 
 ijotl) ftp 
 tfietr fure* 
 ties, Mjicl) 
 psomife, 
 tt»f?en tijep 
 come to 
 age, tljem* 
 fellies are 
 houwo to 
 petfc-m. 
 
 O/rk Baptifm 
 
 ~Baptifm y and a more large confe- 
 deration of the Objections, that are 
 made againji it ; More particularly 
 of what is urgd againfl the Rege- 
 neration of Infants in Baptifm, or 
 their ability to an fiver what is pre* 
 reqiiird to it on the fart of per- 
 jons to he baptiz, d 7 or is to be per- 
 forrneJ? by them in the reception of 
 it. Where the Regeneration of In- 
 fants is more largely considered, and 
 what is promts d for them by others 
 (hewn to be both reafonable, andfnf 
 flcient* 
 
 ■ 
 ^Rom the Baptifrn of thofe of 
 riper years, pafs we to that 
 of Infants, or Children , the 
 only Baptifrn upon the matter now 
 celebrated, and therefore fb much 
 the more carefully to be clear'd and 
 eftahliih'd. In order whereunto I 
 will enquire, 
 
 I. What ground it hath in Scri- 
 pture. 
 
 II. What countenance from Anti- 
 quity. 
 
 Ill* What Infants acquire by it. 
 
 IV. 
 
of Infants] 
 
 IV. What the principal obje£tions 
 agaiaft it are, and how they are 
 to be folv'd. 
 
 3" 
 
 I. Now as it is plain to me both 
 
 faomTertultians * argu- 
 
 tnPMJnmft that Text and * De Baptifno c. iB. Ait qui- 
 ing againir tnac i exr 9 ana dm Dmim ^ wite iilos j rem 
 
 the Apqftolical T ConJlitU- hibere ad m venire. Ven'unt 
 
 tions a Hedging it,that the W*\ rr dwn « d ff™ nf > ™*m 
 
 . . ^P & T , . dun di\ cnnt, dum quo veniant 
 
 Antient Church grounded donnr*. FianHihrifian^qunm 
 the Baptifin of Infants up- 5*»/«i ?W P ptumnt. 
 on Chriffs * commanding i + x **r^ * ■ ~ * 
 his Diicipies to J upr lit- ^ v ( m *^ $ Uitkm 
 tie Children to come unto avt! lv t&Mcl , *) j/«q £ , 
 hiw,d.nd blefjing thofe, that «V s**. ^Ayi-n $, p^, 
 came; So I am yet more ** tw^a^^u *3&<f£ 9 
 confirmed in it by the ^ff^^dv^iU.c.i^ 
 unprohtabie pains 2#- 
 tullian took to take off the force of 
 that Text, or rather the pitiful eva- 
 fion he made ufe of in order to it. 
 For had not the Church laid great 
 ftrefs upon that pafTage of the Scri- 
 pture, why did not he, as the World 
 hath fince learnd to do , wholly 
 omit the mention of it, as a Text 
 no way pertinent to the bufinefs of 
 Infant- Baptifm? Or, if he thought 
 good to take notice of it, why did 
 he not turn the force of it another 
 
 X 4 way, 
 
1*4 Of the fBaptifrn 
 
 way, and fay, as others have, that 
 nothing more was intended by it , 
 than to let men know they muft put 
 on the property of little Children , 
 if they meant to enter into Chrift's 
 Kingdom ? For either of thefe certain- 
 ly had been more proper, than what 
 we find him to alledge in thefe words j 
 as to the delaying of the Baptifm of 
 Infants. The Lord indeed faith, For- 
 bad not Children to come unto me. 
 Lev ''hem come therefore , when they 
 are grown J, let them come when they 
 ma y learn, and when they may be taughi 
 whither they are to come. Let them 
 he made Chriflians, when they may be 
 able to know Chriji. For what is this to 
 the purpofe of our Saviour, who check- 
 ed his Difciples for hindering thofe 
 from coming to him , who were 
 brought to him before they were in a 
 condition to learn, who in all probabili- 
 ty were brought to him in their Pa- 
 rents arms, and were both taken by 
 him into his own, and blefled by bim 
 even then? For if the Difciples were 
 check'd for going about to hinder 
 fuch Children, his meaning was that 
 they fliould fuffer fuch to come unto 
 Jiim, and not keep them back from 
 
 com- 
 
of Infants. 313 
 
 coming, till they ceafedtobefuch. But 
 of fuch force it feems was that Text 
 then thought, that fome reply how- 
 ever muft be made to it ; Or the 
 deference men had for the Church , 
 that urged it , would have fpoiPd 
 his device of delaying the Baptifin 
 of them , till they came of years. 
 Which will make it fo much the 
 more reafonable to enquire , what 
 there is in the Text it felf, which 
 might juftifie the confidence of the 
 one, or give occafion to the imper- 
 tinent anfwer of the other. 
 
 For the better difcovery whereof 
 we are to know, that when certain 
 perfbns not named, but it feems who 
 lookd upon our Saviour as a man of 
 God , brought their Children to 
 Chrift, that he might touch them , 
 that is to fay, as our Saviour expound- 
 ed their meaning, that he might lay 
 his hands upon them, and blefs them ; 
 His Difciples 7 whether as looking 
 upon it as no way befeeming their 
 Mafter to concern himfelf about * ****** ! °- 
 
 jr ^ t ., , jfl , 111 cum. Pnmm 
 
 Children, * or that he had greater rem chrifro 
 
 indignam judi- 
 rrre videntur •, nam judicio, & ratione carent , Chriflum non intel- 
 ligmt. Vrinde major a funt , qua a gat j adfunt mm turb<e, quis 
 Aocere dfbet. Major hie fruftw 9 major etiam & dignitas, & labor. 
 
 bufinefs 
 
3 14 Of the (Baptifm 
 
 bufmefs then in hand, even the in- 
 
 ftru£ting of the Elder fort, rebuked 
 
 thofe that brought them for that their 
 
 fuppos'd unreafbnable de- 
 
 fArrt.ubifrpra.sedcxpendi fire, and offer. But as 
 
 debet Cbnfti ofncium , qui pro n - i , 
 
 omnium falutenatas eft in banc OUr SaVlOUr who better 
 
 mundam. Deinde infantes etiam underftood -\ his OWn ia- 
 
 &d fozdus dd pertinent ; Nam 1 nfflrv - n fr; r p flnr i pui 
 
 Abraamo dixit, Ero & tut, & lutar y OHlCe, ana V^nil- 
 
 feminis m poft te, Dens. Et drens pertaining to the 
 
 quia una. eft ratio falutis, mm Covenant did with as 
 cftium, unajamu, debuit etiam covenant, Q1Q W1U1 as 
 
 infantum haberi ratio. much ? or more dilpleafure 
 
 rebuke them for that their 
 rebuke, and fignified it both by his 
 countenance, and voice ; So he char- 
 ged them, that they fhould by no 
 means hinder Children 
 
 * Antius iwum. Eftenimra- f rom coming Untohim* 
 
 tio enrarcendi iiChnJtononfint: , r * xr- j c 
 
 Ouiataiiumcfirtgnimcxiornm, becaufethe Kingdom of 
 
 hot eftfnnt h.eredes zitx xtemx; God belonged tO filch as 
 
 S^5S^ they: Thereby intima- 
 
 inds am talium fit regnant del, ting , that even thofe 
 
 ergo form magis eft, ad quo- Children had a right un- 
 
 rum ftmihtudmem alit, ut ac- . , ° , 
 
 dpiant, iidem. redire debenu to it, and were not there- 
 fore to be hindred from 
 coming to him, who was the way, 
 or rather the gate into it. For if 
 the Kingdom of God belonged to 
 iiich as they, much more to thofe 
 Children , to whom elder perfbns 
 ought to become like, that they 
 
 might 
 
of Infants. 3 15 
 
 might be in a capacity of obtaining 
 it. As indeed otherwife, what force 
 is there in the reafon alledgM for the 
 differing , and no way forbidding 
 young Children to come unto him ? 
 For they , who have in purpofe of 
 heart what the other have only natu- 
 rurally, may both be invited to tend 
 toward, and be poffefs'd of the King- 
 dom of Heaven, though the other be 
 no way brought to Cfarift, nor re- 
 ceive any bleffing from him. In 
 as much as their humility, and in- 
 nocency is the refult of God's fpirit, 
 and of their own will, and conse- 
 quently more likely to be acceptable, 
 whereas the other's is only the refult 
 of their conftitution, and age. And 
 I cannot therefore but think, that 
 the true reafon of our Saviours 
 making ufe of the word to#W ; , or 
 fuchj inftead of t*twj>, or thefe ( for 
 of fuch 7 faith our Saviour, is the 
 Kjngdom of heaven ) was not in the 
 leaft to exclude Children from ha- 
 ving a right to the Kingdom of Hea- 
 ven, as who alone were direftly , 
 and immediately concerned in the 
 prefent Argument; But to let the 
 
 World 
 
3 I 6 Of the Baptifm 
 
 World know at the fame time * , 
 
 that elder men ought 
 
 * Am. in Mace. 19. ii &c to put on the properties 
 
 TJ^^jf&ZJT of Children to make 
 
 gent Toizi&v, <? n °n tiffin > ; 
 
 uiium y & non horum. Nam them partakers or it. 
 
 ™™*^2^J!!L As he afterward (a) 
 
 cffftM fer* ^pfrfa w bos more expreily- fignihes > 
 
 punos vuhtnd'sefy&^d w h e n he tells them, that 
 
 illorum (imilitMinem nobis en am . r n . . 
 
 nieundum #. whojoever JbaS not receive 
 
 (V) Mark 10. 1$. the Kjngdom of God as 
 
 a little Child, he Jha/l not 
 enter therein. Which fuppos'd a way 
 is opened for the inferring of that 
 Baptifm of Infants, which, this pa£ 
 1 age both now, and of old was made 
 ufe of to evince. For it appearing 
 from the premifes, that Infants have 
 a right to the Kingdom of Heaven , 
 and upon, and by vertue of that 
 right to be brought to Chrift alio ; 
 'I key muftconfequently have a right 
 alio to thofe means, which are by 
 the lame Chrift appointed to put 
 them into the poifeflion of his King- 
 dom. Which Baptifm certainly be- 
 ing, and fb, that, ordinarily at leaft, 
 none can enter into that Kingdom 
 
 (*) Joh. 5. $, without (£) being born Again by it , 
 it cannot without injuftice be with- 
 held from thofe Children, to whom 
 
 the 
 
of Infants. 3 17 
 
 the other doth appertain. Neither 
 will it avail to fay, though the Ob- 
 jeftion be not to be defpis'd , that 
 by this rule our Saviour fhould ei- 
 ther himfelf have baptiz'd, or or- 
 der'd his Difciples to baptize thofe 
 Children , that were now brought 
 unto him for his bleffing. For be- 
 fide that one Argument will not 
 lolve another, and much lefs hinder 
 the matter thereof from being true, 
 or conclufive ; There might be rea- 
 fbn enough, though the premifes be 
 allowed, for our Saviour's not bap- 
 tizing, or requiring his Difciples to 
 baptize thofe Children, who were 
 now brought unto him for his blef- 
 fing : Partly upon the account of the 
 incompetency of thofe, that brought 
 them, and who being not Difciples 
 themfelves, but as is probable, of the 
 nmkitude (c) that followed him, (0 Mark 10 
 could not claim from our Saviour , 
 nor he fb regularly beftow Baptifm 
 upon their Children > And partly to 
 let the World fee, that he was not 
 ti'd to any methods himfelf in the 
 difpenfingof the graces of that King- 
 dom. For that our Saviour, by that 
 blefling which he gave them, gave 
 
 thofe 
 
 Mace. 1 p. 2. 
 
3 1 8 Of the IBaptifm 
 
 thofe Children rem Sacrament i , or 
 the Graces of Baptifm, and fb fhew'd 
 yet more the title Children have to 
 it, cannot well be doubted of by 
 any, who fhall confider how zealous 
 he was for their being brought to 
 him, as that too upon the account of 
 the title they had to the Kingdom 
 of Heaven. For confidering that 
 zeal of his, and the ground of it, 
 what can be more reafbnable than 
 to think, that our Saviour agreeably 
 thereto did by his blefling conferr 
 upon them that Evangelical regene- 
 ration , which was to fit them for 
 the Kingdom of Heaven, and with- 
 out which confidering the impurity 
 of their nature, and the neceffity of 
 being thus born anew, they could noc 
 regularly obtain it. And I have been 
 the more particular in deducing, and 
 prefling the prefent argument ; Partly 
 becaufe led thereto by the meer force 
 of the Text it felf, and the Authority 
 of the Chuch that imployed it, till by 
 accident 1 fell upon thofe things I 
 have before quoted out of Aretius ; 
 And partly becaufe I think it abet- 
 ter fervice to the Church of God to 
 ftrengthen one old Argument , than 
 
 devife 
 
of Infants. 3 * ? 
 
 devife many new ones : Such a courfe 
 procuring the more refpeft to the 
 Church's both opinion, and practice, 
 as fhewing it to proceed upon fubftan- 
 tial Arguments, and fuch as in them- 
 felves are not lightly to be refus'd. 
 
 My fecond Argument for the Bap- 
 tifm of Infants fhall be taken from 
 that holme fs , which S. Paul ( a ) r#\ 2 cor. 7. 
 attributes to the Children of Chrifiian *4* 
 
 Parents (yea where only one of them 
 is fuch ) upon the account of their de- 
 fcent from them. For S. Paul having 
 before perfiiaded the believing party to 
 continue with the unbelieving one , 
 fiippofing that unbelieving one to be 
 as willing to continue with the be- 
 liever, as a motive to the doing of 
 it alledgeth, that the unbelieving par- 
 ty is fanflified by the believing, and 
 proves that fanltification again by the 
 holinefs of the Children, that come 
 from them, as which otherwife thofe 
 Children could not have in them , 
 but the contrary. Now I demand 
 what that holinefs is, which S. Paid 
 fiippofeth to be the property of thofe, 
 who come from fiich a ianftified 
 ^couple, that is to fay, whether an 
 inward holinefs, or an outward one ? 
 
 if 
 
3 20 Of the Baptifm 
 
 If they, who would avoid the force 
 of this Text as to the Baptifm of 
 Infants, fay an imvard holinefs, they 
 fay more than we defire, or can 
 with truth be affirmed , becaufe 
 though Original Sinbt traduc'd from 
 the Parents, yet inward holinefs is 
 not , as being the produQ: of the 
 Spirit of God , and his iniirument 
 Baptifm. But if they do however 
 attribute fuch a holinefs to thofe 
 Children, they fay enough to evince, 
 that Baptifm ought not to be deny'd 
 to them. For who ( as S. Peter fpake 
 (0 Aas i o. (e) upon another occafion ) can for* 
 47- bid the water of Baptifm to thofe , 
 who have received the Holy Ghoft, as 
 to be fure all, that are internally ho- 
 ly, have ? It remains therefore, that 
 if the Children of fuch matches be 
 not internally hojiy, they are exter- 
 nally fb , and that external holinefs 
 therefore, if it may be, to be inve- 
 ftigated by us. Now I demand Firft, 
 what external holinefs can be ima- 
 gined in thofe Children, but fuch by 
 which they come to belong to God 
 in a more peculiar manner, than the 
 Children of other matches do ? This 
 being the nature of all things, that 
 
 are 
 
of Infants. l%i 
 
 are externally holy, whether by the 
 voluntary confecration of men , or 
 the Inftitution, or choice of God. 
 I demand fecondly, fiippofing thofe 
 Children to belong more to God , 
 than the Children of other matches^ 
 whether by their thus becoming the 
 peculiar property of God, they may 
 not be fiippos'd to be more dear to 
 him , than the Children of other 
 matches are ? Every one naturally ha- 
 ving an affe&ion to Rich, as belong 
 to him, fuitably to that nearnels £ 
 wherein they belong to him. I 
 demand Thirdly, fiippofing theChil* 
 dren of fuch matches to be more 
 dear to God than the Children of , 
 others, whether we are not to think 
 he will take a more particular care of 
 them, than of others ? The care of 
 any perfbn being always fuitable to 
 the affeftion he bears to thofe^ who 
 are the obje£t of his care. I demand 
 Fourthly, whether, fiippofing fiicli 
 a particular care of the Children of 
 fuch matches, he will not take a 
 more particular care of them as to 
 their eternal welfare, than he doth 
 of the Children of other men ; All 
 other care, without this, being of 
 
 Y little 
 
3" Of the Baptifm 
 
 little value to the party cared fof , 
 and, befide that (as experience (hews) 
 equally extended by God to the 
 Children of other matches , as well 
 as to the defendants of Chrifti- 
 ans. I demand Fifthly, fuppofing 
 fuch a particular care as to their e- 
 ternal welfare, whether he will not 
 alfb allow them more means to- 
 ward the comparing of it, than he can 
 be fiippos'd to allow to the Children 
 of other Parents? All care, where it 
 is reafbnable , and juft, employing 
 futable means to bring that care of 
 its unto effe£k. Now what peculi- 
 ar means doth, or can God allow 
 to the Children of Chriftian Parents, 
 as to the procuring of their eternal 
 welfare, fuppofing them to die be- 
 fore they come of years, as the ge- 
 nerality of them do, unlefs it be the 
 Sacrament of Baptifm ? For as thefe, 
 no more than other Children, are 
 capable of the benefits of the Go£ 
 pel by the graces of Faith, and Re- 
 pentance ; So they have no other 
 way therefore, fave the Sacrament 
 of Baptifm, either to be deliver'd 
 from the guilt of Original Sin, or 
 enftated in Chrifts heavenly King- 
 dom- 
 
of lnfants\ 3 ±j 
 
 dom. I conclude therefore, that the 
 Children of Chriftian Parents, or of 
 either of them being holy, they do 
 by that holinefs of theirs acquire a 
 right to a greater holinels^ . I mean 
 the holinefs of Baptifm. And in- 
 deed however Tertullian could in his 
 book (/*) De Baft if mo argue the de- (/J Cap. ih 
 lay of Infants Baptifm, as that too 
 upon their no need of it, or not be- 
 ing qualified for it ; Yet as he could 
 fee enough elfewhere to make him 
 believe, that every foul is reckoned, w 
 Adam^ till he be anew en- 
 rolled in Chrijl by the re- 
 ceit of the Sacrament of 
 Baptifm (g) y fo he could 
 fee enough too in the 
 Text I am now upon, 
 to make him acknow- 
 ledge , that the Chil- 
 dren of the (f) faithful 
 are holy by the preroga- 
 tive of their feed, as well 
 as by the difc inline of their 
 inflitution^ and by that 
 holinels of theirs defignd, 
 or mark'd out for a bet- 
 ter holinefs , and fb for falvation. 
 Which as it is the holinefs, that I 
 
 Y .2 haver 
 
 (i) (h) T)i anima C. *$. Hint 
 enim & Apoftolus exjanffifica- 
 to altexutxo fexu fanffos pxocre- 
 art ait, tarn ex feminis pxaxo* 
 gativx , quam ex inflitutioms 
 difciplinL Cater urn, inquit , 
 immundi ntfeexentux, quafidefig- 
 nates tamen fanclitati, ac per 
 hoc etiam faluti inteiligi volens 
 fidelium filios, ut hups fpei fig* 
 nore matrimonii*, qua xetinenda. 
 cenfusxat, patrwnaretur. Alio* 
 quin meminexat Dominica deft* 
 nitionis, Nifi quis nafcetur ex a* 
 qu%, <& ffiritn, non ibit in xeg- 
 nam del, id eft, non exit fan ft us. 
 It a omni's anima eoufque in Adam 
 cenfetia, donee in Cbrifto recti* 
 featux, &c. 
 
324 Of the Baptiftn 
 
 have been all along enforcing , and 
 endeavouring to evince from thence 
 Children's right unto another ; So 
 of what force it is toward the infer- 
 ring of it, will need no other light, 
 than that, which we have from Ter- 
 tullim. For with what force can any 
 man deny them the holinefs of Bap- 
 tifm, who are dejignd, or mark'd 
 out for it by the prerogative of their 
 births and (as it may happen, and 
 often doth ) can no other way attain 
 that holinefs , or that falvation , 
 which is conlequent upon it ? But 
 becaufe fbme men have advanced a- 
 nother y and a more improper holinefs^ 
 even that by which Children be- 
 come the iflue of a lawful marriage, 
 and not of an unlawful mixture ; And 
 becaufe too they have in part advanc'd 
 that holinefs upon the difficulty of 
 comprehending, how the unbeliever 
 can other wife be fanQified by the be- 
 liever, than by making the match be- 
 tween them two to be lawful ; There- 
 fore I will both fet my felf to fhew, 
 that the unbeliever may be otherwife 
 fan&ified by the believer, than by ma- 
 king him, or her to be a lawful match 
 to the believer, and that the holi- 
 nefs, 
 
of Infants] 325- 
 
 nefi, which S. Paul attributes to the 
 Children of fucha match, cannot be 
 understood of flich a holinefs, where- 
 by they become a lawful, or legiti- 
 mate IlTue. And I alledge for the 
 former of thcfe the unbelieving Hu£ 
 band's, for inftance, being fb fan&ified 
 by the believing Wife, as not only 
 to become a lawful Husband to her , 
 but a Chrifiim one, and fb, as to 
 entitle the IlTue of them both to the 
 common priviledges of Chriftianity. 
 Which is brought about by the un- 
 believing Husband's becoming one 
 flejhj not any longer with an unbe-> 
 lieving Wife, but with a believing, 
 and Chriftian one, and from whom 
 that fan£tification is derived to him. 
 Even as the lame S. PW affirms (*') CO iCor. s. 
 him y that converfeth with an Harlot, **• 
 
 to become one fiefh with that Harlot, 
 with whom he doth fb converfe , 
 and fo receive pollution from her. 
 Neither will it avail to fay ( as po£ 
 fibly it may be ) that the believing 
 Wife is as much one flejh with the 
 unbelieving Husband , as the unbeliev* 
 ing Husband, is with her , and rrpy 
 therefore be as unclean by him, as 
 he can be fuppos'd to be fandified by 
 
 Y 1 her. 
 
'ii6 Of the <Ba$tiJm 
 
 her. For neither firft is the believ- 
 ing Wife as much one flefh with the 
 unbelieving Husband , as the unbe- 
 lieving Husband is with her, unlefi* 
 it be as to the life of, or power over 
 one another's Bodies : Partly, becaufe, 
 where there is fb great an inequa- 
 lity in the match, the denomination 
 is in reafbn to be taken from the bet- 
 ter party, which to be f ure the be- 
 liever is ; And partly, becaufe that 
 confent of mind from which this u- 
 niori proceeds, and by which it is to 
 be upheld, is more entire, and full 
 upon the part of the unbelieving Hus- 
 band , than it is upon the part of 
 the believing Wife, For whilft fhe 
 confents to dwell with him meerly 
 as the Partner of her Bed, and con- 
 formably to the offices of liich a 
 one, of which fhe gave a fufficient 
 proof by abandoning him as to his Re- 
 ligion, and continues to do the like by 
 the continuance of that abandoning *, 
 The unbelieving Husband, on the 
 other fide, by being ( as S. Paul ex- 
 C h } i Cor P re ^ et h it ) (£) well p leafed to live with 
 7. 12, 15/ her notwithftanding , confents in 
 cunuJbm lome meafure to dwell with her as 
 $*»& a Chriftian, and gives no contemp- 
 
 tible 
 
of Infants: f t7 
 
 tible indication of a farther content 
 with her in that Religion : There 
 being other wife no great likelihood 
 of his continuing his Complacency , as 
 well as cohabitation to her, who had 
 abandon'd him as to his. But there^ 
 fore as the believing Wife is not fb 
 much one with the unbelieving Hus- 
 band, as he is with her, and cannot 
 therefore be fb likely to be polluted 
 by him, as he is to be fanftified by 
 her ; So fhe becomes yet lefs likely 
 to be polluted by him, becaufe com?- 
 municating with him in fuch Jct y or 
 Aflsy as are not only lawful in them- 
 felves, but moreover the indifpenfi-* 
 ble duties of that marriage, which fhe 
 had contrafted, and which, whilft: 
 he is thus pleas'd to dwell, with 
 her, fhe is by our Apoftle himfelf 
 obliged to maintain. And indeed 
 as from fuch a match there is more 
 reafbn to expeft fanftification to 
 the unbeliever, than there is of any 
 fear of pollution to the other ; So 
 there will be yet lefs doubt of it , 
 if we confider the Janciification 
 here fpoken of , not as an inward, 
 but an outward one, and fuch an out* 
 ward one too , by which the party 
 
 Y 4 fat> 
 
328 Of the faptiftn 
 
 {anftified attains only the priviledge 
 of being accounted of as a Chrifiian. 
 Husband, and accordingly of convey- 
 ing to thole Children , that defcend 
 from them both a right to the 
 Sacrament of Baptifm. For what 
 lefs can be expected from a merciful 
 God, where the unbeliever, though 
 continuing fiich, yet takes pleafiire 
 qotwithftandiiig that in his Chriftian 
 Confbrt ? And flie, on the other fide, 
 though abominating his Infidelity , 
 yet in compliance with that mar- 
 riage, wherein Chriftianity found 
 her , cohabits with him notwith- 
 ftanding, and no doubt both doth, and 
 will employ all her kindnefs , and 
 endeavours to gain him to a farther 
 approbation both of her, and of the 
 Religion fh^ hath efpous'd ? Which 
 fuppos'd, a way wdll be open to give 
 a clearer account of the thing intend- 
 ed , and withal of the force it is of 
 %o perfuade the believing Wifes conti- 
 nuing with the unbelieving Husband, 
 if he(as is fuppos'd in the prefent cafe) 
 is as willing to dwell with her : 
 The force thereof lying in this, that 
 the believing Wife fhould in that 
 cafe be fb far from being polluted by 
 
 the 
 
of Infants, 3 2 p 
 
 the converfe of the unbelieving Hus- 
 band ( which was no doubt thefe Co- 
 rinthians fear , when they put this 
 cafe to S. Paul ) that on the contra- 
 ry the unbelieving Husband fhould 
 be lb far lan&ified by her, as to be 
 to her in the place of a Chriftian 
 one, and enjoy all the priviledges of 
 fuch ; The unbelieving Husband 
 by becoming one flefh with the be- 
 lieving Wife becoming lb far Chri- 
 ftian alio, and fb accounted of both 
 by God, and the Church, Of which 
 they had this undeniable proof, that 
 the Children of thole matches were 
 not look'd upon as unclean, or hea- 
 then ( which they muft have been in 
 part, if the unbeliever had not been 
 fbmeway fanffified , as well as the 
 believer ) but accounted of as lb far 
 holy, or Chriftian, as to be admitted 
 to thole priviledges , to which the 
 Children of Chriftian Parents were, 
 and particularly to that Baptilm, by 
 which a better holinels is convey'd. 
 This I take to be a fair, and clear 
 account of the Jpoftles words, and 
 particularly of that holinefs, which 
 he attributes to thole Children, that 
 delcend from the forementioned Pa- 
 
 rents* 
 
330 Of the Baptifm 
 
 rents. And I am yet more confirm-* 
 ed in it by the fondnefs of that no- 
 tion, which hath been let up to fup- 
 plant it, and by which the Children 
 of fuch matches become the ilTue of 
 a lawful marriAge^ and not of an un- 
 lawful mixture. For befide that they, 
 who advance this notion, make the 
 words Elfe were your Children un- 
 clean, &c. to referr rather to the pre- 
 cept of the believer's cohabiting with 
 the unbeliever, than to the unbelie- 
 ver's being fan&ified by the believer, 
 %o which lafl: yet it apparently referrs, 
 and is aflignM by S. Paul as a proof 
 of ; They fuppofe that in this notion 
 of theirs, which there is not theleaft 
 ground for, and which indeed this 
 very place doth fufficiently confute. 
 For who ever faid, or could fay that 
 the marriages of the Heathen were un- 
 lawful, which yet they muft have 
 been, if there needed the cohabitation 
 of the faitful to make them lawful,and 
 the Children that were bom of them 
 to be legitimate? Nay who feeth 
 not thatS. PW fuppofeth thole mar- 
 riages to be lawful, when he requires 
 the believing party to cohabit with 
 the unbeliever ? For otherwise no 
 
 doubt 
 
of Infants. 331 
 
 doubt he would rather have advis'd 
 to break off all commerce with the 
 Infidel, or proceed to a new contract. 
 Both which yet he is lb far from , 
 that he feems to me not very willing 
 to allow of a perfe£t breach, even 
 when the unbeliever doth depart 
 from the believer, For though he 
 faith (/) that a brother, or fifter is CO * Cor. 7. 
 ?jot in bondage in fuch a cafe y and 
 may therefore, if they pleafe, look 
 upon themfelves as loos'd from the 
 unbeliever ; Yet he tells them (m) (#0 ibid. 
 withall that God hath called m to 
 pace > and therefore, (as I under- 
 ftand him ) that breaches of that na- 
 ture would be avoided as much as 
 might be ', And he tells them too (n), (*) — — 1& 
 that if they would not be over 
 forward to make ufe of that li- 
 berty y which the unbeliever gave 
 them by deferting them, there might 
 be hopes of the unbelieving Wife, or 
 Husband being wrought upon by the 
 believer s patience, and forbearance , 
 and reconciled both to them, and their. 
 Religion. However as there is no 
 pretence from this place of the be- 
 liever's making the marriage between 
 the unbeliever and themfelves to he 
 
2 j % Of the Baptifm 
 
 a lawful one , as which was fb be- 
 fore ; Nor therefore for making the 
 holinefs of their Children to be no 
 other than a civil one, and by which 
 they only became a legitimate iffue ; 
 So there is the more reaibn ftill to 
 underftand the holinefs of that match, 
 and the iffues of it, as one that enti- 
 tles them to the outward priviledges 
 of Chriftianity , and by which the 
 unbelieving whether Husband , or 
 W ife comes to be accounted of as a 
 Chriftian one, and the Children of 
 both parties as having a right to that 
 Sacrament, by which all are to be in- 
 itiated into ChrifHanity, and partake 
 of its Regeneration and Remiflion. 
 
 My third and laft argument for 
 the baptizing of the Infants, or Chil- 
 dren of Chriftian Parents fhall be 
 taken from the Circumcifion of thofe 
 Infants, or Children, which defend- 
 ed from the pofterity of Abraham , 
 and after which I do not lee what 
 doubt can be well made of the other : 
 Partly, upon the account of the Ana- 
 logy there is between Circumcifiov, and 
 Baptifm, and partly upon account of 
 the Children of Chriftian Parents 
 having as good a right to the blef 
 
 lings 
 
of Infants. 355 
 
 fings exhibited in them, as the Chil- 
 dren of thofe, who were of the po- 
 fterity of Abraham. For fuppofing 
 ( as was before (0) fhewn, and may 0>> Ex Pl- of 
 hereafter (p) be farther clear'd ) that t&ZT 
 Circumcifiov relates to the fame fpiri- Pare 4. 
 tual bleflings with Baftifm, and parti- gg ***» 
 cularly to the righteoufhefs of Faith ; againft infom- 
 And fuppofing farther that the Chil- Ba P tliin - 
 dren of Chriftian Parents have as 
 good a right to thofe blejfingSy and 
 that righteoufnefs, as the Children of 
 thofe, that were of the pofterity of 
 Abraham ; By the fame reafbn that 
 the Children of thefe were intitled to 
 that Circumcifion, which was intend- 
 ed to exhibit thofe bleflings, and • 
 that righteoufhefs among them, the 
 Children of the other fhall be admit- 
 ted to that Bapifm, which was in- 
 tended to exhibit them among us .• 
 Thofe Children, which have an equal 
 right to the bleflings exhibited, ha- 
 ving an equal right to thofe means f 
 which were intended for the exhi- 
 bition of them. Now that the Chil- 
 dren of Chriftian Parents have as 
 good a right to the former bleflings, 
 and righteoufhefs, as the Children of 
 the Pofterity of Abraham , will ap- 
 pear 
 
i 7 4 Of the Baptifm 
 
 pear from thole Parents of theirs be- 
 (7)Rom.4- ing equally the Children (q) of J- 
 **• braham with thofe, that were of his 
 pofterity. For being equally his Chil- 
 dren, they muft consequently be fup- 
 posM to give their Children as good 
 a right to the former Uefftngs , and 
 the means that was intended to ex- 
 hibit them among us, as the pofteri- 
 ty of Abraham did their Children to 
 the like blefftngs , and that means which 
 among them was intended for the ex- 
 hibition of them. 
 
 II. The Baptifm of Infants being 
 thus made out from the Scripture , 
 and by fuch paffages thereof alfb , 
 as cannot be eafily avoided ; Pais 
 we on to enquire, what countenance 
 it hath from Antiquity >, as which if 
 it be any thing considerable, will the 
 more firmly eftablifh it. Where the 
 firft, that I fhall take notice of, is 
 a paffage of Juftin Martyr , I do not 
 mean what is commonly quoted out 
 of his Quefiions $ and Anfwers , ad 
 mm& Orthodoxos (0, it being queftion- 
 x:enfur.quormd. able enough (/) whether that Book 
 
 Script. jLfe were h* s y or at ^ ea ^ as we now 
 Martyr. " have it , but what may be found 
 
 in 
 
of Infants. 33 5 
 
 In his fecond ^p/<g? (0 , and con- 
 cerning which there is 
 not any the leaft contro- (r) Pa g- ^ 2 - kai m^oi mu 3 
 verfie in the Church. In ^w^ i&w^j *J 
 which Apology fpeaKiiifif '?WF*aw«^ **& *&*, 
 of the excellency of the V^jT ? ^ ' 
 Chnftian Law above ^^^^q-^w 
 that of any humane ones, wvw Ai§««. Tj >S ^ 
 in letting bounds to the Ae>o.«V S ayttefafi*™* 
 carnal deGres of men he vx»&& W MS dmhadai 
 hath thefe words. And ^^ *! ^^ <«*- 
 
 women of (ixty, and even- „v,: . .y. .; 
 ty years of Age, who ha- ^ ^ £&££<, $ **>- 
 ving from their Childhood a*™*, kJ a«0W. 
 £^# difcipledunto Chrijt, 
 have all their time continued uncor- 
 rupt , or Virgins ; And I boafl that 
 I can Jheiv fuch among all forts of 
 men. For why Jhould we alfo fpeak 
 of that innumerable multitude of men, 
 who have chang d from intemperance , 
 and fb have learnt thefe things ? For 
 Chrifi called not the jujl 9 or temperate 
 to repentance 7 but the ungodly , and 
 intemperate, andtmjujl. Which words 
 to an unbiaft Reader cannot well 
 fignifie left , than Childrens being 
 then baptised into Chriftianity ; That 
 Father not only making mention of 
 
 certain 
 
j j 6 0/ tje Baptifm 
 
 certain perfbns, who had /m* /jfe/r 
 childhood been difcipled unto Chrijl, 
 which we know from our Saviour 
 
 («3Matt. 28. («) to have been effe&ed by Baptifm, 
 *?' and contimid too all their time uncor- 
 rupt, or Virgins ( which yet is a com- 
 tcnt proof of their being baptiz'd , 
 when Children ) but oppofing them 
 to liich perfons as had changd from 
 intemperance, and rather learnt that 
 purity afterward, than been difcipled 
 into it at the very firfl: : That oppo- 
 sition of his making it yet more evi- 
 dent , that he meant fiich perfbns as 
 were difcipled to Chrifi from their 
 very childhood , and before they 
 were in a capacity of learning him, 
 and his doQxine by inftru&ion. To 
 this of Jujl in Martyr fubjoyn we an- 
 other of Irenes, which is yet more 
 
 a. '" u . . r clear for the Baptifm of 
 
 (wj Omnes mm vemt per femet^ j r . 77 ch (l(C° \* 
 
 ipfum falvare : Omnes, inquam, AHiantS. J? or L, hrijt \\dlt\l 
 
 qui per earn renajcuntur in Deum , that Father Cw) ) Camt 
 infantes, & parvulos, & pue- r 11 ^ f / 
 
 hi&foem, &(eniores. I- *° J*™ all perfons by 
 
 deo per omnem venit atatem, & himfelf ', All 1 fay, who 
 
 infantilis infans faftus, fantli- 1 / • / , • 
 
 ficans infantes , & in parvulis V J " tm ar f vorn W*** ™ 
 
 parvulm fanttificans hone ipfam God, Infants, and little 
 
 babentes ttatem. Adv.htref.U. one ^ m ^ Children, and 
 
 Toung Men , and Old* 
 Therefore he came in every Jge, and 
 
 was 
 
of Infants, ]]f 
 
 was made an Infant to Infant s y fan" 
 tlifying Infant s 9 and a little one a- 
 mong little ones, fanciifying thofe of 
 that age, Sec. Where we have him 
 not only affirming Chrift to have 
 come to jave Infants, as well as ci- 
 thers, yea to have been made an In- 
 fant hi ?f elf to fanffifie them, which 
 fhews them in his opinion to have 
 had a general right to the bleflings 
 of Chriftianity, but Ipeaking of fe- 
 veral of them as born again unto God 
 by Chrift) which is as much as to lay 
 baptized : That as it is the way, by 
 which all are to be fo born, even by 
 the DoStrine of (jc) our Saviour , OOJ C ^«3-I» 
 fo the way too, by which the Anti- 
 ents apprehended it to be effefted. 
 For thus where Juftin Martyr in- 
 treats of the Baptifm of thole of 
 his time, he tells us (;) that they, OO.Apolog 
 who were to partake of it, were 2,p ' 93 ' 4r 
 brought by the Chrijliahs to a place 
 where water was. and there r e genera- 
 ted after that ma.nner of regeneration, 
 wherewith they themfelves had been. 
 And to the fame purpole alio this 
 very Iren&us (£), becaufe not only ($Adv.h£ref a 
 attributing the tame regeneration to h% uc%1% * 
 kj but reprefenting it as the Doftrine 
 
 Z of ' 
 
3 1 8 Of the Baptifm 
 
 of the Gnofticks, as to that Baptifm 
 which they let up againft our Sa- 
 viour's , that it was necejfary for 
 thofe y who had received f erf eft know- 
 ledge, to be fo regenerated % into that 
 vertue, or power, which is above all 
 things. Which pafTage , with the 
 former one, makes it yet more ma- 
 nifeft that Irenes meant by fuch /#- 
 J^ants, as were born again by Chrijl 
 unto God, fuch as had been regene^ 
 rated by Baptifm, and confequently 
 that the Baptifm of fuch was no 
 ftranger in his days. I think I fhall 
 not need to infift upon the days of 
 Tertullian, becaufe what the pra&ice 
 of that time was is evident from his 
 difputing againft Infant Baptifm, 
 or at leaft advifing to delay it : There 
 being no place for fuch a difpute, or 
 advice, if the thing it felf had not 
 been then in ufe, and in ufe too ( as 
 he himfelf intimates) in obedience 
 to that precept of our Saviour, which 
 eiljoyn a the fujfering little Children 
 to come unto him in order to their 
 partaking of his blejfing , and Kjng- 
 dom. And indeed as Origen, who 
 liv'd not long after him , doth not 
 only affert the fame practice of In- 
 fant 
 
of Infants. ^p 
 
 fant Baptifin, but affirm* the Church *i n R m.i$ 
 to have receivd it as a Tradition from 
 the Apoflles \ So Tertu/lians Scholar, 
 and great admirer S. Cyprian \ gives t E P ift » 59* 
 fuch an ample teftimony to it, that 
 I know not what need to be added 
 to it. For one Fidus having quefti- 
 on'd him concerning the caufe of 
 Infants, who he thought ought not 
 to be baptiz'd till the eighth day ac- 
 cording to the law of Circumcifion , 
 S. Cyprian in a Council of fixty fix 
 Bijhops made this following Anfwer 
 to his demand ; That he, and the 
 whole Council that was with him y had 
 quite other thoughts of that affair, they 
 univerfally judging that the mercy t 
 and grace of God was to be denyd to 
 none, that was bom of men± And 
 again , that if remiffion of fins were 
 upon the faith of the parties given to 
 the greateft Offenders, neither was any 
 of them debar d from Baptifm , and 
 grace, how much lefs ought a new-born 
 Infant to be debarred of it, who had 
 no other fin to anfwer forf but what 
 he drew from Adam , and who came 
 fo much the mGre eafily to receive par- 
 don of fin, be caufe it was not his own 
 proper fins, but thofe of other s y that 
 
 Z 2 mr& 
 
34o Of the Baptifni 
 
 were to he forgiven him ? For which 
 caufe the opinion of the Council was, 
 that no one ought to be debar' } d by 
 them from Baptifm, and the Grace 
 of God, and tb&t , if that were to be 
 obfervd, and retain d as to all perfons 
 whatfoever , it was much more to be 
 obfervd, and retain d as to Infants , 
 and nen-born perfons, whofe very tears 
 wherewith they enter d the World, feem- 
 ed more to deferve it both from them, 
 and the divine mercy. I omit for 
 brevity fake the many testimonies of 
 S. Auguftine to the fame purpofe, 
 fAx£.$em. an d his affirming i* in particular, 
 ig. de verbis^ that the Church always had it , al- 
 ■Pr ways retain d it, and receivd it from 
 
 the faith of it y s j?redece(fors ; And 
 (hall content my felf, as to this par- 
 ticular, with his, and the Church y s 
 *Voffi.Mft$r. preffing the Pelagians^ i with the 
 peUg.u.2. praftice of Infant Baptifm, andthofe 
 t«t.ithef. $ . p e i a g ims ^ j 10w mu( ^ f oever fl ra j^ 
 
 ned by it, yet choofing rather to e- 
 vade the # force of it, than to deny 
 in any meafiire the truth of the 
 thing alledg'd : It being not to be 
 thought, that, if there had been any 
 the leaft fufpicion of the Antiquity 
 of Infant Baptifm, or indeed of its 
 
 being 
 
of Infants. j4 
 
 being derived to the Church from 
 the Apoftles, either the Catholicks 
 would have fo confidently alledged it 
 againft the Pelagians, or the Pelagi- 
 ans Co eafily, and without any the 
 leaft oppofition have admitted it. 
 
 III. Now as if we allow Infants 
 to be capable of Baptifm, we muft 
 confequently allow them the graces 
 of that Sacrament, becaufe Baptifm 
 was intended to convey them ; So J 
 muft needs fay, I do not lee why 
 ( iuppofing Original fw> which hath 
 been before fufficiently eftablifh'd ) 
 we fhould icruple to attribute to 
 them the graces of that Sacrament , 
 and particularly remiffion, and rege- 
 neration. For if Infants are natural- 
 ly under the guilt of Original fin , 
 there is fb far forth place for, and a 
 neceflity of remiffion ; And if the 
 fame Infants are naturally under the 
 pollution of it , or ( as our Cate- 
 chifm expreffeth it ) are £7 nature born 
 in fin y and the children ofjvrath, they 
 are alike capable by Baptifm of be^ 
 ing regenerated, or made the children 
 of grace. Not that there is, or can 
 be even in baptiz'd Infants any aftual 
 Z 3 perception 
 
34* Of we Btptijm 
 
 perception of , or adhefion to that, 
 which is fpiritualfy good, but a difpofi- 
 t ion to both, and byvertue w hereof 
 the foul is fitted , and inclined to 
 each, when years, and opportunity 
 invite ; As the fame foul is to rea- 
 fon y and will j when it arrives at years 
 of maturity, by vertue of thole na- 
 tural faculties, that are from the be- 
 ginning in it. Which is a fort of 
 regeneration, that is moft futable to 
 the ftate of Infancy , and beyond 
 which therefore, whilft they conti- 
 nue in that ftate, we are not reason- 
 ably to expe£t ; But is withal as 
 true a regeneration as that, which is 
 wrought in thole of riper years, and 
 by which the fouls of the parties re^ 
 generated actually perceive , and 
 clqave to that good, which the other 
 is only dilpofed to : That aftual 
 perception, and adhefion being not fo 
 much any part of their regeneration, 
 or new birth, as the effefts, or iflues 
 of it. 
 
 IV. But becaufo how clear foever 
 Infant Baptifin may thus far leem , 
 yet it cannot be deny'd to be encum- 
 bred with many, and great difficul- 
 ties. 
 
of Infants. 34* 
 
 ties, or at leaft fuch as appear fb to 
 mea of prejudiced minds ; There- 
 fore it will be but neceflary , before 
 I leave this head, to feleft fuch of 
 them as feem to be moft prefling , \ f 
 
 and return a fatisfa&ory Anfwer to 
 them : Whether they be fuch as re- [ 
 
 late to the grounds, on which I have 
 endeavoured to eftablifh it, or fuch 
 as ftrike more diredly at t\\t thing it 
 felf. 
 
 That, which is moft to be confi- 
 der'd of the former fort , is that (a) C'},?Ji/t r- 
 
 1 a Tay I. Libertv 
 
 which pretends to evacuate the Ar- of proph.S(fa- 
 gument from the Circumcifing of the l8# W* l $* 
 Infants of Abrahams pofterity to the 
 Baptizing of the Children of Chri- 
 ftians. Which it endeavours in fart 
 from Circumcisions being but a Type y 
 or figure of Baptifm, and fb either 
 proving nothing at all without fome 
 exprels to fignifie fuch a thing to be 
 its purpofe, or after the nature of 
 fuch things, directing us rather to a 
 fpiritual childhood in order to Bap- 
 tifm, than fhewing a natural child- 
 hood to be a due fubjeft of it \ And 
 in part alio from Circumcifions be- 
 ing not in all things a rule to tha 
 Chriftians Baptifm, and particularly 
 
 Z 4 riot 
 
544 Of the 'Baptijm 
 
 not in the fcrfons , that are to be 
 baptized ( W omen as well as Men 
 being confeffedly the fubjeCt of the lat- 
 ter) nor in the time of their receiving 
 of it. For if Circumcifion be aliiffi- 
 cient direction for the baptizing of 
 Infants, why notalfb a like directi- 
 on for the confining of it to the 
 Males ?■ And if it were to be a di- 
 rection as to the baptizing of In- 
 fants, why not alfb as to the bap- 
 tizing of them upon the eighth day 
 (which was the day of adminiftring 
 Circumcifion ) as that Fidus, whom 
 S. Cyprian anfwer'd , feemed to be 
 perfiiaded, and accordingly argued 
 it from the like adminiftration of Cir- 
 cumcifion. 
 
 As to what is objected concerning 
 Circumcifions being but a type of 
 Baptifm, and fo either proving no- 
 thing at all without feme exprels to 
 fignifie fuchtobeits purpofe, which 
 is not pretended in the prefent cafe, 
 or if proving any thing as to the mat* 
 ter of childhood , yet directing ra- 
 ther to a fpiritual, than a natural one ; 
 I anfwer that as I fee not why Cir- 
 cumcifion fhould be look'd upon as 
 Only a type of Baptifro, nor indeed 
 
 as 
 
of Infants. 34^ 
 
 as any type at all, unlefs it be in a 
 general fenfe, and as a thing that 
 is like unto another may be look'd 
 upon as a type of that, to which it 
 is fb, in which fenfe I my felf have 
 alfo usM the word, and allow it fb 
 to be ^ fb we do not at all argue 
 from Crrcumcifion, as it may be fup- 
 poied to be a type of Baptifm, but 
 as a fign of the famerighteoufhefsof 
 Faith, of which Baptifm is, and of 
 the fame gracious Covenant, that a£ 
 fures it. And in this fenfe as no- 
 thing hinders us to argue from Cir- 
 cumcifions being beftowed upon In- 
 fants then, that that which is a fign 
 of the fame righteoufhefs of faith 
 under the Gofpel is in reafbn to be 
 extended to the fame perfons ; So 
 there is this in particular to enforce 
 it, that Chriftian Parents would o- 
 therwife fall fhort, in the account 
 of God, of the priviledges of the na- 
 tural defendants of Abraham. Of 
 which what account can be given, 
 when Abraham, from whom they 
 both claim , is declared to be the 
 Father of them both, yea is laid by 
 S. Paul to have receivM the fign of 
 Circumcifion, not only as a fed, or 
 
 affurance 
 
346 Of the Baptifm 
 
 a durance to himlelf of that righte- 
 oufnefs offaithy which he before had, 
 but a leal , or an affurance alio of 
 his being to the lame purpoles a Fa- 
 
 00 Rom. 4 . ther (£) of thole that believe, though 
 "" they be not circumcifed, as well as 
 a Father of thole that were^ 
 
 There is as little realbn tOT>e ftag- 
 gerci by what is alledged in the le- 
 cond inftance , that if Circumcifion 
 be a fufficient dire&ion for the bap- 
 tizing of Infants, it may as well be 
 a direftion for the confining of it to 
 the Males, and for the confining of 
 it too to the eighth day after the In- 
 fants birth. Becaule firft the Sacra- 
 ment of Baptifm hath nothing in it 
 to confine it to the Males, as Cir- 
 cumcifion had, but on the contrary 
 is equally fitted to be adminiftred to 
 both Sexes. And fecondly becaule 
 it appears from what was before 
 
 CO P^ 1. f a id £ ff ) concerning the Rite of Bap- 
 tifm among the jfew, that the want 
 of Circumcifion was afterwards fiip- 
 pli'd to the Females by Baptifm, and 
 they thereby even in their Infancy 
 initiated into the lame Covenant 
 with the other. For this Ihews 
 yet more, how little reaibn there is 
 
 to 
 
of Infants. 3 47 
 
 to argue from Circumcifions being 
 confmd to the Males, that there- 
 fore Baptifm ought to be fo ; Or ra- 
 ther how much more reafbn there is to 
 extend it both to Male, and Female, 
 and fb to all of the fame Infant e- 
 ifate. If therefore there be any- 
 thing to hinder our arguing from 
 Circumcifion in this particular , it 
 muft be its not being pretended by 
 our felves to be a direction as to the 
 day of its adminiftration, as well as 
 to the perfbns, to whom it ought to 
 be adminiftred. But befide that there 
 is a vaft difference between the per- 
 fbns, to whom any Sacrament is to 
 be given , and the precife day, on 
 which it is to be fb, and therefore 
 not the like reafbn for Circumcifi- 
 on's dire£ting as to this, as there 
 is for its directing as to the other ; 
 What Circumcifion directs as to the 
 cafe of Infants is more a favour, than 
 a command, whereas what is dire- 
 cted as to the precife day is rather a 
 command, than a favour. Now it 
 being a rufd cafe, That Favours are 
 rather to be enlarg'd, than reftrain'd, 
 efpecially under a Difpenfation, which 
 is ib manifeftly gracious^ as that of 
 
 the 
 
348 Of the Baptifm, 
 
 the Gofpel is, there may be realbn 
 enough for our interpreting what is 
 faid concerning the Circumcifion of 
 Infants to the equal, of rather grear 
 v ter benefit of Infants now, and con- 
 fequently that Sacrament, which 
 came in place of it, to be rather ha- 
 ftned , than deferred to a day , to 
 which poflibly they may not arrive, 
 but however to be given them as 
 foon, as a convenient opportunity 
 prefents it felf. Add hereunto the 
 difference there is between Circum- 
 cifion, and Baptifm as to the trouble, 
 or danger, which may attsnd the ad- 
 miniftration of them to fuch tender 
 bodies, as thofe of Infants are. For 
 there being a greater trouble, and 
 danger to Infants from the Rite of 
 Circumcifion, than there is from the 
 Rite of Baptifm ; There might be 
 greater reafbn for the deferring of 
 that to the eighth day, than there is 
 for the deferring of this. And what 
 is therefore, as to that particular, 
 directed concerning Circumcifion, not 
 to be drawn into example in the 
 piatter of Baptifm , though other 
 more material, and more advantagi- 
 ous circumftances are. 
 
 But 
 
of Infants. 549 
 
 But leaving what is commonly 
 urg'd againft the Argument from 
 the Circumcifing of Infants, becaufe, 
 as I fuppofe, fufficiently affoil'd by 
 the foregoing difcourfe. Let us take 
 a view of fuch Objeftions as ftrike 
 more directly at Infant Baptifm, or 
 at leaft of the more material ones. 
 Such as I take to be firft the want of 
 an exprefs command , or direction ' 
 for the adminiftring of Baptifm to 
 Infants ; Secondly, their being inca- 
 pable of that regeneration , which 
 is the great intent and end of Bap- 
 tifm, or giving no futable indicati- 
 ons of it afterwards ; Thirdly, their 
 being as incapable of anfwering 
 what is prerequired to it on the 
 part of the perfbns to be baptized, 
 or is to be performed by them in the 
 receiving of it. 
 
 That which feems to ftick much 
 with the Adverfaries of Infant Bap- 
 tifm, and is accordingly urg'd at all 
 turns againft the Friends, or AfTer- 
 ters of it, is the want of an exprefs 
 command, or direftion for the ad- 
 miniftring of Baptifm ' to them. 
 Which obje&ion feems to be the 
 more reafonable, becaufe Baptifm, 
 
 as 
 
350 Of the Baptifm 
 
 as weHas other Sacraments, recei- 
 ving all its force from Institution , 
 they may feem to have no right to, 
 or benefit by it, who appear not by 
 the inftitution of that Sacrament to 
 be intitled to it, but rather, by the 
 qualifications which it requires> to 
 be excluded from it. And poflibly 
 ^ more might be of the opinion^ 7 the 
 Objefters, if there had not been be* 
 fore an exprefs Law for admitting 
 Infants to that righteoufnefs of Faith, 
 of which Baptifm is a fign, and a 
 means of conveyance , and for ad- 
 mitting them too by fiich an out- 
 ward fign , as that of Baptifm is. 
 But fiich an exprefs law having been 
 before given by God, and that law 
 as notorious as any law in either 
 00 Sec Stii- Teftament, there was no reafbn (af) 
 mum. Pare** f° r God to give any fuch exprefs 
 i. cap. i. §.5. law for the fo adminiftring of Bap- 
 tifm, or for us to expeft it from him : 
 It being eafie to collefl: from the A- 
 nalogy there is between the two Sa- 
 craments, and the great gracioufhefs 
 of the prefent difpenfation, that what 
 was communicated to the Children 
 of Abrahams pofterity by the fign of 
 Circumcifion, which was then the 
 
 Handing 
 
of Infants. 351 
 
 ftanding way of adminiftring it, was 
 alike intended for the Children of 
 thole , who were to as good, or bet- 
 ter purpofe the Children of the fame 
 Abraham , and intended too to be 
 tranfmitted to them by their parti- 
 cular Sacrament, and to which (as 
 was before obfervM ) the great gra- 
 ces of the Gofpel were annex'd by 
 our Saviour (<r) himfelf. Which 6*) Joh. 3 5- 
 Argumentation is fb much the more 
 reasonable , becaufe it appears by 
 what was but now fiiggefted, that 
 our Saviour , whofe Inftitution 
 Baptifm was, gave a fufficient indi- 
 cation of his own kindnefs to that 
 tender eftate , yea of his owning 
 thofe,that were of it, to have a right to 
 that Kingdom of Heaven, to which 
 Baptifm by his own appointment was 
 intended to admit men. 
 
 The next great Obje&ion againft 
 the Baptifm of Infants is their fiip- 
 posM incapacity of that regeneration, 
 which is the great end, and intent 
 of Baptifm , or giving no fuitable 
 indications of it , when they begin 
 to be in a natural capacity to exert 
 it. The former whereof the Ana- 
 baptifts argue from the Scripture's 
 
 •fpeaking 
 
5 5 i Of the fiaptifm 
 
 If) i Pec. i. fpeaking of it (/) as produced by 
 23 ' the word of truth, and other fuch ra- 
 tional means ; As the latter by the 
 little appearance there is of it in many 
 of thole, that are baptiz'd, after they 
 arrive at the years of difcretion : E- 
 fpecially where, as it often happens 
 in the Dominion of the Turks, they 
 are taken away from their Parents , 
 before they come to be of any years, 
 and bred up in the Mahometan Re- 
 ligion. For under this they are (b 
 far from giving any indications of a 
 Chriftian regeneration, that our Re- 
 ligion hath no greater, or more im- 
 placable enemies, than they. 
 
 As to what is argu'd toward the 
 proof of Infants incapacity of rege- 
 neration from the Scriptures (peak- 
 ing of it as produe'd by the word of 
 truth, and other fuch rational ways 
 of procedure, I muft needs (ay I do 
 not fee why it (hould be alledg'd in 
 this particular, unle(s it any where 
 intimated, that there was no other 
 way of producing it, no not in the 
 Souls of Infants. For the Scripture 
 fpeaking to, and of men converted 
 from Judaifin, or Heathenifm to Chri- 
 ftianity, and confequently brought 
 
 to 
 
of Infants. j.^J 
 
 to it in a rational way; What is fpoken 
 of their regeneration , is not: to be 
 drawn into example here, unlefs the 
 lame Scripture did any where inti- 
 mate that there was no other way 
 of regeneration than that, or it could 
 not be other wife produced. Which 
 befide the affront it offers to the om- 
 nipotency of God^s fpiritj and which 
 even in men muft be fuppofed to 
 have the chiefeft ftroke, will need 
 no other confutation, than Gods crea- 
 ting man at firft after his own image 
 without any concurrence of his, and 
 producing in our Saviour, even in 
 his conception, that perfect holincfs y 
 which was in him. For why may 
 not God produce in an Infant that 
 imperfefl: regeneration, whereof we 
 fpeak, as well as he did that more 
 perfefl: Righteoufhefs, and true Ho- 
 linefs, wherewith our firft Parents 
 were created, or that more excellent, 
 as well as more durable one, which 
 he did in our Saviour from the very 
 beginning, and which the Scripture 
 it felf attributes to the Holy Ghoft's 
 overshadowing his Mother's Womb ? 
 But it may be, though Infants are 
 not incapable of regeneration, and fb 
 
 A a far 
 
354 Of the Eaptifm 
 
 far forth cannot with realbn be de- 
 barred the Sacrament of it ; Yet there 
 is evidence enough upon the pqflfaff, 
 that no iuch thins; is collated in their 
 Baptifm, and that Baptifm of theirs 
 therefore not to be look'd upon as 
 a legitimate one. For if the rege- 
 neration we fpeak of were collated 
 in the Baptifm of Infants, it would, 
 ( becaufe all Infants are alike qualified 
 for that Sacrament ) be collated in 
 ibme meafare upon ail of them , 
 which vet the future behaviour of 
 many of them doth render juftly que- 
 stionable : Many of them being un- 
 toward enough, when they firft come 
 of years, though advantaged by a fina- 
 ble education,, and others (as before 
 faid)taken away early from their Chri- 
 ftian Parents, and both educated in a 
 contrary Religion, and made zealous 
 Profelytesof it. Which things how 
 they fhould be confiftent with that re- 
 generation,whereof we fpeak,is at leaft 
 very difficult to apprehend. And pot 
 fibly thefe two things have ftuck more 
 with confidering men than mod of 
 the other Arguments that have been 
 brought againft Infant Baptifm , and 
 have perhaps given as much trouble to 
 
 all 
 
of Infants 4 ^ j fl- 
 
 ail thole, who have duly confider'd 
 them. But whether they are in truth 
 of that force, which they feem to 
 be of, may well be doubted by thole, 
 who fhall confider this regeneration 
 as the ftate of Infants requires, or 
 at leaft makes it realbnable enough 
 to do y I mean as a weak, and im- 
 perfect thing, and rather as the feed 
 of a more ftrong, and perfe£t rege- 
 aeration^ than a throughly formed ? 
 and well Ictled one. For fo if we 
 conceive oPit, we lliall find no great 
 difficulty to apprehend firft , that 
 where there is not only nothing of 
 a Chriftian education to excite, and 
 improve it, but a contrary one from 
 the verv beginning, and fuch a one 
 in particular as Chriftian Children 
 have from the Turks ; So i I fay, it 
 will not be difficult to apprehend, 
 but it may be perfe£tly overwhelm^ 
 and cboaked by it : As that feed in 
 the Parable was, that was lown a- 
 mong Thorns , or as that may be 
 fuppos'd to be, that is covered over 
 with rubbifh ? and hindred by it 
 from fprouting forth. And though 
 I cannot lay the fame of the rege- 
 neration of fuch perlbns, as have af- 
 Aa 2 terwards 
 
35^ Of the Baptifm 
 
 terwards had a Chriftian, and it may 
 be a careful education to excite it 
 ( for here one would think it fhould 
 every where more forcibly exert it 
 felf ) yet this I may, which will be 
 of equal force , that in that cafe it 
 may equally fail for want of thofe 
 perfbns exciting it, in whom that 
 feed is fbwn, or of their anfwering 
 by their care , and endeavour that 
 education, which is made ufe of in 
 order to it. For Baptifm ( as hath 
 been often laid ) being in the nature 
 of a ftipulation j or Contract, where 
 Ibmewhat is to be performed by the 
 party Baptized, as loon as he is in a 
 capacity to do it, as well as by him, 
 with whom the contract is made ; 
 No wonder if, when the baptized 
 perfbn comes to be in a capacity to 
 perform his part, and doth not, he 
 with whom the ContraQ: is made , 
 do firft withdraw his blefling from 
 that, which he hath before fbwn in 
 him, and afterward the feed it felf, 
 For in either of thefe cafes we can- 
 not expeft fuch indications, or effe&s 
 of the Baptifmal regeneration, as o- 
 therwife we might, and as do a£hi- 
 ally fhew themfelves in many of 
 
 thofe, 
 
of Infants. 357 
 
 thofe, who have been made parta- 
 kers of it. It may be enough that 
 God hath furnifh'd fuch perfons with 
 a regeneration , which during their 
 minority will qualifie them for, and 
 fecure them to his Kingdom, and a re- 
 generation too whichjif well improved, 
 will grow into a more complete , and 
 effe&ual one, and in fine bring them 
 to a due holinefs, and unto God. If 
 the baptized perfons will, when they 
 are in a capacity to do better, negleft 
 to excite it, or will oppofe it, they 
 muft thank themfelves, if they mi£ 
 carry, and not lay the blame upon any 
 failure on Chrifts part, and much lefs 
 deny his having conferred it on them. 
 The third, and laft great Obje&ion 
 againft the Baptifm of Infants is their 
 being incapable of anfwering what is 
 prerequired to it on the part of the 
 perfons that are to be baptized, or is 
 to be performed by them in the re- 
 ceiving of it. Which incapacity they 
 argue, as to the former of theft, from 
 the Scripture's pre-requiring Faith , 
 and Repentance to it, as the latter 
 from that ftipulation, which Baptifm 
 involves, and which Infants are equal- 
 ly incapacitated to make. 
 
 Aa ] The 
 
1^8 Of the fBaptifm 
 
 The Anfwer , which our Cate- 
 chifm makes to thefe difficulties, or 
 at leaft to the former, is, that they 
 prornife them both by their fureties , 
 which promife, when they come to Age? 
 themf elves are bound to perform. 
 And poilibly this Anfwer might be 
 better digefted than it is r if the minds 
 of thofe, who argue againft Infant- 
 Baptifm, were more free , and un- 
 prejudiced, than they commonly ap^ 
 pear to be. Becaufe firft what is 
 urgM againft Infant^Baptifm upon 
 the account of its being a ftipulati^ 
 on, or Contract is equally of force 
 againft the Circumcifion of Infants , 
 becaufe that was equally a Covenant, 
 or rather a fign of it, and a means 
 of entring into it. Which notwith- 
 standing , the Infants of Abrahams 
 pofterity were by the Command of 
 God himfelf admitted to it , and 
 thereupon reckon'd as in Covenant 
 with him. Now if the Infants of 
 Abrahams pofterity were by the 
 Command of God admitted into Co- 
 venant with him ; What fhould 
 hinder the Infants of Chriftians 
 from Covenanting in like man- 
 , ner with him, and fo far forth from 
 
 being 
 
of Infants] ^y 
 
 being admitted to the participation 
 of that Sacrament, which is a figfl 
 of the fame gracious Covenant, and 
 a means of entring into it ? Again 
 Secondly, though Infants cannot in 
 ftri&nefs Covenant with God , be- 
 caufe neither having re of on enough 
 to apprehend the terms of i% nor will 
 to determine themfelves to the per- 
 formance of them ; Yet as they may 
 if favour be admitted to a partner- 
 fhip in a Covenant, and where God,, 
 or Chrift is the perfbn > with whom 
 they contract, obliged when they 
 come of years to anlwer their pain 
 in it, lb by the fame favour of him, 
 with whom they contract , what is 
 done to them, or for them, may be 
 interpreted as a promife on their part 
 for the performance of it. By which 
 means though they fhould not be ca- 
 pable of a itrift, and proper ftipu- 
 lation, yet they may of that, which 
 is interpretatively fuch. The omly 
 farther doubt in this affair is, whe- 
 ther God accepts of fuch a ftipula- 
 tion, which his accepting of it un- 
 der the Covenant of Ciroumcifion f 
 and from the Children of Abraft4m\ 
 natural pofterity witt eafily remove, 
 
 A a 4 Far 
 
3 do Of the Baptifm 
 
 pot* the Covenant of Baptifm being 
 no way inferior in it felf to ( or ra- 
 ther but the fame Covenant in a 
 different drefs with) the Covenant 
 of Circumcifion, nor the Children of 
 Abrahams fpiritual feed inferior to 
 thofe of the natural one ; What was 
 accepted of under the Covenant of 
 Circumcifion , and from the Chil- 
 dren of Abrahams natural feed may 
 as reafbnably be prefum'd to be 
 accepted of under Baptifm , and 
 from the Children of his fpiritual. 
 How much more , when ( as was 
 before fhewn) his Son, and our Sa- 
 fe) Mark io. 1 viour Chrift (g) hath commanded 
 J 4- Children to be brought to him for 
 his benediction, and grace, and his; 
 Apoftle and our great Inftrufter 
 S. Paul declared the Children of Chri- 
 stians to be holy, yea where but one 
 of the Parents is fb ? Thus we may 
 rationally anfwer what is obje&ed 
 againft the Stipulation of Infants , 
 and confequently againft their taking 
 upon them what is required of them 
 in the receiving of Baptifm ; Which 
 will leave nothing to us to make an- 
 fwer to, but their fuppofed incapa- 
 city for that faith, and repentance , 
 
 which 
 
of Infants. 361 
 
 which feem to be pre-required to it, 
 and which one would think they , 
 that are to be baptized, fhould bring 
 with them in fbme meafiire, as well 
 as make a promife of. But befide 
 that thofe Texts {h\ which fpeak (^Mark \6. 
 of thefe prerequifites, do all mani- y^^h* 6 ' 
 feftly relate to adult peribns, andfuch — — - ~s. 37. •• 
 as are brought to Baptifin by the 
 preaching of the Gofpel, and there- 
 fore not lightly to be urg'd in the 
 cafe of Infants ; There are thefe three 
 fubftantial reafons to make a difference 
 between Infants, and Men as to this 
 particular. Firft , that Infants are not 
 admitted to Baptifm, and the graces 
 of it upon the account of any right 
 in themfelves, but of the right of 
 their Parents. Secondly, that they 
 are admitted for the prefent to a let 
 fer portion of the Divine graces , 
 than adult peribns are, and fuch as 
 are rather the feeds of them, than 
 any throughly form'd , or well fet- 
 led ones. Thirdly, that what right 
 they receive by their Baptifm to fu- 
 ture, and more perfect priviledges, de- 
 pends for their aftually attaining them 
 upon their exhibiting that faith, and 
 repentance, which at the time of their 
 
 Baptifm 
 
$6t Of the Baptifm 
 
 Baptifm they only made a promife 
 of. For if ( as is alledged in the 
 firft reafbn ) Infants are not admit- 
 ted to Baptifm and the Graces of it > 
 upon the account of any right in 
 themfelves, but of the right of their 
 Parents ; What fhould 
 * Aeemmodat Wis mater Eerie- hinder the Church from 
 fti aiiorum pedes ut veniant , lending** Or Infants from 
 
 ahorumeorut credant, ahorum * m r / r 
 
 lingua* ut fateanur, ut quonUm borrowing f rom it the feet 
 
 quod agri fat alio pec ante yr*- of other men , that they 
 gravanturje cumhi fani [unt alio / » -> 
 
 pro eis eonftentefdventur. Aug. m *J Qome > ™* mart Oj 
 
 dcVcrb.Apofl. Serm. 10. others that they may be- 
 
 lieve, the tongue of others 
 that they may eonfefs, that becaufe, in 
 that they were fick, they were prejfed 
 down by another s (in, they may, when 
 they are made whole, be faved by the 
 confeffion of another ? If again ( as is 
 alledged in the fecond reafbn , and 
 prov'd before in the matter of rege- 
 neration ) Infants are admitted for 
 the preftnt to a lefler portion of the 
 divine Graces, than adult perfbns are, 
 and fiich as are rather the feeds of 
 them , than any throughly form'd, 
 or well fetled one ; Who can think 
 but that a like difference ought to be 
 between them as to the pre-requifites 
 of their Baptifm, and that therefore 
 
 not 
 
of Infants. jtft 
 
 not to be urg'd as to the cafe of In- 
 fants, which was prerequired of the 
 other ? In fine if ( as is alledged in 
 the third reafbn ) what right In* 
 fants receive by their Baptifin to 
 future, and more perfe£t priviledges, 
 depends for their attaining of 
 them , upon their exhibiting that 
 Faith , and Repentance, which at 
 the time of their Baptifin they on- 
 ly made a promife of; It may be 
 time enough, when that right is to 
 be actuated, to exhibit that Faith, 
 and Repentance, and fo make way 
 fork, as they, who are of years, do. 
 Otherwife more fhall be fuppos'd to 
 be requir'd of Infants, than is of 
 adult perfbns themfelves ; Becaufe 
 that Faith and Repentance is not re- 
 quir'd of the latter, till the full pri- 
 viledges of Baptifin are to be beftow'd 
 upon them. And I fhall only add , 
 that if care were taken that the Faith, 
 and Repentance of thofe, who were 
 haptiz'd in their Infancy , were as 
 well enquir'd into, and prov'd as their 
 knowledge in the Catechifm is, before 
 they were allow'd to be confirmed ; 
 The Church would not only bet- 
 ter difcharge the truft, that is repo- 
 
3 64 Of the Baptifm of Infants. 
 
 fed in her as concerning thofe per- 
 fbns, whole Faith and Repentance 
 were not before prov'd, nor could be, 
 but more effe£fcually flop the mouths 
 of the Anabaptifts, than all the Ar- 
 guments (he, or her Sons offer for In- 
 fant Baptifm, will ever be able to do. 
 For fb fhe would make it appear , 
 that though fhe contented her felf in 
 their Baptifin with the promife that 
 was made for them, or rather with 
 that tacit ftipulation, which their 
 very Baptifin involves ; Yet fhe was 
 as mindful, when they came of years, 
 to oblige them to the performance of 
 it, and to give due proofs in their own 
 perfbns of all thofe things, which 
 Baptifm in adult perfbns doth either 
 pre-fiippofe, or oblige to the perfor- 
 mance of. 
 
 PART 
 
S<*5 
 
 PART XII. 
 
 Whether Baptifm may be 
 repeated. 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 What the true ft ate of the prefent 
 quejlion is, and that it is not foun~ 
 ded in any /apposed iHegitimatenefs 
 of the former Baptifm , but upon 
 fuppojition of the baptized perfons 
 either not having before had, or for- 
 feited the regeneration of it, or fallen 
 of from that Religionfo which it doth 
 belong. Whereupon enquiry is made, 
 whether if fuch perfons repent and 
 return, they ought to be baptized a- 
 new , or received into the Church 
 without. What there is toperfwade 
 the repeating of Baptifm, and what 
 the Church hath alledgd againji it. 
 The Chmches arguments from Eph. 
 
 4- 4» 
 
$66 Whether Baptifnt 
 
 4.4. and Joh. 13. 16. propofed^ 
 but wavd. The Churches opinion 
 more firmly eftablifhed in the no di± 
 rection there is in Scripture for re- 
 baptization in thofe cafes , but ra- 
 ther the contrary r , and in the no ne- 
 cejjity there is of it. The Arguments 
 for rebaptization anfwefd. 
 
 IV \ 0m r*H E fourth, andlaftque- 
 ftion relating to the right 
 -*- Adminiftration of Bap- 
 tifin is whether it may be repeated* 
 Which queftion is not founded in 
 any fuppos'd illegitimacy of the for- 
 mer Baptifin ( for that is here taken 
 for granted to have been good, and 
 valid) but upon fuppofition of the bap- 
 tized perfbns either having not before 
 received, or forfeited the regeneration 
 heacquir'd by if, or fallen off altoge- 
 ther from that Religion, into which 
 he was baptized. In which cafes, 
 fuppofing the perfbn to repent of his 
 former either impiety, or Apoftafie , 
 it is enquired whether he may be bap- 
 tiz 7 d anew, or received into the Com- 
 munion of the faithful without it. 
 
 Now though, if Men would abide 
 by the Do&riae Qi the Church, this 
 
 que- 
 
may be repeated, 3 67 
 
 queftion would be of eafie refblution ; 
 S. Cyprian * himfelf, who 
 
 „ nc r ft £p Pr ~ far i-Jip rp 1 Epift.71. AdQumtum. tf M 
 
 was lo herce tor tlie re- ^{^^^^^ 
 
 baptizing Or thOlC, Who W'jHtf, »<w rebapti^arl aftd nos, 
 
 had been baptiz d by He- « **** !fc £**&*# ' 
 
 . . r . * . untiltic ahqtiid, hoi nihil eft , 
 
 reticks, yet advancing fedumma adnos, uthkutip* 
 not that AfTertion of his ^ «** £ r *^ > * *j*» 
 
 l p r* r T> •/* t omnis eft, quia & gratia &vt* 
 
 upon a belief or Eaptilm s r; >^ ^ ,^ 
 being to be repeated , 
 provided it were a legitimate one , 
 but on fuppofition of the former 
 Baptifms being no true, and genuine 
 one ; Yet will it not be of lb cafie a 
 refblution, if that Authority be laid 
 afide , and the thing in queftion 
 weighM rather by Arguments, than 
 fuffrages. For what do they differ in 
 effeft from Heathen, or Infidels, who 
 either never before had, or have fallen 
 quite off from the regeneration, or 
 faith of Baptifm ? And if they dif- 
 fer not at all from them, whyfhould 
 they not, if they repent, and return, 
 be received as Heathen, or Infidels, 
 I mean by the Sacrament of Baptifm ? 
 Efpecially, when in the ordinary difc 
 penfation of God the graces of the 
 Sacrament are annexed to the Sacra- 
 ment, nor can be expefted without 
 it. For, that fuppos cl, why flhould 
 
 not 
 
3 68 Whether Bapttfm 
 
 not thefe men, being to begin their 
 Chriftianity a-new , come a fecond 
 time under that Sacrament, which is 
 to enter beginners into it, and give 
 them the regeneration, and remiffion 
 of it? 
 
 Of what force thefe Obje&ions are, 
 fhall be afterward confidered \ The 
 only reafbn of my prefent mention of 
 them is to fhew, that the queftion is 
 not without its difficulty, and that 
 if we will fatisfie our underftandings 
 lb, as to be able to fatisfie others, we 
 rauft enquire into the grounds of the 
 Churches opinion, as well as be fatis- 
 fied, that the Church hath been fo 
 perfuaded* Which we fhall find the 
 more reafbn for, becaufe one princi- 
 pal Text, which hath been alledged,- 
 feems not to come up to it, nor in- 
 deed to have any relation to that af- 
 fair ; That I mean, which fuggefts 
 f Eph. 4. 5. J one Bapti/m f as well as one Lord, and 
 one Faith in him. For the defign of 
 the Apoftle in that place being to 
 perfwade the Ephefians to unity, and 
 peace among themfelves, as that too, 
 among other things by there being 
 one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptifm, 
 cannot fb reafbnably be thought to 
 
 mean 
 
may he repeated. 3 <£<j 
 
 mean any other, than that they all 
 had one common Lord , to whom 
 they related, one common Faith in 
 that Lord , and one common Bap- 
 tifm, or mode of initiating into it : 
 That unity, as it beft agrees with 
 that one hope of their catting, by which 
 they are alfb preft, becaule declared 
 to be one f, in which they were die died j * E P hl 4*4- 
 So moft naturally, and moft immedi- 
 ately enforcing that agreement with 
 one another , for the inculcating 
 whereof they are all fuggefted. I lay 
 not the lame, nor can of that unity 
 of Baptifm, which imports only a 
 fingle adminiftration of it to one , 
 and the fame perlbn \ That unity , 
 though it may oblige the perlbn to 
 ftick dole to his Religion, and to the 
 profeflion he hath made of it in that 
 one Baptifm of his, yet perlwading 
 not any adhefion to, or unity with 
 other Baptized perlbns, than as they 
 may be fuppos'd to partake in com- 
 mon with him in it. But it may be there 
 is more force in what is alledged from 
 our Saviour, where he faith (Y), that (*)]Qh.i-$. 
 he j that is wafbed, even by a more ge- lc 
 
 neral wafhing, needeth not fave to 
 wajh his feet. And lb no doubt there 
 
 Bb is 
 
 -v 
 
370 Whether Eaptifm 
 
 is, if "by the former rvajhing be meant 
 the rvajhing of Baptifm, as fome of the 
 Antients conceiv'd, and as I have elfe- 
 (6) Part 2. where (b) made it probable. But 
 there is this exception againft it, as 
 to the thing we are now about, tl\at 
 it feems to fuppofe the more general 
 purity procured by it to abide, and 
 mens atfe&ions, or actions only to have 
 lome pollution in them ."Whereas thole, 
 concerning whole rebaptization we 
 intreat, either never had, or have 
 forfeited their baptifmal regeneration, 
 or fallen off altogether from that Reli- 
 gion to which it belongs. 
 
 Now that, which in my opinion 
 ought to have the firft place in our 
 thoughts is the no direction there is 
 in Scripture for the repetition of Bap- 
 tifin, where the like Apoftafie , or 
 impiety hath happened, but rather a 
 direftion to a contrary courfe. And 
 I inftance for the proof thereof in 
 Simon Peter, after he had deny'd, 
 and forfwornhis Mafter ; And in 67- 
 mon Magus, after he had proceeded to 
 fb great a degree of impiety, as to 
 offer the A pottles money for the gift 
 of the Holy Ghoft. For to the former 
 pf thefe, even S. Peter, we find no 
 
 other 
 
may be repeated. -> y i 
 
 other wafhing direfted, fave that(V) CO !-**•«• 
 of penitential tears ; Nay we find 
 him admonifhed (d) y as well as li- W 22 - 
 cenfed after that convey -fion of his to 
 let himfelf to the Jlretigthning of his 
 brethren. Which iri all probability he 
 would not have been, without a fore- 
 going Baptifm, if our Saviour had 
 meant for the future, that nothing 
 but a new Baptifm fhould be able to 
 convert fuch Apoftates to -himfelf : 
 His paffing over fb great an Apofta- 
 fie in a prime difciple of his upon his 
 bare repentance being apt to encou- 
 rage other men to prefiime of the 
 fame unto themfelves. Neither will 
 it avail to fay, that this inftance will 
 not reach the cafe, becaufe it doth 
 not appear, that S. Peter was baptized 
 before. For fuppofing that he were 
 not, which yet ( as was heretofore 
 (e) obfervd ) in all probability he"(0 Par c*« 
 .was, the cafe of the Rebaptizers will 
 not be rendered better, but rather fb 
 much the worfe for it. For if he was 
 not baptizM before, there was the 
 more reafbn he fliould be baptized 
 now, if nothing but a new Baptifm 
 generally can wafh away Apoltafie. 
 The inftance of Simon Magus is yet 
 r more 
 
37 z Whether !Baptifm 
 
 more clear, and unexceptionable 
 where the regeneration of Baptifin hath 
 not been before receiv'd , or forfeited 
 after the receiving of it. For that Simo»< 
 Magu* either never -receiv'd-, or had 
 now loft the Baptifmal regeneration, 
 is evident from the words of S. P<s 
 frrtohim; That holy man not on- 
 
 Cf)A&sa.2o. ly curfing him (/)' for his offer of 
 money, but telling him in exprefs terms, 
 that he had neither lot, nor fart in the 
 
 ft)--— ai. matter (g) of Chriftianity, and that 
 his heart was not right in the fight of 
 God, in fine that he perceiv'd, that 
 
 (frj~~....?3. fo e was i n th e g A ll of bitternefs (h) , 
 
 and in the bond, of iniquity. Which 
 notwithftanding, th§ lame S. Peter 
 Cp ;; ^4 %% * direfted him only (J) to repent of 
 that his wiekednefs y and fray God, if 
 perhaps the thought of his heart might 
 be forgiven him. \Vhich how couk! 
 S. Peter have done, efpecially in fo 
 notorious a cafe, if a fecond Baptifrr* 
 had been neceffary to wafh away 
 that finftijL eftate, which the former 
 Baptifin had not purgM, or at leaft 
 ^ 7 hich had returned after it« 
 
 My fecond Argument againft the 
 repetition of Baptifin is the no necefc 
 fity of it in either of the forementi- 
 
 Qt\i 
 
may be repeated. 375 
 
 onM inftances. As will appear whe- 
 ther we confider it as a means of ob- 
 liging us to that piety, which our Re- 
 ligion requires, or as a means of con- 
 veying the graces of it. For in the 
 former notion it is as really, and effe- 
 ctually an obligation to a Chriftian life 
 in an unfincere perfbn, or one who 
 afterwards apoftatizeth, as if it had 
 been never fb heartily intended j The 
 obligation thereof arifing not from 
 the fecret fentiments of the perlbn , 
 that is baptized, or his conftancy to his; 
 profeflion, but from the nature of the 
 thing it felf, and the Inftitution of 
 God,; that prefcrib'd it. Provided 
 therefore we take upon us the Sacra- 
 ment it felf, we tie our felves by it 
 without remedy, neither can there 
 therefore be any need of our obliging 
 our felves by it a fecond time, unlefs 
 he, who inftituted it, fhould require 
 it of us. It is true indeed fb far as we 
 have departed from it whether byA- 
 poftafie, or impiety , fb far it will 
 concern us tQ own it again to our 
 Lord, and Mafter, by our repentance 
 of the breaches of it, and a repetition 
 of the fame vows unto him ; And 
 it will concern us too, if the Church 
 
 requires 
 
374 Whether Baptifm 
 
 requires it, to fatisfie that alfb,tli.at we 
 do fb repent, and will amend. But as 
 both the one, and the other may be 
 done without the repetition of our 
 Baptifm, fb a frank acknowledgment 
 with our mouths, together with the 
 receit of the Lord's Supper, may very 
 wellferve for thofe purpofes, becaufe 
 ferving a like to declare them. But it 
 may be the principal difficulty in this 
 affair lies in what concerns Baptifm as 
 a means of conveying the graces of it, 
 and particularly our regeneration, and 
 new birth. And I rauft confefs I 
 was for fbme time at a lofs what to 
 think in it, till I confider'd that the 
 Sacrament of Baptifm was not either 
 a phyfical caufe, or conveyer. of Grace^ 
 that we fhould think the grace of it 
 could not be in the receiver of Bap- 
 tifm, unlefs it were either prefently 
 produced in him, or conveyed to him, 
 but a moral inftrument thereof, or a 
 means to which God hath annexed 
 the promife of it. For fuch a one 
 by the favour of that God, who hath 
 annexed the promife of his Grace un- 
 to it, may operate at a diftance, as 
 well as in prefence , and accordingly 
 may convey it to the receiver of Bap- 
 tifm, 
 
may be repeated. 3/5" 
 
 tifm, as well after his Baptifm, as to- 
 gether with it, yea convey it after the 
 baptized perfon hath loft it, as well as 
 it did at firft. Which fuppos'd, the 
 only remaining difficulty will be , 
 whether we may reafonably expect it 
 from God , fuppofing the baptized 
 perfon to return, and repent. A thing, 
 which they have little reafon to que- 
 stion, who believe God to allow a f> 
 cond Baptifm upon it, and we fliall 
 have far left, if we reflect upon the 
 former inftances of Peter , and Simon 
 Maws. For if God will allow of the 
 remedy of a fecond Baptifm upon re- 
 pentance, why not alfb allow the firft 
 Baptifm to be the means of conveying 
 his graces, and our health, and found- 
 nefs ? Efpecially, when the breaches 
 of it come to be acknowledged, and 
 the vow thereof renewed. And if 
 God accepted of S. Peter upon his 
 bare repentance, and directed Simon 
 hhgm to no other remedy, than that, 
 -and prayer ; We may as well fuppofe, 
 that if he accept us at all , he will 
 accept us upon that, and our old Bap- 
 tifm, and fb make that co-operate to • 
 the refpedi ve graces of it, 
 
 Thele 
 
^7 6 Whether Baptifm, Sec. 
 
 Thefe I take to be fufficient Argu- 
 ments againft the repetition of Bap- 
 tifin, and the more, becaufe they alfo 
 fiiggeft as fatisfa&ory anfwers to what 
 hath been before alledged for it. For 
 neither can they be lookM upon as 
 Heathen,and contequently as ftanding 
 in need of a new Baptifm, who how- 
 ever they may have renounced the old, 
 whether by their Impiety, or Apofta- 
 fie,yet ever were, and ever will be un- 
 der the obligation of it. And much lefs 
 after their repentance, and return can 
 they be thought to want it toward the 
 producing of that regeneration, which 
 they are without : Their former Bap- 
 tifm, through the favour of him who 
 annexM the promife of regeneration 
 to that Sacrament, being as effe&ual 
 for that purpofe, as any new Baptifm 
 what fbever. Baptifin is indeed ge- 
 nerally neceffaryto regeneration, it 
 is fb neceflary that no man living can 
 promife it to himfelf without it ; But 
 if it be of as much value, as neceflity, 
 it may, and no doubt will induce him, 
 who is the difpenfer of his own gra- 
 ces, to confer it upon a former, fas well 
 as upon any new adminiftration of it» 
 
 FINIS. 
 

lTV